בס“ד

Parshat Emor 17 Iyar, 5777/May 13, 2017 Vol. 8 Num. 33 This issue of Toronto Torah is graciously sponsored by Shloimie and Annie Romberg z”l רויזל מרים בת יששכר דב הכהן for the yahrtzeit of Shloimie’s grandmother Rose Troster z”l פרענדל דינה בת יוסף and Shloimie’s aunt Fanny Weiner The Non-Jew’s Korban Rabbi Baruch Weintraub After Parshat Kedoshim taught us how Why write “a man” twice? The answer is to walk a very fine line. On one hand, to sanctify ourselves in the different to be found in the words of Rabbi Akiva the non-Jew’s spiritual effort is areas of life, the first half of Parshat (Menachot 73b): “’A man, a man’ – to acknowledged and sanctified; the Torah Emor deals with the holiness of the include non- who may vow and emphasizes that his sacrifice is as holy Mikdash, those who serve in it, and volunteer burnt sacrifices as Israelites as any other, and therefore we must the sacrifices brought therein. In this can, but not peace offerings”. If so, we ensure that it is not blemished, as our context, the Torah teaches us the can now understand why the Torah offerings are supposed to be prohibition against bringing a separated the two types of korbanot unblemished. All nations are welcome blemished animal as a korban. This regarding blemishes: to teach us that in the house of G-d. On the other hand, law is presented in a very peculiar non-Jews can only bring burnt we must not turn the Beit HaMikdash way: instead of simply stating that no offerings. into a shared and combined effort. The blemished animal may be brought for peace offering, which represents a joint a sacrifice, the Torah separates the However, this answer is far from contribution of the owner, the kohen prohibitions against bringing satisfying. After all, why would the and the altar, is reserved for Jews only. blemished animals for wholly-burnt Torah connect what would seem to be As the Jews told the Samaritans, “It is offerings (korban olah) and for peace- completely different issues: the ban on not for you and for us” – we must keep offerings (korban shelamim) into two bringing blemished animals, and the our special spiritual character. different passages (22:18-20, 21-22). conditions under which a non-Jew can What is the message conveyed to us sacrifice? The question only deepens if As with many other teachings of the through this seemingly redundant we note that an explicit prohibition Torah, it is easy to fall into one repetition? against taking blemished sacrifices from sweeping position: either to completely non-Jews appears a few verses later. reject the ability of non-Jews to serve One answer is suggested by the (22:25) our G-d, ignoring both their being Seforno. (ad loc.) If the prohibition created in G-d’s image and the reality of would have been written only once, we To answer these questions, we shall G-d as the creator of all, or to may have thought that the burnt consider a different one: why, according completely equate their relationship to offering was excepted, for it is given to Rabbi Akiva, can non-Jews bring G-d with ours, failing to recognize the voluntarily, and therefore its laws are burnt offerings but not peace offerings? special status of the Jewish People as less strict. Alternatively, maybe peace- We encounter a similarly puzzling “G-d’s firstborn son”. Our parshah offerings would be the exception, due distinction when we contrast Shlomo’s challenges us to hold to a much more to their lower state of holiness. prayer at the inauguration of the first complex view – sanctifying the korban of Therefore, the Torah specifies that Beit HaMikdash, asking G-d to heed the others, and yet holding fast to the role both must be unblemished. request of the non-Jew coming from a of a “priestly kingdom and a holy far land (Melachim I 8:41-43), and the nation”. Our Sages’ understanding of this Jews’ openly hostile rejection of the parshah may hint at a different lesson. Samaritans’ offer to assist them in [email protected] They made an interesting observation: building the second Beit HaMikdash, “It in the verse speaking about burnt is not for you and for us to build a offerings, the Torah uses a double House for our G-d, but we ourselves term – “A man, a man, from the house shall build.” (Ezra 4:2) of or from the strangers among Israel who offers up his sacrifice…” Our tradition, it seems, is instructing us

OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER

SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING

AVREICHIM ADAM FRIEDMANN, YARON PEREZ

CHAVERIM ISAAC BUSHEWSKY, URI FRISCHMAN, NADAV GASNER, SHIMMY JESIN, BJ KOROBKIN, YOSEPH LEVI, ZACK MINCER, RONI PEREZ, JOSH PHILLIP, JACOB POSLUNS, DAVID RIABOY, MORDECHAI ROTH, ARIEL SHIELDS, DAVID SUTTNER, DAVID ZARKHINE Find our upcoming shiurim on-line at WOMEN’S BEIT MIDRASH MRS. ORA ZIRING, MRS. ELLIEZRA PEREZ www.torontotorah.com

CHAVEROT YAKIRA BEGUN, NOA BORDAN, MAYTAL CUPERFAIN, MIRA GOLDSTEIN, KAYLA HALBERSTADT, LEORA KARON, RIVKA SAVAGE, KAYLA SHIELDS, ARIELA We are grateful to SNOWBELL, SARAH WAPNER, MIRIAM WEISS Continental Press 905-660-0311 Book Review: With Perfect Faith Adam Friedmann

With Perfect Faith: Foundations of of the physical world, the Torah, and explaining how they differ from, or Jewish Belief philosophy as a whole. Therefore, any agree with Rambam’s perspective. Rabbi J. David Bleich, Editor critical review of the thirteen principles Ktav Publishers (1983) needs to consider not only the basic The book is entirely in English, making text, deriving from Rambam’s the sources accessible to those who About the Editor Commentary to the Mishnah, but also cannot understand them in their Rabbi Dr. J. David Bleich serves as a Rambam’s other writings and the original languages, either Hebrew or Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University’s writings of other medieval Jewish Judeo-Arabic. The only, slight, Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. philosophical thinkers. The goal of this inconvenience in this regard is that the He is also the head of the latter’s Yadin volume is to provide the source translations used for the citations are Yadin Kollel for training rabbinical material for just that kind of analysis. not the most up to date, meaning the judges. In addition, he has taught English itself is somewhat stilted. philosophy, particularly ethics, at both Content, Structure, and Style the undergraduate and graduate levels The volume opens with a general Final Thoughts in Yeshiva University’s various schools, introduction from Rabbi Bleich about This volume is a valuable resource for and is a regular lecturer at its Cardozo the value of dogma in Judaism. The anyone who seeks to move beyond the School of Law. Rabbi Bleich has first section of the book takes up this basic understanding of the Thirteen published prolifically on both halachah theme, including the full text of the Principles towards a deeper grasp of and philosophy. Thirteen Principles, as well as the intellectual context in which selections from other thinkers who Rambam made his dogmatic claims. Concept of the Book range from agreeing in part with Rabbi Bleich’s introductions serve to Rambam’s Thirteen Principles of Faith Rambam’s list, to rejecting the tie the various sources together, have become a foundation for Jewish existence of “Jewish dogma” offering a potential explanation of philosophical discussion. However, altogether. Following this are thirteen Rambam’s ideas. These can serve as Rambam was not the only thinker to chapters, one for each principle, which the basis for one’s own thinking on the develop a systematic approach to the include selections from other great subject, which can be developed bases of our beliefs and he was not the medieval Jewish thinkers such as through a thoughtful reading of the first to discuss the range of Rabbis Yosef Albo, Sa’adia Gaon, book overall. philosophical topics which relate to Yehudah HaLevi, Abarbanel, and those thirteen principles. Furthermore, others. Each chapter is introduced by [email protected] Rambam’s words do not appear in Rabbi Bleich, who provides framing for vacuum; they reflect his understanding the passages that are quoted,

Israel’s Chief Rabbis: Rabbi Benny Elon Yaron Perez

Rabbi Binyamin (Benny) Elon Rabbi Elon and his wife, author Emunah Elon, established 5715 (1954) - 5777 (2017) Press, through which he personally published a Chief Rabbi, Kibbutz Shluchot (1978-1982) commentary to Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook’s Ma’amar haDor. He also established Tov Ro’i Press, which published Rabbi Binyamin Elon’s father was Rabbi Dr. , Rabbi Kook’s commentary to the Talmud. Rabbi and a legal scholar and judge who served as Vice President of Rabbanit Elon have six children; his son Uri created a Israel’s Supreme Court. Rabbi Binyamin Elon was born in popular television series, Shtissel. and learned in Yeshivat Mercaz haRav; he was ordained in 1978, and he was appointed Chief Rabbi of In 2014, Rabbi Elon suffered a relapse of cancer, but he Kibbutz Shluchot in Northern Israel. Rabbi Elon taught in continued his public activities until his passing last Friday. Machon Meir, Ateret Kohanim and Birkat Moshe (Maaleh In 2016, he received the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism, and Adumim), among other yeshivot. In 1990, Rabbi Elon worked an interviewer asked him, “What is the most important with Rabbi to establish Yeshivat Beit Orot on message you would like to convey today?” Rabbi Elon Mount Scopus; he served as the first Rosh Yeshiva, for six replied, “Nothing is more important than family continuity, years. the chain of generations that joins segment to segment in a deep Jewish, historical dimension. Each person does what Beginning in the late 1980’s, Rabbi Elon became active in he can, but an individual’s time is limited unless he lives opposing what would become the Oslo Accords. In 1996, he with the knowledge that he is part of the eternal Israel. Not was elected to Israel’s 14th , representing the as a cliché, but as a living experience in which I remember, party; he would go on to serve four terms. After Minister at all times, that I am the child of my parents and Rechavam Ze’evi was murdered by terrorists in 2001, Rabbi grandparents, the father of my children and the grandfather Elon was appointed to lead the party; he also became the of my grandchildren.” (http://www.inn.co.il/News/ government’s Minister of Tourism. He staunchly opposed News.aspx/322746) Disengagement; in 2004, Prime Minister removed his ministerial portfolio, as part of a move to acquire May his memory be for a blessing. a majority of Cabinet votes in favour of the initiative. [email protected] In 2008, after leaving the Knesset, Rabbi Elon became the first leader of the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, which organizes pro-Israel lobbies in government bodies around the world, and supports pro-Israel Christian groups as well.

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com & www.facebook.com/torontotorah Torah and Translation Biography Resorting to Non-Jewish Courts Rabbi Dr. Menachem Elon R’ Dr. Menachem Elon, HaMishpat Ha’Ivri pp. 13-15 Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner Translated by Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

A clear expression of the religious and ביטוי מובהק לאופיו הדתי והלאומי של .Born in Dusseldorf, Germany, Rabbi Dr national nature of Jewish Law is found in המשפט העברי נמצא באיסור ההליכה Justice Menachem Elon was twelve years the prohibition against going to the לערכאות של נכרים – איסור שחכמי old in 1935, when his family fled Europe courts of non-Jews – a prohibition to ההלכה ומנהיגי העם התייחסו אליו for then-Palestine. He studied in which halachic authorities and national בחומרה יתרה. סמוך לחורבן הבית, כאשר Yeshivat Chevron, and was ordained by leaders assigned special severity. Around צומצמה לתקופה קצרה האוטונומיה Rabbi Ben-Zion Uziel and Rabbi Yitzchak ,the time of the destruction of the Temple השיפוטית העברית על ידי השלטון הרומי. -HaLevi Herzog. He pursued a decades long legal career in private practice and when the autonomy of Jewish jurisdiction אנו שומעים: ”תניא: היה רבי טרפון אומר: then at the Justice Ministry, as well as a was narrowed for a brief time by Roman כל מקום שאתה מוצא אגוריאות )=מקום parallel career teaching law at Hebrew authorities, we hear, “It is taught: Rabbi אסיפות עם שבו התנהלו משפטים( של גוים, University and numerous universities Tarfon said: Wherever you find agoryaot אע“פ שדיניהם כדיני ישראל, אי אתה רשאי outside of Israel. (places of communal gathering for litigation) of the nations, even if their laws להיזקק להם, שנאמר ’ ואלה המשפטים are like the laws of Israel, you may not אשר תשים לפניהם‘ לפניהם ולא לפני גוים. Rabbi Elon was appointed to Israel’s make use of them. ‘And these are the )גיטין פח:(“ Supreme Court in 1977, and in 1988 he became Vice President of the Supreme judgments you shall place before them Court; he served in that role until his (Exodus 21:1)’ – before them [the Jews], retirement in 1993. He was outspoken in not before non-Jews.” (Gittin 88b) criticizing the use of the court to promote This rule of the sages, established not קביעה זו של חכמי ההלכה, שביסודה לא particular agendas; he argued for “the only regarding the differences between רק השוני שבין החוק הנכרי להלכה rule of law” rather than “the rule of the non-Jewish law and Jewish law, but vis-à העברית, אלא עצם ההיזקקות לבית -משפט judge”. Justice Elon received numerous awards, including the Israel Prize (1979), -vis the act of resorting to non-Jewish נכרי, גם כאשר ” דיניהם כדיני ישראל “, the Ben-Meir Prize (1979), the National courts even when “their laws are like the הורתה ולידתה בשעה שעמד המשפט העברי Jewish Book Award (1994) and various laws of Israel”, was conceived and birthed when Jewish law stood ready to embark לצאת לדרכו הארוכה והקשה של honourary degrees. He passed away in on its long and difficult path of judicial אוטונומיה שיפוטית ללא מדינה רבונית, .2013 .autonomy without political authority וקביעה זו היתה לאחת מחומות המגן This rule became one of the most הבצורות ביותר לשמירת המשך קיומו Rabbi Elon and his wife Ruth produced powerful walls of defense for protecting ורציפותו של בית-הדין היהודי בכל תקופות five children; their sons Rabbi Binyamin the on-going, uninterrupted existence of הגלות. ההליכה לבית -המש פט הזר ,Benny) Elon, Judge Joseph (Sefi) Elon) the Jewish court system in all of the eras הושוותה לכפירה הקב“ה ובתורתו ולעבירה and lecturer Ari Elon have made serious of exile. Going to a foreign court was של חילול ד ‘, ” וכל הדן בדייני עכו “ ם .intellectual and social impacts in Israel ,equated with denying G-d and His Torah ובערכאות שלהם אף על פי שהיו דיניהם For more on Rabbi Benny Elon, who] and a transgression involving desecration כדיני ישראל הרי זה רשע וכאילו חרף וגדף passed away last week, see this issue’s Chief Rabbi column.] of G-d’s Name, “One who litigates before והרים יד בתורת משה רבינו...“ idolatrous judges and in their courts is Rabbi Elon’s best-known publication is wicked, even should their decisions HaMishpat ha’Ivri, a Hebrew work match those of Israel. It is as though he translated into English as Jewish Law: had blasphemed and raised a hand History, Sources, Principles. The four against the Torah of Moshe our master…” parts of the work, spanning nearly 1,700 pages (aside from indices and As has been stated, the prohibition against going to [non-Jewish] courts כאמור, חרג איסור ההליכה לערכאות מעבר bibliographies), seek to present the path transcended normal halachic rulings in להוראה הלכתית רגילה בתחום דיני of development of Jewish law over the financial matters, for turning to foreign ממונות, שהרי הפנייה לבית -המשפט הזר .course of more than 3,000 years courts would undermine Jewish היה בה משום חתירה תחת עצם Sections deal with the philosophy of autonomy itself. Therefore, it was האוטונומיה היהודית. משום כך נקבע על - Jewish law, the various breeds of established by most halachic authorities ידי רוב חכמי ההלכה, שבניגוד לעיקרון ,midrash which function as source texts the roles of minhag and precedent, the – against the general principle that any הכללי שכל דין שבדיני ממונות הוא בבחינת -unique developments of each post Jus dispositivum judgment in financial matters is adopted, ואדם מתנה על מה talmudic era, and much more. [For more by consent, and that one may make a שכתוב בתורה, אין הצדדים רשאים on this book, see the Book Review condition altering that which is recorded להתנות ביניהם שהם מקבלים על עצמם column in Toronto Torah 8:11. (Vayera in the Torah – that the sides may not ,declare a condition between themselves את סמכות השיפוט של בית-המשפט הנכרי, [(5777

accepting for themselves the judicial ואם התנו כך - אין תוקף להתנאתם. [email protected] .authority of the non-Jewish court ומאותם נימוקים עצמם אין להתיר הליכה Should they make such a condition, their לערכאות מכח העיקרון של ” ד י נ א condition would not be binding. And for דמלכותא דינא“. those same reasons, one could not permit resorting to [non-Jewish] courts as a function of the principle of “The law of the kingdom is the law”.

Call our office at: 416-783-6960 3 Weekly Highlights: May 13 — May 19 / 17 Iyar — 23 Iyar Time Speaker Topic Location Special Notes

!May 12-13 “Walking in Jerusalem” Shabbaton at Bnai Torah שבת 8:15 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner City of Miracles Bnai Torah After musaf R’ Mordechai Torczyner Surrounded by Walls Bnai Torah 6:40 PM R’ Jonathan Ziring City of Seeing and Peace Bnai Torah For Women Forcing a Spouse to 7:25 PM R’ Jonathan Ziring Bnai Torah Move to Jerusalem? Seudah shlishit R’ Jonathan Ziring A City Never Divided Bnai Torah

8:50 AM R’ Jonathan Ziring Parshah BAYT Turk Beis Medrash After hashkamah Adam Friedmann Parshah Analysis Clanton Park After minchah R’ Mordechai Torczyner Gemara: Bowing to a Beast BAYT Simcha Suite Sun. May 14 8:45 AM R’ Jonathan Ziring Responsa BAYT 9:15 AM R’ Shalom Krell Book of Shemuel II Associated North Rm. 206; Hebrew Including Hashem in 10:00 AM to Mrs. Yael Gelernter Respecting Parents and Self Midreshet Yom Rishon For women

11:20 AM R’ Jonathan Ziring Reverence, Awe and Love Bnai Torah Light Refreshments of Parents

Mon. May 15 Legal Ethics with CPD: 7:00 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Disqualification for Shaarei Shomayim Laypeople welcome Personal Misconduct

7:00 PM Adam Friedmann Jewish Philosophy Terraces of Baycrest 8:30 PM Adam Friedmann Gemara Arvei Pesachim Clanton Park Men Tue. May 16 1:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Ezra: Ezra Arrives Shaarei Shomayim Wed. May 17 Jewish Love, Week 3: There is a fee; 10:00 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Beth Emeth Divorce [email protected] Modern Markets 2: Zeifmans LLP Lunch served; RSVP 12:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Overpriced Contractors 201 Bridgeland Ave to [email protected]

2:30 PM R’ Jonathan Ziring Narratives of Vayikra [email protected] 8:00 PM Adam Friedmann Why do we do that? Shaarei Tefillah Shaarei Shomayim הפרשה ואני :PM Yaron Perez Parshah 8:45 Thu. May 18 1:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Shoftim: The Plishtim 49 Michael Ct. For Women Fri. May 19 10:30 AM R’ Jonathan Ziring Ribbit Yeshivat Or Chaim Advanced This week, our Men’s Beit Midrash for University Students at Yeshivat Or Chaim offers: Sunday 10:00 AM Gemara Chullin, Rabbi Aaron Greenberg Sunday 11:00 AM Kuzari, Rabbi Elan Mazer Tuesday 8:30 AM, Nefesh haChaim, Rabbi Jonathan Ziring Friday 8:30 AM, Yeshayah, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

Our Women’s Beit Midrash for University Students at Ulpanat Orot offers: Monday 9:30 AM to Noon, Middot haNefesh through Chassidut, Mrs. Elliezra Perez Tuesday 9:30 AM to Noon, Gemara Chullin / Hilchot Kashrut, Mrs. Ora Ziring Wednesday 9:30 AM to Noon, Hilchot Bein Adam laChaveiro, Mrs. Ora Ziring Thursday 9:30 AM to Noon, Netivot Shalom on the Parshah, Mrs. Elliezra Perez