Parshas Emor

You Are So Special!

 

“…Emor el hakohanim, bnei Aharon, v’amarta aleihem l’nefesh lo yeetama b’amav” (Vayikra 21:1).

Between 1880 and 1942 there was a mass immigration of Jews to America. The Jews came to escape violent pogroms, poverty, and persecution. Life in America was very difficult for them. The immigrant parents often struggled with economic hardship and the challenges of keeping Shabbos. Most jobs at that time required working on Shabbos. Employees who did not work on Shabbos were fired. Often, they would have to look for another job every week to support their families. It was very challenging. Unfortunately, the mantra that many of these Jews said to their families was, “Es iz shver tzu zein a Yid”, “It is hard to be a Jew”.  They constantly conveyed their struggles to their children. Thus, they created an impression that Torah observance is a burdensome life to avoid. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l remarked that the constant repetition of this mantra created a negative attitude towards Judaism. That attitude caused massive assimilation and loss of Torah observance in America. Rav Moshe zt”l said that Jews must fulfill the mitzvos with joy and highlight the privilege of Jewish identity rather than the burden.

 

Hashem told Moshe, “…Emor el haKohanim, bnei Aharon, v’amarta aleihem l’nefesh lo yeetama b’amav’, “tell the kohanim” “and say to them” (Vayikra 21:1). The Torah then lists the relatives for whom a kohain is permitted to become impure in conjunction with their deaths. The question is that the two phrases in the first pasuk, “tell” and then “say” seem to be repetitive. What is that teaching us? The Talmud (Yevamos 114A) explains that the second phrase, “and say to them” is adding a special directive for the older kohanim. The older kohanim were instructed to warn the younger kohanim, below the age of bar mitzvah, to maintain their holiness and not become impure.

 The Talmud quotes two other psukim that likewise teach that an adult should be heedful that young children not sin. Regarding eating insects, the pasuk (Vayikra 11:42) says, “You shall not eat, תֹאכְלוּם, them [insects], for they are a detestable thing”. The Sages explain this as תַּאֲכִילוּם, do not feed them to others. The pasuk is teaching us that not only is it prohibited for adults to eat insects, but they also may not feed them to minors. The third pasuk (Vayikra 17:12) says, “Every soul among you shall not eat blood”. The Talmud says that this pasuk also warns adults concerning minors.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand (Torah.org) quotes Rav Chaim Dov Keller zt”l, former Rosh Yeshiva in Telshe Chicago. Rabbi Keller zt”l wonders why the Torah felt it necessary to make a special prohibition forbidding young kohanim from becoming impure, in addition to the mitzvah taught elsewhere that children should not be fed non-kosher food. Rabbi Keller zt”l suggests a beautiful idea. He says that the Torah is teaching us that when we educate our children, not only should we teach them what they can’t do. We should also teach them why they can’t do those things. It is not only important for us to teach them that you can’t eat something because it is not kosher and it is bad for your neshama. It is also important to instill within our young children that they are holy; They are very special as they have within them a very holy neshama whose holiness must be maintained.

 

This is a very important lesson to teach our children, especially nowadays when we live in a society which is largely amoral and has very few restrictions. Not only should our children be careful lest they commit very serious sins. They also must be taught that they are different and are holier than the rest of the nations of the world. Hashem calls us a holy nation, “mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh” (Shmos 19:6). We are “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The Jewish People are holy, are responsible for serving Hashem, and are meant to be a positive influence on the world. The standards are higher for a prince than for a regular person. Accordingly, we Jews are held to higher standards than others. We are considered Hashem’s children. “Banim Atem LaHashem Elokeichem”, “You are sons to Hashem…” (Devarim 14:1). There is an unbreakable, loving bond between the Jewish people and Hashem, like that of a parent and child. Hashem’s love is unconditional as a parent’s love is to a child. Hashem also tells us, “if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own treasure from among all peoples for all the earth is mine” (Shmos 19:5). When we follow the Torah and the mitzvos we will be considered Hashem’s treasured people. Sforno says that even though all mankind is important to Hashem, the Jewish People will be treasured above and beyond.

 

In a similar vein, the first words of the pasuk (Vayikra 21:1) are “וַיֹאמֶר ד’ אֶל מֹשֶה”, “And Hashem spoke to Moshe”.   Why doesn’t the Torah use the more common phrase, “וַיְדַבֵּר ד’ אֶל מֹשֶה”? Our Sages tell us that the latter is a harder type of speech, the former is a much softer type of speech. Since the Torah is giving the kohanim a list of restrictions such as what they can eat, whom they can marry and, for which people they can become impure for burial purposes, we would think that the Torah would have used the harder type of speech.  Yet, the Torah employed the much softer expression. Why?

Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (sefer Darash Moshe) says a beautiful thought. The role of the kohanim was to be the spiritual mentors of the Jewish people (Devarim 33:10). For a person to be an effective leader and teacher and an effective role model, he cannot feel that he has a difficult life that is full of restrictions. To be able to give over a heritage to someone, one must feel privileged, rather than burdened. If the kohain would feel that all the requirements that the Torah put on him are a burden rather than a privilege, then he would not be the spiritual leader that we want him to be. That is why the Torah says, “Vayomer”. Even though it may seem hard, the kohanim must accept it as a privilege and feel as if it is easy! Rav Moshe zt”l adds that this role of spiritual mentor is not restricted to the Tribe of Levi.  Any person who devotes his life to teaching Torah, despite the challenges, should not feel as if he is burdened. Rather he should feel privileged! Then he will be capable of transmitting our beautiful heritage to others.

All Jews need to feel blessed and fortunate to be Jews. Then we can be a link in a chain to pass down our rich heritage properly to our descendants and all other Jews.

 

Hashem raised us to the level of His beloved children! There is a special love between Hashem and us! Hashem gave us the gift of the Torah and designated us to be a moral compass and a light to the rest of the world. We are so privileged! We have such a beautiful heritage! Let’s never forget that!

(based on Rabbi Yissocher Frand fromTorah.org)

Parshas Emor

The Power Of 10!

 

“… I will be sanctified among Bnei Yisroel …” (Vayikra 22:32)

HaRav Moshe Chayim Luzatto zt”l writes in his introduction to Mesilas Yesharim, The Path of the Just, that he did not write his sefer to teach something new. Rather, he wanted to remind people what they already knew but tended to forget. In a similar vein, I would like to discuss a known topic that is of utmost importance to review.

We are privileged that we have a loving Hashem who is always available to listen to us, our needs, our worries, and our requests. Nothing is too trivial to ask from Hashem. We daven to Hashem every day and Hashem listens. We can lift our tefillos to an even higher level when we take advantage of the opportunity to join with a minyan, a quorum of 10 males over the age of bar mitzvah, to daven to Hashem.

The main aspect of davening with a minyan is to daven Shmone Esray together with the minyan. In a minyan, everyone’s tefillos join together into a stronger tefillah which has a greater impact.  When someone prays alone, his tefillah is examined scrupulously. Did he have a lack of focus or lack of concentration during tefillah?

The Zohar (Bereishis 495A) says that when a congregation is davening together, Hashem does not inspect the quality of those tefillos or those people; Hashem does not examine their intentions or thoughts. Those tefillos are accepted immediately! Therefore, the pasuk concludes, “and He did not despise their prayer.” Even if there are those in the minyan who are unworthy of their prayers being accepted because of their wayward behavior, their tefillos are still accepted immediately and are not “despised.” (The Kalever Rebbe, Breslov.com) His prayers are joined with everyone else’s, and they form a crown for Hashem.

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l discusses (sefer Nidchei Yisroel, chapter 5) the importance of davening with a minyan. One who does so, helps magnify Hashem’s honor even more than when he davens on his own, as a king is honored more when more of his subjects come to greet him. Additionally, there are some very great mitzvos that can only be done when davening with a minyan. These mitzvos are, the recitation of Barchu (Blessed is Hashem, who is blessed, for eternity), Amen Yehe Shmeh Rabba Mevarach l’olam ul’olmei olma’ya (may Hashem’s great name be blessed for eternity), and Kedusha (kadosh, kadosh, kadosh -Hashem is holy).  The Chofetz Chaim zt”l says that we can’t fathom how valuable the recitation of these 3 is to Hashem. They awaken Hashem’s love for us and help to hasten the final redemption!

The Talmud (Yershalmi Brachos 7:3) says that we learn from a pasuk in our parsha (from a gezaras shava) that these 3 prayers may only be recited with a minyan. The pasuk says “… I will be sanctified among Bnei Yisroel …” (Vayikra 22:32). The Talmud quotes another pasuk (Bereishis 42:5), “The sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who came.” The “sons of Israel” refers to Yaakov’s 10 sons. So too, in the aforementioned pasuk it refers to 10 men. Thus, we learn that 10 men are required to recite these 3 holy prayers.

The Talmud (Brachos 3A) shares a story in which the prophet Eliyahu said to Rabbi Yossi that any time that Hashem’s greatness is evoked, such as when Klal Yisroel enter a synagogue and declare Amen Yehe Shmeh Rabba Mevarach l’olam ul’olmei olma’ya, Hashem shakes His head and says, “Happy is the king who is thus praised in his house. How great is the pain of the father who exiled his children, and woe to the children who were exiled from their father’s table, as their pain only adds to that of their father.” Rokeach says that Hashem also says, “When will I gather my children from amongst the nations?”

The Rama (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 125:2) says that when saying kadosh, kadosh, kadosh, declaring Hashem’s holiness, one should lift his eyes up to the heavens and lift his body by the heels of his feet. While one is doing that, the Chofetz Chaim zt”l (Mishna Brura 5) says that Hashem says it gives Me the greatest pleasure. At that moment I, Hashem, hold on to my heavenly throne in the image of Yaakov. I hug it and kiss it, mention the merit of Klal Yisroel and hasten their redemption.”

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l  (sefer Nidchei Yisroel) adds that if Klal Yisroel would repent at that moment, they would be redeemed immediately!

The Talmud (Shabbos 119B) says that the reward for declaring  Amen Yehe Shmeh Rabba Mevarach l’olam ul’olmei olma’ya wholeheartedly, with all one’s might (Rashi says that it means with all one’s concentration), is that if a bad decree had been decreed in Heaven against him, it will be torn up.  

The Talmud (Chulin 91B) says that a few times every day, angels sing praise to Hashem. Some angels only recite a song of praise once a day while some angels recite a song of praise once a week. Other angels only recite a song of praise once a month while others recite a song of praise once a year. Others recite a song of praise once every seven years while others recite a song of praise only once every 50 years! Others recite a song of praise only one time.

Yet, we have the unique opportunity to sing praises to Hashem every single day! We can praise Hashem multiple times during the day!  Certainly, this is not an opportunity to waste. Since it is so powerful, the yetzer hara will try anything, any distraction to cause us to miss saying these praises of divrei kedusha. However, the yetzer hara tries to urge us to talk to our friend during those times, to deprive us of this very special merit.

Tanna d’vei Eliyahu says that after a person’s lifetime, it will be so embarrassing when a person sees about 5 billion angels declaring Hashem’s holiness and praising Hashem a number of times daily, while he had the same opportunity numerous times daily, yet he missed the opportunity.

The Chofetz Chaim zt’l (55:1) quotes a Mata Moshe who brings a Midrash that a sage saw his dead student in a dream. The student had a spot on his forehead. He wondered why. The student said that it was a punishment for not being careful to avoid speaking when the chazan recited kaddish. This was a mark that the student would have for eternity!

Hashem does so much for us every second of our lives. We have the golden opportunity to praise Hashem throughout the day. We should take advantage of the opportunity which brings great rewards. We should not allow the yetzer hara to distract us, depriving us from reaping the great rewards and causing us to have a blemish for eternity!

(Based on Yalkut Lekach Tov by Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Beifus)

 

Parshas Emor

You Can’t Touch It!

 

“He shall put the incense on the fire before Hashem and the cloud of incense will cover the Ark-cover….” (Vayikra 16:13)

On Jan. 12, 2019, a fire destroyed Yossi’s Fish Market on 13th Avenue and 54th Street in Boro Park. Shea Langsam, the owner of Fish to Dish, offered Yossi’s Fish Market a temporary location inside his own, competing store which was just a few blocks away.

“While we are a community that is known for its chesed (kindness), the act of offering a direct competitor into your own storefront truly goes above and beyond,” said Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein. “Fish to Dish is setting a new bar for what it means to be a neighbor and business owner in our community.”  (Yeshiva World News, February 4, 2019)

            The Ben Ish Chai, in his Commentary Ben Yehoyada (Tractate Yoma, 38A), cites an interesting story:

A jar filled with precious stones was hidden in the ground. Every summer, groups of people would pitch their tents in the ground, near the jar of precious stones. Even though they hammered stakes, metal poles, into the ground to pitch their tents, they did not come across the jar of precious stones. This routine went on for many years. However, no one found the jar of precious stones. Once, a different person came to the area. He hammered his stake in the ground and immediately found the jar of precious gems.

This story teaches us that no person can take what Hashem designated to go to another person.

The Talmud (Yoma 38A) discusses the family of Avtinas, experts in preparing the ketores, the incense that was burned in the Bais HaMikdash. They were the only ones who knew the secret of how to properly prepare the ketores so that its smoke went straight up, like a stick. When asked by the sages, they refused to teach the secret to others. The sages dismissed them and brought craftsmen from Alexandria, Egypt. The Alexandrian craftsmen knew how to blend the spices, but they could not cause the smoke to rise straight up like a stick, as the House of Avtinas could. Rashi explains that the Alexandrian craftsmen did not know which particular herb to use to enable the smoke to rise straight up. When the sages saw the failure of the Alexandrian craftsmen, they asked the people from the House of Avtinas to return to their original position. The members of the House of Avtinas refused to return until the sages doubled their wages. The sages asked them why they refused to teach others the secret of their craft. They said, “The members of our father’s house knew that the Beis HaMikdash, is destined to be destroyed. They were concerned lest an unworthy man learn the skill of preparing incense and use that in idol worship.”  Therefore, they attempted to prevent this skill from spreading beyond their family. The Talmud comments, “And for this matter they are mentioned favorably.”

Ben Azzai learned from the fact that the sages had to rehire the family of Avtinas, and at double their previous salary, that one should never be concerned lest others take away his livelihood.

Accordingly, one should never feel the need to be dishonest since he can never acquire that which Hashem did not designate for him. Even if it appears that he “gained” some money, there are many ways that Hashem has, to take it away from him.

 

We have full faith that Hashem provides a livelihood for everyone.

Hashem designates a particular portion for each individual.

We will each receive exactly that which Hashem wants us to have, no more and no less.

No other person can touch that which is prepared for us by Hashem.