HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Matot-Mas'ei Volume V, Number 38 (224) 2 Av 5751/July 13, 1991 "Sheni D'Puranuta" Parasha Overview Parashat Matot and Parashat Mas'ei are usually read together, and are always read in the period between the Fast of the 17th of Tamuz and the Fast of the Ninth of Av. Because this is the period when our mourning over the exile is the most intense, many commentators have attempted to find allusions in these Parashot to the circumstances and events of our millenia of suffering. The Sefat Emet (R' Yehuda Aryeh Leib of Ger) writes that just as the Exodus from Egypt was a lasting redemption [i.e. even though we are again in exile, we still enjoy many of the benefits of the Exodus], and we are commanded to remember the Exodus on a daily basis, so every step of Bnei Yisrael's forty-year long journey in the desert holds a lesson for us. After a person takes the initial step towards "Teshuva" (repentance, whether from individual sins or from an entire way of life), he often finds that he is lost. He is wandering in a desert, and does not know where to turn. Let him not despair for we are taught that the same pattern of events befell Bnei Yisrael. While their initial redemption occurred with great fanfare and obvious miracles, the true climb to Eretz Yisrael required many stops, as the beginning of Parashat Mas'ei describes. But Bnei Yisrael eventually succeeded in reaching their goal, for Hashem was with them every step of the way. The Ba'al Teshuva" (the repentant person) who is struggling along his new path is required to keep this lesson in mind. As the Haftara for this Parasha records, our ancestors were rebuked by the prophet because they did not do so. "They did not say, 'Where is G-d Who raised us out of Egypt, Who led us through the great desert'?" (Yirmiyahu ch.2). When the Jews in the pre-Temple- destruction generations were struggling to maintain their level of Torah observance, they did not turn to Hashem for help, and for this (as well as for their sins), they were punished. ************************************* "A person who will make a vow to G-d or will take an oath to prohibit something to himself, he shall not profane his words, all that has left his lips he shall observe." (Bamidbar 30:3) The following is an excerpt from the Halachic responsa of R' Yosef Chaim of Baghdad. Question: A group of friends were passing time in idle conversation when one began bragging about his strength. His friends asked him to back up his words with actions, and he thereupon took an oath that he would perform an act of strength like those performed by the Kohanim in their Temple service. R' Yosef Chaim was asked, "What must he do to fulfill his vow?" The questioner asked in particular if he might discharge his obligation by performing "Kidah" (a way of bowing down that is similar to doing push-ups on one's thumbs), "Kemizah" (the process by which a Kohen took a partial handful of flour from a "Korban Mincha" - a meal offering), or "Chafinah" (a certain way of holding the "Ketoret" - incense). Answer: While "Kidah" requires great strength, it is not an action unique to Kohanim. On the other hand, "Kemitzah" and "Chafinah" are very difficult, but they do not require particular strength. Therefore, none of these three is sufficient to discharge the vow in question. The Gemara in Zevachim (64a) states: "Look how strong the Kohanim were! There are no parts of a bird lighter than its stomach and its feathers, yet the Kohanim could throw these more than thirty 'Amot' [60 feet; from the top of the altar to Temple garbage heap]." This is indeed a feat of strength, for a very light object is usually difficult to throw a great distance. If the questioner can do this, he has discharged his vow. (She'elot T'Teshuvot Torah Lishmah, Y.D. section 288) [As always, nothing in HaMaayan should be relied upon in practice. All Halachic questions should be referred to a competent Rabbi.] ************************************* "On the day after the Pesach [sacrifice], Bnei Yisrael left [Egypt] with a lofty hand, before the eyes of the Egyptians." (Bamidbar 33:3) The nations of the world surely notice when great miracles are done for us, and this is the meaning of the phrase, "[B]efore the eyes of the Egyptians." What is the meaning of "[W]ith a lofty hand"? In many verses, references to "fingers" or "hands" refer to work, especially to the physical labor involved in Mitzvah performance. Chazal say that before the Exodus, Bnei Yisrael were mired in idolatry as deeply as were the Egyptians. On any given day, a substantial percentage of the seats in the theaters and circuses were occupied by Jewish slaves on their day off. [In ancient times, such entertainment was often associated with idolatry and immorality.] The Egyptians were certainly aware of Bnei Yisrael's involvement in their depraved culture. All of a sudden, upon being given the Mitzvot of "Korban Pesach" and "Brit Milah", the Jews changed their ways. In preparation for that first Pesach, the Jews eradicated the Chametz from their homes, an the "spiritual Chametz" from their hearts, to the degree that, one week later (on the shores of the Red Sea), even the lowliest member of the community experienced prophecy. The Egyptians were undoubtedly astounded. "Yesterday you were immoral like us, and today you are so religious?!" This lofty level was attained as a result of the hands' involvement in the Mitzvot of Pesach and Milah. This is a gift from G-d which remains with us today. Through involvement in Mitzvot, a person can change himself almost instantly, so much so that those who know him will be astounded. "Some acquire their share in the world to come in an instant." May Hashem inspire each of us to merit this achievement. (R' Chaim Yehuda Meir Hager of Viso: Zecher Chaim, Parashat Mas'ei) ************************************* The Last Rishonim The era of the "Rishonim" - the Torah scholars of the 11th-15th centuries - bequeathed three primary study methods to the generations that followed. These, as we have seen, were the "P'shat" (simple meaning) focus of Rashi, the "Pilpul" (dialectics) of the "Ba'alei Tosfot", and the focus of Rambam on the teaching of practical Halacha. To a large extent, Torah study in the post- Rishonim period - the era of the "Acharonim" or "later sages" - consists of different combinations of these methods. We will see in future weeks that the greatest of the Acharonim - from the "Maharal" of Prague to the "Vilna Gaon" (and hundreds of sages in between) - all turned their attention to developing an appropriate combination of these methods for their students and for the school children of their times. This week, however, we present descriptions of two 15th century Yeshivot - one Spanish, one German - and see how they met this challenge. (Both of these descriptions are quoted in R' Yehuda Levi's Sha'arei Talmud Torah from earlier sources.) R' Yitzchak de Leon (died 1491) was a teacher of the last generation of Spanish Jewry, and one of the last Rishonim. The program in his Yeshiva is described as follows: On Monday and Thursday he would choose short passages from tractates that were not then being studied in the Yeshiva, and would examine their laws by the Pilpul method. On the other four days [the day "off" was either Friday or Shabbat], he would learn longer passages from the tractate currently being studied. He would discuss them in some depth, but would also teach all of Rashi's P'Shat-oriented comments. This method gave the students a strong background in both P'shat and Pilpul. ["Pilpul" will be defined at length in a future issue.] In the German Yeshiva of the "Maharik" (R' Yosef Colon), the school year was conducted as follows: During one semester, the Yeshiva studied "Halacha" [i.e. Gemara] without Tosfot. After half-a-year, when the students had mastered the laws that were found in the tractate under study, they would begin again and study the tractate with Tosfot's commentary, delving into it in great depth. The first semester was called the "Peirsuh Z'man" (time of explanation); the second, the "Tosfot Z'man" (time of studying Tosfot). This method was still in use in parts of 17th century Poland. *********************************** The schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Bechorot 6:4-5 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 294:4-295:1 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Pesachim 120 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Mazal Tov to Daf Yomi participants who will complete Tractate Pesachim on Sunday. Please join them in beginning Masechet Shekalim on Monday. Pirkei Avot Chapter 2 (Learn one chapter each Shabbat afternoon during the summer) Rambam 3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Rotzeach v'Shemirat Nefesh: Ch. 2-4 1 Chapter/Day: Hilchot Tumat Met: Ch. 18 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh:P225,N295,N292 Su:P247,N2293,N297,P182 M:P181,N309,N298,P184 Tu:N229,P202,P203,N270 W:P245 Th:P245 F:N250 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is Sponsored by: Norman Raczkowski and family in memory of father and grandfather, Yehuda Aryeh Leib Rothenburg ******************** 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