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Parshat
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Parshat
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A Student Publication of the Torah Academy of Bergen County
Parshat Metzora/Pesach
1 Iyar 5763
May 3, 2003
Vol.12 No.27
In This Issue:
Rabbi Darren Blackstein
Chanan Strassman
David Tessler
Yaacov Prupis
Halacha of the Week
Rabbi Chaim Jachter
The Dynamic Trio
by Rabbi Darren Blackstein
The Gemara in Masechet Nidda (31a) tells us that
there are three partners involved in the forming of a person: Hashem, the
father, and the mother. Each, by contributing something unique, plays a crucial
role in bringing about a child’s existence. By stating this partnership, the
Gemara may be alluding to the wide variety of laws and customs that take place
in the interpersonal relationships among children, parents, and of Hashem. One
example may be found at the beginning of our Parsha, where the Torah states,
“Every man shall fear his mother and father, and you shall observe My Shabbatot;
I am Hashem, your God” (19:3). Rashi comments, using the idea also found in
Bava Metzia (32a), that this verse comes to teach us that a child should refuse
his parent’s request that he desecrate the Shabbat because ultimately Hashem and
His Torah take precedence. Rashi, paraphrasing the Gemara, says that since
child and parent are both obligated to honor Hashem, one is not to listen to a
request that would nullify any of Hashem’s words. This would not constitute
disobeying a parent; rather, this would be adhering to the word of Hashem.
The Maharal, in his sefer Gur Aryeh, asks about the Gemara’s choice of
words. Since the Torah talks about fear for one’s parents, the Gemara should
also say that both parent and child are obligated to fear Hashem (as opposed to
being obligated to honor Him). The Maharal says that if the word ‘fear’ was
used the message would be lacking. If honoring a parent involved a failure to
observe Shabbat in some positive way without actively sinning, one may think
this is all right, as he is still displaying fear of Hashem by not actively
transgressing. However, if both child and parent are obligated to honor Hashem,
then failure to observe Shabbat, even in a positive way, constitutes a lack of
honor. As the Kli Yakar points out, a request to violate the Shabbat undermines
the belief that Hashem is the sole Creator. Requesting this of a child is
tantamount to saying that Hashem is not a member of the partnership of birth!
Hashem is honored by both our action and inaction.
We see from the above
comments that the most productive environment is one in which both child and
parent are centered on the common goal of serving Hashem. The Rashbam on our
Pasuk says that parental fear and Shabbat observance are adjacent here just as
they are in the Aseret Hadibrot. The message is that respect for parents is
equated with respect for Hashem. How can this be? Perhaps we are being told
that honoring Hashem cannot be done to its fullest if we do not understand what
it means to honor one’s parents. It is questionable to seek Hashem and
simultaneously avoid the path that is given to reach that goal. Parents, and
for that matter one’s family, should be viewed as a vehicle through which the
individual’s development is achieved. In this regard, Shabbat is most certainly
the best example! Is there any other day that has the Kedusha of Shabbat and
promotes camaraderie as Shabbat does? Through working together with family and
friends, may we all make use of the opportunity to create an environment in
which Hashem is honored and glorified.
Missing Link
by Chanan Strassman
In Parshat Kedoshim, Perek 19 Pesukim 18-19, we
see two mitzvot. The first of the two is “you shall love your fellow friend as
yourself”, and the second is “do not wear a garment that contains a forbidden
mixture of fibers.” (We refer to this second mitzvah as Shatnez, or garments
made of wool and linen.) Is this really the appropriate time to mention Shatnez?
Why is it mentioned here, along with the Mitzvah of loving your fellow frined as
you would love yourself?
Based on the fact that the Mitzva of Shatnez is a chok, (a mitzvah whose logic
is beyond human understanding,) Rabbi Pinchas Winston offers an answer. He
cites a midrash which explains a possible reason for this Mitzva. This midrash
says that the reason is derived from the story of Cain and Abel.
In the story of Cain and Abel, the brothers each offer a korban to Hashem.
Because Abel gave an extravagant korban while Cain’s was pretty lousy, Abel’s
was accepted, and Cain's was rejected. Cain did not take this well and vented
his anger by killing his brother.
Now, let us think
about what each brother brought as his korban Cain was a farmer and brought
flax, the worst of his crop. Abel was a shepherd and brought a sheep, the best
of his flock. Since wool and flax, components of Shatnez, were involved in
history’s first murder, they remind us of how our relationship with other people
is important. Therefore, it is fitting that the Mitzva of Shatnez be placed
after the Mitzva of loving your fellow friend as you would love yourself.
Prepare for Holiness
by David Tessler
“Veahavta Lerayacha Kamocha, Ani Hashem,” “You
shall love your fellow as yourself, I am Hashem” (Vayikra 19:18).
It seems strange that at the end of the verse Hashem states, “I am Hashem.”
What is the reason for it? Rebbe Mendel of Kosov, in his Sefer Ahavat Shalom,
explains that it can be understood as follows. A person is supposed to love his
fellow friend exactly as he likes himself, and the same goes with the other
person as well. The word “Ahava,” “love” demonstrates this as the Gematria of
“Ahava” (13) is the same Gematria of “Echad,” “one” meaning one. This is a
Remez (hint) to the fact that each person should treat their fellow as if they
are really one person. If they do this then they have made the complete name of
Hashem because two times “Ahava” (13) is 26, the same value of Hashem’s name.
“Kedoshim Tihiyu ki Kadosh Ani Hashem Elokeichem,” “You shall be holy because I,
Hashem your God, am holy” (Vayikra 19:2). What does the word Kedusha actually
mean? It is a word that implies a need for preparation, as Tosafot explains
about the Mekadeshot, that Mekadeshot means to prepare. Rebbe Avraham Yaakov of
Sadagra, in his Sefer Ner Yisrael, explains that this means that a person
always needs to be prepared to be a vessel to receive holiness from Hashem.
This is the meaning of the conclusion of the Pasuk “Because I, Hashem your G-d,
am holy.” Hashem is constantly prepared and waiting to bestow his holiness and
goodness to others. The only thing that prevents this bestowal is our being
unprepared to receive all that Hashem has to offer.
How can one be
considered a prepared Kli, vessel, for Hashem? I believe that the answer is
implied later in the verse, which states, “you shall love your fellow as
yourself.” This Mitzva, as Rav Akiva tells us, is an essential Mitzva in the
Torah. We are currently mourning for Rebbe Akiva’s 12,000 pair of students who
died because they did not respect each other. What was so incredibly horrible
about what they did? By not fulfilling the Mitzva of loving “your fellow as
yourself,” they were essentially leaving out the name of Hashem that is formed
by their joint love for each other. They should have been 12,000 prepared
Keilim (vessels), receiving Hashem’s incredible holiness and his Torah, but
instead they left out the proper love for the Torah and thus were really leaving
out Hashem from their learning. I believe this is stressed by the fact that
only the condition in which we were able to receive the Torah was when we were
“K’Ish Echad Blev Echad,” “Like one man with one heart.” We should be extra
careful to learn from this message of the importance to love all of Bnai Yisrael,
to realize that we are all like one person with one heart, and to become Keilim
(vessels) for the Kedusha (holiness) and goodness that Hashem is waiting to
bestow upon us.
Authentic Holiness
by Yaacov Prupis
In the opening verse of this week’s Parsha,
Parshat Kedoshim, Hashem commands Moshe “Daber El Kol Adat Bnai Yisrael Viamarta
Aleihem Kedoshim Tihiyu,” “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them ‘You
shall be holy…’”
This commandment appears to be very ambiguous. One can easily obey a
commandment to do something such as eating Matza or blowing Shofar. How does
one fulfill a commandment to be something, to be holy?
One might think that that in order to be holy, one must obey Hashem’s
commandments. The Rambam, however, writes that one’s life should be governed by
moderation, and that one can easily become “Navel Birshut Hatorah,” “a
degenerate with the permission of the Torah,” if one observes only the letter of
the law. A person can enjoy self-indulgence and gluttony if he is one to weasel
out of things, i.e. cheating the tax system, etc. because it is not technically
wrong. But there is one commandment that is being violated: the commandment to
be holy.
The Ramban also offers an explanation as to what it means to be holy. His idea
is similar to that of the Rambam. The Torah permits one to drink wine and eat
meat, but with these privileges the Torah does not mention any restrictions.
Accordingly, without the commandment to be holy, one would be permitted to
involve oneself in gluttonous behavior. But there is this commandment, the
commandment to be holy, which prohibits such behaviors.
Sadly, there are many people who fail to keep this as the most important of
Mitzvot. This is wrong both morally and ethically! Many Chilulei Hashem are
committed because we do not pay enough attention to this commandment. As role
models for the world, we must treat this commandment with high regard.
Furthermore, we should all strive for holiness, for if we are set on keeping
this most important of virtues, then sinning will not come to us, and countless
Mitzvot will.
The person who is
truly holy is the one who need not strive for this virtue, the one whose nature
and character does not permit him to be otherwise (refer to the Rambam
(introduction to Pirkei Avot) for more depth on this matter). Of course, not
many people are born without the inclination to be unholy, but we must do our
best, as role models to the rest of the world, to be holy not in regard to
Halacha (to better ourselves and to insure our place in Olam Habah) but on
business and everyday mundane activities to make a Kiddush Hashem and make sure
the world respects us and look at us in admiration.
Halacha of the Week
The Magen Avraham
(561:2) and Mishna Brura (561:5) rule in accordance with the Rambam and the
other Rishonim who believe that one who enters the Makom Mikdash violates a very
serious sin whose punishment is Karet.
Staff at time of publication:
Editors-in-Chief: Shuky Gross, Effie Richmond
Publication Editors: Sam Wiseman, Jerry Karp
Publication Managers: Orin Ben-Jacob, Danny Shulman
Publishing Manager: Ely Winkler
Business Manager: Andy Feuerstein Rudin
Webmaster: Willie Roth
Faculty Advisor: Rabbi Chaim Jachter
This publication contains Torah matter
and should be treated accordingly.