Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Ki Teitzei
No 1487: 11 Elul 5773 (17 August 2013)
AS SHABBAT APPROACHES
A Military Master - by Rabbi Oury Cherki, Machon Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda
Congregation, Jerusalem
Unfortunately, war is part of our world. From the earliest beginnings of
history, there have always been wars. Mankind, the highest stage of all
creation, has always been busy with thoughts of how to kill other men. This
fact gave philosophers a lot to think about, and some of them even tended to
idealize the concept of war. They thought that war is good, a way of forging
strength, and that it is something constructive.
The nation of Yisrael never agreed to these faulty ideas. We always saw war
as a crime, a terrible event. But we still cannot flee from an important
question: After the fact, what significant role have all the wars of mankind
fulfilled?
Rav Kook emphasizes that the reason for war is not connected to the Divine
guidance of the world but rather stems from mankind's evil inclination.
However, when the bonds of evil are released and the evil inclination runs
wild, the Holy One, Blessed be He, utilizes the wars which do take place for
the highest ideals of history. And that is why the Holy One, Blessed be He,
is called "the Master of War." He makes use of war to distribute
righteousness and as a basis for building up the world that will take over
after the war. Together with all of this He also sows the seeds of
salvation. With respect to the harm caused by the wars, we pray every day,
"He creates cures, is awesome and praiseworthy, the master of wonders"
[Daily prayers, before Shema]. And as part of this, "every day out of His
goodness He renews the actions of Bereishit," and He brings new light to the
world.
We also fight wars. Of course it would be better if the nation of Yisrael
could perform its mission without waging war. But when we do encounter war,
we do not hesitate to turn and fight. And that is why we have obligatory and
optional wars, with many rules for organizing them.
In the first war, between Kayin and Hevel, Kayin was the guilty party, but
Hevel also shared the blame, in a weak sense. It is written, "And Kayin rose
up over his brother Hevel" [Bereishit 4:8]. If Kayin rose up, this means
that beforehand he was lying down. According to the Midrash (Bereishit
Rabba), Kayin was lying down under Hevel, who was about to kill him, based
on the principle that "If one rises up to kill you, defend yourself by
killing him first" [Sanhedrin 72a]. Kayin said to him, "If you kill me, what
will you tell our father?" So Hevel freed Kayin, who rose up and killed him.
Hevel's mistake was to assume that the murderer abided by the same values
that he did himself, and he spoke to the murderer instead of killing him.
The hidden ethical complaint of the nations of the world to us is: Do not
act like Kayin, act like Hevel! If you use the weapons of Kayin, your end
will be like his! However, the Torah emphasized that the human ideal is not
the character of Hevel but that of Shet, "another child, to replace Hevel,
for Kayin killed him" [Bereishit 4:25]. This is the type of person about
whom it is written that Adam "gave birth in his image" [5:3]. This is a
model of Hevel who knows how to make use of Kayin's weapons. It is the true
archetype of Bnei Yisrael.
The struggle with wars and their halachot lifts us up to ethical horizons.
And that is why much of this week's Torah portion involves the laws of war,
leading to the high ethical level of the war against Amalek, in an effort to
eradicate evil from the world. Our success in this war will reveal to
everybody that the source of righteousness lies with the nation of Yisrael
and not with counterfeit morality of those who allow murderers free reign,
and who even carry on discussions with them and surrender to their demands.
Rabbi Cherki is the head of Brit Olam – Noahide World Center, Jerusalem
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POINT OF VIEW
"The Oak of Weeping" [Bereishit 35:8] - by Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, Dean of the Zomet
Institute
"What is written before that event happened to David? 'G-d is my light and
my salvation, whom shall I fear?' [Tehillim 27:1]. But after that event,
what is written? 'And I came to him, and he was weary and weak in the hands'
[II Shmuel 17:2]." [Psikta Rabbati 15].
This column, which deals with issues that interest those who frequent the
synagogues, simply cannot ignore the affair of Rabbi Mordechai Elon, which
has now returned to the news – mainly in the religious Zionist camp – in the
wake of the rabbi's conviction in court on the charge of sexual harassment
of students. The loud and ratings-hungry media reported about an "earthquake
in religious Zionism," a crisis, a fall from heaven, and of course, "shock,
upset, and dismay." I can report on a feeling of despair, sadness, and
bewilderment. Personally, my feelings can be described as in the verse
quoted above, "weary and weak in the hands." To tell the truth, I considered
skipping this issue and not writing about it at all, among other things for
reasons that will be given below, but an inner voice said to me: "You cannot
ignore the matter, write a few words about it." And the following is how I
replied to this voice.
Trust
At the outset, I want to declare my belief in the Takana Forum. (This is in
spite of come comments that I wrote here two years ago, when the affair was
exposed, where I proposed that three objective men of Torah should examine
their fact-finding process.) I also want to affirm my total faith in the
Israeli court system, in spite of the criticism often leveled at the courts
and in their surroundings – even in this column. The criticism has to do
with the fact that the courts involve themselves with issues that depend on
disputes about viewpoints, ideology, or politics – issues such as religion
and the state, peace and security, personal freedoms, and so on. However, in
the area of criminal justice it would seem that our courts are held in very
high esteem. Even if some convictions are controversial – accused of being
either "too strict" or "too lenient" – the determination of the underlying
facts is trusted and accepted by all, especially if the evidence does not
include the testimony of a state's witness. Let me add that I also tend to
trust our justice system in the interpretation of evidence, and that
includes questions involving "intent, awareness, circumstances, and proof
beyond any reasonable doubt." Such issues may well be the crux of the matter
in the case we are discussing here.
Be Quiet! But do not Ignore!
The main thrust of my article today will involve such questions as "What
now?" and "What should our attitude be?" And my answer is very brief, as
indicated in the subtitle above: Take this issue off the table! Do not
ignore it or sweep it under the rug, but do not discuss it in an exaggerated
way. Stop referring to this matter!
When I say to take the issue of the table, I am referring to two things.
First and foremost, I call for Rabbi Motti Elon to be quiet and to leave the
public stage involving educational matters. He should go into exile, as a
teacher who does not take his yeshiva with him, and he should lock his door
before students who come to see him. I am sure that such a creative person
will be able to find some suitable activity, far away from the public eye
and especially from the media.
And on the other side, I call for everybody else to allow this matter to
sink into the depths of forgetfulness. There is no need in this case to
create some general procedure or rules. Even without knowing anything about
the full facts of the case, I am sure that this affair is so far from the
norm that there is no need to formulate rules of behavior for rabbis and
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"Torah stars" in cases which are so rare that a child can count the number
of instances.
I learned about the relevancy of a policy of quiet (not quashing) from words
of our sages in related circumstances. According to the Mishna, "The case of
Reuven (and Bilhah) is read from the Torah but not translated. The case of
Tamar (and Yehuda) is read and translated... The actions of David and Amnon
are not read or translated." [Megilla 4:10]. This is not the place for a
detailed discussion of the differences between the various cases, but one
thing is certain: to be quiet is better than to speak (see Mishna, Gittin
4:8). All of the embarrassing affairs are recorded in writing, none of them
is quashed, but some of them are not read in public at all, while others are
read but are not discussed – they "are not translated."
Don't get me wrong. I am not talking about erasing the records and "closing
the case," and also not about denying facts or ignoring them. I call for a
halt of discussions, for not referencing the matter, and leaving it be (as
noted above, from both sides). This is a lesson to be learned from the
affair of David and Batsheva, which was so severe and horrible. The sages
taught us, "David asked the Holy One, Blessed be He, 'Master of the
Universe... Let the wise men not refer to this in the Beit Midrash. And the
Holy One, Blessed be He, replied, It will be so...' David further asked the
Holy One, Blessed be He, 'Master of the Universe, Let my guilt not be
written down.' And He replied, 'That cannot be done.'" That is, David's
quilt will be written down, without ignoring it and without quashing it, but
the affair will not be discussed at length, either in the Beit Midrash or in
the media.
Part of the concept of silence is not to go into any detail. A hint of this
can be seen in the quote at the beginning of this article, where the affair
of David and Batsheva is described in a code: "that event." And in order to
"follow my own instructions," I will stop here, even though I have not
filled the allotment of my weekly column. If we would be making a movie, I
would end right now with the word, "CUT!"
LET YOUR WELLSPRINGS BURST FORTH
Who Dares to Make a New Start? - by Rabbi Moshe Shilat, Director of "The Torah of
Chabad for Yeshiva Students"
The gates of teshuva – repentance – are wide open now, especially since it
is the month of Elul.
Teshuva is usually explained as involving the past, which may not have been
very good. But this is not so! Teshuva refers to making a new start, it is
involved with the future and not with "digging" back into the past. We have
been commanded to open up a new page which is clean. Regret for the past is
not included in the mitzva of teshuva itself, rather it is an addition to
the main concept.
"The Torah mitzva of teshuva refers only to abandoning sin. That is, it is
necessary to make a binding decision with a full heart never to repeat the
foolishness again... And this is the main meaning of the word teshuva – for
a person to return to G-d with all his heart and all his soul, to serve Him
and to observe all of His mitzvot." [Tanya, Igeret Hateshuva Chapter 1].
The past that does concern us is not the time of the sin but rather the pure
state before the sin, the past which is clean. Teshuva is a return to the
status of the pure soul which G-d gave us, so that "the spirit will go back
to G-d, who gave it." That is the focus, that is the main thing, and not a
wallowing in the past failures.
Perfect Teshuva
This "lenient" approach of the Tanya, saying that teshuva involves "only"
abandoning the sin and not thinking about the past and the sin itself, at
the same time involves a great stringency. The lack of relevance of specific
past events is related to the fact that the specific sin that we did does
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not matter. The very fact that every sin causes us to move further away from
G-d, the fact that we turn our backs on Him by our own actions – is the main
problem. With this insight, teshuva becomes very stringent and serious
because even the lightest of sins is a very serious matter. The "new page"
that we open after repenting must be completely clean and pure, since there
is no room for any stain, no matter what size, shape or color.
In accepting the yoke of heaven to perform the act of teshuva we must accept
everything anew, to decide to perform all the commandments, both positive
and negative mitzvot. This means not only to resolve to keep mitzvot which
we missed in the past and to observe prohibitions which we violated, for
that does not address the main problem! Our real problem is the revolt
against the Almighty which we expressed by committing a sin. Thus, the
attempt to atone for a sin means that we must renew our acceptance of the
yoke of G-d in all the details, without any connection to a specific sin. As
the Tanya writes: "The mitzva of teshuva... requires a person to make a
decision with all his heart never to return to foolishness and to revolt
against the Divine kingdom, and never to violate any of the mitzvot of the
King, G-d forbid – both positive and negative mitzvot" [ibid].
The Mikveh Purifies those Who Have been Defiled
In addition to the above, it is written in Chassidic literature that one who
does not succeed in accepting the yoke of heaven completely should accept
whatever he can, while praying to G-d for success – "Bring us back with
complete teshuva before you." With G-d's compassion, even though our teshuva
might not be perfect, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will bring us closer to
Him. This closer approach itself can help us succeed in accepting the full
yoke of heaven, leading to true teshuva.
And that is how the Rebbe of Lubavitch explains the words of Rabbi Akiva at
the end of the tractate of Yoma: "Yisrael should be happy... Just as a
mikveh purifies the defiled ones, so the Holy One, Blessed be He, purifies
Yisrael." We can ask that this comparison of a mikveh to the Holy One,
Blessed be He, seems faulty. Is the mikveh the allegory, which teaches us a
lesson about the purification done by G-d? The mikveh itself would not be
worth anything without the influence of G-d that operates through it!
The answer to this question is that Rabbi Akiva is teaching us a remarkable
fact. Just as we have seen that a mikveh can provide partial purification
(see Mishna Berachot 3:6 – a person can immerse himself in a mikveh to
remove a light impurity even though a more serious one remains), in the same
way the Holy One, Blessed be He, allows a person to remove light sins even
though he has not yet succeeded in removing the more serious ones. And that
is what Rabbi Akiva said – "a mikveh purifies the defiled ones," while they
remain impure in certain aspects. This understanding can help a person get
closer to G-d, so that in the end he will be absolutely pure and perfect.
"Yisrael should be happy."
NATURE AND THE TORAH PORTION
A Bird's Nest - by Dr. Moshe Raanan, Herzog College and the Jerusalem College for
Women
"If you happen across a bird's nest on your way, in a tree or on the ground,
whether it has eggs or young birds, and the mother is roosting on the young
birds or the eggs – do not take the mother together with her children"
[Devarim 22:6].
An Instinctive Choice
From a straightforward reading of the passage of the mitzva of "shiluach
haken" - sending the mother away from the nest - we see that it is relevant
both for a nest in a tree and for a nest lying on the ground. The site of a
nest is not a free choice for a bird (as it is for a person), but is a
natural instinct for every different species. We differentiate between birds
who build their nests in trees and those which roost on the ground, such as
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partridges, chickens, most of the ducks, quails, pheasants, and more. In
this list I purposely gave the names of kosher birds only, since the mitzva
we are discussing is relevant only for them. Therefore, I did not mention
such birds as seagulls.
The Baraita which discusses this mitzva describes other more unusual sites
where a nest might be, and that one of them is included in the obligation of
shiluach haken. "'On your way' – This is interpreted by Rav Yehuda in the
name of Rav – one who finds a nest in the sea is obligated by the mitzva of
sending the mother away, as is written, 'This is what G-d says: He who puts
a route in the sea...' [Yeshayahu 43:15]." [Chulin 139b]. Based on the word
"derech" – a route – the Baraita concludes that nests in the sea are also
relevant for this mitzva. We might ask: Is it really possible that a nest
will be floating in the sea?
A Nest "in the Sea"
Before we turn to whether it is possible to find a nest "in the sea," we
should note that the sages often use the term "sea" to refer to any body of
water (rivers, streams, ponds, bays, gulfs) and not only seas and oceans, as
is the common use today. Meiri writes this explicitly, "One who finds a nest
in the sea or in a river..." According to Rashi (who Meiri used as a
source), this refers to a tree which was swept into the water, which had a
nest in its branches (or to a nest swept into the water from a tree). "A
nest in the sea – If a tree was washed into the water with a nest at its
top, the mother must be sent away, since the ocean is also called a route."
We can also suggest another possibility – nests that were made on small
mounds of earth near a body of water, which became islands when the water
level rose. Another possibility is nests that were made on rafts made of
organic matter which floats on the water. This phenomenon can be found among
species of grebes (loons). Today only the little grebe exists in our land,
but in the past both the medium-sized black-necked grebe and the larger
crested grebe made nests here. The problem with this suggestion is that
these birds are evidently not kosher (in spite of their outward similarity
to ducks), but perhaps they served as the inspiration for the discussion of
nests in the sea or in the air.
"Gozel" and "Efroach"
We will take this opportunity to clarify two words in Hebrew which are
sometimes confused with each other, although they are not exact synonyms –
"gozal" and "efroach." The verse about shiloach haken uses only the word
"efrochim." However, in Targum Yonatan it is written, "... in any tree or on
the ground, young birds (gozalim) or eggs, and the mother roosts over the
young birds (efrochim) or the eggs..." This seems to imply that the two
words are indeed synonyms. However, in modern usage a gozal is a bird that
remains in the nest for a relatively long time, while an efroach is a young
chick which leaves the nest right after the egg is hatched. Thus, the gozal
grows in nests on trees or other sheltered sites, and they can "allow
themselves" the luxury of a long time for development. On the other hand,
birds which roost on the ground or on water will have to hatch quickly and
become independent in a short time. Perhaps Targum Yonatan is hinting at
this difference by using the term gozal before efroach, corresponding to the
sequence in the verse, where the "tree" appears before the "ground."
(For more information in Hebrew and pictures, and to correspond with the
author: see the Daf Yomi portal, daf-yomi.com, Chulin 139b, "Leharchiv".)
A FAMILY NAMED "YISRAELI"
The Friendly Pool Guard - by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen, Director of the Or Etzion Institute –
Publishing Torah Books of Quality
Yehuda's Story
Yaniv was on the phone. He asked me, "Yehuda are you coming to the pool?"
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I replied, "No, I can't come today."
"Boy, you never come!" he said, and he hung up.
The truth is that he is right. Not that I never go to the pool, but this
year I did not really go very often. My parents explained to us that we
cannot go to the pool whenever we want to, because it is very expensive.
They set a limit for every one of us in the family. So we go to swim, but
not every day.
The next day Yaniv called again, and asked me to go with him to the pool.
This time I didn't hold back, and I asked him, "Yaniv, tell me, do your
parents really let you go swimming whenever you want to? Isn't it very
expensive?" Yaniv said, "So that's why you don't come very often. Well, I
don't have any problem. The guard there is my cousin, and he lets me go in
without paying. You know what, why don't you come with me today, and I'll
ask him if he'll let you in free too.
I said, "Well, if he lets me in I certainly won't complain." It just took me
a minute to get dressed, and I was outside in a jiffy.
To go swimming for free! What fun it would be!
I was so happy that I hopped skipped all the way to the pool. Yaniv had got
to the pool before me, and he was waiting. He had already talked to his
cousin, the guard, who was a very nice person. He didn't mind letting me go
in for free, since I am Yaniv's friend.
The pool was full of children and adults, and everybody was having a great
time. We all swam, splashed each other, and were very happy to get out of
the hot summer weather.
I thought that if I ever owned a pool I would definitely be as nice as
Yaniv's cousin. So many people paid for a ticket and went in to swim, the
owner of the pool must have made a lot of money! It was no surprise that he
didn't mind letting a few kids in without paying. After all, we didn't waste
anything at all, the pool was working all the time anyway. All that happened
was that there were a few more kids around. Otherwise they would be stuck at
home, feeling unhappy.
I came home afterwards still excited by my refreshing time in the pool. Now
Abba was home, and when he saw me dressed for swimming, he was surprised. He
asked me, "Yehuda, haven't you been at the pool enough already?"
"Yes, Abba, but this time Yaniv invited me to go to the pool for free!"
"Yaniv asked you to come without paying?" Abba was very surprised. "Did his
parents agree that he would pay for you to go into the pool?"
I laughed at that. "No, Abba. Yaniv's parents didn't have to pay for me or
for him either. It's really very simple. The guard at the entrance to the
pool, who takes the money, is Yaniv's cousin. He is really nice, and he lets
Yaniv come there every day for free. And today he let me in too, because I
am Yaniv's friend."
I could see that Abba was not very happy. He thought for a minute, and then
he said, "Do you mean to tell me that this cousin owns the pool?"
"Well, he is the one who stands at the entrance and takes the money, so I
guess he is the owner."
And Abba said, "But I went to the pool with you a few times. Do you remember
the office with the big glass door? An elderly man was sitting there at a
big fancy desk. He checks the accounts, organizes things, and talks on the
phone. He is the owner of the pool. The guard at the entrance is a young
boy, who is working during the summer, selling tickets and collecting the
money. It's not his money and he doesn't pay any of the expenses. He doesn't
pay the bills for water and electricity, he doesn't pay any salaries to the
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other workers. He has to give all the money to the man who owns the pool. I
wonder if he ever asked the owner for permission to let some children in for
free."
"How would I know?"
Abba said, "If he didn't ask, then he was not allowed to let you in! Nobody
is allowed to give away something that doesn't belong to him! I am pretty
sure that the owner of the pool will not agree that all the cousins of the
guard and their friends can come in without paying! That is how the owner
makes his living!"
"So what should we do?" I asked.
"I don't blame you, after all, you didn't know. But it may be that you are
guilty of robbery, since you went in without paying. I will go to the pool
today and ask the guard or the owner about this. If necessary, I will pay
for you. But remember, Yehuda, you must never take anything 'free' unless
you are sure that whoever gives it to you has permission to do so!"
How lucky I am that my Abba is so righteous that he thinks of everything!
(Note: The stories of the "Yisraeli" family are based on true events or on
stories that could have been true.)
Reactions and suggestions for stories: yikhat@gmail.com
RESPONSA FOR OUR TIMES
Changing a Name - by Rabbi Re'eim Hacohen, Rosh Yeshiva and Chief Rabbi, Otniel
Question: Should a person who goes through a process of repentance change
his or her name? What is the significance of modifying a person's name?
Answer: The words of Rabbi Yitzchak are quoted in the Talmud, "Four things
can tear up a decree against a person, and here they are: charity, crying
out, a change in name, and a change in deeds" [Rosh Hashanah 16b]. At first
glance, it seems that the Talmud is not discussing repentance in general but
the specific case of coping with an already existing heavenly decree.
The role played by the other three items is easy to understand. With respect
to changing a person's name, the early commentators give two different
explanations.
Changing a Name – Changing the Sign of the Zodiac
The Ritva explains (in Rosh Hashanah), "The person, who is not a sinner,
changes his name so that he will not be mentioned as deserving of evil. In
addition, it can help him flee from the fate of an astrological sign, as G-d
said to Avraham."
This is a reference to a dispute in the Talmud about "whether Yisrael has a
specific sign" – does the state of the stars influence the Jews at all?
"Rabbi Chanina says, the sign can make a person smart, the sign can make a
person wealthy, and the signs have meaning for Yisrael. Rabbi Yochanan says,
the signs have no meaning for Yisrael." [Shabbat 156a]. The Talmud explains
that the source for Rabbi Yochanan's opinion is Yirmiyahu 10:2. Rav Yehuda
in the name of Rav also feels that the signs have no meaning for Yisrael,
based on the Midrash, where Avraham said to the Holy One, Blessed be He, "I
have looked at my astrological signs, and I am not worthy of giving birth to
a son." And the Holy One, Blessed be He, replied, "Go out of your signs of
the Zodiac, since the signs have no meaning for Yisrael."
Even though the Holy One, Blessed be He, changed the names of Avraham and
Sarah, it seems that the Talmud feels that G-d explained to them that the
name change had nothing to do with fate, and that a decision by G-d is the
only thing that matters. However, the Ritva implies that there is a link
between the changes of the names and the change in fate based on astrology.
Evidently the source for his opinion is the Midrash, which corresponds
largely to the passage in Rosh Hashanah, that implies that the change in
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name is not part of G-d's reply to Avraham but is indeed an action that
influences the signs: "Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer, 'Three
things can cancel a bad decree: prayer, charity, and repentance, and they
all appear in the same verse... Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yossi say, changing
the name and changing the activity also work, and some say that changing the
place of living has the same effect... The change of name is derived from
Avraham, as is written, 'Your name will no longer be Avram but Avraham –
Avram is barren but Avraham can have children..." [P'sikta D'Rav Kahane
28:3; Kohellet Rabba 5:1]. The simple way to look at the Midrash is that the
changing of the names is what caused the modification of the decree, and the
Ritva feels that this modified the signs of the Zodiac. (We would then say
that "go out of your signs of the Zodiac" which was said to Avraham, see
above, refers not to ending the belief in astrology as a whole but rather to
modifying the astrological signs.)
Changing the Name – One of the Ways of Teshuva
As opposed to the above, the Rambam listed all of the eight actions in the
Talmud as valid techniques of teshuva. "As part of the ways of teshuva, the
one who repents cries out constantly before G-d, weeping and praying, and he
will give as much charity as he can, and he will stay far away from the sin
which he committed, and he will change his name – as if to say, I am another
person, not the one who sinned – and he will modify his actions for the
better and in an upright path, and he will go into exile – for exile atones
for sin in that it causes him to be modest and humble." [Hilchot Teshuva
2:4].
In this case, the change of name is part of the spiritual process that the
person goes through, a way of showing himself and the surroundings that he
has changed. This corresponds to the note by the Lechem Mishna that
according to the Rambam all the different techniques of teshuva should be
performed at the same time. The Talmud, on the other hand, implies that each
method by itself has the power to overcome a bad decree about a person.
Evidently the difference of the two approaches stems from the fact that the
Rambam emphasizes the spiritual process of teshuva, and he views all of the
steps as stages in the process.
In addition to the way the Talmud understands the process of teshuva, the
approach of the Rambam stems from his total rejection of any role for the
stars in establishing the fate of a person. As he writes, "However, with
respect to what I saw, that you are drawn towards the matter of how the
stars were configured and how they will be in the future, you should put
this entire matter out of your mind... because these are matters that do not
involve any truth as far as truly wise people are concerned. This is even
true of those who have no religion, and all the more so for those who do."
[Igeret Taiman, Shilo Edition, page 145; see also Moreh Nevuchim 3:37 and
Hilchot Avoda Zara 11:16].
The RAN follows the approach of the Rambam. He writes, "A person who changes
his name is led to repent, since he says in his heart, 'I am no longer the
same person who I was before, and I therefore must mend my ways.'" [Rosh
Hashanah].
A similar idea is seen in the words of Rabbi Moshe David Wali, a student of
the Ramchal, who gave an explanation for the custom of changing the name of
a sick person (RAMA, Yoreh Dei'ah 335:10). Rabbi Moshe David asked why the
Holy One, Blessed be He, gave Yaacov the new name Yisrael a second time,
after the angel had already done this earlier. His answer is that just like
a modification of a heavenly decree, which is completely in the hands of the
Holy One, Blessed be He, changing the name of a sick person "can provide
great help, since it is requested through prayer and great surrender. We can
thus hope that the heavens will be influenced by the merits of the prayers,
the surrender, and the charity."
SOMETHING ABOUT BOOKS
"He shall Write Divorce Papers for Her" - by Rabbi Avishai Elboim, Director of the
Rambam Library (Beit Ariela), Tel Aviv
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"By the Time it is Done, They will Calm Down"
Even though the Torah allows the divorce of a married woman, the sages did
not view this favorably, and they made various decrees in an effort to delay
a divorce. One of these decrees was to sometimes require a get mekushar - a
"knotted get." As opposed to a normal "get" – a divorce paper – which is
given to the woman on a simple piece of paper, a knotted get has a very
detailed form. It consists of folds and knots, and the witnesses are
required to sign it many times. The Talmud explains that a knotted get is a
decree that was made for Kohanim, who are often impatient and who tend to be
quick to give a divorce. But they have a problem, because a Kohen is
forbidden to marry a divorced woman, as is written, "They shall not marry a
woman who was divorced from her husband" [Vayikra 21:7]. If they could use a
simple get, which can be written quickly, they would not be able to remarry
their wives after they calmed down. And the sages therefore required them to
use a knotted get, "so that by the time it is done, they will calm down"
[Bava Batra 160b].
After the sages developed this concept of a knotted get, they allowed using
the same technique for all kinds of documents, and the term "knotted get" is
now used for any bill of loan written in this way (and not only for divorce
papers). Such documents have been found in archeological excavations, some
of them written on papyrus. The most famous ones are twenty-three documents
which were found by Prof. Yigal Yadin in the archives of Bavta Bat Shimon
Bat Menachem, which were preserved among the documents in the caves in the
Yehuda Desert. Prof. Yadin published a detailed description of the documents
in his book, "Searching for Bar Kochba" (Jerusalem, 5731 – 1971).
The Mentor of the Chida
"Get Mekushar" is the name of a book which was written by Rabbi Yona Navon,
a wise man who lived in Jerusalem. The book was published in Livorno in 5545
(1785). It is written on the cover page that the book "ties up the knots of
the letters of halachot related to divorce papers, with deep insight and in
a straightforward manner. It will serve as an addition to the clear book
"Get Pashut" written by Maharam N. Chaviv... It is the work of a unique and
righteous rabbi in the holy city of Jerusalem, a great rabbi in his
generation, our teacher Rabbi Yonah Navon."
Rabbi Navon was the teacher of Rabbi Chaim Yosef Azulai, the Chida. In his
encyclopedia about authors and books, "Shem Hagedolim," the Chida writes
about his rabbi:
"My teacher Rabbi Yona Navon, of blessed memory... He was a rabbi in the
holy city of Jerusalem. He wrote and printed his book, 'Nechpa Bakessef' and
also wrote a book with great insights on the laws of divorce, based on the
author of 'Get Pashut,' a commentary on the additions of the Re'eim on the
Sefer Mitzvot Gadol, a commentary on the laws of Pesach, and additional
responsa, commentaries, and collected works. He was one of the greatest
rabbis of the generation in Jerusalem, and after him almost nobody was left
to decide halachot. He was a pious man, a master of Kabbalah. Because of the
sins of the generation, he passed away at the age of forty-seven, on the
sixteenth of Shevat 5420 (1760). Let his soul be blessed among the living."
A Messenger
Like many others in Jerusalem, Rabbi Navon was sent abroad to gather money
from philanthropists. In the year 5497 (1737), he made his first trip, to
north Africa. For his second trip he went to the cities of Turkey, to Europe
and to Greece, in 5506 (1746). On his trips, the local wise men asked him
many questions. For example, when he was in Larissa, Greece, he met Rabbi
Yosef Nachmoli, the local rabbi, who writes the following in his responsa:
"The following happened to me: I placed a mezuzah in my house and later
remembered that I did not recite the blessing when I put it up. A few days
later I was quite upset at not having recited the blessing, and I wondered
if I should recite it, since putting it up is the end of the action of the
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mitzva, or whether I could still recite the blessing since the mezuzah was
there all the time. And behold, at that time, the Shechina appeared to us in
the guise of the wonderful wise man and judge, Rabbi Yonah Navon, and I
asked him for his advice." [Resonsa Ashdot Hapisga, Yoreh Dei'ah 9].
Other details about responsa of Rabbi Navon during his travels are brought
by Avraham Yaari in his book, "Sheluchai Eretz Yisrael."
Rabbi Navon printed his book Nechpa Bakessef in Constantinople, but "Get
Mekushar" was printed by his son only after he passed away. Both books have
introductions praising the rabbi, written by his disciple the Chida.
To obtain Torah material from the Rambam Library: elboim_a@mail.telaviv.gov.il
HOLY AND SECULAR
Battling for the Spirit - by Rabbi Amichai Gordin, Yeshivat Har Etzion
An important note: Some of our sages were reluctant to discuss the reasons
for the mitzvot. This stems from a fear that doing so might decrease our
absolute dedication to perform the commandments of the Creator and might
impinge on our fear of His elevated status.
In the following lines, we will try to shed a small amount of light on the
reasons for studying Torah. Together with this study, I ask the reader to
remember the words of the Psalmist of Yisrael in Chapter 119, words which
center on the love of the Torah:
"Happy are those who follow the simple path – who go in the way of the Torah
of G-d. Happy are those who perform His testimonies, they search for Him
with their full hearts." [Tehillim 119:1].
* * * * * *
"Dozens of lecturers and students are demonstrating in the Hebrew University
in Jerusalem against the decision to close a hundred courses in the faculty
of humanities... The university announced the cancellation of the courses,
which are taught by external faculty members, if less than ten students sign
up for them... The courses which will be closed are in a number of subjects,
such as archeology, history, and geography. The demonstrators are protesting
to the university management about what they call 'a mortal blow to the
faculty of humanities.'" [Galatz, IDF Radio Station, 9 Tammuz 5773].
* * * * * *
"The study of the Mishna and the halachic rulings plays the same role for
holy material as does the study of geography in secular matters, as a way of
maintaining a logical approach and establishing a basis in reality" [Rav
A.Y. Kook, Orot HaTorah 6:9].
* * * * * *
"The study of Torah... adds the light of our lives as Yisrael to our souls,
and awakens within them pleasant knowledge and good hidden feelings, along
with the unique trait of Yisrael, just as general studies help to awaken
within us the knowledge and the feelings of mankind in general." [Ibid
6:11].
* * * * * *
General study... has a benefit in addition to the fact that it is worthy to
know all we can from general knowledge... We broaden our intellect by adding
general knowledge to it... There are some things that in themselves have no
intrinsic value, but which are nonetheless worthwhile to know as a way of
exercising our intellect and broadening it to strive for perfect knowledge.
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The same is true for various subjects in the study of Torah... Every item of
the Torah, even including a small insight... has great value... because of
the importance of knowing real truth and understanding it. And what is true
for the secular study of historical details and also the knowledge of
ancient languages... is also true for every subject which is beneficial in
general that the study of its details are a welcome addition to the glory of
the intellect. Logically (by a "kal vachomer") this leads to the conclusion
that every single detail of our entire Torah must be something that is very
dear and well liked. [Ibid 8:6].
* * * * * *
In the past, Amos Shapiro, the President of Haifa University, managed giant
Israeli companies, including El Al and Cellcom. In an interview that he gave
a few months ago, Shapiro strongly criticized the attitude of Israeli
society towards the world of research.
"The universities are the yeshivot of the twenty-first century," he said, "I
am surprised by the lack of understanding in Israel of how important
research can be. The Jewish nation, which was so tolerant of those who
studied in the 'cheider' and whose sole occupation is Torah study, does not
show the same tolerance towards the universities."
Shapiro's starting point is mistaken. The universities are not the yeshivot
of this century. The yeshivot are the yeshivot of the twenty-first century.
But he is absolutely right about the attitude of our society with respect to
general knowledge. Large sections of Israeli society despise knowledge as
such. Every item of knowledge is analyzed in practical terms. "What can we
get out of it?" Knowledge that does not teach a person practical skills is
considered a waste of time and effort.
The controversy about the studies of yeshiva students is not only related to
the understanding of the importance of the Torah. Rather, it concerns the
very importance of studying and the value of knowledge in general.
It is clear that those who do not recognizes the value of the Torah or of
knowledge in general will view Torah study as an illusionary waste of time.
As Tommy Lapid said, "Just think of the billions of hours that Jews with
their fantastic brains spent during past generations on the questions of one
ox goring another... Two thousand spiritual energy years were wasted by one
of the most talented nations that ever came to be on the earth..."
* * * * * *
Those who do understand the value of knowledge, who declare that the fate of
the country depends not on the Arrow Missile or on a magic wand but rather
on the education of this nation that resides in Zion – should do all they
can to preserve the one place in our country where the study of humanities
is being developed. This is the only place where the number of students of
the humanities has grown from year to year – the yeshivot.
* * * * * *
"Logically (by a "kal vachomer") this leads to the conclusion that every
single detail of our entire Torah must be something that is very dear and
well liked."
E-mail: benkodesh@gmail.com
INSIGHTS FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE
"Shiluach Haken" and the Reasons for the Mitzvot - by Rabbi Shmuel Sasson, Head
of the Torah Garin in Haifa, coordinator of the Community Torah Project in Shaalei
Torah
(1) One who says in his prayers, "Just as You have mercy on the birds, so
should You have mercy on Your sons," is silenced.
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However, in his discussion of the reasons for the mitzvot, the Rambam writes
that the reason for the commandment of Shiloach Haken – sending away the
mother from a nest before taking the eggs or the young birds – is indeed the
pity of the Almighty for the bird.
Our rabbis disagree whether we are allowed to look for reasons for the
"chukim," the mitzvot which are not obvious to us. Those who say that the
one who prays for mercy as above is silenced feel that the only reason for
these mitzvot is the will of G-d. This can be proved from the fact that if
the reason for shiluach haken is mercy, G-d would not have allowed us to
slaughter the bird for food at all. The viewpoint of the Rambam is that we
are allowed to look for reasons (Moreh Nevuchim 3:17), and that indeed G-d
does have pity on the birds. The Ramban gives another reason for the mitzva
– we are meant to improve our traits, and it is a good human trait for us to
have pity on the bird.
But we are still left with the question of why a person who mentions G-d's
pity for the bird is not allowed to continue praying (and note that the
Rambam accepts this opinion as halacha!).
Evidently there is a difference between Torah study and prayer. In study we
try to find reasons even for mitzvot that are decrees of G-d, but while we
are praying to G-d we should not try to make use of a mitzva in order to ask
Him to have pity on us.
(2) We have been commanded to send the mother bird away if there are eggs in
the nest, but we were not told to do so if we do not need the eggs. However,
Chavat Yair rules, based on the Zohar, that this mitzva should be observed
even if the eggs are not needed, and that the mitzva has mystical
connections to a long life.
"Rabbi Richamai said: 'Send the mother away' [Devarim 22:7]. Why not send
the father away too? This is to pay homage to the wisdom which is called
'the mother' of the world, as is written, 'Call wisdom a mother' [Mishlei
2:3]." [Sefer Habahir].
TALK-BACKS
Brief Comments by Our Readers
* I read the article by Yosef Leichter about the life story of Rabbi
Yechezkel Sarna. When I read that Rabbi Epstein needed help in teaching by
Rabbi Sarna and his brothers-in-law, who were mentioned in the article, I
saw that one brother-in-law was left out, a man who evidently was greater
than all the brothers-in-law and the one or more sons. He was Yosef
Zusmanovitz, who was known as the "Jerusalem Ilui," or as the Jerusalemite,
and he left to return to Lita before the 1929 riots, evidently because of a
dispute with the son(s) and the brothers-in-law, who were afraid of his
greatness and did not want him to replace Rabbi Shapiro as Rosh Yeshiva.
This return to Europe cost the rabbi his life, along with his wife and their
two children. They were all murdered by the accursed Germans as they were
about to board a ship that would take them out of Lita.
In the wake of the dispute about heading the yeshiva, Rabbi Yosef wrote a
book, "A Note about the Laws of Inheriting a Job," which can be found in
"Otzar Hachochma." This book was published in Kovno in 5688 (1928).
Even though "after the deaths of holy ones, continue to speak" (the sequence
of the names of the Torah portions in the middle of Vayikra – "acharei mot
kedoshim emor"), it seems to me that such an important aspect of the life of
Rabbi Sarna should not have been omitted.
Note too that Rabbi Yosef's father, Rabbi Asher Dov Zusmanovitz (D'leon), is
buried in the same section of the cemetery mentioned in the article, not far
from the grave of Rabbi Epstein.
(Tzvi, Petach Tikvah)
(Comments refer to a recent issue of Shabbat-B'Shabbato – they must be sent
to Zomet Institute in Hebrew.)
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SHABBAT-ZOMET is an extract from SHABBAT-B'SHABBATO, a weekly bulletin
distributed free of charge in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is
published by the Zomet Institute of Alon Shevut, Israel, under the auspices
of the National Religious Party.
Translated by: Moshe Goldberg
To subscribe: http://www.zomet.org.il/eng/?pg=subscribe&CategoryID=165
Visit the Zomet Institute web site: http://www.zomet.org.il
Contact Zomet with comments about this bulletin or questions on the
link between modern technology and halacha at: zomet@netvision.net.il
Or: Phone: +972-2-9931442; FAX: +972-2-9931889 (Attention: Dan Marans)
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