The Weekly Shtikle - Va'eschanan

Today, the 15th of Av, is the yahrtzeit of my Opa, Mr. George Jakobovits. This week's shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmaso, Tovia Yehudah ben Yoel, z"l.

 

In this week's parsha, the aseres hadibros are repeated. When I was younger, a guest at our Shabbos table offered me one sticker for every difference I could find between the Yisro version and that of Va'eschanan. I found ten.

 

In the fourth commandment, the mitzvah of Shabbos, we find a reference to the subjugation in Mitzrayim that was not mentioned in parshas Yisro. We are told (5:14) "And you shall remember that you were a slave in Mitzrayim and HaShem, your God, took you out from there with a Mighty Hand and Outstretched Arm. Therefore, HaShem, your God, has commanded you to make a Shabbos day." Rashi writes that this is simply a reminder that HaShem brought us out of Mitzrayim in order to perform his mitzvos, of which this is one. In other words, there seems to be no direct connection between Shabbos and yetzias Mitzrayim.

 

It would seem, however, that there is an intrinsic connection between the mitzvah of Shabbos and the exodus from Mitzrayim. There is no reason to assume that the Egyptians gave us a day off on Saturday. Rather, a more conceivable assumption would be that we had a full seven-day work week. With the exodus from the enslavement in Mitzrayim came the freedom and autonomy to set our own weekly schedule. We are thus commanded to set aside Shabbos as a way of reminding us of this great gift. [However, see the midrash (Shemos Rabba 1:28 and 5:18 which imply that there was a reprieve on Shabbos.]

 

When immigrants first came over to the United States, they were forced, so to speak, to work on Shabbos, creating a new flavour of the Egyptian subjugation. But miraculously, the society has changed and now, even in exile, we are free to take Shabbos off from our work. The very concept of a seven-day week in the secular world is itself a miracle. The week is the only calendrical component with no clear astronomical significance. A day represents one full rotation of the earth on its axis. A year is one full revolution of the earth around the sun. But a week is nothing more than a group of seven days. The secular world could easily have chosen a six or eight-day week and that would have spelled eternal trouble for the Jews. (In fact, there have been a number of proposed changes to the calendar designed to maintain the same day of the week for each calendar day by using a "Worldsday" which would not belong to any day of the week.) On the day of Shabbos these miracles must be realized, in combination with the miracle of yetzias Mitzrayim.

 

Rambam, in Moreh Nevuchim, seems to concur with this approach. He writes that the two mentions of Shabbos in the aseres hadibros teach us two separate aspects of Shabbos. In parshas Yisro, we are taught why HaShem chose to sanctify the day of Shabbos and its significance in the days of creation. Here, in Va'eschanan, we are taught why it is that we must keep the Shabbos, namely, to remember the enslavement in Mitzrayim when we had no days off and appreciate HaShem's great deliverance of us from there.

 

Perhaps we can summarize simply: The ma'aseh bereishis aspect of Shabbos celebrates HaShem's own greatness. The yetzias Mitzrayim aspect celebrates the greatness that HaShem chose to bestow on us as a nation.

 

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Dikdukian: You were shown

Al Pi Cheshbon: Moshe's Pleas

Al Pi Cheshbon: Gemtrias off by 1

AstroTorah: 15 Av is the Wrong Date? by R' Ari Storch

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The Weekly Shtikle - Devarim / Tish'ah b'Av

A Weekly Shtikle Mazal Tov to Yisroel Meir & Miriam Shonek on the birth of a yet-to-be-named daughter, my first great niece. Mazal Tov to the ganse mishpachah.

On the occasion of the upcoming sheloshim of my sister-in-law, Batsheva Yeres, this week's shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmasah, Batsheva Blima bas Moshe Yosef.

Sefer Devarim is, for the most part, a summary of the events of the previous 40 years. Most of the major events are recapped throughout the sefer. This week's parsha focusses largely on the episode of the spies. After hearing the spies' grim report of Eretz Yisrael, B'nei Yisrael cried on that night (Bemidbar 14:1.) The midrash (Bemidbar 16:20) and the gemara (Sotah 35a) teach us that that night was the night of Tish'ah B'Av. HaShem said "You have wept gratuitously, I therefore shall designate this day for crying throughout the generations."

Although on a larger scale, this dooming of Tish'ah B'Av as a day for weeping may refer to all the terrible misfortunes that have befallen the Jewish people on this day, it is certainly a more specific reference to the destruction of the two Temples which happened on this day.

The connection here between the wrongdoing and the consequent punishment is greater than it may appear on the surface. It is more than just "You cried for no reason, I'll make you cry for a reason." It's not merely about the fact that they cried but the reason why they cried. The nationwide cry was a sign of acceptance of the spies' report and thus, a rejection of Eretz Yisrael an immediate and imminent reality. The destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and the ensuing exile was Eretz Yisrael's rejection of us. With the episode of the spies, B'nei Yisrael showed a total lack of appreciation for the gift that HaShem wished to bestow upon us. Tish'ah B'Av was therefore designated as a day that would constantly serve as a reminder to us of what terrible consequences befall us when Eretz Yisrael is not given the respect it deserves. In these days, it should not be difficult to appreciate the importance of Eretz Yisrael and how hard we must fight to keep it. Certainly, recent world events have once again left the fate of the nation and the land hanging in the balance. May the joint efforts of all of Klal Yisroel help bring mashiach speedily and transform this month from eivel to yom tov and may we all return to artzeinu haKedoshah for the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: To Correct, or not to Correct

Dikdukian: Don't you worry!

Dikdukian: Past and Future

Dikdukian: Yahtzah, what is your name?

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The Weekly Shtikle - Matos / Mas'ei

When Moshe Rabbeinu finally settles with the tribes of Gad and Reuvein and allows them to settle in the land to the east of the Yardein, he sets out strict conditions upon which their settling of the land is contingent. In response to their offer to cross the river and fight with the rest of B'nei Yisrael, Moshe begins (32:20) "If you will do this thing, if you will arm yourselves for war before HaShem..." Certainly one of the two parts of that sentence seems superfluous. Moshe could have simply either made reference to their offer, or spoken it out directly. He didn't have to do both.

Or HaChayim addresses this issue and offers an explanation. Moshe sensed that although Gad and Reuvein pledged their military support, there was something lacking in their intent. They were going to fight solely for the purpose of fulfilling their side of the agreement so that they may settle in their desired land. They would be lacking the proper intentions that are necessary when engaging in HaShem's war, as described by Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 7:15). Therefore, Moshe made two separate statements. If they do as they have promised, that is all well and good. However, he added that in doing so, they needed to arm themselves "before HaShem," with specific intent for the destruction of the enemies of HaShem and to cleanse their minds of their ulterior motives in battle.

Have a good Shabbos and Chodesh Tov.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: To Correct, or not to Correct

Dikdukian: Watch out for those Mapiks!

Dikdukian: To Afflict or to Answer

Dikdukian: The Interrogative

Dikdukian: The first aliyah in Mas'ei

Dikdukian: They are Correct, Sir!

Dikdukian: Whose Tribe is it Anyway?

Al Pi Cheshbon: Splitting up the Animals

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The Weekly Shtikle - Pinechas

This week's parsha recounts the famous episode of the daughters of Tzelafchad who approached Moshe claiming the unfairness of the laws of inheritance. They maintained that since they had no brothers, their father's inheritance should go to them rather than to other relatives. HaShem asserts the validity of their claim by instructing Moshe (27:7), "kein b'nos Tzelafchad dov'ros," the daughters of Tzelafchad speak correctly. Rashi writes here that we are taught that they saw what even Moshe Rabbeinu had not seen (for he was not aware of the halachah.) The following Rashi continues with the praises of the daughters of Tzelafchad, "praiseworthy is he/she whom HaShem concurs with their words." R' Moshe Shternbuch, in Ta'am Vada'as brings up an interesting point. The daughters of Tzelafchad came to Moshe with a complaint, apparently out of a desire to maintain their father's right to property. They did not know any more than he did. They had their own motives in mind. What is it about their behaviour that merited such extensive praise by Chazal?

He answers that the daughters are not being praised because of their knowledge of halachah. Rather, the reason for praise was that, although having been taught some of the procedures dealing with the division of the land, B'nei Yisrael still saw Eretz Yisrael as a distant venture. They were still wandering the desert. They focused themselves on the current situation and did not concern themselves with the details of the forthcoming inheritance of the land. The daughters of Tzelafchad, on the other hand, were more infused with belief and trust in HaShem's word, to the point that, to them, the inheritance was a current and present issue. Their haste in coming before Moshe showed an exceptional level of faith which deemed them worthy of praise.

Although the daughters of Tzelafchad showed exemplary faith and love of Eretz Yisrael, their meritorious deeds were not completely unique – at least not amongst the women. Following the census that appears at the beginning of the parsha, we are told (26:63) that of these individuals counted in the current census there was not one man who was part of the previous census because they had all died in the desert. Rashi infers from the superfluous mention of the word ish that the decree applied only to men. Women were exempt because they showed a greater love for Eretz Yisrael.

We have begun the period of mourning the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash and the galus that has ensued. But we, like B'nos Tzelafchad and the other women of the Dor HaMidbar, must not lose sight of the promise of the ultimate end to that galus, the redemption and the arrival of Mashiach, may he come speedily in our day.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: Pinechas: What's in a Name?

Dikdukian: Keves vs. Kesev

Dikdukian:  Shabbas be'Shabbato

Dikdukian:  I say Yericho, you say Yereicho
Dikdukian:  All of the brothers

Al Pi Cheshbon: Probability of the Goral

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The Weekly Shtikle - Balak

This past Thursday, 15 Tammuz, was the yahrzeit of my wife's grandmother, Mrs. Shirley Yeres, Chaya Sheindel bas Alexander.

The previous day was the yahrzeit of R' Yaakov Yitzchack Ruderman, zt"l, the first Rosh HaYeshivah of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel. 

Shabbos, 17 Tammuz, is the yahrzeit of R' Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, zt"l, Rosh HaYeshiva of Ner Yisroel.

The shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmasam.

 

The main focus of this week's parsha is clearly Bil'am and his numerous attempts to place a curse on B'nei Yisrael. When the elders of Mo'av come to solicit his services, the message they are given from Balak is (22:6) "ve'ata lecha arah li," go and curse for me. When Bil'am is speaking with HaShem and tells of the job that has been asked of him (22:11), he says that he was asked, "lecha kavah li." The term kava also means to curse. Certainly, these terms must have unique meanings which determine why and when each is used.

 

In observing the dialogue between Bil'am and Balak, the apparent lack of communication is almost comical. First, when Bil'am told the messengers that he could not go with them for HaShem forbade him, the details seem to have been left out when that message was delivered to Balak. The pasuk (22:14) recounts that Balak was told only that Bil'am refused, but he wasn't told why. Balak seems to bring up that sore point when he eventually meets Bil'am. Later on, when things begin to heat up and Balak tries to send Bil'am off, Bil'am seems to snap back, (24:12) "Hey, I already told your messengers that I will only do what HaShem allows!" This is as if to say, "Didn't you get the memo?" Time and time again, Bil'am tries to make Balak understand that he is limited by HaShem's will but Balak never seems to get it. They really just aren't on the same page.

 

I do not know of any deeper meaning of the word arah. It simply means to curse. It is a very general word. Kava, however, has an alternate meaning. The word literally means to pierce.  Piercing is typically an act which takes much precision. Perhaps the word kavah, when used in the context of a curse, refers to the more precise "art" of the curse. Balak completely did not comprehend this. Rashi points out (22:6) that Bil'am was known for having helped Sichon defeat Moav. It seems that Balak had simply heard of his work but didn't fully understand it. Further, it is interesting to note that Balak is mentioned in the very first pasuk as having observed B'nei Yisrael's destruction of the Emorites. However, the ensuing discussions and planning were between Moav and Midyan (not necessarily Balak himself.) One might contend that "Moav" is simply an apostrophe for its king but perhaps it is indicative of a group of representatives being the principal planners of "the Bil'am project." Balak just gave the orders but wasn't intimately involved.

 

Balak seems to believe that the cursing procedure is a simple and uninvolved one which merely takes someone imbued with special powers like Bil'am to perform. Yet Bil'am is constantly trying to convince Balak of the "spiritual" aspect of cursing, the necessary communication with HaShem and the obligation to subject oneself to His will. Perhaps it is because of this misunderstanding that Balak originally uses the word arah, the general term for cursing whereas Bil'am himself, except when quoting Balak (23:7), always uses the word kavah. [See also Malbi"m here who deals with the difference between the two words.]

 

 [It is also interesting to note the root of kavah used at the end of the parsha - kubah, tent, and kavasah, her ... stomach.]

 

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: I say Yericho, You Say Yereicho

Dikdukian: The Dead of the Plague

Al Pi Cheshbon: Counting the Judges

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

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