-
PARSHAS ACHAREI MOS-KEDOSHIM | 3 IYAR 5770 | 24 APRIL 2010
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986), of blessed memory, notes that
this mitzvah seems inconsistent with the Torah’s prohibition of
wastefulness. That principle, derived from two verses in
Deuteronomy (20:19-20) that warn against wantonly cutting down
fruit trees in time of war, is expanded to include a host of laws
aimed at preventing wastefulness. It is surprising therefore that
the Torah tells us to dispose of all fruit of the tree’s first
three years!
Rabbi Feinstein explains this curiosity with the
well-established principle that we will not incur a loss by
following the mitzvot. He says that this is especially true with
the mitzvah of orlah and with the additional mitzvah of netah revai
(the law that fruit of the fourth year, from trees grown in Israel,
be brought to and eaten in Jerusalem). With regard to these two
mitzvot, the Torah assures us that, “On the fifth year, you may eat
its fruit, so that it will increase its produce for you, I am
Hashem, your G-d” (Leviticus 19:25).
Rashi quotes the famed Rabbi Akiva who says that this verse
addresses any reservations a
farmer might have about keeping this mitzvah due to financial
considerations. Not only will he not incur a loss, but also he will
in fact gain from keeping these mitzvot. G-d will actually cause
his trees to become even more bountiful, to the benefit of all
mankind! What initially appears to be wasteful is actually the
source of tremendous blessing!
This conflict between a mitzvah and conventional wisdom can be
seen with other agricultural mitzvot as well. Shmittah, for
example, demands that we put down our tools and let our land lie
fallow every seventh year with no agricultural input or personal
investment. Once again, G-d guarantees that this display of
self-discipline will result in an exceptionally bountiful harvest,
proving that neither toil nor improved seeds nor enhanced
fertilizer are responsible for man's financial success.
Rabbi Shmuel Bloom was once in the office of an organization
that helps farmers observe shmittah when a phone call came in from
a farmer shouting about a miracle that had
occurred with his crop. Rabbi Bloom decided to take a trip to
northern Israel to get a first-hand glimpse.
When he arrived, the farmer, a secular Jew who first committed
to observing the shmittah laws that year, explained that a
devastating frost had lingered in the area for a number of weeks,
totally destroying the many local banana plantations that cannot
withstand temperatures below the freezing point. When he came to
inspect his fields, he found that his was the only plantation in
the region unscathed by the frost! Rabbi Bloom personally inspected
the neighboring plantations and was overwhelmed by the stark
contrast. (See story a n d p i c t u r e s h e r e : h t t p : / /w
w w . i s r a e l n a t i o n a l n e w s . c o m / B l o g s
/Message.aspx/2545.) Like shmittah, the laws of orlah reinforce the
message that G-d is the source of all success. Forgoing three years
worth of produce may not seem logical, but it’s an investment in
the tree's future bounty and productivity.
While the Torah demands that we put in a good day’s work, there
are times when we are told to put down our work tools (or shut down
the computer) and take the time to reflect on the idea that there’s
much more to the end-product than our inadequate efforts. This
message is vital, even for those who don’t have plans to plant a
fruit tree in the near future. Mistakenly believing that their
success is exclusively dependent on their own efforts, many people
add hours upon hours to their workday – almost always at the
expense of their family and their spiritual growth. Stepping back
and realizing that G-d’s manual for life is the ultimate plan for
true prosperity will likely not only result in even greater
success, but also in a happier and more meaningful life.
Rabbi Burnham can be reached at:
[email protected]
וכי תבאו אל הארץ ונטעתם כל עץ מאכל וערלתם ערלתו את פריו שלש שנים
יהיה לכם ערלים לא יאכל
“When you will enter the land and you will plant any
food-bearing tree, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. For
three years they shall be forbidden to
you, they shall not be eaten.” (Leviticus 19:23)
I n this week’s parsha, we find a mitzvah that seems very
difficult to understand. With this mitzvah known as orlah, G-d
commands us to desist from using the fruit of any tree for the
first three years after its planting. This mitzvah, which is not
limited to a geographic location such as Israel or to a particular
time period such as the Temple era, is still in force today, and is
meticulously observed by religiously observant farmers
worldwide.
Parsha Perspectives RABBI LEIBY BURNHAM
-
A C H A R E I M O S - K E D O S H I M Talking Points RABBI
ELAZAR MEISELS 1. SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER “Hashem said to Moses:
Speak to your brother Aharon that he not come at all times into the
Holy Sanctuary that is inside of the Curtain, before the Ark-cover
that is upon the Ark so that he not die, for in a cloud I shall
appear upon the Ark-cover.” 18:5
Speak to Aharon – So that he not die in the [same] way his sons
Nadav and Avihu died by entering the Holy Sanctuary without
permission. - Rashi
Speak to Aharon - When Aharon heard to news of his son’s
passing, he immediately said, “I offer thanks before You for the
kindness that You have done [in taking my children], rather than
allow them to lead corrupt lives…’ The Almighty said to Moses,
‘Since Aharon was visited by strict justice and not only did he not
complain, but he even thanked Me for My kindness, go and comfort
him.’ Therefore, the verse says, ‘Speak to Aharon,’ for the term
‘speak’ can be used to denote comfort. – Pesiktah Rabbasi
Although Pesiktah Rabbasi explains that the word ‘speak’ can
indicate comforting words, more commonly it is used to connote
forceful speech. The commentators explain that Moses was instructed
to speak to Aharon in a forceful manner and not to soften his words
in any way that could be interpreted as a show of favoritism to his
brother. His message was a strong one, and he could not temper it
in any way, just because he was speaking to his beloved brother. As
a leader, Moses was expected to treat everyone equally and never to
do anything that could lead to an accusation of nepotism.
2. WHEELING AND STEALING “You shall not withhold the wages of
your fellow and you shall not rob, it shall not remain overnight,
the wages of a day-laborer, keeping it in your possession until
morning.” 19:13
It shall not remain overnight – The very next verse begins with
an admonition not to curse the deaf. What is the significance of
this juxtaposition? To teach us that even if one does unfairly
withhold wages, the laborer must not curse him (even behind his
back). Rather, he must summon him to Beis Din and try to resolve it
in accordance with halachic guidelines. – Baal HaTurim
Withhold the wages…shall not rob – This is not the first time
the Torah mentions the prohibition of stealing. What has been added
here? People are
wont to rationalize that stealing is wrong only when the victim
is unaware that he is being stolen from. When one withholds wages,
however, or refuses to repay a loan, it is presumed to be not as
bad. To disabuse us of this fallacious notion, the Torah warns
against all forms of stealing, including the above mentioned
perverse forms of theft. – Ohr HaChaim
Withhold the wages…shall not rob – One might think that stealing
is taking another’s money without permission. Simply withholding
wages for one extra day is not obviously theft, especially since he
intends to pay it the very next day. This verse educates us to
understand that theft is possible even when merely withholds wages
for an extra few hours even though he later paid them. The same is
true for one who was due to pay a loan on a certain date and
delayed the payment without prior permission even for a only a few
days. For the time that he was obligated to pay and didn’t, he has
committed theft. – HeEmek Davar
Two close friends once appeared before the sainted Rabbi
Yitzchak of Vorkeh seeking his blessing and approval of their newly
formed business partnership. Rabbi Yitzchok inquired whether they’d
drawn up a partnership agreement to which they responded in the
negative. He took out a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and
handed it to them saying, “Here, this is your partnership
agreement.” They thanked him and hurriedly opened the paper to
discover that he had written only the letters aleph, beis, gimel,
and daled on it. Puzzled, they looked at him with wondering eyes.
Rabbi Yitzchak smiled and explained, “The aleph stands for the word
emes [truth] and the beis for brachah [blessing]. If you conduct
this partnership with truth, you will merit great blessing. The
gimel stands for gezel [thievery] and the daled stands for dalus
[poverty]. If you conduct yourselves with thievery, you will end up
with poverty as your partnership will fail.
3. THE JOYS OF SHABBAT “You shall not defile your daughter by
causing her to engage in harlotry, lest the land be turned astray,
and the land be filled with lewdness.” 19:29
Defile your daughter - This refers to one who hands over his
single daughter for illicit purposes not for the purpose of
marriage. If you do this, the earth will cause its fruits to go
astray, to produce them in another place, and not in your land. –
Rashi
Defile your daughter – This refers to one who refuses to allow
his daughter to marry while she is young, leaving her abandoned and
single as she ages, which may lead to her acting in desperate and
unfortunate ways. – Chizkuni
Defile your daughter – This refers to one who deliberately
highlights his daughter’s beauty and shows her off in public, even
if his intent is to make her more eligible for the purpose of
marriage. Immodest behavior even for a good cause leads to
sinfulness and disaster. – Ohr HaChaim
Baal HaTurim points out that the verse that follows instructs us
in the observance of the Sabbath and the message of this unlikely
juxtaposition is that there is a definite place for celebration and
merriment in Judaism, but that place is not within the context of
sinful and lewd behavior as so often happens in certain cultures.
Instead, joy and merriment are most appropriate when used to
beautify and sanctify the holy Sabbath; a time when we drink and
eat to satiety and revel in the exalted and euphoric state endowed
upon us by our extra measure of soul which graces us on the
Sabbath.
Rabbi Meisels can be reached at:
[email protected]
This page is dedicated to and written for the 6,500 Partners in
Torah mentors. We welcome
you to join their ranks by calling 800-STUDY-4-2. Please send
your comments, questions, and suggestions to
[email protected]
Contact Info for Partners in Torah Mentor Advisors*:
Rabbi Elazar Meisels 732-917-6370
(Sunday & Tuesday 8:00—11:00 pm, and Thursday 10:00am—12:00
noon) [email protected]
Rabbi Pinchos Jung 845-425-6533 (leave message)
*Kindly reserve use of our advisors
for mentor contact
-
Dear Alex,
You must be a pleasure to study with Alex, because you are
obviously a deep thinker. Many students of Pirkei Avos (Ethics of
the Fathers) are too engrossed in attempting to fathom the wisdom
of our Sages to be concerned with what element makes them uniquely
Jewish. As a matter of fact, your insightful question was
anticipated by the redactor of these statements in the preface to
this work.
He begins, “Moses received the Torah [from G-d] at Mt. Sinai and
transmitted it to Joshua, who transmitted it to the elders . . .”
He continues to detail the unbroken chain of transmission from
Sinai until the written recording of the Mishnah, assuring us of
its authenticity. It is only following this preface that we are
introduced to the wisdom itself. However, we should wonder why the
preface to Pirkei Avos is an integral part of the body itself, when
it is merely the historical background to the text. I believe that
understanding this, Alex, will answer your question.
Where all other cultures have eloquently expressed snippets of
wisdom into short, sometimes rhyming quips, their statements only
reflect human intelligence and experience. In contradistinction,
the statements that we read in Pirkei Avos,
although attributed to great Rabbis, reflect wisdom that is just
as much a part of Torah tradition dating from Mt. Sinai as the
legalities of Torah observance. In other words, the Rabbis cited
within this work were the disseminators of the concepts with which
they were associated, but were not the originators of those
concepts.
When G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people, He did not merely
give them a list of 613 Commandments with legal definition, but He
also gave them a worldview within which to observe these
commandments and attain perfection These teachings are Divine and
must be studied in depth, as they reveal the inner essence of human
nature and man’s interaction with creation with compelling
accuracy.
The acquisition of a Torah perspective on life and a plan for
self-perfection, while not technically subsumed under the rubric of
one particular commandment, are not optional. They are as incumbent
upon each Jew as the observance of the commandments themselves, for
in addition to Torah study and mitzvah observance, man is expected
to become a G-dly human being. Pirkei Avos, as a guidebook, offers
direction, because although man has been endowed with tremendous
intelligence and perception, he still is unable to
independently conceive the rules of conduct necessary to attain
this refinement and discipline.
Moses, the greatest leader of all time and the interlocutor
between G-d and the Jewish people – the highest distinction ever
accorded to a human being – was a prime candidate for the position,
not because of his leadership qualities or his mental prowess, but
because of his extreme humility. Yet, if we scrutinize the 613
commandments, we do not find a single commandment extolling the
virtues of humility! Nevertheless, it was this all-important
refinement of personality that made him ideal.
So, in short, the answer to your question Alex is that the
"pearls of wisdom" mined from Pirkei Avos are not uniquely Jewish,
but rather uniquely Divine and an integral part of Jewish thought.
It is no wonder that it has captured the imaginations of Jews for
the last 3300 years. As a wisdom-seeker, Alex, you have just
discovered a gold mine. Enjoy!
Warmest regards, Rabbi Reuven Drucker Rabbi Drucker can be
reached at: [email protected]
THOU SHALT BE NICE RABBI REUVEN DRUCKER
Dear Rabbi,
My study partner and I recently began studying "Ethics of the
Fathers," which he explained is traditionally studied at this time
of year. Reading the text together has lead to some very exciting
and sometimes heated discussions – which is exactly what I like
about Torah study. I was wondering however, what makes these
aphorisms particularly Jewish? After all, many cultures have a
variety of their own wise sayings. Are we studying these pearls of
wisdom just because they were coined by Jews?
A seeker of wisdom, Alex P.
LOOK WHO MADE PARTNER…
RECENT SAMPLING OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOINED AS PARTNERS:
RABBI SHIA BUXBAUM -- PASSAIC, NJ JESSICA PICCINNI --
WASHINGTON, DC ZEV YOUNG -- MERCER ISLAND, WA
TATYANA PAULAY -- SILVER SPRING, MD SHERRY SCHWARTZ -- CLIFTON,
NJ
MITCH WEINSTEIN -- CHARLESTON, SC ESTY GESTETNER -- MONTREAL,
QC
MICHAEL GELB -- JAMAICA, NY
Making Partner has never been this easy!
-
“You shall not be a gossipmonger… you shall not stand aside
while your fellow’s blood is shed – I am Hashem. You shall not hate
your brother… you shall reprove your fellow... You shall not take
revenge, and you shall not bear a grudge… you shall love your
fellow as yourself – I am Hashem.” (Leviticus 19:16-18)
The Torah portion Kedoshim (or holiness) is replete with mitzvot
that (אrelate to man’s relationship with his
fellow man. While refraining from gossip, not standing by idly
when a fellow’s blood is shed, offering rebuke, not taking revenge,
and loving, instead of hating, a fellow Jew are all expressions of
proper behavior, how do these seemingly obvious laws contribute to
our being “holy”?
?How can the Torah dictate emotions and expect us to love
another person (בCan we possibly be commanded to love
someone about whom we do not have positive feelings?
Certain mitzvot are grouped together in one verse, suggesting
that there is a (גcommon thread between them. What
possible connection can there be between the laws against taking
revenge, bearing a grudge, and the obligation to love your fellow
as yourself?
Rabbi Lam can be reached at: [email protected]
TABLE TALK FOR DISCUSSION AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE
RABBI LABEL LAM
Parsha At-A-Glance Acharei Mos
After the death of Aharon’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu, G-d
instructed Moses to warn Aaron not to enter the Tabernacle without
reason. This is followed by a detailed account of the Yom Kippur
service performed by the Kohen Gadol.
The Kohen entered the Holy of Holies in linen garments but
changed clothing and immersed numerous times throughout the day.
The Torah details the various animal sacrifices offered, as well as
the Kohen's confession on behalf of the Jewish people. If any part
of the ceremony was not carried out in accordance with Torah law,
the Kohen Gadol would incur the death penalty.
After concluding the Yom Kippur service in the Temple, the Torah
warned individuals to "refrain from work and afflict yourselves" on
Yom Kippur – the national day of atonement. (The Talmud explains
that the command, “You shall afflict yourselves,” means that one
must refrain from five actions: eating, drinking, washing, wearing
leather shoes and having marital relations.)
Jews were warned against offering sacrifices on privately built
altars.
The laws of shechitah (the ritual slaughtering of animals) are
repeated with special emphasis on the prohibition against eating
blood. Once again, the Torah states that the Jewish people are
holy, and G-d warned them against imitating the other nations of
the world. Following a list of illicit relationships reflecting the
moral depravity of other people, we were told that the land of
Israel cannot tolerate immorality and the punishment for violating
these laws is rejection
by the land itself.
Kedoshim
After reminding Jews to be holy because G-d is holy, the Torah
lists fifty-one separate mitzvot. Among them are honoring one’s
parents, keeping Shabbat, staying far away from idolatry, not
consuming sacrificial meat beyond its place and time, leaving
certain produce in the field for the poor, and being honest in
business. One is forbidden to lie, cheat, withhold wages, swear
falsely, curse or mislead another. Neither may we pervert justice,
be talebearers, or hate any Jew who upholds the Torah. Wrongdoers
must be rebuked. We must love our fellow Jews as we love ourselves.
The following statutes largely relating to agriculture are also
given here: not to sow a field with two kinds of seed, wear a
garment made of a mixture of wool and linen (shatnez), crossbreed,
or eat fruit grown in the first three years of a tree being
planted. Fourth-year fruit may be eaten, but only in Jerusalem.
Soothsayers may not be consulted. Men may not shave their faces
with razorblades. Permanent tattooing and promiscuity are both
forbidden. Married life must be governed by Torah law.
One is obligated to honor Torah sages as one fears G-d. We must
love righteous converts, and have absolute integrity in our
business dealings, making sure that our weights and measures are
accurate. It is forbidden to curse one’s parents. The nation is
again reminded not to follow the ways of the Canaanites, but to
retain their holiness if they wish to remain in the land of
Israel.
