Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Vayera Eretz Yisrael and Kibud Av'Eim Volume 25, No. 4 15 Marcheshvan 5771 October 23, 2010 Sponsored by Mrs. Rochelle Dimont and family on the yahrzeits of grandmother and great-grandmother, Chaya Sarah Tarshish a"h mother-in-law and grandmother, Chana Dimont a"h father and grandfather Rabbi Elazar Tarshish a"h David and Sarah Maslow and family in memory of his father Archie Maslow a"h (18 Cheshvan) and her father Samuel Holstein a"h (25 Cheshvan) Today's Learning: Tanach: Shoftim 21 Mishnah: Kilayim 5:8-6:1 Halachah: O.C. 554:18-20 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Avodah Zarah 70 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Ma'asrot 9 The midrash states: Hashem saw that the Jewish People had no merit with which to enter the Land; then He "remembered" the merit of Yitzchak, who was born when his father was 100 and his mother was 90 [as described in our parashah]. The combined ages of Yitzchak's parents parallel the gematria of the Hebrew word "Canaan" [the nation from which Yitzchak's descendants conquered the Land], which is 190. [Until here from the midrash] R' Chaim Palagi z"l (Izmir, Turkey; 1788-1868) explains this enigmatic midrash as follows: We read in Parashat Noach that Canaan was cursed because of his disrespect to his grandfather Noach [see Rashi to 9:29]. In contrast, Yitzchak exemplified the highest level of kibud av / parental respect that any person ever reached when he believed his father that he (Yitzchak) was meant to be offered as a sacrifice. Therefore, it is fitting that Yitzchak should take the Land from Canaan. In general, our Sages say, one merits a share in Eretz Yisrael in the merit of kibud av va'eim. (Artzot Ha'chaim p.22) Elsewhere, R' Palagi writes about Yitzchak's kibud av va'eim: The knife that Avraham took to perform the akeidah is referred to in the Torah as a "ma'achelet" from the root which means "to eat." Why is the more common word "sakin" / "knife" not used? The verse is alluding to the fact that the kibud av va'eim that Yitzchak practiced is a mitzvah whose reward his descendants "eat." Similarly, the Gemara (Shabbat 127a) teaches: "These are the things whose fruits man eats in this world, but whose principle is preserved for the World-to-Come: kibud av va'eim . . ." (Tochachat Chaim: Parashat Toldot p.201) ******** "I will fetch a morsel of bread that you may sustain libchem / your hearts, then go on . . ." (18:5) The Aramaic translation known as Targum Yonatan renders: "Sustain your hearts and give praise to Hashem's Name." Where in our verse did the author find an allusion to praising Hashem? R' Yissachar Dov Rokeach z"l (1851-1926; the Belzer Rebbe) explains: The verse here states, "Sustain libchem / your lev." Our Sages say that when a verse refers to the heart as "lev" it refers to the yetzer ha'tov / good inclination only. In contrast, when a verse refers to the heart as "levav" it refers to both the yetzer ha'tov and the yetzer ha'ra. The Zohar states that eating is a war, but that tzaddikim are in control of the battle. Here, the verse says "libchem" / your "lev" (not "levav"), a reference to the yetzer ha'tov. Thus, Avraham was telling his guests to eat like tzaddikim. This implies that they would praise Hashem for their food. (Sefer Maharid) ******** "I will descend and see; If they [the people of Sdom] have acted in accordance with its outcry - then destruction!" (18:21) What does it mean that Hashem "will descend?" R' David Dov Meisels z"l (1814-1875; rabbi of Lask, Poland) writes: Whenever Hashem is forced to mete out punishment to the wicked, that is a "descent" in His eyes [because it is not what He wants to be doing]. On the other hand, when the world functions as it should and He can do good as He wishes, He considers that as if He has been elevated. R' Meisels continues: Sometimes our Sages speak of G-d as "elevating" Himself to the distant heavens and leaving man to be punished. What is the difference between a punishment which is a "descent" for Hashem and one which results from Hashem's elevating Himself? Sometimes Hashem actively punishes a person; that is referred to as Hashem descending to interact with the person. Other times, Hashem punishes a person by abandoning him to chance. That is referred to as Hashem elevating Himself, i.e., putting distance between Himself and man. The Gemara (Sukkah 53a) relates that the Sage Levi accused G-d of abandoning the Jewish People to a drought. As punishment, Levi suffered lameness. How was this a fitting punishment? R' Meisels explains in light of the foregoing: Levi accused Hashem of elevating Himself to the distant heavens and abandoning His flock. Now, said Hashem, you will be lame and therefore will walk in a stooped manner to remind you that I descended to consciously punish the Jewish People with a drought. (Haggadah Shel Pesach: Rei'ach Dudaim p.63) ******** "He said, `Do not stretch out your hand against the lad nor do anything to him for now I have known that you are a G-d-fearing man, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me'." (22:12) R' Zvi Hirsch Kalischer z"l (1795-1874; German rabbi; leading advocate both for resettling Eretz Yisrael and for renewing the Temple service) asks: Why is Avraham called "G-d-fearing" rather than "G-d-loving," considering that love of G-d is a higher level than fear of G-d? Also, what is meant by "Now I have known"; did Hashem, who is All-Knowing, not know before what was in Avraham's heart? He explains: Avraham's love for Hashem was so great that he was seemingly incapable of fearing Him. Fear arises from the knowledge that the one who is feared can harm the one who fears, but Avraham loved Hashem so completely that nothing Hashem might do to Avraham would have been viewed by Avraham as harming him. Even being told to offer his son as a sacrifice did not shake Avraham's love for Hashem. Nevertheless, the test of the akeidah revealed the one thing that Avraham feared. Although he went without question to do Hashem's Will, he now feared that his actions would negate the message of love for, and faith in, Hashem that he (Avraham) had preached to mankind. Avraham did not fear for himself, but he did show himself at this time to be a "G-d- fearing" man, i.e., a man who feared that G-d's Will would not be done. Of course, this was not new information to G-d Himself. That is why the verse says, "Now I have known"--what I have always known is now revealed for all to see. (Sefer Ha'brit) ******** "Avraham lifted his eyes and saw - behold, a ram! - afterwards, caught in the thicket by its horns; so Avraham went and took the ram and offered it up as an offering instead of his son." (22:13) R' Eliezer Dovid Gruenwald z"l (1867-1928; rabbi of Oyber-Visheve, Hungary) explains: The Gemara (Yoma 28b) states that Avraham Avinu observed the entire Torah before it was given. Presumably, as we do with any mitzvah, Avraham recited the berachah on bringing a sacrifice when he was about to "shecht" Yitzchak. Then, when the angel suddenly told Avraham not touch Yitzchak, Avraham was concerned that he had recited a berachah in vain. Thus, he was very relieved to see the ram which he offered "instead of his son." (Keren Le'David) ******** Har Ha'moriah "He said, `Please take your son, your only one, whom you love-- Yitzchak--and go to the land of Moriah; bring him up there as an offering upon one of the mountains which I shall tell you'." (22:2) R' Yitzchak Ze'ev Yadler z"l (1843-1917; Yerushalayim) writes: On the level of pshat, the region is probably called "Moriah" because the herb myrrh grows there. Thus we read (Shir Ha'shirim 4:6), "I will go the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of levonah / frankincense [another spice]." What did G-d mean by, "On one of the mountains"? R' Yadler explains: It means "The one, unique mountain among the mountains" (compare Rashi to 26:10). Specifically, the uniqueness of Har Ha'moriah lies in the fact that that is where Creation began. (Tiferet Zion Al Ha'Torah) The midrash Bereishit Rabbah describes various attributes of Har Ha'moriah: It is the place from which hora'ah / teaching comes to the world [because the Sanhedrin was headquartered there]. It is the place from which yirah / awe comes to the world [because one who visits the Temple acquires awe of G-d]. It is also called (in many verses) "D'vir" because it is the place from which dibrot / speech comes to the world [because the kodesh ha'kodashim is the source of prophecy] or because it is the source of dever / plague [upon those who reject the Torah]. The aron / ark [in the Holy of Holies] is the source of ohr / light for the world and the source of yirah / fear for the world [see Shmuel I chapters 5 & 6].