HaMaayan/The Torah Spring
                      Edited by Shlomo Katz

                         Parashat Vaera
                    Volume V, Number 14 (199)
                26 Tevet 5751 / January 12, 1991

                        Parasha Overview

   Last week's Parasha ends with Moshe's disappointment over the
fact that, instead of releasing Bnei Yisrael as Moshe had demanded,
Pharaoh has intensified his subjugation of the Jews.  The Parasha
concludes, "Now you [Moshe] will see what I [G-d] will do to
Pharaoh, for by [My] strong hand he will send [Bnei Yisrael] away,
and by [My] strong hand he will expel them from his land."  (Sh'mot
6:1)  R' S.R. Hirsch explains that only now, after Moshe's
"diplomacy" has failed to sway Pharaoh, is the stage set for Hashem
to demonstrate His power to sway the hearts of kings and the course
of nations. 
   A related idea is suggested by the contradictory phrases, "He
will send them away," and "He will expel them."  The latter implies
an act of Pharaoh's will, against the will of Bnei Yisrael, while
the former suggests the opposite.  R' Hirsch explains that Hashem's
plagues - described in our Parasha - make it clear that the entire
Exodus was the product of Hashem's will alone, and no other.

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   "...I am G-d, and I WILL TAKE YOU OUT from doing the work of the
Egyptians, and I WILL SAVE YOU from their service, and I WILL
REDEEM YOU with an outstretched arm and with strong judgements. 
And I WILL TAKE YOU as my nation..."  (Sh'mot 6:6-7)
   [The four capitalized phrases are called the "Four Expressions
of Redemption," and the four cups of wine which we drink at the
Seder parallel them.  There is also a fifth such expression:  "And
I WILL BRING YOU to the land..."  (Sh'mot 6:8).  This parallels the
fifth cup - the cup of Eliyahu - the subject of our discussion.]
   The Haggadah commentary Divrei Nigidim, a work that many
attribute to the Maharal of Prague, notes that the kindness which
Hashem displays in providing our daily sustenance is greater than
the kindness that He showed in creating the world.  The fact that
something is a "creation" (rather than a "creator") means that it
is dependent on another and is therefore inherently deficient. 
Thus, although Hashem in His kindness created us, we are
necessarily lacking because we are no more than "creations." 
However, when Hashem gives us food, He gives us the ability to
exist, and, to a certain extent, to stand on our own.  Thus,
Hashem's kindness in feeding us is the greatest of all.
   This explains the structure of Psalm 136 which is known as
"Hallel HaGadol."  In this chapter of Tehillim we recall Hashem's
wonders in creating the world and in redeeming us from Egypt, each
line of the Psalm culminating with the expression "Ki L'Olam
Chasdo" - "For His kindness endures forever."  How does this
chapter conclude?  "He gives bread to all flesh, for His kindness
endures forever.  Acknowledge the G-d of the Heavens, for His
kindness endures forever."  This expresses our recognition that, as
noted above, this last kindness is greater than the earlier ones. 
   The fifth cup of wine which some have the custom to drink at the
Seder represents the kindness that Hashem does for us when He feeds
us.  After we retell the story of the Exodus and drink four cups of
wine, we recite Hallel HaGadol and pour the fifth cup of wine. 
[This is the Seder order dictated by some authorities.]  In many
homes, it is the custom that the head of the household alone drinks
this cup, because it is that person who has primary responsibility
for receiving Hashem's gift of bread.  In other households, this
cup is left for Eliyahu HaNavi - the "Angel of Peace" - for peace
is a prerequisite to receiving all of Hashem's blessings,
sustenance included.  (See Mishnah Uktzin 3:12)
             (Haggadah Shel Pesach L'Maharal, London ed., p. 174)

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   Many Halachic authorities maintain that if one has no wine, he
may fulfill his obligation to drink four cups at the Seder by
taking anything that qualifies as a "national drink."  [Depending
on the country, this may be juice, milk, coffee, etc.]  R' Moshe
Isserless ("Rema"; O.C. Section 483) writes that this is similar to
the Halacha which permits using a "national drink" for Kiddush on
Shabbat.
   R' Velvel Brisker notes that there is, in fact, a distinction
between the Pesach cups and all other cups which we drink in
fulfillment of a Mitzvah (Kiddush, Havdalah, etc.).  In the latter
cases, all that is required is that the cup and drink qualify for
the recitation of the (Beracha) (blessing) in question.  However,
the Pesach cups have an additional requirement:  That they make us
feel like free men.  Wine can do this, but can milk or coffee?
   In truth, perhaps Rema agrees with this logic.  However, he
allows the use of a "national drink" for those who have no wine
because it is better that they should fulfill at least one aspect
of the Mitzvah rather than none at all.
                               (Quoted in Ma'adanei Mo'ed, p. 52)
   Reminder:  As always, nothing in HaMaayan should be relied upon
in actual practice.  All Halachic questions should be referred to
a competent Rabbi.

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                             R' Meir
 
   "It is revealed and known before Him who created the world, that
there was none in Rabbi Meir's generation like him.  Why then was
the Halacha not determined according to his view?  Because, his
colleagues could not fathom the extent of his reasoning."  (Eruvin
13b)
   "His true name was not 'Rabbi Meir' but 'Rabbi Nehorai'.  Why is
he called 'Rabbi Meir'?  Because he 'enlightened' ('hai-err') the
eyes of his colleagues [by teaching] the law." (ibid) 
   These apparently contradictory statements show two aspects of R'
Meir's study method.  When he chose, he could present the Halacha
in an extremely clear and straightforward manner.  In fact, many
such cases are recorded in the form of "anonymous Mishnahs" (which
the Gemara says represent the view of Rabbi Meir), and in those
cases, the Halacha does follow his view.  At other times, Rabbi
Meir's lectures consisted of complex, hair-splitting dialects, many
of which his colleagues could not grasp.  (See R' Tzadok HaKohen,
Dover Tzedek, pp. 6-10, for a deeper understanding of the
preceding.  For a different resolution of the above
"contradiction", see Maharsha.)
   As an example of R' Meir's sharpness, the Gemara relates that he
could prove that the "Tahor" (ritually pure) was "Tamei" (not pure)
and vice versa.  Through logic, he could prove from the Torah
itself, the opposite of what the Torah states explicitly.  Tosfot
(Eruvin 13b and Sanhedrin 17a) ask:  What possible purpose is there
in debating a point on which the Torah is quite clear?  Why engage
in such academic exercises?  R' Yosef Shaul Nathanson (Divrei
Shaul:  Eruvin 13b) explains that only after discussion of a
teaching or law can we be sure that we have understood it.  This is
demonstrated by the following example:  The Halacha in certain
cases is that if a Bet Din unanimously convicts a defendant, he is
considered acquitted.  Why?  Rambam explains that where there is
proper debate, there are bound to be different views among the
disputants.  Therefore, if a court reaches a unanimous verdict, we
must suspect that external factors influenced the decision and are
stifling the court's intellectual capacities.  Similarly, if we
would simply take the Torah's laws at face value without delving
into all of their aspects, we might never know if we understood
them completely.  (Of course, note the commentators, R' Meir's
"proofs" were indeed academic exercises.  Like all the other sages,
he always treated as impure that which the Torah stated was such.)
   In addition, there is "Mussar" value in "proving" the opposite
of what the Torah says.  This teaches us that we do not observe the
Mitzvot because they make sense to us, but only because Hashem
commanded them.  (Margaliot HaYam, ch.1, section 35 quoting Rabbenu
Shimshon) [See Dover Tzedek and Maharal's D'rush Al HaTorah (London
ed., p.42 for other explanations.]

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   Eretz Yisrael is facing a dangerous drought.  Please recite
Tehilim on behalf of our brethren there.  Thank you.

 
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Posted by Alan Broder, ajb@grebyn.com (uunet!grebyn!ajb), who 
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