Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Chayei Sarah Volume VIII/Number 5 (340) 22 Cheshvan 5754/November 6, 1993 Rashi learns from the first verse of the parasha that all of Sarah's years were equally good. Rabbi Akiva taught that Queen Esther merited to rule over 127 provinces because of Sarah's 127 years of righteousness. The Arvei Nachal asks (among other questions): How does the reward fit the deed -- Sarah's righteous years came one at a time while Esther ruled over 127 provinces at once? The author explains that in Heaven time does not exist. It is only when Hashem sends His sparks of holiness to us below that He must divide them according to units of time so as not to overwhelm us. This is why we have different types of events: Shabbat, shemittah, yovel, etc. A tzaddik who is great enough can rise to a level that is above time. Moshe, for example, was able to see all of history because he achieved that level where Hashem's light did not have to be divided into day or year-size units. Moshe was above time. [Perhaps this is how he was able to go forty days on Har Sinai without eating.] This is what Rashi means by Sarah's days being equally good -- the holiness with which Sarah infused each of her days influenced every other day as well. Our question on Rabbi Akiva's teaching is thus answered as well. ************************************ "And Avraham was old, coming along in days..." (24:1) -- With all of the troubles that Avraham experienced, he might have become old before his time. However, his faith in Hashem prevented this. Avraham did not age until he was actually "coming along in days." ************************************ As we read this parasha, we are struck by Avraham's complete confidence that Eliezer would succeed in bringing a wife for Yitzchak from Charan. How could he be so sure? R' Yitzchak of Volozhin explains with a parable: A poor villager was supported for some time by his rich cousin. One day that benefactor told his cousin, "Move near me so that I can support you more easily and you will not waste money travelling back and forth." The poor man followed his cousin's advice and brought his family to the big city. Sometime later, the poor man's son reached marriageable age, but the poor man did not seem concerned about this. In response to queries he explained, "Were I back in my village, I would have no trouble marrying off my son. Now that my cousin took me away from that village, it's his responsibility to find my son a bride." This is what Avraham said: Hashem took me away from my family and home, where I would have had no trouble marrying off my son. Now it is Hashem's responsibility to find Yitzchak's bride, and I know that He will. (Peh Kadosh) ************************************ Rashi (25:6) explains that the difference between a wife and a concubine is that the former gets a "ketubah" (marriage contract) and the latter does not. Why is this document called a "ketubah" and not simply a "ketav"? (Both words mean a "writing.") R' Elimelech of Rudnick notes that Chazal teach that G-d rests in the midst of a married couple. The word "ish" (man) contains the letter "yud"; the word "ishah" (woman) contains a "heh." Together, these letters spell Hashem's name. However, this is only Hashem's short name. How can Hashem's full Name be brought into a marriage? With the two letter difference ("vav" and "heh") that is between "ketav" and "ketubah." ************************************ Laws of Shemittah (based on R' Tikochinski's Sefer haShemittah; not for practical application) This shemittah year began (as the shemittah always does) on the first day of Tishrei (i.e., Rosh haShanah). However, in certain rare cases we can rely on the minority view that some aspects of shemittah do not take effect until Tu b'Shvat. In the time of the first Temple, when the laws of shemittah had the stringency of Torah law -- today they have only the stringency of rabbinic law -- many laws of shemittah took effect even before Rosh haShana. For example, an orchard could not be plowed after Shavuot; a wheat field could not be plowed as early as Pesach of the year before shemittah. Even though it was permitted last year to work the fields right up until Rosh haShanah, anything which was planted in the ground should have been given enough time to take root in the sixth year. For trees, this is presumed to be 44 days; for vegetables, 14 days. This first day of Tishrei has another significance. Anything which grows in shemittah is exempted from the laws of "ma'aser" (tithes). However, if grain, legumes, or fruits reached the stage before Rosh haShanah where the obligation to take ma'aser applied to them, then ma'aser must be taken even if they are harvested in the seventh year. When they are harvested, one may do so in the normal manner, and need not use the special harvest techniques required for shemittah produce. On the other hand, if these items were too immature on Rosh haShanah for the obligation of ma'aser to take effect, then no ma'aser need be taken. As for ma'aser on vegetables, it is the harvest date, not their size on Rosh haShanah, which matters. An etrog is in a class by itself: it can be the fruit of the sixth year for ma'aser purposes and of the seventh year for shemittah purposes at the same time. (The etrog of shemittah will be discussed again, later in the year, as special problems arise when buying an etrog for the holiday after the shemittah.) ************************************ R' David Shlomo Eyebschutz born 5515 (1755) - died 22 Marcheshvan 5574 (1813) R' David Shlomo Eyebschutz of Soroka was one of the great scholars among the early chassidic personalities. Not only is his Levushei Serad printed in the standard editions of the Shulchan Aruch, many European Rabbis would not give "semichah" (ordination) to a student who was not intimately familiar with R' David Shlomo's work. As popular as Levushei Serad became in the field of halacha, so R' David Shlomo's Arvei Nachal was in the area of chassidut. In that work, a Torah commentary, the author -- a member of chassidism's fourth generation -- quotes many of the chassidic masters who preceded him. R' David Shlomo himself was never a chassidic rebbe. He was rather, a practicing Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva in a number of cities. In 1809, he settled in Tzefat, Israel, where he died and is buried. [A d'var Torah from R' David Shlomo may be found on page 1 of this week's issue.] ************************************ R' Yissachar Dov Rokeach of Belz born 5614 (1854) - died 22 Marcheshvan 5687 (1926) R' Yissachar Dov, the third Belzer Rebbe, was one of the great Torah scholars of his generation, particularly in the obscure areas of "Kodshim" (the Temple laws) and "Taharot" (the laws of ritual purity and defilement). Thousands of paupers were fed at his table, and he supported hundreds of Torah scholars who learned day and night. During World War I, he was forced to wander from town to town, until he returned to Belz in 1925. (From 1921-1925 he resided in the home of R' Yisrael Vogel, whose grandson sponsored last week's issue of Hamaayan.) R' Yissachar Dov's influence in Galacia was beyond measure. Chassidim used to say, "The whole world journeys to Belz." One of those who made the trip was Sarah Schneirer, who founded the "Bais Yaakov" movement with the Rebbe's blessing. Before then, Jewish girls were educated at home to the best of their mothers' abilities. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Terumot 8:4-5 Kitzur 36:13-17 Gittin 61 Yerushalmi -- Challah 5 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this weeks Hamaayan is sponsored by: the Parness family, in memory of Max Parness, A"H ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible