The Women's Jewelry - Vayakhel 5769

In Parshas Vayakheil, the Posuk discusses donations to the Mishkan, in 35:22. The Posuk says, (וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, עַל-הַנָּשִׁים). The bottom line is, the men and women came together. Why is this significant for the Torah to mention it? Why didn’t the husbands just bring those donations?

The Ragechavah has a vort why we perform Kiddushin with a ring. Kiddushin can be performed with any Shavah Kesef, yet our Minhag is to always perform it with a ring. Why? We have a principle that Ma Shekana Isha Kana Ba’alah. There is an exception to that rule noted by the Rambam, who says that a woman’s clothing is exempt from this rule. In addition, her clothing does not fall into the category of Nichsei Milug. In the time of the Gemara when the time between Kiddushin and Nisuin would be a year apart, you could give her anything that is Shavah Kesef as the husband has no rights to it until Nisuin. However, in our times, where Kiddushin and Nisuin are performed instantaneously, if the husband gave money, he would retain the rights to use it. Therefore, we Davka give a Tachshit that the husband has no rights to use. So in our Posuk, the men came to donate Tachshitin that belonged to the women because men didn’t have gold and silver. So the men had to bring their wives with them in order for them to give permission to donate it. The Posuk says they brought jewelry, so it fits good.

By the Maaseh HaEigel the women were not interested in donating their jewelry. How did the husbands get jewelry to donate? They took it against the woman’s will. They stole it. So it really was an Aveira Goireres Aveira. So now by the Mishkan, the husbands no longer had Ne’emanus, so they brought their wives who agreed to the donation of their jewelry.

Delayed Opening - Pekudei 5769

We know that Betzalel was instructed by Moshe Rabbeinu to first build the Keilim and then build the Oihel Moed, the building that the Keilim would be housed. Betzalel argued that the housing of the Keilim should be built first. Betzalel did as he thought fit, and Moshe was amazed. In 40:2 it says (תָּקִים, אֶת-מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד). Then (וְשַׂמְתָּ שָׁם, אֵת אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת). Meaning the building was built first. Then the Keilim were placed inside. By the Chatzeir in Posuk Vav we find (ו  וְנָתַתָּה, אֵת מִזְבַּח הָעֹלָה, לִפְנֵי, פֶּתַח מִשְׁכַּן אֹהֶל-מוֹעֵד ז  וְנָתַתָּ, אֶת-הַכִּיֹּר, בֵּין-אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, וּבֵין הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; וְנָתַתָּ שָׁם, מָיִם ח  וְשַׂמְתָּ אֶת-הֶחָצֵר, סָבִיב; וְנָתַתָּ, אֶת-מָסַךְ שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר), that the Mitzbach HaOilah and the Kiyar are placed, and then the Chatzeir is put up as an enclousure around them as is found in Posuk Cheis. Why is the Chatzeir different in that the Keilim were placed first while the Chatzeir was made after? If Betzalel finished the construction of the Mishkan on Chaf Hei Kislev where was everything until now? He must have stored everything until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, so who cares what was built first?

Why Did They Bake The Bread Now? - Pekudei 5769

When the Torah lists the things that were made in Parshas Pekudei, in 39:36, one of the things that are listed is the (אֶת-הַשֻּׁלְחָן, אֶת-כָּל-כֵּלָיו, וְאֵת, לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים). Why are the (לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים) listed here, they were no different than any Korban?

The Mishkan was built by the 25^th day of Kisleiv and did not start functioning until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, so any (לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים) that were baked at that point would have been old and most probably Posul by the time Rosh Chodesh Nissan came around. So the inclusion of the Lechem Hapanim at this point seems to be very strange. It does mention Shemen by the Menorah and Ketoires by the Mizbaiach Haketoires, however, that is not shver, as we know from Chanukah that Oil was prepared in advance and we know from the Korbanois that the Ketoires was made once a year. Now we learn the Lamed Tes Melachois out of the Mishkan. There is a Machloikes Rashi and the Bahag what that means. Rashi says we only learn the Melachois that were done in the building of the Mishkan. The Bahag as brought by Toisafois says, that we learn from the functioning of the Mishkan as well. One of the Kashas on Rashi is the fact that the Mishnah counts Oifeh (baking) as one of the Melachois, however, baking was not needed in the construction of the Mishkan. Rashi seems to answer that by saying they cooked the Samamanim (dye) that they used to dye the wool. However, this is not satisfying, as the Mishnah should list Bishul (cooking) and not Oifeh (baking), as the dye was cooked. If there would be an answer that would state that the Lechem Hapanim is part of the Binyan Hamishkan, then we would be able to answer the Shittah of Rashi that we learn the Lamed Tes Melachois from the Binyan Hamishkan and despite that fact, the Mishnah counts Oifeh.

Suspicion - Pekudai 5770

Parshas Pekudai is Moshe Rabbeinu’s accounting of the gold, silver, and copper that he took in and where it was used.  The idea of a person showing that he is honest to other people is something that is mentioned regarding Moshe Rabbeinu’s accounting here.

The Medrash Rabbah in Parshas Pekudai writes, that Moshe Rabbeinu said when the Mishkan was finished being constructed I should have a full accounting so that people shouldn’t say that Moshe Rabbeinu became wealthy from this. Moshe Rabbeinu had actually become wealthy from the etching of the Luchois. So Moshe Rabbeinu didn’t want people to suspect him so he made this Cheshbon.

Rav Pam in one of the Schmuzzin which is printed in Atara L’melech page 76-77 talks about this idea. Should a person care about what other people say? If a person is being honest and is doing things straight and there are people who want to be Choished him, is it important that he be a Naki B’Hashem Uvi’Yisrael. Some people might take a stand in Hashkafa that it is not important because it is the other person’s problem. Here we learn that it is not that way. A person must do what he can to show that he is a Naki Mai’Hashem Umi’Yisrael to be able to show that he is clearly honest in the eyes of other people.

Rav Pam brings a Chasam Soifer in Cheilek 6 Teshuva 59. He writes to a Talmid that he is failing in V’hiyisem Li Nekiyim Mai’Hashem Umi’Yisrael and that he must be more careful. Then he writes that it easier to be a Tzaddik in the eyes of Shamayim than to be a Tzaddik in the eyes of people. It is far more important to avoid a potential Chillul Hashem and to be a Naki B’yisrael as well. He writes that for that all should be worried. It is interesting that the Chasam Soifer says over the Posuk that everybody in the world has to sin sometime and maybe Shlomo Hamelech meant that regarding V’hiyisem Li Nekiyim. It is a Pele because I would think that the Posuk means that it is impossible to avoid sin all the time, however, the Chasam Soifer must of held that it is possible to avoid sin all the time from the standpoint of Shamayim, however, it is in the eyes of people that it is most challenging to avoid sin all the time. He writes that this is the reason that Gad and Reuvein went to Galus first, because when they asked for land Mai’eiver Hayarden, they failed in this area of V’hiyisem Li Nekiyim and that was the Aveira that caused them to go to Galus first.

Rav Pam ends this piece with a story of a man who was Chayuv a Shevua (oath) in Beis Din. After he swore he paid anyways. The question was if he was paying anyways why did he swear? The person said I want to pay Lifnei Mishuras Hadin. I want to pay you because you think that I am a Ganuf. Had I paid and not swore you would have said, look he really is a Ganuf. Therefore, I swore and I will pay Lifnei Mishuras Hadin because of Vihiyisem Li Nekiyim Mai’Hashem Umi’Yisrael. This is an important Hanhaga that we can learn from Parshas Pekudai.

If you pay attention to the Pesukim you see that Moshe Rabbeinu only gives an accounting of the silver and the copper. Why didn’t he give an accounting of the gold as well? The Divrei Yoiel says that in general, generous people don’t accuse other people of being Ganavim, it is the stingy people that do. People who chose to give the gold were generous people and Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t afraid of being accused by them. He gave a Cheshbon of only the silver and the copper.

What is troubling with this is that the first Rashi on Parshas Pekudai says that the accounting is for everything including the gold and we don’t find that in the Parsha. 

Cooking The Thermometer - Vayakhel 5770

35:3 ג  לֹא-תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ, בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, בְּיוֹם, הַשַּׁבָּת   Parshas Vayakheil starts with the Lav of Loi Sivaru Aish. This is the only one of the 39 Melachos that is mentioned very clearly, although Hoi’tza’a is also mentioned indirectly. Mefarshim give numerous reasons as to why it is mentioned. The most simple reason is the one brought by the Kli Yakar on the Gemara in Maseches Shabbos. The Lav of not lighting fires in your home on Shabbos comes to let us know that the Issur of burning a fire is only in your home, however in the Bais Hamikdash it was permitted to light a fire to consume the Korbanos.

In the Shailos Uteshuvos of Rav Yonason Shteif there is a Shaila regarding using a mercury thermometer on Shabbos. The Issur of Medida which is measuring it wouldn’t be applicable to someone who is sick, so what can be Assur about taking your temperature on Shabbos?

Interestingly enough, the mercury in the thermometer changes and expands as the heat of the body goes through it. If someone were to cook metal on Shabbos, he would Oiver on Havarah even though there is no food being cooked. So is a thermometer that is under your tongue considered like cooking? Rav Shteif says we know that the Issur of cooking is only on fire. The Gemara says that if one cooks in the sun there is no Issur of cooking. It would even be permitted to cook on metal that was heated by the sun. It however would be Assur Midarabanan. If cooking by the sun is Muttar, what would be by cooking the mercury in the thermometer by the heat of the body? Is this included in the Issur of Loi Sivaru Aish? At first glance, it is not fire and therefore should not be included. Interestingly, he brings a Shelah Hakadoish who says that Loi Sivaru Aish is an Issur on anger in a person’s house. That if a person gets himself aggravated and allows himself to become angry because of the aggravation or because of the frustration, he is Oiver on Loi Sivaru Aish Bechol Moishvoisaichem. The type of heat which is in a person’s house is human anger. So Rav Shteif says if a person’s anger which is the body heat is something which is included in Loi Sivaru, maybe it should be Assur in the heating in the mercury of the thermometer as well. As a matter of Halacha, he doesn’t remain with this; however, it is interesting that the Shela says that if someone brings anger into his house on Shabbos that he is Oiver on Loi Sivaru Aish. The extension of Rav Yonason Shteif is rather fascinating to find in a Halacha Sefer.

Agav regarding what level of heat to metal is Assur is actually a Machloikes between the Chazoin Ish and Rav Moshe which is Nogea L’halacha. The Chazoin Ish says anytime you heat metal to Yad Soiledes Boi there is a Bishul and Rav Moshe holds that heating metal to Yad Soiledes doesn’t change the metal, it has to come to a glow. A Nafka Mina would be if a person forgot to put on his Blech before Shabbos. Or if someone would put an empty pot on the Blech in order to warm things on the pot. According to Rav Moshe this is Muttar because the pot doesn’t come to a glow, however, according to the Chazoin Ish it is Assur because the pot will become Yad Soiledes Boi. Rav Pam said that since it is a Shaila of a D’oiraissa one should be Machmir, however, most people are Maikil.

(Igros Moshe 93 pg. 152-153)

Your Letter In The torah - Ki Sisa 5772

We find at the end of Parshas Ki Sisa 34:30 (וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן וְכָל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת-מֹשֶׁה, וְהִנֵּה קָרַן, עוֹר פָּנָיו; וַיִּירְאוּ, מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו). There was a shine emanating from the face of Moshe Rabbeinu and they were afraid to approach him so he put on a mask. Despite this we find that when Moshe Rabbeinu learned with the Yidden he took off the mask. As the Posuk says in 34:33 (וַיְכַל מֹשֶׁה, מִדַּבֵּר אִתָּם; וַיִּתֵּן עַל-פָּנָיו, מַסְוֶה) that when he finished learning with them he put on the mask back on his face. The question is if they couldn’t take the light on his face what is the difference if it is when he is teaching or when he is just walking around?   

In the second volume of Darash Moshe Rav Moshe says that when Yidden are learning every Yid on his Darga has an ability to come close to (קָרַן, עוֹר פָּנָיו) of Moshe Rabbeinu. Of course Moshe was on a higher level, but each Jew is obligated to learn on his level and every Yid when he learns and he understands fully or he struggles to understand has an M’ain of the (קָרַן, עוֹר פָּנָיו) of Moshe. Therefore, when you are sitting and learning then the shine of the face of Moshe is something you can absorb.

This fits well because Rav Moshe would often say and he mentioned it during Yomim Noraim after Selichos. We say in the Selichos of Shema Koleinu, Al Tashlichainu Mil’fanecha V’ruach Kodshecha Al Tikach Mimenu. Don’t throw us from before you and don’t take away from us your spirit of holiness. The Kasha is the Pesukim in Shema Koleinu were originally said by Dovid Hamelech in Lashon Yachid. As it says in Tehillim 51:13 (אַל-תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ; וְרוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ, אַל-תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי).  Don’t throw me from before you and your holy spirit do not take away from me.

In Shema Koleinu we take a number of such Pesukim and we change it to plural tense because we are talking for all of Klal Yisrael. Rav Moshe asks I understand Pesukim like 19:15 (יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי-פִי, וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ:
יְרוָר, צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי) which when said in the plural would be Yitu L’ratzon Imrei Finu V’hegyon Libi L’fanecha Hashem Tzurainu V’goaleinu. Certain Pesukim whose meaning lends itself to an interpretation or to a change of tense to be in the plural tense. So that all Jews could be included in the statement. But (וְרוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ, אַל-תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי), and your holy spirit do not take away from me, not every Jew has Ruach Hakodesh?

Rav Moshe answered that it is Farkert. We see that every Jew when he is sitting and learning he can connect to the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem on a simple level. He is not going to say Chiddushim that he is going to print in Sefarim. Nevertheless on his level he is Shai’ich to Ruach Hakodesh.

This Yesod is also in the Sefer Sheim Olam of the Chofetz Chaim Perek 13. It says V’sain Chelkainu B’sorasecha, he says that every Yid has his Cheilek, has his place in Torah. Whatever level you are on even if you are not capable of learning Gemara, and you are learning Chumash, You have a Cheilek (a portion) that you have to accomplish so that Lo Neivosh V’lo Nikaleim L’olam Va’ed (שֶׁלּא נֵבוֹשׁ וְלא נִכָּלֵם לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). So that in Olam Haba you will be able to take your Cheilek (בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ חֶלְקֵֽנוּ וְתֵן). So that every Jew has a Cheilek on his level in the (כִּי קָרַן, עוֹר פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה).

This idea, this closeness to the Ribbono Shel Olam where every person should feel that he has the ability to have that connection is a tremendous tool in serving Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Silence is Complicity - Ki Sisa 5771

Something that troubles many people about the Eigel is the contradiction (or the apparent contradiction) in the Divrei Chazal. On the one hand Chazal tell us that only 3,000 Jews served or bowed down to the Eigel. More than that, they were the Eiruv Rav and were not really the main body of Klal Yisrael. Chazal also tell us as the Ramban is Maarich, that the Eigel was never meant to be an Avodah Zorah. Klal Yisrael wanted the Eigel in place of Moshe Rabbeinu as an intermediary. There is something wrong but still it doesn’t seem to be as serious an Aveira as we find on the second hand that there is a tremendous punishment L’doros to Klal Yisrael for what had taken place during the Cheit Ha’eigel. Therefore this entire episode, everything that takes place here needs to be explained in a clearer light.

I saw a beautiful Vort from the Chasam Sofer here on this week’s Parsha that explains it although the Chasam Sofer is really coming to explain something else. We find that when Moshe Rabbienu comes down from Har Sinai right before he goes and destroys the Luchos and kills those who bowed to the Eigel, he has an exchange with Yehoshua. Yehoshua says in 32:17 ( וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת-קוֹל הָעָם, בְּרֵעֹה; וַיֹּאמֶר, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, קוֹל מִלְחָמָה, בַּמַּחֲנֶה) I hear the sound of battle in the camp. Moshe Rabbeinu responds in 32:18 (וַיֹּאמֶר, אֵין קוֹל עֲנוֹת גְּבוּרָה, וְאֵין קוֹל, עֲנוֹת חֲלוּשָׁה; קוֹל עַנּוֹת, אָנֹכִי שֹׁמֵעַ) meaning it is not the sound of people winning the battle or losing the battle. I hear the sound of people speaking against G-d. Yehoshua’s mistake of thinking that is was the noise of battle does not seem to be important enough to be recorded in the Chumash. What does that have to do with the Cheit Ha’eigel?

Says the Chasam Sofer beautifully, Moshe Rabbeinu had heard from the Ribbono Shel Olam himself that Klal Yisrael sinned by creating a Eigel and bowing to it. Moshe Rabbeinu assumed that there must be some Tzaddikim, some righteous people who are not silent and stood up against those that are making the Eigel. He assumed that when he came down that there would be a battle taking place. It didn’t happen. Yehoshua assumed the same thing as is evident from the Posuk (קוֹל מִלְחָמָה, בַּמַּחֲנֶה), there must be some battle going on. To Moshe Rabbeinu’s great disappointment there was not. The Cheit of the multitudes of Klal Yisrael is that when this group created an Eigel and said 32:4 (אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל) the multitude of Jews didn’t speak up. They did not fight a battle against those who were creating the Eigel. That is the Cheit Ha’eigel.

Rabbeuin Yonah writes that someone who isn’t Mochiach when he sees a sin is considered as an accessory to the sin. That is what happened here, of course they on their lofty Madreiga were judged very seriously. Therefore, Klal Yisrael was judged for participating in the Cheit Ha’eigel because there was no Milchamah that had taken place at that time. This gives a new light of what took place. What took place was the silence of Klal Yisrael in the face of something terrible that was taking place and there should have been someone to speak up against what happened. For that they were included (so to speak) in the Cheit Ha’eigel.

The Satmar Rebbe in Divrei Yoel brings a Chasam Sofer who says now he understands a Gemara. The Gemara in Maseches Yevamos 62a (12 lines from the top) says (שיבר את הלוחות מאי דרש אמר ומה פסח שהוא אחד משש מאות ושלש עשרה מצות אמרה תורה כל בן נכר לא יאכל בו התורה כולה וישראל מומרים על אחת כמה וכמה והסכימה דעתו לדעת המקום דכתיב אשר שברת ואמר ריש לקיש אמר ליה הקב"ה למשה יישר כחך ששברת) Moshe Rabbeinu broke the Luchos because he made the following calculation. The Korban Pesach is one Mitzvah out of 613 and it says (כל בן נכר לא יאכל בו), that Jews who are not true to the Torah can’t participate. So all Taryag Mitzvos certainly, and he broke the Luchos. So it was a Kal V’chomer from Korban Pesach. The Maharsha asks by Korban Pesach if the Korban is Shechted for Keshairim and Mumrim together. If there are eligible and ineligible people participating in the Korban Pesach, the Korban Pesach is Kosher. So too the Luchos should have been acceptable because there were some who were not eligible because of this Kal V’chomer but many who were eligible. So the Maharsha says if the Kal V’chomer is from Korban Pesach it shouldn’t be a good Kal V’chomer.

Says the Divrei Yoel the Satmar Rebbe, according to the Chasam Sofer it is Geshmak. Everyone was included in the Onesh of the Eigel. All the participants were included because they didn’t take up a Milchamah against those who were bowing to the Eigel. They had no right to be counted separately. A beautiful Vort. R’uyim L’mi Amorom. The Satmar Rebbe who fought the Milchemes Hashem all of his life.