Today's Learning: Temurah 5:5-6 O.C. 536:2-4 Kereitot 16 Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Bechukotai Vol. XI, No. 33 (516) 24 Iyar 5757, May 31, 1997 This week's parashah completes the book of Vayikra. Rav Moshe ben Yosef Tirani z"l (the "Mabit" -- see page 4) observes that Vayikra has more mitzvot than any other book: 241. Devarim is next, with 200. A mnemonic to remember this is "emet," whose gematria is 441 (=200+241). The other three books contain 172 mitzvot, which can be remembered by the mnemonic, "eikev." But why is the Torah divided into five separate books? Why was it not given in one book? Mabit suggests that the five books of the Torah commemorate the five individuals who received parts of the Torah before it was formally given at Har Sinai. These were: Adam and Noach, who received the seven Noachide laws; Avraham, who received the mitzvah of milah; Yitzchak, the first person on whom circumcision was performed on the 8th day; and Yaakov, who was given the mitzvah of gid hanasheh. Alternatively, the five books commemorate Amram and Yocheved and their children, Moshe, Aharon and Miriam, through whom the Torah was given. Or, the five books parallel the five places where parts of the Torah were given: Egypt, Marah (in the desert), Har Sinai, the Ohel Moed/Tent of Meeting, and the Wilderness of Moav. Some sources refer to the book of Bemidbar as three separate books, yielding a total of seven. This would parallel the five recipients of the Torah (see above) plus Moshe and Aharon, or the seven days of creation. (Bet Elokim, Sha'ar Hayesodot ch.32) ****************** "Then they will confess their sin and the sin of their forefathers, for the treachery with which they betrayed Me, and also for having behaved toward me with casualness. I, too, will behave toward them with casualness . . . I will bring them into the lands of their enemies þ perhaps then their uncircumcised hearts will be subdued, and then they will gain appeasement for their sin." (26:40-41) Many commentaries wonder why the apparent repentance of verse 40 will be rejected and why G-d will "behave toward them with casualness." Rav Menachem Mendel Stern z"l (early 19th century rabbi of Sighet) explains that this confession is inadequate because it blames our sins on the way our parents raised us ("their sin and the sin of their forefathers"), failing to recognize that our parents may have sinned, but they did not rebel against G-d. Only when the younger generation's hearts þ the seat of their rebellion þ are subdued, will they gain atonement. (Derech Emunah) ****************** "I will remember My covenant with Yaakov and also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember . . ." (26:42) The gemara (Shabbat 55a) states that Zechut Avot -- the merit of the Patriarchs which protects us -- has been exhausted. Nevertheless, Tosfot writes, Berit Avot -- G-d's covenant with the forefathers -- has not been exhausted. This is indicated in the above verse. What is Zechut Avot and what is Berit Avot? Rav Yaakov Leiner (the "Izbitzer Rebbe") z"l explains as follows: The Patriarchs earned a great deal of merit for their remarkable good deeds. This is called "Zechut Avot." But, after all, what are man's deeds compared to G-d's? In comparison with Hashem's greatness, man's good deeds are like nothing. Thus, Zechut Avot, too, is like nothing, and has long ago been exhausted. Yet, when the Patriarchs "gave-it-their-all," they were in fact comparable to G-d, who always has all of His abilities at His disposal. The Berit Avot is that Hashem measures the Patriarchs by a yardstick appropriate to them, not by His own yardstick. And, since they were perfect against their own yardsticks, the Berit Avot will always protect us. (Bet Yaakov) ****************** Parashat Bechukotai in Halachah * This parashah contains 12 of the Torah's 613 mitzvot. (Sefer Hachinuch) * "If despite these you will not be chastised toward Me, and you behave casually toward Me, then I, too, will behave towards you with casualness . . ." (26:23-24) Rambam writes: Part of the process of teshuvah/return is that when troubles come, we call out to G-d and acknowledge that it is because of our bad deeds. This itself will cause the troubles to be removed. However, if we do not cry out, but rather ascribe these troubles to fate (literally, "the way of the world"), this is an act of cruelty [towards ourselves], for the above verse teaches that the more we ignore G-d, the more He ignores us. (Hil. Ta'anit 1:2-3) * One of the mitzvot in this week's parashah is that the ma'aser/tithe which one takes from his cattle and his flock may not be sold, but rather must be eaten in Yerushalayim. Rambam writes that if a person did sell his tithes, the sale is void. (Sefer Hachinuch) The Talmudic sage, Rava, is of the opinion that, "Whatever the Torah said, 'Do not do,' if one did it, it is as if it was not done." (An illustration of this is the mitzvah mentioned above.) Rav Shlomo Eiger z"l, (son of Rabbi Akiva Eiger) offers the following explanation for Rava's view: Rambam writes that if a man refuses to give his wife a get, bet din may mete out lashes until he agrees. How can this be? A get must be given voluntarily! The answer is that everyone wants to do G-d's will, but sometimes the evil inclination distracts him from that desire. The purpose of these lashes is only to subdue the yetzer hara and bring out the man's true desires. Similarly, writes Rav Eiger, if a person does something which the Torah has commanded should not be done, we can ascribe it to the fact that his true desires have been subjugated by the yetzer hara. Such a person is not himself; indeed, he is, in a certain sense, a shoteh (roughly translated, a lunatic). (See Sotah 3a: "One does not sin unless a spirit of lunacy has entered into him.") And, we know, the deeds of a shoteh are given no legal effect. (Sefer Ha'ikkarim,) ****************** From the Humor of Our Sages . . . One year, Rav Baruch Freidberg, the rabbi of Moscow, called a Jew who had been drafted into the Czar's army for the aliyah which contains the tochachah/curses. When asked why, he explained: "The halachah states that whatever a slave acquires belongs to his master. I want this slave of the Czar to acquire the tochachah for his master." ****************** Rav Aharon Lapapa z"l born approximately 5350 (1590) - died 26 Iyar 5427 (1667) Rav Aharon Lapapa was born in Magnesia, near the western coast of Turkey. He studied in Salonika, Greece, where his teacher was Rav Avraham Motal, and in Constantinople, under Rav Yosef Tirani ("Maharit"). [A dvar Torah from Maharit's father, Rav Moshe Tirani, appears in this issue.] He began his rabbinic career in the town of his birthplace in 1632, serving the poor community as rabbi without pay. At the same time, he headed a yeshiva where many prominent rabbis were trained. In the spring of 1665, he accepted the post of dayan (judge) left vacant by the passing of Rav Yosef Escapa, rabbi of Izmir (Smyrna). In that position, Rav Aharon ruled on civil cases, while another rabbi, Rav Chaim Benveniste (author of Knesset Hagedolah), ruled on the community's ritual questions. Rav Aharon's tenure in Smyrna was short-lived. He was an opponent of the (now known to be) false messiah, Shabtai Zvi, who had a strong following in Izmir. On 6 Tevet 5426/1665, the latter proclaimed Rav Benveniste supreme rabbi of the community, effectively dismissing Rav Aharon from his post. Thereafter, Rav Aharon was afraid even to walk the streets, and not until the false messiah converted to Islam was Rav Aharon safe again. (Unfortunately, Rav Aharon died soon after.) Rav Aharon was famed as a posek, and some of his responsa are published in Bnei Aharon. Others of his works were never published. The 18th century bibliographer, Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai ("Chida") mentions a view that part of the Shittah Mekubetzet attributed to Rav Bezalel Ashkenazi may have been written by Rav Aharon. ****************** Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible