Yom Hameyuchas - 5772

This next week features Rosh Chodesh Sivan on Tuesday. Thursday, Friday, and Shabbos are the Shlosha Yimai Hagbalah, the three days of preparation. Between them on Bais Sivan, Wednesday, is a day known as the Yom Hamiyuchos. I would like to share with you an explanation of what is special about Yom Hamiyuchos. This is only one aspect of it but an important aspect nevertheless.

When it comes to things that have holiness, Kedusha, there are two types of Kedusha. One of them is called Kedushas Haguf something that is inherently Kodosh, such as a Korban an animal that is going to be sacrificed on the Mizbaiach. That animal has an inherent Kedusha. There is something else known as Kedushas Damim. Something that has a Kedusha for its value. If one were to take a piece of gold and donate it to the Bais Hamikdash.It would become an object of Kiddushas Bedek Habayis which means something which is holy for its value. Gold is not offered as a sacrifice in the Bais Hamikdash. Now of course there is a major difference. A Korban which has Kedushas Haguf (which is inherently Kodosh) remains Kodosh. If one tries to redeem the value of the animal onto money if it is a Korban it doesn’t work. If you try to transfer the Kedusha from one animal to another it doesn’t work. Something that is inherently Kodosh remains Kodosh come what may. Kedushas Damim on the other hand is something which is not inherently Kodosh. Its value is Kodosh. You can be Podeh it you can redeem it on something else. The Kedusha is not inherent in it, it is a description of it, it is an aspect of the designation of this gold or this money for use in a certain way. The gold or the money itself is not inherently Kodosh. One is called Kiddushas Damim, Kedusha of its value, lacking in inherent Kedusha. One is called Kedushas Haguf something which is inherently Kodosh.

Regarding human beings we find in the Torah two types of workers, one is a Poel a hired hand. One is an Eved, a slave, a servant. This difference, the Eved is inherently somebody who is Mishubad who is obligated to his master. A worker has no inherent obligation to his master. It is an adjective. There is something about him that happens to be true and that thing that happens to be true is that he is working for somebody. It is not an inherent part of who he is. He is perhaps a father, a son, a husband, a friend. He also works, it is not inherent. An Eved, his Guf is him. That is who the person is.

Coming back to the Yom Hamiyuchos. On Yom Hamiyuchos HKB”H said to the Jewish people as it says in Shemos 19:5 (וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים) Vihiyisem Li Segulah Mikol Hoamim. You are different than the other nations. That means even if the other nations accept to do the things they are obligated to keep the Sheva Mitzvos and they will go to Olam Habo because of it. Nevertheless you are different than them in a number of ways. Klal Yisrael is not just different in the number of Mitzvos, 613 for Jews as opposed to 7 for non-Jews. Klal Yisrael is different in its Eichus, in its quality. (עֲבָדַי הֵם) Avadai Heim it says in this week’s Parsha in 25:42. Jews are Avdei Hashem, an Eved has Kedushas Haguf. He is inherently tied to his master. The Yom Hamiyuchos is a day on which Klal Yisrael said Naaseh V’nishma. Naaseh V’nishma means we will do whatever you say. When you hire a worker you tell the worker what the job is and he agrees to do it. That is a worker. When you purchase a slave the slave doesn’t ask what will I do. His entire being is tied now to the will of his master. Klal Yisrael by saying Naaseh V’nishma, we are willing to do before we find out what the job is, Klal Yisrael accepted upon themselves Avodai Heim, the idea of being Avadim. A Jew is called a Bar Mitzvah somebody who is inherently, his being is somebody who is obligated in Mitzvos.

Therefore on the Yom Hamiyuchos we take note with pride that Klal Yisrael are Avadai Heim, Avdai HKB”H. Unfortunately today there are some people, Orthodox people, Frum people, people who keep Mitzvos, some are Poalim for HKB”H they work for Hashem. Certain hours of the day they go to Shul certain hours of the day they eat perhaps in the Sukkah on Sukkos… but they are not totally Mishubad. Our job and our joy is when we are Avadai Heim, when we are Mishabeid our entire being to be Avdei Hashem. All day wherever we may be. If we succeed in that then we will not stumble.