The Weekly Shtikle - Vayeilech

As this week's parsha begins, Moshe is giving his final charge to the nation at large. He assures them that HaShem will vanquish their foes on the other side of the Jordan river, just as He has done to Sichon and Og. He demands of them (31:6) with familiar words – chizku ve'imtzu – to be strong and resolute, not to show any fear. He subsequently calls on Yehoshua to give him his own personal charge in front of the nation. Although there is an aliyah break in between, one barely needs to be paying attention to notice that the words of this charge are almost identical.

The message that is conveyed by this seeming repetition is simple, almost obvious, as touched upon by Ibn Ezra. If Yehoshua is to impress upon the nation a certain frame of mind as they head into battle, the example needs to come from the top. Moshe was making it  very clear that if he wanted to ensure that the nation crossed into the land with no fear and no doubts about HaShem being behind them, this was a virtue that he needed to exude himself.

There are a few discrepancies between the two charges. Moshe warns the people at large with "al," denoting a command, whereas Yehoshua is told "lo," which may denote a promise. See a previous Dikdukian post for a discussion of that nuance. Additionally, the nation is told "al ta'artzu" whereas Yehoshua's command is "lo seichas" in its place. Some commentaries simply say that the words are identical in meaning. Even the Targum Onkelos is the same for both. However, Ha'amek Davar differentiates between the two and explains how ha'aratzah is applicable specifically to individuals in battle not being discouraged by the faltering of one particular battalion. Malbim also offers an explanation for the change in language.

Have a good Shabbos and a gemar chasimah tov.

 

Eliezer Bulka

WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Weekly Shtikle: Skipping around the Haftarah of Shabbas Shuvah

Dikdukian: A Happy Ending

Dikdukian: Don't you Worry

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The Weekly Shtikle - Rosh HaShanah

One of the practices that seems to get considerable attention on Rosh HaShanah is the eating of the simanim on Rosh HaShanah. There are, of course, varying customs. Some only eat an apple dipped in honey. Conversely, many Sefardim have the custom to eat far more simanim than the average Ashkenazi is accustomed to.

The practice is already discussed in the gemara. The gemara (Kerisus 5b) initially lists a number of different practices which seem very much like superstitions although they appear to be permitted. They include trying to grow a chicken in one's house before embarking on a business venture as the fattening of the chicken is a harbinger of success. The final suggestion of the gemara pertains to someone who is about to embark on a journey and would like to know whether they will return successfully. They are instructed to enter a deserted house and see if they observe converging shadows. However, the gemara concludes that one should not do this because the test might not prove successful and even though it is necessarily a bad omen, he will be distraught and his emotional state might affect his mazal.

After all that, Abaye states, "Now that we have said that omens are significant, one should make a habit of eating gourds, dates, etc. on Rosh HaShanah." The conventional understanding seems to be that Abaye is basing his statement on the various suggestions given in the gemara relating to good "signs."  However, there is a difficulty with this approach. The procedures discussed in the gemara involve observing the outcome of a certain event and that outcome would then be an indication of what lies ahead. On Rosh HaShanah, we are merely creating the omens on our own. (It is possible, though, that Abaye is referring to the gemara's initial statement that kings should always be anointed by a spring so that his kingdom will spread.)

Rather, I believe Abaye may well have been basing his statement on the very last point made in the gemara, that one should not rely on the sign of the shadows since it is possible that his own troubled state could contribute to his bad mazal. From here we see that one's state of mind can directly affect his own welfare and the events that befall him. Therefore, Abaye suggests eating these specific foods - not because the eating of the foods will in and of itself be a good omen, but rather, that the eating of these foods with positive signs will put one in a more positive state of mind at the onset of the new year and that will in turn positively influence his mazal.

The Meiri (Horayos 12a) explains the concept of simanim on Rosh HaShanah in a similar vein. The eating of these simanim doesn't have any inherent power. Rather, its purpose is to inspire us to do teshuvah and good deeds.

So, as we will probably all say tonight, may we all have a happy, healthy sweet new year.

Have a shanah tovah umsukah.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikkdukian: Remember us for the Good

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The Weekly Shtikle - Nitzavim

This week's parsha speaks much about teshuvah and the study of Torah. The pasuk proclaims

 

"For this mitzvah (the whole Torah, according to Rashi) that I command you today is not removed from you, nor is it far. It is not in the heavens that you may say who will go up to the heavens and take it for us and teach it to us and we shall do it. Nor is it across the sea that you may say who will cross the sea and take it for us and teach us and we shall do it." (30:11-13)

 

The Torah illustrates the ease with which it may be conquered by means of these two analogies. Perhaps there is a homiletic reasoning behind the use of this imagery. Each corresponds to a situation in B'nei Yisrael's short history where they came together with a collective complaint. First, when they reached Yam Suf, they all complained that they were trapped by the sea and could not move forward. With a miracle of miracles, HaShem delivered us. The Torah tells us here that to learn the Torah, we do not have to rely on such great miracles. We do not have to cross the sea; it is right in front of us.

 

When the spies come back with the negative report, B'nei Yisrael begin to believe that they will be unable to conquer the land. Caleiv silences the nation and declares (Bemidbar 13:30) that they will indeed go up and conquer the land. The gemara (Sotah 35a) comments on Caleiv's declaration that he proclaimed "Is this not all that (Moshe) ben Amram has done for us? Has he not brought us out of Mitzrayim, split the sea and fed us man? Even if he were to instruct us to make ladders and climb to the heavens, we shall surely go up!" In accordance with this, we are told lo bashamayim hi, it is not in the heavens. It is right in front of us for the taking.

 

Alternatively, Noam Jacobson suggests that these metaphors are references to Moshe's own two significant accomplishments on behalf of the nation – ascending to the heavens to receive the Torah and splitting the Yam Suf. As he was getting ready to bid farewell, he was addressing the nation's fears of how they would go on without him. Even when he is no longer there to guide them – it is close to them, to their mouths and hearts.

 

Have a good Shabbos and a kesivah vachasimah tovah.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Dikdukian: Nitzavim Takes it on the Nee

Dikdukian: Don't you Worry

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The Weekly Shtikle - Ki Savo

Tomorrow, 20 Elul, is the 1^st yahrtzeit of my uncle, Rabbi Dr. Israel Rivkin. The shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmaso, Yisrael ben Refael Ze'ev.

B'nei Yisrael are commanded (27:4) that after they cross the Yardein they are to set down the rocks on Har Eival, etc. In the gemara (Sanhedrin 44a), R' Shaila teaches that Yehoshua did not act accordingly as the pasuk instructed to perform this ceremony immediately after crossing the Yardein but he travelled for 60 mil. Tosafos asks an obvious question. B'nei Yisrael were clearly commanded to follow these proceedings on Har Grizim and Har Eival. Is it Yehoshua's fault that these mountains were 60 mil from the Yardein?

Tosafos puts together a rather creative answer. In the gemara (Sotah 33b) there is a dispute between R' Yehuda and R' Elazar. R' Yehuda holds that Har Grizim and Eival were far away from the Yardein while R' Elazar holds that they were right next to it. Tosafos explains that R' Elazar holds that there were two sets of mountains and that they carried out the commandment on the closer one. The Yerushalmi states that according to R' Elazar, they actually built two mountains upon crossing the Yardein and called one Grizim and one Eival. Tosafos explains that R' Shaila here is of the opinion that the commandment to B'nei Yisrael follows R' Elazar's interpretation and was supposed to be carried out on the nearer mountain. What they in fact did in practice follows R' Yehuda's interpretation and that is why Yehoshua is rebuked for having delayed 60 mil. He was expected to have performed the ritual on the nearer set of mountains.

Going in a different direction, Noam Jacobson addresses the significance of the location of these mountains. Assuming (unlike what was discussed above) that this was the proper venue for the blessings and curses, why is such a distant location chosen? Why couldn't this be done closer? He explains that this location is the exact spot the Avraham first arrived when he entered Eretz Cana'an (Bereishis 12:6). This immediately followed the promise that those who bless him will be blessed and those who curse him shall be cursed. It was of utmost importance to continue this message here in front of all of the nation and impress on them what is expected of them in order to continue to be the recipients of HaShem's blessings. Click here (YouTube link) to view this in Noam's inimitable style.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka

WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:
Al Pi Cheshbon: Balancing the Shevatim 

Dikdukian: Tough Day at the Office

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The Weekly Shtikle - Ki Seitzei

This week's parsha contains the well-know mitzvah of shiluach hakein (kan? No, you kannot. See Dikdukian post below.) In a video shiur last year, Baltimore's own Rabbi Shmuel Silver explored some very fundamental questions regarding this mitzvah. Among them, what is so special about this act that the reward is so great? Why is this commandment specific to birds?

He quotes a beautiful answer from Aznayim LaTorah by R' Zalman Sorotzkin. Other animals give birth to live babies and can very easily see themselves in these precious little ones as there is always a significant resemblance. This allows for an instinctual care and love. For a bird, however, the egg that the mother lays looks like nothing at all, certainly not a progeny to be cherished and nurtured. HaShem therefore imbued mother birds with a special – almost supernatural – love that inspires it to dote on this round mystery and ultimately allow it to hatch and develop. Not interfering with this process and sending away the mother bird so it does not suffer the agony of watching the egg be taken away is an act that is indeed packed with so much more meaning than originally perceived.

R' Sorotzkin goes on to explain that the bird teaches us a tremendous lesson in the true meaning of love – the ability to show true love to someone/something that is not like you. It's so much easier to show love to someone who is just like you. But when someone is different in many ways, that task is much more daunting. R' Silber goes on to explain how appropriate this lesson is for the month of Elul.

As usual, I highly recommend hearing this beautiful thought straigh from the source.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: Shiluah Ha...

Dikdukian: Shva vs Kamatz by R' Ari Storch

 

        Shiluach HaKein Game

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