BS”D
Volume 37, No. 25
24 Nissan 5783
April 15, 2023
Dedicated in gratitude to Hashem on Hamaayan’s 36th birthday and in memory of Moreinu Ha’Rav Gedaliah ben Zev Ha’Kohen Anemer z”l
This week’s Parashah opens with the dedication of the Mishkan. We
read (9:7), “Moshe said to Aharon, ‘Approach the Mizbei’ach / Altar and
perform the service . . .” Rashi z”l writes: “Aharon was ashamed to
approach. Moshe said to him, ‘Why are you ashamed? For this you were
chosen!’” R’ Moshe ben Nachman z”l (Ramban; 1194-1270; Spain and Eretz
Yisrael) elaborates: “Aharon was sanctified to Hashem. He had no sins on
his conscience except for making the Golden Calf, but that sin was
always at the forefront of his thoughts. Moshe therefore told him, ‘Have
some pride and do not be so humble, for Hashem has already forgiven
you’.”
R’ Shlomo Wolbe z”l (1914-2005) writes: It is true that our Sages
have taught (Avot, Ch.4), “Be very, very humble!” We see here, however,
that there is a limit to humility. When humility impedes a person’s
service of Hashem, it is no longer appropriate. The first key to serving
Hashem is to recognize one’s worth and importance. This is stated
expressly in the work Sha’arei Ha’avodah, which is attributed to
Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi z”l (Spain; died 1263): “The first step is for
the person who is serving [Hashem] to know his own worth, to recognize
his elevated level and the elevated levels of his forefathers, and their
greatness and importance to the Creator and His affection for them. A
person should then always strive and strengthen himself to live up to
that level and to always act accordingly. If, G-d forbid, a person does
not recognize his level and that of his ancestors, he can easily go in
the ways of lawless people.” (Shi’urei Chumash)
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“‘And a bull and a ram for a peace-offering to slaughter
before Hashem, and a meal-offering mixed with oil, for today Hashem
appears to you.’ They took what Moshe had commanded to the front of the
Ohel Mo’ed / Tent of Meeting, and the entire assembly approached and
stood before Hashem. Moshe said, ‘This is the thing that Hashem has
commanded you to do; then the glory of Hashem will appear to you’.”
(9:4-6)
Rashi z”l comments on the words “for today Hashem appears to you”:
“To make His Shechinah rest upon your handiwork; on this account these
sacrifices come as an obligation for this day.” [Until here from Rashi]
R’ Yehoshua Rokeach z”l (1823-1894; Belzer Rebbe) asks: What is
Rashi adding to our understanding of the verse, which says expressly
that Bnei Yisrael should bring sacrifices “for today Hashem appears to
you”?
He explains: The Chassidic Rebbe R’ Zvi Elimelech Shapira z”l (the
Bnei Yissaschar; died 1841) is quoted as saying, “There is no Mitzvah to
have Eliyahu Ha’navi appear to oneself.” [See below.] Perhaps, says the
Belzer Rebbe, the Bnei Yissaschar meant that our responsibility is to
perform the Mitzvot with a great desire solely to fulfill Hashem’s
command; to what extent a person attains lofty spiritual levels as a
result is Hashem’s concern, not ours.
The Belzer Rebbe continues: One might have read the words, “for today
Hashem appears to you,” as the reason for bringing the enumerated
sacrifices. To disabuse us of this notion, Rashi says that it is true
that these sacrifices will make Hashem’s Shechinah rest on Bnei
Yisrael’s handiwork; nevertheless, the reason for bringing the
sacrifices is that they are the obligation of the day. Thus, Moshe said,
‘This is the thing that Hashem has commanded you to do”–do it because
Hashem has so commanded. “Then,” as a matter of course, “the glory of
Hashem will appear to you”–but that should not be what motivates you.
(Quoted in Lekket Imrei Kodesh)
The Bnei Yissaschar writes about the commandment not to ascend the
Mizbei’ach / altar on steps: In my opinion, this Mitzvah hints that a
person should not seek lofty spiritual levels such as Ruach Ha’kodesh or
the revelation of Eliyahu Ha’navi. If he is honored by Heaven with such
attainments, he should thank Hashem, for He is good. However, one’s
only intention should be to serve Hashem out of love and awe, and with
simplicity, as a son serves his father and mother. If, G-d forbid, a
person thinks he is worthy of lofty levels, his “account book” will be
opened in Heaven, and, inevitably, his shame will be revealed.
Therefore, a person should be content to do what he is commanded. (Derech Pikudecha: Mitzvat Lo Ta’aseh 41:11)
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“Do not make yourselves abominable by means of any
crawling creature; do not contaminate yourselves through them lest you
become contaminated through them [literally, ‘in them’].” (11:43)
R’ Chaim of Volozhin z”l (Russia; 1749-1821) writes: Before
performing a Mitzvah, we recite a blessing, “Who sanctified us through
[literally, ‘in’] His Mitzvot.” As soon as a person thinks of performing
a Mitzvah, he makes an impression in the Heavens, at the “source” of
that Mitzvah, and he is enveloped in holiness that comes down from that
“place” in Heaven. This “Ohr Makif” / “enveloping light” assists the
person in completing the Mitzvah, which, in turn, strengthens the
“light.” This is what our Sages mean when they say (Yoma 38b), “When one
comes to purify himself, he is given assistance.”
This “light” also makes his heart want to “capture” additional
Mitzvot, since he is now sitting in Gan Eden–literally (“שממ”)–and the
Yetzer Ha’ra has no power over him. This is what our Sages mean when
they say (Pirkei Avot ch.4), “A Mitzvah pulls another Mitzvah in its
wake.” A person who is sufficiently attuned to it can actually sense
that he is surrounded by holiness at such a time. This is what the verse
means (Vayikra 18:5): “You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which
man shall carry out and by which [literally, ‘in which’] he shall live.
The verse means that a person who observes Mitzvot lives among them,
surrounded by them.
Conversely, one who defiles himself with sin is surrounded by
impurity, as our verse says, “Lest you become contaminated in them.”
Such a person is surrounded by the “air” of Gehinnom, just as his
counterpart described above is surrounded by the “air” of Gan Eden. (Nefesh Ha’chaim I, 6)
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Pirkei Avot
“Moshe received the Torah from Sinai . . .” (1:1)
All the laws of the Torah are from Sinai! Why, then, does this tractate in particular begin with this declaration?
R’ Dov Cohen z”l (1911-2005; first Chief Rabbi of the Israeli Air
Force) answers: Hashem commanded Moshe at Har Sinai (Shmot 18:20), “You
shall caution them regarding the decrees and the teachings, and you
shall make known to them the path in which they should go and the deeds
that they should do.” Besides “decrees and teachings”–i.e., the laws
that one can find in the Shulchan Aruch / Code of Law–the Torah also
contains “a path and deeds.” This latter pair refers to lessons not
found in the Shulchan Aruch, which are nevertheless crucial instructions
for leading a Torah-based life. These lessons are the subject of Pirkei
Avot. And, since the idea that the Torah instructs us regarding
character traits and emotions may be less apparent than the idea that
the Torah contains laws, the opening phrase of Pirkei Avot emphasizes
that this tractate’s lessons, too, are from Sinai. (Avot El Banim)
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Shabbat
This week, we resume our discussion of “Oneg Shabbat” / making
the Shabbat a “delight”–a Mitzvah fulfilled specifically through
physical pleasures such as eating and drinking.
As discussed in prior issues, this Mitzvah is not telling us to use
Shabbat as an excuse for overindulgence. However, warns R’ Eliyahu E.
Dessler shlita (Mashgiach Ruchani of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak;
not to be confused with his cousin and namesake, the Michtav M’Eliyahu),
the Yetzer Ha’ra sometimes tries to lead a person to the opposite
extreme–convincing him that physical pleasure is generally sinful, but
that he nevertheless must force himself eat and drink on Shabbat solely
for the sake of this Mitzvah. Thinking that way completely uproots the
essence of the Mitzvah, which is to enjoy physical pleasures on Shabbat.
On this note, R’ Dessler quotes R’ Srayah Deblitzki z”l (1926-2018;
Bnei Brak, Israel), who writes: Hashem commanded us in His holy Torah to
be joyous and in good spirits on Yom Tov, and our Divinely-inspired
Sages explain in the Gemara how this Mitzvah is to be fulfilled: in the
times of the Temple, by eating the meat of Shelamim sacrifices; in our
times, with meat and wine, new clothes for women, and toys for children.
Likewise, the Mitzvah can be fulfilled with other things that bring a
person pleasure. There is no question, R’ Deblitzki writes, that the
intention is that a person enjoy physical pleasures in the most literal
sense, for that is the Will of Hashem!
The same is true, R’ Deblitzki continues, regarding Oneg Shabbat. The
Mitzvah is to give oneself pleasure. What does it mean to give pleasure
to Shabbat and not to oneself, or to eat in honor of Shabbat but to
have no pleasure from it? R’ Deblitzki asks rhetorically. Rather, the
more one enjoys additional physical pleasures on Shabbat in the most
literal sense, the more he fulfills the teaching of our Sages: “One who
delights in Shabbat is given an inheritance with no limits.” [To be
continued . . .] (Sha’arei Ha’zemanim: Shabbat Kodesh p.29)
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