http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog Devoted to the teachings of Rabbi Yaakov Kranz, the Maggid of Dubno Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:36:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/15/vayikra70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/15/vayikra70a/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:36:29 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=732 This week’s parashah discusses various offerings. Among them are sin-offerings, enabling a person to atone for sin. The topic of sin-offerings raises a general question: How is it possible for us to atone for sin? If, in a fit of insanity, someone takes a club and smashes his front window, he is left with a shattered window. Later he may regret what he did, but, given the laws of nature, his regret will not put the window back together again. Similarly, when a person commits a sin, he damages his soul. How does repentance undo this damage?

In Ohel Yaakov, parashas Bereishis, the Maggid discusses this question, and turns to two verses in Tehillim for the answer. The first of these is from Tehillim 51, Dovid HaMelech’s prayer for forgiveness after his sin with Batsheva. Dovid entreats (Tehillim 51:12): “Create for me a pure heart, O God, and infuse me anew with a proper spirit.” Dovid knows, explains the Maggid, that his sin corrupted his soul, but he appeals to Hashem’s power to restore his soul to its original pristine state, as if created anew. In the second verse that the Maggid quotes, Dovid declares (ibid. 25:11): “For the sake of Your Name, Hashem, pardon my sin, for it is great.” Dovid asks Hashem to restore his soul for the sake of His Name, which identifies Him as the source of all existence. Hashem, as the creator of all things, has the power to recreate a person’s soul after it has been shattered by sin.

A similar idea is reflected in a verse in this week’s haftarah (Yeshayah 43:25): “I, it is I, who wipes away your rebellious acts, for My sake, and your sins I do not recall.” This verse, too, speaks of Hashem restoring us for His sake. In his commentary on the haftarah in Kochav MiYaakov, the Maggid notes how the end of this verse points to a further aspect of Hashem’s kindness toward us: After He finishes repairing us of the damage caused by sin, He “forgets” the entire episode, and does not shame us by reminding us of the sorry state we had been in.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/15/vayikra70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/11/vayakhel-pekudei70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/11/vayakhel-pekudei70/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:13:27 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=724 This week’s double parashah deals with the building of the Mishkan and the manufacture of the vessels and vestments associated with it. In concluding the account of this effort, the Torah relates (Shemos 39:43): “And Moshe saw the entire work, and, behold, they had done it [exactly] as Hashem had commanded – thus they had done. And Moshe blessed them.” The Midrash elaborates (Sifra, Shemini 15):

How did He bless them? He said: “May the Divine Presence settle upon the work of your hands.” … [As it is written (Tehillim 90:17, homiletically):] “May the sublimity of our Master, our God, come down upon us. May our handiwork establish this for us; may our handiwork establish it.”

In explaining this Midrash, the Maggid turns our attention to an earlier verse (Shemos 39:32): “All the work of the Mishkan, the Tent of Meeting, was completed, and the Children of Israel had done all that Hashem commanded Moshe, so did they do.” The Maggid notes that the Torah could have said that “the Children of Israel had done all that Hashem commanded,” or that “the Children of Israel had done all that Moshe ordered.” Why did Torah use the specific phrasing that it did – “the Children of Israel had done all that Hashem commanded Moshe”?

The Maggid explains as follows. When Hashem discussed the Mishkan with Moshe, He did not just list its specifications – He also pointed out the deep spiritual secrets behind them. Afterward, though, when Moshe conveyed Hashem’s instructions to Betzalel and his team of artisans, he presented only the specifications. Betzalel and his team, however, discerned the deep secrets as well, and carried out the work with this knowledge in mind. The Torah is alluding to this point when it reports that “the Children of Israel did all that Hashem commanded Moshe.” Moshe himself recognized that the work had been done with knowledge of the deep secrets behind it, and thus the Torah testifies: “And Moses saw the entire work, and, behold, they had done it [exactly] as Hashem had commanded.”

Now, when Hashem told Moshe to build the Mishkan, the angels protested (Tanchuma, Terumah 9): “Master of the Universe! Why are You leaving behind the heavenly realm and descending to the earthly realm? ‘O Hashem, our Master! How mighty is Your Name throughout the world, You Who has set Your glory within the heavens!’ (Tehillim 8:2). This is what upholds Your honor: to abide in the heavens.” The angels, the Maggid explains, understood that the practical mitzvos associated with the Mishkan’s daily operation related only to man, and not to them. But they argued that it was still more fitting for the Mishkan to be situated in heaven, among them, on the grounds that they appreciated the deep secrets behind it, while man lacked the capacity to grasp them. However, Betzalel and his team neutralized this argument when they built the Mishkan with the spiritual secrets in mind. Moshe recognized that the Jewish People had won out over the angels, and he therefore blessed them: “May the sublimity of our Master, our God, come down upon us. May our handiwork establish this for us; may our handiwork establish it.” Moshe was saying: in the merit of the lofty spiritual level we attained through the handiwork of building the Mishkan, may we have the privilege of having the Divine Presence come down upon us.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/11/vayakhel-pekudei70/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/05/kisissa70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/05/kisissa70a/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:53:15 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/05/parashas-ki-sissa-parashas-parah/ We present here a piece that relates both to this week’s Torah portion and to this week’s special haftarah, haftaras Parah.

The Torah portion relates the episode of the golden calf. The Kuzari (part I, par. 97) explains that the Jews did not set up the calf as an idol to worship instead of Hashem, but rather as a means of connecting with Hashem – a replacement for Moshe, whom they thought had died. Still, the making of the calf was a grievous sin, for it was a form of service that Hashem had not mandated, and it closely resembled idolatry. We can say that Jewish People meant well, but the evil inclination distorted their judgment. Thus, the Midrash comments (Shemos Rabbah 41:7, end):

Said the Holy One Blessed Be He to Moshe: “Now, when they have the evil inclination within them, they engage in idolatry, but in the end of days I will uproot the evil inclination from within them and give them a heart of flesh.” Thus it is written (Yechezkel 36:26, from the haftarah): “I shall remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and give them a heart of flesh.”

The Maggid asks: What is the scope of this spiritual repair?

The Maggid answers with an analogy to a doctor who is called in to restore someone to health. If the person is already dead when the doctor comes, then of course there is no hope. But if the person is still alive, though he may be gravely ill, he can yet be cured. Similarly, if a person is overtaken by the evil inclination and totally sunken in false ways, his heart cannot be restored. But if a person retains an element of true spirituality, Hashem will ultimately bring him to a state of spiritual vigor, free of the scourge of the evil inclination.

What is the key sign that a person is still spiritually alive? The sign is that, at some level, he realizes he is spiritually sick and seeks to be cured. A person who is totally enslaved by the evil inclination does not even seek release from it. On the contrary, he is brainwashed to the point where he enjoys being controlled by the evil inclination. Thus it was with the assembled throng that went along with the Jewish People in the wilderness (Bamidbar 11:3): the throng “craved a craving.” They welcomed the pull of desire; they even pined for it. The Jewish People, on the other hand, wished to be free of the evil inclination. This wish, the Maggid says, is the reason why the Jewish People accepted the Torah so readily, without worrying about how hard it would be to observe its laws. They knew that the Torah was the only ticket to freedom from the evil inclination, and they therefore grabbed it right away. If we cling to the Torah, and keep the evil inclination from overtaking us, in due time Hashem will uproot the evil inclination from us, and give us a heart of flesh.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/03/05/kisissa70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/26/tetzaveh70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/26/tetzaveh70a/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:08:42 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=719 In this week’s parashah, Hashem instructs Moshe about the procedure for installing Aharon into the position of Kohen Gadol. In connection with this topic, the Maggid presents an extended discussion of different forms of devotion to mitzvos.

Aharon’s conduct as Kohen Gadol reflects the highest form of devotion to mitzvos – focusing solely on serving Hashem, without any personal interests. Another form is where we maintain personal interests, but make a point of investing them toward a mitzvah. This form can arise, for example, in the mitzvah of honoring Shabbos. We have a personal interest in enjoying delicacies, but we can invest this interest in the mitzvah of Shabbos by refraining from delicacies during the week and designating Shabbos as the day for such delights. We discussed these two forms in a previous piece. Finally, there is the scenario where we put ourselves on the line to keep mitzvos in the face of great adversity.

Hashem, in His love for us, always arranges a way for us to earn reward for mitzvos. Thus, when He sees that we are doing mitzvos by sheer rote, without proper feeling, He sends oppressors against us to interfere with our mitzvah observance. When we persist in keeping mitzvos amidst the oppression, we earn great reward. Meantime, Hashem gives our oppressors the punishment they deserve.

The Midrash discusses the ultimate fate of Eisav, the forefather of the nation of Edom, the chief oppressor of the Jewish People. (Note that Haman, the villain of the Purim episode, was from Edom.) The Midrash relates (Yalkut Shimoni II:549):

In the end of days, when Holy One Blessed Be He brings the wicked Eisav to judgment, Eisav will enwrap himself in his cloak and sit down next to Yaakov. For Ovadiah 1:4 describes Edom setting his abode among the stars, and the term “stars” refers to Yaakov: “a star has come forth from Yaakov” (Bamidbar 24:17); “look up, please, toward the heavens, and count the stars” (Bereishis 15:5, regarding Avraham’s descendants). Yaakov will say: “My brother, do not join me. … For you would impose decrees upon me to worship false gods: if I obeyed them, I would be subject to a death penalty from heaven, and if not, you would kill me.” Eisav then descended to the netherworld, and Yaakov remained [with Hashem] by himself.

The Maggid asks: What will make Eisav think he could escape Hashem’s retribution by sitting down next to Yaakov? The Maggid answers that this act represents an attempt by Eisav to be compensated with a reprieve in return for having benefitted the Jewish People, the Bnei Yaakov – by enabling the Jewish People to earn enormous reward by standing up to his harsh decrees. He will claim that he deserves “a piece of the action.” But Eisav’s claim will be denied, for his sole intent was to cause the Jewish People evil. He (like Haman) will be brought to his downfall, and we will remain to revel in our bond with Hashem.

Purim Sameach!

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/26/tetzaveh70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/16/terumah70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/16/terumah70a/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:17:49 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=716 In this week’s parashah, Hashem instructs Moshe about the building of the Mishkan. Hashem prefaces the detailed instructions with a general statement of purpose (Shemos 25:8): “They shall make for Me a sanctuary, and I shall dwell in their midst.” The Midrash comments (Shemos Rabbah 33:1):

Said the Holy One Blessed Be He to the People of Israel: “I sold you My Torah, and I sold Myself, so to speak, along with it.” … An analogy: A king had an only daughter. Another king married her, and set out to return home with his new wife. The king said to him: “The daughter I have given you is my only one. I cannot part with her, yet I cannot tell you not to take her, for she is your wife. So do me a favor: wherever you go, make for me a small chamber so that I may dwell with you, for I cannot simply leave her to you.” Thus said the Holy One Blessed Be He to the People of Israel: “I gave you My Torah. I cannot part with it, yet I cannot tell you not to take it. So, wherever you go, make for Me a house for Me dwell in.”

This Midrash is charming, but the Maggid points out that it seems not to add up. If Hashem felt that He could not part from the Torah, why didn’t He just keep it with Him in heaven? Why did he give it to us, and then insist on a dwelling place among us so that He could keep the Torah close to Him?

The Maggid then presents a brilliant resolution to this conundrum. He follows Rashi’s view that Hashem told Moshe to build the Mishkan after the Jewish People sinned with the golden calf, even though the Torah records the events in reverse order (in line with the principle that the Torah is not bound to chronological order). From this vantage point, he explains as follows. At the time of the revelation at Sinai, the Jewish People were purged of the primeval spiritual defilement that had entered man when Adam ate from the forbidden tree. They then recovered the elevated position that Hashem had originally intended for man to occupy: an intermediate station between the heavenly realm and the earthly realm. It was on this basis that Hashem gave the Jewish People the Torah – when they received it, they were close enough to the heavenly realm that Hashem did not regard it as being too far from Him.

But when the Jewish People commited the sin of the golden calf, the primeval defilement re-entered them, and they fell from their lofty station. They had returned, as Adam had, to the soil from whence they came – that is, they descended, taking the Torah with them, to a station rooted in the earthly realm. Under this state of affairs, Hashem considered the separation between Him and His Torah unacceptable. Yet He had already given the Jewish People the Torah, and He wished to let them keep it. He therefore asked them to build Him a sanctuary in their midst. In this way, Hashem could bring the sanctity of heaven down to earth, and thereby restore the Jewish People to an intermediate position between the completely holy and the completely mundane.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/16/terumah70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/11/parashas-mishpatim/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/11/parashas-mishpatim/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:44:38 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=713 This week’s parashah is devoted mainly to civil laws. One segment deals with lending money, especially to the poor, and not taking interest. The Torah states (Shemos 22:24): “When you lend money to My people, to the poor person who is with you, do not act toward him as a pursuing creditor; do not lay interest upon him.” Below are a few insights from the Maggid on this topic.

1. By lending money to a poor person, one is doing a kindness not only for that particular person, but also for the public at large. By helping the poor person get back on his feet, one eliminates the need for him to seek charity from members of the community, and thereby relieves the public at large from a burden.

2. If a person is accustomed to lend money to the poor without interest, then by working to earn money he is serving the poor along with himself. It is if he is working jointly on his own behalf and on behalf of the poor. But when a person lends money to a poor person with interest, the work the poor person does afterward serves not only the poor person himself, but also the lender, for part of the money the poor person earns will be going to pay the interest. It is as if the poor person is working in part on behalf of the lender. The Torah teaches that that poor person should be “with you” – you should see to it that you work for him, rather than making him work for you.

3. We all must bear the burden of Divine justice in the economic realm. The basic mechanism that Hashem uses to distribute this burden is the cycle of economic fortune, whereby people experience wealth and poverty in alternation. But a person who is currently well off can preempt a transition to poverty by choosing first to bear the economic component of Divine justice in an indirect way – by shouldering the responsibility of caring for the poor.

4. When a person charges interest in the usual way, as a function of the length of the time that the borrower holds onto the funds, he is automatically acting as a pursuing creditor, even if he does not approach the borrower directly to demand repayment. The constant accumulation of interest itself puts pressure on the borrower, as if he is being pursued.

5. The Midrash teaches (Shemos Rabbah 31:12): “‘One who is gracious to the poor is giving a loan to Hashem, and He will pay him his due recompense (Mishlei 19:17).’ Up to what point? ‘A borrower is a servant to the man who has lent him (Mishlei 22:7).” That is, when a person lends money to the poor, Hashem considers it like a loan to Him and takes responsibility for repayment. It is as if two parties have signed on the loan, the borrower and Hashem, and the lender can collect from either one or the other. But if the lender hounds the borrower for payment, he is showing that he is focusing his attention solely on the borrower, and neglecting to keep Hashem in mind. This attitude might prompt Hashem to step out of the picture. The Torah therefore exhorts us not to act as a “pursuing creditor” toward those to whom we have lent money. If the borrower is having trouble paying, then turn to Hashem, and He will step in and repay.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/11/parashas-mishpatim/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/02/yisro70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/02/yisro70/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:40:58 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=701 This week’s parashah recounts the giving of the Torah at Sinai, and presents the Ten Commandments. The Fourth Commandment discusses Shabbos (Shemos 20:8-10):

Remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it. Six days shall you labor and carry out all your work, while the seventh day is a Sabbath unto Hashem your God. You shall not carry out any work ….”

The Maggid asks: Why does the Torah preface the mitzvah of Shabbos by saying “six days shall you labor and carry out all your work,” as if Hashem is ordering us to labor and do work during the six regular days of the week? In truth, there is no halachic obligation to perform work during the weekdays. Hashem has simply given us permission to do so as we choose to meet our needs. What message, then, is the preface conveying?

The Maggid raises a further question. The Midrash reports that Hashem said to the Jewish People: (Devarim Rabbah 3:1): “You are thinking that perhaps I have given you Shabbos to do you a bad turn, but in fact I have given it to you only to do you good.” What does Hashem mean in suggesting we might think He gave us Shabbos to do us a bad turn?

The Maggid answers as follows. Resting takes two forms: resting to enable further progress, and resting for its own sake. The first stems from necessity, the second from free choice. Consider, for example, a person traveling home from a distant town. He may take periodic rest stops, but only because he has to do so to replenish his strength and prepare for the next leg of the trip. He would prefer to go straight home without stopping. Thus, he views the rest stops as a hindrance, and is anxious to get past them. But once he gets home, he rests gladly.

Now, for a person who thinks the work he does during the week is what brings him his sustenance, Shabbos as an irritating hindrance. He spends his entire Shabbos mulling over his work, and is anxious for Shabbos to be over so he can get back to it. Implicitly, he thinks that Hashem has done him a bad turn by imposing Shabbos on him. But a person who realizes that all his sustenance comes from Hashem, and that he works only because Hashem has chosen to run the world through this mechanism, takes a different attitude. He views his weekday work as a chore Hashem has given him to do, in line with how He set up the world. And so he is happy that on Shabbos Hashem releases him from this duty, and does him the great favor of granting him a day of pure delight.

Thus, in saying “six days shall you labor (taavod),” the Torah is teaching us the attitude we should take to our weekday work. We should not view it as a fulfillment of our own agenda, but rather simply as an act of servitude (avdus) that we perform at Hashem’s behest. If we take this attitude to our weekday work, then our Shabbos will be as it should be: “a Sabbath unto Hashem” – a day free of weekday worries, devoted to drawing close to Hashem.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/02/02/yisro70/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/28/beshallach70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/28/beshallach70a/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:00:20 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=698 This week’s parashah continues with the story of the Exodus from Egypt, recounting the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the Jewish People’s entry into the wilderness. The Torah relates that Moshe took Yosef’s bones out of Egypt, in accord with the oath Yosef’s brothers swore to him. The Midrash comments (Shemos Rabbah 20:19):

The entire People of Israel were engaged in collecting silver and gold [from the homes of the Egyptians], while Moshe was involved with Yosef’s bones. Said the Holy One Blessed Be He to Moshe: “You are a realization of [the proverb] ‘the wise of heart takes up mitzvos’ (Mishlei 10:8).”

This Midrash, the Maggid says, is puzzling. Why does Hashem praise Moshe by means of an implied criticism of the other Jews, noting that they went to collect booty while he went to tend to Yosef’s bones? Indeed, Hashem Himself had told the Jews to collect booty from the Egyptians. Also, if Hashem wished to praise Moshe, why did He do so in such an apparently modest fashion, quoting the proverb about taking up mitzvos? Couldn’t Hashem have offer a more glowing praise?

The Maggid explains as follows. Some people perform mitzvos for their own sake, while others perform mitzvos only out of fear of incurring Hashem’s wrath. Usually we cannot tell which category a person belongs to, but in some situations we can tell clearly. One such situation is the one in which a person has a choice between two mitzvos, one which confers a fringe benefit and one which does not. If the person chooses the mitzvah with the fringe benefit, this shows that he does not recognize the value of the mitzvos in themselves; when he performs mitzvos in the course of his daily life, he does so only because he feels he has to. On the other hand, if the person performs the mitzvah without the fringe benefit, this shows that he performs mitzvos entirely for their own sake, regardless of whether they yield him an overt gain. He understands that mitzvos generate profound positive effects, and he therefore cherishes them with all his heart. He chooses the mitzvah without the fringe benefit because he has little interest in material benefits; he is totally occupied with spiritual pursuits.  Moshe’s being was suffused with such loving devotion to mitzvos. Hashem deliberately called attention to this specific trait, for it testified strikingly to Moshe’s outstanding loftiness.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/28/beshallach70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/20/bo70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/20/bo70/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:03:31 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=692 In regard to the month of Nisan, the month during which the Exodus took place, the Torah states (Shemos 12:2): “This month shall be unto you the chief (rosh) of the months; it shall be the first (rishon) unto you of the months of the year.” The Midrash expounds (Shemos Rabbah 15:1):  

Hashem is called rishon (Yeshayah 44:6). Zion [referring to the Land of Israel in general and the site of the Mikdash in particular] is called rishon (Yirmiyah 17:12). Eisav is called rishon (Bereishis 25:25). Moshiach is called rishon (Yeshayah 41:27). Hashem, who is called rishon, will come and build the Beis HaMikdash, which is called rishon, will exact vengeance from Eisav, who is called rishon. And Moshiach, who is called rishon, will come in the month which is called rishon, as it is written: “This month shall be unto you the chief of the months.”

The Maggid explains that the term rishon denotes the root source from which later developments flow. In particular, the redemption from Rgypt is the root source of all other redemptions that Hashem has brought and will bring the Jewish People over the course of time, culminating with the final redemption with the coming of Moshiach. Indeed, the Midrash says here that just as the Exodus took place in Nisan, the final redemption will take place in Nisan as well.

The Maggid notes the Torah’s double language, “chief” and “first,” and explains that it reflects two merits of the month in which the Exodus took place. First, the month of Nisan is counted as the first month of the year. Second, the Nisan in which the Exodus took place is the chief among the Nisans of all time, being the root source of all redemptions in all Nisans thereafter, including the final one in the end of days.

It is in this vein that, in the blessing that concludes the Maggid section of the Pesach Haggadah, we praise Hashem for being the One “who has redeemed us, and redeemed our forefathers from Egypt.” Our own redemption is a result of the wonders Hashem wrought in redeeming our forefathers from Egypt.

The Maggid links all this to the following passage (Tehillim 44:2-5): “God, with our ears we heard, our fathers told us, of the works You performed for them in their days, the days of yore. … It is You who is my King, O God – order forth salvations for Yaakov!” We turn to Hashem as the One who built a fount of redemption into the fabric of the world in days of yore, so that redemption would be poised to spring forth in the final era. We entreat: “Hashem, since You have already set in place salvations for us, please show us mercy and order them forth now.”

I may add that this idea is put forward by Rabbeinu Yonah (on Berachos 4a) as one of the reasons behind the halachah specifying that, in our prayers, we must proceed without interruption from the blessing “Blessed are You, Hashem, who has redeemed Israel” to the Shemoneh Esrei (s’michah geulah l’tefillah). On the basis of the aid Hashem has granted us in the past, we turn to Him trustingly in prayer and ask Him to aid us now.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/20/bo70/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/12/vaeira70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/12/vaeira70/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:43:22 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=690 This week’s parashah describes the first seven of the ten plagues that Hashem cast upon Egypt because of Pharaoh’s refusal, in his wickedness, to let the Jewish People go. The episode of the ten plagues prompts the Midrash to comment on the role wicked people play on the world scene (Shemos Rabbah 7:4, paraphrased):

It is like a king who had an orchard, and planted there trees that do not bear fruit as well as those that do. His servants asked him: “What do you gain from these nonfruit trees?” The king replied: “Just as I need fruit trees, I need nonfruit trees, for, without them, where would I get wood for the fires in the furnaces and the bathhouses?” … Just as praise of Hashem goes forth from Gan Eden from the mouths of the righteous, so, too, it goes forth from Gehinnom from the mouths of the wicked, for they declare: “Rightly have You judged!”

The Maggid links this Midrash to Dovid HaMelech’s contrast between the righteous and the wicked in the first chapter of Tehillim: “He [the righteous man] will be like a tree planted by brooks of water, which yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never wither – and everything he does will succeed. Not so are the wicked; rather, they are like the chaff that the wind drives away. And so, therefore, the wicked will not stand up in judgment.” The Midrash comments (Yalkut Shimoni II:618):

Said the Holy One Blessed Be He to the wicked: “I created the world with the word ‘so,’ as it is written, ‘and it was so.’ You say, ‘not so,’ as it is written, ‘it is not so with the heart of fools.’ (Mishlei 15:7). … Regarding when I said, ‘and it was so,’ you say, ‘not so.’ And regarding when I said, ‘not so,’ you say, ‘so.’ By your lives, not so! ‘And so, therefore, the wicked will not stand up in judgment.’”

The Maggid explains as follows. The righteous and the wicked each teach us a lesson, and both contribute to the manifestation of Hashem’s glory. The righteous teach us how to act: “so shall you do.” And the wicked teach us how not to act: “not so shall you do.” The righteous teach us their lesson through the splendid fruit of good deeds that they bear during their lives. The wicked, by contrast, teach us their lesson not through noble accomplishments, but rather through the retribution Hashem exacts from them. When the wicked prevent the righteous from serving Hashem and exploit them for their own gain, it is as if they are embezzling the tribute Hashem is due. But ultimately, when Hashem exacts retribution, He recoups this “loss.” The wicked are cut down and consumed in fire like the wood of nonfruit trees, or removed and cast to the wind like chaff. They then proclaim Hashem’s righteousness: “Rightly have You judged!”

Thus it was with Pharaoh. His initial stance was total denial of Hashem: “Who is Hashem, that I should heed His voice, and send the Jewish People out?” But, through the retribution Hashem exacted from Egypt, he was led to a stance of total submission to Hashem.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/12/vaeira70/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/06/shemos70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/06/shemos70a/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:52:08 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/06/parashas-shemos/ In this week’s parashah, the Jewish People become enslaved in Egypt, and Hashem appoints Moshe to lead them out. In Hashem’s first discussion with Moshe, He says: “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry on account of their taskmasters, for I have recognized their pain.” The Midrash remarks (Shemos Rabbah 3:2):

It is written (Iyov 11:11): “He recognizes men set upon falsehood, and He sees crookedness, though He acts as if He does not contemplate it.” … When the Jews were in Egypt, Hashem saw what they would ultimately do. Thus, Hashem did not say just raeesi, but rather r’oh raeesi. Said Hashem to Moshe: “You see one sight, but I see two sights. You see them receiving the Torah at Sinai, and I do as well. But I also see them commiting the sin of the golden calf … a painful act of waywardness. Yet, I still will redeem them.”

The Maggid notes that Hashem’s stance is an outright wonder. One would think that Hashem would shunt aside the sin of the calf when setting out to redeem the Jewish People, for this sin might be reason not to redeem them. But, on the contrary, Hashem holds the sin in clear view. How can we understand this?

The Maggid explains as follows. The Egyptians afflicted the Jews not only physically, but also spiritually. Thus it is written (Devarim 26:6), “And they did evil unto them, and afflicted them” – the double terminology alludes to the two forms of suffering. The influence of the decadent Egyptian culture caused the Jews spiritual damage – “They mingled with the nations and learned their ways” (Tehillim 106:35). It was the spiritual damage that prompted Hashem to redeem the Jews before the time He had previously specified (in His discussion with Avraham). The Torah tells us that the Jewish People could not tarry, and those versed in the deep levels of Torah wisdom explain that the Jews were at the 49th level of defilement, the brink of spiritual doom – had they remained in Egypt but a moment longer, they would have fallen to the 50th level of defilement, from which there is no return.

Hashem observed the Jewish People’s severe spiritual decline, and He knew that He had to step in and redeem them. Now, when we left Egypt, we were completely freed of the physical bondage, but not completely of the spiritual bondage. The evil effects of Egyptian culture lingers on. Indeed, the Torah exhorts us to fight these effects, and to firmly shun Egyptian ways (e.g. Vayikra 18:3). The evil effects are very strong, and they are what caused the Jewish People to commit the grievous sin of the golden calf. Hashem saw what they would ultimately do, and understood from this observation that, as a result of being immersed in Egyptian culture, the Jews were spiritually ravaged. Hashem’s clear view of the eventual sin thus did not lead Hashem to “hesitate” about redeeming the people, but, on the contrary, was the key factor that led Him to show us compassion and hasten the redemption.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2010/01/06/shemos70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/29/vayechi70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/29/vayechi70/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:15:16 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=685 After Yaakov’s death, Yosef’s brothers said to themselves (Bereishis 50:15): “Perhaps Yosef will harbor a grudge against us, and then he will repay us all the evil we did him.” To clarify what the brothers were afraid of, the Maggid turns to a Gemara in Yoma 22b-23a: “Any Torah scholar who does not harbor a grudge and take revenge like a snake [for an affront to his honor, which is an affront to the Torah itself] is not a [true] Torah scholar.” The Gemara explains that the revenge referred to is not active retaliation; rather, it is refraining from protecting the offender from retribution carried out by others, or by Hashem. Similarly, the brothers’ fear was not that Yosef would actively launch an attack on them, but rather that he would not protect them from a threat they saw looming ahead. The brothers felt that, with Yaakov having passed away, the Egyptians’ attitude toward them was taking a negative turn. They feared that the Egyptians would move against them, and that Yosef would not take steps to save them. He would then be indirectly repaying him for the evil they did him.

The Maggid draws a parallel between this episode and a verse concerning our relationship with Hashem (Tehillim 44:10): “[We were loyal to You] even when You ignored us and disgraced us, and You did not go forth with our legions.” On occasion Hashem punishes us by witholding His providential care from us, and, so to speak, ignoring us. When He does so, He exposes us to attack from evildoers, and thus, by “standing aside,” causes us to fall to disgrace. Elsewhere, Dovid HaMelech exclaims (Tehillim 28:1): “Unto You, Hashem, I cry out – My Rock, be not deaf to me, for should You be silent toward me I would be like those who descend to the grave.” Here, Dovid notes that a halt in Divine protection automatically leads to doom, and pleads with Hashem not to consign him to this fate.

The brothers seek forgiveness from Yosef, and Yosef responds (Bereishis 50:19-20): “Fear not, for am I in place of God? And although You meant to harm me, Hashem meant it for good – in order to cause, as is clear as day, a vast people to be sustained.” The Maggid explains this response through an analogy. Suppose a bit of black ink splashes onto a white garment. If the owner tries to clean it using an amount of cleanser comparable to the amount of ink that hit the garment, the black stain will remain. But if the owner uses a large amount of cleanser, much more than the amount of offending ink, he then will be able to make the garment like new. Similarly, Yosef told the brothers that the good that sprung from their act of selling him was much greater than the bad intent they had when they committed the act. They meant harm only to him, but their act brought salvation to a vast people. This tremendous benefit totally purged the negative aspect of what they did. 

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/29/vayechi70/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/24/vayiggash70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/24/vayiggash70a/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:42:31 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=681 The Torah says that when Yaakov saw the wagons Yosef sent at Pharaoh’s direction to bring him and his family to Egypt, his spirit was revived. What was it about these wagons that heartened Yaakov so much? The Midrash explains that the wagons (agalos) were a hint to the topic of eglah arufah, the last Torah topic Yaakov and Yosef learned together before Yosef was taken to Egypt. The Maggid discusses this explanation, and then offers an alternate one, relating to the actual wagons rather than what they alluded to.

The Maggid builds his second explanation on a parable. A certain Sephardic community hired an Ashekenazi Torah scholar as their community rabbi. They would have preferred as Sephardi rabbi, but they had no choice, because the Ashkenazi scholar was, among the available candidates, by far the most qualified in terms of piety, wisdom, and scholarship. They agreed to send him a coach to assist him in the move, but, due to the tension between Sephardim and Ashkenazim, they did not want him to bring his entire family. Instead, he told the teacher he should bring his wife and younger children, but leave his older children behind. Accordingly, the coach they sent him was a small one, with room only for a few people.

Now, when Pharaoh told Yosef to bring his father to Egypt, it could have been for either of two reasons. He might have been simply trying to accommodate Yosef. Or, perhaps, out of admiration for Yosef’s fine character, Pharaoh himself wanted Yosef’s father to come. Yaakov initially was not sure which was the actual reason, but the wagons provided the answer. Had Pharaoh been simply making a grudging accommodation to Yosef, he would have sent just one small wagon. But, instead, Pharaoh sent a grand caravan of wagons for Yaakov’s entire extended family, and made sure these wagons would be delivered in his name. Upon seeing this grand caravan, Yaakov knew that Pharaoh must have been impressed with Yosef’s character.  This realization is what revived Yaakov’s spirit.

The Maggid goes on to relate this idea to how Hashem will act toward us at the time of the final redemption in the end of days. The final redemption is certain to come, but the way it will come depends on circumstances. The two possible scenarios are reflected in two prophecies about the redemption. Yeshayah 66:20 describes Hashem bringing all of us back “with horses, chariots, covered wagons, and mules.” On the other hand, in Zechariah 9:9, Moshiach is described as “a humble man riding on a donkey.” These two scenarios correspond to the two possible reasons for which the redemption can be launched: either in our own merit, or for the sake of Hashem’s glory. If we Jews act on the whole in a manner that is pleasing to Hashem, devoting ourselves to Torah and mitzvos, then the redemption will come in our own merit. In this case, Hashem will redeem all of us in the grand style that Yeshayah describes. But, if, on the whole we are wayward, with only a small segment among us cleaving to Torah and mitzvos, then the redemption will be a humbler one, limited to this small segment alone.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/24/vayiggash70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/18/mikeitz70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/18/mikeitz70a/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:22:15 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=678 This week’s parashah begins with the episode of Pharaoh’s dreams. Pharaoh called in his wise men to interpret the dreams, but they were unable to do so satisfactorily. Yosef then was brought in, and he interpreted the dreams correctly. In Bereishis Rabbah 89:6, the Midrash relates that the wise men intepreted the dreams in a grossly erroneous way: “The seven goodly cows portend that you will beget seven daughers, while the seven sickly cows portend that you will bury seven daughters. The seven goodly stalks portend that you will conquer seven kingdoms, while the seven withered stalks portend that seven prefects will rebel against you.” Pharaoh sensed that their interpretation was wrong, and he therefore sought another one, which Yosef provided.

This Midrash prompts a glaring question: Why did the wise men offer such a far-flung interpretation, rather than the obvious interpretation of plenty and famine, which was the correct one? The Maggid explains that the wise men were accustomed to this method of interpretation, because it is the typical way that dreams are intepreted. Dreams are like prophecies, which usually reflect what will happen in the distant future. Now, various outcomes are possible, depending on circumstances. A dream, therefore, is usually only a vague hint, open to multiple meanings. Interpreters thus take an abstract approach. The situation with Pharaoh’s dreams, however, was an exception. The two dreams were of a similar nature, and appeared one right after the other. Pharaoh’s wise men, who were not really so sharp, missed this pattern. But Yosef, with his Divinely-inspired wisdom, noticed it and realized, as he told Pharaoh, that the dreams would come to fruition very soon. Hence, the dreams were not vague hints, but literal portrayals of what would come to be, and Yosef intepreted them accordingly.

Yosef then advised Pharaoh to appoint a wise and understanding man to take charge of the preparations for the approaching events. Many commentators ask: What led Yosef to offer unsolicited advice? We can ask further: Why did Pharaoh’s wise men view Yosef’s advice with favor? And why was their approval to Yosef’s credit? The Maggid explains with a parable. A certain king’s son fell gravely ill. The king called in his medical experts, who tried various sophisticated remedies, but failed to cure the boy. The king then issued a general call for aid throughout his entire kingdom. Now, there was a doctor in the royal capital who, although virtually unknown, was very sharp. He came to the palace to offer his services. He examined the boy, and saw that he could cure him with some common herbs. At the same time, he realized that if he proposed such a regimen he would be ridiculed, after the experts had failed with more sophisticated remedies. So he said to the king: “Your Majesty, your son can be cured with some simple herbs, but you will need someone with great skill to prepare them properly.” The king’s experts were pleased with this advice, for each of them figured that he would be the one chosen to prepare the herbs. Similarly, Pharaoh’s wise men offered a sophisticated interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, while Yosef offered a simple one, but he then shrewdly proposed a plan that would lead the wise men to view his approach with favor.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/18/mikeitz70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/08/vayeishev70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/08/vayeishev70a/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:49:24 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=673 A central theme of Chanukah is our duty to thank and praise Hashem – l’hodos ul’hallel. During Chanukah we focus on thanking and praising Hashem for the miraculous victory over our oppressors and the miracle of the menorah oil. Yet, in truth, through the ordinary operation of the world, Hashem is doing wondrous kindnesses for us all the time. We can thus take the observance of Chanukah as an opportunity to rejuvenate our enthusiasm for thanking and praising Hashem for the everyday wonders and blessings He provides us.

In Bereishis Rabbah 8:1, the Midrash teaches that man was the last to be created, and also appears last in the chorus of praise to Hashem. In support of the latter point, the Midrash cites Tehillim 148, a psalm we say every day in Pesukei D’Zimra, which describes this chorus of praise. The psalm begins with the heavenly realm: the angels, the sun, the moon, the stars, and so on. It then continues with the earthly realm: the sea and its creatures; fire, hail, snow, and wind; mountains, hills, and trees; animals, insects, and birds. Finally comes man: the nations of the world with their kings, officers, and judges; men and women, the old and the young.

The Maggid, in Ohel Yaakov, parashas Bereishis, expounds on this Midrash. He explains that man was created last because he incorporates the traits of all other creations. As the Zohar on parashas Bereishis says, man is a “miniature universe,” encompassing all the rest of creation. The Maggid then goes on to explain why man appears last in the chorus of praise.

He brings out the point through an analogy to a nobleman who goes traveling with his entire household, his family and all his servants, and spends some time in an inn. The servants dine on modest fare, and accumulate limited expenses, while the nobleman and his family dine on delicacies and accumulate enormous expenses. When the time comes to settle up with the innkeeper, the nobleman asks him for an itemized bill showing the charges for each member of his party. He then collects from the servants the modest sum charged for what they consumed, adds the large sum charged for what he and his family consumed, and pays the innkeeper on behalf of the entire group.

Man is a nobleman whose “household” comprises all the other creations of the world – which, as our Sages teach, are all servants of man (Kiddushin 82b). Now, the entire world owes Hashem praise for what He provides. Yet, except for man, the creations of the world can express only limited praise. They lack free will and the power of speech. Man, who possesses these special assets, can express more meaningful praise. Moreover, man is the master over all other creations, and is endowed with all their traits. He therefore has the duty to pay Hashem the balance of the praise He is due. Man is mentioned last in Tehillim 148 because he brings the world’s praise to Hashem to its fitting completion. When man praises Hashem with his entire being, it is if the entire world is offering Hashem the grandest praise.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/08/vayeishev70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/02/vayishlach70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/02/vayishlach70/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:00:30 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=669 This week’s parashah describes Yaakov’s encounter with Eisav upon returning from Charan. The Midrash relates (Bereishis Rabbah 75:13):

Yaakov saw Eisav coming from a distance. He lifted his eyes upward, cried, and prayed to Hashem for mercy. Hashem heard his prayer and promised to save him from all his troubles in the merit of Yaakov, as it is written (Tehillim 20:2): “Hashem shall answer you on the day of trouble; the Name of the God of Yaakov shall raise you on high.”

The Maggid raises the following questions.

1. Why does the Midrash make a point of noting that Eisav was coming “from a distance”?

2. What information is the Midrash conveying by saying that Yaakov prayed to Hashem? Would we have thought he might do otherwise?

3. What does it mean that Yaakov will be saved in the merit of Yaakov?

The Maggid explains with a parable. In a certain village, many of the residents were stricken with various diseases, but there was no doctor in the village to care for them. The only doctor available was the local baron’s doctor in the provincial capital some distance away. Now, in the village lived a man who was a close friend of the baron. This man had been healthy, but one day he got a minor headache. It was an ailment that he could have taken care of on his own, but instead he let it go until his situation got serious. The villagers then sent a message to the baron that his friend was sick, and the baron sent the doctor. The man’s family asked him why he acted as he did, and he replied: “I know I could have originally taken care of my illness myself. But I deliberately let it go in order to get the baron to send his doctor here. Now the other sick people in the village can also be treated.”

The parallel is as follows. Yaakov’s prayer to Hashem was a plea for miraculous Divine help. Yet, he did not need an extraordinary level of Divine help for the encounter with Eisav that he was facing at the moment. He had come back from Charan with a considerable force, sufficient to overcome Eisav’s, and it would have been enough for him to ask Hashem for success in the battle within His ordinary operation of the world. Why, then, did he pray for miraculous help? The answer is that he saw Eisav coming “from a distance” – that, in the future, Eisav’s descendants would threaten to decimate his descendants. He therefore deliberately prayed for miraculous Divine providence, in order to make such miraculous providence available for his descendants. This is what the Midrash means when it says that Yaakov will be saved in the merit of Yaakov – Hashem grants us, the Nation of Yaakov, miraculous protection against the Nation of Eisav, in the merit of the special prayer of our forefather Yaakov.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/12/02/vayishlach70/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/25/vayeitzei70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/25/vayeitzei70a/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:55:26 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=658 This week’s parashah describes Yaakov’s sojourn in Charan. The Midrash describes Yaakov’s thoughts and prayers to Hashem at the outset of his journey (Bereishis Rabbah 68:2):

“I shall lift my eyes toward the mountains (harim)” (Tehillim 121:1) – to my ancestors (horim), my teachers, and my counselors. “Whence will come my help?” (ibid.) – “When Eliezer went to fetch Rivkah, he took with him abundant assets and treasures, including ten camels and all of Avraham’s great bounty, a gold ring and a two gold bracelets. But I am setting out on the way without even a single ring or bracelet.” … “Shall I despair of Divine help? Far be it! I shall not despair. Rather (ibid. 121:2): ‘My help is from Hashem.’”

Yaakov was a firm believer. And, indeed, he affirms: “My help is from Hashem.” Why, then, did he even raise the possibility that all was lost?

The Maggid explains with a parable. A rich man gave his son a large sum of money to get him started in business. However, the son was unsuccessful, and he eventually grew poor. He told his father his troubles, and the father responded crossly: “I don’t owe you anything anymore. I gave you your due portion of my wealth. Now you must manage on your own, with what you have left of what I gave you.” The son knew, however, that if he ever hit rock bottom, his father would bail him out generously. After some time, a fire broke out in his neighborhood and burnt his house down. The neighbors pitied him, but he himself was overjoyed, for he knew that now his father would step in and take care of all his needs.

The parallel is as follows. Hashem uses two alternate mechanisms to care for us: natural means, within the normal operation of the world, and miraculous means. Natural means corresponds to a father giving his son an endowment to establish a business and support himself. Miraculous means corresponds to a father directly taking care of all the son’s needs. Hashem generally leaves a person to manage on natural means as long as he is able to maintain a basic subsistence that way, even if the subsistence is very meager. But once it becomes absolutely impossible for a person to subsist on natural means, Hashem intervenes with miraculous means.  

When Yaakov set out for Charan, he had reached rock bottom within the world’s natural system: He was left with no assets at all. This situation prompted him to ask rhetorically: “Shall I despair of Divine help?” But, in truth, the situation did not lead him to despair. On the contrary, he rejoiced, for he knew that now he would receive help “from Hashem” – he would now be granted a higher level of Divine help, through the mechanism of miracles.   

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/25/vayeitzei70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/19/toldos70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/19/toldos70a/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:10:15 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=654 This week’s parashah recounts the birth of Yaakov and Eisav. The Torah describes Eisav as ruddy (Bereishis 25:25). The Midrash comments that Eisav was inclined to bloodshed (Bereishis Rabbah 63:8). The Maggid connects this Midrash with another Midrash about Eisav (Bereishis Rabbah 63:13). Yechezkel 35:1-15 portrays Hashem’s final revenge against Edom, the nation Eisav fathered. There it is written (Yechezkel 35:6): “‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘[I swear] that I shall turn you into blood, and blood shall pursue you. While you have hated bloodshed, blood shall pursue you.’” The Midrash asks in wonder: “Eisav hates bloodshed?” The Midrash then answers: “The blood of circumcision and the blood of sacrifices.”

The Maggid explains this Midrash using the following Gemara (Shabbos 156a):

One who is born under the sign of Mars is destined to be a shedder of blood. Said Rav Ashi: “a blood-letter, a murderous bandit, a slaughterer of livestock, or a circumciser.”

Quoting the Akeidas Yitzchak, the Maggid explains that mazel determines general tendencies, but not specific behavior patterns. Thus, although a person born under the sign of Mars will be inevitably drawn to bloodshed, this tendency can be exercised in a variety of ways. Accordingly, an inborn tendency for bloodshed does not negate a person’s free will, for he is free to choose how to channel this tendency. He can exercise it through workaday activities, such as medicinal bloodletting or slaughtering livestock. Alternatively, he can use it for an abominable purpose such as murder. Or – at  the opposite pole – he can use it for a mitzvah purpose such as circumcision. An inborn tendency for bloodshed does not force a person to commit any sin: a person can exercise this tendency and still live a perfectly righteous life.

Eisav was the firstborn. As such, he was in a position to assume the duty of performing the sacrificial service: this duty was originally the calling of the firstborn, before it was given over to the Kohanim and Leviim. Eisav was therefore born under the sign of Mars, giving him a tendency for bloodshed. He was supposed to use this tendency for performing sacrifices. But Eisav despised the sacrificial service. He was, as Rashi on Bereishis 25:32 says, repelled by its many laws, and by the severe penalties – including death in some cases – for failing to observe these laws. So Eisav sold his birthright to Yaakov, casting aside the sacrificial service. This left him to exercise his inborn tendency for bloodshed through murder. He deserved to be punished because he initially had a nobler outlet for his tendency for bloodshed – circumcision and sacrifices – but had rejected it.

This, the Maggid says, is the meaning behind the verse in Yechezkel, as the Midrash interprets it. Yechezkel declares: “‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘[I swear] that I shall turn you into blood, and blood shall pursue you. While you have hated bloodshed, blood shall pursue you.’” The phrase “I shall turn you into blood” refers to Eisav’s inborn drive for bloodshed. Eisav might try to point to this inborn drive as an excuse for his misdeeds. Hence the verse continues: “and blood shall pursue you.” Here Hashem tells Eisav that even so he will be punished. The verse then gives the reason: “you have hated bloodshed.” The Midrash explains this well by saying that this refers to the blood of circumcision and sacrifices. Eisav despised the blood of circumcision and sacrifices, and chose instead the path of murder. He thus was a sinner, and Hashem treated him accordingly.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/19/toldos70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/12/chaiyei70a/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/12/chaiyei70a/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:54:43 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/12/649/ In this week’s parashah, we read of Eliezer’s expedition to Aram Naharaim to seek a wife for Yitzchak. When Eliezer arrived there, he prayed to Hashem (Bereishis 24:12): “Hashem, God of my master Avraham, please arrange it for me today, that You will do kindness for my master Avraham.” The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 60:1) links this entreaty with the following verse (Yeshayah 50:10): “Who among you is God-fearing, heeding the voice of His servant? Even when walking in darkness, with no light to guide him, he constantly trusts in the Name of Hashem, and relies upon his God.” The Midrash states:        

Who among You is God-fearing? This refers to Eliezer. Heeding the voice of His servant – the voice of Avraham, who was the servant of Hashem. … Even when walking in darkness – when going out to bring Rivkah. … He constantly trusts in the Name of Hashem, and relies upon his God. Thus, he prayed: “Hashem, God of my master Avraham, please arrange it for me today, that You will do kindness for my master Avraham.”

The Maggid explains that Eliezer’s choice to make Avraham his master was motivated solely by his fear of Hashem and of those who serve Him. He wished to devote himself to heeding the voice of Avraham, Hashem’s noble servant. We can see Eliezer’s dedication through his attitude toward his mission. When he went on his search, he was in the dark – he did not know where to look. An ordinary servant, one who is merely doing a job to make a living, would balk at such an assignment and try to get himself out of it. But Eliezer was no ordinary servant. He was not acting out of his own interests; rather, his sole aim was to do what Avraham wished. Even when given a seemingly impossible mission, he strove with all his heart to carry it out, devising all kinds of strategies to achieve the goal. And he trusted that Hashem would arrange for him to succeed. Moreover, when he prayed to Hashem for success, what he put at the fore was Avraham’s interests, not his own – “do kindness for my master Avraham.” Eliezer’s conduct throughout the expedition showed clearly that was a loyal servant with true fear of Hashem.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/12/chaiyei70a/feed/ 0 http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/03/vayeira70/ http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/03/vayeira70/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:21:57 +0000 David Zucker http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/?p=645 This week’s parashah begins with angels informing Avraham that his wife Sarah will bear a son. In a later section, the parashah recounts the birth of this son, Yitzchak. This section begins with the following verse (Bereishis 21:1): “Hashem remembered Sarah as He had said, and Hashem did for Sarah as He had spoken.” The Midrash remarks (Bereishis Rabbah 53:1):

It was not like with those who speak and do not do. Rather (Yechezkel 17:24): “I am Hashem – I have spoken and I have done.” … When did He speak? When His agent said: “At the appointed time I shall return to you at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” And He did as He said, as it is written: “Hashem did for Sarah as He had spoken.”

Here, Hashem expresses pride that He keeps His word. This is odd. Even a mortal man is expected to keep his word, and he is held in contempt if he fails to do so. What is the point, then, in Hashem’s declaring that He fulfills His word?

The point, the Maggid says, is that it is logically impossible for Hashem’s word to go unfulfilled. With Hashem, speech and action are not separate processes. Rather, when Hashem declares that something should come to be, the declaration itself makes it come to be. When the Torah states that “Hashem remembered Sarah as He had said,” it is indicating that at the very moment Hashem promised Sarah a child, He set in motion the process leading to this outcome.

Hashem accomplishes everything with a word alone. In fact, the usual rule is that the effect of Hashem’s word becomes manifest immediately. This rule does not apply, however, when a human limitation stands in the way, for Hashem prefers to minimize His tampering with human limitations. The case of Sarah’s bearing a child illustrates this point. When Hashem promised Sarah a child, His word enabled her to have a child, but she did not have the child immediately. Rather, the angel said: “At the appointed time I shall return to you at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” Sarah’s child came into being gradually, through the natural human processes of conception and pregnancy. At the appointed time, the child was born.

The Maggid links this idea to a teaching in Bereishis Rabbah 70:6 that the word v’hayah (and it shall be) signifies good tidings. The word v’hayah is a past tense verb converted to future tense by the Biblical conversive vav. The Maggid explains that this type of construction is used in discussing an occurrence that could be viewed as belonging to the past, but actually will occur only in the future. Prophecies of future blessings begin with the word v’hayah to teach a deep lesson: that from Hashem’s standpoint, the blessings could already have been delivered, and the only reason He puts them off to the future is a limitation from our side—we are not yet fit to receive them.

May we soon be worthy to receive all the blessings Hashem has waiting for us.

David Zucker, Site Administrator]]> http://jlm-dubno-maggid.org/blog/2009/11/03/vayeira70/feed/ 0