Parshat Shemot

21 Tevet, 5776/January 2, 2016

Vol. 7 Num. 17

This issue of Toronto Torah is dedicated by Rochel and Jeffrey Silver

in appreciation of the dedication of the Rosh Beit Midrash
and all of the members of Yeshiva University Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Shemot: Whats in a Name?

Ironically, the first two chapters of the
book of Shemot (Names) omit many
names. In some passages, it seems the
Torah specifically avoids using names.
On the other hand, there are some
exceptions, where names are used.
Why does the Torah leave out many of
the names, what ties the exceptions
together, and why do the names
eventually return?
Leaving Out Names
After beginning by listing the names of
Yaakov and his sons, the Torah turns
to the more amorphous, The Children
of Israel grew and the land was filled
with them. (Shemot 1:7) While the
Israelites were populating the land of
Egypt, they ceased being called by
individual names.
A name is a word by which a person,
place or thing is known; it expresses
relationships with self and others.
Perhaps when we were in Egypt, we
lost our sense of self entirely and were
known only by our past; we were
Children of Israel and nothing more.
The Israelites in Egypt had one
purpose: to grow into a nation, to fulfil
Hashems promise to Yaakov as he
descended to Egypt: I will make you
into a great nation there. (Bereishit
46:2) Any individual pursuits and
identities that did not relate to the goal
of nationhood did not need to be
named.
Hints to this idea may be seen in the
talmudic passage (Sotah 12a) about
Amram and Yocheved, who the Torah
refers to as, a man from the house of
Levi who married a daughter of Levi.
Our sages explain that they were
actually remarrying, intending to have

children, having previously divorced due

to Pharaohs decree to kill all male
babies. Their story is about national
aspirations rather than personal goals,
and so their names arent necessary.
The exceptions
A few exceptional individuals are
named, despite the many omissions.
Two of the most striking examples are
the midwives, Shifrah and Puah.
Commanded by the king of Egypt to
murder the Israelite children as they
were born, they did not do so because
the midwives feared G-d. (Shemot
1:17) Perhaps they deserved to be
named because they were motivated not
only by impersonal national growth, but
by a commitment to do G-ds will.
Another exception is Moshe Rabbeinu,
who is named by the daughter of
Pharaoh. Moshe, from our first
encounter with him, is seen as guided
by his commitment to the eternal values
of the Jewish people, standing up for
what is right even to his own peril.
Moshes family members are also
mentioned by name: his wife Tzipporah
and his son, Gershom. Gershoms
naming is accompanied by the
explanation, for I was a stranger [ger]
in a foreign land. This name represents
a sense that he has a different set of
values than do those around him.
(Shemot 2:21-22, and Alshich on 2:22.)
Thus, one merits a personal name when
one strives to fulfill the Divine Will and
keep Torah values, and does not focus
purely on growing the nation.
Names Return
Following the birth of Gershom, the
Torah records the death of the king of

Rabbi David Ely Grundland

Egypt and the subsequent national
outcry that reaches G-d. And G-d
heard their cries and G-d remembered
His covenant, with Avraham, with
Yitzchak, and with Yaakov. (2:24, and
see Rashi) At this point, the Torah
starts using names again, including a
Name denoting G-ds eternal and
unique nature (see Ramban to 3:14).
It seems that when the king of Egypt
died, and the enslavement continued
unmitigated, the Israelites reconnected
with their individual names. Perhaps
their pain drove them to bring Hashem
into their personal lives through prayer
and teshuvah, remembering the values
th e y h ad i n h e r i te d fr om th e i r
forefathers, and ultimately bringing
about the same remembrance in G-d.
(Ramban to 3:25, Sefer haBahir 76)
A well-known midrash (Vayikra Rabbah
32) explains that a reason for Israels
redemption was that they did not
change their names. Perhaps this
signifies that the Israelites always knew
that Hashem was involved in their lives
and that they had inherited a tradition
of proper values and behaviour.
Nonetheless, the Torah symbolically hid
these names when their national focus
was on growth and not their personal
relationship with G-d and realization of
G-ds commands. Only once they
implemented their values, called out to
Hashem, and began to incorporate a
relationship with G-d into their
everyday lives, did they merit their
names and redemption. May we merit to
do the same, and bring redemption
soon!
dgrundland@torontotorah.com

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Book Review: Not in G-ds Name

Not in G-ds Name: Confronting
Religious Violence
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Schocken Books, 2015
Who is the author?
Rabbi Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the
United Hebrew Congregations of the
Commonwealth and currently a
Professor of Jewish Thought at Yeshiva
University, has built himself a global
reputation as a leading authority in
ethics and theology, both within the
Jewish world and outside it. With
twenty-five books already in print, his
most recent publication, dealing with
religiously inspired violence, is a must
read for anyone interested in the topic.
As Rabbi Sacks himself argues, any
person, of any religion, living in the
contemporary world should be deeply
interested and bothered by it.
What is the main argument of the
book?
While summarizing this rich book,
which brilliantly analyzes Bereishit by
drawing on examples from history,
literature and poetry, is impossible in
this venue, a short description of the
main argument is necessary.
Rabbi Sacks claims that violence based
on monotheism is, in essence, a
profound misinterpretation of the
monotheistic idea. He argues that we all

have a deep-seated instinct to seek

identity and meaning in our group of
peers. This instinct, in its essence, is
not evil, but pure. It is what enables
us to love, as love is only meaningful
when it is limited; if one loves all the
women in the world as he loves his
wife, one could hardly say he loves his
wife. However, sometimes our love and
commitment to our own group blinds
us to the most fundamental truth: that
in essence we are all created by one
Creator and are part of one creation.
When love of ones own group
overrides our obligations of justice
towards others, religious violence
occurs.
Rabbi Sacks demonstrate this thesis
as it plays out in the book of Bereishit,
emphasizing that while a process of
choice and separation (love) did take
place, the rejected Yishmael and
Esav - were never wiped out, but
received their share as part of G-ds
creation (justice).
In the last part of the book, Rabbi
Sacks deals with other key challenges
to Abrahamic monotheism in the
global age, such as relating to hard
texts and the ability of religion to
relinquish its political power. These
issues are, essentially, implications of
the fundamentals discussed in the
first part.

613 Mitzvot
Mitzvah 483-484: Working and Shearing
The Torah prohibits eating from a burnt offering, saying,
You may not eat the korbanot you vow (Devarim 12:17).
As we have already seen (Toronto Torah 6:39), the ambit of
this prohibition includes a range of prohibited types of
benefit from the flesh of this korban. (Sefer haMitzvot, Lo
Taaseh 146) This biblical verse also teaches that we may not
use flesh from lower-level korbanot, before their rituals are
completed. According to Sefer haChinuch, these are the
Torahs 447th and 448th mitzvot. Inappropriate benefit is
called meilah, and it is punished with various penalties, as
noted in Sefer haChinuch 127. (Toronto Torah 3:17)
In addition to the laws of meilah which prohibit use of the
flesh of sacred property, we are also limited in use of
consecrated animals while they live. As the Torah says, You
shall not work the firstborn of your oxen, and you shall not
shear the firstborn of your sheep. (Devarim 15:19) Sefer
haChinuch counts these as two separate mitzvot: not
working the animal (#483) and not shearing it (#484). Even
though the Torah specifies not to work oxen and not to shear
sheep, these prohibitions would also include working sheep
and shearing oxen. (Chullin 137a)
The prohibitions against working and shearing apply to
animals that have been dedicated as korbanot, as well as
animals that have had their financial value dedicated to the

Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

How can the project be continued?
This book is highly inspiring. Like
Yosef in his time, Rabbi Sacks
analyzes the problems we face, and
suggests a clever solution. But the
book, as it is, was written to appeal to
both Jewish and non-Jewish (mainly,
Christian and Islamic) audiences. To
do this, it ignores anything after the
end of Bereishit; neither the stories
nor the halachah of the later biblical
books are thoroughly discussed. For a
Jew who sees himself as continuing a
sacred tradition of thousand years,
this gap must be filled. How are we to
read the commandment to eradicate
Amalek, according to the view of Rabbi
Sacks? Did Moshe Rabbeinu
demonstrate tolerance towards the calf
worshippers? What about Pinchas
when he killed Zimri and Kozbi? The
list of such examples is long, and a
vague statement declaring that The
word, given in love, invites its
interpretation in love is not enough to
resolve the problem. Rabbi Sacks, we
are sorely in need of a second volume.
yrosenzweig@torontotorah.com

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

Beit haMikdash. However, these two categories have
different rules after they have been redeemed:

An animal which has been dedicated as a korban may

be neither sheared nor worked even if it develops a
defect and is redeemed.

An animal which has had its value consecrated, and

which is then redeemed, may be sheared and worked.
(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Meilah 1:9, 12)
What is the status of wool which falls from a sheep on its
own, such as where the animal snags itself on thorns? The
sages made a psychological observation: People value
financial gain over spiritual gain, but not over atonement for
their sins. Therefore:

One may not use wool which falls from a first-born

animal or an animal which has been dedicated as a
tithe, lest he delay bringing this offering in order to
collect more wool;

One may use wool which falls from an animal which

has been dedicated as a sin-offering, since people crave
atonement and they will not delay in bringing such an
offering. (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Meilah
1:10)
torczyner@torontotorah.com

Visit us at www.torontotorah.com

Biography

Torah and Translation

Rabbi Avraham Yeshayah

Karelitz

The Unique Power of a Bribe

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

On 11 Cheshvan 5639 (November 7,
1878), a son was born to Rabbi
Shemaryahu Yosef Karelitz, Rabbi of
Kosova, and his wife Rasha. They named
him Avraham Yeshayah, but the world
came to know him by the title of his
halachic and talmudic magnum opus,
Chazon Ish.
Rabbi Avraham Yeshayah Karelitz was
taught by his father, primarily. He spent
some time in the yeshiva in Brisk, but
left after two years; accounts of why he
left vary. Rabbi Karelitz devoted himself
to energetic study in his youth. He wrote
that he preferred to be silent, speaking
only to convey a fully formed idea.
At the age of 27, Rabbi Karelitz married
Basha. After the shidduch was arranged,
it became clear that Bashas family had
been less than forthright regarding their
financial circumstances and Bashas age
she was significantly older than Rabbi
Karelitz and some of Rabbi Karelitzs
family members wished to cancel the
shidduch. Rabbi Karelitz insisted on
going ahead, lest Basha be embarrassed.
Basha supported the couple by running
a store in the various places where they
lived. Rabbi Karelitz continued to grow in
scholarship, and he was counseled by
the great Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski.
With the help of Rabbi Grodzinski and
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Rabbi
Karelitz moved to then-Palestine in 1933,
settling in Bnei Brak.
Rabbi Karelitz did not hold any official
rabbinic position in Bnei Brak, but by
this time he was recognized as a leading
scholar. Scholars from around the world
approached him for advice, and he ruled
on practical issues like use of
greenhouses
during
shemitah,
automated milking on Shabbat, and
voting in Israeli elections. Israeli Prime
Minister David Ben-Gurion met with
Rabbi Karelitz regarding drafting women
and yeshiva students, and his student
Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht formed
the Hesder program, blending army
service and yeshiva study, under his
guidance.
This space is far too brief to sum up the
life and impact of Rabbi Karelitz, who
passed away in 1953 but whose life
continues to influence the direction of
the State of Israel. It would be worth
reading Peer haDor, Maaseh Ish, and the
recently published HeHazon Ish.

Chazon Ish, Emunah uBitachon 3:30

Translated by Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

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Bribery is unique. Taking a bribe is

among the absolutely degraded actions
which the Torah declares abhorrent; a
result of the bribe, in the secret of
spiritual powers, is to blind the eyes of
sages and to warp judgment. Since the
Sages have said that G-d looked in the
Torah and created His world, the Torah
itself required that a bribe have the
power to blind and warp, and warned
people to flee from it.
In addition to the [normal] power of
personal interest, which is the way of
the world and human nature, an impure
power is assigned to the bribe, to
obstruct the heart and lull wisdom to
sleep, to make finding merit for his
briber pleasant in the judges mouth.
And since the Torah disqualifies this
judge from deciding between his briber
and another, the shelter of wisdom
under which he can be perpetually
confident that he will not stumble in sin
and guilt is also removed from him, if
h e wi ll tran sgr e ss the Tor a h s
prohibition and sit upon the seat of
judgment, against the Torahs
command.
The warning against bribery is not
rational law, but engraved statute, for
the Torah did not prohibit issuing a
halachic ruling for ones self. One may
examine the kashrut of his own
slaughter, even if he is indigent and his
entire life depends on it. He can rule
regarding chametz that was owned
during Pesach, even regarding large
assets. And when he rules leniently, and
one of the quarrelers doubts him, saying
that loss of his assets swayed him, he is
among those who doubt their mentors
and do not trust the sages who are
elevated above such deficiencies. Such
suspicion will be found only in those of
small mind, lacking understanding, who
do not understand the insightful soul.

And even in judgment between parties, the Torah only disqualified due to a bribe
during the time of judgment. The Torah did not prohibit judging ones friend and
enemy, only his very close friend, and his enemy with whom he did not speak for
three days per Rama Choshen Mishpat 7:7. There is a clear natural inclination to
aid his friend and harm his enemy, but the special impure power of a bribe is not
present, and the Torah entirely trusts the judge to see straight. He will not incline
his heart to his natural inclination, due to the habit which becomes second nature
for the sage. Truth is always a lamp for his foot and a light for his path, and his
righteousness will return to justice. [See Tehillim 94:15.]

torczyner@torontotorah.com

Visit us at www.torontotorah.com

This Week in Israeli History: 24 Tevet 5709 (1949)

Rabbi Jonathan Ziring

The First Knesset

24 Tevet is Tuesday
On 24 Tevet 5709 (January 25, 1949), the first Parliament
of Israel was elected into office. At first it was called the
Constituent Assembly, but the Transition Law adopted in
February renamed it the Knesset, as the permanent name of
the Israeli parliament. This body elected Chaim Weitzman
as the first President of the State of Israel, and it was the
ruling body when David Ben-Gurion formed the first
government. Following the model of the rabbinic Great
Assembly, Knesset HaGedolah, of the pre-Mishnaic period,
the Israeli Parliament adopted the name of that body as well
its number of members: 120.

this low number (which has historically been as low as 1%),

each Knesset is made of many parties, usually more than 10.
No party has ever won a majority. Thus, governments are
always formed as coalitions. In recent years, this has led to
instability in the government as small parties wield more and
more power. For this reason, many of the politicians who ran
in the most recent election promised electoral reform to enable
the Knesset to function more smoothly. As of yet, however,
despite Prime Minister Netanyahus commitment to electoral
reform, no bill has been proposed.
jziring@torontotorah.com

The current Knesset is the twentieth since Israels founding.

A party receives seats in proportion to its percentage of
votes cast, if it passes the threshold for the minimum
number of votes. The threshold is currently 3.25%. Due to

Weekly Highlights: Jan. 2 Jan. 8 / 21 Tevet 27 Tevet

Time

Speaker

Topic

Location

Special Notes

Yisroel Meir Rosenzweig

Midrash Rabbah

Clanton Park

R Jonathan Ziring

Daf Yomi

BAYT

After minchah

R Mordechai Torczyner

Gemara Avodah Zarah:

In the Umbra of Idola-Tree

BAYT

6:30 PM

R David Ely Grundland

Parent-Child Learning

Shaarei Shomayim

Not this week

8:45 AM

R Josh Gutenberg

Contemporary Halachah

BAYT

Not this week

8:45 AM

R Jonathan Ziring

Hosheia

BAYT

Hebrew

9:15 AM

R Shalom Krell

The Book of Shemuel

Associated (North)

Hebrew

9:30 AM

Mrs. Ora Ziring

Womens Beit Midrash

Ulpanat Orot

7:30 PM

R Jonathan Ziring

Israel & the Hebrew Calendar

Yeshivat Or Chaim

Beit Midrash Night

R David Ely Grundland

Daf Highlights

R Mordechai Torczyner

Practical Medical Halachah

Shaarei Shomayim

Beit Midrash Night

Mrs. Ora Ziring

Womens Beit Midrash

Ulpanat Orot

R Mordechai Torczyner

Iyov, Chapter 28
Where is Wisdom?

Shaarei Shomayim

6:15 AM

R David Ely Grundland

Gemara Pesachim

Shaarei Shomayim

8:00 PM

Yisroel Meir Rosenzweig

Contemporary Halachah:
Mesirah: Incriminating a Jew

Shaarei Tefillah

R Mordechai Torczyner

Yehoshua: Cities of Levi

49 Michael Ct.

For women

R Mordechai Torczyner

Eruvin

Yeshivat Or Chaim

Advanced

Jan. 1-2
After Hashkamah
Before minchah

Sun. Jan. 3

Mon. Jan. 4

7:30 PM
Tue. Jan. 5
10:00 AM
1:30 PM
Wed. Jan. 6

Thu. Jan. 7
1:30 PM
Fri. Jan. 8
10:30 AM

Coming Sunday January 10: WHAT DO WE PRAY FOR, WHEN WE PRAY FOR THE SICK?
Mrs. Ora Ziring, 7:30 PM at Yeshivat Or Chaim