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A Torah publication that enables local Rabbonim and Avreichim to share their insights and Divrei Torah on a variety of different levels, to provide something for everyone.

‫פרשת צו‬ 26th March 2016 ‫ט”ז אדר ב’ תשע"ו‬ For Questions on Divrei Torah or articles, to receive this via email or for sponsorship opportunities please email mc@markittech.com Now in Yerushalayim, Antwerp, Baltimore, Bet Shemesh, Borehamwood, Chile, Cyprus, Edgware, Elstree, Gibraltar, Hale, Holland, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Lakewood, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Radlett, Toronto, Vienna, Zurich

‫מוצש’’ק‬

‫הדלקת נרות‬

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‫לעילוי נשמת הש"ץ שלמה בן אברהם משה ז"ל לעילוי נשמת חנה בת אלעזר ע"ה‬

THE EVENT PLANNER’S DREAM KORBAN

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A Korban Todah is a kind of Korban Shlamim. Yet the Todah has two halachos that make it different from all other Shlamim. First, a Shlamim can be eaten the day it is brought and the next day, while a Todah must be eaten by the morning after it was brought. Also with a Korban Todah you must bring a total of forty breads of various types that need to be consumed during this short period, while a Shlamim has none.

PARASHA

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over two days. Why does the Todah have these special halachos and why are there all these differences?

The Korban Todah is an obligation for someone who has been passed a difficult ordeal such as an illness, incarceration, or a difficult journey. The Todah is his Seudas Hoda’a, his ‘thank you’ to Hashem. Saying thank you to Hashem must be a public ordeal in order to create a Kiddush Hashem and inspire others around you. It cannot be done quietly.

SEUDAS HODA’A

Riddle of the Week

To ensure that many people are invited to the seudah, Hashem makes sure you have lots of food and only a short time to eat it.

You cannot save any meat even for the next day, so you have to invite many people to enjoy. Bread and matzos are also plentiful to Unlike the other Korbanos that are brought mainly for Hashem, A Korban Shlamim is complete the party, you may be the host, but brought when a person wants to have a feast Hashem sets the menu! When all the people but also wants to include Hashem. The meat get together to partake in your feast, then you is divided between Hashem, the Kohanim, have the proper forum to thank Hashem for and the owner, and all this meat will be eaten His kindness.

We are famously informed that the number of Pessukim in this week’s Parshah is 96 and it’s easy to remember since that is the Gematriya of Tzav; Tzadi = 90 Vov = 6. Even more famous is the question that there are in fact 97??!

However if you look at a Sedrah previous to Tzav you will find the number of Pessukim is 96 and hence Tzav could be used as a memory word for the amount of Pessukim in that Sedrah. Which one is it?

You will also find that a similar thing happens in one of the Chamishoh Chumshei Torah that the amount of Pessukim in 1 Sedrah is the Gematria of the title of another Sedrah what are they?

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

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For any questions on Divrei Torah please contact the Editor in Chief,

Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn

rabbiroodyn@ jewishfuturestrust.com

FOUR ASPECTS OF THANKSGIVING

Rabbi Zev Leff Rav of Moshav Matityahu

“If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering, with the feast thanksgivingoffering shall he offer unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of scalded fine flour mixed with oil.” Vayikra 7:12 The Korban Todah, Thanksgiving Offering, is basically a Shelamim, a peace offering. But, unlike any other Shelamim it is brought with four different types of flour offerings, ten of each type. Three are types of matzah, and the fourth is chametz. In addition, the normal timespan within which the Shelamim had to be eaten - two days and one night- is reduced to one day and one night for the Todah. To understand the significance of these deviations from the normal laws of Shelamim, we must first analyze the dynamics of thanksgiving.

The Gemara (Berachos 7b) relates that from the day Hashem created the world, no one thanked Him until Leah thanked Him for the birth of her fourth son, Yehudah. At first glance, this Gemara defies understanding. Didn’t Adam, Noach, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sarah, Rivkah, and Rachel have countless reasons and opportunities to thank Hashem? And why didn’t Leah herself thank Hashem for her first three children?

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 71:4) sheds light on this enigma: R’ Berachiah said in the name of R’ Levi, “This can be compared to a Kohen who was given a large amount of terumah by one individual and did not thank him. He was then given a small measure of unconsecrated grain, and he thanked the donor. Said the first individual to the Kohen, I gave you a large amount, and you did not thank me; he gave you a very small amount and you thanked him. The Kohen replied, you gave me what rightfully belonged to me, so I saw no reason to thank you. He gave me what belonged to him and upon which I had no claim. Therefore I thanked him. So, too, our mothers knew that Yaakov would have twelve sons, and each one of the four mothers expected three. Therefore, when Leah had her fourth son, she thanked Hashem, for she had received more than her portion.

Thanksgiving is a recognition of receiving something undeserved and feeling indebted to repay the giver with gratitude. The more one feels that the bounty received was indeed earned or deserved, the less necessary the show of gratitude. A labourer does not owe his boss a thank-you for paying him his previously agreed upon wages, but, for an unexpected bonus, a thank-you is appropriate.

From the time the world was created, no one ever felt that the bounty given to them by Hashem was totally undeserved. Even the greatest people thought that what was given to them was part of G-d’s plan for the world, and therefore not completely undeserved. But G-d’s plan could have been equally fulfilled if the fourth son born to Leah had been born to any of her sisters. Thus Leah felt his birth was totally unearned, and required the full measure of gratitude.

The Midrash (Berashis Rabbah 71:5) links Leah’s thanks to the admission of Yehudah that he was responsible for Tamar’s pregnancy. In Lashon Hakodesh the same verb, lhodot, means “to confess” and “to thank.” An admission that what one has received from Hashem was totally undeserved is the foundation of thanksgiving.

Usually we offer thanksgiving to G-d for a salvation from a misfortune or calamity. But if we truly believe that everything that occurs in this world is the result of Divine Providence, then it is hard to understand why we should

PARSHAH

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thank Hashem for saving us from misfortune, since He Himself caused that misfortune. Would we thank somebody for paying our medical bills if we fell into a concealed trap he had left in a public thoroughfare?

The answer is that we have chosen the wrong analogy. Consider an orthopaedic surgeon who notices someone walking in a manner that is symptomatic of a rare, crippling bone disease. The condition can only be cured if the bones are broken and reset before the disease progresses to the point of no return. Realising that the patient’s gait reveals that not too much time is left before his condition is irreversible, the surgeon takes an iron pole and swiftly breaks both of his legs and then proceeds to set them and nurture the patient back to health. In this instance the surgeon deserves thanks both for breaking and for setting the legs.

So, too, when we cause ourselves spiritual illnesses because of our sins and shortcomings, Hashem brings misfortune and calamity to atone and correct the situation. Thus, our gratitude for the salvation can only be significant if it includes a confession that the misfortune and calamity was also deserved. Full, uninhibited thanksgiving requires both confession of the justice of the misfortune and admission that the salvation was undeserved.

There is one final aspect of thanksgiving to be considered. “R’ Levi taught: Leah grasped the idea of thanksgiving and all of her descendants followed suit. Yehudah confessed; David [said], ‘Praise G-d for He is good and His kindness endures forever.’ “ When one recognizes his own guilt in bringing spiritual illness upon himself and G-d’s chesed in saving him from misfortune, his feelings of gratitude must be expressed publicly as David’s were. That expression of gratitude then becomes a lesson to others in recognizing G-d’s goodness and intimate involvement in the events of this world. We say in Shemoneh Esrei: Nodeh lecha- we will thank You, Hashem; un’saper tehilatecha- and we will recount Your praises.” It is not sufficient to thank Hashem quietly; one must recount his debt of gratitude to others: “I will sacrifice to You a thanksgiving offering, and I will call out and proclaim to others the name of Hashem: (Tehillim 116:17) Abarbanel explains that the eating time for a Korban Todah is reduced to one day and a night precisely to necessitate having others share in its consumption. In this fashion, one’s gratitude and raise of Hashem are made public.

The four types of breads represent four aspects of true thanksgiving. The chametz represents the yetzer hara, the confession that even the misfortune and calamity were for our benefit and were brought about by our sins. The matzah that is boiled first in water so that it will absorb and hold in the oil is symbolic of the ability to contain oneself and admit that the county one received is unearned and undeserved. The matzah made of flour saturated with oil is symbolic of the feelings of gratitude that permeate one’s entire being. And finally, the matzah fried in oil from without symbolizes the responsibility to publicize and share with others the enlightenment one receives from experiencing G-d’s Divine Providence.

Today in place of the Korban Todah we recite Birchat Hagomel. It too, reflects all four aspects of thanksgiving; “ Hagomel l’chayavim tovot - G-d grants good to those who are guilty and undeserving,” signifies an acceptance of our guilt for the misfortune and admission that the subsequent salvation was undeserved; Shegemalani kol tov - Who benefited us with total good” is an expression of total thanksgiving for Hashem’s undeserved beneficence.

This berachah must be said publicly in the presence of a minyan and evoke in those hearing it the response, “He who benefited you with total good, may He benefit you with total good forever.

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What is the difference between the sacrifices mentioned in Parshas Vayikra and those mentioned in Parshas Tzav?

OFFERING ‘KORBONOS’ IN OUR TIMES

Menachem Gertner Trustee, Federation

This week’s parsha begins (Vayikra, 6:2): “Zois toras ha’oloh” and continues “... Ve’zois toras ha’oshom”. It then concludes (7:37) “Zois HaTorah, Le’oloh, le’mincha etc”. The gemoro in Menachos 101a learns from these pesukim that the word ‘toras’ appears before each of the Korbonos and at the end of the parsha to teach us that, whosoever occupies himself with the study of the Torah concerning any of the respective Korbonos, is credited as though he were actually offering that Korban in the Beis Hamikdash.

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an integral part of the Korbon. One who sacrifices a Korbon Oloh without absorbing its message – even if he has fulfilled all of the dinim associated with Korbonos - is performing the act of a Korbon Oloh but has failed to fulfil the toras ha’Olah.

Accordingly, says the Sfas Emes, the gemoro in Menachos teaches us that studying the laws of Korbonos and appreciating their significance can be just as good as actually offering a Korbon as the ‘makriv’ has effectively achieved the same result.

In the same vein the Sfas Emes in parshas Voeschanan quotes a Medrash (Devarim Rabbah 2:1) in the name of Reb Yochonon. The Medrash teaches that there are 10 different words used to describe different forms of prayer including vo’eschanan. Yet by far the most common Hebrew word for prayer, tefilla, is omitted from the list!

The Sfas Emes explains that tefilla refers to the act of saying the holy words of the davening. Yet, one who utters the words

The Sfas Emes (R’ Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter of Gur, 1847–

without any kavono as to Who he is davening to and the

1905) learns from this gemoro a fundamental lesson that

meaning of the words has failed to perform a true tefilla. Just

exposes the underlying reasons why we have the various

like Korbonos, the actions are, in and of themselves, incomplete

mitzvos relating to the bringing of the Korbonos and why

without the correct kavono behind them. The 10 expressions

they occupy such a central part of the Torah. The purpose of

listed in the Medrash reflect the fact that with the very same

a Korban is ‘le’karev’ – to create a closer connection between

words that comprise the davening, we are able apply different

man and Hashem. A Korbon involves a person taking a portion

meanings to our prayers through the kavonos we attach to the

of his material possessions and offering them up to Hashem.

words. Thus, different people can all utter the same words of,

Through the act of sacrifice we are supposed to understand

say, the Amidoh, yet each of them may be praying for entirely

our own mortality and have a very graphic representation of

different things based on their personal circumstances.

the degree to which a person must dedicate himself completely and absolutely to the service of Hashem.

Today we no longer have the ability to bring Korbonos in the Beis Hamikdash. But in the words of the Navi (Hoshea

The importance of Korbonos is therefore not merely in the

14:3) “U’ne’shalmah porim sefoseinu – we will dedicate the

simple act of slaughtering an animal in the Beis Hamikdash.

offerings of our mouths”. Whilst we cannot bring the actual

Rather, the kavonos (meaning) the Makriv (the person

offerings listed in the parsha, we can still connect to Hashem

bringing the Korbon) attaches to the act and the messages

by being ‘makriv’ ourselves through our davening and through

he takes away from his experience are the true significance

being ‘makdish’ (sanctifying) our wealth and possessions by

of the Korban. Torah is from the word ‘hora’ah’ – teaching.

using them in the service of Hashem.

The possuk therefore uses the expression ‘toras ha’olah’ – the teaching of the Oloh’ to emphasise that the kavonos are

May we merit to witness the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days!

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What was (one of) the hardest avodos done by the kohanim?

REJOICE ALL YEAR

Rabbi Zvi Gefen Aish UK

We just finished rejoicing in the simcha of Purim. With regard to the simcha of Purim, we find something that we don’t find elsewhere: the simcha of Purim continues on some level throughout the whole year. The Rema concludes Hilchos Megilla, with the words ‫ וְ טֹוב לֵ ב ִמ ְׁש ֶּתה ָת ִמיד‬- in other words, a gantz yahr freilich, a whole year we’re supposed to be b’simchah.

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therefore didn’t ask any questions – of course this is what we wanted! We answered na’aseh v’nishmah.

So in what way did they feel that it was forceful? Rashi explains when they said “zacharnu es hadagah” that they were remembering their time in Egypt where they could eat whatever they wanted without having to worry about what the laws of kashrus.

Deep down there was a feeling that there was an element of sacrifice. They thought that in order to be the chosen people they were giving up on the good life.

They felt that the Torah was chaining them to a lifestyle that holds them back from happiness. So they accepted

Why is it that this specific joy is relevant all year round?

it, but they really thought we were giving up something

The Gemara tells us ‫מודעה רבה לארייתא‬, that the

good. They felt like the Torah was taking all the fun out

Yidden would have always been able to claim that they

of life.

were forced to accept the Torah because of “kafa aleihem

On Purim they were mekabel Torah, as it says ‘kimu ve

har k’gigis” meaning that Hashem places the mountain

kiblu’ . The Jewish people at the end of the story learned

over the Jews and said if you accept the Torah good. If

how hashgacha works and became convinced that

you don’t then “sham t’hiyeh kevuraschem ” you will find

Hashem loves them so much that even when it looked

your graves.

so bleak and tragic, we saw how it ended up being good

What is hard to understand about this Gemara is

for us. They learnt from the story of Purim and how

that this event happened after the Yidden had already

the Jewish people were saved, even more so the Torah

accepted the Torah saying naa’seh v’nishmah”?

lifestyle that He gave for us is also the best.

The Gemara then continues to say that came Purim

The Kabolas Hatorah of Purim is to look at the world

and we accepted the Torah out of love. What was it about

and exclaim, ‘ashreinu ma tov chelkeinu!’. Anyone that

the Purim story that changed the relationship between

complains “S’iz shver tzu zain a Yied” has totally missed

us and Hashem?

the point.

My Rebbe Rav Berkovits shlit’’a explains as follows:

When we walk away from Purim with that feeling then

When we were approached at Matan Torah as to

when we are confronted with battles during the rest of

whether we wanted the Torah, we thought that we were

the year and we take them on, we can feel happy, and tov

being offered a chance to be the chosen nation and we

leiv knowing that there is no better way to live life.

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

What is an easy way of remembering how many pesukim in Parshas Tzav?

Rabbi Yaakov Hamer Finchley Central Federation/Shaarei Orah

I recall many years ago flying from Eretz Yisroel to Baltimore, Maryland to visit my brother who was learning in the Ner Yisroel Yeshiva. The following morning, I remembered that I had to bensch gomel for my trans-Atlantic flight. There is a wellknown halacha that someone who experienced a potentially dangerous or life threatening situation is obligated to give thanks. We find in this week’s parsha a reference to this concept in the mitzva to bring a Korban Todah – a Thanksgiving offering.

Someone in the Yeshiva mentioned to me that he believes that the custom of the Yeshiva is not to bensch gomel for a flight but as I saw the fellow who was called up for Kohen bensch gomel, I decided that after being called up for Levi, I would too! Although everyone responded to my bracha, I noticed lots of people turning and murmuring to each other. The Kohen who bensched gomel had recently recovered from a life and death situation; I, however had just flown over the Atlantic and the minhag of the Yeshiva is not to bensch gomel in such a case! Live and learn.

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THE HALACHIC DILEMMA OF THE GOMEL BRACHA WHEN TRAVELLING BY PLANE

5

custom is like the first opinion the Shulchan Aruch quotes, that other life-threatening situations require the full gomel bracha including Hashem’s name. if so, it would follow that one would be obligated to bensch gomel after a flight only if it is somehow considered to be as if the person travelled by sea, through the desert or has experienced a life threatening situation.

In the sefer Hegionei Halacha, the author presents three opinions regarding this shaila. The first opinion maintains that one should not recite the gomel bracha with Hashem’s name as flying is neither travelling by sea, nor crossing the desert nor a life threatening situation. The second opinion is that of Rav Moshe Feinstein. (O’’C Vol 2:59) He rules that one is obligated to recite the gomel bracha with Hashem’s name even if the flight was smooth and peaceful. Rav Moshe says that as the plane does not travel on the ground, it is, in fact, comparable to a ship. Once a person is not travelling on the ground, it is irrelevant if they are in a ship or in a plane. The point is, as they are not travelling on the ground, they are included in the category of someone travelling on a ship, which is merely an example of someone not travelling on the ground. In addition, it is logical to say that the Sages ordained that these two methods of travelling (on a ship or through a desert) require the gomel bracha as these were the common forms of long-distant travels in the olden days. So too, nowadays, the most common form of long-distance travel is on a plane and is therefore included in the full obligation to bensch gomel.

Accordingly, one need not differentiate as to whether one flies over a body of water or over dry land as the reasons still apply. The third opinion differentiates between the length and type of flight. Some

The Gemara says in Maseches Brachos, (54b) Four people need to

say (See Yabia Omer Vol 2 O’’C 14:3) flights less than 72 minutes

give thanks, one who travelled by sea, one who travelled through a

do not require a bracha. Others say (See Tzitz Eliezer Vol 11:14) a

desert, a seriously ill person who recovered from their illness and one

short journey, less than 2 hours is exempt from the bracha. The Be’er

who was released from prison. The Shulchan Aruch (219:1) initially

Moshe (Vol 7:47) says that a three-hour journey requires a bracha

rules that these four cases are not exclusive and other life threatening

as the assumption is that during the course of three hours, one has

situations also obligate the gomel bracha. He then quotes an opinion

crossed either a body of water or a desert and that is the point of

who says that in all other dangerous situations, as they are not

distinction. As you can see, there are several opinions regarding this

mentioned explicitly in the Gemara, one should recite the bracha

shaila. Best to ask your Rav how he paskens, but remember, even if

omitting Hashem’s name. Two of the foremost commentaries on

he says one should recite the bracha, when in Baltimore, do as the

the Shulchan Aruch, the Magen Avraham and the Taz write that the

Baltimoreans!

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How were the kohanim selected for the avoda of the terumas hadeshen?

Rabbi Shimmy Miller Rebbe at Manchester Mesivta The instruction to perform an act can take many forms dependent upon the context, level of urgency and recipient of said directive.

Regarding the Burnt Offerings that are required to be brought, Moshe is told to “tzav” “command” Aharon, which Rashi tells us is an expression that evokes a need for enthusiasm, eagerness and rapidity in its execution. Rashi further explains that this is necessary due to it being something that is “chesron kis”, usually translated as meaning that it involves a monetary loss.

Offering another interpretation, the Chidushei Harim explains that when something of a tremendously positive spiritual nature is performed, there are many negative forces in existence that try to interfere and obstruct it from happening. When that act is concealed with the appearance of a more mundane act, it is as if it has a cover over it that screens and thereby protects it from those influences. A normal Korban is eaten by the Kohanim or its owners, which is an act that hides the tremendous spirituality of what it truly is, by the appearance of mere physical consumption such as one would dine upon at a regular meal.

A burnt offering does not have this advantage, because it was not eaten, rather was completely consumed by the fire of the altar. The words “chesron kis in this alternative understanding are translated as “lacking a covering” because the burnt offering lacked that which hid the other offerings from the aforementioned potential harm. This deficiency in its protection meant a need to make sure it was done with zeal and speed so as not to allow any disturbances to its completion.

This is a very deep idea and requires thought, but one concept we can take from this, is that those things that have the greatest worth need the greatest protection. This notion is self-evident and incontrovertible when it comes to our physical possessions, yet when it comes to our spirituality we may not apply this with the same care. Taking this concept further we should think about what indeed is most holy and valuable in our own lives and how much protection we afford them from the outer elements of impurity. Be it our homes, our children or ourselves, there is a world of danger out there and we must surely give great consideration to pre-emptively make our defences as strong as possible if we are to shelter them from harm. There is little question as to what those risks are, but our task is to be aware of our own vulnerability and take whatever precautions are necessary to ensure our spiritual survival.

May the sanctity of Shabbos shelter us from all harm.

DAVENING IN COSTUME

Rabbi Chaim Cohen

Rabbi of Netzach Yisrael and teacher at King David High School

IS IT APPROPRIATE TO DAVEN IN SHUL ON PURIM WHILE WEARING A FANCY DRESS COSTUME? Davening nowadays has replaced the korbanos that were offered by thekohanim. Just as they wore unique clothes when they performed their avoda, it would be ideal to have separate clothes for davening in.

Nonetheless, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 98:4) concedes that this isn’t really feasible.

Rambam (Tefilla 5:1) lists appropriate dress as one of eight things that are necessary for davening. The Mishna Berura (91:12) writes that one should dress as one would when greeting a dignitary.

PARSHAH

MILLER MUSINGS

HALACHAH

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The Shulchan Aruch (OC 90:23) writes that one shouldn’t daven in front of art or colourful drapes as they can distract one’s davening. The Rema adds that one should avoid printing pictures in siddurim as they can also be distractive.

Thus, R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 10:18:1) writes that while one may daven on Purim while wearing a fancy dress costume, one must ensure that it is respectable, properly covers the body and won’t distract themselves or others. While the example that R’ Wosner brings is of one dressing up as a chassid, etc. it would seem that this would be subjective to the shul that one davens in and what would be considered appropriate there on purim.

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5. The earthen vessels used in the Beis Hamikdosh were smashed and placed on the floor of the Azara. What happened to them when they amassed? Did they not pose a danger to the barefoot kohanim?

EXPANDING UPON A THOUGHT FROM THE KLI YAKAR

Rabbi Yissochor Frand Magid Shiur, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Baltimore

At the beginning of Parshas Tzav, the Torah teaches the law of the flour offering: “This is the law of the flour offering, it should be offered by the sons of Aharon before Hashem on the altar...” [Vayikra 6:7-11] The Torah describes how to bring a Korban Mincha and then the Torah writes “You should ensure that the flour offering does not become leavened (Chametz)... it is Holy of Holies (Kodesh Kodoshim) like the Chatas and the Asham.” In other words, when the Torah wants to inform us what is considered the “gold standard” of “Kodesh Kodoshim,” the prime examples given are two kinds of sin offerings -- the Chatas and Asham.

The Kli Yakar asks why the Chatas and Asham (rather than, for example the Korban Olah – the burnt offering) are used as the paradigms of ultimate holiness. The Kli Yakar answers that sin offerings are brought when a person did something wrong and is now doing Teshuvah. They serve as atonement for the person who sinned. In his words “A completely righteous person is holy to G-d, but a person who sinned and sincerely repents is holy of holies!” This is in line with the principle that “in a place where a Baal Teshuva stands, even completely righteous people cannot stand.” [Brochos 34b] The Kli Yakar further quotes the maamar chazal that a person who repents out of love of G-d has his intentional sins turned into merits. [Yoma 86b] I would like expand the Kli Yakar’s explanation based on a thought I once heard from Rabbi Yochanan Zweig, relating to the Hagaddah. Rabbi Zweig asks 3 questions. The first is a question that many people speak about and is in fact something we have spoken about in past years: Why is it that matzah serves both as a symbol for redemption and salvation as well as a symbol for affliction and exile? Are the two motifs not contradictory? We eat matzah at the seder because when we were taken out of Egypt, the dough did not have a chance to rise. This is the symbol of redemption. On the other hand, it is in fact true that this was also the bread the Jews ate in Egypt throughout their period of enslavement. We begin the Hagaddah by saying “This is the bread of poverty that our fathers ate in Egypt...” Is it not strange that the Torah uses the very same symbol to represent both redemption and freedom and also slavery and affliction?

The second observation of Rabbi Zweig is as follows: The Asseres Hadibros begin with the pasuk “Anochi Hashem Elokecha” [I am Hashem your G-d]. The Medrash Tanchuma states that the word Anochi is of Egyptian origin. The pasuk should really begin with the more common Hebrew word, “Ani”. So again we have an irony that the Asseres Hadibros, which is the apex of the story of the deliverance from Egypt, start with a word which is reminiscent of the Egyptian exile.

Finally, Rabbi Zweig notes, the Gemara [Pesachim 116a] emphasises that the story of the exodus from Egypt needs to be told in the sequence: “beginning with that which is unseemly and ending in that which is praiseworthy” (maschil b’gnus u’mesayem b’shvach). When someone wants to relate his life history – especially when he has reached a high point in his life – he always begins the story with “I come from very humble beginnings”.

For example, (this is dating me) when Henry Kissenger became Nixon’s Secretary of State, he got up and mentioned how noteworthy it was that he was a refugee from Nazi Germany whose parents had to flee the Nazis because of their Jewishness and now he was the American Secretary of State! This is a classic example of “maschil b’gnus u’mesayem b’shvach”. This is the natural way to tell such a story. So why must Chazal insist that we need to tell the story in this fashion, would we not tell it that way on our own, naturally?

Rabbi Zweig answered these three questions based on an interesting Rambam at the beginning of Hilchos Avodas Kochavim. The Rambam famously describes how the theological error of idolatrous worship was introduced into society. He writes that initially no one attributed independent power to the sun or moon. They assumed these heavenly bodies were agents of the Master of the Universe. The belief system deteriorated until people started believing the heavenly bodies had independent power. Ultimately, things deteriorated further until people

worshipped stone and wooden representations of these mistaken “heavenly powers”. This is what the entire world -- including Terach’s son Avram, used to believe. However, this young Avram began to analyse and question whether it could be that such inanimate objects had power.

In other words, according to the Rambam, Avram himself was a Baal Teshuvah – an idolater who later repented and ultimately recognized his Creator, at the age of 40! When Avram became convinced of the errors of society, he actively promoted his own recognition of a Master of the Universe, and revolutionised religious belief in the society in which he was living.

The Rava”d asks two questions on the Rambam’s scenario. First, he quotes what appears to be an opposing teaching of the Rabbis that Avram recognized his Creator at age 3. [This is derived from the numeric value of the word “Ekev” (172) in the expression “Ekev asher shama Avraham b’Koli” [Bereshis 26:5] [Since Avraham listened to My Voice]. Chazal say that Avraham was faithful to the Word of G-d for 172 out of his 175 years (meaning since he was three years old). Second, the Rava”d says that the Rambam’s description seems to ignore the presence of Shem and Ever, who were older than Avraham and who according to Rabbinic tradition never abandoned belief in the True G-d. Why, he asks, according to Rambam, was only Avraham successful in changing the world’s theological outlook?

Rav Yochanan Zweig explains as follows. If I am not a smoker and I try to convince a smoker that he should give up smoking, he will ignore me. I can provide the most eloquent and graphic arguments why he should stop smoking but because I do not know the “pleasure” of inhaling a cigarette, I will be very unsuccessful in convincing someone who has experienced that pleasure to give it up because of my protestations.

A person who was a smoker and smoked all his life and then became a “Baal Teshuva,” and broke his addiction to nicotine, will be far more successful persuading a current smoker that it is worth the effort to “kick the habit”. Just like a former smoker is more effective in getting another smoker to give up smoking, so too a former idol-worshipper (like Avraham, according to the Rambam) will be much more effective than someone like Shem and Ever, who never worshipped idols, at creating a new religion and getting other idolaters to abandon their erroneous beliefs and accept the idea of monotheism.

A Baal Teshuva can often be more successful in getting another person to see the “Light” than a person who was “Frum From Birth”. To someone who is “FFB,” the free spirit asks “What do you know? You have never experienced the pleasures of eating shell fish! You have never experienced the pleasures that life has to offer! What do you know about a life style that brings one satisfaction and happiness?” Someone who has “been there; done that” and can say with conviction “This is a much better life” is someone to whom the free spirited person will be willing to listen. Shem and Ever were FFBs. Avraham Avinu was himself a Baal Teshuvah.

Avraham Avinu was able to take those first 40 years of his life of theological error and idol worship and turn them into a positive experience such that he could now relate to other people and enable them to “see the Light”.

This answers the other question of the Rava”d as well. It is true that Avraham only recognised his Creator at age 40, but since he transposed his whole life experience to have a spiritually positive impact on others, it can truthfully be said that for “Ekev” years of his life he “hearkened to the words of his Creator”. Retroactively from age 40, he turned all of his life’s experiences from the time he first gained intelligence (age 3) into a spiritually positive experience.

This is what the Pesach Seder is about. In other religions, l’havdil, there is a concept of “Born Again”. This means whatever came before now is wiped off the map and this “born again” person is a completely new individual. We do not speak in those terms for a Baal Teshuvah.

A person is obligated to take every aspect of his past life and try to turn it around and use it positively.

This is why the symbol of freedom can also be the symbol of slavery. One can take the experience of what it means to be a slave to Pharaoh and reshape it to gain insight into what it means to be a servant to the Master of the Universe. This is why Matzah can be both the symbol of slavery and the symbol of freedom! Likewise, the Egyptian word Anochi can itself be used to teach a new lesson – that of Anochi Hashem Elokecha [I am the L-rd, your G-d]. Finally, the “Gnus” – the unseemly beginning must always remain part of the story. The “Shvach” that occurs later can retroactively give new meaning and new nuance to all the experiences of “Gnus” that took place initially. Even the experience of “Chatas” and “Asham” (offerings caused by sin) can generate a status of Kodesh Kodoshim – Holy of Holies.

We neither ignore nor bury our unseemly past –- we utilise it to motivate and enhance the experience of our new spiritual direction

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QUIZ TIME

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6. The Kohen Godol brought the Minchas Chavitin sacrifice every day – half in the morning and half in the evening. What lies behind this?

HAVE YOU TIED YOURSELF TO THE PIER?

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D

Jeffery was 30 years old, and admitted himself to Gateway for treatment. He had been a moderate marijuana user, and had not used for six months, but he was unable to get on with his life. He had dropped out of college and was unable to hold on to a job.

It appeared that he had the “amotivational syndrome,” one of the consequences of marijuana in young people, who lose their motivation to do things.

Jeffery completed the treatment program, and several months later called, asking if he could spend the latter days of Passover with me. He told me that even after treatment, he has not been able to move on. He said that his problem was Elaine. In college, he had fallen in love with Elaine, who came from a Reform Jewish family. Jeffery had influenced her to become observant of Torah, much to her father’s chagrin. When she told her father that she wanted to marry Jeffery, he said, “Over my dead body!” Elaine could not stand up against her father, and she broke off the relationship with Jeffery. “I can’t get over losing Elaine,” Jeffery said. “I’m still very much in love with her.” This had happened five years earlier, and Elaine had since married.

“I just can’t get on with my life. I can’t detach from Elaine.”

I told Jeffery that he was not the first person in the world to lose a love relationship, and that the normal reaction is to go through a period of grief over the loss and then move on, and that there must be some reason why he was unable to do so. We spent some time trying to analyze why he was still stuck in this relationship. Elaine was now married and was beyond reach. It was really no different than losing a loved one by death. One grieves for a period of time, then moves on.

On Passover afternoon, I took my siesta. I have learned to relax and to transport myself back in time to my childhood, to the summers we spent in a cottage at Cedar Lake, Wisconsin.

My days were all fun, from the time I awoke until bedtime. We either played baseball, went swimming, fishing or hiking, played cards or Monopoly or read comic books. I didn’t have a worry in the world. Countless times, I have revisited Cedar Lake to re-experience that idyllic time.

During my siesta, I went back to Cedar Lake, and relived an experience I had never recalled before. I used to love to row a boat, but at age nine, I was not allowed to row unless there was an adult with me. However, because I loved to row, I would get into the boat when it was tethered to the pier with a thick rope, and row to my heart’s content, fantasizing that I would discover a new continent on the other side of the lake. Because I was tied to the pier, there was no danger in my rowing. If the boat were detached from the pier, I might row to the middle of the lake, which would have been dangerous.

I awoke from my siesta and realized I had dreamt the solution to Jeffery’s problem. Jeffery was suffering from low self-esteem and had no self confidence. Consequently, he was afraid

PHYLOSOPHY

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to do anything that might result in failure. Doing anything at all, whether going to college or holding a job, presented the risk of failure. But Jeffery did not recognize this as the problem. To explain to himself why he was unable to move on, he blamed it all on the loss of Elaine. As long as he was wallowing in this grief, he did not have to fault himself for his inactivity. Furthermore, since Elaine was beyond reach, this excuse could last a lifetime. He was a victim, and indulged in a pity party. Poor me! I lost my beloved Elaine.

Jeffery did not concoct this idea. He did not have to, because his subconscious mind did it for him. He had no idea that this is what was happening to him. The subconscious mind is very clever and very resourceful. When it sees that a person is in distress, it tries to protect him from the pain by one or more of its defensive tactics. It really doesn’t care that the defense may be counterproductive.

What was Jeffery’s pain? It was his fear of failure, and if he was aware of this, he would have to confront this fear and do something about it. So the unconscious essentially said to him, “You’re not afraid of failure at all. You’ve been paralyzed by this terrible thing happening to you.”

As long as Jeffery could consider himself an unfortunate victim, deprived of his beloved by an irascible father, he did not have to look at himself.

The subconscious mind’s ability to deceive us by rationalization is colossal. We believe what it tells us because it relieves us of anxiety. Unfortunately, as in Jeffery’s case, it threatened to ruin him forever.

We are all subject to rationalizations. We may not know the real reason why we do or refrain from doing something. If knowledge of the real reason would be unpleasant, the subconscious blocks the real reason from our awareness, and substitutes a logical, albeit untrue reason. That is what rationalization is: substituting a good reason in place of the true reason.

Furthermore, the nature of all matter, animate and inanimate, is inertia. We must be motivated in order to make the effort to overcome inertia. Our subconscious may allow us to stay comfortable, doing nothing and not feeling guilty about it. It may tie us to a pier, so that we may feel helpless. We think that we really want to move ahead. It’s just that we can’t, because we are tied to something from which we cannot detach.

The way to avoid this self-defeating defense is to overcome the fear of failure and to get help with our anxieties. As you may guess, this fear is grounded in low self-esteem. A person with good self-esteem knows that there are failures in life, and while a failure is indeed very unpleasant, it is not devastating. If we fail, we lick our wounds, and try to see what we can do to avoid failure next time. A person with low self-esteem cannot tolerate failure, and the subconscious mind sees to it that he does not have to, by convincing him that he is a victim of circumstances.

There is not too much we can do about the subconscious mind’s defensive manoeuvres.

Physiologically, if bacteria enter our body, the body reacts by implementing the immune system and producing white blood cells to destroy the bacteria. These are automatic responses which we do not initiate. The psychological defenses are quite similar. They are autonomous and function beyond our awareness. While we may not be able to control these defenses, we can do something about the reason why the defenses are set in motion, and that is by building up our self-esteem and developing an attitude toward life that will enable us to avoid becoming anxious when circumstances are difficult.

ANSWERS 1. The sacrifices of Parshas Vayikra deal with the animals brought for all the Jews while the sacrifices of Parshas Tzav deal with the sacrifices for the kohanim.

2. The “kemitza” fistful of flour taken from the mincha offering.

3. There are 96 pesukim the numerical value of the word “Tzav”. (There are actually 97 pesukim! See the riddle in this edition. –Ed.) 4. Originally it was done by a race, given to the fastest kohen who reached the top of the ramp of the mizbayach. However, when this resulted in accidents, it was changed to selection by the payis – the count of a ‘thought-of’ number more than the number of kohanim present.

5. The Gemora (Yuma 21a) brings that a miracle happened that the broken earthenware shards were swallowed up by the ground.

6. The Chinuch (136) brings that like the tzibur brings the korban tomid morning and evening, so too does the Kohen Godol in the form of this Minchas Chavitin – half in the morning and half in the evening. The idea is to keep him focused on the idea behind sacrifices – coming close to Hashem.

Riddle Answer a) Parshas Terumah, this has 96 Pessukim b) Parshas Massei has 132 Pessukim which is the Gematriya of Bolok, 3 Sedros earlier.

If you think I have missed any off any or wish to make other observations/ comments please feel free to email me direct on bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

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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