by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

In parashat Behar, the first of this week’s double parshiot, Behar-Bechukotai, we learn of the special relationship that the Jewish people have to the land of Israel, and of the special obligations that apply to those who dwell in the Holy Land.

Parashat Behar details the mitzvot of Shmita, the sabbatical year in which the land lays fallow every seventh year, and Yovel, the jubilee that is observed in the fiftieth year. The Torah, in this parasha, also mandates the practice of redeeming the land in the jubilee year, outlines the regulations regarding the purchasing of resident houses in walled cities, calls for the establishment of cities for the Levites and pronounces guidelines for preventing poverty.

After warning the people against lending money on interest, the Torah boldly states, in Leviticus 25:38, “Ah’nee Hashem Eh’lo’kay’chem ah’sher ho’tzay’tee et’chem may’Eretz Mitzrayim lah’tayt lah’chem et Eretz Canaan, leeh’yoht lah’chem lay’lo’keem,” I am the L-rd, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be G-d onto you. The juxtaposition in this verse of receiving the land of Israel as a Divine gift, and the peoples’ relationships with G-d, is seen by many commentators as an obligation upon the people who live in Israel to be a sanctified people. Residents of Israel are expected to follow the instructions of the Torah, no matter how challenging they may appear to be, such as not taking interest on loans and allowing the land to lie fallow–unworked for an entire year.

In his comments on this verse, Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible), underscores the specialness of the land of Israel, and the relationship of the Jewish people to the land. Citing a Midrash from Torat Kohanim 54, and a Talmudic statement in Ketubot 110b, Rashi says, that whoever resides in the land of Israel, “I [G-d] am a G-d to him, and whoever leaves the land of Israel, it is as one who worships idols.”

The Torah Temimah (written by the famed author, Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstein, 1860-1941) records the full citation from the Talmud in Ketubot 110b.

Our rabbis stated, a person should always live in the land of Israel, even in a city where the majority of the residents are gentile, and not live outside of Israel, even in a city where the majority of the residents are Jews. For those who dwell in the land of Israel are like those who have a G-d, while those who dwell outside of Israel are like idolaters. As it states (Leviticus 25:38), “To give you the land of Canaan, to be a G-d to you.”

To further substantiate the Talmudic citation, the Torah Temimah cites another verse from I Samuel 26:19, where King David states, “For they have driven me out this day from being joined to the inheritance of G-d, saying, ‘Go worship other gods.’ Who, after all, forced King David to worship other gods? Rather, the verse comes to underscore that anyone who resides outside of Israel, is regarded as worshiping alien gods.

The Torah Temimah explains that G-d’s relationship with the people of Israel is very much dependent on their dwelling in the land of Israel, where the Divine Presence itself dwells. Israel is a land that is especially chosen for prophecy and holiness. As the Bible states, in Deuteronomy 11:12, “A land that the L-rd your G-d seeks out at all times.” That is why G-d is often referred to as the “L-rd of the land.”

Ramban, Nachmanides (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270, Spanish Torah commentator) as well as other Bible commentators regard the verse in Numbers 33:53 as a positive Torah commandment to reside in Israel. The verse reads, You shall possess the Land and you shall settle in it, for to you have I given the land to possess it. In fact, the Midrash (Sifri, Re’eh 12:29) regards this mitzvah as so significant, that it regards the one mitzvah of dwelling in the land of Israel as equivalent in value to all the other Torah mitzvot combined.

According to Maimonides (the Rambam, the great medieval Jewish philosopher, codifier and physician, 1135-1204) and several other halachic authorities, dwelling in the land of Israel is not a Torah requirement, especially for those born outside of the land of Israel. Clearly, those who are fortunate enough to live in the land of Israel fulfill a great mitzvah and have the opportunity to observe many mitzvot that apply only in the land of Israel and cannot be fulfilled outside of Israel. Nevertheless, living in Israel is not a Torah mandated commandment.

The importance of dwelling in Israel, even visiting the land, is dramatically underscored in the Talmud (Ketubot 111a) which states: One who walks four cubits in the land of Israel will merit a portion in the World to Come.

According to the Kabbalah, Jews were purposely dispersed throughout the nations of the world in order to reveal and elevate all the sparks of holiness that exist. Therefore, those whose destiny it is to live outside of the land of Israel, have a great responsibility to make certain that the holy sparks are revealed, and make possible the elevation of all people.

There are those who maintain that the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s rationale for remaining in the Diaspora was based on his belief that it is necessary for leaders to serve as a positive influence on others, to learn Torah, perform mitzvot and to serve as Jewish role models. Moving to Israel, which at this time according to the Rebbe is an optional mitzvah, would be a selfish act, especially if leaving the Diaspora would have a negative spiritual impact on those who are left behind without proper leadership.

May you be blessed.

Please note:

This year, Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Reunification Day, is observed this Saturday evening, May 19^th through Sunday night, May 20^th. This year marks the 45^th anniversary of the reunification of the city.

by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

This week’s parasha, parashat Emor, highlights the special status of the Kohanim, the priests, in the community of Israel. As descendants of Aaron, the original High Priest, all priests are presumed to be inspirited with special sanctity.　

Members of the priesthood in Israel have many special privileges, as well as some onerous responsibilities. Economically, the priestly class is entirely supported by the public. Consequently, priests receive 24 special priestly gifts from the other tribes of Israel. On the other hand, they do not receive a portion of land in Israel, and have clearly designated responsibilities as ministers in the Temple.

Due to their special sanctity, priests are forbidden to come into contact with death. Hence, they may not attend funerals, except for their seven closest relatives. To this day, the Kohanim are honored with the special privilege of being the first to be called to the Torah, to lead the Birkat Hamazon, and to bless the people of Israel daily. On the other hand, they are not permitted to marry converts, wanton or divorced women. The High Priest was not even permitted to marry a widow. Priests who have major physical abnormalities are prevented from officiating publicly, although a disability did not limit the priest’s right to receive and partake of the gifts from the people of Israel.

In this week’s parasha, we encounter a very strange and seemingly cruel law concerning the daughter of a priest. In Leviticus 21:9, we read, “Oo’bat eesh Kohen, kee tay’chayl liz’noht, et ah’vee’hah hee m’chah’leh’let, bah’aish tee’sah’rayf,” If the daughter of a man who is a Kohen will be defiled by having illicit relations, she defiles her father–-she shall be burned by fire.

While burning by fire appears to be an extremely gruesome penalty, it is not truly different from any woman (or man for that matter) who commits adultery in Israel. Adultery is, of course, a capital offense.

Although there is a debate in the Talmud regarding the status of the priest’s daughter, all agree that the punishment applies only to a married or betrothed woman who has transgressed, not a single woman. However, in the case of a priest’s daughter, the punishment is more severe. Rather than strangulation, a harsher punishment is meted out, burning by fire. In truth, all capital convicts were drugged before they were executed, so this method of execution is only symbolically more gruesome. But the question remains: Why is it more severe, even symbolically? (In practice, the likelihood of capital punishment ever being carried out was also very remote, see Mishpatim 5772-2012.

In Maayan Shel Torah, Wellsprings of Torah, Rabbi Alexander Zusia Friedman’s (1897-1943, rabbi and Torah commentator in pre-war Warsaw) classic collection of statements, thoughts, aphorisms from the giants of Torah, Rabbi Friedman cites a number of possible explanations regarding the case of the priest’s daughter. The Imrei Shefer (Commentary on the Torah by R. Shlomo Kluger, 1785-1869, Rabbi of Brody, one of the leading Torah scholars of the 19^th century), explains that there are two types of sinners. Some sinners come from a long line of sinners, where sin is deeply ingrained in their family character. On the other hand, there are those who follow their own evil inclinations and stray from the proper path.

Usually, sinners begin with minor transgressions, because the evil inclination does not have the power to immediately seduce transgressors to commit major sins. Eventually, these novice sinners progress to more serious sins. The rabbis say (Shabbat 105b), “This is the strategy of the evil inclination: Today it says, ‘Do this,’ (a minor violation), and tomorrow it says, ‘Do that,’ (a more serious trespass), until it convinces the perpetrator to worship idolatry.”

However, in the case of the habituated sinner, the evil inclination does not have to work indirectly behind the scenes, slowly or methodically. A person who descends from a background of sinfulness is naturally prone to commit serious transgressions. The fact that the priest’s daughter commits the major trespass of adultery, says the Imrei Shefer, is a sign that the evil is deeply entrenched in her spiritual being that she has inherited from her family. Therefore, the Torah states that the actions of the priest’s daughter reflect poorly on (“desecrates”) her parents.

In a further remarkable insight, the Avnei Azel (attributed to Rabbi Alexander Zusia Friedman) expands this teaching to apply to all people of stature. He explains that Jews who think of themselves as “priests,”–elite people of status and holiness, frequently cannot find the time to pay proper attention to their children’s education, because they are all-consumed with themselves and their own activities. While they may be preoccupied with seemingly “good deeds” such as studying the sacred texts, their daughters, who are left unsupervised, are seduced by the improper influences of the outside environment. Unfortunately, these children soon turn from the path of Torah, to violate the sanctity of their revered parents by their reprehensible actions. The devastating results prove clearly that the parents’ presumed “sanctified” activities were not truly sanctified, but rather self-centered activities. The improper nurturing of the young and easily-influenced children by their parents is a desecration of the sanctity, not an enhancement.

This thought provoking interpretation of the priest’s daughters’ sinfulness is most compelling, and should provoke much consideration among all parents and teachers. Of course, it is something that my wife and I were deeply concerned with when raising our children.

Perhaps the most prominent “parenting” lesson found in the Torah is the episode (Exodus 4:24-26) in which G-d calls upon Moses to return to Egypt to redeem His people. After embarking on the journey back, a child is born to Moses and his wife. Instead of immediately circumcising the child, Moses feels driven to reach Egypt as quickly as possible. For postponing the circumcision, G-d seeks to kill Moses, until, at the last moment, Moses’ wife, Tzipporah, takes a flintstone and circumcises the child. This episode is a powerful lesson for all Jewish leaders to always make certain that their own homes are in order, before they seek to redeem others. (See Shemot 5762-2001.)

Properly educating and nurturing one’s children has always been a primary concern of parents, and a hallmark of Jewish family life. Yet some recent trends in contemporary Jewish life are rather disturbing. What are we to make of the recent pattern in Jewish religious life of the increased absence of husbands and fathers from their family-nurturing duties? There seems to be a growing population of men who leave the Shabbat morning service after the Torah reading to attend synagogue “Kiddush clubs” where they imbibe in comradery and hard liquor, sometimes returning home to the Shabbat table in a state of partial or full inebriation.

Among Chassidic men, an increasingly popular custom is the Fabreng. The men rise on Shabbat morning, go to the Mikveh, participate in a leisurely morning davening, and then often, over more cups of vodka than one would like to admit, remain in the synagogue to “schmooze.” Often failing to return to their homes for the Shabbat meal until late Shabbat afternoon, they leave their wives and children waiting at home to begin the Shabbat meal.

Even practices that are greatly and universally admired in Jewish life, can be a source of challenge and disruption to the family. On Wednesday evening, August 1, 2012, the Jewish community, spearheaded by Agudath Israel, will celebrate the 12^th Siyum Hashas, marking the conclusion of the most recent seven-and-a-half year cycle of the Daf Yomi, the daily study of the Talmudic page. The main festivities are set to take place in MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, NJ. Attendance of over 90,000 people is anticipated, with many thousands more expected to gather in stadiums, auditoriums and locations throughout the world. The Daf Yomi movement, is a remarkable and monumental achievement that, over the past decades, has resulted in the blossoming of Torah study among many men, including some who had never opened a Talmud.　

As one who completed the study of an entire cycle of the Talmud about twenty-five years ago, I know how enriching the experience can be, and how challenging. I was, at that time, fortunate to have an educational position that enabled me, because of the scheduling, to devote an hour each morning studying the Talmud, without it taking too much of a toll on my wife and children. But looking back, it was inevitable, that devoting so much time to the study of Torah, came, at least in part, at the expense of the family, especially during the children’s critical nurturing years.

Criticizing the Daf Yomi, is like criticizing the sacred cow of Jewish life today. But these developments in Jewish life, that often come at the expense of family, husband-wife relationships and especially the nurturing of children, is something that must surely concern us. It is certainly wonderful for the Daf Yomi to promote the daily study of Torah. But, our Torah leaders should insist, that for every hour of study that a man devotes to the Daf (the daily page), a commitment of an equal amount of time must be expected, for parents to study directly and personally with their own children. If fathers who regularly find time to study the Daf, cannot find the time to study with their own children on a daily basis, then the system is ill-conceived and misguided. Just as every Jew is expected to set aside time to daily Torah study, there should be at least an equal amount of time mandated for daily study with one’s children.

As in the case of the priest’s daughter, the bad habits that we see some of our children developing, may not be due to the children’s own personal shortcomings, but rather due to a failure of proper parental nurturing. The only way for the priests, parents and children to become sanctified and remain sanctified, is for parents to serve as sanctified examples for their children and their families.

May you be blessed.

Please note:

The festival of Lag Ba’Omer (literally the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer) will start on Wednesday Night, May 9, and continue all day Thursday, May 10, 2012. The Omer period is the 49 days from the second night of Passover through the day before the festival of Shavuot. The 33rd day is considered a special day because, on that day, the students of Rabbi Akiva ceased dying and because it marks the anniversary of the passing of great Talmudic sage, Rabbi Simon bar Yochai.

by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

The double portions of Acharei-Mot and Kedoshim together contain a total of 79 mitzvot, more than one seventh of all the mitzvot in the Torah. In the second of this week’s double parshiot, parashat Kedoshim, one of the most fundamental societal laws is pronounced–showing respect to elders.

In Leviticus 19:32, the Torah states, “Mip’nay say’vah tah’koom, v’hah’dar’tah p’nay zah’kayn, v’yah’ray’tah may’Eh’lo’keh’cha, Ah’nee Hashem,” In the presence of an old person you shall rise, and you shall honor the presence of a sage, and you shall revere your G-d, I am the L-rd.

Citing the Talmud in Kedushin 32b, Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible) explains that the two halves of this verse actually explain each other. Rashi therefore concludes that there is a mitzvah to rise before and honor a sage who is both elderly and righteous.

On the other hand, the Code of Jewish Law (Yoreh De’ah 244:1) explains this verse as two separate mitzvot. One mitzvah is to rise for, and honor, anyone over the age of seventy, even if the person is not learned. The other, is to rise for an honored sage, even if the person is young. The Code of Jewish Law thereby proclaims that not only must one who is older be respected, but so too is one required to revere a young person who is superior in wisdom and learning.

Both Rashi and the Code of Jewish Law describe the manner in which one is to display respect. One is not permitted to sit in the seat of an elder, or contradict his counsel. Even an old man must rise when a sage passes by.

The Ibn Ezra (1098-c.1164, Spanish Bible commentator) comments on this verse by citing the expression, “As one sows, so shall he reap.” The Ibn Ezra implies that one who is disrespectful to the elderly, will be disrespected himself upon reaching old age.

The Alshich (a popular commentary on the bible by R’ Moshe Alshich of Safed, 1508-1593) explains that those who do not respect the counsel of their elders, often deprive themselves of the wise advice that would have helped them in their times of plight. Because young people think that they hardly need the advice of the elderly, the Torah warns that G-d is likely to change their circumstances, so that they will not be able to cope with their difficult challenges.

The Recanati (1250-1310, Menachem ben Benjamin, an Italian rabbi and commentator, who devoted the chief part of his writings to the Kabbalah) explains that peace in the world is sustained only by the intelligence of man, which is incorporated into the very person of the sage. By respecting the wise person, we are respecting G-d and His creation, that is maintained by the characteristic virtues of the wise.

The Chinuch (the classic work on the 613 commandments, their rationale and their regulations, by an anonymous author, possibly Aaron HaLevi, in 13^th century Spain) maintains that it is only through wisdom that people can properly appreciate G-d and worship Him. Hence, it is the human being’s purpose in life to acquire more and more wisdom. Those who are aged have surely accumulated a great deal of wisdom from the great number of experiences in their lives, and are likely to know full well what is right and what is wrong. It is for these reasons that the elderly must be respected.

The Code of Jewish Law underscores the nuances in the rules governing one’s actions toward the sage and the wise person. Despite the Torah requirement to honor the wise and the elderly, it is most appropriate for a person to honor his or her principal instructor (Rabbo Muvhak), the person whom he considers his primary mentor, to whom he must show total respect and reverence at all times. Therefore, unless one’s father is also one’s principal teacher, the teacher’s respect takes priority over respect for the parents. Thus, if one finds a lost object of one’s teacher and a lost object of one’s parent (who is not his principal teacher), he must return his teacher’s lost object first. The reason for this, the sages suggest, is that while a parent brings a child into this physical world, the teacher’s lessons sustain the child both in this world and in the World to Come. That is why, when a primary teacher dies, the teacher’s disciples are expected to rend their garments in mourning, as they would for a close relative.

Our rabbis suggest that according filial respect and honoring elders are the fundamental building blocks of a healthy society, without which the world would soon revert to a state of chaos.

May you be blessed.

This Sunday, May 6^th is Pesach Shay’nee, the second Passover. Click here to find out why a second Passover was ordained, who celebrated it in ancient times, and how it is commemorated today.

by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald

In parashat Metzorah, the second of this week’s double parshiot, Tazria-Metzorah, we read of the process of purification for the person who was stricken with the disease Tzaraat. On previous occasions (Tazria 5763-2003), we have noted that Tzaraat is a dermatological disease, whose primary cause is spiritual contamination, presumably resulting from evil speech, Lashon Harah. Once the Kohen, the priest, diagnoses the disease as definitively Tzaraat, the diseased person is sent out of all three camps of Israel to live in seclusion for seven days. It is during this period, that the stricken person is expected to reflect on the causes of his or her malady, begin the process of repentance and qualify to return to the community. 

The ancient purification process consisted of three parts. The first was performed outside the camp with two live birds of kosher species, cedar wood, a crimson thread and a branch of hyssop. 

In an elaborate ritual, one of the birds was slaughtered over an earthenware vessel containing spring water. The priest then took the cedar wood, the crimson thread and the hyssop, and dipped them and the live bird into the mixture of the water and the blood of the slaughtered bird. Then the priest sprinkled the person to be purified from the Tzaraat with the blood-water seven times, and set the live bird free in an open field. The Tzaraat- stricken person was then rendered partially purified and immersed his clothing in water. Although he may then reenter the camp, he must still dwell outside of his tent for seven days until the conclusion of the entire purification process. 

The second stage of the purification involved shaving all of the stricken person’s body hair, including the head, beard, and eyebrows. On the seventh day, he immersed in water and became less contaminated, but not totally pure. The final stage of purification, involves bringing a number of symbolic purification sacrifices. 

The commentators explain that the healing of the stricken person is essentially a process of spiritual transformation. The person who is stricken with Tzaraat, needs to be transformed from an arrogant person to one who is humble. After all, it was the moral flaw of arrogance that caused his misdeeds. Haughtiness, the underlying cause of slander and gossip, breeds contempt for others and causes one to talk about others callously. Without a resolute change from arrogance to humility, there can be no repentance. 

Therefore, three highly symbolic items are included in this ritual: cedar wood, crimson thread and hyssop. Cedar, one of the most imposing of all the trees, represents haughtiness. The crimson thread, made of white wool pigmented red with the blood of a worm, represents the lowest form of nature. Hyssop is a lowly bush, symbolizing again, humility. 

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible) commenting on the verse in Leviticus 14:4 regarding taking cedar wood, the crimson thread and hyssop, notes that the person stricken with Tzaraat is repaired and healed by humbling himself, like a worm and a hyssop, from his arrogance. 

The requirement of humility in order to achieve proper Teshuva, repentance, applies as well to the art of prayer. The Code of Jewish Law, Orach Chaim, 98:3, states that one must pray, “As an impoverished person begging at a door.” It is humble prayer that is likely to elicit a favorable response from Heaven. As a merciful person sees someone who is in terrible pain, and immediately has mercy upon him, so does the Al-mighty respond to proper prayer with Divine compassion. 

When a haughty person positions himself before G-d in prayer as someone who lacks nothing, why should G-d have compassion upon him? However, a person who stations himself like a child before his father (Hosea 11:1), who is totally dependent upon the compassion of the father, will evoke a favorable response from G-d, like a merciful father upon his children. 

A haughty person who does not recognize that everything is dependent upon G-d, will be unable to invoke such Heavenly compassion. 

The imagery of a poor person begging at a door for a handout, resonates with me strongly. When I first set out to launch the National Jewish Outreach Program, I had no experience as a fundraiser. I had determined, that for the National Jewish Outreach Program to be secure in the early years, significant start-up funds were needed. 

In the months before we opened our doors, I went to many potential donors whom I had met over the years, to ask for support. I remember that on one of my first fundraising forays, I brazenly asked the donor for one million dollars! I was under the impression that he had responded positively and that the funds would soon be forthcoming to NJOP. I felt pretty good about it. I was so naive, that I failed to write a letter thanking him or even acknowledging the pledge. Six months later, when we opened our doors, I asked him to fulfill his one million dollar pledge. He politely declined, but did give NJOP a check for $10,000. I gladly took the funds, but it left me rather shaken. Fortunately, we had received other significant commitments, and were able to proceed with our original plans. 

I vividly remember flying to Los Angeles to visit acquaintances there, hoping to solicit donations of five or ten thousand dollars. I failed to realize that without a car, Los Angeles was inaccessible. I walked from house to house, to people who had been recommended to me. I believe that the largest donation that I received was about five hundred dollars. Most of the checks were for $18 or $36. It was an extraordinarily humbling experience. To this day, I know well what it feels like to be a collector who goes from door to door. It is a lesson that I will always remember, and a humbling one at that. 

As you may know, when reciting the Amidah, the central prayer of every service, one bows on four occasions: once at the beginning of the opening “Shield of Abraham” blessing, and once at its conclusion, once at the beginning of the blessing of Thanksgiving, and once at the conclusion. In ancient times, the High Priest would bow before every one of the eighteen blessings (there were only eighteen then). The king would bow at the beginning of the Amidah, and remain stooped over for the entire Amidah. All this is an indication that the greater the person, the more he must humble himself. 

The lessons of the Metzorah are important lessons for us today, because we dare not allow our Teshuva and our prayers become robotic and mechanical, failing to acknowledge the importance of humbling ourselves. The rituals of Teshuva and prayer require much introspection. To invoke G-d’s compassion, we must recognize who we are, and be prepared to humble ourselves before the L-rd. 

May you be blessed. 

Yom Ha’Zikaron, Israel Memorial Day for fallen soldiers,  is observed this year on Tuesday night, April 24th, and all day Wednesday, April 25th.

Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, (link) will be observed on Wednesday night, April 25th, and all day Thursday, April 26th, 2012.

Yom Ha’atzmaut Samayach!

by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald

In this week’s parasha, parashat Shemini, we read of the first full sacrificial service that was offered in the recently erected Tabernacle, on the first day of Nisan in the second year after the Exodus of Egypt, on the day that the Tabernacle was dedicated and the priests invested.

In order to begin with these inaugural proceedings, the people needed to be cleansed of sin. However, Aaron the officiant, could not achieve atonement for others, unless he himself, atoned for his own wrongdoings.

With all the people gathered before the Tabernacle standing before G-d, Moses announced (Leviticus 9:6),”Zeh ha’da’var ah’sher tzee’vah Hashem ta’ah’soo, v’yay’rah ah’lay’chem k’vod Hashem,” This is the thing that G-d has commanded you to do; then the glory of G-d will appear to you.

Moses instructed Aaron to approach the altar, bring his sin and elevation offerings, in order to provide atonement for himself and the people.

When Aaron approached the altar, the verse states,(Leviticus 9:8) “Va’yish’chaht et ay’gel ha’cha’taht ah’sher lo,” And he [Aaron] slaughtered the sin offering calf that was his.

Since much of the Book of Leviticus concerns the sacrificial rite, the obvious question arises. What exactly is the proper process of slaughtering? Nowhere in the book of Leviticus have the priests been instructed how to perform the complicated and complex ritual of slaughter, known today as Shechita. In fact, we do not find description of the process for Shechita, anywhere in the entire Bible.

The only thing we know about the process of Shechita, is that the Bible states in Deuteronomy 12:21, that when the People of Israel arrive in the land of Israel, they will be permitted to eat unconsecrated meat that is not brought upon the altar. There, Scripture states that if one lives too far from Jerusalem, where the sacrifices generally take place, “V’zah’vahch’tah mee’b’korcha oo’mee’tzohn’cha ah’sher na’tahn Hashem l’cha, ka’ah’sher tzee’vee’tee’chah, v’ah’chal’tah bish’ah’reh’cha b’chol ah’vaht nahf’sheh’chah,” You may slaughter from your cattle and your flocks that G-d has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat in your cities according to your heart’s desire.

Clearly this biblical verse implies that G-d had already commanded the people and instructed them how to perform the ritual of sacrifice. Yet, if we search the entire Torah, it is nowhere to be found–alluding to the existence of an Oral Code, to which traditional Jews subscribe.

The Oral Code is an extensive body of laws and rituals that are traditionally believed to have been transmitted and taught to Moses while he was on Sinai for forty days and forty nights. It basically assumes that the Written Code, the Five Books of Moses, cannot be properly understood without this oral explanation. It is called an oral tradition, because it was forbidden to be written down and was transmitted orally for many hundreds of years, until the writing of the Mishna and Gemara in the second century of the Common Era, when the oral tradition was in danger of being entirely lost.

Although the law commanding the slaughter of animals in a specific ritual manner is one of the clearest indications of an Oral Law, it should be abundantly clear to any serious student of the Bible that this is not an exception. In general, the Biblical text cannot be taken only literally, and, in many instances, alludes to the existence of an Oral Code.

So, for instance, we find repeated three times in the Bible (Exodus 23:19, 34:26 and Deuteronomy 14:21), instructions about not seething a goat in its mother’s milk. This rule is understood to mean that one may not eat or cook milk and meat together or even have pleasure from the mixture of milk and meat. Similarly, the Bible (Exodus 13:9,16, Deuteronomy 6:8 and 11:18) informs the people to “bind them [these words] as a sign on your hands and let them be frontlets between your eyes.” What is this sign, what are the words, and what is the meaning of frontlets? Yet, we have the singular tradition of donning little black leather boxes with specially inscribed parchment scrolls inside, that are called Tefillin.

The Bible instructs the Jewish people (Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20) to “write them as a sign upon your doors.” What are we supposed to place as a sign on our doors? How do we know that it refers to a Mezuzah, and what is supposed to be inside the amulet that we place on our door? All this is clarified in the Oral Code.

In the biblical narrative of the Covenant Between the Pieces (Genesis 15:13), G-d informs Abraham that his children will be exiled, enslaved and persecuted in a land that is not theirs for 400 years. And yet, we can easily calculate by the ages of the people who went into Egypt, that the Israelites remained in Egypt for only 210 years. The Oral Code explains that the counting of the 400 years begins with the birth of Isaac, which marked the beginning of the “reason” for the ultimate descent of the people to Egypt, and is not intended to be a record of the actual time of enslavement in Egypt.

The Torah clearly does not make sense without an Oral Code. Although every verse of the Biblical text has a definite literal meaning, virtually every verse has its own particular Oral Code interpretation.

Many of the more weighty issues are simply incomprehensible, such as: animal sacrifice, slavery, conflicting texts in the Bible, such as the Ten Commandments, and many seemingly cruel rituals, such as the killing of the Canaanites and the Sotah, the woman who is suspected of being unfaithful to her husband.

For some students of the Bible, many of these issues are simply inexplicable. For others, of faith, it is the Oral Code that renders them comprehensible.

The great gift of the Oral Code, is that we, contemporary Jews, become part of the process of elucidating the Torah. In fact, it is a fulfillment of the biblical declaration (Deuteronomy 6:6), “Ah’sher Ah’no’chee m’tzav’cha ha’yom,” Which I command you this day. That every day, the words of G-d should be in your eyes as if these verses were just given!

It is a great gift to be able to struggle over the meanings of the verse, its Oral Code interpretations and our unique understanding of what the Torah is instructing our people.

May you be blessed.

Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day,  is observed this year on Wednesday night, April 18^th, and all day Thursday, April 19^th, 2012.
Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, will be observed on Wednesday night, April 25^th and all day Thursday, April 26^th, 2012.

by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

On the seventh day of Passover, we celebrate the salvation of the people of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians by the splitting of the Red Sea.

The moments immediately preceding the splitting of the Red Sea, were perhaps the most traumatic in the rescue experience of the Israelites. The former slaves, now encamped at the sea, had been driven out of Egypt after the Ten Plagues, and were being pursued by the relentless Egyptian army who were closing in on them.

Scripture, in Exodus 14:9, graphically describes the powerful forces of the Egyptian army, equipped with horses, riders and chariots, preparing to attack the panicked people of Israel.

Scripture, in Exodus 14:10, depicts the terrifying scene, “Oo’Pharaoh hik’reev, vah’yis’oo B’nai Yisrael et ay’nay’hem, v’hee’nay Mitzrayim no’say’ah ah’cha’ray’hem, va’yir’oo m’od, va’yitz’ah’koo B’nai Yisrael el Hashem,” And Pharaoh approached; the Children of Israel raised their eyes and behold!– Egypt was journeying after them, and they were very frightened; the Children of Israel cried out to G-d.

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible) points out that the Hebrew term, “no’say’ah ah’cha’ray’hem,” traveling after them, is in the singular. He concludes that the Egyptians were united and well organized, with one heart, like one person, in their passion to destroy the people of Israel once and for all.

Basing his remarks on the Midrashic literature, Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov (1912-1976, one of Israel’s most acclaimed religious writers) in his Sefer Ha’Parashiot, describes the scene as follows:

Since they [the Israelites] cried out and were not immediately rescued, they said, “Our prayers have not been accepted.” They proceeded to question Moses’ loyalty. Once the “chometz” (evil inclination) entered the peoples’ attitudes, it began to rise and expand. A once united people, were now divided into four disparate camps, looking for salvation, each one seeking its own path. Not one of them looked to G-d for help.

The Al-mighty was not happy with the people’s lack of faith. After all, even before this last challenge, G-d’s salvation had been readied. The Al-mighty’s desire was that His people turn their eyes toward Heaven and affirm their faith in Him, even though a sharpened sword lies on their neck. If they fail to learn that lesson in this challenge, they will need to be subjected to other challenges. Their faith obviously required strengthening.

The Midrash asserts that the people of Israel broke into four groups at the seashore. One said, “Let us jump into the sea.” Another said, “Let us return to Egypt.”  A third said, “Let us do battle with the Egyptians,” and the fourth said, “Let us cry out and frighten our enemies with our shrieks.”

To each of these groups, G-d responded in kind. To those who said, “Let us jump into the sea,” G-d said (Exodus 14:13), “Stand firmly and witness the salvation of G-d.” To those who wished to return to Egypt, G-d declared (Exodus 14:13), “As you have seen Egypt today, you shall not see them ever again.” To those who wished to do battle, the Al-mighty said (Exodus 14:14), “G-d shall do battle for you.” To those who wished to cry out, G-d cautioned (Exodus 14:14), “And you shall remain silent!”

Unfortunately, because of their panic and disarray, the four groups were unable to hear G-d’s assurances.

In effect, G-d concluded: I commanded you eternal life and you intend to commit suicide by jumping into the sea? Furthermore, if you return to Egypt, you will be enslaved again, and you will never leave. As a result, a nation that had been destined to be a kingdom of priests and a holy people will never come into being. All the wonderful promises that I, G-d, made to your forefathers will be nullified. Do you not know that it is not your swords, your strength or your own power that saves you in times of challenge? It is G-d’s hand and My arm, and the light of My face that gives you the power to defeat your enemies. While it is true that the cries of a million people, women and children, the clanging of pots, may possibly disturb an enemy camp, even though it is united and disciplined, that is not what the Jewish people are known for. In fact, it is only through tranquility that you will be saved. It is with your soft, low voices that you will defeat the enemy. You need to direct your hearts to Heaven, to Me, the Al-mighty, Who performed all the miracles until now, and I will redeem you, as you sing to Me songs of praise.

Throughout Jewish history, in times of challenge, we have seen similar responses from our people. Some say, “Let us jump into the sea and assimilate among our enemies, and there will no longer be anti-Semitism.” Others agree to be subservient to their enemies, and live “enslaved” among the nations, accepting their bitter fate. There are groups who declare brazenly “Never Again,” and devise all manner of strategies to fight off the enemy. There are even those who say, “Let us shriek–-let us raise our voices in protest, and try to arouse the conscience of the world. Surely, they will not remain silent, and will come to our aid.”

We know that father Jacob did not rely on a single strategy when he approached his estranged brother Esau. He prepared for prayer, for gifts (bribery) and for war. But none of these solutions will be helpful to his descendants, unless they appreciate the underlying message that Moses conveyed to the people of Israel.

In Exodus 14:14, Moses proclaims: “Hashem yee’la’chaym la’chem, v’ah’tem tah’cha’ree’shoon,” G-d shall do battle for you, and you shall remain silent. Unless all other solutions are premised on faith in the Al-mighty, in confidence in G-d’s concern for His people, nothing will work–not subservience, not battle, not protests, only faith. Faith is what worked for the people at the shores of the Red Sea, and faith is what still works for the Jewish people today.

May you be blessed.

The seventh and eighth days of Passover begin on Thursday night, April 12^th, and continue through Friday and Saturday, April 13^th and 14^th. For more information, see NJOP’s website www.njop.org.

Chag Kasher V’samayach. Wishing all our friends a wonderful, joyous and meaningful Passover.

by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

This week, Jews the world over will experience “Spring fever.” Since the Bible states (Exodus 23:15), that Passover is to be observed in “Aviv,” the festival is also known as “Chag ha’Aviv,” the festival of Spring.

Passover is a time of renewal, a time in which the aspirations of our hearts, which have been kept under wraps during the long winter, are now budding and blossoming. The period of Passover is a period of optimism and anticipation of better times ahead. The dark winter sky has grown clear again. We behold the budding of not only flowers, but also of hope.

Judaism and Jewish tradition have a unique perspective on optimism and hope. Our tradition maintains that in order to truly appreciate the better days that will be coming, we need to understand and examine the bitter days that we have already endured.

And that is why, at our Passover seder, when the glorious story of the Exodus and the salvation of our people is told, the author of the Hagaddah included a critically important verse from Deuteronomy 26:6. There the Torah tells us, “Va’ya’ray’oo oh’tah’noo ha’Mitzrim, va’y’ah’noo’noo, va’yit’noo ah’lay’noo ah’voh’dah kah’shah,” The Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, and placed hard work upon us.

The Jews cried out to the Al-mighty, Who heard their voices, saw their afflictions, and took the Jews out of Egypt with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, ultimately bringing them to the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

The above words are excerpted from the ancient declaration that every Jewish farmer recited in order to acknowledge G-d’s greatness and beneficence, when he brought his Bikurim, first fruits, to the Temple.

Although we have previously explored this passage (Passover 5768-2008), there are multiple lessons to be learned from these words. The common translation of the expression “Va’ya’ray’oo,” is that the Egyptians mistreated us, harmed us, afflicted us, from the root of the word, “rah,” to do evil. And indeed they did. The evil inflicted upon the Israelites was unmitigated. The Egyptians turned the Israelites into slaves and made them work rigorously. They forced the Israelites to perform inhumane tasks, drowned their children in the Nile, and plastered Jewish babies into the walls when the Hebrew slaves failed to produce sufficient bricks!

However, the word “Va’ya’ray’oo” may possibly have a different origin, from the word “ray’ah,” meaning friend. As the Torah famously states in Leviticus 19:18: “V’ah’hav’tah l’ray’ah’chah ka’mo’cha,” Love thy neighbor as thyself. This alternate  interpretation of the word “Va’ya’ray’oo” is based on the Midrash that says, that at least initially, the Egyptians embraced the Israelite citizens as friends. In fact, according to the Midrash, King Pharaoh himself volunteered to join the civic-spirited Jews, helping to build the great storehouses of Pithom and Ramses. Eventually the Jews found themselves no longer volunteering, but enslaved. It is this same theme, expressed in another Midrash, which asserts that the same Egyptian masters who beat their slaves brutally during the day, befriended them at night and invited them to celebrate together at elaborate orgies of blood and wine. As a result, the Jews sank to the 49^th level of spiritual impurity, almost losing their total humanity.

Several years ago, I heard an interesting interpretation of this same verse from Malcolm Hoenlein, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and a very learned and astute Jewish leader. He pointed out that “Va’ya’ray’oo” may mean that the Jews in Egypt were deeply influenced by the Egyptians to be evil like them–-not unlike the effects that contemporary blandishments are having on our people today. The sterling traits of the Jewish people, for which Jews were renowned for many generations, are being lost. Their unusual charitability, abhorrence of violence, the stability of Jewish family life, pursuit of advanced education, all these qualities are declining among contemporary Jews. Because of the challenging environment, our people are being subtly reduced to lesser human beings.

Another way of looking at the verse, suggested Mr. Hoenlein, is that the Egyptians saw all the Jews as evil. They could find absolutely nothing redeeming in them. At first the Egyptians suspected that the Israelites would serve as a fifth column, should war come upon Egypt. All Jews were conspirators, working to undermine the exalted Egyptian civilization. Perhaps it was the goodness, the kindness, the charitability and the exceptionalism of the Jews, that was already known in the time of Joseph, who had saved all of Egypt, that so irritated the Egyptians. The “goodness” was so “in-their-face,” that they felt compelled to turn the Jewish people into pariahs, into a hated nation.

How true that is today.

A story is told of an Israeli who was visiting a zoo in London, when a caged lion stuck out his paw and grabbed an unfortunate little girl who was leaning too far over the rail. Without a moment’s hesitation, the Israeli sprang into action to save the child, striking the lion on its nose, so that it would release the child.

A local reporter standing nearby came running and exclaimed that this was the most gallant act he has ever seen a person perform in his lifetime. The modest Israeli shrugged it off, saying that it was not only the right thing but also the only thing that he could do. The reporter insisted that it not go unacknowledged, and demanded some details from the hero. The Israeli replied, “I am from Israel, I serve in the Israeli army and I support my government.”

The next morning, the Israeli saw the headline on the front page of the newspaper describing his actions. It read: “Right-wing Israeli Mercenary Assaults African Immigrant and Steals his Lunch.”

While this particular portrayal is certainly exaggerated, it very much reflects the way that parts of the world perceive Jews today. They see our people as evil beings, unable to find any redeeming qualities.

This is the message of the festival of Springtime. While we celebrate our salvation by the Al-mighty, we must remember the challenges that our people endured and continue to endure today. We must not allow others to see us as evil, or allow them to influence us to do evil. We must step forward to show our own personal goodness and, by extension, the extraordinary goodness of our faith and our tradition.

This is the message of Passover.

Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy Passover.

May you be blessed.

The first two days of the joyous festival of Passover will be observed this year (2012) on Friday night, April 6^th, and continues through Saturday and Sunday, April 7^th and 8^th.  The seventh and eighth days of Passover begin on Thursday night, April 12^th, and continues through Friday and Saturday, April 13^th and 14^th. For more information see NJOP’s website www.njop.org.

by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald

This week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, continues the theme that dominates much of the book of Leviticus: the roles of the priests and the Levites in the Tabernacle and the regulations regarding the complex sacrificial ritual.

Parashat Tzav itself focuses on several sacrifices, the daily burnt offering, the meal offering, the guilt offering, the peace offering and the thanksgiving offering. The parasha concludes with a description of the consecration of the sanctuary and the installation of the priests.

There are many important messages that are conveyed by these seemingly obscure and arcane events and rituals. Many of these important themes may be found in the NJOP website archives of the weekly messages on parashat Tzav.

With the arrival of Rosh Chodesh Nisan, many of us are already in the Passover mode. Nevertheless, we must not neglect a profound message that is found in this week’s Torah portion.

In Leviticus 7:28-34, we learn of the parts of the peace offering that are to be placed on the altar and the parts that are to be presented as gifts to the priests. Before they are placed on the altar or given to the priests, they must be waved in all four directions and then lifted up and lowered.

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible) notes that the priests would move the pieces forward and backward, upward and downward.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888, the great Bible commentator and leader of German Jewry) explains the significance of waving the animal’s chest, thigh and entrails. Waving the entrails is meant to teach us to dedicate to G-d and to our fellow man, all the urges and aims of our senses. Waving the chest is intended to remind us to dedicate all thoughts and desires that are stimulated by our sense. Waving the thigh shows that all our efforts and accomplishments should be devoted to G-d and man as well. We are then to direct all these to the whole of the world around us by waving horizontally, and to our G-d above us, by waving vertically.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains in his Sichas Shabbos Parashat Tzav 5746, that the upward and downward movements represent the spiritual movements of a person. Sometimes a person is in the “growth mode,” at other times, in spiritual decline.

Nevertheless, says the Lubavitcher Rebbe, whether a person is on a spiritual high or low, one should always endeavor to go “forward and backward,” to influence other people positively. Forward and backward represent the quality of spreading Judaism to other people, says the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

I would add that one of the most effective ways for a person to deal with his/her own downward spiritual movement, is to reach out to help others. That challenge often results in that person’s own spiritual growth, in developing an appreciation of things they never knew about in their own Jewish life.

This is a perfect message for us to consider as Passover, the festival of redemption, approaches. We must not fail to use this opportunity to grow personally, even though we may be in our own personal rut. We must not allow others to see us as evil, or to influence us to do evil. Even as we waver up and down, we must step forward and reach out to others, to show our own personal goodness and the extraordinary goodness of our tradition.

May you be blessed.

This Shabbat, the Shabbat that immediately precedes Passover, is known as Shabbat Hagadol, the Great Shabbat. On this Shabbat, we read a special Haftarah from the prophet Malachi 3:4-24, in which we find the verse: “Behold I send to you Elijah the Prophet, before the great and awesome day of G-d.” For more information on Shabbat Hagadol, see Tzav 5762-2002.

by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald

In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayikra, we learn of the obligation of placing salt on all sacrificial offerings, including all animal, wheat and wine offerings.

Many reasons are suggested for the use of salt on the altar.  Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible), citing the Midrash, suggests that at the time of creation, when G-d removed the waters of the earth from the heavenly waters, He made a covenant with the waters that even though they were removed from the heavenly sphere, they would still gain much recognition on earth. He did this by assuring them that the salt, which comes from the ocean, would be placed on the altar. The Al-mighty also promised that on Sukkot, during the libation ceremony, water would be poured directly on the altar, and the entire festival would be devoted to celebrating water.

Many of the classical commentators offer other interesting and edifying reasons.  Maimonides (the Rambam, the great Jewish philosopher, codifier and physician, 1135-1204) maintains that salt, which absorbs liquids, was used extensively on the altar in order to remove blood from the offerings. This was done because the pagan ritual sacrifices celebrated blood and did not allow the use of salt, in order to retain every drop of blood for their deity.

The Arbarbanel (1437-1508, Spanish statesman, philosopher and commentator), Rabbeinu Bachya (Bachya ben Asher, 1263-1340, Biblical commentator of the Golden Age of Spain), and the Sefer Hachinuch (the classic work on the 613 commandments, their rationale and their regulations, by an anonymous author in 13^th century Spain) regard salt as a seasoning, maintaining that it would be improper to offer anything upon the altar without first making it complete by seasoning it, so that it would be acceptable.

The Da’at Zekeinim (a collection of comments on the Pentateuch by the Tosafists of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries) sees salt as a preservative, forever preserving the sacrificial ritual in order to secure forgiveness from G-d. The Kli Yakar (R’ Shlomo Ephraim Lunshitz, c.1550-1619, Rosh Yeshiva of Lemberg and Rabbi of Prague, author of a popular bible commentary) sees salt as embodying two opposing concepts. While salt is extracted from cool water, it also possesses properties that enhance the ability of objects to burn. These two qualities remind us of two qualities of G-d: the gentle quality of mercy and the stark harshness of justice. Rabbi Bernard Bamberger, in his commentary on Leviticus, notes that in ancient times, agreements were sealed with a formal meal. Sharing salt at a meal was the symbol of concluding an agreement. This is why the Bible describes this as a “covenant” of salt.

In order to maintain the memory of the ancient practice of placing salt on the altar, there is a widespread custom of having salt at our meals. Since the table today represents the altar of old, we make certain to use salt at the meal. After reciting the blessing over the bread, the bread is dipped in, or sprinkled with, salt before it is eaten.

Rabbi Abraham Chill, in his wonderful book, “The Minhagim,” explains the customary use of salt. 1. Salt reminds us of the sin offerings that were offered on the Temple altar. The Hebrew word “m’chal,” forgive, is composed of the same letters as “melach,” salt. 2. Salt reveals the wonderful way in which G-d created the world. The fact that salt can change its state and still be returned to its original state after being dissolved in water, was seen by the ancient rabbis as proof of the wisdom of G-d, the Creator. 3. Salt is a common and inexpensive ingredient. Those who live in times of abundance should remember that life is sometimes austere, and that food is a gift of G-d. 4. Salt and bread go together because the Hebrew letters comprising salt, “melach,” and bread, “lechem,” are the same. 5. Two opposite forces, water and fire, are at work in the manufacture of salt, when it is crystalized from water boiled at high temperatures. Water irrigates the wheat fields while the fire of the sun dries and ripens the crops. It’s when both of these processes join at G-d’s command that we are able to benefit from the fruit of the earth. 6. The Midrash tells us that Lot’s wife was punished and converted into a mound of salt because she was upset that her husband had invited guests into the home. Thus, salt serves to heighten our sensitivity toward the poor, who should be welcome guests at our tables.

Salt is also a substance that never spoils. It is eternal. It is used to remind us, and to remind G-d, of the eternal covenant that G-d made with the Jewish people, and our promise to be loyal to G-d.

It is always wondrous to see how rich in symbolism are the Jewish customs found in our glorious tradition.

May you be blessed.

This Shabbat, also known as Shabbat HaChodesh, is the last of the four special Shabbatot that surround the holiday of Purim. On this Shabbat, a thematic Torah portion concerning the new month, Nissan, is read from Exodus 12:1-20. This Shabbat is also Rosh Chodesh Nissan, which marks the first day of the month of redemption.

by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald

In parashat Vayakhel, the first of this week’s double parashiot of Vayakhel and Pekudei, we read of the actual construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and its furnishings, and how the craftsmen are selected. In parashat Pekudei, an account is taken of all the donated materials, and the priestly vestments are manufactured. At the conclusion of parashat Pekudei, the command is given for the first time to set up the Tabernacle, and the glory of G-d fills the Tabernacle.

Perhaps the most important and overlying theme of the double parashiot is the opening word of the first parasha, “Vayakhel.” In Exodus 35:1, the Torah states: “Vayakhel Moshe et kol ah’daht B’nai Yisrael, va’yoh’mehr ah’lay’hem: Ay’leh ha’d’varim ah’sher tzee’vah Hashem la’ah’soht oh’tahm,” Moses assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel, and said to them: “These are the things that G-d commanded, to do them.”

Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105, foremost commentator on the Bible) notes that only one day earlier, on Yom Kippur, Moses returned to the Jewish people from Mount Sinai, after receiving the second set of tablets from G-d. Bringing with him the message of G-d’s forgiveness, the people were now ready to join together to build the Tabernacle.

At that moment, the Jewish people were united once again, as they had been at the time of the revelation at Mt. Sinai, men, women and children. Now, every one of them would have a share in the construction of the Tabernacle.

For the people of Israel, the sense of unity is one of the most powerful weapons that the nation has in its arsenal to fight off its enemies. Our commentators declare that strife and deception always shake the foundation of our people. It is well known that for the sin of dispute and wanton hatred, the Temple was destroyed. Therefore, at the time of erecting the Tabernacle, Moses gathers the people of Israel, bringing them together to unite them. Indeed, the perfection of the Tabernacle and its ability to sustain itself depends upon the unity of the people.

As previously noted, when the Torah was given by G-d, at Sinai, the people were united. Citing the verse in Exodus 19:2, “Va’yee’chahn shahm Yisrael,” Rashi famously notes, “k’eesh echad b’lev echad,” that when the people encamped at the foot of the mountain, they came together as one person, with a single heart. However, because of the sin of the Golden Calf, the people, who were no longer united, began quarreling with one another. Since the purpose of the Tabernacle was to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses now gathers the people together, so that they may return to their pristine state of unity, as they were at Mount Sinai.

The Sforno (Obadiah ben Jacob, 1470-1550, Italian Bible commentator) insightfully contrasts and compares the history of the Temples that the Jewish people erected. He notes, that even though the portable Tabernacle was intended to serve as a temporary structure to help the Jewish people focus and reach a heightened spirituality, the Mishkan had a longevity that the other permanent, and far more elaborate, Temples did not have.

The first Temple built by Solomon fell into the hands of the Babylonians, and was destroyed. The second Temple built by Ezra, Nehemia and Zerubavel, fell into the hands of the Roman enemy and was destroyed. But the Tabernacle, the Mishkan, which had a  Divine cloud hovering above its roof, never fell into enemy hands.

The Sforno, in fact, suggests four unique qualities that ensured the durability of the Mishkan: 1) The Mishkan was “Mishkan Ha’ay’doot,” it was a Tabernacle of testimony that contained the tablets that were written by G-d Himself. 2) The temporary Tabernacle was commanded to be built and supervised by Moses, the greatest prophet of all times. 3) The Tabernacle was the handiwork of the holy tribe of Levi, and 4) Betzalel, the son of Uri, the gifted architect of the Tabernacle, built every part of the Tabernacle precisely as G-d had commanded Moses.

The Sforno points out that this was not the case with the Temples that were subsequently erected. Despite the beauty and grandeur of Solomon’s Temple, the actual construction was performed by laborers from Tyre in Lebanon. The second Temple, was of even lesser sanctity, because by then the holy vessels had disappeared or had been taken away. Consequently, there was no ark or tablets in the second Temple. The second Temple was constructed at the command of Cyrus the Great, and no Levites participated in its construction (Ezra 8:15).

One might incorrectly assume that the people’s extremely generous gifts of gold, copper and silver to the Tabernacle, were the reason that the Tabernacle lasted for so long. But, far more gold and silver was used in the construction of the two permanent Temples. Rather, it was the brotherly behavior and the united commitment of the people who built the Tabernacle, that resulted in its longevity.

The Tabernacle was originally erected in the Hebrew year 2449 (1312 BCE). The first Temple, which was built 486 years later in the Hebrew year 2935 (827 BCE), stood for 403 (some say 410) years and was destroyed in 3338 (586/423 BCE). The second Temple was completed in the Hebrew year 3412 (516/349 BCE). (Two secular dates are given to account for the different opinions regarding calculation of these dates). It stood for 420 years, until it was destroyed by the Romans, in the Hebrew year 3829 (69 CE).

Despite the great emphasis on unity, our sages declare that unity may be a double-edged sword. In and of itself, unity is not a positive value. It is only a positive value when it is used for positive purposes to enhance Israel’s ability to strengthen its commitment to the Torah. However, in the hands of the wicked, unity can be extremely dangerous. The story of the Tower of Babylon, recorded in Genesis 11, provides a powerful example of the misuse of unity.

By joining all together at the time of the construction and dedication of the Tabernacle, the Jewish people declared their full commitment to G-d and the Torah.  It was this resolve to follow the commandments of the Al-mighty, and to observe them, that endowed the Tabernacle with special qualities that the permanent Temples of Jerusalem never had.

May you be blessed.

This Shabbat is also known as Shabbat Parashat Parah.  It is the third of four special Shabbatot that surround the holiday of Purim.  On this Shabbat, a thematic Torah portion concerning the Red Heifer is read from Numbers 19:1-22.