Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי האר This Shabbat we will read Parashat Zachor. According to the Shulchan Aruch, the public reading of this parasha is a Torah-based mitzvah. (Orech Chaim 146:2 and 685:7) In addition, it enables us to fulfill two of the three Taryag Mitzvot associated with Amalek as determined by the Rambam in his Sefer HaMitzvot: “Remember what Amalek did to us,” (Positive Commandment 189) and “We are warned not to forget what ‘the seed’ of Amalek did to us.” (Negative Commandment 59). One of the essential principles of parshanut (Torah exegesis) is the timeless significance of each verse and narrative passage in the Torah. According to Mishnah Yadaim 4:4, however, Sennacherib, the King of Assyria (720-683 BCE approx.), completely destroyed the cohesiveness of all nations and tribes of his time—including Amalek. If this is the case, why does the Torah state three separate, and eternal mitzvot regarding a tribal entity that no longer exists? My rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), addresses this question in his famous essay of 1956, “Kol Dodi Dofek,” wherein he presents a seminal idea he learned from his father, Rav Moshe Soloveitchik zatzal (1879-1941): At a Mizrachi convention I cited the view expressed by my father and master (Rabbi Moses Soloveitchik) of blessed memory, that the proclamation, “The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation,” (Exodus 17:16) does not only translate into the communal exercise of waging obligatory war against a specific race but includes as well the obligation to rise up as a community against any people or group that, filled with maniacal hatred, directs its enmity against Keneset Israel. When a people emblazons on its banner, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance,” (Psalms 83:5) it becomes, thereby, Amalek. (Pages 65-66 from the English translation entitled Fate and Destiny) According to this opinion of Rav Moshe Soloveitchik zatzal, Amalek is not a tribe or an ethnicity. Instead, it is a mindset with which we are all too familiar. Unfortunately, this version of Amalek has existed for uncountable years, and will continue to exist until destroyed by Mashiach Tzidkanu. (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 11:4) The Rav underscores this point in the original Hebrew edition of “Kol Dodi Dofek”: “…Amalek still exists in the world. Go and see what the Torah says: ‘a war of Hashem with Amalek throughout all of the generations.’ If so, it is impossible that Amalek will be destroyed from this world before the arrival of the messiah.” (Footnote 23) Accordingly, the Rav writes: “In the 1930’s and 1940’s the Nazis, with Hitler at their head, filled this role. They were the Amalekites, the standard-bearers of insane hatred and enmity during the era just past. Today their place has been taken over by the mobs of Nasser and the Mufti.” Sadly, we can easily substitute Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, White Supremacists, and today’s world-wide radicalized university community, for the Nazis, Nasar, and the Mufti of yesteryear. Make no mistake about it. Amalek’s goal is to destroy each and every one of us so in order to obliterate Hashem’s name, chas v’shalom, from the world. Antisemitism, coupled with the rejection of the existence and supremacy of Hashem, are the doctrinal principles by which Amalek lives. The Jewish people, in contrast, are Hashem’s true witnesses. Our very existence belies the specious “beliefs” of all Amalekites for all time. How can we stand up and join Hashem in His continuous struggle against the forces of ultimate darkness? The Torah gives us the answer in one word: “Zachor!” We must not be fooled by the duplicity and disingenuous behaviors of today’s Amalekites, regardless of what the media would like us to believe. “From the River to the Sea,” means one thing and one thing only—the attempt to complete Hitler’s Final Solution in our time. May we soon witness the coming of the Mashiach, when the entire world will stand shoulder to shoulder in recognizing Hashem’s truth and glory, and Amalek’s memory will fade into the past. Then, may the words of Zephaniah the prophet be fulfilled before our eyes: “I will make the peoples pure of speech so that they will all call upon the Name of G-d and serve Him with one purpose.” (3:9) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav
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Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Sefer Shemot is a grand journey that takes us from the depths of Egyptian servitude to the construction of the Mishkan wherein Hashem’s Schechinah was revealed to the entire Jewish people. Parashat Pekudei concludes Sefer Shemot and provides Rabbeinu Bahya ben Asher (1255-1340) with the platform to share his vision of the ultimate future that awaits the Jewish people. His presentation begins with a passage based on Midrash Tanchuma: The Holy One blessed be He said: “In this world, I caused my Schechinah to dwell among you in the Beit HaMikdash; [yet,] as a result of your purposeful sins, it departed from you. In the time of the Mashiach (literally, l’atid lavo,) my Shechinah will never move away from you. As the text states: ‘I have placed My holy dwelling place in your midst, and My spirit will never reject you…and you will be My people.’” (Sefer Vayikra 26:11-12, all translations my own) Rabbeinu Bahya presents nine constitutive aspects of l’atid lavo. This analysis includes the reinvigoration of our relationship with Hashem, the transformation of all humankind, and the realization of the promised role of the Jewish people. According to Rabbeinu Bahya, the time of the Mashiach will mark three dynamic changes in our connection to Hashem: Nevuah will return to the Jewish people as in earlier times, the Schechinah will return to its rightful place in the soon-to-be-rebuilt Beit HaMikdash, and wisdom from above (shefa chochmah) will overflow, enabling all of klal Yisrael to fully acquire Hashem’s holy Torah. Moreover, three crucial transformations will impact all humankind: the study and practice of warfare will cease (Sefer Yeshayahu 2:4), new hearts (proper moral principles and ethical behaviors) will replace hearts of stone (Sefer Yechezkel 36:26), and the desire to pursue evil will vanish from the world (ain satan v’ain yetzer hara). In Rabbeinu Bahya’s schema, the realization of the promised role of the Jewish people comprises the third aspect of the Geulah Shlaimah. As glory and honor returns to our nation, Hashem’s hashgacha (Divine Providence) will reach its highest heights, and His majesty, revealed unhidden by the Anan (Cloud of Gory) will be directly visible to us all. Rabbeinu Bahya concludes his eschatological vision with a stirring pasuk from Sefer Yeshayahu that underscores this new level of revelation: “The voice of your watchmen shall be raised in unison, and they shall sing together, for eye to eye they shall see when Hashem returns to Tzion.” (52:8) May this time come soon and in our days, when we will witness the fulfillment of Zechariah’s famous words: “And Hashem shall become King over the entire earth; on that day Hashem shall be one and His name one.” (14:9). V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Our parasha begins with Moshe Rabbeinu gathering the entire Jewish people before him: “Moshe called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble, and he said to them: ‘These are the things that Hashem commanded to make.’” (Sefer Shemot 35:1, all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach with my emendations) At this point, we would expect some sort of listing of “the things that Hashem commanded to make,” instead, we are met with two verses that discuss several aspects of Shabbat: Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of complete rest to Hashem; whoever performs work thereon [on this day] shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwelling places on the Shabbat day. (35:2-3) These pasukim are followed by 32 verses that discuss the acquisition of the necessary materials to construct the Mishkan and its vessels, and the people’s largesse in providing these needs. Why did Moshe discuss Shabbat in the midst of focusing on “the things that Hashem commanded to make?” In his Commentary on the Torah on our verse, Rashi (1040-1105), based on the Mechilta, suggests the following well-known answer: Six days: “He [Moshe] prefaced [the discussion of the details of] the work of the Mishkan with the warning to keep Shabbat, denoting that it [that is, the work of the Mishkan] does not supersede Shabbat.” In short, Shabbat’s mention prior to the Mishkan depicts its singular import and its precedence over the construction of the Mishkan. This order is reversed in Parashat Ki Tisa, where 11 Mishkan focused pasukim (31:1-11) are stated before Shabbat, and only afterwards do we find: Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: “And you, speak to the children of Israel and say: ‘Only (ach) keep My Shabbatot! For it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I, Hashem, make you holy. Therefore, keep Shabbat, for it is a sacred thing for you. Those who desecrate it shall be put to death, for whoever performs work on it, that soul will be cut off from the midst of its people. Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a Shabbat of complete rest, holy to Hashem; whoever performs work on the Shabbat day shall be put to death.’” (31:12-14) Our exegetical challenge is now quite clear: Why is the Mishkan mentioned before Shabbat in Parashat Ki Tisa while the opposite order obtains in Parashat Vayakel? In his Torah commentary, Keli Yakar, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz zatzal (1550 –1619) strengthens this question: It is [almost] always the case in every instance where one mitzvah precedes another mitzvah that the first one is of the essence and sets aside the second one. So, too, do we find in the verse: “You shall observe My Shabbatot and revere My Mikdash. I am Hashem,” (Sefer Vayikra 19:30) wherein Shabbat is given precedence over the Mikdash.” (Sefer Shemot 35:2, this, and the following translations, with my emendations, my own) Based on this idea, Parashat Ki Tisa appears to be an outlier. Rav Luntschitz begins his analysis by noting that Parashat Ki Tisa and Parashat Vayakel have two different speakers. The first features Hashem’s words to Moshe, whereas the second contains Moshe’s address to the Jewish people. Rav Luntschitz suggests that this difference helps us understand why the Mishkan is mentioned first in Ki Tisa and Shabbat is first in Vayakel. In his view, the entire purpose of the Mishkan was to give voice to the new-found glory of the Jewish people after “the Holy One blessed be He forgave the people for the sin of the Egel HaZahav and allowed His Schechinah to rest upon them once again.” This was particularly apropos since, “the Holy One blessed be He is extremely sensitive to the honor of the Jewish people; therefore, [in Parashat Ki Tisa,] He gave precedence of place to the Mishkan [before He mentioned Shabbat].” In contrast, Rav Luntschitz opines that it was proper for Moshe Rabbeinu to mention Shabbat before the Mishkan in Parashat Vayakel since, “the core of Shabbat is the glory of Hashem, may He be blessed...” He builds on these concepts and arrives at the following incisive conclusion: Moshe thought that in order to grant the requisite respect to Hashem, may He be blessed, it was fitting to give precedence to Shabbat as it teaches us about the glory of Hashem, may He be blessed, and only afterwards present the Mishkan which informs us about the honor of the Jewish people. In addition, based on this order, it is immediately understood that Shabbat sets aside all labor concerning the Mishkan, since which one is set aside for the other—clearly, the smaller matter [Mishkan] before the greater one [Shabbat]. Just as Moshe Rabbeinu honored Hashem by giving precedence to Shabbat prior to the Mishkan, so, too, may our observance of Shabbat give kavod to the Almighty and bring glory to His name. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Our parasha contains a famous verse that depicts Moshe’s act of destroying the first set of luchot as a response to the Egel HaZahav (Golden Calf) and the abandoned celebration it engendered: “Now it came to pass when he drew closer to the camp and saw the calf and the dances, that Moshe’s anger was kindled, and he flung the tablets from his hands, shattering them at the foot of the mountain.” (Sefer Shemot 32:19, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). In his Commentary on the Torah, the Malbim (Rabbi Meir Loeb ben Yechiel Michel, 1809-1879) intimates that Moshe certainly had every reason to destroy the luchot prior to this juncture. After all, Hashem had explicitly informed him: And Hashem said to Moshe: “Go, descend, for your people that you have brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned away from the path that I have commanded them; they have made themselves a molten calf! And they have prostrated themselves before it, slaughtered sacrifices to it, and said: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who have brought you up from the land of Egypt.’” (32:8-9) Why, then, did Moshe wait to break the luchot until “he drew closer to the camp and saw the calf and the dances?” In my estimation, the Malbim’s response is an analytic tour de force: …for he [Moshe] thought they did this [the Egel HaZahav] because they believed Moshe tarried on his way down from [Har Sinai] and sought a leader in his place. [Moreover, Moshe was convinced] when the people would see him coming down the mountain, they would cease their [forbidden] actions and repent. When he approached the camp, however, and saw they recognized him and nonetheless continued to rejoice over the Egel through their dances, he realized they were fully intent on rebelling against Hashem and Moshe His servant. Moreover, they were not merely looking for a substitute leader and guide, instead, they were engaging in literal idol worship. At that moment, Moshe became furious, and threw the luchot from his hands. (Translation and brackets my own) Even though Hashem told Moshe the people had acted corruptly, rejected the path He had commanded them, created a molten calf, bowed down before it and offered sacrifices to it, the Malbim maintains that Moshe did not initially share Hashem’s perception of the people’s actions. Instead, he believed the people were desperate for a substitute leader and guide who would lead them forward. In addition, he was positive that when the people would see him standing before them, they would cease their abhorrent ways and do teshuvah. Unfortunately, both of these assumptions proved false, for even when they saw Moshe standing in front of them, with the luchot in his hands, they continued their licentious celebrations before the Egel. This idolatrous behavior was a flat-out rebellion against Hashem and Moshe, and too great a burden for Moshe to bear. As such, “at that moment, Moshe became furious, and threw the luchot from his hands.” In his Commentary on the Torah, Rav Moshe Alshich (1508-1593) suggests an interpretation of Moshe’s hesitation to shatter the luchot that supports the Malbim’s analysis. The Alshich HaKadosh opines that our narrative is the proof text for the notion that, “a man will not act, even if he knows of the evil, until he sees it with his own eyes.” This is the case, since “the Holy One blessed be He had told Moshe [of the people’s backsliding,] and he had heard of the matter from Yehoshua, yet it did not make a crystal-clear impression upon him until he saw the Egel, for then and only then did, ‘Moshe became furious’ [and break the luchot].” The Alshich HaKadosh offers a second insightful interpretation as to why Moshe Rabbeinu did not destroy the luchot until he witnessed the decadence of the people. He notes that the essence of serving Hashem is to act, “b’simcha u’btuv lavov—in joy and with the goodness of one’s heart.” So, too, if an individual violates the will of the Holy One may He be blessed, and feels remorse for his or her actions, then there is hope that they will repent and fix the error of their ways. Sadly, however, “the person who celebrates their purposeful sin loses all hope, chas v’shalom.” The Alshich utilizes this principle to explain why and when Moshe smashed the luchot: As such, when [the sin of the Egel HaZahav] was relayed to him [Moshe] by the Almighty, Himself, He did not tell him that they [the people] were joyous and devoid of feelings of remorse regarding their sin, and, therefore, Moshe was not very angry [as he thought there was still hope for them]. When, however, he saw the Egel, the wild dancing and their overwhelming joy on their day of idol worship, then “Moshe became furious,” [as he feared the Jewish people would be no more]. With Hashem’s help, may we ever be counted among those who serve Hashem “b’simcha u’btuv lavov.” As Dovid HaMelech said so long ago: “Serve Hashem with joy (b’simcha), come before Him with praise.” (Sefer Tehillim 100:2) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ The notion of Hashem dwelling amongst our people is presented in two pasukim in Sefer Shemot. The first appears in last week’s parasha, “And they shall make Me a sanctuary (mikdash) and I will dwell (v’shachanti) in their midst;” and the second in our Torah portion, “I will dwell (v’shachanti) in the midst of the children of Israel, and I will be their G-d (v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim).” (25:8 and 29:45, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The first pasuk states that as a result of constructing the Mishkan the Holy One blessed be He will dwell among us, and the second adds the idea that His dwelling in our midst indicates He will be our G-d. As such, the following formula emerges: Construction of the Mishkan eventuates in v’shachanti among us, which leads to v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim. Although they seem to convey similar content, v’shachanti, and v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim are actually dissimilar concepts. This approach was followed by both the Sforno (Rabbi Ovadiah ben Ya’akov,1475-1550) and the Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin, 1816-1893) in their respective Torah commentaries on Sefer Shemot 29:45. According to the Sforno, v’shachanti refers to Hashem’s ready desire to accept our tefilot, and our avodah (korbanot). In contrast, v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim, gives voice to the idea that Hashem will do so bikvodo u’vatzmo, that is, without any intermediary. This is similar to how He took us out from Egypt: “Not through the efforts of an angel (malach), not through the exertions of a ministering angel (saraf) and not as a result of a messenger (shaliach), rather, by the Holy One blessed be He, in His honor and glory.” (Haggadah) The Netziv differs from the Sforno’s interpretation of “v’shachanti in our midst,” and suggests it denotes an everlasting connection between Hashem and the Jewish people—even when we are not zocheh to have the Mishkan: Even in the absence of the Mishkan, wherein Hashem’s glory, may He be blessed, was explicitly manifest, [He] will continue to ever be in the midst of the Jewish people. This means that His Schechinah (Divine Presence) will never depart from the community of Israel…even though it will not appear manifestly evident to all. (Translation my own) Moreover, unlike the Sforno, the Netziv suggests that “v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim” signifies the Almighty is continually attuned to and “watchful of our needs and will fulfill them.” Whether we follow the Sforno or the Netziv, both agree that v’shachanti and v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim refer to Hashem’s commitment to an eternal personal relationship with the Jewish people. In my view, this is the counterpoint to our passionate song at the Yam Suf: “This is my G-d and I will ever praise him (zeh kali v’anvahu), the G-d of my father, and I will exalt Him.” (Sefer Shemot 15:2) We were G-d intoxicated at the Yam Suf and could not hold ourselves back from bursting out in a song of ever-lasting love to Him; now, so to speak, it is Hashem’s turn to proclaim His never-ending love for the Jewish people. On measure, this analysis lends new meaning to the oft-said phrase: “Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu u’mah nayim goraleinu u’mah yafah yerushateinu—We are overjoyed in the goodliness of our portion! And how pleasing is our fate! And how desirous is our inheritance!” The terms portion, fate and inheritance refer to the holy Torah and the dynamic relationship it fosters between Hashem and the Jewish people. Therefore, let us proclaim, “zeh kali v’anvahu,” and may we once again be blessed to hear, “v’shachanti v’hayiti lahem l’Elokim!” V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com. *** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ The best-known pasuk in our parasha is, “And they shall make Me a sanctuary (mikdash) and I will dwell in their midst.” (Sefer Shemot 25:8, this, and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) It is followed by many verses that specify every possible detail of the constitutive elements of the Mishkan. Yet, as the Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael notes, the very act of constructing a mikdash for Hashem is problematic: “And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst;” why was this ever stated? After all, was it not already said, (Sefer Yirmiyahu 23:24) ‘Behold I fill the heavens and the earth?’ [As such, how can any dwelling contain Hashem?]” (Translation and brackets my own) The Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael teaches us the idea of building a mikdash for Hashem seemingly makes no sense. This is similar in kind to Yeshayahu’s famous declaration: “So says Hashem, ‘the heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool; which is the house that you will build for Me, and which is the place of My rest?’” (Sefer Yeshayahu 66:1) The great Lithuanian Torah sage, Rav Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), was acutely aware of the conceptual challenges posed by the mitzvah to build a mikdash for Hashem. He addressed them by emphasizing the later part of our pasuk, “and I will dwell in their midst,” and suggests this revolutionary interpretation: Behold, there is no doubt whatsoever, that the very idea of the holy (hakodesh), the sanctuary (hamikdash) and the in-dwelling (shriyat shechinato) of the Holy One blessed be He refers to man, himself. [This is the case,] for if he sanctifies himself in the proper manner through the fulfillment of all the mitzvot…then he, himself, will be the sanctuary of Hashem (hu atzmo hamikdash mammash) and within him will be Hashem, may His Name be blessed. (Nefesh HaChaim, I:4, this, and the following translations and brackets my own) The depth of Rav Chaim’s chiddush cannot be overestimated: If we sanctify ourselves through the performance of the mitzvot, then we will be the ultimate mikdash of Hashem. Rav Chaim bases his reasoning upon a verse from Yirmiyahu, and a well-known statement of our Sages found in the Midrash Aggadah: [As proof for what I have suggested,] we have the text from Sefer Yirmiyahu: “…The Temple of the Hashem, the Temple of Hashem, the Temple of Hashem are they.” (7:4) This is similar in kind to the utterance of our Sages, may their memory be blessed, “and I will dwell in their midst”— “It does not say, ‘in it’ [that is, the physical Mikdash,] rather it says, “in their midst,” [that is, literally within them.] At this juncture, it seems the physical structure of the Mikdash, or even of the Beit HaMikdash, is well-nigh superfluous, as it is superseded by the Jewish people, themselves. A careful reading of Rav Chaim’s next words seem to support precisely this approach: In addition, according to our manner of explanation, one should not think that the essential purpose of My [G-d’s] intention [regarding the commandment to construct the Mikdash] is the creation of the physical Mikdash itself (hamikdash hachitzoni). What, then, is the rationale inherent in the construction of the Mikdash? For Rav Chaim, it is nothing less than the creation of the greatest teaching device the world has ever known: But you should know that My [Hashem’s] overarching purpose and desire regarding the Mikdash’s construction and all its vessels, is solely to indicate to you [the Jewish people individually, and as a people,] that you should model yourselves after these physical entities and reconstruct yourselves and all of your actions, so that they will be as proper to Me as the building of the Mikdash and all its [sanctified] vessels. [For in truth,] all of you are holy, fitting, and prepared (kedoshim, re’uyim u’muchanim) for My holy presence to literally dwell within you (lehashrot shechinati b’tochchachem mammash). This, then, is the true meaning of, “And they shall make Me a sanctuary (mikdash) and I will dwell in their midst.” Rav Chaim’s message is unbelievably inspiring: We, the Jewish people, are holy and fitting for the Schechinah to dwell amongst us, for in truth, we are His mikdash. With Hashem’s help, may we rededicate ourselves to His holy Torah and the fulfillment of His mitzvot, and become His mikdash soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Na’aseh v’nishmah (we will do, and we will hear—comprehend) are two of the most celebrated words that appear in our parasha. When the Jewish people uttered this phrase during Kabbalat HaTorah, they acted like Heavenly Angels and transformed their relationship with Hashem. This idea is found in a well-known statement in Talmud Bavli: “Rabbi Simai taught: ‘When the Jewish people accorded precedence to the declaration ‘We will do’ over the declaration ‘We will hear,’ 600,000 ministering angels came and tied two crowns to each and every member of the Jewish people, one corresponding to ‘We will do’ and one corresponding to ‘We will hear.’” (Translation, The Koren Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 88a, elucidated and edited by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz zatzal) In my estimation, na’aseh v’nishmah may be viewed as our ancestors’ proclamation of their undying belief in Moshe’s divine agency and the absolute truth of the Torah; an idea that is found in Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 74a: “Moshe v’Torato emet.” Numerous verses in Tanach support the notion that Moshe was the shaliach v’navi Hashem par excellence. Perhaps the two most famous are found in Sefer Bamidbar 12:7-8: “Not so is My servant, Moshe; he is faithful throughout My house. With him I speak mouth to mouth; in a vision and not in riddles, and he beholds the image of Hashem.” (Translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) This is not the case regarding the phrase Torato emet, as there is only one pasuk in Tanach wherein the words, “Torat emet,” are juxtaposed (Sefer Malachi 2:6). This verse, however, does not speak to the veracity of the Torah in general. Instead, it gives voice to the historical loyalty of the Tribe of Levi to Hashem and His Torah. If so, what does Torat emet denote? I believe we can understand Torat emet as signifying the eternality and unchanging nature of the Torah, a concept that the Rambam (1135-1204) explicates in his Mishneh Torah: It is clear and explicit in the Torah that it [that is, the Torah] is [Hashem’s] commandment, remaining forever without change, addition, or diminishment, as [Sefer Devarim 13:1] states: “All these matters which I command to you, you shall be careful to perform. You may not add to it or diminish from it” … This teaches that we are commanded to fulfill all the Torah’s directives forever. It is also said: “It is an everlasting statute for all your generations,” and [Sefer Devarim 30:12] states: “Lo bashamayim he.” This teaches that a prophet can no longer add a new precept [to the Torah]. (Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah IX:1, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, brackets my own) In sum, the Rambam explains the eternality of the Torah as being comprised of the following constitutive elements: 1) It is Hashem’s commandment. 2) It exists “forever without change, addition or diminishment.” 3) “A prophet can no longer add a new precept [to the Torah].” The Rambam’s formulation of the principle of the eternality of the Torah is in consonance with the following well-known Talmudic narrative: On that day Rabbi Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument [in a highly technical dispute regarding ritual purity and impurity], but they [the other sages] did not accept them… [Said Rabbi Eliezer:] “If the halacha agrees with me, let it be proved from Heaven!” Whereupon a Heavenly Voice (bat kol) cried out: “Why do you dispute with Rabbi Eliezer, seeing that in all matters the halacha agrees with him!” But Rabbi Yehoshua arose and exclaimed: “Lo bashamayim he!” What did he mean by this? Said Rabbi Yirmiyah: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai; [therefore,] we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice (bat kol), because You [Hashem] have long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai (Sefer Shemot 23:2), “After the majority must one follow.” (Talmud Bavli, Baba Metzia 59b, translation, The Soncino Talmud with my brackets and emendations) This Talmudic passage is nothing less than amazing. In relatively few words, it denies the possibility of a post-Sinaitic revelation. Moreover, it demonstrates that human reason, in conjunction with the accepted principles of Torah exegesis and majority rule, are the sole determinants in any halachic dispute—even when one of the disputants is a bat kol! As Rabbi Aryeh Leib HaKohane Heller (1745-1812), one of the major halachic authorities of the past two centuries opines: The Torah, however, was not given to the ministering angels, but rather to humankind who is limited to sechel enoshi (human logic and reason). And the Holy One blessed be He gave us the Torah out of the abundance of His mercy and kindness to be adjudicated according to sechel enoshi, even if it never achieves emet on the level of HaSichlayim Hanivdalim (that is, Hashem and His ministering angels). (Introduction to Ketzot HaChoshen, translation my own) Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ The most celebrated section of our parasha is that of the Asseret HaDibrot. It begins with the well-known words: “And Elokim spoke all (kol) these words saying.” (Sefer Shemot 20:1) The Mechilta of Rabbi Yishmael focuses on the word, kol, and suggests: “This comes to teach us that the Asseret HaDibrot were said in one utterance (b’dibbur echad), something that is impossible for a human being to say in this manner…” (Mesechta d’b’Chodesh IV) In his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-1105) cites this statement nearly verbatim, signaling that this is the correct interpretation. This citation is further interpreted by the Maharal (Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Betzalel, 1525-1609), in his supercommentary on Rashi’s Commentary, entitled Gur Aryeh: “…this is to say that the entire Torah is one entity and one word--inyan echad v’dibbur echad.” He bases his interpretation on two premises: 1)The entire Torah is derived (yotzim) from the Asseret HaDibrot. (See Rashi, Sefer Shemot 24:12) 2)These Asseret HaDibrot were stated b’dibbur echad; therefore, the entire Torah was [initially given in] one pronouncement. (Sefer Shemot 20:1, translation and brackets my own) In an interpretative tour de force, the Maharal expands on this approach in his sefer, Tifferet Yisrael, chapter 34: Based on the aforementioned, we can state that the Asseret HaDibrot were said in one word. This is coming to teach that the entirety of the Torah is one, and it is one ordered and inseparable entity. This is the case, since all of the mitzvot derive from the Asseret HaDibrot, and that each of the Taryag (613) mitzvot are included therein. Moreover, the Asseret HaDibrot were stated in one word, which teaches us that the Torah is completely indivisible. It is, therefore, proper to say, [as well,] that it is one order (seder) [that is, an undividable object]. (Translation and brackets my own) Closer to our own time, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, provides a different analysis of the Mechilta. Rather than suggesting that the word, “kol,” encompasses the entire Torah, the Rav limits its scope to the Asseret HaDibrot: Apparently, the Mechilta and Rashi have interpreted va’yidabare Elokim ate kol hadevarim ha’aleh in the holistic sense, and translated it as follows: G-d proclaimed the whole, the entirety, or the totality, of those Commandments. They did not interpret kol as referring to each and every one of those Commandments. Kol is not interpreted as in terms of every Commandment, rather, it is interpreted as referring to the totality, the organic unity of all Ten Commandments…kol injects a new idea, a new world. (This and the following quotations Norot HaRav, volume V, B. David Schreiber, editor, pages 18-19) What exactly is the “new world” that is revealed in the word, kol? As the Rav explains: The Decalogue is not an incidental sum consisting of mutually unrelated precepts. Rather, the Decalogue constitutes a primordial entity, whose unity and integrity are inherent in the very essence of the system. In other words, there are not Ten Commandments. There is one Commandment which branches out into ten aspects. The practical consequence of this concept is clear and obvious. The Decalogue is indivisible. One either accepts all of the Commandments or none at all…All of the precepts were pronounced and promulgated in one utterance, within an indivisible, infinitesimal period of time. Rav Saadia Gaon (d. 942), cited in Rashi’s Commentary on Sefer Shemot 24:12, takes this one step further: “All 613 mitzvot are included in the Asseret HaDibrot.” I believe this the true essence of the Asseret HaDibrot, and the reason why they have captured our attention since time immemorial. For on the day they were given, the entire Torah was revealed to klal Yisrael, and we became Hashem’s nation forevermore. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל, בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ The concluding section of our parasha contains the account of our ancestors’ mortal combat with Amalek, the marauding desert tribe that sought to destroy us following our departure from Egypt. The narrative begins with a pasuk that reverberates until our own historical moment: “Amalek came and fought with Yisrael in Rephidim.” (Sefer Shemot 17:8, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). Moshe immediately recognized the gravity of the situation, and quickly responded to this existential threat against our fledgling nation: So, Moshe said to Yehoshua, “Pick men for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of G-d in my hand;” Yehoshua did as Moshe had told him, to fight against Amalek; and Moshe, Aharon, and Chur ascended to the top of the hill. (17:9-10) Moshe’s reaction is swift and easily understandable. The next verse, however, is quite difficult to comprehend: “It came to pass that when Moshe would raise his hand, Yisrael would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail.” The question is clear, “Why would Moshe raising or lowering his hand have anything to do with our people’s success or failure in their battle against Amalek?” Not too surprisingly, parallel versions of this question have been asked by Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) in both Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael and Mishnah Rosh Hashanah III:8. The answer given by the Mechilta is particularly pertinent to our discussion: And is it possible that Moshe’s hands could make the Jewish people victorious, or could they destroy (literally, “break”) Amalek? Rather [this is what the raising of Moshe’s hands actually means]: Whenever Moshe would raise them toward Heaven, the Jewish people would look upon him, and believe (u’ma’aminim) in the One who designated Moshe to act in this manner. For at those times, the Holy One blessed be He would perform miracles and mighty deeds for them. (Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, Mesechta d’Amalek I, s.v. v’hayah ka’asher, translation and brackets my own) The Mechilta is teaching us that Moshe’s hands pointing heavenward were heuristic devices to teach our ancestors to believe in Hashem and internalize the message, “Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit, says the L-rd of Hosts.” (Sefer Zechariah 4:6) After all, there appeared to be no way an untrained and inexperienced band of Jewish guerrilla fighters could possibly win a pitched battle against Amalek’s impeccably skilled soldiers—whose stock-in-trade was murder and mayhem. Yet, when they looked toward Shamayim and focused upon the immanent presence of the Almighty in their lives, they won! Moshe passionately wanted the Jewish people to realize that there is one place, and one place only, from which authentic salvation will come. As Dovid HaMelech proclaimed: I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help is from the L-rd, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber. Behold the Guardian of Yisrael will neither slumber nor sleep. The L-rd is your Guardian; the L-rd is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand. (Sefer Tehillim 121:1-6) Although the actual tribe of Amalek no longer exists, its successors continue to infect humanity with their vitriolic hatred. This idea was given powerful voice by my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal, in his synopsis of the dark forces that continue to drive the Amalek way of life: At a Mizrachi convention I cited the view expressed by my father [Rav Moshe Soloveitchik zatzal] and master of blessed memory, that the proclamation, “The L-rd will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16) does not only translate into the communal exercise of waging obligatory war against a specific race but includes as well the obligation to rise up as a community against any people or group that, filled with maniacal hatred, directs its enmity against Kenneset Israel [the Jewish people]. When a people emblazons on its banner, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psalms 83:5) it becomes, thereby, Amalek. In the 1930's and 1940's the Nazis, with Hitler at their head, filled this role. They were the Amalekites, the standard-bearers of insane hatred and enmity during the era just past. (“Kol Dodi Dofek,” pages 65-66 from the English translation entitled Fate and Destiny) We must never forget that anti-Semitism, and the denial of the existence of Hashem, are the principles—by which and for which—Amalek lives. Moreover, as we have seen in our own time, Amalek has one undeniable goal: to destroy each and every one of the Jewish people so that G-d’s name, chas v’shalom, would be obliterated from the world. Therefore, we must ever be vigilant, and stand shoulder to shoulder to ensure the physical and spiritual safety of our fellow Jews, wherever they may be. Perhaps, then, no truer expression was ever spoken by Chazal than kol Yisrael arevim zeh l’zeh (all of the Jewish people are responsible for one another). May the time come soon when these words will serve as a beacon of light as we join together and witness the fulfillment of Dovid HaMelech’s stirring words: “This was from the L-rd; it is wondrous in our eyes.” (Sefer Tehillim 118:23) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com. *** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. Image Courtesy Yoram Raanan Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Two pasukim in our parasha tell the story of our people’s departure from Eretz Mitzrayim: It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, and it came to pass in that very day, that all the legions of Hashem went out of the land of Egypt. (12:41, all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) It came to pass on that very day, that Hashem took the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions. (12:51) At first glance, with the exception of the phrase, “It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years,” it seems that 12:51 is a repetition of 12:41and adds little to our understanding of the Exodus. We know, however, that this cannot be the case, since one of the fundamental principles of Torah exegesis is that each pasuk has an essential purpose and teaches something no other verse imparts. As such, in order to comprehend the deeper meaning of these pasukim, we need to examine another text in Parashat Yitro, in the prologue to the Asseret HaDibrot: “You [the Jewish people] have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and [how] I bore you on eagles’ wings, and I brought you to Me.” (19:6) A mesmerizing Targum Yonatan on this verse goes far beyond an Aramaic translation in that it is, by all accounts, a “midrashic text” in and of itself: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on the clouds, as if you were on the wings of eagles, from Pilusin [town in southern Egypt]. And I brought you to the place of the Beit HaMikdash to offer your korban Pesach there. And on that same night, I brought you back to Pilusin, and from there, brought you to the place of My Torah [Har Sinai]. (Translation my own) Looking back at our parasha’s original two verses, we note that 12:41 states, “all the legions of Hashem went out of the land of Egypt,” whereas in 12:51 we find, “Hashem took the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions.” I maintain that in 12:41, our ancestors went out of Egypt in a naturalistic manner, that is, on foot, namely, a yetziah gufanit--physical departure. I believe this is supported by the latter part of the Targum Yonatan passage: “And on that same night, I brought you back to Pilusin, and from there, brought you to the place of My Torah.” What was that “same night?” The night of the 15th of Nissan, Lail Pesach, and from Pilusin, He ultimately brought us to Har Sinai. In stark contrast, Hashem is the active agent in 12:51, that is, He is the subject, and we were the objects. Consequently, this departure was unique in that it was a yetziah ruchanit--a spiritual departure, above and beyond the physical realm, planned and executed by the Almighty. This is supported by the first part of the Targum Yonatan passage: “I bore you on the clouds, as if you were on the wings of eagles from Pilusin. And I brought you to the place of the Beit HaMikdash to offer your korban Pesach there.” When did HaKadosh Baruch Hu do this amazing miracle? On Erev Pesach, at the precise time we were obligated to bring the korban Pesach! After so doing, then and only then, did He bring us back to Mitzrayim, and the rest of Jewish history, began to unfold. Just as our redemption from Egypt was a physical and spiritual journey, so may HaKadosh Baruch Hu bring us Mashiach Tzidkeinu and redeem us from galut, soon, and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav |
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