Today's Learning: Erachin 4:2-3 Sponsored by O.C. 519:3-5 Yitzchak & Arlene Gedalowitz Temurah 21 on the yahrzeit of mother Belle Pincus a'h Rachel, Adina, Elisheva & Devorah Katz on Menashe's and Leora's birthdays Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Acharei Vol. XI, No. 29 (512) 26 Nisan 5757, May 3, 1997 We read in this parashah (18:5), "You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out and live ba'hem." The last phrase may be translated several different ways, including: "by which he shall live" and "through which he shall live." (From the latter translation, we learn that preserving human life takes precedence over virtually all of the Torahūs other laws; man should live through the Torah and not die through the Torah.) Rav Chaim of Volozhin z'l translates the phrase: "in which man shall live." He explains that from the moment that a person thinks of performing a mitzvah, it makes an impression above. At that moment, an all encompassing "light"/ohr makif surrounds him, and this connects him to G-d. At this moment, his soul is literally in Gan Eden. This is the meaning of "in which man shall live" - he is surrounded by this light and is literally inside the mitzvah. Conversely, when man transgresses one of G-d's laws, a spirit of impurity surrounds him, as is written (Vayikra 11:43), "Lest you become contaminated in them." (Nefesh Hachaim 1:6, quoted in Beurei Rabbenu Chaim Volozhin p. 33) ****************** Parashat Acharei in Halachah - This parashah contains 28 of the 613 mitzvot. (Sefer Hachinuch) - "One who hunts an animal/chayah or a bird that may be eaten, and he spills its blood, he shall cover it with dirt." (17:13) We are commanded to cover the blood of birds and certain types of animals ("chayot") after slaughtering them. This mitzvah is called "kisui hadam." The reason for this is that one can acquire the trait of callousness by slaughtering an animal and eating it while its blood lies before him. The reason that this mitzvah does not apply to cows, sheep and goats (collectively called "behemot") is that those animals sometimes are sacrificed on the altar, and their blood must be sacrificed as well. The Torah did not want to make separate rules for behemot that are brought on the altar and those that are not. (Sefer Hachinuch) Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook z'l explains the existence of different laws for behemot and chayot as follows: The purpose of kisui hadam is to remind man that, even as he slaughters an animal, he should be sensitive to the fact that it is a living being. However, in the case of behemot, which generally are raised by man, man feels entitled to use them for his own purposes. Therefore, it would be too much for the Torah to ask that man be sensitive to these animals. (Afikim Banegev in Otzrot Hareiyah p748) Rav Chaim Elazar Shapira z'l (the Munkatcher Rebbe; known as the "Minchat Elazar") explains as follows: Man is permitted to eat meat because he elevates the animal's "soul" thereby. Yet, it is a rare person who can eat meat properly, and one must therefore "hide" the fact that he has slaughtered an animal. This concern only exists, though, with regard to chayot, which are a delicacy and are eaten by few. Since behemot, on the other hand, are commonly eaten and are usually cut into many parts and shared, it is likely that one person will partake of the animal who knows how to eat it with proper intentions. Therefore, the blood of behemot need not be covered. (Divrei Torah II No. 103) ****************** From the Humor of Our Sages . . . "He shall not come at all times into the Holy . . ." (16:2) Chazal taught that one who supports his children gives charity at all times. Says the Shelah Hakadosh: "Do not think that with this charity alone you can come before G-d into the Holy." ****************** "B'zot/Thus shall Aharon enter the Holy . . ." (16:3) The gematria of the word "b'zot" is 410, alluding to the 410 years that the first Temple stood. The second Temple is not alluded to here because the Holy of Holies in the second Temple did not contain the aron (which had been hidden away), and was less holy than in the first Temple. (Rav Yisrael Isserlin z'l, author of Terumat Hadeshen) ****************** "You shall observe My decrees and My laws . . ." (18:5) Rabbi Yisrael Salanter z'l writes: Decrees, i.e., the commandments which are kept without knowing the reason, are mentioned before laws, i.e., the commandments for which we do know the reasons, because the decrees are the steps to the fulfillment of the laws. This is true, in particular, when it comes to improving a character trait. Take a person who is prone to excessive anger at the slightest provocation, writes Rabbi Yisrael. He may try to recognize the evil of anger by studying statements of Chazal such as, "Whoever becomes angry, gehinom rules over him." Nevertheless, at the moment that his temper grabs hold of him, he becomes a different person, and all of the scenarios which he planned out in his mind for controlling his anger are as if they never were. How then does such a person control his anger? Only by telling himself that it is a decree, and he has no choice but to control himself. (Ohr Yisrael ch. 31) ****************** Pirkei Avot "Avtalyon said: 'Wise men - be careful with your words, lest you be subjected to a decree of exile . . .' " (Chapter 1) Why would wise men be subjected to exile if they are not careful with their words? Rav Chaim Sanzer of Brody z'l explains as follows: Chazal enacted various rabbinic decrees to distance us from the possibility of transgressing Torah prohibitions. Some people might say, "I do not have to observe the rabbinic decrees, because I can be trusted not to transgress the related Torah prohibitions." Even if this is so, says Avtalyon, be careful with your words [i.e., the rabbinic laws], lest someone else learn from you. If another person transgresses a serious Torah law because he learned from you to be lax in the rabbinic ordinances, you will be a manslaughterer in the eyes of G-d (and a mansluaghterer's punishment is exile to a city of refuge). (Peirush Rav Chaim Sanzer Mi'Brody) ****************** Rav Yosef Feimer z'l "Rav Yosele of Slutsk z.l." born 5556 (1796) - died 30 Nisan 5624 (1864) Rav Yosele was one of the leading students of Rav Chaim of Volozhin; indeed, due to Rav Yosele's great diligence, he was known as the "Pillar of the Yeshiva" of Volozhin. When Rav Yosele's hometown burnt down and his mother needed his help to support the family, Rav Chaim attributed the entire conflagration to the satan's desire to interrupt Rav Yosele's Torah study. Rav Chaim foresaw that Rav Yosele would be a leader of the next generation, and he personally trained Rav Yosele for that role. Rav Yosele's first rabbinic position was in Luknik, where his students included Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. (However, Rav Yosele should not be confused with another "Yosef" who was also a student of Rav Chaim and the primary teacher of Rabbi Yisrael, i.e., Rav Yosef Zundel of Salant.) In 1829, Rav Yosele ascended to the rabbinate of Slutsk, one of White Russia's greatest communities. His greatness may be seen through the identity of his halachic correspondents, including Rav Abba Posvaler of Vilna, Rav David Tevele of Minsk (the "Nachalat David"), and Rav Yaakov of Karlin (the "Mishkenot Yaakov"). (These were some of the greatest sages of the day). So beloved was Rav Yosele in Slutsk that the wealthy willingly paid the taxes which he imposed on them for the benefit of the city's thousands of poor. Even the gentiles venerated Rav Yosele, and the governor sent an artist to capture Rav Yosele's image on canvas. Rav Yosele also was consulted on weighty public matters. After the death of Rav Chaim's son and of the latterūs eldest son-in-law, the leadership of the yeshiva of Volozhin was shared by Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (the "Netziv") and Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (the "Bet Halevi"). However, the vastly different styles of these two sages made cooperation impossible, and thus a bet din was convened to mediate between them. Rav Yosele was a member of that court. He even was asked to mediate communal disputes as far away as Yerushalayim. In 1861, Rav Yosele was elected rabbi of Minsk, but the citizens of Slutsk would not accept his resignation. Rav Yosele relented, but on the condition that he not receive a raise, lest it appear that he had made his decision based on financial considerations. It is said that at the moment of Rav Yosele's death, the sun disappeared from the sky and a blizzard struck Slutsk. ****************** Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible