Today's Learning Bava Metzia 81 Yerushalmi-- Sponsored by Rosh haShanah 1 Samuel and Marion Markovitz in memory of their fathers Yisroel Moshe ben Tzvi Dov Markovitz A"H Yitzchak Mordechai ben Avraham Gross A"H Rochelle Dimont and Chayim Dimont Sahra & Yale Ginsburg and family Yocheved & Jonathan Neuman and family in memory of husband and father Rabbi A. Dimont A"H Bert Anker, Judy Gabel, & Harvey Anker on the yahrzeit of their father Moe Anker A"H PARASHAT VAYELECH Vol. VIII, No. 48 (383), 5 Tishrei 5754, Sept. 10, 1994 The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 16b) teaches: R' Cruspedai said in the name of R' Yochanan, "Three books are opened on Rosh Hashana - one for the righteous, one for the wicked, and one for those who are in between. The names of the perfectly righteous are written in the "Book of Life"; those of the completely wicked are written in the "Book of Death"; those who are in between are left in limbo. If they repent, they are given life; if not, death." Why, asks R' Reuven Bengis (1865-1954), are there three books? Would not two books suffice, since those who are neither righteous nor wicked will eventually (on Yom Kippur) be awarded life or sentenced to death? The answer may be as follows: The Gemara (Berachot 34b) states, "In the place where a 'Ba'al Teshuva' (one who has repented) stands, even one who is perfectly righteous cannot stand." In some respects, the Gemara teaches, a Ba'al Teshuva - one who has confronted the "Yetzer haRa" and defeated it - is considered to be superior to a Tzaddik - one who has not been tested so. Thus we can understand the purpose of the third book; when Yom Kippur is over, the names of those who have repented are inscribed in this book, and it becomes the Book of Ba'alei Teshuva. (quoted in Nedivut Lev, p.24)Lulav & Etrog ************************************ "I am on hundred twenty years old today." (31:2) Rashi comments: "[Moshe said,] 'Today my years and days are completed; today I will die'." Chazal teach that Tzaddikim often die on their birthdays, and so Moshe did. The Zohar teaches that that day was Shabbat. Specifically, Moshe (as well as Yosef and David) died on Shabbat afternoon, and that is why we recite the prayer "Tzidkatcha" which states our recognition that Hashem is just. This, however, presents a problem. Later in Parashat Vayelech we read that on the last day of Moshe's life, he wrote thirteen Torah scrolls. If that day was Shabbat, how did he do so? Commentaries suggest two answers. First, perhaps Moshe did not really die on Shabbat, but was only buried on that day. How is that possible? Moshe actually died on Friday, an instant before Shabbat began. In our observance of Shabbat we add extra minutes before the day begins and extra minutes afterwards because, among other reasons, we do not know exactly what defines the beginning or end of a day. Hashem, however, does know, and it was He who buried Moshe. He knows when Shabbat ends, and He was able to bury Moshe while our ancestors were still observing Shabbat. Thus, it appears as if Moshe was buried on Shabbat. Alternatively, suggest R' Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, there was no Shabbat that week, for the Midrash states that within Bnei Yisrael's camp, the sun shone for 36 hours that Friday. Thus, Moshe was able to write, while for the world-at-large, it was Shabbat. [Ed. note: The second answer provided above takes one side of a Halachic dispute whether a day can pass independent of sunrise and sunset. For example, how often does Shabbat occur at the North Pole where day and night last six months each. Those who disagree with R' Yosef Chaim state that every seventh 24-hour period would be Shabbat.] ************************************ Yom Kippur Although all year long the phrase, "Baruch Shem Kevod...," is recited after the first verse of "Shma" quietly, on Yom Kippur it is recited aloud. R' Avraham Yitzchak haKohen Kook explains this as follows (based on Ye'arot Dvash): Chazal say that we are greater than angels, for they utter G-d's name after three words, while we do so after two. This refers to the prophecy of Yeshayahu from which we learn that the angels prayer is, "Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, Hashem...." We, on the other hand, pray, "Shma Yisrael Hashem...." Nevertheless, because we know our own shortcomings and are wary of appearing to have too high an opinion of ourselves, we immediately say, "Baruch Shem," which is the formula which one recites if he has inadvertently taken Hashem's name in vain. Yet, because we don't want to plant any ideas in the mind of the prosecuting angel, we are careful to recite that formula in an undertone. On Yom Kippur, however, the prosecuting angel has no power over us. (Chazal note that the Gematria of "haSatan" - "the prosecutor" - is 364, representing the fact that on one day of the year he is powerless.) Therefore, on Yom Kippur we are not afraid to recite "Baruch Shem" aloud. (Olat Re'iyah, II p.345) ************************************ Lulav & Etrog Following the Shemittah Year As the reader will be aware, the year which has just ended was a shemittah year, i.e., the sabbatical year in which working the land of Eretz Yisrael was forbidden. Among the laws of shemittah is that produce of the shemittah year--for example, fruits which grow on trees that were planted in earlier years-- may not be exchanged in commerce. (This is known as the law of "L'ochlah v'lo lischorah"--to eat [the produce] and not to do business with it.") Fruits of shemittah must be treated with certain kedushah (holiness). If they are sold, then the purchase money also receives that holiness. However, there is a concern that the seller of the fruits will not know how to treat the money which he receives with the holiness of shemittah, and therefore, we do not sell the fruits. Because of this law, special procedures are required when buying an etrog this year, for that etrog most likely grew in Eretz Yisrael during the shemittah. The mishnah (Sukkah 39a) states: One who buys a lulav during the shemittah should receive the etrog as a gift, for one is prohibited to buy it during the shemittah. Although the mishnah speaks of buying an etrog during shemittah, this law applies to us after shemittah because in the time of the mishnah etrogim were sold as soon as they were picked [i.e., in the same Jewish year], whereas the etrogim which we buy were picked last year, i.e., before Rosh haShanah. The gemara elaborates: If the "seller" will not give the etrog as a gift, then the "buyer" should pay for the lulav and etrog as a unit. Rashi explains that one should tell the seller that he is paying extra for the lulav and nothing for the etrog. Since the buyer and seller thus assign no sale price to the etrog, none of the money receives the kedushah of shemittah. ************************************ Hamaayan's editor is on vacation. Parts of this issue are reprinted from Volume VI of Hamaayan. ************************************ DONATIONS TO HAMAAYAN ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE