Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Be'ha'alotecha Volume 24, No. 32 16 Sivan 5770 May 29, 2010 Sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Gershon Katz on the forthcoming marriage of their daughter Today's Learning: Nach: Tehilim 81-82 Tevul Yom 1:5-2:1 O.C. 487:4-488:2 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Sanhedrin 106 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Demai 32 The Midrash Rabbah connects the opening of our parashah, "Speak to Aharon and say to him, `When you kindle the lamps, toward the face of the menorah shall the seven lamps cast light," with the verse (Yeshayah 42:21), "Hashem desires for the sake of [man's] righteousness that the Torah be made great and glorious." What is the connection between the two? R' Moshe Gruenwald z"l (rabbi of Chust, Hungary; died 1909) writes: The Gemara (Shabbat 14b) states that when King Shlomo established the concept of an eruv [see below], a bat kol proclaimed the verse (Mishlei 23:15), "My son, when your heart becomes wise, then My heart, too, will rejoice." R' Gruenwald explains: According to Torah law, carrying outdoors on Shabbat is prohibited in certain types of places and permitted in other types of places. Subsequently, as a precaution lest one inadvertently violate a Torah prohibition, the Sages prohibited carrying in certain types of places where, according to the Torah, carrying is permitted. However, King Shlomo decreed that one could make an eruv to permit carrying in those places where the Sages had prohibited carrying. [In effect, building an eruv substitutes as a precaution.] Was G-d happy with this? One might argue that G-d is not happy that we are so lax in our performance of mitzvot that all of these extra precautions above-and-beyond the Torah's prohibitions are necessary. Says the Gemara: No! When King Shlomo established eruvin (plural of eruv), Hashem rejoiced. Why? Because, as the above verse states, "Hashem desires for the sake of [man's] righteousness that the Torah be made great [i.e., bigger]." When we add mitzvot (within proper guidelines), Hashem approves. Ramban z"l writes that the opening of our parashah hints that, in the future, the Sages would establish a holiday involving the menorah (i.e., Chanukah). It was for this new mitzvah that the midrash says that Hashem rejoiced. (Arugat Ha'bosem) ******** "Aharon did so; toward the face of the menorah he kindled its lamps, as Hashem had commanded Moshe." (8:3) Rashi z"l writes: This tells the praise of Aharon, that he did not act differently from what he was commanded. Commentators wonder: Would we have thought for a moment that Aharon would have deviated from G-d's commandment? R' Dov Kook shlita (Teveryah, Israel) explains: At the end of last week's parashah, we read about the offerings brought to the dedication of the mishkan by the Princes of the Tribes. One component of their offerings was ketoret / incense. Ordinarily, ketoret may not be donated by an individual; it may only be offered on behalf of the tzibbur / entire nation. However, G-d made an exception and told Moshe to accept their offering. In essence, the Princes obtained a "spiritual high" in a manner that required a waiver of the Torah's laws. Not so Aharon. He did not deviate. He is praiseworthy because he was able to feel just as accomplished doing exactly what the Torah commands. (Zvi Kodesh) R' Eliezer Dovid Gruenwald z"l (1867-1928; Hungarian rabbi and rosh yeshiva) answers the above question: Most people find that their enthusiasm for mitzvot waxes and wanes over time. Not so Aharon; he performed the mitzvah of lighting the menorah day-in-and-day-out without losing any of the enthusiasm that he had felt the first time. (Keren Le'Dovid) ******** "Miriam and Aharon spoke against Moshe regarding the Cushite woman he had married . . . They said, `Was it only to Moshe that Hashem spoke? Did He not speak to us, as well?'" (12:1-2) "Hashem said to Moshe, `Were her father to spit in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? Let her be quarantined outside the camp for seven days, and then she may be brought in'." (12:14) R' Moshe Leib Shachor z"l (1894-1964; Yerushalayim) writes that these verses shed light on the teaching of the Gemara (Yoma 86b) that repentance causes sins to be converted to merits. How so? He explains: Our Sages teach that Miriam's sin was that she criticized Moshe for separating from his wife. She said, "Was it only to Moshe that Hashem spoke? Did He not speak to us, as well?" We have not separated from our spouses! Why did Moshe separate from his wife? The Gemara (Shabbat 87a) explains that Moshe reasoned, using a kal va'chomer / an a fortiori argument, as follows: If Bnei Yisrael had to separate from their spouses for three days before Matan Torah even though that was a one-time revelation and even though that revelation was scheduled to occur at a known time, then certainly I, to whom Hashem can appear repeatedly, at any time, and without warning, must separate from my wife. Miriam failed to recognize this kal va'chomer. What happened? She became the subject of a kal va'chomer herself. "Were her father to spit in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days?" Therefore, since Hashem was angry at her, certainly "let her be quarantined outside the camp for seven days." In fact, the Gemara (Bava Kamma 25a) cites our verse as the source in the Torah for the legitimacy of a kal va'chomer argument. [Furthermore, the Gemara derives details from here regarding the mechanics of a kal va'chomer, particularly the limitation known as "dayo," which prevents the outcome of the kal va'chomer from being more stringent than the starting point. If not for the rule of dayo, one might have argued as follows: "Were her father to spit in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days?" Therefore, when Hashem is angry at her, let her be quarantined outside the camp for fourteen days.] What was Miriam's error? She failed to apply a kal va'chomer. What was the result of her repentance? [It can be presumed that, being a righteous woman, she repented fully.] She became, in effect, the paradigm from which we learn about kal va'chomer. This illustrates how a sin can become a merit. Another example: In Shmuel II (chapter 24), we read that King David erred by counting the Jewish People. Because of his sin, a plague ensued. As related there, and explained further by our Sages, once King David repented, it was that very plague which ultimately led to his discovery of where the Bet Hamikdash should be built. (Koach Ha'teshuvah p.17) ******** "The man Moshe was exceedingly humble . . ." (12:3) The mussar classic Orchot Tzaddikim (by an anonymous 14th century author) writes at length about avoiding ga'avah / haughtiness and practicing anavah / humility. Among other things, he states: The proper way [to act] is: Pray with kavanah at length [Ed. note: i.e., this is not a sign of haughtiness]; instruct others to do good and warn them not to do bad; and do good both publicly and privately. If one is honored or praised for this, this cannot harm him, for it was not his intention when he did the deed to receive praise. When you do a good deed, examine yourself to see from whom you expect to receive reward. If from G-d, it is a complete deed, but if from man, it is not. Also examine whether this [good] deed that you are doing in public is something that you would do even in the privacy of the innermost room of your house. If so, then your deed is a complete one. [But, if you are doing the deed only because others are watching, then it is not a complete deed.] (Orchot Tzaddikim: Sha'ar Ha'ga'avah) R' Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook z"l (1865-1935; Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael) writes: There is a desirable character trait called "hishtavut" / consistency or equilibrium. One who has perfected this trait cares nothing for praise or insults, not even to encourage him in his Divine service. He never feels any haughtiness such that he needs a reminder to bring him down to earth, nor does he ever feel the least bit "down" or lacking energy such that he needs the encouragement of others. This is, however, a very lofty trait which one does not achieve without first acquiring great spiritual acquisitions. (Orot Hakodesh Vol. III p.246) ******** Oneg Shabbat R' Yeshayah Halevi Horowitz z"l (the Shelah Ha'kadosh; died 1630) writes: Regarding oneg Shabbat, our Sages speak of one who is "who gives delight to the Shabbat," not one who is"who gives [himself] delight on Shabbat." One's intention should not be to give himself pleasure, but rather to do pleasurable things in honor of Shabbat. This is the meaning of the verse (Yeshayah 58:13), "If you proclaim the Shabbat a delight." Shabbat should be viewed like a very important guest for whom one prepares a feast far larger and more expensive than one would prepare for him or herself; not for one's own honor (as is evident from the fact that one does not eat that way when he is alone), but solely in honor of the guest. It follows that those who stuff themselves "like a horse, like a mule, uncomprehending" (based on Tehilim 32:9) and, as a result, fall into a deep slumber, are not giving delight to Shabbat; they are giving delight to themselves on Shabbat. Therefore, one should weigh his path carefully, and a wise man acts with foresight. The Shelah Ha'kadosh continues, quoting R' David Avudraham z"l (14th century): This is the revealed reason [as opposed to additional esoteric reasons] for why Hashem commanded us to have three meals on Shabbat. One who knows that he will have to eat another meal later on the same day will not gorge himself. On the other hand, one who does not expect to eat again will eat to excess and will sleep and neglect Torah study and attaching himself to Hashem. Shabbat is holy, and it is a time to attach oneself to holiness! (Quoted in Kuntres Matanah Tovah p.59) The Talmud Yerushalmi records the following dispute: Rabbi Chagai said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, "Shabbat and yom tov were intended for eating and drinking. The only reason that studying Torah is permitted on Shabbat and yom tov is because otherwise people would have nothing to do and would speak lashon hara." Rabbi Berechiah said in the name of R' Chiya bar Ba, "Shabbat and yom tov were intended only for studying Torah." The Yerushalmi concludes: Therefore, what should one do? He should designate time for Torah study and time for eating and drinking. (Ibid p.63)