Category: Food for Thought

זכרון ציפה תרצה – The Food for Thought Archives in blessed memory of Celia Rosenberg a”h

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Behar & Bechukosai – Emulating Hashem by Learning the Depth of Torah


The second parsha of this week’s Torah portions of Behar and Bechukosai, which are the conclusion of Sefer Vayikra begins, “If you will follow My decrees and observe My mitzvos and perform them” (Vayikra 26:3).
The Sforno commenting on “observe My mitzvos”: “Behold the keeping of mitzvos is watching over them in a way that they perform them and understand their intent. This can only be done with in-depth clarity, as Chazal say [in a Sifri (Re’eh 77)] keeping it is learning it. If you say that this is the case then if you act in the ways of Hashem which includes the part of the actions of His Torah, and you go into depths of the profundity of the mitzvos, to know how to perform them and what is here their purpose, in this way you will perfect His intent of them being created in the image of Hashem and His likeness.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
It sounds from this Sforno that the only way to perfect ourselves as tzelem Elokim, people who were created in the image of Hashem, is by learning Torah b’iyun, in great depth and then applying what we learn. Why is great depth needed to be considered walking in His ways, emulating Hashem, and perfecting the purpose of one’s existence?

There are two parts of Torah learning, iyun and bekius, depth and breadth. The expanse or breadth of Torah is so vast, and of course Hashem perfectly knows it; so why isn’t that emphasized as or at least part of perfecting one’s image of Hashem, to help one emulate His Creator? Just as Hashem knows the breadth of Torah in its entirety, because He is the All Knowing and author of the Torah; so too, we should know every aspect of it in its entirety so what is the stress the Sforno has on the depth of Torah, the iyun aspect, the profundity?

It must be that delving into the depths if of Torah is the main way of emulating Hashem and completing our perfection as a tzelem Elokim, our quality over animals that we were made in Hashem’s likeness, in terms of Torah learning. A proof that iyun is the main learning that emulates Hashem is a famous statement quoted from the Zohar in parshas Teruma הסתכל באורייתא וברא עלמא “Hashem gazed in the Torah and created the world.” The word for ‘gaze’ in Hebrew is ‘histakel,’ which connotes staring, focusing. He didn’t just look into the Torah and create the world; there was a focus, a concentration into the inner working of the Torah, in order to create the world. This is similarly expressed in the Medrish Rabba in Breishis (1:1, 3:5 and 64:8) multiple times where it says Hashem was engrossed in the Torah in order to create the world. The word engrossed in Hebrew is ‘osek,’ the same term that we use every day in the blessing for learning Torah. This word connotes a focus and concentration into the study of Torah, which is only done through in-depth learning. Therefore, it must be that in order to create the world Hashem didn’t just peruse through the Torah at a glance of its breadth but delved deep into the depths of Torah in order to draw out the perfect world from these manuscripts.

What we learn from here is that in-depth learning isn’t important just because it will give more clarity towards serving Hashem using His handbook for mankind. But it’s also the means of perfecting ourselves and using the gift, our soul, the tzelem Elokim in the best manner possible and is the best way to be able to emulate Hashem, since He did the same thing when using the blueprints of creation to create the world.

It is also important to learn bekius, the breadth or expanse of Torah too in order to gain a well-rounded education of Torah knowledge becuase that will help with understanding the profubdity and depth of the Torah, but we see here a clear message of the significance and magnitude of learning b’iyun, the depth of Torah knowledge.

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Emor – The Thrill of Counting Up

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We are living in the times of the Omer, counting up to Shavuos, Kabalas HaTorah. The day we as a nation, a people, received Hashem’s precious gift of the Torah.
This week’s Torah portion of Emor discusses all the Yom Tovim throughout the year. In regard to the Omer and Shavuos the Torah says, “And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave  offering seven weeks; they shall be complete” (Vayikra 23:15).
The Bechor Shor comments on this pasuk, “’You shall count 50 days’ for the honor of the Torah, Hashem commanded to count. It similar to a parable about a person who was locked up in jail. One of the king’s servants sent him a message that on such and such a day the king will release him and give him his daughter, the princess in marriage. The guy was skeptical. After the king released him, the guy said to himself, ‘If he fulfilled his word to release me, the king will for sure fulfill giving me his daughter.’ He started counting each day until day 50 and the king gave him his daughter. So to when Hashem spoke to Moshe saying ‘go and take My nation, the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and He said when you will take the nation from Egypt you will serve me on this mountain, and give them the Torah.’ And Moshe told the Jews what he was told and they did not listen to Moshe because of the hard work they had. They said, ‘We don’t believe we will be taken out of the servitude of Egypt even if He gives us the Torah.’ Then when the Jews were taken out, they started to count when He will give them the Torah. And He then gives it to Bnei Yisroel at the end of 50 days from leaving [Egypt]. Hashem then commanded that they should count every year to make dear and increase the love of the Torah upon them, that He gave them a precious tool which He created the world with. This is what [the B’chor Shor says] I heard from my father zt”l.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

Why does Hashem command us to count the omer to increase our love for the Torah; how does that help? The omer is a mitzvah for everyone. If a person is learning Torah in yeshiva and is getting into his learning and enjoying his learning every day, or even if he is not in yeshiva but he sets aside time to learn and looks forward to that learning every day, what does counting the omer add? Furthermore, if we know it is a gift from Hashem and it is super powerful because it’s what Hashem Himself used to create the world, isn’t that knowledge enough to excite us and make us feel a tremendous love for the Torah?

 It would seem that an annual “count down,” or really count up, is a way to further enhance one’s love and endearment. Every added ounce of love for the Torah gets one closer to Hashem, the amount of potential love is infinite. Therefore, if one understands and has the proper mindset then the Omer can be a thrilling time that will enhance one’s love for Torah more than what one has presently.

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Acharei Mos/Kedoshim – Tattoos in Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah Siman 180)


The Torah in this week’s double portion of Acharei Mos/ Kedoshim mentions in Kedoshim, “You shall not make a cut in your flesh for the dead, and a tattoo shall you not place upon yourselves, I am Hashem” (19:28). The B’chor Shor remarks about tattoos, “that it is one who tears open his flesh and places within the tear dye which he wants to be seen permanently. This is also a statute of idolatry, for they write the name of their idol on their flesh.” Therefore, the pasuk concludes, “‘I am Hashem’ too Great of a King, to do before Me these types of meaningless acts.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

The B’chor Shor holds that tattooing is forbidden because it’s the way of the gentiles to tattoo their god onto their bodies, which was supposedly a sign of honor and respect for the god. However, Hashem says that that is belittling to Him, to etch onto one’s body, even if it’s permanently, which shows commitment. If a tattoo would show dedication, commitment and pride towards Hashem, why did Hashem say it’s forbidden?

 If one thinks deeply into what it means and the ramifications of Hashem being the King Of All Kings, Master Of The Universe who created each and every one of us with perfect precision (besides the bris milah which he tactfully left for man to do with reason), and we are the stewards of The King, who represent His Majesty, then it would be demeaning and belittling to deface our bodies, that Hashem has perfectly molded and constructed for us, even if it was with in mind to honor Him.

Imagine someone painted graffiti all over the White House which said, “long live the president!” That wouldn’t be an act of patriotism, it would be defamation. So too, tattooing one’s body even for the sake of Hashem’s honor is belittling the Great King that created us and endowed us with a pure soul to serve Him and represent His Majesty.

In fact, what the Bechor Shor is saying the message of “I am Hashem” in the pasuk is that I am a great king and doing these things in front of me is frivolous. He also said earlier that tattooing is a statute of idol worship for no particular reason, meaning they really weren’t showing pride and commitment by inscribing the name of their god into their flesh it was just a rule they had to follow and we shouldn’t copy the rules of the heathens, but furthermore it’s belittling to the Great King to have people who act in this manner, tattooing themselves with any type of tattoo. There is no basis for it in the Torah, The Great King’s handbook for life and the fad is taken from the outside world, so it’s a frivolous act therefore one shouldn’t copy it. Sticking within the boundaries of halacha, of the way Hashem the Great King wants the world to be run, having His nation serve Him and live life according to His guidance and advice is most productive. Anything else is inconsequential and not the Almighty’s ways, thus forbidden.

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Tazria/Metzora – Triggering the Center

The bulk of this week’s double portion of Tazria and Metzora discusses the concept of tzaraas, spiritual leprosy. The most famous reason one gets tzaraas is for speaking lashon hara, slander. And one of the main reasons one speaks slander is because of gaava, haughtiness, thinking he or she is better than someone else. 
The Chofetz Chaim in his Sefer Shmiras Halashon, chapter 16, remarks regarding one who discovers tzaraas on his body, “furthermore it writes in the Torah (Vayikra 13:45), ‘his clothes shall be ripped and his head unkempt (grown out)’. It’s possible the reason for this is because the main reason for the sin of the tongue stems from haughtiness, that he thinks himself as an important person among people, therefore he decides to degrade his friend. If one would recognize his own fallacies, he would not seek out the blemishes of his friend. The proof to this is that the Torah writes by the purification process of a Metzora, he shall take cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson thread (see Vayikra 14:4). Rashi explains there that if one is haughty like a cedar then he should belittle himself like a worm or a hyssop, and then he would be atoned for. Therefore, the pasuk says that his clothes shall be ripped and his hair on his head grown out in order for him to be disgusting, so that he will look degraded by all and then he won’t speak haughtily about others.”

 Later in the chapter the Chofetz Chaim writes, “’And he shall cloak himself up to his lips’ (Vayikra 13:45). This is because he definitely said to himself originally, ‘Because of our tongues we shall prevail, our lips are with us’ (Tehillim 12:5), therefore Hashem commanded us that at this point one should be cloaked up to his lips. [The end of the earlier pasuk in Tazria says,] ‘he (the afflicted metzora) is to call out, contaminated! contaminated!’ (Vayikra 13:45). He is to make sure that everyone hears he is contaminated and separate from him. For in place of originally revealing the embarrassment of his friend in front of people, now he has to reveal his own embarrassment in front of people.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 The Chofetz Chaim depicts to what extent, from one end of the spectrum to the other, a person who speaks lashon hara is punished and must go in order to repent and change his wrongful ways. However, if you look at the Rashi itself earlier quoted from parshas Metzora, he says “and cedar wood” because these afflictions come because of haughtiness. “And “crimson thread and hyssop,” what is the way to fix it and be healed? Belittle himself from his haughtiness, like a worm and hyssop. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 The Gur Aryeh, which is the Mahara”l’s commentary on Rashi, asks a blaring and really good question on this pasuk: “Why does two things have to be mentioned that he should humble himself like (1) hyssop and like (2) crimson thread, isn’t the most belittling one all that is needed? You can answer that definitely at first one should belittle himself like a worm who is very lowly, in order to distance himself from sin. For originally, he sinned in haughtiness and if he does not separate himself to the opposite extreme, to grab on to the attribute of lowliness very very low, then his sin will not leave his hands because he will go back to his haughtiness therefore one has to lower himself like a worm until he is distanced from the sin and his heart should not feel inflated. But afterwards he should be like a hyssop, and one does not have to belittle himself as low as a worm. This is why the pasuk first mentions crimson thread and then hyssop, because too much lowliness is not befitting because every good attribute has a middle ground, and the two extremes are not good. In this manner the Rambam explains in his introduction to Pirkei Avos, that one who sins with haughtiness, when he fixes his ways, he has to grab onto the most extreme way to lower himself until he removes the disgusting attribute he has [of haughtiness] and then he should stand by humility. This is also a form of lowliness but not as much.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 According to the Gur Aryeh, the reason for a person who has tzaraas has to bring both crimson thread (the thread represents the worm. In fact tolaas, the Hebrew word used in the pasuk means thread and worm) and hyssop, were in order to send a message that he should go to the opposite extreme from haughtiness, and then go back to the middle of regular humility once he gets rid of his haughtiness. What is interesting to note is that to go to the opposite extreme one goes through many actions, for example bringing the crimson thread as part of his sacrifice, clothing himself up to his lips, letting his hair grow out and become disheveled, calling to everyone ‘contaminated, contaminated’ so people will stay away from him, and separating himself from everyone for a week. However, in terms of going back to the middle ground, all there is, is a trigger or reminder, i.e., the hyssop, to indicate that that is the ultimate goal. Wouldn’t one think that logically finding the middle ground would be harder than going to the opposite extreme and therefore would take more action to figure out how to do that?

However, though it might be harder, all that is needed is an intellectual push, using one’s mind to figure out the equilibrium; not much extra actions must be taken to find that perfect balance, and then he automatically acts in that perfect balance. However, one could ask why is it right to go to the opposite extreme first, if the Gur Aryeh says it’s not good to do?
 The Orchos Tzadikim in a similar vein at the end of the Gate of Gaavah remarks: “He who desires to root out haughtiness from his heart completely cannot do this by thought alone but must at first depart from arrogance to its furthest extremity. How? A man who was accustomed to dressing himself in the finest garments such as the haughtiest people wear and wants to turn from this ostentation must overcorrect his defect. If he should wear ordinary clothes in an attempt to correct his fault, he will not eradicate his haughtiness from his heart. Or if his custom was to boast and to exalt himself to win honor by words or deeds. There is no means of correcting this unless he goes to the other extreme and conducts himself with the greatest humiliation, sitting below everyone or far to the rear, and wears worn and shabby clothes that disgrace their wearer, and does similar things until he roots out his haughtiness to heart. The same is true of a man with a hot temper who is angry often. At first, he should conduct himself so that even if they beat him and curse him, he should not feel it at all. He must continue in this manner for a long time until he roots out the very roots of anger from his heart. When he has achieved this, he can then take the middle road and follow it all his life. One should follow this procedure with all evil qualities. At first one should withdraw to the furthest extreme and act thusly for a long time. Afterwards he should take the middle road. And this method of procedure is a complete healing in connection with all evil qualities. And he whose intention continually is to serve the Creator Blessed be He, with every part of himself and in the best manner, will place this path before himself and before his companion. And concerning this it is said: ‘And to him that order his way aright will I show the salvation of God.’ (Tehillim 50:23).” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

Earlier in the chapter the Orchos Tzadikim describes the ideal median: “The proper way for man is to be clean in all matters, for cleanliness is the fence that guards good deeds. How shall he conduct himself? He should wear garments of moderate worth (elegantly conservative, as my Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Henoch Leibowitz zt”l used to say), and not expensive and splendid clothes that invite everyone’s attention. Nor shall he wear poor or shabby garments that shame the wearer, but garments of moderate worth, lovely and clean, according to his means. And it is forbidden that a spot or a stain be found on his garments. They should not be torn and they shall not be styled as the haughty sometimes do…”
Based on the Orchos Tzadikim, going to the opposite extreme isn’t ideal, but is a needed boost to get one on the right track, there are stages that must be taken to get to the right place. However, according to the Gur Aryeh, going to both extremes are not good; how then can it help to get one on the right track? It would seem that doing a not good thing can temporarily be useful and even more useful than trying to find the perfect median from the start. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 We learn from here an incredible lesson, that what is not good can still be resourceful. We can’t always go straight to what is good to fix a situation. One must first take steps in doing what is not good but with the intent to clean the wrong that was done before settling into what is the ideal, right thing to do.

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Passover – A Pesach Story

This dvar Torah I heard on the first day of shiur by Rabbi Avrohom Kanarek zt”l over 20 years ago in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim Yerushayim. Even though these words of mussar were given at the beginning of Elul zman, there is seemingly a well-known story about Pesach which is still worth sharing for its lesson.

 We say everyday upon waking up modeh ani, after we say ראשית חכמה יראת ד’ .
 This statement means, ‘the beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem.’ The first pasuk of the Torah portion of Shoftim begins, “Judges and policemen shall be appointed to you in all your cities.” Why say “to you”? It is redundant! The answer is that each person should have for oneself, in oneself, a judge and a policeman. The basic quality of a judge is that he does not take bribes. So, a person to have a judge within himself means not taking bribes. What bribes a person? His negative middos, negative character traits, like taavah, physical desires. These make him believe “this is the right thing to do” or make up excuses like “that’s not what the Shulchan Aruch meant, it was talking about another case.” There are people who even don’t bother to convince themselves that what they are doing is correct, they simply can’t control their animalistic instincts, and even though they know what they are doing is wrong they proceed to do it anyways. That is why we have a policeman. What is the policeman? Yiras Shamayim, fear of Heaven. Not many people have Yiras Haromemus, Fear of The Exalted Hashem Himself, but at least fear of punishment one should have. This is the policeman.

There is a story of Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, on erev Pesach he would go to the non-Jews and ask to buy something illegal from the black market, and they said sure! He went to simple Jews and asked them to sell him chometz and they would say, assur, it’s forbidden! We see even with all the police in Czarist Russia the non-Jews weren’t afraid but a Jew has fear of Heaven which is enough.

Chag kasher visameach,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Tzav – A Party for Hashem’s Superstars 


The Mishna Berura (429:2:7) says we don’t say tachanun the entire month of Nissan because on Rosh Chodesh Nissan began the dedication of the Mishkan where each of the 12 tribes brought their sacrifice each day, which was considered 12 days of yom tov. Then comes preparing and slaughtering the korban Pesach, Pesach itself, and most of the month is completed, so for the whole month we don’t say tachanun.
 It’s very apropos then that this week’s Torah portion of Tzav discusses the preparations for the dedication of the Mishkan, which took place for seven days prior to Rosh Chodesh Nissan. In fact Chassidim have a custom to not say tachanun for these 7 days as well. The end of the Torah portion discusses the process of installing Aharon and his sons as kohanim to serve in the mishkan. Anointing them, the process of dressing them in their priestly garments, and the offerings that were brought for their inauguration. The pasuk says “Then Moshe took them from on their palms and caused them to go up in smoke on the alter after the burnt-offering; they were inauguration offerings, for a satisfying aroma; it was a fire-offering to Hashem” (Vayikra 8:28).

The Moshav Zekeinim, who is one of the Baalei Tosfos, comments on this pasuk: “the inauguration offerings were called a satisfying aroma, meaning Hashem was joyful and made a yom tov (a holiday) with the inauguration because He acquired a loved one who He had chosen, as it says in Megilla 10b: ‘And it was on the 8th day’ that day was like no other for Hashem ever since He created His world. And [the gemara] learns it out from a gezeira shava it says there the word ‘vayehi’ and it says before in Breishis perek 1 ‘vayehi erev vayehi boker’ (it will be evening and it will be morning). Isn’t it a kal vachomer, fortiori, for just as a human king acquires a loved one and throws a party for him, all the more so The King of Kings, The Holy One Blessed Be He, who appointed a kohen and chose him to serve Him.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
One can relate to a king being happy over acquiring a loved one and throwing a party. It’s like an NFL franchise signing the best quarterback in the league. After the signing no doubt there would be champagne, and an elaborate party amongst the owners, staff, and the quarterback and his family. It is a time of joy because so much potential for success is being bet upon the signing. But why does it then make sense that Hashem’s appointing Aharon and his family as the kohanim who will be in charge of the service in the Mishkan and Beis Hamikdash is such an excitement for Him that it’s compared to when He created the world? When Hashem created the world, He set nature into motion in the most perfect way possible. All of nature did and does Hashem’s bidding, flawlessly. The sun rises and sets at the right time, the seasons happen exactly how Hashem wants them to happen, each species of animals and vegetation have a specific purpose in the grand scheme of things, and do their jobs as Hashem precisely programmed them to do. This incredible work of art, this world that Hashem created with all that is inside, is understandably a joyous masterpiece worth celebrating. How then are the kohanim, who are only human beings, granted, are charged with doing Hashem’s service, but it’s certainly not as thrilling and “earth shattering” of a feat as creation itself, to be equally as joyous and exciting the creation of the world?

However, the reality is that we underestimate the greatness of man and the potential they can reach. Hashem was so excited about appointing priests that would lead the way in serving Hashem the best possible way frail human beings can, and the potential for them to reach great heights and create such a bond with their Father in Heaven for themselves and on behalf of His children is so incredible and inexplicably exhilarating that Hashem justly equated it with when He created Heaven and Earth.

We must appreciate gadlus ha’adam, the greatness of mankind, and how much Hashem believes in us and the success He expects us to accomplish. With this attitude we can indeed have much success and reach the height of perfection that Hashem expects His loved ones to attain.

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Vayikra – Hashem’s Dedication Amid Transgression

This week we begin the Book of Vayikra which mainly talks about the Sacrificial service done by the Kohanim, which is why this book is also called Toras Kohanim. Upon discussing various offerings in this Torah portion, the Haftorah is aptly connected from Yeshayahu perek 43 and 44. There it is written, “You did not bring Me the lambs of your burnt offerings, nor did you honor Me with your sacrifices; neither did I overwork you with meal-offerings nor did I weary you with frankincense. Neither did you purchase cane for Me with money, nor have you sated Me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened Me with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities” (Yeshayahu 43:23, 24).

Rashi comments on the last part of pasuk 24, “But you have burdened Me: [lit. you have overworked Me.] You have caused Me to be an attendant to pagans, as Ezekiel envisioned (1:4): “And behold a tempest was coming from the north.” For the chariot of the Shechinah was returning from Babylon, where it had gone to conquer the whole world under the domination of Nevuchadnezzar, lest they say that He delivered His children into the hands of an inferior nation, as is found in Hagigah (13b).” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

Rashi is alluding to the concept that when Hashem, out of strict justice, concluded that the Jews must be exiled and the Beis Hamikdash, Hashem’s Holy Palace on earth, destroyed, He did so under the means of empires who ruled the world. Both the Babylonian, and in fact the Roman empires essentially controlled the entire civilization of the known world at the time of both exiles and destructions. Hashem orchestrated this to happen so that people won’t say His children were conquered by some small and inferior nation.

But why did Hashem go through “all this trouble” for a people who had gone so astray and abandoned Him? There seems to be a claim on the Jewish people for forcing Hashem to collaborate and allow the Babylonians to conquer the world as if they subjugated Hashem into forcing Him to help these heathens. Why should this claim be added upon their wrongdoing? Why does Hashem feel forced to show such respect to His Children who seemingly don’t deserve it?

We see from here the total dedication and love Hashem has for His Children, the Jewish People. Even at a time when the Jews showed such disrespect and rebellion towards Him, Hashem went above and beyond the way they were treating Him and treated them with such respect and sensitivity. This adds “salt to Hashem’s wounds” from betrayal but Hashem feels forced to do so out of His complete dedication and love towards His children.

This is a model of a true parent or loved one who has such care and compassion even at times when strict judgement and punishment should be exercised. We should emulate such ways and feelings!

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Vayakhel/Pekudei – Righteous Collateral

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Why is the Tabernacle called the Mishkan in Hebrew? In this week’s double portion of Vayakhel and Pikudei it discusses the actual building of the Mishkan, it’s vessels and the priestly garments, whereas the portions of Teruma and Tetzave described the blueprints. In aShemos Rabba (50:2) it alludes to the fact that Mishkan means “the dwelling place of Hashem;” Shachen in Hebrew means dwell. However, the Medrish Tanchuma (9) based on the pasuk “He made the planks for the Mishkan of acacia wood, standing erect,” (Shemos 36:20) it says that mishkan means collateral from the Hebrew word mashkon. The Medrish asks, “What does the pasuk mean when it says, ‘for the Mishkan?’ For if the sinners amongst the Jews are liable then the Mishkan can be used as their own collateral to [atone] for them. Moshe said, ‘Master of the World, when they will have no Mishkan or Beis Hamikdash what will be with them?’ He said back to him, ‘I will take the righteous from amongst them, and they will act as collateral for [their sins]. And so, it says ‘And He killed those that were pleasing to His eye’ (Eichah 2:4). This refers to the righteous, that is why it writes, ‘He made the planks for the Mishkan’.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

The Mishkan and Beis Mikdash were factories for those who sinned and needed an atonement to fix their sins through repentance. The sacrificial offerings were like a collateral for the sinner to ensure they do teshuva (repent), for they themselves really deserve to die for rebelling against the king. Now that the Mishkan and Beis Hamikdash are gone, why is the slaying of righteous people in its place?
The Avraham Ezkor on this medrish, by Rav Avraham Palagi, gives an answer: “It is possible to say that they called the righteous ‘pleasing to the eyes’ just as it is said by Achav with the King of Aram ‘And it was all that was pleasing in your eyes’ which referred to a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll). This could be understood based on what I (Rav Palagi) wrote in the kuntress, ‘Barech es Avraham,’ Sidra Masei, that a talmid chacham, a sage is the same as a sefer Torah; so how is it permissible to take it as part of the debt of the Jews? And see there the answer that I had written. Which is that it hints here that there were amongst them completely righteous and great scholars because their sins had increased in such great proportions that He took a sefer Torah in order to get paid back for their debts, that is what taking collateral from amongst them means, not all of them but taking their choicest.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The Avraham Ezkor compares the sages and the righteous to a sefer Torah. Because the Jews sinned, and they were in need of atonement, Hashem took from them a walking living Sefer Torah as a message that they must change and repent.

But why does Hashem kill His most precious and beloved people? Why not burn a sefer Torah instead? In fact, the Navi writes in Yechezkel, “but for the wicked to repent of his way so that he may live” (Yechekel 33:11). Certainly, if Hashem desires the wicked to live, assuming they repent, all the more so Hashem should desire the life of the righteous?

This, Chaza”l seems to be a clear proof to the concept of hiskatnus hadoros,  the diminishing of the generations. Back in the day, in the times of the Mishkan and even afterwards by the Beis Hamikdash, with all the miracles and wonders that took place, when someone sinned which was much less back then, all they needed to help them repent was to bring a sacrifice on the alter. That shocked them into realizing this should be me on the alter but Hashem in His great mercy allowed me to bring an animal offering instead therefore I should fully repent and fix my wayward ways. As time went on, and the generations spiritually dwindled, their relationship with Hashem and their Fear of Heaven diminished to the point that both Batei Hamikdash were destroyed centuries after the Mishkan was dismantled and buried. The impression needed to charge them to repent is now much greater, and therefore it would seem that simply the destruction of a sefer Torah, as horrifying as it is, would not be enough to instill fear into them and arouse them to repent. Rather, the death of a beloved leader and role model to the Jewish people, a Holy Neshama, the loss of a righteous soul, is the impact needed to hopefully stir us to repent and change our ways.

This is how far gone we have travelled from Hashem and what Hashem must do to bring us back. May we be inspired to complete teshuva (repentance) which will lead to our Final Redemption speedily in our days.

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Ki Sisa – Traumatic Fear


 In this week’s Torah portion of Ki Sisa we have the infamous episode of the sin of the golden calf and Aharon’s involvement. What was going through his mind, what exactly did he do, and how much was he really involved? 
The medrish Pirkei diRebbe Eliezer (45) paints a picture of what enfolded: “Rebbe Shimon ben Yochai said that when Hashem revealed Himself to Moshe from within the bush and sent him to Egypt, Moshe said before Hashem, ‘Master of the World swear to me that whatever I ask of You to do, You shall do, so that I won’t say something to Pharaoh, You won’t do it, and he will kill me.’ He swore to him that whatever request he makes he will fulfill except for two things: going into The Land, and not dying…
When the Jews accepted the commandments, after 40 days they forgot their G-D. They said to Aharon, the Egyptians use to carry their god, serve it and sing before it and they saw it in front of their eyes. Make us a god like the god of the Egyptians etc. They went to the friends of Moshe, Aharon, and Chur, the son of their sister (Miriam)…
Since Chur (on his father’s side) was from the tribe of Yehuda, and was one of the leaders of the generation, he started rebuking the Jews with harsh words. The lower echelon of Jewish society stood up against him and murdered him. Aharon saw that Chur was murdered and he built an alter as it says, ‘And Aharon saw’. What did he see? That Chur, the son of his sister was murdered, and he built an alter as it says, ‘And he built an alter.’ Aharon judged a judgment by himself and said, ‘If I tell them to give me gold and silver, immediately they will bring it, rather I will tell them to give me the earrings of your wives and children and then the whole plan will be spoiled’, as it says, ‘And Aharon told them to take off etc.’ The women heard this, did not want to, and didn’t accept to give the earrings to their husbands. They said we don’t want to be involved in making such a decrepit and disgusting thing that has no power to save us. (The Be’ur Maspik [in some editions it is called Bayis Chadash] explains ‘that what was going through Aharon’s mind was that women and children are more protective of their jewelry and will refuse to give them up, and in the meantime Moshe will come down and the whole situation will dissipate.’ In fact the women were against the whole plan of their husbands.) Hashem rewarded them with a reward in this world that they observe Rosh Chodesh more than men do (by not doing strenuous work, like laundry, on the new month). They also got reward in the World to Come in that they would be resurrected (the Mishna in perek Chelek of Sanhedrin lists the men of the generation in the desert as those that have no share in the World to Come.) The men saw that their wives were not listening to them to give the earrings to their husbands. What did they do? At that time they wore earrings just like Egyptians or Arabs did, they took theirs off and gave them to Aharon… Aharon found amongst all the jewelry a head band of gold which had Hashem’s Holy name written on it and also a picture of a calf inscribed in it. That was the only thing he threw into the pot of fire. As it says, ‘they have gave to me’ ‘and I threw them into the fire’ it does not say after that but ‘I threw it into the fire.’ (Assumingly, with something so holy, Aharon was assuming or hoping that nothing wrong will come out from it.) The calf came out mooing and the Jews saw this. Rebbe Yehuda says Samel (Satan) entered into it and started moving to seduce the Jews… the Jews saw it and started to kiss it, bow down and sacrifice to it.”

The rest of the Medrish goes on to say that Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu that the Jewish people forgot His limitless power and all the wonders He did for them in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and therefore they are not My people anymore but they are yours to deal with. Moshe took the tablets of the Ten Commandments which were carved out by Hashem and the Holy letters were carrying the tablets on their own. When Moshe came Towards the bottom of the mountain the letters flew off the tablets and the tablets became too heavy for Moshe to carry so he dropped them to the bottom of the mountain. He then went over to Aharon, seeing what was going on, and asked him, ‘What did you do to this nation? You uncovered them like an adulterous woman that was caught!’ Aharon said back to Moshe, ‘I saw what they did to Chur and I was very much afraid!’ Moshe found that the princes of each tribe and the entire tribe of Levi had no involvement in the golden calf. He took the golden calf, and crushed and burned it to smithereens. He took the ashes, mixed them in water, and forced the Jews to drink it. Whoever had gold lips after they drank showed that they kissed the idol with all their heart, so Moshe ordered the Leviim to kill them. Around 3000 people give or take were executed. Then Hashem sent down destructive angels to wipe out the entire nation and Moshe Rabbeinu had to pray, using the 13 attributes of mercy, in order to save the nation from destruction. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
If not for Aharon “playing along” with the heathens, none of this would have happened. Aharon was a rodef shalom, someone who ran after peace, always dealing with people and their plights and skirmishes. He knew how to talk in a convincing way to make sure everything worked out and was peaceful at the end of the day. Why couldn’t he do the same in this circumstance? Nicely tell them this is inappropriate and the wrong thing to do. Granted, his nephew, Chur, was just slaughtered by these people, but he spoke quite harshly to them. Aharon, the great tzadik, beloved by all, and leader that he was, should have been able to talk them out of it instead of using subterfuge, which didn’t work. How could it be that he didn’t think that even if the women and children refused, the men would act fast and donate their own jewelry to the cause?

Yet the Beur Hamaspik says that Aharon actually saw Chur murdered in cold blood in front of his eyes, as we see at the end of the pasuk. This appears to mean that what Aharon was doing was purely for the sake of Heaven, as he said, “a holiday for Hashem there shall be etc.” That is why the medrish was wondering what he actually saw. And therefore the medrish taught that the pasuk was bringing a defense for Aharon. What did he see to listen to them to make the golden calf? He saw Chur slaughtered before his very eyes and he was afraid lest they do to him what they did to Chur.

We can infer from this medrish and the comments the Be’ur Maspik makes on this medrish that if Aharon would not have seen his nephew, Chur, viciously slaughtered in  front of him, then Aharon would have stealthily convinced them to not make the golden calf, rather than going along with their idea with a trick which he hoped would delay the making.

We see from here the impact seeing a traumatizing experience can do to even the greatest of people and the ramifications it has on the masses. Aharon wasn’t held responsible for anything that he did or resulted because he wasn’t trying to do anything wrong and his intent was purely for the sake of Hashem to try to divert the evil plans from coming into fruition but if not for the impact of what he saw he could have made better choices which would have resulted in the sin of the golden calf never happening and its ramifications would never have reverberated until this very day.

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Tetzave – Official Business


 This week’s Torah portion of Tetzave discusses the priestly garments. One of the garments of the Kohen Gadol, (the high priest) was the me’il (the robe), which had pomegranates, tassels, and bells on the bottom. The Torah states, “It must be on Aharon in order to minister. Its sound shall be heard when he enters the Sanctuary before Hashem and when he leaves, so that he not die” (Shemos 28:35).
Rabbeinu Bachye brings a few interpretations of what “Its (his) sound shall be heard when he enters the Sanctuary ” refers to. The first is that it refers to the voice of Aharon, for when he came to the Sanctuary wearing the eight garments, with this tactic, his voice would be heard and his prayers accepted. Included in “its sound” is the sound of the robe with the noise from the bells. This is a moral lesson, (mussar haskel) and the Torah is teaching man proper manners, (derech eretz) for one who wants to enter before the king, he must first knock at the entrance of the throne room, so that he won’t just suddenly enter. The kingdoms on earth are like the kingdom in Heaven, for anyone who enters the throne room of the king suddenly deserves to be executed, as a stratagem of the kingdom. We see this written by King Achashveirosh, ‘Who is not summoned, his law is one- to be put to death’ (Esther 4:11).

Another reason is to make known that the Kohen Gadol wanted to enter. Even though everything is revealed and known to the Shechina (Holy Presence), also the angels, holy ministers before Him, nothing is hidden from them. The reason [for the bells] were so that the angels wouldn’t bump into him, which would have happened if he had walked in suddenly. The bells were not to introduce a new matter to the Shechina (Hashem’s Holy Presence), nor to the angels who were there, rather the matter obviously included great purposes, for it was a warning to the Angel’s to leave their positions to make room for the loved one of the King, for the King’s honor, so that he can enter and serve Him alone.

Furthermore, so that the kohen would not get hurt if he entered suddenly. With this sign they (the angels) would get out of his way and give the servant of The King room. When he left [the bells] were also an announcement, as if the kohen called them back to be ministering in front of Him as they were originally doing because his service had ended and now, he is leaving. [The pasuk] then says ‘and he will not die’ to teach that if he would come there without being heard and barge in suddenly then he would die because the ministering angel that were there surrounding the Shechina would bump into him… Therefore, the kohen was commanded to be sure the bells are heard, similar to what it says in Tehillim (55:16)’ That together we would devise counsel; in the house of G-d we would walk with a multitude.’

And this sign of announcement, as well as asking permission, was required throughout the year. The reason why it says ‘its voice shall be heard upon entering the Holy,’ but not when he went into the inner chamber of The Holy of Holies, is because in the Holy of Holies he did not have to be heard, and he did not enter with his golden garments, rather only with his white garments. This was the great level of the Jews, that the Kohen Gadol would enter into the The Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur without needing the sign of announcement or asking for permission. (Click here for Hebrew text.)
This gives us a whole new understanding of the Jews being equated to angels on Yom Kippur. To the extent that the Kohen Gadol was able to enter without any announcement, into the holiest place in the world where no one can enter besides him on Yom Kippur, that’s the level a Jew can reach, and it’s a praise for the entire Jewish nation who he represents.

However, throughout the rest of the year, according to the second reason for the bells, if the angels really knew when he was coming in, why didn’t they just move out of his way as soon as he came in? Why were bells needed? The Kohen Gadol was doing the job of serving Hashem just as the angels were; they should have respected it when it was his turn to do the service of Hashem. Why then were the bells needed as a sign and announcement to indicate when he was coming and leaving?

It would seem that it was ceremonial. Just as l’havdil, the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace has a whole procession for the honor of the king, so too the announcement of the bells when the Kohen Gadol was walking in and out of Sanctuary was a “ceremonial changing of the guards” for the honor of Hashem. Without this “ceremony,” the Angel’s would not move from their post because that would be disrespectful to Kavod Shamayim, the honor of Hashem. Therefore if the bells would not have chimed and the Kohen Gadol would suddenly come in, he would die and that is also why the Angel’s would only return to their post upon hearing the bells at the Kohen Gadol’s exit.

Sensitivities towards Hashem’s honor are paramount to basic manners, but we see that it should also be applied to human kings as well, because this is a moral lesson of how a person should always act. Nevertheless, the greatness of Jewish nation is that on the holiest day of the year, in the holiest place on earth, Hashem allows his beloved servant to be like “an equal,” a beloved son who does not need a ceremonial announcement to enter.