Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Tetzaveh-Zachor-Purim 5773

(From the archives)

Shabbos in the Parasha gematria, numerical value. These words are ephod, malach, haElokim, and In this week’s parashah the Torah Sukkah. All these words equal 91 in records the instruction that HaShem gematria. What is the association gave to Moshe regarding the holy between these words? A Sukkah vestments to be worn by the Kohen symbolizes protection from foreign Gadol, the High Priest, and his sons. One influences. When the Kohen Gadol of the eight garments worn by the Kohen would enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Gadol was the Ephod, which was like an Kippur, he was required to be apron. It is said (Shemos 28:6) completely focused on his role of vicheishev afudaso asher alav gaining atonement for the Jewish People. kimaaseihu mimenu yihyeh zahav Were the Kohen Gadol to entertain one techeiles veargaman visolaas shani deviant thought, he would die inside the visheishes mashzar, the belt with which Holy of Holies. Thus, the Kohen Gadol it is emplaced, which is on it, shall be of was required to be akin to a malach, an the same workmanship, it shall be made angel. Elokim means G-d, and this Name of it, of gold; turquoise, purple, and is also used to depict one who has scarlet wool, and twisted linen. The ascended to great spiritual heights. The Meshech Chochmah writes that the manner in which one gains spiritual Gemara (Erchin 16a) states that the perfection is by not allowing foreign Ephod served to atone for the sin of influences to penetrate one’s inner idolatry. The Gemara elsewhere domain. Thus, it is fitting that the ephod (Kiddushin 40a) states that regarding served to atone for idolatry. The ephod idolatry, even if one has an idolatrous was worn over the tunic and the robe, thought, it is akin to having actually thus symbolizing protection from all worshipped idols. Thus, our verse external influences. We do not currently alludes to this idea, as the word have the Bais HaMikdash and the Kohen vicheishev can be interpreted to mean Gadol serving within, but HaShem has thoughts, and the words kimaaseihu bestowed upon us His precious gift of mimenu yihyeh alludes to the idea that the Holy Shabbos every week. Shabbos the thoughts are considered like a is the opportunity that we need to be maaseh, an action. Perhaps we can shielded from foreign influences so that expound further on this idea. Why is this we can ascend the spiritual ladder. On idea hinted to specifically regarding the Shabbos one is prohibited from ephod? It is noteworthy that there are a performing meleches machasheves, few words that equal the same number in intended labor. On Shabbos one should

1 focus on avoiding the performance of said (Esther 4:13-14) vayomer any prohibited act. Furthermore, one Mordechai lihashiv el Esther al tidami should focus on delighting in the vinafsheich lihamaleit bais hamelech Shabbos, and he will then be spared mikol haYehudim ki im hachareish from any negative influences. tacharishi baeis hazos revach vihatzalah yaamod layehudim mimakom acher viat This week is Parashas Zachor, when we uveis avich toveidu umi yodeia im laeis read aloud how Amalek, the archenemy kazoos higaat lamalchus, then of the Jewish People, sought to infiltrate Mordechai said to reply to Esther, “Do the Jewish camp and they were defeated not imagine in your soul that you will be by Yehoshua and the Jewish army. We able to escape in the king’s palace any read Parashas Zachor prior to Purim as more than the rest of the Jews. For if you Haman, the enemy of the Jewish People persist in keeping silent at a time like in Persia, was a descendant of Agag, the this, relief and deliverance will come to Amalekite king. The commentators point the Jews from another place, while you out that for all practical purposes, the and your father’s house will perish.” The true Amalekite does not exist amongst us conventional understanding of these anymore. Yet, we are still biblically verses is that Mordechai was warning commanded to remember the evil that Esther that if she did not act, then Amalek sought to perpetrate towards the HaShem would save the Jewish People Jewish People and how HaShem has through other means, but Esther and her promised us that the memory of Amalek family would not survive. The Gerrer will eventually be obliterated. One must Rebbe, however, understands that wonder how we can be required to Mordechai was informing Esther that the remember the evil wrought by Amalek way to accomplish the salvation was by and how we can be instructed to viat uveis avich toveidu. The Gerrer obliterate the memory of Amalek, when Rebbe renders the word toveidu, Amalek does not exist in the physical normally translated to mean perish, as to form. In order to gain a better forfeit your life. Thus, Mordechai was understanding of this obligation, we instructing Esther that the vehicle to must first examine the festival of Purim salvation was by forfeiting her life for and how we relate to this holiday in a the Jewish People. Based on this practical manner. We celebrate Purim by premise, we can begin to understand the reading Megillas Esther, making a feast, particular manner in which we can giving presents of food to our friends approach our requirement to remember and by proffering charity to the indigent. what Amalek sought to do the Jewish What is the significance in these four People and how we are required to rabbinically ordained mitzvos? I recently obliterate the memory of Amalek. saw a fascinating explanation from one Amalek was willing to forfeit their lives of the Gerrer Rebbes regarding in order to destroy the Jewish People, so Mordechai’s exhortation to Esther. It is

2 we must act in the same manner and poor, to the extent that we must fulfill sacrifice our lives for HaShem and His the rabbinic dictum that kol haposehit Torah. The Gemara (Megillah 7b) states yad nosnim lo, anyone who extends his that one is obligated to become hand on Purim receives charity. This intoxicated on Purim until he cannot certainly is a sacrifice on our parts. distinguish between cursed is Haman Lastly, we are required to read the and blessed is Mordechai. The Seder Megillah, and we must even forgo Torah Hayom writes that one is required to study to fulfill this mitzvah. For a Jew, become so intoxicated that he falls to the studying Torah is akin to a fish ground. The reason for this, writes the swimming in water, and we are still Seder Hayom, is because Haman sought required to interrupt our Torah study for to spill our blood to the ground, so we the reading of the Megillah. There can must act in a manner that counters be no greater sacrifice than forgoing Haman’s desires. Based on the Torah study. Thus, the four mitzvos that interpretation of the Gerrer Rebbe, we we perform on Purim all reflect a degree can place this ruling in perspective and of sacrifice, which counters the sacrifice also understand an incident recorded in that Amalek and their descendant the Gemara. We become intoxicated to Haman demonstrated in threatening the the point that we are willing to forfeit Jewish People. The Gemara (Shabbos our lives for HaShem, and the Gemara 118b) states that had the Jewish People demonstrates this with an incident where only observed the first Shabbos in the Rabbah and Rabbi Zeira celebrated the Wilderness, no race or nation could have Purim feast together. Rabbah killed assailed them. Proof of this is because Rabbi Zeira and then brought him back some of the Jewish People violated the to life. This Gemara clearly is telling us first Shabbos and this violation was that on Purim one must attain a level followed by the arrival of Amalek. We where he is willing to forfeit his life for are required to sacrifice everything HaShem. Now we can understand the except our lives to observe Shabbos. The function of the four mitzvos that we Medrash (Esther Rabbah 1:9) states that perform on Purim. We feast and drink the reason Achashveirosh was able to and become intoxicated, and we thus conduct his parties is because the Jewish demonstrate that we are willing to forfeit People had desecrated the Shabbos. It is our lives for HaShem. Furthermore, we well known that when we slack off in give each other food gifts. Unlike the our sacrifice for mitzvah performance, rest of the festivals where we essentially the gentiles are allowed to dominate us. conduct private feasts, on Purim we are It should be HaShem’s will that we required to give of our food to others. observe the Shabbos and the festivals This also reflects on our sacrifice for properly, and then we will merit the HaShem and His people. Additionally, fulfillment of the verse that the Jewish we are obligated to give alms to the children quoted to Haman (Yeshaya

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8:10) utzu eitzah visufar daberu davar Iyun Tefillah writes that it is said vilo yakum ki imanu kel, plan a (Yeshaya 6:3) vikara zeh el zeh viamar, conspiracy and it shall be annulled; and one would call to another and say… speak your piece and it shall not stand, Targum Yonasan renders these words to for G-d is with us. mean umikablin dein min dein, which Rashi explains to mean that the angels Shabbos in the Zemiros take permission from each other. Perhaps we can offer an alternative Eishes Chayil explanation to this passage. Regarding the Jewish People receiving the Torah, it Composed by Shlomo HaMelech in is said (Shemos 19:2) vayichan sham Mishlei Yisroel, neged hahar, and Israel .she encamped there, opposite the mountain , יָּדֶיהָּ , שִׁלְחָּה בַכִׁישֹור וְכַפֶיהָּ , תָּמְכּו פָּלְֶך stretches out her hands to the distaff, and Rashi (Ibid) writes that this wording her palms support the spindle. teaches us that the Jewish People Continuing the theme that these verses encamped opposite the mountain kiish allude to Shabbos, we can suggest that echod bileiev echod, like one man with the verse alludes to the idea stated in the one heart. This teaches us that in order to Zohar that Shabbos sustains a person accept the yoke of heavenly sovereignty, during the six days of the week. This is one must be united with all the Jewish People. Although one can recite Shema ,וְכַפֶיהָּ , תָּמְכּו פָּלְֶך the meaning of the words and her palms support the spindle. It is and contemplate HaShem’s unity, we are ,declaring shema Yisroel¸ hear O Israel וְכַפֶיהָּ , תָּמְכּו פָּלְֶך noteworthy that the words it is which reflects the idea that true ,היא שבת equal in gematria the words Shabbos. acceptance of heavenly sovereignty can only be accomplished when the Jewish People are united. In a similar vein we Shabbos in Tefillah can suggest that the actions of the angels on high reflects our conduct down Accepting heavenly sovereignty in below. Thus, the angels also, so to unity speak, unite in their acceptance of the yoke of heavenly sovereignty. Vichulam mikablim ol malchus shamayaim zeh mizeh, then they all Shabbos Stories accept upon themselves the yoke of heavenly sovereignty from one another. Giving tzedakah properly What does it mean that they accept the yoke of heavenly sovereignty from one Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky writes: another? One would think that accepting When the Satmar Rav came to this country after World War II he had a the yoke of heavenly sovereignty is handful of Hungarian immigrants, most something that one does on his own. The

4 of them Holocaust survivors, as his “Rebbe,” asked the sexton, “why all the Chasidim. As the custom is with fuss? A wrinkled dollar works just as Chasidic rebbes, they would come for a well as a crisp one!” blessing and leave a few dollars for the rebbe to give to charity on their behalf. The Rebbe explained. “One thing you The poor immigrants would come in for must understand. When you do a blessings, some leaving a dollar, others mitzvah, it must be done with grace, and some coins and on occasion a wealthier class. The way you give tzedakah is chasid would leave a five, a ten, or even almost as important as the tzedakah a twenty-dollar bill. The Rebbe would itself. Mitzvos must be done regally. We not look at the offerings; rather he would will not hand out rumbled bills to those open the old drawers of his desk and who are in need.” (www.Torah.org) stuff them in, ready, and available for them to be put to charitable use. Shabbos in Navi

Of course, givers were not the only one Shmuel I Chapter 28 who visited the Rebbe. Those who were in need came as well. Each of them Shabbos is a day for the living bearing their tale of sorrow, asking for a donation. In this chapter we learn how Shaul feared the Plishtim who had mobilized Once a man came desperately in need of their army to battle the Jewish People. a few hundred dollars, which the rebbe gladly agreed to give. Shaul disguised himself and sought out a female necromancer who raised up The Rebbe opened his drawer, and Shmuel from the dead. Shmuel informed began pulling out bills. Out came singles Shaul that his kingship would be torn and fives, a few tens and even a twenty. from him and given to Dovid. Then the Rebbe called in his Gabbai Furthermore, Shmuel informed Shaul (sexton), “Here,” he said, “please help that the Jewish People and Shaul would me with this.” be delivered into the hands of the The Rebbe began straightening out the Plishtim and Shaul and his sons would bills one by one. Together, they took die. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 65b) states each bill, flattened it and pressed it until that proof that Shabbos exists in the it looked as good as new. The Rebbe world is because a necromancer cannot took 100 one dollar bills and piled it into raise up the dead on Shabbos. Perhaps a neat stack. Then he took out a handful the deeper meaning of this statement is of five-dollar bills and put them into another pile. Then he took about five that Shabbos is the life of the world, and wrinkled ten dollar bills, pressed them the dead do not take part in Shabbos in flat, and piled them as well. Finally, he any form. Similarly, the Gemara (Ibid slowly banded each pile with a rubber and Rashi ad loc) states that the wicked band, and then bound them all together. are not punished in Gehinnom on He handed it to the gabbai and asked Shabbos. This statement also implies him to present it to the supplicant. that Shabbos is for the living and the

5 holiness of Shabbos even extends to Shabbos in Halacha those who are no longer alive. Exception to the prohibition of Shabbos in Agadah insulating with a heat-retaining material Shabbos in lieu of lashes There are certain instances in which a The Imrei Emes, the Gerrer Rebbe, container can be insulated in a heat- writes (Ki Seitzei 5677) that it is brought retaining material on Shabbos. [These in Tikkunei Zohar that on Shabbos we exceptions only apply to fully cooked are prohibited from performing forty food. One is never permitted to insulate acts of labor minus one, and this number partially cooked food on Shabbos.] One corresponds to the forty minus one example of this permit is that one can lashes that one receives upon violating a rewrap a pot of fully cooked food that negative commandment. One who is was wrapped in a heat retaining material, scrupulous to avoid performing one of i.e. a towel, prior to Shabbos and then the thirty-nine acts of labor on Shabbos became uncovered on Shabbos. does not require thirty-nine lashes. The Furthermore, one can unwrap the Imrei Emes cites the Targum attributed container on Shabbos to remove some to Yonasan who states that regarding food and re-insulate it. One is also lashes it is said (Devarim 25:3) viniklah allowed to add an extra layer of achicho lieinecho, and your brother will insulation i.e. another towel to a pot that be degraded in your eyes. The Targum was insulated prior to Shabbos. renders the words to mean that your brother should not be ashamed. The Shabbos Challenge Question Imrei Emes writes that this means that one should not be ashamed because of Shabbos Challenge Question the lashes. Rather, one should be Last week we posed the question: why ashamed because of the sin that he has do we recite in the blessing of Retzei in committed. On Shabbos, however, one Bircas Hamazon that there should be no can shame himself without actually distress, grief, or lament on this day of being whipped. The Zohar states that the contentment? Do we only desire that word Bereishis is an acrostic for the Shabbos should be free of strife and not words yarei Shabbos¸ fear of Shabbos, the rest of the week? The Pinei and for the words yarei boshes, fear Menachem answers that the Zohar states which leads to shame. Shabbos contains the source of all blessing during the within it a chastisement to an weekday is from Shabbos, so it follows understanding heart, and it is for this that if there is no distress, grief, or reason that one does not receive lashes lament on Shabbos, then there will not on Shabbos. be distress, grief, or lament during the week either.

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This week’s question is, the Gemara New York as rosh yeshiva of Tiferes (Shabbos 119b) states that if everything Yerushalayim. He authored Igros is prepared properly on Friday night, Moshe, Darash Moshe, and Dibros then the bad angel must declare that it Moshe and was universally should be this way the following acknowledged as the posek of the Shabbos. How is it possible that angels American Litvish community. who do not change can be transformed נפטרו י"ג אדר, זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה, from bad to good? If you have a possible זכותם יגינו עלינו ועל כל ישראל לטובה answer, please email me at [email protected] and your answer will be posted in next חג פורים שמח week’s edition of Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim ______Tetzaveh-Zachor-Purim 5773 Have a wonderful Shabbos and a Freilechen and Lichtige Purim Is sponsored in memory of Rav Yehuda (ben Shmuel) HaChasid, author of Sefer Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler. Chasidim (1150-1217). His father (1120- 1175), led a famous yeshiva in Speyer, For sponsorships please call 248-506- and served as Rav Yehuda’s rebbe. 0363

Rav Moshe (ben Yehuda Hersch) To subscribe weekly by email, please Langner, the fifth Strettiner Rebbe email (1959). In 1921, he moved the family [email protected] from Galicia to Toronto. View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim and Rav Moshe (ben Dovid) Feinstein other Divrei Torah on (1895-1986). Born in Uzda (near www.doreishtov.wordpress.com Minsk), Belorussia, he was a great- grandchild of the Be’er Hagolah. His mother was Feige Gittel, daughter of R’ Yechiel, rov of Kopolia. He joined the yeshiva of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer in Slutzk at the age of twelve. At the age of sixteen, Rav Moshe completed Shas and Shulchan Oruch. He was rabbi of Luban from 1921 to 1936. He escaped the Stalinist regime in 1936 and settled in

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