260. Pinchas

‫מוצאי שבת ר"ת‬

‫מוצאי שבת‬

260

Issue

‫פקד יפקד ה' אתכם‬

MORE NOW THAN EVER

‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬

‫בס"ד‬

‫פרשת פינחס‬

‫י"ט תמוז תש"פ‬ 11 July 2020

'‫פרקי אבות פרק ו‬

‫קבלת שבת‬

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9.14

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Are you sure that you are emotionally balanced?

Our world often presents us with very stark contrasts: yes or no, permitted or forbidden. The truth is, many people prefer the simplicity that results from ‘either-or’ statements or choices.

Parshas Pinchas, however, introduces us to a decidedly different choice.

this instance? Rav Chaim Shmulevitz zt’’l draws our attention to Avrohom sending Yishmoel away. As he was being evicted from the home of Avrohom, he was also provided with provisions for his journey. Avrohom seems to have acted very strangely, both demonstrating love and hatred towards his child.

It’s impossible to inspire a fellow Jew in Torah unless you have unconditional love towards them. They are not simply your next “target” to gain heavenly points. The love must precede any attempts to influence or inspire them. Feeling excluded - or worse still being excluded - can lead to deadly consequences.

It’s for this reason that the opening posuk of our sedra sets out Pinchas’s genealogy, going back to Aharon Hakohen.

The Gemoro teaches us this lesson, with the following example:

Rashi writes: because the tribes spoke disparagingly of him, saying, “Have you seen this grandson of Puti, the father of whose mother used to fatten calves for idolatrous sacrifices, that Elazar his father had married a daughter of Putiel who is identified with Yisro; and he has dared to slay a prince of one of Israel’s tribes!?!”, therefore the Torah comes and connects his genealogy with Aharon.

“And Lotan’s sister was Timna”? Timna sought to convert. She came before Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov and they did not accept her. She went and became a pilegesh of Eliphaz, son of Esav and said, referring to herself: It is preferable that she will be a maidservant for this nation, and she will not be a noblewoman for another nation.

Ultimately, Amalek, son of Eliphaz, emerged from her, and that tribe afflicted the Jewish people.

What is the reason that the Jewish people were punished by suffering at the hand of Amalek? It is due to the fact that they should not have rejected her when she sought to convert.

The love for every person that pulsated through Aharon Hakohen continued to pulsate in his grandchild. It was this that motivated Pinchas.

We learn in Avos: ‫ הֱ וֵי ִמּתַ לְ ִמידָ יו‬,‫ ִהּלֵל אֹומֵ ר‬.‫ְׁשּמַ אי ִקּבְ לּו מֵ הֶ ם‬ ַ ‫ִהּלֵל ו‬ ‫ אֹוהֵ ב אֶ ת הַ ּבְ ִרּיֹות‬,‫ׁשלֹום‬ ָ ‫ׁשלֹום וְרֹודֵ ף‬ ָ ‫ אֹוהֵ ב‬,‫ֶׁשל ַאהֲ ר ֹן‬ ‫ַּתֹורה‬ ָ ‫ּומ ָק ְרבָן ל‬: ְ

Actually, this is exactly how Hashem acted.

The kruvim in the Beis HaMikdosh faced each other, even when the Beis Hamikdosh was being destroyed. This seems odd, as that would be a sign of love at the very moment of destruction!

Hashem is showing us that true punishment must be motivated by love. We must train ourselves to act in accordance with the middos of Hashem.

If someone needs rebuking or redirecting, a representative must be found who is filled with love for every Jew; one who is a true student of Aharon Hakohen. Who amongst us can be certain that we are suitably qualified? Pinchas knew that he was, and when the time came to act, he knew exactly what to do.

M

This week’s edition is dedicated in honour of

Yuda Sanger’s

How terrifying! Our battle against Amalek and their ideological descendants might not have happened, had Timna been accepted. The rivers of blood that stain our history might never have been formed.

The Rambam explains: They said that when Aharon Hakohen sensed that the insides of a person were bad, or they told him that the person’s insides were bad or that he had a sin in his hand, Aharon would greet him first. He would be friendly

Bar Mitzvah.

Wishing him, his parents and grandparents a very special Mazel Tov and they should all be showered in Brochas.

But what of genuinely negative influences that need to be distanced? How do we behave in

‫ספר דברים‬

‫לע"נ מרת טויבא רחל נאה ע''ה‬ ‫בת ר' שמואל שמעלקא הי''ד‬ ‫נלב''ע כ''ה מנחם אב תשע''ז‬

Head of Jewish Studies, King David High School Manchester

towards him and would speak much with him.

And that man would become embarrassed about himself and say, “Woe is to me! If Aharon knew what is hidden in my heart and the evil of my actions, he would not permit himself to [even] look at me, all the more so to speak to me. And yet he treats me with the presumption that I am a proper man. [Hence] I will confirm his words and his thought and I will return to the good.”

When Pinchas picked up the spear to execute Kozbi and Zimri, he acted according to the halacha.

At the same time, this is not a halacha that is taught or propagated (halacha ve ein morin kein).

There is a fine line between permitting an extra judicial killing and vigilantism. Only someone who has the purest of motives is capable of taking a life to redress to chilul Hashem that had been created.

‫ספר במדבר‬

‫לע"נ ר' יקותיאל זלמן נאה ז''ל‬ ‫בן ר' חנניה יו''ט ליפא הי''ד‬ ‫נלב''ע ט''ז אדר תשע''ז‬

Rabbi Benjy Rickman

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‫לע''נ ר' בנימין בן ר' מאיר דוד ז''ל‬ ‫נלב''ע ב׳ אדר תשע''ז‬

‫ספר בראשית‬

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Oneg Shabbos Issue 260

My Father’s Grandchildren I will come back to it soon, but let us first have a look at a seemingly contradiction between two comments of Rashi, also in this week’s Sedra.

I

t must have been about 30 years ago. The famous Maggid Rav Sholom Schwadron zl was in Manchester on his yearly visit. Of course we couldn’t know it at the time but it was to be his last one. He and my father ‫ הכ”מ‬were good friends; because of that, he knew me well too. At the time I was a Maggid Shiur in the Pinto Yeshiva and I had often unsuccessfully asked him to come and speak to the pupils there. This time he consented and it was an occasion which nobody present will ever forget.

Already advanced in age, he couldn’t climb the steps at the entrance of the building and, as it was warm weather, he gave the shmuz in the garden. Bachurim and avreichim listened spellbound as he spoke, weaving pshat (it was parshas Korach), drush and stories together in a way only he could. The only sounds were of the birds. (You can hear them on the recording!).

When he was finished, everyone crowded around him as he slowly made his way back to the waiting car. Being in a jolly mood, I decided to introduce some of my sons to him as “these are my father’s grandchildren”.

He stopped, looked at me and said words which at first puzzled me, but later shed light on a difficulty in this week’s Sedra and became a guideline for the rest of my life. “Just like Rashi” he said cryptically. When I asked him which Rashi he was talking about, he referred me to a Rashi in this week’s Sedra.

For questions on Divrei Torah, please email the editor Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn at editor@oneg.org.uk

In Perek ‫כז‬, Pasuk ‫יד‬, Moshe Rabbeinu is reminded by Hashem that he would not be allowed to enter ‫ ארץ ישראל‬and would die shortly. His immediate reaction, in Pasuk ‫ט’ו‬, was asking Hashem to appoint a successor.

Rashi there writes that this is written to inform us of the praiseworthiness of our Tzaddikim. Because when they are ready to leave this world, they put aside their own self-interest and think only about the needs of the Jewish people.

However, in the very next Pasuk, Rashi writes that when Moshe Rabbeinu heard about the sharing out of Tzelofchod’s inheritance to his daughters, he said: “The time has come that I too should claim my needs and I should ask that my sons inherit my position”.

The question is quite obvious. First Rashi praises Moshe Rabbeinu for not thinking of himself but only of the needs of the people, and straight afterwards he says that he tried to get a position for his sons!

This question has been discussed by the various meforshim and several answers have been offered. Rav Sholom Schwadron’s reaction however gave me a new insight into Moshe Rabbeinu’s selfless request.

Rabbi Nachum Aronson Maggid Shiur, BSS Seminary & Kollel Baalei Battim in Manchester

When Rav Sholom zt’’l heard me say “these are my father’s grandchildren”, he was reminded of this Rashi. And although he didn’t say so explicitly, I’m sure that with this he wanted to reconcile the two Rashis. Moshe Rabbeinu, as the ultimate leader of Klal Yisroel, never thought of himself at all.

But what was very important to him was to bestow honour on his father!

He hoped that his father’s grandsons would continue the leadership. And Hashem told him: ‘I’m indeed fulfilling your request by passing on an important role of the leadership to your father’s grandchild. Not necessarily in the way you asked for, but to Elozor ben Aharon Hakohen!’ With this, Moshe Rabbeinu was happy, because that was the result he desired.

I’m within the year of the petirah of my dear father ‫הכ”מ‬. As I’m writing this, the shuls are closed and I can’t say Kaddish. So I can’t honour him that way. But I can learn Mishnayos le’iluy nishmoso. I can try and guide the future generations to go in the way of our forefathers.

So that the grandchildren of my father will honour him. M

He pointed me to Rashi in Pasuk ‫כא‬. In the previous Pesukim, Hashem had told Moshe that Yehoshua would be his successor; and that if the latter would ever have a query about leading the people, he would have to consult Elozor, the son of Aharon Hakohen, i.e.

Moshe’s nephew. Rashi explains that Hashem told Moshe: “Here you have the fulfilment of your request. You asked that the honour of leading the nation should not move away from your father’s house? Indeed Yehoshua will need Elozor (your father’s grandchild)”.

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11 July 2020

‫י"ט תמוז תש"פ‬

‫פרשת פינחס‬

3 Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Slansky Author & Magid Shiur based on Rabbi Shraga Kallus’s shiurim

Yotzartah’. Of course, this ‘all-rounder’ was quick to bellow out the correction …

This week’s Parshah begins with the reward that Pinchas received for his courageous act of killing Zimri. The action itself is not in this week’s Parshah, but rather the conclusion of last week’s Parshah. Many commentaries deal with the obvious question: why does the Torah split up the action and the reward? Last week we were ‘left hanging’, with the outcome only revealed this week.

Pure Motives He was the ‘all-rounder’. Lecturer, Mohel, Rav, Chazzan, Talmud Chacham, Kohen, author etc. Once he spent Shabbos in a town and of course was busy throughout. On Friday night, he spoke in one Minyan before Kabbalas Shabbos, and in another after Maariv. Many people came to eat the meal with him, which followed by an impromptu oneg, together with some riveting story-telling. Next morning, he spoke before krias haTorah, and naturally was ready to accept ‘his’ aliyah of ‘Kohen’.

He tried to conceal his expectation … and then, when they did not call him up, his confusion.

He started trying to rationalize: ‘Did they not realize I am here!?’.

Then he thought: ‘But I spoke here in Shul last night’. ‘Maybe they did not notice I came to this Minyan’, he tried to convince himself. Again, he realized that this was quite difficult to believe, as he was sitting up at the front next to the Rav. ‘The person that got ‘Kohen’ must be a chiyuv; but they’re going to give me Maftir’.

With that, he calmed himself down and proceeded to listen to the rest of krias haTorah. Again, as Maftir was approaching, he began preparing to receive the aliyah - once again trying not to show his anticipation. But then they called up the Gabbai!?!

At this point, he was almost livid! But he kept reminding himself to be ‘don l’kaf zechus – to judge favourably’; yet the excuses with which he was trying to convince himself were somewhat tenuous.

‘Ah, it is Shabbos Rosh Chodesh’, he finally remembered. ‘They must want me to daven Musaf with my beautiful chazzanus’. For the third time, he began preparing to ascend but was overtaken by complete bewilderment when the Gabai himself began to daven Musaf. This was inexcusable!

Left with no choice, he settled in his seat for Musaf. During chazaras haShatz, he was quick to realize the mistake. The Chazzan by accident started with the words ‘Tikantah Shabbos’, instead of the special Tefilah inserted for Rosh Chodesh of ‘Atah

Zealous actions can stem from one of two places, explains the Sanzer Rebbe.

It is possible that the act of kana’us came from a good place, standing up for what is right. Yet it is possible that it came from one’s desire to take matters into one’s own hands and look for a fight. The Sanzer Rebbe explains that the Torah is teaching us this very important lesson: whenever such an act is performed, one must pause and reflect to ensure that the motives are correct. The Torah splits the reward from the action, as if to pause and decide whether this act of Pinchas was in truth stemming from the correct motives.

HaRav Sholom Shwadron zt”l concluded this story about himself and remarked, “where did that correction come from!?” commenting on his quick, loud reaction of the mistake of the Chazzan. “Did it come from a place that I needed to ensure the tefilah was said correctly? Or did it stem from a place of revenge for the lack of honour that I was accorded during that tefilah? We have to be so very honest about our actions and always ensure our motives are pure.”

We must be extremely careful to be brutally honest and real with ourselves, evaluating constantly where our actions stem from. Often, the spear is in our hands, or in our mouths, and we must make sure that the response is appropriate. Think twice before responding. Pause and reflect once again, to guarantee you have …. absolutely pure motives! M

4

Oneg Shabbos Issue 260

Sages through Ages THE

Dr Benji Schreiber

The Chida

Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire 1724 - Livorno, Grand Duchy of Tuscany 1806 ‫י”א אדר‬ Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai, commonly abbreviated to Chida - ‫חיד”א‬, was an astounding Rav, accomplished in halacha and aggada, in gematriyot and in segulot.

He was a prolific writer and kept many diaries.

His father was from a family of Spanish exiles and his mother of Ashkenazi descent. His grandfather was the Rishon LeZion, the Sefardi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. Born in Jerusalem in 1724, his father noted that he showed a great thirst for Torah from the age of six or seven. He started writing seforim on halacha when he was 12 and started giving drashot before his Bar Mitzvah. He learnt under Rav Yitzchak Navon and his own father, Rav Yitzchak Zerachya Azulai. He learnt from Rav Chaim ibn Attar, the Ohr HaChaim, during the one year that the Ohr HaChaim spent in Jerusalem. Alongside his learning in Yeshivat Beit Yaakov in Jerusalem, he also studied Torat HaNistar (i.e.

Kabbalah), under the great Yemenite Rav Shalom Sharabi (1720-1777), the Rashash.

He was part of a small group, “Ahavat Shalom”, who signed mutual bonds of friendship and equality in this world and in the next.

Role of Shadar

He was appointed a ‫ – שד’’ר‬an emissary of the Rabbis (‫ – )שלוחא דרבנן‬to raise funds from diaspora Jewish communities to support the poverty-stricken Jewish community in Chevron. This was a challenging and dangerous role. He had to combine erudition, scholarship and oratory skills with multi-lingual skills, fundraising, sheer endurance and prolonged separation from his family. He left his family for extended periods. He recorded extensive travel logs, including dangerous scrapes with the Russian navy, knights of Malta and anger from both England and France when he crossed between those two enemy countries.

His first trip as emissary was from 17521758. He travelled through dozens of cities across Europe. He came to London and saw the Tower of London, wild animals and life-like sculptures. In 1755, he met the Pnei Yehoshua in Germany.

In 1761 he was invited to lead the wealthy Spanish and Portugese community in Amsterdam, which he declined. In 1764, there was political unrest in Jerusalem so he became Rov in Alexandria, Egypt, where he was unhappy. He was Rabbi in Egypt from 1764-1769.

In 1772 he went out for his third trip, and did not make it back to Eretz Yisrael. His first wife was Rachel; they had two sons and three daughters. One daughter died in childhood. While he was in Tunisia, in 1773, he learnt that his wife had died in Chevron seven months earlier. He hid the news from the Tunisians so they

wouldn’t pressure him to remarry there.

He was also in Morocco and then settled in Livorno, Italy. In 1777 he was in France, and in 1778 in Holland. On his travels he visited the famous libraries of Italy and France, where he examined the Hebrew manuscripts. He married for a second time, also Rachel, in Livorno in 1778 and remained there for the rest of his life.

Writings He was a very prolific author. His travel diaries, “Maagal Tov”, have been translated into English but are out of print. In Livorno he printed the first part of his biographical dictionary, “Shem HaGedolim”, and “Birkas Yosef”, notes on the Shulchan Aruch.

He wrote about 120 works in all, many of which are studied today. They cover a wide scope including Tanach, Siddur (“Tefilat Yesharim”), halacha, kabbalah, midrash and history. Despite his Sephardi heritage, he appears to have been particularly fond of the Chasidei Ashkenaz (a group of Medieval German rabbis, notably Yehuda HaChasid).

At the intiative of Chief Rabbi Nissim, he was reburied in Israel in 1960 on Har Hamenuchot. M

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11 July 2020

‫י"ט תמוז תש"פ‬

‫פרשת פינחס‬

5 that day and how often. On average, there was a clear correlation between the individuals who had been hugged more frequently and their feeling that they had received greater social support.

What have you missed the most during this terrible time of quarantine and self-isolation?

There is a remarkable story that took place toward the end of World War II.

Studies show that hugging is an effective way to reduce stress and infection risk by conveying social support.

An American soldier’s platoon liberated one of the Nazi death camps. The camp was filled with hundreds of half-starved children. The American soldiers quickly set up a huge pot of soup to feed the kids; the children lined up behind it, eager to get their share of the precious food.

One particular soldier made eye contact with a boy at the end of the line who was waiting patiently for his soup. The American approached the boy, and since he couldn’t speak the boy’s native language, he communicated by offering the boy a warm hug. After they finished hugging, the soldier looked up and noticed that the children, who were previously lined up for the soup, had postponed their chance to eat and instead formed a line behind the soldier to receive their hugs as well.

Now for the even more interesting part of the study: Some time after the phone interviews had been completed, the volunteers were invited to an isolated floor of a local hotel and were quarantined in separate rooms. The investigators then gave them nasal drops containing a virus that caused common coldlike illnesses. Interestingly, how often somebody had been hugged clearly influenced the infection risk.

Volunteers who had been hugged more often had a decreased risk of infection. Moreover, among volunteers who got infected, those who had been hugged more had less severe symptoms: their noses were less stuffy. The authors concluded that hugging is an effective way to reduce stress and infection risk by conveying social support.

The Power of a Hug Rabbi Benjamin Blech Aish.com

There are times when hugs are more necessary than food, when an embrace is more satisfying than sustenance. Our bodies require calories but our souls have to feel the warmth of touch and of love conveyed by a loved one.

King Solomon, the wisest of all men, long ago taught us in the book of Ecclesiastes that there is “A time to embrace and a time to cease from embracing” (Ecclesiastes 3:5). The sequence is significant. There may be good cause at times to cease from embracing. Surely a plague is one of them. But we never dare forget that human contact is an ideal – an ideal which may have tragically been all too often unattainable in these last few months, during the fearsome attack of coronavirus.

“I haven’t been hugged in months,” said a close friend to me over the phone. “I can only imagine lying in a hospital bed, fearful of death, with no one to hug you.” There are no words to describe what it must’ve been like for the woman who had tested positive for the virus and given birth without being allowed to hold her new-born infant for weeks on end. I remain haunted by the image of a 90-year-old great-grandmother looking through her nursing home window separating her from her loved ones, not knowing whether she would live long enough to hug them or kiss them ever again.

One of the things we need to take away from these difficult months of deprivation, as we try to return to some sort of normalcy, is to never again fail to appreciate what we previously so very much took for granted.

Who would’ve guessed how much power there is in the humble hug?

In a remarkable study published in the scientific journal “Psychological Science”, the authors investigated the relationship of hugging, social support, and the probability of getting sick in 404 volunteers from the Pittsburgh area. First, the volunteers were called every evening for 14 days and asked about their social relationships, whether they had been hugged

The common cold does not seem to be the only disease affected by hugging. Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States and in many other countries. One of the major risk factors for developing potentially fatal heart disease is high blood pressure – and hugging has been shown to reduce blood pressure in a 2005 study published in the scientific journal Biological Psychology.

Having witnessed first-hand the dire consequences of our inability to embrace our loved ones, give extra hugs to those who surround you, and when life returns to normal, let us embrace this powerful and much-needed tool for communication with our loved ones. M

6

Oneg Shabbos Issue 260

Bovine Words

T

par for a male. Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim he Torah allows ritual Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein of Breslau (1740–1814) classifies the words sacrifices to be brought from Author of Lashon HaKodesh: History, Holiness, & Hebrew par/parah as derivatives of the biliteral only three families of animals: (Mosaica Press) root PEY-REISH. In Rabbi Pappenheim’s ovine (sheep), bovine (cows), opinion, this root refers to the act of and caprine (goats). In this “breaking something down into smaller essay, we will explore various Hebrew words related to the components.”

Different words derived from this root include bovine family, explaining exactly what they mean and how perurim (“crumbs”), efer (“ash”), parur (a special “pot” for they differ from one another. The more we dig into this, the cooking crumbs or other small grains), pri (a “fruit,” which more we notice that English terminology has neat parallels to is a microcosm of a tree that comes off the tree), pe’er/tiferet the various Hebrew words used for cattle-beasts. However, in (a form of “all-encompassing beauty” which breaks down Hebrew we can trace the etymology of these words and related into multiple aspects), hafarah (the act of “disintegrating” or words to various themes, whilst in English we cannot. “nullifying” a vow), primah (the act of “tearing” clothing into There are two English words for a female bovine: a heifer multiple shreds), and tefirah (“sewing,” the means of rectifying refers to a young female bovine, especially one that had not yet the damage done by primah). given birth to a calf; whereas a cow is a mature female that has Rabbi Pappenheim explains that a pri refers to the act of already given birth, and therefore produces milk. Nonetheless, reproduction or procreation (whether we are talking about in a colloquial sense, the word “cow” is generally used to refer people, plants, or animals). Similarly, the par (“bull”) is to any bovine animal, not just a mature female one. associated with reproduction because it is fertile, unlike the When it comes to male bovines, English differentiates castrated shor (“ox”). The female parah (“cow” or “heifer”), between gelded (i.e. castrated) and fertile, young and old, and of course, is almost always used for its maternal, motherly animals bred for food and work. Castration, of course, is used properties—whether for breeding calves or for producing milk. to render these beasts docile and more disposed to working.

Only a small minority of female cows are ever made impotent.

A male bovine with its testicles intact is called a bull and is The Mishnah (Parah 1:1) records a dispute between Rabbi typically used for breeding. A castrated male bovine used for Eliezer and the Sages regarding the cut-off age that sets apart producing beef is called either a steer/bullock (if castrated an eglah (“female calf”) from a parah. Rabbi Eliezer maintains when young) or a stag (if castrated when older). An older that a calf is an eglah until it has finished its first year, and castrated bovine used for draft work (like pulling wagons from then on it is called a parah. The Sages, on the other hand, or ploughs) is called an ox. Nonetheless, the term “ox” is maintain that it is still called an eglah even in its second year, sometimes used in a colloquial sense to refer to any bovine but from after that point it is called a parah. Either way, Rashi trained for draft work. (to Tehillim 69:32, Chullin 60a, 8a) writes that a shor can Now let’s turn to the Hebrew terms. already be called so from the day it is born (see Lev. 22:27), Rabbi Eliezer HaKallir in a piyyut (liturgical poem) for whilst a par only assumes that name later. the second day of Passover uses five Hebrew words for “ox”: Rabbi Pappenheim traces the word shor to its biliteral root par, shor, egel, aleph, and bakar. In this article, we will explore SHIN-REISH. He explains that the word shor specifically these five words and their meanings. [Interestingly, Peirush is borrowed from shar/ sharir (see Ezek. 16:4, Prov.

HaRokeach and Rabbeinu Efrayim ben Shimshon write 3:8, and Job 40:16), which means “umbilical cord.” Just that the Bible alludes to these five names for bulls as the umbilical cord at the unborn baby’s stomach by levying a penalty on a thief who steals cattle and attaches it to its mother, and serves as its conduit for slaughters/sells it. Such a thief is obligated to pay the all growth, so too does a shor contain the core of its original owner five-times the value of the stolen energies and strengths in its stomach. [In Aramaic, the bovine (see Shemos 22:37).] letter SHIN of the Hebrew shor morphs We begin with the first stage in the life a bovine—when it is a “calf.”

Calves are immature bovines which rely on their mother’s milk in order to survive and grow. In English, the word “calf” refers to both a male and female. In Hebrew, an egel is a male calf, while eglah is a female calf. Rabbi Zalman Hanau (1687–1746) in Tzohar HaTeivah writes that the word egel is derived from the word igul (“circle”), because young calves tend to be round and pudgy.

The classical words for bovines in Hebrew are parah for a female, and

into a TAV to become tor. In fact, some linguists maintain that the Latin word taurus is derived from the Aramaic tor.] R’ Efryaim ben Shimshon (to Bereishis 2:19) argues that the word shor is related to the word shur (“gaze”) and refers to the ox who views the rest of the world as a yoke upon him, which makes him fitting to be the King of Domesticated Animals (as opposed to the lion who is King of the Wild Animals).

While many presume that a shor, by definition, must refer to a castrated

11 July 2020

‫י"ט תמוז תש"פ‬

‫פרשת פינחס‬

bull (i.e. an “ox”), others beg to differ. Rabbi Yonah Merzbach (1900–1980) argues that the word shor in the Torah cannot refer to a castrated bull, because according to Halacha it is forbidden to castrate an animal (see Vaykira 22:24). Instead, he writes that a shor and par must be the same in terms of gelding. Radak (to Tehillim 69:32) similarly writes that a shor is “big” and a par is “small”, although it remains unclear if he means in terms of age or in terms of physical build.

The word aleph appears eight times in Tanach in reference to bovines (see Devorim 7:12, 28:4, 28:12, 28:51, Tehillim 8:8, 50:10, Mishlei 14:4, and Yishaya 30:24). Interestingly, the letter Aleph in the original paleo-Hebrew script (Ktav Ivri) looked like an ox. That script was later borrowed by the Phoenicians and then the Greeks, until it became the standard Alphabet. Rabbi Pappenheim connects the word aleph to the two-letter root LAMMED-PEY which denotes “a strong hold.” He explains that a “chieftain” (i.e. the alpha-male) who has a strong hold over the people in his control is called an aluf, and the amount of people one needs to control in order to gain this title is “one-thousand,” (elef). All of this is related to an aleph which is the strongest type of ox. [Alternatively, the Vilna Gaon (to Mishlei 14:4) connects the word aleph to the Aramaic yalif (“learn” or “study”), but his explanation of the difference between a shor and aleph is too complex to be cited herein.]

The word bakar refers to a collection of bovines, and is translated into English as “cattle.” Radak in Sefer HaShorashim explains that the basic meaning of the BET-KUF-REISH root is “investigation,” “seeking,” and “probing.” The word boker (“morning”) is derived from this root, because it is the time when light appears and one can begin probing and discerning. The term bikkur cholim is used as though it means “visiting the sick;” but really it entails “finding out” what sort of state the sick person is in and what can be done to help him. In this spirit, Rabbi Lt. Col. Yehoshua (Jeremy) Steinberg of the Veromemanu Foundation explains that bakar is the word for “domesticated cattle,” because those animals require attention, supervision and defending from marauders. All of this is the job for the boker/voker (“cowboy,” see Amos 7:14), who must also “seek out” greener pastures for his cattle.

Some have claimed that the English slang term buckaroo (“cowboy”) is derived from the Hebrew word boker/voker which bears the same meaning. However, most linguists agree that buckaroo is actually derived from the Spanish word vaquero which, in turn, comes from the Spanish vaca (“cow”). Alternatively, the late Dr. Julian Mason (1931–2018), a professor at University of North Carolina, argued that the origins of buckaroo are to be found in Gullah (a creole language spoken by African-Americans in the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia) in which the word buckra means “white man.” M

7

Stain our reputation for the bigger picture When we read Parshas Pinchas, there are many names that are written when the Torah details the names of the Shevatim’s children. One of the names written is “L’Yashuv mishpachas Rabbi Yechiel haYashuvi”. Yashuv was a child of Spero Yissochar. Rashi says his name wasn’t Author & World renowned Speaker Yashuv. Rather when we read the list of those who went down to Mitzrayim, we meet him with the name Yov. He changed his name to Yashov. How? The Da’as Zekeinim Baalei Tosfos explains that Yissochar had a child, called Yov. Yov was very unhappy with his name. Why? Because Yov was a name of an Avoda Zarah. Therefore, Yissochar said to his son,’ I have an extra “‫ ”ש‬in my name! I don’t need two for my name, so I’ll give you one of mine’.

This pshat is cute, even beautiful. But I think there is more to it. Yov felt like he was going to places he didn’t want to go. He was becoming an “oved avoda zarah,” someone who wasn’t serving Hashem properly. He went to his father and said, ‘Help me. Why is this my path?’ Yissochar said, ‘I will do anything for you. I will even give you my name. I don’t need my honour and reputation. All I want is for you to be good. “Yashuv” means he will return, do teshuva and become better.

Two lessons come from this. One, we have to be prepared to do anything and everything for our children. We cannot wait until we see them heading in the wrong direction. We have to be willing to give of our name, our reputation. Sometimes our children need something, and maybe it will stain our reputation if we send them to a certain school etc, but we cannot worry about what people will say. Secondly, our children need to know that we are ready to give and do anything and everything for them.

Hopefully all the “Yovs” of this world, all those who feel and sense (regardless if they can admit it or not) that they are veering off the path, each one will receive the proper love, siyata dishmaya and everything that a parent can give to their child. And im yirtzeh Hashem they will all return. M

8

Oneg Shabbos Issue 260

Restoring the primacy of Choshen Mishpat Under the auspices of Harav Chaim Kohn ‫שליט"א‬

Rabbi Meir Orlian Halachah Writer, BHI

This page is sponsored by nextgenrealestate.co.uk

‫לע''נ אריאל יהודה ז''ל בן ר' פינחס צבי נ''י קליין‬

IS RENT CONSIDERED INTEREST? Q: Ten years ago, when Reuven could not afford his mortgage payments, his bank threatened to foreclose. His friend Shimon then made a gracious offer: He would pay off the entire loan, and they would transfer the deeds on the house into his name. When Reuven was able to return the amount Shimon paid the bank, Shimon would transfer the house back to him. In the meantime, Reuven would pay rent to Shimon for living in the house, which was now under his ownership.

Currently, Reuven is in a position to take out a new mortgage, and he wants Shimon to return the home to him.

Is there a ribbis issue with this arrangement?

A: If Shimon is not obligated to return the house to Reuven but is doing so out of the goodness of his heart, then there is no issue whatsoever. If, however, according to the original deal, Shimon was required to return the home when Reuven was able to pay back the amount Shimon paid to the bank, there might be a ribbis issue.

When a person sells a home (or an object; see Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Ribbis 54) and he tells the buyer, “When I have enough money, I will give you back the money and you will return my house,” the buyer is not allowed to live in the house. Since the seller is able to void the sale at any point, this is not considered a sale, but rather a loan. If the buyer lives in the house during the loan period, he is deriving benefit from lending his money to the seller/borrower, which is ribbis (Yoreh De’ah 174:1&7).

In our case, since the original deal between Reuven and Shimon allowed Reuven to buy back his property at any point, the money he received to pay off the mortgage is considered a loan, rendering the rent payments ribbis.

Some poskim write, however, that this case depends on the exact terminology used in the original deal. If Shimon agreed to void the sale when Reuven returned the money, or if Reuven said, “When I return the money, you’ll return my house,” that turns the transaction into a loan, not a sale, and the rent is ribbis.

But if they stipulated clearly that they are not nullifying the original sale – rather, they made the original sale conditional on Reuven’s right to buy back the house – then the resale of the house to Reuven is a new transaction. In fact, the need for a new sale actually bolsters the finality of the original sale.

Since the house was truly Shimon’s during the interim, the rental payments were not ribbis (Chavos Daas 174:1; Nesivos 207:6; Noda B’Yehudah Tinyana, Yoreh De’ah 75, cited in Pischei Teshuvah 174:1).

In our case, if the original condition was that Shimon would sell the house back to Reuven, there is no ribbis issue

according to these poskim.

Nevertheless, later poskim write that since this sale wasn’t final in the sense that Shimon could not do as he pleased with the house – for instance, he could not sell it to a third party – it is still akin to a loan. It would be best, therefore, to write a proper heter iska before setting up such a deal (see Mishnas Ribbis 14:7; Chelkas Binyomin 174:7).

Clearly, however, if the parties were not careful to phrase the sale contract properly, and Shimon agreed to return the house (i.e., not to sell it back) when Reuven had the money, then the rent paid in the interim is ribbis. [The fact that the deeds were under Shimon’s name for those ten years does not seem to change this halachah, because this happens even in cases of loans to protect the lender.]

The same logic applies to another situation that commonly arises nowadays.

Gemachim that lend out items – medical equipment, or sefarim, for example – often ask for a monetary security deposit from borrowers. Even if they claim that they are “selling” the object to the borrower/buyer with the rights to return for a full refund, because the deposit is actually considered a loan, the borrower/ buyer’s use of the item is considered a benefit derived from the loan, which is ribbis (Mishnas Ribbis 14:[2], cf. Seder Haribbis [Schimmel] p. 268).

There are two ways to avoid this problem: If the gemach is not allowed to use the money in the interim, then it is clearly a deposit, not a loan.

If the gemach doesn’t return the full deposit, but withholds the fair-value use of the item, then the transaction becomes a rental, with the amount deducted serving as the rental payment.

This payment must be deducted before the return of the deposit. It does not help for the borrower to pay for the use of the item after receiving back the deposit, because ribbis al menas lehachzir (charging interest on condition that it will be returned) is also prohibited (Shulchan Aruch 174:5). M For questions on monetary matters, arbitrations, legal documents, wills, ribbis, & Shabbos, please contact our confidential hotline at 877.845.8455 or ask@businesshalacha.com

Provided by Business Halacha Institute. The BHI is a non-profit organization based in New York that educates and guides people in up to date applications of monetary halacha. For more information or to browse the BHI archives, visit www.businesshalacha.com

11 July 2020

‫י"ט תמוז תש"פ‬

‫פרשת פינחס‬

ways to play your part 1. Protect Klal Yisrael from trouble When we gossip about people’s sins, we open a prosecution in Heaven of all Klal Yisrael’s sins. When we overlook others’ sins, Hashem responds by mercifully overlooking our sins. That is one reason that shemiras haloshon protects the Jewish people.

2. Let in the Light The Jewish people are meant to fill the world with Hashem’s light. Each neshama shines. When we gossip about someone, we cast a cloud over His light and darken in the world. Shemiras haloshon lets Klal Yisrael do what Hashem put us here to do.

3. Believe in your impact Imagine there was a “Galus Clock” that moved steadily towards the Geula, and each moment of shemiras haloshon caused the clock’s hands to advance. It wouldn’t be hard for us to restrain ourselves as we watch the clock tick forward because of our efforts.

4. Focus on what unites us Hashem requires that Klal Yisrael serve him as one united family. Chazal teach that the ketores, the incense burned in the Bais Hamikdash, was desirable to Hashem only if it included a certain unpleasant smelling spice. Likewise, Hashem accepts the Jewish people only when we include even those we might believe Hashem would judge unpleasant.

5. Speak to Hashem with a pure mouth.

Our tefilos and our Torah learning are our only means of bringing Hashem’s chessed into the world. They give us the power to move the Heavens and in turn transform this world. The more we protect the purity of our mouths with shemiras halashon, the more powerful our learning and prayer will be.

9

SHEMIRAS HALOSHON

FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO SPARK N CONVERSATIO

WHEN TO CALL THE SPIN DOCTOR Although we’ve learned that we have to respect people’s stated preferences when they’re in search of a shidduch, there are occasions when we’re allowed to temporarily conceal facts that might stop the match before it ge ts started.

THE DILEMMA

streets for a few years. After that You know a boy who was on the ened out; his true brilliance and difficult time period, he straight ld rged as a solid bachur. He wou goodness surfaced, and he eme she if but e, niec c listi lligent, idea be perfect for your highly inte ct “a bumpy ride” she would reje had boy this that t fron hears up out with you tell her about the boy the shidduch on the spot. May ies? cult diffi mentioning his long-ago

THE HALACHA

That is a judgment call wh ich should be made by a rav and not a shadchan, who has an inte rest in getting the sides tog ether.

A rav will consider wheth er the issue at hand is obj ectively serious enough to block an initial meeting. If not, he may allow the information to be tem porarily concealed until som ething of a relationship exists. Howe ver, it would have to be disclosed before the parties have a chance to develop strong positive feelings for each other.

Oral ruling by Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l The Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation Reviewed by Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Lowy.

For discussion only; actual halachic decisions should be made by a rav or halachic expert on a case-by-case basis.

10

Oneg Shabbos Issue 260

Daf Yomi WEEKLY

‫שבת קכ“ז‬

Distinctive Insight

TO GIVE THE BENEFIT OF A DOUBT ‫ומעשה באדם אחד שירד מגליל העליון ונשכר אצל בעל הבית אחד בדרום‬ :‫שלש שנים קכז‬

Once a person came down from the upper Galilee and hired himself as a worker for three years. 127b

The Gemara teaches that giving someone the benefit of a doubt is a tremendous fulfillment of the mitzvah of promoting peace between men. The Gemara proceeds to tell the story of a worker who worked for three years, and when he expected to finally get paid, his employer claimed that he could not pay him. The employer clearly had cash, fruits, land, livestock and clothing, but still claimed that he could not pay. The worker left, feeling dejected, but yet trusting that none of the employer’s assets were available to pay him. When the employer raised some more cash and came to pay his worker, the Gemara tells us that despite the unlikelihood of none of the assets being available at that time, the excuse of the employer was accurate. The employer pronounced a wonderful blessing upon the employee for being so trusting, and assuming only the merits of the employer.

Our Gemara does not reveal the identity of this worker, who demonstrated the wonderful trait of giving the benefit of a doubt to his employer even under suspicious circumstances. Yet, the ‫ שאילתות‬cites a text which tells us that this was Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, who worked for Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenus. The Emek She’aila cites a text found in Tanna D’vei Eliyahu that tells us that the employer in the story was an unlearned man, thus precluding the suggestion that it was Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkenus, who was one of the giant luminaries of his generation.

However, he does concur that the employee was Rabbi Akiva, but this story took place while he was still unlearned, before he set out to learn Torah. The Gemara (Kesubos 62) tells us that Rabbi Akiva possessed an outstanding character, being quiet and unassuming, even before he dedicated his life to Torah. M

A message for each one of us It is fascinating to think that out of the billions of people on this planet, every single individual is entirely unique. Fingerprints, the most widely used biometric identifier, are a clear example of this; and out of the billions of faces, it is amazing to note that they are all different too!

Our uniqueness however, does not end with our physical make up. The way we think, feel, and view the world is individual too; it is influenced by many factors, such as upbringing, education and personality traits.

When dealing with people, it is important to remember these differences.

When Moshe was told that he was about to die, he said to Hashem ‘You know that the mind of one individual is not similar to that of another.

Appoint a leader over the congregation who will be able to deal with every individual according to his mind’ (Bamidbar Rabba 21:15 cited by Rashi) A true leader is someone who understands every person on an individual level, and deals with each one accordingly.

But this message is not just for leaders.

In our day-to-day interactions, it is very important to remind ourselves that everyone thinks and experiences the world differently.

Taking a step back and trying to understand someone else’s perspective can prevent arguments, fights and even hatred.

Brought to you by

We can also apply this message to the way that we help individuals. Gary Chapman in his book ‘The 5 love languages’ explains that everyone’s ‘love tank’ needs filling with something different.

Whereas one person appreciates gifts as a gesture of love and friendship, for someone else an hour of quality time would mean a lot more.

Hashem gave you a fingerprint that no one else has, so you can leave an imprint that no one else can.

‘Deal with each individual according to his mind...’

A message not just for leaders but for each one of us.

(Torah idea from “Love your Neighbour”

by Zelig Pliskin)

27 June 2020

‫ה' תמוז תש"פ‬

‫פרשת קרח‬

11

PHOTO: VISUAL AMBASSADORS

‫פרקי‬ ‫אבות‬ Chapter 6 Mishna 6

WHO KNOWS FORTY EIGHT? The forty eight qualities to acquire Torah correspond with the numerical value of the word ‫ מח‬brain, where one’s Torah knowledge resides. Interestingly, there are also forty eight lines in each column of a Sefer Torah.

TORAH AND WATER Torah is compared to water in many ways.

•

Just as the water that is now at the bottom of the waterfall is the same water that was once higher up, Torah remains Hashem’s pure wisdom even after it was lowered into this physical world.

•

Water naturally flows downwards; Torah is acquired by one who recognizes that he is low, and feels humble.

•

Just as one is not ashamed to ask someone of lesser stature for water, one should not be embarrassed to seek Torah knowledge from a generally lesslearned individual.

A SMILE A DAY One of the ways Torah is acquired is through happiness. Rabbah would begin each of his classes with a joke to open the minds of his students. But as soon as they started learning, they would sit with awe and respect.

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