Dvar Torah for Parshas Tazria-Metzora

       This week, we read the double parsha of Tazria-Metzora, whose primary topics include the discussion of Tzara’as. While commonly translated as leprosy, Tzara’as was actually a miraculous disease that appeared as lesions on a person’s skin when they had spoken Lashon Hara. In different situations, these lesions could appear on clothing or buildings as well. When a Kohen confirmed that the lesions were Tzara’as, the victim had to separate himself for a week from the rest of the nation since he was considered tamei. He used that week to do Teshuvah for his sin. Afterwards the Kohen would confirm he was cured and the victim could reenter society.

       There is a famous medrash we have discussed before which pertains to Tzara’as. The story goes like this: There was a peddler who was going through the streets shouting, “Who wants to buy the elixir of life!” Rav Yanai, an amorah, asked him for the elixir. The peddler told him that he didn’t need it, but Rav Yanai insisted. The peddler pulled out a Sefer Tehillim and quoted, “מי האיש החפץ חיים … נצר לשונך מרע” “Who is the man who desires life...stop your tongue from speaking evil” (Tehillim 34:13-14). Rav Yanai replied that he never understood the simple explanation of the pasuk until the peddler explained it to him (Rabba 16:2).

       There are many questions which come up upon reading this story, I’d like to mention three. First, this peddler was not such a good businessman. Instead of selling wares that people usually buy from merchants, he was handing out Mussar! Not exactly a winning business strategy. Who was this man really? Secondly, even though Rav Yanai insisted he tell him, did the peddler really think he could teach the great amorah, Rav Yanai the simple explanation of a pasuk? Lastly, and perhaps most surprisingly, how could it be that Rav Yanai didn’t know the explanation of this pasuk except from this peddler? It seems very simple!

       Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky explains that this peddler was really just a peddler. However, in addition to household wares, he also sold books. In order to market his books, he said that he was selling the elixir of life. A high claim, but a true one. The books really were an elixir for life, since what was contained within the books was life itself.

       Rav Yanai understood that not speaking Lashon Hara would lead to long life; what he was asking for was the elixir, i.e. he was asking for something that would help him achieve his goal of not speaking Lashon Hara. And then the peddler showed him the “elixir”, it was Torah. Hashem gave us the Torah to study and keep, it is an elixir that leads to long life. At this, Rav Yanai was surprised. He couldn’t believe it was so easy to follow the edict of the pasuk, “נצר לשונך מרע”! All he had to do was continue learning Torah.

       There are many different suggestions and tips given in order to prevent our speaking Lashon Hara. While they are all useful to know, let us remember that as long as we are focused on Torah, we have a special elixir ready for us that will help us in our quest to stop speaking evil.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Shemini

       Parshas Shemini begins with what should have been a day of celebration for Bnei Yisrael, but instead ended in tragedy. After seven days of training the Kohanim in the duties of the Mishkan, Moshe was ready to hand over the reins to Aharon and his sons. On the eighth day, they brought a series of korbanos in order to officially sanctify the Mishkan. They blessed the nation and celebrated when their offerings were accepted by Hashem. However, in the middle of the celebration, tragedy struck.

      Aharon’s two older sons, Nadav and Avihu, decided to bring an additional korban. The pasuk says, “וַיַּקְרִבוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֵשׁ זָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָם. וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה” “And they brought before Hashem an alien fire that He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before Hashem and consumed them, and they died before Hashem” (Vayikra 10:1-2). Moshe consoled Aharon by proving that their deaths signified that they were greater than even he and Aharon (See Rashi Pasuk 3); still, their deaths marred the celebratory day, as the entire nation mourned the loss of these great men.

       Chazal give a litany of explanations as to why they deserved to die. One opinion is that they decided a Halacha in front of their rebbi, Moshe, while another says they had drunk wine. Another explains that they had actually sinned by the giving of the Torah by partying instead of preparing to receive the Torah, but in order not to mar that celebration, they were killed now. One says because they never attempted to have children, while another says because they had not properly washed before entering the Mishkan. Another says because they didn’t discuss the matter together before deciding to bring the korban, and the last opinion is because they disrespected Moshe and Aharon by planning out how they would lead the nation after Moshe and Aharon had passed on.

       It is one thing to have this many different opinions about one event, but why do we even need so many ideas in the first place? The Torah clearly tells us why they were killed, “They brought before Hashem an alien fire that He had not commanded them!” Furthermore, we know that Nadav and Avihu were two of the greatest men of the generation, rivaling even Moshe and Aharon; how is it possible that they could be guilty of any of the crimes Chazal accuse them of?

       Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky explains that the actual sin of Nadav and Avihu was like the pasuk says, they brought an unauthorized korban. In order to understand how these two great men could come to do such an aveirah, Chazal presented all these suggestions to us. The process went like this: First, how could they make such a mistake if Moshe and Aharon were around? It must have been that they decided the halachah without consulting them. How could they have the audacity to make such a decision? It must be that they felt they had a better process of teaching Torah, hence their discussions of how they would lead the nation after Moshe’s death.

       And while only being completely drunk was not allowed in the Mishkan (and the Beis Hamikdash), they should have been more careful and not had any wine at all since they could have been called upon at any time to bring a korban. This step showed a degree of Ga’avah, arrogance, towards Hashem as well, making it quite possible that they may have acted similarly by Matan Torah. Ga’avah was also the reason why they never married. Originally, they wanted to follow the path of Moshe, who separated from his wife in order to maintain a constant state of kedushah in order to speak with Hashem at any moment. However, there was another reason as well, buried deep down in their consciousness. As the children of the Kohen Gadol and the nephews of Moshe they felt that no one was worthy of marrying into their family.

       At this point we could question that perhaps they weren’t really good men at all! But that would not be true. Not only was each of these sins done unintentionally, each one of these sins was not intentionally done as a sin! They were all done with nothing but the best intentions. They felt that Torah was not being taught to the nation in the best way possible and wanted to fix that. They had drunk wine in order to celebrate the giving of the Torah and the consecration of the Mishkan; wine is one of the items the Torah tells us to use to celebrate! They hadn’t married in order that they could be constantly available to Hashem. They truly were great men.

       At the same time, everything they did turned out to be a disaster. Because even though they couldn’t see it, it all came from a ga’avah source. Everything they did was determined by their ga’avah. This is a danger that can happen to anyone, even to the greatest men of the generation. Everyone has a trait in the root of their character which has both an element of good and evil. We must be careful and train ourselves that we act on the good part and not the bad. The potential for an altruistic act being based on a bad trait is real, and the line is sometimes very fine. We must work on ourselves to insure that it does not happen to us.

Shabbat Shalom!  

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Dvar Torah for Pesach 5777-2017

      On Seder night, we will once again read through the Hagadah and the story of the Jewish People leaving slavery in Mitzrayim. While different parts of the Hagadah tend to draw more focus than others, every paragraph contains enough commentary to capture your interest for the entire holiday. In general, I try to focus on a different part of the Hagadah every year. This year we will discuss the song of Dayeinu.

       One of the highlights of the Seder for many people is the song “Dayeinu”. It contains fourteen stanzas, each one highlighting a different thing that Hashem did for us from our time in Mitzrayim until our arrival in Eretz Yisrael and the building of the Beis Hamikdash, officially ending our exile. After listing each act of Hashem, we say that each act alone would have been enough for us to receive; anything more would have been gravy. The fact that Hashem actually did do each subsequent act for us is a show of His kindness towards us.

       Even though it makes for a great song, the format of it is very strange. Dayeinu takes each event by itself, says that we would have been satisfied with that event alone, then immediately lists the subsequent one and says we would have been satisfied with only that one! The very next paragraph relists the same events and adds that the fact that Hashem ended up doing each additional act for us shows how much we owe Him. This seems like a much more productive and straightforward approach to use. Why doesn’t the Hagadah write only the second paragraph, especially when it seems to make Dayeinu unnecessary? What do we gain from the format of Dayeinu?

       Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, ZT”L, explains that there is an important idea we learn out from the concept of Dayeinu. Not only did each event listed in the song provide us with a new degree of freedom, it also gave us an increased level of spirituality. Even when some items on the list seem useless by themselves, like arriving at Har Sinai without receiving the Torah, there is a benefit to experiencing each individual event. What is that benefit?

       There are some people who reach a certain level of spirituality, of understanding and experiencing Hashem and His kindness towards us, and are completely satisfied. After a certain point, they see no reason to move forward. The song of Dayeinu teaches us that this is not true. While it may have truly been enough for Hashem to take us out of slavery without punishing the Egyptians, we cannot think like this. We must continue to the next stanza and the next stanza, and show that we are committed to growth in spirituality and appreciate all the kindnesses we get from Hashem as they lead us to a greater exposure to Him. We cannot stand still in our pursuit of spirituality even though where we are holding may be more than we ever imagined. The next paragraph then comes in and explains the message clearly; that each kindness that was done was appreciated and is something we need to thank Hashem for every chance we get since it was underserved. That is the lesson of Dayeinu.

       As we celebrate our freedom, we have to understand what it means to be free, what opportunities have been formed because of that freedom. One of those opportunities is the ability to experience Hashem in all His greatness. How can we let any sort of chance slip through our fingers! May we take the lesson of Dayeinu into the Seder and through the entire holiday of Pesach.

Chag Kosher V’Sameach!

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei/Hachodesh

       Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei details the collection of materials and subsequent construction of the Mishkan. For the most part, these parshiyos are a repeat of Parshiyos Terumah and Tetzaveh, however, throughout the construction process, there are many ideas slipped into the pesukim. I would like to share two such small ideas found in Parshas Vayakhel.

       When Moshe announced the materials needed for donations to the Mishkan, the response was overwhelming. Every person came with their arms full, to the point where Moshe had to command them to stop donating. “וַיְצַ֣ו משֶׁ֗ה וַיַּֽעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בַּמַּֽחֲנֶה֘ לֵאמֹר֒ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַל־יַֽעֲשׂוּ־ע֛וֹד מְלָאכָ֖ה לִתְרוּמַ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וַיִּכָּלֵ֥א הָעָ֖ם מֵֽהָבִֽיא” “Moshe commanded, and they proclaimed in the camp, saying, ‘Man and woman shall not do more work toward the portion of the Sanctuary!’ And the nation was held back from bringing” (Shemos 36:6). Many commentaries ask what was so bad about the nation bringing more than necessary? Let them bring until the Mishkan was finished, they could place the extra in storage; why did Moshe command the people to stop bringing?

       The Kli Yakar explains that Moshe understood that the Mishkan was a house for Hashem built by human beings, and it should be similar to the house Hashem built for humans, i.e. the world. The gemarah (Chagigah 12a) says that Hashem consciously stopped the creation of the world at the point where everything necessary for all of time had been created. There was nothing included in the original Creation which was extra or unnecessary. Therefore, the Mishkan had to be the same way, with nothing extra or unnecessary in its construction. So, the people had to stop donating.

       This is an amazing idea! Everything we have in this world has a purpose. Whether it be human, animal, vegetable, or mineral, everything has its place and purpose. This is an important idea to keep in mind as we live our lives.

       The second idea comes also from this topic, from Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky. He points out that originally, the Bnei Yisrael were only supposed to be in the desert for a few months, until they sinned and had to stay for forty years. They were actually supposed to enter Eretz Yisrael and begin construction of the Beis Hamikdash immediately. So the Mishkan was intended to be used only for year or two at the most. And yet, we see that there was no hesitation on the part of anyone to donate the most valuable of items towards its construction, so much so that Moshe had to tell them to stop bringing!

       Their intentions were clearly only to fulfill the mitzvah of “וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ”, to provide a resting place for the Shechinah among them. Even though this building would only be used for a short time, no one hesitated to provide their support, whether financially or physically, or their time. This is a true example of the famous statement of Chazal that we have no idea the true reward for any particular mitzvah, therefore, we must perform all mitzvos with the same effort and passion. The donators and workers on the Mishkan all knew this idea, and did not hesitate to give everything they had even for a mitzvah that they knew would be short-lived.

Chazak Chazak V’Nischazek!

Shabbat Shalom!  

Click here for last year's Divrei Torah for Parshas Vayakhel & Pekudei

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Ki Sisa

       Parshas Ki Sisa is a roller-coaster of a parsha, containing both spiritual highs and lows for Bnei Yisrael. The most famous event found in this week’s parsha is the spiritual low of the Eigel Hazahav, the Golden Calf, an event whose aftershocks are still felt nowadays. Each and every negative event that happens to us can be in some way ascribed to the events of the Eigel. Another well-known event in this week’s parsha is the collection of the Machatzis Hashekel, the half Shekel, which was used to count the members of Bnei Yisrael. The coins were subsequently used in the construction of the Mishkan, making it that every Jew was a piece of the holiest part of the world.

       I saw an interesting medrash this week that discusses these two episodes. The medrash points out that the two stories share a word which is the key to both the triumph of Bnei Yisrael by the Shekalim and their downfall by the Eigel. By the Shekalim the pasuk writes, “זֶ֣ה | יִתְּנ֗וּ כָּל־הָֽעֹבֵר֙ עַל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים מַֽחֲצִ֥ית הַשֶּׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ” “This shall they give—everyone who passes through the census—a half shekel of the sacred shekel” (Shemos 30:13). And by the Eigel, the pasuk says, “וַיֹּֽאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם | עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה | משֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֨נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ” “And they (the nation) said to him (Aharon), ‘Rise up, make for us gods that will go before us, for this man Moshe who brought us up from the lands of Egypt—we don’t know what became of him” (32:1). The common word, “זֶה”, is responsible for both their rise and fall in both of these stories. What is the meaning behind this?

       Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky explains like this. Whenever the word זֶה is used, it means that you completely understand what you are dealing with, so much so that it’s as if you could point at it and say “זֶה! This is it!” Perhaps the most famous example of this idea is by Krias Yam Suf when the nation said “זה א-לי ואנוהו”; the hand of Hashem was so clearly visible in the miracles taking place at the time that the entire nation completely understood that they were being saved in a supernatural manner. However, we see that it can also be a sign of a lack of respect.

       Moshe Rabbeinu reached levels that no one had reached before him and no one has reached since. He was able to speak to Hashem face to face, a manner that no human being could even physically survive, let alone be worthy of experiencing. But after just a few months of having him as their leader, this group of people felt that they understood Moshe completely. They exclaimed “זֶה!”, they were capable of pointing out everything Moshe was with a finger. If that was true, then of course they could expect to create a replacement for him, the Eigel, on their own. After all, Moshe was simply a man like everyone and anyone else! This of course was not true. It wasn’t even that they didn’t appreciate what Moshe had done for them, they just didn’t attempt to comprehend the specialness of their leader. Their attitude towards Moshe was why they created an idol and became the ultimate reason behind their downfall.

       However, the collection of the half shekel was exactly the opposite. Reb Yaakov quotes the Ramban that whenever a new ruler took control of a nation, he would have coins minted in his honor. As the currency would last past his reign, it would provide a lasting symbol of his rule after his passing. The Shekel coin was an invention of Moshe’s, which he created as a symbol of his new leadership over Bnei Yisrael. With his leadership came the gift and the authority of the Torah to the nation as well. By referring to this coin with זֶ֣ה, they were showing that they full understood, respected, and appreciated the role of the Torah in their lives.

Shabbat Shalom!    

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

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No New Dvar Torah this Week

Due to circumstances, there is no new Dvar Torah this week. Here are links for this week's Parshiyos, Tetzaveh and Zachor. And also a Dvar Torah for Purim.
We will return, b'ezrat Hashem, next week with a new dvar Torah and podcast.

There is no Podcast this week. Please click here to visit our full library of podcasts and find us on iTunes as well.

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Terumah

       After receiving the Torah, the Bnei Yisrael obtained the ability to connect to Hashem on a much deeper level. Through the study of the Torah and keeping its laws, they could come closer to Hashem and build a relationship with Him. And with all that, they were now given the opportunity to build the Mishkan, which would house the Shechinah of Hashem in their midst. This was the central location that the whole nation would turn to as a place of worship and experiencing the Presence of Hashem in their lives.

       Beginning with this week’s parsha, Parshas Terumah, the next several parshiyos detail the construction of the Mishkan, including its structure, utensils, and everything else that went with it. This week, I would like to discuss the Aron, the Golden Ark. While we have discussed it in previous years, there is a specific idea I’d like to focus on which shows us the depth behind every detail of the Mishkan’s construction.

       “בְּטַבְּעֹת֙ הָֽאָרֹ֔ן יִֽהְי֖וּ הַבַּדִּ֑ים לֹ֥א יָסֻ֖רוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ” “The staves shall remain in the rings of the Ark; they may not be removed from it” (Shemos 25:15). Like each of the major utensils of the Mishkan, the Aron had poles placed on its sides so it could be easily carried through the desert. However, unlike the other utensils, the pasuk tells us the poles of the Aron were never to be removed; Rashi says forever. This shows us that they were not simply for travel convenience. What was the true purpose behind these poles?

       There are several explanations in the commentaries which I will bring in chronological order. The first comes from the Da’as Zekeinim. The Aron was the holiest of all the utensils used in the service of Hashem. No one was allowed to look at it because of its extreme holiness. It was kept in a room called the Kodesh Hakedoshim, the Holy of Holies, in which no one was allowed to enter except for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur; the holiest man on the holiest day of the year, and only after much preparation. When the nation traveled, it was kept under a covering before any of the movers went in to carry it out. It follows that Hashem didn’t want anyone needlessly touching or jostling the Aron; and the people probably were afraid to do much around it anyway! Therefore, the poles were to remain in place so that people didn’t have to physically handle the Aron more than necessary. They would pick it up when they left and put it down when they arrived with no extra actions needed.

       The second explanation comes from Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsh. He first mentions that as no one ever entered the Kodesh Hakedoshim, it was hard for the presence of the Ark to impact the nation since it was never seen! The poles helped solve this. Both in the Mishkan and later in the Beis Hamikdash, the poles would press against the curtain separating the Kodesh Hakedoshim from the adjoining room. Anyone who was outside the room could see the impression of the poles and remember that the Aron was inside the next room.

       He goes on to say another explanation. The Aron, Menorah, and Shulchan each symbolized a different idea benefiting the Jewish People. The Aron represented Torah. Rav Hirsh explains that the poles were kept in the Aron to show that the Torah can be transported to wherever the Jewish People go. While the Shulchan and Menorah represent material sustenance and intellectual clarity, those brachos are only complete when the nation resides in Eretz Yisrael. The bracha of Torah, however, is not bound to Eretz Yisrael and can be studied and used as a source of spirituality even when the nation resides in exile.

       (Chazal teach us that there is no comparison to the Torah of Eretz Yisrael, and I don’t believe Rav Hirsh is arguing on this point. There is a unique kedushah to Eretz Yisrael that allows Torah to be studied on an incredible level, unmatched anywhere else in the world. However, the connection to Torah is a personal one, unrelated to locale. This is unlike material and spiritual life which is only complete when living in Eretz Yisrael.)

       Finally, Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky explains based on a gemarah in Pesachim (53b) that whoever supports Torah learning will sit together with those who learn it in the World to Come. By telling us to never remove the poles, the supports of the Aron, Hashem is showing us that this is indeed true. The supports are one with the Aron itself and therefore remain connected to it forever.

Shabbat Shalom!  

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

There is no Podcast this week. Please click here to visit our full library of podcasts and find us on iTunes as well.

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