Common Denominator

This Shabbos we have two parshios and we are in the midst of sefiras haomer.  What is the connection between all these things?

As mentioned before, based upon the Or HaChayim, the sin of Nadav and Avihu was that they felt such a yearning to come close to Hashem that there souls couldn't be contained in their bodies any more.  Nadav and Avihu were so holy that they wanted to jump out of the boundaries of גשמיות.just couldn't take any גשמיות.   The failure of Nadav and Avihu was that G-d doesn't want us to leave aside the גשמיות of this world and become complete angels.  The message is that yes, we should all strive very much to reach 'קרובה לפני ה, but there must be a way back into this world.   We must learn to control גשמי and use it for the better good.

Rashi at the beginning of Kedohim says דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל – מלמד שנאמרה פרשה זו בהקהל.  Presumably all the laws of the Torah had to be told to everyone, so what is the emphasis here that this parsha was said before everyone?  The Maor V'shemesh explains that in order to separate from the incorrect, corrupt and evil ideas and actions that people have/do, one must  separate from society as the Rambam writes in Deot Ch. 6.  However, that is just a way of avoiding negatives influences but isn't a path to kedusha.  To be kadosh, one must be able to interact with other people and elevate the surrounding society.  In the words of the Mesillas Yesharim, the Rambam is referring to a פרוש, one who separates from עניני עולם הזה so that s/he is dragged down by the חומר/גשמי/חול that is present in this world.  The parsha of Kedoshim introduces us to a level where on is able to take the parts of this world that seem separate from kedusha and infuse them with kedusha.  Such an individual is a kadosh.  [This seems to contradict Rashi and Ramban's explanation of kedusha that it involves seperating from גשמי?  The Sifsay Chayim reconciles this with the view of Mesillas Yesharim that the yesod is to be in control of גשמי; the Rashi and Ramban are describing the first steps of kedusha, which involve פרישות, however, the ultimate kedusha is to evelate the גשמי as we say in birchas hamitzot, אשר קדשנו במצותיו, we take the גשמי and turn it into a מצוה; that is kedusha.]

Pesach is a time of breaking Mitzraim.  The טומאה of this world is smashed.  It is the time of running into the cave; running away from the evil.  We are not strong enough to take on Mitzraim head on; all we can do is run and let Hashem take care of them.  That is why even as Klal Yisroel were exiting Egypt, they still had to run, why did they need to run, Pharoh and Egypt were smashed and battered?  They were running from the Egyptians, they were running from the Egypt in their hearts.   As the Tanya writes in Ch. 31 - כי ברח העם דלכאור' הוא תמוה למה היתה כזאת וכי אילו אמרו לפרעה לשלחם חפשי לעולם לא היה מוכרח לשלחם אלא מפני שהרע שבנפשות ישראל עדיין היה בתקפו בחלל השמאלי כי לא פסקה זוהמתם עד מתן תורה רק מגמתם וחפצם היתה לצאת נפשם האלהית מגלות הס"א היא טומאת מצרים ולדבקה בו ית' וכדכתיב ה' עוזי ומעוזי ומנוסי ביום צרה וגו' משגבי ומנוסי וגו' והוא מנוס לי וגו.  It wasn't the יציאה ממצרים that demanded running, it was the יציאת מצרים, the removal of the remnants and hold of the tumah of Mitzraim on the mind , heart and soul.  [Possibly that is why at the Yam Suf, G-d said not to stand and pray for praying is a time when one subdues the רע שבנפש and that wasn't within the grasp of Klal Yisroel at that point in time.]

Sefira is the time when we work on removing the רע שבנפש and becoming קדוש.  As the Gemorah in Pesachim (68b) says: א"ר אלעזר הכל מודים בעצרת דבעינן נמי לכם.  On Shavout we reach the level of being able to be שולט on גשמי, to become קדוש.  On Pesach we eat matzah, bland bread.  We are not able to partake of גשמיות besides the bare minimum.  On Shavuot we are upgraded to חמץ, שתי הלחם.  We are able to to harness the טומאה that was introduced into us and use it to elevate our learning of Torah.

Love Of Torah

The Gemorah in Yoma (35b) says הלל מחייב העניים, יוסף מחייב מי שיש לו יצר, רבי אלעזר בן חרסום מחייב העשירים (see there all the details.) Asks the Rebbe (Likutay Sichos volume 2,) ממנ"ש, if the person has the time and capability to learn, then why do we need 'הלל וכו, of course you are obligated to learn, it says והגית בו יומם ולילה and if the person can't learn, then how can a person be held responsible?  Answers the Rebbe, the Gemorah is talking about someone who technically can't be held responsible for not learning; there is no obligation from והגית בו.  However, one who understands what Torah is will nonetheless still find time to learn, in his words:

The love for Torah must extend beyond the basic obligation to learn Torah. This is the same idea as the vort known from the Ponavitcher Rav on Megillah 3a which I don't feel like writing out.



For those following the custom of learning Sotah during sefirah (see here and here,) this week on we encountered the Gemorah 21a which says ד"א עבירה מכבה מצוה ואין עבירה מכבה תורה שנאמר (שיר השירים ח, ז) מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה.  How do we know מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה is referring to Torah?  Rashi says: לכבות את האהבה - זו תורה דכתיב (שיר השירים ב׳:ד׳) הביאני אל בית היין ודגלו עלי אהבה יין סוד:  He would seem to be matching the Midrash (Bamidbar 2:3)  רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר הֱבִיאַנִי אֶל בֵּית הַיָּין, לַמַּרְתֵּף הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁל יַיִן, זֶה סִינַי, וְלִמְדַנִי משֶׁה תּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא נִדְרֶשֶׁת מ"ט פָּנִים, that explains the בית היין is Sinai and we see that's the place of דגלו עלי אהבה, so we see אהבה means Torah and that is the אהבה in מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה.  (Rashi on Shir Hashirim learns the בית היין is אהל מועד but because the laws of Torah were taught there, so the point is the same.)   We see Torah is distinct from all mitzvot; those are fulfilled because of the command to do them.  Torah must go beyond that ,it is an expression of אהבה between Hashem and Klal Yisroel.  In the words of the Tanya Ch. 4: ואף שהתורה נתלבשה בדברים תחתונים גשמיים הרי זה כמחבק את המלך ד"מ שאין הפרש במעלת התקרבותו ודביקותו במלך בין מחבקו כשהוא לבוש לבוש אחד בין שהוא לבוש כמה לבושים מאחר שגוף המלך בתוכם. וכן אם המלך מחבקו בזרועו גם שהיא מלובשת תוך מלבושיו כמ"ש וימינו תחבקני שהיא התורה שנתנה מימין שהיא בחי' חסד ומים.  Learning Torah is hugging Hashem!
What's bothering me in the Rashi is the last words, יין סוד.  What does he mean to add by this?  The only peshat I found is the Munkatcher Rebbe (here) that believes Rashi is hinting to a yesod many Rebbe's said that the Chazal (cited on this blog last week,) that says המאור שבה מחזירה למוטב only refers to learning pnimious hatorah; it only through learning סוד that one will become attached to Hashem and that אהבה will steer a person back even if they fall into arevos. [It is interesting that if I recall correctly the Baalei Mussar (maybe even Rav Yisroel Solanter himself) understood the Chazal not as referring to the entire body of Torah, but to that which inspires proper yiras Hashem.]

Prepare For Holiness

The Mishna in Tammid (33a) says the kohen that offers the ketores carries it in a spoon which is inside the firepan.  The Gemorah in Yoma (58a) is unsure whether the Kohen Gadol may carry the incense of Yom Kippur using a firepan which is inside an outer firepan or not; do we say מין במינו חוצץ and therefore, the outer firepan is considered a חציצה between the hands of the kohen and the firepan which is the כלי שרת, or מין במינו אינו חוצץ?  Based upon this, the Rosh asks how can the kohen carry the spoon inside the firepan if it might be a חציצה?  Rav Chayim in Timmidin U’mussafin answers that the question of the Gemorah in Yoma is specific to the Kohan Gadol on Yom Kippur.  Because on Yom Kippur,  the possuk mandates that the Kohan Gadol must carry the ketores into the Kodesh Kadashim, והביא מבית לפרוכת, the והביא is part of the avodah and is subject to the pesul of chatzitzah.  However, the daily ketores, where there is no requirement of והביא, the carrying of the ketores is not part of the avodah and hence it can't have a pesul chatzitzah.

This patterns the avodah of these days.  What we see here is that in order to enter the Kodesh Kedoshim, part of the avodah is how you enter.  A lack of proper preparation is a lack in the avodah itself. One must prepare themselves to enter such a holy place.  That is the avodah of sefirah; to prepare for Shevout.  One who doesn't prepare is lacking in his Shevout! 

You Are The Luchos

The meforshim ask after the sin of the agel, why did Moshe Rabbenu have to break the luchos, put them aside, explain the people's wrongdoing, let them do teshuvah and them get back to the luchos? In the intro. to Sharay Yosher, Rav Shimon Shkap says that the first luchos were the writing of G-d and if one learnt Torah, there was no room for forgetting.  This would result in someone to be completely corrupt inside but a genius in Torah in his outward appearance.   Yes, Moshe might be able to teach teshuva now, but going forward this would be a persistent problem.  Moshe Rabbenu understood that wasn't the right approach and hence saw the first luchos can't be accepted by Klal Yisroel.  Therefore, the second luchos were hand written by Moshe. Every letter had to be carved and was a struggle to acquire.  Similarly, to write the Torah על לוח לבך, a person must carve out his soul to be a receptacle to receive the Torah.  It is only if a person makes himself a מקבל, if his innards are transformed and elevated, that Torah will set in.  Every person has their own luchos of their heart; it is up to you to decide what will be written on them.

At the end of the Briskor Rav on Sotah he cites the story of Rav Chayim Volozener's chiluk between his brother, Rav Zalman's knowledge of Torah and that of the Gra.  Rav Chayim said that his brother know's all of Torah like most people know אשרי but that is he knows the next words to continue, but he doesn't know it backward.  However, the Gra knew it forward and backward, inside out.  Asks the Rav, who cares if he knew it backward as well, does that mean he has a greater grasp of the material?  Explains the Rav, it's not a question of an understanding, it's a different level.  The obligation of ידיעת התורה isn't just an amount one must occupy in memory, the שיעור is כתבם על לוח לבך, Mishlay (3:3,) just as if something is written on a tablet in front of you, you see the whole thing and can read it backward, such is the obligation of לימוד התורה.  It's not that the Gra remembered the words better, he knew the Torah so well it was as if it was open before him.  The source for this is the possuk in Shma (Vaeschanan 6:6) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ, where the Targum Yonason says ויהון פיתגמיא האילין דאנא מפקיד יתכון יומא דין כתיבין על לוח ליבכון.]  Some apparently say that the Gra himself already said such an idea, though I don't know the source, "פעם שאל אחד את הגאון מווילנה: מדוע אמר שלמה המלך "כתבם על לוח לבך" ולא "זכרם בלבך"? ענה הגאון ואמר לו: אתה בוודאי אומר שנים רבות את מזמור "אשרי יושבי ביתך", וזוכר אותו בעל-פה. אמור לי בבקשה, מהי הימיה שכתובה לפני המילים "קרוב ה' לכל קוראיו"? משלא ידע לענות במהירות, ענה הגאון ואמר: זהו ההבדל בין זכירה לכתיבה. כשזה כתוב, אפשר לקרוא גם מהסוף להתחלה... כך צריך לזכור את התורה!" (wikisource.)

Love Yourself

The Sfas Emes (5643 at the end) says: ואהבת לרעך כמוך פרשנו לשון פועל יוצא וקאי על אהבת ה' כי היכן מצינו שיאהב האדם את עצמו שיאמר כמוך רק הפי' (לאהוב) [*להאהיב] את השם לרעך כמו לך כמ"ש חז"ל ואהבת את ה' להיות ש"ש מתאהב על ידך. וכמו שהאדם מייגע עצמו להכניס אהבת ה' בלבו. כן יכניס אהבת ה' בלב חבירו לכן אמרו שהוא כלל גדול בתורה:  He asks how could the possuk say ואהבת לרעך כמוך, there is no obligation to love one's self?  Therefore, he interprets it to mean you shall cause your friend to love Hashem just as much as you do.  The question of the Sfas Emes is strange.  Yes, it never says in the Torah you must love yourself, but its the natural instinct.  In fact, that may be the point of the possuk, just as you love yourself, not based upon any commandment, rather instinctively, so too you shall love another individual.

Clean Up

Vayikra (16:23) וּבָ֤א אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּפָשַׁט֙ אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֣י הַבָּ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבַ֖שׁ בְּבֹא֣וֹ אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְהִנִּיחָ֖ם שָֽׁם.  Rashi: ובא אל אהל מועד – להוציא את הכף ואת המחתה שהקטיר את הקטרת לפניי ולפנים.  The question is why is does the Kohan enter the holy of holies merely to remove a fire pan and spoon, just include leave it to next year?  The Chizkuni says ויש לומר: דאין זה ביאה ריקנית שאם יניח שם כף ומחתה בדשנם גנאי הוא כלפי מעלה משום דמאיס.  This is an important lesson that cleaning up one's mess is itself an important process to not leave things in disarray.  There are many other interpretations, however I want to share a lovey dubby interpretation from the Shefa Chayim.

Metzorah Therapy

The law is that a negah to be tamah or tahor must be pronounced by the kohan.  The Sfas Emes asks, I understood the tahara process should be done by the konanim for the metzorah hurt his/her friend though loshon harah, so the kohanim that embody chesed and shalom cause his tahara; but why must they cause the tumah?

The Kli Yakar in Tzaria (13:2) and at the beginning of Metzorah says the same idea (see there what he explains based upon it,) שהצרעת בא על עונות ידועים ושם המכה צרעת ושם המוכה מצורע, כי לשון מצורע מוציא רע שמוציא כל רעתו הנסתרת בקרבו אל החוץ לגלות רעתו בקהל ושם צרעת הוא לשון צרה רעה ר״ל רעה שהיא כצרה.  The source for this idea is at the end of Vayikra Rabbah (16:2) and alluded to in Arachin (15b.)  The Sfas Emes says there is a positive to affect to the tumah of the person coming out to the forefront.   A person that has טומאה ורע inside can't be cured; the toxins don't leave any room for holiness.  The advantage that the metzorah has is that s/he has taken out all the toxic from within and is left with a soul that is capable of being repaired.  That is why indeed the nega is a chesed for the individual to allow them to be on their path to recovery and indeed it is fitting for the kohan to be the therapist to help start the process of recovery. 

The מושב זקנים in 14:4 brings from the Rokeach that the two birds that the metzora brings are a hint to the yetzer tov and yetzer harah and killing one of the birds tells you that you must kill the yetzer harah.  The Sfas Emes also views the two birds as a hint to the two yetzers but as opposed to Tosfos that views the yetzer harah as a force which must be killed out, the Sfas Emes sees the positive in it.  [That is because the Sfas Emes wore a fury hat and they like to see the good in all things.]   He takes the opposite view; the bird which is sent away is the yetzer harah.  At their root both birds are צפורות טהורות, the yetzer harah also has tendencies that can be used for the positive, it is only after that is absorbed that the toxic dimensions are sent away.  [This isn't exactly how the Sfas Emes says it; it is inspired by his words; he seems to take different approaches in Tazria 6537 and Metzorah 5632.]
After going through nega therapy, the meztorah has learned to partition the parts of the yetzer harah and release the bad.

Based upon this, the Sfas Emes understands the Rashi at the beginning of Tazria in a different light. א״ר שמלאי כשם שיצירתו אחר כל בהמה וחיה במעשה בראשית, כך תורתו נתפרשה אחר תורת בהמה חיה ועוף.  It is only after the נפש הבהמית of the individual has been turned into a mentch; after its destructive behavior has been rectified; the torah of his/her inner animal has been elevated that one can release the potential of the אדם, אדמה לעליון.

Rav Sorotzkin's Chiddush In The Beracha Of Sefirah

In this sefer of Rav Yitzchak Sorotzkin he wants to suggest that the beracha of sefiras ha'omer isn't a classic birchat hamitzvot, rather its part of the mitzvah of sefirah.  Now, I find this to be crazy, how can a birchas hamitzvah which is merely Rabbinic be part of the mitzvah?  Where do we ever have such a thing?  The most similar thing would be regarding the birchos of shema where some Rishonim say the מצוה כתיקונה can only be fulfilled together with the berachos.  However ,that is because the berachos of shema aren't classical birchos hamitzvah, they are meant to put one in the proper state of mind to accept עול מלכות שמים but we never find such a concept by a run-of-the-mill birchas hamitvot; why would sefirah be any different.  I believe many of the points he raises can be deflected by noting the nusach the Rishonim had in counting sefirah.  We (ashkenaz) say היום יום,  the counting is distinct from the beracha.  However, they said the breacha and concluded the beracha שהיום יום וכו, meaning the counting is part of the text of the beracha.    It's not that the beracha is attached to the sefirah but because of the nusach, the sefirah is part of the beracha and that's why dinim of the sefirah get carried over to the beracha, for they are inseparable.  In the Ravyah it is explicit with the text שהיום יום וכו.  Regarding the Machzor Vitri that brings the Rebbe of Rashi counted earlier and then repeated the count with a beracha, the poskim all ask how he repeat it with a beracha if he already fulfilled the mitzvah?  This law is cited in Shulchan Aruch (489:3) and various answers are given by the commentators.  There is no reason to extrapolate from here crazy chiddushim. 

Saved By Torah

Everyone is familiar with the expression of Chazal regarding the killing of the בן סורר ומורא that he is killed because  ימות זכאי ואל ימות חייב (mishna Sanhedrin 8:5.)  The Yerushalmi however, adds a bit more to the story.  Sanhedrin (8:7 daf 43b) צפה הקב"ה שסוף זה עתיד לגמר ניכסי אביו ואת ניכסי אמו ויושב לו בפרשת דרכים ומקפח את הבריות והורג את הנפשות וסופו לשכח את תלמודו ואמרה תורה מוטב שימו' זכאי ולא ימות חייב.  The Mictav M'Eliyahu volume 1 pg. 205 cites says the Ponevitcher Rav pointed out we see from this Yerushalmi the tremendous power of Torah.  Despite all his wayward behavior, if the בן סורר ומורא still is connected to Torah, he has a chance to turn things around.  It is only because סופו לשכח את תלמודו that we must kill him.  Wow!
Midrash Eicha into. 2 ר' הונא ור' ירמיה בשם ר' חייא בר אבא אמרי: כתיב: (ירמיהו טז יא): "ואותי עזבו ואת תורתי לא שמרו". הלואי אותי עזבו ותורתי שמרו, מתוך שהיו מתעסקין בה, המאור שבה היה מחזירן למוטב

Bow Before Me

The possuk in the parsha of bikkurim (26:10) says והשתחוית לפני ה אלוקיך and this is cited in Bikkurim (3:6) that when one brings bikkurim, they bow.  The Gra in Aderes Eliyahu understands this isn't a specific din in bikkurim but is a general din regarding any one who enters the mikdash, they must bow before Hashem.  The Briskor Rav understands that this obligation emanates from the obligation of '"ראית ה" and based upon this he explains why in Ke Sesa (34:8) says וַיְמַהֵר מֹשֶׁה וַיִּקֹּד אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ.  Why did he bow then?  Because Hashem had just "past His presence" before him.

However from the Rambam that only mentions bowing regarding bikkurim and from Tosfos Sukkah (47b) ד"ה הביכורים it sounds like they hold that is only an obligation regarding bikkurim.  According to them the source of the obligation must be something else.  Rav Yitzchak Sorotzkin suggests that the bowing is part of the process of  הודאה that one engages in when offering bikkurim.  He also suggests that it was part of the process of prayer as the Rambam Sefer Hamitzvot #132 says היא שצונו לספר טובותיו אשר היטיב לנו והצילנו. ומתחיל בענין יעקב אבינו ומסיים בעבודת המצריים וענותם אותנו ולשבחו על כל זה ולבקש ממנו להתמיד הברכה כשיביא הבכורים,.  (See Kli Chemda as well.)  This is also clear from the Nitziv in the הרחב דבר on the possuk of  וַיִּקֹּ֣ד הָאִ֔ישׁ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לַֽי״יֽ (Chayeh Sarah (24:26).)  He says: וזהו כלל בכל מקום דכתיב במקרא ״השתחואה לה׳⁠ ⁠״ היינו בברכה, או תפילה שמקדים לשון ברכה. וכדאיתא בירושלמי תענית (פ״ד ה״ב) הוכחה על מעמדות שהיו על גבי תמידין, שנאמר ״וכל הקהל משתחוים״ (דהי״ב כט,כח) — אלו ישראל, דמפרש הירושלמי ״וכל הקהל״ היינו מעמד, שהיו מתפללים ד׳ תפלות, כידוע...וכן הוא בתנחומא פרשת תבא (א׳) על הפסוק ״באו נשתחוה ונכרעה״ (תהילים צה,ו): הלא כריעה בכלל השתחויה, השתחויה בכלל כריעה, אלא צפה משה ברוח הקודש שבית המקדש עתיד ליחרב וכו׳, עמד והתקין לישראל שיהיו מתפללים שלש פעמים בכל יום וכו׳.  

However, in the Gra's opinion as well there is another approach.  The Gra himself in his elucidation on the mishna in Tammid (7:1) says that the obligation of bowing isn't upon entering the Beis Hakikdash (which it should be according to the explanation of the Briskor Rav,) rather it is before exiting the Mikdash.  We see that he holds that the obligation is part of exiting honorably before the king or  as Rav Asher Weiss puts it  here: השתחויה גם כשיוצא האדם מלפני המלך שהוא חוזר ומקבל עליו עול מלכותו גם בצאתו ... לשיטת הגר"א השתחויה זו קבלת עול מלכות שמים היא, וכהשתחויה בגמר עבודת המקדש ובגמר תפילת העמידה.

In the prayers on the 3 festivals in mussaf we say וְאֵין אֲנַחְנוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲלוֹת וְלֵרָאוֹת וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְפָנֶיךָ.  Why mention bowing, even if there is a Beis Hamikdash why would there be an obligation to bow?  In light of the Briskor Rav's approach it is understood that the obligation of 'ראית פני ה obligates bowing however in the other approaches its not as smooth of a fit (see also Rinas Yitchak on the siddur for festival prayers that says a little different.)

Interestingly, Rav Dovid Solevetchik assumes like the Gra and asks the opposite, being as there is no special obligation of bowing on the festivals, rather its an obligation any time one enters the mikdash, why mention it in our prayers of the three festivals, it has nothing to do with the festival?  The Alter Rebbe asks (Likkutay Torah V'zos Haberacha (98b)) why do we need a mikdash to bow; one may always bow before God?  They answer along the same lines. We aren't praying to be able to do the physical act of bowing, we are praying to be able to feel our soul, feelings,and mind bow before God.  To feel that sense of complete bittul before Hashem and that is only possible in the context of the aura of the gathering of Kal Yisroel before Hashem in the mikdash.  As the Lubavitcher Rebbe puts it in a letter (volume 2 #304): יש ב' בחינות בהשתחוואה: א) השתחוואה חצונית שמשתחוה בגופו או, מדרגה נעלית יותר בהשתחואה חצונית, שבמעשה בפועל, שזה תלוי בגופו, לא ימרוד במלך מלכי המלכים הקב"ה. ב) השתחואה פנימית שנעשה בבחי' ביטול רצונו מפני רצון הקב"ה שאין לו רצון וחפץ אחר כלל, וזהו השתחואת הנפש. והשתחואה זו היו מקבלים ישראל ע"י הראי' ברגל בביהמ"ק. ומשחרב ביהמ"ק הגם שאין אנו יכולים להשתחוות עכ"פ נתפשטה קדושת הארה זו אפס קצהו במקדש מעט ביהכ"נ וביהמ"ד והיינו בשעת התפלה (בלקו"ת פ' ברכה ד"ה מזמור שיר - הראשון - פ"ב בארוכה).

That is the ultimate purpose of the gathering of the exiles, to feel this level of bittul expressed through bowing as the possuk says Yeshiyahu (27:13) וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל וּבָאוּ הָאֹבְדִים בְּאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר וְהַנִּדָּחִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַי״י בְּהַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלָ‍ִם.

Poor Man's Korban

In the mitzvah(#123) of korban עולה ויורד, the Chinuch says ואם הוא עני והביא כשבה או שעירה לא יצא ידי חובתו. והטעם לפי שאחר שרחם האל ברוך הוא עליו ופטרו בכך אינו בדין שידחק עצמו להביא ביותר ממה שתשיג ידו. ובזה יקנה כל מבין עצה לבלתי עשות הוצאות ביותר מן הראוי לו לפי ממונו, יען כי בו סבה לגזל את הבריות כשמבקש למודו ואינו מוצא.  The Minchas Chinuch (#11) asks this contradicts a mishna in Negaim (14:12) that a poor person can fulfill their obligation by offering the korban of the rich person?  The Sfas Emes Yoma (41) defends the Chinuch by differentiating between the korban of a metzorah vs. that of the olah v'yorad.  When it comes to metzorah, as the Torah describes in the beginning of the parsha, the poor man's offering replaces the chattas and olah animals with birds.  There, the mishna says the poor man can fulfill his obligation with the rich man's offering for they korbanos are the same.  However, regarding the olah v'yorad, as the Torah describes in Vakikra 5, the rich man brings a chattas but the poor man brings both a chattas and an olah.  Since, the poor man is obligated in those two korbanot he can't fulfill his obligation by merely bringing a chattas like the rich man. 
The Minchas Chinuch (#17) says its unclear from the Rambam and Chinuch what is the definition of a poor man vis-a -vis the עולה ויורד; do we say its like tzedakah it depends if s/he had 200 זוז or maybe if you can afford the rich korban that already makes you obligated?  The Achronim point out that it is clear that the measuring stick of wealth in this situation is if the person can afford the animals as is מדיוק in the Chinuch who says  ועשיר נקרא לענין זה כל זמן שיש לו, that is if he can afford the korban he is called a rich person.  This is also clear from Rambam and Toras Kohanim (see Avi Ezri Shiggugos (10-:13.)  [If so, how can there be a case of the poor man bringing the rich man's korban if he can't afford it?  See Chazon Eish Negaim 13:13 that gives a scenario.]
The Panim Yafos (14:22) suggests that a metzorah who can afford one animal is obligated to bring that one animal as the chattas and the olah will be a bird offering. We see he also assumes rich/poor in this context is if the individual can afford the korban.  However, his words are a big chiddush one would naturally assume that the birds and animals are distinct sets (see also Briskor Rav Maaseh Korbanot 14:2) and can't be mixed and matched (Michas Avrohom Yoma.)

How Many Limbs

The simple peshat in Gemorah Bechoros (45a) is that a man has 248 limbs but a woman has 252.  However, the Rambam (טומאת מת (2:7 seems to say a woman has 251 limbs (see Kesef Mishne.)
On the other hand Tosfos beginning Ch. 5 Sotah brings from the Yerushalmi that a woman also has 248 limbs.  So how many limbs does she have? [See also Magan Avrohom (610:3).] [M.M.'s from Yabia Omer volume 11 end teshuva 6.]

Alive Or Dead

Rambam Maacalos Assuros (2:21) says אֲבָל הָאוֹכֵל בְּרִיָּה טְמֵאָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ כֻּלָּהּ הֲרֵי זֶה לוֹקֶה מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה פְּחוּתָה מִן הַחַרְדָּל. בֵּין שֶׁאֲכָלָהּ מֵתָה בֵּין שֶׁאֲכָלָהּ חַיָּה.  This is the rule of בריה, if an entire creature is eaten one is obligated even for less than a כזית,  In Ch. 4 law 3 he says הָאוֹכֵל עוֹף טָהוֹר חַי כָּל שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֶה מִשּׁוּם אוֹכֵל נְבֵלָה וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְּזַיִת הוֹאִיל וַאֲכָלוֹ כֻּלּוֹ. וְאִם אֲכָלוֹ אַחַר שֶׁמֵּת עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ כְּזַיִת.  Here he defines a "creature" only as a live being whereas before even a dead creature was defined as a "creature" to make one obligated.  What's the difference?  The Briskor Rav (Nazir 51b) says that these are two different dinim.  When dealing with a בְּרִיָּה טְמֵאָה, then any creature fits into the possuk that prohibits it from being eaten, whether alive or dead.  However, in Ch. 4 the obligation is for נבלה (a situation of נבלה מחיים, see Rav Chayim there,) then the law of בריה says that it equals a כזית because of its חשיבות and that is only if the creature is still alive.  Comes out according to the Rav that when dealing with a בְּרִיָּה טְמֵאָה, its not that the שיעור is a כזית, rather the שיעור is the בריה but if one doesn't consume a בריה then they are obligated for a כזית.

From Pesach To Shemini

We jump right from Pesach into Shemini; what's the connection?  The main two themes of the parsha are the inauguration of the mishkan and the laws of kosher animals; how are these events connected?

The Maharal Gevurot Hashem Ch. 66 says that if yitzias mitzraim invoked great miracles then the purpose of yitzrias mitzraim must be for a great purpose.  What is that purpose? That Hashem should be able to connect and dwell in this lowly world.  Originally the world was created with that connection, but then through the sins of man it was broken and had to be reestablished.  The events following yitzias mitzraim; mattan torah and the building of the mishkan are the beginning of reestablishing that connection.  These were tremendous events where Hashem connected and interacted with mere mortal humans.  The high point of this is Shemini, as the Tzror Hamor says ולכן כמו שבבריאת העולם עיקר שכינה בתחתונים היתה. כן אמר בכאן כי היום השם נראה אליכם כמו שהיה בראשונה.  

The possuk Shemini (9:6) says וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֔ה זֶ֧ה הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה תַּֽעֲשׂ֑וּ וְיֵרָ֥א אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם כְּב֥וֹד יְהֹוָֽה.  The question is that it doesn't say anything to do, so what is the זה הדבר?  The meforshim say various interpretations but the basic gist is based upon the Toras Kohanim: ויאמר משה זה הדבר אשר צוה ה' תעשו" -- אמר להם משה לישראל אותו יצר הרע העבירו מלבכם ותהיו כולכם ביראה אחת ובעצה אחת לשרת לפני המקום. כשם שהוא יחידי בעולם כך תהא עבודתכם מיוחדת לפניו. שנאמר (דברים י, טז-יז) "ומלתם את ערלך לבבכם" -- מפני מה? -- "כי ה' אלהיכם הוא אלהי האלהים ואדוני האדונים". עשיתם כן -- "וירא אליכם כבוד השם".  The זה הדבר is to remove the יצר הרע.  (The unity the midrash speaks about would seem to be alluded to since the possuk talks in a singular tone.)  How is this alluded to in the words זה הדבר?  Explains the Sfas Emes (first one on Shemini,) that in everything there is a פנימיות to be used for the Divine plan but it is hidden and it is up to us to take it out.  הדבר is the created matter, זה is the ability to see that נקודה (as Chazal say by the prophesy of Moshe it says זה for he saw things with a clarity, that is the ability to see the נקודה.)  The ultimate recognition of this is in the Mishkan where everything is elevated directly to Hashem.  Hence through being able to remove the יצר הרע, too see the זה inside the דבר, then 'וְיֵרָ֥א אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם כְּב֥וֹד ה.  (See Sifsay Chayim.) 

The midrash (13:3) says  דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֹאת הַבְּהֵמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ל, ה): כָּל אִמְרַת אֱלוֹק צְרוּפָה, רַב אָמַר לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶן אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ל, ה): מָגֵן הוּא לְכָל הַחֹסִים בּוֹ.  The Sfas Emes explains that all of creation (אמרות ה are the 10 מאמרות that all creation emanated from,) become purified through our eating properly, elevating that which is permitted and by refraining from that which is forbidden.  That is why this parsha follows right after the mishkan.  For ושכנתי בתוכם, our innards are a reflection of the mishkan and must elevate that which enters.  [The Sfas Emes adds in תרמא and מח that in the future and pre- agel there were/will be no forbidden animals for everything will be refined completly,]  The Pesach to Shavout bridge, the counting of the Omer is the time that we work on זה הדבר, on refining ourselves (מצרף,) to be able to connect to Hashem.

Stay Dry

In הלל הגדול, we say לְגֹזֵ֣ר יַם־ס֭וּף לִגְזָרִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ וְהֶעֱבִ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל בְּתוֹכ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ.  Why is the second praise a separate praise, what would it help to split the Yam Suf if we wouldn't be able to pass through? The Radak says והעביר ישראל בתוכו – בעומקו של ים שהוא חציו והעבירם ביבשה כמו שכתוב ויש לך חסד גדול מזה, כי אפילו רגליהם לא נטבלו במים.  Why is it a big praise that even the feet of Klal Yisroel didn't get wet, what's the big deal?  A similar idea we find in the Haggadah.  It says  אִלּוּ קָרַע לָנוּ אֶת־הַיָּם וְלֹא הֶעֱבִירָנוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ בֶּחָרָבָה, דַּיֵּנוּ, same question what is the point of splitting the sea if Klal Yisroel doesn't get threw?  The Abudraham explains ולא העבירנו בתוכו בחרבה אלא במעט מים או במעט טיט אך הם הלכו ביבש' בתוך הים.  Why is this seemingly minute detail worthy of its own line in the דיינו?

The Rebbe (Likutay Sichos volume 3) explains that Klal Yisroel experienced a complete turnaround at the event of Krias Yam Suf.  A people that was a few days ago sinking at the lowest rungs of tumah was now transformed into prophets of the highest order. How is this possible?  Because the Lord showeth us the light.  The splitting of the sea wasn't just splitting water it opened up the hidden worlds to Klal Yisroel.  The opening up of the water to reveal land represents that even that which is under water, hidden from the eye, became revealed.  Had there there been some water left at the bottom that would mean that the clarity of Klal Yisroel was incomplete, there would still be a little bit of the נפש הבהמית that is not transformed.  That itself would've been great coming from the bottom rungs of tumah.  It is a separate praise that Hashem gave us the clarity of a complete tzaddik at that time. 

Not 42, 204!

The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42 (credit: Wikipedia.)  Well, not quite, the answer is actually 204.

The possuk in Reah (16:3) says לֹֽא־תֹאכַ֤ל עָלָיו֙ חָמֵ֔ץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים תֹּֽאכַל־עָלָ֥יו מַצּ֖וֹת לֶ֣חֶם עֹ֑נִי כִּ֣י בְחִפָּז֗וֹן יָצָ֨אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם.  The possuk needs an explanation, what does leaving in haste have to do with eating matzot?  (Rashi connects it to the fact that we didn't have time to bake bread.)  The Bnei Yissochar (Nissan end of maamer 8,) explains דרך רמז.  The Haggadah says  בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְחַשֵּׁב אֶת-הַקֵּץ לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּמָה שֶׁאָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ בִּבְרִית בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר; וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי- גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה:  The Shibuley Haleket brings an interpretation that the praise it that Hashem subtracted קץ - 190 years from 400 to 210.  Says the  Bnei Yissochar,  open the word matzah, מ is מ"מ, the צ is צד"י and the ה is ה"א, add 40+40+90+4+10+5+1=190.  Since we couldn't stick around in Egypt any more, Hashem considered it as if the "debt" of 190 years was paid up therefore we eat מצה (190) to demonstrate this קץ has been paid.  Is this just a play on numbers or is there a deeper connection between the matzah and the קץ?

The Bnei Yissocher brings earlier in the maamer (אות 7) from the Kabbalists that the words חמץ שאר have the same numerical value as the words עץ הדעת (both equal 639.)  The sin of the עץ הדעת is a sin in דעת (its in the word) and eating מצה is the תיקון.  Very nice numbers game, but what does my eating of matzah have anything to do with the עץ הדעת?

For this we go to another Bnei Yissochor (Adar maamer 2 derush 8.)  After the sin Hashem tells Adam וקוץ ודרדר תצמיח לך.  Says the Bnei Yissochor, the sin of the עץ הדעת caused a great mixture of good and evil, there is a בלבול הדעת as to how to differentiate.  The letter of 'ד in שמע ישראל... אחד is enlarged in the Torah and corresponding to that, the 'ר in לא תשחוה לאל אחר is also enlarged.  The דרדר is the mixture of אחד and אחר that one must choose correctly from.  That is קוץ ודרדר, the difference between the ד and the ר, in דרדר, lies in קוץ.  The קוץ is the little dot in the back of the ר and the numerical difference as well, between 4 and 200 is 196 = קוץ.  It is man's job to separate the דרדר through the קוץ.  (Mattan Torah was a second chance to fix the sin but again we messed up spurred on by the ערב רב, gematria of 474 = gematria of דעת.  Again a problem in דעת.  Therefore, Moshe was told רד מגדלותך, the ר and ד have been interchanged.)   He adds that it the the צדיק, gematria of 204 that is able to distinguish properly between the ר and the ד, between good and bad.

Yaakov tells his sons (Vayigash 42:2) רדו שמה.  Rashi says he was hinting that the golus in Egypt would last for רדו - 216 years.  We can say that רדו also hints to the fact that in Egypt there will be a nixture, a ו החיבור of the ר and the ד.  The Egyptian society would poison the minds of Klal Yisroel and cause a בלבול הדעת, a confusion between right and wrong, between ד and ר.  The Bechai (Bo 11:4) points out the plague of Bechoros in the Egyptians mind occurred during the mazal of tzedek: ולכך שנה משה כחצות כלומר קרוב לחצות ושיחשבו המצריים שהמכה היתה בסוף שעה ששית לצדק שהוא כוכב החיים, ושיתברר אצלם שהמכה אינה מכח הכוכבים.  The matzah was eaten at that time, in the mazal of Tzedek.  The matzah gives one the power of the צדיק, to distinguish between the ד and ר.  Hence, it is the מצה that contains the fulfillment of the קץ.  There had to be a קץ, minus 190 years to ensure we didn't fall into the abyss of the ר, the lacking of קוץ lead to קץ and the tikkun, what reintroduced our proper judgement is the matzah (see Bnei Yissochor Nissan maamer 4 derush 5 על דרך רמז.)  How does the matzah fix up the בלבול הדעת caused by the עץ הדעת and subsequently Mitzraim?

As mentioned on this blog before Purim, the sin of the tree was that man introduced I into the equation.  Right and wrong is no longer decided inherently but rather by how it effects me!  The עץ הדעת brought the ego into the world.  That is what causes the בלבול of the דעת and the lack of disterning between ד and ר.  As mentioned on this blog also (you have to keep score,) matzah is anti-ego!  Matzah is the cure for being an אגואיסט.  By flattening the ego, one becomes a צדיק and uses the קוץ to distinguish between דר.

Based upon this we can understand the Zohar that calls matzah נהמא דאסוותא, what kind of healing is there in matzah, most people get constipation? Since the matzah is the tikkun for the עץ הדעת and it is only the sin of the עץ הדעת that brought death into the world, removing it via the matzah is the ultimate healing.  There are 365 days in the year, minus 7 that chametz is prohibited = 358 =נחש.  Through abstaning from chametz for 7 days we obliterate the power of the נחש הקדמוני (ibid.)  Of course, that leads to Rebbe Akiva that was דורש על כל קוץ וקוץ שבתורה תילי תילין של הלכות (Menachos 29b,) but this is long enough, so we can leave that for another time.

Today You Have Left Egypt

Tanya Ch. 47: והנה בכל דור ודור וכל יום ויום חייב אדם לראות עצמו כאילו הוא יצא היום ממצרים.  What, since when, that was only at the Seder?!
Rambam Laws of Chametz and Matzah (7:6-7) בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ יָצָא עַתָּה מִשִּׁעְבּוּד מִצְרַיִם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו כג) "וְאוֹתָנוּ הוֹצִיא מִשָּׁם" וְגוֹ'. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה צִוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּתּוֹרָה וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ כְּלוֹמַר כְּאִלּוּ אַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ הָיִיתָ עֶבֶד וְיָצָאתָ לְחֵרוּת וְנִפְדֵּיתָ: לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁסּוֹעֵד אָדָם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה צָרִיךְ לֶאֱכל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְהוּא מֵסֵב דֶּרֶךְ חֵרוּת. וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים בֵּין נָשִׁים חַיָּב לִשְׁתּוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת שֶׁל יַיִן.  These verses that the Rambam cites have nothing to do with the night of the 15^th of Nissan.  We see the Rambam maintains there is some element of this obligation every day of the year.  So what's it doing in the Laws of Chametz and Matzah?
There are two ways to learn.  One option is that it is an obligation year round.  The Rambam brings it here as justification for how the Rabbis enacted new obligations (for in his view this could be a problem of בל תוסיף,) and he explains that the Rabbis saw it in a pre-existing Biblical  virtue and they merely extended it.  Another approach is that there is something different about the obligation of the Seder.  While there is an obligation year round לראות עצמו כאילו הוא יצא היום ממצרים, on the Seder night there is an additional obligation לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ, to act in a manner that reflects this and that is demonstrated in the לפיכך that the Rambam brings.  This approach is developed in Likutay Sichos volume 12.
In case what you were wondering what it means בכל דור ודור וכל יום ויום חייב אדם לראות עצמו כאילו הוא יצא היום ממצרים, the Tanya continues והיא יציאת נפש האלהית ממאסר הגוף משכא דחויא ליכלל ביחוד אור א"ס ב"ה ע"י עסק התורה והמצות בכלל ובפרט בקבלת מלכות שמים בק"ש שבה מקבל וממשיך עליו יחודו ית' בפירוש באמרו ה' אלהינו ה' אחד .  Well, I hope this didn't make Krias Shema any harder.

Sing

There are three times the Torah uses the expression עצרת regarding a holiday; twice regarding שמיני עצרת and once explaining שביעי של פסח.  In each instance the Targum Yonason says something different.  The word עצרת remains constant, it means (in his view) gathering; what changes is what you gather for.
In parshas Pinchas (29:35) on the possuk בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁמִינִ֔י עֲצֶ֖רֶת תִּהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם, he says ביומא תמינאה כנישין תהוון בחדוא מן מט(יל){לי}כון לבתיכון כנישת חדוא ויומא טבא ואירוע קדיש תהוי לכון, you gather to your houses in happiness.  In Emor (23:36) the possuk says הַשְּׁמִינִ֡י מִקְרָא־קֹ֩דֶשׁ֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֨ם אִשֶּׁ֤ה לַֽי״י֙ עֲצֶ֣רֶת הִ֔וא and there the Targum Yonason says כנישין תהון לצלאה קדם ייי על מיטרא, you gather to pray for rain.  What prompts him to change his explanation of what we gather for in these two pessukim?
Regarding the last day of Pesach, the possuk in Reah (16:8) says  וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י עֲצֶ֙רֶת֙ לַי״י֣ אלקיך and there the Targum Yonason explains וביומא שביעאה ההוא תהון כנישין בתושבחא קדם ייי אלקכון, we gather to sing.  I understand why he says this only in the context of שביעי של פסח, not Shemini Atzeret, for it is only on שביעי של פסח that the holiday commemorates an act of singing.
The Sforno on this possuk says וביום השביעי עצרת – נעצרו בו ישראל יחדיו לעבודת האל יתברך, ושרו לו שירה בשביעי של חג המצות, לפיכך נקדש אותו היום.  He also seems to be translating that word עצרת as gathering but he explains it not in the future tense, that we should gather, but the possuk is giving the reason for the day being a holy day is because we gathered, to sing.  [Well I lied about him translating עצרת as a gathering , he really translates it as holding back, but it means Klal Yisroel remained near the sea to sing shirah, see the Sforno in Emor, but the point is the same.]  The Sukkot Dovid points out that we see the Sforno doesn't say the miracle of the splitting of the sea, it is the fact that we sang shirah that makes the day a holy day.  Another miracle wouldn't have made a holy day, not every day of miracles is a holy day, it is only the fact that we internalized the holiday through our shirah that made it a holy day.  In light of this Sforno that the whole source of the holiness of the day is our saying shirah we understand very well the Targum Yonason that the avodas hayom is to sing shirah.
Once I'm mentioning שמיני עצרת and parshas Reah, I was wondering why does שמיני עצרת not make an appearance there?

Hallel At The Seder

The Rishonim ask why there is no blessing made on the hallel that we say at the seder?  [They ask this question on the 4 cups and the mitzvah of sippur yitzias mitzraim as well, but this post will focus on hallel.]  The simple answer is that we do; our practice is wrong.  Some Rishonim indeed said a beracha on hallel at the seder.  The Ramban in essence maintains this way as well but he holds the blessing said on the hallel at the synagogue at the conclusion of maariv exempts saying a beracha on hallel at the seder; one who didn't say hallel previously indeed should say a beracha at the seder.  According to the Ramban, why do we do a double hallel; one at the synagogue and then again at the seder?  If you look carefully at the Ramban it seems the hallel is recited like any other hallel of a yom tov but the optimal time is to do the hallel at the time of the mitzvot; hence we do it ברבים in the synagogue and then repeat it at the seder for it is the optimal time of saying hallel.

Another approach is that which is indicated in the Chinuch (#21) and Rambam Sefer Hamitzvot (#157) that the hallel of seder night is merely an extension of sippur yitzias mitzraim.  In other words, we aren't saying hallel as a separate mitzvah of hallel, its part of the general mitzvah of sippur yitzias mitzraim.  Based upon this, there wouldn't be a beracha for its only part of the general mitvah of sippur yitzias mitraim and we don't say a beracha on part of a mitzvah.

The Ran cites in the name of Rav Hai Gaon and Rav Tzemach Gaon that there is no beracha for we don't say the hallel as the mitzvah of hallel rather as a shirah.  The other Rishonim cite Rav Tzemach explains there is no beracha on the hallel because we interrupt it in the middle with matzah, seudah etc, so how can the Ran lump the two together?  The Briskor Rav (Laws of Hallel) understands that the reason of Rav Tzemach isn't a separate reason, its merely a siman that the hallel of the seder is a different form of hallel; that of shirah.  This form of hallel of shirah doesn't have a beracha.  It is clear the Ramban doesn't understand that way for he attacks the reason of the interruption and proves even when a mitzvah is interrupted one may still recite a beracha.  Clearly, he understood Rav Tzemach is its own reason and not just a siman and hence attacks his reason.  The Ramban doesn't even mention Rai Gaon's reason, why not?  It makes sense that the Ramban wouldn't understand like the distinction of the Rav between two different forms of hallel for in his view in Sefer Hamitzvot shoresh 1, all hallel is is the hallel of simcha; even that recited on a holiday, so there is no room to say like Rav Hai Gaon.  (The Mordechai and Rokeach defend Rav Tzemach that he means that the Rabbis wouldn't enact a beracha initially on a mitzvah that will be interrupted.) 

However, if one reads other Rishonim carefully, you will see the Rishonim understand Rav Hai differently than the Briskor Rav.  It is clear from the Rabbenu Dovid, Mordechai, Ritvah Sukkah 38 that Rav Hai means not that his is a different form of hallel; a hallel of shira, but that we are merely saying pessukim of praise to Hashem and we happen to pick the pessukim of hallel but it si not a recitation of hallel.  In the words of the Ritvah, it is a zemer, a song of praise to Hahem, not hallel.  [Indeed, according to the Ramban as we just explained he holds there is a beracha on hallel of shirah so he can't learn Rav Hai this way and that is also the opinion of Rabbenu Tam cited by Rabbenu Yonah in Berachos 14 as the Rav himself brings; therefore the Rishonim can't say like the Rav's peshat in Rav Hai if that is their opinion as well.]  Based upon this, if we want to understand the Ran in this vein as well we must say that he puts Rav Hai together with Rav Tzemach not because they are saying the same reason, but merely because they share the same practicality; there is no beracha on hallel at the seder.  In the Or Zarua this is clearly the peshat for he opens by lumping the two together and then brings both reasons.  According to this approach, hallel of shirah may have a beracha but the hallel of the seder isn't hallel, merely pessukim of shirah and that is why there is no beracha. 

Some Rishonim (see Mordechai Pesachim in name of Ritzvah for example) say that one should say two berachos on hallel at the seder.  One beracha at the beginning לקרוא הלל and a second beracha at the end לגמור את ההלל.  That is because they are bothered by the interruption of the hallel, hence, they advise two berachos.  How can one say two berachos on one mitavah?  Unless they mean that in the answer they are retracting, its not one hallel with an interruption; its two forms of hallel, the first is the hallel of shirah and the second is that of regular hallel.  However, it doesn't sound like that, and then why would the text of the beracha change, if its a new hallel, it doesn't come to complete the old one, so why would we say לגמור את ההלל at the end?
(Largely based upon shiurim by Rabbi Ezra Shochet given in the past week's specifically shiur #5,6 on the Rebbe's Haggadah available on YouTube, see also Reshimos Shiurim Berachos 14 and Ma'adanay Moshe siman 22.)

Retroactive Mitzvah

The Minchas Chinuch (mitzvah 9) questions if the mitzvah of תשבתו שאור מבתיכם is a positive mitzvah that one must remove chametz or it is a mitzvah one fulfilles by simply not owning any chametz.  He brings many proves both ways.
The Alter Rebbe has a third approach.  He holds (siman 431 and explicitly in siman 446:2) that when one doesn't own chametz when it comes the time of the issur, then one retroactively fulfills the mitzvah that s/he did to remove the chametz.
The Rema (434:2) rules that one should be מבטל the chametz only after burning it in order to fulfill the mitzvah with one's own chametz.  What does the Rema mean, we burn the chametz before the time of the issur, so seemingly we can only fulfill the mitzvah by simply not owning chametz, so what difference does it make if you burn the chametz before or after bittul?  However, in light of the Alter Rebbe it is understood for the mitzvah is fulfilled by your actions retroactively when it comes the time of the issur, hence, you want to burn your own chametz (based upon shiur by R' Chayim Sholom Deutsh.)

The Difference Between A Tzaddik And Rasha

Everyone asks what is the difference between the question of the tzaddik and the rasha?  Although there are many interpretations, the question still was a question.  The difference between the tzaddik and rasha isn't very evident (Emrei Emes.)  The possuk in Malachi (3:18) says  וְשַׁבְתֶּם֙ וּרְאִיתֶ֔ם בֵּ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק לְרָשָׁ֑ע.  Why is there a need for שַׁבְתֶּם֙ וּרְאִיתֶ֔ם, it should be obvious immediately the difference?  Because sometimes the difference between the tzaddik and rasha isn't so obvious!

The difference between the words חמץ ומצה is the slight difference between the ה and ח.  As the Sfas Emes (5631) puts it: וכן בזוה”ק פינחס כי ההפרש בין חמץ למצה הוא נקודה אחת שבין ה’ לח’ ע”ש כי ה’ היא הנקודה בתוך הד’ שיודע שאין לו כלום רק נקודה פנימיות שנתן השי”ת. וע”י שממשיך הנקודה לעצמו ונעשה ח’ הוא חמץ ע”ש.  (The Zohar is here.)  The Sfas Emes explains the difference is that the main part of the letter ה is a ד.   The Sfas Ems views the main body of the ה, the ד part as representative of the person's own ability.  The leg of the ה is the "dot" inside, the inner dimension, which is Hashem's backing of the individual.  In the ה form, the person acknowledges that his power comes Hashem, in the ח form the person takes that backing and claims it for himself as well. The source for this difference is in a person's humility or lack there of.  Chametz is left to rise, it is filled with air as opposed to matzah which is not.  A chametz person is filled with hot air, a false sense of pride; the matzah man is not, he realizes its Hashem's backing that allows him to succeed.

The first half of the Sfas Emes says מצה זו כו’ שלא הספיק בצקם של אבותינו להחמיץ עד שנגלה ממ”ה הקב”ה כו’. הרב ז”ל בסידור פי’ כי מצה כמו שהיא בלי התנשאות. שהוא חמץ. הגסות. שמנשא עצמו ועולה בנפיחה.  וע”י שהי’ להם גילוי שכינה הי’ נשאר מצה ע”ש.  What this means is that many ask how can the possuk say we ate matzah because we were rushed out of Egypt (12:39,) we were already commanded beforehand not to eat chamatz that night?  And why does the Haggadah give the reason for eating matzah because we left early, the commandment to eat matzah on the first night was given beforehand (12:17-18)?  The Alter Rebbe explains (in the Siddur and in more detail in Likutay Torah Tzav pg. 13) that they ate matzot in the night because of the commandment.  However, the dough that they took with them wasn't chametz, rather matzah as the Haggadah says עַל שׁוּם שֶׁלֹּא הִסְפִּיק בְּצֵקָם שֶׁל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהַחֲמִיץ עַד שֶׁנִּגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּגְאָלָם, the emphasis according to the Alter Rebbe is that is was the presence of Hashem that didn't allow the dough to rise.  Due to the the presence of מורא גדול - זו גילוי שכינה everyone's sense of haughtiness was completely curbed and there was no room for any air cause the dough to rise.  The גילוי שכינה kills out any sense of self. It is that matzah that they took with that out of Egypt that we attempt to mimic every year.

It is a small difference between the words חמץ ומצה, but sometimes that is what makes up the difference between the צדיק ורשע.  Let us merit to take the lesson of the matzah to heart and open our ח to be a ה and then we can go from חרן to רנה (see Torah Or pg. 42.)  And then we may turn our חמץ into צמח- את צמח דוד עבדך.

The Sfas Emes Pesach 5651 writes ליל שמורים הוא לשון רבים. כי מצפין כביכול גם בשמים להיות בא ליל גאולה. ומכש”כ למטה שצריכין כל ימי השנה לשמור הלילה הזאת שהוא זמן גאולה. וכפי השמירה ששומרין ומצפין כל ימי השנה כך נפתח הארת הגאולה בליל שמורים. וי”ל עוד ליל שמורים הי’ עד שבאה הגאולה דיצ”מ ומאז ועד עתה הוא הלילה בתוספת ה’. שמורים לכל הדורות.  What is does the end of the Sfas Emes mean, what is the difference between ליל and לילה, what is the significance of the 'ה at the end, does it have something to do with this or does he mean something else?

From Slaves To Sons

"So that the children should ask."  Why is it the holiday of Pesach specifically that revolves around children?  The main mitzvah is והגדת לבנך, not to yourself, why?  We don't find that on Sukkot we say כנגד ד' בנים דיברה תורה and elucidate the message of the holiday in many forms; only on Pesach, why?  Before the Exodus we were servants to Pharaoh and afterward we became servants of G-d, did we just exchange one master for another?  

Pesach is the beginning of a transformation from slaves to sons.  Pre-Exodus the only type of service that Klal Yisroel knew was that of a slave to its master.  They were slaves to their masters and that was the form of service that were accustomed too.  Yitzias Mitzraim taught Klal Yisroel how to serve Hashem not merely as a slave, but as a son.

The service of a slave or a son are two paths of service, each one with its own מעלה וחסרון.  The slave's advantage is that s/he has no sense of self; they are completely subjugated to the will of their master.  They are in the ultimate state of ביטול to their master.  However what is lacking is that there is no closeness between master and slave; the slave doesn't have any true connection to his master.  On the other hand, the service of the son is lacking that level of subjugation for he is his own self , however, the advantage is that not only is he closer to his father, he is an extension of his father for his whole existence came from his father.  A slave that escapes is free, a son can never escape, he always is connected to his father.

The Gemorah (Berachos 40a) says אין התינוק יודע לקרות אבא ואמא עד שיטעום טעם דגן.  Many holy books connect this to the matzah that we eat.  Pesach is the beginning of us recognizing Hashem as one who dictates to us not merely as a master, but as a father as well.  What does that mean?  [No, it doesn't mean you are Jesus.]  Just as the son always bears the name of his father, so too we should be proud to bear Hashem's name.   

That is why the entire holiday revolves around teaching one's children for that is the entire theme of the holiday; to learn and teach the proper connection between father and children.  Through that a person will come to appreciate and understand his own connection to Hashem (the idea for this essay was inspired by Maharal Netzach Yisroel Ch. 11 and R' Tzvi Einfeld in רבי עקיבא ודורו של שמד.)

A Tale Of Two Halves

The final סימן of the seder is נרצה.  What is the meaning of this סימן, every other סימן connotates an action that must be done but what is the action of נרצה?  (The songs that are recited at the end are just added on later and are a mere custom; that is not the core of the meaning of the siman.)

The hallel of the Pesach night is split into two halves.   The Maharal says that the two parts of the Hallel are distinct.  The first half of the Hallel we recite in Maggid, as part of telling the story of the exodus.  It is an expression of thanks for the great miracles that happened on this night.  The second half of Hallel is at the end of the Seder, it is a prayer that the final redemption should be brought upon us.  (See also here.)  In the Maharal’s view in fact נרצה is not it’s own siman, it is part of Hallel, the siman is הלל נרצה for we are asking in Hallel that we should find favor in the eyes of Hashem  to merit miracles like those that occurred in Egypt.  Based upon this Maharal we can understand even according to the common custom to count נרצה as its own siman, the siman connotes a state of mind of closeness to Hashem after completing all steps of the night and yearning to re-experience the great miracles that occurred.

The answer to the question of the ben chacham is אין מפטירין אחר הפסח אפיקומן.  How does this answer his question? In order to understand the answer we first must understand his question.  We can explain his question is in the words of the holy Tannah, מנין שמזכירין יציאת מצרים בלילות, how do we no know that even in the darkness of golus, through crusades, pogroms, inquisitions, holocausts, terrorists, through all the hardships, that we still mention yitzias mitzraim?  What's the point of highlighting a glorious ancient redemption if currently the situation is deplorable?  The breaking of the matzah represents that we don't see how our current state leads to a brighter future.  All we can do is eat it as part of sippur yitzias mitzraim, as a commemoration of the past.  However, we recite yitzias mitzraim at night because we know there is a dawn that follows.  We only see half of the story.  However, we put the bigger side away, its hidden away for the future.  As the Shla says, that the bigger half of the matzah which we put away represents עולם הבא.  The bigger half, the end of the story is hidden for the future.  אין מפטירין אחר הפסח אפיקומן, we end the Seder with a taste of the future.  The answer given to the ben chacham is that we aren't commemorating ancient history, we are recounting the story to give us a taste of what lies in wait in the future.  So, at the Seder, as you remember the past, dream for the future.

North And Hidden

The possuk in Vaykra about the korban olah says (1:11) וְשָׁחַ֨ט אֹת֜וֹ עַ֣ל יֶ֧רֶךְ הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ צָפֹ֖נָה לִפְנֵ֣י י״י֑.  In our parsha, Tzav, in in Ch. 6 it says that one should slaughter the חטאת where the olah is slaughtered.  Again in Ch. 7 it says that the אשם should be slaughtered in the place of the olah. Why is it only regarding the olah that the Torah spells out explicitly that it should be slaughtered in the north side?  Furthermore, the first parsha of the korban olah is the cattle offering and there it doesn't mention that it should be slaughtered on the north side, only in the second parsha, that of the sheep or goat family, why?

The midrash (2:11) says וְשָׁחַט אֶת בֶּן הַבָּקָר וגו' וּבָאַיִל הוּא אוֹמֵר (ויקרא א, יא): צָפֹנָה לִפְנֵי ה', אָמְרוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָקַד אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ הִתְקִין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁנֵי כְבָשִׂים, אֶחָד שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית וְאֶחָד שֶׁל עַרְבִית, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַקְרִיבִין תָּמִיד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְקוֹרִין אֶת הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה צָפֹנָה לִפְנֵי ה', זוֹכֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק, מְעִידַנִי עָלַי אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, בֵּין גּוֹי בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין אִישׁ בֵּין אִשָּׁה בֵּין עֶבֶד בֵּין אָמָה, קוֹרִין אֶת הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה, צָפֹנָה לִפְנֵי ה', זוֹכֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: צָפֹנָה לִפְנֵי ה'. The slaughtering on the northern side is a reminder to the akedah.  Hence, the din is spelled out explicitly in the context of the olah which parallels the akedah.  That is why it is mentioned in the sheep family offering for it was an איל offered in place of Yitzchak (Meshech Chachma.)

What is the connection between the akedah and the shechita בצפון?  The Rokeach connects it to the terminology Chazal use when referencing the merit of the akedah, אפרו של יצחק צפון שם.  That is he related the word צפון, north to the word צפון, hidden.  This play on words can be found in the above midrash in the part that follows, דָּבָר אַחֵר, צָפֹנָה לִפְנֵי ה', כְּנֶגֶד מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב שֶׁהֵם צְפוּנִים לְפָנָיו.  The Rokeach continues that this merit of Yitzchak counterbalances the מצפון תפתח הרעה that Yeshiayah prophesied about.  It is a nice play on words, but how does the merit of the akedah counteract the evil and how is this connected to the korbanot in the north?

The Bechai Vayikra (1:11) explains that the north side represents the middah of gevurah.  מצפון תפתח הרעה because that is where gevurot emanate from.  As we know, Yitzchak perfected the middah of gevurot for holiness.  Hence, the antidote, to counteract the gevurot expressed in a harsh manner of תפתח הרעה, is the akedah of Yitchak, which is the ultimate use of gevurah, to overcome one's innate desire to live because of the command of Hashem.  It isn't coincidence that there are two meanings to the word צפון. It is the middah of gevurah to be able to bring out the hidden powers of an individual.  To bring out the potential from within; not to hand out a free gift of external help is an expression of gevurah.  [That is why the Torah stresses that Yizchak dug wells, as discussed here.]  This is the meaning of why korbanot must be shechted בצפון.  When one brings a korban it isn't just a process of slaughtering an animal, it obligated introspection and for a person to dig into the depths of his soul.  The direction is reflective of the psychological, spiritual process that the person is experiencing. 

The aforementioned midrash says that when we recite the possuk of slaughtering the olah in the north, Hashem remembers the merit of the akedah.  Based upon this we add this possuk to the parsha of the tammid in korbanot (see Beis Yosef siman 1.)  Tefillot are in place of korbanot, just as the korban awaked such feelings of introspection, so too our prayers should put our focus on what is צפון בלב.

Well, I figure I might as well be seasonal here.  One of the simmanim of the Seder is צפון.  It is of course the time to hide the matzah but it time to open up the soul.  The matzah is hidden and then taken out at the end of the Seder.  As the Baal Shem Tov said (recorded in Yom Yom 17 Eyar) סיפר הצמח צדק תורת הבעל שם טוב: כתוב "כי תהיו אתם ארץ חפץ אמר ה' צבאות". כמו שהחכמים הגדולים ביותר אף פעם לא ישיגו את גודל אוצרות הטבע, שטבע השם יתברך בארץ, ש"הכל היה מן העפר", כך לא יכול אף אחד להשיג את האוצרות הגדולים הנמצאים אצל יהודים, שהם חפצו של הקדוש ברוך הוא.  Every one has a treasure chest in their soul that just has to be dug up.  The Seder is a time when one can access that treasure chest.