Today's Learning Bava Metzia 3:7-8 O.C. 303:12-14 Zevachim 14 Yerushalmi-- Nazir 27 Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Va'era Vol. X, No. 14 (451), 28 Tevet 5756, January 20, 1996 Siddur Avodat Yisrael writes that there is a chapter of Tehilim which corresponds to each parashah--this week Psalm 46. On verse 1, "On the hidden things, a song," the Midrash Shocher Tov observes that we can't describe all of Hashem's wonders, for His true greatness is hidden. Similarly, the Sages of the gemara criticize one who praises G-d excessively. "Have you said all of your Master's praises?" the Sages ask rhetorically of the person who begins praising Hashem effusively and then stops. Rather, a person should limit himself to the set prayers and psalms. (Berachot 33b) Yet, our Sages say, "The more one speaks about the Exodus, the more he is praiseworthy." How can this be reconciled with the above teachings? There is a difference between praise and thanks, says Maharal. When you are indebted to someone, do you refrain from thanking him just because you cannot thank him enough? For the specific event when G-d redeemed us from slavery, we must be grateful, and must praise Him as much as we are able. It is only spontaneous praise that is prohibited. (Gevurot Hashem ch.1) Rav Yitzchak Hutner zatz'l offers another answer: It is disrespectful to speak about the king's wealth because one might underestimate it. However, if the king has something that he wants to show off, he understands that each viewer will appreciate that object only on his (the viewer's) own level. Such is the case with the miracles of the Exodus, which G-d performed only in order to increase His own honor. (Pachad Yitzchak: Pesach ch.16) Because Hashem's wonders are hidden, says Rav Yediyah Hapenini zatz'l (13th century), Pharaoh's magicians were unable to imitate most of the plagues, as told in our parashah. ************************************ The verses and commentaries on this page relate to the chapter of Tehilim associated with our parashah (see page 1). "Go and see the works of Hashem, Who has wrought devastation in the land. He makes cessation of wars to the end of the earth. . ." (46:9-0) These verses are contradictory, says Rav Chaim Eliezer Shapira (the "Munkatcher Rebbe") zatz'l. If we are praising Hashem for ending wars, why say that He has wrought devastation in the land? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say that He has wrought peace in the land? These verses are referring to the time before the Final Redemption, says Rav Shapira, when the nations of the world will unite against the Jewish people. Wars among former enemies will cease, but that very peace will bring devastation to the Jews (whether materially or spiritually). (Divrei Torah V:81) Rav Yosef Yaavetz zatz'l (15th century) explains that Hashem will wreak devastation on the land in a "war to end all wars." All of the world's implements of war will be expended in this war, the "War of Gog and Magog." Rav Yaavetz adds: We are taught to say, "Everything that Hashem does is for good." Certainly the "War of Gog and Magog" is not good, but it is for good. (Peirush Tehilim) ************************************ We asked on page 1 how Chazal's criticism of one who praises G-d excessively--"Have you said all of your Master's praises?"--can be reconciled with the statement in the Pesach Haggadah, "The more one speaks about the Exodus, the more he is praiseworthy." Rav Ovadiah Yosef shlita quotes Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spector zatz'l as follows: The Haggadah's word "meshubach"--commonly translated "praiseworthy"--should be translated instead as "of high caliber." The Haggadah's message is, "The more a person is able to appreciate the significance of the Exodus, the more we can be certain that this is a person of high spiritual caliber. (Haggadah Chazon Ovadiah p.203) ************************************ "On that day I shall set apart the land of Goshen upon which my people stands, that there shall be no 'arov' there." (8:18) "Arov" was the fourth plague, a swarm of wild animals which attacked the Egyptians but not the Jews. The name "arov" suggests a mixture or combination of many different animals.] Rav Yosef Meir Weiss (the "Spinka Rebbe") zatz'l explains this verse allegorically as follows: Chazal say that the prophet Yishayah cursed Bnei Yisrael 18 times, but could not be calm until he told them (Yishayah 3:5), "The young will act brazenly against the elder, and the despised against the honorable." How can we understand this? Rav Weiss asks in the name of his teacher, Rav Meir Asch zatz'l. Did the great Yishayah curse Bnei Yisrael in order to assuage his own anger? Rav Asch answered: Chazal say that mashiach will not come until the generation is completely righteous or completely wicked. This does not mean that all people will be righteous or all people will be wicked. It means that the good will be thoroughly good and the bad will be thoroughly bad, with no in-between. The reason this has not occurred already, says Rav Asch, is peoples' shame. Many righteous people sometimes are embarrassed to do good, and thus do not become thoroughly righteous. On the other hand, many wicked people sometimes are embarrassed to do evil, and thus do not become thoroughly evil. However, said the prophet Yishayah, a time will come when shame will disappear; then "[t]he young will act brazenly against the elder, and the despised against the honorable," and every person's true colors--good or bad--will show through. This, says Rav Weiss, is alluded to by our verse. "On that day"-- the day of the ultimate redemption--"I shall set apart the land . . . upon which my people stands, that there shall be no mixture there"--only complete good and complete evil. (Imrei Yosef) ************************************ Another sign that the ultimate redemption is approaching, according to the Talmud (Sotah 49b) is "chutzpah yisgei"--usually translated, "Chutzpah will proliferate." However, notes one sage, "yisgei" also can mean, "will be sufficient." Before the advent of mashiach, says the gemara, chutzpah will be sufficient. Qualifications and credentials will be unnecessary; people will get by on chutzpah alone. ************************************ Rav Pinchas Mordechai Teitz zatz'l Thirty days since his passing Rav Teitz, rabbi of the United Orthodox Community of Elizabeth, New Jersey, for the past sixty years, passed away this past 4th of Tevet (December 26, 1995). Rav Teitz was born in Latvia in 1908. His father, Rav Avraham Binyamin zatz'l, was rabbi of Lebenhoff, 25 miles from Dvinsk, and this enabled Rav Teitz to become a member of the inner circle of Rav Yosef Rosen, the famed "Rogatchover Gaon"--a remarkable accomplishment given the well-known reclusiveness of the Rogatchover. In later years, Rav Teitz published an abridged version of Rav Rosen's work, Tzofnat Paneach (calling it Klalei Tzofnat Paneach), and recorded some of his memories of the Rogatchover in the introduction to that work. Rav Teitz notes that when Rav Rosen was offered the rabbinate of Slobodka in 1926, it was Rav Teitz, then 18, who was that town's emissary to the Rogatchover. Rav Teitz also wrote other works and articles. Rav Teitz studied in the yeshivot of Slobodka and Telz. In 1933, he founded the Yavneh Yeshiva in Latvia, and also began editing a newspaper. However, the next year he left for the U.S., and the year after that he assumed the leadership of the Elizabeth community. In addition to leading several shuls, he founded (in 1941) and headed the well-known Jewish Educational Center and Bruriah High School, which have graduated thousands of boys and girls. From 1953 to 1989, Rav Teitz broadcast a weekly Talmud lecture on New York radio station WEVD, a program once estimated to have 20,000 listeners. (If correct, this would make Rav Teitz one of the greatest disseminators of Torah in Jewish history.) Rav Teitz served as president of the "O-U" from 1956 to 1968, and was a pioneer in outreach to Soviet Jewry, reportedly making 22 trips to the former Soviet Union. Rav Teitz is survived by sons, daughters, and grandchildren who hold prominent positions in Jewish education. His son, Rav Elazer Teitz, is a rabbi in Elizabeth, and one of his daughters is Dr. Rivka Blau, principal of several girls schools in New York City. (Her husband, Rav Yosef Blau, is mashgiach ruchani at Yeshiva Rabbenu Yitzchok Elchanan of Y.U.) (Based on published obituaries and information from students.) ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible.