jhh arv jhh vacug s; Volume 27 No. 5 CHAYEI SARAH Daf Hashavua

15 November 2014 • 22 Cheshvan 5775 ends in London at 5.02 pm Artscroll p.106 • Hertz p.80 • Soncino p.118

Journeys with The Book of Yehoshua (Joshua) Chapters 7-8 the Prophets: Part 5 by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, Northwood United Synagogue

Summary: After the victory at Jericho, The nation had been promised G-d’s Yehoshua led the people in their second protection in their conquest for the Land. conquest, against the city of Ai. A relatively Yet it was now clear this was unambiguously small army was sent to attack but was contingent on their conduct. Whereas defeated. Yehoshua prayed and was answered the first army to attack Ai was only 3,000 by G-d, who explained that the nation had strong, Yehoshua then assembled his soldiers sinned at Jericho. In fact, only one Jew in full force and devised a complex rear sinned, by removing consecrated property end attack on the city to ensure victory. but this affected the whole nation. The offender, Achan ben Karmi, One might ask why such was discovered through plans were necessary. a lottery and punished G-d had assured the accordingly. After planning people of victory and a rear attack on the city, explained the reason for the people succeeded in defeat at the first capturing Ai. The recitation attempt on Ai. Surely of the blessings and curses such a display of force on Mount Eival and Mount could jeopardise the Gerizim (listed in Devarim people’s belief that it chapter 27) was recounted. was only G-d’s Divine assistance which could assure victory. A Deeper Look: During the conquest of Jericho, the people were commanded to resist Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain (d. 1926, known as the temptation to pilfer the many riches of the Shem MiShmuel) explains that Yehoshua the city. Out of the entire nation of 3 million did not muster this larger force out of fear of people, only one individual succumbed to defeat. Rather his intention, in the aftermath human frailty. Nevertheless, given the of the first defeat, was to rebuild morale exceedingly high standards expected from the through the unity of the people. Yehoshua Jewish nation, coupled with the principle that therefore included the entire military might the Jewish people are intrinsically bound of the people. The message was, and still is together (kol Yisrael areivim zeh le’zeh), clear; the Jewish nation is like one being the effect of one person’s sin degraded the and when our hearts beat as one, we can stature of the entire people. overcome the greatest of foes. Finding a Wife by Rabbi Baruch Davis Chigwell & Hainault United Synagogue, Chairman of the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue and Editor-in-Chief of Daf Hashavua

Our sidrah contains the longest single In a similar vein, the Radak narrative in the , the search for a wife (Rabbi David Kimche d. for Yitzchak. Avraham asks his servant to 1235) suggests that take a solemn oath that Yitzchak should not Avraham might have marry a Canaanite lady; the servant should been worried that his seek out a wife from Avraham’s hometown, servant, even though he Charan. The servant is presumed to be believed in G-d, may not have Eliezer, but we are not actually told his name believed that His providence extended in this story. over mundane matters on earth as well. Therefore, Avraham emphasised this point When pressing Eliezer to take the oath, in his opening statement: He not only Avraham invokes “Hashem, the G-d of the oversees what happens in Heaven, but heavens, and the G-d of the also what happens on Earth. earth” (Bereishit 24:1-4). Yet when Eliezer asks if Yitzchak However, when Avraham should move to Charan, should speaks of himself later on the girl decline to travel to in 24:7, he only mentions Canaan, Avraham assures his “the G-d of heaven”, for it is servant “Hashem the G-d of clear to him that G-d’s provi- the heavens, Who took me dence is over everything. from my father’s house… will Avraham need not have wor- send an angel to help”. (24:7) ried. Eliezer’s fervent prayer Two questions arise from these two to G-d for the success of his mission (12-14) quotations: why, in the first quotation, does is truly inspiring and a lesson to us all. His Avraham say “Hashem, the G-d of Heaven utter dedication to his mission meant that in and the G-d of the Earth” (24:3), possibly retelling the story to Rivkah’s family, he implying that there may be multiple gods? chose his words very carefully. Why does he not simply say “Hashem, the Perhaps his dedication was why he was not G-d of Heaven and earth? And why, in the referred to by name; he was truly an second verse, does Abraham only refer to the extension of Avraham. Indeed, the chief “G-d of heaven” omitting ‘earth’ altogether? quality that he sought in a wife for Yitzchak Rashi (d. 1105) states that Abraham was was chesed, kindness, the hallmark of telling his servant that he had, through his Avraham. What shone through most of all teaching, got people used to the idea that was his strong belief in Divine providence. G-d’s providence extends to the earth as His belief was infections, prompting a most well as to heaven, whereas, at the time heartening, encouraging response from that G-d took him from his father’s house, Rivka’s family, to his request to take Rivka He was only the G-d of heaven, as people away to Yitzchak: “MeiHashem Yatza did not believe in Him. Hadavar” – the matter has come from G-d. Discerning the Blessing

by Rabbi Chaim Gross, Editor, Daf Hashavua Just before Avraham sent his servant Eliezer ‘worry to settle which he [Avraham] must have to find a wife for his son Yitzchak, the Torah believed that he would have to trust to the states: quite special dispensation of G-d’. “And Avraham was old, advanced in days, and If this was a deep concern for Avraham, one can G-d had blessed Avraham with everything” only imagine what duress it would have caused (Bereishit 24:1). him to have a daughter. As his life with The (Bava Batra 16b) lists various Sarah demonstrated, Avraham understood and explanations of what ‘everything’ alludes to. championed the importance of great Jewish One curious understanding, at least in our women. However, at that time, a married context, is that Avraham was ‘blessed with daughter would go to live in the paternal house everything’ by not having a daughter. Another of the husband. At least in the case of Yitzchak, opinion, perhaps more in tune with what we the bride would be absorbed into the house of might think, is that Avraham was ‘blessed with Avraham, with all of its wonderful lessons and everything’ because he in fact had a qualities – yet still we see the extent daughter in his old age. of Avraham’s concern and precaution about Yitzchak’s These explanations seem to Blessed with prospective bride. Were directly contradict one another. Avraham to have had a Moreover, why would the first Everything daughter, she would have been opinion understand that it is a at risk of being absorbed into the blessing not to have a daughter? Firstly, there is house of a local Cana’anite family. That would a mitzvah from the Torah to have both a boy have been an unacceptable prospect. and a girl if one is blessed to be able to; Avraham had yet to have a girl. Secondly, this On reflection, this means that the verse is apparent attitude to a prospective daughter is telling us a deep and inspiring message about inconsistent with Avraham’s known character how to relate to what we ‘receive’ from G-d. On traits. Lastly, the Torah is relating this message one level, Avraham’s lack of a daughter would in a verse sandwiched between episodes that have been a source of anguish and non- indicate the outstanding valour of two great fulfilment. Yet Avraham, with his depth of Jewish women – Sarah and Rivkah. This seems understanding, was able to see the blessing and to render the apparent message incongruous. Divine protection lying hidden behind the sadness. Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch (d.1888) helps us to solve these questions. As the proceeding This is exactly the message of the second verses relate, Avraham was extremely con- interpretation of the verse, mentioned earlier, cerned about what type of wife Eliezer would that Avraham was ‘blessed with everything’ by find for Yitzchak. In addition to having the right having a daughter. On the one hand, he would character traits, she could only come from his have been very concerned about his daughter’s original homeland, not from the predominant future – what and where would be her marital Cana’anite nations. Avraham actually made home? Yet Avraham was able to rise above that Eliezer swear an oath about this, even if and see the blessing in ‘everything’ – he now had this meant returning home ‘empty-handed’ a daughter, thus fulfilling a mitzvah and enab- (24:2-9). Rabbi Hirsch writes that this was a ling him to raise another great Jewish woman. An in-Depth Waiting between Meat and Milk Part 2 look at Kashrut by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz, KLBD

Last week we saw the Talmudic source for However, there are several suggestions waiting between meat and milk. We also about how this widespread custom came explored the sources for the most about. One hypothesis, from contemporary widespread custom amongst world Jewry, historian and scholar Rabbi Binyamin to wait six hours. This week we will look Hamburger, is that the original custom of at some other customs: German communities was to wait only one hour, like the basic halacha cited by the One Hour Rema. Later, when the six hours mandated Waiting only one hour between meat and by the Rambam (see last week’s article) dairy, a common custom amongst became more widespread, of Dutch origin, is those in Ashkenaz com- codified by Rabbi Moshe munities decided to ‘meet Isserles (known as ‘the the rest of the world Rema’ d.1572). The Vilna halfway’, as a form of Gaon (Rabbi Eliyahu Kramer compromise. According d. 1797) defends this custom, to this explanation, waiting citing that it is sourced in the Zohar three hours is essentially a stringency (the central work in Jewish Mysticism, above and beyond waiting one hour. written 2nd century CE). It is worthwhile to note that the Rema himself concludes that Just Sleep On It it is nevertheless proper to go beyond this custom and to wait six hours. Another remarkable, though not a widely accepted custom, is that of sleeping after Three Hours eating a meat meal. It is related that the Interestingly, the common custom amongst Chatam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer d.1839) Jews of German lineage and of many Jews wanted to start relying on this leniency. in the UK of waiting three hours does not However, upon awakening, every time seem to have an explicit source. In fact, one he tried drinking his milky coffee, it would who delves into the works of great Rabbis spill. He concluded that this leniency must who served throughout Germany, including not have been accepted in Heaven! Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch (d.1888), The majority of contemporary Rabbinic will find that they all recommended keeping authorities also do not rely on sleeping as a the full six hours! way of lessening the waiting time.

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