Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Lech-Lecha Volume VIII/Number 3 (338) 8 Cheshvan 5754/October 23, 1993 Alshich haKadosh (vaYikra 25:7) notes that when the Torah speaks of foreign lands -- for example, in the first verse of this Parasha -- it uses the verb, "Lech" ("go"). However, when it speaks of Eretz Yisrael, the Torah refers to "coming" (e.g. vaYikra 25:2 -- "Ki Tavo'u"). Why? Because Eretz Yisrael is the land to which the Jewish soul comes home. Chazal say that the purpose of the stories in Sefer B'reishit is to demonstrate that the world belongs to Hashem and He gave Eretz Yisrael to the nation which He chose. Alshich haKadosh writes: Hashem wanted to strengthen His "claim" to be the creator of the world and to have the right to give a sign into the land, i.e. that the land would rest on the Shemittah, forcefully if necessary. (Chazal say that Bnei Yisrael were exiled from Eretz Yisrael after the destruction of the first Temple for the same number of years that they failed to keep as Shemittot during the first Temple period.) This explains why, unlike many other Mitzvot, we do not have a Rabbinically-ordained remembrance for Shemittah outside of Eretz Yisrael. Shemittah itself relates solely to Hashem's gift of Eretz Yisrael to us. Similarly, although the weekly Shabbat is mentioned in the "Aseret haDibrot" ("Ten Commandments"), the Shabbat of years, i.e. the Shemittah, is not. Whereas Shabbat testifies to Hashem's creation of the world, and thus applies to Jews universally, Shemittah testifies to His creation of Eretz Yisrael alone, and does not belong in the Aseret haDibrot. ************************************ "I (Avraham) have lifted by hand to the G-d above, Creator of heaven and earth." (15:22) In this verse, Avraham took an oath that he would not benefit from saving the inhabitants of S'dom from their enemies. The "Mesorah" (tradition) says that this verse is related to a similarly-worded verse (Tehilim 89:20): "I have lifted a young man from the nation." What is the connection? R' Shalom Mordechai haKohen of Brezan explains that if Avraham's victory over the four kings could be explained naturally, Avraham could share in the booty. However, if the victory was clearly miraculous, it would be forbidden to derive personal benefit. There are two conflicting Midrashim regarding how Avraham won the battle. One says that he took 318 disciples to fight with him, another says that only his servant Eliezer went with him. The Mesorah holds like the latter view: Avraham lifted only one young man (Eliezer) from the nation when he went to fight the four kings. Clearly, then, his victory was miraculous, and that is why he lifted his hand in an oath not to derive any benefit from the spoils. (Techelet Mordechai) ************************************ R' Mordechai Yosef of Izbica explains the reason that Avraham did not want to take from the booty as follows: Avraham went to save Lot -- not because Lot was righteous, but because of the two righteous converts who would come from him (Ruth and Na'ama). Avraham had to demonstrate that his only intention was to draw out the good (in Lot) from among the bad. If he took from the spoils, that motive would not be clear. Indeed, anytime a person needs to clarify his own motives, the best way is to get rid of any possible distractions and ulterior motives. (Mei haShiloach) ************************************ Summary of the Laws of Shemittah There are four basic Mitzvot associated with Shemittah, writes R' Yechiel Michel Tikochinski in Sefer haShemittah. These are: 1) Letting the land rest -- This includes both a positive commandment ("The land shall rest" -- vaYikra 25:2) and a negative commandment ("Your field you shall not plant...." -- vaYikra 24:4). The negative commandment is transgressed only if one physically works a Jewish-owned field, but the positive commandment is transgressed even if a non-Jewish agent works the land. 2) Leaving all produce as "Hefker" -- This Mitzvah requires that any fruits and vegetables which do grow during the Shemittah be left unguarded so that all Jews may share in them. One can, of course, post guards to protect his investment in the trees themselves. 3) Treating the produce with the sanctity of Shemittah -- This Mitzvah requires that produce of Shemittah be used only for eating, that it not be wasted, and that it not be stored or hoarded beyond the time when it is available in the wild. When it ceases to be available in the wild, the Mitzvah of "Be'ur" (literally "destruction") must be performed. (This Mitzvah will be discussed in a future issue.) 4) Forgiving loans -- After the Shemittah, one is prohibited from collecting loans that were made to Jews in previous years. By means of a document called a "Prozbul", one can, however, assign his loans to "Bet Din," which is authorized by the Torah to collect them even after the Shemittah. Although some people execute a "Prozbul" on Erev Rosh haShanah at the beginning of Shemittah, many authorities hold that the appropriate time is at the end of Shemittah. [There is another Shemittah related law, but which does not apply today, when the law of "Yovel" (the jubilee year) is not in effect. This is the Mitzvah to count the years and the sets of seven years towards the Yovel (similar to the way we count the Omer). One Mitzvah which is not Shemittah related, though many people mistakenly think it is, is the Mitzvah to free Jewish slaves. That Mitzvah applies after any set of six years that the slave has worked.] ************************************ R' Eliezer of Dzikov died 3 Marcheshvan 5621 (1860) R' Eliezer was the third son of the famed Chassidic Rebbe, R' Naftali of Ropshitz. He began leading Chassidim in 1848, after the death of his brother-in-law. Before that, he earned his living as a wine merchant, as a Chazzan, and as Rabbi of Dzikov (Tarnobrzeg), Galicia. Like his father, R' Eliezer was very demanding of his Chassidim. He insisted not only that they be righteous, but that they study Torah. Late in his life, he turned away many would-be Chassidim. He also refused to publish his Torah thoughts, saying, "What will my Chassidim do with my book? They will stretch out on the couch on Shabbat afternoon and fall asleep, and I don't want to share their beds." R' Eliezer was highly regarded by his contemporaries. One said, "Whenever I rise to the heavens, I find that R' Eliezer has preceded me there." R' Eliezer's father, R' Naftali, was renowned for (among other things) his wit. From the incident in next week's Parasha where Avaraham rises from speaking with Hashem in order to tend to the three Arabs (angels) who come to him, Chazal teach, "Tending to guests is greater than facing the 'Shechinah'." Based on the following incident, R' Naftali understood Chazal's teaching in another light: Once R' Naftali was collecting for a charity, and he came to a certain inn where he was told that the innkeeper was not at home. R' Naftali recognized, however, that the innkeeper was at home, but that he was hiding. R' Naftali observed that he now understood in what way welcoming guests is greater than facing the Shechinah -- when it came to facing Hashem, Moshe hid his face (Sh'mot 3:6); when it came to welcoming guests, this innkeeper hid his whole body. Another time, R' Naftali commented on Chazal's teaching that Hashem showed Moshe each generation and its leaders: Why did He show Moshe the generation first, and only then, the leaders? Because if Moshe had first seen the quality of the leaders, he would have fainted from horror. Only after he saw the lowliness of the generations could he appreciate the greatness of their leaders. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Terumot 4:11-12 Kitzur 32:9-13 Gittin 47 Yerushalmi -- Ma'aser Sheni 24 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this weeks Hamaayan is sponsored by: the Klein and Weiser families in memory of Lucy Weiser a guide to husband, children, and grandchildren ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible