Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Emor Volume 23, No. 28 15 Iyar 5769 May 9, 2009 Sponsored by The Rutstein family in memory of mother Bessie Rutstein (Pesha Batya bat R' Zemach a"h) Today's Learning: Keilim 20:2-3 O.C. 307:2-4 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Bava Metzia 14 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Bava Metzia 4 King Shlomo writes in Mishlei (27:18), "One who protects a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the guardian of his master will be honored." Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi z"l (Spain; died 1263) explains: King Shlomo is teaching that, when a person has to perform any action, he should do it with complete dedication, not half-heartedly. The analogy to a fig tree is that a fig tree requires a lot of attention and watchfulness. Most fruit trees have all of their fruit harvested at one time, but figs do not ripen all at once. Thus, a fig tree needs to be guarded and revisited regularly, which requires dedication. R' Yonah continues: Do not think that G-d does not know whether you are truly dedicated or merely paying lip service to the mitzvot. To dispel any such notion, King Shlomo continues (in verse 19), "As water reflects a face back to a face, so one's heart is reflected back to Him by another." Alternatively, R' Yonah writes, this verse can refer to our parashah, which opens with the laws governing the kohanim. In Egypt, the tribe of Levi guarded G-d's commandments while other tribes did not. The other tribes became mired in idolatry, while Levi alone continued to practice brit milah. Thus, only the tribe of Levi merited to produce prophets in Egypt (i.e., Moshe, Aharon and Miriam). Likewise, when the Golden Calf was made, only the tribe of Levi did not participate. Thus, although all of Yisrael is holy, the tribe of Levi was distinguished for greater holiness, and, from among the Levites, the kohanim for the most holiness of all. (Derashot U'perushei Rabbeinu Yonah Al Ha'torah) ******** "You shall count for yourselves from the day after the rest day, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving -- seven weeks, they shall be complete. . . . You shall count, fifty days . . ." (23:15-16) For how long should we count? Seven weeks, which is 49 days, or fifty days? R' Shlomo Kluger z"l (1785-1869; rabbi of Brody, Galicia) explains: In some situations, for example with regard to certain laws of mourning, one day can count as two days because there are different laws that apply to different portions of the day. Likewise, the first day of the Omer (16 Nissan) can count as two days because, before the Omer- offering was brought on the morning of the sixteenth of Nissan, it was forbidden to eat from the new harvest, but after the Omer-offering was brought, it was permitted to eat from the new harvest. If we count the first day as two days, then the 49 days become fifty. However, writes R' Kluger, this is only so if we can count the hours before the Omer-offering was brought as part of the Omer period. Whether we can do so depends on another question: Is harvesting the barley for the Omer-offering a mitzvah or only a hechsher mitzvah / an act preparatory to a mitzvah? This depends on the intention with which the act is done. If the one cutting the barley did so for the sake of a mitzvah, it is a mitzvah, and if not, then not. R' Kluger explains further: When one counts the Omer, there are two thoughts he might have. He might think, "Today is the 24th day since the new barley became permitted to be eaten." Or he might think, "Twenty four of the days until the Giving of the Torah have passed already." One who focuses on the Omer as permitting the harvest to be eaten, is missing the main point. For him, the harvesting of the barley was a mundane act. Thus, only the second part of the first day matters, and the entire Omer lasts only 49 days. On the other hand, one who sees the Omer as a countdown to Shavuot causes every part of the period to be sanctified, even the initial harvest. For him there are 50 days. (Kohelet Yaakov: Sefirat Ha'omer: drush 2) ******** " . . . seven weeks, they shall be temimot / complete." (23:15) Midrash Rabbah records: Rabbi Chiya taught, "`Seven weeks, they shall be complete.' When are they complete? When Yisrael does the will of Hashem." R' Moshe Zvi Neriah z"l (1913-1995; founder of the Bnei Akiva yeshiva network and youth movement) explains: Whether man fulfills time's purpose is entirely dependent on whether he did Hashem's will. Time which is used in a manner contrary to Hashem's will is not "complete" but "blemished." [The word used by our verse, temimot, can mean either "complete" or "unblemished."] There is a popular expression in the secular world, "Time is money." In contrast, we recite the blessing [after reading the Torah], "He has implanted everlasting life in us." [This blessing reflects the Torah-observant Jew's conception of the value and purpose of time.] (Ner La'maor) ******** Pirkei Avot "Rabbi Yonatan said: Whoever fulfills the Torah despite poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth. But, whoever neglects the Torah because of wealth, will ultimately neglect it in poverty." Do all poor Torah scholars eventually become rich? Clearly, it is not so! R' Zvi Yehuda Kook z"l (rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Merkaz Harav; died 1982) quotes his wife's grandmother, Rebbetzin Hendel Hutner a"h, who explained this mishnah as follows: Successful Torah study requires application and dedication. A student who is born very sharp and is a quick learner will nevertheless fail to realize his potential if he relies on his wits as a substitute for effort. On the other hand, one who is less talented can nevertheless succeed if he works hard. This is what our mishnah is teaching: Whoever studies Torah despite poverty, i.e., lacking intellectual capabilities, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth, i.e., he will sharpen his mind. But, whoever neglects the Torah because of wealth, i.e., he fails to apply himself because he relies on his quick mind, will ultimately neglect it in poverty, i.e., he will lose his ability to grasp the wisdom of the Torah. (Sichot R Z.Y. al Mesilat Yesharim p.89) ******** "Rabbi Meir said: `Minimize your involvement in commerce ("esek") and study Torah'." R' Avraham Pinso z"l of Sarajevo writes: This can be understood in light of the gemara (Avodah Zarah 19b) which promises that if one studies Torah with the proper intentions, his investments will prosper on their own. It does appear superficially that this is not the case, but we cannot gage a person's inner motivations, and we therefore do not know whether he really deserves this blessing. Also, a person may study Torah with the purest of intentions, but forfeit this promise because of his sins. This is the likely explanation any time we see that a promise of the Torah is not fulfilled. (Katit La'maor) ******** "Do not focus on the pitcher but on its contents." R' Pinso writes: This is an allusion to the yetzer hara, the evil inclination. It looks like an earthenware jar, something of little value. In fact, however, it is filled with the sweetest wine. How so? We think of the yetzer hara as a pest. We are constantly fighting with the yetzer hara, trying to do good and to please Hashem. For doing so, we earn our places in the World-to-Come. But without the challenge which the yetzer hara presents, we would never earn that reward. (Ibid) ******** This Week in History, Halachah, and Minhag 14 Iyar is Pesach Sheni, when individuals who were tamei / ritually impure on Erev Pesach and those who were unable to reach Yerushalayim on time have a second chance to bring the Korban Pesach. Some have the custom to eat matzah tonight, and also a hard-boiled egg. (Likkutei Maharich) Customs differ regarding the recitation of Tachanun on this day. (See the sources listed in Siddur Aliyot Eliyahu.) Shabbat Parashat Emor: The Torah reading this week lists all of the holidays (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur). Even Chanukah is alluded to because the parashah discusses the Menorah. R' Chaim Meir Hager z"l (the Vizhnitzer Rebbe; died 1972) used to say that a discerning person can attain a little bit of the spiritual benefits of each of the holidays on this Shabbat. (Luach Davar B'ito p.959) For the same reason, the custom of Gerrer chassidim is to add the word "B'simchah" / "with joy" to the recitation of "Bo'ee v'shalom" on this Friday night. (Luach Davar B'ito p.958) 16 Iyar: Mahn fell for the first time, and Moshe Rabbeinu composed the first berachah of Birkat Hamazon. (Luach Davar B'ito p.960) On this date in 5725 (1965), the Israeli spy Eli Cohen was executed in Syria. (Luach Davar B'ito p.962) 19 Iyar 5575 (1815): Passing of R' Mendel of Rimanov z"l. Many chassidim do not recite Tachanun today, as they consider this yahrzeit to be a continuation of the observance yesterday (Lag Ba'omer) of the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Note that the Hebrew letters that spell "Rimanov" also spell "b'Meron" ("in Meron" - the burial place of R' Shimon). (Luach Davar B'ito p.980) Some say that today is the yahrzeit of Hevel, son of Adam and Chava. (Luach Davar B'ito p.981) 20 Iyar: On this date, almost a full year after receiving the Torah, Bnei Yisrael traveled away from Har Sinai.