Please note: This week is Shabbos HaGadol. I am working on two
Parshiyos as I want to publish with spare time for Pessach. Even through there
is no Parsha for Pessach as many of my readers do not open up the internet or
write on Chol HaMoed there will be no issue until the double Parshiyos Tazria
Metzora. In Israel Parsha Shemini starts Motzei Chag which is Shabbos the eight
day and a different reading in the States so I am publishing according to Eretz
Yisrael for it is from Tzion that the Torah emanates and the word of HASHEM
from Yerushalayim. The prayers are different too for Israelis visiting Chutz
LaAretz. This continues until there is an extra double Parsha in the USA
Behar-Bechukosai and they catch up to Israel. Therefore I will continue to give
the Israeli Parsha and make up here the gap.
Parsha Tzav
This Parsha is a continuation of
last week’s Parsha. I almost didn’t get it out because my wife and I had to do
too many things regarding our 9.5 year old nephew sort of step son now and I
hope that we will succeed which will make for a nice little of story of Misères
Nefesh mostly by my wife. It was therefore that I did not even mention the
Korban Asham or guilt offering.
6:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2
Command Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the law of the burnt-offering: it
is that which goes up on its firewood upon the altar all night unto the
morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereby. 3 And the
priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon
his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes whereto the fire hath consumed the
burnt-offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 4 And he
shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the
ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
My friend and neighbor Avraham
Friedman Shlita gave me the Drasha of Rav Avraham Hafuta Shlita for this Parsha.
He wrote a very long thesis on these few words and the washing and the dressing
of Aaron and sons by Moshe which is further along in this Parsha. I will try to
bring it down here in my own words as a condensation of about six or seven
written pages. Why did the Cohain have to change his garments? It is because in
the Talmud it states that the garments one wears for cooking a meal for ones
parents should not be the same garments in which he serves his parents. One of
the parts of scandal in Netanyahu’s house was that the maid had to change the
bed make-up garment to a toilet cleaning uniform to a serving uniform but this
comes from Derek Eretz of the Torah and Talmud.
Back to our Cohain, he is wearing
the nicest and best garment of Kahuna when offering up the Korban Olah. Now he
has a menial and necessary task of cleaning up the ashes from the Mizbayach
called in Hebrew Terumas HaDeshen. Certainly it is unfitting to use the holier
garment in which he has served HASHEM for taking out the left over ashes out of
the camp. What does he do, he puts on an old worn out tunic which is not of the
quality to offer up a Korban but still with some remnants of holiness like a
Chassid building a Sukkah with an older warn white shirt. He still looks like a
Talmud Chacham and student of his Rebbe but he is doing a more medial Mitzvah
of building or decorating the Sukkah and not studying or teaching Torah. Thus
our Cohain removing the ashes is wearing inferior quality garments for an
inferior job in the order of holiness.
This does leave room for thought
about all the times the Cohain Gadol must wash his hands and feet and go to the
Mikvah on Yom Kippur from Korban to Korban. I don’t know what Rav Hafuta says
on this but I assume that each holiness is equal and to wear the same garment
would be an insult to the holiness of the other Korban as the one before it got
a fresh garment.
5 And the fire upon the altar shall be kept
burning thereby, it shall not go out; and the priest shall kindle wood on it
every morning; and he shall lay the burnt-offering in order upon it, and shall
make smoke thereon the fat of the peace-offerings. 6 Fire shall be kept burning
upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.
The operation of the Mishkan and
the first Temple lasted from the year 2449 to 3338 and the fire only went out
when the first Temple was destroyed. The second Temple lasted 420 years and
that means a lot of wood and a large cleaning of the piles of ash accumulated.
7 And this is the law of the meal-offering:
the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, in front of the altar. 8 And
he shall take up therefrom his handful, of the fine flour of the meal-offering,
and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the
meal-offering, and shall make the memorial-part thereof smoke upon the altar
for a sweet savor unto the LORD. 9 And that which is left thereof shall Aaron
and his sons eat; it shall be eaten without leaven in a holy place; in the
court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. 10 It shall not be baked with
leaven. I have given it as their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is
most holy, as the sin-offering, and as the guilt-offering. 11 Every male among
the children of Aaron may eat of it, as a due for ever throughout your
generations, from the offerings of the LORD made by fire; whatsoever touches
them shall be holy.
The act of the meal offering is
taking a handful of flour and holding it in the three middle fingers and then
mixing that part with oil and baked within 18 minutes from start to finish that
it remains unleavened. It is a small amount of flour but part of the service
especially for a poor man who could not afford when required a more expensive
offering.
12 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 13
This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the
LORD in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour
for a meal-offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half thereof in
the evening. 14 On a griddle it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, thou
shalt bring it in; in broken pieces shalt thou offer the meal-offering for a
sweet savor unto the LORD. 15 And the anointed priest that shall be in his
stead from among his sons shall offer it, it is a due for ever; it shall be
wholly made to smoke unto the LORD. 16 And every meal-offering of the priest
shall be wholly made to smoke; it shall not be eaten.
This is a one-time offering.
7:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 18
Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying: This is the law of the sin-offering:
in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be
killed before the LORD; it is most holy. 19 The priest that offers it for sin
shall eat it; in a holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tent of
meeting. 20 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy; and when
there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that
whereon it was sprinkled in a holy place. 21 But the earthen vessel wherein it
is sodden shall be broken; and if it be sodden in a brazen vessel, it shall be
scoured, and rinsed in water. 22 Every male among the priests may eat thereof;
it is most holy. 23 And no sin-offering, whereof any of the blood is brought
into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten;
it shall be burnt with fire.
The offering is not ‘killed’ but
slaughtered with a ritual knife at the correct spot on the neck with a certain
depth of penetration after the blessing is made. The slaughter of the animal
and the breaking of the vessel is part of the ceremony and should be carried
out properly with the correct intent of action and name of the Korban and that
it will be eaten in a holy place within a time frame. If the Cohain slaughtered
it with a different thought of a Korban or a thought to eat it outside of the
holy place or after the time it had to be eaten in, he has disqualified the
Korban.
Last week we mentioned who must bring a guilt offering and this week the process of the ritual of the offering is specified.
6 Every male among the priests may eat thereof; it shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. 7 As is the sin-offering, so is the guilt-offering; there is one law for them; the priest that makes atonement therewith, he shall have it. 8 And the priest that offers any man's burnt-offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt-offering which he hath offered. 9 And every meal-offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the stewing-pan, and on the griddle, shall be the priest's that offers it. 10 And every meal-offering, mingled with oil, or dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as well as another.
Part of the gifts of the Cohain was the cheeks, the stomach, the foreleg and here we see that the Cohain also gets the skin of the animal to keep.
11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which one may offer unto the LORD. 12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour soaked. 13 With cakes of leavened bread he shall present his offering with the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving.
There are two types of required Korban Shalomim and that is a required one like Pessach and an offering which was instead of our Gomel Prayer today for escaping danger, crossing the ocean or a dangerous desert. It is not like driving on a well-traveled highway through the desert between California and Las Vegas Nevada in our times or Beer Sheva to Kadesh Barnea in times of quiet (not so during a terrorist alert or the firing of rockets).
14 And of it he shall present one out of each offering for a gift unto the LORD; it shall be the priest's that dashes the blood of the peace-offerings against the altar. 15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. 16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a freewill-offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice; and on the morrow that which remains of it may be eaten. 17 But that which remains of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. 18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be at all eaten on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offers it; it shall be an abhorred thing, and the soul that eats of it shall bear his iniquity. 19 And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire. And as for the flesh, every one that is clean may eat thereof. 20 But the soul that eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21 And when any one shall touch any unclean thing, whether it be the uncleanness of man, or an unclean beast, or any unclean detestable thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
This is a free-will offering and we saw this in Sefer Iyob in the beginning. [1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was whole-hearted and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil. 2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. 4 And his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said: 'It may be that my sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts.' Thus did Job continually.] This was not a peace offering but a burnt offering and it was before HASHEM as he was a monotheist not like most of the nations of the world at that time.
22 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 23 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. 24 And the fat of that which dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service; but ye shall in no wise eat of it. 25 For whosoever eats the fat of the beast, of which men present an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eats it shall be cut off from his people.
The forbidden fat is called Chelev and written the same way as Chalav without the vowels Chet-Lamed-Vet. When learning the Gemara one should be careful and logical when reading.
26 And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whosoever it be that eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
This is one of the forms of Kares as the life force of the animal is in its blood – the exception is the blood of fish for some reason and that is treated like the juice of a fish. This could be the difference between a warm blooded creature like a bird or animal and a cold blooded fish or locust. For centuries in Europe on Pessach there was the lie spread that we used the blood of a Christian child to bake our Matzos so in these countries only white wine could be drunk. The only ones who had wine as if blood and Matzos were the Christians in a ceremony this is my body and this is my blood as a certain Jew was murdered by the Romans and Crucified by them on Yom Tov. Nowadays the ‘enlightened’ “religion of peace” continues that lie. Why in Afghanistan the rumor went out that a certain woman burned a Koran on Friday it did not matter whether she did or didn’t it took less than five minutes this past Friday to separate the brain from the skull by the mobs.
28 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: He that offers his sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD shall bring his offering unto the LORD out of his sacrifice of peace-offerings. 30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire: the fat with the breast shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave-offering before the LORD. 31 And the priest shall make the fat smoke upon the altar; but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. 32 And the right thigh shall ye give unto the priest for a heave-offering out of your sacrifices of peace-offerings.
The breast is part of the gifts that the Cohain gets but this is a free-will one. I believe Korban Pessach is an exception and correct me if I am wrong.
33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offers the blood of the peace-offerings, and the fat, shall have the right thigh for a portion. 34 For the breast of waving and the thigh of heaving have I taken of the children of Israel out of their sacrifices of peace-offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons as a due for ever from the children of Israel.
Here is the reference to the Zeroa or thigh and it is the right thigh.
35 This is the consecrated portion of Aaron, and the consecrated portion of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day when they were presented to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office; 36 which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that they were anointed. It is a due for ever throughout their generations. 37 This is the law of the burnt-offering, of the meal-offering, and of the sin-offering, and of the guilt-offering, and of the consecration-offering, and of the sacrifice of peace-offerings; 38 which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to present their offerings unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.
This is part of their anointment as Cohanim as the Priesthood
continues forever from father to son and does not need any more consecration.
The same applies to David and his seed forever. And between both families it is
written “HE who Shalom in HIS high places will make Shalom upon us and all
Yisrael forever.”
Please pay attention because this section was used in connection
to the section above about the clothes of the Kahuna by Rabbi Avraham Hafuta: 8:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2
'Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and
the bullock of the sin-offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened
bread; 3 and assemble thou all the congregation at the door of the tent of
meeting.' 4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the congregation was
assembled at the door of the tent of meeting. 5 And Moses said unto the
congregation: 'This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded to be done.' 6
And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7 And he put
upon him the tunic, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the
robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the skillfully woven
band of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. 8 And he placed the
breastplate upon him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9
And he set the mitre upon his head; and upon the mitre, in front, did he set
the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses. 10 And Moses
took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein,
and sanctified them. 11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times,
and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the laver and its base, to
sanctify them. 12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and
anointed him, to sanctify him. 13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and clothed
them with tunics, and girded them with girdles, and bound head-tires upon them;
as the LORD commanded Moses. 14 And the bullock of the sin-offering was
brought; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock
of the sin-offering. 15 And when it was slain, Moses took the blood, and put it
upon the horns of the altar roundabout with his finger, and purified the altar,
and poured out the remaining blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it,
to make atonement for it.
I have no intention of copying all the statements from Rabbi Hafuta
regarding how the physical garments enhances the spiritual priest. For surely
somebody on that level of Torah, Mitzvos and good deeds does not need more that
what Yacov Avinu prayed for in Parsha Vayeitzei “Bread to eat and a garment to
wear” and here a few generations after Yacov, Aaron is wearing a bejeweled
breast plate. The blood was put on the right thumb.
Rabbi Hafuta brought in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita,
the son of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Ztz”l that when Rabbi Ovadia was weak in his last
months and days and Rabbi Yitzchak placed the Chief Sephardic Rabbi Turban on
his head, he was visibly moved to internal fortitude and Simcha. We see from
this story that the clothing of the Cohain gave him internal joy and peace and
therefore he could serve HASHEM and Am Yisrael with joy and peace.
16 And he
took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the lobe of the liver, and the
two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses made it smoke upon the altar. 17 But the
bullock, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, were burnt with fire
without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses. 18 And the ram of the
burnt-offering was presented; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the
head of the ram.
In each Korban a person or in the case of the Pascal Lamb, a
representative of the group had to be present at the slaughtering ceremony to
put his/their hand(s) on the Korban and call it out by name and then the person
slaughtering would repeat “In the name of such and such a Korban” as he
slaughtered it.
19 And
when it was slaughtered ritually, Moses dashed
the blood against the altar round about. 20 And when the ram was cut into its
pieces, Moses made the head, and the pieces, and the suet smoke. 21 And when
the inwards and the legs were washed with water, Moses made the whole ram smoke
upon the altar; it was a burnt-offering for a sweet savor; it was an offering
made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And the other ram
was presented, the ram of consecration, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands
upon the head of the ram. 23 And when it was slain, Moses took of the blood
thereof, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of
his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
We had in Parsha Mishpatim of the Eved HaYehudi who had his ear
lobe drilled into the Mezuzah (in this case it means lintel of the door and not
our modern Mezuzah). There it was not specified which ear and here we have
which one so the Rabbis said it would also be the right ear there. The
dedication here was to make holy and atone for the whole body of a Cohain.
24 And
Aaron's sons were brought, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their
right ear, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of
their right foot; and Moses dashed the blood against the altar round about.
Aaron’s sons were adult and had helped already in sacrifices and
had to be koshered like Aaron, himself. Pinchas was either not born or not of
age and therefore was included automatically in the future.
25 And he
took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and
the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right thigh.
26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took
one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed
them on the fat, and upon the right thigh. 27 And he put the
whole upon the hands of Aaron, and upon the hands of his sons, and waved them
for a wave-offering before the LORD. 28 And Moses took them from
off their hands, and made them smoke on the altar upon the burnt-offering; they
were a consecration-offering for a sweet savor; it was an offering made by fire
unto the LORD. 29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a
wave-offering before the LORD; it was Moses' portion of the ram of
consecration; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And Moses took of
the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it
upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons'
garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and
his sons' garments with him. 31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to
his sons: 'Boil the flesh at the door of the tent of meeting; and there eat it
and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying:
Aaron and his sons shall eat it. 32 And that which remained of
the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire. 33 And ye
shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting seven days, until the
days of your consecration be fulfilled; for He shall consecrate you seven days.
34 As hath been done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do,
to make atonement for you. 35 And at the door of the tent of
meeting shall ye abide day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the
LORD, that ye die not; for so I am commanded. 36 And Aaron and
his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
The main thing in all observance is doing what is requested by the
L-RD.
Shabbos HaGadol Drasha
In the past years which you can search the blogspot, I covered
the Halachos, how to make Charoses, what medicines are kosher for Pessach. This
year I want to talk about planning for the Seder night but not the diagram of
how to arrange the Seder plate for that is in the Haggada but rather the main
part of the Seder and that is to tell our children or as it says even if we
were Chachamim it would be a Mitzva to recount and examine in detail the
leaving of Mitzrayim.
It is obvious that one has to explain something on the level of
the person one is interacting with. If I am telling the story to my not yet two
year old grandchild I will talk her language while the 18 year old grandchild
if I were with him would get a much different story for his level. Some other
points in this regard is to select nuts and dates for the children to eat or
play with during the Seder. Oh what fun young ones can have with wall nuts and
wall nut shells. The singing of the songs each year and the preparations in the
kindergarten with the whole family together at the Seder is important. For it
says in the Chumash “And you shall tell your son on that day”. It is not only
the son but the daughter and granddaughter and generations after that. It is a
time where the head of the house takes the Afikoman Matzah in a napkin and
carries in on his back according to the custom of the Sephardim as if he took
his burden in slavery or more so his belongings out of Egypt. If I were to tell
my son, I begin discussing the Korban Pessach and various other things related
to the Seder. We are far beyond the state that one does not have dessert after
the Korban Pessach.
THE WHOLE MITZVAH OF PESSACH IS ACCOMPLISHED ON WINE, MATZOS,
LETTUCE, SALT WATER AND AN EGG WITH NO MORE THAN TELLING IN YOUR OWN WORDS ON
YOUR OWN LEVEL TO YOUR CHILDREN AND PERHAPS GUESTS WHAT HAPPENED IN AND BEFORE
EGYPT TO THE EXODUS.
I celebrated my first Pessach at just below the age of 10. My
family was so far assimilated that I used what I could from the reform and my
mother bought Matzos or Egg Matzos, grape juice and for the first time in my
life ate Gefilte Fish and Matzah Balls. Then came my first Orthodox Seder with
Rabbi Kleman and the next year the Boston Rebbe with the Ayn Gebrochts (water
should not touch the Matzah at all). It settled down to me reading the Haggada
every year in my poor and slow Hebrew. The Seder allowed me to communicate with
my children and them to tell me their stories from the level of a kindergarten
through Yeshiva.
During the time that either the first or second Temple existed
the atmosphere of Pessach was different. Imagine meeting for the first time in
months or years old school buddies and friends from yesteryear. The whole theme
of Pessach was to bring the family together as one Korban needed at least 30 to
50 males as it was eaten on a full stomach after one had eaten the Korban
Chaggiga (the egg symbolizes this it is the Korban brought on each of the 3
Regelim (festivals) to Yerushalayim. It was a time when the patriarch of the
family met with his brothers and the male offspring of the family for a few
generations.
We are coming down to the nitty-gritty for Pessach with the
selling of the Chametz if we have not already done so and the koshering of the
stove, table tops, the sinks, refrigerator shelves and perhaps utensils.
Finally there is the search for leaven. This year for the first time ever, I
had to search two houses both in Israel and in Florida. I left Israel less than
30 days prior to Pessach and will be in Florida just before the time to search
for Chametz. I discussed this with Rabbi Mimran Shlita as to the practical
aspect for surely I am going to eat Chametz between the search in Israel and
the search in FL and then not be required to make a blessing until the night
before Pessach falls. It is at this time that I make the blessing and nullify
all Chametz that I have not known off. Of course selling both living places
makes it easier on me.
What will be when the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt? It used to
be from the Modiin area and inwards one was close enough to offer up a Korban
Pessach. With modern highways one could be in Eilat or Metulla and still make
it to Yerushalayim in time for the Korban. What will be done for highways and
parking? Who will be on duty in the hospitals? Probably female doctors and
nurses and staff that were contaminated by contact with a corpse. There will be
a tremendous logistics problem in Yerushalayim both highways, rail and other
forms of transportation and lodging for the Mikdash not only Pessach but also
Shavuos and Sukkos. You have already 6,000,000 Jews in Israel without the return
of lost tribes. The sheer number of Korbanos, tent space or housing needed is
mind boggling. We are considering about 5,000,000 or more Jewish males over the
age of 13 years old required to come to Yerushalayim three times a year and
this is not counting wives who want to be with the husbands or other family
members.
By the time Parsha Shemini Issue comes out, your home should be
Kosher for Pessach and last minute cooking and perhaps setting up of the table
is underway. Go to the rabbipauli.blogspot on line for archives to learn other
points. And my famous reminder that dust and ordinary dirt are not Chametz when
cleaning. It is wonderful to have a clean house and ideal but don’t knock
yourself out over it that you fall asleep as the Seder is just starting it is
not Purim when one knows not the difference between Haman and Mordechai if he
sleeps.
A little odd and end happened to our household after I arrived in
the States. Menashe now nine and a half years old was used to acting
Halachically as the male of the household. Menashe had in the past lived with
his grandmother and his mother, who had cancer which eventually claimed her
life, had done the search for Chametz in the past. I made it my business that
Menashe in his preparations for Pessach would read the first chapter and last
chapter of Mishnah Pessachim. He wanted to make the search for Chametz after I
did it. I could have let him do so as a childish game. However, as a Rabbi and
in his case parent, I decided to explain to him the right way for proper
Chinuch. He is at the age of understanding for Mishnayos and even simple
Gemara. I there told him the story from the Mishnah with the Hulda (large rat)
and the piece of bread. The Mishna basically says what happens if we see a
Hulda scamper across an area that we checked for Chametz must we check it
again? The Mishna continues with it is the nature of the rat to run from its
den from house to house and then we would have to check again all the houses or
even from city to city and there would be no end {to this nonsense}. Therefore
Chachamim Zal put a stop to this and issued a decree that once a person cleaned
and checked for Chametz that he need not check again.
Why do some Rabbis have Ruach
HaKodesh (extra guidance from heaven)?
I went over this week to give to Rabbi Shatz’s book on the
dimensions of the Beis HaMikdash which will be built in the future to Rabbi
Yacov Lustig Shlita. He opened up the discourse on the Chofetz Chaim’s call for
students to learn the 5th Seder of Mishnah and Talmud, Kodshim. The
main tractate learned is Chullin on ritual slaughter and perhaps the types of
sacrifices and various rituals associated with them but the parts of valuation,
what causes Kares, dimension, switching sacrifices and more are not learned.
The Shulchan Aruch does not deal with this or other Mitzvos of Eretz Yisrael
such as Teruma and Maaseros. Only the Rambam covered this and laws for Kings of
Yisrael.
For we have seen that as the return of the people to Eretz
Yisrael the level of miracles and Ruach HaKodesh rises. Besides guidance of the
Chofetz Chaim and Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman HY”D with his books “The footprints
of Moshiach” many rabbis with large followings have this ability. Rabbi
Eliashiv sometimes told his follows go to Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky Shlita as he is
a “Baal Moffat”. The Lubavitcher Rebbe once told a Shaliach to go to some place
in South America to prevent an intermarriage. The man had only a limited
ability to persuade especially in the local dialect. However, he did so. The
girl could not be persuaded and he wrote back to the Rebbe. The Rebbe said go
again and this time tell her that ‘a Rabbi in Brooklyn is losing sleep at night
because of her’. She to his surprise answered, “Who is this Rabbi and can you
show me a picture of him?” He had a prayer for going on a journey with the
picture of the Rebbe and she was aghast! It seems that every night she dreamt
of the Rebbe. She called off the marriage and eventually returned to true
Yiddishkeit.
What makes a Rabbi gain Ruach HaKodesh? For the answer we have
to go to two places in the Chumash. The first is in Chapter 48 of Sefer
Beresheis where Yacov Avinu gives a special blessing to Ephraim and Menashe.
The second is Devarim in Moshe’s blessing to the tribe of Yosef: 33:17 His firstling bullock, majesty is his;
and his horns are the horns of the wild-ox; with them he shall gore the peoples
all of them, even the ends of the earth; and they are the ten thousands of
Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Actually
it written thousands and tens of thousands. Since it is plural it is at least
2,000 and 20,000 or 22,000 followers. If a Rabbi has at least 22,000 followers
he obtains Ruach HaKodesh.
Well don’t look at me. My blogspot circulation dropped to half
it was during the war. Most of the people were thirsty for the news from Israel
but not the main part which is Torah. However, sometimes a Rabbi is a Shaliach
from HASHEM for his followers. More than on one occasion, I have received an
e-mail telling me that the story or the words in the Torah Drasha that I wrote
actually helped that person then and there during a moment of crises or need or
answered a pressing question of theirs. I did not know what prompted me to
write those words or tell a particular story that week. I only did so for the
sake of heaven and Praise HASHEM that a person was helped by it.
Phony E-mail alert: I received 6 e-mails this
morning from unknown senders entitled "A brilliant defense of Israel"
something stinks here do not open the mail.
(See the article below in the news: “Israel prepares for cyber
warfare.)
One Seder for the whole town by
Rabbi Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=904-27
Word was brought to Rabbi Yehuda Assad of Szerdahely that a gang
of robbers was preparing to attack the town, while all the Jews were sitting at
their Seder tables.
Word spread in Szerdahely (in Hungary near Budapest,) that a gang of robbers was preparing to overrun the town on the first night of Pesach, while all the Jews were sitting at their Seder tables. When the news was brought to the chief rabbi of the town, Rabbi Yehuda Assad, he decreed that all the Jews in town should join together to conduct one large communal Seder.
Immediately after the Evening Prayer for the first night of the Passover festival, the Jewish families of Szerdahely arranged themselves around large tables in a central hall. Rabbi Assad at the head of the main table, and spoke words of encouragement to the frightened citizens.
When the scout came running in with the news that the robbers were approaching the town gates, Rabbi Assad went out alone to meet them. Clad in his long white kittel (robe), he walked confidently toward the violent men. On coming within sight of them, he lifted a shofar to his mouth and began to blow.
Confusion overwhelmed the robber gang. They began running wildly in all directions. A number of them were trampled to death by their companions' fleeing horses. A statue was later erected on that spot, to commemorate the events of that night.
The town's gentiles were driven to fury by the Rabbi's feat. They decided to attack him and waited in ambush in the town square. When the rabbi approached, the bakery owner -- a violent man -- ran out brandishing a sword. R' Yehuda Assad continued to walk toward him, unafraid.
Furious, the baker raised his sword with all his might, intending to bring it forcefully down on the rabbi. But a miracle occurred, and instead of piercing the rabbi's body, the sword swerved and cut off the baker's own hand.
The gentiles' respect for R' Yehuda rose sharply after this incident, and because of him they were careful to treat the entire Jewish community respectfully as well. As for the crippled baker, he wandered through the town for years, no longer able to work, warning his fellow gentiles and reminding them of what awaited those who dared harm a Jew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Stories my Grandfather told me" (Mesorah) by Zev Greenwald.
Biographical note:
Rabbi Yehuda Assad (1796-1866) is the author of several volumes of Responsa as well as an important commentary on Pirkei Avot. Born in Assad, north of Budapest, he served as Rabbi of Szerdahely from 1853 until his death. After the passing of the Chasam Sofer, he was regarded as the head of Hungarian Jewry. He was also known to be a proficient Kabbalist, yet humble to an extreme (see Addendum, below).
Connection: Seasonal -- ten days until Seder night
Addendum:
Once, a delegation of leading Jewish rabbis went to visit the Austro-Hungarian Kaiser, Franz Josef, on an important communal matter. In the waiting room, before their audience, they were discussing among themselves who among them should address the Kaiser first.
The waiting room had mirrors on all its walls. The holy rabbi of Szerdahely, Rabbi Yehuda Assad, the most senior rabbi there, happened to glance over to the other side of the room. There, he saw in the mirror opposite him his own reflection. For Rabbi Assad, it was the first time in his life that he had ever seen his own appearance, for out of his piety and humility he had never looked at his reflection in a mirror!
So what was his reaction? Seeing a Jew whose face shone with holy dignity and beauty, he pointed at the image in the mirror and whispered to some of his colleagues in the delegation, "Look at that elderly Jew there. You can see the Shechinah, the Divine Presence, on his face! We should let him be the first to speak."
This used
to go on routinely with certain Jewish Parties too in Israel and the
politicians are afraid of computerized with an internal system so we have slips
which can be forged the biggest block today are the Arab Communities: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193067#.VRChT039nIU
Inyanay Diyoma
7 Jewish
Children die in Shabbos hot plate fire: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4639378,00.html
Iranian
Power grows in Yemen: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/192954#.VQ3JmU39nIU
From
Catriel the person who writes for HaAretz is sick and the people are healthy: http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/03/18/after-netanyahus-electoral-victory-haaretz-columnist-says-the-israeli-people-must-be-replaced/
France
does not think Obama’s Iran deal is kosher: http://debka.com/article/24479/France-balks-at-the-US-Iranian-deal-on-five-counts-–-not-least-with-an-eye-on-its-Gulf-ties
OBAMA GET
OVER YOUR TEMPER TANTRUM AND GROW UP: http://www.aol.com/article/2015/03/22/mccain-to-obama-get-over-your-temper-tantrum/21156208/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl23%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D631679
IDF
getting ready to deal with PLO terrorism up-rising and how to use a mighty
hand: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193085#.VRE7GE39nIU
State
Dept. leaks false reports. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4640317,00.html for Israel could have gotten the info
from another party in the negotiations what is for sure that Obama was spying
on Israel: http://debka.com/article/24483/New-US-“allegation”-Israel-spied-on-closed-door-nuclear-talks-passed-secrets-to-Congress
Netanyahu’s
appeasement- for what? http://www.aol.com/article/2015/03/24/israels-netanyahu-apologizes-to-countrys-arab-minority/21156751/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D632410
Druze MK
asks Arabs to worry about improving themselves instead of the PLO. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193151#.VRKPVU39nIV
The
people vote right and Netanyahu acts as a leftist: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4640852,00.html
PM is
working behind the scenes to form a government with the left. He speaks with forked
tongue as I warned before the election is not much further right than Kerry and
Obama: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193210#.VRPPd039nIU
Yemen oil
routes in danger as Sunni countries try to rid the Iranian Coup and Al Qaeda in
one swoop: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4641120,00.html
Israel
prepares for Cyber- Warfare: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193206#.VRPKV039nIV
Martin Sherman wrote an Ed-Op which I did not post while I was working hard to get Menashe a Visa: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-Fray-My-initial-challenge-to-the-generals-all-200-of-them-393793
Diane Weber
Bederman wrote two Ed-Ops: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/without-might-to-protect-right-we-all-suffer/#ixzz3UTE2mG2e
and http://l.facebook.com/lsr.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.timesofisrael.com%2Fselling-our-birth-rite-for-30-pieces-of-silver%2F&ext=1427378375&hash=AcldQ3ZlI7lXoqIL4YeHeCX3LmEOZ_XX4OME1EiInbuF7A
Have a good Shabbos and Chag Kosher V’ Samayach,
Rachamim Pauli
