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Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov בס“ד Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov Parshat Emor 20 Iyyar 5772/May 12, 2012 / 35 Omer Vol.3 Num. 30 To sponsor an issue of Toronto Torah, please contact [email protected] or 416-783-6960 A Kohen and a Levite Hillel Horovitz Fresh from reading Acharei Mot and guarding the Beit haMikdash rather than As described by Moshe in his blessing to Kedoshim, with their focus upon the performing the priestly service. The the tribe of Levi (Devarim 33:10), the sanctity of the Jewish people and its Haftorah then continues to describe the Kohanim are charged with two tasks: individuation from the rest of the family demands placed upon the Kohen and the "They will teach Your laws to Yaakov, of nations, we continue to discuss gifts he would receive from the Israelites, and Your Torah to Israel; they will place matters of holiness in Parshat Emor. matters which appropriately complement incense before You and whole offerings This portion presents laws related to the the contents of our Torah portion. upon Your altar." The first task, sanctity of Kohanim, and the sanctity of teaching Israel, is assigned to the entire Let us focus on Yechezkel's interesting Time as expressed via the holidays. tribe of Levi; the second task, service in turn of phrase, "the Kohanim the the Beit haMikdash, is assigned to the The connection between the two Levites." Are there Kohanim who are not Kohanim, sons of Aharon. The sanctities described in our portion is Levites? This expression first appears in expression, "The Kohanim the Levites", profound in meaning and message. To Devarim 17:9, and understanding its emphasizes the former role of understand it well, let us examine the meaning in context may aid us in education, which stems from the dual Haftorah which complements Parshat understanding what Yechezkel intends to role of serving G-d and educating the Emor, a prophecy from the book of add to the normal term, "Kohen." Yechezkel (44:15-31). This comforting people, facilitating the spirituality of the Devarim 17:9 says, "And you shall come prophecy, presented to the exiled Jewish Children of Israel. to the Kohanim the Levites, and to the nation approximately fourteen years Yechezkel teaches us why the children judge who will be there in those days, after the destruction of the first Beit of Tzaddok will merit to serve in the Beit and you will inquire, and they will tell haMikdash, describes the return of the haMikdash: They have the potential to you the verdict." This instruction is Kohanim to the Beit haMikdash. be "The Kohanim the Levites", priests as stated regarding the judicial process, and well as teachers. Regarding Kohanim The Haftorah begins (Yechezkel 44:15), so it may be assumed that the purpose is who remember their duty to the nation, "And the Kohanim the Levites, to approach a judge for a ruling, not to understanding that they serve in the descendants of Tzaddok, who guarded approach a Kohen for a priestly service. Beit haMidrash as well as Beit My Temple when the Children of Israel The court ought to include Kohanim (Sifri haMikdash, G-d says, "They will bring wandered away from Me, will draw near Devarim 153), and the location is the offerings upon My table, to serve Me." to Me to serve Me." Yechezkel informs Temple Mount, but the function is legal. the Jewish people that the Kohanim And to return to our portion and its Further along, in Devarim 27:9, we find, who will serve in the Sanctuary will be sanctities of the Kohanim and of Time, "And Moshe and the Kohanim the Levites those who had guarded the Beit the Haftorah teaches that we need "The addressed all of Israel, saying: Listen, haMikdash, meaning those who had Kohanim the Levites", connecting the Israel! Today you have become a nation observed Divine commands and not Kohanim who serve in the Beit for HaShem your G-d." Here, too, we do strayed. This excludes Kohanim haMikdash and the nation who comes not speak of the service performed in the described earlier in the chapter (44:10), to celebrate the holidays. The days Beit haMikdash; rather, we describe an who had not fulfilled their Divinely when the nation comes to the Temple assembly for blessings and curses. If so, commanded duty, who would be are ideal for Kohanim to fulfill their why does the Torah emphasize the consigned to serving only in the role of educational role for the entire nation. presence of "The Kohanim the Levites"? During our holidays we repeat regularly, Parshah Questions are found on the back page this week "You selected us from all of the nations," "You sanctify Israel and the [appointed] times." These times draw us Walk with our team Join us at our close to G-d, elevating Israel to a state at the UJA Walk with Israel Haramat Kosit Open House of joy and national sanctity. The Haftorah teaches us that this is the true st on Monday May 21 in honour of and central role of the Kohanim: To Yom Yerushalayim create a national educational framework which leads to sanctity, by being present in the study halls and at the Join our Team On-Line occasions of spiritual elevation. The or Sponsor Us Sunday May 20 Kohanim will live in the hub of spiritual activity, and join the nation with their at 6 to 8 PM Father in Heaven. http://bit.ly/IJ88Jj 12 Midvale, Clanton Park [email protected] Aninut on Shabbat Hitoriri: R’ Dovid Zirkind Jewish Spirituality Journey to Redemption After completing the distribution of expense of the deceased’s honour. Rabbi tithes, one recites vidui maaser, Danzig records the custom to follow the Yair Manas declaring that he was scrupulous in approach of Tosafot and not perform following the detailed laws involved. One mitzvot, at least until all the In describing the mitzvah of Sefirat such law is that the owner does not eat arrangements have been completed. (See HaOmer, the Chinuch (Mitzvah 306) any of his maaser while in a state of also Gesher HaChaim 163:4.) explains why we count from Pesach to aninut. (Devarim 26:14) If a death occurs on Shabbat or Friday, Shavuot: “The rationale for this mitzvah What is aninut? The Gemara explains without time to arrange burial before is that the Torah is the essence of the (Berachot 17b) that aninut refers to the Shabbat, relatives are confronted with Jewish people… and it is the reason period immediately following the death the overlap of Shabbat and aninut. that they were redeemed and they left of a relative, when the family is involved Halachah prohibits burial on Shabbat, Egypt, in order for them to accept the in caring for the deceased and and many arrangements may not be Torah at Sinai and abide by it.” Thus preparing for burial. At this sensitive made on Shabbat. Aninut is therefore , to the Jewish people counted to the time, a series of unique halachot apply a large extent, on hold until Shabbat is receiving of the Torah, which happened to mourners. An onen (one who is in a over. For this reason, the relatives may 49 days after the exodus from Egypt. state of aninut) may not eat meat or eat meat and drink wine like on an drink wine, recite berachot, say Shema ordinary Shabbat. A number of halachot It is well known that each of us must or daven. related to this issue are subject to consider himself as if he had left Egypt. The Rambam (Hilchot Chametz Rashi and Tosafot (commenting on the varying customs, including: wearing freshly laundered Shabbat clothes, U’Matzah 7:6) writes: “In each Gemara in Berachot) debate why the generation a person must consider onen is excused from performing singing Shalom Aleichem and blessing the children on Friday night. (See Nitei himself as if he himself had escaped mitzvot during this period. According to from the subjugation of Egypt.” If so, Rashi, the halacha of the onen is Gavriel, Laws of Mourning 1: Chapter 25.) The local Rabbi should be consulted then we must also view ourselves as if reminiscent of that of a groom on the we are the ones who are traveling in the night of his wedding, who is similarly regarding the community’s practice. desert, on our way to receive the Torah. excused from reciting Shema. When a In some respects, Shabbat during aninut Just like a child counting toward his person is focused intently on a mitzvah is similar to Shabbat during shivah, birthday, so too, lehavdil, we must before him he is not responsible to regarding the laws of aveilut which are count to receiving the Torah, the perform other mitzvot (osek b’mitzvah still observed in private. Marital relations “essence of the Jewish people.” patur min hamitzvah). Tosafot, citing the are forbidden, the mourner may not Yerushalmi, suggests a mourning- wash himself and the mirrors must Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks specific explanation; the mourner is remain covered. Technically speaking, articulates: “Leaving Egypt was only the excused from performing mitzvot when the onen is permitted to participate in beginning of freedom. Without a moral confronted so intimately with death. Seudah Shlishit in shul, although the code - the commandments heard at Rabbi Avraham Danzig (Poland 1748- custom is not to do so. Nitei Gavriel Sinai - the Israelites might have gained 1820) elaborates that the Sages demand suggests that this custom developed release from oppression, but they had one postpone the performance of because Seudah Shlishit often extends not yet acquired liberty.
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