Today's Learning                                     Sponsored by
Shabbat 17:6-7                                     Mel & Barbara,
Kitzur 210:2-6                            Ethan and Daniel Ciment
Bava Kama 66                            in memory of Mel's mother
Yerushalmi--                                    Regina Ciment A"H
     Eruvin 27



                          PARASHAT EMOR
                    The 34th day of the Omer
       Vol. VIII, No. 29 (364), 19 Iyar 5754, Apr. 30 1994

   In this parasha, we read of the blasphemy committed by the "son
of an Israelite woman, who was also the son of an Egyptian man." 
Chazal point out that this mother and father were the only Jew and
Egyptian who had a relationship during all of the centuries that
Bnei Yisrael were in Egypt.  So set apart did the Jews keep
themselves, the midrash notes, that they did not even change their
distinctive Jewish clothing, names, or manner of speech (language). 
It was in this merit that they were redeemed.

   What does the behavior described above signify? asks R'
Yechezkel Levenstein zatz'l.  Why does it create the merit in which
to be redeemed?  The answer is that thus Bnei Yisrael showed that
they were not Egyptians and did not want to remain in Egypt. 
Generally, one who is persecuted will attempt to imitate his
persecutor and minimize his distinctiveness, but not so the Jews in
Egypt.  (In contrast, R' Levenstein commented in a 5723/1963
lecture, "People occasionally write notes asking that I pray for
the ill, and I practically cannot decipher the names listed.")

   The midrash (Devarim Rabbah 2) observes that the decree that
Moshe would not be buried in Eretz Yisrael was first made when he
allowed the daughters of Yitro to think that he was Egyptian.  (See
Sh'mot 2:19).  The surest way to hasten the redemption, says R'
Levenstein, is to stand out and acknowledge that we do not belong
in exile. (Ohr Yechezkel: Emunah p.231)

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   "Hashem said to Moshe, 'Say to the kohanim, the sons of Aharon,
and tell them. . . '." (21:1)

   Rashi comments that the redundancy, "Say . . . tell them,"
teaches that the elders should be warned to teach the children. 
How is this lesson implied in these words?
   
   R' Moshe Feinstein explains that teaching one's children has two
parts.  It is not enough to teach the commandments and the laws;
one must tell and demonstrate(!) to his children how dear those
laws are.  [R' Moshe was wont to say that the most destructive
expression that parents could use was, "It's difficult to be a
Jew."]  One must "say" the laws, and then one must "tell them" how
beloved the laws of the Torah are.
                                                   (Darash Moshe)
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   "And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest
day ('Shabbat'). . . ." (23:15)

   The Oral Tradition notes that the "Shabbat" referred to here is
not the seventh day of the week but is the first day of Pesach. 
Why does the Torah call it Shabbat?

   R' Eliezer David Gruenwald explains as follows:  On Shabbat, we
conclude the kiddush with the phrase, "He who sanctifies the
Shabbat."  On yom tov, we conclude that blessing, "He who
sanctifies Israel and the times [i.e., holidays]."  Why do we not
mention the sanctification of Israel on Shabbat?  The reason is
that the holiness of Shabbat does not depend on the Jews, while the
sanctification of yom tov does.  Shabbat invariably comes along on
every seventh day; this would happen if there were no Jews.  Yom
tov, however, depends on the calendar, and the arrangement of the
calendar is given over to the sanhedrin, the leaders of the Jews. 
Before the holidays can be sanctified, Israel must be sanctified;
not so Shabbat.

   There is one holiday which is similar to Shabbat in this
respect.  That is Pesach, particularly the first day.  Chazal teach
that Bnei Yisrael were not really deserving of the Exodus, and it
took place only so that the Jews could become deserving,
retroactively, by receiving the Torah.  (The Omer, which the above
verse instructs us to count, marks the days until that event.) 
Pesach, therefore, like Shabbat, took place independently of the
sanctification of Israel, and it is appropriately called "Shabbat."
                                              (Chasdei David p.6)
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   ". . .when he blasphemes the Name [of G-d], he shall be put to
death.  And a manşif he strikes any human life, he shall be put to
death." (24:16-17)

   From the juxtaposition of these laws, we learn that if one slaps
another's cheek, it is as if he has slapped G-d, so-to-speak.
                                                  (Ba'al haTurim)
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                           PIRKEI AVOT

   "One who learns in order to teach will be given the opportunity
to both learn and teach." (Chapter 4)

   R' Amram Gruenwald (1831-1870) was one of the leading students
of the Ketav Sofer of Pressburg, yet he declined to enter the
Rabbinate.  His wife agreed with his inclinations, and in fact
married him on that condition.

   After R' Amram died at a young age, however, his widow regretted
her earlier feelings.  Had he been actively teaching others, she
said, his time on earth would have been extended.

   The biographer of R' Moshe Gruenwald (R' Amram's oldest son;
author of Arugat haBosem) notes that the widow's instincts find
support in the writings of the Chatam Sofer.  We are taught, says
the Chatam Sofer, that man is sent to this world to perfect
himself.  It would stand to reason, therefore, that tzaddikim, who
have accomplished their missions, should die young.  Yet numerous
tzaddikim, we know, do live to ripe old ages!

   The reason for this, concludes the Chatam Sofer, is that even
after the righteous have accomplished their own missions on earth,
if they are actively helping others improve themselves, then their
lives will be extended for the sake of those others.

   R' Amram's son uses this idea to explain a Gemara in Sanhedrin
(107b).  The Gemara says that Avraham was the first person in
history who showed signs of aging.  He writes (in Arugat haBosem,
Parashat Chayei Sarah) that Avraham was the first person who was
engaged in outreach; members of earlier generations spent their
entire lives improving themselves.  As an act of kindness, Hashem
kept those generations young-looking; most likely a 700-year old
man would be embarrassed were it known that he had not perfected
himself in seven centuries of life.  Avraham, however, had nothing
to fear, because he had another "excuse" for living a long life,
i.e., he had already perfected himself, and now he was busy helping
others.
                                     (Toldot Arugat haBosem p.57)

     [Note: R' Eliezer David Gruenwald, quoted on the previous
page, was also a son of R' Amram.]

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                           LAG BA'OMER
     
   One year, R' Yisrael Hager (the Vizhnitzer Rebbe) decided not to
make his annual Lag ba'Omer outing to the forest with a bow and
arrow.  His son asked him, "But isn't it the universal Jewish
custom to do so?"

   "Yes, yes," said the Rebbe, "after one has learned the entire
Talmud and all of the poskim (halachic works)."

   Nevertheless, he agreed to go that year as well. (Kedosh Yisrael
p.162)
              ************************************

                 Rav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov
               died 19 Iyar 5574 or 5575 (1814/15)

   R' Mendel was a fourth generation chassidic leader, a student of
R' Elimelech of Lyzhensk.  At age eleven, R' Mendel had even
visited R' Dov Ber of Mezeritch, the successor to the Ba'al Shem
Tov.

   It was said that R' Mendel brought sustenance to the entire
world.  He did this by lecturing on the subject of the Mahn on
every Shabbat for 40 consecutive years.

   Among R' Mendel's most notable students were R' Zvi Elimelech of
Dinov (the Bnei Yissaschar) and R' Naftali of Ropshitz.  It was, in
fact, R' Mendel who recommended R' Naftali for the rabbinate of
Ropshitz after a bat kol (heavenly proclamation) to that effect was
heard in Rimanov.

   During the Napoleonic wars, the majority of Russian Rabbis
opposed Napoleon because of the fear (borne out by experience) that
the "Enlightenment" spread by the French conquest would weaken
religious observance.  The Russians, on the other hand, were
violently anti-Semitic, and R' Mendel supported Napoleon.

   It is related that during the matzah-baking one year, R' Mendel
said, as he put the dough into the oven, "Five hundred more
Russians are falling in battle."

   R' Naftali quickly reached into the oven and threw some of the
dough to the ground, exclaiming, "Rebbe, Napoleon is impure and
should be pushed-off to Pesach Sheni."  [See beMidbar 9:1-14.] 
(The story continues that R' Naftali then fled to the Maggid of
Koznitz (another Rebbe) and would not leave there until the Maggid
assured him that he would not be punished by Heaven for offending
his Rebbe.)

   R' Mendel, the Maggid of Koznitz and the Chozeh of Lublin all
died in one year.  Chassidim say that the three Rebbes had agreed
amongst themselves to "force" Mashiach to come, but apparently, the
time had not come.

   Many of R' Mendel's customs were preserved among the chassidim
of Ropshitz.  Some of his teachings are preserved in the works of
others, including Menachem Tzion, Divrei Menachem, Ateret Menachem,
and D'vash haSadeh.************************************

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