Fool me twice..?

By On · Add Comment

During the Selichos, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur prayers, we regularly mention that Hashem is ותיק ועושה חסד – He is old, and kind.

We’re probably not paying enough attention when saying this, but this clearly sounds very odd. What is the intent of the prayer by labelling Hashem as “old”, and what effect does that on His kindness? My father explains with a parable.

If someone gets pulled over for speeding on a particular road, and the police officer is in a particularly good mood, perhaps a very good explanation about a family emergency or what have you, will get them off the hook.

But if the same person gets pulled over by the same cop the next day, will the same excuse work? Absolutely not.

Every year, we make the same promises, and make the same excuses. Hashem is ותיק, that same “old” judge as last time, and yet ועושה חסד – nonetheless, He will act kindly with us.

To Know

By On · Add Comment

.י: וַיֹּאמֶר יִתְרוֹ בָּרוּךְ יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּמִיַּד פַּרְעֹה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶת הָעָם מִתַּחַת יַד מִצְרָיִם  :

10. [Thereupon,] Jethro said, “Blessed is the Lord, Who has rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, Who has rescued the people from beneath the hand of the Egyptians.

יא: עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל יְ־הֹוָ־ה מִכָּל הָאֱ־לֹהִים כִּי בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם:
11. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the deities, for with the thing that they plotted, [He came] upon them.” (18:10-11)

What is it that he now knew?

There is a well-known Midrash that Pharaoh had 3 advisers during the episode of the Jews slavery in Egypt – Bilam, Iyov (Job), and Yisro. When Pharaoh sought to annihilate the Jews by drowning the Jewish boys in the river Nile, Bilam supported this and Iyov abstained, whereas Yisro advised against this and subsequently had to flee to Midyan to escape Pharaoh’s clutches.

With regard to our question, (what did Yisro ‘now’ know) I heard a fabulous explanation on a pshat level. What he now knew was Hashem’s system of hashgacha – oversight – the system of midda k’neged mida, measure for measure.

Pharaoh had sought to destroy the Jews by drowning them, and the reverse had happened to him and the entire Egyptian army.

. יא: עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל יְ־הֹוָ־ה מִכָּל הָאֱ־לֹהִים כִּי בַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר זָדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם
11. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the deities, for with the thing that they plotted, [He came] upon them.” (18: 11)

So now he saw that Hashem delivers justice, he realized that he was in a bad situation. Although he had fled Pharaoh when it became clear that official Egyptian policy was genocide, what had he done up until that point? The entire enslavement episode occurred whilst he was in Pharaoh’s cabinet government, and what had he advised then? Nothing in the Jews favor, as it was only when he did that he had to flee. So Yisro realized he had erred and required a tikkun, a solution, to achieve teshuva, repentance.

His solution to the bad advice he had given was to offer good advice.

‘13. It came about on the next day that Moses sat down to judge the people, and the people stood before Moses from the morning until the evening.’ (18:13) – after which he offered the solution of having elders judge as well, solving the inefficiency of the judicial system in the state it was in.

Using something inaugurates it

By On · Add Comment

In Kodshim (the entire topic of spirituality, sacrifices, priesthood etc) there is a concept called “avodoson mechanchosom”, – that an item’s initial use in a service makes it holy and fit to use for that very service.

The First Temple had the shemen Hamishcha – anointing oil – to use on the instruments, thereby making them holy, and subsequently fit for service.

The Second Temple however, did not have the shemen Hamishcha, so the Gemara in Menachos queries how exactly they used items in the service if they hadn’t been sanctified by the oil, and it answers that avodoson mechanchosom – that their use as holy items intrinsically made them holy.

In our sidra, Ahron, Korach and his cohorts (inc. 250 of the greatest Jews of the generation) are commanded to take brand new pans, put on the same ketores - incense – and Hashem would choose which to accept. Ahron’s was accepted, and Korach, Dasan and Aviram are sucked into the earth on which they stood, and the 250 men are consumed by a fire. And what of the pans used? Korach and co.’s were sucked into the earth, as all their possessions went down with their owners. But the pans of the 250 great men, who did not have evil intentions, but wanted all Jews to have access to the spirituality of the service:
Read Full Dvar Torah →

Special occasions

By On · Add Comment

The Musaf prayer of the every festival delineates and substitutes for their respective sacrifices. At both Pesach & Succos the concept of offering the sacrifice on the Mizbeach is introduced before the mention of Mikra Kodesh – a Holy Convocation, wherein the day become holy – literally “holiday”.

Regarding the Pesach offering, the sacrifice is mentioned in Bamidbar 28:18, and Mikra Kodesh is mentioned in the following pasuk. On Succos, the offering is mentioned in Posuk 29:12 and the Mikra Kodesh follow. When it comes to Shavuos it mentions the offering first in 28:13 and later declared Mikra Kodesh. Why does the order change by Shavuos?

There is a big difference between the festivals of Pesach and Succos in contrast to Shavuos. By the Festivals, we have power over the times of the festivals – מקדש ישראל והזמנים. Not so with Shabbos, which is set in stone from Creation, whereby every 7th day is holy. Festivals are based on when Rosh Chodesh falls, which are entirely flexible, based on when the Sanhedrin decided to start the new month.

Pesach and Succos are based on Rosh Chodesh – the 15th day of the Rosh Chodesh proclaimed by the Sanhedrin is called Mikra Kodesh – because we have said when Rosh Chodesh is, the 15th day becomes set aside. To honour the day we bring an offering – the offering follows the holiness of the day.

However, Shavuos is not based on Rosh Chodesh Sivan at all; it is based on the 49 days of Sefira. The Torah says that the moment the counting is complete, an offering is brought. Distinct from Sukkos and Pesach, there is an obligation to bring an offering, and the day becomes holy as a result.

This explains the order events perfectly. By Pesach and Succos, Mikra Kodesh is based on Rosh Chodesh, and the offering is subsequent. But on Shavuos, the offering is the primary feature which is based on counting the Omer, and Mikra Kodesh is secondary.

The Ramban writes that Shavuos is to Pesach as Shemini Atzeres is to Succos, and the 49 days of sefira in the middle are like it’s Chol haMoed. Knowing that Shavuos is not made holy by the day itself, but by the counting of the days from Pesach, the meaning of this is clear.

Action without thought

By On · Add Comment

At the inauguration of the Mishkan, there was a handover process where Moshe gave the post he had filled for 7 days to Ahron, where Ahron offered sacrifices on the Mizbeach on the Jews’ behalf.

וַיִּשָּׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת [ידו] יָדָיו אֶל הָעָם וַיְבָרְכֵם וַיֵּרֶד מֵעֲשֹׂת הַחַטָּאת וְהָעֹלָה וְהַשְּׁלָמִים – Ahron lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them. He then descended from preparing the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering.

וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיֵּצְאוּ וַיְבָרֲכוּ אֶת הָעָם וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד הֹ’ אֶל כָּל הָעָם – And Moshe and Ahron then went into the Tent of Meeting. Then they came out and blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. (Vayikra 9:22-23)

There seem to be two distinct blessings; both before and after going into the Tent of Meeting.

The pasuk seems to emphasise וַיֵּרֶד – that Aaron descended, but what else would we expect? At no other service does the Pasuk tell us he descended, only this one. No blessings were given from on top of the Mizbeach, so he would have already descended when he blessed the people. So for וַיֵּרֶד to not be out of place, it cannot refer to a physical descent.

Rashi explains that the first blessing was Birchas Kohanim, and the second was וִיהִי נֹעַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ - May the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us and our handiwork (…?…).

So what of Ahron’s descent? Ahron experience an emotional descent – his joy fell into sadness.

There is a Kri/Ksiv, which is where a word is pronounced differently to how the spelling would indicate. We read “yadav”/יָדָיו - his hands, plural, but the word written is “yado”/ידו –  his hand, singular.

Aaron’s first offering was not accepted in Heaven, as he felt accomplished that  by his own hand (ידו) he had reached the position he held. He lost sight of the fact that his hands were meant to serve the people (יָדָיו).

When he saw his offering rejected, וַיֵּרֶד - he literally “became down”,i.e. miserable, at which point Moshe, who had already performed the duties for 7 days, came and showed him how to do the service properly . When they came out again, they blessed the people again - וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ – that only when we understand that our hands don’t work except to serve G-d can we work properly; precisely what Ahron had just learned.

It is worth noting that even performing the actions correctly was not enough for the service to be accepted; even the intentions had to be perfect too.

My zaide says that we say in davening each day הללוהו בנבל וכנור - they praise Him with a guitar and harp. Why is a harp called נבל - from the same root as the word “corpse”, used as a rather rude word? My zaide explains that a harp makes such a beautiful sound it makes other instruments sound bad in comparison. The inherent negativity in a harps makes it disgraceful – Chazal teach that someone who gains honour at someone else’s expense has no portion in the World to Come.

To be truly perfect, it is imperative not just that the right thing be done, but that it be done the right way.

All over the place

By On · Add Comment

This is courtesy of D. It is a bombardment of questions, with answers that tie and unify the themes of the questions.

The Orach Chaim asks at Shemos 3:5, when G-d reveals Himself to Moshe, why G-d waits until Moshe is on the mountain and at the burning bush (the bush was on Mt Sinai, this episode occurred there) to tell him he must take his shoes off as he is on sacred ground. But why not warn him before he climbs the mountain?

At 3:11, he asks “who am I take them out?”, and G-d responds (3:12) that “וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת כִּי אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ אֶת הָעָם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת הָאֱ־לֹהִים עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה – And He said, “For I will be with you, and this is the sign for you that it was I Who sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” “

The first question: how is this remotely helpful as a reply to a slave in Egpyt querying his would-be saviour’s legitimacy? It’s not a proof, it’s a statement about the future, but does not ascertain anything at the time the proof is warranted.

The second question, where does תַּעַבְדוּן – worship, enter the equation? Apart from their acceptance, weren’t the Jews entirely passive? What worship did they perform on Mt Sinai?

In Beshalach, 17:1, the pasuk informs us that when the Jews camped in Refidim, they had no water. 5 verses later, G-d tells Moses to strike a rock at Horeb (Mt Sinai). Refidim is far from Horeb, so what’s going on?

In Yisro, 19:12, instructions are issued to build a boundary around Mt Sinai, and the next pasuk specifies laws “לֹא תִגַּע בּוֹ יָד כִּי סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל אוֹ יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה אִם בְּהֵמָה אִם אִישׁ לֹא יִחְיֶה בִּמְשֹׁךְ הַיֹּבֵל הֵמָּה יַעֲלוּ בָהָר – No hand shall touch it, for he shall be stoned or cast down; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the ram’s horn (Shofar) sounds a long, drawn out blast, they may ascend the mountain.”

Why is it that no one, not even an animal, can stray into the mountain, nor were they even allowed to touch it 3 days before the Torah was given?

There is a concept with Kadshim (sacred items and laws) about there being a permit, a mattir, to use something something that was once Kodesh(sacred). Why is it that there is such a requirement here?

Lastly, after the Ten Commmandments, there is an instruction to build a Mizbeach Adama, an earthen altar (20:21). What is the connection between G-d giving us the Torah and building an altar there?

End of questions.

The Rambam (Maimonides) explains that all instance of G-d speaking to a person are through messengers/angels and the like. The only “face to face” meeting with G-d was with Moshe

To answer our question of why wait until he is there to tell him to remove the shoes, the answer is simple once pointed out; וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ ה’ אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה הַסְּנֶה בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנּוּ אֻכָּל – An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the thorn bush, and behold, the thorn bush was burning with fire, but the thorn bush was not being consumed.” (3:2)

Only at 3:4 does G-d appear – וַיַּרְא ה’ כִּי סָר לִרְאוֹת וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו אֱ־לֹהִים מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי – The Lord saw that he had turned to see, and God called to him from within the thorn bush, and He said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am!”

So this explains why he was only warned once he was there; as he ascended, there was no prohibition, G-d wasn’t there, an angel was! Only once G-d appeared did the land become holy so he would need to take off his shoes.

Bearing in mind that the land itself, Mt Sinai, was already holy from that moment, we can further understand the “proof” that Moshe was meant to tell people, which Targum Yonasan ben Uziel explains at 19:5 that the mountain of G-d was the proof; that there was a place waiting for the Jews where the Torah would be given, and the Mishkan would be built, they were now a nation in waiting.

So it has been established that the land was holy before the Torah was given, and the Chizkuni explains that in Refidim, when they had no water, Moshe went to Horeb, and brought back a rock from there, and it was this rock from Mt Sinai that he struck to make water.

What about the permit/mattir to use the land? Where does that enter the equation? The Ibn Ezra quotes R’ Hai Gaon that the Shofar was blown when the command to build the Mishkan was given, and this Shofar, coupled with the sacrifices brought on the Mizbeach Adama (earthen altar), transferred the holiness from the mountain to the Mishkan .

So the mountain was forbidden and holy once G-d revealed Himself at the burning bush. In shachris (morning prayers), in the section regarding the sacrifices, we say “olas hatamid ka’asuya b’har sinai” that we bring the Tamid sacrifice like on Mt Sinai. So when did we bring sacrifices on Mt Sinai? At the time the Mishkan was consecrated for the first time, on Mt Sinai!

With this we can understand why the pasuk said תַּעַבְדוּן – worship. They did worship at Mt Sinai, when they consecrated the Mishkan by bringing the sacrifices, using the earthen altar and blowing the Shofar, which transferred the innate holiness of Mt Sinai that had been there since G-d had revealed himself to the Mishkan.

I think that ties up all the loose ends. :)

Yesimcha Elokim k’Efraim v’chMenashe

By On · Add Comment

Why do we bless our children  that they should become like Efraim and Menashe instead of any other of the myriad blessings available?  How is it that they were able to inherit from Yakov a portion equivalent to that of the previous generation, their uncles?

My Zaide explained that Menashe and Efraim were worthy of being considered Yakov’s own children and two of the 12 Tribes because they were born and raised in Egypt. The Uncles (Reuven, Shimon etc,) were raised in Yakov’s house; It’s not so big a blessing to say that to continue tread the path you’re already on. But the fact that 2 boys, born in Egypt, to a father who was the viceroy of Egypt who had left his heritage at 17 (and we could understand if he’d sought to cut off ties with his past, the past that he’d been exiled from by his brothers), that is a massive chiddush, that people can rise from the 49th level of tuma and become one of the Shivtei Ka. This is truly inspirational and affirms that each of us has unlimited potential. This is the blessing we give our children, that they should transcend all obstacles, just like Efraim and Menashe.

Another explanation given by D, is that neither son objected when Yaakov switched hands to bless them, and said that the younger son would become greater. There was no hint of jealousy or animosity from one to the other, they were content with their lot. Menashe was happy for Ephraim to be first and Ephraim merely accepted the reponsibility of his portion without gloating. D explains that the blessing we give to our children is that they should have this relationship with each other (which perhaps leads on to what my Zaide says?).