Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Lech Lecha Volume 19, No. 3 8 Marcheshvan 5765 October 16, 2004 Sponsored by The Vogel family on the yahrzeit of father and grandfather Aharon Shimon ben Shemayah a"h (Arthur Kalkstein) The Katz family on the yahrzeit of Hersch Spalter a"h Today's Learning: Berachot 6:2-3 O.C. 299:6-8 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Kreitot 7 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Gittin 53 The midrash records how a young Avram (later Avraham) concluded on his own that G-d exists. Just as a palace cannot exist without a builder, it is not possible for a world such as ours to exist unless it had a creator, Avraham reasoned. When the students of the Mir Yeshiva took refuge in Shanghai, China during World War II, they found a vast, empty synagogue available for the yeshiva's use. There was no rational reason for a synagogue of that size to exist in a city that had never had more than a tiny Jewish presence. Perhaps concerning this event, R' Yechezkel Levenstein z"l (mashgiach of the Mir yeshiva) observed in a 1941 address: "Although we have never seen the builder or the caretaker of this shul, we understand without a doubt that there was a builder and there is a caretaker." He continued: But how does a person like Avraham, who lives in a world devoid of knowledge of G-d, come to recognize G-d? The answer is that if a person is troubled enough by a problem, he finds a solution. Even if the solution is beyond one's normal abilities, one finds a way to attain it when he feels that he has no other choice. The gemara teaches that although prophecy has been taken away from the prophets, it has been given to the wise. Indeed, said R' Levenstein, it is nothing less than prophetic when a person struggles over a problem and then sees light. Avraham, too, could not rest because he was so troubled by not knowing who had "built the palace," and thus he found an answer. (Mi'mizrach Ha'shemesh p.40) ******** "Hashem said to Avram, `Go for yourself from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you'." (12:1) Commentaries note that nowhere does the Torah record that Hashem actually showed Avraham (Avram) that land in which he was to settle. R' Ovadiah Sforno z"l (Italy; 1470-1550) explains that the verse should be read, ". . . to the land where I will appear to you," i.e., Avraham was to go to the land where he would experience a prophetic vision, and then he would know that he had arrived at his destination. R' Shalom Noach Brazovsky z"l (the Slonimer Rebbe in Yerushalayim; died 2000) elaborates: Hashem gave Avraham a sign, "Go to the land where I will appear to you." And when Avraham reached Elon Moreh in Eretz Yisrael, Hashem did appear to him. This promise - that Eretz Yisrael is the place for spiritual growth, for achieving prophecy - is the primary promise that Hashem made to Avraham. Hashem told Avraham at Elon Moreh (12:7), "To your offspring I will give this land." He meant: "This is where I will appear to your descendants and where your descendants will be able to `see' Me." R' Brazovsky continues: The world is called "Olam," which comes from the root "ayin-lamed-mem" / "hidden." Throughout the world, Hashem is hidden, but in Eretz Yisrael, He is revealed. This is why the Torah repeats so many times that Hashem gave the Land to Bnei Yisrael, i.e., it is the land where a person can attach himself to Hashem. The Midrash Tanna D'vei Eliyahu Zuta refers to Eretz Yisrael as the "terumah" from among all the lands. [Terumah is the portion of the produce that is removed and given to a kohen to eat in a state of sanctity.] This is an allusion to the Land's holiness. All other lands are gashmi / earthly, while Eretz Yisrael is completely ruchani / spiritual. (Netivot Shalom, Parashat Shelach) Why does the Midrash refer to Eretz Yisrael as "terumah"? R' Akiva Yosef Schlesinger z"l (a leading anti-Zionist rabbi in Hungary and Yerushalayim; died 1922) explains: There are many halachic tricks and excuses that a person can use to avoid giving terumah. [For example, if one brings his produce into his house through a window rather than through a door, it may be exempt from terumah.] Likewise, there are many valid excuses one can make for not living in Eretz Yisrael. Whether one performs a mitzvah that he could find a means to avoid is a test of one's love and devotion to Hashem, says R' Schlesinger. (Tosfot ben Yechiel) ******** "Say you are my sister" (12:13) A Midrash Peliah states that from this verse we learn that one may slaughter an animal on Shabbat to give fresh meat to one who is sick. How so? R' Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer z"l (19th century rabbi and rosh yeshiva) explains; The Torah commands (Vayikra 18:5), "You shall live by them." From that verse we learn that virtually all Torah laws are preempted when human life is at stake. Thus, for example, a person may transgress a law of Shabbat to save his own life. How do we know, however, that a person may transgress a Torah law in order to save someone else's life? We learn that from the verse, "Say you are my sister," in which Avraham asked Sarah to lie in order to save his life. (Ketav Sofer) ******** "Know, you shall know that your offspring will be aliens in a land not their own . . ." (15:13) The Midrash comments regarding the repetition of "Know" - "Know that I will disperse them; know that I will gather them in. Know that I will pledge them as collateral; know that I will redeem them. Know that I will enslave them; know that I will redeem them." R' Shmuel Zvi Danziger z"l (the Alexanderer Rebbe; 1880-1923) remarks: These words are meant to strengthen a person during the exile. One must believe that all of his troubles are part of the process leading to redemption just as labor pains are part of the process of birth. (Haggadah Shel Pesach Tiferet Shmuel) ******** "But also the nation that they shall serve, I will judge, and afterwards they shall leave with great wealth." (15:14) Why did Avraham need to know that Hashem would judge and punish the Egyptians? R' Shimshon David Pinkus z"l (rabbi of Ofakim, Israel; died 2001) explains: Had Hashem merely rescued Bnei Yisrael from Egypt, one might have been left thinking that Hashem was not in control during the years Bnei Yisrael were enslaved there, and suddenly (at the time of the Exodus), He gained the upper hand. By promising to make an accounting for every measure of pain and suffering that the Egyptians would cause Avraham's descendants, Hashem indicated that He was watching. And, by promising that Bnei Yisrael would be paid for their work, He indicated that Bnei Yisrael were never really slaves. (Haggadah Shel Pesach Tiferet Shimshon) ******** Letters from Our Sages The following are excerpts from a letter written by R' Tzaddok Hakohen z"l (1823-1900; Rebbe of Lublin; considered to be one of the greatest scholars and thinkers of the chassidic movement) to a doctor in Manchester, England named Asher, described as a childhood friend of the author. The letter is dated a week after Pesach in 1864 and is printed in Sifrei R' Tzaddok. Your letter reached me on the 11th of the month [of Nissan], the day on which the prince of the tribe of Asher brought his offering [at the time of the dedication of the Mishkan]. This is surely an omen that you are following in the ways of your ancestors. [R' Tzaddok goes on to write that he had heard incorrectly that his friend had settled in America, where most people had thrown off the Torah, and he was happy to read that his friend was actually in England, where the Jewish community "was more loyal to the ways of Moshe Rabbeinu". R' Tzaddok continues:] Perhaps you remember the days of old, when I was twelve years old - it is engraved in my memory that I wrote the year [5595 / 1835] in my letter [to you] as the gematria of the phrase, "Shaiv ba'aretz" / "Settle in the land." As the Gemara (Bava Batra 12b) says, "Now that there are no prophets, prophecy was given to children." I was hinting to you then that you should not wander to the ends of the earth . . . It also hinted to that which you were destined to ask me 29 years letter. [Ed. note: Although it is nowhere stated, Asher apparently asked R' Tzaddok's advice about settling in Eretz Yisrael.] In truth, based on your station in life, there is no question. It is obvious to any thinking person that leaving England, which is rich in silver and gold, but poor in Torah and mitzvot, is an absolute obligation upon every loyal Jew, a believer the son of believers, who fears Hashem and loves Torah and mitzvot . . . And even if you will tell me that it is not an obligation, nevertheless, no one denies that living in Eretz Yisrael is a great thing even nowadays . . . Go and succeed, and I pray to the Blessed Hashem that He will direct your heart and the hearts of your family members to fulfill this matter as soon as possible. . . [Ed. note: R' Tzaddok himself attempted to leave Lublin to settle in Eretz Yisrael, but his chassidim dissuaded him.]