Tag: Shmini

Parshas Shmini (5771)

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Parshas Shmini (5771)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

On Shabbos we “lift” the avoda of the week. One of the vital lessons of the Megilah is that there was no question that Esther being chosen by Achashveirosh was a great personal tragedy and one for Klal Yisroel. The solution could have been solved by allowing Bigsan and Seresh to do their “work” and eliminate the king, clean cut. Mordechai abstained because of the Will of Hashem that came through his siyata di”shmaya, the wisdom to relay the information to the king. He was repaid for his obedience that the whole salvation came about by the Hashgacha of the sleepless night and the book of zichronos. The lesson being how much we in these difficult times have to be obedient to our Torah leadership and pray to Hashem that we have the leaders.

There is an awesome chizuk in emuna from the parsha that we find in the Torah. The fact is that the Torah knows the only four animals that only have one sign of kashrus after the discovery of countless new specimens. Also the intricate insight to the animal’s anatomy which was understood by secular wisdom relatively recently. Thinking deeply into this is inspiring and enlightening.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Shmini (5769)

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Parshas Shmini (5769)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Every iota of the Creation calls out kavod shomayim.  Sometimes we are especially inspired by …
The “keres”, the largest first stomach, breaks down ingested materials by microbial action, which causes the food to rot and decay.  This is necessary in order to digest grass and hay, which are composed of cellulose, an otherwise indigestible material.  In a nursing calf, however, there is no need for the milk to undergo this extra step of digestion.  In fact, having the milk rot in the “keres” is undesirable.  To circumvent this problem when a calf nurses, it generates electrical stimulation to the reticular groove that causes it to harden and seal off the opening of the esophagus into the stomachs.  As a result, ingested food is prevented from continuing forward in the “keres” and is instead diverted through the reticulum (second stomach) and into the third stomach, which leads directedly to the “kaiva”, the fourth and final stomach.  This ingenious mechanism thus completely bypasses the first stomach of the nursing calf.

Absolutely awesome!  How are we better humans from this observation and how does this upgrade our avodas Hashem?  The maaleh gerah, the four stomachs allow the consummation of difficult grasses.  The splitting of the hooves brings the animal to these difficult places.  The sign of kashrus is that they must work together.  What is the lesson?\

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Shmini (5768)

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Parshas Shmini (5768)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Perhaps the greatest difficulty in the episode of Nadav and Avihu in our parsha is why did they actually drink the wine that they were so severely punished for?

The Creator in His great wisdom provides us with a tool in the form known as wine that is embellished with the power when consumed to break down the barriers between us and help create a “oneness”.  This explains why Noach place a priority in planting grapes when he emerged from the ark.  Since the lack of love and mutual sensitivity was the cause of the great disastrous mabul.  Upon descending from the ark he immediately preoccupied himself with the planting of this precious commodity.

The avoda of the Kohanim demands a high level of ahavas Yisroel; Nadav and Avihu used this potent tool.

Since the salvation of Purim came about from a high level of ahavas Yisroel and a concern for all, the Chazal ordained the mitzvah of drinking wine to commemorate and increase our ahavas Yisroel.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and we should all be zocheh to have the true connection to achainu bnei yisroel.

Parshas Shmini (5766)

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Parshas Shmini (5766)
By Mordechai Dolinsky

We live in an era where we have a special need for strengthening and reinforcing our emuna.  Of the four creatures the Chumash enumerates having only one of the two signs of kashrus; with the passing of thousands of years since Hashem gave the Torah, and hundreds of new species discovered, no new animal was observed having only one of two signs specified in the Chumash.  This includes the multitude of new species previously unknown that were discovered in Australia.

The laws of kashrus include various trefos which, if understood properly, are explicit true knowledge of the intricacies of anatomy, which according to modern medicine were discovered and understood relatively recently—chizuk!

In our blessing for Rosh Chodesh we should include spiritual success for our endeavors for the forthcoming period.

The nightly sefira should be a source of self-improvement for the assigned sefira of the day.

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Shmini (5765)

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Parshas Shmini (5765)
by Mordechai Dolinsky

How significant today is the Chazal (Medrash Rabba 13:5) of how the ‘chazir’ who doesn’t chew his cud but displays his split hooves, as if cunningly and falsely declaring his purity and holiness.  So much of the ideas and ideals of our modern day culture and society which are accepted, condoned and even praised is truthfully wicked.  No, the old hog hasn’t given up—beware!

After the refreshing and rejuvenating uplift of the Torah we just received on Purim, rejoice with its true beauty!

Have a wonderful Shabbos.

Parshas Shmini: The Torah Tightrope

Parshas Shmini:  The Torah Tightrope
by Mordechai Dolinsky

Something obvious in this Parsha that needs explanation is the connection between the two outstanding subjects—the dramatic, untimely petirah of Nadav and Avihu—and the list of creatures that are forbidden to be eaten.

There are two attributes that are required for animals to be permissible.  Firstly there is the split hoof which has to be completely separated into a double hoof and as Rashi explains this is to exclude animals whose hooves are split only at the tip as the camel.  The second attribute is that the animal has to bring up its cud and as Rashi here explains it brings up and regurgitates the food from its innards and returns it to its mouth to crush it and grind it finely.  The conventional of these prerequisites are in the realm of “chukim”;  pure “gizairas hakasuv”– without any open logical significance.  It seems very probable to me that because these are signs of ‘kashrus’ they are representative and symbolic of positive character traits.  To find significance in “maaleh gaira”, bringing up its cud, is not so difficult.  A major part of the motivation to eat is the appetizing appearance of the food.  Once the morsel is chewed it already dramatically loses all its attraction.  The Gemara in Bava Kamma refers to it at this level as “glalim”—excretion– and I must say it is quite repulsive.  But what could be said of its looks when it has already been in the stomach and in the early stages of the digestive process?  The mere thought of eating it then is absolutely revolting.  The act of actually consuming it, which is in reality the “maaleh gaira”, is truly symbolic of eating on the highest level of pure intent, since there is absolutely no motivation of any appetizing attraction whatsoever.  So here we have it—“maaleh gaira” represents “prishus”—the practice of restraint, abstaining from indulgence.

The split hoof, however, is very difficult to find a symbolism or significance for, and I would like to share the following possible explanation.  The point of the split hoof is as if the animal isn’t only standing on four feet but the feet are considered double.  Each foot that is split is considered as two.  What could be the significance of “more” feet?  The Gemara tells us that Malachim (angels) have,

and stand, only on one foot.  This is the explanation why when we daven “Shmone Esrai” we stand with our feet together, as if they are one.  So here we have a “breakthrough”, some insight as to the significance of the number of feet.  Less feet means holiness, aloofness, non-earthly.  More feet means more contact with reality, down to earth, exactly as the expression goes—he has his feet on the ground.  The Malach has one foot, the human two, the animals four, and the kosher ones double.  The significance being the wonderful trait of “maaleh gaira”, the practice of restraint, abstaining from overindulgence which is the trait of ‘prishus’ must go together with ‘mafreses parsa’—down to earth realism.  There is an awesome danger on the path of ‘prishus’ that can lead one to, as the expression goes—“off the deep end”.  This can be seen very well from the contrast between the so-called holy men of the various nations of the world and the ‘kedoshim’ of Klal Yisroel.  The former, deprive themselves of necessities and inflict themselves with torture; what kind of ugly, repulsive human specimens they often appear to be.  The holy men of Klal Yisroel, ‘lehavdil elef havdalos’, shine with beauty and the simchas hachayim they radiate and represent.  This is the concept in the discussion the Mesilas Yesharim has in chapter 13, the delicate balance.  It is the will of Hashem that we enjoy His creation.  The critical rule, “Isn’t it enough that which the Torah forbids that you have to add your own?” concept, in contrast to the “all who engage in fasting are considered kedoshim” idea.

According the this explanation of the concept of ‘mafrisai parsa’ we can understand why the “chazir” is singled out and put in a separate category in the Chumash, and he is indeed the only one who has the split hoof.  According to our suggested concept it means that he has an overemphasis of this trait which leads to a mentality of materialism, and an exclusion and aversion of spiritualism, very appropriate for the ‘chazir’.  The Chazal tell us that all four unclean animals mentioned in the Chumash are symbolic of the four periods of galus, and that our present period is that of the ‘chazir’.  We can see how this is such an accurate picture of our generation.

With this explanation and understanding of the “maaleh gaira”—“mafrisai parsa” balance we can explain the connection to the Nadav and Avihu tragedy.  Their sin was a sort of overemphasis of spiritual enthusiasm without ‘their feet on the ground’ and proper considerations.  HaShem should bless us all with the proper attitude, perspective and balance.