Hamaayan/The Torah Spring
                      Edited by Shlomo Katz

                         Parashat Re'eh
                   27 Av 5753/August 14, 1993

                      From our archives....

   There are fifty-five Mitzvot in this week's Parasha, covering a
wide range of topics.  One of these is the prohibition to erase the
name of G-d.  This, writes Sefer HaChinuch, includes an injunction
against the destruction of anything that is associated with the
name of G-d (literally, "upon which the name of G-d is called")
such as a "Shul" or a "Sefer."  For this reason, it is customary
that every Shul have a depository for "Shaimot" (or "Shaimes" in
Yiddish) where people can dispose of old prayerbooks and other
texts.  [Note:  This page, as well, should be treated with, and
disposed of in the proper manner.]  Eventually, each collection of
"Shaimot" (literally, "names") is buried in a Jewish cemetery.

   Another Mitzvah in this Parasha is that animals be slaughtered
properly.  However, the Torah does not tell us how this is to be
done, stating instead that these laws are to be found in the Oral
Torah.  This is a conclusive refutation of those heretics who deny
the validity of the Oral Tradition.

   In those communities which follow the custom of reading a
chapter of Pirkei Avot on each Shabbat during the summer, the
selection for this week is chapter six.  Interestingly, this
chapter is not really part of the Mishnah, but is rather a
"Beraita" (Aramaic for "outside," i.e. a work contemporaneous with
the Mishnah but "outside" of it).  This is evidenced by the
chapter's introductory phrase, a sentence which will be discussed
here.  Its literal translation is:  "The sages taught [the
following] using the language of the Mishnah; blessed be He who
chose them [the sages] and their study."

   Two questions come to mind.  First, what attribute distinguishes
the teachings in this chapter that makes them like the language of
the Mishnah?  Second, why is this a special cause for praise of G-
d?
 
   Maharal explains as follows:  Pirkei Avot, whose principal
purpose is to teach man ethics, has five chapters corresponding to
the five books of the Torah.  The intention of that correspondence
is to remind the reader that perfecting one's ethical values is a
prerequisite to becoming a Torah scholar.  Having (hopefully)
accomplished that goal, Pirkei Avot ends with one chapter devoted
to singing the praises of the Torah (which this chapter does).

   Thus, continues Maharal, the purpose of this chapter from the
Beraita is actually to complete the thought begun by the Mishnah. 
It is appropriate, therefore, that this Beraita should be stated in
the succint and clear language of the Mishnah, unlike an ordinary
Beraita which contains many extraneous matters and interpretations
of verses.  [Incidentally, one of the reasons that some teachings
were placed in the Mishnah and others were left out (i.e. are part
of the Beraita) is that the Mishnah seeks to be as succint as
possible.]

   A person who studies Torah and takes to heart the ethical
lessons of Pirkei Avot will be a true "Chacham" (sage), and will be
worthy of Hashem's and our love.   Therefore, says Maharal, the
Mishnah observes, "Blessed be He who chooses [to love] them and
their study."  (Derech Chaim).

   R' Yitzchak of Volozhin (son of the famed R' Chaim of Volozhin)
notes that whereas the Mishnah is written in pure Hebrew, the
Gemara is written in Aramaic.  This Beraita which speaks of the
praises of the Torah is intentionally written in the pure language
of the Mishnah, because that is also the language in which the
Torah is written.  (Mili D'Avot).

   The "Lubliner Rav," R' Meir Shapiro, said:  It is understandable
that every Mishnah that teaches a Halacha should state the name of
its proponent [and if it doesn't, the Gemara does].  This is
because we cannot resolve a dispute between two sages unless we
know who is presenting each view.  However, asked R' Shapiro, why
is it necessary that each teaching in Pirkei Avot should be linked
to a specific sage; after all, these are ethical teachings of
universal applicability?

   The reason, explained the "Lubliner Rav" is that the Mishnah
wants us to know that each sage practiced what he preached.  Thus,
if one studies the Talmud, he will see that each sage behaved
according to the maxims found in his name in Pirkei Avot.

   This is what is meant by the statement that this chapter of
Beraita is in the language of the Mishnah.  Just as the Mishnah
states each teaching in the name of its author, so too does this
chapter of Beraita.  Furthermore, "Blessed be He who chose them and
their study," that is to say that the sages and their study go
hand-in-hand because each one lived up to his own teachings. 
(Mi'Maayanot Netzach).

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                          Tomer Devorah

                       R' Moshe Cordevero

   Tomer Devorah, authored by R' Moshe Cordevero of Tzefat, Israel,
is one of the best known of the Mussar classics written from a
Kabbalistic viewpoint.  The author (1522-1570) was the most
renowned Kabbalist in Tzefat in the generation preceding the
"Arizal" (R' Yitzchak Luria), quite an accomplishment in a time and
place which was said to have known the greatest concentration of
Torah knowledge in one location since the days of the Sanhedrin. 
R' Moshe's teacher in Kabbalah was his brother-in-law, R' Shlomo
Alkabetz (author of many works including the prayer/poem "Lecha
Dodi"), and R' Yosef Karo (author of Shulchan Aruch and numerous
other works) taught R' Moshe Talmud and Halacha.

   The purpose of Tomer Devorah is to explain the "Thirteen
Attributes of 'Rachamim'" (loosely translated "mercy"), and in
particular, to demonstrate how man can - and must - emulate each
one.  The structure of the work is based, not on the best known
version of the thirteen attributes (see Sh'mot 34:6-7), but on
Psukim in the book of Micha (7:18-20).  This is based on the
statement of the Zohar that the verses in Micha describe a higher
manifestation of the parallel verses in Sh'mot.  [An explanation is
obviously beyond the scope of this page.]

   In Tomer Devorah, "Ramak" (as the author is commonly known)
explains in Kabbalistic terms the effect of sin on the world.  In
essence, the spiritual fulfillment which we seek may be thought of
as a nut within a shell (in Hebrew, "Kelipah").  Every Mitzvah that
we do chips away a small piece of that shell, but, unfortunately,
every sin restores part of the Kelipah to its place.  Another point
that Ramak emphasizes is that the task of destroying all of the
"Kelipot" (the plural form) is impeded not only by sinners but by
their victims if the latter stand on ceremony and improperly
withhold forgiveness.

   In emulating Hashem, says Ramak, we must love even those who do
not appear worthy of our affection.  How can we achieve this?  The
prophets taught that when we sin, Hashem still loves us because He
remembers the "Days of Old," i.e. when our nation was born. 
Similarly, we should always remember that no matter how unworthy a
person seems, at least his parents love him.  This suggests that he
must have some redeeming qualities.

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           The learning schedule for this Shabbat is:

                          Kilayim 8:1-2

                        O.C. 660:2-661:1

                            Sotah 25

                     Yerushalmi - Terumot 40

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            The hard copy distribution of this weeks
                   Hamaayan is sponsored by :

                    Mr. and Mrs. S. Messinger
                 on the Bar Mitzvah of their son

                     Judy and David Marwick
            in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary
                    of Abe and Helen Spector

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