Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Volume 19, No. 29 14 Nissan 5765 April 23, 2005 Sponsored by Aaron and Rona Lerner, in memory of their fathers Avraham ben Yaakov Hakohen a"h and Yaakov Yonah ben Yisrael a"h Martin and Michelle Swartz on the first yahrzeit of Martin's grandmother, Eva K. Lichman a"h Today's Learning: Terumot 6:5-6 O.C. 334:24-26 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Berachot 54 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Shevuot 18 This week's parashah begins: "Hashem spoke to Moshe after the death of Aharon's two sons . . . ." According to one view among Chazal, Aharon's sons died because they entered the Mishkan / Tabernacle intoxicated. One might ask: Where did they get wine in the desert? Another question: Where did Bnei Yisrael get wheat in the desert in order to bake matzah for Pesach? Finally, another question: The Gemara (Berachot 48b) states that Moshe established Birkat Hamazon when the mahn fell. Why? "Bentching" is recited only after eating bread made from one of the five grains. Mahn was not one of the five grains! Our Sages say that mahn could taste like any food that the person eating it wanted it to taste like. Apparently, the mahn did not merely taste like the food that the eater was imagining, it actually became that food. Thus, if one imagined that he was eating bread made from one of the five grains, the mahn would actually become that bread, and the person eating it would have to recite Birkat Hamazon. And, if one imagined that he was eating matzah, he would actually be eating matzah, and he would fulfill the mitzvah thereby. Some say that just as the mahn could taste like any solid food, so the waters of "Miriam's well" (i.e., the well that followed Bnei Yisrael in their travels in the merit of Moshe's sister Miriam) could taste like any drink. Based on the foregoing, perhaps the water could not only taste like wine, it could actually become wine and be intoxicating. That was the "wine" that Aharon's sons drank. [Binah Ba'sefarim Vol. III, by R' Daniel Feldman shlita, based in part on the writings of R' Yosef Engel z"l (Poland; early 20th century) and R' Eliyahu Hakohen Ha'itamari z"l of Izmir (died 1729; the "Ba'al Shevet Hamussar")] Alternatively, if the mahn could become any food, perhaps Aharon's sons imagined that their mahn became grapes, and then they made wine from those grapes. (Mr. Ze'ev Katz) ******** R' Shimon Schwab z"l (1908-1995; rabbi of the K'hal Adath Jeshurun "Breuer's" community in New York) writes: From my earliest youth, I remember that the children would ask each other on the first morning of Pesach, "How long did your Seder last?" This was true in my youth, and it is still the case today. If the children were to ask me this now, I would answer them, "I made sure to eat the afikoman before chatzot [halachic midnight]." According to some poskim [halachic authorities], even the recitation of Hallel should be completed before chatzot. I must point out, R' Schwab says, that the present-day practice in which all the children read from their prepared sheets which they received in school is not exactly in accordance with the mitzvah of "Ve'higadita l'vincha" / "and you shall tell to your children" (Shmot 13:8). The children have started a new "mitzvah" of "Ve'higadita l'avicha u'l'imecha" / "and you shall tell to your father and mother," which makes it extremely difficult to reach the mitzvah of achilat matzah / eating the matzah - and certainly the afikoman - before chatzot. R' Schwab continues: Rather than discourage the children from actively participating, parents should encourage their children to keep their remarks brief so that the father or other leader of the Seder can read the text of the Haggadah and explain the miracles of Yetziat Mitzrayim / the Exodus. Children should be encouraged to say their divrei Torah during the meal if there is time or, otherwise, during the daytime meals of Yom Tov. On the Seder night, concludes R' Schwab, it is a mitzvat asai d'Oraita / an affirmative commandment from the Torah to retell to one's children the events surrounding Yetziat Mitzrayim. If one has merited to have children or grandchildren, it is a mitzvah for the father or grandfather to hand down to them the details of the Exodus. The saying of "vertlach" / short divrei Torah is very nice, but if these are not the details of the narrative of the Exodus - or its meaning or message - they are not a part of this mitzvah. On the Seder night, the children are encouraged to ask any question relevant to Yetziat Mitzrayim, and the father has a special mitzvah d'Oraita to respond to these questions, and to tell his children about the miracles that G-d did for us. (Rav Schwab on Prayer p. 541) ******** "Mah nishtanah ha'laila ha'zeh mikol ha'lailot?" This familiar phrase is commonly understood to mean: "Why (or `in what way') is this night different from all other nights?" R' Yechiel Michel Epstein z"l (rabbi of Novardhok, Russia; died 1907) suggests a different interpretation. He writes: The expression "Mah nishtanah" is similar to Tehilim (72:6): "Mah gadlu ma'asecha Hashem" / "How great are Your deeds, Hashem!" and to Bemidbar (24:5): "Mah tovu" / "How good are your tents, Yisrael!" These are not questions, but rather exclamations of wonder and awe. "How different and special is this night compared to all other nights!" In response to the questions of Mah Nishtanah, we say, "Avadim ha'yinu . . ." / "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt." R' Epstein writes that this answer must be recited with joy and excitement. [Not, "Oy vey! We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt." Rather, "Hurray! We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt."] Why? Because it was our slavery in Egypt that prepared us to become, and remain, subjugated to Hashem. (Aruch Hashulchan: Orach Chaim 473:21-22) ******** The Haggadah instructs us that the wise son should be taught the laws of the Korban Pesach / the "Pascal lamb" down to the very last detail. What is the message that we are trying to impart to our children through those teachings? R' Moshe Avigdor Amiel z"l (Chief Rabbi of Antwerp and Tel Aviv whose 60th yahrzeit is today) explains: The Mishnah (Zevachim 1:1) teaches that an animal sacrifice that was offered in the Temple without the proper intention is nevertheless valid. For example, if an olah-offering was slaughtered with the thought that it was an asham-offering, it remains kosher. There are only two exceptions to this rule, one of which is the Korban Pesach. If the Korban Pesach was slaughtered with the thought that it was a different sacrifice, it is not valid. The Gemara comments on that Mishnah that only if the kohen has the wrong intention is the sacrifice invalidated. However, if the kohen has nothing at all in mind when he slaughters the animal, the sacrifice is valid. So it is with all mitzvot, we teach the wise son. Understanding the philosophical and kabbalistic reasons for the mitzvot is very nice, but it is better to understand nothing and to perform the mitzvot as simple decrees than to become entrapped in foreign or false philosophies about the mitzvot. (Ma'amar Darkah Shel Torah Ch.5) ******** "In every generation, a person must see himself as if he had gone out of Egypt." (From the Haggadah) Why? Is it not enough to know that Hashem took our ancestors out of Egypt and to thank Him for it? Why must we imagine that we were there? R' Yaakov Yisrael Kanievski z"l (the Steipler Gaon; died 1986) explains: The Gemara (Nedarim 22a) states: "If one gets angry, all types of Gehinnom will gain control over him. Furthermore, he will suffer intestinal problems." The simple meaning of the word "Furthermore," says R' Kanievski, is that the second thing is worse than the first. Is this true? Are intestinal problems worse than Gehinnom? The answer is that there are two kinds of emunah / faith, one that is based on our intellects, and the other that is based on our senses. Although we all know that G-d punishes sinners in Gehinnom, we all have experienced with our senses the pain of intestinal troubles. Knowing is no substitute for experiencing. It is not enough to know that Hashem took our ancestors out of Egypt. To thank him properly, we must experience it ourselves. The way to accomplish that is to picture ourselves participating in the Exodus. The Gemara (Berachot 28b) relates that when the sage Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai became ill, his students asked for a blessing. He told them, "May it be G-d's Will that your fear of Heaven be as great of your fear of man." R' Yochanan's students asked him, "Only as great as our fear of man?" He answered, "If only man's fear of G-d were as great as his fear of man! When one is about to sin, does he say, `I hope G-d doesn't see me,' or does he say, "I hope my neighbor doesn't see me'?" Why is this? Because man can experience the negative consequences of having his neighbor see him sin. Man does not immediately experience the negative consequences of having G-d see him sin. (Haggadah Shel Pesach Kehillot Yaakov p.162)