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HASHEM RELATES TO US THE WAY WE RELATE TO HIM
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Rabbi Zev Leff | Rav of Moshav Matityahu “And if you shall say, what will we eat in the seventh year, for we have not planted or gathered in our grain [due to the restrictions of shmitta], I will appoint My blessing to you in the sixth year, and it will yield enough grain for the threeyear period [the year before shmitta, the shmitta year, and the following year, until you can plant and reap the harvest].” (Leviticus 25:20-21) The Sforno writes that the nature of Hashem’s miracle varied according to the quality of bitachon (faith in Hashem) shown by the Jewish people. If their bitachon was great, the miracle was that a year’s quantity sufficed for three years. If not, they received three years’ quantity of grain in the sixth year. The first was a hidden miracle; the second obvious to everyone. Why, we might wonder, did the lower level of bitachon evoke the more obvious miracle, i.e., the threefold quantity of grain? The sefarim hakedoshim explain that Hashem avoids doing open miracles. Such miracles seem to imply that the natural order Hashem created, and which He described as “very good,” is not complete and needs adjustment from time to time.
K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D
In reality, there is no difference between nature and miracles; both are expressions of the Divine will. The kriyas yam suf, the Sages say, was already decreed from the creation of the world. It and other miracles are merely natural events which occur infrequently; nature is miraculous events which occur regularly. From our vantage point, however, miracles appear as exceptions to the natural order. As such, they can diminish Hashem’s honour in our eyes by implying an imperfection in His creation. Therefore, we do not pray for miracles or derive benefit from the products produced by miracles. The hidden miracle of being satiated with smaller portions, so that one year’s yield would last for three years, however, did not serve the needs of those whose bitachon was weak. Seeing a normal yield in the sixth year, such a person would grow worried that his crops were insufficient for the coming years. He needed to see the grain for three years in front of him to feel secure.
by
Family Epstein in honour of
Daniel's th 50 birthday
Turn to page 7 for a Devar Torah in honour of the Simcha
Hashem responded to that need to see the grain in front of him, and provided a threefold BY BORUCH quantity of grain, even KAHAN though the need to do so was engendered by a We know that last week’s Parshah of Emor as well as Parshas Achrei Mos talk about the various halachos of Yom Kippur and lack of faith and trust in the Kohen Gadol’s avodah but there is one pasuk in this week’s parshah which applies to all of us concerning something that Hashem.
Riddle of the Week
Hashem’s kindness is truly astounding!
we do in shul on Yom Kippur. What is the Possuk and what is the Halachah? Any comments can be directed to bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk. Answer on back page.
לעילוי נשמת הש"ץ שלמה בן אברהם משה ז"ל לעילוי נשמת חנה בת אלעזר ע"ה
PARSHAH
SHMITTA - CARING ABOUT OTHERS
Rabbi Moishe Kormornick | Author, Short Vort ֹאמרּו ַמה ּנֹאכַ ל ַּב ָּשׁנָ ה ְ וְ כִ י ת ַה ְּשׁ ִב ִיעת ֵהן ֹלא נִ זְ ָרע וְ ֹלא ִיתי ִ וְ ִצּו:בּוא ֵתנּו ָ נֶ ֱאסֹף ֶאת ְּת ֶאת ִּב ְרכָ ִתי לָ כֶ ם ַּב ָּשׁנָ ה בּואה ָ ַה ִּשׁ ִּשׁית וְ ָע ָׂשת ֶאת ַה ְּת לִ ְׁשלׁש ַה ָּשׁנִ ים
And if you will say, ‘What will we eat in the seventh (Shmitta) year? We will not sow nor gather our crops.’ I will give My blessing to you in the sixth year and it will yield enough crops for three years. (25:20-21)
him that his kibbutz desperately
and told Rav Moshe that
needed financial assistance during
he was correct and committed to help
the Shmitta period,1 he asked the
the farmers.
Chazon Ish how the farmers are going
We see from here the great extent
to survive the Shmitta year? The
that we must go to in caring for our
Chazon Ish responded that the Torah
fellow Jew. Rav Yisroel Salanter
had already asked this question in
famously said that every single
the name of the farmers and had
character trait can be used to serve
promised that the crops of those who
Hashem. One of his students asked,
keep Shmitta will be blessed, and
‘How can the trait for apikursus, denial
ultimately the farmers will not suffer.
of Hashem be used to serve Hashem?’
The Chazon Ish was hinting that one
Rav
does not need to be too concerned for
someone knocks at your door and
the farmers because Hashem Himself
asks for money, don’t think ‘Hashem
promises them His blessing.
will help this man;’ rather you must
Rav Moshe however, was not
Yisroel
responded,
‘When
help him as if Hashem does not exist!’
satisfied with the Chazon Ish’s
From these two stories we see
response, and replied that the Torah
that we must show great concern for
This verse refers to those who keep
only addressed the farmers’ question
our fellow Jew. Whether it is their
the laws of Shmitta which essentially
of “What will we eat in the seventh
financial wellbeing, their health or
prevents them from farming their
year?” but it does not answer the
land and yielding their crops. Despite
question that everyone else should
this tremendous sacrifice, the Torah
ask, “What will they eat in the seventh
tells us that the farmers need not
year?” — meaning that the Torah
worry for if they will ask how they will
told the farmers that they should not
survive, Hashem will provide them
worry about their livelihood, but that
with enough food in the previous year
does not exempt others from worrying
to sustain themselves.
about them. The Chazon Ish smiled
When Rav Moshe Auerbach went
1 Since the land cannot be worked during the seventh year this means that farmers are also affected in the eighth year because no crop grew in the previous year.
to speak to the Chazon Ish to inform
family relationships, everyone goes through challenges that could be at least partially alleviated by the warmth of a caring soul. And even when it comes to those who appear to not require assistance of any kind we are nevertheless obligated to concern ourselves for their wellbeing.2 2 In fact, our consideration for one another is what determines our Jewish identity, as the Gemora states, “Anyone who is merciful to Hashem’s creation, you can be sure that he comes from the seed of Avraham Avinu.” (Beitza 32b.)
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What is the theme connecting Parshas Behar?
ARE MESSAGES FOR THE FUTURE
Rabbi Chaim Zundel Pearlman | Machzike Hadath and Rosh Beit Midrash, Hendon In this week’s haftora we read how Yirmiyahu was commanded, in the year preceding the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and Babylonian exile, to purchase property in Eretz Yisroel from Chanamel (his uncle or cousin). The mighty army of Nebuchadnezzar was laying siege to Jerusalem and was poised to attack. Yirmiyahu himself was imprisoned in the King’s palace for foresaying doom and destruction, and he records how he is instructed to legally acquire fields in territory which is about to be laid desolate.
FEDERATION
XX HISTORICAL STORIES OF TANACH the desire to establish the yeshiva of Ponevez
verse I will write at the top of the
on this hilltop, and completed the purchase for
external wall of the Yeshiva will be the same as
£500. At this time Rommel’s army was making
the response of the Chofetz Chaim2, to the rise
sweeping victories in North Africa and the
of Hitler in 1933:
plan was to surge through Egypt and take the then called land of Palestine. The Rav was not deterred and was determined to continue with his dream of re-planting his destroyed Yeshiva of Ponevez in Lithuania to Ponevez in Eretz Yisroel. On being challenged as to the logic of borrowing such a large sum of money to invest in property in Eretz Yisroel at a time when the future was so uncertain and bleak, the Rav responded, the Sages say that only a prophecy which is needed for future generations is written1. If this story is recorded in Tenach there must be a relevance for the future. Precisely at this precarious time is the moment to activate the prophecy of Yirmiyahu.
יטה וְ ָהיָה ק ֶֹדש ָ ְֵּוב ַהר ִצּיֹון ִּת ְהיֶה ְפל “And on Mount Zion there shall be a remnant, and it shall be holy.” This message can be learned from a comment of the Oruch Hashulchon (284:11).3 We read in the brochos after the Haftora:
נאמן אתה הוא ה' אלקינו ונאמנים דבריך ודבר אחד ל- בא"י הא,מדבריך אחור לא ישוב ריקם כי אל נאמן אתה .הנאמן בכל דבריו The word אחורseems superfluous. He explains that it is obvious that all the words of the Torah and the Neviim will be fulfilled and whoever disputes this is a heretic. One may think that there is no benefit from recording historical events. However, this is an error because every episode recorded in Tanach
Additionally, the Rav quoted a Midrash
has relevance for the future. Every past event
Tanchuma that there is a heavenly covenant
in Neviim is not merely history but is repeated
concerning Yeshivos which will be established
in the present and future, hence the emphasis
for Yisrael so that they will be occupied in
ודבר אחד מדבריך אחור לא ישוב ריקם, even as we
Torah, day and night, and Torah will never be
stand in the present, we can look back into the
The Navi goes into remarkable detail as to
forgotten until the end of days. These Yeshivos
past and see that not a word is in vain and it is
how to make the purchase and record proper
will survive captivity and destruction. The Rav
relevant to today.
title for posterity. Subsequently, Hashem
pointed out the relevance of this midrash to
promises that there will be an end to the exile
This was the message that the Ponevezher
Parshas Noach. In an era of catastrophe like
and once again the Jewish people will return
Rav derived from the haftora. The Tanach is
the flood, and like the Holocaust, Hashem
not a history book, the stories related have
sends a message of hope that no matter
a relevance for future generations and it is
how disastrous the situation, the Yeshivos
incumbent upon us to act accordingly.
to buy property in the land of Israel after the termination of the dispersion. This episode provided the inspiration
will survive, so now the time is propitious to
for the Ponevezher Rav, recently arrived in
rebuild the Yeshiva.
Israel in the spring of 1940, to purchase the
On being informed that Rommel’s forces
site for his yet to be built Yeshiva. On a visit
2 Rav Zolti told this story in his speech as guest of honour at the 50th jubilee dinner of Gateshead Yeshiva. See also HaRav MiPonivez vol 2, ch 25 (the Rav in conversation with Rav Bezalel Zolti, July 1940).
were within ten days of reaching Eretz Yisroel,
to the nascent village of Bnei Berak, for the
the Rav said, if that is so we still have ten
purpose of securing certificates to prevent his
days to build the Yeshiva! He said further, the
deportation, he chanced on a desolate hill, a veritable sandbank and immediately expressed
1 Megilla 14a
3 The Rav left Telz Yeshiva, for reasons recorded elsewhere, to study at the Yeshiva of Nevardok. He chose Nevardok to make contact with the Posek Hador, the Oruch Hashulchon, from whom he received semicha. The Rav was highly thought of by the Oruch Hashulchon and acted as his deputy to pasken shailos, when very young, whenever he was unavailable.
T H I S P A G E I S K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E F E D E R A T I O N
DO YOU HAVE A SHAILA? ASK THE federation
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Which mitzvos mentioned in Parshas Behar apply to us very much nowadays?
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Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld | Rosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halachah Beis Horaah
Insulating on Shabbos – a thing of the past? [PART 1] In earlier times, people did not possess their own ovens. Before Shabbos they would take their pots of food to the communal oven to heat it up, and would pick them up shortly before Shabbos or on Shabbos (if there was an Eruv). In order to keep the food warm until it was needed, they would insulate the pots to keep them warm. There are two methods to keep food warm [without leaving it on a source of heat], it can either be done with a material that increases heat or that simply retains its current heat. It is fascinating that although there barely a home in the western world that doesn’t have its own oven, thus deeming this old method of insulation almost redundant, nevertheless, there are so many modern day questions when dealing with these halachos.
Q. What is the problem with insulating food? A. Chazal prohibited insulating to be done – sometimes even before Shabbos – out of concern that one may either transgress the melocho of cooking (to ensure that the insulation will be as effective as possible) or may stoke the fire (to heat up the food), transgressing the melacha of mavir – making a fire.1
Q. Is there any cases when insulating is permitted? A. In order for hatmana to be forbidden, all four of the following conditions must be present: 1. It must be fully wrapped,
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if part of the pot/container is exposed, the air will cool down the contents of the pot and this is not the normal way of insulating. Thus, we are not concerned that one will heat it up since he is not so worried about the heat of the food. Q. What is considered “not fully wrapped”? A. Poskim dispute as to how much must be exposed that it should not be considered hatmana. Most agree that if a significant amount of the pot (e.g., a third) is exposed, it does not constitute hatmana.3
ÂÂ If the entire sides of the pot are insulated e.g.,
with towels, but the top of the pot is exposed – with just the lid on – it is not considered hatmono and is permitted.4
ÂÂ According to Sefardim, even if the pot/container is partially exposed, it is still considered hatmana and is forbidden.5
Q. Does it make a difference if the exposed part is at the top or the bottom of the pot? A. No.6 Therefore, if one wishes to enclose a pot in a permitted manner to retain the heat of the food on Shabbos, one may drape a towel around the pot or wrap the pot/container with (pre-cut) aluminum foil, provided that one leaves a significant amount, even if it just on the bottem, exposed.
2. The food must be in its original pot,
THE FOOD MUST BE IN ITS ORIGINAL POT.
3. One must have intention to insulate it,
Q. If the food was transferred to another utensil, may it be insulated?
4. The covering/wrapping must touch the pot/ food. If ALL of the above conditions are present, it is considered hatmana and it is forbidden. However, if even ONE of the above conditions is missing, it is not considered hatmana and may be done even on Shabbos.
A. Yes.7 The purpose of insulating something is to retain the heat as much as possible. Once food has been transferred to another pot/container, it naturally loses some of its heat due to the cold walls of the second container8. Therefore, we are not concerned that he may heat up the food since he himself made it cool down by transferring it.
THE POT/FOOD MUST BE FULLY WRAPPED:
ÂÂ For example, one may enclose a bowl of chicken
Q. What if the wrapping doesn’t completely surround the entire pot/container of food one wishes to insulate? A. It is permitted. This is because the normal way of insulating pots is to fully enclose them, but 2
1 Mishnah Shabbos 44a. 2 Ramo 253:1 that holds hatmana b’miktzas is not considered hatmanah.
HALACHAH
MY WEEKLY HALACHIC QUESTION
utensil to prevent it from cooling down, since the food being insulated is not in its original utensil. Q. Does this apply to food that is on a blech or hot plate? A. No. This leniency only applies to things that retain heat and do not add heat. Wrapping food that is on a source of heat actually adds heat to it and therefore any type of insulating is forbidden even if done before Shabbos.9
THERMOS FLASK Q. May one pour hot water into a thermos flask on Shabbos? A. Yes.10 Although a thermos is designed specifically to retain the heat of the liquid (a thermos is made of a double layer of glass with a vacuum), and as stated above, insulation to retain heat is forbidden if done on Shabbos; in this case, however, since the liquid does cool down slightly upon contact with the cold walls of the flask, it is permitted.
ÂÂ One should make sure the flask is completely dry before filling it up. If the thermos contains cold drops of previously boiled liquid, it is sufficient to shake it out well before filling it up, even if it is not completely dry.
HOT WATER BOTTLE Q. May one fill up a hot water bottle that is enclosed in its thick protective cover? A. Yes.11
ÂÂ One should make sure the hot water bottle is
completely dry before filling it up. If it contains cold drops of previously boiled liquid, it is sufficient to shake it out well before filling it up, even if it is not completely dry.
soup or a glass of tea in a towel or inside another
3 Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l brought in Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchoso Chapter 1 footnote 233. 4 Ramo. 5 In accordance with the view of the Shulchan Aruch that argues with the Ramo quotes above and holds hatmanah b’miktzas is considered hatamah. 6 Provided one leaves a substantial amount uncovered. 7 Gemarah Shabbos 51a, Shulchan Aruch 5. 8 See Tosfos Shabbos 40b.
9 Shulchan Aruch 5. 10 Chazon Ish Siman 37:32. 11 Mishnah Berurah 29.
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How does the idea of Shemitta and Yovel fit into the theme of Sefer Vayikra?
Rabbi Benjy Gordon | Jewish Futures Trust Imagine the scene, it’s time for the budget, every seat in the House of Commons is taken and George Osborne takes his place at the dispatch box. He announces three new policies: 1) Once every seven years you don’t get a salary at all 2) When a property is sold the seller can change his mind for 12 months after the sale 3) We are scrapping interest rates all together
Then we have the Halacha of
There is no work during shemitta
Batei Arei Choma, for a year after
to teach us to have bitachon. The
you buy a property in Eretz Yisrael
seller can retract for a year because
the seller is entitled to change his
owning land in Eretz Yisrael is not
mind and take it back.
supposed to be an investment but
And finally you are not allowed to
it is because we have a mitzva to
charge interest. Every businessman
live there. Finally there is no interest
knows that the world of economics
because when your friend is stuck
is based on the interest rates but
without money you will lend him
Jewish law says that you lend your
because you care not in order to
brother for free or you are stealing.
make a few extra pounds.
And then Chazal come and add
This is also why parshas Behar
to the list of rules, you have to buy
sets up the economy for the Jewish
from local people first, no chains of
people and it is not in parshas
department stores.
Mishpatim with the other monetary
How is a Jew supposed to make
laws. It is in sefer Vayikra where we speak about korbanos, tumah
a living?
I am not sure that a budget like
PARSHAH
IMAGINE THE SCENE
The answer is that the system
and tahara. Ve ahavta le reyacha
Hashem is setting up for the Jewish
kamocha is in Vayikra and so is
And yet in this week’s parsha,
businessman is not in order that
the economy. The Jew has to
Hashem sets up the rules of
they can make as much money as
understand what it is all about, the
business for Jews and all three of
possible but is a system based on
economy is set up in a way that the
these policies are implemented.
Bitachon and values. A system
Jew should know what he does live
There is a mitzvah of shemitta,
through which we know everyone
for and what he doesn’t live for We
every seven years you have to leave
will be helped and taken care of and
are not against making money but it
your land fallow, you have to forego
a system through which everyone
must be done in a way that doesn’t
your salary, there will be no money
will realise that ultimately it is all up
harm others, fits with our value
coming in but Hashem promises it
to Hashem and he is the provider of
system and allows us to recognise
will be ok.
all.
that all is from Hashem.
this would make it to the House of Lords….
T H I S P A G E I S K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E F E D E R A T I O N
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Why does Parshas Behar end off mentioning about not doing Avoda Zara and Chillul Shabbos – how does this fit in with the parsha?
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פתוח תפתח
Excerpts from the sefer Easy Giving / ( פתח תפתח את ידךwhich includes extensive notes and comprehensive halachic sources), authored by Eli Katz and Emanuel Meyer and available from sefarim shops in NW London. Contact us at info@tzedokoh.co.uk tzedakah
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HALACHAH PARSHAH CHARITY
Easy Givi ng – את ידך
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE HALACHOS OF COMMUNAL OBLIGATIONS, MITZVAS TZEDAKAH AND MA’ASER KESAFIM
In Section A, we clarified the obligation to support the essential communal infrastructure and its precedence over mitzvas tzedokoh. In Section B, we focused on the mitzvah min hatorah of tzedokoh, its exclusive purpose to financially support aniyim / poor people and the prohibitions related to tzedokoh including the obligation not to ignore the requests of an oni. In Section C, we discuss the laws relating to the custom of ma’aser kesofim - donating 10%20% of your income, the two primary sources as well as the ma’aser kesofim income and expenditure calculations. We then enumerated the four categories for distribution, in order of precedence: - 1) tzedokah & Torah support for aniyim, 2) chesed (non-aniyim / good causes), 3) other mitzvos and 4) restricted uses. In the final chapter below, we discuss various aspects of obtaining personal benefit from ma’aser kesofim distributions.
Section C - Ma’aser Kesofim
Chapter 9 - Allocating Funds for Category 4: Restricted Uses
F
3. However, even if you do use ma’aser funds you may not pay all the fees using these funds, as you would need to deduct the costs you would have incurred keeping your child at home, such as food and lodging.
YESHIVA AND SEMINARY FEES. 1. Some poskim hold, hold that you may pay yeshiva fees from ma’aser kesofim, as once your son is able to learn Torah Shebiksav, you have fulfilled your chinuch obligation. However, this leniency is granted only when your finances are heavily strained, and without it, you would not be able to pay full fees. Please ask a sha’aloh prior to paying these fees out of your first ten percent of ma’aser.
G
SHUL FEES AND VOLUNTARY DONATIONS. 1. Ma’aser funds may not be used for a shul which sends out membership and seat invoices, since you receive personal benefits (of a known market value) from being a member and using the seat.
2. Similarly, subject to the above qualifications, a father may use ma’aser funds for his daughter’s seminary fees.
2. Furthermore, once you are invoiced and there is an obligation to pay the shul fees, then this would be considered a debt, and ma’aser funds may not be used to pay debts. 3. Voluntary donations to the shul, for example, mi shebeirach or bedek habayis, may be included in your ma’aser donations, provided you had the intention of using your ma’aser funds prior to taking on the obligation. 4. Voluntary donations to a shul welfare fund is a fulfilment of Category 1 – Tzedokoh.
CHAPTER 10 – Obtaining Benefit from Ma’aser Kesofim A
3. One may use ma’aser funds to pay for a ticket or a contribution to a yeshiva or seminary fund raising dinner. This is because there is no obligation to attend. However, you should subtract the value of the meal provided, as this is a service which you would otherwise have paid for.
GENERAL RULES. 1. According to most poskim you may receive benefit from your ma’aser donations. 2. According to other poskim there are certain exceptions. For example: a. If you make a simcha using equipment or a hall provided by a gemach, you may not use ma’aser funds for any obligatory charge by the gemach, as this is a service which you are purchasing.
4. Regarding lottery tickets which are purchased from ma’aser funds and win a prize, there are three opinions:
a. Some say that the winnings go back into your ma’aser kesofim account. b. Others imply that you may keep the winnings, as long as you give ma’aser on the winnings, as this is a new income. c. Another opinion states that one must return the winnings to the institution which organised the lottery.
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5. How are we meant to understand the mitzvah of Shemitta? livingwithmitzvos.com
To Be Continued ....
Sammy Epstein | Informal Educator, Immanuel College
The concept of the shmitta year is extremely remarkable. For six years, a person is able to work on his field as he desires, plough when he wants and rest when he wants. Yet, in the 6th year, he must leave it uncultured. The question is asked; what is the purpose of this intriguing process? What is the underlying message in this year of no work? Furthermore, why does the Torah tell us that shmitta was given at Har Sinai; weren’t all the laws all given at Har Sinai? What is the deeper connection between Har Sinai and shmitta?
We can scarcely imagine the potency of such a moment. At the time of revelation, there is a deafening silence, a piercing quiet that is beyond our wildest imaginations. But the question is obvious; why does Hashem require silence in order to give over His word? As an omnipotent G-d, surely He does not need silence to be heard!?
In order to understand the inherent connection between the revelation at Har Sinai and the shmitta year, and the underlying message of the shmitta, we can utilise a fascinating Medrash from Shemos Rabbah 29:9. It says
Rav Shimshon Pincus zt’’l provides a novel understanding that shatters our preconception of the recognition of Hashem in this world. He explains that we are approaching the Divine Revelation from the wrong way; it is not that it went silent in the world, and therefore Hashem began to speak. Rather, it is that because the world went silent, the Jewish people heard Hashem. The voice of Hashem is constantly crying out ‘I am Hashem your G-d’, yet in our day to day life we fail to recognize this deafening voice. This call comes from the world around us, the daily miracles of nature that we take for granted. However, in a moment of silence and contemplation, the voice of Hashem can be heard. When the world went silent at Har Sinai, it became possible to hear the voice of Hashem that same voice that was permanently speaking, yet had not previously been heard. It is through this silence that we can hear the permanent call of ‘I am Hashem your G-d’.
‘Rabbi Avahu said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: when G-d gave the Torah, birds did not crow, chickens did not flap, oxen did not cry out, the Ophanim did not fly, the Serafim did not say ‘Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh’, the sea did not shake, the creations did not make any noise, rather the world was quiet and waiting. And a voice came out saying ‘I am the Hashem your G-d’.
This approach can be extrapolated to explain the idea behind the shmitta year. For 6 years, the Jewish people toil; the backbreaking labour they undertake is essential to their very existence by providing food and livelihood that enables survival. However, in such fervor and distraction, it is often extremely difficult to hear Hashem. We become so busy and so caught up in the motion of
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PARSHAH
SILENCE IS THE KEY TO SHMITTA
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daily life, the muffled voice of Hashem remains hidden to us. Along comes the shmitta year to provide an escape route. After the hard work of the previous years, we are commanded to stop. The shmitta year provides a welcome silence from the previous years. It is an incredible opportunity to be silent, through which the eternal voice of Hashem can be heard. It is this silence that reminds us of Hashem’s ever-presence in the world in which we live. We therefore see the inherent correlation between Har Sinai and shmitta. If we see that the reason we heard the voice of G-d at Har Sinai is because we went completely silent, we see the importance of doing the same during the shmitta year. It is a reminder that Hashem is our G-d, something we are likely to forget if we work constantly with no silence to ensure that we hear the call of ‘I am Hashem your G-d’. This further explains why the mention of shmitta in the Torah is littered with the word Shabbos. This is because Shabbos, just like shmitta, is also an opportunity for silence. We spend our week working hard, in a similar fashion to the 6 years prior to shmitta, but Shabbos provides a welcome silence to the deafening working week. This silence enables us to appreciate the world around us and to hear the voice of G-d calling out to us. As Rav Kook zt’’l beautifully and poetically tells us in Oros HaKodesh ‘One needs to prepare himself for the attribute of silence, in order to hear the heavenly voice, and G-d’s word will be upon him.’ Silence is the key to shmitta, and the connection to Har Sinai; it enables us to truly hear the voice of Hashem.
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6. Which acts does the Torah specify are forbidden in the seventh year? livingwithmitzvos.com
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HISTORY
VIEWS FROM HISTORY | Senior lecturer & European Heritage tour guide: JLE
The Kovno Rov – רב יצחק אלחנן ספקטור In an era where photography was in its infancy, there was nevertheless a photo which made its way into people’s homes: that of Rabbi Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor. As a communal leader, father figure and posek for Russian Jewry, he was accorded the reverence often ascribed to the Chafetz Chaim and was described by Rav Elchonon Wasserman as the last gadol in Europe able to command the respect of all elements of Russian Jewry. After enduring two years of great poverty in his first rabbonus (to the degree that his parents-in-law were required to send him food for Shabbos each week), he travelled to meet the Mishkenos Yaakov the rov of Karlin. When he arrived, the Rov was involved in a conversation to resolve a halachic issue. Having overheard the discussion, R’ Yitzchok Elchonon suggested that the answer could be deduced from the Chelkas Mechokek in Even HoEzer. This brilliant insight so impressed the Karliner Rov that he invited Rav Yitzchok Elchonon to stay for a few weeks, and subsequently recommended him for a more fitting rabbonus. In 1851 he was the subject of a Czarist police investigation, after a Jew attempted to slander him to the Russian authorities, accusing R’ Yitzchok Elchonon of tampering with the printing of seforim which had been censored by the government. The resultant enquiry caused him great anguish, and the
kehilla of Novardok promised to make all efforts to resolve the issue if he would agree to become their rov; both of which took place in 1851. His last move would be to Kovno in 1864, the town with which he is associated and where he remained for 32 years until his petira.
wrote a coded letter to Lord Rothschild in London in which he presented the problem of ‘an Agunah in Russia’ who needed help. He instructed Rothschild to galvanise non-Jewish support only, which was successfully done amongst both politicians and in the newspapers.
Since his advice was highly valued, he was part of a small group of Gedolim tasked with bringing a solution to the running of yeshivas Volozhin. He
When it came to Halacha, he was unafraid to give psak to klal issues. Following a famine in 1868 he permitted the consumption of Kitniyos for the following Pesach. Being concerned however, that some might endanger themselves and be stringent, he publicised the fact that he and the ‘chashuvei ha’ir’ would all eat Kitniyos that year. In 1875 he forbade the use of esrogim from Corfu as he was concerned both about the exorbitant prices being charged and their unresolved status with regards to grafting.
would also end the dispute in the town of Mir. Yet his contact with Jewish leadership extended to the maskilim, a number of whom he had connections with, even delivering a hesped for one of them. Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer would emphasise that Rav Yitzchok Elchonon was truly worthy of the title “Rabban Shel Kol Bnei Hagolah” as it is not reserved for the gadol who creates complex and insightful chidushei Torah but rather for the Rov whom the generation respects and who’s opinion is sought out. In 1881 he faced one of his greatest challenges in the wake of the assassination of czar Alexander II. The Jews were falsely implicated and pogroms broke out in 150 Jewish communities. After meeting with government representatives in St. Petersburg he realised that no help would be forthcoming within the Russian Empire. Yet getting the Jews abroad to protest against the Czarist regime could backfire and lead to an intensification of repression. He therefore
1. Rashi (Behar, 26:1) explains the theme of the parsha. Firstly the Torah warns us to keep the shemitta. However, if a person is worried about his loss of income and transgresses sheviis then he will end up losing money and needing to sell his house. If he fails to repent then he will need to sell his family field. If he remains obstinate, he will need to sell his house. His persistence will lead him to borrow with interest and if this does not change him then he will end up needing to sell himself as a servant to a Jew. Failure to repent will end in him being sold to a non-Jew.
ANSWERS
However his most critical role in halacha was in alleviating the plight of Agunos, about which he wrote over 70 teshuvos and for whom he expended incredible effort. When one of his children fell gravely ill, he pleaded with הקב״ה that they be healed, in the zechus of his tremendous exertion on behalf of Agunos.For the Shemittah of 5648 he allowed a Hetter Mechira to be carried out, but stressed that he was giving a psak for that specific Shemittah and that it would be subject to only non-Jews working on the land. The poskim of Europe were divided over the issue and ultimately, the Rabbonim of Yerushalayim did not accept his ruling although they did use his basic psak for the Shemittos of 1895/96 and of 1902/03.
Letter he wrote in May 1888 allowing a Hetter Mechira
2. The Mitzvos of Parshas Behar that apply to us nowadays are those of Shemitta. Other mitzvos on a more daily basis are judging on business deals (25:14) and over or under charging, ona’ah (25:14). Hurting someone with words (25:17) or hurting them financially, ribbis (25:37). Ribbis affects five people: the lender; borrower; guarantor; witnesses and some add the sofer who wrote down the contract! (Gemara Bava Metzia 75b). 3. R’ Shimshon Refoel Hirsch explains the theme of Sefer Vayikra that deals with all aspects of kedusha. Until Parshas Emor with the festivals, it deals with kedusha of makom, space. With the parsha of the festivals it discusses the kedusha of zman, time. The festivals are holier than weekday. Now comes Parshas Behar where it discusses shemitta that has both
Rav Yitzchok Elchonon died on the 21st Adar 5656 and was buried in the Azuolynas cemetery in Kovno. During the communist era it was feared that the Beis Hakvoros would be destroyed and his kever was moved to the Aleksot cemetery where he was placed at the far end of the cemetery in an ohel with his son Rav Zvi Hirsch who took over the rabbonus in Kovno
elements – kedusha in place, namely the land of Eretz Yisrael, and kedusha in time, namely every seventh year. 4. Parshas Behar ends off with a warning about Avoda Zara and Chillul Shabbos (26:1-2) since it follows on from the Jew sold as a servant to a nonJew. We are worried that he will convince himself that he can act like his master and transgress these severe sins. Therefore these pesukim come to reinforce these prohibitions (Rashi, 26:1). 5. The reason for Shemitta is like Shabbos – cessation from creative work. It is testifying that there is a G-d who is directing everything. Understanding that it is not our physical exertion that brings success. To demonstrate this, the farmer makes hefker all his produce and fields. All loans are cancelled. This testifies that a person believes that all comes from Hashem. (See Sefer Hachinuch Mitzva 84) 6. Although all forms of working or assisting growth on land are forbidden in the Shemitta year, only four forms are explicitly mentioned in the Torah and are counted as four of the 613 Mitzvos and are punishable with malkos min HaTorah. They are (25:4-5): sowing; pruning; harvesting and gathering grapes. (There are another two mitzvos of the shemitta not mentioned here. They are to make whatever grows hefker and at the end of the year to cancel all money that is owed to you.)
Riddle Answer It is the penultimate Possuk in the Parsha (26:2) regarding the even maskis. From here we learn that when we prostrate ourselves on the floor when we say the Avodah at Musaf on Yom Kippur there must be a physical object like a cloth or tissue between our bodies and the floor O.C. 131:8 and Mishna Brura there based on the Gemoro in Megilla 22b
Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home -as there have been few left in shuls.
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