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Parsha Perspectives

by RABBI LEIBY BURNHAM

וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח ולא תשבת מלח
ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתך על קרבנך תקריב מלח

“You shall salt all your meal-offerings with salt and you shall not omit salt, the covenant of your G-d, from being placed upon your meal-offerings. You shall bring salt on every one of your offerings.” (Lev. 2:13)

In this week’s parsha, Vayikra, we begin reading about the many offerings that were brought in the Tabernacle and Temple. There are offerings brought with livestock, fowl, and even flour and oil. One common denominator between the different offerings is that they all had salt placed on them. “You shall salt all your meal-offerings with salt and you shall not omit salt, the covenant of your G-d, from being placed upon your meal-offerings. You shall bring salt on every one of your offerings.” (Lev. 2:13)

The Midrash tells us that this was a result of a grievance issued during the creation of the world. On the second day of creation, G-d split the lower waters (the waters on earth) from the upper waters (the atmospheric water). The lower waters were unhappy with the fact that they were left far away from G-d, and complained that they wanted to be closer to G-d. G-d consoled them by telling them that salt which is taken from the sea would be placed upon all the offerings, and that water would be poured on the Altar during the holiday of Succos.

If this is the case, why do we put salt on the offerings, why not simply place sea water on them, since it was the sea water that desired to be closer to G-d? Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891-1986, Lithuania- NY) answers that the water elevates itself and joins the upper waters simply by evaporating. What’s left behind is the salt, that which does not naturally climb on its own. When G-d tells us that salt should be placed on the offerings, He is indicating that we should offer up the parts of ourselves that are not naturally inclined toward elevation, the qualities within us that we consider as residue, the part that remains behind when we try to grow and raise ourselves up. When we can elevate the part of us that is least inclined to growth, that is the ultimate offering.

Often people are very happy with certain traits they have, and seem to give up on others. When we flex those muscles that we are least inclined to exercise (i.e. we take on and succeed in opportunities that seem beyond our reach), we not only get the brownie points for reaching the goal, we retain a lasting residue of that hard work.

A story is told of an elderly man who was becoming more involved in Judaism and began transforming his life one step at a time. There was one area, Talmud study, that seemed beyond his grasp. He tried and tried, but he felt like every time he learned one word, he forgot two. At one point, he confided in his son that he felt a real desire to overcome this area of weakness of his life. His son arranged for him to come every Sunday morning to a local yeshiva where different students would take turns learning with him. For years he came every single Sunday and studied with the students, often struggling with a single paragraph for an hour or more. But slowly he began to get a real foothold in this new area in his life. After four years of studying, he finally finished one complete page (double-sided) of Talmud. He knew it back and forth, with all the translation, commentary, and details.

Excited to have finally finished his first folio, he went to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, one of the Torah greats, for a verbal exam of this new material he had studied. He aced the test, displaying his thorough knowledge of all its intricacies. Rabbi Feinstein excitedly insisted that the yeshiva students make a festive meal celebrating this milestone.

At the meal, attended by dozens of students, Rabbi Feinstein talked about how a person can acquire their place in the World to Come with just one manuscript when learned with the sacrifice this man displayed. After that, the man himself got up to speak, and emotionally thanked the yeshiva students for patiently learning with him for so long. He then continued to say that he had always been so afraid to die, feeling that he hadn’t yet fulfilled all of his potential. But now he could live in peace knowing that he had conquered his biggest obstacle.

Three days later, this man passed away, having merited in his lifetime to grow tremendously through conquering, thus, elevating the weaker areas within that many people mistakenly leave behind.

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Parsha Talking Points

by RABBI ELAZAR MEISELS

1. EASY-OFF-ERINGS

“Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them: ‘When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem: from animals, from cattle, or from the flock, shall you bring your offering.’” 1:2

From Animals, From Cattle, Or From The Flock – “One might have thought that perhaps even wild animals [chayos] are acceptable as offerings? The verse teaches us: Cattle and sheep only, [not wild animals]” – Rashi

From Cattle, Or From The Flock – “Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon said, ‘The Almighty, Blessed be He, said to Israel, I have given you ten species of kosher animal. Three are easily obtained, such as the ox, goat and calf. The other seven are only obtained with difficulty such as the deer, the ram… Have I troubled you to go out to the mountains to obtain those animals for the purpose of offering a korbon (sacrifice)? All I’ve asked for is an offering from among those that are readily obtained…’” – Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas, Perek 12

How important it is for a person to not pride himself in what he gives to the Almighty, the source of whatever a person has in this world. All He asks is that we share with Him what is already in our possession from the largesse He has already granted, not to go elsewhere and obtain extras on His behalf. – Chafetz Chaim al HaTorah

This Midrash also points to the fact that the Almighty only asks of us to do what we are capable of. He did not trouble us to run to the mountains to seek wild animals, for that would be too much of a bother. Instead, he asked us merely to take from that which is readily available and there for the taking. It is often said that when a person faces His Maker in the next world, he will not lament the large missed opportunities, but the small ones that were so readily available and so easy to take advantage of. The Almighty not only seeks our company, but He makes it so easy to accomplish!

2. HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN

“When a ruler sins and commits one from among all of the commandments of Hashem his G-d that may not be done, unintentionally, and is guilty.” 4:22

When a ruler sins – The term, “When” in this verse is unusual. In Hebrew, the word is “asher” and is related to the word “osher” – good fortune. The use of the word “asher” symbolizes the following idea: Fortunate is the generation whose leader is willing to bring an atonement offering to cleanse himself of unintentional sins. – Rashi

“This can be compared to a maidservant who dropped her clay pitcher in the well and was unable to retrieve it. Saddened by her loss, she returned to her mistress despondent and in a state of despair. Soon after, the princess went to the very same well and accidentally dropped her golden decanter into the well. As soon as the news reached the maidservant, she was overjoyed. She reasoned that once they were in the process of retrieving the princess’ golden decanter, they’d surely find her own missing pitcher as well, and return it to her.” – Tanna D’Bei Eliyahu

In Parshas VaYechi, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk explained why the generation whose leader atones for his inadvertent sins is considered fortunate. All too often, the leaders are so exalted and elevated above the nation that they fail to truly properly connect with the simple folk. The righteous people are too distant from sin to appreciate the struggles of the boors and sinners and are incapable of inspiring them to greater spiritual heights. To remedy this imbalance, the Almighty places minor stumbling blocks in the path of the righteous in the hopes that they’ll trip up and taste sin in some small measure. Once they do, they suddenly become aware of the challenges faced by the common man and a bond is automatically created between the two. Perversely, their downfall and subsequent repentance serve as a vehicle for greater growth and inspiration for their generation.

3. A FEATHERY TOUCH

“If one’s offering to Hashem is an elevation-offering of fowl…He shall split it with its feathers…the Kohen shall cause it to go up in smoke on the Altar…” 1:14-17

With its feathers – Even though there is hardly a more repulsive smell than that of burning feathers, the feathers are not stripped from the bird before being placed on the Altar. Why? Because fowl-offerings are commonly brought only by the poor and indigent and if the feathers were removed, so little would be left of the bird, as to embarrass the pauper who offered it. It is far better to endure the foul smell and let the Holy Altar be adorned by the poor man’s offering. – Rashi

In Daas Torah, Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l, pointed out that the nature of a person is to desire to mingle with the rich and famous who dress to perfection and represent class and dignity. Not so when it comes to the poor and destitute whose clothes hang shabbily, hair is unkempt, and often, emit a foul odor that is difficult to stomach. People turn up their noses when in the presence of such company and make no secret of their distaste for the unwashed masses. The Almighty, however, takes an opposite approach. He seeks the company of the destitute, foul odor and all. He even asks us to disregard the dignity of His Altar and place the odor-emitting feathers upon it in an attempt to show His love and concern for the dignity of the poor. This important lesson was meant to be absorbed by the onlookers who were forced to endure the stench of feathers and inspire them to treat the poor man with dignity and honor.

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Partner Talk

DEMYSTIFYING D’MATZAH

by RABBI LEIBY BURNHAM

Dear Rabbi,

This year I’m going to be leading a Passover Seder for the first time. I’ve always been confused with the whole matzah eating process. There are so many matzahs and blessings that I get lost. Can you clarify what exactly I should be doing with the matzahs and why?

Thanks,
Adam K.

Dear Adam,

Congratulations on leading your first Seder. The Seder is the single most important time for conveying Jewish identity and faith to the next generations, so I wish you lots of success. The matzah part can be confusing, so let’s look first at what needs to be accomplished, and then we’ll talk about how we accomplish it.

There are two reasons why we eat matzah during the Seder. The first reason is that the Seder is a Yom Tov (holiday) meal, and like any other Yom Tov meal, or Shabbat meal, for that matter, one is supposed to have bread. Not only that, one is actually supposed to have two breads! That is part of an idea called Lechem Mishna (double bread). It is based on what our forefathers experienced during their forty years in the desert. Every day, people would collect manna (miraculous spiritual bread that G-d would send them). On Shabbat or Yom Tov, which were days of rest, there was no collecting, so the people collected double bread on Friday. In commemoration of this double bread that G-d would provide us, we make a blessing on two whole loaves at each Shabbat meal.

Another reason we eat matzah during the Seder is the Biblical commandment to eat matzah on the first night of Passover. For the duration of Passover, one is not supposed to eat chametz (leavened bread), but there is no Biblical requirement to eat matzah on Passover except for during the Seder night. However, here is where it gets tricky. Matzah is called Lechem Oni (the Bread of Affliction, the Bread of Poverty). Poor people don’t eat whole loves of bread, they customarily eat little pieces of broken bread. To remind us of that, we are supposed to eat a broken matzah.

So we need two whole matzahs for our Lechem Mishna, and a broken one for the mitzvah of matzah. We also have three blessings to make, the blessing on the bread, the blessing on the mitzvah of matzah, and shehecheyanu (the blessing we recite to thank G-d for sustaining us and bringing us to the point where we get to keep this rare mitzvah). In addition to that, almost all “eating” mitzvahs are based on a kezayit (the volume of one olive). So we need to eat one olive-volume for the Yom Tov meal, and one for the mitzvah of matzah. Each kezayit is approximately 45-50 cc, which is roughly two thirds of a square matzah, or one half of a hand-made round matzah.

The way we accomplish all this is as follows. We start the Seder with three matzahs. We break the middle matzah in the beginning of the Seder for the afikoman, so that by the time we are ready to eat, we have exactly what we need: two whole loaves and one broken one. We start off by holding up all three and saying the hamotzi (the blessing over the bread). The reason we bless the bread before making the blessing for the mitzvah of matzah, is because hamotzi is a more common blessing, and we always give preference to the more common blessing. Since that blessing signifies the beginning of our Yom Tov meal, we have two whole matzahs in our hand at that time for Lechem Mishna.

Then we drop the bottom matzah, because when we make the blessings on the mitzvah of matzah the focus is the broken matzah, the Bread of Affliction. However, just the broken middle piece is often not a kezayit, so we keep the top matzah in our hands. We make the blessing on the matzah and the shehecheyanu, and now we are finally ready to eat!

We should try to eat the two kezayits (which in square matzah is usually the whole top one, and the broken middle one) right away without interrupting with speech. Once you have done that, you have aced the first part of the Seder!

Wishing you a Joyous Pesach,
Rabbi Leiby Burnham

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Soul Talk

The Talmud infers from the Torah’s use of the word נֶפֶשׁ (soul) in relation to the korban minchah (meal offering), that Hashem accepts the meal-offering of the impoverished as if they had brought their very soul as an offering before Him. Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian (in his Lev Eliyahu to Parshas Vayikra) explains the Talmud, and also sees in it a lesson applicable even nowadays, when we cannot, unfortunately, ourselves bring a korban minchah.

A wealthy person, he explains, might bring an expensive animal — a bull — for an olah-offering (burnt offering). Even someone who is less affluent can afford to bring a sheep or a goat. These people certainly do not deplete all their assets, nor do they endure extreme hardship, by bringing these offerings! Still, when they bring the animal — with the proper intentions and following the proper laws — as an offering on the Holy Temple’s Altar, it is accepted with favor by Hashem: עֹלָה אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ לַה’ (an olah-offering, a fire-offering, a satisfying aroma to Hashem). (Vayikra 1:9)

The pauper, though, rises to an entirely different level — a level of mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) not approached by his wealthier friend. As Rabbi Lopian explains, this indigent comes to the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) with a broken heart — all he has is a bit of flour and some oil. He feels depressed, telling himself, ‘‘Of what worth am I and my offering? With what am I coming before the King of kings?’’ And, although he felt badly even before he came to the Beis HaMikdash, now, standing with his scant offering in hand, his spirit is completely shattered. He is embarrassed and ashamed, and his whole being prays to Hashem, ‘‘Please, Hashem, accept my poor gift with love and favor, as satisfying as if I had brought before You a bull for an olah, completely consumed on Your Altar!’’

Hashem responds to him, ‘‘No, my son — I will not grant your request, that your minchah be considered as if you had brought an animal before Me! Rather, I consider your offering to be as if you bound yourself as an olah before Me, and offered your life for the sanctification of My Name!’’

There is a parallel, concludes Rabbi Lopian, in Torah study. There is a person who, akin to the wealthy, is naturally gifted with a quick grasp, strong intellect, or a powerful memory. He may even — by the grace of Hashem — have all of these attributes! The good fortune he is blessed with allows him to swim in the sea of Talmud, and the Torah he originates is true and beautiful.

But there is another who — paralleling the pauper bringing his korban minchah to the Beis HaMikdash — has no specific intellectual strength. He struggles to understand each chapter, and before he has reached the second section, he has already almost forgotten the first. So he returns to the first section, exerting himself by reviewing in his mind and with his mouth until the words of Torah become absorbed in his being.

Mishlei (Proverbs), says Rabbi Lopian, describes this man when it says (16:26): נֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל עָמְלָה לּוֹ כִּי־אָכַף עָלָיו פִּיהוּ (The working soul works for itself, when its mouth humbles itself to it. The verse refers to him as a נֶפֶשׁ , just as it does the pauper who brings the korban minchah. He, humbly working to learn and understand the Torah that is so difficult for him, receives the same response from Hashem: ‘‘I consider your efforts the equivalent of your sacrificing your נֶפֶשׁ (your soul) for the Torah, and I will assist you!’’ (see also Sanhedrin 99b).

With permission from Artscroll’s Daily Dose

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Table Talk

FOR DISCUSSION AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE

by OZER ALPORT

א) Many of the sacrifices described in our parsha are completely voluntary in nature. If these mitzvos are so valuable, why isn’t their performance obligatory? (Birkas Peretz by Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky)

ב) Rashi writes (1:1) that when Hashem spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle, He spoke in His customarily powerful voice. As Rashi writes that only Moses was capable of hearing this voice, what was the purpose of speaking in such a strong voice? (Darash Moshe by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein)

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Parsha Summary

Parsha Summaries are coming soon!