Today's Learning Menachot 4:3-4 O.C. 451:18-20 Sponsored by Chullin 136 Simeon J. Krumbein in memory of his wife Dorothy Krumbein a"h Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Shmot Vol. XI, No. 13 (496), 25 Tevet 5757, January 4, 1997 In this week's parashah we read of the Jews' slavery in Egypt and of the beginning of the process of Yetziat Mitzrayim/the Exodus. In all, the Exodus is mentioned 50 times in the Torah. Why? asks Rav Aharon Roth ("Reb Ahrele") z"l (see page 4). If a master (i.e., Hashem) frees his slave (i.e., the Jewish people), is that something the master should take such pride in? G-d is not bragging, explains Reb Ahrele. Rather, the 50 references to the Exodus allude to the fact that G-d saved us from the 50 "Gates" or levels of Tumah/Defilement that existed in Egypt (and exist in the world). Indeed, the word Mitzrayim/Egypt can be read "metzar yam"/"the confines of the 50." ("Metzar" means "confines" and the word "yam" has a numerical value/gematria of 50.) Paralleling these 50 Gates of Tumah there are 50 Gates of Binah/Understanding. Bnei Yisrael attained 49 of these levels when they received the Torah after their first 49 days in the desert. But entrance to the 50th Gate is reserved for the future, after the Exodus is finished, i.e., after all of the exiles have concluded. The Torah alludes in several places to the fact that the Exodus is not yet finished. For example, when Hashem told Avraham of the future enslavement of the Jews, He said (Bereishit 15:14), "And also the nation which they will serve, I will judge." The midrash explains that the redundant language, "And also," teaches that Hashem will judge not only Egypt, but the other nations that subjugated or enslaved us, as well. All of our exiles are part of the same long process, explains Reb Ahrele, a process which will culminate with our attainment of that 50th Gate of Understanding. (Shomer Emunim, Drush Hageulah, ch.1) ************************************ Parashat Shmot In Halachah None of the 613 mitzvot appears in this parashah. (Sefer Hachinuch) "And these are the names of Bnei Yisrael . . ." (1:1) The midrash (Bemidbar Rabbah 20:22) says that the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt in the merit of four things, one of them being that they did not adopt Egyptian names. This, of course, raises a question: Is it permitted or appropriate for Jews to take names in the languages of their host countries (e.g., English names)? Rav Moshe Feinstein writes that it is definitely permitted, but certainly not admirable. The proof that it is permitted is the fact that many secular names have, over time, become Jewish names (e.g., Vidal, which was the name of several sages). [Another example is Alexander.] (Igrot Moshe O.C. IV, No. 66) Another merit which Chazal say made the Exodus possible was that the Jews did not change their language. Thus, one might ask, are we permitted to speak languages other than Hebrew? [Assuming that we must do so at work, what about in our homes?] Rav Moshe Feinstein notes that throughout our long exile, many of our greatest sages learned and taught in languages other than Hebrew. For example, many of Rambam's (Maimonides') works were written in Arabic. French and German sages apparently taught in their native languages, although they wrote in Hebrew. [As for why German -- in the form of Yiddish -- earned a special place in the world of Torah study, Rav Feinstein explains as follows: Following the incident when Noach was humiliated by his son Cham and saved by his sons Shem and Yefet, Noach blessed Yefet (Bereishit 9:27), "May G-d extend Yefet, but he will dwell in the houses of Shem." Three verses later we read that a grandson of Yefet was Ashkenaz, the Hebrew name for Germany. Thus, as a result of Noach's blessing, German (Yiddish) dwells in the house of Shem (the ancestor of the Jews). (Igrot Moshe O.C. V, No. 10)] ************************************ "And the people believed . . ." (4:31) Even people who are fully observant occasionally experience doubts regarding G-d's existence or one of the other fundamentals of Judaism, writes Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kahn z"l (see page 4). One should address the causes of such questions -- Rav Kahn suggests several possible causes -- but should not be overly concerned about the fact that he has such questions. In most cases, these questions are only external and are not part of the person's essence. The proof of this, writes Rav Kahn, is that even the most simple and unlearned Jews throughout the ages willingly gave their lives when called upon to sanctify the Name of G-d. (From Rav Kahn's preface to his father-in-law's Shomer Emunim) ************************************ "Straw/teven is not given to your servants, yet they tell us, 'Make bricks/levenim'." (5:16) The above the literal translation of this verse. Rav Meir of Premishlan interpreted it homiletically as follows: "Understanding/tevunah (from the root 'teven') we don't have, but our white hairs/levanim (spelled in Hebrew the same as 'levenim') tell us to do teshuvah." In other words, one should repent if only because he realizes that the day of death is drawing closer. (Divrei Meir) ************************************ From the humor of our sages . . . "When they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" (3:13) Rav Yaakov Yitzchak, known as the "Yid Hakadosh" was accustomed every year to invite several chassidim into his study before the shofar-blowing. After he would teach all of them the mystical kavanot/thoughts associated with that mitzvah, he would choose one from among the assembled to blow the shofar in his shul. His young student (and eventual successor) Reb Simcha Bunim had a burning desire to learn these kavanot, but he did not know how to blow the shofar. He sneaked into the study anyway, and, to his great consternation, he was singled out to blow the shofar that year. The Yid Hakadosh was understandably angry when young Simcha Bunim admitted that he could not blow the shofar. But, he did have a defense for his presence in the study: "We read," he said, "that Moshe asked Hashem, 'When they say to me, "What is His name?" what shall I say to them?' In response to Moshe's question, Hashem taught Moshe a previously unknown Divine Name (see verse 14). What did Moshe say after that? 'I am not the right man for the job. Send someone else'." Upon hearing this argument, the Yid Hakadosh forgave his disciple. ************************************ Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kahn z"l died 27 Kislev 5757 (December 8, 1996) This week marks the shloshim/thirty days since the passing of the "Toldos Aharon Rebbe," Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kahn z"l. Rav Kahn was head the Toldos Aharon chassidim in Yerushalayim. The Toldos Aharon chassidic group was founded between the two World Wars by Rav Kahn's father-in-law, Rav Aharon Roth z"l (popularly known as "Reb Ahrele"). No less a personage than the Bluzhever Rebbe, Reb Zvi Elimelech Spira, instructed Reb Ahrele to begin receiving chassidim as a rebbe. (This Reb Zvi Elimelech Spira was a grandson of the rebbe by the same name whose biography appeared here last week.) At first, Reb Ahrele refused to be a full-fledged rebbe, preferring that the young men gathered around him think of him as an older friend. Eventually he established a yeshiva where he taught his students to serve Hashem, as he did, with great fervor and joy. Rav Kahn himself was born in Tzefat in Eretz Yisrael in approximately 1913. As a young man, he traveled to Europe to study in the yeshiva in Satmar, and there he met Reb Ahrele, who lived in Satmar at the time. It is said that students of the Satmar yeshiva were not permitted to visit Reb Ahrele because his fervent manner was so different from what the yeshiva taught. One exception was made, i.e., for young Avraham Yitzchak, because, the mashgiach (dean of students) of the yeshiva explained, all the other students went out of curiosity, while Avraham Yitzchak went to learn. (Heard from Rav Aharon Lopiansky shlita) Reb Ahrele and many of his chassidim (then known as the "Shomrai Emunim chassidim") settled in Yerushalayim in 1940. There they became known, and are still known today, for their zealous guardianship of Torah values, including tzniut/modesty in dress. Reb Ahrele passed away in 1947, and was succeeded by his son, Rav Avraham Chaim, and by Rav Kahn. Rav Kahn founded the Toldos Aharon shul and yeshiva in the Meah Shearim neighborhood, and under his leadership the community grew and produced many Torah scholars. (Toldos Aharon chassidim in Yerushalayim are recognizable by their distinctive striped coats.) Rav Kahn also published or republished his father-in-law's many works. (Divrei Torah from both Reb Ahrele and Rav Kahn appear in this issue.) ************************************ back issues at: http://acoast.com/~sehc/hamaayan/ send mail to: ajb@acm.org Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible