Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Zachor, and Purim - Pur Sight

Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Zachor, and Purim

Pur Sight

By: Daniel Listhaus

וְנָתַתָּ אֶל חשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֶת הָאוּרִים וְאֶת הַתֻּמִּים וְהָיוּ עַל לֵב אַהֲרֹן בְּבֹאוֹ לִפְנֵי ה' וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת מִשְׁפַּט בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל לִבּוֹ לִפְנֵי ה' תָּמִיד

“Into the Choshen of Judgment shall you place the Urim and the Tumim, and they shall be on Aharon's heart when he comes before Hashem; and Aharon's shall bear the judgment of the Children of Yisroel on his heart before Hashem, constantly.”

-Tetzaveh 28:30

Rashi¹ explains that the Urim V'tumim was in fact a script of Hashem's Explicit Name, which was placed inside the folds of the Choshen. The Choshen was the special breastplate that the Kohen Gadol alone would wear securely on top of his Eiphod (apron). The Gemara² describes that on the face of the Choshen were twelve precious stones with words on them aligned in four rows of three and when the Kohen Gadol would consult the Urim V'tumim, it would light up certain letters on the Choshen with an answer. The Urim V'tumim, reflecting a direct message from Hashem Himself, is also referred to as the K'reisi U'pleisi – alluding to the fact that its message was clear and perfect.³

Despite the incredible potential of the Urim V'tumim to communicate Hashem's ratzon (will), there were times in our history when the Kohen Gadol has misread the message. For example, the Gemara⁴ states that there are many halachos (laws) regarding tefillah (davening) that we learn from the story of Channah davening in the Beis Hamikdash for a son. The passukim⁵ in Navi describe that while Channah was davening only her lips moved but her voice could not be heard. Eili, who was the Kohen Gadol at the time, witnessed this and asked the Urim V'tumim if Channah was drunk and needed to be removed from the Mishkan. After all she was certainly acting like a drunkard moving her lips randomly without speaking. With no surprise, the Urim V'tumim returned with a message containing the letters shin, kaf, reish, and hey. Which Eili read simply as “שכרה” - meaning that she was indeed drunk. However, in reality the Urim V'tumim was trying to communicate “כשרה” - that she was “kosher”, so to speak. Eili was so sure, though, that he was seeing a drunk woman that he failed to consider the other possibilities that the Urim V'tumim may have been trying to communicate.

This is something that we do all the time. We often push our viewpoints and perceptions into scenarios or others' thoughts and intentions, and allow what is really uncertain to become factual in our own eyes. Like Eili, we permit the maybe's in our heads to become definitely's and become closed minded to the bigger picture.

After Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim, it was clear to the world that Hashem was, is, and always will be the only borei (Creator) and manhig (Controller) of the world. However, right after Kriyas Yam Suf (splitting of the Red Sea) – the pinnacle of Hashem's miracles for us – Amalek came and attacked us. At a time of perfect clarity in the world, Amalek challenged B'nei Yisroel and forced a sliver of doubt into the rest of the world. After all, if it was possible to attack the B'nei Yisroel then maybe what they understood to be reality was in fact not. This is the core of Amalek – doubt.⁶ Amalek lives to bring doubt into the world and challenge the belief of Hashem's day to day involvement in even the most mundane matters.

This idea that Amalek represents is so false and is exactly the opposite of everything we as Jews stand for. This is the reason why each year we are commanded to recall the event that occurred when we were leaving Mitzrayim and Amalek attacked us, as well as remember that it is our duty to wipe out every remnant of Amalek.

It is of course no coincidence that we read Parshas Zachor immediately before Purim, nor is it a coincidence that the arch-enemy of the Jews during the Purim story was Haman, who was a direct descendent of Amalek.

The Megillah⁷ tells us that the Holiday is called Purim because of the “pur” (lottery). The pur being referred to is the one mentioned earlier in the Megillah,⁸ which Haman made in order to determine a day on which to kill Mordechai and wipe out the Jewish people. It is hard to imagine the discussion that took place when Mordechai and Esther were thinking of a name for the Holiday. One would think that they would have named it “Day of Miracle” or “Opposite Day” - something to capture the eternal lesson of Purim. The role of the lottery in the Purim story is so small and seemingly unimportant. Why name the Holiday Purim because of the pur? Additionally, why do we not recite Hallel on Purim? Certainly a day which was sealed by the king as a day designated to kill all the Jews but turned out to be one which the king gave us permission to wipe out our enemies, deserves the highest of singing praised to Hashem. So why is Hallel not recited?

In order to answer these questions, we must ask ourselves what the purpose is of reading the Megillah on Puirm. Such a big deal is made over hearing every single word from beginning to end. Why is it that this obligation was instituted – something which we do not have to the same degree on any other Holiday?

The Megillah⁹ tells us that Esther commanded the order of events to be written down into the Megillah for it to be commemorated each year. The Gemara¹⁰ asks why is it that we do not recite Hallel on Purim? Rav Nachman answers that the reading of the Megillah itself is the Hallel. The point of the Megillah is to reflect on the whole story of Purim and realize that there is no such thing as coincidence. As Rashi¹¹ points out – the fact that Achashveirosh happened to have made a party using the keilim (vessels) of the Beis HaMikdash, that Vashti ended up being killed, and that Esther ended up queen while Mordechai irritated Haman to the point that Haman had the gallows prepared. All these events seemed normal and a logical series of causes and effects which fate had decided. However, upon looking back and stringing together the whole story, it becomes evident that the events were really very much organized and were running on track with the plan Hashem had in mind the whole time. Haman, representing Amalek, tried to prove to the world that there is no Hashem and that everything that happens is in the hands of man or merely a coincidence like a pur. The Megillah, however, is our Hallel that we recite because it is megaleh (reveals) the big picture and declares that there is no such thing as coincidence, rather everything that happens is a part of Hashem's intricate plan for each individual.

Perhaps this is the reason that Purim was given its name – to remember each year the difference between our mentality and that of Amalek. Amalek tries to put doubt in everyone's minds and convince people that there is no intelligent Being running the world, but rather everything that happens is just mere coincidence. This is what they did when we left Mitzrayim and this is the perspective that Haman tried to push through during the time of the Purim. Our job, however, is to counter this belief and spend the time noticing how Hashem interacts with each and every one of us on a personal level with a hashgacha p'ratis and guides, changes, and causes events to occur in order that we are each delivered the perfect scenario which is meant for us.

There is no doubt that even now we are constantly being challenged with the mentality of Amalek. There could be asteroids hitting earth which were somehow unnoticed by all the satellites, there could be snowstorms where it is usually hot, there could be earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and droughts, and yet it is easy to write off each event as a mere coincidence or sensible effect of some cause. However, by doing so we fall into the trap of Amalek where we allow the constant attack of maybe's become the definitely's in our minds, and in turn we fail to be the proper receivers of the true message that Hashem is trying to communicate to us.

Our challenge is to walk away from Purim with this recognition and to spend the time realizing that we each have our own Megillah. The random sequence of events which often seem coincidental – the places we happen to find ourselves in, the people we accidentally meet, and the situations we by chance end up in – are all part of our own Purim story. It is our job to zoom out and realize with a clarity the hashgacha p'ratis that Hashem provides each of us.

May Hashem help us fight against the doubt of Amalek so that we could read His messages clearly and recognize His role as borei and manhig.

1Shemos 28:30

2Yoma 73b

3Berachos 4a

4Berachos 31a-31b

5See Shmuel Aleph 1:13-14 Channah was the wife of Elkana and after being childless for many years she went to the Mishkan to daven for a son who she would be willing to give over completely to work in the Mishkan. Hashem answered her tefillah and she became the proud mother of Shmuel HaNavi.

6It is also pointed out that the gematriya (numerical value) of Amalek is 240, which is the same as the numerical value of Safek, which means doubt.

7Esther 9:26

8Esther 3:7

9Esther 9:29, 0:32

10Megillah 14a

11Esther 9:26

Parshas Tetzaveh - Measure for Measure

Parshas Tetzaveh

Measure for Measure

By: Daniel Listhaus

וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת: וְאַתָּה תְּדַבֵּר אֶל כָּל חַכְמֵי לֵב אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּאתִיו רוּחַ חָכְמָה וְעָשׂוּ אֶת בִּגְדֵי אַהֲרֹן לְקַדְּשׁוֹ לְכַהֲנוֹ לִי

וְחֵשֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ מִמֶּנּוּ יִהְיֶה זָהָב תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר

“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.”

-Tetzaveh 28:2-3

“...[And] the cheishev with which he is beautified, which is above it, like its work, of it shall be of gold, turquoise wool, purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen.”

-Tetzaveh 28:8

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 (belt), 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 with the way Rashi is explaining this passuk (verse). 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 does not seem to flow so well. Rashi starts by explaining that the bigdei kehunah beautified and enhanced the kohen. Then, Rashi adds in as an after thought that the bigdei kehunah also adorned him. Why does Rashi not list all three descriptions as part of the same series?

However, there is an even more potent question, regarding the bigdei kehuna in general, which stems from an understanding of a story in the Gemara. The Gemara² 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 individual 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”,³ 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 the 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 Yakar⁴ 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 must have overheard a Rabbi describing the following Gemara. The Gemara⁵ 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.⁶ Upon hearing this, the gentile 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 quick-fix 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?⁷

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 Malbim⁸ 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 the accurate size of one's clothing.

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, humility, embarrassment, brazenness, anger, patience, etc. Our job, as the Orchos Tzadikkim⁹ 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 of which a person must take control – the direct effects of kinah (jealousy), taivah (desires), and kavod (honor), which Pirkei Avos¹⁰ describe “remove a person from this world”.

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 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 collective 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.¹¹ 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.

The clothing we wear has the ability to give power to and bring forth certain aspects of the middos contained within us. Movie producers are well aware of this fact and indeed have their actors wear the clothing of their respective characters for a long time before the actual filming in order to get the full feel of the character. 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

2Shabbos 31a

3Bamidbar 3:10

4Shemos 28:39. 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.

5Eiruchin 16a

6The 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)

7Berachos 28a

8Shemos 28:15

9He writes this in his introduction to the sefer as well as throughout his sefer when discussing the various character traits.

10Avos 4:28

11See S'forno on Shemos 28:2
Photo Credit: http://home.centurytel.net/KabbalArt/cohen_gadol.html

Parshas Terumah - Mishkan Man

Parshas Terumah

Mishkan Man

By: Daniel Listhaus

וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם: כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מַרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ אֵת תַּבְנִית הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֵת תַּבְנִית כָּל כֵּלָיו וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ

“They shall make for Me a Sanctuary – so that I may dwell among them – in conformance with all that I show you, the form of the Mishkan and the form of all its vessels; and so shall you do.”

-Terumah 25:8-9

After receiving the Torah and understanding its mitzvos, our next task was to build a mikdash (temple). Parshas Terumah describes the many keilim (vessels) which had to be made, the specifications and details as to how they should be made, and with which materials. The Torah clearly depicts the precise measurements and descriptions of the Aron (ark), Shulchan (table), Menorah, Copper Mizbeach (alter), Paroches (curtain), and all of their respective accessories. Even the Mishkan and the Courtyard itself had their own specific requirements.

The question that begs to be asked on the whole Parsha is, what was the purpose of the Mishkan? Even if we could somehow grasp a small understanding that perhaps the Mishkan was there to allow us to offer karbanos (sacrifices) and do many more mitzvos, how would we understand the need to have to fulfill all the specifications of the keilim? For example, if the purpose of the Aron was to house the eidus (luchos and the Torah),¹ why was it important for some parts to be made of gold and others of wood? If the Menorah was there to be lit, why was it necessary for its structure to be so complicated with such intricate details, that even Moshe rabbeinu had trouble understanding how to make it? Also, did it really matter that the Mishkan and its courtyard had to be of certain sizes? What if they wanted to do an expansion to have more space? On the surface it appears that there was too much attention to detail regarding the Mishkan. An architect reading a challenge to construct a structure conducive for being a place where the Shechina could “rest”, sacrifice animals could be brought, and incenses could be offered, would probably not see a purpose in the exact measurements given in the Torah. Certainly there are much simpler instructions that could be followed with a pretty close result. So, what exactly was the purpose of the Mishkan and why were all these details and measurements such important factors?

If one would take the time to look around and examine the nature that surrounds him, one would see unbelievable creations and undeniable proof of an “Intelligent Designer”. Hashem has placed his stamp of truth in so many areas of the physical world we live in. For example, there is a sequence of numbers called the Fibonacci series. This series is created by starting with the number one and getting the next number in the series by adding together the two numbers which precede it.² This series goes a lot deeper, though, than being an easy math puzzle. The ratio between any two consecutive numbers in this series approaches what is called the “Golden Ratio”, which is approximately 1.61803399. This ratio could be seen in measuring proportions present in plant stems, petals, seeds, fruits, the human arm, fingers, the cochlea of the inner ear, and in many other things. This ratio and series are everywhere! This is just one example of many complex truths that exist in our world and can be seen when one studies nature. Hashem programmed a specific order and set of rules for nature to follow. In order for the physical world to function properly, everything has to follow a precise list of instructions and details.

This is a concept which is touched upon in The Kuzari, a sefer (book) written by Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi. The Kuzari is a lengthy discussion between a Rabbi and a gentile king – the Kuzari, which covers many fundamentals aspects of Judaism. During the conversation, when discussing the necessary details given to us regarding karbanos, the Rabbi says as follows, “Hashem elucidated the details of the sacrificial laws and other laws – every facet involving very detailed laws. The same attention to detail is prevalent in all of nature. Each physical object is made up of a combination of different elements, combined according to very exact specifications. The proportions must be more precise than the mind could imagine; even if the smallest error was made in the proportions of these elements, the object would no longer exist as it is. The plant, animal, or limb in question would be defective or would not exist at all.... The Torah also records how the sacrificial animals is to be cut, how to arrange the pieces, which parts are to be eaten...and which to be burned. All these details are based on the Torah and on that which the Sages recorded in the Oral Law, all originating from Hashem's words to Moshe. Similarly the Shulchan, Menorah, Aron, Courtyard, Pillars, Covers and all procedures, were shown to Moshe and required intricate specifications.” The Rabbi then ends off, “When it comes to serving Hashem, one cannot rely on logic, inference, or discretion....”³

Science is easy for us to see, even though it may be difficult to understand. There is no reason that Hydrogen and Oxygen should combine to make water. Hashem could have easily made Beryllium our water and Hydrogen and Oxygen to react differently when combined. However, we live with the realization that whether we know it all or not, there is indeed a system of nature which is very mathematical and precise. The Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash are places where the physical and spiritual worlds meet. When it comes to the way the physical world must be prepared to connect to the spiritual world, there is also a clear set of rules which must be followed. Certainly we do not have to comprehend how it works, after all we barely have a glimpse of understanding as to how this world works in its own right, let alone its complicated relationship with the spiritual realm. The measurements and details contained in the Mishkan are parts of a unique formula which provides the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds.

This idea further extends to doing mitzvos, learning Torah, and performing acts of chesed. Although to some degree we may have an understanding of what Hashem wants of us, at some level there will always be questions. Does it really matter if it is the precise time to daven or say Shema or start Shabbos? What difference does it make if it is plus or minus one minute? Do we really have to be so careful when it comes to Kosher? I washed it off, that should do the trick! Does it really matter which shoe to tie first? These are thoughts which unfortunately may flash through out heads, even though we probably cannot imagine ourselves saying that although the doctor prescribed us with such and such a medicine with a certain chemistry, that it should not matter if we take a different medicine instead. After all what is the difference between one chemical balance and another? Rather, the above doubts come from a lack of truly believing in the absolute system and real ramification which indeed exist. We must keep in mind that the same Intellectual Designer who constructed our world with atoms, elements, and invisible waves to make a beautiful cooperative world of nature, also created a system – which is beyond science and even further from our grasp – of spirituality. The rules and guidelines of the Torah and its mitzvos are indeed all inherently important and real in their consequences.

As people, made from earth and a neshama, we have a built-in portable feature to take plain things and infuse them with kedusha (Holiness). This is the power of our minds and kavannah (intentions). Similarly, the geographical makom (place) which is the central connection between this world and its counterpart in the spiritual realm, is the Mishkan/Beis HaMikdash. This common denominator between us and the Beis HaMikdash is one which displays itself in more ways than one. Just as the Beis HaMikdash has an Aron Kodesh, so does the human body have a heart which keeps us a alive. Just as the Beis HaMikdash contains the Cheruvim (Angel sculptures on top of the Aron), so does a person have a pair of lungs. And the comparisons continue: Our digestive system, supporting systems, and senses, all of these have counter parts in the Beis HaMikdash. Our job as a microcosm of the Beis HaMikdash is to designate each and every facet of our body for purposes of kedusha in order that we ourselves should be fit to house the shechina within us.

The passuk⁴ (verse) in this week's parsha states, “They shall make Me a Mikdash – so that I may dwell in them – in conformance with all that I show you, the form of the Mishkan and the form of all of its vessels; and so shall you do.” There are two things that strike out from this passuk. First, why does the torah switch from calling the Tabernacle a Mikdash to calling it a Mishkan? Second, the first part of the passuk does not seem to be grammatically correct. “They shall make Me a Mikdash – so that I may dwell in them”? If “them” is a pronoun referring back to the Mikdash, it should be “it”, not “them”?

The Ohr HaChaim⁵, S'forno⁶, and the Alter of Slabodka⁷ explain that the real place for the Shechina is to dwell amongst us. The passuk uses the phrase “so that I may dwell among them” because it is referring to the Jewish people. Perhaps if we put this together with the aforementioned Kuzari, we could see a deeper understanding in this passuk. If we make ourselves like the mikdash – meaning, if we align all of our body parts and abilities with their mirror images in the mikdash, then we will become fit for the shechinas Hashem to dwell amongst us.

Each of us is a mikdash me'at (miniature version of the mishkan). It is our job to make sure that our keilim are being used properly as the keilim in the mishkan that they represent. With this in mind, may we merit to achieve the lyrics of the song “Bilvavi mishkan evneh...” (“In my heart, I shall build a Sanctuary...”).⁸

1See Gemara Bava Basra 14a

2Starting with 0 and 1, 0+1=1, then 1+1=2, then 1+2=3, then 2+3=5...as far as you can go. Thus, the sequence comes to be 0,1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144.....

3Kuzari 1:99 (Translation based on Feldheim)

4Shemos 25:8-9

5Shemos 25:8-9

6Shemos 25:8

7Ohr HaTzafun; Part 2

8Piyut based on Sefer Chareidim by R' Elazar AzKari

Parshas Mishpatim - No Dogs Go to Heaven

Parshas Mishpatim

No Dogs Go to Heaven

By: Daniel Listhaus

וְאַנְשֵׁי קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיוּן לִי וּבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵפָה לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ לַכֶּלֶב תַּשְׁלִכוּן אֹתוֹ

“People of holiness shall you be unto me; and flesh in the field that has been torn you shall not eat; you shall throw it to the dog.”

-Mishpatim 22:30

Rashi¹ comments that the passuk (verse) is not really precise because certainly, just as one could feed the treif² meat to the dogs, one could also sell or give it to a goy (non-Jew). Rashi then offers two reasons as to why the Torah did not just write that it could be given to a goy. The first reason is because the Torah is coming to teach that it is better to be a dog than a someone who worships idols.³ Furthermore, Rashi writes, the passuk is trying to demonstrate that Hashem does not deprive any creature of its reward.

When the B'nei Yisroel were leaving Mitzrayim, the Torah⁴ testifies that not one dog “sharpened its tongue” [i.e. -barked]. This was abnormal for a number of reasons. First, any dog owner knows that when a stranger comes into a house, the dogs will start barking. Certainly this should have happened in the case of B'nei Yisroel, who were going into every house collecting all the valuables, jewelery, gold, and silver. Furthermore, the Gemara⁵ states that at a time when the Malach Hamaves (Angel of Death) comes to a city, the dogs bark. The time that the B'nei Yisroel left Mitzrayim was by makas bechoros (plague of death to the firstborns). At that point, Mitzriyim (Egyptians) were dying left and right and under normal circumstances the dogs should have barked. However, for the B'nei Yisroel, they kept their mouths shut. For this, Hashem rewarded all dogs to come by mentioning in the Torah that treif meat be thrown to the dogs.

The question is, however, why is it that Hashem considered this a fair reward? The dogs did something out of the ordinary for B'nei Yisroel. Wouldn't it be more fitting for Hashem to create a “Dog Heaven” filled of dog toys where they could chase their tails for as long as they want? After all, a person who refrains from speaking lashon harah (evil speech) or uses his mouth for Torah or other good things is rewarded in the eternal world to come. Yet the dogs, who on their level basically did the same thing by refraining from barking at B'nei Yisroel, seem to be getting a cheap reward of mere scraps of treif meat. Why is this so?

Using the above question as a spring-board, let us ask an even more potent question along the same lines. The Gemara⁶ relates that Moshe rabbeinu asked Hashem three things. The first was that Hashem's shechina rest on B'nei Yisroel – and Hashem granted Moshe this request. The second was that the shechina not rest on the goyim – and Hashem granted Moshe this one as well. The third request was that Hashem explain to Moshe His ways. There is actually a machlokes (dispute) in the Gemara whether Hashem answered this one or not. However, everyone seems to agree what the specific question was. Moshe wanted to understand why it is that there are tzadikkim (righteous people) to whom good things happen, yet there are also tzadikkim who experience disasters and are greatly challenged throughout their lives. Along the same lines, Moshe wanted to comprehend why it is that although, granted, there are certainly resha'im (wicked people) to whom bad things happen, there are plenty of resha'im who indeed live great lives with everything seeming to go their way. This is a fundamental question which has bothered many since the beginning of time and is often expressed at some point in everyone's life: Why do bad thing happen to good people, and why do good things happen to bad people?

According to the one who holds that Hashem did in fact answer this third request of Moshe, Hashem answered the following. The tzadikkim who only experience good in both this world and the next are those in the category of tzaddik gamur (complete tzaddik), while the tzaddik who goes through hardships in this world is someone who is actually not a complete tzaddik. Similarly, those who experiences only bad in this world and the next are those in the category of rasha gamur (complete rasha), while the rasha who experiences goodness in this world is in fact someone who is not a complete rasha.

This Gemara seems to contradict itself. Imagine a spectrum where on the extreme left is the world-class rasha and all the way on the right is the biggest tzaddik. Hashem causes only the best things to happen to the biggest tzaddik and only the worst to the biggest rasha. Yet, when dealing with those in the middle of the spectrum, the Gemara sounds quite confused. Why should the person who is not the biggest tzaddik be any worse than the one who is a few aveiros (sins) away from being the worst rasha? They are both in the same uncategorized gray area in the middle area. Even if we were to draw invisible lines within the spectrum and put the semi-tzaddik closer to the right and the quasi-rasha closer to the left, still, how could we understand their respective destinies of the tzaddik suffering for his aveiros while the rasha is successful and merry from his mitzvos?

The Maharsha⁷ comes to address this issue and explains Hashem's answer to Moshe in the following way. Those who are really tzadikkim but who have done a few aveiros indeed need to be punished. However, Hashem does the tzaddik a favor by instead punishing him in Olam Ha'zeh (this world) in order that he be able to get his complete reward in Olam Habbah (the next world) with no deficiencies. The quasi-rasha, on the other hand, despite the fact that he is really a rasha, still, since he managed to do a few mitzvos, he must be rewarded. However, Hashem would rather reward him with the small stuff in this world in order that the rasha's punishment truly be maximized in Olam Habbah.

The question on this which begs to be asked is that this system does not seem fair at all. The mishna⁸ declares that one moment of time in Olam Habbah is better than all the time a person could possibly live in Olam Ha'zeh. So, imagine that the rasha did some mitzva everyday of his life – he put on tallis and tefillin each morning. The tzaddik certainly did so as well. So why is it fair that the tzaddik will be rewarded for this in Olam Habbah whereas the rasha will be forced to get an incomparably smaller reward in this world?

Furthermore, leaving this unfair comparison aside, the Gemara⁹ says that it is not possible to reward a mitzva in this world, rather because of the greatness of doing a mitzva its reward is only possible to give in Olam Habbah. If so, even if somehow it would be considered fair that the semi-rasha be rewarded differently for doing the same mitzva as the semi-tzaddik, shouldn't it still be impossible for the rasha to be rewarded for his mitzvos in this world?

In order to understand these contradictions, we must return to the fact there is no such thing as Dog Heaven. Unlike a person who is partially made of ruchniyos (spirituality [i.e.- a Holy spirit from Hashem]), a dog is completely comprised of gashmiyus made from earth without a neshama (soul). A dog does nothing on the ruchniyus scale nor could it ever appreciate it, therefore it is never rewarded in any way other than through gashmiyus.

This is an idea that is not foreign to us. Take the following example. Imagine you lost your wallet and in desperation put up a sign saying that you will offer a one-hundred dollar reward to anyone who could find your wallet. Later that day, your four-year-old son loses a toy under the couch and while searching for it pulls out the missing wallet along with some other junk which found their way under the couch. You see this and are so happy with your son for finding your wallet, even though it was completely accidental, and so you go and buy him a special candy. The child, not even sure what he did good, is ecstatic and enjoys the special candy immensely. In this example, what happened to the one-hundred dollar reward you offered? You were willing to give that amount of money to anyone who could find the wallet, so why are you cheating your son out of all the cash just because you could get away with it? The answer is simple. In the child's eyes, the money is worthless, whereas the special candy is worth all the money in the world.

Similarly, the Ma'bit¹⁰ writes that as the Gemara says, it is truly impossible to reward a mitzva in this world. Doing a mitzva means carrying out the word of G-d and the reward for doing so is infinite. As he explains, the s'char v'onesh (reward and punishment) system is in place for those who do or transgress mitzvos of the Torah. The Torah comes from the Olam Ha'Elyon (upper world) and therefore, by extension, its rewards and punishments must also be from there in the same currency.

Following this idea, when it comes to those who are being rewarded or punished in this world, it must be that their rewards and punishments are not actually from keeping or transgressing the Torah but rather for doing other things. What are these other things? What is there to be rewarded or punished for if not the based on the Torah? The answer is that rewards in this world are for people who do mitzvos shelo lishma. In other words, people do mitzvos all the time – we come to shul because others may notice if we miss, we make berachos subconsciously because that's the way we grew up, we throw our tefillin on each morning because that is the habit we got used to, and the list goes on. However, when we do the mitzvos in this fashion, we are not truly fulfilling the mitzvos in the way they are supposed to be done commanded from the Olam Ha'Elyon, and therefore the reward for doing mitzvos in this way does not come from there either. Rather, the reward comes from Olam Hazeh.

The opposite holds true as well. People who are overall trying very hard but just cannot make it to being a complete tzaddik because they get caught up in some aveiros along the way. These aveiros are not ones which such a person is trying to do, on the contrary, he is trying very hard to work on himself and strives to be the complete tzaddik. Therefore, although there must be consequences for these actions, the punishment will not be the harsh punishments of Olam Ha'Elyon, but rather will be carried out through inconveniences and troubles in this world.

With this in mind we could now understand Hashem's answer to Moshe. The tzaddik gamur (complete tzaddik) experiences only good in both this world and the next, while the rasha gamur experiences only bad in both worlds. When it comes to the gray area in the middle, it depends on who you really are which will define the rest of your actions. The semi-rasha who happened to have done a few mitzvos clearly does not care about the mitzvos as being direct commandments from Hashem, otherwise he would have tried to work himself towards being a tzaddik. Therefore, although his good deeds require reward, they will be rewarded for in this world. However, the semi-tzaddik who spends his life working towards the right side of the spectrum, although he may have a number of aveiros on his list, those will be punished in this world rather than in the next world because they are really lower-leveled aveiros since they were not done purposely or specifically to go against the word of Hashem.

May Hashem help us do the mitzvos for the right reasons and help us turn all of our mitzvos she'lo lishma's into lishma. This way we will be on the path of at least the tzaddik she'eino gamur instead of the rasha she'eino gamur, and ultimately achieve the level of the tzaddik who only experiences good in both this world and the next.

1Shemos 22:30

2Treif here in he passuk does not mean like the way we incorrectly use the term now-a-days to simply mean “non-kosher meat”, rather it specifically means torn meat which cannot be slaughtered properly.

3See Gur Aryeh (Shemos 22:30). This does not mean that it is better to be a dog than a goy, after all, all people were created b'tzelem Elokim (in the Image of Hashem) (Avos 3:18 [editions may vary]). Rather, Rashi is saying that better be a dog than someone who chooses to worship idols (something which is forbidden even for non-Jews) because such a person has misused his potential whereas at least a dog is neutral because it does not have free will.

4Shemos 11:7

5Bava Kamma 60b

6Berachos 7a

7Ibid.

8Avos 4:22 [editions may vary]

9Kiddushin 39b

10Ma'bit: Beis Elokim, Sha'ar Ha'yesodos 42
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