* TORAH WEEKLY * Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion and Haftorah. Plus Ani Ma'amin - The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith. Parshas Shmini (Parshas Parah) For the week ending 23 Adar Sheini 5755 24 & 25 March 1995 =========================================================================== This issue is dedicated in memory of Mrs. Betty Greitzer O.B.M. =========================================================================== Summary On the eighth day of the dedication of the Mishkan, Aaron, his sons, and the entire nation bring various korbanos as commanded by Moshe. Aaron and Moshe bless the nation. Hashem allows the Jewish People to sense His Presence after they complete the Mishkan and draw closer to Him through their Mitzvos there. Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu, innovate an original offering that was not commanded by Hashem. A fire comes out from before Hashem and consumes them, stressing the need to perform the commandments only as Moshe directs. Moshe consoles Aaron, who grieves in silence. Moshe directs the Kohanim as to their behavior during the mourning period, and warns them that they must not drink intoxicating beverages before serving in the Mishkan. The Torah lists the two characteristics of a kosher animal: It has split hooves, and it chews, regurgitates, and re- chews its food. The Torah specifies by name those non-kosher animals which have only one of these two signs. A kosher fish has fins and easily removable scales. All birds not included in the list of forbidden families are permitted. The Torah forbids all types of insects except for four species of locusts. Details are given of the purification process after coming in contact with ritually impure species. The Bnei Yisrael are commanded to be separate, and holy -- like Hashem. =========================================================================== Commentaries "And Moshe said `This is the thing that Hashem has commanded you to do; then the glory of Hashem will appear to you'" (9:6). The higher a person reaches on the ladder of spiritual achievement, the more exactingly he is judged. Even something that would not be considered a transgression in a person of lesser standing, may be unacceptable in him. One Rosh Hashana, Rav Naftali m'Ropshchitz was staying with the Seer of Lublin. Rav Naftali was walking to the river to perform the custom of Tashlich (the symbolic casting of sins into a stream or the sea). On the way, he saw the Seer coming back from Tashlich. The Seer asked Rav Naftali "Where are you going?" He answered "I'm going to retrieve that which you have discarded"... What are considered sins to you, are like mitzvos to me! (Mayana Shel Torah) "...And they [Nadav and Avihu] brought before Hashem a strange fire that He had not commanded them..." (10:1). The Torah is the instruction manual of the world written by the Maker of the world. No one knows better how to operate a machine than its maker. Imagine someone buying a new car. The salesman says to the proud new owner "Oh yes sir. One more thing -- your instruction manual..." The driver says "Oh I don't need that -- I instinctively feel what the tire pressures should be, and I have a sixth sense when the car needs a major service. I know intuitively what octane fuel the car needs..." Few people when faced with operating something as precise and unforgiving as a car would leave these sorts of decisions to instinct and feeling. Life is no less demanding nor complex than a car -- rather more so! And yet many people are happy to coast along blithely assuming that they are not putting water in their spiritual gas tank or brake fluid in their spiritual crankcase! We live in an era where people are more interested in feeling spiritual than in being spiritual: Where the instant gratification of a spiritual "high" and "mail-order Kaballa" masquerades as an authentic relationship with the Creator. That is what the Torah is warning us against in the incident of Nadav and Avihu. The "strange fire" may feel spiritual, but it cannot connect with the Source. And the reason it cannot connect is the seemingly redundant phrase "which He had not commanded them." If it was a strange fire, then by definition it was not commanded by Hashem. Rather, the reason it was strange is because it was not commanded. Only when we do Hashem's will, do we bring ourselves close to Him. "Every [animal] that has a split hoof, which is completely separated into double hooves, and that brings up its cud -- that one you may eat" (11:3). These two aspects of a kosher land animal are not a means of identifying them as being kosher, rather they are the cause of them being kosher. In other words, having split hooves and regurgitating its cud are what make the animal kosher. The Torah specifically tells us that one of these aspects without the other renders the animal as unkosher as if it had neither. The split hoof represents the outward behavior of man towards his fellow man, and the chewing of the cud, the inward relationship between Man and G-d. If a person behaves in a kosher way only with his fellow man or only with Hashem, he is, nevertheless, treif. (Heard from Rabbi Avraham Pam) =========================================================================== Haftorah: Yechezkel 36:16-38 The Torah reading for Parshas Parah deals with the method by which someone who has been in contact with a dead body can purify himself from the spiritual impurity that this causes. The Haftorah follows this theme. The freedom to choose in moral decisions is the first and essential condition for living one's life on the higher plane demanded by the Torah. However, the belief in man's freedom of action is endangered by the fact that man cannot avoid death; that he seems to be restricted by the superficial limitations imposed by nature. The belief in freedom of choice is particularly shaken by the sight of a dead human being. If the whole human being has succumbed to death; overpowered by physical forces, then there is no room for the moral "you shall" next to the physical "you must". Moral freedom of will would then be an illusion. But Hashem promises us that just as the Parah Adumah (the Red Heifer) removes from us the spiritual impurity of doubt and uncertainty caused by contact with a dead person, so He will purify us after we have been in exile in foreign lands where our faith has been shaken by contact with dead ideals and empty philosophies. "And I shall sprinkle pure water on you, that you be cleansed. From all your contamination and from all you impurity I will cleanse you" (36:25). (Based on Rabbi S. R. Hirsch) =========================================================================== Ani Ma'amin The Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith Principle #12: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Mashiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." "Shall I cause the pangs of birth and not bring about birth?" Yishayahu 66:9 Reflection on this passage should strengthen a Jew's trust in Hashem during his time of trouble and prevent him from falling into despair. For he will then realize that it was the hand of Hashem which brought about his trouble and he must therefore be confident that Hashem will certainly release him from it. This is what the above passage stresses with the words "I cause the pangs" -- that it is Hashem Himself Who causes the pangs of birth and it therefore follows that He has the power to bring about birth as well. Chazal explain (Bava Kama 60b) that Hashem has pledged to compensate us for the damage He caused with fire. He set the Beis Hamikdash on fire and He will rebuild it with fire. If we feel that we have reached a point where our birth pangs have become so intense, we must certainly have faith that Hashem will redeem us and relieve us of our suffering very soon. Chafetz Chaim, Likutei Amarim, Perek 11 =========================================================================== Parsha Schedule: Due to the Pesach Holiday, Torah Weekly will temporarily cease publication. The Paper and Fax versions in Israel will stop with this issue, and resume with Parshas Behar on May 13th. The Internet version pauses temporarily for the two Shabbats during Pesach*, and then continues with Parshas Acharei Mos, available after the last day of Pesach. *Note: Since the 8th day of Pesach outside of Eretz Yisrael is on Shabbos, the Torah readings for a number of weeks will be "out of synch" with those in Eretz Yisrael. Ohr Somaych plans to produce a Paper and Fax version that is appropriate for Eretz Yisrael, and an Internet version appropriate for Chutz L'Aretz. This discrepancy will continue until Parshas Masei on July 29th. =========================================================================== Mazel Tov! The entire Ohr Somayach Internet Staff wishes Mazel Tov to its Production Designer Lev Seltzer on the occasion of his marriage to Ella Sheldon! We look forward to his "return" when we "return" to publication after the Pesach Holiday hiatus. =========================================================================== ** Spend This Coming Summer Break In Israel For As Little As $599 ** ** (including airfare from New York) ** =========================================================================== JLE Israel Summer Seminar '95 7 weeks of study and touring, optional Ulpan, and structured encounters with Israeli Dignitaries Departure June 14th Optional free week August 8th through August 14th For Jewish men between the ages of 19 & 30 with demonstrated academic achievement and a sincere motivation to explore their roots Minimum scholarship price: $599 Covers round trip ticket, room, board, tuition and tours Undergraduates attending college anywhere in North America who PERMANENTLY reside in New York City (the 5 boroughs), Long Island (Nassau & Suffolk counties) or Westchester County -- as well as undergraduates attending college in any of these areas although permanently residing elsewhere -- may qualify for additional scholarship monies. For information: o send E-Mail to Rabbi Zalman Corlin: RZCorlin@aol.com o In the U.S. call toll-free 800-431-2272 / 212-213-3100 o Outside of N. America, send E-Mail to: newman@jerusalem1.datasrv.co.il =========================================================================== SUBSCRIBE! to one of the many weekly "lists" published by Ohr Somayach Institutions: weekly - Summary of the weekly Torah portion dafyomi - Rav Mendel Weinbach's insights into the Daf Yomi ask - The Rabbi answers YOUR questions on Judaism parasha-qa - Challenging questions on the weekly Torah portion os-special - All the SPECIAL publications produced by Ohr Somayach os-alum - "B'Yachad" - the Ohr Somayach Electronic Alumni Newsletter There is NEVER a charge for any of the above lists (though your local information provider, such as AOL, Prodigy or CompuServe, might charge a nominal fee). To subscribe to any of these lists, send the message: subscribe {listname} {your full name} to: listserv@jerusalem1.datasrv.co.il =========================================================================== Dedication opportunities are available for Torah Weekly Please contact us for details. =========================================================================== Jewish L EEEEEEEE Prepared by Ohr Somayach Institutions J L E 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103 J L Exchange Jerusalem 91180, Israel J J L E Tel: 02-810315 Fax: 02-812890 JJJJ Learning EEEEEEEE Internet: newman@jerusalem1.datasrv.co.il =========================================================================== Written and Compiled by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman Production Design: Lev Seltzer =========================================================================== (C) 1995 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved. This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample of an issue.