Today's Learning Bava Metzia 7:6-7 Sponsored by O.C. 307:8-10 the Marwick family Zevachim 35 in memory of Reba Sklaroff A"H Yerushalmi-- Gittin 1 Irving & Arline Katz on the yahrzeits of Henia Rachel bat Pinchas Spalter A"H Fradel bat Yaakov Shalom Reiss A"H and Chaim Eliezer ben Avigdor Moshe Hakohen Katz A"H Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Yitro Vol. X, No. 17 (454), 20 Shevat 5756, February 10, 1996 Siddur Avodat Yisrael writes that there is a chapter of Tehilim which corresponds to each parashah--this week Psalm 19. This chapter is largely devoted to praise of the Torah (which is given in this week's parashah). Verses 8-11 state: "The Torah of Hashem is perfect, it restores the soul; the testimony of Hashem is trustworthy, making the simple one wise. The orders of Hashem are upright, gladdening the heart; the command of Hashem is clear, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Hashem is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of Hashem are true, altogether righteous. They are more desirable than gold, than even much fine gold; sweeter than honey, than dripping from the combs." The above verses are preceded by the verse, "The heavens declare the glory of G-d, and the expanse of the sky tells of His handiwork." Rav Samson R. Hirsch zatz'l writes that this psalm has as its theme the sources from which one could come to recognize G-d and worship Him. These sources are the "book of nature," from which King David derived his knowledge of G-d, and the Torah, from which he learned how to worship Him. Rav Hirsch explains that the realization that there must be a G-d comes to anyone who thoughtfully contemplates nature; however, this does not teach man why he should praise G-d or what man should do with his free will. These answers come from the Torah. ************************************ The verses and commentaries on this page relate to the chapter of Tehilim associated with our parashah (see page 1). "The heavens declare the glory of G-d, and the expanse of the sky tells of His handiwork . . . There is no speech and there are no words, without their being heard." (19:2 and 4) This translation follows the explanation of Rav Eliyahu Dessler zatz'l. With all of the wonders in the world which declare the glory of G-d and His handiwork on a daily basis, how can there be non- believers? The answer, he says, is that a person doesn't see or hear G-d if he doesn't want to. "There is no speech and there are no words, without their being heard." The praise which creation gives to G-d is there to be heard. One must only listen. (Michtav M'eliyahu I:173) ************************************ The midrash (Perek Shirah, Introduction) says that when King David finished writing Psalms, he was very proud of himself. "Is there any creature that praises Hashem as much as I?" he asked. Just then a little frog passed by and said, "Don't get carried away; I say more praise than you." [Until here the midrash.] Rav Yosef Leib Bloch (the "Telzer Rav") zatz'l explains: There are two ways to understand the above verse, "The heavens declare the glory of G-d, and the expanse of the sky tells of His handiwork"--(1) that the beauty of the heavens and the earth cause us to declare the glory of G-d and tell of His handiwork," or (2) that every creature and creation says its own praise to Hashem. This does not take place in our world, but rather in a higher spiritual world where the "roots" of these creations are found. This concept of different worlds can be understood with the following parable: If you place two candles next to mirror, you see four candles. But how many candles are there in the real world? The answer depends on how developed your senses are. If you have a sense of touch, you can detect that there are only two candles. However, if your senses are limited, you may not understand what a mirror is, and may believe that there really are four candles. Similarly, our senses can detect only the world where a frog is a frog. We do not have that extra sense which can detect the world where a frog exists as a spiritual being which praises Hashem. And these worlds are qualitatively different. In our world, we understand Hashem only through His actions, but we do not perceive His true essence. Thus, all of King David's praises address only Hashem's actions and attributes, but not Hashem himself. Not so the praises of the frog; since it is not the frog which praises Hashem but its higher spiritual counterpart, it can praise Hashem's essence. (Shiurei Da'at I:50-52) ************************************ When Rav Aharon Kotler zatz'l was told of astronomers' discovery that stars emit sounds, he was not impressed. After all, King David recorded this fact in our verse thousands of years ago. (heard from Rav Kalman Winter shlita) ************************************ Rav Avraham Weinberg (the "Slonimer Rebbe"--see page 4) zatz'l wrote in a letter: We are commanded by G-d, "Remember the day when you stood at Chorev (i.e., Har Sinai)." This teaches that it is a mitzvah to keep in our minds and hearts that all of the Jewish people--all the souls that were then and that will be for all time-- were at Mount Sinai, and Hashem said to all of us, "I am Hashem your G-d," and, "You shall not have any other G-d." We are commanded to study how the Torah was given, which included two aspects. We accepted the Torah willingly--not like that descendants of Esav and Yishmael who asked what the Torah says, but rather completely, willingly, enthusiastically, and with love and awe. We said, "We will do and we will listen," referring also to what the sages would tell us in the future, for that is G-d's will. However, because the Creator wanted us always to serve Him with fear and awe . . . He created an evil force which attempts to seduce us to be like those who prefer freedom and anarchy. Through his (i.e., the yetzer hara's) tricks, we forget the willingness, the love, and the enthusiasm with which we accepted the Torah. Therefore, Hashem did us a favor and held the mountain over our heads, teaching us to serve Him like slaves, even at times when there is no ta'am to it. (Birkat Avraham, No. 17) ************************************ "You shall not covet. . ." (20:14) In his classic mussar (ethical) work, Orchot Chaim, Rabbenu Asher þ"þ writes: "One should be watchful to avoid . . . jealousy of people and hatred of people." Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman (the "Ponovezher Rav") zatz'l observes that Rabbenu Asher was among those early sages ("rishonim") whose words were chosen with great care. Accordingly, says Rav Kahaneman, we must understand why he wrote "jealousy of people and hatred of people" rather than just "jealousy and hatred." [Ed. note: In fact, Rabbenu Asher used the possessive pronouns "their jealousy and their hatred," but in context, the antecedents of these pronouns are the people.] Hashem created jealousy and hatred for a reason, says the Ponovezher Rav. Jealousy was created so that people may be jealous of the mitzvot and Torah knowledge of others. This inspires people to improve themselves. Similarly, hatred was created in order to hate bad deeds. However, it is only bad deeds which we may hate, and it is only good deeds of which we may be jealous, not the people who have these deeds. This is what Rabbenu Asher is teaching us. (quoted in Orach Yesharim, an anthology of commentary to Orchot Chaim) ************************************ Rav Moshe Kliers zatz'l born 7 Adar 5634 (1874) - died 23 Shevat 5694 (1934) Rav Moshe Kliers was a leading posek and a leader of the large settlement of Slonimer chassidim in the Galil (Galilee). Born in Tzefat, Rav Moshe came from a simple and very poor family. Both his father and grandfather were laborers (the latter, a grave-digger) and neither were scholars. Rav Moshe, however, was a child prodigy, and later told his students that he succeeded in his studies because he never let poverty and hunger deter him. As an adult, when he visited Europe, Rav Moshe impressed many sages and received semichah (rabbinical ordination) from Rav Chaim "Brisker" Soloveitchik and Rav Avraham David Rabinowitz-Teomim (the "Aderet") zatz'l. After his marriage to Dobrah Slonim (sister of the tzaddik, Rav Mordechai Chaim Slonim zatz'l), Rav Moshe continued his studies, while his wife aided him in concealing the extent of his greatness. (One of their children, Rav Chaim Elisha HY"D, was murdered in the Arab riots in Tzefat in 1929.) In 1900, Rav Moshe moved to Teveryah (Tiberias), where he headed a yeshiva, Ohr Torah. This yeshiva was revolutionary because the chassidic settlement in those days was largely a "retirement" community and did not cater to children's and young men's needs. Following the methods which had succeeded for him personally, Rav Moshe wanted to prevent students from beginning gemara until they knew the Five Books of the Torah thoroughly. Although this practice is endorsed by the Shlah Hakadosh (17th century) and the Vilna Gaon (18th century), Rav Moshe was unable to introduce it in Teveryah. Among Rav Moshe's students was Rav Avraham Weinberg zatz'l. He said in his teacher's name, "If I have a sudden desire to do a certain mitzvah, I must ask myself why? Could the yetzer hara have an interest in making me do this?" (Much later, this same Rav Avraham became the Slonimer Rebbe. A dvar Torah from him appears on page 3. Rav Yaakov and Rav Noach Weinberg shlita, heads of Yeshivat Ner Yisrael and Yeshivat Aish Hatorah, respectively, are Rav Avraham's nephews.) At the end of his life, Rav Moshe was chief rabbi of Teveryah, but not before he fled to Europe rather than accepting this honor. Because of his humility, Slonimer chassidim applied to him the verses (Tehilim 24:3-4), "Who may ascend to the mountain of Hashem, and who may stand in the place of His sanctity? One with cleans hands," i.e., one who believes that for all of his good deeds and Torah knowledge, he is still empty-handed and has not yet accomplished what is expected of him. Rav Moshe always sought to avoid making halachic rulings, saying, "If I am too lenient, I offend G-d, but if I am too strict, I offend G-d and man." Rav Moshe wrote a number of works: Tevur Ha'aretz, a collection of Chazal's teachings on Teveryah, Torat Ha'aretz, on agricultural laws, and halachic responsa. The former work was written during a period of enforced rest, and from memory. (Based on Marbitzei Torah Me'olam Hachassidut by Rav Aharon Surasky.) ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible.