Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

We learned in Parsha Balak that Bila’am’s scheme to seduce Jewish men to avodah zora by way of immorality (co-habitation) resulted in a plague which killed 24,000 Jewish men until Pinchas’ act brought the plague to a halt. However, Bamidbar, Perek 25, posuk 4 and 5 read;

And Hashem, said to Moshe: Take all of the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto the Hashem in the face of the sun, that (there) may turn away the fierce anger of Hashem from Israel. And Moshe said unto the judges of Israel: Slay you every one his men that have joined themselves unto the Ba’al Peor.

Rabbi Chaim Zev Malinowitz spoke out what was, for this author, a Chidush which shed more light than previously on the significance and magnitude of Pinchas’ act of slaying Zimri and Kosbi as they co-habited.

Rabbi Malinowitz cites Rashi on Perek 25, posuk 4 and 5, particularly posuk 5:

Rashi on posuk 4:

Take all of the chiefs of the people — that they shall judge the worshippers of Peor

And hang them up — the worshippers…

Rashi on posuk 5:

Slay you everyone his men — Everyone of the judges of Israel killed 2 (offenders);

and the judges of Israel (numbered eighty-eight thousand, as it is stated in Sanhedrin (folio 38).

If we do the math, if 88,000 judges each hung and killed 2 sinners, that’s 176,000 of the Am Yisrael who died by hanging. Now add to that the 24,000 who died in the plague and we see that the Chet of the Ba’al Peor took the lives of 1/3 of B’nai Yisrael before Pinchas’ impailment of Zimri and Kosbi as they co-habited brought an end to the death.

To return to the discussion of last week’s Parsha Balak, even though perhaps falling short of the magnitude of Zimri’s aveirah with Kosbi, at what point is the extent of one’s sin outside of the pale? At what point is this sinner cheiv cheirem from the Kehal in this world and forfeits even the most fundamental merit in Olam Haba — in Shemayim — in the next world? At what point does such a sinner not even merit the neshama of a “toe-nail”?

That even some Jews, as well as leadership, could be capable of treating their fellow Jews with such deaf-ear, blind-eye, nonchalance, lip-service or worse seems every bit as contemptible as Zimri’s illicit co-habitation with Kosbi in the Camp by way of the avodah zora Ba’al Pe’or.

And yet we learn from Midrashim on Parsha Pinchas that there was much dispute in The Camp as to Pinchas’ action in slaying Zimri and Kosbi. There were those who wanted Pinchas killed for killing another Jew; quoted by Rabbi Artscroll (Stone Chumash page 876, Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 25, posuk 11):

“This grandson of someone who fattened calves to be sacrificed to idols” had the gall to kill a prince in Israel! [Pinchas’ father was married to a daughter of Yitro, a former Midianite Priest, who was called Putiel…]

So we return to our discussion from last week’s Parsha Balak concerning Zimri’s distorted model and “novel, misleading ideology”; his false, bogus proposition of “acting for the sake of Shemayim (Heaven).”

Shem Mishmuel (Shem Mishmuel, English by Rabbi Zvi Belovsky, pages 361-362) notes that while a “sin for the sake of Heaven” could theoretically have a place within Jewish life, it is unworkable if attempted in practice:

An action must be absolutely free of any self-interest or motive other than serving Hashem and realizing His aims. Without this condition, the act is a sin like any other.

Shem Mishmuel then cites a Chazal (Vayikra Rabbah 14:5):

It is impossible for even the exceptionally pious not to have sin as at least a fraction of their motive.

In short, it would seem that in order to have been able to act as Pinchas did, he would have had to be perfectly righteous, to be “absolutely free of any self-interest or motive other than serving Hashem and realizing His aims.”

To repeat a quote from the Lubavitcher Rebbe as noted in last week’s Parsha HaShevua (Studies in the Weekly Parsha, by Yehuda Nachshoni, Parsha Balak, page 1113);

“He impailed the woman through the belly”; “He aimed his spear between their male and female members, proving that he did not kill them in vain.” Why would we think that he had killed them in vain? Rather, the Torah here alludes to the law that a zealot has free reign only while the act is in progress.

Thus Hashem conveyed the Kahuna, and eternal life upon upon Pinchas in vindication regarding the vicious, false accusations against him and in recognition of the justness and Kiddush Hashem of his action.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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In previous years when speaking about Parsha Balak, about Bila’am’s scheme to lure Jewish men to immorality and avodah zora, as well as connecting Pinchas’ action, in killing Zimri and Kosbi in the act of co-habitation before the Assembly, this author referred back to a posuk in Parsha Ki Tisa;

You shall annoint Aaron, his sons and their descendents as Kohanim…

But Pinchas was omitted by the posuk in Parsha Ki Tisa as he was born in Mitzrayim, before Yetziyot Mitzrayim, before Matan Torah, to Aaron’s son Elazar, heir to Aaron’s position of Kohen Godol. The Kohanic inheritance and lineage would only kick in after Matan Torah, thus by the annointment of Aaron and his sons, Pinchas Ben Elazar fell through the cracks.

Thus we see;

• Bila’am’s scheme to seduce Jewish men to avodah zora by way of immorality (co-habitation)
• The resultant plague killing 24,000 Jewish men

Zimri, the prince of Shavet Shimon and the most prominent individual to take part in this act of physical lust, displayed a distorted and false perception and rationale in bringing Kosbi into the Camp and co-habitating with her before The Assembly. His alleged “L’Shem Shemayim” model; bringing co-habitation with Moabite women into the camp of B’nai Yisrael lest men go looking for it outside, i.e., the Midianite/Moabite Bazaar where the co-habitation was an enticement and seduction to the avodah zora Ba’al Pe’or, was cover for his (Zimri’s) true motivations and intentions — “In your face, Moshe,” just as Korach’s true motive was lust for power covered by rationale of accusation of nepotism against Moshe Rabbeinu and Aaron.

We learn, as related by R’Rafael Katzenellenbogen regarding words of R’ Sonnenfeld; that Zimri’s distorted sense of “acting for the sake of Shemayim” evolved from;

“…a novel, misleading ideology, that evil must be tolerated by incorporating it into the Camp of Israel, to dissuade the lustful man from finding himself in the camp of idolaters.” (Studies in the Weekly Parsha, by Yehuda Nachshoni, Parsha Balak, page 1115.)

We learn in next week’s Parsha Pinchas that there was much dispute in The Camp as to Pinchas’ action. There were those who wanted Pinchas killed for killing another Jew and Hashem thus conveyed the Kahuna upon him in recognition of the justness and Kiddush Hashem of his action.

Gemura Megillah, Perek 3, daf 24, amud alef (Chapter 3, page 24A) cites Mishne Perek 4, Mishne 9 which states:

One who says: “Good men shall bless You” [as a praise of Hashem] — this is the way of heresy.

On this posuk of Mishne, the Artscroll Shottenstein Edition gemura page 25A1, footnote 1 states:

For he does not include among those who praise G’d, and the Sages teach us (Kereisos 6b) that any public fast that does not include the transgressors of Israel is not accepted. They derive this from the inclusion of… galbanum, which emits a foul oder, among the ingredients of the incense offered in the Temple [Beit HaMikdash]. Similarly, the wicked must be considered as part of the congregation of Israel. [Rashi; cf Ran, Meiri]

Questions need to be asked regarding application of this concept, perhaps in the context of learning Tanya as related to the spiritual part of a Jew — Cheilik Eloka Mi’mal — one who has an innate G’dly portion from above, i.e., even one with the neshama level of a “toe-nail.”

What are the paradigm contemporary cases? Ariel Sharon and his geirush of 10,000 Jews? Bernie Madoff’s multi-billion $ Ponzi scheme ripping of countless families, companies and Jewish chesed funds?

What about cases of lesser magnitude, but every bit as evil? What of the cases ranging from scams, corruptions, thefts and sins on a national or local levels via exploitation of the governed to gangsterism and to even toleration of domestic evil? At what point does one lose, forfeit even the most fundamental merit in Olam Haba — in Shemayim — in the next world, as well as being considered as disincluded from the Kehal in this world?

The deeds in question don’t reach the grave level of Zimri’s distorted model and his illicit union with Kosbi — for which they were both caught in the act and legally killed by Pinchas in one fell-swoop according to citings in gemura Sanhedrin and citings of rulings by the Lubavitcher Rebbe and other prominent commentators. Would the answers to these questions seem to call upon a righteousness comparable to, or approaching that of a Pinchas?

Good Shabbos!

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The placement in Torah of the Parah Adumah in our Parsha Chukat raises questions as to why it and it’s Halachot are mentioned here in our Parsha; only after Korach’s rebellion and after the continued murmuring of the Am against Moshe Rabbeinu, after the plague which killed thousands only ending with Aaron’s carrying an incense pan amongst the people (upon Moshe’s instruction), and after the story of the rods.

Rashi renders the “entire community” as;

The entire, perfect community. Those who were to die in the desert had already perished, and these were set apart to live. (Rashi, BaMidbar, Perek 20, posuk 1)

Then Rashi asks concerning Miriam’s death, which is mentioned in connection with camping in Kodeish, why it is placed immediately after the Parah Adumah, and he answers;

To teach you that, just as the sacrifices bring atonement, so do the deaths of the righteous bring atonement. (ibid)

Rashi’s reckoning seems to state the obvious; that during the 38 years of wandering, the older generation between 20 and 60 had all died except for Yehoshua and Caleiv (the 2 Spies who were strong for entering Eretz Yisrael).

Yaakov Aveinu says, in explaining to Yosef why his Imma is buried b’derech;

“…I buried her [on the road] by Divine command. In the future my children will go into exile. When they pass Kever Rachel, they will embrace it. She will stand and pray for mercy on their behalf, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, will accept her prayer.” [2]

And Eichah tells;

How Rachel Imeinu recounted to Hashem the circumstances of her Marriage to Yaakov and how she acceded to Yaakov’s prior Marraige to Leah due to Lavan’s trickery and how she spoke to Yaakov on the wedding night so that Yaakov would not hear her sister’s voice and so that her sister Leah would not be shamed. And in this merit, she pleaded with Hashem, “‘You exile my children and [let] their enemies slaughter them and do with them as they pleased?’ At once, the compassion [rachamim] of HaKodosh Borchu was aroused and he said, ‘For Rachel I will return the people of Israel to their place.’” [3]

We beseech Rachel Imeinu from her prominent station in Shemayim, during Chodesh Tammuz, to plead for mercy on our behalf as our times become increasingly perilous; to pray for the speedy liberation, a liberation worthy of HaKadosh Borchu — of Gilad Shalit in Gaza where warfare continues to this very day and for release from incarceration of our brother Jonathan Pollard who literally risked life and limb al Kiddush Hashem for his Jewish brethren. And we beseech Rachel Imeinu to pray for an end to the series of despicable, abjectly corrupt regimes of Israeli governance with all of their corruptions, brown-bag cash, self-affectionation and self-aggrandisement — that of at least 117 knivving Knesset members. We yearn pray for a time of faith-based, Yeirat Shemayim governance and when all Jews will live in and possess all of Eretz Yisrael and when we will again know mutual care and responsibility; one for his brother.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!

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[1] Artscroll, “Stone Chumash”, Parsha Chukat, Perek 19, posuk 1, page 839.

[3] Encyclopedia of Biblical Personalities, Yishai Chassida, page 485 quoting Pesikta Eichah Rabbasi 24.

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parsha Korach may seem to the reader a to be a logical continuation of Parsha Shelach as it would seem very much that Korach and his attempted power grab is a logical after-affect, a consequence of the denial of Eretz Yisrael by 10 of the 12 miraglim (spies). But the commentaries indicate that Korach’s rebellion was a result of Hashem’s stripping firstborns of their Divine service after the Golden Calf, and conveying this service upon the Levi’im, of which Korach was a member.

In fact, Yehuda Nachshoni’s “Studies in the Weekly Parsha” (pages 1032-1033) cites Ramban’s view that the cause of the rebellions of our Parsha; Korach’s, Dasan and Aviram’s and the First Born’s was:
.

The spies’ severe punishment, which brought death to the generation of the desert and plague to its princes. It [the punishment]… brought to the surface all of the accumulated bitterness of the dissatisfied, who until now had not dared to come out against Moshe. Now they took advantage… to settle accounts.

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The Sefer “Torah Gems” by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg states the following thought:
.

“Now took Korach…”; that Korach was blessed with many positive attributes: fine lineage, wisdom, qualities worthy of a leader of B’nai Yisrael. “‘Now took Korach — he took himself.’ He did not wait until he was offered the leadership, but he sought to take it by force. That is why he is not worthy of it.” (Torah Gems, by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Parsha Korach, Volume 3, page 79.)

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Nachshoni also cites Chasam Sofer (page 1033) who indicates that Korach’s contesting against Moshe stemmed from the Divine Conveyance of:
.

The monarchy and priesthood to the 2 grandsons of Kehas, Moshe and Aaron — sons of Kehas’ oldest son Amram. This was seen as a total negation of any claim by Kehas’ next 2 sons, Yitzhar and Chevron…

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In short, the Chasam Sofer seems to indicate that Korach contested based on promoting a claim that the positions of power should have distributed evenly amongst Kehas’ 3 sons. He thus campaigned based on his assertion that Moshe employed nepotism and consolidation of power.

Sefer L’lmod Ul’lamed (Rabbi Mordechai Katz) quotes gemora Sanhedrin 7b which states;
.

“…A Jewish leader should be strong and dynamic rather than weak and vacillating. But, at all times, the Jewish leader should not let his position make him haughty. He should remember that he is but dust and ashes and that in the end his bones will rest in the same soil as do those of all other men.”

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However, it seems that Korach, while feigning concern for the masses, actually stood in disdain of them selfishly seeking power and prestige for himself.

Shem Mishmuel relates a thought on Korach from Rashi;
.

“Korach was an intelligent man. If so, why did he involve himself with this nonsense? His eyes deceived him, for he saw a chain of noble descent emerging from him, ending in Shmuel HaNavi [the great prophet], who was considered equal to Moshe and Aaron. He said, ‘On his [Shmuel’s] account, I will be saved.’ There were also to be twenty-four stations of his descendents who would prophesy with the Divine spirit … He said, ‘Is it possible that all of this greatness will emerge from me and I should be silent?’ Therefore, he joined [with the other rebels] and came to the opinion that when he heard from Moshe that all of them would perish save one … he mistakenly assumed that it referred to him. He failed to look carefully, for his sons did teshuva…” (Rashi, Bamidbar, Perech 16, posuk 7 as related in Shem Mishmuel on Parsha Korach, page 335)

.
It seems that in Korach’s case, he had basis for reasoning that his decendents, the generations of nevi’im who came before Shmuel would emanate from him and thus “it must be because he himself was a worthy and holy person.” (Shem Mishmuel on Parsha Korach, page 335)

Three years ago, this author discussed how similar the nature and actions of contemporary national leaders and politicians are to the Miraglim, to a Korach, a Dasan and Aviram, etc.;
.

…It would seem that in watching contemporary history, modern-day secular political “leaders”, and their “religious” political counterparts consciously fear the loss of power, the loss of influence to result from the unity of the entire B’nai Yisrael living and possessing the entirety of Eretz Yisrael. These corrupt, self-interested, self-aggrandized “leaders” fear the day when the unity of entire B’nai Yisrael possesses the entirety of Eretz Yisrael and thus every man is charged with the mutual responsibility for each other — no more cheating your fellow, no more deception, no more dishonesty, no more graft, bribes and corruption, no more violations of omission or comission — on any level. This would seem to this author to be the fundamental truth which lay beneath the surface of all of the euphemisms; territories, occupied territories, Oslo, “shtachim”, Saudi or Arab League “peace” plans, “American or EU pressure,” “roadmaps”,
“disengagement”, “consolidation” and multitudes of other rationales too numerous to list here. Israel’s political leaders; they know the score — just as it seems that the Miraglim did.

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The only other rationale there could be for the actions of this regime and its predecessors, which appear as nothing other than forced suicide being inflicting on B’nai Yisrael, is a leadership, a governance (including so-called Hareidi politicians), sooo distant from any Torah sense of Halachic reality that they consider themselves and the nation they govern as if grasshoppers to be stomped on by giants.

Korach’s arrogance and lust for leadership was based on self-interest, wrong and invalid as it was, had an element of spiritual basis. But a regime which acts only irrationally; based anti-religious bias and self-interest in the continuation of their own governing power, influence and self-enrichment at the nation’s expense is without any basis or grounding in reality. About the self-interest part of the regime’s irrationality, former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon who once voiced similar thoughts;
.

Government corruption is a greater threat to the country than Iran…. It is possible to deal with the threat from Iran but that corruption “is an internal and secret threat.”
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Ya’alon said the leadership crisis in Israel stems from moral and professional failures. He charged that the political culture in Israel has forgotten the principle that “when a person fails, he should accuse himself and not others.”
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The former Chief of Staff also attacked the current system whereby senior police and army officers advance according to their political opinions and their friendships with those in power apparently instead of according to their professional abilities.

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May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos, Chodesh Tov!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Observing the political governmental scene in Israel today, this author’s memories harken back to the late-1980s in Philadelphia, in the years just prior to becoming Ba’al Teshuva.

These were years before Shalom Achshav had succeeded in snowing and propagandizing hundreds of thousands of Israelis. And so this young conservative “traditional (sic)” Rabbi-to-be proceeded to turn the Torah’s account of the Miraglim on its ear. He portrayed the leftist Breira, Progressive, Shalom Achshav “ideology” of “land for peace (sic)” as a worthy sequel to Yehoshua and Caleiv, who took their lives in their hands to defend Hashem and who urged the people on into Eretz Yisrael. This wet-behind-the-ears so-called rabbi attempted gain new adherents to the “land-for-peace(sic)” cause by portraying himself and other Breira, Progressive, Shalom Achshav, Noam Chomsky-types as life-endangered, “poor, misunderstood” under-dogs when in fact they were the early version of what would become a full-blown, well-oiled, well-funded post-zionist machine which would steam-roll and endoctrinate the secular masses — the “golden youth” and their succeeding generations whose Jewishness and Torah rooting was anything but solid.

Through the systematic use of a growing left-wing print and electronic media and an ever-increasing leftist influence and control over Israel’s educational institutions, the left could impose it’s will and bring these secular masses to serve the avodah zoras of disdain for Torah, denial of the righteousness of the modern-day return of the Jew to his land, etc. This young conservative Rabbi-wannabe counted on the abject ignorance of American Jews to their history, to their heritage and even to events of contemporary modern days, such as the Entebbe rescue as a means of gaining gullible adherents by default. These were the predecessors of Oslo, of Road Maps, of Jew expelling Jew and of being “too tired to fight, too tired to win.”

But upon reflection, this leftist historical revisionism extends beyond Israel’s borders and even pre-dates our young conservative Rabbi-wannabe such that it may well date back to the hippie era in America. How many other Jews took a left turn with Abbie Hoffman or became associated with the Bill Ayers who plant bombs in US governmental facilities? How many of them teamed with a later “legitimized” Porfessor Ayers and helped make Barack Hussein Obama what he is today? And so, as with Communism and other fascist forms of governance which found adherents among “intellectual” Jews who sought liberalism and freedom of expression with no bounds, their descendents voted for Obama in droves, allowing themselves to be deceived when he played with their minds with the vagueries of the campaign such that many of his Jewish voters now decry his “new positions” on Israel.

The Sefer L’lmod Ul’lamed (Rabbi Mordechai Katz) on Parsha Shelach (page 138) gives an outline of the qualities which make such a leader.

He lists six major qualities expected of a Leader of Klal Yisrael:

1/ He must be a total believer in Hashem.

2/ He sets a personal example that others will respect and model themselves after.

3/ He has personal attributes of sincerity, affability and concern for others.

4/ He displays humility before Hashem and does not consider himself superior to his fellow man. He does not consider himself superior to the people he leads.

5/ He possesses firm and unwavering devotion to Hashem.

6/ If Hashem supremacy is challenged, he (the Leader) should react vigorously against challenging Hashem’s Laws.

The Sefer continues by quoting gemora Sanhedrin 7b which states;

“…a Jewish leader should be strong and dynamic rather than weak and vacillating. But, at all times, the Jewish leader should not let his position make him haughty. He should remember that he is but dust and ashes and that in the end his bones will rest in the same soil as do those of all other men.”

We learn that Moshe Rabbeinu was the epitome, the paradigm of these attributes and his tefillahs were answered when Yehoshua came to possess these attributes as well.

Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Commentators discussing our Parsha speak about the reasons for the separate section delineated by the inverted “nuns” — “When the Aron (the Ark) would journey, Moshe said, ‘Arise Hashem, and let your foes be scattered, let those who hate you flee from before you.’ And when it rested, he would say, ‘Reside tranquilly, O, Hashem, among the myriad thousands of Israel.’” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 10, posukim 35-36)

Rabbi Artscroll mentions a Ramban on posuk 35 which cites a Midrash which indicates that the B’nai Yisrael:

“… fled from the mountain of G’d like a child running away from school.”

The Midrash indicates that they were:

“Happy to leave that holy place because they afraid that Hashem might give them more and more commandments. Thus, although they traveled in compliance with Hashem’s will, their attitude made a sin of a journey that should have been the fulfillment of Hashem’s oath to the Avos.” (Artscroll Stone Chumash, page 787, commentary on Perek 10, posukim 33 & 34)

In addition, the Rashi on posuk 33 indicates that:

Although the posuk says that the journey “… was a distance that normally would have required three days of travel, … they (the B’nai Yisrael) covered it in one day.” (Artscroll Stone Chumash, page 787, commentary on Perek 10, posuk 33)

It seems that the attitude of B’nai Yisrael in departing from Har Sinai is totally at odds with Moshe Rabbeinu’s paradigm derech of showing HaKaras HaTov such as by the Maka of Dom (the plague of blood)
where he showed his thankfulness for the water which protected him as a new-born.

But isn’t today’s corrupt, evil and pretentious governance but a mirror reflection of us — our self-centeredness, our insensitivity and indifference. Just as our ancestors who “fled from the mountain of G’d like a child running away from school”, don’t WE act the same way? After a typical no-kavanah (no-thought, no-contemplative) 6 minute Shemoneh Esrei, we have the unmitigated gall to blow through Aleinu at the speed of a 100plus mph Joel Zumaya fastball and then similarly flee out of Shul like kids running from school lest they be piled with more lessons and homework?

Aleinu L’Shabeiyach: The verbalization of OUR Chiyuv — our obligation as Jews to praise and glorify Hashem’s name. Aleinu is the most often said, the most repetitious and unchangeable, yet the least respected of all of our tefillot. Noone even bothers to take the time, when vocalizing the tefillah, to even focus on the meanings of it: that Yehoshua davened it forwards, backwards, sideways through as the Jews encircled Yericho and the Shofars blew until Yericho’s walls fell in heaps.

Rabbi Ari Enkin makes this compelling statement regarding Aleinu in his Halacha Sefer (”Daled Amos” pge 24):

I have heard interpretations that the entire prayer service is simply one gigantic preparation for the recitation of Aleinu.

Rabbi Enkin then includes a reference footnote to the Mishne Berura 132:8A where the Rama tells us:

Say “Aleinu L’Shabeiyach” while standing after tefillah and be careful to daven it with kavanah.

From where and from whom did the impetus for Rabbi Enkin’s compelling statement come? R’Shimshon Pincus, who asks a startling question and his well-known and oft-referenced sefer on Tefillah; Nefesh Shimshon, as well as other sources, provide jaw-dropping citings, some of which are para-phrased here, which give clues to back Rabbi Enkin’s compelling statement:

1/ R’ Pincus cites a responsa of the Gaonim from sometime between 500 to 1,000 CE where someone asks: How is it possible that Aleinu is said in Chutz L’Aretz? Such a high-level tefillah shouldn’t be permitted to be davened except in a place close to Hashem, Yehoshua only davened Aleinu upon entering Eretz Yisrael.

From this question, we see the specialness of Aleinu — that on no other tefillah is such a question asked. There must be something great, mighty and elevated in Aleinu which can’t be appreciated in any other locale.

2/ R’Pincus cites the Gry’z Z’l as noting that the whole power of the Yetzer Hora and its troops on the human mind is through the imagination, convincing man that he (man) is in control.

If only man would say with vigor and strength that… [all that the Yetzer Hora has convinced man of man’s control of] are Hevel V’rik — vanity and emptiness and that there is nothing real in them, he (man) would then find it easier to recognize that… Hashem Keilokim — that there is nothing else. Afterwards, Satan would not have power to mess with man’s mind because man realizes that everything is dependent upon Him. R’Pincus brings as Aleinu’s purpose that it reinforces the feeling of the Jew, as he leaves tefillot, that he is totally dependent upon Hashem.

3/ Another Sefer, L’David Shiur by Asher Elbaz seems to answer R’Pincus’ citing from Gaonim responsa citing R’Hai Gaon which indicates that by those in Chutz L’Aretz aiming their tefillahs toward Israel and toward the Beit HaMikdash, the Jewish world’s tefillahs rise to Shemayim from the Mikdash.

4/ Sefer L’David Shiur cites the Rokeach who notes that Yehoshua Ben Nun repeated Aleinu on his knees in awe and in a loud voice in a tune which makes the heart rejoice. Therefore, a person should have kavanah to sing Aleinu with all of his might to his Creator.

5/ Sefer L’David Shiur cites the Chida which says to say Aleinu word-by-word [seeming obvious to not slur or mumble-jumble them] because it is a very awesome praise full of very high secrets.

6/ L’David Shiur also cites the M’Chazik Bracha (Koof, Lamed, Bet) which indicates that there is no other praise to our Creator like Aleinu and that it is higher than all of the praises in the world.

But, yet we have the unmitigated gall to blow through Aleinu and then flee out of Shul like kids running from school lest they be piled with more lessons and homework? Indeed! Is it any wonder why we get the governance that we have? Is our governance not a reflection of who we are?

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Shavu’ot inevitably comes during the week of Shabbos Parsha Naso. This year, with Shavu’ot coming on yom Revi’i with Shabbos following 3 days after, there are various common threads between Shabbos Parsha Naso and Chag HaShavu’ot. There is the thread of national unity expressed by the Kohanim in the Birchat Kohanim, the thread of diversity and unique expression within unity exemplified by the 12 repetitions of the same offering brought by each of the Sh’vatim at the inauguration of the Mishkan, and the thread regarding the importance of caring for the Ger Tzeddik.

Near the beginning of Parsha Naso, Hashem speaks to Moshe telling him to speak to the B’nai Yisrael as follows;

“… A man or woman who commits any of man’s sins, by committing treachery toward Hashem.” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 5, posuk 6)

Rav Zelig Pliskin, in his sefer “Growth Through Torah,” attributes to Sforno comments to the effect that:

“… this refers to one who steals from a convert to Judaism.”

In Parshiyot HaShevu’ot which I have developed and said over through the years, I’ve tended to focus on the middot of honesty and Ahavat Chinom for our fellow Jews and the impact that a lack of these middot makes on our collective mindset at various levels; from personal, to business, to learning, to the levels of governing and politics. It seems that a paradigm of these middot is how we are taught to treat the Ger Tzeddik. We are taught to go above and beyond the norm –to go, in the vernacular which evolved from American Pro-Football, beyond “the full nine yards” in extending kindnesses to a Ger Tzeddek.

Rav Pliskin continues as follows;
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“A person who comes to Torah on his own volition does so because of the beautiful and elevated ideas he hears regarding Torah principles. He made his decision on the assumption that those who follow the Torah will act toward him in accordance with all the Torah laws pertaining to interpersonal relations. If someone cheats him financially or in some other way wrongs him, he [the Ger Tzeddik] will not only suffer a monetary loss. Rather, he might also feel disillusioned with his decision to accept a Torah way of life.
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The Ger Tzeddek has usually given up very much because of his ideals and will experience much pain from his disappointment that the people he is in contact with do not meet the Torah standards he expected of them. The importance of not harming a convert can be seen from the fact that Torah warns us about this in a number of places. From the negative we can learn the positive. The merit of acting with love and kindness toward a convert is great.” (“Growth Through Torah”, page 312)

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There is an old axiom that amongst Religious Jews that he who was born, raised and has lived his entire life as a Religious Jew can’t fit into the shoes or know the road that the Ba’al Teshuva has traveled. Chavel Chomer, that all Jews can’t know and internalize the road that the Ger Tzaddik has traveled in his evolution toward the Emmet of Judaism.

Above, we spoke of Perek 5, posuk 6 in Parsha Naso regarding the “sins of man” and “treachery against Hashem.” The very next posuk of our Parsha reads;
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“They shall confess the sin that they committed; he shall make restitution for his guilt in his principal amount and add a fifth to it.” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 5, posuk 7)

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“The Midrash Says”, comments regarding the punishment of the Jewish thief who steals from a Ger or from any other Jew, as follows;
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“When the gentile nations heard about this mitzvah, they exclaimed, How great is this G’d who formulates laws that benefit those who observe them.” .

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“The Midrash Says” continues by saying;
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“The Almighty …is more lenient, as it were, with sins against him personally than with a wrong committed by a man against his fellow.”

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This applies not only to a sin committed against a native Jew but equally against a Ger Tzeddek, a non-Jew who converted Leshaim Shamayim.”

Rabbi Artscroll says on the posuk that:
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“This law regarding proselytes was especially relevant now that their status was accentuated by the organization of the Sh’vatim. Since proselytes, not belonging to any of the 12 tribes, encamped separately, the Torah now gives the law regarding the theft of their property. This… teaches that financial treachery toward a fellow Jew is tantamount to treachery against G’d himself, for he defends the defenseless.” (Artscroll Stone Chumash, page 752)

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It would therefore also seem that any treachery, not just monetary, done toward a fellow Jew, at whatever level of religiosity and under whatever guise, trickery, withholding information, speech, etc. constitutes a treachery against Hashem which will eventually have to be answered for by the perpetrators.

It is through the Birchat Kohanim;
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“May Hashem bless you and keep you. May Hashem make His Face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May Hashem lift up His Countenance on you and give you peace”

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that Hashem instructed Moshe to teach Aaron HaKohen, and in turn, all of the Kohanim, that, as L’lmod Ulamed cites both Yerushalmi Berachos, Perek 9, Halacha 1 and Rambam Mishnayos, Sanhedrin, Perek 5;

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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In reflecting on Shavu’ot and the story of Ruth, I am struck by the similarity between Ruth’s cleaving to Naomi and to Jewishness, and Jonathan Pollard’s actions on behalf of Israel and B’nai Yisrael — putting his life on the line, the price — come what may, for the survival of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael — Our Land.

Jonathan is not a Ger Tzeddek as Ruth was when she clung to Naomi saying;

“Do not urge me to leave you, to go back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people are my people, and your G’d is my G’d; where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. Thus may Hashem do to me — and more! — if anything but death seoarates me from you.” (Megillat Ruth, Artscroll Tanach series, Perek 1, posukim 14-17, pages 79-81)

There was no mandate, no earthly obligation for Ruth to follow Naomi. She could have done what her sister-in-law Orpah did — they were both widowed of Naomi and Elimelech’s sons Machlon and Kilyon. When after the deaths of her husband and two sons, Naomi sought to return to Eretz Yisrael and bid the two widows to return to their Moabite people and land. Orpah tearfully left Naomi and returned to Moav, while Ruth clung to Naomi and her Jewishness thus charting her life unalterably along a Jewish path.

The inspiration for dedication of Shavu’ot all-night learning L’Zechut Yehonatan Ben Malka comes from the Shavu’ot night incident which involved R’ Shlomo HaLevi AlKabetz (Turkey 1505 - Tzfat, Eretz Yisrael 1584) and R’ Yosef Karo - author of the Shulchan Aruch, as cited in the Artscroll Shavu’ot Machsor (pages 68-69). The incident described serves as a paradigm for contemporary Shavu’ot night learning. There is also a shorter rendition of this incident in Wikipedia:

The custom of all-night Torah study goes back to 1533 when Rabbi Joseph Caro, author of the Shulchan Aruch, then living in Ottoman Salonika, invited his Kabbalistic colleagues to hold a night-long study vigil, in the course of which an angel appeared before them and commanded them to go live in Eretz Yisrael. According to a story in the Midrash, the night before the Torah was given, the Israelites retired early to be well-rested for the momentous day ahead, but they overslept and Moses had to wake them up because God was already waiting on the mountaintop. To rectify this flaw in the national character, religious Jews stay up all night to learn Torah.

Any subject may be studied, although Talmud, Mishna and Torah typically top the list. In many communities, men and women attend classes and lectures until the early hours of the morning. In Jerusalem, thousands of people finish off the nighttime study session by walking to the Kotel before dawn and joining the sunrise [Naitz] minyan there. The latter activity is reminiscent of Shavuot’s status as one of the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals, when the Jews living in the Land of Israel journeyed to Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday.

Tikkun Leil Shavuot

In keeping with the custom of engaging in all-night Torah study, the Arizal, a leading Kabbalist of the 16th century, arranged a special service for the evening of Shavuot. The Tikkun Leil Shavuot (”Rectification for Shavuot Night”) consists of excerpts from the beginning and end of each of the 24 books of Tanakh (including the reading in full of several key sections such as the account of the days of creation, The Exodus, the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Shema) and the 63 chapters of Mishnah. This is followed by the reading of Sefer Yetzirah, the 613 commandments as enumerated by Maimonides, and excerpts from the Zohar, with opening and concluding prayers. The whole reading is divided into thirteen parts, after each of which a Kaddish di-Rabbanan is recited when the Tikkun is studied in a group of at least ten Jews.

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Chag Kosher V’Same’ach!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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