[Don’t forget to see the Halacha
Encounters below!]
Parshas Behar
This week’s
Parsha addresses the laws of a Jewish slave. Meaning, a person
who sells himself voluntarily because of a financial crisis.
He is penniless and would face starvation if he would not sell
himself as a slave.
The Talmud in Tractate Kiddushin (20a) states that this financial
crisis was a result of greed. The Torah prohibits business
dealings with the fruits of the seventh year, Shemittah. This
particular individual violated the admonition not to do business
with Shemittah fruit in order to increase his wealth and financial
security. However, we know that Hashem punishes to fit the
crime. If one violates the Torah to increase his wealth, then
the punishment will result in a total loss of one’s wealth.
The Talmud explains that from the sequence of events described
in the Parsha, we see that this person who made profits from
Shemitta fruits will eventually need to sell his movable goods,
then his fields, his home, his daughter, he will borrow with
interest, and finally he will sell himself as a slave.
It is known that any slave, who wants to stay after his allotted
time as a slave, may do so. However, his ear is pierced because
he wants to remain a slave to another human being. He should
be a slave to Hashem!
At the conclusion of the slavery, the Torah says that he must
return to his original position. The Talmud learns (21b) that
a priest, a Kohain, who wants to remain a slave after the allotted
time, cannot have his ear pierced. A blemish reders him unfit
to serve in the Bais Hamikdosh the way he did before, and the
Torah tells us that the freed slave must assume his position
prior to slavery. His position as a Kohain, his reputation
must remain intact.
It would seem that one who violated the laws of Shemittah
is not entitled to retain his former position, his former status.
We see from the Torah otherwise. On the contrary, the obligation
rests on the Bais Din, on the community to preserve his position
in life.
A person’s reputation is very, very precious. The Gaon Rav
Dessler zt”l compared the need to preserve one’s reputation
with the need to hold a very precious crystal, teetering on
the edge of a table. If you stop holding that crystal for one
second, the crystal is smashed and cannot be repaired. In Mishlei,
we are told “a single sin can destroy a lot of good.” If you
do not watch out for your reputation and do a simple solitary
inappropriate act, your reputation and standing in the community
can become shattered and smashed for good. In the Tefilla “Hin’ni” that
is recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur before Mussaf, the
Chazzan asks Hashem that He should consider him as a well integrated
person with his peers and a good reputation! This request will
enhance the likelihood that the Tefillos will be answered.
To conclude; May Hashem Yisborach give us energy, strength
and foresight to preserve and protect our good reputation.
Rabbi
Ehrman is the Rav of Kehillas Beis Yitzchok and learns Kollel
Boker and first seder daily with the Kollel.
Halacha Encounters
Lag
Ba’Omer
Rabbi
Ari Friedman
Lag Ba’omer is a day in the Jewish calendar which often passes
by leaving some us groping to appreciate its significance and
scrambling for its laws and customs. This week we will attempt
to explore the meaning of Lag Ba’omer and discuss some of its
practices.
Two of the most well known reasons for the “yom tov” of Lag
Ba’omer are the cessation of the death of Rabbi Akiva’s Talmidim
and the yahrzheit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Many express
amazement that these are reasons for celebration. After all,
the Gemara (Yevamos 62B) describes the world as being desolate
as a result of the death of Rabbi Akiva’s Talmidim. The Pri
Chadash explains that in essence it is the rebirth of Torah
that we are celebrating on this day. It was on this day that
Rabbi Akiva gathered five new Talmidim, including Rabbi Shimon
Bar Yochai, and began transmitting the Torah anew. We are celebrating
the strength and spirit of these great men , who despite their
pain and sorrow, rose up and rebuilt the Torah.
The celebration of the yahrzheit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
is another subject with which some express wonder. As mentioned
above our usual feelings on a yahrzheit are feelings of loss
(see Chasam Sofer YD 233). In addressing this difficulty, one
must first appreciate the significance of Rabbi Shimon. The
seforim teach us that Rabbi Shimon brought the hidden light
of Torah down to the world, and compare his greatness with
none other than Moshe Rabbeinu. His teachings, referred to
as Toras Hanistar or Kabbalah, are considered the true secrets
of the Torah and on the day of his death some of the most esoteric
and profound secrets were revealed. Indeed Rabbi Shimon himself
referred to the day of his death as a day of celebration. The seforim write
that the aura of his soul visits the world on Lag Ba’omer and
it is an auspicious time for understanding the depths of the
Torah and for one’s prayers to be answered. Admittedly, these
ideas are more appreciated by those involved in the study of
Kabbalah.
The
Suspension of Mourning
The day of Lag Ba’omer brings a suspension or an end (depending
on the particular custom) to the mourning period observed during
Sefirah. Although normally observance of holidays begin with
the previous night, on Lag Ba’omer the laws of mourning are
not suspended until the following morning. Therefore, haircuts
and shaving should be postponed until the morning (but there
is no need to wait until midday). The reason for this is that
since Lag Ba’omer is counted as one of the 33 days of mourning,
we must partially observe mourning on this day. We then apply
the principle of “Miktzas HaYom Kichulo” (part of the day is
counted as the whole day). However, HaGaon Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l did
permit weddings on the eve of Lag Ba’omer and many follow this
ruling (Igros Moshe OC1-159). Although many do not observe
mourning after Lag Ba’omer, the custom is not to make weddings
until Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Thus weddings held on Lag Ba’omer
day must start before nightfall. The music and festivities
may continue even after dark (Taz OC 493-2, Igros Moshe EH1-97,
and OC 1-159).
The above opinions not withstanding, the prevalent minhag
in Klal Yisroel is to light bonfires and rejoice in singing
and dancing even on Lag Ba’omer evening.
Assorted Practices
Tachanun is not recited on Lag Ba’omer, nor by Minchah the
day before. Regarding Lamenatzeach by Shacharis, there is a
difference of customs (see PRMG 493-3 and Pri Chadash 131-1).
Aside from the celebrations held at Meiron (the gravesite
of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai), there are customs to visit graves
of other Tzadikim. Such places include the kever of
the Rema in Krakow, whose yahrzheit is on Lag Ba’omer, as well.
The poskim tell us that on the evening of Lag Ba’omer,
one should be cautious not to mention the day “by name” prior
to having counted Sefira. By saying “It’s Lag Ba’omer” or
the like, one may have unwittingly fulfilled his mitzvah of
counting that night’s Omer and may not be able to count that
night with a bracha. [See Nit’ei Gavriel]
Upsherin
One of the more well known customs is to give a boy his first
haircut on Lag Ba’omer. In Eretz Yisrael thousands bring their
boys to the Kever of Rabbi Shimon in Meiron and many bring
their boys to the Kever of Shimon Hatzadik in East Yerushalayim.
Bonfires
As Lag Ba’omer is a day when we celebrate the greatness of
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, there are different customs which
relate to the Kabalistic nature of his teachings. One such
custom is to light bonfires and candles, which represent the
hidden light of the Torah. It is also customary to sing songs
composed in honor of Rabbi Shimon, which are replete with Kabalistic
references.
Bows
and Arrows
In Chasidic circles, many great leaders would go outdoors
and make use of a bow and arrow. This symbolized the tradition
that as long as Rabbi Shimon lived, rainbows, which are a symbol
of Hashem’s oath of restraint in destroying the world, were
not seen. This, according to the Zohar, is a sign of a truly
righteous person since his merit alone was enough to save the
world, thereby not needing to rely on Hashem’s restraint. The
bow and arrow also symbolizes that Rabbi Shimon’s merit took
the place of the bow in protecting Bnei Yisrael.
Now
Available Online!
The Five Minute Hilchos Tefillah Shiur is
available in Real Audio format on the Chicago Community Kollel
website at: http://www.cckollel.org/halachashiur-fs.html
Come and hear
over 60 5-minute shiurim on
the laws, customs and deeper meanings of our daily Tefillos.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for
a future edition of Halacha
Encounters? Please email shiur@cckollel.org with
your questions or suggestions.