The following two samples lead me to ask: Is it necessary to communicate like this in Yeshivish? Are these people getting their point across?
Sample 1: A Torah Discussion from Shema Yisrael Discussion Forums
1) If a drop of milk falls onto a kli, it is a sofek how far it will spread. 2) A sofek Rabim is a sofek to the whole generation, a sofek yachid is where there are some people who are knolagable about the sofek. 3) We are meikil in a sofek rabim in that it can be combined with a second sofek to make a sofek s'feka thereby permitting something which may have otherwise been forbidden. 4) We are machmir in a sofek yachid because the facts are knowable; we simply haven't ascertained them. 5) We need 60 times 61 minus a bit to mevatel the drop (and not just 60 times 60) because 1. The drop spreads in the wall to osser (a little less than) 60 times itself. That plus the drop make a little less than 61. 2. This 61 ossurs 60 times itself. 3. Thus we need 60 times (a little less than) 61 to mevatel the drop. 6) Because of the sofek yachid, we have to be choshesh for the worst-case scenario when a drop of milk falls onto a meat pot. Thus when the drop falls on the raikan we assume the drop spreads up to 60 times itself in the raikan area -- thereby making the largest issur of ChaNaN in the kli.
Sample 2: The Gettysburg Address in YESHIVISH TRANSLATION:
Be'erech a yoivel and a half ago, the meyasdim shtelled avek on this makom a naiya malchus with thekavana that no one should have bailus over their chaver, and on this yesoid that everyone has the zelba zchusim. We're holding by a geferliche machloikes being machria if this medina, or an andere medina made in the same oifen and with the same machshovos, can have a kiyum. We are all mitztaref on the daled amos where a chalois of that machloikes happened in order to be mechabed the soldiers who dinged zich with each other. We are here to be koiveia chotsh a chelek of that karka as a kever for the bekavodike soldiers who were moiser nefesh and were niftar to give a chiyus to our nation. Yashrus is mechayev us to do this... Lemaise, hagam the velt won't be goires or machshiv what we speak out here, it's zicher not shayach for them to forget what they tued uf here. We are mechuyav to be meshabed ourselves to the melocha in which these soldiers made a haschala--that vibalt they were moiser nefesh for this eisek, we must be mamash torud in it--that we are all mekabel on ourselves to be moisif on their peula so that their maisim should not be a bracha levatulla-- that Hashem should give the gantze oilam a naiya bren for cheirus-- that a nation that shtams by the oilam, by the oilam, by the oilam, will blaib fest ahd oilam.
Weiser, Chaim M. 1995. The First Dictionary of Yeshivish. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, P. xxxiii.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Rambam on Divine Attributes in Prayer: The Limits of Human Power
One should also not add to the enumeration of Hashem’s attributes in the Shemoneh Esreh and say: ha’el ha’gadol ha’gibor v’ha’nora he’chazak v’ha’amitz v’ha’izuz, the great, mighty and awesome God, strong, brave and powerful. It is beyond human ability to fully praise God, except to say what Moshe said. (Tefillah 9:7)
This Rambam follows the Gemara:
A certain [reader] went down in the presence of R. Hanina and said, O God, the great, mighty, terrible, majestic, powerful, awful, strong, fearless, sure and honored. He waited till he had finished, and when he had finished he said to him, Have you concluded all the praise of your Master? Why do we want all this? Even with these three that we do say, had not Moses our Master mentioned them in the Law (Devarim 10:17) and had not the Men of the Great Synagogue come and inserted them in the Tefillah, we should not have been able to mention them, and you say all these and still go on! It is as if an earthly king had a million denarii of gold, and someone praised him as possessing silver ones. Would it not be an insult to him? (Berakhos 33b)
The Rambam explains this mashal in Moreh Nevukhim:
Consider, first, how repulsive and annoying the accumulation of all these positive attributes was to him; next, how he showed that, if we had only to follow our reason, we should never' have composed these prayers, and we should not have uttered any of them. It has, however, become necessary to address men in words that should leave some idea in their minds, and, in accordance with the saying of our Sages," The Torah speaks in the language of men," the Creator has been described to us in terms of our own perfections; but we should not on that account have uttered any other than the three above-mentioned attributes, and we should not have used them as names of God except when meeting with them in reading the Law. Subsequently, the men of the Great Synagogue, who were prophets, introduced these expressions also into the prayer, but we should not on that account use [in our prayers] any other attributes of God. The principal lesson to be derived from this passage is that there are two reasons for our employing those phrases in our prayers : first, they occur in the Pentateuch; secondly, the Prophets introduced them into the prayer. Were it not for the first reason, we should never have uttered them; and were it not for the second reason, we should not have copied them from the Pentateuch to recite them in our prayers: how then could we approve of the use of those numerous attributes! You also learn from this that we ought not to mention and employ ill our prayers all the attributes we find applied to God in the books of the Prophetq: for he does not say," Were it not that Moses, our Teacher, said them, we should not have been able to use them": but he adds another condition-" and had not the men of the Great Synagogue come forward and established their use in the prayer," because only for that reason are we allowed to use them in our prayers. We cannot approve of what those foolish persons do who are extravagant in praise, fluent and prolix in the prayers they compose, and in the hymns they make in the desire to approach the Creator. They describe God in attributes which would be an offence if applied to a human being; for those persons have no knowledge of these great and important principles, which are not accessible to the ordinary intelligence of man. Treating the Creator as a familiar object, they describe Him and speak of Him in any expressions they think proper; they eloquently continue to praise Him in that manner, and believe that they can thereby influence Him and produce an effect on Him. If they find some phrase suited to their object in the words of the Prophets they are still more inclined to consider that they are free to make use of such texts-which should at least be explained-to employ them in their literal sense, to derive new expressions from them, to form from them numerous variations, and to found whole compositions on them. This license is frequently met with in the compositions of the singers, preachers, and others who imagine themselves to be able to compose a poem. Such authors write things which partly are real heresy, partly contain such folly and absurdity that they naturally cause those who hear them to laugh, but also to feel grieved at the thought that such things can be uttered in reference to God. Were it not that 1 pitied the authors for their defects. And did not wish to injure them, I should have cited some passages to show you their mistakes; besides, the fault of their compositions is obvious to all intelligent persons. You must consider it, and think thus : If slander and libel is a great sin, how much greater is the sin of those who speak with looseness of tongue in reference to God, and describe Him by attributes which are far below Him; and I declare that they not only commit an ordinary sin, but unconsciously at least incur the guilt of profanity and blasphemy. This applies both to the multitude that listens to such prayers, and to the foolish man that recites them. Men, however, who understand the fault of such compositions, and, nevertheless, recite them, may be classed, according to my opinion, among those to whom the following words are applied:" And the children of Israel used words that were not right against the Lord their God" (2 Kings xvii. 9): and" utter error against the Lord" (Isa. =ii. 6). If you are of those who regard the honour of their Creator, do not listen in any way to them, much less utter what they say, and still less compose such prayers. knowing how great is the offence of one who hurls aspersions against the Supreme Being. There is no necessity at all for you to use positive attributes of God with the view of magnifying Him in your thoughts, or to go beyond the limits which the men of the Great Synagogue have introduced in the prayers and in the blessings, for this is sufficient for all purposes, and even more than Sufficient, as Rabbi Haninah said. Other attributes, such as occur in the books of the Prophets, may be uttered when we meet with them in reading those books; but we must bear in mind what has already been explained, that they are
either attributes of God's actions, or expressions implying the negation of the opposite. This likewise should not be divulged to the multitude; but a reflection of this kind is fitted for the few only who believe that the glorification of God does not consist in uttering that which is not to be uttered, but in reflecting on that on which man should reflect.
We Will now conclude our exposition of the wise words of R. Haninah. He does not employ any such simile as:" A king who possesses millions of gold denarii, and is praised as having hundreds" : for this would imply that God's perfections, although more perfect than those ascribed to man are still of the same kind: but this is not the case, as has been proved. The excellence of the simile consists in the words: who possesses golden denarii, and is praised as having silver denarii" this implies that these attributes, though perfections as regards ourselves, are not such as regards God; in reference to Him they would all be defects, as is distinctly suggested in the remark," Is this not an offence to Him ?" '
(Moreh I,59)
I always suspected that there is also anti-Islamic polemic here because the Muslims list a hundred attributes of God.
This Rambam follows the Gemara:
A certain [reader] went down in the presence of R. Hanina and said, O God, the great, mighty, terrible, majestic, powerful, awful, strong, fearless, sure and honored. He waited till he had finished, and when he had finished he said to him, Have you concluded all the praise of your Master? Why do we want all this? Even with these three that we do say, had not Moses our Master mentioned them in the Law (Devarim 10:17) and had not the Men of the Great Synagogue come and inserted them in the Tefillah, we should not have been able to mention them, and you say all these and still go on! It is as if an earthly king had a million denarii of gold, and someone praised him as possessing silver ones. Would it not be an insult to him? (Berakhos 33b)
The Rambam explains this mashal in Moreh Nevukhim:
Consider, first, how repulsive and annoying the accumulation of all these positive attributes was to him; next, how he showed that, if we had only to follow our reason, we should never' have composed these prayers, and we should not have uttered any of them. It has, however, become necessary to address men in words that should leave some idea in their minds, and, in accordance with the saying of our Sages," The Torah speaks in the language of men," the Creator has been described to us in terms of our own perfections; but we should not on that account have uttered any other than the three above-mentioned attributes, and we should not have used them as names of God except when meeting with them in reading the Law. Subsequently, the men of the Great Synagogue, who were prophets, introduced these expressions also into the prayer, but we should not on that account use [in our prayers] any other attributes of God. The principal lesson to be derived from this passage is that there are two reasons for our employing those phrases in our prayers : first, they occur in the Pentateuch; secondly, the Prophets introduced them into the prayer. Were it not for the first reason, we should never have uttered them; and were it not for the second reason, we should not have copied them from the Pentateuch to recite them in our prayers: how then could we approve of the use of those numerous attributes! You also learn from this that we ought not to mention and employ ill our prayers all the attributes we find applied to God in the books of the Prophetq: for he does not say," Were it not that Moses, our Teacher, said them, we should not have been able to use them": but he adds another condition-" and had not the men of the Great Synagogue come forward and established their use in the prayer," because only for that reason are we allowed to use them in our prayers. We cannot approve of what those foolish persons do who are extravagant in praise, fluent and prolix in the prayers they compose, and in the hymns they make in the desire to approach the Creator. They describe God in attributes which would be an offence if applied to a human being; for those persons have no knowledge of these great and important principles, which are not accessible to the ordinary intelligence of man. Treating the Creator as a familiar object, they describe Him and speak of Him in any expressions they think proper; they eloquently continue to praise Him in that manner, and believe that they can thereby influence Him and produce an effect on Him. If they find some phrase suited to their object in the words of the Prophets they are still more inclined to consider that they are free to make use of such texts-which should at least be explained-to employ them in their literal sense, to derive new expressions from them, to form from them numerous variations, and to found whole compositions on them. This license is frequently met with in the compositions of the singers, preachers, and others who imagine themselves to be able to compose a poem. Such authors write things which partly are real heresy, partly contain such folly and absurdity that they naturally cause those who hear them to laugh, but also to feel grieved at the thought that such things can be uttered in reference to God. Were it not that 1 pitied the authors for their defects. And did not wish to injure them, I should have cited some passages to show you their mistakes; besides, the fault of their compositions is obvious to all intelligent persons. You must consider it, and think thus : If slander and libel is a great sin, how much greater is the sin of those who speak with looseness of tongue in reference to God, and describe Him by attributes which are far below Him; and I declare that they not only commit an ordinary sin, but unconsciously at least incur the guilt of profanity and blasphemy. This applies both to the multitude that listens to such prayers, and to the foolish man that recites them. Men, however, who understand the fault of such compositions, and, nevertheless, recite them, may be classed, according to my opinion, among those to whom the following words are applied:" And the children of Israel used words that were not right against the Lord their God" (2 Kings xvii. 9): and" utter error against the Lord" (Isa. =ii. 6). If you are of those who regard the honour of their Creator, do not listen in any way to them, much less utter what they say, and still less compose such prayers. knowing how great is the offence of one who hurls aspersions against the Supreme Being. There is no necessity at all for you to use positive attributes of God with the view of magnifying Him in your thoughts, or to go beyond the limits which the men of the Great Synagogue have introduced in the prayers and in the blessings, for this is sufficient for all purposes, and even more than Sufficient, as Rabbi Haninah said. Other attributes, such as occur in the books of the Prophets, may be uttered when we meet with them in reading those books; but we must bear in mind what has already been explained, that they are
either attributes of God's actions, or expressions implying the negation of the opposite. This likewise should not be divulged to the multitude; but a reflection of this kind is fitted for the few only who believe that the glorification of God does not consist in uttering that which is not to be uttered, but in reflecting on that on which man should reflect.
We Will now conclude our exposition of the wise words of R. Haninah. He does not employ any such simile as:" A king who possesses millions of gold denarii, and is praised as having hundreds" : for this would imply that God's perfections, although more perfect than those ascribed to man are still of the same kind: but this is not the case, as has been proved. The excellence of the simile consists in the words: who possesses golden denarii, and is praised as having silver denarii" this implies that these attributes, though perfections as regards ourselves, are not such as regards God; in reference to Him they would all be defects, as is distinctly suggested in the remark," Is this not an offence to Him ?" '
(Moreh I,59)
I always suspected that there is also anti-Islamic polemic here because the Muslims list a hundred attributes of God.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Rambam on Yiddish, Yeshivish and Other Jewish Languages
When the Jewish people were exiled in the days of wicked Nevuchadnezzar, they mixed with Persians, Greeks and other nationalities. Children were born to them in foreign lands. The language of these children was confused, a mixture of many languages. They were unable to express themselves adequately and accurately in any one language, as it is written: “Their children spoke half in the tongue of Ashdod; they could not speak Hebrew, nor any foreign tongue” (Nechemiah 13:24). When anyone of them prayed, his Hebrew vocabulary was too limited to express his needs or to praise God without mixing Hebrew with other languages. When Ezra and his Beis Din took notice of this they instituted the Shemonah Esreh in their present order: the first contain praise to God; the last three thanksgiving; the intermediate blessings contain petitions for the most essential needs of the individual and the community. They were to be set on everyone’s lips and learned… (Tefillah 1:4).
The development of Jewish languages as a result of galus is a very interesting topic that sheds light on different levels of assimilation and acculturation in various places at different times.
The Gemara in Jewish Aramaic is probably the best example of a Jewish language that comes close to Hebrew in lasting importance for all time.
Judeo-Arabic probably comes next in holiness because of the many classic works of the Geonim and Rishonim that were written by R. Saadia Gaon, and classics like Chovos ha’Levavos, Kuzari, Moreh Nevukhim and Rambam’s Commentary on the Mishnah, Sefer ha’Mitzvos and many Teshuvos and letters.
Ladino was used to write Me’am Lo’ez. Yiddish, on the other hand, was not used as the language for any classic seforim.
What distinguishes all of these Jewish languages from Yeshivish is the fact that they were all written in Hebrew letters. Until modern times -- and the level of acculturation to non-Jewish culture that came with it -- Jews did not think of writing in a goyish alphabet. Other alphabets were foreign to them and not for Jews even when they used the vernacular of the country in which they lived for speech. This tells something about the acculturated nature of Yeshivish that I think many would like to ignore or deny.
The Rambam’s remarks are a sad commentary on our times: “The language of these children is confused, a mixture of many languages. They are unable to express themselves adequately and accurately in any one language.”
In ancient times this produced something positive: The Shemonah Esreh. In modern times we have yet to see what hasgacha pratis will bring about that is positive from the current cultural environment.
The development of Jewish languages as a result of galus is a very interesting topic that sheds light on different levels of assimilation and acculturation in various places at different times.
The Gemara in Jewish Aramaic is probably the best example of a Jewish language that comes close to Hebrew in lasting importance for all time.
Judeo-Arabic probably comes next in holiness because of the many classic works of the Geonim and Rishonim that were written by R. Saadia Gaon, and classics like Chovos ha’Levavos, Kuzari, Moreh Nevukhim and Rambam’s Commentary on the Mishnah, Sefer ha’Mitzvos and many Teshuvos and letters.
Ladino was used to write Me’am Lo’ez. Yiddish, on the other hand, was not used as the language for any classic seforim.
What distinguishes all of these Jewish languages from Yeshivish is the fact that they were all written in Hebrew letters. Until modern times -- and the level of acculturation to non-Jewish culture that came with it -- Jews did not think of writing in a goyish alphabet. Other alphabets were foreign to them and not for Jews even when they used the vernacular of the country in which they lived for speech. This tells something about the acculturated nature of Yeshivish that I think many would like to ignore or deny.
The Rambam’s remarks are a sad commentary on our times: “The language of these children is confused, a mixture of many languages. They are unable to express themselves adequately and accurately in any one language.”
In ancient times this produced something positive: The Shemonah Esreh. In modern times we have yet to see what hasgacha pratis will bring about that is positive from the current cultural environment.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav: Is There a Connection Between Shofar and Sukkah v’Lulav?
The Rambam’s Mishneh Torah is divided into fourteen books according to subjects or classes of laws. For example, the laws of Shabbos and the annual holidays that fall in different seasons and times of the year are in Sefer Zemanim, the Book of Seasons. Each book is further divided into sections of halakhos. In the case of Sefer Zemanim, those sections are Hilkhos Shabbos, Hilkhos Eruvin, Hilkhos Hamez u-Mazah, Hilkhos Shofar Sukkah v'Lulav, etc.
Why did the Rambam combine the laws of Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav into one set of halakhos?
Shofar is a mitzvah on Rosh Hashanah and ostensibly has no connection to yetzias mitzrayim. Sukkah is connected to yetzias mitzrayim and the agricultural aspect of the shalosh regalim as the chag ha’asif, the harvest festival. Lulav is perfomed on Sukkos and hence fits with Sukkos. But what is the connection between Shofar, on one hand, and Sukkah and Lulav, on the other hand?
Discussions in my Sukkah came up with the following answers:
1. There is no connection, but, the Rambam preferred to group them together rather than leave them as singletons
2. They are connected by the fact that they are mitzvos aseh, positive commandments, that occur in Tishrei
3. There are eight chapters in Hilkhos Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav corresponding to the eight days of Sukkos when Shmini Atzeres is included. The Rambam discusses the simcha shel ahava component of Shmini Atzeres in the eighth chapter of Hilkhos Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav
Rav Dovid Cohen says the connection is the celebration of success on Sukkos with Lulav on being forgiven during the y’mei ha’din of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This is based on the Midrash Tehilllim 17.
Why did the Rambam combine the laws of Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav into one set of halakhos?
Shofar is a mitzvah on Rosh Hashanah and ostensibly has no connection to yetzias mitzrayim. Sukkah is connected to yetzias mitzrayim and the agricultural aspect of the shalosh regalim as the chag ha’asif, the harvest festival. Lulav is perfomed on Sukkos and hence fits with Sukkos. But what is the connection between Shofar, on one hand, and Sukkah and Lulav, on the other hand?
Discussions in my Sukkah came up with the following answers:
1. There is no connection, but, the Rambam preferred to group them together rather than leave them as singletons
2. They are connected by the fact that they are mitzvos aseh, positive commandments, that occur in Tishrei
3. There are eight chapters in Hilkhos Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav corresponding to the eight days of Sukkos when Shmini Atzeres is included. The Rambam discusses the simcha shel ahava component of Shmini Atzeres in the eighth chapter of Hilkhos Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav
Rav Dovid Cohen says the connection is the celebration of success on Sukkos with Lulav on being forgiven during the y’mei ha’din of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This is based on the Midrash Tehilllim 17.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Yom Kippur: Why is it Called God’s Name Day
Yom Kippur is sometimes called Gottes Namen, God’s Name, Day. Some of the reasons offered for this name are:
1 -The Kohen Gadol pronounced the shem ha-meforash as part of the avodah
2 - We conclude with yichud Hashem reciting Hashem hu ha’Elokim, seven times.
Rav Dovid Cohen offered another explanation. The Ramban says the Bnei Yisrael lost knowledge of the Names, shemos, of Hashem at the chet ha-‘egel, the sin of the Golden Calf. At mattan Torah God provided them with weapons i.e. shemos to protect themselves against pestilence and the angel of death. Death would have been conquered as in the time of Adam before he sinned in the Garden of Eden when there was no death.
Va’yis’natzlu v’nei Yisrael es ‘ed’yam mei’har choreiv.
And the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb (Shemos 33:6)
The Ramban on this pasuk is based on the Midrash:
R. Simeon b. Yohai said: [They stripped themselves of] the belts with which He had girded them (Shemos Rabbah 45:2).
BEHOLD, I SEND AN ANGEL BEFORE THEE (XXIII, 20). Thus it is written, I said: Ye are godlike beings (Ps. LXXXII, 6). Had Israel waited for Moses and not perpetrated that act, there would have been no exile, neither would the Angel of Death have had any power over them. And thus it says, And the writing was the writing of God, graven (haruth) upon the tables (Ex. XXXII, 16). What is the meaning of ’haruth’? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah each explained it. R. Judah says: Free (heruth) from captivity; and R. Nehemiah says: Free from the Angel of Death. When Israel exclaimed: ’All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and hearken’ (ib. XXIV, 7), the Holy One, blessed be He, said: ' If I gave but one commandment to Adam, that he might fulfill it, and I made him equal to the ministering angels,- for it says, Behold, the man was as one of us (Gen. III, 22) --how much more so should those who practise and fulfill all the six hundred and thirteen commandments-not to mention their general principles, details, and minutiae-- be deserving of eternal life?’ This is the meaning of And from Mattanah to Nahaliel--nahalu (Num. XXI, 19)4; for they had inherited [through the Torah, given as a gift], from God eternal life. As soon, however, as they said, ’This is thy god, O Israel’ (Ex. XXXII, 4), death came upon them. God said: ‘You have followed the course of Adam who did not withstand his trials for more than three hours, and at nine hours death was decreed upon him. “ I said: Ye are godlike beings,” but since you have followed the footsteps of Adam, Nevertheless ye shall die like men. (Shemos Rabbah 32:1)
The Ramban says, that Yisrael accepted death upon themselves as punishment in repentance and remorse for their sin with the Golden Calf.
Yisrael’s voluntary acceptance of death by giving up the power of the shemos to protect them was part of their teshuvah. The second luchos given on Yom Kippur is a sign that their teshuvah was accepted. Hence, the connection to Yom Kippur and the shemos of Hashem on God’s Name Day – Gottes Namen.
1 -The Kohen Gadol pronounced the shem ha-meforash as part of the avodah
2 - We conclude with yichud Hashem reciting Hashem hu ha’Elokim, seven times.
Rav Dovid Cohen offered another explanation. The Ramban says the Bnei Yisrael lost knowledge of the Names, shemos, of Hashem at the chet ha-‘egel, the sin of the Golden Calf. At mattan Torah God provided them with weapons i.e. shemos to protect themselves against pestilence and the angel of death. Death would have been conquered as in the time of Adam before he sinned in the Garden of Eden when there was no death.
Va’yis’natzlu v’nei Yisrael es ‘ed’yam mei’har choreiv.
And the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb (Shemos 33:6)
The Ramban on this pasuk is based on the Midrash:
R. Simeon b. Yohai said: [They stripped themselves of] the belts with which He had girded them (Shemos Rabbah 45:2).
BEHOLD, I SEND AN ANGEL BEFORE THEE (XXIII, 20). Thus it is written, I said: Ye are godlike beings (Ps. LXXXII, 6). Had Israel waited for Moses and not perpetrated that act, there would have been no exile, neither would the Angel of Death have had any power over them. And thus it says, And the writing was the writing of God, graven (haruth) upon the tables (Ex. XXXII, 16). What is the meaning of ’haruth’? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah each explained it. R. Judah says: Free (heruth) from captivity; and R. Nehemiah says: Free from the Angel of Death. When Israel exclaimed: ’All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and hearken’ (ib. XXIV, 7), the Holy One, blessed be He, said: ' If I gave but one commandment to Adam, that he might fulfill it, and I made him equal to the ministering angels,- for it says, Behold, the man was as one of us (Gen. III, 22) --how much more so should those who practise and fulfill all the six hundred and thirteen commandments-not to mention their general principles, details, and minutiae-- be deserving of eternal life?’ This is the meaning of And from Mattanah to Nahaliel--nahalu (Num. XXI, 19)4; for they had inherited [through the Torah, given as a gift], from God eternal life. As soon, however, as they said, ’This is thy god, O Israel’ (Ex. XXXII, 4), death came upon them. God said: ‘You have followed the course of Adam who did not withstand his trials for more than three hours, and at nine hours death was decreed upon him. “ I said: Ye are godlike beings,” but since you have followed the footsteps of Adam, Nevertheless ye shall die like men. (Shemos Rabbah 32:1)
The Ramban says, that Yisrael accepted death upon themselves as punishment in repentance and remorse for their sin with the Golden Calf.
Yisrael’s voluntary acceptance of death by giving up the power of the shemos to protect them was part of their teshuvah. The second luchos given on Yom Kippur is a sign that their teshuvah was accepted. Hence, the connection to Yom Kippur and the shemos of Hashem on God’s Name Day – Gottes Namen.
Friday, September 29, 2006
The Butcher in Monsey: No One is Immune to the Yetzer Hara’
Rav Dovid Cohen pointed out that the incident of the butcher in Monsey is proof that no one is immune to the yetzer hara’. Rav Dovid noted that the first comment of the Rema in Shulchan ‘Arukh:
Shi’vi’si Hashem l’neg’di samid…
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Tehillim 16:8), is the first step to fend off the yetzer hara’.
The Rema follows with the elaboration of the Moreh Nevukhim which directs us to keep our mindset along the following lines as an antidote to the yetzer hara’:
WE do not sit, move, and occupy ourselves when we are alone and
at home, in the same manner as we do in the presence of a great
king; we speak and open our mouth as we please when we are with
the people of our own household and with our relatives, but not so
when we are in a royal assembly. If we therefore desire to attain
human perfection, and to be truly men of God, we must awake
from our sleep, and bear in mind that the great king that is over us,
and is always joined to us, is greater than any earthly king, greater
than David and Solomon. The king that cleaves to us and embraces
us is the Intellect that influences us, and forms the link between us
and God. We perceive God by means of that light that He sends
down unto us, wherefore the Psalmist says," In Thy light shall we
see light" (Ps. xxxvi. g): so God looks down upon us through that
same light, and is always with us beholding and watching us on
account of this light." Can any hide himself in secret places that I
shall not see him ?" (Jer. xxiii. 24). Note this particularly.
When the perfect bear this in mind, they will be filled with fear of
God, humility, and piety, with true, not apparent, reverence and
respect of God, in such a manner that their conduct, even when
alone with their wives or in the bath, will be as modest as they are
in public intercourse with other people. Thus it is related of our
renowned Sages that even in their sexual intercourse with their
wives they behaved with great modesty. They also said," Who is
modest ? He whose conduct in the dark night is the same as in the
day." You know also how much they warned us not to walk
proudly, since" the fulness of the whole earth is His glory" (Isa.
vi. 3). They thought that by these rules the above-mentioned idea
will be firmly established in the hearts of men, viz., that we are
always before God, and it is in the presence of His glory that we go
to and fro. The great men among our Sages would not uncover
their heads because they believed that God's glory was round them
and over them; for the same reason they spoke little. In our
Commentary on the Sayings of the Fathers (chap. i. 17) we have
fully explained how we have to restrict our speech. Comp." For
God is in heaven and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be
few" (Eccles. v. i).
What I have here pointed out to you is the object of all our
religious acts. For by [carrying out] all the details of the prescribed
practices, and repeating them continually, some few pious men
may attain human perfection. They will be filled with respect and
reverence towards God; and bearing in mind who is with them,
they will perform their duty. God declares in plain words that it is
the object of all religious acts to produce in man fear of God and
obedience to His word-the state of mind which we have
demonstrated in this chapter for those who desire to know the
truth, as being our duty to seek. Comp." If thou wilt not observe to
do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou
mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God"
(Dent. xrvffi. 58). Consider how clearly it is stated here that the
only object and aim of" all the words of this law" is to [make
man] fear" the glorious and fearful name?' That this end is
attained by certain acts we learn likewise from the phrase
employed in this verse:" If thou wilt not observe to do . . . that
thou mayest fear?' For this phrase clearly shows that fear of God is
inculcated [into our hearts] when we act in accordance with the
positive and the negative precepts. But the truths which the Law
teaches us-the knowledge of God's Existence and Unity create in us
love of God, as we have shown repeatedly. You know how
frequently the Law exhorts us to love God. Comp." And thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might 11 (Deut. vi. 5). The two objects, love and
fear of God, are acquired by two different means. The love is the
result of the truths taught in the Law, including the true knowledge
of the Existence of God; whilst fear of God is produced by the
practices prescribed in the Law. Note this explanation. (Moreh, III:52)
Shi’vi’si Hashem l’neg’di samid…
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Tehillim 16:8), is the first step to fend off the yetzer hara’.
The Rema follows with the elaboration of the Moreh Nevukhim which directs us to keep our mindset along the following lines as an antidote to the yetzer hara’:
WE do not sit, move, and occupy ourselves when we are alone and
at home, in the same manner as we do in the presence of a great
king; we speak and open our mouth as we please when we are with
the people of our own household and with our relatives, but not so
when we are in a royal assembly. If we therefore desire to attain
human perfection, and to be truly men of God, we must awake
from our sleep, and bear in mind that the great king that is over us,
and is always joined to us, is greater than any earthly king, greater
than David and Solomon. The king that cleaves to us and embraces
us is the Intellect that influences us, and forms the link between us
and God. We perceive God by means of that light that He sends
down unto us, wherefore the Psalmist says," In Thy light shall we
see light" (Ps. xxxvi. g): so God looks down upon us through that
same light, and is always with us beholding and watching us on
account of this light." Can any hide himself in secret places that I
shall not see him ?" (Jer. xxiii. 24). Note this particularly.
When the perfect bear this in mind, they will be filled with fear of
God, humility, and piety, with true, not apparent, reverence and
respect of God, in such a manner that their conduct, even when
alone with their wives or in the bath, will be as modest as they are
in public intercourse with other people. Thus it is related of our
renowned Sages that even in their sexual intercourse with their
wives they behaved with great modesty. They also said," Who is
modest ? He whose conduct in the dark night is the same as in the
day." You know also how much they warned us not to walk
proudly, since" the fulness of the whole earth is His glory" (Isa.
vi. 3). They thought that by these rules the above-mentioned idea
will be firmly established in the hearts of men, viz., that we are
always before God, and it is in the presence of His glory that we go
to and fro. The great men among our Sages would not uncover
their heads because they believed that God's glory was round them
and over them; for the same reason they spoke little. In our
Commentary on the Sayings of the Fathers (chap. i. 17) we have
fully explained how we have to restrict our speech. Comp." For
God is in heaven and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be
few" (Eccles. v. i).
What I have here pointed out to you is the object of all our
religious acts. For by [carrying out] all the details of the prescribed
practices, and repeating them continually, some few pious men
may attain human perfection. They will be filled with respect and
reverence towards God; and bearing in mind who is with them,
they will perform their duty. God declares in plain words that it is
the object of all religious acts to produce in man fear of God and
obedience to His word-the state of mind which we have
demonstrated in this chapter for those who desire to know the
truth, as being our duty to seek. Comp." If thou wilt not observe to
do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou
mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God"
(Dent. xrvffi. 58). Consider how clearly it is stated here that the
only object and aim of" all the words of this law" is to [make
man] fear" the glorious and fearful name?' That this end is
attained by certain acts we learn likewise from the phrase
employed in this verse:" If thou wilt not observe to do . . . that
thou mayest fear?' For this phrase clearly shows that fear of God is
inculcated [into our hearts] when we act in accordance with the
positive and the negative precepts. But the truths which the Law
teaches us-the knowledge of God's Existence and Unity create in us
love of God, as we have shown repeatedly. You know how
frequently the Law exhorts us to love God. Comp." And thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might 11 (Deut. vi. 5). The two objects, love and
fear of God, are acquired by two different means. The love is the
result of the truths taught in the Law, including the true knowledge
of the Existence of God; whilst fear of God is produced by the
practices prescribed in the Law. Note this explanation. (Moreh, III:52)
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
We Proclaim God is King on Rosh Hashanah: What About the Rest of the Year?
Recite before Me on Rosh Hashanah [texts making mention of] kingship, remembrance, and the shofar-- kingship, so that you may proclaim Me king over you; remembrance, so that your remembrance may rise favourably before Me; and through what? Through the shofar. (Rosh Hashanah 16a)
Is it only on Rosh Hashanah that we have kabalas ‘ol malkhus shamayim?
The Imrei Emes of Ger says, true, that is an obligation all year. However, Rosh Hashanah gives us the power to do it all year.
As the Gemara expresses it:
R. Zevid said: If the first day of the New Year is warm, all's the year will be warm; if cold, all the year will be cold. Of what [religious] significance is this [weather forecast]? (Bava Basra 147a)
The Imrei Emes explains the Gemara metaphorically:
The degree of warmth and excitement with which we accept malkhus shamayim on Rosh Hashanah – is the degree of warmth and excitement with which we serve God all year.
Is it only on Rosh Hashanah that we have kabalas ‘ol malkhus shamayim?
The Imrei Emes of Ger says, true, that is an obligation all year. However, Rosh Hashanah gives us the power to do it all year.
As the Gemara expresses it:
R. Zevid said: If the first day of the New Year is warm, all's the year will be warm; if cold, all the year will be cold. Of what [religious] significance is this [weather forecast]? (Bava Basra 147a)
The Imrei Emes explains the Gemara metaphorically:
The degree of warmth and excitement with which we accept malkhus shamayim on Rosh Hashanah – is the degree of warmth and excitement with which we serve God all year.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Difference Between Tish’a B’av and Yom Kippur
R. Avraham Heschel of Apt was opposed to voluntary fasts and self-affliction.
He used to say:
--If I could, I would abolish all the fasts except for the yom ha’mar, the bitter day, Tish’a b’Av and the Yom ha’Kadosh, the Holy Day, Yom Kippur.
On the bitter day -- who can eat?
On the Holy Day – who needs to eat?
He used to say:
--If I could, I would abolish all the fasts except for the yom ha’mar, the bitter day, Tish’a b’Av and the Yom ha’Kadosh, the Holy Day, Yom Kippur.
On the bitter day -- who can eat?
On the Holy Day – who needs to eat?
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Rosh Hashanah that Falls on Shabbos: Is Writing Permitted?
Once, when Rosh Hashanah occurred on Shabbos, R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev made the following argument to God:
-- Master of the universe, this year You are forced to inscribe Your people Israel for a good and peaceful year. Since it is, shabbos ha’yom l’Hashem, Shabbos today for Hashem, and writing is forbidden, how can you fulfill: b’rosh Hashanah yi’ka’seivun? On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed...? You have no choice but to inscribe each one of your children to life because pikuach nefesh dokheh shabbos, saving a life overrides shabbos…and writing then becomes permitted.
-- Master of the universe, this year You are forced to inscribe Your people Israel for a good and peaceful year. Since it is, shabbos ha’yom l’Hashem, Shabbos today for Hashem, and writing is forbidden, how can you fulfill: b’rosh Hashanah yi’ka’seivun? On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed...? You have no choice but to inscribe each one of your children to life because pikuach nefesh dokheh shabbos, saving a life overrides shabbos…and writing then becomes permitted.
True Kavanah During Shofar Blowing
R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev was looking for a Ba’al Toke’ah for his Beis Medrash. Candidates came from all over for the honorable position.
R. Levi Yitzchak interviewed them and asked:
--What kavanos do you have when you blow shofar?
Each one tried to impress R. Levi Yitzchak with special kavanos from the Ari and other great mekubalim. R. Levi Yitzchak was not impressed to engage any of them.
One day he was approached by a shofar blower who said:
--Rebbe, I am a plain Jew with four daughters to marry off and I do not have dowry for them. When I blow the shofar I think:
--Master of the universe, I did Your will and kept your mitzvos. So, You also, make my will Your will: Help me find husbands for my daughters.
R. Levi Yitzchak was overjoyed with this answer and said:
--Your kavanos are true kavanos. You shall be my ba’al toke’ah.
R. Levi Yitzchak interviewed them and asked:
--What kavanos do you have when you blow shofar?
Each one tried to impress R. Levi Yitzchak with special kavanos from the Ari and other great mekubalim. R. Levi Yitzchak was not impressed to engage any of them.
One day he was approached by a shofar blower who said:
--Rebbe, I am a plain Jew with four daughters to marry off and I do not have dowry for them. When I blow the shofar I think:
--Master of the universe, I did Your will and kept your mitzvos. So, You also, make my will Your will: Help me find husbands for my daughters.
R. Levi Yitzchak was overjoyed with this answer and said:
--Your kavanos are true kavanos. You shall be my ba’al toke’ah.
Selichos: What Kind of Prayer?
Va’ya’avor Hashem ‘al panav vayikra, And ‘the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed [etc.] (Shemos 34:6). R. Yochanan said: Were it not written in the text, it would be impossible for us to say such a thing; this verse teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, drew his talis round Him like the sheliach tzibur and showed Moshe the order of prayer. He said to him: Whenever Israel sin, let them carry out this service, reciting the yud gimel midos ha’rachamim, thirteen attributes of mercy, before Me, and I will forgive them. Hashem, Hashem, ‘The Lord, the Lord’: I am the Eternal before a man sins and the same after a man sins and repents. ‘A God merciful and gracious:’ Rab Judah said: A covenant has been made with the thirteen attributes that they will not be turned away empty-handed, as it says, Behold I make a covenant. (Rosh Hashanah 17b).
The basic core of the selichos are these pesukim of the thirteen midos:
Hashem, Hashem, El Rachum v’Chanun….
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…(Shemos 34:6-7).
A covenant has been made with the thirteen attributes that they will not be turned away empty-handed. But, is that always the case? It appears many do come away empty-handed. The Tzror ha’Mor explains that one does not come away empty-handed if it is not merely used as a magic formula when saying these words. Only if one has internalized and emulated these Divine attributes in their behavior does the promise of this reward come true (Ki Sisa).
Rashi says: A covenant: A covenant has been made with the thirteen attributes, that if Yisrael mentions them in their prayers on fasts, that they will not be turned away empty-handed.
We learn two points from Rashi: 1) the yud gimel midos are recited on fasts and 2) that they are said be’tzibur, in public prayer.
Yet, there is no mention of the 13 midos in Gemara Ta’anis (15) on the subject of tefilas ta’anis!
The Rambam does not mention the 13 midos either in his hilkhos tefilah or in the seder ha-tefilos. However, the Rambam does say: The whole house of Israel has formed a custom to engage in the performance of charity and good deeds between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to a much larger extent than during the entire year. Besides, during these ten days, they are all accustomed to rise in the night and to pray and supplicate in the synagogue until daylight (Teshuvah 3:4).
The Rokeach mentions reciting the13 midos in hilkhos yom hakippurim for ne’ilah only.
It appears that at first selichos was said on Yom Kippur just as the Torah tells they were first said by Hashem on Yom Kippur when the second tablets were given.
The Rav says, ‘al panav, according to the Gemara, does not mean and passed before him, Moshe. Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, drew the talis robe round Himself, so to speak, like the sheliach tzibur and showed Moshe the order of prayer for teshuvah. Every sheliach tzibur for selichos is, so to speak, playing the role of God, the first Sheliach tzibur for selichos. Therefore, we are especially careful in choosing a qualified sheliach tzibur; someone who is an accomplished person in the areas of Torah and good deeds for selichos and the yamin noraim.
(Based on the works of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik presented in Harerei Kedem by R. Mechel Shurkin, I, pp. 1-2 and Machzor M’soras Harav, pp.XXV-XXVI).
What kind of prayer is selichos?
It is a unique tefilah for special days modeled after the selichos on the Yom HaKadosh in which we ask for forgiveness. We have a bris with Hashem that we will not turned away empty-handed if we imitate His attributes and mention them. This was His lesson on prayer to us.
The basic core of the selichos are these pesukim of the thirteen midos:
Hashem, Hashem, El Rachum v’Chanun….
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…(Shemos 34:6-7).
A covenant has been made with the thirteen attributes that they will not be turned away empty-handed. But, is that always the case? It appears many do come away empty-handed. The Tzror ha’Mor explains that one does not come away empty-handed if it is not merely used as a magic formula when saying these words. Only if one has internalized and emulated these Divine attributes in their behavior does the promise of this reward come true (Ki Sisa).
Rashi says: A covenant: A covenant has been made with the thirteen attributes, that if Yisrael mentions them in their prayers on fasts, that they will not be turned away empty-handed.
We learn two points from Rashi: 1) the yud gimel midos are recited on fasts and 2) that they are said be’tzibur, in public prayer.
Yet, there is no mention of the 13 midos in Gemara Ta’anis (15) on the subject of tefilas ta’anis!
The Rambam does not mention the 13 midos either in his hilkhos tefilah or in the seder ha-tefilos. However, the Rambam does say: The whole house of Israel has formed a custom to engage in the performance of charity and good deeds between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to a much larger extent than during the entire year. Besides, during these ten days, they are all accustomed to rise in the night and to pray and supplicate in the synagogue until daylight (Teshuvah 3:4).
The Rokeach mentions reciting the13 midos in hilkhos yom hakippurim for ne’ilah only.
It appears that at first selichos was said on Yom Kippur just as the Torah tells they were first said by Hashem on Yom Kippur when the second tablets were given.
The Rav says, ‘al panav, according to the Gemara, does not mean and passed before him, Moshe. Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, drew the talis robe round Himself, so to speak, like the sheliach tzibur and showed Moshe the order of prayer for teshuvah. Every sheliach tzibur for selichos is, so to speak, playing the role of God, the first Sheliach tzibur for selichos. Therefore, we are especially careful in choosing a qualified sheliach tzibur; someone who is an accomplished person in the areas of Torah and good deeds for selichos and the yamin noraim.
(Based on the works of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik presented in Harerei Kedem by R. Mechel Shurkin, I, pp. 1-2 and Machzor M’soras Harav, pp.XXV-XXVI).
What kind of prayer is selichos?
It is a unique tefilah for special days modeled after the selichos on the Yom HaKadosh in which we ask for forgiveness. We have a bris with Hashem that we will not turned away empty-handed if we imitate His attributes and mention them. This was His lesson on prayer to us.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Teshuvah
The Indispensable Idea in the Torah
Repentance is one of those principles which are an indispensable element in the creed of the followers of the Torah. For it is impossible for man to be entirely free from error and sin; he either does not know the opinion which he has to choose, or he adopts a principle, not for its own merits, but in order to gratify his desire or passion. If we were convinced that we could never make our crooked ways straight, we should for ever continue in our errors, and perhaps add other sins to them since we did not see that any remedy was left to us. But the belief in the effect of repentance causes us to improve, to return to the best of the ways, and to become more perfect than we were before we sinned. For this reason many things are prescribed for the promotion of this very useful principle: e.g., confessions and sacrifices for sins committed unknowingly, and in some cases even for sins committed intentionally, and fasts, and that which is common to all cases of repentance from sin, the resolve to discontinue sinning. For that is the aim of this principle. Of all these precepts the use is obvious. (Moreh 3:36)
Yom Kippur
The object of the Fast of Atonement is evident. The Fast creates the sense of repentance: it is the same day on which the chief of all prophets came down [from Mount Sinai] with the second tablets, and announced to the people the divine pardon of their great sin: the day was therefore appointed for ever as a day devoted to repentance and true worship of God. For this reason all material enjoyment, all trouble and care for the body, are interdicted, no work may be done; the day must be spent in confession; everyone shall confess his sins and abandon them. (Moreh 3:43)
Repentance is one of those principles which are an indispensable element in the creed of the followers of the Torah. For it is impossible for man to be entirely free from error and sin; he either does not know the opinion which he has to choose, or he adopts a principle, not for its own merits, but in order to gratify his desire or passion. If we were convinced that we could never make our crooked ways straight, we should for ever continue in our errors, and perhaps add other sins to them since we did not see that any remedy was left to us. But the belief in the effect of repentance causes us to improve, to return to the best of the ways, and to become more perfect than we were before we sinned. For this reason many things are prescribed for the promotion of this very useful principle: e.g., confessions and sacrifices for sins committed unknowingly, and in some cases even for sins committed intentionally, and fasts, and that which is common to all cases of repentance from sin, the resolve to discontinue sinning. For that is the aim of this principle. Of all these precepts the use is obvious. (Moreh 3:36)
Yom Kippur
The object of the Fast of Atonement is evident. The Fast creates the sense of repentance: it is the same day on which the chief of all prophets came down [from Mount Sinai] with the second tablets, and announced to the people the divine pardon of their great sin: the day was therefore appointed for ever as a day devoted to repentance and true worship of God. For this reason all material enjoyment, all trouble and care for the body, are interdicted, no work may be done; the day must be spent in confession; everyone shall confess his sins and abandon them. (Moreh 3:43)
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Rambam on Class Size in School
Twenty-five children may be taught by one teacher. If there are more than twenty-five pupils, but fewer than forty, an assistant should be engaged to help with instruction. If there are more than forty, two elementary teachers are appointed.
(Talmud Torah 2:5)
(Talmud Torah 2:5)
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Elul: Intro to the Psychology of Teshuvah
The arrival of Elul raises questions in man’s mind:
Where do I begin?
How do I enter the realm of teshuvah?
Elul is known as an acronym for ani l’dodi v’dodi li.
A Jew must believe: ani l’dodi v’dodi li, I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.
We are the children of God and He has chosen us as His people.
Visualize an open door. This is the gate through which we enter the realm of teshuvah. This is the entrance to the New Year.
A Jew must believe that no matter where he is, no matter what state he is in, he is not lost…all the doors are open before him to return to his beloved Father.
Ani l’dodi v’dodi li – this is the opening to teshuvah for all Jews, no matter where they are.
--The Slonimer Rebbe, Nesivos Shalom (Devarim p. 93)
Where do I begin?
How do I enter the realm of teshuvah?
Elul is known as an acronym for ani l’dodi v’dodi li.
A Jew must believe: ani l’dodi v’dodi li, I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.
We are the children of God and He has chosen us as His people.
Visualize an open door. This is the gate through which we enter the realm of teshuvah. This is the entrance to the New Year.
A Jew must believe that no matter where he is, no matter what state he is in, he is not lost…all the doors are open before him to return to his beloved Father.
Ani l’dodi v’dodi li – this is the opening to teshuvah for all Jews, no matter where they are.
--The Slonimer Rebbe, Nesivos Shalom (Devarim p. 93)
Monday, September 04, 2006
Rambam on Exercise, Dieting and Lashon Hara’
Anyone who sits around idle and does not exercise will be subject to physical discomforts and failing strength, even though he eats wholesome food and takes care of himself in accordance with medical advice. Overeating is like deadly poison to the human body. Most illnesses which befall man arise either from bad food or excessive eating of good food. Shlomo, in his wisdom said: shomer piv u’l’shono shomer me’tzaros nafsho, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself clear of trouble” (Mishlei 21:23). That is to say, he who guards his mouth from bad food and excessive eating, and keeps his tongue from unnecessary talk keeps himself clear of trouble.
--Dei’os, 4:15
--Dei’os, 4:15
From Elul to Sh’mini Atzeres: The Ashkenazic Minhag to Recite L’Dovid, Hashem ‘Ori v’Yish’i
Hashem ‘Ori – God is my light. The custom to say this mizmor during the period of teshuvah is based on the Midrash Shochar Tov (Minhagei Yeshurun, 139):
God is my light, on Rosh Hashanah; my salvation, on Yom Kippur; ki yitz’pe’neni b’sukoh, He will hide me in His shelter, an allusion to Sukkos.
The implication is that on Rosh Hashanah God helps us to see the light and repent, on Yom Kippur He provides us salvation by forgiving our sins. Once we are forgiven, He shelters us from all foes and dangers, just as He sheltered our ancestors in the Wilderness. Because of this allusion to the preparation for repentance and its aftermath, the custom was adopted to recite this mizmor during the entire repentance period from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Sh’mini Atzeres.
Another allusion to Elul in the mizmor is the word, lu’le, which is Elul spelled backwards.
Minhag Not Accepted by All
Ostraha, a city in Volhynia, Ukraine, famous since the 16th century because it was served by gedolim, such as, Maharshal, the Shelah, Maharsha and the Taz, kept a record of customs.
According to the Minhagei Beis Ha’knesses Ha’Gadol of Ostraha, every day the shir shel yom was said before birkos ha’shachar. At the conclusion of shacharis, no mizmorim were said, even the mizmor, l’dovid ‘ori v’yish’i, in the months of Elul and Tishrei. The exception to the rule was during ‘aseres y’mei teshuvah when the entire Sefer Tehillim was recited.
The Aderes, R. Eliyahu Dovid Rabinowitz Se’omin of Mir, Ponivezh and Jerusalem, comments on the minhag in Ostraha to exclude l’dovid ‘ori:
The Gra (Ma’aseh Rav 53) held, like other later ge’onim (unnamed), that the mizmor, l’dovid ‘ori, is not said. The general reasons given are aversion to placing an undue burden on the community, torach tzibur (Berakhos 13b) and because it keeps people from getting to work (Megillah 21a).
--Sefer Tefilas Dovid, (Ahavas Shalom edition, Jerusalem, 2004), pp.140-141n.
Mishnah Berurah Mentions the Prevalence of the Minhag
The Mishnah Berurah (581:2) says that the prevalent custom in his parts was to recite the mizmor, l’dovid ‘ori after davening, morning and evening, up to and including Sh’mini ‘Atzeres.
Hidden Meaning Explored in Derush
This minhag was the topic of a derashah (Ya’aros Devash, Part I: Derush 11) by R. Yonasan Eybeshutz. He explains some of the hidden meaning behind this mizmor.
The Gemara in Yoma (20a) says:
Satan has no permission to act as accuser on the Day of Atonement. Whence [is that derived]? — Rama b. Hama said: HaSaTaN in numerical value (5+300+9+50) is three hundred and sixty-four, that means: on three hundred and sixty-four days he has permission to act as accuser, but on the Day of Atonement he has no permission to act as accuser.
It is written: And ye shall afflict your souls, in the ninth day of the month at evening. Now, do we fast on the ninth? Why, we fast on the tenth! But this teaches you that if one eats and drinks on the ninth, Scripture accounts it to him as if he fasted on the ninth and tenth. (Berakhos 8b)
The two days of Rosh Hashanah are considered one long day, yoma arichta. Adam was created on Erev Shabbos, the first of Tishrei. The Midrash says, the sun did not set the entire day of Shabbos until the conclusion of Shabbos. Then Adam thought the world was darkness. Therefore, the first and second day of Tishrei was one long day.
As the Midrash says:
R. Levi said in the name of the son of Nezirah: That light functioned thirty-six hours, twelve on the eve of the Sabbath [i.e. Friday], twelve during the night of the Sabbath, and twelve on the Sabbath [day]. When the sun sank at the termination of the Sabbath, darkness began to set in. Adam was terrified, [thinking,] Surely indeed the darkness shall bruise [E.V. ’envelop’] me (Ps. CXXXIX, 11): shall he of whom it was written, He shall bruise thy head (Gen. III, 15) now come to attack me! What did the Lord do for him? He made him find two flints which he struck against each other; light came forth and he uttered a blessing over it; hence it is written, But the night was light about me-ba'adeni (Ps. loc. cit.), i.e. the night was light in my Eden (be-’edni). (Bereishis Rabbah 12:6)
Therefore, in the year the world was created Yom Kippur was on the ninth of Tishrei, based on the solar days. Hence the pasuk: v’e’nisem ‘es naf’sho’sei’khem b’tish’ah la’chodesh ba’erev…, you shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at evening….
But according to the lunar days, it was the tenth day. Because the first two days were indeed two days.
When the world was created Satan was given power over 364 days of the year in solar days. In fact, to this day the Western world uses the solar calendar. Satan in gematria is 364. Yom Kippur is not included because Rosh Hashanah is divided into two days. That is how Yom Kippur became the tenth day. Satan has no dominion over that day because it is beyond 364. The first year of creation only had 364 days. Yom Kippur is one day, separate and unique. The beginning of the next cycle of 10 in the decimal system.
Based on the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 82:3), Yom Kippur is a special day separate, distinct and different from all the other days of the year. On the ninth one may eat because Satan has dominion over it. Satan has a share in the eating because it is part of the material world, gashmiyus. However, Satan has no dominion over the tenth, because it is completely holy to God. Yom Kippur is the Yom HaKadosh, par excellence. This Holy Day is the day on which there is salvation and help, yesh’a and ‘ozer, because Satan has no dominion over that day.
Hence, Rosh Hashanah is ‘ori, my light, because it is a long day with plentiful light for two days in one without any darkness. Because of that long day at the time of creation, God is my salvation, Hashem yish’i, on Yom Kippur. There is no Satan to interfere on that day of Yom Kippur which is beyond the 364 days of the solar year. Rather, Hashem is our salvation on Yom Kippur and we receive atonement.
God is my light, on Rosh Hashanah; my salvation, on Yom Kippur; ki yitz’pe’neni b’sukoh, He will hide me in His shelter, an allusion to Sukkos.
The implication is that on Rosh Hashanah God helps us to see the light and repent, on Yom Kippur He provides us salvation by forgiving our sins. Once we are forgiven, He shelters us from all foes and dangers, just as He sheltered our ancestors in the Wilderness. Because of this allusion to the preparation for repentance and its aftermath, the custom was adopted to recite this mizmor during the entire repentance period from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Sh’mini Atzeres.
Another allusion to Elul in the mizmor is the word, lu’le, which is Elul spelled backwards.
Minhag Not Accepted by All
Ostraha, a city in Volhynia, Ukraine, famous since the 16th century because it was served by gedolim, such as, Maharshal, the Shelah, Maharsha and the Taz, kept a record of customs.
According to the Minhagei Beis Ha’knesses Ha’Gadol of Ostraha, every day the shir shel yom was said before birkos ha’shachar. At the conclusion of shacharis, no mizmorim were said, even the mizmor, l’dovid ‘ori v’yish’i, in the months of Elul and Tishrei. The exception to the rule was during ‘aseres y’mei teshuvah when the entire Sefer Tehillim was recited.
The Aderes, R. Eliyahu Dovid Rabinowitz Se’omin of Mir, Ponivezh and Jerusalem, comments on the minhag in Ostraha to exclude l’dovid ‘ori:
The Gra (Ma’aseh Rav 53) held, like other later ge’onim (unnamed), that the mizmor, l’dovid ‘ori, is not said. The general reasons given are aversion to placing an undue burden on the community, torach tzibur (Berakhos 13b) and because it keeps people from getting to work (Megillah 21a).
--Sefer Tefilas Dovid, (Ahavas Shalom edition, Jerusalem, 2004), pp.140-141n.
Mishnah Berurah Mentions the Prevalence of the Minhag
The Mishnah Berurah (581:2) says that the prevalent custom in his parts was to recite the mizmor, l’dovid ‘ori after davening, morning and evening, up to and including Sh’mini ‘Atzeres.
Hidden Meaning Explored in Derush
This minhag was the topic of a derashah (Ya’aros Devash, Part I: Derush 11) by R. Yonasan Eybeshutz. He explains some of the hidden meaning behind this mizmor.
The Gemara in Yoma (20a) says:
Satan has no permission to act as accuser on the Day of Atonement. Whence [is that derived]? — Rama b. Hama said: HaSaTaN in numerical value (5+300+9+50) is three hundred and sixty-four, that means: on three hundred and sixty-four days he has permission to act as accuser, but on the Day of Atonement he has no permission to act as accuser.
It is written: And ye shall afflict your souls, in the ninth day of the month at evening. Now, do we fast on the ninth? Why, we fast on the tenth! But this teaches you that if one eats and drinks on the ninth, Scripture accounts it to him as if he fasted on the ninth and tenth. (Berakhos 8b)
The two days of Rosh Hashanah are considered one long day, yoma arichta. Adam was created on Erev Shabbos, the first of Tishrei. The Midrash says, the sun did not set the entire day of Shabbos until the conclusion of Shabbos. Then Adam thought the world was darkness. Therefore, the first and second day of Tishrei was one long day.
As the Midrash says:
R. Levi said in the name of the son of Nezirah: That light functioned thirty-six hours, twelve on the eve of the Sabbath [i.e. Friday], twelve during the night of the Sabbath, and twelve on the Sabbath [day]. When the sun sank at the termination of the Sabbath, darkness began to set in. Adam was terrified, [thinking,] Surely indeed the darkness shall bruise [E.V. ’envelop’] me (Ps. CXXXIX, 11): shall he of whom it was written, He shall bruise thy head (Gen. III, 15) now come to attack me! What did the Lord do for him? He made him find two flints which he struck against each other; light came forth and he uttered a blessing over it; hence it is written, But the night was light about me-ba'adeni (Ps. loc. cit.), i.e. the night was light in my Eden (be-’edni). (Bereishis Rabbah 12:6)
Therefore, in the year the world was created Yom Kippur was on the ninth of Tishrei, based on the solar days. Hence the pasuk: v’e’nisem ‘es naf’sho’sei’khem b’tish’ah la’chodesh ba’erev…, you shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at evening….
But according to the lunar days, it was the tenth day. Because the first two days were indeed two days.
When the world was created Satan was given power over 364 days of the year in solar days. In fact, to this day the Western world uses the solar calendar. Satan in gematria is 364. Yom Kippur is not included because Rosh Hashanah is divided into two days. That is how Yom Kippur became the tenth day. Satan has no dominion over that day because it is beyond 364. The first year of creation only had 364 days. Yom Kippur is one day, separate and unique. The beginning of the next cycle of 10 in the decimal system.
Based on the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 82:3), Yom Kippur is a special day separate, distinct and different from all the other days of the year. On the ninth one may eat because Satan has dominion over it. Satan has a share in the eating because it is part of the material world, gashmiyus. However, Satan has no dominion over the tenth, because it is completely holy to God. Yom Kippur is the Yom HaKadosh, par excellence. This Holy Day is the day on which there is salvation and help, yesh’a and ‘ozer, because Satan has no dominion over that day.
Hence, Rosh Hashanah is ‘ori, my light, because it is a long day with plentiful light for two days in one without any darkness. Because of that long day at the time of creation, God is my salvation, Hashem yish’i, on Yom Kippur. There is no Satan to interfere on that day of Yom Kippur which is beyond the 364 days of the solar year. Rather, Hashem is our salvation on Yom Kippur and we receive atonement.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Yiddish Word Bashert: What Does it Mean? What is the Origin of the Word?
The word means predestined or predetermined as in the sentences:
He or she is not married yet because they have not met their bashert.
If it is bashert to have wealth, one has wealth.
Rav Dovid Cohen in his book, Ha-Safah Ha-Kedoshah: Yiddish, writes that the etymology of the word is from the Yiddish word sher, meaning a scissor. Just as a scissor can cut the shape of an object, bashert means the future shape of events was pre-cut or predetermined to be a certain way.
He or she is not married yet because they have not met their bashert.
If it is bashert to have wealth, one has wealth.
Rav Dovid Cohen in his book, Ha-Safah Ha-Kedoshah: Yiddish, writes that the etymology of the word is from the Yiddish word sher, meaning a scissor. Just as a scissor can cut the shape of an object, bashert means the future shape of events was pre-cut or predetermined to be a certain way.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Two Lessons from The Rav: Don’t Wear Sneakers on a Date and …
Rabbi Yissachar Frand related the following story about Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik:
When the Rav was getting older he needed a student to serve as his personal aide in his apartment. One evening, after taking care of the Rav, the student said:
-- I have to leave now. I am going out on a date.
The Rav saw that his aide was wearing sneakers, and said:
-- Don’t wear sneakers on a date. I think you should wear dress shoes on a date.
The student responded, without thinking:
-- I am wearing white socks and I cannot wear dress shoes with white socks.
The student immediately realized that the Rav always wore white socks with black dress shoes. He was very embarrassed that he just said this to the Rav.
The Rav offered that he could borrow any pair of black socks or blue socks in his drawer. When the student heard this, he asked why the Rav wears white socks instead of blue or black. The Rav explained that the Rebbetzin is ill and it is hard for her to match up the black and blue socks. He makes it easier for her by wearing white for an easy match.
The second lesson is: … Be Considerate to Your Wife
When the Rav was getting older he needed a student to serve as his personal aide in his apartment. One evening, after taking care of the Rav, the student said:
-- I have to leave now. I am going out on a date.
The Rav saw that his aide was wearing sneakers, and said:
-- Don’t wear sneakers on a date. I think you should wear dress shoes on a date.
The student responded, without thinking:
-- I am wearing white socks and I cannot wear dress shoes with white socks.
The student immediately realized that the Rav always wore white socks with black dress shoes. He was very embarrassed that he just said this to the Rav.
The Rav offered that he could borrow any pair of black socks or blue socks in his drawer. When the student heard this, he asked why the Rav wears white socks instead of blue or black. The Rav explained that the Rebbetzin is ill and it is hard for her to match up the black and blue socks. He makes it easier for her by wearing white for an easy match.
The second lesson is: … Be Considerate to Your Wife
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Sheva Berakhos: The Holiness of Kiddushin
What does holiness mean?
The root of kiddushin is kuf, daled and shin which means to separate. Something is holy because it is separated, distinguished, dedicated, sanctified and apart from something else.
The world is divided into three realms: Space, Time and Intellect; olam, shanah and nefesh. Hashem has given us mitzvos that sanctify each realm.
Some examples include:
Space – Eretz Yisrael as Eretz ha-Kodesh, the Holy Land
Time – Shabbos Kodesh for the holy day of the week, Shemittah for the years
Intellect – Purification of the mind through Torah study, kedushas and taharas ha-guf with the laws of tum’ah / taharah and kashrus
The Rambam named one of the 14 books that comprise the Mishneh Torah, Sefer Kedushah, Book of Holiness. There are only two sets of laws in Sefer Kedushah: 1 – Forbidden sexual relationships and 2 – Forbidden foods. The Rambam explains that with these two areas of law Hashem sanctified us and separated us from the goyim. In both cases the Torah says separation, ve-hivdalti and va-'avdil:
22. You shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them; that the land, where I bring you to dwell in it, vomit you not out.
23. And you shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you; for they committed all these things, and therefore I loathed them.
24. But I have said to you, You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land that flows with milk and honey; I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.
25. You shall therefore differentiate between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean birds and clean; and you shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by bird, or by any manner of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
26. And you shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from other people, that you should be mine.
--Vayikra 20
Marriage is called kiddushin because it sanctifies and dedicates the chassan and kallah to each other and separates them from everyone else. The birkas ‘erusin says:
Ve-tzivanu ‘al ho-‘aroyos, ve’asar lanu ‘es ho-‘arusos, ve-hittir lanu ‘es ha-nes’uos lanu ‘al ye-dei chuppah ve-kiddushin.
…Commanded us regarding forbidden unions; Who forbade betrothed women to us and permitted women who are married to us through canopy and consecration….
Holy matrimony is kiddushin. The chassan and kallah are holy to each other; dedicated to each other, permitted to each other and separated and forbidden to others.
Although, according to Rav Kafih, the Rambam did not conclude the birkas ‘erusin with the words ‘al ye-dei chuppah ve-kiddushin. The Rambam stopped at mekadesh yisrael because the kedushah of ‘am yisrael is not based solely on the chuppah and kiddushin of a pe-nuyah alone. Rather, kedushas ‘am yisrael is based on the laws of ‘isurei biah and ma’achalos ‘asuros.
May all chassanim and kallos be zokheh to a life of kedushah and taharah, kedushas ha-nefesh and kedushas ha-guf.
The root of kiddushin is kuf, daled and shin which means to separate. Something is holy because it is separated, distinguished, dedicated, sanctified and apart from something else.
The world is divided into three realms: Space, Time and Intellect; olam, shanah and nefesh. Hashem has given us mitzvos that sanctify each realm.
Some examples include:
Space – Eretz Yisrael as Eretz ha-Kodesh, the Holy Land
Time – Shabbos Kodesh for the holy day of the week, Shemittah for the years
Intellect – Purification of the mind through Torah study, kedushas and taharas ha-guf with the laws of tum’ah / taharah and kashrus
The Rambam named one of the 14 books that comprise the Mishneh Torah, Sefer Kedushah, Book of Holiness. There are only two sets of laws in Sefer Kedushah: 1 – Forbidden sexual relationships and 2 – Forbidden foods. The Rambam explains that with these two areas of law Hashem sanctified us and separated us from the goyim. In both cases the Torah says separation, ve-hivdalti and va-'avdil:
22. You shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them; that the land, where I bring you to dwell in it, vomit you not out.
23. And you shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you; for they committed all these things, and therefore I loathed them.
24. But I have said to you, You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land that flows with milk and honey; I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.
25. You shall therefore differentiate between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean birds and clean; and you shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by bird, or by any manner of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
26. And you shall be holy to me; for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from other people, that you should be mine.
--Vayikra 20
Marriage is called kiddushin because it sanctifies and dedicates the chassan and kallah to each other and separates them from everyone else. The birkas ‘erusin says:
Ve-tzivanu ‘al ho-‘aroyos, ve’asar lanu ‘es ho-‘arusos, ve-hittir lanu ‘es ha-nes’uos lanu ‘al ye-dei chuppah ve-kiddushin.
…Commanded us regarding forbidden unions; Who forbade betrothed women to us and permitted women who are married to us through canopy and consecration….
Holy matrimony is kiddushin. The chassan and kallah are holy to each other; dedicated to each other, permitted to each other and separated and forbidden to others.
Although, according to Rav Kafih, the Rambam did not conclude the birkas ‘erusin with the words ‘al ye-dei chuppah ve-kiddushin. The Rambam stopped at mekadesh yisrael because the kedushah of ‘am yisrael is not based solely on the chuppah and kiddushin of a pe-nuyah alone. Rather, kedushas ‘am yisrael is based on the laws of ‘isurei biah and ma’achalos ‘asuros.
May all chassanim and kallos be zokheh to a life of kedushah and taharah, kedushas ha-nefesh and kedushas ha-guf.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Sefer Yetzirah: The Letter Sav
Last Shabbos I spoke at a Sheva Berakhos about the mystery of the letter sav in the Sefer Yetzirah. The Sefer Yetzirah, Book of Creation, attributed to Avraham Avinu, tells about how God created the world with the alefbeis.
According to the Sefer Yetzirah, when God created the world, him’likh, He elevated, the letter sav b’chen, over chen.
What does this mean? The Sefas Emes (Parshas Vayishlach, 5646) explains, that when the inner light, ‘or ha-penimi, is seen in a person that is the appreciation of the ultimate, infinite truth about that person (i.e. the letter sav is the last letter of the alefbeis symbolizing infinity, the superlative).
I believe that when a chassan sees the true inner beauty in the person he chooses to marry that is the realization of emes, of the full range of qualities of that person [which starts with alef and ends with sav]. Then the true chen becomes apparent, as opposed to the chen that is false as in, sheker ha’chen v’hevel ha’yofi i.e. outward, superficial charm and beauty (Mishle 31). At that point chen, spelled with ches and nun get the letter sav added to it in the middle, and that spells, chassan.
And if you transpose the letters you get nachas, the pride and joy that the parents draw upon when they see the chassan and kallah aware of the inner light that they see in each other, ‘ad me’ah ve-esrim shanah.
According to the Sefer Yetzirah, when God created the world, him’likh, He elevated, the letter sav b’chen, over chen.
What does this mean? The Sefas Emes (Parshas Vayishlach, 5646) explains, that when the inner light, ‘or ha-penimi, is seen in a person that is the appreciation of the ultimate, infinite truth about that person (i.e. the letter sav is the last letter of the alefbeis symbolizing infinity, the superlative).
I believe that when a chassan sees the true inner beauty in the person he chooses to marry that is the realization of emes, of the full range of qualities of that person [which starts with alef and ends with sav]. Then the true chen becomes apparent, as opposed to the chen that is false as in, sheker ha’chen v’hevel ha’yofi i.e. outward, superficial charm and beauty (Mishle 31). At that point chen, spelled with ches and nun get the letter sav added to it in the middle, and that spells, chassan.
And if you transpose the letters you get nachas, the pride and joy that the parents draw upon when they see the chassan and kallah aware of the inner light that they see in each other, ‘ad me’ah ve-esrim shanah.
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