July 2021 – Parsha Ponders

Pearls of gratitude[1]

ובאהרן התאנף יקוק מאד להשמידו ואתפלל גם-בעד אהרן בעת ההוא

Hashem became incredibly enraged towards Aharon, in order to destroy him. I prayed on Aharon’s behalf that that time[2]

Our Sages relate[3] a very unusual interaction between Moshe and Aharon. When Aharon was inaugurated as the Kohen Gadol, he was anointed with special sanctified oil. After doing so, Moshe and Aharon noticed that two pearls of oil remained on Aharon’s beard[4]. Upon realizing this, Moshe was very concerned he had committed מעילה, misappropriated sanctified property[5]. Immediately, a heavenly voice declared that there was nothing to be concerned over. Aharon then started worrying that perhaps he himself had committed מעילה, by getting inappropriate pleasure from the remaining oil on his beard, desecrating its sanctity. Immediately, a heavenly voice declared that there was nothing to be concerned over. That’s the entirety of the story. There are many questions here. First and foremost, what’s the significance over these two pearls of oil? Why is this story worth relating?

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July 22, 2021August 5, 2021

Va’eschanan 5781

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The testimony of Shabbos[1]

Remember the Shabbos day, to sanctify it[2]	זכור את-יום השבת לקדשו	Safeguard the Shabbos day, to sanctify it…[3]	שמור את-יום השבת לקדשו וגו’
Do not testify falsely regarding your fellow[4]	לא תענה ברעך עד שקר	Do not testify in vain regarding your fellow[5]	ולא-תענה ברעך עד שוא

In the Shabbos morning prayers, we declare: ושני לוחות אבנים הוריד בידו, Moshe brought down from Mount Sinai two stone tables in his hand, וכתוב בהם שמירת שבת, and they are engraved with the obligation to observe Shabbos, וכן כתוב בתורתך ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת, and similarly it is written in Hashem’s Torah[6] that, “the Jewish people shall observe Shabbos”. We can ask a few questions on this declaration. First of all, why do we need to support the observance of Shabbos by bringing a verse? If the stone tablets, which were written by G-d Himself[7], command resting on Shabbos, what does a verse in the Torah add? Another question is with regards to the phrasing of the declaration. We say that they, the two stone tablets, are engraved with the obligation to observe Shabbos. At first glance this seems false. Only the first of the two tablets mentions Shabbos. How can we resolve these difficulties?

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July 15, 2021

Tisha B’Av 5781

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Consolation through mourning[1]

והפכתי אבלם לששון ונחמתים ושמתחים מיגונם
I have flipped their mourning to joy, and I have consoled them and made them rejoice from their anguish[2]

If we examine the way we observe Tisha B’Av carefully, we’ll be astounded by what we see. For almost two thousand years, the Jews have had their ups and downs in exile. As time passes, whatever good we’ve received from Hashem quickly fades from memory. Yet, every year our eyes are filled with tears for the destruction of our Temple, and the exile from our land. This is unlike any other nation. Whenever a nation lost something that was precious to them, they eventually got over it and moved on. What’s the secret to the Jewish preservation of their mourning?

Our Sages teach us[3] a concept in human psychology. Hashem decreed, as an act of kindness, that the sadness we feel when we lose a loved one fades with the passage of time. However, this is only the case when we actually lose a loved one. If it’s a mistaken loss, Hashem makes it that the person will never accept consolation. We see this with Yaakov and Yosef. Yaakov thought his son Yosef had been eaten by a wild animal, and was never consoled for his loss. The reason was because he in fact hadn’t lost his son, as he was merely sold to Egypt as a slave.

We can apply this concept to our discussion. Every nation that ever lost something realized that they’ll never get it back. As such, with the passage of time, they eventually get over their loss. Not so the Jewish people. Deep down, we know Hashem hasn’t abandoned us. We constantly look forward to the day that Hashem will redeem us from our exile. It turns out then that our constant mourning is the very source of our consolation[4]. It’s testimony to the fact that what we lost isn’t gone forever. This is why Tisha B’Av is also known as a festival[5]. It’s the day that know with full confidence that we will eventually be redeemed[6].

May we merit this year to a true consolation, with the rebuilding of the Temple and the restoration of Jerusalem.

[1] Based on Derashos Chasam Sofer III p. 84 col. 2

[2] Jeremiah 31:12

[3] Bereishis Rabbah 84:21

[4] This reminds me of a popular story involving Napoleon. The story goes that he was travelling through the town he was in on Tisha B’Av, and heard wailing coming from the local synagogue. He asked what all the fuss was over, and was informed that the Jews were mourning the loss of their Temple. He was surprised to hear this, as he hadn’t realized they had a Temple which was recently destroyed. He was informed that it had been 1700 years since the destruction. He responded that a nation that mourns its Temple so much will surely merit to see it rebuilt. For the origins of this story and its veracity, see http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-napoleon-tisha-bav-legend-tracing-it.html

[5] Lamentations 1:15. See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 559:4

[6] This is also alluded to in the words of our Sages כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בנחמתה (Ta’anis 30b), meaning immediately

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July 14, 2021

Devarim 5781

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Having the proper perspective[1]

יקוק אלקינו דבר אלינו בחרב לאמר רב-לכם שבת בהר הזה: פנו וסעו לכם ובאו הר האמרי וגו’‏
Hashem, our God, spoke to us on Chorev (Mount Sinai) saying: “Rav lachem dwelling on this mountain. Turn and travel and come to the Ammorite mountain…”[2]

Moshe, as part of his goodbye speech to the people, described the various events which got them to where they were now holding. Most of this speech was intended to act as a rebuke towards the people for their shortcomings throughout their journeys. One episode he described was that after spending over a year at Mount Sinai learning Torah, Hashem told them rav lachem. Literally He said, it is too much for you to dwell further on this mountain. It sounds like they wanted to stay longer, but Hashem told them it was time to move on. However, this seems to contradict a teaching of our Sages[3] that the Jews ran away from Mount Sinai like schoolchildren who run away from their classes. It sounds like they didn’t need much pressure from Hashem to leave. Which was it?

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July 8, 2021

Mattos / Masei 5781

The responsibility of the Kohen Gadol[1]

‏…והשיבו אתו העדה אל-עיר מקלטו אשר-נס שמה וישב בה עד-מות הכהן הגדל וגו’‏
…The congregation shall return [the accidental killer] to his city of refuge (where he initially fled to), and he shall dwell there until the death of the Kohen Gadol…[2]

The Torah mandates that someone who, G-d forbid, accidentally kills another, be sentenced to exile. They have to leave their family and friends and dwell in one of the cities of refuge that the Torah delineates. It serves both as protection from the deceased’s relatives (who may want to take revenge)[3], and as a form of atonement[4]. The Torah does give a time limit to this exile. Although, it’s seemingly incongruous to the crime committed. The accidental killer must stay in their city of refuge until the death of the Kohen Gadol. Only then can they return to their home. Why did the Torah make his freedom dependent on the Kohen Gadol’s death?

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July 3, 2021

Pinchas 5781

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Just reward[1]

פינחס בן-אלעזר בן-אהרן הכהן השיב את-חמתי מעל בני-ישראל בקנאו את-קנאתי בתוכם ולא-כליתי את-בני-ישראל בקנאתי
Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, turned back My wrath from upon the Jewish people, by acting out his zealotry amongst you. [As a result] I did not wipe out the Jewish people with my zealotry[2]

Parshas Pinchas begins where the previous parsha ended. Zimri ben Salu, a prince of the tribe of Shimon, committed a leud act with a Midianite woman in front of the entire congregation. Moshe was at a loss what to do[3]. Pinchas, a grandson of Aharon HaKohen, recalled that in such a situation a zealot may take the law into their own hands[4]. He punished Zimri, and Pinchas was rewarded kindly by Hashem. The Sages in the Midrash make an unusual comment about the results of Pinchas’ actions. They say[5] that “it makes sense that Pinchas was rewarded”. What do they mean by this teaching, and what are they stressing?

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