Bible Rules- Acharey Mos Kedsohim 2019/ 5779

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

May 3^rd  2019 -Volume 9 Issue 30-28^th of Nissan 5779

Parshat Kedoshim

Bible Rules

It seems like one of those biblical things. You know, like the thou shalleth notteth doeth sacramentous, Levitucusally Dueteronemistien. I always hated all those words in those old fashioned Hertz-(rent a chumash)- they used to have in my synagogue; pre-Artscroll days of course. The words in there just made my eyes glaze over as I began to doze off after the first few verses. The stories and laws as well never felt that they had any possible meaning or relevance to my millennia let alone my century or decade. One of the benefits a child growing up in Israel has is that language they learn in is for the most part pretty much similar to the one they hear in the street-minus the peetza, pelephone and autobooz. They don’t need a dictionary or old-fashioned Shakespearean terms to read Torah in. We didn’t have that benefit growing up. We missed out on the fact that each word each lesson, each mitzva are all eternal, all are meant to have meaning and a lesson for me today. Here in 2019. Wherever you may be living. Whatever you maybe going through. The answer is in the words of the holy Torah. It’s Hashem’s lesson to us. His constant daily instructions and road-map for our lives.

So this week’s Torah portion, perhaps the most packed with mitzvot in the book of Vayikra (I will not call it the “L” word), contains a whole plethora of mitzvot that cover the entire spectrum. Idolatry, sacrifices, loving your fellow man, kosher laws, agricultural laws, tattoos, beards, charity and honesty, to name more than a few. It’s amazing how each mitzva, each principle gets its own little note; a verse here, a verse there and a whole world opens up. The first Rashi on the Parsha tells us that this portion was recited in front of the entire Jewish people, men women and children together. It’s no wonder, as Rashi notes, for most of the principles of the Torah can be found here. Yet there’s one mitzva that gets’ the most footage. One mitzva that if you ask me seems like the strangest and least relevant of all of the other ones. Perhaps the most “biblical” of all. Yet the Torah goes out of its way to make sure that everyone is commanded and understands it. It is the introduction to all of the laws of the forbidden relationships and it is alluded to it again at the conclusion of those laws.  Conveniently enough it is mentioned in both parshas Acharei mos and Kedoshim. The reading in the States and the Diaspora. You tell me if this has meaning to you today or not?

 (Vayikra 20:1-5) And Hashem spoke to Moshe to say. And to the children of Israel say every man from the children of Israel and from the convert who dwells in Israel who shall give from his seed to Molech he shall surely die the am ha’aretz-(literally the nation of the land but basically-the average guy) shall stone him with rocks. And I will set my face on that man and I will cut him off from his nation for his seed he has given to Molech in order to defile my Temple and to desecrate my holy name. And if the am ha’Aretz shall hide their eyes from that man when he gives his seed to Molech and refrain from putting to him to death. I shall place my face on that man and his family and I shall cut him off and all those that stray after him or after the Molech from amongst their nations.

Wow, this seems pretty serious. Rashi notes that Hashem says I will turn away from everything else that I am doing and deal with only this person. What is this Molech? It must be significant if the Torah is going to such lengths to deal with it and warn us about it.

Our sages tell us that the idolatry of Molech was one of child sacrifice. Right outside of Temple Mount there is a valley that was called Gei- Ben Hinom- or Gehennom as we know it. There a father would bring his child to the Molech priest and while the entire nation was gathered he would be forced to walk across a bridge in between two rows of torches that would ultimately burn down and kill the child. This would be done amongst much music, dancing and fanfare. If the child survived it was his lucky day. But more often than not, of course, the child would die and the sacrifice would be complete. That’s it. That’s the Molech. I know it’s probably a rough commandment for you to keep. But hey, Hashem seems to be pretty strong about this one. No cheating. He will get you. And your family. No Molech.

What’s going on? Is there anyone in their right mind that would ever consider doing anything like this? If Hashem wanted to warn us about the future problems or danger zones for the Jewish people He should have spent more time on the laws of Lashon Hara- gossip, the laws of Shabbos, financial dealings, hatred and fighting amongst each other, but child sacrifice?! Even idolatry I can get as we see that it was a major problem and it seems that Jewish people are always searching and looking for false alternate ‘gods’. But what Jewish father would ever consider doing that to a child. Even non-Jewish people. This seems to be the most inhuman thing possible. What are we missing? Why is this not just merely biblical? What is it meant to mean to me?

Today was Yom Ha’Shoah in Israel. The day when the holocaust is commemorated in the State of Israel. I spent much of the day listening on the radio to story after story to horror after horror to atrocity after atrocity. Seemingly sane, civilized, ‘normal’ people murdered, killed, tortured, molested, and terrorized our nation. They shot babies, they gassed us, and they burned us. And then they went home to their houses and had a nice dinner, played some beautiful Wagner on their record players and petted their dogs. They raised their kids to this lifestyle. They praised it. It was all done in the name of the Reich. The Molech. And what of the rest of the world? They hid their eyes from this. They pretended not to see. The good old civilized US of A couldn’t even spare one bomb to blow up the trains that were shuttling us like cattle to our deaths. You tell me is the message of Molech an ancient biblical one? If it is then you have a very short memory.

If it is then you haven’t read the daily newspapers about a nation that is sending their kids up in bombs and shooting missiles from kindergartens. And that are raising a generation that only knows a life of fire and hatred that relishes death and washes in its blood. If it is then you are not reading the newspapers (or the cartoons- thank you very much Arthur Sulzberger and the NYT), about the historic dramatic rise in anti-semitism. You’re not listening to members of congress who are merely representatives of the thousands that put them in office. You haven’t visited most countries in Europe where there are places you are told that you should not go to without a baseball cap instead of your yarmulke- For you chasidim with long payos and beards the cap doesn’t really work by the way, just in case you were wondering…Never figured out why they think it does…

No, it’s not biblical. It has always been the world’s response to the Jewish people’s presence wherever we go. The word Molech means rule. It’s not about who rules. It’s that there is no melech-no King. Just the world being ruled by a world without that conscience; without that Divine presence. It is Hashem’s people and Name that is found amongst us that they are trying to wipe out. And Hashem tells us that the Jewish people have to know that the most important lesson that we need to know about all of our history is that we should never be drawn in and underestimate and certainly not hide our eyes or try to explain away this Molech. We should wipe it out. Even if there is no court the simplest am ha-aretz the simplest layman, the simple Jewish farmer or falafel maker should appreciate this. This is evil. Don’t ever ever sympathize and don’t ever think you have moved away or ‘advanced’ so much that this cannot and will not come back.

But the lesson, the eternal message from Hashem, is much more than that. The world needs to know that there is a Melech- A King. It is not a world of Molech- a world that just runs that is ruled without any ruler. A world like that will ultimately fall to the lowest depths that are almost humanly unimaginable. Anyone that thinks that a system that is developed that can function and raise up this world without a recognition and appreciation of its Creator are on the track of the Molech. They are creating a world without a Father, or even worse a Father that will sacrifice his son. (sound familiar to any religions founded on that premise that you may know…? I’m just saying…) It is the Jewish people’s role to share that knowledge and light with the world. We can’t hide from that. The Molech will never give up its battle and the world can be counted upon to complacently turn its blind eye it if we do not do our part. Hashem will turn aside from all his other things to focus on seeing that we never forget that.

The portion of Molech in both Torah portions are mentioned next to the commandments of the sacredness of a Jewish home and the prohibitions and illicit relationships. It seems to be intrinsically connected not as much with idolatry rather to the Jewish relationship. The family. Molech is the destruction of the family unit. In our Torah portion the commandment following Molech is that of a child that curses his parents and then the laws of the various descriptions of inappropriate incestuous relationships that are an affront to the sacred home of the Jewish family where that Shechina is meant to shine forth. The Jewish home is the place where the name of Hashem is meant to reign supreme. It is why the Molech has always been focused on destroying it. Murdering our children. Separating our women and men in their independent death camps. Hashem promises he will destroy that Molech and interestingly enough the families as well of those that are connected or hide their eyes from eradicating it. It is a battle for the Jewish family. It is the eternal war of our Nation.

From Yom HaShoah this week we move to Yom HaZikaron Israel’s Memorial Day for our fallen soldiers this week and then immediately following to Yom Ha’Atzamaut the day the State of Israel was declared. The redemption and the true ultimate fulfillment of that return of not only the Jewish people to our land but rather as well to Hashem returning to His home can only come after we remember what we are meant to do here. How we must build our family here. How we must share with the world the emptiness of a world bereft of its King, without Hashem. We should never restrain ourselves from decrying the false godlessness of an existence without Him. vhitkadishtem vhiyisem kedoshim- Sanctify yourself and your will be Holy Hashem concludes the command with. We can do it. It’s not biblical. It’s us.

Have a holy Shabbos and uplifting Rosh Chodesh Iyar

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Di velt hot feint dem massernik un dem mussernik.”- The world hates the informer and the moralist.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q.   The united underground movement was active in the years:

A. 1917 to 1920

B. 1939 to 1945

C. 1945 to 1946

D. 1948 to 1949

RABBI SCHWARTZES COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/i03iegZ3Hwo  – The Kaliver Rebbe ZT”L who passed away this past week sining Solol Kokosh at holocaust memorial

https://youtu.be/bezjJbBkWkg – Gam Ki Eilech for Yom Hashoah acapella by Six13

https://youtu.be/SY_v25-dqAo     –Awesome golden oldie in honor of Israel’s 71^st birthday Hinneni Kan Acapella of course!

https://youtu.be/xJPsgH6zapE  – Am Yisrael Chai- Shir Acapella fun!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS” CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Kedoshim– Lamdanim like to poke holes in things. Don’t take anything for granted. They particularly relish in showing, in many cases rightfully so, how English translations of the Torah really miss the boat on some of the particular and significant nuances that an appreciation of lashon hakodesh- the holy tongue of biblical Hebrew has. It’s even more fun when it’s Artscroll or the more “yeshivish translation” that are taken by many as the word of God in English. Hate to break it to you guys. The word of God is only in Hebrew.

Take for example the famous lomdishly mistranslated mitzva in this weeks Torah portion of

Devarim (19:14) Lifney iver lo sitein michshol- do not _______ a stumbling block before a blind person.

Now I imagine most of our readers know that this is not meant to be a literal translation that a person should not stick something in front of a blind person, rather it is homiletic. Rashi notes that this is a warning not to give advice to a “blind” man that isn’t appropriate to him. That I figure you guys all know. The question is but where does Rashi get this from. Why doesn’t he translate the verse literally as it says?

See and here’s where Artscroll or whatever English translation you used messed you up. Because if I asked you to translate the verse. What verb would you put in the word I left _______ blank. Do not -____ - a stumbling block in front of a blind man. So I imagine most of you would say Do not place a stumbling block. Because that’s correct English. The problem is, notes Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin- the Rav of Brisk, that the pasuk doesn’t say lo sasim michshol- which would mean to not place, rather it says lo sitein- which means do not give a stumbling block.

What is the difference between the two? Giving, explains the Rav is something that is handed over to someone else. He received it from you. Placing, on the other hand is putting something before someone else so they can then use it or not. As we find Hashem places a city of refugee before an unintentional murderer or someone should not place a dangerous place in your house so that someone might stumble and fall. If the Torah was meant to be read literally over here than the proper word and reading would be, as it is mistranslated, Before a blind man do not place a stumbling block. But it doesn’t say that. Rather it says do not give a stumbling block. Rashi quoting our sages therefore notes that in fact it must be talking about something that was given already not just placed before him so he might stumble. What was given? Bad advice.

See what happens when you don’t know you Hebrew? Thank god for lamdanim to teach us that.   

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Division of the Land -Hevron 1265 BC – The description of the division of the land pauses in Yehoshua from the lands that Moshe promised, the Eastern Jordan river lands to Reuvein and Gad, to the one place that was not divided by lottery; the city of Chevron. This city as well was promised by Moshe to Calev Ben Yefuneh, the loyal spy who together with Yehoshua brought back the good tidings of Eretz Yisrael as opposed to the other ones that bashed it.

Now you have to realize. This was not a simple give. Chevron was the holiest and most important city in Israel. Today everyone only thinks about Yerushalayim. Chevron is for “crazy settlers”. Oy… The Jews were in eretz Yisrael a good few hundred years before Yerushalayim was even liberated and revealed to be a holy place by Dovid Hamelech. It was a Jebusite city. Back then it was all about Chevron. That’s where are forefathers lived. Where the tribes grew up. That’s where Dovid Hamelech would rule from. It was the opening to Gan Eden. And here comes Calev with the tribe of Yehudah, in whose portion it fell and claimed it for himself.

The scene depicted by Tanach is truly a moving and historical one. Calev and 85 year “young” man comes before Yehoshuah with the elders of his tribe and requests the portion promised to him by Moshe. What makes this so cool, is if you remember Calev is a descendant of the tribe of Yehuda whereas Yehoshua is from Ephraim the son of Yosef. If you have a historical appreciation this is a flashback to the last meeting between these two tribes when Yehuda comes before Yosef, whom he doesn’t recognize to ask for benevolence for his family from whom he had assumed was Pharaoh’s viceroy. Yehudah who was chosen to be the king and who ultimately would be the tribe from which the Kings would come was bending the knee to Yosef, although unwittingly, as Yosef had dreamed years before. Now we have Calev willingly accepting Yehoshua’s leadership and with him is all the of leaders of the tribe. In return for this humility he is granted the city of Chevron which ultimately becomes the city from where Dovid Hamelech’s kingship will ultimately rise. Awesome! What an amazing story, and certainly something to share with my tourists when we visit the city of Chevron.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S PAGAN SACRIFICE JOKES  OF THE WEEK

A teacher asked her students what religious objects they had in their homes. Little Timmy answered, "We have a picture of a woman with a halo holding a baby and every day my mother kneels in front of it."

Young Lee said, "We have a brass statue of a man seated with crossed legs and a Chinese face, and every day my parents burn an incense stick before it."

Then a Bereleh piped up, "In the bathroom we have a little platform with numbers on it. Every day my mother stands on it first thing in the morning and screams, "OH MY GOD!!!"

Thomas decided to live his life in service to the Lord. So he went to the nearby monastery to join the Benedictine order of monks there. Thomas was welcomed by Brother John, who gave him a tour of the monastic life. Thomas was excited and eager to join. Brother John laid out the conditions of induction into the order. Before Thomas would be accepted he would need to complete a 3-year probationary period. During this time, Brother John explained, Thomas would have to strictly adhere to vow of silence and could not communicate in any way with anyone. At the end of each year, Thomas would be allowed to speak only one word. If he passed the 3 year probation satisfactorily, he would be become a full brother of the order. Thomas, thinking, what is such a small sacrifice for service to the Lord, agreed and began his 3 year probation.

Life is the monastery was calm, and Thomas passed his time with study of the monks and Benedictine order. Then, about halfway through the first year he ran out of toothpaste. What could he do? He had to suffer with nasty breath and teeth until when the year was up he was allowed to speak his one word for the year:

"Toothpaste" he said. The other brothers understood and brought him some toothpaste.

The second year started well, but he popped a button off his tunic, and it let the cold air of winter in, chilling him to the bone. Finally the second year was up and his chance to say his one word. Thomas said, "Button." The bothers understood and sewed a new button on his tunic.

During his last year, Thomas thought he was in the home stretch and all would be fine when the buckle on his sandal broke and made a clanking sound whenever he walked. The noise worried Thomas, who was naturally humble and self-conscious. At last the 3rd year of his probation ended, and he spoke his one word, "Buckle." The bothers understood and fixed the buckle on his sandal.

As it was the end of his probation, Thomas was brought before the council of monks where they reviewed his record. After some deliberation and whispered discussion, Brother John looked at Thomas and said: "Well Thomas, we're afraid that you are not a good fit here. We've decided that you have failed your probation."

Thomas was crestfallen. He'd done everything they wanted without error, and took great pleasure in the pious service of the Lord. Thomas pleaded, "Why?"
Brother John looked at him and said, "The problem is, all you ever do is complain."

An English, Chinese, American and Mexican Guy Climb Up Everest...They decide to sacrifice some things from their country as they are overflowing with these specific things. The English man grabs some tea and pours it off and says ' I have too much of this in my country' The Chinese takes a sack of rice and tosses it over and says “I have too much of this in my country”. the Arab throws a bag of Hashish over and says ' I have too much of this in my country' and finally the Israeli grabs the Arab and throws him off and says ' I have too much of this in my country'.

ONE LINERS

What is the difference between New Age and Pagan? Around $500.00 a weekend.

What is the definition of a saint? A dead liberal who is worshiped by living conservatives.

My deity ignored my prayers today. The sacrifice was a disaster. First, I didn't have the correct incantation, and then the goat knocked over the candles. I guess two wrongs don't make a rite

My wife cooks dinner for me. She treats me like a god........Everything is either burnt offerings or a bloody sacrifice.

My body is a temple. It requires frequent animal sacrifice.

You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” 

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Answer is C–  This was an easy one. Not the uniting the army thing. Getting Jews together is never an easy task. I meant that the question was easy. The armies was not as a simple. The one thing that generally does unite us though is a common threat. In this case it was the British who had issued a series of “White Papers” limiting Jewish immigration to Israel in response to the large amount of Jews coming here post-holocaust and the arab pogroms that took place supposedly as a response to that. As if they weren’t killing us before hand and they needed an excuse to kill us. That was unacceptable to all three illegal armies at that time the Haggana, Etzel and Lechi. So they coordinated attacks on the various bridges, trains and tunnels leading into Israel thus sending a message to the British that if we can’t get in neither will you. It all fell apart after Begin had the King David Hotel blown up in Jerusalem and there was tremendous backlash against the Israelis. All this of course took place from 1945-1946, the answer with the shortest time span. Even if you didn’t know the history you should have guessed it as you know tragically we Jews can’t be united for too long.  So the score is Schwartz 20 and 5 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam so far.