HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Devarim Volume V, Number 39 (225) 9 Av 5751/July 20, 1991 "Shabbat Chazon" Parasha Overview Ramban writes: It is well known that this book [Devarim] is a review of the Torah. In it, Moshe reminds the generation that will enter the land of most of the Mitzvot that they will need to know. Therefore, we do not find in Devarim any reference to sacrifices and other Mitzvot that are primarily in the hands of the Kohanim, for Kohanim are known to be punctilious and require no reminder. There are some new Mitzvot in this book. This is not because they were first taught now (for the whole Torah was given at Har Sinai), but for other reasons. In some cases, for example, the Mitzvah was not to take effect until Bnei Yisrael entered Israel, and there was thus no need to write it earlier in the Torah. This Shabbat is known as "Shabbat Chazon" after the first word of the Haftara, which begins "Chazon Yishayahu" - "The vision of Yishayahu (Isaiah)." At first glance, this way of referring to the Shabbat before Tisha B'Av is similar to the way that next Shabbat is known as "Shabbat Nachamu", after the first word of that week's Haftara. However, R' Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin points out that they may not be the same. When we call the Shabbat after Tisha B'Av "Shabbat Nachamu," we are not only identifying the Haftara, but also its theme, "Nechamah" - "consolation" - an appropriate theme to have on our minds during the period after the Fast. The name "Chazon", on the other hand, appears to be nothing more than the first word of the Haftara, stating that the words that follow are the vision of the prophet Yishayahu. The theme of the Haftara, however, is not "visions", but the destruction of Yerushalayim, which the prophet says will result from the people's sins. In fact, says R' Tzadok, the name, "Shabbat Chazon" does describe one aspect of the Shabbat before Tisha B'Av, but one of consolation, not of mourning, as we might have assumed. He explains as follows: One of our greatest losses as a result of the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash was the end of the period of prophecy. This is described in the Book of Eichah (which is read on Tisha B'Av) in the verse (2:9), "Prophets could find no vision ("Chazon") from G- d." However, we are promised that in the days of Mashiach, "I will pour My spirit on every person, and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your elderly will dream dreams, your teenagers will see visions." (Yoel 3:1). This promise is the beginning of our consolation. The Gemara says that when the gentiles who destroyed the Bet HaMikdash entered the "Holy-o-Holies", they found the Keruvim hugging each other. How can this be? asks the commentary, "Ritva". Are we not taught that when the Jews did the will of G-d, the Keruvim faced each other, but when G-d was displeased with His people, the Keruvim miraculously turned their backs on each other? How could the Keruvim be facing each other at the very moment when the Bet HaMikdash was burning to the ground?! The answer, explains R' Tzadok, is found in the Midrash which states that the Mashiach was born on the day on which the Temple was destroyed. For centuries, the prophets warned Bnei Yisrael that their sins would cause the Temple's destruction, but the people did not listen. When the Temple began to burn, however, the prophets' message hit home, and Bnei Yisrael did begin to repent. It was too late to save the Bet HaMikdash - the decree had been signed and executed - but at that moment the Mashiach was born, and to show Hashem's acceptance of these faint stirrings of repentance, the Keruvim turned towards each other as in earlier times of favor. In fact, continues R' Tzadok, on every Tisha B'Av a person is born who can be the Mashiach if his generation so merits. In this sense, every Tisha B'Av is a day of consolation. It is this small consolation that we observe on the Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av, as well. Why? Because Chazal teach that all the blessings of the coming week derive frrom our observance of Shabbat. This is why we bless the new moon on the Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodosh ("Shabbat Mevorchim"), for the blessings of the coming month derive from the blessings of the Shabbat before it. If the Mashiach is to be born on Tisha B'Av of this year, that blessing will come from this Shabbat, and it is therefore fitting that the name which we give this Shabbat allude to one aspect of that consolation. (Pri Tzaddik, Devarim section 13) ************************************ The Minchat Chinuch (section 301) asks: Since "Oneg Shabbat " feasting, drinking, dressing up, etc. - is a Mitzvah from the prophets (See Yishayahu 58:13), and fasting on Tisha B'Av is also a Mitzvah from the prophets (see Zechariah 8:19), why don't we fast on Tisha B'Av when it falls on Shabbat (as it does this year)? What makes the Shabbat Mitzvot "stronger" than the Mitzvah to fast on Tisha B'Av? The answer, he writes, is that fasting on the Ninth of Av is only a Rabbinic Mitzvah, not a prophetic one, thus giving it a relatively lower status than the Mitzvah to feast on Shabbat. How then are we to explain the prophet Zechariah's reference to Tisha B'Av? In fact, the prophet refers only to "the fast of the fifth month" (i.e. Av), but does not assign it any particular day. Thus, if the ninth of Av falls on Shabbat, we may fulfill our obligation by fasting on Sunday, the tenth day of the month. "Rashba" offers another answer to the question posed by the Minchat Chinuch. Although the Mitzvah to feast on Shabbat is only of prophetic origin, the prohibition of fasting on Shabbat is of Torah origin. This Mitzvah, explains R' Shneur Zalman of Liadi, is found in the verse (Sh'mot 16:25), "Eat it [the 'Mahn'] today, for today is the Shabbat of G-d." Finally, some maintain that the prohibition of fasting on Shabbat is not a Torah Mitzvah, but of Rabbinic origin. However, we cannot observe Tisha B'Av on Shabbat, for Tisha B'Av is more than a fast day - it is a day of mourning. This is certainly not permitted on Shabbat. (Moadim B'Halacha, p. 350) *********************************** Acharonim: An Overview The transition between the period of the "Rishonim" and "Acharonim" is marked by several events. While the Torah centers of the Rishonim were to be found in Spain, France, and Germany, those of the Acharonim were located in Poland, Italy, Greece, and Israel. (Egypt was a major Torah center in both periods.) The geographical shifts were due primarily to persecution and antisemitism, the most notable manifestation of these being the Spanish Inquisition. As old Torah centers closed, and new ones opened, the written word became more important in transmitting the traditions of one generation to the text. This process was aided by the invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century. Soncino, and other Italian cities which had printing houses, quickly became clearing houses for hundreds of Torah works, as well as meeting places for sages who came from far and wide to print their works. The era of the Acharonim was one in which there was extensive discussion about how to learn. This was due not only to the migrations of hundreds of thousands of Jews - all of whom brought their traditions with them - but also to the printing of new books such as the Shulchan Aruch, R' Yosef Caro's (1488-1575) Halachic code which is still the authoritative source of practical Halachic guidance today. The publication of this work reignited the debate which had followed the writing of Rambam's Mishneh Torah four centuries earlier: Should Halacha be studied from codes or from the Talmud? One of the major problems for the Yeshivot of Eastern Europe was the matter of "Pilpul". Although this word refers generally to any in-depth Talmud study (e.g. the commentaries of Tosfot), it has especially come to describe the program of a certain Yeshiva in Lublin, Poland. There, R' Yaakov Pollack (died 1530) and his student, R' Shalom Shachna (died 1558), developed the "Pilpul" method to new extremes. The arguments of R' Shalom's contemporaries for and against this study method will be presented in a future issue. Countering the Pilpul school, the 16th and 17th centuries also saw a "Back-to-the-basics" movement. Its leaders, sages such as "Maharal" of Prague (before 1526-1609) and the "Shelah HaKodesh" (1560-1630), decried the social pressures which pushed young boys to learn Gemara with Tosfot, even before they had mastered Tanach (Bible). Due largely to the influence of Maharal and R' Yosef Caro, the study of Mishnah also saw a renaissance. This development eventually came to be closely associated with the teaching of Kabbalah, which, for many centuries, had been largely neglected. These developments will also be discussed in the coming weeks. *********************************** The learning schedule for this week is as follows: Daily Mishnah Bechorot 7:6-7 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 298:6-8 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Shekalim 7 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Pirkei Avot is not learned when Tisha B'Av falls on Shabbat Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Tumat Met - Chap 25 3 Chap./Day: Hilchot Mechirah - Chaps. 10-12 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh: N250, Su: N251, M: N251 Tu: N253 W: N253, Th: N252, F: N252 ************************************* The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is sponsored by: Marilyn, Morris, Fred and Amy Edeson in honor of Rabbi and Mrs. Herzl Kranz and their grandchildren ******************** Posted by Alan Broder, ajb@grebyn.com (uunet!grebyn!ajb), who should be contacted to request back issues of HaMaayan or to get on or off the direct email mailing list. Shlomo Katz can not receive EMAIL, however I will pass on any comment forwarded to me, or alternately, send your comments care of yehuda@gwuvm.bitnet