Parshiot Tazria-Metzora 5773, 2013:
Kol Yisrael Chaverim (All the Jewish People are Friends) Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. One of the major focal points of our parshiot is the spiritual malady manifested in a physical fashion, known as tzarat. This disease is unidentifiable with any of the skin ailments that exist in our own time. As such, Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir (Rashi’s grandson known as the Rashbam 1080-1158), introduces our topic in the following manner: All of the sections dealing with the afflictions (negayim) affecting people, garments, houses and the manner in which they appear as well as the number of days requiring sequestering, the white, black, and golden identifying hairs may not in any way be understood by following the simple and direct meaning of the text. Neither may we rely upon standard human knowledge and expertise. Instead, we must follow the analysis (midrash) of the Sages, their decrees, and the inherited body of knowledge that they received from the earliest Sages. This is the essence [of this mater]. (Translation and brackets my own) In a word, the only way to understand tzarat is from the Torah-spiritual viewpoint, rather than from a medical-dermatological perspective. Tzarat is a major part of the general body of Jewish Law known as Tumah and Taharah (Laws of the Ritually Impure and Ritually Pure). An entire section of the Mishnah is entitled “Taharot” (“Purities”), and page after page of the Talmud discusses the intricacies of this fundamental area of Halacha. Unfortunately, however, very few people today, regardless of their level of intellectual acumen and scholarly achievement, have mastered this area of study. Likewise, the Rambam (1135-1204), in his paradigm-changing work entitled Commentary on the Mishnah, noted this lacuna of knowledge in his own time: And you know that today, because of the multiplication of our sins, that if you were to encounter the leaders of the yeshivot throughout the Jewish people, and all the more so, those of the various synagogues, you would find that this entire subject remains difficult for them. This is the case, [even though] there are many explicit Torah verses and Mishnaic passages [that deal explicitly with this area of Halacha] and sources that are even clearer and simpler than these works. Maimonides attributed the ignorance of the Laws of Tumah and Taharah to the lack of Torah scholars who devote their time to this study, and to the difficulty of this material: You should not be amazed by this situation at this time of Exile and by the lack of concerted study of this material – since it is a direct result of too few scholars engaged in its study. [Moreover,] we have already found that at the time of the Beit Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) and during the period of the Prophets, that they were in doubt regarding matters pertaining to Tumah and Taharah… Even the kohanim who served in the Beit Hamikdash who perforce needed to know these laws more than anyone else, because of the great effort needed to know [and master] the Laws of Tumah and Taharah – since many of these laws pertain solely to the Beit Hamikdash and its holy items - [remained confused in this area of Halacha]. (Introduction to Mishnah Kalim, ed. Rabbi Yosef David Kapach, p. 22, translation and brackets my own) Little wonder, then, that the Rambam made the study of this subject an essential part of his literary legacy. As such, he meticulously examined each and every detail of this category of Halacha – both in the Commentary on the Mishnah and in his magnum opus of Jewish jurisprudence, the Mishneh Torah. Given the complexities and concomitant stringencies that often accompany the Laws of Tumah and Taharah, one is nearly thunderstruck by the following Mishnaic/Talmudic passage found at the end of Talmud Bavli Chagigah, folio 26b: To Hallowed Things. A Tanna taught: They [i.e. the unlettered and unschooled - amei ha’aretz] are trusted in regard to large [and certainly small] earthenware vessels for hallowed things. Why is this? – Because no furnaces were erected in Jerusalem {and, therefore, no vessels could be constructed]. During a festival also in regard to Terumah [the amei ha’aretz were believed regarding the Laws of Tumah and Taharah] Whence is this deduced? — R. Joshua b. Levi said: Scripture Says: So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, associated as one man (Sefer Shoftim 20:11, entire translation, The Soncino Talmud, with my brackets and emendations) The phrase “During a festival also in regard to Terumah ” is nothing less than amazing. Suddenly, the unlettered and unschooled were granted the same level of credibility (ne’emanut) in regards to the complicated Laws of Tumah and Taharah as the greatest Torah scholars. This is the case even though, by definition, the amei ha’aretz were denied this self-same status during the entire remainder of the year! As noted, the Talmud bases this remarkable halachic shift upon a pasuk (verse) that appears in Sefer Shoftim 20:11: “And each person of Israel gathered to the city as one individual – as friends.” As Rav Pinchas Kehati zatzal (1910-1976) noted in his monumental commentary on the Mishnah: “The text [of Sefer Shoftim] at the time of the gathering together of all the people calls them all ‘chaveirim’ (‘friends’).” In addition, “… since the Festival is a time of gathering together, from here we can learn that even the amei haaretz were considered to be ritually pure at this time – no less than the sophisticatedly trained individuals.” In my opinion, our Mishnah is teaching us far more than an essential and crucial point of Jewish jurisprudence pertaining to the Laws of Purities and Impurities. I believe it is also teaching us an approach as to how we should perceive and encounter our fellow Jews. Unfortunately, we live in an age of manifest pirood (split). Each one of us, even if we do not label ourselves, is labeled and defined by others as to what kind of Jew we are and where we stand on the religious/non-religious/not-yet-religious spectrum. The result of this kind of thinking is alienation and disaffection from our fellow Jews. Instead of banding together in love and tolerance, we are split by groundless hatred (sinat chinam) and distrust of one another. In stark contrast, the Mishnah and Talmud remind us of what binds us together, and what is truly important: Kol Yisrael Chaveirim (All the Jewish People are Friends). If we can remember this message, and put it into everyday practice, we will be well on our way to building the kinds of bridges of understanding that are necessary to bring the Mashiach (the one and only Messiah). May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. ** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org
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Parashat Tzav – Shabbat Hagadol 5773, 2013:
Rabbi Soloveitchik Encounters Rabban Gamliel: Two Questions Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. The Haggadah is a trans-historical multi-layered document that is the product of numerous Jewish cultures both in Israel and the Diaspora. Thus, on many levels, it may be viewed as one of the preeminent post-Tanach (Hebrew Canon of Scripture) works since it so effectively captures the pathos, ethos, hopes, and visions of the entirety of our people. Little wonder, then, that it has always been, and continues to be, the focal point of the Passover Seder experience. This leads us to ask an essential question: “Excluding actual quotes from the Bible, what is probably the most ancient and fundamental section of the Haggadah?” I believe that a very legitimate answer to this query is the portion of the Haggadah popularly known as “Rabban Gamliel hiyah omer,” (“Rabban Gamliel used to say”): Rabban Gamliel used to say: Whoever does not mention these three things on Passover does not fulfill his obligation, and these are they:
Rabban Gamliel’s initial statement: “Whoever does not mention these three things on Passover does not fulfill his obligation,” immediately grabs our attention. Taking this phrase at face value, it appears that the obligation in question is that of Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim (the re-experiencing and retelling of the Pesach story). What exactly is Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim? In broad strokes, my rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students, described the underlying narrative of the Exodus, and the consequent mitzvah for it to be retold “… as the story of Jewish destiny for all time – the eternal story of an eternal people. (Public lecture, March 1977, transcription my own) Thus, even though there are countless commentaries and halachic analyses concerning Rabban Gamliel’s statement, the direct explanation of his assertion seems to be that somehow, and in some yet to be determined manner, “the eternal story of an eternal people” will not be adequately told if one fails to explicitly mention Pesach, Matzah, and Maror. The question, of course, is “Why?” The Rav was fond of the analytical and conceptual distinction between a nisa (object) and a nosa (subject). The former is something or someone acted upon, whereas the latter is an actor in the historical drama we call life. At first blush, we look at Pesach, Matzah, and Maror as mere objects that must be consumed during the Seder (i.e. inclusive of the Korban Pesach when the Holy Temple is extant). Yet, in a creative tour de force, Rav Soloveitchik perceived each of these items as a nosa, as an active participant in the mitzvah of Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim: Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim is a blend of storytelling, Torah teaching, and eating symbolic food items. It is a fusion of the spoken word and the physiological functions of eating and drinking, the intermingling of physical pleasure with Torah debate, the combining of the word of G-d with an activity motivated by biological pressure and characteristic not only of man but of animals. Eating the paschal sacrifice, mazzah and maror constitutes a double mizvah. The mizvat akhilah, physically consuming these items, is per se, a religious performance, a maaseh kiyum mizvah. But eating the Pesach, mazzah, and maror is also the instrument or medium of Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim, telling the story of the Exodus. We narrate the story not only through speech but through eating as well. [Therefore,] in order to fulfill the mizvah of sippur in the most perfect manner, one must interpret and explicate the symbolic meaning of Pesach, mazzah, and maror. (Based upon the March, 1977 public lecture, as recorded in Rabbi Menachem Genack’s, The Seder Night: An Exalted Evening, pages 92-93, bolding, underlining, and brackets my own) To clarify, and as I remember having heard when I attended the lecture myself, Pesach, Matzah, and Maror are far more than mere objects; instead, they are actual subjects and mesapprim (story tellers) of the Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim. The second query that we might well ask on this Mishnah pertains to the order of the listed items. The Rav asked precisely this question in one of his lectures on Passover and the Haggadah: Why is the order of the three Mitzvos recorded as Pesach, Matzah and Maror? What is the significance of this sequence? Historically, it would be more accurate that the order be Maror, Pesach, and Matzah, as the bitter torment preceded the Korban Pesach, and both preceded the baking of the Matzos, which took place on the day of the 15th? The sequence that the Haggadah provides is that of the importance of the Mitzvos. Pesach is the primary Halacha; [whereas] the Mitzvah of Matzah is dependent upon that of Korban Pesach… However, there is a second Mitzvah of Matzah, that of eating it with Maror… Maror has no Torah obligation today, for it is completely dependent upon the Korban Pesach; Maror is only a Rabbinic commandment when there is no Korban, and it thus is last in the sequence… This is the meaning of the sequence that we have in our Haggadah. (Transcribed from a public lecture by Rabbi Aton Holzer, Pesach to Go, Nissan 5768, page 22, underlining, brackets, and editing my own) Once again, the Rav illuminates a classic exegetical and conceptual problem inherent in Rabban Gamliel’s statement. True, were we to focus primarily upon the historical pain and suffering of our Egyptian forebears, the order should have been Maror, Pesach, and Matzah. Yet, as significant as the crucible of misery that the 210 years of slavery represents, the everlasting and supernal nature of the mitzvot must take precedence. Therefore, since “the Mitzvah of Matzah is dependent upon that of Korban Pesach,” Pesach, perforce, must be mentioned prior to Matzah, with Maror constituting the final part of the triumvirate. With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to experience the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu (our Righteous Messiah), the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple), and the ingathering of the Exiles of our people, so that we may once again joyously offer the Korban Pesach, and eat our Matzah and Maror in the manner that the Torah prescribes. Then, and only then, will our Sippur Yitziat Mitzraim finally achieve true perfection. May this time come soon and in our days! V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and Chag kasher v’sameach! Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org Parashat Vayikra 5773, 2013:
Korbanot: The Meaning for Our Time Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. Many authentically observant Jews are deeply conflicted about the reinstitution of animal sacrifices. Korbanot, as a class of mitzvot that Hashem commanded, present them with no particular problem per se, i.e. they theoretically accept the obligation to perform these mitzvot with the same respect that they have for all other commandments. The problem for them, however, resides in the return of the practice of the korbanot. On the emotional level they honestly feel that modern man is alienated from this form of “ancient and bloody” worship. Therefore, they experience a psychological disconnect between what the Torah commands and their 21st century persona. I honestly believe this observation to be an accurate one, regardless of how many drashot (Torah homilies) end with a statement of hope for the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu (the true Messiah), the ingathering of the exiles, and the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) - even though these events will unquestionably bring about the reestablishment of the korbanot. As the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) states: King Messiah will arise in the future and return the kingship of David to its former greatness and glory. He will rebuild the Holy Temple and gather all of the exiles to the Land of Israel. All of the laws will be in effect during his days just as they were in earlier times. We will [once again] offer korbanot and keep the laws of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years just like all of the other laws stated in the Torah. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 11:1) In my estimation, the absence of an ardent desire to reinstitute the korbanot is based upon a fundamental lack of understanding of the nature of their meaning. On measure, the purpose of this form of worship seems elusive to many. As a result, many of our commentators have wrestled with explanations for the korbanot that could be “heard” by their generation. In my opinion, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch’s analysis, as found in his commentary to Sefer Vayikra 1:2, offers a trenchant treatment of this difficult and seemingly arcane subject. Rav Hirsch begins his discussion of the word “korban” by suggesting, “We have no word which really reproduces the idea which lies in the expression korban.” He explains that defining this word by the term “sacrifice” completely fails to denote its authentic meaning. Moreover, since sacrifice “…implies the idea of giving something up that is of value to oneself for the benefit of another, or of having to do without something of value…” it is actually diametrically opposed to the meaning and essence of korban. Even the term “offering” fails to communicate what the Torah means by our term: “Also the underlying idea of ‘offering’ makes it by no means an adequate expression for korban. The idea of an offering presupposes a wish, a desire, a requirement for what is brought, on the part of the one to whom it is brought, which is satisfied by the ‘offering’. One can not get away from the idea of gift, a present. But the idea of a korban is far away from all this.” If a korban is neither a sacrifice nor an offering, how is it to be defined? Rav Hirsch suggests the following: It is never used for a present or gift, it is used exclusively with reference to Man’s relation to G-d, and can only be understood from the meaning which lies in the root krv. Krv means to approach, to come near, and so to get into close relationship with somebody. This at once most positively gives the idea of the object and purpose of hakravah (drawing close) as the attainment of a higher sphere of life. [Emphasis my own] This concept of korban as the vehicle whereby one obtains “the attainment of a higher sphere of life” is the essence of Rav Hirsch’s understanding of our term. The idea of approaching Hashem in a true I-Thou relationship (in Martin Buber’s sense) via the korban thus “…rejects the idea of a sacrifice, of giving something up, of losing something, as well as being a requirement of the One to Whom one gets near…” The makriv (he who brings the korban) has an overwhelming desire to draw near to his Creator, to communicate, as it were, with Him. The makriv, therefore, earnestly wants to have something representing himself “come into a closer relationship to G-d, that is what his korban is…” From this perspective, the korbanot emerge as a symbolic fulfillment of the celebrated second verse of the Shema: “And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means. Therefore, the goal of a korban is to enable “kirvat Elokim, nearness to G-d” which, by definition, is “the attainment of a higher sphere of life.” Dovid HaMelech (King David) taught us a powerful and poignant lesson when he declared: “kirvat Elokim li tov” (“Closeness to G-d is what is truly good for me,” Sefer Tehillim 73:28). This, as Rav Hirsch so eloquently opines, is the purpose of a korban. With this in mind, and with our Creator’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to read and study Sefer Vayikra with both newfound joy and understanding, and may each of us once again long for the reinstitution of the korbanot in Hashem’s soon to be rebuilt Beit HaMikdash. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org 3/5/2013 Parshiot Vayakel - Pekudei - HaChodesh 5773, 2013: "Mirrors Mirrors on the Wall - and in the Mishkan"Read Now Parshiot Vayakel – Pekudei - HaChodesh, 5773, 2013:
Mirrors, Mirrors, On the Wall - and in the Mishkan Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. You [Moshe] shall make a washstand (kiyor) of copper and its base of copper for washing, and you shall place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water therein. (Sefer Shemot 30:18) And he [Bezalel] made the washstand (hakiyor) of copper and its base of copper from the mirrors of the women who had set up the legions, who congregated at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (Ibid. , 38:8) He [Moshe] placed the washstand (hakiyor) between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and there he put water for washing. (Ibid. , 40:30, these and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) These three pasukim (verses) are found, respectively, in Parshiot Ki Tisa, Vayakel, and Pekudei. Each speaks about the kiyor, the washstand that was in the Mishkan (Portable Desert Sanctuary). The middle verse, however, differs from the other two in that it describes the origin of the copper from which the kiyor was fashioned: “... from the mirrors of the women who had set up the legions, who congregated at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” This is a perplexing statement to say the least, and it begs to be interpreted. We can readily ask three questions: 1 What was the original purpose of the mirrors? 2 Who were “the women who had set up the legions?” 3 What or who were the legions? It is to these questions that we now turn. Rashi, the Prince of Commentators (1040-1105), addresses all of our inquiries in his famous comment on Sefer Shemot 38:8: from the mirrors of the women who had set up the legions: Heb. הַצֹבְאֹת בְּמַרְאֹת Israelite women owned mirrors, which they would look into when they adorned themselves. Even these [mirrors] they did not hold back from bringing as a contribution toward the Mishkan, but Moses rejected them because they were made for temptation [i.e., to inspire lustful thoughts]. The Holy One, blessed is He, said to him, “Accept [them], for these are more precious to Me than anything because through them the women set up many legions [i.e., through the children they gave birth to] in Egypt.” When their husbands were weary from backbreaking labor, they [the women] would go and bring them food and drink and give them to eat. Then they [the women] would take the mirrors and each one would see herself with her husband in the mirror, and she would encourage him with words, saying, “I am more beautiful than you.” And in this way they aroused their husbands desire and would have relations with them, conceiving and giving birth there, as it is said: “Under the apple tree I aroused you.” (Megillat Shir HaShirim 8:5) This is [the meaning of] what is הַצֹבְאֹת בְּמַרְאֹת [lit., the mirrors of those who set up legions]. From these [the mirrors], the washstand was made, because its purpose was to make peace between a man and his wife… (Emendations for clarification my own) Let us now analyze Rashi’s forthright and compelling exegesis of our verse: 1. “The mirrors of the women who had set up the legions” refers to the mirrors our female forebears used in Egypt to make themselves as attractive as possible to their spouses. Our male ancestors had all but given up hope regarding the possibility of a Jewish future. Their despondency, in conjunction with almost total physical exhaustion, lead them to separate themselves from their wives – thereby potentially ending the prospect for a new generation. The women refused to accede to their husbands’ dire prognostication and acted in such a manner as to ensure that a new generation of Jewish children would enter the world. In our Sages estimation, these Jewish women were authentic champions of the spirit. Little wonder, then, that Talmud Bavli, Sotah 11b states: “Because of the reward of the righteous women [for having and raising children under nearly impossible conditions] that were in that generation [i.e. the final generation in Egypt bondage], the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt.” 2. “The legions” refers to the children born to the heroic Jewish women immediately prior to the Exodus from Egypt, whose lamrot hakol (against all odds and obstacles) attitude guaranteed the survival and future of our people. 3. Moshe, and by extension the entire Jewish people learned an invaluable and eternal lesson from the interchange that he had with the Holy One blessed be He. G-d created us with two inclinations, namely; the yatzer hatov (inclination intrinsically dedicated to altruistic behaviors and mitzvot performance) and the yatzer hara (the predisposition inherently dedicated to selfish behaviors and “doing whatever you want”). Prima facie, one might have thought that only the first one could be used to serve the Almighty. As Rashi on Sefer Devarim 6:5 notes, however, nothing could be further from the truth: And you shall love [the L-rd]: Perform His commandments out of love. The one who acts out of love cannot be compared to the one who acts out of fear. If one serves his master out of fear, when the master sets a great burden upon him, this servant will leave him and go away [whereas if out of love he will serve him even under great burden] (Midrash Sifrei 6:5). With all your heart: Heb. לְבָבְךָ בְּכָל [The double “veth” in לְבָבְךָ, instead of the usual form לִבְּךָ, suggests:] Love Him with your two inclinations [the good and the evil]. (Midrash Sifrei; Talmud Bavli Berachot 54a) … Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him [Moshe], “Accept [the mirrors], for these are more precious to Me than anything because through them the women set up many legions in Egypt.” In other words, Hashem taught Moshe and the entire Jewish people for all time that even the yatzer hara can and should be used to serve our Creator. May we, like the holy and visionary Jewish women of Egypt, be zocheh (merit) to serve Hashem with both the yatzer hatov and the yatzer hara, and may the mirrors upon our walls ever be placed in the sanctuaries of our hearts. In that way, may we experience the coming of Mashiach Tzidkanu (the Righteous Messiah), the ingathering of the Exiles, the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash (the Holy Temple), and the complete fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy: “And the L-rd shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall the L-rd be one, and His name one.” (Sefer Zechariah 14:9) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org Parshiot Ki Tisa - Parah, 5773, 2013:
Judaism and the Concept of Freedom Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. Now the tablets were G-d's work, and the inscription was G-d's inscription, engraved on the tablets. (Sefer Shemot 32:16, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Lavi noted: It says in Sefer Shemot 32:16: “And the tablets were the work of G-d, and the writing was the writing of G-d (charut) engraved upon the tablets.” Do not read the [non-vocalized] word as charut (engraved), instead read it as cheirut (freedom). [This is so] since there is no one who is truly free except for one who engages in Torah study. Moreover, anyone who involves himself with Torah on an ongoing basis will be elevated… (Pirkei Avot 6:2) Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Lavi’s Midrashic-level understanding of our verse equates engagement in, and loyalty to, the Torah with the highest heights of human freedom. This, in turn, leads us to ask a crucial question: “What is the Torah’s idea of freedom?” I believe that our understanding of the Torah’s concept of freedom may be advanced by two terms developed by Sir Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997), in his 1958 Inaugural Lecture delivered before the University of Oxford. In this lecture, published under the title “Two Concepts of Liberty,” Berlin uses the terms “liberty” and “freedom” interchangeably (Isaiah Berlin, Four Essays on Liberty, Oxford University Press, 1971, page, 121). In the course of his discussion, he identifies and defines “negative freedom” and “positive freedom.” He begins by noting that: “Like happiness and goodness, like nature and reality, the meaning of this term [freedom] is so porous that there is little interpretation that it seems able to resist.” He suggests the following definition for negative freedom: I am normally said to be free to the degree to which no man or body of men interferes with my activity. Political liberty in this sense is simply the area within which a man can act unobstructed by others. If I am prevented by others from doing what I could otherwise do, I am to that degree unfree; and if this area is contracted by men beyond a certain minimum, I can be described as being coerced, or it may be, enslaved. …Coercion implies the deliberate interference of other human beings within the area in which I could otherwise act. You lack political liberty or freedom only if you are prevented from attaining a goal by human beings (page, 122). In stark contrast, he defines positive freedom in the following manner: I wish my life and decisions to depend on myself, not on external forces of whatever kind. I wish to be the instrument of my own, not of other men’s acts of will. I wish to be a subject, not an object; I wish to be somebody, not nobody; a doer-deciding, not be decided for, self-directed and not acted upon by external nature or by other men as if I were a thing, or an animal, or a slave incapable of playing a human role, that is of conceiving goals and policies of my own and realizing them…. I wish, above all, to be conscious of myself as a thinking, willing, active being, bearing responsibility for my choices and able to explain them by references to my own ideas and purposes (page, 131). I believe that we can utilize Berlin’s concept of negative freedom to help us understand what the servitude in Egypt, and the Exodus therefrom, represented. As slaves to Pharaoh, we were “unfree,” coerced. We were trapped in a ceaseless cycle of misery and angst wherein others interfered with our most basic activities. We were obstructed by our taskmasters and prevented from attaining nearly all of our goals. The Exodus from Egypt, therefore, allowed us to enter into negative freedom, wherein: “no man or body of men interferes with my activity.” In short, we were no longer coerced; we were no longer slaves “incapable of playing a human role.” We were free from the misery and servitude imposed upon us by our merciless Egyptian overseers. Yet, this political liberty was just the beginning of Hashem’s plan for our people, a necessary step toward the next stage of freedom: positive freedom. As a nation, we achieved positive freedom when we received the holy Torah. Suddenly, by the grace of HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One Blessed be He), we were transformed into a nation of subjects instead of objects. After 210 years, we were finally able “to be conscious of [ourselves] as thinking, willing, active being[s], bearing responsibility for [our] choices.” We became capable of “conceiving goals and policies of [our] own and realizing them.” Most of all, we had a lens through which all of our desires, hopes, and dreams could be viewed: the Word of G-d Himself. This was, and is, the most positive concept of freedom that one can imagine. For Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Lavi, the study and practical application of the words of our Creator and His earthly representatives (Chazal, our Sages) is, by definition, the ultimate act in which a truly free individual can engage. Why? Perhaps it is because by challenging ourselves to understand His Torah, we come to encounter Hashem. With awe and humility we recognize the total otherness of our Creator, while simultaneously striving to comprehend His words and the thoughts and concepts they contain. Like Yaakov Avinu, we know that when we study Torah, and live by its precepts, we are entering into a place that is so holy and so filled with the Divine Presence that our innermost-beings must declare: “Mah norah hamakom hazeh” (“How awe-filled and awe-inspiring is this place,” Sefer Bereishit 28:17). Rav Tzadok HaKohen Rabinowitz of Lublin (1823-1900), in his work, Pri Tzaddik, offers a fascinating understanding of our initial pasuk (verse): When the Torah states: “...engraved – charut - on the tablets,” we should interpret this as meaning to have freedom – chairut - from the Angel of Death (Midrash Shemot Rabbah 32:1). The Angel of Death is explicitly identified in Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 16a as the Evil Inclination… As it is stated in Pirkei Avot 6:2: “… there is no one who is truly free except for one who engages in Torah study. Moreover, anyone who involves himself with Torah on an ongoing basis will be elevated…” [Why did Rabbi Yehoshuah ben Lavi make the preceding statement? This is because] beyond a shadow of a doubt, the moment of Giving of the Torah was equivalent to the Creation of all creatures - when the Almighty fashioned man in absolute moral perfection. This is the case since, at the time the Jewish people heard the first utterance of the Ten Commandments, “Anochi” (“I am the L-rd your G-d”), the Torah became permanently affixed in their hearts (Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:15), and they achieved the final stage of perfection. From this point onward, the Jewish people’s hearts would constantly be joined to the recognition of Hashem’s awesome stature and to His love – may He be blessed. Moreover, henceforth, the Jewish people would no longer need physical tablets of stone – since, all the words of the Torah were now engraved forever on the tablet of their hearts. May we all be zocheh (merit) to have the words and concepts of our holy Torah engraved upon our hearts. Then, with G-d’s help, we will be truly free. May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org Parshiot Tetzaveh - Zachor, 5773, 2013:
“Amalek: Evil and Hatred Personified” Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam. Remember what Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt. When they encountered you on the way, and you were tired and exhausted, they cut off those lagging to your rear, and they did not fear G-d. Therefore, when G-d gives you peace from all the enemies around you in the land that G-d your L-rd is giving you to occupy as a heritage, you must obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. You must not forget. (Sefer Devarim 25:17-19, translation, The Living Torah, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan zatzal, underlining my own) One of the most widely accepted concepts within Rabbinic thought is that of the existence of Taryag Mitzvot (the 613 Mitzvot). There are a number of sources that discuss this idea. The most famous one is found in Talmud Bavli, Makkot 23b: “Rabbi Simlai expounded: 613 mitzvot were stated to Moshe. 365 negative precepts corresponding to the days of the year and 248 positive commandments corresponding to the number of limbs in the human body.” Unfortunately, while Rabbi Simlai taught us the concept of the Taryag Mitzvot, he did not reveal its content. The daunting task of determining exactly which utterances of the Almighty are Biblical mitzvot was left to the group of Torah sages who have become collectively known as the Monei Hamitzvot. This group of luminaries includes, but is not limited to, such intellectual giants as the Baal Halachot Gedolot (9th century), the Rambam (1135-1204), the Ramban (1194-1270), and the Sefer Hachinuch (probably 13th century). These sages often utilized different criteria in making their determinations as to exactly which commandment was to be considered part of the Taryag Mitzvot. As a result, no two lists of the 613 Mitzvot are exactly the same. Most of the Monei Hamitzvot, however, count three separate and distinct commandments in our Biblical passage: “Remember what Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt,” “You must obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens,” and “You must not forget.” The Bedouin tribe known as Amalek no longer exists. Its genetic individuality was lost long ago in the sands of time through mass displacement, and in the cauldron of assimilation. Given that this is the case, how can we understand the persona of Amalek in our own historical moment so that we may engage in the correct approach to three above-mentioned commandments? In other words, is Amalek “still relevant” in our day and age? My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, answered both of these questions by noting, “Amalek is not a race, nor is it a people, a nationality.” What then is “Amalek?” For the Rav, it is a state of mind and behavioral orientation that endows its proponent with the status of having reached the nadir of the personification of evil: I once heard from my father, [Rav Moshe Soloveitchik zatzal] of blessed memory, in the name of my grandfather [Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zatzal], that any people or group committed to destroy the Jewish people is to be classified as Amalek. One who writes on his banner “Come let us cut him off from being a nation; that the name of Israel be no more in remembrance” (Ps. 83:5) acquires the status of Amalek, and the commandment of “You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek” (Deut 25:19) is applicable to him or to them. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Days of Deliverance, Essays on Purim and Chanukah, p. 16, from the manuscript of his 1974 public lecture) Amalek hates all mankind. Nonetheless, his greatest vitriol is consistently reserved for our holy nation, since our very existence is perceived as antithetical to his being: Of course Amalek or man-Satan hates everybody. He is the enemy of man, and enjoys causing misery and injury to all people. Yet, man-Satan or Amalek is particularly preoccupied with the Jew. He hates the Jew more than anybody else. In hating the Jew, in causing suffering and pain to the Jew and inflicting harm on him, Amalek finds his greatest delight. No matter what economic-sociopolitical program man-Satan adopts – socialist, capitalist, fascist, progressive, reactionary, agnostic-secular, or religious-clerical – the hatred of the Jew is his central preoccupation. (Ibid.) Now we understand why “G-d shall be at war with Amalek for all generations.” (Sefer Shemot 17:16) As the Haggadah so poignantly states: “B’chol dor v’dor omdim aleinu l’kaloteinu” (“In each and every generation someone stands over us and attempts to destroy us.”) Amalek, in the guise of “man-Satan,” has been the ceaseless enemy of our people since the moment we left Egypt. Indeed, in our own time, one need only look to Iran and its leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (yemach shemo, may his name be obliterated), to see a crystal clear example of Haman born anew. There is another aspect to Amalek that I believe is referenced in the section of the verse, “you must obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” At first glance, it seems that the phrase “from under the heavens” is extraneous, since if Amalek’s memory were to be eradicated, it would certainly include both heaven and earth. Why, then, did Hashem include this expression? The Jerusalem Torah scholar, Rabbi Jacob Moshe Charlap zatzal (1882-1951), offered a trenchant answer to this question: The essential orientation of Amalek was to bring about a separation between the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven – and to destroy their faith in Hashem. Amalek sought to do this in such a way as to sever any association and divine flow [of influence] between the Jewish people and [their Father in} heaven. In doing so, there would no longer be any manner of connection for the Jewish people between the heaven and earth. Therefore, the commandment is precisely worded to include the annihilation of the memory of Amalek from “under the heavens” so that there could not be anything to prevent the Heavenly flow upon the earth [and upon the Jewish people]. (Translated from Aharon Yaakov Greenberg’s Itturei Torah, end of Parashat Ki Tetze, brackets my own) Rav Charlap’s analysis adds another dimension to understanding the puzzle of evil represented by Amalek. The latter’s purpose was, and is, nothing other than to cause an irreparable tear in the fabric of the Jewish people’s connection to, and belief in, Hashem. This, G-d forbid, would prevent any Divine flow and protection from Shamayim (Heaven). Therefore, our Creator commanded us to “obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens,” to ensure that our holy connection with Hashem, and His celestial influence upon us, would forever remain intact. May Hashem grant us the wisdom, discernment, and ability to vanquish the Amaleks of the world, so that Zechariah’s vision may finally be realized, soon and in our time: “And the L-rd shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall the L-rd be one, and His name one.” (Sefer Zechariah 14:9) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org 2/13/2013 Parashat Terumah, 5773, 2013: "The Mystery of Experiencing Hashem's Divine Presence"Read Now Parashat Terumah, 5773, 2013:
“The Mystery of Experiencing Hashem’s Divine Presence” Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya. One of the best-known and in some ways, most accessible verses in our parasha is: “And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst.” (Sefer Shemot 25:8, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Rashi (1040-1105) comments that the words, “And they shall make Me a sanctuary,” should be understood as, “And they shall make in My name a house of sanctity.” A careful reading of Rashi’s words reveals a clear divergence from the literal meaning of our phrase. Instead of “And they shall make Me,” (“v’asu li”) he writes: “And they shall make in My name” (“v’asu lishmi”). Two questions immediately come to mind:
I believe that Rashi was bothered by the very notion that finite man could possibly create any manner of physical abode for the Almighty. In other words, how can man, with his innumerable limitations, possible create a makom l’Schechinah (the indwelling of Hashem’s Presence)? This idea, at its very inception, seems to be patently absurd. Two pasukim (verses), in particular – and in historical order - make this point abundantly clear: But will G-d indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; much less this House that I [King Solomon] have built. (Sefer Divrei Hayamim 2:6:18) So says the L-rd, “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool; which is the house that you will build for Me, and which is the place of My rest?” (Sefer Yeshayahu 66:1) In contradistinction to these and many other verses in the Tanach (Jewish Canon of Scripture), we know that Hashem, in His divine wisdom, did miraculously manifest His Schechinah in the Mishkan (Portable Desert Sanctuary) and in the two Batei Mikdash (Holy Temples) in Jerusalem. By way of illustration, the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot 5:5 lists 10 explicit miracles that were part of the very fabric of the First Temple: Ten miracles were performed for our forefathers in the Holy Temple: No woman ever miscarried because of the smell of the holy meat. The holy meat never spoiled. Never was a fly seen in the slaughterhouse. Never did the High Priest have an accidental seminal discharge on Yom Kippur. The rains did not extinguish the wood-fire burning upon the altar. The wind did not prevail over the column of smoke [rising from the altar]. No disqualifying problem was ever discovered in the Omer offering, the Two Loaves or the Showbread. They stood crowded but had ample space in which to prostrate themselves. Never did a snake or scorpion cause injury in Jerusalem. And no man ever said to his fellow “My lodging in Jerusalem is too cramped for me.” (Translation, http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/682520/jewish/English-Text.htm) Why, however, did Hashem choose the path stated in our parasha and our initial verse, “… and I [Hashem] will dwell in their midst?” Stated somewhat differently, “Why did infinite G-d make His presence manifest to finite man?” We, of course, can never know the answer with certainty, since Hashem’s ways are ultimately inscrutable to man. Nonetheless, it appears to me that G-d did this as an act of total chesed (kindness), similar in kind to His actions in the following famous Talmudic passage: Just as Hashem clothed the naked [in the case of Adam and Chava]… so, too, should you clothe the naked. Just as Hashem visited the sick [in the case of Avraham after his brit milah]…so, too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He comforted the mourners [in the case of Yitzhak after Avraham’s passing]…so, too, should you comfort the mourners. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He buried the dead [in the case of Moshe Rabbeinu]…so, too, should you bury the dead. (Talmud Bavli, Sotah 14a) Therefore, out of pure chesed, the singular attribute illustrated in our Talmudic passage, Hashem caused Himself to dwell in our midst. Moreover, although we can never comprehend His true greatness, although we can never behold His countenance, although we can never understand His essence, He nonetheless wanted us to feel the presence of His Schechinah in both the Mishkan and the two Batei Mikdash. May the time come soon and in our days when we will experience this once again, in Hashem’s rebuilt Beit Hamikdash. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org Parashat Mishpatim, 5773, 2013:
“I am Hashem Your G-d Who Heals You” Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya. And He said, If you hearken to the voice of the L-rd, your G-d, and you do what is proper in His eyes, and you listen closely to His commandments and observe all His statutes, all the sicknesses that I have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you, for I, the L-rd, heal you. (Sefer Shemot 15:26, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The above verse appears in Parashat Beshalach, immediately after the Shira (Song at the Sea of Reeds). It teaches us in no uncertain terms that it is Hashem, and no other, who heals us. Rashi (1040-1105) underscores this idea with his comments on the phrase, “I will not visit upon you”: I will not visit upon you: And if I do bring [sickness upon you], it is as if it has not been brought, “for I, the L-rd, heal you.” This is its midrashic interpretation (see Sanh. 101a, Mechilta). According to its simple meaning, [we explain:] “for I, the L-rd, am your Physician” and [I] teach you the Torah and the mitzvoth in order that you be saved from them [illnesses], like this physician who says to a person, “Do not eat things that will cause you to relapse into the grip of illness.” This [warning] refers to listening closely to the commandments … — [from Mechilta] Our parasha, in Sefer Shemot 21:19, also contains a reference to healing that is widely viewed by our Sages as the proof and permission-granting text for a physician to practice his or her arts: “If he gets up and walks about outside on his support, the assailant shall be cleared; he shall give only [payment] for his [enforced] idleness, and he shall provide for his cure (v'rapo yirapeh).” Rashi, cites Onkelos (Second Century Palestine) regarding the legitimacy of the physician's role: “and he shall provide for his cure: As the Targum [Onkelos] renders: and he shall pay the physician’s fee.” When our two verses are taken in tandem, it becomes clear that it is the doctor’s role to act as G-d's messenger in all acts of healing. Therefore, it is ultimately Hashem who is our rofeh ne'eman (true physician). This is reminiscent of a sign I once saw in a religious physician’s office: “G-d heals, I take the fee.” How should we conceptualize Hashem's role as our physician? We are fortunate, indeed, that our Sages provided us with a roadmap for answering precisely this question, namely, the eighth bracha (blessing) of the Shemoneh Esrai: Heal us, O L-rd, and we will be healed; Help us and we will be saved; For You are our praise. Grant complete cure and healing to all our wounds; For You, Almighty King, are a faithful and merciful healer. Blessed are You L-rd, who heals the sick of His people Israel. (http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/867674/jewish/Translation.htm, formatting and underlining my own) A careful analysis of the literary structure of our bracha reveals the following:
The second request regarding our well-being, “Grant complete cure and healing to all our wounds,” differs from the first in that it is not directly based upon any pasuk found in Tanach (the Jewish Canon of Scripture). Moreover, it highlights the ideas of a “complete cure and healing” (“refuah shlaimah”) and specifies “our wounds.” Even with these additions, it would seem that this request simply restates the earlier entreaty of “Heal us and we will be healed,” since there, too, we surely are hoping for the complete restoration of our health. This problem was creatively analyzed by the Eitz Yosef (Rabbi Hanoch Zundel ben Rav Yosef, died, 1867) in the classic work, Otsar Hatefillot: “Heal us and we will be healed,” means that at the beginning, our healing will come from You Hashem, and afterwards, we will complete the process and see it through to its final conclusion. This refers to spiritual/psychological healing (refuat hanefesh). In regards to the restoration of our physical health (refuat haguf), however, that is solely in the “hands” of [the Holy One may] He be blessed, it states: “Grant complete cure and healing to all our wounds” – from the onset to the conclusion. This is the case since, in reality, we are helpless regarding physical matters to effectuate a [positive change] without Your assistance. (Underlining and brackets my own) To summarize: “Heal us and we will be healed,” means that we are partners with Hashem in securing our own spiritual and psychological health. The Holy One blessed be He begins the curative process and it is up to us to ensure its effective completion. In contrast, “Grant complete cure and healing to all our wounds,” refers to physical health – something that is the sole province of the Master of the universe. Thus, these two phrases are not redundant since each refers to a different aspect of the human condition. I believe that the two expressions of shevach, “For You are our praise,” and “For You, Almighty King, are a faithful and merciful healer,” were included by Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) to underscore the singular role that our Creator plays in our spiritual and physical health. In short, we must ever be conscious that “… I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help is from the L-rd, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Sefer Tehillim 121:1-2) Then, too, it is very possible that our Sages included these phrases to teach us the fundamental lesson that no matter how difficult a health crisis we may face, Hashem, our G-d, is the Almighty King and “a faithful and merciful healer.” These are comforting words that provide us with hope, solace, and a powerful sense that the future will be better. Our bracha concludes: “Blessed are You L-rd, who heals the sick of His people Israel.” May we be zocheh (merit) to always have refuah shlaimah, so that we may lead healthy and robust lives dedicated to the service of Hashem. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org Parashat Yitro, 5773, 2013:
Women and Talmud Torah Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya. If you were to ask most people to describe the content of our parasha, they would most likely focus on the Revelation at Har Sinai (Mt. Sinai). This is understandable, since Parashat Yitro contains the Aseret Hadibrot (the 10 Utterances), whereby G-d majestically revealed himself to our ancestors with the immortal words: “Anochi Hashem Elokecha” (“I am the L-rd your G-d;” Sefer Shemot 20:2, this and all Torah and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). According to the Rambam (1135-1204) in his Sefer HaMitzvot, these words embody the commandment to believe in the existence of G-d. In addition, on the meta-level, they serve as the preamble to the legal foundation of the spiritual constitution of our people – our holy Torah. The Torah itself summarizes its over-arching and transforming purpose when it states: “And you shall be for Me a kingdom of princes [literally “priests”] and a holy nation” (Sefer Shemot 19:6) Sefer Shemot 19:3 offers us an illuminating introduction to the Aseret Hadibrot that often seems to be glossed over in our excitement to encounter Hashem via His own words: “Moses ascended to G-d, and the L-rd called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘So shall you say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel.’” In my estimation, this pasuk (verse) points to the essential difference that obtains between men and women in their relationship to G-d, His Torah, and by extension, Torah study. Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon the early halachic Midrash to Sefer Shemot known as Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, explains that “the house of Jacob” refers to the women, whereas “the sons of Israel” refers to the men: So shall you say: With this language and in this order. to the house of Jacob: These are the women. Say it to them in a gentle language. and tell the sons of Israel : The punishments and the details [of the laws] explain to the males, things that are as harsh as wormwood. -[Mechilta, Shab. 87a] It appears from this Midrash that, in stark contrast to men, women seem to have an innate connection to Hashem. Women do not need to be frightened with punishments and a myriad of legal details that are “as harsh as wormwood” in order to submit to and forge a link with G-d. The Midrash intimates that they are naturally more loyal to Torah observance, based upon the immediacy of their spiritual connection to the Almighty. Thus, general “gentle language,” that encapsulates the unique essence of their relationship to G-d, is all that is needed to encourage Jewish women to follow the path of Torah observance. Given the above Midrash, it is not at all surprising that the very nature of Talmud Torah (Torah study) is different for men and women. Men are biblically mandated to explore and study every aspect of the entire Torah. This is based on two well-known verses from the first and second paragraphs of the Shema: “And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up,” and “And you shall teach them to your sons to speak with them, when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way and when you lie down and when you rise. (Sefer Devarim 6:7, 11:19, underlining my own). Significantly, Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 29b uses the latter verse as the proof text to exclude women from the obligation of Torah study. The Rambam codifies this position in simple prose: “Women, slaves and male children before the age of majority are not obligated (paturim) in the commandment to study Torah.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:1). In addition, however, Maimonides notes that women who study Torah do have a reward – even though it is different than the reward received by men: A woman who has studied Torah has a reward, but it is not like the reward of a man since she was not commanded. [This follows the general principle] that the reward of anyone who does a thing concerning which he is not commanded is not like the reward of he who is commanded and has done it, but rather, it is less than it. (1:13, so too, Shulchan Aruch, Yoreah Deah 246:6) Thus far, it appears that a woman may well have a reward for studying Torah; yet, she has no obligation to do so. On the practical level, however, this is not the case. The world-renowned posek (halachic decisor), Rabbi Moshe ben Yisrael Isserles (1530-1572), popularly known as the Rema, in his glosses to the Shulchan Aruch’s version of Maimonides’ ruling, states: “Nonetheless, a woman is obligated to study those laws that are relevant to a woman.” Given Rav Isserles’ singular status within the world of Halacha, his opinion became a tipping point for change and the impetus for a paradigm shift in thinking about the entire subject of women and Torah study. Armed with the seminal view of the Rema, we are now ready to ask: “What are ‘those laws that are relevant to a woman?’” Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, also known as “The Alter Rebbe,” “Baal HaTanya,” and “The Rav” (1745-1812), answers this crucial question in the following manner: Nonetheless, women are also obligated to study those laws that are relevant to them and those that they must know. This includes the Laws of Family Purity and Immersion, salting meat, the prohibition of being in private spaces with one who is forbidden to them, and laws that are similar in kind. Moreover, [they must study] all Positive Commandments that are not time determined and all Negative Commandments of the Torah and of the Rabbis, since they are duty-bound to be punctilious in them in the same manner as men. (Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Yoreah Deah, Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:14,) In sum, for Rav Schneur Zalman, women have the obligation to study and master all areas of Torah that are in any manner pertinent to their daily lives. This is a broad, deep, and vast sea of knowledge that, without question, has the potential to lead an intellectually curious and adept woman through the vast majority of Biblical and Rabbinic Literature. Much closer to our own time, the inestimable Torah scholar, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Hakohen of Radun, Poland (1838-1933), known as the Chafetz Chaim, wrote of the crucial need for women’s involvement in Talmud Torah. He opined that this was vital in order to guarantee the continuity and future of our people: Nowadays, however, when the tradition of forefathers has weakened and many people do not live close to their parents, and especially in view of the who have had a secular education, it is necessary to teach them [i.e. women] the entire Bible, Mussar, Avot, Menorat Hamaor [ethical writings of our Sages], and so on so they will be strong in the principles of our holy faith. Otherwise, G-d forbid, they may totally abandon the path of G-d, and violate all the mitzvot (Likutei Halachot, Talmud Bavli, Sotah 20a, translation, Fraida Blau, Woman’s Place in Torah Study, The Jewish Observer, Summer 1984, p.19) Given the Chafetz Chaim’s orientation and world-view, moral and ethical Rabbinic literature figures prominently in the education of a Jewish woman. This, it should be stressed, is in addition to, and not instead of, the study of Tanach (the Hebrew canon of Biblical literature). His goal is straightforward: “…so they will be strong in the principles of our holy faith.” To summarize: Beginning with the Rema and continuing on to the time of the saintly Chafetz Chaim, women, while biblically exempt from Talmud Torah, are nonetheless obligated to study Torah in order to have the requisite knowledge base to live authentically Jewish lives. Moreover, this study must engage their souls and intellects so that they will be strong in “…the principles of our holy faith.” Women, as active participants in the world of Torah study, form a trans-historical spiritual and intellectual community that my rebbi, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1900-1993), celebrated as a unique and indispensable massorah (tradition): People are mistaken in thinking that there is only one Massorah and one Massorah community; the community of the fathers. It is not true. We have two massorot, two traditions, two communities, two shalshalot ha-kabbalah – the massorah community of the fathers and that of the mothers…What kind of a Torah does the mother pass on? I admit that I am not able to define precisely the masoretic role of the Jewish mother. Only by circumscription I hope to be able to explain it. Permit me to draw upon my own experiences. At this point we are privy to the Rav’s personal reminiscences of his beloved mother: I used to have long conversations with my mother. In fact, it was a monologue rather than a dialogue. She talked and I “happened” to overhear. What did she talk about? I must use an halakhic term in order to answer this question: she talked me-inyana de-yoma [about the halakhic aspects of a particular holy day]. I used to watch her arranging the house in honor of a holiday. I used to see her recite prayers; I used to watch her recite the sidra every Friday night and I still remember the nostalgic tune. I learned from her very much. What, however, was the essence of that which the Rav learned from his mother? What gift did she give him that changed his being and perception of the world? As he states in his unique and unparalleled manner: Most of all I learned that Judaism expresses itself not only in formal compliance with the law but also in a living experience. She taught me that there is a flavor, a scent and warmth to mitzvot. I learned from her the most important thing in life – to feel the presence of the Almighty and the gentle pressure of His hand resting upon my frail shoulders. Without her teachings, which quite often were transmitted to me in silence, I would have grown up a soulless being, dry and insensitive. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, “A Tribute to the Rebbitzen of Talne,” Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought, 1978, Vol. 17, number 2, pages 76-77) It is, and perhaps always has been, the unique obligation and privilege of Torah- educated Jewish women to help our people “… feel the presence of the Almighty and the gentle pressure of His hand resting upon [our] frail shoulders.” May Hashem give us the wisdom, insight, and understanding to recognize the crucial and beautiful role that women play in our lives. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org Parashat Beshalach 5773, 2013
Prophets and Maidservants: New Visions Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya. The Rambam (1135-1204) begins the seventh chapter of Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah with this statement regarding the fundamental doctrinal significance of prophecy: “ One of the bases of religion is to know that G-d visits people in prophetic visions…” In his view, prophecy is one of the constitutive elements of the Torah. It is nearly always limited to a small group of people with unique characteristics that set them apart from the general population. As the Rambam states: “… [Prophetic visions] come only to exceedingly wise people of outstanding characteristics, whose inclinations never lead them to earthly matters but who always conquer their inclinations, and who are of correct temperaments.” This highly circumscribed class of individuals obtains the ability to receive prophecy through arduous philosophical and theological speculation, and through assiduous study of esoteric Torah literature. Moreover, he or she must stay totally focused upon the pursuit of that which is holy and pure: A person who is full of all these qualities and is physically sound [is fit for prophecy]. When he enters the Pardes [the place of spiritual and mystical speculation] and is drawn into these great and sublime concepts, if he possesses a accurate mental capacity to comprehend and grasp [them], he will become holy. He will advance and separate himself from the masses who proceed in the darkness of the time. He must continue and diligently train himself not to have any thoughts whatsoever about fruitless things or the vanities and intrigues of the times. Instead, his mind should constantly be directed upward, bound beneath [G-d's] throne [of Glory, striving] to comprehend the holy and pure forms and gazing at the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, in its entirety, [in its manifold manifestations] from the most elevated [spiritual] form until the navel of the earth, appreciating His greatness from them. [After these preparations,] the divine spirit will immediately rest upon him. (This and all Mishneh Torah translations, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger]. According to the Rambam, prophecy is multilevel in nature. Hashem vouchsafed His divine visions on different levels to different prophets. Just as there are no two people who are exactly alike, there are no two prophets who receive exactly the same degree of prophecy: “There are [many] levels of prophecy - in the same way that one person can be wiser than another, so can he be more prophetic.” In addition, with the exception of Moshe Rabbeinu (our Teacher Moshe), with whom Hashem communicated panim el panim (face to face, Sefer Devarim 34:10), all prophets received their divine communication via parables. Thus the Rambam states (7:3): When a prophet is informed of a message in a vision, it is granted to him in metaphoric imagery. Immediately, the interpretation of the imagery is imprinted upon his heart, and he knows its meaning. For example, the ladder with the angels ascending and descending envisioned by the patriarch, Jacob, was an allegory for the empires and their subjugation [of his descendants]. Similarly, the creatures Ezekiel saw, the boiling pot and the rod from an almond tree envisioned by Jeremiah, the scroll Ezekiel saw, and the measure seen by Zechariah [were all metaphoric images]. This is also true with regard to the other prophets. Some would relate the allegory and its explanation as these did. Others would relate only the explanation. At times, they would relate only the imagery without explaining it, as can be seen in some of the prophecies of Ezekiel and Zechariah. All of the prophecies come in the form of metaphoric imagery and allegories. Furthermore, the Rambam maintains that the Prophets always received their prophecy in visions of the night or in deep sleep during the day. Thus, the prophetic process caused a temporary physiological change in the prophet, so that his or her mind would be free to focus solely upon the vision and its interpretation. The Rambam formulated these ideas in the following fashion (7:2): There are a number of levels among the prophets. Just as with regard to wisdom, one sage is greater than his colleague, so, too, with regard to prophecy, one prophet is greater than another. They all, [however, share certain commonalities]. They receive prophetic visions only in a visionary dream or during the day after slumber has overtaken them, as [Numbers 12:6] states: “I make Myself known to him in a vision. I speak to him in a dream.” When any of them prophesy, their limbs tremble, their physical powers become weak, they lose control of their senses, and thus, their minds are free to comprehend what they see, as [Genesis 15:12] states concerning Abraham: “and a great, dark dread fell over him.” Similarly, Daniel [10:8] states: “My appearance was horribly changed and I retained no strength.” The halachic Midrash to Sefer Shemot, known as the Mechilta, presents us with a singular difficulty in light of Maimonides’ analysis of prophecy. In commenting upon the famous verse found in our parasha: “…this is my G-d and I will extol Him, the G-d of my fathers and I will raise Him up” (Sefer Shemot 15:2), the Midrash teaches us: R. Eliezer says: From where can one say that a maidservant saw at the sea what Isaiah and Ezekiel and all the prophets never saw? As it states [Sefer Hoshea 12:11]: “And I spoke to the prophets, and I increased their visions; and to the prophets I assumed likenesses.” In addition it is written: “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year in the fourth [month] on the fifth day of the month, as I was in the midst of the exile by the river Chebar - the heavens opened up, and I saw visions of G-d.” (Underlining my own, Tanach translation passages, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Clearly, this passage is a blatant contradiction to the normative understanding of prophecy as presented by the Rambam. Perhaps this is what led Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir (1080-1158), known as the Rashbam, and the 13th century Provencal exegete, Rabbi Chizkiah ben Manoach, known as the Chizkuni, to declare: “Even though a person does not actually see anything, [metaphorically] it may be said regarding [something] ‘this’ (zeh).” In other words, it was anathema to the Chizkuni and to the Rashbam to imagine that a common maidservant was able to see that which was hidden from the likes of Yeshiyahu and Yechezkel. Therefore, these commentators viewed our Midrash as a metaphor, rather than as a statement depicting what actually transpired at the crossing of the Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds). An entirely different approach to “…this is my G-d and I will extol Him…” was taken by Rabbi Baruch Halevi Epstein (1860-1941), in his illuminating Torah commentary entitled, Torah Temimah. Unlike the Rashbam and the Chizkuni, he takes the Mechilta’s analysis at face value and as a singular exception to the general rules of prophecy. He therefore states: [This Midrash is actually] very straightforward. This is because they [the Prophets] saw Him, so to speak, solely in a vision, whereas on the Sea [of Reeds] they saw Him [G-d] in a true physical manner (b’reiah muchashit). Moreover, when the Midrash states: “even a maidservant,” this, too, is easy to understand. [This is the case] since the Midrash is making use of the expression “even the lowliest of people,” as is found at the end of Talmud Bavli, Ketuvot112a, wherein it states “even a maidservant among the Jewish people.” According to Rav Epstein, the Jewish people witnessed G-d’s presence in a unique and never-to-be repeated manner. For one instant in the history of our people, everyone felt the palpable existence of Hashem. For one bright shining moment, He revealed Himself to His entire beloved nation. Therefore, we all declared as one “…this is my G-d and I will extol Him, the G-d of my fathers and I will raise Him up.” We live, unfortunately, in the age of hester panim wherein Hashem hides His presence from us. In many ways, our lives in our post-prophetic age are quite lonely, since we search seemingly in vain for our Yedid Nefesh (the most Beloved of our Soul, i.e. Hashem). Yet, every time we witness a magnificent sunset, behold a majestic mountain, or see a mighty flock of birds, we know that Hashem’s hand is writ large within Nature. It is, perhaps, at these sublime and exquisite moments in our lives, that we finally realize that we are not alone. Moreover, we are able to understand that Hashem, while hiding from us directly, nonetheless reveals Himself to us in a myriad of ways. This is when, both the Prophets and the simplest among us, can declare in unison just as our ancestors did on Mount Carmel (Sefer Melachim I:18:39) “Hashem Hu HaElokim, Hashem Hu HaElokim” (“G-d is the one and only G-d, G-d is the one and only G-d”). May we be zocheh to have many such moments, in our lives and to feel the presence of Hashem amongst us. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn. **Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613. *** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org |
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