Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Tzav Volume 23, No. 24 10 Nissan 5769 April 4, 2009 Sponsored by Aaron and Rona Lerner in memory of their fathers Avraham ben Yaakov Hakohen a"h and Yaakov Yonah ben Yisrael a"h Today's Learning: Keilim 12:6-7 O.C. 301:28-30 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Bava Kamma 97 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Bava Kamma 13 King Shlomo writes in Mishlei (1:20-21), "Wisdoms [plural] sings [singular] out in the street; it gives forth its voice in the squares. It cries out at the head of noisy throngs; at the entrances of the gates, in the city, it speaks its words." R' Yehoshua ibn Shuiv z"l (Spain; 14th century) explains: King Shlomo exclaims in these verses, as well as in many other verses, that our holy Torah cries out over its disgrace when it is abandoned in a corner and not studied. Similarly, our Sages teach (Avot ch.6), "Every day, a bat kol goes out from Mount Chorev [i.e., Sinai] and says, `Woe to the creations due to the insult to the Torah'." Why does our verse mix plural ("Wisdoms") and singular ("sings") forms? R' ibn Shuiv explains that it is alluding to the fact that all forms of wisdom and all branches of knowledge are contained within the one Torah. Why do our verses repeat essentially the same idea four times? Says R' ibn Shuiv: To allude to the four phases of life: childhood (until age 20), youth (from age 20 to 40), adulthood (40-60), and old age (over 60). Alternatively, he writes, the four phrases allude to four types of Jews: one who studies Torah and is meticulous in mitzvah observance; one who studies Torah but is lax in his observance; one who keeps the mitzvot but does not study enough; and one who does neither. Numerous sources teach that a person who does not study Torah to the best of his ability will be severely punished. R' ibn Shuiv adds: It is not an excuse to claim that one has no ability to study Torah. We learn in our parashah that an inexpensive korban minchah / meal offering can be as "sweet-smelling" to Hashem as an expensive animal offering. What counts is not how "big" one's offering or Torah study is, but rather how much of himself he puts into it. (Derashot R"Y ibn Shuiv) ******** "The kohen who performs [the] sin-offering service shall eat it." (6:19) Rashi z"l comments: Only a kohen who was fit to perform the service, i.e., he was not tamei, at the time of the sprinkling of the blood, may eat from that particular sacrifice. However, the verse cannot mean that only the kohen who performs the service for a particular sacrifice may eat of the sacrifice, for we read below (verse 22), "Every male from among the kohanim may eat it." R' Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin z"l (rosh yeshiva and rabbi of Volozhin, Russia; died 1892) asks: Why then does the Torah imply that only the kohen who sprinkled the blood may eat of the sacrifice? He answers: The Torah is teaching that that particular kohen has a greater duty to eat from the sacrifice. Why? Because one who begins a mitzvah should see it through to its conclusion. And, since our Sages say that the one who brings a sacrifice attains atonement when the kohanim eat of it, the eating is an important part of the mitzvah. (Ha'emek Davar) ******** Pesach The Talmud Yerushalmi (Pesachim 10:1) states that the four cups of wine at the seder parallel the four mentions of a "cup" in Parashat Vayeishev (Bereishit 40:11 and 13). What is the significance of this parallel? Furthermore, asks R' Yitzchak Arieli z"l (mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivat Merkaz Harav and author of the Talmud commentary Enayim La'mishpat), is there not a fifth mention of a cup in Parashat Vayeishev (Bereishit 40:21)? He explains: The first four mentions of a cup in that parashah are in a dream, while the fifth is "for real." We read in Tehilim (126:1), "Shir ha'maalot / A song of ascents, when Hashem will return the captivity of Zion, we will have been like dreamers." When the redemption comes, the joy will be so great and so palpable that all of the suffering of the four oppressions in our history (at the hands of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, respectively, the last of which continues to the present) will recede into the background as if it was only a bad dream. This is what the four cups in the butler's dream allude to. The fifth cup, the one that was "for real," is the cup of Eliyahu Hanavi, the cup of the ultimate redemption. (Quoted in Haggadah Shel Pesach Gedolei Yerushalayim p. 56) ******** "These are the ten plagues which Hashem brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt." (Pesach Haggadah) R' Chaim Palagi z"l (1788-1868; rabbi of Izmir, Turkey) asks: What is the purpose of the seeming redundancy, "upon the Egyptians in Egypt"? He explains: The phrase "in Egypt" refers to Egyptians of prior generations who had oppressed Bnei Yisrael, but had since died and been buried. They, too, experienced the plagues. Conversely, the Bnei Yisrael of prior generations, including the twelve sons of Yaakov and their children, who had since died, shared in the Exodus, for their remains were taken out of Egypt. This is why we find the juxtaposition of the verses (Shmot 6:13-14), "Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded them regarding Bnei Yisrael and regarding Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to take Bnei Yisrael out of the land of Egypt. These were the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuven . . ." (Peninei Rabbeinu Chaim Palagi Al Haggadah Shel Pesach p.250) ******** "Who knows one?" (Pesach Haggadah) What is this song meant to teach? The Gemara states that the techelet of the tzitzit is meant to remind a person of G-d's "throne" in the Heavens. R' Gedaliah Schorr z"l (1911- 1979; rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vo'daas) was asked: Is this not far- fetched? He answered that it depends where a person's thoughts are. One who regularly thinks of spiritual matters will indeed be reminded of G-d's throne when he sees techelet. In a similar vein, the Gemara says that one who looks at certain items will think immoral thoughts. This latter Gemara, said R' Schorr is referring to a person whose thoughts are regularly occupied with such matters. Based on this idea, R' Avraham Schorr shlita (rabbi in Brooklyn, N.Y.; son of R' Gedaliah Schorr) explains: The seder is meant to elevate us to the point that we occupy out thoughts with spiritual matters. At the end of the seder, we test ourselves by playing a game of "association." "Who knows one?" Hopefully we answer, "One is G-d." "Who knows two?" Hopefully we answer, "Two are the luchot." And so on. (Haggadah Shel Pesach Halekach Ve'halibuv p.212) ******** This Week in History, Halachah, and Minhag 9 Nissan 5729 (1969): R' Aryeh Levin z"l, known as the "Tzaddik of Yerushalayim" and also as the "Prisoners' Rabbi" (for his work with prisoners), passed away at the age of 84. Anticipating that his funeral would be well-attended, R' Levin had long expressed concern about the loss of Torah study that would result. In the end, he died on a day when yeshivot traditionally are closed for intersession. (Luach Davar B'ito p.703) Shabbat Hagadol: In Eastern Europe, some had the custom to wear weekday clothes on this Shabbat in order to keep their better clothes clean for Yom Tov. (Luach Davar B'ito p.704) Some chassidim have the custom to eat the last of the mishloach manot for kiddush on this Shabbat. (Luach Davar B'ito p.705) On this day in 5151 (March 15, 1391), anti-Jewish riots broke out in Seville, Spain. The riots culminated in the massacre of 4,000 Jews in Seville on June 6, 1391. The pogroms also spread to other Spanish cities and led to the beginning of the phenomenon of Marranos / secret Jews. 10 Nissan: According to one opinion, today is the birthday and yahrzeit of Avraham Avinu. (Luach Davar B'ito p.705) On this date, Miriam Ha'neviah, the sister of Moshe and Aharon, passed away. (Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 580:2) One year later on this date, Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, and the mitzvot of challah, orlah and chadash became obligatory for the first time. (Seder Ha'dorot) 15 Nissan 3833 (73 C.E.): Fall of Massada. Shabbat Chol Ha'moed: R' Yaakov Segal Moellin z"l (died 1427) used to say: "There is no more pleasurable Shabbat than Shabbat Chol Ha'moed, for it close to Yom Tov on both sides, and it is itself a festival." (Sefer Maharil) 20 Nissan 4798 (1038): R' Hai Gaon z"l passed away at the age of 98. R' Hai's yeshiva was in Pumbedita (today Fallujah, Iraq). His death marked the end of the era of the Geonim and the transfer of the center of Torah learning from Bavel (Babylon) to Spain, France and North Africa. 21 Nissan 2488 (1272 B.C.E.): On this date, Moshe Rabbeinu hit the rock at Mei Merivah and was told that he would not enter Eretz Yisrael. (Luach Davar B'ito p. 892) [This dating follows the view of Seder Ha'dorot, citing Tosafot, that Bnei Yisrael remained in the desert an additional 40 years after the sin of the spies, for a total of 41 years. According to Rashi, this event would have occurred a year earlier.]