Parshas Vayikra - The Art of Listening

Parshas Vayikra

The Art of Listening

By: Daniel Listhaus

“He [Hashem] called to Moshe and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying: Speak to the B'nei Yisroel and say to them: When a person from among you will bring an offering to Hashem: from the animals – from the cattle and from the flocks you shall bring your offering.”

-Vayikra 1:1-2

Rashi¹ on this passuk describes that throughout the Torah there are many breaks². The purpose of these breaks was to give Moshe time to digest and understand what he had been taught by Hashem. Rashi then ends by saying a kal v'chomer: If Moshe, who learned from Hashem, needed breaks for contemplation, then certainly ordinary people such as ourselves who learn from ordinary people must stop to take breaks in order to properly understand what the other is teaching.

The Sifsei Chachomim³ explains that the kal v'chomer that Rashi is saying is quite clear: If Moshe, an incredible student, was learning from Hashem, certainly the best teacher available, and yet required breaks to try to understand what was being taught. How much more so must we take many breaks to digest what is being taught to us from ordinary people.

Let us zoom out a little in order to appreciate what is being said here. There are two main reasons why a person would need to take breaks during a learning session. One is because it is hard for some people to sit for long periods of time. It is therefore wise and healthy to take breaks and recesses to clear one's mind to be able to be more productive. The other reason a person may need a break is because one might simply not understand the material being taught, and therefore require extra time in order for him to think about what is being said. It sounds from Rashi and the Sifsei Chachomim that this latter type of break is what is being referred to. For some reason, Moshe actually needed breaks in order to understand what Hashem was teaching him.

The Nachalas Yaakov⁴ is very bothered by this Rashi and asks the following two questions. First of all, surely there is no better teacher than Hashem. The Creator, with infinite wisdom and Who knows His creations the best, certainly has the ability to convey any message or teaching to man in the clearest of ways. If so, how could it be that Moshe needed breaks in order to understand what was being taught to him? Why did Moshe experience confusion if he had the best teacher possible?

Second of all, what is the kal v'chomer that Rashi is trying to present? It would make sense if Moshe really was able to understand it himself but Hashem gave him the breaks to teach him not to rely on his sharpness, so then there would be a kal v'chomer to us that certainly we should not rely on our own sharpness. However, it seems from Rashi that Moshe really did need the breaks; but if so, why is a kal v'chomer necessary? Even without a kal v'chomer it should be obvious that we need breaks to understand things when learning from ordinary people, simply because we would not understand it otherwise!

The Nachalas Yaakov ends without an answer to his problems with this Rashi. However, perhaps the explanation is as follows. If one stops to think about the process that everyone goes through when communicating, one will realize how complicated simple-communication really is. When two people are having a conversation, what is being said is really going through a five step process. The idea trying to be conveyed begins its journey in one person's head. The person decides what he wants, or more precisely, what he means to say. Then, he must choose the words he will use to express his idea. This is followed by the time and space the words travel between the ones having the conversation. Then, the listener hears what is being said to him, followed by the last step in the process which is digesting the information and interpreting what he heard.

This last step in the process is the hardest of them all. It is easy to hear what someone else has said and it is also generally easy to interpret what one has heard, but that is not enough. In order to fully understand and appreciate a message trying to be conveyed, one must remove the built-in filter which shapes the way one hears things and instead focus on what the communicator was trying to relate.

The Mishna in Pirkei Avos⁵ says that Antignos from Socho used to teach, “Do not be like servants who serve their master on the condition of receiving a reward; instead be like servants who serve their master not on the condition of receiving a reward; and let the fear of Heaven be upon you.” Antignos was teaching that although the reward in Olam Habbah (the World to Come) which awaits those who follow the ways of Hashem are endless and greater than anything imaginable, when we sere Hashem it should be out of complete love and fear of Him, and not just because we will receive reward for doing the right thing.

The Rashbam in Bava Basra⁶ brings from the Avos D'rebbe Nosson⁷ that Tzadok and Beisus were talmidim of Antignos. One time they were teaching this mantra of their rebbe, Antignos, but their students confused what they said (to not be like workers who work in order to get paid) to mean that people who do mitzvos and work for Hashem do not get rewarded.

The students of Tzadok and Beisus did not take the time to listen to the message that their rabbeim were trying to convey. They simply allowed their default hearing skills to kick in. Tzadok and Beisus knew what they themselves wanted to say, they said it, it reached the ears of their talmidim, but the talmidim just did not stop to think what their rabbeim meant, rather they merely depended on what they thought they heard – or perhaps what they wanted to hear.

With this in mind, perhaps we could now answer the questions of the Nachalas Yaakov and better understand the Rashi in this week's parsha. Of course Hashem is the best teacher of the world and could convey any message as clear as crystal. However, even as great of a talmid as Moshe rabbeinu needs time to understand the underlying reasoning and message of what is trying to be conveyed.

We say in Shema, “Im shamoa tishm'u” - you shall surely listen. The Gemara in Berachos⁸ makes a drasha from here: If you listen, then you will listen. But if you will not listen, then you will not understand. Only if one listens to what the Torah and the chochamim are trying to tell us, will one gain a true understanding of what was said.

Many misunderstandings and arguments stem not from disagreement, but rather from mis-communication. It is not easy to pause our own thoughts and opinions in order to realize the idea that someone else is trying to convey. Unless we consciously decide to listen the right way, we do not even notice that what we are hearing is going through our own heads without taking account what was meant to be said.

This is exactly what Rashi is teaching us. Even Moshe Rabbeinu needed to take breaks to put himself in Hashem's head – so to speak – in order to comprehend what was being taught to him. So certainly we, who are normal people learning from ordinary people, must take breaks in order to be able to put ourselves in others' minds. Only then will the communication process be complete and allow for the possibility of im shamoa tishm'u. This is the real art of listening.

1Vayikra 1:1

2These breaks in the Torah could take one of two forms – either pesucha (literally: open) or s'tumah (literally closed). Pesucha is when the spaces go to the end of the line,

whereas s'tumah is when the space is a break in a line but the text continues further on in the same line.

3Vayikra 1:1

4Ibid.

5Avos 1:3

6Bava Basra 115b

7Avos D'rebbe Nosson 5:2

8 Berachos 40a

Take the First Step

Parshas Vayakhel-Pikudei

Take the First Step

By: Daniel Listhaus

“...Hashem has proclaimed by name, Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur, from the tribe of Yehuda. He filled him with G-dly spirit, with wisdom, and with understanding...He filled them with wisdom of the heart to do every work of the craftsman, artist, embroiderer, and the weaver - those who perform every labor and those who make artistic designs.”

-Vayakhel 35:30-35

The passukim (verses) describe the involvement of Betzalel and the chachomim in the building of the Mishkan and its keilim (vessels). Betzalel actually received a few personal shout-outs among the passukim because, as Rashi¹ explains, Betzalel was even more devoted to the building of the Mishkan than the others.

Why was Betzalel one of the few individuals who were so heavily involved in the building of the Mishkan? Rashi², based on a Gemara³, relates an incident through which Moshe was certain that Betzalel had achieved a level of Ruach HaKodesh. When Hashem commanded Moshe to tell Betzalel what to do, He said, “Go tell Betzalel to make Me a Mishkan, Aron, and the keilim.” However, Moshe, to test Betzalel's wisdom, reversed the order and told him that the commandment was to, “Make an Aron, keilim, and the Mishkan.” At that point, Betzalel said to Moshe that he must have misunderstood what Hashem had told him to say, because as Betzalel said, “The way of the world is that a person first builds a house and then brings in the keilim into it. However, you are telling me to do the opposite. Perhaps what Hashem really told you is to build the Mishkan first.” To this, Moshe responded, “And perhaps you were in the shadow of G-d⁴ and that is how you were able to figure this out”.

Clearly, Betzalel was someone who was privy to understand the ways of Hashem. Where did this skill come from? From where did Betzalel learn this ability?

The Torah⁵ tells us that he was one of the people who earned a level of Ruach HaKodesh and a special degree of understanding and wisdom from Hashem. The Rosh⁶ comments that even before Hashem granted Betzalel this knowledge, he was already someone of great wisdom. The Rosh then comments that we learn from this passuk that Hashem only gives wisdom to those who already have it.

This Rosh is very complex and paradoxical. First of all, why would Hashem only grant His wisdom to those who already have it? Is this a “the rich get richer” scheme? Would it not make more sense for Hashem to bestow His wisdom on those who have yet to achieve it? Second of all, this Rosh presents a paradox. If Hashem only gives His wisdom to those who already have wisdom, how does one get knowledge in the first place?

The Nefesh Hachaim⁷ explains that only those who are deserving and capable of receiving Hashem's wisdom could in fact be a receptacle. The way one prepares oneself to achieve this readiness is by working on one's yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven). Yiras shamayim is the “knowledge” required as a prerequisite in order to attain a level of Ruach HaKodesh and chochma from Hashem. This is what Dovid ha'melech taught in Tehillim⁸ that, “The beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem”. Similarly, Rebbe Chanina taught, “Everything is in the hands of Hashem except for fear of Hashem.”⁹ It is our job to work on our yiras Hashem. This is the one thing we are here to accomplish, as the Torah tells us, “And now, Yisroel, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you but to fear Him.”¹⁰

Fear of Hashem is necessary to achieve a level of divine understanding. This is the knowledge required in order to be a fitting vessel to contain the wisdom of Hashem. As a matter of fact, the Gemara¹¹ offers a parable for this, “R' Zeira or R' Chanina bar Pappa once said: Come and see how different the characteristics of Hashem are from the characteristics of humans. The characteristic of humans is such that an empty vessel could hold things you pour into it, whereas a full container cannot hold anything more. However, regarding matters involving Hashem, it is exactly the opposite. A full vessel (one with yiras shamayim and Torah knowledge) can hold even more, whereas an empty vessel cannot hold anything.”

The Orchos Tzadikkim¹² in his hakdama (introduction) writes that a person must train his middos in a way of yiras shamayim because yiras shamayim is the kesher (connector, knot) which ties and strengthens the middos together in the right way. Yiras shamayim is as vital a part in sharpening one's traits, as the string of a necklace is necessary to hold its jewels. Just as if the string of a pearl necklace would be cut, the pearls would all scatter – bouncing across the floor, so too without yiras shamayim to channel the middos in a person, the middos run wild without restraint.¹³

Our job is to make ourselves into vessels which could hold the deep understandings of the Torah and the infinite wisdom of da'as Hashem. In order to accomplish this, one must work on his yiras shamayim and then direct his middos appropriately. However, for every area which one thinks is not important to channel in the way of Hashem, one is essentially making a puncture in himself. The vessel he is supposed to complete has holes! Anything poured in is really only being poured in superficially, and it will all just come pouring out. This person is handicapped; and just as a handicapped man cannot climb a ladder, so too as long as this person keeps his ways, he will never climb the stairs to greatness.¹⁴

Looking back at this concept we see how, simultaneously, man is so small yet so great. On the one hand, the only thing we are really capable of doing is attaining yiras shamayim. But on the other hand, once that great task is accomplished, there is no limit to the heights one could reach with siyata d'shmaya (Heavenly help). Moshe saw in Betzalel someone who had “insider information” in the thoughts of Hashem. This was not a power that Betzalel was born with, rather it came as a gift from Hashem to him because he had already worked on himself to become a yarei shamayim of the highest degree. Betzalel truly reached the level of “reishis chochma yiras Hashem”¹⁵ (The beginning of wisdom is fear of Hashem), which is why he was hand chosen to be showered with even more Ruach HaKodesh.

It is important to note, however, that the power of one who has yiras shamayim does not stop here. The Kli Yakar¹⁶ writes that when the B'nei Yisroel and all the Chachmei Lev tried to erect the Mishkan, they found themselves unable to do so. Hashem then said to them that if they merely start to involve themselves in the construction of the Mishkan, that it would stand on its own.¹⁷ Now, if the Kli Yakar would stop here, we would say that he is saying something specific to the Mishkan; that it stood through a miracle, and somehow, if the Jews in the desert merely showed that they cared, by involving themselves, then Hashem would take care of the rest. However, the Kli Yakar continues to comment that what happened at that time during the building of the Mishkan is really an allusion to every action a person does. Sometimes a person has a task before him that he wants to do l'shem shamayim, but comes to the realization that it is an impossibility. Once these thoughts start entering this person's head, he may get turned off from going forth with the job. However, Hashem tells us that all we have to do is start, He will help us finish. It will look as if we are somehow doing the task on our own, just as it seemed Moshe was carrying the heavy beams of the Mishkan himself. In reality, though, as the beams, Hashem will make the task carry itself.

When Hashem decided to destroy Sodom, the Torah describes that Hashem said, “Shall I conceal from Avraham what I am going to do?”¹⁸. The Orchos Tzadikkim writes that when Hashem says such things about a person, it is a sign that that person is a tremendous ba'al anavah (humble person). Humility goes hand in hand with yiras shamayim. The anav is one who knows his place as a human being, and realizes that it is his job to do only what Hashem wants of him. Such a person is privy to Hashem revealing his plans to him. This is obvious. After all, if a man achieves a level of wanting only what Hashem wants and has developed da'as Torah and da'as Hashem, then clearly what Hashem wants and what this person wants should be the same.

Yiras shamayim is the one thing we must achieve. As mentioned, this is an explicit passuk in the Torah, “And now, Yisroel, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you but to fear Him?”¹⁹ Once one achieves yiras shamayim, one enters a world with no limits. G-dly wisdom and understanding is poured into his complete kli (vessel), and as long as he takes the first step in doing any task l'shem shamayim, Hashem will ensure that it gets completed.

1Shemos 37:1

2Shemos 38:22

3Berachos 55a

4The name Betzalel in Hebrew comes from two words: b'tzel (in the shadow of) and [k]el (G-d).

5Shemos 35:31

6Ibid.

7Nefesh Hachaim: Sha'ar 4 Perek 5

8Tehillim 111:10

9Berachos 33b

10Devarim 10:12

11Berachos 40a

12Orchos Tzadikkim: Hakdama

13This is not only true for the bad middos within a person, but for the good ones as well. The Orchos Tzadikkim maintains that each middah could be used for good or bad. Even the middos we generally praise people with: kindness, patience, humbleness, etc. could unfortunately be used at inappropriate times as well if not trained properly.

14Orchos Tzadikkim: Hakdama

15Tehillim 111:10

16Shemos 40:2

17This is actually a Medrash Tanchuma brought by Rashi a little earlier in the parsha (Shemos 39:33). Rashi writes that the B'nei Yisroel brought Moshe the Mishkan because they were unable to erect it. As Rashi says, “Because Moshe did no work on the Mishkan, Hashem left its erection to him. For no man was able to erect it because of the weight of the beams, as a man does not have the strength to set them upright, but Moshe erected it. Moshe then said before Hashem, 'How can the erection be accomplished by man?' Hashem said to him, “Involve yourself with your hand and it will appear as if you were setting it up but it will rise upright and stand by itself.'”

18Beraishis 18:17

19Devarim 10:12

Parshas Tetzaveh - Measure for Measure

Parshas Tetzaveh

Measure for Measure

By: Daniel Listhaus

“You shall make garments of sanctity for Aharon your brother, for glory and for splendor. And you shall speak to each of the wise-hearted people whom I have invested with a spirit of wisdom, and they shall make the garments of Aharon, to sanctify him, so that he shall be a Kohen to Me.... And the cheishev with which he is beautified.... ”

-Tetzaveh 28:2-3; 8

There is no doubt that the bigdei kehunah (special clothes that the kohanim had to wear) were spectacular and royal. When it comes to discussing the cheishev, Rashi¹ writes that the Kohen Gadol's cheishev was the belt above the eiphod (apron) which beautified and enhanced the Kohen, and adorned him.

There are two issues which seem to pop out from this Rashi. First, even though certainly one aspect of the bigdei kehunah was to make the kohen look prestigious, why is it that this aspect is stressed so much in the Torah and this Rashi? It sounds as if this was the most important fact of the bigdei kehunah. Second, this Rashi seems a repetitive and redundant². Rashi explains that the bigdei kehunah beautified and enhanced the kohen. Then, Rashi adds in as as after thought that the bigdei kehunah also adorned him. Why does Rashi not list all three descriptions as part of the same series?

Another underlying question about the bigdei kehunah stems from an understanding of a story in the Gemara. The Gemara³ relates a story of a non-Jew who overheard someone teaching his talmidim (students) about the garments that the kohen gadol would wear. This man went over to Shammai and told him that he wanted to convert in order to become the kohen gadol and wear the eight pieces of bigdei kohen gadol. Shammai's immediate response was to chase him out with a stick. This man then went to Hillel and told him the same thing, that he wanted to become Jewish in order to be able to become the kohen gadol and wear the special garments. Hillel listened patiently and advised this Gentile to first learn all the halachos (laws) of being a kohen. The man did so, but when he got up to the passuk (verse), “The stranger that comes near shall be put to death”⁴, he was very confused. He asked Hillel, “Who does this passuk refer to?” Hillel replied, “This passuk even applies to Dovid HaMelech. Anyone who is not a kohen cannot do the avodah (work in Beis HaMikdash).” The Gemara then continues to say that despite the fact that this man's aspirations were shot, he ultimately became Jewish anyway because of Hillel's patience.

The Kli Yakar⁵ is bothered by this whole story. Who did this guy think he was? If he just wanted a good Purim costume, why go through the whole process of becoming Jewish and having to accept the Torah and mitzvos? He should have just went to the local costume store and bought a similar copy made in China! Was this man for real that he wanted to convert just so that he could wear the garments of the kohen gadol?

The Kli Yakar therefore answers that it must be that this Gentile heard more than just the list of special garments that the kohen wore. Rather, he also heard the rebbe describing a Gemara in Eiruchin⁶. The Gemara there lists the four garments of the kohen hedyot (regular kohen) and the additional four garments of the kohen gadol. The Gemara then elaborates that each of the garments acted as an atonement for different great sins.⁷ This man heard the rebbe learning this Gemara and had an idea. He knew that he had done horrible things in his life, and he wanted to start anew. He thought that achieving the position of kohen gadol and getting the chance to adorn these garments would grant him the absolution needed to rest his mind of guilt.

This whole concept is so hard to understand. What did the bigdei kehunah have to do with atoning sins? Could it really be that because the kohen would dress up in a certain way, that we become “off the hook” for some of the horrible things we have done?⁸

In order to answer these questions, let us take a step back and try to understand the role that the bigdei kehunah played in adorning the Kohen in the Beis HaMikdash.

The Malbim⁹ makes an incredible observation. He writes that a word used to describe the bigdei kehunah is “mada”. The word mada comes from the root meaning measurement. The reason for this is simply because one gets his clothing tailored according to the dimensions of his guf (body). The body's measurements are what one uses to deduce what the accurate size of one's clothing should be.

Similarly, one's character traits are called middos – referring to the different allocations of qualities that each and every individual uniquely possesses. People are born with different measurements of haughtiness, humbleness, embarrassment, brazenness, anger, patience, and the list goes on. Our job, as the Orchos Tzadikkim¹⁰ maintains, is to study and analyze each middah and realize where it is inside us. Then, we must work on each and every middah and qualify it in a positive way. Every middah could be directed to be used for good or bad. It is our duty to make sure that our middos are shaped in the right way.

The Malbim continues to write that the reason for the kohen to wear the bigdei kehunah – the outer measurements which cover his body, was in order to have an effect and guide the inner measurements – the middos surrounding his nefesh (soul).

Each of the garments of the kohen gadol represented some of the most difficult and important middos a person must take control of. For example, the middos which Pirkei Avos¹¹ describe “remove a person from this world” - kinah (jealousy), taivah (desires), and kavod (honor)- are all things of which the bigdei kehunah represent their opposites.

Somehow, merely wearing the types of clothing that the kohen gadol wore, brought about these good middos from the kohen gadol, and had him thinking along pure thoughts of perfection in these areas. It is no coincidence that the sins that the bigdei kehunah atoned for were done due to lack of control in the middos that they each represented. These pure thoughts of the kohen, the representative of the entire Jewish people, when wearing the begadim, received a kaparah for the entire b'nei Yisroel.

Perhaps now we could better appreciate the aforementioned Rashi. The bigdei kehunah served multiple purposes. On the one hand they adorned the kohen – giving him a prestigious and royal look to stand out above everyone else as the one chosen to serve Hashem.¹² Additionally, the bigdei kehunah were designated garments only used to serve Hashem, expressing incredible amounts of kavod Hashem. However, a third aspect of the bigdei kehunah was to effect and direct the kohen's thoughts in order to spark a kaparah.

If we put this idea with the Orchos Tzadikim, we see an incredible thing. The clothing we wear has the ability to give power to and bring forth certain aspects of the middos contained within us. The feelings that actors get when they put on different types of clothing is not as much talent as it is a demonstration of lack of control over their middos. The clothing they wear is able to export different measurements of their born-qualities, thereby creating almost new people within themselves based on their influenced temporary choice of characteristics.

The clothing we wear has an impact on the way we think and act. Let us choose carefully in order that the measurements of the guf should have a positive impact on the measurements of the nefesh; for indeed the way we dress effects our middos – measure for measure.

1Shemos 28:8

2Yes, that was on purpose, couldn't help myself.

3Gemara Shabbos 31a

4Bamidbar 3:10

5Shemos 28:29. The Kli Yakar later continues to get into a whole discussion about Achashveirosh during the Purim story when he wore the bigdei kehunah and used the keilim from the Beis HaMikdash.

6Gemara Eiruchin 16a

7The Gemara lists the following begadim and that for which they atoned:

• Kesones (tunic) – shfichus damim (murder/bloodshed)
• Michnasa'im (pants) – giluy arayos (immorality)
• Mechaperes (turban) – gasei haruach (arrogance)
• Avneit (belt) – hirhur lev (improper thoughts of the heart)
• Choshein (breastplate) – dinim (incorrect judging)
• Eiphod (apron) – avoda zarah (idol worship)
• Me'il (jacket) – lashon harah (evil speech)
• Tzitz (head-plate) – ma'aseh azei panim (brazen acts)

8Gemara Berachos 28a

9Shemos 28:15

10He writes this in his introduction to the sefer as well as throughout the text when discussing the various character traits.

11Avos 4:28

12S'forno; Shemos 28:2