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NORTH WEST LONDON’S WEEKLY TORAH & OPINION SHEETS

17TH MARCH 2018

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

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HaRav Zvi Kushelevsky

K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D

Transcribed by Rabbi Daniel Fine

Rosh Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah, Yerushalayim

Caring for other Jews

Moshe had ten names: Yered, Chever, Yekusiel, Avigdor, Avi Socho, Avi Zano’ach, Tuviah, Shemaya, Ben Nesanel and Moshe. Hashem said ‘I will only call you by the name that the daughter of Pharaoh gave to you:’ ‘and she called him Moshe.’ Thus it says ‘and He called to Moshe.’ [Vayikra Rabbah 1:3]

The Chizkuni notes an oddity in the name Moshe. Given that the reason for Moshe’s name was because I pulled him from the waters, the name should be Moosheh or Nimsheh. The word Moshe means that ‘he extracts others too,’ he would pull the Jews out of Egypt. The Seforno

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echoes this, writing that the name Moshe showed that ‘he would allow others to escape to safety.’ This is the key as to why his main name was Moshe. For a name captures the essential quality of the person or object in question. Moshe’s central quality was not that he was simply saved from water; that was a single event. Moshe’s main quality was that he would save others and lead them to safety. For this reason the Torah underlines the fact that Moshe saw the pain of his brothers. On the pasuk ‘and he saw their burdens’ (2:11) the Midrash Rabbah writes that

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Parshah

And He called to Moshe [Vayikra 1:1]

Moshe had ten names, but the preferred one is the name he was given by the daughter of Pharaoh; Moshe. Why is this? On the contrary, a case can be made for his prime name to be Tuviah, which connotes pure greatness uncorrupted by evil, as the Gemara in Menachos (53b) writes.

In Memory of

Moshe saw the pains of the slavery; ‘if only I would die for them’ he commented, and he proceeded to secretly help the Jews and straighten their loads whilst pretending to be helping Pharaoh. Further, not only did Moshe possess tremendous care and empathy for the Jewish People, but this was actually the cause of his other achievements. As Rav Chaim Vital writes: Moshe only merited his spiritual levels because he loved Jews and he was pained by their suffering, as Chazal say...this is why he was equal to the entire nation. May we try and walk down Moshe’s path.

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‫מוצאי שבת‬

‫א’ ניסן תשע”ח‬

Rabbi Daniel Fine

Community Rabbi, Stanmore and Canons Park US; Hasmonean Beis Programme

The author can be contacted at danielpfine@gmail.com

SEDRA SUMMARY Thank you to Chabad.org

ashem calls to Moshe from the Ohel Moed, and communicates to him the laws of the korbanos, the animal and meal offerings brought in the Mishkan. These include: • The “ascending offering” (olah) that is wholly raised to Hashem by the fire atop the altar; • Five varieties of “meal offering” (minchah) prepared with fine flour, olive oil and frankincense; • The “peace offering” (shelamim), whose meat was eaten by the one bringing the offering, after parts are burned on the altar and parts are given to the kohanim;

Parshah

Small Alefs

And He called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Ohel Mo’ed saying Vayikra 1:1 The ‘Alef’ of Vayikra is written small, since Moshe wanted the pasuk to write ‘vayikar’, implying a chance meeting or a communication in a dream, as it says with reference to Bilam. Hashem wanted to write Vayikra, implying closeness – due to Moshe’s humility it was written with a small Alef… Ba’al Haturim Why was Moshe so perturbed about this particular calling such that he wanted to change it – why did he not want to edit the pesukim describing the time Hashem called him at Matan Torah (Shemos 19:20)? Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky shlit’’a explains that call to ascend the mountain at Matan Torah could be construed as simply a call for Moshe that the time was coming for him to ascend the mountain – a reminder, so to speak. Yet when it came to the Mishkan, Moshe waited before entering. One of the purposes of the Mishkan was to be a place from which prophecy to Moshe emanated: ‘and I will appear to you there and I will speak with you’ (Shemos 25:22). The only reason Moshe did not enter the Mishkan was due to his humility, and once Hashem called him in this showed Moshe’s greatness and the close relationship he had with Hashem. This is why Moshe wanted this Vayikra amended.

• The different types of “sin offering” (chatas) brought to atone for transgressions committed erroneously by the Kohen Gadol, the entire community, the king or the ordinary Jew;

Alternatively, perhaps Moshe felt that the other instances of Hashem calling him were simply in the merit of the people. When Moshe was called to ascend Har Sinai, Moshe thought that he was simply an emissary of the people – someone had to go up to bring the Torah down to the people. Further, it was the merit of the people that was really at play here: Hashem had chosen the nation, not just Moshe. This is why the pesukim of Matan Torah did not bother Moshe. But once the Torah was given, once the Mishkan was built, Moshe saw no reason why he would be called rather than anyone else – hence asking for the alef to be deleted from Vayikra. This was true humility. And when we have the opportunity to do things for others – whether other individuals or the community at large – it is so important to keep this sense of gravity. It is important that we develop a mind-set that what I am doing is in the merit of the community or someone has to do it – I am just fulfilling this role. Someone who feels that it is their right to decide matters for the community, without that feeling of humility, is a recipe for disaster. May all our endeavours for others be successful and accompanied with the requisite humility,

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

• The “guilt offering” (asham) brought by one who has misappropriated property of the Sanctuary, who is in doubt as to whether he transgressed a divine prohibition, or who has committed a “betrayal against Hashem” by swearing falsely to defraud a fellow man.

“Nature” is the name given to miracles that happen frequently. HARAV YERUCHEM LEVOVITZ, ZT”L

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‫לרפואה שלימה בתוך שאר חולי ישראל‬

QUIZ TIME

1. livingwithmitzvos.com

Why is there a small Aleph in the Hebrew word of “Vayikra”?

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Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn Jewish Futures Trust; Oneg Shabbos Editor in Chief; Federation ShailaText The author can be contacted at rabbiroodyn@jewishfuturestrust.com

Parshas Hachodesh

Tried and Tested Safeguarding Procedures

e usher in the month of Geulah with the additional maftir of Parshas HaChodesh. The Bnei Yisrael are given the ability to bring kedusha into the physical world through the calendar and the mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh. We are commanded to start the process of redemption through slaughtering the sheep, the Egyptian deity. This is followed by roasting it whole and eating it with Matza and Maror. This enabled us to leave Mitzrayim as free men, liberated from the slave mind-set, ready to embark on the journey towards Kabalas HaTorah.

when our ancestors earnt their liberty and emerged from Egypt as free men and women, when we today enjoy an extra measure of Hashem’s Divine protection. The Rashbam however takes a different angle and explains that the simple meaning of leil shimurim is actually a ‘night of anticipation’. He bases this pshat on the famous episode of Yosef’s dreams, which were ridiculed by the brothers, but about which the pasuk says, ‘Ve’aviv shamar es hadavar,’ ‘And his father kept the matter in mind’. Whilst the brothers ridiculed Yosef’s dreams as being implausible and nonsensical, Rashi explains that Yaakov waited with anticipation to see when they would be fulfilled.

Towards the end of the maftir we told to ‘safeguard the matzos’, which is explained by Rashi to mean that we need to take all steps necessary to ensure that they don’t become chametz. The verb ‫ שמר‬is then used again at the end of the same pasuk to tell us to safeguard the day of Pesach, to observe it for all future generations. The double use of the same verb is noteworthy, but what is all the more fascinating is that this root comes up again and again in the context of Pesach. The pesukim tell us in two different places to guard the festival of Matzos and the very night of Pesach is referred to as leil shimurim, ‘a night of guarding’. This is normally taken to mean that this is a night of special protection, a night

The Meiri in his introduction to the Beis Habechirah explains that the Moadim are special contact points during the year; they enable us to develop a heightened sense of awareness of Hashem. If we merely go through the motions of observance, then the effect of the Moadim on our souls and ourselves will be minimal. Put bluntly, the amount we will get out of the Yom Tov experience will be directly proportional to the extent to which we invest beforehand in our understanding and appreciation of the events that the Yom Tov is commemorating. In order for us to access the

tremendous spiritual energy that Pesach has to offer, we need to prepare ourselves to be able to receive it. Perhaps we can use this to explain why the verb ‫ שמר‬is used multiple times in the context of Pesach. This entire Nissan experience is a Divinely-mandated, tried and tested method for ensuring that the mesorah of the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim remains intact, as it indeed has through the last 133 generations since these remarkable events took place. Nissan is by far the most exciting month of the year! There is an air of anticipation that permeates every Jewish home, due to the fact that this Yom Tov requires far more work than any other. The entire home is turned upside down in preparation for the most exhilarating nights of the year. Children are fascinated by their familiar environment changing before their eyes, culminating in the ultimate multisensory learning experience of leil haseder where everything is done differently. Hachodesh hazeh lachem, this month is for you, for the Jewish family, for each generation to prepare to pass on our unique traditions of our epic national story. There can be no better introduction to Pesach than this!

riddle

Parsha

QUESTION

In this week’s Parsha we are informed of the various Korbonos that we have to bring, and one type of animal that can be used is Bokor -- cattle. Chazal tell us of two various incidents in Nach relating to this type of animal. In one case we come across a “speaking bull” and in the other one we find “singing cows”, not Korbonos per se, but nevertheless strongly connected to the Mishkon/Beys Hamikdosh. What are the two incidents and where is the Mekor for the Divrei Chazal? CLUE A) Think of the Haftoroh on Parshas Ki Sisa B) The Pelishtim had had enough of this object.

Thank you to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

TEXT

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QUIZ TIME

Rashi informs us (Perek 35 Possuk 30) that Chur was the son of Miriam. Previously he had told us exactly the same information in Parshas Beshalach (Perek 17 Possuk 10) and in Parshas Mishpotim (Perek 24 Possuk 14).

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ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK

[Question: What does Rashi inform us of for the third time in this week’s Parsha and where are the two previous times he has mentioned this previously?]

2. livingwithmitzvos.com

‫ לע”נ‬DAYAN GERSHON LOPIAN ‫זצ”ל‬

What is another name of Sefer Vayikra and why?

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Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag

Rabbi, Whitefield Hebrew Congregation ; Founder and Principal, Whitefield Community Kollel

The author can be contacted at rjg@guttentag.uk

The Divine Covenant of Salt

Parshah

)‫יג‬:‫ על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח (ויקרא ב‬..... ‫ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלוקיך‬ And all of your meal offering you shall salt with salt, and you shall not allow to cease the salt of the covenant of your Hashem, from upon your meal offerings. On all your offerings you shall offer salt. [Vayikra 2;13]

remarkable expression is used to convey the Torah’s command that mincha-meal offerings in the Mishkan were to be accompanied by salt: melach bris elokecho, “salt of the covenant of Hashem”. Salt is known to us as surely just a common domestic ingredient. Why does the Torah referred to in such elevated terms?

Salt as the covenant of Hashem is the acknowledgement that - not as some beliefs in the ancient world had it that there are two sources of divinity in the world, one good and one bad - but that Hashem is Master of both the good and the bad in the world and in our lives.

Taste and Balance 3. Salt gives taste, likewise Judaism gives taste. Without the framework and teachings of the Torah life will be tasteless, unappealing, lacking in purpose, devoid of meaning. At the same time too much salt, or not in the right measure, will mean that the food can not be eaten, and is unhealthy. Likewise when Judaism is taught and presented in an inaccurate or inauthentic manner, then that will not be appetising or effective either.

Eternality 1. Salt is a preservative, it makes things last; salt is a symbol of that which is eternal. The Jewish nation is Hashem’s eternal people. The salt must always be on the mizbeyach says the Torah because it is melach bris elokecho, symbolic of the covenant between Hashem, the eternal Hashem, and Am Yisrael who are in Hashem’s eyes His eternal people. The Yomtov of Pesach always follows quite soon, at this time of year, after we have read Vayikro. The saltwater at the Seder table can be seen to depict not just the bitterness of tears at the slavery, but also the miraculous long term survival of am hanetzach, the eternal Jewish people that survived not only Pharaoh’s persecution, but … ella shebechol dor vador … vehakadosh baruch hu matzileynu miyadam in accordance with the salt-like eternal covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people.

Humble Salt and Higher Ambition Any meal-offering that you offer to Hashem shall not be prepared leavened, for you shall not cause to go up in smoke from any leaven (se’or) or fruit-honey (d’vash) as a fire offering to Hashem. (Vayikra 2;11) You shall salt your every meal-offering with salt; you may not discontinue the salt of your God’s covenant from upon your meal-offering … (Vayikra 2;13)

Theology of Combining Opposites

Three foods, all of them humble kitchen ingredients, are mentioned in reference to the meal offering. Two of them leaven and fruithoney, were not allowed. Salt, however, was an essential accompanying substance for the minchah meal-offering. Why was salt different?

2. A further aspect - marking it out as being of high grade theological significance - is noted by commentator Kli Yakar. The special nature of salt is its association with two opposites, eysh and mayim. While salt has caustic properties, it burns like fire, it (in the form of sea-salt) is also derived from water. The baaley kabbala teach that salt represents both the fire of Hashem’s harsh judgmental aspect, middas ha-din; and also the softer merciful aspect-, middas horachamim.

QUIZ TIME

The Chasam Sofer answers that the key lies in drawing a comparison between these three food ingredients and the three character traits spoke of in the famous teaching of R. Elazar Hakappar: “Jealousy (kin’ah), lust (ta’avah) and glory (kavod) remove a person from the world” (Pirkey Avos 4;28).

3. livingwithmitzvos.com

1. Leaven is symbolic of kavod the ambition for honour and glory. Like leaven in a dough mixture, ego causes personal pride to swell up sometimes beyond normal bounds. To reflect the fact that such pride is improper, leaven (se’or) is not allowed on the altar. 2. Honey is a symbol of lust (ta’avah). That which is sweet to the senses can entice a person to bad ways and lead him out of this world. D’vash, honey therefore is also not permitted on the altar. 3. We find that salt (melach) is symbolic of kin’ah, jealousy. At Creation, Hashem divided between the upper and lower waters. The higher waters were in an exalted position (shamayim), near to Hashem. The lower waters became ‘jealous’. In compensation for their inferior location it was promised to the lower waters that salt – extracted from water - would be a part of all offerings on the altar in the Temple. Jealousy is normally viewed as a destructive urge. In the words of Proverbs jealousy ‘rots the bones’. The jealousy of the lower waters, in seeking closeness to Hashem, however, was of a different order. It was a spiritual ambition. Jealousy in non-material, spiritual causes can be healthy and constructive, it can lead to growth. As the Sages commented: the jealousy and competition between scholars and scribes can increase wisdom (kinas soferim tarbeh chochmah). Thus leaven and honey, representing glory and lust, were banned totally from the altar. However, in order to teach that jealousy, when used for spiritual purposes can be a constructive force of positive spiritual Torah ambition, salt, its symbolic representation, was the subject of Divine command to be offered on the altar.

Why do (some) children start learning Chumash from Parshas Vayikra and not Bereishis?

Rabbi Tal Moshe Zwecker

Director, Machon Be’er Mayim Chaim Publishing

The author can be contacted at chassidusonline@gmail.com

Parshah

THE TZADDIKIM ARE DIVIDED IN TWO

When a man from among you brings a sacrifice to Hashem… [Vayikra 1:2]

ur Sages explain on this verse “ ‘From among you’ — and not all of you. I have made divisions among you, and not among the nations” (Chullin 5a). This hints that someone who sacrifices himself to serve Hashem properly is compared to a sacrificial offering. And our Sages’ teaching, “not all of you,” teaches us that we cannot all serve Hashem in exactly the same manner. Rather, the service of Hashem is divided into two paths, as we have explained above.1

said later [to Esav], “He [Yaakov] should remain blessed” (Bereishis 27:33). * This can be understood in the light of the reason I have given for why Yitzchak wished to bless Esav,3 for how could it be that he wanted to bless Esav and not Yaakov?* Yitzchak intended to bless Yaakov with a blessing for the next world and Esav with that of this world. * However, Rivkah foresaw that if Yaakov would not have a portion in this world, then his offspring would not survive among the nations [in exile], Heaven forbid. Therefore she wanted Yitzchak to bless Yaakov with the blessings of this world as well. *

One path is that the Tzaddik can make rectifications through eating [that is, by utilizing this physical world for divine service],2 and the other path is rectification through self-affliction, according to one’s level [that is, separating from all physicality]. Thus, “I have made divisions among you” — among the Jewish people there are different levels of Tzaddikim, as we said. This is why Yaakov said, “Maybe my father will feel me [and realize who I am], and I will be like a mocker in his eyes. Then I will bring upon myself a curse instead of a blessing” (Bereishis 27:12).

Yaakov Avinu was troubled by this idea. He feared that Yitzchak would bless him only with the physicality of this world. But, as we explained above, here are different ways to use the physical world to serve Hashem, since the world needs both types of Tzaddikim, as we said. In eating, for example, there is a vast difference between eating in a state of holiness with pure thoughts and eating like an animal. * Therefore Yaakov said, “Maybe my father will feel me.” The word ‫ ימשני‬, “will feel me,” shares the same root as the word ‫ ממשות‬, “substance,” which connotes physicality. Yaakov feared that Yitzchak would bless him only with the physicality of this world and thus he would be cursed, since for Yaakov a completely physical existence would be a cursed existence. * Rather, “I am a smooth-skinned [ ‫ ] חלק‬man” — I have to be divided [ ‫ ] מחולק‬into two aspects [in order to serve Hashem on both levels], as we said. *

[Yaakov said this when his mother told him he should get the blessings from his father, Yitzchak, instead of Esav. When Yaakov confronted Yitzchak to take his brother Esav’s blessings, Rivkah dressed Yaakov in furry goatskin so that he would appear hairy like his brother.] How could Yaakov make such a mistake and think that Yitzchak would curse him? Hashem’s Presence dwelt with Yaakov, and surely he [Yitzchak] knew the truth, as Yitzchak

TIME4MISHNA DAILY NACH

[As it says above, there are two ways that a Tzaddik can serve Hashem. There are those who afflict themselves and in this way break the power of the harsh judgments against us. And there are those who eat in sanctity and purity to serve Hashem and draw down an abundance of blessings and parnasah to this world. he latter is considered a higher level of serving Hashem.] This is the meaning of the verse “Beis Yaakov lechu v’nelchah b’ohr Hashem — House of Yaakov, let us walk in the light of Hashem” (Yeshayahu 2:5). * This, too, refers to the two levels [of the Tzaddik]. * “Beis Yaakov — House of Yaakov” hints at the lower level [that of self-affliction], for it is known that “Yaakov” is a lower level than “Yisrael.”4 Thus it says, “The House of Yaakov will be a fire and Esav’s house like straw” (Ovadiah 1:18) * — this alludes to the Tzaddikim who have the power to break the harsh judgments [through self-affliction]. * “Beis Yaakov lechu” connotes “go on the first path.”* “V’nelchah” connotes “and also walk on the second path,” which alludes to those [on the higher level] who walk in the light of holiness in the upper worlds and dimensions. May Hashem give us the merit to be among them. Amen, may it be His will. * 1. See Noam Elimelech, Vayikra, on the verse “If a person shall swear, expressing with his lips” (Vayikra 5:4). 2. See Mesillas Yesharim, ch. 26, on the means of acquiring holiness and how the eating and drinking of Tzaddikim is compared to sacrifices and libations on the Altar. 3. See Noam Elimelech, Toldos, on the verse “And Yitzchak planted” (Bereishis 26:12). 4. This is based on the idea that Hashem changed Yaakov’s name to Yisrael (see Bereishis 35:10), which implies that “Yisrael” is a higher level. See also Rashi on Chullin 92a.

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‫ ד‬- ‫יומא פרקים א‬

‫ה‬:‫ ו‬- ‫י‬:‫יומא ג‬

'‫נחמיה ו‬

'‫נחמיה ה‬

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‫ח‬:‫ ח‬- ‫ה‬:‫ד יומא ח‬:‫ ח‬- ‫א‬:‫ה יומא ח‬:‫ ז‬- ‫ב‬:‫א יומא ז‬:‫ ז‬- ‫ו‬:‫יומא ו‬ '‫נחמיה י‬

'‫נחמיה ט‬

'‫נחמיה ח‬ 4.

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'‫נחמיה ז‬

Sefer Vayikra deals mainly with korbanos. What does the word “Korban” mean and why call it this?

Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen

Rabbi for Keter HaTorah

The author can be contacted at gefen123@inter.net.il

PARSHAS HACHODESH

he Mishna in Megilla tells us that on the Shabbos closest to Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we read the section in the Torah that begins with the first Mitzvah – that of sanctifying the new moon.1 The most straightforward reason why we read it shortly before Pesach is because it contains the section about the korban Pesach.2 However, the commentaries write that there are a number of other important points that are brought out from this section that relate to Pesach. Parashas Hachodesh begins, ““This month shall be for you the first of the months, it is the first for you, of the months of the year.”3 The Ramban writes that the Torah is instructing us to count the year beginning from this point in time, which was the beginning of the yetzias Mitzrayim. Accordingly, every month’s number will be in comparison to this time. For example, the second month will be viewed as the second month from the date of our redemption, and the third will be the third from the redemption, and so on.4 By doing this, we will constantly be reminded of the first month and the miracles that took place on that date. The Ramban says that this is similar to how we begin the counting of the week from 1 Megilla, Ch.3. See Tiferes Yisrael, os 27. 2 Rav Ovadyah Bartenura on the Mishna. 3 Shemos, 12:2. 4 Ramban, Shemos, 12:2. He also points out there that the Torah does not give actual names to the months of the year. The names that we now use, were first adopted when the Jews went to live in Babylon.

Shabbos. Each day, when we say the chapter of Tehillim that corresponds to its day, we acknowledge the number of this day since Shabbos. For example, on Sunday we say “this is the first day of the week”, meaning that this is the first day since Shabbos. In this way we constantly remind ourselves of Shabbos. This is so important because Shabbos is a sign of Creation, in that Hashem created the world for six days and then rested on the seventh. By constantly acknowledging Shabbos, a person demonstrates that he believes that Hashem created the world. Given the Ramban’s point about the importance of remembering both Shabbos and yetzias Mitzrayim, a question arises. Why is it insufficient to merely remember Shabbos, what is the necessity of also focusing so much on yetzias Mitzrayim? Indeed, Shabbos reminds us of the act of Creating the whole universe, that is a far greater miracle than all the miracles involved in yetzias Mitzrayim? A similar question is asked with regard to the aseres hadibros, and the answers given there can also be used to answer this question. The first Mitzvah in the Ten Commandments is the Mitzvah of Emuna, believing in Hashem. The Torah says, “I am Hashem, your G-d, who took you out of the land of Mitzrayim from a house of slavery.”5 The Torah does not suffice in saying, “I am Hashem, your G-d”, rather it 5 Shemos, 20:2.

A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah by Yisroel Kaye The pasuk says “When a person brings a meal offering to Hashem”. This pasuk can be translated literally as “When a soul brings a meal offering to Hashem”. Rashi asks, who usually brings a korban mincha / a meal offering? A poor person. Rashi brings a Gemara in Menachos to say that when a poor person brings a korban mincha, Hakadosh Baruch Hu considers it as if he brought his soul as a korban. The Maayanah Shel Torah asks why is it specifically a korban mincha that is referred to as one’s soul being brought and not any of the others. Also, a korban mincha seemingly costs more than a pigeon or turtle dove. The Maayanah shel Torah brings a Chasam Sofer to explain that if one is bringing a korban mincha it is obvious he doesn’t even have the means to bring a bird. He takes the flour and oil from that which was left for him by others in the field and offers the tiny amount he has as a korban. This is a korban that can be considered as if it’s his actual soul being brought.

QUIZ TIME

Parshas Hachodesh adds a specific act that Hashem performed, that of taking the Jewish people out of Mitzrayim. The question is asked, that once the Torah is mentioning an act of Hashem, why did it not mention the fact that He created the world. One of the answers is that yetzias Mitzrayim teaches us a certain additional aspect about Hashem we must believe in as part of the Mitzvah of Emuna. Creation shows that Hashem created the world, but it does not demonstrate that He remained involved in the world after He created it. One may claim that even though He did create the world, after that, He refrained from any further involvement and left the world to its own devices. However, yetzias Mitzrayim does indeed demonstrate that Hashem continues to be intimately involved in the world. This is the idea of Divine Providence, whereby Hashem maintains a constant interest and involvement in the world. Accordingly, when instructing us to believe in Hashem, the Torah chose to associate this with the fact that He took us out of Mitzrayim to teach us that it is not enough to merely believe that Hashem exists, and that he created the world. One must also acknowledge that He is constantly involved in the world. With this explanation, we can also understand why yetzias Mitzrayim is so important that we start counting the months from the date when it began. Counting the days from Shabbos reminds us of the act of Creation, however counting the months from Nissan, reminds us of Divine Providence. One still may ask, why is it so necessary to constantly remind a believing Jew that Hashem took us his nation out of Mitzrayim. He already believes it, so how do the constant reminders help? The answer is that is very easy to intellectually know something, but to internalize it is a far more difficult prospect. Rav Yisrael Salanter zt”l, the initiator of the study of mussar, taught that one of the most effective ways of internalising a concept is by constantly repeating it, contemplating its meaning whilst doing so. It seems that the Torah prescribed numerous reminders of yetzias Mitzrayim to ensure that we remain constantly aware of it, and its ramifications. May we all merit to internalize the lessons of Parshas HaChodesh and see the Hand of Hashem in our lives.

5. How nowadays without the Beis Hamikdash can we still in some way bring sacriﬁces? livingwithmitzvos.com

Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld

Rosh Yeshiva, Gevuras Yitzchok; Author “Kashrus in the Kitchen”, “The Pocket Halacha Series”

tefilah Asher Yatzar

New T efilah Series

A Segulah for a Healthy Life The Gemara relates to us the miracles that occur the moment a child is born. As long as the baby is inside the mother, it receives oxygen and food from the mother via the placenta. The moment the baby is born, channels that were previously closed – and needed to be closed – in order to divert blood away from the lungs of the baby, break open, and others that were open, close in order to now divert blood to the lung which gives the baby its lifelong support. If – at that moment – something doesn’t happen the way it is supposed to (and anyone present at his wife’s birth really feels the tension that these first moment of a baby’s life are so crucial for its survival and future health in general) the baby wont survive. This is one understanding of what we are referring to when we say: “‫וברא‬ ‫ חלולים חלולים‬,‫בו נקבים נקבים‬...” – “…created within him holes and cavities…”. So what exactly is the difference between the beracha of Asher Yatzar and the beracha of Refaeinu we say three times a day in Shemone Esrei? Explains Rav Shimshon Pincas zt”l that the beracha of Refaeinu in Shemonei Esrei is to be healed after becoming sick, but the beracha of Asher Yotzar is to prevent one from becoming sick to begin with. When someone is sick, we can gather together to say tehillim for his speedy recovery, but there is something that can be done which would have prevented him from becoming sick in the first place – Asher Yotzar. As Rav Pincas explains, the more complicated something is, the more could go wrong. We all remember the old simple wristwatches that did nothing else but tell the time. They were so simple, they hardly ever broke. Nowadays, we are seeing watches that do almost the same as our mobile phones! However, since they are so complicated, they can break a lot easier. Rav Pincas brings this out by mentioning that a pilot once told him how after every single flight, they have to write a report of what went wrong during the flight. Every flight, something goes wrong, it may not be something big that anyone even notices, but nevertheless, when dealing with a plane with such sophisticated technology, there is always something. With this thought in mind, think of just how complicated our human bodies are. There is so much that could go wrong, which could be fatal. This is what we are thanking Hashem for after using the bathroom. We have a fully functioning body.

I remember one of my students in yeshiva wasn’t feeling so good and his doctor, advised him to visit the hospital due to his symptoms. He took a bus to the hospital and within a few minutes of being checked out by one of the sitting doctors, he was rushed into ICU for a major heart condition. It doesn’t take long. We have to appreciate every moment we have a healthy body. I want to share with you a few of the miracles that take place within our bodies every day! Saliva: Three pairs of major salivary glands and 800-1000 minor salivary glands are located in the mouth. These glands produce between 0.75 and 1.5 litres of saliva daily. Saliva helps with several things. By making the food moist, it makes the chewing of the food easier, and well-chewed food makes the nutrition in the food more available during digestion. The chemical makeup of saliva helps to convert starches and break down fats. It also contains enzymes that kill bacteria found in the mouth. And of course, saliva aids in the swallowing of the food. The oesophagus: The oesophagus (path for food) and the trachea (path for air) share the same entry point at the back of the mouth. When swallowing, food must be routed to the oesophagus and prevented from entering the trachea. A flap covers the trachea during the swallowing to prevent food from entering and disrupting breathing. The trachea must remain open to allow breathing, but the oesophagus must reflex to allow food to pass to the stomach. Since the oesophagus and windpipe lie close together, the windpipe must yield part of its width to the oesophagus, but of course it must not close completely. The Liver: The liver has many tiny areas filled with blood. A healthy liver processes about 1.7 litres of blood every minute. This adds up to around 600 gallons a day and over 220,000 gallons a year (enough to fill a couple of swimming pools). Blood from the body and digestive systems enters the liver filled with nutrients and toxins. They must all be broken down chemically before re-entering the bloodstream. Even the beneficial proteins from meats would destroy the body if not first processed by the liver. Between 10% and 15% of the body’s blood is in the liver at one time. About 25% of the blood from each heartbeat goes to the liver.

The Kidneys: the kidneys are among the greatest Noflaos HaBorei. The kidneys are two small organs located on either side of the body, each roughly the size of a fist and weighing about six ounces. These small organs do the work of a large dialysis machine, filtering about two pints of blood per minute. The kidneys remove waste from the blood, control the levels of salt and potassium, remove toxins, and balance acidity in our blood. As can be seen, the fact that a person has survived from yesterday to today appears to be a miracle worthy of saying Hallel. Rav Yerucham Lebovits zt”l of the Mir yeshiva once noted that if a person would think properly into the process that takes place when he swallows some food or drink from when it is chewed and processed until it is removed from the body, he would send a telegram (or WhatsApp) home letting them know he is ok! If one were to make a calculation, one uses the bathroom at least 5-6 times a day. The beracha of Asher Yotzar takes approximately 20 seconds (!), this means that every day, one is spending 2 minutes on this beracha. 14 minutes per week. An hour per month. 12 hours per year. If a person gets a present from Hashem of 8760 hours of good health per year, you are setting aside 12 hours from that to say thank you! There was a secular doctor in Tel Hashomer hospital in Bnei Beraq who was observed to always make his Asher Yotzar with a lot of concentration. When he was asked to explain this practice, pointing out that he keeps nothing else, doesn’t cover his head, but yet makes this beracha in a way that would put many of us to shame! He answered that its true, I may not keep that much, but when I see on a daily basis what can go wrong with the human body, how can I not express my thanks to Hashem for keeping me healthy. If you were to give someone a present, and he would continuously thank you for your present, you would be much more inspired to keep giving him things, as he appreciates it more than someone that doesn’t. If we take a few moments in the day to contemplate the wonderful present we get from Hashem on a daily basis, it will hopefully inspire Hashem to continue giving us this wonderful present for the rest of our lives.

Zemiros

New Zemiro s Series

Rabbi Shimmy Miller Rebbe, Manchester Mesivta; Author of Miller's Musings

The author can be contacted at rabbimiller.mesivta@gmail.com

‫יֹום זֶ ה ְמכֻ ּבָ ד‬ The unquestionable jewel in the crown of the week, Shabbos is lauded in the chorus of this zemer as being “‫“ ” ְמכֻ ָבּד ִמכָ ּל י ִָמים‬venerated above all days” but this is only one simple interpretation of these words and leaves little to be learnt from it. The Divrei Yoel offers a different understanding of this phrase based on a Chazal that concerns events that took place at the beginning of creation. It seems that when the first six days of the week came into being, they in fact consisted of twenty eight hours each. At some point however, each of the days turned to Hashem and requested that they should have a ruler, one day distinguished and entirely distinct from the others, to be their king and reign over them. In response to this entreaty Hashem deemed it necessary for them to each supply four of their hours for this new day. Only by doing so could this new day, which came to be known as Shabbos, be elevated above them all and fulfil their request to be their monarch. Having ceded to the conditions of Hashem, the days were all reduced to twenty four hours with a new one, Shabbos, being

formed from the gifts they yielded. This is the meaning behind Shabbos’s appellation as the day that is “‫” ְמכֻ ָבּד ִמכָ ּל י ִָמים‬. It is a day that has literally been formed and honoured from all the other days, because each one has supplied it with the building bricks for its creation. A true elucidation of this deep and esoteric idea requires a profound understanding of the more mystical areas of Torah learning. What it means for days to complain, for Hashem to bow to their requests and for Shabbos to be fashioned from all the other days is something beyond the scope of all but the most learned of individuals. But perhaps what we are able to take from this is a lesson in making our Shabbos the most honoured that we can possibly make it. By in some small way taking each day of the week and imbuing it with an attachment

to Shabbos, by setting something aside for exclusive Shabbos use, learning something to be imparted at our Shabbos meals or doing anything solely with the interest of our Shabbos day in mind, we are creating a link to Shabbos with our entire week. It is thereby strengthening within our own consciousness the prominence of this most important of days as the focal point of the week that precedes it. It does not have to be any immense form of preparation, but if we utilise this approach even in some small way, how can we not look forward to Shabbos, now truly honoured by all the other days, when all our efforts will come to fruition and the focus of our week will reach its destination. Let’s devote this week to Shabbos.

‫לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם‬

ANSWERS 1.

Due to Moshe’s great humility, he wanted to remove the letter Aleph so that it spells “Vayekar”, a word used by Bilam, that means he happened to call him. However, the addition of Aleph shows that it was a special calling from Hashem. However, to fulfil Moshe’s desire, the letter Aleph was made smaller. (Baal Haturim, Vayikra, 1:1).

2. Toras Kohanim, since Sefer Vayikra mainly discusses the mitzvos relevant only to the Kohanim.

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Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home.

3. The Midrash (Yalkut Shemoni, Tzav 479) brings that the children who are pure (from sin) should learn Sefer Vayikra that deals with sacrifices that are pure. 4. The word “korban” comes from the word “karov” meaning to come close. This is because the sacrifices come mainly for atonement that brings the sinner back to coming closer to Hashem. 5. Chazal say that by reading the parsha of korbanos it can be considered as if we have actually brought the sacrifice!

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