The Weekly Shtikle - Kedoshim

A special Weekly Shtikle Mazal Tov to my colleague, Rabbi Ari Storch (of AstroTorah and BaltimoreJewishLife.com fame) and his wife on the birth of a baby boy this week.

Tizku lehachniso bivriso shel Avraham Avinu bizmanah, leTorah, leChupah, ulMaasim Tovim!

    At the end of this week's parsha, we are instructed (20:25) "vehivdaltem bein habeheimah hatehorah latemei'ah uvein ha'of hatamei latahor." We are told to distinguish between the animals and birds that are tamei and tahor. However, there is an obvious discrepancy in the pasuk. For animals we are told to distinguish between tahor and tamei, while for birds we are told to distinguish between tamei and tahor. The order of tahor and tamei is switched.

 

    Chizkuni offers an interesting approach to this problem. He writes that it is known that within the group of animals there are far fewer tahor animals than tamei. Therefore, the "havdalah" is the tahor from the tamei. However, in the bird family, there are a greater number of tahor birds than tamei birds. Therefore, the Torah tells us to distinguish the tamei ones.

 

    Perhaps there is another explanation for this discrepency. The Torah, in telling us what animals we may eat, gave us signs of a tahor animal. Therefore, when we are distinguishing, we are picking out the tahor animals by means of the signs the Torah gave us. That is why tahor is first. With the birds, however, the Torah merely told us which birds are tamei. Therefore, the distinguishing process involves picking out the tamei birds. That is why tamei is first.

 

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Dikdukian: Sukas David

Al Pi Cheshbon: Omer Counting in Different Bases

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The Weekly Shtikle and related content are now featured on BaltimoreJewishLife.com

The Weekly Shtikle - Shabbos HaGadol and the Pesach Seider

            I had a thought recently relating to Shabbas HaGadol and where it fits in the grand scheme of the calendar. We have discussed on another occasion an observation from R' Shmuel Wagner, mashgiach of Ohr Yerushalayim, regarding the four terms of geulah found in the beginning of parshas Va'eira and their correspondence to the four cups of wine at the seder. There is a fifth term, "veheiveisi," which corresponds to Eliyahu's cup but it is not included in the main four. It occurred to me that perhaps the parshios leading up to Pesach follow the same structure. There are four special weeks, known as the arba parshios - Shekalim, Zachor, Parah and HaChodesh. Each have a special maftir and special haftarah. Then we have Shabbas HaGadol, not part of the special four and not having its own maftir, but still special nonetheless. I am not quite sure how to connect the four parshios to the four terms of geulah (except perhaps Zachor to "vehitzalti,) but the connection to Eliyahu's cup works nicely as the end of the haftarah deals with the coming of Eliyahu HaNavi on the Great Day.

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One of the most deeply analyzed portions of the Hagaddah is the section dealing with the four sons. But I won't let that stop me from endeavouring to offer some original thoughts on the topic. The four sons are traditionally referred to as the wise son, the wicked son, the simple son and the son who does not know enough to ask. However, as I will show, this is an overly simplistic and in some ways inaccurate labeling of these characters. The theme of the seder night is chinuch, educating our progeny about the great miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim. This is specifically done in the form of question and answer as illustrated by the Mah Nishtanah. The Hagaddah's labeling of these four sons is not an assessment of their characters in general but rather, it is an analysis of the way they ask questions. The Hagaddah delves into how these four sons fill the role of "question asker" at the seder.

 

To illustrate this point clearly, we begin, as the Hagaddah does, with the chacham. Traditionally, he is considered the wise son. Yet, he asks, "What are the testimonies and the decrees and the ordinances that HaShem, our God, commanded you?" If he is so wise, why does he not know the answers? His question, and the answer we are told to give him seem to be a testimony to his lack of knowledge. But it is not what he knows that concerns us. He is a chacham not because he is wise but because he craves wisdom. We know that when he asks his questions, he is interested in learning the answers. Indeed, R' Yochanan (Berachos 55a) states that HaShem grants wisdom only to the wise.

 

The supposedly wicked son is perhaps not as wicked as we might have thought. But, his questions have wicked intentions behind them. He asks in a condescending manner. The simple son, as well, is dubbed as such because he asks plainly and simply, "What is this?" He has neither the condescending tone of the wicked son, nor the intrigued thirst of the wise son. He simply wants to know what is going on.

This approach really helps understand the labelling of the son who doesn't know to ask. Since the point of the seder is for the children to ask, we must devote special attention to those who do not. Again we are not concerned with what they know. It is what they ask, or do not ask that matters. In concurrence with this approach is a beautiful thought from Netzi"v in his Hagaddah, Imrei Shefer. We are instructed with respect to the son who doesn't know to ask, "At pesach lo." I had always understood this to mean that you are to open up for him. In other words, since he doesn't ask, we have to open up the conversation for him. However, if the Hagaddah goes out of its way to tell us that this son does not ask, shouldn't it be our goal to teach him how? Netziv explains, therefore, that we are instructed to open his mouth. It is not enough to sit down and begin to teach him about the story of Pesach. We must teach him in a way that encourages him to ask questions so that he too may join the ranks of the "question askers."

Have a Chag Kasher veSamei'ach!

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

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The Weekly Shtikle - Acharei Mos

   In this week's parsha we are told (18:5) "You shall keep My statues and My ordinances which, if a man does, he shall live by them." In the gemara (Sanhedrin 74a) we are tought that from the phrase "vachai bahem," and he shall live by them, we are to infer that one is meant to live by the mitzvos and not die for them. Thus, if one is put in a position where he has to choose between death and the transgression of a mitzvah, they should transgress rather than be killed. Of course, there are three exceptions to this rule. The strangely ironic part about the pasuk from our parsha is that it appears in the introduction to the passage dealing with the prohibitions of illicit relationships which is one of those very three. The Torah is telling us that we need not sacrifice our lives for the mitzvos just before it goes into lengthy detail regarding a mitzvah for which we must.

 

    The mishna (Berachos 33b) teaches that one who beseeches HaShem's mercy "like the mercy He has on the bird's nest" is silenced. One of the reasons given in the gemara is that this person is erroneously painting HaShem's ways with the broad brush of mercy. We do not understand the true motivation behind each and every mitzvah and it is wrong for us to assume that HaShem leans towards a specific trait.

 

    Perhaps, this message is being conveyed here. The limitation excusing transgressions in the face of death might lead us to understand the Torah as inherently lenient. The requirement to sacrifice one's life rather than transgress one of the three cardinal sins might lead us to understand the Torah as overly strict, putting human life in second place. But neither is true. The Torah puts these ideas together in the very same passage in order to impress on us that very idea. The laws are all decrees from Above and not indicative of any inherent leniency or stringency.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

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Dikdukian: Watch that plural

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The Weekly Shtikle and related content are now featured on BaltimoreJewishLife.com

The Weekly Shtikle - Metzora

This past Wednesday was the Yahrtzeit of my Bubbie. This week's shtikle is dedicate le'iluy nishmasah, Yehudis bas Reuven Pinchas.

Parshas Tazria covers most of the laws pertaining to the declaration of a case of tzora'as. The specifics of a Kohein determining when there is tzora'as on a body or garment are discussed there. Parshas Metzora begins with the post tzora'as procedures necessary for the affected individual to become tahor once again. However, immediately following that we are told of the procedures involved in identifying tzora'as on a house. One would have expected this section to be connected to the other group in Parshas Tazria.

 

We have dealt in the past with other examples where some of the things belong together - but they aren't. The key is usually an intrinsic uniqueness in the case of the section that doesn't belong. This instance is no different. The gemara (Sanhedrin 71a) informs us of an interesting fact concerning tzora'as of the house. According, to one opinion, tzora'as of the house never happened and never will. Why then is it even discussed in the Torah. The gemara answers, "Derosh vekabel sachar," learn it and you will be rewarded. Perhaps it is the "impracticality" of tzora'as of the house that warrants its separation from the other more applicable cases of tzora'as.

[There is something that has always bothered me about the above gemara. The gemara explains that the reason why it can never happen is because the prerequisite for such a case is a blotch the size of two beans in the corner of the house, etc. which is so remote that it could never happen. My question is that the entire existence of tzora'as and the way it works is a total miracle outside the bounds of nature. Since it is all a miracle from Above to begin with, why do we deem it so remote that it could happen in this fashion?]

The gemara in Sanhedrin lists two other examples of laws in the Torah that never have and never will be implemented. The "ir hanidachas," the wayward city, is a city which has worshipped idols as a whole and is therefore destroyed as a whole. However, this is not carried out in a city that has even one mezuzah. The "ben sorer umoreh," the wayward son is put to death. However, the requirements for this scenario are so exact and specific that it is virtually impossible.

 

R' Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky, zt"l, would caution, however, that we one might learn this gemara and be led to believe that the purpose of these sections in the Torah is only so that we may sit and toil learning the specific laws and be rewarded simply for the toil. But this is not the case. What the gemara is telling us is that although these cases might never happen, there are valuable lessons to be learned from each halachah. For example, the discussion surrounding "ben sorer umoreh" teaches us very valuable lessons in chinuch. The Torah discusses these laws so that we may learn the valuable lessons that are attached to them and through those lessons we will earn reward.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
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The Weekly Shtikle and related content are now featured on BaltimoreJewishLife.com

The Weekly Shtikle - Tazria

This week's shtikle is dedicated to my nephew, Yaakov Yosef Shonek, whose Bar Mitzvah is this Shabbos.

    The topic that dominates most of parshas Tazria is the illness of tzora'as. Traditionally, tzora'as afflicted someone who spoke "lashon hara" as it did Miriam at the end of Parshas Beha'alosecha.

    R' Moshe Shternbuch in Ta'am Voda'as, in the name of R' Yisroel Salanter, writes that the end of the previous parsha, Parshas Shemini, we are taught of the animals that are not to be eaten and the tum'ah that results when we do. While it seems that very many people are careful about what they put into their mouths, they are seemingly far less careful of what comes out. The juxtaposition of these two topics is meant to show that just as putting the wrong things in our mouths results in serious tum'ah, the same grievous consequences result when we allow the wrong things to come out.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

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Please visit the new portal for all Shtikle-related sites, www.weeklyshtikle.com