Sunday, March 17, 2024

Unity Amongst Division

The Sfas Emes Mekatz (5639) last piece ואמינא לפי רמז המפרשים טבח והכן הוא חנוכה. אף אנו נאמר וישכרו הוא מרומז על פורים. כי חנוכה ופורים הם נסים האחרונים סמוכין לסוף תיקון הכולל שיהי' נגמר במהרה בימינו בעת ביאת הגואל. ופנימיות אלה הדברים יובנו למשכיל בכוונת חייב לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע כו'.  What does this mean?  

Rabbenu Bechai (38:25) about why Haman gave shekalim to be able to kill Klal Yisrael או נאמר כי מפני שידע המן חטא שבטי ישראל במכירת יוסף בעשרים כסף שהם חמשת שקלים ועונש החטא ההוא לא נפקד עליהם עדיין ע"כ חשב מחשבה לקנות כל ישראל לתת בשביל כל אחד מששים רבוא חמשת שקלים, כי חשב שיצליח בזה ויעלה בידו לגודל חטאם, וכענין שאמרו במדרש (בראשית לז) וישבו לאכל לחם אמר להם הקב"ה אתם מכרתם את אחיכם מתוך משתה חייכם שבניכם נמכרים בשושן מתוך משתה שנאמר (אסתר ג) והמלך והמן ישבו לשתות.

The sin of the mechira of Yosef was ripping apart the family of Yaakov.  Haman's attack on Klal Yisrael was ישנו עם אחד מפוזר ומפורד בין העמים, they are a divided nation and therefore there is a chance to kill them.  There was a repeat of the sin of Yosef and that allowed for the attack of Haman to take root.  

What is the connection between shekalim and the mechira of Yosef?  My father explained the sin of the mechira was ripping apart the family of Yaakov and the tikkun is the shekalim which unites everyone together.  How does the shekalim of Klal Yisrael counterbalance the shekalim of Haman?  Because the shekalim come together to form the korbanot tzibbur.  Although Haman could mathematically counteract the shekalim of every individual, he had no match for the concept of a tzibbur, a gathering of individuals that become a single unit greater than the sum of every individual. 

The tikkun in the story of Purim starts with  לך כנוס את כל היהודים, by gathering everyone together, not just as a collection of one body but as a tzibbur.  As the Maharal says, this was a hint to that everyone should come together in the synagogue to pray.  As Rabbi Hartman notes, it is only with regard to tefillah that there is a concept of a tefillah bitzibbur, the tzibbur as a unit defines the act of the mitzvah itself.  There needed to be a showing of tzibbur, of a body of Klal Yisrael to counter Haman's claim of עם אחד מפוזר, this was a demonstration of עם אחד, yes, מפוזר ומפורד, not or as Rav Kook puts it, despite the fact that Klal Yisrael appears to be מפוזר ומפורד, at the root they still are עם אחד.  

Maybe this is a drop of what the Sfas Emes means.  It was when the shevatim and Yosef united, even though the brothers didn't realize it at the time, they felt the tzibbur of Klal Yisrael had been corrected and they permitted themselves to drink to bring out the pnimous feelings of tzibbur that they felt, despite the fact that the brothers did not understand it yet.  Hence, the end of the time of nissim, the end of that tekufah before Mashiach contains a hint to the fix of the sin of Yosef which is the root of sins בין אדם לחבירו that we are still paying for (see Meshech Chachma Acherei Mos,) and hence Chazal enacted a mitzvah of drinking to remove the boundaries of מפוזר ומפורד and bring out the עם אחד (based upon Orah Visamcha of Rav Shmuel Yaakov Bornstein.)  

The Rambam says at the end of his short summary of all the mitzvot before the Mishne Torah that Chazal enacted the Megillah to be read in order to demonstrate that tefillah works, אלא כך אנו אומרים, שהנביאים עם בית דין תיקנו וציוו לקרות המגילה בעונתה כדי להזכיר שבחיו של הקדוש ברוך הוא ותשועות שעשה לנו, והיה קרוב לשווענו כדי לברכו ולהללו, וכדי להודיע לדורות הבאים שאמת מה שהבטיחנו בתורה, "ומי גוי גדול, אשר לו אלוהים קרובים אליו.  The Rambam evokes the possuk of ומי גוי גדול וגו.  The Briskor Rav explains that G-d also listens to the prayers of gentiles, what the possuk is describing is the uniqueness of Klal Yisrael that they have a concept of tefillah bitzibbur, only Klal Yisrael has the concept of a tzibbur.  This is very מדיוק in light of everything explained here for the entire bittul of the nes is in the merit of being a tzibbur, of being a singular unit, of coming together for a teffilah bitzibbur.  

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Breaking Through

 וְלֹא⁠־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל⁠־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד כִּֽי⁠־שָׁכַ֥ן עָלָ֖יו הֶעָנָ֑ן וּכְב֣וֹד י״י֔ מָלֵ֖א אֶת⁠־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן.  Moshe could not enter due to the presence of the cloud and the kavod of Hashem present.  Why specifically at this time after the completion of the Mishkan, the place of the ultimate connection between Hashem and Klal Yisrael is there a barrier, are the doors shut?  

Rebbe Nachman says on the possuk (Shemos 20:18) וַיַּעֲמד הָעָם מֵרָחֹק וּמשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹקִים that when wants to rise up to a greater level of service in Hashem, there are road barriers that stand in the way.  One who is afraid, the עם, feels distant due to the impasse but משה, one with דעת, recognizes that it is in the barrier where one finds Hashem.  It is only by fighting through the hardship that one can achieve a greater closeness to Hashem.  That is what Rashi (Shemos 24:18) means that at Mattan Torah a path was made for Moshe to enter though the smoke.  Once one puts in effort to go through the difficulty, it parts and one finds Hashem there.  This may be why specifically at this great pinnacle ,the completion of the Mikdash, again there has to be a barrier to demonstrate to tap into the power of the Mikdash you must go through this final barrier.   In order to grow you must go through barriers.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Mikrah Megillah And Other Mitzvot Of Purim

The Rambam says in the beginning of the Laws of Megillah that there is one mitzvah מדברי סופרים. And the Rambam titles the Laws as the Laws of Megillah.  What about the other mitzvot of the day?  

The Even Ezra (9:30) indicates that the holiday of Purim is enacted because the people accepted the holiday upon themselves.  This acceptance lasts as the Ramban (Mishpat Hacherem) says that a tzibbur can take upon themselves an acceptance and it is binding upon the future generations as a neder and one of his examples of this idea is Purim.

The Rambam is of the opinion like the Even Ezra that the mitzvot of the holiday are due to the acceptance of Klal Yisrael but mikra megillah is a mitzvah enacted by Chazal.  The proof to this can already be seen from Megillah (2a) where the Gemarah understands that the reading of the Megillah is a takkanah.  That is why the Rambam stresses the mitzvah is that of megillah.  He calls the laws the Laws of Megillah because that was the takkanah of Chazal, כתבוני לדורות (Megillah 7a,) the takkanah that became incorporated as a mitzvah of Chazal is that of mikrah megillah.  The other mitzvot of the day are kept because of the kabbalah of Klal Yisrael (the yesod is in Moadanay Moshe, Rav Avraham Shapira and kuntras את אשר חחלו לעשות uses this yesod to explain many things.)

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Mishkan, Melachot, Shabbat

The Baal HaTurim at the beginning of the parsha says לעשות – אותיות ל׳ תשע וחסר וי״ו לומר ל״ט מלאכות נעשה אותם בו׳ ימים ולא בשבת וכן אשר ברא אלהים לעשות הכתוב בויכולו תמצא עשיות ובריאות ומלאכות והויות והוצאות והבדלות כולם ל״ט לומר ל״ט מלאכות הן חוץ לתולדותיהם וכן תמצא מויקהל עד לא תבערו וגו׳ ביום השבת ל״ט תיבות חוץ ממלת השבת.  Chazal derive the 39 melachot from the words לעשות אותם.  Why are the 39 melachot derived from the parsha of Shabbat here and not from the earlier parshiot?  Why are the melachot prohibited the same as the 39 activities done in the Mishkan?  

The Tikkunay Zohar (#48) says the 29 melachot of Shabbat correspond to 39 curses that were given after the sin of Adam.  The Sifsay Chayim (Moadim volume 3 on Shabbat and Mikdash ) explains that before the sin, Adam didn't need to do anything to perfect the impurities in the world, only after the sin the impurities were brought into the world and Adam has to perfect it by working the world.  The melachot of Shabbat correspond to the work that must be done to remove the impurities that exist in the world.  On Shabbat, we are able to access a bit of the level of Adam before the sin and hence we abstain from the melachot which are used post sin.  

The Be'ar Moshe says that we can understand that is why the 39 melachot are mentioned only here.  Before the sin of the agel, there was a chance to correct the sin of Adam and then there would be no need for the 39 melachot ever.  Only after the sin of the agel that was such a possibility lost and now the 39 melachot become necessary during the week do they become prohibited on Shabbat when we taste a level of Adam pre sin.  

Why is Shabbat here called שבת שבתון?  The pessukim flow as אלה הדברים, these are the 39 forbidden melachot now that you need to fix the world.  Therefore, you shall work six days, if you work on those days it order to perfect the world, שבת שבתון, not only will Shabbat be holy but the week will also be elevated, שבת שבתון, the kedusha of Shabbat will spread to the entirety of the week (see ישמח משה עד"ז.)   

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Separating From Woman, Marror And Woman, Toras Avigdor

A few years ago I shared the enlightening words of the דרושי וחידושי הרמבא"ד about woman at the beginning of Yisro.  It was also recently brought to my attention that he continues with a piece at the end of the parsha sharing a similar view


  






מענין לענין, there is a discussion about the old Haggadah which says to point to one's wife when one gets to the marror at the Seder, forum.otzar.org

Also noteworthy the Q and A of Toras Avigdor this past week which states it is good to marry someone who you can't hold a conversation with: 



Thursday, February 29, 2024

Knot Of Tefillin

והסרתי את כפי וראית את אחרי ופני לא יראו.  Rashi says וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחֹרָי – הֶרְאָהוּ קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין.  Why is the knot of the tefillin showed to Moshe Rabbenu?  

The Gemarah Berachot (6a) says in the tefillin of Hashem it says  ומי כעמך כישראל גוי אחד בארץ (some say ישראל some say כישראל, and here) meaning that the tefillin of Hashem contain the message of the greatness of Klal Yisrael.  Hashem is telling Moshe that the way to achieve atonement from sin is to realize that even when a Jew commits a sin, he is still tied and attached to Hashem.  The knot of the tefillin represents this unbreakable bond that exists and that is the place from where teshuva can com from (see Likutay Sichos volume 21.)

This is why the mitzvah of tefillin is given right before yetzias mitzraim (Bo) for as Klal Yisrael were leaving the bonds of servitude they wrapped themselves in a bond to Hashem.   

This idea is brought out in this piece from the sefer Ohelai Yaakov (הוסיאטין) that Rabbenu Tam brought Moshe Rabbenu into the Beit Midrash to concur to his opinion that the tefillin do not have to knotted every day because it was important to know that the kesher, the bond with Hashem is always present he cites one version of the tory, there is another version in which Rabbenu Tam disagrees with Moshe Rabbenu, see here.)    





 

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Consistent And Constant

Possuk in Titzaveh (29:39) את הכבש האחד תעשה בבקר ואת הכבש השני תעשה בין הערבים

Possuk in Pinchas (28:4) את הכבש אחד תעשה בבקר ואת הכבש השני תעשה בין הערבים

Why is there a possuk about a korban in Titzaveh which is a parsha about the completion of the Mikdash?  And why does is say האחד in Titzavah and אחד in Pinchas?  The Briskor Rav explains based upon the Gemarah Minachos (50a) that says if the tamid of the morning was not offered, the tamid of the afternoon should still be offered.  The exception to this rule is when dedicating the mizbaoch, then it must be dedicated via the tamid of the morning, one can't start with the afternoon offering.  In other words, there are two functions to the tamid.  One function is as a korban in which case the two temidim don't have to form one unit.  Another function is part of the process of making the Mishkan a Mishkan is to have the tamid unit offered.   In this case, you can't be lacking the morning tamid for it is akin to lacking part of the building itself.  With this background we can now understand why the possuk of the obligation of the tamid is in Tetzaveh for part of the building of the Mikdash is to bring the korban tamid.  That is why it says האחד, for it means the first tamid must be the morning tamid as opposed to the possuk in Pinchas which is telling us the time to offer the korban tamid is once in the morning and once it the afternoon (added explanation from Rav Aharon Lichtenstein.) 

The intro. to the Kosav on the עין יעקב cites a Midrash בן זומא אומר מצינו פסוק כולל יותר והוא שמע ישראל וגו'. בן ננס אומר מצינו פסוק כולל יותר והוא ואהבת לרעך כמוך. שמעון בן פזי אומר מצינו פסוק כולל יותר והוא את הכבש האחד תעשה בבוקר וגו'. עמד ר' פלוני על רגליו ואמר הלכה כבן פזי.  Ben Zoma says: We have found a more inclusive verse, and it is, “Shema Yisrael.” Ben Nanas says: We have found a more inclusive verse, and it is, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Shimon Ben Pazi says: We have found a more inclusive verse and it is, “The first lamb you shall sacrifice in the morning and the second lamb you shall sacrifice in the evening.”  Rabbi Ploni stood up and said: The halakha is in accordance with Ben Pazi.

The possuk which sums up the entirety of Torah is the possuk of את הכבש האחד תעשה בבוקר.  How does this possuk sum up the laws of the Torah?  The lesson is that although there are times of inspiration, times of holidays and moments when one feels uplifted, it is the constant, consistent, diligent approach to avodas Hashem that brings one closest to Hashem.  Special times help a person lurch forward but it is the daily, slow growth, one daf, one seder at a time that add up to make a person great.  The mishkan of the lev must be built with an integrity of a the tamid of the morning and the evening, a consistent approach.