Passover

The number of choices one must make when shopping in the modern day supermarket can be, at times, quite overwhelming. When purchasing a simple item like a bottle of shampoo I must decide if I want a strawberry or a kiwi fragrance, an organic or a GMO, one tested on animals or on me.

When it comes to the commandments of the Torah we made our choice at Har Sinai to make them an integral part of our life with the declaration of Naaseh V’Nishma. Yet when it comes to Shiurim - the correct measurements to fulfill the Mitzvos of the first night of Pesach - the range of opinions among the Poskim forces us to make some decisions.

The major issue that initiated the debate relates to the size of an egg. In essence the volume of an egg determines all the measurements of the night. We are told that to fulfill the Mitzvah of eating Matzah, or the rabbinic precept of Marror, we must eat an amount that is equivalent to the volume of an olive - a Kezayis. The Halachah notes that the method we use to assess the size of an olive is one in which we compare it to an egg. Some are of the opinion that an olive is half an egg in volume, others say it is a third.[1]

When it comes to the four cups of wine we are told that we must drink from a cup that holds a quarter of a measurement known as the Lug. The Lug is a measurement that contains six eggs. Thus a quarter of the Lug, known as a Revi’s, equals one and a half eggs. With this information in hand all we must do is go to the (overwhelming) supermarket, pick up an average egg, and through water displacement assess its volume. The above exercise was preformed by many and the outcome was that the average egg is about 1.9 ounces. Accordingly, my Kiddush or Pesach Seder cup should hold a bit less than three ounces. However as you already know, it ain't so simple.

The Talmud provides a formula that compares fingerbreadths to the Revi’s measurement.[2] The eighteenth century authority, Rav Yechezkel Landau, compared the two methods and found a discrepancy between the measurements based on eggs vis-à-vis fingers. He came to a conclusion that eggs of today are half the size of historical eggs.[3] As a result of his statement several authorities recommended that we double all measurements that relate to eggs. Accordingly, on the Seder night we must eat the volume of an egg to fulfill the eating of a Kezayis. Other authorities, among them Rav Chaim Volozhin[4], disagreed and continued measuring the Kezayis as half of an ordinary egg. One of Rav Yechezkel Landau’s disciples, Rabbi Elazar Flekels, who succeeded Rav Landau as Chief Rabbi in Prague, claimed that the discrepancy his master found was only because Rav Landau was “Taller than all the tall people.”[5] In other words, he had large fingers. Consequently the eggs never shrunk but rather the large physical dimension of his teacher’s fingers created the problem. Due to the complexity of the issue several authorities recommend that when dealing with a Torah law one should ideally use the measurement that assumes egg shrinkage.[6] Although the four cups of wine are rabbinic and thus a three ounce cup would suffice, when it comes to Friday night Kiddush a larger measurement would be required.[7]

When dealing with volume measurements for our cracker-like-Matzo we confront another problem; how do I measure its volume? Some have attempted to calculate the volume, with quite original techniques, and have translated their findings into weight measurements. Coupled with the shrinking egg problem, the results vary immensely. Some estimate the Kezayis to be thirty grams,[8] while others consider seven grams to suffice.[9] As noted, Poskim recommend that for eating the Kezayis Matzo that is Torah law, one should consider using a larger measurement.

The Shulchan Aruch[10] remarks that when eating our first portion of Matzo we should consume two Kezayis, one from the whole Matzo and one from the broken piece. Not all authorities agree with this statement.[11] Yet even those who want to perform it are not required to eat two egg volumes since this requirement is not Torah law. One egg volume would be sufficient.

To figure out the bottom line as to how much Matzo you should eat, ask your local Halachik authority. Many in Eretz Yisroel follow the opinion of the Steipler Gaon that twenty two grams should be consumed for a Torah law Kezayis, and for rabbinic requirements, like the Korech, eleven grams would do.[12]

May we all merit to debate and argue Halachah L’maase, the proper Shiur Kezayis of the Korben Pesach.

---

[1] OR”C 486:1

[2] Pesachim 109a

[3] Tzlach ad loc. RYL is not the first to note the problem see Tashbetz 3:33

[4] Kehillas Yaakov Pesachim 38

[5] Teshuva Meahava 3 page 68

[6] Misnah Berurah 486:1

[7] Mishnah Berurah 271:68 recommends at least 4 oz.

[8] Moadim Vezmanim 7:172

[9] Shiurei Torah p. 184

[10] 475:1

[11] See Biur Halacha , Orchos Rabeinu 2, p. 70

[12] Midos V'shiurei Torah 15:16

Let’s Talk about God - It ain't so simple!

It would be an understatement to say that God plays a big role in people’s lives. He is present in the human mind, referred to in countless conversations, and even makes an appearance on the legal tender of the United States (for Canadians “real life was on the skating rink”).

Although his prominence in the human psyche is undeniable, God is the most complex and profound entity to understand. King David notes several times in Psalms that God is good, yet wickedness makes a daily appearance in the news. How can we defend the belief that God is good and at the same time omnipotent, in view of the existence of evil in the world?

The issue of Theodicy is not new. The Holocaust did not produce the dilemma, it only magnified it. The question has occupied the minds of many philosophers and theologians for centuries. Unfortunately, I am not able to offer answers. However, in my humble opinion, what must be avoided is the simplification of God.

In times of challenge, or when a person is in need, he turns to the Al-mighty in prayer. Prayer has enormous power. It gives the human being the ability to transcend the physical world and connect to the sublime. The homo sapiens can actually have a conversation with God! Yet, although we tell ourselves and teach our children that we can converse with a Supernatural Being just as we chat with our neighbor, we must not simplify His essence. The neighbor we talk to is human like us. Thus, we expect reciprocity in the conversation. God, on the other hand, is not human. Although humanity has been granted the right, and indeed the privilege, to speak to him, they must remember the complex entity that is listening. Simplifying God and expecting a human response is a misunderstanding of prayer, and in the long run can cause damage to the wonderful relationship that prayer creates.

Appreciating the complexity of God goes beyond prayer. A big part of Judaism is the concept of Emunah - faith. For some, faith is a belief that everything that is going to occur will be good. However, we all know that, unfortunately, reality is not so. The years of World War II cannot be described as good, yet many holy Jews had a lot of Emunah in the years leading up to the catastrophe.

Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz, popularly known by the name of his magnum opus, Chazon Ish, notes that faith is not that all will be good, but rather, faith is the belief that nothing is a coincidence and that all that occurs is decreed by God. This explanation raises far more questions and makes Emunah far more complex. Yet, what we avoid with this approach is the simplification of God.

There's an old saying regarding God: “If I would know Him I would be Him.” We cannot expect to have all the answers when discussing the most enigmatic entity. Nevertheless, we are privileged to have received a system of laws that bonds us to a Divine Being.

I personally am moved by people who journeyed through the nightmare of the Holocaust and nevertheless remained devoted to God. Questions, they have. Answers, they painfully lack. Yet they can walk into a house of worship and thank God for his kindness.

I thank the Holocaust generation for rebuilding their lives, after observing unimaginable destruction, for reconstructing Jewish institutions, after experiencing the terror of Kristallnacht, and for inspiring a whole new generation to believe in an enigmatic being known to us as God.

Rosh Hashana

We all know Rosh Hashana as the day on which we hear the sound of the Shofar, following the Torah’s commandment, “It will be a day of Teruah.” Yet, we may wonder: “Why is there such a variety of sounds; can’t we just hear a Teruah and go home?”

The Talmud explains that a Teruah must be sounded three times, each time preceded and followed by a Tekoah, a long clear sound. Although we are able to identify the proper sound for the Tekoah, when it comes to the Teruah, there is a debate.

The Talmud explains that the Oral Tradition translates the word “Teruah” as “Yebava” which is a unique type of cry that was let out by the mother of Sisrah. Sisrah was an extremely powerful general who tormented the Jewish nation for 20 years. When he went to war against the Jews, G-d performed a miracle and he was killed [Judges 4,5]. The chapter describing the song and praise given by the Jews to G-d ends with a description of Sisrah’s mother reacting to his delay in returning. The verse reads as follows: “And the mother of Sisrah cried.” The word used for cry, however, is “vateyabev” which is the same word the Talmud uses to translate “Teruah.”

The Rabbis in the Talmud say the reason we blow different sounds for the Teruah is that we are attempting to create a sound similar to the cry of General Sisrah’s mother and, because we are not sure what the sound is like, we need to blow a variety of sounds. Nevertheless, we still may wonder why we have to learn how to perform a mitzvah as significant as blowing the Shofar on this holy and important day, from the cry of the mother of an evil general. It is my belief that we can find the answer by understanding the uniqueness of her cry.

Usually, a cry emanates from feelings of despair and hopelessness. As a General, Sisrah had a perfect victory record — always returning as champion. When his mother cried, although she was concerned at the time, deep down she felt confident that her son would soon return. She even expresses her confidence by saying the reason he must be delayed is from the business of collecting the booty. The word “vateyabev” is a description of that unique cry, one that conveys concern and worry, but with an underlying confidence.

The day of Rosh Hashana is a very serious day. It is a day when our individual and collective future is determined, a day during which we have the opportunity to pray and ask for mercy for Israel, and that all suffering should come to an end. Thus, we lift the Shofar and blast the sound of a cry. This cry, however, is not a cry of despair and gloom, because we know that we have a Father if Heaven and that His concern for us is like that of a father for his children. So when we cry, it is a cry that carries within it, confidence that G-d has a plan and that redemption and peace will eventually come. When we blow the shofar, we don’t just blow the sound of a cry, but rather, a “yebava” that indicates our confidence in the Creator for a good year.

Shana Tova.

פשוטו של מקרא

פשוטו של מקרא

הרב ירוחם עזיאל מילבסקי זצ"ל

ראיתי כמה פעמים שמקשים איך אפשר לפרש פסוקים לפי פשוטם בזמן שחז"ל פירושה לפי המסורה, כגון ועבדו לעולם, שלפי חז"ל היינו יובל, ולפי פשוטו היינו כל ימי חייו. והנראה שכל השאלה מקורה בטעות-חושבים שצריכים לדעת כוונת הכותב, ועל זה באמת אפשר לשאול ממה נפשך מה היתה כוונתו, או שיעבוד לעולם או עד היובל, אי אפשר שהכוונה יהיה לשניהם כמובן.
כל מיני תירוצים נאמרו על זה. כגון שיש אמת להלכה ויש אמת של לימוד התורה. לפי ההלכה לעולם היינו יובל אבל בלימוד התורה כיוון שיש בחינה של פשוטו של מקרא לכן כוונת התורה בבחינה זו, יכול להיות, שלעולם היינו כל ימי חייו.
אבל באמת אין מקום לקושיה כלל, כי בכלל אי אפשר לשאול על כוונת הכותב, כי בכותב יש כוונה אחת, ואנו משתדלים להבין לפי הדיבורים, מה כוונתו. אבל בתורה, התיבה היא האמת בעצם ולא ביטוי של אמת דרך הכתב, אלא שהתיבה בעצמה היא מקור האמת. ומה שאנו משתדלים לדעת פירוש התיבה, כי דרך הפירוש, לפי הכללים שנמסרו לנו, אנו מבינים אמיתיות, וכיון שאחד מן הדרכים להתקשר עם התיבה הוא דרך פשוטו, לכן אנו משתדלים להבין פשוטו של מקרא, אבל לא משום שהפשט יותר קרוב לכוונת נותן התורה, כי אין לדבר בזה על כוונת כלל כנ"ל, אלא משום שגם זה דרך של התקשרות עם האמת, כמו שיש גם דרך של התקשרות עם האמת דרך קריאה אפילו בלי הבנה כלל, ככתוב בספרים, וגם בזה אפילו בלי הבנה יש לנו קשר עם האמת. ואילו נאמר שדברי התורה הם רק ביטוי של כוונה, איך אפשר לומר שיש שום מעלה בקריאה בלי הבנה כלל. אלא ודאי שבתורה שבכתב התיבה היא מקור האמת ולא ביטוי של אמת, ולכן כל מה שאנו מחדשים, אם זה לפי הכללים שקבלנו, אמת הוא. לכן כשיש מחלוקת בין הראשונים בפשוטו של מקרא, אין זה מחלוקת בכוונת הפסוק, אלא שהמחלוקת היא מה קרוב יותר לפשוטו לפי הכלל שיש דרך הבנה בפשוטו של מקרא

Kluk Glass

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות פסח סימן תעב

הגה: ואין ליקח כוס שפיו צר כעין קלו"ג גלא"ז, מפני שלא יוכל לשתות רביעית כאחד

I purchased a beautiful wine glass for Pesach, however the mouth is a bit narrower than the rest of the glass- I was concerned that perhaps I have a Kluk glass that the Rama 472:15 recommends not to use.

From the internet I found out of something called Kluk Kluk decanter; “The sound the liquid makes as it comes out of the decanter resembles a cluck cluck sound”

Thus it is possible that the קלו"ק גלא"ז had a very narrow opening that produced a cluck cluck sound and my narrow glass is kosher.

Frumkeit & Racism

My 13-year-old daughter came home the other day quoting her teacher that it is OK to call African Americans “Shvartez” since they were cursed according to tradition. The teach is referring to the following midrash.

בראשית רבה (וילנא) פרשת נח פרשה לו
אמר רבי חייא בר אבא חם וכלב שימשו בתיבה, לפיכך יצא חם מפוחם, וכלב מפורסם בתשמישו, א"ר לוי לא' שקבע מוניטין שלו בתוך אהלו של מלך, אמר המלך גוזר אני שיתפחמו פניו ויפסל מטבעו כך חם וכלב שימשו בתיבה לפיכך יצא חם מפוחם, וכלב מפורסם בתשמישו

The midrash tells us that since Cham, the son of Noah, had intercourse in the ark during the great flood, at a time that such activities where prohibited. As a punishment, according to the midrash he became- mefucham-the color of coals.
In addition, according to the bible, Cham’s descendants were cursed. Consequently, the teacher impressed upon the young minds this important lesson; call them “Shvartez”
However the midrash does not tell us that all who are “mefucham” are the offspring of Cham! Perhaps only some of the coals- colored- people are from Cham.
In my humble opinion a more appropriate lesson would be “All humans are dear, because they are created in the image of God.”
Luckily my daughter once visited a museum in Memphis TN and heard the following words; “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

מיקומו של תקוע

האבודרהם בהלכות חנוכה מסביר מדוע היה צורך לנס של שמנת ימים. "מפני שהשמנים באים מחלקו של אשר כדכתיב וטובל בשמן רגלו ומקום היה לו שנקרא תקוע כדאמרינן (מנחות פ"ה ב) תקוע אלפא לשמן שממנו השמנים יוצאים ומשם עד ירושלם היה מהלך שמנה ימים בין הליכה וחזרה והכי אמרינן במנחות ולפיכך המתין להם עד שיביאו משם שמן טהור וזהו שנעשה להם נס לשמנת ימים." לפי דבריו מיקומו של תקוע היה מצפון לירושלים בחלקו של אשר.

מקורו של האבודרהם הוא מתשובות הגאונים - סימן קד "והטעם שהיה הנס שמונה ימים מפני שהשמנים היו באים מחלקו של אשר שנאמר (דברים לג כד) וטובל בשמן רגלו ומקום היה בחלקו שנקרא תקוע שממנו מביאים השמנים ומשם עד ירושלים מהלך שמונה בין הליכה לחזרה."

וכן כתב הרד"ק (שמואל ב פרק יד פסוק ב) שתקוע בחלקו של אשר.

אך לכאורה קשה מפסוק מפורש בדברי הימים ב(פרק יא פסוק ה) "וישב רחבעם בירושלם ויבן ערים למצור ביהודה: ויבן את בית לחם ואת עיטם ואת תקוע"?

הרי מפורש שתקוע בחלקו של יהודה? (ובודאי לא היה המהלך שמונה ימים)

וצ"ל שדעת הגאונים שהיה תקוע שני בחלקו של אשר. והמקור לתקוע שני הוא הגמרא מסכת מנחות שהזכיר האבודרהם שהמשנה אומרת "תקועה אלפא לשמן" ובגמרא שם "וישלח יואב תקועה ויקח משם אשה חכמה - מאי שנא תקועה? אמר רבי יוחנן: מתוך שרגילין בשמן זית, חכמה מצויה בהן. תנו רבנן: וטובל בשמן רגלו - זה חלקו של אשר, שמושך שמן כמעין. אמרו: פעם אחד נצרכו להן אנשי לודקיא בשמן, מינו להן פולמוסטוס אחד, אמרו לו: לך והבא לנו שמן במאה ריבוא. הלך לירושלים, אמרו לו: לך לצור. הלך לצור, אמרו לו: לך לגוש חלב" והבינו הגאונים שחלקו של אשר וריבוי שמנו מתיחס גם לתקוע.

אחרים הבינו שבאמת תקוע בחלקו של יהודה. הרב יהוסף שווארץ בספרו תבואות הארץ כותב בענין תקועה אלפא לשמן "אכן לא דברו חכז"ל על הריבוי השמן כמו שאלף אינו מורה על הרבוי כ"א על המעלה כי רוב השמן נמצא בחלק אשר בעיר גוש חלב"

ונ"ל שרש"י ג"כ סובר כן. בפסחים דף נג עמוד א "אוכלים בזיתים עד שיכלה אחרון שבתקוע, רבי אליעזר אומר: עד שיכלה אחרון של גוש חלב" וכותב רש"י "תקוע - מקום זיתים, כדתנן במנחות (פה, ב): תקוע אלפא לשמן, ומתוך שהשמן מצוי שם ורגילין בו מצויין חכמים בהן, כדכתיב (שמואל ב יד) וישלח יואב תקועה וגו'. ובד"ה גוש חלב - "נמי איכא זיתים טובא, והוא בחלקו של אשר דכתיב ביה וטובל בשמן רגלו במנחות". ז"א דווקא גוש חלב בחלקו של אשר ולא תקוע. יוצא שיש מחלוקת על מיקומו של תקוע.

The Torah tells us that “the number of individuals in Yaakov’s family who came to Egypt was seventy”. However anyone who takes the trouble to count the names listed will find that only sixty-six individuals are actually mentioned. The Sages of the Talmud explain that Yosef and his two sons were included in the sum total even though his two sons had been born in Egypt and did not technically “come to Egypt.” In addition, Moshe’s mother Yocheved was born at the exact moment when the Jews crossed the Canaan-Egypt border and thus she completes the count to seventy.

The commentators explain that the number seventy represents the collective totality of humanity. In numerous instances we find that the Torah refers to the world population at large as the “seventy nations.” and the “seventy languages” The purpose of humanity as a whole is to bring about the rectification of the evil found among the seventy nations, a process of “tikun.” Hashem gave mankind several opportunities to fulfill this mission yet mankind failed time after time.

Finally Hashem gave up on mankind in general as his agents in this mission and assigned the task of purging the world of evil to a select group of spiritually advanced individuals -the Jews. However, as representatives of the entire human race, they would assume their new role only when their group would expand to the point that it would include seventy individuals and thereby become a microcosm of mankind.

The Torah here informs us that the Jews attained this new status moments before the onset of their exile in Egypt. From that point on, Hashem’s relationship with the Jews would remain the focal point of world history.

Shabbat Shalom

Yirmiya Milevsky

Daas Torah

Many, if not all, modern day issues that are labeled as Daas Torah, and consequently cause a commotion, must be viewed with true Daas Torah; this letter from Reb Chaim Ozer.

Eastern Religions

As our patriarch Avraham was preparing for his passing, the Torah tells us about his interactions with his children. “Avraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines. He sent them away from his son, Yitzchak, to a land in the east.” The Midrash identifies the gifts as a “Shem Tumah”, literally- a name of impurity. However, the explanation of the Midrash requires clarification: What is a “name of impurity”?

The great rabbi and mystic Rabbi Yishaya Horowitz - also known as the Shelah HaKadosh (d. 1630) - notes that Tumah impurity always has an element of holiness to it. The concubines mentioned in the verse in Hebrew are pilagshim, that can be read as palag shem – half a name. Thus, notes Rabbi Horowitz half, of what the children received was holy. In the messianic era the element of holiness from what was given by Avraham to his children will appear. According to Rabbi Horowitz, a culture from the east will offer something in the messianic era that will be used for holiness.

The word Shem, in Hebrew, means name. However, our rabbis tell us that it also means ‘the essence’, since in the holy language the name of something defines its essence. When Avraham gave to the sons of his concubines a Shem he gave them the tools to identify the true essence of being. It is very possible that eastern religions, which focus on insight into the ultimate nature of reality and emphasize ethics and correct understanding, base their teachings on concepts that originated with Avraham. It is interesting to note that one of the ancient Buddhist works is the Abhidharma.
שם טומאה מסר להם. וזהו סוד הדבר, כי הטומאה דהיינו הקליפות, יש לה למעלה אחיזה בקדושה,
כענין שפירשתי בסמאל, שמחציו ולמעלה נקרא 'אל'. וזהו 'פלגשם' חסר יו"ד, שאז הוא - 'פלג שם', רצה לומר, שחציו הוא שם קודש. וכל זה יהיה באחרית הימים, שהקליפה תחזור לקדושה, והאלילים כרות יכרתון לתקן עולם במלכות שדי וכל בני בשר כו', כנודע ביאור ענין זה למקובלים

Lessons From the Eyelid

Pareshat Haazinu is always read in the beginning of the year, either before or after Yom Kippur, at a time when we feel close to the Al-mighty. The Commentators note several references to the High Holiday season in the Paresha and I would like to share with you one of them.

The song of Haazinu describes the journey of humanity and the Jewish people.

When expressing the kindness of Hashem to the children of Israel in the wilderness the verse states: "He found them in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he surrounded them, he instructed them, he protected them like the Ishon of his eye." Rashi, in his commentary to the Torah, explains the word Ishon as the blackness of the eye- the pupil. According to this reading Hashem protects the children of Israel with great sensitivity just as one protects his pupil. Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir, the grandson of Rashi, has a different understanding of the word Ishon. Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir understands the word Ishon to be the “flesh that is drawn down over the eye” namely, the eyelid. In biblical Hebrew Ishon means darkness thus the eyelid is an Ishon because it makes things dark. According to Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir the verse is telling us that Hashem protected the children of Israel in the wilderness just as the eyelid protects the eye.

Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir identifies Hashem’s protection of the Jewish people as that of an eyelid. To better appreciate what the Al-mighty is doing for the sake of the children of Israel, we must understand the significant role of the eyelid and blinking. Blinking automatically supplies moisture to our eyes to keep them from drying out. In addition, it keeps foreign matter from entering and irritating our eyes. Accordingly, Hashem, metaphorically, gives these services to the Jewish people.

Every year during the special period of Aseret Yemei Teshuva, Hashem, by being close to every single Jew, provides an opportunity for the Jew to revitalize his spiritual health and avoid a spiritual dry-out. In addition, it is a time to remove the impurities of sin through Teshuva. The two functions of the eyelid and blinking come to life during this wonderful period, and therefore the song of Haazinu, that describes Hashem as the eyelid, is appropriate for this time.

Shabbat Shalom

Gmar Chatima Tova

Inauthentic Jew

In Parashat Ki Tavo we read the difficult chapter of the national curses known as the Tochecha (Admonition). In the last verse of this dreadful chapter Moshe warns the children of Israel that “Hashem will send you back in ships to Egypt on a journey I said you should never make again. There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as slaves and maidservants but there will be no buyer.” Commentators point out that this last statement deals with the sad reality of assimilation.

The great rabbi of Dvinsk, Latvia, Rabbi Meir Simcha Hakohen, sensing the desire for assimilation by many Jews of the late nineteenth century, warned that when the Jew abandons his faith for the sake of social integration, society reminds the Jew of his unique task, in the form of Anti-Semitism. Not only Jewish thinkers make reference to this idea.

The great French philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre, wrote a short book entitled, “Anti Semite and Jew”. Sartre alleged that the Jew always is attempting to prove himself more French than the Frenchman. Sartre labelled the Jew who tries to flee Jewish reality, an inauthentic Jew. Yet as much as the Jew tries to escape his reality, the anti-Semite makes him a Jew in spite of himself.

This is what the Torah is telling us at the end of the admonition. Even if we try to “sell ourselves”, the nations of the world will not buy it. Anti-Semitism cannot be purged by rejecting Jewish tradition and identity, but rather by strengthening it.

Shabbat Shalom

Change from within

Towards the end of Pareshat Ki Tetze the Torah addresses the topic of lashes given to a sinner. The Torah remarks that, “If the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.”

Although the simple reading of the verse indicates that forty lashes are given, the sages of the Talmud (Makot 22b) note that the appropriate reading of the verse is that the court render lashes by a number that leads to forty: namely thirty-nine. What we must try to understand is why the Torah uses the number forty if indeed the tradition teaches that only thirty-nine are given.

In Judaism, when a number appears in a specific context, it is not a coincidence but rather the number represents a concept. A perfect example is the number forty. Forty always symbolizes complete change. When the pre-flood world was corrupt and required a new beginning, it rained for forty days. Likewise when the children of Israel left Egypt and were required to change from slaves to conquerors, they required forty years in the desert.

Accordingly, when the Torah remarks that the sinner receives forty lashes, the message is clear: he must transform himself and become a new person. However, the sages of the Talmud tell us that the court, by giving thirty-nine lashes, is indicating to the person that others can only place the sinner on the brink of change. The real change (forty) cannot come from an external source but rather must come from within. In other words, the sinner, metaphorically speaking, must give himself the last lash to reach forty.

In the second half of Parshat Shoftim, the portion deals with several aspects of the nation's conduct when it goes to war. The Torah tells us that a designated Cohen addressed the army before going to battle to encourage the warriors to be brave and not fear the war. The verse continues by telling us that an officer will add to the words of the Cohen and declare, “Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers' hearts melt like his heart.”
The Talmud records a dispute between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yossi Hagellili regarding the fearful individual referred to in the verse. Rabbi Akiva understood the fear literally, that the person was afraid of war. For Rabbi Yossi Hagellili, on the other hand, the anxiety was not the traditional fear of battle, but rather related to a person who was a sinner, and thus was cognizant of the fact that he was unworthy of the protection of Hashem.
It is very possible that the dispute between the rabbis came about as a result of different viewpoints on a contemporary issue of the second century. When Bar Kochva rebelled against the oppressing Roman Empire and mobilized a military force, he was backed by very strong support from Rabbi Akiva. For Rabbi Akiva, a Jewish army was not a theoretical concept but rather an issue that was quite relevant. For Rabbi Akiva, fear of battle was "Halacha L'Maase" (a contemporary halachik issue). Therefore the verse was understood by its literal meaning, that when a person is afraid, he cannot be present in the battle field. Rabbi Yossi Hagellili, on the other hand, was not a supporter of the uprising, and therefore viewed a Jewish army as a concept that belongs to the Utopian Messianic era when only the righteous go to battle and the victory will be supernatural. Thus the fear relates to a spiritual condition and not to conventional anxiety.

"The Inflicted Blemish"

You are the children of Hashem your God: you shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
For you are a holy people unto Hashem your God, and Hashem has chosen you to be a special people, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
(Devarim Chapter 14)

This paragraph is a testament that reminds the Jewish people of their special role.

As children of the Al-mighty we are told not to feel forlorn when we lose a loved one but rather to be mindful of our special and constant relationship with Hashem as his children. The text continues by warning the Jewish people, "Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing." Rashi explains that the abomination referred to in the verse is a situation where a Cohen receives a firstborn animal that must be brought to the temple, and with the intention of financial gain, inflicts a blemish upon the animal to disqualify it from the alter and as a result, keeps it for himself.

What we must try to figure out is why the Torah juxtaposes the statement regarding the significance of the Jew, to the warning regarding the blemish that relates to a technical detail of the laws of sacrifices. The commentators explain that the message regarding the blemish is not just about animals, but rather can be understood as a theme that relates to humans as well. People, due to personal events in their lives, are at times inspired to do more spiritually. Unfortunately the growth does not always come to fruition because the individual, remembering his flaws, deems himself inadequate and develops the feeling that he is not qualified to become connected to the higher being. In other words the growth is halted due to an "inflicted blemish". This attitude is what the Torah identifies as an abomination.

As children of Hashem we must remember how significant we are in his eyes and as a result we must appreciate what we are in our own eyes. After boosting our self esteem we will not focus on blemishes but rather realize how much we can contribute to the welfare of the nation of Israel, to humanity and to the world.

Visiting Israel for the thinking Jew, is always an overwhelming experience. The history of the land kindles the soul, while the current home coming inspires. Yet for many of us, the food has a special place in our hearts (and waistline). The Torah commands us to thank the creator for the bread by reciting the grace-after-the-meal. However, the verse preceding this commandment notes that Israel is a "land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills." Commentators wonder why mention stones and copper between the reference to bread and the blessing? The commentators explain that the stones are not average stones but rather the magnificent Jerusalem stone(Ramban). This pale limestone is so striking that the British, who governed the land before the establishment of the state, decreed that all buildings had to be faced with Jerusalem stone. Once we understand that the stones refer to Jerusalem we can appreciate why it is mentioned right before the grace after the meal. The Rabbis in the Talmud (Brachot 48) note the King David instituted that Jerusalem be mentioned in the Birkat Hamazon. Thus the stone of Jerusalem clearly belongs in the verses that command us to recite the Birkat Hamazon. Incidentally the copper is referring to the Beit Hamikdash (that is also mentioned in the Birkat Hamazon) as the verse regarding the Temple notes that "there was such a number of them; it was not possible to get the weight of the copper."

The Jewish Enlightenment is a term which is often used to describe the movement among European Jews in the late 18th century that advocated adopting enlightened values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing secular education. However the true Jewish Enlightenment occurred many years earlier as an assembly of former slaves stood at Mount Sinai. The revelation at Sinai was a moment of comprehensive Jewish illumination, and all who were present merited clarity concerning their mission in life. This supernatural and historical occurrence is known as Matan Torah- the Receiving of the Torah.

The rabbis in the Talmud note that the Children of Israel chose to make a covenant with the Almighty. Yet the decision to accept the Torah was in fact a choice made under duress. The mountain was suspended on top of the nation and an offer - that they could not refuse - was made; accept the Torah, or else I- the Almighty – will release that which is on top of you and, without the funeral home and the limo, you will be buried. The nation did indeed accept the offer. However, this incident is quite disturbing. Why did the Jews “merit” such a violent beginning? Personally, I would prefer a calm and serene atmosphere, in which I could truly absorb the wonderful experience of revelation.

A few years following this event, on the bank of the river Neranjara, a fellow by the name Gautama was meditating under a tree, and suddenly experienced a very high degree of consciousness, and reached his own personal Enlightenment. (If you want to know more about him, do a Google search.) My question is: why couldn’t the Jewish nation merit its Enlightenment under a similar magnificent tree? Why this aggressive beginning for a people who are in existence to teach and preach peace?

The key to understanding the mission of the Jew, and to appreciating the Creator’s choice for the first impression, is responsibility. The revelation at Sinai was not for personal and individual fulfillment. Rather, it was to give the most important task in the history of humanity to a chosen group.

Currently in the news there is a reasonable amount of anger at the fact that a fatigued pilot was in control of Colgan Air flight 3407, which crashed near Buffalo, N.Y. this past February. Being that the welfare of the passengers is in his hands, a pilot has an enormous responsibility. The training of a pilot, clearly, must focus on the fact that bad decisions can produce dire results and affect the lives of many.

An educator in many ways is like a pilot. The wrong word uttered by a teacher to a vulnerable student can have calamitous results. The Nation of Israel was given the greatest mission of all time; the spiritual welfare of humanity. The goal of the suspended mountain was to create a long-lasting impact on the Jewish soul, that of tremendous responsibility.

Yet we relive this experience on Shavuot by celebrating, because for the soul, responsibility is the greatest privilege. The secret service works long hours in challenging conditions, yet they take great pride in their significant mission. So too, we celebrate Matan Torah by reminding ourselves that our duty is sacred and is a necessity for the world.

May we all merit celebrating all the holidays in Jerusalem, where we will once again achieve clarity in our mission.

Chag Sameach

Forgiveness

The great French philosopher Vladimir Jankelevitch in his work on forgiveness makes several points that can assist us during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva.
Jankelevitch considers forgiveness as an act that is “for nothing and in exchange for nothing, gratuitously, from beyond the marketplace.” The raison d’être of forgiveness, is when the moral debtor is still a debtor.
Although the passing of time makes forgiveness easier, and neutralizes the effects of the misdeed, it cannot destroy the fact of the misdeed. Forgiveness that comes about as a result of the passing of time is more amnesia than amnesty. For Jankelevitch, fatigue and the accumulation of the years is negligence and cannot be considered a moral attitude. In order to forgive, it is necessary to remember.
Forgiveness, where the offence is integrated and held in check, is incomplete because some part of the offence still remains and the grace is curtailed.
Jankelevitch believes that true forgiveness is a gratuitous gift and a sudden instantaneous decision that is situated outside of time, a conversion that does not depend on the chronological circumstance.
Forgiveness undoes the last shackles that tie us down to the past by the weight of memories that draw us backward, and hold us down. Forgiveness is making peace with the guilty person and developing a personal relation with the other. The reason for the relation is because forgiveness does not forgive the misdeed as much as it forgives the guilty person.
However, according to Jankelevitch, a crime against humanity is not a personal affair to forgive, and a person has a duty to “harbor rancor” against such a crime. When “rancor” is an unshakable fidelity to values and to martyrs, then it is forgiveness that is betrayal.
True forgiveness is not an excuse that asks for the misdeed to be mitigated by circumstances. It is forgiveness that takes charge of the inexcusable. Forgiveness pays no attention to justifying itself and giving reasons. “Forgiveness is like love; a love that loves with reservations or with one single ulterior motive is not love; and so a forgiveness that forgives up to a certain point, but not beyond is not forgiveness.” However pure forgiveness is an event that has perhaps never occurred in the history of man.
We say in our prayers during this period:

כי אין שכחה לפני כסא כבודך

“There is no forgetting in front of Gods throne of glory.”

Nevertheless the Talmud states that:

גדולה תשובה שמגעת עד כסא הכבוד

“Teshuva is so great that it reaches the throne of glory”

May we all learn to forgive, and accordingly be forgiven.