Parashat Achrei Mos - Kedoshim

THOUGHTS FOR PARASHAS ACHAREI 5755
(by Rav Moshe Eliezer Rabinowitz)

"With THIS does Aharon come to the Holy of Holies." (16:3)

"THIS", says Rav Yudon, (1) alludes to the many merits which Aharon brought with him into the Mishkon. Among those mentioned by Rav Yudon are as follows. The merit of Shabbos as it is written "Fortunate is the man who does THIS", (2) the merit of charity and tithes as is written "And please test Me regarding THIS", (3) and the merit of Torah as it is written "And THIS is the Torah". (4)

There are three relationships in life which must be perfected. Namely, our relationship to Hashem, to one's fellow man, and to one's own self. This ideology lends itself to these fundamentals of Jewish life: Shabbos, charity and Torah. Shabbos is the testimony of creation and a reminder of the presence of Hashem. Charity is the epitome of caring for others. Torah is the road to self-perfection.

The concept of Torah being the vehicle to bring a person to self- perfection can be applied in many ways. Firstly, the light of Torah guides our every step. In addition, the fire of Torah has the power to purify thoroughly, and in general to combat the Yetzer Hora, the source of evil; as our Sages teach us "I have created the evil inclination but with it, its antidote, Torah". (5)

Dovid Hamelech proclaimed "A candle to my feet are your words and a light for my ways". (6) The Ohr HaChayim in this week's parsha (7) writes that the light of a candle is superior under close range, as we see in searching for chometz - "the light of a candle is good for searching". (8) But for a distance a light is more powerful. Says Dovid Hamelech, "Your words of Torah have illuminated my steps besides revealing the road ahead. I am able to detect immediate dangers besides the pitfalls far off in a distance."

In this week's parsha, the Torah commands us to be free from all immoral activities: "I am Hashem your G-d. After the doings of the land of Egypt where you dwelled, you shall not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan where I am bringing you, you shall not do...". The Ohr HaChayim asks why does the Torah have to mention "where you dwelled"? Was there another Egypt that can cause us to mistakenly think it is not the one in which we were? By the land of Canaan it says "where I am bringing you". Again, asks the Ohr HaChayim, are there two lands of Canaan that the Torah has to describe specifically the one to which it is referring?

Beacons of Torah light are focused on the most inner chambers of human nature to reveal the characteristics of mankind. Says the Ohr HaChayim, man has the willpower to fulfill all 613 mitzvos except for those regarding immoral desires. Morality can only come about if one has control over what his eyes see and his mind thinks. Only then can willpower be applied to all 613 mitzvos.

Hashem commanded, "Be it that you dwelled in Egypt, a land which epitomized immorality and you are going to Canaan, a land full of immoral people, still you can overcome these overwhelming obstacles and become a pure and holy nation." How can this be accomplished? The answer is in the preceding verse, "I am Hashem your G-d". This is the power of a Ba'al Teshuva, writes the Ohr HaChayim. Hashem sees the determination of change, accepting holiness and He gives heavenly help.

This thought may be applied to our era as we are surrounded and inundated with immorality as in the days of Egypt and Canaan. It is only the fire of the Torah that can act as an antidote to pulverize and eradicate the contamination and abominations of the perverse and perverted culture of present day society.

May we merit the time when the Kohen Gadol will once again enter the Holy of Holies speedily in our days.

Footnotes

1. Vayikro Rabbo 21:5.
2. Y'shayo 56:2.
3. Malochi 3:10.
4. D'vorim 4:44.
5. Talmud Tractate Kidushin 30b.
6. T'hilim 119:105.
7. 18:4.
8. Talmud Tractate P'sochim 7b.

THOUGHTS FOR PARASHAS K'DOSHIM 5755
(by Rav Moshe Friedman, Executive Vice- President of Ner Yisroel Yeshiva of Toronto)

"And you should love your friend's well being as if it were your own, I am Hashem." (19:18)

"Rebbe Akiva said, 'This is a fundamental principal of the Torah'." (Rashi, quoting Toras Kohanim)
Simplistic in its appeal and a popular cliche, the above verse represents one of the least understood concepts in Torah. Commentators are troubled with this commandment for a variety of reasons. Firstly, how is it possible to exhibit the same care for a stranger as one would do for himself? Is it not common knowledge that man is closest to himself? Secondly, by sharing one's love with others, isn't this detracting from loving Hashem?

The Chofetz Chaim zt"l offers a splendid parable on this subject based on the Talmud Yerushalmi. (1). It can be likened to a person who was walking and one of his legs banged into the other leg and as a result he fell to the ground and injured his body, face and even the leg. Not only would the individual not take revenge on the leg by not bothering to heal it but he would not even have hatred for this leg that caused all the problems; because in reality the foot, body and face are basically one entity divided into different limbs. The same should be if embarrassed or pained by another. One should refrain from revenge or even hatred because he and his friend are basically one as all of K'lal Yisroel are considered as one.

The Baal HaTanya zt"l was asked which service is greater, loving Hashem or loving one's fellow man? He answered that both are etched in the n'shomo, spirit and soul of each member of K'lal Yisroel. The verse says "'I loved you', says Hashem". (2) Hashem revealed his love for Klal Yisroel, and one loves what the one he admires loves, concludes the Baal HaTanya. In essence, when one fulfills this commandment, he is simultaneously expressing his love for Hashem, therefore the verse concludes with the words "I am Hashem" to illustrate that the love for our fellow man is loving Hashem Himself.

The following incident will illustrate what "love thy neighbour as thyself" meant to the Chofetz Chaim. During the first World War, the Chofetz Chaim was forced to move his family and yeshiva from Radin, in Poland, to a small city in Russia. Not one lulav or esrog could be located for the Succos festival. Before Yom Tov, a man came to the Chofetz Chaim with a lulav and esrog from the previous year so that the Rav would be able to fulfill this great mitzva. The Chofetz Chaim took the lulav and esrog but refused to shake it as is customary. He explained to those that were closest to him, since those assembled in shul always shook the lulav, if they would see him shaking it, they would feel bad and even experience pain. To cause others suffering touches on many sins whereas the shaking of the lulav is only a custom.

M'forshim explain that the intent of this commandment is that a person should treat each individual with the same courtesy, concern and care that he would expect that individual to act towards him. For example, if you expect your neighbor to say good Shabbos or good morning to you, you should greet him first. If you think that the person sitting next to you in shul should invite you to his simcha, invite him to your simcha. Convey to others the same treatment you count on from them. Furthermore, just as man views himself as a decent human being regardless of his faults, so too should he judge and accept others with their shortcomings. This is the translation of "Love your friend as you do yourself". This is the fundamental principle of the whole Torah.

The fact that Rebbe Akiva expounded on this verse and stated that this is a great rule in Torah complicates matters even further. For it is Rebbe Akiva that took issue with Ben P'turah (3) who had issued a statement concerning two people who were stranded, but only one of them had a jug of water. If both would drink, they would surely die as there was only enough water for one to survive. Ben P'turah said that nevertheless, the water should be shared until Rebbe Akiva exclaimed that it is written "Your life comes before the life of your friend." (4)

The Chasam Sofer zt"l comments that Rebbe Akiva's statement of "This is a great rule in Torah" is to emphasize that although I am of the opinion that you take precedence over your fellow man, that is only in personal and monetary matters. However, in relation to the spiritual, your friend is as important as you are. One must make time to learn with others and help them to attain higher levels in Torah observance even though as a result he himself will not accomplish as much as he would have had he not shared himself with others.

In the verse (5) delineating the 28 phases of life, 26 of them are written with a "lamed". There are two exceptions; by dancing and mourning, it is written without the "lamed". The Vilna Gaon zt"l said that the reason for this anomaly is based on the halacha that it is proper to interrupt one's learning to attend a funeral or a wedding (one need not stop studying to perform other mitzvos unless the mitzva cannot be fulfilled by others). The letter "lamed" itself means "study". Therefore by these two instances, the lamed is not written to indicate that it is correct to interrupt one's learning to go to a funeral or wedding.

With the above two interpretations, we can perhaps better understand the seemingly extra "lamed" in the word "L'reiachio" (to your friend)+ to hint to the fact that "love your friend as yourself" pertains to matters of Torah as is denoted by the letter "lamed".

The opinion of the great halachic authority of our generation, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l was that a talmid chochom, regardless of his greatness in Torah, is obligated to give a tenth of his time to assist others in their Torah studies. He thought that perhaps one should even contribute a fifth of his time but felt that the actual amount needed further exploration.

The Rambam zt"l (6) with his golden pen incorporates the gist of this complex subject in a brief statement. "Love your friend as yourself" means - all you expect others to do for you, do them for your brother in Torah and mitzvos.

Footnotes

1. Tractate N'dorim Chap. 9
2. Malochi 1:2.
3. Talmud Tractate Bovo M'tzio 62a.
4. Vayikro 25:36.
5. "Everything has its season, and there is a time for everything under the heaven." (Koheles 3:1)
6. Halachos of Mourning Chap. 14.