Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Tzav

Due to this being the last Thursday before Pesach there was no live Rabbi Frand shiur on the Parsha. However R' Frand did post a pre-recorded Parsha vort on OU Torah which I have summarized here. This week's vort can be found at https://outorah.org/p/174332, but I have attempted to reproduce the vort to the best of my ability in this post.  Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to the maggid shiur.

R' Frand noted that the Korban Todah which is mentioned in the parsha is a Shelamim. R' Frand quoted Rashi who cited the gemara that states that four types of people need to bring a Korban Todah - someone who traveled overseas or through a desert or who was sick or was released from prison. A person who was in danger needs to bring a Korban Todah.

R' Frand observed that this Shelamim is unique because a person needs to bring 40 loaves of bread with the Korban and that the time to eat this is a day and the night afterwards as opposed to a typical Shelamim which is two days.

R' Frand quoted the Netziv who observes that there is an awful lot of food which needs to be eaten in a short period of time. The reason for this is that Hashem wants a person to share his sense of gratitude with others as well.

Unfortunately we don't have a Beis HaMikdash and don't have the ability to bring a Korban Todah. But we do have the Mizmor L'Sodah which R' Frand observed that we often run through. He suggested that when a person has a reason to give thanks he should say the tefillah aloud with a niggun and concentration.

R' Frand quoted a story about the author of the Sefer Shibbolei HaLeket who had a dream while he was sick and he saw an old man who had a candle which he blew out and then relit it. He asked the man what this meant and he was told that the candle was symbolic of his neshama. It was time for him to die, but Hashem decided to give him a new lease on life and he would recover within three days. R' Frand said that the author, R' Tzidkiyahu was so inspired that he decided to write a sefer to thank Hashem and he wrote that sefer.

R' Frand said that he was recently approached by someone who said that his daughter had turned out well [the specific issue was not disclosed] and he wanted to know what to do to show his thanks to Hashem. R' Frand responded that he should so something for the community.

R' Frand observed that we only say Mizmor L'Sodah during the week and never on Shabbos, Yom Tov or even Chol HaMoed Pesach. He said that we can say something instead to show our thanks - Modim three times a day. But we don't appreciate it because we say it so often.

R' Frand said that he heard a story about a yeshiva bocher who was inspired and wanted to lengthen his Shemoneh Esreh like his Rebbi, but he was unable to match the length. He asked the Rebbi how he did it and the Rebbi said, actually I daven a fast Shemoneh Esreh. But when I get to Modim I stop and think about all that I have to be thankful for, including my wife, my family, my children, my community, my job and my ability to give shiurim. Only after I finish the list do I say Modim.

R' Frand said that this can be in lieu of a Korban Todah as well.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayikra

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 about the second pasuk in the parsha which states דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קָרְבָּ֖ן  and he focused on why the term for man that is used in the pasuk is אָדָ֗ם. He quoted a Gemara which states that a person bringing a sacrifice must be like Adam - the same way that he did not bring a sacrifice from someone else's property (since there was no one else) so too a person should not bring a sacrifice from someone else's property.

But there is a Zohar which interprets the pasuk cryptically saying - don't be like Adam or the last man - you need to bring it like everyone between Adam and the past person at the end of time. R' Frand quoted R' Mordechai Rogoff who explains that when Adam brought a sacrifice it was not a "sacrifice" because there was no famine or trouble. The final man at the end of time at which point Hashem has been revealed, all of the inexplicable will become understandable. This person who lives through the revelation of the Shechinah will also not have a "sacrifice" because everything makes sense. But everyone else who brings a sacrifice despite all that he has gone through - this is a real korban.

R' Frand told a story about the Satmar Rebbi's first visit to Israel, when he was approached by a man and asked for beracha. He responded - go ask for a beracha from someone with a tattoo on his arm - meaning a Holocaust survivor. Someone who went through such troubles and has stayed frum - he is worthy of asking for a beracha.

R' Frand said a second vort about the small alef in the first word of the parsha. R' Frand quoted the Ba'al HaTurim who explains that Moshe in his modesty did not want to broadcast that Hashem called him. So he wrote the word like the way that Hashem called to Bilaam - וַיִּקְרָ֖ - a calling of happenstance. But Hashem did not want him to use that word and Moshe was required to write the word as וַיִּקְרָ֖א, but in so doing he wrote a small alef.

R' Frand then quoted R' Shach who noted that Chazal say that there are many derashos from the crown of a letter, so didn't Moshe deprive us of the derashos that could be made from a full sized alef? No, responded R' Shach - because he wanted to teach us the lesson of humility, even though there could be other derashsos from a full sized alef.

But if the lesson is so important, then why not write וַיִּקְרָ֖? R' Frand answered that there is a more important lesson - that Hashem has a more intimate relationship with the Jews than the rest of the world. This is not to say that Hashem does not connect with the rest of the world, but with the Jews there is Hashgacha Pratis.

R' Frand quoted the Ramban at the end of Sefer Shemos (33:17) that from the fact that Hashem made open miracles, one can extrapolate that there were hidden miracles. Because a person is not a frum Jew unless he believes that everything is a miracle from Hashem.

R' Frand told a story about how he had recently flown to Seattle and a friend had tried to share his first class status with R' Frand, but when he got the ticket it was not first class. But right before he was going to board, the flight attendant said - there was one remaining first class seat and you are the first in line for an upgrade, so its yours. R' Frand said that he spent the rest of the flight saying to himself - Hashem what did I do to deserve this? It was Hashgacha Pratis - a gift from Hashem.

R' Frand said that this is the lesson of Vayikra - even though there is a strong lesson in humility, there is a more important lesson of Hashgacha Pratis.

R' Frand closed with a story about R' Mordechai Pogmoransky (sp?) who one Friday was on a train with another Jewish man who was a Shochet and Mohel. The two were engrossed in conversation and accidentally missed their stop. When they got off at the next stop  it was close to Shabbos and they asked if there were any Jews in the town. They were directed to a house and when they knocked on the door and introduced themselves, the Jew started crying. He explained that his wife gave birth to a son the previous Shabbos and that he had tried unsuccessfully to have a Mohel come for a bris this Shabbos. So the mohel did the milah and R' Pogmoransky was the sandek!

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshios Vayhkel & Pikudei

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.

Parshas Vayakhel begins with a reference to Shabbos as the Torah states at Shemos 35:2 -שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֘ תֵּֽעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ . Rabbi Frand observed that the use of the word  תֵּֽעָשֶׂ֣ה - literally translated as the work shall be done, is an interesting choice. Elsewhere the Torah uses language wherein the person is commanded to do the work. Why is it different here?

R' Frand answered by quoting the Sefer Aperion from R' Shlomo Gantztfried who explains that keeping Shabbos can be a nisayon. A person can feel that if he does not work on Shabbos, he wont be able to make a living. R' Frand noted that when the immigrants came to America in the early part of the 20th century there was a well worn rule "if you don't come in on Saturday, don't come in on Monday."

R' Frand explained that keeping Shabbos and not working is an element of Emuna. A person needs to know and believe that all of his resources were decreed on Rosh Hashana and that working extra will not change the amount of $$ he will receive. Thus whether or not he works on Shabbos, the same $$ will end up in his bank account.

R' Frand next quoted from Shemos 38:11 which states - וְלִפְאַ֤ת צָפוֹן֙ מֵאָ֣ה בָֽאַמָּ֔ה עַמּֽוּדֵיהֶ֣ם עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֥ם עֶשְׂרִ֖ים נְח֑שֶׁ. This was a commandment that the boards on the northern end of the Mishkan should be measured to be 100 amos in length. But if we are already told that at the southern end it should be 100 amos and they are supposed to be even, why is there a need to specifically measure?

R' Frand first quoted the Meshech Chacham which explains that this taught us about Moshe that even though it could be simply compared, Moshe made the effort to measure each wall. 

R' Frand next quoted the Sefer Abir Ya'akov which explains that this is lesson in human nature. A person should not determine his worth by comparing himself to another person. He should measure what he is and what he needs by himself.

R' Frand said a third vort about the Mishhkan - specifically that although it was completed in Kislev, it was not set up for use until Rosh Chodesh Nissan. The Medrash explains that Hashem specifically wanted the Mishkan to be first used in this month because this was the month that Yitzchak was born in.

But what is the connection between Yitzchak and the Mishkan?

R' Frand first answered by quoting the Sefer Be'er Yosef which cites to the Ramban who explains that when a person offers a sacrifice, he needs to feel that he himself should have been offered on the altar, but Hashem in His mercy has allowed for the animal instead. 

There was one person who actually took his place on the altar - Yitzchak. But Hashem in His mercy directed Avraham not to sacrifice Yitzchak. Thus the Mishkan was set up in Nissan to show that the person was to be a sacrifice - Yitzchak.

R' Frand gave a second answer based on the Sefer Shai L' Torah which notes that Sefer Shemos is the book of Geulah, yet a large portion is about the Mishkan. Shouldn't it have been in Sefer Vayikra which discusses the sacrifices?

He answered based on the Ramban who explains that the Geulah was not completed until the Jews were on the same level that the Avos had reached. This did not occur until the Jews came to Har Sinai, accepted the Torah and built the Mishkan. And considering that the 400 years began with the birth of Yitzchak, the completion of the 400 years would not be in the 400th year - when they left Egypt. Instead it was the end of the 400th year when the Mishkan was built.

R' Frand said a final vort on Shemos 38:24 which accounts for the gold - כָּל־הַזָּהָ֗ב הֶֽעָשׂוּי֙ לַמְּלָאכָ֔ה. He quoted the Chida who writes in the name of the Vital HaTzarfaty that this was not merely an account of the amount of the gold. It was to teach that the only reason that gold was created was to beautify the Mishkan. No one actually needs gold and the world could have existed without it. But Hashem decided to create it so that it could be used in building the Mishkan.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Ki Sissa

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 noted that the section of this parsha containing the 13 middos is one of the most well known sections of the Torah due to its being read so often. He quoted the Gemara in Rosh Hashana 7b which states in the name of R' Yochanan that had this section not been written in the Torah (specifically וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֨ר יְהֹוָ֥ה |עַל־פָּנָיו֘ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יְהֹוָ֣ה | יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶֽאֱמֶֽת) it could not have been said as we learn from this pasuk that Hashem wrapped himself up like a Shaliach Tzibbur and told Moshe - whenever the Jews are sinning, do before me like this and I will forgive them.

R' Frand remarked that this is the reason why we repeat the 13 middos so many times in the Ne'ilah of Yom Kippur.

The Gemara also quotes R' Yehuda as saying that it is guaranteed that a person who invokes the 13 middos will not return empty handed. 

But there are times when it seems that the prayers were not answered?

R' Frand addressed this first by quoting the sefer Reishis Chachma which states that the language of the Gemara is that the Jews should "do before me like this." He explains that the person praying should emulate Hashem - just as He is merciful, you should be merciful to others.

The sefer Ya'aros Devash has a problem with this concept as not all of the 13 middos can be emulated by man. He identifies "Kel" which means "all powerful" as a middah of Hashem that we cannot replicate. 

R' Frand then offered a different explanation in the name of the sefer Imrei Binah. He notes that the language of the Gemara is that Hashem wrapped himself like a Shaliach Tzibbur. The Shatz has significant weight on his shoulders and does not only daven for himself, he prays on behalf of Klal Yisrael. If a person wants to be answered, he needs to be like the Shatz and daven for others.

R' Frand then quoted the sefer Mikdash Mordechai by R' Mordechai Rogoff who explains that the pasuk states that Hashem appeared in a cloud. He observed that it is easier to pray for others when your life is not cloudy and everything seems in order. It is much more difficult and the prayers can have a greater impact, if you pray for others when things are not as clear and rosy for you.

R' Frand closed the vort by telling a story about R' Binyamin Kaminetsky. There was a boy in the community whose father had passed away and shortly before his bar mitzvah, his mother was hospitalized. When R' Kaminetsky went to visit him in the hospital, the mother asked him not to come to the boy's bar mitzvah. She explained that there was another boy in a different shul who was turning bar mitzvah that Shabbos and she was sure that all the Rabbis in the community would come to her son's bar mitzvah because his father had passed and she was in the hospital. The mother did not want the other's simcha to be lacking in Rabbanim and as a result she asked R' Kaminetsky to make sure that he would attend the other bar mitzva.

This is an example of looking out for others despite being in a situation which is cloudy.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Tezaveh+Megillah

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 cited the Medrash Tanchuma about the mitzva of the Menorah. The Jews said to Hashem, you are asking us to make a light in the Beis HaMikdash/Mishkan - but you are the light of the world. Why do you need our light? To this Hashem responds - I don't need your light. But for 40 years in the desert I lit the way for you. Now I am giving you the opportunity to repay the favor.

R' Frand quoted R' Yerucham - the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva who observed that when you do someone a favor, they will say universally in response - it's nothing. A person may say that its proof that the doer is a good guy. But R' Yerucham says that this is a negative, because the doer wants you to feel like you owe him. So if you want to be a nice guy, think of something he can do for you so that he feels whole. This is what the Medrash Tanchuma is telling us - it may be symbolic, but light the Menorah and repay the favor.

R' Frand mentioned the story of Shimshon - Manoach and his wife were barren and the angel came and told them they would have a child. Thereafter the angel disappeared and never came back. The Navi writes that because of that, they knew he was an angel. Why? Because a human who helps another with a significant task comes back to get a thank you.

R' Frand closed the vort by telling a story of the Brisker Rav who married off several sons at a wedding hall called "Vagshal." The caterer told the Brisker Rav that the wedding was on him, but the Brisker Rav turned him down. Why? He said that the most expensive things are what I get for free, because now I feel like I owe something.

R' Frand also said a vort on the Megillah as well. The Gemara in Megillah learns out from the לַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְשָׂשׂ֖ן וִיקָֽר   that the Jews had specific miztvos - now they had Yom Tov, Milla, Tefillin & Torah. But does that mean that they did not have those before?

R' Frand quoted the Chasam Sofer who observed that the mitzva of Kiddush Hashem and Chillul Hashem are next to each other in the same pasuk. He linked this to a Gemara in Sanhedrin about Chanya Mishael & Azarya who we know nothing about after they were saved from the fiery furnace. The Gemara gives multiple answers, including that they drowned in spit. The Maharsha explains that after the incident the non-Jews spat on the Jews. Why? Because they came to the Jews and said you are idiots - you have a G-d that performs miracles and you worship idols? This was so despicable that they spat on them. The Maharsha explains that wherever they went, people would say - you were saved from the fire and yet the Jews worship idols. They had to die to prevent this from occurring.

This is why Kiddush Hashem is next to Chillul Hashem. If Hashem performs miracles and they don't change, its a Chillul Hashem. And according to the Chasam Sofer - this explains the pasuk in the Megillah. After the miracles were performed, all the mitzvos were different and more meaningful and there was a new simcha and a renaissance of Judaism.

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