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Congregation Beth Sholom WEEKLY Learning Initiative ז"ל A Project of the Linda Mitgang

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Real Leadership ZMANIM Candle-lighting 5:44 pm BY KENNETH HAIN Mincha 5:50 pm [email protected] Shacharis Hashkama 7:45 am “Religion creates community, community creates altruism and Tent 8:15 am altruism turn us away from self and toward the common good “ Sephardic 8:45 am Lord Sacks Shiff/Main 9:15 am Mincha 5:45 pm Back in the early 70’s, when I entered the rabbinate, an essay Shiur w/ R. Miller 6:00 pm (which later became a book) entitled “Servant Leadership” Maariv 6:35 pm launched thought provoking discussions in a variety of fields. Shabbos Ends 6:43 pm Politics, education and even business were challenged by the novel approach. The author, Robert K. Greenleaf presented IN THIS ISSUE in a comprehensive and thought-provoking way the centrality 1 Real Leadership of the quality of being a “servant” in the realm of leadership. Rabbi Hain Greenleaf writes “the servant leader is a servant first… then conscious choice brings him to aspire to lead.” This 2 Noach the Righteous provocative approach created a paradigm shift in modern Rabbi Ben Skydell leadership thinking.

In my view, the “servant leader” is a very Jewish idea. Rav 4 Halacha Al HaDaf Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, in his “Meshech Chochma” on Parshat Chayim Maza Noach (Bereishit 9:20) quotes a which identifies this quality of servant leadership as the critical difference 6 Tracing the Obscure History of between Noach and Moshe. a Very Popular "Misconception" Rabbi Miller “Rav Berachia said: Moshe was more beloved than Noach. Noach went from being a “tzaddik” to being a “man of the 7 The Paradox of Humanity earth”. While Moshe is first called an “ish Mitzri” – an Egyptian Rabbi Fogel man, ultimately he becomes an “ish Elokim” – “A man of G-d.” 9 Migdal Bavel in Art What happened? Why does the tzaddik Noach descend, Rabbi Miller S E P TOMECMAOTJASUYBOUACOEU GEM1TUBLJPAJJMCJGURAU5OYUEAUGTTU ASU,MN RLMBEY1UNOG 31TSYGY M2AE SAEU,B8 T2 1 U0 R, U1YT1B ,Y2E ,1S52 2 S,2 5G2E5R T19,021 2016T19, 0R2U, ,2072 , , 12 0 | 20S8,2 ,05420 2 0T ,02,B2,0| 02 2 0|202E | 200C 02|20H 0N | MH20 S0 |2| 2A| VI|0 U| BU0A 0 TR|A| B DPSK AK ET Z |EK- '|A|HIEBKBSMAOE MI N M VEHOT EITKVRNIOOTCISALRICDO-T-IEAKOREDSHARBEM H B'FECITU AEB ICAUAT| V|AHSMDECHAVSL IZNKRS H V HIM A R |EE|NOP |ATPI|O K|YI ITA I ON |TAP |P P EOP |G |APG. A|IAPA NP| A EILGE GP4GAPG| AP EG EPAE3|AGE 3EAGCE A G GE 2PGEH2 P22GE E2A EA 2 2E |G 2G2 2 E2PE A32G E 2

while the “foreigner” (Ish Mitzri) Moshe rise to the heights of TO PAY FUTURE SHUL leadership? CONTRIBUTIONS NOW, PLEASE CLICK HERE The Meshech Chochma explains: “There are two ways to serve TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE Hashem. Noach isolates himself and retreats to a life of RABBI'S CHARITY FUND,PLEASE CLICK HERE worshiping Hashem, while Moshe occupies himself with the needs of others.

Moshe “our teacher” is the ultimate “servant leader” and thereby becomes the “man of G-d”. While that may be a high bar to reach, it should at least challenge us to see ourselves as servants for the greater good. Leadership is not always displayed in public ways. More often quiet acts of “chesed” – reaching out to someone who is alone, calling a person who is Congregation Beth Sholom & not well, helping someone who is struggling financially – Young Israel of Woodmere beautifully demonstrate the qualities of “servant leadership.” Invite you to join in

The Linda Mitgang z''l Learning Initiative While we continue to endure this ongoing pandemic, let us be Yahrzeit Commemoration leaders. Let us seek opportunities of sharing, of caring and of serving... While we might not be a Moshe, we can be a leader Motzei , Oct 31, 2020 at 8:45 pm who serves others. with Special Guest

Rabbi Yehuda Sarna Chief Rabbi of United Arab Noach the Righteous :נֹ ַח ִאי ׁש ַצ ִ ּדיק Emirates, Chaplain NYU Having recently returned from Dubai, Rabbi Sarna will share insights and implications of BY RABBI BEN SKYDELL historic recent events, particularly the Peace [email protected] Agreement with Israel

Sponsored by Dr.Charles Mitgang and Family. The nature of Noach’s piety has been the subject of debate for as long as people have been reading the Chumash. In a world Zoom info to follow. filled with corruption, Noach is singled out in the text as being wholly different from those surrounding him. As the conclusion of last ’s Parsha stated,

“The LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time. And the LORD regretted that He had made man on earth, and His heart was saddened. The LORD said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the men whom I created—men together with beasts, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I regret that I made them.’ But Noach found favor with the LORD.” Click to Contribute One interpretative view sees Noach as a who desperately preached that the members of his generation should repent of their evil ways; however, despite his best efforts, those entreaties were to no avail. The C L I C K T O (Masechet Sanhedrin 108a) quotes Rabbi Yosei from as teaching,

T H E N E X T T O R A H W E E K L Y ! “What is the meaning of that which is written: ‘He is swift upon the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth; he turns not by way of the vineyards’ (Job 24:18)? This teaches that Noach the righteous would rebuke the people of his generation and say S E P TOMECAMJOTUJJASYUBUAOCOEN UGE1MLUTJABJPJCJEGUARU5YUOGUTEAT US , NJ L1MERBUNOYG1 31UTSGY2ME 2 SA,UE8B TN2, 1U0 R1,TB ,Y2 E1 S2,5 2E S2 , E5 2RT19021 ,20 6T089R,20 ,5 2072 ,0 2, 1, 202 |,0 28, ,2 054 22 0 0,022 B,,|0 0 |2 0 20| E2|2 2| 0C202| H0 B00 N | 0HM20 S | EA2 |V |0I| UA BH 0|R|TA DP SK TAK |AE -ZK '|HNIEBSAOKE MAIN VEHAET OKRTNVRLIOCTIALRCSO--DIETOKIAOEHABRMOE HM'F BECTIA CEI UTAV|A EHSM|HCDLSVIZNKS CHRV HM A I |AEP|O|HAP |OTIK I|Y AT TA|PNI| P P PEO G| A|GP A|APIA|P EN IGAEL GPGPAG | A P EGPA6EAE G2|EGAC AE G G E3PGE3H3P 3GE EA3 EA3 E3 |G 33G 3 9E3PE A23G E 3 to them: Repent. And if you do not, the Holy One, where there is perfume.” Blessed be He, will bring a flood upon you and float your corpses on the water like wineskins In his commentary to the Chumash, adds filled with air that float on water, as it is stated: that the life of Avraham is the standard by ‘He is swift upon the face of the waters…’” which Noach should be judged. “Some of our explain it (this word) to his credit: he Similar iterations of this view can be found in was righteous even in his generation; it follows , the early Church Fathers, and the that had he lived in a generation of righteous books of the Apocrypha. In the Gnostic Concept people he would have been even more of Our Great Power, we read “And he [Noach] righteous owing to the force of good example. preached piety for one hundred and twenty Others, however, explain it to his discredit: in years. And no one listened to him”; the Book of comparison with his own generation he was Jubilees states that “On account of his accounted righteous, but had he lived in the righteousness, in which he [Noach] was generation of he would have been perfected, his life on earth was more excellent accounted as of no importance.” Although Rashi than any of the sons of men except Chanoch.” entertains both possibilities, ultimately most (Both these citations are from James , The readers are left with the impression that Noach Bible as it Was.) These traditions regard Noach does not compare to Avraham, and that had as being at the pinnacle of both holiness and they both lived at the same time, Noach would devotion, and see him as a man who was deeply havebeen considered insignificant. This is concerned with the salvation of others. because, in his next comment on the Chumash, Rashi writes “In the case of Avraham, Scripture This is, however, not the only view of Noach’s says ( 24:40) ‘[God] before whom I character. In a celebrated passage on the page walked’; Noach needed God’s support to uphold of Masechet Sanhedrin mentioned above, the him in righteousness; Avraham drew his moral Talmud cites a dispute between Rav Yochanan strength from himself and walked in his and Reish Lakish concerning how to understand righteousness by his own effort.” the Torah’s statement that “Noach was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; In two of his addresses to his Chasidim, the Noach walked with God.” The text states: Sefat Emet utilizes the latter comment of Rashi in a way that both heightens the difference “Rabbi Yochanan says: Relative to the other people between these two men but at the same time of his generation he was righteous and allows the reader to see Noach in a deeply wholehearted, but not relative to those of other favorable light. For the Sefat Emet, Avraham is generations. And Reish Lakish says: In his paradigmatic of the person who carries his faith generation he was righteous and wholehearted naturally and lightly; this is due to the depth despite being surrounded by bad influences; all and strength of his beliefs. Avraham knows who the more so would he have been considered God is and what He does, and doesn’t need to righteous and wholehearted in other generations.” constantly invoke (or “rely upon”) Him, because The Talmud then cites two parables that are He is an omnipresent reality in his life. Noach, meant to drive home each side of this dispute. on the other hand, is less certain, and is prone “Rabbi Chanina says: There is a parable for the to moments of darkness and uncertainty. He statement of Rabbi Yochanan; to what is this often does not know how he can go on with life, matter comparable? It is comparable to a barrel and therefore needs to call out to (“rely upon”) of wine that was placed in a cellar where vinegar God, because his faith is far shakier than is stored; in its place, its fragrance diffuses, i.e., is Avraham’s. Sefat Emet notes that while the noticeable, relative to the odor of the vinegar. Avraham model may be more admirable, the When it is not in its place surrounded by vinegar, Noach model is also a true expression of what it its fragrance does not diffuse, and its pleasant means to be a believing Jew. As long as a odor is not sensed. Rabbi Oshaya says: There is a person calls out to God, he or she can still be parable for the statement of Reish Lakish; to what considered righteous. And, not having is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a abandoned hope in His salvation, that person is flask of perfume [palyaton] that was placed in a still called a “Tzadik.” location of filth. In its place its fragrance diffuses despite the ambient odor, and all the more so is its fragrance noticeable if it is placed in a location OMCAJOTUJAJSYUOACUOEUN GBTU1MLJPAJCJGJEUAOUE5YUGUTA UUSR, NBJ L1MUEONYG 31SUT GY2EMES BA2,UE8T N,R 1U0 T1,B E, Y21S252 E2 S,RE5 T1920 ,0 69T08R ,2 ,7502 ,, 2, 1 0 |,20 8, 2 405 2 2 0 ,022, ,B2|0 0 |2 0200| E22 02C02| H0 B0 |S 0HM20 2| EA|V U |0 |U0A BH |R|A DK PS K TAK |AE-'|BHNKIESBAOE MIAN VEOHA ETNKRTRLTIOCRIALOTCS--IDEOKAEHEABRM OHF'BIECATI ACEIT UASV|ADEHMC|HLSIZHNKS CRVIH M A |EEPT|O|IHAP |O K I T|I A | TAPN| P O P P| G|A| G|P APANAP | E I GAEPGAPGAGP | EGAP|6GEAE AG2E AGE GE 4GEP334 3GE EE AE344 E G4434 9E3 24

only reason the Rabbis required Sechirus Halacha Al HaDaf Reshus from the Non-Jew was to discourage Eruvin Daf 62-64 (Part 2) from living among Non-Jews, “Shelo Yilmedu MiMaasayhem” (so that the Jews would BY CHAYIM MAZA not learn from the Non-Jews’ ways); and the [email protected] Rabbis knew that the Non-Jews would be reluctant to rent their homes to the Jews for In last week’s article we discussed the Shabbos, placing the Jews in the uncomfortable requirements for a proper “ Chatzeiros”, or, position of not being able to carry on Shabbos, “Eruv”, as we commonly call it, in order to causing them to move away, and live only permit carrying in a courtyard, town or among other Jews. community, on Shabbos, without violating the Biblical prohibition of “Hotzaah.” But, the Rabbis knew that Jews would continue to live among the Non-Jews, so in an ironic As we discussed, a proper Eruv consists of 3 twist, they enacted rules that actually made it parts: 1) Walls, or Halachic partitions easier for the Jews to rent from the Non-Jews, surrounding and enclosing the desired area; 2) by making it more likely that the Non-Jew would A communally owned deposit of bread, placed agree to the Sechirus Reshus. The Rabbis, says in one house, today we use the Synagogue, the on Daf 62a, only required a located within the enclosed area, joining “Sechirus Reuah” a weak, symbolic rental of the together all the Jewish members of the Non-Jew’s rights. The , Siman community, thereby, creating a symbolic unity 382, lists many leniencies that the Rabbis of ownership of the entire Chatzeir, and the permitted, in connection with, the Sechirus homes within it; and 3) Sechirus Reshus; renting Reshus, from the Non-Jew. Some examples are: the rights of the Non-Jewish residents of the One Jewish member of the Chatzeir can rent community, who are not eligible to join in the from the Non-Jew on behalf of all the other Jews Eruv, but, by virtue of their rights in the (although the Beur Halacha notes that he Chatzeir (or in the streets, roads and public should rent from the non-Jew before they make areas of the community of today, located within the Eruv, so that, in case the Non-Jew refuses, it the enclosed area), can negate compliance with shouldn’t be a Bracha Levatalah); It doesn’t the unity of ownership requirement, and have to be a written lease, the rental can be for invalidate the Eruv. less than a penny (although the custom is to pay $1.00, still a paltry sum), the term can be Last week’s article closed with several questions open-ended, and can last for many Shabbatot as to the parameters of the Sechirus Reshus (although the Berura, Seif Katan 48, requirement, in particular, these questions: 1) says in the name of the Achronim, that the term What do you do if the Non-Jew refuses to rent shouldn’t be for more than 20 years, and that is his rights?; 2) Do you have to rent the rights of the custom today); The Non-Jew doesn’t even each and every Non-Jew in the neighborhood?; have to know that it’s for the purpose of making and 3) Is it required to enter into a formal lease an Eruv, in order to permit carrying on Shabbos agreement and pay a negotiated rent, in order (there actually have been cases, such as in the to satisfy the requirement of Sechirus Reshus? Hamptons, where the Non-Jewish residents went to Court to try to block the Eruv, once they In order to answer these questions, I, first have learned its purpose); The rental may even be to give you a bit of background, that I did not consummated on Shabbos itself, and, although mention in Part 1, of this article, last week. The you need the Non-Jew’s consent, you can go Gemara on Daf 62a tells us that really the around him and rent it from the Non-Jew’s wife, residence of a Non-Jew is not considered a or his employee, even a low level employee; “residence” for Eruv purposes, and, therefore, and, all you need to rent from the Non-Jew, is should not, legally, be able to cause a violation the right to place an item of yours, anywhere in of the unity of ownership requirement, and his house, and you don’t even have to actually should not prevent the Jews in the exercise that right. neighborhood from joining together, and making a proper Eruv. The Gemara goes on to And, this is what ultimately led to the tell us, and this is codified by the Rambam, introduction and use of the method known as Hilchos Eruvin, Perek 2, Halachos 9&10, that the “Sechiro Ulekito”, “his worker and his S E P TOMECMAJOTUJAJSYUBOAUCOEUN GEBUT1MLJPAJJCGJERUAUOE5YUGUTAT U USR, NJ LB1MUE1NOYG 31SUT GY2ME2S A,2UEB8T N, 1UR0 ,T1B, , Y2E1S2 52E 2 S,2E5R T1902 ,0 69T080R,2 ,5270 ,, 2, 1 20 |,02 8, 2 054 20 2 0,022 ,B2,|0 0 |2 0 |200 |E22 0C2 02| H0 B0N | 0SHM20 | 2EA|V IU |0 |UA B0H |TR|A D KPSK T AKZ |AE-'|HNKIBESBAOE MIAN VHEOA ETKVRNTRLTIOCIARLOCTS--IDEOKAEHABREMO HF'BIECTAI ACEIT UA V|SADEHM|CHLVSIZNKS H CRVI MH A |EEP|TO|HAIP |OK IY |IT A |TAPN P O PE P |G| A| GP | AIAPNA | E ILG AEPGPGAG |P E EGAP|6EAGE 2AEC A GE G E 4GPH334 3GEE E A3E 54 E | G443 5 9E3P A25G E 5 farmhand”, that is widely used today. The even to the homes of the Non-Jews, as well, Gemara, Eruvin, Daf 63(b) tells us a story. A based on the reasoning that in times of war, the Non-Jew, by the name of Lachman Bar Ristak government can place soldiers and weapons in (there is another version, that his name was their homes, without their consent. However, Bar Ristak, but, one can speculate that the Beur Halacha, quotes the Chacham Zvi, who that was probably a nickname given to him, by says that, if the government’s right to use the the Jews, because he was making life difficult Non-Jews’ homes is limited, only, to for them), who lived in the same Mavui (semi- extraordinary circumstances, like times of war, private street) with a number of Jews, who that would not be enough, unless the wanted to make an Eruv. They asked to rent his government could wage war anytime it wanted, property so they could make the Eruv, but in its sole and absolute discretion. And Rav Lachman Bar Ristak refused. The Gemara, on Yosef Shalom Elyashav says that this type of Daf 64a says that they went to for advice, Sechirus Reshus would only work in totalitarian and Rava said to them, that one of them should countries, where the government has the go and befriend the Non-Jew, and place himself absolute right to enter anyone’s home, at any in the position to receive permission from the time, for any reason. However, this would not Non-Jew to lend him a place in his house to be the case in a Democratic society, where place his things; and by doing that, the Jew will government may not enter a person’s home, at become like his Sechiro Ulekito, i.e., like the will. However, even according to Rav Elyashav, Non-Jew’s employee, and this small, almost you could still do the Sechirus Reshus, from the de minimis, right is sufficient to give the Jew the government, covering the streets and roads, authority to, in turn, further rent the Non-Jew’s where its control is complete. This would enable property to the Jewish members of the Chatzeir, the Jewish community to make a valid and who will then be able to make the Eruv. And, proper Eruv, allowing the Jews to carry from the Gemara on Daf 64a records that Rav their homes to the streets and roads; but they Nacman said “Kama Malyia Ho Shmeita”, “how would not be permitted to carry into the homes wonderful is this teaching”. And, this is codified of the Non-Jews, unless they did a private by the Shulchan Aruch, Siman 382, Seif 12. Sechirus Reshus with them. There are many Poskim, including the Chazon Ish, however, who This idea, of Sechiro Ulekito, is further extended are lenient, and say that, between the right of by the Rama in Siman 382, Seif 18, quoting the Eminent Domain, Police, Firemen, Utility opinion of the Rivash, that the Jews of the companies, and the like, there is enough community may rent the rights of the Non-Jews, governmental dominion, even over the Non- in the streets and roads and even in their Jewish homes themselves, to allow for a homes, from anyone who has the right to place Sechirus Reshus, with the government, and, it is anything there, or to control the use of those the practice today, to enter into agreements areas, and that you may even rent it from the with the Mayor, County Executive, Police & Fire employees of those who have such control. Departments and any other applicable and relevant governmental body, to cover all bases. It is based on this Rivash that the Rama in Siman 391, Seif 1, paskins, that, rather than having to rent from each and every Non-Jew individually, the Jews in the community can certainly rent the rights of the Non-Jews, in the streets, roads and thoroughfares, within the enclosed area, from the government, since the government has control over the use of those areas, and that you may enter into a contract for such rights with the appropriate employees, the “Sechiro Ulekito”, who exercise such rights, on behalf of the government, which the Mishna Berura, Seif Katan 18 identifies as “Palitzia”, or Police.

The Shulchan Aruch in Siman 391, Seif 1 further extends this right to rent from the government, S E P TOMECMAJOTUJJSAYUBOUACOEN UGE1MLUBTJPAJJCJEGRUAU5YUOEGUTAT US, NJR L1MEB1UNOYG 31UTSGY2 ME2 SA,UEB82 TN, 1U0 ,R1TB ,Y2 E,1S 2 52E S2 , 2E5R T19021 ,20 6T0890R,2 ,52072 , 2, 1, 20 |,0 28, ,2 054 202 0,022 ,B,|0 0 |2 0 |20 E2|2 0C2 02| H0 B 0N | 0HM2S0 | 2EA |V I |0U| A B0H |TR|A DP SK T AKZ|AE - K'|HNIEBKSAOE MAIN VEHAEOT KVRNTRLIOCITALRCSO-T-IDEOKAHEABRMO EH 'FBECTIAE ACI UTA V|AEHSMD|CHLVSIZNKS CHRV HIM A |EP|O|THAP |OIK YI| AT I |TAPN| P PE OP G| A|GP A|IAPAN|P E ILGAE GPGAPG | A P E EGPA6EA|GE 2EGAC AE G G E 4PGEH3P34 3GE EA3 EA 6E5 |G 5G3 6 9E3PE A26G E 6

א ֹו ָתן ָה ֶא ׁ ְש ּכ ֹול ֹות ֵה ִביאוּ ְמר ֹור ֹות ָלע ֹו ָלם. ַר ִּבי ַא ָּבא ְ ּד ַע ּכ ֹו ָא ַמר ֶא ְתר ֹוג ָהיָה, ֲה ָדא הוּא ִ ּד ְכ ִתיב (בראשית ג, ו): וַ ֵּת ֶרא Tracing the Obscure ָה ִא ׁ ָּשה ִּכי ט ֹוב ָה ֵעץ וגו', ֲא ַמ ְר ְּת ֵצא וּ ְר ֵאה ֵאיזֶהוּ ִאי ָלן ׁ ֶש ֵעצ ֹו History of a Very Popular ֶנ ֱא ָכל ְּכ ִפ ְרי ֹו, ְו ֵאין ַא ָּתה מ ֹו ֵצא ֶא ָּלא ֶא ְתר ֹוג. ַר ִּבי י ֹו ֵסי א ֹו ֵמר ְּת ֵא ִנים ָהיוּ, ... ְּת ֵא ָנה ׁ ֶש ָא ַכל ִמ ּ ֵפר ֹו ֶתי ָה, ּ ָפ ְת ָחה ְ ּד ָל ֶתי ָה "Misconception" ְו ִק ְּב ַל ּת ֹו, ֲה ָדא הוּא ִד ְכ ִתיב (בראשית ג, ז): וַ ִיּ ְת ְּפרוּ ֲע ֵלה ְת ֵא ָנה BY RABBI AVI MILLER [email protected] What was the tree, from which Adam and Eve ate? said, it was wheat. When a person lacks knowledge people say "That person has not eaten bread made from wheat even a day." Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzhak asked before Rabbi Zeira and said to him "Is it possible that it is wheat?" He said to him, "Yes!" He said to him, "But isn't it written, 'tree.'" He said to him, "It grew lofty like the cedars of the Lebanon." R. Judah b. Ilai said: "It was grapes, for it says, Their grapes are grapes of poison, they have clusters of bitterness (Deut. 32:32): those clusters brought bitterness into the world. R. Abba of Acco said: It was etrog, as it is written, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (Gen. 3:6). Consider: go forth and see, what tree is it whose wood eitz can The with the fall of man (detail) be eaten just like its fruit? And you find none but by Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1615. the etrog. R. Yose said: They were figs. He learns the obscure from the explicit, and a statement from its context thus…. because he had eaten of its fruit, the fig-tree opened its doors and received וַ ֵּת ֶרא ָה ִא ׁ ָּשה ִּכי ט ֹוב ָה ֵעץ ְל ַמ ֲא ָכל ְו ִכי ַת ֲאוָה־הוּא ָל ֵעי ַנ ִים him, as it is written, And they sewed fig-leaves ְו ֶנ ְח ָמד ָה ֵעץ ְל ַה ְ ׂש ִּכיל וַ ִּת ַּקח ִמ ִּפ ְרי ֹו וַ ּתֹא ַכל וַ ִּת ֵּתן ַּגם־ ְל ִאי ׁ ָש ּה .(together etc (Gen. 3:7 ִע ָּמ ּה וַיֹּא ַכל׃

When the woman saw that the tree was good for Many explanations have been offered to explain eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree each item on this list: wheat, grapes, etrog, figs. was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of Wheat, for example, is a play on words. .Chita”/wheat and “Chet”/sin“ .ח ּטא-חטה its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her .of Man ”ח ּטא“ represents the primordial ”חטה“ .husband, and he ate Similarly, grapes when turned into wine, are In American popular culture today, the intoxicating and lead to sin. (One related forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden is most midrashic tradition suggests that had Adam & commonly identified as an apple. But the Chava simply waited till their very first Shabbos, Torah, of course, leaves the identity of the fruit the forbidden vine would have been permitted up to the reader’s imagination. Nothing explicit to them, and they would have used its grapes to is mentioned in the biblical text, but that did make wine for ). Thus, while neither not stop Chazal to search for textual clues and wheat nor grapes properly grow on trees, the speculate. Thus, a famous medresh in Bereishis Rabbis still seized upon their symbolic Rabba 15:7 identifies four possibilities, none of connections to sin. which is an apple: To be honest, I am not sure what to say about the ‘etrog’ identification. The midrash points out ָמה ָהיָה א ֹות ֹו ָה ִאי ָלן ׁ ֶש ָא ַכל ִמ ֶּמ ּנוּ ָא ָדם ְו ַחוָּה, ַר ִּבי ֵמ ִאיר the textual oddity that the pasuk says that the א ֹו ֵמר ִח ִּטים ָהיוּ, ַּכד ָלא ֲהוָה ַּבר ָנ ׁש ֵ ּד ָעה ִאי ּנוּן ָא ְמ ִרין ָלא ”.tree” looked good to eat, rather than its “fruit“ ֲא ַכל ַההוּא ִאי ְנ ׁ ָשא ִּפ ָּתא ְ ּד ִח ֵּטי ִמן י ֹומ ֹוי. ַר ִּבי ׁ ְשמוּ ֵאל ַּבר ַר ִּבי While I never tasted the bark of an Etrog tree, I ִי ְצ ָחק ָּב ֵעי ַק ֵּמי ַר ִּבי ְז ֵעי ָרא ֲא ַמר ֵלי ּה ֶא ְפ ׁ ָשר ִח ִּטים ָהיוּ, ָא ַמר suspect it does not taste very good (neither ל ֹו ֵהן. ֲא ַמר ֵלי ּה ְו ָה ְכ ִתיב ֵעץ, ֲא ַמר ֵלי ּה ְמ ַת ְּמר ֹות ָהיוּ ְּכ ַא ְרזֵי does my etrog, which I did once take a bite out ְל ָבנ ֹון. ... ַר ִּבי ְיהוּ ָדה ַּבר ִא ְל ָעאי ָא ַמר, ֲע ָנ ִבים ָהיוּ, ׁ ֶש ֶּנ ֱא ַמר of in the folly of my youth), but alas a rabbinic (דברים לב, לב לג): ֲע ָנ ֵבמ ֹו ִע ְנ ֵבי ר ֹו ׁש ַא ׁ ְש ְּכל ֹת ְמרֹרֹת ָלמ ֹו, S E P TOMECMAJTOUJJSAYUBOUACOEN UGE1MBLUJPAJTJCJEGRUAU5YUEGUTOAT US, NRJ L1ME1UNBOYG 31UTSGY2 ME2 SEA,U8B2 TN, 1U0 ,1TRB ,Y,2 E1S 2 52E S2 , 2 E5 RT1902 ,20 61T0890R,2 ,5 202 ,7 2, 1, 20 |,0 28 ,2 ,05 4202 0,02 ,B2,|02 0 | 2 0 |20 E20|2 2 0C2 0| 2H0 B 00N | 0HM2S 0 | 2EA |V I |U0| U A B0H |TR|A | DP SKK TAK Z|AE- K '|HNIEKBSAOE MAIN VEHAOET EKVRTNRLIOCITALCSO-RT-IDEOKAOHEABRMO H E'FBECTIEA CEII UTA V|AEHMD|SHCLVSIZNKS CRV HIM A |EP|O|THAP |OIK YI| A I TA|PN| P PEO PG| A|GP AIA|PAN|P E ILGAEGP GPAG | A EP EGPA6E|AE G2EGCA AE G G E4PEH3P3G4 3GE EA3 A E7E5 |G5G3 79E3PE A27G E 6 tradition says otherwise. Perhaps part of the Albrecht Dürer made a well-known engraving of motivation here is that the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve beside an apple tree and this looked pleasing to the eyes and the etrog is engraving inspired many artists since to famously a ‘pri etz hadar’, a fruit identified by similarly depict the Etz Hadaas as an apple tree. the Torah for its beauty. This explanation The visual image took popular poetic form in paves the way for rich interpretations of the book nine of Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667), in of dalet minim as essentially a kind of which Milton expressly identifies the forbidden “tikkun” or rectification of Adam & Chava’s sin. fruit as an apple. Since Milton, it has been Jerome’s “apple” rather than R. Meir’s wheat or The identification of the fig tree is rather clever, R. Yehuda’s grape, or R. Abba’s etrog, or R. as it connects the very next passage, in which Yosei’s fig, that has been entrenched in our Adam & Chava fashion garments for themselves cultural imaginations. Lesson is: be careful out of fig leaves. There is something deeply when you pun. ironic in Adam & Chava realizing their nakedness after eating from a fig tree and then using its leaves to cover themselves. They hide from God but cover themselves in their sin. The Paradox of Humanity ('s fresco features a serpent coiled around a fig tree). BY RABBI BARUCH FOGEL [email protected] Finally, a fifth opinion is recorded in the midrash: Red, Orange, and Yellow Zones vs. Micro Clusters. Counties, Cities, States, and Country. The past , we have been dealing with the רבי עזריה ורבי יהודה בר סימון בשם ריב"ל אמר: ח"ו לא fundamental question of how to define groups גלה הקדוש ב"ה אותו אילן לאדם ולא עתיד לגלותו and their borders. Whether we need to draw a R. Azariah and R. Judah b. R. Simon in the name of border around a cluster of infections, or R. Joshua b. Levi said: Heaven forbid [that we whether we need to determine the different should guess what tree it was]! The Holy One did areas for our representative democracy[1], the not and will not reveal to man what that tree was. problem and subject of drawing borders around groups of people is “the” hot topic right now, According to these Rabbis, the very attempt to and very relevant to this week's parsha. identify the forbidden fruit is misguided and futile and misses the very intent of God to hide After the Mabul, the 3 sons of Noach populated it’s identity from us. (In one later medieval spin the earth. At first they were all united. “And all on this tradition, it is not that God hides the the earth had the same language and single identity of the fruit tree from us, but that the speech (united counsel)”. From this unity, fruit tree was simply one-of-a-kind). though, came a great sin. Rashi explains that they all agreed to a singular plan to rebel This brings us back to our original question. against Hashem. According to the simple From where did the popular misconception arise understanding of the story, the unity of that the forbidden fruit was an apple? mankind was not bad in and of itself. Rather, they just happened to use their unity According to scholars, the answer is Jerome, improperly to rebel against G-d. the 4th century Christian theologian and translator of the Bible into Latin (the “Vulgate”). However, upon further inspection, it seems Instead of translating the word “pri”-fruit clear that the unity of all mankind was literally as “fructus,” he instead chose to make a inherently problematic. In fact, all of mankind Latin pun. He substituted the word “mālum” unifying in one locale is a direct breach of the which means “apple” (also the root of English original directive to Adam. We are aware that “melon”) because it sounded like “mălum”¸“evil” the first commandment given to Adam and (as in the English “malevolent”). Chava was to “be fruitful and multiply”. However, that is only half the phrase. The pasuk This one small latin pun had an outsized says (1:28) “be fruitful and multiply and fill the cultural impact in Western history. More than a earth”. “Fill the earth” is not just an expression thousand years later, in 1504, German artist for the number of progeny that Adam was to S E P TOMECMAJOTUJJSAYUBOUACOEN UGE1MBLUTJPAJJCJEGRUAU5YUOEGUTAT US, NRJ L1MEB1UNOYG 31UTSGY2 ME2 SA,UEB82 TN, 1U0 ,R1TB ,Y,2 E1S 2 52E S2 , 2E5R T19021 ,20 6T0890R,2 ,52072 , 2, 1, 20 |,0 28, ,2 054 202 0,022 ,B,|0 0 | 2 0|20 E2|2 0C2 02| H0 B 0N | 0HM2S0 | 2EA |V I |U0| UA B0H |TR|A DP SKK T AKZ|AE - K'|HNIEKBSAOE MAIN VEHAOET KVRNTRLIOCITALRCSO-T-IDEOKAHEABRMO EH 'FBECTIAE ACEI UTA V|AEHSMD|CHLVSIZNKS CHRV IHM A |EP|O|THAP |OIK YI| AT I |TAPN| P PEO P G| A|GP A|IAPAN|P E ILGAE GPGAPG | A P E EGPA6E|AGE 2EGAC AE G G E 4PGEH3P34 3GE EA3 EA 8E5 |G 5G3 8 9E3PE A28G E 6 have [2]. Rather it is the definition and The ideal state of mankind introduces us to the explanation for the commandment to have paradox of humanity. On one hand, every progeny. The pasuk is actually telling us that person is an individual, and is unique, while at Adam was commanded to ensure that every the same time we are all a part of different size part of the earth will be populated. groups or populations. On one hand, Hashem wanted there to be different groups of people The Ramban in Bereishis connects that pasuk to in all the different places in the world, while at our Parsha.[3] He explains that, in his opinion, the same time, before the punishment, mankind was directed to split up into different maintaining a unity of language and speech. units, families, which would fill every corner of They were to maintain a unity in their the world due to their great number of people. distinction. He continues that Hashem’s command to fill the world is the exact opposite of what the Our limited ability to join together, be it in generation of the Dispersion thought. The school or shul or a simcha, has made our desire generation that built the Tower of Bavel, sinned for community even more pronounced. Yet, in thinking that the ultimate goal was that all often, it is the community that can be a source people were to join in unity in one place, while of problems.[7] Whether it is the wrong crowd in fact, Hashem’s desire was that mankind was in school, the group in the back of shul talking to spread to the four corners of the earth. [4] during davening, or the hedonism of pre- pandemic simchas, there is much to be wary of If this is true, then the “dispersion” was not when part of a group. The Rambam (Deos 6:1) actually their punishment. If the original intent famously said that because it is the nature of of Hashem’s instruction to Man was to fill the man to be influenced by the people that earth, the dispersion after the Tower of Bavel surround him, ultimately an individual might was not a punishment but rather a return to the have no choice but to flee to the caves, cliffs, original plan for mankind. Rather, the and deserts to avoid sinning. And yet, Hashem’s punishment was the separation of mankind into desire was for us to be part of groups, and not different languages, where there was a lack of remain individuals. [8] ability to communicate one with the other. The split into different types of humans was the The lesson of Hashem’s command to fill the punishment, not their dispersion to the ends of world while maintaining a unity in our distinct the Earth. groups is exactly what we need to focus on these days. On all levels we are witnessing a And after the people of the Earth were split up, breakdown of the ability to have distinct groups there is a need to mention the lineage of the that are unified. It is frightening to witness the family of Avraham from after delineating animosity, and disdain, displayed from one all the nations of the world. Besides the very group to the other in both the religious and insightful point of the Rambam in Moreh secular society around us. Both the borders Nevuchim [5], the Ramban seems to be saying drawn around us and the borders we draw to that the intention of this parsha was to mention remove those we disagree with are borders that that Avraham and his descendants are to inherit challenge us to listen to Hashem’s command. Eretz Yisroel, the land originally given to Cannan.[6] Perhaps, now that the dispersed It is difficult to contemplate, and I cannot claim people of the world are no longer in unity, there to speak definitively, but I think that the lesson is a need for “Hashem’s people” to be in of how we as individuals relate to our “Hashem’s land.” community is something that we are forced to correct. [9] Looking back a little more than two (As an aside, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 38a) points years, it is clear that Hashem is questioning our out that even though all mankind are relationship with our shuls (and all communal descendants of Adam, there is still great variety gathering places). First, there were shootings, in their appearance, which is a testament to the which made us feel insecure in our shuls and phenomenal acts of Hashem’s creation. Even schools. Then, there was the first stage of the without the sin and punishment of the Dor pandemic, where we had to stay away from all Haflaga, each group of mankind was meant to public places for everyone’s safety. Now, we be distinct from one another, while remaining were again forced out of shuls etc., or limited in united in language and speech.) our usage, by broadstroked governmental rules. S E P TOMECMAJOTUJJSAYUBOUACOEN UGE1MBLUTJPAJJCJEGRUAU5YUOEGUTAT US, NRJ L1MEB1UNOYG 31UTSGY2 ME2 SA,UEB82 TN, 1U0 ,R1TB ,Y,2 E1S 2 52E S2 , 2E5R T19021 ,20 6T0890R,2 ,52072 , 2, 1, 20 |,0 28, ,2 054 202 0,022 ,B,|0 0 | 2 0|20 E2|2 0C2 02| H0 B 0N | 0HM2S0 | 2EA |V I |U0| UA B0H |TR|A DP SKK T AKZ|AE - K'|HNIEKBSAOE MAIN VEHAOET KVRNTRLIOCITALRCSO-T-IDEOKAHEABRMO EH 'FBECTIAE ACEI UTA V|AEHSMD|CHLVSIZNKS CHRV IHM A |EP|O|THAP |OIK YI| AT I |TAPN| P PEO P G| A|GP A|IAPAN|P E ILGAE GPGAPG | A P E EGPA6E|AGE 2EGAC AE G G E 4PGEH3P34 3GE EA3 EA 9E5 |G 5G3 9 9E3PE A29G E 6

Of course, each one, on its own, does not create touches me, I am a rock, I am an island, And a rock feels no a theme. But, if we look back almost exactly two pain, And an island never cries 9 Last week I mentioned that the schar v’onesh, reward and years, from Oct. 27, 2018 (the Pittsburgh Shul punishment, is the theme of Sefer Bereishis. We are meant shooting), the past two years have been a to think about our lives, and relate that which has constant challenge of our connection to our happened to our actions of the past in order that we might communal institutions. [10] correct our mistakes. 10 I don’t think it is as much a question of tefilla b’tzibur, since in the overall picture, it has been much less affected Borders exist. Groups must exist. And, at our than the communal institution. core we are individuals. We must take the lesson from this week’s parsha to improve our Migdal Bavel in Art own groups, and to learn how to better relate from one group to another. BY RABBI AVI MILLER [email protected] 1 As the presidential election draws near, we are reminded that each one of our votes is only relevant because it is part INSPIRED BY AN ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT FOUND HERE of a group known as a State, since in reality it is the Electors HTTPS://ALHATORAH.ORG/MIGDAL_BAVEL_IN_ART/0/EN from each State that actually choose the next President. This fact is bothersome to many who prefer that we tally each individual vote of every person in the whole country, On the following page, three different paintings and let that be the determining factor for the next of the Tower of Bavel can be found with three President, while others celebrate the foresight of the different "readings" of the Torah's narrative. Founding Fathers that protects us from the tyranny of the majority. While this is not the space for political theory, the concept that each individual is defined by their association What are some of the interpretive decisions with a larger group is very relevant to this week’s parsha. these artists have made in relation to the 2 Man was unique in that only one unit was originally Torah’s account of the story and what are created, as opposed to all other creations where the earth some of the similarities and differences was immediately filled with them. As the Mishna in Sanhedrin (4:5) points out that there were specific purposes between them? What was their sin? What and lessons to be learned from the fact that Man was was the purpose of the tower? What forms created as an individual and not as a species. Though there of “power” are represented? were reasons to start with only “one”, nevertheless, it was still Hashem’s intent that eventually the world be filled with Here are a few rabbinic sources to consider people. alongside the artwork. 3 The Netziv makes a very similar point. He uses the pasuk חולין פ״ט א: in Yeshaya (45:18) “He did not create it a waste, But formed it for habitation” as the proof that Hashem’s desire was for I granted greatness to , yet he said: “Come, mankind to spread over the earth.It is worth mentioning let us build a city and a tower, with its top in that the Netziv understands that the sin of the Dor Haflaga heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name” was the fact that their unity lead to the original “cancel culture”. בראשית רבה ל״ח:ו׳-ט׳ The Ramban in our parsha alludes to a very obvious 4 question. Even if there was one place on earth that could And about God they said: Is it right that he has contain all of humanity at that particular time, eventually taken the upper worlds for himself and given us the population would outgrow their confines. What was the the lower worlds? Come let us make a tower and thought process that all of mankind could remain as one place an idol on top of it, with a sword in its hand, unit? The Ramban cryptically answers that “perhaps they thought they wouldn't be fruitful and would not multiply, so that it will appear as though it is making war and that the seed of the wicked would be destroyed”. I am on Him. not sure how to understand his answer. העמק דבר בראשית פרשת נח פרק יא The Rambam points out that from listing the generations 5 and their years we learn that Yaakov saw Shem, a survivor God was not distressed by what they said, but by of the Mabul, and Avraham saw Noach, whose father saw Adam HaRishon. Every member of Yaakov’s family, and all the fact that their words [and by implication, their the Egyptians who met Yaakov were only 3 or four degrees thoughts] were all the same… “Lest we be removed from Hashem’s creation of the world and the scattered”...They feared that since not all human Mabul. thoughts are alike, if some would leave they might 6 Similar to the first Rashi in Bereishis adopt different thoughts. And so they saw to it 7 As someone who is a Rabbi in many varied places, communal issues and mistakes are part of my daily that no one left their enclave. Anyone who would conversations. stray from the united words [of this totalitarian 8 Not like the wise men who said: I have my books, And my regime] would be burned to death like was poetry to protect me, I am shielded in my armor, Hiding in attempted upon Avraham Avinu [who refused to my room, safe within my womb, I touch no one and no one join in]... S E P TOMECMAJOTUJJSAYUBOUACEN UGEC1MBLUTJPAJJJEGRUAU5YTUOEGUTA US,O NRJ L1MEB1UNYG 31UTSGY2 MBE2 SA,UE82 TN, 1U0 ,ER1TB ,Y,2 1S 2 52ER S2 , 2E5 T19021 ,20 6T 0890R,2 ,52072 , 2, 1, 20 |,0 284, ,2 05 202 0,022 ,B|0 0 | 2 0|20 E2|2 0C2 02| H0 B 0N | 0HM2S0 | 2EA |V I |U0| UA B0H |TR|A DP SKK TAKZ|AE - K'|HNIEKBSAOE MAIN VENHAOET KVRTRLIOCITALRCSO-T-IDEOKAHEABRMO EH 'AFBECTIE ACEI UTA CV|AEHSMD|HLVSIZNKHS CHRV IM A |EP|O|TH AP |OIK Y|I AT I TAPN| P PE O P G|A|PG A|IAAN|P E ILAGE GPGPG | A P E GEPA6E|AE 2EGAC EA G G 4PGEH3P3 4 3GEE1A3 EA E5 |0G 5G3 9 9E3PE A29G E 6

Migdal Bavel, Shalom of , (1963)

Tower of Babel Giusto di Giovonni de' Menabuoi (1376-78)

The , oil painting by , 1563