Author: Rabbi Milder

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Shemini – Pacing Speed

This week’s Torah portion of Shemini begins with the priestly service of the kohanim in the Mishkan, and the subsequent debacle of Nadav and Avihu. After Aharon and his sons brought the initial offerings, the Torah states: “And Aharon lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them. He then descended from preparing the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering. And Moshe and Aharon went into the Tent of Meeting. Then they came out and blessed the people, and the glory of Hashem appeared to all the people. And fire went forth from before Hashem and consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar, and all the people saw, sang praises, and fell upon their faces. And Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, each took his pan, put fire in them, and placed incense upon it, and they brought before Hashem foreign fire, which He had not commanded them. And fire went forth from before Hashem and consumed them, and they died before Hashem” (Vayikra 9:22-24, 10:1,2).

The Sifra (Torah Kohanim 16) depicts the impact and excitement of the first service in the Mishkan: “At that time, for what they did [the kohanim] merited to get all the priestly gifts and have the opportunity to be the only ones to give the priestly blessings for all generations until the resurrection of the dead. When they finished bringing the sin-offering, burnt-offering, and peace-offering they came down the altar with joy.” In paragraph 23 the Sifra says that when the fire came down from before Hashem, “since they saw a new fire that came down from Heaven and licked up (or scorched) the burnt-offering and fats on the altar, they fell on their faces and gave praises to Heaven.” Then in paragraph 24 the Sifra discusses another interpretation (different than what he had said earlier,) of what happened with Nadav and Avihu. “The children of Aharon also took [pans] with joy, since they saw the new fire. They got up to add love onto love, for the word ‘taking’ shows joy. [The fact the Torah emphasized ‘the sons of Aharon’ after it mentioned Nadav and Avihu teaches us that they did not give proper respect to Aharon. Neither did Nadav and Avihu seek advice to do this from Moshe. ‘Each man with their pan’ means they acted on their own and they didn’t even take advice from each other. ‘They brought a strange fire before Hashem that they were not commanded,’ Rebbe Yishmael says, you might think it was really a foreign fire, therefore it says, ‘that He didn’t command them,’ it was just that they entered without seeking advice.”

The Chofetz Chaim in his commentary on the Sifra explains what happened in the incident of Nadav and Avihu according to this medrish. When it says ‘they wanted to add love onto love,’ that means they wanted to bring an additional, new gift out of love for Hashem, the Blessed One. They took the pans with ‘joy,’ meaning with the zrizus, speed, alacrity, and with joy, as with the first set of offerings. The mistake Nadav and Avihu made was that if this was an appropriate thing to do then they should have let their father, Aharon, do it out of respect for him. But they decided to do it themselves, without asking anyone’s advice, even each other’s, which might have ensured that what they were doing was right. The Chofetz Chaim goes on to explain that the problem was not that they brought the incense using normal fire, rather the sin was that they did not wait until they were commanded to bring it; the act in of itself was appropriate. (Click here for Hebrew text  & Here.)

It would seem that the incense in the pans that Nadav and Avihu brought were accepted by Hashem with fire coming down from Heaven “licking it up.” They did it with zrizus, swiftly and with joy, as a mitzva should be done, with the sole purpose of showing their love to Hashem, for Hashem’s sake, lisheim Shamayim; so what went wrong and why were they considered at fault? It is because they acted too hastily and didn’t wait for orders or at least ask permission from Moshe or their father, which showed a lack of honor to Aharon. But why should they have been held accountable? They had such positive emotions, joy and love focused on Hashem. They also used the attribute of zrizus like how all mitzvos should be fulfilled. They thought this was obviously the next move that should be done based on the love and joy produced for Hashem with the initial offerings, and in hindsight it really was the right thing to do. We see this from the fact that Hashem did send down a fire and singe their offering of incense. So why were they so severely punished, that that very fire from Heaven that accepted their offerings took their lives as well for not giving proper respect to Aharon and not seeking advice or waiting for orders from Moshe. But they did it for all the right reasons, just to enhance the relationship between Hashem and His beloved people; so why fault them?

It would seem that even with all the right intentions, and the act even being appropriate, but because they allowed their emotions to take control of them, even if they were positive emotions, it caused them to act too hastily. Even albeit on a dakei dakos, minute, miniature level. For at the lofty levels they were on, they deserved such punishment. If they had kept focused and weighed when and how to do the right thing, then they would not have faltered, and that was what caused their sin according to this Sifra.

We have to always be very careful to be in control of our emotions, even if what’s driving us are positive emotions. We still have to intellectually make sure we are doing the right thing, at the right time, in the best possible way.

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Tzav/Passover – Chametz (leavened) = Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination)


 There is a connection between this week’s Torah portion of Tzav and Pesach which starts right after Shabbos. The connection is chometz. Everyone knows we may not have chometz, “leavened bread,” throughout Pesach, but also most of the different types of korban mincha, meal offerings, were also made without chometz. As it says, “It shall not be baked leavened, I have presented it as their share from My fire-offering; it is most holy, like the sin-offering and like the guilt-offering” (Vayikra 6:10). But there are some meal-offerings where chometz is in fact included, as discussed in the parsha, like the korban todah, the thanksgiving-offering. (Parenthetically that is why we don’t say the paragraph of Mizmor Litodah during pesukei dizimra the entire Pesach – because this paragraph represents the korban todah which was brought during the year with chometz.)

Why is the meal offering of the thanksgiving-offering different than the sin-offering or guilt-offering?
 A korban todah was brought to thank Hashem for saving one’s life in different circumstances. Today we bentche gomel upon recovering from a major illness, traveling overseas or over a desert, and getting out of jail.

The Rabbeinu Bachye in last week’s Torah portion of Vayikra (2:11)  explains why chometz cannot be used in the meal offerings for a korban chatas (sin-offering) or korban asham (guilt offering): “According to the simple understanding, the sacrifice is to atone for our sins, and if not for the inciter and instigator, referring to the yetzer hara, then a person would not sin and would not need to bring a sacrifice at all. Chometz (and honey) are the yetzer hara themselves as Chaza”l say, (Mechilta Pesicha 5), in terms of chometz and matza on Pesach that a person must turn away his heart from the yetzer hara and that is why it says, ‘and you shall not eat upon it chometz’ (Devarim 16:3), referring to the korban pesach (paschal lamb). The korban pesach was atonement for the idolatry they worshiped in Egypt, and therefore He distanced them from the yetzer hara in order to not go back to idolatry… and therefore chometz (and honey) were kept far away from the offering because it’s not possible to have two polar opposites in one package, furthermore it’s like purifying oneself in a mikva while holding an unclean rodent.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
We see from here that by the korban todah, the thanksgiving-offering, which has nothing to do with sin, it is appropriate to use chometz as part of the offering. But the korban chatas, or asham, the sin- and guilt-offerings, which atone for sins, do not use chometz, which is the yetzer hara, evil inclination, as it would be a contradiction to use it to atone for sin.

Why is chometz, leavened bread, the yetzer hara? It can still be kosher and eaten everyday besides on Pesach. And for these offerings, why are they even called the yetzer hara, and not at least referred to as a hint to the yetzer hara, or something to that effect? 
 Rabbeinu Bachye in his Kad HaKemach (chapter on Pesach) explains in more detail that the word chometz comes from the language of “כי יתחמץ לבבי…” (Tehillim 73:21). “When my heart was in ferment though my mind was sharp.” (Parenthetically in Tehillim (71:4) it says אלוקי פרטני מיד רשע מכף מעול וחומץ, “My G-D, deliver me from the wicked one’s hand, from the palm of the schemer and the violent one.”) The heart which is on the verge of sinning is compared to dough on the verge of fermenting (or leavening), also a righteous person on the verge of wickedness is called by Chaza”l as “hechmitz,” one who has fermented, as we see in terms of Koresh in Rosh Hashanah 3b… for this reason the Torah says you shouldn’t be seen or found [with chometz], don’t be seen in action and don’t be found in thought, rather it, [the yetzer hara,] should be nullified in your heart… you can learn that the prohibition of chometz includes the entire mitzva, and since chometz is a hint to the yetzer hara, from here, there is a hint that just as we are commanded by the Torah to nullify chometz in our hearts, so to we are obligated to nullify the evil inclination from the heart and not have it rule over us etc.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 We see from Rabbeinu Bachye’s Kad HaKemach, that in fact chometz is more of a hint to the yetzer hara, even though in his commentary to the Torah, Rabbeinu Bachye calls chometz the yetzer hara. In fact, the Alshich also treats chometz as the yetzer hara itself, as we find in the beginning of the Migdal Eder HaChodosh Haggada, paraphrasing the Alshich: “Chometz is the yetzer hara for it is sour (חמוץ) and blemished (פגום). So to we also find that the gematria of chometz (חמץ) is פגימה, (blemish, fault, defect). The yetzer hara is the one who ruins (מחמיץ) a person and distracts him from serving Hashem. A person has to overcome him and not let him rule over him at all, only use him when needed, when there is no other choice (like for basic needs of eating, sleeping, clothing etc.), but for all other matters find ways to distance oneself from him, for he is forbidden to get any benefit from when not needed. One might ask why is chometz permitted the entire year and just burned for these days, on the contrary, it should be the opposite, that one should benefit from it for only a small amount of time, and the rest of the year stay far away from it and destroy it? However, this really isn’t a question because all one has to do is stay away from [chometz] a little bit, for there really is no mitzvah where a person is not fighting against and doing whatever he can to stop the one who is trying to stop you from performing that mitzva. This is the intent of Hashem to give you more good, reward for your actions, and because [the yetzer hara] is needed for every part of the existence of this world [in order for us to earn our reward through our tireless efforts], then he can’t be nullified. But a hint was given to anyone with a soul and mind to burn him [the yetzer hara], and therefore one who is of soul and mind should put in all his efforts to do so when appropriate.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
Chometz is not forbidden to be eaten all year round like pig, shellfish, and other non-kosher animals, but is only prohibited at certain times of the year and in certain circumstances. However, this ban is indeed because chometz is the yetzer hara; meaning the essence of chometz and the essence of the yetzer hara are the same. Just as grain when fermented or leavened will rise and be distorted, and in fact if you add yeast to flour you might get the perfect rise for a good bread, however if it is left too long it becomes very sour and even inedible. So too, when fermenting any vegetable or fruit, there is a phase of it being edible but if left too long or in too much it’s ruined. So too there is a need for the yetzer hara in the world, for a basic drive for physical needs. Without it a person would not want to eat, sleep, get married, etc. and would not be able to survive. But too much of it, and too lavish, can also be deadly. Therefore Hashem fashioned into this world a week that even the essence of the yetzer hara should be erased from all the Jews, in order to focus us on what’s important in the purpose of our lives. This reinforces our combat skills to fight the unneeded yetzer hara during the rest of the year.

It also makes more sense why chometz was not used for meal-offerings of the sin- and guilt-offerings. Because the essence of the yetzer hara should not even be mentioned or hinted at in those offerings, since they would not have to be even needed if the yetzer hara didn’t exist.

Good Shabbos HaGadol and Happy Pesach,
 Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Vayikra+ – Divine Ingredients to True Love (See Below)


The Book of Vayikra, in this week’s portion begins, “And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Moed saying” (Vayikra 1:1.) The Sifra, otherwise known as The Toras Kohanim, has a beautiful depiction of the extent and passion of Hashem’s love to His children, Bnei Yisrael.
 The Sifra (1:12) says, “[G-D spoke] from the Ohel Moed (The Tent of Meeting), one would think it was from the entire house, therefore the pasuk indicates that [Hashem’s Holy Presence] was on the kapores (the covering of the Aron). One might think it was atop of the entire kapores, therefore it says from between the two keruvim (cherubs), these are the words of Rebbe Akiva. Rebbe Shimon ben Azai said, I am not trying to question my rebbe but rather adding onto his words: The honor that is being spoken about refers to the fact that [Hashem has said] ‘Behold the Heaven and Earth I fill’. Behold the love for the Jews, where was this love caused to go? Kaviyachol, it was squeezed into the kapores between the two keruvim was when He spoke. Rebbe Dosa says that in a similar vein it says in Shemos (33:20) ‘no one sees Me and lives.’ They don’t see Me when they are alive but they can when they are about to die. So to it says in Tehillim (22:30), ‘Before Him all those that went down into the ground bow and nefesh (animalistic essense) does not live. Rebbe Akiva says ‘For no person can see Me and live’ not even the Chayos Hakodesh (angels) who carry the Throne of Glory cannot see His glory. Rebbe Shimon [ben Azai] said, I am not trying to question my rebbe but, rather, I am adding on to his words. ‘For no one can see and live’ even angels whose lives are eternal do not see the glory.”

The Chofetz Chaim has a running commentary on the Sifra, a lot of it quoting commentary by the Raavad and the Ba’al Tosfos, Rabbeinu Shimshom miShantz. The Chofetz Chaim explains the first half of the Sifra by saying that we might have thought that Hashem’s glory would rest sometimes on the east part of the Ohel Moed and sometimes on the west. However, in order to elevate the Jewish people,  He purposely focused His Glory, out of pure love for the Jewish People. Where did all the Glory go? It was forced in between the 2 keruvim.

The Sifra then brings in the statement of Rebbe Dosa that no one can see the Glory of Hashem besides a person upon passing away. The Chofetz Chaim explains that this statement was brought here because Rebbe Shimon ben Azai again says he is adding to his rebbe, Rebbe Akiva’s, words and not questioning them. The Chofetz Chaim then brings down Rabbeinu Shimshon MiShanz who says that the reason why a person who is about to die has a glimpse at the Glory of Hashem is because when the soul needs to leave the body it has the chance to see the Dwelling On High, just as before it is put into the body when it is hovering right under neath the Throne of Glory (כסא הכבוד). So too there is a bit of time right before a person’s soul leaves its body where one has ruach hakodesh, Divine intervention, infused into them and they are able to tell the future before entering Gan Eden. The Pirkei DiRebbe Eliezer (perek 35) adds that the soul does not leave the body until it sees The Holy Presence (the Shechina). However, the Chofetz Chaim adds onto what Rabbeinu Shimshon MiShantz says, that this is in fact only true only among unique individuals of the generation. Rebbe Shimshon MiShantz goes on to say that Rebbe Shimon ben Azai just added in that even angels aren’t a part of this unique group who sees the Shechina. I might have thought that since they are actually serving Hashem, as one who fulfills his master’s bidding then angels should have even more permission to see Hashem’s Glory. They are His personal servants; therefore, Rebbe Shimon added that even angels cannot see Hashem’s glory. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 The famous song, “Hashem is here, Hashem is there, Hashem is truly everywhere,” is so, so true! Yet Hashem manifests His glory and Holy Presence (Shechina) in ways that are focused in some places more than others. The Sifra is bothered by, that if Hashem, the King of All Kings, Master of The Universe and Beyond is focusing His Honor and Glory in the Mishkan, amongst the Jewish People, then wouldn’t we think that He would do it as vastly as possible within the central confines of the Mishkan?

Hashem must want to teach us a lesson by specifically talking in between the two Keruvim. That true love, which is what the Sifra says He was showing to the Jews, has to come through belittling oneself and self-sacrifice for the sake of the other. The second part of the Sifra, I humbly believe, also shows an expression of love and connection to the most beloved of Hashem’s dear children. There is a level of Honor and Glory of Hashem which no one is privy to, certainly not in their lifetime. But even the angels, those servants of Hashem that are more directly involved in His will and service, even those that carry His Divine Throne, (whatever that means) are not allowed to look upon Hashem Honor and Glory. However, as the Chofetz Chaim says, only a few in each generation, as we see by Yaakov (who right before he passed away had this gift of seeing into the future till the end of days, witnessing the Shechina and to be able to take a glimpse of Hashem’s Honor and Glory when dying). Something so holy, so important, so awesome, that not even the angels, His most trusted and pure servants could see, even though a servant is known to be able to see things of important and private that no one else is privy to, still in all Hashem didn’t allow them. So why would Hashem let even the unique and few of the generation take a glimpse?

We must say, it would seem, that another aspect of love and connection is treating those loved ones that one feels an extra closeness to, as extra special, above and beyond the normal standards and comfort zone.

This doesn’t only have to apply to Hashem’s love for his children, the Jewish People. It can also make sense that it would apply to any close relationship; that to show true love one has to be ready to go out of their comfort zone or standards, and belittle oneself for the sake of his or her beloved, while also treating her or him as more special than anyone else.
That is an expression of true love.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder
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Pekudei – Proper Manners to Focus Others 


The Bechor Shor connects the concluding pasuk of the Book of Shemos in this week’s Torah portion of Pekudei, with the beginning pasuk of the next book of Vayikra. It concludes, “For the cloud of Hashem would be on the Mishkan by day and fire would be on it by night, before the eyes of all of the House of Israel throughout their journeys” (Shemos 40:38).
 The Bechor Shor begins by pointing out that the pasuk says “and the Honor of Hashem filled the Mishkan” to emphasize the fact that Hashem’s honor is greater than the Mishkan that fits into it, rather than stating it the more grammatically correct way, and saying ‘The Mishkan was filled with the Honor of Hashem,’ which sounds like the Mishkan is bigger and holding within it the Honor of Hashem. The Bechor Shor goes on to say that that is why the Torah states the following pasuk, which is the beginning of Vayikra, “And He called onto Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting saying” (Vayikra 1:1). As long as the Cloud of Glory was hovering within the Mishkan no one was allowed to enter it without being called upon, which granted them permission to enter. We see similarly by the giving of the Torah it states, “And Har Sinai was inundated with smoke” (Shemos 19:18), and it says in the next pasuk, “And Hashem called to Moshe to the top of the mountain, and Moshe went up.”

The Bechor Shor concludes, which I want to focus on, and says, “Our Rabbis (in the beginning of the Sifra) have explained that in fact for every speech Hashem first called out. This is because it is derech eretz, proper manners, to first call on the person you are speaking to before starting a conversation, so that he will know he is being talked to.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
What kind of derech eretz, proper manners, is needed here? If you are in a big group of people and want to talk to someone specifically, then it has nothing to do with proper manners. A person can get someone’s attention so that he will know that he wants to talk with him. And if there is no one else in the room, or, as in Moshe’s case, Rashi on the first pasuk of Vayikra says that no one else was able to hear G-D and Hashem’s voice went directly and only into Moshe’s ear, then why would it be proper manners to first call him to get his attention; there was no one else He was speaking to?

We must say that even when it is obvious who you are speaking to, either because there is no else around or because you are focusing on the person you want to speak to in a group, it is still proper manners, basic decency, to first call to him in order to focus him, draw him into your conversation, and not rely on the fact that it seems obvious in your mind that he should know that you are speaking to him.

It is basic derech eretz to get the attention of someone before you start a conversation with them to ensure they are ready and focused on listening to your conversation.

 Good Shabbos HaChodesh,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Vayakhel -A Tricky Evil Inclination

This week’s Torah portion of Vayakhel singles out one of the thirty-nine melachos, [prohibitions of Shabbos], of mav’ir [burning]; “You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbos day” (Shemos 35:3). Rabboseinu Baalei Tosfos (Daas Zekeinim) suggests why this specific prohibition was singled out: “The Torah warns us about kindling a fire more than all the other melachos because it doesn’t really look like work (melacha). And perhaps they will say I am not doing a melacha but I will light a fire and prepare everything so I can do things with gold and silver immediately after Shabbos, (for the building of the Mishkan) therefore it says ‘You shall not kindle’. And in Maseches Shabbos 70a, Chaza”l argue if this melacha is singled out to teach us that just as if one does this alone he transgresses Shabbos, so to if one does any other melacha by themselves he transgresses Shabbos and he does not need to transgress all 39 melachos at once to be liable. The other opinion holds this was singled out to teach us that only this melacha is liable for lashes but all others are a punishment of kares and stoning.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
What does the Daas Zekeinim mean when he says that kindling a fire doesn’t really look like a melacha, because it’s too easy to do so people will say it’s not really a thing and do it? What about the melacha of borer [separating what you don’t want from what you do want]; that’s pretty easy, it doesn’t take too much effort, and might even be easier than what is permissible, the act of taking what’s good from the bad with your hand for immediate use?

Rather, it must be that kindling a fire is the only melacha that does not look like a job. Think about it; if you go through the different kinds of melachos, they can each be attached to job categories like planting, cooking, sewing, hunting, etc. Even borer, one can choose things by separating merchandise to sell. But kindling a fire is just turning on a light, giving light to a room, or warming it up, heating up an oven; the molding of the silver and gold is many steps later. It could have nothing to do with any job or work, so one might misconstrue it as not a melacha and come to easily do it on Shabbos. But why is that true? If it’s listed as one of the thirty-nine melachos, then it is clearly forbidden, like any other melacha, with the severe consequence of either being cut off from the nation (kares) and potentially stoning, or even, according to the other opinion, getting up to thirty-nine lashes. So why would anyone misconstrue this melacha in particular as something permissible, if it’s clear that it’s forbidden like any other melacha? Why also would the person only light a fire towards the end of Shabbos and not beforehand if it’s not a real melacha?

Therefore, we must say that any knowledgeable, G-D fearing Jew would never think you can transgress anymelacha on purpose, no matter what it is. But, Hashem who created the Yetzer Hara, the evil inclination, with His infinite knowledge emphasizes, out of all the melachos, the prohibition of kindling a fire, in His Holy Torah, because He knows how the Yetzer Hara works. One of the ways the Yetzer Hara gets a person to sin is to make excuses, to confuse a person and in their state of confusion they will rationalize that it is no big deal to do. It might take a whole Shabbos to make a person rationalize away reality, but the evil inclination can get it done.

Excuses, excuses, excuses, the Torah warns us don’t fall for them, be on guard and ready to battle the weaponized Yetzer Hara!

Good Shabbos Para,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Ki Sisa-Shabbos: A Testimony of Self-Sacrifice

 
We say the paragraph of Vishamru every Shabbos eve before Shemone Esray, and during the Shabbos daytime kiddush. The paragraph comes from this week’s Torah portion of Ki Sisa. It states, “The Children of Israel shall observe the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos an eternal covenant for their generations. Between Me and the Children of Israel it is a sign forever that in a six-day period Hashem made heaven and earth and on the seventh day He rest and was refreshed” (Shemos 31:16, 17).
 

The Mechilta points out that “”it’s a sign between Me and you” and not between Me and the other nations of the world.” The Markeves HaMishna explains that this is alluding to the conclusion of the gemara in Beitza 16a, which states that non-Jews were not informed about the reward given for keeping Shabbos, and were not given an extra soul (neshama yeseira) on Shabbos, as Jews have. It also alludes to the gemara in Sanhedrin 58b that any gentile who rests on Shabbos is deserving of the death penalty.
 
The Vilna Gaon transposes a piece from a couple of paragraphs later on, into this line of the Mechilta, to read: “For it is a sign between Me and you and not between Me and the nations of the world. Just as so-and-so closed his store to observe Shabbos, and just as so-and-so stopped working to observe Shabbos, they testify about the One Who created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. And so it says, ‘You are my witnesses -the word of Hashem- and I am G-D’ (Yeshayahu 43:12).” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

 
According to the flow of the pesukim, the simple understanding of why the Jews are a testimony to Hashem’s existence is because just as Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, we give testimony to that by working six days and resting on the seventh. One might think that a clear testimony of Hashem’s existence and how He runs the world is proclaimed when we say kiddush, sanctifying Hashem’s name. Or even through the festive meals we have every week in honor of Shabbos. Or even from us restraining from turning on lights, cooking, or writing. All these are verbal or active testimonies of dedication to Hashem and His will. But the medrish says the ultimate testimony is the person who closes his store or stops doing his job; which in a vacuum makes sense, as said earlier, because it’s just like Hashem who stopped working on the seventh day. Indeed, that would be enough if we would just keep this paragraph where it was, where it was talking about how Shabbos adds holiness to the Jews, which is done by just working; that would be a testimony to Hashem. However, the Vilna Gaon moved this line about people who close their shop and stop working as testimony, to where the Mechilta states that Shabbos is a sign between G-D and the Jews and not between the gentiles and the Jews. What indication is there that closing shop and stopping working is a testimony that only Jews make? Why wouldn’t it also be a testimony if non-Jews would close up shop and not work on Shabbos; in fact many are off or closed on the weekends?
 
 I humbly propose that the reason why the Mechilta emphasizes closing up shop and stopping to work as the difference between a Jew a non-Jew is because when a Jew closes his business or decides not to work on Shabbos he is moser nefesh., it is an incredible self-sacrifice on his part, and that dedication is a testimony to his belief in an Almighty who created and runs the world. Whereas for any gentile it’s not self-sacrifice; rather it’s just a choice to take time off and get a break from his busy week to unwind.
 
Being moser nefesh for Shabbos, like many Jews did in America in the early part of the 20th century, where many of them lost their jobs for the sake of Shabbos, or even today, the self-sacrifice (mesiras nefesh) the hostages who decided to take on Shabbos observance and their parents who did the same is the best testimony and sign between Hashem and His people of their belief and dedication in Hashem.
 
Have a restful (מנוחה) and delightful (עונג) Shabbos,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Tetzave -The Responsibility of Leadership


A major topic in this week’s Torah portion of Tetzave is the design of the bigdei kehuna, the priestly garments; in particular the garments of the high priest. Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu, “You shall make vestments of sanctity for Aharon your brother, for honor and glory” (Shemos 28:2). Rabbeinu Bachye in his simple explanation of the last two words of the pasuk, “for honor and glory,” explains that Aharon “should be honored and glorified through them. And because the kohen gadol (high priest) is an ‘angel’ of the G-D of Legions by individuals in regards to The Service, he was commanded now to be dressed in royal vestments and to be a glorified and splendid king for the populace, and then he will be complete in everything because these garments were royal garments. The robe, as it writes ‘for such robes were worn by the maidens among the king’s daughters’ (Shmuel Beis 13:18). The tunic of box-like knit is similar to the striped tunic Yosef wore, as it says, ‘and he made for him a striped tunic’ (Breishis 37:3). The Turban is a custom for the rulers and kings in the Arab world to adorn around their neck and head. According to kabbalah ‘for the honor and glory’ refers to ‘and you shall make holy vestments for Aharon your brother’ that he should serve in them for honor and glory, meaning the honor of Hashem who rests among them and the glory of the Jews.”
Rabbeinu Bachye says that the simple explanation for why the Kohen Gadol dressed in such fancy clothes “for his honor and glory” is referring to his own honor and glory. However, the Kabbalistic explanation is that it is referring to being dressed up for the honor of Hashem and the glory of the Jewish People. But how does the simple understanding make sense? Doesn’t it say in Orchos Tzadikim, in the gate of haughtiness, that a person should dress elegantly conservative and not too fancily, in order not to become too haughty? The Kohen Gadol wasn’t even the king; so why should he wear royal vestments for his own sake, at the risk of becoming haughty?

We must say that the Kohen Gadol would not have become haughty by wearing these royal vestments. We therefore learn from here that when a person acknowledges the responsibility he has, and the role he plays, then that will serve to humble him and allow him to act with humility, even if he is wearing clothing that would normally illicit haughtiness.

The Kohen Gadol was the spiritual leader of the Jewish People and represented all of humankind in this world before Hashem. Therefore he had to dress optimally, for his own sake, to emphasize what this position actually represented. In that way he would realize his responsibility and the subjugating job he has to represent everyone in front of the Power Of All Powers, the Almighty Hashem, and that would keep him humble.

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Teruma – How Sages Make a Living


 The Torah describes the architecture of the building of the Aron Hakodesh [the Ark in the Mishkan] in this week’s Torah portion of Teruma: “They shall make an Ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits it’s length; a cubit and a half its height. You shall cover it with pure gold, from within and from without you shall cover it, and you shall make a gold crown all around” (Shemos 25:10, 11).
 The Daas Zekeinim observes that by all other vessels of the mishkan it writes “and you shall make” (referring to Moshe, as it says in Yoma 72b), while here it says “They shall make.” This is because everyone must be involved in toiling to make the Aron Hakodesh, out of kavod haTorah, the honor of the Torah, which was placed inside of it. Kal vachomer [all the more so] should a city’s community take care of the work and needs of talmidei chachamim [sages] that live in their city, in order to give them honor. This is based on a gemara in Yoma 72b; it says there in the name of Rava that any talmid chacham whose inside isn’t like his outside isn’t a talmid chacham; just like the Aron Kodesh was covered inside and outside with gold. Furthermore, Hashem commanded every Jew to be involved with the building of the Ark, so that everyone would share in the reward of the Torah which was placed inside. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The Daas Zekeinim, based on the gemara in Yoma 72b, is making a kal vachomer [a fortiori], that if everyone was obligated to participate in the building of the Aron, and was rewarded for the honor of the Torah they showed in their participation, then all the more so to help and support a sage. He is a living, breathing, and walking Torah scholar, who lives in their hometown. Supporting him with whatever he needs is an obligation and by supporting the Torah he learns and teaches they will get great reward. But why should this be an obligation that should be taken for granted? It makes sense in terms of building the ark that everyone should contribute for the honor of the Torah, because how else would it get done; it can’t be built by itself. But why should everyone feel obligated to work for the Torah scholar in their town; he is a free-thinking human being that has the ability and definitely the brain power to get a job and support himself and his family? Shouldn’t he at least take a minimal job while spending most his time learning, and not need to rely on others for support?

The answer is that while he can indeed do what he wants, the community should feel an obligation to support him because of the Torah that he represents. Furthermore, in fact, it is implicit in the Daas Zekeinim that he earns the right to be supported by others, as it is expected of him to work on himself so that his thinking and behaviors are consistent with his values and teachings; that his insides are the same as his outside. As the gemara in Yoma explains, that he is expected to have a high level of yiras Shamayim [fear of Hashem], in order that people see the amount of his learning and teaching from the outside. It has to be consistent, which takes a lot of hard work!

No one really knows what is in someone else’s heart; so how can they know who really is a talmid chacham? Yet people can sense and feel if a certain person really is a sage, deserving of him and his family being supported by the community, and will feel obligated to help them out. When that happens, everyone will get great reward for kavod haTorah, being a partner in allowing him to learn and teach Torah in the most optimal way to the masses, which is a tremendous honor to Hashem and His Torah.

 A gutten Chodesh Adar marbim b’simcha and Shabbos Shekalim,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Mishpatim – Organized as a Set Table 


The Mechilta calls this week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim, Maseches Nezikin, the Tractate on damages. It begins, “And these are the ordinances that you shall place before them” (Shemos21:1). This is the foundation for the laws of damages, mainly discussed in Maseches Bava Kamma, which are in turn the basis for our practical laws and ordinances regarding damages and people getting along with each other.
 The Mechilta, in the name of Rebbe Akiva, discusses why this portion begins with the connecting word “and;” “And these are the ordinances etc.” “Because it says, ‘Speak to the Children of Israel and you should say to them’ (Vayikra 1:2), I would only know it should be taught once. How do you know it should be taught again, or even a third or even a fourth time, until they learn it? Therefore, it says, ‘And teach it to the Children of Israel’ (Devarim 31:19). I might think you only have to teach it [once] but don’t have to repeat it, therefore the pasuk there continues, ‘place it in their mouth’. I might think you have to teach it a second time (as the Zayis Raanan explains) but don’t have to make it known (the Zayis Raanan explains which means that you don’t have to teach it to the point it’s understood well), therefore it says ‘And these are the ordinances etc.’ Set them up in front of them like a set table (shulchan aruch) as it says, ‘You have been shown in order to know [that Hashem, He is the G-D! There is none beside Him!’ (Devarim 4:35).”

The Netziv explains that the connection of “and” these are the ordinances is to tell us that the portion of Mishpatim is different than the other Torah portions. For it should be placed before them like a set table (shulchan aruch), through digging deep into the depths (iyun) and analyzing each case in comparison with each of the others. It should be as stressed and clear as the first of the Ten Commandments, knowing and believing in Hashem without any doubts and with complete clarity. So too Hashem warned Moshe about these laws and ordinances, that they should be placed in front of them like a set table; meaning that they should learn them over and over again, and that they should understand the reasoning behind them well, without any doubts. That is the “and;” just as the first thing, emuna in Hashem, has to be known so strongly and clearly, so too these laws and ordinances (mishpatim) should be known the same. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 Without a doubt this Mechilta is the reason why the Bavas (Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia, Bava Basra), as well as the tractates in Nashim, are the mainstream gemaras learned in yeshivas throughout the world. But why does Hashem stress the laws governing man and his fellow man, including those that deal with slaves, damages, loans, etc., over the mitzvos of tefillin, tallis, kashrus, shofar, and all other mitzvos between man and his Creator? In a nutshell, why are mitzvos between man and his fellow man stressed to be learned with such depth and profundity, that it should be so clear as one’s emuna [belief in Hashem], but the mitzvos between man and Hashem aren’t stressed to be learned to that level of clarity and understanding?

It must be that the laws of how to interact with our fellow human being is as important as having faith in the existence of Hashem and more important than the mitzvos between man and Hashem. Even though one might think that the learning of the mitzvos between man and Hashem would bring us to a greater relationship with Hashem. However, perhaps one can say that emulating Hashem through the way we are careful with interacting with the people around us is more important, a means to get even closer to Hashem, and therefore emphasized on a greater scale than the mitzvos between man and His Creator, such as Shabbos, tallis, tefillin, mezuzah, etc.

 Chaza”l say in gemara Shabbos 133b that the way to exalt Hashem is by emulating Him. And just as He is merciful, you too should be merciful; just as He is gracious, you should be gracious, etc. The Mechilta is saying that this is so important that it is on par with the very fundamental belief and faith in Hashem, “I am the Hashem your G-D” (Shemos 20:2).

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Yisro – Breaking One’s Ear



There is an expression often heard in yeshiva, לשבר את האוזן, which literally means ‘to break the ear.’ This illustration is used when someone wants to make something that he is saying more palpable for the ear to hear by giving an example or parable.

Rabbeinu Bachye uses this expression to explain how the Torah describes the sight of Ma’amad Har Sinai and the giving of the Torah in this week’s Torah portion of Yisro. The Torah states, “All of Mount Sinai was smoking because Hashem had descended upon it in the fire; it’s smoke ascended like the smoke of the furnace, and the entire mountain shuddered exceedingly” (Shemos 19:18).
Rabbeinu Bachye clarifies the meaning of the pasuk; “The smoke filled the mountain, but did not come from the fire, for the fire that exists before the Honor of Hashem does not have any smoke. When the Torah says it was like ‘the smoke of a furnace’ it’s known that the parable(mashal) isn’t exactly the same as the application (nimshal). But because we are physical beings, we can’t comprehend the intellectual esoteric unless it’s expressed in physical terms which we can relate to. To that end we find the pesukim describing the beauty of the sun and it’s raze with the beauty of man, and the pace it seems to move is compared to the flight of a warrior, as it says,'[in their midst he has set up a tent for the sun.] Which is like a groom emerging from his bridal chamber, it rejoices like a powerful warrior to run the course’ (Tehillim 19:5,6). Everyone knows there is nothing like the sun whose power is hundreds of thousands of times more than any other energy around. There is also a pasuk that compares Hashem to a lion, as it says, ‘A lion has roared; who will not fear? The L-rd Hashem has spoken; who will not prophesy’ (Amos 3:8)? The reason for this comparison is because there is no other beast as powerful as a lion. In order (lishaber es ha’ozen,) to make it more palpable to understand, to make it easier to hear. This is also why Chaza”l say (Brachos31b) ‘the words of Torah are written like the way humans speak.'”

Why would the Torah talk the way humans talk; shouldn’t the Torah be loftier? Isn’t it a lack of respect and honor to Hashem to compare Him to physical beings? Wouldn’t it be better to just keep everything esoteric, with the consideration that understanding the concept of Hashem is so beyond our capabilities that we should just accept it with blind faith? On the contrary, by giving physical properties to Hashem, even if one has in mind that it is just an example and is not anything close to what Hashem really is and does, still in all it is possible that people might perceive and misconstrue Hashem as being less than what He really is?

It must therefore be that giving examples which make it more understandable to people, and speaking in ways that are easier to comprehend, is more of an honor to Hashem than leaving the concept of Him vague and aloof. This is because our whole purpose of existence is to know Hashem, and the better understanding we have, and the closer we get to Him, the greater respect and honor that is to Hashem. The more we grasp on our level the closer we get to Him, and the more we strive to gain higher heights of understanding of Hashem and His ways, the greater the relationship we have with Him. This, in turn, creates a greater level of Kovod Shamayim [honor of Hashem in the world].

Granted, all the tools we use to understand Hashem and His ways must keep in mind His loftiness, awesomeness, and eternal reality. But with that incredible scope in mind, using our physical understanding of Him, with the approach of getting closer to Him and understand Him better, this is the greatest respect and honor to Hashem. As it says in the beginning of Mesilas Yesharim,  “The foundation of saintliness, and the root of the pure service is for every person to clarify and make truthful what his obligation in this world is and what does one have to focus on during all his toil in his lifetime.”