Can we do תפילות prayers for:
Nosson Chayim Leff and Torah.org?
So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?
|
|
|
|
|  |
|
|
|
|
|
| | The weekly Sfas Emes is now available in a
Sefer. The Seferis called Emes Ve'emunah : A Sfas Emes Companion. This
Sefer contains all of the materials in the weekly emails, plus new
insights. The Sefer also contains the text in lashon hakodesh on which
the Sfas Emes worked to produce his ma'amar. Accessing the the Sfas
Emes via the Sefer offers advantages. You have the week's Torah
without having to print the email. You have the Sfas Emes' text--which
could not be sent by email. Also many people who would enjoy the Sfas
Emes do not have internet.
You can purchase this Sefer at your favorite bokstore, or online, at
the Targum or Feldheim websites. Emes Ve'Emunah will also be available
for purchase or perusal at the SOY Seform Sale, January 15-January 24.
| |
|
|
| |
Parshas Pinchas
Sfas Emes, Zechuso Tagein Aleinu, Parshas Pinchos, 5631
It helps to see this ma'amar in its historical context. Pinchos had
stopped the outburst of aveira (sin), and the ensuing plague.
Accordingly, HaShem had promoted Pinchos to the status of full-fledged
kohein. The parsha's first Medrash Rabba -- which is the Sfas Emes's
starting point -- elaborates on this account.
The Medrash tells us of HaShem's statement that Pinchos was
receiving his reward "be'din" -- with "din". What is "din"? Din is
strict justice, in contrast to the opposite attribute of chessed (loving
kindness, compassion, a willingness to forgo strict justice.) In the
present context, the word "be'din" is open to two possible
interpretations. One possibility is: Pinchos earned, and therefore,
deserved this reward as a matter of justice. Another possible
interpretation is that Pinchos earned his reward by exercising the
attribute of din -- by meting out well-deserved, just punishment to the
sinning couple.
Applied to Pinchos -- who was biologically a kohein -- use of the
word "be'din" in either sense comes as a surprise. Aharon was the
prototype of the kohein's persona. And Aharon was known for his
outstanding quality of chessed, not for din.
(Parenthetically, the Sfas Emes notes that the chessed-din dichotomy
may also express itself in one's relationship with HaShem. A person
with a proclivity toward chessed is likely to relate to HaShem via ahava
(love). By contrast, a person who goes through life with a perspective
of din is more likely to relate to HaShem with yir'ah (awe and/or
fear).)
The notion that Pinchas earned the status and role of kohein also
comes as a surprise. For, quoting the Sefer Tanya (!), the Sfas Emes
observes that HaShem gave the kehuna -- the priesthood -- to Aharon as a
mahtahna (a gift). Thus, HaShem tells Aharon (Bemidbar, 8:7) that his
kehuna is "avodas mahtahna" (ArtScroll: "a service that is a gift"). And
by definition, a gift is conveyed gratuitously, not as a quid pro quo. A
mahtana is not "earned".
he Sfas Emes has brought to our attention two questions that lurk
behind the seemingly innocuous word: "be'din". He now leaves us with
these unanswered questions, and moves to a new line of thought.
When the Torah tells us of Pinchos's act of
kana'us (zealotry), it states (Bemidbar, 25:7): "Va'yakam mi'toch
ha'eda," Pinchos "arose from amidst the people." Likewise, when HaShem
recounts Pinchos's deed (Bemidbar 25:11), He specifies "bekan'o es
kina'asi be'socham." That is, Pinchos did what he did "in the midst of
Bnei Yisroel." We may not understand initially why this feature of
Pinchos's action was important. B'H', the Sfas Emes now explains.
A person who does an act of zealotry may do so as a loner, an
outsider, a marginal person. Similarly, a zealot may be trying to fill a
well-defined social role -- the role of zealot -- and thus to stand out
from the hamon am (the masses). Or, he may act zealously in an effort
to "steig" -- to grow in his avoda (service of HaShem).
The Sfas Emes tells us that such self-regarding behavior is not genuine kana'us for HaShem. That is why the Torah emphasizes that Pinchos did what he did "be'socham" -- in the midst of Bnei Yisroel. The Torah
-- and the Sfas Emes -- are trying to help us recognize the nature of
true zealotry. In this particular act of kana'us, it was especially
important that "one of the people" -- a regular, ordinary person --
rather than a "designated zealot" (either self-designated or socially
designated) perform the kana'us.
When the Mishkan was inaugurated, Aharon and his sons were appointed
kohanim, the priests who, together with their progeny for all
generations, were to perform the avoda, the Divine service. However,
Aharon's then-living grandchildren -- e.g., Pinchos -- were not included
in the kehuna. It was only 39 years later, after Pinchos did what he
did, that he was named a full-fledged kohein.
Why was Pinchos excluded for so long? The Sfas Emes proposes an
answer. He suggests that this exclusion-inclusion feature was mandated
so that when Pinchos "arose" to perform his act of kana'us, he do so
"be'socham" -- in their midst -- as a regular, ordinary citizen (rather
than one of the self-regarding "zealots" mentioned above). Imagine
Pinchos's puzzlement and self-doubt during those 39 years! Eventually,
Pinchos learned the reason for his exclusion . But during this
excruciatingly long period, he had no clue for his exclusion; nor did he
have any assurance that ultimately he would ascend to the kehuna.
At this point, the Sfas Emes circles back to the two unanswered
questions that he brought to our attention earlier. As you may recall,
one question involved the apparent inconsistency between statements that
speak of the kehuna as being earned or as being awarded as a gift. The
second question focused on the apparent inconsistency concerning the
attributes that a kohein should strive to personify. Should it be
chessed/ahava or din-yir'ah?
How does the Sfas Emes deal wth these issues? He notes that, in
point of fact, the kehuna could be conferred either as an unmerited gift
or earned. He cites No'ach's son, Shem, as an illustration of the
kehuna's having been granted as a gift. Thus, we find Shem -- a person
not noted for his exemplary acts of chessed -- being named a kohein.
(Note: Chazal -- -and the Sfas Emes -- are working with the tradition
that the person named Malki -Tzedek -- mentioned in Bereishis 14, 18 as a
kohein -- was Shem, the son of No'ach.) Continuing, the Sfas Emes cites
Avraham Avinu as a case in which the kehuna was earned. Viewed in
broader terms, the Sfas Emes is telling us that the kehuna could be
awarded either as an unmerited gift or it could be earned. In other
words,in ancient times HaShem did not run (this aspect of) the world in
an "either or" framework.
More generally, the Sfas Emes tells us that at a higher level of
abstraction, the dichotomy between ahava/ chessed and yir'ah/din is a
false dichotomy. Thus, Pinchos was motivated by ahava for HaShem; and
that love enabled him to mete out din to the people who deserved it.
Likewise, the Sfas Emes tells us that Avraham Avinu -- who is usually
viewed as the prototype of ahava -- reached that attribute by starting
with yir'ah.
The name of our holiest city, Yerushalayim, shows the fusion of
chessed/ahava and din/yir'ah fusion in its full glory. Avraham Avinu
gave that city a name derived from the word yir'ah (Bereishis, 22, 4).
And to complete the role reversal, Shem gave the city (Bereishis, 14,
18) a name, Shalem, that evokes HaShem's chessed in making the world
whole, without blemish.
A take-home lesson? The Sfas Emes is telling us something that we
knew already: that we live in a complex, confusing world,. What he is
adding is a focus on the paradoxes and apparent inconsistencies that
litter this world. Apparently, he feels that we should be aware of
unanswered (and perhaps unanswerable) questions; and, nevertheless,
continue living Torah and learning Torah. After all, that is how he -- the Sfas Emes -- handled the situation.
|
|
|
Questions or comments? Email feedback@torah.org.
Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every
week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing.
Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution and copyright to the author and Torah.org.
Both the author and Torah.org reserve certain rights. Email copyrights@torah.org for full information.
|
|
|
Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws special in
this time when Abba Yahweh is 'testing' us:
Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem
(‘everlasting’
also said of Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan 7:14 And there was given Him (Moshiach) dominion,
and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim, tongues, should
pey-lammed-chet. [1] (worship as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as
deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and His (Messianic) Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.] see Michah
5:1[2];)
Yahweh
Elohai (my Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast
appointed them (these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast
ordained them (these Chaldean) for reproof.
(Please
read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?)
Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:
Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi
(prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me.....
Exo 32:30 The next
day Moshe said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I
will go up to Yahweh; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto
him ye must listen;
Deu 18:16 According to all that thou
desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev (to be burnt dried up,
ruined, wasted) in the Yom HaKahal (day of the congregation), saying, Let me
not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav (your Elohim), neither let me see
this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more, that I die not.
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They
have well-spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi
(prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Joh
10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut
(authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This
mitzvah I received from HaAv (the Father).
Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My
Name), I will require it of him.
Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of
the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH
41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father)
of me taught me, these things I speak.
[1]
Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח
No comments:
Post a Comment