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.

The Kohen Gadol's Rebbetzin - Emor 5770

21:13 יג  וְהוּא, אִשָּׁה בִבְתוּלֶיהָ יִקָּח The question of the week is: There is a Mitzvah for the Kohen Gadol to only marry a Bisulah as the Posuk mentions. The  Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvois Mitzvois Asei 38 writes, not only is it a Lav for a Kohen Gadol to marry someone he is not allowed to marry, but it is a separate Mitzvas Asei to marry a Bisulah.

The Rambam also has another Shittah and that is that a Kohen Gadol can’t be married to more than one woman. This is because on Yom Kippur it says, V’chipeir B’adoi uv’ad Bai’soi, where Bai’soi is in the singular so that teaches that he is not permitted to be married to two wives.

If so, a person who becomes a Kohen Gadol in all likelihood is already married because he inherited the Kehuna Gedoila from his father. So he is not a youngster of 18. He now has a Mitzvois Asei according to the Rambam of getting married to a Bisulah. The problem is he can’t marry someone else because he is not permitted to have two wives. What is he supposed to do? Does every Kohen Gadol according to the Rambam have to divorce the wife he was previously married to in order to marry a Bisulah?

Shabbasos & Shevuos - Sefirah 5770

Why do we call this period of time the days of the Omer? The Omer was a Korban brought on the second day of Pesach and that is when we start counting Sefirah. The 49 days it seems has nothing to do with the Omer, it is only the starting point of the counting which seems coincidently. We are actually counting from Pesach to Shevuous. It is funny that we call it Sefiras Haomer.

In the Sefer HaKsav V’hakabalah he says a beautiful Pshat which is a great insight. There are 49 days of Sefirah. He asks why in this week’s Parsha does the Posuk say, טו  וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה:  שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה it calls the seven weeks שַׁבָּתוֹת. Whereas in Parshas Re’ei when it talks about Sefira the Posuk says in Devarim 16:9 ט  שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעֹת, תִּסְפָּר-לָךְ:  מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ, בַּקָּמָה, תָּחֵל לִסְפֹּר, שִׁבְעָה שָׁבֻעוֹת why is there the difference between Shabosois and Shavuois?

He explains as follows. Really they are Shevuois, weeks. So why here does it refer to Sefira as the Sheva Shabosois? Shabasois is a language that implies a break, and a time to rest. In this week’s Parsha, the Parsha brings the Posuk of the Omer, then instructs us on the counting of the Omer, and after the 49 days you bring the Shtei Halechem which is an offering brought on the 50^th day. It seems to not only mix the Omer into the Mitzvah of the seven weeks but also the Shtei Halechem.

The HaKsav V’hakabala says the Omer was an offering of barley brought on Pesach which permitted the Yidden to eat from the new crop of wheat. During those seven weeks it was still prohibited to bring from the new crop on the Mizbaiach. On Shavuous the Shtei Halechem offering which was wheat was Matir meaning it permitted bringing from the new crop on the Mizbaiach as a Korban. So for these seven weeks the Omer mattered. This is because for these seven weeks there was a Matir (there was something that permitted) the eating of the new crops to ordinary people. After Shevuous it was Muttar everywhere. It didn’t need the Omer, it was really the Shtei Halechem that permitted it everywhere. So the seven weeks are the seven weeks of the Omer. The seven weeks of the Omer has an influence. Sheva Shabasois is a language of a break of what was before it, a change. Now the Omer created what was the seven weeks of the Yimei HaOmer. This beautiful thought and Vort connects the Omer to these seven weeks.

It is also really an insight because the Omer was from barley which is animal food. The Shtei Halechem is from Chitim which is the fine bread that we eat. From when Klal Yisrael left Mitzrayim until they got the Torah there was a freedom, something new was Muttar. However, it was inferior, it was before they were obligated to keep the Mitzvois. It was an inferior time. When they came to Shevuous they brought the Shtei Halechem, it was a time of Kabbolas Hatorah. A time that something superior happened to them. That is symbolized by the fact that there was a new Heter, symbolized by the Heter to eat the new crop,was the finer food of wheat.

So these are actually seven weeks of Omer. Seven weeks of an inferior state. A state of sort of a barley Heter. A time that we are lacking Kabbolas Hatorah. Afterwards during the time of the Shtei Halechem, was a superior time. It is interesting that those who say Hinneni Muchan Umizuman prior to making the Beracha on Sefiras Haomer, mention both Korbanois. We mention טו  וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה:  שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה טז  עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת, תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה, לַירוָר Without this Vort it would be strange to mention the Korban Omer and the Shtei Halechem. This is an extraordinary insight into Sefiras Haomer.

Honoring The Kohen Or The Kehuna? - Emor 5770

21:8 The Posuk says ח  וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ--כִּי-אֶת-לֶחֶם אֱלֹקיךָ, הוּא מַקְרִיב; קָדֹשׁ, יִהְיֶה-לָּךְ--כִּי קָדוֹשׁ, אֲנִי יְרוָר מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם  Rav Pam when honored by Yeshiva after 60 years of being in the Yeshiva, said the following Vort from the Chasam Soifer. There is a Mitzvah to be Mekadeish a Kohen. Rashi brings a Gemara in Maseches Gittin 59b which is well known ר' חייא בר אבא אמר מהכא (ויקרא כא) וקדשתו לכל דבר שבקדושה תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל וקדשתו לכל דבר שבקדושה לפתוח ראשון ולברך ראשון וליטול מנה יפה ראשון. We honor the Kohen by allowing him to be first in any Davar Shel Kedusha.  The Shulchan Aruch Even Ezer Siman Gimmel says if a Kohen walks into a Shul and says I am a Kohen, that is not enough to give him the first Aliyah. This is because we only give someone the Kohen Aliyah if he is Muchzak to be a Kohen. However, a stranger who just walks in off the street needs more proof.

The Rama disagrees and is Maikil. The Rama says a Kohen that walks in is given the first Aliyah. This is the practice that we are all familiar with. What is the reason for the Rama’s Psak? If he is a Kohen you are giving him Kohen and if he is not a Kohen, if you would have given the Aliyah to a Yisrael, you wouldn’t be honoring a Kohen, so you might as well give him the Aliyah.

Rav Pam asked that this Pshat is Shver because the explanation would only work if he was the only person who said he was a Kohen in Shul. So then you lose nothing by giving him the Aliyah. Even if he was lying a Kohen wouldn’t have received the Aliyah anyway. However, what happens if there are other Kohanim in Shul. The Rama still says that you can give him the Aliyah based on his say so. How can you do that, you are being Mevateil a Mitzvas Asei because it is possible that he is not a Kohen?

The Chasam Sofer answers that the Mitzvah of giving honor to a Kohen is really to give honor to the institution of Kehuna, to give honor to the children of Aaron Hakohen. If someone comes into Shul and says he is a Kohen, perhaps he really is not a Kohen, nevertheless if the reason you are giving him the Aliyah is because you understand that he is a Kohen, and based on that you give him the first Aliyah, you are Mekayeim the Mitzvah of giving honor and Kedusha to the children of Aaron, even though this person might not be a child of Aaron. You gave him the Aliyah because he claimed to be a Kohen so you were giving honor to Kehunah.

How did this happen to be Rav Pam’s address at the dinner? Rav Pam said the following. He said when he was given this honor at the dinner and people refer to him as the Gadol Hador and a Talmid Chochom, Rav Pam in his humility said, it causes me pain. He said I know that I am not deserving of these honors, however, the Chasam Soifer gives me comfort. Rav Pam said even if I am not deserving of these honors, since people think I am a Talmid Chochom, and give me honor as a Talmid Chochom, they are honoring the institution of Talmidei Chachamim. They are honoring the Torah. So Rav Pam was able to have comfort in getting this honor.

According to this it would turn out that if a Kohen wanted to serve someone, there is a Machloikes Rishoinim if a Kohen can be Moichel on his Kehunah. The Mechaber of the Shulchan Aruch in the end of Siman 128 says that a Kohen can be Moichel on his Kavod and can serve someone who is not a Kohen.

The GRA says that the Rambam disagrees and says that a Kohen can’t be Moichel on his Kavod. The Mishna h Berurah brings it as a Machloikes L’halacha. If there is a Kohen nthat wants to be Moichel on his Kavod he can walk into a Shul that no one knows him and pretends to not being a Kohen. Then he can be Meshameish someone. Since according to the Chasam Soifer it all depends on what is going on the mind of the person who is having the Kohen work for him.

Nobody Left To Die? - Lag Ba'omer 5769

Lag Ba’omer is a happy day because the Talmidim of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying. If they all died in the first 32 or 33 days there were no more Talmidim to die, so then what was the big Simcha that they stopped dying?  A possible Teretz was suggested. It doesn’t mention in the Gemara that all the Talmidim died in one year. It does say that they died during this period. It might have been spread over a number of years. This would answer the question.

Three Thirds Of Sefira - 5769

There are no special Halachos for Lag Ba’omer except that we don’t say Tachanun that day. The Ohr Gedalyahu says, the 49 days of Sefira are divided into three parts. The three parts are K’neged 1) Torah, 2) Avoidah, and 3) U’gmillas Chasadim. Each of the three is during one third of the Sefira. That is, the first third that include the days of Pesach is K’neged Avoidah. Pesach is of course a Yom Tov of Avoidah, as the whole Klal Yisrael brings a Korban. The second third is K’neged Gemillas Chasadim. Pesach Sheini falls during the middle third. It was a Chesed that Hashem made it that you could make up a Mitzvah that you missed. The last third is K’neged Torah because we lead up to Matan Torah. Lag Ba’omer marks the end of the second third. We enter into the time of Hachanah in the Derech of Kabbolas Hatoirah. One of the Shittos is that the Man started to fall on Lag Ba’omer. For 30 days there was Matzah and it took another 3 days for the Man to fall. Chazal even say, Loi Nitna Toirah Ela L’oichlei Hamon which is sort of Merumaz that the Man started then and was a Hachanah for Kabbalas Hatoirah. This may explain why the Talmidim of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying. The Talmidim might have had some faults in other areas of Avoidas Hashem, however, that certainly could not be said regarding their Torah learning. So during this third of Sefira that corresponds to Torah the Talmidim didn’t die. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai who is known as the Meyaseid of Torah Hanistar, has Lag Ba’omer as his Yahrtzeit. This makes a lot of sense based on what we are saying that it is at the beginning of this third that is K’neged Torah. There are seven Sefiros during the seven weeks of Sefira. Chesed, Gevura, Tiferes, Netzach, Hoid, Yesoid, Malchus. An easier way to remember this is again dividing the days of Sefirah into thirds. The days with Pesach in it, corresponds to Chag, Chesed & Gevurah. This is the period of Avoidah. The middle period, which corresponds to Gemilas Chasadim have the Sefiros that spell the word Tena meaning give, Tifferes, Netzach, and Hoid. The last third which correspond to Torah spell Yam, Yesoid and Malchus which is the Yam Shel Torah.

Kehuna Konondrum - Emor 5769

In the beginning of the Parsha we are told about the Dinim of Tumas Kohanim and we find different laws for Kohen Hedyot and Kohen Gadol.  In Perek Chaf Alef Posuk Bais where the discussion is regarding Kohen Hedyoit, it says Ki Im Lishairoi Hakaroiv Ailav L’imoi Ul’aviv, mother first and father second. In Perek Chaf Alef Posuk Yud Alef where the discussion is regarding Kohen Gadol, it says V’al Kol Nifashois Meis Loi Yavoi L’aviv Ul’imoi, father first mother second. The Da’as Zikainim Ba’alei Toisafois explain, the Torah’s language has it that the greater Chiddush will be second. By the Kohen Hedyot it goes with Loi Zu Af Zu, with mother, father, son, daughter, and brother. Imoi is first because we are 100% certain that she is his mother. There are no witnesses that he is the father, we go with Chazakah and Roiv. We assume that he is the father. This is said by Kohen Hedyot where it is Mutar to be Metamei for these Kroivim. By Kohen Gadol where we are talking about being Asur to be Metamei to Kroivim, the bigger Chidush is the mother, because the father is only known with a Chazakah.

This is Shver. If he is not really his father, then the child is not a Kohen and could be Metamei anyway for this person so why is Aviv the bigger Chiddush? There are 3 Teirutzim for this Shverkeit.

1) The Kli Chemda B’sheim the Chasam Soifer asks, why is a Kohen not allowed to be Metamei? It says in Perek Chaf Alef Posuk Ches that V’kidashtoi Ki Es Hashem Elokecha Hu Makriv Kadoish Yiyeh Lach. It is because he does the Avoidah in the Beis Hamikdash. Once Roiv Paskens that he is a Kohen and can bring a Korban, now he is not allowed to be Metamei except for the seven Kroivim. 2) The Malbim says, it is talking about the Mitzvah of being Metamei. For a mother it is certainly a Mitzvah, however, for a father, perhaps it is not his real father so it is a bigger Chiddush and is still a Mitzvah. 3) At the point that the Parsha says Emor El Hakoihanim, the only Koihanim in the world were Aron, Elazar, and Isamar. They all were not Kohanim because their father was a Kohen. During the Yimei Miluim, Moshe declared them Kohanim with Nevua. By them they are Kohanim no matter what, so the whole Kasha falls away.