Rav Zevin: The Fundamental connection of Bnei Yisrael to the Korbanot

                 The Midrash (Vayikrah Rabbah 2:4) says that when HaKadosh Baruch Hu commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to himself command Bnei Yisrael in regards to the korbanot, he said Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam, of all the seventy umot ha'olam, you have only commanded me in regards to Bnei Yisrael.” R’ Avin says that to this Hashem replied, “For they made Me King first by the Yam Suf and said to Me, ה' ימלך לעולם ועד.” R’ Berechya said that Hashem replied, “For they accepted My Kingship at Har Sinai and proclaimed, כל אשר דבר ה' נעשה ונשמע.”

Rambam writes that the underlying principle of korbanot is only to be an impediment in the way of Bnei Yisrael straying towards avodah zarah. In the days of yore, people in general brought animal scarifices to their avodah zarah, therefore, this mitzvah came to constrict any of Bnei Yisrael’s orientation and desire to conduct sacrificial rites solely Hashem. As the Torah says, וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת-זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִם... (Vayikrah 17:7). That is to say that according to Rambam, on a fundamental level the main goal of the idea of korbanot isn’t the inherent value in and of itself, but rather the resulting bond to Hashem in the face of avodah zarah practices.

Other Rishonim argue on Rambam and say that korbanot do indeed exist on account of their core intrinsic value. They function to bring all of the worlds nearer to Hashem. As the hailege Baal HaTanya writes, by korbanot all living creatures were elevated to Hashem through one offering of an animal, and all plants were elevated through the one-tenth measurement of fine flour mixed with oil of the korban minchah (Likutei Amarim perek 34). Furthermore, it is taught that through bringing a korban, it is like a person has sacrificed himself to HaKadosh Boruch Hu. We see this alluded to in the pasuk אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' וגו', “When a person from among you shall bring a korban to Hashem…” (Vayikrah 1:2). In Hebrew it is phrased as if to say “when someone shall bring a korban from you,” as opposed to having been written אדם מכם כי יקריב. The animalistic aspect of a person is itself elevated towards Hashem through the hakravat korban.

Based on this, Rav Shlomo Zevin explains the Midrash above; Moshe was asking Hashem, that since the reason for korbanot is in order to separate Bnei Yisrael from avodah zarah, then this should reasonably be something that applies to the goyim of the world as well, so why are they not likewise commanded in regards to korbanot? Hashem replied, that korbanot actually function on a fundamental basis of inherent importance which is only relevant to Bnei Yisrael. R’ Avin said that Bnei Yisrael were exclusively given these mitzvot for having proclaimed ה' ימלך לעולם ועד at the Yam Suf, in regards to the understanding that korbanot elevate all living things closer to Hashem in holiness. Only Bnei Yisrael, who proclaimed Hashem as Ruler of the world can elevate the world closer to Hashem. R’ Berechyah said that Bnei Yisrael were exclusively chosen for having proclaimed נעשה ונשמע, in correlation to the understanding that through korbanot it is as if a person brings himself as a korban. So too here, only Bnei Yisrael could have any real connection to korbanot, for they were mekabel ol Malchut Shamayim, to do before understanding why. By accepting in such a way they entrenched their physical beings in devotion to holy actions. They sanctified their bodies and spiritually raised them the way they we are raised to Hashem through bringing a korban. That is why the mitzvot of korbanot were given only to Bnei Yisrael.  May we continue to emulate these great middot of Bnei Yisrael in our relationship with Hashem and merit to bring korbanot again soon.

Rav Zevin on the Machatzit HaShekel

הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא יַרְבֶּה וְהַדַּל לֹא יַמְעִיט מִמַּחֲצִית הַשָּׁקֶל וגו‘. (שמות ל:טו)

In Parashat Ki Tisa we learn of the famous “tax” which all Yisrael have a mitzvah of giving to- the Machatiz HaShekel. Throughout the world, taxing based on how much money you have, a “progressive tax,” is a major policy. Even if a rich person gives the same percentage of his money as a poor person, and even though that same percentage is much more when coming from the rich man, it is still a somewhat unequal tax since the rich one still has more left over than the poor one in the end. So, for example, rather than both the poor and rich giving 10% to taxes, the poor man gives 10% and the rich man gives 30%. This idea is not so new for we find it explicitly in Masechet Pe’ah (1:2) אין פוחתין לפאה מששים, ואף על פי שאמרו אין לפאה שיעור. הכל לפי גודל השדה.. Even though Pe’ah has no minimum amount m’deoraita, Chazal established that no less than 1/60 be given, and whatever amount is to be given is dependent on the size of your field. The Mefarshim ask, what is the need for “הכל לפי גודל השדה”? If a field is very large, then even if the owner only gives 1/60 it will be a lot more than what comes from a small field! However, the Mishnah is teaching us that we apply this “progressive tax” policy, that while 1/60 is a minimum, it is not sufficient for what would be considered a larger field; the owner of such a field would have to give a larger amount, say 1/40, to Pe’ah.

Rav Shlomo Zevin writes that there is yet another tax policy in the Torah, one which comes up in this week’s parashah by the mitzvah of Machatzit HaShekel – העשיר לא ירבה והעני לא ימעיט. Both rich and poor give the same amount, neither can give more nor less than the prescribed sum of money. Even if a rich man wants to generously donate a large sum we do not accept it so that he will not say that he has a greater share in the matter than someone else who is poor. When it comes to the Beit HaMikdash everyone is equal. Everyone gives a half-shekel to allude to the fact that every individual is a “machatzit,” only a half, a part of the whole nation.      

In Megillat Esther (3:9), Haman says to Achashverosh, אם על המלך טוב יכתב לאבדם ועשרת אלפים אלפים ככר כסף אשקול וכו', “If it pleases the king, let it be recorded that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand silver talents...” In the Gemara in Megillah 13b, Reish Lakish says that it was clearly known before HaKadosh Baruch Hu that Haman was to measure out shekalim (i.e. silver coins) over Bnei Yisrael, therefore He preceded their shekalim to his. The idea of the Machatzit HaShekel which brought all of Yisrael together as equal partners in existing gave them the strength to overcome future adversity. This is why on the first day of Adar we begin to announce the collection of the Machatzit HaShekel.

The shekalim of Yisrael are kedoshim and represent the achdut of all Yisrael, whereas the shekalim of Haman are temei’im and represent an attempt to destroy the nation. This very notion of achdut was how Bnei Yisrael were saved from Haman, as it says in Megillat Esther (4:16), לך כנוס את כל היהודים וכו', “Go, assemble all the Jews…” Gathering together was what saved them- The Gemara says of Adar 13, which commemorates when the Jews gathered together in ta’anit and tefilah, that it is זמן קהילה לכל הוא, a time of gathering. This was not just “achdut” the way we throw the term around, it was mamash in the manner of העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט; Bnei Yisrael came together not as a group of individuals but as a single, solid unit. With the recent celebration of Purim, we commemorated our survival as a nation as well as upheld that which Rama writes to give three half-coins as a “Machatzit HaShekel” from the currency of our wherever we live, as a zecher to the original Machatzit HaShekel. Reading about it in this week’s parashah we should have in mind the fundamental nature of this mitzvah in that it seeks to unite is on a way that we realize that we are all equal and are all pieces that make up the living organism that is Am Yisrael.    

גר הייתי בארץ נכרי'ה: Being in Chutz La'aretz

ויקרא את שמו גרשום כי אמר גר הייתי בארץ נכרי'ה. (שמות ב:כב)

The Torah tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu named his firstborn Gershom because, as Moshe said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” This is all plain and straightforward, and seemingly doesn’t tell us anything more than what is seen at face-value. However, Rav Shlomo Zevin points out that there is indeed what to pick up in the language of the text. From the fact that Moshe spells out that he had been a “stranger in a foreign land,” it would seem to be implied that it is also possible for one to be a stranger in a land which is not foreign. Similarly, we find that it says elsewhere “כי גר יהי'ה זרעך בארץ לא להם”. (Bereishit 15:13) From that fact that the pasuk specifies “in a land that is not theirs,” it seems to imply that they could be strangers in a land that does belong to them.

The Rogatchover Gaon, Rav Yosef Rosen, explains the latter pasuk above in a halachic manner according to Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 5:8) who writes  that if a melech Yisrael conquered Egypt with the approval of the beit din it would be permitted to go there (היא מותרת). When the Torah warns not to return to Egypt, it is only referring to individuals or to dwell there while it is under the control of goyim because then the behavior there will be improper.

Now, why did Rambam have to bother mentioning any of these reasons of justification in regards to conquering Egypt and going there? Does he not already write in one of the preceding halachot (ibid 5:6) that whatever a melech Yisrael conquers al pi beit din is itself then part of Eretz Yisrael? It must be that Egypt is an exception to this halacha. It can never be a part of Eretz Yisrael, rather it is only permitted to return there once it is conquered for the reasons stated by Rambam. The Torah says that Bnei Yisrael will be strangers in a land not theirs, referring to Egypt, for its soil will mamash inherently never be theirs; halachically, Egypt is never considered part of Eretz Yisrael. Following this idea, Rav Zevin explains the pasuk in our parasha, “גר הייתי בראץ נכרי'ה;” Moshe was not being redundant is saying he was a stranger in a foreign land; rather he was a stranger in a land which itself shall always be foreign to Bnei Yisrael.         

However, another explanation of “בארץ לא להם” is that HaKadosh Baruch Hu promised Avraham Avinu that while Bnei Yisrael would be in galut they would not mix in, or make themselves to be as natives, nor feel themselves to be like real residents. They would always feel themselves to like gerim, strangers. Hashem promised that Bnei Yisrael would never lose hope of the geulah and would constantly yearn to be free of their galut. Thus we can also explain the pasuk “גר הייתי בארץ נכרי'ה;” Moshe is saying that in the foreign land he felt himself to be a stranger, not like an established native. The Zohar (Tikunei Zohar 112a) says, “אתפשטותא דמשה בכל דרא”. In every person there is a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu, the imparted strength passed down through the generations the knowledge of recognition of being gerim in an eretz nachri’ah.      

Trumah: Internal Value vs External Beauty

דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי: וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת: וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים: וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים: שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאֹר בְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים: אַבְנֵי שֹׁהַם וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹד וְלַחֹשֶׁן: 

(תרומה כה:ב-ז)

After reading the text, it would seem evident from the order of items donated to the Mishkan that they are listed from most valuable (gold, silver, copper) to least valuable (oil, spices). The Or HaChaim HaKadosh asks, that it seems odd then, that very last on the list of contributions are the avnei shoham and avnei miluim. These were precious gems used in the clothing of the Kohen Gadol! Why would the Torah put these valuable and important items last when they should have been first?

The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 33:8) teaches that beautiful stones and gems fell with the mann to Bnei Yisrael. The Nesiim gathered them and later gave them to the Mishkan (The Maharzu comments that there were only twelve stones in the urim v’tumim so they must have been given by the twelve Nesiim. The two avnei shoham, however, are still in question as to who brought them.). Similarly, the Gemara in Yoma (75a) says that the Ananei HaKavod brought the avnei shoham and the avnei miluim. If this is the case, then that would mean that they were brought without any exertion or chisaron kis; after all, they literally fell from the heavens. Therefore it makes sense that they were listed after those things which were given from by the exertion and expense of the contributor. The Or HaChaim HaKadosh teaches us an amazing thing here; these precious gems, components of the Bigdei Kehuna, may have seemed externally valuable, but lost their intrinsic value when they did not come from a tircha, from an effort.

Rashi on the pasuk, “V’yikchu Li Trumah,” says that trumah is a hafrashah- that Bnei Yisrael should set aside some money as a contribution. R’ Shlomo Yosef Zevin writes that there are three types of separation. Firstly, there is separating without intent to make a distinction of importance. An example of this would be making sure that the letters in a sefer Torah are separate from each other, which is not because one letter is holier and distinct from the other. Secondly, there is separating that which is holier from that which is not as holy. An example of this is Shabbos, which is intrinsically holier and distinct from the rest of the week, and we therefore separate it. The third type of separation is when the act of separation makes the object ditinct and thereby infuses it with kedushah. By trumot and maasrot, before separation the whole thing is tevel. But once part of it separated, it becomes special and is sanctified as trumah. This 3rd type of separation is the category of the contributions Bnei Yisrael gave to the Mishkan. It was through the act of separating that which they gave which made it special and holy. It wasn’t just a matter of taking objects which are already considered nice and beautiful and giving those; but rather the exertion of setting it aside and giving it made it intrinsically holy.

A lesson to take from this can be to realize the difference between a superficial serving of G-d, and a heartfelt, meaningful avodah of HaKadosh Boruch. Upholding the mitzvot is not just about doing the things which come easily. We are required to have some tircha, some ameilut- toil and sweat! Sometimes it can seem so nice and easy to just take out one the gems we have and give it to the Mishkan. But we need to ask ourselves whether that gem came from exertion on our part, or whether we just found it conveniently lying around and simply picked it up in order to give it. The sincerity and effort that go into performing a mitzvah makes all the difference and can easily outweigh the external beauty and value of that which has little intrinsic value.