Parshat Vayakhel

25 Adar I, 5776/March 5, 2016

Vol. 7 Num. 26

This issue of Toronto Torah is sponsored by Rebecca & Yossi Salmon and Family
lilui nishmat Alan (Bumi) Salmon, Avraham Ben Yisrael,
and for a refuah shleimah for Yaakov Yosef ben Chaya Yenta

To Contemplate the Holy

And Betzalel made the aron of shittim
wood This is what is meant in the
text, For I will bring healing to
you. (Yirmiyahu 30:17) The attributes
of the Holy One blessed is He are not
like those of a person. A person injures
with a knife and heals with a bandage.
The Holy One blessed is He heals and
injures with the same item This is
what is meant with, and of your
wounds I will heal you (ibid.)
Similarly, Israel would sin in Shittim, as
it states, Israel settled in Shittim, and
the people began to have illicit relations
with
the
daughters
of
the
Moabites (Bamidbar 25:1), and would
be healed with shittim, as it states,
And Betzalel made the Aron of shittim
wood. (Shemot 37:1)
- Shemot Rabbah 50:3
This midrash opens with a relatively
simple truth: G-d does not operate in
the same way as people; He is not
subject to human limitations. For
humans to heal, we use interventions
that counteract, and are different
from, the cause of the wound or
disease. G-d, however, heals with the
weapon itself.
However, the application to this weeks
parshah is difficult to understand.
Shemot 37:1 Says, And Betzalel made
the Aron According to this midrash,
the Aron, the focal point of the
Mishkan, is the salve for a deep
wound, the sin at Shittim. However,
that wound had not yet been inflicted,
nor would it be for almost four
decades, until Bnei Yisrael would stray
with the daughters of the Moabites.

Rabbi Yisroel Meir Rosenzweig

What, then, is this midrash trying to
communicate? How could the Mishkan
possibly repair the incident in Shittim?
Rabbi Zev Wolf Einhorn addresses this:
Since it was revealed to the One who
spoke and the world came into being
that Bnei Yisrael would sin in Shittim,
He therefore established for them
shittim (i.e. the Aron) to atone for their
[future] actions in Shittim. That is, to
hint that when they will contemplate
the sanctity of the Mishkan, which is
constructed of shittim wood, they will
know how to repent and repair their
actions in Shittim. The Aron being
made of shittim does not magically bring
atonement. Rather, the symbol of the
Aron provides a point around which
Bnei Yisrael will be able to reorient their
inner focus, both individual and
communal.
Whether or not the Jews picked up on
the linguistic parallel, this midrash
points to a truth about the nature of
repentance. Repentance requires the
sinner to realize that he has strayed
and reorient himself toward those
values he had temporarily abandoned.
For the Jews, the Aron and the
Mishkan, which reflect the Jewish
peoples connection to G-d, stood as
symbolic reminders of where they
needed to turn after having lost their
way.

remains true. Rabbi Meir Simcha of

Dvinsk notes that sanctity in all of its
forms has the same source: G-d. Even
the Aron is only holy because G-d
declared it to be so. Even the Aron, the
most cherished of the vessels, which
could only be made once in history
(unlike the other vessels that were
rebuilt in the times of the two Temples),
was not intrinsically holy.
Rabbi Meir Simcha goes further,
arguing that the Moshe had to shatter
the luchot, written by G-d Himself, after
the sin of the Golden Calf, to impress
upon the Jews that even the holiest of
objects is meaningless when it does not
direct one to G-d. (See Meshech
Chochmah, Shemot 32:19.) Thus, while
we no longer have the physical Aron or
luchot, we must ask ourselves about
that which we view as holy in our lives.
How and why is it holy? And most
importantly, in which ways can this
holiness direct our attention to the
source of holiness: G-d?
yrosenzweig@torontotorah.com

Rabbi Einhorns illuminating comment

is particularly powerful in the modern
world. While we no longer have a
physical Aron, the notion that to be able
to navigate the world we must keep our
eyes on our metaphorical Aronot

OUR BEIT MIDRASH

ROSH BEIT MIDRASH
RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER
SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH
RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING
AVREICHIM RABBI DAVID ELY GRUNDLAND, RABBI YISROEL MEIR ROSENZWEIG
CHAVERIM DAR BARUCHIM, YEHUDA EKLOVE, URI FRISCHMAN, DANIEL GEMARA,
MICHAEL IHILCHIK, RYAN JENAH, SHIMMY JESIN, CHEZKY MECKLER, ZACK MINCER,
JOSH PHILLIP, JACOB POSLUNS, SHAI REEF, ARYEH ROSEN, SHLOMO SABOVICH, EZRA
SCHWARTZ, ARIEL SHIELDS, DAVID SUTTNER, DAVID TOBIS, EYTAN WEISZ

We are grateful to
Continental Press 905-660-0311

Book Review: The Way of G-d

Derech Hashem (The Way of G-d)
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
English edition: Feldheim 2009
The Author
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto,
commonly known as Ramchal, was an
18th century Italian rabbi, and is one of
the most influential voices in Jewish
thought. His scholarship was
recognized at a very young age, and his
ability to outline profound Torah
concepts in a clear and organized
fashion adds to that greatness.
Ramchal was an ardent mystic,
integrating kabbalistic wisdom into his
system; this was controversial in his
day, particularly as the memory of
Shabbtai Zvi was still strong.
Ramchals most famous book is the
famed mussar work, Mesilat Yesharim
(The Path of the Just) and his magnum
opus is likely Derech Hashem, reviewed
here. Other major works include Daat
Tevunot, Sefer HaHigayon, and 138
Gates of Wisdom. Ramchal died in
Tiberias in 1746, at the age of 39.
The Purpose of the Book
The Torahs view of G-d and the
universe can seem complicated.
Prophets present many different visions
with different meanings and
interpretations; in Talmud study, many
concepts of G-d are discussed in

Rabbi David Ely Grundland

various places and contexts. This

holds true for both halachah and
ma c h s h av ah [ Je wi sh th ough t] .
Attempting to compile and organize all
of that information can be confusing.
Ramchal explains that the only way to
truly understand each detail is to
recognize its place within the context
of the whole of Torah and of existence.
Derech Hashem ventures to present
the general principles of Jewish belief
and religious practices, and paint an
overarching picture through which one
can gain a clearer understanding of
each detail.
The Structure
In his introduction, Ramchal explains
cl ea rl y that h e h as care ful ly
considered every detail that he
includes, from the specific words he
uses to the ideas he tries to convey.
Indeed, there are many subtleties in
the make-up of each section and
chapter.
The book is divided into four parts.
The first discusses Hashem and all
that exists, in detail. The second
discusses Hashems providence, and
how Hashem relates to creation, both
on a collective level and on an
individual level. The third part
discusses prophecy and humanitys
ability to connect with and experience

613 Mitzvot: 495-496: Authority of the Supreme Court

The Beit Din haGadol [Chief Beit Din], which is also known
as the Sanhedrin, is composed of seventy-one judges; they
convene in the Lishkat haGazit, a room in the Beit
haMikdash. One of their roles is to serve as a court of highest
authority to which lower courts can turn for guidance, but
their job description includes guiding the Jewish people in all
areas of Torah. This court is not open to overruling by lower
courts.
As explained by Sefer haChinuch (Mitzvah 78), the elevated
status of the Beit Din haGadol is not only a function of its
members knowledge and wisdom. Indeed, as noted by Sefer
haChinuch (Mitzvah 120), the Torah expects the Beit Din
haGadol to be fallible, and prescribes particular korbanot for
them to bring in the event that they err. Further, the Talmud
(Rosh HaShanah 25b) notes that the judges of a particular
generation may not be as great as those of another
generation. Nonetheless, there is a political need for a
process of determining communal practice, in order to avoid
anarchy, and the Beit Din haGadol plays a critical part in
that process. As Rambam writes, The Beit Din haGadol in
Jerusalem embodies the essence of the verbally transmitted
Torah, and they are the pillars of rulings, and from them law
and statute emerges for all Israel Anyone who believes in
our master Moshe and his Torah is obligated to depend on
them for his religious activity. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot
Mamrim 1:1)
The authority of the Beit Din haGadol is only as strong as the

Hashem. The fourth part deals with

religious observance and how we
manifest our relationship with Hashem
through our actions.
The Importance of the Book
Aside from presenting a well-rounded
understanding of Jewish thought,
Derech Hashem teaches each person
how to realize an often mentioned and
rarely pursued goal. Many thinkers
criticize rote religion, going through
motions without considering the
impact our religious behaviours can
and should have on our own spiritual
lives, the lives of the collective, and the
metaphysical nature of the world.
Many Jews, within every community,
are directed to invest more thought in
religious behaviours such as Torah
learning, communal prayer and
mitzvah observance. Unfortunately,
while the intention is good, the way to
enliven our religious lives with the
enthusiasm necessary to carry it
beyond rote is lost on most.
Derech Hashem offers a window into
the inner life of Judaism and the
profound effect which religious life can
have on each individual and on the
community. It teaches us how every
action can further our relationship
with Hashem and make our lives a
true reflection of the Way of G-d.
dgrundland@torontotorah.com

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

nations commitment to follow its words, and so Devarim

17:10-11 charges, And you shall act according to that
which they tell you, from that place which G-d will choose,
and you shall guard to practice according to all that they
teach you. According to the guidance that they teach you,
and the statute that they tell you, you shall practice. Do not
stray from all that they tell you, neither right nor left. From
these verses the sages identified two mitzvot: a
commandment to follow the instructions of the Beit Din
haGadol, and a prohibition against rejecting their
instructions. (Sifri to Devarim 17:11) Sefer haChinuch
records these as the Torahs 495th and 496th mitzvot.
This authority of the Beit Din haGadol is broad. Rambam
writes that it applies whether to items they learned by
tradition, which is the verbally transmitted Torah, or to that
which they learned on their own via one of the methods
through which lessons are extrapolated from Torah, and it
appears to them that this is accurate, or whether to that
which they created as a boundary for Torah and according
to the needs of the time decrees, enactments and
customs. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Mamrim 1:2)
A sage who disputes certain rulings of the Beit Din haGadol
may acquire the status of zaken mamrei, which can even
come with a death penalty because of the threat such
activity could pose to the national system of law.
torczyner@torontotorah.com

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Biography

Torah and Translation

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky

Correcting for the Calf

Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, Emet lYaakov, Vayakhel

Young Yaakov was born in 1891 in

Translated by Rabbi Baruch Weintraub
Kalushkove, Lithuania (now Belarus). At
the age of eleven he was sent to Minsk to Note: All words below that look like G-ds And Moshe assembled the whole
learn Torah from the best local teachers; Name are not sheimot; they refer to community of Israel - The calf was the
at fifteen he advanced to Yeshivat idols.
opposite of the presentation of the
Knesset Yisrael of Slabodka, where he
Torah. Regarding the presentation of the
learned under Rabbi Nathan Tzvi Finkel - Torah [Mechilta Parshat Yitro], our
(The Alter of Slabodka) for twenty-one sages said And Israel camped - as one
years, with a short break during World [ ] person, with one heart. And here the
War One. He married Ita Ettil, the - Talmud Yerushalmi [Sanhedrin 10:2]
daughter of Rabbi Dov Hirsch Heller [ ] said that twelve different calves were
from the Slabodka Yeshiva.
made, and they desired many gods.

After serving in rabbinical positions in a

few small towns, Rabbi Kamenetsky
looked for a position that would enable
him to put his full abilities to use in the
service of Torah, and would also enable
him to sustain his growing family. After
rejecting a proposal to become a Dayan
(judge) in the reputable Beit Din of Rabbi
Chaim
Ozer
Grodzinski,
Rabbi
Kamenetsky understood that he should
begin to look for a position overseas.
In 1937, Rabbi Kamenetsky moved to
Seattle, Washington where he replaced
the local Rabbi for a few months. In
1938, he moved to Toronto, where he
served as Rabbi of Congregation Toras
Emes and Rosh Yeshiva of Eitz Chaims
Maharil Graubart Yeshiva. Rebbetzin Ita
Ettil Kamenetsky passed away in 1954,
and in 1958, Rabbi Kamenetsky married
Mrs. Chana Urman of Toronto.
In 1945 Rabbi Kamenetsky left Toronto
to become a Rabbi in the New York
Yeshiva Mesivta Torah Vodaas; he
became the Rosh Yeshiva three years
later. Rabbi Kamenetsky was soon
recognized as one of the greatest Torah
scholars in North America, joining
Agudath Israel of Americas Moetzes
Gedolei HaTorah when it was established
in 1949. He became a forceful engine for
Torah learning in post-World War Two
Jewish society, and one of the leaders
responsible for the blooming of Torah
study from which we see fruit now.
Rabbi Kamenetskys legacy is primarily
found in his many students and
descendants who took on rabbinical
positions in North America. However, he
also left behind commentaries on the
Chumash, Gemara and Shulchan Aruch;
all of these are named Emet LeYaakov.
Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky passed away
on the 29th of Adar 5746 (1986); his
yahrtzeit will occur this Wednesday.

, ,
? ,

,

.

,
.

In contrast, we find biblical references to

the god of Edom, the god of Moab
etc., only gods of others, meaning one
foreign god for each nation. Why did [the
Jews] desire many gods? We must
conclude that among the tribes of Israel
there were disagreements as to which
god should be chosen, and every tribe
made a calf for itself, and thus there was
a specific calf for each tribe. That is why
when Moshe came to command Israel
regarding the Mishkan, his first mission
was to gather the people, that is to unify
them in one place and for one goal. Look
into it and you will find that to be
correct.

:
[ ]
.

, :
. ,
,

,
.

Another item:
R a s h i e x p l ai n e d , [ An d M o s h e
assembled] On the day after Yom
Kippur, when he descended from the
mountain, etc. In truth, we find in the
Talmud (Sanhedrin 20b), The Jews
were commanded three mitzvot upon
entering Eretz Yisrael: to appoint a king,
to cut off the seed of Amalek and to
build the Beit HaMikdash. Thus, this
construction was really the last thing
they were obligated to do, but here we
see that immediately after being forgiven
for the Calf they were commanded to
build the Mishkan, and it seems to be a
change of order.

,


,
,


] :[
.

It seems that the reason is because of

the sin of the Calf itself. After they
descended a level and demonstrated
that when they remain without a
shepherd, even for a short while, they
begin to think about calf and the like,
for this reason they needed a Mishkan.
If they would need to pray to G-d, they
would have a place where they could
communicate with Him. As King
Solomon said in his prayer [dedicating
the first Beit haMikdash], And they will
pray to You toward their land.
(Melachim I 1:48) Look into it and you
will find that to be correct.

bweintraub@torontotorah.com

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This Week in Israeli History: 30 Adar I 5706 (Feb. 25 1946)

Napoleons Siege of Yafo

30 Adar I is Thursday
Starting in May, 1798, Napoleon initiated a campaign aimed
at halting the growth of the British empire in the Middle
East and India, and at spreading the ideals of the
Enlightenment. Napoleons initial target was Egypt, which
had been an Ottoman province but was now independent.
Napoleon gathered 40,000 soldiers and 10,000 sailors, and
landed at Alexandria on July 1, 1798. He surprised the
defenders, and took the city without a fight. In the ensuing
months, French forces took control of the rest of Egypt.
Concerned about Napoleons intentions, and aided by the
British, the Ottomans launched a counter-offensive from
their bases in what was then called Syria. Rather than wait
for the Ottomans to arrive, though, Napoleon attacked first.
Travelling up through Gaza, he arrived at Yafo (Jaffa) in

Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

early March. The city was valuable, as a naval launching pad.

Ottoman-controlled Yafo had experienced frequent attacks by
pirates, and it was now primarily a military fortress. The
soldiers executed the delegates sent by Napoleon to demand
surrender. Napoleons forces began to besiege Jaffa on 26
Adar I 5559 (March 3, 1799). On 30 Adar I (March 7), the city
fell. The French ransacked the city and killed more than four
thousand Ottoman prisoners, first by gunfire and then, when
their bullets were exhausted, with knives. After the French
victory, the bubonic plague killed many more residents.
Napoleons victory was short-lived; his forces were stopped at
Akko (Acre), and he was forced to retreat to Egypt. The city
was then captured by the governor of Akko.
torczyner@torontotorah.com

Weekly Highlights: Mar. 5 Mar. 11 / 25 Adar I 1 Adar II

Time

Speaker

Topic

Location

Special Notes

Fri. pre-minchah

R Jonathan Ziring

Parshah and Kugel

BAYT

After Hashkamah

R Yisroel M. Rosenzweig

Midrash Rabbah

Clanton Park

R Jonathan Ziring

Daf Yomi

BAYT

R Mordechai Torczyner

Gemara Avodah Zarah

BAYT

8:45 AM

R Jonathan Ziring

Responsa

BAYT

8:45 AM

R Josh Gutenberg

Contemporary Halachah

BAYT

9:15 AM

R Shalom Krell

The Book of Shemuel

Associated (North)

Hebrew

12:00 PM

R Mordechai Torczyner

Battlefield Morality

Limmud 2016

St. Andrews Club

9:30 AM

Mrs. Ora Ziring

Womens Beit Midrash

Ulpanat Orot

University Students

7:30 PM

R David Ely Grundland

Daf Highlights

Shaarei Shomayim

Beit Midrash Night

7:30 PM

R Yisroel M. Rosenzweig Diplomacy & Chillul Hashem

Yeshivat Or Chaim

Beit Midrash Night

8:00 PM

R Chaim Strauchler
Town Hall on
Shaarei Shomayim
R Mordechai Torczyner Medically Assisted Suicide

Mar. 4-5

Before minchah
After minchah

Sun. Mar. 6
Hebrew

Mon. Mar. 7

Tue. Mar. 8
9:30 AM

R Mordechai Torczyner

Chabura: Bitul and Chefs

Yeshivat Or Chaim

University Chaverim

Mrs. Ora Ziring

Womens Beit Midrash

Ulpanat Orot

University Students

R Mordechai Torczyner

Iyov: Elihu Continues

Shaarei Shomayim

10:00 AM

R Mordechai Torczyner

Midrash and Matriarchs 4:

Leah the Hated?

Beth Emeth

12:30 PM

R Jonathan Ziring

The Ethics of
Non-Refundable Deposits

Lindvest
3625 Dufferin

2:30 PM

R Jonathan Ziring

Narratives of Bereishit

8:00 PM

R Yisroel M. Rosenzweig

Secret Agents in Halachah

Shaarei Tefillah

Shoftim: Otniel ben Kenaz

49 Michael Ct.

10:00 AM
1:30 PM
Wed. Mar. 9

Thu. Mar. 10
1:30 PM

Location: Contact
carollesser@rogers.com

Rosh Chodesh Adar II

R Mordechai Torczyner

Register with

nancywallack@gmail.com

Lunch; RSVP to

jziring@torontotorah.com

For women