Were the Bechorim Kohanim? - Ki Sisa 5771

In the Parsha we learn that Aharon Hakohen participated in the creation of the Eigel. Chazal are troubled by Aharon’s participation. What is often quoted is a Gemara in Maseches Sanhedrin 7a (7 lines from the top) (ופליגא דרבי תנחום בר חנילאי דאמר רבי תנחום בר חנילאי לא נאמר מקרא זה אלא כנגד מעשה העגל שנאמר וירא אהרן ויבן מזבח לפניו מה ראה א"ר בנימין בר יפת א"ר אלעזר ראה חור שזבוח לפניו אמר אי לא שמענא להו השתא עבדו לי כדעבדו בחור ומיקיים בי אם יהרג במקדש ה' כהן ונביא ולא הויא להו תקנתא לעולם מוטב דליעבדו לעגל אפשר הויא להו תקנתא בתשובה). The Gemara Darshuns the Posuk 32:5 (וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן, וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ לְפָנָיו; וַיִּקְרָא אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמַר, חַג לַירוָר מָחָר)

Aharon saw, the Gemara asks what did Aharon see? The Gemara relates that Chur had refused to participate and Chur was killed by the mob. Aharon was afraid that if he too would be killed, there would be terrible repercussions on Klal Yisrael. There is a concept of (אם יהרג במקדש ה' כהן ונביא).

There is an Inyan if the Kohen and Navi are killed in the Mikdash Hashem it is a terrible thing. Therefore Aharon Hakohen chose to participate rather than to be killed as this would be a terrible Kitrug on Klal Yisrael. This is a well known Vort and is actually a Gemara in Sanhedrin 7 as has been stated already.

My question for the week is, this Gemara that says Aharon and Chur would be the Kohen and Navi seems to be inconsistent to something that we all know.

It is well known that until the time of the Eigel, the Kehunah was supposed to be given over to the Bechorim of Klal Yisrael (the first born). It was only as a consequence of the Cheit Ha’eigel that it was taken away from the Bechorim.

This idea is almost B’feirush in the Pesukim in Parshas Bamidbar and Behaloscha. There we read that Moshe Rabbeinu counts the number of Leviim and counts the number of Bechorim and is Podeh (makes an exchange) one for the other. As Rashi says in Parshas Bamidbar 3:12 (מתוך בני ישראל: שיהיו ישראל שוכרין אותן לשירות שלי. על ידי הבכורות זכיתי בהם ולקחתים תמורתם, לפי שהיתה העבודה בבכורות, וכשחטאו בעגל נפסלו, והלוים שלא עבדו עבודה זרה נבחרו תחתיהם) the Bechorim should have done the Avodah up until this point. Therefore we have a major problem. If Aharon would be killed, that would not be the death of a Kohen and Navi. Aharon at that point before the Cheit Ha’eigel was not yet a Kohen, so it is not a case of Kohen V’navi. This seems to be an exceedingly difficult problem and a Kasha that begs resolution.

I had this Kasha and as I continued learning the Parsha I came to something else that will shed light on this. So let’s begin a second discussion.

Was the Cheit Ha’eigel something that took place before the building of the Mishkan, before the commandment to build the Mishkan or is it something that took place afterwards. As you know Parshas Ki Sisa is sandwiched between the Parshios of Terumah and Tetzaveh that discuss the Mishkan and Parshas Vayakhel Pekudai that discusses the Mishkan. Which took place first? The Cheit Ha’eigel or the commandment to build the Mishkan?

This is a Machlokes Rashi and Ramban. In 31:18 Rashi (ויתן אל משה וגו': אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה. מעשה העגל קודם לצווי מלאכת המשכן ימים רבים היה, שהרי בשבעה עשר בתמוז נשתברו הלוחות, וביום הכפורים נתרצה הקב"ה לישראל, ולמחרת התחילו בנדבת המשכן והוקם באחד בניסן) brings a Medrash Tanchuma that says the Cheit Ha’eigel preceded the commandment to build the Mishkan. So according to Rashi the Cheit Haeigel took place before the Parsha of Terumah and Tetzaveh and we use the principle of (אין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה) and the Parshiyos are not always in order of the sequence of events.

The Ramban however in many places including the beginning of Parshas Vayakhel disagrees and says that the commandment to build the Mishkan was before the building of the Eigel. Klal Yisrael was commanded to build the Mishkan and after the Cheit Haeigel they were deemed unworthy of the Mishkan residing among them and only later when Moshe Rabbeinu came down on Yom Kippur with the second set of Luchos was the commandment actually fulfilled and the people built the Mishkan. This Ramban is the Shitta of the Zohar.

So we have 2 opinions. Rashi says the Cheit Ha’eigel was before the commandment to build the Mishkan and the Ramban says that the commandment to build a Mishkan preceded the Cheit Ha’eigel. Of course the Ramban fits better with the order of the Parshiyos of the Torah.

There is a problem here because in Parshas Tetzaveh when there was a commandment to make the Bigdei Kehunah we have mentioned numerous times that it was for Aharon and his children as Kohanim. According to Rashi it is fine, after the Eigel Aharon and his children are going to be Kohanim. However, according to the Ramban where the Parshiyos of Terumah and Tetzaveh preceded the Cheit Ha’eigel we have a serious difficulty. Before the Eigel was built, the Bigdei Kehunah were going to be for the Bechorim. So the question then is, why does it say for Aharon and his children? This is a Kasha on the Shitta of the Ramban.

The grandchildren of the Steipler printed some of his notes and letters in a Sefer called Rishumai Kehillas Yaakov. In there, there is a letter that addresses this and the Steipler says something that is an extraordinary Chiddush, not something that we would have understood on our own, but once we hear it many things come out good.

The Steipler says the following Chiddush. Aharon and his descendents were going to be Kohanim in any event. We learn this in Parshas Shemos 4:14 when Rashi says (וראך ושמח בלבו: לא כשאתה סבור שיהא מקפיד עליך שאתה עולה לגדולה. ומשם זכה אהרן לעדי החשן הנתון על הלב) that Aharon saw Moshe Rabbeinu when he was returning to Mitzrayim and he rejoiced with the good fortune of Moshe Rabbeinu. The Schar for that was that the Kehuna went to Aharon.  

Aharon was going to be Kohen anyway. The whole issue of Bechor or Sheivet Levi had to do with the Leviim alone. Only the Leviim were people who achieved their status because of the Cheit Ha’eigel, because they refrained from participating. So that Aharon would have been Kohen anyway. The whole Parshas Bamidbar and Parshas Behaloscha was a tradeoff of Bechorim against Leviim. It was only the Leviim who were Zoche after the Cheit Ha’eigel.

A Raya to this is if the Bechorim were to be Kohanim why were the Bechorim of Sheivet Levi deprived of that privilege? If the Bechorim were supposed to be Kohanim so then a Bechor from Sheivet Levi should have been a Kohen even after the Cheit Ha’eigel?

Therefore says the Steipler, it must be that the Kohanim were going to be Kohanim anyway and it had nothing to do with the Cheit Ha’eigel and the whole issue is a tradeoff of Leviim and Bechorim and that is it. This of course answers both questions the question (that was supposed to be the question of the week) of (אם יהרג במקדש ה' כהן ונביא) and the question of Aharon and his children from Parshas Tetzaveh.

There is a bonus, because it answers something else as well. It is known in the name of the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh that the Bechorim will return to do the Avodah when Moshiach comes. We don’t know where the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh learned that from because we don’t have Midrashim that say it. However, we are relying in the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh. 

It is a problem because the Gemara says how do we know that there will be Techiyas Hameisim? We know it because the Posuk says Terumah will be given to Aharon Hakohen. The problem is that Aharon never lived to enter Eretz Yisrael to receive Terumah. The Gemara says in the Yemos Hamashiach he will receive Terumah. If Kohanim will no longer be Kohanim after Moshiach comes as the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh seems to say, why would Aharon get Terumah? According to the Steipler’s Yesod it is beautiful, the Kohanim are Kohanim. The entire issue is an issue of Leviim alone.

There are other questions that are answered by this. If you bear this in mind in Parshas Bamidbar and Parshas Behaloscha you will see that other difficulties are answered as well. It is a beautiful Yesod.

(See Shemos 5772)

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.

Tehillim In Mitzrayim - Va'eira 5772

Rav Yaakov’s Vort is from the beginning of the Parsha. Right in the beginning before Sheini the Posuk says in 6:9 (וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ, וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה). Klal Yisrael did not believe Moshe. Why? Because of the difficulties that they were facing. Actually in the last Parsha they did believe Moshe Rabbeinu as it says in 4:31 (וַיַּאֲמֵן, הָעָם). Something changed in between. Posut Pshat is that in between Paroh had the Yidden making their own straw which was previously given to them and they thought that the Yeshua was not at hand. Rav Yaakov adds a tremendous insight to this idea. Rav Yaakov says that we find that Klal Yisrael in Mitzrayim did not work on Shabbos.
In the Medrash it says they had a type of a (Megillah) scroll on which holy words were written that taught them that the Geulah was forthcoming. What was on that scroll? Rav Yaakov explains that it had on it some of the paragraphs of Tehillim that Moshe Rabbeinu had authored. It had on it different words that they had B’mesorah. For example, Mizmor Shir L’yom Hashabbos which is one of the Perakim of Tehillim (92). Of course, the entire chapter does not discuss Shabbos at all. So what is going on? Why is it called Mizmor Shir L’yom Hashabbos? Rav Yaakov says that that was on the scroll that the Yidden had. Mizmor Shir L’yom Hashabbos talks about the concept of (לְהַגִּיד, כִּי-יָשָׁר יְרוָר; צוּרִי, וְלֹא-עלתה (עַוְלָתָה) בּוֹ). The chapter discusses that the Geulah will come. That Hakadosh Baruch Hu is straight and there is no Avlah and that ultimately there will be a Geulah. It was a Chizuk for Klal Yisrael to have these scrolls and say these Perakim of Tehillim and get a Chizuk from it.
What happened at the end of Parshas Shemos. Moshe Rabbeinu requested a Geulah and Paroh replied make them work harder. 5:9 (תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבֹדָה עַל-הָאֲנָשִׁים, וְיַעֲשׂוּ-בָהּ; וְאַל-יִשְׁעוּ, בְּדִבְרֵי-שָׁקֶר). Let them not spend their time with the false words. Paroh was referring to these scrolls. He knew that these scrolls gave Chizuk to Klal Yisrael and caused them to yearn for the Geulah and to believe that a Geulah would come. Therefore, he wanted to stop this behavior. He made them work harder in a way that they would not have Shabbos off and in that way they would not be in his words (יִשְׁעוּ, בְּדִבְרֵי-שָׁקֶר) hoping for the Geulah. This is why here (וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ, וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה). They didn’t have that Chizuk and therefore, that caused Klal Yisrael to come to Yiush. This is a beautiful Vort from Rav Yaakov and at the same time it should be a Chizuk to us in our own lives to see Chizuk in the words of Tehillim. The beautiful words of the Kapittilach of Tehillim which talk to every Jew in every generation. The Kapittilach of Tehillim which we say in Davening, those that are well known by most Jews, they give us Chizuk.
Let me mention that those of us who Daven Nusach Sfard know that before Maariv there is a custom to say Shir Hamalos. Actually people say just that, Shir Hamalos, those two words. Actually there are 3 Pesukim of a Perek of Tehillim which is only 3 Pesukim. The last Shir Hamalos which is Kapittal 134, those are the first 3 Pesukim of the Nusach of Shir Hamalos. If you don’t say the entire Shir Hamalos at least let us try to buckle down and say the first 3 Pesukim of the Shir Hamalos (א שִׁיר, הַמַּעֲלוֹת:
הִנֵּה בָּרְכוּ אֶת-יְרוָר, כָּל-עַבְדֵי יְרוָר--
הָעֹמְדִים בְּבֵית-יְרוָר, בַּלֵּילוֹת ב שְׂאוּ-יְדֵכֶם קֹדֶשׁ; וּבָרְכוּ, אֶת-יְרוָר ג יְבָרֶכְךָ יְרוָר, מִצִּיּוֹן: עֹשֵׂה, שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ). Something to give Chizuk in, in the understanding and appreciation of the words of Tehillim which have given a Chizuk to Klal Yisrael throughout.

Were The Bechorim Kohanim? - Shemos 5772

Let me share with you a technical Vort. We have in this week’s Parsha as Rashi teaches us in 4:14 (ויחר אף: ר' יהושע בן קרחה אומר כל חרון אף שבתורה נאמר בו רושם, וזה לא נאמר בו רושם, ולא מצינו שבא עונש על ידי אותו חרון. אמר לו רבי יוסי אף בזו נאמר בו רושם, הלא אהרן אחיך הלוי, שהיה עתיד להיות לוי ולא כהן, והכהונה הייתי אומר לצאת ממך, מעתה לא יהיה כן, אלא הוא יהיה כהן ואתה הלוי, שנאמר (דברי הימים א' כג כד) ומשה איש הא-להים בניו יקראו על שבט הלוי) that Aharon Hakohen was Zoche to Kehuna. When he came out with joy to greet Moshe Rabbeinu he was Zoche to be a Kohen. There is a major problem. The Kehuna here was still with the Bechorim until the Cheit Ha’eigel because until that time there was no special designation for Sheivet Levi. It would appear that it is a mistake that if the Kehuna was still with the Bechorim how would Aharon be Zoche to the Kehuna?
I recall seeing at one time in the writings of the Steipler, he says a Yesod which I understand is a Rashi near the end of Maseches Zevachim that it is not true that the Bechorim would have been Kohanim. The Bechorim would have been Leviim which was then taken over by Sheivet Levi, but in regards to Kehuna Aharon Hakohen was Zoche to Kehuna here.
As we see when there is no Levi in Shul the Bechor takes over and washes the hand of the Kohanim (by Duchaning). We don’t say that if there is no Kohen in Shul that the Bechor takes over and Duchans. The reason for this is that it was only the Levi’ya that went by the Cheit Ha’eigel from the Bechor to Levi. The Kehuna, Aharon was Zoche to that. This is an old Vort that I had seen in the writings of the Steipler.
However, recently I realized that this seems on the one hand to answer a Kasha of the Maharsha. It seems that the Maharsha doesn’t agree. The Maharsha in Maseches Pesachim 117 or 118 by the Sugya of Hallel asks how it says in Hallel which was originally said at the splitting of the Yam Suf before the Chait Ha’eigel, so the Maharsha asks how does it say in Hallel a mention of Beis Aharon 3 times in Hallel regarding Betach Ba’shem? How do we say that, Yomru Na Beis Aharon? How do we say something special about the Bais Aharon? Yivareich Es Beis Aharon, what is special about the Beis Aharon? At the Eigel the Bechorim were still the Kohanim?
We see from the Maharsha’s Kasha that he does not agree with this Yesod. However, on the other hand, the Steipler’s Yesod would answer the Maharsha’s Kasha. So if we would call it Shittas Rashi it would answer the difficulty.