Author: Moshe Taub

  • The Goral HaGra

    The Goral HaGra

    Its History, Efficacy,
    &
    Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaer, and Naftali Fraenkel, Hy”d

    See also post: ‘Dates, Segulos, & War’

    June, 2014

    Rav Binyamin Elyashiv recently performed a Goral HaGra to help shed light on the status of the three missing yeshiva bochurim. We will therefore discuss the issue of Goral HaGra in general as well as examine the Goral performed by Rav Elyashiv.

     Ami has confirmed with Rav Elyashiv that our reporting on his implementation of the Goral HaGra is accurate.

    Justice Antonin Scalia once wrote in a Supreme Court decision that while Ben Bag Bag taught the Jews long ago that everything is found in the Torah, such is not the case with a human document like the United States Constitution.[1]

    “Divinely inspired text may contain the answers to all earthly questions, but the Due Process Clause most assuredly does not.”

    In the past we discussed in this column selections from mathematicians and scientists brilliantly demonstrating this maxim of Ben Bag Bag.  However, beyond matters of great depth are matters that effect klal yisroel writ large.

    For instance, it is well known that when yidden learn something in unison it has the power to relate greatly to our daily lives. In fact the Chasam Sofer (Drashos, Sukkos, p.52) teaches that when one is in doubt about something he should look at the parshas hashevua to find the answer. This is especially true of the aliya one may receive in that parsha (see ‘Melech B’yofiuv’ p. 5).[2]

    Famously, the gemara in a number of places (Chullin 95b, Yoma 22a, Sanhedrin 17a, et al) mentions the practice of asking a child what pasuk they are learning so that from it one can glean the answer to the doubt they were having.

    This is not just agadata; the Shulchan Aruch (Rama, Yoreh Deah 179:4) discusses the halachik allowance of acting on such information (see Biur HaGra there. Cf. Rambam).

    While this latter form of relying on serendipitous texts is based on the prophesy of children,[3] there is another, more famous method.

    “The Goral HaGra”.

    This ‘goral’ is achieved through opening a Chumash or Tanach in certain ways that will bring the petitioner to a verse that provides a clue or an answer to one’s question. While most written sources mention the use of a chumash, the many storied brought below, including that of Rav Binyamin Elyashiv, demonstrate use of a Tanach. There is even one tradition of simply using a sefer Tehillim.

    Aside for this disputed tradition, is the question of how the lines of the text in the sefer being used for the goral need to be formulated (one column or two). All this only adds to the mystery, and the need for a clear mesorah in this matter.

    We find in the gemara (Chullin 95) an allusion to such a goral. The amara Shmuel would open a sefer Torah before a trip and the pasuk he arrived at would foretell if this was indeed a worthwhile trip on which to embark. As we will see in the stories below, the Goral HaGra as well was most often utilized in times of war and seeking to discover where one should escape to, what trip to make (see Birkei Yosef ibid. #6).

    This past week it was reported that someone approached Rav Chaim Kinievsky about possibly doing a Goral HaGra so as to discover the state of the three missing yeshivah students.

    Rav Chaim is purported to have declined, explaining that in order to perform a Goral HaGra one need ruach hakodesh.[4] Instead, he suggested they go to Rav Steinman.

    When Rav Steinman was later approached, he found it humorous that people thought that he had ruach hakodesh. Instead, he told them to daven.

    If true, Rav Chaim likely said this based on the words of his father, the Steipler. In Orchos Rabeinu (1:p.218) the Steipler is quoted as being very opposed to utilizing the Goral HaGra (see below for reasons). Rav Chaim Kinievsky himself is quoted[5] as saying that he never heard of his father or the Chazon Ish ever taking advantage of this tool.

    The sefer ‘Tamim Tehiyeh’ (9:p.39) explains similarly that although there is a prohibition from the Torah against divination –see Shulchan Aruch ad loc.– a goral performed through using a tanach is allowed because that is aided through ruach hakodesh (and even then, it would be forbidden to find out about the future –rather only to find out, say, if someone is still alive presently etc. would be allowed).

    Contra the above, the Brisker Rav once sought to do a Goral HaGra and came to the very pasuk (Devarim 18:13) of “Tamim Tiyehe…’ which exhorts us to be simple in our faith in Hashem and not to seek out tricks or the future. The Brisker Rav saw this as a sign not to continue (‘HaGaon’ p. 1126).

    Everyone agrees, however, that it is not something to be done often, or with an improper mindset (see Chida in shu’t Chaim Shaul 38:41). In fact, many would go to the mikveh first, and certainly prepare through teffila.

    In addition there is the concern brought by the Sefer Chasidim that utilizing such forces too often can cause them to harm a person R’l (see Shalal Rav, Devarim, p. 335).

    Furthermore is the very serious issue of having to listen to the goral. Say one does a type of sefer goral to find out if the girl he is dating is the right shidduch for him. After being faced with a verse that seems to indicate she is not the one he suddenly realizes that he indeed wants to grow through with the shidduch. Is he allowed to ignore the goral that indicated otherwise? The Teshuvos Rabbanei Kadmei (#60) says that ignoring the answer one receives through a goral is like ignoring the aseres hadibros.[6]

    All of this should give one pause before seeking out such methods to answer life’s many problems.

    Not withstanding the above, other reports came out this week that Rav Binyamin Elyashiv did perform a Goral HaGra. He explained –quoting his father – that if one had ruach hakodesh they would not need to perform a goral in the first place.

    The other concerns we mentioned also would not apply because this is an extraordinary circumstance, and not done daily, and performed only for the purpose so as to discover if they are alive, not the future.

    This morning (erev Shabbos parshas Korach) I contacted Rav Elyashiv and confirmed that he indeed did perform a Goral HaGra. I further asked him he followed a mesorah from Rav Aryeh Levin, his grandfather. He said that this is the mesorah he based himself on (see below for Rav Aryeh Levin’s Goral HaGra story).

    When I asked what pasuk his goral came to he became energetic.

     He quoted the pasuk (Shoftim 15:14):

     “He [Shimshon] came to Lechi and the Philistines shouted at him, A spirit of Hashem came over him and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that had been singed in fire; his bonds melted from upon his hands” (translation follows Artscroll).

    Not only is the pasuk a reference to being taken captive, but the Philistines shouting with excitement over their prisoner. Rav Elyashiv himself expressed amazement.

     The town lechi where Shimshon was taken was only named so due to the miracle with the jawbone (lechi) that was about to take place, making the true name for this town a mystery. I therefore wondered aloud to Rav Elyashiv if the town of ‘lechi’ mentioned in the pasuk is a reference to Chevron, as some of the reports regarding Rav Elyashiv’s Goral HaGra assert.

    Rav Elyashiv responded by quoting some peirushim who indeed say so![7]

    Amazingly, and as we shall see below, this is not the first time modern Israel heard of a goral that landed in sefer Shoftim.

    We should here mention that the Goral Ha’Gra’ is not an invention of the Gra per se. Rather, although such traditions have existed long before the Vilna Gaon, much of our current mesorah regarding how to do it comes from the Netziv, the Chofetz Chaim and others who trace their mesorah to Rav Chaim Volozion, the prime disciple of the Gra.

    Indeed, we find already in the 15th century discussion of a goral very similar to the mesorah we have today for the Goral HaGara.[8]

     While this is not the place to discuss exactly how it is done, suffice it to say that the popular understanding is incorrect.

    There are any number of famous stories involving the Goral HaGra and there is great toeles in repeating them (see introduction to Rav Chaim Vital’s ‘Goral Kodesh’).[9]

    When Rav Aaron Kotler was escaping Europe he had a certificate for entrance to eretz yisroel, as well as one to enter America. While his heart ached for eretz hakodesh, he also understood the work needed to be done in America. On the other hand were the many challenges of America. Not knowing what to do, he performed a Goral HaGra, which came to the pasuk (Shmos 4:27) “And Hashem said to Aaron, Go greet Moshe in the wilderness”.

    Of course, Rav Aaron understood that the ‘Moshe’ alluded to here was Rav Moshe Feinstein who was already building Torah on these shores, and the midbar was America. 70 years later, with Lakewood near 7000 current students –v’kein yirbui!– we can say that this directive from 3000 years ago came true once more in our lifetimes.

    Rav Yeruchum Levuvitz revealed (Daas Chochma U’Mussar vol.3 p. 273, as well as other sources) a Goral HaGra that he had performed. The legendary mashgiach ruchni of Yeshivas Mir he had the option to move to Kelm. Unsure as to the right decision to make he turned to the goral. He arrived at the verse (Shmos 25:15) “In the rings of the aaron shall the staves be…” which Rav Yeruchum understood to mean that he must stay in his place. He wrote later to Rav Shimon Shkop (ibid.) “…It is a certain matter that this was revealed not due to my merits but to the merits of the rabim (public)”

    A better-known story is the following:

    On Tisha B’Av of 1914 World War 1 broke out. Germany was gaining ground and nobody knew where to run or hide. Many ran deep inside of Russia. Rav Tzvi Hirsh Levinson asked his father-in-law, the Chofetz Chaim, if the yeshiva too should flee. To stay put ran the risk of being taken over by the Germans, yet to flee ran its own sever hazards. When he approached him, the Chofetz Chaim responded that he did not know the right thing to do. He nevertheless continued to press him, yet the Chofetz Chaim was firm in that he was unsure.

    With armies fast approaching, Rav Tzvi Hirsh performed a Goral HaGra. It came to the pasuk (Bereishis 32:11) of ‘ketonti mekol hachasadim’ which ends ‘…and now I have become two camps’.

    Rav Tzvi Hirsh ran to the Chafetz Chaim with the pasuk in hand. As he stepped into his office the Chofetz Chaim told him that he decided to do a Goral HaGra to ascertain the proper path. Opening up a chumash to show his son-in-law the verse it came to, the Chofetz Chaim showed him the very same verse!

    Rav Tzvi Hirsh exclaimed that this was a clear sign from the heavens. Yet, he was still unsure how to decipher it. “Let us do another goral so that Hashem can further explain what He meant” he suggested to the Chofetz Chaim.

    The Chofetz Chaim responded, “I do not want to bother Hahsem more than is absolutely necessary”.

    They ended up splitting the yeshiva into two camps. The Chofetz Chaim and Rav Tzvi Hirsh assumed the risk of fleeing (to Minsk), while Rav Moshe Landinsky and the mashgiach ruchni assumed the risk of staying put.[10]

    While there is not enough space to share with you all of the amazing stories involving the Goral HaGra, I do however want to end with what perhaps is the most famous.

    We pointed out above that Rav Binyamin Elyashiv received his tradition how and when to execute the goral from his grandfather, Rav Aryeh Levin.

    In Israel’s War of Independence thirty-five soldiers were sent to help secure Gush Etzion. They were ambushed by arabs and killed, hy’d. The army was able to recover all the bodies, however they could not identify twelve of them.  

    When Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank was approached as to what to do, he suggested a Goral HaGra. It was decided –based on the many reason stated throughout this article – that the great tzadik Rav Aryeh Levin would be the one to perform it.

    After lighting candles and saying Tehillim, Rav Aryeh stood in front of each of the twelve unidentified caskets. The first pasuk[11] was from Yehoshua (21:4), which refers specifically to the tribe of Binyamin by a goral! This grave was considered to be of Benjamin Bogulavsky. Next came a verse from Shmuel (I 9:21) where the term ‘ben yemini’ is found. This was used to identify Oded ben-Yemini!

    This continued for the rest of the identification! (See the full details in A Tzadik In Our Time, 162-170; Hebrew edition p. 111-117).

    In fact one can still find a picture of the minutes from that holy meeting with Rav Aryeh Levin’s signature.

    This week, the community of Buffalo made an asifas tefilla for the three missing yeshivah students.

    Before the recital of Tehillim I asked each of the rabbanim to speak for a few minutes. After the many beautiful speeches, it was my turn. Knowing I could not add to the inspiring speeches before mine – and basing myself on the Chasam Sofer we quoted above which teaches us that when the klal studies something in unison one can then find answers to serious doubts by looking at the words from that study – I opened up to that day’s daf yomi (Taanis 4a).

    There the gemara teaches tat Hashem does not desire the death of the young, especialy when it could be prevented.

    The gemara quotes a pasuk (Yirmiyahu 19:5) to make its point:

    “….that which I [Hashem] have not commanded, nor spoken, nor has it even entered My mind”

    The gemara then explains:

    “ ‘that which I have not commanded’ refers to the son of Miesha (who died brutally);

    “‘nor spoken’ refers to Yiftach (whose daughter was unnecessarily turned into a korban –either literally or monetarily, see commentaries to pesukim by this event);

    “‘nor has it even entered My mind’ refers to Yitzchak the son of Avraham”

    There in that day’s daf was a reference to three children whose harm Gd did not desire – the very essence of what klal yisroel has been storming the heavens for these last several days in regards to the three students.

    This was not coincidence.

    Let us hope that with or without the Goral HaGra the present horrible events will have a happy ending.

    ‘that which I have not commanded’ – Eyal ben Iris Teshura

    ‘nor spoken’ – Gilad Michoel ben Bat Galim

    ‘nor has it even entered My mind’ –Yaakov Naftali ben Rochel Devorah

    [1] Caperton v. A. T. Massey Coal Co, quoted Pirkei Avos 5:26 {although he quotes it as Mishnah 22.

    [2] Indeed Rav Yair Chayim Bacharach (d. 1702) named his famous sefer ‘Chavos Yair’ based on an aliyah he received (Bamidbar, 32:41) on the very Shabbos he wondered what to name his work! When I mentioned this story the other night between mincha-maariv a visiting Talmud chacham shared with me that when he was a bachur he was unsure about a girl he was dating. He received an aliyah that Shabbos and a transliteration of the girl’s nickname was used in a pasuk warning to stay away. He explained that he saw this is a sign that it was not a shidduch.

    [3] See Bava Basra 12b with Ran to Chullin ibid. Kesef Mishna to hil. Avodah Zara 11:5

    [4] He says this explicitly in Derech Sicha p. 10

    [5] Ibid.

    [6] See further sources in the Margolios edition of Sefer Chasidim p. 430 footnote 3). For another concern, see Michtav M’Eliyahu vol. 2 p. 129)

    [7] I am hoping readers can inform me who comments thus. See also Midrash Hagodel to Bereishis 24:64 regarding where Yitzchak lived when he met Rivkah for the first time at Be’er Roey Lachi. Cf. Ramban and Rashi there. My thanks to R’ Eichorn who joined me on this call.

    [8] See ‘Divrei Hayaim’ found in the collection ‘Sifrei Fes V’Chochmeha’, where the goral performed by Rav Shaul Seriro of 16th century Fes, Morocco is discussed

    [9] In this sefer Rav Chaim Vital recorded many methods of goralos. He explains in the introduction that although one is not to perform these capriciously, people could use chizuk

    [10] Goral HaGra p. 137

    [11] In truth, this was not the first pasuk. They first performed a goral to see if they were correct in what they were doing –they were!

  • The Fasts of ‘Bahab’

    May, 2018

    This past Shabbos there was a special misheberach that was, for centuries, recited in shuls all over the world. Perhaps there are some that still recite it, but it has become rarer and rarer with each passing year.

     This is the special misheberach for those in the community who fast the taanisim of baha’b, which began this Monday and ends this coming Monday.

    I once heard a story about a rosh yeshiva who was approached by a talmid with a question. “Rosh Yeshiva; why is it that we no longer fast baha’b?”

    It was a sincere question, but the rosh yeshiva was incredulous in his response.

    “We don’t?!” he responded with (perhaps feigned) shock.

    When the story was told to me it was with the intimation that this adam gadol was genuinely surprised at this, ostensibly, new information.

    I always thought this story to be somewhat apocryphal, or misunderstood, for reasons soon to become clear.

    But I really should back up a bit. Some readers may not even have heard of baha’b, or, taanis baha’b.

    Twice in Shulchan Aruch is recorded a custom mentioned by Tosfos and other early rishonim. An ancient minhag, it requires that after the yomim tovim of both Sukkos and Pesach we fast a Monday, Thursday and a Monday in a row. The term baha’b stands for beis, hei, beis –or yemei sheni, chamishi, sheni.

    Self-decreed fasts are generally held on Mondays and Thursdays, as these days are yimei ratzon. For this same reason, these are the two days chosen for krias hatorah, and a special tachanun. This is because, among other reasons, Moshe rabeinu went up to receive the Second luchos on a Thursday and returned on a Monday (Midrash Tanchuma, vayera).

    But if so, why not start these fasts on Thursday, making them the fasts of ‘haba’h’, as this was the chronological order of Moshe’s aliyah and yeridah?

    This is due to a fascinating halacha found in a mishneh (Taanis 15b). Chazal teach that we never start a series of fasts on a Thursday, as the shopping to break the fast combined with the shopping for the quickly approaching Shabbos may lead to high price increases and gauging.

    Baha’b is an often overlooked subject, yet one that most rabbanim and gabbeim confront this time of year. We will briefly here discuss why we do this, when we do this, and for which yomim tovim we don’t do this.

    The Shulchan Aruch concludes the laws of Pesach with siman 491,dedicated to the laws of havdala after Pesach and any given yom tov. Siman 493 then begins to discuss the various mourning practices we keep during the omer period. However, in between these two is siman 492, where we find codified this practice of baha’b.

    “There are some who have the practice of fasting Monday, Thursday and Monday after Pesach and Sukkos –however, they wait until after the months of Nissan and Tishrei have ended, and then the fasts commence” The Rama adds that this is the minhag among ashkanazim.

    This last point is echoed by the Shulchan Aruch himself later by the Laws of Fasts (siman 566:2): “When a community/group decrees upon itself a fast…like with baha’b after Pesach and Sukkos which is the minhag in Ashkanaz the shliach tzibbur recites the special anneinu beracha and they lein ‘Vayichal’…”

    The reason why I believed our opening story to be apocryphal is due to the halacha just referenced. Would not this rosh yeshivah have gauged from the mere fact that he did not hear vayichal leined that there is no longer a critical mass of people who are fasting? Perhaps instead this rosh yeshiva was simply showing, in his imitable way, that this that we no longer observe these fasts is a question unto itself.

    The achronim explain that the reason we need to wait until the next months to begin these fasts is because during the Month of Nissan it is forbidden to fast, and Tishrei as well, being that it contains so many moados, it would not be proper to establish a new fast therein.

    Further, we wait until after the first Shabbos of the new month (Iyaar and Marcheshvon respectively) before we begin. This way –among other reasons-we can make the special misheberach for fasters in the new month.

    But why do we have these fasts to begin with? And why do we, largely, no longer keep them?

    As for the latter question, we already see from earlier generations that many did not keep these fasts. The Taz (566, brought in Mishneh Berurah #10) comments that the fast of the 20th of Sivan (created after the horrors of tach v’tat) was observed by more people than was baha’b. Today, when we are even weaker, and indeed poskim are generally more lenient even on regular taanisim, it became even less prevalent.

    More complicated is the reason behind bahab’s establishment in the first place.

    There are several reasons offered:

    • The Magen Avraham offers the most well-known understanding; due to the simcha and drinking on yomim tovim there is a fear that aveiros may have been committed.  This would explain why on Shavous, which is but one or two days and not leaving much time to frivolity, there is not a custom to fast. (Although, many sefarim do mention an ancient minhag of observing baha’b after Shavous) The Dirshu also explains that for the reason of the Magen Avaram it is understood why Chanukah does not have these fasts following it –as there is no obligation of a special simcha on Chanukah
    • Tosfos explains that the reason for these fasts as being due to the mingling that may occur before or after the rav’s drashos. This too would explain why Shavous -a short yom tov –and Chanukah-where there are no special drashos-do not have these fasts

    Many other reasons are offered, from simply a way to daven for good crop weather to kabbalistic reasons.

    In addition, during the long yomim tovim, when family and friends are reunited, and the stress is at a peak, the situation is primed for hurt feelings and misspoken and mistaken words. For this alone, a series of fasts and introspection may be worthy.

    But perhaps the most fascinating explanation to these fasts, and one that immediately explains why they are reserved just for Pesach and Shavous, is the explanation offered by the Elyeh Rabba and others. We fast baha’b because of the fear of needing teshuvah following days of chol hamoed.

    As we discussed in this year’s Sukkos column, the halachos chol hamoed are complicated even should one study them, and even its study is often overlooked.

    Of course, only Pesach and Sukkos have days of chol hamoed.

    Although we largely no longer observe these fasts, many still recite selichos on these days. Most critically, the lessons behind their takana certainly remain, and we can still utilize these days to allow retrospect, improvement and teshuvah.

  • Yom HaShoah – Halacha & History

    Yom HaShoah – Halacha & History

    Rabbi Moshe Taub

    May, 2019

    Every year at this time I begin to write a column devoted to the controversies and history behind the establishment of Yom Hashoah- Holocaust Remembrance Day. Every year I start, and every year I lack the courage to complete it.

    It is a sensitive topic, understandably, as so many reasonable people may be confounded as to why any reasonable person –let alone gedolim who lost so much in churban europah – would not fully embrace this day.

    However, as I trust the dedicated reader of this space had learned, my goal in this column is rarely to give my own opinion, rather to share information of the views of true talmidie chachamim. Or, as I often tell my balla battim: a rabbi like myself is as best a part of the judicial branch of halacha, not the legislative, hameivin yavin.

    Yom Hoshaoah is an interesting polemic, for as opposed to other areas of halacha and hashkafa where the Jewish State and our gedolim have disagreed, this dispute was not a quarrel over importance –as neither side held a monopoly on suffering during the war-rather one of zemanim, or dates.

    Across the gamut of the frum world –from the holy chassideshe Rebbe’s to Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe Y’D 4:57;11) to Rav Soloveitchik (Nefesh Harav 198; Halakhic Positions of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Volume 4, p. 98) –many felt that such a tragedy should rather be reserved for Tisha b’Av.

    This would be different than, for example, the massacres of tach v’tat.

    For those perhaps unfamiliar with that history, in the mid 1600’s we suffered horrible death and destruction at the hands of Chmielnicki. The suffering was horrendous, and even the types of death were savage, tortuous and unspeakable. The total numbers of kedoshim killed was in the tens of thousands, at least, as we do not have known exact figures (some estimates go as high as a half-a-million deaths!).

     In commemoration of those events the gedolim of that time sanctioned a day of remembrance, the 20th of Sivan. Although seemingly a strong proof to the veracity of also establishing a special day of remembrance for the Holocaust outside of Tisha B’Av alone, Rav Moshe and others however point out a crucial distinction.

    “This that six times 600,000 were killed at the hands of Hitler and his henchman, would certainly be worthy to commemorate with a special day of fasting and teffilah, and you are bothered why we (the olam hayeshivos) have yet done no such thing…this is not comparable to the Cossack Chmielnicki of tach v’tat where we were killed largely in Ukraine and Poland and for which a special day of fasting and selichos was established. This is because that tragedy was in a centralized location, and in addition did not happen through the governing body rather from those rebelling against their own government [the Cossacks were a paramilitary organization, MT]. Whereas (the elected leader) Hitler had sought to capture places all over the world where Jews lived, wishing to take over the world, and kill all Jews in the process, and for which, further, (was not only a governing body, but) was a vociferous force for which we were not saved until Gd had mercy on us…”. (Igros Moshe, ibid.)

    Rav Moshe was expressing the idea that precisely because the Holocaust was so enormous and unique in its vastness that we are obligated to see it not as an isolated incident but rather as a part of the mosaic of our long and prophesized galus. This in turn demands its reservation for Tisha B’Av.

    Rabbi Soleveitchik, in fact, seemed to have had convinced Prime Minister Menachem Begin to seek to change the date to Tisha B’Av –they indeed had a history together for Dov Begin, Menachem’s father, served as gabbei in Rav Chaim Solevietchik’s shul in Brisk! – but to no avail. The Prime Minister was told that to do so would rob children-then on summer break-of a Holocaust education.

    Indeed, Rashi alludes to their view of reserving Tisha B’av as our day of remembrance for all galus tragedies.  

    King Yoshiahu gave birth to a renaissance in Torah at a time when it was needed desperately. His death at the hands of Pharao Necho was a horrible blow to bnei yisroel  and the future of eretz yisroel.

    In Divrei Hayamim the pasukim relate –in far greater detail than found in sefer Melachim – the exact circumstances of his death. After which we read the following pasuk (2:35:24): “Then Yirmiyahu said kinnos over Yoshiahu; all male and female singers would mention Yoshiahu in their kinnos until this day –they created a firmly established custom in Israel”.

    Rashi explains the meaning behind this ‘firmly established custom’ by explaining that we remember this incident on Tisha B’av. He goes to say that this is day we remember our galus tragedies. He offers an example of how in his day the recalled their own tradjedies. He was referring to the Crusades of 1096.

    A few years ago my father was asked to speak at Michlalah Seminary in Israel on Yom HaShoah. He built a brilliant thesis around one of the most fascinating discussions of the subject, one articulated by Rav Yitzchak Hutner in a famous piece written for the October 1977 issue of the Jewish Observer. This article galvanized vociferous debate, and offered a scathing history to the founding and philosophy about this day of commemoration, even rejecting the term ‘Shoah’ and Holocaust. He further critiqued seeking to establish this as a day to show our newly found strength, might and ability to now self-defend –culminating in their seeking to establish this day on the day of the Warsaw uprising. In fact, many may not even know that the official full name for this day is not Yom HaShoah, rather Yom Hazikaron L’Shoah U’L’Gevura –The Day Remembrance For The Holocaust and Strength.

    In his view, although more enormous in size than in the past, it still must stay linked to the narrative of our galus, and not independent of it.

     I would not dare seek to capture the style and grace of Rav Hutner and would rather simply urge the reader to find the article and read his views themselves, as well as some of the respectful responses to it.

    However, there is another concern, and one that pains me greatly. Over the past fifteen years that I have been in the rabbinate, and as alluded to above, I have attended many, many events on this day. My first one, in Buffalo, was attended by well over 1000 people at the local JCC. The next year it was 800. By the time I left twelve years later it was about 150 people…and people were still saying “We got a good crown tonight”

    Some survivors passed on, many non-affiliated may not be as aware of the exact Hebrew date, and the marching of time itself have all colluded to lead to a dampening of this day’s force in so many places.

    Perhaps the gedolim who did not wish to officially establish this day understood that we can be confident that even if Yom Hashoah sadly loses its force in 30, 50 or 100 years, we will always remember these kedoshim on Tisha B’av. For, as we ended last column: “There is a danger, always, of trying new things, new ways to celebrate and remember the old. Rather, by staying true to how we have done things in the past we secure the memory of important events and people for the future. For, when and if the world stops marking the holocaust yearly, we will still be saying the Bobover Rebbe’s and Rav Schwab’s haunting kinnos on tisha b’av.”

    Zechuseihem Yagen Aleinu

  • How To Live Forever

    Jews and Their Deep Memory

    July, 2019

    My very first column, in the inaugural Ami Magazine, opened as follows:

    “At 9:20pm, on Thursday February 12, 2009, Continental flight 3407 from Newark to Buffalo crashed into a residential home in Clarence New York, a suburb of Buffalo. A total of 50 people were killed including the occupant of the home into which it crashed.

    “At 6:30am on February 13, oblivious to the crash, I started my car to go to Shul. As serendipity would have it, the night before I installed my wife’s birthday present – a satellite radio, as I do a lot of traveling and this would allow me from time to time to listen quickly to commercial free international news.

     “Assuming I would hear Fox News reporting on international and national events I was surprised that morning to hear the radio discussing something – it was unclear what – about streets and places near my home. Thinking my new radio was ill-installed and that I was listening to local radio I turned off the car and reinstalled the radio. I cranked the engine and listened: again local news. As I drove to shul I realized that indeed this was Fox News but on this fateful erev Shabbos Buffalo was the national story.

    “When I arrived in Shul members and guests alike besieged me. “Were any Jews on this flight from New York?” It was, and still is, quite common for Torontonians to fly to Buffalo from NY whose flight-cost is about half of a direct flight to Toronto.

    “I did not know the answer.

    “I was about to put on my teffillin when I thought I should call the airline. I asked if any rabbi was on file in Buffalo for emergencies such as these. The kind woman explained that there was no rabbi on file but there is a minster. I gave her my contact info. Pressed further she then explained that the names have not been released and she had no idea if Jews were on this flight. In hindsight it was a mistake to then Daven. Clearly osek b’mitzva patur min hamitzva applied here (one’s involvement in one mitzvah relieves one from duties in all other positive commandments). In my defense, there was little to do at that juncture…”

    That column, and the next, went on to discuss what was and still is the hardest days I have experienced in the rabbinate.

    But there is one story from that event that I have not yet shared, nor even thought about, in years.

    What reminded me of the events I am about to share was in thinking about what to say before yizkar this past Pesach. Not only was it my to be my 60th yizkar drasha to give, it would be audience’s untold to have to sit through. What more was there to say? How could the same words of yizkar be given new meaning, yet again?

    That is when this story came back to mind.

    The following events affected me deeply, and perhaps its lessons will hit home for the reader as well.

    A few weeks after the crash, I was driving in my car with the news on. The city was still recovering from the tragedy and the station was taking calls from listeners so that they can air their concerns and thoughts.

    Now, many have had moments where they catch themselves yelling back at the radio, say after a biased report. But I never had to pull over in anger…until now.

    One caller began by making a very valid point. He explained the human nature is to forget. It is only a matter of time that this national story will become eclipsed by a bigger event and it would, then, only be talked about here in Buffalo. And then, in another a few years, people here would forget about this event. When reminded they will say, “Oh, right! I forgot about that.” Several more years go by and the memory becomes even more faded. And so on.

    The host, impressed with the caller’s mature point, asked, “Well, what would you suggest we do to prevent that?”

    What the caller said next was so foolish I shall never forget it. He suggested naming something after the flight that went down, something that would be around for a long time. This way if in one hundred years someone asks why it is so named it would be explained, and the memory would be kept alive.

    So far, so good.

    He continued with his suggestion. “McKinley Parkway is a major artery of the city, why not rename it the 3407 Parkway, in honor of the flight? This way could never forget it”

    I literally had to pull over to catch my breath.

    To understand the sheer absurdity of this suggestion, let me take the reader back in time once more, this time to the turn of the last century.

    It was 1901 and Buffalo was hosting their six-month long Pan-American Exposition (this was at a time that Buffalo was one of the five largest cities in the union).

    President William McKinley was a year into his second term and desired to visit the fair. Refusing security detail – and the advice of his senior staff who feared an assassination attempt –he arrived in Buffalo on September 4. On September 5th he gave what would be his final speech. And on September 6th he was assassinated at a public event made in his honor. McKinley Parkway was named in his memory…so that people should never forget that inceident!

    This man on the radio was disproving his own point. McKinley Parkway was so named so as to keep the memory of the horror of a local presidential assassination alive for generations to come. Yet, never having even thought of why the Parkway was named so, this caller suggested that in order to remember Flight 3407 we should re-name McKinley Parkway!

    There is a powerful lesson here.

    We are all heirs to history. Few people in the world truly understand how they came to be, how their way of life was formed.

    Klal Yisroel, with the benefit of halacha, never forgets, partly because we never change how we remember.

    We still remember and pantomime yetzias mitzraim the same way for 3500 years, we will always light a licht for the same neshamos, and when and if the world stops marking the holocaust yearly, we will still be saying the Bobover Rebbe’s and Rav Schwab’s haunting kinnos on tisha b’av.

    There is a danger, always, of trying new things, new ways to celebrate and remember the old. Rather, by staying true to how we have done things in the past we secure the memory of important events and people for the future.

  • Dayeinu – Rebbe Akiva’s Song?

    April, 2012

    Over yom tov, and even starting from the Shabbos hagodol drasha, countless people will return home and be asked, “So what did the rav speak about?”

    Pretty much, no matter what question the rav dealt with, some in the family will respond ‘Oh, that at is a famous question”.

    And, they would often not be wrong. There is virtually no question that can be asked on the seder and its hagada that cannot be located in any of its tens-of-thousands of commentaries. I think it is fair to say that there has been no book in the history of mankind that had the number of commentaries written on it, and people investigating openly and vocally its contents.

    So I want to beat everyone to the punch. I want to open with a question which is not just, arguably, one of the most famous questions on the hagada, but a question so famous that we as children likely all asked it.

    This most famous question comes from the most famous song in the hagada. A song whose tune and refrain is known even to some outside the Jewish world.

    In fact, every year the famous, world-broadcasted NPR southern radio show ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ ends their pre Passover edition with a solo piano of this tune.

    I am referring in general to the piyut of ‘Dayenu’, and specifically to one refrain therein: Ilu Keirvanu Lifnei Har Sinai, Vlo Noson Lanu Es HaTorah, Dayeinu –Had You brought us before Har Sinai, even without giving us the Torah, that (too) would have been enough”.

    The question is more than obvious. As a nation we bleed the Torah, our fidelity to its teachings and to our instruction of those to our children is not just at the core of our lives, but something we, quite literally, tie to our bodies each day, and hang on the entrances to every room we enter and exit from.

    That the paytan would add this simply to wax poetic is untenable. There must be a deeper meaning here.

    This question has vexed virtually every gaon who has written on the hagada; from the Brisker Rav to the Chofetz Chaim.

    But before we see some of their approaches, a corollary question must be raised: who wrote Dayeinu? Is it from chazal? Is it a later edition that although today is standardized, was not in fact a part of Torah Sh’bal Peh? In fact, the Rambam does not include Dayeinu in his version of the Hagada at all!

    The first hint to the antiquity of the piyut comes from the fact that it is found already in the Hagada of Rav Sadia Gaon (d. 942), although it is unclear if this is a later addition to his work.

    However, Rav Avraham Ben HaRambam does point out (manuscript; quoted in Maaseh Rokeach on Rambam, chametz u’matzah-hagada) that although left out of his father’s written Hagada, this does not mean that he did himself did not include it personally. In fact, he writes, not only did the Maimon family say this piyut growing up, but it went back generations. As for why Rambam left it out, this was for unrelated technical reasons (it not being well known everywhere, etc.)

    So where, then, does this piyut then come from?

    The answer to this last mystery comes from someone we have quoted often in these pages these past few months, the Tashbeitz, Rav Duran (d.1444), in his Magen Avos to Pirkei Avos (3:14). He says two things that are nothing short of spectacular; both of which will offer new meaning to this ‘piyut’.

    First he points out that in old editions of the halachic midrash Mechilta, Dayeinu was taught by none other than Rebbe Akiva! In his Zevach Pesach, the Abarbenal also says that this was taught by Rebbe Akiva. Rav Duran goes on to suggest that this is alluded to in the Hagada itself, as the statement right before Dayeinu is, “Rebbe Akiva says: from where do we know that every single Makkah that Hakadosh Baruch Hu brought on Mitzraim had contained with it five makkos?...” Dayeinu is a just a continuation of this lost text!

    The other statement that Rav Duran says ages Dayeinu even more outstandingly. He asserts that Dayeinu was a part of the nusach said when one would offer their bikkurim in the time of the Beis Hamikdosh! (See Mesivta Hagada, p. 309 in the otzros)

    Dayeinu, now, explodes with an even deeper significance. Note its opening sentence to Dayeinu: “Kama Maalos Tovos LaMakom Aleinu”.

    The non-sequiter term maalos is noted by both Maharal and the Vilna Gaon as being a reference to the 15 shir hamaalosfound in sefer tehilim!

    Indeed, there are 15 mentions in Dayeinu as well (the reader should be careful when counting, as the first Dayeinu only appears after the second praise)!

    In fact, each Dayeinu seems to match it kpittel Tehilim. So, for example, the final, 15th, Shir Hamaalos 134, contains the pasuk (pasuk aleph) retaling to the Beis Habechira, like the final stanza of Dayeinu; kpitel 134, the 14th Shir Hamaalos, contains a pasuk that relates to our connection to eretz hakodesh (pasuk gimmel), as is the focus of the 14th stanza of Dayeinu, and so on!

    Many in fact tie the above 15 to another 15 found at the very opening of the seder – the 15 simanei haseder with which we open the seder (“kadeish, urchatz…)!

    Being Torah Sh’Baal Peh, we should not be surprised that even more significance can be found in Dayeinu and its number.

    Abarbenel points out that in Sefer Yechezkal (16:9-13) the navi describes 15 expressions of Hashem’s love that we experienced in yetzias mitzraim:

    (1)And I washed you with water, (2)and I rinsed your blood off you, (3)and I anointed you with oil. (4) And I clothed you with embroidered garments, (5) and I shod you with [the skin of the] badger, (6) and I girded you with fine linen, (7) and I covered you with silk. (8) And I adorned you with ornaments, (9) and I put bracelets on your hands and a necklace on your neck. (10) And I put a nose ring on your nose and earrings on your ears, (11) and a crown of glory on your head. (12) And you adorned yourself with gold and silver, (13) and your raiment was fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth; fine flour, honey, and oil you ate, (14) and you became exceedingly beautiful (15) and you became fit for the throne.

    We have, I hope shown, that this question we opened with is not only a strong question, but the statement on which it is predicated may very well be a part of our Torah Sh’baal Peh!

    Now that what have seen that Dayainu is not simply any piyut, we can return to our opeing, and famous, question. How can it be that we would dare suggest that not receiving the Torah would ever be enough.

    Instead of listing for you a litany of various approaches, let me share one with you that, to me, is the greatest chiddush. In Hagadas Maasei Hashem rav Elizar Ashkanzi (d. 1585) suggests a fascinating approach, not just to our question, but to the whole meaning of Dayeinu.

    This word “Dayeinu’, that we typically translate to mean “It would have been enough”, he suggests means “Dayeinu?”  – Would it indeed have been enough?

    We are speaking in a note of request throughout this piyut, reminding Hashem and ourselves how each level of birchas am yisroel was necessary!!

    This is similar to how some translate the word ‘Mah’ in Mah Nishtaneh, not as “Why?”, or “In what way is this night different…” but, ‘Why!’ As in, “My! (or ‘Why!’), is this night different than all other nights! (Aruch HaShulchan, inter alia).

    In terms of Dayeinu, this brings it into a whole new light.

    “Ilu Keirvanu Lifnei Har Sinai, Vlo Noson Lanu Es HaTorah, Dayeinu?” “Had You brought us before Har Sinai, even without giving us the Torah; would that have been enough?!”.

    The answer then is, assuredly, no, and by this stanza we give over by the seder a new naaseh v’nishma.

    So many secrets in our Hagada!

    Wishing all readers a simchadek and chag kosher!

  • “Everything Is In It”: Ben Bag Bag & Shavuos

    Ramban, His Student Avner, & the Secret Hidden In the Torah

    May, 2012

    A few years ago the supreme court of the United States heard the fascinating case of CAPERTON v. MASSEY COAL CO.  The case revolved around the constitutional right called ‘Due Process’. This clause guarantees, among other things, the right to a fair trial. Here is what happen: a jury in West Virginia awarded one Mr. Caperton, an owner of a coal company, 50 million dollars against the Massey Coal Company. The CEO of Massey coal, Mr. Blankenship, obviously did not like this verdict and began the process of appealing the case through the West Virginia court system. As this was happening there was an election going on in West Virginia for their state supreme court. Mr. Blankenship happened to not like one of the incumbents so he spent three million in advertising dollars to get him voted out. It worked and a new man was elected to replace the incumbent judge. Back to the appeals, his appeal eventually made it, you guessed it, to the West Virginia supreme court and he actually won the appeal by a close 3-2 vote. Who was the deciding vote? You guessed it again, the man who he backhandedly helped elect. Mr. Caperton, the man who was initially awarded fifty million dollars and was now being told that that ruling was overturned, believed that this appeal decision violated his right to a fair trial as that deciding judge had clear bias in favor of Massey Coal and therefore should have recused himself from the case. The problem however is that the law does not define bias or the specifics as to when a judge must step down from a case. This question of what is bias, and the case that surrounded it, made it all the way to the supreme court of the land. Ultimately the United States Supreme Court voted in Mr. Caperton’s favor, agreeing that that judge had clear bias before he even heard that case. Justice Scalia strongly disagreed with this ruling and wrote a dissent where he forcefully argued that not everything is to be found in the United States constitution, including the definition of bias. There is only one book that can claim that all is contained in its pages. Scalia writes, “A Talmudic maxim instructs with respect to the Scripture: “Turn it over, and turn it over, for all is therein.” The Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Aboth, Ch. V, Mishnah 22 (I. Epstein ed. 1935). Divinely inspired text may contain the answers to all earthly questions, but the Due Process Clause most assuredly does not. The Court today continues its quixotic quest to right all wrongs and repair all imperfections through the Constitution. Alas, the quest cannot succeed…The relevant question, however, is whether we do more good than harm by seeking to correct this imperfection through expansion of our constitutional mandate in a manner ungoverned by any discernable rule. The answer is obvious.”

    As we head into Shavous it is important to remind ourselves what it is that we are celebrating. It is interesting that the statement from Pirkei Avos that this brilliant and powerful gentile quotes is from Ben Bag Bag, who himself was of non-Jewish origin (he converted, see Tosafos, Chagiga 9. Cf. Avos D’Rebbe Nossan). Sometimes it is they who were not raised with Torah who realize just how special it is and how fortunate we are.

    But there is another secret, something so very profound, contained within this famous quote of Ben Bag Bag and its relation to Shavous. The Gemera (Shabbos 31a) teaches us that Hillel once impressed upon a future convert the importance of Torah Sh’bal Peh (oral law) through the Aleph-Beis. Some say that this convert was none other than Ben Bag Bag (see Encyclopida L’chachmei Hatalmud)! Now, why did Hillel choose the Aleph Beis through which to teach this lesson and in what way, if at all, did this affect Ben Bag Bag’s statement in Pirkei Avos? The Misnah in Pirkei Avos teaches (3:23) that “…astronomy and gematrios are the seasonings to wisdom”. Many commentators (see Rashi) understand ‘gematrios’ as referring to the Aleph Beis, its secrets and its numerology. Hillel then was seeking to show this future convert that there is more to Torah than its written form, as shown even by the mysteries contained in its letters.

    When I was a bachor I was eating in someone’s home one shabbos afternoon and noticed a guest and the other side of the table. He was quite and happened to look of African decent so I simply assumed that he was a gentile visiting who wanted to observe what a Shabbos meal would be like.

    At the end of the suedah a halachic question arose relating to the Zimun. Suddenly this guest pipes up, “I think the Chasam Sofer deals with this…” It turned out that this man was a convert who, like Ben Bag Bag, was first influenced by the Aleph Beis. He was born and raised in, I believe, Swaziland and was the grandson to the king. He had a knack for languages and by the time he reached his teens he could speak more than ten. One day in class he noticed a boy writing letters backward and asked what language that was. Told it was Hebrew he decided to gain a credit through its study. The first indication that this was not just any old language was when he studied Akeidas Yitzchak using the ancient Hebrew text. It was then that he realized that the Aleph Beis themselves, and the words they form are not just arbitrary forms of communication rather they represent fundamental truths and the words that they form are not haphazard human inventions rather they define the essence of the item they are representing.

    I once related the above story in shul between Mincha and Maariv knowing that few would believe it when suddenly a guest raised his hand and exclaimed, “I am just coming back from this man’s wedding in Chicago!”

    The Ramban was not just one of our greatest leaders and most prolific writers he was also a great mystic (see his introduction to his commentary to Chumash). He once had a student name Avner who eventually left Torah and converted to Christianity. One Yom Kippur he invited his old teacher to meet him. When the Ramban arrived Avner said, “Just in time!” and proceeded to slaughter a pig, roast it, and eat it.

    “How many kareis penalties did I just commit?” asked Avner.

    “Four”, answered his former teacher.

    “Wrong! Its five.” Avner proceeded to explain why the Ramban was wrong.

    The Ramban was not impressed. “If you are such a great scholar why did you leave the path of Torah?”

    Avner explained that the catalyst for his leaving was something the Ramban once told him. He once taught that not only does the Torah contain every secret but even in Parshas HaAzinu alone every person who has ever or will ever live is contained therein. “This was just too much for me to accept and I figured that if you were wrong about this then there must be more that you are wrong about.”

    The Ramban was unmoved. “I still believe that!”

    “Well then, show me where I am found in Ha’Azinu!” exclaimed Avner.

    “The pasuk (32:26) states “I will scatter them, I will cause their memory to cease from man’ looking at every third letter it spells A’V’Ne’R”!

    The Vilna Gaon once said that each Parsha in Sefer Devarim represents a different epoch in the sixth millennium. Rav Hershel Shechter relates further: “In the late 1930’s Rabbi Shmuel Maltzahn published a manuscript written by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin where he related that on one occasion Reb Chaim asked of the Gra, “Where is there an allusion to the rebbe?” The Gaon immediately opened a Chumash to parshas Ki Tetzei and reviewed it a bit until he noticed that the phrase “even shleima” was an allusion to his name. Rabbi Maltzahn who printed this manuscript of R. Chaim of Volozhin in his sefer “EmmunahV’Hashgachaon” added the following comment: Parshat Ki Tavo is the seventh sedrah, and should contain allusions to things that would occur between the years 1840 – 1940. At the end of the 1930’s the Nazis had already begun their extermination of the Jews, and he suggested that perhaps the bitter “Tochacha” that appears in Ki Tavo was not only an allusion to the many years of suffering of the galut, but also specifically alluding to the Nazi persecutions at the end of the 1930’s. In later years, others pointed out that in the next- the eight sedra, parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech…we read of the return of the Jewish people to Eretz Yisroel, the great teshuvah movement, and the mitzvah of writing a sefer Torah. All of these were witnesses following the year 1940, through the establishment of Medinat Yisrael (modern Israel), the great world-wide baal teshuvah movement…”

    But this is only the tip of the iceberg! Wait till you see what else Ben Bag Bag alludes to…stay tuned for next week’s column (“Behind Curtain #2” on this website).

  • ‘Behind Curtain #2’

    ‘Behind Curtain #2’

    Everything is in Torah…Even Game Theory?

    May, 2012

    Last week, in anticipation for Shavous and the Torah we come to celebrate, we discussed the famous statement of Ben Bag Bag found in Pirkei Avos “Turn it over, and turn it over for everything is contained in it (the Torah)”. We explained that Ben Bag Bag was a convert (based on Tosafos, Chagiga 9b) and how he was, according to some, the very same gentile who Hillel (see Shabbos 31a) impressed upon the importance of Torah Sh’bal Peh (oral law) through the Aleph Beis. We also touched upon another Mishnah in PirkeiAvos (Last Mishnah in the third chapter) “…astronomy and gematrios are the seasonings to wisdom”, and explained the term’ gematrios’ as the secrets and mysteries contained in the Aleph Beis as well as their numerology. In fact I have heard that Artscroll’s best selling book, outside of their translations, is ‘The Wisdom of the Aleph Beis’ by Rabbi Munk.

    A quick example of the brilliance of the Aleph Beis: if one takes a closer look at how an Aleph is written in a Torah they will notice that it is constructed using a vav on a slant and two yuds on each end. The value of these letters is 26 the same value of the shem hamefuresh and contained in the letter signifying the Oneness of the Ribone Shel Olam!

    However there is another interpretation of the term ‘gematrios’ in the above Mishnah. The Sforno and others point out that this word is of Greek origin and is related to the word ‘Geometry’! This should not be a surprise for the tanna who taught this Mishnah, Rav Eleizer ben Chisma, is the same man mentioned in the Gemera (Horiyos 10a) as being so proficient in math and statistics that he would be able to “…estimate the number of droplets in the ocean”!…

    …It should also come as no great revelation that Torah contains mathematics and probabilities for they are at the heart of many halachos. One of the marvels of the Torah is how grounded it is, and forces us to be, in reality. Whereas other systems of faith may give rules and laws, and some may even discuss issues of monetary law, none are on par with real life scenarios as is secular law. The one exception is the Torah. In fact in the introduction to Rabbi Bleich’s recently published sixth volume in his ‘Contemporary Halacha’ series, where he delves into the dizzying minutia of halachos involving issues from tort law to laws of war to kashrus, he relates the following story: He was speaking at a conference and after he finished with his presentation a famous man in the world of academia approached him. “Rabbi Bleich you saved my life and brought me to Torah observance”. Rabbi Bleich was confused, as he had never met this person before. The man went on to explain that he had been searching for a long time and very much wanted to have faith and return to yiddeshkeit however it was not until someone had suggested his books on Halacha that he was exposed to the sheer brilliance and intellectualism of Torah.

    In 1985 Prof. Auman, a professor of mathematics at Hebrew University and the winner of the 2005 Nobel prize in Economics wrote a paper in the prestigious Journal of Economic Theory (36 pp. 195- 213), and later in Jewish Law and Economics titled “Game Theory in the Talmud”. He begins:

    “A passage from the Talmud whose explanation eluded commentators for two millennia is elucidated with the aid of principles suggested by modern mathematical Theory of Games.

    A fascinating discussion of bankruptcy occurs in the Babylonian Talmud2 (Ketubot 93a). There are three creditors; the debts are 100, 200 and 300. Three cases are considered, corresponding to estates of 100, 200 and 300….When the estate is 100, it is divided equally; since 100 is the smallest debt, this makes good sense. The case in which the estate is 300 appears based on the different – and inconsistent – principle of proportional division. The figures for an estate of 200 look mysterious; but whatever they may mean, they do not fit any obvious extension of either equal or proportional division. A common rationale for all three cases is not apparent.

    Over a span of two millennia, this Mishnahas spawned a large literature. Many authorities (Rif, who follows a different ruling, writes ““My predecessors discussed this Mishna and its Gemara at length and were unable to make sense of it.”) disagree with it outright. Others (Shmuel, in the Gemara) attribute the figures to special circumstances, not made explicit in the Mishna. A fewhave attempted direct rationalizations of the figures as such, mostly with little success….” Without getting into the specifics, he offers a brilliant interpatation that can only work with a deep knowledge of modern Game Theory.

    “Turn it over…” indeed!

    Even in our daily halachik lives we are surrounded by the brilliance of Torah statistics and probabilities: batul b’shishim, rov, etc. In fact any of us who drank or ate any dairy today had, perforce, relied on Talmudic probibilities. Let me briefly explain: a certain percentage of cows are going to have treifos, for this reason we check them after slaughter. But what about milk –we can’t check slaughter and check the cow before milking it! We therefore rely on probability, in that we know that only a small minority of cows in group of 100 will be deemed treif. But this is only helpful when we get our milk from one or two cows, today however dairy farms utilize hundreds – some of them with certain treifos – and then all the milk is stored together (mixed) in a big tank.

    So intrigued was I by all of the above that I decided I would give a class on the topic of probability in Halacha. My luck that a not-yet-frum statistician from UC Berkley was in town and had decided to attend the shiur. In truth having him there allowed the others to understand that what we were saying was not pie-in-the-sky outreach fluff, rather true science as seen through the study of Torah.

    What sparked the interest of this statistician more than any example we brought was based on a famous debate we are all taught in school. The Mishnah (Yevomus 61) teaches that in order to fulfill the mitzvah of pru u’revu (be fruitful and multiply) one would need a minimum of a boy and a girl according to Beis Hillel, and two boys according to Beis Shammai.

    Prof. Jonathan Rosenberg of the University of Maryland made an interesting discovery. Since no one can simply choose to fulfill one of these views, as it is not up to us and there is a 50-50% chance of either a boy or a girl, he wondered what the average boy girl percentage would be according to each view.

    Here is his theorem for Beis Shammai:

    BB — probability (1/2)(1/2)=1/4.
    GBB — probability (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)=1/8.
    BGB — probability (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)=1/8.
    GGBB — probability (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)(1/2)=1/16.
    GBGB — probability (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)(1/2)=1/16.
    BGGB — probability (1/2)(1/2)(1/2)(1/2)=1/16, etc.

    Thus if X is the number of children, P(X=2)=1/4, P(X=3)=1/8+1/8=1/4, P(X=4)=1/16+1/16+1/16=3/16, etc.

    Amazingly it will be the view of Beis Shammai who requires two boys that will result in the greater number of girls in klal Yisroel!

    This Shavous let us celebrate the Torah for all we know it is and for the brilliance contained within it that we hope to discover.

  • Pi & Its Torah Source

    Pi & Its Torah Source

    For a more details/sources, please see my source sheet:

    https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/60352?lang=bi

    &

    Search: ‘Game Theory’ on this site for a related post

    “V’es dasei hamelech einum osim” –the laws of the king they do not observe.

    (Esther 3:8)

    The above quoted verse was among the complaints Haman lodged against bnei yisroel so as to get Achashveirosh to agree to their annihilation.

    Chazal (Megillah 13b) elaborate on and reveal the true meaning of this particular complaint. “All year the Jews succeed in getting out of work, claiming, ‘Today is Shabbos’, ‘Today is Shavous’, ‘Today is ‘Pesach’, etc.”

    Haman was, in effect, introducing the world to an old anti-Semitic standard of ‘too many Jewish holidays’, Rachmana l’tzlan.

    Ironically, today, our calendar simply can’t compete with the amount of national holidays that exist in the secular one!

    There is National Donut Day (June 5th), International Beer Day (first Friday in August), Love Your Lawyer Day (first Friday in November), the list goes on and on. Based on a loose count, I have learnt of over sixty such days!

    Some of these holidays are often referred to cynically as ‘Hallmark Holidays’. The suggestion being that the Hallmark greeting card company invented these holidays only to benefit their bottom line.

    In fact, several years ago, in an effort to quell these rumors, Hallmark themselves issued the following press-release:

    “…While we’re honored that people so closely link the Hallmark name with celebrations and special occasions, we can’t take credit for creating holidays. Congressional resolutions, proclamations, religious observances, cultural traditions, and grassroots leadership by ordinary people create these special days. It’s really the public who give occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day widespread acceptance as celebration events.

    “…So if you think that special date on the calendar is a “just a Hallmark holiday,” think again. There are fascinating histories behind every holiday for which Hallmark makes cards…”

    Fascinating indeed.

    While some of these ‘holidays’ have unknown provenance, some of them have celebrated histories.

     For instance, Haaretz published the following headline a few years back:

    “How a Jewish Mom Created a Global Ice Cream Holiday”

    The article goes on to tell the story of mid 1960’s Rochester, New York housewife who decided one cold February morning to serve her six children ice cream for breakfast. The custom spread, and now several countries celebrate this ‘holiday’ on the first Friday in February.

    However, if there is one international secular holiday whose date and reason instantly understandable it is the one from last week, March 14.

    This is known as ‘National Pi Day’. No, not ‘Pie’ Day (that is on January 23rd. Really!), rather Pi, the irrational ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. This famous endless number begins, and is known as, 3.14, so March 14 (3/14) is the obvious choice.

    While I am not sure how one is to observe this day –some mathematicians bake pies with the π sign! – this year a special opportunity arose.

    On Shushan Purim the news of a fast-approaching storm was alarming, excepted to dump close to twenty inches on New York City.

    Although while living in Buffalo this storm would simply be known as ‘Tuesday’, here in New York in anticipation of the storm Mayor De Blasio canceled all schools. Many chedarim closed as well.

    Many parents would also be staying home from work, either to watch their kids or because their offices were closed as well.

    A high school rebbe of mine once said that one can tell a true ben torah by how one acts on the second night of yom tov, when after arriving home we have to wait for the food to warm up. This is a time where one only has two options: waste time or learn.

    I would apply the same to a ‘snow day’.

    So, I decided that in honor of ‘Pi Day’ I would give a shiur in my shul before Mincha on the very subject of ‘Pi Day’ in Halacha. This would also hopefully give incentive for people to get to minyan on a day when parking was very difficult.

    I was also betting on the title of this shiur awakening some curiosity. ‘What does Pi have to do with halacha?’

    As it turns out, a lot.

    Wilbur Knor, a professor of math history at Stanford University, asserts that Rambam was the first to lay claim that Pi is an irrational number (infinite, and can not be expressed in common integers).

    While many cultures throughout history, and long before Rambam, had various and close approximations, this that Pi was irrational was only proven in the 18th century.

    The Rambam to which Proffesor Knor was referring was coming to explain a ruling in the Mishna (Eruvin 1:5 or 13b). The Mishnahthere teaches us about the dimensions needed for a koreh – a beam utilized for the fourth side of certain types of eruvin, and no longer practiced today (Rema). The Mishnah teaches that if the circumference of of koreh is three tefachim (handbreadths) than we know that its diameter is one tefach. In other words, they are teaching that the circumference of a circle to its diameter is simply 3:1.

    The Rambam, in Peirush Mishnayos to this Mishnah is obviously bothered by this approximation (3:1) when the number is in fact irrational. “You must know that the ratio between a diameter of a circle and its circumference is not known. It is something whose measure is impossible to know precisely, this not due not to our lack of understanding rather to the ratio itself…”. His verboseness is likely due to not having a word for ‘irrational’.

    As fascinating as this statement is, consider the Gemara itself.

    Commenting on the ratio in the Mishnah (3:1), the Gemara asks how the Mishnahknew this; meaning what is its biblical source.

    The Tosfos HaRosh (d. 1327) wonders why something based on math would need a scriptural source; can’t Chazal create a mathematical equation on their own?  He suggests that the Mishnah knew that 3:1 was not the exact value of Pi and yet rules that we may use an approximation for Halacha. This is what bothered the Gemara: from where does our Mishnah know that Hashem accepts our using an approximated Pi for Halacha?

    Fascinating, as it would seem that both Rambam and Rosh accept that Chazal knew if not the true value of Pi than at least that it is irrational.

    Even in our day, when we have proven Pi to be irrational, the Halachos affected by utilizing a mere approximation is unchanged. The Aruch Hashulchan makes this clear (siman 363) and mirrors the words of the Rosh, that this is precisely why Chazal wished to marshal pesukim, as they were aware that the number for Pi was far more complex.

    On the hand, the Tashbeitz (chelek 1 #165) suggests the possibility that while Chazal were indeed only giving us the approximate for Pi, they did so not for halachic reasons, rather only to make Torah study simple for all. However, when calculating these measurements for Halacha l’maaseh one would have to embrace exactitude.

    Let us end here with a final amazing idea. We mentioned that Chazal brought a pesuk to prove this ratio. Which pesuk would discuss this issue?

    In Melachim 1:7:23 it describes the (round) yam shel shlomo hamelech, as ten amos in diameter and 30 amos in circumference. So there you have a navi utilizing the same approximation for Pi found in the quoted Mishnah.

    But is it really only the approximation?

    Many kiruv agencies have utilized the idea that follows. While many say this in the name of the Vilna Gaon it has have yet to be discovered in his name.

    In the measurement of this bath’s circumference the pasuk utilized the term ‘kav’ or line. However, the word is oddly spelled with a hei at the end, but it is not recited this way. This is called a ‘kri’ and a ‘kesiv’- a word spelled one way in the Tanach and pronounced another way. When taking the gematriya of the word “kav” (106) and ‘kaveh’ (111), their ratio (111/106) is 1.0471698. This can be used to represent the ratio of the value for Pi to 3 (3.1415094/3 = 1.0471698).

    However, we should point out that this only works by ignoring conjunctive vav, which if included would them make the figures 117/112, changing the math.

    Others suggest that the kri/ksiv of this word is to hint to yet another hidden message. The ratio of the gematriyos of “v’chamesh” in this pasuk (the height of this circle in amos) and “v’kav” is 3.1415929…, within one part in a million of the exact value of Pi, and seemingly the closest any gematria would allow for.

    However, we should point out that this last hint only works if one adds ‘one’ to each of the respective words. This is called ‘im hakollel’ and is something that is well cosseted in toras hagematria (see e.g. Baal HaTurim)

    Either way, to discover this in the one pasuk in all of Tanach (repeated in Divrei Hayamim) describing diameters and circumferences, is pretty remarkable!

    Hafoch Buh Sh’Kula Buh!

  • The Chazon Ish on Rabbanus

    Hidden in one of my file cabinets, underneath a pile of hand-out mareh makomos to a shiur given more than a decade ago, rests a sheet of paper. Worn and yellowed, it awaits me. In times of distress and chalishas hadaas, it is there to offer me a little comfort.

    Of all the pieces of advice I have received over the years, only once did I seek it out in its original sourced written form and file it away, so as to re-read it from time to time.

    It was my brother, Rav Shmuel Taub, who shared with me this piece of guidance, which came from the holy Chazon Ish, and which is recorded in the multi-volume biography of his life, the monumental ‘Maaseh Ish’, 4:95. Depending on one’s vantage point, these are either words of comfort or a charge of responsibility.

    A yungerman with semicha came to Bnei Brak to seek counsel from the Chazon Ish. This fellow was offered a position in rabbanus in a town outside of Haifa.

    While on paper this offer appeared to be a wonderful opportunity, the young rav was not so convinced. He explained to the Chazon Ish the reason for his reticence. “I am not a baki in halacha, nor have I dedicated my time delving into the words of the poskim”

    This is a common fear, and hopefully one that does not dissipate with time.

    What makes the Chazon Ish’s forthcoming response so extraordinary is not so much what he says, rather who stated it –a masmid par-excellence who put Torah and the daled amos shel halacha above any and all other pursuits.

    Dispelling this man’s fears, the Chazon Ish answered, “True, it used to be that the main purpose and role of a rav was to answer and pasken shailos, however today the tafkid (purpose) of a rav is the be mikarev and draw his fellow Jews under the kanfei hashechina”

    The main role!

    To add an exclamation point to his bold statement, the Chazon Ish concluded with a beracha to this rav in his new position, “May Hashem bring you hatzlacha in being mikareiv people to Torah”

    Of course, the Chazon Ish was talking to a ben torah –one who likely knew a lot more halacha than he let on -and indeed, a few moments later, assuaged his fears in paskening as well.

    Several years later I saw another story brought in this same sefer that colored the first one.

    Someone came to the Chazon Ish asking if a certain rav in a certain town was reliable.

    “In relation to what?” asked the Chazon Ish

    “Well, his eiruv and his kashrus” the shoel responded.

    The Chazon Ish, who was apparently unfamiliar with this rav in question, wondered aloud, “Why do you not call the rav and speak to him and see if he is holding in learning?”

    The man responded that indeed he had done just that. However, when he asked this rav if he could be rely upon him, the rav responded, “While everything I do is kdas u’kdin, I would prefer if you would not be someich on me. It enough of an achroyos that my own membership trusts in me, I don’t need to add to my pekel acher meah v’esrim your cheshbon as well.

    The Chazon Ish was delighted with this response. “A rav that answers this way, who prefers not having any achroyos beyond what he must, is a rav that one may be someich on!

    To me, this second story always colored the first story. It was due to the very fact that the young rav in the initial incident was so concerned about his abilities in psak halacha that gave the Chazon Ish confidence in him to go out and shine in other areas as well.

    The story is told that when Rav Yitzchak Blazer was once approached about accepting a certain rabbinical position he responded in horror.

    “Chazal teach in the name of Rav Shmuel bar Nachmeini (Sanhedrin 7a) that when someone rules in halachik matters they should view it as if a sword is drawn toward them with the gates of gehennim below! Mah Li L’tzarah Hazos! Why should enter into such achroyos?”

    That was all the balla battim needed to hear. “Rav Itzelleh! That is precisely why we want you as our rav! What, should we hire someone who is less afraid?!”

    When looking at the first perek of Pirkei Avos one discovers a peculiar pattern.

    The 8th,,9th and 11th mishnayos are directed to rabbanim and poskim. For example, Mishneh 8: “…When litigants stand before you they should appear as if wicked, and when they leave, as if they are righteous…” Mishneh 10: “…Thoroughly examine witnesses…”. Mishneh 11: “Chachamim! Be carefull with your words…”

    Inexplicably, stuck in the middle of these teachings is Mishneh 10. Ostensibly speaking to all people, it states: “Shemayah says, “Love work, hate positions of power (‘rabbanus’) and do not become overly familiar with the government”.

    Many wonder why, in the midst of offering directives to rabbanim would the Mishneh suddenly, and momentarily, switch gears. And, if indeed this is speaking to leaders as well, why would it tell them to hate their jobs?!

    I once saw a beautiful idea brought in chasiddeshe sefarim to explain this order. In truth, even Mishneh 10 is speaking to rabbanim and leaders. However, now that chazal have the attention of these members of klei kodesh it wishes to express the following idea: When one is a rav or an av beis din he must be very careful which part of the job gets him out of the bed each morning, which part of his duties gives him direction.

    The Mishneh is then read as follows: Rabbanim, and those serving am yisroel, when it comes to your jobs love the work involved (‘ohev es hamelacha’ –the answering shailos, the learning of Torah, giving shiurim –but do not become enamored with the power and kavod itself (‘u’sneh ess harabbanus’). And, should one fall victim to that temptation, beware lest the heavens notice him and judge him harshly (‘v’al tisvadah l’reshus’)!

    As we are soon to return to our summer series of the History of Early American Rabbanim, it is important to keep all of this in mind. These were men who gave up so much of their own kavod to fight important battles. Not only was their goal not for kavod or acclaim, they gave those up to wage a holy milchama lmaan hatorah. More importantly, in many cases, they were willing to give up renown as poskim and lamdanim with the understanding that their main job at that juncture was kiruv and teaching the New World the mesorah and the truest values of the Torah.

  • Adar & Secrets of Birchas/Kiddush Hachodesh

    March, 2016

    The siddur is a mysterious work. In it one finds tefillos and pizmonim that were composed anywhere from the period of the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah (a period that ended around 100 BCE) to the Dark Ages (500 to 900 CE), all the way up to eighteenth century (for example, Shalom Aleichem was written in the seventeenth century). There are tefillos whose composers are anonymous and whose implementers are not quite clear. Who composed Avinu Malkeinu (not simply the few stanzas that come from Rabbi Akiva in Taanis25b)? Who designed Pesukei d’Zimra in its current form (not just the daily hallel referred to in Shabbos 118)?

    And yet the siddur is seen as one unit; in fact, its name means “order.” The term “siddur” has strong associations for each one of us, connected as it is to a favorite publisher, a specific font, a particular translation, and familiar customs.

    Not a week goes by without someone asking me a question about the siddur that teaches me something new, fostering an even deeper appreciation of its wisdom and depth.

    Recently Shevach High School, the local Bais Yaakov high school where I teach, had its 37th annual dinner. Among the worthy honorees were the recipients of the Torah Heritage Award, Rabbi and Mrs. Paysach Krohn. Miriam Krohn is the associate principal for limudei kodesh, and her husband, one of the founding baalei batim of the school, needs no introduction.

    All the speeches that evening were wonderful and touching. It was especially moving to see the special gift the Krohns received. As most readers know, Rabbi Krohn began his career as a maggid by developing a close relationship with the famed maggid of Yerushalayim, Rav Shalom Schwadron, and publishing a number of books of Rav Schwadron’s stories and divrei chizzuk.

    The director of the school told the audience that the dinner committee members had contemplated what to give the Krohns. At first they had thought that the perfect gift would be a silver washing cup, and they even had the perfect inscription: “Maggid, Rachtzah”! But they soon discovered that the Krohns already had a beautiful washing cup.

    An assistant then came up to the podium and handed the director the real gift—a magnificent original painting of Rav Shalom Schwadron.

    Everyone in the room was taken aback.

    In his acceptance speech, Rabbi Krohn said that he wished to give everyone at the dinner a gift as well.

    “On everyone’s table is a card with a special tefillah for parnasah written by the Chayei Adam (Rabbi Avraham Danzig, d. 1820) in his tzava’ah.” (The Chayei Adam was Rabbi Avraham Danzig, d. 1820, and the tzava’ah can be found in his Beis Avraham, #16.) The Chayei Adam urged his family to recite this special tefillah before they engaged in any business dealings.

    Rabbi Krohn said he had recently heard an idea connecting this tefillah to the month of Adar. In an Ashkenazi siddur, the special Yehi Ratzon that we say on Shabbos Mevarchim contains the word “chaim” 11 times (“chaim aruchim, chaim shel shalom,” etc.). Someone suggested to him that these 11 chaims represent the 11 times we say Birchas Hachodesh during the year (not 12 since we do not bentch Rosh Chodesh for the month of Tishrei).

    Perhaps, he continued, each chaim corresponds to a month. If we start with Marcheshvan, chaim aruchim would be a unique tefillah for that month, chaim shel shalom would be unique to the month of Kislev,and so on. It works out that the chaim for Adar is chaim shel parnasah,making this month an auspicious time to recite the tefillah of the Chayei Adam!

    It was a wonderful idea, but it struck me that I had already seen something like this. I was excited when I was able to locate a source, and I contacted Rabbi Krohn the next day to share something remarkable with him.

    First, the idea that these 11 chaims represent the 11 months for which we say Birchas Hachodesh is first mentioned in an old edition of the classic sefer Shaarei Ephraim, by the mechaber of Bris Avos (see the page called “Shaarei Rachamaim,” 10:49). He cites others who mentioned it, indicating that many gedolim had this idea.

    But there is something even more interesting. In the sefer Birchas Hachodesh, the prolific author Rav Tzvi Cohen of Eretz Yisrael cites an article in Sefer Moadim by Rav Tzvi Hirsch Farber, in which the author demonstrates how each month is connected to its chaim. For example, he explains that on 17 Marcheshvan the waters of the mabul began to pelt the earth, killing all life, and a year later, on 27 Marcheshvan,the waters receded; therefore, the chaim for this month represents life itself, chaim aruchim.

    I wondered how Rav Farber would explain Adar’srelationship to chaim shel parnasah. He asserts that Adar represents parnasah because Moshe died in this month. What is the connection to parnasah, you ask? Well, we know that when Moshe was niftar, the mann stopped. For the first time since achieving the status of a nation, we had to find our own parnasah, at the same time maintaining bitachon.

    What a beautiful correlation!

    Amazingly, this idea works out in an other instance. Many sifrei machshava (e.g. Likutei Halachos, tefilla 5) point out that the original 12 middle berachos of bakashah/request in shemoneh esreh represent the shevatim. Even when a 13th was added, they explain that this is due to Menashe and Ephraim being each seen as a shevat.

    It would seem that the same is true by the months of year, where they also equal twelve or thirteen, depending on an extra Adar.

    With this in mind, the other day I simply counted in shemoneh esreh from the first beracha of daas, correlating it to Tishrei etc. How delighted I was to see that the month of Adar, the sixth month, corresponds to the beracha of parnasa –birchas hashanim, the sixth beracha!

    Interestingly, the Aruch Hashulchan (siman 417:9) wanted to ban Birchas Hachodesh because we generally do not daven for personal needs on Shabbos. Many poskim, however, defended this practice by explaining that the chaims are not tefillos but are actually brachos! And others say that there is one exception when it comes to davening for personal matters on Shabbos, and that is parnasah, for which we may pray(Rav Felder in Yesodei Yeshurin, Vol. 4, p. 426; Shu”t Rivevos Ephraim 1:217; Noam, Vol. 12, pp. 222-223).

    So not only is the month of Adaran auspicious time to daven for parnasah,and not only is this fact alluded to in Birchas Hachodesh,but the allowance of prayer for our livelihood on Shabbos is what makes it possible for us to say this special tefillah each month.

    And we have gleaned all this from just three words in the siddur.

    Wishing readers the chaim of parnasah!