בס“ד Toronto Beit Zichron Dov

Parshat / 10 Iyyar 5770/April 24, 2010 Vol. I Num. 27

Just Keep Counting R’ Netanel Javasky

exclusively with refining one‟s Describing the loss of the 24,000 ”לכל זמן ועת לכל חפץ תחת השמים." )קהלת ג , character. students of , the in א( Yevamot describes the world as “For everything there is a time and Along similar lines, sifrei chasidut note desolate; the Torah scholars were season under the heavens.” (Kohelet that Sefirat HaOmer, unlike the counting completely eradicated. But the count 3:1) of the years of the shemitah cycle, is a must go on. Our count towards mitzvah which is incumbent upon the The period between Pesach and religious growth and strengthening our individual. One mass counting for the Shavuot is a time designated for avodat Hashem can‟t be put on hold for a Jewish People does not adequately growth in avodat Hashem. We count few days as we try and comprehend the fulfill the Torah obligation, “usfartem towards the holiday of Shavuot, the day loss. We pause, we reflect, we analyze lachem- And you shall count for on which we stood at the foot of the and discuss, but the count must yourselves.” Indeed, many acharonim mountain, and in an unprecedented continue. display of hashra’at haShechinah (See Biur Halacha 489:1) note that Hashem presented His holy treasure, counting the Omer is different from Throughout life, countless distractions the Torah, to mortal man. Using these most other verbal mitzvot: Generally, and events require our attention and can weeks as a time of religious growth as in the case of kiddush, one who set us off course from our growth- and development can be a repeat listens to a recitation by another person oriented trek. One lesson we can learn experience of the spiritual journey of fulfills his own personal obligation. from Sefirat HaOmer is that growth must bnei yisrael, in which we morphed Sefirat HaOmer is different, though; this never take a break. No matter what else from a conglomeration of slaves individualistic mitzvah can never be we are dealing with, and what life suffering spiritual dearth, to a pure, fulfilled through someone else‟s throws our way, we must continue the holy and unified Nation, in just forty- recitation. This symbolizes that the climb towards a more complete, nine days. growth during this period is very spiritual existence. personal, requiring introspection and On an individual level, these are days personal attention. The Rambam writes in Hilchot for refining our and maturing Torah that every single person has a and developing in our avodat Hashem. Amidst the focus on our personal responsibility to learn Torah. Whether This is one of the reasons why during growth as individuals and our one is rich or poor, old or young, the six weeks between the conclusion communal growth as a Nation, we are healthy or ill, the responsibility to learn of Pesach and Shavuot we have an age- forced to cope with a national tragedy remains. Similarly, as we climb the old custom of learning Pirkei Avot, the of enormous proportion, which spiritual and religious ladder we must section of which deals threatens to knock us off course. remain focused, continue to reach higher and higher in our religious commitment, and continue to strengthen R’ Meir Lipschitz Parshah Questions our personal relationship with Hashem. (Sources are provided to help the reader research answers) [email protected] ?a person, place, or thing עזאזל  Is (Rashi, Ramban, and Ba‟al Haturim to 16:8) Save the Date! R’ Meir Goldvicht ?קדושים תהיו  What is the mitzvah of (Rashi, Ramban, Ralbag, Da‟at Zekeinim Miba‟alei HaTosafot, Ba‟al Haturim, Siftei Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Chachamim, Netziv, HaChaim, and R‟ S.R. Hirsch to Vayikra 19:2) University/Yeshivat Rabbeinu  Why does the Torah say that one may not curse a deaf person? Yitzchak Elchanan (Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Rashbam, Ramban, Rabbeinu Bachaye, Rekanti Seforno, Kli Leil , May 7 Yakar, Siftei Chachamim, Netziv, R‟ S.R. Hirsch, Shaarei Aharon, and Da‟at Mikra to Vayikra 19:14, and Sefer HaChinuch 231) Tisch at Ayin L’Tzion Shabbat Day, May 8  For children: Should a Jew want cheeseburgers? (Rashi to Vayikra 20:26) Derashah at Ayin L’Tzion [email protected]

Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future

A Love/Hate Relationship Russell Levy

,a measuring rod, he approached Hillel authority, but as Pirkei Avot describes ואהבת לרעך כמוך, רבי עקיבא אומר זה כלל גדול with the same question. Hillel it was “l‟shem shamayim”, for the sake בתורה Love thy neighbour as thyself: Rabbi immediately responded, “That which of Heaven. He understood and argued Akiva says: This is an important rule of you hate, do not do to your neighbour. that this is the message that must be the Torah. The rest is commentary -- go and learn conveyed: If we see an action as hateful, it.” it is antithetical to to do this to Important rules abound in our another. literature; the Mishnah describes them Many have traditionally melded these for Shabbat and Shvi‟it [the sabbatical two statements into one overarching Unfortunately, this message and year]; the Yerushalmi applies one to principle: Be nice to others. However, warning was not heeded by the Jewish ma‟asrot [tithes]. However, by far the Rashi on the Gemara hints that we ought community. Around 60 years after Hillel most famous one is that which occurs in not combine these two mitzvot; he passed away, the Beit haMikdash was our Parsha, “Love thy neighbour as explains that Hillel was not paraphrasing destroyed because of sinat chinam, thyself”. a verse in Kedoshim, but one from baseless hatred. It was in this world that Mishlei. It would seem that each rule has R‟ Akiva was the spiritual leader of the Though each of these are described as a distinct message, both for the times of Jewish people, one in which people an important or great rule, it would Hillel and R‟ Akiva, and ours. should have realized their error of sinat seem the others are more limited. The chinam, and for this world Rabbi Akiva other principles are limited to a specific It would seem that Hillel was speaking to formulated a separate overarching subcategory of halachot -- “This is an his generation, not only teaching a principle: Love thy neighbour. important rule of shabbat/shvi‟it/ lesson for the ages. Living before the ma‟aser”. However, with respect to destruction of the Beit haMikdash, Hillel Even if the generation had learned the loving your neighbour, R‟ Akiva did not would have seen rampant sectarianism lesson not to hate their neighbour, the state, “This is an important rule of in Judaism. Each sect tried to assert its Talmud informs us that they did not interpersonal relations”, but a rule of authority in its own way, and to any achieve the heights they could have the entire Torah. outside observer, it would seem that the achieved in loving their neighbour. The Torah taught us to hate those who are Talmud explains [Yevamot 61b] that Many mitzvot govern interpersonal different. This was similar to any other 24,000 students of R‟ Akiva died during relations. What makes this rule an Western religion at the time, as is seen the Omer because they did not show overarching theme of the Torah, more in the persecutions Jews and other honour to each other. It would seem that than any other rule? minorities received at the hands of the the issue was not baseless hatred -- they dominant empires for the hundreds of did not hate each other, and did nothing In addition to this statement of R‟ Akiva, years around Hillel. that they would see as hateful to their we have a similar statement of Hillel the fellow man. However, they did not Elder in the Talmud [Shabbat 31a]. A Hillel understood that this was not what achieve the heights of love, either. potential convert wanted the entire Judaism was about. When he argued Torah explained to him on one foot. with anyone, be it or sectarian R‟ Akiva, unlike his students, realized After being shooed from Shammai with Jews, he was not doing this to assert his that when a cup breaks, you cannot just put the pieces back together without glue; one cannot assume that what The 613 Mitzvot – Mitzvah 32 : would work before the destruction (avoiding hatred) is enough to merit the Refraining from Melachah on Shabbat rebuilding after it has been destroyed. In every relationship, be it with our parents, our spouses, our children, our The word melachah, as used in the spend Shabbat thinking about friends, or Hashem, the amount of effort context of Shabbat, refers to the tasks HaShem‟s creation of the universe. needed to continue good rapport is performed in the mishkan (Shabbat much less than we require after the  On another level, Shabbat relationship is hurt in some way. 49b; Bava Kama 2a). All of these tasks, commemorates our freedom from and tasks which have similar slavery in Egypt. A slave cannot rest; R‟ Akiva realized that after the purposes or methods, are prohibited we are given a day of rest to show that destruction, after our relationship with on Shabbat, as an outgrowth of the HaShem made us into free people. Hashem was damaged, we needed to do Torah‟s instruction, “You shall more than blot out hatred from the perform no melachah.”  In yet another approach, Rav world. We are required to the extra step Shimshon Raphael Hirsch suggested The sages have identified many and to respect, to love other Jews, just that on Shabbat we cease creating in benefits of refraining from performing as we want to be loved. Today, this is order to recognize that we are not melachah on Shabbat: the great rule of the Torah, and it is unlimited masters of this world, to through following this rule completely  One reason, as brought by the Sefer manipulate it as we choose. that we will merit a rebuilding of the haChinuch, is that we are meant to [email protected] Beit [email protected]

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Maharshal-R’ Shlomo ben Yechiel Luria R’ Mordechai Torczyner

Torah in Translation Rabbi Shlomo ben Yechiel Luria (Maharshal) was born in Following the approximately 1510 in Poland, to a Responsa of Maharshal 98 rabbinic family which traced its roots to Rashi. He was a cousin of Rav Moshe [Note: Of course, there are other the Agur recorded that he found Isserles, with whom he engaged in on- three laws in the Zohar, one of which going halachic and philosophical halachic points of view. We do not cite disputes, and he studied with some of this as a halachic ruling.] is the one we have mentioned, and all the greatest halachic minds of the of our ancestors studied and analyzed generation. You asked whether I don the hand-tefillin greatly that work [the Zohar], and yet Rabbi Luria served as rabbi in Brisk while sitting or standing, because you they were not concerned for it. The and other communities before coming have seen many careful people do it Agur himself wrote that he did not to Lublin to head a yeshiva, in 1567, while seated. find this law in the work of other where he remained until he passed on writers in his day. Open your eyes in 1573. Rabbi Luria was independent in his thinking, researching every Know, my friend, that new people have and see! If this ruling had substance, come from nearby, wishing to be among halachic idea to its core and accepting it is impossible that it would not have nothing as a given, and he criticized the kabbalists, those who analyze the been mentioned by some author, that the stances of others without asking or secrets and whose eyes are too weak to all hints in Talmud Bavli or giving any quarter. He wrote, “Many see, but they have never seen the light of Yerushalmi, , Pesikta or Sheiltot are ordained, but few know anything.” the Zohar and know not its rising and would have been lost. Rav Yosef Maharshal‟s published works include setting and intent, only that they have Karo‟s position was accurate, in commentaries to the Talmud, to the Sefer Mitzvot Gadol and to Rashi on the found this in the books of Rabban Shimon bringing many things from the Zohar bar Yochai. Torah, in addition to halachic but not bringing this law; he was not responsa. concerned for it. Know, my friend: I saw that all of my holy mentors and ancestors, who served the Further, know that Rabban Shimon this seal, for the essential seal is in great ones, practiced only the words of bar Yochai‟s intent was to distinguish the hand-tefillin, as it is written, „Like the Talmud and halachic authorities. If between the hand and head tefillin, a seal upon his [sic] arm.‟ Rabban Shimon bar Yochai would stand as though they were built on two before us and scream that we should separate foundations, the hand tefillin Therefore, my friend, do not go with alter our ancestral custom, we would not linked to seated prayer and the head them upon the path; you have no listen; the halachah does not follow most tefillin linked to standing prayer… involvement in the hidden matters of of his rulings, as Rav Yosef Karo wrote. One who comes to analyze will those who arrogantly create new There is proof in that he wrote great analyze, but the truth will show its phenomena as though they knew and secrets and marvelous cautions against path, and one who does not know understood the secrets of Torah. I reciting two berachot on the head and how to grasp its secret properly will wish they knew the revealed parts of arm tefillin, and we pay him no attention come, swiftly, to cut the saplings Torah!... and we recite two berachot. He also [meaning, to err in fundamental wrote that one who dons tefillin on chol matters]. I will also tell you that I received from hamoed is liable for death, and we don my great father-in-law, R‟ Klonymus tefillin and recite a berachah upon them! I have also found [see commentary of z”l, who received from the great Granted that Israelis do not don tefillin the Rokeiach to Shma] that one must chasid Rabbi Daniel z”l, disciple and on chol hamoed at all, for the Rashba don tefillin while standing because servant of the Terumat haDeshen z”l, nullified the practice based on the view there is nothing more sacred than this who saw that his custom matched of the R”i, but that was not solely act; it is like a servant before his ours. Therefore, practice your custom because of the Zohar. master, accepting his seal of and they will have theirs, but know servitude. They do not distinguish that all who alter have the lower Do not say that our ancestors lacked between the hand and head tefillin, hand. We have the upper hand. knowledge of the apocryphal works and it also seems clear that one [email protected] which were found before the kabbalists; should stand immediately to receive

Visit us at www.torontotorah.com 3 Summer Morning Kollel For Women

9:15 AM Preparation Time

Shiur

Mondays: Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner: Hilchot Tevilat Kelim 10:00 AM

Thursdays: Rabbi Greenberg: Sefer Bamidbar - The Turbulence of Traveling

10:45 AM Shiur Ends

Free! * Located in Thornhill [email protected] or call 416-781-1777 to register Schedule for the Week of April 24, 10 Iyyar

Shabbat, April 24 Derasha R‟ Mordechai Torczyner Ateret Mordechai Wednesday, April 28 7:50AM R‟ Azarya Berzon, Ramban al haTorah,Or Chaim 9:15AM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner, Pirkei Avot, 239 Franklin, Babysitting Following Hashkama R‟ Azarya Berzon, Clanton Park provided Women 5:30PM Women‟s Shiur, R‟ Mordechai Torczyner BAYT 7:30PM Lipschitz, Ramchal‟s Derech Hashem, Kehillat Shaarei 6:40PM R‟ Azarya Berzon, Mizrachi Bayit Torah Men and Women Sunday, April 25 Thursday, April 29 Community Beit Midrash, FHJC: R‟ Mordechai Torczyner, Am I 11:00AM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Masechet (Advanced), Clanton Park Men Butting In, Or Am I Doing You A Favour? 3:40PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Hilchot Muktzah (Advanced), Clanton Park Men 9:15AM Itamar Zolberg, Shiur B‟Ivrit Zichron Yisrael 8:30PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Halachah and Life Issues, Clanton Park Men 8:30PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Masechet Kiddushin Shaarei Shomayim 9:00PM Russell Levy: Contemporary Halachah: Converting for Marriage, Monday, April 26 B‟nai Torah 8:35PM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Hilchot Talmud Torah Clanton Park 9:15PM R‟ Azarya Berzon:Halachic Man, Clanton Park Men Tuesday, April 27 11:00AM R‟ Azarya Berzon: Masechet Pesachim, Clanton Park Our separate men’s and women’s Summer Kollel Men 1:30PM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner: Sefer Amos with Mekorot, programs for young adults start May 3. To sign up or Shaarei Shomayim Women for more information, call 416-781-1777 or e-mail 8:15PM Russell Levy: Big Questions, Westmount [email protected]. 7:00 PM Itamar Zolberg, Megilat Ruth, Shaarei Tefillah 8:30PM R‟ Mordechai Torczyner: Minchat Chinuch off this week