Shabbat-B'shabbato Parshat Vayikra

Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Vayikra No 1365: 6 Adar II 5771 (11 March 2011)

AS SHABBAT APPROACHES

"I Created this Nation for Me" - by Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg, Rosh Yeshiva, Kerem B'Yavne

At first glance, the book of Vayikra, which the sages call "the Torah of the priests," is not very meaningful today, and all the laws of the Temple and the holy rituals await the coming of the Mashiach before they will have any relevance. But in spite of this the custom in Yisrael for many generations has been to begin teaching young children the Torah with this book: "Let pure ones (the children) become involved in matters of purity (the sacrifices)." [Vayikra Rabba 7].

However, evidently this book of the Torah has a more general significance. Yisrael are called "a kingdom of priests" [Shemot 19:6], and if this is true then Vayikra is relevant for the entire nation. Shemot ends with the Tabernacle filled with the "glory of G-d" [40:35], and Vayikra gives instructions on how to cause the holy presence of G-d to appear within the nation. This explains why almost half of the mitzvot in the Torah appear in Vayikra, and why the laws in this book involve ritual purity, forbidden foods, the sanctity of the holidays, and family life – so that we will indeed be worthy of the title of priests. It also explains why the end of the book of Vayikra gives a description of the covenant between Yisrael and the Master of the Universe.

What is the nature of this covenant, why was the nation of Yisrael chosen to be the nation of G-d?

According to the Midrash on the verse, "G-d came from Sinai and shone out from the Mountain of Sei'ir" [Devarim 33:2], the Holy One, Blessed be He, approached all the other nations to offer the Torah to them. Every single one asked, "What is written in the Torah?" and when they heard the answer they refused to accept it. In the end, Bnei Yisrael were the only ones who replied, "We will perform it and we will listen" [Shemot 24:7]. But this is problematic in that we have been taught that in the end Bnei Yisrael were forced to accept the Torah, when "the mountain was held over them like a bowl" [Avoda Zara 2b]. But why couldn't the same coercion have been used for the other nations? Also, we might ask why the Almighty replied to each nation with the mitzvot that He knew in advance they would reject. The entire description by the sages is quite remarkable, with a picture of the Almighty making the rounds of the different nations, almost like at a Book Fair, looking for somebody who is interested in taking His book.

In the book "Netzach Yisrael," the Maharal derives several assumptions from the above Midrash: (1) The world cannot exist without Torah. (2) The Torah cannot exist without a nation that will uphold it and will take on the responsibility of fulfilling its requirements. (3) It must be a nation that is suitable for the Torah. This explains why the Almighty a priori created a nation whose nature is matched with the Torah. It means that the concept of choosing Bnei Yisrael really refers to the creation of Bnei Yisrael. The acceptance of the Torah was not the basis for choosing the nation, but just the opposite: the creation of the nation of Yisrael is what provided the basis for the giving of the Torah. As we say in the blessing for the Torah: "He who chose us from among all the nations," and therefore "He gave us the Torah." This is the lesson to be learned from the above Midrash about the Divine search among all the nations. The Torah is not suitable for the other nations, while Yisrael were created in a form that does not allow them any alternative for existence except for the Torah. And this is what is meant by the idea of coercion.

1 This also explains the significance of this week's Haftara, the first one for the book of Vayikra. "I have created this nation for me, they will sing My praise" [Yeshayahu 43:21]. We are obliged to declare the praises of G-d. That explains the phrase that follows this declaration, "you are my slave" [44:21]. The end of the Haftara is, "For G-d has redeemed Yaacov, and He will glorify Himself with Yisrael" [44:23]. Based on this, the Ramban comes to the conclusion that the revelation of the Shechina to Bnei Yisrael is something that is needed by G-d, and that the Almighty created us for His own glory.

POINT OF VIEW

"A Torah Sage who has no Understanding" - by Zvulun Orlev, MK, Chairman of the Committee on the Rights of the Child

"A Dead Carcass is to be Preferred with Respect to him"

The following is a quote from the introduction to this week's Torah portion in Seder Eliyahu Rabbati: "Based on this, it has been declared: With respect to any Torah scholar who lacks understanding, a beast is preferable to him" [6:7]. The Midrash is even harsher: "With respect to a Torah scholar who lacks understanding, a dead carcass is preferable to him" [Vayikra Rabba 1:15]. A beast is an animal that is suitable for use as a sacrifice, while a dead carcass is ritually impure and cannot even be used for a sacrifice.

The above statements must be clarified. Comparing a person to an animal or a dead carcass is upsetting, degrading, and humiliating. Many commentators delved into this matter, and the interested reader is invited to see what they wrote. But I think that the best explanation was given by the author of Matnot Kehuna (Rabbi Yissachar Ber Katz) in his comment on Midrash Rabba. He quotes Avot D'Rebbe Natan (Chapter 11) on the words of Shemaya in Pirkei Avot (1:9): "Have a hatred for the rabbinate. Rabbi Akiva said: To what can anybody who raises himself above the words of Torah be compared? To a dead carcass that is thrown to the ground. All those who pass by cover their nostrils with their hands and hurry away from it, as is written, 'If you have become rotten because of rising above the people, if you are affected put your hand over your mouth' [Mishlei 30:32]."

A carcass is a very disgusting thing which has a terrible smell. In spite of its negative traits it is able to transfer its negative character to anybody or anything that comes into contact with it. In fact, the impurity is transferred from one level to another, down to the third level of contact from the original carcass. We would expect that a Torah scholar who has filled his soul with the Talmud and the halacha, one who studies Torah day and night, will be capable of transferring some of his characterisitcs to his surroundings.

The Midrash quoted above presents a challenge to the Torah scholar, with a vision that he cannot keep his Torah studies to himself. He is required to project the spirit of the Torah to the surroundings, including a need to be moderate in his approach, and for the Torah to serve as an inspiration for society as a whole. This expectation is so important in the eyes of the Midrash that it declares in no uncertain terms that if a scholar does not fulfill his mission, he is worth less than a dead carcass.

Knowledge and Understanding

The Midrash is very precise in its choice of words: "one who has no understanding." How can it be that a Torah scholar lacks in understanding? The answer is: there is a difference between knowledge and understanding, between maintaining a storehouse of information and understanding the needs of the common folk. A Torah scholar who knows the entire Torah – Mishna, Talmud, early and later commentators – has a tremendous fund of knowledge. But what he needs is to be able to understand, to have human insight. A 2 Torah scholar who has a great deal of knowledge but no understanding can cause a great deal of damage, such that indeed a "dead carcass is preferable" to him.

This approach lies at the core of the philosophy of religious Zionism. The essence of the path of "Torah and labor" requires a relationship with the nation as a whole, taking on responsibility for the entire community, and sharing with all the sectors of the people. We do not withdraw into our own ghetto or try to improve the lot of those closest to us because of a desire to benefit the people in our own sector. Our mission is to infuse the entire nation with the spirit of Torah. Our main goal is to spread the Torah approach of religious Zionism to the entire State of Israel and not only to our own children. Locking ourselves into a house of study in order to enhance our own knowledge of the Torah and the halacha does not provide any overall benefit to the community as a whole – and such an activity misses our main objective.

A Torah scholar can never refuse to take responsibility for any side effects and say, "It is my obligation to disseminate the approach of the Torah and the halacha as I see them, and it does not matter how they will be received or understood by the public which is not attuned to my message." Rather, as we have seen above, the Midrash demands that a Torah scholar must keep the level of the public as the main focus of his own activity.

Publications with a "Lack of Understanding"

Writing a book of halacha or publication of letters and lectures must take into account first and foremost the level of understanding of the public. The main criterion is whether the information contributes to a better understanding of the spirit of the Torah, helping people approach closer to observing the Torah and mitzvot. Will this material convince more people to lead a Jewish life, or will the opposite happen?

I am writing this essay in response to a series of recent events in this area which have led to harsh disputes and which deepened the gap between the religious and nonobservant sectors and between religious people and many rabbis. Quite a few people from our own camp felt unease and shame as a result of remarks published by various rabbis.

As a politician I have often been asked about such matters, and I have been asked by the press to respond to messages by rabbis which were at the root of public outcries. I always reply that even though I might have sharp criticism it is not proper for me as a politician to argue publicly against a halachic ruling or a Torah decision. I am not a rabbi, a halachic expert, or an author of Torah treatises. I see myself as an expert with broad experience in understanding public opinion and the general mood, and in ways to influence the public. As part of this role, I can definitely state that some recent oral and written publications have caused damage and led to a desecration of the holy name.

It is important to emphasize that we must uphold the right of free expression by Torah scholars, but this freedom must be limited by the scholars themselves based on their insight into the situation, as is indicated by the above Midrash. As is written, "Wise men, be careful of what you say" [Avot 1:11].

SOMETHING FOR THE SOUL

When Evil People are Overcome - by Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira, Rosh Yeshivat Ramat Gan

We are living in a very fateful era, a time of tumultuous political upheavals, and many fears take root in our hearts. At this point in time, it is very difficult to predict how the events will continue to develop, from 3 two different points of view. On one hand, what will happen in those countries where the people have risen up against dictators and have taken back their fates into their own hands – Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya? On the other hand, what effect will these revolutions have on Israel? As always, the situation in the Middle East is characterized to a large degree by uncertainty, and we can also ask ourselves from the sidelines: Which side will be better for us? Will it be those who are considered "moderate," who speak beautifully but whose hearts are full of intrigue, or those who are honest and openly reveal their hatred for us?

However, these worries, important as they are, are not the essence of the current situation, which seems to be accelerating at a faster pace with every passing day. If we put aside the current situation or even our hopes for the short range, we can see that the positive aspects of current events far outweigh the negative aspects. A very significant revolution is taking shape before our very eyes, perhaps similar to the dramatic changes that we saw twenty years ago, when almost all of the Communist Bloc collapsed and disintegrated, in a remarkable domino effect. In that case too things were not completely simple. Some countries continued to maintain their iron grip on the people, such as China, which ruthlessly repressed the feelings of freedom which began to raise its head in the country. And there were other countries where the people suffered greatly from the events, such as Serbia and Croatia.

However, in spite of all the side effects, there is no denying that the fall of the Communist Bloc removed from the entire world a heavy and dark cloud of fear about the future of mankind. We still remember the days of extreme tension during the Cold War, when any movement by one of the sides was greeted by a debilitating fear of nuclear war which might be started on a whim and then lead to the destruction of the world. In the eyes of a believer who sees the beginning of the time of our redemption within the depths of the events of our era, there can be no doubt that what happened twenty years ago played an important role in preparing the world for the redemption.

Just as then, the same is true today: The fall of the tyrannical and oppressive governments in the Arab countries is not simply a matter for some form of political analysis. It also touches upon the deep-seated background of our era, with the seeds of our redemption and that of the entire world. When we think about redemption we are no longer considering only our narrow interests but rather the purity and the wellbeing of the entire world. The downfall of the tyrants, who abused their people and kept millions of their citizens weak and starving, is the evil which is the subject prayer which is recited with such trembling during the Days of Awe, at the beginning of the year: "Let all the evil ones disappear as smoke, for You will remove the regimes of evil from the world."

Just as with the fall of Communism, it may well be that in one or more places the opening of these old wounds will lead to a worse situation than before. Quite often a healing process involves painful and possibly even dangerous side effects. But even so, it seems that our basic spiritual reaction to these events should be one of joy, a feeling of progress, of purification and cleansing. Our prayers at the beginning of this year have been answered! Tyranny in the world is on the decrease, making room for regimes that are more enlightened, which will pay more attention to the real needs of the citizens. The world continues to advance on the path towards perfection.

At such a time of Divine intervention, all that remains for us is to be strong in our prayers that all the failings of the world will soon be corrected, so that our path will not be difficult to travel, and to pray that we will not be harmed by the side effects. Let us pray that from within the current tumult, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will bring us "joy in Your land and happiness in Your city, the growth of the influence of Your servant 4 David, and the lighting of a lamp of remembrance for Your Mashiach, the son of Yishai" [prayers of the Days of Awe] – soon and in our time.

PEOPLE OF YISRAEL

Yechiel Mechel Pinnes - by Rabbi Uri Dasberg, the Zomet Institute

The Hebrew word for tomato is "agvania" – some people are very enthusiastic about this vegetable, its appearance and its taste, and others cannot stand to even look at it. From the linguistic point of view, some people approve of the Hebrew name, while others are not happy with its derivation, which is related to a "love fruit" and an implied hint of sexual encounters. Similar things can be said about the man who proposed the Hebrew name for the tomato – Yechiel Mechel Pinnes. At one time or another, Pinnes was pursued by every group that ever existed.

Pinnes was sent to Eretz Yisrael to represent the "Moshe Montifiore" association in London, but Montifiore himself did not like the idea that an organization was named for him and he was thus not impressed by the newly appointed representative. When Pinnes arrived in the land he was widely criticized, both by the enlightened people of "Chavatzelet" (the newspaper that was headed by Fromkin) and by the extremists who lived in Jerusalem. Even though when he was still living abroad Pinnes actively promoted settling the land and the concept of nationalism (see his collected articles in the book, "Yaldei Ruchi"), he could not use funds that came to him from Montifiore to support the new settlements. All the money was sent to the older settlements, following Montifiore's instructions. A ban was declared against him in Jerusalem because he helped establish an institution that combined Torah and labor and even taught foreign languages. And when Pinnes became involved in redeeming the lands of Petach Tikvah, he was accused of corruption.

Pinnes was a colleague of Eliezer Ben Yehuda in establishing the Language Committee, but when he supported the creation of a "Library in the name of Midrash Abarbanel" (which served as the basis for the Israeli National Library) without leaving any room for general literature but only for research and Torah works, Ben Yehuda himself sharply criticized him. The same thing happened to him when he provided financial support for the farmers of Gedeira to enable them to observe the Shemitta year of 5659 (1899). When Pinnes used money that was earmarked for redemption of the land to help new penniless immigrants, Ben Yehuda once again became angry, and as part of this affair Ben Yehuda was accused of revolting against the Turkish authorities.

Eliezer Ben Yehuda also objected in very strong terms to the word "agvania," and he proposed the word "badura" for this vegetable (we know who won this dispute in the end). "Chovevei Tzion" and the members of "Bilu" – who represented this organization within Eretz Yisrael – considered Pinnes as their patron, and he even wrote the words of their hymn, "Chushu Achim" – hurry, my brothers. But this did not help him when he was removed from his position in the "Bnei Moshe" organization (which belonged to Chovevei Tzion) as a result of a disagreement with the head of the organization, Zeev Tiomkin. In the end, Pinnes became involved in financial difficulties related to the erection of an old age home in Jerusalem, and he was forced to leave Eretz Yisrael. He managed to return to Jerusalem only in 5673 (1913), and this is where he passed away, on the sixth of Adar II of that year.

In summary, it can be said that Yechiel Mechel Pinnes did not have an easy life. He tried to stay clear of the symbolic rainfall around him, but he was caught by both sides. And this figurative rainstorm continues to this very day. On one hand, it is claimed that even his brother-in-law, Dr. David Friedman from Carlin (the author of She'ailat David and Yad David) joined those who announced a ban against him (see Rabbi Betzalel Devlitzky, "Beit 5 Aharon and Yisrael," Kislev-Tevet 5766). Others claim that this is not true, and that the brother-in-law came to his defense in the Emek Haberacha Conference (see Eitam Henkin, "Hamaayan," Tevet 5769). Perhaps we can note in conclusion that in one way Pinnes did manage to combine two different worlds: he had two sons-in-law, one an Ashkenazi (David Yalin) and the other a Sephardi (Yosef Meyuchas). And in his time this was not a matter to be treated lightly.

Words of Torah by our Subject: "Speak to Bnei Yisrael... And let him lean his hand on the head of the Olah sacrifice" [Vayikra 1:2,4]. According to the Talmud, "The men of Yisrael lean on the sacrifice but not the women" [Kidushin 36a]. The "Eretz Yisrael Congress" met in Zichron Yaacov in 5663 (1903). Menachem Ussishkin, one of the leaders of Chovevei Tzion, proposed that women be allowed to vote in this conference, but many people objected, This included Rabbi Yechiel Mechel Pinnes, who represented the Jews of Jerusalem. He claimed that allowing women to participate in the voting might lead to disputes between married couples and in this way disrupt the sanctity of family life. "A woman is a 'comrade' only to her husband," he declared. Dr. Hillel Yaffeh, the physician of the settlements, responded, "In a home where disagreements can take place many other reasons will be found for arguments, and in homes where this is not possible there is no problem." But Pinnes stuck to his opinion, and not only for halachic reasons. He claimed that allowing women to participate in the Zionist organization was "against Hebrew nature."

(Source: an article by Prof. Margalit Shilo)

INSIGHTS FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE by Bar-on Dasberg

The Covenant of Salt

Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is very strong. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a very strong base. Both are extremely corrosive and relatively unstable, but when they are chemically combined they form neutral substances that are very stable: water (H2O) and salt (NaCl).

The word salt appears four times in a single verse: "You shall spread salt on all your Mincha sacrifices, do not abrogate your G-d's covenant of salt; add salt to all of your sacrifices." [Vayikra 2:13]. It may be that salt plays a symbolic role: In a sacrifice which serves as a link between two very distant elements, physical man and the infinite Holy One, Blessed be He, salt is added to show that even such contrasting materials can be combined into a stable link.

(Last year we explained the "covenant of salt" differently, but after all "The Torah has seventy different faces.")

(Source: Barbara Mevorach)

Blood does not Rise Up

According to the Rambam, the goal of the sacrifices is to keep us far removed from idol worship (Moreh Nevuchim 3:46). The Rambam shows that the laws of our sacrifices are the opposite of the laws of idol worship. For example, those who worshiped the "Tzava" felt that blood is the food of the demons. As opposed to this approach, we spread the blood of a sacrifice around the outside of the Altar and not on top of it.

Since during the last two hundred years many literary works from the ancient east have been discovered, we now know even more about the spiritual beliefs that existed when the Torah was given. This allows us to extend the Rambam's

6 approach and to find other ways that our sacrifices contradict specific instances of idol worship.

It is our belief that man was created from the dust of the earth combined with the spirit of G-d. That is what Kohellet meant by the verse, "And the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to G-d, who gave it" [12:7]. As opposed to this, according to the "Atrakhasis Epic" (Babylonian mythology), the gods killed the deity "Vei" and created the first man from his blood. Since according to this approach blood is the divine part of man, idol worshippers sacrificed the blood in the belief that it would return to the god from which it originally came. But we purposely do the opposite: Even for the Olah sacrifice, where the Kohen offers everything on the Altar as a pleasant offering to G-d (Vayikra 1:9), this refers only to the flesh. The blood is sprinkled on the side of the Altar and trickles down to the ground. It does not rise up.

This principle applies not only to animals. The first time that a human being died, the Almighty said, "the voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the earth" [Bereishit 4:10].

A LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN

Free for the Taking! - by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen, Director of the Or Etzion Institute – Publishing Torah Books of Quality

The whole country buzzed with the news of the new campaign. In every corner, huge faces smiled out from billboards, and all the newspapers were filled with advertising, as were the Shabbat bulletins. All that a person had to do was collect twenty bottle caps from "Greataste," the drink that was being advertised, and you would take part in the great raffle. The first prize was mind-boggling! The winner would be invited to wander around the biggest department store in the city and to take anything – all for free!

Together with all the others, Shimi also collected bottle caps and sent them to "Greataste." He waited with baited breath for more than two months. And then, one day, he saw a colored envelope in the mail with the symbol of "Greataste." He grabbed the envelope excitedly and tore it open. His shout of joy could be heard as far away as the next block: "I won! I get first prize!" Neighbors and friends crowded around, and they added to the excitement. "The department store is huge, it has five floors!" one said. "It has very expensive and beautiful clothes!" a neighbor exclaimed. "In the computer department you can get the latest and most advanced computers in the world!" a young boy said. And it went on and on.

The great day came. Shimi arrived at the department store, and the rules of the game were explained to him by a hostess from the "Greataste" company. From the moment that a loud gong would be sounded, he was free to roam through every corner of the store with a large shopping cart. All the departments were opened for him, and he could take anything he wanted during the hour. He would not have a watch. Exactly one hour later the gong would sound again, and the game would be over.

Shimi rested his hand on the shopping cart, and the first gong sounded. He ran first to the clothing department, but there was such an abundance that he was confused and he didn't know what to take. After feeling the clothing, he randomly took a sample of every kind of clothing that was there. Then he ran to the toy department. Shimi found it hard to decide which games would keep him occupied for the longest times and what game was best to take for free. In the end he chose some expensive games. Now he began to feel hungry, and he turned towards the food department. He enjoyed ordering a double hamburger and a Coke, but he did not sit down to eat the food. It would be a waste of time! He washed his hands, made a blessing, and took a bite out of the roll. He put the food in a bag and took it with him. On to the computer department! He had checked in advance with his friend, a computer expert, 7 and he knew which one was the most advanced computer. He took one together with a screen, a scanner, and some other components such as an accelerator and a performance enhancer. Of course the price of the entire system was very large – but who cared, everything was free!

The loud sound of the gong interrupted Shimi's thoughts. "What?" he shouted. "Is that all I managed to do?" He looked at his large shopping cart, and all he saw was a collection of five or six new garments and a similar number of games. The remains of his hamburger dripped on one of the new shirts, making a small stain.

Shimi threw away the Coke bottle, which was still full, and he couldn't understand how he had missed such a great opportunity. He could have become rich during one hour by taking many things that he could normally only dream about! A sophisticated computer! A fine bicycle! New shoes! And there was so much more that his parents could not afford to buy! Why did he waste his precious time with some clothing and with a hamburger??

* * * * * *

This story is an allegory. G-d gives us the years of our lives in order to gather mitzvot and good deeds. Everything is free! Do we utilize the time fully in order to do good in this world, or will we one day stop and ask ourselves why we wasted so much time on trivial things?

Reactions and suggestions for stories: [email protected]

ONE ON ONE – Interview of the Week

Chassidut, Jazz, and Irish Music - by Assaf Golan

Assaf Naveh-Shalom (28), a singer and composer from Jerusalem, has just released his third disc, "Tachanot" – stations. In his youth he went through a typical path for a child of religious Zionism: He was a member of a youth movement, Ezra, he studied in a yeshiva high school, Chorev, and he went to Hesder yeshivot in Otniel and Tekoa. All of this was followed by a period of serious service in the IDF. The unusual thing was that all along this varied path he was accompanied by music.

Here is how Assaf describes his beginnings: "From my childhood I have been playing classical music. I first studied with the teacher Gina Gelman, and then later on I joined the 'Ariel' jazz band of the Jerusalem municipality as a pianist."

After he graduated from high school, Assaf and some friends established a band which played mostly Chassidic songs. "We played in private homes and at family affairs, with our goal not to make money but rather to get experience and to advance our musical skills, in addition of course to giving the listeners pleasure."

To prove his point, Assaf notes that he and his friends donated the money that they made during this period to charity. At this time, he began to study in Hesder yeshivot and to delve more deeply into the principles of Chassidut. "This opened up a wellspring of creativity for me. Before then I mostly played well known music composed by others, but the study of books on Chassidut brought me into the world of writing my own creations."

Q: Yeshiva study and army service are not exactly conducive to music. How did you find the time to practice and to maintain your proficiency during all those years?

A: "In my case, the time I spent in the army helped me advance from the point of view of my music. I was stationed as a medic in a combat unit in lonely outposts on the border of Lebanon, and there, during motorized 8 scouting trips looking out over the charmed scenery of the mountains in Lebanon, I would play. My guitar was always with me, it was part of my standard equipment. It was there that I took on the practice of reciting Tehillim regularly, and this gave me an opportunity to compose new tunes."

But in spite of all this, he probably would not have made music into a career if not for his wife. "I would put everything that I wrote away in a drawer. I did this for years. And then I got married. One day my wife heard my songs, and she insisted that they should be recorded. In the end she convinced me, and I started on the long and not very easy road of producing more discs. Now it was not only Chassidic music but jazz too."

At this point Nave-Shalom reveals the second love of his life, after music: basketball. This is an occupation that fills much of his daily routine. "I teach basketball to the children's team of Hapoel in Jerusalem."

Q: Basketball and music? Isn't that a rather odd combination?

A: "When I served as a medic in the army, I watched many basketball games, and I began to understand the game in depth. I found that I am good at analysis, planning, and tactics, which can serve as a basis for practice, and I began to enjoy the game. When I was released from the army it was only natural for me to study this subject professionally."

We return to what is still his main occupation, and Assaf tells me that in addition to Chassidic music and jazz he has also been influenced by Irish music. "I was exposed to this on my honeymoon. After we were married my new wife and I traveled to Ireland, where I heard the people playing music and singing. I felt that I could integrate Chassidic and Irish music, and to also mix in Jewish Pop. That is my goal, combining both rhythm and spirit."

Q: What about the demands of the world in which you exist, such as the need for such items as advertising and public relations? As a religious person, doesn't the need to be involved in all the external elements bother you?

A: "That is a good question. For me personally, the inner content is much more important than the external form. This is true in composing music too. It is only from the inner depths of the word that you have chosen to sing, whether it is a verse from Tehillim or an original song, that the tune can be built up. As far as I am concerned, music is a tool for entering into the depths of elements that go beyond the day to day routine, beyond the senses. This is a constant challenge for all of us, the religious people – to find new excitement in texts from the sources, based on their internal music, and then to express the holiness in the notes. This is the essence of our Divine service."

Assaf puts what he calls his "Divine service" into practice in appearances in the area of Jerusalem. He plays his own songs and tunes from various Chassidic sects, and he accompanies nights of singing and the "Tish" of the Modzitz Chassidut, which is open to the public.

E-mail: [email protected]

STRAIGHT TALK

Do Religious People Miss Out on the Joys of Life? – by Yoni Lavie, Manager, "Chaverim Makshivim" Website

"Shalom, my name is Ronit. I am a religious student twenty-two years old. On Students Day in the university a standup performance is brought to the campus, with the most prominent stars in the country. I asked my friend if it was worth going to see, and she replied, 'Of course it is worth it. But not for you. It is not really meant for religious people, if you get what I mean...' This really upset me. I can guess what kinds of things will happen 9 there, and I know that almost all of my fellow students will be there too, and I am the only one who can't go. Why? Because I am religious.

"This is not the first time that this has happened to me. At the end of last week, when a wild month of exams had finally finished, I went to Tel Aviv with a few of my classmates. We wanted to clear our heads and to calm down. We wandered around the promenade at night, and it felt wonderful. Then we decided to get something to eat and we looked for a good restaurant. I was the only religious one there, and I wanted to go into a kosher place. We walked around for almost twenty minutes, but we could not find a single one. Why? It seems that all the restaurants are open on Shabbat, so that none of them has a kashrut certificate. In the end my hungry friends picked a fish restaurant, and I felt like an idiot sitting on the side watching them eat.

"I am religious and I have faith, and I make a real effort to observe the halacha (which is not easy among the group of people with whom I live). But quite often I get the feeling that as religious people we are not able to truly enjoy life. Because of all the limitations and prohibitions that the Torah has set before us, we are always blocked in our ways.

"And now we come to my question: When somebody is religious and has faith, does that mean that he or she must necessarily enjoy life less than other people?"

Ronit.

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Dear Ronit,

When I showed your letter to a friend of mine, his reaction was: "What does that mean? Who says we should enjoy life? We came to this world in order to observe the mitzvot and to serve G-d. Pleasure is meant only for the world to come. Now what is necessary is to roll up our sleeves and get to work. It is written, 'A man is born to toil' [Iyov 5:7]. Isn't that true?"

There is no doubt that some religious people are convinced that a life of Torah and a life of pleasure do not go together. They console themselves that this will be seen to have been worthwhile in the world to come.

But the truth is that this entire discussion should be approached from an entirely different angle. G-d is not against us. Just the opposite. He loves us more than we love our own selves. The purposes of Torah and mitzvot are not to make us suffer and to make our lives bitter, but rather "to do good for us, for all the days" [Devarim 6:24]. It is true that the main theme of the Torah is not "enjoying life" and collecting as many pleasures and delights as possible. The goal of the Torah is to teach human beings to live a moral and holy life, which will help to become closely attached to the Holy One, Blessed be He. However, anyone who lives according to the Torah can be assure that he or she will also gain the most on the level of personal pleasure. Perhaps this requires restraint at a specific moment, to temporarily give up certain things, but whoever does so will in the end benefit greatly from the process. The Creator of the world and of mankind gave us the best possible blueprint for a balanced life, taking into account the body, the soul, and the spirit. This is a life which is not overpowered by simple strength or certain other paths that stray from the forces of life but rather one that finds the way to make perfect harmony among all of life's forces.

Let me give a small example about this, specifically from an area where we as religious people tend to feel that we are missing something. I am talking about the subject of love. There is no other subject in the world that we talk about so much, that occupies us so much, and that we yearn for so much, as love. But when you ask yourself about the status of love all over the 10 world, the answer is clear: It is not good at all! Large numbers of divorce, many instances of unfaithful relationships, lack of trust, much frustration, and spiritual scars galore. Many people have completely lost faith in the institution of marriage and despair of ever finding true love. But now look at the approach of the Torah. There can be no doubt that the Torah demands in the area of contact between men and women are very stringent – but it can be clearly seen that somebody who follows this path has a much better chance to find true love, a secure relationship, satisfaction, and happiness, and to establish a viable family, than one who follows any other path.

With G-d's help, at the end of our lives we will arrive in the Garden of Eden. But one who is intimately connected to the way of the Torah will be able to feel a bit of the taste of the Garden here, in this world.

E-mail: [email protected]

HALACHA FROM THE SOURCE

Should one Keep his Fear of G-d a Secret? - by Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon, Rabbi of Southern Alon Shevut and a teacher in Yeshivat Har Etzion

"A person should always fear G-d in secret and openly... Blessed is He who sanctifies His name in public." This prayer, which we recite as a prelude to the Keriyat Shema before the morning prayers, is attributed to Eliyahu's house of study (Chapter 21). Evidently it was written at a time of forced conversions, and that is why it includes the phrase, "a person should fear G-d in secret," while entertaining a hope that the situation will improve and that the secret can be revealed in the future (Shibolei Leket 6). Today the custom is to write both, "in secret and openly" (or, "in secret as in the open"). According to the RAVIA the purpose of this prayer is to repair the problem of desecration of G-d's name in the world ("in the theaters and the circuses") by calling out in G-d's name.

The early commentators disagreed whether this blessing should end with the name of G-d (Tosafot Berachot 46a; Pesachim 104b; Rokeach 302, and others; the text of the GRA) or if G-d's name should not be mentioned explicitly (Rambam in the text of the prayers; ARI in Derech Pikudecha 30; Shulchan Hatahor 48:10). In general the Ashkenazi form is with G-d's name and the Sephardim do not mention His name.

"Shema Yisrael"

According to the RAMA (46), the Shema is recited before the prayers as an aid to those who start to pray late, giving them an opportunity to recite the Shema before the time limit. Some early commentators feel that the Shema at this point is related to the beginning of the prayer, "A person should always fear G-d..." (RAVIA, ibid; Pitchei Teshuva Yoreh Dei'ah 341:17 writes that the end of the blessing, "He who sanctifies His name..." should not be recited after the end of the time for reciting the Shema). Others note that it is best to explicitly have in mind not to fulfill the obligation of reciting the Shema before the prayers, since it is best to perform the mitzva together with the recitation of the proper blessings (quoted by Mishna Berura 31).

What if a person is not sure if he will be able to recite the blessings in the morning prayers in time? According to Rabbi Akiva Eiger (Hagahot 46), he should make an explicit condition that if he doesn't reach the Shema in time the reading before the prayers will be accepted as a fulfillment of the mitzva. But the Maharsham finds this hard to accept (Daat Torah 46), since one cannot perform a Torah mitzva conditionally and then decide later which version of the act will be accepted! The answer given in responsa Elef Lecha Shlomo (42) is that this is acceptable even for a Torah mitzva when what is involved is a matter of intentions. A similar opinion is given by Tzitz Eliezer (7:4). In Responsa Eretz Tzvi it is written (1:21) that even without 11 a specific condition being expressed, if a person recites the Shema twice the most appropriate reading of the passage will automatically be accepted as a fulfillment of the obligation.

Rabbi Blumenzweig has serious doubts about the possibility of reading the Shema on condition, since after all this is a matter of accepting the yoke of heaven! He therefore writes that it is best to avoid such a situation and to make sure to recite the Shema with its blessings at the proper time.

This implies that a person who is confident that he will recite the Shema at the proper time in the morning prayers is not required at all to say the passage before the start of the prayers. Others do recite the Shema, based on the statement in the Zohar (Behar 108) that the impure spirit does not leave a person after sleep until he recites the Shema, which corresponds to the 248 organs in his body (see Hilchot Shlomo 7:2).

Precedence Order for One who is Late

The "Pesukai D'Zimra" – passages from Tehillim before the prayers – take precedence over the reading of the sacrifices, but it is best not to miss the blessing involved. The passage of the Tamid sacrifice is the most important passage about the sacrifices, and it should take precedence over the passage of praise for dedication of the Temple (Mizmor Shir, Tehillim 30). (Perhaps the Tamid also takes precedence over "Hodu", "And David blessed" [Divrei Hayamim I 29], and the epic poem at the Red Sea – since these were all instituted at the time of the Geonim.) In any case, one should try to repeat the passage of the Tamid after the end of the prayers (Halichot Shlomo 6, note 20, in the name of Rabbi S.Z. Auerbach).

A CHASSIDIC THREAD

Everybody Peels Potatoes – by Rabbi Shlomo Shok, Principal of the Michmas Talmud Torah

One of the most serious difficulties of the totalitarian leaders who rule their nations without any limits is their lack of any desire (and as time goes on their lack of ability) to picture the distress of the solitary men and women who struggle day in and day out to maintain their financial and social status. The eye of the ruler can no longer see and it loses all sensitivity, and it becomes an evil eye which is mostly occupied with the question of how to eat from the "cake" of the leadership of the country while at the same time keeping it whole. Perhaps the uprisings taking place in the Arab countries are part of a revolution that demands that rulers – and in fact every single one of us – take note of the fact that the "people" are a collection of individuals, which means that the leader has been brought down by headlines that do not necessarily correspond to the truth. The "little man" on the street, the one who usually does not have the time or the energy to pick his head up from his mundane life, has shown that he can suddenly take hold of his fate and object in a violent way to the usual assumption that the land is led by a master, a tyrant, and that all the puny subjects are oppressed.

Even Achashverosh, who comes into our sights as Adar begins, tried to blur the true identity of his wife Vashti, and from there the path to destroying her completely was very short. The tyranny shown by Achashverosh, which at first glance appears to be a simple problem of family relationships, thus becomes a problem for all the women in the empire – "Let every man rule in his home" [Esther 1:22].

There is a well known statement by Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook about our Arab cousins. He said that we do not have any argument with individual Arabs, rather we have a struggle against the Arab nation. What is needed is a fundamental clarification of the place of the Jew in the world and in Eretz Yisrael. In his approach, Rav Tzvi Yehuda implies that what is needed is a 12 dual attitude that uproots the natural tendency to put everybody, even the Arabs, into a single category. Instead of the tyranny that cancels out the status of the individual, Rav Tzvi Yehuda emphasized the position of the individual by himself and not as part of an overall community.

Focusing our view to concentrate on the individual in the world can significantly enhance human solidarity. Whenever we feel a tendency to show our admiration for bombastic headlines, we must make an effort to go in the opposite direction. If we are sitting in a bus that passes through an Arab village, we may see a woman peeling potatoes for her next meal. Evidently Arabs also have children who need to have meals prepared for them. Perhaps as a result of this viewpoint, some of the processes that constantly separate us into different groups – as if a saw is cutting us apart - will stop, and we will be able to discover part of the most basic and necessary common denominator that binds all of humanity.

In an Arab village A Jewish bus passes by. An Arab woman Is sitting on the porch Peeling the letters away for me. Everything was still, Even the sawing in my head Stopped.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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, write to [email protected]. 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) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *