What Nach Teaches Rabbi Hershel Schachter Us About Rosh and Rosh Kollel, RIETS

THE DEEPER CONNECTION BETWEEN THE AND THE HAFTARAH

here is a rabbinic institution jewelry. Similarly, when Rav be like that of the sands of the sea, which to read the haftarah, a section was appointed as rosh yeshiva after cannot be measured or counted; and from Nevi’im, on Shabbos his father’s death, they read from the instead of being told, “You are Not-My- Tand Yom Tov. The choice of which beginning of Yehoshua “Vayehi acharei People,” they shall be called Children-of- section of Nevi’im is read seems to mos Moshe” — And it was after the the-Living-God. relate to the theme of the day (inyanei death of Moshe. All of these haftarah On a superficial level, we read this d’yoma). Usually this means that there selections relate in general to inyanei section for haftarah because it also is a connection between the parashas d’yoma but not specifically to the Torah discusses counting the Jewish people. hashavua and the haftarah, but this reading. On a deeper level, however, there is is not always the case. For example, Many times there is an obvious another connection. At the end of the haftarah that is read when Rosh superficial connection between the Parashas Bamidbar (4:20) we read: Chodesh occurs on Sunday “Machar Torah reading and the haftarah, but וְ זֹאת עֲ שּו לָהֶ םוְחָ יּו וְ לֹא יָמֻתּו בְ גִׁשְתָם תאֶ קֹדֶ ׁש (Chodesh” (tomorrow is הַקֳדָ אַהֲִים ׁשרֹן ּובָ נָיו יָבֹאּווְשָמּו אֹותָם אִ יׁש אִ יׁש when we explore further, we can find doesn’t relate at all to the parashas a deeper connection. Here are some עַלעֲ בֹדָ תֹווְאֶל מַשָ אֹו. וְ לֹא יָבֹאּו לִרְ אֹות כְבַלַ ע hashavua. We also find that during the אֶת הַ קֹדֶ ׁש וָמֵ תּו. examples from the haftaros we read “Three Weeks” we read three sections around Shavuos time. of puranus (suffering), and for the next Do this with them, that they may live and seven weeks we read sections relating not die when they approach the holy of to nechama (comfort). The haftarah Haftarah for Bamidbar holies: let Aaron and his sons go in and doesn’t even have to correspond to assign each of them to his duties and to his Parashas Bamidbar begins with the a day on the calendar. Rama, Orach load. But let not [the Kehasim] go inside counting of Bnei Yisrael. The haftarah, Chaim 285:7, quotes a minhag from and witness the wrapping of the vessels, from Hoshea ch. 2 begins with the the Ba’alei HaTosafos that if a groom lest they die. following verse: is present, we read the section from The prohibition against looking at the Aron (Ark) is not listed as a וְהָ יָה מִסְפַר בְ נֵי יִשְרָ אֵל כְחֹול הַ יָם אֲ ֶ ׁשר לֹא יִמַ ד Yeshayahu 61 that contains the verse mitzvah by the Rambam and other וְ לֹא ריִסָפֵ וְהָ יָה בִמְקֹום אֲ ֶ ׁשר יֵאָמֵ ר לָהֶ ם לֹא עַמִ י k’choson yechahen pe’er v’chakallah“ monei mitzvos (those who list the 613 אַתֶ ם יֵאָמֵ ר לָהֶם בְ נֵי אֵ-ל חָ י. ta’deh keileha” — like a groom adorned in glory and like a bride in her finest The number of the people of Israel shall mitzvos), presumably because this

12 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • 5779 commandment was only applicable that the answer can be found in a pasuk you, I make Myself known to him in a in the desert and not in future at the end of the haftarah for Bamidbar: vision, I speak with him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; he is trusted וְהָ יָה בַ יֹום הַ הּוא נְאֻם ה’ תִקְרְ אִי אִ י ִ ׁשי וְ לֹא generations. However, Rav Yerucham throughout My household. With him I תִקְרְ יאִ לִי עֹוד בַעְלִ י. Fishel Perlow, in his commentary on Rav Saadiah Gaon’s list of mitzvos And in that day — declares the Lord — speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in ( 212 pg. 234a) presents an Lo Sa’aseh You will call [Me] Ishi, And no more will riddles, and he beholds the likeness of the argument why it should be counted. you call Me Baali. Lord. How then did you not shrink from The Gemara, Yoma 54a, records the speaking against My servant Moses!” following story: What is the difference betweenIshi Bamidbar ch. 12 and Baali? The Gemara,Kesuvos , Moshe Rabbeinu is the מעשה בכהן אחד שהיה מתעסק וראה רצפה 71b, explains that Ishi means fully adon hanevi’im the master prophet, and his prophecies משונה מחברותיה ובא והודיע את חבירו ולא married and Baali means betrothed הספיק לגמור את הדבר עד שיצתה נשמתו and still living in her father’s house. were qualitatively different than those וידעו ביחוד ששם ארון גנוז. The Mishneh Lamelech suggests that of the other prophets. Chazal (Yevamos An incident occurred with a Kohen who we might have thought that after two 49b) describe the prophecies of the was exploring and noticed one floor tile rounds of exile, we could never restore other prophets as comparable to one who looks through an obscure glass was different from the others. He went our status of nesuah. The pasuk is to tell a friend but didn’t get to finish his teaching us that when the Third Beis (aspaklaria she’aina me’irah), whereas account before he died. They knew [by Hamikdash is rebuilt, we will have the Moshe Rabbeinu’s prophecies were comparable to someone who looks piecing together the events] that this is status of nesuah and as such, we will where the Ark was buried. once again have the ability to look at through a clear glass (aspaklaria The kohen died because he discovered the Aron. We see a deeper connection hame’irah). The Rambam inMoreh the Aron and looked at it. This seems between Parashas Bamidbar and its Nevuchim (2:43) uses the prophecy of to indicate that the prohibition haftarah. Zechraya that is found in the haftarah against looking at the Aron applies as an example of how obscure some of the prophecies were. In the haftarah, in all generations. Rav Perlow adds Haftarah for Beha’alosecha that the Gemara there notes that the Zecharya sees a vision of a menorah and asks the malach to explain the prohibition against looking at the Parashas Beha’alosecha opens with vision. We see that in addition to the Aron depends on our relationship with the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah. superficial connection between the Hashem. While we were in the desert, The haftarah for Beha’alosecha is a Torah reading and haftarah, there is our relationship was like an arusa section from Zecharya that includes a a deeper connection; the haftarah (someone who is betrothed but still vision that he had of a menorah with highlights the idea that the prophecies living in her father’s home). When we seven candles. This is the superficial of other prophets were comparable to have the status of arusa, we don’t have connection between the Torah reading looking through an obscure glass. the right to look at the Aron. When the and the haftarah. However, on a deeper Beis Hamikdash was built, we attained level, the end of Beha’alosecha contains the status of nesuah (fully married) and the episode where Miriam speaks Parashas we were entitled to look at the Aron. lashon harah about Moshe Rabbeinu. The story involving the Kohen who It is in this episode where Hashem The predominant theme of Parashas found the Aron took place during the tells Aharon and Miriam a lesson Korach is the rebellion of Korach. The Bayis Sheni period when we had the about prophecy that is one of the haftarah comes from Shmuel Aleph status of a divorcee, and therefore, we fundamentals of our faith: (ch. 11 and 12), in which Shmuel could no longer look at the Aron. As rebukes the people for rejecting his וַ יֹאמֶ ר ׁשִמְ עּו נָא דְבָרָ י אִ ם יִהְ יֶה נְבִיאֲ כֶ ם ה' such, the mitzvah generally applies in leadership and choosing to be led by a בַמַרְ אָה אֵ לָיו אֶתְ עוַדָ בַחֲלֹום אֲדַבֶ ר בֹו. לֹא כֵ ן all generations, and when we have the king. This is the superficial connection. עַבְדִ י מֹ הֶ ׁש בְכָל יבֵיתִ נֶאֱמָן הּוא. פֶה אֶל פֶ ה status of nesuah we are exempted. There is also a deeper connection. The Rama, Orach Chaim 187:4, writes that אֲדַבֶ ר בֹו ּומַרְ האֶ וְ לֹא בְחִ ידֹת ּותְמֻ נַת ה' יַבִ יט if one forgets Al Hanissim in Birkas ּומַ דּועַ לֹא יְרֵאתֶ ם לְדַבֵר בְעַבְדִ י בְ מֹ ֶ ׁשה. Will we ever attain the status ofnesuah again? The Mishneh Lamelech in his And He said, “Hear these My words: Hamazon for Chanukah, there is no Parashas Derachim (no. 26) suggests When a prophet of the Lord arises among need to repeat it, but one can insert

13 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Shavuot 5779 it into the “Harachaman” section by have remained the leader of the Jewish as fast days), the last can serve reciting the following: people. It was a miracle to protect as . In this situation, the last ,Shmuel’s honor. We see that in both aliyah can serve as maftir and therefore הרחמן הוא יעשה לנו נסים כמו שעשה בימים the Torah reading and the haftarah one should not take out a second ההם. that there is a reference to the idea that Torah just to fulfill the more stringent May the All-Merciful perform miracles for a great tzadik may pray for an open opinion. Since the seventh aliyah will us like He did in those days. miracle, thus highlighting a deeper count towards maftir, is not TheSha’arei Teshuva there asks: The connection between the Torah reading recited until after the haftarah because Gemara, Berachos 60a, states that it is and the haftarah. the institution that the same person prohibited to pray for a miracle. How reads from the Torah and the haftarah then can the Rama suggest that we Addendum: Reciting Mi implies that there should be no pray for miracles? TheSha’arei Teshuva Sheberachs between the interruption between the two readings. answers that there are three exceptions Maftir and the Haftarah to the rule that one may not pray for For this reason, Rabbi Akiva Eiger, miracles. First, one may pray for hidden in his glosses on Orach Chaim 559:4, While the Torah reading and the questions common practice to recite miracles. Second, one may pray for haftarah share a common theme, the miracles that benefit all of the Jewish Kaddish on Tisha B’Av morning haftarah is not a replacement for the between the third aliyah and the people. Third, a great tzadik may pray Torah reading. Chazal were concerned for a miracle. haftarah. The person receiving the that the haftarah would be perceived third aliyah is the one who reads the The third exception — that a great as a replacement or an equal to the haftarah. If so, how can we separate tzadik may pray for a miracle — has Torah, and therefore they instituted between his aliyah and the haftarah support both from Parashas Korach that whoever reads the haftarah must with the recitation of Kaddish? [The and its haftarah. In Parashas Korach, first read from the Torah Megillah( 23a, Shibolei Haleket no. 79 records a Moshe Rabbeinu says: and s.v. Mipnei) . This reading of minhag to recite Kaddish on fast days the Torah is what is known as “maftir.” at between the third aliyah אִ ם כְמֹות כָלהָאָדָ םיְמֻתּון אֵ לֶה ּופְקֻדַ ת כָ ל By reading the Torah first, the maftir and the haftarah. This despite the fact הָאָדָ ם יִפָקֵ ד עֲלֵיהֶ ם לֹא ה' ְ ׁשלָחָ נִי. וְאִם בְרִ יאָ ה demonstrates that the reading of the that we ordinarily don’t recite Kaddish יִבְרָ אה' ּופָצְתָה הָאֲדָמָה אֶת פִיהָ ּובָלְעָ ה אֹתָ ם haftarah is simply a continuation of after reading the Torah at Mincha on וְאֶ ת כָל אֲ רֶ ׁש םלָהֶ וְיָרְ דּו חַ יִים ְ ׁשאֹלָה וִידַ עְתֶ ם כִ י what he started and not a separate Shabbos. Rabbi Soloveitchik in his נִאֲצּו הָאֲ נָׁשִים הָאֵ לֶה אֶ ת ה’. event. If these men die as all men do, if their lot shiurim discussed why the Shibolei be the common fate of all mankind, it There was once an incident at Yeshiva Haleket’s minhag does not contradict was not the Lord who sent me. But if the where a mistake was found in a sefer the Magen Avraham and Rabbi Akiva Lord brings about something unheard of, Torah after the completion of the Eiger. See Shiurei Harav to Tisha B’Av so that the ground opens its mouth and seventh aliyah. The congregation no. 32.] swallows them up with all that belongs followed the ruling of the Magen Although common practice is to recite to them, and they go down alive into Avraham 143:4 and the P’ri Megadim Kaddish after the third aliyah on Tisha Sheol, you shall know that these men have there (based on Magen Avraham B’Av morning, still the idea that we spurned the Lord. 282:16), that the person who received should not unnecessarily separate Bamidbar 16:29-30 the seventh aliyah should read the the Torah reading from the haftarah haftarah and Kaddish should not be We see that Moshe Rabbeinu requested holds true. Recently, congregations recited until after the completion of an open miracle to protect his own have adopted the practice of reciting the haftarah. The reason for this ruling honor and the honor of Aharon and Mi Sheberach L’Cholim and other Mi is that technically speaking, the last the other Kohanim and Levi’im. Sheberachs between the maftir and the aliyah can be counted as the maftir. Similarly, in the haftarah, Shmuel asks reading of the haftarah. This practice In general, we add an extra aliyah to for rain and wind during the dry season is not correct. TheseMi Sheberachs show deference to the opinion that the to prove that Klal Yisrael was wrong should be recited elsewhere because last aliyah cannot be counted as the in asking for a king. This too was a there should be no unnecessary breaks maftir. However, in situations where miracle to show that Shmuel should between the maftir and the haftarah. an added aliyah is not possible (such

14 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Shavuot 5779