Mishpatim 5775 February 13, 2015

A Taste of Stories For The Soul My Glorious Belly Coming Back for Money By Eli Mozes Rabbi Dov Ber, the of Mezritch The mountain shook; there was thunder, attitude which led to the improper gazing. (d. 1772), once asked his teacher, Rabbi lightning and the overpowering blast of a With this, he explains a fascinating Yisroel Shem Tov (1698-1760), to shofar. All of Israel witnessed the revelation explain the passage in the on the Talmudic concept. The (Chullin opening verse of the Parshas Mishpatim, of G-d; their physical bodies were blown 7a) relates to us that Rabbi Pinchas ben “These are the laws,” which it explains as backward, their souls departed, and they Yair had a donkey that refused to eat barley referring to “the mystery of ”. needed to be resurrected. But the Torah tells that had not been tithed. The Talmud (ibid. The Maggid wondered: What connection is there between the straightforward meaning us (Exodus 24:11) that Nadav and Avihu, 5b) extrapolates from this tale that if one relating to the monetary and other financial sons of Aharon, and the seventy elders were sees a tzaddik (righteous individual) eating issues discussed subsequently the laws eating and drinking! something, then we know that the item is of torts and the alleged mystical one of multiple of souls? Rashi (ibid.) explains that they were kosher, for it is not possible that he would In reply, the sent him to looking at the Shechinah (Divine Presence) unwittingly eat something that isn’t kosher. a forest and told him to seek out a certain “with undue familiarity, while eating and After all, if Hashem prevents the animals tree next to a spring and to remain there drinking”. This sin was of such a magnitude of the righteous from eating that which is until evening. When the Maggid arrived at his that they should have died on the spot; forbidden, He would certainly prevent the destination, he saw there an armed man however, so as not to interfere with the great tzaddik himself from unwittingly eating that with a horse. The man was tired and had joy of the giving of the Torah, Hashem only which is forbidden. Tosafos question this stopped to rest, eat and drink. When he moved on, he left his wallet behind. After a meted out this punishment at a later time. from other Talmudic sources where we find while, another man came, found the wallet Rabbi Shimon Schwab (1908-1995) great individuals unwittingly transgressing and took it with him. says that although one might think that prohibitions. Tosafos resolve this by stating Shortly thereafter, a third man arrived. that this Divine protection applies only to He was obviously poor and exhausted. He their crime was the insolence of eating and sat down under the tree, ate some bread, drinking during such an awesome time, prohibited food, but not other prohibitions, drank from the spring and lay down to a careful reading of Rashi seems to imply because it is a disgrace for a tzaddik to have sleep. However, just then the armored rider that the complaint was actually for the act eaten a prohibited food. returned and demanded his wallet from the poor traveler. The latter knew nothing of of looking at the Shechinah “with undue Rabbi Schwab explains that the reason the wallet, but the rider, not believing him, familiarity”, for one needs to relate to G-d why it is exceptionally disgraceful to eat proceeded to beat him mercilessly before with great awe, not as if He’s a friend. If this forbidden foods is because if the food was moving on. As the sun set, Rabbi Dov Ber returned is the case, however, one must wonder, why eaten only for the sake of , without home and told the Baal Shem Tov what he is it necessary to mention that they were one’s personal pleasure in mind, then that had seen. The Baal Shem Tov explained: eating and drinking? itself would protect the person eating from The rider, in his previous , any negative repercussions. If he were to have owed the second man a sum of money equal Rabbi Schwab explains that had their to that in the wallet but refused to pay him. eating and drinking been completely for eaten forbidden food, even unwittingly, that The creditor then charged him before their the sake of Heaven, as an expression of joy would prove that there was some ulterior local rabbi - none other than the third man for this momentous occasion, then it never motive involved in the eating, and that in his previous incarnation. But the rabbi would be a disgrace for a tzaddik. failed to investigate the claim as thoroughly would have led to an improper gazing at as he should have and dismissed the charge. G-d’s presence, for when someone eats with We see from here that when one eats That is why in their present reincarnation, perfect intentions, no bad will come from solely for the sake of Heaven, without even the Baal Shem Tov concluded, the first man wound up ‘paying’ his debt to the second it. However, since their feasting had an a shred of self-interest, then nothing bad one and the third, rabbi-judge, received the element of self-gratification, slight as it may can come of it. Achieving this is exceedingly punishment he deserved. have been, that was a catalyst for the cavalier difficult; in the words of Rabbi Simcha Zissel Continued on back side Kollel Happenings Increase Your Jewish IQ By: Rabbi Yaakov Zions KOLLEL’S 17TH ANNIVERSARY Last week we asked: Every haftarah we This week’s question: Amen is not CELEBRATION MARCH 17TH read on Shabbos or a holiday is followed usually recited after one’s own blessing. The Kollel will hold its 17th by four blessings, and three when read on One exception to this is following the Anniversary Celebration on a weekday. What is the exception to this third blessing of Birchas Hamazone. Tuesday, March 17th, 6:30 pm at rule (besides Rosh Chodesh and Pesach)? What other exceptions can you think of? Aish Denver. The event will feature A: an exclusive new publication and After the haftorah at mincha on Yom To submit an answer to Rabbi Zions, email Kippur, most Ashkenazi communities [email protected] video presentation, From Sinai to recite only three blessings. Denver. The Kollel will recognize Andy and Rana Kark with the

Torah Partners Award. For ads and reservations visit denverkollel.org or Ask the Rabbi call 303-820-2855. Dairy Bread Name@Withheld from Teaneck, New Jersey wrote: A DEEPER LOOK AT THE PARSHA But if you mark the bread with some The weekly parsha is replete with Dear Rabbi, identifying symbol before baking, or if you halachic issues. Every week, Rabbi Is there some halacha about bread bake it in an identifying shape so that it’s not allowed to be dairy? I was reading an clear that this bread is not pareve, then it is Mordechai Fleisher will choose one advertisement in a store in Brooklyn and it permitted to make it dairy or meaty. Since topic based on the parsha, and was written on the paper something about it’s marked, you won’t mistake it as pareve. lead an in-depth exploration of bread not being allowed to be dairy. Is this (Marking it after baking doesn’t help, and the sources and practical halachic a halacha? I have never heard of this before, such bread may not be eaten.) but I looked around and all the bread I saw conclusions of that issue. was “pareve.” Maybe this halacha just never For example, I have heard that the Badatz The class takes place Sunday came my way. Eida Charedit supervisory board mornings at EDOS, 198 S. Holly St. in requires all dairy pastries to Shacharis is at 7:30 am, and is Dear Name@Withheld be either triangle or moon-shaped for this Yes, it’s prohibited to bake bread either reason. followed by breakfast and the with milk or with meat. That is, bread must class at approximately 8:15 am. be pareve. This is stated in Shulchan Aruch Sources: For more info, please contact as follows: “It is forbidden to knead dough -Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 97 [email protected]. for bread with milk, in case a person should -Pitchei Teshuvah 97:3 (accidentally) eat it with meat. It is similarly forbidden to bake bread in the oven with Reprinted with permission from Somayach, THE M.B. GLASSMAN meat fat.” Jerusalem, www.ohr.edu

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