Devarim - "How Can I Alone Carry Your Trouble, Your Burden, and Your Disputes?"

Parhas Devarim begins with the first of Moses' parting addresses to the Jewish people, in which he reviews their history and rebukes them - often in veiled terms - for their misdeeds. Early in the speech, Moses speaks of how he came to appoint judges over the people  (as told in Exodus 18). Here too, Moses engages in veiled rebuke. While Moses begins by stating that the reason who could not judge them alone was due to their numbers, and he blesses them that they should continue to increase, he then goes on to indicate that the need for additional judges was also due to less positive issues as well, stating (Deuteronomy 1:12):

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם:

"How can I alone carry your trouble, your burden, and your disputes?"

On a purely peshat (basic text) level, this verse could be interpreted as simply expanding on the idea that, as a numerous and growing nation, there was simply too many issues for one person, even Moses, to handle alone. However, asides from the fact that this would be repetitious, the terms used by the verse clearly carry a somewhat critical tone. In fact, Rashi, quoting the Sages (Sifri), understands these three terms to refer to veiled criticisms, and explains each in the context of Moses' role as a judge:

טרחכם. מלמד שהיו ישראל טרחנין, היה אחד מהם רואה את בעל דינו נוצח בדין, אומר יש לי עדים להביא, יש לי ראיות להביא, מוסיף אני עליכם דיינין:

ומשאכם. מלמד שהיו אפיקורסין, הקדים משה לצאת, אמרו מה ראה בן עמרם לצאת, שמא אינו שפוי בתוך ביתו, איחר לצאת, אמרו מה ראה בן עמרם שלא לצאת, מה אתם סבורים, יושב ויועץ עליכם עצות וחושב עליכם מחשבות:

וריבכם. מלמד שהיו רוגנים:

"Your trouble" - This teaches that [the children of] Israel were burdensome. If one would see that his opponent in court was winning, he would say, "I have witnesses to bring," "I have proofs to bring," "I am adding on judges to you." (See Ramban for a halachic  explanation of the latter.)

"Your burden" - This teaches that they were apikorsin (heretics). If Moses went out early [to judge cases] they would say, "Why did Ben Amram leave [home early]? Perhaps things are not going smoothly at home." If he would delay leaving [home] they would say, "What do you think? He is sitting and getting advice [from his wife (Sifri)] against you, and thinking thoughts against you."

"And your disputes" - This teaches that they were quarrelsome.

Each of these commentaries deserves extended discussion. On the most basic level, Moses was pointing out three problem areas among the Jewish people that made it particularly difficult to judge them.

The first problem was that judging cases between two Jews was exceptionally burdensome because each one was so determined to win that they would drag the case out far beyond reason and would take advantage of every possible technicality. It is important to note that Moses does not accuse them of actually engaging in any kind of dishonesty or violation of the rules but of an excessive drive to win which placed an undue burden on the judge. This behavior indicated that the litigants were motivated less by a desire for justice than by a desire to be victorious over their fellow.

The second problem was that the Jews would interpret any behavior of the judge, even outside of the court, as evidence that he was not judging their case properly. Thus, if he came early, "Uh oh! Must be problems at home! We better watch out!" And if he came late, "Uh oh! He must have been talking over the case with his wife! Who knows what she told him?"

It is significant that the Sages considered those who engaged in this behavior not simply as burdensome, but actually as apikorsim - a term usually translated as "heretics." This is because, contrary to what is commonly assumed, the category of apikoros -  "heretic" - does not refer only to one who does not accept the doctrines of Judaism, but also to one who shows disrespect for the Torah or its scholars. Maimonides writes (Commentary on the Mishna, Sanhedrin 10:1):

ומלת אפיקורוס היא ארמית, ענינה מי שמפקיר ומבזה את התורה או לומדיה, ולפיכך קורין בזה השם כל שאינו מאמין ביסודי התורה או מי שמבזה החכמים או איזה תלמיד חכם שיהיה או המבזה רבו:

The word apikoros is Aramaic, and it refers to one who devalues or disparages the Torah or those who study it. The term is therefore used for anyone who does not believe in the fundamental principles of the Torah, or one who disparages the Sages or any other Torah scholar, or one who disparages his teacher.

To disparage a Torah scholar is to disparage the Torah itself, which is the entire foundation of Judaism. Thus, these Jews who spoke disparagingly of Moses were indeed apikorsim.

The third problem was that they were quarrelsome, i.e. they would engage in unnecessary and unproductive disputes. The Sages (Sifri) describe this as, "they would spend a selah (an ancient coin) to take two selaim, and they would spend two selaim to take three selaim." At first glance this would seem perfectly reasonable, after all, you need to spend money to make money. However, the repetition - one for two, two for three - indicates that what we are talking about here is that they would spend extra money in order to make their opponent pay extra money, even though they would walk away with the same amount of profit. (ראה עמק הנצי"ב) This, like the first problem, was rooted in an inappropriate desire to be victorious over their fellow, even when they didn't stand to gain anything.

The midrash (Eicha Raba 1:1) tells us that there were three prophets who prophesied using the term "eicha," Moses (in this verse), Isaiah (1:21, which we read in the haftara for Parshas Devarim), and Jeremiah (in Eicha - Lamentations). (We have discussed this midrash previously.) This would seem to indicate that there is some continuity between the themes discussed in these verses.

While this topic deserves a fuller exploration than I'm prepared to attempt at this time, the basic idea - that these problems are closely related to the sins that led to the destruction of the Second Temple and the exile of the Jewish from their land - is fairly straightforward.

The Talmud (Bava Metzia 30b) tells us:

דאמר רבי יוחנן: לא חרבה ירושלים אלא על ... שהעמידו דיניהם על דין תורה, ולא עבדו לפנים משורת הדין.

Rabbi Yochanan said, Jerusalem was not destroyed except because they decided their cases according to Torah law, and they did not go beyond the limits of the law.

The issue that Rabbi Yochanan is describing is precisely the issue that we described above as the first and third problem that Moses was describing. We can readily see how such problems are related to the more basic issue of sinas chinam (unjustified hatred) which, the Talmud (Yoma 9b) tells us, was the primary cause of the destruction of the Second Temple.

With regard to the second problem we discussed - i.e. the disrespect for Torah scholars we also find a directly parallel statement in the Talmud (Shabbos 119b):

אמר רבי יהודה: לא חרבה ירושלים אלא בשביל שביזו בה תלמידי חכמים

Rabbi Yehuda said, Jerusalem was not destroyed except because they disparaged Torah scholars.

We see here that disrespect for Torah scholars was one of the main contributing causes of the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jewish people. This is closely connected to the famous Talmudic passage in Nedarim 81a that the reason the land was lost was "שלא ברכו בתורה תחילה" - "because they failed to recite the blessing on the Torah [before study]." As the commentaries (ר"ן בשם ר' יונה, ומשנה ברורה ס' מ"ז) explain that even though the Jewish people were studying Torah, they didn't properly appreciate the unique status of the Torah over and above all other wisdom. Torah that is studied without a proper appreciation of its significance is not truly Torah at all. Fundamentally, the failure to give the proper respect to Torah scholars is rooted in the failure to truly appreciate the Torah itself.

At this time of year, when we are in mourning over the destruction of our Holy Temples, it particularly appropriate for us to meditate upon the root causes of our exile, which is ultimately the root cause of all the tragedies and suffering of history. By carefully studying our own behavior and attitudes, and working to bring them in line with the teachings of the Torah, we will ultimately merit the coming of the Messiah and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. May it happen soon in our days!

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Mattos-Masei - The Soldiers' Offering

In Parshas Mattos we read of the war that God commanded the Jewish people to wage against the Midianites in vengeance against their efforts to lead the Jewish people into sin (as described previously in Numbers 25).

At the conclusion of the war, when the Jewish soldiers returned to the camp with their captives and spoils, Moses was angry with the commanders of the army because they had - in keeping with the normal standards of Jewish warfare - kept alive the women. Moses points out that in this case it was the women in particular who had seduced the Jewish people into sin, and therefore they too had to be killed.

At this point the Torah goes into some detail about various laws of purity, the kashering of the utensils, and the division of the spoils. After all these issues are discussed and dealt with, the Torah tells us that the officers of the army approached Moses with a special request (Numbers 31:48-50):

ויקרבו אל משה הפקדים אשר לאלפי הצבא שרי האלפים ושרי המאות: ויאמרו אל משה עבדיך נשאו את ראש אנשי המלחמה אשר בידנו ולא נפקד ממנו איש: ונקרב את קרבן ה' איש אשר מצא כלי זהב אצעדה וצמיד טבעת עגיל וכומז לכפר על נפשתינו לפני ה':

And the officers that were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds, approached Moses. And they said to Moses, 'Your servants have made a count of the men of war that are under our command, and not one man has been lost. And we have brought an offering to God, what every man has found articles of gold, anklet and bracelet, ring, ear-ring, and kumaz, to atone for our souls before God.'

The Talmud (Shabbos 64a-b) discusses this offering, and provides us with some background as to what was happening here and what it teaches us:

ויקצוף משה על פקודי החיל אמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה אמר להן משה לישראל שמא חזרתם לקלקולכם הראשון אמרו לו לא נפקד ממנו איש אמר להן אם כן כפרה למה אמרו לו אם מידי עבירה יצאנו מידי הרהור לא יצאנו מיד ונקרב את קרבן ה'

תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל מפני מה הוצרכו ישראל שבאותו הדור כפרה מפני שזנו עיניהם מן הערוה אמר רב ששת מפני מה מנה הכתוב תכשיטין שבחוץ עם תכשיטין שבפנים לומר לך כל המסתכל באצבע קטנה של אשה כאילו מסתכל במקום התורפה:

"And Moses was angry with the officers of the army." (Numbers 31:14) R. Nachman said, "Rabbah bar Avuha said, 'Moses said to Israel: 'Perhaps you have returned to your first sin (i.e. of fornicating with the Midianite women)?' [The officers] said [in reply], 'Not one man has been lost (i.e. not one man has fallen to sin).' [Moses] said to them, 'If so, why [do you need] an atonement?' They said, 'Though we escaped from sin, we did not escape from [sinful] thoughts.'  Thus, 'And we have brought an offering to God.'"

The School of R. Yishmael taught: Why did Israel of that generation need atonement? Because they indulged their eyes with lewdness. R. Sheshes said: Why does Scripture enumerate the outward ornaments (i.e. anklets, bracelets, and rings) with the inner ornaments (i.e. the kumaz, which the Talmud previously explained to refer to an ornament that a woman wore upon her gentalia)? To tell you that one who gazes upon a woman's little finger is as though he gazed upon the genitalia.

The Talmud tells us that the offering of gold by the soldiers was intended to atone for improper thoughts that they had experienced when they looked upon the Midianite women. Although they had not actually sinned with the women, they still recognized that atonement was necessary even for such inappropriate thoughts, given that they resulted from inappropriate gazing. Indeed, the Talmud concludes that not only is it forbidden to look upon a women's actual nakedness, it is even forbidden for a man to gaze upon a forbidden woman who is fully clothed, if he has intent to have pleasure from her beauty. (This is cited by the Rambam (Hil. Issurei Biah 21:2) and Shulchan Aruch (Even Haezer 21:1) as practical halacha.)

However, as important as it is for us to avoid sinful thoughts, there remains a huge difference between sinful thoughts and sinful deeds. The Midrash Lekach Tov (a Biblical commentary written by  R' Toviah ben Eliezer in the 11th century) cites the Talmudic passage "מידי עבירה יצאנו מידי הרהור לא יצאנו" - "Though we escaped from sin, we did not escape from [sinful] thoughts" - and then states, "מלמד שהיו כולם צדיקים" - "This teaches us that they were all tzadikim (righteous men)." Despite the fact that they had gazed upon that which was inappropriate - "שזנו עיניהם מן הערוה" - which caused them to have sinful thoughts, the Medrash Lekach Tov still states that they were all tzadikim. It is all too common for those who struggle with sinful thoughts to see themselves as sinful and wicked, perhaps even irredeemably so. From the Medrash Lekach Tov we see that, as serious as this issue is, one who struggles with this problem can still be considered a tzaddik.

I believe there is another important lesson implicit in this Talmudic teaching. Many of the commentaries (Maharsha, HaRif on Ein Yakov) point out that the dialogue between Moses and the officers was actually spread over a fair amount of time. Moses became angry with the officers in verse 14, when they returned with the Midianite women as captives, yet their response does not take place until much later, in verse 48, after they had killed the women, purified themselves, kashered the vessels, and divided the spoils - all of this according to Moses' instructions. All of this took time, at least several days. It was only then that the officers approached Moses with the offering of gold from the soldiers, and informed him that none of the soldiers had actually sinned with the Midianite women.

I believe that this provides us with a model for how one should respond to criticism from one's rebbi (Torah teacher). If your teacher or rabbi accuses you of doing something improper, one's initial response should not be to immediately deny the accusation. Rather, the first thing one should do is to listen to what your teacher says and to follow his instructions. Only later, after one has fully complied with his teacher's instructions, is it time to approach him and to clear your name. (As should be obvious, of course, there may be cases where such an approach is not feasible.)

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The Mitzva of Patriotism

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Build houses and settle, plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men, and they shall bear sons and daughters; become numerous there and do not diminish. And you shall seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace shall you have peace. (Jeremiah 29:4-7)

Rabbi Chanina, the deputy Kohen Gadol, says: Pray for the welfare of the government, for without the fear [of the government] a man would swallow fellow alive. (Talmud - Avos 3:2)

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (d.1888) writes (Horeb ch. 96) that we learn from from these verses in Jeremiah that “in whichever land Jews shall live as citizens, as inhabitants, or enjoying special protection, they shall honor and love the princes and Government as their own, contribute with every possible power to their good, and fulfill all the duties towards prince and land which a subject owes to his prince, an inhabitant to his land, and a citizen to his country.”

“It is… Israel’s religious duty, a duty imposed by God and no less holy than all the others, in whatever land they dwell in, not only to fulfill all the duties which the laws of that land explicitly lay down, but, over and above that, to do with thought, word, and deed everything that can contribute to the weal of that nation.”

“This duty is an unconditional duty and not dependent upon whether the State is kindly intentioned towards you or is harsh.”

Indeed, it should be noted that Jeremiah was speaking to people who had been forcibly exiled from their land and taken to Babylonia against their will. Even under such conditions, they were still obligated to "seek the peace" of their host country. As Rabbi Joseph Breuer (d.1980) notes, in his commentary on Jeremiah, “God requires the golah (exiled community) to help promote, with selfless devotion, the welfare of the foreign land in which they dwell. The exiles are bidden to perceive their own welfare as so closely linked with that of their host nation that they will pray to God for a nation that has dealt them the most grievous wounds.”

Similarly, the commentators on Avos (Ruach Chaim, L'Zeicher Yisrael, R' Hertz) note that Rabbi Chanina lived at a time shortly before the destruction of the second Temple, when the Jewish people were under oppressive Roman rule, and was instructing his fellow Jews to nevertheless pray for the welfare of the Roman government. In his commentary on Avos, Rabbi Marcus Lehmann (d.1890) stresses this point:

There are, of course, governments that hardly live up to the ideal--governments that allow arbitrary judgments to take the place of the law, that show preference to some classes of citizens at the expense of others, governments whose executive organs are corrupt. Should the Jew be an obedient citizen to a corrupt government?

Rabbi Chanina lived under such a government. The Roman hegemony was cruel, corrupt, and tyrannical, yet he taught his disciples to pray continually for its welfare because even an unfair and despotic government is a thousand times better than anarchy and no government at all.

If we are obligated to be loyal and patriotic citizens even in lands in which we are oppressed, then how much greater is our obligation towards a country which has always treated us with great kindness! Every day that we live in the United States our obligation of hakaras hatov – gratitude – to the United States increases to higher levels. In 1976 Rabbi Shimon Schwab (d.1995) wrote an essay regarding the American Bicentennial. In this essay he states, in part:

[T]his Bicentennial year gives us a welcome opportunity to express our Jewish gratitude to this nation which has opened its gates to receive millions of us. Jews from all over the globe, who otherwise might have perished in the hell holes of the old world. Here we have found, during the last centuries, a haven of refuge free from pogroms, expulsions, crusaders, inquisitions, concentration camps and gas chambers. The only country where Jews were never burned at the stake or perched in ghettos and where they were not made to wear a badge of shame. Here in America, the Books of the Torah were never burned or censored, and the freedom to teach and practice the laws of G-d was never curtailed or questioned.

… [T]his country has the immense זכות (merit) to be the host to hundreds of thousands of Torah Jews who enjoy the freedom the serve השי"ת (God) without restrictions. All this imposes upon us an ever mounting debt of gratitude which we repay by loyalty to and concern for this nation and by the strict adherence to the laws of the land (דינא דמלכותא).

Such gratitude is of course in reality directed to the Ruler over all nations who permitted us to find shelter and a haven of opportunity in these United States for the welfare of which we pray and whose peace we seek. (Selected Writings, ch. 33)

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Pinchas - The Zealotry of Phinehas

The previous parsha ended with the the violent act of zealotry of Phinehas, who killed a Jewish man that was engaging in public fornication with a Midianite woman, thereby saving the Jewish people from a plague. Parshas Pinchas begins immediately following this incident, with God's declaration to Moses:

Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My anger away from the children of Israel, in that he was very jealous for My sake among them, and I have not destroyed the children of Israel in My jealousy. Therefore say, Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace. And it shall be for him and his children after him, a covenant of eternal priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

The commentaries note that the Torah emphasizes the lineage of Phinehas, going back two generations, to his grandfather, Aaron the priest. This is particular significant, given that the Torah had already introduced us to Phinehas, and his lineage, just three verses previously.

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 82b, cited by Rashi here) explains why Phinehas' lineage is emphasized:

התחילו שבטים מבזין אותו ראיתם בן פוטי זה שפיטם אבי אמו עגלים לעבודת כוכבים והרג נשיא שבט מישראל בא הכתוב ויחסו פנחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן

[After the incident,] the tribes began to disparage Phinehas, saying, "See this son of Puti, whose maternal grandfather fattened calves for idolatry, and he has killed a prince of a tribe of Israel!" Scripture [therefore] came and stated his lineage: Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the Priest.

(Rashi, on the Talmud, explains, that Phinehas' father, Eleazar, had married one of the daughters of Jethro - who was also known as Putiel. Jethro has originally been an idolatrous priest.)

On the simple level, this attack against Phinehas was entirely unjustified and represented nothing more than the type of anger that would be expected after such an incident. Now matter how justified Phinehas' action was, and no matter how beneficial it may have been to the nation, the reality is that after a violent incident such as this, there will inevitably be some very strong negative emotions.

However, if this were nothing more than the usual angry words that tend to float around after any incident of this sort, there would be no reason for the Torah and the Sages to record the exact nature of the complaint. The fact that this information has been transmitted to us indicates that there is something more significant going on. It would seem that the disparaging remarks about Phinehas' ancestry were, at least at first glance, justifiable, and it was therefore necessary for the Torah to emphasize that Phinehas was also the grandson of Aaron the priest.

Phinehas' act of zealotry, in which he unilaterally acted to execute a sinner, is obviously one fraught with difficulty on many levels.While, in the final analysis, there is indeed a principle that certain sins, such a public fornication with a non-Jewish woman, are indeed subject to a special law that "zealots may kill him" (קנאים פוגעים בו), in practical terms this law is extremely limited in scope. Many commentaries emphasize that one of the conditions required for a person to act on this principle is that they must be genuinely motivated purely out of love and "jealousy" for God. Any other motivation renders the act forbidden.

Thus, when the Jewish people looked at Phinehas, who alone, of all the great men in Israel, had chosen to act in this manner, they were deeply skeptical that his actions had been motivated purely by his moral outrage at the desecration of God's honor. After all, he was himself the grandson of an idolatrous priest, and, in fact, the son of a Midianite woman! Perhaps his motivation derived from other, less pure elements, that he had received through his non-Jewish ancestry. It was only with through God's revelation that it became clear that Phinehas' zealotry was rooted entirely his love of God, and that his actions were worthy of the grandson of Aaron the priest.

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Questions from a College Student

Some time ago, I received the following series of questions from a (non-Jewish) college student from a course she was taking. These were questions that she had to answer about several different religions, and she had been referred to me as a resource on Judaism. I have edited the questions slightly, to focus specifically on Judaism (as the original questions were written with reference to multiple religions).

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How would Judaism react to the following issues:

• Animal testing 

Judaism recognizes a general prohibition against causing unnecessary suffering to animals. (This prohibition is derived from several Biblical sources, including Exodus 23:5.) Thus, for example, virtually all Jewish authorities prohibit hunting for sport. Even when the use of animals is permitted, which is the general rule for human benefit (e.g. food, clothing, labor), there is still an obligation  to refrain from causing excessive suffering. With regard to animal testing and experimentation, the general approach taken by most authorities is that, assuming steps are taken to avoid unnecessary suffering, animal testing and experimentation is permitted as long as it provides a real and non-trivial benefit to human beings. However, while simple in principle, practical application of this rule can be complex, and can only be determined on a case-by-case basis.

• Famine

(I’m not clear on what the “issue” of famine is in the first place. I am going to assume that the question is what the Jewish position is on helping people that are suffering from famine (although that would seem to be rather obvious).)

Judaism has always stressed charity as a moral obligation and providing aid to those who are suffering from starvation and famine is obviously an integral part of that obligation. In practical terms, when one personally encounters such suffering there is a clear obligation to provide aid to the best of one’s ability. There is also a broad moral obligation to make efforts to provide aid to suffering people wherever they may be, but what this means in practical terms must be dealt with on a case by case basis.

• Women’s reproductive rights

In general, the terminology of “rights”, rather than obligation, is foreign to traditional Jewish thought. Like every aspect of life, reproduction is encompassed by a number of laws and obligations in Judaism. There is a basic commandment to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), which is understood to bear within it a prohibition against engaging in any kind of birth control (unless medically necessary). Abortion is forbidden as a crime akin to murder, and is only permitted when necessary to save the life of the mother. Again, outside of clear medical emergencies, the exact application of these rules can be complex and can only be determined on a case-by-case basis.

• Environmental concerns

There are many traditional Jewish teachings that indicate that, although God has given the earth to mankind to use for his benefit, we are expected to do so in a responsible manner. Wanton wastefulness is explicitly forbidden by Jewish law. (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hil. Melachim 6:8-10) There are also sources that indicate an obligation to maintain the public domain in an aesthetically pleasing manner, and to avoid damaging the environment in a way that harms other people.

• Homosexuality

Judaism absolutely prohibits engaging in any form of homosexual relations. Male homosexual relations is explicitly forbidden by the Torah (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13) as a crime bearing the death penalty. The prohibition against female homosexual relations is derived from Leviticus 18:3, and while completely  forbidden, is of a less severe nature. It should be noted that all of this refers only to actual relations. Sexual orientation per se is of no significance in Jewish law.

What does Judaism teach about what happens in death? Reincarnation and the soul?

Judaism absolutely recognizes the existence of the “soul”, which can be best understood as the non-physical locus of the human personality. One of the basic foundations of Judaism is the concept of reward and punishment, i.e. that God rewards us for our good deeds and punishes us for our (unrepented) bad deeds. Included in this principle is the concept that the primary domain of reward and punishment is the afterlife.

The concept of reincarnation does exist in Judaism, however the concept is markedly different from popular conceptions of the idea.

How does Judaism view God? Does an all-powerful God allow people to suffer?

Judaism defines God as the omnipotent and omniscient Source of Existence. All existence is dependent upon Him, but He is not dependent on anything. He is the only true Power in the universe, and nothing can happen against His will. This includes that which we perceive as evil.  As the prophet Isaiah said, “I am the LORD, and there is none else, beside Me there is no God... That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me; I am the LORD; and there is none else; I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

How can a person reach salvation in Judaism?

The general theme of “Salvation” is a Christian concept that does not carry over well to Judaism. Of course, when we are threatened with destruction, either as individuals or as a group, we pray to God for salvation from destruction. Similarly, when we have sinned we are required to repent and pray to God to forgive us and save us from our iniquity. However, the general idea that a human being is, by nature, “unsaved” is foreign to Judaism.

What is the meaning or purpose of life in Judaism?

Judaism sees the purpose and goal of human life as striving to achieve an ever-growing connection with God. One achieves this connection through the fulfillment of God’s commandments, prayer, and the study of His Torah.

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Tisha B’Av – The Ninth of Av

On the Ninth of Av it was decreed on our fathers that they would not enter the Land (of Israel) [Bamidbar 14], the Temple was destroyed the first time and the second time, Beitar (the stronghold of the Bar Kochba rebellion) was captured, and the city (of Jerusalem) was plowed under.

Talmud Taanis 4

As the anniversary of the most tragic events in Jewish history, the ninth of Av is the most important day of mourning in the Jewish year. Other than Yom Kippur, it is the only fast day in the year that lasts a full night and day. All other fasts begin in the morning and end that night. Tisha B’Av begins at sundown and continues till the following nightfall. Tisha B’Av carries several additional prohibitions that are not required by the other fasts.

Prohibitions

The following is a list of the basic prohibitions on Tisha B’Av:

• We are forbidden to eat or drink anything for the entire period. (A person who has difficulty fasting for health reasons should consult a rabbi.)
• It is forbidden to wash oneself, even just one finger. The only exception is the required washing upon rising in the morning and after using the bathroom. Even in these cases we may only wash until the knuckles. If one has soiled his hands he is permitted to clean the soiled area only.
• It is forbidden to wear leather shoes. (There is no prohibition against other leather items.)
• Marital relations are forbidden.
• With several exceptions, one may not study Torah on Tisha B’Av because the study of Torah brings joy. The exceptions are the book of Eichah (Lamentations), the book of Job, the “bad” passages in Yirmiyah (omitting the passages of consolation), and various Talmudic and Midrashic passages which deal with the destruction of the first and second Temples and with the laws of mourning. Even in these cases we are not permitted to study in depth.
• We are not permitted to greet each other on Tisha B’Av, even to say good morning. If you encounter someone who is unaware of this law and he greets you, it is best to inform him of the law (in a polite manner) so that he will not resent your non-response. If this is not possible, then one should respond in a low voice and with a somber manner.
• The night of Tisha B’Av and the following day until chatzos hayom (midday) we do not sit in a normal chair. Instead, we sit on the ground or on a low stool.
• It is best to avoid work on Tisha B’Av until chatzos hayom (midday).
• One should not go for pleasurable walks or engage in any other activity that might distract from the mourning.

The Day Before

Although the fast itself begins at sunset, certain aspects of the mourning of Tisha B’Av begin earlier. From chatzos hayom (midday) of the eighth of Av and on it is best to refrain from Torah study in the same manner that one must on Tisha B’Av itself. However, many authorities are lenient in this matter. Certainly one should not engage in frivolous activity but should prepare himself for the upcoming fast.

It is customary to eat a meal before Mincha (afternoon prayers). This meal carries no restrictions. It is customary to eat well at this meal in preparation for the fast, but care must be taken not to overeat so that one can eat the Seudah HaMafsekes comfortably.

Tachanun is not recited during Mincha.

After the Mincha prayers it is customary to eat the last meal. This meal is called the Seudah HaMafseket (Separating Meal). It is forbidden to eat more than one cooked food at this meal. (This includes any form of cooking even roasted, fried, or pickled.) Meat, wine and fish are forbidden. Intoxicating drinks should be completely avoided.

The meal is eaten sitting on the ground or a low seat. It is customary to eat a hard-boiled egg (which serves as the cooked food). It is also customary to eat a piece of bread dipped into ashes and to declare, “This is the Tisha B’Av meal.”

During the meal, three men should not sit together so that they will not have to recite the Birchas HaMazon (Grace after Meals) as a group (mezuman). If they do eat together they still do not form a group.

When the eve of Tisha B’Av falls out on Shabbat, none of these restrictions apply.

Tisha B’Av Night

All of the prohibitions of Tisha B’Av begin at sundown. It is therefore necessary to remove one’s leather shoes shortly before sundown.

It is customary to remove the paroches  (curtain) from the Aron Hakodesh (Holy Ark) in the synagogue before Maariv (evening prayers). It is also customary to reduce the lighting in the synagogue. (In many synagogues, it is customary to pray by candlelight on Tisha B'Av night.)

After Maariv is completed, the book of Eichah (Lamentations) is read aloud to the congregation. After Eichah is completed, the congregation recites Kinos, poetic prayers of lamentation.

It is proper for a person to sleep in a less comfortable manner than he is normally accustomed to. If he usually sleeps with two pillows then he should sleep with only one. Some have the custom to sleep on the ground on the night of Tisha B’Av and to rest their head on a stone.

Tisha B’Av Day

At Shacharis (morning prayers) on Tisha B’Av morning, talis and tefillin are not worn. (They are worn during Mincha instead.) The small tzitzit is still worn but no blessing is recited. Tachanun is not recited. The Torah is taken out and the portion of Deuteronomy 4:25-40 is read and the haftarah from Isaiah 8:13 - 9:23.

After the Torah reading the congregation recites Kinos. This should last until a little before chatzos hayom (midday). After Kinos the prayers are completed. Lamnatzeach and the second verse of Uvo L’Tzion (V’Ani Zot Briti…) are omitted. Some do not say Shir Shel Yom now but wait until Mincha.

It is proper for every person to read the book of Eichah again.

After chatzos hayom (midday) it is permissible to sit on an ordinary seat.

At Mincha we don talis and tefillin. The Torah is taken out and the standard portion and haftarah for fast days is read.

During the Amida (silent, standing prayer) the following prayer is inserted in the blessing of V’LeYerushalayim Ircha:

HaShem our God, console the mourners of Zion and the mourners of Jerusalem, and the city that is mournful, destroyed, shamed, and desolate. Mournful without her children, destroyed without her residences, shamed without her honor, and desolate without inhabitant. She sits with her head covered, like a barren woman who does not give birth. She has been devoured by the legions, and conquered by the worshipers of foreign powers, and they put your people, Israel, to the sword and willfully murdered the devout [servants] of the High One. Therefore Zion cries bitterly, and Jerusalem raises her voice, “My heart! My heart [aches] on the slain! My stomach! My stomach [aches] on the slain!” For You, God, with fire you burned her, and with fire you will rebuild her, as it is said, “And I will be for her, says God, a wall of fire around her, and I will be a glory within her.”(Zechariah 2:9) Blessed are You, God, Who consoles Zion and builds Jerusalem.

The Night After Tisha B’Av

Tisha B’Av ends at nightfall. Even though the fast ends that night, it is proper to not eat meat or bathe until chatzos hayom (midday) the following day. This is because the Temple continued to burn into the tenth day.

Shabbos and Tisha B’Av

When the ninth of Av falls out on Shabbos then the fast is postponed until Sunday. In such a case, while one should still abstain from meat and bathing the following night, one need not do so the next day.

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The Three Weeks

The three weeks that begin on the 17^th of Tamuz and end on Tisha B’Av are a period of mourning for the Jewish people. It was during this period that both of our Holy Temples were destroyed.

There are two periods within these three weeks. During the period beginning from 17^th of Tamuz until the end of the month of Tamuz (a period of twelve days) the mourning is not as intense. The mourning during the final nine days, beginning with the first of Av until Tisha B’Av, is intensified and many additional practices of mourning are added. (This is according to Ashkenazic practice. According to Sefardic practice, the mourning is only intensified during the actual week in which Tisha B'Av falls.)

During the first twelve days the following practices are observed:

• We do not perform weddings.
• We do not make the blessing shehechyanu. We therefore avoid purchasing or wearing new garments which require this blessing during this period.
• We do not shave or get a haircut.
• We do not listen to instrumental music.

During the final nine days we continue to follow these restrictions in addition to which we add the following practices:

• We do not eat meat or drink wine except on Shabbos.
• We do not do construction when its primary purpose is pleasure (such as building a swimming pool) or aesthetic (such as painting).
• We avoid pleasurable bathing during this period.
• We do not launder clothing during this period nor do we wear fresh clothing (except for Shabbos).
• We do not trim our fingernails during this period.

There are many leniencies that can be relied upon with regard to these restrictions in cases of significant difficulty. In any such case, one should consult a competent rabbi.

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The Interruption of the Tamid Sacrifice

One of the tragic events of the 17^th of Tamuz was the interruption of the korban tamid (the daily offering of two sheep in the Temple). There is some disagreement in the sources as to when this happened (or, more accurately, which interruption of the Tamid service is commemorated on the 17th of Tammuz). Maimonides writes that this occurred prior to the  destruction of the first Temple, when Jerusalem was under siege and they were unable to get the necessary sheep. Others say that it occurred prior to the the destruction of the second Temple. And some say that this refers to an interruption of the Tamid service that took place at an earlier part of the second Temple period, under Hasmonean rule.

In order to understand what happened at that time, we will first need to quickly review some history. At the beginning of the second Temple period, when the Jewish people returned to the land of Israel and rebuilt the Temple, they did so under Persian rule. When the Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, conquered the Persian empire, the Jewish commonwealth also came under Greek rule. After some time, the Greeks began to oppress the Jews and attempted to outlaw the observance of Judaism. The Jewish people, under the leadership of the priestly Hasmonean family, revolted against the Greeks. After their miraculous victory (celebrated on Chanukah), the Hasmonean family became the kings of the Jewish commonwealth in the land of Israel. The Hasmonean family ruled for a little more than a century, until they were displaced by Herod (with the support of the Romans). 

Although the early Hasmonean leaders were truly righteous and great men, over time their descendants were not always so good. Towards the end of the Hasmonean period, there was a struggle between two Hasmonean brothers, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus (the sons of the previous king, Alexander Jannaeus), over who should be king which eventually led to war. Hyrcanus allied himself with a non-Jewish king and made a siege on Jerusalem. (It was during this siege that the Tamid service was interrupted.) Eventually the famous Roman general, Pompey, got involved, and when all was done, the Romans had become the ruling power in Jerusalem. Thus, the struggle between Hyrcanus and Aristobulus was what first enabled the Romans to assume control over the land of Israel, which ultimately led to the destruction of the Jewish commonwealth and the second Temple.

It is is significant that the initiating event that ultimately led to the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jewish people was a struggle between two jealous brothers, for the Talmud (Yoma 9b) tells us that the second Temple was destroyed because of the sin of sinas chinam - unjustified hatred.  As Jews, we believe that God directs the events of history, and nothing simply happens on its own. This event was a sign, both to the people of that time and for all generations, of the inseparable connection between our relationship with God - symbolized by the Temple - and our relationship with our fellow men.

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Shiva Asar B’Tamuz – The Seventeenth of Tamuz

The Seventeenth of Tamuz is the anniversary of several tragic events in Jewish history.

1. The luchot were broken on this day when Moses came down from Sinai and found the Jews worshiping the golden calf.
2. The Tamid (daily) sacrifice was discontinued on this day. (There is some disagreement in the sources as to when this happened (or, more accurately, which interruption of the Tamid service is commemorated on the 17th of Tammuz). Maimonides writes that this occurred prior to the  destruction of the first Temple, when Jerusalem was under siege and they were unable to get the necessary sheep. Others say that it occurred prior to the the destruction of the second Temple. And some say that this refers to an interruption of the Tamid service that took place at an earlier part of the second Temple period, under Hasmonean rule.)
3. The Romans penetrated the city walls of Jerusalem on this day prior to the destruction of the second Temple.
4. An idol was erected in the Temple on this day. (There is a difference of opinion in the Talmud (Yer. Taanis 4:5) whether this is talking about the first or second Beit HaMikdash.)
5.  The Torah was burnt on this day by Apustemus, one of the Greek oppressors.

In memory of these events we are required to fast on this day to inspire ourselves to repentance.

The fast begins at the break of dawn and ends at nightfall. During this time we neither eat nor drink any food whatsoever, not even water. Even though we are, strictly speaking, permitted to bathe on this fast day (unlike Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur) the custom is not to bathe on Shiva Asar B’Tamuz.

Pregnant or nursing women, as well as anyone else for whom fasting may be a health problem should consult with a rabbi whether they are permitted to fast. Children below the age of majority (bar or bat mitzvah) do not fast. (In some communities, it is customary for children to begin fasting a short time before they become bar/bat mitzvah.)

It is important to recognize that the primary idea behind a fast is to meditate on the fact that these sufferings came upon us because the sins of our ancestors, sins which we continue to commit, and that we must repent. Someone who fasts but spends the day in frivolous activity has completely missed the point.

The fast of Shiva Asar B’Tamuz marks the beginning of a three-week period of national mourning for the Jews that is completed on TishaB’Av, the ninth of Av.

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Shelach - Challah and the Purpose of Creation

In Parshas Shelach we read about the mitzva of hafrashas challah - setting aside a portion of our dough for the Kohanim. The Torah states (Numbers 15:17-20):

וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר: דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם בבאכם אל הארץ אשר אני מביא אתכם שמה: והיה באכלכם מלחם הארץ תרימו תרומה לה': ראשית ערסתכם חלה תרימו תרומה כתרומת גרן כן תרימו אתה: מראשית ערסתיכם תתנו לה' תרומה לדרתיכם:

And God spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, When you come to the land to which I am bringing you. It shall be, that when you eat from the bread of the land, you shall set aside a portion for God. You shall set aside a loaf from the first of your dough; you shall set it aside like the the portion that is set aside from the threshing-floor. Of the first of your dough you shall give to God a portion throughout your generations.

Although the Biblical obligation of challah does not currently apply (and, even when applicable, it only applies in the land of Israel), there is a Rabbinic obligation to separate challah from our dough at all times and places.

The medrash (בראשית רבה א:ד) states that challah is one of a small group of mitzvos in the merit of which the world was created, and they find an allusion to creation in the use of the term "reishis" - "beginning" - in the verses quoted above.^[1]

The Shelah HaKadosh (R' Isaiah Horowitz, d.1630)^[2] writes that, while we can readily understand what the Sages meant when they said that the world was created for the sake of the Torah, or for Israel (as we find in Rashi on Genesis 1:1), as these refer to broad general concepts that ultimately include everything, it is difficult to understand why challah is singled out from all the other commandments as being of such significance. Clearly, the medrash is telling us that challah represents a broader concept that, when properly understood, can be seen as ultimately including the entire Torah, and, indeed, the entire purpose of Creation.

The Shelah HaKadosh answers that man is intended to serve God by fulfilling His Torah with both his body and soul, achieving such a deveikus (connection) with God and His Torah that even the physical body becomes sanctified. Yet, asks the Shelah Hakadosh, how can the physical body ever achieve a true deveikus with the spiritual as long as it is still bound to the physical need for food? How can we truly sanctify our physical bodies when, no matter what we accomplish, our inescapable appetite for food will inevitably bring us back to our physical, animal nature?

The solution to this problem, the Shelah HaKadosh writes, is that God has given us the ability to sanctify our food, so that even when we are engaging in the physical act of eating, we are actually engaged in an extraordinary act of holiness. We sanctify our food in a wide variety of ways, including the adherence to the dietary laws and the recitation of brachos (blessings) both before and after eating. There are many times when we specifically obligated to feast and rejoice with food and drink, such as in celebration of the Sabbath  and festivals. Perhaps the ultimate example of this principle was in the eating of the sacrifices in the Holy Temple.

Challah clearly represents this principle. Through the mitzva of challah we demonstrate that even our ordinary bread, being prepared for an ordinary meal on an ordinary day, is holy to God. It is only after we set aside a portion of that dough for God that we may partake of it ourselves. God, so to speak, takes part even in our most ordinary meals, for a proper Jewish home is a Temple to God, and a proper Jewish table is an altar to God, and, at a proper Jewish meal, every bite of food that we consume is a holy korban (sacrifice) to God.

Once we fully grasp this concept, we quickly recognize that this principle lays at the foundation of virtually everything we do as Jews. For a Jew, there is no fundamental conflict between the physical and the spiritual. On the contrary, our task as Jews is precisely to bring these apparently disparate elements into unity with each other through the fulfillment of the mitzvos. For the Jew, therefore, religious life is not limited to the synagogue. On the contrary, the essence of Judaism is precisely what we do outside of the synagogue, in our homes and our businesses and in the public sphere.

Thus, we can understand why the medrash says that the world was created in the merit of challah, for through the mitzva of challah we can recognize this vital principle which, ultimately, includes the entire Torah and, indeed, the entire purpose of Creation.

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[1] ר' הונא בשם ר' מתנה אמר בזכות ג' דברים נברא העולם, בזכות חלה, ובזכות מעשרות, ובזכות בכורים, ומה טעם? בראשית ברא אלקים, ואין ראשית אלא חלה, שנאמר, ראשית עריסותיכם וכו'

[2] שער האותיות, ק' קדושת האכילה [ס"ז-ס"ח]

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