The Weekly Shtikle - Shavuos

The holiday of Shavuos has a unique name. All of the other holidays that adorn our calendar are aptly named for something to do with the chag itself. We sit in sukkos on Sukkos, for example. Rosh HaShanah is the beginning of the year. Our upcoming chag, however, is not called Chag HaTorah, not even Chag HaCheesecake. Rather, it is called Shavuos, referring to the weeks that precede it. Why is this chag so differently named?

 

It would seem that the naming of Shavuos is meant to send us a message. We are not meant to view the time between Pesach and Shavuos as a mere lead-up to Shavuos. Rather, these days are an integral part of the chag itself. B'nei Yisroel could not have merited being given the Torah if they had not gone through the seven-week period of spiritual cleansing. Likewise, we must use this period as a preparation for Shavuos just as they did. The preparation is the essence of the chag. Indeed, Nachalas Yaakov writes that the reason why there is no Chol HaMoeid for Shavuos is because Shavuos is connected to Pesach as one unit and the period of Sefiras HaOmer is the Chol HaMoeid between the two.

 

On that note, I heard a wonderful thought from my cousin, Dr. Yoel Jakobovits. Indeed, the name "Sefiras HaOmer" is rather strange. We are not counting the Omer. We are counting from the bringing of the "Omer." But so what? Why is that the defining characteristic? Would it not have been more appropriate to call it something simpler yet more succinct like "Sefiras HaYamim?"

 

HaKesav veHaKabbalah offers a fascinating insight into this name. In the episode of the Yefas To'ar (Devarim 21:14), if the woman is no longer desired, she is sent away. The pasuk says, "Lo sis'ameir bah," you shall not enslave her. Rashi comments that imra'ah is a Persian word denoting servitude and utilization. This is the same root as omer. "Sefiras HaOmer," therefore, is not meant only to remind us of the Korban Omer. Rather, it is the period which leads up to Shavuos, when we established our ultimate servitude to HaShem and His Torah. Each year, we devote seven weeks towards the reaffirming of that servitude. This understanding gives much more meaning to Sefiras HaOmer and what it is meant to accomplish.

 

Have a Good Shabbos and Chag Samei'ach! (Sorry for no Bemidbar shtikle, but there is lots of stuff to read below.)

 

Eliezer Bulka

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

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Al Pi Cheshbon: Rounded Numbers

Al Pi Cheshbon: Discrepency in Levi's Population

Al Pi Cheshbon: Explaining the Uncounted Leviim

Al Pi Cheshbon: Pidyon HaBen Probability

Dikdukian: Be or Ba?

Dikdukian: Discussions on Bemidbar by Eliyahu Levin

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The Weekly Shtikle - Behar / Bechukosai

This past Tuesday was the second yahrtzeit of my great aunt, Lady Amélie Jakobovits, a"h. The shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmasah, Mayla bas Eliyahu.

Today, the 25th of Iyar, is the yahrtzeit of my mother, a"h. The shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmasah, Tzirel Nechamah bas Tovia Yehudah.

For the benefit of readers in Eretz Yisroel, I will focus on Bechukosai:

With the absence of the Beis HaMikdash, there are many sacrifice-related issues that simply do not apply in our day. However, not all components of the Beis HaMikdash are dependent on the rest. Many acharonim deal with whether or not it would be permissible to build a mizbei'ach in its place today and bring korbanos. T'shuvos Binyan Tzion brings a pasuk from the "tochachah," rebuke, in this week's parsha, (26:31) "vehashimosi es mikdesheichem, velo ari'ach berei'ach nichochachem." HaShem will destroy the Beis HaMikdash and will not smell the "rei'ach nicho'ach," the savoury smell of the korbanos. The gemara at the end of the fourth perek in Zevachim teaches that a korban which is not brought for the intended purpose of rei'ach nicho'ach is pasul. Therefore, if we have no rei'ach nicho'ach today then we may not bring korbanos. Netziv in Hemek Davar cites this pasuk as well. However, he adds that the Korban Pesach, unlike all other korbanos, contains no mention of rei'ach nicho'ach. It would seem, therefore, that nowadays it is possible to bring a Korban Pesach. Yavetz concurs with this opinion and brings a proof from the gemara in Pesachim 74a where Raban Gamliel tells his servant, Tevi, to roast for him the Korban Pesach. That incident clearly took place after the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdash. He also quotes from the sefer Kaftor VaFerach that RA"CH MiParis wanted to build a mizbe'ach in its place and bring korbanos (which Yavetz interprets to be talking specifically about the Pesach). Chasam Sofer in his t'shuvos (Yoreh De'ah 236) cites the Yavetz and concludes that it would be possible to bring the Korban Pesach today. There are a number of other obstacles to the proper offering of sacrifices. Everyone is in a state of tum'ah and we do not have the Kohen's clothes which are necessary to perform any service. However, Chasam Sofer deals with these difficulties and avoids them. Nevertheless, he does conclude that since the Arabs would never give us permission, it is not possible to do. This really only the tip of the iceberg as there are many other acharonim who deal with this question.

There is an interesting practical application of this discussion. If it is theoretically possible to bring a Korban Pesach, we may then be required to do so. Since someone who is "b`derech rechokah," far away from Yerushalayim, is exempt from the Korban Pesach, a possible solution is to make sure that one is overseas for Pesach. However, with the advancements in modern transportation, one must question whether there is anywhere in the world that one may be considered unable to reach Yerushalayim. Although it is the opinion of R' Moshe Shternbuch in Moadim UZmanim (3:239) and Tzitz Eliezer that leaving Yerushalyim is not necessary, it is said of R' Pinchas Scheinberg, shlit"a, that he makes a point of being away for Pesach for this reason

May HaShem make this discussion obsolete and bring about the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash speedily in our day.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Al Pi Cheshbon: Ironic Observation

Dikdukian: Hearing Los by R' Ari Storch

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The Weekly Shtikle - Emor

In this week's parsha, the Torah, yet again, enumerates the various festivals. After an introductory pasuk, the Torah shockingly begins (23:3) with a discussion pertaining to Shabbos which is not usually included amongst the festivals.

 

Many commentaries deal with the unexpected inclusion of Shabbos here but the GR"A suggests that this pasuk is not talking about Shabbos at all. When the Torah says, "On the six days you shall do work but on the seventh day... you shall do no work" it is referring to the seven days of Yom Tov. On six of those days of Yom Tov - the first and last days of Succos, the first and last days of Pesach, Shavuos and Rosh HaShanah - it is permitted to do work such as cooking for food purposes. The seventh day is Yom Kippur. This day differs in its laws from the other days of Yom Tov in that it is exactly like Shabbos and even food-related work may not be done.

 

Another puzzling aspect of this sequence is the fact that the introduction seems to be repeated. In accordance with the opinions that the pasuk is indeed referring to Shabbos, I think the following understanding of the pesukim, which addresses both difficulties, may be suggested: Shabbos is considered among the other festivals because it is also a significant and unique day. However, the Torah removes Shabbos from the rest of the group. It is by means of the two introductions that this separation is accomplished. The first introduction (23:2) is unique to Shabbos. It ends with the words "Eileh heim moadai," these are My designated days. The pasuk refers to Shabbos as HaShem's own festival. This is because Shabbos is a day that was declared at the beginning of creation and can never be changed. Forever, Shabbos will occur every seven days.

 

The other festivals, however, are not called "moadai." They are prefaced by a significantly different introduction. The festivals are described as "asher tikr'u osam bemo'adam," those which you shall declare in their proper time. The word "osam" is written without a vuv, the same spelling as "atem," meaning you. The exact days of the festivals are contingent upon the declaration of Rosh Chodesh which is solely in the hands of Beis Din. Essentially, it is us, B'nei Yisroel, who are in control of the festivals. Indeed, the gemara (Rosh HaShanah 25a) and the midrash (Sifra Emor 9) cite this pasuk in asserting that the month is set according to Beis Din's decree even if it is in error.

 

This enumeration of the festivals is divided into two distinct parts. The first are HaShem's festivals, over which man has no control. The second set of festivals involve significant human intervention.

--

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: Ner Tamid 

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Fwd: The Weekly Shtikle - Acharei Mos / Kedoshim

(Sorry, Kedoshim only. It's late.)

    Amongst the numerous mitzvos mentioned in this week's parsha is the mitzvah to fear one's mother and father. This is the complement of the mitzvah to honour one's father and mother. The gemara (Kiddushin 31b) teaches that the mitzvah of honour refers to those things which you are to perform for your parents such as to help sustain them when they are in need and the mitzvah of fear is a prohibitive one which includes refraining from contradicting them or sitting in their place. The midrash (Sifra Kedoshim 1:4) stresses the importance of the mitzvah of fear by explaining that the Torah demands a fear of one's parents and a fear of HaShem - indicating that they are of equal importance. There are a many cases where the concept of fear is discussed. What is it that specially connects these two instances?

    Malbi"m writes that there are two types of fear. One is the absolute fear "of" something, "yir'ah es..." in Lashon HaKodesh. And the other is fear "from" something, "yir'ah mi..." in Hebrew. Fear of something is a true fear and awe of that entity. Fear from something, however, is merely a fear of what that entity may do to you, a fear of punishment, for instance. This is to an extent a second-degree fear and is a lower level of fear than the former. What connects fear of HaShem and fear of parents is not simply the use of the same term. It is this special manner of fear, a fear "of", which is demanded of us for both parents and HaShem. [Although the word "es" does not appear in this pasuk, it is implicit according to the grammatical structure of the pasuk.] The only other times we find this kind of fear, adds Malbi"m, is in reference to kings or great sages, to whom HaShem has apportioned from His fearfulness. This is what links the fear of parents to the fear of HaShem.

Have a good Shabbos.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

Shtikle Blog Weekly Roundup:

Dikdukian: A Revealing Note
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