We Lain
Parshas Zachar once a year and it has nothing to do with the month of Adar. As
the Chasam Sofer explains, Parshas Zachar would not have to be Lained Dafka
this week. The Mitzvah is once a year to remind one’s self of what Amaleik did.
Because we know that Shicha (forgetting) is after a year. Therefore, once a
year we read the Parsha of Amaleik. We remember what Amaleik did and the
Mitzvah of Mechiyas Amaleik and before it is forgotten the next year we read it
again.
The
question is the following. What about a Bar Mitzvah boy that was Bar Mitzvah
during the summer. Now he is missing Parshas Zachor. The Chasam Sofer is saying
and I think we all agree that Parshas Zachor is not inherently a Mitzvah of the
month of Adar. For those of us who were Bar Mitzvah long ago it is fine, we can
wait another week to do Parshas Zachor because we still remember the Parshas
Zachor of 11 months ago. However, for the Bar Mitzva boy who now becomes
Michuyav in Mitzvos, why is he not obligated to read Parshas Zachor now.
Parshas Zachor according to the Terumas Hadeshen has to be read from a Sefer
Torah. Every Bar Mitzvah boy at the time of his Bar Mitzvah should Lechora have
to read Parshas Zachor from a Sefer Torah or listen to it be read in order to
be Mekayeim the Mitzvah. He is missing the Mitzvah from the day of his Bar
Mitzvah until the first Parshas Zachor.
Many
people answered that Parshas Zachor is a once a year Mitzvah. However, that is
not really true, it is not a once a year Mitzvah. It is a Mitzvah that we do
once a year but we do it once a year as the Chasam Sofer explains in order that
we are in a constant state of awareness.
The
Ragechove (Tzofnas Paneiach) was asked a Shaila. It was Erev Pesach. The
Bechorim in town needed a Siyum to be absolved from fasting on Erev Pesach,
however, the person who was making the Siyum was not Bar Mitzvah and people
were saying that it can’t count as a Siyum as after all the Limud HaTorah of a
boy under 13 is not a Mitzvah D’oraissa. The Ragechove was asked if that Siyum
is adequate.
The
Ragechove responded and said that depends if when a child learns Torah if it is
a Mitzvah D’oraissa or not. If it is not a Mitzvah D’oraissa the Siyum is not
sufficient to allow breaking a fast. The Ragechove said it is and he bases it
on a Yerushalmi.
The
Yerushalmi says that if someone fathers a child when he is a Koton and then he
becomes Bar Mitzvah and the child survived and is born that he is Mekayaim Pru
U’rvu. The reason for that is, while most Mitzvas Asei are Mitzvos that we do
with an action, a few Mitzvas Asei are Mitzvos where the result is the Mitzvah.
Pru U’rvu having the child is the result. It needs the action but the Mitzva is
the result. So fathering a child as a person under Bar Mitzvah counts as a
Mitzvah.
The same
thing. Limud Hatorah has two parts, the Masei Hamitzvah to learn and the
Totza’a, to know what you learned. To have knowledge of Torah. When a Koton
learns, the act is not a Mitzvah D’oraissa. The Maisei Hamitzvah it is not. Because
that learning could remain as a Gadol, that action of learning as a Koton counts
as a Mitzvah D’oraissa and a Siyum is good. That is what the Ragechove said.
Those
are two Mitzvos, Pru U’rvu and Limud HaTorah where the result is the Mitzvah. Parshas
Zachor should be the same. The Mitzvah of Laining Parshas Zachor is the result
that one have the knowledge, the Yidi’a, memory of Parshas Zachor. For that
reason, even if you heard Parshas Zachor as a Koton the Maise that a Koton does
is not a Mitzvah D’oraissa. However, Kol Zman the resultant Mitzvah is there, the
Mitzvah D’oraissa is Mikuyaim.
I would
add that later I saw that R’Yaakov Kamenetzky has the same Vort on Limud
HaTorah. The Rambam in the beginning of
Perek Aleph of Hilchos Talmud Torah says that if a child is not taught by his
father he has to learn Torah from when he is able to understand. R’Yaakov
Kamenetzky asks how can a Koton be Michuyav in a Mitzvah D’oraissa and he
answered that because the Yedios will remain with him later, the Mitzvah is to
learn as a Koton and cause the Mitzvah D’oraissa of Yedios of the learning that
is remaining later. A Geshmake Yesod which explains Parshas Zachor quite well.
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