Dvar Torah for Parshas Bechukosai

       Due to the eighth day of Pesach falling out on Shabbos, Eretz Yisrael and CHU"L have been one parsha off for the past several weeks. This week, we finally catch up! Click here for a Dvar Torah for Parshas Behar, which is being read this week in CHU"L in addition to Bechukosai.

       Perhaps the most well-known part of Parshas Bechukosai is the section of pesukim known as the Tochachah. This is a collection of punishments and curses that will befall Bnei Yisrael if they do not follow the Torah. However, before we read those pesukim, there is an incredible section that describes all of the blessings and rewards that will come to us if we do keep the Torah. It is on one of these blessings that I would like to focus this week.

       One of the blessings goes as follows, “וְנָֽתַתִּ֤י שָׁלוֹם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין מַֽחֲרִ֑יד וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֞י חַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ” “And I will grant peace in the land, and you will rest without fear. I will remove wild beasts from the land…” (Vayikra 26:6). The land the pasuk is referring to is Eretz Yisrael. The Ramban explains that when the pasuk says that Hashem will remove wild animals from the land, it doesn’t mean that He will remove the animals from the land; rather, it means that He will remove the wildness from the animals. What does this mean?

       He explains that when the world was created, even the most dangerous of beasts was not wild. They were actually tame and freely interacted with animals of all types, including man. All beings were vegetarians and lived in peace with each other. It was only once man sinned that these dangerous animals were possessed with a desire to kill man and each other. While we are allowed to eat and enjoy meat, and it has a place in our religious activities with korbanos, the way the World was set up was that all of Creation should exist in harmony.

       The bracha that Hashem gives us is that if we keep the mitzvos in Eretz Yisrael, He will return Eretz Yisrael to the original state of Creation. This includes making peace between man and animals, so we won’t have to fear attacks from them.

       Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky explains in his sefer, Emes L’Yaakov, this blessing of nature returning to its original state. The parsha begins with the words, “אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ” “If you follow My statutes” (26:1). The blessings and curses in this parsha are dependent on how we perform the חוקים, the laws that have no clear explanation for why we must do them. While other mitzvos have either a logical explanation or one given to us by Hashem, chukim have neither. This doesn’t mean there is no explanation for these mitzvos, it just means that the reason is beyond our understanding. Hashem has a reason why this mitzvah is important for the betterment of the world; it’s our job to do it even without a full understanding. This is what the pasuk is asking us to do; “אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ”, will we follow Hashem’s plan even when we don’t completely understand.

       Hashem’s plan doesn’t just extend to how we act, but to how the world functions as well. He created the world with a specific way He wanted things to work; these aspects of creation are also known as chukim, the basic functions of the nature. (In this case the definition of a chok goes beyond the idea of the will of Hashem beyond our comprehension; it also means that this was a basis for how the world was to work.) But due to circumstances that we humans brought about, the world couldn’t continue with these chukim. However, it is possible for the world to return to this level of functionality.

      This is the connection between the act of doing mitzvos and the reward of being saved from wild animals. The reason why the world doesn’t run the way Hashem originally designed it, including that we have to fear animals, is because of man’s sins. If we follow the chukim that we can follow, the ones that are dependent on our actions, Hashem will bring back His chukim, the ones that depend on His actions. Upon reaching that stage, the world will operate the way Hashem truly intended it to.

       The idea of animals acting peacefully with each other and with us is also one of the promises of Mashiach. (See Yeshayahu Perek 11.) So if we follow the message of the Torah, we can bring Mashiach; what could be better!

Chazak Chazak V’Nischazek!

Shabbat Shalom!  

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

Don't forget to check out hashkafahandbook.com to learn about my book,Reality Check. And Like it on Facebook.

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

Please Like us on Facebook.

Check out our other AIMeMTorah project, Nation's Wisdom!

AIMeM

           

Dvar Torah for Parshas Behar

       Due to the eighth day of Pesach falling out on Shabbos, Eretz Yisrael and CHU"L will be one parsha off for the next few weeks. I will be following the schedule in Eretz Yisrael. Click here for a Dvar Torah for this week's parsha in CHU"L, Parshas Emor.

       Parshas Behar discusses many property and land-based laws. The most famous laws discussed are the laws of Shemittah and Yovel. However, the parsha contains another topic that is less discussed and less understood, the laws of selling property in Eretz Yisrael.

       Each tribe in Bnei Yisrael received a specific portion in Eretz Yisrael. Since owning land in Eretz Yisrael was (and is) considered a privilege and opportunity, if for some reason you were forced to sell your property, Hashem wanted to make sure you had the opportunity to buy it back. The Torah gives different conditions on this buy-back policy depending on the type of property that was sold.

       A field could be redeemed beginning a minimum of two years after the sale; however, it was automatically returned to the original owner during the Yovel year, the fiftieth year of the Shemittah cycle. A house in an un-walled city had the same restrictions. The seller of a house in a walled city had up until a year after the sale to redeem the property. (The Leviim, who didn’t have a specific portion, just 48 cities scattered around the country, had no time constraints for redeeming their fields and houses. It began immediately and had no end point.)

       The Ramban explains the logic behind each of these laws. Selling your house can be an emotional endeavor; your house is something you use to define your existence, it can be hard to give it up. Therefore, the Torah wanted to give you the opportunity to buy it back if you regretted the decision, but only up to a year. Spending a year and breaking in your new house clearly showed that you were happy in your new situation, so the buy-back policy expired.

       In terms of fields, in those days, many people farmed. Some were full-time farmers and some were part-time, but having land to plant on was a very financially sound method of business back then. If you sold land, it was clearly a sign of hard times and not a desire to ‘get out’ of farming. Therefore, even many years later, a person would still want their land back. However, once you sold the land, it was only fair to allow the buyer the opportunity to work the fields and produce a harvest. So the Torah arranged a system. The land was ‘leased’ for a 2 to 50 year period, depending on how long until the next Yovel. The seller had to give the buyer at least two years in which he could cultivate the land in any way he wished and the buyer had to give it up at any point after that. By Yovel, the field was automatically redeemed. The field would be returned to the original owner, no questions asked; if he wanted to lease the field for another 50 years, he was free to do so. If the sale was completed within two years before Yovel, the lease was up after the following Yovel.

       In those days, enemies were common and most cities had their own form of protection against any danger that might have come up. Most of the time, they built walls. However, sometimes cities built houses outside the city limits, right up against the fields which bordered the town. These houses were used to house farmhands and allow watchmen to live right next to the field they were guarding. Essentially, these houses were part of the field. Therefore, the same halachos that apply to fields apply to them as well.

Shabbat Shalom!  

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

Don't forget to check out hashkafahandbook.com to learn about my book,Reality Check. And Like it on Facebook.

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

Please Like us on Facebook.

Check out our other AIMeMTorah project, Nation's Wisdom!

AIMeM

Dvar Torah for Parshas Emor

       The “nickname” of Sefer Vayikra is Toras Kohanim since it contains the special laws that pertain only to the children of Aharon. Parshas Emor fits this theme very well.

       The parsha begins with the important laws concerning Kohanim and impurity. “…אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַֽהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו” “…Speak to the Kohanim, the children of Aharon, and say to them: ‘Let none of you defile himself for a dead person among his relatives.’ (Vayikra 21:1). One of the conditions of their special status is that Kohanim are not allowed to become tamei mes (spiritually impure as a result of coming into contact with a dead body) except to close relatives whom the Torah lists by name.

       The above quoted pasuk begins with seemingly superfluous phrases. First, the pasuk says to speak to “the Kohanim, the children of Aharon.” We know that the Kohanim are Aharon’s descendants; the pasuk only needs to say to speak to the Kohanim or the children of Aharon. Why does it write both? Secondly, the pasuk says to “speak to the Kohanim” and “say to them.” Only one of these phrases is needed for the pasuk to make sense, why are both written?

       The Kli Yakar explains that the pasuk is explaining the standard to which all Kohanim must hold themselves. Aharon, and every Kohen Gadol that followed him, was the holiest man on earth during his tenure as Kohen Gadol as he was the source for Hashem’s kedushah in this world. The kedushah would extend to his children, i.e. the other Kohanim, but was not as strong on them as on him since they were further from the source. Therefore, while Kohanim were allowed to become tamei mes to a few select relatives, the Kohen Gadol was not allowed to become tamei for anyone, even his parents! Since his kedushah came directly from Hashem, he was not allowed to “disturb” that flow. However, the other Kohanim only received their kedushah through him; their kedushah only came through their being “bnei Aharon”, while the Kohen Gadol’s came through his own greatness.

       This explains why the pasuk uses these extra phrases. First, the pasuk describes them both as Kohanim and as sons of Aharon so the Kohanim would understand that even though they are on a higher level of kedushah than the average Jew, they must know where their kedushah came from and appreciate the greatness of the Kohen Gadol.

       Then, the pasuk twice says to speak to them so they should understand the extent of their obligations. First, that Moshe should speak to them as Bnei Aharon, meaning that they are connected to Aharon and therefore shouldn’t become tamei in any capacity. The second time, the pasuk says he should speak to them, as themselves. This means that they don’t have an innate kedushah like the Kohen Gadol, and therefore, there are a few people to whom they can become tamei.

       Then the Kli Yakar brings an exact opposite explanation. Hashem tells Moshe to speak to the Kohanim as the sons of Aharon, stressing that they have a personal connection to the person who is the source of kedushah for the entire world! However, they may feel that if not for that connection, they would lack that special privilege of being a Kohen. Therefore, Hashem tells Moshe to speak to them, to show them that even without the direct connection to Aharon, they are still special; they are the Kohanim, the direct link between the nation and Hashem! Therefore, they can become tamei to certain people, but not all.

       Most of us are not Kohanim. But even though we aren’t genetic Kohanim, each and every Jew has an obligation to be a Kohen (See Shemos 19:6). This means that just like the Kohanim are on a spiritual level above the rest of the nation and have an obligation to maintain that level, we all have an obligation to be on and maintain a higher spiritual level than the rest of the world. May we all be zoche to become Kohanim in the truest sense!

Shabbat Shalom!

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

Don't forget to check out hashkafahandbook.com to learn about my book,Reality Check. And Like it on Facebook.

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

Please Like us on Facebook.

Check out our other AIMeMTorah project, Nation's Wisdom!

AIMeM

Dvar Torah for Parshas Kedoshim

Due to the eighth day of Pesach falling out on Shabbos, Eretz Yisrael and CHU"L will be one parsha off for the next several weeks. I will be following the schedule in Eretz Yisrael. Click here for a Dvar Torah for this week's parsha in CHU"L.

       Parshas Kedoshim opens with Hashem telling us to be holy like He is holy. It would be difficult to determine exactly what activities make someone holy, so it’s important to look to the Torah to teach us. Even if it doesn’t state it explicitly by every instance, since the parsha opens with this requirement, it makes sense that the laws written in the remainder of the parsha are important factors in becoming holy.

       One of the most famous pesukim in the Torah is found in this week’s parsha. “וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֹֽה” “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am Hashem.” (Vayikra 19:18). Chazal teach us that this is an important principle in the Torah. There is a famous story told about a convert who came to Hillel and asked him to teach him the entire Torah while standing on one foot. In response, Hillel taught him this pasuk and said the rest of the Torah is commentary.

       The obvious question with this story is that it doesn’t make good sense. If this person was a serious convert then he obviously was concerned about doing what he was supposed to do. Why would he ask for something completely ridiculous as trying to learn the entire Torah on one foot, i.e. in a reduced manner? Shouldn’t he want to expand his knowledge of Torah instead of limiting it?

       The Kli Yakar explains that he wasn’t looking to water down the Torah. As a convert, he was nervous about having to cram so much information in at once and possibly forgetting different mitzvos at different times. Therefore, he was looking for a system where he could remember a few principles which would help remind him of more laws. So Hillel only gave him one principle, to love everyone as you love yourself. How does this idea represent the entire Torah? Furthermore, this is not the only instance where someone based every mitzvah on one idea. The gemarah (Makkos 24a) says that Chavakuk HaNavi based the entire Torah on the pasuk, “וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה” “A righteous man will live by his faith” (Chavakuk 2:4). How does this make sense with what Hillel taught?

       There are two types of mitzvos: the first is mitzvos between man and God, they are all dependent on belief in Hashem. The second type is mitzvos between man and man, and they are all based on the principle of וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ. And by examining the pasuk, we see it actually includes foundations for both of these types of mitzvos! וְאָֽהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ covers the mitzvos between man, while the end, “אֲנִי יְהוָֹה”, covers the mitzvos between man and God; telling you to recognize Hashem and have faith in Him.

       Based on this explanation, something which we usually look at as a cute story, and perhaps even something which we wonder how it makes sense or how come we can’t learn Torah that easily ourselves (!), instead becomes a clear way of remembering the most important parts of the Torah. And another lesson we learn from here, look at Hillel’s concern for a fellow Jew; he came up with the perfect system to help someone consistently and constantly keep the mitzvos on his mind.

Shabbat Shalom!   

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

Don't forget to check out hashkafahandbook.com to learn about my book, Reality Check. And Like it on Facebook.

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

Please Like us on Facebook.

Check out our other AIMeMTorah project, Nation's Wisdom!

AIMeM