Hamaaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Chukat-Balak Volume 23, No. 35 12 Tamuz 5769 July 4, 2009 Sponsored by Nathan and Rikki Lewin on the yahrzeit of his grandfather Harav Aharon ben Harav Nosson a"h hy"d (the "Reisher Rav") Martin and Michelle Swartz in memory of Martin's grandfather John Hofmann a"h Today's Learning: Ohalot 3:5-6 O.C. 318:9-11 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Bava Metzia 70 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Bava Batra 23 King Shlomo writes in Mishlei (18:4-6), "The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the source of wisdom is like a flowing stream." Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi z"l (Spain; died 1263) explains: This verse teaches us that when a person is sitting among a group of people who are conversing, if they are speaking about mundane matters or are exchanging idle words, he should consider their words like a deep well, whose waters are useless to a thirsty person because they are too far away to be reached without a rope and bucket. On the other hand, if they are speaking words of wisdom or mussar / character improvement, he should drink up their words like a thirsty man at a flowing stream. Alternatively, R'Yonah writes, the first part of this verse can be interpreted in connection with our parashah [which opens with the law of the parah adumah, a decree whose logic we cannot understand]. "The words of a man's mouth are deep waters." "Man" refers to Hashem, as in the verse (Shmot 15:3), "Hashem is the Man of War." Hashem's words - His mitzvot - that are so deep we cannot grasp their reasons. In fact, R' Yonah notes, mitzvot can be divided into three groups. One group consists of mitzvot that we would have observed even without a Divine command, for example, honoring parents and not murdering. A second group consists of mitzvot that we would not have thought of ourselves, but which we readily accept as G-d's Will. These include eating kosher, not shaving certain parts of the head, and others. Finally, there are mizvot that the yetzer hara argues will subject us to ridicule, for example, the parah adumah, hanging strings from our clothes (tzitzit), and not wearing mixtures of wool and linen (sha'atnez). We must remember that these too are G-d's will. Moreover, one who becomes wise can discover some of the reasons for these mitzvot. (Derushei U'perushei Rabbeinu Yonah Al Ha'Torah) ******** "This is the decree of the Torah, which Hashem has commanded, saying, `Speak to Bnei Yisrael, and they shall take to you a parah adumah temimah / completely red cow. . .'" (19:2) Rashi z"l writes: "Because the satan and the nations of the world taunt Yisrael, saying, `What is this command and what reason is there for it?' therefore the Torah refers to it using the term `chukah' / `decree,' implying: It is an enactment from before Me; you have no right to question it." Why do our Sages use the parah adumah as the paradigm for a chukah (more commonly referred to as a "chok")? Adam and Chava introduced death into the world when they ate from the etz hada'at / Tree of Knowledge. They wanted to know G-d's secrets, things they were not meant to know. It is fitting, therefore, that the means to achieve purification after coming in contact with death is to recognize that some things are chukim and cannot be known. (Heard from Rabbi Sam Vogel shlita) ******** "This is the Torah-a man who will die in the tent . . ." (19:14) Making a play on these words, our Sages say that the "tent" refers to a place of Torah study, and that Torah will remain only with one who "kills" himself studying it. R' Avraham Yishayahu Karelitz z"l (1878- 1953; the "Chazon Ish") explains that "killing" oneself means penetrating below the superficial covering of one's soul. That covering consists of one's personality traits. Thus, Chazal are teaching that one must conquer one's character. "Killing" one's impulses leads to life on the Torah path. There are many degenerate traits, the Chazon Ish writes, but breaking even one of them gives a person life and enables Torah to remain with him. Prominent among those traits is laziness. Laziness is so pervasive that it can affect both thoughts and deeds. Laziness is hard to recognize, because it is not always associated with idleness. Sometimes one acts because he is lazy, as when, for example, a person knows that what he plans to do is wrong, but he is too lazy to control himself and to declare war on his impulses. Laziness causes a person to adopt a "business as usual" attitude towards his own development, and this is the root cause for abandonment of the Torah. (Igrot Chazon Ish I, No.3) ******** "Who has counted the dirt of Yaakov or numbered a quarter of Yisrael?" (23:10) R' Aharon Lewin z"l Hy"d (rabbi of Rzeszow, Poland; killed in the Holocaust) writes: The Jewish People are likened to "afar" / dirt (as in our verse and in Bereishit 13:16), to "chol" / sand (in Bereishit 22:17 and 32:13) and to "kochavim" / stars (in Bereishit 22:17). Each of these represents the Jewish People in a different condition. When we are united, we are likened to dirt, which can form clumps that are very hard to break apart. When we appear united but the binds that hold us together are weak, we are likened to grains of sand, which lie together on the beach but do not hold together. Finally, when the ties that bind us are completely severed, we are likened to stars, each of which appears as a distant and separate world. R' Lewin continues: Unity and harmony are an absolutely necessary condition for the existence and development of out nation, so much so that our Sages say (Mishnah, end of Tractate Uktzin), "Hakadosh Baruch Hu did not find a vessel which can hold a blessing for Yisrael other than shalom." If we are to succeed and flourish, we must be like the afar, joined together as a unit, with one heart and one soul, and with no jealousy or competition. (Ha'drash V'ha'iyun) ******** "He declaimed his parable and said: `Who will survive when He imposes "El"?'" (24:23) The Midrash Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer comments: Bilam said, "G-d created seventy nations and did not attach His Name to them. He did attach His Name to `Yisra-El.' And, He equated the name of `Yishma-El' with the name of `Yisra-El.' Accordingly, who can survive in his (Yishmael's) days?!" R' Alexander Aryeh Mandelbaum shlita observes: The Midrash is teaching that the descendants of Yishmael derive their power to oppress the Jewish People from the fact that G-d's Name is in their name. This alludes to their strong emunah, both their willingness to sacrifice their lives for their beliefs and their willingness to kill others because they believe it is G-d's will. These characteristics were not found among the other nations that persecuted the Jewish People throughout their history. (Matzmiach Yeshuah p.15) ******** This Week in History, Halachah, and Minhag 12 Tammuz: On this date, the prophet Yechezkel began to lay immobile on his left side for 390 consecutive days. The midrash Seder Olam Rabbah (ch.26) states that Bnei Yisrael angered Hashem for 390 of the years that they inhabited Eretz Yisrael between their first entry to the Land and the first exile. (See the classical commentaries to Yechezkel 4:4 for a discussion of the purpose and symbolism of Yechezkel's act). On this date in 5058 (1298), the Jews of Weiner-Neustadt and Morgentheim, Austria were massacred. On this date in 5708 (1948), the massacre of Jews in Cairo, Egypt reached its height. In all, more than 150 Jews were murdered. (Luach Davar B'ito p.1141) Erev Shabbat Parashat Chukat: Some have the custom to fast on Friday of the week when Chukat is read because, on this day of this week in 5004 (1244), 24 wagon-loads of sefarim were burnt publicly in Paris. Parashat Chukat: In some Yemenite communities, Parashat Chukat, as we know it, does not exist. Rather, the first half of the parashah (up to 21:4) is read with Parashat Korach, and the remainder is read with our Parashat Balak. In order to reach the necessary number of parashot, Matot and Masei, which are nearly always combined in other communities, are read separately. (Luach Davar B'ito p.1106) 17 Tammuz: On this day, the first Luchot were broken; King Menashe placed an idol in the first Bet Hamikdash; the Korban Tamid was discontinued in the second Bet Hamikdash; and Roman armies breached the walls of Yerushalayim three weeks before destroying the second Bet Hamikdash. (Ta'anit 26b & 28b) On this date, Noach sent the dove from the Ark for the first time.