Today's Learning Bava Metzia 8:9-9:1 Sponsored by O.C. 308:7-9 Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Edeson Zevachim 42 and family Yerushalmi-- on the yahrzeit of Gittin 8 their mother and grandmother Mrs. Hannah Salsbury A"H Elaine and Jerry Taragin on the yahrzeits of Mrs. Shirley Taragin A"H & Mr. Irving Rivkin A"H Rochelle Dimont and Chayim Dimont Sahra and Yale Ginsburg & family Yocheved and Jonathan Neuman & family in memory of father-in-law and grandfather Rabbi Shmuel Elchanan Dimont A"H Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Mishpatim Vol. X, No. 18 (455), 27 Shevat 5756, February 17, 1996 Siddur Avodat Yisrael writes that there is a chapter of Tehilim which corresponds to each parashah--this week Psalm 72. Paralleling this week's parashah, which teaches the laws of judges, the opening verses of this psalm state: "For Shlomo--O G-d, give Your judgments to the king, and Your righteousness to the prince. May he judge Your nation with righteousness and Your poor with justice." Midrash Shocher Tov explains that this was David's prayer for his son: "O G-d, give Your judgments to the king--just as You, G-d, judge without witnesses, so may Shlomo judge without witnesses." That G-d answered this prayer is evident from Divrei Hayamim (I 29:23), "And Shlomo sat on Hashem's throne." On example of this, the midrash continues, is the famous story of the two women and the baby. When Shlomo ordered that the baby be cut in half, the people said (Kohelet 10:16), "Woe is to a land whose king is but a youth." [Shlomo was twelve years old at the time.] However, when the correctness of his judgement was revealed, the people said (Kohelet 10:17), "Fortunate is a land whose king is a man of dignity." ************************************ The verses and commentaries on this page relate to the chapter of Tehilim associated with our parashah (see page 1). "In his days may the righteous man flourish with abundant peace until there is no moon." (72:7) What does it mean, "until there is no moon"? Rav Mordechai Yosef Leiner (the "Izbica Rebbe") zatz'l explains: The waxing and waning of the moon symbolizes the glory of G-d, which is sometimes revealed and sometimes hidden. When there is no moon, G-d's "light" will shine brightly without end. At that time, there will be no more sorrow and no need to call out to G-d for salvation. Thus David concludes this psalm (72:20): "The prayers of David, the son of Yishai, are ended." (Mei Hashiloach) ************************************ "May an abundance of grain be in the land on the mountain tops; may its fruits rustle like the Lebanon." (72:16) Based on this verse, the gemara (Shabbat 30b) teaches that in the days of mashiach, the earth will produce finished bread. Rav Yitzchak Karo zatz'l (uncle of Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulchan Aruch) writes that it is because of this prophecy that we bless Hashem (before eating bread) as "the One who brings bread out from the land." Although now He brings only grain out of the land, in the future, He will bring forth bread. Why do we bless now over what will be only in the future? Rav Karo asks. The reason is that such is the ideal state (and it would exist now if not for our sins). Our true existence, however, will be in those days of mashiach. (Toldot Yitzchak: Parashat Behar) Why will the earth produce finished bread in the days of mashiach? Rav Avraham Pinso (Chief Rabbi of Bosnia) zatz'l explains that the processes which we must use to winnow and purify grain before baking bread merely parallel the purification process that our souls must undergo in this world. In the days of mashiach, the world will reach a perfect state and such purification of our souls will no longer be necessary. (Katit La'maor) ************************************ "And these are the laws that you shall place before them." (21:1) Rashi explains this verse: "And these"--Wherever the Torah uses the expression, "These," it means "to the exclusion of what came before." If it says, "And these," it means, "in addition to what came before." Just as the laws in the previous parashah are from Sinai (i.e., of Divine origin), so the laws of this parashah are from Sinai. Rashi continues: "You shall place before them"--Don't think that it is unnecessary to teach the reasons for the laws; rather, they should be like a set table, ready for eating. Rav Eliyahu Meir Bloch zatz'l observes that these two comments by Rashi are related. There is a danger in teaching people the reasons for the laws, arising from the fact that man's limited mind cannot plumb the depths of the Divine Intellect. Thus the Torah warns us to ensure that our teachings are consistent with what was given at Sinai. This is also a lesson to people who try to solve communal problems, continues Rav Bloch. Don't solve problems by undoing prior traditions. Rather, look for ways to supplement those traditions. (Peninei Da'at) ************************************ "You shall not curse a leader among your people." (22:27) "You shall not hate your brother in your heart. . ." (Vayikra 19:17) "You shall love your fellow as yourself. . ." (Vayikra 19:18) If we must love everyone, certainly we may not hate anyone in our hearts, observes Rav Aharon ("Reb Archik") Bakst HY"D. And, if we may not hate anyone, certainly we may not curse another! Why then are all three of these commandments necessary? He explains as follows: The Torah is realistic, and gives us only mitzvot that are possible to keep. Yes, we are commanded to love every person, but that is truly practical only regarding people we don't know well (therefore we don't know their faults). The Torah knows that the people closest to us (our "brothers") inevitably get on our nerves. Thus, at a minimum, the Torah expects us not to hate them. What of the leader/rabbi? If he is doing his job and rebuking us sternly for our wrongdoing, we inevitably will hate him. However, the Torah demands, "Don't curse him." (Lev Aharon, Intro. p. 23) ************************************ Rav Eliezer Gordon zatz'l born 5601 (1841) - died 4 Adar 5670 (1910) Rav Gordon was the son of Reb Avraham Shmuel Gordon, a whiskey manufacturer who used his long nights watching over his products to become an expert in the Talmud. A personage no less than Rav Chaim of Volozhin used to stand up for Reb Avraham Shmuel. As a teenager, Rav Gordon studied under Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. When Rav Gordon was 18, Rabbi Yisrael appointed him as a lecturer in the yeshiva. Beginning in 1874, Rav Gordon held rabbinic positions in Kovno, Kelm, and Slobodka, but it was as rabbi and rosh yeshiva in Telz that he gained his greatest fame. Rav Gordon was very innovative both as a rosh yeshiva and as a rabbi. For example, it was unheard of in his time to police the number of hours that employers worked their employees. Rav Gordon, however, used his powers over kashrut in Telz to do just that for bakery employees. As a rosh yeshiva, he was the first to divide his institution into classes based on ability. He taught the highest class, while his son-in-law, Rav Yosef Leib Bloch, and Rav Shimon Shkop taught the other four classes. Rav Gordon did not found the yeshiva in Telz, but he did revolutionize it. He changed the focus of study from the 15th and 16th century commentaries (the "Acharonim") to the 10th-13th century commentaries (the "Rishonim") and a limited number of later works, notably the Ketzot Hachoshen. He also introduced the study of mussar, a move which became so controversial that it once led him to expel the entire student body of the yeshiva. In 1907, Rav Gordon was appointed Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim, but his doctors forbade his travelling. Indeed, when Rav Gordon was forced to travel to London to solicit donations for the yeshiva, he died there and was buried there with great honor. Rav Gordon had two well-known sons-in-law, Rav Yosef Leib Bloch (d. 1929) and Rav Zalman Sorotzkin (1881-1966). A dvar Torah from a grandson, Rav Eliyahu Meir Bloch appears inside this issue. ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible.