Close To Torah

The Gemara in Berachos (8a) is famous for stating that immediately after the wedding they used to ask the Chosson about his wife: is she a mahtza (amazing person and gift from Hashem) or a mohtza (more bitter than death)?

The Commentators are puzzled by how we could allow such a question to be asked and what response is expected except in the positive?!

I believe that something very deep is being stated here. I would like to share a powerful story to illustrate my point.

A young man got married and shortly thereafter arrived in Rabbi Avraham Pam zt”l’s office with a laundry list of complaints against his new wife. He concluded his case by stating, “when I got married, I was told positively and I saw for myself that my Kallah was a Ba’alas Middos Tovos, a Yarey Shamayim and a true Bas Yisrael, what has changed?!

Rav Pam knew he could be frank with him, “I believe that you are right, she was all of those wonderful things. The only thing that has changed in the equation is that you entered her life. You need to work on helping her bring out all of her positive strengths and lovely qualities”. The Chosson walked out charged with a vital lesson and clear mission to carry out.

I believe that this is the exact reason that we question the Chosson right after his marriage. Every Chosson exudes happiness and excitement when describing his new wife. We want him to take note of her greatness and to dedicate himself to taking good care of her and bringing out those strengths. This in turn will lead to a happy and productive marriage together!

ויצעק משה אל ה’ לאמר אל נא רפא נא לה (יב:יג).

“Moshe called out to Hashem, ‘please Hashem, cure her’”! (12:13)

The very first Machlokes, argument between two valid rabbinical opinions, to ever take place has a tremendous lesson to teach us. The dispute was regarding smicha, whether one could lean on an animal (placing hands upon it to pronounce confession before offering it as a sacrifice) on Yom Tov. Bais Shamai maintained that it was prohibited and Bais Hillel allowed it.

The Gemara (Beitza 20b) tells the story that a student of Hillel came to the Bais HaMikdash on Yom Tov and began to do smicha as his Rebbi allowed. A student of Shamai attempted to start an argument and yelled, “מה זו סמיכה, what’s this smicha?!” The student of Hillel, wanting to end the confrontation, replied abruptly and walked away, “מה זו שתיקה, learn some silence!”

Abayeh then goes on to comment that we see from here, whenever one is insulted he may answer back the same amount as he was accused of….

Rabbi Shimshon Pinkus zt”l extrapolates upon this and explains the beauty of this lesson. When one is in an argument, human nature is to bring up all past complaints and grievances against the competitor. This in turn fuels the fire of discord even more. However, when one sticks to the topic of discussion and keeps the response relevant, one can prevent the fight from escalating. Rabbi Pincus points out that the gauge which shows whether one is taking a dispute too far is: how much he remains on topic. One that brings up past grievances is usually lacking in proper intent. If one pulls away the dam, and lets the insults fly, this shows evilness, instead of a constructive dialog. If one is upset with the mess on the table, is that reason to yell at the culprit and express to them every negative thought you ever felt about them from the day you met?!

I believe that a great lesson is expressed in our Parsha relating to this idea. Eldad and Maydad stated a prophesy which Yehoshua felt insulted the honor of Moshe. He felt that they should be quieted! The verse (11:26) which describes their prophesy, and thus the insult of Moshe, contains twenty words. The next two verses (11:26-7) which contain the response to the insult contain the exact same amount, twenty words!

There is more. At the end of the Parsha, Miriam spoke Lashon Hara, slander, against her brother, Moshe. The verse which describes this incident (12:1) contains exactly ten words. And now for the punch-line. Miriam was punished with Tzaras for her misdeed. When Moshe found out that Miriam had uttered words against him, he was entitled to offer her words of rebuke, he had ten words free! The next verse which describes Moshe’s response contains precisely ten words. It reads, “Moshe cried out to Hashem “Please Hashem, cure her!” A selfless and caring brother! That is how he chose to use his words!

One more beautiful addition to this is that it was here specifically that the Jews waited seven days before traveling further. They were waiting for Miriam to be allowed back into the camp. She got this reward as recognition for her kind deed of years ago when she waited near baby Moshe to ensure that he remained safe while floating in the Nile river. Why is this stressed here?

Human nature is that when someone does something against us, we forget about any good which they have ever provided us with. One would think that Miriam should be left alone at this point as a punishment for speaking against Moshe. We should forget about her good deeds toward Moshe. The Torah shows and stresses to us, that on the contrary, it is exactly at this time of distraction and disagreement that we strive to conjure up the integrity to recognize and thank those that deserve our gratitude. This is true greatness.

The manna is discussed in this week’s Parsha. Chazal (Yuma 75b) state that the manna was eaten in three different forms. The righteous people ate it in bread form. The average people ate it as cake and the evil people ground it up into liquid form.

Though my comment here is allegorical, it may have some Halachic basis as well. I know people who avoid washing and eating bread for fear of having to bentch. The commitment and responsibility is too daunting. I’m told that the official name of the fear is “benching-phobia” They can only handle having to make an Al Hamichya. The lowest level would be one that can only handle making a Borey Nifashos.

The Sdei Chemed states that the Jews made the blessing, “HaYoraid Lechem Min HaShamayim, Hashem brings down bread from Heaven” before eating the manna. The Gemara (Berachos 48b) states that Moshe authored the first paragraph of Birchas HaMazone to be pronounced on the manna.

I suggest that the Tzadikkim ate it as bread without fear of bentching! The average folks ate it as cake only requiring Al Hamichya. The Risha’im could only handle a liquid which would only require a Borey Nifashos!

Chazal teach us that when the Jews stood at Har Sinai their bodies were completely healed from any physical ailments which they had. The Sifrei states that as the Jews were building in Egypt their safety was compromised and a large percentage of people were badly injured and thus lost limbs, including arms, legs, sight and other bodily issues. They were all healed at Har Sinai.

What needs to be understood is why Hashem saw this healing a necessary. Was it an expression of love and perfection or was it something more? The Rambam’s opening words in Hilchos Talmud Torah states so eloquently, “everyone is obligated to learn Torah, young or old, whether he has a complete body or has maladies and defects…” This would have been a most powerful lesson for the Jews to gain!?

Rabbi Mordechai Miller zt”l explains that Hashem was teaching something even deeper. Learning Torah is the most unique experience in all of Judaism. Whereas, when we perform Mitzvos, he uses specific body parts to carry out the action, (his hands, feet, head or mouth,) learning Torah involves the entire body. Torah is a global experience! Hashem wanted to show the Jews this lesson for all generations. Torah must permeate your every fiber. Torah is meant to affect every cell in your construct. Therefore, He restored every body to be fully intact to show how far reaching Torah is.

It is for this reason that the Gemara (Eruvin) states that one who has pains anywhere in his body can relieve the pain by learning Torah. Torah permeates the body. May we merit to have Torah fill our essence!

איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר ליהוה (ו:ב).

“A man or woman who will separate themselves to become a Nazir for Hashem” (6:2).

The Ibn Ezra’s words on this verse are famous. The Torah uses the word “יַפְלִא, separate” because it contains the root “פלא, wonder, astonishment”. The Nazir committed himself to live with utter self-control! To find a human that separates himself from human desires is a complete wonder to behold!

I heard a beautiful development of this concept from my dear Rebbe, Rav Asher Zelig Rubenstein shlit”a. He explained that the wonder is twofold. To take control over one’s physical drives involves efforts on two fronts. One is to keep in check man’s innate physicality, his own body. The second is to not be influenced by negative physical surroundings and society distractions!

Man has two distinct fronts that must be conquered in his daily service of Hashem. First is the physical and luring surroundings which he lives in and second is his internal challenge of laziness and bodily desires which distract him from maximum performance.

Two famous Gemaros illustrate these two battles. First, the Gemara (Nazir 4a) tells of a man who accepted Nizerus upon himself in order to get his personal Yetzer Harah under control. He was striving to control his actual body. Second, the Gemara (Sotah 2a) states that one who sees the Sotah woman, should learn the lesson from her evil actions and separate himself from wine. She has done something promiscuous and perverted. She has made the norms of society to be one of sin and lust. Hence, to fight the negative influence, one proclaims himself a Nazir.

Indeed, this dichotomy has been pointed out so eloquently by the Ramchal (Mesillas Yesharim) to be based upon a Gemara. The Gemara (Megillah 24a) states, “Rabbi Yosse says, once I was walking in the dark of the night and I saw a blind man carrying a torch. I asked him, “my dear son, what is the light for”? He said to me, “true, I cannot see, however, as long as I carry this torch, other people tell me what pitfalls to avoid.”

The explanation is that man has two areas of blindness. One is that his body can be blind to truth and the second is that he is a dark world, which makes it hard to see truth. These are the two aspects of life that we can take control of.

The Nazir inspires us to commit ourselves to the goal of spiritual growth, we can raise above the shackles of our bodies and of world influences. We take the step, as wondrous as it is, to choose spirituality!

In counting the Jews, the Levi’im were counted from age one month and on. The Torah considers the Levi to be one who performs the service of Hashem from the youngest age!

Reb Moshe Feinstein points out that this is a lesson for our Chinuch, Torah education. The Levi is one who dedicates his life to Torah, as the Rambam writes that Levi represents the people whose life was totally entrusted in Hashem’s hands. They were the Torah leaders of Klal Yisrael. Rambam continues that any person who accepts upon himself to live as a Levi is capable of doing so and Hashem will take great care of him as well.

Reb Moshe says that we see the importance of Chinuch from the youngest age. One should not exclude a child from Torah study stating that he is too young! One should recognize that our young children are highly influenced and moved by watching our actions and attitudes towards Yiddishkeit.

Indeed, studies have indicated that children, even as young infants are able to pick up things and learn powerful scripting lessons from their surroundings.

No thought on this topic would not be complete without a most important clarification: It is never too late! Avraham Aveinu got his Bris at age ninety-nine so that no one should ever say, “I’m too old to change!”

Rabbi Avi Shulman states, people tell me that they can’t change because, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. My response is to recognize that we are humans, not ‘dogs’, and Torah, Mitzvos and Emunah aren’t ‘tricks’, they are fulfilling life goals!

May we merit to internalize the beauty of Torah and Mitzvos at any age that we chose to open our hearts and minds!

The Shlah HaKodesh writes that each Yom Tov ties into the Parsha which is read at the time that it falls out. What then does Bamidbar have to do with Shavuos and Kabbalas HaTorah?

Reb Moshe Feinstein explains that the theme of the Parsha and indeed the entire Sefer of Bamidbar is one of counting the Jews. Chazal call Sefer Bamidbar, ‘Chumash HaPikudim, the Book of Numbers’. This signifies that each person is important.

When one approaches Torah, the Yetzer Harah tries to convince him that he is not worthy or great enough to learn. Hence, the Torah comes to teach us that each person counts and has his special and individual lot in Torah.

The first words of the Parsha translate literally as, “lift up the heads of the Jews, i.e., count them”. The unusual terminology expresses our point precisely. Lift their spirits by showing them that they each count and are special!

Bamidbar’s lesson carries us into Shavuos. When we each look inside ourselves and reaffirm our commitment to Limud HaTorah. When we recognize how special and precious we are in Hashem’s eyes, this fuels our dedication to its maximum. May we all have a productive and inspirational Yom Tov!

Parshas Behar discusses the resting of the land, once every seven years and once every fifty years. I have always had the question of, what is the difference between Shmitah (the sabbatical year) and Yovel (the jubilee)? What is the lesson?

The Radvaz writes that the secret of Shmitah is that it represents “nullifying physicality” and Yovel is “nullifying the Ego”. Allow me to elaborate my take on this…

We live in a world that is physical and thus distracts us from spirituality. We strive to connect to Hashem and realize that His Will is the only reality and worthwhile pursuit. When one works hard to produce his livelihood, he can easily forget that it is Hashem who is truly providing for him. Shmitah asks one to rest from the land. Do not work or sell your produce. For people whose sole income came from their fields, this was the ultimate test of faith. Hashem promised that those that ceased to do business would be supported and provided for by Hashem. Hence, by stopping work, one showed that he was able to appreciate that his property and the world was null and void compared to Hashem’s request.

Yovel was even more difficult and telling. With every seven years being Shmitah, that makes year forty-nine Shmitah, followed immediately by Yovel in the fiftieth year! Two years in a row without planing, harvesting or business! This was the supreme test of faith! This separated the men from the boys. Does one really believe that Hashem is the only provider? Hence, Yovel was the nullification of all personal feelings and agendas and the full subjugation to Hashem. The ego was tamed and curtailed. Man subjugated himself fully to Hashem.

In truth, both Shmitah and Yovel serve to build Emunah, but they are successive levels. Shmitah is stage one and Yovel is even deeper and personal. In life there are always two stages, Chachmah, learning new raw knowledge and after that comes Binah, contemplating and making the knowledge a part of us. Shmitah is the knowledge that Hashem owns the world. Yovel is the most powerful deepening and application of this. First, nullification of material possessions and next nullification of the ego, the deepest recognition.

When the Kallah circles the Chosson seven times and they get married, this is exactly what’s happening. The seven circles represent Shmitah (7th year) and express an exclusiveness and nullification of the surroundings, there is nothing outside of us. Next, he marries her with a deceleration and ring. Marriage represents his connection to the woman, Binah (there are 50 Gates of Understanding!), and the nullification of personal egos with the goal of unifying and becoming one by connecting with Hashem….

Indeed, Yovel no longer applies nowadays, but the lesson and growth is available to be appreciated and lived.

The most famous words of Rashi at the beginning of Parshas Bechukosai state that Hashem demands that we be Amel, toil, to understand Torah. Much has been said here…

I have always found the words of the Shulchan Aruch on this topic to be most enlightening. It reads (OC 139:10), we state two Berachos before and after reading from the Torah. The second Beracha delineates the two parts of Torah.“Asher Nassan Lanu Toras Emes, Hashem gave us the Torah of Truth”, this refers to Torah Shebichsav, the Written Torah. “V’Chayeh Olam Natah B’Socheynu, eternal life, He planted within us”, this refers to Torah Shel Baal Peh, the Oral Law. They are both truth? And what does a plant have to do with anything?

The difference is that the Written Torah is the Chumash which was dictated by Hashem to Moshe. Its crowning feature is just that, its exact Divine essence. It is the total epitome and embodiment of Truth which all truth emanates from.

The Oral Law is the part which we study and extrapolate upon based on the rules of Torah study given to us at Sinai. Its main point is achieved through sweat and toil. Just as a tree must be nurtured and tended to in order to produce fruit, so too, only through toil and work will one produce results in Torah. This is why it’s referred to by the words, “growing plant”. True Amel yields delicious and most rewarding fruit.

This week’s Parsha is read on many Yomim Tovim, as it discusses (Shabbos and) all of the Jewish Holidays. It has always been fascinating to me to understand the exact difference in holiness and to define the goal of Shabbos vis-a-vis the goal of Yom Tov.

I hope that the following stimulating questions will lead to one unifying answer:

1- The Shulchan Aruch (OC 274:1) states that on Shabbos night, we make Hamotzi on two Challos, loaves of bread, and we cut and partake of the bottom one. On Shabbos day we cut the top one. On Yom Tov, by both night and day, we always cut the top Challah. What is going on here?

2- On Shabbos, we daven three different texts in Shmoneh Esrey. On Yom Tov, we daven the same text all three Tefillos (Atah Bechartanu). Additionally, the text of Shabbos seem to contain a fascinating progression. Each one of the prayers differs one from the next especially in the nuance of Viyanuchu… Bah, Boh, and Bam, and the Jews shall rest in it (Shabbos, expressed in female, male and plural form).

3- We often find the distinct term “Oneg” used in reference to Shabbos and “Simcha” by Yom Tov?

4- On Yom Tov we say the Yaaleh V’Yavoh prayer, why don’t we recite it over Shabbos?

5- The Ramchal in Derech Hashem (IV:7:5) states that Shabobs is more holy than Yom Tov. What does this mean?

6- Why is Mashiach’s time described a “Yom Shekulo Shabbos, the day which is an extended Shabbos”?

Rav Yitzchak Hutner (Pachad Yitzchok Shabbos 3:13) explains that in attaining understanding there are two levels. The first is to hear a novel and fresh portion of knowledge. The mind is highly stimulated and enjoys learning new ideas. The next stage is to digest and internalize the portion, only to finally conclude that although it may have never crossed one’s mind and thus originally appeared new, in truth, it is a simple and self-evident reality. Namely, one now understands and appreciates the simplicity of that given insight. At first it seemed novel and then in time it saturates and blends into one’s existence and outlook, taken in as a simple axiom.

Yom Tov brings us new understanding, it provides flashes of light throughout the year. Feelings and ideas catch our attention and inspire our hearts. Miscellaneous and alternating flavors of truth and beauty. Emunah, Hashgacha, Ahavah, Avodah, Yom Tov recharges us. Shabbos on the other hand is the time in which we develop these ideas even deeper and internalize them to the point that they become seen as utter simplicity. Yom Tov jolts and Shabbos settles. Shabbos is utter simplicity and in truth a deeper inculcation of the lessons of Yom Tov, thus it is the most holy.

Rav Dessler explains that the top Challah represents “mashpiah, giver/influencer” and the male polarity. The bottom Challah represents the female aspect of “mikabel, accepter/influenced”. Shabbos’s deep understanding must be developed, hence, it proceeds in gradual stages. On Friday night we show that we are only on the first stage, the lower Challah. As the day progresses and the Torah truths become more internalized and simplified, we graduate to the top Challah. This is why the three Shmoneh Esrey texts develop in stages. They go from female to male to unification. This is the goal and objective of Shabbos. On Yom Tov, we are automatically up to the top Challah when we start, as Yom Tov is a jolt of energy, not a progressive internal development. Its message is  available fully from the onset.

“Simcha” is used in reference to Yom Tov as it refers to new excitement and inspiration. “Oneg” refers to fulfillment brought on though deep contemplation and developed understating. This corresponds with the dual goals of the respective days.

Yaaleh VYavoh is said only on a day that “Yaaleh, elevation and spiritual stirring” is the goal. Shabbos is a day of rest, when the soul is inspired through the settlement of deep ideas into the heart! Shabbos is a day of Menucha, rest, internal peace.

Indeed, Mashiach is the time where all of the truth of Hashem will be evident to the world. The pieces of the mysterious and presently unfathomable world will all come together in self-evident and utterly simplistic truth. This is Shabbos. May we experience it soon.