Oneg Ki Sisa

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‫פרשת כי תשא‬

Yacov Me er fro m Beis Mordechaisn i, Manchester

27th February 2016 ‫י”ח אדר א’ תשע"ו‬

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PARSHAH

ONEG SHABBOS – THE DELIGHT THAT IS SHABBOS

Rabbi Shimshon Silkin Chazon UK

In this week’s Parsha we are doubly enjoined to observe Shabbos: You shall observe the Shabbos (Shemos 31:14) and again: Bnei Yisrael shall observe the Shabbos (31:16). The Ohr HaChaim notices the seeming superfluous nature of the second command and offers more than a dozen possible explanations.

One understanding is that the first is referring to observance of Shabbos – adherence to its rules and acceptance of its regulations, typically is known as Shemiras Shabbos. The second however refers to its less appreciated aspect – Oneg Shabbos, the pleasure of Shabbos as Yeshaya HaNavi instructs us: You shall declare your Shabbos a delight (Yeshaya 58:13, see Rambam Shabbos 30:1,7 on zachor veshamor).

Let us explore how we might succeed in experiencing the delight that is Shabbos.

Riddle of the Week

Chazal record a conversation during which Hakadosh Baruch Hu informs Klal Yisrael that He has a special place awaiting those who observe His Torah called Olam Habah, the World to Come, whereupon

they ask for a sample in this world and are told: “you’ll have a taste of Olam Habah in this world, it’s called Shabbos” (Osiyos d’Rabi Akiva, 4; see Gemara Shabbos 57a). Shabbos is thus dubbed “me’ein olom habah”, a sample of the pleasure of the World to Come. Furthermore, Chazal refer to Olam Habah as a “day that is completely Shabbos” (Gemara Rosh Hashana 31a), an idea encapsulated in our Shabbos bensching.

We can better understand the relationship between Shabbos and the contentment of Olam Habah when we consider the fact that Shabbos is the pinnacle of creation; in the words of our davening: tachlis shamayim va’aretz, the ultimate goal of heaven and earth. As is well documented by the Ramchal (Derech Hashem, Daas Tevunos 2) the entire purpose of Creation is the fulfilment of Hashem’s desire to bestow goodness and joy upon His creations: mechok hatov leheitiv, it is the rule of the good to bestow goodness. As he quotes further the be all and end all of existence is that we delight ourselves with Hashem and benefit from the glory of His presence (Mesillas Yesharim). And while we are not encouraged to make that the focus of our avodah, nevertheless it is true to say that this concept is our very raison d’être.

It therefore follows that if the “tachlis” of creation is Shabbos then the “tachlis” of Shabbos is to revel in Hashem’s goodness.

And it extends further: not only is “oneg” an essential part of Shabbos, it is the vehicle with which to achieve the ultimate oneg. In other words, it is not just that the delight of Shabbos is a sampling of Olam Habah, rather it is the means by which one attains it. As the Gemara says: Kol hameaneg es hashabbos zocheh lenachalah bli metzarim – anyone who basks in

Shabbos will eventually merit Olom Haboh (lit. a portion without borders). This is more than poetic; it is a directive: the only route to eternal bliss is through experiencing Shabbos with deep pleasure. This is indeed alluded to in the aforementioned pasuk in Yeshaya: “you shall declare Shabbos a delight… [only] then will you delight over Hashem…”

In practical terms this means that Shabbos provides respite from the hustle and bustle of the week not to simply while away the time but to stop and appreciate Hashem’s majestic world and take real pleasure from doing so. This appreciation is the foundation of the Universe (see R Dessler, kuntres Hachessed 13); truly “tachlis shomayim vo’oretz”. On the contrary, as the Shelah HaKodosh warned, self-indulgence is not the purpose of on Shabbos; rather we are charged with being “me’aneg es haShabbos”, literally “delighting the Shabbos”, not ourselves!

This is a vital ingredient in the Shabbos experience that we ignore at our peril. A dry, unenthused Shabbos observance, while certainly laudable, nevertheless does not guarantee a rich and rewarding experience in the Shabbos of our future. As our Shabbos days start to lengthen with the onset of spring, we must not will the clock on to reach havdala faster but rather find ways to cherish every moment of this gift in time. Perhaps we ought to go beyond the greeting “Good Shabbos” and rather wish each other “Delightful Shabbos”! A treasured Shabbos is a treasured existence.

Kol hamisangim boh, yizku lerov simcha.

There is a famous Rugby competition in which you could have mistakenly thought that its title comes from 2 references in pesukim from this week’s parshah However if you were to look in Rashi both times Rashi will put you right and tell you that it should be plus 1. However in a previous sedrah in sefer shemos you could be excused for making exactly the same mistake however on both occasions Rashi does not put you right. What am I talking about and which is the other sedrah?

Any comments can be directed to bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk. Answer on back page.

BY BORUCH KAHAN

This weeks Oneg Shabbos Publication is sponsored in memory of

‫לעלוי נשמת‬ ‫אבי מורי‬

‫נתן‬ ‫נטע‬ ‫בן‬ ‫אנשל‬ ‫יעקב‬ ‫ע“ה‬ For any questions on Divrei Torah please contact the Editor in Chief,

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EXCEPTIONS: ARE THERE TIMES WHEN WE CAN BE MORE LAX ABOUT CERTAIN MITZVOS?

Rabbi Yanky Heiman

The Jerusalem Kollel, headed by Harav Yitzchak Berkovits

‫לחת כתבים משני עבריהם מזה ומזה הם כתבים‬ Tablets inscribed on both of their sides, from this (side) and this one they were inscribed (Shemos 32:15).

Not only once, but twice the Torah tells us that the luchos were engraved from both sides, why is this significant?

We see reference to this passuk in the Gemara (Megilla), on the verse in Megillas Esther, ‫לדעת מה זה ועל מה זה‬. Esther asked Mordechai; what is going on, what have the Jewish people done that they deserve to be completely wiped out, men, women and children, where have they sinned? The Gemara says Esther was referring to the Torah which is described as being ‘‫מזה ומזה הם‬ ‫ ’כתובים‬and was asking whether they have transgressed the Torah.

We need to understand, why did she reference to this particular aspect of the luchos, it appears to be most peculiar?

Let’s first understand, why were the Jewish nation punished?

What was their sin that they deserved complete annihilation? The Midrash tells us the reason they were punished was because they didn’t listen to Mordechai and participated in Achashverosh’s party. Incidentally the Medrash (Medrash Shir HaShirim) also adds that by eating at the party they transgressed the issur of bishul akum, eating food cooked by a non-Jew. The obvious question is that this sounds a bit extreme, were the Yidden to be punished with complete annihilation, for eating non Kosher food? This is especially intriguing since the Midrash is discussing the issur of bishul akum, which is an issur derabanan?

Furthermore, it sounds like they transgressed bishul akum at Achashverosh’s party, whereas in their own homes they were strict about not eating non-Kosher food and food cooked by a nonJew, so why did they participate in Achashverosh’s party, why did they lower their standards and go and eat by a non-Jew? Reb Yisroel Salanter explains that the Yidden’s mistake was that they thought that the Torah does not apply at all times.

Erroneously, Klal Yisrael believed that keeping Torah law was only applicable when in their indigenous land and not under oppression. They thought that since they were in exile under the dominion of a non-Jewish ruler the Torah wasn’t fully applicable.

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They felt it was permitted to make light of and do away with some of the rabbinical restrictions that were instituted to separate them from the non-Jews.

They were worried that if all the non-Jews would go to the feast and only the yidden didn’t go, Achashverosh would become enraged and accuse them of rebelling against him and enact harsh decrees. Therefore they permitted themselves to partake in the feast in order to please Achashverosh even though at home they would never have dreamed of eating bishul akum.

The luchos were not engraved on both sides as one would imagine, the writing penetrated through the entire luchos, from one side to the other. This was to symbolise that unlike ink which fades with time, and unlike simple engraving which wears down with time, the Torah is to last forever.

The middle of the letters mem and samech on the luchos were suspended in the air by miracle, even though under the laws of gravity they would be expected to fall, allude to the fact that the Torah has to be kept even in times where it may seem impossible to do so.

Another miracle that took place was that although the writing penetrated through the entire luchos, the words of the luchos could be read from either side and did not appear to be written backwards. This was to elude that the Torah shall be kept at all times whatever the situation, without any changes or exceptions.

With this we can understand Esther’s cryptic message. She knew that the Yidden wouldn’t transgress the Torah deliberately; she was questioning if perhaps they felt it was permitted to transgress the Torah in their difficult, perilous situation, perhaps there was an exception to the rule? This was Esther’s question to Mordechai, ‫לדעת מה זה ועל מה זה‬, Esther asked; ‫שמא עברו על התורה‬ ‫שמזה ומזה הם כתובים‬, Esther was hinting to the luchos that were engraved from both sides to represent that the Torah is nitzchi, eternal, and applies in every situation come what may. She was asking, “have the people transgressed the Torah thinking it is permitted in this situation”.

Life lends itself to many difficult situations; each one in itself can seem as if it is a sufficient reason to allow ourselves to cut corners. Esther’s message through the luchos to us, is that the Torah is eternal, and its light glows in the darkest of times.

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PARSHAH

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When else in the year do we read from Parshas Ki Sisa?

Rabbi Yissochor Frand

PARSHAH

EVEN IF WE CANNOT TRULY EMULATE HASHEM, OUR SELFLESSNESS INVOKES HASHEM’S MERCY

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Magid Shiur, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Baltimore

The Ya’aros Devash buttresses his thesis by pointing out the introduction to the recitation of the 13 Attributes: “Kel har’eisa lanu LOMAR Shlosh Esrei.” You – Kel, the All Powerful One showed us how to SAY the 13 Attributes. You are aware that the Attribute of Kel is impossible to emulate and that is why you taught us merely to SAY the attributes, not to fully emulate them, as the Gaonim want to claim.

After Moshe Rabbeinu descended from Har Sinai and saw that the Jewish people made a Golden Calf, he broke the luchos containing the Torah. Then the Al-mighty told Moshe to make a new set of luchos.

However, this insight of the Ya’aros Devash leads us back to our previous question: If saying them is sufficient, why does it not always work?

The Torah then describes the following scene: “Hashem descended in a cloud and stood with him there, and He called out with the Name Hashem. Hashem passed before him and proclaimed: Hashem, Hashem, G-d, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and Abundant in Kindness and Truth; Preserver of Kindness for thousands of generations, forgiver of iniquity, wilful sin and error and Who cleanses...” [Shemos 34:5-7] Moshe was standing in the cleft of the rock, the Al-mighty came down in a cloud, and called out to Moshe the 13 Attributes of G-d’s Mercy (Yud Gimmel Midos HaRachamim).

The above quoted pasuk is very familiar to us. Recitation of the 13 attributes of G-d’s Mercy makes up a large part of our prayers on Yom Kippur. The Gemara [Rosh Hashana 17b] attaches special significance to the contents of this pasuk. Rabbi Yochanan says that were the pasuk not specifically written in the Torah, it would be impossible (i.e. – blasphemous) to say it. The Torah is saying, as it were, that the Al-mighty wrapped Himself in a tallis as if He were a Shaliach Tzibbur and demonstrated to Moshe the proper order of prayers. He told Moshe: Any time Israel sins, let them recite this order of prayer and I will forgive them.

This passage is our secret weapon. Therefore, at the time of Neilah, when Yom Kippur is slipping away from us, we invoke the recitation of these Pesukim over and repeatedly.

When all else fails, we invoke the 13 Attributes of Divine Mercy to insure our protection from Divine Wrath. After all, G-d promised “Let them recite this order of prayer before Me and I will forgive them.”

The Talmud then quotes the Tanna Rabbi Yehudah who says, “A covenant has been enacted with the 13 Attributes of Mercy that they are not returned empty-handed, as it is written ‘Behold I am making a covenant’” [Shemos 34:10]. Apparently, we have a Divine promise that whenever these Attributes are invoked they have an effect.

The problem that already troubled the Rishonim is that many times this does not seem to be the case. It would seem that many times, when we invoke the pasuk of the “Yud Gimmel Middos,” they do not elicit the hoped for effect from the Master of the World.

The Reishis Chochmah cites in the name of the Geonim that it is not as easy as one might expect (the Shlah also makes the same point). An inference is drawn from the Talmudic statement “...whenever Israel sins ya’asu lefanai k’seder hazeh...” This does not really mean (as we translated earlier) “let them recite before me this order” but rather “ya’asu lefanai” means let them DO this order of prayer. It is not sufficient to recite verbally the Yud Gimmel Middos HaRachamim. The person must act them out. We must emulate these attributes of mercy. Just as the Al-mighty is Merciful, so must we be merciful; just as the Al-mighty is Compassionate, so must we be compassionate; etc.

The Covenant that has been enacted regarding the 13 Attributes not being returned empty handed is not based on saying the words but rather on emulating in our interactions with others the deeds of Mercy and Compassion that the Al-mighty demonstrates is His interaction with us.

This is the opinion of the Shlah and of the Geonim as quoted by the Reishis Chochmah.

However, not everyone agrees. The Ya’aros Devash, written by the famous Rav Yonasan Eybeschutz, argues with this position. He claims that we cannot be expected to fully emulate all these Divine Attributes of Mercy. He points out that one of the 13 Attributes is “Kel”. The Name “Kel” means the Ultimate Powerful One. Rav Yonasan Eybeschutz argues, “We cannot emulate ‘Kel.’” Perhaps we can emulate Rachum [merciful], Chanun [compassionate], Erech Apayim [long suffering]. However, we certainly cannot emulate Kel [all powerful one]. This is beyond our capability because we are not All Powerful.

I saw quoted in the Sefer Imrei Binah that the reason it does not always work is that there is another condition to this “covenant”.

As mentioned earlier, according to Rabbi Yochanan in the Talmud, the pesukim in Ki Sisa say, “He wrapped himself in a tallis like a Shliach Tzibbur and taught us the order of prayers...” Merely saying the words alone is not sufficient. A person must say them like a Shliach Tzibbur. A Shliach Tzibbur has the welfare of the entire community in mind.

When we daven for this, we need to pray, not only for ourselves, but also for the benefit of the entire community.

We stand there at Neilah on Yom Kippur and we know that time is slipping away.

We know that we need “this, that, and the other thing”, and we cry with all our might “Hashem, Hashem, Kel, Rachum, v’Chanun...” However, we are missing something. We are missing the fact that we have not “wrapped ourselves like a Shliach Tzibbur.” We have our own needs in mind and not the needs of the entire community. For the 13 Attributes of Mercy to work (even if recital alone is going to be sufficient), it must be done with the spirit of “this teaches that the Almighty wrapped himself like a Shliach Tzibbur”. This is sometimes very difficult because when a person has his own needs and his own troubles, it is difficult to put one’s own problems aside and say “I need to worry about the other fellow”. This is why it is a very big challenge.

I saw a beautiful insight in the Sefer Mikdash Mordechai from Rav Mordechai Rogov.

He comments on the pasuk, “And Hashem descended in a cloud and He stood there with him.” [Shmos 34:5]. Why was it necessary for the Almighty to come down in a cloud?

Rav Mordechai Rogov answers that the Ribono shel Olam was teaching us a lesson: When things are bright and shiny for all of us, it is easy to think about the other person.

When, however, a person finds himself “in the middle of a cloud”, when he has his own pack of personal problems to worry about, it becomes much more difficult to be compassionate and to empathise with somebody else’s problems. Hashem came down in a cloud and told us to act like a Shliach Tzibbur – worrying about the needs of the entire congregation, not just our own needs.

Rav Mordechai Kamenetsky relates a moving story involving his father, Rav Binyomin Kamenetsky. This is an amazing example of being “in the midst of a cloud” and yet thinking about the other person.

A father unfortunately passed away when his son was still very young, prior to Bar Mitzvah age. To add hurt upon hurt, shortly before the boy’s Bar Mitzvah, the mother became extremely ill. Rav Binyomin Kamenetsky went to visit her in the hospital a few weeks before the son was to become Bar Mitzvah.

She told the visiting Rabbi, “Please do me a favour. I don’t want you to come to my son’s Bar Mitzvah.” He looked at her incredulously and asked her to explain herself. She explained that on the same night her family was planning the Bar Mitzvah, another boy in his class was also making a Bar Mitzvah. “I know that every Rav in town is going to come to my son’s Bar Mitzvah, because he is an orphan who has no father and I don’t even know if I am going to be there. All the Rabbonim are going to come to my son’s Bar Mitzvah and no one will be going to the other boy’s simcha. Please, Rabbi Kamenetsky, do me a favour and go to the other boy’s Bar Mitzvah.”

This is an example of “Hashem descended in a cloud”. Here is a woman who was enveloped in a terrible cloud of personal tragedy and suffering and yet she was able to think, “What is going to be with that other child?” Such selflessness invokes the Attribute of Mercy in the way that Hashem desires. Just as the Shliach Tzibbur does not merely represent himself before G-d, but he represents the entire community, so too this is how we should act and think when we invoke the 13 Attributes of Mercy.

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Why is the Kiyor, Laver, mentioned here separately to the other vessels of the Mishkon?

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Rabbi Sruli Guttentag

Whitefield Community Kollel and Federation ShailaText

The age of the e-book is upon us ... they say.

Yet for the religious Jew the constant flow of printed material doesn’t seem to have ebbed.

The digital revolution which has largely seen a move away from reliance on printed work seems to affect all but us. Shabbos and its mitzvos have kept alive the many parsha sheets, countless books and seforim. Our children’s schools seem to produce an ever growing weekly bumper crop of sheimos; and as the piles mount up, we ask ourselves whether all of it needs to be sent to sheimos or can we allow it to be recycled?

METHODS OF DISPOSAL The governing principle behind this discussion is the Torah verse ‫לא תעשון‬ ‫( כן לד’ אלקיכם‬Devarim 12:4) – we are instructed to, on the one hand, destroy

all vestiges of idolatry and conversely to refrain from such action in relation to Hashem’s Temple. This instruction is understood by Chazal to have a broader meaning and forms the source for the prohibition of destroying a shul, or any item with an attached kedusha (holiness).

The Gemara (Megilla 26b) distinguishes between various levels of kedusha and the manner in which they need to be treated. ‘Kedusha Atzma’ – items of intrinsic holiness – is the category which includes anything from Torah scrolls, mezuzos, and printed Holy books such as siddurim, chumashim and gemaros. All of these require burial – geniza.

A Sefer Torah itself demands special attention. When deemed to be beyond repair, it is to be sealed up in earthenware vessels and buried in the ground. Halacha adds a requirement for this burial to take place next to a Talmid Chochom. Although some poskim have deemed this to be an optional extra and is a suggested means of honoring the Talmid Chochom himself and not the books; in many communities including here in the UK, this is still practiced. The discovery of suitable watertight materials has meant that many Chevra Kadishas allow the use of thick plastic as an equally effective manner of protecting the seforim from the elements.

Parallel to the Sefer Torah is any section of Neviim and Kesuvim written on parchment. Some include the bayis of the Tefillin shel Rosh because of the letter Shin from Hashem’s name embossed on it.

Must they be disposed of or can shuls keep hold of their posul Sifrei Torah? The issue, in the opinion of the Noda BiYehuda (O”C:9), is merely that one may inadvertently come to lein from them. Popular minhag, as recorded by Minchas Elozor (C:52), is to put the belt on the outside of the Sefer Torah and to keep it in circulation for Simchas Torah’s joyful hakofos.

The Sefer Torah has the most stringent of laws; other seforim, even if classified as Kedusha Atzmis don’t need to be buried in earthenware and the halachic requirement is simply geniza. What does this term refer to? The words of Rashi (Shabbos 155a) indicate that the primary concern is that they not be left in an exposed state. The wind, rain and wildlife all collaborate to deface and ruin a sefer left in the open. Leaving a book in such conditions is parallel to proactively disgracing the sefer. So instead, they can be left locked in a vault as was customary in some communities (most notably Cairo); alternatively, they can be buried – a practice with which we are familiar from our own communities.

Is geniza ideal – or should even that be avoided? Some have suggested that geniza is the last port of call. A sefer which can no longer be used was given the dispensation of geniza. Ideally, our seforim ought to be cherished and nurtured, where necessary rebound and allowed to continue serving our Torah learning needs.

CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES? Our modern day challenge comes in the form of the mass of papers churned out for advertising and tzedaka campaigns. How are we to dispose of them?

Following the paper-trail of teshuvos (Halachic response) on the topic of geniza provides a glimpse into challenges faced by Jewish communities across the centuries. From Temple times, when the written word was recorded primarily on parchment, through medieval times, with the invention of the printing press and right up to the mid-20th century, each generation has provided its Torah sages with halachic food for thought.

One of the most fascinating of debates took place in between the Teshuvos Shvus Ya’akov and the Teshuvos Knesses Yechezkel. Some in the Shvus Ya’akov’s circle had noticed a worrisome phenomenon. Waste paper was

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a scarce commodity and it was being stolen from the communal cemetery where a scarcity in burial plots had meant that it was lying awaiting disposal.

The local population had discovered a plentiful supply – and much to the community’s horror, it was put to highly inappropriate use. What to do? The Shvus Ya’akov instructed that they be burnt in small amounts and the ashes buried. He argued that the prohibition to burn exists only as long as it is considered the worst form of ‘bizayon’ (disgrace); if, however, burial is the cause for disgrace to the seforim, then burning is preferable.

Therefore, in such cases, one should not rely on this leniency and such books should be buried.

The Knesses Yechezkel took issue with this decision and in his ruling was upheld by the great Rabbi Akiva Eiger and Chassam Sofer in their annotations to Shulchan Aruch (O”C 154). He argues that the prohibition to burn is absolute and will not be permitted even in the face of adverse circumstances such as these.

Another item which regularly requires geniza in the domestic setting is tzitzis. Already mentioned in passing was items categorised as ‘Tashmishei Mitzvah’ – any item which has been used for a mitzvah and is no longer in use for that purpose – included in this are snapped tziztis, a tallis whose tzitzis have been removed, a shofar and Arba Minim (Lulav and Esrog) which were involved in mitzvah use. The disposal method prescribed by the Gemoro for this category is ‘Nizrokin’ – they are to be thrown out.

In prewar Europe, a new challenge had developed. The colossal waste involved in the printing industry was brought to the attention of the Kovno Rav – HaRav Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor, and in a long teshuva (Shut Ein Yitzchok O”C A:5-7) he discusses the options for their appropriate disposal. The situation seemed to be so grave that as waste paper amassed, printers left with little choice would leave them to blow across busy city streets.

His was a novel approach and was backed by the Netziv (Shut Meshiv Dovor B:80) and later the Chazon Ish. Books written for learning are subject to kedusha – holiness - however, before printing, one can stipulate by making a Tenai (stipulation) that the material not attain holiness. In this case, although the words themselves must be kept from bizayon – disgrace - nevertheless disposal through burning would no longer be problematic.

The halachic decision of the Ein Yitchok was intended to serve the nonideal situation faced in those circumstances. Where burial facilities exist, geniza is the required manner for disposal.

IS IT A NEWSPAPER … OR A SEFER? When dealing with newspapers, many contemporary poskim have drawn clear guidelines.

Newspapers with only an incidental mention of Divrei Torah such as Torah quotes from a news item are deemed to be parallel to broken tzitzis strings.

Although not subject to kedusha, these items may not be treated with direct bizayon. They should be wrapped and placed in the bin. Newspapers with entire pages/sections dedicated to Divrei Torah are subject to kedusha; they may not be discarded through regular means. Geniza is required but is there another option?

Many poskim have adapted the approach of the Kovno Rov which allowed for books printed under a tenai – stipulation to be disposed of by burning them.

Although his responsa dealt with books which were explicitly not sanctified, the suggestion is that it is implicit in the actions of those publishing en-masse that the intention is not to sanctify the papers with kedusha. As such one would be allowed to wrap and bin them where it is inconvenient or expensive to send them for burial.

Is recycling an option? The position of the Federation Beis Din is that this should be avoided. The recycling process often sends the paper to factories which produce tissue paper and thus is considered to be a direct bizayon.

TZITZIS AND TALLEISIM

On a practical level, Nizrokin refers to leaving the tziztis strings in an exposed place. Actively destroying them or disposing of them by placing them in the bin would be considered direct bizayon. Leaving them exposed or wrapping them in a bag in the bin are acceptable as methods of disposal.

The Rema teaches that although geniza is not a halachic requirement, it is nonetheless ideal practice. (Oruch Hashulchan explains this to be based on the suggested explanation that the term Tashmishei Mitzvah used by the Gemoro refers to the tallis bag and not to the tallis itself).

A TIME TO CELEBRATE Through the ages, many communities kept diaries where minhogim were faithfully recorded for posterity. These works are always a fascinating read – and the topic of geniza is no exception. Particularly illuminating are the descriptions of celebrative processions which are recorded as having taken place on the occasion of communal sheimos burial. These joyful occasions, are a sign of the Simcha shel Mitzva – the excitement felt at having worn out such a large amount of mitzvah material. A healthy community wears its tallesim, learns from its seforim and in turn needs to bury them. ‫מי כעמך ישראל‬ – a truly unique nation.

Yet celebration must breed with it a sense collective responsibility.

Unnecessary writing of Hashem’s names was a habit which Chazal worked hard to stamp out. The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 18b) records a celebratory day which marked the sages’ abolishment of the custom of mentioning Hashem’s name in financial transactions.

As they say in the digital age – “do I really need to print it?”

The Federation’s new Sheimos L’Geniza service is located at Beis Hamedrash Nishmas Yisroel in Hendon.

Although there is room for lenience, as stated, with printed matter, if Hashem’s name is printed, the prohibitions involved are far more serious.

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4. livingwithmitzvos.com

How did Moshe manage to learn and remember the whole Torah in a mere forty days?

Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair

PARSHAH

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Why does the Torah choose the expression “raise the head” to mean that Moshe should take a census of the Jewish People?

Hashem explained to Moshe that the Jewish People had placed their lives in jeopardy by worshipping the golden calf. The process of counting them by the coins they were to donate would “raise their heads,” — elevate them spiritually from the depths to which they sunk, and earn them atonement from their sin.

Moshe supposed that such atonement would require a coin of a very large denomination indeed. Perhaps it would be a kikar of silver, the equivalent of three thousand silver coins. If not three thousand silver coins, it might be that Hashem would demand a coin worth a hundred silver pieces for each. This would be based on the penalty of one hundred silver pieces as the penalty the Torah prescribes for a man who wrongly defames his wife’s virtue. Since the Jewish People defamed Hashem’s name when they proclaimed “These are your gods, Yisrael,” this might be the level of the atonement required.

Alternatively, if not a coin worth a hundred silver coins, Moshe surmised that the coin Hashem would stipulate might be the equivalent of fifty silver pieces. For that is the penalty that a seducer must pay, and the Jewish People had made idols in defiance of the commandment “You shall have no other gods!”

At the very least, Moshe conjectured, Hashem would demand a coin to the value of thirty shekalim. The owner of a goring ox must pay thirty shekels. By worshipping a calf, the Jewish People had traded Hashem’s glory for the image of a calf.

In the event, Moshe’s fears were unfounded. Hashem said to him “You need not pay Me coins worth a hundred, or fifty, or even thirty silver pieces. All I ask is that you donate one small coin to the value of a half-shekel.”

Hashem then took a half-shekel coin from under His Throne of Glory, showing Moshe its size and shape.

“This is the type of coin they shall give,” said Hashem.

Those half-shekel coins from the census were melted down and used for the silver sockets, the “adanim”, that were the foundation for the walls of the Mishkan.

In other words, the Mishkan literally stood on the half-shekalim that the Jewish People donated. They were the new basis of Hashem’s residing amongst them.

MILLER’S MUSINGS

Rabbi Shimmy Miller Rebbe at Manchester Mesivta It is a well-established principle that there are multiple layers within each and every word in the Torah, from the simplest and rudimentary interpretation of the text, to the most esoteric understanding of its words. What all these readings share in common, is that they are there to teach us something about ourselves and how we should live our lives. The exhortation for every Jew to contribute half a shekel to the Mishkan begins with the words “when you count the heads of the Children of Israel according to their numbers”. What could be the deeper, underlying message that is being conveyed by this seemingly innocuous passage?

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PARSHAH

“When you raise the head of the Children of Yisrael” (30:12)

The sefer Ohr P’nei Moshe explains that this can be referring to a message for every Jew in their pursuit of achieving their tachlis in life. “When you count the heads” can be literally translated as meaning ‘when you lift up the heads’, in other words when you try to raise the level of the Jewish people’s observance of Torah and Mitzvos. The phrase “according to their numbers” in this version is interpreted to be understood as “to make their accountings” of their deeds continually, throughout their lives, which is the means by which one achieves this development. This multi-layered text is informing us that for the Jewish people to become who they are meant to be, they must undergo constant self-analysis and introspection.

This is the route to true consistent growth and the only path to true accomplishment, examining in what areas we are less than perfect, evaluating where we go wrong and always appreciating where we are lacking. One who views oneself as perfect, or even ‘good enough’ is allowing their primary goal to be consistent mediocrity instead of aspiring to greatness. Seeing fault in oneself is not a weakness, but the greatest asset and most sure path to perpetual upward movement. As it has been said, ‘How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them’.

Make sure you are one of those courageous few.

Wishing you a Shabbos of reflection and positive change.

To receive Miller’s Musings weekly email rabbimiller.mesivta@gmail.com

www.mastertorah.com

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Thousands of Mishnayos. Hundreds of Blatt Gemara. Sound too amazing to be true?

5. Usually the seven aliyos of the parsha are equally spread throughout the parsha.

However, in Parshas Ki Sisa it stands out that the first two aliyos are extra long. Why?

THE HALF-SHEKEL AND FIRE

Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen

Rabbi for Keter HaTorah & Author of Insights in Rashi Shemos, 30:13: This shall be given by everyone who passes through the counting, from twenty years old and up, a half shekel from the holy shekel coin, the shekel weighing twenty geirah, a half shekel as gift to Hashem.”

Rashi, 30:13: sv. This shall be given: He [Hashem] showed him [Moshe] the form of a coin of fire and its weight was half a Shekel, and He said to him, ‘give like this’.

Hashem commands Moshe to instruct the people in the Mitzvah of Machatzis Hashekel – to donate half a Shekel towards the Mishkan. This Mitzvah would act as an atonement for the Jewish people’s sins. Rashi quotes a Midrash that Hashem showed Moshe the form of the coin. The Midrash explains further that Moshe had difficulty envisioning exactly what the half-Shekel should look like, therefore Hashem showed him an image of the coin of fire. A similar course of events took place with regard to the Menorah – Moshe found it hard to envisage, therefore Hashem showed him its image.

The commentaries ask that it is understandable that Moshe had difficulty in visualizing the Menorah as its design was very complicated. However, why was it so problematical for Moshe to envisage the simple design of a coin?! Moreover, what was the significance of the fact that the coin was made of fire?

Rav Zalman Sorotskin zt”l offers a fascinating answer, al derech drush1, in his commentary on the Chumash2. When Chazal say that Moshe found it difficult to envisage the coin, they do not refer to its physical appearance. They mean that Moshe had great difficulty understanding how a coin, representing money, could serve as an atonement. In the words of the well-known phrase: ‘Money is the root of all evil’. This may be an exaggeration but it is certainly true that money is often used in harmful ways and is the source of many negative traits such as greed and jealousy. Accordingly, 1 This is means that it is not the simple understanding known as pshat, rather it is a homiletical explanation.

2 Oznayaim LaTorah, 30:13, quoted by Rav Yissachar Frand Shlit’a.

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Moshe wanted to how could something that is the cause of so much evil and trouble serve to bring man closer to His Maker?

Hashem answered him by showing him an image of a coin made of fire. Fire is a classic example in the physical world of something that can do tremendous good or cause great destruction. Fire has killed untold numbers of people and caused inestimable damage. Yet at the same time, it has enabled human beings to survive in the winter and to prepare our food. Hashem was communicating to Moshe that money in the spiritual sense, is just like fire in the physical sense.

Money can indeed be spiritually detrimental. However, it can also be elevated to be a Cheftza Shel Mitzva – an item that is used for a Mitzva. A person can give charity with his money and greatly enhance people’s lives. Money is needed to support Torah learning, and pay for Battei Midrash and Battei Knessios. In the case of the Machatzis Hashekel, the money was being used for the Mitzvos pertaining to the Mishkan – such a holy use of money did indeed merit to serve as an atonement for the Jewish people’s sins.

A similar lesson can be derived from one episode in Megillas Esther. Haman offers King Achashverosh ten thousand silver talents in order to allow him to wipe out the Jewish people.3 On that verse the Gemara quotes Reish Lakish who says that Hashem knew that Haman would offer this money for the right to kill the Jews. Therefore, Hashem preceded Haman’s money with the Jewish people’s money in the form of the Machatzis Hashekel that they would donate every year.4 It seems that the simple explanation of this Gemara is that Haman was using money for evil but the Jewish people countered the effect of Haman’s money through the fact that they used money for Mitzvos.

The example of the Machatzis Hashekel teach us of the correct approach to money – as a way to fulfill the great Mitzva of Tzedaka. And the concern of Moshe Rabbeinu about the negative use of money also serves to remind us of the potential negative effects of money. May we all merit to use money only for the good.

3 Megillas Esther, 3:9.

4 Megillah, 13b.

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PARSHAH

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6. The person reading of the Torah reads Parshas Ki Sisa at different sound levels – going down and up. Why?

TWO HALVES MAKE A WHOLE

Rabbi Boruch Klein

Kollel Toras Chaim Headed by Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld The Kadmonim explain that the ‘Machatzis Hashekel’ is a hint to remind us that a person is really only a ‘half’ of what Hashem has created us to be, and there is someone else out there doing the other half. Therefore, we must do our utmost to do our part, to be able to complete what we are here to accomplish.

No matter what a person is occupied with, be it the business world or the Kollel world, each has to do his utmost to fulfil his part. For example a businessman who is occupied all day and may find it difficult to find time to learn or do other Mitzvos, but at least when a Mitzva does come his way, and a needy person needs to be supported or a sick person needs help or any other act of kindness, he should really push himself to insure his ‘half’ is being taken care of. On the other hand the Yungerman who spends most of his day immersed in learning will find it difficult perhaps to give large amounts to tzedaka to support a poor person or to redeem someone from prison, he also, has to push himself to insure his side of the deal is complete. So therefore they are really two halves of one whole. The Possuk in Mishlei (22:2) says, ‘The rich man and the pauper meet, Hashem is the Maker of them all’, Shlomo Hamelech is teaching us that if the pauper does his part and the rich stands by and supports him then Hashem will stand by and complete the rest.

This is what the Possuk in this weeks Parsha tells us ‘zeh yitnu’, this is what they should give, ‘a half’ a complete half, though.

‘The wealthy shall not increase’ meaning they shall not increase on what they are already not doing and also not support the poor, and thus not giving the full ‘half a shekel’, and ‘The destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel’ meaning it’s enough that there are many Mitzvos which are dependant on money which due to his restraints he is unable to keep, but he shouldn’t decrease in Mitzvos by also not learning and serving Hashem properly because then he won’t be

giving the full ‘half a shekel’. To be able to receive the full atonement the shekel needs to be complete.

With this we can understand the Mishna as the Kosiglover Rebbe (the successor to Rav Meir Shapiro zt’’l in Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin) explains. ‘Im Ein Ani Li Mi Li, Ukesheani Leatzmi Mah Ani’, a person has to always think that I must do my utmost to perfect myself and only then once my ways are perfected to think what am I worth when I am alone. That is why later on in the Parsha ketores we find that each ingredient for the Ketores had to be ground separately. The logic would say otherwise that they should all be ground together, but we can learn from here, that so to the person each ingredient, each good deed, should first be perfected before mixing it and blending it with the others.

The Minchas Yitzchak says that there has to be achdus and although the two halves have to come together, we have to take into account that it still has to produce a ‘Shekel Hakodesh’ a sacred shekel, and we cannot allow it to mix with negative influences and we must be careful who the other half is. That is why the word ‘machatzis’ has a tzaddik in the middle, and the letters around it are chai to remind us the those close to the tzaddik are alive whereas the letters further away are meis!

The Ksav Sofer writes, that really a person only ‘has’ what he gives, as that is what he takes with him to the next world, everything else stays behind. So, the half a shekel that the rich person gives is ‘his’. The pauper on the other hand, shouldn’t think to himself that if he gives this half a shekel he will be left with nothing. He can rely on Hashem that he won’t be missing anything and Hashem will replace it. This is what the Passuk is telling us ‘Haoshir Lo Yarbe’, he won’t have any more, for this is what is really has. ‘Vehadal Lo Yamit’ and the pauper won’t be missing anything by giving away his last half a shekel.

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ANSWERS 1. The beginning of Parshas Ki Sisa is read as the maftir for Parshas Shekalim. Also, a section of it is the reading for the public fast days, on Shabbos Chol Hamoed and the third day of Chol Hamoed Pesach.

2. The Sforno (30:18) brings that the purpose of the Kiyor was not to bring down the Shechina in the Mishkan (unlike the other vessels) but came to prepare the Kohanim for the avoda. This is why it is mentioned separate. The Chizkuni brings it was only to prepare for a mitzvah. Unlike the other vessels that were transported with badim, the kiyor was carried on wagons.

3. Transgressing Shabbos (31:14); Duplicating the anointing oil (30:32); also anointing oneself with it (ibid); duplicating the ketores, incense (30:37) 4. The Gemara (Nedarim 38a) brings from our parsha that R’ Yochanan says that Moshe started learning Torah and forgot it until it was given to him to remember as a present.

5. The only tribe not to participate in the egel was Levi. It is therefore appropriate that they should be the ones to read all the section that discusses the egel. (Kitzur Shulchan Oruch, 78:4) 6. Since we should be embarrassed when hearing our ancestors’ participation in the egel, therefore these parts are read in a lower tone. (ibid)

Riddle Answer

The Rugby competition is known as “the 6 nations” lehavdil we talk about the sheva ammemim, the 7 nations twice in this week’s parshah they are listed missing 1 hence the 6 nations. Rashi tells us that the Girgashi went to Africa and were originally included but are no longer in Eretz Yisrae.l However the same list of 6 nations is mentioned twice in parshas shemos and there Rashi does not tell us this information.

observation

Why is it that a) Rashi feels the need to tell us twice in this parshah exactly the same thing that the Girgashi is missing if the pesukim are so close to each other (33:2 and 34:11) and b) in Shemos does not comment on either occasion (3:8 and 3:17)?

Any answers please forward to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

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