Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayakhel

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand's first vort related to the concept of Tzedakah. He noted that in Shemos 35:21 the Torah states וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ כָּל־אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נְשָׂא֣וֹ לִבּ֑וֹ. However the following pasuk states וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים עַל־הַנָּשִׁ֑ים כֹּ֣ל | נְדִ֣יב לֵ֗ב הֵ֠בִ֠יאוּ חָ֣ח וָנֶ֜זֶם וְטַבַּ֤עַת וְכוּמָז֙ כָּל־כְּלִ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכָל־אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵנִ֛יף תְּנוּפַ֥ת זָהָ֖ב . Rashi explains that the reference to the women in the second pasuk shows their devotion to the Mishkan as they gave up their jewelry. But not only that, but they wore the jewelry until they got to the place to donate.

R' Frand quoted R' Moshe Feinstein who said that the women were trying to emphasize that this is not spare jewelry that had gone out of style. R' Frand quipped that the jewelry people are smart and certain designs go out of style. But here, the women were showing that the jewelry was being worn at the time. 

R' Frand said that when he was first marred and R' Frand was learning in Kollel, his wife made a quilt for his mother-in-law. They did not have money, but they wanted to show that she was important.

R' Frand next quoted Shemos 35:25 - וְכָל־אִשָּׁ֥ה חַכְמַת־לֵ֖ב בְּיָדֶ֣יהָ טָו֑וּ וַיָּבִ֣יאוּ מַטְוֶ֗ה אֶֽת־הַתְּכֵ֨לֶת֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַרְגָּמָ֔ן אֶת־תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וְאֶת־הַשֵּֽׁשׁ. There was no fabric store for them to buy fabric, so this was significant. But the next pasuk - וְכָ֨ל־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָשָׂ֥א לִבָּ֛ן אֹתָ֖נָה בְּחָכְמָ֑ה טָו֖וּ אֶת־הָֽעִזִּֽים as interpreted by the Gemara in Shabbos shows that the women spun and weaved while the hairs were still on the goats. This required an entire group as someone had to hold the goat down. There are various meforshim who explain the reason for this - either that there was extra sheen while the hair was still on the goat or so that it could not be Mikabel Tumah. 

R' Frand said that the efforts above show how important giving Tzedakah was to these women. R' Frand tied this to a story written about by R' Mordechai Kaminetsky about an Israel Bonds dinner that was held in Chicago in 1951 at which Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion was to speak. The dinner was attended by the "best and finest" and was pure treif, replete with shellfish. There were no yarmulkes in the room, save for a man standing in the back who was decked out in Chassidish garb. This was R' Mendel Kaplan who was a Rosh Yeshiva in Skokie 

One of the wealthier attendees who was also a donor to the yeshiva asked R' Mendel what he was doing there. He said that I came to see how the children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov give Tzedakah.

R' Frand said that there is an addendum to the story. When they heard Ben Gurion speak about the dire situation in Israel, they lined up to donate - but the men also took off their gold cufflinks and the women gave their diamond earrings.

R' Frand also said that there were some people who would not be caught dead at the dinner with its tref food. But R' Mendel wanted to be there, just so that he could see how Jews gave Tzedakah.

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Friday's (Non) Purim Torah

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Daniel Glatstein in a shiur on Torah Anytime (https://torahanytime.com/lectures/353913) on Purim a few weeks ago. This is not a literal transcription but just a summary of some of the shiur that I found meaningful. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Glatstein.

The shiur focused on a question about a pasuk in the Megillah (7:4) כִּ֤י נִמְכַּ֨רְנוּ֙ אֲנִ֣י וְעַמִּ֔י לְהַשְׁמִ֖יד לַֽהֲר֣וֹג וּלְאַבֵּ֑ד וְ֠אִלּ֠וּ לַֽעֲבָדִ֨ים וְלִשְׁפָח֤וֹת נִמְכַּ֨רְנוּ֙ הֶֽחֱרַ֔שְׁתִּי כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַצָּ֛ר שֹׁוֶ֖ה בְּנֶ֥זֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ. Why is it that Esther offered that if only the Jews had been sold into slavery, she would have kept quiet?

To address this, R' Glatstein began with an analysis of why the Jews were punished in the Purim story. He quoted the Gemara in Megillah where R' Shimon Bar Yochai asked his students why the Jews were punished. They offered that it was because they ate at the party, but he responded - then only the Jews of Shushan should have been punished. They suggested that it was because they bowed down to Nevuchadnezzar, but he responded - then they should have killed then. He then answered that they did not mean to serve idols, it was done outwardly, for the same reason the decree in Purim was outwardly.

However there is 3rd sin which was the cause of the Purim story. R' Glatstein quoted the Sefer Zecher Dovid from R' Dovid of Modina - the two in the Gemara and the third is Mechiras Yosef. This concept is also found in Medrash Rabbah on Esther (3:15)  וְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ יָֽשְׁב֣וּ לִשְׁתּ֔וֹת וְהָעִ֥יר שׁוּשָׁ֖ן נָבֽוֹכָה. The Medrash states that anyone who thinks Hashem overlooks sin, Hashem will overlook their life. Hashem said to the tribes - you sold Yosef and were eating and drinking - this will happen now. But why? Yosef was mochel them! 

The Yalkut Shimoni gives the same reason as does the Alshich. The Chida explains why now the punishment came for Mechiras Yosef and not at some point during the thousand plus years between Mechiras Yosef and Purim. He begins by noting that the hatzalah had to come from Binyamin (Esther/Mordechai) because they were not involved in Mechiras Yosef. He also quoted the Medrash that when the decree came in the Purim story, Eliyahu HaNavi went to wake up Moshe to ask him to pray for them to be saved, because Moshe is most deeply connected with Yosef. He also observed that when the Jews were saved in the Megillah (7:10) - וַֽחֲמַ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ שָׁכָֽכָה - the Gematria of שָׁכָֽכָה is the same as Moshe.

R' Glatstein then went through the numerous parallelisms between Parshas Mikeitz and Megillas Esther. The reason for this connection is that the sin of Mechiras Yosef was the cause of the decree.

But why now? He quoted the Sefer Zera Berech who explains that the meat at the party was Ever Min HaChai and Gilui Arayos was going on at the party. These were the same issues that the brothers had before the sale of Yosef. He also quoted the Shvilei Pinchas who said that while Yosef forgave his brothers, but when the sin which was the cause happens again in the generation - the punishment is reawakened. Haman pointed out in Esther 3:8 - יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ עַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ and when Haman pointed out that the Jews were not getting along it reawakened the punishment.

When Moshe was reawakened by Eliyahu HaNavi he asked whether the decree was written in cement or in blood? Eliyahu responds that it was in cement. R' Glatstein told a story of an Ani who came to R' Chaim Volozhner and asked for Tzedakah. He gave a coin and then the Ani asked for an additional coin and promised a dvar Torah that R' Chaim had never heard. He explained - how do we see that the decree was not in blood - because it states יִכָּתֵ֖ב לְאַבְּדָ֑ם - which can be read Lo B'Dam. And after he gave him the coin, R' Chaim realized that he was Eliyahu HaNavi.

But what was the debate? For over 1000 years the Jews had a question about whether they would be responsible for throwing Yosef into a cement pit or for his blood? Because if someone is sold into captivity it is like killing them. And Eliyahu said no - its only cement.

And this is what Esther tells Achasveros - we know that we should be punished with cement - that we should be sold into slavery for Yosef being sold. But now that the decree is that we should be killed - for that I can't keep my mouth shut. Esther is disclosing to him - we know that we did something wrong by selling him and if we had been sold, it would be deserved. But if they are coming for our blood, for that I can't.

R' Glatstein noted that Haman is also called  מְמֻכָ֗ן which the gematria is the same as Yosef. And when Haman paid his Sheklaim he is reawakening the punishment for Mechiras Yosef. So we give Machtzis HaShekel to show that each person is incomplete and two halves make us whole.

R' Glatstein also quoted a Yerushalmi which quotes Resh Lakish who states that Pidyon Haben is to atone for Mechiras Yosef because each of the tribes took a coin for the sale of Yosef. And similarly Resh Lakish is quoted in Medrash Tanchuma as stating that the Machtzis HaShekel is to atone for the sale of Yosef. These Shekalim that we collect and read about on Rosh Chodesh Adar is to be in advance of Haman's giving of the Shekalim to Achasverosh.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Tezaveh

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began the vort by quoting the Gemara in Zevachim 88b which teaches that the reason that the laws of the clothing of the Kohain Gadol are near the laws of the sacrifices is to teach that just as the sacrifices atone, so do the clothes. The Gemara notes that the Ketones atones for murder, the Mitznefes for haughtiness, the Avnet for improper desires, the Choshen for improper judgments, the Efod for idol worship and the Me'il for Lashon Hara. R' Chanina then comments that a device with a voice (the bells on the bottom of the Me'il) will atone for sins of the voice.

The Torah tells us that the bottom of the Meil had bells and pomegranates which made the noise when the Kohain Gadol walked. But since the noise came from the bells - and the sound was a lesson that we should be careful with how we use our voice, what was the need for the pomegranates?

R' Frand quoted R' Immanuel Bernstein who cited the Gemara which states that Jews are compared to pomegranates in that even those who seem to be "empty" are as filled with Mitzvos as pomegranates.

R' Frand then noted that Lashon Hara comes from the eye and the heart and not the mouth. If you see someone who appears to be "empty," think about the pomegranate and realize that he is full of Mitzvos.

R' Frand also quoted R' Moshe Galanti who noted that the end of the Parsha contains the Mitzva of making the Mizbeach HaKetores. But why is the construction of this device here in Tezaveh as opposed to in Terumah where the instructions for fashioning the other objects is found? He answered that if any of the other devices were moved and then used in the wrong location in the Mishkan, they would not accomplish their task. This applies to items such as the Mizbeach where sacrifices were brought or the Menorah. But the Mizbeach HaKetores would still be effective, even if was in the wrong place. 

This is why it it seemingly mentioned in the "wrong" Parsha.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Mishpatim

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

Rabbi Frand's first vort contained an interesting take on Shemos 21:35 - וְכִֽי־יִגֹּ֧ף שֽׁוֹר־אִ֛ישׁ אֶת־שׁ֥וֹר רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת. He quoted the Ibn Ezra which in turn cited "Ben Zuta" who said that the ox referred to as being the victim was not the ox of the owner's friend. Instead the word רֵעֵ֖הוּ referred to the aggressor - this ox was friends with the ox that gored it! To this the Ibn Ezra remarked - Ben Zuta has no friends, only oxen.

R' Frand quoted R' Hutner who explained that the word רֵעֵ֖הוּ is like the word Teruah. In the context of Rosh Hashanah, the Teruah is like a cry and it is the focal point of the shofar blowing as it is bracketed by two Peshutahs - the Tekiyas. Was the connection between רֵעֵ֖הוּ and the Teruah? A friend will not only tell you things that you want to hear. Instead, the friend will tell you when you are mistaken and will help you be a better person. This is why the Ibn Ezra criticized Ben Zuta - because an ox is incapable of being a friend. 

R' Frand tied this into the bracha in Sheva Brochos - Sameach Tisamach Reim HaAhuvim. He said that when a couple marries they become both Ahuvim and Reim (friends). You should be able to rely on your spouse to tell you when something you are doing is wrong (although its not a good idea to tell that to your newlywed spouse during Sheva Brachos).

R' Frand said a second vort on the pasuk in Shemos 22:30 - וְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ תִּֽהְי֣וּן לִ֑י וּבָשָׂ֨ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֤ה טְרֵפָה֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ לַכֶּ֖לֶב תַּשְׁלִכ֥וּן אֹתֽוֹ. R' Frand commented that this is the source from which we learn about Kashrus, but why is linked to being Kodesh?

R' Frand quoted the Ramban who explains that the laws of Kashrus are not based on health but instead are related to our spiritual health. He next cited the Netziv who explains that the reason we don't eat the Terefah is not health related as the animal was not sickly, it was torn apart by a predator. The reason we don't eat it is that it is bad for our Neshama.

R' Frand also noted that the halachos of Ma'achalos Asuros in the Rambam can be found in Kedusah.

R' Frand closed the vort by quoting R' Shmuel Birnbaum who explains why the laws of Terefah are mentioned with being Kodesh and with throwing the carcass to the dogs. We know that the dog receives the carcass as reward for not barking when the Jews left Egypt, but it should be noted that their silence was not voluntary. But this is the specific reason that we do give them the carcass - because the dogs wanted to bark and they were pained that they could not. We compensate them for their pain by giving them the carcasses, because a Kodesh person is concerned about everyone's feelings, even a dog.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Yisro

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand's first vort was based on the writings of R' Immanuel Bernstein and related to the last of the Aseres Hadibros - Lo Sachmod. R' Frand quoted the Ibn Ezra who writes that many people have trouble with this mitzva. How can they be told not to be jealous when they see that someone else has something? The Ibn Ezra used a parable - there was a poor villager who sees the princess. He does not desire her, because he knows that it is impossible for a villager to marry the princess. Similarly, a man is not jealous of birds that they can fly. So too, a person who thinks, should realize that everything that he does not have is because Hashem does not want him to have it.

R' Frand said that this mitzva is about Emunah - what you have is what Hashem wants you to have and what you don't - it is because He does not want you to have it.

R' Frand also quoted the Medrash Rabbah on Parshas Kedoshim which provides a different view of this mitzva. The Medrash writes that Kedoshim was said at Hakhel, because the Aseres HaDibros are all contained or referenced in Parshas Kedoshim. But while the first 9 Dibros are easily found in Kedoshim, where do we see Lo Sachmod? וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵֽעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ - because if you really love someone, you are not jealous of what they have.

R' Frand compared it to the way that a person feels about their child - a parent is not jealous of what his child has, because he loves the child. And if you really love the other person, you won't be jealous of what they have.

R' Frand next quoted the Kotsker Rebbi who analyzes the Mishna in Pirkei Avos which asks - who is wealthy - one who is happy "B'Chelko." The Kotsker Rebbi reads the word B'Chelko as not referring to a person being happy with his own lot. Instead he reads it as being happy that his friend has his own lot.

R' Frand said a second vort also from R' Bernstein in connection with the miztvos that come after the Aseres Hadibros in Shemos 20:20-23 in which the Jews are told not to use metal to build their Mizbeach, not to make other gods and not to walk on steps to the Mizbeach.

These mitzvos are preceded by the statement  אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֔ם כִּ֚י מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עִמָּכֶֽם - Hashem reminds them that He spoke directly to them, unlike any other religion where their "prophet" was the only one to speak with the "god" of that religion. And then the Torah references these three mitzvos, but why these three?

R' Bernstein explains that the Aseres Hadibros could be viewed as something that people deem logical or known. I understand that I should not kill, or worship another deity or commit adultery. But these three mitzvos show the sensitivity that a person should have. Yes - you may know not to kill, but you need to be so sensitive to this, that you don't use metal when cutting the stones that will be used in the Mizbeach.. You may know not to worship other "gods" but Hashem is proscribing making images of other "gods." Similarly, you understand not to commit adultery, but the Torah is saying don't walk on steps up to a Mizbeach so that covered areas are not revealed.

R' Frand quoted Rashi on the last pasuk in which Rashi states that opening up ones steps is being insensitive to the stones. And this is an a fortiori argument - stones don't feel disgrace, but still don't act with them in a disrespectful manner and how much more so with another person.

R' Bernstein asks why Rashi uses this Derush explanation? He answers that the take away from the Aseres Hadibros is not just the actual commandments - its that a person should act in a manner that there is not even a glimmer of this in your daily life. 

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Beshalach

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In Shemos 14:3, the Torah states וְאָמַ֤ר פַּרְעֹה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְבֻכִ֥ים הֵ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ סָגַ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַמִּדְבָּֽר - that Pharaoh told the Jewish people that they are trapped in the land. The famous question is - who did Pharaoh tell this to, as the Jews had left already.

The pashut pshat as said by many meforshim (including Rashi) is that Pharaoh said this about the Jews and not to them. But the Targum Yonasan Ben Uziel explains that Pharaoh said this to Dasan and Aviram, who had not left yet.

R' Frand asked - if Dasan and Aviram were such evil people that they did not leave with Moshe, how were they still around? These were Moshe's historical antagonists, yet we read about them later in the Torah so they obviously got out. Why did they merit to get out of Egypt, when 80% of the Jews did not make it out of Egypt (and died in Choshech) because of their evil nature?

R' Frand quoted the Maharal Diskin who explains that Dasan & Aviram's merit was that they were among the nogsim - the taskmaster/enforcers who were in charge of the Jews in Egypt. These were like the Kapos in the concentration camps who had to carry out the orders of the Nazis on their fellow Jews. Except, in Egypt, these people were beaten by the Egyptians when the Jews did not meet their quotas as they refused to take it out on their brothers. The nogsim (elsewhere known as shotrim) not only took it on the chin, they they took it on their back.. In that zechus and because of their empathy for their fellow Jews because they got hit to prevent people from being beaten, they merited getting out of Egypt.

R' Frand next asked - how did Dasan and Aviram make it out of Egypt? When could they have left, if Pharaoh was talking to them and the Jews are already gone?

He answered by quoting the Be'er Mayim Chaim which analyzes Shemos 15:19 which states  כִּ֣י בָא֩ ס֨וּס פַּרְעֹ֜ה בְּרִכְבּ֤וֹ וּבְפָֽרָשָׁיו֙ בַּיָּ֔ם וַיָּ֧שֶׁב יְהֹוָ֛ה עֲלֵהֶ֖ם אֶת־מֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָֽלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם  - that Pharaoh's horse came into the sea and the Jews walked on dry land. This seems to be out of order. First the Jews went into dry land in the sea and then Pharaoh's horse followed them in!

R' Frand explained that according to the Be'er Mayim Chayim that there was a second Krias Yamsuf. When Dasan & Aviram got there, the sea had already closed up after Pharaoh and his horse went in. But because they had a great zechus, Hashem made a second Krias Yamsuf and they walked into the sea on dry land.

So why and when did they meet their end? R' Frand said that Dasan & Aviram challenged Moshe because they thought - he had a Krias Yam Suf which required 600,000 people and we had one which we merit on our own. We have more z'chusim than Moshe. But of course they were wrong.

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