By Rabbi Moshe Pogrow
The laws of korbanos conclude with the words “Zos hatorah la’olah, lamincha ... asher tziva Hashem es Moshe b’Har Sinai, b’yom tzavoso es Bnei Yisrael lehakriv es korbaneihem laHashem b’midbar Sinai.” These pesukim emphasize the place where Jews brought their first offerings, as well as the time when they received the mitzvah. It was yom tzavoso—it was day when they received this command.
Similarly, we find that the Torah distinguishes between the prophecy of Moshe, who received the Torah, and that of the other prophets: peh el peh adaber bo, u’mareh v’lo b’chidos. G-d did not speak to Moshe in the twilight of a dream. Rather, the Word that came to Moshe came to the lucid intellect of an aware man. And Moshe relayed that Word to the aware people. Similarly, halacha says, a person should bring a korban with a clear mind and full awareness; with thoughtfulness and free choice should he dedicate himself to fulfilling the Torah. Asher tziva Hashem es Moshe b’Har Sinai b’yom tzavoso: all hakrava, drawing closer to Hashem through an offering, is fit only by day.
The fourth bracha of Birkas Hamazon was introduced by Rabban Gamliel in Yavneh. The occasion was the permission granted by the Romans to bury the dead of Beitar. In the heroic but futile Bar Kochva revolt, thousands were massacred at the fortress of Beitar. Hadrian, the Roman emperor, prohibited their burial. Thus, their corpses were left lying in the fields around Beitar for years. When permission was granted at long last to bury them, the chachamim uttered the blessing “Hatov vehameitiv.” The bracha was joined to Birkas Hamazon because it is a prayer that is spoken in joyous gratitude.
Adapted from World of Prayer by Rabbi Elie Munk
Night and Day: A Deeper Perspective
Night, laila, is the time when things are commingled, when man gives himself up to physical forces. Hence, night brings a pagan man close to his gods. At night, he senses their power, as he is held in it like all the other creatures. During the day, however, man walks upright, aware of himself and subduing the world. To the pagan mind, day is the time of man’s struggle with the gods.
The Jewish perception is the antithesis of this. Not in the resignation of night does the Jew sense G-d’s power. Rather, in clarity of thought, in creative action that conquers worlds, in the upright posture of daytime—in these, he attains closeness to G-d. The light of his intellect, the force of his free will, the creativity of his endeavors—indeed, the entirety of his personality as it stands tall throughout the day—all these were given to him by the grace of the Creator.
G-d has granted man a share of His infinite intellect, of His free will, of His creative Power. G-d has raised man above the bonds of physicality, stood him upright, and made him master of the world—so that he may serve G-d in it. In the very carrying out of a day’s work, a man fulfills the Will of G-d.
To pagans, the day is a struggle of mortals against the power of gods. To the Jew, day means serving G-d, and through His world he brings G-d satisfaction.
Based on the commentary of Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt”l on Chumash, with permission from the publisher.
