s; vacug s; ,zrhg-nmurg Volume 27 No. 28 TAZRIA-METZORAH Daf Hashavua

25 April 2015 • 6 Iyar 5775 Shabbat ends in London at 9.06 pm

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Journeys with The Book of Shmuel (Samuel I) Chapters 5-6 the Prophets: by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, New West End United Synagogue Part 24

Summary: Following the capture of the they were acting like mice in the Land of Aron (Ark), the Philistines placed it in their Israel, the home of the Jewish people. They temple in Ashdod and dedicated it to the were stealing their source of spiritual idol Dagon. Each morning, the idol was nourishment and destroying their habitat. found lying on its face. The residents of Ashdod became inflicted with plagues of Similarly, Rabbi Yaakov Culi (d. 1739) mice that caused a bowel disease, resulting explains that the reason that they were in haemorrhoids. The residents of Ashdod struck with a bowel disease was that one of subsequently moved the Aron to the city the claims of idol worshippers at that time of Gat and later to was that they did not Ekron. Yet wherever the need to perform bodily Aron went, the nearby functions. The Midrash Philistines suffered in notes that Pharaoh, keen the same way. Ulti- to appear as a god, would mately, they agreed to have to secretly relieve return the Aron to the himself in the River Nile, Jewish people. As the for a divine being should Aron arrived in Bet Shemesh, the people not need to perform human bodily were punished for gazing at it. They then functions. This explains why Moshe was sent the Aron to Kiryat-Ye’arim. commanded to meet him by the river (Shemot 7:15). A Deeper Look: The punishment inflicted on the Philistines seems strange. Why did When the Philistines returned the Aron, G-d cause a plague of haemorrhoid- they brought gold mice and gold inflicting mice on them? Rabbi Moshe David haemorrhoids as a guilt offering to G-d. Valle (d. 1777) notes that mice are a type of More importantly, it demonstrated that common pest that invade a person’s house, they understood that the affliction had eating and contaminating their food, while been a divine act and not mere coincidence, destroying their home. G-d’s message to an important lesson for both Philistine and the Philistines was that by taking the Aron, Jew alike. Of Birds and Beards by Rabbi Zvi Cohen Kingsbury United Synagogue

Why a person was punished with a tzara’at These three negative traits are (leprosy style) affliction is the subject of much hinted to in the three words discussion amongst the Sages of the Talmud the following verse uses to (see Arachin 16a) and within Midrashic describe tzara’at: literature (Midrash is the earliest form of “If a person will have on his Rabbinic commentary on the Bible). flesh a s’eit, or sapachat or The Kli Yakar (Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Lunshitz baheret…” (Vayikra 13:2) d. 1619) focuses on three main reasons, which S’eit can mean ‘raised’, hinting to the are the most strongly hinted to in the Biblical afflicted individual that he may have displayed verses. haughtiness. Sapachat means ‘secondary’, a Our starting point is that the word metzora, hint to money; whilst actions and character used to describe someone afflicted with development will accompany a person into the tzara’at, is made up of two words – motzi and world to come, his possessions will not – they ra, meaning ‘bringing out bad’, implying that are in essence ‘secondary’. Finally, baheret this affliction brought out into the open can mean ‘whiteness’; one who speaks badly negativity that was within a person. People about others shames them, causing the blood would now know to avoid him. This also acted to drain from their face. as a drastic call for the The metzora would have metzora himself to change to go to a Cohen to oversee his ways. his purification. Every Cohen What are the three areas of is a descendant of Aharon, wrongdoing that this malady whose characteristics were brought to the fore? the exact opposite of these three traits. He was the epitome of humility, The most well known is lashon ha’ra – speaking happily accepting that his younger brother negatively about others. Consequently, as part Moshe (Moses) should lead the Jewish people of his purification process, the metzora had to (see Shemot 4:14). Whilst speaking badly leads sacrifice two birds. The chirp and chatter of to quarrelling, Aharon, in contrast, loved and these animals reminded him of how he misused pursued peace, and attempted to rectify his power of speech. disputes (see Pirkei Avot 1:12). Moreover, a The second reason cited by the Kli Yakar is Cohen had no land of his own, having to make tzara’at ayin – stinginess, either an unhealthy do with whatever he was given, leaving little desire for money or an unwillingness to share temptation to guard possessions. with others. Therefore, the Cohen would come The Kli Yakar concludes this idea beautifully in a to the metzora’s house and take out his later comment (14:9) when discussing the possessions for the public to see. metzora’s obligation to shave off the hair of his The third cause is arrogance. To address this head, beard and eyebrows. The head is the place problem, cedar wood and hyssop were tied of arrogance. The hair on his beard, which around the metzora’s bird offering; having been surrounds his mouth, was shaved to atone for as haughty as a high tree, he now had to its misuse and the eyebrows to compensate for humble himself to be like a lowly herb. having had a stingy attitude. Mazal Tov! Astrology, Fate and Free Will: Part I

by Rabbi Jonathan Hughes, Richmond United Synagogue, US City Rabbi, Ambassador of University Jewish Chaplaincy

We have all heard of the phrase 'Mazal Tov', “I note that you are inclined to believe in but what does it actually mean? In Hebrew, astrology and the influence of the past and mazal means 'a flow'. In this context it future conjunctions of the planets upon pertains to the notion of a constellational human affairs. Dismiss such notions from cascade that ‘flows’ down upon humanity your mind. Cleanse your mind of them as from the heavens. When something positive one cleanses dirty clothes. Accomplished happens to us and we say 'Mazal Tov' (or gentile and certainly Jewish scholars refuse 'good flow'), we are attributing our success to believe in the truth of this science. to an energy emanating from the cosmos. Its postulates can be refuted by real proofs on rational grounds, but this is not the Whilst this may initially seem place to enter into a discussion like a very nice idea, does it of them.” (Halkin translation) not also appear a little pagan? Do we really mean Moreover, in his major work Yad that the stars and planets HaChazaka, the Rambam rules determine our fortune? What that there is a Torah prohibition happened to good old Jewish forbidding one to look into his ethical monotheism? There or her astrological horoscope are, therefore, two questions (Hilchot Avodah Zarah 11:8). In to pose when considering this vein, the Ritvah (Rabbi Yom Judaism’s approach to Tov ibn Asevilli, c.1300) suggests astrology. Can an intelligent that the word mazal should in person really believe in a fact be understood as a generic celestial influence without term for ‘decree’, rather than a feeling at best ridiculous and at worst constellational flow. He seemingly rejects idolatrous? In addition, if mazal is indeed the notion of a system of heavenly real, how much of what happens to us is intermediaries and only recognises direct based on the stars and what is left to our Divine intervention, the luminaries having own free will? no role in human affairs. Further, the Talmud (Shabbat 156b) proclaims the The theory of mazal has had its critics. The maxim 'Ein mazal leYisrael' – ‘the Jewish Rambam (Maimonides d.1204) in his Epistle people are not governed by mazal’. to Yemen (Chapter 3) aligns himself with Greek philosophy in this regard. Having Therefore, if there is a case for the inferred a belief in astrology from his supremacy of the stars over our lives, it correspondent’s words, the Rambam requires thorough investigation. We shall instructs him to wipe such ideas from his aim to undertake this investigation in the mind, because they are demonstrably false: coming weeks. The Quinoa – Kitniyot Conundrum Part III by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz, KLBD

In previous articles, we discussed the kitniyot American Orthodox Union’s (OU) main prohibition for Ashkenazim on Pesach, as well Rabbinic authorities disagrees. He argues that as the reasons for the proscription. We also since quinoa fits every criterion for kitniyot, cited precedents of other New World produce it should be included in the prohibition. and their kitniyot status. Quinoa is the staple grain in its country of origin. It is grown in proximity of and can be Which category should quinoa be a part of? mixed up with the five grains. It is collected Like the potato and be excluded from the and processed in the same facilities as the prohibition? Or like corn and be considered five grains, and is cooked into kitniyot? Contemporary authorities porridge and breads in the and kashrut agencies have been same way as the five grains. debating this question. The He maintains that it general understanding is that should be compared to quinoa is halachically similar corn, which was, for to the peanut, whose status is similar reasons, included actually a source of debate. in the kitniyot prohibition. Several kashrut agencies, including Although quinoa is a New the Star-K (Baltimore), and the CRC (Chicago), World food item and was not included as well as the Kof-K (New Jersey), maintain in the original prohibition, nevertheless – that quinoa is essentially kosher for Passover. he explains – this line of reasoning applies Since it is not related to the five grains exclusively to items that are not clearly (wheat, barley, spelt, rye and oats) and was kitniyot and which may share only selected not around at the time of the kitniyot characteristics with kitniyot. prohibition, it is not considered kitniyot. On the other hand, another leading Rabbinic Additionally, the Star-K agency tested quinoa authority of the OU, Rabbi Herschel Schachter, to see if it would rise and ferment. Instead, it permits quinoa. Providing that it is processed decayed, a sure sign that it is not a true grain. in a special facility with no other grains, it The only issue that these authorities were should be essentially permitted for Passover concerned about is that quinoa is processed in use. Due to this difference of approach in the facilities that other grains are processed in. past, the OU did not certify quinoa for Pesach. Therefore, they rule that if quinoa is processed However, since 2014 the OU has decided to in facilities under reliable Pesach supervision, allow quinoa for Pesach, provided that it is there is no problem. processed with special Passover supervision. However, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, one of the To be continued …

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