Iyov’s Concern

Parshat Acharei-Mot begins by making a reference to the death of Aharon’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu. There is a strange Midrash where Iyov, Job, relates to this story.

The Midrash tells us that when Iyov heard of the death of Aharon’s two sons, he said, “Even for this, my heart trembles.” In essence, he came to the realization that he was in big trouble.

There is an explanation given by Nachal Kedumim for this strange comment of Iyov. He heard that the reason the sons of Aharon were killed was because of a conversation between them.

They were walking behind Moshe and Aharon one day, when Nadav said to Avihu, “When will these old guys die, so that we can take over?” Hashem said to them, “We’ll see who buries who!”

Iyov realized that Avihu only listened to Nadav’s inappropriate statement, and was equally punished. He realized that he was guilty of merely listening to Pharoah’s decree of throwing Jewish babies into the Nile.

At that moment Iyov understood that when a wrong is being done, and one does not protest, it is as if he was complicit in this wrongdoing. It took the life of Avihu for his silence. He could only imagine what suffering he might be forced to endure, for his own silence.

We must feel the pain of every Jew. If they are wronged or treated badly, we must do all in our power to stop it. Parshat Kedoshim has the verse, “Do not stand idly by, when the blood of your brother is spilt.”

Conquering the Evil Inclination

The “Duties of the Heart,” has a long section discussing the various tricks of the Yeitzer Hara. It gives numerous examples as to how cunning and deceitful the Yeitzer Hara can really be.

We are supposed to train ourselves to drive out any negative thoughts that come our way. We are to realize how giving in to worry, is counterproductive and only serves to deny us of our joy and happiness.

After we have conquered the Yeitzer on one level, it will devise new tricks, to make us stumble. An example brought in Duties of the Heart, speaks of one who has attained a high level of scholarship. He has found success in his studies. The Yeitzer Hara will tell him that he needs a break today. He should cut himself some slack and spend the day reading poetry, or involving himself with a hobby. This will be a distraction and he will need extra time to get back to the level of learning that he previously possessed.

This reminded me of how distracting the internet, You Tube or Facebook or social media can be. We might want to sit down for a few minutes to catch up on the latest news. The Yeitzer will encourage us to spend much more time than needed, and we might feel justified in having a bigger break. Before we know it, we will not have fulfilled the task at hand, because of all the time we waste

Discipline and awareness is required to do everything in our power to overcome the tricks of the Yeitzer Hara. It is an ongoing battle that we must win. It never leaves us alone, but once we see it, we will have the upper hand. It is worth the struggle, because we need to succeed in reaching our goals in life. Conquering the Yeitzer, will help us achieve our goals.

Pillars of Judaism

There is an old joke about a young idealistic rabbi who wanted to inspire his congregation. He first spoke about the importance of Shabbat. The next week he spoke about the observance of Kashrut laws and keeping a kosher home. The third week he spoke about the laws of Family Purity.

The president of the synagogue reprimanded the young rabbi, and told him never to speak of these three topics. He explained that the people were not that religious and they didn’t want to hear about these topics. The frustrated rabbi said to the president, “If I can’t talk about Shabbat or Kashrut, or Family Purity, what can I talk about.” The president answered, “Talk about Judaism!”

The importance of this little story is to emphasize that these are the three pillars of Judaism. When one becomes lax in any of these areas, his foundations in his observance become weakened.

Shabbat, Kashrut, and Family Purity, must be observed meticulously. This is what grounds us in living the proper Jewish lifestyle. When one lives according to these laws, he is able to understand their benefits. We appreciate the sanctity of Shabbat. We understand that we need to be careful what we eat, as we are affected by what we ingest. Family Purity laws greatly enhance the bond between husband and wife. It elevates the bond between them.

There are certainly more than these topics that reflect Jewish teachings. But we must be reminded from time to time, what are the three pillars of Judaism. These reminders are necessary to keep us focused on what is important and what is not.

Levels of Impurity

There are three levels of impurity that are mentioned in the Torah. There is the impurity that comes from having come in contact with a corpse. There is impurity that comes from unwanted bodily flows, known as “Zav,” and there is the impurity that comes from leprosy.

All three of these types of טומאה, included being separated form the rest of the nation. In the time of the desert and in times of the Temple, there was the equivalent of three camps.

In the desert, there was the camp of the Shechina, Divine Presence, which was the area of the Mishkan. There was the camp of the Levites, and the camp of the rest of the nation.

Leprosy was the most severe, and the quarantine was outside all three camps. The “Zav” had to stay outside of two camps, while the one who came in contact with the dead, had to stay outside of one camp.

Jerusalem also had three boundaries of impurity. There was the inside of the Temple, the outside area that was part of the Temple grounds, and there was the area enclosed by a wall around the city.

None of these rules apply nowadays except for Mikva for menstruation, and the Kohein that does not enter a cemetery.

When Jews lived by these laws, they were on a higher spiritual level. They could sense when this “Tuma” had infiltrated their bodies. They knew that purification was needed in order for them to function at a higher level.

We do not fully recognize the potential of a Jew to reach greater and greater spiritual heights. Learning these laws teaches us that the soul that was placed in our bodies, would like to soar. We must allow this to happen by insulating ourselves with positive and holy stimuli. We may not have the same laws of purity that was once held, but we can do our best to live lives of purity and holiness.

The Significance of Brit Mila

The Mitzva of Brit Mila, or circumcision, is given in the Book of Bereishit. Avraham Avinu is told that this is the act that creates a covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people.

There is a principle that says that whatever laws were given before Sinai, were repeated on Mount Sinai. In the case of Brit, it was repeated in connection with the woman who had given birth to a male. The Torah tells us that on the eighth day the circumcision is meant to take place.

Even though there could be non-Jews who perform circumcision, it does not have the same significance as it does for a Jew. The very fact that it is a commandment to do this Mitzva puts it on a different level than doing it for health reasons.

Another important factor is that we learn that the Brit is done on the eighth day even it falls on Shabbat. The principle here is that an עשה, a positive commandment is דוחה לא תעשה, overrides a negative commandment. The negative commandment is not to violate Shabbat.

All of this points to the importance and significance of Brit Mila as an act that shows strong Jewish identity. It is remarkable that despite Judaism branching out into different factions, where some are highly liberal, the Mitzva of Brit Mila is observed by all Jews. It must be a kind of subconscious spiritual identity that bonds all of our people with this sacred act.

Blindness

It absolutely boggles the mind that there can be so much blindness in the Jewish world. Israel is celebrating its seventy-seventh year of independence and far too many just don’t get it.

Is there any logical explanation that a nation that suffered a nearly 2000 year exile, and picked itself up, out of the ashes of the Holocaust, is able to accomplish so much in only seventy-seven years?

The population of the new State in 1948 was 600,000, and today there are 7.7 million Jews living in the Holy Land. In this short amount of time, an army that is the envy of the world has been built. The land is producing abundant crops. Numerous modern cities have emerged all over the country.

We have witnessed an incredible ingathering of the exiles from all over the world. There has never been such a great amount of Torah study in 2000 years. Israel is a world leader in high-tech and has made remarkable discoveries, benefiting the entire planet.

Anyone who does not see the miracle in all of this, and the open Hand of G-d, has to be foolish and blind. It seems to also show disrespect and a denial of this generous Divine gift that is the State of Israel.

People need to open their eyes and feel grateful to be living in such miraculous times. Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, should be a day of giving praise and thanksgiving to Hashem for bringing His people home. If someone cannot do this, it shows ingratitude and the inability to see G-d’s greatness. The saddest part of it all, is that if someone cannot recognize all of this, he is being denied the ability to be part of this amazing journey. This is what blindness can do. How sad!

For the rest of us who do see and appreciate, Yom Ha’atzmaut Sameach.

Scholar Warrior

There is a phrase that Rav Meir Kahane made famous. This was what he termed, “scholar warrior.”

He felt that this was the ideal role that every G-d fearing Jew should take. This was epitomized by King David, and how he conducted himself. Is is based on a verse in Psalms that says, רוממות א-ל בגרונם וחרב פיפיות בידם, “High praises to G-d with their throats, and a double edged sword in their hands.”

A Jew was supposed to be deeply immersed in Torah study, as the focal point of his life. But it was also demanded of him, to be a soldier, a warrior, fighting to defend his country.

King David was known as “the sweet singer of Israel.” He expressed his passion for Hashem in the 150 chapters of Tehillim. On the battle field, he fought like a lion, in an astounding manner.

On Yom Hazikaron, we remember the fallen soldiers of Israel. Since October seventh, it appears that an extremely large number of the fallen soldiers, were from the National Religious camp.

These were men who lived and died according to the principles of the “scholar warrior.” They did not die in vain, as they gave their lives על קידוש ה׳, sanctifying the Name of G-d. But they also helped elevate the spiritual level of the army. It was clear that the IDF understood why they were fighting. They collectively went off to battle singing praises to Hashem, asking for His assistance.

A major change has also taken place since October the seventh. The image of the Jew as the helpless victim, has changed forever. Jews are tough and they fight with incredible resolve and courage. Thanks to our soldiers and particularly, our “scholar warriors,” we have gained the respect of the world.

We remember our brave fallen soldiers and we show tremendous gratitude for their sacrifices into making Israel a great nation. May their memory be for blessing.

Kashrut and Purity

It is well known that an animal must chew its cud and have split feet, in order to be kosher and fit for consumption. It is not clear why these specific signs determine its permissibility.

It is clear that the Torah for whatever reason, puts these animals in the category of being pure and worthy of Temple sacrifices.

This leads to the overall reason for the laws of keeping kosher. The food we eat is part of our overall obligation to conduct ourselves in the ways of holiness.

The section on Kashrut ends by telling us that it is to “separate between the impure and the pure, and the animals permitted to be eaten, and those forbidden to eat”

The Jew must remember his special destiny in conducting himself in all aspects of life, in the ways of holiness. This includes how he interacts with people, how he does business, how he prays, and what and how he eats.

We are to be an example to others. There are situations where a secular Jew rarely might come in contact with an observant Jew. That observant Jew could be you! Their entire impression of Torah Judaism, might come from that one encounter with you.

This is why we should be careful to act in an exemplary manner in all that we do. The Kashrut laws serve to emphasize this very point.

Passion For Power

The Midrash brings two reasons for the punishment of Nadav and Avihu. The first was that they lost their lives because they refused to get married.

The second reason was because of their desire to take over for Moshe and Aharon. They asked, “When will these two old guys die so that we can lead the generation?”

The Gaon Maharam from Vilna, pointed out that the two reasons are really intertwined. If they didn’t want to marry because their “souls desired Torah,” as was the case with Ben Azzai, then they should not have desired positions of leadership.

It is obvious that when one needed to carry the burdens of the community, it would take away from their Torah study time. This proved that their decision not to marry was not based on their passion for Torah. It appeared that their passion for power was greater. Therefore, both reasons were connected. They were worthy of punishment for both reasons, which were really the same reason.

It should be clear that Hashem knows man’s true intentions. People might try to fool themselves, but they cannot fool G-d.

Only What Is Commanded

The death of the two sons of Aharon has many explanations. The Chidushei Harim gives his own novel interpretation of this incident.

He pointed out that Nadav and Avihu were extremely holy men on a very high level. Their intentions were for the sake of Heaven.

In their zeal to achieve this holiness, they failed to recognize one important matter. The Pasuk says that they offered an אש זרה, “a strange fire,” followed by the key words, אשר לא צוה אותם, “that they were not commanded.”

No matter how “frume” a person might think he is, he must be careful to act solely in the manner that comes from Hashem’s command.

It is essential even for the well intentioned, not to allow things to get out of control. There is a reason why our Torah has such clearly defined laws. One must not leave the boundaries of Halacha. This can happen when one is lax in his observance, and it can also apply when one is overly zealous.

Nadav and Avihu left the boundaries of the Torah when they did something that “they were not commanded.” Because of the high level they were on, they paid with their lives. A clear statement needed to be made for future generations as to how to observe the Torah. One must not go “out of bounds.”

Aharon’s Humility

The Torah tells us that Aharon waited until Moshe Rabbeinu instructed him to begin the duties of the Kohein Hagadol. Rashi explains that Aharon was ashamed and afraid to do the Temple service. He did not see himself as worthy of the position. This was especially because he felt a certain amount of guilt in his role with the Golden Calf.

Moshe answered Aharon that it was for that very reason that he was the perfect man for the job. This was meant to be an example for future leaders of Israel.

The trait of humility was seen openly by three other great leaders. Moshe Rabbeinu, himself, was known as the greatest man who ever lived because he was the humblest of all men.

Avraham Avinu showed his own humility when he referred to himself as “dust and ashes.” King David demonstrated his own humility when he referred to himself as, “I am a worm and not a man.”

It is important from time to time to reiterate this point of humility in leadership. It would be nice if the leaders would read this!

Ultimately, this ingredient of humility is the key to one’s success. It indicates the understanding that the real ruler of the world is Hashem, and they are acting on His behalf.

We learn such a valuable lesson from the simple story of Aharon and his shame. This is the benefit of studying each line of the Torah meticulously.

“And It Came To Pass”

The Rabbis have noted that whenever the word, ״ויהי״ “and it came to pass”, is written, something negative is about to transpire.

In Parshat Shemini, the death of Nadav and Avihu, followed this ויהי. In the Megillah of Purim, it begins with ויהי, and it is followed by the feast of Achashveirosh, that led to the evil plot of Haman.

Rav Kook asked what negative connotation could there be with the words in the beginning of the Torah, when it was written, ויהי ערב ויהי בוקר, “And it was evening and it was morning.”

He answered that because of the רשעים, the evil people of the world, the sacred light of creation, needed to be hidden. This light was reserved for the righteous who would bask in the glory of Hashem.

This light is referred to as the אור הגנוז, “the hidden light,” and it could only be perceived by the holiest of men. This is also the source for the term, צמצום, or “constriction.” As humans, we are only capable of perceiving a limited manifestation of G-d. When we are no longer held prisoner by our bodies, we will be able to see more of this light. The righteous can have a greater perception of this light, even in this world.

The negative ויהי in creation is the sadness we might feel in not being able to fully perceive our Creator. It is hoped that we are able to achieve a level of awareness of this loss. That is a step in the right direction in raising the level of the world, when all will acknowledge the one true G-d of Israel.

Mishkan and Creation

Parshat Shemini begins with a description of the sacrifices that were offered with the dedication of the Mishkan. The “eighth day” refers to the first of Nissan, which followed seven days of service by Moshe Rabbeinu himself, in preparation for this great day.

Rav Kook viewed the Mishkan as a form of completion of the creation of the world. It is mentioned that if there was no Torah observed, the world would return to a state of nothingness. After the Torah was given on Sinai, it required a dwelling place for it, and the Divine Presence.

Rav Kook further notes that the Torah was given in the form of the “Ten Commandments.” Pirkei Avot teaches us that there were ten מאמרות, or statements, related creation.

The עשרה מאמרות in creation refers to the physical body of man, that was to contain the נשמה, the soul, that was breathed into it. The עשרת הדברות were given strictly for the נשמה, the spiritual aspect of man.

We see that this dedication was a culmination of the overall purpose of creation that included the physical and the spiritual.

It is hoped that the world has now passed into a new phase of spirituality. It is becoming abundantly clear to all that any substitute for belief in G-d, will not last. We must learn to live our lives where the emphasis on the spiritual is at least as important as the physical. When this happens, the world will be a better place for sure.

Self Improvement

In my classes on dating, I told my students to look for three qualities in a potential spouse. These were absolutely mandatory in order to pursue a long lasting relationship.

The first quality was an appreciation for Torah study. This is meant to be the foundation of every Jewish home. If Torah is important, then Jewish values are equally important.

Jealousy is a potential deal breaker. If a jealous nature is detected early in the relationship, it is a sign that it will never be possible to make that person happy. They will always be focused on what others have, and they will be unable to be content with their lot.

The third quality is related to Sefirat Haomer, the counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot. It involves an emphasis on self improvement. My recommendation to my students was to make it clear that “working on oneself,” and trying to become a better person, must be a priority.

In an ideal marriage, the couple encourages one another to grow spiritually. Together they reach levels that were unattainable when single.

The idea of Sefirat Haomer is that every day, a higher level of holiness is achieved. At the end of the forty-nine days, we are ready to receive the Torah anew.

Pirkei Avot points out that there is no such thing as stagnation. “If we are not increasing, we are decreasing.” Every day is a struggle to become better and better, and to go higher and higher. If we are not consciously aware of this, we might fall.

Self improvement is not only a prerequisite for a meaningful relationship. It is our obligation as Jews to constantly strive to achieve more on behalf of the Jewish people, and to do what is right in the eyes of G-d.

Three Oaths

There are three situations where the Torah requires a Divine oath. This was done in order to get to an otherwise unattainable truth.

The first oath or “Shvua,” involved the שומר חינם who agreed to guard an object for no pay. He must swear in the event the object was stolen, that he was not involved in the theft.

In a monetary claim, if only one witness could be found, testifying about the guilt of another individual, the accused party must make an oath, attesting to his innocence.

The third situation is known as מודה במקצת, a partial admission. This involves a loan situation, where the borrower admits owing some money to the lender, but not the amount that the lender claims. If he swears to the lesser amount, that is the amount he must return.

There was a time when people feared G-d and they would not swear falsely in His name. Ironically, in 1952, the Satmar Rebbe wrote a book titled, “Vayoel Moshe,” where he attacked the Zionist movement for violating, “the three oaths.”

The Rebbe was referring to three oaths that were mentioned in Agaddic fashion, at the end of the Tractate Sanhedrin. He claimed that the Zionists violated two of these oaths by attempting to come in mass to Eretz Yisrael, and by establishing an army to overthrow the existing government.

The third oath involved the nations of the world, that they would not persecute us too much. These three oaths had never been put to any kind of test until 1952.

Unfortunately, these oaths, which are easily refutable, continue to be used against Religious Zionism and the need to move to Israel.

Two of the rebuttals to this claim involved the source of the oath, which is not Halachic at all, and is not mentioned in any Halachic source. The other refutation is that the nations of the world violated their side of the oath, as they have clearly persecuted us very much.

It always helps to have the knowledge to be able to answer challenges to our philosophy. There is a huge difference between biblical oaths that apply in money matters, and oaths that are mentioned in the non-Halachic setting of Midrashic literature.

We must cherish and defend the Divine intention of bringing our Jewish brethren home to Israel. We must not allow damaging claims against the establishment of the State of Israel, to hold any credibility. We have enough enemies from the outside, and we must all stand united in our love for our one and only homeland.

Jewish Army

The holiday of Pesach celebrates the establishment of the Jewish people as a nation with a specific destiny. This destiny would be challenged throughout our history as there would be enemies in each generation wishing to destroy us.

From the time we left Egypt, until the Bar Kochba rebellion in 130 c.e., there was always a Jewish army that fought to defend Israel’s right to exist. There is even an opinion that the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died in a plague, actually fell in battle as part of Bar Kochba’s army. This was a period of 1440 years. It was a given that all Jews fought in a “Milchemet Mitzva,” an obligatory war. The ideal soldier would have been like King David. He would be both a scholar and a warrior.

During the years that followed 130 c.e., the Jewish people survived without an army of any kind. Our bitter Galut, exile, forced us to wander from place to place, and suffer terrible persecution. We survived miraculously because of our faith and strict adherence to the Torah.

When the Jewish state was established in 1948, it became mandatory to revive the notion of a Jewish army. The mistaken idea that Torah scholars would be exempt from such an army might be understood in the context that 1818 years had passed from the last known time of a formal Jewish army.

It is clear that the scholar-warriors of today, fulfill an extremely important role in Israeli society. They are the unifiers who make a huge impact on all of Israeli society. They are able to showcase religion to the secular society of Israel. The army is the place where there is no societal demarcations. They are one family, looking after one another. Nevertheless, the religious soldiers set the example of how to be spiritual and deeply religious while defending their country.

This is demonstrated by a Midrash brought by Rabbi Taragin that describes a dialogue between Hashem and King David. Hashem tells David that the imminent victory in battle is שלי ושלך הניצחון . The victory is a joint effort. It belongs to David as well as G-d. U.S.

History is unfolding before our very eyes. It is clear that the IDF will carry a significant role in bringing about the redemption that we long for so much.

Israel and Jewish Identity

Rabbi Moshe Taragin, in his recently published book, “Reclaiming Redemption,” makes an interesting observation regarding Jewish identity and the State of Israel.

He pointed out the great transition that took place during the nineteenth century. This was caused as an aftermath to the “age of enlightenment,” and the “Industrial revolution.” Religion was viewed as the reason for many of the problems of the world. Religion was substituted with secularism and nationalism.

Judaism was affected deeply by these changes. For the first time in our history, it was no longer individuals who chose to abandon the religion, but entire communities who decided to making radical changes to our religion. This led to the formation of Reform and Conservative Judaism.

Until this time, the majority of Jews kept Shabbat and Kashrut.

The danger of assimilation was very great. Millions of Jews were slated for historical oblivion. They had distanced themselves from any form of Jewish identity.

Rabbi Taragin theorized that this was the reason why the State of Israel was primarily established by secular Jews. Their connection was based more on a historical identity of peoplehood and land, even in the absence of religious commitment. There are millions of Jews whose sole affiliation with Judaism is their love and commitment to Israel.

Even though the plague of assimilation and intermarriage has been devastating, it would have been much worse, had there not been a Jewish State.

We believe that the redemption comes in stages. The physical return will eventually be followed by a spiritual return. We are living in historic times. We need to open our eyes and marvel at the Hand of G-d, the facilitator of all that is unfolding.

The Meaning of Mussaf

If we examine the Mussaf service of Pesach, we realize that it is all based on the longing for the Mussaf sacrifice that was offered in the Beit Hamikdash.

The inability to offer this additional sacrifice, greatly diminished the holiness of the day.

The dialogue we have between ourselves and Hashem, is the essence of the contents of this holiday prayer.

We begin by acknowledging that we were chosen from among the nations and we were sanctified with the Mitzvot. We were given special festivals meant for rejoicing.

But because of our sins, we were exiled from the Land, and we were unable to adequately fulfill our holiday obligations in our holy Temple.

We ask Hashem to speedily rebuild the Temple, and gather all of the Jews scattered around the world. We will then be able to celebrate the holiday as was intended.

We ask for the Kohanim and Leviim to return to their Temple duties and that we be able to go up to Jerusalem for the three pilgrimage festivals.

We recite the Mussaf prayer all of the time, without stopping to realize what we are asking for, in this prayer. Perhaps this realization will allow us to have better “Kavana” the next time this important prayer is recited.

Praising Hashem

The Hallel prayer that is recited during Pesach, demonstrates the great affection that King David had for his Creator. This is particularly seen at the end of Psalm 116.

The words, מה אשיב, reflect the inability of man to ever be able to repay Hashem for all of the kindnesses bestowed upon us. The Ibn Ezra pointed out that David was saying, “What gift can I give to the King, who owns everything?”The Radak added, “His acts of kindness are too numerous to recount.” Ibn Yachya commented, “How can I even approach Him? He is eternal and I am finite. He is the highest and I am the lowest.”

David’s passion for Hashem was based on his realization that everything that he is, comes from the graces of the Al-mighty. He takes nothing for granted and feels overwhelmed by the abundant gifts. He cannot adequately give thanks for these gifts.

This reflects the attitude we are all supposed to have in how we view the world. Instead of focusing on what we do not have, we must appreciate and acknowledge what we do have. This is the correct way of looking at things.

We must learn from the example of David Hamelech. He had to overcome numerous difficulties in his life. But his deep love and appreciation for the kindnesses shown to him, helped him overcome all of these difficulties.

The Meaning of Chametz

A major emphasis of the Pesach holiday is the removal of Chametz. We thoroughly clean our homes in anticipation of the Seder and its celebrations.

We often overlook the spiritual message that is behind all of the hard work of Chametz removal. We are also meant to remove our spiritual Chametz that we possess.

Primarily, since the difference between Chametz and Matza is that the leavening agents causes the dough to rise, which makes it forbidden.

This symbolizes the haughtiness and arrogance that blocks our ability to achieve holiness. It has been said that arrogance, anger, and depression, are all interrelated. They all reflect an attitude of self pity.

One who has these negative character traits, feels that he is so special that he does not deserve to be treated so badly. His arrogance and feelings of entitlement are the main causes of these negative traits.

The Matza, on the other hand, symbolizes modesty and humility. One who possesses these positive character traits, expresses gratitude for everything that he has. He appreciates all of the blessings he received from Hashem. This allows him to get closer to G-d and allows him to live a life of doing acts of kindness, and giving to others.

We must remove the Chametz in our midst, so that we succeed in eliminating the obstacles that prevent us from achieving all that is good and right in the eyes of G-d.