Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Behar (Abroad: Parshat ) No 1573: 20 Iyar 5775 (9 May 2015)

AS SHABBAT APPROACHES The Bill of Sale - by Oury Cherki, Machon Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda Congregation,

Before Jerusalem was conquered by the Kasdim, G-d commanded Yirmiyahu to buy the field belonging to his cousin Chanamel, as we read in the for this . This symbolic act, which took place in the last moments before the city fell, is a sign to those about to leave in exile that they will return to Zion: "This is what the G-d of Hosts, the G-d of Yisrael says: Houses and fields and vineyards will be bought in this land" [Yirmiyahu 32:15].

The verses which describe in great detail how the bill of sale was written and then stored in an earthenware vessel, the testimony given before the witnesses, and the transfer of the money, serve as sources for many laws of purchase, including the law that a marriage is performed by the groom giving the bride money or a valuable object (Kidushin 2b). The connection between establishing a private home – marriage – and an act that is relevant for the nation as a whole – return from exile – is not coincidental. An individual achieves perfection if the specific goal of his actions is to benefit the community as a whole. And this is the meaning of the statement that whoever makes a bride and groom happy is considered as having rebuilt some of the ruins of Jerusalem.

Yirmiyahu also emphasizes the context within which the general situation will improve, and this too is an important detail along the path to mending reality as a whole: "Behold, G-d, You created the heavens and the earth with Your great might and with Your outstretched hand, nothing can be hidden from You" [32:17]. The destruction of the Temple is not just a tragedy for the nation, it is also a desecration of G-d's name. While Moshe called G-d by the names, "great, mighty, and awesome" [ 10:17], Yirmiyahu shortens this in this week's Haftarah to "great and mighty" [Yirmiyahu 32:18]. He leaves out the title "awesome," because he says to himself, "Gentiles are strutting around in His Temple, where is His awe?" [Yoma 69b]. The prophet's prayer takes into account the fact that the destruction of the Temple causes harm to the understanding of G-d in the world in general. However, when Yirmiyahu mentions the Exodus from Egypt, he emphasizes its universal significance: "You who performed signs and miracles in the Land of Egypt to this very day, and in Yisrael and in mankind" [32:20].

G-d's response to the call of the prophet also includes a reference to the universal aspect of Divine guidance: "I am Hashem, the G-d of all flesh" [32:27]. And He too adds, "Can anything be hidden from me?" [ibid]. From this we can see that the processes of history include reversals of political situations and of the repentance of Yisrael whose detailed workings are hidden from the eyes of man.

This is the essence of the – to teach us that the actions of an individual must be incorporated within the general framework of improving the nation as a whole, which in turn is incorporated within the mending of humanity and the process of mending the entire universe. In the literature of mysticism these are called the simple song, the double song, the triple song, and the quadruple song – leading up to a song that includes all the others (see Orot Hakodesh, volume 2, pages 444-445). Therefore, we must never disparage the influence a single person can have on very general processes, and we must never forget our obligation to mend everything that surrounds us, in the literal sense of the word.

Rabbi Cherki is the head of Brit Olam – Noahide World Center, Jerusalem

POINT OF VIEW

1 Surrogates in the Service of "Abomination" - by Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, Dean of the Zomet Institute

"From the other nations... shall you buy slaves and maidservants. And you shall also buy them from among the children of those who reside with you." [ 25:45].

The rescue of many Israelis from the tragedy in Nepal helped to shine the spotlight on the subject of surrogate motherhood. About twenty babies born from surrogates were flown to in an accelerated process (including granting Israeli citizenship to the newborn arrivals). A similar number of women from Nepal who were carrying "Yisraelite seed" knocked on the gates of the Israeli authorities, and several of them were brought here in a humanitarian gesture, while their unborn babies were granted Israeli citizenship.

Some Facts

My column this week will first of all serve as an information service to my readers, which will lead me in the end to share my outlook with you. According to official statistics of the Population and Immigration Authority, in 2013, 169 babies were "imported" into Israel who were born from surrogate mothers abroad. There were 128 in 2012, 93 in 2011, and only 6 in 2008. Until today, about 500 children of surrogate mothers from abroad have been brought into Israel. And here are statistics for Israel itself: In 2013, 58 babies were born from local surrogates (and only 41 in 2012).

The surrogacy process that is most talked about is the "full" one. That is, there are three people who have a share in the child: the father, the woman who donates her egg, and the one who rents out her womb. The last one provides "pregnancy services" for the sperm of the man (usually the Israeli man, who signs the contract for the process) and for the egg of a different woman which was bought or somehow acquired by the man. It goes without saying that this service is in return for pay, whether it is called by some euphemistic name or not (such as expenses, compensation for a loss of work time, and so on). In such cases of "full" surrogacy, the donator of the egg can also be the wife (or life partner) of the man, if for some reason she cannot become pregnant or doesn't want to (say, because of a career or because of physical limitations). In this case, they want to hire a womb together. A quick search in the internet teaches me that the cost of such a process in Nepal can be as high as NIS 250,000.

On the other hand, if the woman who is making her womb available also provides the egg, the surrogacy is called "partial." In this case, a man makes an agreement with a woman that she will bear a child from his sperm, after which he will receive the child and she will be disconnected from the child to which she gave birth. Such a process is prohibited in Israel (and in most other countries in the world) because it causes great harm to the concept of motherhood, and for other reasons. There have been cases where courts (including in Israel) have been called upon to decide who should get the child if the surrogate mother refuses to give it up and does not want to abide by the original contract.

Ethical and Social Dilemmas

It is obvious to anybody who thinks about the matter that the concept of surrogacy raises a host of ethical and social dilemmas, even before we think of any questions of halacha. Those who oppose the idea bring up such concepts as slavery (both men and women), exploitation, and commerce in babies, together with the health dangers and the mental anguish that can result from the surrogate mother being disconnected from her child. From the social point of view, the subject is linked to the shattering and total breakdown of family values (except for a couple who are looking for a solution for a woman who is incapable of becoming pregnant). On the other hand, those who favor the idea point to the concept of adoption, which is considered as an altruistic act of kindness, and they see the process of

2 surrogate motherhood as a way of orchestrating and coordinating the process of adoption.

In many countries around the world, all the many variations of surrogate motherhood are illegal, and those who want children by this process search for weaker countries where there are no legal prohibitions (or where the restrictions can be overcome by various means). Israel is one of the most liberal countries in the world in this matter (could it be otherwise?), and we allow local surrogacy subject to strict control – the main condition being that only a man and woman who are married can participate (even if the egg was "donated" by another woman), and the surrogate mother must be unmarried. If the wife is Jewish then the surrogate must be Jewish too, although the woman who donates the egg does not have to be Jewish. In the latter case, there will be serious halachic questions about whether the child is Jewish or not, based on the identity of the father and the woman who provides the womb, or if it is not Jewish, following the status of the egg. In the various issues of the annual halachic summary Techumin, about ten different articles have been published on this matter. (Here is an exercise for the reader: find the articles on the Zomet website (www.zomet.org.il) using the built-in search engine.)

Legitimizing "Abomination"

The tumult in Israel with respect to this issue is connected to the demands of single-sex couples and individual men and women, who want to have the right to "purchase" children in this way and raise them. In the previous Knesset, the Minister of Health from Yesh Atid managed (about a month before she was fired) to bring a proposed law to the first reading, in order to amend the surrogacy law to her liking – with the enthusiastic support of the "Abomination Community." In spite of the veto rights of the Bayit Yehudi Party with respect to religion and the state, the party did not object because of coalition considerations, and because of a serious error of halachic quotes that implied that "the situation was not so terrible." And perhaps the worst thing was the victorious declaration of the enlightened Minister: "A family today is not made up of a man and a woman and children. It can consist of a single woman and children, a single man with children, two women with children, or two men with children." I wonder why she forgot some more possibilities, such as a man with two or three women or vice versa (heaven forbid).

We end with some halachic considerations. Such a process within Yisrael, with a Jewish surrogate mother, raises serious questions about the true identity of the "mother" of the child, in terms of illicit sex and incest in marriage. And if the egg was bought from a non-Jewish woman, we become involved in complex questions of whether the baby is Jewish or not. With a surrogate from abroad it is clear that the child is not Jewish, and its subsequent conversion is impossible, especially if it will grow up in a single-sex family.

LET YOUR WELLSPRINGS BURST FORTH Clarifications - by Rabbi Moshe Shilat, Director of "The Torah of Chabad for Yeshiva Students"

This week's Torah portion begins with the current topic of the Shemitta. The Shemitta year is not a Shabbat in the sense of a cessation of all labor. The command to rest is only relevant for labor of the land, because this is an expression of our total dependence on our physical needs. But we are allowed to be involved in "weekday activities" because that is the essence of the year. The goal is to raise up reality itself and not to disassociate ourselves from it.

Immediately after the introduction, "Let the earth rest, a Shabbat for G-d" [Vayikra 25:2], the following full verse appears: "For six years shall you plant your field, and for six years shall you prune your vineyards, and you will gather its produce" [25:3]. And then, "In the seventh year, the earth will have a year of rest" [25:4]. The labor during six years is voluntary and not an obligation, but it is emphasized in the verse because it is the 3 objective of Shemitta. The Rebbe of Lubavitch explains that the main aspect of our labor for G-d must focus on the "labor of clarifications" – mending the world by "incorporating ourselves" into it. The will of G-d is that we do our work, that we plant and harvest. And because of this objective we must rest for an entire year and rise up above the physical world, so that we will return in a modified state.

As opposed to the weekly Shabbat, when a person remains in the world but is raised up completely above it, completely disassociated, during the Shemitta year we remain connected to the world, but we live a spiritual life which unites the seventh year with the six years of labor. And this is how the Baal Shem Tov interpreted the verse: "Let the land rest" – we must rest and abandon ourselves within the earth. The rest should penetrate into the earthly elements. During the Shemitta we are not "holy" and disassociated from the world.

Worry as a Mission of the Torah

Where do we find that the Torah brings up fear and human doubt before the performance of a mitzva? The answer is that with respect to Shemitta, the Torah begins a very unusual discussion: "And if you will say, What will we eat in the seventh year, after we do not plant and we will not gather our harvest?" [25:20]. The response is a promise, "I will command my blessing for you in the sixth year, and enough grain will be produced for three years" [25:21].

The complete Torah, full of absolute statements, does not try to escape the question by giving a reply before it is asked, rather it emphasizes and enhances the element of human doubt. When the children have gone to sleep and the parents are wondering where they will find the money to get to the end of the month – that is the doubtful conversation that the Torah raises, and it specifically does so with respect to the Shemitta year. The novelty of Shemitta is not that everything is smoothed out and that there are no questions because we are aware that we live beyond nature. Rather, we live in this world, and when we are told to take a year of rest we feel that this will cause a problem, one that is fraught with difficulty! We must not suppress our fears, but while the doubt continues we must have faith in G-d, who has control of nature, and we must rest for a full year. If that is what we do, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will command that His blessing will be in effect.

Normal. Natural. Physical.

Nobody imagines or wants us to be satiated from eating air. We will never be like Moshe, who did not eat or drink when he was on . We cannot be like Eliyahu, who had enough energy to go on for forty days after eating one time, and we cannot expect manna to fall on us from heaven. The blessing that we will receive during Shemitta will have the appearance of regular bread. It will be here in the physical world, and it will be normal food.

The nation of Yisrael became acquainted with Shabbat through the double portion of manna that came from heaven on Friday. The manna was exalted above physical food. On the other hand, the blessing of Shemitta comes to us as the normal harvest of the sixth year, which is blessed by G-d. This is a harvest that comes not from the heavens but from the earth.

What, then, is the real connection between Shemitta and Mount Sinai? The answer is that Shemitta represents all the mitzvot taken together. Their purpose is to refine the world while it remains the same world. What is needed is for the sanctity to penetrate into the land, not for us to become disconnected from the land.

FROM THE TREASURY OF CHASSIDIC STORIES The "Chassidic Corpus" - by Zev Kitzis, Kibbutz Hadati Yeshiva and Bar Ilan University

4 At the beginning of the twentieth century, a young man knocked on the door at the home of Martin Buber, in Berlin. It was Shai Agnon, 25 years old at the time, who had come from Eretz Yisrael, hoping to meet a man who would become his mentor. Buber, who was in his thirties at the time, was already famous as a prominent humanitarian. Very quickly, the conversation turned to the subject that had involved Martin Buber all his life – Chassidic stories. Buber saw Agnon as an "authentic representative" of the Jews of Chassidic Galicia, and he greedily took in all the stories that his guest could tell him. In later years, Agnon said that at the end of every story which he told by heart Buber – to Agnon's great surprise – immediately found the story in one of the books in his library on the subject of Chassidut. This encounter between the two men would eventually produce the most important attempt until today to compile a collection of Chassidic stories. The "Corpus Chassidim" was meant to be an organized and comprehensive treasury of the stories of Chassidism. The failure of the "Corpus" to take shape is keenly felt to this very day among all those who treasure these stories. It is not easy to find our way through the stories, it is not easy to know what the earliest source of a story is, and what is a later imitation. The Chassidic stories still do not have an ultimate source. But let us not get ahead of the main story.

In 1922, the two men met Chaim Nachman Bialik in Berlin. At the time, Bialik had established the "Dvir" publishing house in order to publish treasures of Jewish thought. Together with Bialik, the two men made plans for the Corpus. Bialik predicted that this would be a "book for the millennium," that it would have greater success than his own "Sefer Ha'Aggada." Buber and Agnon were given a grant of a hundred dollars and the work began. The stories that the two men gathered were kept in the house of Agnon, who polished them into their final form, and two years later the first volume out of a planned four was close to being finished. But then tragedy struck. Agnon's house burned down, while he was being treated in a hospital. Miraculously, his wife and his children were saved, but most of his writings, including the Chassidic Corpus, were lost in the flames. Agnon, broken, fell into despair, and a short time later made his final to Eretz Yisrael. One man who tried to encourage the two men to return to the labor of collecting the stories was the philosopher Franz Rosenzweig, who wrote to them, "Only death can eradicate, fire does not eradicate." However, after a decade of trying to rejuvenate the project, Bialik declared that it had come to an end.

In spite of their failure, the two men continued their separate involvement with Chassidic stories for the rest of their lives. "Or Haganuz," Martin Buber's very important anthology of stories, was based on remnants from the Corpus. After Shai Agnon passed away, his daughter published "Stories of the Baal Shem Tov" which her father had prepared, evidently as the first volume of what was intended to develop into the full Corpus.

The differences between Buber's work and that of Agnon imply that perhaps their cooperation was not a success from the beginning, because of disputes between them in principle. As is known, Buber edited the Chassidic stories, adding shades of reality, romanticism, and universality. Agnon was careful to avoid such embellishments. He insisted on not modifying the original text of the stories in any way, no matter how hard it was to read them. He added detailed sources, and he kept the mystical aspects of the stories, without any attempt to explain them. A small example is a discussion with a student, where the Baal Shem Tov describes to the student how he looked at him as a small boy. Here are the two versions of the story:

* * * * * *

Agnon: "I influenced you with a great light when I looked at you then, and if your mother had not grabbed you away [in the original, literally: if your mother had not kidnapped you] I know for a fact that things would have been better for you." [Stories of the Baal Shem Tov, page 98 – including a precise reference to the source in the book "Beit Tzadikim"].

Buber: "At such a time, one look can plant a great light in the soul. But the fears of the creatures can erect walls that block out the light." (Or

5 Haganuz, page 40, with a general reference to the book "Kevutzat Yaacov" 5653 (a mistake, the date is really 5657)].

* * * * * *

It is not easy to bring a Chassidic tale down to earth. Each story can be read in many ways. I can note here that I recently joined a renewed effort to collect Chassidic stories. Both Buber and Agnon are great teachers and my colleagues and I have incorporated them into the project. We can only hope that we will succeed for the benefit of the readers, the students, and for the sake of heaven.

A FAMILY NAMED "YISRAELI" The Biggest Bonfire in Town - by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen, Director of the Or Etzion Institute – Publishing Torah Books of Quality

"Yehuda, Yehuda!" I could hear somebody calling me through the open window. I stuck my head out and saw some of my friends standing there. Shimon asked me, "Are you coming to gather wood?" I shouted back, "Sure!" And a moment later I was downstairs with them, ready for action.

"This time we must succeed! Our fire will be the biggest one in the whole city!" That was Yossi.

"Meanwhile we can store the wood in the yard in back of my house. My mother gave me permission to keep the wood there until Lag B'Omer," Shimon said.

"Now, for the next few days, anybody who sees some discarded wood – even if not during the time we set aside for collecting – should grab it right away and bring it to Shimon's yard," Avidan said.

"Let's get started!" I shouted, full of enthusiasm.

We split up into pairs, each one searching through a different area of the neighborhood. We agreed to meet in Shimon's yard in two hours, when we would show each other what we had managed to gather.

When we met we were covered with sweat and dust, but we were quite happy. Shimon and Yossi had managed to find a huge tree trunk and it was not easy for them to drag it back to the yard. Avidan and I found some broken wooden pallets, a couch missing one leg that somebody had put near the garbage, and some thick boards that somebody had thrown among the weeds at the edge of a field. The others also found good material, and we all felt that on our first day we had been quite successful.

Yossi was very enthusiastic. "Great, guys. If we continue like this, it will be very easy to reach our goal. Now we can be quite sure – our fire will be the biggest one in the whole city!"

The next day we met again, but we were not as successful. After two hours of careful searching all over our neighborhood and also outside it, we only managed to find a few items. We were able to add a few boards, branches, and cardboard boxes to our hoard, but we did not find any really serious pieces of wood this time.

Avidan said, "Not to worry. We will keep going on other days. With G-d's help we will do better." All we could do was hope that he was right.

However, the days that followed did not really help us much. Evidently we were not the only ones who searched for wood at this time of year, and it seemed that any piece that somebody threw away was picked up immediately...

We increased our efforts, we even went far away from our own neighborhood, as far as the industrial area. We found a few boards and boxes, and we had to drag them all the way to Shimon's yard. Our pile of wood did not grow very much. We understood our bonfire would not be "the biggest one in the city." We were very disappointed even before Lag B'Omer came.

6

And then, finally, the big day arrived.

We took the wood out without much enthusiasm and brought it to the empty field behind our houses, and we started to set up the bonfire. "Okay, this is what we have, there is no point in complaining. Let's set it up. Our fire will also be pretty big." This was Shimon, and he was not very convincing. But we did what he said. What else could we do?

Night fell. We all gathered around our modest bonfire, and we lit the flame. All around us we saw fires, some big and some small, and there were some that were really huge. We looked at our fire, and our hearts missed a beat when we saw how puny it looked – so simple, nothing special at all.

After the flames rose, we started to sing. We started with the traditional songs, such as "Bar Yochai" and "Va'amartem Ko Lechai." Then our enthusiasm grew and we went on to other songs. We very quickly stopped noticing what was happening around us. Yossi's father, who had joined us, gave a short Torah talk and fascinated us with new stories about Rabbi . Then we sat around the fire and talked, while our potatoes were broiled in the heat. The fire might not have been huge, but it was certainly hot enough to cook our potatoes. The big tree trunk that Shimon and Yossi found burned slowly, for several hours, and it gave us a lot of light and heat. We played some games around the red flames, and we were certainly having a good time in the very special atmosphere.

"You know what," I said when we split up after midnight, "just look what a great time we had. Who said we need the biggest bonfire in the city?"

***** NOW AVAILABLE: A new book by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen: "Adventures in the Rimonim Library." To order this new book and "The Yisraeli Family," in Hebrew, contact: 054-6340121.

(Note: The stories of the "Yisraeli" family are based on true events or on stories that could have been true.) Reactions and suggestions for stories: [email protected]

RESPONSA FOR OUR TIMES Supporting Young Trees during Shemitta - by Rabbi Re'eim Hacohen, Rosh Yeshiva and Chief Rabbi, Otniel

Question: During the Shemitta year, are we allowed to put a supporting rod into the ground and tie it to a tree in order to make sure that it will grow straight?

Answer: We have been taught:

"How do we know not to prune the branches (mekarsemin) and not to remove the dry branches (mezardin) and not 'mefaslin' in trees? It is written, 'your field – no' [Vayikra 25:4]." [Torat Kohanim, Behar, 1].

This also appears in the (Moed Katan 3a), where the word "mefaslin" is replaced by a similar word, "mefasgin."

"Pisug" – a Type of Pruning

The Rambam copies the word mefasgin, but he does not explain what it means (Hilchot Shemitta V'Yovel 1:5). Raavad and RASH (Rabbi Shimon from Shantz) bring both versions of the word in their commentaries on Torat Kohanim. They explain that mefaslin means to "trim the long branches, and it is called this because it is similar to making a sculpture" (RASH). Both the RASH and the Raavad write that "pisul" and "pisug" are similar actions, consisting mainly of cutting away the long branches, but that pisul uses a special tool while pisug is done by hand. Clearly, both commentators feel that the prohibited labor is limited to action on the tree itself, but that tying the tree to a support is not considered labor at all.

7 In a similar way, Meiri in his first commentary on Moed Katan explains that the labors are different types of trimming, on the body of the tree itself:

"And the same is true of trees. If he performs 'kirsum' – which means to remove the dry branches from the tree or from the vine to prevent them from weakening the tree or the vine - or 'zirud' – that there were too many branches in one place and they had to be trimmed off, even though they were not dry; or 'pisug' – which means to cut off all the branches except for the upper trunk, so that it will grow better..."

"Pisug" – Supporting the Tree

On the other hand, among the commentators of the Talmud, there are some who interpreted the labor of "pisug" differently, in a way that is relevant for our question.

One example appears in the commentary on the Tractate of Mashkin which is attributed to (published by Rabbi Mordechai Yehuda Leib Zaks in 5699, 1939).

"'Mefasgin' – if the tree grows and leans over to one side, it is tied to a support so that it will grow straight." The Tosafot HaROSH bring in the name of Rashi (the same as "others say" in Meiri) that the purpose of tying the branches is so that they will grow upwards, but they do not explain why this is desirable. The RAN explains that the branches should be pointed upwards in order that they will not be an extra burden on the main body of the tree.

Rabbi Yechiel from Paris explains in his commentary that the reason for doing this is to allow the branches to carry the weight of the : "If a tree has branches which spread out in all directions, it is tied together at the top so that they will go straight up in order to support the weight of the fruit." However, in this commentary it is not clear whether the goal of the procedure is to protect the branches of the tree or the fruit.

The printed version of Rashi also explains the labor of pisug as an act whose goal is to support the tree. However, according to this explanation it involves supporting the trunk of a young tree with a weak trunk:

"Mefasgin – The tree, which is too fresh, is given support."

The Aruch also gives this definition for the word "pisug" in the name of "others." Printed Rashi does not explain why the support is needed – is it to prevent the tree from breaking or from other harm, or is it rather a way of trimming the tree in order to make it stronger? Only the commentary of Rabbi Shlomo Ben Hayatom on Moed Katan explicitly notes that the objective is to prevent the tree from breaking:

"Mefasgin – The tree is supported and lifted up, from the root of 'pisgah,' a mountain peak, because it is fresh, moist, and too heavy, and when it is loaded with fruit it is supported so that it will not break."

In Practice

At first glance it would seem that there is a dispute among the early commentators. According to the first group, which defines pisug as pruning, propping up a tree is not labor at all and is therefore not prohibited. But for the other group, which defines pisug as supporting the tree, the ruling will depend on the exact definition. Those who define the action as a way of preventing harm to the tree will clearly feel that this is forbidden during Shemitta. However, those who see the goal of pisug as extending the height of the tree might allow performing this process during Shemitta.

With respect to the original question: Since in this case the tree is supported in order to avoid damage, and since the discussion refers to rabbinical decrees (as is clear from the Baraita), and today the entire law of Shemitta is a rabbinical decree – we can permit propping up the tree, since we are lenient with respect to a doubt in a rabbinical decree.

8 Rav Kook quoted only those commentators who define pisug as propping up the tree when it is very fresh and young, and he did not quote the Raavad and the RASH. But he writes as follows:

"For those who feel that one is permitted to perform all sorts of labor in order to maintain the trees, this prohibition only applies when the tree can stand without support but it will not grow. But if it might become smaller if it is not propped up, one is allowed to support the tree in order to maintain it." [Shabbat Ha-Aretz volume 1, 5:13].

It is true that Beit Zevul (3:42) brings a proof from the commentary of the Mishna by the Rambam, who writes, "And it can be tied, which means that the branches can be tied together so that the tree will grow straight up and will not spread out over the ground" [2:4]. But this proof can be rejected, because in that case the objective is to enhance the growth and not just to maintain the existing growth.

NATURE AND THE TORAH PORTION Pruning - by Dr. Moshe Raanan, Herzog College and the Jerusalem College for Women

"And in the seventh year there will be a rest for the earth, a Shabbat for G-d. Do not plant your field and do not prune your vineyard." [Vayikra 25:4].

Pruning is Included in Planting

We can understand the essence of the labor of "zemirah" – pruning – from a question that appears in the Talmud: "It is clear that pruning is included in planting and harvesting grapes is included in harvesting of grain – so why are they written explicitly in the Torah?" [Moed Katan 3a]. That is, the Talmud asks why the labors of pruning and harvesting grapes are explicitly mentioned in the Torah, since they are included in any case in the existing labors of planting and reaping. Rashi explains the link between pruning and planting, as follows: "'Pruning is included in planting' – Pruning enhances the growth just as planting does..."

In today's article we will concentrate on the biological significance of trimming shoots of a vine or branches of fruit trees, specifically in an attempt to understand how this action leads to "enhanced growth of the fruit." We will use the following definitions for the sake of uniformity: cutting off the branches of a grapevine will be called "pruning" (zemirah), and shortening the branches of other fruit trees will be called "trimming" (gizum). Pruning and trimming have several goals: shaping the tree or vine, treating the plant to cause it to grow, and removing dry and/or sick branches. The many disputes about the exact halachic definitions of the prohibited labor of pruning are beyond the scope of this article.

Apical Dominance

We begin with one of the most important physiological phenomena of plants, which is called apical dominance. This is an inhibition of the growth of lateral buds by the terminal bud of a shoot in a plant, a phenomenon which leads to enhanced growth at the end of the shoot. In a similar way, a side branch of a tree will grow at a faster rate than its secondary offshoots. Apical dominance influences the general structure and the final appearance of a plant. Because of apical dominance, a plant can provide the best resources to growing to great heights and thereby compete more efficiently with its nearby neighbors in their struggle to perform the vital task of photosynthesis, which is the process by which sugars are produced.

Apical dominance is a result of the action of the hormone auxin (the word comes from a Greek root meaning to grow), which is released at the meristem, a group of embryonic cells that are found at the end of the shoot. The auxin inhibits the growth along the sides of the branches. If the buds at the ends of the branch are removed by cutting, the concentration of auxin is reduced. This allows the buds at the sides of the branches to continue developing,

9 and to create new branches that grow from the branch which has been trimmed. Various trimming techniques take advantage of this natural reaction of trees in order to guide the growth of the plant in terms of shape, size, and desired fertility.

Most fruit trees have very strong apical dominance which causes young trees to grow mostly upward, with very few lateral branches. This phenomenon is often a great benefit in private gardens in that it allows a large number of trees to be grown in a relatively small area. On the other hand, in orchards the effect decreases the yield and causes difficulty in gathering the fruit. For this reason, a tree trunk should be trimmed at the height from which we are interested in having the foliage grow. In many types of fruit trees, the fruit develops on new annual branches. Trimming can trigger accelerated growth of many new branches, leading to a larger harvest. Another technique used in orchards is to bend the tall branches of the tree downwards by attaching them to the ground (which gives the trees the appearance of a mushroom). This procedure provides a dual benefit. First, it suppresses or weakens the apical dominance and enhances the development of new branches. In addition, it increases the surface area of the tree which is exposed to sunlight, thereby improving the efficiency of the photosynthesis. In some species, it is possible to achieve the same results by trimming and removing some of the existing branches.

Preventing Withering

The form of growth of grapevines (specifically the main branches) differs from the way other fruit trees grow. The branches of the vines are tied to a supporting lattice or trellis, so that they are held parallel to the ground and do not grow upwards. Because of this structure, the auxin, which usually is formed at the tops of the branches of trees, becomes concentrated at the far position on the trellis (far away from the main trunk). Thus new buds only develop at the ends, and the development of other buds is inhibited.

The purpose of pruning is to interfere with this mechanism, and to inhibit the apical dominance, thus allowing a greater number of new one-year branches to form along the entire length of the trellis, so that many new bunches of grapes will develop. Without pruning, the number of new branches and clusters of grapes will decrease, the branches will grow to much greater lengths, and the buds along the lengths of the branches will wither. After the clusters have appeared, the farmer can judge his expected yields, and if necessary weed out unwanted clusters. This is followed by a process of removing unwanted leaves and unneeded branches which block the air flow and allow moisture to accumulate at the center of the vine, which might lead to disease and harm the plant. In addition, a high density of plant elements prevents the clusters from obtaining sufficient sunlight, which is needed in order to obtain tasty and high-quality fruit. In other fruit trees such as peaches and apples, trimming can enhance the development of new branches where most of the fruit for the new year or the following one grows.

To return to the question of halacha we hinted at in the beginning of this article, it is clear that pruning of the vines and trimming of other fruit trees is indeed necessary to obtain large and high-quality yields. However, the accepted halachic ruling follows the opinions of the Chazon Ish and Rav Kook, who feel that the Torah prohibition only includes pruning of branches as it is done for grapevines (such as is practiced for kiwi).

I thank Dr. Akiva for the substantial help that he gave me in writing this article.

(For more information in Hebrew and for pictures, and to regularly receive articles about plants and animals linked to the Daf Yomi, write e-mail to: [email protected]

HOLY AND SECULAR "Five Steps Up!" - by Rabbi Amichai Gordin, Yeshivat Har Etzion

My first lesson was the cry, "Five steps up!" In a very loud voice. I was a young boy, about seven years old. Friday night my father would always leave 10 very early to go to the synagogue, and we would arrive a long time before the prayers started. This meant that when we arrived our ways would part. My father went into the synagogue, and my brother and I would play in the square in front of the synagogue, waiting for other children to come.

The square was empty and quiet, only my brother and I were there. Suddenly, a loud scream broke the silence: "Five steps up!" I was frightened, I had never heard such a shout. I was afraid, and I was also curious. Where did this scream come from? Many times I searched for the source when I arrived early on Friday night. But it was all in vain. The square was always just about empty, except for two old men who walked in silence and calmly.

One Friday I discovered the solution to the mystery. Father had been delayed in leaving the house. This time, when the shout was heard Father was with us. He heard the sound, and he pointed at the two men in the square. He said, "Look how much respect Rav Lichtenstein has for his elderly father. His father is hard of hearing and he cannot see. Rav Lichtenstein does not feel any shame in shouting to his father before they reach some stairs, telling him what to do. Rav Lichtenstein is an important and respected man, but he will not refrain from shouting out like a little child. He shows respect for his father, even though this might appear embarrassing or beneath his status."

* * * * * *

When I heard the shout, I had no idea that this man with the long family name, would one day be my mentor. I didn't know that my entire life would change as a result of the privilege of sitting in front of him for year after year, in order to learn great and complete Torah from him. I didn't know that the day would come when whatever question I had I would ask myself what the Rav would have done in my place.

And I didn't know something else either. I didn't know that the shout that I heard was so frightening not only because of the loud voice. I didn't know that the shout penetrated deep into the heart of a seven-year-old boy because it was infused with a feeling of exalted awe.

* * * * * *

We were afraid of the Rav. Each and every one of us. The Rav possessed a deep internal holiness that caused us all to have a fear of his exalted presence. A friend of mine who is a prominent Rosh Yeshiva today says that when he returned to his seat after speaking to the Rav he would have spasms in his muscles. Another friend, who is a senior government official, says that even when he speaks to government ministers and Prime Ministers he has never sensed the same feeling as when he would approach the Rav with a question about his studies.

Even on Purim, when we were all feeling the effects of the wine, I never had the nerve to give the Rav my hand during the dancing. How could I approach such sanctity without being properly prepared? The Rav's holiness did not stem from miraculous acts or broad knowledge of exalted mystic worlds. The Rav was very practical, and he lived in the real world. His sanctity stemmed from the principle, "You shall be holy" [Vayikra 19:2]. Rav Lichtenstein's sanctity stemmed from the fact that he sanctified the practical actions in the world.

When we met the Rav we sensed holiness that stems from this world and not from the world to come. It was a sanctity that lifted up the practical world to ever higher and higher levels, not a sanctity that brought spirituality down from above.

* * * * * *

During the last few months of his life, Rav Lichtenstein withdrew into himself. The more he gathered into himself, the dimmer the light that always used to shine from his countenance became. As the light began to fade, we

11 felt that we had permission to approach the holiness and no longer to fear the great flame.

The Rav continued coming to the yeshiva every day, until the end of his last winter season in the yeshiva. Later on, we went to his house to sing Shabbat songs with him, at the time of "ra'ava d'ra'avin," the time of the strongest Divine will, at the Seuda Shelishit. We sat with the Rav, and I patted his hand. I asked him, "Does the Rav want us to sing something?" And he replied, "As you wish." Gidi began to sing the song of the angels, "Ha'aderet V'Ha'amunah."

The Rav listened, and he joined us for the last two lines. "The song and the praise - for eternal life; the glory and the majesty - for eternal life." Those were the last words that I ever heard from the Rav.

Before we left the house, I leaned down towards the Rav and I said to him, "It was very nice being with you. Thank you very much." A mere thirty-eight hours later, on Monday at 8:30 in the morning, I understood that these were my final parting words to the man who had changed my life.

For reactions and comments: [email protected]

THE TABLE OF THE KINGS Different Type of Blindness - by Bar-on Dasberg

In each article in this series we deal with some aspect of a single chapter of the book of Melachim.

(Melachim I 14)

Yeravam was a brilliant politician. He was excellent at making political ties with the new government in Egypt. He arranged for quiet from the north, for economic quiet at home, and he established a kingdom where pride and stability reigned. But as clear as his political acumen was, he remained spiritually blind. He did not even recognize the miracles that took place right in front of him.

Achiya from Shilo was just the opposite. He was physically blind, but he recognized Yeravam's wife before she arrived. His spiritual sight led him to decide that the best thing that could happen to Yeravam's house would be for the sick child that Yeravam's wife was carrying would die. In human eyes, this was impossible to understand.

These two different viewpoints could serve as the model of the storyline of the entire book of Melachim. The book is full of revolutions, the rise and fall of kingdoms, and personal stories. Based on the verses and external sources, all of the stories can be explained by factors that are political, military, and psychological. However, in this era which was filled with prophets, we have also been given an opportunity to make a reckoning based on eternity and to understand the spiritual motives that drove the events.

* * * My book "Katzar V'Lashulchan," a collection of articles that appeared in this bulletin, has just been published (in Hebrew). It can be found in the Steimatzky bookshops.

RIDDLE OF THE WEEK by Yoav Shelosberg, Director of "Quiz and Experience"

Behar This Shabbat it refers to a year, Last Shabbat it referred to seven .

Answers for last week: The question was: One word has many different meanings, depending on the context. In this week's portion it is related to the sacrifices. It means to be studious, And it is the name of a king's father-in-law, and a name for a precious metal. It is also a tool used for threshing. 12 The word is "charutz." - In the Torah portion of Emor, it is one of the blemishes that invalidates a sacrifice: "Blind, or broken, or scratched (charutz)..." [Vayikra 22:22]. - It is also used as in modern Hebrew, to mean a person who is diligent: "The hand of the industrious ones (charutzim) will become rich" [Mishlei 10:4]. - Yoshiyahu's mother was "Meshulemet Bat Charutz from Yatva" [Melachim II 21:19]. - Charutz is a name for gold, as is written, "My fruit is better than gold (charutz)" [Mishlei 8:19]. - A vessel for threshing: "For when they threshed the Gilad with the rods (charutzot) of iron" [Amos 1:3].

* * * * * *

Do you have a bar/bat mitzva coming up? Are you looking for a special quiz? To order: www.hidonim.com e-mail: [email protected]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SHABBAT-ZOMET is an extract from SHABBAT-B'SHABBATO, a weekly bulletin distributed free of charge in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is published by the Zomet Institute of Alon Shevut, Israel, under the auspices of the National Religious Party. Translated by: Moshe Goldberg To subscribe: http://www.zomet.org.il/eng/?pg=subscribe&CategoryID=165 Visit the Zomet Institute web site: http://www.zomet.org.il Contact Zomet with comments about this bulletin or questions on the link between modern technology and halacha at: [email protected] Or: Phone: +972-2-9931442; FAX: +972-2-9931889 (Attention: Dan Marans) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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