Emuna: History of a Calendrical Dispute – and its Resolution

by Rav Shlomo Hecht, Beit Hillel rabbi, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

The Jewish calendar marks the epitome of Jewish unity; the same one is used in every single Jewish community around the world. But for a few years over a millennium ago, it wasn't quite so uniform, and if the dispute hadn't been resolved, this year we would have had a problem…

This week's Torah portion of Bo features the commandment to fix an annual lunar calendar and sanctify each new month (new moon) as it begins. As such, now is an appropriate time to recall a major Rabbinic dispute of more than 1,100 years ago, which, most fortunately, was resolved "just in time."

The issue was: When certain specific events happen, how do they affect the determination as to which days of the week the festivals are to occur? This of course has major ramifications, and especially in a year like this one, in which according to one of the opinions, this coming Passover, which is set to fall out on Saturday night, would actually be on Sunday night.

On the one hand, R. Aharon ben Meir was the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Geon Yaakov in Eretz Yisrael, a direct descendant of Hillel the Elder and R. Yehuda HaNasi, and the leading scholar in the Land of Israel. On the other side stood a younger Torah scholar in Babylonia, a promising scholar named Saadia ben Yosef – soon to be R. Saadia Gaon.

Their dispute revolved around the question of a certain type of molad that comes out on Rosh HaShanah after midday. The molad is essentially the "birth" of the new moon, when it can first be seen after having disappeared from sight at the end of the previous month. The new month is generally declared a short time after the molad is, or could be, observed. However, one of the exceptions to this rule is that a molad zaken – a molad that occurs after midday on Rosh HaShanah – the holiday of Rosh HaShanah is pushed down one day, as are, consequently, all the succeeding festivals up to and including Sukkot. That is, if Rosh HaShanah was supposed to be on Monday, it would actually be on Tuesday instead – so as to ensure that the new moon is seen on the first day of the year and not afterwards.

Other considerations that must be taken into account when scheduling the year are 1) that Yom Kippur must not fall out on either Friday or Sunday, because of Shabbat considerations, and 2) that no year must be more than two days longer than another (not including the leap month of Adar Sheni).

The process of determining the calendar, briefly, depends on the determination as to whether the year is a leap year or not. Based on this, we calculate when the molad of the month of Tishrei will occur in the upcoming year and in the year following it. The theoretical date for Rosh Hashanah is established, and then the days of Rosh Hashanah for the two years are adjusted so that the length of the year does not require more than seven full months of 30 days or fewer than five.

The dispute between R. Aharon ben Meir and R. Saadiah in the fateful year concerned whether the slight gap between midday and the molad of Tishrei constituted enough of a delay. The molad was actually some 13 minutes after midday, and R. Aharon said that anything less than 35 minutes did not require pushing off Rosh HaShanah. The next year there was to be a similar discrepancy. According to the calculations, this dispute meant a gap of one to two days between when the holidays were to be scheduled for the coming years.

This year, 5785, similar circumstances apply, meaning that according to R. Aharon ben Meir, Rosh HaShanah next year should be on Monday, whereas according to our calendar, which follows R. Saadiah Gaon's approach, it is "pushed off" to Tuesday.

In addition to the High Holidays of 5786, the ramifications of such a dispute would also have determined how many days were supposed to be in the month of Cheshvan (it varies each year between 29 and 30), and when Pesach falls, etc. In 5789 and 5790, as well, there would be discrepancies between the two approaches, affecting, for instance, Passover of both 5788 and 5789 and the High Holidays and Sukkot of 5789 and 5790. However, once Cheshvan and Kislev come around and can be adjusted according to necessity, and given that most of the time the molad of Tishrei does not fall in the controversial time period, both approaches equal out by Chanukah, and peace and harmony are restored.

How did this dispute, which put the entire Jewish world of the time into a tizzy, begin? We do not have all the details, although much information was garnered when the Cairo Genizah was discovered. It was universally known that a molad zaken pushes off Rosh Hashanah – but R. Aharon ben Meir claimed that it was an Eretz Yisrael tradition that if the molad was less than 35 minutes after midday, Rosh HaShanah need not be pushed off.

R. Aharon further claimed, with Talmudic justification, that the Jewish world must follow the Land of Israel in these matters. What was Rav Saadiah's response to this claim? His principle response was that 600 years earlier, one of R. Aharon's predecessors and ancestors, Hillel the Elder, instituted the calendar, including the sanctification of all the months, from then on until the coming of the Messiah. As such, the Sages of Eretz Yisrael no longer have an advantage in determining the months and year.

Ultimately, the dispute was settled in that the Jewish world accepted Rav Saadiah's position, while R. Aharon's followers diminished in numbers.

Even though the dispute spread out over five years, under the same circumstances as these years, the dispute had already faded away by the last two years. Ever since then, the principles and rules for the Jewish calendar have remained uniform in all Jewish communities throughout the world, and we all follow the same exact calendar.

The unity of the Jewish People that is expressed, inter alia, in our uniform Jewish calendar is what brought about, with G-d's help, our ingathering from all corners of the world to the Land of Israel.

May G-d implant in our hearts, and in the hearts of all of Israel, love and brotherhood, peace and harmony.

Bo: Redemption Depends on the Kids

by Rav Hillel Mertzbach, Rabbi of the Central Synagogue, Yad Binyamin, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

This week's Torah portion is Bo (Sh'mot 10,1-13,16) begins with the 8^th plague visited upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians – the plague of locusts. G-d gives Moshe some words of introduction: "I have hardened the heart of [Pharoah] and his advisors, so that I will place these signs among them, and so that you [singular] tell your sons and grandsons that which I did in Egypt and the miraculous signs I performed [on] them, and you [plural] will know that I am G-d" (10,1-2).

Let us relate to the following questions:

1.     Why does G-d address Moshe first in singular and then in plural form?

2.     Of the two objectives mentioned here – punishing Egypt and telling our children – which one is the principle one?

3.     Why is there a command to tell both our children and grandchildren all that happened there?

The Centrality of Teaching the Children

Let us begin by quoting former President Zalman Shazar who served as Israel's first Education Minister in 1949. When he introduced in the Knesset the law mandating free education in Israel, he said as follows:

"The Hebrew nation is that which practiced the law 'you shall teach your children' [a Biblical command that we recite in Kriat Shma] ever since it ascended to the arena of history. It also made sure, even during its dark years, to preserve this asset of teaching its children… It instituted that every town that does not have a teacher, does not have the legal status of a town. Even in the darkness of its Exiles, and in all its communities, it instituted that every community must have teachers, paid for by all the inhabitants; rich or poor, whether one has many children or none – all together must bear the burden of the study of Torah." (These words also appeared one series of Israel's 200-shekel bills.)

[The Talmud indicates that the Tannaitic Sages R. Yehoshua ben Gamla and R. Shimon ben Shatach, nearly 2,000 years ago, cooperated in instituting a law that every village must have a school and that parents must send their children to learn there.]

When the plague of locusts struck Egypt, Pharaoh finally caved in (temporarily), and asked Moshe and Aharon whom they want to take with them out of Egypt. Moshe said, "Everyone!" His exact words were: "With our young and old we will go, with our sons and daughters, and even with our sheep and cattle" (10,8-9). Pharaoh refused, and offered only that the men should leave to worship G-d, and with that, he banished Moshe and Aharon from his presence.

Moshe had told Pharaoh that they wished to go and worship G-d, and that for this purpose, the children had to come with them. Pharaoh said there was no need for the children to join, and that only the adult males have to worship G-d. This was the dispute between them.

From Moshe's words – "with our young and old we will go" – we see that the principle worship of G-d comes with the integration of the generations, the older with the younger. "Without lambs, there are no goats," the Medrash teaches; there can be no continuation of Torah without children in schools.

In this spirit is explained the words of King David in Psalm 127: "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of youth" (verse 4). What connection is there between a warrior's arrow and children? The answer is that just as the warrior prepares to hit his target by standing and aiming carefully, the same is true in children's education: The more we think ahead and plan a correct educational approach and strategy, based on the children's needs, abilities, and inclinations, the greater are the prospects that we will actually succeed.

We must know that raising children is similar to raising trees. If the tree grows crookedly, it will be hard to straighten it afterwards – and so too, if a child learns ideas that are contrary to Torah, and lacks the proper guidance, he will have trouble connecting later with his parents' tradition.

With this, we will now seek to answer our original questions.

1.     The verse speaks first in singular and then in plural in order to show that if each individual parent teaches his children, in the end the entire nation will come to know that Hashem is our G-d.

2.     Two reasons were cited for the plagues in Egypt, to teach us that the plagues were designed to amplify G-d's name in the world – and this is done by transmitting the message to the coming generations.

3.     Why both children and grandchildren? The main purpose of the Exodus and its miracles is to pass the story and its lessons down through the generations. We must therefore ensure that not only our children hear this, but also that it continues to be told for generations afterwards as well.

 

In Conclusion

The tradition and love of Torah are the foundations of the Exodus and our entire Torah. If we succeed in bringing to our children a love of Torah, G-d's name will be magnified and sanctified in the world, and we will succeed in actualizing our ultimate purpose.

Emuna: Selective Enforcement in Jewish Law

by Rav Uri Sadan, Fellow at Mishpetei Eretz Jewish Law Institute, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Some two months ago, a German newspaper published what had been a secret Hamas document that was found in Gaza and confiscated by the IDF. The document spelled out the Hamas strategy of dragging out the hostage-release negotiations with Israel, blaming the government of Israel for the delay, and exerting psychological pressure on the hostages' families - thus creating a crescendo of public pressure upon the government. (Translator's note: The weekly protestors on Kaplan Blvd. in Tel Aviv never seemed to realize that they being used as puppets of Hamas.)

The question immediately arose: Who in Israel leaked this document? The investigation quickly turned up a spokesman for the Prime Minister named Eli Feldstein, and a young non-commissioned IDF officer in the reserves named Ari Rosenfeld. The two were arrested by the Shabak and imprisoned under difficult conditions for a long period of time; Rosenfeld is still in prison, despite an official Shabak position in favor of releasing him.

While a request for a pardon is on President Herzog's desk, and other efforts are underway for his release, the burning question has arisen: On the one hand, leaks from within the IDF, police, prosecution and even the Cabinet are a serious problem that must be dealt with severely. On the other hand, the fact is that they are not – and the only reason that this case was treated so heavy-handedly is because the leak supported the right-wing position, arousing left-wing elements to take action. The first side, in turn, then claims that the fact that other leaks are not dealt with properly does not detract from the gravity of this particular leak and the need to deal with its criminal aspects.

Who is right? Let us examine what the Halakhah (Jewish Law) has to say on the topic of selective law enforcement.

An important principle in public law is the Rule of Law, which means, inter alia, that because the government is not above the law, it must apply its laws to everyone equally. Maimonides formulates it in this way (Laws of Robbery 5,14):

"Every law that the king institutes for all, and not merely for one person – [if it enriches the king's coffers,] this is not robbery. But if he seizes property from one person alone not in accordance with a known law, but rather arbitrarily, it is considered to be robbery."

Equality before the law is a basic premise of law, and if this criterion is not met, the law is invalid according to Halakhah.

The above is not directly related to the problem of selective enforcement. This is because when the law is uniform and known to all, it is valid; if it is then enforced problematically, that raises a separate issue. In such a case, we must differentiate between selective enforcement and partial enforcement. The latter case occurs when the government does not have sufficient resources to enforce the law universally, and so it does the best it can. This is not Halakhically problematic, as there is one law for all and the criteria for its enforcement are uniform for all. Selective enforcement, on the other hand, is based intrinsically on discrimination for arbitrary or immaterial reasons.

The Gemara deals with this question in Tractate Nedarim (27b-28a). The Mishna permits one to lie to a tax-collector and thus avoid paying full taxes – and the Gemara limits this to a tax-collector who "has no framework," i.e., decides arbitrarily how much each citizen must pay. Thus, though his authority stems from the legal government, the means he uses are not guided by clear criteria, and therefore are not valid or legal. After all, even the king himself may not collect taxes in such a manner!

When may the king cause harm to one specific citizen? The Rambam states that this is permitted only for security matters, when there is no way to achieve the necessary result without harming this specific person, and when the king can justify his actions – and even then, the king must compensate the person for his loss.

The Rambam's source for these restrictions is apparently the Biblical story of King Ahab's confiscation of Navot's vineyard. In addition to the ethical difficulties that cry out from both the story's verses and from the throat of the Prophet Eliyahu, the Rambam apparently holds that what the king did was Halakhically problematic as well – because he used his authority to seize property to do so from only one specific person, based on personal and non-equal considerations. This rendered the king nothing more than a robber.

It is of interest to note that as opposed to the Torah position on this matter, the Supreme Court in Israel did not, in the past, see a problem with selective enforcement (*). In recent years, however, it has come closer to the Torah's position, tending to disqualify selective enforcement that is based on discrimination (*). The law itself has also undergone certain changes: In 2004, the Criminal Code (clause 149) was changed to instruct courts to acquit, or at least sentence more leniently, one who was convicted based on selective enforcement (*).

Unfortunately, when we compare how the police and courts related in moderation to the [left-wing] protests and disturbances of the past two years to how they related much more strictly to similar right-wing events protesting the Oslo Agreements and the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif, it appears that there has been a retreat from the anti-selective enforcement stance. This can be seen as well regarding the investigations into leaks, with which we began.

As such, those responsible for these bodies [the police and the courts] are called upon to return to the principles of justice and integrity of the Torah, and enforce the country's laws upon all citizens in an equal manner, without regard to their political outlooks or their views of controversial topics.

(*) Legal sources are provided in the original Hebrew article.

Vaera: Moshe is Taught to Be a Leader

by Rav Moshe Leib HaCohen Halbershtat, Founder and Director of YORU Jewish Leadership, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

In this week's Torah portion of Vaera (Sh'mot 6,2 – 9,35), we read: "G-D spoke to Moshe and Aharon, and he charged them to the Children of Israel and to Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, to take the Children of Israel out of Egypt" (6,13).

It is notable that G-d commands them to speak to both the Israelites and King Pharaoh for the purpose of taking the Jews out of Egypt. The Medrash says:

"Regarding the Israelites, G-d told Moshe and Aharon, 'My children are nay-sayers, easy to anger, and burdensome. Take this mission upon yourself with full knowledge that they will curse you and stone you.’ And regarding King Pharaoh, ‘Treat him with deference, and accord respect to royalty, even though I must execute justice against him.’"

In D'varim we read: "There was a king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the nation gathered, together the tribes of Israel" (D'varim 33,5). Some commentators, and "some of the Aggadot," according to the Ramban, "explain that the king referred to here is Moshe Rabbeinu… [in continuation of the previous verse that says] 'Moshe commanded us the Torah,' and he was king over us and over all our tribes, and it is appropriate that we adhere to his words and commands, for he was a great and wise king over us…"

This seems most odd. Moshe Rabbeinu is told to expect insults and abuse from the Israelites, over whom he is king, and at the same time, he is told to treat the Egyptian king only with honor and respect! This appears to be a very strange double standard! 

To understand this, let us return a few steps backwards to the Burning Bush, where we read: "G-d said, I have certainly seen the poverty of My nation in Egypt… And now, go and I will send you to Pharaoh – and take My nation, Bnei Yisrael, out of Egypt" (Sh'mot 3,7-10). G-d gives Moshe the top leadership role, making him King – and yet Moshe refuses, again and again. Even after G-d rejects his five refusals at the Burning Bush, we read twice more that Moshe does not want the job. Towards the end of last week's Torah portion, Moshe laments bitterly, "My master, why have You mistreated this people? Why have You sent me?" And later, "Bnei Yisrael have not listened to me, so how should Pharaoh listen to me?" (6,12)

Moshe Rabbeinu knows his own strengths and weaknesses, and understands the challenges involved with both his fellow Jews and King Pharaoh: The former can barely listen to anything "because of lack of spirit and hard work" (6,9), and Pharaoh is the imposing and intimidating monarch of the largest empire in the world. From the beginning, Moshe had many objections to taking the job: "I am just an escapee from Egypt, by what merit can I expect to be heard by the Israelites in their condition, or by kings? I stutter and lack the basics of public speaking. Please, G-d, appoint someone else; there are certainly alternatives to me, for I am not even expected to lead them into the Promised Land (Rashi, 4,13)!"

But Hashem refutes all of Moshe's arguments and does not accept his resignation. For lack of choice, Moshe leaves the Burning Bush and addresses the Israelites. At first they listened eagerly (4,31), but this soon changed: Their "lack of spirit, and hard work" prevented them from listening to him. And then G-d commands him to go and speak to Pharaoh and tell him to let the people go (6,9)!

Here Moshe really breaks: "I was right all along! This is not a job for me! I said that Bnei Yisrael wouldn't believe me, and now I see that they don't even want to hear me! And now You expect me to speak to the King of the empire?!"

But G-d knows better. He is not looking for the most charismatic leader, but rather one who has precisely the traits that cause Moshe to believe he is not the right choice! G-d wants a compassionate and humble leader for His people. As the Medrash (Sh'mot Rabba 2,2) tells us: "When Moshe Rabbeinu was grazing Yitro's flock in the desert, one lamb ran away, and Moshe ran after it, until he found it thirstily lapping up water from a small pool. Moshe said, "I didn't realize! You were running because you were thirsty! I see that now you're tired" – and he picked the lamb up on his shoulders and took him back."

The Medrash continues: "G-d said, 'You have such compassion to watch over sheep belonging to mortal man, I want you to watch over My flock, the Children of Israel." Hashem pushes him into the job, knowing that with the proper close guidance, he will succeed.

And with this we return to our original question. Moshe is told that he must expect abuse from his people, and that he must also treat King Pharaoh with deference – and these are not contradictory instructions. Rather, they are both part of the guidance that G-d gives Moshe to be a successful leader. When Moshe sees that the nation doesn't listen to him, he must be prepared for that in advance, and even for worse things, including curses and rock-throwing, as the Medrash said. And on the other hand, the instructions continue, "the way to meet with a king is to show honor and respect" – even if in the end, "I [G-d] will punish him to the full extent of the law."

In Pirkei Avot (3,2) we learn: "Pray for the welfare of the monarchy, for if not for the fear they impose on the populace, people would swallow each alive." The Gemara (B'rachot 58a) tells us that the kingship on earth is akin to the Kingship of the Heavens, as it gives us an idea of what true Kingship is. Therefore, even a wicked king such as Pharaoh must be honored – not because he deserves it, but because the royal institution that he heads deserves it.

The Chafetz Chaim often encouraged his students to take on positions of leadership, in the rabbinate or others. A leader must make sure to develop the trait of patience – without yelling and without impatience, but also without flattery. "This is something that must be worked on," he told them.  

Our holy Torah teaches us – parents, teachers, rabbis, Roshei Yeshivot – to "believe in your students, find their strong points and talents and their potential. Encourage them to lead, as you direct them, accompany them, and guide them – and with G-d's help, their success will be your success."

Emuna: Revealing State Secrets: A Grave Sin, or a Holy Obligation?

Abridged from an article by Rabbi Professor Neriah Gutel, former President of Orot Yisrael College and Research Division Head in the Torah and State Institute, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Even if many of the details in the ongoing case of the non-commissioned officer who revealed a secret document to the Prime Minister are still unknown to the public (the officer is still in prison, despite the official stance of the Shabak), we are not exempt from studying the basic question of the Torah's approach to the matter of revealing secrets.

The Torah charges us: "Do not go around as a gossiper among your people" (Lev. 19,16). This is a very grave prohibition, which according to the Chafetz Chaim can lead to no fewer than 31 Torah violations. The Rambam and the Shulchan Arukh, who do not mention "revealing secrets" as a specific prohibition, apparently hold that it is one of those many violations.

The S'mag, however, in his book detailing the 613 commandments, states that the ban on "going around as a gossiper" refers specifically to one who was told a secret and then tells it to a third party. The S'mag even adds that violating this prohibition could lead to bloodshed, and that not for naught is this Torah ban followed immediately by the words, "Do not stand idly by [when] your neighbor's blood [is in danger]." Rabbeinu Yonah and the Meiri also agree that revealing secrets is directly forbidden.

The Talmud explains that the first verse in Leviticus indicates that one must never repeat anything that is told him unless the speaker gives express permission. The verse says that G-d "called to Moshe and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, to say." [The Torah Temimah explains that] without the words "to say," Moshe would not have been permitted to repeat it over to Israel.

The gravity of this prohibition can be seen in its numerous repetitions by King Solomon, such as, "He who reveals secrets is a talebearer, but one of faithful spirit conceals a matter" (Proverbs 11, 13), and "Have your quarrel with your friend, but do not divulge another's secret" (25,9), and more.

Because of this prohibition, the Sages ruled that once a panel of judges has handed down its ruling, no member of the panel may publicize which judge had which opinion. "I wanted to exonerate you, but the others overruled me," is precisely what a judge may not say afterwards to the party who was found guilty or liable. Ever more telling is what the Gemara (Sanhedrin 31a) relates, that when it was found that one of the students in the Study Hall had revealed a secret or matter of gossip that was said there, he was ordered to leave – even though 22 years had passed!

However, all of this is just one side of the coin. The other side, which is almost diametrically opposed, is best expressed in the words of the Pitchei Tshuvah, who writes as follows:

"The mussar books and the Magen Avraham here wrote at length of the gravity of speaking lashon hara, and I see fit to point out, on the other hand, that there is an even greater sin, which is also quite common, and that is when one refrains from telling his friend something that can save him from grave harm… For instance, if one sees that another is seeking to kill his friend, or to rob from him at night, and he refrains from informing and warning him in advance because he feels this would be lashon hara – his sin is "too great to bear," and he is in violation of "do not stand by your neighbor's blood." This is true also for monetary matters, for there is no difference if he sees someone stealing from his neighbor, or his partner stealing from their business, or someone deceiving the other in business, or he sees that he is lending to someone who is known not to pay back loans… And the same in matters of shiduchim, if he knows that the prospective groom is a liar and a cheat, or is ill, etc. All these are examples of the obligation to return lost items to their owners. These matters can be determined only by one's heart; if he tells over secrets or something that could be lashon hara with bad intentions, he is in violation of lashon hara, but if he means sincerely to warn his friend, then it is a great mitzvah, and blessing shall come upon him." (Hashmatot Pitchei Tshuvah, Orach Chaim 156)

And so, too, did Maimonides rule: "Whoever can save someone and did not, has violated 'Do not stand by your neighbor's blood.' This includes one who is drowning and he can save him but did not … or if he heard people scheming to harm him and he did not tell him… or if he can appease the schemer but did not do so…"

Several great nearly-contemporary Halakhic authorities have implemented this principle in practice. For instance, Rav Eliezer Valdenberg, in his multi-volume work Tzitz Eliezer (16,4), wrote at length about a doctor who was asked by his patient not to divulge to her future intended that she has no uterus. Rav Valdenberg ruled that the doctor must not only answer truthfully if asked, but must initiate a conversation with the prospective groom and tell him the situation: "He must reveal this even without her consent, and thus not violate 'Do not stand by your neighbor's blood,' and in order to save him from the hands of his oppressor, and to fulfill the commandment of returning both his body and his property."

Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef ruled similarly regarding one who is applying for a driver's license and has a disease that could suddenly endanger both him and the other drivers and passengers on the roads: "The doctor [or whoever knows] must immediately inform the licensing authorities, in order to prevent catastrophes to body and property." The same is true of an accountant or anyone else who becomes aware of embezzlement and the like. Other authorities have issued similar Halakhic rulings.

The conclusion is that parallel to the grave sins of gossip and revealing secrets, there are times when the prohibition is totally reversed and becomes a mitzvah! And all the more so can this be true during war. Let us assume for example – totally theoretically, of course – that a person comes across a most important security document, and he is sincerely convinced that the information must be received by the person who heads the security network. Could it be that by transmitting the document or divulging its contents to the proper address, he is in violation of the sins of gossip and revealing secrets? Heaven forbid to say such a thing! On the contrary, if he does not do so, it could lead to bloodshed, about which the Torah states: "Do not stand by your neighbor's blood."

Of course, even in such a case, it is important to adopt the Sages' teaching that "the heart knows whether the intention is to correct or to corrupt" (Sanhedrin 26a). It is important to carefully weigh whether the revelation of the document was done truly only for pure motives, or not. But if it is found that the intentions were worthy, it is clear that what was done was a great mitzvah and an absolute obligation.

Shmot: Eyes and Heart in the Service of Israel

by Rav Yosef Naveh, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

We read in this week's Torah portion, which opens the Book of Shmot (1,1 – 6,1): "Moshe grew up and went out to his brothers, and saw their affliction, and saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brothers." Rashi explains that he "set his eyes and his heart to feel badly for them." The Gerrer Rebbe writes in Beit Yisrael that the beginning of the exile in Egypt was marked by the blockage of the eyes and hearts of the Israelites, and the beginning of the redemption therefrom was the opening of the eyes and heart of Moshe Rabbeinu - and it was this that brought about G-d's seeing and attention to redeem Israel.

The Lekach v'haLibuv writes regarding this: "A Jew has a 'good eye,' one that is not closed up to his friend's suffering; he rather feels the other's sorrow as if it were his own. This is what is known as 'the eye and heart of the Children of Israel.' During the Exile, their eyes and hearts were closed, and they did not feel their brothers' suffering."

But when this changed, the Redemption began. Moshe restored Israel's true eyes and heart, by noting with his eyes his brethren's troubles and taking them to his heart, and attempting to help them.

It is brought down that the name Yisrael (Israel) is an acronym for Yesh Shishim Ribo Otiyot Latorah, meaning, "There are 60 myriad letters in the Torah" – one letter for each Jew. Just The Tiferet Shlomo says that just like a Torah scroll is not kosher if one letter touches another one, so too when one Jew touches another and harms him, the entire Torah scroll is disqualified.

That which will bring about Redemption is when each member of Israel is concerned for the entire Clal, the nation as a whole. For then we will experience again "And G-d knew" (Sh'mot 2,25) – on which Rashi explains that G-d "set His heart and eyes upon Israel," marking the beginning of the Redemption.

The initial letters of these coming weekly Torah portions, starting with Sh'mot, spell out the Hebrew word Shovavim (troublemakers). We thus call these days the period of Shovavim, and they are widely regarded as days of fasting and atonement. During this period it is also appropriate for us to show extra concern for G-d's children, because this is the way of brothers – and especially for those who, most unfortunately, have strayed from the path of Torah and mitzvot. And when we awaken to this need here down below, from above too G-d will also awaken His love for us, measure for measure.

Kabbalah books tell us that each month has a different combination of the letters of the Havayah Name, and the combination of the current month of Tevet stems from the verse, "Exalt G-d with me and we will exalt His name together." It is also stated that each month of the year is associated with a particular tribe, and Tevet is connected to that of Dan. The connection is that when the Israelites journeyed in the desert, the last one to march was Dan, "he who gathers for all the camps." This means not only physically, but also that he gathered up the souls of the laggards and tired ones who were expunged by the Cloud, those tired and weary Jews who do not fear G-d, and who have given up trying, and who feel that there is no more hope for them. The tribe of Dan would gather them back into the camp of Israel, and teach them how they too can magnify and glorify the name of G-d.

Dan teaches us not to give up on any soul of Israel, and that even the lowliest and most sinful Jew can be strengthened and encouraged to return to the compassionate G-d. This is done by being "dan l'kaf z'chut," judging each Jew favorably, finding merit in him and finding his good points. With faith in the hidden good of every member of Israel, we can extricate him from the evil net in which he is trapped and bring him anew into the sanctity of Israel.

The Lekach V'halibuv quotes Rabbeinu Tzadok who says that our primary work during the period of the Footsteps of the Mashiach is that of the Tribe of Dan, to extricate the pure from the impure. That is, the charge of the hour, and especially now in Tevet, is to bring Jews closer, and thereby help our entire nation overcome our enemies, the descendants of Esav – just as Hushim, the son of Dan, killed Esav [when he sought to be buried in the Machpelah Cave]. So too, if we grasp on to this power of Dan, the result will be Mashiach ben David, for as is written, the letters of Hushim are the same as the letters of Mashiach.

During these Shovavim days, every Jew is concerned for his eyes and heart – eyes that saw what they should not have seen, a heart that had sinful thoughts – and wants to correct what he can during this opportune period. By paying attention to and seeing Israel's distress, by taking care to help and correct others, by bringing those who feel rejected back to Judaism, by extricating them from their tribulations, whether via helping them physically or giving them money or praying for them - this is how we correct our own eyes and heart, and all of Israel as well.

Emuna: A Holocaust Kaddish for All

by Rav Ehud Achituv, Rabbi of Bnei Dekalim, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Today, the Tenth of Tevet, is one of the five minor fast days instituted by the Sages of old, and it has received extra significance in modern times.

On this day some 2,500 years ago, shortly before the destruction of the First Holy Temple, the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem began. As the Prophet Yechezkel wrote (24,1-2): "G-d's word came to me in the ninth year [of King Tzidkiyah's reign], in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying: 'Son of man, write for yourself the name of the day, this very day; the king of Babylon has besieged Jerusalem on this very day.'"

The beginning of this siege that led to destruction and exile marks the start of the "hiding of G-d's countenance" from Israel. This is as the Talmud tells us (B'rachot 32b):

"From the day that the Temple was destroyed, an iron wall divided between Israel and their Father in Heaven, as G-d said to Yechezkel (2,4): 'Take for yourself an iron skillet and make it an iron wall between you and the city.'"

G-d continued to hide His countenance from us, in varying degrees, not only with the destruction of the First Temple, but even during the period of the Second Temple, to a certain extent – and of course very notably throughout all the tribulations of our long bitter national exile since then. The climax was reached during the devastating Shoah of the past century. The famous words of the Piaseczna Rebbe, R. Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Poland - who himself was murdered al Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying G-d's Name, during the Shoah -  speak for themselves regarding how historically catastrophic was this period. In one of his inspiring talks during the height of the horrific years of the Holocaust, he said:

"The unprecedented tribulations and terrible methods of death innovated by the evil murderers upon us, the House of Israel, from the end of 5642 (summer 1942) – according to my knowledge of the words of our Sages and of the general history of Israel, they have no precedent in the chronicles of Israel. May G-d have mercy upon us and save us from them in the blink of an eye."

So too did Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, Rosh Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, relate to the terrors of the Holocaust. It was his custom to recite the Av HaRachamim prayer, which was composed in memory of the victims of the Crusades, every single Shabbat, even on those when it is not customary to say it.

This is why the Chief Rabbinate instituted the 10^th Day of Tevet every year as the General Day of Kaddish, for the holy martyrs of the Shoah – because the "hiding of G-d's countenance" that began on this day reached its climax with the liquidation of a third of our nation by the accursed Nazis and their accomplices.

The Kaddish for All

It is commonly and mistakenly believed that the Day of General Kaddish is a memorial day only for those whose date of death in the Holocaust is unknown, so that they will have a day on which their relatives can say Kaddish and observe all mourning customs for them.

However, there is even more to the General Day of Kaddish. The Rabbinate's 10^th of Tevet regulation continues:

"This day is a memorial day for the myriads of families that were totally wiped out without a trace, leaving no survivors to say Kaddish for them. For these people, the entire House of Israel is their redeemer. Each person must therefore light, on the night of the 10^th of Tevet, a memorial candle in his home. In addition, one whose parents are not alive should take part in the recitation of Kaddish for all those families who have no one else to say Kaddish for them."

In this spirit also wrote one of the members of the Chief Rabbinate Council in those days, Rabbi Mordechai Fogelman, Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Motzkin, north of Haifa. He wrote in his work of responsa: "The 10^th of Tevet was declared by the Chief Rabbinate to be a date for reciting the General Kaddish. We say the Kaddish all together in the synagogues in memory of the millions of brothers and sisters who were killed and destroyed in the Holocaust years of the European exile."

Similar sentiments were expressed by Rav Katriel Fishel Tchurash, another member of the Chief Rabbinate Council at the time. He wrote: "It is clear that even one who does not have relatives who were killed in the Holocaust, but is only an observer taking part in the communal sorrow, should try to do something on behalf of the victims' souls and say Kaddish for them."

The Vizhnizer Rebbe agreed, saying that on this day, "the entire congregation recites the Mourner's Kaddish."

For this reason, the current Chief Rabbi of the city of Ramat Gan wrote to arouse the public: "We must try and try again to have the public not forget that which the Amalek of our generation did to us. Everyone should say Kaddish on this day… and at least those whose parents are not alive should derive a kal vachomer [an a-fortiori argument] for themselves and join in as well for the communal Kaddish."

May it be G-d's will that we merit to see the fulfillment of the Prophet's words: "The fast of the fourth and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the tenth [month, Asarah B'Tevet] will be for the House of Judah rejoicing and happiness, and may you [plural] love truth and peace" (Zechariah 8,19).

Vayechi: Oh, to be Blessed Like Joseph's Sons

by Rav Dov Lior, former Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Arba and Hevron, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

This week's Torah portion of Vayechi (beginning in B'reshit 47,28, ending at the end of Chapter 50 and the end of B'reshit) begins by telling us that the Patriarch Yaakov lived for 17 years in Egypt, until his death at age 147. These 17 years for Yaakov were, for a change, devoid of problems; they were truly a fulfillment of "Vayechi," he lived. As opposed to his earlier years, when he faced the difficult tribulations of Esav's designs to kill him, Lavan's deceptions, and 22 sad years of mourning in vain for Yosef, his beloved son whom he thought was dead – his final years in Egypt provided him with solace, serenity, and joy. He was able to dedicate himself to teaching Torah to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and preparing them to face the challenges of survival as loyal Jews in the darkness of exile.

This is why Yaakov blessed Yosef's sons and said that in the future, all of Israel will bless their sons to be like them: "May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menashe." What was so special about Ephraim and Menashe? The answer is that they grew up in an idol-worshiping culture in the royal Egyptian palace and environs, and yet remained loyal to the Torah education they received from Yosef and Yaakov. Yaakov's blessing was that all his future descendants should be like those two boys in their steadfast loyalty to Torah values – even if they happen to find themselves far away from their parents' home and values.

Yaakov Avinu also saw far ahead in terms of the Land of Israel. He made sure to have Yosef vow that he would bury him in Eretz Yisrael, and not in Egypt – thus emphasizing to future generations their deep connections with the Land. If he would have been buried in Egypt, his great-grandchildren would be liable to say, "Our own ancestor Yaakov is buried here, we might as well remain here as well." He wanted all his descendants to know that Egypt can never take the place of Eretz Yisrael as their home.

Today, there are still Jews who leave the Holy Land in order to visit and pray at the graves of righteous rabbis. The great Rav Kook wrote (in Mishpat Cohen 177) that such journeys should be avoided, because although they have importance – as we learned from Calev ben Yefuneh, who stopped at the Machpelah Cave on his way to take part in Moshe Rabbeinu's mission to scout out the Land of Israel for the Israelites – this still cannot justify violating the prohibition against leaving the Land of Israel. This is especially true given the fact that there are plenty of righteous people buried in Eretz Yisrael, to whose gravesites one may go to pray.[1]

This is also why Yosef had his brothers swear to him that, when they are one day redeemed from Egypt and return to the Holy Land, they would take his remains with them to be buried there: Yosef wished to enforce the bonds between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel.[2]

We live in a period when, for some of our fellow Jews, the topics of the Redemption of the Land and settling the Land do not carry great weight. It is therefore incumbent upon us to develop and encourage love for our holy Land, and to do whatever we can in order to settle it and make the desert bloom. It goes without saying, of course, that we must certainly seek to ensure that no part of the Land is given over to the terrorists. And in this merit, we will be privileged to see the Redemption of our nation and our entire Land, speedily in our days.

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[1] Translator's note: It is told of R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (d. 1995) that when he was asked about visiting the graves of tzaddikim outside the Land, he said, "Why leave the Holy Land? You have plenty of tzaddikim buried right here in Jerusalem – on Mt. Herzl" [a reference to the soldiers killed in Israel's wars and buried in the military cemetery there]!

[2] Translator's note: The commentators discuss and explain why Yosef asked to have his "bones" brought for burial in the Holy Land, but did not ask to be buried in Eretz Yisrael immediately upon his death.