CANDLELIGHTING: 5:19

SHABBOS ENDS: AFTER 6:23 72 MIN 6:50

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 14

ד"תשע אדר א ח

FEBUARY 8, 2014

PARSHAS TETZAVEH

By Rav Naftali Reich Few sights were more spectacular than the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, resplendent in full golden regalia, his vestments formed from the finest fabrics, precious metals and rare jewels. It was a vision of pure artistry and unimaginable beauty. And little wonder. What else would one expect from an ensemble designed down to its smallest detail by the Master of the Universe Himself? But the beauty of the priestly vestments went beyond simple aesthetics. They glowed with inner spiritual incandescence, each intricate detail laden with secret mystical significance, each element essential to the efficacy of the Kohen Gadol as the perfect conduit between the Jewish people and Hashem. What was the purpose of all the individual features of the vestments mentioned in this week’s portion? The Torah only spells out the purpose of one of them. The Kohen Gadol wore a four-cornered robe of blue wool whose hem was adorned with alternating golden pomegranates and bells. Why bells? Because “its sound should be heard when he enters the Sanctuary before Hashem.” Apparently this is a very important feature of the robe, because the Torah metes out a severe punishment for the omission of the bells. Our Sages understood that the bells are meant to teach us basic decency and decorum, that we must not invade the privacy of others by injecting ourselves into their presence without warning. Proper etiquette is to knock on the door before entering. Just as the bells announced the Kohen Gadol’s arrival in the Sanctuary so must we announce ourselves wherever we go and not barge in unexpectedly. Nonetheless, the questions remain. Surely, Hashem knows perfectly well when the Kohen Gadol is approaching, regardless of whether or not he is preceded by the tinkling of bells. Why then does the Torah choose to teach us this lesson in this particular setting? Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to teach us this lesson in a more mundane setting involving ordinary people who can be caught unawares? The commentators explain that the Torah is teaching us an additional lesson here, a lesson of critical importance. We might think that in the pursuit of high spiritual goals it is acceptable to bend the rules of simple decency a little bit. Not so, says the Torah. Even at the supernal moment when the Kohen Gadol enters the Holy of Holiest, the closest point of contact between a mortal and the Master of the Universe, he must still remember the rules of basic decency. He must wear bells upon the hem of his robe to announce his arrival. In our own lives, we often get caught up in our daily urgencies, and sometimes, this leads us to overlook the rules of simple decency and courtesy. If we are late for an appointment, we rationalize, then i t is all right to elbow our way through a crowd or drive a little more aggressively than we normally would. Let us remember, therefore, that nothing was more important than the Kohen Gadol entering the Holy of Holies, and yet the rules of simple decency always took precedence.

THE REST OF THE

STORY:

What’s behind the passuk? By R’ Yosef Dovid Rothbart

(כ: כז) זך זית שמן אליך וויקח The extra word אליך- to you, teaches us that a person must strive to attain the trait of humbleness. For if a person does merit this trait, he will not retaliate when another person insults or demeans him. Rather he will accept it happily. Hashem alluded to this when He told Moshe: “Command the Jewish people to bring to you pure olive oil, pressed for the lamp.” It is important to teach the Jewish people the trait of humility. They must “take to you”, and follow your example. It is well known that, throughout his entire life, Moshe was challenged. Shortly after he was born, his mother placed him in the Nile River, where he was rescued by an Egyptian princess. He was raised in the house of Paroah. While there, he had a coal placed into his mouth, which burned his tongue. This affected his speech for the rest of his life. Ultimately, he was forced to flee from the palace and ended up imprisoned by Yisro for 10 years. Upon his return to Egypt, he was met by an angel who threatened to kill him because he delayed his son’s Bris Milah. During the nation’s traveling in the wilderness, Moshe dealt with complaints from the people and attacks from other nation. Yet, despite all these challenges, Moshe remained tolerant and patient. This was a result of his humility, as the Torah attests, “The man Moshe was very humble, more so than any human being.” (Bamidbar 12: 3) It was because of this humility that Moshe reached a spiritual level unparalleled by any other human being, as the Torah testifies, “There has not risen another prophet in Israel like Moshe, who knew Hashem face to face.” (Devarim 34: 10) The Torah hints to this when it discusses the oil, for this lesson may be gleaned from the oil as well. In order to obtain oil, the olive must be crushed in a mortar, and then ground in a mill. Only then can the oil be extracted so that it could provide light for the world. The same is true for the Jewish nation. Although they are persecuted by the nations, who insult them, cause them to suffer, attack them and take their properties, they should not become discouraged by the suffering. They must not give up the Torah or grumble. Rather, they should accept everything with love; since in the end it will be through suffering that they will merit to see good. In the end they will bring light to the entire world. Hashem told Moshe to command the Jewish people to have forbearance and humility, just as you do. This is something that you must tell them. For you have experienced suffering and accepted it with love. (Based on the Imrei Shefer)

( מג: כט) ישראל לבני שמה ונעדתי – If we expect Hashem to meet with us, we must appear to Him with our ascent offering, as a sign of our eternal devotion to Hashem and His Torah. (Rav Hirsch)

Has it ever happened that you were sitting in shul and you glanced down and realized that some of your Tzitzis strings were torn? What do you do? Perhaps you are violating a positive commandment by wearing a four-cornered Tallis without kosher Tzitzis and therefore must remove it immediately? The Mishna in Menachos (38a) writes that Lavan (the white strings) and Techeiles are not dependent on each other. The simple meaning of the Mishna is that both Mitzvos can be accomplished independently. If a person only has two strings of either colour, he can still fulfill that Mitzvah without the strings of the other colour. The Gemara however, reconciles the Mishna even according to Rebbi, who maintains that the two parts of Tzitzis are dependent on each other. The Gemara explains that the Mishna is not referring to a person who has only one of the two colours, but rather to someone whose Tzitzis tear after they were made. If either part of the Mitzvah remains intact (24-30cm), the Tzitzis are kosher even if the other part is torn. For example, if the two white strings remain undamaged, the Tzitzis remain kosher even if the Techeiles are torn. The Gemara goes on to elaborate that this only applies when the strings that were torn still have the Shiur of K’day Aniva- enough remaining string to tie a knot. Based on this Gemara, Rabbeinu Tam writes that although we do not Paskin like Rebbi, the Halacha of the Gemara still applies. Therefore, even if a person’s strings tear, as long as two out of four strings are intact, the Tzitzis remain kosher. The Brisker Rav explains that for the making of Tzitzis all four strings have to be whole. However, once a person has a pair of Tzitzis, for the Kiyum of the Mitzvah it is enough that two of the strings are in one piece. The Rosh, however, disagrees. He maintains that the Halacha of the Gemara was only said according to Rebbi. For only according to Rebbi, who understands that the four strings are dependent on each other, is it possible to say that two strings can sustain the two which are torn. However, according to the Rabbanim, because the Techeiles and the Lavan are separate Mitzvos and have no relationship with each other, one can't sustain the other one. Therefore, the Rosh contends that the minimum Shiur for Tzitzis applies to all strings equally. Consequently, if any of the strings do not have at least K’day Aniva (4-5 cm), the Tzitzis are Pasul. However, because our Tzitzis are made from four strings that are folded over, only if two sides of the strings are torn will the Tzitzis become Pasul. But if a person tears two strings on the same side of the knot, the Tzitzis remain Kosher. The Shulchan Aruch writes that the Halacha follows the Rosh; however, when possible, one should be strict like Rabbeinu Tam as well. Therefore, Tzitzis are Pasul if a single string does not have at least 4-5 cm, as well as if on one side of the knot there are three strings that are torn below 24-30cm.

HALACHA BY R’ AVI FRIEDMAN

Hilchos Tzitzis

In the previous edition we asked when one would be obliged to wear Teffilin during Maariv. The answer can be found in a Teshuvas Shevus Yaakov. In the third volume ( לז' סי) , he discusses the following case. Once when Tisha’a B’av fell on Shabbos and was pushed off to Sunday, an individual became sick in the middle of the fast, and was unable to continue fasting. He was told to daven Mincha and then eat. Since he davened Mincha b’Yechidus without a Minyan he forgot to put on Teffilin, something usually done at Mincha on Tisha’a b’Av. When he realized, he came to ask a She’ailah if it was too late to put on Tefillin since he had already davened Mincha. The Shevus Yaakov ruled that he should find a Minyan that was davening Mincha, and say Kedusha with them while wearing his Tefillin. If it is too late to find a Minyan, he should put on Tefillin, daven Maariv early before nightfall, say the Krias Shema of Maariv and its Brachos while wearing Tefillin, remove them and then daven Shemona Esreh. The Shaarei Teshuva (O.C. 555) asks on the Shvus Yaakov why it’s necessary to daven the Krias Shema and its brachos while wearing Tefillin. Why can’t he just say Krias Shema in Tefilin just as those who wear the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam do (every day) when they put on their Tefillin of Rabbainu Tam? A possible answer to this is

that the Shevus Yaakov maintained that there is a significant difference between saying Krias Shema after donning Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam and saying it on Tisha’a B’av. The reason why those who put on Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam say Krias Shema while doing so is because of the statement of Chazal that someone who says Krias Shema while not wearing Tefillin is as if he is a שקר העיד -saying a lie. When someone is putting on Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam he is saying

the Tefillin of Rashi that he wore earlier are not considered Tefillin. (This is why, when putting on Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam, one should be careful to do so during the proper time to say Krias Shema.) On Tisha’a B’av when we put on Tefillin during Maariv it is too late to say Krias Shema in its proper time, which is in the morning. So the only thing we can do to fulfill some of the minimum requirement for wearing Tefillin every day is to at least daven one Tefillah with the Tefillin- which is why we don them during Mincha. To say Krias Shema at that time doesn’t compensate for anything as it is not the proper Zeman Krias Shema. That is why the Mishnah Berura rules that one should not recite Krias Shema because at the time it would be considered to be learning Torah, which is forbidden on Tisha’a B’av. (Others disagree with the Mishnah Berura and say that Krias Shema may be said at that time because it is part of Seder Hayom.) Therefore when the individual in this question could not wear Tefillin for some of Mincha, the Shevus Yaakov ruled to daven Maariv early. This way, at least he fulfills the Krias Shema component of the minimum requirement when wearing Tefillin.

For the making of

Tzitzis all four strings

have to be whole.

Tzitzis, for the Kiyum

Shabbos table discussions The Shulchan Aruch (90: 12) writes that there is a Mitzvah to run to shul for davening. Is it possible to fulfill this

Mitzvah by driving a car? How about if a person drives faster than he would normally? (c.f. Teshuvas Tzitz Eliezer XII 17)

Because the Kohanim wore only a thin tunic and walked barefoot even on the coldest days of the year, they were very prone to becoming sick. (c.f. Shekalim ch. 5 Halacha 1) The Mishna in Avos (5: 1) delineates ten miracles that occurred in the Mikdash. Why did Hashem not perform an additional miracle to prevent the Kohanim from falling ill?

ANSWERS

SHIURIM AND EVENTS IN KOLLEL OHR YOSEF THORNHILL COMMUNITY KOLLEL

RIDDLE By R’ Naftali Spiegel

How many times would the Kohanim wrap the Avneit

around themselves?

Please send your answers to editor@ohrshabbos.com. Please include your name and age.

All those who submit a correct answer will be entered into a raffle to a free meal at Pizza Café. Sponsored by: Pizza Café

(416) 633-5678 Answer to last week’s riddle: Answered in the column titled answers

By R’ Yossi Bergman

Abraham Ibn Ezra (1089-c.1164) was born in Tudela, Spain, where he lived most

of his life. In 1140 he left his hometown to wander through other lands.

Consequently, his life was divided into two periods. During the first period of his

life, when he resided in Spain, he wrote many of his poems, while during his

sojourn in various Jewish communities outside Spain, his other works were compiled.

He writes that, from time to time, he tried to engage in various business enterprises

but met with no success. In a famous poem, he laments his poor Mazal by saying

that if he manufactured candles it would never get dark and if he sold shrouds no one would die.

The following letter was first published at the end of the Arizal’s Shulchan Aruch:

It was in the year 4919 (1159), in the middle of the night on Shabbos, on the 14th

of the month of Teves, and I, Abraham the Sephardi called Ibn Ezra, was in one of

the cities of the island which is called the edge of the Earth, (England) which is on

the seventh border of the borders of the civilized world. I was sleeping, and my

slumber was pleasing to me, and I saw in a dream someone standing opposite me

looking like a man, and in his hand was a sealed letter. And he said to me: “Take this letter which the Shabbos has sent you.”

And I knelt and bowed to God who honoured me with this honour. I took [the

letter] with both hands – and my hands were dripping myrrh – and I read it, and it

was sweet like honey to my mouth. However, as I read the final lines, my heart

became hot within me, and I almost lost my spirit. I asked the one standing before

me: “What was my sin? What was my iniquity? For as long as I have known the

great God who created me, and learned of His commandments, I have always

loved the Shabbos. Before she would arrive I would go to greet her with all my

heart. Also, when she would leave I would send her away with joy and song. Who

among all her servants was as loyal as I? Why would she send me this letter?” This is what it said:

“I am the Shabbos, the crown of the religion of the precious ones, the fourth of the

ten commandments, a sign between the Lord and His children, an eternal covenant

for every generation. God completed all His work with me, as is written in the first

of the books. On Shabbos the manna did not fall, in order to be a demonstration to

the generations. I am joy to those living on the earth and calmness to a nation

dwelling in graves. I am the joy of men and women; elders and youths rejoice in

me. Mourners do not mourn in me, and the righteous dead are not eulogized on me.

Slave and maidservant find quiet with me, as do the strangers who dwell within the

gates. All domesticated animals will rest: horses, donkeys and oxen. All of the

wise will make Kiddush upon wine, and those considered as nazirites will make

the Havdala. Every day wisdom can be found, but on my day one hundred fold. [I

am] too honoured for one to behave in one’s usual way, or to seek out one’s

material needs or converse about such things. I have guarded you all of [your]

years and you have guarded me since your youth. In your old age a fault has been

found, since books have come to your house, within which are written to desecrate

the seventh day. How can you be silent and not make vows to compose faithful

letters and send them to all places?”

The Shabbos’ messenger said to me: “It was told to her that your students

brought to your house yesterday a book which interprets the Torah, and therein

it is written to desecrate the Shabbos. You should gird your loins for the sake

of the Shabbos’ honour, to fight the wars of Torah against the enemies of the Shabbos – and do not respect any person.”

I awoke and my heart was pounding and my soul was trembling. I arose and

my anger was burning within me. I put on my clothes and washed my hands

and I took out the book under the moonlight, and in it was written an

interpretation of “and it was evening and it was morning”, and it said [that this

meant] that when morning of the second day rose it was one complete day, for

the night follows the day.

I almost rent my clothing as well as ripped up the commentary, since I said that

it would be better to desecrate one Shabbos and not have Israel desecrate many

if they see this evil commentary. Also, we will become a laughing stock and

humiliation to the gentiles – but I restrained myself in honour of the Shabbos.

But I made a vow that I would not give my eye sleep after the end of the holy

day until I wrote a long letter explaining when the beginning of a day in the

Torah is, to remove stumbling blocks as well as traps. For all of the Jews,

Pharisees and Sadducees alike, know that the only reason the story of God’s

creation of each day was written was so that those who keep the Torah would

know how to keep the Shabbos; that they should rest just like God rested,

counting the days of the week. Now if the end of the sixth day was the morning of the seventh, then we should keep the following night.

This commentary is misdirecting all of Israel, the east and the west, the near

and the far, the living and the dead. Those who believe this difficult

commentary – God will avenge the vengeance of the Shabbos upon them.

Anyone who reads it aloud – may his tongue stick to his palate. Any scribe

who writes it as a comment on the Torah, may his arm dry up and his right eye go blind, while for the rest of Israel there will be light.

FAMILY DAY BREAKFAST & LEARN

Kollel Ohr Yosef & BAYT Adult Education invite the men & women of the

community to a Family Day Breakfast & Learn on Monday, February 17,

featuring Rabbi Baruch Lichtenstein, Rabbi Dovid Sapirman and

Rabbi Pinchas Jung. See flyer for more details

By R’ Naftali Spiegel

When unrolled, how long was the Mitznefes?

Please send your answers to editor@ohrshabbos.com.

Please include your name and age. All those who submit a correct answer will be

entered into a raffle to a free meal at Pizza Café. Sponsored by: Pizza Café

(416) 633-5678 Answer to last week’s riddle: Moshe was not able to construct the Menorah. Shlomo HaMelech built ten Menorahs.

Did you know...

That only oil that is extracted from an olive may be used to light the Menorah? One reason is that olive oil burns with a very clear, bright light, more so than any other type of oil. It is also drawn up the wick better than any other oil.

The reason why Hashem instructed that the Menorah stand outside the Holy of Holies while the Aron was inside, was to demonstrate that Hashem does not need our light? Rather, Hashem is the source for all light.

Hashem commanded that the windows made for the Mishkan should not be made as windows are normally made? When a person makes windows, he makes them narrow on the outside and wider on the inside. This is to cause the light to spread inside the house, providing more light. However, the windows of the Mishkan were built the opposite way. The windows were wide on the outside and narrow on the inside in order to show that the light inside the Mishkan will light up the entire world.

The stones used in the Choshen had to be natural uncut gems? They were not allowed to be cut from a larger stone. Ordinarily, stones used for setting are cut, in order that they sparkle and be perfect. These however could not be cut.

On each of the stones set in the Choshen there were six letters? These six letters corresponded to the six days of the week.

The Urim V’Tumim consisted of Hashem’s name that He used to create the 310 universes? This name is engraved in the stone used to be the foundation of the world- אבן שתיה.

The Urim VTumim was not made by a person? In fact they were not brought as gift by any human. Rather, they were Divine names which were given to Moshe secretly.

To contribute to this section and be featured in this newsletter, email your D’var Torah to editor@ohrshabbos.com or drop off it at Kollel Ohr Yosef 613 Clark Avenue West. .

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