Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Tetzaveh-Purim "The Power of Words" Volume 24, No. 20 13 Adar 5770 February 27, 2010 Sponsored by Bert and Beverly Anker on the 6th yahrzeit of Bert's mother, Ida Anker (Chaya Feigel bat Yitzchak Nissan Halevi a"h) Eli, Galit, Rachel Adina, Daniel Avraham, Yonatan and Chana Rutstein in memory of uncle Oscar Rudsten, cousins Sherry Calef and Leon Samuel Rudsten, and close friend Dr. Lenny Schlossberg a"h Today's Learning: Nach: Yechezkel 15-16 Mikvaot 9:3-4 O.C. 431:2-432:2 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Sanhedrin 15 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Berachot 39 The Midrash Ha'ne'elam (quoted in Torah Shleimah) explains that Moshe Rabbeinu's name does not appear in our parashah because he said, after the sin of the Golden Calf (Shmot 32:32), "And now if You would but forgive their sin! -- but if not, erase me from Your book that You have written." Says the midrash: Moshe cursed himself conditionally, and Hashem in fact forgave Bnei Yisrael's sin as a result of his plea. Even so, he was erased from the lofty parashah in the Torah which speaks of the building of the mishkan. Moshe Rabbeinu's name should have been written in connection with every aspect and every mitzvah in this parashah, but it was erased. This teaches that the curse of a Torah scholar comes true even if it was uttered conditionally. [Until here from the midrash] R' Menachem Mendel Kasher z"l (1895-1983; prolific author of Torah works) explains, citing earlier commentators: Even though the verse quoted above appears in next week's parashah, it is a general rule that the Torah is not necessarily written in chronological order. Why was this parashah chosen as the one from which Moshe's name would be excluded? R' Kasher writes, again citing other works: Originally, Moshe, not Aharon, was to have been the Kohen Gadol. However, when Moshe refused to go to Pharaoh to demand Bnei Yisrael's freedom and he suggested that Aharon go in his place, Hashem said (Shmot 4:14), "The wrath of Hashem burned against Moshe and He said, "Is there not Aharon your brother, the levi?" He meant: Aharon would have been a levi, and you a kohen, but now it will be the reverse. Therefore, Moshe's name is omitted from the parashah that discusses the garments of the kohanim. Some, however, explain the absence of Moshe's name in our parashah as a sign of distinction. The parashah opens, "Now you shall command Bnei Yisrael . . ." Because this parashah is the conclusion of the description of the mishkan, Hashem wanted to give honor to Moshe by giving him a role in commanding Bnei Yisrael, without the usual introduction, "Hashem spoke to Moshe." (Torah Shleimah) ******** "For the sons of Aharon you shall make `kutonot'." (28:40) R' Eliyahu z"l (1720-1797; the Vilna Gaon) writes: From here we can learn that the jealousy of Yosef's brothers was the result of their fear that he alone would perform the avodah / sacrificial service. Thus they were jealous of his `kutonet' / the special garment that Yaakov gave him. (Commentary to Chad Gadya) ******** Purim The Gemara (Megillah 12b) and the Midrash Rabbah (Esther 7:13) both state that the reason that the Jewish People deserved to be destroyed at the hand of Haman was because they had enjoyed Achashveirosh's feast (described at the beginning of the megillah). This, however, requires explanation, writes R' Shmuel Brazovsky shlita (the Slonimer Rebbe in Yerushalayim). After all, the midrash states the Jews ate only kosher food and drank only kosher wine at the feast! Another question: The megillah (4:3) relates: "In every province, wherever the King's command and his decree extended, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, and weeping, and wailing; most of them lying in sackcloth and ashes." This indicates that there was morning, but there is no mention of prayer. There is not even a report that Mordechai prayed. Likewise, the megillah never says that the Jewish People repented. Why not? Finally, the megillah states (9:31) that the Jewish People were instructed "to establish these days of Purim on their proper dates just as Mordechai the Jew and Queen Esther had enjoined them, and as they had undertaken upon themselves and their posterity the matter of the fasts and their lamentations." What is the meaning of "and their lamentations" in this context? The Slonimer Rebbe explains: The midrash states that the Jewish People never experienced darker days than in the time of Haman. In what respect were those days so dark? The answer is found in the Gemara which relates that, at his feast, Achashveirosh wore the garments of the Kohen Gadol and displayed the vessels pillaged from the Bet Hamikdash. Achashveirosh was celebrating the fact that, according to his (mistaken) calculation, the prophecy of Yirmiyahu that the Jews' exile would last only 70 years had not been fulfilled. Thus, even if all of the food at the feast was glatt kosher, the fact that Jews could attend an event whose very essence was an insult to Jewish beliefs indicates that the Jews of that generation had sunk into the depths of spiritual darkness. A midrash relates that Haman told Achashveirosh that it was safe to destroy the Jewish People because their G-d was asleep. In fact, the Slonimer Rebbe explains, it was the Jewish People who were asleep; Hashem's relationship to us is merely a reflection of our relationship to Him, and He therefore appeared to be asleep (so-to-speak). Haman was from Amalek, about whom it says (Devarim 25:18 - read today as Parashat Zachor), "He `karcha' / happened upon you on the way." The word "karcha" implies coldness (from "kar"), teaching that Amalek attacks when the Jewish People's hearts are cold. Our Sages relate that Mordechai had pleaded with his generation not to attend the feast that was an insult to Jewish beliefs and history. However, the hearts of the Jews of that generation were so frozen shut, they were in such a deep spiritual darkness far removed from spirituality, so that they could not relate to the warnings of the tzaddik (Mordechai) in their midst and could not see anything wrong with attending since they were assured that the food would be kosher. This is why we read (Esther 4:1), "Mordechai knew of all that had been done; and Mordechai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes. He went out into the midst of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly." He did not cry to Hashem; he just cried, like the person described in the verse (Hoshea 13:8), "I will encounter them like a bereaved bear and rip open the enclosure of their heart." Mordechai's task was not to pray and not to induce the Jewish People to repent. It was more basic--to make them recognize that they were spiritually asleep; that their hearts were frozen shut. Our Sages state that, at the moment when Haman came to collect Mordechai for his parade around Shushan on the king's horse, Mordechai was studying the laws of the sacrifices with his students. Thinking that Haman was coming to kill him, Mordechai told his students to run, but they refused. What is the significance of this story? The Slonimer Rebbe explains that it demonstrates that the hearts of the Jewish People had thawed and they had awakened from their slumber. This is evident both from the fact that they were studying laws relating to the Bet Hamikdash and that they had become devoted to Mordechai, even to the point of risking their lives. Now we can understand the phrase, "and their lamentations" in the verse quoted above, the Slonimer Rebbe concludes. Our first task on Purim is to tear open our hearts with bitter cries over the deep spiritual slumber in which we find ourselves. Only then can we truly experience the love between us and Hashem which Purim represents. (Darchei Noam 5766) ******** "Two angels accompany a person home from shul on Friday night - one good and the other bad. When the person comes home and finds the candles lit and the table set, the good angel says, `May it be so next week as well,' and the bad angel is forced to say, `Amen'." (Shabbat 119b) R' Shalom Noach Brazovsky z"l (the Slonimer Rebbe; died 2000) asks: How can a "bad angel" accompany a person out of shul? We are taught that mitzvot create "good angels" and sins create "bad angels"! He explains: Shabbat has two aspects - "Zachor / Remember" (Shmot 20:8) and "Shamor / Observe" (Devarim 5:12). "Zachor" is an affirmative commandment. Specifically, it refers to reciting kiddush, but more generally, it includes all pleasurable aspects of Shabbat. "Shamor" is a negative commandment that enjoins us to not work on Shabbat. More generally, shamor demands that we uproot any bad that is within us. There is no question, writes the Slonimer Rebbe, that both of these approaches to Divine service have a place on Shabbat, but which is primary? This is a subject of dispute between the so-called good angel and the so-called bad angel. The former asserts that the primary means of serving Hashem is to do good, while the latter claims that the primary means of serving Hashem is to uproot bad. [He is called the "bad" angel because he is concerned with our bad deeds, not because he is bad.] This is what the Gemara is teaching: When the two angels enter the house and see the beauty of the Shabbat candles and of the set table, the "good" angel says, "You see! What could be more pleasing to Hashem than this? Let this person observe Shabbat in this way next week as well." And, seeing the radiance of the Shabbat table, even the "bad" angel is forced to admit that Zachor is indeed the most beautiful way of observing Shabbat. The Gemara (Shabbat 118b) states: "If one observes Shabbat properly, even if he committed idolatry, he will be forgiven." How so? We know that repentance motivated by true love of Hashem can eradicate any sin. Love is the feeling which leads one to do good, while fear is the feeling that leads one away from bad. Thus, this Gemara, as well, is teaching us to focus on the "do good" aspect of Shabbat. (Nesivos Shalom: Moadim p. 24)