Close To Torah

Ohr Somayach is proud to offer this year’s  Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Special Edition of Ohrnet. With great essays, Q/A and halachic overview it is a tremendous asset to help make the most out of this time of year.

For the free download please click: http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/4887?showobject=1

Enjoy and best wishes for a K’siva V’Chasima Tova!

Parshas Behar opens as G-d says to Moshe, “Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them: When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall observe a Sabbath rest for Hashem.”

G-d then clearly spells out the details of this Sabbatical year saying: “For six years you may sow your field and for six years you may plow your vineyard; and you may gather in its’ crop.”

I’d like share with you a fascinating discourse from the Chassidic Rebbe of Kamarna in whose Shul I have the privilege of davening at daily.

The Connection between Shemittah and Mount Sinai

Rashi in his commentary addresses the connection between Shemittah and Mount Sinai. Rashi explains, just as we see that all the details and laws pertaining to Shemittah were related at Mount Sinai – so too, all the details and laws of the rest of the entire Torah were related on Mount Sinai as well.

This can be explained deeper. Let’s examine one more point as well.

In the verses above, we find the keywords, ‘vineyard’ and ‘crop’ referring to wheat. Why did the Torah single out these two?

The Tree of Knowledge

The first sin – and source of all subsequent sins – was that of the Tree of Knowledge from which Adam and Eve partook against the instructions of G-d. The famous Kabbalist, the Arizal writes that had Adam only waited for Shabbos – he would not have sinned as the Tree of Knowledge would then have been permitted to him.

Why is this so? What is so special about Shabbos that would have made the Tree of Knowledge permissible to Adam and Eve?

Explains the Rebbe of Kamarna, that Shabbos is a day of only good. There exists no bad or evil on the holy day of Shabbos. Thus, come Shabbos, the Tree of Knowledge – normally prohibited during the week – would have been permitted as the ‘negativity’ present during the week would have been negated by the intrinsic good of Shabbos.

Shabbos and it’s Connection to the Tree of Knowledge

There are 39 primary categories of Melacha – prohibited labor – regarding Shabbos. One of the many categories is that of Borer – separating bad from good.

The Arizal, continuing on the theme that we’ve expressed above, explains that this is the rationale behind the prohibition of Borer. On Shabbos, there is no such thing as good and bad. Only good exists as it is a day of complete goodness.

Thus, we are prohibited from separating something that is seemingly ‘bad’ from good. Rather, Our Sages proscribed a permitted fashion – allowing us to remove the good from bad. For example, the chicken from the bone, and not vice versa.

So had Adam ate from the Tree of Knowledge on Shabbos, the bad would have been non-existent nullified by the intrinsic good. By doing so during the regular week, good and evil became eternally intertwined setting the stage for Man’s unique mission in this world: Seeking out the good in a world laden with evil.

The sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge infringed on the sanctity and symbolism of that first Shabbos as well as those to come.

Let us now address the second point we raised: In the verses above, we find the keywords, ‘vineyard’ and ‘crop’ referring to wheat. Why did the Torah single out these two?

As we know, there are several forms of days of rest in Judaism. We have Shabbos, Shemittah and Yovel – the seventh year agricultural sabbatical and the 50th year jubilee upon the completion of the seven, seven year cycles..

Based upon this, writes the Rebbe of Kamarna, we can explain that Shemittah serves as the mechanism with which to atone for the sin of the Tree of Knowledge.

By resting on the Shabbos, a day of good, we atone for the sin of the Tree of Knowledge in which bad and good were mistakenly intertwined.

Shemittah, Shabbos and the Tree of Knowledge are all related. Shemittah and Shabbos are both days of rest which atone for the sin of the Tree of Knowledge.

This is why the Torah chose to write the ‘vineyard’ and your ‘crop’. Based upon the Talmud in Berachos 40a and the commentary of the Tikunei Zohar, we know that the Tree of Knowledge was both a grape tree as well as a wheat plant. Hence, the choice of the Torah’s words.

By observing Shemittah by refraining from working in your vineyard or with your crops, one atones for the sin of the Tree of Knowledge.

This is also alluded to in Rashi’s commentary on the verse “…When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall observe a Sabbath rest for Hashem.”

Shemittah atones for the desecration of the first Shabbos as Adam did not wait to eat from the Tree of Knowledge as G-d had in fact instructed him.

Let us internalize the message of Parshas Behar. Through the observance of the Shabbos and Shemittah we can rectify the source of sin as we strive to complete our task in this world, seeking out the good in a world laden with evil.

Good Shabbos!

This week’s Parsha, Parshas Behar, begins with a very surreal scene. G-d speaking to Moshe on Mount Sinai itself. Could one imagine a more powerful set?

G-d says to Moshe, “Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them: When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall observe a Sabbath rest for Hashem.”

G-d then clearly spells out the details of this Sabbatical year saying: “For six years you may sow your field and for six years you may plow your vineyard; and you may gather in its’ crop.”

However, the subsequent verses continue…

“But the seventh year shall be a complete rest for the land a Sabbath for Hashem; your field you shall not sow and your vineyard you shall not prune…it shall be a year of rest for the land.”

Let us discuss what exactly this Sabbatical year is, what it symbolizes and what the significance of it’s juxtaposition with the Jewish nation’s entry to the land of Israel teaches us.

Shemittah: The Sabbatical Year 101

As the Torah teaches us, Shemittah has a very unique set of laws pertaining to farming and agriculture. In Judaism, we have a seven year agricultural cycle. Moreover, this seven year cycle is in fact part of a larger 50 year cycle – seven, seven year cycles followed by the 50^th year Yovel, or Jubilee year.

During the sixth year, a farmer was permitted to work the field as normal. Come the seventh year, it was off limits as far as working the field was concerned. However, preceding Shemittah, there was a special blessing for a bumper crop, promised by G-d, that would ‘compensate’ for the farmer’s abstention from work during the seventh year.

The late Chassidic master, the Sfas Emes, beautifully explains Shemittah’s symbolism. By resting during the seventh year, one demonstrates that the primary force behind his agricultural success in not that of nature, but in fact that of the Master of the Universe, G-d.

By leaving one’s field fallow, one takes the bold step of demonstrating that our lives are not one of material pursuits but one of spiritual growth. By taking this leap of faith of refraining from working the land, one is clearly declaring his priorities and values in this world and in his service of his Creator.

Shemittah and the Land of Israel

The legendary Alshich in his commentary writes that the Torah intentionally related the observance of the Shemittah year to that of the nation’s arrival in the land of Israel. In the aforementioned verse, G-d tells Moshe, “…. When you come into the land that I give you…”.

A person generally feels at home on his own land. He has natural feelings of ownership and dominance. This is especially true of a farmer who puts his sweat and toil into working the land.

By stating the words, “…that I give you..”, G-d was teaching us – it is G-d to whom the land truly belongs. We work the land, yet the success of our efforts is attributable not to our keen instincts or our acumen, but to G-d’s blessing and divine assistance.

Shemittah is a time when we step back and recognize that important lesson.

Shemittah and Mount Sinai

The Mitzvah of Shemittah is one of the many proofs that G-d himself authored the Torah. This can be seen, explains the Chasam Sofer, through the fact that the verses guarantee a bumper crop in the year preceding Shemittah to last the three years until the next crop will be available for harvest.

What human author could make such a promise and run the great risk of being proved a fool?

Only G-d, Master of the Universe, could make such a guarantee.

Parshas Behar and Shemittah teach us the importance of stepping back from the intensity of our daily lives to recognize the source of our countless blessings and achievements.

While the laws of Shemittah pertain only to the lands and produce of Israel, Jews living in the Diaspora can still harness and utilize this timely message of the Torah to make an concerted effort to ensure that we do our best to give credit where credit is do, not tout our human capabilities and to recognize that everything is a blessing from the One Above, Our Creator.

Best wishes for a wonderful Shabbos!

Bonus:

To read an inspiring story of a Shemittah bumper crop miracle in modern times, click here:

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=13933

To learn more about a charity in Israel assisting farmers during the Shemittah year, click here:

http://www.shviis.com/

Ohr Somayach is proud to offer our new Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Handbook as part of our Holiday Handbook series. With great essays, Q/A and halachic overview it is a tremendous asset to help you make the most out of this time of year.

To download please click: http://ohr.edu/roshbook/

Enjoy and best wishes for a K’siva V’Chasima Tova!

As this week is a double Parsha, I proudly present you with two short and sweet thoughts for your reading and spiritual pleasure. As always, I look forward to hearing your feedback!

Wet Paint

“Hashem spoke to Moshe after the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they approached before Hashem and they died.”

Rashi in his commentary explains why did the Torah juxtapose the death of Aaron’s two sons with the commandment restricting Aaron’s entry into the Holy of Holies?

The great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Elazar Ben Azariah answers this question with a striking parable. A sick person once went to see a doctor. The doctor told him, “Don’t eat cold food or sleep in a damp place.” The sick man went to get a second opinion and was told by the new doctor, “Unless you avoid cold food and damp places you will die as so and so died.”

This sick man, writes Rabbi Elazar, was surely affected more from the second doctor’s warning then the first. Why? Because the doctor drove home the consequence and showed him what happened to a friend of his who didn’t heed his instructions.

Thus, in light of the tragedy, Hashem wanted to convey to Aaron the restriction of entering the Holy of Holies. Yes, Aaron could have been told that there was a death penalty should he transgress Hashem’s commandment – however, having just witnessed the divine punishment for the very same sin, such a warning was much stronger.

We can draw a parallel between this thought and wet paint. How many of us have seen a sign which reads, ‘WET PAINT’ and have gone ahead and touched it anyway? Why didn’t we just believe what the sign says and stay clear?

The lesson is clear. We learn more from our mistakes – as well as from the mistakes of others – then from simply being told that something is a given.

People often feel that they can beat the system or be the exception to the rule. It’s only when they witness the consequence or learn of someone else’s failure that they realize their mistake. This is what Rashi is teaching us. Realize what has happened and avoid the wet paint.

The Red Line

“You shall not steal, you shall not deny falsely, and you shall not lie to one another. You shall not swear falsely by my name…”

Rashi sheds insight into the succession we find in the above verse as it goes from theft to denial to lying to false swearing. This order he explains, is how the human mind works. Once a person crosses the line and sadly allows himself to sin – it’s all downhill from there.

First comes the sin itself. The sinner then begins to rationalize the act committed. He then may go as far as denying that it ever took place!

This is why we must be so careful and avoid any misstep in our spiritual lives. As our Sages teach us, “One Mitzvah leads toward another Mitzvah.” So too, when it comes to transgressions, one sin can be the harbinger of another. By exhibiting care and caution, we can avoid the ‘red line’ and prevent ourselves from starting a harmful chain of misdeeds.

With Pesach just around the corner, stop cleaning (momentarily, that is) and download the revised Ohr Somayach Pesach Handbook today.

With inspiring articles, Halacha and Q/A, it will surely enhance your Pesach.

Mothers, it even has an article about cleaning!

To download click here: www.ohr.edu/pesachbook

Best wishes for a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!

With Purim right around the corner, stop what you are doing and quickly download this amazing, all new Purim Handbook from Ohr Somayach. It’s free, and now available in B/W and color!

To download it click here: www.ohr.edu/purimbook/

Best wishes for a Happy Purim!

Best wishes for a Great Shabbos and a happy Tu B’shvat!

This shiur is given by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair, Lecturer at Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem.

As you sip your morning ‘Joe’, sit back and listen to this inspiring audio clip and learn about Judaism and the art of Espresso machine maintenance.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Here is  a link to the Ohr Somayach website:    www.audio.ohr.edu/track/id=1346

In dramatic fashion, US President Barak Obama made a whirlwind visit lasting only fifteen hours – six hours longer then originally planned. His goal: to broker a new deal that would set stricter standards on emissions and pave the way for a greener world. If you read the news reports, you will be surprised to learn that his brief participation at the conference was marred by miscommunication, a constantly changing schedule and political swaggering by the Chinese delegation – obviously not too happy with Obama’s insistence on their cutting back on air pollution.

When the dust settled, quite literally – and the President was already back in Washington, they agreed on a deal he helped broker – though it was not exactly what he had originally hoped for. Now, I hear you asking – “What on earth (pun intended) does this have to do with Judaism?”

Well, here we go.

Our Sages teach us that all beginnings are difficult. Change does not come easy. This holds true in both our spiritual and material lives. It requires constant effort, persistence and determination. By pursuing our goals with vision and the proper focus that is required will we succeed.

In an age of modernity, where everything revolves around spontaneity – we are always seeking the quick fix. TV dinners, instant soups and takeout – the list just goes on. To an extent this is all good. There is nothing wrong with throwing something in the microwave after a hard day’s work or when in a rush. However, is this the ideal? Would a caterer serve frozen TV dinners at a lavish wedding?

No! (I hope not.) There are situations where the need for a quick fix arises. Most of the time however, we just need to put in the effort and do what is required of ourselves. Climate change, an issue that’s hotly debated and of great importance – perhaps a bit more time on the ground could have been spent trying make it work.

Spirituality is not something that we can ‘charge up’ on – G-d forbid -   at Shul on Shabbos. It’s a constant process of devotion and sincerity. Our Sages warn us to take steps that ensure that we don’t fulfill the Mitzvos merely out of rote. They are part and parcel of our daily living. We don’t just try and fulfill our obligations; we give it our all and seek the path of becoming close to Hashem – and Close to Torah!

Good luck!