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Parshat Beha'alotcha
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
והיית לנו לעינים
‘Reveal my eyes and I shall gaze upon the wonders of Your Torah’ (Ps. 119).
The word for ‘reveal’ in this verse is ‘gal’ in Hebrew. In Hebron there is a pioneering neighborhood called the Hill of ‘Gal’, which may hint to this concept of ‘revelation’. Also, next to this neighborhood is an army outpost, called the ‘Jallis Oupost’, at the highest spot in the region from which one can gaze upon large portions of the Hebron area. Indeed, this outpost, where one can see the horizon clearly, is instrumental in the measuring of halachic times, such as the times for sunrise and sunset, for the greater Hebron region. The Zohar and the Arizal teach that by gazing at the sky one can receive spiritual inspiration which aids in perceiving the wonders of the Torah. It seems that this teaching is even more potent in the Land of Israel where the very air is considered inspirational, as our Sages say, ‘the air of the Land of Israel gives wisdom’.
This parsha contains numbers of inferences to the concepts of ‘revelation’ and ‘gazing out’. It teaches a number of lessons on prophetic revelation at its end, in the episodes of Eldad and Medad and in the episode of Miriam’s criticism on Moshe where we learn about Moshe Rabeinu’s unique level of prophecy. Earlier in the parsha, Yitro is offered to be the ‘eyes of Israel’, i.e to ‘gaze out’ and scout out the areas of the wilderness for Israel’s travel towards the Holy Land. Simply, this mission was offered to Yitro since Yitro, who once lived in Midyan, was familiar with the landscape of the wilderness, and therefore he could be a good scout.
We may tie the concepts of ‘revelation’ and ‘gazing out’ by the Torah’s terminology calling the prophet ‘the Seer’/’HaRoeh’ as in the case of Samuel or ‘Scout’/’Tzofeh’ in the case of Ezekiel, for example. Just as we described Yitro as a good scout, since he was already familiar with the area, so too the prophet is given Divine wisdom, because he is already well-acquainted with the wisdom of the Torah. This concept is hinted to, and explained by our Sages, through the verse in Daniel: ‘He (HaShem) gives wisdom to those who are (already) wise.’
Further explained, we may say that the Holy Presence rests with those who study Torah, as the Mishna in Avot (ch. 3) clearly describes gradations and levels of revelation of the Holy Presence according to the numbers of people studying Torah together. Therefore, one who studies Torah in depth continuously may be given the gift of Divine inspiration, of ‘tapping in’ to the great Light of the Holy Presence. Similarly, the Holy Land is the Land of the Holy Presence. Therefore, by living in the Holy Land and connecting to its inspiring air one connects to the inspirational ‘air’ coming from the Holy Presence therein. In this way, we can understand why the Sages taught in the Sifri that prophecy is only possible in the Holy Land (or for its sake).
Hebron, whose name means ‘connecting’, alludes to this connecting to the Divine inspiration found in the Torah, as Hebron also alludes to the Torah according to the Zohar. Also, Hebron alludes to connecting to the Holy Presence of our Holy Land, for this is Hebron the Foundation of Jewish Settlement in our Holy Land.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #222
‘I once had been fasting for two weeks, barely eating or drinking at all. One person advised me to make kiddush on wine and eat challa on Shabbat, saying that it is forbidden to fast on Shabbat, and that I will not be harmed since this eating and drinking is a mitzvah. So I did, and miraculously I was not harmed from such a sudden break of my fasting, which medically speaking must be broken tremendously more gradually and slowly.’ V.L
Sources: Baba Batra 158b, Ezekiel 33, 7, Zohar Beshalah Shlah
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Parshat Naso
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
במשוך בקרן היובל המה יעלו בהר
"And enlighten our eyes with Your Torah and attach our hearts to Your commandments".
Last week we celebrated Hebron's Jubilee year, just before Shavuot, the Jubilee of days. As we mentioned many times before, the number fifty represents the supernatural. The supernatural is associated with the Torah as the Torah super-dates the natural world as it was God's 'blueprint' in creating the world. In this way we can also appreciate our title quote which calls the 'supernatural-heavenly shofar' sounded at the Giving of the Torah as the 'horn of the Yovel - the Jubilee'.
On Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year we are commanded to sound the shofar. Obviously, the relationship of the shofar, the instrument of repentance, to Yom Kippur, the day of repentance, clearly brings us to the recognition that the Jubilee is related to the concept of repentance. The word repentance, 'teshuva', means to return, to return to the source. Similarly, the Jubilee calls all to return lands to their original 'source', to their original owners. Also, slaves are freed on the Jubilee year, which yet again shows the return to the original state of freedom, before the subjugation of man. Indeed, repentance is the amazing gift of freedom given to us. Before repentance, one was enslaved by the dire effects of imperfection, enslaved by habits that seem inescapable. Yet, with the dawning of repentance man is emancipated, his chains of dire habit are broken, and his soul is liberated.
Indeed, just as Torah predates the natural world, so too, according to our Sages, repentance predates the natural world. Also, Torah and repentance are tightly linked, as we says in our prayers, 'return us to Your Torah... and return us before You with full repentance.' Thirdly, just as we saw how repentance gives freedom, so too Torah gives freedom, as our Sages interpret the verse, ''harut' (same letters as 'herut'=freedom) upon the (Two) Tablets of the Torah' - 'only one who studies Torah is really considered free'. We may internalize this connection by seeing Shavuot as a time of return, as a time of personal repentance and refinement, towards our personal connection to the study of Torah, which is also the source of its observance.
The name of our parsha is Naso, which means 'to lift up', a theme that can be seen throughout the various topics of this parsha, as we showed on this parsha several years ago. One of the ways we can explain the inherent freedom in Torah and repentance is by contemplating the tremendous 'lifting' of consciousness one can achieve when studying Torah or through repentance.
One of the sites of Hebron that seems to highlight this 'lifting' of consciousness is the Hebron Observatory, found at the top floor of the Beit Menahem building in the Admot Yishai neighborhood in Hebron. At this Observatory one can glimpse many important sites of Hebron at a height that can give one a new perspective on things. In a similar way when one studies Torah one's consciousness is lifted to a 'spiritual height' which allows the contemplation of all matters of this world in a new perspective. Also through repentance one's consciousness is lifted to contemplate the soul's journey through the pathways of life, bringing one to an enlightened perspective on life at large.
Hebron's Ma'arat HaMachpela is the Threshold of the Afterlife where all souls are elevated to Heaven, from where they originated. Hebron is also synonymous with Torah - the Elevator of Consciousness, as the Zohar teaches that 'Hebron means Torah, for all those who occupy themselves with Torah are called a haber - Torah scholar'. This is Hebron, the City of Elevation.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #221
'One day I was studying with my hevruta about the categorization of the commandments into various groups according to Kabbalah. My hevruta commented that in the book we learned this categorization there seemed to be an omission of a sub-categorization of the commandments that have various capital punishments. Later that day, I was studying with a different hevruta Gemara, and I just 'happened' to see a Tosfot which asks the question: 'why in the gemara aren't the capital punishments sub-categorized like the other commandments categorized there?' Y.S
Correction: Last week instead of "had to redeem themselves with five silver shekel pieces given to a Levite" should be "had to redeem themselves with five silver shekel pieces given to a Kohen (Aharon and his sons)".
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Parshat Behar - Bechukotai
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
וקדשתם את שנת החמישים שנה
“Happy are those that You shall chose and bring close to dwell in Your courtyard, we shall be satisfied by the good of Your house the holiness of Your sanctuary.”
This verse is said before a brit mila when a baby boy is brought into the holiness of the covenant between HaShem and Israel. Indeed, this verse carries extra meaning when the brit mila is conducted at the Courtyard of the Ma'arat HaMachpela of Hebron (as is commonly done), where the first circumcision took place. The name ‘The Courtyard’ seems to allude to King David’s connection to Hebron, as our Sages interpret this verse, said by King David in Tehilim, to refer to David himself along with his royal offspring who are uniquely allowed to sit in the ‘Courtyard’ of the Bait HaMikdash, due to their special royal status.
In truth we may say that the concept ‘Courtyard’ alludes to the attribute of royalty, since a courtyard, by definition, is the external facet of an internal dwelling, and royalty externalizes the honor of a people before other nations and the world at large. Interestingly, however, ‘the Courtyard’ of Ma'arat HaMachpela is an internal courtyard, adjacent to the internal chambers of the Patriarchs we discussed in the past. This matter may suggest that in Ma'arat HaMachpela, ‘the Courtyard’, the aspect of King David, is deeply connected to the Patriarchs themselves, as our Sages teach in the Zohar that David ruled first in Hebron in order to connect to the Patriarchs who lie here.
In addition, David is considered the ‘fourth leg/spoke of the Godly Chariot’, so-to-speak, which means that just as the three Patraichs are considered the founders of Judaism so too David is considered a fundamental component of Judaism. This means that David’s unique efforts in bringing Judaism to its fullest manifestation in the world, i.e through conquering the Land of Israel and making landmark strides towards the Temple in Jerusalem and more, all qualified David to represent the real manifestation of Judaism and its ‘externalization’ unto the world and the nations in the form of a just royalty. Our Sages explain that this conceptualization of David is even concertized in halacha by the blessing of the Haftorah which ends with blessing God for being the ‘Shield of David’, just as we say in the Amida prayer, ‘the Shield of Avraham’.
In the past we have shown how David, by first reigning in Hebron and then in Jerusalem, essentially connected the aspects of Hebron and Jerusalem, which parallel the concepts of the natural and the supernatural, and the aspects of seven and fifty, respectively, according to the Arizal. As Jerusalem and Hebron both celebrate their liberation on their Jubilee year, associated with the supernatural number 50, we are reminded of the special relationship between the numbers seven and fifty, apparent in the Sefirat haOmer we count on these very days. During these days we exemplify through our counting the Omer how even the fiftieth day, the ‘supernatural’ Shavuot when the supernatural Torah was given, is built up from the natural process of seven times seven, the Omer Count. This again shows the method of David of first connecting to the natural spiritual power of Hebron inherent in the natural number of seven, thereby paving the road towards the supernatural level of the Temple in Jerusalem.
A Summary of the names of the chambers/locations in Ma'arat HaMachpela Building discussed this year in the book of Vayikra: Chambers of 1. Avraham 2. Yitzhak (this includes all other chambers (that have Arabic names today) opened when Yitzhak’s Chamber is opened) 3. Yakov 4. The Passageway 5. The Slumberers of Hebron 6. The Covenants and 7. The Courtyard.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #219
‘I was reciting the Idra Zuta along with additional learning on the journey from Hebron to Meron on Lag Baomer. It ‘turns out’ that just as we reached Meron I finished the Idra Zuta, sayed by R’ Shimon Bar Yohai just before his death, considered the main Zoharic passage to be studied on Lag BaOmer.’
Sources: Ps. 65, 5, Shaar HaPsukim Shmuel II, Psahim 117b
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Parshat Bamidbar
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
ולקחת חמשת חמשת שקלים לגלגלת
"Blessed are You HaShem our God King of the Universe Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to redeem the firstborn son."
A firstborn son is redeemed by five silver shekel pieces given to a Kohen. In this parsha the Torah teaches that each firstborn of Israel needed to have a counterpart Levite to stand in their stead in the service of the Mishkan. This was done because the Jewish firstborn sons were saved in Egypt during the Plague upon the Firstborn of the Egyptians, so they were singled out to be sanctified for the service of God. However, since the Sin of the Calf the firstborn lost this rite and the sacred service was given to the Levites, who did not sin with the Golden Calf, in their stead. The Torah teaches that part of the Israelite firstborns had no Levite counterpart to be in their stead, and therefore these firstborn had to redeem themselves with five silver shekel pieces given to a Levite, just as a firstborn baby must be redeemed by five silver pieces given to a Kohen.
We should also note that in last week's parsha the five silver shekel pieces appear in another context. At the end of parshat Bechukotai five silver shekels are given to redeem a vow for 'the value of a boy' (this does not mean 'the value of life' which cannot be evaluated, but rather this sum represents spiritual values/numerology) under the age of a five, while three shekels is given for a girl for such a vow. These sums of money may be indicative of the 'minor number' ['mispar katan'], i.e the sum of the digits of a number, of the fifty shekels given for a similar vow for an adult man between the age of 20 and 60, while a woman at such an age gives thirty shekels for such a vow. Thus, the 'mispar katan' of the adult sums are 5 [50 becomes 5+0]and 3 [30 becomes 3+0] for a girl.In this way the 'minor number' is given for minors before the age of five indeed represents the minor status in comparison to the adult or major status (a discussion of the meaning of the feminine values is out of scope for our discussion here).
In a similar way we may explain the five shekels given to the Levites in this parsha as representing the more 'minor redemption'. It seems that a more 'minor redemption' is required here, because the innate sanctity brought upon the firstborn is not cognitively initiated as is done with explicitly sanctified matters. In contrast, one who initiates a vow for the 'value of a person' is obliged to bring a full 'major redemption' of this vow through fifty shekels. Similarly, one who sanctifies a portion of land must bring fifty shekels for a 'homer's-worth' portion of that land.
The Zohar explains that the number fifty is indicative of redemption, as the Torah says that Israel were redeemed from Egypt 'hamushim'. The Zohar says to interpret 'hamushim' as hinting to the secret of redemption from Egypt called 'hamishim' - fifty. Indeed, the Zohar adds, the Exodus is mentioned fifty times in the Torah to allude to the secret of redemption that lies with the number fifty.
One of the interesting figures of Hebron who seems to have a special connection to the number five, fifty, etc. is 'Avner ben Ner', whose name has the numerical value of 555. Indeed, Avner ben Ner has a special connection to redemption, since it is he who united the kingdoms of Judah and Benjamin in the midst of civil war by signing a peace-treaty with David in Hebron, by which he sacrificed his life. After being slain in this endeavor Abner was buried in Hebron, and his tomb can be visited today adjacent to the Ma'arat HaMachpela Building. As we enter the Jubilee year of Hebron's liberation in the Six Day War let us remember the courage of the great warrior and general Abner ben Ner who brought about peace in Israel and the unity of the Kingdom of David, forerunner of the Messiah and our future redemption.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #220
‘In the beginning stages of a kollel located at Ma'arat HaMachpel it studied outside, since there still was no military permit to occupy Ma'arat HaMachpela or one of its adjacent buildings. During that period, one donor offered to support the kollel continuously and asked that the kollel be called in the name of Asahel. Afterwards the military agreed to open (and protect) the tomb-site of Abner ben Ner adjacent to the Ma'ara for this kollel, an offer un-expected by all sides. Interestingly, Shmuel II tells how Abner killed Asahel in a civil-war between those aligned with David and those aligned with Saul and his descendant(s) and in turn Abner was also killed by Asahel’s brother Yoav in (partial) context of avenging his brother’s blood. It is in Hebron that Abner formed a treaty with David ending this civil war and bringing forth the United Kingdom of David, and now it is in Hebron that names of these ‘enemies’ come together today in such beautiful harmony by ‘Kollel Asahel’ located at the Tomb of Abner.’
Sources: Zohar Beshalah 46a, see R. Moshe David Vali o Behukotai on significance of numerical values
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Parshat Emor
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Discovering the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
יערכנו לפני ה'... ברית עולם
"Blessed are You HaShem our God King of the Universe Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us on the counting of the Omer."
The 49-day Omer period is a period of anticipation and spiritual ascent towards the 50th day, the holiday of Shavuot, when we receive the Torah when we feel as if we are standing today at Mount Sinai. In truth, every day of the year we are supposed to feel that, on that day we received the Torah, as our Sages interpret the verse 'that I command you today' means that 'every day one should see the Torah as new (as if receiving it today)'. Nevertheless, we see, as in many of the mitzvot of the Torah, that the Torah calls us at special auspicious times to pay special attention to the relevance of Torah to our lives, and thus we can more greatly appreciate the special 'Giving of the Torah' on Shavuot every year.
Indeed, also on a national level we can contemplate the significance of the 50th year of the Liberation of Jerusalem, Hebron and greater Judea, Samaria and Gaza during the Six Day War. In the past we have explained the significance of the number 50 as representing the supernatural, thereby signifying the Giving of the Torah, which is considered by our Sages to be the superseding and supernatural 'blueprint' of our natural world. Also, we explained in the past that the Jubilee is coined in the Zohar as pertaining to the 'Upper Land' versus the 'Lower Land' which pertains to the number seven. Although we will not discuss these concepts in depth as we did in the past, we will suffice by saying that the Jubilee year not only touches on the supernatural but it also touches on the highly - 'Upper' - spiritual aspects of the 'Land' of Israel. In this way, we may make special effort on this Jubilee year of our Land's Liberation to contemplate the 'blueprinting' of the Torah on what we are experiencing in regard to our Holy Land.
One contemplation pertains to the auspicious timing of Jerusalem's Liberation Day and Hebron's Liberation Day on the seventh week of the Omer Count. Many, even though they do not call themselves kabbalists, mention at the Omer Count the kabbalistic 'sefirot' corresponding to the day of the Omer they just counted. The last week of the Omer corresponds to the 'sefira' of 'malchut' or 'majesty/kingship'. According to the Kabbalists this 'sefira' is especially connected to the concepts of earth, land and especially the Holy Land (a discussion of the meaning of this is out of scope for this dvar Torah). Therefore, it is not surprising that the highly spiritually important cities of this Land, Jerusalem and Hebron, were both liberated during this last week of the Omer.
There is a difference between Jerusalem and Hebron in regard to the specific days of this last week of the Omer. Jerusalem's Liberation Day is attributed the 'hesed'/'kindness' of this last week of the Omer ('malcut'), while Hebron's Liberation Day corresponds to the 'gevura'/'justly mightiness' of this last week of the Omer ('malchut'). We may say that Jerusalem represents in this context the attribute of Divine kindness as Jerusalem is the Holiest Divine City and special Divine aid and kindness from above is befitting her. On the other hand, in this context (in other contexts Hebron may actually represent the attribute of 'kindness') Hebron represents the attribute of 'mightiness' which calls for 'justly earning' the Land through human effort. Indeed, Hebron was the first city, within the lands liberated during the Six Day War, to be settled under considerable human effort despite all the odds [of course, even this success is due to HaShem's kindness].
'Covenant' is a major concept in regard to the Holy Land, as we say in the 'blessing on the Land' in the Blessing after Meals. This means that a major part of our ability to connect ourselves to this Land, and the Holy Presence therein, lies with keeping our 'covenant' with HaShem. This also means that an important part of HaShem's covenant to us, through our Patriarchs of Hebron, lies with the granting of the Holy Land to us. In other words, there is a dual covenant in regard to the Holy Land - our part of the covenant, and HaShem's part of the covenant. One Chamber of Ma'arat HaMachpela is called the 'Chamber of the Covenants' ('Ulam HaBritot'). This name, in the plural, can remind us of the dual covenant between HaShem and our People through the Patriarchs who lie here at Ma;arat HaMachpela. This name may also remind us of both the covenant of the Patriarchs and also of the covenant formed in Hebron with David, the archetype of Messiah and builder of Jerusalem.
Today, especially on Jerusalem Day and Hebron Day, and especially on this Jubilee (50th) Year of Liberation, we are called to contemplate on these matters and also see how they may touch on our spiritual endeavors and actions as well. One possible conclusion is working on the synthesis between the special Divine inspiration of Jerusalem and the holy human initiative and courage of Hebron towards our future Redemption...
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #219
'I was once looking for lesson 89 in a specific sefer. I opened this sefer randomly and it opened, out of hundreds of lessons, exactly at lesson 89.'
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