Today's Learning Zevachim 5:1-2 Sponsored by O.C. 419:1-420:2 Josh Rosenbloom Chullin 87 in honor of the 45th birthday Yerushalmi-- of Young Israel Shomrai Emunah Sanhedrin 9 Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Toldot Vol. XI, No. 6 (489), 5 Kislev 5757, November 16, 1996 "Is it because he was named 'Yaakov' that he outwitted me these two times?" Esav complains about his brother in verse 27:36 (making a play on words). The basis for Esav's complaint, writes Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlop z"l (see page 4), is that his brother did not appear to be the person of whom it is written (Michah 7:20), "Give truth to Yaakov." Lavan, too, in next week's parashah, complained, "What have you done, for you stole my heart [i.e., tricked me]!" Indeed, says Rav Charlop, this is a charge that the nations of the world have leveled at us throughout history. Jews, they said, are not sincere. Our mouths preach loyalty to G-d, but it is not heartfelt, they say of us. History proves, however, that deep within every Jew's heart is a longing for Hashem. When we were in Egypt, sunken to the 49th level of the fifty levels of impurity and on the verge of spiritual oblivion, what did we do? We called out to G-d. Indeed, Hashem seemed to abandon us and let us fall so low specifically in order to make this point. (Mei Marom IV, p.111) ************************************ Parashat Toldot In Halachah None of the 613 mitzvot/commandments appears in this parashah. (Sefer Hachinuch) "And Esav became one who knows hunting..." (25:27) -- What does the halachah say about hunting for sport? Rav Yechezkel Landau z"l (18th century) writes as follows: It would not be prohibited merely because it causes pain to animals, even if it does, for the prohibition of causing pain to animals refers only to wanton pain, but not when it serves man's purpose. It also cannot be called wanton destruction, because the hides can be used. Nevertheless, hunting is the profession of Nimrod and Esav, not of the children of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Also, hunting is dangerous (as Esav himself acknowledged--Bereishit 25:32), and the Torah prohibits putting oneself in danger. (She'elot Uteshuvot Noda B'Yehuda II, Yoreh Deah 10) "And Yitzchak sowed in that land, and in that year he reaped a hundred-fold [above the land's capacity]." (26:12) How did Yitzchak know? Are we not taught that G-d's blessing rests only on that which is not measured or counted, but rather is hidden? However, Yitzchak had to count his produce in order to separate ma'aser/tithes, which must be exact and not estimated. (Bereishit Rabbah 64:6) Yitzchak was the first person to observe the mitzvah of tithing. (Rambam, Hil. Melachim 9:1) [Rashi writes that Esav attempted to impress his father Yitzchak with his devotion to mitzvot by asking Yitzchak, "How does one tithe salt?" In fact, salt does not require tithing, only produce and animals do. In light of the view that Yitzchak introduced the mitzvah of ma'aser, we can better understand why Esav chose that mitzvah with which to impress his father.] ************************************ The midrash asks: "Why did Yaakov give his soul for the birthright? Because the firstborn had the right to serve in the mishkan." Where do we find that Yaakov gave his soul for the birthright? asks Rav Simcha Zissel Broide shlita. He answers as follows: Yaakov's outstanding characteristic was "Emet"/"truth," as it is written (Michah 7:20), "Give truth to Yaakov." Therefore, when Yaakov had to resort to trickery against Esav, he was making an immense sacrifice. (quoted in Shai LaTorah) Chazal say that Yaakov's outstanding trait was Emet/truth, yet in the Torah we find that he is repeatedly tricking people. How can these facts be reconciled? Each of the Patriarchs was tested by G-d in the context of that Patriarch's most outstanding trait. For example, Avraham, the exemplar of kindness, was told to sacrifice his son, an act of incredible cruelty. Yaakov's test was whether his inner adherence to truth could survive in a world of falsehood. Sometimes one must use his enemy's tools -- this is the inner meaning of Yaakov borrowing Esav's prized garments -- but his test is whether his connection to that tool (e.g., falsehood) remains temporary and external or whether it affects his essence. (based in part on Ohr Gedalyahu) ************************************ "[Yitzchak] went up from there to Be'er Sheva. Hashem appeared to him that night and said, '...Fear not, for I am with you'." (26:23-24) Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky z"l cites the midrash that Avraham planted trees in Be'er Sheva which later would be used for building the mishkan. It appears, Rav Kaminetsky writes, that Be'er Sheva was the place to which the Patriarchs went for consolation, knowing that there were the trees with which the mishkan would be built at the end of the exile (i.e., after the Exodus from Egypt). Yitzchak went there after his troubles with Avimelech, and G-d appeared to him there to comfort and strengthen him. Yaakov, too, stopped there on his way to Egypt. (Emet LeYaakov) ************************************ From the humor of our sages . . . "Let the days of mourning for my father come and I will kill my brother Yaakov." (27:41) In the shul in Brisk, a fight broke out between two mourners, each of whom wanted to lead the prayers. Seeing this, Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik (the "Bet Halevi") said, "This was Esav's plan-- when he and Yaakov both would approach the lectern to lead the prayers, Esav would have an excuse to kill Yaakov." ************************************ Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlop z"l 5643 (1883) - 7 Kislev 5712 (1951) [Throughout this century, there has existed within Yerushalayim's religious Jewry a tension between the "Neturei Karta"/"Guardians of the City" -- fierce opponents of Zionism -- and the followers of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook -- who saw in Zionism the beginning of the messianic awakening. Our subject was one of those rare individuals who was held in the highest esteem by both groups.] Rav Charlop was born in Yerushalayim, where his father, Rav Zevulun, was a dayan/judge on the bet din/rabbinical court of Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin. Not satisfied with a typical yeshiva education, young Yaakov Moshe sought out as his mentor a hidden tzaddik by the name of Rav Yehoshua Zvi Michel Shapiro. Rav Charlop writes that his teacher could devote months on end to one section of the Talmud, studying , comparing and contrasting numerous commentaries from different eras. (Rav Charlop's biography of his teacher is called Zvi Latzaddik.) When Rav Kook settled in Eretz Yisrael in 1904, the already adult Rav Charlop accepted that sage as his teacher as well. When still in his twenties, Rav Charlop was chosen as rabbi of Yerushalayim's distinguished "Shaarei Chessed" neighborhood. (Shaarei Chessed's most famous son may have been Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.) In 1914, Rav Charlop joined with Rav Kook and Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, leader of the Neturei Karta, in the famous "Masa Teshuvah"/"Teshuvah Expedition" in which five prominent rabbis traveled on mule-back throughout Eretz Yisrael, bringing the beauty of Torah and mitzvot to their secular brethren. (Despite their differences, Rabbis Kook and Sonnenfeld, true Torah scholars, held each other in high esteem. Any enmity that existed was only among the smaller disciples of each.) In 1920, Rav Kook was elected rabbi of Yerushalayim. In response, the Neturei Karta offered Rav Charlop their rabbinate, but on the condition that he sever his ties with his teacher. Rav Charlop declined, and instead accepted the position of rosh yeshiva in Rav Kook's new yeshiva (today known as "Merkaz Harav"), which he held until his death. Rav Charlop left numerous writings. His halachic works have been published under the title Bet Zevul, while his aggadic/Jewish Thought works are called Mei Marom. (An excerpt appears on the front page.) ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible