Toronto Torah Yeshiva University Torah Mitzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov
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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 Jews' 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 Israel 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 ABBI ORDECHAI ORCZYNER R M T SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH ABBI ARUCH EINTRAUB R B W AVREICHIM ADAM FRIEBERG, JOSH GUTENBERG, ABBI DAM AW R A L 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 Hebrew calendar; 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.