tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45935191545740997922024-03-20T22:22:13.550-04:00Kol ha'SeridimKol ha'Seridimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15252440422540906264noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-70209509245565526542023-06-11T08:23:00.000-04:002023-06-11T08:23:03.831-04:00The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack (PINNED POST)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Goodbye <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hello <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a>!</span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCviQSLsSRJ9gqczQMsxpGZfiQ4ElrOlvaeDH_zjmQ2hnm5r4gTONnewVe3jtq9S-iLt5EDAgVFS2g4FN743QGN4l-_B1sfCpvvnrqntSItPCwFNoJhRSp5EiVaSN7_Oka7UBiCyw4XveCji81lNxnWWjxE_5Fv1bcCZZgkQRmiAr9tLBV9WFy6imC/s714/Growth%20Spiral%20-%20Barbara%20Rosiak.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="706" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCviQSLsSRJ9gqczQMsxpGZfiQ4ElrOlvaeDH_zjmQ2hnm5r4gTONnewVe3jtq9S-iLt5EDAgVFS2g4FN743QGN4l-_B1sfCpvvnrqntSItPCwFNoJhRSp5EiVaSN7_Oka7UBiCyw4XveCji81lNxnWWjxE_5Fv1bcCZZgkQRmiAr9tLBV9WFy6imC/w632-h640/Growth%20Spiral%20-%20Barbara%20Rosiak.png" width="632" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: <i>Growth Spiral</i>, by Barbara Rosiak</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><u><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack (PINNED POST)</span></b></u></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">After seventeen years - beginning with Kankan Ne'lam/Chadash (2007-2013) and culminating in Kol ha'Seridim (2014-2023) - I've finally decided that it's time to FULLY migrate my writing from Blogger to Substack, where I've been doing all my writing over the 2022-2023 academic year. </p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><b>All future articles will appear on <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" target="_blank">The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack</a></b>. All 450+ articles from Kol ha'Seridim can <u>already</u> be found on my substack, albeit in a mostly unlabeled and difficult-to-browse format (which is one of my few complaints about substack). Once I finish updating Kol ha'Seridim with the articles from May-June 2023, no new content will be posted here.</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">For the time being, Kol ha'Seridim will serve as more user-friendly archive for those old articles. I'm gradually in the process of updating all of these writings for substack: editing and cleaning up the text, making sure there are no dead links, recording audio versions of the best articles, etc. But this will take a while, which is why Kol ha'Seridim won't be going anywhere anytime soon. <b>However, you should assume that the articles on the substack are the most up-to-date versions, since I won't be making these updates to the blog version.</b></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">If you appreciate my writing and would like to have my articles delivered directly to your inbox (with links to PDFs and audio versions!), be sure to <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" target="_blank">The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack</a> and become a free subscriber today! </p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">This move is part of a larger set of plans for Summer 2023 and the 2023-2024 academic year. Here is the text of an email I sent out to my substack subscribers (and <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/the-rabbi-schneeweiss-substack-update-cc6">posted as an article</a> last week). </p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">Thank you to all my readers over the years, and I hope you'll join me in this exciting next chapter!</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">- Matt</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">P.S. And in case you're unaware, be sure to check out my five podcasts, my Instagram account, my Patreon, and more in the links at the very end. </p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><u><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack Update: Summer 2023</span></b></u></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">Dear subscribers of the Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">First of all, I want to thank ALL of you for subscribing to my substack! Whether you’re someone who reads most of my articles, some of my articles, or even none of my articles, I genuinely appreciate your support. (I mean, <em>something</em> prompted you to click subscribe, and that qualifies as “support” in my book!)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When I launched The Rabbi Schneeweiss Substack seven months ago, my intent was to reinvigorate my writing. My old and beloved blog, Kol ha’Seridim, had started to feel stale, and I wanted a new medium and new tools for a fresh start. My ambitious goal was to do something I had never done before: <strong>to write an average of one article per week <em>during</em> the school year</strong> (as opposed to during the summer, which is when I’ve historically done the bulk of my writing). Thank God, my efforts have been successful! Not only did I manage to write throughout the entire year, but my writing has reached broader and more diverse audiences than ever before.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Up until now, I haven’t taken any active steps to grow my readership (beyond sharing articles with those who already follow me on social media), nor have I explored the many tools that Substack offers to grow readership from within. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">God willing, all of that is about to change …</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I <em>know</em> that I’m capable of growing my subscription numbers and my readership far beyond the 100 free subscribers (including 3 paid subscribers!) I currently have. One of my goals for Summer 2023 is to achieve that growth. My target is to reach 1000 subscribers by the end of the summer.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first step I’m taking is to incentivize <strong>paid subscriptions</strong>. Don’t be alarmed! Since my goal is to make my Torah content available and accessible to everyone, I find the idea of hiding my Torah behind a paywall to be detestable. I mean, I <em>get</em> why other people do it, but it’s not something I can ever see myself doing. Rest assured that the <em>vast</em> majority of the articles I write - including the archive of 400+ articles from years past - will remain free.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Why, then, might someone want to become a paid subscriber? For at least four reasons:</p><ul><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>First and foremost, my paid subscribers are <em>actually</em> making it possible for me to continue producing free, independent, original Torah content for everyone</strong>. This will become especially relevant in September 2023, when my career pivot will take effect. (More on that later this summer!) There are many people who are fans of my Torah content. If everyone who regularly reads my articles, or watches my videos, or listens to my podcasts, or attends my shiurim would chip in a minimal amount - the cost of a basic Netflix subscription or a weekly coffee at your local café - that would ensure my ability to continue providing Torah for all of you.</p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Second, and equally important, is the accountability factor</strong>. I’ve always written primarily for myself, but knowing that people are paying for my time gives me that extra little “oomph” to maintain a consistently high quality and quantity of output, and to do so on a disciplined schedule.</p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Third, there <em>will</em> be content which is only accessible to paid subscribers!</strong> </p><ul><li><p style="text-align: justify;">Although I haven’t done so yet, I’d like to experiment with writing <em>non</em>-Torah articles which I keep behind a paywall - articles on the ideas of non-Jewish thinkers, thoughts on pedagogy and educational philosophy, editorials, movie reviews, personal reflections, etc. etc. I’m open to ideas! The first step is to create the space where I can play around with different types of writing, and I think paid subscriptions are a good venue for that experimentation. </p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">At any given moment, there are always a small number of Torah ideas which I want to write about, but not share with the public at large - because the ideas are still being developed, because they’re controversial, because they’re too personal, or all of the above. Writing about them for myself just isn’t the same, nor is writing about them for specific individuals. I’d like to see what happens if I write for paid subscribers only. This will allow me to write “publicly” without my writing <em>actually</em> being open to the whole internet. Here are the titles of a few articles I have in the works, just to give you an idea of what to expect:</p><ul><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Rambam on Psychedelics</em></p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>How My Personal Brand of Zionism Keeps Me in Far Rockaway</em></p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Answering the Question "Are You a Rationalist?" in a Postmodern World</em></p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>How I Became Open to Hasidic Thought and Jewish Mysticism</em></p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Is Yichud Hashem a Maimonidean Conspiracy?</em></p></li></ul></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">You can probably see why I’m going to want to keep articles like this behind a paywall. These topics and ideas aren’t for everyone.</p></li></ul></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lastly, paid subscribers get to have a say in what I write about!</strong> If you value my Torah enough to support it monetarily, then the least I can do is make an effort to produce Torah content about questions and topics that interest <em>you</em>. No promises, of course. (Would that everything I set out to teach or write about came to fruition!) But I will make a special effort to write about the topics that are requested by those who actually support what I’m doing.</p></li></ul><p style="text-align: justify;">I’m open to other ideas about the perks of paid subscriptions! I want people to feel like their investment is paying off in tangible ways, and I want to show my gratitude to my supporters for their generosity. If you have ideas, feel free to share them by replying to this email or by emailing me at rabbischneeweiss@substack.com.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">(And if your financial situation changes and you decide to cancel your subscription, no worries! I promise I won’t hold it against you in any way. I’m grateful for your generosity in whatever amount, for however long it lasts.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">“But Rabbi Schneeweiss, as much as I value your Torah content, I can’t afford a subscription at the present time. <strong>How can I support your Substack without becoming a paid subscriber?”</strong> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’m glad you asked! <strong>You can support me by engaging with my content</strong>. If you gained from an article you just read, click the little heart to let me know you liked it. If you think other people would like it, share the article with others. If you know someone who you think might like my content in general, tell them about it! Share the entire substack with them, or choose some articles that you feel are a good sample, or send them the link to the audio on <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Machshavah Lab</a>! Word of mouth is the best way for me to grow my readership. I believe that my Torah speaks for itself; it just needs to be given opportunities to be heard. Anything you can do to help spread the word will be most appreciated!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’m super excited to really spread my writerly wings and soar this summer, and I’m thrilled to take you along on the ride!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With gratitude, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">— Matt </p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Old Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-76271277119315615582023-04-04T16:42:00.004-04:002023-04-04T16:42:49.418-04:00Avadim Hayinu: Would We Still Be Slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt?<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Ordinarily I don't write up such speculative answers, but this question has been bothering me for so long that I decided to share the best two answer I have in hopes that it'll generate discussion.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Torah content from now until Pesach has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, author of <a href="https://www.gematriarefigured.com/">Gematria</a><a href="https://a.co/d/27pyePa"> Refigured: A New Look At How The Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers</a>. Stay up-to-date by <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/LUckdNTw7NxHzqppbNuVct">joining the Gematria Refigured+ WhatsApp group</a>, and subscribe to the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/gematria-refigured/id1659078882">Gematria Refigured+ Podcast</a>.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KXeVzDG9aTCoGenAsGzqw51c2Y0UfLj7/view?usp=sharing">Click here</a> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12588696">click here</a> for the podcast version.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3O3p1KYEiAbYURxpqr59Emo8Ri0KLfoRGC4pA7qO4zayceiFWilo3jQjo1yV2L0JscVU-89q4mXxfZ3oqpOwGiZH_OzqdVMpYveLV6GRUCcPM-MSA1jVHa1SaQWWmakA1-m7fDR3DLm9WBxD803Sq-4XYWFGN2wGV3oYlF3KDq_4E_2mRvo-AgPK/s1024/04.04.23%20-%20painting%20of%20an%20egyptian%20standing%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20Manhattan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3O3p1KYEiAbYURxpqr59Emo8Ri0KLfoRGC4pA7qO4zayceiFWilo3jQjo1yV2L0JscVU-89q4mXxfZ3oqpOwGiZH_OzqdVMpYveLV6GRUCcPM-MSA1jVHa1SaQWWmakA1-m7fDR3DLm9WBxD803Sq-4XYWFGN2wGV3oYlF3KDq_4E_2mRvo-AgPK/w640-h640/04.04.23%20-%20painting%20of%20an%20egyptian%20standing%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20Manhattan.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt, <i>"painting of an Egyptian standing in the middle of Manhattan"</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Avadim Hayinu: Would We Still Be Slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt?</span></b></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Illuminated_Haggadot/Maggid/3.1#m7e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Avadim Hayinu</a> section of the Haggadah is the beginning of our answer to the <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Illuminated_Haggadot/Maggid/2.1#m7e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mah Nishtanah</a> questions:</p><blockquote><p>We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and Hashem, our God, took us out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. <strong>And if the Holy One, blessed is He, had not taken our fathers out of Egypt, then we, and our children, and our children’s children would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt</strong>.</p></blockquote><p>Really?! Would the Egyptian slavery to Pharaoh have lasted forever and ever? Would Israel have remained subjugated to Egypt for all time? Have <em>any</em> ancient kingdoms survived? Wouldn’t the forces of history have brought things to an end, one way or another? Are we supposed to accept this statement at face value?</p><p>The simplest answer is: yes, as incredible as it may sound, Egyptian slavery may very well have continued to this day! Obviously, there is no way to prove this, but it is plausible. Consider the incalculable global impact of the Exodus and Giving of the Torah. What might world history have looked like without Judaism, and without the offshoot Abrahamic monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam which shaped the trajectory of mankind? Consider the various peoples situated in stable climates whose cultures, beliefs, and societal structures remained unchanged for hundreds or thousands of years. Think how many more societies like this there might be without the Revelation at Sinai, which introduced such radically disruptive ideas as human equality based on the <em>tzelem Elokim</em>, absolute freedom of choice, and universal natural law, which prompted revolutionary new ways of thinking. Lastly, consider the fact that Egypt actually did last for thousands of years before the Exodus and might have lasted thousands more without the intervention of Hashem’s hand in history.</p><p>Alternatively, perhaps the answer is based on a halacha we read <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Illuminated_Haggadot/Maggid/17.1#m7e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">later on in the Haggadah</a>:</p><blockquote><p><strong>In each and every generation one is obligated to see himself as though he had gone out of Egypt</strong>, as it is stated: <em>“And you shall tell your son on that day, saying: ‘It is because of this that Hashem did so</em><strong><em> for me </em></strong><em>when</em><strong><em> I </em></strong><em>went out of Egypt’” (Shemos 13:8)</em>. Not only did the Holy One, Blessed is He, redeem our fathers but He redeemed<strong> us, too, with them</strong>, as it is stated: <em>“He took</em><strong><em> us </em></strong><em>out of there to bring us to and give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers” (Devarim 6:23).</em></p></blockquote><p>Throughout the course of the <em>seder</em>, we oscillate between speaking from the <strong>perspective of the present day</strong> and from <strong>the perspective of freed slaves who left Egypt</strong>. Rambam’s <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Illuminated_Haggadot/Maggid/1.1#m7e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ha Lachma Anya</a> begins with: “<strong>We</strong> left Egypt in a state of alarm” but continues: “This is the bread of affliction that<strong> our fathers ate</strong> in the land of Egypt.” Avadim Hayinu continues: “<strong>We</strong> were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and Hashem, our God, took <strong>us</strong> out from there” before switching to: “If the Holy One, blessed is He, had not taken <strong>our fathers</strong> out of Egypt” then switches back again: “then <strong>we</strong>, and <strong>our children</strong>, and <strong>our children’s children</strong> would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.”</p><p>Perhaps this last line doesn’t mean that the Israelites would have been enslaved to the Egyptians <strong>for all time</strong>. Rather, it can be read as: “then <strong>we</strong> (the generation of freemen whose parents were liberated), <strong>our children</strong> (the second generation), and even <strong>our children’s children</strong> (the third generation) would be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt” and the Haggadah’s statement ends there. And if we asked what <em>would</em> happen after the third generation, what would the answer be? In all likelihood, <strong>complete assimilation</strong>. The Israelites in Egypt were on such a low level that Hashem was ready to destroy them, as the <em>navi</em> states: <em>“They rebelled against Me and did not want to listen to Me; no man cast away the detestable [idols] of their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I thought to pour out My wrath upon them, to spend My anger on them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_David/Yechezkel/20.8#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Yechezkel 20:8</em></a><em>)</em>. If things continued to deteriorate, it is possible that Israel would vanish after three generations.</p><p>These two are the only answers I could come up with, but I’m open to others. What do you think?</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}"><em>--------------------------------<br />If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.<br /></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></p></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-69135433353595193272023-04-03T04:00:00.005-04:002023-04-03T04:00:00.209-04:00Arbaah Banim: The Alternate Version of the Wise and Simple Sons<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>If you're looking for a discussion catalyst at your seder on the Arbaah Banim, consider bringing up the OTHER answers we give to the wise and simple sons. I guarantee you that discussion will ensue.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Torah content from now until Pesach has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, author of <a href="https://www.gematriarefigured.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gematria</a><a href="https://a.co/d/27pyePa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Refigured: A New Look At How The Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers</a>. Stay up-to-date by <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/LUckdNTw7NxHzqppbNuVct" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">joining the Gematria Refigured+ WhatsApp group</a>, and subscribe to the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/gematria-refigured/id1659078882" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gematria Refigured+ Podcast</a>.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jyzeiaGuSdRzZdpslo-bB827XfJ8govL/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12572257" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXBqqD0KBHAWPnzLqrMAnW4lW1UtnkZfcA9mp6C1lkUE3HdzAD2QpUYO6ULa4I3ju3yPhaT3D-10JvFG5mZXMxTolXxa4fR7J9ChzIiHFeaqeKO64094sqh0gvkCK7ysshgMYjRMSDVEr67E_BBTtsuJTx0XXdLPNn8tckq83EqqCtOyz3DcO0e-r/s1024/04.03.23%20-%20oil%20painting%20of%20a%20wise%20son%20sitting%20next%20to%20a%20simple%20son.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXBqqD0KBHAWPnzLqrMAnW4lW1UtnkZfcA9mp6C1lkUE3HdzAD2QpUYO6ULa4I3ju3yPhaT3D-10JvFG5mZXMxTolXxa4fR7J9ChzIiHFeaqeKO64094sqh0gvkCK7ysshgMYjRMSDVEr67E_BBTtsuJTx0XXdLPNn8tckq83EqqCtOyz3DcO0e-r/w640-h640/04.03.23%20-%20oil%20painting%20of%20a%20wise%20son%20sitting%20next%20to%20a%20simple%20son.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt, "oil painting of a wise son sitting next to a simple son"<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">Arbaah Banim: The Alternate Version of the Wise and Simple Sons</span></u></strong></h3><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">There are two equally authoritative versions of the <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Illuminated_Haggadot/Maggid/6.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Arbaah Banim</a> (Four Sons). The version which made it into our Haggadah is from the <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Mekhilta_DeRabbi_Yishmael_Shemot/Shemot/13.14#m4e1n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mechilta</a>, and an alternative version can be found in the <a href="https://yerushalmi.alhatorah.org/Dual/Penei_Moshe/Pesachim/83.2#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Talmud Yerushalmi</a>. There are a number of differences between the two, but the most striking difference <strong>is that the answers to the Wise and Simple/Foolish sons are swapped</strong>. Here are the two versions side by side:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Our Version (from the Mechilta)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Wise Son</strong> – what does he say? <em>“What are the testimonies, the decrees, and the judgments which Hashem, our God, has commanded you?” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Devarim/6.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Devarim 6:20</em></a><em>).</em> And you, too, should tell him a law like the laws of the Pesach sacrifice: we do not conclude the meal with anything other than the Pesach sacrifice.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Simple Son</strong> – what does he say? <em>“‘What is this?’ And you shall say to him: ‘With a strong hand Hashem took us out from Egypt, from the house of slaves’” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/13.14#m4e1n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 13:14</em></a><em>).</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Alternative Version (from the Talmud Yerushalmi)</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Wise Son</strong> – what does he say? <em>“What are the testimonies, the decrees, and the judgments which Hashem, our God, has commanded us?”</em> And you, too, should tell him: <em>“With a strong hand Hashem took us out from Egypt, from the house of slaves.”</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Foolish Son</strong> – what does he say? <em>“‘What is this?” </em> You, too, should teach him the laws of Pesach: that we do not conclude the meal with anything other than the Pesach sacrifice; that one should not get up from one group and enter another group.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The Mechilta is easy to understand: the Wise Son’s question exhibits a greater level of intelligence than the Simple Son’s. Instead of merely expressing his lack of knowledge with a generic, “What is this?” the Wise Son asks categorically about each type of mitzvah: <em>eidos</em>, which testify to God’s intervention in history; <em>chukim</em>, whose reasons are difficult to discern; and <em>mishpatim</em>, whose reasons are evident (<a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ritva/Maggid/6.3#m7e0n6https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ritva/Maggid/6.3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ritva: Haggadah shel Pesach</a>). But what are we to make of the Yerushalmi? Does the Foolish Son’s interest in halacha indicate intellectual inferiority?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the Yerushalmi version can be understood in light of the <a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/rabbischneeweiss/p/no-rambam-was-not-racist-or-allegory-of?r=1sp5sj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rambam’s Allegory of the Palace</a>, as stated in his conclusion to the Guide for the Perplexed (<a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Moreh_Nevukhim_3:51&s1=2" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">3:51</a>). The allegory depicts a king’s subjects at varying levels of proximity to the inner sanctum of his palace. About those who are within range of the palace Rambam writes: “Of those that desire to go to the palace, some reach it, and go round about in search of the entrance gate; others have passed through the gate and walk about in the antechamber.” Rambam decodes these elements as follows:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Those who arrive at the palace but go round about it <strong>are those who devote themselves exclusively to the study of the halacha;</strong> they believe in true principles of belief based on tradition, and learn the practical worship of God,<strong> but are not trained in philosophical treatment of the principles of the Torah,</strong> and do not endeavor to establish the truth of their faith by proof. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>But those who undertake to investigate the principles of religion have come into the antechamber</strong>, and there is no doubt that these can also be divided into different grades. And those who have succeeded in finding a proof for everything that can be proved, who have a true knowledge of God, so far as a true knowledge can be attained, and are near the truth, wherever an approach to the truth is possible, they have reached the goal, and are in the palace in which the king lives.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">According to the Yerushalmi, the Foolish Son isn’t “foolish” because his intellect is inferior. To the contrary, he is involved in studying the intricacies of the halacha! <strong>Rather, he is foolish because he loses the forest for the trees</strong>. He is so preoccupied with the “What?” that he doesn’t even bother to ask “Why?” The Wise Son, on the other hand, has (presumably) acquired halachic knowledge of the <em>eidos, chukim</em>, and <em>mishpatim</em>, <strong>but</strong> <strong>recognizes that these are a means to an end, namely, knowledge of Hashem</strong>. Therefore, he asks questions about the purpose of the halachos he has learned: What is the significance are the miracles commemorated by the <em>eidos</em>? What are the hidden reasons of the <em>chukim</em>? What perfection can we gain from the <em>mishpatim</em>? A son who asks such questions is truly wise – not only in terms of his analytical ability, but in terms of his orientation to the Torah system.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}" style="text-align: justify;">-----------------------------------------</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-70709465438500560572023-04-02T04:00:00.001-04:002023-04-03T00:09:01.090-04:00Maaseh b’Rebbi Eliezer: Abravanel’s Framing of Insomnia on Pesach Night<p><i>Ever wonder why we talk about the Sages in Bnei Brak staying up all night? Better question: Have you ever gotten a bad sleep after the seder? If the answer to both question is "yes," check this out.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><em>The Torah content from now until Pesach has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, author of </em><a href="https://www.gematriarefigured.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Gematria</em></a><a href="https://a.co/d/27pyePa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> <em>Refigured: A New Look At How The Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers</em></a><em>. Stay up-to-date by </em><a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/LUckdNTw7NxHzqppbNuVct" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>joining the Gematria Refigured+ WhatsApp group</em></a><em>, and subscribe to the </em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/gematria-refigured/id1659078882" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Gematria Refigured+ Podcast</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1saTrzghkXlDURxF7WHloYV65DPfm1-iP/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12559496" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ6dQGi5WhJDz-uCW-3NOiTreR6T4nOCu0RxiazkupOdrG7Uz0rsGk-4ycSd4UjQfKFz3D07oYbSeUY4tNj84uVXS4P-bEpjOd_iCVBX0q_5YpsBApJi1gvtTlVu_08BOfRD1vuq8L1nOSIQH3cQmsfJxZz2AWop2yZxzvhJdCpoJofjY9Bs3M6-h/s1024/04.02.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20men%20in%20turbans%20sitting%20at%20a%20passover%20seder%20with%20the%20light%20of%20dawn%20visible%20in%20the%20sky.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ6dQGi5WhJDz-uCW-3NOiTreR6T4nOCu0RxiazkupOdrG7Uz0rsGk-4ycSd4UjQfKFz3D07oYbSeUY4tNj84uVXS4P-bEpjOd_iCVBX0q_5YpsBApJi1gvtTlVu_08BOfRD1vuq8L1nOSIQH3cQmsfJxZz2AWop2yZxzvhJdCpoJofjY9Bs3M6-h/w640-h640/04.02.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20men%20in%20turbans%20sitting%20at%20a%20passover%20seder%20with%20the%20light%20of%20dawn%20visible%20in%20the%20sky.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt "impressionist painting of men in turbans sitting at a passover seder with the light of dawn visible in the sky"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><br /></figcaption><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></h3><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Maaseh b’Rebbi Eliezer: Abravanel’s Framing of Insomnia on Pesach Night</span></u></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">How many of us have ever gotten a bad sleep on the first (and second) nights of Pesach? Indeed, the better the seder is and the longer it lasts, the worse sleep one will tend to get. This is especially true for those who fulfill the Yom Tov halacha of <em>chatzi la’Shem chatzi lachem</em> (i.e. waking up to daven at sunrise, learning for the rest of the morning, and only breaking for lunch after halachic midday). By now I’ve resigned myself to getting a bad sleep on <em>both</em> nights of Pesach and chalking it up to, “Well, this is the cost of having good <em>sedarim</em>!” … until this year.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Abravanel kicks off his <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Abarbanel_Zevach_Pesach/Maggid/0#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Zevach Pesach </em>Haggadah commentary</a> with a list of 100 questions (or “gates,” as he calls them). In classic Abravanel fashion, some of these questions are powerful, and others are … interesting? Personally, I was surprised by the fact that the only question he raised on the section entitled <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Abarbanel_Zevach_Pesach/Maggid/4.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Maaseh b’Rebbi Eliezer</a>, about the Sages who stayed up all night discussing the Exodus, was the following:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Why did the Sages of Israel engage in telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt all night? Why did they see fit to do this, and what befell them (cf. <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Esther/9.26#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Esther 9:26</a>) such that they deprived their eyes of sleep and their eyelids of slumber? Didn't the Torah command, <em>“You shall rejoice on your festival” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Devarim/16.14#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Devarim 16:14</em></a><em>)</em>? But [sleep deprivation] is torture to the soul! Without a doubt, they must have done this for some reason! (<a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Abarbanel_Zevach_Pesach/Maggid/0#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shaar 13</a>)</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Until this year, I had assumed – based on a shiur I heard from my Rosh ha’Yeshiva (<a href="https://www.ybt.org/Topshiurim/HL-016%20The%20Seder%203.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">HL-16</a>, I believe) – that these Sages stayed up all night in accordance with the halacha codified by the Shulchan Aruch: “A person is obligated to be involved in the laws of Pesach, in [talking about] the Exodus from Egypt, and in telling of the miracles and wonders that Ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu did for our fathers, until he is overcome by sleep” (<a href="https://shulchanarukh.alhatorah.org/Dual/Mishna_Berurah/Orach_Chayyim/481.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Orach Chayim 481:2</a>). In other words, my assumption was that these Sages began discussing these topics after they finished their <em>seder</em> and got so involved that they went all night until dawn. In other words, they stayed up all night <strong>inadvertently</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Abravanel disagrees. Instead, he provides a more creative answer in <a href="https://haggadah.alhatorah.org/Dual/Abarbanel_Zevach_Pesach/Maggid/4.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">his Haggadah commentary</a>:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">For what reason did these perfected individuals see fit to engage in telling the story [of the Exodus] all night and to deprive themselves of sleep? [The answer is] because this is <em>"a night that is guarded by Hashem" (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/12.42#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 12:42</em></a><em>)</em>, <strong>and Israel didn't sleep at all on the night they left Egypt</strong>. For the first part of the night, they were involved in doing the mitzvos of Pesach, with <em>matzah</em> and <em>mrorim</em>, as Hashem commanded, and during the last half of the night they were involved in the Exodus [itself]; <strong>therefore, they didn't allow themselves to sleep all night.</strong> <strong>And because "a person is obligated to act as though the left Egypt," therefore, these holy people did what they did</strong>: immediately at the beginning of the night they involved themselves in the mitzvos of <em>matzah</em>, <em>maror</em>, and the remembrance of the Pesach, just as their forefathers did in Egypt, and afterwards, for the rest of the night, they discussed the Exodus. <strong>Through this, they acted as though they, themselves, left [Egypt].</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">According to Abravanel, these Sages <strong>intentionally</strong> deprived themselves of sleep, staying up all night in order to emulate our forefathers, who didn’t sleep on the night of the actual Exodus, in order to fulfill the <a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Yad_Peshutah/Chametz_uMatzah/7.6#m7e0nf" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">halacha</a> of: “in each and every generation, a person is obligated to act (<em>le’haros</em>) as though they, themselves, left Egypt.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I don’t know whether my take-away from this Abravanel is “legit” or not, but I’ll state it anyway. Next time I wake up on the morning of Pesach (or on the morning of the second day of Pesach) – filled with food, groggy from lack of sleep, and feeling the effects of the four cups – instead of bemoaning my state, I’ll think to myself: “Our forefathers who left Egypt didn’t sleep <em>at all</em> on the night of the 15<sup>th</sup> of Nisan. And by staying up last night, I reenacted their ordeal.” This way of framing my poor sleep will strengthen my identification with my forefathers. Moreover, I will feel grateful that I, unlike my forefathers, was not under any threat of oppression, and that I was able to partake in a leisurely discussion of Torah in the manner of one who is truly free. </p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}" style="text-align: justify;">-----------------------------------</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a> <p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-27578798771024334172023-03-28T04:00:00.001-04:002023-04-03T00:04:14.836-04:00Tzav: Korban Todah – Thanking God with a Chametz and Matzah Party<p><i>Even though we are currently unable to bring korbanos, the ideas are as relevant to our lives as ever, provided we ask the right questions and look for the right kinds of answers. Here's an example.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><i>The Torah content from now until Pesach has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, author of <a href="https://www.gematriarefigured.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gematria</a><a href="https://a.co/d/27pyePa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Refigured: A New Look At How The Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers</a>. Stay up-to-date by <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/LUckdNTw7NxHzqppbNuVct" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">joining the Gematria Refigured+ WhatsApp group</a>, and subscribe to the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/gematria-refigured/id1659078882" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gematria Refigured+ Podcast</a>.</i></p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S5RNXI7sgBaBzZA_i-Omi9_JSmvuxO6z/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12537694" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqfDYtv6uIfcGzw8Ludmt_puVFoi_P3XFTthCF_K90c2FfLAmPfTxq2ccFyUhUIA6VogJD3aNLqQohqQKUbt1ksxo7hm88xdjaUQxWUrh1B19DSOLu7kkinal9_iitsCFhmgJnUgId7epiEkcTVb7r-TjwysgHJ_sxDg60TuEu70Qjjt4kZe64ArX/s1014/Lachmei%20Todah%20(Enhanced).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1014" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqfDYtv6uIfcGzw8Ludmt_puVFoi_P3XFTthCF_K90c2FfLAmPfTxq2ccFyUhUIA6VogJD3aNLqQohqQKUbt1ksxo7hm88xdjaUQxWUrh1B19DSOLu7kkinal9_iitsCFhmgJnUgId7epiEkcTVb7r-TjwysgHJ_sxDg60TuEu70Qjjt4kZe64ArX/w640-h502/Lachmei%20Todah%20(Enhanced).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reproduced from "The Artscroll Series Stone Edition: The Chumash, Enhanced Edition with Color Illustrations and Charts" by Rabbi Nosson Scherman with permission of the copyright holders, Artscroll // Mesorah Publications, Ltd.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><em><br /></em></p><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><br /></figcaption><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><br /></figcaption><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><br /></figcaption><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Tzav: Korban Todah – Thanking God with a Chametz and Matzah Party</u></span></strong></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">Tzav introduces the laws of the <em>korban todah </em>(thanksgiving offering). Rashi (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Vayikra/7.12#m5e2n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Vayikra 7:12-13</a>) explains that unlike a <em>nedavah</em> (voluntary offering), which can be brought for any reason, a <em>todah</em> is brought specifically “on a miracle that was done for a person, such as one who made a sea-voyage, or traveled through the wilderness, or had been imprisoned, or who had been sick and was healed.” The Written Torah outlines the components of the <em>todah</em>:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>This is the law of the peace-sacrifice that one may offer to Hashem. If he shall offer it for thanksgiving, he shall offer his thanksgiving-sacrifice with matzah-loaves mixed with oil, matzah-wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour fried with oil. This, together with loaves of chametz bread, he shall offer his peace-sacrifice of thanksgiving. (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Vayikra/7.11#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>ibid. 7:11-13</em></a><em>)</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The Oral Torah (<a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Mishneh_Torah_Sources/Ma'aseh_HaKorbanot/9.25#m7e1nf" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rambam, Hilchos Maaseh ha’Korbanos 9:17-22</a>) states that, <em>le’chatchilah </em>(ideally), one is obligated to bring a total of <strong>forty loaves of bread</strong>: ten <em>matzah</em>-loaves (<em>challos</em>) baked in an oven, ten <em>matzah</em>-wafers (<em>rakikin</em>), ten oil-fried <em>matzah</em> loaves (<em>revuchos</em>), and ten loaves of <em>chametz</em>-bread. These <em>menachos </em>(meal-offerings) – in addition to the sheep, goat, or calf which is the principal sacrifice – must be consumed in less than 24 hours: by the end of the night following the day that the <em>korban</em> was brought (and, Rabbinically, by midnight).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are three anomalies in the <em>korban todah</em> which require explanation. First, why so much bread? Second, why is <em>chametz</em> brought along with the <em>matzos</em>? All other <em>menachos </em>must be in the form of <em>matzah</em> and are prohibited to be brought as <em>chametz</em>, as we learned in last week’s <em>parashah </em>(<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Vayikra/2.11#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Vayikra 2:11</a>). The only two exceptions to this rule are the <em>korban todah </em>of an individual, and the communal <em>shtei ha’lechem</em> (Two Loaves) offered on Shavuos. Third, why must the entire <em>todah</em> (the meat plus the forty loaves) be consumed by no later than that night, whereas other peace-offerings can be consumed over the longer span of two days with the intervening night?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sforno’s commentary (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Sforno/Vayikra/7.11#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Vayikra 7:11</a>) addresses all three anomalies:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">[If peace-offerings are brought] on account of thanksgiving, they should be accompanied by bread, which includes a type of <em>chametz</em>. <strong>For indeed, the cause of the danger [which the bringer experienced on which he is now] giving thanks is the "leaven in the dough"</strong> (i.e. the <em>yetzer ha'ra</em>; see <a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Berakhot/17a.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Berachos 17a</a>). Nevertheless, the <em>matzah</em>-varieties outnumber [the <em>chametz</em> varieties]. <strong>With so much bread, the miracle will be publicized to the many who partake.</strong> Everything must be eaten within the time limit of <em>kodshim kalim </em>(offerings of lesser sanctity) of a night and a day - as opposed to regular peace-offerings which are not brought for thanksgiving, which have a time limit of two days and one night.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Because Chazal likened the <em>yetzer ha’ra </em>to “leavening in the dough,” the <em>chametz</em> loaves will remind the one who brings the <em>korban todah</em> of an easy-to-overlook aspect of gratitude: “<strong>that his <em>yetzer ha'ra</em> overpowered him to the point where he would have been endangered were it not for the miracle</strong>,” as one of Sforno’s students wrote (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Shiurei_Sforno/Vayikra/7.11#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shiurei R’ Ovadyah Sforno on Vayikra 7:11-17</a>). This sentiment is paralleled in the text of <em>birkas ha’gomel</em>, which is publicly recited by a person who was saved from one of the aforementioned life-threatening predicaments: “Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, <strong>Who bestows goodness to the liable,</strong> Who has bestowed every goodness upon me.” The requirement of bringing and eating forty loaves in a short timeframe compels the bringer of the <em>korban todah</em> to invite a large number of people to partake, <strong>thereby providing a larger audience for his public declaration of gratitude to Hashem for his miraculous salvation</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although we are currently unable to bring a <em>korban todah</em>, we can still make a <em>seudas hodaah </em>(a meal of thanksgiving) to express our gratitude to Hashem. Based on the ideas elucidated here, it behooves us to make it a big meal with lots of people, and to publicly acknowledge (or at least allude to) the role that our own <em>yetzer ha’ra</em> played in bringing about the calamity from which we were delivered. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">----------------------<br /><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p><em></em></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a> </div><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-25444559958030177382023-03-26T04:00:00.002-04:002023-04-03T00:19:01.017-04:00Vayikra: Shadal's View of Korbanos<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>67% of this article was written by Shadal. Yet, I wanted to highlight Shadal's radical theory, compare and contrast it with Rambam's view, and use it to answer a common question about tefilah.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Torah content from now until Pesach has been sponsored by my friend and colleague, Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, author of <a href="https://www.gematriarefigured.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gematria</a><a href="https://a.co/d/27pyePa" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Refigured: A New Look At How The Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers</a>. Stay up-to-date by <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/LUckdNTw7NxHzqppbNuVct" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">joining the Gematria Refigured+ WhatsApp group</a>, and subscribe to the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/gematria-refigured/id1659078882" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gematria Refigured+ Podcast</a>.</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k4T_MlM5244s6EVkWZGe-SRHnAUq5h1M/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12517440" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6pcXQhAdLS0PkmFH_OSZ9jP5BLNZNdvPKcszYrTnBx6Wfl7Ywk8-EHx_WkFfFOBQcXQZ9NHrKQBYv3qX848JfkSI9XIOicAFIgKC_HmQBMShXSDDeJr5IKbrDJJ0xHNjfhQpFYbIsY-xN1xXb8oHtXayl72MJlo1Lk2R4__nIbJHdchL2W8FHYJa/s1024/03.26.23%20-%20two%20varnished%20crowns%20in%20darkness.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6pcXQhAdLS0PkmFH_OSZ9jP5BLNZNdvPKcszYrTnBx6Wfl7Ywk8-EHx_WkFfFOBQcXQZ9NHrKQBYv3qX848JfkSI9XIOicAFIgKC_HmQBMShXSDDeJr5IKbrDJJ0xHNjfhQpFYbIsY-xN1xXb8oHtXayl72MJlo1Lk2R4__nIbJHdchL2W8FHYJa/w640-h640/03.26.23%20-%20two%20varnished%20crowns%20in%20darkness.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt, "photorealistic painting of three golden crowns on a table against a dark backdrop. one crown is lit up by a spotlight, causing it to shine. the other two crowns are in darkness," with the two other crowns modified using the outpainting feature </td></tr></tbody></table></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Vayikra: Shadal's View of Korbanos</span></u></b></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">What better way to begin Sefer Vayikra than with a new perspective on <em>korbanos</em>? Shadal summarizes his (what some might be consider to be a radical) view in his commentary on <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Shadal/Vayikra/1.2#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Vayikra 1:2</a>, as <a href="https://a.co/d/bh2Uneu" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">translated by Daniel A. Klein</a>:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Here I thought it appropriate to express my view in brief on the subject of sacrifices. <strong>Sacrifices did not originate from a Divine command, but rather from human will</strong>, for people voluntarily chose to give thanks to God for His kindnesses to them, or to bring a gift before Him to assuage His wrath, or to appease Him so that He might grant their requests. This was because it was unlikely for human beings to conduct themselves toward their God in any way other than that in which they would conduct themselves toward a flesh-and-blood king … <strong>The divine Torah, whose goal was not to teach the nation knowledge and wisdom, but rather to guide it on the paths of righteousness,</strong> <strong>did not abolish the custom of sacrifices</strong>, not that this would have been beyond its power, but because this custom is not evil in and of itself and does no harm to people or to the betterment of their ways; rather, it is beneficial to them.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">If we pause here, Shadal’s approach is reminiscent of the Rambam’s (see <a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Moreh_Nevukhim_3:32&s1=2" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Moreh 3:32</a>). The Rambam similarly holds that <em>korbanos </em>originated in human will and are not endorsed by Hashem as a primary objective of the Torah. Hashem “tolerated” <em>korbanos </em>and incorporated them into Torah because the abolishment of these ubiquitous modes of worship “would have been contrary to the nature of man, who clings to what he is accustomed.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But if we continue reading, we see that Shadal’s emphasis is entirely different than that of the Rambam:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>If the Torah had announced to the people that God has no desire for burnt offerings or sacrifices, the next day they would have said, “What desire does God have that we be righteous, and what would it profit us to perfect our ways?”</strong> And because one of the basic principles of the Torah is the belief that God watches over the activities of humankind and that He loves doers of good and hates the wicked, it was necessary that God would not be described in the full exaltedness of His true position, but that His majesty would be slightly lowered, as it were …</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If instead of sacrifices, God had commanded prayer, hymns, Torah reading, and preaching words of moral instruction, the greatness and fear of God would not have been impressed upon the hearts of the masses, <strong>for it would have seemed to them that the gods of the nations, whose worshippers presented them with various sacrifices, were greater and more glorious than our God</strong>, Whose worship consisted merely of intangible things. This is characteristic of the masses in all generations, and not just the common people, but most of humankind: who is honored among them? One who honors himself and increases his own rank. In contrast, one who is forbearing and does not seek greatness for himself is not important in their eyes. <strong>Thus, the true God, even though He has no need for the honor of humankind, was compelled for the sake of our benefit to convey His fear into our hearts so that we would not sin. And because in those days His fear could not have been conveyed into the hearts of the people by any means other than sacrifices, He commanded these</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The result of the sacrificial system that was maintained by the public in the Sanctuary was this: it was impressed on the hearts of the masses that a great God and King dwelled in their midst, that they were dear to Him, that He commanded them to perform services that would be favored by Him, and that by performing these services at His command, they would come into His favor every day and constantly draw His love upon themselves.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Whereas Rambam holds that Hashem retained <em>korbanos </em>because their abolition would have been too shocking to the masses, Shadal maintains that <em>korbanos</em> are necessary for <em>Kevod Malchuso</em> (the glory of God’s Kingship) which, in turn, was necessary for the Torah’s true goal of promoting righteousness through obeying God’s will.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This answers a common question about <em>tefilah</em>. If we can’t affect God in any way, then why does He require us to offer Him praise, request, and thanks? The essential answer is that these activities are for our own perfection. Based on Shadal, we can add that if we didn’t daven to Hashem as the other religions pray to their deities, this would diminish Hashem’s <em>Kavod</em> in our own eyes, which would detrimentally affect our relationship to His will.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}" style="text-align: justify;">------------------------------------<br /><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a><p></p><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-33025263380819717852023-03-24T04:00:00.001-04:002023-04-02T23:56:13.295-04:00Musings on the Fact that There is No Article This Week<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is not my weekly Torah article. It's an article about why there is no weekly Torah article, and my thoughts and feelings about that stark fact. I can't even say if this article is worth reading.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>There is no printer-friendly version of this article, nor is there an audio version.</em></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9yjnNf7ySnGaoSiPqRt43OiA-FEUi0flkpIqx0Wv2x98hm8TBbLD7-NnQPPQZfQK8xp-VJfJqbmbiGm3IgcFT760kqnxlOnY50E0GCy1IRx1EigNLRwBkqKmylv921Wqoa1oTc6_-R0rBIyCGCNuhTd8-RsxznEpwQv0w6DhqrRkuBcS4QN4p6pg/s1024/03.24.23%20-%20abstract%20painting%20of%20a%20male%20task-master%20forcing%20a%20male%20writer%20to%20write%20(variation%202).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9yjnNf7ySnGaoSiPqRt43OiA-FEUi0flkpIqx0Wv2x98hm8TBbLD7-NnQPPQZfQK8xp-VJfJqbmbiGm3IgcFT760kqnxlOnY50E0GCy1IRx1EigNLRwBkqKmylv921Wqoa1oTc6_-R0rBIyCGCNuhTd8-RsxznEpwQv0w6DhqrRkuBcS4QN4p6pg/w640-h640/03.24.23%20-%20abstract%20painting%20of%20a%20male%20task-master%20forcing%20a%20male%20writer%20to%20write%20(variation%202).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt "abstract painting of a male task-master forcing a male writer to write" (variation 2)</td></tr></tbody></table></p><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Musings on the Fact that There is No Article This Week</span></u></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">I began writing publicly in April 2007 with the launch of my blog, Kankan Chadash. For those last two-and-a-half (out of seven) years in yeshiva, I wrote on a fairly regular basis. I began teaching in 2009, at which point Kankan Chadash became Kankan Ne’lam (which would eventually be rebranded and relaunched as <a href="https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Kol ha’Seridim</a> in 2014), and the bulk of my writing moved to the summer months. The school year was simply too busy for me to write on a consistent basis, and if I wrote anything, it was usually before or during a break. But as soon as the summer was underway, I’d switch from teacher mode to writer mode. <a href="https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2019/06/summer-2019-state-of-blog-update.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Inspired</a> by the then-popular YouTuber <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Helbig" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Grace Helbig</a> on her channel <em>Daily Grace</em>, I decided that I’d publish a full-length article every weekday of the summer. And I did!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fast-forward to COVID-19. Shalhevet closed, and I transitioned from being a high school teacher to a rebbi in yeshiva. I didn’t get much writing done during that stressful summer of 2020. The first year of my post high school role (2020-2021) was the busiest year of my life, and the year after that (2021-2022) was devoted to prioritizing my own mental health. During the summer of 2021, I scaled back my routine from producing a full-length article every weekday to writing <a href="https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-one-page-article-summer-2021.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">a single-page article every weekday</a>. This ended up being a <a href="https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2021/07/hunting-for-treasure-vs-panning-for.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">brilliant decision</a>, insofar as it allowed me to maintain a consistent writing schedule while practicing some much-needed self-care. It also helped me mature as a writer by forcing me to become more concise and to be more selective in what I chose to write about. I continued with the daily single-page article in the summer of 2022.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This year after Rosh ha’Shanah (5783) I made the decision to embark on a new experiment: writing <em>during</em> the school year. I figured that if I made a concerted effort, I’d be able to keep up a schedule of writing a single one-page article each week, ready in time to print out for Shabbos. Although I haven’t always met that deadline, I am pleased to say that I’ve maintained my writing schedule: out of the 21 weeks in 5783, I’ve written 22 articles, which puts me <em>just</em> ahead of my weekly goal.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But today, for the first time, I find myself on Erev Shabbos Parashas Vayikra with no article.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To be fair to myself, something <em>had</em> to give. My whirlwind trip from NYC to Honolulu and back within 48 hours for <a href="https://youtu.be/1_uLoPpI7t8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Popo’s funeral</a> in the first half of last week (Sunday-Tuesday) was physically and emotionally taxing. I am proud of myself for keeping up my teaching, tutoring, podcasting, and writing schedule for the second half of the week (Wednesday-Friday), but I needed to take the entirety of this past weekend to recover. That, in turn, set me behind in my preparation for this week’s shiurim, which led to an <em>extremely </em>last-minute-cobbling-together of my <a href="https://youtu.be/Cw1-r8l_78Y" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Thursday night</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/7K2bhnaioH8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Friday morning</a> women’s shiurim. Thank God, both shiurim were well-received – but I really don’t like to leave my teaching up to chance like that, and I recognize that one or both shiurim might have crashed and burned.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My original plan for this week was to cast a large net when preparing sources on <em>chametz</em>, developing the major idea (symbolism in <em>chametz</em>) into a full shiur for my Friday morning women’s shiur and writing up the minor idea (the prohibition to offer <em>chametz</em> on the <em>mizbeach</em>) as my Friday article for Vayikra. Midweek I realized that I hadn’t made progress in the minor idea, so I decided to set that aside to focus on my Friday shiur. I remembered that I had started writing an article last year at around this time on why we don’t say <em>tachanun</em> during the month of Nisan. I found the draft, which was a little longer than a page, and I figured I could rework it into a full article in time for Shabbos. I remembered that I also gave shiur on that topic last year, which meant that I likely had a full article-worthy idea ready to go, if I could just refresh my memory. After giving my Friday morning women’s shiur, I listened to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PctG1zfzaNk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the <em>tachanun</em> shiur</a> while making and eating lunch … only to discover that we <em>didn’t</em> come up with a full idea in the shiur, which meant that I <em>couldn’t</em> simply edit my draft in time to write an article.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I thought to myself, “Surely you can churn out <em>something</em> in a matter of hours! You could write up one of the ideas you taught this week: <a href="https://youtu.be/u2O9MQppcGQ" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the idea from Morning Mishlei</a> about how not to face adversity, <a href="https://youtu.be/Rap_S5a1FiI" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the idea from Monday Night Mishlei</a> about investing in <em>kavod</em>, <a href="https://youtu.be/_ZnOBtyEH5A" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">an idea from <em>tefilah</em> shiur</a> about what kind of <em>tefilah</em> is listened to by Hashem, one of the <a href="https://youtu.be/0SwHmp8bklU" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pesach-related ideas from Rambam Bekius</a>, or one of the many other ideas that’s come up in <a href="https://youtu.be/eZnZ6yzRSx0" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Q&A</a>, discussion, or tutoring – you name it! C’mon! You can do it! Just write something up!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But the reality is: I don’t have the energy to <em>start </em>writing something at 2pm on Friday afternoon. And even if I could muster up the energy, I don’t want to. I’m done. I’m ready for Shabbos.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Which brings me here: to this article. Why am I writing <em>this</em> article?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are two reasons. The first has to do with habit cultivation. I set out to write an article every week, and even if I can’t find it in me to write a <em>Torah article</em> this week, I can still write <em>an article</em>. Why would I do such a thing if this clearly wasn’t my real goal? Because I am a firm believer in the rule set down by <a href="https://jamesclear.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">James Clear</a>, author of <a href="https://a.co/d/85noQdV" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Atomic Habits</em></a>, who wrote: “Don’t break the chain. Try to keep your habit streak alive.” Even if you have to shrink your habit down to its most minimal form (e.g. exercising for 1 minute instead of 30), you’ll still keep the streak going, which will increase your chances of maintaining the habit. Sure, if you <em>do</em> break the chain, Clear has another rule: “Never miss twice. If you miss one day, try to get back on track as quickly as possible.” But Friday afternoon is long, and I knew I could write <em>something</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second reason has to do with my own psyche. Particularly, my perfectionism. Inevitably, this feels like a failure. It feels like a failure even though (a) I took this commitment on <em>myself</em>, and it’s not like I’m being paid to do this as part of my job or anything; (b) in the grand scheme of things, there are no major <em>consequences</em> to my not writing a Torah article this week: there are literally hundreds of other articles I’ve written out there for people to read, and if someone specifically wanted an article on Vayikra, they have the whole Internet at their fingertips; (c) it’s not like this is a sign that I’m going to slack off and stop writing or stop giving shiur or stop learning; (d) as I mentioned above, I <em>have</em> a valid excuse, given the crazy week I had last week, and the very real need to recover!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And yet, my perfectionist parts are still shaking their heads at me, writing not-good-things about me in their notepads. In red ink. Scowling.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As I write this, I realize: maybe it’s <em>not</em> the best thing to appease those perfectionist parts by writing this article. Maybe it’s better to deliberately <em>not</em> write an article to show them that the world won’t end from a missed week. Or maybe <em>this</em> realization is being prompted by those same perfectionist parts, who want me to fail <em>perfectly</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Either way, I wrote this non-Torah article. I got these thoughts and feelings out onto the page, and I think there was some value in that for me. Is there value in sharing these self-recriminating thoughts and feelings with anyone else? You tell me.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">-----------------------------<br /><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div></figcaption>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-53996416960867024062023-03-17T04:00:00.001-04:002023-04-02T23:52:12.889-04:00Vayakhel: The Meaning of the Mirror Donation<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>I only had enough space in this article to convey a simple idea. For an elaboration on the ideas here, check out the 3/17/23 shiur I gave (on YouTube or my Machshavah Lab podcast) with the same title.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for the rest of Adar has been sponsored by my friend and chavrusa Zack, with the following dedicatory message: When asked, "Who is a leader you greatly admire?" my grandfather z”l immediately comes to mind. Each person who entered his presence was brought closer to a better version of themselves. This was due to his staunch belief in people and his uncompromising values. Knowledge is similar — it is indiscriminate and uncompromising in its power to help us become our best selves. Thank you Rabbi Schneeweiss for spreading knowledge, and may the memory of my grandfather, Naftali ben Tzvi, be a blessing.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/12WDTbx8sorScIZGWMelCAY9cfBK6Jrbv/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12462214" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE2Dphlr426evDfYK0OuZFaNso_v9_j0jPs_BXev3Kx8s4oz_8JrFX-eUG-g1WYBORH2E0yxK1Q2zn3y2nOkY-MTdx57BU7eebnJxVMXbiXuukfLxQ_SS65HDnjIiQfk8xNaSwU5jIBiMPKg6xEHOtKldjhVtCwfnEZbB7zvOiTT6QgmHgMIJ2D4E/s1024/03.17.23%20-%20oil%20painting%20of%20a%20group%20of%20Israelite%20women%20in%20the%20Desert%20donating%20their%20copper%20mirrors%20to%20moses.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE2Dphlr426evDfYK0OuZFaNso_v9_j0jPs_BXev3Kx8s4oz_8JrFX-eUG-g1WYBORH2E0yxK1Q2zn3y2nOkY-MTdx57BU7eebnJxVMXbiXuukfLxQ_SS65HDnjIiQfk8xNaSwU5jIBiMPKg6xEHOtKldjhVtCwfnEZbB7zvOiTT6QgmHgMIJ2D4E/w640-h640/03.17.23%20-%20oil%20painting%20of%20a%20group%20of%20Israelite%20women%20in%20the%20Desert%20donating%20their%20copper%20mirrors%20to%20moses.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E’s response to the prompt “oil painting of a group of Israelite women in the Desert donating their copper mirrors to Moses”</figcaption><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><br /></figcaption><figcaption class="image-caption" data-pm-slice="1 1 ["captionedImage",null]"><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Vayakhel: The Meaning of the Mirror Donation</u></span></strong></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">Hidden among the numerous <em>pesukim </em>detailing the construction of the Mishkan is a cryptic <em>pasuk</em> about the origin of the materials used to fashion the <em>kiyor </em>(laver): <em>“He made a bronze laver and its bronze base from the mirrors of the women who gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/38.8#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 38:8</em></a><em>)</em>. Rashi (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Shemot/38.8#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid.</a>) explains the history and significance of this donation based on a midrash (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Tanchuma_Sectioned/Shemot/38.29#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Tanchuma Pikudei 9</a>) which fills us in on the backstory:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The Jewish women possessed mirrors which they looked at when they adorned themselves. Even these did they not hesitate to donate to the Mishkan. <strong>Moshe was about to reject them since they were made for the <em>yetzer ha’ra</em>, but Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu said to him, “Accept them, for these are dearer to Me than all the other contributions, because through them the women reared those huge hosts in Egypt!”</strong> For when their husbands were exhausted from the crushing labor, they would bring them food and drink and induce them to eat. They would take the mirrors, and each gazed at herself in her mirror together with her husband, saying endearingly to him, “See? I am more beautiful than you!” thereby awakening [their husbands’] desire. They coupled with them, became pregnant, and gave birth there, at it is said, <em>"I awakened your love under the apple-tree" (Shir ha’Shirim 8:5)</em>. This is the meaning of <em>“the mirrors of the tzoveos (women who reared the hosts).”</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Rabbeinu Avraham ben ha’Rambam (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Avraham_b._HaRambam/Shemot/38.8#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shemos 38:8</a>) provides two alternative explanations, which are related:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">[According to one explanation, this is referring to] <strong>the</strong> <strong>women who engage in service of Hashem</strong>, who abandoned their homes and committed themselves to the service of Hashem - just as the soldiers abandon their residences and travel to the location of their battle. A second explanation:<strong> [the women who] wage a spiritual war with their instinctual desires, turning all the attention of their soul to focus on God and His service</strong>. This second explanation suffices for the first one since it is the objective of the first one. And once they reached the level of separation [from their desires], they broke their mirrors – for they no longer needed them – and they brought them as an offering. <strong>[In doing so,] they transformed implements which were designed for the attainment of lust and earthly enjoyment into religious implements which were designed for the service of God (exalted is He).</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Unlike Rashi, who attributes the significance of the mirrors to the historical role they played in the formation of the Jewish nation, R’ Avraham focuses on the level of perfection reached by the women who donated them. Imagine a woman – or a man – today who no longer cared about their own appearance and had transcended the need to look at themselves in a mirror! The question is: <strong>What are the implications of these two explanations?</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>These two explanations reflect two different strategies for dealing with the <em>yetzer ha’ra</em>.</strong> Rashi references the basic level: channeling one’s instinctual drives towards nobler ends. We mention this idea in the <em>Shema</em>: <em>“You shall love Hashem, your God, with all your heart (levavechah)” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Devarim/6.5#m4e2n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Devarim 6:5</em></a><em>) </em>which Chazal interpret to mean “with both your inclinations [the <em>yetzer ha’tov </em>and the <em>yetzer ha’ra</em>]” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Berakhot/54a.6#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Berachos 54a</a>). The Jewish women in Egypt were immersed in Egyptian culture, which elevated beauty and sexuality to the level of a primary value. Nevertheless, when they saw the plight of the Jewish people, they took their obsession with beauty and channeled it into Torah values: <em>p’ru u’revu </em>(procreation) and building up the Jewish nation. And when it came time to make contributions to the Mishkan, these women were willing to give up their precious mirrors for a higher purpose, even if they remained attached to their Egyptian values. R’ Avraham’s view references the higher level: “going to war” with the <em>yetzer ha’ra</em> and changing your values to the point where you no longer crave what the <em>yetzer ha’ra</em> demands.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Both strategies express the very essence of <em>avodah</em>: the subordination of one’s instinctual drives to Hashem’s value system</strong>. <em>Avodah </em>begins with a recognition that this higher value system exists, and that the life of instinctual desire runs contrary to that. At first, the most one can do is reroute those desires. Eventually, it becomes possible to sublimate them entirely. For this reason, it is appropriate that the <em>kiyor</em> – which is used to initiate the day of <em>avodah</em> – was made from materials that embodied the fundamental character of <em>avodah</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">---------------------<br /><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.<br /></em>-----</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p></figcaption>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-18704070726833659422023-03-14T23:40:00.001-04:002023-04-02T23:47:41.360-04:00My Eulogy for Popo<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is the eulogy I delivered at the funeral of my Popo (grandmother), Helen Chang (10/5/1924 - 2/2/2023) on 3/13/23 in Honolulu, HI.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://youtu.be/1_uLoPpI7t8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for the video of my eulogy, </em><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m4lOzlgKDsLG5qG4Jp8Jx_cqLKTKd2AR/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly transcript, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12439919" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version. For the beautiful eulogy given by my brother, Jonny, </em><a href="https://youtu.be/2J9CuGHzXIU" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em>.</em></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cPqP85krXLGYS2KuENF19iQ61C4OPsawyGC3ym7COjXLLTB7po817D-Op9T9RWW1SKPknLBI_a0VBYKRkgr5nuc1MmFtEPQFhesjhAnFaldrrdkDtWUJpfOEMSwZ3PKBouRN1xEpNhIGAvLhHUzCjLQv58jt0ciKWmCMqO99EPrwGi7EPeH2XE7I/s2048/Popo%2094th%20Birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cPqP85krXLGYS2KuENF19iQ61C4OPsawyGC3ym7COjXLLTB7po817D-Op9T9RWW1SKPknLBI_a0VBYKRkgr5nuc1MmFtEPQFhesjhAnFaldrrdkDtWUJpfOEMSwZ3PKBouRN1xEpNhIGAvLhHUzCjLQv58jt0ciKWmCMqO99EPrwGi7EPeH2XE7I/w480-h640/Popo%2094th%20Birthday.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><em><br /></em><p></p><h3><span style="font-size: large;"><u>My Eulogy for Popo</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">King Solomon concludes the Book of Proverbs with a portrait of the virtuous woman. The Hebrew phrase he uses to describe this woman is <em>“eishes chayil.”</em> The first verse reads: <em>“Who can find an eishes chayil? Her value is far beyond pearls” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Midrash_Mishlei/Mishlei/31.31#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Proverbs 31:10</em></a><em>)</em>. There is a debate among the medieval Jewish commentators as to how to translate the term <em>“eishes chayil.”</em> Some understand it to mean <em>“a woman of valor” </em>or <em>“strength,”</em> as in the strength displayed by a soldier. Others render it <em>“a wealthy woman,” </em>since the word <em>“chayil”</em> usually means “wealth.” I believe that Popo embodied both definitions, and I would like to show you how.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD4yX8CGE5SLnuN95fCwx3oqIKMkk1r3KE8kRQJiCDkMLkP9Cj30hz8O2ijEnCgs6lM9-CXzPRRN7KTbjT4O3oWNI9A7Ptrz_YLSYEyFkvkVEDouQDI3nAT9YC4tt5qT-qTI3XY4F2u_JdqB5Ts83BfknqYA6q06-5AVlQB2t8lj-djKJPOPizc0s/s3264/IMG_20130626_180755_635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD4yX8CGE5SLnuN95fCwx3oqIKMkk1r3KE8kRQJiCDkMLkP9Cj30hz8O2ijEnCgs6lM9-CXzPRRN7KTbjT4O3oWNI9A7Ptrz_YLSYEyFkvkVEDouQDI3nAT9YC4tt5qT-qTI3XY4F2u_JdqB5Ts83BfknqYA6q06-5AVlQB2t8lj-djKJPOPizc0s/w640-h480/IMG_20130626_180755_635.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Kung Kung, Robbie, my mom, Matthew, and Popo<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The Sages of the Talmud (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Midrash_Mishlei/Mishlei/31.31#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Midrash Mishlei 31:10</a>) illustrate the first definition of <em>“eishes chayil”</em> with an anecdote about a woman named Bruriah, the wife of Rabbi Meir, one of the greatest rabbis who ever lived.</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">There was an incident involving Rabbi Meir who was sitting and expounding in the study hall on the Sabbath afternoon [when, unbeknownst to him,] his two sons died. What did [their] mother [Bruriah] do? She placed them both on the bed [upstairs] and spread a sheet over them. [At nightfall] when the Sabbath ended, Rabbi Meir returned home from the study hall. He said [to his wife], “Where are my two sons?” She told him, “They went to the study hall.” He replied: “I looked around the study hall and I didn’t see them.” She gave him the cup [of wine to conduct the ritual ceremony at the end of the Sabbath]. Afterwards, he asked her again: “Where are my two sons?” She told him, “They went elsewhere, but they’re on their way back.” She brought him his food [for his post-Sabbath meal] and he ate and recited the [after]blessing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After he recited the blessing, she said to him: “Rabbi, I have a question to ask you.” “Ask me your question,” he replied. She said: “Rabbi, the day before [yesterday] a man came to me and entrusted me with a deposit [for safekeeping]. Now he has come to take it back. Shall we return it to him or not?” [Rabbi Meir] said, “My dear, one who is entrusted with a deposit must return it to its owner!” She said to him: “Rabbi, I did not want to give it back without your consent.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What did she do? She took him by the hand, led him up to the room, brought him near the bed, and lifted the sheet from upon [the bodies of their two sons]. Upon seeing them both dead, lying on the bed, [Rabbi Meir] began to cry, saying, “My sons, my sons! My teachers, my teachers! My sons in the way of the world, and my teachers who enlightened me with their teaching!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At that moment, Rabbi Meir’s wife said to him: “Rabbi, didn’t you tell me that I needed to return the deposit to its Owner?” [whereupon Rabbi Meir] said: <em>“The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be blessed” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_David/Iyyov/1.21#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Job 1:21</em></a><em>)</em> … With this statement, she consoled him, and his [peace of] mind was restored. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">This is the meaning of <em>“Who can find an eishes chayil (a woman of valor)?”</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">This entire Talmudic passage was sent to me as consolation by a friend of mine (who knew and loved Popo) when he learned of Popo’s passing. My friend didn’t realize the poignancy of this teaching, for he was unaware of the great tragedy of Popo’s life: the untimely deaths of her two sons, Matthew and Robbie, ages 19 and 22, whose lives were taken in 1973 just a few months apart.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have known about what happened to Matthew and Robbie for as long as I can remember. Indeed, I was named after Matthew, and my brother, “Jonathan Robert,” was named after Robbie. When I was younger, I was only dimly aware on an abstract level of how difficult it must have been for Popo (and Kung Kung) to survive the losses of both sons in rapid succession. It wasn’t until I was older that my mom relayed to me her memory of Popo crying hysterically over the loss of her two precious boys, in this very cemetery. She told me how Popo was so nearly overcome by despair that she said she wanted to ram her car into the side of the cliff to end her suffering. Why didn’t she make that fateful decision? Because of her deep conviction that she <em>must</em> go on – for the sake of her daughter, for her husband, and for herself. And so she did.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">How did Popo cope with such a horrendous catastrophe? How did she make peace with God? How did she succeed in living such a full life after so much was taken from her? And what does all this say about who she was as a person? I have been thinking about such questions ever since Popo died – questions I didn’t ask her during her lifetime and can ask her no longer.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Part of me regrets not asking Popo these questions while I still had the chance, but another part of me knows that there was no need for me to ask. The answers to these questions were right there in front of me. They were manifest in how Popo lived, and in who she was to all of us. And if I had to take a guess at her unspoken answers, and sum them up in a single word, that word would be <strong>love</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Popo loved us <em>so much</em>. She loved us unconditionally. Her love was always there for us, and it was there in abundance. That is what Popo was and will forever be to me: <strong>a permanent loving presence in my life</strong>. Although there is no way for me to know for sure, I intuitively sense that Popo’s capacity for love was, at least in part, a response to her terrible misfortune. Only one who has suffered such a loss knows how important it is to show love to your loved ones while they are still alive. Only one who has experienced such a harsh confrontation with mortality knows how brief is the span of time we have been granted to spend with our loved ones. And if one has loved and lost and then taken the risk of choosing to love again, then that love will prove to be unstoppable.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Popo was an <em>eishes chayil </em>in the first sense of the term: a valiant, strong, courageous woman who persevered and chose life after being dealt a crushing blow by the hand of death. She may very well be one of the most courageous people I have ever known. Only recently have I come to realize that Popo’s strength and love have been the bedrock upon which my entire existence rests. She passed on that strength and love to my mom, who passed it on to me and to Jonny in how she raised us. I would not be here physically without Popo, but I would also not be who I am if not for Popo being the valiant woman she was.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6wRK3IP0shwPEfpo_eX0JxfQuuxN4hmTK5FGt_szWqGKITy1hxehlRTue8S0qS02b1dmxcQMoFf27jyWslVguKPepBpgQF60ucX5GjVQpt9zocIz2KHbGZSeB_-VJKz47zuYJUAkqgKbxFmD-vjeQE0qUn06NIBHope7VwROCqeZ4w_1T5s-SmnT/s1194/Popo%20and%20Elvis%20(Bottom).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1194" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6wRK3IP0shwPEfpo_eX0JxfQuuxN4hmTK5FGt_szWqGKITy1hxehlRTue8S0qS02b1dmxcQMoFf27jyWslVguKPepBpgQF60ucX5GjVQpt9zocIz2KHbGZSeB_-VJKz47zuYJUAkqgKbxFmD-vjeQE0qUn06NIBHope7VwROCqeZ4w_1T5s-SmnT/w640-h428/Popo%20and%20Elvis%20(Bottom).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="captioned-image-container" style="text-align: left;"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">Popo with Elvis Presley. Elvis was in Honolulu filming “Girls, Girls, Girls” (1962). Popo saw him eating at a restaurant, and went up to ask for a picture. She was 38.</figcaption></figure></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The second definition of <em>eishes chayil </em>is “a wealthy woman.” Popo was wealthy in many ways. On the most basic level, she (and Kung Kung) had enough money to not want for anything, by their hard work and by the grace of God. She was wealthy in terms of her many talents, which she applied in her personal and professional life. She was wealthy in friendship. It would not be an exaggeration to say that EVERYBODY loved Popo. And I’m not just talking about the hundreds upon hundreds of people who actually <em>knew</em> her throughout her lifetime, but the thousands of people who merely <em>encountered </em>her. To meet Popo was to love Popo. I am fortunate that so many of my friends got to “meet” her through my many Popo-related Facebook posts over the years. I don’t think she realized that she had become a social media icon, and I am grateful for being able to “share” her with so many people in this way.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">But none of this captures the true meaning of <em>eishes chayil </em>as a “wealthy woman” according to Judaism. The Sages of the Talmud teach: “<em>Eizehu ashir? ha’Sameach b’chelko. </em>Who is wealthy? One who is content with their portion” (Avos 4:1). To be wealthy means to be happy with what you have, and this was another one of Popo’s crowning virtues. Looking back, I cannot recall ever hearing Popo complain. I mean <em>actually</em> complain. Sure, when a driver cut her off in traffic, she would say “Lo LO!” under her breath, and when something annoyed her, she’d say “humBUG!” (or, when warranted, “ROBERT!”). But in her general way of life, Popo was always smiling, always laughing, and always positive.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This trait found expression in Popo’s musicality. The chorus of one of her favorite songs goes: <em>“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”</em> These lyrics, which we heard her sing so many times, could very well have been written about Popo herself, and the sunshine she radiated to those around her. Popo loved to play the piano and was able to play almost anything by ear. But there was one severe limitation on her musical skill: she only knew how to play in major keys. She was incapable of playing any song in a minor key, and thus, incapable of playing sad songs. And on the rare occasion that she tried, the song would somehow end up major by the end. I can’t help but be amused by the symbolism.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Popo’s “contentedness with her portion” was evident in how she appreciated life’s pleasures. She loved dressing up in colorful matching outfits and was admired in her social circles for her fashion sense. She loved her jewelry and wore it whenever she could – not in order to project any sort of image, but simply because she liked how she felt while wearing it. She enjoyed good food, and always savored her favorites – including sushi (which she taught me how to make), corn (which she once smuggled into Honolulu from Yakima because IT WAS JUST SO CHEAP!), and especially ice cream (her guilty pleasure, and arguably, her only true vice). And Popo’s kindness meant that she enjoyed cooking and sharing food as much as she enjoyed eating it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Popo’s jubilant demeanor was also expressed in her quirky sense of humor, which was an idiosyncratic blend of silliness, wit, comedic timing, and physical antics – all reminiscent of <em>I Love Lucy</em>, a show which I loved watching with her growing up. My memories of conversations with Popo involve constant laughter. It didn’t even matter what we were talking about. She infused all her interactions with a joy that was contagious.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In all these ways and more, Popo fit the second definition of <em>eishes chayil</em>. She was a truly wealthy woman – one who was happy with her portion. Popo always wanted to give us money whenever she could, and she did. But the real wealth she bequeathed to us, and the real inheritance she left for us, is the propensity to enjoy life – a disposition she fostered in us by her own example.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtWkiPvHz0WQexNMiLmLlFDxDDDJRzkazRMjFfarObocaRXkaYcssIDOvZPUPXEYJkGoVhbcqWu39rxPVaSIWKOuvYD1HsUIT5goPlLIva8borRlMevfWNKxEndhYHZqOuj35_MrTQWxiK869b3-XkA2F-obKcryMjLvGkIC1jYL6EvKhaOE7cPgk/s2048/Me,%20Popo,%20and%20Jonny%20(June%202022).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtWkiPvHz0WQexNMiLmLlFDxDDDJRzkazRMjFfarObocaRXkaYcssIDOvZPUPXEYJkGoVhbcqWu39rxPVaSIWKOuvYD1HsUIT5goPlLIva8borRlMevfWNKxEndhYHZqOuj35_MrTQWxiK869b3-XkA2F-obKcryMjLvGkIC1jYL6EvKhaOE7cPgk/w640-h480/Me,%20Popo,%20and%20Jonny%20(June%202022).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="captioned-image-container" style="text-align: left;"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">Me, Popo, and Jonny in July 2022 - the last time we were both together with Popo.</figcaption><div><br /></div></figure></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">These two <em>eishes chayil</em> qualities that Popo possessed – her acceptance and enjoyment of her portion in life, and her strength and determination to live, even in the face of death – these qualities were her Yin and Yang: dual-elements of her soul which complemented each other and formed an integrated whole. Her resilience is what enabled her to accept the reality of her portion, both the good and the bad, and her contentedness with that portion further bolstered her resilience.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When I look back at Popo, knowing that this was the life she lived, I am inspired to make the most out of my own life. I don’t know whether God will grant me as long of a life as Popo, but I am determined to make the most of the life I am given, as Popo did with hers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I am reminded of the words of Marcus Aurelius who wrote: “Even if you were destined to live three thousand years, or ten times that long, nevertheless <strong>remember that no one loses any life other than the one he lives or lives any life other than the one he loses</strong>.” Thank you, Popo, for teaching me “the way of the world” – for teaching me how to live.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Bruriah consoled her husband by saying, “Didn’t you tell me that I needed to return the deposit to its Owner?” Rabbi Meir responded by saying: <em>“The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken. May the name of the Lord be blessed.”</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;">God gave us the rare and precious gift of our Popo. We were blessed by her love, her strength, and her joy for our entire lives. After 98 years on this earth, the time came for God to take her back. We are all sad to lose Popo, but she will continue to live on in who we are and how we live.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>“The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken. May the name of the Lord be blessed.”</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Goodbye, Popo. I love you.</p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-24916722690552806412023-03-10T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:40:28.755-04:00Ki Tisa: Is Shabbos a Day of Simchah?<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>If so, why isn't it presented this way in the Torah and in halacha? And if not, then why are there so many references to Shabbos joy in the songs we sing on Shabbos? </i></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for the rest of Adar has been sponsored by my friend and chavrusa Zack, with the following dedicatory message: When asked, "Who is a leader you greatly admire?" my grandfather z”l immediately comes to mind. Each person who entered his presence was brought closer to a better version of themselves. This was due to his staunch belief in people and his uncompromising values. Knowledge is similar — it is indiscriminate and uncompromising in its power to help us become our best selves. Thank you Rabbi Schneeweiss for spreading knowledge, and may the memory of my grandfather, Naftali ben Tzvi, be a blessing.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14QMfgKmwxsYo-ofaI13kl9uXf3P8VebU/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12414560" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkHimczJlXbK4w4r9Rd66sla0QLQiRgsEXFDjZRJlxCX3KdvHXoXqr8KzBNSoQAG2CzMyK_VrlBKeLY_hsYDCGC6qfbKC6GIJNE9ahQR_Z7tyGO0keu-51P6byy5QmLPld9gT99AO4njgoKYAsELNw04l0v11WDrwJ6Ti8mzc0CXRosS4jqicc3-M/s1922/03.10.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20king%20david%20playing%20a%20lyre%20and%20gazing%20up%20at%20a%20starry%20sky%20(expanded).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1786" data-original-width="1922" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkHimczJlXbK4w4r9Rd66sla0QLQiRgsEXFDjZRJlxCX3KdvHXoXqr8KzBNSoQAG2CzMyK_VrlBKeLY_hsYDCGC6qfbKC6GIJNE9ahQR_Z7tyGO0keu-51P6byy5QmLPld9gT99AO4njgoKYAsELNw04l0v11WDrwJ6Ti8mzc0CXRosS4jqicc3-M/w640-h594/03.10.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20king%20david%20playing%20a%20lyre%20and%20gazing%20up%20at%20a%20starry%20sky%20(expanded).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">impressionist painting of king david playing a lyre and gazing up at a starry sky.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><h3><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Ki Tisa: Is Shabbos a Day of Simchah?</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">Shabbos is undoubtedly a day of <em>oneg </em>(enjoyment), as the <em>navi</em> states: <em>“you shall proclaim Shabbos an </em><strong><em>oneg</em></strong><em>” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Yeshayahu/58.13#m4e2n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Yeshayahu 58:13</em></a><em>)</em>. <em>Oneg</em> isn’t merely a theme of Shabbos, but a halachic institution. On Shabbos there is an obligation to have three lavish meals throughout the day, and for couples to have marital relations – all for <em>oneg</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But is Shabbos also a day of <em>simchah </em>(joy)? According to the <em>zemiros</em> we sing on Shabbos, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” The opening stanza of <a href="https://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=21" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Menuchah v’Simchah</em></a> declares: “Rest and <strong>joy</strong>, light for the Jews, on this day of Shabbos, day of delights.” <a href="https://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=83" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Kol Mekadeish</em></a> states: “on Shabbos day be glad <strong>and rejoice</strong>” and “Hashem made this day; we will be glad and <strong>rejoice on it</strong>.” In <a href="https://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=88" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Baruch El Elyon</em></a> we sing: “Therefore let each man give himself enjoyment <strong>and also joy</strong>.” In <a href="https://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=36" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Ki Eshmera Shabbos</em></a>, we say that Shabbos “is a <strong>day of joy</strong> and <strong>will bring me joy</strong>.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And yet, this theme of <em>simchah</em> is not mentioned in the Written Torah. There are <em>pesukim</em> which associate <em>simchah</em> with Yom Tov, such as: <em>“you shall </em><strong><em>rejoice</em></strong><em> before Hashem for seven days” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Vayikra/23.40#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Vayikra 23:40</em></a><em>)</em> and <em>“you shall </em><strong><em>rejoice</em></strong><em> on your festival” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Devarim/16.14#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Devarim 16:14</em></a><em>)</em>, but there are no <em>pesukim</em> which explicitly associate Shabbos with <em>simchah</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Likewise, there are numerous halachic guidelines for <em>simchah</em> on Yom Tov. For example, the Rambam writes: “How [does one fulfill the mitzvah of <em>simchah </em>on Yom Tov]? He distributes roasted grains, nuts, and seeds to the children. He buys beautiful clothes and jewelry for the women, according to his financial means. The men eat meat and drink wine, for there is no <em>simchah</em> without meat and there is no <em>simchah</em> without wine, etc.” (<a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Yad_Peshutah/Shevitat_Yom_Tov/6.17#m7e0ne" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Hilchos Shevisas Yom Tov 6:17</a>). There are no parallel halachos of <em>simchah</em> on Shabbos – only <em>oneg</em>. True, there are a few allusions to Shabbos <em>simchah</em> in halachic literature, such as Chazal’s comment that <em>“on your days of rejoicing”</em> refers to Shabbosos (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Sifre_Bemidbar/Bemidbar/10.10#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sifre on Bamidbar 10:10</a>), and the Talmud Yerushalmi’s statement (<a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Yerushalmi_Megillah_1:4" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Megilah 1:4</a>) that when Purim falls out on Shabbos, the <em>seudah</em> must be pushed off because of Shabbos’s unique <em>simchah </em>character. But at the end of the day, the <em>simchah</em> character of Shabbos does not express itself in any positive halachic obligations.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What are we to make of this? A clue can be found in the reference to <em>simchah</em> in the Song of the Day for Shabbos:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>A psalm, a song for the Shabbos day. It is good to thank Hashem and to sing to Your Name, O Exalted One; to recount Your kindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness in the nights. Upon a ten-stringed instrument and upon lyre, with singing [accompanied] by harp. </em><strong><em>For You have caused me to rejoice (simachtani), Hashem, with Your deed; about Your handiwork I will sing joyously (aranein)</em></strong><em>. How great are Your works, Hashem; [how] very deep are Your thoughts! A boorish man doesn’t know, and a fool doesn’t understand this. (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Tehillim/92.1#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Tehilim 92:1-7</em></a><em>)</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Radak (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Tehillim/92.1#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid. 92:5</a>) provides a clear and beautiful explanation of what this Shabbos <em>simchah</em> is:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>for you have caused me to rejoice</em>: On the Shabbos day You have brought me <strong><em>simchah</em> in my contemplation of <em>Your deed </em>and<em> Your handiwork</em>, which is the universe and everything in it.</strong> On the Shabbos day, when I have [time] to contemplate [the universe], I will rejoice – <strong>this is [a reference] to scientific knowledge (<em>chochmas ha’teva</em></strong>) – and when I contemplate it and apprehend from it whatever I can apprehend, I will rejoice and I will sing with my heart/mind. <strong>This [refers to] the matter which each and every wise person contemplates in the work of God; therefore, he said <em>“I will rejoice</em>” and <em>“I will sing”</em> in the singular.</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The <em>oneg</em> of Shabbos and the <em>simchah</em> of Yom Tov involve physical delights which can be experienced by everyone. The <em>simchah</em> of Shabbos, however, results from contemplating the wisdom of the Creator that is manifest in His universe. This type of <em>simchah</em> is not accessible to the average individual, but only to <em>chachamim </em>(the wise) in accordance with their knowledge. Perhaps this is why <em>simchah</em> is not uniformly mandated on Shabbos as it is on Yom Tov, but is relegated to the status of a philosophical theme to be tapped into by individuals on their level.</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">--------------------------------</div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div></em><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-28129841809863853502023-03-07T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:36:54.305-04:00Megilas Esther: How Esther Stayed Religious<p>Here's an article I cranked out over Taanis Esther and Purim day which offers insight into Esther's character via a set of bizarre midrashim about her observance of hilchos niddah with Achashveirosh.</p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nh0MfbL4N6phP26nszrTEe7KDlprpOsw/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 2-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12393870" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgaDyi_8FQZFYDAYiNu3xuAAs6u2rmPMSearEu9P2inF4j4lNSELdtHVBhilXkENSHRZsy5JHqlhxYG4jLCJau_mcqq-F_Z2gCcUPeHnelGR6upNqkyiMZsdgFMN4Xi8Qgid-mTTIrH1-OE_B1JKdMullgdzUJ6vbv4mpfyyxMWzf02W5Fsx2vj0m/s1024/03.06.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20biblical%20queen%20esther%20looking%20out%20onto%20the%20street%20from%20behind%20bars%20(Variation%202c).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgaDyi_8FQZFYDAYiNu3xuAAs6u2rmPMSearEu9P2inF4j4lNSELdtHVBhilXkENSHRZsy5JHqlhxYG4jLCJau_mcqq-F_Z2gCcUPeHnelGR6upNqkyiMZsdgFMN4Xi8Qgid-mTTIrH1-OE_B1JKdMullgdzUJ6vbv4mpfyyxMWzf02W5Fsx2vj0m/w640-h640/03.06.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20biblical%20queen%20esther%20looking%20out%20onto%20the%20street%20from%20behind%20bars%20(Variation%202c).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">DALL-E’s response to the prompt “impressionist painting of the Biblical Queen Esther looking out onto the street from behind bars”</figcaption></figure></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Megilas Esther: How Esther Stayed Religious</u></span></strong></h3><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>“Every day Mordechai would walk back and forth before the courtyard of the women’s house to know Esther’s wellbeing and what was to be done to her” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Esther/2.11#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Esther 2:11</em></a><em>)</em>. According to the <em>pshat</em>, Mordechai was checking on her general welfare and keeping tabs on her fate. Chazal, however, teach that Mordechai was <strong>“inquiring about her bloodstains and her <em>niddah </em>(menstrual status)</strong>” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Midrash_Rabbah_Sectioned/Esther/2.11#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Esther Rabbah 2:11 [6:8]</a>). Similarly, when the Megilah tells us that <em>“Esther followed Mordechai’s directive as she had when she was raised with him” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Esther/2.20#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>2:20</em></a><em>)</em>, Chazal explain: “<strong>she would show her menstrual blood to the Sages</strong> [for halachic rulings]” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Megillah/13b.6#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Megilah 13b</a>). The question is: Why posit that Mordechai and Esther were preoccupied with the laws of <em>niddah</em>? What are Chazal trying to teach us? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Gemara continues with an even more unbelievable statement – one which is predicated on Chazal’s assumption that Mordechai and Esther were husband and wife (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Megillah/13a.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">13a</a>) rather than adoptive father and daughter. The Gemara states: “<strong>[Esther] would get up from the lap of Achashveirosh (i.e. from having sexual relations with him), immerse herself in a <em>mikveh</em>, and sit in the lap of Mordechai (i.e. return to having sexual relations with him)</strong>” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Megillah/13b.6#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">13b</a>). This is problematic on at least three levels. First and foremost, there is no halachic need – and, seemingly, no halachic purpose – to keeping the laws of <em>niddah</em> in a forbidden sexual relationship with a non-Jew. A second problem, raised by R’ Chalayo (13<sup>th</sup> century), has to do with the logistics: Mordechai didn’t have direct access to Esther while she was married to Achashveirosh, as evidenced by the fact that the two of them were forced to communicate by messenger during the Haman crisis (see <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Esther/4.5#m6e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Esther 4:5,7,9,10,12,13</a>). If so, how was it even possible for them to continue sleeping together? R’ Chalayo identifies a third problem: Why would Mordechai and Esther risk their lives and the lives of the entire Jewish people for the sake of these trysts? Surely the king had eyes and ears everywhere in Shushan. Considering his earlier response to Vashti’s “betrayal” and his subsequent rage at Haman’s perceived attempt to rape the queen, we can guess how Achashveirosh would react if he learned that his wife were having an affair with Mordechai, the Jew. How, then, can we make sense of this midrash? [1]</p><p style="text-align: justify;">R’ Chalayo offers an explanation which resolves these problems and showcases Esther’s stellar character:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">It is possible for me to explain the words of the midrash [as follows:] because Esther was living among the uncircumcised [gentiles,] and eating the [non-kosher] royal food, <strong>she was unable to keep Torah and mitzvos properly</strong>. This is the meaning of the immersion [mentioned in the midrash,] that “she immersed [in a <em>mikveh</em> and returned to] the lap of Mordechai” – <strong>namely, this was Esther’s best immersion to fulfill the Torah and the mitzvos to the extent that was possible for her</strong>. The proof is: <em>“and Esther obeyed the directive of Mordechai,”</em> which they say [means:] “she would show her menstrual blood to the Sages.” How good and how pleasant is this explanation!</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">On a simple level, the midrash conveys the idea that Esther kept Torah and mitzvos as best as she could under the circumstances. Chazal’s statement that she immersed in a <em>mikveh</em> and went back to Mordechai after sleeping with Achashveirosh isn’t meant to be taken literally. <strong>Rather, it means that she didn’t abandon the halachos of <em>niddah</em> despite being married to a non-Jew</strong>. Instead, she maintained allegiance to the teachings of Mordechai and the Sages. The Manos Levi (<a href="https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=11587&st=&pgnum=157&hilite=" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">2:11</a>) and the Torah Temimah (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Torah_Temimah/Esther/2.11#m4e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid. footnote 27</a>) explain what this means in practical terms: although she wasn’t able to avoid relations with Achashveirosh, she strove to only sleep with him while in a state of purity, which is why she continued to pose halachic questions to the Sages about her bloodstains.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Esther’s decision exemplifies the Torah value of <em>kedushah </em>(loosely translated as “sanctity,” “holiness,” or “separateness”). <em>Kedushah </em>means “transcendence of physicality.” For non-physical existences (God, angels, souls), to be <em>kadosh </em>is to be non-physical. For physical creatures, such as ourselves, being <em>kadosh </em>means resisting the temptation to let our physicality overpower our <em>tzelem Elokim </em>(non-physical, truth-seeking intellect). Instead, we must rise above our animalistic nature and strive for the opposite kind of life: a life of mind over matter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Chazal teach us the principle of: <em>“kadeish atzmecha </em><strong><em>b’mutar</em></strong><em> lach” </em>or<em> </em>“sanctify yourself within what is <strong>permitted</strong> to you” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Yevamot/20a.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Yevamos 20a</a>). This means that it is not enough to merely restrict ourselves within the parameters of halacha but “let loose” and indulge whenever we have the right to do so. Rather, we should strive to uphold the value of <em>kedushah</em> <strong>beyond</strong> what halacha demands and aspire to fulfill the objectives inherent in the spirit of the law even when we are not restrained by the letter of the law.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Based on this concept, I coined the phrase: <em>“kadeish atzmecha </em><strong><em>b’assur</em></strong><em> lach” </em>(“sanctify yourself within what is <strong>prohibited</strong> to you”), which I explained in <a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/rabbischneeweiss/p/kadesh-atzmecha-bassur-lach?r=1sp5sj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">my article on this topic</a> as follows:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">[This means that] <strong>even when a person violates halacha, they should still practice <em>kedushah</em> to the extent possible</strong>. In other words, just because the transgressor knows they are going to violate halacha doesn't mean that they should just say, "To hell with it," and go on to act in a totally unrestrained manner. Instead, they should still exercise restraint and self-control within that violation of halacha - <strong>and, if feasible, should try to act in accordance with the objectives of the Torah, even though his or her actions are not in line with halacha itself</strong>.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">We have examples in Tanach of <em>tzadikim</em> working out ingenious ways to keep halacha when the odds are against them, such as Daniel, who devised a strategy to avoid eating non-kosher food in the royal palace by surviving off legumes. We have examples of <em>tzadikim</em> risking their lives rather than violate the core principles of Torah, such as Chananya, Mishael, and Azaryah, who consigned themselves to the flames rather than submit to the idolatrous ideology of Nevuchadnetzar. We even have examples of <em>tzadikim</em> who were tempted to violate halacha but overcame their struggles, such as Yosef who had to force himself away from the wife of Potiphar.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Esther is in a category of her own. Here we have a <em>tzadekes</em> who was forced to marry a hedonistic, profligate, non-Jewish king who was the antithesis of <em>kedushah</em>. She was essentially cut off from her people and her heritage – a people who, themselves, were in the darkness of exile and had lost their way. She was made queen of the world and granted access to <em>“up to half of the kingdom.”</em> It would have been all too easy for her to succumb to the allure of her position and eagerly cast off her Jewish heritage. It would have been equally easy for her to become discouraged by the compromises she was forced to make, and to abandon Judaism as being impossible to uphold. Instead, she persevered in her observance of Torah and mitzvos, committing herself to the values and ideals of Judaism even if she wasn’t able to keep all its laws.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite the strange surface-level meaning of these midrashim, we see that they were written to convey an underappreciated aspect of Esther’s righteousness: that she didn’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good in her service of Hashem, even while she was in her personal exile within a national exile. And neither should we.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1] <a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Esther_Rabbah.6.8?lang=bi&with=Etz%20Yosef&lang2=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Eitz Yosef on Esther Rabbah 2:11 [6:8]</a> explains the textual basis for Chazal’s interpretation:</span></p><div class="footnote" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="footnote-content"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is inferred from the statement that <em>“he would walk back and forth before the courtyard of the women’s house,”</em> for it would have been sufficient to say, <em>“and each and every day Mordechai would inquire about Esther’s welfare.” </em>Since it said, <em>“the women’s house,”</em> it seems he was speaking about “the way of women” (i.e. menstruation) and that the statement <em>“before the courtyard of the women’s house”</em> is a euphemism for matters of <em>niddah</em> and bloodstains. </span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Maharzu (<a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Esther_Rabbah.6.8?lang=bi&with=Perush%20Maharzu&lang2=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid.</a>) notes that Chazal described female anatomy in architectural terms, which is why it’s not farfetched to assume that <em>“before the courtyard of the women’s house”</em> would be read euphemistically by those familiar with Rabbinic jargon.</span></p><hr /><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.<br /></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></p><p></p></div></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-66409009203978317442023-02-24T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:32:58.877-04:00Mishpatim: The Sanctuary-Altar Sanctuary (or Mizbeach as Refuge for Killers)<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>No, this isn't Parashas Mishpatim, and no, this is NOT a complete dvar Torah. I've been working on this question for two weeks, and I decided to present it, even though I don't yet have the answers.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N2JzJMjj74F9jzlEQhY15uFEBoO4weGS/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12323250" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPtfQiT8qHINh9qHw2vKXzBmapScrgh1wuzuMypiklahqw94Eq0-5hqvhqQ9Jh3D-o1XYDmBymP6hDTfTKsV5N7i5pnGCFXp-Jkm42pLKrxItibWXbD6L6j4PmGMXMUYZRh_J5LDX-PlC8kS2Wj2Vqef7_ELETdOmSvDiA1jCBbr8P39Qp6ZPwu6R/s938/Mizbeach%20Diagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="938" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPtfQiT8qHINh9qHw2vKXzBmapScrgh1wuzuMypiklahqw94Eq0-5hqvhqQ9Jh3D-o1XYDmBymP6hDTfTKsV5N7i5pnGCFXp-Jkm42pLKrxItibWXbD6L6j4PmGMXMUYZRh_J5LDX-PlC8kS2Wj2Vqef7_ELETdOmSvDiA1jCBbr8P39Qp6ZPwu6R/w640-h294/Mizbeach%20Diagram.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><em><br /></em><p></p><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Mishpatim: The Sanctuary-Altar Sanctuary (or Mizbeach as Refuge for Killers)</u></span></strong></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">Parashas Mishpatim presents an encapsulation of the laws of homicide in three short verses:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>He who strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. He who did not act with premeditation, but God caused it to come about by his hand, I will make for you a place to which he might flee. But if a man will act willfully against his fellow to kill him with cunning, </em><strong><em>from My altar you shall take him to die</em></strong><em>. (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/21.12#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 21:12-14</em></a><em>)</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Murder (i.e. intentional killing) is liable for the death penalty. Manslaughter (i.e. negligent unintentional killing) is liable for <em>galus</em> – exile into one of the <em>Arei Miklat </em>(Sanctuary Cities) until the death of Kohen Gadol. The <em>goel ha’dam</em> (the “blood redeemer” who is a family member of the slain) may kill the unintentional murderer outside his sanctuary without penalty, but if he kills him within the sanctuary, the <em>goel ha’dam</em> himself is liable for murder.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What about <em>“from My altar you shall take him to die”</em>? According to the straightforward reading, the Written Torah states that if a person commits <strong>premeditated murder</strong>, the <em>Mizbeach</em> (altar) <strong>will not</strong> provide sanctuary. The implication is that if a person killed <strong>unintentionally</strong>, then the <em>Mizbeach</em> <strong>will</strong> provide sanctuary in the same way as the <em>Arei Miklat. </em>However, the Oral Torah supplies three important qualifications, as the Rambam codifies:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The <em>Mizbeach</em> provides sanctuary ... but only the <strong>top of the <em>Mizbeach</em></strong> in the <strong>Eternal Temple</strong>, and it only provides sanctuary for <strong>a Kohen who is engaged in <em>avodah</em></strong> (divine service). But if he is a non-Kohen, or a Kohen who is not engaged in <em>avodah</em> at the time he is killed [by the <em>goel ha'dam</em>], or he is engaged in <em>avodah</em> and is not on top of the <em>Mizbeach</em> but near it or grasping its horns, then [the <em>Mizbeach</em>] does not provide sanctuary. (<a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Yad_Peshutah/Rotzeach_uShemirat_haNefesh/5.12#m7e0ne" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rotzeach u’Shmiras ha’Nefesh 5:12-13</a>)</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">R’ Avraham ben ha’Rambam (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Avraham_b._HaRambam/Shemot/21.14#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shemos 21:14</a>) maintains that the Torah is alluding to the fatal errors made by Yoav who unsuccessfully sought sanctuary upon hearing that Shlomo ha’Melech ordered his execution: <em>“Yoav fled to the Tent of Hashem and grabbed onto the corners of the altar” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Yalkut_Shimoni/Melakhim_I/2.28#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>I Melachim 2:28</em></a><em>).</em> Yoav was mistaken on four counts: (a) the <em>Mizbeach</em> only provides sanctuary for manslaughter – but he killed intentionally; (b) only the top of the <em>Mizbeach</em> provides sanctuary – but he grabbed the corners; (c) only the <em>Mizbeach</em> in the <em>Beis ha’Mikdash</em> provides sanctuary – but he fled to the <em>Mizbeach </em>in <em>“the Tent of Hashem”</em>; and (d) the <em>Mizbeach</em> only provides sanctuary for a Kohen doing <em>avodah</em> – but Yoav wasn’t a Kohen, and wasn’t doing <em>avodah</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The main question is: <strong>What is the deal with this halacha? </strong>The institution of <em>Arei Miklat</em> was designed with practicality in mind. The six cities designated as <em>Arei Miklat</em> were equidistantly spaced throughout the Land of Israel, with clear signage pointing the way for those seeking refuge. Not only these six, but all 48 Levite cities provided sanctuary, making it relatively easy for the unintentional killer to find a haven. In contrast, the institution of <em>Mizbeach </em>as sanctuary has such narrow parameters that one can’t help but wonder whether this halacha was ever implemented in practice. It seems more akin to the mitzvah of <em>ben sorer u’moreh</em> (the wayward and rebellious son), which the Sages teach us “never happened and never will happen” but “was written that we may expound and receive reward” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Sanhedrin/71a.13#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sanhedrin 71a</a>) – that is, it was written primarily to teach us Torah ideas and values.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Moreover, the <em>Mizbeach</em> halacha is in Parashas Mishpatim, which was given to Israel at Sinai. The details laws of homicide and <em>Arei Miklat</em> aren’t presented until Parashas Masei at the end of Bamidbar and Parashas Shoftim in Devarim, 40 years later. It makes sense for those laws to be deferred until the conquest of the Land, and for Misphatim to feature only the headings. Yet, upon consideration, we realize that <strong>the law of the <em>Mizbeach</em> as sanctuary</strong> <strong>didn’t apply in the Wilderness at all!</strong> The <em>Mizbeach</em> in the <em>Mishkan </em>can’t provide sanctuary, nor did it need to, since the entire Levite camp had the status of the <em>Arei Miklat</em>. Thus, it would seem that this halacha was included primarily to teach us some other lesson. The question is: <strong>What do we learn from this vexing halacha?</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you’re interested in a full-length shiur on this topic, in which I attempt to develop several approaches, check out the </em><a href="https://youtu.be/LCle0_TB-IA" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>video version</em></a><em> or the </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12319278" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>audio version</em></a><em> of the shiur I gave on 2/23/23 entitled: “Mishpatim: The Sanctuary-Altar Sanctuary.”</em></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>------------------------------</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div></em><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-70951832927657278612023-02-16T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:30:36.261-04:00Mishpatim: Does Hashem Reward Good Dogs?<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rambam maintains that the notion of Divine reward and punishment for animals is a non-Jewish concept. What are we to do when we encounter statements of Chazal which talk about God rewarding animals?</i></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NBipYYdbuXzaMcjfSev4EJKk2dL67gD8/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12269286" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A4ri3YBdysMgTJ90oBzBlcW1Yt79xM-rKYccd8DzpmqQkzzbwMispPSV2tfvVzCmQmSg0aZiVFRtcDcvFcj7xOibj0cyMm9n6Wd8u8L3kt0LL2e0DF08KUbXu14Ql8ZUpHYmF6JyQnFXjUjhdQqVVP15BsobnFPiPQuOGx3VSF7RGna65sYUAz_X/s1200/Release%20the%20Dogs%20-%20Jason%20Kang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A4ri3YBdysMgTJ90oBzBlcW1Yt79xM-rKYccd8DzpmqQkzzbwMispPSV2tfvVzCmQmSg0aZiVFRtcDcvFcj7xOibj0cyMm9n6Wd8u8L3kt0LL2e0DF08KUbXu14Ql8ZUpHYmF6JyQnFXjUjhdQqVVP15BsobnFPiPQuOGx3VSF7RGna65sYUAz_X/w640-h480/Release%20the%20Dogs%20-%20Jason%20Kang.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: <i>Release the Dogs</i>, by Jason Kang</td></tr></tbody></table></p><h3><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Mishpatim: Does Hashem Reward Good Dogs?</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>“People of holiness shall you be to Me; you shall not eat flesh of an animal that was torn (treifah) in the field; </em><strong><em>to the dog shall you throw it</em></strong><em>” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/22.30#m5e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 22:30</em></a><em>)</em>. Although <em>“treif”</em> in the vernacular has come to refer to any non-kosher food, the technical definition is meat from an animal with a life-threatening physical defect, such as a mortal wound or a terminal illness. The question is: <strong>Why does the Torah tell us to throw our <em>treifah</em> to the dogs?</strong> The simple answer is that this was the most common way to dispose of <em>treifah</em>. However, <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Shemot/22.30#m5e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rashi</a> (citing <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Mekhilta_DeRabbi_Yishmael_Shemot/Shemot/22.30#m5e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mechilta</a>) writes:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">This teaches us that <strong>Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu doesn't deprive any creature of its reward</strong>, as it is stated [in the narrative about the Plague of the Firstborn]: <em>“But against all the Children of Israel, </em><strong><em>no dog shall whet its tongue (i.e. the dogs will not bark)</em></strong><em>” (ibid. 11:7).</em> <strong>Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu said, “Give [the dog] its reward.”</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">This explanation raises several difficulties, the first and foremost of which is stated by the Rambam (<a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Moreh_Nevukhim_3:17&s1=2" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Moreh 3:17</a>):</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The notion of reward [and punishment] for animals has never been heard in our nation at all and was not mentioned by any one of the [Talmudic] Sages</strong>. However, the latter [sages] among the Geonim heard this [view] from the [Islamic philosophical sect of the] Mutazilites and approved of it and accepted it.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Reward and punishment are only relevant to human beings, who possess intellect and free will. Moreover, the dogs that refrained from barking in Egypt aren’t the same dogs we “reward” with <em>treif</em>. Seemingly, those Egyptian dogs were deprived of their reward! Lastly, this seems like a poorly structured reward. It would be one thing if we were obligated to give our <em>treif</em> to the dogs, but halachically, it’s optional, and therefore, not guaranteed.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Radak weighs in on the question of Divine recompense for animals in his commentary on Ashrei (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Tehillim/145.17#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Tehilim 145:17</a>):</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>We say that there is reward and punishment for other species of animals <em>b'eisek ha'adam</em> (in human involvement).</strong> We find: <em>“I [Hashem] will exact [punishment] from every wild animal [that kills a man]” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Bereshit/9.5#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bereishis 9:5</em></a><em>)</em> ... and it was said by way of reward: <em>“[the lion had not eaten the corpse] nor had it torn the donkey” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Melakhim_I/13.28#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>I Melachim 13:28</em></a><em>)</em>. Our Sages explain such reward for animals as the donkey and the dog, saying: “Why are firstborn donkeys differentiated from other firstborn animals, such that they may be redeemed (in exchange for a lamb or kid)?” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Meiri/Bekhorot/5b.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Bechoros 5b</a>). They explain: “Because they carried the [Egyptian] spoils for Israel.” And it was said that <em>"to the dog shall you throw it"</em> is in merit of <em>“no dog shall whet its tongue”</em> which teaches that Ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu doesn't deprive any creature of its reward.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Radak maintains that “there is reward and punishment for other species of animals <strong>in human involvement</strong>.” This phrase is somewhat vague. Thankfully, he provides us with a clue in his commentary on the case in Sefer Melachim mentioned above. Hashem prevented the lion from eating the donkey to “reward” it for providing transportation for the prophet. There Radak writes: “the reward for the donkey in this world was <strong>for the sake of <em>kavod ha’navi </em>(the honor of the prophet) who rode on him</strong>, for there is reward and punishment for other species of animals in this world <em>b’inyan ha’adam</em> (in the affairs of man).” In other words, <strong>God rewards and punishes animals not for their own sake, but because of the impact of this reward and punishment on humans.</strong> He protected the donkey not as a reward for the donkey’s sake, but because protecting the <em>navi’s</em> donkey preserved the <em>navi’s</em> <em>kavod</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The same is true in our case. Hashem does not “reward” dogs with <em>treif</em> for their sake, but for our sake. The silence of the dogs in Egypt resulted in a more tranquil exodus. To commemorate this, Hashem incorporated dogs into the Torah’s presentation of the laws of <em>treif</em>. Now, whenever we encounter <em>treif</em>, we will be prompted to feed it to our dogs, which will lead us to reflect on the kindness shown to us by Hashem when He took us out from Egypt. The same is true for donkeys: whenever we redeem a donkey, we will recall the beneficence of Hashem in allowing us to take the spoils of Egypt which we transported on our donkeys. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The take-away is not these particular ideas, but the methodology: we interpret midrashim in light of fundamentals – not the other way around.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}"><em>-------------------------------------<br /></em><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></p><p>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-61770278931128162972023-02-10T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:25:08.425-04:00Spectral Clergy, Living Torah, and My Izzet Grieving Process<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Instead of writing a 1-page article on the parashah, I decided to write a lengthier reflection on my grieving process over the course of these past seven days. You can decide if it counts as Torah.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has also been sponsored by Nava, in memory of Adira Koffsky z"l, who loved learning and philosophy and was a real seeker of truth.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U8ldClm2XHdqClDquYcTIkJel3Kkg8x2/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a PDF version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12225208" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset" style="text-align: center;"><picture><source sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 1456w" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png","fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1024,"width":1024,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":2089699,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"internalRedirect":null}" height="400" sizes="100vw" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F965e8d82-787b-41cd-86d9-30d66a02ad90_1024x1024.png 1456w" width="400" /></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E’s response to the prompt, “thick oil painting of a thin preacher preaching a sermon in the foreground. preacher’s face is obscured by darkness. behind him is a large window showing heavy snowfall“ (variation 2b)</figcaption></figure></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>How I Have Chosen to Grieve</u></span></h4><p style="text-align: justify;">I’ll begin by summarizing my experience on Thursday, February 2, 2023. </p><ul><li><p style="text-align: justify;">At 7:15am I received a call from my mom that Popo – my beloved grandmother, Helen Chang – passed away peacefully in her sleep at the ripe old age of 98. </p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">At 10:15am that same day, I received news that Adira Koffsky, one of the last high school students I taught at Midreshet Shalhevet, was killed in a car accident at the tender age of 18. </p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">Yehoshua, one of my talmidim in yeshiva, kindly offered to use our afternoon chavrusa time to let me to tell him about these two people and what they meant to me, but at 12:15pm he informed me that his mother, Julie Bass, just died. </p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">And towards the end of the day I learned that Martin Pepper – the father-in-law of my friend and teacher, Rabbi Joshua Maroof – was killed in the same car accident that took the life of Adira.</p></li></ul><p style="text-align: justify;">These four deaths impacted me in different ways. I have known and loved Popo for my entire life; without her, I would not be who I am - and I would not even be. I taught Adira for hundreds of hours in seven courses during her first two years of high school, helping her develop into who she became. I never got a chance to meet Yehoshua’s mother, but Yehoshua is a beloved student of mine and my heart goes out to him in his pain. And while I didn't have any connection to Rabbi Maroof's father-in-law, the fact that he and Adira lost their lives in the same tragedy causes me to see his death as related to the others. The news of these four deaths reaching me within a span of 12 hours resulted in a cumulative impact that was as overwhelming as it was surreal. That day it felt like it was raining death.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A few months ago, in preparation for Popo’s imminent passing, I began reading <a href="https://a.co/d/3pqATZm" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>On Grief and Grieving</em></a><em> (2005)</em>, by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_K%C3%BCbler-Ross" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Elisabeth Kübler-Ross</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Kessler_(writer)" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">David Kessler</a>. If there’s one overarching message, it’s that people grieve in different ways, and that the important thing is to allow grief to take its course. They write:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Be aware that when grief hits in all of its power, we instinctually try to resist the sense of overwhelm. But resistance to pain only serves to amplify it. Try sinking into it and feel it become more spacious. Allow it to wash over you and feel the strength return to your body and your mind. When you surrender to grief, you will discover that you are so much stronger than you ever imagined. Peace lies at the center of the pain, and although it will hurt, you <em>will</em> move through it a lot faster than if you distracted yourself with external outings.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">I have done my best to allow the grieving process to run its course. Because I am a writer and a teacher, it is not surprising that my grieving has taken the form of writing and teaching. I have poured out my grief in the form of posts and articles in which I have expressed my personal feelings interlaced with Torah thoughts. I’ve delved into the <a href="https://youtu.be/q-k8BMM5NPc" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">laws of mourning</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/Et9cdN5XNIY" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">other death-related topics</a> with my students in lieu of my regularly scheduled shiur programming. I composed <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/my-eulogy-for-adira-koffsky-zl-2004" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">a eulogy</a> in which I attempted to convey what was like for me, as a teacher of Torah, to lose a dear student like Adira. I shared reflections about the two <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/thoughts-on-yesterdays-shivah-call" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">shivah calls</a> I made and <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/thoughts-on-the-seventh-morning" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the realizations and insights they triggered</a>. I plan to give a shiur in a few of hours on the philosophical question of whether it is possible to die before one’s time, and on the weighty matter of how such tragedies are consistent with Divine justice. All these thoughts I have shared with my friends, students, and peers across different social media platforms. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I am well aware that some might disapprove of the public form my grieving process has taken. They might consider this type of outpouring to be acceptable if kept to oneself and one’s inner circle but deem it inappropriate to talk about in a public forum, especially on social media. Some might look down on my intermingling of Torah teachings with expressions of my own emotions, or my decision to deviate from my curriculum in order to explore subject matter which caters to my present frame of mind, or how I have expressed my feelings about my talmidim. I have no doubt that some will frown on <em>this</em> article, finding it to be self-indulgent, immodest, and unbecoming of a Torah educator. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">All these objections have merit. In fact, I was in conflict as to whether to take this course at all, or whether it would be better to just keep these all these thoughts to myself. But in the end, I made the decision to follow this course on the basis of three considerations: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Popo & Adira (their common denominator), and the awareness of my own mortality.</p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Emerson and the Soloveitchiks</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">Last Friday I had planned to give a shiur to my women’s “<a href="https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Machshavah Lab</a>” group entitled “Emerson’s Advice for Clergy and Religious Educators.” I intended to focus on an excerpt from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinity_School_Address" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ralph Waldo Emerson’s 1838 address</a> to the senior class of the Harvard Divinity School. Towards the end of the speech, he identifies two defects in Christianity which he believes to be responsible for the “universal decay and now almost death of faith in society.” My plan was to conduct a “close reading” of this excerpt in shiur and to consider the relevance of Emerson’s remarks as applied to Jewish clergy and educators, in light of Torah sources. Unfortunately, I had to cancel this shiur so that I could attend <a href="https://youtu.be/6tnTelKBP4E" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Adira’s funeral</a>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the excerpts I hoped to discuss has been the primary impetus for the way I’ve been grieving. Emerson bemoans the phenomenon of the preacher who is a “formalist” – one who presents the teachings of his religion to his congregants as dead formulas rather than as the living words of the living God:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Whenever the pulpit is usurped by a formalist, then is the worshipper defrauded and disconsolate. We shrink as soon as the prayers begin, which do not uplift, but smite and offend us … I once heard a preacher who sorely tempted me to say I would go to church no more. Men go, thought I, where they are wont to go, else had no soul entered the temple in the afternoon. <strong>A snow-storm was falling around us.</strong> <strong>The snow-storm was real, the preacher merely spectral</strong>, and the eye felt the sad contrast in looking at him, and then out of the window behind him into the beautiful meteor of the snow. He had lived in vain. He had no one word intimating that he had laughed or wept, was married or in love, had been commended, or cheated, or chagrined. <strong>If he had ever lived and acted, we were none the wiser for it.</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">It is not enough for the clergyman or the religious educator merely to convey the teachings as they are written, nor is it sufficient to expound on their meaning. In addition, he must imprint them with his own soul – by living and breathing the truth as he sees it and experiences it in his very person, and must do so in a manner readily discernible to all. As Emerson puts it:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The spirit only can teach. Not any profane man, not any sensual, not any liar, not any slave can teach, but only he can give, who has; he only can create, who is. <strong>The man on whom the soul descends, through whom the soul speaks, alone can teach</strong>. Courage, piety, love, wisdom, can teach; and every man can open his door to these angels, and they shall bring him the gift of tongues. <strong>But the man who aims to speak as books enable</strong>, as synods use, as the fashion guides, and as interest commands, babbles. <strong>Let him hush</strong>.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The same problem Emerson saw in Christianity has plagued Judaism as well. I do not say this based on my own assessment, but on that of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_B._Soloveitchik" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the Rav</a>, as recorded in a conversation by Rabbi David Holzer in <a href="https://a.co/d/0tgcUcL" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Rav Thinking Aloud: Transcripts of Personal Conversations with Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik</em></a><em> </em>(pp.28-29):</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Judaism has never been open about sharing its own personal experiences, preferring to hide under layers of abstractions</strong> … As a result, it is perceived by the masses as being cold and intellectual, when in fact it possesses a strongly beating heart. Behind the tough exterior, a tender soul hides. <strong>This was a historical mistake on the part of the Jew, one which I hope to correct now.</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>But it is a trait of our character. I know many rabbis of the “old school” who were like that</strong>. I know <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshe_Soloveichik" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">my father</a>. I was very close to my father, and my father was close to me. I suffered from a “father complex” – in a positive sense, of course. [Yet] he never kissed me. I would have never heard from him any endearing word. He never embraced me. Everything was so rigid, so cold.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I remember once I left Warsaw, no one knew when I would come back, or whether I would. When I met my father in New York, he shook my hand and said “all right.” He just shook my hand and said, “Bon voyage”, "לך לשלום", [when leaving Warsaw].</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>If a stranger had observed this scene, he would say there is no feeling in this person</strong>. But I know there was a volcano in him, covered up, though no eruption has ever taken place. <strong>Good or bad, this is indicative of the Jewish community</strong>.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Those who are familiar with the broad spectrum of the Rav’s teachings know that he made good on his promise to correct this “historical mistake on the part of the Jew.” His lectures and his writings are replete with words of the heart alongside words of the intellect, and equally permeated by his inimitable Torah spirit. And despite what the Rav related about the “old school” approach of his father, he mentions elsewhere (<em>Halakhic Man 1:12</em>) that his grandfather – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Soloveitchik" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rav Hayyim</a>, founder of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisker_method" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Brisker method</a> of Talmudic analysis – utilized his Torah study as a vehicle for coping with his own emotional turmoil and existential dread:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">My father related to me that when the fear of death would seize hold of R. Hayyim, he would throw himself, <strong>with his entire heart and mind</strong>, into the study of the laws of tents and corpse defilement. And these laws, which revolve about such difficult and complex problems as defilement of a grave, defilement of a tent, blocked-up defilement, interposition before defilement, a vessel with a tight fitting cover upon it in a tent in which a corpse lies, etc., etc., <strong>would calm the turbulence of his soul and would imbue it with a spirit of joy and gladness</strong>.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">I know there are Briskers out there who prefer to imagine Rav Hayyim as a lofty genius who coldly gazed upon everything and everyone through the stony lens of clinical halachic categories – but that’s not how the Rav describes him. I prefer to believe that when Rav Hayyim spoke about halacha’s treatment of death, he did <em>not </em>do so in the “spectral” manner condemned by Emerson, but as a radiant angel whose words dripped with deep wisdom <em>and</em> deep feeling.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As I debated whether or not to write what I’ve written this week, Emerson’s words continued to echo in my mind: “A snow-storm was falling around us. The snow-storm was real, the preacher merely spectral.” I have chosen to publicly share my grieving process through my teaching because <strong>I want to be real – not merely spectral</strong>. If I were to only teach abstract ideas disconnected from my life, or if I were to conceal how my Torah forms and is informed by my inner world, then I would be doing a terrible disservice to my students. <em>“You shall keep My statutes and My judgments, that a person shall do and live by them” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Vayikra/18.5#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Vayikra 18:5</em></a><em>)</em>. Hashem didn’t give us His Torah merely to think about, but to live by. How can I call myself a teacher of Torah if I only elucidate His word but fail to model how it shapes my life? I want to be as real as the <em>“snow and vapor, stormy wind fulfilling His word” (Tehilim 148:8)</em>.</p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">The Common Quality of Popo and Adira</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">The second impetus for my decision to publicly share my grieving process in this manner emerged from my thinking about what Popo and Adira had in common. To my mind, the quality they shared is that <strong>they were both unapologetically themselves.</strong> Both cared deeply about other people but neither particularly cared what others thought of them. Both embraced the things in life that gave them joy, even when doing so was not conventional.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In Popo’s case, this expressed itself most visibly in her fashion. She always dressed in colorful clothing that made her happy. When asked why she wore matching outfits and jewelry when it wasn’t a special occasion, she explained that she bought these adornments because she likes them, and it would be a waste not to wear them. More importantly, Popo was one of the two most open, unpretentious, and unabashedly loving people I have ever known. (The other one is my mom.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In Adira’s case, this quality expressed itself both in her intellectual independence and in her default mode of “letting her geek flag fly.” It didn’t matter to her that others would see her as “weird” for the opinions she held, or for liking fantasy, writing imaginative stories, and playing Dungeons & Dragons. Like Popo, Adira was perfectly content to be herself and let others think what they may.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Taking a cue from Adira, I am going to let MY geek flag fly by declaring myself a member of the <a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Izzet_League" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Izzet League</a>. What? You’re not familiar with Izzet? Well, let me tell you. In the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumenopolis" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ecumenopolis</a> of <a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Ravnica" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ravnica</a>, there are <a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Ravnica#Guilds" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ten guilds</a> – one for each two-color combination of the <a href="https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Color" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">five colors of magic</a> (white, blue, black, red, and green). Each guild has its own philosophy and profile which are manifest in myriad ways. I will indulge myself by letting head designer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rosewater" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Rosewater</a> explain <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/making-magic/creative-differences-2006-02-27-0" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the significance of the red/blue color pairing</a>, and what it means to be in Izzet:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">For Red and Blue, it's a classic conflict: emotion vs. intellect (a.k.a. the head vs. the heart, thinking vs. feeling, speculative vs. intuitive, the mind vs. the gut). On one side we have Red. Red is the color of impulse. It follows its heart. It does what feels right. It lets its emotions be its guide. Blue, on the other hand, is the color of the intellect. Blue likes to think. A lot. About everything. Blue makes its decisions on logic and forethought.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Their styles could not be more different. Red acts impulsively in the moment. Blue waits until it has examined every side of the issue before it gets involved. Red comes out swinging. Blue avoids conflict, if it can. Red acts. Blue reacts. Red is focused on the present. Blue is focused on the future. Each color acts in a way that is the antithesis of the other.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So how does a guild encompass both sides? Easy. By taking aspects of each. Red/Blue is a thinking guild, but unlike other guilds with a Blue element, Red/Blue embraces the tools of emotion. They think, but they think passionately. Their emotion allows them to leap to ideas and thoughts that their logical cousins would never encounter. They find rationality in the heart of irrationality. They make intuitive leaps. They slay sacred cows. They connect things that no one else would think to connect. In short, they embrace creativity.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">You see, creativity mixes elements of logic and emotion. It finds connections in things that most people wouldn't have given a second look. But Red/Blue lives to find those connections. To them, life is about seeking knowledge <em>and</em> freedom. And how better than by examining the knowledge that no one else will explore. Thinking things that no one else would dare think. They search for the knowledge that cannot rationally be discovered.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">My students and those who know me will understand why I identify with this guild, and why I am drawn to the Rav’s brand of intellectualism over the “old school” approach of his father. (I can’t help but chuckle at just how “Izzet” this article is: an intellectual analysis of my emotional relationship to intellectualism’s stance on emotions, and how I feel about all that!) But while I have always had these Izzet tendencies, I haven’t always <a href="https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2017/07/bruce-lee-instinct-to-follow-and-imitate.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">trusted myself</a> to follow them wherever they lead. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="https://www.liherald.com/stories/midreshet-shalhevet-hs-in-north-woodmere-to-close-permanently,123724" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">changes in my professional trajectory brought about by the pandemic</a> afforded me more freedom to explore and expand my own style of teaching and learning beyond what I was able to do as a high school rebbi. A couple of years ago I saw a fantastic quotation from Dolly Parton: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” This is an accurate description of what I’ve been trying to do over the course of these past two and a half years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Likewise, the advice given by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainer_Maria_Rilke" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rainer Maria Rilke</a> about poetry in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_to_a_Young_Poet" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Letters to a Young Poet</em></a>resonates with me regarding the quest to blaze my own path in my learning, teaching, and writing:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">You ask whether your verses are good. You ask me. You have asked others before. You send them to magazines. You compare them with other poems, and you are disturbed when certain editors reject your efforts. Now (since you have allowed me to advise you) I beg you to give up all that. You are looking outward, and that above all you should not do now. Nobody can counsel and help you, nobody. <strong>There is only one single way.</strong> <strong>Go into yourself. </strong>Search for the reason that bids you write; find out whether it is spreading out its roots in the deepest places of your heart, acknowledge to yourself whether you would have to die if it were denied you to write.<strong> This above all – ask yourself in the stillest hour of your night: must I write?</strong> Delve into yourself for a deep answer. And if this should be affirmative, if you may meet this earnest question with a strong and simple "I must," then build your life according to this necessity; your life even into its most indifferent and slightest hour must be a sign of this urge and a testimony to it.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Whenever I have grappled with the decision whether to write or share any part of my grieving process this week, I’ve asked myself: “Is this something I <em>must</em> do?” and the answer has always been a strong and simple: “I must.” And so I have.</p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">The Shortness of Life</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">The third factor which clinched my decision to embrace this course of public grieving-teaching-writing is a truth that was underscored four times last Thursday and can be expressed in as many words: <strong>life is too short</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short for me to hold back my thoughts and feelings out of fear of how I will be judged.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short for me to not take risks in my teaching.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short not to experiment by pushing the boundaries of my intuition in search of my authentic voice.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short not to share how I felt about Adira, and how I feel about all of my students.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short for me to refrain from showing my students, through my words and my actions, how much I care about each and every one of them.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short to stifle personal epiphanies and transformational insights which might benefit others, simply because I’m afraid of being vulnerable.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short to be spectral.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Life is too short to not be real.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I will conclude with one of my favorite excerpts from Emerson’s <a href="https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/selfreliance.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Self-Reliance</em></a> (hat tip to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amor_Towles" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Amor Towles</a> for introducing me to this excerpt in <a href="https://a.co/d/5KUzxIp" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Lincoln Highway: A Novel</em></a>). This passage articulates the stage of development I am currently working on in my personal and professional life:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; <strong>that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion</strong>; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, <strong>and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried</strong>.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Rambam (Hilchos Avel 13:12) writes that the death of a person in your social group should be an impetus for <em>teshuvah</em>. The <a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Mourning.13.12?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">standard editions</a> of the Mishneh Torah state that this encounter with mortality should cause a person “to <strong>prepare himself </strong>(<em>le’hachin atzmo</em>), to return [in <em>teshuvah</em>], and to wake up from his sleep.” However, <a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Mishneh_Torah_Sources/Eivel/13.12#m7e0ne" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">the critical editions</a> of the Mishneh Torah say otherwise: that this brush with death should cause a person “to <strong>understand his own mind </strong>(<em>le’havin da’ato</em>), to return [in <em>teshuvah</em>], and to wake up from his sleep.” My brush with death has left me with a greater understanding of my own mind, which has led to <em>teshuvah</em> and awakening.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My hope is that the four deaths of last week – and particularly, the deaths of Popo and Adira – will mark a turning point in my development as a writer, a teacher, and a person. I have attempted to capture in writing here the “waking up from my sleep” and the nature of the <em>teshuvah</em> I hope to do in response to these deaths.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To those who have provided consolation and feedback to what I’ve shared this week – thank you. Although I’ve written what I’ve written primarily for myself, it means a lot to me that my words have been meaningful to others, and this has reinforced my judgment that this was the right course to take.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">May Hashem provide comfort to all the mourners of Tzion and Yerushalayim, and may He help me to better serve Him in my own, unique way.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset" style="text-align: center;"><picture><source sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 1456w" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg","fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":953,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":261553,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"internalRedirect":null}" height="262" loading="lazy" sizes="100vw" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe5b411f7-0909-4219-88ff-272306729aa7_2083x1363.jpeg 1456w" width="400" /></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption" style="text-align: center;">5-year-old me with my Popo</figcaption></figure></div><div class="native-audio-embed" data-attrs="{"label":null,"mediaUploadId":"54fce5a9-6f79-42a4-9473-ed985c4e11dc","duration":123.376,"isEditorNode":true,"belowTheFold":true}"><div class="audio-embed tw-my-4 tw-box-border tw-flex tw-w-full tw-select-none tw-items-center tw-gap-4 tw-space-y-0 tw-rounded-full tw-bg-pub-wash tw-p-4 tw-font-sans sm:tw-gap-5"><div class="audio-button tw-w-12 tw-cursor-pointer tw-rounded-full tw-border tw-border-solid tw-border-pub-detail-light tw-py-1 tw-text-center tw-font-meta tw-text-sm tw-font-semibold tw-leading-none tw-text-pub-secondary-text hover:tw-border-pub-detail"><em>Recording of Popo and our family friend, </em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melveen_Leed" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Melveen Leed</em></a><em>, singing Clarence 'Frogman’ Henry’s “</em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(I_Don%27t_Know_Why)_But_I_Do" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do</em></a><em>.”</em></div><div class="audio-button tw-w-12 tw-cursor-pointer tw-rounded-full tw-border tw-border-solid tw-border-pub-detail-light tw-py-1 tw-text-center tw-font-meta tw-text-sm tw-font-semibold tw-leading-none tw-text-pub-secondary-text hover:tw-border-pub-detail"><em>-----------------------------------------<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div></em></div><div class="audio-button tw-w-12 tw-cursor-pointer tw-rounded-full tw-border tw-border-solid tw-border-pub-detail-light tw-py-1 tw-text-center tw-font-meta tw-text-sm tw-font-semibold tw-leading-none tw-text-pub-secondary-text hover:tw-border-pub-detail"><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p></div></div></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-91934741678028645412023-02-09T23:19:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:21:36.347-04:00Thoughts on the Seventh Morning<i>originally published as a Facebook note on the morning of 2/9/23</i><div><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has also been sponsored by Nava, in memory of Adira Koffsky z"l, who loved learning and philosophy and was a real seeker of truth.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset" style="text-align: center;"><picture><source sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 1456w" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg","fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":829,"width":633,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":139992,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"internalRedirect":null}" height="640" sizes="100vw" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb09218f5-8b09-4d43-849b-c5345d32c77b_633x829.jpeg 1456w" width="489" /></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><h3><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Thoughts on the Seventh Morning</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">Shivah for the grieving families ends today. (I say this somewhat loosely. It is true for the Koffsky and Bass families. The shivah for Martin Pepper's family has already ended in Israel. Shivah for Popo hasn't ended because it never started, since (a) she's not Jewish, and (b) we don't even know when the funeral will take place yet because of Hawaii's crazy mortuary delays.) Since halacha dictates that we limit our formal eulogizing of the deceased to the seven days of shivah (see Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 394:1), I wanted to take this last opportunity to express some additional thoughts I had about Adira this morning. (<a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/my-eulogy-for-adira-koffsky-zl-2004" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a> for my eulogy of Adira)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two passages jumped out at me this morning as I said my daily prayers. The first was the opening verses of Psalm 146: הַלְלוּ יָהּ הַלְלִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת י"י. אֲהַלְלָה י"י בְּחַיָּי אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹהַי בְּעוֹדִי, which translates to: "Praise God, O my soul, praise Hashem. I will praise Hashem during my life; I will sing to my God while I am still alive." Alternative translations of the word בְּעוֹדִי in that second verse flitted through my mind: "I will sing to my God while I am still," "I will sing to my God in my stillness," "I will sing to my God in my evermore." </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira sang to God while she was still alive, both literally and figuratively. I was reminded of a poem Adira's mother showed me at the shivah house. To my recollection, is the only <em>personal</em> statement I've ever read from Adira about her relationship with Hashem and her personal feelings about prayer. An excerpt of this poem was quoted in Dr. Goldstein's eulogy. Here is the poem in its entirety. I am told was written somewhat spontaneously - not in response to any prompt:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Why should I tell You anything when You already know it? When You can see my hopes and dreams, my fears and anxieties. When no truth can hide and no lies can live. Why talk when You know what I'm going to say. So I don't. I don't pick up a siddur. I don't recite prayers written ages ago in a language I can barely understand. I don't talk. There's no point in talking. But as the phrase goes, actions speak louder than words. So I show. I write, I create, I perform. Each word, every act is proof. Proof that the passions and skills that You have granted me has not gone to waste. My pen is my siddur and my stories are my davening, my thanks for this gift, this ability to show the world what I see and feel. None of it mentions You by name, but it doesn't have to. You're already there. Pen on paper, text on a screen, it's a manifestation of the creativity of mankind, the mankind I am a part of, the mankind You created. What You wrote is a beautiful story, so don't [blame] me for wanting to make my own. And don't blame me, for when I try to connect I pick up a pen instead of a siddur. Because I guess, in a way, I am talking to You, just in my own way.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Phrases from Adira's poem bring to mind verses from King David, our greatest poet. Adira's "Why should I tell You anything when You already know it?" recalls David's <em>"O Hashem, You have scrutinized Me and You know. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought from afar. You encompass my path and my repose, You are familiar with all my ways. For the word is not yet on my tongue - behold! Hashem, You knew it all" (Psalms 139:1-4).</em> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira's "When no truth can hide and no lies can live" expresses the same sentiment as David's <em>"Where can I go from Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your Presence? .... Would I say, 'Surely darkness will shadow me,' then the night would become as light around me. Even darkness obscures not from You; and night shines like the day; darkness and light are the same. For You have created my mind; You have covered me in my mother's womb" (ibid. 139:11-13).</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira's "I don't talk. There's no point in talking" echoes David's <em>"To You, O God, silence is praise" (ibid. 65:2)</em>. Adira's solution, "So I show. I write, I create, I perform. Each word, every act is proof" follows David's description of how the mute creation praises Hashem without speech: <em>"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament tells of His handiwork. Day following day utters speech, and night following night declares knowledge - [but] there is no speech and there are no words; their sound is not heard" (ibid. 19:2-4)</em>. The commentators (Radak, Meiri, and others) explain this in the same terms Adira used about herself: although none of the heavenly bodies "mention You by name," they "manifest [Your] creativity" through their actions, which "speak louder than words." Adira might have thought she was talking to Hashem in her own idiosyncratic way, but in truth, she was singing to Hashem like the stars in the sky.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira's statement, "None of it mentions You by name, but it doesn't have to. You're already there" bespeaks her recognition of Hashem's inescapable presence, as David wrote: <em>"Where can I go from Your spirit? And where can I flee from Your Presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; were I to take up wings of dawn, were I to dwell in the distant west, there, too, Your hand would guide me, and Your right hand would grasp me" (ibid. 139:7-10).</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Alas, Adira wrote "You can see my hopes and dreams, my fears and anxieties," and David declared: <em>"When man's spirit departs, he returns to his earth; on that day his plans all perish" (ibid. 146:4)</em>. Seven days ago, Adira's spirit departed, and all her plans perished.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But she sang to God while she was still alive. She continues to sing to God in her stillness, forevermore.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second passage that stood out to my mind this morning, as I gazed upon the pink and orange hue of the rising sun (and snapped a photo because it was just too beautiful not to capture), was the opening line of the first blessing of the Shema: "You, Hashem, are the Source of blessing, Who forms light and creates darkness, Who makes peace and creates all." This sentence, like the vast majority of the text of our prayers, was lifted from Scripture. In this case, however, the quotation is not verbatim. The original verse reads: <em>"[Hashem said: I am the One] Who forms light and creates darkness; Who makes peace and creates evil; I am Hashem Who does all these things" (Isaiah 45:7)</em>. The Men of the Great Assembly, who formulated our prayers, opted for the lighter language of "creates ALL" rather than "creates EVIL." Perhaps - and this is pure speculation on my part - they did this because an explicit mention of God's relationship to the bad things that happen in the world would raise too many questions which the masses aren't ready to handle. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Admittedly, my mind went in that direction because I, myself, have been thinking for the past seven days about good and bad and God in relation to Adira's tragic death. In fact, I am planning to do what rabbis aren't supposed to do in situations like this: I'm planning to devote my Friday morning women's Jewish philosophy class to the topic of "dying before one's time" as explained by the Rambam and Ralbag. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I debated whether or not to give a class on such a sensitive topic, but I decided to go through it with for three reasons: (1) first and foremost, I am a teacher, and I need to teach this as part of my own grieving process; (2) these questions and problems exist, and will not go away just because we ignore them or avoid them; and (3) when I was at the shivah house of my student, Yehoshua, in Detroit this past Tuesday, I heard a rabbi give the grieving siblings the most inane explanations for how they should view the death of their mother - in the name of Torah, no less! - and although I held my tongue at the time, I feel like I need to do my part to "rebalance the universe" by putting some NON-inane ideas out there. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm not going to pretend that I have all the answers. As I would remind my students at the outset of my course on Sefer Iyov (the Book of Job), the Sages teach us that when Moshe spoke with Hashem "face to face," He asked the question of <em>tzadik v'ra lo</em> (a.k.a. "Why do bad things happen to good people?") If Moshe, the most perfected human being who ever lived, still asked this question at the height of his prophetic powers - and if he wrote the 42-chapter book of Iyov, which is one of the deepest and most difficult books in all of Tanach, to address this topic - then if anyone ever gives you a simplistic answer to the question of <em>tzadik v'ra lo</em>, then you can be 100% certain that it is wrong. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the same time, if we withdraw our minds and avoid these difficult questions, then we are equally guilty. The Ramban discusses this attitude in Shaar ha'Gemul (3:41). After delving at length into the problem of <em>tzadik v'ra lo</em>, the Ramban concludes that although certain aspects of God's justice are concealed from us, we can be certain that everything He does is in accordance with righteousness, justice, kindness, and mercy. After arriving at this conclusion through the method of rational inquiry, Ramban anticipates his reader's objection:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">And if you will object, saying: “Since certain aspects of God's justice are hidden from us, and since we are required to believe in His righteousness as the True Judge, why do you trouble us and exhort us to learn the rational arguments that you have explained and the abstract ideas to which you have alluded? Why can't we throw all of this behind us and rely, as we ultimately must, on the belief that there is no iniquity or forgetfulness before Him, but that all of His ways are Just?"</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Ramban's response is harsh: </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">This is an objection of fools who despise wisdom (<em>ksilim moasei chochmah</em>). The answer is that we benefit ourselves through the aforementioned learning and become wise individuals who know God by way of His conduct and actions. Furthermore, we will have even more conviction (<em>emunah</em>) and trust in God (<em>bitachon</em>) than those who do not pursue rational inquiry, in both the known and the hidden aspects of God's justice. It is the obligation of every created being, who serves [God] out of love and awe, to investigate with his mind to confirm the righteousness of His justice and to verify His judgment according to one's ability. The approach we have taken is the approach of those who are wise: to bring our minds in line with ideas and to rationally verify the Creator's judgments.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">That is the spirit with which I intend to take up these questions in my classes on such topics - not in the vain attempt to arrive at complete answers, but in order to understand God's justice to the extent that I can, and to avoid falling prey to the malady characteristic of "fools who despise wisdom." </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sadly, Adira never had the opportunity to learn Iyov with me. I know she would have reveled in the discussions and relished the ideas. Tragic as her death was, I am happy that she spent these last months of her life at Midreshet Amudim - an environment that allowed her to search for answers and provided her with the tools and personal development to discover such answers on her own. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I am going to dedicate Friday's shiur to Adira's memory - NOT to "give her <em>neshamah</em> an <em>aliyah</em>" (which, as I taught Adira myself, is a notion that the Rambam would reject as wishful thinking), but because she, like Ramban, had no pity for fools who despite wisdom or give childish answers to weighty philosophical conundrums. She would have pursued rational answers to these questions with single-minded zeal, rejecting foolishness and fluff in all its forms.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the very end of Sefer Iyov, after Iyov acknowledges the truth, repents, and renounces his words of blasphemy, what does Hashem do? He blesses Iyov and rebukes Iyov's friends - Eliphaz, Bildad, and Tzofar, who gave "religious" answers to the question of <em>tzadik v'ra l</em>o. Hashem tells Eliphaz: <em>"My wrath blazes against you and against your two friends, for you did not speak properly about Me as My servant Iyov did" (Iyov 42:7)</em>. In other words, while Iyov is the one who said and believed heretical notions on account of his suffering, he was <em>honest</em> in his inquiry and refused to accept the stupidity espoused by his religious friends. <em>That</em> is the type of person who truly serves Hashem: the one who seeks truth with an honest mind - not those who suppress their doubts and paper them over with trite dogmas. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira, like Iyov, may have held or uttered beliefs which did not conform with traditional Jewish doctrines. But it was clear to everyone who knew her that her mind searched for truth and clarity, and <em>that</em> is what is considered "speaking properly about Hashem." Adira was still at an early stage of the process of trying to figure out her Judaism, her relationship with Hashem, and herself. But I am absolutely convinced that she was on the right path. Last night I gave a shiur on the Sefer ha'Ikkarim (4:17) who said that Hashem only listens to the prayers of those whose emotions are in line with their rational faculty. Even though Adira spoke with Hashem in her own way, He most definitely listened.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">May Adira's soul - and as well as the souls of Popo, Julie Bass, and Martin Pepper - be bound up in the bundle of life, in the World to Come.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">-------------------------------------<br /><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><em></em></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div>Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a><p></p><p></p></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-29164043548176371932023-02-08T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:19:14.981-04:00Thoughts on Yesterday’s Shivah Call in Detroit<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>originally published as a Facebook post on 2/8/23</i></p><p data-pm-slice="0 0 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has also been sponsored by Nava, in memory of Adira Koffsky z"l, who loved learning and philosophy and was a real seeker of truth.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset" style="text-align: center;"><picture><source sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 1456w" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg","fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1919,"width":1132,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":300440,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"internalRedirect":null}" height="640" sizes="100vw" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01c0acb-09db-40fa-8a18-d09139b9c4a0_1132x1919.jpeg 1456w" width="378" /></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Thoughts on Yesterday’s Shivah Call in Detroit</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">There's one more thing I debated about including in the Facebook status about my Muslim Uber driver last night. I initially chose not to share this because I didn't want to draw attention to why I went to Detroit, but since one of my talmidim told me last night that my decision inspired him to do the same, I figured that that was a good enough reason for me to share these thoughts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the four people who died in the same 24-hour period last week was the mother of my talmid, Yehoshua. The shivah is taking place in Detroit. Yehoshua wasn't sure whether he was going to spend all of shivah there or whether he'd fly back to Far Rockaway to finish shivah here, so that his friends and rabbeim could offer their condolences in person. On Monday, he decided to remain in Detroit so he could be with his family. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As soon as I learned of his decision, I booked a round-trip ticket to Detroit for Tuesday. When Yehoshua first told me his mother died, I told him that I'd be there for him, and I meant it. And I'm not the only one. A good friend of his had already flown there, and several more of his friends and another one of his rabbeim from yeshiva flew there today - again, just for the afternoon - to be with him. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">What does this have to do with my Uber ride? Well, at one point in the conversation, Ali pointed to my backpack and said, "Traveling light, eh?" When I explained to him the reason for my brief trip, he was visibly impressed, and exclaimed: "Wow. God will <em>definitely</em> remember that you did this!" We use the metaphor of God "remembering" quite a lot in our prayers, but I believe this is the first time I've ever heard someone say it in natural speech. My rebbi (Rabbi Pesach Chait) explained that when we ask God to "remember" the good actions we do, we are essentially saying, "I've done lots of actions in my life, both good and bad, but <em>these</em> are the actions that define who I am and reflect my <em>true</em> values. I ask that You judge me on the basis of <em>those</em> actions, and not the many times and ways in which I have fallen short and deviated from my real values." </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ali and I then discussed the implications of such deaths on how we live our lives. Ali remarked, "You can't take anything with you," which led to another realization on my part. I know that there are many others who would have wanted to pay a shivah call to Yeshoshua in person, but were unable to do so for a variety of legitimate reasons. One of those reasons is money. It was expensive to buy a round-trip ticket less than 24 hours in advance, and to pay for all the Ubers. These were expenses that I was willing to pay, but they were expenses nonetheless. When Ali said, "You can't take anything with you," it reminded me that this is what money is <em>for</em>. What good does money do if it isn't used for the most important things in life, like being there for a dear friend in his time of need? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I had a similar realization from another conversation that happened yesterday. Yehoshua's family needed a break during shivah, so my other talmid (who was already there) took me to his parents' workplace. My talmid was on a phone chavrusa with one of my friends, Rabbi Trachtman, when Yehoshua texted him to say we could come back to the shivah house. My talmid wasn't sure whether he should wait until his chavrusa was finished or whether he should stop learning and immediately return to the shivah house. He asked Rabbi Trachtman who said, "The <em>nechamah</em> (consolation) you provide to Yehoshua is a mitzvah that can only be done by you and nobody else. You have to stop learning to go and be with him now." And so we left. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">While we were in the car, my talmid told me that he was reminded of the Gemara in Kiddushin 40b which raises the question: "Which is greater: Torah study or action?" The Gemara answers: "Torah study, because Torah study <em>leads</em> to action." He said that stopping his learning to return to the shivah house was a good reminder that this is <em>why</em> we learn - not merely so that we can <em>think</em> about the mitzvos, but so that we can <em>do</em> them and <em>live</em> by them. This was a good reminder for me as well, and made me even more convinced that I made the right decision to fly to Detroit, even though I had to cancel my teaching for the day.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lastly, I couldn't help but think of Act III of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Town" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Our Town</em></a>, by Thornton Wilder (<a href="https://youtu.be/EhUSR1lqo_o" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a> for my favorite performance available online). Against the advice of the community of the dead, the recently-deceased Emily travels back in time to relive her twelfth birthday, but from her new perspective - the perspective of someone who has died. At first, she enjoys seeing her mother and father and watching them live through that day. But with each minute that goes by, she realizes how fleeting life is and how few human beings "ever realize life while they live it." Finally she breaks down and cries: "I can't. I can't go on. It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have never sat shivah before. I imagine that one of the many benefits of sitting shivah is that you are <em>forced</em> to have time to really "look at one another" - to be there with the rest of your family who are mourning, and to be there with all those who have come to comfort you. This was the first time that I've made a shivah call in which nechamah was the <em>only</em> thing on my agenda for the entire day. I was only in Detroit for Yehoshua, and there was nowhere else for me to be. I think this really helped me to be present in a way that I had never been able to be during any other shivah call. And watching Yehoshua and his siblings be there for each other made me wonder whether part of the shivah process is geared towards enabling the mourners to have Emily's realization while they are still alive, and to really appreciate the people and relationships in their lives going forward.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The day before yesterday, I paid a shivah call to the family of my talmidah, <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/my-eulogy-for-adira-koffsky-zl-2004" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Adira Koffsky</a> z"l. One of Adira's friends had no way to get there, so I gave her a ride. On the way back I shared with her an insight, the source of which I can't remember. There are two types of virtues: résumé virtues and epitaph virtues. The résumé virtues are the professional accomplishments you've made: the titles you achieved, the salary you earned, the awards you won, and all the other material successes you enjoyed. The epitaph virtues reflect who you were as a person - what you stood for and what you really lived for. The example that comes to mind is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaim_Soloveitchik" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik</a> (1853-1918), the towering genius who invented the Brisker methodology of analysis which revolutionized Talmud Study and who authored the unparalleled Chiddushei Rabbeinu Chaim on the Rambam's Mishneh Torah. Yet, he wrote in his will that his epitaph should mention none of these intellectual accomplishments, but should instead say only "he was a man of kindness." </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the end of our lives, what will we have wanted to have live for? To what extent are the decisions we make today in line with that life we will wish to have lived? And, as Hillel asked, "if not now, when?"</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{"url":"%%share_url%%","text":"Share","action":null,"class":null,"belowTheFold":true}" style="text-align: justify;">-------------------------------<br /></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-76643954230020139262023-02-05T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:09:32.495-04:00My Eulogy for Adira Koffsky z"l (2004-2023)<p style="text-align: justify;"><i> originally published as a Facebook post entitled "Thoughts on Losing a Student Like Adira" on 2/5/23</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has also been sponsored by Nava, in memory of Adira Koffsky z"l, who loved learning and philosophy and was a real seeker of truth.</em></p><p data-pm-slice="1 2 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Sarah and Moshe Eisen, with the following message: "Dedicated in honor of Popo, who shined bright and brought joy to so many of us. And to Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss who shared her with us and continues to share thoughts, insights, and Torah."</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for this week has also been sponsored by Nava, in memory of Adira Koffsky z"l, who loved learning and philosophy and was a real seeker of truth.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset" style="text-align: center;"><picture><source sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 1456w" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png","fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1077,"width":1163,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":1099934,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/png","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"internalRedirect":null}" height="370" sizes="100vw" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F54f54af4-79f2-4734-9898-be98e8974d2e_1163x1077.png 1456w" width="400" /></picture><div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption" style="text-align: center;">screenshot of a video Adira sent me in one of her last emails</figcaption></figure></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Thoughts on Losing a Student Like Adira</u></span></strong></h4><p style="text-align: justify;">I have a document on my computer entitled "Students I Have Taught." I started this file in my first year of teaching (Fall 2009), and I update it each year. The document is a simple list of the names of each new student I taught that year. I created this document because each and every student I teach is dear to me, and I don't ever want to forget the name of a single one of them.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last week I started a new document entitled "Students I Have Lost." On it are two names: <a href="https://www.kindnessaward.com/about-yocheved-gourarie-ah/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Yocheved Gourarie</a> (z”l), whose horrific death happened in December 2020, and now, Adira Koffsky, who was killed in February 2023 by a car that lost control on a rainy night. Yocheved was one of the first students I taught at Shalhevet. Adira was one of the last. Yocheved's death absolutely devastated me - but at the time, to my mind, it was a singular event. It wasn't until Adira's death that I realized: this is a <em>category </em>of loss. This is a <em>list</em>. And the list will only grow. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Unless you have been a teacher - or a student who had a close relationship with a teacher - you will not be able to truly relate to the special phenomenon that is a teacher-student relationship. And unless you were part of the world of <a href="https://youtu.be/eyfE24xCssU" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Midreshet Shalhevet</a> (a"h), and knew firsthand of my unique role there, then you will have a hard time grasping the nature of the teacher-student relationship I had with Adira. I would like to make a feeble attempt to describe that relationship here.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Let me begin with the context. I taught ten courses at Shalhevet. With very few exceptions (which I can count on my fingers), I taught every single student in the school's 13 year history, from its third year of existence until its last. The average student would have me as a teacher for 7-12 courses throughout her four years of high school. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here are the facts about my teaching history with Adira: In 2018-2019, when Adira was in 9th grade, I taught her for an average of three hours a week in Gemara, two hours a week in Nach, 20 minutes a week in Tefilah, and 30 minutes a week in Study Skills. In 2019-2020, when Adira was in 10th grade, I taught her for an average of four hours a week in Chumash, three hours a week in Gemara, two hours a week in Nach, and 20 minutes a week in tefilah. If you do the math, that adds up to around 6 hours each week in 9th grade, and around 9 hours each week in 10th grade. And this doesn't count the many hours of discussion between classes, in special programs, and other informal in-school contexts. That's hundreds of hours spent delving into the Torah, engaging in discussion, and embarking on adventure after adventure in pursuit of truth.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When you spend that many hours with someone day in and day out over the course of two years - specifically, the critical years of emotional and intellectual growth during adolescence - you get to know them <em>really </em>well. You see them on their good days and their bad days. You see them interacting with friends and enemies. You see them through the eyes of their peers, their parents, and their other teachers. You become attuned to their personality, their moods, and their intellectual intuition. You become familiar with their mind through their public participation in class, and through the private thoughts they express in their homework assignments. When your whole goal in life is to help each of your students achieve their potential, you are constantly alert ("Constant vigilance!") for any and all ways to reach them wherever they're at. You agonize over how to help them overcome their obstacles, you rejoice when they make a breakthrough, and you doubly rejoice when you witness them experience their own surge of joy. Over time, you marvel as they transform from immature kids into thoughtful young adults. And when you're done teaching them, you feel that sense of "job well done" satisfaction as you "hand them off" and watch them begin the next chapter of their journey.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Chazal (the Sages) compare students to offspring. This is not an exaggeration, and is true on a number of levels. Rambam (Maimonides) explains: "your parents bring you into This World, but your rabbi, who teaches you wisdom, brings you into The World to Come" (<a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Yad_Peshutah/Talmud_Torah/5.1#m7e0ne" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Laws of Torah Study 5:1</a>). Ralbag (Gersonides) takes a slightly different approach: "your parents begat your physical being, but your teacher begets your soul" (can’t track down the source at the moment). But what I feel most is the fact that a teacher, like a parent, plays a nurturing role in helping this other human being to become who they are. For those two years, I - along with the other members of the gifted team of teachers and administrators at Shalhevet - played an active role in shaping who Adira became, as a Jew and as a person. If that is not a type of parenting, then I don't know what is. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I learned of Adira's death a mere three hours after receiving the news of the death of Popo, my 98-year-old grandmother. My grief for these two back-to-back losses has become intermingled in ways that I am still struggling to process. From the outside, one might wonder, "This was your Popo! You've known and loved her for your whole life! Adira was <em>just </em>a student. How can you even compare the two losses?" That is a legitimate question which I can't quite answer, but writing the previous paragraph helped me to understand one of the reasons why Adira's death has hit me differently than Popo's. Popo was "my" grandmother, but she was who she was without any "contribution" on my part. Adira, on the other hand, was "my" student in an entirely different way. The hundreds of hours I spent discussing ideas with her and investing myself into her development makes me feel like I have lost a part of myself in a sense that isn't the case with Popo. Then, of course, there is the obvious fact that Popo died naturally at the ripe age of 98, whereas Adira died before reaching her 19th birthday in a senseless tragedy. Believe me, I'm not <em>trying </em>to compare these two losses, but at the same time, I can't help but experience them in relation to each other. </p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">A Portrait of Adira as a Student</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm going to attempt to write about what Adira was like as a student. It's no secret that she was a mix of great strengths and stubborn weaknesses. She was incredibly passionate about truth and was a real independent thinker, but at the same time, it was incredibly difficult to convince her to invest energy in something she didn't care about. One of the themes in the eulogies at her funeral was that when she was interested in something, she was <em>really </em>interested, but the difficulty was <em>getting </em>her interested. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I really appreciated how Dr. Goldstein captured Adira's paradoxical nature in her eulogy, which I'd like to quote from here: </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira strongly subscribed to her own vision of the world and to her convictions of the ideal world, and she was not afraid to voice her thoughts honestly, almost to a fault. She was entirely open and sincere—never confrontational or trying to draw attention to herself, always soft-spoken and earnest as she conveyed to those around her how she saw things and why she saw them as she did. So while she was deeply interiorly-focused and comfortable with her conclusions and opinions, she never expected other people to see the world the same way and certainly never imposed it on others. In fact, with full humility and openness to learning and re-thinking, she actually exhibited a retreative quality, drawing away from confrontation while always keeping her ear open and finger on the pulse of all of the ideas around her." </p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">I wrote a short Facebook post immediately upon learning of Adira’s death which included an excerpt from the letter of recommendation I wrote for her last January:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira was one of the last students I taught at Shalhevet (in 9th and 10th grade) before it closed. According to a news report I read, she was killed last night when a car lost control and struck her when she was walking on the street.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira and I bonded over the fact that we both identify as Slytherin - a fact that she proudly declared in her first email to me. As it so happens, this was also the topic of (what neither of us realized) would be her last email to me, this past January. I asked her about why she identified as Slytherin in high school. She responded:</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"8th grade me leaned a lot on the ambitious trait of Slytherin. I still do, I’m not exactly cunning or sly. But I do want to accomplish a lot in my life, mostly with my writing. if you really want to get deep, in 12th grade it wasn’t just about ambition. I think I wanted to show that good people can come from anywhere."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This message, "that good people can come from anywhere," shows the type of Slytherin Adira was. I'd like to quote from a letter of recommendation I wrote for her last year:</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"Adira was gregarious and sociable with her close friends but painfully shy in other situations. She had a strong moral compass, and never hesitated to speak up for her beliefs and to defend those whom she felt were being mistreated ... She set aside personal issues to make peace with classmates, even when it was they who were in the wrong. She went out of her way to befriend new students – not because she was a social butterfly, but out of a strong sense of identification with The Other and a desire to bring those who were marginalized into the fold. She took ownership of her deficiencies and dedicated herself to making improvements ..."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"She became more outspoken about her views, even when her classmates disagreed. No longer did she slink back when faced with social disapproval. Instead, she stood resolutely by the courage of her convictions. I have reason to believe that Adira will become one of those strong but silent behind-the-scenes leaders, making real change happen without any desire to be in the spotlight ...</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"I look forward to seeing what Adira accomplishes as she begins the post-high school chapter of her life. If the growth she showed in 10th grade is any indication, then you can be certain she will go on to do great things."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I am heartbroken that her post-high school year ended up being the final chapter of her life. I am grateful for the opportunity to have taught her and helped her grow. Baruch Dayan ha'Emes.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira's profile as a student is best illustrated by her different types of involvement in my Grade-Level Chumash (Bible) class and my Honors Gemara (Talmud) class. My Chumash class was small, with only nine students. These students had VERY poor Hebrew skills, which only reinforced my proclivity to focus on discussion rather than language skills, for better or for worse. Whenever I prepared a class, there were two students I had in mind. I counted on these students to fuel the discussion and to keep me on my toes, knowing that if I said anything that wasn't sufficiently clear or supported by solid evidence and compelling reasoning, I would be called out and questioned. Adira was one of those students. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the last "heavy" in-person (i.e. pre-pandemic) discussions I remember having was when we reached the unit in Vayikra on the Torah's sexual morality. I knew going in that Adira and this other student had strong convictions about this topic and that I would have to be especially clear and especially tactful when broaching such a controversial and sensitive area. We spent a whopping five classes on this unit. It gave me such gratification (and relief!) to hear Adira pronounce her verdict at the end of the unit, saying: "What you taught us makes a lot of sense." I can't say that I persuaded her of (my understanding of) the Torah's position, but it was enough of a victory to know that I conveyed my understanding to her in a manner that she was able to hear, and which she deemed reasonable, despite any differences of opinion she may have had. And if there's one thing I know about Adira is that she was honest. If what I said didn't make sense to her, she wouldn't have said so.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Gemara was a different story. When Adira came to Shalhevet, she was <em>very </em>weak in Hebrew, and her Aramaic skills were non-existent. While my Chumash class had the reputation of being easy, my Gemara class was one of the most difficult courses in 9th and 10th grade. (I believe Adira attempted to drop it once or twice.) Each student's grade was determined almost entirely on the basis of oral quizzes, of which there were one or two each week. After adequate preparation and review, students would be called upon at random - selected by spinning what my students referred to as "The Wheel of Death," a Wheel of Fortune-esque digital wheel bearing each of their names - to read, translate, and explain portions of the Gemara. It is no exaggeration to say that for at least the first year in my class (if not longer), these quizzes <em>terrified </em>Adira. (Those who knew Adira can envision that wide-eyed look she got when terrified.)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It wasn't until 10th grade that she began applying herself in a different way. Slowly but surely, she made progress. Her reading became more fluent. Her confidence level rose. And, perhaps more importantly, she made the choice to study. In the end, she exceeded her own expectations. This was not the only time a student has made a huge improvement in my Gemara class, but considering Adira's personality, I know that all the credit goes to HER for this improvement. Nobody could change Adira's mind but her. The fact that she started improving her skills and her grades in 10th grade was entirely due to HER choice. </p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Final Words from Adira </h4><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll conclude by sharing two discoveries I made today - but first, a preface. One of the most prominent themes in Adira's eulogies was her creativity. She was an avid reader and writer of fantasy fiction, and a DM (dungeon master) of her local D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) group. (I would love to read a copy of the story she wrote about a vampire named “Chayim” who works for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatzalah" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">hatzalah</a>, if anyone can provide me with a copy.) Sadly, I was entirely unaware of this side of her. I don't know if this is because she wasn't as open about her writing in 9th and 10th grade, or because there weren't many venues for it to show up in the particular classes I taught. When hearing about how much her creativity was a part of her life, I was a little sad that I never got to see any creative writing from her ... or so I thought.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the olden days, all the homework I assigned was submitted by students via email. Only in the last few years did I switch to using Google Forms. After Adira died, I wanted to go back and read her homework assignments. Right now, I can't seem to access those Google Forms, either because the school account I used was deleted with the closure of the school, or because I deleted the Google Forms themselves. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I did, however, manage to find two emails that she sent directly to me at the end of her 10th grade year. One was a video of one of the final assignments I gave to my Gemara Class. Background: I created a list of 20 Torah she'Baal Peh (Oral Torah) terms, which I <em>drilled </em>into my students over the course of their two years in my class. Due to the pandemic, I was permitted to assign my students a final project instead of an actual exam. Part of this final project required students to produce something that would enable them to remember these 20 terms, even years down the line. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll be honest: I had no recollection of Adira's project. To be fair, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">June 2020 was a very stressful time, on multiple fronts</a>. In fact, it's possible that I missed her email altogether in the chaos of that tumultuous time. For this reason, I was surprised to discover a video from Adira in my inbox when I searched for her name in my rabbischneeweiss gmail account. In the video, Adira shows the camera an ornate miniature chest of wooden drawers. She opens the drawers to reveal little scraps of paper. She explains how on each scrap of paper she wrote the Hebrew/Aramaic term, the translation, and - get this! - a definition of the term in the form of a Haiku. For example: </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">BRAISA:</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Text not included.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outside of the Mishnah, but</div><div style="text-align: justify;">is as important.</div><p></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">And:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">YEHUDA HA'NASSI:</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Rav Judah the Prince.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The author of the Mishnah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Broke law to save it.</div><p></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">So while I didn't get to see her creativity in story-writing and world building, I did receive this very special form of creativity that carried the same quirky stamp of Adira's personality. And at the end of the video, she turns the camera and addresses me directly, saying: </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">"So, yeah! That's my Gemara project. I hope you like it, Rabbi Schneeweiss!" </p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The last thing I'd like to share is a personal email that Adira sent me on June 5th, 2020 - at the end of her last year as my student, on the last day of classes of the last year of Shalhevet. The email was unprompted. It reads:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Dear Rabbi, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you. For everything you've taught me. Going into highschool I had a lot of doubts about Torah and you helped with a lot of it. So thank you for helping me become a truth seeker. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Best of luck, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">At the time, I responded: </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Dear Adira, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. I have enjoyed teaching you in all of our classes, and I am confident that you'll continue developing as a truth seeker even without Shalhevet. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">And I do hope you'll send me a question from time to time!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I wish you all the best,</p><p style="text-align: justify;">- Rabbi Schneeweiss</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Adira is beyond the reach of my emails now, but if I could write her one last email, it would say:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Dear Adira, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It has been a pleasure and a privilege to teach you and learn with you for the time we shared at Shalhevet, and for the brief span of time you had on this earth. I am proud of you for staying true to yourself, and for continuing to seek truth on your own terms, in your own way. I will always cherish the memories of the gleam you'd get in your eyes upon discovering a satisfying answer to a question you had. It didn't matter whether it was an answer you heard or an answer you thought of yourself. All that matters was that it rang true. And although I cannot conceive of this next stage of your existence, it gives me some small measure of solace to know that your soul continues to gleam in the Olam ha'Emes (World of Truth) to which you have ascended. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Your teacher, </p><p style="text-align: justify;">- Rabbi Schneeweiss</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">----------------------------------<br /><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><em></em></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><br /></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a> </div><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-72666069624325085552023-02-01T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T23:03:54.079-04:00Beshalach: Was Miriam a Prophetess?<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>If you think you know the answer to this question, I recommend asking yourself: "How do I know?" or "Why is this even a question?" before reading (or listening to) this article.</i></div><div><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for the remainder of this week has been sponsored by my Patrons. If you gain from my Torah content and would like to help support it on a regular basis, please consider signing up for my Patreon at </em><a href="https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em> - or, better yet, you can set up a recurring donation through Chase (so that Patreon doesn’t take a cut). Even a small contribution goes a long way, and small recurring contributions go an even longer way! I’d also like to remind listeners of how to access my content. I have my five podcasts (The Stoic Jew, Mishlei, Machshavah Lab, Rambam, and Tefilah), my YouTube channel, my substack (which has replaced my blog), and my WhatsApp group (where I post ALL my content and shiur announcements). The links to all these resources can be found in the show notes at the bottom of my podcast episodes and my YouTube videos. Thank you for listening, watching, reading, and participating! </em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eE9X7-093V7H5JTnC5Tluz1Gz_TWoUTL/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12163175" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_08WJKrfesRmw9V83SWN-geoHnnggwK9wfuJLckNLQQFy-uwRlGle7JPTETjypKajDsHIEJTXNUdXvI2mfY3tcuEFcKNQCG1AAKx91hCZxo8KM9WIaBWI1lDS2L4FIfV02xRcoKMH3rHzT2zmKQGBYOucqko7B6VfT76ZiNYfCSagh2Zpg093Uup/s1024/01.31.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20miriam%20leading%20the%20Israelite%20women%20in%20song%20and%20dance%20at%20the%20sea,%20holding%20tambourines%20in%20their%20hands.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_08WJKrfesRmw9V83SWN-geoHnnggwK9wfuJLckNLQQFy-uwRlGle7JPTETjypKajDsHIEJTXNUdXvI2mfY3tcuEFcKNQCG1AAKx91hCZxo8KM9WIaBWI1lDS2L4FIfV02xRcoKMH3rHzT2zmKQGBYOucqko7B6VfT76ZiNYfCSagh2Zpg093Uup/w640-h640/01.31.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20miriam%20leading%20the%20Israelite%20women%20in%20song%20and%20dance%20at%20the%20sea,%20holding%20tambourines%20in%20their%20hands.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">Artwork: DALL-E responding to the prompt, “impressionist painting of Miriam leading the Israelite women in song and dance at the sea”</figcaption></figure></div><h3><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Beshalach: Was Miriam a Prophetess?</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">It would seem the answer to this question is: Of course she was! The Torah explicitly states in Parashas Beshalach:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Miriam</em><strong><em> ha’neviah (the prophetess),</em></strong><em> Aharon's sister, took the tambourine in her hand and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dances. Miriam sang responsively to them: “Sing to Hashem for He has triumphed gloriously; a horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/15.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 15:20-21</em></a><em>)</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The problem is that even though she is called “Miriam <em>ha’neviah,”</em> <strong>we don’t have a clear record of any prophecy she received</strong>. By my count, there are four approaches taken by the commentators to address this difficulty.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first is the midrashic approach taken by Chazal (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Megillah/14a.13#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Megilah 14a</a> and <a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Sotah/13a.1#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sotah 13a</a>) cited by <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Shemot/15.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rashi</a>:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Miriam [was a prophetess], as it is written: <em>“Miriam ha’neviah, sister of Aharon”</em> – and not<em> “the sister of Moshe.” </em>Rav Nachman said in the name of Rav: <strong>she prophesied when she was the sister of Aharon</strong> (i.e. before Moshe was born), saying: “In the future, my mother will give birth to a son who will deliver the Jewish people to salvation.”</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Avraham_b._HaRambam/Shemot/15.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">R' Avraham ben ha’Rambam</a> takes a similar approach, offering support from different sources:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The esoteric reason [for why the <em>pasuk</em> associates Miriam with Aharon rather than Moshe] is because <strong>her level of prophecy was close to that of Aharon but less than that of Moshe</strong>. This is indicated by her statement in the <em>pasuk</em> on behalf of both of them: <em>“[They said, ‘Did Hashem only speak with Moshe?] </em><strong><em>Did He not also speak with us?</em></strong><em>’” (Parashas Behaalosecha, </em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bemidbar/12.2#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bamidbar 12:2</em></a><em>)</em>. This indicates that she was close to [Aharon’s level] in prophecy. And the statement of Chazal, <strong>“she also died with a [Divine] kiss” (</strong><a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Attributed_to_Rashi/Moed_Katan/28a.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Moed Katan 28a</strong></a><strong>, </strong><a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Bava_Batra/17a.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Bava Basra 17a</strong></a><strong>), indicates that her level was as great as Aharon’s, or close to it.</strong> Understand this, for it is subtle and wondrous.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">A third approach is suggested by the <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Keli_Yekar/Shemot/15.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Kli Yakar</a> which is more conservative in its reliance on the context of Beshalach:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>She became a prophetess now (i.e. at the time of the splitting of the sea),</strong> for at that event even the women were able to see the presence of the <em>shechinah</em> … as Chazal said: “[Even] a maidservant at the sea saw what Yeshaya and Yechezkel didn’t see” (<a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Mekhilta_DeRabbi_Yishmael_Shemot_15:2" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mechilta Beshalach 3</a>). This is why it stated: <em>“all the women went after her,”</em> since the prophecy began with her, and all the women followed in her footsteps at that event in which all of them merited prophecy.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The fourth approach diverges from the other three. <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashbam/Shemot/15.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rashbam</a> holds that the term <em>neviah</em> in Beshalach does not mean “prophetess” but rather “an expert in words of praise or rebuke.” <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Chizkuni/Shemot/15.20#m4e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Chizkuni</a> similarly explains that Miriam is called a <em>neviah</em> here not because she received prophecy but because of her “expertise in words of song.” <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Shadal/Shemot/15.20#m4e2n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shadal</a> also maintains that the word <em>neviah </em>here seems to denote “one who is expert in the art of song and music” and supports his claim by citing examples of this usage throughout Tanach. What compels these commentators to deviate from the standard usage of the term <em>neviah</em>? Presumably, the fact that it doesn’t make sense <strong>in this context</strong> to characterize Miriam as a prophetess, since she is engaged in the act of singing God’s praises – not prophesying!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yet, even these three commentators would admit that Miriam was a true prophetess. In addition to Miriam’s testimony in Behaalosecha (<em>“Did He not also spoke with us?”</em>),<em> </em>we have an Oral Tradition that Miriam was a prophetess, as Chazal teach: “There were seven prophetesses. Who were they? Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Chanah, Avigayil, Chuldah, and Esther” (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Megillah/14a.13#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Megilah 14a</a>). Indeed, I have not found a single commentator who challenges this claim. Thus, the answer to our question is a resounding and unanimous: <strong>yes, Miriam was a prophetess.</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Why, then, did I bother raising this question? In order to illustrate an important methodological point: <strong>just because the Torah says something which aligns with our premises and prejudices doesn’t mean we shouldn’t question it.</strong> This seemingly obvious question led to four different approaches, each of which yielded new insights.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">-------------------------------------------</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em><div style="text-align: justify;">-----</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></div><p></p><br /><br /> <br /></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-48151975846472061962023-01-26T04:00:00.001-05:002023-04-02T22:59:09.455-04:00Bo: The Jewish Lunar Calendar as Anti-Egyptian Polemic<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rambam (Moreh 3:29) maintained that knowledge of the beliefs and practices of the ancient idolatrous nations is vital for understanding the reasons for the Torah's commandments. Here is an example.</i></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for the remainder of January has been sponsored by Yehuda in gratitude for fifteen years of friendship and learning.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qVT1e66SMjTRASadjYFifgMUx0qDxNPj/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12118616" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEXhhkQOUzjmUCZ2sGBeaLcHa_XsjHo-3RPH14rmBYQaOuht7ogQezqCIaPjw0gWhGsrX3DuQEyBSLs-2t00KBhzD3gHgFUhN_NAuy053fuHtmJo7jSKgsAZY0uWUToEAqkf94WmpQID7c38GPsR6nRDHaSKHjbWlv3zvT-hoEd0ROsT330wDhUeu/s1024/01.24.23%20-%20photorealistic%20painting%20of%20a%20broken%20and%20shattered%20Egyptian%20sun%20god.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEXhhkQOUzjmUCZ2sGBeaLcHa_XsjHo-3RPH14rmBYQaOuht7ogQezqCIaPjw0gWhGsrX3DuQEyBSLs-2t00KBhzD3gHgFUhN_NAuy053fuHtmJo7jSKgsAZY0uWUToEAqkf94WmpQID7c38GPsR6nRDHaSKHjbWlv3zvT-hoEd0ROsT330wDhUeu/w640-h640/01.24.23%20-%20photorealistic%20painting%20of%20a%20broken%20and%20shattered%20Egyptian%20sun%20god.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">Artwork: DALL-E’s response to the prompt, “photorealistic painting of a broken and shattered Egyptian sun god”</figcaption></figure></div><h3><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Bo: The Jewish Lunar Calendar as Anti-Egyptian Polemic</u></span></strong></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">My learning of Sefer Shemos this year has been enhanced by two relatively new publications. The first is <a href="https://a.co/d/8jr7txy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Founding God’s Nation: Reading Exodus</em></a><em> (2021)</em>, by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Kass" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Leon R. Kass</a>. Following in the footsteps of <a href="https://a.co/d/0nyhAIP" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis</em></a><em> (2003)</em>, Kass weaves a masterful analysis of the text using the “wisdom-seeking approach” of the Great Books tradition. (For a summary of his methodology, see my 2017 article, <a href="https://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/p/musings-on-academic-approach" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Musings on the “The Academic Approach”</em></a>). The second publication is <a href="https://a.co/d/8FIwaSL" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>The Koren Tanakh of the Land of Israel</em></a><em> (2020)</em>, translated by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and edited by David Arnovitz under the auspices of Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb. The running commentary consists of short articles on Egyptology, archaeology, philology, geography, and more, accompanied by vibrant photos, illustrations, and diagrams. This is a perfect resource for those who are interested in supplementing their Torah study with modern scholarship within the framework of Orthodoxy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/12.1#m5e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shemos 12:1</a> the Children of Israel are commanded to observe a lunar calendar. Kass explains the significance as follows:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Time in Israel will have a new basis and a new meaning. With sun worship defeated and left behind in Egypt, Israel gets a calendar that will no longer be based on the sun’s revolutions in the heavens or the correlated seasons of the year and the earthly sproutings and harvests they provide. <strong>This seemingly unprecedented innovation completes the Bible’s quiet but insistent polemic against living in thrall to the sun, the moon, and the stars – and the earth</strong>. The very beginning of Genesis had demoted the sun to a mere marker for the preexisting day and for seasons. It instituted instead a regular weekly seventh day, the Sabbath, independent of lunar change and commemorating instead the Creation and its Creator. Similarly here, the annual calendar is redefined in commemoration of a historical rather than a natural event. The target is no longer Babylonian “moon time,” but Egyptian “sun-and-earth” time. (p.168)</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">In contrast, <a href="https://neriahklein.wixsite.com/english" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Dr. Neria Klein’s</a> article in the <em>Koren Tanakh </em>underscores our calendar’s <strong>non-revolutionary</strong> character:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The order of the months begins with Nisan, which is referred to throughout the Tanakh as “the first month” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Vayikra/23.5#m5e3n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Lev. 23:5</a>). <strong>The biblical calendar is similar to the standard </strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_calendar" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Akkadian calendar</strong></a><strong>, in use in Assyria and Babylon</strong> – where the first month was called <em>Nisannu</em> (parallel to the Hebrew month Nisan) and the second month was called <em>Aiaru</em> (parallel to the Hebrew month Iyar). Likewise, the Hebrew month of Marḥeshvan is parallel to the Akkadian month <em>Arah Samna</em>, which means the eighth month – and again implies that Nisan is the first of the months. (p.62)</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">On the surface, Klein’s evidence would appear to undermine Kass’s theory. Kass characterizes the Jewish calendar as a “seemingly unprecedented innovation” – a radical departure from the other calendrical systems which prevailed at the time. He understands the Torah’s rejection of the solar year to be part of its silent campaign against Egyptian culture and <em>avodah zarah </em>(idolatry). Klein, on the other hand, endeavors to show the contrary – that the Jewish calendar is not radical, but typical. It would seem that Klein has the upper hand here, considering Kass’s methodological aversion to relying on “outside sources,” such as anthropological data. Kass explains the reasoning behind this “controversial view” of his in his preface: “like any great book, Exodus carries its persuasive power in itself. Access to the truths it might contain does not require prior faith, prior traditional or religious commitments, or reliance on outside authorities.” (p.9) What are we to make of this discrepancy? <strong>Does Kass’s theory still hold up in light of Klein’s evidence?</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In my opinion, the answer is: yes, Kass’s theory can still be valid, and can coexist with Klein’s Assyriological evidence. Even though the lunar calendar existed in other ancient cultures, <strong>it was new to the Jews in Egypt</strong>. If one is willing to accept the notion that Hashem took institutions which existed in contemporaneous cultures and incorporated them into Torah, imbuing them with new meanings in line with its own agendas – such as <em>korbanos </em>(sacrifices), as explained by the Rambam (<a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Moreh_Nevukhim_3:32&s1=2" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Guide 3:32</a>), or <em>milah </em>(circumcision), which the <em>Koren Tanakh</em> contributors demonstrate was <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/history-circumcision-0010398" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">practiced in ancient Egypt</a> – then Hashem certainly could have repurposed the Akkadian calendar as a weapon in the arsenal of Judaism’s war against Egyptian idolatry and culture.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">-------------------------------------------</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.<br /><br />If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.<br /></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-17358401997086925212023-01-12T19:42:00.002-05:002023-04-03T00:20:30.033-04:00Shemos: Dasan and Aviram – to Blame or Not to Blame?<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah itself only ascribes one wrongdoing to Dasan and Aviram. It is the Sages who place them at the scene of other crimes. What are we to make of this? Let's turn to Rashi and Ralbag for insight.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>The Torah content for the remainder of January has been sponsored by Yehuda in gratitude for fifteen years of friendship and learning.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m5HLuaz8ihQ_3g2u2wvxoKk5iL6xmcMr/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/12030866" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMntbKEA3SZDXjP4UO3pqOPGCRhiEvsmsHOzjSZ1UlyUCmqN_-pxfVw2Co6Hq01BPPGJfMdQOVTXI43wXBEKDA8wA_mkf0UzKD27WdaPdt7IPbxJyoehXoLslhWliZsGHRlO_x1IRhlad6C-SIZU4ZlTn2uj-L2LpNlfEzSVf6WPO5Md_5DmTCLI1S/s1024/01.10.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20moses%20standing%20between%20two%20quarrelling%20Hebrew%20men.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMntbKEA3SZDXjP4UO3pqOPGCRhiEvsmsHOzjSZ1UlyUCmqN_-pxfVw2Co6Hq01BPPGJfMdQOVTXI43wXBEKDA8wA_mkf0UzKD27WdaPdt7IPbxJyoehXoLslhWliZsGHRlO_x1IRhlad6C-SIZU4ZlTn2uj-L2LpNlfEzSVf6WPO5Md_5DmTCLI1S/w640-h640/01.10.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20moses%20standing%20between%20two%20quarrelling%20Hebrew%20men.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">Artwork: DALL-E’s response to the prompt, “impressionist painting of Moses standing between two quarreling Hebrew men”</figcaption></figure></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><u>Shemos: Dasan and Aviram – to Blame or Not to Blame?</u></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">The events that led to Moshe Rabbeinu’s flight from Egypt are recounted in the span of three <em>pesukim</em>:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>[Moshe] went out on the second day, and behold, </em><strong><em>two Hebrew men were fighting</em></strong><em>, and he said to the guilty one, "Why do you strike your fellow?" [The man] said, "Who set you as a chief and judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Moshe feared, saying, "Indeed the matter is known." Paroh heard the matter and sought to kill Moshe, but Moshe fled from before Paroh; he dwelled in the land Midian, and sat down by the well. (Shemos 2:13-15)</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Ask any Jewish day school student, “Which two Hebrew men were fighting?” and they’ll likely answer, “Dasan and Aviram.” This view of the Sages, cited by Rashi (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Shemot/2.13#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shemos 2:13</a>), is given full expression in <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Tanchuma_Sectioned/Shemot/2.13#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Midrash Tanchuma 2:13</a>:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>He went out on the second day, and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting.</em> <strong>Who were they? Dasan and Aviram</strong>. They were the ones who said, <em>“Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt!” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bemidbar/14.4#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bamidbar 14:4</em></a><em>)</em>. They are the ones who rebelled at the sea <em>(</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Avraham_b._HaRambam/Shemot/14.11#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shemos 14:11</em></a><em>)</em>. They are the ones who left over some of the manna, as it is written: <em>“Men left over from [the manna] until the morning” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/16.20#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>ibid. 16:20</em></a><em>)</em>, and they are the ones who went out to gather [manna] and didn’t find any <em>(</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Shemot/16.27#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>ibid. 16:27</em></a><em>)</em>. They are the ones who were involved in Korach’s dispute <em>(</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bemidbar/16.1#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bamidbar 16:1</em></a><em>)</em>, as it is stated: <em>“the same Dasan and Aviram” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bemidbar/16.27#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>ibid. 16:27</em></a><em>)</em>, <strong>for they persisted in their wickedness from beginning to end.</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The Sages do not claim with certainty that Dasan and Aviram were involved in these incidents. The Torah Temimah explains that “because [Dasan and Aviram] were known to be contentious people, [the Sages] ascribe [fault] to them, <strong>following the principle of <em>tolin es ha’kalkalah l’mekulkal </em>(we ascribe degeneracy to the degenerate)</strong>” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Torah_Temimah/Shemot/2.13#m5e0n7" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shemos 2:13, note 37</a>). In other words, the midrash implicates Dasan and Aviram for <strong>homiletical</strong> reasons – not because we have a tradition that they were behind all this troublemaking as a matter of <strong>historical fact</strong>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ralbag does not blame Dasan and Aviram. He, too, favors a homiletical approach – as evidenced by his practice to conclude every section of his Chumash commentary with a list of <em>toalos</em> (beneficial lessons) that emerge from the text – but unlike Rashi, Ralbag grounds his ethical lesson in the <em>pshat</em> (straightforward meaning) of the narrative:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The 8th lesson is <strong>to inform us of the evil conduct of Israel at that time</strong>, when they were in the throes of the [Egyptian] exile – namely, that they were fighting with each other, and striking each other, and they hated rebuke [to the extent] that when Moshe rebuked them about [their fighting], they did not want to accept his rebuke, but instead publicized the matter of killing the Egyptian in a way that reached Paroh, forcing Moshe to flee. <strong>All of this is to teach us that the reason why we were in such a severe state of exile is because of this bad conduct, to the extent that if they would have improved their actions and drawn close to Hashem according to their ability, they would not have been in such a severe exile</strong>. For this same reason you will find that the exile did not begin until Yosef and all his brothers died, even though it had been decreed upon them that they would be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years, because good free will decisions can override the natural order …</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Ralbag maintains that the degenerate behavior exhibited in our <em>pesukim</em> – quarrelling, physical assault, hatred of rebuke, informing on a fellow Jew – was not limited to two “bad apples.” It was endemic. According to Ralbag, this evil conduct was so pervasive that it resulted in prolonging the exile longer than it needed to be.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Each approach has its pros and cons. The advantage of Ralbag’s approach is that it sheds light on the sociological reality of the Egyptian exile and underscores how we, as a nation, could have avoided unnecessary suffering by remaining close to Hashem or doing <em>teshuvah</em>. The disadvantage is that Ralbag’s insight is abstract and difficult to relate to on a personal level. The disadvantage of Rashi’s approach is that it’s easy to simply blame Dasan and Aviram without reflecting on how their behavior persists in ourselves and in our people today. The advantage of Rashi’s approach is that Dasan and Aviram can be held up as emotionally resonant anti-role models for their bad character traits. The educator must decide which approach is the most effective for each audience and context.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you’re interested in a full-length shiur I gave on this topic, entitled </em><strong><em>Midrashic Embellishment: Why Did Chazal Villainize “the Bad Guys” and Vindicate “the Good Guys” and What are the Educational Implications for Us?</em></strong><em>,</em><strong> </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gfAjsngZ_M" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here for the YouTube version</em></a><em> (featuring the PowerPoint presentation that accompanied the shiur) and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/10114947" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here for the podcast version</em></a><em>.</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>-----------------------------------------</em></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.<br /><br />If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.<br /></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a></p><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-34691952669971105982023-01-06T04:00:00.006-05:002023-04-02T23:04:51.266-04:00Vayechi: The Wolf as an Allegory for the Shechinah<p><em>This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Rachayl as a "thank you" to me for teaching, and as a "thank you" to all those who participate in my shiurim and share their thoughts and questions.</em></p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hNLfm5mq7qr2V964XHBvrcsPlpQRFgez/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Click here</em></a><em> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/11993289" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>click here</em></a><em> for the podcast version.</em></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9KHQim6FbPWFGpMU7kU_xokIBw2RAFT1OxUy6b2XU0vGSVsfodpBq8YEsWP9Czp1hbgoKVsuHz6uLzQNm32C-_J8d49dqrG3RxnJ6VYCMCciYtDwMHQByV6d1gAMKmh3mfhxTlNRqYBVc7i7hwBOm-XnolGVnYh82vYtrWGznCL7Ekqyz8dscyp5/s1024/01.05.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20a%20wolf's%20face%20made%20up%20of%20flames%20(variation%202b).png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9KHQim6FbPWFGpMU7kU_xokIBw2RAFT1OxUy6b2XU0vGSVsfodpBq8YEsWP9Czp1hbgoKVsuHz6uLzQNm32C-_J8d49dqrG3RxnJ6VYCMCciYtDwMHQByV6d1gAMKmh3mfhxTlNRqYBVc7i7hwBOm-XnolGVnYh82vYtrWGznCL7Ekqyz8dscyp5/w640-h640/01.05.23%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20a%20wolf's%20face%20made%20up%20of%20flames%20(variation%202b).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="captioned-image-container" style="text-align: left;"><figure><figcaption class="image-caption">Artwork: DALL-E’s response to the prompt “impressionist painting of a wolf’s face made up of flames” (variation 2b)</figcaption></figure></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Vayechi: The Wolf as an Allegory for the Shechinah</span></u></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The most important shiur I gave in 2021 was called <em>Of Wolves, Men, and Methodology: an Attempt to Capture and Articulate an Epistemological Upheaval</em> (available in <a href="https://youtu.be/9Ojs7CZWvnk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">video</a> and <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/7961263" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">audio</a>). The catalyst for my “epistemological upheaval” was the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wolves-Revised-Barry-Holstun-Paperback/dp/B011MBTHIG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=28S3HH13F2BT4&keywords=of+wolves+and+men&qid=1672932777&sprefix=of+wolves+and+men%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-2" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Of Wolves and Men</em></a><em> (1979)</em> by nature writer Barry Lopez. The goal of the shiur was to identify the many forms of unwarranted intellectual reductionism that dominate our thinking about wolves, Torah, and everything else. We must be on guard against reductionist fallacies and constantly remind ourselves of how little we know, and how little we can know.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ever since I gave that shiur, my ears perk up when I encounter any mention of wolves. It should come as no surprise, then, that of all the blessings given by Yaakov Avinu to Bnei Yisrael, it is the final one that caught my eye: <em>“Binyamin is a predatory wolf; in the morning he eats plunder, and in the evening he divides spoils” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bereshit/49.27#m5e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bereishis 49:27</em></a><em>)</em>. Targum Onkelos renders this blessing as follows: “Binyamin: the <em>shechina</em> (divine presence) will dwell in his land, and in his inheritance the Mikdash (Temple) will be built; in the morning and afternoon the Kohanim will offer <em>korbanos </em>(sacrifices), and in the evening they will divide their leftover share from other <em>kodshim</em> (sacred things).”</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The plain meaning of the Targum is straightforward: the Beis ha’Mikdash was located in the territory of Binyamin. Every morning and afternoon the Kohanim would bring a <em>korban tamid</em> (continual sacrifice), each consisting of a single lamb, and in the evening they would distribute their portions of other <em>kodshim </em>among themselves. My question is: <strong>What does any of this have to do with wolves?</strong> Onkelos provides no insight as to why the imagery of a wolf is employed.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One answer is given by R’ Pinchas in the midrash: “<strong>just as a wolf seizes [its prey,] so did the <em>mizbeach </em>(altar) seize the <em>korbanos</em></strong>” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Midrash_Rabbah_Sectioned/Bereshit/49.27#m5e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Bereishis Rabbah 99:3</a>). The <a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Bereishit_Rabbah.99.2?lang=bi&with=Etz%20Yosef&lang2=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Etz Yosef</a> explains that this “seizing” refers to the miraculous fire that would consume the sacrifices on the <em>mizbeach</em>. Unlike Onkelos, R’ Pinchas learns the entire <em>pasuk</em> to be about the <em>korban tamid</em>: <em>“in the morning [the wolf] eats plunder” </em>corresponds to the lamb-offering brought in the morning and <em>“in the evening [the wolf] divides spoils”</em> corresponds the lamb offered in the afternoon.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the last page of Maseches Sukkah (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Sukkah/56b.1#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">56b</a>) the <em>mizbeach</em> is compared to a wolf again, but in a derisive manner:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">There was an incident involving Miriam bas Bilgah, who apostatized and went and married a soldier of the Greek kings. When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary, [she entered with them and] kicked the <em>mizbeach </em>with her sandal, saying: <strong>“Lukos, Lukos! (Wolf, wolf!) For how long will you consume the property of the Jewish people, yet you do not stand with them in dire circumstances?”</strong></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The difference between R’ Pinchas and Miriam bas Bilgah illustrates one of Lopez’s concluding thoughts:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>We create wolves … in the wolf we have not so much an animal that we have always known as one that we have consistently imagined</strong>. To the human imagination the wolf has proved at various times the appropriate symbol for greed or savagery, the exactly proper guise for the Devil, or fitting as a patron of warrior clans. (p.203-204)</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The same is true of the <em>mizbeach</em>. To R’ Pinchas, the <em>mizbeach</em> is the locus of the rendezvous between the <em>shechinah</em> and Israel: the two lambs we offer each day are seized in a wolflike fashion by a miraculous fire which testifies to the indwelling of God’s <em>hashgachah </em>(providence) among His people. But to Miriam bas Bilgah, the <em>mizbeach</em> is a predatory institution which drains Israel’s resources, yielding nothing in return. It is a relic of a bad deal with a God Who abandoned His people.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And what is true of the <em>mizbeach</em> is true of the <em>shechinah</em> itself. <strong>God’s <em>hashgachah</em> is an objective reality, but our perception of it is a reflection our own premises</strong>. We, as a nation, have fallen prey to such biases in the past: <em>“the Children of Israel imputed things that were not true to Hashem, their God” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_Zion/Melakhim_II/17.9#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>II Melachim 17:9</em></a><em>)</em>. Like the wolf, the <em>shechinah</em> is what it is, but it is also what we make of it in our minds and imaginations. We must proceed with the utmost intellectual humility, cognizant of our human limitations. Only with such humility can we be worthy to stand before the <em>shechinah</em>, as it stated about the most humble of us all: <em>“Moshe hid his face, for he was afraid to gaze at God” (Shemos 3:6)</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">-------------------------------------</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at </em><a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</em></a><em>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</em></div><em><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at </em><a href="http://gmail.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>gmail.com</em></a><em>. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</em></div></em>-----<br />Substack: <a href="http://rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/</a><br />Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />YouTube Channel: <a href="http://youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss</a><br />Blog: <a href="http://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/</a><br />"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: <a href="http://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Mishlei Podcast": <a href="http://mishlei.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">mishlei.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: <a href="http://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">rambambekius.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: <a href="http://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com</a><br />"The Tefilah Podcast": <a href="http://tefilah.buzzsprout.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">tefilah.buzzsprout.com</a><br />WhatsApp Group: <a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H</a><br />Amazon Wishlist: <a href="http://amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel</a><p></p><p></p>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-42360655725309287612022-12-30T09:11:00.001-05:002022-12-30T09:11:37.884-05:00An Etymological Drash from Rav Hirsch on Jewish vs. Pagan Priests<i>This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Sarah in celebration of the marriage of Rivkie and Dovi Siderson. Mazal tov!</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vDl_kfuYi54ACpEJb-AaKF8xW9INXgdI/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Click here</a> for a printer-friendly 2-page version of this article, and <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/11952269" target="_blank">click here</a> for the podcast version.</i></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvyXQpfRamAe0vuEU5IYNEXTdVwkp6ky_EXSjTPsosixJUU4ikeJ4FevFkQyZHwHjVsL2yWTmAv65hlbXHWMj1CJyNIXsZQ3rRUNJppipiZUdXmM1CFX89hRDLhwPH6zcGuJY3i6L6FsMqNUXI3EA9HqTi5zKS6V-UEQTRqBAW-8pesW-2BzoAJT1/s1024/12.25.22%20-%20Shadal%20and%20Rav%20Hirsch%20Having%20a%20Debate%20in%20a%20library.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvyXQpfRamAe0vuEU5IYNEXTdVwkp6ky_EXSjTPsosixJUU4ikeJ4FevFkQyZHwHjVsL2yWTmAv65hlbXHWMj1CJyNIXsZQ3rRUNJppipiZUdXmM1CFX89hRDLhwPH6zcGuJY3i6L6FsMqNUXI3EA9HqTi5zKS6V-UEQTRqBAW-8pesW-2BzoAJT1/w640-h640/12.25.22%20-%20Shadal%20and%20Rav%20Hirsch%20Having%20a%20Debate%20in%20a%20library.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: Shadal and Rav Hirsch having a debate in a library <br />(generated using the "outpainting" tool on DALL-E)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>An Etymological Drash from Rav Hirsch on Jewish vs. Pagan Priests</u></span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">There are two types of linguistic analysis of the Hebrew language found in Torah commentaries. The first type takes into consideration <strong>all</strong> available data as the basis for its conclusions and follows the evidence wherever it may lead. This approach may be described as “scientific,” “evidence-based,” or “academic.” The second type of analysis avowedly does <strong>not</strong> factor in all the data but is guided by a particular set of assumptions, philosophical beliefs, and rhetorical objectives. This approach may be described as “poetic,” “imaginative,” or “homiletical.” The first type of analysis is “bottom-up” whereas the second is “top-down.” The first is a necessity for <em>“pshat”</em> whereas the second is a valuable a tool in the arsenal of <em>“drash.”</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_David_Luzzatto" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shadal</a> (Samuel David Luzzatto, 1800-1865) exemplifies the scientific approach, as Daniel Klein writes in his preface to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shadal-Genesis-Luzzattos-Interpretation-Bereshit/dp/1947857304" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Shadal on Genesis</em></a>: “In his investigation of word meanings, Luzzatto drew upon every means at his disposal” including “comparisons with the later (Mishnaic) Hebrew of the rabbis and with languages cognate to Hebrew, such as Aramaic, Syriac, and Arabic” (p.22) Shadal’s commentary is replete with philological analyses based on his understanding of the evolution of the Hebrew language.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Raphael_Hirsch" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch</a> (1808-1888), a grand master of the poetic approach, holds by a different set of premises from Shadal. According to Mattityahu Clark (ed. <em>Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew Based on the Commentaries of Samson Raphael Hirsch</em>), Hirsch believed that Hebrew “is not a language that has historically developed and grown by absorbing or adapting words and expressions from foreign sources. Rather, it is a single, integral unit with its own internal structure and grammar, its own logic and patterns, its own meanings and nuances” (p.x). Hirsch “states repeatedly that one should not look to foreign languages to find meanings of words in the Torah,” believing instead that “the Hebrew language is self-contained” (p.xi). Thus, “in his analysis, Hirsch makes no use of or references to other languages of the ancient Near East” (p.293), instead basing his conclusions on his idiosyncratic theory of three-letter roots.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although there are hundreds of examples which illustrate the differences between these two approaches, the main reason I wrote <strong>this</strong> article is to showcase a single excerpt from Rav Hirsch’s commentary in Parashas Mikeitz. Yosef is overcome with emotion upon seeing his younger brother Binyamin. <em>“Yosef hurried because נִ</em><strong><em>כְמְר</em></strong><em>וּ רַחֲמָיו towards his brother, and he sought to weep; he went into the room and wept there” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bereshit/43.30#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bereishis 43:30</em></a><em>)</em>. The basic question is: <strong>What does נכמרו רחמיו mean in the context of this <em>pasuk</em>?</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A second question arises from a more common use of this three-letter root in the word כומר, which is universally understood to mean “pagan priest,” as in <em>“[Yoshiyahu] also dismissed the כומרים” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_Zion/Melakhim_II/23.5#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>II Melachim 23:5</em></a><em>), “for its people will mourn over it, as well as its כומרים” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_Zion/Hoshea/10.5#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Hoshea 10:5</em></a><em>), </em>and<em> “I will cut off from this place any remnant of the Baal and the memory of the ministers with the כומרים” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_Zion/Zephanyah/1.4#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Tzfanya 1:4</em></a><em>)</em>. The second question is: <strong>What, if anything, is the relationship between the expression נכמרו רחמיו and the word כומר?</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Shadal’s Italian translation of the <em>pasuk</em> in Mikeitz (rendered into English by Daniel Klein) reads as follows: <em>“And immediately Joseph, </em><strong><em>pity having been kindled in him</em></strong><em> toward his brother, and wanting to weep, entered into the room and wept there.” </em>Shadal elaborates on his reasoning in his commentary (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Shadal/Bereshit/43.30#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">43:30</a>):</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>kindled </em></strong><em>(nikhmeru)</em>. Became hot and burning, as in, <em>“Our skin is hot [nikhmeru], like an oven” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Ketuvim/Eikhah/5.10#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Eichah 5:10</em></a><em>). </em>In <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Friedrich_Karl_Rosenm%C3%BCller" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rosenmueller’s</a> opinion (and before him the Alexandrian translation), the original meaning of <em>rahamim </em>[here translated as “pity”] was “bowels,” just as [the singular form] <em>rehem</em> [means “womb”].</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Shadal is not the first one to translate נכמרו as “hot and burning” <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ibn_Ezra_First_Commentary/Bereshit/43.30#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ibn Ezra</a>, <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Avraham_b._HaRambam/Bereshit/43.30#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Avraham ben ha’Rambam</a>, <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Beur_HaMilot/Bereshit/43.30#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ralbag</a>, and others took the same approach, many of them citing the same <em>pasuk</em> from Eichah.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As for our second question, we – or at least, I – don’t have access to Shadal’s commentary on any of the three instances of the word כומר cited above. We do, however, have the commentary <em>Hoil Moshe</em> by Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mois%C3%A8_Tedeschi" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Moisè Tedeschi</a>, 1829-1898), one of Shadal’s “informal” students, who employs a similar evidence-based linguistic approach to that of his teacher:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>הכומרים</em></strong>. According to [Heinrich Wilhelm] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Gesenius" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Gesenius</a> (1786-1842) in his lexicon, its meaning is “those who burn incense.” If so, one must assume that the letters ג,י,כ,ק were transposed and its origin is Aramaic or Syriac. <em>Gachalei eish </em>(fiery coals) is translated as <em>gumrin d’iysha</em>, and the priests raise up smoke with fiery coals on the firepan; accordingly, they are superior in rank to priests whose forms of service are not as significant.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Thus far the scientific approach of Shadal. Rav Hirsch’s poetic approach stands in stark contrast. He reads our <em>pasuk </em>as: <em>“Yosef hastened, for his feelings toward his brother had been stirred up and he wished to cry, and he went into the room and wept there” </em>(trans. Daniel Haberman). Rav Hirsch’s commentary begins with a <em>pshat</em> answer to our first question, then segues into a <em>drash </em>answer to our second question:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">נכמרו רחמיו. For Yosef knew what he intended to do to Binyamin, the painful ordeal he intended to put him through, even if only briefly.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>כמר, the stirring up of strong emotions</strong>, is also the root of מכמורת, a net. A כומר is a pagan priest. The Rabbinic term כמר של זיתים denotes laying fruit on top of one another so that they should heat up and ripen, or it denotes burying them in the earth for this purpose, sealing them off until they become ripe and tender. מכמר בשרא (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Pesachim/58b.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pesachim 58b</a>) – initial spoilage in meat. ביב שהוא קמור תחת הבית (<a href="https://mishna.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._Ovadyah_MiBartenura/Oholot/3.7#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ohalos 3:7</a>) – a hidden drain.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The basic meaning of כמר, then, is to keep back something, shut it up and prevent it from going free, and thus to bring it to fermentation</strong>. Thus, on the one hand, a net, and on the other, the process of fermentation. Transposed to the emotional realm, <strong>כמר denotes pent-up feelings which, as a result of repression, reach an intense state of ferment</strong>. Compare כִּי יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Beur_HaMilot/Tehillim/73.21#m5e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Tehilim 73:21</a>), emotional ferment which can no longer be contained in one’s breast; intense emotional excitement.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For this reason, apparently, pagan priests are called כמרים as opposed to כהנים. <strong>The Jewish כהן is not dependent on devotion, emotion. Jewish Divine service is not designed to excite dark mysterious feelings. The Jewish Sanctuary appeals <em>primarily to the intellect</em></strong>: התפלל means to rectify one’s <em>judgment</em> and to make clear to oneself one’s relationship to things in general, one’s duties. Feelings are very cheap. One can weep copiously before God in prayer, and then get up and be no better than one was before! <strong>The כומר counts on exciting the emotions</strong>. The כהן, however, has to be כן with himself and מכין, provide others with firm direction and a firm basis. <strong>Heathenism works on the emotions and thereby shackles the intellect</strong>. The emotions, however, are like a clock mechanism without hands, restless movement that knows not whence or wither, which can be exploited for any purpose. The כומר fans the flames of hell and arouses fanaticism; he celebrates his triumph when נכמרו מעים, when the innards of the believers reach a point of total ferment.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a beautiful example of what I call “etymological <em>drash</em>.” Rav Hirsch uses the Hebrew language to expound on a core idea about Judaism. The fact that his analysis of the root כ.מ.ר. may or may not be “scientifically accurate” by the standards of modern philology is immaterial. This is the way of <em>drash</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fortunately, we are not forced to choose between the approaches of Shadal and Rav Hirsch, just as we need not commit ourselves exclusively to either <em>pshat</em> or <em>drash</em>. <a href="https://www.alephbeta.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rabbi David Fohrman</a> once likened the interrelationship between <em>pshat</em> and <em>drash</em> to that of melody and harmony: both play different roles – the parameters of which must be understood to be effectively used – but together, they result in beautiful music.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">______________________________</span><wbr style="text-align: justify;"></wbr><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">__________________________________</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-size: medium; font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></i><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a> and my podcasts: </i><i><a href="https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Mishlei Podcast"</a>, </i><i><a href="https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://tefilah.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Tefilah Podcast" </a> Email me if you'd like to be added to my WhatsApp group where I share all of my content and public shiur info. </i></div></i></span></div></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-30870588106398534442022-12-25T13:52:00.002-05:002022-12-30T09:02:43.211-05:00Chanukah 5783: The “Beloved” Mitzvah of Ner Chanukah<i>This week's Torah content has been sponsored by Sarah in celebration of the marriage of Rivkie and Dovi Siderson. Mazal tov!<br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hd8uhoTBrfCQ0CjnONGMM7J0TcUFYZJ-/view?usp=sharing">Click here</a> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/11930016">click here</a> for the podcast version.</i><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG32xBjMbLTCBZ8xL20Wjjcd20Qg6igcVe2j3CuU9VmXXGdrMj8N-yrl9FqUwgqFGu3AchkP-hP5LWI246XN9ynBS0FtAmAjnVkAOHzD06LUyEIfLzsBv3B2LJgYK_s5AaN_NXv0IwcoUhl-dOzXiq6TXUc8fu1OqHcDwKEtNBnPDyoaluODSTK4TE/s1024/12.25.22%20-%20photograph%20of%20a%20lit%20menorah%20on%20a%20platform%20against%20a%20dark%20backdrop.%20camera%20is%20far%20away.%20center%20candle%20is%20taller%20than%20the%20other%20candles..png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG32xBjMbLTCBZ8xL20Wjjcd20Qg6igcVe2j3CuU9VmXXGdrMj8N-yrl9FqUwgqFGu3AchkP-hP5LWI246XN9ynBS0FtAmAjnVkAOHzD06LUyEIfLzsBv3B2LJgYK_s5AaN_NXv0IwcoUhl-dOzXiq6TXUc8fu1OqHcDwKEtNBnPDyoaluODSTK4TE/w640-h640/12.25.22%20-%20photograph%20of%20a%20lit%20menorah%20on%20a%20platform%20against%20a%20dark%20backdrop.%20camera%20is%20far%20away.%20center%20candle%20is%20taller%20than%20the%20other%20candles..png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt, <i>"photograph of a lit menorah on a platform against a dark backdrop. camera is far away. center candle is taller than the other candles."</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Chanukah 5783: The “Beloved” Mitzvah of Ner Chanukah</span></u></b><div><br /></div><div><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Rambam provides an unusual description of <em>Ner Chanukah </em>in <a href="https://rambam.alhatorah.org/Dual/Yad_Peshutah/Megillah_vaChanukkah/4.12#m7e0ne" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Hilchos Megilah v’Chanukah 4:12</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The mitzvah of the <em>Ner Chanukah</em> is an exceedingly beloved mitzvah (<em>mitzvah chavivah hee ad me’od</em>), and a person must be careful with it in order to convey knowledge of the miracle and to increase the praise of God and thanksgiving to Him for the miracles He did. Even if a person is dependent on <em>tzedakah </em>for food, he must [nevertheless] beg [for money] or sell his clothing to buy oil and candles [so he can] kindle [the <em>Ner Chanukah</em>].</p></blockquote><p>The Rav (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ODAZUnj85GtgR1-Xd_mVc3c_6rj8iIr/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mipninei ha’Rav pp. 187-188</a>) asks: <strong>What makes <em>Ner Chanukah</em> more “beloved” than other mitzvos?</strong> If this is because of <em>pirsumei nisa</em> (publicizing the miracle), then Rambam’s characterization should extend to the other mitzvos of <em>pirsumei nisa</em>, such as the reading of <em>Megilas Esther</em> on Purim and the <em>arbah kosos</em> (four cups) and <em>heseivah </em>(reclining) on Pesach – yet, only <em>Ner Chanukah</em> is described by him as “beloved.”</p><p>The Rav answers based on a Gemara (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Shabbat/22b.1#m7e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shabbos 22b</a>) about the original miracle of the oil – not the miracle that occurred during <em>Bayis Sheini</em> which we commemorate on Chanukah, but the one that transpired on a more regular basis during <em>Bayis Rishon</em> and early <em>Bayis Sheini</em>. The Gemara begins with a rhetorical question: "Does [God] need the light [of the Menorah]?! Didn't the Children of Israel walk exclusively by His light for the entire forty years in the Wilderness?" The Gemara answers: "<strong>Rather, [the Menorah] is a testimony to mankind that the <em>shechinah</em> (divine presence) rests among Israel</strong>." The Gemara goes on to describe the miracle of the <em>Ner Maaravi </em>(western lamp of the Menorah). The Kohen would put an equal measure of oil into all the lamps of the Menorah, but whereas the other six would burn out at night, the <em>Ner Maaravi</em> would miraculously remain lit, allowing the Kohen to kindle from it again each evening. This miracle was not guaranteed. Rather, as Rashi (ibid.) explains, “as long as Israel was beloved (<em>chaviv</em>) [before Hashem, the <em>Ner Maaravi</em>] would be lit all day long, and that was its testimony.” </p><p>In other words, the miracle of the Menorah's <em>Ner Maaravi</em> reflected Israel’s status as the Chosen Nation, and it was this selfsame “chosenness” that was imperiled by Greek Hellenism during the era of the Chashmonaim. Not only did Hashem save us from that threat, but He testified through the eight-day miracle of the oil that the <em>shechinah</em> continued to dwell in Israel. This, according to the Rav, is the meaning of Rambam’s characterization of <em>Ner Chanukah</em> as a “beloved” mitzvah: <strong>because <em>Ner Chanukah </em>is emblematic of our belovedness before Hashem.</strong></p><p>But there remains one question which must be answered to fully appreciate the Rav’s idea: <strong>What do we mean by <em>“shechinah”</em>?</strong> Hashem is not physical and cannot “dwell” in any location, as Shlomo ha’Melech expressed in his <em>tefilah </em>at the dedication of <em>Bayis Rishon</em>: <em>"Does God truly dwell on earth? Behold, the heavens and the highest heavens do not contain You, and surely not this Temple that I have built!" (I Melachim 8:27)</em>.</p><p>In his commentary on the <em>pasuk</em>: <em>“I shall place My indwelling (mishkani) in your midst” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/R._David_Zvi_Hoffmann/Vayikra/26.11#m6e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Vayikra 26:11</em></a><em>)</em>, R’ Dovid Tzvi Hoffman (1843-1921) <strong>defines <em>“shechinah”</em> as “the manifest divine providence that determines the fate of Israel”</strong> (<em>ha’hashgachah ha’elohis ha’geluyah she’kovaas es goral Yisrael</em>). Although Israel’s fate is always under <em>hashgachas Hashem </em>(God’s providence), that <em>hashgachah</em> is not always <strong>manifest</strong>. But when we experience a miracle – whether an open miracle involving a suspension of the laws of nature, like the <em>Ner Maaravi</em>, or a hidden miracle, like our military victory over the Greeks – we refer to such a phenomenon as <em>shechinah</em>.</p><p>In light of this understanding of <em>“shechinah,”</em> we can appreciate a nuance in the Rav’s explanation of the Rambam. <em>Ner Chanukah</em> is “beloved” not only because it <strong>symbolizes</strong> <em>shechinah</em>, but also because it <strong>exemplifies</strong> <em>shechinah</em>. As <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5658221820958411&set=a.386088574838455" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rabbi Yonatan Goldschmidt</a> so eloquently expressed: “the miracle is not only that the light lasted eight days but that these [Chanukah] lights have lasted more than 2000 years.” The continued observance of <em>Ner Chanukah</em> by the Jewish people, despite everything that has happened, is the greatest manifestation of <em>hashgachas Hashem</em>.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">______________________________</span><wbr style="text-align: justify;"></wbr><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">__________________________________</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-size: medium; font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></i><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a> and my podcasts: </i><i><a href="https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Mishlei Podcast"</a>, </i><i><a href="https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://tefilah.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Tefilah Podcast" </a> Email me if you'd like to be added to my WhatsApp group where I share all of my content and public shiur info. </i></div></i></span></div></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-73922628271020375222022-12-16T00:00:00.000-05:002022-12-25T13:52:04.320-05:00Vayeishev: Should this Rashi be Taught to Children?The Torah content for the month of Kislev has been sponsored by Serena and Paul Koppel, who want to be makir tov and express gratitude.<br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/19dlb70zvdqGrGuEzrwQkOL3JH0wLvsoy/view?usp=sharing">Click here</a> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/11881363">click here</a> for the podcast version.<div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmORv5iQbg-E9e9w9Rxpz_m26fb4byKYqU9P0YD5mxsZhwPwMmdc0NrUQF8C3JRrjrhLO2DdFwp7yH1ad_7W_ofj_hY13n5307RI4MrIkt5xZDCu-_-Jillvq1agXvLqoqRz175KY7NJTP0XsJ1E-F2IssbcE9RjKhu3LttcQr3SbStrryCWrF-ki/s1024/12.13.22%20-%20post-impressionist%20painting%20of%20young%20biblical%20joseph%20being%20forgotten%20in%20prison%20by%20the%20king's%20steward.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmORv5iQbg-E9e9w9Rxpz_m26fb4byKYqU9P0YD5mxsZhwPwMmdc0NrUQF8C3JRrjrhLO2DdFwp7yH1ad_7W_ofj_hY13n5307RI4MrIkt5xZDCu-_-Jillvq1agXvLqoqRz175KY7NJTP0XsJ1E-F2IssbcE9RjKhu3LttcQr3SbStrryCWrF-ki/w640-h640/12.13.22%20-%20post-impressionist%20painting%20of%20young%20biblical%20joseph%20being%20forgotten%20in%20prison%20by%20the%20king's%20steward.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt, <i>"post-impressionist painting of young Biblical Joseph being forgotten in prison by the king's steward"</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Vayeishev: Should this Rashi be Taught to Children?</span></u></b></div><div><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">The final episode in Parashas Vayeishev opens with Yosef incarcerated in Potiphar’s dungeon. After interpreting the dream of the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em> (chief cupbearer), Yosef makes a request: <em>“But if you would remember me when things go well for you, please do me a favor and make mention of me to Paroh and take me out of this house. For indeed, I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews, and here, too, I did not do anything that they should have put me into the pit.” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bereshit/40.14#m6e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bereishis 40:14-15</em></a><em>)</em>. The parashah concludes on a somber note: <em>“And the Sar ha’Mashkim did not remember Yosef; he forgot him” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bereshit/40.23#m6e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>ibid. 40:23</em></a><em>).</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ask any child educated in the Jewish day school system “Why was Yosef forgotten?” and they’ll likely answer: “as a punishment for trusting in the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em> instead of Hashem.” This is Rashi’s (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Bereshit/40.23#m6e3n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid.</a>) explanation:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Because Yosef placed his [trust] in [the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em>] to recall him, it became necessary for him to be imprisoned for two more years</strong>, as it is stated: <em>“Praiseworthy is the man who has placed his trust in Hashem, and did not turn to the haughty” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_David/Tehillim/40.5#m6e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Tehilim 40:5</em></a><em>)</em> – that is, he shouldn’t have trusted in Egypt, who is called <em>“haughty” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_David/Yeshayahu/30.7#m6e0n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Yeshayahu 30:7</em></a><em>).</em></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Ralbag takes the opposite approach. He highlights this in his list of <em>toalos </em>(lessons) on the <em>parashah</em> (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Toalot/Bereshit/40.14#m6e3n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">40:14</a>):</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The seventh lesson [we learn from this section] is in <em>middos </em>(character traits), namely, that it is proper for a person to strive with all his might to save himself from the bad [situation] in which he finds himself, using all the means at his disposal that might help him, <strong>and he should not rely on a miracle, even if he is under Hashem’s providence to a high degree</strong>. You see that despite the wondrous extent of Hashem’s providence towards Yosef, he [nevertheless] entreated the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em> to recall him to Paroh to take him out of the dungeon.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Why, then, was the righteous Yosef forced to languish in prison for two additional years? Ralbag answers (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Toalot/Bereshit/41.39#m6e3n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid. 41:39-45, Toalos, after the 8th toeles</a>), explicitly doubling down on his rejection of Rashi’s approach:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">It should be clear that <strong>Yosef did not place his trust in human beings (lit. <em>“make flesh his strength,” </em></strong><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Metzudat_David/Yirmeyahu/17.5#m6e3n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><strong><em>cf. Yirmiyahu 17:5</em></strong></a><strong>) when he spoke to the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em>;</strong> he merely saw that mentioning him to Paroh would bring about good, as it ultimately did. <strong>But Hashem caused the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em> to not remember him until the time arrived that would be most beneficial to Yosef</strong>. Thus, you will find that all the misfortunes that befell [Yosef] from the time he was sold – all of them were a means of bringing him into power, and this is clear with even the most superficial analysis.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Neither Rashi nor Ralbag were the originators of the interpretations they cite in their commentaries. Both can be found in the midrashic literature (<a href="https://library.alhatorah.org/?r1=Bereshit_Rabbah_89:3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Bereishis Rabbah 89:3</a>). First the Sages present the view that Yosef’s sentence was increased by two years because he asked the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em> to recall him, in violation of <em>“Praiseworthy is the man who has placed in trust in Hashem.” </em>A few sentences later, the Sages offer an alternative explanation: “Why were two years added to his imprisonment? So that Paroh would dream a dream, through which [Yosef] would become great.” Rashi prefers the first explanation, whereas Ralbag opts for the second.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of the two views, Rashi’s is the most difficult. We see numerous examples in Tanach of righteous individuals who had great <em>bitachon</em> (trust) in Hashem, but nevertheless adhered to the unanimously accepted principle of <em>“ein somchin al ha’neis”</em> (“we do not rely on a miracle”). Thankfully, my Rosh ha’Yeshiva wrote <a href="https://www.ybt.org/essays/rchait/faith.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">an essay</a> featuring a beautifully nuanced explanation of how Yosef’s appeal to the <em>sar ha’mashkim</em> evinced a lack of <em>bitachon </em>in Hashem and why, in <strong>this</strong> case, a person who fully trusted in Hashem would have simply awaited His salvation.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The problem with Rashi, in my opinion, is not <strong>what he wrote</strong>, but <strong>how it’s presented</strong>. Odds are that the young children who are taught this Rashi as <em>pshat</em> (the straightforward meaning of the text) will walk away with the message that Yosef was wrong to ask for help, and that it is better to rely on a miracle than to act intelligently. I am convinced that it is better to teach Ralbag as <em>pshat</em>, but I’m open to hearing arguments in favor of Rashi.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">______________________________</span><wbr style="text-align: justify;"></wbr><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">__________________________________</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-size: medium; font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></i><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a> and my podcasts: </i><i><a href="https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Mishlei Podcast"</a>, </i><i><a href="https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://tefilah.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Tefilah Podcast" </a> Email me if you'd like to be added to my WhatsApp group where I share all of my content and public shiur info. </i></div></i></span></div></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div><p></p></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593519154574099792.post-19049398617921231292022-12-07T00:00:00.001-05:002022-12-25T13:51:49.325-05:00Vayishlach: Can We Talk About Reuven’s Sin?<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Torah content for the month of Kislev has been sponsored by Serena and Paul Koppel, who want to be makir tov and express gratitude.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i6mS3xOr8Kw1u0tW_DjLm_txZXpaqrx7/view?usp=sharing">Click here</a> for a printer-friendly 1-page version of this article, and <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/11831324">click here</a> for the podcast version.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Special thanks to Rabbi Shmuli Phillips, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Judaism-Reclaimed-Philosophy-Theology-Torah/dp/1946351784">Judaism Reclaimed: Philosophy and Theology in the Torah</a>, for allowing me to write this guest post for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2481564922072669">his Facebook group</a>.</i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3udaSPYO5m_oAIXSjDTGE2-4J9Pg_xaFX_3OuA1HNQ2soeidieVe-5Ef3yftX45Rc8U8xsNWpuwizbokjA96AvyaHFv-69IjVy1ujyuAbSUR8YhYAsAW-gUT8hBIBdlkhFXpRSjhkn-0zbD-4WMoXHM6O0KGLClhqK-QiqmEqDT3MmInAhz5WuuPu/s1024/12.04.22%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20a%20man%20reading%20from%20a%20scroll%20and%20another%20man%20covering%20his%20ears.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3udaSPYO5m_oAIXSjDTGE2-4J9Pg_xaFX_3OuA1HNQ2soeidieVe-5Ef3yftX45Rc8U8xsNWpuwizbokjA96AvyaHFv-69IjVy1ujyuAbSUR8YhYAsAW-gUT8hBIBdlkhFXpRSjhkn-0zbD-4WMoXHM6O0KGLClhqK-QiqmEqDT3MmInAhz5WuuPu/w640-h640/12.04.22%20-%20impressionist%20painting%20of%20a%20man%20reading%20from%20a%20scroll%20and%20another%20man%20covering%20his%20ears.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork: DALL-E's response to the prompt, <i>"impressionist painting of a man reading from a scroll and another man covering his ears"</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Vayishlach: Can We Talk About Reuven’s Sin?</u></b></span></div><div><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: justify;">The Torah’s account of Reuven’s sin ends as abruptly as it begins: <em>“When Yisrael was living in that land, Reuven went and slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Yisrael heard” (</em><a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Targum_Onkelos/Bereshit/35.22#m7e3n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Bereishis 35:22</em></a><em>)</em>. <em> </em>The verse then stops mid-sentence and a new paragraph begins with a non-sequitur: <em>“And the sons of Yaakov were twelve” (ibid.).</em> The <em>pshat</em> (straightforward meaning) of the text couldn’t be clearer: <strong>Reuven had intimate relations with Bilhah</strong>. However, the Sages of the Talmud (<a href="https://shas.alhatorah.org/Dual/Rashi/Shabbat/55b.6#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Shabbos 55b</a>) emphatically declare that such a reading is erroneous:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Anyone who says that Reuven sinned [in the incident with Bilhah] is only making a mistake</strong>, as it is stated: <em>“and the sons of Yaakov were twelve” </em>– this teaches that all of them were equal [in righteousness]. How, then, do I establish [the meaning of:] <em>“and he slept with Bilhah, the concubine of his father”</em>? <strong>This teaches that [Reuven] rearranged his father’s bed, and the verse ascribes to him [liability] as if he had slept with her</strong> … [Reuven] protested the affront to his mother, saying: “If my mother’s sister [Rachel] was a rival to my mother, will my mother’s sister’s concubine be a rival to my mother?” He got up and rearranged her bed [so that Yaakov would enter his mother Leah’s tent instead of Bilhah’s].</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Yet, despite this admonition against ascribing sinful behavior to Reuven, a number of commentators do just that:</p><ul><li><p style="text-align: justify;">Radak (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Radak/Bereshit/35.22#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid.</a>) holds that Reuven had relations with Bilhah, mistakenly thinking that since she was “only” his father’s concubine, she was permitted to him. Radak doesn’t comment on his motive, but it doesn’t seem to be noble.</p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">Ramban (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ramban/Bereshit/35.22#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ibid.</a>) theorizes that Reuven sexually defiled Bilhah to prevent his father from having more offspring. As the firstborn who was entitled to a double-portion, Reuven wanted to “lock in” the value of his inheritance.</p></li><li><p style="text-align: justify;">Ralbag is particularly harsh. After condemning Reuven’s sin as “a disgusting sex act … done in haste, without intelligence” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Beur_HaMilot/Bereshit/49.4#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">beur ha'milos to Bereishis 49:4</a>), he then marshals evidence to support his claim that “Reuven was not wise … for a wise man’s heart would not be seduced [to commit] such base deeds” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Beur_HaMilot/Bereshit/42.37#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">beur ha’milos to Bereishis 42:37</a>). Ralbag concludes: “the Torah makes it clear to us that Reuven, who was so depraved as to sleep with his father’s concubine, was mentally deficient” (<a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Dual/Ralbag_Toalot/Bereshit/42.37#m7e1n6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">toalos to Bereishis 42:37</a>).</p></li></ul><p style="text-align: justify;">What are we to make of these views? Surely these commentators were familiar with the Sages who oppose reading the incident of Reuven literally! How could they defy the Talmud’s authoritatively worded injunction?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">R’ Tzvi Hirsch Chajes (<a href="https://www.sefaria.org/Mevo_HaTalmud_(Chajes).20?lang=bi" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Mevo ha’Talmud 20</a>) provides us with a key to an answer by differentiating between the <em>drush </em>(homiletical) style of the Sages and the <em>pshat</em>-oriented<em> </em>approach of the commentaries cited above. He writes:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a received tradition of the Sages that the more praise they were able to heap upon the actions of the righteous, to search for their merits, and to tip the scales of judgment in their favor, the more they would strive to do, as much as possible … Even in a case which is explicitly [presented] in Scripture as an evil, [the Sages] sought strategies through the methods of <em>drush</em> to vindicate the actions [of the righteous] and to minimize their guilt.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The answer is that the Sages were engaged in a different expository enterprise than Radak, Ramban, Ralbag, and their ilk. The <em>pshat</em> commentator’s objective is to understand what actually happened, based on the evidence in the text, and to derive insights, concepts, and lessons therefrom. In contrast, the objective of the <em>darshan </em>(homiletical orator) is to use Scripture as a rhetorical platform for promoting Torah values, regardless of what really transpired. R’ Chajes explains: “the smoothest way to teach the masses and to show them the path on which to walk is to only take principles from experience, from the events that happened in the earlier generations.” Instead of speaking in abstract terms, the Sages rendered these ideas accessible by painting vivid, romanticized, larger-than-life portraits of the Biblical figures, taking creative liberties with the text and painting its “heroes” and “villains” in broad strokes without being constrained by historical veracity. Thus, when the Sages oppose the literal interpretation of Reuven’s sin, they aren’t referring to <em>pshat</em>. Regardless of what Reuven did or didn’t do, it would be a mistake in the genre of <em>drush</em> to ascribe to him anything less than righteous motives.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>If you’re interested in a full-length shiur I gave on this topic, entitled </em><strong><em>Midrashic Embellishment: Why Did Chazal Villainize “the Bad Guys” and Vindicate “the Good Guys” and What are the Educational Implications for Us?</em></strong><em>,</em><strong> </strong><em>click here for </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gfAjsngZ_M" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>the YouTube version</em></a><em> (featuring the PowerPoint presentation that accompanied the shiur) and click here for </em><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1576750/10114947" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"><em>the podcast version</em></a><em>.</em></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">______________________________</span><wbr style="text-align: justify;"></wbr><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">__________________________________</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at <a href="http://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss">patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss</a>. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail.com. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.com. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="font-size: medium; font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></i><i style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss" target="_blank">my YouTube channel</a> and my podcasts: </i><i><a href="https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Mishlei Podcast"</a>, </i><i><a href="https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Stoic Jew" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Rambam Bekius" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"Machshavah Lab" Podcast</a>, </i><i><a href="https://tefilah.buzzsprout.com" target="_blank">"The Tefilah Podcast" </a> Email me if you'd like to be added to my WhatsApp group where I share all of my content and public shiur info. </i></div></i></span></div></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Rabbi Schneeweisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07281133917533719375noreply@blogger.com0