Favors from A Cohen - Emor 5771

There is a Mitzva 21:8 (וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ) to be Mekadeish Kohanim and to treat Kohanim in a special way. They should be the ones to lead the Bentching. There are areas in which you are Michuyav to be Michabeid Kohanim. Not to be Meshameish with Kohanim, not to tell them to do work for you or do you favors. If he is working for you for a Parnasa of course he can. Not to be Meshameish with Kohanim is something which in the Yeshiva and I assume in the world is neglected. 
 

There is a Gemara in Maseches Baba Kamma 20a-b (6 lines from the bottom and goes onto 20b) (א"ל רב חסדא לרמי בר חמא לא הוית גבן באורתא בתחומא דאיבעיא לן מילי מעלייתא אמר מאי מילי מעלייתא א"ל הדר בחצר חבירו שלא מדעתו צריך להעלות לו שכר או אין צריך היכי דמי אילימא בחצר דלא קיימא לאגרא וגברא דלא עביד למיגר זה לא נהנה וזה לא חסר אלא בחצר דקיימא לאגרא וגברא דעביד למיגר זה נהנה וזה חסר לא צריכא בחצר דלא קיימא לאגרא וגברא דעביד למיגר מאי מצי אמר ליה מאי חסרתיך או דלמא מצי אמר הא איתהנית א"ל מתניתין היא הי מתניתין א"ל לכי תשמש לי שקל סודריה כרך ליה א"ל אם נהנית משלמת מה שנהנית). Rav Chisda was talking to Rami Bar Chama and he told Rami Bar Chama that you missed Yeshiva yesterday and we had such a great Shiur. Rav Chisda tells him the Shiur. Rami Bar Chama said I have a proof to it. Rav Chisda said please tell me. Rami Bar Chama says if you are Meshameish me and do me a favor I will tell you the proof. Rav Chisda folded Rami Bar Chama’s laundry and in exchange for that Rav Chisda told him the proof.  

The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 10b (22 lines from the bottom) (רב חסדא הוה נקיט בידיה תרתי מתנתא דתורא) Rashi explains that Rav Chisda was a Kohen (רב חסדא. כהן הוה). If Rav Chisda was a Kohen then what is going on. Why is Rami Bar Chama saying to Rav Chisda to be Meshameish him if it is Assur to be Meshameish with a Kohen. Now you might say that Rami Bar Chama was his Rebbi. However, from the episode in the Gemara it is clear that they were 2 Talmidim of one Rebbi. Rav Chisda tells Rami Bar Chama you missed Shiur yesterday. Therefore, Tzorech Iyun Gadol. How could Rami Bar Chama say to Rav Chisda (לכי תשמש לי), do some service for me and then I will tell you the proof to the Shiur? Rav Chisda was a Kohen?

Because - Emor 5771

21:17 – 18 (יז דַּבֵּר אֶל-אַהֲרֹן, לֵאמֹר: אִישׁ מִזַּרְעֲךָ לְדֹרֹתָם, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם--לֹא יִקְרַב, לְהַקְרִיב לֶחֶם אֱלֹ קָיו יח כִּי כָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ מוּם, לֹא יִקְרָב: אִישׁ עִוֵּר אוֹ פִסֵּחַ, אוֹ חָרֻם אוֹ שָׂרוּעַ) We have the commandment and prohibition against allowing a Bal Mum, a Jew who has some physical abnormality to do the Avoda in the Bais Hamikdash. The language of the Posuk is somewhat striking. We are commanded that a Jew who has a physical deformity is not permitted to do the service of the Bais Hamikdash. The reason is because anyone who has a physical deformity is not allowed to do the service of the Bais Hamikdash. That doesn’t seem to make sense. (כִּי) is giving a reason, don’t do this because. The Torah doesn’t always tell us reasons, however, sometimes it does.  Here it says, (אִישׁ מִזַּרְעֲךָ לְדֹרֹתָם, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם--לֹא יִקְרַב, לְהַקְרִיב לֶחֶם אֱלֹ קָיו יח כִּי כָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ מוּם, לֹא יִקְרָב). Because anyone who has a Mum can’t do the Avodah. So it is saying that one cannot do the Avoda because one cannot do the Avoda. It is a Pliya? That is not a reason, it is just repeating the prohibition.

The Tosafos Beracha interprets as follows. He says the Torah is telling us that there are times that we have a Mitzvah to do and we ask why and there are times that we are told accept the Mitzvah without knowing the reason and do it because you were told to do it.

We find such an expression in the Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 21a (22 lines from the top) (א"ל אין מדליקין מאי טעמא לפי שאין מדליקין). Certain types of oils can’t be used to light Shabbos candles. Abaya asked why not? The Rebbi said because we don’t. He said don’t think into the reason, accept it.

Similarly, in Maseches Nidda 60a (9 lines from the bottom) (א"ל אין תולין מה טעם לפי שאין תולין). So we find that sometimes a Rebbi understood that you have to teach a Halacha without teaching the reason.  That is what the Torah is saying here as well. (אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם--לֹא יִקְרַב, לְהַקְרִיב לֶחֶם אֱלֹ קָיו יח כִּי כָל-אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ מוּם, לֹא יִקְרָב). The reason is because someone who has a Mum is not allowed to do it. Now this is what it says in Tosafos Beracha.

We can add, why should the Torah do that only here, there are many Chukim in the Torah. There are many Mitzvos Stumim, Mizvos whose meanings are not known to us. There the Torah doesn’t use this expression. Only here by a Bal Mum do we use this expression. Why is that so?

The answer would seem to be as follows. There are many Mitzvos whose reasons are not known to us, and we accept it. Any intelligent human being knows that he will not understand everything. For example the Mitzva of Parah Aduma.  We know that it is above our understanding to figure out and appreciate why a red cow is used for that particular use. Or why an Esrog is waved on Sukkos with a Lulav. It is a Chok. Don’t ask, because.

By a Bal Mum, however, a human being who has feelings, would feel bad. Why should this person not be able to do the Avodah, just because he has a physical deformity? Is he any less of a Jew? Is he any less of a valuable person? Does that make him any less of a human being?

It goes against the usual grain of B’nei Yisrael, Rachmanim, Baishanim, Gomlei Chasadim. We who care for people. When we hear that because someone is a Bal Mum he is ineligible to do the Avodah, we would question it more harshly. You would think why should that be? It is Dafka here that the Torah tells us why? Because. Because I said that a Bal Mum should not be doing the Avodah.

I would add that we are now learning Sefer Yehoshua in the Motzoei Shabbos Navi Shiur. We will come to episodes in Yehoshua which involve a lot of killing and a lot of death, and one wonders, certainly an American in the 21^st century, so much killing so much death?

Strikingly the Rishonim don’t come to explain it, they don’t come to apologize for Sefer Yehoshua. It is as if to say this was the command of Hashem and we have to accept it. It is Dafka such an issue, an issue where our sense of fairness is challenged that we have to understand the concept of Ein L’har’er Acharov.

Double Identity Of Shavuos - Emor 5771

A thought regarding Shavuos: In this week’s Parsha 23:21 (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם--כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם בְּכָל-מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם). The phrase (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) appears numerous times in Chumash. It is a day which is a day of Holiness. However, here there is a verb that precedes it, (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,), and you shall announce on this day (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) that it is a Holy day, (יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) it shall be for you. It doesn’t read properly. (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) makes sense. (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) makes sense. But the reading of “You shall call on this day a day of Holiness it shall be to you” seems to be incorrect.

The Tosafos Beracha explains that we find a few times in Tanach that words are meant to be read in both directions. Therefore, he says (וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ), that the words (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) are read with the beginning of the Posuk, “And on this day you shall announce a day of Holiness”. In addition, (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם), the command that “This shall be a day of Holiness to you”.  So that this is one of those words which are read in both directions. The Tosafos Beracha brings a long list of such words. This is what it says in the Sefer of the Tosafos Beracha.

Based on that I would add an interesting Limud. We can ask why Dafka here on Shavuos does the Torah present the words (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) in a way that it is read twice, (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) appears in regard other Yomim Tovim, in Parshas Pinchas for example and it is not read twice.

To answer that question as to why the Torah sets it up this way we look at Chazal. What does (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) mean? We find 2 interpretations. In the Toras Kohanim, we find in Parshas Emor, it says (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) by Achila, Shesi’a, and Chisus Nekia. Meaning, it is a day you shall call Holy by eating special foods, drinking special drinks, and by wearing clean clothing.  Call it a Holy day, that is one interpretation, the physical pleasures of the day.

The Gemara in Maseches Shevuos 13 says (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) that it should be a special day of Holiness in which we add blessings and prayers.  So there are 2 interpretations of the (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) Limud. We know that every Yom Tov is a day that has 2 aspects, Lachem (special Mitzvos of the day that are pleasure driven for a person) and Lashem (parts that are meant to create additional Ruchniyos and spiritual growth). The Gemara says that Shevuos is a special Yom Tov in which all agree that you must add Lachem.

On Pesach, Sukkos, and certainly Rosh Hashana, Rav Eliezer holds that a person has a choice and he is permitted to make it Kulo L’Hashem and does not have to make it a day of any physical pleasure (Lachem). He can spend the whole day learning and davening without adding physical pleasure. However, Rav Eliezer is Modeh that on Shevuos uniquely, that all agree that you must add Lachem (physical pleasure). Shevuos which is a day of Matan Torah, Torah and the enjoyment of learning Torah is something which is not a contradiction to the physical pleasures of the world. Therefore, on Shevuos everyone agrees that you need the Achila, Shesi’a, and Chisus Nekia as well.

Based on this we come back to this Posuk. (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) has two separate meanings. Lachem which is Achila, Shesi’a, and Chisus Nekia and Lashem which is adding blessings and prayers. There are 2 separate meanings which can apply to any Yom Tov. So in a different Yom Tov when it says (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם) you have a choice. You can choose the meaning of Kulo Lachem or the meaning of Kulo Lashem. Not so on Shevuos. Therefore on Shevuos we have (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ) twice. Twice but it only says it once. Both meanings are merged into one expression (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ), as if to say that on Shevuos uniquely you need both (מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ).

Sefira, Sundays, & Sadducees - Emor 5771

23:15 (וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה: שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה) We have a Mitzvah to count Sefira and we are now standing in middle of the days of Sefira. The other night someone asked me a question. When we count we say the number of days, today is the 16^th day of the Omer. Now in Hebrew when we count, we count using the words Rishon, Sheini, Shlishi, Revii, Chamishi. The Aliyos are called the first Aliya, the second Aliya, the third Aliya..  We use Sheini, Shlishi, Revii, Chamishi, Shishi. When we count the days of the week we say Hayom Yom Rishon, Hayom Yom Sheini, Hayom Yom Shlishi. So we count the days of the week by saying the first day, the second day, the third day. In that case shouldn’t we do the same thing we count Sefiras Omer, this is the first day of the Omer, this is the second day of the Omer, this is the third day of the Omer? Why do we change the manner of counting by saying Hayom Sh’losha Yamim B’omer, today is 3 days to the Omer, shouldn’t we say today is the third day to the Omer? 

I am not sure what the Inyan is but I would suggest the following. The Posuk says (וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה: שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה).  We understand that we start counting from the day after the first day of Pesach. We interpret Shabbos as a reference to that day. The Tzedokim understood this to mean that it was only on a Sunday that Sefiras Haomer would start. In every year no matter when Pesach fell the Tzedokim would count from Sunday. If so, we may well understand why Chazal instituted a language of Sefiras Haomer that we use in avoiding saying Hayom Yom Rishon, Hayom Yom Sheini, Hayom Yom Shlishi. The language of Yom Rishon is used for Sunday, Yom Sheini for Monday, Yom Shlishi for Tuesday. According to the Tzedokim it was so. The first day was always a Sunday, the second day always a Monday, the third day always a Tuesday. So perhaps the reason why we are Meshane and say Hayom Echad B’omer, Hayom Shnei Yomim B’omer is to avoid the interpretation of the Tzedokim and to say today is 2 days to the Omer and to avoid using a language that would imply Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and of course once we use that language the first 7 days we stay with that language for the whole Sefira.