Today's Learning: Bechorot 8:7-8 O.C. 513:5-7 Temurah 7 Sponsored by Aaron & Rona Lerner on the yahrzeits of their fathers Avraham ben Yaakov Hakohen a"h and Yaakov Yonah ben Yisrael a"h Yitzchak & Arlene Gedalowitz on the yahrzeit of Rabbi Samuel J. Gedalowitz a"h Mr. Moshe Cohen, on the yahrzeit of his father R' Chaim ben R' Zvi Hakohen a"h Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Metzora Vol. XI, No. 28 (511) 12 Nisan 5757, April 19, 1997 This parashah continues to discuss the laws of tzara'at. Chazal say: "Whoever speaks lashon hara, blemishes come upon him." Rav Ephraim of Lunschitz z'l (better known as the "Kli Yakar") writes that this need not refer only to the tzara'at blemishes which would come upon a person who spoke lashon hara in the times of the Bet Hamikdash. Rather, when one speaks lashon hara, people attribute to him blemishes of the type that he describes in others. People do not speak lashon hara for no reason; they do it in order to distract others from the speaker's own faults. However, Chazal assure us that people are not so easily fooled. If one criticizes others, sooner or later, everyone will realize what the speaker's own blemishes are. What greater proof of this is there than from Moshe Rabbenu himself. At the beginning of his career, he spoke lashon hara about Bnei Yisrael, accusing them of being non-believers. At the end of his career, G-d sentenced Moshe to an early death "because you did not believe in Me" (Bemidbar 20:12). (Ir Gibborim) ****************** Shabbat Hagadol The Shulchan Aruch (430:1) writes: The Shabbat before Pesach is called "Shabbat Hagadol" because of the great miracle which happened on that day. That miracle was that the Jews set aside lambs, the Egyptian diety, to be the korban Pesach, and the Egyptians did not protest. Some suggest that the name "Shabbat Hagadol" is taken from the haftarah which many communities read on this day. That selection contains the final prophecy of the last prophet. In it, that prophet (Malachi) rebukes Bnei Yisrael for their laxity in performing mitzvot. He warns that the Day of Judgment will come, and that it will then be apparent to all who is found to be worthy and who is not. The haftarah concludes: "Behold, I will send to you Eliyah Hanavi, before the coming of the yom Hashem hagadol/great and awesome day of G-d"--i.e., the day of the final judgment and redemption. Thus it is that we prepare for the celebration of the first redemption from exile by reading of the future, final one, and the day on which we read of the "Yom Hagadol" is known as "Shabbat Hagadol." (Mateh Moshe) Rav Yissachar Yaakovson z'l suggests the following additional connection between the haftarah and the occasion: Pesach, more than any other holiday, is a family-oriented celebration. Eliyahu Hanavi, the haftarah tells us, will work to reunite families and "return the hearts of fathers to their sons," (3:24) and vice-versa (Chazon Hamikra). Rav Mendel Hirsch writes that, in fact, the verse just quoted should be translated, "He will turn the thoughts of fathers towards their sons, and the thoughts of sons towards their fathers." The accomplishment of Eliyahu Hanavi will be that he will bridge the generation gap which has so divided society. ****************** There are different customs regarding when this haftarah is or is not read. Specifically, some read this haftarah on every Shabbat Hagadol, some read it only when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat, and some only when Erev Pesach does not fall on Shabbat. Levush argues that this haftarah was intended for when Shabbat Hagadol falls on Erev Pesach. The reason is that it contains a reminder to bring ma'aser, a mitzvah whose deadline is Erev Pesach (every third year). The Levush's opinion is cited by Be'er Heitev. Among the chassidic rebbes who followed it were Rav Chaim Elazar Shapira of Munkatch and Rav Menachem Mendel of Rimanov. The Vilna Gaon's custom was to read this haftarah only if Erev Pesach fell on a weekday (Mažaseh Rav). Rav Yissachar Ber of Vilna explains in Pe'ulat Sachir that there is no purpose to giving a reminder about ma'aser on Erev Pesach which is Shabbat; by then, it already is too late to bring the tithes from home. Only if some weekdays separate the reading and Erev Pesach is the reminder helpful. Rav Chaim David Halevi notes that the above explanation is correct only if the deadline for bringing ma'aser is Erev Pesach. However, some say that it is the sixth day of Pesach. (Aseh Lecha Rav) ****************** Parashat Metzora In Halachah - This parashah contains 11 of the 613 mitzvot. (Sefer Hachinuch) - "This is the law of the metzora . . ." (14:2) The gemara elaborates: "This is the law of the motzi shem ra / one who speaks evil of another." (Erachin 15b) [The gemara is reading the word "metzora" as an abbreviation of "motzi shem ra" in order to teach that tzara'at is a punishment for speaking lashon hara. The Chafetz Chaim writes that one may transgress as many as 31 of the 613 commandments with one act of speaking lashon hara. A partial list of these includes: the prohibition on being a gossip; the commandment to avoid tzaražat; the prohibition on placing a stumbling block before another (because the one who speaks lashon hara causes othes to listen to lashon hara, which also is a sin); the prohibition on forgetting G-d (because a person who speaks lashon hara thereby demonstrates haughtiness, whereas a person who remembers G-d is aware of his own faults and is never haughty); the two prohibitions on taking revenge and bearing a grudge; the prohibition on giving false testimony; and the prohibition on following in Korach's footsteps (i.e., by bringing about hostility between people. (Sefer Chaftez Chaim: Introduction) ****************** From the Humor of Our Sages . . . The leaders of the town of Radin complained to the Chafetz Chaim that donations to the townžs Mažot Chittim (i.e., Pesach charity) fund were inadequate to feed the townžs poor. The Chafetz Chaim acceded to the leadersž request that he address the townsfolk. "I am an old man," the Chafetz Chaim said in his speech. "Soon I will be called to give an accounting in the World-to-Come, and I will be asked whether the people of my town of Radin gave generously to charity. I will then be faced with a dilemma. If I say that they did, I will be telling a lie, something I have never done. On the other hand, if I say that the people of Radin did not give generously, I will be speaking lashon hara, which I also have never done. "There is only one solution to my dilemma - for each of you to give generously to the Ma'ot Chittim campaign." (A Word of Wisdom, A Word of Wit) ****************** Pesach Thoughts Perhaps one of the most perplexing parts of the Haggadah is the song known as "Dayenu," in which we say that if G-d had taken us out of Egypt but had not judged the Egyptians, that would have been enough for us. Or, if He had judged the Egyptians, but had not destroyed their idols, that, too, would have been enough for us. Or, if He had destroyed their idols, but had not killed their firstborns, that, too, would have been enough. Or . . . What does this song mean? Rav Eliyahu Hakohen Ha'itamari z'l of Izmir (commonly known as the "Ba'al Shevet Hamussar") explains that for each of the Divine gifts or miracles listed in this song, one could make an argument that G-d should have acted otherwise. Our praise of G-d is that He considered all these arguments and acted in the way that was best for us and for the glory of His Name. For example, one could argue that if G-d had taken us out of Egypt but had not judged the Egyptians so harshly as to practically destroy them, His name would have been magnified even more because the Egyptians would live to remember, and to tell others, how He had humbled them. On the other hand, one could argue that they would not feel humbled in that event. Rather, they would say, "He won this battle, and we will win the next battle." That is why G-d judged the Egyptians harshly. However, one could argue that if G-d had judged the Egyptians harshly but had not destroyed their idols, those idols would have served as constant reminders of G-d's power to anyone who saw them. On the other hand, some people would say that G-d was not strong enough to destroy the Egyptians' idols. That is why G-d destroyed the Egyptians' idols. However, one could argue that if G-d had destroyed their idols, but had not killed their firstborns, then those firstborns would have had a special reason to tell others of G-d's greatness. It was customary at that time to devote onežs firstborn to the service of the idol; with all the idols destroyed, the Egyptian firstborn, who were no longer performing that service, would be a testament to G-džs power. On the other hand, Pharaoh was a firstborn; if the firstborns had not been smitten, people would say that it was Pharaohžs merit or power which saved him and those like him. That is why G-d killed the firstborn. . . (Minchat Eliyahu ch.32) ****************** Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible