Left Out Leftovers - Tzav 5772

One last item of thought regarding the Parsha. We are all familiar with the Lo Sasei, the Lav, the prohibition against Nossar, which means leaving a Korban which has to be eaten or has to be burned past its time. So that we have for example a Korban Todah which is eaten for a day and a night, Lo Sasiru Mimenu Ad Haboker, you are not allowed to leave it until the morning.

The Shelamim which is eaten for two days and a night one would not be allowed to leave after the following night. However, what is very strange and the Meshech Chochmo points this out, is that every time the Torah mentions a prohibition an Issur against the Nossar (leaving something over) it is always a language of Lo Yaniach Mimenu Ad Haboker or Lo Sasiru Mimenu Ad Haboker, Lo Yalin Cheilev Chagi Ad Boker. It is always a language of not leaving it until the morning. Which means that it is talking about a Korban that is eaten for a day and a night. Regarding a Korban such as a Shelamim which is eaten for two days there is really no clear prohibition in the Torah. That could use a good explanation as to why that should be. Why does the Torah only mention Nossar in regard to not leaving things until the morning and never in regards to not leaving things at night.

Keeping The Blood In - Tzav 5772

The question of the week is: we have in 6:20 (כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-יִגַּע בִּבְשָׂרָהּ, יִקְדָּשׁ; וַאֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה מִדָּמָהּ, עַל-הַבֶּגֶד--אֲשֶׁר יִזֶּה עָלֶיהָ, תְּכַבֵּס בְּמָקוֹם קָדֹשׁ). If blood of a Korban comes on a Beged it must be washed in the Bais Hamikdash. We know that blood is not allowed to leave the Bais Hamikdash. The Ramban says (החמיר הכתוב בדם הנבלע בבגד לעשותו כאשר היה קודם הזיה שלא יצא חוץ לקלעים) that this Posuk is teaching us that if blood is absorbed into a garment the person has to wash it off of the garment before he leaves the Bais Hamikdash. He should not be taking the blood out.

It is hard to understand the Ramban’s explanation. What happens when he washes the blood out of the Beged, where does the blood go? All the blood of the Mikdash went into the Amah which was a narrow stream of water that went through the center of the Bais Hamikdash and it went out into Nachal Kidron the valley that is alongside the Bais Hamikdash. So it is difficult to understand that the washing of the Begadim is because the blood should not go out. But all the blood does go out, the blood didn’t stay in the Bais Hamikdash. The blood ran out into the Amah that went into Nachal Kidron.

If you would explain that it has to do with the Kedusha of the Beged maybe I could understand it, however, the Ramban’s explanation certainly needs Hesber.

Skipping Mizmor L'soda - Tzav 5772

In Parshas Tzav we do have something that is slightly connected to the coming week and that is the Mitzvah of the Korban Todah. As you know, on Erev Pesach this coming Friday (a week from tomorrow) we will not say Mizmor L’soda. The reason for that is that a Korban Todah was not offered on Erev Pesach because a normal Todah is eaten for a day and a night. Since the Korban Todah has Chometz, a person could not be Makriv it because it would be M’ma’ate the Zman Achiloson because he would not allow the full time for it to be eaten. For that reason, on Erev Pesach by Shacharis we skip Mizmor L’soda which is the Parsha K’neged the Todah.

I have a question that I would like to share with you. This idea that we do not say the Parsha of the Todah on Erev Pesach, is it a non-event. Meaning normally we can bring the Todah and now we can’t bring a Todah so it’s in a sense just a time that an event cannot take place and that is the whole story. Or maybe no, maybe it is a Kiyum of Zeicher L’mikdash. We know we have a Mitzvah which we learn from a Posuk in Yirmiya, which the Gemara says that it is a Mitzvah to do things Zeicher L’mikdash and therefore, my question is when we skip Mizmor L’soda is it just a non-event, there is no Kiyum of anything by skipping it, it is just that there is no Mitzvah to say it or perhaps it is a Kiyum of Zeicher L’mikdash. We are doing something to remember what took place at the time of the Bais Hamikdash.

Of course it would be a Nafka Mina if someone comes late to Shul and only says Baruch She’amar, Ashrei, and Yishtabach then he not Mikayeim skipping Mizmor L’soda (on Erev Pesach) because he skipped everything. Well if Mizmor L’soda is simply a non-event, we are just not doing something so then there is no Chisaron Mitzad this part of the day. However, if you understand that Mizmor L’soda is an opportunity to be Mekayeim Zeicher L’mikdash, then you get an added Mitzvah.

You might ask do we ever find a Zeicher L’mikdosh which is done by not doing something. In other words we find Zeicher L’mikdash by certain activities that we do like shaking the Lulav on the second through seventh day (besides for Shabbos) of Sukkos which is only a Mitzvah to do in the Mikdash we do it Zeicher L’mikdash. That is something we do. Do you ever find that not doing something should be a Zeicher L’mikdash? The answer is yes, we find it for example during the time of the Duchaning when the Kohanim are saying the Bichas Kohanim to the people, we have a custom not to look at the hands of the Kohanim, and we don’t even glance at the hands of the Kohanim. What is the reason for that? The MIshna Brura in Siman 128:89 brings really there is no Issur to glance at the hands of the Kohanim, it is just that since in the Mikdash it was not done Noagim Gam Achshav Zeicher L’mikdash Shelo L’habit Bo Klal. We have a custom not to look at the hands of the Kohanim as a Zeicher L’mikdash. So here we are refraining from doing something as a Zeicher L’mikdash. So we do see that there is such a concept and Mimeila the Chakira stands. On Erev Pesach when we don’t say Mizmor L’soda should we be thinking that the time that we skip it we are being Mekayeim Zeicher L’mikdash?  Is that the Inyan or not?

Adar! - Purim 5772

We say two things about Adar. We say Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha, when the month of Adar enters we rejoice. The second thing we say is that the Mazal of Adar is good for Bnei Yisrael. The Mazal of Adar is Dagim, a Mazal of Beracha to the Jewish people.

Which is the cause and which is the effect? Is it because it is a month in which we are happy therefore it is a good month for the Jewish people, or is it because it is a good Mazal and month for the Jewish people therefore we rejoice?

I think 99% of the people would assume the simple Pshat that the cause is the fact that it is a good Mazal for the Jewish people and the result is this time of good Mazal, therefore, Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha.

Let me share with you a Maharal on Parshas Shoftim 20:5 – 8 (ה  וְדִבְּרוּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים, אֶל-הָעָם לֵאמֹר, מִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה בַיִת-חָדָשׁ וְלֹא חֲנָכוֹ, יֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ:  פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יַחְנְכֶנּוּ ו  וּמִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-נָטַע כֶּרֶם, וְלֹא חִלְּלוֹ--יֵלֵךְ, וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ:  פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יְחַלְּלֶנּוּ ז  וּמִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה, וְלֹא לְקָחָהּ--יֵלֵךְ, וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ:  פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יִקָּחֶנָּה). There the Pesukim talk about individuals who are exempt from going to battle. As we know a Chasan, someone who built a home, and somebody who just planted a vineyard is exempt from going to battle. So there the Posuk says, he may die in battle and someone will marry his wife, or take his home, or take his vineyard. Rashi says (ואיש אחר יחנכנו: ודבר של עגמת נפש הוא זה). Meaning that it is a thought that breaks a person. It causes pain and Tzar to individuals.

The Maharal explains, why is this a significantly important reason for someone not to go to battle? Because it is a (ודבר של עגמת נפש הוא זה) it is sad when someone dies have in battle. It is especially touching to a person when you hear about someone at the height of a time of joy in his life that has a problem.

The Maharal says Chalash Daito Alav Kmo She’pirush Rashi. When something like that happens it causes people to get depressed as Rashi says. The Maharal goes on to say that the depressing thought of a person dying and someone else taking his home, his wife, or his vineyard, that depressing thought itself brings bad Mazal. That brings Misah. The Maharal says that Simcha brings a good Mazal and that depression brings a bad Mazal. It is actually the Teva Hab’ria that one follows the other. So that Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha is a Siba (cause) and not the result for this to be a month of joy and good Mazal.

The truth is it is a Posuk in Mishlei 18:14 (רוּחַ-אִישׁ, יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ). Meaning the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, it will take care of his disease. A person who is optimistic and is able to be happy, will have a better outcome from a disease than a person who is depressed. This is something that is known today statistically. (רוּחַ-אִישׁ, יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ), so that the joy of a person is what helps a person through. Therefore as we look forward to the month of Adar which is a month of joy, so as we look forward to Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha, we have to start as early as we possibly can. It is never too early to get ready for Purim. It is never too early to start with a Simcha that a person has to have. The lessons of the difficult times in (מָדַי וּפָרָס) which were turned into times of Simcha.

The Missing Puzzle Piece - Purim 5772

The Gra in a Pirush on the Megilla says, as you know the whole Megilla is a big puzzle. A puzzle where pieces fit in beautifully, all the different episodes fit into one beautiful picture at the end. The Mussar of it is Hashem is always assembling puzzles. Although we see the pieces of the puzzle we don’t appreciate it.

There is one piece of the Megillah which does not really fit into the whole picture of the puzzle. The whole episode of Balaila Hahu, that night the King can’t fall asleep and they bring him the Sefer Hazichroinois and they read it to him. He asks what good was done to Mordechai, and ultimately Mordechai is marched through the streets. That incident didn’t play any part in the rescue of the Jewish people. The next day Esther goes to the Mishtah Hayayin with Haman and Achashveiroish just as was planned, nothing changed. She then reveals that she is a Yid, finds favor in Achashveiroish’s eyes, and Haman is hung. Mordechai being led through the streets of Shushan in the King’s clothing, on the King’s  horse and being led by Haman doesn’t play any part in the ultimate rescue of the Yidden. It seems to be inconsequential, just an incident that happened, however, we raise our voice with great joy when we read Balaila Hahu. It doesn’t seem to play a part in the story. The illustrations are always in the children’s’ Megillas with Haman leading Mordechai on the horse. The children always learn about Aveil V’chafui Roish. That as Haman was pulling the horse, Haman’s daughter was on the roof, and threw garbage down on the head of what she thought was Mordechai, and how it actually fell on Haman and how funny that was. And over the years the description of the garbage has changed significantly and I don’t know what the Mekoir is for what the description of what the garbage was. L’mayseh it is a very entertaining episode, however, it seems to have nothing to do with the whole puzzle.

The Gra says that it is very much a piece of the puzzle. Haman was a very shrewd character. He was a quick thinker, he was cunning, he had gotten himself out of trouble before. B’derech Hateva, when Esther reveals that she is a Yid, Haman who was a quick thinker could have come up with something like oh I didn’t know you were a Jew just like Achashveiroish didn’t know you were a Jew. He could have talked his way out of the situation. Part of the puzzle of the story of the Megillah happening B’derech Hateva without any miracles taking place, had to find a natural way for this to happen, that Haman won’t talk his way out of the situation. Therefore, Hakadoish Baruch Hu caused Haman to be in a Behala, to be in a state of mind of confusion. He was Aveil V’chafui Roish. He was physically filthy. The Gemara says that they quickly took Haman and he didn’t have time to bathe. Whatever the garbage was, the remnants were still on him. When Haman is brought to the Mishte the Posuk reads in 6:14 יד  עוֹדָם מְדַבְּרִים עִמּוֹ, וְסָרִיסֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הִגִּיעוּ; וַיַּבְהִלוּ לְהָבִיא אֶת-הָמָן, אֶל-הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר-עָשְׂתָה אֶסְתֵּר Haman was taken to the Mishteh in a great Bahala. He didn’t feel clean, he felt rushed, confused, and embarrassed. He had been humiliated. In that state of mind he came to the Mishteh, confusion, that causes a person to lose his ability to think quickly, to do the right thing, it takes away the wisdom of a person. This was all part of the natural sequence of events that we call the miracle of Purim. That lesson, that Behala brings about confusion shouldn’t be lost upon us. Living in our fast pace world, a world of Behala.

-- א"ה ובשם הסבא מקלם פי' שהעיקר שיהיודים יבינו שמרכי צודק

http://navitapes1.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-psychological-effect-of-mordechais.html