יום שישי, 17 באוגוסט 2012

Half-Kosher People - Re'eh 5772


Today the 28th day of the month of Av is the Yahrtzeit of our Rebbi, Moreinu HaRav Pam and I would like to share with you some thoughts connected to ideas that he said.

One of the things that was Margila P’pumai (things that he said very often) regarding the Parsha of Behaimos Temaios in this week’s Parsha we have the Parsha of the Simanim of the animal that is Kosher. Of course the 2 Simanim are that an animal that swallows its cud and has split hoofs is Kosher. The Torah lists the 4 animals that have only one Siman that is Kosher and therefore, are Treif. It appears from the Posuk that these 4 animals are somehow worse because they have one of the Simanei Kashrus.

Rav Pam would repeat the Klei Yakar. The Klei Yakar says that a human being too has 2 Simanei Kashrus and they are 1) Bain Adam L’chaveiro and 2) Bain Adam Lamakom.  Serving HKB”H with things that have to do with the direct service of Hashem such as Davening and Learning and serving HKB”H in Bain Adam L’chaveiro in the service of other human beings and dealing with other people. These are two Simanim of a Kosher Jew. If a person has one Siman and not the other said Rav Pam, is worse. In other words if you have a person who Davens well and Learns well but when it comes to dealing with his fellow man, he is cruel, he is miserable, or he is dishonest, it would be better if he didn’t Learn and Daven well. He brings Chillul Hashem, a shame on the name of Bnei Torah because people look at him as a Ben Torah who Davens and Learns and yet in his Bein Adam L’chaveiro he is disgusting and he is not behaving properly. The reverse is also true. You have people who are very good, very kind, and very nice to others. However, when it comes to serving HKB”H and being careful in Mitzvos there is something missing. They are not careful to Daven and they are not careful to Learn. Such a person too brings down Sheim Shamayim because people will admire his kindness to other human beings and will somehow feel that it is not as important to serve HKB”H in the Bain Adam Lamakom. This was Margila P’pumai, a common expression of Rav Pam in teaching us. You have to have both, be kind to human beings and faithful in serving HKB”H.

The Rambam expands on this idea in Shemoneh Perakim. The Rambam says in serving HKB”H there is an attitude of Rotze Ani U’ma E’se V’avinu Shebashamayim Gozar Olai. I would like to do an Aveira but I won’t because HKB”H said don’t do it. This attitude of Rotze Ani that I would love to do the Aveira but HKB”H said don’t do it, says the Rambam is not an appropriate attitude in Bain Adam L’chaveiro, in Mitzvos Sichliyos. For a person to say I would be cruel to someone else but I am not going to be because the Torah forbids it this is a wrong attitude. A Mitzvas Sichli, a logical Mitzvah, something a person should ingrain in his nature, should do naturally. On the other hand a Mitzva of Bain Adam Lamakom (a Mitzva between man and Hashem) such as shaking a Lulav or eating only Kosher food, there a person should say Rotze Ani I will be happy to eat Treif food or I would be happy not to shake a Lulav U’ma E’se Avinu Shebashamayim Gozar Olai, but what will I do as Hashem commanded me to do as he commanded and that I will do. This is a strong distinction between Bain Adam L’chaveiro Mitzvos (logical Mitzvos) and Bain Adam Lamakom Mitzvos.

We by our nature twist things around. Most people today when it comes to stealing they will say well I would love to steal but what should I do Hashem forbade it and Boruch Hashem they won’t steal. When it comes to Treifos they say pig I would never eat bacon. It is something that goes against the nature of a Jew. This is the reverse of the way it should be. Someone who serves HKB”H properly when it comes to stealing it is disgusting to him, to take someone else’s thing. When it comes to eating Chazeir though, Chazeir is delicious. U’ma E’se V’avinu Shebashamayim Gozar Olai.

In the Sefer Tuvcha Yabi’u on this week’s Parsha he relates that there were some Jews who lived in an apartment house and on the ground floor of the apartment house there was a store that was rented by someone who sold (Nevailos & Treif) forbidden food and even bacon (Chazeir).  It disgusted them every day when they walked in and out of their apartment building to pass this place with the aroma of Treif food. They went to an Adom Gadol to ask for an Eitza. The Adom Gadol said what do you mean? He showed them a Chasam Sofer. The Chasam Sofer says how is one to accomplish the Mitzvos of this week’s Parsha. 14:8 (טָמֵא הוּא, לָכֶם; מִבְּשָׂרָם לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ). A commandment not to eat Treif food. How does one actually actively go and perform a Mitzvah which is Shev V’al Taaseh, which is a bad action? Says the Chasam Sofer when a person sees it he should say to himself wow that is good but I am not eating it because the Torah forbids it. Now these people had a brand new attitude. Every time they walked in and out of their apartment building and they passed the store selling Treif food they would say Harini Muchan U’mizuman L’kayeim Mitzvah, I am now going to perform the Mitzvah of telling myself Avi Shebashayim Gozer Olai.

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