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מוצש’’קשבת מברכין / פרשת שקליםLONDON: 6:38 PM

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THE GOLD STANDARDRabbi Jeremy GolkerHead of Kodesh, Hasmonean High School

Now in Yerushalayim, Antwerp, Baltimore, Bet Shemesh, Borehamwood, Chile, Cyprus, Edgware, Elstree, Gibraltar, Hale, Holland, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Radlett, Toronto, Vienna, Zurich

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OnegShabbosNorth West London's Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets

A Torah publication that enables local Rabbonim and Avreichim to share their insights and Divrei Torah on a variety of different levels, to provide something for everyone.

פרשת ויקהל5th March 2016 כ”ה אדר א’ תשע"ו Children of Nishmas Yisroel –

Hendon

Over sixty year 12 students from Hasmonean Girls’ School recently went on the school Poland trip. One of the places they visited was the famous yeshiva, Chachmei Lublin. The girls learned and saw how Rav Meir Shapiro zt’’l tried to transform the status of yeshiva bachurim and limmud haTorah by building a yeshiva where the imposing physical edifice would match the towering spiritual standards.

Rav Meir Shapiro’s educational philosophy is beautifully expressed in an idea relating to this week’s sedra.

The Mechilta (Parshas Yisro, parsha yud) makes an intriguing comment about the keruvim, the child like angels standing at each end of the aron, that feature again in this week’s sedra.

What would happen if replacement keilim (vessels) were needed in the mishkan and gold was not available? Could silver be used? Or is it gold or nothing?

The Mechilta says that for all the other keilim in the mishkan, it would be acceptable to make replacements out of silver. This is not true for the keruvim. The keruvim had to be made out of gold. Indeed, if they were fashioned out of silver, the Mechilta shockingly equates it to making silver idols!

Why? What is so special about the keruvim that necessitates that they may only be made out of gold?

Rav Meir Shapiro explains that the keruvim represent chinuch, The child like angel sitting on top of the aron are symbols of youngsters learning Torah.

That is why they have to be made out of gold. When it comes to chinuch, there is no room for “good enough”. Each lesson has to be outstanding and of the highest quality. Even silver is akin to idol worship!

This is a powerful idea and serves as a responsibility and benchmark for those fortunate enough to be involved in chinuch, whether as parents or mechanchim. When it comes to transmitting Torah to the next generation, only a gold standard suffices.

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E 1. Where do we see a hint to all the 39 malachos of Shabbos at the beginning of Parshas Vayakhel?

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AH“AS G-D COMMANDED

MOSHE”Rabbi Yakov HaberTorah Web

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The recurrent phrase in this week’s parasha - “ka’asher tziva Hashem es Moshe” - is repeated no less than eighteen times1. The commentaries offer diverse explanations for this phenomenon ranging from technical to halachic to hashkafic.

Rav Meir Simcha Hakohen of Dvinsk zt’’l in his Meshech Chochma explains that the bigdei kehuna described in Pekudei contained sha’atnez - wool and linen - and therefore required special Divine dispensation to wear them. The mishkan, whose construction is mentioned in Vayakhel, by contrast, even though its curtains also contained sha’atnez, but no regular Torah prohibition was violated since they were not worn. Hence, the Torah indicates that the Jewish people acted as G-d commanded concerning the bigdei kehuna. Concerning the mishkan, this was obvious.

Rav Hirsch comments that the building of the actual mishkan was not considered complete until it was totally finished. By contrast, the garments of kohanim were considered complete as each one was finished. Hence, in our parasha, the above-mentioned phrase appears after the formation of each garment indicating its completion and also concerning the completion of the construction of the mishkan after all of its vessels, walls and curtains were formed2.

The Beis HaLevi, Rav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik zt’’l, presents a penetrating analysis of this recurring phrase in two places. In parshas Lech Lecha, he explains this phrase to indicate that even though an individual is highly intelligent and thinks that he knows the reason why Hashem commanded the mitzva, he should perform it not because of his knowledge of the reason but because of the Divine command itself. Performing the mitzva because of our understanding would not be serving G-d but serving ourselves by following our understanding. A similar duality appears in the Gemara3. After the Gemara questions why we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana, the Gemara challenges the question: Why do we blow shofar?! Hashem commanded us to blow! Even though ta’amei hamitzvos are often offered by Torah scholars as part of Torah study, the mechayev, that which obligates us to do the mitzva is certainly not the reason, but rather the Divine command itself. Whether one has an insight into a possible reason or not, he is equally bound by the mitzva because of the Divine commandment.

In parshas Ki Sisa, he links this concept to the relationship between the Cheit Ha’Eigel and the building of the mishkan. One opinion in the Midrash followed by Rashi4 states that Hashem commanded Moshe concerning the mishkan only after the cheit ha’egel. Thus, the construction of the mishkan atoned for the sin of the golden calf. The Beis HaLevi explains that each mitzva has enormous spiritual, inner depth and this is certainly so for the mishkan and mikdash which

“houses” the Divine Presence in some mysterious way. One knowledgeable of this depth of Torah might be tempted to utilise his knowledge to create some entity which will bring down the Divine Presence without following any specific Divine commandment. This is what Bnei Yisrael attempted to do in forming the egel5.

1 Be’er Moshe by R. Moshe Yechiel HaLevi of Ozhorov suggests the Moshe Rabbeinu who was willing to give up his life for K’lal Yisrael merited "chai” mentionings of this phrase referencing his role as the sh’liach of Hashem indicating his eternal life and legacy.

2 Shemos 39:42-433 Rosh Hashana 16a.4 Shemos 31:185 See Midrash quoted by Ramban (32:1) that they were inspired to make an image of

the egel having witnessed the image of an ox in the merkava vision they experienced at Har Sinai (see Yechezkel 1:10).

Their grievous error lay in the fact that only G-d determines what form of worship is appropriate and what kind of structure and vessels would be a correct form to “house” the Shechina. Klal Yisrael in constructing the mishkan atoned for their great sin by not diverging one iota from the Divine command and building it because of G-d's command, not based on their insights into its enormous spiritual significance. Creating alternate forms of worship based on the perceived reasons for mitzvos is sinful and can even lead, as it did in the case of the egel, to idolatry.

Perhaps we can connect all of the approaches given above as follows. Divine service is itself a big mystery. How can finite man serve the infinite Creator? As the Midrash6 teaches, G-d is not affected by our service of Him. Nonetheless, Hashem in His Infinite Wisdom provides for us a means with which to serve Him and elevate ourselves through that service. The unifying factor of all of these approaches is that only G-d can command how His creations should serve and thereby connect to the Infinite One.

When should one mitzva override another? Only the Torah itself can determine that. This is Meshech Chochma’s teaching - the overriding of the law of shatnez is only "as G-d commanded Moshe." What if we think we know the reason for a mitzva - shouldn’t it be performed because of that reason? This is what Beis HaLevi teaches: our performance of mitzvos is in order to follow the Divine command. The reasons can enhance but should never motivate the “mitzva act”7What if we come up with a new mode of service? This is the second teaching of Beis HaLevi: only G-d can determine the mode of service appropriate.

But G-d also commanded the chachmei hador to create safeguards to the Torah and even add Rabbinic mitzvos8. The Ran9 teaches that these serve as expressions of ahavas Hashem and yiras Hashem demonstrating that we do not wish to suffice with just the minimum requirements and also wish to safeguard our precious heritage. However, since we cannot choose to serve the Almighty in a way he has not commanded, the chachmei hador must have enormous insight as to what kinds of Rabbinic safeguards and Rabbinic mitzvos would "blend in" with the rest of the Torah and which would be foreign intrusions into the Torah system. Our sages teach us "kol d’tikkun rabbanan k’ein d’oraisa tikkun”. All Rabbinic enactments follow Torah patterns. To do so properly requires absolute mastery of the Torah far beyond that which ordinary Torah scholars possess.

Recent controversies have erupted concerning what modes of avodas Hashem are appropriate and which are not. Our parsha resonates again and again with the slogan - “ka’asher tziva Hashem es Moshe.” Make sure that everything is in accordance with this directive! But how are we to know Hashem’s Will in an era when we can no longer ask Moshe Rabbeinu to receive direct instructions from the Almighty? The answer is contained in the Torah's directive "ki yipalei mim’cha davar lamishpat...v’asisa k’chol asher yorucha”10 . Follow the interpretations and rulings of the Sanhedrin and in subsequent eras the gedolei chachmei hador11 who will be given Divine assistance to determine which mode blends in with the Torah and which does not. May the Nosein HaTorah continue to grant the chachmei hador the wisdom to guide us in following His will and Am Yisrael the desire to loyally follow their guidance.

This Dvar Torah has been kindly submitted by TorahWeb.org

6 Bereishis Rabba 44:17 See Rav Y. D. Soloveitchik’s shiur on the Korach Rebellion available at www.bcbm.org.8 The important distinction between the Sages until the chasimas haTalmud and those after that

time is beyond the scope of our limited words here. But even current Chachmei HaDor are charged to make limited takkanos to preserve the Torah's integrity.

9 Drashos 7.10 Devarim 17:8-1011 See Sefer haChinuch 495


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E 2. Why is havara, burning, (35:3) singled out for specific mention more than any of the other 39 Avos Meloches of Shabbos?

T H I S P A G E I S K I N D L Y S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E F E D E R A T I O N

Sheimos Bank located atBeis Hamedrash Nishmas Yisroel

4 Brent Green, London NW4 2HA

A COMMUNITY SERVICE OF THE

FED

ERA

TIO

NThis Page is kindly sponsored by the

FederationSHEIMOS FAQ’SRabbi Sruli GuttentagWhitefield Community Kollel and Federation ShailaText

3

What is a Sheimos Bank used for?

Halacha forbids us from destroying any item that has kedusha associated with it. These items fall into various categories – first, those that have intrinsic kedusha, which includes anything from mezuzos and tefillin, and printed sefarim such as siddurim, chumashim and gemaros. This would also include any printed papers (newspapers, magazines, parsha sheets) that include the name of Hashem in full. Sifrei Torah constitute a category of their own and need to be treated with extra kedusha and as such should not be placed in the Sheimos Bank. (see table for further details)

How do I place items in the bank?

Items that are placed in the Sheimos Bank should be put into bags before inserting in the slot. Please note that mezuzos and tefillin should be individually wrapped before inserting and care should be taken to ensure that the wrapping is waterproof.

What is a Sheimos Bank not to be used for?

Printed material that includes Divrei Torah or incidental mention of Divrei Torah (see table for examples) are not subject to the same halachos as items with kedusha, but they may not be treated with direct bizayon, ie in a manner that ‘disgraces’ them. (see question below for further details)

If my item should not go to geniza, how do I dispose of it?

It should be double-wrapped before disposing as normal with other waste. Broken tzitzis strings would also fall into this category. (see table for further details)

Can I use my recycling bin?

The Federation Beis Din takes the position that recycling should be

avoided. The recycling process often sends paper to factories which

produce tissue paper rolls and thus is considered to be a direct bizayon.

Who should I contact if I have questions or I’m not sure?

If you have a question as to whether your item is sheimos or not, you can

contact the Federation’s shaila service ShailaText by sending a message

to 07860 017 641, for a response within four working hours.

Do I need to pay to use this service?

The Federation’s Sheimos L’Geniza Service is offered to the entire

community free of charge. However, we do appreciate donations that

help to defray the cost of transporting the sheimos items for burial. To

make a donation text SHEM05 £1/£2/£3/£4/£5 to 70070 or visit www.

federation.org.uk

It would be great if there was a Sheimos Bank closer to my home! Who do I contact to find out more about setting one up?

To find out if it is possible to set up a Federation Sheimos L’Geniza near

you, please email [email protected] or telephone 020 8202 2263

ITEM ACTION

• Sifrei Torah Do not place in Sheimos Bank

• Mezuzos, tefillin, tefillin straps Place in Sheimos Bank individually wrapped. Ensure sealed and waterproof

• Empty tefillin bags and empty mezuza cases.

• Sefarim / photocopied source sheets with Shem Hashem Place in Sheimos Bank in bags

• Torah content in Jewish newspapers and magazines (as long as no Shem Hashem) / photocopied source sheets without Shem Hashem

• Parsha sheets

• School projects

• Wedding invitations with pesukim

Double wrap and dispose of in a regular bin – do not recycle

• Jewish music, video or story DVDs or CDs Dispose of in a regular bin


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E 3. Why was the punishment for the Nesiyim’s lack of zealousness in bringing donations to the mishkan seen in their name being written missing the letter yud? (Rashi 35:27)





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AHSHABBOS

Rabbi Yehonasan GefenRabbi for Keter HaTorah

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The Parsha begins with an exhortation to observe Shabbos: “For six days work will be done and the seventh day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem, whoever does work on it shall be put to death.1” The commentaries ask that the wording of the Torah in this passuk needs explanation; it should have said, “for six days you will do work” in the active sense, rather than saying that work will be done in the passive form2.

They explain that the Torah is teaching us about the attitude a person should have that will enable him to have the fortitude to refrain from doing melacha (prohibited activity) on Shabbos: Throughout the week a person is required to work in order to earn his livelihood, he cannot sit back and expect G-d to provide for him if he puts in no effort. He is required to put in hishtadlus because of the decree that Hashem placed upon mankind after the sin of Adam HaRishon. However, in truth, all his hishtadlus (effort) is not the reason for his success, rather Hashem is its sole Source. On Shabbos, Hashem commands us to refrain from creative activity to acknowledge this and that all the work we do in the week is only part of the gezeiras hishtadlus (decree to work). However, if one comes to believe that his physical efforts are in fact the cause of his livelihood then he will find it very difficult to refrain from working on Shabbos; he thinks that the more he works the more he will earn and therefore it is logical for him to work on Shabbos as well as the rest of the week. In response to this erroneous attitude, the Torah tells us that one should view the work that he does in a passive sense - that in truth he does not do the work, rather that it is done for him. Hashem, so to speak, does the work and provides for each person’s livelihood. If one recognises this then he will find it far easier to refrain from working on Shabbos because he realises that in truth his work is not the cause of his livelihood3.

It seems that this lesson is not limited to avoiding the 39 melachos that are forbidden by the Torah. There is a Rabbinical prohibition of speaking about melacha that one plans to do in the rest of the week4. Doing so also shows a level of lack of appreciation of the lesson of Shabbos that Hashem provides one’s livelihood. Moreover, whilst

1 Shemos, 35:2.2 See Shemos 20:9 where the Torah says, “you will work” and Shemos, 31:15 where it says, “work

will be done”.3 See Tallelei Oros, Parshas Vayakhel, p.279; Darchei Mussar, Parshas Vayakhel, p.136-7.4 Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 307:1. An exception to this is when the melacha involves a Mitzva

of some kind (See Mishna Berurah, sk.,1 for details of this heter).

it is technically permissible to think about melacha on Shabbos, it is nonetheless praiseworthy to avoid such thoughts completely5. Such a level reflects a true appreciation of how Shabbos is a reflection on the fact that Hashem runs the world, and that one’s own thoughts of melacha are of no benefit.

This idea is brought out in the Gemara in Shabbos: The Gemara tells of a righteous man who saw that there was a hole in the fence of his field on Shabbos. He thought about fixing it after Shabbos, and then remembered that it was Shabbos and felt guilty about thinking about melacho on Shabbos. As a show of regret he then decided never to fix that fence and as a reward a miracle occurred and a tzlaf tree grew from which he was able to support himself and his family6. There are two difficulties with this Gemara: Firstly, why did he refrain from ever fixing the fence - what was the benefit of doing so and how could it rectify his initial mistake? Secondly, what was the significance of the reward he received, how was that a measure for measure response to his decision never to build the fence?

It seems that we can answer these problems through the principle we are discussing. When this righteous man saw the fence, he thought about fixing it, momentarily forgetting the lesson of Shabbos, that Hashem is the Source of one’s livelihood and that man’s efforts are worthless without Hashem’s help. In order to rectify this ‘error’ he decided to never fix the fence to demonstrate that he did indeed recognize that his own efforts were not the cause of his livelihood. As a reward for this attitude, Hashem showed him measure for measure that he was correct, and provided him with a new source of income, the tzlaf tree without any input from the man himself! This proved that Hashem can provide a person with his livelihood regardless of his hishtadlus.

Throughout the week it is very difficult to see through the illusion that man’s hishtadlus is not the true cause of his livelihood, and that Hashem is the sole Provider. Shabbos provides man with the opportunity to see clearly that all his hishtadlus is ultimately unnecessary7. On Shabbos whilst the rest of the world continues striving to earn their living through effort, observant Jews rest from such activity, recognizing that Hashem runs the world without needing man’s input. As we have seen, this attitude does not only express itself through avoidance of melacha, it even extends to refraining from speaking about melacha. The highest level is to even avoid thinking about melacha that needs to be done. All these prohibitions are supposed to instill in us the realization that all our accomplishments throughout the week only come about because Hashem so desires. May we all merit to observe Shabbos free of action, speech and thought about melacha.

5 OC 306:86 Shabbos, 150b, as explained by the Taz, Simun 307:14, in the second explanation which he

writes is the ikar pshat.7 As was pointed out earlier this does not mean that one need not do any physical hishtadlus - after

Adam HaRishon’s sin, there is a decree that man must ‘work by the sweat of his brow’.


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4. What do we learn from parshas vayakhel regarding when the mishkon was built?





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AHA GOOD NAME IS

BETTER THAN GOOD OILRabbi Yissochor FrandMagid Shiur, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Baltimore

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There is an interesting medrash on the pasuk “See G-d has called by name Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur of the tribe of Yehudah” [Shemos 35:30]. The medrash references the pasuk in Koheles “A good name is better than good oil” [Koheles 7:1]. The medrash elaborates that the scent of good oil may precede the oil by a mile or two at most, even if the oil has a very powerful aroma. However, a good name can precede a person even across continents.

The medrash then asks how far a person must remove

himself from contact with the prohibition of shatnez [the

forbidden mixture of wool and linen]. The medrash answers

that even if a person is wearing 99 layers of clothing and

none of them are shatnez, he still may not wear a garment

containing shatnez as the one hundredth layer of clothing.

What is the connection between distancing oneself from

shatnez and the pasuk that says, “A good name is better than

good oil”?

Rav Nissan Alpert zt’’l gives the following interpretation of

this medrash (in his sefer Limudei Nissan):

Every time the Torah introduces Betzalel, it uses the following

unique expression: “Look, I’ve called him by this name...”

Why does the Torah give Betzalel such an introduction?

The medrash explains that the reason why Betzalel merited

to be the master builder of the Mishkan was not because

he had master architectural talents or special artistic ability.

Betzalel’s uniqueness was that he -- for some reason -- merited

having a ‘good name’. The medrash then emphasizes how

wonderful it is to have a good reputation (shem tov). G-d, in

choosing someone to construct his dwelling place on earth

(the mishkan), did not want to be associated with anyone who

had anything less than an impeccable reputation.

How does one obtain a good reputation? The medrash

answers this question by introducing the matter of shatnez.

The medrash is teaching that the way a person acquires a good

name is not by merely avoiding evil or sin, but by avoiding

even the slightest hint of impropriety. It is not sufficient to

merely ‘play it by the book’. A person must distance himself

to the ultimate extent from anything that even smacks of

impropriety.

Shatnez is a peculiar prohibition, in that the two substances

involved (wool and linen) are completely permitted when

taken individually. Only a combination of the two is prohibited.

The Torah is teaching us that a person merits a good name

by staying away from shatnez. Avoiding shatnez represents

staying away from anything that has even a minute mixture of

something improper.

Those people in our communities who have achieved a

good name are people who are above reproach. They have

removed themselves from any taint of scandal or impropriety.

Impeccable reputations are not achieved by playing it on the

edge or bending the rules.

We all know that certain people’s handshakes are more

reliable than other people’s signed contracts. The reason why

is because the first group of people stay away from ‘forbidden

mixtures’. They stay away from the slightest hint of ‘non-

Kosher’ business practices. Ultimately, this is what pays off

for them in the long run. When G-d builds a mishkan, He does

not want it built by a person regarding whom people may have

suspicions. He wants a Betzalel -- a person above reproach,

who possesses a good name, which is superior to good oil.


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E 5. Rashi (38:8) brings that Moshe initially did not want to accept the mirrors for the kiyor from the women. Why then did he accept other donations from the women without any reservations (35:21)?

torahanytime.com

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TOR

YVIEWS FROM HISTORYRabbi Aubrey HershSenior lecturer & European Heritage tour guide : JLE

Rabbi Yoel Sirkes הב”חIn common with many Gedolim of the time, little is known about his personal life beyond that which is mentioned in his teshuvos, and although his yahrzeit is known to be on the 20th Adar, the year itself is somewhat of a mystery. His kever has two (almost identical) Matzevos, neither being the original. The newest - which was made in the 1950s - gives the year as 1640, whereas the one made in the 18th century records it as 1641 and since his last teshuva was written in 1638, the question remains unresolved. The matzeva also lists the 8 towns in which he was Rov, including Belz, Brisk & last of all Krakow, where he lived from 1619 until his petirah.

He was born in Lublin in 1561, at a time when Poland & Lithuania had

united, which thereby created the largest Jewish community in existence.

Sefarim were being printed there

for the first time, particularly in Krakow and Lublin, and both towns took

on a more important role after 1553, when Pope Julius III banned any printing

of Shas in Italy. This accounts for the Bach’s efforts in writing the Hagaos

HaBach, which deals with errors in the text of the Gemora, Rashi and Tosfos.

Many of these mistakes occurred because the copyists and printers were

unlearned or even non-Jewish. His research was made somewhat easier by

the fact that he possessed a large library of both seforim and manuscripts,

which was quite unusual at the time.

The 16th century was also the era when kabbala began to be taught more

publicly. The Bach was a strong defender of kabbala (quoting the Zohar

frequently and calling it the mekor hatorah), nevertheless he made it clear in

situations where kabbala and halacha conflict, that Halacha was the final word.

אין לנו לנהוג על דרך הקבלה כל שהוא נגד מסקנת התלמוד

He wrote a pirush on Rabbi Moshe Cordervero’s kabbalistic sefer Pardes

Rimonim and one on megillas rus, but he is best known for two other works.

The first being his teshuvos - most of which were written during his years in

Krakow, where he achieved a measure of menucha that had eluded him in his

other rabbinates – which were first printed many years after he died: the Shu’t

Bach Yeshonos in the 1690s and the Shu’t Bach Chadoshos almost 150 years

later.

His second well known sefer is his notes on all 4 chalakim of the Tur,

which are printed alongside the Tur itself. It was called ‘Bayis Chadash’ and is

referred to by the acronym Bach.

There are also a number of specific halachic decisions that he is famous for.

His leniency with regards to chadash, the new grain that has been harvested

before pesach. He paskened that all grain in Chutz L’Aretz grown by a non-Jew

was not subject to the restrictions of chadash, was opposed by many poskim,

including his son-in-law the Taz, as well as the Shach, the Shulchan Aruch

& the Meginei Shlomo. The Bach stood firm however, and wrote that anyone

who wanted to be machmir in this area, should do so for themselves only.

He also changed the method of mechiras chametz. Whereas Jews had been

selling chametz in the times of the Rishonim, it had required the removal of

all chometz from the person’s residence. Changing circumstances in Poland

made this almost impossible, since Jews ran inns across the kingdom (שרוב

(משא ומתן ביין שרף וא“א למוכרם לגוי מחוץ לבית

He therefore allowed the room in which the chametz was located, to be sold

to a non-Jew, a decision which both the Taz and the Magen Avraham agreed

with, and which is familiar to us today.

Possibly the greatest change in psak Halacha though, was the creation

of the Shulchan Aruch in 1569, and although many gedolim were advocates

for it, it had vocal critics such as the Maharashal and the Levush. The Bach

himself wrote that one would not be allowed to pasken Halacha based purely

on knowledge of the Shulchan Aruch (בלימוד רגיל שלא ומי מהשו“ע, לפסוק א“א

and this came to the fore in one of his longest (הגמ‘ א“א לו להורות הוראה נכונה

teshuvos, when he argues against the chazzan of his shul in Krakow, who was

not proficient in Gemara, yet would pasken nonetheless.

?שנת תא or שנת ת

6


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E 6. Why is the order changed when the mishkan was actually built under the guidance of Betzalel –first the mishkan and then keilim, and when Moshe was told to build the mishkan- first the keilim and then the mishkan?





MY WEEKLY HALACHIC QUESTIONRabbi Avi WiesenfeldRosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halachah Beis Horaah H

ALA

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Ever since the “Ner Torah” yeshivah moved to a new location, Mr. Stein, who used to work there as a chef, has been unemployed. One day, his two sons discussed how to help their father find a job. “We’ve pretty much

tried all the Jewish institutions, and none of them are looking for a chef,” said Moishy. “Perhaps we could apply to a non-Jewish restaurant or hotel. I’m sure with Daddy’s experience, they’d hire him.”

“That may be a problem,” said Yossi slowly. “What if he’d have to cook meat and milk together, for example?”

“Oh, he wouldn’t taste the food, of course,” replied Moishy. “He surely knows the recipes by now. And anyway, I guess there’d be non-Jewish chefs around who could taste the dishes for him if necessary.”

Yossi wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know,” he said. “I remember once learning that you mustn’t heat up a meal for a non-Jewish maid in your house if it contains meat and dairy.”

“That’s probably because you it might make your own dishes unkosher,” said Moishy. “But you know what? Let’s check with Daddy.”

“Think about the wording of the passuk in the Torah which teaches us the halachah of meat and dairy,” was Daddy’s reply.

“That’ll give you the answer.”

What is Daddy referring to?

ANSWER

The Torah tells us in three places that one may not cook (a young animal’s) meat in (its mother’s) milk. Even if you do not taste it, but are merely cooking or warming up food for non-Jews, it is forbidden. Thus, Daddy mustn’t work in a restaurant where he’d be required to cook meat and milk together, and one may not warm up a meat and milk dish for a non-Jewish maid, even if you use the maid’s utensils and there is no kashrus risk to your own pots.

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Mrs. Pearlstein wasn’t at home to greet her sons when they returned from cheder. She left them a note saying she’d gone to the doctor and there was a fleishig meal in the fridge, which they could warm up.

Shauli eagerly popped a plate of meatballs and spaghetti into the microwave, but Menachem wasn’t very hungry and decided he’d just help himself to a plate of cornflakes and milk.

They sat round the kitchen table, about to begin their meal, when Shauli suddenly realized it might be a problem. “You’re eating dairy food, but I’m eating fleishig,” he said to Menachem. “I don’t think we’re allowed to eat at the same table.”

A discussion arose. Menachem wondered why it would be a problem. “I don’t feel like eating meat right now, in any case, so there’s no way I’d be tempted to taste some of your food. And you’re allergic to milk and only drink soy milk, so you would definitely not eat some of my food. Why shouldn’t we be able to eat at the same table?”

“It sounds logical, but I have a sneaking suspicion we’re still not allowed to eat together at the same table. You go and eat in the dining room for now, and let’s check the halachah later,” suggested Shauli.

Later, Shauli picked up the new sefer his father had purchased recently, “Kashrus in the Kitchen, Q & A.”

“I wasn’t entirely right,” Shauli concluded. “The way we were eating together wasn’t permissible, but at the same time, it was

unnecessary for you to go into a different room. We could still have eaten together at the same table if we’d have taken certain measures.”

What measures did the two brothers have to take in order to be able to eat together at the same table? And does the fact that they both wouldn’t have been tempted to touch each other’s foods make the halachah different in any way?

ANSWER

Chazal prohibited having meat and dairy on one table, lest they be eaten together. If the two people do not know each other, this prohibition doesn’t apply, for they will not take food from each other. However, two family members or acquaintances may only eat meat and dairy at the same table if they place a “heker” between them. A heker is a sign – something noticeable placed on the table that doesn’t usually belong there, and it reminds the two not to eat from each there. A heker could also be two different tablecloths or placemats, if one doesn’t normally eat that way.

It makes no difference if the people are convinced they will not taste each other’s foods because they are allergic to the food or do not like it etc. It is still not permissible to have meaty and dairy food on the same table without a heker, unless the table is very big, and the two people are sitting beyond each other’s reach.

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KASHRUS STORIES [Part 1]

Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home -as there have been few left in shuls.

This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimos - please dispose of accordingly.

PAR

SH

AHTHE ARBAH PARSHIOS

Boruch KahanAuthor of riddle of the week

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This week is the first week of the arbah parshios. Many people have a problem remembering the correct order in which they occur, so this was something I was taught, based on an old nursery rhyme many years ago that you may find useful.

“I will give you a Shekel or half a Shekel (Shekalim) if you can Remember (Zachor) that the Cow (Parah) jumped over the Moon (Hachodesh)”

On a more serious note, two common questions arise when this time of year comes around. Firstly, what is the significance in the order of the parshios, and more importantly, why were Chazal institute that they should davka fall in these months of Adar/Purim and Nissan/Pre Pesach time? What is the hidden significance of this timing?

Rabbi Mordechai Miller zt’’l explained the following;

The Mishnah in pirkei avos tells us that hakinoh ve’hataavah ve’hakovod motziin es ha’adam min ha’olam. These are three bad character traits that cause a person to be expelled from this world, and are therefore middos that a person should work on eradicating. They are kinah – Jealousy, taavah – Lustfulness and kavod – the pursuit of Honour.

Rabbi Miller explained that the first three of the arbah parshios are leined in order for us to warn us against these bad middos.

Shekalim - the whole essence of giving a half shekel is to show that as far as Hashem is concerned there is no difference between the rich or poor, everyone had to donate a half a Shekel to building the mishkan regardless of what they could afford. This would therefore counteract any feelings of jealousy as everyone was considered an equal.

Zachor - we remember how Hashem punished and destroyed Amalek, and Haman in the Purim story, the nation that represents the antithesis of everything that is good. There were no greater baalei taavah and followers of their yetzer hara than Amalek, so we remember the importance of not following their corrupt and decadent ways.

Parah - we lein in this parsha that two of the things that are brought are etz erez and eizov. The meforshim explain that anyone who thought he was as tall and haughty as an erez, a mighty cedar tree, is brought down to earth and is considered as lowly as the eizov, the hyssop which even when fully mature is not very tall. Again an important lesson is taught to work on one’s midda of kavod to never think one is greater than one actually is.

Perhaps once we have understood the message of the first three parshios, and in a way have worked on our “sur mei’rah”, putting our bad middos to one side, we can prepare our

“asei tov” of doing mitzvos and learning Torah.

This is represented by parshas hachodesh. Rashi tells us on the first pasuk in Bereishis that this pasuk of “Hachodesh hazeh lachem“ is really where the Torah should have started, and in fact the Mechiltah, the pirush of all the halochos and droshos that are learnt from pesukim in sefer shemos starts exactly from here. Furthermore, Bnei Yisroel were born, and became the nation of Hashem, the am hanivchar, during Nissan after yetzias mitzrayim and the beginning of this process was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

As the maamar Chazal tells us in the Gemara in Rosh Hashana “BeNissan nigolu UbeNissan asidin ligael”. In Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan in the future we shall be redeemed once again. This then is the message of the arba parshios, when we hear parshas hachodesh this year may we be zocheh that this should be the end of our golus, and that in this forthcoming month of Nissan Hashem redeem us me’avdus le’cheirus.

1 The Baal Haturim (35:1) brings that it is seen from the words “Eileh Hadvarim”. The word “devarim” means things, the minimum being two. The addition “Hei” makes three. The word “eileh” is the gematria of 36 making a total of 39. It then goes on to discuss about Shabbos.

2 This is because havora, burning, does not seem like so much of a melacha. The Sforno says that burning seems to be a kilkul, destructive. However, since it is used in most melachos therefore it is forbidden.

3 Perhaps the idea is that because they were haughty by saying that the people should first donate and they would then supply any shortfall, therefore the letter yud, the smallest letter that represents humility, was missing from their name.

4 The Vilna Gaon (Shir Hashirim, 1:4) brings that Moshe came down from the mountain on Yom Kippur, the 10th of Tishrei. Then he gathered them (Vayakhel, 35:1) and told them about the mishkan on the 11th of Tishrei. Then the people brought donations for the next two days (36:3) and then on the 14th of Tishrei the craftsmen weighed and counted the donations and then the actual building of the mishkan started on the 15th of Tishrei.

5 The Ramban (38:18) answers that the other donations from the women would be mixed together and annulled with the donations from the men. However, the mirrors were only given by the women and therefore were queried.

6 Betzalel was looking at things from a practical worldly viewpoint. First you need to build the building that will house the vessels. Moshe was looking at it from the spiritual viewpoint and kedusha. First to come were the inner vessels and only then the exterior building. (See Gemara Brachos 55a)

ANSWERS



