Why leave Israel? |
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Friday, 03 June 2022 |
Megillat Ruth (1:1-5) opens with
Boaz and his family making “Yerida”, leaving Israel:
In
the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a man of
Bethlehem Yehuda, with his wife and two sons, went to reside in the country of
Moav. The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name was Naomi, and his two sons
were named Machlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem Yehuda. They came to
the country of Moav and remained there. Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and
she was left with her two sons. They married Moavite women, one named Orpah and
the other Ruth, and they lived there about ten years. Then those two—Mahlon and
Chilion—also died; so the woman was left without her two sons and without her
husband.
In
the Talmud, Bava Batra 91a, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught:
Elimelech,
Machlon and Chilion who left the Land of Israel to go to Moav where they died
not long after, were the great men and caretakers of their generation. And why
were they punished? Because they left the Land of Israel to go live outside of
the Land even though they had grain available to them. As it says (Ruth 1:19) “So
the two of them (Naomi and Ruth) went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when
they came to Bethlehem, all of the city was astir at their arrival, and they
said, Is that Naomi?”
Rabbi
Yitzcahk explains: They said, “Have you seen Naomi who left the Land of Israel
to go live outside the Land and what happened to her?”
How
ironic- the people in Bethlehem survived the famine by staying in the Land of
Israel while Naomi’s husband and sons who left to escape the famine died.
The
Gemara in Bava Batra teaches:
The
Rabbis taught: One may not leave the Land of Israel to go live outside of the
Land unless food prices have risen so sharply that two seah of wheat cost a
sela (double the normal price).
Rabbi
Shimon said: One may not leave the Land of Israel to go live outside of the
Land unless one can’t find wheat to purchase. But when one is able to find
wheat, then even if wheat is so expensive that a seah costs a sela, one may not
leave.
We see
from here that if a person can afford to feed their family, they may not leave
even if the food is expensive.
Some
people complain about the high cost of living in Israel but when it comes to
food, a lot of products are regulated and end up being less expensive than they
would cost if an Israeli made “Yerida” and moved to New York. Some examples are
basic bread and challah,
eggs, milk and some types of cheese. As well, larger supermarkets often sell
cucumbers, tomatoes and other doorbusters for very low prices in order to
attract shoppers to their stores. Chicken as well is much less expensive than
Kosher chicken abroad.
Sometimes
the grass seems greener in the neighbor’s backyard until you go check it out
and find out that it is Astroturf!
May
we find a way to keep the cost of living down so that all Israelis who want to
remain in Israel will financially be able to do so. |
Shavuot, the holiday of loving kindness |
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Thursday, 28 May 2020 |
In Vayikra, Chapter 23, God commands Moshe to teach B’nai Yisrael about
the holidays in the following order: Shabbat, Pesach, the Omer, Shavuot, Rosh
HaShana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. The list of the holidays flows smoothly until
Shavuot and then we find one verse (sentence 22) which seems out of place:
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not remove completely
the corners of your field and you shall not gather gleanings of your harvest; you
shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am HaShem, your God.
This verse sounds very similar to what we read in Vayikra 19:9-10:
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not remove completely
the corners of your field and you shall not gather gleanings of your harvest.
You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your
vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am HaShem, your
God.
Rashi quoting the Sifra explains why the mitzvot of Peah (leaving an uncut
portion of the field) and Leket (not collecting the gleanings of the harvest)
are repeated here even though we already were commanded to observe these mitzvot
just a few chapters earlier: To teach you that he who observes Leket, Shichecha
(leaving the forgotten sheaf ) and Peah to the poor is regarded as though he
built the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) and offered his sacrifices therein.
Sforno (Vayikra 19:9) explains that the Torah is teaching us how we can
emulate God’s attributes. We are commanded to perform acts of Tzedek
(righteousness) and Mishpat (justice). Such acts of charity include providing
for the underprivileged out of the bounty that God has seen fit to grant us. Leket,
Shichecha and Peah show our generosity towards the poor. The recognition of God
as our God is demonstrated by our meticulously fulfilling these commandments relating
to the time when we gather in our harvest. Just as God does Chesed (loving
kindness) so too should we observe these mitzvot of charity that God commands us
to keep.
In Breisheet 18:19, God speaks about Avraham and his future children
following the path of God (Derech HaShem) doing Tzedek and Mishpat.
In Megillat Ruth which is read on Shavuot, we see Boaz following in the
path of Avraham. Not only does he let Ruth (a widow, stranger and convert)
glean in his fields, he tells his workers to treat her well and to even leave
her extra sheaves. He invites her to eat with his workers and tells her to feel
free to drink from the water that his reapers have drawn.
As we prepare for Shavuot and we bring home all kinds of delicacies, we
must remember to walk in the footsteps of God and share what we have with those
who are less fortunate. It is not just a nice thing to do, it is a mitzvah, a
commandment as well as an integral part of the holiday. |
Of bikes and angels |
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Friday, 18 May 2018 |
The past three Fridays in Jerusalem consisted of bicycle races. The
first Friday was the GFNY race with roads closed early in the morning so that
the cyclists could have the streets of Jerusalem to themselves. The second
Friday, the world renowned Giro d’Italia race took over Jerusalem in the
afternoon and continued for two more days across Israel before heading on to
Italy. The third Friday was Sovev Yes Planet, cycling in the capital city, the
Jerusalem race which was moved to the hills surrounding the city as to not
disrupt the residents of Jerusalem yet again.
Those of us who live in Jerusalem have been hearing so much about
bicycle races and street closings over the past few weeks that when we get to
the Haftara for Shavuot from Yechezkel (which we read after staying up all
night), we are going to be looking at the word ofanim (angels) and
reading it as ofanayim (bicycle).
What is the connection between angels and bicycles?
The first time that we see a Modern Hebrew word for bicycle (afnayim)
is in 1899 in a book MiBayit u’Michutz (Inside and Outside) by Micha
Joseh Berdichevsky (later known as Bin-Gorion), a Russian born writer who wrote
in Hebrew while living in Europe. In 1903, Eliezer Ben Yehuda published the
word as ofanayim and that is how it remained until today.
The origin of the word comes from the Haftara for Shavuot, Yechezkel
1:1-28 which is known as Ma’aseh HaMerkava, the Vision of the Chariot
where Yechezkel is shown the Heavenly realm of the angels. Yechezkel receives
this prophecy in Babylon to teach us that God doesn’t abandon the Jewish people
even when they are in exile and the hope is that the Jewish people will return
to the Land of Israel.
In Yechezkel 1:15, we read “When
I saw the Chayot (living creatures) - behold! One Ofan (wheel)
was on the surface near the Chayot by its four faces. The appearance of
the Ofanim (wheels) and their deeds were like the color of an emerald
with the same semblance for the four; and their appearance and their deeds were
like an Ofan within an Ofan.”
According to Rambam in Hilchot
Yesodei HaTorah, there are ten levels of angels: Chayot, Ofanim,
Er’elim, Chashmalim, Seraphim, Malachim, Elohim, B’nai Elohim, Cheruvim, Ishim.
We see from here that the Ofanim
were angels that were ranked second and were shaped like wheels.
Each morning, in Shacharit we
recite: “Then the Ofanim and the holy Chayot with great noise
raise themselves towards the Seraphim and give praise…”
Even the most mundane word, bicycle
is given its name based on the celestial angels, whereby elevating bike riding
to a level of holiness.
Although traffic was disrupted in
different parts of Jerusalem for bike races three weeks in a row, watching for
afar, the large groups of bikers riding through Jerusalem looked like angels
flying through the city.
The fact that thousands of people
from all over the world came to Jerusalem to ride, cheer on the cyclists and
show respect for our holy city makes Yechezkel’s prophecy one step closer to
being fulfilled. As it says in Yechezkel 1:28, “Like the appearance of the
rainbow that shall be upon the cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of
brilliance all around…”
May we see more angels in Jerusalem. |
Megillat Rut teaches us how to interact with potential converts |
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Wednesday, 08 June 2016 |
In Megillat Rut, 1:8,11 and
12, after Naomi’s husband, Elimelech and sons, Machlon and Chilion die in Moav,
Naomi, who is on the way back to the Land of Israel tries to send away her
daughters in law, Rut and Orpah three times : “Go, return, each of you to her
mother’s house. May God deal kindly with you, as you have dealt kindly with the
dead and with me!”, “Turn back, my daughters. Why should you come with me? Have
I more sons in my womb who could be husbands to you? Turn back, my daughters,
go along…”
At this point, Orpah returns
home. However, Rut refuses to go.
The Talmud, Yevamot 47b
points out that Naomi tried to dissuade Rut by explaining to her some of the
difficult laws such as Tchum Shabbat (you are not allowed to walk more than
2000 amot on Shabbat), the laws of Yichud (not being allowed to be in seclusion
with a member of the opposite gender), the commandment to observe 613 mitzvot,
the fact that it is forbidden to worship idols, the four types of capital
punishments etc. The Talmud explains that Rut’s responses can be found in
Megilat Rut 1:16-17:
Rut said: “Do not urge me to
leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge; your people are my people and your God is my
God; where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may God do to
me and more if anything but death separates me from you.”
In 1:18 we read: “When she
(Naomi) saw that she (Ruth) was determined to go with her, she stopped arguing
with her.”
The Talmud explains that this
is the source for the reason why we do not overly dissuade a convert from
accepting Judaism. After trying to turn away a potential convert three times,
we no longer need to dissuade them.
At this point Rut was clearly
sincerely converting as she said: “your people are my people and your God is my
God” and in the next verse she uses the true name of the God of Israel.
How fitting that the gematria
(numerical value) of the name Rut is 606, the number of mitzvot that Rut took
on when she converted. If you add another 7 for the Seven Noachide Laws which
she was already observing before she converted, then the total comes to 613,
the amount of commandments in the Torah.
May we interact with all
potential converts the way that Naomi interacted with Rut.
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The Double Significance of Shavuot |
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Friday, 25 May 2012 |
On Shavuot we are celebrating two things:
- The
receiving of the Torah on Har Sinai
- The
bringing of the Bikkurim (first fruits) to Jerusalem,
appreciating the Land
of Israel
The desert and the blooming Land of Israel
are actually total opposites.
The desert represents exile, dryness and a break from
civilization.
Israel
and its fruits remind us of redemption, growth, abundance.
Why do we celebrate both the giving of the Torah in the
desert and the bringing of the Bikurim in the Land of Israel?
Rabbi Rami Barchihu answers that in order to immerse
ourselves in the Torah we have to put our whole being into Torah study and
separate ourselves from civilization. However, he cautions, this should only be
done for a limited amount of time as
Torah is supposed to be part of our every day lives and Torah study is supposed
to lead to action- Mitzvah observance. It therefore doesn’t make sense to only
study Torah as that will just keep us in the wilderness, we must act on what we
have studied- come to Israel
and bring the Bikurim.
What is interesting is to see the difference between how
Shavuot is celebrated in Israel
and how it is celebrated outside of Israel.
Outside of Israel
it is celebrated as Chag Matan Torah, the holiday of the giving of the Torah
with many communities studying Torah all night long. It is generally not
observed by non-observant and unaffiliated Jews. Many Jews outside of Israel have
never even heard of Shavuot.
In Israel,
no matter what background Israelis are coming from, they all are aware of
Shavuot and celebrate it in some way. On the Kibbutzim it is looked at as an
agricultural holiday with tractor parades and the custom of eating milk
products is seen in every supermarket. The religious community has the custom
of staying up all night to study Torah with the added bonus of being able to
walk to the Kotel at sunrise. Every Israeli is aware of Shavuot as it is a day
off from work!
We hope and pray that soon all Jews will be able to observe
Shavuot as fully as possible in the Land
of Israel with the honor
of bringing our first fruits to the Beit HaMikdash.
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Did You Conduct Your Business Transactions Faithfully? |
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Thursday, 04 June 2009 |
As Shavuot approaches, we try to look for ways to strengthen our relationship with God and our connection to the Torah. Some study the Torah all night at a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, others commit to studying more Torah throughout the year, yet others commit to putting more effort into Mitzvah observance.
The Gemara in Shabbat 31a asks the following questions
1. Did you conduct your business transactions faithfully (nasata vinatata b’emunah)?
2. Did you set aside fixed times for Torah study (kavata itim laTorah)?
The above questions are part of a series of questions that a person will be asked by the Heavenly court when they are brought to their final judgment.
What does the first question have to do with the second? What is the connection between conducting business transactions faithfully and setting aside time for Torah study and why is the question about business transactions asked first?
Rashi talks about the idea of “isuk baTorah”, involvement in the Torah, not just in studying the Torah but in letting the Torah guide every aspect of our lives.
Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Kanarfogel points out that one’s business dealings have important connections to Torah study. Since the normal way of the world is to earn a livelihood, Chazal (the Rabbis) express on numerous occasions, not only the importance of one’s own learning, but also the need to support Torah study for others. As the famous Yissachar- Zevulun relationship teaches us, one who uses his wealth to support the Torah has a share in that study. The fountain of the Torah is carved out by Torah scholars. It is also acquired by philanthropists (nedivei lev). The scholars acquire it through their learning and those who donate funds acquire it through their support and generosity. So how a person uses the assets that he or she earns has much to do with the study of Torah.
Rabbi Dr. Kanarfogel adds that if one does business honestly, and thereby fulfills all the sometimes intricate Halachic regulations and requirements of proper Jewish business, that person is considered to have fulfilled all of the Mitzvot in the Torah.
At Torat Reva Yerushalayim we rely on your contributions to ensure that Torah study classes can be provided to Jerusalem ’s neglected populations- including the elderly and people with special needs who would otherwise have no other opportunities to study Torah. Please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Torat Reva Yerushalayim in honor of Shavuot. |
Got Milk? |
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Wednesday, 04 June 2008 |
On Shavuot it is customary to eat dairy products. Why? The Mishna Brura 494:12 explains that at the time of Matan Torah, God’s revelation at Sinai (the first Shavuot) B’nai Yisrael accepted upon themselves all of the mitzvoth (commandments). Since there was no time to properly prepare kosher meat (there were no delis in the desert) the only other choice was to eat dairy products. Today, we eat dairy on Shavuot to remember that B’nai Yisrael ate dairy on the first Shavuot. How do we know that milk is kosher? The Gemara in Berachot 6b explains that one way that we know that milk (from a kosher animal) is fit for consumption is because in Shmot 3:8 God says “I will descend to rescue My people from the hand of Egypt and to bring them up from the land to a spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey (eretz zavat chalav u’dvash)…” If milk is not permitted, would the verse praise Eretz Yisrael with something that is not fit for consumption? Before B’nai Yisrael received the Torah they may not have ever tried milk. It was only at the time of Matan Torah that they found out that milk was permissible. In Shir HaShirim 4:11 we read (liral translation) “Your lips, O my bride, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk (dvash v’chalav) are under your tongue; and the scent of your garments is like the scent of Levanon.” (Rashi’s allegorical translation reads: The sweetness of Torah drops from your lips, like honey and milk the Torah lies under your tongue…) Since the Torah is compared to milk, it makes sense to drink some on Shavuot, the day that we received the Torah! |
The Special Significance of the Fifth Commandment |
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Wednesday, 31 May 2006 |
On Shavuot, we reenact Maamad Har Sinai, God's revelation at Mt. Sinai. We all stand while the Ten Commandments are read, just as B'nai Yisrael did when we first received the Torah. When one listens to the Ten Commandments, it is important to have the proper Kavana, intent and focus. I suggest that this year we put a special emphasis on the mitzvah of kibud av va'em, honoring our parents. The Ten Commandments were evenly divided into two tablets. Each tablet contained a group of five commandments. The first tablet listed the mitzvoth between a person and God, while the second tablet listed the mitzvoth between a person and their fellow person. What stands out is that the fifth commandment, "Kabed et avicha ve'et imecha", "Honor your father and mother", is actually grouped with the mitzvoth between a person and God, not with the mitzvoth between a person and their fellow person. Why is the mitzvah of honoring our parents on the first tablet? According to Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 33, "at the root of the mitzvah of Kibbud av va'em, honoring our parents, lies the thought that it is fitting for a person to acknowledge and treat with loving-kindness the person who treated them with kindness. A person should realize that their father and mother are the cause of their being in the world; hence it is proper to give our parents every honor and every benefit possible since they brought us into the world and labored through many troubles over us in our early years. When we set this quality firmly in our character, we will recognize the goodness of God, who is the cause for our existence. To truly appreciate, respect and honor God, first we must learn to appreciate, respect and honor our parents.
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