The Yerushalmi (Shekalim) brings from Rabbi Yosi ben Pazi in the name of Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi. When we read the following Pessukim, shouldn’t we be taken aback?
When it came to donate to the Mishkan it says all that had a generous heart brought donations. When it came to the Eigel – the golden calf, it says that all the people took off their jewelry, even those who weren’t naturally charitable.
We see the power of the Yetzer Hara how he can convince someone to go against their natural instinct for an Aveira.
The Yerushalmi continues, by Matan Torah it says that Moshe brought out the Jews, they never went themselves. Whereas, by the Meraglim – the spies that went to Eretz Yisrael and caused such destruction, there the Moshe said, “and all of you came to me”, the Jews came on their own.
By the Yam Suf it says Az Yashir Moshe – Moshe sang, and only then the Jews joined in. Whereas when the Meraglim returned from Eretz Yisrael and gave over a bad report, the Passuk says that all the Jews started crying, on their own accord.
Rabbi Chiya bar Abba adds that all the bad things Klal Yisrael did they arose early in the morning. Whereas, we know that for Mitzvos, only Zerizim, people who are quick and alert get up early.
This Yerushalmi needs an explanation.
The Mishnayos Avos speaks about how a Jew should behave. The Mishna doesn’t tell us which Mitzvot to fulfill, but it teaches us ‘how’ to fulfill them. The Mishnah says, one should run to do a Mitzva and run away from a sin.
Most of us fulfill our obligations and Mitzvos. The question is if we do it swiftly, happily, with excitement, or do we drag ourselves without much choice.
Our Rabbis say that a person should run to Shul. Furthermore, the reward for coming and listening to a Shiur Torah is for the running to the Shiur.
Why?
Because when we do a Mitzva it isn’t always clear if we really enjoy doing it, if we really appreciate the privilege we have to be able to fulfill every Mitzva.
How do express our recognition, our excitement? By the way we prepare ourselves before the Mitzva.
When are preparing for something we enjoy
We can go on till late at night and jump up early in the morning, we’re happy, fresh, working swiftly, we’re looking forward.
Rabbi Akiva Eiger had a difficulty in his studies. We all know that on Rosh Hashana we have a Mitzva to blow the Shofar. We also know that when Rosh Hashana is on Shabbos we don’t blow the Shofar. The Gemara in Rosh Hashana tells us the reason why we don’t blow the Shofar on Shabbos. Our Rabbis were worried that a person may have a Shofar at home but he doesn’t know how to blow it. So we are worried that he may carry the Shofar on the street to someone who knows how to blow the Shofar.
Tosfos explains that we are not worried that a person will take it out from a Reshus Hayachid – a private property into the street, we are worried that he may carry the Shofar on the street 4 Amos (over two meters – nearly 8 feet) which is forbidden on Shabbos.
The Gemara in Shabbat (5:) brings that according to Ben Azai a person who carries something four Amos in the street hasn’t transgressed that Halacha because with every step a person stops for a moment so he hasn’t carried the object four Amos in one go. If so according to Ben Azai when does this Halacha apply? Tosfos explains that according to Ben Azai only if a person jumps four Amos in one jump then he has transgressed this Halacha. (The Gemara didn’t accept Ben Azai’s ruling)
Rabbi Akiva was disturbed by the following question. According to Ben Azai it is nearly impossible that a person can jump four Amos in one go. Why did our Rabbis forbid blowing the Shofar because of such a far-fetched reason?
Rabbi Akiva Eiger asked the question to his grandson Rabbi Leibele Eiger. Rabbi Leibele had drawn close to the Chassidic movement, became a student of Rabbi Menachem Mendel from Kotzk and later became the Grand Rabbi of Lublin.
Rabbi Leibele looked at his grandfather and replied, “Zeidy, I don’t understand, who can’t jump four Amos out of such excitement to fulfill such a great Mitzvah?!”
In the Beis Hamikdash
The Korban Pesach was brought on Erev Pesach afternoon. However not everyone could fit into the Beis Hamikdash at one time. The Gemara tells us that the Korban Pesach was brought in three groups. Altogether in the three groups over a million Jews sacrificed the Korban Pesach. The Gemara explains the swiftness of the Kohanim how they slaughtered the Korban and sprinkled its blood on the Mizbeach – Alter.
While they were sacrificing the Korbonos the Leviyim would sing Hallel. If they finished all of Hallel they would sing it a second or third time. (this is the source of those who have the custom to sing Hallel when baking Matzos on Erev Pesach afternoon, in memory of the Hallel sung in the Beis Hamikdash.)
The Gemara tells us that the by the third group the Leviyim never even reached the chapter of ‘Ahavti’ half way through Hallel. That’s how small the third group was.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk added that if the third group would have reached ‘Ahavti’ – Ahavas Hashem true love for Hashem they wouldn’t have been in the third group, they would have been quicker and joined in the first two groups.
The Mishna in Avos says, Rabbi Yehuda ben Taima said, ‘Be fierce like a leopard, swift like an eagle, run like a deer and be strong like a lion in order to do the wishes of our Father in Heaven.’
Now let us understand, what travels quicker? A car or a plane? For sure the plane will arrive faster. And if we have a race between an eagle and a deer, which will arrive first? For sure the eagle. So once the Tanna told us to be swift like an eagle what did he add by telling us to run like a deer?
The answer is that we are not expected to be so swift like an eagle, after all we can’t fly, but we are expected to run like a deer. But the word ‘Kal Kanesher’ can mean swift like an eagle, it can also mean light like an eagle.
Let us explain
Flies and birds are light and can fly. Chickens also have wings but they can’t fly. So how is it that the eagle that is so much bigger and heavier manages to fly?
The answer is that although its weight is heavy but it has such determination that it changes itself to be light. That’s what the Tanna means.
When we’re sleeping and we get woken up for a great dinner, a great vacation, a flight, to close a great business deal, we are light and swift like an eagle, we’ll jump out of bed. We can chat all day about news, politics and Lashon Hara. But when it comes to davening, to learning, suddenly we are tired; our eyelids just close on us.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Taima is teaching us to be fresh and swift for Avodas Hashem.
Rabbi Yitzchok Dov Koppelman the Rosh Yeshiva of Lucerne told over that the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva took part in an important meeting with many great Rabbanim. They had a Torah discussion and he voiced his opinions. Then they changed topic and discussed some important issue. The Telzer Rosh Yeshiva fell asleep and started snoring from lack of sleep. A few minutes later they started having another Torah discussion and the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva suddenly was awake and fully involved. He was awake and fresh for Torah!
Rabbi Yankel Galinsky was asked to speak at a Chassuna. He asked why is it that when the Chassan goes to the Chupa he is held by his parents or father and father in law, on either side?
The Ponevezer Rav replied, “maybe for the same reason why the Chassan wears a Kitel to remind him of eternal future, when a person dies they are dressed in white shrouds. So too then a person is carried.”
The Imrei Chaim, the Grand Rabbi of Vishnitz replied, “they hold on to him in order that he shouldn’t run too fast..”
A Litvishe reply and a Chassidic reply!
Let us finish off with the wonderful words of the Sefas Emet. The Passuk in Vayakhel says ‘Vehem heivi’u eilav oid nedava baboker baboker’ – and the brought more donations in the morning. The Passuk repeats the words in the morning to emphasize that by the Mishkan not only they arose early to bring donations, they arose extra early to correct their sin of arising early by the Eigel – the golden calf.
And let us not forget that when are doing our Avodas Hashem, we are being watched by our children, grandchildren. They can see immediately how we enjoy our Torah study, davening and Mitzvos. Are we giving them a role model education or do we lecture them one way and our actions show something rather different?!
