Yeshiva University Torah miTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Toldot 29 Cheshvan 5774/November 2, 2013 Vol. 5 Num. 8

Toronto Torah
clothing and dresses Yaakov in them to help with the disguise. After Esav discovers that Yaakov has received his blessing, Rivkah orders Yaakov to flee to Lavans house in order to save his life. In this episode alone, Rivkah instructs Yaakov to heed her voice three times, stressing that she is taking charge of the situation. In contrast to Rivkah, Yitzchak is generally portrayed as an accepting figure. Yitzchak does not object when Avraham is commanded to sacrifice him; he accepts his fate and is willing to die. He also does not go to find his own wife, as Avraham sends Eliezer to do so. His passive nature is accentuated when he becomes blind in his old age; his blindness makes him vulnerable and allows Rivkah and Yaakov to deceive him. Even in the few instances in which Yitzchak does act, he doesnt take his own initiative, but rather seems to mimic Avrahams actions. When famine strikes, Yitzchak begins the journey to Egypt only to be told by G-d to remain in G'rar. When asked about Rivkahs identity, Yitzchak claims shes his sister, much like Avraham said about Sarah. Even the wells he digs are the same ones that Avraham had dug upon leaving G'rar. It is difficult to extrapolate from a few incidents in a person's life, but based on the stories listed above, we might have expected Rivkah to be the one to pray for children, and Yitzchak to remain silent. Here, though, as the Torah emphasizes, Yitzchaks prayer is primary and Rivkah has no visible role. What are we meant to learn here? Perhaps the Torah specifically stresses

This issue of Toronto Torah is sponsored by Nathan Kirsh in memory of his father, Yehudah Pesach ben Naftali haKohen zl, whose yahrtzeit is the third of Kislev

Changing Roles
And Yitzchak prayed l'nochach his wife... (Bereishit 25:21) Classic commentators debate the meaning of the word l'nochach . Rashbam explains that Yitzchak prayed on behalf of his wife; we might understand from Rashbams explanation that Rivkah does not personally pray for children. Rashi, on the other hand, explains that Yitzchak prayed opposite Rivkah. They each stood in their respective corners begging G-d for children. Even according to Rashi, the focus in this verse is on Yitzchaks prayer, since only Yitzchaks name is given explicit mention in the Torah. This stands in contrast to what we would expect of Yitzchak and Rivkah, based on what we know about them from other stories in the Torah. An analysis of Rivkahs character in the Torah shows that she is a woman of action. We are first introduced to Rivkah when she meets Eliezer at the well. After Eliezer approaches Rivkah for water, she immediately gives him water to drink. She then rushes to draw more water from the well in order that the camels might drink. The Torah uses the verb vat'maher- and she hurried - twice in this story, emphasizing her quick response to Eliezers request. Rivkahs active role is even more obvious in the episode of Yitzchaks blessings to Yaakov and Esav. Upon hearing Yitzchaks desire to bless Esav, Rivkah springs into action to ensure that Yaakov receives the blessing. She commands Yaakov to bring her two goats, and prepares a meal for Yitzchak. She gets Esavs

Josh Gutenberg
Yitzchaks prayer in order to highlight his decision to go against his nature in this circumstance, taking initiative. Yitzchaks personality is to accept the status quo, but for the sake of Rivkah he entreats G-d. Rav Ovadia S'forno notes that while Yitzchak had been promised numerous descendants, Rivkah was never given such a promise. Therefore, he prays that Rivkah should be the one to bear his children and continue the legacy of Avraham. While it one would expect no less in one spouse's actions for the other, in reality, Yitzchak is demonstrating a sensitivity and flexibility that many do not. Rivkahs seemingly passive role can be understood differently by the different commentators we cited above. Perhaps according to Rashbam she doesnt pray at all because in this case she is the one who needs help. She is quick to help Eliezer when he requests water, and she also acts to make sure that Yaakov receives the blessing from Yitzchak. While displaying the amazing ability to help others, she doesnt recognize her own need for help. According to Rashi, though, perhaps she prays as much an d as i n te n se l y as Yi tz ch a k . Nevertheless, the Torah wishes to minimize her involvement to stress Yitzchaks ability to alter his natural course. One lesson we can learn is the need to be flexible and responsive for the members of our families. For the sake of Rivkah, Yitzchak is willing to alter his approach to life itself. G-ds answer to his prayers confirms the rewards available to those who are willing to stretch themselves for the sake of those around them. jgutenberg@torontotorah.com

OUR BEIT MIDRASH

ROSH BEIT MIDRASH SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH AVREICHIM RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER RABBI BARUCH WEINTRAUB ADAM FRIEBERG, JOSH GUTENBERG, RABBI YAIR MANAS CHAVEIRIM EITAN AZIZA, HILLEL BIERBRIER, ELI GELERNTER, DANIEL GEMARA, ALEX HUBERMAN, JOEL JESIN, SHIMMY JESIN, YISHAI KURTZ, AKIVA MARESKY, MITCHELL PERLMUTTER, KOBY SPIEGEL, GRAHAM TUGETMAN, MENDY WEISBROD, YOSSI WELTMAN, SHALOM WISE

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Haftorah: Shemuel I 20:18-42 (Erev Rosh Chodesh)

Who is the prophet of our haftorah? The book of Shemuel records the tumultuous period of Jewish history which began with the destruction of the mishkan at Shiloh and continued until the death of King David. In a span of half a century, the prophet Shemuel was born to his mother Chanah, and he matured, judged and led the Jewish nation, coronated Shaul to serve as the first Jewish king, deposed Shaul, and coronated David to serve as his successor. All of this occurs within the first of two volumes which comprise the "Book of Shemuel"; the second half of the book records the monarchy of Shemuel's protg, King David. What are the events of our hatorah? Our haftorah tells us an important part of the story of David's ascent to the throne. Prior to our haftorah, David, who had already been anointed by Shemuel (Shemuel I 16:13) and who had married Shaul's daughter in the merit of killing Goliath and fighting the P h i l i s t i n e s ( S h e m ue l I 1 8 : 2 7 ) , understands that Shaul sees him as a threat. After Shaul tries to kill him (Shemuel I 19:10), David runs away. Shaul's son, Yehonatan, who loves David and is unaware of his father's feelings toward David, tries to convince him to return to the palace. (Shemuel I 20:1-4) In our haftorah, David and Yehonatan plot to discover Shaul's true intentions regarding David. David will not come to the customary feast for Rosh Chodesh, and Yehonatan will monitor his father's reaction. If Shaul will behave normally, they will know that he does not plan to harm David. If he will react in an extreme manner, Yehonatan will warn David and enable him to run away. (ibid. 18-23) As David and Yehonatan carry out their plan, Shaul's reaction leaves little room for doubt; he becomes extremely aggravated, threatening Yehonatan and blaming him for betraying his family for David's sake. (ibid. 24-34) Yehonatan returns to David and tells him what has happened; the two create an alliance, and make an oath to each other. (ibid. 35-42) At this point, David becomes a fugitive, until Shaul's death at Gilboa. (ibid. 31:2) What is the connection to tomorrow's Rosh Chodesh? The obvious connection is that David and Yehonatan's initial conversation took place in the eve of Rosh Chodesh, with the test of King Shaul occurring on Rosh Chodesh itself. Apart from this external connection, though, there is an internal connection as well. The events of our haftorah, and the whole narrative regarding King David's ascent, are puzzling. Why is it that David's monarchy must be formed in such a tortuous process? In Birkat HaLevanah (the blessing

Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

recited upon seeing the new moon) we say, "He ordered that the moon should renew itself, a crown of beauty for those whom He sustains from the womb, and who will, like it, be renewed in the future." In other words, the moon serves as an example for the Jewish people, who, like the moon, have the ability to regenerate and renew themselves. The growth of the moon resembles the constant improvement and perfection of the Jewish nation in its journey towards the final redemption. We should understand David's slow and painful rise to power, and its important milestone at the Rosh Chodesh feast, along similar lines. Rosh Chodesh stands for rebirth, a fresh new start and the hope that out of the dark, light will emerge. Any Jewish king who deserves his name must understand this process thoroughly, a knowledge that cannot be obtained without going through this odyssey himself. On the day before Rosh Chodesh, our haftorah reminds us that in the night of utter darkness, we must turn our eyes to tomorrow for tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh. bweintraub@torontotorah.com

613 Mitzvot: #308-309 Halting melachah on Shavuot

The fiftieth day after we begin counting the omer is treated in the Torah as a Shabbat-like day, when a Jew is not allowed to engage in melachah (creative tasks which mirror those practiced in the mishkan). This is stressed in the Torah with a mitzvah of active rest (mitzvah #308) as well as a separate mitzvah of refraining from melachah (mitzvah #309). One might be surprised at the need for a command to rest, in addition to the prohibition against performing melachah. To explain this, Ramban (Vayikra 23:24) writes, "We are biblically instructed to rest on Yom Tov even from actions that do not involve melachah. We should not strain all day in measuring grain, weighing produce and gifts, filling barrels with wine, and moving implements and even stones from one house to another the market would be filled with all manner of commerce, and the store would be open and the owner would keep a tab and the moneychangers would be at their tables with the gold coins before them, and the workers would rise early for work and would hire themselves out as on weekdays for these and similar tasks Thus the Torah

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

declared Shabbaton, a day of ceasing and rest, not a day of strain." As the Sefer haChinuch points out, halting our melachah brings great benefit: "So that Israel will remember the great miracles G-d performed for them and for their ancestors, and will speak of them and inform their children and grandchildren of them, for as a result of their cessation of worldly involvement they will be free to involve themselves with this. If they were permitted to engage in melachah, even light melachah, then each person would turn to his involvements, and the honour of the holiday would be forgotten from the mouths of children, and even from the mouths of adults. Also the entire nation gathers in synagogues and study halls to hear the message of the text, and the leaders will guide them and teach them wisdom." torczyner@torontotorah.com

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Biography

Rabbi Moshe Alashkar

Adam Frieberg
Rabbi Moshe ben Isaac Alashkar was born in 1466, in Spain, and his life's travels tell the tale of Spanish Jewry of that generation. In 1492, after Ferdinand and Isabella issued the edict that all Jews should be driven out of the Spanish kingdom and its territories, Rabbi Alashkar fled to North Africa. After falling into the hands of pirates at sea, and then being saved, he settled in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia. However, the Spanish then captured North Africa, and Rabbi Alashkar journeyed to Patras, which was Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of Western Greece. By 1522, after 30 years of wandering, Rabbi Alashkar settled in Cairo, Egypt, where he became a dayyan [judge in a rabbinical court] in the court of Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn Abi Zimra, also known as Radbaz. In 1539, three years before his death, he made aliyah and settled in Tzfat. Consistent with his Sephardic heritage, Rabbi Alashkar admired the Rambam and his works, and rejected the pilpul style of Talmud learning. In addition to his classic Torah education, which he received from Rabbi Shmuel Wallinsi, Rabbi Alashkar also studied the Hebrew language and secular subjects. Rabbi Alashkar issued halachic decisions which were highly regarded among contemporary rabbis throughout the Levant (a term for an area consisting of modern Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, J o r d an , Israel, and part of southern Turkey). Questions from rabbis and laymen from all of these places were often sent to him, and 121 of his responsa were collected and published in Teshuvot Maharam Alashkar. Hidden within his book of responsa is a work simply named Hassagot, in which he disagrees with the comments of Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Shem Tov against the Rambam. Rabbi Alashkar felt Rabbi Shem Tovs disagreements were far too dogmatic, and called himself an admirer of the Rambam. While in Tzfat, Rabbi Alashkar was part of a group of rabbis who opposed Rabbi Yakov Beiravs proposition (based on Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot, Sanhedrin 4:11,12) to have the greatest rabbis of the time collectively ordain him and thereby re-establish full rabbinic semichah, and eventually the Sanhedrin. Finally, Rabbi Alashkar moved to Jerusalem, where he died in 1542. afrieberg@torontotorah.com

Torah and Translation

Buying the Reward of Others Mitzvot

Rabbi Moshe Alashkar
Teshuvot Maharam Alashkar 101
Translated by Adam Frieberg

, . , : , " , . : " " , , " , " , , " , ? .' : . ? " " " ," , . , ? !

Another question: Is there substance to the sales of those who sell their merits to each other? Has the purchaser received the merits? Has the seller lost his merits? [Finally], is this transaction substantive? Answer: I have not found [this topic discussed] except in a question that came before Rabbeinu Hai Gaon, z"l and I thought to copy his answer down for you, and from there you will be able to understand the essence of the matter. They asked him: One who customarily fasts every Monday and Thursday, and at the end of this time, states, "The merits that I received from fasting should be transferred to this person as a gift," or if he would say, "I have sold [the merits] of my fasts this year to this person for such an amount," and they performed an act of transaction upon it, would this provide any merit for the person to whom it was given? Another case: someone who gave another person gold on condition that he read from the Torah, such that the merit of this reading would be for the person who gave the gold, etc. Answer: We have seen that these actions are not substantive and they should not be relied upon. How can one assume that the reward of the good actions that one did [could be transferred] to another? Does it not say (Yechezkel 18:20), "the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him," and it also says (ibid.), "and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him"? Just as a person can not be held responsible for sins of another, so, too, a person cannot receive merit for actions he did not do. Do you think that the merit one receives from performing mitzvot is something that he carries in his lap as he travels, such that he could give this received merit to another?! If he understood what the merit was [that he had received], he would not give it to another; and another would not receive it from him! [Note: With this in mind, how was Yaakov able to purchase the birthright from Esav? See Or HaChaim on Bereishit 25:31, where he deals with this question.]

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This Week in Israeli History: Kislev 2, 1944 The Execution of Enzo Sereni
2 Kislev is Tuesday In 1942, increasing information about Nazi atrocities reached Jewish leaders in Eretz Yisrael, and it became clear to them that they could not stand by. They offered the British army hundreds of volunteers, to be parachuted in Europe to help the surviving Jews to organize resistance. The British declined this ambitious plan, but did agree to choose a few volunteers, motivated and intimately familiar with the language and terrain, to be parachuted into several countries. The first of thirty-seven who were finally dispatched was Peretz Rosenberg, who landed in Yugoslavia in May 1943, and joined Tito's partisans. Enzo Sereni landed in Italy a year later, in May 1944. Enzo Sereni was born in Italy to a half-assimilated family, in 1905. His father was the personal doctor of Italy's king. Enzo, who showed strong writing skill at an early age, encountered Zionism and became a Social Zionist. In 1927

Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

he was awarded a PhD in Philosophy; shortly later, Enzo, his wife and young daughter emigrated to Israel. Enzo became a prominent Zionist activist, co-founding Kibbutz Givat Berner, and he performed various missions aboard. In 1931 he went to Germany to encourage Youth Aliyah; in 1936 to America, for the same goal; even as late as 1940 he travelled to parts of Europe still unconquered by Nazis, trying to arouse Jews there to escape. In 1943, despite age and objections from Zionist leadership, Enzo volunteered for the parachuting mission and he soon became one of its organizers. The British designated him to land in northern Italy and contact Italian partisans, who were active in the area. Unfortunately, Enzo landed in a Germancontrolled area, and was captured immediately. He was sent to Dachau, and executed on the 2nd of Kislev, 5705. bweintraub@torontotorah.com

Highlights for November 2 November 8 / 29 Cheshvan - 5 Kislev

Time
SHABBAT NOV. 2 7:45 AM 10:15 AM 10:20 AM 4:55 PM After minchah SUNDAY NOV. 3 9:15 AM After maariv 8:30 PM 7:30 PM MONDAY NOV. 4 8:00 PM 8:15 PM 8:15 PM 9:30 PM TUESDAY NOV. 5 12:30 PM 8:45 PM WED. NOV. 6 10:00 AM 12:30 PM 8:00 8:00 9:00 9:00 PM PM PM PM R Mordechai Torczyner R Mordechai Torczyner R Baruch Weintraub R Mordechai Torczyner R Yehoshua Weber R Baruch Weintraub Josh Gutenberg Jews & Clothes, 4 of 6 Borrowing Without Permission Prophecy for Our Time Business Ethics: Lending Parshah Dilemmas Chabura: Sanhedrin Intro to Introductions BEBY with Morasha RSVP for Lunch to: Zeifmans 201 Bridgeland Ave. mazins@zeifmans.ca Community Beit Midrash Night Maariv at 9:50 PM BAYT Not this week R Mordechai Torczyner Adam Frieberg Living Midrash Laws of Shabbat Shaarei Shomayim Shaarei Tefillah with Mekorot R Baruch Weintraub Adam Frieberg R Baruch Weintraub R Mordechai Torczyner R Mordechai Torczyner Rosh Chodesh R Baruch Weintraub R Baruch Weintraub R Baruch Weintraub R Mordechai Scheiner R Mordechai Torczyner Rosh Chodesh Rav Shlomo Gemara R Baruch Weintraub R Mordechai Torczyner R Baruch Weintraub The Prophets of Israel Parshah Medical Halachah Principles of Faith Bnai Torah Shaarei Shomayim New Weekly Shiur! Community Beit Midrash Night Maariv at 8 PM Parshah Revisited Principles of Faith Principles of Faith Conversations: The Ethicist Zichron Yisroel Clanton Park 4 Tillingham Keep Clanton Park Postponed Hebrew Moral Values in Bereishit Tefillah Session Parshah Daf Yomi Gemara: Kosher Cheese Or Chaim Shaarei Tefillah Clanton Park BAYT BAYT Not this week

Speaker

Topic

Location

Special Notes

Yeshivat Or Chaim

8:45 PM THU. NOV. 7 8:40 AM

4 8:30 PM

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R Baruch Weintraub Chabura: Sotah

R Mordechai Torczyner

Learning and Latte

Ulpanat Orot

Clanton Park

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