Yeshiva University Torah miTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Ki Tisa/Parah 20 Adar 5773/March 2, 2013 Vol.4 Num. 24

Toronto Torah
This issue of Toronto Torah is sponsored by Esther Salmon & Family in memory of Alan (Bumi) Salmon
In his book The Dawn, Yoram Hazony posits that the underlying philosophy of idolatry comes from a positive, albeit misguided, motivation. Without some belief system, man would be lost when confronted with suffering. Absent an explanation of events and their causes, helplessness perhaps the most frightening emotion of all rules the day. Idolatry was man's first attempt to make sense of it all, to develop an understanding of one's world, and to fix personal problems and prevent their recurrence. Superficially, these misguided attempts at a solution would seem to be on target: "When the world needs rain, [an idol] 'appears' in a dream, saying, 'Slaughter a man for me and I will give rain.' They slaughter a man for it and rain comes!" (Avodah Zarah 55a) To be sure, a confirmation bias existed, but had the rains not come, that form of idolatry would indeed have been replaced or altered. The flaw of avodah zarah lies not in its falsehood, but in its narrow refusal to consider causes and results beyond one's personal existence. The farmer sees no causes for drought beyond those most local his own actions. S i m i l a r l y, th e fa r m e r s e e s n o meaningful result of his actions beyond betterment of his lot; murder of his fellow man is of no significance. As horrifying as the demands of an idol might have been, one caught up in this local perspective could follow them while missing the ultimate truth: that from the perspective of a broader, universal set of values, his 'cures' for helplessness were worse than the disease itself.

Confronting Idolatry
For all the disgust that G-d displays for avodah zarah (lit. strange worship, often translated as idolatry), it's noteworthy that such worship is rarely described in the Torah itself. The error of Enosh's generation, the first to corrupt the true faith, (see Bereshit Rabbah 23:7) is mentioned only in a passing and obscure manner. Our forefather Avraham championed monotheism and rejected idolatry, (see, for example, Bereshit Rabbah 38:13,) yet his challenges in this arena are nowhere to be found in the Written Torah. The list goes on. Ramban (Bereshit 11:28, 12:2) claims that this non-treatment is intentional. Although avodah zarah plays a pivotal role in a number of the early events described in the Torah, it is virtually ignored at that stage because Bereshit is not the place for these false ideologies to have a voice. When we describe the beginnings of our nation, we begin with a thorough appreciation of who we are and what we represent. Only afterward can we examine idolatry head-on, and fully appreciate its flaws. The first time the Torah exposes us to full-fledged idolatrous practice is in the episode of the Golden Calf. Referring to the Calf, G-d unequivocally tells Moshe that the nation "prostrated themselves to it and sacrificed to it." (Shemot 32:8) Although the Talmud and commentaries go to great lengths to minimize the sin, it was, for at least some among the Israelites, an inexcusable act of avodah zarah. What lies at the core of idolatry, and in what way are we, readers of the Torah, finally equipped to discuss it when we arrive at this story?

Rabbi Ezra Goldschmiedt

With Moshe's unexpected absence, an overwhelming sense of uncertainty took hold of the Israelites. To counteract that helplessness, they looked for solutions by grasping at straws. Indeed, our tradition tells us that the most depraved elements of idolatry murder and sexual immorality were present at the sin of the Golden Calf. (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 20) Such a story would have been omitted in Bereishit. What is it about this later stage in the Torah that gives us, the readers, new perspective on the flaws of such an approach? Perhaps it is in our experiences of the Exodus and Sinai. Contrary to the American Declaration of Independence, the truths of universal values are not self-evident; years of harsh slavery under an Egyptian ruler and his masses make that all too clear. Nothing short of an open act of G-d could have given the world the ability to look beyond their personal, local truths, and instead to perceive a universal law of morality. "I am the Eternal your G-d who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of bondage." (Shemot 20:2) This was a statement, backed up in deed, that true righteousness comes from seeking the good of all men and respecting all life. Evil is caused by its antithesis, idolatry by those who do what is right in their own eyes alone. A fledgling nation may not have had enough time to fully absorb this message, leading to the Golden Calf. However, with the sense of perspective given to us by the Torah we must ensure that we absorb it, and face down idolatry and the many forms it may take in today's world. egoldschmiedt@torontotorah.com

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Adam Frieberg

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Marror: Lettuce? Horseadish? Both?

When attempting to remember our ancestors' bitter slavery by eating marror, Jews have a variety of options from which to choose. A mishnah (recorded on Pesachim 39a) lists five types of vegetables that may be used to fulfill one's obligation, and the Talmud observes that the mishnah's order of presentation is also the order of preference. Interestingly, lettuce is listed as the first option, and therefore we are taught that lettuce is the most preferred sort of marror. The mishnah states that multiple types of marror may be combined to equal an olive-sized quantity. (See Shaagat Aryeh 100 for a discussion of the source of this threshold for fulfilling one's obligation.) The possibility of using lettuce for marror may trouble some: many of us eat lettuce on a daily basis, for its health benefits as well as for its taste. How can this same food be the food we use to remember the bitterness of Egypt? Wouldnt something much more bitter be more appropriate? On the other hand, using horseradish as marror presents problems. First, according to the noted botanical scholar, Dr. Yehuda Felix, it appears that none of the five items listed in the mishnah translates as horseradish; indeed , i t i s con tended tha t horseradish was not grown in the Middle East in Talmudic times. Second, it is extremely difficult to eat an olivesized quantity of horseradish. [There are more concerns, as well, beyond the scope of this article; for more, see Dr. Arthur Schaffer, Gesher 8, The History of Horseradish as the Bitter Herb of

Adam Frieberg

Pa ssover , available at h ttp:// www.agri.gov.il/download/files/maror pdf_1.pdf.] Assuming lettuce is the better option, would it be appropriate, or even preferable, to add a little horseradish to the lettuce in order to enhance its bitterness? Before answering this, we must realize there are two ways to do this: one may use an olive-sized q ua n ti ty of l e t tu ce to wh i ch horseradish is added, or one may add horseradish to less than an olive-sized quantity of lettuce, to reach an olivesized quantity. In the latter case, the mishnah explicitly says that this would work, but Rashi says that combining two types of marror is not the ideal way to fulfill the mitzvah. Additionally, if horseradish is in fact not a valid type of marror, you will not have eaten an olive-sized quantity of marror. Therefore, it would be advisable to start off with at least a full olive-sized quantity of lettuce. Despite the above, adding horseradish to an olive-sized quantity of lettuce may be problematic. The Ran says that the reason we avoid combining different types of marror is that we are worried the taste of one will overpower the taste of the other. This may happen when lettuce and horseradish are mixed. Additionally, the majority of poskim (the Chazon Ish is a notable exception) dont believe that marror must taste extremely bad. All in all, it seems to be a much safer, and less painful process, to eat an olive-sized quantity of lettuce and leave the horseradish for the gefilte fish. afrieberg@torontotorah.com

TORAH FOR YOUR TABLE Half-Shekel, Whole Message

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner
When Moshe instructs each Jewish male of military age to donate a halfshekel to the mishkan, he identifies the coin as, "a half-shekel from the holy shekel, a shekel equalling twenty gera, half a shekel". (Shemot 30:13) What is the point of this elaborate description? A midrash (Tanchuma Ki Tisa 10, Warsaw edition) offers explanations for each of the three phrases in the verse:

The Jews created the Golden Calf after six of the day's twelve hours had passed (a play on the word boshesh in Shemot 32:1), and so they were told to bring a half-shekel, which is equal to six garmisin. (Garmisin seem to be coins of ancient times; the term may be associated with gram.)

The Jews violated the covenant of the Ten Commandments in creating the Golden Calf, and so they were told to donate ten gera. [For more on this item, see Rama's Torat haOlah 3:81.]

Ten of Yosef's brothers sold him for twenty silver coins, and from the proceeds each brother received the equivalent of half a shekel. Each of these explanations takes into consideration the Torah's explanation (Shemot 30:15) that the half-shekel is intended to provide atonement, and together they identify three different sins. More, though, these three sins represent three deficiencies the nation displayed:

In giving up hope of Moshe's return at the sixth hour of the day, the nation displayed a lack of faith; In violating their covenant with G-d, the nation denied their relationship with the Divine; In selling Yosef, the patriarchs of the Jewish nation denied their bond with each other. The half-shekel donation - used for the foundation of the walls within which the Jews would bring their offerings to G-d (Megilah 29b) - counteracts each of these flaws:

613 Mitzvot: #246-247

The First Four Years

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner
After we plant a tree, the fruit of the trees first three years is called arlah (Mitzvah 246), and it is off-limits; the same applies if a tree is uprooted and re-planted. In Israel, the three-year count also begins anew if one grafts a branch to an existing tree. According to the Shulchan Aruch, though, the count does not re-start in such a circumstance outside of Israel. (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 294:1617) Aside from not eating arlah fruit, we are also not to benefit from it. In the fourth year, if the tree is in Israel, we take the fruit (known as revay) to Jerusalem and eat it there, or redeem it for money and bring the money to Jerusalem, where we buy food and eat it (Mitzvah 247). The Sefer haChinuch identifies a clear benefit from these mitzvot: at the start of our success, we acknowledge that all comes from G-d and we thank G-d for what we have received. torczyner@torontotorah.com

In building a mishkan, the Jews express their faith that G-d will dwell among them; In building a mishkan, the Jews express the desire to restore their relationship with G-d; In building a mishkan, the Jews express their recognition that they are a family, one unit, relating to G-d together. torczyner@torontotorah.com

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Biography: Rabbi Menasheh Klein Torah in Translation

Yair Manas

This Week in Israeli History

Sleeping through Parah

Rabbi Menasheh Klein
Mishneh Halachot 16:34
Translated by Yair Manas

I received your fax when you sent it, but I did not merit to reply immediately because I am so busy. I did not have a chance to reply, even a moment, until today; G-d forbid, it was not due to laziness, but because my responsibilities prevented it. Therefore, even During the years of the Holocaust, Rabbi Klein was in Auschwitz and now my words will be short Buchenwald. He was the only person Regarding the question you were asked about from his family to survive the war, and Parshat Parah, that one member of the afterward he spent time in a DP camp in congregation was dozing, sleeping but not France. While in the DP camp, Rabbi sleeping, during the reading of Parshat Klein taught chumash to older children, Parah, and missed hearing some of the and aleph-bet to the younger children. words, and perhaps the whole thing, and One of these children was Rabbi Yisroel then he woke up. Should he take pains to Meir Lau, the future Chief Rabbi of the find another minyan that still did not read State of Israel. Later, Rabbi Klein Parshat Parah, which would be a great studied with Elie Wiesel for a few years. bother, especially on Shabbat? It is possible that he wont be able to find another minyan, After coming to the United States in because in your city, Ashdod, the minyanim 1947, Rabbi Klein received his all are at about the same time. ordination from the Sanz-Klausenberger His honour suggested that since the majority Rebbe, and served as Rabbi of a shul in of authorities conclude that the reading of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and as Parshat Parah is a rabbinic obligation, we principal of a high school. Later, he could enter into the debate among recent established the Ungvar community in authorities as to whether this obligation is Boro Park. In 1983, Rabbi Klein [only] communal. Today, one could say there established the Kiryat Ungvar section of is a communal obligation to read the parshah Jerusalem, but he continued to spend of Amalek, but there is not a personal the majority of his time in the United obligation. Therefore, one need not seek out a States. He passed away on the last day minyan to read or to hear Parshat Zachor; of Elul, 2011, and is buried in Tzefat. once the congregation reads it, even an individual who did not hear has fulfilled his obligation. Or, maybe Parshat Zachor is an individual obligation, and each person is obligated to seek out a minyan to hear it. His honour suggested that this is a communal obligation. So, too, then Shekalim and Parah and Chodesh would be communal obligations [and so a who person missed them would not need to find a minyan to hear them]. He found support to view it as a communal obligation based on logic, for it is enough that the latter authorities strain to seek out a reason for why the obligation of Parah would be biblical, but according to those who say it is rabbinic, it is certainly difficult to understand why it, uniquely, would be an individual obligation [and not a communal one].

Rabbi Menasheh Klein, the Ungvarer Rebbe, was born near the town of Ungvar, Ukraine in 1924, and learned in the yeshiva there. He was a Chassidic Rebbe and halachic authority; he wrote seventeen volumes of responsa, titled Mishneh Halachot. Some of his responsa, such as a ruling prohibiting donating blood, are controversial. He also wrote approximately twenty-five additional books, on a range of Torah topics.

Adar 25 1902 Birth of Mizrachi

Rabbi Baruch Weintraub
25 Adar is Thursday In the beginning of the twentieth century, it became clear that the Zionist movement represented an increasing number of Jews from all around the world. In addition, the realization of the movement's goals an establishment of a Jewish home in Eretz Yisrael - began to appear more possible than it had in earlier years. These two changes catapulted the Zionist movement to prominence in the Jewish world. At the same time, the bulk of observant European Jews did not support the movement, or at least did not take part in leading it. As a result, the Zionist movement was led by Jews who were secular, some of them extremely so.

Regarding the general practice of reading from the Torah, as to whether it is a personal or communal obligation, we find that this is debated by later authorities; the first, in my humble opinion, was Rabbi Yosef Engel. He raised a doubt about the nature of the Parah] Since this question is not timecommandment to read the Torah and he dependent, I will not decide this matter went to great lengths to bring proofs for each unless you agree.

In 1902, a group called the 'democratic fraction' which included Haim Weitzman, Martin Buber and Asher Ginzburg ('Achad HaAm') resolved that the Zionist movement should establish a liberal and secular school system. The religious members of the Zionist movement understood that if they would not act, no Orthodox Jew would be able to participate in the Zionist movement. Therefore, Rabbi Yitzchak Reines founded a Zionist ymanas@torontotorah.com group called 'Mizrachi', which stands for 'Mercaz Ruchani' the spiritual side. In my humble opinion, after kissing centre. the soil beneath his feet, each person The Mizrachi's main goal was to has a personal obligation to read it. enforce and perpetuate the notion The Rama (Darchei Moshe Orach Chaim that the establishment of a modern 685), cited in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Jewish state can and must rely upon Chaim 685:7), say, "Some consider the Jewish religion. Sixty-six Parshat Zachor and Parshat Parah as prominent Rabbis from across biblical obligations. Therefore, people in Eur op e signe d the foun d in g communities which lack a minyan must statement. Rabbi Reines hoped that travel to a place with a minyan on these the masses of religious Jews who Shabbbatot in order to hear these would join the Mizrachi would enable parshiot, which are biblical." To this him to conquer the Zionist movement Rama adds, "And if it is not possible for from within. them to come, they should still read it with the proper tune." If this were only Later on, Mizrachi became the basis a communal obligation, we would not of the Religious Zionist movement, trouble them to find a minyan, like on carrying the flag of Am Yisrael, in every other Shabbat when we do not Eretz Yisrael, according Torat Yisrael. force them to leave their homes. Torah MiTzion, one of the two parent Therefore, in my humble opinion, there organizations of our Beit Midrash, is is a special personal obligation [to hear an arm of Mizrachi. bweintraub@torontotorah.com

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Our Haftorah (Parah): Yechezkel 36:16-38

Who is the prophet of our haftorah? Yechezkel, son of Buzi, was a priest who was exiled from Israel before the destruction of the first Beit haMikdash. Some suggest that Buzi is actually Yirmiyahu. His book begins in Babylon, although the first half of the book (until Chapter 24) records rebukes he had issued before the destruction of the Beit haMikdash, against the sins and corruption of the Jewish nation. After G-d's decision to destroy the Beit haMikdash, Yechezkel turns to the surrounding nations and prophesies their own destruction as a punishment for the suffering they have inflicted upon the Jewish nation. Then, from Chapter 33 to the end, Yechezkel focuses mainly on consolation for the devastated Jews, predicting their redemption and salvation. What is the connection between Parshat Parah and our haftorah? The special maftir of Parshat Parah, taken from Bamidbar 19, details the process of purification for a Jew who has encountered death, such as by touching a corpse, sharing a room with a corpse, or touching certain materials which had previously touched a corpse. This is read before the month of Nisan in order to remind us to purify ourselves for the Korban Pesach. Our haftorah speaks of purification as well, but in a spiritual sense. The Jews are accused of defiling the land of Israel with their sins; Yechezkel identifies particular crimes of harming other p e o p l e an d w o r sh i p p i n g i d o l s . (Yechezkel 36:17-18) In response, G-d evicted our ancestors from the land, but G-d has found that the presence of His people among the nations is itself a desecration of His Name. (36:19-20) To right this wrong, G-d will purify the Jews from their sins, aid them in their repentance, and return them to the land of Israel. (36:25-28) The connection between Parshat Parah and our haftorah extends beyond the broad theme of purification, though, to its actual mechanism. Ritual purification involves the sprinkling of special water upon the impure subject (Bamidbar 19:17-19), and the spiritual purification of our haftorah is also expressed in terms of sprinkling water, "And I will sprinkle upon you pure water, and you will be purified; from all of your impurities, and all of your idols, I will purify you." (Yechezkel 36:25) The water which provides spiritual purification may be assumed to be metaphorical, but it is worth noting that some of our prophecies speak of a

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

purifying spring emerging from the future Beit haMikdash. See, for example, Zecharah 13:1 and Yoel 4:18, as well as Yechezkel's own words at the start of Chapter 47. Human sheep? At the end of our haftorah (36:38), Yechezkel describes the transformation of the Jews into tzon adam, flocks of human sheep. The prophets often compared our ancestors to beasts; see Yeshayah 1:3 and Hosheia 10:11, for example. This can be a negative comparison, describing a lack of intelligence or highlighting our rebelliousness, but it can also indicate nave innocence. Just as G-d told the prophet Yonah (Yonah 4:11) that the city of Nineveh deserved another chance not only because of its human population but also because of its "great many beasts", so Yechezkel says that Gd will have mercy upon the Jews and will look upon them as innocent. Despite this positive view of Yechezkel's comparison of Jews and sheep, we might prefer a blessing he offered in an earlier chapter: "And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are human beings. I am HaShem your G-d; this is the word of G-d." (Yechezkel 34:31) torczyner@torontotorah.com

Highlights for March 2 March 8 / 20 Adar - 26 Adar

Shabbat, March 2 LIBERTY SHABBATON AT SHAAREI SHOMAYIM After Hashkamah R Ezra Goldschmiedt, You call this freedom? Derashah: Shiur Theatre: R Ezra Goldschmiedt, R Mordechai Torczyner, The Day After Liberation Lunch R Baruch Weintraub, Torah Study / Army Service 5:00 PM Adam Frieberg, Give Me Religious Liberty, or Give Me Death! Seudah Shlishit Several speakers, LIBERTY 8 PM Adam Frieberg, Haggadah Insights, Shaarei Tefillah 8 PM Yair Manas, Chaburah: Sanhedrin, 33 Meadowbrook 8:30 PM R Baruch Weintraub, Rambams Laws of Kings, Shomrai Shabbos, men Wednesday, March 6 12:30 PM R Mordechai Torczyner, Non-Kosher Business Lunches, with JLIC at York University Hillel, lunch 8 PM Pre-Pesach Chaburot Week 2 of 3, BAYT Adam Frieberg: A Shiurim Shiur: Matzah R Ezra Goldschmiedt: Pesach Controversies: Quinoa Hillel Horovitz: Tell me what to tell my child R Mordechai Torczyner: The Tehillim of Hallel

Sunday, March 3 9:15 AM Hillel Horovitz, Parshah, Zichron Yisroel, Hebrew Thursday, March 7 (Shacharit 8:30 AM) 8 PM Adam Frieberg, Blessings on Torah Study, Village Shul After maariv R Baruch Weintraub, Contemporary 8:30 PM R Baruch Weintraub, Sotah, Clanton Park Halachah in Israel, Hebrew, Clanton Park, men 8:30 PM R Baruch Weintraub, Contemporary Halachah in Coming up 8:00 PM Sunday March 10th Israel, Hebrew, 4 Tillingham Keep, mixed Monday, March 4 8 PM Monday night Beit Midrash: Bnai Torah, Clanton Park 8 PM Hillel Horovitz, Melachim I:17-19, Bnai Torah 8 PM R Ezra Goldschmiedt, Mesilat Yesharim, Bnai Torah, high school students 9 PM Hillel Horovitz, Rav Kooks Ein Ayah, Bnai Torah Tuesday, March 5 1:30 PM R Mordechai Torczyner, Daniel: The Nevuchadnezzar Tree, Part 1, Shaarei Shomayim, Mekorot

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