Answers to Last Week’s Riddles
1) The Mishnah in Avos (5:5) teaches that there were ten miracles which occurred in the Beis HaMikdosh. One of them was that the rains never extinguished the perpetual fire which was constantly burning on the mizbayach (Vayikra 6:6). Instead of miraculously sustaining the fire even as rain fell on it, why didn’t Hashem simply cause that rain should never fall on that location?
Rav Chaim Volozhiner (Ruach Chaim) explains that fire represents the study of Torah, which is compared to fire, and rain symbolizes the pursuit of a livelihood to sustain one’s family. People mistakenly think that they don’t have time for Torah study because they are so engrossed in their jobs. The Mishnah therefore hints that just as the rain was unable to extinguish the fire that always burned on the mizbayach, so too must one’s Torah learning remain constant and not be extinguished by preoccupation with one’s physical needs.
2) In this week’s parsha we learn about the korban todah (7:12). Rabbeinu Bechayeh (6:2) in a hakdomah [introduction] to this week’s parsha writes: “The korban todah comes for miracles, and it is an expression of thanksgiving. If one is ill and he recovers he brings a korban todah ... or for other simchos such as a chosan and kallah, like it says, ‘the voice of sason and simcha etc.’ they should bring a korban todah in the House of Hashem.” We see from Rabbeinu Bechayeh a big chiddush, we see that a chosan and kallah are supposed to bring a korban todah. The question is, why do a chosan and kallah need to do so, surely there are only four groups of people that bring a korban todah, those who go down to sea, those who travel through desserts, those that are ill and recover, and one is who is let out of prison. A chosan and kallah are not one of the four groups, so why should they bring a korban todah?
The Likutei Yehudah (Parshas Tzav) cites the Imrei Emes who suggests an answer based on the Gemara in Sotah (2a). The Gemara teaches: קשה זיווגו של אדם כקריעת ים סוף – “Finding a shidduch for a person is as difficult as splitting the Yam Suf”. We see that getting married is likened to the splitting of the Yam Suf. One of the four groups of people that need to bring a korban todah are those who have been down to sea. Since the chosan and kallah have experienced a krias Yam Suf, it’s like they have gone down to the sea, therefore, they must bring a korban todah.
Perhaps we can suggest another answer based on a Rashi in Menachos (79b). The Gemara in Menachos (79b) teaches that there is something called a todas chovah [obligatory todah]. Rashi explains, there are four groups of people that are obligated to bring a todah, however, if a person wants, he may bring a todah on his own accord. Perhaps Rabbeinu Bechayeh is talking about this second type of todah.
R’ Shamai Gross shlita suggests, that Chazal say that when a chosan and kallah get married al taharas hakodesh [with the correct intentions], it is like they have built a Midkosh me’at [mini Beis HaMikdosh], and the Gemara in Shavuos (15) teaches that: כשמוסיפין על העיר ועל העזרות מביאים שתי תודות – “When Beis Din add onto the city or onto the azorah they should bring two todah’s”. Consequently, when a chosan and kallah get married, and they “build” a Mikdosh me’at, they bring a korban todah.
The Madanay Asher suggests: The Zohar teaches that before one gets married he is: פלג גופא – “half a body”, only when one gets married does he become complete. Consequently, someone who gets married and becomes complete, is likened to someone who was ill and recovered. Therefore, he brings a korban todah.
A second answer he suggests is, the poskim say that sometimes when one gets married he should say:ברוך דיין האמת, because:דמוצא אני מר ממות את האשה - if one marries a bad wife, it can be more bitter than death. If, however, one marries a good wife then we say the opposite and it’s an amazing thing. One who finds a good wife, has been saved from death, therefore, it is only fitting that he brings a korban todah.
3) The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 51:9) writes: מזמור לתודה יש לאומרה בנגינה, שכל השירות עתידות ליבטל חוץ ממזמור לתודה - “Mizmor lesodah should be said with a tune, as all songs in the future will be annulled, besides for mizmor lesodah”
The Levush (Orach Chaim 51) writes: “It should be said with a tune, as it’s a pleasant and praiseworthy song, as it was said when people would bring a korban todah, which was offered to give praise and thanks to Hashem for all his goodness. Therefore, Chazal say, all songs will be annulled except for this one, as Hashem’s kindness will never stop. Like it says in Tehillim ‘His kindness is forever’”. The big question therefore is, why does this not seem to be the common minhag? It’s a clear Shulchan Aruch, and no other opinion is mentioned, so why is this not widely accepted?
I have looked around and haven’t really found a satisfactory answer to the above question. Both R’ Shlomah Zalman Auerbach zt”l (Halichos Shlomah, Tefillah, Perek 6, Orchos Halachah 42) and R’ Moshe Sternbuch shlita (Teshuvos V’Hanhagos 1:195) ask the above, and offer no answer.
There is a sefer called Biur HaPeshat shel Shulchan Aruch and he brings a fascinating story:
There was a Yid in Bnei Brak who had strong bodily pains, he went to get checked and it was discovered that he had the terrible machlah rachmonah litzlon [cancer]. This Yid was a fixed chazon in the Shesilay Zeisim Shul. He was very particular about the halachah brought down by the Beis Yosef of singing mizmor lesodah. When he was told the terrible news, he immediately thanked Hakodosh Boruch Hu for all the years of goodness and kindness he had received and was mechazek in his trust in Hashem and that Hashem could make everything better. He accepted upon himself that if he recovers, he will say mizmor lesodah with even more joy. The day before he was supposed to have another x-ray, he went to daven by the kever of the Beis Yosef in Tzefas. When he arrived, he thanked Hashem for everything he has given him so far, and he asked the Beis Yosef to daven for him, in order that he would be able to continue being the chazon and merit many people with keeping the halachah of singing mizmor lesodah which is not commonly kept. The next day, he had an x-ray, and the growth had miraculously disappeared.
The sefer Peninei Tefillah (pg. 69) brings, that R’ Elyashiv would say:דישנה הלכה בשולחן ערוך שרבים אינם מקיימים אותה והוא מה דמבואר בשו"ע דמזמור לתודה יש לאמרה בנגינה - “There is a halachah in Shulchan Aruch which many people don’t keep. That is the halachah that one should say mizmor lesodah with a tune”. He then brings that he asked R’ Elyashiv if one has to sing it with the notes (trop), and he answered that merely singing it is enough.
The sefer Doleh U’Mashkeh (pg. 95) brings that he asked R’ Chaim Kanievsky zt”l about the above, and one time he answered that the Mechber doesn’t mean one actually has to sing it, he just means one shouldn’t rush through it, and he should say it slightly slower than the rest of davening. However, another time he answered that one should in fact sing it.
The Chesed Le’Alophim (51:10) writes:ואין מי שיזהר במזמור זה לאומרו בנגינה יותר משאר מזמורים כי לא ידעו מה הוא אבל בהתודע צריך ליזהר - “There is no one who is careful to sing this mizmor more than any of the others, as they don’t know, if they would know than they would be careful”. It’s not so clear what he means. It would seem that what he is saying is, that we don’t know which tune to sing it in, therefore, we don’t. However, this is difficult, as from the Shulchan Aruch it doesn’t sound like there is a specific tune that one should sing it in. Additionally, if there is a particular tune why don’t we know it? And if it has been forgotten, how can he say if we would know about it then we should sing it. Who is going to remember the tune? Therefore, it seems more likely that he is simply saying, people don’t know about the halachah, however, if they would then they would do it.
The Madanay Asher brings a limud zechus from R’ Ezriel Boruch Aharonovitz shlita. The Chida in Chomas Anoch writes that one is able to thank Hashem for his kindness by learning Torah. People learn Torah with a niggun [tune], therefore, they fulfill the halachah of the Mechaber when learning.
However, it seems that ideally one should in fact be particular about the above halachah and sing mizmor lesodah.
4) The Gemara in Zevochim (35a) rules that if a Kohen has a stain on any of his priestly garments, any Divine service he performs is invalid. Where do we seemingly see otherwise in Parshas Tzav?
As part of the process of consecrating Aharon and his sons to serve as Kohanim, the Torah records (Vayikra 8:30) that Moshe sprinkled blood from the mizbayach and some of the anointing oil on Aharon, his sons, and their garments. How was Moshe permitted to soil their priestly vestments? Rav Chaim Kanievsky (Taima D’Kra Parshas Tetzaveh) answers that stains that result from fulfilling an explicit commandment (i.e. to sprinkle oil and blood on their clothing) are not deemed blemishes, but badges of honor. Based on the wording of the Rambam (Hilchos Klei HaMikdosh 8:5), the Chofetz Chaim (Likutei Halachos Zevachim Zevach Todah pg. 102-3) posits that only significant smudges invalidated the priestly garments. Accordingly, the Ichud B’Chidud (5777) suggests that any stains that resulted from the blood and oil used to inaugurate the priestly vestments were small enough that they were not considered disqualifying. (R’ Ozer Alport)
5) There was once a story where a non-Jew through some chometzdika cake into an oven which was baking matzos. The rov (one of the Rishonim) ruled, if the chometz never touched the matzah the halachah is ריחא לאו מילתא – “smell is insignificant”, therefore, the matzos are perfectly ok. Where do we find proof of this in this week’s parsha?
The Rishon who was asked the above question is the Mordechai (Pesochim 570). The proof from this week’s parsha is, that the korban todah was accompanied with 40 loaves. These loaves consisted of four types, chometz, matzah, rekikin and revucha. One of each type was given to a kohen. The chometz and matzah loaves were both baked in the same oven, as we don’t find anywhere that there was more than one oven in the Beis HaMikdosh. We see that chometz and matzah can be baked in the same oven at the same time, and it doesn’t make the matzah loaves become chometzdik.
