Category: Food for Thought

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

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Bechukosai – The Gentiles and the Captured Baby


There is a very penetrating Medrish Tanchuma towards the beginning of the last Torah Portion in the Book of Vayikra, the Torah portion of Bechukosai: “Another understanding of ‘If you follow my decrees…then I will provide you rain in their time… But if you will not listen to me…I will make your sky like iron’ (Vayikra 26:3, 4, 14, 19).  It also says ‘Therefore because of you the heavens have kept back, so that there is no dew, and the earth has kept back its produce’ (Chagai 1:10). For because of your iniquities even the gentiles are smitten. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi said, ‘If the gentiles would know that because of Jewish sins they are smitten, they would appoint two soldiers for each Jew in order to be sure they listen to the Torah and not sin. And not only do the gentiles not guard the Jews but they further stop us from performing mitzvos that if they sin the hold world is smitten as it says, ‘Therefore because of you the heavens have kept back, so that there is no dew.’ And if they don’t sin the whole world is blessed because of them as it says, ‘and all the nations of the earth will bless themselves by your seed,’ (Breishis 26:4)” (Medrish Tanchuma, parshas Bichukosai, paragraph 2). (Click here for the Hebrew text.)
If the gentiles only knew that the Jews were the cause of all the problems in the world, droughts, floods, earthquakes, etc. the medrish does not say they would attack the Jews for causing so much trouble, rather they would appoint two soldiers to every Jew. One to make sure he or she follows and performs the positive mitzvos of the Torah and the other to be sure he or she does not transgress the negative mitzvos of the Torah. If that is the case, then why don’t we just tell them? Word should have spread throughout the world so that everyone would know and take proper precautions to be sure the Jews are observing the Torah properly. It is even easier now a day with social media to get the word out!

However it does not seem as simple as that. If you look closely into the words of the medrish, the medrish faults the gentiles for not only the lack of guarding us but inciting us to sin, for example what happened in the times of the Greeks and Hellenism. The Medrish says, “But they further stop us from performing mitzvos that if they sin the whole world is smitten as it says, ‘Therefore because of you the heavens have kept back, so that there is no dew.’ Why does the medrish repeat the fact that the whole world is affected by the sin of the Jews and the verse that proves it? It would seem by the connection that the medrish makes between the gentiles stopping us “from performing mitzvos that if they sin the whole world will be smitten,” that there is a message the medrish is trying to tell us. The Medrish is saying that they don’t really know, or to be precise they don’t appreciate or believe that it is because of a Jewish sin that all the problems come to the world and vice versa if the Jews do what they are supposed to blessing comes into the world. If they truly appreciated and believed it they would not try to dissuade us from doing mitzvos but on the contrary they would make sure we all perform them. It comes out that one does not truly know something unless he actually appreciates and believes something about it.

In a similar vein, I have heard from my rebbeim that a tinok shenishba, literally a baby who was captured, not only refers to any Jew who was not given a chance to be brought up Torah observant but even refers to a Jew who might have heard about mitzvos, the example they gave was a secular Israeli who is surrounded by the Holiness of the Land, has all the archeological evidence about Tanach and the Talmudic scholars, as well as plenty of yeshivas all around them, so how can they be considered ignorant, without any chance of learning?  The answer they gave was that a Jew is considered a tinok shenishba even if one might know or is able to know about halacha, Jewish law, but doesn’t appreciate or never had a chance to believe in the severity of reward and punishment and it’s ramifications.

This doesn’t mean those less privileged get an easy pass, and are absolved from being Torah observant. Ultimately, Hashem looks into the inner most depths of one’s heart and knows if he or she had a chance and took advantage of growing in Torah and mitzvos. If they had the potential then there are little to no excuses, however if there was no chance or potential of knowing or appreciating the severity and advantages of being Torah observant with all its halachic standards then that person will get a pass in Heaven.

Unfortunately nowadays even with all the technology to put knowledge at our fingertips many people do not grasp what living a Torah way of life is all about. They are virtually clueless of how to begin to know what it means no less to appreciate the beauty and profundity of Hashem’s Torah and to walk in His ways. This should charge those that do follow Hashem’s will with the impetus to continue to strive to make this world a better place.

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Emor – The Focus of Life in This World

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The Shulchan Aruch in Choshen Mishpat 26:2 enumerate ways of how and when a Jew is allowed to use non-Jewish courts to settle a case in distinctive circumstances. There is, however, a very important lesson that we must appreciate at the end of this week’s Torah portion of Emor regarding the ideal state the Jews should be able to live.
The Torah states: “And one who injures an animal shall pay for it. And one who strikes a person shall be put to death. One judgement shall be exacted for you, convert and resident alike, for I am the Lord, your God” (Vayikra 24:21, 22).


Rabbeinu Bachye says in pasuk 21 that the reason why “one judgement shall be exacted” was placed next to the previous pasuk is to teach us that the same laws for cross-examining witnesses apply for both capital punishment and monetary cases. He goes on to say that “one judgement shall be exacted” means the judgement of The One, The Holy One Blessed Be He. That judgement, which was given to you at Har Sinai, [shall be used]; they are not like the judgements of the non-Jews and their courts.

Then, on pasuk 22, Rabbeinu Bachye says: “For I am the Lord, your G-D” is only if you do His judgement, ‘I am the Lord, your G-D.’ We can infer from the positive the negative; for anyone that does not act according to His judgements it is as if he excludes himself from His G-dliness, and denies Hashem. This is because it is a known thing that all the beliefs of the nations and their judgements are offshoots of the Torah, while the judgements of the Torah are the main part of the Torah. When we are not engrossed in them, it creates a chillul Hashem, a profanity of Hashem’s Holy Name. Those that can protest, and don’t, also create a chillul Hashem. Those who delegate honor to non-Jews are making a chillul Hashem, disgrace the Torah that was given to us through Moshe Rabbeinu, and they waste Jewish money. The whole world is dependent on laws, and Hashem only gave laws to the Jewish people, as it says: “He relates His word to Yaakov, His statutes and judgements to Israel. He did not do so for any other nation, such judgements, they know them not. Hallelukah” (Tehillim 147:19, 20, the end of the second Hallelukah in Pesukei DiZimra). (Click here for Hebrew text.)
Based on these two pesukim there is a very strong stance against Jews resolving their issues in non-Jewish court. Rabbeinu Bachye lists some reasons why it is a problem; you might cause your fellow Jew a bigger financial loss than he deserves; you are showing more respect to non-Jews than to Jews; you are disgracing Hashem’s Torah. However, the first thing, and what seems to be the most important factor mentioned, is the chillul Hashem of us not being engrossed in Torah. What does that have to do with taking a case to the non-Jewish courts, and why is that the biggest issue and greatest disgrace of Hashem’s name?

We see from here that the ultimate purpose of existence and the greatest sanctifier of Hashem’s Holy Name is the in-depth study and proliferation of Torah. By deferring to the non-Jewish courts, one is causing Jewish judges to lose the opportunity to be engrossed in Hashem’s Torah through deliberating judgement, which is a chillul Hashem!  

By going to Jewish courts and causing the Jewish judges to be engrossed in the nuances of Torah in order to figure out the correct halacha one is making a Kiddush Hashem. What this also means is through just fully observing the mitzvos anyone can make a Kiddush Hashem by being engrossed in Torah learning in order to be sure he is observing them correctly.

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Kedoshim – It All Leads Back to the Same Source

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This week’s Food for Thought is dedicate in memory of a 4 year old boy,  Chizkiyahu Nachshon Meir ben Tzvi Ariel, who completed his mission in  life an succumbed to cancer on his birthday, Monday. He was buried in Tzfas by his parents, Reb Tzvi and Temima Eckhardt. Reb Tzvi used to be part of the CITE Chofetz Chaim Alumni Mussar Chabura, may we only share in simchas in the future! 

Now for some food for thought:

The duty of our heart is one of the main themes of this week’s Torah portion of Kedoshim. The portion begins: “Speak to the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem, your G-D” (Vayikra 19:2). A number of pesukim later, while discussing the fundamentals of interpersonal relationships, the Torah writes: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him. You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your fellow as yourself, I am Hashem” (Vayikra 19:17, 18).
The Ibn Ezra makes a fundamental observation into two of these pesukim. He says that the pasuk of “You shall not hate your brother” is the opposite of “you shall love your fellow as yourself.” He further says that behold, these mitzvos are implanted in one’s heart. By observing them we can stay settled in The Land of Israel, for as we know, it was because of baseless hatred the Second Beis HaMikdash was destroyed. The pasuk continues: “you shall reprove your fellow,” which the Ibn Ezra explains  the reason for reproof, is because maybe you suspect him of some wrongdoing, which didn’t happen. The Ibn Ezra concludes that this is the reason why the pasuk ends by saying: “and do not bear a sin because of him;” because there will be punishment on you for what you thought about him. (Click here for Hebrew text.)

In the next pasuk the Ibn Ezra first points out that the explanations of “don’t take revenge” or “bear a grudge” can be found in Chaza”l (see Rashi on this pasuk.) Then he brings two definitions of “you shall love your fellow as yourself.” Many people say that the letter lamed in the pasuk is extra, like the “lamed” in “L’Avner” (Shmuel Beis 3:30), meaning, ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ However the Ibn Ezra personally says: “I believe it is as it sounds as it is that one should love the good that comes to his friend just as if it happened to him.” And the reason the pasuk concludes “I am Hashem” is because “I am the one G-D, I created all of you.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The Ibn Ezra is explaining to us a major rule in the Torah! The punishment for this sin, as we experienced, is destruction and exile. The positive and negative mitzvos he says are total opposites. If you read the Ibn Ezra’s commentary closely, he seems to be explaining that these two pesukim are explaining each mitzvah from beginning to end. “You shall not hate your brother in your heart,” refers to baseless hatred, which  happens if one is quick to judgement and dislikes a person for doing things, whether to that individual or in general, that are not good. One might feel he wants to take revenge for that wrongdoing or at least bear a grudge against him or her; but what he has a mitzvah to do,and is supposed to do is confront the person and question what happened, because perhaps the suspicion was inaccurate. On the other hand, many people say that the positive mitzvah is to love your fellow as yourself. You wouldn’t want people to suspect you of doing something you didn’t, and you certainly don’t want others to bear a grudge or, worse, take revenge upon you.

These opposite mitzvos make sense, but the Ibn Ezra says he has a different understanding of “Loving your fellow as yourself,” which is to love the good things that come to your fellow as if they were yours, the same way you would appreciate the good that happens to you. Meaning, the Ibn Ezra’s focus of loving your fellow is not on how to treat the person, but how to treat his possessions or good tidings. How does that fit with being the opposite of not hating your brother in your heart, which seems to be clearly talking about how not to treat the individual himself, rather than his possessions or good tidings? Why does the Ibn Ezra call them opposite mitzvos?
The Ibn Ezra seems to be tying the last part of the pasuk with the middle saying, that the means to appreciate the good that others have received is through introspection and the realization that you and him or her both come from the same source. The One Hashem created both of you. It would seem natural that if a person truly realizes and feels this bond and relationship with his fellow Jew, a commonality of sorts that we all come from the same source, then inherently we will care about our fellow Jew and his possessions or good tidings as if they are our very own.

On the other hand, the opposite could also happen. If we don’t imbibe the deep faith that we are all created from the same source, then we can come to view our fellow Jew as someone different, a stranger, and people inherently have a disconnect that leads to hatred for one’s fellow man. Ideally viewing ourselves from the same source will save us from this inner hatred but if the hatred seeps in the Torah gives us a solution to get rid of it by telling us to confront the individual and rebuke him or her. In this way it will resolve any issues or friction against him or her.

In fact we can now appreciate the severity of each mitzvah and why transgressing them can lead to destruction and exile; for observing the mitzvah of loving one’s fellow is living by the belief that we are all created from one G-D, and we have a mitzvah to feel and live that way amongst our fellow Jew. However, G-D forbid we don’t live our lives in that manner, then our feeling is a disconnect which is like we came from more than one source, chas vishalom, the polar opposite.

The Ibn Ezra sums it up nicely in the next pasuk which discusses the prohibition of crossbreeding animals: “And the reason to mention ‘You shall not crossbreed your livestock with different species,’ (Vayikra 19:19) is to warn us that after we are Holy, that we don’t do any corruption toward our fellow man, so to one should not change the way Hashem intended for animals to be made, and this is why that pasuk starts off with, ‘You shall observe My statutes,’ (verse 19).” Everything goes back to the source of Hashem is One with a plan and actions of how He created and expects the world to exist.

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Acharei Mos – Focus

I have many times heard that people wish or feel they should be able to express their love for G-D and worship Him in whatever manner they feel comfortable doing. Where, when, how, and what – on their own terms. Why? Because if they can do it their way, they can show the most optimal dedication, love, and joy that they can possibly feel towards G-D, when they are ready to do it. Why all the restrictions?

An answer to this attitude can be found in the middle of this week’s Torah portion of Acharei Mos, when discussing the prohibition against bringing an offering outside the Mishkan or Beis HaMikdash. The Torah relates: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to Aharon and to his sons…Any man of the House of Israel, who slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat inside the camp, or who slaughters outside the camp, but does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to offer up as a sacrifice to Hashem before the Mishkan of Hashem, this [act] shall be counted for that man as blood, he has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people; in order that the children of Israel should bring their offerings which they slaughter on the open field, and bring them to Hashem, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, to the kohen, and slaughter them as peace offerings to Hashem…And they shall no longer slaughter their sacrifices to the demons after which they stray. This shall be an eternal statute for them, for [all] their generations” (Vayikra 17:1-7).

The Ibn Ezra points out that Aharon and his sons were singled out by this prohibition before everyone else, because at that time the kohanim were for the most part the shochtim, the butcherers, of the Jewish people. The Ibn Ezra also mentions that this mitzvah applies not only in the Mishkan, but for the Beis HaMikdash as well. All sacrifices must be brought to the Beis HaMikdash to be offered to Hashem. The Ibn Ezra also explains in pasuk 5: “in order that the children of Israel should bring” is the reason for this mitzvah, and the explanation of “on the open field” is that it refers to pasuk 7 “And they shall no longer slaughter their sacrifices.” The demons that pasuk 7 speaks about are called “sheidim” in Hebrew but the pasuk refers to them as “seirim,” the Ibn Ezra says it is because they would cause people who see them to tremble or because crazy people would witness them in the form of goats. Indeed, the reason why the Torah says they shall “no longer” slaughter is because the Jews use to in Egypt which is considered straying from Hashem, and the Ibn Ezra says: “Because anyone who seeks them and believes in them strays from Hashem for he thinks that there is something other than Hashem The Honorable and Awesome who can make good or bad.”

The Avi Ezri, a commentary on the Ibn Ezra, says that in pasuk 5 the Ibn Ezra is explaining “that the main reason for this mitzvah is in order so that they will not sacrifice to demons which they were used to doing in Egypt, therefore all offerings shall be brought to the Beis HaMikdash.” He concludes by saying: “And I already explained that there are many open and hidden reasons for the burnt and peace offering and all who know and understand them can give the correct, praiseworthy reason, as long as your intent is for Hashem on High.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

A very bizarre thing is happening here. A person wants to bring a sacrifice to Hashem, showing his love and devotion to Him – but he doesn’t want to, or can’t, shlep all the way to Jerusalem to bring it in the Beis HaMikdash. He would rather do it in his backyard or someplace else. What’s wrong with that? And why would that lead to sacrificing to demons which his ancestors did hundreds of years ago in Egypt, before all the miracles of the Exodus and the giving of the Torah?

It would seem that even though this person has complete devotion to Hashem right now, if he were to continue to sacrifice outside the allotted place of the Mishkan or Beis HaMikdash, then he would revert back to his ancestors’ old ways. How is that possible? Because by requiring the sacrificial service to be in the House of G-D, in a central location Hashem is causing us to focus on what we are doing and on Him. Without that focus it is possible for a person’s mind to go astray or mixed up and decide to do something strange like reverting back to his ancestors’ ways of worshiping demons.
So a person could have all the right reasons for serving Hashem, but if he wants to do it his way and not the way Hashem wants it to be done, then he might lose focus and stray from Hashem.

This does not mean that Judaism is rigid and that there is no room for expressing one’s personality and creativity. Everyone is an individual with their own mind, different means, and unique circumstances. For example, the Torah does not say one can only sacrifice  bulls worth one thousand dollars. There is a selection of sacrifices based on one’s means. There is no Jewish law that says one must wear black and white, rather there is a dress code which is based on modesty, looking elegantly conservative. So there is room for creativity as well. There is no one way to make your food on Shabbos or Yom Tov, or what you can eat during the week, rather there are guidelines.

So there is room to express oneself within the framework of Jewish law but it must be done within the framework in order to keep on the Path of Hashem.


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Passover

In the Pesach Haggadah it writes:
 “In Every generation each person must view himself as if he was redeemed from Egypt.”
The message being we must live in the moment the message of yesteryear in order to impact our future!

Pesach is a time for asking questions and giving answers. Please share this Torah Riddle at your Yom Tov table and see if your family and guests can figure out the answer. Flex those brain muscles!

Question: Why do some women have a custom to say shehecheyanu twice on the Seder night, once by candle lighting and once while kiddush is made?

Background:  There is an obligation to say shehecheyanu for the Yom Tov upon lighting candles or saying kiddush, as well as for the mitzvos of eating matzah, and marror.

Answer: Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach says that a woman who has the custom not to say amen after kiddush by other Yom Tovim nevertheless on the night of the Seder needs to answer amen for she said shehecheyanu on candle lighting while it was still day but the shehecheyanu you say at kiddush also counts for the other mitzvos of matzo and maror done at night. Rav Shmuel Wasner zt”l adds that this also answers why the women who have a custom to say shehecheyanu a second time by kiddush for when they lit they didn’t have in mind at all to fulfill the mitzvos of the night. (See Dirshu Mishna Berura 473:1:1, footnote 4)

If you enjoyed this Torah Riddle please join us every week on Tuesdays at 9:45 AM EST or 3:00 PM EST at our Torah Riddles class via WebEx. You may participate via webcam or telephone, just email me your interest and I will send a WebEx invitation. We do two questions a week. If you just want the questions and can’t participate I can add you to the email list as well. Please email torahinteractive@gmail.com if you are interested please. Or visit torahinteractive.org‘s Torah Riddle page.

Chag kasher visameach,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Tazria -Parshas HaChodesh – Time Management

This dvar Torah is based on notes taken 18 years ago from a shmuz given by Rav Moshe Chait zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Chofetz Chaim Yerushalayim.

The special portion read for Parshas HaChodesh this week, begins: “The Lord spoke to
Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be to you the head of
the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year” (Shemos 12:1, 2).
The first Rashi on the Torah says that this pasuk is referring to sanctifying the new
month and should have been the first thing mentioned in the Torah. The first month
should have been Nissan.
This mitzvah was told over in Egypt because it was needed, even though Egypt was a
place of spiritual uncleanliness.
The Sforno on the second pasuk says: “’This month shall be to you the beginning of
months.’ Henceforth the months (of the year) shall be yours, to do with them as you will.
During the bondage, however, your days (time) did not belong to you but (were used) to
work for others and fulfill their will, therefore ‘It shall be the first month of the year to
you’ .For in (this month) your existence as a people of (free) choice began.”
The Sforno seems to be saying that this (time) is your life’s possession, and you can do
what you want with it; but if others control you, then your time is taken by others.
Slavery, which usurps your time, is like taking a life. Your whole life depends on time.
The Jews weren’t just slaves, they were non-existent. If the free choice of using your time
is taken away from you, or you give it away, then you are non-existent.
Time, according to the Sforno, is a measurement which has a beginning; but the
beginning is when you choose to do it. The Sforno is explaining when time is yours. The
reality of when doesn’t matter; when you choose is what matters.
Some people realize the importance of time but others don’t. They use phrases like how
to “pass time,” “kill time,” or “waste time.”
As long as you are living a Torah life, then you are managing your time, whether by
learning, doing mitzvos, or kindness with a fellow person. The Torah can even cause
longevity of life.
A major problem is that people want to keep up with the times. But what value did you
have of time before that? Torah time is eternal. If you learn it, it is yours.
The point is: to what extent do we value time? This is dependent on whether we are
enslaved or not. A person that tries to keep up with the times is enslaved to time. People
that live by the Torah, its laws, and customs, control time.
A practical application of this concept in terms of learning can be seen by how much
emphasis one puts in to review; because it makes learning permanent, instead of going in
and out of learning.
Chazal say: “One is not truly free unless he is deeply involved in his Torah learning.”
People say one is free when he can choose to do nothing and waste time; however, this
person is captured by his evil inclination. He is bound by time. This person, when he
wants to start doing something, finds that it is actually harder for him.
What the Torah dictates is not a means to control you but it causes you to take control of
your life.

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Shemini – Molding Our Future

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The Mesilas Yesharim in the first chapter, “Man’s Duty in This World,” relates: “If you look more deeply into the matter, you will see that the world was created for man’s use. In truth, man is the center of a great balance. For if he is pulled after the world and is drawn further from his Creator, he is damaged, and he damages the world with him. And if he rules over himself and unites himself with his Creator, and uses the world only to aid him in the service of his Creator, he is uplifted and the world itself is uplifted with him.” This concept is precisely illustrated by the laws of kashrus in this week’s Torah portion of Shemini.

The Medrish Rabba in this week’s Torah portion says that when the Torah says: “This is the domesticated animal [you are able to eat],” this aptly fits in with the pasuk in Mishlei which says: “Every word of God is refined” (Mishlei 30:5). Rav says that the mitzvos [commandments] were only given to the Jews in order to refine through them all the creatures in existence. Why was this done, because it says at the end of this pasuk in Mishlei: “He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” The Maharz”u explains that by performing mitzvos with the creatures amongst us, we are refining them to be brought into the life of the World to Come as reward for fulfilling the mitzvos [through them].

The Medrish goes on to list the ramifications of treating the creatures in this world properly. There is an eye-opening lesson that will be learnt from this part of the medrish. “Rebbe Yudan the son of Rebbe Shimon said: ‘Behemot and Leviatan shall be the beasts of contest (the show) for the righteous in the hereafter, and whoever abstains from witnessing the beast fights of the nations in this world, shall be admitted to see them. How will they be slaughtered? Behemot will chop Leviatan with its horns and rip it apart and Leviatan will chop Behemot with its fins and stab it. (To see more on Behemot vs. Leviatan click here.) The sages asked, is this a kosher slaughtering? Didn’t we learn that one can slaughter with anything at any time besides with a sickle, harvesting blade, a saw, and teeth, for they choke [the animal]. Rebbe Abba bar Kahana answered, Hashem said, ‘The Torah was established by me, so I can commence anew a Torah law from myself.’

The Yidei Moshe, explaining the last statement, says it is permissible for Hashem to slaughter with fins, but for a person, for whom the Torah was given in order to refine their hearts and to instill in them the attribute of mercy, it is forbidden to use fins because it is cruelty to animals.

The Medrish concludes with another thing which Hashem is going to provide in The Next World, which is unkosher in this world: “Rebbe Brachia said in the name of Rebbe Yitzchok that in the future Hashem will make a breakfast for His righteous servants, and anyone who did not eat carcasses (non-shechted animals) in this world will merit to eat it in the World to Come as it says, ‘The fat of carcass and the fat of an animal with a fatal disease or injury, may be used for any work, but you shall not eat it’ (Vayikra 7:24). This is in order so that you can eat it in the future, therefore Moshe warned all the Jews and said ‘this is the wild animals you can eat.’” (Click here for Hebrew text)

It is very clear from what was said earlier that Hashem gave us the mitzvos for the benefit of mankind, and indeed all of creation, in order to mold and refine us so that we will be properly prepared and deserving of The World to Come. The World to Come is one of perfection and bliss, which the beginning of the first chapter of Mesilas Yesharim describes as “rejoicing in G-D and deriving pleasure from the splendor of His Presence; for this is true joy, and the greatest pleasure that can be found. The place where this joy may truly be derived is the World to Come.”

It would seem from this medrish that there will be some level of a physical manifestation of this pleasure in the World to Come where Hashem, lihavdil, will be serving the righteous breakfast and special meat from the giant creatures, Behemot and Leviatan. (It seems obvious that this is not just figurative from the fact the medrish asks how a non-kosher shechita can be performed on the Behemot to be eaten by the righteous). What seems questionable is how Hashem will allow and even “serve” non-kosher meat; whether it is the chelev (which is non-kosher fats) of an animal who was not slaughtered, or even if the animal was slaughtered properly, of a treifa (an animal with a blemish), which will be served at the breakfast in the World to Come, as well as the Behemot which will be halachically not slaughtered properly? Isn’t this contradictory? How can Hashem tell us not to eat from a non-kosher animal, or not to eat non-kosher fats, and then proceed to feed it to us in the World to Come? Especially, as the Yidei Moshe says, as the whole point of kosher slaughter is to instill in us a feeling of mercy by not being cruel to animals. So how can the righteous then eat from Behemot which are inhumanely slaughtered in a “dog fight” with the Leviatan, which the righteous will watch as part of their reward for not watching “dog fights” and the like in this world?

There is a very deep and important lesson to learn from this medrish based on the Yidei Moshe. That is, that Hashem created the mitzvos in order to emulate Him and refine ourselves in this world for preparation for the next world, as the Mesillas Yesharim in fact continues in the beginning of the first chapter: “but the path to the object of our desires is this world, as our Sages of blessed memory have said, ‘This world is like a corridor to the World to Come’ (Pirkei Avos 4:21).” That is, the whole purpose of Hashem creating the Torah, the blueprints of creation of this world, and the guidebook to life in this world. Ultimately however, Hashem created the Torah, and he can do whatever he wants; He is not bound by His Torah. He only said to emulate Him for how He runs existence in this world; but ultimately He knows what is best in the Next World. Therefore, what he forbids us to watch in this world (such as animal fights, which are in fact cruel and inhumane), will be totally permissible and indeed a reward for the righteous to watch and partake in, in the World to Come – under Hashem’s jurisdiction. So too the non-kosher fats or non-kosher slaughtering which is forbidden in this world and is detrimental to our spiritual health will be permitted and given as a reward for the righteous in the Next World; but, again, under Hashem’s jurisdiction – because he knows how to make and serve it in the most perfect of ways.

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Tzav – The Joy of a Wedding

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Yirmiyahu, in the haftorah for the Torah portion of Tzav, warns of the imminent destruction of the first beis hamikdash and the desolation that will take place in Yerushalayim and its surrounding areas if the Jewish people won’t repent. One of the things he says in the name of Hashem is: “I will suspend from the cities of Yehuda and the streets of Yerushalayim the sounds of joy and the sounds of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become ruin” (Yirmiyahu 7:34). The Radak says on this Pasuk that in place of a voice of joy there will be a voice of lamenting, crying and screaming. (Click here for Hebrew text.)

To put into perspective the joy of a wedding and marriage in general, the Yalkut Shimone on this Pasuk quotes a Gemara in Brachos daf 6b: “And Rebbe Chelbo said in the name of Rav Huna, anyone who benefits from the banquet of a bridegroom and does not gladden him violates the five “sounds” as it is stated, ‘The sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of the groom, and the sound of the bride, the sound of people saying, praise Hashem, Master of Legions’ (Yirmiyahu 33:11). And if he does gladden the bridegroom what is his reward? Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi said, he merits the Torah which was given with five “sounds” as it is stated, ‘On the third day when it was morning, there were sounds and lightning, and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of the shofar etc. “The sound of the shofar etc.” And G-d would respond to him with a sound’ (Shemos 19:16,19)… Rebbe Abahu said it is as if he brought a thanksgiving offering as it is stated, ‘they bring thanksgiving offerings to House of Hashem. Rebbe Yochanan (Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok) said, it is as if he built up one of the ruins of Yerushalayim as it says ‘For I will return the captivity of the land as at first, said Hashem’ (Yirmiyahu 33:26).”

The Iyun Yaakov on this Gemara says that the five “sounds” could be referring to the five qualities mentioned in Yevamos of a Jew without a wife who is living without joy, blessing and goodness. And those in Israel add: without Torah and without a wall [to protect from sin]. Representing these five acquisitions acquired upon getting married are the five sounds of joy. Indeed, Rabba bar Ulla added a sixth acquisition of peace, which we can actually say was included in the Torah, as it is written: “Hashem gives power (referring to Torah) to his nation, Hashem will bless his nation with peace” (Last pasuk in Tehillim perek 29).(Click here for Hebrew text.)

But out of all the examples of joy the prophet could have picked to express the direness of the situation, why did he pick  a wedding, the joy between a bride and her groom? What about the joy and excitement of Torah learning that was raging all over the city? Or the joy and glee of the Simchas beis hashoava that took place in the courtyard of the Beis Hamikdash every Sukkos which the mishna in the beginning of the fifth chapter of sukkah says: “whoever has not seen a simchas beis hashoeva has not seen [true] happiness in their life!”

It would seem that the most impressionable joyfulness that people relate to is of a wedding between chasson and kallah.

(They just didn’t have Purim yet…just joking;))

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Vayikra – Being Attuned With Our Soul

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This week we start reading the third book of the Torah, Vayikra. Most of the book discusses the various sacrifices offered on the alter. One of them is the korban chatas, the sin offering, brought for transgressing most types of sins by accident. The fourth perek of Vayikra begins: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a soul sins unintentionally [by committing one] of all the commandments of the Lord, which may not be committed, and he commits one of them” (Vayikra 4:1, 2).

The Medrish Tanchuma wonders why the Torah uses the word “a soul” and not “a person” who sins unintentionally. It writes: “Therefore Hashem says to Moshe, ‘speak to the Children of Israel saying, if a soul unintentionally sins,’ the soul is the sinner. The pasuk says, ‘The place of judgement, there is the wickedness, and the place of righteousness, there is the wicked’ (Koheles 3:16). The soul which was given from righteousness in a place where there is no sin or transgression, and she sins against Hashem? The pasuk is in wonder, ‘if a soul sins unintentionally’?! ‘And the place of righteousness, there is the wicked,’ what is this analogous to? To two people, one is a city dweller and one is a minister of the king, both of them do something illegal against the king. They are taken to court and both were found to be doing same illegal act. What does the king do? He pardons the city dweller and sentences the minister. The other ministers of the king ask him, ‘If they both broke the same law why was the city dweller pardoned and the minister sentenced?’ The King responded, ‘I pardoned the city dweller because he doesn’t know the ways of the monarchy. But the minister is with me every day and knows exactly how I run the monarchy so the one who directly goes against me personally deserves to be punished.’ So to, the body is like the city dweller, ‘And the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground’ (Breishis 4:7), and the soul is the minister of The King from on high, ‘and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life’ (Breishis 4:7), and both sinned. Why? Because it is impossible for the body to be without a soul. If there is no soul there is no body and if there is no body the soul does not sin. This is why He pardoned the body and sentenced the soul, as it says, ‘The soul that sins, it shall die’ (Yechezkel 18:20). Therefore the pasuk is surprised, if a soul sins unintentionally [by committing one] of all the commandments of the Lord?!” (Medrish Tanchuma, parshas Vayikra paragraph 6.)

The Etz Yosef, referring to the comparison of the soul to a minister of the king, adds that a soul comes from the sanctuary of the King On High and knows the laws of His kingdom which is the Torah that was taught to him or her before him or her came to this world That what the medrish says in the parable that “every day he is with me;” it means that the soul goes up to heaven every night and reports on what the person did that day, and according to the soul’s merits it gets to see what is in heaven and Hashem teaches the soul. Therefore, even if he sins by accident, he is punished as if it was done on purpose, since the accident of a learned man is considered on purpose as the medrish says later on. (Click here for Hebrew text.)

The Etz Yosef says over there that a learned sage who transgresses a sin by accident is punished as if he did it on purpose, because he should have been more careful. That is why the pasuk asks in wonderment: ‘if a soul sins unintentionally;’ how could it be, since it comes from on high and knows all the rules of the Torah, and still it sins?!

The Medrish is saying that the soul is held responsible for sinning and, at least initially (as seen later in the medrish), the body is exonerated because the soul is fully aware of the laws of the King and the severity of consequence if it breaks the law. The Daas Zekeinim has a mirror-image commentary to the Medrish on the above pasuk, but with a different message: that the soul knows how much good Hashem does because he was up there with Him. Either way, the soul is held more responsible for sinning, either because of a greater love for Hashem or out of fear of Hashem and His Torah.

However, in practicality, why should this make sense? The reality is that the body, with all its physical desires and magnetic attachment to this world, is really the force which caused the sin, as alluded to by the medrish itself. The soul is thrown into the body by Hashem against its will and is expected to take control of the body as he or she grows up; why should the soul initially take full responsibility? Not only that, but it seems trapped in this body, not wanting to be a part of this lowly physical world. If the body wouldn’t be there, the soul would not have sinned since it is so pure, a tzelem Elokim [created in the image of G-D]! Why is it the soul’s fault?! Essentially the soul is at the whim of the body, so just as the body is innocent, why not pardon the soul? Furthermore, even if you say like the Etz Yosef that the soul goes up to heaven and has a chance to review with Hashem the Torah each day after he or she already learned it from an angel in its mother’s womb, the reality is that upon awakening on this earth, we are no longer attuned to that; so why be held accountable?

The answer is that we have the ability to be attuned to our soul. By delving into the depths and breadth of Torah and mussar (specifically mussar bihispa’alus, emotionalizing what we intellectually know by bridging the gap between our mind and heart.) we can be attuned to our soul and be careful not to sin. A righteous sage does just that, which is why the medrish says he is culpable for accidents as if they are done on purpose, because he should have been more careful. This also could be why a tinok shenishba, one who is totally ignorant of Torah, is exempt from heavenly punishment for his misdeeds in this world, since he was not in tune with his soul, and wasn’t even given a chance to be in tune with his soul to begin with.

Since the Torah is the guidebook for mankind it is obvious that it is more beneficial to be attuned with our soul as much as possible instead of being ignorant we just have to constantly be sure we are actively trying to strive to take the proper steps and care to avoid making mistakes.

Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder

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Pekudei – Doing What is Right

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The conclusion of the Book of Shemos, the Torah portion of Pekudei, concludes the making of the Mishkan. The Haftorah, appropriately talks about the finishing touches in the building of the Beis Hamikdash by King Shlomo. The Haftorah begins, “And all the work that king Shlomo had wrought in the house of the Lord was finished. And Shlomo brought in the things which Dovid his father had dedicated; the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, (and) put them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord” (Melachim Aleph 7:51).

The Ralbag on this pasuk says something quite astonishing! “We learn from this juncture that Shlomo made the Great House solely from his own earnings and all the things his father Dovid sanctified [for the construction of the Beis Hamikdash] he put into the treasure houses of the House of Hashem. It would seem for this reason he did not start the building as soon as he became king, rather he started it in the fourth year of his reign, as was mentioned earlier. He did this in order to build it with his own earnings, and not use from the treasuries of his father, Dovid, which he [Dovid] sanctified to Hashem. This is as if he did exactly what Hashem had intended just as He didn’t want Dovid to build it for he spilled many people’s blood [in wartime], so too He did not agree that it should be built with all the spoils Dovid collected from the non-Jewish nations during the war. However Shlomo who was a man of peace, and all the money he collected was done peacefully, with him did Hashem choose to build it from the money of peace that he collected.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)

G-D forbid we can’t think that King Dovid did anything wrong in fighting the wars. On the contrary the gemara says in Sanhedrin 20b: It has been taught: “R. Yose said: Three commandments were given to Israel when they entered the land; [i] to appoint a king; [ii] to cut off the seed of Amalek; [iii] and to build themselves the chosen house [i.e. the Temple] and I do not know which of them has priority. But, when it is said: The hand upon the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation,  we must infer that they had first to set up a king, for ‘throne’ implies a king, as it is written, Then Shlomo sat on the throne of the Lord as king.  Yet I still do not know which [of the other two] comes first, the building of the chosen Temple or the cutting off of the seed of Amalek. Hence, when it is written, And when He give you rest from all your enemies round about etc., and then [Scripture proceeds], Then it shall come to pass that the place which the Lord your God shall choose, it is to be inferred that the extermination of Amalek is first. And so it is written of Dovid, ‘And it came to pass when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from his enemies round about, and the passage continues; that the king said unto Nathan the Prophet: See now, I dwell in a house of cedars etc.’”  (Click here for Hebrew text.)

We see from here that one of the prerequisites and mitzvos in order to build the Beis Hamikdash is to fight wars in order to solidify the Jewish acquisition of the land and Kind Dovid accomplished just that!

Furthermore we find that the Beis Hamikdash was in fact attributed to Kind Dovid for all the mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice he put into building it. The Medrish says, “The Holy One Blessed Be He does not withhold reward from any of his creatures, any time a person works hard and gives of his whole soul towards the matter, The Holy One Blessed Be He does not withhold his reward. You should know this for Shlomo built the Beis Hamikdash as it says, ‘And Shlomo built the house and finished it’ (Melachim Alef 6:14). Yet because Dovid gave his whole soul over the building of the Beis Hamikdash as it says ‘Remember, O Lord, onto Dovid all his affliction etc. That I shall not come into the tent of my house etc. I shall not give sleep to my eyes etc. Until I find a place for the Lord etc.’ (Tehillim 132:1-5). And so The Holy One Blessed Be He did not withhold his reward rather He wrote it in his name ‘A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of Dovid’ (Tehillim 30:1). It doesn’t write ‘to Shlomo,’ rather ‘to Dovid’” (Medrish Rabba parshas Naso 12:9). 
In order to be allowed to build the Beis Hamikdash a king had to reign over Israel and the defeat of Amalek in war had to happen. King Dovid made sure that happened. Not only that but Dovid poured his whole essence into building the Beis Hamikdash. He put his blood, sweat and tears, and even his money into ensuring it will be built everything short of actually building it, (which Hashem told him he can’t,) to the extent that King Dovid got rewarded with the building being named after him. So why couldn’t his son just use the hard earned money that was sanctified and specifically set aside for the Beis Hamikdash by his father? It was King Dovid’s dream, his prayers, his hard earn spoils; at least allow something to be physically used towards The House of Dovid?

We learn from here, and this the Ralbag said Hashem acquiesced with Shlomo, that no matter how much love and devotion, well-meaning and holy, proper intent one has, if it is inappropriate to be included it is inappropriate and there are no exceptions.

King Dovid’s whole life was dedicated towards building the Beis Hamikdash but Hashem didn’t allow him because he had blood on his hands, albeit mitzvah blood, yet a resting place of Hashem’s Presence, the holiest place on Earth, would not be befitting to be built by blood stained hands so his son King Shlomo, a man of peace, even etched in his name, was given the right to build it. Not even King Dovid’s fortune that he earned from war which he made holy and donated to the building was allowed to be used, because what is right is right and no exceptions are made, no matter how dedicated and self-sacrificing one is, even if he did nothing wrong as we see he was rewarded for his efforts by the Beis Hamikdash being called in his name, Beis Dovid, yet he could not physically be involved in the actual building in any way shape or form.