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

Parshat Masei 28 Tammuz, 5774/July 26, 2014 Vol. 5 Num. 43 To sponsor an issue of Toronto Torah, please email [email protected] or call 647-234-7299 On the Road: A Personal Introspection Rabbi Baruch Weintraub An Introduction The road and its destination of years, to be fully reached in the end Everything a man says or writes Our parshah begins with the list of of times. And in the meantime, it is the reveals something of his intimate journeys made by our forefathers road that counts. personality. And when one through the years in the desert. contemplates, at length and in depth, However, as some of the commentators To the kingdom of ends the words of our holy Torah, it is only point out, this summary is written in an I, too, stand on the verge of a Promised more so – the Divine teachings unusual way: instead of stating all of Land, receiving an opportunity to affect resonate in the depths of his own soul the places in which the people dwelled, - hopefully for the better – a community (see Avodah Zarah 19a). the parshah highlights the road in . When I look back on the last between them, with each verse three years as a continued journey, I Many times over the last three years I dedicated to describing one journey can clearly see the meaningful progress have had this feeling; but in writing rather than one campsite. I made, and how it has enabled me to this article it is ten times stronger – I take one small step towards this vision. can almost see my own soul pouring Different reasons are offered for this through my fingers and into the phenomenon: perhaps it comes to This journey could not have been made, keyboard and the letters formed on the emphasize G-d’s benevolence, in that or even begun, without your central role screen. The reason for this strength is He did not cause us to wander too – you the reader, you the participant in that I find myself in a situation very much (Rashi); or perhaps it comes to the shiur, you who learned with me in similar to the one we encounter in the emphasize the nation’s devotion to G-d, chavruta or who just shared your beginning of our parshah. Just as the as expressed by walking through the thoughts. I only hope that all of you, Children of Israel stand, as their desert, an unsown land (Seforno). who reconciled your path of journey journey seems to come to its end, on with mine, had gained no less than me. the verge of the Promised Land, Rabbi Moshe Alshich suggested a third looking in retrospection upon the last answer: the journeys are presented as a And to the Avreichim of the Beit forty years, so do I stand in the end of detailed exposition of their introduction, Midrash, and to its head, my friend, my personal journey as a Sgan Rosh “These are the journeys of the Children Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, I can only Beit Midrash in the Yeshiva University of Israel who left the land of repeat the wish of the departing shift of Torah Mitzion Beit Midrash Zichron Egypt.” (Bamidbar 33:1) What the Torah kohanim in the Beit Hamikdash to the Dov of Toronto; And I too, look back wants to emphasize, then, is the entering shift: “May He who has caused retrospectively on my experiences in journey out of Egypt, and ultimately His Name to dwell in this house cause these years, and try to make sense out into the Promised Land. (33:51) The to dwell among you love and of them. journeys, therefore, are important not brotherhood and peace and for the places in which the nation friendship.” (Berachot 12a) And while, Thank G-d for small camped and stayed, but for the walking mercies, I have been granted the merit in itself. In the sojourns through the [email protected] to continue writing in Toronto Torah desert, the road, as the famous saying next year, I will no longer be able to do goes, was much more important than it as an organic part of the Toronto the destinations along the way. community, but as a former resident. Thus, I would like to read the first This lesson, I believe, is correct not only section in the parshah in accordance regarding the temporary destinations in with my current position in life, and I the desert. The entrance to Israel was hope that readers will find some of the not, in any which way, the end of the lessons applicable for themselves as road. The Promised Land is not only a well. place, but also an idea – a utopian ideal to which we have aspired for thousands

OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER

SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI BARUCH WEINTRAUB

AVREICHIM RABBI ADAM FRIEBERG, RABBI JOSH GUTENBERG, RABBI ADAM LAW

CHAVEIRIM EITAN AZIZA, JOSH AZIZA, EREZ DISHY, CHAIM TZVI FRIEDMAN, YONI GLASENBERG, MICHAEL IHILCHIK, RYAN JENAH, AVRAHAM KANOFSKY, AARON KOROBKIN, YONATAN MARKUS, KOBY NAUENBERG, JACOB NEMIROV, MITCHELL PERLMUTTER, ARYEH ROSEN, ARI SHER, NOAM SLODOVNICK, BENYAMIN SMITH, We are grateful to YAKOV SMIITH, YAAKOV SPIVAK, GRAHAM TUGETMAN Continental Press 905-660-0311 Haftorah: Yirmiyahu 2:4 - 2:28, 3:4 Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

Who is the prophet of our haftorah? d’s voice, asking the what ugly inside, so Israel – when they stood Yirmiyahu was the last major prophet of motivated them to reject G-d. In on Mount Sinai and answered, ‘We will the first Beit haMikdash, and his particular, the prophet notes that: do and we will hear,’ that was with experience may well have been the most  G-d has only helped the nation and their mouths. Their hearts were not bitter of any prophet in Tanach. He provided them with blessing; (2:5-8) aligned… Grapes contain food and lived in the 5th century BCE (according  Other nations do not abandon their drink, and so Israel contains people of to Seder Olam), and his task was to deities; (2:10-11) Torah and people of deeds.” However, warn the Jews of his day that time was  The Jews have abandoned G-d in there is another possible point of short and destruction was coming. The favour of powerless idols; (2:12-13, comparison here. nation did not heed Yirmiyahu’s words; 27-28) In Shoftim 9, a man named Yotam instead, they beat him and imprisoned  The Jews have failed to recognize him (Yirmiyahu 20 and 37), threw him that their national suffering is rebukes the Jewish people for their into a cistern (ibid. 38) and threatened punishment for their sins; (2:14-17) selection of an inappropriate leader, his half-brother, Avimelech. In the to kill him. (ibid.)  The Jews have turned to Egypt and Assyria, their enemies, for support, course of his rebuke, Yotam describes Rembrandt’s Jeremiah Weeping Over the rather than turn to G-d. (2:18) different flora and their greatest traits, Destruction of Jerusalem is hauntingly and he describes the fruit of the grape evocative of the mood of Yirmiyahu’s At the conclusion of our haftorah, the as “gladdening G-d and man.” Wine book; Indeed, the word “jeremiad” was Jews are told that despite their gladdens the human being who drinks coined to refer to a prophecy of doom wandering, G-d stands ready to take it; wine gladdens G-d when it is and gloom. Throughout his misery, them back at the moment of their poured on the altar as a libation. though, Yirmiyahu carried with him a return. (3:4) Perhaps this is another point in the Divine promise, “I am with you, to save comparison of the Jew and the grape; Jews and Grapes you.” (ibid. 1:8) when we offer ourselves to G-d then we Various prophets compare Jews to gladden Him, and when we offer According to the Talmud (Bava Batra grapes and grapevines; see, for ourselves to assist other people then 15a), Yirmiyahu authored his own book, example, Yeshayah 5, Yechezkel 17 we gladden them. the book of Melachim, and the book of and Hosheia 9:10. In our haftorah Eichah. (2:21), G-d declares, “I planted you as Yirmiyahu rebukes the Jews, saying a vine, in entirety a true seed; how that G-d planted us as an “entirely What is the message of our haftorah? have you now become a straying, true seed,” outfitted with the spiritual Our haftorah is the second of three foreign plant?” What is the genes to produce fruit which would haftarot, gimel d’puranuta, which Jews relationship between Jews and grapes? serve G-d and serve the world. We have historically read between the strayed and became foreign, seventeenth of Tammuz and Tishah A midrash (Tanchuma Lech Lecha 21) unadapted to our soil and to our task. b’Av; the practice dates back at least offers two bases for comparison, G-d calls us to return to our figurative one thousand years. (Sefer haManhig saying, “When [the Jews] stood on roots, and to again be the nation “Lifnei Tishah b’Av”) In this haftorah, Mount Sinai they were compared to which will “gladden G-d and man.” the prophet Yirmiyahu speaks with G- grapes. Grapes are pretty outside and [email protected] 613 Mitzvot: #393 Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner The Irredeemable First-born In Parshat Bo (Shemot 13), the Torah instructs us to bring sheep or the firstborn goat. These are holy.” If the firstborn our first-born sheep, oxen and goats to a kohen. When we animal is not blemished, it must be brought as a korban, have a Beit haMikdash, the kohen the animal as a korban, and it may not be redeemed for money. putting part on the mizbeiach [altar] and eating the rest. If the animal develops a blemish which disqualifies it from The Torah’s special declaration of this rule is odd; we may being brought as a korban, anyone may eat it. This mitzvah not redeem any unblemished korban for money. Why might applies even when there is no Beit haMikdash, biblically I have thought that the firstborn animal was any different? within Israel and rabbinically outside of Israel. [One version Sefer haChinuch (393) suggests that this lesson is necessary of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Bechorot 1:5 says that because we have a related law – mitzvot 22 and 23 in the this mitzvah applies only in Israel, and Sefer haChinuch count of Sefer haChinuch – of redeeming a firstborn donkey. seems to adopt this view in mitzvah 393, but the consensus The mitzvah of the firstborn donkey is presented beside the of authorities is that this edition of the Rambam’s position is mitzvah of the firstborn kosher animal in the Torah, and in error; see Minchat Chinuch 393:7.] one redeems a firstborn donkey for money even when it is unblemished, and so one might have thought that the same By sanctifying our firstborn animal, we dedicate the first fruit would be true for a firstborn kosher animal. Therefore, the of our efforts to Hashem, and so we demonstrate that we Torah takes the time to note that one may not do so. recognize that everything we possess ultimately comes from Hashem. Further, we commemorate Hashem’s destruction of In truth, even a blemished firstborn animal is never the Egyptian first-born and redemption of the Jews from “redeemed”, in the normal sense of the word; it may be sold, but its sanctity is not transferred to the money used for Egypt. Sefer haChinuch counts this as the Torah’s 18th mitzvah. purchase. Because its holy status is a function of birth and not conferred upon it by the will of a human being, no In Parshat Korach (Bamidbar 18:17) the Torah presents an human being can transfer the holiness to another entity. additional mitzvah – mitzvah 393 in the count of Sefer (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch to Bamidbar 18:17) haChinuch – regarding this firstborn animal. The text states, “Only, you shall not redeem the firstborn ox, the firstborn [email protected]

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com Torah and Translation Biography Rabbi Chaim David HaLevi Prisoner Exchanges in Halachah Rabbi Josh Gutenberg Rabbi Chaim David HaLevi Aseh Lecha Rav 7:53 Rabbi Chaim David HaLevi was born in Translated by Rabbi Josh Gutenberg Jerusalem in 1924. As a child, he [Note: This responsum was written in studied under Rabbi Ezra Atiyeh and Rabbi Ben Zion Meir Hai Uziel in reaction to the Jibril Agreement, when Yeshivat Porat Yosef. [Rabbi Ovadia 1150 Palestinian prisoners and Yosef was a student at the yeshiva terrorists were exchanged for three simultaneously.] In 1948, Rabbi HaLevi Israeli soldiers in captivity in 1982.] fought in the Independence War as a If we are dealing with logic, behold Rav ואם בסברא עסקינן הנה כו ‘ הגר “ ש גורן member of the Tuvia Brigade, a unit Goren [wrote] in his aforementioned במאמרו הנ “ ל כמה פעמים , שעיסקא זאת designated for yeshiva students. After article, several times, that this deal הגבירה והגדילה את כחם המספרי ואיכותי the War, Rabbi HaLevi served as Rabbi intensified and increased the power of של המרצחים ע “ י שחרור מספר כה גדול של Uziel’s personal secretary when the latter the murderers, both quantitatively and מחבלים מאומנים וכו‘. וזו סברא נכונה היא , .was Sephardic of Israel qualitatively, by freeing a large number of trained terrorists. This reasoning is אלא שנשאל נא , וכי אותם שעסקו בביצוע עיסקא זאת לא הבינו דבר פשוט זה , אלא Rabbi HaLevi served in several rabbinical roles in his career. He was Chief Rabbi of correct, but let us ask: did those who executed this deal not understand this כפי שהובהר בין היתר ע “ י שר הבטחון , נגד עיני הממשלה שהחליטה עמדה נקודה Rishon LeTzion from 1951-1972, and he concurrently served on the Rabbinical simple point? Rather, as was clarified inter alia by the Minister of Defence, an חשובה נוספת, והיא המורל של חיילי צה“ל. .Council of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate When Rabbi Ovadia Yosef was appointed additional significant matter stood Chief Rabbi of Israel in 1973, Rabbi before the eyes of the government that HaLevi took over his position as made this decision: the morale of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and soldiers of the IDF. served in that capacity until 1997. In When a soldier knows that if he were to כאשר חייל יודע שאם יפול בשבי , מדינת he was a candidate for Sephardic ,1992 fall captive the entire State of Israel ישראל כולה ניצבת מאחריו לשחררו , ימסור Chief Rabbi of Israel, but Rabbi Eliyahu would stand behind him to free him, he נפשו בשעת קרב ללא פחד ומורא . אך אם .Bakshi-Doron was elected will exert himself during battle without יופעל הדין שאין פודין שבויים יתר על כדי fear or intimidation. However, if the law דמיהן גם במקרה זה, כאשר חיילים נשלחים Rabbi HaLevi was a prolific author. His that “we don’t free captives for more בשליחות האומה למלחמה , אז מן הסתם major works include Mekor Hayyim than their value” (Gittin 45b) were to be יאמר כל חייל בלבו מוטב לסגת ולא ליפול HaShalem, a five volume synopsis of Jewish law, along with Kitzur Shulchan applied even in this scenario, when soldiers are sent as national בשבי. ומי הוא זה אשר ימדוד עתה מה הנזק הבטחוני הגדול יותר , חיזוק כחם של Aruch Mekor Hayyim, a more concise version only listing practical laws, and representatives to battle, then it may be assumed that every soldier would think המחבלים ע “ י שחרור חבריהם , או חיזוק המורל של חיילי צה“ל במלחמות עתידות אם Aseh Lecha Rav, a set of responsa dealing with a wide range of to himself, “Better to retreat than to fall captive.” Who is the one to measure now תקראנה ח“ו.... contemporary issues. In addition, he wrote books on Jewish law in areas such what will cause the greater damage to as marriage and religion in the modern security: strengthening the power of the State of Israel. He also authored a three terrorists by freeing their associates, or volume work on the Torah, as well a strengthening the morale of the soldiers topical index to the Zohar. For his of the IDF in future wars if they were to contributions to Torah scholarship, happen, G-d forbid. Rabbi HaLevi received numerous awards. Therefore, in my humble opinion it does לכן, אין נראה לענ “ ד שממשלת ישראל פעלה Notably, he was awarded the Rav Kook not appear that the Israeli government בניגוד להלכה . ויתכן אף ששיקול דעתה Prize in 1984 and the Israel Prize in acted against Jewish law. It is even היתה דוקא תואמת חידוש הלכתי שחכמי .1997 possible that their consideration would התורה היו מחדשים במקרה זה. Rabbi HaLevi passed away on 12 Adar have matched a novel [interpretation of] 5758 (March 10, 1998). Jewish law which the Torah scholars would have innovated in this situation. [email protected] In any case, after the action [has been ועכ “ פ , לאחר מעשה ודאי שאין להרהר ואין completed] one certainly should neither לערער אחרי החלטת ממשלת ישראל על question nor complain about the Israeli החלטתה. אף כי יש מקום לדון ולקבוע דרכי government’s decision. However, there is פעולה בעתיד לכל מקרה ח “ ו , ותפלתנו לד ‘ room to debate and to set a course of שישפות שלום לנו , ונזכה במהרה לשיבת action for any future occurrences, G-d forbid. Our prayers to G-d are that He שופטינו כבראשונה ויועצנו כבתחלה. should grant us peace, and we should speedily merit to the “return of our judges as at first and our counsellors as at the beginning.” (cf. Isaiah 1:26)

Visit us at www.torontotorah.com 3 Introducing: Rabbi David Ely Grundland

We are glad to welcome Rabbi David Ely and Shira Rachel Grundland! Rabbi Grundland will join our Beit Midrash next year and will serve as Rabbinic Assistat at Shaarei Shomayim Congregation

Rabbi David Ely Grundland grew up in Toronto. He attended York University where he received his B.A. in Business and Society. While studying at York, David Ely discovered a deep passion for learning and teaching Torah. In 2008, he moved to Israel to study at Yeshivat Torat Yosef Hamivtar in Efrat, under the guidance of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin. In 2014 he received ordination from the Joseph and Gwendolyn Strauss Rabbinical Seminary at Yeshivat Hamivtar under the direction of Rabbi Yehoshua Reich, and HaGaon Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, shlit”a.

While completing his tests for ordination, David Ely also served as a Rav and for students of Mechinat Ye’ud, a post high-school program that complements traditional yeshiva study with structured chessed programs and tiyulim. David Ely ascribes to a holistic approach to Torah, believing that just as Torah infuses deeper meaning and understanding into our lives, so too can our day-to-day experiences help us to better understand and relate to Torah and mitzvot.

David Ely is married to Shira Rachel. Along with their children, Akiva Chen and Mali Tova, they are looking forward to coming to Toronto and contributing to the Beit Midrash Zichron Dov team. Highlights for July 26 – August 1 / 28 Tammuz — 5 Menachem Av Our official zman ends this week, but opportunities remain! Time Speaker Topic Location Special Notes

SHABBAT JULY 26 6:45 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Pirkei Avot 131 North Meadow University women Gemara Avodah Zarah: After minchah R’ Mordechai Torczyner BAYT Identifying Kosher Fish

SUNDAY JULY 27 9:15 AM R’ Shalom Krell Kuzari Zichron Yisroel With light breakfast

MONDAY JULY 28 Rosh Chodesh Av 10:30 AM R’ Mordechai Torczyner Chabura: Times of Davening Yeshivat Or Chaim

TUESDAY JULY 29 Part of a Community Memorial 7:45 PM R’ Mordechai Torczyner The Hidden Cost of Churban Clanton Park for the Shloshim of Gilad, Eyal & Naftali

WED. JULY 30

R’ Mordechai Scheiner Reality Check: Eichah In memory of 7:30 PM BAYT Gilad, Eyal & Naftali 4 We wouldR’ Mordechai like to thank Torczyner koshertube .comMourning for filming forour Hope shiurim ! Visit us at www.torontotorah.com OUR MISSION: TO ENGAGE, INSPIRE AND EDUCATE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF THE GREATER TORONTO AREA. WE APPLY OUR TORAH HERITAGE TO THE DAILY LIVES OF MODERN JEWS, THROUGH CLASSES, DISCUSSIONS AND CHAVRUTOT IN OUR HOME BEIT MIDRASH AND OUR BNEI AKIVA SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS THE , CAMPUSES AND WORKPLACES OF THE GTA.

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Aish Thornhill / Thornhill Community Shul  Ayin l’Tzion  Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation

Clanton Park  Congregation Bnai Torah  Forest Hill Jewish Centre  Kehilat Shaarei Torah

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Shaarei Shomayim  Shaarei Tefilah  Shomrai Shabbos Chevra Mishnayos  Toras Emes Viewmount

The Village Shul  Zichron Yisroel of the Associated Hebrew Schools