No Comment- Parshat Behar- Bechukosai 2021 /5781

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 "Your friend in Karmiel"

May 7^th 2021 -Volume 11 Issue 30 25^th Iyar 5781

Parshat Behar- Bechukosai

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It probably ranks up there as one of the top most quoted Rashi's in the entire Torah. That's saying a lot because Rashi has a lot to say. You know the old joke they say about how Rashi comes home one day and his wife asks him what he thinks of her new dress. Rash takes a look at it and points out that although it is a beautiful color it seems that the sleeves are slightly long and narrow. In addition, he tells her that the truth is the dress is somewhat redundant as in her closet there is a similar dress that she had recently purchased that was just as pretty. Finally, he notes that there is a store not too far away that seems to have the same style clothing at a better price.

Rashi’s wife throws up her hands in frustration. “Do you really have to comment on everything?!!”

I don't know if there are any other Rashi jokes out there. But you knew if there was I would find them for you.

But anyways, Rashi comments on everything. Yet the first Rashi in this week's parsha of Behar which will go on to teach us the laws of Shemitta and the Yovel year begin with the words that Hashem told this to Moshe "Be'Har Sinai" on Mt. Sinai. Comes Rashi and asks the famous question…. (you have to say that with the yeshivish questioning niggun)

"Ma inyan Shemitta etzel Har Sinai? -What does Shemitta have to do with Mt. Sinai?"

Weren't all of the mitzvos given on Sinai? We don't find this introduction given by any of the other 613 commandments given in the Torah. Why specifically here does it introduce this mitzva by telling us that this was Sinatic as the fancy biblical scholars like to refer to it. A good question. His answer though? It's a little bit puzzling.

"Just like Shemitta all of its rules, details, and specifics were said at Sinai so to all the Mitzvos were said on Sinai."

I'm confused. We knew that all the mitzvos were given on Sinai already in the question. The question- the way I understood it- was why was Shemitta specifically singled out? As well, why would we think that the details and specifics weren't given by Sinai? Finally, is there really a difference if it was given at Sinai or Hashem just told Moshe them afterwards? I mean, Moshe's a pretty trustworthy guy… One of the 13 principles of faith is that we believe that everything he says is true. In fact, the most of the 5^th book of the Torah of Devarim are his speech to us. That's 20% of the Torah. So everyone knows the famous kasha of Rashi, but do any of us really understand his teretz... his answer?

Parshat Behar is generally read together with the next parsha, as we conclude the book of Vayikra this week. Parshat Bechukosai, the 2^nd parsha is one of the scarier parshiyot as it contains in it the horrifying tochacha, the terrible punishments Hashem will inflict upon us for the non-observance of His mitzvos, or as it begins if we do not listen to his Chukim- his laws. Punishment after punishment, horror after horror, exile after exile; the Torah pulls no punches. The conclusion of this admonition or tochacha is

Vayikra (26:46) These are the the chukim and mishpatim- the laws and the Torah that Hashem gave between Him and the Children of Israel in Mt. Sinai in the hands of Moshe.

Whadaya know? We encounter Mt. Sinai once again.  The Rashbam in fact notes that this is really the conclusion that began from the beginning of Behar. The theme and subject of the admonitions are primarily for the sin of non-shemitta observance that was in that parsha. The repeated number '7' themes of the punishments in the parsha and various other verses pretty much give that away. If we read the parsha as being the conclusion, it really opens up a whole new world of understanding. It's not the laws or even mitzvos and its details that the Torah is reminding us come from Sinai. We knew that already. Rather Hashem is reminding us that the horrifying tragedies, suffering and harsh unfathomable judgements Hashem will pass upon us that were given us there as well. In other words-we knew what we were signing up for…

Rav Gedalia Shorrer notes a fascinating Midrash in the beginning of the parsha. The Midrash tells explains the verse in Tehillim-

Psalms (103:20) Barchu Hashem Malachov- Hashem is blessed by His angels

Giborei Koach Osei Devaro- Those mighty in strength, who perform His word

L'ishmoa L'kol Devaro- to listen to the voice of His word.

The midrash explains that the giborei koach- the ones of great strength that are even mightier than the angels who bless Hashem are none other than the observers of Shemitta. Rabbi Yitzchak explains the greatness of these individuals in that regular people like me and you fulfill a mitzva for a day, for a week, maybe for even a month. But these farmers who close up shop and just let anyone come in and take anything, and better yet, they even pay taxes on the field still. They take all that and watch it all happen and are silent? They are able to suppress their natural instinct to cry out and protest or complain? That takes strength. Those are the ones that preform the word of Hashem. They are the one's listening to His voice.

The Midrash tells us another example of these Giborei Koach, these mighty ones. This time though it's not just farmers. It's all of us. When we stood at Mt. Sinai. Hashem asked us- as He did all the nations-if we wanted to accept the Torah. And we answered "Na'aseh V'Nishma". We will do and we will listen. We accepted the will of Hashem. We didn't know what He would demand of us. We didn't care. It was irrelevant. We had no questions. We had total faith.

Like the farmer who is silent and accepting of the will of Hashem who remembers that commitment we made at Sinai, each Jew has that same challenge in the wake of anything that happens that we don't understand. All of the Mitzvos were given on Sinai, no questions asked. Hashem told us that there would be times when we would sin, times when He would need to be harsh with us. Times even, perhaps, when things occur in this world that seem unfathomable. They are Chukosai- they are My decrees. We need to walk in them. We need to just be silent. It is hard for me to say and write this and even harder to fulfill this. When something terrible happens our natural knee jerk is to ask why? How? What does this mean? We are torn, we are broken, we are trying to seek meaning. We can't fathom a merciful loving Father could do this to His children. Those voices are us speaking. Perhaps even yelling or crying. Those voices are because it is so hard to accept Chukosai- Hashem's unexplainable decrees. It takes Giborei Koach that are even greater than angels to be silent. To remember we are the nation of Na'aseh V'Nishma. To remember that this was also given on Sinai.

There is a Mishna in Avot we studied this past week, that lists the 7 differences between a Golem and a Chacham. Fascinatingly enough it's not what I thought before I saw the Mishna. In fact, it's the opposite. My knowledge of the "Golem" unfortunately is kind of infantile. I used to read these comics in the Jewish Press about the Golem and for a period of time there was even this "Mendy and the Golem" comic book series that I used to get. Frankly, it was a like a bad Jewish superhero fiction Superman with a yarmulka. When I was older I read this Gershon Winkler book the Golem that gave me nightmares for years. (His Dybbuk book was worse- I only found out recently that the man wasn't even frum and was rather a practitioner of what he called Aboriginal Judaism"…oyyy). But the one thing that they all had in common was that the Golem couldn't talk. I thus assumed that a Chacham is actually someone that speaks a lot of wisdom. I think all of us assume that is the case. The Mishna though tells us exactly the opposite. Golems talk. Wise people, true Chachamim though are just the opposite. They know how to be silent.

Almost all of the 7 Middos- attributes of the wise man as opposed to the Golem are centered on his ability not to talk. He doesn't speak before someone greater than him. He doesn't interrupt while someone else is talking. He doesn't express his opinion or response immediately. He only asks and responds to the point and he doesn't say things he hasn't heard and acknowledges when he is wrong or that he just doesn't know. The opposite of that is the Golem.

Do you know what a Golem is? It's somebody that when something happens has to start spouting reasons for why this happened. What sins caused this. What everyone has to fix. What the police should've done. What the Rabbis should've done. They talk and they talk and they talk or in today's world they forward whatsapps, they post blogs, they tweet. They think they are Rashi and they need to comment on everything. They don't know how to stand in awe of the Almighty and just say Na'aseh V'nishma.

It's not easy to be a Chacham. Chazal tell us that when Hashem showed Moshe the terrible fate of Rabbi Akiva being torn apart by his sadistic Roman soldiers he screamed out to Hashem "Is this the reward for Torah". At that moment even Moshe couldn't take it anymore. Yet, Hashem told him in no uncertain terms one word "Shtohk!-be silent" It is a decree from before Me. Silence. shteeka. That is the way of the Giborei Koach. To mourn, to reflect, to absorb, to remember Mt. Sinai and where this is coming from. It's what Hashem chose us for. It's what we signed up to do in this world. To hear that word of His and stop talking for it. It is what makes us greater than angels.

We are all Rabbis today. We all unfortunately are guilty of being Golem Rabbis though. Not Talmidei Chachamim. But we can be better and do better if we are just silent. If we just take the time Hashem wants for us to contemplate and absorb His word. This is particularly essential as we approach and prepare for the holiday of Shavuot when we stood on Sinai. When we listened as Hashem did the talking. When we knew when we heard His voice that there was nothing that needed to be asked. Nothing that we could add to the conversation. We can only absorb His words. When we did that ,the angels placed crowns on our heads and were in awe of us. If we are able to do that once again, then perhaps very soon this year we will hear that voice calling us to finally come home. When we will truly finally appreciate that Hashem is Echad. It is all Him.

Have a truly awesome Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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MY THOUGHTS AFTER THE MERON TRAGEDY

Broken Uplifted Hearts

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 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" A shveigendiker nar iz a halber khokhem." – A quiet fool is half a sage.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

27) The initials of the Irgun (Etzel) are:

A) Paramilitary Zionist Organization

B) Liberal Zionist Organization

C) National Military Organization

D) Military Organization for the Jews

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcpbqMK2iWw  – What a powerful Yidish Sound of Silencefrom Chaim Shlomo Mayesz

https://youtu.be/IKvEFR3_2vA   – Take us Home…Moshe Storch what a beautiful heartfelt song

 https://youtu.be/mjGQ0UaD5TY    - We need something upbeat on these days and Aaron Razels Ulu Banim Kadishin of Meron in happier days with Rabbi Shimon's invitation to join him is as good as it gets.

 https://youtu.be/nBuCW29EZfY    – Shragee Gestetner who was taken this Meron's incredible composition and song Chamol Kerachem Av-which has so much more meaning now

 

https://youtu.be/LWzYElKTyRs    -Hatzala volunteers singing on the "Madreigos Ha'damim" the steps of the holy ones of Meron

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/ ERETZ YISRAEL CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

 Grown in Israel – Parshat Behar Bechukosai- The produce in Eretz Yisrael is special. It's more than special, it’s the best in the world. I don't mean that it wins awards, gold metals, or neccesarily even tastes the best- which it does all of the above incidentally. Rather the Torah tells us that the produce in Eretz Yisrael is the perfect produce in that it is everything that we need on all levels spiritual, ascetically, nutritional and satisfying. It's like the Manna from heaven and according to Rav Aharon Leib Shteiman ZT"L it's even better than the Manna.

 He notes that there is a mitzva that Hashem tells us that the soldiers of Israel would fascinatingly enough take little shovels with them to cover up with dirt after they go to the bathroom. Certainly and interesting and different mitzva worthy of a more extensive discussion. The problem with this mitzva though is that seemingly the food that they ate in the wilderness was Manna and our sages tell us that being that the Manna was an entirely spiritual food there was no waste product that would come out. So why was this Mitzva given to them in the wilderness? The answer the Sifsei Chachamim notes is that it is true the Manna didn't have any waste, but the Jews would buy food from traveling non-Jewish merchants and it was for the waste product that came from that food that the shovels were required.

 Fregt Rav Shteiman, why would they buy from gentiles food if they already had the best food in the world, that would taste like anything they wanted it to?  He answers that although the Manna could taste like anything and contained all that they could possibly need nutritionally and spiritually, it was still lacking one thing. It wasn't satisfying. They had their portion they ate it and yet they didn't feel satiated afterwards. You know Jews, we like to eat. We want doubles, and triples and more even if we got all of our nutritional needs met. It was for that reason that they bought food. He notes however that Hashem promises the Jews when they come into the land that here we will eat la'sova- to full satisfaction. We will have abundance and it will give us a sense of being full. So as you see, Eretz Yisrael produce has all of the benefits of Manna and you can have doubles as well!

 The great Bas Ayin, Rav Avraham Avrtich upon coming to Eretz Yisrael resolved that he would only eat from the produce of Eretz Yisrael. No made in America chazerai for him. This was the land and fruit of blessing and holiness. This was the only produce he would allow in his body. All was fine and good until there was a drought and famine in Eretz Yisrael. There was no wheat crop and it was very difficult to get bread and other produce. So what did the government do? It imported wheat from other countries. Sadly, today as well from what I understand the majority of our wheat and grain products is imported as well.

 Yet Reb Avraham was adamant he wouldn't eat foreign fruit. He as well brought a proof for his rationale from this week's Parsha. In the Shemitta year the Torah tells us that "What will happen if the farmer asks what will we eat in the 7^th year if we do not work our fields?" Hashem thus promises that he will provide enough in the 6^th year to last for the three years. "He will command His blessing". The Bas Ayin asks, what is this farmer nervous about. We can just import and purchase from other countries. Get your Shemitta grains from America, Russia and the Ukraine! The answer must be, because those products are a very sore substitute for the grains and produce of Eretz Yisrael. They are lacking in all of the bracha that the fruits here have. They will never satiate our souls the way the fruits here do. To tell the farmer that he can get produce from other places isn't even an option. "And it isn't one for me, as well", said the holy Rebbi. It shouldn't be for us either!

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

Dovid's Punishment; Loss of a Son- 865 BC – The first immediate consequence or punishment Nasan HaNavi told Dovid he would incur would be the death of the child that he had with Batsheva. It was not long in coming, for as soon as Nasan left, Dovid was informed that his son had taken ill. There is a lot to be learned from Dovid's reaction to this foreboding prophecy. Although Dovid heard this report from a prophet and as well he knew he was deserving of punishment, he did not give up hope. He sat next to the child's bed and prayed and fasted for a week. When his servants and the people of his house tried to talk him down, fearing that he could do who-knows-what and particularly after the trauma they must have suffered during Shaul's bouts of depression, Dovid refused their gestures. He understood and taught us that even when it seems the sword is against one's neck we must never give up hope from mercy.

 On the 7^th day when the son had died they were nervous to tell Dovid. Yet Dovid discerned their whispering and understanding and confirming that it was over, Dovid than proceeded to arise and to wash, anoint himself and eat. He had accepted Hashem's will. There was nothing left to do. According to some opinions this child died within 30 days of it's being born and mourning and shiva was not mandated, according to other opinions Dovid changed in order to praise Hashem for the bad as well for the good. When the servants expressed their astonishment about Dovid's behavior and faith. Dovid responded in words that ring true to every mourning person.

"Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me!"

As every tour guide knows this is when you pull out the special text that Dovid himself composed on this occasion and try to find the emotions that Dovid experienced. It is Psalm 9

 La'Minatzayach al mus ha'ben mizmor l'Dovid-To the conductor, upon the death of a child, a song of David.

Dovid notes and finds praise for Hashem in this Psalm

I will thank Hashem with all my heart; I will tell all Your wonders.

I will rejoice and exult with You; I will sing praises to Your most high name….

 He recognizes the judgement of Hashem

 For You have performed my judgment and my cause; You sat on the throne, O Judge of righteousness…. But the Lord shall sit forever; He has established His throne for judgment. But He judges the world with righteousness, kingdoms with equity….

 He looks to Hashem for comfort and consolation

 And Hashem shall be a fortress for the crushed, a fortress for times of distress.

And those who know Your name shall trust in You, for You have not forsaken those who seek You, Hashem

 Hashem remembers the cries of the innocent and his judgement is awesome despite that we don't understand it.

For He Who avenges blood remembers them; He has not forgotten the cry of the humble.

Be gracious to me, Hashem, see my affliction from my enemies, You Who raise me up from the gates of death in order that I tell all Your praises; in the gates of the daughter of Zion I will rejoice in Your salvation.

The Lord is known for the judgment that He performed; with the act of His hand, the wicked man stumbles. Let us meditate over this forever.

 He remains with us and gives us hope forever.

.For the needy shall not be forgotten forever, neither shall the hope of the poor be lost to eternity.

 After the terrible tragedy in Meron last week these words of Dovid teach us how the righteous respond to tragedy. May we all be consoled.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S  TERRIBLE SILENCE JOKES  OF THE WEEK

 Bernie and Estelle had a big argument, which ended with neither one speaking to the other. This ‘silence’ went on for three days. But then Bernie realized he needed Estelle’s help because he had an early morning flight to catch. However, he still couldn’t bring himself to talk to her so he wrote a note and left it on her pillow. 

It said, "Please wake me at 5 am. I have to catch an early plane." 

The next morning, Bernie woke and found to his horror that it was 9 am. He heard Estelle busy in the kitchen and there was a note on his pillow. 
It said, "It's 5 am. Wake up."  

 

Did you hear about the composer who took a vow of silence? His friends called him Mutezart

 

Yankel was out driving with the wife. After speeding down a long stretch of road he noticed the flashing lights of a police car behind him and pulled over.

“Can I help you officer”? he said
“Do you realize that your wife fell out of the car about a mile back” says the officer.
“Oy vay” says Yankel “That's what happened? And here I thought I was just going deaf!!"

 Maurice and Sarah were getting old and Maurice felt his wife was losing her hearing. 

He decided to stage a test. One day, as Sarah read the paper, he stood a distance behind her chair and said, in a conversational voice, "Can you hear me?" Silence. 
He moved towards her. He was now 6 feet away. "Can you hear me?" Still silence. 
Finally, he moved directly behind her chair and bent over, just inches from her ear "Can you hear me?" 
Sarah replied "For the third time, Maurice, Yes I can!"

 Morris and his wife Esther went to the state fair every year, and every year Morris would say, "Esther, I 'd like to ride in that helicopter".

Esther always replied, "I know Morris, but that helicopter ride is fifty dollars — and fifty dollars is fifty dollars".

One year Esther and Morris went to the fair, and Morris said, "Esther, I'm 85 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter, I might never get another chance."

Esther replied, "Morris that helicopter is fifty dollars — and fifty dollars is fifty dollars".

The pilot overheard the couple and said, "Folks I'll make you a deal. I'll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say a word I won't charge you! But if you say one word, it's fifty dollars."

Morris and Esther agreed and up they went. The pilot did all kinds of fancy maneuvers, but not a word was heard. He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, but still not a word. When they landed, the pilot turned to Morris and said, "By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I'm impressed!"

Morris replied, "Well, to tell you the truth, I almost said something when Esther fell out, but you know — fifty dollars is fifty dollars."

 

Berel Bloom had just picked up his first passenger of the evening. After about 5 minutes of driving, the passenger suddenly tapped Berel on his shoulder to ask him a question. 
Berel screamed, lost control of his taxi, nearly hit a bus, went up onto the pavement and stopped only inches from a shop window. 
For a second, everything went very quiet in the taxi, then Berel said, "Look man, don't ever do that again. You scared the living daylights out of me." 
His passenger apologized and said, "I didn't realize that a little tap could scare you so much." 
Berel replied, "Sorry, it's not really your fault. Today is only my second day as a cab driver - I've been driving hearses for the past 25 years."

 

A man joins a monastery, and takes a vow of silence, only allowed to say two words every Xmas. Every day, they grow their own food and maintain the monastery, all while silently praying.
On the first Xmas, he goes to the abbot and says, "Food's cold."

 The abbot nods and blesses him. On the second Xmas, he tells the abbot, "Work's hard."

The abbot nods and blesses him.
On the third Xmas, he says to the abbot, "I quit."
The abbot replies, "I knew it! You've been complaining ever since you got here!"

 

Two Trump supporters die and go to heaven. God meets them at the pearly gates and asks if they have any questions. One of them says, “Yes, what were the real results of the 2020 election and who was behind the fraud?”
God says, "My son, there was no fraud. Biden won the electoral college fair and square, 306 to 232.”
After a few seconds of stunned silence, the one guy turns to the other and whispers, “This goes higher up than we thought.”

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Answer is C- This one is pretty much a giveaway. You get this wrong, you really should take the exam again. The ETzeL or Irgun Tzva L'eumi started by David Raziel and ultimately led by Menachem Begin was a breakoff from the Hagana who they felt were too busy with diplomatic and defensive tactics to get the Israel State founded. They felt that offense was the best defense and they were opposed to any concessions the Hagana and liberal autocracy might make. So as opposed to the Israel defense force that the Hagana was. They called their army the ETzeL the national organized Army which has much more of an aggressive offense oriented ring to it. The LeCh"I- or the freedom fighters of Israel that broke off from them was even more aggressive attacking the British even outside of Israel.   So I got this one right too and the score is now 20 for Rabbi Schwartz and 7 for the Ministry of Tourism on this exam.