Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The end of last week’s parasha, Parashat Balak, narrates the story in which many of the men of our people pursued the women of Moab and their god Baal Peor:

Israel settled in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of the Moabites. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and prostrated themselves to their gods. Israel became attached to Baal Peor, and the anger of the L-rd flared against Israel. (Sefer Bamidbar 25:1-3, all Bible translations, The Judaic Press Complete Tanach)
 
If this was not bad enough, Zimri ben Salu, the prince of the tribe of Shimon, then publicly began to consort with a Midianite woman:

Then an Israelite man came and brought the Midianite woman to his brethren, before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of the entire congregation of the children of Israel... (25:6)
 
When Pinchas witnessed this gross public immorality, he acted on the Torah’s mandate and executed Zimri and his Midianite woman. In our parasha, Pinchas’ actions were rewarded with Hashem’s highest approbation, namely, he received the brit shalom (Covenant of Peace) — the brit kehunat olam (Eternal Covenant of the Priesthood):

Pinchas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore, say, “I hereby give him My covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an Eternal Covenant of the Priesthood, because he was zealous for his G-d and atoned for the children of Israel.” (11-13)

In his gloss on Sefer Bamidbar 25:6, Rashi notes, “At the incident of the Golden Calf, Moses [successfully] confronted six hundred thousand as it says, ‘He ground it [the Golden Calf] until it was powder…’” Clearly, then, Moshe, no less than Pinchas, sought to avenge G-d’s glory. Yet, Pinchas alone received the brit kehunat olam. This is an exegetical challenge that has captivated our commentators’ attention throughout the ages. In my opinion, Rabbi Baruch Halevi Epstein (1860-1941) suggests one of the most cogent solutions to this problem. Here is a paraphrase of his position:

It is true that Moshe removed Hashem’s anger from the Jewish people on a number of occasions, including the episodes of the Golden Calf and the Spies. Yet, this was for only a relatively short period of time. As a result, the reconciliation between G-d and the Jewish people that Moshe had achieved was not on the level of complete peace. In stark contrast, Pinchas was able to bring about a complete reconciliation that totally removed any anger from Hashem toward our people. Therefore, Pinchas, and Pinchas alone, was rewarded with Hashem’s Covenant of Peace. (Torah Temimah on Sefer Bamidbar, chapter 25, comment 24)
 
In sum, according to Rav Epstein, since Pinchas achieved a total reconciliation between Hashem and the Jewish people, he was deserving of the Covenant of Peace.
 
The peace that Pinchas was able to bring about motivated Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) to identify Eliyahu the Prophet (9th century BCE) as Pinchas’ spiritual reincarnation:

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: “Pinchas is Eliyahu.” The Holy One Blessed be He said to Pinchas: “You have placed peace between Me and the Jewish people in this world; so, too, shall you do so in the future.” As the text states: “Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the L-rd, that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers…[Sefer Malachi 3:23-24]” (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni, Pinchas I, translation my own)
 
Chazal further underscore the role of Eliyahu as the herald of shalom ba’olam (peace in the world) in a parallel text to our midrash, found in the concluding mishnah of Mishnah Eduyot:

And the Sages said: [Eliyahu] will come to bring about peace in our world. As the text states: “Lo, I will send you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the L-rd, that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers…” [Sefer Malachi 3:23-24]”
 
Chazal teach us time and time again that Eliyahu’s ultimate purpose is to herald the coming of the Mashiach. What will this soon- to-be-realized period be like? Yeshayahu, the great 8th century BCE prophet and sage, offered one of the most famous descriptions of this longed-for time:

And it shall be at the end of the days, that the mountain of the L-rd’s house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains, and it shall be raised above the hills, and all the nations shall stream to it. And many peoples shall go, and they shall say, “Come, let us go up to the L-rd’s mount, to the house of the G-d of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths,” for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem. And he shall judge between the nations and reprove many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Sefer Yeshayahu 2:2-4)
 
May the Mashiach come soon and in our days to rebuild the Beit Hamikdash and bring everlasting peace to all mankind. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom, and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and from all the nations of the world.
 
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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The Torah has many poetic passages that engage our minds and cause our hearts to soar. Quite paradoxically, a number of these sections were uttered by none other than Bilaam, the evil prophet from the nations of the world whom we meet in Parashat Balak. My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, described Bilaam’s spiritually inspiring language in the following manner:

The prophecy of Bilaam differs from that of Moshe Rabbenu in terms of the mellifluous language, use of metaphor and panoramic visions of the end of days. Who can compare to Bilaam in his polished and elegant speech? … When a Jew enters the synagogue each morning, he recites a verse of Bilaam’s prophecy: “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places O Israel.” (Sefer Bamidbar 24:5, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David, editor, page 358.)
 
As the Rav notes, Bilaam’s prophetic language and its motifs differ widely from that of Moshe Rabbenu. In addition, Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah (Vilna) Parashat Naso 14:20 lists a variety of factors that differentiate their prophecies, including three qualities that characterized Moshe’s encounters with Hashem:
 
Moshe had three attributes regarding his prophetic experiences with the Almighty that were not shared by Bilaam: Moshe spoke with Him while standing at his full height…whereas Bilaam spoke with G-d only once he had fallen to the ground… Moshe spoke with Hashem peh el peh — in a direct manner — whereas Bilaam did not. Moshe spoke with Hashem panim el panim — “face to face” [that is, in a clear and direct fashion], whereas Bilaam only spoke with the Almighty through mashalim (parables). (This and the following translations my own.)
 
In my estimation, Moshe’s communications with Hashem “while standing at his full height” indicate the esteem the Almighty had for him, and the sense of equality with which Moshe was treated by the Master of the Universe. We must remember that these prophetic dialogues were the most profound existential encounters that finite humankind could ever achieve with the Infinite Other. As such, the greatest prophet of all time spoke to the Creator while standing at his full height, rather than in abject obeisance.
 
Moreover, I believe the unique manner in which these prophetic encounters were conducted, peh el peh and panim el panim, underscore the passionate desire of Hashem to communicate with Moshe on the deepest possible level. This idea is given powerful voice in the following passage from Pesikta Zutarta, Bamidbar, Parashat Beha’alotecha, 12:6:
Even though I [Hashem] have chosen many prophets, I speak with them in visions [of physical manifestations] and dreams. This is not the case regarding Moshe with whom I speak peh el peh. Moreover, the Torah states: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe panim el panim — in the very same manner that a man speaks to his friend…” (Sefer Shemot 33:11) And how is this to be explained? This means that Hashem spoke to him neither while he was in a trance nor in a dream, but rather, in a vision [of absolute verbal clarity (Rashi)].
 
In my view, the phrase, “in the very same manner that a man speaks to his friend,” encapsulates the nature and purpose of Hashem’s communications with Moshe. For just as Hashem was surely Moshe’s Yedid Nefesh — Beloved of the Soul, so, too, was Moshe the one and only human being with whom the Holy One blessed be He could share His deepest prophecies. Herein, an idea that the Rav utilized regarding Avraham Avinu’s unique relationship with Hashem comes to mind: The Almighty was lonesome and anxious to find a companion. (Rabbi Joseph b. Soloveitchik, The Emergence of Ethical Man, Michael S. Berger editor, page 155)  When it came to the nature and manner of the prophetic revelations Moshe received from Hashem, he, too, appears to be precisely such a companion.
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we, too, seek His friendship, and ever reach out to Him as our Yedid Nefesh. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom, and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and from all the nations of the world.
 
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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha begins with the 16th chapter of Sefer Bamidbar that tells the story of Korach, his wayward Levitical followers, and their rebellion against Hashem and His Torah, Moshe and Aharon. We must remember that the leaders of this uprising were “chieftains of the congregation, representatives of the assembly, [and] men of repute” who had garnered a good deal of respect among the nation (16:2, all Torah and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). It was precisely this status within the community that made them so dangerous, and encouraged them to level such a profound challenge against Moshe and Aharon: “You take too much upon yourselves, for the entire congregation are all holy, and the L-rd is in their midst. So why do you raise yourselves above the L-rd’s assembly?” (16:3)  Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon Midrash Tanchuma, Korach IV, explains the content of this trumped-up allegation: “If you [Moshe] have taken kingship for yourself, you should not have chosen the priesthood for your brother [Aharon]. For not only you heard at Sinai, ‘I am the L-rd, your G-d,’ the entire congregation heard it!” In sum, Korach and his compatriots stated that Moshe and Aharon had misappropriated the people’s rightful power, and, in so doing, they rejected the notion that the Master of the Universe had chosen Moshe as the leader of the Jewish people and Aharon as the Kohane Gadol.
 
In his posthumous work, Vision and Leadership: Reflections on Joseph and Moses, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, explored the essence of Korach’s question, “So why do you raise yourselves above the L-rd’s assembly?” His penetrating analysis offers us a novel understanding of Korach’s revolt and its underlying motivations: “Korach charged that Moses and Aaron were power-hungry, that they had set up a power structure and raised themselves above the congregation. He equated the exercise of power with kingship.” (This and the following quotations, pages 197-198)
 
In other words, according to the Rav, Korach’s political philosophy was totally realpolitik in nature, and lacked any grounding in moral and theological considerations. Korach quite simply removed Hashem from the ruling equation. Moreover, like many demagogues throughout history, he believed that all people were driven by the same will to power that constituted the core value of his own personality. Little wonder, then, that he erroneously attributed this position to none other than Moshe and Aharon. As the Rav suggests:

This equation and the politicization of the relationship between the leader and those whom he leads is incorrect. The covenantal community [that is, the transhistorical Jewish community] is, first and foremost, not a political community; it is a teaching community. Throughout the ages, the central figure in the covenantal community has not been a king, warrior, or high priest, but the teacher, the rebbi. (Underlining my own)
 
The Rav’s analysis of the covenantal community as a teaching, rather than a political, entity describes the essence of the relationship that obtains between the people and the rebbi within the Jewish worldview. According to the Rav, there are no subjects, there are only disciples. This sets the stage for the following type of apolitical and non-power-based association:

The relationship is not of a political nature, nor is it connected to the use of violence or the employment of sanctions. It is a free commitment on the part of the disciples to their master and teacher. The latter does not impose any authority upon the disciples. No one asks them to obey his words and to follow him. They can terminate the relationship at any time.
 
In the Rav’s view, Judaism is reluctant to recognize any individual as king, for in truth,
“G-d governs, no one else may usurp this prerogative.” This leads to the following purely volitional connection between the rebbi and his disciples: “The disciples love their masters and listen, not to their orders, since they give none, but to their teachings, which enlighten the mind and gladden the heart.” As the Rav notes, none of this was congruent with Korach’s misunderstanding of the genuine nature of the Jewish community:

Moses had not raised himself above the community as Korach charged, but the community raised him above itself. Moses was elevated without questing for leadership. The teacher is certainly elected by G-d to be near Him, and his personal kedushah [holiness] transcends that of his disciples. A saintly person is the leader because he is the teacher. (Brackets and underlining my own)
 
Based upon the Rav’s insights, we can now understand that Korach completely misunderstood the true nature of authentic Jewish leadership. This led to his blind political ambition to overthrow Moshe and Aharon — as if they were just one more set of self-appointed leaders, rather than beloved servants and messengers of Hashem, and the people’s freely chosen role models and teachers.
 
May Hashem protect our rebbis and teachers, and may we ever show them the honor and respect they deserve. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
 
Shabbat Shalom and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and from all the nations of the world.
 
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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha concludes with the well-known third paragraph of Kriat Shema whose focus is the mitzvah of Tzitzit. Its inclusion in the Shema during Tefilat Shacharit is understandable, as the mitzvah of Tzitzit is fulfilled at this time. Its recitation during Tefilat Arvit (Ma’ariv) is somewhat difficult to understand, however, since this mitzvah is not obligatory at night. If so, why is this final portion of our parasha a constitutive element of Kriat Shema during both the morning and evening prayers?
 
This problem was addressed by the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) in Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Kriat Shema 1:3:

Although the commandment of Tzitzit is not practiced at night, we nonetheless recite it [that is, this section] at this time, mipnei sh’yaish bah zichron yetziat mitzrayim — since it contains a mention of the Departure from Egypt; u’mitzvah l’hazkir yetziat mitzrayim b’yom u’b’lailah — and there is a commandment to commemorate the Exodus during the day and at night. As the Torah states: “…in order that you will remember the day you departed from the land of Egypt all the days of your life.” (Sefer Devarim 16:3)
 
There are two crucial phrases in this halacha: “u’mitzvah l’hazkir yetziat mitzrayim b’yom u’b’lailah,” and “mipnei sh’yaish bah zichron yetziat mitzrayim.” The Rambam is teaching us that there is a commandment to mention the Exodus during the day and at night based upon the verse, “…in order that you will remember the day you departed from the land of Egypt all the days of your life.” In addition, even though the time-bound mitzvah of Tzitzit is not practiced at night, its pasukim from our parasha are recited at this time mipnei sh’yaish bah zichron yetziat mitzrayim — since they contain a mention of yetziat mitzrayim.
 
We are now met with a classic Rabbinic problem that was given powerful voice by the celebrated Talmudic analyst and posek, Rabbi Yechezkel ben Yehudah HaLevi Landau (1713-1793) in his commentary on Talmud Bavli, Berachot 12b:

…and so, too, in the Rambam’s listing of the Taryag Mitzvot — 613 Commandments, he counts the mitzvah l’saper b’yetziat mitzrayim — to tell the story of the Departure from Egypt on the first night of Passover as Positive Commandment 157, based upon the verse, “v’he’gaddatah l’vinchah — and you shall tell your son.” Yet, he does not count the daily commandment of zechirat yetziat mitzrayim — mentioning and commemorating the Exodus — that is based upon the phrase, “in order that you will remember…” at all [in his compendium of the Taryag Mitzvot]. And as of this moment, I have no idea as to his [the Rambam’s] rationale for this.
 
In essence, Rav Landau asks, “Why does the Rambam include l’saper b’yetziat mitzrayim on the night of Passover and exclude the daily mitzvah of zechirat yetziat mitzrayim in his listing of the 613 Commandments?” We are fortunate he provides us with his solution to this quandary:

I applied my mind to this matter and reviewed it extensively. [Following this, I realized] that he [the Rambam] was certainly correct in his underlying rationale for not counting this mitzvah among the Taryag Mitzvot, since this commandment was never stated as an imperative [but rather as a narrative statement]. If, however, the Torah would have written, “Remember the day [rather than ‘in order that you will remember’],” then it would have been considered a mitzvah in its own right… (Translations and underlining my own)
 
In sum Rav Landau explains that the reason why the Rambam does not count the mitzvah of zechirat yetziat mitzrayim under the rubric of the Taryag Mitzvot is based on its wording, namely, as a narrative rather than an imperative formulation.
 
A different approach to Rav Landau’s quandary was offered by my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993) in his work, Shiurim Lezecher Abba Mori (Vol. 1, pp. 1-7).  Therein he cites his grandfather, Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik zatzal (1853-1918),  who provides a conceptual framework as to why the Rambam does not include the mitzvah of zechirat yetziat mitzrayim in his compendium of the Taryag Mitzvot:

Rav Chaim Soloveitchik explained that remembering the Exodus is not a distinct mitzvah but rather forms part of the broader mitzvah of [kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim] accepting the yoke of heaven: G-d took us out of Egypt for the sole purpose of being our G-d. Thus, remembering the Exodus is included in the mitzvah of Kerias Shema, which is fundamentally an obligation to accept the yoke of heaven. (Translation, Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Sefer Bamidbar, page 127, underlining and brackets my own)
 
Both Rav Chaim and the Rav maintain that the mitzvah of zechirat yetziat mitzrayim is not listed in the Rambam’s 613 Commandments because it “is not a distinct mitzvah but rather forms part of the broader mitzvah of accepting the yoke of heaven.” In other words, it is a subset of kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim, and, therefore, cannot be counted as a separate mitzvah among the Taryag Commandments.
 
The Rav pointed out on numerous occasions that the inclusion or exclusion of a mitzvah as one of the Taryag Mitzvot was never a determinant of its actual import. In point of fact, all mitzvot are equally binding and have the same significance, regardless as to the conceptual category in which they may be placed. This is particularly of the moment since the Rambam and the Ramban, among others, disagree time and time again as to which mitzvah ought to be counted within the 613 Commandments. What is crucial is for us to recognize that all mitzvot are the words of the one and only Elokim chayim and, for this alone, we must ever strive to fulfill them. With the Almighty’s help may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and from all the nations of the world.
 
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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
“Remember what the L-rd, your G-d, did to Miriam on the way, when you went out of Egypt” (Sefer Devarim 24:9) is one of the Six Remembrances that many people recite at the end of Tefilat Shacharit. It is a brief reminder of a famous narrative in our parasha that recounts the incident of Miriam and Aharon having spoken lashon harah against their beloved brother, Moshe Rabbeinu. It must be noted that while both Miriam and Aharon slandered Moshe, Miriam began this action. This is clear from the initial verse depicting this woeful incident wherein her name is mentioned first: “Miriam and Aaron began speaking against Moses because of the dark-skinned woman he had married… (Sefer Bamidbar 12:1, translation, Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatzal)  As a result, it is Miriam, rather than Miriam and Aharon, with whom this negative behavior is associated.
 
What caused Miriam, one of our seven great prophetesses (Talmud Bavli, Megillah 14a), to speak lashon harah against Moshe? After all, she loved, honored and recognized him as the authentic leader of klal Yisrael. While it certainly does not exonerate her behavior, it appears that she was overcome by her heartfelt emotions on behalf of her sister-in-law, Tzipporah. According to Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 87a, Moshe ceased to fulfill his conjugal obligations to Tzipporah following the Revelation at Mount Sinai. This is something that he initially decided on his own, since at this point, he was in constant contact with the Almighty and needed to maintain a total state of taharah. It should be noted, however, that Moshe subsequently received Hashem’s approbation for having acted in this manner.
 
How did Miriam become aware of such a private change in Moshe and Tzipporah’s marriage?  Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on Midrash Tanchuma to Parashat Tzav (13), relates how Miriam discovered what Moshe had done, and the heartbreaking pain and suffering it had caused Tzipporah:

Miriam and Aaron spoke: She spoke first, [and was, therefore, the one who was punished]. Therefore, Scripture mentions her first. How did she know that Moses had separated from his wife? R. Nathan says: Miriam was beside Zipporah when Moses was told that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp. When Zipporah heard this, she said, “Woe to their wives if they are required to prophesy, for they will separate from their wives just as my husband separated from me.” From this, Miriam knew [about it] and told Aaron. (Translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, brackets my own)
 
Although Miriam and Aharon had no intention of harming Moshe, their actions directly diminished his status in the eyes of the nation. Rashi further explains: “Now if Miriam, who did not intend to disparage him [Moses] was punished, all the more so would someone who [intentionally] disparages his fellow [be punished].” Beyond a doubt, Rashi’s words should be viewed as a spiritual “wake-up” call to each of us. If Miriam and Aharon, two of the greatest leaders in the history of the Jewish people, could err so grievously, certainly we must redouble our efforts to refrain from speaking and listening to lashon harah — especially in those scenarios wherein we convince ourselves “we are doing the right thing.” Rationalizations regarding the propriety of speaking lashon harah are completely worthless. As Rav Chisda in the name of Mar Ukba declared: “Anyone who speaks lashon harah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu Himself declares: ‘He and I are unable to dwell in the same world!’” (Talmud Bavli, Arakin 15b, translation my own)
 
May the Almighty give us the wisdom to recognize the dangers of lashon harah and the endless pain and sorrow it brings in its wake. Moreover, with His help and our fervent desire, may we change our behaviors in this crucial area and do our best to avoid its many pitfalls. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and from all the nations of the world.
 
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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha contains the well-known mitzvah of Birkat Kohanim:

The L-rd spoke to Moses saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them: “May the L-rd bless you and watch over you. May the L-rd cause His countenance to shine to you and favor you. May the L-rd raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.” They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless them. (Sefer Bamidbar 6:22-27, this and all Torah translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The kohanim’s recitation of this three-fold bracha is a holy, dramatic, and auspicious moment within the cycle of the tefilot hayom (prayers of the day). While the emotive aspects of this act cannot be overestimated, in order to plumb its spiritual depths we must ask ourselves, “What transpires during Birkat Kohanim?” We are fortunate that my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as the “Rav” by his followers and disciples, addresses this question in one of his drashot. In his view, this commandment entails two separate and distinct aspects: “the transmission of a direct blessing from G-d, and hashra’at ha-Shechinah (the manifestation of Hashem’s presence).” Moreover, the Rav opines that Birkat Kohanim “is a direct meeting with the Shechinah that presents us with an intimate encounter in which we come face to face with G-d.” (These, and the following quotations of the Rav, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David, editor, pages 290-296.)
 
If, as the Rav maintains, Birkat Kohanim is preeminently a time when we experience hashra’at ha-Shechinah, how is it possible that nearly any kohen may participate in this mitzvah?  After all, it seems that only very holy and righteous kohanim should be privileged to participate in this exalted act. The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) focuses on this very issue in his Mishneh Torah:

Do not wonder: “What good will come from the blessing of this simple person?” for the reception of the blessings is not dependent on the priests, but on the Holy One, blessed be He, as the Torah states: “They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless them.” The priests perform the commandment with which they were commanded, and G-d, in His mercies, will bless Israel, as He desires. (Hilchot Tefilah 15:7, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger with my underlining and emendations.)
 
This halacha has several salient points: Almost any kohen is fitting to fulfill the mitzvah of Birkat Kohanim, since “the reception of the blessings is not dependent on the priests, but on the Holy One, blessed be He.” Moreover, and of singular import, the Rambam stresses that when the kohanim bestow Hashem’s name upon the Jewish people, i.e. they serve as the viaduct through which the Almighty’s blessing flows, and it is “G-d, in His mercies, [who] will bless Israel, as He desires.” This reading of the Rambam was emphasized by Rabbi Elazar Rokeach (1665-1742) in his commentary on the Mishneh Torah, Ma’aseh Rokeach:

This, then, is the reason why we need the Torah’s phrase, “v’ani avarachame — so that I will bless them,” to say to us, “know that I chose the kohanim, and I did not differentiate between them [regarding who is fit to engage in the Birkat Kohanim], as the [fulfillment of the] bracha is not contingent upon them in any manner. Rather, osim schlichuti v’ani hu hamevarach — they act as my agents and I am the One Who bestows the blessing.” (Translation my own)
 
In addition, the Rambam’s answer to his question, “What good will come from the blessing of this simple person?” is a powerful support for the Rav’s assertion that Birkat Kohanim is the time of hashra’at ha-Shechinah. As the Rav maintained:

Here the Rambam states clearly that the blessing in Birkat Kohanim comes not from the kohen but directly from G-d. This is why the kohen who recites the blessing does not require any special level of sanctity… Contrary to appearances, Birkat Kohanim is not only a relaying of the heavenly blessing, but also a direct enactment of hashra’at ha-Shechinah. Nesiat kapayim (the “raising of the hands,” as in the priestly blessing) — a face-to-face encounter between G-d and the Jewish people – leads to hashra’at ha-Shechinah. It reflects G-d’s act of extending kindness. (Underlining my own)
 
May it be Hashem’s desire that He will ever extend kindness and mercy to the entire Jewish people, bless us, and watch over us. May He cause His countenance to shine upon us and favor us. May the L-rd raise His countenance toward us and grant peace to all of His people. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and from all the nations of the world.
 
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 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 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

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
HaRav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik zatzal (1820-1892) was one of the 19th century’s greatest European Torah scholars. He is known as the Beit HaLevi after the title of his grand exposition of the Pentateuch that is universally recognized as a jewel within the Lithuanian Torah tradition. In his comments on Sefer Shemot 19:5, the Beit HaLevi discusses exactly why Hashem gave us the Torah and, in so doing, helps us understand its role in our lives. He explains that the Torah was given to the Jewish people so that we would analyze it in accordance with the accepted rules of Biblical exegesis as delineated by our Sages, who have been tasked as the protectors of Hashem’s Torah in this world. He notes that the conclusions that are reached according to these guidelines thereby constitute that which is undeniably true. In addition, he asserts that since the Torah is “lo b’shamayim he — no longer in Heaven” (Talmud Bavli, Baba Metziah 59b), its authentic interpretation can only be apprehended via the intense study and analysis of the earthly beit din (Court of Law). After all, “lo nitnah Torah l'malachei hashareit — the Torah was not given to the Ministering Angels” (Talmud Bavli, Yoma 30a), but rather to us.
 
After presenting these ideas, the Beit HaLevi focuses on why our Sages call Shavuot zeman matan Toratainu (the time of the Giving of our Torah), instead of ‘zeman matan Torah’ (‘the time of the Giving of the Torah’). His answer is mesmerizing: “The reason why Shavuot is called zeman matan Toratainu and not zeman matan Torah is because Toratainu means that the Torah became our own. [How did it become our own? This happened] as a result of Torah She-be'al Peh — the Oral Law, and the explanations of the [Torah] that are the product of our people.” For the Beit HaLevi, though the Torah She-Biktav — the Written Law is the Almighty’s greatest gift to the world besides life itself, it is through the never-ending dynamic process of Torah She-be'al Peh —the study and explanation of His holy Torah — that humankind encounters Him.
 
In many ways, the Beit HaLevi infuses profound meaning into the phrase we recite each morning in our tefilah, “Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu u’mah nayim goraleinu — We are fortunate, how good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our heritage!” (Translation, The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 27)  Chelkeinu, our portion, is two-fold in nature. It includes the outright gift of the Torah She-Biktav and the ever-developing Torah She-be'al Peh, through which we analyze, interpret and apply that bequest to the challenges and realities of our lives. Truly then, Ashreinu!
 
May we be zocheh (merit) to witness the fulfillment of the passage we proclaim every day in the Birchot HaTorah (Ibid., p. 17): “Please, Hashem, our G-d, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouth and in the mouths of your people, the family of Israel. May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel — all of us, know Your Name and study Your Torah for its own sake.” V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom, Chag Sameach and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and the entire world.

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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Chazal’s name for the fourth book of the Torah is “Sefer HaPekudim — the Book of the Counting;” little wonder, then, that it has been given the English title, “Numbers.” The accuracy of this name becomes clear upon reading the first 46 pasukim of our parasha that focus on a detailed numerical census of our nascent nation. Throughout this presentation, the phrase, “misspar shemot — according to the number of their names,” is repeated no less than six times. This fact alone gives us pause to ponder, since there is a general exegetical principle that words and phrases are repeated in the Torah in order to emphasize their importance. In each of these instances, however, this expression does not seem to add to the verses’ essential meaning; as such, its inclusion in these pasukim conceals more than it reveals.
 
We are fortunate that the Ramban (1194-1270) tackles the singular import of misspar shemot in his Commentary on the Torah. Therein, he cites a beautiful midrash found in Bamidbar Rabbah that we no longer have in our editions:

The Holy One blessed be He said to Moshe to count the Jewish people with dignity and [with a focus on] the recognition of their inherent greatness, each person on an individual basis. Moreover, he was prohibited from saying to the head of the family, “How many are there in your family, how many sons do you have?” Instead, [said the Almighty:] “Everyone will pass before you in awe and respect and you will count them…” (Gloss on 45:1, all translations my own)
 
What exactly transpired as a result of Moshe counting everyone among the Jewish people by name? Once again, the Ramban addresses this question and adds that Aharon was an equal partner in this process:

When an individual would come before the Father of all Prophets [Moshe] and his brother, the Holy One to Hashem [Aharon], and he would become known to them by name, he would acquire great zechut — merit and [long] life, for he had entered into the sod — the ultimate sanctum of the Jewish people — and onto the [spiritual] roster of b’nai Yisrael. [Therefore,] he would henceforth enjoy the merits of the entire people as he was now counted amongst them.
 
The Ramban continues to explain how each Jew who passed before Moshe and Aharon acquired such zechut: “…for when they looked upon them for solely positive purposes, they would request mercy for them and ask that Hashem, the G-d of their fathers, should add to their descendants a thousand-fold and never diminish their numbers…” In my view, Moshe and Aharon’s tefilah was not only quantitative in nature, but qualitative as well. In other words, they prayed for both the continued numerical and spiritual growth of the Jewish people — a tefilah whose fulfillment we continue to pray each day.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, analyzes the Ramban’s interpretation of the rationale inherent in the census of our forebears, and presents the following depth-level understanding as to why it had to be performed b’ misspar shemot:

G-d’s intent was a dual one. It was not enough for Moshe to know the total number of the Jewish people. He had to perform a head count in order to get to know each person as an individual with their own background and life experience. Moshe’s additional obligation emanates from the fact that he was rabban shel Yisrael, the rebbe of the entire Jewish nation, and therefore had to know every Jew by name. It was as though G-d were telling him: “Moshe, when you pray, you will pray not for the general public, but also for every Jew in his or her moments of joy and pain.” This duality, specifically the focus on the individual, was the Ramban’s true intent. (Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David editor, page 284, underlining my own)
 
For the Rav, who throughout his many works and public lectures, continually focused on the existential trials and tribulations of the individual, misspar shemot in the thought of the Ramban emerges as a constitutive element of the entire census enterprise. Significantly, each and every Jew had a name representative of their identity, value and unique importance before Hashem.
 
May the Almighty Who knows the names of all mankind, remove the magafah from klal Yisrael, and the entire world, soon and in our days. 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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, Shmuel Yosef ben Reuven, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The beginning of Parashat Behar focuses on the mitzvah of Shemittah:

And the L-rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them: ‘When you come to the land that I am giving you, the land shall rest Shabbat l’Hashem — a Sabbath to the L-rd. You may sow your field for six years, and for six years you may prune your vineyard, and gather in its produce, but in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest Shabbat l’Hashem — a Sabbath to the L-rd; you shall not sow your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard…’” (Sefer Vayikra 25:1-4, this, and all Rashi and Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The phrase “Shabbat l’Hashem” appears twice in these pasukim, suggesting that it is a constitutive element of the Shemittah experience. Rashi (1040-1105) interprets our term as: “L’shame Hashem — For the sake of the L-rd, just as is stated regarding the Sabbath of Creation.” In some ways, this very terse explanation conceals far more than it reveals, as we are left to ponder how it advances our understanding of the original expression “Shabbat l’Hashem.”
 
Many of the supercommentators on Rashi’s Torah Commentary spent a great deal of time wrestling with Rashi’s interpretation. In my estimation, the Mizrachi (Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi, 1455-1525) offers the most compelling analysis. He suggests that Rashi never meant that we fulfill the laws of Shemittah “in honor of Hashem’s name and glory.” In addition, he notes that Shemittah is not for the farmer’s benefit to enable “the land to rest for a year in order to increase the power of its fertility in the coming years — a practice that was prevalent among the farmers of the time.” Instead, the Mizrachi maintains that Rashi held that the prohibition of working the Land of Israel during the Shemittah year is “sh’yiyeh sh’vitatah l’shame HaShabbat — so that the cessation of all agricultural work will be in recognition of Shabbat... [For, as we know,] Hashem rested on it [that is, Shabbat] at the time of the Creation of the world.” He reinforces his understanding of Rashi’s gloss in the following manner:

Therefore [Rashi writes], “just as is stated regarding the Sabbath of Creation,” for [in the Aseret HaDibrot] the Torah explicitly states: “But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the
L-rd, your G-d… For [in] six days the L-rd made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the L-rd blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.” (Sefer Shemot 20:10-11, all Mizrachi translations my own)
 
The Mizrachi concludes this portion of his commentary on Rashi’s statement by noting that, while it is true that Shemittah clearly refers to resting in the seventh year and Hashem’s refraining from further creative activity at the time Creation took place “on the seventh day,” nonetheless, we can rely on the Ramban’s (1194-1270) famous position that “all instances of the word ‘seven’ in the Torah are a zacher —a reference to the seventh day [Shabbat].” In sum, for the Mizrachi, the correct formula for understanding Rashi’s comment is: “Shabbat l’Hashem = l’shame Hashem = l’shame HaShabbat.”
 
As we have seen, the Mizrachi focused his exegetical skills on analyzing the phrase, “Shabbat l’Hashem,” in order to comprehend the inner meaning of the Shemittah experience. 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, followed a different, but complementary approach in this quest, noting the singular import of the word “land” that appears three times in our passage:

And the L-rd spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them: ‘When you come to the land that I am giving you, the land shall rest Shabbat l’Hashem — a Sabbath to the L-rd. You may sow your field for six years, and for six years you may prune your vineyard, and gather in its produce, but in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest Shabbat l’Hashem…
 
This emphasis generates the following incisive observation of the Rav:

The Torah speaks of a land “defiled” and of a land “resting” and observing its “sabbatical years.” The Land of Israel possesses a distinct personality. It is likened to a human being who can be defiled, can be sanctified, can rest and can be appeased. Just as a Jew observes the Sabbath once a week, the Land of Israel observes the Sabbath once every seven years. In this way the Land of Israel takes on human dimensions. (Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David editor, page 267)
 
As for the Mizrachi and the Ramban, Shemittah for the Rav is ultimately a code word for Shabbat. In this case, the Land of Israel — in all its metaphorical human dimensions — observes the Shabbat once every seven years, just as we, the Jewish people, do each and every week.
 
Shabbat Shalom and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and the entire world.
 
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 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 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
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh and Jersey City, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
One of the most celebrated sections of our parasha focuses on the Moadim. Its 44 pasukim comprise the 23rd chapter of Sefer Vayikra and serve as an encyclopedic presentation of the Torah’s holy days. It begins with these words: “And the L-rd spoke to Moses saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The L-rd’s appointed
[holy days] asher tik’re’u otam mikraei kodesh — that you shall designate as holy occasions. These are My appointed holy days.’” (23:1-2, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The Rashbam (Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir, 1085-1158) examines the phrase, “asher tik’re’u otam mikraei kodesh,” and suggests the following interpretation: “asher t’zamnu otam zemani kodesh — that you [the Jewish people] should schedule these times as times of holiness.” He furthermore suggests that all uses of the term, “kriah” — “to call,” in reference to the Moadim are an expression of establishing a fixed time,” similar to the phrase in Megillat Eichah: “kara ali moed — He [Hashem] summoned an assembly…” (1:15)  In sum, for the Rashbam, our pasuk’s expression, “asher tik’re’u otam mikraei kodesh,” refers to our obligation to recognize that the mikraei kodesh are different in kind and degree from standard weekdays. As such, we, the Jewish people, must invest them with kedushah — holiness.

In his Commentary on the Torah on our pasuk, the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270) suggests several interpretations of mikraei kodesh. In this context, he cites a short statement from Midrash Sifrei, Parashat Pinchas 147: “Proclaim them [that is, let the Moadim be recognized] through food, drink and clean clothes.” He proceeds to elaborate upon this in a manner that parallels the Rashbam’s analysis:

This means that chukam — their manner of observance — in your personal behaviors should not be like the way you treat a standard weekday. Instead, you should make of [the Moadim] a mikra shel kodesh — a declaration of holiness — and change them in regards to the food and clothing [you eat and wear], from that which you [normally do] from the weekday to this holy time. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
In sum, both the Rashbam and the Ramban view the mikraei kodesh as special occasions that we must treat differently from other days of the year, in order to ensure their kedushah status. Quite simply, we, the Jewish people, must sanctify these times through our actions and behaviors in a clearly demonstratable manner, our food and clothing on these days should reflect the best that we have to offer.
 
In his Kedushat Hayom Shiur, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, utilized the term, mikraei kodesh, as a springboard to analyze the essential nature of time within Judaism:

To Judaism… time is a living entity. There is substance and essence to time. Time is not a void but a reality. One can ascribe attributes such as joyous or sad to time just as one can ascribe these attributes to people. One can refer to a day as evil, meaning that the day itself is cursed. When we refer to a holy day, we do not merely mean to signify that it is a day in which man somehow experiences holiness. The day itself has an inner endowment; a charisma hidden in its very substance… (Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Sefer Vayikra, page 180, underlining my own)
 
In these few words, the Rav advances our understanding of mikraei kodesh in a novel way. True, like the Ramban in particular, these are days in which the Jewish people experience holiness on a practical level. Yet, each of these days is more than this, for at this time, “the day itself has an inner endowment; a charisma hidden in its very substance.” In other words, we do not simply celebrate a Tuesday or Thursday as a mikra kodesh. Instead, the day is a mikra kodesh, its very essence has been altered because it is sanctified.
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we strive to recognize and fulfill the true nature of the mikraei kodesh, and celebrate them soon and in our days in the newly rebuilt Beit HaMikdash. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and may Hashem in His great mercy remove the magafah from klal Yisrael and the entire world.
 
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 Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
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*** 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.