Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Collection of Divrei Torah on Parshas Bahar - Anonymous Guest Post


I UPDATED THESE DIVREI TORAH AND I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THEM WITH YOU.

PARSHAS BEHAR

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם וְשָׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיהוָה שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ
What is the significance of seven years? The Matteh Moshe has an interesting answer. The solar Year is 365 days .Within this time period there are 52 Shabbosim. Therefore it comes out that the number of Shabbosim in a Shmitah cycle is 364 days rounded you get the Shmitah year. The Chida has a more exact answer. The Gemara in Brachos says Rava told his students during Nissan and Tishrei don’t come to Yeshiva to learn, work the fields so you have the means to learn for the rest of the year. If you do the math over the six years it adds up to twelve months. Therefore the seventh Year is Shemita.

וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת-חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וִישַׁבְתֶּם עַל-הָאָרֶץ לָבֶטַח
Why does the torah change the language from the חוקים to the משפטים by the חוקים it says עֲשִׂיתֶם and by the משפטים it says תִּשְׁמְרוּ? Rabbi Frand offers an interesting Pshat. The difference between a חוק and a משפט is that a חוק is without logic we do it because Hashem told us too. A משפט is a logical law like not murdering or stealing. Now the change in the Posuk makes sense. A חוקwhich we do without logic and are done without reflection into its logical reasoning we say to do it ַעֲשִׂיתֶםor to continue doing it. Then there are משפטים which are logical, but here we are thrown a loop if the logic does not make sense to our modern sensitivities we are no longer so sure. The advocacy for euthanasia is a simple case in point as is abortion, so maybe murder is not so simple after all the a person is suffering, and the child will just be a drain on society. Stealing is also not so simple we all grew up on Robin Hood. His motto was steal from the rich and give too the poor this makes perfect sense to most of us .Now it becomes clear that when it comes to משפטים we have to watch them and make sure we don’t loose our torah Ethics to our modern Sensibilities.

וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ מַה-נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת הֵן לֹא נִזְרָע וְלֹא נֶאֱסֹף אֶת-תְּבוּאָתֵנוּ.
The question seems to be wrong, in the seventh year we eat the crop of the sixth year so what is the posuk asking what will be in the seventh year, it is the wrong question? The Sefer Peh Kodesh has an amazing Psychological insight. The Gemara in Yoma saysאינו דומה מי שיש לו פת בסלו למי שאין לו פת בסלו .That means that a person who knows that he is provided for in the future is more psychologically fulfilled. Now we understand the Posuk easily. It is talking about the seventh year but since in his mind he is concerned about the upcoming year he is unfulfilled so Hashem in the next posuk
says וְצִוִּיתִי אֶת-בִּרְכָתִי לָכֶם so he knows this year and next year he will be fulfilled.

כִּי-לִי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי הֵם אֲשֶׁר-הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
Why does the Posuk have a double wording עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי? There is a din in the Rambam that a slave immerses himself and he has in mind for his freedom he goes out free. The din only applies when he was sold by his previous owner, but if was sold by the government "גבהו הגוי בחובו" his intention by the immersion does not affect the status of the Slave and he does not go free. In our Posuk Hashem is saying I bought you as Slaves but you can't immerse to be free like the din of a slave because I bought you as a governmental purchase מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

אֶת-כַּסְפְּךָ לֹא-תִתֵּן לוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּית לֹא-תִתֵּן אָכְלֶךָ. אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר-הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת-אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים
The Yalkut says on this Pasuk whoever lends with interest it is as if he is saying he has nothing to do with Yetizas Mitzrayim. What is the connection between Yetizas Mitzrayim and interest? The first answer is if someone gives you a lot of money and tells you my gift is conditional. The condition is if any of my children need money in the future you will lend it to them without interest so to says the Chasam Sofer Hashem when we left Mitzrayim Hashem took us out with great wealth. There was a condition in the torah lending without interest to Jews who are Hashem's children. This is the connection between Yetizas Mitzrayim and interest The Darash Vihaiyun has another answer. They ask why where the Mitzrayim Punished for enslaving the Jews after all Avraham was told in Golus the Egyptians would ועבדום וענו אותם the Ravad answers they added the work was בפרך and now we understand the connection between Yetizas Mitzrayim and Interest that is the Egyptians worked us בפרך hence taking interest.

וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיהוָה שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תִזְמֹר
The Har Tzvi points out a inconsistency in our Parsha. When talking about Yovel all the Issurim are written in plural לא תורעו ולא תקחו .Then by Shmitah it speaks in singular. The answer is simple the Din of Yovel is Only when most Jews are in Israel the din of Shmitah is if even one Jew is there he must keep Shemita. Therefore the Posukim are exactly to this point.

וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם, אֵת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה, וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ, לְכָל-יֹשְׁבֶיהָ; יוֹבֵל הִוא, תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם, וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל-אֲחֻזָּתוֹ, וְאִישׁ אֶל-מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשֻׁבוּ
The Pnei Yeshouah asks what does it mean לְכָל-יֹשְׁבֶיהָ.It is only the slaves are going free? He answers based on a Gemara in Kiddushin. The Gemara says "whoever buys himself a Jewish slave Buys Himself a Master". This is Because Halacha says if there is one pillow in the house the servant gets it, and the servant must be served food of equal or greater quality then his master. Therefore now the Posuk is clear לְכָל even the masters of the slaves.

לֹא-תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אֱלִילִם וּפֶסֶל וּמַצֵּבָה לֹא-תָקִימוּ לָכֶם וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית לֹא תִתְּנוּ בְּאַרְצְכֶם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲו‍ֹת עָלֶיהָ כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ
The Chasam Sofer asks if Hashem dislikes stone floors why did he command that the Beis Hamikdash be made with them and what is the connection to Shabbos? The answer is simple stone floors in the Beis Hamikdash are needed because of the blood of the Korbanos would muddy a sand floor. The connection to Shabbos is because on Shabbos you would need to clean it up. That would mean you would be Desecrating Shabbos it is this very reason that Hashem wants the stone floors. Therefore the Parsha ends talking about the stone floors and Shabbos.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of starstore.com)

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

While I appreciate all types of divrei Torah and the divrei Torah that this person is posting, it just seems strange that he would comment it all over your blog (and I've seen him do the same on other blogs). Why not just start your own blog to share your ideas with others? I would even go there to read. I come to Dixie Yid's blog to read what Dixie Yid has to say. Of course there are occasional Guest Postings which are appreciated, but these just seem out of place to me.

I do not mean this as a personal attack and I sincerely hope no offense is taken. If I'm out of line, please feel free to remove my comment.

DixieYid (يهودي جنوبي) said...

Anon,

Thanks for your kind words about coming to read what I put up.

I also saw this person's things on othe blogs. This is the second time I posted what this person wrote. The first time I also asked who was doing it. I guess it would be nice if the person at least made a Pseudonym to post under and registered with a blogger account just so they would at least have a set profile.

So if you're out there, please identify yourself in some way!

:-)

-Dixie Yid

Anonymous said...

In defense of my self, many important Seforim where always written by Anonymous people as there is a klal that you should not use the torah it to gain importance. Now to address the reason I post in multiple places is because I want it to be more widespread and more people to read it and say the torah over. Also someone who reads one blog may not read the other and therefore I think this set up is just fine. Finally it is up to each blog owner to choose to allow my post to stay up if they choose they can take it down Of course I highly appreciate you making it part of your blog I would not even mind if anyone took one part and made it their own or a whole piece I am just trying to spread Torah, and I think the Pseudonym would add or subtract nothing. I also find it comical that the person who comments himself chooses to remain Anonymous. I am sorry if this bothers anyone and I ask for forgiveness but this is my personal felling, I hope you can understand and thank you for the Constructive criticism (mussar) .I remain
Anonymous

Anonymous said...

I would also Imagine it is Pretty hard to come up with new stuff to post every day so I think of it as a chessed to the blog owner I hope he agrees

DixieYid (يهودي جنوبي) said...

Anon (7:06 & 7:09):

Yes it is a chesed to me, so thank you. And though don't really think it makes it any less lishmah, I understand your reasons for not wanting to take on any identity and to not start your own blog.

I still think that it does add something if you at least take on some online name, like "MrAnonDvarTorah" or "Lishma613" or something, because it makes other people more comfortable, in many cases. People are less comfortable with thing (or people) that they cannot name. People are even more comfortable with *diseases* that they can name, versus those with no name. People often feel more comfortable with people and things that they can "put their finger on" in some way. So my take is that, whether or not you like it, that is the feeling of many people, including myself. It's something to consider.

At any rate, yasher koach on the sharing of Torah and I hope to hear more from you in the future!

-Dixie Yid

Anonymous said...

I'm the one who left the initial comment. I have no problem leaving my "online name" here (it doesn't make me any less anonymous). My gripe was not with the fact that you left yourself as anonymous, but rather that the whole thing just has a "ta'am" of spam. Not that I would ever equate divrei torah with junk spam ch'vsh, but if your point is to spread Torah, I come back to my point of "why not start your own blog" instead of having your work buried within a comment on a topic having nothing to do with the divrei torah? Having your own blog does not take away from you wanting to be anonymous or from the klal that you should not use the torah it to gain importance. Almost all the bloggers out there have a made up name and their identity remains anonymous.

You're obviously putting a lot of effort into writing up these divrei torah, so why not go the mile and do it right? You're selling yourself short by thinking that no one will want to visit your blog. Bloggers link to each other all the time to increase "visibility". Why would yours be any different?

Not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here. Just my 2 cents. :)

Anonymous said...

I write them for my shul where I dont put a name either.I will think about it,anyway another update is soon to come as I have to edit some of the horribile english i have been using.

DixieYid (يهودي جنوبي) said...

Anon,

Looking forward!

Anonymous said...

וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ מַה-נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת
The Dubbno Maggid why is it that only if you ask questions on Hashem then you get a Bracha? He answered there are two types of Brachas one he will cause a open miracle and there will be more grain in the field and he will be forced to hire extra help. Then there is a second miracle that you eat less and you are satisfied this is the higher level of miracle, and that you get without questioning.
2) The Chasam Sofer asks on this Posuk why hashem has to cause a miracle to happen why not just cause a sudden influx of money from an external source. He answers based on a Gemara in Baba Metziah which says a person would rather have a Kav (measure of grain) of his own then from his friend. Therefore Hashem in order for us to enjoy the Bracha fully makes it seem like our own work.
וְכִי-יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ וְנִמְכַּר-לָךְ לֹא-תַעֲבֹד בּוֹ עֲבֹדַת עָבֶד
Rav Shlomo Gantzfreid the Baal Kitzur Shulchan Aruch asks why does the Posuk use repetitive language saying עֲבֹדַת עָבֶד? He translates don’t do the work of a slave. This is busy work to assure he does not become lazy. Hashem is warning us when you have a Jewish slave don’t work him as you would a regular slave there is an extra precaution you have to take.