HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Sh'mot Volume VI/Number 13 (247) 21 Tevet 5752/December 28, 1991 Parasha Overview Ramban introduces the Book of Shemot as follows: The Torah concluded the Book of B'reishit - the book of creation. In fact, Sefer B'reishit describes two types of creation - the creation of everything (the beginning of the world), and the creation of Jewish history. This second category of creation is found in that which happened to our Patriarchs, as everything that happened to the "Avot" (Patriarchs) foreshadowed this history of their descendants. Ramban continues: Now the Torah begins another book which relates how those allusions began to be realized in actual events. This book, Sefer Sh'mot, describes the first exile and the redemption from it. As the exile was not truly completed until Bnei Yisrael returned to their proper place and to the status of their ancestors, the Torah and the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) are included in this Book. Just as the Avot are called the "Merkavah" ("Chariot" i.e. "medium") for the revelation of Hashem's presence in this world, so the Mishkan was such a Merkavah. [Until here is paraphrased from the Ramban.] There are at least three customs regarding the Haftara to be read this week. The selection (Yechezkel 16:1-13) chosen by the Jews of Yemen and Baghdad parallels Ramban's summary of the Jews' rise from a nation of slaves to a "Mamlechet Kohanim" - "A kingdom of priests;" The prophet compares the Jews to a newborn baby who must be washed, cared for, and dressed, responsibilities which Hashem reminds us through the prophet He has performed for us. A well-known Midrash comments on these verses that when Hashem wanted to redeem Bnei Yisrael from Egypt he found them to be bereft of merit, and he therefore purified them and gave them Mitzvot to perform. Later, at Har Sinai, Hashem gave the Jews the Torah, a badge of royalty (see verse 13). The Haftara read by Ashkenazim (Yishayahu 27:6-28:14 and 29:22- 23) parallels the Parasha in another way. The opening verse states: "Those who come from the root of Yaakov - Yisrael will blossom and flower - will fill the whole world with produce," and the Gemara (Shabbat 145b) interprets this as a reference to the sages of Bavel who excelled in the study of the Oral Law, and propogated it throughout the world's Jewish communities. This reference to the teachers of the "Oral Law" parallels the Parasha's description of Moshe, the person who taught the "Written Law" to the world. Just as we learn in the Torah that the giving of the Written Law had to be preceded by an exile (in Egypt), so too the development of the Talmud (the Oral Law) into its present form occurred as a result of an exile (to Bavel). (Pri Tzaddik) Some Sephardic communities read Yirmiyahu (1:1-2:3) recording Hashem's call to that prophet to go and rebuke Bnei Yisrael for their sins. Yirmiyahu's reluctance to accept that mission parallels Moshe's fears in this Parasha. Moreover, Hashem's response to Yirmiyahu ("Before I formed you, in the womb I chose you") expresses the idea which is clearly demonstrated in the story of the Exodus, that all of the seemingly random and improbable events of history are merely part of Hashem's master plan. Just a few of the examples pointed out by R' Y. Salant are that Moshe was born to a 130 year-old woman, and that Pharaoh's daughter unknowingly chose Moshe's mother to raise him. This latter miracle allowed Moshe to grow up in an ideal atmosphere and to learn from his father, Amram, the leader of the generation (Yalkut Lekach Tov). This may explain why all of the participants in the story of Moshe's birth, placement in the Nile, and rescue are nameless. The true significance of their actions is to be understood, not based on these actors' choices, but by their role as tools of Hashem. ************************************ "And a new king who did not known Yosef." (1:5) One opinion in the Talmud maintains that the king knew [of] Yosef, but pretended that he did not know of the great debt that Egypt owed to its former viceroy. The Midrash elaborates, stating that when Pharaoh's advisers first suggested that he oppress the Jews, he refused. However, after being forced off the throne for three months, Pharaoh reconsidered and instituted the evil decrees of which we read in this Parasha. R' Yehuda Leib Chasman writes: The above demonstrates the power of the forces hidden within man. Pharaoh's initial impulse was to act justly. He could not repay evil for good. However, once pressured, he was capable of genocide. This is the Torah's answer to all those who say, "I would change, if only I could." If our potential for evil is so great, how enormous is our potential to do good?! (Ohr Yahel, vol. III) ************************************ Rashi writes that the midwives' reward for saving Jewish boys was that they [the midwives] became ancestors of the Kohanim, Lev'im, and the royal house of David. In what way does this reward fit their deeds measure-for measure? Jewish lineage is passed through the female line only. Even if Pharaoh had killed all of the boys, he would not have destroyed the Jews. The priesthood and royalty, however, are passed through the male line, and it was the midwives who kept those lines alive. (R' Berel Soloveitchik) ************************************ Every Rosh Hashana, R' Yaakov Yitzchak of Przysucha would gather together all of his Chassidim who knew how to blow the Shofar, and he would teach them the mystical secrets associated with that Mitzvah. Afterwards, he would choose one of them to blow the Shofar at his Minyan. One Chassid, R' Simcha Bunim, felt a burning desire to learn those mystical secrets, so one year he sneaked into the Rebbe's study and listened to the lesson. Imagine his embarrassment, however, when the Rebbe concluded by appointing him, R' Simcha Bunim, to blow the Shofar that year. "I don't know how," the Chassid admitted. "Then why did you enter my study uninvited?" the Rebbe demanded. "I merely followed Moshe Rabbenu's example," R' Simcha Bunim defended himself. "First he asked, 'If [Bnei Yisrael] ask, "What is His name?" what shall I tell them?' (3:13). Only after learning the Divine name did Moshe admit, 'I cannot go to Pharaoh for I have never been a good speaker,' (4:10)" [Ed. note: This same R' Simcha Bunim succeeded R' Yaakov Yitzchak as "Rebbe" upon the latter's death.] ************************************ "Shovavim Tat" In a leap year, as this year is, this Shabbat marks the first week of a period known as "Shovavim Tat", an acronym made up from the names of the eight Parashot beginning with Sh'mot. R' Eliyahu Kitov writes as follows: It is the custom of those who go beyond the letter of the law to fast eight times during the winter of a leap year, specifically on Thursdays of the weeks when these eight Parashot are read. There are those who observe twice annually the fast days known as "Behab", i.e. the first Monday, Thursday, and Monday in Cheshvan and Iyar, the months after the holidays of Sukkot and Pesach. Their purpose is to atone for excessive eating and merry-making on those holidays. In a leap year, however, more than six months pass from Behab to Behab, so Chazal found it advisable to add these additional days of fasting and repentance. Why did Chazal add eight such days? This decree roughly parallels the reason that Behab has three days: because most of the festivity of the holidays takes place on three days - the first, the last, and Shabbat Chol Hamoed. Similarly, since Shovavim Tat falls during the winter, Chazal made it for eight days to parallel the eight day winter holiday, Chanukah. The weeks of Shovavim Tat are also a time to pray for pregnant women and those who cannot conceive. This is alluded to by the fact that in the first Parasha of this period, Sh'mot, we read of the great explosion that occurred in Bnei Yisrael's population in Egypt - the more Egyptians afflicted Bnei Yisrael, the more they multiplied. Fasting on Thursday, of all days, alludes to the creation of fish on that day, and fish are a symbol of fertility. In a related vein, this is also a time to repent from the sin of immorality in all its forms. (Sefer Hatoda'ah) ************************************ The Legacy of Brisk - Part 4 The following story illustrates R' Chaim Brisker's concept which was explained last week of "Din Mesuyam" ("specific law") versus "Din Klali" ("general law"). It also shows the attention that R' Chaim devoted, not only to every word of Rambam's Code, but to every nuance of its structure. R' Chaim was once sitting in his house together with two other Rabbis when a citizen of Brisk entered with a complaint against the "Chevra Kadisha" (the members of the community charged with caring for the deceased). Two people had died in Brisk on the previous day, the visitor said. One, his relative, had passed away first, but the other, a wealthy man, had been buried first. R' Chaim removed a volume of the Rambam from the bookshelf and briefly studied the laws of burial before responding, "I will rebuke the Chevra Kadisha. However, your relative was not wronged." The visiting Rabbis were doubly perplexed: Firstly, they too had studied the laws of burial, and never had they seen the Rambam state that the person who died first should be buried first. Secondly, if R' Chaim intended to rebuke the Chevra Kadisha, the complainint must have spoken correctly. Why then did R' Chaim say that his family had not been wronged? R' Chaim explained as follows: I knew that there is a Halacha that the one who dies first should be buried first, but I was not sure whether this was a Din Mesuyam relating to the honor of the deceased, or simply a manifestation of the Din Klali that a person should always perform Mitzvot in the order in which they present themselves to him ("Ein Ma'avirin Al Hamitzvot"). I examined the Rambam's laws of burial and found that he does not mention this law, and then I knew that the latter was true (for had it been a Din Mesuyam relating to the deceased, Rambam would surely have included it among the laws of burial). With my new-found knowledge in-hand, I told the complainint, "You have not been injured." I, however, being the Rabbi of this city must teach the members of the Chevra Kadisha the principle of "Ein Ma'avirin Al Hamitzvot." (Source: R' Shlomo Yosef Zevin: Ishim V'Shitot) TO BE CONTINUED ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Kelim 8: 4-5 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 328:32-34 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Beitzah 5 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Shmirat Halashon: "Rechilut" 7:2 or Guard Your Tongue: L.H. 2:5-6 Rambam Chapter/Day - Hilchot Chovel V'Mazik: Ch. 1 3 Chapters/Day - Hilchot Eesurai Biah: Ch. 3-5 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh:N336,N335,N337,N338,N339; Su:N340,N341,N342,N343,N344,N345 M:N348,N349,N350,N351; Tu:N352,N347,N346; W:N52,N53,N55,N54,N354,N360,N361; Th:N161,N162,P38,N160,N158,N159 F:N353,P149 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is sponsored by: Rabbi and Mrs. Saul Koss on the forthcoming marriage of Rivka Koss to Evan Bart Dr. and Mrs. Irving Katz on the birthdays of their grandchildren, Adina, Elisheva, and Eliezer