Dvar Torah for Parshas Tzav- Guest Contributer

AIMeM would like to thank Mrs. Leah Daphna for filling in this week.

A group is a set of elements that share a general commonality. Sometimes, however, we find groups in which an element does not seem to belong; and it could very well be it doesn't. However, when the Torah groups things that do not seem to match, it is challenging us to think deeper and to try to discern the common denominator. A good example of this is found in this week’s parshah.

In this week Parsha, Parshas Tzav, we are told of the various procedures surrounding different korbanos. Among them, we are commanded to give a Shelamim, a thanksgiving offering. The Gemara cited by Rashi (7:12) states that four people need to give thanks. They are: 

1) “Yordei ha-yam”, one who survives an ocean journey,

2) “holchei midbarot”, one who transversed the desert 

3) “mi she haya choleh v’nitrapeh”, one who is gravely ill and survived, 

4) “u-mi she haya chavush b’beit ha-asurim”, one who was locked in a dungeon and freed.

 Concerning the sea, the ocean, and being locked in a dungeon, these three situations involve someone surviving while being exposed to an environment that does not support life. However, the person who was stricken by illness, while his life was in danger, he didn't find himself in a different surroundings than he was used to’ he wasn’t exposed to an outside environment that doesn’t naturally support life! Or did he…

The Gemara is giving us a deep insight into what it means to be gravely ill. When someone is ill, they're living in an environment that's inherently inhospitable to life. That environment is their own body. When our own body turns on us, when we realize we can't trust our bodies, when our bodies become like foreign terrain, fundamentally inhospitable to us-- that is the scariest thing of all! When one recovers from that, you are obligated to give thanks.

Perhaps we can use this to help enhance our performance of the mitzvah of Bikkur Cholim. Maybe when you visit the sick, remember that you are giving them something much more powerful than you can imagine. For they are living in a body they don't recognize. But at least when they see you, a familiar face, they can connect with something they do recognize and bring down the fear of being a stranger in inhospitable terrain.

Shabbat Shalom!

Mrs. Leah Daphna is a longtime AIMeM subscriber, first time contributor. She is currently a nursing student. She and her husband hope to soon live in Eretz Yisrael.

Click here for a previous year's Dvar Torah on Parshas Tzav

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Vayikra

       The majority of Sefer Vayikra discusses the various halachos of korbanos, sacrifices, that we bring to Hashem. Of all our customs, animal sacrifice might be one of the least understood since it’s such a foreign idea to our modern mind. But even from ancient times, the more we understand about Hashem, the fact that He has no needs, wants, or desires, seems to back the idea that Korbanos are completely unnecessary. What is the reason for our korbanos?

       There is a famous machlokes between the Rambam and the Ramban concerning this issue. For the purposes of this Dvar Torah, I will be addressing it based on the Ramban found in Perek 1 Pasuk 9 in this week’s parshah.

       The Rambam explains that in the times when Hashem was telling Moshe the laws of korbanos, the nations of the world that had a connection to Bnei Yisrael worshipped some sort of animal; the Egyptians worshipped the sheep and the Kasdim, who lived in the Middle East, worshipped the goat. Additionally, the Indians worshipped the cow (and still do). Therefore, Hashem commanded Bnei Yisrael to bring these three types of animals as sacrifices to Him. Since they represented the sin of avoda zara committed by the nations, Hashem wanted Bnei Yisrael to connect to Him, and have their own sins forgiven, through the sacrifice of these animals.

        The Ramban asks four questions on this Rambam, we will only bring the first. There is no mitzvah in the Torah that was given to us just in order to show the goyim that they were wrong, so why would korbanos be this way? Therefore, the Ramban explains that  Hashem specifically set up the practice of animal sacrifice in order to help us atone for aveiros, because it corresponds to the instruments a person uses to sin.

       A person sins with his thoughts, words, and actions. Therefore, a person does an act of Vidui and leans on the animal in order to atone for his actions. The recitation of Vidui corresponds to sins with words. And corresponding to sins done through thought, the animal’s innards are burnt since the stomach and kidneys are considered the organs that control a person’s thoughts and desires. Finally, the limbs are burnt to represent the acts done by the person’s limbs, and the blood is thrown on the sides of the mizbeach to represent a person’s neshama.

       The true purpose behind this whole procedure is to show the person brining the korban that really he should be up there; but through Hashem’s kindness, instead of death, a person is allowed to bring an animal to die in his stead.  

       Today, tefillah has taken the place of korbanos. And while we cannot know for sure, not having experienced it ourselves, by looking at the Ramban’s description of how korbanos were used, we can understand that watching an animal sacrifice could lead us to a stronger showing of remorse for our sins than how we pray today. Sadly, with the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, these ideas are inapplicable. We pray for the day when the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt and we may once again enjoy the opportunity to bring korbanos.

Shabbat Shalom! 

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Vayikra

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei

       After weeks of preparation, in this week’s parshah, the Mishkan is finally put together. The entire nation was so excited to participate in the construction of the Mishkan, eventually, an interesting problem developed. The pasuk says, “הַמְּלָאכָה הָיְתָה דַיָּם לְכָל הַמְּלָאכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתָהּ וְהוֹתֵר” “And the work was sufficient for them for all the work, to do it and leave over” (Shemos 36:7). Bnei Yisrael donated so much material to the Mishkan, that Moshe had to tell them to stop.  

       The Ohr HaChaim asks, how come the pasuk has to say both that there was enough materials to finish the work, and also that there was enough to finish the construction and leave over extra? Isn’t it enough to say this once? Furthermore, the Torah already told us before in pasuk 5 that there was enough material, that’s why Moshe told them to stop bringing! Why does the Torah repeat this fact in our pasuk?

       He explains that the extra mentions in this pasuk are describing an amazing miracle that took place. Really, there were already enough materials donated to build the entire Mishkan, but Hashem did not want any of the remaining Jews to feel bad that their donations would not be used since they were excess. Therefore, He made it that every single item that had been donated, even from the excess, would be used in the Mishkan. The miracle was that even though these materials were brought, they did not appear necessary, however, it turned out that every bit was used in the construction. This is what the pasuk means when it includes the fact that there was enough to leave over, these parts were also used in the construction of the Mishkan.

       But why did Moshe feel that there was a limit to how much was needed? Wouldn’t it be a good thing to have extra stores of gold and silver prepared in the event that the Mishkan needed repairs? Or perhaps he could have figured out a way to get them into the original construction plan; after all, it can’t be a bad thing to over-decorate the resting place for the Shechinah!

       The pasuk says, “אַל יַעֲשׂוּ עוֹד מְלָאכָה לִתְרוּמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַיִּכָּלֵא הָעָם מֵהָבִיא” “Do not do any more work…so the nation stopped bringing” (36:6). The Seforno explains that Moshe did not tell them to stop bringing, rather he told them to stop doing any preparatory work. There were other materials besides for gold and silver, such as wool, animal hides, and wood, which would have gone bad if they went unused. Granted, the extra gold and silver could have been stored long-term and used at a later time, however, these natural materials would not have lasted. In order that Bnei Yisrael shouldn’t lose money, Moshe told them to stop their work with them. So really all the material could have and would have been used; however, in order to save Bnei Yisrael from financial loss, and in order to prevent these items from going to waste, the people were told to cease working with them. As a result of the fact that they couldn’t work with them, they stopped bringing them.

Shabbat Shalom! 

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Vayakhel & Pekudei

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Sisa

       After experiencing some of the most incredible miracles and outward displays of Hashem’s power, the Bnei Yisrael slipped up in the worst way. This week’s parshah tell the tragic tale of the Golden Calf. After receiving the Torah, Moshe went up to Har Sinai for forty days; but after the allotted time by Bnei Yisrael’s calculations had passed, he had not returned. A group of people decided that Moshe had not survived his trip to the heavens, and built an idol to be their leader. While Avoda Zara is always considered one of the worst aveiros one can commit, for this group that had seen Hashem on Har Sinai just forty days earlier, it was unthinkable. The consequences of this tragedy still affect us today.

       “וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם” “And they said, ‘These are your gods, Yisrael, who have brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Shemos 32:4). Rashi explains that the people speaking in the pasuk are the Eirev Rav, the collection of Egyptians who came out of Mitzrayim with the Bnei Yisrael. They built the calf and afterwards they convinced the Jewish People to sin as well. While this may help us feel better about the whole situation since it was not the Bnei Yisrael’s idea originally, we still must ask that how could the Eirev Rav, who also saw Hashem at Har Sinai, have the gall to serve Avoda Zara only forty days later?

         Chazal tell us that the level of miracles that even a maidservant (meaning someone on a low spiritual level) saw at Krias Yam Suf, was greater than anything any prophet ever experienced. Let’s consider this for a moment; if what a maidservant saw was greater than anything a prophet saw, how come a Navi is given such great honors while this maidservant remains for all of history as nothing but a maidservant? How come she isn’t afforded even greater honors than a Navi for the tremendous spiritual level she was zoche to experience?

       The Sichos Mussar explains that someone who experiences a level of spirituality without having worked their way up to the level they are experiencing will not be changed as a result of it. The prophets worked for years and years with a hope, not a guarantee, that they would one day receive the smallest bit of prophecy. Therefore, as great as they were before they received the prophecy, the prophecy itself would bring them to even higher levels of spirituality.

       The Eirev Rav fell into the first category. They had not worked on themselves upon leaving Mitzrayim as the rest of Bnei Yisrael did. But since they were together with the nation, they too experienced all the miracles at Har Sinai. However, this had no effect on them whatsoever, since they had not worked their way up to that level. Therefore, even after going through an event like Har Sinai, they were still able to serve Avoda Zara only forty days later.

       The gemarah in Megillah (6b) states, “אם יאמר לך אדם …לא יגעתי ומצאתי אל תאמן יגעתי ומצאתי תאמן” If a person tells you, ‘I did not make the effort and I succeeded’, do not believe him. If he says, ‘I worked and I succeeded’, believe him.” When a person works at something, he makes it his, it becomes a part of him; that’s how he truly succeeds at his task. When his goal is handed to him, even though he has ‘accomplished’ his goal, because he did not make it his, he did not really accomplish anything.

       Our goal in life is to work at being the best we can be every day. Even though, it is very possible that we will never reach the highest goals of spirituality that we all strive for, we see from here that receiving that spirituality is not the entire story. Without the work involved, the goal is worthless, because it will never be really ours. But if we do that work, even if we don’t reach that lofty goal, we will still have accomplished great things. This week’s parshah teaches us that this is the way to insure that we will deserve and retain the effects of the spiritual levels we reach.

Shabbat Shalom!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Sisa

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Dvar Torah for Purim- 5775/2015

       During all of our holidays, Hallel makes up a big part of the tefillos. We say Hallel to thank Hashem for the miracles and events that led to each holiday we celebrate. All the holidays, that is, except for Purim. Why is this? Purim is one of the greatest miracles in our history, how come we don’t praise and thank Hashem like we do on every other holiday?

       The gemarah in Megillah (14a) gives three answers: 1) Once Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, we no longer say Hallel for any miracle that took place outside Eretz Yisrael. The miracle of Purim took place in Ancient Persia. 2) The reading of Megillas Esther takes the place of Hallel. 3) Even though our lives were saved, we were not completely free since we were still under the rule of Achashverosh.

       In reference to the second answer, I saw quoted in the name of Rav Yitzchak Hutner ZT”L, that the miracle of Purim was a hidden miracle; just by reading the story of the Megillah, you cannot tell that Hashem was behind the whole episode. Therefore, we read a “hidden” Hallel by reading the Megillah in which all the hidden miracles are mentioned.

       For the first and last answer, the Kedushas Levi brings a creative explanation that can be classified as “chassideshe Torah.”

       The last answer of the gemarah states that we don’t say Hallel on Purim because we were still under the rule of Achashverosh, not completely freed from the rule of the nations of the world. What was different about the miracle of Purim that we did not gain independence, from the miracle of Yetzias Mitzrayim where we did gain our independence? The answer lies in how the miracle was performed.

       When Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, the miracles surrounding their leaving were supernatural events, obvious to everyone that Hashem must have been involved in taking Bnei Yisrael out. Since the Egyptians had to acknowledge Hashem as the ruler of the world, of course they had to let Bnei Yisrael free; how could they keep them as slaves when there was a more powerful bring ruling over all of them! However, by the miracle of Purim, there was no obvious display of Hashem’s power; every event that took place could be explained as natural circumstances. Therefore, there was no recognition of Hashem’s rule and Achashverosh felt no need to let the Jews go back to Eretz Yisrael.

       Using this explanation, we can connect these two answers. The Kedushas Levi explains that the word Hallel originates from the word, “בהלו”, which means clarity. When Hashem’s role is clear, when there is no doubt as to His influence, then you can say Hallel. This is what is meant when the gemarah says that we do not say Hallel on a miracle done in Chutz La’aretz, outside of Eretz Yisrael, when the nations can still hold onto their doubts of Hashem, they are considered ‘outsiders.’ Similarly, the pasuk says, “הללו עבדי ה'” (Tehillim 113:1), only servants of Hashem can truly praise Him. Since the miracle of Purim was hidden, Achashverosh was able to hold onto his doubts of Hashem, so he didn’t feel a need to grant the Jews independence. Therefore, we cannot in good faith, say Hallel on Purim.

       While we celebrate the past on Purim, we still have something to look forward to. There will come a day when we will be free of the rule of the nations, when we will be able to serve Hashem in the most complete way possible. On that day, we will truly say Hallel. Who knows, perhaps even on Purim!  

A Freilechen Purim!

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