בס“ד Toronto Torah Yeshiva University Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Beshalach 10 Shevat 5774/January 11, 2014 Vol. 5 Num. 18

To sponsor an issue of Toronto Torah, please email [email protected] or call 647-234-7299 Start from the Stratosphere Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner Presumably, G-d was capable of One answer might be found in a Perhaps this is why G-d tested Adam splitting the Sea of Reeds prior to the talmudic debate (Menachot 89a) and Chavah immediately after their ' plea for salvation (Shemot regarding the way the kohanim "birth". Certainly, Hashem could have 14:21), there was no lack of water in calculated the amount of oil needed been patient with them, starting them the Divine reservoir before the Jews each night for the menorah in the Beit slowly and having them work their way beseeched Moshe for something to haMikdash. One view is that the up to their full abilities. However, the drink (ibid. 15:26), the manna was kohanim started with a small amount, Divine plan set the tone for their growth available before the Children of and added as needed until they immediately, informing them that they gave voice to their hunger (ibid. 16:3), determined the necessary quantity. A were "a luxurious setting", like the Beit and the Divine defeat of Amalek was second view is that they started with a haMikdash. The spiritual poverty no less possible before Moshe raised large amount, and reduced as they were implied by early coddling would be his hands toward heaven (ibid. 17:11). able until they determined the inappropriate. G-d assigned them the Why, then, were our ancestors necessary quantity. highest possible test, and only after compelled to plead for Divine their failure did He make allowances for assistance no fewer than four times in The Talmud's focus on how the a lower bar. our parshah, and for the most basic of kohanim calculated their quota is odd; human needs – water, bread, and the normally, the Talmud says of such Perhaps, too, this is why the Jews defeat of their foes? discussions, "mai d'hava hava!" "What confronted thirst, starvation and the happened, happened!" Why do I need to intimidating force of two separate foes One might answer by citing the know whether the kohanim started with in our parshah, all while taking their Talmud's explanation for childlessness a teaspoon of oil and worked their way first, wobbly steps. Allowing a gentle of our ancestresses. (Yevamot 64a) The up, or whether they started with a litre "getting to know You" period out of sages suggest that G-d calibrated His and worked their way down? concern for their welfare and emotional treatment of the matriarchs based health would have been a case of what upon the prayers he expected from The answer may be that we are meant American President George W. Bush those paragons of righteousness. to learn from the philosophies behind termed "the soft bigotry of low However, this seems a cruel exercise each of the two oil-measuring expectations". The Divine preference for a nascent nation. Surely, a ragtag approaches. As the Talmud continues to was to set the tone for our national group of slaves, newly emancipated explain, the approach of beginning with existence by making the greatest of and entering an environment both a small amount is predicated upon the demands, establishing us as a foreign and hostile, could have been idea that G-d cares about the means of luxurious setting, in which spiritual afforded the bare essentials of life the Jewish people, and He does not poverty would be unseemly. while they found their equilibrium! wish to waste their property; therefore, the kohanim tried to use as small a The natural question, then, is how we Indeed, the same question may be quantity as possible. On the other will develop our own spiritual lives. Will asked at the very start of the Torah. hand, the approach of beginning with a we add a little bit of oil at a time, Adam and Chavah are formed on the large amount is predicated upon the scraping by with a minimum of morning of the sixth day of Creation, view that the Beit haMikdash is a investment out of mercy upon our and given one instruction (Bereishit luxurious setting, and the poverty means? Or will we aim high, starting 2:16-17): Eat from all of the trees, expressed by stinting on oil would be from the stratosphere and reducing only except one. G-d places that one inappropriate for that venerated venue. when we find it necessary? Let there be prohibited tree in the middle of the The fundamental distinction between no poverty in our luxurious spiritual garden, where it is certain to attract the two approaches is where we place setting. their attention, and He assigns it great our focus: Meeting our needs, or Rising beauty. Why place such a challenging to a majestic occasion. [email protected] test before Adam and Chavah for their first day on the planet?

OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER

SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI BARUCH WEINTRAUB

AVREICHIM ADAM FRIEBERG, JOSH GUTENBERG, RABBI ADAM LAW

CHAVEIRIM EITAN AZIZA, JOSH AZIZA, HILLEL BIERBRIER, DANIEL GEMARA, KEVIN HEYMANN, ALEX HUBERMAN, JOEL JESIN, SHIMMY JESIN, YISHAI KURTZ, YOSEPH LEVI, AKIVA MARESKY, JACOB NEMIROV, MITCHELL PERLMUTTER, KOBY SPIEGEL, We are grateful to GRAHAM TUGETMAN, MENDY WEISBROD, YOSSI WELTMAN, SHALOM WISE Continental Press 905-660-0311 Haftorah: Shoftim 4:4-5:31 Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

What is the source of our haftorah? first part (4:4-4:24) is the story of the and so Sisera hoped he would be able The book of Shoftim (Judges) describes judge/prophet Devorah and the leader to have shelter there. Yael invited him the events between the time of Barak defeating Yavin, king of Canaan, to enter, but after giving him a place to Yehoshua and the era of Shemuel. The and his military commander, Sisera. hide and some milk and putting him to first two chapters of the book depict the The second part (Chapter 5) is the sleep, she struck him with a stake and outcome of Yehoshua's wars, what was Song of Devorah. Clearly, this second a hammer. Sisera was killed instantly, conquered and what wasn't. The next part is the connection between our and Yael announced the news to fifteen chapters review the careers of haftorah and parshat Beshalach and Barak. From there on, Yavin was various shoftim (judges, leaders or Shirat HaYam, the Song of the Sea. defeated and his forces were routed. saviours) who followed Yehoshua, leading the nation and protecting it Our haftorah begins from the middle of This event inspired Devorah to sing the from its enemies. The rest of the book is the story; in the passage preceding our song of the second part of the dedicated to two stories: Michah's haftorah (4:1-4:3), one may read that haftorah. In her song, Devorah praises statue and Pilegesh b'Givah (the as a consequence of the sins the victory, the warriors and herself, Concubine at Gibeah). These two events committed by the Jewish nation, and condemns those who did not join illustrate the sorry state of the Jewish Hashem had sent them into the hands the war against Yavin. She thanks nation in the days 'before a king was of Yavin. Yavin oppressed them heavily Hashem for the miracles that crowned'. for twenty years. At this point – the happened during the war, and asks start of our haftorah – Devorah Him to bless Yael for her courageous The main message of the book of commands Barak to wage war against act. Shoftim is explicitly stated and repeated Yavin and the Canaanites. many times. In virtually all of the book's The song ends with a parody of Sisera stories, trouble befalls the Jewish Barak declines to go fight Sisera alone, and his worried mother. Sisera's nation because of their failure to keep and he demands that Devorah go with mother waits for her victorious son to the mitzvot; the people repent and ask him. Devorah agrees, but warns him return with female captives, when in for G-d's help; G-d exhibits mercy and that he has chosen a path with no fact he has been killed by a woman, as sends them a shofet to deliver them; glory; Hashem will give Sisera into the Devorah had predicted. after a short period of peace, the nation hands of "a woman". Undoubtedly, return to its sins. This repetitive pattern Barak thought that Devorah was [email protected] is highlighted in chapter 2, verses 11- speaking about herself, but he later 23. saw this prophecy realized in an unexpected way. As the Israelite forces According to the Gemara in Baba Batra gained superiority in the battlefield, 14b, Shemuel wrote the book of Sisera fled to a nearby tent, in which Shoftim. resided a woman named Yael. The What is the message of our haftorah? book of Shoftim tells us that the local Our haftorah consists of two parts. The population lived in peace with Yavin,

613 Mitzvot: #341 Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner Israeli Walled Cities

Historically, walled cities have enjoyed stability and The year for redeeming these homes is calculated based on prominence, and so the Torah seeks to teach residents of the date on the ; a house sold on the 15th of those cities to appreciate and promote those values in the Kislev may be redeemed until the following 15th of Kislev. land of Israel. Furthering this goal, Mitzvah 341 permits a Therefore, during a leap year the seller actually has thirteen Jew who sells a home in an Israeli walled city to redeem it months to redeem his home. only for the first year; during that year, he may even buy back the home against the wishes of the purchaser. Another quirk associated with leap years is this: If Reuven Following that year, though, the home is sold permanently, to sells his home on the fifteenth of Adar I during a leap year, discourage selling homes in walled cities. Even during the he will be able to redeem his home until the fifteenth of the yovel (Jubilee) year, when fields that have been sold revert to sole Adar of the following year. If Shimon sells his home two their ancestral owners, these homes remain with their new weeks later, on the first of Adar II, he will only be able to owners. redeem his home until the first of Adar in the following year, two weeks before Reuven's redemption deadline. (Arachin The status of these walled cities was set with the return of 31a) the Jews from Babylon for the second Beit haMikdash, and it remains even if their walls collapse. (Minchat Chinuch [email protected] 341:18) When Jews settle additional areas with a national return to Israel, walled cities in those areas will also gain this status. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Shemitah v'Yovel 12:15-16) There is a procedure for sanctifying these cities, but that procedure is unclear. (Minchat Chinuch 341:13)

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com Biography Torah and Translation Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson Developing Love and Reverence for G-d Rabbi Baruch Weintraub Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson sixth Rebbe of (also known as Sefer haMa’amarim 5655, 2nd night of Pesach the Rebbe Rayyatz), was born in 5340 (1880); his father Rabbi Sholom Dovber Translated by Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

Regarding the traits of generosity and מדות חסד וגבורה , שהן בעבודה אהבה was the fifth Rebbe of Chabad (the Rebbe strength, which in our service translate ויראה , יש התבוננות מיוחדת המעוררת את Rashab). At the age of fifteen, Yosef into love and reverence, there is a האהבה , ויש התבוננות מיוחדת שמעוררת Yitzchak became his father's personal specific contemplation to arouse love את היראה . והוא כידוע , שהאהבה מקרוב secretary; he also represented his father and a specific contemplation to arouse ויראה מרחוק . פרוש , שטבע האהבה הוא in different rabbinical conventions. At the age of 18, a year after marrying, he reverence. As is known, love is from להתקרב ולהתדבק אל הדבר הנאהב ... was appointed as the head of the proximity, and reverence is from והיראה היא מרחוק , והיינו שטבע היראה Tomchei Temimim yeshiva network. In distance. Meaning, the nature of love is to draw near and cling to the beloved הוא שעושה הכווץ ובטול בנפש , שעומד that position he helped to spread מרחוק דוקא וירא לגשת... .Chabad's torah, opening new yeshivot object… And reverence is from distance, When he was forty his father passed meaning that the nature of reverence is away, and he formally became the leader to cause a shrinking and negation of the of his father's movement. This was at the spirit, as it stands far away, afraid to birth of the Communist revolution, and approach… dark clouds appeared in the sky of The example of all of this can be והדגמא מכל זה יובן בעבודה האלוקית Russia's Jewish world. The communists understood in Divine service by the בנפש האדם , בענין בטול הנשמות לאלקות prohibited any religious activity, and human soul, in the negation of בעמדן לפניו בתפילה . שכאשר מתבונן ברב .killed or exiled to Siberia any opposition individual souls to G-d as they stand חסדי ד ' ורב טובו עמו ... ובהתבוננות הטוב Nonetheless, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak before Him in prayer. As one יבין איך שבכל דבר ודבר בעולם מתפשט continued his efforts to enable and contemplates the plentiful kindnesses of אלוקותו יתברך , ומשגיח על כל פרט ופרט , sustain rich Jewish life, including the establishment of new Chabad yeshivot. G-d, and the good He has done with him… And as he contemplates the ומוריד גשמים ומצמיח הרים חציר ותבואות ופירות... ועל ידי התבוננות בכל זה In 5377 (1927) he was caught and imprisoned by the Soviet police. Many goodness, he will understand how G-d ,expands within everything in the world בהעמקת הדעת , שמרגיש בהטוב והחסד stories are told of his courage against his and supervises every detail, giving rain שעשה ועושה ד' אתנו בכל עת ובכל רגע בכל interrogators. One such story relates and growing hay and grain and produce פרט ופרט, על ידי זה נתעורר בבחינת אהבה that once the interrogator threatened on the mountains… And by וקרוב להמשך ולהתדבק לאלקות בכל לבו ,him with a pistol; the Rebbe responded contemplating all of this in depth, he ונפשו... This toy can scare those who who have" one world and many gods – but not those feels the good and kindness Hashem who have one G-d and two worlds." has done, and does with us always, in Eventually, he was accused of counter- any and every minute. Via this he is aroused to a feeling of love and revolutionary activities, and sentenced to death. Worldwide pressure from Western proximity, to draw near and cling to G-d governments forced the communist with all of his heart and soul… regime to back down and release the Reverence, however, is specifically from אמנם היראה היא מרחוק דוקא , והיינו Rebbe, though, under the condition that distance, meaning out of the wonder מצד הפלאת ורוממות גדלות המלך הנורא , .he would leave Russia immediately and majestic greatness of the awesome וכמו היראה והבטול מהמלך מצד גדולתו King, as the reverence and self-negation ורוממותו דוקא , וכשהוא סגור בהיכלו , The Rebbe dedicated his next few years to a [human] king is due to his מפלא ומבדל מהעם , יותר יהיה יראתו for a journey around the world, including Eretz Yisrael and North America, where greatness and elevation. When he is closed away in his palace, separated עליהם , וכמו הבטול לפני חכם גדול . וכמו .he tried to promote Torah and mitzvot ,from the people, they revere him more כן, על ידי התבוננות בגדולת ורוממות האין ,He refused to stay in America, though like the self-negation which occurs in ס וף , איך שהוא מפלא ומרומם מן ,stating, "America is an irreligious place front of a great sage. In the same העולמות ... הנה כשיעמיק בזה , תפל עליו where even rabbis shave off their manner, by contemplating the greatness האימה מגדולתו יתברך , ונעשה כווץ ובטול ".beards and elevation of the Infinite One, how He כל עצמותו בהעדר התפשטות , שלא ימלא World war Two found the Rebbe in is separated and elevated from all worlds… When he will understand it לבו ללכת בגדולות ונפלאות לגשת אל המלך Warsaw, where he was caught by the deeply, reverence for G-d's greatness will – מלכו של עולם – באהבה וקרוב , כי אם Nazis and then released due to fall upon him, and he will shrink and מרחוק יעמוד , בכווץ ובטול , לקבל עליו עול international pressure. He fled to New negate himself with an absence of any מלכות שמיים. York, where he rebuilt Chabad from the ashes. expansion, as his heart will not dare to [try and] walk in the space of greatness Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef passed away on the and wonder to approach the King – King 10th of Shevat 5410 (1950); his yahrtzeit of the Universe – in love and proximity, will occur this Shabbat. but he will stand at a distance, shrinking, self-negating, to accept upon [email protected] himself the yoke of the monarchy of Heaven.

Visit us at www.torontotorah.com 3 This Week in Israeli History: Shevat 11 1949 - Israel’s National Emblem Josh Gutenberg Two months after the creation of the State of Israel, the The emblem is in the shape of a shield. The colour scheme Provisional Council of State announced a competition for was initially a white design on a blue background, although the design of an emblem for the new state. A special group, now it appears in a variety of different colours. A menorah in the Emblem and Flag Committee, was formed to oversee the the middle is flanked by an olive branch on each side. The competition. The committee was looking for an emblem word “Yisrael” is spelled out in large letters below the which included ancient Jewish symbols, in order to menorah. distinguish it from those of other countries. The olive branches and menorah are infused with symbolism. More than 450 entries were submitted by 164 different The olive branches symbolize the peaceful intentions of the participants. The committee chose to include a menorah as State of Israel. The menorah symbolizes the bridge from our the centrepiece, but was still unsure what other symbols past to our future: it is one of the central elements of the Beit they wanted to incorporate. haMikdash, and it represents the hopeful return of the Jewish

On 11 Shevat, 5709 (February 10, 1949), the committee people to their former glory. The shape of the menorah is decided upon an emblem. It was designed by Gabriel and copied from the one etched into the Arch of Titus, signifying Maxim Shamir and it remains the official emblem of the the transition from exile to redemption. State of Israel until today, appearing on government documents and buildings. [email protected]

Highlights for January 11 – January 17 / 10 Shevat - 16 Shevat Time Speaker Topic Location Special Notes

SHABBAT JAN. 11

Before minchah R’ Mordechai Torczyner Daf Yomi BAYT After minchah R’ Mordechai Torczyner Gemara Avodah Zarah BAYT

SUNDAY JAN. 12 Dental Shiur: With Continuing 8:45 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner BAYT Dentistry in Tanach, Talmud Education Credit

R’ Mordechai Scheiner Conversations in Clanton Park Clanton Park 7:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Controversial Talmud, R’ Yehoshua Weber Modern Ethics

MONDAY JAN. 13 8:00 PM Adam Frieberg Cooking on Shabbat Community Shaarei Shomayim 8:00 PM Josh Gutenberg Parshah Beit Midrash Night Medical Halachah: With CME Credit; 8:00 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Shaarei Shomayim Genetic Screening Laypeople Welcome 8:00 PM Rav Shlomo Gemara Prophets of Israel Bnai Torah

TUESDAY JAN. 14 12:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Living Midrash Shaarei Shomayim 8:00 PM Adam Frieberg Exploring Laws of Shabbat Shaarei Tefillah

WED. JAN. 15 Giants of Sephardic Jewry 2: 10:00 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner BEBY with Toronto Morasha Shemuel haNagid 8:00 PM Adam Frieberg Kuzari Community 8:00 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Business Ethics: Lending Yeshivat Or Chaim Beit Midrash Night 9:00 PM R’ Yehoshua Weber Responsa: Surrogacy

8:45 PM Josh Gutenberg A Changing World, Week 2 BAYT Week 2: Metzitzah b’Peh

THU. JAN. 16 7:30 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner The Book of Daniel, Week 1 Kehilat Shaarei Torah

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