Torah Tidbits Issue 1338 - 31/08/19 by Anglo Media

ISSUE 1338 31/08/2019

‫ל' אב תשע"ט‬

‫פרשת ראה‬

‫"ראה‬ ‫אנכי נותן‬ ‫לפניכם‬ "...‫היום‬

COLLECTIVE JOY

by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks see page 34

TORAH LEARNING AND MUSICAL SELICHOT

October 6th see page 36 for details

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PARSHA PIX Pix ParshaP

PPexplanations on p.68 PPexplanations further on and at www.ttidbits.com and at www.ttidbits.com Click on the PPW link Click on the PPW link

WORD OF THE MONTH

YES!

First opportunity for Kiddush L'vana for Elul according toFirst Minhag Yerushalayim, is Monday night, Sept. 2nd. op for opportunity for Kiddush L'vana for Elul according toFirst Minhag Yerushalayim, is Monday night,people Sept. 2nd. for 7-days-from-the-molad people 7-days-from-the-molad (andFirst forop many - most?) is Motza"Sh, Sept.(and 7thfor many most?) is Motza"Sh, Sept.all 7thnight. Last opBut is Friday Sept. 13th, all night. But don't wait! Last op is Friday night Sept. 13th, don'tnight wait! Yaaleh v'Yavo (YvY) in Birkat HaMazon on Rosh Chodesh does not invalidate ForgettingForge�ng Yaaleh v'Yavo (YvY) in Birkat HaMazon on Rosh Chodesh does the benching. Special situa�on if one omi�ed YvY and realizes his error before the bracha following not invalidate the The benching. YvY YvY: and UVNEI YERUSHALAYIM. followingSpecial is said atsituation that pointifinone lieu omitted of the omi�ed realizes his error before the bracha following UVNEI YERUSHALAYIM. The "‫ אשר נתן ראשי חודשים לעמו ישראל לזכרון‬,‫"ברוך אתה ה' אלוהינו מלך העולם‬ following is said at that point in lieu of the omitted YvY: TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

.oexkfl l`xyi enrl miycg iy`x ozpy mlerd jln epidl'` 'd dz` jexa

CANDLE LIGHTING

OTHER Z'MANIM

A N D H AV DA L A T I M ES

JERUSALEM CANDLES 6:31

PLAG 5:46

6:48 6:47 6:46 6:47 6:47 6:48 6:45 6:47 6:31 6:46 6:38 6:46 6:46 6:46 6:46 6:48 6:47 6:36 6:44

5:48 5:47 5:46 5:46 5:47 5:48 5:47 5:47 5:48 5:47 5:48 5:46 5:48 5:46 5:46 5:49 5:48 5:46 5:45

R'EI - ROSH CHODESH Yerushalayim / Maale Adumim

HAVDALA 7:42

RANGES ARE 11 DAYS, WED-SHABBAT 27 MENACHEM AV - 7 ELUL • AUG 28 - SEP 7

Earliest Talit & T’ﬁlin 5:20-5:27am Aza area (Ne�vot, S’deirot, Bet al) 7:44 Sunrise 6:12-6:18am Beit Shemesh / RBS 7:43 Sof Z’man K’ Sh’ma 9:26-9:27am Gush Etzion 7:42 (Magen Avraham: 8:48-8:50am) Raanana / Herzliya / Kfar Saba 7:44 Modi’in / Chashmona’im 7:43 Sof Z’man T’ﬁla 10:30-10:30am (Magen Avraham: 9:59-10:00am) Netanya 7:45 Be’er Sheva 7:43 Chatzot(Halachic noon) 12:40½-12:371⁄4pm Rehovot 7:44 Havdala Candles Plag B'CHUKOTAI Mincha GedolaBamidbar (Earliest Mincha) 1:13-1:09pm Petach Tikva 7:00 6:08 7:44/ Maale Adumim Plag Mincha Yerushalayim 8:17 7:04 6:12 8:21 5:48-5:37pm 7:20 6:13 8:22 Ginot Shomron7:16 6:10 7:43 S'deirot, et al)Sunset8:18 Aza area (Netivot, (coun�ng eleva�on) 7:131⁄2-7:01pm 7:19 6:12 8:22 Haifa / Zichron 7:15 6:09 on sea level: 7:081⁄2-6:56pm) Beit7:45 Shemesh / RBS (based8:18 Gush Shiloh 7:14 6:08 7:42 Gush Etzion 8:17 7:18 6:12 8:21 7:21 6:14 8:24 Saba 8:19 Tel Aviv / Giv’at7:17 Shmuel6:10 Raanana / Tel Mond 7:45/ Herzliya / Kfar Seymour J. AbramsOrthodox Union 7:20 6:13 8:22 Modi'in7:43 / Chashmona'im Jerusalem 8:18 Giv’at Ze’ev 7:15 6:09 World CenterAvrom Silver 7:21 6:14 8:24 Wolinetz Family Netanya 8:20 Chevron / Kiryat7:17 Arba 6:10 7:43 Jerusalem College for Adults 7:17 6:12 8:21 Be'er Sheva ShulMakom 7:13 6:09 8:17 BaLev Birthright YachadNCSY Ashkelon 7:45 6:13Pearl 8:23 & Harold M. Rehovot JLIC in7:20 Israel in Israel8:19 Yad Binyamin 7:16 6:10 7:44 7:04 6:13 8:23 Jacobs ZULA CenterThe Jack Gindi Petach 7:00 6:10 8:19Outreach Tzfat / Bik’at HaYarden 7:42 Tikva OU Israel Oraita Program 6:13 8:23 Kashrut Ginot 7:16 6:09 8:18 7:20 Golan 7:42Shomron Haifa / Zichron 7:07 6:11 8:21 7:12 6:14 8:25 ZVI SAND, PRESIDENT, OU ISRAEL Rabbeinu Tam (J’lem) - 8:22pm next6:08 week - 8:13pm Gush Shiloh 7:15 8:17 7:19 6:12 8:21 Fund,7:19Former 6:14 8:24President, OU Israel | Rabbi Emanuel Tel Aviv / Giv'at Shmuel Yitzchak8:19 7:15 6:10 z”l, Senior Vice President | Prof. Meni Koslowsky, Vice Giv'at Ze'ev Quint 7:15 6:08 8:17 7:19 6:12 8:21 President | Dr.7:18 Simcha Heller, Vaad member | Stuart Hershkowitz, 6:08 6:12 8:21 Chevron / Kiryat Arba 7:14 8:17 | Moshe Kempinski, Vaad member | Sandy OU Kashrut  NCSY  Jewish Ac�6:10 on  JLIC NJCD / Yachad Vaad member 7:21 6:14 8:23 Ashkelon 7:17 8:19 Vaad member | Zvi Sand, Vaad member | Ben / Our Way  OU West Coast  OU Press  Synagogue/ Kestenbaum, 7:20 6:13 8:23 7:16 6:10 Community Services  OU Advocacy  OU Israel Yad Binyamin Wiener,8:18 Vaad member | Harvey Wolinetz, Vaad member Tzfat / Bik'at HaYarden 7:06 6:09 8:19 7:10 6:13 8:23 7:19 6:11 8:23 RABBI 8:18 AVI BERMAN, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, OU ISRAEL Golan MOISHE BANE, PRESIDENT OF 7:14 THE 6:08 ORTHODOX UNION Rabbeinu Tam (J'lem) - 8:53pm • next week - 8:57pm Katz, CFO, OU Israel | Chaim Pelzner, Director of Programs, Howard Tzvi Friedman, Chairman of the Board, Orthodox Union | David

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TABLE OF CONTENTS LEAD TIDBIT

PROBING THE PROPHETS | Rabbi Nachman Winkler

PARSHA IN THE PARSHA | Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

TIPPING THE SCALE | Rabbi Shalom Rosner

EAT TO LIVE | Rebbetzin Shira Smiles

SHABBOS FOR SHABBOS | Rabbi Judah Mischel

SIMCHAT SHMUEL | Rabbi Sam Shor

COVENANT & CONVERSATION | Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

OU ISRAEL CENTER SCHEDULE

DIVREI MENACHEM | Menachem Persoff

HOW PERMITTED IS MEAT | Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider

THE OU VEBBE REBBE | Rabbi Daniel Mann

UNWITTING DAMAGE | Rabbi Gideon Weitzman

MEDINA & HALACHA | Rabbi Shimon Hakohen Nadel

ELUL - COME BLOW YOUR HORN | Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher

THE WAYS OF THE FATHERS | Rabbi Meir Tamari

WALK THROUGH THE PARSHA | Rabbi David Walk

FROM THE OHR HACHAYIM | Jacob Solomon

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

DEAR TORAH TIDBITS FAMILY

As you can see, Torah Tidbits has an upgraded look. 27 years ago our beloved Torah Tidbits editor, Phil Chernofsky, put out a one page edition of what is now an 80 page weekly publication which reaches 30,000 readers each week. Torah Tidbits has and continues to serve as our Halachic and spiritual compass for every Shabbat and Chag. As we prepare for Phil’s upcoming retirement come Rosh Hashana, we would like to thank him for his decades of service to our beloved publication. At the same time, we would like to welcome our incoming editor, Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider. Rabbi Goldscheider has been teaching at the OU Israel Center for the past two years. Prior to making Aliyah with his family in 2012, he was the Rabbi of Mt. Kisco Hebrew Congregation in Westchester, NY. Since his arrival in Israel he has published several books. He is also the founding director of the “In Our Hearts Project” which is dedicated to being a resource in the Jewish community for families that have experienced the loss of a child. Notably, he was a student of Phil’s many years ago and has been working together with Phil on this transition. We are also pleased to introduce you to Anglo Media. As of this week, they will be taking care of the publication aspects, including layout, advertising and printing. Thanks to our loyal and dedicated distribution team, our distribution will continue via our volunteer network of individuals who give their Neshama each week ensuring Torah Tidbits reaches over 500 communities throughout Israel. Rest assured, the Torah articles and writers which you read each Shabbat will continue to greet you as you read this upgraded publication. As we transition, please feel free to share your feedback. Wishing you an uplifting Shabbat and a Ketiva V’Chatima Tova,

Rabbi Avi Berman

Executive Director, OU Israel OU ISRAEL CENTER

LEAD TIDBIT A Most Important Transition

he title of this week's Lead Tidbit is purposely similar to last week's - thought it was a nice touch although the topic is different. First and foremost, as founder of Torah Tidbits and its editor for over 27 years, let me introduce you to the new editor, Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider. He has been teaching at the OU Israel Center for the past couple of years and has had a new column in Torah Tidbits. This, in addition to his many accomplishments in the field of Jewish Education. Together with that introduction, we also announce that the production of TT and the advertising therein, instead of in-house (not the printing, that's been outsourced for

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Keren Malki empowers families of children with special needs in Israel to choose home care. Donations are tax-approved in Israel, US and UK. Honoring the memory of Malka Chana Roth ‫הי”ד‬ 1985-2001, killed in the Sbarro bombing.

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

a long time) will now be handled by Anglo Media. Packing, transporting, delivery and pickup, will continue as is. We wish the new editor and production team the best of success with Torah Tidbits and look forward to TT's rising to new heights. With that said, allow me a thought about Parshat Re’eh - and really about all of D'varim. As we've written about many times over the years, the book of D'varim can be divided into three parts. Tweaking the Vilna Gaon's comment on this, we can say that the sedras of D'varim, Va'etchanan, and Eikev focus on the 40-year history of the birth of the Nation, and on the foundations of Judaism, as seen in the Sh'ma (first two parshiyot), the restatement of the Aseret HaDibrot, the significance of Eretz Yisrael to Jewish Life, and more. The second section consists of Re’eh, Shof'tim, and Ki Teitzei and focuses on Mitzvot. 170 mitzvot are counted in these three sedras, and other mitzot are reviewed, as well. The final sedras of D'varim and of the Torah addresses the issue of the concepts that give meaning to a Torah Way of Life - including Reward & Punishment and Free Will, among others. The correlation of the sedras to the Jewish calendar is very significant. D'varim was the perfect lead-in to Tish'a b'Av with its Eicha and its details on the sin of the spies which started to whole Tish'a b'Av 'thing'. Va'etchanan and Eikev are very comforting in that it shows us the basics of Torah Life and that 'there is life after churban'. Come the three mitzva-sedras to give us a healthy agenda for Elul. But before Elul is done and

the Yamim Nora'im are upon us, we have the stern warnings of the Tochacha and the warm feelings that come in the pre-RH sedra of Nitzavim. May we all have a productive and constructive Elul and the upcoming Chagim of Tishrei. K'tiva VaChatima Tova.

RE'EH STATS 47th of the 54 sedras; 4th of 11 in D'varim 257.8 lines in a Torah (rank: 4th) 20 Parshiyot; 5 open; 15 closed 126 p'sukim - ranks 13th (1st in Dvarim) Same number of p'sukim as Lech L'cha, but Lech L'cha ranks 23 in size, compared with 4th for R'ei. Interes�ng. 1932 words - ranks 7th (ﬁrst in D'varim) 7442 le�ers - ranks 7th (ﬁrst in D'varim) Rela�vely long p'sukim like most sedras in D'varim (hence, the jump in ranking from p'sukim to words and le�ers)

MITZVOT 55 of the 613; 17 posi�ve, 38 prohibi�ons. Only Ki Teitzei and Emor have more. OU ISRAEL CENTER

ALIYA-BY-ALIYA SEDRA SUMMARY [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the Parsha’s beginning; (Z) is the number of p’sukim in the parsha. Numbers in [brackets] are the Mitzvacount of Sefer HaChinuch AND Rambam’s Sefer

HaMitzvot.

A=ASEI

(positive

mitzva); L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is the perek and pasuk from which the mitzva comes.

KOHEN - FIRST ALIYA 17 P'SUKIM - 11:26-12:10 [S> 11:26 (3)] After setting down the fundamentals of Judaism (including the formative history of the Nation, Aseret HaDibrot, Sh’ma, Brachot & Davening, and more) in the first three sedras of D'varim, Moshe Rabeinu proceeds with the "Tachlis" part of the Book - mitzvot. The sedras of R'ei, Shoftim, and Ki Teitzei contain 170 mitzvot, the greatest concentration for three consecutive sedras. They are 3 of the top 6 mitzva-sedras of the Torah.

1 of 75,262

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TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

Blessing = keeping the mitzvot; curse = not keeping them. These are the simple equations that Moshe presents here and that Yehoshua will again present when the People stand on Har G'rizim and Har Eival. Note the phraseology in the opening p'sukim: the Blessing - THAT you will keep the mitzvot. The Curse - IF you won't... There is an implied "recommendation" to choose Blessing. (Similarly, "And you shall choose Life" in Nitzavim.) The Bracha, of course, WHEN you choose it... good things will happen. The curse, IF (not assumed) you are misguided enough not to choose the bracha and the path of Torah and mitzvot... [S> 11:29 (23)] The Nation was born in Egypt, had its infancy in the wilderness, and will grow and flourish in the Promised Land. "These are the mitzvot to be preserved in the Land..." Note that not all of the mitzvot that follow are Israel-related, yet it is possible to suggest - as Rashi and Ramban do, very strongly - that ALL mitzvot were meant to be observed in Eretz Yisrael. Ramban states clearly: You must keep mitzvot meticulously in Chutz LaAretz so that they will not be new (unknown) to you upon your return to the Land. Sites, altars, idols, etc. of the nations in Eretz Yisrael are to be destroyed [436, A185 12:2]. How- ever, we must be careful not to do the same to G-d [437, L65 12:4] - this mitzva includes the prohibition of erasing G-d's Holy Names. While their places are to be eliminated, THE Place (site of the Mikdash) is to be the focal point of Jewish spiritual life and

energy. All sacrifices and offerings are to be made there and only there, at the first festival encountered [438, A83 12:5]. It is on those occasions (the Shalosh Regalim, the three Pilgrimage Festivals) that sacred foods (such as Ma'aser Sheni, Neta Reva'i) are eaten in Jerusalem. Things won't be as "do your own thing" as they are in the wilderness. Soon we will be entering the Land for a more "permanent", down to earth life. There is a fairly common situation among the Torah's mitzvot, of a positive command and a prohibition basically saying the same thing. We have a mitzva to fast on Yom Kippur and a prohibition of eating and drinking. Same thing. We may not do Melacha on Shabbat and we must abstain from Melacha on Shabbat. Same thing. In R'ei, we are commanded to "cancel" uncollected loans at the end of Sh'mita year. We are forbidden from collecting loans after the Sh'mita year has past. Same thing. There are many examples of these "two-sides of the same coin" mitzvot. And there are reasons for the positive mitzva and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;partnerâ&#x20AC;? prohibition. But let's take a look at another aspect of mitzva pairs. Less common than the perfectly matched positive mitzva and prohibition, is the pair of mitzvot that overlap, but not completely. Take a look at [438], the mitzva to fulfill a pledge of a korban or other donation to the Beit HaMikdash. There is a partner prohibition (in Ki Teitzei) which forbids delaying the fulfillment of a pledge to the Mikdash. These mitzvot do not perfectly align. To fulfill the positive mitzva, one OU ISRAEL CENTER

must "pay up" by the next Regel. However, one is not in violation of the prohibition unless three Regalim have past since the pledge. This means that a pledge to the Beit HaMikdash made during Aseret Y'mei T'shuva, for example, should be fulfilled on Sukkot. If so, then the person is fulfilling an ASEI and also not in violation of a LAV. If he doesn't fulfill the pledge until Pesach, then he has NOT fulfilled the positive mitzva, but neither has he violated the prohibition. If Isru Chag Shavuot comes and he still hasn't fulfilled the pledge, then he is in violation of the LAV (because three chagim have passed).

LEVI - SECOND ALIYA 18 P'SUKIM - 12:11-28 There, a special place will be designated for the bringing of all offerings. There, spiritual rejoicing will take place, and there, we shall help the Levite and the less fortunate to also have cause to rejoice. It will be forbidden to bring sacrifices anywhere else [439, L89 12:13].

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

All Korbanot are to be brought only at the Mikdash [440, A84 12:14] (this is another mitzva-pair). Only those consecrated animals that become unfit for the Altar due to blemishes must be redeemed [441, A86 12:15] (without an invalidating blemish, a consecrated animal may NOT be redeemed) and then may be eaten as "regular" meat. The animals' blood, of course, may not be consumed. It is forbidden to eat Ma'aser Sheni outside Yerushalayim, neither of grain [442, L141 12:17], nor of wine (or grapes) [443, L142 12:17], nor olive oil (or olives) [444, L143 12:17]; nor to eat sacred firstborn animals outside of Yerushalayim [445, L144 12:17], nor the more sacred sacrificial meat outside of the Temple courtyard [446, L145 12:17], nor eat the meat of an Olah (completely-burnt offering) at all [447, L146 12:17], nor other korbanot before their blood is properly sprinkled on the Altar [448, L147 12:17], nor eat First- Fruits before they are placed in front of the Altar [449, L149 12:17]. Deep breath. The previous para- graph lists 8 mitzvot that all come from a single pasuk (12:17). (We sometimes refer to this pasuk as the Nolan Ryan pasuk, since its 8 mitzvot is so many more than the next place pasuk, just as Ryan's 7 no-hitters are by far, more than any other pitcher's.) Here too is an example of how we would be lost in trying to understand all that this pasuk is commanding us, without the Oral Law. It is important to remember that this is not rabbinic interpretation nor extension that we are dealing with; it is Torah as much from HaShem as Matza on the Seder night or Shofar on Rosh

HaShana. That which we are taught from the Oral Law is part of Torah MiSinai, just like the Written Word. All of the above-mentioned foods are to be eaten where they are supposed to be eaten. Be careful not to forget the Levi, the gifts due him, and other forms of help [450, L229 12:19]. [S> 12:20 (9)] "When G-d will expand your borders as promised..." Notice that the Torah speaks of prosperity immediately following the portion about generous charity-giving and concern for others. This is G-d's "illogical" promise: the more you give, the more you will have. If and when we desire to eat meat (other than the sacred meat of korbanot), we may do so anywhere we choose, but we must properly slaughter the animals we eat first [451, A146 12:21]. In the pasuk commanding Sh'chita, G-d says "(slaughter the animal) as I have commanded you". Yet we do not find the details of Sh'chita in the Written Torah. This is one of the sources for the concept that the Torah consists of a written portion and an Oral Law - both the Word of G-d. Non-sacred meat does not have the same restrictions as sacred meat (i.e. ritual impurity - yours or the animal's is not an impediment to eating it). Many other halachot, of course, do apply. An animal must be killed before its meat is taken. This is the universal prohibition (it is both one of the 613 and one of the 7 Noahide Laws) of "Limb from a living animal" [452, L182 12:23], EIVER MIN HACHAI. Blood must be removed from meat before we may eat it.

Please join us for a Shiur in memory of Danny Frei ‫הי’’ד‬ ‫שיעור לזכר דני פריי‬ Zichronot: The Meaning of Memory To be given by Rabbi Uri Cohen on ‫ אור ל י’ אלול תשע”ט‬,‫יום שני‬ Monday 9th September 2019 at 7:30 p.m. ‫בית כנסת שמעון הצדיק‬ ‫רחוב בן בבא קטמון‬

‫מזל טוב לרחלי ויואב ניניו‬ ‫על הולדת הבן‬

OU ISRAEL CENTER

Korbanot shall be brought from all over (even from outside of Israel) to the "Place of G-d's choosing" - the Mikdash [453, A85 12:26]. These korbanot shall be offered on the Mizbei'ach, the blood sprinkled thereon, the meat (when permitted) to be eaten there. Be careful to do all that G-d asks, so that things will be good for us and our children.

SHLISHI - THIRD ALIYA 22 P'SUKIM - 12:29-13:19 [S> 12:29 (4)] Repeat warning: Do not get interested in the idolatrous practices of the nations whom we will replace in the Land, lest we too anger G-d and be punished by Him. We shall do all that we are commanded, neither adding to [454, L313 13:1], nor diminishing from [455, L314 13:1] Torah & mitzvot. [P> 13:2 (5)] If (when) there arises among us a prophet or dreamer - even one who performs miracles or signs to back up his words - who prophesies in the name of idolatry, it is forbidden to listen to him [456, L28 13:4]. This is to be viewed as a test by G-d of our faith in Him. We must be true to G-d, follow Him, revere Him, keep His mitzvot, serve Him, and cling to Him. The above-mentioned false prophet

shall be put to death for his attempts to turn us away from G-d. We thus uproot evil from our midst. [S> 13:7 (6)] If any fellow Jew (even a close relative or beloved friend) tries to entice us to idolatry of any type (familiar, exotic, or foreign), we must show no love to such a person [457, L17 13:9], nor overcome our hatred of him [458, L18 13:9], nor rescue him from danger [459, L19 13:9], nor speak on his behalf in court [460, L20 13:9] nor refrain from speaking against him [461, L21 13:9]. The Torah must be very clear and strong in these commands, because it has become second- nature (ideally) for us to love our fellow, not hate him, and try to save him. But not in this case. These mitzvot stand in stark contrast to the mitzvot from K'doshim (and other places) which command love of fellow Jew, not to hate him, to save him from danger, etc. These mitzvot (from this week's sedra) underline the seriousness with which the Torah treats the enticer to idolatry. He is a cancer in our midst that must be removed. But rather, the enticer shall be put to death by stoning (after trial and conviction), the accusing witnesses initiating the execution. And (it almost goes without saying that) it is forbidden to entice a fellow Jew to leave G-d and worship idols [462, L16 13:12].

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TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

[S> 13:13 (7)] If we find out that an entire city is being enticed to idolatry, we must very carefully investigate the matter. This command is generalized to require thorough examination and ques- tioning of witnesses in all types of cases [463, A179 13:15]. If the charges are substantiated, the population of the "city gone astray" is to be killed by sword, the possessions of the people are to be burned, and the city itself destroyed [464, A186 13:17]. The city may not ever be rebuilt [465, L23 13:17] (unless security considerations determine otherwise). No one may benefit from anything from the city [466, L24 13:18] so as not to provoke G-d's anger. Proper fulfillment of these and other mitzvot will find favor in G-d's eyes.

R'VI'I - FOURTH ALIYA 21 P'SUKIM - 14:1-21 [S> 14:1 (2)] As "G-d's children", it is forbidden to gash oneself (for idolatrous purposes or to mourn the dead) [467, L45 14:1] nor tear out oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hair in grief [468, L171 14:1]. [Mitzva [467] also prohibits factionalization of the community when it is detrimental to Jewish unity - two totally different mitzvot attributed to the same source.] It is our destiny to be the chosen from among the nations of the earth. [S> 14:3 (6)] It is forbidden to eat â&#x20AC;&#x153;any abominationâ&#x20AC;?, defined here as the meat of a korban that had become "disqualified" [469, L140 14:3]. OU ISRAEL CENTER

The Torah next lists 10 types of mammals that are kosher (3 domestic, 7 wild), and then gives signs to determine a kosher animal (split hoof, cud-chewing). This is followed by four examples of animals we may not eat. NOTE that in Sh'mini, the first place where kosher and nonkosher animals are presented, only non-kosher animals are named. The kosher domesticated animals are very familiar to us: Cow, Goat, Sheep. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z"l identifies the 7 wild kosher animals (Chayot Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;hortot) as gazelle, deer, antelope, ibex, chamois, bison (or wild ox, maybe water buffalo), giraffe. In his footnotes, he brings different opinions about the Hebrew terms for different animals. Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, on the other hand, translates very few of the animals and birds mentioned in this parsha, and leaves all the rest in transliteration only. He defends his refusal to translate some of the animals because a mis-translation (which he considers very likely) can result in someone eating nonkosher. [S> 14:9 (2)] Fish with scales and fins are permitted to be eaten; that which has no scales (or fins) is forbidden to us. Scales (that are easily scraped off without dawmaging the skin of the fish) determine the kashrut of a fish. [S> 14:11 (11)] We may eat kosher birds. We are therefore obligated to examine and determine the kosher status of a bird we would like to eat [470, A150 14:11] (The corresponding mitzvot for the other types of animals have been counted as mitzvot from Shmini.) 14

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The Torah lists 21 types of birds that are forbidden. (Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t confuse the term species with type. Torah types do not necessarily conform to modern taxonomy.) The characteristics of kosher and nonkosher birds are NOT mentioned in the Torah (unlike those of mammals and fish). The Gemara gives us guidelines to distinguish between kosher and nonkosher birds. Practically speaking, neither the list nor the guidelines are what determine which birds we eat. MASORET (tradition) does. Basically, we do not trust ourselves to be able to properly identify the birds named in the Torah (modern Hebrew sometimes does not match Biblical or Mishnaic Hebrew - this is one problem). If we have a tradition in our communities that a particular type of bird is kosher, then we will eat it. Otherwise we take the cautious position of SAFEK (doubt) and choose to be strict with ourselves. A Masoret for some partridge and pheasant species have been recently confirmed. These birds now join chicken, duck, goose, (some pigeon and dove) on the kosher birds list. Note, however, that some of the 'new masorets' (it's not the oxymoron that it seems to be) have not yet been accepted by some kashrut organizations. It is also forbidden to eat nonkosher locust and other winged insects [471, L175 14:19]. Even though we may eat meat, it is forbidden to eat of an animal that died other than by sh'chita. This is the prohibition of N'VEILA [472, L180 14:21]. Benefit may be derived from N'VEILA

but not from milk-meat mixtures (when cooked together). Although this third occurrence of BASAR Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CHALAV teaches the prohibition of benefit from cooked together meatin-milk mixtures, it is not counted as a separate mitzva, but is included in the prohibition of eating M-in-M from Ki Tisa. We have three p'sukim that each teach a prohibition - cooking, eating, benefit - but in counting mitzvot, Meat-in-Milk is not counted as one mitzva or three, but as two of the 613 - one prohibition to cook meat and milk together, and one prohibition that forbids eating and/or deriving benefit from meat and milk that has been cooked together. (It is the third occurrence that "reminds" us of the teaching from the Oral Torah, that benefit is also forbidden in contrast to most other forbidden foods that are only forbidden to eat but one may derive other benefits from them. Hence the third pasuk.)

CHAMISHI - 5TH ALIYA 8 P'SUKIM - 14:22-29 [P> 14:22 (6)] (Approx. 2% of the yield of a crop is given to a Kohen as T'ruma. One tenth of the remainder is separated as Ma'aser to be given to a Levi.) One tenth of what is left is separated as Ma'aser Sheni [473, A128 14:22], which remains the possession of the owner but is sacred and must be brought to Yerushalayim and eaten there in a state of ritual purity. If the amount of Ma'aser Sheni is great, a person is permitted to redeem the produce for fair market value plus a fifth (i.e. 1/4 is OU ISRAEL CENTER

added, that amount becoming 1/5 of the total). If one redeems the Maaser Sheni of his neighbor, no one adds one fifth. The proceeds of the redemption are to be spent on food and drink in Yerushalayim. Again the Torah reminds us to take care of the Levi, who has no property of his own. (Ma'aser Sheni applies in years 1, 2, 4, 5 of the Shmita cycle.) [S> 14:28 (2)] In the 3rd (& 6th) year of a Shmita cycle, the second tithe is to be given to poor people [474, A130 14:28]. This generous act of tzedaka will be rewarded by G-d’s blessings. (Note the ratio of years of Maaseir Sheni and Maaseir Oni. And the order.)

SHISHI - SIXTH ALIYA 18 P'SUKIM - 15:1-18 [S> 15:1 (6)] If Shmita year passes, repayment of personal loans may not be demanded [475, L230 15:1]. This rule applies when both lender and borrower are Jewish. Loans due from a non-Jew must be collected [476, A142 15:3], but it is a mitzva to cancel the personal debt of a fellow Jew following the Shmita year [477, A141 15:3] (Again we see an example of a positive mitzva and a prohibition that say the same thing). If the Jewish People follow the Torah and mitzvot properly, we will be blessed by not having poverty among us. We will also dominate among the nations of the world. [S> 15:7 (5)] However, when we are confronted with poverty, we must not 16

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

hold back generous support of those in need [478, L232 15:7]. Rather it is a great mitzva to give tzedaka and support those less fortunate than ourselves in a giving and dignified manner [479, A195 15:8]. Be especially careful not to withhold loans to the poor because the Shmita year is approaching [480, L231 15:9]; if the poor person cries out to G-d, He will hold you accountable for not helping. Be generous in areas of tzedaka and Chessed, thereby meriting blessing from G-d. Poverty will be a "fact of life" under normal circumstances; give tzedaka freely. Although a lender must void a debt after Shmita year passes (unless he has executed the PROZBUL document, by which he is considered to have turned over his debts to a Beit Din for collection, in which case Shmita does not terminate such loans), the borrower may/should - offer to repay the loan. The lender is obligated to tell the borrower that the loan has been canceled by Shmita, and the borrower is supposed to say that he would like to give the money back to the lender anyway (as a gift). The lender can accept the repayment in that case, and the borrower is considered to have acted in a proper Jewish manner. The borrower who “takes advantage” of the Shmitavoiding of a debt is considered to have behaved in an improper and un-Jewish manner. [S> 15:12 (7)] If a Jew becomes an indentured servant to a fellow Jew, he shall work no more than six years and he shall be freed in the seventh. One must not send the freed EVED IVRI away empty- handed [481, L233 15:13]

but rather he shall be given a generous allotment upon discharge [482, A196 15:14] (again, a double-sided mitzva). We are to remember that we were AVADIM in Egypt and that G-d redeemed us and expects us to be sensitive to those less fortunate than ourselves. If the EVED IVRI does not want to be released, his ear is ceremonially pierced and he remains in his master's service until Yovel. Do not be stingy with the servant, for he has served you hard and long.

SH'VII - SEVENTH ALIYA 22 P'SUKIM - 15:19-16:17 [S> 15:19 (5)] Firstborns of cow, goat and sheep - if they are male - are sacred (if unblemished); they may neither be worked [483, L113 15:19] nor benefited from [484, L114 15:19], such as shearing the wool for personal use. They are to be given to a Kohen as one of his Torahgranted gifts (after 30 or 50 days of age, depending upon the type of animal). They are to be eaten by the kohen and his family after being brought as a korban - within a year, unless "unfit for the Altar", in which case they are the Kohen's property, to do with as he pleases. [P> 16:1 (8)] Preserve the spring month and bring Korban Pesach. This is a reiteration of the mitzva to adjust the calendar when necessary, by adding a month - a second Adar - to keep Pesach in the spring. Chametz is forbidden on Erev Pesach afternoon [485, L199 16:3]. This is a separate prohibition, and of a lesser status OU ISRAEL CENTER

(based on comparing punishments for violation), to the prohibition of Chametz on Pesach itself. The Chagiga cannot be left over beyond two days [486, L118 16:4]. KP cannot be brought on a private altar [487,* 16:5]. * This mitzva is not on Rambamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list - the ONLY mitzva on the Chinuchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list that Rambam does not count. The other shoe drops in Haazinu. [P> 16:9 (4)] Count seven weeks until Shavuot; this is the OTHER Omer mitzva (in addition to counting 49 days - it's why we count days & weeks). Next, a mention of Sukkot and then the command to rejoice on the Festivals [488, A54 16:14]. Appear in the Mikdash and bring korbanot on Chagim [489, A53 16:15]; do not appear there empty-handed [490, L156 16:16]. Maftir in 2nd Torah 7 p'sukim, Bamidbar 28:9-15 Chapters 28 and 29 in Bamidbar (Parshat Pinchas) deal with the daily and Musaf korbanot in the Mikdash. The two Shabbat p'sukim followed by the five that deal with Rosh Chodesh combined for the Maftir of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. Note that when any holiday is on Shabbat, the maftir is only about the Musaf of the holiday, and Shabbat's Musaf is not mentioned. The basic reason is that the two p'sukim about Shabbat Musaf are not continuous with any other Musafim besides that of Rosh Chodesh. And the skipping that would be necessary on any of those other days is not sanctioned. But perhaps, we can see something additional in the Shabbat - Rosh Chodesh situation, namely that 18

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Shabbat Rosh Chodesh is not just Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh that coincide, but it is a fusion of the two days, each of which represents a different facet of K'dushat Z'man - Sanctity of Time. Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh cover everything. Shabbat is the culmination of the week. It belongs to the week. Its Musaf is an extension of the daily korbanot - two lambs. Rosh Chodesh is the starting point for all the holidays. Each and every holiday exists because the first day of the month of each holiday was sanctified as Rosh Chodesh. No Rosh Chodesh - no holiday in that month. Rosh Chodesh is linked to the holidays by its Musaf, as Shabbat is linked to the days of the week. Two bulls, one ram, seven lambs plus one sin-offering goat - identical to some of the holidays and similar enough to the rest. The pasuk that we read twice at the end of the Haftara joins Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh in a way that we do not find regarding any of the holidays: "And it shall come to pass, that every new moon, and every Shabbat, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says HaShem."

HAFTARA - 24* P'SUKIM YESHAYAHU 66:1-24 The Haftara for Shabbat-Rosh Chodesh, the last chapter of Yeshayahu, preempts the regular Haftara (usually). The obvious reason for the choice is found in the next to the last pasuk, which mentions both Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh. This pasuk is reread after the last pasuk, so that the

book of Yeshayahu - and this Haftara - can end on a brighter note than its real end provides. This chapter, as all chapters in Yeshayahu from 40 and on, contains a message of consolation. Specifically, this chapter tells us that G-d cannot be contained in the physical Mikdash, nor is He interested in sacrifices that are not offered with sincerity. This message is appropriate always, and the association with Shabbat - week in & week out - Rosh Chodesh - month in & month out, fits well. Special note for Rosh Chodesh Elul that is on Shabbat: You might have to read this twice (or more) to catch it. We said earlier that the Haftara of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh usually preempts the Haftara of the week. This would not have occurred during the period of the Seven Haftarot of Nechama which are read between Tish'a b'Av and Rosh HaShana. Take the other possibility. When we have a Machar Chodesh situation during this period, the Machar Chodesh Haftara does NOT knock out the Consolation Haftara. But in the case of Rosh Chodesh, the Haftara of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh does knock the consolation Haftara of Re-eh - but only until two weeks later. On Shabbat Parshat Ki Teitzei this year, we will read the Re-eh Haftara immediately following that of Ki Teitzei. This can be done because they are continuous readings in the Navi. Why bother? Because the Haftara of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh is from the same part of Yeshayahu that all of the Consolation Haftarot come from. It is not out of place, so we read it - especially since we will not lose Re’eh's Haftara.

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Parashat Re’eh Rosh Chodesh Elul

“

K’ish asher imo t’nachamehnu ken anochi anachemchem uvirushalayim t’nuchamu” This Shabbat, we observe the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and, as a result, we read the traditional Rosh Chodesh Shabbat haftarah, a selection from the final chapter of Sefer Yishayahu, perek 66. We should understandably be curious as to why Chazal chose to break the series of “Shev D’n’chemta, the seven post-Tish’a BAv haftarot of consolation, with one whose message focuses on Rosh Chodesh and its confluence with Shabbat. After all, when Rosh Chodesh Adar or Nisan occur on Shabbat we do not chant the Rosh Chodesh. Nor do we do so when Rosh Chodesh Tevet (occurring on Chanuka), falls on a Shabbat. So why did our Rabbis see fit to “ignore” the third haftarah of consolation and establish the Rosh Chodesh haftarah that we generally would read at least two other times during the year? At first glance, we could answer that we are not really “ignoring” the selection

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

we would usually read. That selection is taken from the latter per of perek 54 in Sefer Yishayahu and, given the fact that the haftarah we will read in two weeks for Parashat Ki Tetze (iy”h) is taken from the opening psukim of that same perek, we simply add this haftarah of Re’ei to that selection, thereby completing the chapter and “making up” for having skipped it this Shabbat. But I believe that there is another, and I think better, reason. The final prakim of the Book of Yishayahu are chapters of consolation. These prakim are introduced with the well-known haftarah of parashat Va’etchannan, a selection that opens with words addressed to the nevi’im of the time. “Nachamu, nachamu ami” – “Comfort, comfort My nation” Hashem says through the mouth of His prophet, Yishayahu, and these words set the theme for the last one-third of the book. Indeed, every one of the haftarot of consolation that we read at this time of the year is taken from these prakim. And the very last prophecy of Yishayahu, the final perek of his book, is the one we read on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, a Shabbat such as we observe this week. And, like the prophecies of the final one-third of the sefer, it too is one of comfort. In our reading this Shabbat, Hashem tells the nation: “K’ish asher imo t’nachamehnu ken anochi anachemchemuvirushalayim t’nuchamu”- “As a person

whose is comforted by his mother-so will I comfort you-and it will be in Yerushalayim that you will be comforted.” The navi promises joy and celebration when we witness this redemption, a redemption that will include punishment for those who had oppressed us for so long. The prophetic vision includes the arrival of all nations to Yerushalayim bringing offerings to G-d and dancing in joy before Him. The prophecy-and the book itself-closes with the promise of weekly visits to the Bet HaMikdash by all mankind-visits on every Shabbat and on each Rosh Chodesh-when they will prostrate themselves before Hashem. Is there any doubt now as to why our Rabbis established the custom of postponing the usual haftarah and replacing it with Yishayahu’s last prophecy? During this very difficult season, the post-Tish’a B’Av time of the year, after those weeks when we mourned the tragic loss of out Batei Mikdash and so many other national calamaties, we cannot simply go back to “things as they were.” Emotions that were awakened during a time of sincere mourning require as much comfort and consolation as possible to allow us to return to our normal cycle of living. Many have shared with me the challenge of mourning the destruction of Yerushalayim when they peer out their windows and see the rebuilt and revived city. But as long as we still suffer the loss of young men and women, of the elderly and infirm as well as the all-too-young, when we still must attend the funerals of innocents who were brutally murdered by

the evil incarnate that surrounds us, we need more comfort than even the seven haftarot. We need the ongoing reminder, on each Shabbat and on every Rosh Chodesh that the sacrifices are not made in vain. And this haftarah helps us remember that Hashem will comfort us “K’ish asher imo t’nachamehnu”, ‘As a person is comforted by his mother.”

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RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH THE PERSON IN BY WEINREB THE PARSHA

“The Thief of Blessing”

am sure that you, dear reader, have had the occasion to come across a book which you simply could not put down. Something so fascinating, so gripping, that you were compelled to read it cover to cover in as short a time as you could manage. I came across such a book—a Hebrew book, the biography of a rabbi named Dov Cohen. Rabbi Cohen passed away at the advanced age of 94. He was one of the last, if not the last, of the students of the yeshiva in Hebron that experienced the horrible massacre there in the summer of 1929. The book is entitled Vayelchu Shnayhem Yachdav (And the Two of Them Walked Together). Much of Rabbi Cohen's story is encapsulated in that title. For, you see, he was born in Seattle, WA into a family of Lithuanian Jewish immigrants. The family faced all of the challenges of Americanization in the early decades of the last century. Rabbi Cohen's mother witnessed the inexorable process of assimilation with which her older children were involved. She was determined that her youngest child, Dov, would receive a Jewish 22

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

education as intensive as the one she witnessed back in the old country. So, in 1926, she took her then fourteenyear-old son from Seattle eastward across the United States, across the Atlantic Ocean, through the straits of Gibraltar, and ultimately to the then totally primitive and isolated village of Hebron. She committed him there to the tutelage of the famed Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel of Slobodka. Indeed, “the two of them walked together.” I cannot possibly share with you, in the context of this column, all of the ensuing adventures in Rabbi Cohen's life. But there is one episode that I must relate. Dov visited the United States several times during the eighty years that followed his first days in the land of Israel. And each time he experienced a sort of "culture shock." Once, on a Sunday morning, he found himself in a taxi with the radio on. He soon realized that the radio was playing a sermon being delivered by a Christian minister in his church. He was unable to have the taxi driver change the radio station. And so, quite uncomfortably, he listened to the preacher's sermon. And this is what he heard: “The group in charge of increasing the enrollment in gehenna, or hell, was discussing ways to get more people to sin. One suggested encouraging them to steal. But the others all protested that

the laws against theft were too strict and not enough people would sin by stealing. Another suggested encouraging people to lie. Again, the others protested that lying would make people feel too guilty. Finally came the suggestion with which everyone agreed: “‘Let's encourage people to do good deeds, acts of loving kindness, acts of charity, acts of courage and justice. But let's tell them not to do those things today. But rather, tomorrow!’” Rabbi Cohen was moved to the core by that story and was inspired by it. Indeed, he shared it with Jewish audiences whenever he could. The lesson he learned and shared was one that Judaism also teaches, albeit not with that particular story. It is the lesson of the dangers of procrastination, of the importance of doing things as soon as possible and not putting them off for tomorrow. This lesson is conveyed in the opening verse of this week's Torah portion, Parshat Re'eh. “See, I set before you today blessing and curse.” Homiletically, the stress is upon “today,” this day and this moment. Do the right thing today and it will be a blessing. Put it off until tomorrow and the result is cursed. We have all heard the advice, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” This advice is useful in all aspects of life, but it is especially useful in the context of religious behavior and spiritual service. Postponing until a tomorrow which may never come can be, as the Gentile preacher’s story suggests, nothing less than sinful. You may also have heard the adage,

which originates with the 18th century poet Edward Young, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” The opening words of the Torah portion suggest that procrastination is not only the thief of time but it is the thief of life and of blessing. “See, I have given you today, this day, now and not later, to perform the good deed, and if you do it now it will be a blessing. If you procrastinate you may never do it at all, and the result may be quite different from a blessing.” This is the lesson of the opening verse of Re’eh. And how ironic it is that the subject of the engrossing biography that I just finished reading, Rabbi Dov Cohen, a yeshiva boy and eventually a well-known Jewish rabbi, learned this lesson from a Protestant preacher on a Sunday morning long ago!

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Tipping the Scale

“

Re’eh anochi nosen lifnechem hayom bracha u’klala.” The Be’er Yosef raises several questions on the opening pesukim of the parsha. First, why the switch from singular (re’eh) to the plural (lifnechem). Second, the verb Re’eh is usually used to reference an item to visualize. What exactly is to be viewed or seen here? In the context of this pasuk, another verb could have been used to suggest listening or obeying. Third, the reference to hayom – (today). The timing of the incident is clear. The Torah does not always specify that what is being transmitting is occurring “today”. Lastly, a few pesukim later the Torah dictates a ceremony that is to commence upon entering Eretz Yisrael upon two specific mountains: “And it will be, when Hashem, your God, will bring you to the land to which you come, to possess it, that you shall place those blessing upon Mount Grizim, and those cursing upon Mount Ebal.” (Devarim 11: 29). When we enter Eretz Yisrael, as the Mishna in Sota (7:5) explains based on this pasuk, half of the shevatim are to 24

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

assemble atop Har Grizim and the other half atop Har Ebal, and the kohanim and levi’im along with the Aron Kodesh are to be positioned at the bottom center between both mountains. The kohanim and levi'im turn to one mountain and recite the brachos, and everyone answers amen. They then turn to face the other mountain, and recite the Klalot, and everyone answers amen. Why the need to separate the nation? Certainly, those tribes placed on Har Ebel were not excited about being associated with the mountain that represented the curse. Wouldn’t it have been better to have the entire nation climb one mountain, together hear the brachos, and then all together ascend the second mountain and hear the klalot? Why the split? The Be’er Yosef offers an explanation to the last question that essentially resolves all four questions. It's possible that the reason to separate the shevatim for the brachot and klalot is to emphasize what chazal teach us in Messechet Kiddushin:

‫לעולם יראה אדם עצמו כאילו חציו חייב וחציו זכאי‬ (:‫)קדושין מ‬ “Man shall always view himself as if he is half guilty and half innocent” (Kiddushin 40b). We have to go through life, thinking that everything we do could tip the scale. We are positioned on the edge. We have to realize the significance of every one of

our actions, and every deed we perform. A positive act can tip the scale to the right and a negative act can tip the scale to the left. We shouldn’t only focus on ourselves, we should focus on the entire world. The world is judged according to the majority. The entire world can be saved because of my mitzvah right here and now. The Rambam (Teshuva 3:4) codifies and expands on this idea, in the context of our preparations for the yamim noraim. “Therefore, a person must view himself, every day of the year, as one who has an equal number of merits and sins. He must also view the world as such”, and thus recognize that his next action could tip the world to eternal bliss or the opposite. “and this is what the verse teaches us “Ve’Tzadik Yesod Olam”, the righteous give a solid foundation to the world.” Now, says the Be’er Yosef, we can return to our questions. The verb “re’eh” is used to highlight that we should visualize the events at Har Grizim and Har Ebel. It is to provide us with an illustration to help us internalize this crucial outlook, half the shevatim were placed on one mountain, and half on the other. The nation is embarking on a new natural existence. No longer able to rely on the manna for food or the ananei hakavod for protection. We have to be concerned with one another and recognize the impact that my actions can have on the entire nation. We accepted the brit at arvot moav, and that’s when we acknowledged areivut for each other. The lineup at Har Grizim and Har Ebel, splitting the nation in half, is to underscore that we are all in this together. Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

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We are all one! One performs a mitzva on one side, it affects those on the other side. Another transgresses, it impacts all of us. We each have accepted upon ourselves responsibility for each other. This also helps explain why the pasuk begins with the singular, and then transforms into plural. Because my singular action can affect the world. A person has to realize the impact his action has on others. That is also why the term “hayom” is used. Every single day we have the power in our hands to make an impact on the world; viewing ourselves as balancing in the middle and performing a mitzva will tip the scale and positively impact the entire nation. Perhaps we can add that the kohanim and levi’im are in the center which is somewhat unusual. Typically, the speaker is at the top so that his words can be audible below. Having Am Yisrael at the top highlights that we should feel as if we are on top of the world. Our actions have a real impact. We are always close to Hashem. A story is told of a boy named Eddie Jacobson, who lived on the Lower East Side. Due to parnasa concerns, his family moved to Kansas City, where he met his childhood friend Harry Truman. They played together, grew up together, were in the army together. Truman went into business, but was not successful. He became a travelling salesman, and eventually the president of the U.S. In 1947, there was tremendous tension how the United States would vote, regarding the partition plan. Truman, under intense pressure, refused to meet with Jewish 26

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

leaders, including the elderly statesman Chaim Weizman, leader of the Zionist movement…Until someone remembered Eddie. He called the president. “Yes, of course, I’ll meet you, but don’t talk to me about Israel.” He came to the Oval office and started crying. He asked Truman, “Who is that statue on your desk”? “Andrew Jackson”, he replies, - “a hero and a real inspiration to me”. “I also have a hero”, replied Eddie, “an elderly man named Chaim Weizman who travelled 6000 miles to see you. Please meet with him” That conversation paved the way for the historic vote. Every act can change the world. Just think about Truman. Just think about Eddie. May we keep “sight” (re’eh) of this recognition each and every day (hayom) that we are on top of the world, and that each and every act we do can positively impact the world.

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REBBETZIN SHIRA SMILES Faculty, OU Israel Center

Eat To Live

“

You are what you eat” is not merely a well-known adage, rather it holds profound spiritual truths. In our parsha of Re’eh, we find once again a list of the animals we are permitted to consume, and those that are forbidden. What deeper messages lie behind the laws of Kashruth?

Even a small insect found in fruits and vegetables that have not been properly cleaned has this effect of clogging spiritual arteries. Rabbi Tatz in ‘Worldmask’, explores the mystical aspect of eating. He notes that the purpose of eating is to elevate the different components of nature to serve Hashem. When one eats meat, for example, he is not only consuming a delicious steak, rather his meal includes all the vegetation that the animal ingested which then has the potential to be elevated as well. It is therefore appropriate to have the correct mindset when eating; to ingest the food so we can serve Hashem and to make the experience an uplifting one. 28

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

Additionally, the Torah strongly emphasizes what we eat since food enters our bloodstream and essentially becomes part of us. Our life force is drawn from the food that we consume, hence, only domesticated animals are permitted so their calmer, softer, more gentle nature should impact us. Rav Nebenzal, in Sichos L’sefer Shemot, explains that the Aramaic translation for “tamei” is “satum”- “blocked”. When one eats foods that are tamei, the light of the Shechinah is prevented from penetrating his neshamah. Even a small insect found in fruits and vegetables that have not been properly cleaned has this effect of clogging spiritual arteries. In one of his letters, Rambam notes that a person’s thoughts and hashkafot are impacted by the food he/she eats and emphasizes that one should eat with yishuv hada’at. It is clear then, that it is not only the Kashruth of food that affects us, but the way one eats has an influence as well. Rabbi Eisenberger, in Mesilot Bilvavam, takes this idea one step further. He says that if a person suddenly feels overtaken by impure thoughts or feelings of hashkafic confusion, he should reflect on what he ate, with whom he ate, and who prepared the food to find the source of his turmoil or discord. The story is told of a great elderly Rav who only ate porridge for every meal. Each day the students in the yeshiva were

responsible to prepare the Rav’s food. One day, a new boy came to the yeshiva and bragged that he was a master at making porridge. The following day he made the Rav’s porridge with particular pride. The Rav took one spoonful and immediately spit it out, screaming, “poison!”; he actually felt the arrogance that went into the food! Parashat Re’eh begins with giving us the appreciation to choose life. Eating with kedushah is a daily opportunity to embrace the life Hashem has envisioned for us. Bon appétit.

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RABBI JUDAH MISCHEL OU NCSY Mashpia

Shabbos for Shabbos

he Yid haKodesh, Reb Yaakov Yitzchak, the Holy Jew of Peshischa, would do many weekly errands in preparation for Shabbos Kodesh. One week when he came home from shopping, his wife checked his list against his purchases to make sure he had acquired everything they needed for Shabbos. Once she was reviewing his list and asked, “Did you buy the wine for Kiddush?” “Yes, my dear, I bought the wine.” “Did you pick up the chicken for Shabbos?” “ Yes, my dear, I picked up the chicken for Shabbos.” “How about the fish, challah and candles for Shabbos?” “Yes, darling, I did get those for Shabbos, baruch Hashem.” “Great, I guess that’s about everything we needed for Shabbos. Thank you!” Said the Yid Hakadosh: “Yes! We have wine for Shabbos, chicken for Shabbos, fish, challah and candles for Shabbos, and….” The Yid haKodesh was suddenly silent. He then raised his eyes to Heaven, and called out, “Ribbono Shel Olam! We

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

need just one more thing! All we need now is some Shabbos for Shabbos!” Beyond checking the boxes, making all the right moves and securing all the details in our observance of Shabbos (as well as every area of our lives), there is something more that we need. There is something deeper that we are striving for. There is life within life. Deep within Shabbos is the essence of Shabbos.

When Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh Elul coincide, there is an especially heightened opportunity to look beyond the surface of life, and to acquire the inner depths that we need in preparation for the upcoming new year.

Reb Simcha Bunim, a close talmid of the Holy Jew of Peshischa warns us to take an accounting of ourselves to ensure that we attain the depths that Hashem expects from us: “Don’t behave toward G-d with Kevius, Bli Chayim, ‘in a fixed, lifeless manner.’”(Quoted in Mei haShloach II, Behaalosecha) “A Jew is not permitted to

fix a path which he continually follows. Rather, let it be sometimes this way and sometimes that way, in order to change nature and routine.”(Kol Simchah, Matot) This is one way to cultivate P’nimiyus. Yechezkel haNavi (46:1) describes a vision of the future Third Temple: Sha’ar he’Chatzeir haP’nimis, haPoneh Kadim Yih’ye Sagur Sheishes Yemei haMa’aseh; u-beYom haShabbos Yipase’ach; u-beYom haChodesh Yipasei’ach… “The gate of the inner courtyard that faces eastward shall be closed during the six days of labor; but on Shabbat and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.” Some areas in the Mikdash will be accessible to us during the week, and there are more inside spaces which will be accessed only on Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh. During those special, elevated days of Kodesh, Am Yisrael can attain what cannot be attained during days of Chol. The Sfas Emes (Mikeitz, 1871) explains that when the Shaar haChatzeir haP’nimis is open we are granted an opportunity to attain a more P’nimi reality, and to cultivate a deeper perspective. When Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh Elul coincide, there is an especially heightened opportunity to look beyond the surface of life, and to acquire the inner depths that we need in preparation for the upcoming new year. May the Ribbono Shel Olam bless us with “Shabbos for Shabbos”, to receive the P’nei Shabbos, the inner reality and true intent of Creation, and this year may we merit to see the gate of the inner courtyard of the Mikdash Shelishi opening wide to us. Chodesh Tov! OU ISRAEL CENTER

SIMCHAT SHMUEL SAM SHOR RE'EH RABBI Program Director, OU Israel Center

ur Sedra this week opens with the pasuk; “Re’eh Anochi notein lachem hayom, bracha uklalaSee, I set before you today, a blessing and a curse...” Rabbi Kalonymous Kalmish Shapira hy’d, zy’a, The Piaszecna Rebbe, who spent the last three years of his life in the Warsaw Ghetto, where he continued to teach and share messages of chizuk, hope and faith for the Jews living through the horror of the Warsaw Ghetto, offered a novel interpretation of our verse. Re’eh Anochi notein lachem hayom, bracha uklala - See I, give Myself to you Hayom-Today and everyday....which can be a blessing or chas v’shalom a curse. The greatest blessing that a Jew can experience is the comfort in realizing that Hashem is there with us HaYom-Today and everyday-even when we are experiencing trauma or pain, and the worst curse that one could ever experience is to imagine even for one day that Hashem is absent

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

from our lives, that Hashem is not there with us always in joy and triumph as well as in sadness and difficulties. Re’eh Anochi notein lachem hayom, Hashem, Anochi, gives himself to us HaYom-today and everyday. The Kedushat Levi, Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev zy’a, offers a slightly different but equally powerful explanation of our verse. Hashem gives us HaYom- each dayan opportunity through our actions, to be a source of blessing in this world, or through our failings, chas v’shalom, to bring consequences into this world. However the Rebbe explains that the greatest chesed is that this opportunity is renewed each day. Yesterday I may have come up short, but HaYom-Today, I get another opportunity to indeed bring blessing into this world through my deeds and actions. Yehi Ratzon, may we all merit to heed these two powerful teachings, and to experience these blessings today and everyday....Shabbat Shalom

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COVENANT & RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS CONVERSATION

Thoughts on the Weekly Parsha from

‫לעילוי נשמות‬ ‫פנחס בן יעקב אשר וגולדה בת ישראל דוד אייז ע״ה‬ ‫עזריאל בן אריה חייב ומענייה בת יצחק שרטר ע״ה‬

Collective Joy

f we were to ask what key word epitomizes the society Jews were to make in the Promised Land, several concepts would come to mind: justice, compassion, reverence, respect, holiness, responsibility, dignity, loyalty. Surprisingly, though, another word figures centrally in Moshe’s speeches in Deuteronomy. It is a word that appears only once in each of the other books of the Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers (Gen. 31:27; Ex. 4:14; Lev. 23:40; Num. 10:10). Yet it appears twelve times in Deuteronomy, seven of them in Parshat Re’eh. The word is simcha, joy. It is an unexpected word. The story of the Israelites thus far has not been a joyous one. It has been marked by suffering on the one hand, rebellion and dissension on the other. Yet Moshe makes it eminently clear that joy is what the life of faith in the land of promise is about. Here are the seven instances in this parsha, and their contexts: 1. The central Sanctuary, initially Shilo: “There in the presence of the Lord your God you and your families shall eat and

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you” (Deut. 12:7). 2. Jerusalem and the Temple: “And there you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns” (Deut. 12:12). 3. Sacred food that may be eaten only in Jerusalem: “Eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose – you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns – and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to” (Deut. 12:18). 4. The second tithe: “Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine, or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice” (Deut. 14:26). 5. The festival of Shavuot: “And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His name – you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows living among you” (Deut. 16:11). 6. The festival of Succot: “Be joyful at your feast – you, your sons and daughters, continued on page 46...

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continued from page 34...

your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows who live in your towns” (Deut. 16:14). 7. Succot, again. “For seven days, celebrate the feast to the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete [vehayita ach same’ach]” (Deut. 16:15). Why does Moshe emphasise joy specifically in the book of Deuteronomy? Perhaps because it is there, in the speeches Moses delivered in the last month of his life, that he scaled the heights of prophetic vision never reached by anyone else before or since. It is as if, standing on a mountaintop, he sees the whole course of Jewish history unfold below him, and from that dizzying altitude he brings back a message to the people gathered around him: the next generation, the children of those he led out of Egypt, the people who will cross the Jordan he will not cross and enter the land he is only able to see from afar. What he tells them is unexpected, counter-intuitive. In effect he says this: “You know what your parents suffered.

You have heard about their slavery in Egypt. You yourselves have known what it is to wander in the wilderness without a home or shelter or security. You may think those were the greatest trials, but you are wrong. You are about to face a harder trial. The real test is security and contentment.” Absurd though this sounds, it has proved true throughout Jewish history. In the many centuries of dispersion and persecution, from the destruction of the Second Temple to the nineteenth century, no one raised doubts about Jewish continuity. They did not ask, “Will we have Jewish grandchildren?” Only since Jews achieved freedom and equality in the Diaspora and independence and sovereignty in the State of Israel has that question come to be asked. When Jews had little to thank God for, they thanked Him, prayed to Him, and came to the synagogue and the house of study to hear and heed His word. When they had everything to thank Him for, many turned their backs on the synagogue and the house of study. Moshe was giving prophetic expression to the great paradox of faith: It is easy to speak to God in tears. It is hard to serve God in joy. It is the warning he delivered

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as the people came within sight of their destination: the Promised Land. Once there, they were in danger of forgetting that the land was theirs only because of God’s promise to them, and only for as long as they remembered their promise to God. Simcha is usually translated as joy, rejoicing, gladness, happiness, pleasure, or delight. In fact, simcha has a nuance untranslatable into English. Joy, happiness, pleasure, and the like are all states of mind, emotions. They belong to the individual. We can feel them alone. Simcha, by contrast, is not a private emotion. It means happiness shared. It is a social state, a predicate of “we,” not “I.” There is no such thing as feeling simcha alone. Moshe repeatedly labours the point. When you rejoice, he says time and again,

it must be “you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows in your towns.” A key theme of Parshat Re’eh is the idea of a central Sanctuary “in the place the Lord your God will choose.” As we know from later Jewish history, during the reign of King David, this place was Jerusalem, where David’s son Solomon eventually built the Temple. What Moshe is articulating for the first time is the idea of simcha as communal, social, and national rejoicing. The nation was to be brought together not just by crisis, catastrophe, or impending war, but by collective celebration in the presence of God. The celebration itself was to be deeply moral. Not only was this a religious act

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of thanksgiving; it was also to be a form of social inclusion. No one was to be left out: not the stranger, or the servant, or the lonely (the orphan and widow). In a remarkable passage in the Mishneh Torah (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yom Tov 6:1), Maimonides makes this point in the strongest possible terms: And while one eats and drinks himself, it is his duty to feed the stranger, the orphan, the widow, and other poor and unfortunate people, for he who locks the doors to his courtyard and eats and drinks with his wife and family, without giving anything to eat and drink to the poor and the bitter in soul – his meal is not a rejoicing in a Divine commandment, but a rejoicing in his own stomach. It is of such persons that Scripture says, “Their sacrifices shall be to them as the bread of mourners, all that eat thereof shall be polluted; for their bread is a disgrace to their own appetite” (Hos. 9:4). Rejoicing of this kind is a disgrace to those who indulge in it, as Scripture says, “And I will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your sacrifices” (Mal. 2:3). Moshe’s insight remains valid today. The West is more affluent than any previous society has ever been. Our life expectancy is longer, our standards of living higher, and our choices wider than at any time since Homo sapiens first walked on earth. Yet Western societies are not measurably happier. The most telling indices of unhappiness – drug and alcohol abuse, depressive illness, stress-related syndromes, eating disorders, and the rest – have risen by between 300 and 1,000 per cent in the space of two generations. Why so? 48

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

In 1968 I met the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, of blessed memory, for the first time. While I was there, the Chassidim told me the following story. A man had written to the Rebbe in roughly these terms: “I am depressed. I am lonely. I feel that life is meaningless. I try to pray, but the words do not come. I keep mitzvot but find no peace of mind. I need the Rebbe’s help.” The Rebbe sent a brilliant reply without using a single word. He simply circled the first word of every sentence and sent the letter back. The word in each case was “I.” Our contemporary consumer is constructed in the first-person singular: I want, I need, I must have. There are many things we can achieve in the first-person singular but one we cannot, namely, simcha – because simcha is the joy we share, the joy we have only because we share. That, said Moshe before the Israelites entered their land, would be their greatest challenge. Suffering, persecution, a common enemy, unite a people and turn it into a nation. But freedom, aﬄuence, and security turn a nation into a collection of individuals, each pursuing his or her own happiness, often indifferent to the fate of those who have less, the lonely, the marginal, and the excluded. When that happens, societies start to disintegrate. At the height of their good fortune, the long slow process of decline begins. The only way to avoid it, said Moshe, is to share your happiness with others, and, in the midst of that collective, national celebration, serve God. Blessings are not

measured by how much we own or earn or spend or possess but by how much we share. Simcha is the mark of a sacred society. It is a place of collective joy. Covenant and Conversation 5779 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl

Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l. These weekly teachings from Rabbi Sacks are part of the ‘Covenant & Conversation’ series on the weekly Torah reading. Read more on www.rabbisacks.org.

SAVING LIVES IN BAT AYIN Bat Ayin is a small town with roughly 2,000 inhabitants located in Gush Etzion. The town has many unpaved dirt roads and no street numbers, which makes finding people who are suffering medical emergencies nearly impossible for anyone unfamiliar with the town or driving standard vehicles. United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Yaakov Meir Fragin is an ambucycle driver who has lived in Bat Ayin his entire life. He runs the local grocery store and knows the town and the surrounding area like the back of his hand. In addition to being an EMT, Yaakov is also part of his town’s emergency preparedness team. His lifesaving skills and intimate knowledge of the area make him the perfect person to respond to any emergency in the vicinity. Yaakov’s ambucycle enables him to race down local paths and alleyways to respond to medical emergencies in the town in the fastest time possible. Last Wednesday, a young woman was washing her hands at the entrance to the midrasha when she suddenly collapsed in convulsions. Her friends urgently called for help. The alert came out as an incident occurring on “Hamayanot street” and no further information was given. Being familiar with the area, Yaakov knew exactly where the midrasha was and raced over on his ambucycle, zooming down the dirt path and arriving in mere seconds. Yakov found the 23-year-old victim collapsed on the ground, semiconscious a�er having had a seizure. During the uncontrollable convulsions she had bi�en her tongue and there was a large amount of blood pooled in her mouth. Yaakov carefully cleared the fluids from the woman’s mouth to secure and maintain a clear airway. Then, he checked her vitals and was in communication with the nearest ambulance to direct them to the exact location. The ambulance took nearly 20 minutes to arrive, and during the entire time Yaakov continued to provide treatment. As the woman began to recover, Yaakov learned that she was otherwise healthy and had no prior history of seizures, which made this incident all the more concerning. Thankfully, the dedicated volunteer was there right away to treat her and keep her stable until the ambulance crew could arrive and transport her to the hospital.

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he Netivot Shalom raises several queries concerning the opening sentence of our Parsha, which reads: “See what I am giving you today, a blessing and a curse”. The questions include: (1) “Surely one should understand, rather than see?” (2) “Hashem gives rewards and punishments, but surely he does not bestow curses?” Moreover, (3) “Why did Moshe specify ‘today’”? The explanation is that rather than referring to reward and punishment, Moshe is telling every Jew to be aware The Only English MSW in Israel • Become certified in 18 months • Eligible for social work license in Israel and the US • Complete the program wherever you are • Top MSW program recognized across the US

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TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

That can happen when we realize that everything from Hashem is for good. of his or her distinctive mission in this world. Each of us is required to “see”, to look around and internalize that we have a singular task to achieve in the world where Hashem placed us. In the rabbi’s words, we each have to make our unique Tikkun. We are to look at our strengths and weaknesses and to recognize that we have distinctive positive qualities; yet even our foibles and life’s vicissitudes raise us to higher levels. That can happen when we realize that everything from Hashem is for good. The curse in question is when we fail to comprehend that Hashem placed us here to endow us with His beneficence. The blessing, today and every ensuing day, is the powerful realization that we can restore our souls to their pristine condition, that we can become closer to Hashem whatever our existential state and personal situation. This blessing ensues once we recognize that, “The earth is filled with Your creations” (Psalm 104:24); that is, that everything emanates from Hashem (after Metzudat David).

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How Permitted is Meat?

he Jewish people would soon reach the Holy Land. Among the multitude of teachings Moshe shares with them prior to his passing, he delineates a number of regulations pertaining to the dietary laws. Unlike the practice that the Jewish people observed in the wilderness, which required all meat first be brought on the altar, it would now be permitted to personally slaughter and eat meat. This is the way Moshe informed the Jewish people of this law: “When the Lord thy God shall enlarge your border, as He promised you, and thou shall say, I will eat meat, your soul longeth to eat meat; thou mayest eat meat, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after...in the way I have prescribed and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. (Devarim 12:20-21). A closer and more nuanced reading of these verses reveals something unexpected. Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook zt”l took careful note of the odd way in which meat eating is presented in the Torah. It seems to suggest that it is a dispensation. Only grudgingly does the 52

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

Torah grant permission. The language of the Torah that allowed meat eating “whatsoever thy soul lusteth after” was in Rav Kook’s view a concealed reproach and an implied reprimand: “Indeed a hidden rebuke is to be found within the folds of Scripture regarding the eating of meat.”(Tallelei Orot as quoted by Nechama Leibowitz’s Studies in Devarim p. 138). The Torah never repeats a word without good reason. Yet, in this short passage the Torah utilizes the term taa’va, ‘lust’, no less than three times in the context of meat eating. This term, ‫תאוה‬, connotes an unfavorable trait in man. Rav Kook saw the craving for meat as a manifestation of spiritual decline, rather than an inherent need. Rav Kook understood that this passage provides a clear indication that the Torah does not look at the eating of meat and killing of animals for human consumption as an ideal state of affairs. He whose tender mercies are upon all His creations (Psalms 145:9) cautioned man to beware of showing cruelty to animals. This, however, was not Rav Kook’s only prooftext to prove his thesis. In a penetrating interpretation of the prohibition - “One is not to cook a kid in his mother’s milk” - he argued that the Torah finds it revolting to take the milk of a nursing mother who wishes to provide

loving care to her child and actually use it to cook the meat of a baby animal. This is an act of cruelty. This foundational law of Kashrut, the separation of milk and meat, is meant to prod man to be more sensitive in general to the feelings and sensibilities of all of God’s creations and draw us away from pursuing personal satisfaction and selfish delight (‘A Vision of Vegetarianism and Peace’, R, David Cohen, chap. 11). Rav Kook grounded his unique thesis in the story of the Garden of Eden. In a world in which “God saw everything... and behold it was very good.” In the perfect world, prior to man’s sin, he was not permitted to kill any member of the animal kingdom to satisfy his wants. Man received the divine blessing to be fruitful and multiply and “have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that crawled upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28) - but not to slaughter them for food. It is only after the flood, as an apparent capitulation to man’s baser desires, that the Torah permitted mankind to partake of meat for consumption. The harmony in creation was shattered. It was now necessary for man to utilize his moral fiber to be sensitive to his fellow man. He needed to reinforce refraining from commiting murder and achieving the utmost repsect for the life of his neighbor; first concentrate his efforts on improving relationships between people before extending mercy to other living beings. According to Rav Kook, the dispensation to consume meat is only temporary. A time will come when man will forgo

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this concession made by the Torah in allowing him to slaughter animals. As humankind continues to ascend toward higher and higher levels of ethical and moral growth man will come to abhor the taking of any life: “Through general, moral and intellectual advancement...the latent aspiration of justice for the animal kingdom will come out into the open; when the time is ripe” (Tallelei Orot). It is fascinating to note that in certain spheres the Torah actually prescribes minimum demands. It sets a goal for man that relates to a reality at hand with aspirations for an elevated practice to be attained later. The Almighty is setting a pathway which is intended to lead man higher, stage by stage. Our parsha’s dispensation permitting meat, should be seen as a qualified one, designed to pave the way gradually to complete and final abstention. It is reported that Rav Kook ate a small amount of chicken on Shabbat as a symbolic reminder that the Messianic age had not yet arrived. He was convinced that vegetarianism represented a Jewish ideal. Moreover his leading disciple Rabbi David Cohen, the ‘Nazir’, was a devout vegetarian, with his master’s blessing. (The Nazir compiled and edited Rav Kook’s “Vision of Vegetarianism and Peace”, based on two earlier essays). Rav Kook looked to Psalm 89:3 as moral guidance against meat eating: “The world shall be built upon kindness.” He predicted that as time marches on and we move closer to messianic times man will become more merciful and kind hearted. Isaiah’s prophecy that ‘nation shall not 54

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war any more” will be fulfilled in the fullest sense. Man’s compassion will then extend to the animal kingdom as well and the light of God and the goodness contained within every creation will become self evident to all humanity.

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The Orthodox Union - via its website - fields questions of all types in the areas of Kashrut, Jewish Law and Values. Some MANN of them are answered by Eretz Hemda, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed byRAV Rav YosefDANIEL Carmel Eretz Hemdah Institue and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and OU Israel's Torah Tidbits.

Reheating Liquids on Shabbat

that the change in the food from the first cooking is less noticeable money, as it was not included in the sale. regarding liquids that have cooled off Question: Regarding the prohibition Secondly, it is far from clear that Reuven (see Chazon Ish, Orach Chayim 37:13). to reheat liquid foods on Shabbat (in owns the gold coins. If he does not know cases where there is not a problem due to Several about Rishonim, including the did not put them, he apparently returning food to a heat source), what Rambam, Rashba, and Ran, apply ebab them there. Whoever did, or his inheritor, constitutes a liquid? even to liquids (see Beit Yosef, OC 318). likely still the owner, andisShimon might Yet, theisShulchan Aruch (OC 318:4) Answer: It is noteworthy that your have tomatter. returnThethem, not stringent on the Rama (ad keep them. premise of a prohibition is not obvious. loc. 15) cites those who are lenient on ownerless, if Even if the money became The mishna (Shabbat 145b) teaches us reheating liquid and concludes that it Reuven was it is hidden in a manner that that ein bishul achar bishul (=ebab is permitted unless the food cooled off once a food has been (fully?) cooked, likely to never find it, he did not acquire totally. The more accepted explanation there is no further prohibition of the treasure with the house. Thus, Shimon Question: My student asked me the of this compromise is that the Rama cooking), and no gemara clearly is like one who knows where an ancient following. Shimon buys a house from fundamentally accepts the lenient distinguishes between solid and liquid. treasure is found and waits for others Reuven at a normal price even thoughposition, he but is stringent Rabbinically The distinction begins with Rashi theoff area and then when ittoisleave cooled because it isdigs it up. He knows (and Reuven does not) that there (Shabbat 34a) on the topic of hatmana unnoticeable it taking was already would that not be Reuven’s coins. See are many food) gold coins hidden who in the attic (insulating on Shabbat, Even fordetails S'fardim, Ravsources Ovadia in Living the raises concern one mightWhy/Why heat up thenot? cooked.further and walls.a Is the sale valid? Yosef (Yabia Omer X, OC 26) posits food before insulating and thus violate Halachic Process, III, I-16. that the Shulchan Aruch did not totally bishul. The Before Rosh (Shabbat will position. present This the fundamental Answer: we get to3:11) the inexcellent discount So, the we lenient reconciling the two sources above question with aleniencies. different scenario. conceptual question, we must briefl y the leads way for various posits that Rashi's problem refers to A petroleum exploration company For example, he ruled that if one did raise some points that can, under certain food with liquid. Many poskim have reheat a liquid on Shabbat, it does not discovered vast deposits in a certain region circumstances, make the question moot in offered suggestions why liquid is become forbidden to eat and that it is and sent people to secretly buy up as much worse. Perhaps the most accepted is this scenario. permitted to ask a non-Jew to reheat a land as possible from unknowing sellers. First, purchasing the house and taking liquid on his behalf. Over 1600 audio and video shiurim There are generally two grounds to void thefor listening gold areandhalachically downloading unrelated. There are broad differences a sale after the fact. between 1. Mekach ta’ut – the Generally, movable objects within a plusthe written articles opinionsobject on thewas parameters liquid.a way that we flawed of inasuch house are not sold along with the house. www.rabbisholomgold.com can assume that the buyer would not have So, if between selling the house and OU Israel Center TT 1324 page 34 B'CHUKOTAI 5779 agreed to the purchase had he known. vacating it, Reuven found and took the 2. Ona’ah (mispricing) – while the sides coins, Shimon could not have complaints would have agreed to the sale, the price or void the sale, as the house was given was far enough from the going rate to over as stipulated. Similarly, if Reuven did make it grossly unfair to one side. not take the money and finds out later, he The gemara (Ketubot 97a) tells of can (try to – see below) complain about the

Buying a House with a Hidden Treasure

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

The Orthodox Union - via its website - ﬁelds ques�ons of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Ins�tute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt”l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the Na�onal Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint Orthodox Eretz Union -Hemdah... via its websiteand - fields all types in the areas of Kashrut, Jewish Law and Values. Some venture of the OU, YerushalayimThe Network, OUquestions Israel’sofTorah Tidbits.

from the virtual desk of the

OU VEBBE REBBE

of them are answered by Eretz Hemda, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and OU Israel's Torah Tidbits.

people who sold real estate to buy grain indicates that there is a difference between during a famine, without knowing that a a situation thatchange is about be revealed that the in thetofood from the Reheating Liquids on Shabbat first cooking is less noticeable large shipment was about to arrive. Rav and one that may remain unknown for regarding liquids of thattime. have The cooled off Question: Regarding Nachman said that they could backthe outprohibition of an indefi nite amount Kesef (see Chazon Ish, Orach Chayim 37:13). to reheat liquid foods on Shabbat (in the sales because it was based on a mistake Hakodashim (CM 227:(9)) posits that even cases where there is not a problem due to including the about grain’s availability. Kinyan Torah when aSeveral situationRishonim, is about to be known, that returning food to a heat source), what Rambam, Rashba, and Ran,the apply ebab Bahalacha (I:14) applies this concept to a only makes a difference when issue is constitutes a liquid? even to liquids (see Beit Yosef, OC 318). case of one who sold land that had been lack of interest in the transaction had the Yet, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 318:4) is Answer: It isa governmental noteworthy that your slated for agriculture when information been known. If, though, it is stringent on the matter. The Rama (ad premise of a prohibition is not obvious. decision to allow home building had been about price propriety, thewho going at that loc. 15) cites those arerate lenient on The mishna (Shabbat 145b) teaches us made but not publicized. He says that if time/place based on the publicly available reheating liquid and concludes that it that ein bishul achar bishul (=ebab is permitted unless the food cooled off the seller would not have sold it had he information is the determinant. once a food has been (fully?) cooked, totally. The more accepted explanation known, he can backisout. he would have there no Iffurther prohibition of of this compromise is that the Rama cooking), and no gemara sold it anyway but at a much higher price,clearly fundamentally accepts the lenient between solidlaws and liquid. then we get distinguishes into the issue that the position, but is stringent Rabbinically The distinction begins with Rashi a Din Torah English or of ona’ah do not generally apply to real when it For is cooled off inbecause it is (Shabbat 34a) on the topic of hatmana Hebrew contact ‘Eretz Hemdah estate (Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat unnoticeable that it was already (insulating food) on Shabbat, who Gazit’for Rabbinical Court: cooked.- Even S'fardim, Rav 077Ovadia 227:29). On the other hand, one the might Ramaheat (ad up the raises a concern Yosef (Yabia Omer X, OC 26) posits 215-8-215 • fax: (02) 537-9626 loc.) states that if the price was double (orviolate food before insulating and thus that the Shulchan Aruch did not totally beitdin@eretzhemdah.org bishul.rate, Thethe Rosh half) of the going laws(Shabbat do apply.3:11) in discount the lenient position. This reconciling the two although sources above Also, according to most poskim, leads the way for various leniencies. that(returning Rashi's problem refers to the laws of posits ona’ah money, For example, he ruled that if one did food with liquid. Many poskim have FOR SALE: nulling sales) do not apply to real estate, reheat a liquid on Shabbat, it does not offered suggestions why liquid is Bayit Vegan become forbidden to eat and that it is there is still worse. a prohibition sell Perhaps to thebuy mostoraccepted is permitted to askapt.+ a non-Jew to reheat a at an unfair price (R. Akiva Eiger ad loc. huge two-story garden + parking + storage liquid on his behalf. Over S’ma 1600 audio and video shiurim based on Ramban; 227:51). agent:0522383909 for listening and downloading Certain poskim raise other distinctions. There are broad differences between plus written articles opinions on the parameters of a liquid. The general rule is that proper pricing

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follows what is prevalent at the time OU Israel Center TT 1324 and place involved (see Pitchei Choshen, Ona’ah 11:7). The Imrei Yosher (II, 155) says that if information changes the price, it depends if it is known to a majority of the population. Also, the gemara (ibid.)

May the Torah learned from this

page B'CHUKOTAI 5779 issue34 be ‫נשמת‬ ‫ לעילוי‬our beloved

husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, Rabbi I. Fred Hollander, on his seventh yahrzeit, Rosh Chodesh Elul.

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Unwitting Damage

ast time we saw the apparent discrepancy between the Tosefta that states that if the doctor killed a patient they must be exiled similar to any other inadvertent killer. However Abba Shaul in the Mishnah stated that if someone killed someone while acting as the Beit Din’s emissary they are exempt from exile. Since the doctor in question is both an expert and has been granted a license from the Beit Din surely the doctor is also performing a mitzvah and while does he have to be exiled?

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TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

The Tashbatz writes that the two sources disagree and we can explain the different opinions be investigating the different circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death. In the case of the Beit Din’s emissary he was exacting corporal punishment as instructed by the Beit Din. The Beit Din determined that the said individual should be given a certain number of lashes and was strong enough to undergo this particular punishment. In reality the person was weaker than they assumed and so unfortunately died. The Beit Din’s executioner is not held responsible for the person’s death since they followed the Beit Din’s instructions. But if the emissary was overly zealous and smote the person more times or stronger than he was instructed then he is held responsible and must face the consequences and go to the city of refuge. This distinction can be applied in the case of the doctor as well; in the case where the doctor gave the correct medicine and acted according to recognized medical protocol they are covered by their legal rights to practice medicine. Even if the patient dies, the doctor cannot be held responsible. But if the doctor was reckless or negligent and the patient dies then the doctor is held responsible. The doctor is not given a license to kill patients nor can the doctor act is whichever way they choose and hide behind their professional warrant.

What would be the consequences if the doctor would attempt a completely new and untested treatment and caused damage, such as gene therapy? It would appear that this is not within the doctor’s jurisdiction. Since this is a new and untested area of medicine the doctor would be held responsible for any damages that were caused by the treatment. Since genetic makeup is such a delicate balance almost all gene therapy can potentially have some adverse effect and the doctor cannot claim that they were only acting in pure medical terms. So should all gene therapy be outlawed? More on this next week. Supervision, and education programs. Oﬃces in Jerusalem, New York, Los Angeles, Paris. Contact (02) 651-5050 (Isr) 718-336-0603 (US) www.puahonline.org

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MEDINA & RABBI SHIMON HAKOHEN NADEL HALACHA BY Mara D'atra, Kehilat Zichron Yosef, Har Nof THE ‘SHIVAT TZION’ IN THE DAYS OF EZRA AND NECHEMIAH & OUR CONTEMPORARY SHIVAT TZION - PART III

‘An Eternal Attachment’

ast week we saw how the Shivat Tzion in the days of Ezra and Nechemiah was plagued with problems: People with questionable lineage, assimilation and intermarriage. But despite their shortcomings they possessed a deep faith, and the courage to take a leap and return home to the Land of Israel. Interestingly, the names of the families who did ascend are preserved for posterity in the Books of Ezra and Nechemiah (See Ezra, Chap. 2; Nechemiah, Chap. 7). Perhaps the reason their names are recorded is to praise them for the courage they showed. Rav Kook describes the character of those who returned: “Already in the days of Ezra many of the great and good [ones] did not want to found the settlement in the Land of Israel and remained in Babylonia. Ezra took with him from the blemished, whose actions were detestable and the world was fit to turn into a pillar of salt because of them. They were Sabbath desecraters, even in the Land of Israel. Nevertheless, this flowering of Redemption brought about the building of the Second Temple

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

and through it we merited to publicize the Oral Torah, the broadening of Rabbinic Enactments and the spreading of Torah amongst Israel” (Igrot HaRe’iyah, vol. 1, no. 311). These were the brave souls who sacrificed everything and went into the unknown. They rolled up their sleeves and built up the Land, partnering with Hashem in bringing about redemption. In fact, the returnees imbued the Land of Israel with a Kedushah, which is felt until today. Rambam writes: “Those who ascended from Egypt sanctified [the Land] with the first holiness. When they were exiled, its holiness became null and void. Since the ‘First Holiness’ was only through conquest (Kibbush), it sanctified [the Land] for that moment but did not sanctify it for all time. When the exiles ascended and took possession (Chazakah) of part of the Land, they sanctified it with a ‘Second Holiness that endures forever - for that moment - and for all time” (Hil. Terumot 1:5; Cf. Hil. Beit HaBechirah 6:16; Hil. Ma’aseh HaKorbanot 19:15). Rav Yechezkel Abramsky explains that the people’s yearning made their acquisition of the Land unique, and writes, “What Yehoshua’s conquest could not do with military might, Ezra’s aliyah accomplished with the strength

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of its spiritual emotion.” Rav Abramsky continues: “The ‘First Holiness,’ which acquired the Land through the physical power and prowess of conquest (kibbush) this sanctity does not remain and becomes nullified. Only the Kedushah of the Land [acquired] through ‘My spirit’ (Zechariah 4:6) at the time when Zerubavel ascended, never becomes nullified” (Eretz Yisrael Nachalat Am Yisrael, Introduction). The ‘Rav,’ Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, explained: “When Ezra consecrated the Jewish land, he also consecrated the Jewish heart and the Jewish attachment and eternal commitment to Eretz Yisrael. The consecration was converted into an eternal attachment between the Jew and Eretz Yisrael. It was an even greater miracle than the actual consecration of the land itself” (R. Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff, The Rav, Vol. 2, p. 117. Cf. Al HaTeshuvah, pp. 300-308). While it may not have been accompanied by ‘open’ miracles and wonders, the Return to Zion in the days of Ezra and Nechemiah created an “eternal attachment” to the Land. In some ways, the Second Temple rivalled the First. The prophet Chaggai says, “The glory of the latter Temple will be greater than the First” (2:9). The Talmud (Bava Batra 3a3b) explains that the Second Temple was greater in size as well as in the number of years it stood. While the First Temple stood for 410 years, according to rabbinic tradition, the Second Temple stood for 420. And while the First Exile left the

Land desolate, even after the destruction of the Second Temple, the Jewish People continued to maintain an uninterrupted Jewish presence in the Land. Reflecting on the lessons to be learned from this period, the Rebbe of Husateyn writes: “We have erred in not wanting to ascend because we lack leaders on the level of Ezra and Nechemiah. To those who will not ascend because of their love of the Exile, there is nothing to say” (Ohalei Ya’akov, Vayigash) The Netziv of Volozhin, Rav Naftali Zvi Berlin, also draws on this period and calls on the Jewish People to act: “Just as in the days of Ezra the Scribe, who gathered a few thousand Jews in Babylonia - all types of people - great Torah scholars, G-d-fearing individuals, as well as men who had foreign wives, people who were accustomed to violating the Sabbath and those who had no Torah knowledge whatsoever - these people gathered together and prepared the Land for settlement, until it was eventually filled with its children. We too must awaken to the sound of Hashem’s desire, which resonates from one end of the earth to the other, wherever our brethren are scattered and cast, and answer and do what it is out hands, a little or a lot, and with every type of Jew... to ascend and settle the Land of Israel and build it...” (Shivat Tzion, Vol. 2, p. 6). Rav Hillel Rivlin of Shklov, a student of the Vilna Gaon, writes, “A major principle of our master [the Vilna Gaon], was that all activity regarding the process

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TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

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of the Beginning [of Redemption], had to be similar to the period of Ezra and Nechemiah in the days of Cyrus...” (Kol HaTor p. 29, 137. See also Biur HaGra L’Tikunei HaZohar, p. 27). Many understand this to mean that according to the Gaon, the Final Redemption will take place through natural means, and with the permission of the Nations of the World (See Biur HaGra L’Tikunei HaZohar, ibid. On this theme, see also Radak to Tehillim146:3; Ramban to Shir Hashirim 8:12; Rabbeinu Bachya to Bereishit 28:6; Rav Yehudah Alkalai, Goral l’Hashem published in Kitvei R. Yehudah Alkalai, Vol. 2, p. 532. See also the letter of the Malbim to Rav Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer, published in Shivat Tzion, Vol. 2, p. 3). The Shivat Tzion in the days of Ezra and Nechemiah and our contemporary Shivat Tzion share much in common. In many ways their story and struggle is similar to ours today. It’s as if history is repeating itself in front of our very eyes: A series of pronouncements and declarations, not unlike the declaration of Cyrus, led to the establishment of the modern State of Israel. The brave souls who have chosen to make aliyah over the last two centuries, cast their lot with the Jewish history and destiny unfolding here. They came for different reasons, but founded a State and restored a Nation. The Chalutzim, the pioneers of pre-State Israel - many non-religious - rolled up their sleeves and settled the land just like in the days of Ezra and Nechemiah. They once again created an “eternal attachment”. And their courage and faith is the reason why we are here today.

Sunday, Sept. 1 - Rabbi Breitowitz Sunday Morning shiur is sponsored by Mel David in Gratitude to Hashem for the many blessings he has been given

Dedicated L’iluy Nishmat ‫מרים בת ר’ מרדכי ברוך בענדיט ע”ה‬ Miriam Rich a”h whose 11th Yahrtzeit is on ‫ו’ אלול‬

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BY RABBI EPHRAIM SPRECHER

Elul – Come Blow Your Horn!

think that life is all about acquiring the newest and the latest high-tech toys. As Danny DeVito famously philosophized: Whoever has the most possessions when he dies, WINS.

G-d has given us the

hy do we blow Shofar during the month of Elul? Is it just to give the Baal Tokah (the Shofar Blower) a chance to warm up and practice for Rosh Hashana? Rosh Hashana is a time to step back and regain our lost vision. The call of the Shofar is how we do it. The Rambam states that the message of the Shofar is to “Awaken those who are asleep.” The Rambam’s analogy to sleep is profound. Because the dreams we experience in our sleep seem so real at the time, yet the moment we wake up, we realize that our dreams were merely illusions. So too, we often live life in a spiritual slumber. We dream of accumulating material possessions and all the latest high-tech gadgets and we forget about our true purpose in life. Some people

incredible gift of Rosh Hashana, to wake us up and reconnect us to Him! The Shofar reminds us who we are and why we are here in this world.

The Shofar reminds us that Danny DeVito’s philosophy is false! The Shofar is G-d’s wakeup call, His spiritual alarm clock, to remind us of why we are in this world. It calls us to regain our vision, to transcend our daily mundane affairs and to return to who we really are. According to the Zohar, the Shofar is G-d’s dialogue with our souls. The Shofar sounds

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beckon us to live a Torah way of life by making the world a better, kinder, and more compassionate place. It is significant that Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgement, takes place on the anniversary and birthday of the creation of Adam. There is a profound connection between these two aspects of Judgement Day. The fact that G-d created the world and the human being means that life has a Divine purpose. At the heart and soul of Judaism’s world view is that life has an elevated purpose. G-d created each and every one of us to carry out a unique mission, by fulfilling His Mitzvot. People can forget the true purpose of life, and slip into a dream-like world, where trivial matters such as smart phones, assume inflated importance, and spiritual values are forgotten. The Shofar, with its simple cry and sigh, awakens us to see the world the way it really is, instead of how it appears on TV, when we are in a state of spiritual slumber. G-d has given us the incredible gift of Rosh Hashana, to wake us up and reconnect us to Him! The Shofar reminds us who we are and why we are here in this world. Reconnecting with our soul and with our true Divine purpose in this world brings with it great joy. This is why Rosh Hashana, though it is a day of Judgement, soul searching and introspection, is also celebrated as a joyous Festival. Rosh Hashana is THE DAY on which we celebrate the profound joy of discovering our unique purpose in life, of renewing our sense of, “NO ONE CAN DO IT MY WAY.”

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RABBI MEIR TAMARI

The Ways of the Fathers are Signs for their Sons

hen we think of Avraham it seems that there are 3 distinct images which emerge; his leaving home, hachnasat orchim and his pleading for the people of Sodom despite being aware of the justice in their destruction. Each of these depict a different aspect of his personality and deserve separate treatment. Leaving Home. The very first picture we have of Avraham is in Ur of the Chaldees when he receives a command to leave home, family and all that is familiar and go to a strange land. Ur was a magnificent metropolis, one of the centers of ancient civilization. It was also the center of the worship of the Moon as a goddess. To complete the picture we have Terach, his father, a maker and dealer in idols. There is a parallel to this in Moshe, who is the Servant of Hashem, Lawgiver of Israel, and Father of the Prophets. Nevertheless, he is raised by the non-Jewish daughter of Pharaoh, grows up in the royal palace 66

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

of Pharaoh and spends his youth in a country replete with idolatry. In our own generation, many of us share their experiences as we find our ways back to Torah after our parents either experimented with false ideologies or struggled to maintain themselves economically and socially in new alien societies and cultures. Sometimes, it is necessary to find our own different way, even though our parents are religious. When the Admor of Kotsk was rebuked for leaving his father’s Rebbe to go to Yehudi Hakadosh in Physhca, he replied, “this is my G-d and I will praise Him”.

“Eretz Yisrael proclaimed the Unity of Hashem and His Mastery over all creation, past, present and future. This ideological exposure to Bavel and Egypt continues throughout the language, ideologies and stories of the Tanach.” Avraham’s journey to the spiritual home necessitated a detour to Egypt which geographically lies to the west of

Eretz Yisrael. It was the other center of the Ancient World and represented a different form of idolatry to which Israel had to be exposed; perhaps as a form of inoculation. In Bavel men worshipped the forces of nature whereas in Egypt they were concerned with protection against death. The pyramids were an attempt to bodily preserve Pharaoh while other men there sought eternity through mummification etc. Eretz Yisrael proclaimed the Unity of Hashem and His Mastery over all creation, past, present and future. This ideological exposure to Bavel and Egypt continues throughout the language, ideologies and stories of the Tanach. Hachnasat Orchim. “These things a person enjoys the fruit in this world while the principle remains intact for the World to Come” (Peah, 1:1). The Mishnah includes hachnasat orchim in this list together with honoring parents visiting the sick, communal prayer and endowing a bride. All of them have remained a constant factor in Jewish individual and communal life throughout the ages. One wonders what spiritual significance in hospitality entitles such inclusion and perhaps the following story about Levi Yitschak of Berdichev, supplies the answer. Once when he arrived in a town nobody offered him hospitality except the poor shoemaker. On Shabbat, however, when dressed in festive clothing, everybody clamored for the honor to accommodate the noble guest. So he poured the Kiddush wine over the clothes, indicating that they were the subject being honored. Then he stressed that to Avraham the guests appeared as ordinary

people whereas to Lot they came as angels; “Hachnasat orchim of angels is no big deal so Lot is not our model for hospitality”. We may see Avraham’s hachnasat orchim as the natural lifestyle of the wandering desert dweller. It is also easy to see it as ‘kiruv’ as Chazal do. However, Hachnasat orchim is far more than both of these. It is a statement that our possessions are given to us, inter alia, to be shared with others, despite their actual wealth.

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WALK THROUGH THE PARSHA WITH RABBI DAVID WALK

Hometown: Anonymous

y wife, Rivka, and I recently returned from a trip to the Old Country, AKA the New World. It was wonderful to visit relatives and friends. I also got to recite a BRACHA on the Pacific Ocean for the first time. But there’s nothing like coming home to Yerushalayim, the Holy City, AKA Center of the Universe. Rivka perceptively commented after our first Shabbat home, that davening is better and different in Yerushalayim. It's hard to put into words the sense of spiritual attachment to KEDUSHA engendered by prayer here. It’s like the old joke, ‘from Jerusalem, it’s a local call’. There are many fairy tales in which saying a name creates magic. To a certain extent I feel that way about saying ‘Yerushalayim’, the ‘City of Peace’. It conjures magical feelings. But there’s an anomaly in this love affair with Yerushalayim. Even though the name of our beloved capital appears 665 times in Tanach, it never appears in Chumash. The closest we get is Shalem (which gives us ‘Salem’ in English) back in Breishit (14:18). This mystery is front and center

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

in this week’s Torah reading, because 15 times our parsha has the expression: the place that God will choose. Why not just say Yerushalayim? Actually, the first time that we’re told that God chose Yerushalayim is in the days of Shlomo Hamelech (1 Melachim 11:13). Is it possible that the choosing of Yerushalayim wasn’t inevitable? I find that idea disturbing. I live in Baka which is very close to the Haas Promenade. Many of us believe that was the spot from which Avraham Avinu first saw Mount Moriah (later: Temple Mount) on his way to Akeidat Yitzchak, the aborted sacrifice of his son. We in the ‘hood like to believe that was the revelation of the place where heaven meets earth, the spiritual interface. Before we get to the issue of Yerushalayim as the designated rendezvous spot with God, the Da’at Mikra commentary delivers another important concept. According to Rav Mirsky, our pasha has a critical agenda point to make. Moshe is teaching a point of Jewish law rather than a geography lesson. It’s critically important that the entire Jewish nation have one cultic center. There can’t be tribal or private temples, because of the very real danger that Judaism would splinter into many competing faiths. Unlike the pagan world, described at the beginning of our parsha, we require

national unity of worship, which mirrors the perfect unity of God. Okay, that explains the first mention, but what about the fifteenth: Three times in the year, every one of your males shall appear before the Lord, your God, in the place He will choose (Devarim 16:16). Since we’ve already established that there can be only one temple, why can’t it identify its location? Well, the parsha really answers that question. ‘When He will give you rest from all your enemies around you, and you live securely, then there will be a site chosen by the Lord, your God (12:1112).’ The permanent Temple site can’t be established until the wars of conquest have subsided. This explains why there were less than permanent centers like Shilo and Kiryat Yearim. All of this is cool, but what about Yerushalyim? Did King David choose it for

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political reasons, because it was centrally located? It was on the seam between Yehuda and Binyamin. It lay within the lands of the children of Rachel and those of Leah. And what about Shlomo? In Divrei Hayamim, he seems to be begging God to accept the new Beit Hamikdash as the one true chosen place, and God agrees (II 7:12). Rabbi Soloveitchik, in The Emergence of Ethical Man, suggests that all KEDUSHA emanates from human effort. Almost all alone, he believes that even Eretz Yisrael was chosen by the Patriarchs, rather than by God. So, he has no problem with David Hamelech choosing the site for God’s presence on earth. But, that’s an outlier. The Malbim takes a middle position. He explains that the establishment of Yerushalayim was a combination of David’s efforts to finally bring peace to the land, and the prophet, Natan, informing him that Yerushalayim was the place. God was not going to reveal the place of Divine alignment until the nation was ready. On the other hand, the Rambam takes it for granted that the location was known, and the nation was just waiting for the proper time to fulfill these laws. ‘It is universally accepted that the place on which David and Solomon built the Altar, the threshing floor of Ornan, is the location where Abraham built the Altar on which he prepared Isaac for sacrifice. Noah built an altar on that location when he left the ark. It was also the Altar on which Cain and Abel brought sacrifices. Adam, the first human, offered a sacrifice there and was created at that very spot, as our Sages said: Humanity was created 70

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

from the place where atonement would come (Laws of the Temple, II:2).’ This brings us to the Sfat Emet. The second Gerer Rebbe explains the issue very simply: God wanted us to search for the proper location. Avraham went through this same experience. God tells him to ‘go to the land which I will show you (Breishit 12:2).’ There’s tremendous value in the effort of finding the proper site. Now, we can understand why the Jews are told to only seek the spot after they have found rest (V’HEINEACH LACHEM) from the process of conquest (Devarim 12:10). In the midst of war, survival trumps all other endeavors. Even today, when we all know the proper location, because of tradition, history, archeology, it’s important L’DROSH, to seek, desire, search for our spiritual goal. As King David tells us: Search for the Lord’s might, seek the Presence constantly (Divrei Hayamim I 16:11). On a small scale we fulfill that adage by facing Yerushalayim when we daven. But in the bigger picture, emulate David by finding God in your life.

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FROM THE BY JACOB SOLOMON OHR HACHAYIM

ou shall kill the inhabitants of that town by the sword…in order that G-d… will give you mercy, and have mercy on you (13:16,18). This is the ultimate severe pronouncement against Ir Hanidachat, the condemned city, where it is decreed that all the inhabitants of an Israeliteturned-idolatrous city must be put to death. It appears to be in a similar spirit to the tribe of Levi killing those who were worshipping the Egel HaZahav, who were likewise killed with sword. The Torah, as explained by the Talmud (Sanhedrin 111b), rules that the city needs the following characteristics to qualify as an Ir Hanidachat. Firstly, the initiative to follow idol worship must come from men within that very city. Secondly, those individuals must have misled the majority of a city’s population into idolatry. The Parasha gives us a frightening insight into the consequences of idolatry: “They even burn in fire their sons and daughters to their own gods” (12:31). R. Akiva said that he had personally witnessed an idolater tie up and throw

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

his own father to savage dogs, as an act of idol worship (Sifre, 81). In a broader context within living memory, a third of the Jewish population were foully put to death under Nazism. This doctrine was presented to the Aryan population as what could at least in spirit be called idol worship, the ultimate ideal in social engineering. What objectively was the murder of innocents was transformed into the “call” of “highest duty” for “perfecting the human race”. However Avoda Zara on the grand scale of Ir Hanidachat seems to be accepted in the Gemara as “There never was a doomed city, not will there ever be a doomed city” (Sanhedrin 71a). So why is it included in the Torah at all? The Gemara responds that it is “to give Divine Reward to those who study the issue in depth” (ibid.). The Ohr HaChayim considers another, fundamental objective. However justified the killings, the punishment of the Ir Hanidachat can have adverse psychological effects on those who carry out the execution. Especially where it involves large numbers of people.

When a person does an act a number of times, it becomes second nature. Those who execute the multitudes of the Ir Hanidachat may well get a taste for cruelty and become immune to the suffering of others. The Torah therefore promises that G-d will give a new midat harachamim to those who perform His will, even in such extreme circumstances: â&#x20AC;&#x153;He will give you mercyâ&#x20AC;?, the attribute of being sensitive to the needs of others. This idea can be extended. It can happen in family and communal life that drastic, last-resort action has to be taken (though it should not happen without consulting with a highly competent halachic authority). If those in authority have to indeed take such steps for what is the public good, G-d will see to it that those people, acting from the highest of motives, will not become hardened to any future situation that they will be called upon to deal with. For example, a well-run high school admits a few students from the community who are strong and influential, but have severely disturbed personalities They upset the balance of the school community. Their offensive graffiti, drug abuse, and gratuitous violence are beyond the coping capacities of the faculty and student body. As their influence diffuses into that society, a new anti-school, anti-learning, and anti-social ideology establishes its grip on the entire student body. A new, insidious hierarchy that rewards bullying and maximum class disruption de facto runs the school. Over a few years the poisonous atmosphere affects and severely depresses the OU ISRAEL CENTER

entire school community, rendering it not only functionless as an educational establishment, but as a negative force in society as a whole. The government inspectors investigate the school. They find that the teachers are sincere, and are doing their very best to improve the situation. But the overall picture gives the inspectors no choice, but to recommend and enforce the immediate closure of that school despite the job losses

TORAH TIDBITS / RE'EH 5779

and financial costs of reorganization borne by the community. The Gemara (Pesachim 8b) derives the principle of shiluchei mitva aynan nizakinâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; those who are in the process of carrying out a mitzva are given Divine protection from physical damage. In the light of the above discussion, perhaps this principle could be extended to include Divine protection from spiritual damage as wellâ&#x20AC;Ś

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