Answers to this Week’s Riddles
(For the riddles, please see back page)
1) R' Chaim Berlin in his Shu”t Nishmas Chaim (Inyonim 77) writes:והוא הפלא ופלא ואין פותר אותה – “The above is an extremely strong question, and there is no way to reconcile it”. He then suggests an answer. Tosfos in Shabbos (22b d.h. vechi) quotes in the name of the Beraisa De’meleches HaMishkon, that during the 40 years that Klal Yisroel were in the midbar, the amud ha’onon [pillar of cloud] would light everything up, and they would be able to look at the outside of barrel and see what was inside.
Based on this, R’ Berlin explains: The first porah adumah was brought in the days of Moshe Rabbeinu, and at that time they had the amud ha’onon. Since they had the special light coming from the amud ha’onon they were able to see inside the animal without having to open it up. The rule is that we don’t follow rov when it’s possible to check. In the days of Moshe, it was possible to check without cutting up the animal, therefore they did in fact check for the 18 treifos.
Although many people think that x-rays are a relatively new invention, we see that already in the time when Klal Yisroel were in the midbar they had x-ray vision.
2) The Gemara in Kiddushin (31a) discusses the dedication of a non-Jew named Dama ben Nesina to the mitzvah of honoring his parents. The Chachmei Yisroel [wise men of the Jews] needed a certain stone which he had, and they were prepared to pay a large amount of money for it, however, the key needed to access it was underneath the pillow on which Dama’s father was sleeping. Although he could have made a tremendous profit if he woke Nesina to get the key, Dama elected to honor his father and refused to disturb him. The Gemara relates that as a reward for his kibbud av, he was rewarded with the birth of a of rare porah adumah in his herd. The Gemara says “this happened a year later”.
The Yerushalmi (Kiddushin 1:7) brings the same story, however, the Yerushalmi says: “The same night that Dama ben Nesina honored his father, a porah adumah was born into his heard ... as Hashem doesn’t delay when it comes to paying back non-jews for fulfilling mitzvos”.
According to the Yerushalmi the porah adumah was born within one night, surely such a thing is miraculous, therefore, we may conclude from here that a miraculous porah adumah is kosher.
However, it could be we only have proof that if in the end of the day the porah adumah is born from a mother it’s kosher. If, however, one would create a porah adumah using Sefer Yetzirah or some other miraculous means, it could be it would be different.
3) The Panim Yofos answers: R’ Yonason is talking about talmiday chachomim who don’t die from the maloch hamoves. Certain talmiday chachomim die with a kiss from Hashem, such people should make sure to be learning even when they die.
Related to the above, there is an unbelievable chiddush from the Kesef Mishnah (Hilchos Tumas Tzora’as 2:9). The Gemara in Bava Metzia (86a) discusses some halachos related to tumas tzora’as and teaches: If the patch of tzora’as (bahares) comes before a white hair the person is tomei, if, however, the white hair comes first then he is tohar. In a case when one is unsure, the Gemara brings that there was a big discussion in the beis hamedrash about this. Rabbah bar Nachmeini ruled “tahor, tahor”, and immediately after he said this, “his soul left b’taharah [in purity]”. At that point a bas kol [heavenly voice] came out and said: “Praiseworthy is Rabbah bar Nachmeini that his body is pure, and that his soul left with purity.” The difficulty is, the Rambam doesn’t seem to rule in accordance with Rabbah bar Nachmeini, why is this?
The Kesef Mishnah explains, “Rabbah bar Nachmeini said this when his soul was departing, therefore, it goes into the rule of ‘Torah is not in heaven’” (the rule that says we don’t pasken halachah based on rulings that come from places not in this world).
We see that even though he was still in this world, as he hadn’t yet died, Torah learnt at such a time is so special and it’s considered Torah from heaven. (Otzer Pelois HaTorah)
4) The Sefer Otzar Yad Chaim (siman 97) and Likutay Ma’arich (Seder Krias Shema She’al Hamitah) answer that this is exactly what the Gemara in Berachos means. “Torah only remains by those who kill themselves over it”, i.e. only one who learns Torah the entire time and falls asleep wearing shoes – and as a result ends up tasting death, only such a person merits to understand and maintain the Torah he learns.
The Likutay Ma’arich (see also Shu”t Pe’as Sodcha 37) offers a second answer: The issur to sleep with shows is only if one is having a shinas keva [fixed sleep]. Talmiday chachomim only sleep properly on Shabbos, therefore, there was no issur for them to doze off whilst wearing shoes.
R’ Yitzchok Zilberstein in Chasukei Chemed (Yoma 78b) answers: The reason talmiday chachomim never removed their shoes is because of bitul Torah, therefore, we can apply the rule of shomer mitzvah lo yada dovar rah, one who is carrying out a mitzvah is protected from harm.
Finally, the Gemara in Berachos teaches: “Tzadikim even when dead are considered alive”. If when talmiday chachomim are dead they are considered alive, certainly when they are alive, they are considered alive, therefore, there is no problem for them to sleep whilst wearing shoes.
The sefer Shefah Chaim Yerech HaItonim (vol. 2, pg. 143) writes that every time the Divrei Chaim of Sanz would go to sleep, even if it was just for a few short minutes who would make sure to remove his socks, even when he found it difficult to do so. The Divrei Chaim held that the Gemara in Yoma applies even to socks. (Madanay Asher)
5) Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa answers that the Amalekites' unique clothing was so precious to them that they refused to change it, even at the risk of their lives.
The Chiddushei HaRim suggests that had they switched both their language and clothing, they would cease being Amalekites and would effectively become Canaanites, in which case the tefillos of the Jews to defeat “the Canaanites” would be effective against them. He adds that one may derive from here that a Jew who speaks and dresses in a non-Jewish manner may be considered a non-Jew.
