Parshiyot Tazria-Metzora 3 Iyar, 5777/April 29, 2017 Vol. 8 Num.

31
This issue of Toronto Torah is sponsored by Ricky and Dianna Zauderer and Family
in memory of our dear father and grandfather Alfred ( )Zauderer zl
Mans Search for Meaning, Part 2 Rabbi Reuven Tradburks
Marking Yom haAtzmaut, we asked satisfaction in life: the feeling that our Divine Hand leading us back to our
Rabbi Reuven Tradburks, former Rabbi l i ve s a re val uabl e , wor th wh il e, land. I find myself incredulous
of Kehillat Shaarei Torah of Toronto, to meaningful, fulfilled. It is the experience frequently the wows of what we have
write a column on his familys aliya. occasionally of a soaring soul, moments done in building this place. The military
of elevation, of dveikus, feeling close to victories. Building economically, with
I want to share some thoughts about or closer to the Divine. It is feelings of creativity, amidst all the challenges. I
our aliya. elation, of satisfaction. Of being centre cant but think that we have an Angel
We made aliya 7 years ago. I had been stage, not stage right: the actor, not the investor backing us I mean, a real
in the rabbinate for 23 years. We chose audience. The sense that lifes Angel investor.
to make the move, following our opportunity has been seized, not
ignored. So while the ordinary is Ezra left Persia to go home. The Jews
children, all of whom were in Israel at left the rivers of Babylon to return
that time. disrupted, jarred, by aliya, the
transcendent is animated, alive and home. They made the decision to be
Much of what we expected has been richly nourished. centre stage and not watching from a
realized. And much was unexpected. distance. This is the epoch of Jewish
However, I dont think our experience I would frame this in the context of the people, the epoch of belonging.
is any different from that of any other epochs in Tanach of entry into Eretz
Yisrael: Avraham, Yehoshua and Ezra. Living in Israel is taking our place
immigrant to a new land. Canada is a centre stage. In Toronto, the first thing I
land full of immigrants. The Jewish Avraham entered the land quietly. There would read in the papers was the news
community of Toronto is a community was no Jewish people, just a Jewish about Israel. To live here is to trade
made up of perhaps a majority of person. He was on a spiritual journey. It reading about it for living it. There is a
people whose families were not born was there that he experienced a vision very deep feeling of satisfaction to be in
and raised in Toronto. of the Divine. He left behind a world the middle of Jewish history. We have
The challenges of moving to a new whose values and belief did not fit but one Jewish state, where Pesach is a
place are no different when moving to anymore. national holiday and Have a good
Israel as when moving to any other weekend is Shabbat Shalom.
For me, spiritual murmurings are a big
foreign land. There is unfamiliarity. part of living in Israel perhaps the Life for us in Israel is dramatically
Need to re-establish a social group. biggest part. It is the pursuit of a higher different from in Toronto on many
New jobs. New language. Different meaning, of a closer reach for the levels. In the dual plane of existence, of
bureaucracy. It is those things that Divine, of a desire for dveikus. And the ordinary and the transcendent, the
cause aggravation to olim. there are moments of elevation, of ordinary is disrupted, at times
Understandably. However, there is a soaring. To be sure those moments are frustrating, unfamiliar and
uniqueness to the aliya experience attainable anywhere in the world. But disappointing. However, the
which is not shared with other for me, those moments are richer, fuller, transcendent part of life dominates the
immigrant experiences. We live our more regular here in Yerushalayim. ordinary, overtakes it, overwhelms it.
lives on two planes. The ordinary. And The transcendent makes the irritations
the transcendent. Yehoshua entered the land with of the ordinary trite and insignificant.
miracles. He led the entire Jewish
The ordinary is all that I have people. It was the promise to Avraham For me, living in Yerushalayim is living
described above. Daily routine of fulfilled. It was the Divine Hand leading a life of reaching for the transcendent. It
schools, shopping, working, language, the people into the Land to make good is taking centre stage. It is a life of
news, buses, and all the rest that on the promise. soulful satisfaction, of a nourished
occupies our time. neshama.
Modern day Israel feels to me
The transcendent is our sense of miraculous. To me it looks like the rtradburks@gmail.com

OUR BEIT MIDRASH

ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER
SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING
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Book Review: Halakhic Morality Rabbi Jonathan Ziring

Halakhic Morality: Essays on Ethics and the Masorah, and the ethos and Religious Styles
Masorah morality of the Torah. To focus on one lesson: Rabbi
By Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik; Soloveitchik notes that in addition to
Editors Joel Wolowelsky, Reuven Ziegler The book is divided into two parts. The the universal way to live a Torah life,
Toras HoRav Foundation, Maggid Books former half provides a conceptual what he calls the proper derekh ha-
2017 introduction to Pirkei Avot, as well as hayyim, it is critical to understand
an analysis of the first few mishnayot. that each person must follow his own
The Author In these essays, Rabbi Soloveitchik path what he calls signon ha-hayyim,
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (1903- propounds several theories about the the Torah style of living. To illustrate
1993) needs no introduction for readers Jewish tradition, among these: that the power that these individualized
of Toronto Torah. He was the veritable there is the tradition of theoretical styles can have, he describes the
leader of the American modern learning, the halakhic Masorah, as biographies and personalities of the
Orthodox community for decades, and well as the tradition of ethical living, four Rabbis of Brisk between the years
his teaching and insights continue to the intimate-personal tradition; that 1840 and 1918 Rabbi Yaakov Meir
inspire his numerous students, as well the tradition is meta-historical, one Padua, Rabbi Hirsch Orenstein, Rabbi
as their students and communities. that allows its members to Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik (Rabbi
Due to his influence, many have communicate across generations; that Soloveitchiks great-grandfather and
devoted their time to publish a large the tradition (usually) encourages an namesake), and Rabbi Hayyim
number of his lectures and manuscripts exoteric educational philosophy that Soloveitchik (Rabbi Soloveitchiks
posthumously. This work is such a spreads Torah even to the unworthy. grandfather). The first was the ascetic,
collection, produced by Maggid books the Hasid; the second was rich and
and the Toras HoRav Foundation. The second half of the book contains friendly; the third was a spiritual
several essays, each devoted to a aristocrat; the fourth, a democrat
Content of the Book different topic. One article focuses on from head to toe, a real plebian. Rabbi
The book collects source material from essence of tzedakah, charity, and its Soloveitchik celebrates that fact that
various contexts, such as notes from unique place in Jewish tradition. Two they all had the same way of life, but
the classes that Rabbi Soloveitchik gave pieces consider the place of subjective their styles of living were different.
at Bernard Revel Graduate school, religious expression, and another the The message: Any style is welcome
memorial lectures, and personal importance of humility. Drawing on but a person must have a style.
manuscripts. All the pieces attempt to both traditional and secular sources,
clarify the less quantifiable parts of Rabbi Soloveitchik develops these jziring@torontotorah.com
Torah and the Halakhic system themes with sophistication.
specifically the nature of our tradition,

Israels Chief Rabbis: Rabbi Chaim Druckman Rabbi Baruch Weintraub

Rabbi Chaim Druckman In the last twenty years, Rabbi Druckman has been a
Born: 1930, Poland leading figure in a controversial attempt to streamline
Chief Rabbi of Merkaz Shapira (1963-present) conversion of non-Jews living in Israel. He sees this mission
preventing a massive problem of intermarriage, following the
Life arrival of hundreds of thousands of non-Jews from Russia
Chaim Druckman was born in 1932, in Kuty, Poland (today in the 1990s. Rabbi Druckman signed 50,000 conversion
Ukraine). After many miracles during the Holocaust, young certificates as the head of the State Conversion Authority.
Chaim was able to reach Eretz Yisrael, alone, in 1944. After
the war ended, his parents joined him. He served in the IDF In 2012, Rabbi Druckman was awarded the Israel Prize for
from 1949 to 1952, and then began studying at Yeshivat his contributions to society and education.
Merkaz Harav in Jerusalem, where he met the man who
would become his most prominent teacher, Rabbi Tzvi Legacy
Yehuda Kook. Following a brief shelichut in the US for Bnei Rabbi Druckmans legacy is focused in two principal areas:
Akiva, Rabbi Druckman returned to the yeshiva as a teacher
of Emunah (Jewish thought). Education Rabbi Druckman has devoted much of his life
to establishing and maintaining Religious Zionist
Rabbi Druckman established some of the leading Religious educational institutions. These institutions vary in the age
Zionist education institutions in Israel: In 1964, he founded and population they address, but all of them are based
the Ohr Etzion Bnei Akiva Yeshiva High school, where he upon principles of inclusion of all Jews and on a strong
remains Rosh Yeshiva to this day. In 1977, he established belief in the importance of a systematic and thorough
the Ohr Etzion Yeshiva, which for many years was the largest teaching of our faith.
Hesder Yeshiva in the country, and in 1995 he founded the
Ohr MeOfir academy for high school graduates of the Zionism As noted above, Rabbi Druckman pushes for the
Ethiopian community. Since 1996, he has also been the head realization of the Zionist dream. Apart from his political
of the Center for Bnei Akiva Yeshivot and Ulpanot in Israel. career already described, Rabbi Druckman has also written
several books in which he expounds on his understanding
Rabbi Druckman has also held leading roles in the Religious- of the Jewish state as the beginning of our redemption.
Zionist party (Mafdal), and he was appointed as a member of
the Knesset from 1977 to 2003. Through his political career Well over eighty now, Rabbi Druckman recently said, My
his fierce belief in the necessity of Jewish settling in all parts educational activity is the center of my life; anything else I
of Israel was reflected clearly, as was his fierce opposition to see as reserve service. I will continue educating as long as I
any agreement which would cede territories. can, and may G-d give me the strength to do so.
bweintraub@torontotorah.com

2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com & www.facebook.com/torontotorah

 Biography Torah and Translation
The Netziv Acharit kiBereishitThe End Like the Beginning
Rabbi Ezra Goldschmiedt Netziv, Letter published in Shivat Tzion 1
Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin, also
Translated by Adam Friedmann
known as the Netziv (1816-1893), was ... At a time when the curses of G-d do not
born in Mir, Russia, to a family of Torah extend over our land to make it desolate
scholars. At the age of 13 he married , then it is G-ds will that the land be
Rayna Batya, daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak settled by His nation Israel. This is as G-d
of Volozhin, the Rosh Yeshiva of the , told our forefather Yitzchak, Live in the
famed Volozhin yeshiva in Belarus and land, and the Sages explained this in
son of the yeshivas founder, Rabbi
,
Midrash Rabbah, Make a dwelling area
Chaim of Volozhin. in the land, sow seeds, plant, and stand
,
. firm. Although the Philistines were at
After decades of dedicated study, Rabbi that time settled in it according to their
Berlin became the Rosh Yeshiva of the needs and the time had not yet arrived
Volozhin yeshiva. Despite many for the descendants of Avraham to inherit
difficulties, including the burning down it, nevertheless it was the will of G-d that
of Volozhin and its yeshiva on two Yitzchak, for his part, should make some
occasions, enrollment steadily increased settlement and dwelling area before Him.
under Rabbi Berlins guidance. During
his tenure, the yeshiva produced many Behold, in these days the voice of our
future leaders, such as Rabbi Moshe beloved, the Holy One blessed be He, is
Epstein, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, upon us because we see many effects
Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer, and Rabbi ... emerging from the primal Cause, may He
Shimon Shkop. be blessed, that it is His will that the land
be settled gradually by the dispersed of
Rabbi Berlins approach to learning was Israel
to search for the earliest possible sources
on a topic, thereby developing a clear It is incumbent upon us to arouse
understanding through the roots of our
ourselves and to breathe a breath of love
tradition. For similar reasons, he was
for the land and to fulfill G-ds will in any
also a strong proponent of the study of , , manner open to us. Whether through
Tanach. Additionally, Rabbi Berlin was , physical activity, through working the
an early supporter of the Chovevei Tzion land or through skilled craft or business,
movement and he strongly supported the . or whether through spiritual means
resettling of Eretz Yisrael. that is to say through the publishing of
books which aid this lofty cause.
The maskilim, who viewed the Volozhin
yeshivas success as their failure, And we should not think that it would
constantly appealed to the Russian have been more fitting for this great thing
government to disrupt the yeshivas

, to have occurred in a different way as is
program. Eventually, their demands for pictured in the minds of men, because
an overwhelming program of secular
this was the cause of Moshes
studies (to take place from the morning punishment, since he said, They will not
until 3:00 PM), the requirement that ...
believe in me and will not listen to my
every instructor hold a secular degree in
voice because they will say, G-d has not
education, as well as the closing of the appeared to you. Moshe meant that
yeshiva at night, forced Rabbi Berlins ... they would not believe that G-d appeared
hand; after leading the yeshiva for forty to him because they did not know Moshe
years, he decided to close it. (It should be to have been raised with the Torah that
noted that Rabbi Berlin had previously, ... ... was transmitted to them from the
albeit begrudgingly, allowed limited . ancestors, and he was also not known for
instruction in Russian to the Yeshiva. It holiness and piety According to the
was the extent of the demands that made opinions of man it would have been more
the final version unbearable. See http:// fitting for G-d to have appeared to
bit.ly/2gsJvxx for Rabbi J. J. Schacters Aharon, who was holy to G-d and who
full presentation of this incident.) was a prophet already in Egypt.So too
in our timeswe should not delude
Rabbi Berlins life was so intertwined ourselves and say that this should occur
with the yeshivas existence that its in a different way.
closing had detrimental effects on his
health, eventually leading to his passing
only two years later.

ezragoldschmiedt@gmail.com

Call our office at: 416-783-6960 3

The 613 Mitzvot: #586, 587Returning Collateral Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner
As we have already discussed (see mitzvot 583 and 585), the owner needs it (Mitzvah 586) and 2) Actively return collateral
Torah strikes a balance between the needs of borrowers and to its owner when he needs it (Mitzvah 587).
the rights of lenders in an attempt to ensure that credit will
be available for those in need. This is particularly expressed These two mitzvot clearly protect the borrower, but Sefer
in the laws of handling collateral taken from a borrower. haChinuch (587) sees here an added benefit for the lender:
training in kindness toward those who are at his mercy.
Shemot 22:25 instructs, If you take another persons Similarly, Sefer haChinuch (216) contends that the mitzvah of
clothing as collateral, you shall return it before sunrise. leaving the corner of ones field for needy people is meant to
Devarim 24:12-13 amplifies, And if he is a pauper, you instill generosity and the power of self-restraint in the owner
shall not lie down with his collateral. You shall surely return of the field. Through these mitzvot, the giver also receives.
the collateral to him when the sun sets, and he will lie down
in his garment and bless you, etc. Sefer haChinuch lists torczyner@torontotorah.com
two mitzvot here: 1) Do not withhold collateral when its

Weekly Highlights: Apr. 29 May 5 / 3 Iyar 9 Iyar

Time Speaker Topic Location Special Notes

Apr. 28-29
After hashkamah Adam Friedmann Parshah Analysis Clanton Park
Before Pirkei Avot R Jonathan Ziring Daf Yomi BAYT Rabbis Classroom
After minchah R Mordechai Torczyner Gemara: Idols for sale! BAYT Simcha Suite
Sun. Apr. 30
8:45 AM R Jonathan Ziring Responsa BAYT
8:45 AM R Josh Gutenberg Contemporary Halachah BAYT Not this week
9:15 AM R Shalom Krell Book of Shemuel II Associated North Rm. 206; Hebrew

10:00 AM to Mrs. Tanya HaLevi Remembering / Not Forgetting Midreshet Yom Rishon For women
11:20 AM Yaron Perez His Kindness is Forever Shaarei Shomayim Light Refreshments

Mon. May 1
7:00 PM Adam Friedmann Jewish Philosophy Terraces of Baycrest Not this week
8:30 PM Adam Friedmann Gemara Arvei Pesachim Clanton Park Not this week
Community Commemoration of Yom haZikaron and Yom haAtzmaut
6:45 PM
At Shaarei Shomayim, 470 Glencairn Ave. Toronto
Tue. May 2
1:30 PM R Mordechai Torczyner Ezra: Ezras Powers Shaarei Shomayim
Wed. May 3
Jewish Love, Week 1: There is a fee;
10:00 AM R Mordechai Torczyner Beth Emeth
Dating info@torontotorah.com
2:30 PM R Jonathan Ziring Narratives of Vayikra carollesser@rogers.com

8:00 PM Adam Friedmann Why do we do that? Shaarei Tefillah

8:30 PM Yaron Perez Parshah: Shaarei Shomayim
Thu. May 4
1:30 PM R Mordechai Torczyner Shoftim: Yiftachs Daughter 49 Michael Ct. Women
Fri. May 5
10:30 AM R Mordechai Torczyner Borrowing a Cup of Sugar Yeshivat Or Chaim Advanced
This week, our Mens Beit Midrash for University Students at Yeshivat Or Chaim offers:
Sunday 10:00 AM Gemara Chullin, Rabbi Aaron Greenberg
Sunday 11:00 AM Kuzari, Rabbi Elan Mazer
Tuesday 8:30 AM, Nefesh haChaim, Rabbi Jonathan Ziring
Friday 8:30 AM, Yeshayah, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner

This week, our Womens Beit Midrash for University Students at Ulpanat Orot offers:
Monday, 9:30 AM to Noon, Middot HaNefesh through Chassidut, Mrs. Elliezra Perez