Today's Learning Bava Batra 8:5-6 Sponsored by O.C. 317:1-3 Mr. Moshe Cohen Zevachim 84 in memory of his father Yerushalmi-- R' Chaim ben R' Zvi Hakohen z"l Gittin 50 Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Tzav Vol. X, No. 24 (461), 10 Nissan 5756, March 30, 1996 Edited by Shlomo Katz Siddur Avodat Yisrael writes that there is a chapter of Tehilim which corresponds to each parashah--this week Psalm 107. This chapter parallels one of the mitzvot in this week's parashah, specifically, the korban todah/ thanksgiving offering. The counterpart of the korban todah when the Temple is not standing is the recitation of birkat hagomel. The gemara (Berachot 54b) derives from our chapter of Tehilim that four individuals must recite this blessing: one who crosses the sea, one who crosses a desert, one who is cured from an illness, and one who is released from prison. Each of these is alluded to in this psalm (verses 24- 27, 4-5, 17-20, and 14, respectively). The phrase, "Then they cried out to Hashem in their distress and from their woes he saved them," appears four times (verses 6, 13, 19 and 28). The Gerrer Rebbe points out that when one brings a korban todah he is obligated to thank Hashem for the every day hidden miracles, as well as for the specific salvation which triggered his obligation to bring the sacrifice. Indeed, this is why the korban todah is accompanied by loaves of both chametz and matzah (unlike any other sacrifice). Matzah represents the lofty plane where G-d's special protection is felt, while chametz represents a "courser" level of existence. (Sefat Emet: Tzav 5650) ********************** The following verses and commentaries relate to the chapter of Tehilim associated with our parashah (see page 1). Four individuals must recite the blessing known as birkat hagomel: one who crosses the sea, one who crosses a desert, one who is cured from an illness, and one who is released from prison. The question is asked: Why do we thank Hashem for saving us from dangerous situations, yet we do not thank Him when He does not place us in dangerous situations in the first place? Rav Yekutiel Yehuda Halberstam (the "Klausenberger Rebbe") writes in the name of several authorities being placed in danger is a sign that one is being judged for his sins. Thus one thanks Hashem for saving him from danger despite his sins. (Shefa Chaim, No. 222) Another answer is that a person should be more grateful when he is placed in danger and saved than if he never is in danger. The reason, according to Sefer Hayashar, is that a person who experiences danger is undergoing cleansing of his sins. However, a person who never suffers either is a perfect tzaddik -- which is extremely unlikely -- or is being ignored by G-d. That is the worst possible fate. (heard from Rabbi Kalman Winter) *************************** Pesach "Bring the entire tithe to the storehouse and let there be food in My house--and test Me now thereby, says Hashem, Master of Legions, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour down for you blessing beyond your capacity." (Malachi 3:10) Why should bringing ma'aser/tithes be the source of a special blessing? asks Rav Chaim Soloveitchik (Reb Chaim Brisker). It is after all a mitzvah like any other, and the Torah demands that it be observed! He explains as follows: The obligation to separate ma'aser does not exist at all times. Thus, for example, a person may pick a fruit off of a tree and eat it without tithing. Rather, the halachah establishes certain conditions which trigger the obligation to tithe. The gemara (Berachot 35b) observes that earlier generations went out of their way to trigger the obligation to take ma'aser, for they loved the mitzvot. In contrast, later generations used to take advantage of the loopholes, and would not give ma'aser [much in the same way that typical Americans will be busy next week trying to reduce their tax costs]. Such behavior is legal and above-board, but when it is carried out in connection with a mitzvah, it indicates that one loves money more than he loves G-d. Thus our pasuk says, "Bring the entire tithe." "Test Me by showing your love for Me and doing more than the minimum required, and I will open for you the windows of heaven and pour down for you blessing beyond your capacity." (quoted in Haggadah Shel Pesach Mi'bet Halevi) "With seventy persons your forefathers descended to Egypt, and now Hashem, your G-d, has made you as numerous as the stars of the heaven." (Devarim 10:22; quoted in the Pesach Haggadah) Rav Moshe Rosenstain (see page 4) said: It is a basic principle of the Torah that we are bound to value every individual. Each person must say, "The world was created for my sake." Yet how is it possible to view each man as a world onto himself? When we see that man is as numerous as the fish in the sea, are we truly to think that each is worthy to have G-d create the world for his sake? How can we imagine that G-d would make a covenant with each and every one? But when we gaze upwards to the heavens, towards the billions of stars, and realize that each star is a world in itself, immense and important, then we can believe that, even if the people of the world are like the sands of the seashores, each is a world onto himself. G-d created all for his sake and he is worthy to hear the word of G-d and enter into His covenant. (quoted in The Artscroll Mussar Haggadah) ****************************** Rav Moshe Rosenstain z"l born 5640/1 (1880/1) - died 14 Nissan 5700 (1940) Rav Moshe Rosenstain was best known as the mashgiach of the Lomza Yeshiva. (The mashgiach is the person charged with instilling mussar/ethical teachings in the students.) He was known as a person of great piety as well as for his truthfulness and his orderly and logical mind. Many stories are told about his almost prophetic vision, whether it was knowing that the Chafetz Chaim had passed away hundreds of miles away or reading a student's future from the boy's face. Rav Moshe was introduced to mussar as a young man of 19 by Rav Yerucham Levovitz, later to be one of the greatest teachers of mussar. (Rav Moshe's mother had arranged the match between her next door neighbor's daughter and young Reb Yerucham.) Rav Moshe also was a student of Rav Shimon Shkop when the latter taught at the Telz Yeshiva. The prophet Yishayah wrote, "Before the terrible times the tzaddik is recalled." In our century this has been applied to the year 1940, for just before Germany invaded the U.S.S.R. many of the greatest tzaddikim died, thus being spared the horrors of the Holocaust. One of these was Rav Moshe. A dvar Torah from Rav Moshe appears inside this issue. ***************************************** This week marks the shloshim of Rav Pinchas Menachem Alter, the Gerrer Rebbe. Born in 1926, he served for decades as rosh yeshiva of the Gerrer yeshiva in Yerushalayim. He became the rebbe in 1992, when his half-brother, Rav Simcha Bunim Alter, passed away. Together with the Vizhnitzer Rebbe (yibadel lechaim/may he be distinguished for a long life), Rav Pinchas Menachem served as spiritual head of Agudat Yisrael. In that capacity he played a major role in Israeli politics. In the tradition of his father and brothers (his predecessors as rebbe), Rav Pinchas Menachem always maintained good relationships with non-Agudah camps within Orthodox Jewry. [Rav Pinchas Menachem passed away during the week when Parashat Parah was read. In the Torah, this section is followed by the death of Miriam, and Chazal ask why this is so. They answer that just as the red heifer atones, so the death of a tzaddik atones. We pray that the death of this tzaddik may be an atonement for the Jewish people in these difficult times.] ************************** Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible. ************************** Announcements: Hamaayan will not be published next week; the next issue will be Parashat Shemini (Hamaayan's ninth birthday). Hamaayan is moving, so please excuse the reruns while we unpack our library.