The Weekly Shtikle - Chukas

This coming Monday, 9 Tammuz, is the second yahrtzeit of my sister-in-law, Batsheva Yeres. The shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmasah, Batsheva Blima, a"h bas HaRav Moshe Yosef HaLevi, ybl"t.

The beginning of parshas Chukas deals with the mitzvah of the parah adumah, (which will not be referred to as the Red Cow or Heifer because it probably was not really red, but that's for another time.) Parah adumah is well-known as the textbook chok, mitzvah without reasoning. Sefer HaChinuch writes that he will not give a reasoning for the mitzvah of parah adumah as he does for most of the other mitzvos for even Shlomo HaMelech could not find the reasoning for it. R' Yaakov Kamenetsky writes, in Emes L'Yaakov, that to give a reasoning for the miztvah would be against the very reasoning for the mitzvah itself. That is to say, that the essence of the mitzvah of parah adumah is that there is no reasoning to it.

 

Rashi at the end of perek 19 parables the mitzvah of parah adumah, an atonement for the sin of the golden calf, to the child of a maidservant who had "soiled" himself in the palace of the king, that it is incumbent upon the mother of the child to come and clean up the mess. Ramban and Kuzari write that the sin of the golden calf was not pure avodah zarah. B'nei Yisrael feared that Moshe had died and were afraid of losing their connection with HaShem and formed the golden calf so that the Shechinah would rest on it. Nevertheless, it was avodah zarah. This was a sin of the intuition. They did not turn away from HaShem, per se, but rather, they devised new, foreign methods to receive His Presence.

 

Afikei Yehudah writes that the meaning of Rashi's parable is that the "palace of the king" refers to the mind. By committing this sin of the intuition, B'nei Yisrael soiled the mind. The way to repent for this sin was to be given a mitzvah that cleans out the mind by keeping it out of the picture. A mitzvah which the mind cannot begin to understand is the perfect atonement for a sin for which the mind was responsible. (See also Rambam at the end of Hilchos Me'ilah on the importance of refraining from trying to understand the mitzvos in one's mind.) 

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

AstroTorah: Since we will all hopefully be saying Kiddush Levana this motzaei Shabbos: Let's Face It

Dikdukian: What land was Sichon king of?

Dikdukian: Watch out for that Chirik
Dikdukian: Yahtzah, what is your real name?

Dikdukian: It wasn't thrown

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The Weekly Shtikle - Korach

A short thought since the hour is late: At the beginning of this week's parsha is the episode of Korach and his rebellion against Moshe. A famous question that is asked regarding this series of events is why Moshe did not pray on the behalf of Korach and his men that they not perish as he did for other groups of sinners.

 

I heard the following answer from R' Elie Wolf but I do not recall the origin. Rashi tells us (Shemos 20:2) that when B'nei Yisrael sinned with the Golden Calf, Moshe's argument to HaShem was that when He commanded the first two of the aseres hadibros, he spoke only to Moshe as the verb used is in the singular, and not to the rest of the nation. Here, (16:3) Rashi explains that Korach's argument was that Moshe was no better than anyone else for everyone heard "Anochi HaShem" at Har Sinai. This very argument uproots Moshe's defense of all of B'nei Yisrael and would retroactively incriminate them. Therefore, Moshe could not pray on his behalf.

Have a good Shabbos and Chodesh Tov.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: Just do it!
Dikdukian: Flee Market
Dikdukian: Vayikach Korach

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The Weekly Shtikle - Beha'alosecha

Tomorrow, 16 Sivan, is the Yahrtzeit of R' Ephraim Eisenberg, zt"l of Ner Yisroel. The shtikle is dedicated l'iluy nishmaso, Ephraim Zalman ben Chayim HaLevi.

In this week's parsha, B'nei Yisrael are instructed to bring what would be their only korban Pesach in the desert. Ohr HaChayim points out a number of intriguing anomalies in the introduction to this event. First, the conventional way for dates to be presented in the Torah is the month followed by the year. For example, the very beginning of sefer Bemidbar: "On the first day of the second month, in the second year." In our case, however, the order is reversed.

Second, this command is different than others in that it is not introduced with Moshe being charged to speak to B'nei Yisrael. Rather, it is simply stated that B'nei Yisrael shall do the Pesach in its time. In that instruction, the vuv appears to be an additive vuv, as if it is connected to something previous. Lastly, what the necessity for this commandment in the first place? The korban Pesach offering was an existing mitzvah. Why did B'nei Yisrael need to be told to do what they were already commanded to do?

Ohr HaChayim offers a fascinating approach. It is stated (Shemos 12:43) regarding the korban Pesach that a ben neichar, a foreigner, may not partake of the Pesach. Following the transgression of the golden calf, B'nei Yisrael were not clear as to whether they had a status of ben neichar. It was therefore unclear if they were even permitted to bring the korban Pesach. Therefore, the year is written first because it is most significant. Despite the fact that this was the second year, and thus after the sin of the golden calf, B'nei Yisrael were nevertheless commanded to bring the Pesach. This charge is not meant to be understood as a commandment, rather, it is a granting of permission to bring the korban and that is why it does not follow the same form as other charges given to Moshe to relay to the nation.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Al Pi Cheshbon: Piles of Quail 

Dikdukian: The Impure

Dikdukian: In My Humble Opinion

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The Weekly Shtikle - Naso

This week's parsha begins with the counting of the descendants of Gershon and the listing of their responsibilities with regard to the carrying of the mishkan as B'nei Yisrael traveled, followed by the same for Merari. With the significant interruption of Shavuos, we might tend to forget where we left off. This is actually a continuation of a process that began at the end of parshas Bemidbar with the counting of the descendants of Kehas. The obvious question is why are the three sons of Levi split up? Why are they not all together in the same parsha?

 

I found the identical answer in the Abarbanel and Ta'ama D'kra. First, it should be noted that Gershon is in fact older than Kehas. Nevertheless, since Aharon and Moshe descended from Kehas, his descendants were given the honour of handling the holiest of the mishkan's vessels - the aron, the shulchan and the menorah. Therefore, it was fitting that they be listed before Gershon. However, the Torah did not want to deny Gershon the honour of the first-born. Therefore, instead of being listed first among Levi's three sons Gershon was given the beginning of a parsha. Obviously, the only way to accomplish that is to split them up.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Dikdukian: Aleph's and Ayin's

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