The Dual Purpose Of Exile - Bechukosai 5771

When we read the Tochacha or the words of the Neviim Achronim we understand that going into Galus was a punishment. It is something which comes because Klal Yisrael is not deserving. Devarim 29:27 says (וַיִּתְּשֵׁם יְ רוָר מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם, בְּאַף וּבְחֵמָה וּבְקֶצֶף גָּדוֹל; וַיַּשְׁלִכֵם אֶל-אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת, כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה). Hakadosh Baruch Hu ripped Klal Yisrael off of its land in anger. Anger sounds like a punishment. Where as we say in this week’s Parsha 26:33 (וְאֶתְכֶם אֱזָרֶה בַגּוֹיִם) that I will scatter you amongst the nations. It certainly sounds like a punishment.

That doesn’t fit with the Baalei Machshava and in general in Torah She’bal Peh. That the Galus itself is purposeful and there is something to be accomplished in the Galus. As the Gemara says in Maseches Pesachim 87b (17 lines from the bottom) (ואמר ר"א לא הגלה הקדוש ברוך הוא את ישראל לבין האומות אלא כדי שיתוספו עליהם גרים שנאמר (הושע ב) וזרעתיה לי בארץ כלום אדם זורע סאה אלא להכניס כמה כורין ור' יוחנן אמר מהכא (הושע ב) ורחמתי את לא רוחמה). Klal Yisrael went to Galus to collect the holy souls among the nations of the world.

As Rav Tzaddok explains in Resisai Laila 84, it doesn’t only mean (גרים) people who convert, but even concepts or energy among the Umos Haolam. We go into Galus sort of to collect these things. The proof to that is that in the Bris Bain Habesarim Avraham Avinu is already foretold about the 4 Galuyos. According to this way of looking at Galus the Galus is purposeful and it is here for constructive reasons and not just a punishment.

That doesn’t fit well with the language of Torah She’b’chsav. For this we turn to Rav Schwab in the Halilukas of Pesukai D’zimra. He explains that Torah She’b’chsav is Middas Hadin and Torah She’bal Peh works with Middas Harachamim.

So to say in the Chumash it says in Parshas Mishpatim 21:24 (עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן, שֵׁן תַּחַת שֵׁן, יָד תַּחַת יָד, רֶגֶל תַּחַת רָגֶל). An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth. The Torah She’bal Peh says that is Middas Hadin which is what a person truly deserves, however, there is Middas Harachamim mixed in and therefore it is enough to pay.

In Parshas Ki Sai’tzai it says in 25:12 (וְקַצֹּתָה, אֶת-כַּפָּהּ) a punishment of cutting off a hand, and again the Torah She’b’chsav says cut off the hand while Torah She’bal Peh mixes it with Middas Harachamim and says to pay instead of cutting off a hand.

We find so too with the sins of Gedolei Olam of Klal Yisrael. Where the words of the Chumash say that Reuvain did one Aveira and the Torah She’bal Peh says no it is not quite the way it happened. So too with all of the Aveiras of the Gedolei Yisrael. The Torah She’b’chsav expresses it with Middas Hadin and Torah She’bal Peh is constantly a mixture of Middas Harachamim.

With this Rav Schwab explains that we say in Tehillim 149:8- 9 (לֶאְסֹר מַלְכֵיהֶם בְּזִקִּים; וְנִכְבְּדֵיהֶם, בְּכַבְלֵי בַרְזֶל לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם, מִשְׁפָּט כָּתוּב-- הָדָר הוּא, לְכָל-חֲסִידָיו:
הַלְלוּ- כָּהּ) That Hakadosh Baruch Hu will punish the Umos Haolam with (מִשְׁפָּט כָּתוּב) the written judgment. What is the difference if the judgment is written or not? He explains that the punishment there is with the Middas Hadin. That is called (מִשְׁפָּט כָּתוּב) the written judgment.

We find similarly by Amaleik in Shemos 17:14 (כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר) that the erasing of Amaleik has to be written in the Sefer. That is with Middas Hadin. So that The Torah She’bal Peh is the mixture of Din and Rachamim and Torah She’b’chsav expresses it with Middas Hadin.

With this we can understand that the Tochacha and all of the Nivuos regarding the Galus are written with Middas Hadin. There is no Sheker in it. It is that Klal Yisrael deserves this as a punishment. So the Ribbono Shel Olam doesn’t do anything to Klal Yisrael unless there is Middas Rachamim mixed in as well.

Angel Shoemaker - Mishpatim 5771

23:20 – 23:21 ( הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ, לְפָנֶיךָ, לִשְׁמָרְךָ, בַּדָּרֶךְ; וְלַהֲבִיאֲךָ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הֲכִנֹתִי) After Shishi we are told that there would be a Malach accompanying Klal Yisrael in their journey. Then the Ribbono Shel Olam warns us (הִשָּׁמֶר מִפָּנָיו וּשְׁמַע בְּקֹלוֹ, אַל-תַּמֵּר בּוֹ:  כִּי לֹא יִשָּׂא לְפִשְׁעֲכֶם, כִּי שְׁמִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ) Be careful with this Malach, he won’t forgive you, and somehow Hashem’s name is in this Malach.

Which Malach is this? Rashi tells us (כי שמי בקרבו: מחובר לראש המקרא, השמר מפניו כי שמי משותף בו, ורבותינו אמרו זה מטטרו"ן ששמו כשם רבו. מטטרו"ן בגימטריא שקי) That there is a Malach (מטטרו"ן) whose name is the numerical value of (שקי) which is the numerical value of Hashem’s name.

Who is this Malach (מטטרו"ן)? The first thing I will tell you is that this name should not be pronounced. This is something brought Al Pi the Arizal and is also mentioned in some Halachah Seforim including the Kaf Hachaim Siman 5 Os 10. The Chayei Adom is at the end of Klal 5 and brings this concept as well. Therefore, this Malach is called by his nickname Matat which are the first three letters of his name.

Who is this Malach, we have never heard of him? Rabbeinu Bachye here on the Parsha writes that this is Hashem’s beloved Malach.

The Maral in Maseches Sanhedrin 39 explains that every Malach has only one Shlichus and this Malach Matat does the Shlichus of whatever the Ribbono Shel Olam has going on at that time. In a sense, when a builder builds a building he has many workers and each one has a job. He also has a supervisor. In a very crude example, Matat is Hashem’s supervisor.

Who is this Malach? In Maseches Yevamos 16b (11 lines from the bottom) (אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני אמר רבי יונתן פסוק זה שר העולם אמרו (תהילים לז) נער הייתי גם זקנתי מאן אמריה אילימא קודשא בריך הוא מי איכא זקנה קמיה ואלא דוד אמריה מי קשיש כולי האי אלא ש"מ שר העולם אמרו) The Gemara here refers to the Sar Haolam (שר העולם) which means a Malach called the Sar of the world. Tosafos writes there that it is this Malach Matat. (פסוק זה שר העולם אמרו. קשיא לר"ת דעשה הפייט השר המשרת נער נקרא הוא מטטרון הנכבד והנורא אלמא מטטרון הוא שר העולם שנקרא נער ובפיוט אחר יסד תוקף מטטרון שר הנהפך לאש מבשר משמע דחנוך הוא מטטרון ואי אפשר שיהיה חנוך שר העולם דבפרק אלו טרפות (חולין ס. ושם) אמר דבששת ימי בראשית פתח שר העולם ואמר ישמח ה' במעשיו וחנוך לא היה במעשה בראשית וי"ל דמטטרון אין זה שר העולם והא דנקרא נער לא משום דכתיב נער הייתי וגם זקנתי אלא (ה) נער שכן היה שמו ובפסיקתא בח' שמות של מטטרון מונה נמי נער ועוד דאגדות חולקות זו על זו דבבראשית רבה י"א דחנוך מת כדמתרגמי' כי לקח אותו (בראשית ה) המית יתיה ובריש מסכת דרך ארץ משמע דנכנס לג"ע בחייו). Not much is known about this Malach by most people.

Who is he? The Michtav Eliyahu writes in Cheilek Aleph page 34 about this Malach. Most people are aware that Eliyahu Hanavi never died and he went up to Shamayim and returned as a Malach. There is a second human being who had the same Zechus, a human being before Matan Torah. In Beraishis 5:24 it says (וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ, אֶת-הָאֱלֹקִים; וְאֵינֶנּוּ, כִּי-לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹקִים). Rashi explains (ויתהלך חנוך: צדיק היה וקל בדעתו לשוב להרשיע, לפיכך מיהר הקב"ה וסילקו והמיתו קודם זמנו [וזהו ששינה הכתוב במיתתו לכתוב ואיננו בעולם למלאות שנותיו). That this Chanoch too went up to Shamayim alive and he became this Malach Matat. So what I told you until now is a basic Yedia in Yahadus that there was such a person Chanoch who became a Malach Matat which is a beloved Malach.  

A Vort regarding this Malach. The Michtav Eliyahu there brings regarding Chanoch, what was his greatness? Chanoch had a job as a shoemaker. Every stitch that he made he was Miyacheid Michudim. I don’t know exactly what this means but it means something extraordinary. In his work he did something fantastic and that brought him to a great Madreiga.

R’ Yisrael Salanter is quoted in the Michtav Eliyahu as saying the following. He says don’t think that Chanoch had Kavonos Elyonos, that his main focus was on Heiche Kavanos. When you are working for someone you are not allowed to do that. He says that Chanoch in his work as a shoemaker was extra careful with every stitch to do his work faithfully. To do his work and give his employer the full day’s work that he was entitled to. That was his main Kavana. It was not Kavonos Elyonos that would distract him from his work. He did his work faithfully. This is a Vort of R’ Yisrael Salanter printed here in the Michtav Eliyahu.

The Michtav Eliyahu, R’ Dessler has a son in law who should live and be well R’ Yehoshua Gelbzahler Shlita, who is an extraordinary Talmid Chochom and lives today in Monsey. In 1952 Rav Dessler visited R’ Yehoshua Gelbzahler and R’ Yehoshua Gelbzahler complained about this Vort from R’ Yisrael Salanter which his father in law brought. He said how can you make Chanoch into a trustworthy employee, that was his greatness? For that he became a Malach? He complained and he brought that on the contrary that Chanoch was into Yesodos Elyonos. He understood Yechudim of Hashem.  Why do you make him into a regular employee? This was his question to Rav Dessler.

Rav Dessler responded in a letter that is printed in R’ Gelbzahler’s Sefer, Kodshei Yehoshua at the end of Krach Hei (the fifth volume). I saw this Sefer in the Azat in the Mir Yerushalayim and if you can get it, it is definitely worthwhile to learn through this exchange of letters.

As I understand, Rav Dessler’s response is the following. R’ Yisrael Salanter was trying to teach us that there is a concept of extraordinary Kavanos that great people can reach. But you should know one Yesod says Rav Dessler. That any Heiche Kavanos, any greatness can only come if it is tied to Kiyum Hamitzvos. You have to keep one of the Taryag Mitzvos and then you can go to higher levels. For example someone who puts on Tefillin with great Kavana but those Tefillin are Posul, will achieve zero, so you have nothing. Heiche Kavanos must be attached to Mitzvos. That was R’ Yisrael Salanter’s focus. That Chanoch in his first step of Avodah made sure that whatever Kavanos he would have would not detract in any which way from his Avodah to the Ribbono Shel Olam. From the things that he was doing and being Mekayeim the Mitzvah of being a faithful employee. R’ Yisrael Salanter was teaching us that if you see a great man, you want to learn from him? Know that even in his greatness, in his extraordinary level that he had, you should know that his first and foremost Kavana was to be a loyal employee who did the work that he had to do the way he had to do it. An extraordinary exchange of letters and certainly an extraordinary piece of Mussar.

Free Will To Harm Others - Mishpatim 5770

, עַל-מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ--וְנִקָּה הַמַּכֶּה:  רַק שִׁבְתּוֹ יִתֵּן, וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּא  The Halacha is, if someone is Mazik someone, he pays Sheves and Ripui. The Gemara in Maseches Bava Kamma 85a (16 lines from the bottom) learns, דתניא דבי ר' ישמעאל אומר (שמות כא) ורפא ירפא מכאן שניתן רשות לרופא לרפאות that Rapoi Yirapei teaches us that a doctor has permission to heal. The Gemara goes on to explain that you shouldn’t say that the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam harmed someone so how can you say that a doctor has the right to heal him, because the Posuk comes to teach that a doctor is permitted to heal someone.

The Chofetz Chaim in Sheim Oilam which is printed in Likutai Chofetz Chaim on Parshas Mishpatim brings from this Drasha a Raya to a fundamental Shaila in Yahadus. We have discussed many times in the past, that there is a Machloikes Rishoinim in Hashkafa whether it is possible for a person to hurt another person. If Reuvein wants to punch Shimon in the nose, does he have Bechira (free will) to do so or not. Or do I say about Shimon that a person doesn’t get hurt on earth unless decreed on by Hashem?

The Rambam and the Chinuch hold that it is impossible to hurt anybody unless it was Nigzar Alav Min Hashamayim. Therefore, Hashkafa wise a person is not permitted to take Nekama as it had already been Nigzar that he would get hurt.

The Alshich and the Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh disagree and say that a person has Bechira to do Aveiros. So if someone wants to hurt someone else, he is able to do so.

The Chofetz Chaim brings a Raya to the Rambam and the Chinuch.  This Posuk of Rapoi Yirapei that teaches us that a doctor has permission to heal is in Parshas Mishpatim which is not talking about a person who became sick and therefore needed a doctor. The Posuk is talking about 2 people who are quarreling and have to pay Sheves and Ripui. Someone hit someone else, yet I would have a Hava Amina to say that if Hashem harmed him that a doctor has no right to heal him. So therefore we have the Posuk Rapoi Yirapei which teaches us that a doctor has permission to heal.

According to Alshich it is very Shver, as what is the Raya from this Posuk? Maybe when a person becomes sick and it is straight from Shamayim, you have no right to heal him. Over here it wasn’t that he got hurt Min Hashamayim, however, it was the other person who used his Bechira to harm someone and therefore a doctor should be permitted to heal him. So it is a Raya that whenever someone gets hurt it is only because it was Nigzar Alav Min Hashamayim as the Rambam and Chinuch say. It would be a Mitzvah to try to find a Teretz for the Alshich to fit in as well.

Agav, this would answer another question as well. Why is the Posuk Davka by Rapoi Yirapei, why don’t we say the same thing by Mamanus as well when someone damages someone else’s property and causes a monetary loss? Bais Din should say, if the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam decreed that this person should lose money why are we saying that he should be paid back by the damager? Shouldn’t we need a special Posuk to teach us this?

To cause someone else a loss of money is possible as the Gemara says that when you steal from someone you are Matriach the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam to get the money back to him. Davka by causing Hezek to a Guf do we have this idea that Rapoi Yirapei since no one can be hurt unless it was Nigzar Alav Min Hashamayim.

Mordechai Knew The Megillah! - Beshalach 5771

17:14 ( וַיֹּאמֶר יְרוָר אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר, וְשִׂים, בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ:  כִּי-מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת-זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק, מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם) The Satmar Rebbe writes in the Divrei Yoel in the name of his Grandfather, that we know all of Tanach was given to Moshe Rabbeinu at Har Sinai. That being the case, it would include all 24 books of Tanach that were given at Har Sinai. Naturally, Moshe couldn’t publicize what was written in those books as it had not taken place yet. When we find in the Posuk ( וַיֹּאמֶר יְרוָר אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר, וְשִׂים, בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ:  כִּי-מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת-זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק, מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם) Sim B’oznai Yehoshua, meaning put in Yehoshua’s ears, the Satmar Rebbe Teitches this to mean that in every generation the Gadol Hador knew the story that was unfolding. He had already read the book of Nach and knew what was going to happen and nevertheless kept it a secret that was passed from one Gadol Hador to the next.

He writes that Mordechai knew the story of Purim as it unfolded, and says it is a B’feirush in a Posuk. It says in the Megillah 4:1א  וּמָרְדֳּכַי, יָדַע אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה, וַיִּקְרַע מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת-בְּגָדָיו, וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר; וַיֵּצֵא בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר, וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה So it says that Mordechai knew everything that was taking place. However, it used what was taking place between Haman and Achashveiroish to effect a Teshuva movement by Klal Yisrael.

The Vort itself is a big Chiddush for an Acharoin to say, however, the Mussar from it is extraordinary. Imagine that you are an actor in a play, and you have the script so you know everything that is going to happen. Part of the play is that someone dies and they cry over his death and someone has difficulties like poverty or illness. As all good plays you know that it has a happy ending. When you are acting out the part of sadness, you are not upset or depressed. You are only worried about performing your part properly.

So what the Satmar Rebbe is basically saying is, the mask of Oilam Hazeh is such that our challenge is just to perform our parts properly, however, the sadness that comes with difficulties is somewhat mitigated if one looks at themselves with וּמָרְדֳּכַי, יָדַע אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה, and the person knows what should take place.

P'sak From The Mon & Eliyahu Hanavi - Beshalach 5769

The following Yesod is something Rav Pam used to say over in his Schmuzzin. Chazal say the Man was able to be Mevarer a Mitziyos. Let’s say there was a child and it was a Sofeik if it was a seven month child from the second husband or a nine month child from the first husband, or an Eved Canani, where there was a dispute between 2 families as to who owned him. What would happen is, in the morning the Man would fall, and in whichever person’s Rishus the extra portion of Man would fall for the child or the Eved, that would be Mevarer the S’feika of whose child it was or who’s Eved it was. The Kasha is, Torah Lav Bashomayim Hu so how can it be that the Man was Mevarer a Halachah?

There is a Gemara in Maseches Yoma 75a (in the 9^th wide line) (( והמן) כזרע גד לבן (וטעמו) אמר ר' אסי עגול כגידא ולבן כמרגלית (תניא נמי הכי) גד שדומה לזרע פשתן בגבעולין אחרים אומרים גד שדומה להגדה שמושכת לבו של אדם כמים תניא אידך גד שמגיד להם לישראל אי בן תשעה לראשון ואי בן שבעה לאחרון לבן שמלבין עונותיהן של ישראל תניא ר' יוסי אומר כשם שהנביא היה מגיד להם לישראל מה שבחורין ומה שבסדקין כך המן מגיד להם לישראל מה שבחורין ומה שבסדקין כיצד שנים שבאו לפני משה לדין זה אומר עבדי גנבת וזה אומר אתה מכרתו לי אמר להם משה לבוקר משפט למחר אם נמצא עומרו בבית רבו ראשון בידוע שזה גנבו אם נמצא עומרו בבית רבו שני בידוע שזה מכרו לו וכן איש ואשה שבאו לפני משה לדין זה אומר היא סרחה עלי והיא אומרת הוא סרח עלי אמר להם משה לבקר משפט למחר אם נמצא עומרה בבית בעלה בידוע שהיא סרחה עליו נמצא עומרה בבית אביה בידוע שהוא סרח עליה), that says that the Man was Mevarer these S’feikos. The Tosafois Yoim Kippurim (a sefer on Yoma) asks this Kasha.

He answers what appears to be a Doichek Teretz, that the P’sak Din came from Moishe’s Bais Din. If people would have Taynois, Moishe would show them the Man as a Raya to his P’sak. The Maratz Chiyois has a more Yesoidoisdika Teretz. Rav Elchonon in the second Cheileik of the Koivetz Shiurim says this Teretz as well. Rav Pam would also say it over in the name of the Chidah. Toirah Lav Bashamayim Hi means Shamayim can’t be Mevarer a Halachah, a Din can’t be Mevarer Bashamayim. However, a Shaila in a physical fact (a Mitziyois) of course Shamayim can be Mevarer that, and therefore, the Man can be Mevarer it because it was a Shaila in fact (whose child or Eved is it).

The Ponovitche Rav in Sefer Moshchas Shemen, Cheilek Bais says, the Gemara many times says Teiku, which Pashut P’shat means let it stand. The Toisafois Yom Tov brings that Teiku means Tishbi Yetareitz Kushyois V’abayois. Meaning Eliyahu Hanavi will Pasken the Halacha. The Gemara says in Eilu Mitziyois, and also in the first Perek by Manah Shlishi that Yhei Munach Ad Sheyavaoi Eliyahu. Why is it that in one place we say Teiku and in the other place we say Ad Sheyavoi Eliyahu? Why do we change it? Why do we call him Tishbi there and Eliyahu here?

The answer is based on the Chasam Soifer in Cheilek Vav Siman Tzadik Ches. The Chasam Soifer says, is Eliyahu Hanavi who never died Michuyav in Mitzvois? The Gemara says that when he comes to tell us that Moshiach is coming, he will not come on Shabbos because he can’t travel, meaning he is Michuyav in Techumin. The Chasam Soifer asks, what happens when there are 2 Brisim on Shabbos, how does he travel then?

The Chasam Soifer answers, when Eliyahu comes down as a Guf, he is Michuyav in Mitzvois. By a Bris, Eliyahu comes down as a Malach, and therefore, is not Michuyav in Mitzvois. If so, then when Eliyahu comes to Pasken Halachos, if he comes in a Guf he can Pasken Halachos, however, if he comes as a Malach then Toirah Lav Bashamayim Hu and he wouldn’t be able to Pasken Halachois.

When Eliyahu comes to be Mevarer a Mitziyois, Eliyahu will just say who dropped it. So then we say, Ad Sheyavoi Eliyahu. Even a Malach could be Mevarer. However, to be Mevarer a Halacha as is implied by the word Tishbi meaning that he lives in the town of Tishbi, he must come in a Guf to Pasken a Halacha.