בס“ד

Parshat Vaera 1 Shevat, 5777/January 28, 2017 Vol. 8 Num. 21 This issue of Toronto Torah is dedicated by Rochel and Jeffrey Silver

נ“י in honour of the recent birthdays of Jeffrey’s parents, Leona and Label Silver Gratitude to Egypt? Yaron Perez “Tell Aharon: Take your staff, and they began to oppress and enslave us. others, and return the favour, and not extend your arm upon the waters of So why should we display gratitude? be disgusting, distant and ungrateful. Egypt, upon their rivers, upon their This is a wicked trait, entirely revolting, canals, etc.” (Shemot 7:19) Rashi We may suggest an answer. The Torah before G-d and Man.” Pharaoh exhibits explains, citing a midrash, “Because states that “a new king arose in Egypt, an extreme example of the challenge of the river protected Moshe, it was not who did not know Yosef.” (Shemot 1:8) developing a sense of gratitude, and this struck by his hand in the plagues of On this, Rashi explains that the king flaw led to his demise. We must learn to Blood and Frogs; it was struck by knew all about Yosef, but “he acted as be different. Aharon’s hand.” This is perplexing; of though he did not know Yosef.” Building what value is gratitude toward an on the same idea, a midrash (Midrash Therefore, when we express gratitude to inanimate object? HaGadol, Parshat Shemot) states, “He Egypt, benefiting the undeserving knew, but he did not look at this; he hid Egyptians is not the ultimate goal; our Devarim 23:20 adds to our confusion, [Yosef’s] benevolence, and in the end he gratitude to the inanimate river, too, is commanding, “You shall not reject the hid G-d’s benevolence.” Expanding not for the sake of the insensate river. Egyptian, for you were a stranger in upon this midrash, Shemuel The central purpose is to train our own his land.” The Talmud (Bava Kama Ashkenazi wrote in his 16th century character. As long as our character, and 92b) explains, “Do not cast a stone commentary Yefeh Toar, “All who deny particularly our gratitude, grows and into the cistern from which you the benevolence of others, will in the strengthens, we will develop a more drank.” And explaining this mitzvah, end deny the benevolence of G-d.” grateful response to those around us, to Rambam writes (Moreh Nevuchim Pharaoh began by denying the our parents, and ultimately to G-d. As 3:42), “So regarding anyone you benevolence of Yosef, and he issued Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler wrote (Michtav needed once, and anyone from whom decrees against his descendants; in our mei’Eliyahu 3), “One must make every you benefited, who now encounters parshah, we see that Pharaoh comes to effort to acquire this trait fully, for trouble. Even though he then harmed deny Divine authority and benevolence through it he will learn to recognize the you, you must remember that which as well. great kindness of G-d with all Creation, came first… See that we learn several and so he will draw close to G-d… For good traits from these mitzvot.” In principle, recognizing the aid of gratitude to Man and gratitude to G-d others and responding with gratitude is share a common root. If the trait of It appears that Rambam seeks to see a fundamental aspect of being a moral gratitude to others is flawed, then he the good in the Egyptian, despite all of person, and it catalyzes wondrous will not recognize the generosity of G-d.” their evils. But how can one be changes in the soul of both the speaker grateful to Egypt, and neither reject and the original benefactor. [email protected] nor hate them, after all the ways they Nonetheless, human beings do find it harmed us? Should we ignore the fact difficult to express gratitude from the that they threw our sons into the river, depths of their hearts, and to respond because they gave us a home during a to those around them in kind. Indeed, famine? Further, it appears that all of Sefer haChinuch (Mitzvah 33) sees the their supposed kindness to the Jewish mitzvah of honouring one’s parents as a people in the days of Yosef was only in training ground meant to help us learn order to reap the financial benefits of gratitude, precisely because it is so his presence and leadership. When commonly ignored: “Among the roots of they no longer needed the Children of this mitzvah is the fact that one should Israel, and Yosef had passed away, recognize the benefit done for him by

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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 Continental Press 905-660-0311 Book Review: ’s Encounter with Other Cultures Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

Judaism’s Encounter with Other to whether he should pursue graduate with regard to them as [one can do] in Cultures: Rejection or Integration? studies in the field – and in a the halakhic portions, that is, to issue Ed. Rabbi Dr. J. J. Schacter denominational university, at that. The a ruling applicable to all. They depend Aronson (1997) Rav responded that airplanes are very much upon the temperament of known to crash and yet people fly. The the individual person and upon his The Question questioner subsequently confided that unique mode [of life], and also depend Almost two millennia ago, the great several years later he woke up one upon the conditions of time, place, sage Rabbi Yishmael was asked by his morning with an urge to call the Rav to circumstance and environment.” nephew, “I have studied the entire tell him that the plane had just Torah; may I learn Greek wisdom?” crashed, as indeed it thunderously To demonstrate this point, Judaism’s Rabbi Yishmael replied that one ought had.” (Judaism’s Encounter with Other Encounter with Other Cultures presents to study Torah day and night, and Cultures, pg. 284) three essays written by ordained therefore he could only study Greek with extensive credentials in wisdom at a time that was neither. A Jewish community which pledges both Torah and the academic study of (Menachot 99b) On the other hand, fealty to Torah and sends its youth to Jewish history and philosophy. Gerald talmudic sages debated philosophy with university must ask the question: Are Blidstein speaks to the talmudic non-Jewish philosophers. (Avodah we living a single, unified Jewish life? attitude to non-Jewish knowledge and Zarah 17b, for example) Are we in danger of crashing? culture; David Berger discusses the period from the close of the Gaonic Era Later in Jewish history, Rambam The Answer up to the Enlightenment; and Shnayer displayed deep knowledge of Greek and Judaism’s Encounter with Other Z. Leiman adds the developments of Arab philosophy. However, he also Cultures seeks to answer this question, the past few centuries. Finally, the wrote, “Regarding any idea which could by demonstrating the complexity of book concludes with an essay by cause a person to uproot one of the our tradition’s reaction to non-Jewish Rabbi Lichtenstein, exploring the principles of Torah, we are prohibited culture. As Rabbi Dr. J. J. Schacter threats and benefits of engagement from bringing it into our hearts or writes in his introduction, “[T]he with general culture. All of the articles turning our attention to it.” (Mishneh attitude of Jews throughout history to are multi-faceted, thoroughly sourced, Torah, Hilchot Avodah Zarah 2:3) Gentile learning and culture is not and clearly argued.

monolithic and unidimensional and In our own day, Rabbi Aharon cannot be reduced to any simplistic, To this reviewer, these essays are Lichtenstein, himself a holder of a PhD facile generalization.” He cites a letter essential for the university-educated, in English literature, told the following from Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch, Torah-studying Jew who wishes to story: “A would-be philosopher who had of Telz before World War II, thoughtfully navigate Jewish life today. attended Rav [Yosef Dov] Soloveitchik’s regarding general studies: “[I]t is shiur once turned to him for counsel as impossible to establish firm rulings [email protected]

Israel’s Chief Rabbis: Rabbi David Stav Rabbi Jonathan Ziring

Rabbi David Stav unsuccessful campaign for Chief Rabbi of Israel. Tzohar was b. 1960 specifically founded as a response to the assassination of Chief Rabbi of Shoham Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin by a religious Jew, as that increased animosity towards the religious community. Biography Born in in 1960, Rabbi David Stav studied at He has pushed for more leniency in the areas of conversion Yeshivot Netiv Meir and Mercaz HaRav, where he learned and . He encourages establishing kashrut standards with Rabbi , whom he considers his primary without stringencies he considers unnecessary, and he teacher. He served in the Tank Unit in the IDF. Later he was established an alternative kashrut certification when the ordained as a Dayan (religious judge). Israeli rabbinate refused to certify institutions using the heter mechira during Shemitah. He has lobbied for the Rabbi Stav has been a Community Rabbi in Israel (in Bnei appointment of rabbinical judges who will take a harder line Darom), as well as in Antwerp, Belgium. He taught in against men who refuse to grant their wives gittin (bills of Yeshivat Or Etzion, and later co-founded and served as co- divorce). In 2015, he set up a new court for conversion, Rosh of Yeshivat Orot Shaul. He has also served as along with Rabbi Nachum Rabinovitch. He has pushed for the Rabbi of Maaleh, the religious film school. He ran an sensitivity towards the LGBT community, while reiterating unsuccessful campaign for Chief Rabbi of Israel in 2013. He that the sins involved are serious biblical obligations. He is currently serves, in addition to his role in Shoham, as also known to have progressive views on women’s issues. Chairman of Tzohar, a rabbinical group in Israel, and as co- Many of his positions have generated controversy, as was chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone. evidenced in the opposition by many to his run for Chief

Activism Rabbi.

Rabbi Stav has been devoted to making the Israeli rabbinate Interest in the World more accessible to the average Israeli. Many have complained Rabbi Stav’s best-known book focuses on the Laws of of the stringency and insensitivity of the Israeli rabbinate. As Vacation, where he reveals an appreciation for culture, marriage and conversion are under the auspices of the music, art, and relaxation. He combines philosophical rabbinate, it is hard for any Jew, religious or secular to avoid insights on the value of these things, with halachic the rabbinate. Thus, Tzohar was founded to try to make discussions to ensure that people engage only in permitted religiosity more appealing by providing rabbinical services to activities. He encourages people to be well-read and engaged all, by rabbis devoted to being more sensitive and inclusive. It in politics and other important non-Torah matters. was to further these goals that Rabbi Stav ran his [email protected]

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com & www.facebook.com/torontotorah Torah and Translation Biography Rabbi The Place of General Studies Rabbi Baruch Weintraub Rabbi David Nieto, Kuzari Sheni IV Translated by Rabbi Baruch Weintraub The Kuzari [king] said: My ear has heard אמר הכוזרי : שמעה אזני ותבן לה שיש Rabbi David Nieto, arguably one of the and understood that we have among us בינינו שתי כתות מנגדות זו לזו על דבר most intriguing rabbinic figures of his two groups, disputing regarding the החכמות שקורין ” חצוניות “. זאת אומרת time, was born in Venice in 1654. His wisdoms which are called ‘external’. One שאברהם אבינו עליו השלום היה בקי בהן father, Pinchas Nieto, an honored says that Avraham Avinu was expert in בכלליהן ובפרטיהן ובכל חילוקיהן ושהחל businessman, was a scion to a family of their rules and details and all their ליסדן... וזאת אומרת שלא באלה חלק Spanish crypto-Jews. After serving for divisions, and he was the one to establish יעקב כי הבל המה, מחשבות אדם – some time as the Rabbi of Livorno, Italy where he wrote a book named them… And the other group says that ותחבולותיו. ולפי דעתי זאת היא הסברא Paschologia”, dealing with the yearly“ these wisdoms are not of Yaakov’s הנבחרת, כי הנני רואה... אמר רבי עקיבא calendar – he was summoned in 1702 to portion, for they are futile, the thoughts אף הקורא בספרים החצונים אין לו חלק serve as Rabbi for the Portuguese ,of man. And I think the latter is correct לעולם הבא... והרב רבי עובדיה מברטינורה community in London. for I see… Rabbi Akiva saying, “He who reads external books has no share in the פירש ” ספרים חיצונים “ כגון ספרי ארסטו world to come”… And Rabbi Ovadia of היוני וחביריו... ובסוף מסכת סוטה אמרו Two years after coming to London, Rabbi Bartenura explained “external books” as ”ארור אדם שילמד את בנו חכמת יוונית...“ Nieto published another book – this time books by Aristotle the Greek and his והרב הגדול הרשב “ א ז “ ל עם שלשים dealing with questions of Divine companions… And in the end of tractate ושמנה חכמים גזרו חרם בברצילונא על providence and nature. Nature, he Sotah they said, “Cursed be the man who הלומד ומלמד ספרי היונים אשר חיברו claimed, was but a thin veil for Divine ”.will teach his son Greek wisdom בחכמת הטבע וחכמת האלוקות, בין actions. The work became highly ,And the great Rabbi the Rashba z”l בלשונם בין שהועתקו ללשון אחר, ככתוב contested, as Rabbi Nieto was accused ,together with thirty-eight wise men בשו “ ת שלו. הרי לך בגזרת עירין ובמאמר by others of being a secret follower of issued a ban in Barcelona on anyone קדישין ראשונים ואחרונים שאסור ללמוד , identifying Nature with G-d. in fact, the opposite was the truth – learning or teaching the books written by וללמד חכמה יונית. Spinoza argued that there is no G-d but the Greeks in physics or metaphysics, in only Nature, while Rabbi Nieto taught their original language or in translation, אמר החבר : אני אשיבך מלין על ראשון .that there is no Nature but only G-d as recorded in his responsa. So, in the ראשון ועל אחרון אחרון. דע אדני המלך, decree of the holy ones [lit. angels] and statement of early and recent holy men, it שחלילה חלילה לחכמי ישראל לברוח As the controversy heated up, the sides is forbidden to learn and teach Greek ולהבריח את עם ישראל מהחכמות -agreed to accept the judgment of then .wisdom הצריכות לישוב העולם, שהם ז “ ל לא אסרו Rabbi Tzvi Ashkenazi אלא ספרים המביאים לידי מינות או זנות, Chacham Tzvi), a prominent Jewish) The Sage said: I will answer your או בטלה המביאה לידי שעמום. אדרבא authority of the time. After hearing the ,questions according to their order. Know החכמות מצור ישראל נוקרו וממי יהודה arguments, Rabbi Ashkenazi ruled in my king, that G-d forbid that the sages of יצאו כאשר אוכיח בע“ה... favor of Rabbi Nieto, acquitting him of any blame – and furthermore praising Israel would distance their nation from .the wisdoms needed to settle the world ועל הקורא בספרים החיצונים שפירש הרב ברטנורא ז “ ל שהם ספרי ארסטו וחביריו his teachings. The answer is recorded as th For they did not ban but books which בקשתי לו חבר ולא מצאתי, שהרי רש “ י ז “ ל the 18 responsum in Rabbi Ashkenazi’s famous Shu”t Chacham Tzvi. About a lead to heresy or lewdness, or idleness which leads to boredom. Rather, the לא פירש אלא ספרי מינים. decade later Rabbi Nieto paid this back wisdoms were chiseled from the Rock of ועל מה שאמרו ” ארור אדם שילמד את בנו and supported Rabbi Ashkenazi, who Israel and from the waters of Judah חכמה יונית “ היינו שהיו מדברים ברמיזות had to flee his post in after a …sprang forth, as I will prove, G-d willing כמו שפירשו רש“י... fierce dispute which broke out between And regarding [the ban on] reading ועל החרם שהטילו הרשב “ א והחכמים him and local supporters of the false external books”, which was explained by“ הבאים על החתום, יש לך לדעת שגזרו שלא Messiah Shabbtai Tzvi. Rabbi Nieto the Bartenura as applying to Aristotle’s ללמד וללמוד לפחות מבן כ“ה שנה, ושאלות hosted him in London, offering him a books and his companions – I searched וקללות החרם לא ימשכו אלא חמשים שנה .public position for a similar commentary and could not ובסופם יהיו שביתין ושביקין לא שרירין find one, for Rashi had explained it as ולא קיימין... Rabbi Nieto was deeply involved in helping forced converts from Portugal to books of heresy alone. And regarding, “Cursed be the man who וזוהי גם כן סברת הרמב “ ם ז “ ל שכתב בפי ‘ המשנה דאסור לקרות בשבת אפילו בדברי return to their Jewish roots. As many of them had great doubts regarding their will teach his son Greek wisdom,” this means talking in riddles, as explained by חכמות, הא בחול מותר, והביאו מוהר “ י קארו בבית יוסף ובשלחן ערוך, הנה הנם ancestors’ faith, Rabbi Nieto found it necessary to write a book which would Rashi… And regarding the ban put by Rashba גדולי וגאוני עולם שלא הבינו ” ספרים address their questions, mainly and the other sages who signed on, you החצונים“ כר“ע מברטינורה... regarding the authority of our Sages. The book, nicknamed “the second Kuzari” should know they only forbade teaching after Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi’s famous to anyone younger than twenty-five. Also, the curses of the ban will only stand for book, became a basic text for teaching fifty years, and then will be null and void, and not in force… the Jewish faith, and remains so today. Rambam also holds [that learning philosophy was not banned], for he wrote in his commentary on the Mishnah that on Shabbat one is not allowed to read philosophy [email protected] – so on weekdays it is allowed. This was brought by Rabbi Karo in his Beit Yosef and Shulchan Aruch. Hence, the greatest and most wise of the [Jewish] world did not explain “external books” in the same way as Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura.

Call our office at: 416-783-6960 3 The 613 Mitzvot: #570—Promiscuity Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner The Torah presents multiple prohibitions against classes of where marriage is halachically impossible, as in a case of sexual misconduct. Among them, Vayikra 19:29 prohibits incest or adultery (Hasagot to Lo Taaseh 355); Devarim 23:18 zenut, which is a broad term for sexual immorality, and prohibits making one’s self available for promiscuous relations Devarim 23:18 prohibits men and women from acting as a (Commentary to Devarim 23:18). kadesh or kedeishah, terms associated with promiscuity. One ramification of this debate is the Torah’s concept of a The difference between these prohibitions is unclear. pilegesh (concubine), which involves a relationship without the Per Rambam (Lo Taaseh 355), these two verses present a benefit of ketubah. According to Rambam, this would violate single prohibition against intercourse without a ketubah Vayikra 19:29 and Devarim 23:18, and it is permitted only for and halachic marriage. This leads Sefer haChinuch to codify a king. According to Ramban, a faithful pilegesh relationship a single, joint prohibition as the Torah’s 570th mitzvah. would violate neither verse, and would actually be permitted for any Jew. For more, see Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Ishut 1:4 According to Ramban, these two verses describe separate and Hilchot Melachim 4:4, and She’eilat Yaavetz 2:15 . prohibitions. Vayikra 19:29 prohibits a sexual relationship Weekly Highlights: Jan. 28 — Feb. 3 / 1 Shevat — 7 Shevat Time Speaker Topic Location Special Notes

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