Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Pinchas Volume 23, No. 36 19 Tammuz 5769 July 11, 2009 Sponsored by Rikki and Nat Lewin on the bar mitzvah of their grandson Gidon Moshe Lewin Halbfinger Today's Learning: Ohalot 6:2-3 O.C. 319:11-13 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Bava Metzia 77 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Bava Batra 30 King Shlomo writes in Mishlei (16:12-16), "To do evil is an abomination for kings, for a throne is established through righteousness. The desire of kings is righteous lips, and he will love one who speaks upright words. The king's wrath is like angels of death, but a wise man will appease it. In the light of the king's countenance is life, and his favor is like a malkosh cloud. How much better than fine gold is the acquisition of wisdom, and the acquisition of understanding is choicer than silver!" Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi z"l (Spain; died 1263) explains: A wise king knows that the surest way to preserve his kingdom in the long run is through benevolence and righteousness. Since doing evil is an abomination to him, it goes without saying that he does good. More than that, however, even his lips are righteous. His wrath flares up at evil- doers, but a wise man who repents from evil can appease the king. Accordingly, one should acquire wisdom. Indeed, wisdom is as beneficial as the malkosh, the final rain of the season. (R' Yonah explains that the first rain of the season is less beneficial for, by itself, it cannot cause the crops to grow.) From the foregoing we should learn, R' Yonah continues, that if a human king loves righteous people so much, how much more so does Hashem love them! Alternatively, these verses may be explained in connection with our parashah, in which Pinchas endangered himself to appease the wrath of the King of kings when the angel of death threatened Bnei Yisrael. (Drashot U'perushei Rabbeinu Yonah Al Ha'Torah). ******** "It shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he took vengeance for his G-d, and he atoned for Bnei Yisrael." (25:13) Rashi z"l explains: Although the priesthood had already been given to Aharon's descendants, it was given only to Aharon and his sons who had been anointed together with him and to their offspring whom they might bear after they had been anointed. Aharon's grandson Pinchas, who had been born previous to that and had not been anointed, had not attained the status of priesthood until now. Based on this, R' Menachem Azaryah z"l (Italy; 1548-1620) interprets several verses in Parashat V'zot Ha'berachah (Devarim 33:8-9) as referring to Pinchas, as follows: Of Levi - of Pinchas, who had been a levi - he said, "Your tumim and Your urim" - the garments of the Kohen Gadol - "befit Your devout one . . ." - i.e., Pinchas. "The one who said of his father and mother, `I have not seen him'" - even though Pinchas' father came from Aharon, and Pinchas' mother came from Yosef, who was a firstborn, Pinchas did not initially merit to be a kohen. "To his brothers he did not give recognition and his children he did not know." Later in life, as Eliyahu Hanavi, Pinchas led the life of a recluse. However, lest you think that he did not educate his children, the verse continues, "For they have observed Your word and Your covenant they preserved." Pinchas/Eliyahu did not leave home until his children had been educated. In fact, R' Menachem Azaryah writes, a person is not permitted to relieve himself of the yoke of educating his children until they are filled with Torah and fear of Heaven. (Asarah Ma'amarot: Chikur Ha'din IV 20) ******** "The one lamb shall you make in the morning . . ." (28:4) A midrash relates that three Sages offered three different verses as summaries of the whole Torah. The sage Ben Zoma proposed "Shema Yisrael." The sage Ben Nanas proposed "You shall love your fellow as yourself." Finally, Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi proposed our verse, "The one lamb shall you make in the morning." The midrash continues: Rabbi Yehuda Ha'nasi [the editor of the Mishnah] stood up and declared, "The halachah is in accordance with Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi." This requires explanation. We can understand the choice of "Shema Yisrael," which affirms basic tenets of our faith. We also can understand the choice of "You shall love your fellow as yourself," which guides us in interpersonal relationships. But how can "The one lamb shall you make in the morning" be a summary of the whole Torah? R' Yitzchak Shmelkes z"l (rabbi of Lwow, Galicia; died 1905) explains: A person can achieve spiritual heights in two ways: By meditating on religious concepts such as the unity of G-d ("Shema Yisrael") or by living a life filled with religious acts. Such acts can be further subdivided into two types: acts toward one's fellow man (including chessed and not doing harm) or acts toward G-d (tefilin, sukkah, lulav, sacrificial offerings, etc.). Each of the three opinions cited in the midrash parallels one of these paths to spiritual growth. Of course, all of the sages agree that a person must keep the entire Torah, but they argue about which aspect is primary. Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi's intention is to negate the sometimes popular view that, "If I believe in G-d and treat others with respect, what difference does it make if I am lax in my observance of kashrut, Shabbat or other mitzvot that are between me and G-d?" Bringing a sacrifice or doing another mitzvah is as important as doing kindness or declaring the unity of G-d. (Bet Yitzchak Al Ha'Torah) ******** "For a seven-day period matzot shall be eaten." (28:17) R' Aharon Lewin z"l Hy"d (rabbi of Rzeszow, Poland; killed in the Holocaust) writes that the laws of matzah can teach a person the correct path that he should choose in life. First, among the most important traits that a person must have are patience and deliberation. There is nothing more harmful than rushing to act without thinking through the consequences. Indeed, this is the basis of all sins. Accordingly, a person should accustom himself not to act immediately on every idea that occurs to him. Rather, he should weigh his ideas and subject them to intense scrutiny; he should examine, test and check them. After all, what distinguishes man from a beast if not the wisdom and understanding to distinguish between good and bad! Thus, our Sages said (Shabbat 150b), "A person may not perform his work before making havdalah." Besides the literal halachic meaning of this statement, this means that a person should never undertake any act without making a "havdalah" / separation or distinction. (Note that our Sages placed the havdalah prayer in the blessing of Shemoneh Esrei in which we pray for wisdom and understanding.) What aspect of the laws of matzah alludes to this idea? Halachah requires that the process of making matzah begin the day before the actual baking takes place. One may not harvest wheat, grind flour and bake matzah in one day without any advance preparation. Rather, the water that will be used must have been drawn the day before and must have sat overnight. This teaches man to be patient. However, once one has made the proper preparations and he knows that what he is about to do is the correct course of action, he should waste no time in following through. Indeed, the Gemara (Shabbat 30b) teaches that the Shechinah does not rest upon those who are lazy. This is alluded to by another aspect of the laws of matzah, i.e., the great speed that is required in the actual baking process. (Ha'drash V'ha'iyun) A related thought: R' Moshe Chaim Luzzato z"l (Ramchal; 1707-1747) observes that the primary strategy that the yetzer hara uses is to distract a person from thinking about his task in this world. Specifically, man's task is to reflect upon every step he wishes to take and every action he wishes to perform and to ask himself: Will this step or action bring me closer to G- d or will it cause me to become distant from G-d? The yetzer hara knows that if man would merely think about his actions, he would certainly begin to regret his deeds, Ramchal writes. To prevent this, the yetzer hara makes sure that we are constantly busy with all types of activities and tasks that appear to be very important and prevent us from thinking. (Mesilat Yesharim ch.2) ******* This Week in History, Halachah, and Minhag 18 Tammuz: On this date, Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai to plead with G-d to forgive Bnei Yisrael for the sin of the Golden Calf. (Rashi to Shmot 18:13) This date is Purim Candia, commemorating the salvation that occurred to the Jewish community of Candia, Crete in the year 5298 (1538). In that year, the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I invaded Crete, which was a territory of Venice. While Turkish forces threatened Candia from the outside, the Christian inhabitants of the city accused the Jewish population of harboring spies, and threatened to massacre the entire community. When both threats miraculously passed, R' Capsali declared a yom tov. (Publisher's preface to Meah Shearim by Candia's rabbi, R' Eliyahu Capsali z"l, p.82) Shabbat during the Three Weeks: There are different customs regarding the singing of zemirot on the Shabbatot between the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av. Some say that one should lessen his joy during these weeks, while others hold that any display of mourning on Shabbat is prohibited. 20 Tammuz: When the Bet Hamikdash stood, descendants of King David would donate wood on this date to be used in the Temple service. The dates when different families donated wood are listed in the last chapter of Masechet Ta'anit. On this date in 5714 (1954), R' Avraham Chaim Na'eh z"l passed away. Although R' Na'eh is not nearly as well known as many of the sages who were his contemporaries, his treatise on converting Talmudic weights and measures to modern units of measurement is accepted as authoritative by many poskim / halachic authorities today. For example, the often-cited opinion that one amah equals almost 19 inches (48 centimeters) is his. 24 Tammuz: On this date in 5662 (1902), R' Yaakov Yosef z"l, the first and only Chief Rabbi of New York, passed away.