Rabbi Frand on Parshas Bechukosai
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion:
Tape # 372, Using Shuls As A Shortcut. Good Shabbos!
Ohr HaChaim HaKodesh Endorses Torah Tapes
The first pasuk [verse] of Parshas Bechukosai (Vayikra 26:3) begins with
the words "If you walk according to my statutes". The Ohr HaChaim
HaKodesh comments that the reason why the pasuk uses this peculiar mix of
the verb "walk" with the object "my statues" is to teach us that one must
occupy himself with Torah even while walking along the road (i.e. - while
one is traveling). At the risk of engaging in "self-promotion", this is
an endorsement for the practice of listening to Torah Tapes while driving
in one's car.
The Vav From Eliyahu's Name Appears in Yaakov's Name in Five Places
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Towards the end of the Tochacha [Chastisement], the Torah says, "and I
will remember my covenant with Yaakov, and even my covenant with Yitzchak,
and even my covenant with Avraham will I remember; and the Land I will
remember." [Vayikra 26:42]. This pasuk contains the rather unusual
spelling of the name Yaakov with five letters (Yud-Ayin-Kuf-VAV-Ves), rather
than the usual four letters (Yud-Ayin-Kuf-Ves). Rashi quotes the
Medrash, which says that the "full" spelling of the name Yaakov (with a
'vav') occurs in five places in Tanach and the "missing" spelling of the
name Eliyahu (without the normal vav at the end) also occurs five times.
The Medrash explains that in those five places, Yaakov our Patriarch
figuratively took a letter from the name of Eliyahu as a security pledge
to guarantee that the prophet Eliyahu would appear and announce the
imminent redemption to his children (Eliyahu will be the precursor of the
Messiah).
Rav Dovid Feinstein explains why it was specifically a "vav" that Yaakov
took. The last Mishnah of Tractate Eduyoth [8:7] relates a tradition in
the name of Rabbi Yehoshua, that Eliyahu will not expose families that
have been mixed up with invalidating lineage. He will only intervene in
the cases of individuals who forcibly used their power to gain positions
that they were unworthy of attaining. Several other opinions are brought
in the Mishnah regarding Eliyahu's future role. The Mishnah concludes with
the view of the Sages: "Eliyahu will neither push away nor bring near - he
will only come to make peace in the world as it is written 'Behold I send
to you Eliya the prophet... ...and he will restore the hearts of the
fathers to the hearts of the sons and the hearts of the sons to the hearts
of the fathers' [Malachi 3:23-24]".
We have heard this idea hundreds of times, but apparently we do not hear
it enough: If the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of baseless hatred,
then the only way it will be rebuilt is if there is peace in the world. As
a community and as a nation, we must find a way to come together and make
peace between ourselves.
Yaakov Avinu chose the letter vav as collateral that Eliayhu would finally
come and make peace amongst us. The letter vav always joins two words, two
phrases, or two thoughts together. The meaning of the word vav itself is
"hook". Vavim are hooks that join together disparate objects. Clearly, if
there is any letter in the Hebrew alphabet that symbolizes connection and
togetherness, it is the letter vav.
Perhaps this is the meaning of the Medrash. Yaakov knew prophetically that
there would be disputes before the coming of Moshiach. The only way for
Moshiach to eventually come will be when peace is restored to the world.
Symbolically, the letter of collateral that Yaakov took from Eliyahu was
the "vav ha-Chibur (of joining). We need the vav ha-Chibur that connects
and hooks people together to spread amongst us.
The Connection Between The Laws of Eruchin and The Tochacha [Chastisement]
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There is an interesting Baal HaTurim at the end of this week's parsha.
Following the Tochacha, the Torah [Vayikra Chapter 27] begins the laws of
Eruchin [Utterances of Evaluation]. These laws specify how a person might
donate his own worth or the worth of someone else to the Bais HaMikdash
[Temple]. There is an entire Tractate in the Talmud devoted to this topic.
The Baal HaTurim asks what the connection is between the laws of Eruchin
and the Tochacha -- or with rest of the entire Book of VaYikra, for that
matter. Eruchin almost seems like an afterthought to everything that has
preceded it in Sefer Vayikra.
The Baal HaTurim provides an interesting answer. He says that the parsha
of Eruchin contains evaluations of 50 shekel, 30 shekel, 20 shekel, 10
shekel, 5 shekel, 3 shekel, 15 shekel, and 10 shekel for various
age/gender categories. The total of all distinct categories comes out to
be 143 shekel. He notes that this number exactly matches the sum of the
curses in the Torah - 98 in Parshas Ki Savo and 45 in Parshas Bechukosai.
The Torah is, in effect, saying that the antidote for the Tochacha is the
mitzvah of Eruchin, the mitzvah of Tzedaka.
Charity saves from death [Mishlei 10:2]. Eruchin is one of the highest
forms of Charity. The commentaries point out that the Book of Vayikra
begins with animals sacrifices and ends with the dedication of one's own
value to the Beis HaMikdash. The idea is that a person should really be
dedicating his actual self to the Beis HaMikdash.
I once heard a homiletic explanation of why Eruchin follows the Tochacha
from Rabbi Moshe Sherer. The idea is that if one wants to discover the
value of a person, that value is best measured after the person has
experienced a tochacha [misfortune]. Such experiences indicate the real
substance of a person. The person who can withstand a tochacha, who can
live through it and emerge as an intact believer, who still practices
mitzvos -- confirm the person's value.
People of my generation and younger have not lived through the terrible
things that our parents and grandparents have experienced. Thank G-d, we
were not tested in this manner. We do not want to be tested in this way.
Emerging intact and normal with one's full senses, after experiencing and
surviving a tochacha categorizes a person as a special type of individual.
We must have a certain respect for anyone who experienced and survived a
tochacha such as the Holocaust. Certainly, how much more so is this the
case of any Jew who survived the Holocaust and emerged still practicing
mitzvos with his belief and fear of G-d intact. The valuation of such a
Jew is beyond comprehension. We must have inestimable respect for such
people.
When Rav Yoel Teitelbaum (the Satmar Rav) came to Eretz Yisroel, a Jew
came and asked him for a Bracha before his departure. This Jew expressed
the fear that after the Satmar Rav returned to America, there would be no
one worthy to ask for a blessing. The Satmar Rav told him "Go to any Jew
that has a number tattooed on his arm and ask him for a bracha. A Jew that
has a tattoo on his arm and still puts on Tefillin can give you the best
bracha. When such a person is available, you do not need the Satmar Rav to
give you a bracha."
This write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah Portion. The
halachic topics covered for the current week's portion in this series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
and is available through your local Hebrew book store or from
Project Genesis, 1-410-654-1799.
