Two Lines

Parshat בראשית speaks about two lines of descendants from אדם הראשון. This is often not noticed when reviewing the Parsha. There is the Cain line that lasted only seven generations and ended. This is the reason the wives of Lemech did not want to have children, because they knew that line would become extinct. The second line was the Seth line that carried on the generations to eternity. The only one who survived the Cain line, was Naama, the wife of Noach. This also explains how the father of Noach was Lemech. This was not the same blind Lemech who killed Cain as well as his son. There were two Lemechs, one from the Cain line and the other from the Seth line. One needs to study the Parsha carefully to pick up on this historical fact. There were twenty generations from Adam to Avraham as pointed out in the Torah from the Adam-Seth line.

יצר הרע

There are a few references to the יצר הרע in פרשת בראשית. The first is in connection with the נחש, the serpent. The Rabbis say that the נחש was the symbol of evil. He was the שטן and יצר הרע merged into one. He was pure evil and he used this evil to entice Eve to sin. The second reference to the יצר הרע was Hashem’s reprimand of Cain, after killing his brother, Abel. He is told that if he chose good, he would be able to overcome the יצר. But if not, the Yeitzer would rule him. And the third reference is reflected in Hashem’s disappointment with man. The Torah says, כי יצר לב האדם רע מנעוריו, that man’s Yeitzer is evil from his youth. In other words, man will give in to the יצר הרע unless he has strict laws that will guard him from the allure of the Yeitzer. For this reason, Rabbi Munk in קול התורה writes how absurd it is for man to believe he is capable of making laws to discipline. It should be obvious to all, that the task of maintaining law and order and good behavior, can only come from G-d given laws, not man’s.

גאולה Depends on אמת

Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira זצ״ל felt that it was important to study books of Mussar on a daily basis to keep a person in check. We could tend to get carried away with ourselves when we find success in our various endeavors. The Mussar books keep us humble and keep us away from שקר. The power of שקר is so great that it can destroy the world. The Maharsha wrote this because שקר contradicts the essence of the world, which is אמת. This explains the difficult period we are all going through. We are surrounded by שקר. Nobody feels they are being told the truth about Corona on many levels. The media is filled with שקר and it’s difficult to know what is true and what is not. The world is upside down as predicted by the Prophet Isaiah. There will come a time when light is darkness and falsehood will be disguised as truth. The כף החיים, Rabbeinu Chaim Flagee, wrote that the גאולה depends on אמת. This is because אמת changes the מידת הדין, the strict letter of the law, to מידת הרחמים, to the measure of mercy. The Redemption, גאולה, can only come through mercy. We must pray that truth will prevail and we will eliminate all of the שקר in the world.

שקר-אמת

Shavua Tov. The בעל הטורים comments on the last letter of the first three words of the Torah, בראשית ברא אלוקים. The three letters spell the word, אמת, meaning truth. This teaches that Hashem created the world באמת, with truth. As it is written in Tehillim, ראש דברך אמת, “the beginning of your words is truth. The sin for שקר, falsehood, and the reward for אמת is so great, that the Sages of the Talmud said that חותמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא אמת, that the seal of Hashem is אמת. The term “חותם” indicates that this is a “red line” that must not be crossed. Therefore, one who is involved in שקר, in word and deed, is as if he denies מעשה בראשית, creation, and such a liar is like an idol worshipper. Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira זצ״ל added to this idea by saying that one must be truthful with himself. He should do a daily self check to analyze himself and how he is doing in serving Hashem and treating people. The שקר and אמת concepts are very serious, indeed.

Cain and Abel

The קול התורה has a different take on the episode of Cain and Abel. The jealousy that existed between the two brothers was not only because Hashem accepted the offering of Abel and not Cain. It was also based on Cain’s desire towards Abel’s twin sister, whom he married. She was exceptionally beautiful and her unavailability to Cain, provoked bad feelings between them. Hashem’s acceptance of Abel’s offering was the last straw, which led to Cain’s attack on Abel. Rabbi Munk adds that Abel became arrogant when he saw that Hashem preferred him over his rival brother. This arrogance of Abel, removed his protection and he was ultimately killed. Cain’s punishment was relatively mild, because Hashem did not wish to put the continuation of the human race in jeopardy. This is a good example of how new ideas are found each year when we learn the weekly Parsha.

Marriage

Parshat בראשית devotes a fair amount of emphasis on the relationship between a husband and wife. There is a strange Midrash that says that male and female were once one entity. Later, Hashem separated them. The bond of marriage was meant to create that same connection, as if they were one entity. There is the famous story of a great rabbi, who took his wife to the doctor for a leg ailment. The rabbi said to the doctor, “Our leg is hurting.” A couple needs to feel that closeness. They need to feel each other’s pain and joy. They are one. The deeper the love and trust that a couple have, the more harmonious is the relationship. The Torah says, לא טוב היות האדם לבדו, “It is not good that man is alone.” He should realize that all of his achievements in this world, are because of his wife. Rabbi Akiva said it best when he told his students about his loving wife, Rachel. שלי ושלכם שלה, “all that I am, and all that you are, is because of her!”

אור הגנוז

The קול התורה of Rabbi Munk, points out that the creation of light meant much more than giving light. It is a hint to the אור הגנוז, the hidden light, reserved for Tzaddikim in the future to reward them for their righteousness. The Torah says, ויבדל אלוקים, that Hashem divided the light. Light was good, but did not rule over the darkness. HaShem instituted the principle of הבדלה, separation. There was שמים and ארץ, and זכר and נקבה, male and female, and ישראל והעמים, Israel and the nations, and good and evil. Man was meant to make the correct choices. He was to choose good over evil, and light over darkness. In the future, light will win. This is what is meant in our daily prayers: אור חדש על ציון תאיר, that a new light will shine in Zion. This light will never be extinguished.

יש מאין

Parshat בראשית describes the creation of the world. There is a great deal of סוד, secrets, in understanding exactly how the world was created. Many commentators emphasize the concept of יש מאין, that Hashem created something out of nothing. In other words, there was no existing matter from which to bring about creation. The קול התורה explains this idea in greater depth. If creation had not come about in the form of יש מאין, it would have implied that Hashem had limitations. It would not have demonstrated Hashem’s absolute powers. Such limitations would reflect imperfections in the world. This could cast doubt on Hashem being the ultimate in perfection and goodness. It would also have implications related to man’s free will. For this reason, יש מאין is emphasized, so as not to diminish from Hashem’s ultimate power. He alone runs the world. He is separate and unique in that none of the laws of nature apply to Him. This concept helps to set Hashem apart from that which exists in the universe. Since He created this universe from nothing, everything in the universe is totally subservient to Him.

נשמת כל חי

This year I plan on using קול התורה, the Call of the Torah, by Rabbi Elie Munk as my primary commentator on the Parsha. It was originally written in French, and is a pretty comprehensive coverage of the Parsha. Rabbi Munk quotes the words, נשמת כל חי, the soul of every living being, desires to bless Hashem. This is directly related to the ultimate purpose of creation. Whether an individual is aware of this or not, his soul strongly desires to acknowledge and give praise to the Creator. Perhaps this explains what is so messed up with the world. According to Pew Research Center, more than fifty per cent of the Western world, do not think that belief in G-d is a prerequisite towards learning values and morality. This negates this innate desire of all of creation to recognize G-d. Perhaps this is the primary lesson to be learned from the Corona Pandemic. The world needs to wake up to the reality, that Hashem is the One that runs the world. Man does not.

קשה עלי פרידתכם

Shavua Tov. Hard to believe that the holidays are behind us. This year was very different from other years. And to cap off this upside down year, I davened with Chabad today and they literally flipped the Chazzan upside down after Mussaf! It must be some kind of sign. Despite all of the turmoil of the Corona, the Chagim did represent a certain calm and purity not normally felt in other years. I could see Hashem’s words resonate concerning שמיני עצרת and שמחת תורה. It was difficult for Hashem to take leave of his cherished people, and he said, קשה עלי פרידתכם, parting from you is very hard. Therefore, we were commanded to stay another day for שמיני עצרת and שמחת תורה. The long, dark winter is ahead of us, and it will not be until Pesach when Jerusalem is again flooded with people. We are to try and take hold of this lofty state of Kedusha that we acquired, and have it with us all winter, so that we maintain this level of connection. May we all have a healthy winter with a great deal of Torah and Chessed as the cornerstone of our lives.

וחוט המשולש

The Pasuk in Kohelet that could connect to Simchat Torah is והחוט המשולש לא במהרה ינתק, that a three-ply chord is not easily severed. This a reference to the number three that reflects some permanence and strength. It can refer to the three sections of Tanach, תורה, נביאים, וכתובים. It can also refer to the Avot, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who were the pillars and foundation of Judaism. The Gemara in בבא מציעא says that this Pasuk refers to someone who is a scholar, and his son is a scholar, and his grandson is a scholar, that the Torah will never more cease from his seed. This is what we celebrate on Simchat Torah. We listened to the words of Yehoshua who commanded us not to allow the Torah study to be removed from us. והגית בו יומם ולילה, “And you shall study it by day and by night.” We survived our long and bitter exile because there were always pious Jews who did not waver from this Mitzva. And we show our appreciation for the Torah is the greatest gift given to mankind. With it, there is orderliness in the world. Without it, the world self destructs. Our prayer is that the Corona should be a wake up call to the world that all must acknowledge that Hashem is truth, and His Torah is truth.

זה לעומת זה

A Pasuk in Kohelet that is often quoted is: גם את זה לעמת זה עשה האלוקים, “G-d has made the one as well as the other.” Rashi explains that Hashem has made one to parallel the other. On the one hand, there is good with its reward, and evil with its ensuing punishment. This is another confirmation that not only does evil exist in the world, but it was created by Hashem Himself. There are opposite extremes in the world. When we make the right choices and choose good, we are rewarded. When we choose evil, we are punished. Shlomo Hamelech describes a child as a “wild boar” who is born selfish and believes the world is there to serve him. He must be taught to give to others, and to know the difference between right and wrong. We are to marvel at Hashem’s creations. There are articles as small as ביצי כינים, lice eggs. And there are huge animals opposite these. This is what was meant by זה לעומת זה עשה אלוקים.

מעות לא יוכל לתקון

An interesting Pasuk in Kohelet says, מעות לא יוכל לתקון, “that which is crooked, cannot be made straight.” There are many interpretations to these words. One interpretation applies to the laws of prayer. If one missed the זמן תפילה or קריאת שמע, he cannot make up the שמע or שמונה עשרה on time. This Mitzva is lost. In addition, we learn the laws of תשלומים, making up for missing either שחרית, מנחה, or מעריב. We are only allowed to say two שמונה עשרה’s during the following Davening. If we forgot Mincha, for example, we can only make it up at Maariv. We cannot fix it at Shacharit the next morning. This is something crooked that cannot be made straight. Perhaps the best example of this Pasuk is when a man and woman commit adultery. It is forbidden for them to ever marry. What began as crooked and impure, can never be made straight. Therefore, they can never marry.

Today’s עבודה זרה

The reading of Kohelet led me to consult one of the first Artscroll books written in 1976. (I think Ruth was the very first Artscroll book to come out.) The overview of Kohelet is amazingly relevant to the time that we are currently living in. Shlomo Hamelech spoke of the vanities of this world, and how the pursuit of material gains and materialism, will not lead to happiness. The Artscroll quote from 1976 was as follows: “Man has always been hypnotized by belief in strange gods; whether they were called Baal, Emancipation, Liberalism, or science.” Today, the substitute for the beauty of a Torah way of life is Racism, Democracy, and Global Warming. In many circles, mostly secular, if anyone is accused of not properly respecting these three areas, they are looked at with disdain. The Torah is clearly not racist, as anyone of any color, is welcome to become part of the Jewish people. Democracy is also practiced provided that majority rule does not violate Halacha. And we are meant not to do things to contaminate the environment. The difference here lies with the fact that for observant Jews, these are aspects of Judaism. For the secular, democracy, racism, and global warming, become an end in themselves. This is what Shlomo Hamelech meant when he said that everything leads to futility. Without Hashem’s guiding Hand, we are living without real purpose or direction.

Wise Man

Kohelet has numerous important ideas that I hope to share during Succot. There is a Pasuk that says, החכם עיניו בראשו והכסיל בחשך הולך, “The wise man has his eyes in his head, whereas a fool walks in darkness.” There are two very different interpretations to this Pasuk. The first is that a wise man looks ahead and sees the consequences of his actions. Unlike the fool who acts recklessly, the wise man thinks carefully before he may be involved in something that he might later regret. The second interpretation is completely different. The wise man looks ahead at what he plans on eating. He will not put himself in doubt that he may not have eaten the proper amount for ברכת המזון. Or, that he will be in doubt if he made the appropriate blessing for what he is eating. He will be ready in the event that something unexpected is offered to him. This is the beauty of Kohelet. So many varied lessons can be learned from the wisdom of King Solomon.

Seeing Stars

Moadim Lesimcha. The Shulchan Aruch תרלא, Halacha ג׳ mentions that the Schach should be light enough so that large stars could be seen. The Halacha continues and says that if the Schach is so thick that stars cannot be seen, the Succa is still Kosher. The Mishna Brura clarifies the matter by explaining that even if the Schach is thick like a mat, there still must be some holes somewhere on the roof, where stars can theoretically be seen. The Mishna Brura says that a far more problematic situation is where the thickness is so great that if it rains, no water would enter the Succa. Such Schach is considered like a בית. Nevertheless, even in a situation of such thickness, there are still Poskim that would even permit such a Succa.

חג האסיף

Another name for סוכות is חג האסיף, the Holiday of Ingathering. It was the time when farmers had gathered and sold their crops. Because this was a prosperous time of year, the Rabbis decided that the Book of Kohelet should be read on Succot. The message that needed to be driven home was that one needs to know what is temporary and unimportant, and what is lasting and permanent. The Rabbis have a saying, אין אדם מורד בהקדוש ברוך הוא אלא מתוך שביעה, that man only rebels against Hashem when he is filled up. When a person feels that he has it all, he no longer feels that he needs Hashem. Kohelet tells us that material pursuits are vanity. Materialism only gives a false sense of security. Prosperity is fleeting. As quick as one can amass a fortune, he can also lose it. When all is said and done, we need to know that what is important in this world, is “to fear G-d and keep the commandments, for this is all there is to man.”

זמן שמחתינו

One of the names for the holiday of סוכות, is זמן שמחתינו, the time of our joy. Succot is meant to be the happiest of all of the holidays. Aside from feeling gratitude for having successfully completed the Yom Kippur Fast and Selichot, traditionally, it was the most prosperous time of year. Most Jews were farmers, and by this time of year, they had managed to sell their crops. The idea of being in a state of שמחה, applies every day of the year. We are supposed to be conscious of the need to be in a state of joy, all of the time. We learn to be happy with our lot in life, and we are to constantly count our blessings. But in the time of the Beit Hamikdash there was an overwhelming feeling of happiness. This was the ultimate joy, as each Jew could feel Hashem’s closeness and love. The Gemara elaborates by telling us that the singing and dancing was so strong on Succot, that people barely slept the whole week! We should focus on this aspect of Succot, and fulfill the name of the חג, Zeman Simchateinu.

הידור מצוה

One of the lessons of Succot is the concept of הידור מצוה, beautifying the commandment. This is learned from what was said at the Shira, after the Jewish people crossed the Red Sea. They sang spontaneously, זה א-לי ואנוהו, “This is my G-d, and I will glorify Him.” The Midrash says that even infants who could not speak, suddenly uttered these three words of praise. The manner in which we perform הידור מצוה manifests itself with the two main Mitzvot of Succot. There is a Mitzva to build a Succa, and to purchase the ארבעה מינים, Four Species. Obviously, the Halacha does not expect us to go into debt in finding the perfect Etrog, or most exotic Succa. But we are supposed to try to build a nice Succa with beautiful decorations. Similarly, when choosing the ארבעה מינים, some care and advise should be taken to be certain we have chosen the choicest set we can afford. The הידור מצוה idea, is a clear reflection on our part, that we cherish the Mitzvot of the Torah.

Enthusiastically Observing Mitzvot

Gemar Chatima Tova. After the intensity of the Yom Kippur Fast, we are immediately taught to show our seriousness, by being involved in the Mitzva of Succa. It appears that the Rabbis are teaching the importance of observing Mitzvot with זריזות, alacrity. זריזות means that we fulfill Hashem’s will with enthusiasm. The מסילת ישרים lists the numerous steps necessary towards achieving holiness. The first two steps are זהירות and זריזות. The זהירות refers to taking precautions to be certain that we do not violate any of the 365 negative commandments of the Torah. The זריזות refers to our fulfilling the 248 positive commandments with enthusiasm. We demonstrate in the manner in which we perform the Mitzva. So this is the first post Yom Kippur test. If we prayed with sincerity, it should be seen by how quickly and enthusiastically, we involve ourselves with new Mitzvot.