Understanding Noach 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. The end of Parashat Bereishit presents the incredibly dire image of the impending destruction of mankind and all terrestrial life. Hashem, so to speak, was despondent over having created the human race, since we had corrupted our very essence and being: And the L-rd saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time. And the L-rd regretted that He had made man upon the earth, and He became grieved in His heart. And the L-rd said, “I will blot out man, whom I created, from upon the face of the earth, from man to cattle to creeping thing, to the fowl of the heavens, for I regret that I made them.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:5-7, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The world was on the cusp of total annihilation. Yet, on the verge of this yawning abyss, a beacon of light pierced the seemingly impenetrable darkness: “But Noach found favor in the eyes of the L-rd.” (Sefer Bereishit 5:8) Noach emerged as the savior of mankind. He found “favor in the eyes of the L-rd” precisely because he was unique: “… Noach was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generations; Noach walked with G-d.” (Sefer Bereishit 5:9) The Ramban (1194-1270) explains why Noach found favor before Hashem in the following manner: The reason why Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem is because all of his actions before Him were pleasant and pleasing. So, too, do we find [in the case of Moshe where it states:] “And the L-rd said to Moses: ‘Even this thing that you have spoken, I will do, for you have found favor in My eyes, and I have known you by name.’” (Sefer Shemot 33:17) [Noach, therefore, was similar to Yosef] about whom the Torah states: “The L-rd was with Joseph, and He extended charisma to him, and He gave him favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison.” (Sefer Bereshit 39:21) [In addition, Noach was similar to Esther] about whom it states: “… and Esther obtained grace in the eyes of all who beheld her.” (Sefer Megillat Ester 2:15). Noach having found “favor in the eyes of the L-rd” is mentioned in contrast to the actions of his generation since all of their actions caused despondency before Him, may He be blessed. [In contrast,] it says regarding him [Noach] that his actions were favorable to Him. Afterwards, [the Torah states explicitly] why he [Noach] was considered good before Him, i.e., he was a completely righteous individual [see Sefer Bereishit 5:9]. Beyond question, within the Ramban’s purview, Noach emerges as someone comparable in status to Moshe, Yosef, and Esther. Like these individuals, he was unquestionably great – a true hero of the spirit, and a model for us all. In sum, for the Ramban, Noach was well nigh the embodiment of human perfection and righteousness. Given the above, it becomes quite difficult to understand Rabbi Yochanan’s view, and Rabbi Chanina’s subsequent elaboration, as found in Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 108a: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations. R. Yochanan said: In his generations, but not in other generations… R. Chanina said: As an illustration of R. Yochanan's view, to what may this be compared? To a barrel of wine lying in a vault of acid: in its place, its odor is fragrant [by comparison with the acid]; elsewhere, its odor will not be fragrant. (Translation, Soncino Talmud.) In Rabbi Yochanan’s estimation, Noach was simply unexceptional. Moreover, he was only righteous when compared to the perverse men of his time. As Rabbi Chanina notes, he was relatively good, but not intrinsically or inherently “perfect.” He was merely a tzadddik by default, rather than a person of authentic import. Reish Lakish was another early Talmudic luminary who adopted a sharply contrasting position from that of Rabbi Yochanan. In his view, Noach was a great human being who rose beyond the pernicious influences of his generation to become a true hero. Rav Oshaia explicated Reish Lakish’s opinion in our above-referenced Talmudic passage: [Even] in his [Noach’s] generations — how much more so in other generations! …R. Oshaia said: As an illustration of Resh Lakish's view, to what may this be compared? To a phial of spikenard oil lying amidst refuse: [if] it is fragrant where it is, how much more so amidst spices! How may we understand the polar opposite views of Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish? How can Noach be perceived so radically differently by two of the most famous Sages of the early Talmudic period? I believe that the answers to these questions may have more to do with these Sages than with Noach. Rabbi Yochanan was the gadol hador (the greatest Sage of his time). He demonstrated amazing feats of Torah acumen and brilliant analysis from the earliest days of his youth, and was the paragon of virtue throughout his life. The entire Jewish world looked to him for spiritual direction and inspiration; he was our universally acclaimed leader and Torah guide. In contradistinction, Reish Lakish was initially the leader of a band of highwaymen. When Rabbi Yochanan first encountered him, he was a powerful and charismatic thief who preyed upon the weak and unprotected members of society. Eventually, Rabbi Yochanan rescued him from a life of crime, gave him his sister as his bride, and became his rebbi and mentor. Reish Lakish repented and became transformed from the leader of bandits to one of the greatest Torah luminaries of all time (see Talmud Bavli Ta’anit 8a). Perceptions and ideas are never created in a vacuum. Therefore, I believe that both Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish’s analyses of Noach are the direct results of who they were, and who they had been. In my estimation, Rabbi Yochanan did not fully appreciate the trials and tribulations that Noach had endured in order to reach the level of finding “favor in Hashem’s eyes.” I am convinced that he, therefore, could not completely understand the greatness that Noach had achieved. Instead, Rabbi Yochanan looked at Noach and all but declared he was no Avraham. True, according to multiple and varied Midrashim, Noach neither prayed for the salvation of the world’s population, nor led them in a last-ditch movement of repentance. Yet, and I believe this is the crucial point, the Torah teaches us that Noach nonetheless achieved a unique and holy status in the eyes of the Master of the Universe. In my opinion, Reish Lakish personally identified with Noach and the efforts that had been required for him to overcome the perverse and twisted ways of his time. I believe that Reish Lakish’s past experiences facilitated his understanding of the level of gevurah (heroism) that Noach had achieved. As such, Reish Lakish viewed Noach within the context of the ethical and moral failures of his historical moment, and thereby perceived him as an authentic friend and follower of Hashem. Therefore, if Noach had lived at a time where evil did not reign supreme, he would have achieved even greater heights of righteousness. Despite the external pressures Noach faced, he did not allow himself to be dragged down into the pit of lawlessness and immorality that were the defining characteristics of his age. Rather, his entire persona was dedicated to serving Hashem. Thus, Noach was a hero who, as the Ramban notes, was comparable to Moshe, Yosef, and Esther. With Hashem’s help, may we follow the example of Reish Lakish and focus upon the good that is in others. Moreover, just as Noach’s efforts literally saved the world, may our singular dedication to Hashem help bring Mashiach Tzidkanu (the Righteous Messiah) 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources
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10/12/2014 Shemini Atzeret – Simchat Torah, 5775, 2014: "Simchat Torah and Hakaret Hatov (Recognition of the Good)"Read NowRabbi 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. By definition, the second day of Shemini Atzeret, i.e. Simchat Torah, has a Rabbinic rather than a Biblical basis, since the Torah does not mandate the observance of a second day of Yom Tov (in the Diaspora). In addition, for a significant period of Jewish history, the second day of Shemini Atzeret was simply the second day of the Festival – devoid of any unique celebratory activity or behavior. We know that the transformation of the second day of Shemini Atzeret into Simchat Torah originated in Babylon. Yet, exactly when this transformation took place remains lost in the sands of time. As Rabbi Ari Enkin, quoting Rabbi Avraham Yaari’s widely respected work, Toldot Chag Simchat Torah (The History of the Festival of Simchat Torah), notes: The evolution of Simchat Torah as part of the Shemini Atzeret celebrations first originated in Babylon and was not even observed in Israel until the end of the Gaonic period [11th century]. For Babylonian Jewry, Simchat Torah was the celebration of the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. The Torah had been divided up into 54 separate parshiot, with a different parasha (and sometimes two at a time) being read every Shabbat, thereby completing the entire Torah each year. (http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2008/10/simchat-torah.html, underlining and brackets my own) Significantly, however, the name “Simchat Torah” does not appear in the Babylonian Talmud. This is particularly of note, since this work contains material up to and including the Sixth century CE. Therefore, we can readily surmise that Simchat Torah is, in all likelihood, a product of the post-Talmudic period. Rav Amnon Bazak, a noted Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Har Etzion, suggests that the transformation of the second day of Shemini Atzeret into the holiday of Simchat Torah by Babylonian Jewry was part of the overall conceptual transference of the Chagim (Festivals) from agriculturally-focused to essentially Halakha-based days of celebration: As opposed to the “Biblical Jew,” for whom agriculture stood at the center of existence, the “post-Temple Jew” concentrates his religious life in the proverbial “four cubits of Halakha.” Therefore, the agricultural calendar was replaced by the “Torah calendar.” In this system, the festival of the first harvest (Shavuot), which commemorated the first opportunity to benefit from one’s produce, was transformed into the holiday of Matan Torah [the Giving of the Torah], the first step in the nation's acceptance of the Torah. Shemini Atzeret, which, for the agrarian society, was celebrated as the end of the year, evolved into the celebration of the completion of the Torah reading, Simchat Torah. (http://vbm-torah.org/sukkot/shmin-bazak.htm, brackets my own) At this juncture, it is clear that the Chachamim (Sages) of Babylonia Jewry changed the nature of the second day of Shemini Atzeret into a day with its own unique identity and purpose – a day wherein the annual completion of the reading of the Torah was celebrated. The question, of course, is “why?” In other words, what were the motivating factors behind the creation of the day of Simchat Torah? In my estimation, there is a portion of the Siddur that begins to answer our questions: Therefore we are obligated to thank You, praise You, glorify You, bless, sanctify, and offer praise and thanks to Your Name. We are fortunate (Ashreinu) – how good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our inheritance! (Translation, The Complete ArtScroll Siddur, page 27, with my emendations for clarity, parentheses my own) The first mention of this passage is found in the Siddur Rav Amram Gaon (Ninth Century). It is imperative to recognize that Rav Amram did not compose this section. Instead, the purpose of his work was to report, and thereby effectively formalize, the liturgical practices prevalent in the Babylonia of his day. Hence, the origin of this section predated Rav Amram’s classic work by an indeterminate number of years. In my view, Simchat Torah’s underlying rationale is found in the words, “We are fortunate (Ashreinu) – how good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our inheritance” – one of the most popular phrases we sing and dance to during the course of the Hakafot (Seven Circuits). Ashreinu follows the introductory statement, “we are obligated to thank You, praise You, glorify You, bless, sanctify, and offer praise and thanks to Your Name.” This phrase is, perhaps, one of the preeminent formulations of hakaret hatov (recognition of the good) in our liturgy. No wonder we are so fortunate! No wonder we give such effusive thanks! Our inheritance (yerushatainu) is the Torah itself, the words of the Creator of the Universe! “Moshe commanded us the Torah, it is the inheritance of the entire congregation of Yaakov” (Sefer Devarim 33:4). I believe we are now in a better position to understand why Simchat Torah was created. Chazal (our Sages of Blessed Memory) wanted to designate a day to give voice to our innermost feelings of hakaret hatov to the Almighty for bestowing upon us His gift of the Torah. They wanted a day reserved for the thanks, praise and glorification of His ineffable Name – through absolute joy. Therefore, on Simchat Torah we strive to emulate David Hamelech (King David) who danced with passionate abandon when the Aron Hakodesh (Holy Ark) was brought to Jerusalem (Sefer Shmuel II:6:5). Moreover, we try with our entire being to fulfill King David’s beautiful and inspirational words: “Serve the L-rd with joy (simcha) come before Him with praise.” (Sefer Tehillim 100:2, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) May this Simchat Torah be the time when we reconnect to Hashem by demonstrating hakaret hatov through our joy, praise and love of Him as never before. In this way, may we truly serve Hashem in simcha and praise. V’chane yihi ratzon. Chag Sameach and 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Succot 5775, 2014:
The Stars of Succot 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. The laws pertaining to the construction of the succah are many and varied. Our Sages created an entire Talmudic tractate that analyzed every conceivable aspect of the succah’s constitutive elements, namely, the walls and the roof-like covering (schach). Central to these discussions are the uncontested notions of the physical placement and environment of the succah: It must be outside, fully exposed to the elements, and ideally have an unblocked view of the sky. Thus, Rav Yosef Karo (1488-1575), the author of the Shulchan Aruch, states in Orech Chaim 631:3: “The standard manner of placing the schach upon the succah is to do so in such a way as to enable one to see the large stars through it…” Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan Hakohen zatzal, better known as the Chafetz Chaim (1838 - 1933), in his monumental work known as the Mishnah Berurah, states that the large stars in this statement refer to those that can be seen during the day prior to sunset. In addition, he notes that a number of more recent authorities ruled that even the nighttime stars must be visible through the schach. The question is “why?” In other words, what subliminal, and possibly sublime, messages were Chazal (our Sages of Blessed memory) trying to teach us by mandating the visibility of the stars through the succah’s roof-like covering? On one level, perhaps, our Sages wanted us to view the stars in order to sensitize us to the wonder and beauty of G-d’s creation. Dovid Hamelech (King David) gave voice to this thought in his paean of praise to Hashem’s handiwork: “How magnificent are Your works Hashem, You made all of them in your supernal wisdom, the entire cosmos is filled with Your creations.” (Sefer Tehillim 104:24) Thus, when we dwell in our succot, we are reminded at all times of G-d’s glory, power, and majesty – simply by viewing the stars through the schach. I believe, however, that there is another reason why Chazal wanted us to view the stars while sitting in our succot. In my view, our Sages were acutely aware of the need to instill G-d-consciousness and awareness in each and every one of us. Without a sense of G-d’s direct presence and immanence in our lives, it can be difficult to feel He is our Yedid Nefesh (the Beloved of our Soul) and our direct protector. Therefore, we ask Him in every Friday night tefilah (prayer): “And spread over us the succah of Your peace. Blessed are You Hashem, Who spreads the succah of peace upon us and upon all His people Israel and upon Jerusalem.” In this prayer, we beseech G-d to reach out to us in an expression of His divine providence. This, I believe, is the precise feeling our Sages wanted us to have when we see the stars in our succot. In a very real sense, as well, Chazal wanted Succot to be a time of spiritual actualization. This idea is physically manifested through the encircling walls of the succah below, coupled with the cosmic symphony of the stars above. In sum, Succot enables us to serve Hashem through joy, and from the depth of our souls. Just like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Succot embodies the greatness that is inherent in our relationship with G-d. Along these lines, my rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), formulated the ideal manner of serving G-d: The Torah commands us to serve G-d with joy (Ps. 100:2), with longing and yearning, out of enjoyment and happiness, unfettered pleasure and the soul’s delight. When man does not see G-d and sense His presence at every turn; when he thinks of G-d only out of fear of punishment, with a cool intellect, without ecstasy, joy or enthusiasm; when his actions lack soul, inwardness, and vitality, then his religious life is flawed. If man is not always aware of G-d, without any interruption whatsoever - if he does not walk with G-d in all his ways and paths, if he does not sense G-d’s touch on his shoulders and sweaty face in his hours of distress and loneliness, imparting a certain comfort and encouragement – then his service is incomplete. (And From There You Shall Seek, published in Hebrew, 1978, translated by Naomi Goldblum, 2008) May it be G-d’s will, and our desire, that this Succot will be a time when we reconnect to the Almighty as our true Yedid Nefesh. May it be a time when we feel His mystical presence surrounding and protecting us. Moreover, may this year be the year we experience profound awe and joy when we see the stars of Succot. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Chag 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Yom Kippur, 5775, 2014: Rabbi David Etengoff To Be Before Hashem 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. The mitzvah of reayon, appearing in the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple), was one of the high points of each of the Yamim Tovim (Jewish Festivals): Three times in the year, every one of your males shall appear before the L-rd, your G-d, in the place He will choose: on the Festival of Matzoth and on the Festival of Weeks, and on the Festival of Sukkoth, and he shall not appear before the L-rd empty-handed. (Sefer Devarim 16:6, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). Rav Pinchas Kehati zatzal (1910-1976) offers a concise halachic analysis of this pasuk (verse): From here we may learn that there is a commandment incumbent upon every Jewish male who has reached the age of majority to travel up to Jerusalem during the Three Festivals. He must do this in order to appear in the Beit Hamikdash so that he may offer the sacrifices known as the olat reiyah (completely burnt offering) and the shalmai chagigah (festival offering). No measure was biblically ordained for this commandment. That is to say that the Torah did not stipulate how long or how many times the pilgrim was obligated to appear in the Holy Temple during a particular festival. This means that someone theoretically could have fulfilled his obligation by appearing in the Beit Hamikdash for but a moment. If he chose, however, to linger in the Holy Temple – this was certainly praiseworthy… (Mishnaiot Mevuarot, Mishnah Peah 1:1) The commandment of reayon was given great prominence within Rabbinic thought. This is illustrated, for example, in the well-known first Mishnah of Mishnah Peah: “These are things for which no measure is prescribed: Leaving over the corner of the field for the needs of the poor, First-Fruits, appearing before Hashem in the Holy Temple, the practice of loving kindness, and Torah study…” Given the manifest importance of the mitzvah of reayon, one cannot help but wonder why the Torah did not require Jewish males who had reached the age of majority to appear in the Holy Temple, as well, on Yom Kippur. After all, contrary to popular misconception, Yom Kippur is the most joyous day on the Jewish calendar – for on this day, if we engage in heartfelt teshuvah (repentance), we are forgiven for all of our sins. This, in turn, gives us the opportunity to achieve true reconciliation with Hakadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One blessed be He) and encounter Him as His beloved and loyal people. Rav Nissan Alpert zatzal (1927-1986), perhaps the greatest disciple of Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal (1895-1986), in his posthumous work entitled Limudei Nissan (volume II, page 187), noted that the renowned Torah giant Hagaon Rav Zalman Sorotzkin zatzal (1881-1966) both asked and answered the question, “Why was Yom Kippur excluded from the mitzvah of reayon?” Rav Sorotzkin’s answer is at one and the same time deeply insightful and spiritually inspiring. Moreover, it enables us to gain a new appreciation of the singular character of Yom Kippur: Why did the Torah not require the Jewish people to ascend in pilgrimage to the Beit Hamikdash on Yom Kippur? This was the case since at that time [i.e. on Yom Kippur] Hakadosh Baruch Hu was equally close to them (the Jewish people) wherever they may have been. In addition, anyone who has the least spark of Jewishness [in his heart] can intimately feel the overwhelming nature of this holy day. Thus for Rav Sorotzkin, Yom Kippur has an entirely different character than the Chagim (Festivals) of Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot. These Yamim Tovim require man’s appearance in the Holy Temple since that is where G-d is found at these times. In stark contrast, Yom Kippur does not require man’s pilgrimage to the Holy Temple, since Hashem’s Schechinah (Divine Presence) is so manifest and palpably present on this day that the physical space outside the Beit Hamikdash “contains” His glory no less than the Holy Temple itself! There is a well-known Mishnah that appears in Mishnah Yoma 8:9: Rabbi Akiva said: Happy are you O’ Jewish people. Before whom are you purified and who purifies you? Your Father in Heaven. As it says: [Sefer Yechezkel 36:25] “I will sprinkle upon you the purifying waters and you will become purified.” It says as well [Sefer Yirmiyahu 17:13] “Hashem is the hope (mikvei) of the Jewish people.” Just like a Mikveh purifies the impure ones, so, too, does the Holy One blessed be He purify the Jewish people. Rav Alpert utilized Rav Sorotzkin’s above-found answer to provide us with a novel understanding of this passage: And this is what Rabbi Akiva said when he declared: “Happy are you O’ Jewish people. Before whom are you purified and who purifies you? Your Father in Heaven.” This means that on this day they [the Jewish people were and are] before Hashem since the entire world is filled with His glory [on Yom Kippur], since He is close to us [as He is on no other day]. With these words Rabbi Akiva was able to comfort his colleagues [compare Talmud Bavli, Makkot 24b]. Even though the Holy Temple was destroyed, and they were exiled amongst the impure nations, on one day during the year the Holy One blessed be He drew near to them to purify them, to recognize their merits, and to sanctify them. (Brackets my own) With G-d’s help, and our own heartfelt efforts, may each of us recognize that Yom Kippur is the one day during the year, even in the absence of the Beit Hamikdash, wherein the Holy One blessed be He draws near to us to purify us, to recognize our merits, and to help us become a truly holy nation before Him. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom, G’mar Chatimah Tovah, and Tizku l’shanim rabot 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Rosh Hashanah 5775, 2014
The Meaning of the Shofar 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. The shofar is universally recognized as the symbol of Rosh Hashanah. Its piercing blasts reach the essence of our beings and bestir our souls to thoughts of teshuvah (returning to Hashem). In a well-known passage in the Mishneh Torah, the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) presented the inherent rationale of the kol shofar (sound of the shofar): Even though the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a decree [of the Torah], it contains an allusion. It is as if [the shofar’s call] is saying: “Wake up you sleepy ones from your sleep and you who slumber, arise. Inspect your deeds; repent, and remember your Creator.” Those who forget the truth in the vanities of time and throughout the entire year devote their energies to vanity and emptiness, which will not benefit or save: [What, then, should they do instead?] “Look to your souls, improve your ways and your deeds and let every one of you abandon his evil path and thoughts.” (Sefer Maada, Hilchot Teshuvah III: 4, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger with my emendations to enhance clarity) The Rambam wrote these words in the 12th century, yet they are as relevant today as they were when he first composed them. Unfortunately, year after year, we have a tendency to “forget the truth in the vanities of time” and “devote [our] energies to vanity and emptiness, which will not benefit or save.” Therefore, Maimonides teaches us that the shofar is a “wake-up call” that announces: “Look to your souls, improve your ways and your deeds and let every one of you abandon his evil path and thoughts.” This “wake-up call” motif is first found in the Torah proper (Sefer Shemot 19:16), and is prominently repeated in the Shofrot section of the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah: “It came to pass on the third day when it was morning, that there were thunder claps and lightning flashes, and a thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very powerful blast of a shofar, and the entire nation that was in the camp shuddered.” (This, and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The sound of Hashem’s shofar, accompanied by voices and torches, and a smoking Mount Sinai, was so incredibly intense that we not only heard the sounds, we actually saw them: “And all the people saw the voices and the torches, the sound of the shofar, and the smoking mountain, and the people saw and trembled; so they stood from afar.” (Sefer Shemot 20:15) Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan zatzal (1934-1983) noted in his work, The Living Torah, that seeing sounds is a psychological phenomenon known as “synesthesia,” wherein the stimulation of one sense simultaneously triggers the response of another. While the coinage of this term is of relatively new vintage, Rav Kaplan notes that the unusual stimulus-response behavior found in our verse was already described in this manner by the Midrash Mechilta (circa 130 CE), Rashi (1040-1105), Ibn Ezra (1089-1167), and the Rambam (Moreh HaNevuchim I:46). It seems that the Sinatic revelation was so powerful that one sense alone was incapable of processing its content; instead, we needed to employ multiple senses in an attempt to apprehend the meaning of this never-to-be repeated moment. In sum, it was a gift from Hashem, as if He said to us: “Hear, see, and palpably feel My presence in your midst, for I am the L-rd your G-d who took you out of Egypt.” The sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, while initially appearing to herald G-d’s presence amongst us as the Judge on the Day of Judgment, is, in reality, representative of Hashem’s beneficent and merciful kindness. David Hamelech (King David) gave voice to this concept in Sefer Tehillim 47:6: “G-d (Elokim) shall be exalted with the trumpet blast; the L-rd (Hashem), with the sound of the shofar.” Herein, trumpets depict the manifestation of G-d (Elokim) among us, similar to the sound of these instruments announcing the arrival of an earthly king. Yet, when the Creator searches for and relates directly to the Jewish people, we find that He appears in the guise of Hashem, the ba’al harachamim, the ultimate master of compassion and mercy. King David recapitulated and reinforced this concept in a later verse in Sefer Tehillim 98:1: “With trumpets and the sound of a shofar, raise your voices before the King (Melech), the L-rd (Hashem).” A careful reading of this verse reveals that there is a direct one-to-one correspondence that obtains between “trumpets” and “the King,” and “the sound of the shofar” and “the L-rd” (Hashem), that is, they form a parallel pair. Once again, the shofar is inextricably tied to the middat harachamim (quality of mercy), i.e. Hashem. Our encounter with the pasukim (verses) from Navi (the Prophets), within the Shofrot section of the Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah, while simultaneously underscoring the theme of Hashem’s mercy, introduces us to a new theme, namely, the fulfillment of Judaism’s eschatological vision. The onset of this time is described by the prophet Yeshiyahu (18:3) in these terms: “All inhabitants of the world and dwellers of the earth, when a standard of the mountains is raised you shall see, and when a shofar is sounded you shall hear.” In a later verse, he proclaims that the “great shofar” will sound on that day, and once again, the middat harachamim is front and center: And it shall come to pass on that day, that a great shofar shall be sounded, and those lost in the land of Assyria and those exiled in the land of Egypt shall come and they shall prostrate themselves before the L-rd (Hashem) on the holy mount in Jerusalem. (27:13) Let us now briefly summarize the essential concepts we have explored on our journey to understand the meaning of the shofar and the Shofrot section of Mussaf Rosh Hashanah: · The shofar is a wake-up call to engage in teshuvah · The shofar at Mount Sinai was both heard and seen · The shofar is ultimately the representation of Hashem’s merciful kindness · The shofar heralds the fulfillment of Judaism’s Messianic vision for all mankind With Hashem’s help, may this be the year “when a shofar is sounded and we shall all hear,” and see the realization of Hashem’s kingdom on earth. As Zechariah the prophet declared so long ago: “And the L-rd shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall the L-rd be one, and His name one.” (14:9) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shanah tovah u’metukah Tizku l’shanim rabot 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Parshiot Nitzavim - Vayelech 5774, 2014 Therefore, Choose Life! 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. Parashat Nitzavim contains a well-known pasuk (verse) that is very timely in the final days before Rosh Hashanah: “This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses [that I have warned] you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live.” (Sefer Devarim 30:19, this, and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Tanach Complete Tanach) As Rosh Hashanah approaches, we look back upon the past year and reflect upon the many changes that life has wrought. These thoughts naturally lead us to focus upon the meaning of the phrase: “You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live.” Rashi (1040-1105), suggests the following interpretation: [G-d says: “Even though you have free choice [nevertheless,] I instruct you to choose the portion of life.” It is like a man who says to his son, “Choose for yourself a fine portion of my estate,” and then directs him to the best portion, saying to him, “This [is the portion which] you should choose for yourself!” And regarding this, the verse says, “The L-rd is my allotted portion and my cup; You guide my destiny” (Sefer Tehillim 16:5). One of the key elements found herein is the idea of free will. The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) emphasized the singular import of this concept and devoted chapters five and six of Hilchot Teshuvah to its explication: This principle is a fundamental concept and a pillar [on which rests the totality] of the Torah and mitzvot as [Sefer Devarim 30:15] states: “Behold, I have set before you today life [and good, death and evil].” Similarly, [Sefer Devarim 11:26] states, “Behold, I have set before you today [the blessing and the curse],” suggesting that the choice is in your hands. Any one of the deeds of men that a person desires to do, he may do, whether good or evil. Therefore, [Sefer Devarim 5:26] states: “If only their hearts would always remain this way.” From this, we can infer that the Creator does not compel or decree that people should do either good or bad. Rather, everything is left to their [own choice]. (5:3, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger with my emendations) Hashem wants us to choose the proper path of Torah observance upon which to tread. As the Rambam makes quite clear, nothing stands in our way. The choice to pursue that which is good and righteous or, G-d forbid, the opposite course is totally within our control. “…the Creator does not force or decree upon anybody to do good or bad, but lets them choose.” Yes, we will almost inevitably make mistakes. Nonetheless, if we begin our journey during the upcoming year with the proper attitude and orientation, if we dedicate ourselves to studying and living according to the Torah and the interpretations of our rabbis, we stand a much better chance of strengthening ourselves in precisely those areas that are crucial for “choosing life” for ourselves and our families. The waning days of Elul are the time for us to ask ourselves life’s “big questions.” Perhaps the biggest of all of these queries is “What is life?” This is the question that has captivated introspective thinkers, philosophers, and theologians since time immemorial. In many ways, as well, this is the question that speaks to the center of our very being. Little wonder, then, that it has been answered in myriad ways throughout the course of man’s journey through time. Since each civilization, society, and religion has had its own unique response, we must look to the Torah and its Sages for the authoritative answer to such a central and fundamental question. One source that can serve as an authentic guide is the Siddur (Prayer Book). On a daily basis, it helps us chart a course through the waters of confusion and grapple with the question, “What is life?” The birchat hachodesh (monthly prayer announcing Rosh Chodesh, the new Jewish month) provides us with clear thoughts as to how to understand “life” according to our holy Torah. Therein we beseech Hashem for a month filled with goodness and blessing. Specifically, we request the following:
Life, as presented in this prayer, is like a diamond. It is comprised of many facets that are themselves composed of the multitude of our physical and spiritual needs. In addition, and in many ways, our relationship with Hashem emerges as the single most important aspect of our lives. This bracha teaches us quite clearly that everything in our lives stems directly from chasdei Hashem (Hashem’s kindness). Yet, how can we hope to receive the blessings found in the birchat hachodesh? How can we achieve the closeness with Hashem that we so desperately need? How can we communicate with our Creator so that will be able to enter into a genuine I - Thou relationship? Fortunately, the Torah answers these questions in the very next verse, after we are urged to choose life: “To love the L-rd your G-d, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For that is your life and the length of your days, to dwell on the land which the L-rd swore to your forefathers to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give to them.” (Sefer Devarim 30:20) In many ways, this pasuk emerges as a synopsis of our obligations toward our Creator: We must love Him, we must listen to His voice, and we must cleave to Him. The Seforno (Rabbi Ovadiah ben Yaakov, 1470-1550) explains what we must do in order to cleave to Hashem: “that all of your deeds should be in His name.” In other words, all our actions, from the most mundane to the most sublime, must have one essential purpose: to completely dedicate ourselves to Hashem and bring honor to His name. May we have the wisdom and vision to dedicate our lives to the service of Hashem. In turn, may we be the recipients of His unbounded kindness, so that our lives will be replete with all of the blessings of the birchat hachodesh. May we all, therefore, choose life! Shabbat Shalom Shanah tovah u’metukah Tizku l’shanim rabot 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Parashat Ki Tavo 5774, 2014 On the Destiny of the Jewish People 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel. Our parasha begins with the phrase, “v’hayah ki tavo el ha’aretz,” (“And it will be when you come to the land”). The exact expression, “ki tavo” (spelled in full with a vav), is found three other times in the Torah, namely, in Sefer Bereishit 24:41, 30:33 and 38:16. Let us examine each of these verses in order to ascertain if there are any shared or complementary thematic elements that are introduced by this phrase. Sefer Bereishit 24:41: This pasuk (verse) is a retrospective presentation of the dialogue between Avraham and his unnamed servant, whom the Midrash consistently identifies as Eliezer. Herein, Avraham commanded Eliezer to find Yitzhak a wife from his (i.e. Avraham’s) family, and seal that obligation with an oath: “You will then be absolved from my oath, when you come (“ki tavo”) to my family, and if they do not give [her] to you, you will be absolved from my oath.” (This and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In this instance, “ki tavo” signals a major step in the continuation of the Jewish people: Avraham knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the future of the Jewish people was inextricably interwoven with Yitzhak, and that the monotheistic religious revolution he had begun could only be sustained through the unceasing efforts of his most cherished son. Avraham, the progenitor of our people, had been blessed with Sarah – without whom his goals would have remained merely wistful dreams. He, therefore, realized that as great as Yitzhak was, he could not reach his full potential alone, and that he needed a beloved life partner to ensure the continuity of the Jewish people. As a result, the search for Yitzhak’s wife was prominently punctuated with the term, “ki tavo,” to alert us to a change in the destiny and future of our people. Sefer Bereishit 30:33: Six chapters later in the Bereishit narrative, we are met with a crucial and life-changing interaction that obtained between Yaakov Avinu (our father Jacob) and his deceitful father-in–law, Lavan. With the exception of Benyamin, all of Yaakov’s sons, including Yosef, had now been born. At this point, Yaakov clearly recognized that by remaining with Lavan, he was subjecting his household to both spiritual and physical dangers. He realized that in order to protect his faith and family, he would have to leave his father-in-law and all for which he stood. Therefore, he announced his intentions to Lavan who, following the mores of his time, finally asked Yaakov to establish his rightful wages for the many trying years of his devoted and selfless labor. As was to be expected in such an angst and tension-filled encounter, Yaakov needed to be exceptionally forthright and transparent in order to avoid any impression that he was asking for that which was not his. He negotiated an honest and straightforward settlement and then declared to Lavan: “And my righteousness will testify for me at a future date for it will come upon (ki tavo) my wages before you. Whatever is not speckled or spotted among the goats or brown among the sheep [shall be counted as] stolen with me.” While this initially appears to be nothing other than a business deal, one is struck by the terms “my righteousness” (“tzidkati”), “at a future date” (“b’yom machar”), and “ki tavo.” Once again, the term “ki tavo” is unmistakably the harbinger of the future of the entire Jewish people, a time when our righteousness, as the servants of the Almighty, will surely be recognized by the entire world. Sefer Bereishit 38:16: The next pasuk is an essential part of one of the most unusual accounts in Chamisha Chumshei Torah (The Five Books of the Torah), namely, the physical encounter that transpired between Yehudah and his daughter-in-law, Tamar, who was playing the role of a harlot: “So he turned aside toward her to the road, and he said, ‘Get ready now, I will come to you,’ for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law, and she said, ‘What will you give me that you should come (ki tavo) to me?’” There are a multitude of disturbing elements in this story and many questions that we can ask. Yet, Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 85:8 exonerated Yehudah’s behavior in the following fashion: At first [glance] Yehudah paid her [Tamar] no attention since she covered her face [and was clearly a harlot]. He, therefore, desired to walk away from her. At that moment, however, the Holy One Blessed be He caused the angel that is in charge of desire to say to him: “Yehudah where are you going? From where will kings come forth? From where will the great ones arise?” Therefore, the text immediately states: “So he turned aside toward her to the road.” In other words, this [entire matter] was against his will and not for his benefit. (Translation and brackets my own) Tamar, as well, was completely vindicated by our Sages and viewed as a consummate tzedeket (righteous woman) as the following passage from the Zohar (I:158 b) clearly portrays: There were two women from whom the seed of Yehudah blossomed. There came forth from them King David, King Solomon, and [there will come forth] the Melech Hamashiach (the Messiah). These two women were similar to one another, i.e. Tamar and Ruth, for in both cases their first husbands died, and both actively pursued the physical relations [that would eventuate in offspring]. The seed of Yehudah was established (lit. “built”) and perfected by these two [women], and both acted out of righteous motives. (Translation, brackets, and parentheses my own) Once again, “ki tavo” heralds a change in the destiny of Kenneset Yisrael, the trans-historical entity of the Jewish people, up to and including the coming of Mashiach. Given what we have learned from the preceding narratives, we are now ready to determine if “ki tavo” in our parasha has the same future-oriented connotation that we have identified until this point. Herein, the direct meaning of the Hebrew text serves as our guide, since the word that precedes “ki tavo” in the first pasuk of our sidrah (Torah portion) is “v’hayah,” a Biblical future tense form of the verb “to be.” In other words, we may legitimately translate our three-word expression as: “In the future, it will be the case when you come.” Come where? “… into the land which the L-rd, your G-d, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it.” Clearly, the phrase, “ki tavo,” in our parasha reflects the same meaning as in the verses we have analyzed from Sefer Bereishit. In a word, ki tavo portends transition and change, and speaks to the future and destiny of the Jewish people. Parashat Ki Tavo is always read before Rosh Hashanah. Chazal (Our Sages of blessed memory) instituted this practice because it contains one of the two instances of the Tochechah, in this case, 54 verses of frightening and devastating curses that will ensue if we, as a nation, violate Hashem’s mitzvot. Beyond a doubt, these terrifying verses should lead nearly everyone to moments of deep introspection and heartfelt contemplation – two constitutive elements of the teshuvah (returning to Hashem) process. Hence, it is read before the Day of Judgment. In my opinion, however, there is another reason why Chazal instituted the reading of our parasha at this time. It appears to me that this is contained in the very first verse of our Torah portion: “And it will be, when you come (ki tavo) into the land which the L-rd, your G-d, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it.” How can we reinterpret this pasuk in light of what we now know about the phrase, “ki tavo?” I believe Hashem is giving us an incredibly powerful and optimistic message immediately before Rosh Hashanah, when each of us stand in fear and tremble before Him: No matter how far we have strayed from his Torah, no matter how disloyal we may have been, no matter what we have done or failed to do, He will take us back once again and cradle us in His beneficent “arms” if we but reach out to Him in true and authentic repentance. May it be that when the Jewish people wholeheartedly return to G-d b’teshuvah shalaimah (complete repentance), we will witness the fulfillment of our pasuk and the realization of our nation’s ultimate destiny under the guiding hand of the Melech Hamashiach. With Hashem’s help, 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Parashat Ki Tetze 5774, 2014 Sanctifying Our Lives to Serve Hashem 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of the soldiers of Tzahal in their holy mission to protect the Jewish people. Our parasha contains an abundance of mitzvot. One of them is the prohibition of planting a mixture of diverse seeds with grape seeds (kelai hakerem): “You shall not sow your vineyard [together with] a mixed variety of species, lest the increase, even the seed that you sow and the yield of the vineyard [both] become forbidden.” (Sefer Devarim 22:9, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon Talmud Bavli, Berachot 22a, explains the precise forbidden action associated with this proscription in the following manner: [You shall not sow your vineyard together with] a mixed variety of species: [For example,] sowing in the same hand-throw [of seeds] wheat and barley, [the sowing together of which already constitutes one prohibition of כִּלְאַיִם (kelai’im) - “mixed variety of species” (see Sefer Vayikra 19:19)], and grape seeds [the total combination of which now constitutes an additional prohibition of sowing the two diverse species in a vineyard] In many ways kelai hakerem is conceptually similar to other forbidden types of mixtures (kelai’im), such as sha’anetz (interwoven threads of linen and wool in a garment), basar v’chalav (kosher milk and kosher meat that is cooked together), hybridization of diverse animals and planting diverse species of seeds together in a field. In broad terms, each of these prohibitions may be placed in the category of chukim, mitzvot whose underlying reasons currently escape our understanding. Man, however, is a curious and searching being. While we perform all mitzvot “because G-d commanded them and they are written in the Torah,” Judaism’s greatest thinkers have nonetheless been engaged in a ceaseless exploration of their meaning. This search is called “Ta’amei Hamitzvot.” Rabbi Ezra Bick, in his online article entitled, “Introduction to the Thought of the Ramban,” provided an excellent introduction to this topic: Devising systems to provide the rationale for the mitzvot, and giving reasons for individual mitzvot, is a recurring theme in medieval Jewish philosophy, a theme that has continued to fascinate Jewish thinkers up to the present time. This is a quintessential Jewish occupation, because no other major religion has the body of detailed commandments that Judaism possesses, and no other religion places such an emphasis on the law and the commandments. The Torah is primarily the book of the commandments, and Judaism is primarily the way of the Torah. (http://vbm-torah.org/archive/ramban/09ramban.htm) Let us now turn to an examination of kelai hakerem in an attempt to discover its underlying rationale. Our journey of exploration begins with the Italian commentator and cabbalist, Rabbi Menachem Recanati (1250-1310), known in Torah literature as “the Recanati.” He explained the term “kelai’im” as being etymologically similar in kind to the word “kilyon” (“destruction”). At first blush, however, it is logically difficult to imagine the mere planting of wheat, barley and grape seeds together as constituting an act of destruction since, after all, what does such an admixture actually destroy? The Recanati answered that such a seemingly nonthreatening act actually changes the order of Creation (“meshaneh sidrei Bereishit”) since, “If a strong plant were to gain its sustenance from a weaker plant – the world [as we know it] would be destroyed, for a plant should only be sustained through another plant of its own species.” (Commentary on Sefer Vayikra 19:19, translation and brackets my own) In addition, he opined that an individual who would engage in the creation of any form of kelai’im would actually be challenging Hashem, for it would be as if “he thought the Holy One Blessed be He had not completed the creation of all that is necessary in the world.” Moreover, such a person would be acting with consummate chutzpah (temerity), since by his actions he would demonstrate that “he wanted to create new creatures and ‘help’ in the Creation of the World” – the act par excellence that is uniquely reserved for the Almighty. In his explication of the prohibition of producing animal hybrids, the anonymous author of the Sefer HaChinuch (13th century) discusses the rationale inherent in kelai’im in a somewhat parallel manner as the Recanati: At the root of the precept lies the reason that the Eternal L-rd blessed is He, created His world with wisdom, understanding and knowledge, and He made and shaped all the forms, each according to what its object required, prepared to fit into the purpose of the world; and blessed is He who has [this] knowledge… Now since G-d knows everything He wrought is perfectly suited to its purpose, as is needed in His world. He commanded each and every species to produce its offspring of its own kind, as it is written in sidrah Bereishit (Genesis 1:11, 21, 24) – and the species should not be mingled, lest they become lacking in their perfection, and He will then not command His blessing for them. For this root reason, as it seems to our mind, we were forbidden to mate different species of animals and we were likewise adjured for the same reason, in conjunction with another reason that we wrote previously about plants and trees. (Sefer haHinnuch, translation, Charles Wengrov, Commandment 244, pages 91-92) Once again, the rationale underscoring the purpose of the kelai’im prohibition is that G-d has already achieved perfection in Creation, and man may not alter that which is already perfect. Closer to our own time, the great 19th century German exegete, Rabbeinu Shimshon Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), in his commentary on our opening verse (Sefer Devarim 22:9) suggested a deeply insightful reason as to why G-d decreed a specific prohibition of kelai’im in regards to the vineyard: Now there is one plant that one could imagine should not be allowed at all to be planted and cultivated in the soil of the Divine laws of morality [i.e. the Land of Israel] because the enjoyment of the product which matures on this plant entices men, more than anything else, to demoralizing excesses and lapses unworthy of human beings. On the soil dedicated to G-d’s laws of morality, the vine, one could well think, should find no place. [One need only remember Noach’s behavior upon leaving the ark when he planted a vineyard, became inebriated, and tragedy ensued]. But the Torah not only allows wine-growing in the Jewish Land, but uses the enjoyment of wine to be symbolic in offerings – as it used to be in inspired songs of praise of G-d to be expressive of – the loftiest feelings of joy before G-d: “Its libation shall be one quarter of a hin for each lamb, to be poured on the holy [altar] as a libation of strong wine to the L-rd.” [Sefer Bamidbar 28:7] Hence the Torah surrounds the cultivation of the vine in the Jewish Land with a still greater increase of kelai’im laws, only allows the vine to be cultivated under quite special conditions of keeping afar any possible mixture of species… All this expresses the great thought so characteristic of Jewish Law: G-d’s Torah not only allows but sanctifies even the highest material enjoyment of food, provided the eater keeps his enjoyment controlled by its laws…Wine obtained from vines planted under the regime of G-d’s Law of “species” even comes into the Sanctuary to be used as offerings to symbolize the loftiest joys of life. (The Pentateuch, Translated and Explained by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, rendered into English by Isaac Levy, Sefer Devarim, page 438, explanatory brackets my own) In a certain sense, then, Rav Hirsch has taught us that kelai hakerem is, in reality, another aspect of kashrut (keeping a kosher home) that has as its ultimate goal the sanctification of our lives - so we may serve the Master of the Universe in purity and holiness. Whether we follow the Recanati, the Sefer HaChinuch, or Rav Hirsch in their respective analyses of kelai hakerem and kelai’im in general, one thing is crystal clear: All of these laws were given in order to impress upon us the need to recognize Hashem as the one and only Creator of the Universe to whom we must dedicate the entirety of our beings. With His help, may we ever keep this goal front and center in our lives, so that we can truly be His loyal servants. 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources 8/22/2014 Parashat Shoftim 5774, 2014: "In Appreciation of Tzahal - the Soldiers of the Jewish People"Read NowIn Appreciation of Tzahal: The Soldiers of the Jewish People 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of the soldiers of Tzahal in their holy mission to protect the Jewish people. Our parasha contains a passage regarding the nature of a Jewish army that is as relevant today as when it was given to Moshe on Mount Sinai: When you go out to war against your enemies, and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them, for the L-rd, your G-d is with you Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And it will be, when you approach the battle that the Kohen shall come near, and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are approaching the battle against your enemies. Let your hearts not be faint; you shall not be afraid, and you shall not be alarmed, and you shall not be terrified because of them. For the L-rd, your G-d, is the One Who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” (Sefer Devarim 20:1-4, this and all Bible translations, the Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In sum, this section contains five expressions that focus upon the emotion of fear prior to going to battle: 1. “You shall not be afraid of them” (“Lo tira”) 2. “Let your hearts not be faint” (“Al yarach l’vavchem”) 3. “You shall not be afraid” (“Al ti’rau”) 4. “You shall not be alarmed” (“Al tachpezu”) 5. “You shall not be terrified because of them” (“Al ta’artzu”) Some of the greatest halachic thinkers of our tradition debated the status of our phrases. The dispute hinges on whether these statements are prescriptive or descriptive in nature. If they are prescriptive, then the Torah is teaching us an actual mitzvah, whereas if they are descriptive, then we are met with a narrative passage rather than with a commandment per se. The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) maintained that our verses constitute a Torah prohibition (lo ta’aseh). Therefore, in his Arabic work, Sefer Hamitzvot, written between 1168-1170, we find the following: The 58th commandment that we are urged to fulfill is to refrain from being afraid of disbelievers (alternate translation – “enemies”) at the time of war. Moreover, we may not flee from before them. In contrast, there is an obligation upon us to strengthen ourselves in order to stand and be resolute before the other nation [with whom we are at war]. And anyone who turns away and flees from the battle scene has already violated this negative prohibition. As the Torah states: “You should not be terrified from before them.” (Sefer Devarim 7:20) In addition, Maimonides championed this approach in three different places in his magnum opus, and sole major Hebrew work, Mishneh Torah, written between 1168-1177: Minyan Hamitzvot, Commandment 58 Jewish warriors (anshei milchamah) are obligated not to be afraid and not to be terrified from before their enemies at the time of war. As the Torah states: “You should not be terrified from before them” (Sefer Devarim 7:20) which means you should not fear them. Hakdamah l’Hilchot Melachim, Mitzvah 20 One should not be terrified and turn away and flee to the back of the battle lines at the time of war. Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 7:15 (Translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger) Anyone who begins to feel anxious and worried in the midst of battle to the point where he frightens himself violates a negative commandment, as it is written: “Let your hearts not be faint; you shall not be afraid, and you shall not be alarmed, and you shall not be terrified because of them.” (Sefer Devarim 20:3) Furthermore, he is responsible for the blood of the entire Jewish nation. If he is not valiant, if he does not wage war with all his heart and soul, it is considered as if he shed the blood of the entire people… In summary, the Rambam ruled that our five above-mentioned phrases (Sefer Devarim 20:1-4) constitute a mitzvat lo ta’aseh (a Torah prohibition) that has wide-ranging implications for the entire Jewish people. The first halachic authority to reject the Rambam’s position was the great Provencal scholar, Rabbi Avraham ben David (c. 1125-1198, known as the “Ra’avad” after the initials of his name). His repudiation of the Rambam’s view was terse and direct: “This is [merely] a promise and not a negative prohibition.” (Comments on Commandment 58 of Minyan Hamitzvot) In other words, the Ra’avad opines that Sefer Devarim 20:1-4, as well as other parallel Torah portions, are solely descriptive in nature, i.e., narrative passages. Significantly, the Ramban (Nachmanides, 11940-1270) followed this approach, as well, in his glosses on the Rambam’s Sefer Hamitzvot, Commandment 58, wherein he stated: “This is a promise and not a commandment.” The work, Megillat Esther (ascribed to various authors), was a response to the Ramban’s criticisms of the Rambam’s rulings in the Sefer Hamitzvot. Therein, the author states: It appears to me that the truth lies with the Rambam and that there, indeed, exists a negative prohibition (i.e. mitzvah) to be afraid of one’s enemies at the time of war. Moreover it is virtually impossible that this is a mere promise – along the lines that the Ramban suggests. Therefore, [the relevant Torah verses] were unquestionably stated as a commandment “to refrain from being afraid before them” for in this manner they [the Jewish soldiers] will be able to overpower their enemies and be victorious. The Rambam’s position was powerfully defended, as well, by the author of the Shulchan Aruch, Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575), in his commentary on the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah entitled, “Kesef Mishneh: Our teacher [i.e. the Rambam] explained the text according to its direct meaning, namely, that it is a negative prohibition. Therefore, the question is not upon him, but rather, one can only be amazed with the Ra’avad as to why he explained the verse in a counter-intuitive fashion, rather than in accordance with its direct meaning – seemingly solely to criticize our teacher. (Commentary on the Rambam’s Minyan Hamitzvot in Sefer Mishneh Torah, Commandment number 58) At this juncture in our journey of understanding our original verses, we can take a step back and return to their broader implications. After all, whether or not we are studying a covenantal imperative (i.e. a mitzvah) or a narrative passage, what ultimately matters is the message that Hashem delivered through the medium of the Torah. As such, I believe the Rambam captured the essence of our pasukim (verses) in an unequaled fashion: … Anyone who fights with his entire heart, without fear, with the intention of sanctifying G-d's name alone, can be assured that he will find no harm, nor will bad overtake him. He will be granted a proper family in Israel and gather merit for himself and his children forever. He will also merit eternal life in the world to come, as Sefer Shmuel I:25:28-29 states: “for the L-rd shall make for my lord [King David] a sure house, for my lord fights the wars of the L-rd. ... But my lord's soul shall be bound in the bundle of life with the L-rd your G-d.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 7:15, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger) I believe that the Rambam’s message is one of the most important ones we need to share with our brave soldiers who defend not only our holy country of Israel, but the entire Jewish people as well. Like King David of old, they are fighting “the wars of the L-rd.” With Hashem’s help, may they be “bound in the bundle of life” and be guided by His holy light. 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources Parashat Re’eh 5774, 2014 “You Are Children of the L-rd, Your G-d.” 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 bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shmuel David ben Moshe Halevy, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and to the safety of the soldiers of Tzahal in their holy mission to protect the Jewish people. Following the depressing and dreary period of the Three Weeks and Tisha b’Av, we are met with a phrase in this week’s parasha that engenders hope for a better future: “You are children of the L-rd, your G-d.” (Sefer Devarim 14:1, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) One of the best-known homiletical interpretations of our phrase is found in Pirkei Avot III:14: He [Rabbi Akiva] would also say: “Beloved is man, for he was created in the image [of G-d]; it is a sign of even greater love that it has been made known to him that he was created in the image, as it is says, ‘For in the image of G-d, He made man.’” [Sefer Bereishit 9:6] Beloved are Israel, for they are called children of G-d; it is a sign of even greater love that it has been made known to them that they are called children of G-d, as it is stated: “You are children of the L-rd your G-d.” [Sefer Devarim 14:1] Beloved are Israel, for they were given a precious article; it is a sign of even greater love that it has been made known to them that they were given a precious article, as it is stated: “I have given you a good purchase; My Torah, do not forsake it.” [Sefer Mishle 4:2] There are three distinct elements contained in these famous statements by Rabbi Akiva: 1. Man as man (i.e. universally) is beloved by the Holy One Blessed be He, since he was created in His divine image. 2. The Jewish people have been singled out for Hashem’s special love since only we are called “children of the L-rd, your G-d.” 3. Since we enjoy this singular relationship with the Almighty, He saw fit to give us His most precious gift – the Torah. This idea is further expanded upon in the Avot d’Rabbi Natan, a Rabbinic work that often parallels the mishnaiot found in Pirkei Avot. As such, the 44th chapter of this work also discusses man’s beloved nature, and the exceptional love Hashem has for the Jewish people, as evidenced by His having given us the Torah. The Jewish people are called “children,” as the Torah states: “You are children of the L-rd, your G-d.” (Sefer Devarim 14:1) And the Ministering Angels are also called “children,” as the text states: “Now the day came about, and the children of G-d (b’nai Elokim, i.e. the Angels) came to stand beside the L-rd, and the Adversary, too, came among them.” (Sefer Iyov 1:6) As a result, you do not know which group is more beloved before the Almighty – man or the Angels? Therefore the Torah states: “So said the L-rd, ‘My firstborn son is Israel.’” (Sefer Shemot 4:22) Jewish people! You are more beloved before Me than even the Ministering Angels! (Avot d’Rabi Natan, Version II, Chapter 44, translation, brackets, and explanatory emendations my own) Amazingly enough, while the Ministering Angels are indubitably Hashem’s children and, therefore, beloved by Him, G-d’s most ardent and passionate love is solely reserved for the Jewish people! We are now uniquely positioned to understand the words of the blessing that precede the recitation of Shema Yisrael: “habocher b’amo Yisrael b’ahavah” (“He who chose His people Israel in love.”) G-d’s love for the Jewish people is forever and unchanging. This, then, is precisely why He chose us “from all the nations of the world” (Festival Kiddush). With Hashem’s help, may we find comfort, solace and inspiration in the words, “You are children of the L-rd, your G-d,” and may we strive with all our being to be worthy of His special love. 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 and Scoopit.com Pages: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources |
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