Monday, September 14, 2020

Monday's Musings on Rosh Hashanah - aka the belated R' Frand vort from Thursday

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand when he spoke on the parshios on Thursday night - specifically his Rosh Hashanah vort. 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 by quoting the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah which asks why we have the Malchios, Zichronos and Shofros portions and quotes Rebbi who identifies the Malchios portion as based on the pesukim in Parshas Emor where the Torah writes אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם in Vayikra 23:22 and then immediately thereafter discusses the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

What was the mitzva that was discussed there before Rosh Hashanah? It was actually more than one mitzva, the agricultural mitzvos of Leket, Shikicha & Peah (LSP). But what is the connection between LSP and Rosh Hashanah, such that we crown Hashem as our King?

R' Frand quoted the Torah Kohanim which asks why LSP is in the middle of the discussion of the holidays, as it sits between the Torah's recitation of Pesach and Rosh Hashanah? The Toras Kohanim answers that it teaches that anyone who gives LSP it is as if he offered a sacrifice in the Beis HaMikdash. But why is this form of tzedakah any different, such that only LSP has the reward of being the equivalent of bringing a sacrifice in the Beis HaMikdash?

R' Frand explained that LSP are different because the owner of the field has no personal choice on who receives these fruits. When a person gives charity, he feels good when he writes the check and selects who will benefit from his funds. But LSP, the owner is absolutely powerless to decide who will take these fruits- the first gleaner who follows and picks up the Leket or Shikicha is the beneficiary. And the Peah can be taken by any poor person who comes to the field after the harvest is completed by the owner. 

By giving LSP, the owner is forced to admit - I don't have any control over my own field and its produce. Hashem is the owner of these fruits and He is the King of the World. 

This was Rebbi's derasha - before reaching Rosh Hashanah in the Torah, there needs to be a cognizance that Hashem is in control of the land, a recognition embodied by the LSP.

R' Frand closed the vort by stating that this year, of all years, we see that Hashem is in control.

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