Day Off- Day On- Parshat Behar- Bechokosai 2019 / 5779

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

May 24^th 2019 -Volume 9 Issue 33-19^th of Iyar 5779

Parshat Behar/Bechukosai

Day off- Day on

“So what do you do on your days off?” is a common question I get from my tourists. Thank God, I don’t have that many of them. Baruch Hashem, particularly this season- which pretty much runs from a few weeks ago through the summer, it’s pretty swamped. But when they do come around, I have so much backlog to get to, it’s usually catch-up time. I have to get follow-up itineraries for my tourists out- (shhhh.. I’m still in January… they’re on the way I promise…). I have Mishpacha articles to write, sermons to transcribe that I gave in my shul that are just little short-hand notes and oh yeah, I almost forgot I have a few kids at home still that I try to get re-acquainted with. I want to make sure they will invite me to their simchas J. And of course most important is my incredible rebbetzin who has been holding down the fort while I run around the country and party all day with my tourists. She wouldn’t mind seeing me a bit as well. One would think after spending a week and a half with me in the jungle would have cured her of that. But for some reason she seems to like to see me still. And it’s not just because it’s her birthday this week. See I remembered. Happy Birthday! May Hashem bless you until 120 that your husband be a bit more “present” at least physically. And I don’t mean by gaining more weight!

But what do you do in your spare time? Do you have any? I’m not talking to those of you that are retired in Boca. I know you’re busy worrying about your children and grandchildren living in Israel. I mean the rest of you; the harried mothers holding down the fort, many of you balancing work and family. The fathers desperately scrambling to make ends meet, pay astronomical tuitions bills and meet community responsibilities. The teen-agers and colleges students with their exams, social lives, and studies or in Israel army or yeshiva duties. So you have a day off, maybe even a few days, whatcha gonna do with it? How about if you had… get ready… a whole year off? Did you ever dream of such a thing?

Well it may not be such a foreign concept. Well at least for those of us living in Eretz Yisrael. You guys in the diaspora should keep dreaming. This week’sTorah portion- in the diaspora- of Behar teaches us about the mitzva of shemitta in another 2 and half years. God willing Mashiach will be here and you will join us, but even if god forbid if he isn’t it will be a year off for all the farmers at least. So better start upping your Farmville game. But seriously imagine that. In the times of the Temple most people were involved in agriculture and for a whole year they didn’t work a bit. What did they do?

Well for those of you in suspense, we here in Israel that are a parsha ahead of you have the answer. It is in this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Bechukosai which in a regular non-leap year is read together with Behar. It begins with the mitzva of studying Torah.

Vayikra (26:3) Im Bechukosai teileichu- If you will walk in my statues and you will observe my commandments and fulfill them and I will give rain in tis time and the land will give its produce….

Rashi notes that walking in the statues cannot be a reference to the fulfillment of the commandments as that is stated afterwards. Rather it refers to the mitzva of laboring in Torah. What are Jews meant to be doing shemitta? Laboring in Torah. Joining a yeshiva. A shiur. Finishing Shas. Writing a book on a Torah subject. A few books, perhaps. The main thing is it should be something of labor and it should be Torah.

But the Torah portion is not talking about shemitta; those of you that actually open the book and read through the Torah portion, rather than trust the E-Mail rabbi, might protest. Ahhh but it does. You just have to read carefully.

See the end of the Torah portion is the Tochacha, the rebuke and admonition of the Jewish people and the terrifying punishments that will befall us if we don’t follow the mitzvos. There is a theme through all of them. It is the number 7.

The beginning of the rebuke numbers 7 sins and in exchange for that there will be 7 punishments. Rashi notes that they are a slippery slope and one leads to the other. This is how he enumerates them.
Rashi ibid  (26:15) 1) He did not study, 2) he did not perform 3) he abhors others that performs 4) he hates the Torah scholars 5) he prevents others from performing commandments 6) he renounces the mitzvos 7) he renounces Hashem.

The parsha continues to the point where the Torah itself tells us that the problem is 7.

Vayikra (26:21) If you behave casually with and refuse to heed Me then I shall lay a further blow upon you-seven like your sins.

And again Vayikra (26:23) if despite these you will not be chastised to Me and you behave casually with Me then I too will behave toward you with casualness and I will strike you seven ways for you sins.

And just in case you didn’t get the point yet.

Vayikra (26:27) If despite this you will not heed Me and you behave toward Me with casualness, I will behave toward you with a fury of casualness; I will chastise you, even I 7 ways for your sins

Finally, finally it ends with the verse that pretty much tells us it’s all about shemitta.

Vayikra (26:34) Then the land will appease its shemitta years during all the years of its desolation, while you are in the land of your foes; … whatever it did not rest during your shemitta years when you dwelled upon her.

Rashi in fact does the math that the 70 years were in exile corresponds to the 70 shemittas that were not observed during the 430 years we were in the land in the first Temple. (Check it out to see the exact math). Reb Yaakov Kaminetzky though is troubled by this. Is it really possible that the Jewish people never kept shemitta? How could that be?

His answer is revolutionary. He notes that the Torah seems to be mixing two things together and of course this is not coincidental. On one hand it tells us that the punishments will come because we are not toiling in Torah. On the other hand, it tells us that it is a result of the non-observance of the sabbatical year. What is the connection? The answer he says is that Hashem is giving us a year off for one purpose. It’s not to catch up on the housework, it’s not to go on that long, promised and delayed family vacation (or safari J), it’s not even to spend quality time on community projects. It’s to toil in Torah. It’s to immerse oneself entirely in the study of our holy works. And this is where the Jews that lived in Israel during the Temple period missed the boat.

See they certainly did not work on their fields. There was no need to. Hashem provided enough crops in year 6 to last them for three years. But rather than take that great bounty and realize that they have enough in the bank or storehouse to last them and go back to Kollel. They wasted their year. They woke up late, rolled out of bed, played some shuffleboard, maybe cracked a book or a Torah E-Mail that they had backlogged for a few years and thought they would get to one day when they had an extra hour or so to read through the entire thing besides the jokes on the bottom. But they didn’t toil. They didn’t sweat in it. It therefore never permeated them as it was meant to for the next 6 years. That’s called not observing the shemitta. That is called being casual with Hashem.

I remember when I was in yeshiva finishing off High School, I asked my Rosh Yeshiva why it was so important to go full time to Beit Midrash. Why couldn’t I just go part-time to yeshiva and then in the evening go to college or nights school, as my parents were hocking me to. I would probably never be a Rabbi anyways. Famous last words. I would probably just be a working baal habos- a layman. I would make a living and of course have a daily seder to study. What was wrong with that?
Now don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t really that interested in going to college either. But to be honest it wasn’t because I was so interested in learning. College was just a pain in the neck of more boring secular studies and tests and exams and homework that I was pretty relieved to finally be done with. But regardless of my personal desires or lack of interest, I wanted the answer. Why was it so important? What was the real reason he was so opposed to it? What was a good reason that I could tell my parents?

His answer resonated with me then and it still does today. He told me that the only way that I would ever become that baalabos, that working/learning layman, that set himself a daily Torah class and session, was if I sat in Beis Midrash and toiled in Torah for a few years first. Otherwise, he said, it will never be a part of you. It will never be something that you feel you need to become who you are meant to. It will never be your water. It will never be your life.

What can I say? Me and my Rosh Yeshiva did not agree on much. I, in fact left (or was left from) the yeshiva not too long after. But those words and that idea sat with me then and it does until today. What is my life about? What is it that I long for? What do I want to do in my spare time or year. The answer is toil in Torah. Open up those sefarim I bought and buy that I hope to get to one day. Explore some of the deeper Torah thesis that always perocolate in my mind. Finish shas. Get a second semicha from the Israeli rabbanut – that has a pretty high standard. Go for Dayanut. The civil laws. This is what shemitta is all about. This is what a Jew is meant to have as his focus.

The truth is one doesn’t have to wait for shemitta. Hashem calls Shemitta his Shabbos. Each Shabbos is like a mini-shemitta. Particularly these long shabbatot. There is no work, there is no worry. It’s a time to establish a seder when you can reach a goal. A torah toiling goal. Shemmita isn’t a year off and Shabbos isn’t a day of the word Shabbos comes from the root Shuv- to return. It is a day to return to our essence. This period of Omer we read about the shemitta and Shabbos cycles. It is 7 shabbatot temimot. 7 complete Shabbosos. Complete, doesn’t meant that it isn’t lacking any days. It means that you have used your Shabboses to complete your entire week. You have refocused your week to revolve around that seder,- that return, that you have each Shabbos. That is how we count up to the giving of the Torah. And in that merit we should all celebrate that upcoming Shavuot holiday in the Temple rebuilt when we can once again begin and celebrate that cycle.
Have a inspirationally accomplished Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Di shversteh arbet iz arumtsugain laidik” The hardest work is to go idle.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q The national watershed passes in Jerusalem at:

A. Mount Herzl – Mount Ora

B. Armon haNatziv – Temple Mount

C. Mount Scopus – Mount of Olives

D. Ketef Hinom – Romema

RABBI SCHWARTZES COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

https://youtu.be/9Dv39cjfC1k   – New Rebbe Shimon by MBD!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ_tlD-GGSA   – Meron Lag Ba’Omer 2019 Compilation

https://youtu.be/VD6-6G2HDqs      –Beauttiful Kel Mistater Kretchnif Yiddish with Hebrew subtitles (thank god)

https://vimeo.com/124490496 - My Uncle Mendy Z”l speaking at Torah Umesorah convention about a topic dear to his heart-abuse..

https://vimeo.com/268582166- My eulogy of him at his funeral…

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS” CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Bechokosai– Ok, we’re getting closer to Shavuot the day we got the Torah and the lomdus juices are really flowing! Does everyone have their lomdus heads on today? Get ready for an incredible lomdushe shtikel!

This week at the conclusion of sefer Vayikra the Torah tells us about the mitzva of Maaser Beheima- the tithing of one’s cattle.

Vayikra (27:32-33) And the tithe of your cattle and flock.. the tenth shall be holy to Hashem… It shall not be redeemed.

Now unlike other tithes that are given to the Kohen and the Levi, this one is for the owner and his friends to eat with one caveat of course. There’s always a catch. See the animal had to be brought to Yerushalayim, shechted in the Beit Hamikdash, its blood and fats burned on the altar and then it was eaten by the owners within the walls of Yerushalayim. Our sages actually said that this was done three times a year 15 days before the pilgrimage holidays of Pesach Shavuot and Sukkot- Yes, so right now! This was in order that there should be plenty of meat to go around for everyone that would come up to Jerusalem for the holiday. Now imagine if a man had a herd of a hundred or so sheep or cows. Think of all of the steaks and shwarmas that he would be bringing up for everyone to eat in Yerushalayim. 1/10^th of his herd. Pretty awesome.

There is another mitzva in the parsha as well that is a prohibition for someone that has an animal that he sanctified as a korban/sacrifice to switch it out for another animal and the Torah tells us

Vayikra (27:10) And he shall not exchange it or switch it, not a good for a bad or a bad for a good one. And if he switches it-  than it (the original animal) and its exchanged one shall be holy.

So seemingly you lose two animals. In addition, like any biblical commandment that you violate, the owner would receive lashes for making this exchange. Now for a bit of lomdus. The Talmud records a seemingly philosophical global dispute between Abaye and Rava in regarding this law.

Temura (4b) Abaya says; anything that the Torah tells you not to do and you violate it and do the act, the act is a valid act. For if you would think that is not true than why would one get lashes. Rava said it is not valid at all and the reason he receives lashes is because he violated the word of the Torah.

So their debate seemingly is if the exchange is a valid exchange. Abaya says the exchange works and the proof is because if it wasn’t then why would he get lashes for exchanging it if the exchange never went through. Rava on the other hand suggests the exchange would not be valid, if not for the Torah telling us specifically that it is and regardless he would get the lashes is for his violation of the Torah prohibition to sell it. Got it so far?

Now the Rambam seemingly does not rule like either of these opinions. He writes in regards to the original law that we mentioned of tithing the animals that it is forbidden to sell the animal and then he writes

Rambam Hilchot Bechorot (6:5) And it seems to me that the one who sold the animal did not accomplish anything. The purchaser does not acquire it and therefore the seller does not receive lashes.

Now this would seem like neither opinion. According to Abaya the sale should be valid and according to Rava even if the sale is invalid he should receive lashes for violating the commandment. So as we say in yeshiva- what’s pshat?

So the Steipler explains quite lomdishly that one has to understand the essence of the debate between Abaya and Rava. Abaya understands that when the Torah prohibits something it is because it does not want the action to take place. It doesn’t want the outcome. Therefore, if there is no outcome- if the sale or exchange is not valid there would be no lashes.

Rava on the other hand works under the premise that the Torah is not as much concerned with the outcome but rather it does not want the person to violate the commandment and preform the action. Therefore, it doesn’t make a difference rather his action came to fruition or not, at the end of the day the man did the prohibition and thus he is punished.

Now here comes the chap. Rava only would maintain his position when the prohibition is specifically on the action. For example, when the Torah tells us he should not exchange the animal. If he exchanged, he has violated it regardless if it is valid or not. By the sale of the animal on the other hand if you read the verse carefully the Torah tells us “It shall not be redeemed”. The Torah specifically tells us that it does not want the outcome. The prohibition is linked to whether the animal was in fact redeemed or not. Therefore, in this case where the sale was not vaild then both Abaya and Rava would agree that there is not punishment, there are no lashes. Abaya because there was no sale and Rava because the Torah here did not prohibit the sale, only the result of the animal being sold, which never happened as it was not valid. And there you have it!

Did you get it all? If not wait till Shavuot night, the night when lomdus was revealed, I’m sure you’ll get it then.

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

Division of the Land –Tribe of Shimon 1265 BC – If I had to say who got the rawest deal of the 12 tribes I think Shimon would get that prize. For the 2^nd oldest of the tribes you’d figure he would have some seniority and perhaps he would have. But because of his sin with Yosef and his knee-jerk wrath in wiping out the city of Shechem, much to his father’s displeasure albeit in response to his sister Dinah’s kidnapping. Yaakov felt it was a “disproportionate reaction”, is the term I believe they use. As well the fact that his tribe and its leader challenged Moshe in the wilderness with Zimri and the Moabite/Midianite women, didn’t favour them too much. He needed to be kept away from the rest of the Tribes so he was stuck down in the South by the Negev within the tribe of Yehudah for safe-keeping.

His portion included the special city of Beer Sheva in the South, Tziglag which is a city that King David later fled to, a place called Chatzar Susa- which is very likely today where the ancient Mishnaic and Talmudic of Susiya gets its name and is located. As well thy had a city called Rimon, which might be where Mitzpe Rimon gets its name from although that magnificent crater is further South then the border of Israel was at that time.

Now despite being stuck out in the boondocks, our sages tell us that Shimon, got around. It seems they went into chinuch- Jewish education. Thus they, like their brother Levi, were spread out all over the 12 tribes and Land of Israel. From experience I can tell you, working in Jewish education can take you all over the map. Take it from the Rabbi who ended up in NY, NJ, Iowa, Virginia and Seattle. But this was a fulfilment of the blessing of Yaakov to the tribe that he will divide them amongst Yaakov and scatter them among Israel.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S REALLY TERRIBLE WORK JOKES  OF THE WEEK

Two factory workers are talking to each other one day. The woman says, “I can make the boss give me the day off.”

The man replies, “Oh yeah? And how would you do that?”

The woman says, “Just wait and see.”

She then hangs upside down from the ceiling.

The boss comes in and says, “What are you doing?”

The woman replies, “I’m a light bulb.”

The boss then says, “You’ve been working so much that you’ve gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off.”

As the woman leaves, the man starts to follow her and the boss says, “Where are you going?”

The man says, “I’m going home, too. I can’t work in the dark.”

I have a lot of jokes about unemployed people but none of them work.

So you want a day off. Let's take a look at what you are asking for. There are 365 days per year available for work. There are 52 weeks per year in which you already have 2 days off per week, leaving 261 days available for work. Since you spend 16 hours each day away from work, you have used up 170 days, leaving only 91 days available. You spend 30 minutes each day on coffee break which counts for 23 days each year, leaving only 68 days available. With a 1 hour lunch each day, you used up another 46 days, leaving only 22 days available for work. You normally spend 2 days per year on sick leave. This leaves you only 20 days per year available for work. We are off 5 holidays per year, so your available working time is down to 15 days. We generously give 14 day’s vacation per year which leaves only 1 day available for work and I'll be darned if you are going to take that day off! 

 I went for an interview for an office job today. The interviewer told me I'd start on $2,000 a month and then after 6 months I'd be on $2,500 a month.
I told them I'd start in 6 months.

I just lost my job as a psychic. I did not see that coming.

I worked very hard to get to where I am in life. An unemployed university graduate.

Inspecting mirrors is a job I could really see myself doing.

Sure I’m willing to work longer hours at work. As long as they’re lunch hours

Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn’t hack it, so they gave me the ax.

After that, I tried to be a tailor, but I just wasn’t suited for it. Mainly because it was a so-so job.

Next, I tried working in a muffler factory but that was exhausting.

I wanted to be a barber, but I just couldn’t cut it.

Then I tried to be a chef–figured it would add a little spice to my life but I just didn’t have the thyme.

I studied a long time to become a doctor, but I didn’t have any patients.

I became a professional fisherman but discovered that I couldn’t live on my net income.

Thought about becoming a witch, so I tried that for a spell.

I’m aspirin’ to be a chemist.

I managed to get a good job working for a pool maintenance company, but the work was just too draining.

I got a job at a zoo feeding giraffes but I was fired because I wasn’t up to it.

After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a historian until I realized there was no future in it.

I applied for a job in Australia but seems I don’t have the right koalifications.

I had a job at MinuteMaid orange juice. I got fired because I couldn’t concentrate.

I used to be a postman until I got the sack.

I worked at the bank as a teller for a while…until I starting losing interest.

I wanted to be a baker, really kneaded the dough.

I focused on being a photographer, but nothing ever developed

An employee is getting to know her new co-workers when the topic of her last job comes up. One co-worker asks why she left that job.
"It was something my boss said," the woman replied.
"Why? What did he say?" the co-worker asked.
"You’re fired."

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Answer is D–  This was a shot in the dark. I really wasn’t sure where the watershed line is in Yerushalayim. For those unfamiliar with the concept it is the middle of the har hamerkazi- the central mountain range that runs through the country and where the water flows down on both sides. I knew it flows near the old city and down King George and Yaffo and somehow in the recesses of my brain I remembered it was Katef Hinnom. Os having no clue I went with that as Romema is right off Yaffo by the entrance of the city as well. Truth is it crosses Mt. Scopus as well as Armon Hanetiziv by the tayelet as well, but those were the trick answers as the other choice was wrong. So I got lucky and the score is Schwartz 22 and 6 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam so far.