Praise And Prayer 2

In the last post we discussed the din of יסדר שבחו של מקום ואח"כ יתפלל.  The simple reading of the words indicates that the cheftah of prayer is the supplications and requests that one asks for from God and the praises serve as a intro. to this.  This is supported by the opinion of the Ramban that suggests that one is obligated in prayer on a Bibical level only in times of peril and danger.  We see its man’s need for God so to speak that it the impetus for prayer.  The Rambam in the second hlacaha of the Laws of Tefillah says: אלא חיוב מצוה זו כך הוא שיהא אדם מתחנן ומתפלל בכל יום ומגיד שבחו של הקדוש ברוך הוא ואח"כ שואל צרכיו שהוא צריך להם בבקשה ובתחנה ואחר כך נותן שבח והודיה לה' על הטובה שהשפיע לו כל אחד לפי כחו.  Regarding the praise he says ומגיד שבחו, just recount praises of God, regarding the supplications he says בבקשה ובתחנה indicating that the main pouring out of the heart is done during the requests from God.  The Alter Rebbe that we cited in siman 52 also sounds that the main prayer is the requests, the praises are just an intro.

This all runs contrary to what the Alter Rebbe writes in siman 185:2 (end) in explaining why its enough if one had כונה in the first beracho of Shemone Esrai and not the the rest of the berachot.  He says there: לְפִיכָךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵבִין וְנִתְכַּוֵּן בִּבְרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁהִיא עִקַּר סִדּוּר שְׁבָחָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא – לֹא הִצְרִיכוּ לַחֲזֹר וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁקִּיֵּם עִקַּר מִצְוַת חֲכָמִים, שֶׁסִּדֵּר שְׁבָחָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם בְּפִיו וּבִלְבָבוֹ בִּבְרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִקַּר מִצְוַת הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אִם לֹא כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ בִּבְרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכִּוֵּן בְּכָל שְׁאָר הַתְּפִלָּה – לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ.  Here he says the main aspect of the mitzvah of prayer is the praise of God, a direct contradiction to everything above? (Likutay Sichos volume 22 pg. 117 footnote 34.)

The simple reading of the aforementioned Rambam is that part of the obligation of prayer is to start with דברי שבח and then move to the בקשות.  The Or Sameach understands that is the explanation of the Rambam and brings a support to this from a Tosefta in Minachos.  The Magen Avrohom (107:2) says that woman may fulfill their obligation of prayer according to the Rambam with one basic request.   Based upon the Rambam, the Pri Migadim on asks how can one fulfill their obligation if their missing the שבח?  We see the Magen Avrohom must have understood that the Rambam is describing the optimal, but not necessary form of prayer.

No Need To Understand

The Be’ar Yosef asks why didn’t Hashem give the reason of parah adumah?  He explains that the Torah is teaching us that we do the mitzvot because Hashem commanded us, not because we understand.  Similarly, we find in the Or HaChaim who asks why is it called chukas haTorah, it should be called chukas hatumah?  He explains that when one fulfills a mitzvah even though he doesn’t understand it, it shows that he is willing to fulfill the entire Torah.  See the Sichos Mussar that elaborates on the Or HaChaim and explains that a person must be a servant of Hashem and a servant does everything the master says even without understanding. 

The Alter from Nevarduk asks what was the great sin that Moshe did by hitting the rock?  Why was it fitting of such a harsh punishment not to enter Eretz Yisroel?  He explains based upon a midrash that Moshe didn’t hit the rock that Hashem told him to speak to, rather another rock.  Why did Moshe do this?  He explains that Moshe thought if he would just talk to the rock that Hashem told him to talk to, then Klal Yisroel would suspect he did it through witchcraft and he only had power over the rock they asked for.  Therefore, Moshe thought it would bring greater honor to Hashem’s name to bring out water from another rock, therefore out of great passion he hit the rock twice.  However, in reality there was a kiddush Hashem anyway for the midrash says that water poured out from all the rocks.  The Alter says that Moshe wasn’t punished for his action which was done with the best of intentions, rather he was punished for the intentions.  To violate the word of Hashem with intentions to do better shows a lack of complete acceptance of the word of Hashem (see further elucidation in Sichos Mussar parshas Tetzaveh on the haftorah of Zachor.) 

However, there is a time and place for calculations.  Verse (21:27) על כן יאמרו המושלים. The Gemorah Babba Bathra 78b says a derash it’s referring to those that rule over there yetzer harah and calculate the reward of a mitzvah versus the loss and gain of an averah.  The Gemorah says the canopy of those that don’t make this cheshbon will be burnt from those that do.  The Or Yahel says we see from the Gemorah that this cheshbon isn’t the difference between tzaddikim and reshaim, but even between different levels of tzaddikim.  

We see from this parsha good chesbonos and bad ones.  One must not make calculations to go against the word of God, but must calculate to make sure he is going on the path of Hashem.

Whole Torah

The Derashot HaRan says the problem of מי מריבה was because Moshe insulted the tzibbur by saying שמעו נא המורים (see Ramban.)  He adds that on the individual level this critique and description of Moshe was deserved.  However, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and on the level of the tzibbbur one cannot use such an expression about Klal Yisroel (derush 1.)  In Derush 9 he elaborates that this itself isn’t a reason for punishment but a sin against the klal stops a person’s prayers from being accepted; that’s why Moshe’s prayers for forgiveness were rejected.

Chazal have a derash on זֹ֚את הַתּוֹרָ֔ה אָדָ֖ם כִּֽי־יָמ֣וּת בְּאֹ֑הֶל that אמר ריש לקיש, מניין שאין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא במי שממית עצמו עליה, שנאמר זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל (ברכות מ״ג ב׳).  Simply understood, Chazal are telling us the commitment one must have in order to understand Torah.  The Rambam adds to this (Talmud Torah 3:12) אמרו חכמים דרך רמז זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל אין התורה מתקיימת אלא במי שממית עצמו באהלי החכמים.  I assume the source of the Rambam is the word in the possuk באהל.  It’s not just a means of personal commitment, it’s a measure of one’s commitment to the beis midrash, to stick to the chachamim, to be attached to the klal learning Torah (based upon Sichos Rav Nosson Tzvi.)  In light of the Ran we can say that when there is a klal learning Torah, the result is greater than the sum of all the individual’s efforts.  By living in such a אהל, one is able to receive greater return on his effort than what he put in. 

The derash of Chazal itself requires an explanation.  Why is this about learning Torah written in the middle of parshat parah adumah? 

Based upon what we explained in Bechukosai and here, we can understand that  the Torah wishes to underscore the fact that Torah is a chok.  Parah Adumah is the quintessential chok of the Torah and the Torah wishes to convey that one’s acquisition  of Torah is also above human logic.  Even though one may put in tremendous amounts of effort in order to acquire Torah, at the end of the day its not an outgrowth from the work put in, its a gift from God.

Tumah Of The Cow

The parah adumah causes tumah to those that are involved in the processes of its purifying process but not to people that merely touch it.  There are two ways to understand this law.  One way we can understand that the parah is a cheftzah of tumah but the Torah limits that tumah only to those that are involved in the processes of the cow.  Another possibility is that there is no inherent tumah on the cow itself, the tumah is a din on those that are working with the cow. 

The Gemorah has a principle it discusses in a few places, notably regarding the parah adumah of סופו ליטמא טומאה חמורה.  This means that something which will ultimately in the future assume a higher status of tumah doesn’t require hechsher in order for it to cause tumah to other foodstuff.  This rule applies even before it reaches the higher level of tumah, it will immediately have the power to affect foodstuff.  The example the Gemorah gives is a bird which is dead which will cause a higher level of tumah to a person that eats it when it’s in the person’s throat.  The Gemorah says because of this rule it doesn’t require hecsher.  The Rishonim debate if it requires something tamah to make it tamah or its tamah automatically.  The Rambam understands the Gemorah in Zevachim (ibid.) to differentiate in this point between the parah adumah and the bird.  The parah adumah only will eminate tumah if its touched by something which is tamah but in regard to the bird there is no such requirement.  In his words in Shar Avos Hatumah (3:2-3) אין נבלת העוף הטהור צריכה מחשבה לטמא טומאה זו החמורה אלא כיון שבלע ממנה כזית מכל מקום הרי זו מטמאה בבית הבליעה חישב עליה לאכילה הרי זו מטמאה טומאת אוכלין והרי היא כאוכל ראשון לטומאה אע"פ שלא נגע בה טומאה אחרת ואינה צריכה הכשר:

פרה אדומה ושעירין הנשרפים אינן כן אף על פי שהן מטמאין המתעסק בהן אם חישב עליהן לאכילה צריכין שתגע בהן טומאה ואח"כ יטמאו טומאת אוכלין.  

Why is there this distinction?  In light of the previous chakirah we understand the bird is itself something which will become tamah but the parah adumah itself isn’t tamah, only the people involved in its process become tamah and therefore it needs something tamah to touch it to conduct tumah (Kesef Mishne, Mishnas Rav Aharon Taharos #27.)

Praise And Prayer 1

The first in what I hope will be a series on prayer, starting with פסוקי דזמרה.

The Gemorah in Berachos 32a says in the name of Rav Samlei לעולם יסדר אדם שבחו של מקום ואח"כ יתפלל.  The Rif and Rosh bring in accordance with this teaching the Gemorah in Shabbos 118b that a person should say halllel every day and the Gemorah says its referring to פסוקי דזמרה.  They cite this Gemorah as a fulfillment of לעולם יסדר אדם וכו'.  It should come out from here that פסוקי דזמרה functions as an intro. to the beseeching of God by praising Him first.  This is clearly the understanding of the Tehillah L’dovid who questions why there is no need for פסוקי דזמרה before mincha and maariv and if one has to do תשלומין for shacharit why there is no need to say פסוקי דזמרה (see siman 52 and 108.)  Rabbe Akiva Eger siman 52 also suggests that one who has to repeat שמונה עשרה because of a mistake made in the prayers that פסוקי דזמרה would have to be recited before the repetition.  That is also based upon this premise. 

The poskim in siman 52 say that if one comes late to the prayers and will miss praying with the quorum then the individual should skip parts (or even all) of פסוקי דזמרה in order to pray with the tzibbur.  The Tur brings that it’s a machlokes Rishonim if one must make up the parts of פסוקי דזמרה that was skipped after the rest of the services are over.  The Shulchan Aruch hedges his bets and says one should fill in the missing mizmorim but not say the berochot of ברוך שאמר וישתבח.  According to the aforementioned understanding, we understand why one wouldn’t make it up for the whole enactment of פסוקי דזמרה is only an intro. to the prayer service but why is there an opinion that one must make it up later? It must be they hold that the main reason for saying פסוקי דזמרה is based upon the Gemorah in Shabbos, that one should praise Hashem daily.  That isn’t just a means of starting the payers; its an independent תקנה.  Since this תקנה can also fulfill לעולם יסדר אדם וכו', Chazal placed it at the beginning of the prayers but even if they weren’t recited in the optimal place, one still must say them later. 

What we need to understand is if one is in a situation where they skip פסוקי דזמרה, how will he fulfill לעולם יסדר אדם וכו'?  Rashi in Avodah Zarah 7b (last one on page) explains that לעולם יסדר אדם וכו' is referring to the first three blessings of שמונה עשרה which are all praises of Hashem.  The פסוקי דזמרה is lengthier and enriched fulfillment of לעולם יסדר אדם וכו', but at its most barebones level it is built into the fabric of שמונה עשרה itself.  The Alter Rebbe Shulchan Aruch writes תְּפִלַּת צִּבּוּר הִיא רְצוּיָהּ וּמְקֻבֶּלֶת לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר:, "כַּבִּיר לֹא יִמְאָס", וְאוֹמֵר:, "פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרָב לִי כִּי בְרַבִּים הָיוּ עִמָּדִי". לְפִיכָךְ מִי שֶׁבָּא לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּמָצָא צִּבּוּר בְּסוֹף פְּסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה – יֵשׁ לוֹ לְדַלֵּג פְּסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה כְּדֵי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עִם הַצִבּוּר, שֶׁפְּסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה גַּם כֵן לֹא נִתַּקְּנוּ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה רְצוּיָה וּמְקֻבֶּלֶתו עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּסַדֵּר שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתְפַּלֵּל, וְאִם כֵן מוּטָב לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עִם הַצִּבּוּר שֶׁאָז תְּפִלָּתוֹ מְקֻבֶּלֶת וַדַּאי.  According to this explanation, it could be that when one skips he isn’t fulfilling לעולם יסדר אדם וכו', but its worth it to skip anyway for the whole point is to make the prayer better and that is enhanced more by praying with a quorum (based upon Eyuin Teffilah (Kohan) and Pnenei Halacha-Teffilah (Melamed).)

3 Tamuz

See here for story.

Obvious gezerah shavah here, same words on kever, ורבים השיב מעון.

Tammid: Collective Or Private Ownership

Rashi (16:15) אל תפן אל מנחתם – לפי פשוטו הקטרת שהם מקריבים לפניך מחר אל תפן אליה.
והמדרש אומר יודע אני שיש להם חלק בתמידי ציבור, אף חלקם לא יקובל לפניך לרצון, תניחנו האש ולא תאכלנו.  We see from Rashi that every individual is considered to have a part in the korban tzibbur.  We don't just view it as belonging to the collective ownership of the klal.  (See Likutay Sichos volume 33.)  This seems to fit with Rashi in Arachin 4a ד"ה שלנו הוא (see Mishne L'melech Mielah 7:6.)

As an aside, the possuk in Yechezkal (46:13) says: וְכֶ֨בֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָת֜וֹ תָּמִ֗ים תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה עוֹלָ֛ה לַיּ֖וֹם לַי״י֑ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר בַּבֹּ֖קֶר תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ.  The Radak says: כבש בן שנתו תמים – זהו קרבן התמיד שעושים בכל יום כמו שאמר בתורה את הכבש אחד תעשה בבקר והמנחה אינה כמו שנזכר בתורה הנה יהיה בזה חדוש לעתיד וקרבן הערב לא זכר נראה שלא יעשה לעתיד אלא עולת הבקר.  I saw quoted from the Mekor Chayim by the Chavas Yaer that this is the justification for the custom of those that pray Ashkenaz not to mention the korban tammid by Mincha.  But how can it be that the korban tammid will become nullified, its a din in the Torah?