Answer To Question in Previous Post

See Or Gedalyahu, אות ב, on Lech Licha.

Rogatchover on Ameilus

שו"ת צפנת פענח – סימן ו' (רב יוסף רוזין זצ"ל, אב"ד דווינסק)

קבלתי מכתבו ומה אוכל לכתוב לו. ילמד סדר נשים כסדר גמרא עם תוס' ואח"כ יחזור, והנה מבואר בתו"כ פ' בחקותי כל קרא דאם בחקותי תלכו דהקב"ה רוצה שיהי' עמלים בתורה ור"ל כך דהנה מבואר ב"ב פ"ח דכמו דא"י מוחזקת ה"נ תורה ירושה ומוחזקת רק מ"מ צריך הליכה דמבואר בפיה"מ להרמב"ם ז"ל ריש פרק א' דב"ב דאף דקיי"ל כמ"ד ב"ב ק' דאין הליכה קונה זה רק בדבר חדש אבל לברר איזו חלק לזה קנה בהליכה כיון שהתורה ירושה רק דצריך לברר החלק צריך עמל ויגיעה בגדר הליכה והארכתי בזה בחיבורי ח"ד בהל' תרומות ועי' סנהדרין צ"ט ע"ב הוא עמל במקום זה והתורה עומלת במקום אחר ע"ש ברש"י אך ר"ל דע"י שעמל במקום אחד קנה לכל התורה אף במקום שלא עמל כלל וכן הוא בירושלמי ב"ב משכח כולה ר"ל מוצא הכל כיון דירושה לנו רק צריך יגיעה וכן מבואר בירושלמי חלה פרק א' ואכמ"ל לכן לדעתי יעשו כך...

That reminded me of this Yerushalmi quoted in Or Gedalyahu on Simchas Torah

תלמוד ירושלמי מסכת בבא בתרא פרק ח'

א"ר הושעיה כל מקום שנאמר מורשה לשון דיהא (כהה – חלש).

The Gemara is talking about when Hashem promised EY to BY. It says in Va’eirah, ונתתי אותה לכם מורשה, Hashem promised the land to those that left Mitzraim, but l’maaseh it was the next generation that inherited the land. So if something is a “morashah” to you, it is really a safek it will you will be a “yoresh” or just a “morish” (the Dor Midbar were morish bakever). The Gemara asks, what about when it says “תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהילה יעקב”. The Gemara answers, granted, just because you are part of the Jewish people, that doesn’t guarantee that you will inherit the Torah. If you work for it you will be a “yoresh,” but if not you will only be a “morish” and the opportunity will be passed to the next generation 

The Kotzker on Simchas Torah

אור גדליהו - וזאת הברכה/שמחת תורה

בשמחת תורה בשעה שרוקדים עם התורה ושמחים בה כדאי לחשוב אודות גדלות התורה ולקבל ללמוד בשמחה וביראה ולכבד את התורה כראוי. ואומרים בשם הרה"ק מקוצק זצ"ל שאין אנו שמחים במה שלמדנו עד שעכשיו כי מי יכול לומר שלמד כל מה שהיה יכול, רק שמחים אנו בתורה ובזכות שנוכל עוד ללמוד וללמד בשנה הבאה. וגם אומרים בשמו שבשעת ההקפה שאוחזים בספר תורה הוא כמו נשבע בנקיטת חפץ שילמוד תורה, נגיל ונשיש בזאת התורה, אוחזנה ולא נעזבנה

Shelach- Seeing Hashem

Sorry I didn't post this before Shabbos, but better late than never. 

This past Shabbos we read about the Meraglim. We all know the basic story. It's a big one. But what's the real story going on here? To understand this we must back up a bit and examine a larger underlying problem in the whole ordeal here, one that pertains to Bnei Yisrael as a whole. The Ramban explains that the base issue behind the whole spy saga was the very fact that Bnei Yisrael requested that the Meraglim be sent in the first place. It was inappropriate for them to make such a request in they way they did. It is reminiscent of when the People requested a king of Shmuel Hashem Himself said that this was a rejection of Him.

Rav Gedalyah Schorr elaborates that the Dor HaMidbar were zoche to witness unbelievable yeshuos and nissim gluyim on a daily basis. They were on such a madraigah that to request what they did was unbefitting of the level of bitachon they should've had. They put in too much hishtadlus.

Why was this so? He explains that when Eldad and Medad started to prophecy that Moshe was going to die and that a new leader would take Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael, the people thought that this signified a new hanhaga between them and Hashem as well. They feared that whereas up until now they witnessed amazing Hashgacha Pratis, going into Eretz Yisrael under Yehoshua meant that everything would happen al pi derech hatevah.

וַיַּ֧הַס כָּלֵ֛ב אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עָלֹ֤ה נַעֲלֶה֙ וְיָרַ֣שְׁנוּ אֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־יָכ֥וֹל נוּכַ֖ל לָֽהּ׃

Kalev silenced the people to Moshe and he said "we shall go up..." The Meshech Chochmah explains that Kalev was combating this mistaken ideology that only with Moshe could they defeat the formidable opponents of Canaan. They feared that without their great miracle-working leader they didn't stand a chance. That's why Kalev silenced them אל משה, in regards to this focus on Moshe, and proclaimed עלה נעלה, that they would enter and conquer Eretz Canaan of their own merit. Moshe's great stature as leader was only for our sake, but we are the ikar. We see this from the Gemara in Berachos (31a), עיין שם. It is vital for us to see the intimate relationship that we have with the Ribono Shel Olam always! Moshe Rabbeinu is gone, Dovid HaMelech is gone, R' Akiva is gone, the Ramban is gone, the Baal Shem Tov is gone, the Gra is gone, the Chofetz Chaim is gone, but the Ribono Shel Olam is still with us, the Jewish People! Through thick and thin, הנה לא ינום ולא יישן שומר ישראל.

וּמָ֣ה הָ֠אָרֶץ הַשְּׁמֵנָ֨ה הִ֜וא אִם־רָזָ֗ה הֲיֵֽשׁ־בָּ֥הּ עֵץ֙ אִם־אַ֔יִן וְהִ֨תְחַזַּקְתֶּ֔ם וּלְקַחְתֶּ֖ם מִפְּרִ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהַ֨יָּמִ֔ים יְמֵ֖י בִּכּוּרֵ֥י עֲנָבִֽים

The Chiddushei HaRim explains that Moshe Rabbeinu was telling the Meraglim to keep this in mind. The "etz" here is the Etz Chaim, Torah. Would the Meraglim see the power of Torah, the hashgacha of Hashem in the land, or not? And if not, "והתחזקתם", they must be mechazek themselves to believe in hasgacha of Hashem anyway.

וַתִּשָּׂא֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה וַֽיִּתְּנ֖וּ אֶת־קוֹלָ֑ם וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַהֽוּא

So we see that the underlying theme of the story of the Meraglim is a lack of proper awareness of the Ribono Shel Olam. Perhaps this is the key to understanding the Gemara in Taanis (29a) which says that  since Bnei Yisrael cried on the night after hearing the Meraglims' report it was decreed they they would cry on that night for a real reason- and that night was Tisha B'Av. This night, the night of the Churban, is the epitome of Hastaras Panim, of Galus HaShechinah. It was the beginning of the suffering of our people that has lasted for so long and every year it reminds us of where we are- in galus. Even if we are zoche to be in Eretz Yisrael and standing in the Makom HaMikdash we are in  galus. Tisha B'Av is representative of the lack of connection to Hashem that we suffer from, of the inability to see Him clearly in the world. The Meraglim had this problem already in their time, and when Bnei Yisrael cried inappropriately over this, due to their lack of bitachon in Hashem and the inability to see that He runs everything always, even in wonderous ways, all for their sake, they created this impending reality for themselves that is the essence of Tisha B'Av (see Nefesh HaChaim 1:12).

We should be zoche to fix this soon.  

Tetzaveh: The Ketoret and the Bechina of Aharon

I don't think I spent enough time writing this properly but I like this devar Torah anyway, enjoy it if you so desire. 

The last aliyah of Parashat Titzaveh speaks about the commandment to construct the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret, the mizbei’ach upon which the sacred incense was offered inside the Mikdash. The Rishonim point out that this part of the parshah seems out of place, Parashat Terumah being a more fitting location alongside the other klei Mishkan. Why is it that the Torah listed the instructions to build the keilim (the Aron, Shulchan, Menorah…), then seemingly interposed a parashah about the Bikdei Kehunah, and then afterwards reverted back to speaking about the keilim with the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret? The Meshech Chachmah resolves this question of the Rishonim based on the Gemara in Zevachim 59a which says that if the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret were to be in some place other than its fixed spot in the Mikdash, the avodah of the ketoret would still be performed upon it. The structure of the mizbei’ach is not an essential component of the ketoret process in and of itself to extent that its displacement from its regular makom kavua disrupts the ability to perform the avodah. Rather, it is apparently only a means to offer the incense. Therefore it was written separately in the Torah from the other keilim. By the other keilim, they themselves are integral in the performance of the avodah associated with are necessary for the Hashra’at HaShechinah as well.

Rav Gedalyah Schorr offers a different explanation to the separate placement of Mizbei’ach HaKetoret. From the arrangement of the pesukim it seems that the main Hashra’at HaShechinah was already upon the Mishkan with the completion of the keilim listed in Parshat Terumah. Before the portion dealing with the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret, the Hashem says:

”וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹקִים. וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְשָׁכְנִי בְתוֹכָם  אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיהֶם. “

This would appear indicative that all of the preceding mitzvot were prerequisites to this point of  Hashra’at HaShechinah and that once they were complete the hashra’ah took effect, even before the Torah mentions the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret. The division shows us some sort of special quality unto itself. This mizbei’ach created a unity between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael in some way unique from the rest of the keilim.

Chazal say in the Gemara in Shabbat 89a that when Moshe Rabbeinu went up to Shamayim, even the Malach HaMavet gave something to him, because when there was a plague going through Bnei Yisrael, Moseh told Aharon to bring ketoret, which caused the plague to stop. If the Malach HaMavet hadn’t told him about the power of the ketoret, how would Moshe have known? But how is it that that Moshe learned this from the Malacha HaMavet? Of Moshe it is said בכל ביתי נאמן הוא, how could he not know such a thing and only be able to receive it from the Malach HaMavet?

Rav Tzadok HaKohen M’Lublin explains that at the beginning of Creation,  all of the Beri’ah gave something in contribution to the creation of Adam HaRishon, as the Torah says, נעשה אדם וכו' “Let us make man…” So Man basically contained some portion of everything in the Beri’ah. The purpose of this was so that Man should have the power to maintain dominion over all the land. However, the Satan did not give any of his chelek in Creation to Man, for if Adam HaRishon had possessed such a thing, he would immediately have turned this chelek rah into good and Man would rule over bad (i.e. the Yetzer HaRah, Malacha Hamavet, etc.). So in order to maintain free will this was not allowed to happen until the coming of the Mashiach when Hashem will obliterate everything evil.  At Har Sinai, when Bnei Yisrael were at a level like that of Le’atid Lavo, they had freedom from the Malach HaMavet and Yetzer HaRah, so at that point in time the Malacha HaMavet gave his chelek in the Beri’ah to Moshe – the ketoret. The ketoret gave Moshe the strength to overpower evil and convert it to good; that is its yesod in being the contribution of the Malach HaMavet from the Beri’ah.

The unique unification quality of the ketoret was its ability to bind to the evil and change that evil to good. This quality is specifically connected to Aharon, of whom Chazal said was אוהב את הבריות ומקרבן לתורה, he loved everyone and brought them closer to Torah. Aharon elevated Bnei Yisrael and connected them to the kedushah of Torah. Even those who were distanced from the Torah Aharon reconnected to their roots.

We find by Moshe Rabbeinu the Torah says ויעמד העם על משה מן הבקר עד הערב. Chazal pointed out that this is obviously not possible if taken literally, to say that people were coming to Moshe the entire day. Rather it comes to teach that one who judges truthfully is considered a partner with Hashem in the Ma’aseh Bereishit. Here in Parashat Titzaveh, by the Menorah, the Torah says יערוך אותו אהרן ובניו מערב עד בקר וכו', because there was a tikkun in of Ma’aseh Bereishit here by Aharon and the Menorah as well. However, there is difference between Moshe and Aharon here. By Moshe the Torah says boker (morning, that which is light and holier) then erev (evening, that which is darker and less holy), because his avodah was to bring the Shechinah down to the world. By Aharon the opposite is true. His avodah was to elevate the lowliness of this world to the loftiness of the Upper World. This is the avodah of the Kehunah. This is why the parashah of the ketoret is so relevant to rest of Parashat Titzaveh; the parasha speaks about the Kedushat HaKehuna of Aharon, and the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret and the special unity it creates between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael and directly connected to (the idea of) Aharon HaKohen. Aharon connected the lowly to the lofty, and this is the avodah of any person to make himself worthy of Hashra’at HaShechinah, to elevate the mundane and transform it into that which is kadosh.    

Shabbos HaGadol: The Power of Shabbos

The Shabbos before Pesach is known as "Shabbat HaGadol" because of the miracle which occured on it. -Shulchan Aruch 430 

The Mishnah Berura explains that the miracle which took place was that on the 10th of Nissan, all of Bnei Yisrael took a lamb for the Korban Pesach and tied it to their beds. When the Mitzrim saw this and inquired about it, only to realize that their gods were going to be slaughtered, they were not able to say anything. Since that day was on a Shabbos, it was established to call the Shabbos before Pesach, "Shabbat HaGadol." 

 

Rav Gedalyah Schor brings down the question of the meforshim, why did Chazal connect the miracle to Shabbos and not to the 1oth of Nissan? Rather, we see from this that Shabbos itself was a necessary aid to Bnei Yisrael. 

 

In Parshat Pinchas, where the Moadim and their mitzvot are listed, the Torah talks about Shabbos before all of them as a sort of introduction. Why? The kedushah of Shabbos is established and upheld within Creation itself. The Yamim Tovim are called "Shabbaton" in the Torah because they are a continuation of the kedushah of Shabbos. It is first through the existence of Kedushat Shabbat that we have the other days. This is why Shabbos is mentioned first in the Torah. 

 

We learn in the Mechilta, "If you keep Shabbos, HaKadosh Boruch Hu will give you the 3 Moadim: Pesach, Atzeret (Shavuos), and Sukkot." This is because the Kedushat Shabbat includes within it the kedushah of these 3 chagim. Through guarding the sanctity of Shabbos, we come to their holiness as well. Shabbos is like a beam of light, which when shined through a glass prism, can be seen to break up into the 7 different lights that comprise it and are included in it (the Moadim).

 

We learn that the Shabbos before a chag includes within the Kedushat HaChag, and that besides for this, Shabbos gives strength to the upcoming days of the week. As such, it is only through the power of Shabbos Kodesh that Bnei Yisrael could then be prepared to receive the Moadim. This is why Bnei yisrael needed Shabbos in order to do the korban Pesach and recieve the Kedushat HaChag of Pesach. 

 

The power of Shabbos is so incredible that it encompasses everything! It affects the days of the year, the Moadim and regular days. We know that Shabbos is the culmination of Creation and that it was planned before everything else as well- "Sof ma'aseh b'machshava t'chilah." Hakadosh Boruch gave it influence over the week, and over us too. The midrash tells that Shabbos went before Hashem and sadly remarked how the other days of teh week had partners but Shabbos was left alone. Hashem replied that Bnei yisrael is Shabbos' partner. A miracle didn't occur on the 10th of Nissan which hapened to be a Shabbos in the year of Yetziat Mitrziam, Shabbos before Pesach that year happened to be the 10th of Nissan! Especially right before Pesach, Zman Cheiruteinu, it is important to remember the power of essence of Shabbos and what it is- "Beini u'vein Bnei Yisrael ot hee l'olam." Shabbos reminds us that we are connected to Hashem as we prepare to retell how he redeemed us to be His and recieve His Torah.     

Korach- From the teachings of the Or Gedalyahu

In Parshat Korach, as we know, Korach amasses his own kehillah to challange Moshe. Now when the Torah names the bigshots in Korach's party, the pasuk lists him as "Korach ben Yitzhar ben Kehat ben Levi." Now as Rashi brilliantly points outs, its does not say "ben Yaakov" or "ben Yisrael" anywhere. And why would one have assumed that it should? Because in Divrei HaYamim, when it lists the families for the duchen-ing, Korach's lineage is listed with "ben Yisrael"! Rashi writes that Yaakov Avinu had davened that his name not be mentioned by machloket, as is the case in the parshah. But why? And what is the difference between Parshat Korach & Divrei HaYamim?

The answer given in Or Gedalyahu is essentially that Yaakov Avinu davened that his named not be mentioned by machloket because he didn't want the middah which he handed down to his children to be cursed and distorted. Yaakov Avinu represented the middah of Emet. Just as talmidim take on middot of their rebbe, so too children would naturaly take on good middot of their parents. The Chiddushei HaRim explains that the middah of Emet is everlasting without change, as truth remains constant and cannot be distorted. Therefore Yaakov really davened that his middah of Emet not be mentioned near machloket, which is just the opposite of what Emet represents. However, by the duchening, Yaakov's name is mentioned because Emet lasts forever, and certainly Yaakov's middot and strength would join with the Leviim in later generations when they do the great mitzvah of duchening.

Another explanation is based on that which the Torah says, "תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהלת יעקב". Yaakov Avinu passed on to future generations the sense kehillah. This is why Yaakov davened not to be mentioned by Korach's kehillah; because that kehillah was in itself against the Kehillat Yaakov as he was actually breaking away from the main chunk of Am Yisrael. Korach mistakenly thought that he was promoting the middah of Achdut. So Yaakov did not want his strength of achdut connected to Korach, as achdut is itself a base of Emet. That is why Korach could not truly unite people together, because he was lacking achdut. His group was united against Moshe, but in truth they were not united amongst themeselves.