Shabbat Parshat VAYIGASH Mazal Tov - 600 - Welcome to the club signed: Henry, George Herman, Willie, Barry Halachic Times for Jerusalem
Israel Standard (Winter) Time Last Motza"Sh it was cloudy, and the moon was a no-show for the first opportunity to say K.L. Many people said it on one of the clear evenings that followed, but many others are probably Motza"Sh K.L. sayers, or not at all. Therefore, take this as a reminder: Kiddush L'vana this Motza'ei Shabbat (Jan. 3) and if that doesn't work out, remember to say it on Sunday night or Monday night or Tuesday night (but in that case, only until 12:40am). Although it is considered special
to say K.L. on Motza'ei Shabbat, it can be said on any night of the
week. And shuls will usually not organize or even announce K.L.
after they have already said it, so you are on your own to remember
K.L. if you missed the earlier opportunities to say it. K.L. is an
extra challenge during the winter, when clouds often obscure the
moon. Despite the fact that the first two or three days of Tevet are part of the joyous holiday of Chanuka, the month is referred to as "a month of pain". There are three days in a row of fasts, although only the third day is a public fast, required of all healthy Jews - male and female - from the age of mitzvot and up. Friday(Jan.2) is the 8th of Tevet, the date of the Targum Shiv'im, the forced translation of the Torah into Greek. This day, says the Gemara, is as "black" as the day of the Sin of the Golden Calf, because the Written Torah without the explanations of the Oral Torah is not able to be translated, without misunderstandings anddistortions resulting. We need to remember, but we need to do more. We need to recom- mit ourselves to the "package deal" of Torah, that is based on the inseparable nature of the Written Word, the Oral Law and Tradition, and Rabbinic Legislation. Similarly, the 9th of Tevet is the yahr- zeits of Ezra and Nechemia, who are responsible for the restoration of Torah to the people and the return of the people (unfortunately a relatively small part thereof) to Eretz Yisrael after Babylonian Exile. The loss to that generation was devastating, because they essentially had no successors to carry on their work. Here again, we need to do more than just remember. In the personalities of Ezra and Nechemia we have the combination of aspirations that should be a major part of the lives of all Jews today: Torah learning and practice and return to Eretz Yisrael. A little introspection and commitment to greater efforts on our parts in these areas will go a long way. And then there is the 10th of Tevet, the first of the four fasts for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash - AND every- thing it means to the people of Israel. It follows that a fast day and the mourning of the Churban are supposed to stimulate us to examine the causes of the Churban and hopefully do something about creating the right Jewish environment that will bring G-d to the conclusion (so to speak) that there is no longer any need or reason to delay the Complete Redemption. Add to all of the above, the reminder of the Holocaust because Asara b'Tevet has been designated as Yom Kaddish K'lali, a day of mourning victims of the Sho'ah whose yahrzeits are unknown. There is a lot of heavy thinking
that goes along with the events of the 8th, 9th, and 10th of Tevet.
That thinking must lead each of us to resolve to strengthen our
commitment to Torah, the People of Israel, and the Land of Israel.
Then, all the thinking becomes constructive and not merely
depressing. Then we stand a chance of breaking out of the mournful
cycle of Jewish Life... in rebuilt Yerushalayim, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU
AMEN. SDT Yehuda confronted the as-yet- unrevealed Yosef as an equal, It can be said, that whenever one approaches a confrontational situation, it is best to think in terms of facing one's adversary on equal footing. Thinking oneself inferior will often create a self-fulfilling disadvantage. One will tend not to fight with sufficient determination because of the expectation of defeat. Feeling superior to one's adversary will often lead to over-confidence. Remember not to under-estimate your enemy... or yourself. The Torah notes on the opening words of the sedra explain what was going on. KADMA V'AZLA R'VI'I, ZARKA MUNACH SEGOL (see top row of the ParshaPix, above). The 4th (son) went forward (to confront Yosef), because he had thrown away his place among the Chosen (Nation) (by guaranteeing Binyamin's safe return) - attributed to the GR"A. SDT The Alshich asks: At the end of Parshat Mikeitz, Yehuda is completely resolved to his (and his brothers') fate. The Egyptian ruler has accused them of stealing his special chalice. Yehuda offers that the one in whose possession the cup is found shall be put to death and that the others would be slaves. When the cupis "found" in Binyamin's possession, Yehuda meekly submits (to the slavery suggestion). Yosef (as yet unrevealed) nobly refuses Yehuda's offer and announces that he will take only the "culprit" as a slave - the rest are free to return in peace to their father. That is the "cliff-hanger" ending of Mikeitz. At the beginning of Vayigash, Yehuda changes from the lamb awaiting slaughter, to the lion which becomes the hallmark of his tribe, risking his life in his confrontation with the enigmatic Egyptian leader. What caused the change in Yehuda's demeanor? As long as Yehuda expected all the brothers to be enslaved, he viewed the events as G-d's punishment for the sale of Yosef. This he could accept. When it turned out that only Binyamin would be enslaved - the only one not involved in Mechirat Yosef, Yehuda realized that this was not punishment for what they had done. Nowhis protective instincts and his promise to Yaakov take over. Yehuda boldly faces this "Egyptian" and is prepared to risk all to save Binyamin. SDT Yosef heard his father referred to as "your servant - my father" ten times (5 from Yehuda and another 5 from the interpreter) and he did not object and/or reveal his identity to prevent the humiliation of his father. For this, commentators say, Yosef lost 10 years of life and died at 110, before any of his brothers. SDT Chassdic masters see a "layer of messages" for us beneath the wording of Yehuda's plea. "...and (if) he leaves his father, he will die." If a person abandons his Father (G-d), forsakes the Torah, then he will die a spiritual death. Did you ever notice that when
Yosef interegated the Brothers, he asked them if they had a father
or brother. Not if they had a mother. Baal HaTurim says it was
because he knew that their (and his) mother had already died. Let's
call this even a subconscious omission. The Torah tells us of
Rachel's passing. According to Tradition,
Leah died about six years after Rachel did. By the time of the sale
of Yosef, both mothers were long gone. Yosef cannot contain himself any longer and orders the room cleared of all "outsiders". He bursts with emotion and announces to his dumb-struck brothers that he is Yosef. Immediately, Yosef asks, "Is my father still alive?" Yosef repeats his shocking revelation, with details, so the brothers will believe what they are hearing. He then admonishes them not to be angry with each other, since it was G-d's plan that should be properly positioned to save his family from the famine. SDT Torah T'mima brings the Gemara in Chagiga in the name of Rabbi Elazar who makes the following powerful observation: If the children of Israel were not able to respond to Yosef's short statement of reproach, imagine how more so it will be difficult for us to respond to G-d's reproach for the myriad wrong- doings as individualsand as a community. The sale of Yosef was a monstrous sin, regardless of how G-d planned things to turn out. We were slaves to Par'o because of it. So says the Midrash. SDT When Yosef finally reveals himself to his brothers, he makes the following compound statement: "I am Yosef - Is my father still alive?" Many commentaries ask why Yosef would ask that question at this dramatic moment - especially since he has been hearing about Yaakov from the brothers all along. Some see in it a short but powerful reproach to the brothers, as if to say, "is it possible that my father can still be alive after what you've put him through?" If this is indeed the meaning of his question, then Yosef too must bear some of the burden and shame, since he also caused Yaakov suffering by not having communicated with him that he was alive during his years as prime minister in Egypt. (Although there are various reasons given in the sources as to why Yosef did not inform Yaakov of his well-being, it is difficult not to throw some criticism in Yosef's direction.) Another interpretation suggests
that Yosef might have assumed that his brothers had been lying to
him about their father. They might have told him that Yaakov was
alive to elicit sympathy, but he might have been dead. Therefore,
now that he has told his brothers who he really is, Yosef asks the
most important question on his mind - Is
my father really still alive? Meanwhile, Par'o becomes aware of the reunion and offers his generous hospitality to the family. Yosef gives his brothers clothing, but gives Binyamin even more (specifically, 5 sets of clothing and 300 silver pieces). Observation... Notice that once again a son of Rachel is being favored by being given a special garment. The first time, the results were disastrous for Yosef and his brothers. Why would Yosef even consider doing this? The "solution" to the problem of the brothers is not reached by avoiding difficult situations. If there is true repentance, then the brothers can be given the exact circumstances to show their change of heart. Seeing things in a proper perspective, the extra gifts to Binyamin do not evoke the jealousy of the brothers; they have repented. This same idea can be seen in Vaychi. Yaakov favors Efrayim over Menashe. Yosef gets very upset. Again we can say that the idea is not to avoid anything that would make one brother jealous, the other arrogant. Menashe and Efrayim showed praiseworthy characteristics in the way they handled their different statuses. Thisis one of the reasons that we bless our sons "may G-d make you like Efrayim and like Menashe..." Yosef sends his brothers back to
Yaakov with wagons (which is a personal coded message between son &
father based on the topic they were studying at the time of the Sale
of Yosef) and gifts. The brothers tell Yaakov all that has happened.
He refuses to believe that Yosef is really alive, until he sees the
wagons. Yaakov's spirit is revived. Rashi also points out that G-d promised that Yaakov would be brought back to Eretz Yisrael for burial. The promise of becoming a great nation was not enough to calm Yaakov. [SDT] In explanation of why Yosef
never communicated with his father in all the years of separation,
one commentary suggests that had Yaakov known about the sale of
Yosef, he would have considered his sons in violation of the Torah's
prohibition against kidnapping. Therefore, Yosef had not told his
father what had happened. THE SEVENTY SOULS... Yosef then prepares (some of) his brothers to meet Par'o. It is a sensitive issue because Yaakov and family are shepherds (sheep being the deity of Egypt). Yosef presents his father and five of his brothers to Par'o. Par'o again offers the best of the land to Yosef's family. Par'o asks Yaakov how old he is. Yaakov replies that he has lived 130 bitter years and that he does not expect to live as long as his father or grandfather. Yaakov blesses Par'o (having done so when first presented to Par'o - Rashi says that these were courtesy greetings to royalty) and Yaakov takes his leave. Rashi brings a Midrash that says
that Yaakov’s bracha to Par’o was that the Nile should rise above
its banks when he approaches it. And so it was, from then on. Yaakov's family flourishes
greatly. The ownership of a thing, such as a parcel of real estate (Parcel A), can, for the purposes of this lesson, be divided into two simple components: (I) the ownership of the underlying real estate of Parcel A; and (2) the right to use Parcel A. Most often, both of these are merged so that the underlying owner and the user are the same person. But there are times when the two are not merged, that is, Shimon is the underlying owner and Reuven has the use of the real estate for a given period of time, as with a lease, or during his (Reuven's) lifetime, as with a life estate. The life estate may be established in many ways. For example, Reuven, who is in good health, transfers to Shimon by a written deed, or some other valid method of transfer of real estate title, ownership of Parcel A, the transfer to take effect ''as of today, and after my death." Shimon immediately becomes the underlying owner of Parcel A, and Reuven retains a life estate to use parcel A and retain the profits from the use. The life estate includes the profits of the parcel. For example, the land produces apples. Although the apples are not in existence and a person cannot sell something not yet in existence, he may reserve the right to benefit from something not in existence. Since the land is in existence, Reuven may sell Shimon the land, although Reuven will only have the use of the land. After the death of Reuven, Shimon will have the use of Parcel A as well as the ownership of the underlying land; both the use and underlying ownership will merge in Shimon. There may be any combination of such estates. Instead of using the term ''as of today," the life estate is established if the memorandum describing the gift that was transferred by an act of acquisition by Shimon (or a deed, if the deed is the method of transfer) had a date in it. Thus, a deed dated January 1, 2004, and stating that Reuven, the donor, "gives to Shimonparcel A upon the death of Reuven", establishes a life estate that remains with Reuven, and the underlying ownership of parcel A is transferred from the date of the deed or memorandum to Shimon. The fact that the document has a date when it is not needed indicates that the date is meant for the gift to take effect ''as of today." The date is not needed since the underlying ownership does not require a date; the date of death of Reuven is crucial to Shimon, for on that date he also owns the use of Parcel A. But that date cannot be put into the document, for no one knows when Reuven will die. Thus, the date takes the place of the words ''as of today". If Reuven reserves for himself the right to live during his lifetime in the house he gives away by gift, he may reside there with his wife and all of his helpers. If he has no means to sustain himself from outside sources, Beth Din will use part of the gift to sustain him. This includes the wages of his servants, clothingfor himself and his wife, and everything else that Beth Din deems essential. If Reuven thereafter acquires funds, he need not repay Shimon for all of the essentials decreed by Beth Din. Reuven should not, in the first instance, sell Parcel A since he does not own the underlying land, and Shimon should not, in the first instance, sell Parcel A since he does not own the use of Parcel A during Reuven's lifetime. However, Reuven may, in the first instance, sell his right to use Parcel A during Reuven's lifetime, and Shimon may, in the first instance, sell the underlying parcel without the use thereof until Reuven dies. If Reuven does sell Parcel A to Levi, Levi has the use and profits of the parcel for the duration of Reuven's life. Upon the death of Reuven, Shimon or Shimon:'s heirs may evict Levi from Parcel A. If Levi was unaware that Reuven owned only the use of Parcel A, upon discovering this fact, he may rescind the sale and demand his money back. If he was aware of this fact, he cannot rescind the sale even if it was inaccurately described as a sale of "Parcel A," and not as it should have been described, as a sale "of the use and profits only of Parcel A for the duration of Reuven's life." Also, if Shimon does sell Parcel A to Naftali, Naftali will not have the use or profits of Parcel A until Reuven dies. When Reuven dies, Naftali is the full owner of Parcel A, (the underlying parcel and the use of the parcel, both having merged in Naftali). This is true even if Shimon dies before Reuven and after having sold Parcel A to Naftali. If Naftali was unaware that Shimon owned only the underlying parcel, upon discovering this fact, he may rescind the sale and demand his money back. If he was aware of this fact, he cannot rescind the sale even though it was inaccurately described as a sale of "Parcel A' and not as it should have been described, as a sale "of the underlying Parcel A only during the lifetime of Reuven, and after Reuven's death to include the use of Parcel A." Assume that Reuven, the owner of the life estate of Parcel A, sells the use and profits to Levi, and Levi thereafter purchases from Shimon the underlying interest in Parcel A. Or Levi first purchases from Shimon the underlying ownership of Parcel A, and thereafter purchases the life estate from Reuven. In both cases, the estates merge in Levi, who is now the complete owner of Parcel A. However, assume that Reuven sells his life estate in Parcel A to Levi, and thereafter, Reuven buys the underlying ownership from Shimon. Levi does not have any claim for the underlying estate. Similarly, if Shimon sells to Levi the underlying ownership, and thereafter Shimon purchases the life estate from Reuven, Levi does not have any claim for the life estate. All profits collected from Parcel
A before Reuven dies belong to the heirs of Reuven. All profits for
the period after the death of Reuven belong to Shimon. What about
profits that came into existence during the lifetime of Reuven but
were not yet collected or harvested? The subject matter of this lesson
is more fully discussed in Volume VII Chapter 257 of A Restatement
of Rabbinic Civil Law by E. Quint. Copies of all volumes can be
purchased via email: orders@gefenpublishing.com and via website:
www.israelbooks.com and at local Judaica bookstores. Havdala and Eliyahu HaNavi 2. The Kitzur cites a Midrash (men- tioned in many works but lost to us) which relates that each Motzaei Shabbat Eliyahu "sits under the tree of life and relates the praises of Israel, who keep the Shabbat". This Midrash relates to Eliyahu
as the witness of Israel's righteousness. The Zohar relates how
Eliyahu attained this status. The response to this moving complaint is very surprising. Instead of congratu- lating Eliyahu for his zeal and devotion, HaShem seems to rebuke him for his lack of confidence in God's people. Eliyahu is assigned to a remarkable "probation", which is simultaneously punishment and reward: he will person- ally witness eachand every Brit Mila throughout Jewish history! (Zohar Lekh Lekha I:93a.) The restless wandering needed to fulfill this mandate is a kind of punishment for Eliyahu's hasty words regarding the Jewish people, but his reward is to witness personally the most important thing of all to Eliyahu, that the Jews should indeed beloyal to their covenant with G-d, is in fact being fulfilled throughout the generations. (This story is the basis of the custom for having a "chair of Eliyahu" at a Brit, for the Zohar then explains that we should always be careful to provide a chair for this distinguished guest.) Havdala - a symbolic reenactment of Eliyahu's ascent to heaven Perhaps we can discern a hint of a third connection between havdala and Eliyahu: the havdala ceremony itself can be seen as a symbolic re-enactment of Eliyahu's ascent to heaven. Eliyahu had a rare prophetic spirit. He was able to inspire masses of Jews more than any other prophet since Moshe. We could well liken him to the "neshama yeteira", the "extra soul", of the Jewish people. Through Eliyahu, the people experienced a unique spiritual elevation. However, the time came for Eliyahu's mission to end. He was ordered to appoint a successor, Elisha, and leave this world. This is like the end of Shabbat, and the departure of the extra soul. Elisha was not willing to let Eliyahu disappear so abruptly. He requested that Eliyahu grant him "a double measure of your spirit" (II Kings 2:9). Although Eliyahu himself would be gone, the Jewish people would be consoled by the prophetic spirit of Elisha. This reminds us of the spices, which "restore the soul" in consolation for the lost extra soul which dwelt within us on Shabbat (Bach OC 297 based on Tosafot Beitza 33). Finally, Eliyahu ascended skyward in a fiery chariot with horses of fire. This is symbolized by the fires of the havdala candle, with its multiple wicks. We close havdala with recognition of the fine distinctions between the holy and the profane. This too reminds us of Eliyahu, because our Sages have a tradition that in the future Eliyahu will come to resolve all of our doubts, particularly unresolved uncertainties in the halakha which is the ultimate arbiter of holy andprofane (Shabbat 108a and elsewhere). “Meaning in Mitzvot” is undergoing intensive editing, and BE"H and the help of loyal supporters, we hope to have the book out soon. If you would be interested in helping with publication, please contact Rabbi Meir about making a dedication or subscription (advance purchase): mail@asherandattara.com, fax 02-642-3141 Rabbi Meir authors a popular
weekly on-line Q&A column, "The Jewish Ethicist", which gives Jewish
guidance on everyday ethical dilemmas in the workplace. The column
is a joint project of the JCT Center for Business Ethics, Jerusalem
College of Technology - Machon Lev; and Aish HaTorah. You can see
the Jewish Ethicist, andsubmit your own Qs — www.jewishethicist.com
or www. aish.com After his anointment as king of the united tribes of Israel, David saw it fitting that the Aron HaBrit now be brought to the Holy City. In joy and in festivity, the king and representatives of all Israel, took the Aron from the house of Avinadav in Kiryat Yearim, [opposite the old police station in present day Abu Gosh],to bring it up to Yerushalayim, in great joy and festivity. It had come to rest there when the Philistines sent it back to Bet Shemesh, some 20 years previously. Then, the people of Bet Shemesh, in contrast to the Philistine idolaters, had treated the Aron with levity and casualness. In their ecstatic and festive moods, they had set their hands on the Aron to see what was in it. Divine punishment was swift and many of them died (1 Samuel, 6: 15,19; see also Radak). Now Uzah, who was leading the cart that carried the Aron, met the same fate when he put out his hand to steady the Aron. The text uses the same word 'vayichar' [i.e. to burn- Rashi], in order to denote G-d's anger with Uzah, as the Torah did regarding Nadav and Avihu (Lev. 10:2), since all of them sinned by infringing the law regarding sanctity in ritual worship. Further- more, the text that they, "died before the Lord", tells us that their disregard for the HaShem's law flowed solely from their excessive spirituality and acute desire to sanctify Hashem's Name. The desire for spirituality and religious ecstasy can, if not controlled, lead to desecration. David himself should have refrained from loading the Aron onto a cart, since, "even a child knows that the Kohanim carried it on their shoulders" (Sotah 36a). There is perfect symmetry in the
Divine ways - punishment for not doing His Will and for desecrating
His Sanctuary; but similarly reward for glorifying it and treating
it appropriately. "Two things [in the Sanctuary] frightened the
people; the incense because of which Nadav and Avihu and also the
congregation of Korach were killed, and
the Aron because of the death of Uzah. Yet, "[Aharon] offered the
incense and atoned for the nation. He stood between the living and
the dead and the plague ceased" (Numbers 17:12-13). So, when Uzah
was killed and there was no longer rejoicing, the Aron was left in
the house of the Levite Oved Edom, alongside
the way to Yerushalayim for 3 months. "And the Lord blessed
Oved Edom and all his house [concerning the Aron]" (Bamidbar Rabbah
4:20). There was awe and fear of the Holy, alongside spiritual joy and religious ecstasy. So there is in the celebrations of Shabbat and Chagim, Simchat Beit HaShoeva, Purim, and Simchat Torah. There is the joy of our Shalosh Regalim - our pilgrimages to Yerushalayim. There is prayer that is worshiping G-d in simcha, the rejoicingof mitzvot and ecstasy of studying His Words. This awe and spiritual joy are not merely options but the balance demanded by halakha. "It is a positive mitzva to treat the Temple with honor and fear... So one may not enter it in dirty garments… with dust on our sandals… nor may cross through it nonchalantly or for convenience" (Hilkhot Beit HaBechira 6:1-2). Our Sages extended this to the Bet Knesset and the Bet Medrash, so that there may not be inappropriate clothing, speech or behavior there, and they are to be clean and distant from impurity and filth. They are meant only for spiritual elevation and for meeting G-d. Yet there is nothing morbid, sad or depressing in this awesome behavior, rather the contrary. "The simcha with which a person performs mitzvot and the love one has for the G-d Who commanded them is a great worship. Every- one who denies to themselves simcha in performing mitzvot, will be held responsible for this omission."Because you did not worship your G-d in gladness and a full heart… So you will serve your enemies in hunger and in thirst" (Deut. 28:47-48). One who thinks of his own honor and is too arrogant in [joyfully] performing mitzvot, is considered a sinner and a fool; "Do not aggrandize yourself in the presence of the King" (Proverbs). Those who abase them- selves, [rejoicing before Him] and consider themselves to be of no consequence in His Presence, serve Him in love and will be greatly honored, as did David" (Rambam Hilkhot Lulav 8:16). Simcha Bunem of Peshischa taught,
"Simcha is when the kedusha is overflowing". Q If one has a cracked lip, does he have to be concerned about swallowing blood? A The prohibition against
ingesting blood is a very severe one (see Vayikra 17:10-14).
However, the full force of the prohibition does not apply to human
blood (Ketubot 60a). In fact, according to most opinions, ingesting
human blood is only forbidden mi- d'rabanan (rabbinically) (see
Rambam, Ma'achalot Asurot 6:2). Furthermore,the rabbinic prohibition
does not apply across the board to turn human blood into an
objective rabbinic prohibition. Rather, the prohibition depends on
the circumstances, one of which we will discuss. The baraita says that one can swallow the blood that may be found in between one's teeth, but not if it has found its way onto a piece of bread he is eating. Rashi explains that once it is on the bread, one might think that he is eating animal blood that got on the bread. Following this approach, the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 66:10) calls it a prohibition of marit ayin (when that which people think they are seeing is forbidden), in this case, that he is ingesting animal blood. The question then becomes which situations are included in the marit ayin prohibition. Tosafot (K'ritot 21b) says that one may lick the blood which drips out of a wound on his finger (this is by no means a medical suggestion), because it is clear from the fact that the blood is taken directly from the body that it is human blood. However, the Minchat Yaakov, in his commentary on the Torat Chatat (62:25), infers from Rashi in Ketubot (ibid.) that he disagrees. Rashi says that the reason that it is permitted to swallow the blood from between the teeth is that "there is none that sees it." The Minchat Yaakov reasons that according to this approach,it is forbidden to suck the blood from the wound on a finger, because it can be readily seen. The Darkei Teshuva (66:68) cites additional opinions on either side. What about our case, regarding blood coming from cracked lips? According to Tosafot, it is clearly not a problem for him to swallow the blood. What about according to Rashi? One could claim that if the blood is visible, then it is a problem. But it is more likely that Rashi, when saying, "there is none that sees it," was referring not to the blood but to the ingestion of the blood. While one can notice a person licking the blood off his finger, one cannot notice how, as the top lip meets the bottom lip, some blood may enter the mouth. One can make the same calculation with regard to the use of dental floss. (I know there are people who would love nothing more than a halachic excuse not to use it, but they will have find it elsewhere). It is true that the floss sometimes picks up some blood, which is noticeable and that it is not always cleaned before being put back into the mouth, where some may be ingested. However, it is not clear to one who sees the flossing that any of that blood will be ingested, nor will the ingestion be visible. Therefore, it is likely that even Rashi would agree that it is not necessary to clean the bloodstained dental floss before reinserting it into the mouth. In any case, the Kaf Hachayim (YD 66:47) says that there are more who agree with Tosafot than with Rashi and one can rely on the lenient opinions in this rabbinic matter. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of
Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You
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Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel "My son," said R' Yisachar Ber,
"see the difference between a mitzva and a sin. With a mitzva, one
starts with 'Oy! Oy!,' but in the end it is 'Ah! Ah!' With a sin, on
the other hand, it is first, 'Ah! Ah!,' but then it is 'Oy! Oy!'" In his book, "Derech Chaim" (The Path of Life), a commentary on Pirkei Avot, the Maharal describes how Hashem created the natural forces of the world to act as the agency to maintain balance within the world. When we humans create imbalance, within ourselves, our communities, or within the world itself (the environment), nature acts to return us to that original balance. We then interpret the reaction of nature as punishment and sickness: punishment for our spiritual imbalances, and sickness for our physical imbalances. "Everything is given on collateral, and a net is spread over all the living. The shop is open; the Merchant extends credit; the ledger is open, and the hand writes; and whomever wishes to borrow, let him come and borrow. The collectors make their rounds constantly, every day, and collect payment from the person whether he realizes it or not. They have proof to rely upon; the judgement is a truthful judgement…" (Pirkei Avot 3:2). The "collectors", the forces of nature, balance our actions that effect the world. This system works "whether he realizes it or not", with or without our awareness. This system works under the "net spread over all the living", divine control. He asserts that each person should not think that he could avoid this balancing response just because the agents are the forces of nature, as these afflictions are a direct and intrinsic reaction to our actions. The Maharal also describes how this process works with our physical health. "The more flesh, the more worms…" (Pirkei Avot 2:8) refers to this same process, in this case when bodily excesses lead to bodily deterioration. The Rambam describes this process in a similar fashion: "Overeating is like poison to anyone's body. It is the main source of all illness. Most illnesses which afflict a man are caused by harmful foods or by his filling his belly and overeating, even of healthful foods." (Hilchot Deot 4:15) He adds, "the consumption of a little bad food is less harmful than the consumption of a lot of good and healthy food." (The Regimen of Health 1:1) When we overindulge, or eat the wrong foods, we accumulate acidity, toxins and metabolic by-products which the body tries to remove by either 1) expelling them via the bodily fluids, or by 2) concentrating them in the storage organ, the fat, of the body. Obviously, the body prefers to totally expel these unwanted materials from the body, and only stores these toxins in the fat as a second resort. In the state of continuous accumulation of these toxins, deposition then occurs within the vital organs, leading to malfunction, and disease. In order to do either one of the "cleansing" actions, the body has to break down the extra material via its two internal "messengers", enzymes and bacteria. Bacteria reside within the body in all normal circumstances, living within the cavities, such as the mouth, nose, throat, and all throughout the digestive tract. (In contrast to common belief, our bodies are far from being sterile). In the cleansing process, the body produces extra fluids, named catarrh, which flow from the body's orifices to drain away the unwanted substances. . When these fluids increase, the bacteria within the fluids increase their action, breaking down the toxins to further decrease their harm. If the flow of catarrh continues too long, then the bacteria multiply out of balance, creating secondary infections. In addition, we might experience nausea and vomiting, diarrhea or skin eruptions in order to expel these toxins. When further assistance is needed, then the body mobilises its enzymes from other physiologic functions in order to help metabolise, detoxify and remove the toxins. In order to improve the function of these enzymes, the body temperature rises, leading to what we experience as fever. The body also diverts blood away from less vital organs, such as the digestive system, to the vital organs, such as the liver, heart, kidneys, glands and lymphatic system. We experience this as a decrease in appetite, and nausea with eating. Twice a year, in fall and spring, a person undergoes a natural cleansing process, both spiritually and physically. I described this process in the Elul-Tishrei edition of "The Natural Path". This occurs only when the person listens to his or her intuitive intelligence, to eat the right foods and to perform the right emotional/spiritual rebalancing. However, when we don't, then the creative process, the "net spread over all the living", sends us a different type of "messenger", viruses. Viruses, yes, also a part of the creative process, undertake their vital function of forcing us to cleanse ourselves of these body toxins. Viruses invade where an unbalanced internal environment creates excesses or weakness. The viral infection, whether in the nose, throat, stomach or lungs, ignites the body's cleansing mechanism, causing fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, diarrhea and lots of draining fluids. How should we react to the flu, and other viral infections? The Rambam explained to us that the best approach is to let nature take its course, only intervening to strengthen the body to help the natural process. He quotes Hippocrates, stating that nature is "wise and astute in doing that which is proper, and there is no need for anything else besides her for the cure of illnesses. However, the physician has to assist nature and support her, nothing else, and to follow in her path." (The Regimen of Health 2:3) How should we react to the flu or other viral infection? We should do the following: 1) rest, 2) take in extra fluids, 3) not eat solid foods, 4) not lower the fever and 5) take only herbs and supplements that strengthen the body within the natural process. In order to rest adequately, we need to stay home from either school or work. The extra fluids should include fruit and vegetable juices and healing broths to alkalinise and strengthen the body to help the cleansing process. Drink fluids until your urine is clear. Under duress, eat only fruits. Lower the fever only when in danger of seizures. The only medications that we should use are herbs to strengthen the immune system and improve metabolism and elimination. The Rambam warns us about excessive intervention, "Be extremely careful not to begin treating it (minor illness) and do not hasten to take medications whose intent is to relieve this minor illness…for if you undertake to treat these minor ailments, you do one of two possible things: either your action is in error and contrary to the intent of nature and damages her and increases the harm, or your action is correct but you restore nature to its natural activities and you teach your nature laziness so that it becomes accustomed not to do that which is proper except with assistance from the outside." (Regimen of Health 4:3) When we treat the flu and other viral infections with cough suppressants, fever reducers, anti-nausea medication and antibiotics, we negate the cleansing process, leading to either prolonged or recurrent infections. Some even suggest that antibiotics drive the toxins in deeper by killing off the good maintenance bacteria within the gut and organ systems. By killing off the "good" bacteria of the gut, antibiotics further increase the likelihood of digestion problems and chronic disease at a later time. Therefore, it is crucial to use probiotics, acidophilus or yoghurt after finishing any course of antibiotics. Eating during the acute process decreases the cleansing, and increases the flow of catarrh and phlegm, increasing the possibility of secondary bacterial super infection within those fluids. Are antibiotics and flu-shots forbidden in all cases? Obviously not, for when the body is so weakened by our lifestyles, surrounding environment or age, then they may be necessary in crisis situations. However, even in these crisis situations when such treatments are necessary, we must strive to strengthen the body after the crisis so such drastic measures won't be again necessary. What should we think of all the "conventional wisdom" of modern conventional treatment of viral syndromes and the flu? As the Rambam further clearly states, "most of what the people consider to be good is in truth bad, and most what they consider to be bad is in truth good." (The Regimen of Health 3:16) It is vital that we return to the
proper path of living. Veering off the path leads to activation of
this re-balancing system, leading us to suffer from poor health and
even shortening of our lives. (Maharal, Derech Chaim, entire book)
In contrast, returning to the path brings us physical, emotional and
spiritual healthand vitality, and a "lengthening of days". (Rambam,
The Regimen of Health 3:15) Yehuda Ben-Asher, M.D. publishes
a bimonthly newsletter, The Natural Path. Dr. Ben-Asher has a
Jerusalem practice in Naturopathic Medicine. 993-3446 The past two thousand years of Jewish history is replete with examples of Jews being "reminded" of their "temporary residence" status. One should, therefore, not be
shocked by the recent sharp rise in world-wide anti-Semitism. When I
was growing up in the sixties in New York, my father would comment
about isolated anti-Semitic acts (e.g., synagogue or cemetery
desecrations) that at least we should remember that we're in "galut"!
Perhaps there was adequate "ha'ba'im"
awareness in my home environment that ultimately brought my family
out of the American "galut" to join the miraculous historic process
of the ingathering of exiles in the land of Israel. TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by
Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah
Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat Ha'Shavuah How history repeats itself! Yehuda now addresses the very same person whom he sold into slavery. The Midrash understands that when he approached Yosef, Yehuda intruded the innermost depths of his brother's consciousness. While it was Yosef's intention to conceal his identity, Yehuda, "tied together narrative, appeal, andargument until he drew the secret from Yosef" (Artscroll). What was this secret and to whom was it revealed? We are accustomed to saying that it was Yosef's disclosure of his true name to his brothers. Moreover, the scream, "I am Yosef" reverberated through the palace chambers to every niche and cranny in Egypt. The Kotzke Rebbe noted that, in
effect, Yosef was also marveling at his essential self when he
cried: "I am [the same] Yosef, your brother whom you sold into
Egypt!" He became acutely aware that in all his time in the defiled
land, he did not change. To which other commentators remarked that
if Yosef's new identity clarifiedto all what was misunderstood till
now, how much more will the ultimate call of "Ani Hashem" profoundly
affect all man- kind. A Unique Pirsuma D'Nisa in the
Mikdash "And when they (Yehuda HaMaccabi and his men after they liberated the Beit HaMikdash) consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offering (in the Mikdash), which had been profaned, they thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them since the heathen had defiled it. Therefore they pulled it down, and concealed the stones in the Temple Mount in a convenient place, until there should arise a prophet to tell what should be done with them" (I Mac.4: 44-46). In describing the Beit HaMokeid, "the Chamber of the Hearth", a building located on the northern side of the Azara, the Mishna (Midot 1:6) refers to these very same stones. The interior of the Beit HaMokeid "had four chambers" - one in each corner - "like cells opening into a hall… And what were they used for? …In the (chamber) to the northeast, the 'sons of the Chashmona'im' had hidden away the stones which the Grecian Kings, i.e. Antiochus IV, had defiled…" Tif'eret Yisraelin his commentary on the Mishna (ibid.), raises a very interesting Halachic question. "When the Greeks ruled over Israel in the days of Antiochus, these evil doers sacrificed to Avoda Zara (pagan deities) on the holy altar in the Beit HaMikdash to cause Israel anguish. When the Chashmona'im liberated the Mikdash, they (dismantled the desecrated altar and) concealed the stones in this chamber. But why did they destroy the Mizbei'ach? We find everywhere (in the Halachic literature) that something (like an altar) which is attached to the ground is considered Halachically 'similar to the ground' (and therefore, like the ground, cannot berendered ritually impure.) True it may be disgusting to offer sacrifice to G-d on such a desecrated altar; nevertheless, strictly speaking, Halachically, it is not forbidden to do so. How then were the Chashmona'im permitted to destroy it? By destroying the Mizbei'ach, didn't they violate the Biblical commandment (Devarim12:4), 'You shall not do this to the Lord your G-d'? (In the previous Pasuk in the Torah, B'nei Yisrael are commanded to destroy heathen altars and the accoutrements of Avoda Zara; note the very incisive Rashi.) Tif'eret Yisrael answers his own question. "It seems to me that the Chashmona'im's motive in destroying the contaminated altar was to increase the glory of Heaven (because as a result of their action, no one could ever point to that particular altar and condescendingly say that sacrifices to Avoda Zara had been offered on it.) There- fore, the dismantling of the Mizbei'ach by the Chashmona'im would not be considered 'destroying(G-d's altar.)'" (Note Rambam's Hil. Beit HaBechira 1:17 and the Kesef Mishneh's comment.) "Bartenura" explains that in the Mishnaic tractates of Shekalim (5:4) and Tamid (3:3), this room is referred to as the Lishkat HaChotamot, the "Chamber of the Seals" or stamps. When Olot, animal burnt offerings, and Shelamim, peace offerings were sacrificed (both public and private), they were accompanied by Nesachim; fine flour (Solet), mixed with oil and a measure of wine. (Nesachim also accompanied the sin and guilt offerings of the leper but were not brought with bird offerings.) The Solet would be mixed with olive oil, salted and cast into the fire on the Mizbei'ach at the time of sacrifice; the wine would be poured as a libation (Nisuch HaYayin) into a silver cup embedded in the south-west corner of the Mizbei'ach. The ingredients of the Nesachim had to be of the highest standards of ritual purity. In order to ensure that the Nesachim met these exacting standards, the Olei Regel, the pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem, obtained the Nesachim ingredients from the Mikdash authorities who supplied the necessary flour, oil and wine. "If anyone wanted to (acquire) "drink offerings (or meal offerings - the Nesachim) he would go to Johanan who was over the seals (whose office was in this chamber) and give him money and receive from him a Chotemet, a seal…" (Shekalim 5:4). When the Olei Regel entered Jerusalem, they first stopped at the stalls of the local bankers and money changers, (who had their businesses outside of the sacred precincts)to exchange their foreign currency for ritually acceptable coin. They could then purchase their sacrificial animals in the Jerusalem markets and their Nesachim at the Mikdash. We can picture the crowds of Olei Regel from near and far, some already leading their sacrificial animals, waiting patiently (?) to purchase theirChotamot. With Leviyim on hand to keep order, the moving lines of Olei Regel converged on the massive entrance of Lishkat HaChotamot on the northern side of the Beit HaMokeid. There, sitting behind a counter was "Johanan", the generic name of the superintendent who was "over the seals" and his staff. Johanan and his helpers efficiently collected the correct amounts of money from the Olei Regel (not all Korbanot required the same amount of Nesachim.) and swiftly handed out the appropriate Chotamot. Once the Oleh Regel had his Chotemet, he would then to go to "Ahijah" (another generic name, note the Mishna) who was in charge of the Mikdashstoreroom containing the Nesachim. The Oleh Regel presented his Chotemet to Ahijah and received the quantity of Nesachim, probably pre-packaged, that he needed. No doubt Ahijah had a large staff to assist him in collecting the Chotamot and distributing the Nesachim. Ritually pure Nesachim in hand, the Oleh Regel entered the Azara with his Korban. But Lishkat HaChotamot also served an instructive purpose. Lishkat HaChotamot was a relatively small room and certainly could not contain all the stones of the desecrated altar dismantled by the Maccabees. While it is likely that most of the stones were indeed stored somewhere on the Temple Mount as per I Maccabees; someprobably were displayed in Lishkat HaChotamot for the edification of the masses of Olei Regel. Possibly the stones were accompanied by an exhibit depicting high points in the great struggle against Antiochus and his successors. The tens of thousands of Olei Regel, as they purchased their Chotamot, would view the profanedaltar stones and recall the miracle of Chanuka. Can you imagine a greater Pirsuma D'Nisa than that? Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated lectures on the Beit HaMikdash and related topics. He can be reached at(02) 652-7531 or acatriel@netvision.net.il Catriel is in the process of
writing a book entitled: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims
Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service We are still receiving feedback on the LIZMAN/LAZMAN BIZMAN/BAZMAN issue and we will report back to readers of this column when the smoke clears and we sort things out. Our thanks to some very erudite readers who have analyzed the issue in a very scholarly manner. There definitely is more to it than the potato pro- nunciationdebate between Americans and Brits (excuse me, people of British origin). We'll see. Let's take a look at some words in this week's sedra. (Some people are going to say: "Of course, every- one knows that". Others will say: "Hey, interesting, I never noticed that". And others probably aren't interested in this kind of thing. Which are you?)
In B'reishit 46, 26 and 27, we find a pair of almost the same words with different accents, just as there was in Vayeitzei. Rashi here (as well as there) comments. All the "souols" that ARE COMING (present rather than past tense) with Yaakov to Egypt... are 66 in number (not counting wives). ha-ba- A (accented MILRA, onthe last syllable). Next pasuk - Add to that, Yosef and his two sons (and Yocheved who was born at the Egyptian border) and we get: all the souls of Yaakov's house that CAME (past tense) to Egypt, are 70. ha-BA-a. MIL'EIL (accent on next to the last syllable). These words are spelled the same, come from the same root,and have the same vowels, yet the difference in accent gives then different meaning from each other and they may not be interchanged when reading the Torah. A good Baal Korei (Baal K'ri'a) will get them right; a sloppy one will mess up one or the other or both and technically should be corrected and instructed to repeatthe mis-accented word(s) correctly. As we've mentioned before, care must be exercised when correcting a Baal Korei (young or old), not to cause him embarrassment. It might even be a nice idea to go over to the Baal Korei BEFORE Torah reading, and point out the two words. So too with any "tricky" words in the Torah reading. This always reminds me of the
spelling books I used as a kid in Crown Heights Yeshiva. Many words
were marked with a little devil-with-pitchfork and the words were
known as spelling demons. You know, the ones that dare you to get
them right. So too, each sedra has a list of words to watch out for.
EIM LAMIKRA HASHALEIMhas a section that does exactly this, sedra by
sedra, perek and pasuk by perek and pasuk. <mtc> The Seniors did a very nice job presenting their new and improved characters and Judge Jeremy had a lot of trouble deciding who was the most special of all. Senior+ had everyone reading their letter of presentation. We must say that Neeve Posey gave us a very diferent look on the governor of California. All in all we had a good time and learned about how people have creative energy and can use it with whatever we feel. Also, as stated last week, Yashar Ko'ach to everyone who was on the Tiyul which was a smashing sucsess and included things like, going up Masada in the morning, tefila in a 2000 year old room (with birkat kohanim on a "Danger" sign), dancing outside the shul, wondering whether to go down the mountain by foot or the "youwalk, we rock" monorail. We got held up in traffic going down and cheered all the new snapplers on the way. All in all everyone had a great
time with yet another memorable NESTO event to add to our treasury
of special moments ;-) Next week we are having auditions for the NESTO movie and whoever doesn't show up will not be casted. So trust me - you want to come. For more information call the madrichim. Also keep your ears open for
information on the upcoming Senior Plus Shabaton which will be
coming up in the very near future. THE TIYUL HOTLINE Dial the Israel
Center's number 5-66-77-87, then press 211. You'll hear "thank you,
one moment please", and then the phone system's music for 15 seconds
(or less). Then the Tiyul Hotline message begins. You can listen to
the whole message and then press 2 to leave your message, or you can
interrupt bypressing2 rightaway and leaving your message sooner. What’s for lunch? When a tiyul
says “bring your own lunch”, you can buy one instead from the Israel
Center Cafe. Call the TRAVEL DESK or TIYUL HOTLINE up to the day
before the TIYUL and request a box lunch. 18š will get you a
delicious sandwich (specify your preference), a refreshing drink
(specify regular or diet) andadessert.Yourboxwill be ready for you
when you board the bus. KASHRUT POLICY Food for Israel
Center In-House programs is supervised by OU-in-Israel - Mehadrin.
Israel Center sponsored trips and programs are under Mehadrin
Hashgacha. Hotels, restaurants, and tiyulim advertised by the Travel
Desk or by outside parties are not necessarily Mehadrin and are not
endorsed by the OU or the Israel
Center. [The
Parshat Vayigash Homepage]
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