‫בס“ד‬

Toronto Torah Beit Midrash Zichron Dov

Parshat Vayikra 6 Adar II , 5771/March 12, 2011 Vol.2 Num. 28

Korbanot: It’s The Thought That Counts R’ Mordechai Torczyner

Feeling like an astronaut does not and practice? Sanhedrin 106b, rachmana liba ba’ey,
mean I‘ve been to the moon, and One answer may emerge from the Hashem desires the heart. The goal of
studying the laws of Lulav is not Rambam‘s discussion of why Hashem the korban is to bring us closer to Gd;
halachically equal to picking up a decreed the existence of korbanot, at absent that goal, the korban itself is
palm branch and waving it. When all. Rambam was troubled by meaningless. [Of course, this
dealing with korbanot, though, it Yirmiyahu‘s declaration (7:22-23), ―For emphasis upon the heart does not
seems that feeling = doing. on the day I removed your fathers from render the korban ritual meaningless;
Vayyikra Rabbah (7:3) illustrates this Egypt, I did not speak to them and I viduy without a korban chatat is as
point, saying, ―Since you involve did not command them regarding meaningless as a korban chatat
yourselves in studying them, I burnt offerings and celebration without viduy. Nonetheless, the
consider it as though you had actually sacrifices. Only this did I instruct them, thought is essential to the korban.]
brought them.‖ This message is saying: Hear My voice and I will be We see evidence of the importance of
reminiscent of Hosheia‘s surprising your G-d, and you will be My nation.‖ our feelings in the names that the
statement, as explained in Yoma 86b, Yirmiyahu seems to say that Hashem Torah and our sages used to identify
that reciting the pesukim of the does not desire korbanot - but the the korbanot themselves. Whereas
korbanot is considered equivalent to Torah itself, and particularly Sefer ritual mitzvot are often named for the
performing their rituals. Vayyikra, is testimony to the contrary! objects they employ – Matzah, Lulav,
Similarly, the Mateh Ephraim (621:10) Rambam (Moreh haNevuchim 3:32) Menorah – the korbanot are primarily
says that one should study, in advance explained that Yirmiyahu was trying to named for the emotions and thoughts
of Yom Kippur, the version of the teach us the importance of the thought they represent: Chatat [sin-offering],
Avodah which matches the version in that accompanies, and validates, a Asham [guilt-offering], Todah [thanks
the Avodah poem he will read on korban. ―The primary object is that -offering], Shelamim [peace-offering],
musaf of Yom Kippur. you should know Me and serve no Neder and Nedavah [voluntary vows
This idea is most unusual within other, and I will be your Gd and you to Gd]. [The korbanot which do not
Judaism‘s view of mitzvah fulfillment, will be My nation. I instructed you in all follow this model – such as Pesach,
though. We do not apply this concept of these rituals in My Name, until the Bechor, Maaser – tend to involve
of ―study = fulfillment‖ to any other name of idolatry would be erased and other mitzvot beyond the korban
temporarily inaccessible mitzvah, the principle of My Oneness would itself.]
such as Hakhel or Mechiyyat Amalek. remain, so that this principle would Perhaps this is why we can, in the
How do we understand the korban- endure in your hands.‖ temporary absence of a Beit
specific equation between recitation In other words, to borrow from haMikdash, study about the korbanot
and merit Divine credit as though we
had brought those offerings
Parshah Questions R’ Meir Lipschitz ourselves. If the korban‘s primary
element is its thought and emotion,
Answers are provided on the back page. and the secondary element, its ritual,
 Why was salt supposed to be added to a korban, while honey was not allowed? is unavailable, then our engagement
(Rashi, Ramban, and Netziv to Vayikra 2:11-13)
in the primary piece may suffice for
 Why does the Torah use the word ―asher‖ rather than the more common ―im‖ when now.
describing the transgression and korban of a Nasi (leader)?
(Rashi, Siftei Chachomim, Ba‘al HaTurim, Ramban, Seforno, and Netziv to Vayikra 4:22)
May Gd‘s will be that we soon see the
re-building of the Beit haMikdash and
 Why does the Torah use the term ―nefesh‖ when describing the sin-offering, as opposed
to the term ―adam‖ which had been used previously? the restoration of our korbanot in both
(Ramban, Ohr HaChaim, Rabbeinu Bachaye, Alshich, Mincha Belulah, and Tzror Hamor ritual and emotion, the primary and
to Vayikra 4:2) secondary elements united once
 For children: Why is the opening word ‫ ויקרא‬written with a small ‫?א‬ again in the Land of Israel in our
(Ba‘al HaTurim Vayikra 1:1) mlipschitz@torontotorah.com service of Hashem.

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The Spirit of Purim
The Rabbis of the Talmud have
recorded (Shabbos 88a) the tradition
that although the Jewish people
accepted the Torah at Mt. Sinai out of
their own free will, there was,
nevertheless, an aspect of coercion
involved. After the miracle of Purim,
the people accepted the Torah again,
this time without any element of
coercion. Today when we observe
Purim, one of the themes being
celebrated is this second accepting of
the Torah. According to the Geonim,
this is the reason that Purim alone was
singled out from all the other holidays
instituted by the Rabbis (and
recorded in the Megillas Taanis) to
have a mitzva of seuda (eating a festive
meal). Just like on Shavuos the Talmud
tells us (Pesachim 68b) that all agree
that one must have an elaborate meal
as part of the commemoration of our
accepting the Torah, so to Purim must
be celebrated with an elaborate meal
for this same reason.
According to the Medrash, the
element of coercion at the time of
maaamad Har Sinai that necessitated
the later second acceptance was
regarding the Torah She’beal Peh. The
Jews were fully prepared to accept
G-d‘s written Torah, since it was
clearly of divine origin. But the bulk of
the Oral Law consists of laws classified
as "divrei sofrim", laws developed by
the rabbis over the generations,
which have the status of dinim doraisa.
The discretion and the judgement of
613 Mitzvot: Mitzvah 85
Creating Shabbat
In addition to the biblical prohibition
(mitzvah 32) against performing
melachah on Shabbat, we are also
instructed (mitzvah 85) to actively
create Shabbat, as we do by ceasing
all melachah. The Torah words this
Some contend that this commandment
as a ‫מצות עשה‬, a commandment
applies to both men and women even
rather than a prohibition; we are
though it is time-bound, because it is
expected to generate a proper
bonded to the unusually severe
Shabbat atmosphere.
prohibition against performing
By adding this commandment, the melachah on Shabbat. (Minchat
Torah intensifies the process of Chinuch 85:2)
teshuvah for a Jew who accidentally
violates Shabbat. Violating a
2 Visit us at www.torontotorah.com
the rabbis is assumed to have been
divinely inspired, and therefore has
been endowed with doraisa status. The
verse in Tehilim (25,14) that G-d
reveals his secrets to those who fear
him is quoted several times in the
Talmud to bring out this point.
This is in no way a contradiction to the
principal developed by the rabbis that
"lo bashamayim hi" (see Bava Metzia
59b) – that after mattan torah G-d will
no longer reveal any halachos to man
in a supernatural fashion, i.e. through
prophecy, and any bas kol proclaiming
a halachah must be disregarded. Of
course G-d expects us to work out the
halacha. At the same time, He has
promised to assist the rabbis – from
behind the scenes – in their
deliberations to see to it that they do
not err. The binding force of any psak
of any rabbi is based on the
assumption that the individual posek
was granted this supernatural divine
assistance.
Bnei Yisroel at the time of mattan Torah
apparently found it hard to accept this
concept (see Meerot Neryah p. 16a). At
the time of the nes Purim a group of
rabbis known as the Anshei Knesses
Hagedolah was setting all the forms of
religious observance as they are still
being observed today, two thousand
years later (brachos, tefilos, categories
of halacha). The Jews realized that the
yad Hashem was involved in the story
from behind the scenes. They came to
understand well the concept of "sod
prohibition warrants a ‫קרבן חטאת‬, but
because there is a commandment
involved, one would also need to
bring a ‫ קרבן עולה‬in atonement.
(Minchat Chinuch 85:1)
torczyner@torontotorah.com
R’ Herschel Schachter
Hashem leyereiov." It becomes
understandable that halachos are
developed by the rabbis with the yad
Hashem guiding them. This is what the
Torah Shebaal Peh was always about.
Now that the Jewish people had
accepted that part of the Torah again
without any coercion, this segment of
halacha was able to flourish and to
develop in a much greater fashion
than ever before. Indeed, the greatest
part of the development of the Torah
Shebaal Peh took place, historically,
after the days of Purim (see Be’Ikvei
Hatzon p.138, 114).
The Shlah, in his essay on Purim,
points to the posuk in the megillah
(8:14) "vehados nitnah beshushan
habirah", as an allusion to the concept
that the Torah was being reaccepted.
The traditional festive Purim meal is
eaten to celebrate this reacceptance
and should be eaten with such an
attitude. Becoming drunk and rowdy
simply does not fit in with the correct
attitude which should pervade the
Purim observance. Purim is not the
Jewish Halloween. The custom of
putting on masks, and dressing up to
conceal one‘s true identity was never
intended to represent a Jewish Mardi-
Gras; but rather to show that just as in
the story of Purim, one had to look
below the surface to see the hidden
Mover behind the events, so too in
Torah study, one must always look
below the surface, and read in-
between the lines to gain the insights
of the Torah Shebaal Peh, which will
actually place everything in the Torah
in the proper perspective. The custom
of masquerading is to teach us, "al
tistakel bekankan elah bemah sheyesh
bo!", (Never look at the outer
appearance of the container. Always
try to investigate what might possibly
be hiding beneath the surface.) The
fact that G-d‘s name never appears in
the megillah is also assumed to be for
the same reason. The hidden Torah
Shebaal Peh interpretation always
enlightens the Torah shebiksa, and
always puts things into clearer
perspective.
Reprinted with permission from
torahweb.org
 Ha’Am V’Ha’Aretz
R’ Yisrael Gustman
Torah in Translation
Time-Dependent Commandments
Chelkas Yaakov Orach Chaim 20
The Mishna Kiddushin 39a establishes the
principle that women are exempt from time
dependent commandments. There are two
possible definitions to this concept. One, that the
mitzvah is caused by time; two, that the mitzvah
is limited by time and can only be fulfilled at
certain times and not at others. The difference
between the two definitions is the case of a
mitzvah that, although not precipitated by a
unique time-period, cannot be fulfilled at certain
times. Tfillin cannot be fulfilled on Shabbat
because of the nature of Shabbat. Does that
make tfillin a time dependent commandment?
Tfillin is not generated by a particular time-
period; however, it cannot be fulfilled at all
times. In fact, women are exempt from tfillin
because the Gemara establishes that Shabbat is
excluded from tfillin [see Tos‘ Kiddushin 34a].
This would eliminate our first definition and thus
prove our second. [See, however, Rashi (ibid.)
who defines a time dependent commandment as During the war he hid from the Nazis with the
a mitzvah which is generated by time.]
The Gemara derives the exemption of women unspeakable horrors. He became the Rav
from Succah from the word ―HaEzrach‖, and asks of the remnant of Vilna after the war. After a
why this derivation is necessary since Succah is sojourn in the United States, he settled in
a time dependent commandment as it says ―and Israel and served as the Rosh Yeshiva of
you shall dwell therein for seven days‖. Why is Yeshivas Netzach Yisrael.
the Gemara compelled to prove that succah is
time bound by quoting the verse since it is
obvious that the mitzvah to dwell in the succah
only applies during the holiday of Succot? The
answer is that without the verse one might have
mistakenly thought that the premise of the Shas
is that Succah is a time dependent
commandment because it is generated by the
sanctity of that particular time, i.e. this is the
time when HaShem provided the succot for the
Jewish People after they left Egypt. By invoking
the verse ―and you shall dwell therein for seven
days‖, the Gemara is teaching us that the mere
fact that the mitzvah is limited in time and cannot
be fulfilled the following seven days, that itself
establishes the mitzvah as a time dependent
commandment even if the time period does not
generate the mitzvah.
In the light of this analysis, we can address the
following question. It is the seventh day of
succot before sunset, and one accepts upon
himself the Yom Tov of Shmini Atzeret (through
the process called ―tosefet‖, addition), will he
eat his meal in the succah or in the house? If the
mitzvah is generated by ―kedushat HaYom‖ – the
sanctity of the time period – then he has now
entered into a new Kedusha, that is Shmini
Atzeret, and he will eat inside his house. But now
that we have proven that the mitzvah of succah is
a seven-day mitzvah, he must eat inside the
succah since the seventh day has not passed.
One‘s personal ―tosefet‖ does not convert day
into night and therefore he must eat in succah.
[See Maharshal, Orach Chayim, siman #768].
Visit us at www.torontotorah.com
R’ Azarya Berzon illustrious residents of Rechavia and Jerusalem.
HaRav Yisrael Zeev Gustman z‖tl was one of
the outstanding figures in the Rabbinic world
in Lithuania, the U.S. and Israel of the last
generation. Born in Tammuz of 1908 Skolka
(near Bialystock), he possessed a
tremendous zeal and a rare love for Torah
study as a youngster. At age ten, he had
already mastered Shisha Sidrei Mishnah. And
was not yet 12 years old when he reached
Rav Shimon Shkop‘s yeshiva in Grodno. The
policy in Grodno was for an older, more
accomplished bochur to learn with a younger
newcomer. He was privileged to learn first
with Rav Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l, later
the rosh yeshiva of the Mirrer Yeshiva, and
Rav Shmuel Rozovsky zt”l, later rosh
yeshiva of Ponevezh. Rav Rozovsky referred
to Rav Gustman as ―mori v’rebbi‖ all his life.
The story is often told of how the Chafetz
Chayim respectfully rose from his chair in his
presence. While studying in Grodno he
became the son-in-law of Rav Mayer Bessin,
the Rosh Yeshiva of Ramailes in Vilna and a
Dayan on the Bes Din of Rav Haim Ozer, the
Rav of Vilna, all before his 20th birthday!
partisans in the forests and suffered
Kuntresei Shiurim, an edited and expanded
version of his weekly shiurim, set forth a new
method in Talmudic study. His analysis is
topical and comprehensive as was his
Rebbe's, Rav Shimon, but his conceptual
approach to Sugyos is unique - each topic is
examined in its entirety following a logical
sequence of its underlying elements.
Kuntresei Shiurim have been published on
Nedarim, Gittin, Kiddushin, Baba Kama, Bava
Metzia, and Bava Basra.
Rabbi Ari Kahn tells the following story. ―For
me, Rav Gustman was the living link to the
Jewish world destroyed by the Nazis. I never
had to wonder what a Rav in Vilna before the
war looked like, for I had seen Rav Gustman
35 years after the war. At the head of a
yeshiva in the Rechavia section of
Yerushalayem, Rav Gustman taught a
relatively small group of loyal students six
days a week. But on Thursdays at noon, the
study hall would fill to capacity: Rabbis,
intellectuals, religious court judges, even a
Supreme Court justice and various
professors would join along with any and all
who sought a high-level Talmud shiur that
offered a taste of what had been nearly
destroyed. When Rav Gustman gave shiur,
Vilna was once again alive and vibrant.
One of the regular participants was a
professor at the Hebrew University, Yisrael
Aumann who made his weekly participation
in Rav Gustman's shiur part of his schedule,
along with many other more or less
In 1982, Israel was at war. Soldiers were
mobilized, reserve units activated. Among
those called to duty was a reserves soldier, a
university student who made his living as a
high school teacher, Shlomo Aumann,
Professor Yisrael Aumann's son. On the eve of
the 19th of Sivan, in particularly fierce combat,
Shlomo fell in battle.
Rav Gustman mobilized his yeshiva: all of his
students joined him in performing the mitzvah
of burying the dead. At the cemetery, Rav
Gustman was anguished. He surveyed the rows
of graves of the young men, soldiers who died
defending the Land. On the way back from the
cemetery, Rav Gustman turned to another
passenger in the car and said, "They are all
holy." Another passenger questioned the
rabbi: "Even the non-religious soldiers?" Rav
Gustman replied: "Every single one of them."
He then turned to the driver and said, "Take
me to Professor Aumann's home."
The family had just returned from the cemetery
and would now begin the week of shiva --
mourning for their son, brother, husband and
father. (Shlomo was married and had one child.
His widow, Shlomit, gave birth to their second
daughter shortly after he was killed).
Rav Gustman entered and asked to sit next to
Professor Aumann, who said: "Rabbi, I so
appreciate your coming to the cemetery, but
now is time for you to return to your Yeshiva."
Rav Gustman spoke, first in Yiddish and then in
Hebrew, so that all those assembled would
understand:
"I am sure that you don't know this, but I had a
son named Meir. He was a beautiful child. He
was taken from my arms and executed. I
escaped. I later bartered my child's shoes so
that we would have food, but I was never able
to eat the food -- I gave it away to others. My
Meir is a kadosh -- he is holy -- he and all the
six million who perished are holy." Rav
Gustman then added: "I will tell you what is
transpiring now in the World of Truth in Gan
Eden. My Meir is welcoming your Shlomo into
the minyan and is saying to him ‗I died because
I am a Jew -- but I wasn't able to save anyone
else. But you -- Shlomo, you died defending the
Jewish People and the Land of Israel.' My Meir
is a kadosh, he is holy -- but your Shlomo is a
Shaliach Zibbur in that holy, heavenly minyan."
Rav Gustman continued: "I never had the
opportunity to sit shiva for my Meir; let me sit
here with you just a little longer."
Professor Aumann replied, "I thought I could
never be comforted, but Rebbi, you have
comforted me."
Rav Yisroel Zev Gustman served Klal Yisroel as
a world- renowned rov and rosh yeshiva. By
learning about his life of total dedication to
Torah learning, we catch a glimpse of his
greatness and are thereby provided with a
faint glimpse into a world that was, the Torah
world of pre-war Vilna. On the 28th of Sivan in
1991, Rav Gustman was niftar. Yehi zichro
boruch.
3
 Parshah Answers R’ Meir Lipschitz

responsible for the thought process

Why was salt supposed to be added to
a korban, while honey was not
allowed?
 Rashi only addresses the issue of the
salt, stating that salt was added to
korbanot because of an agreement
between HaShem and the sea from the
days of Creation. The agreement was
that if the waters would recede to allow
dry land to be seen, then water and
salt would be offered on the mizbeach.
 Ramban refers us to Moreh Nevuchim
where Rambam explains that honey is
prohibited because idolatrous
practices generally involved honey,
and salt is included because the
idolaters didn‘t use salt in their rituals.
Additionally, it is not appropriate that
we should offer bland foods to
HaShem, and so we add salt in order to
enhance the flavor.
 In Netziv‘s opinion, honey and salt,
respectively, represent improper and
proper approaches towards G-d‘s
divine control over the world. He
explains that honey is an additive
which changes the natural flavor of a
food, which is the equivalent of saying
that the food was not good enough the
way HaShem had created it, and we
need to make it better. Salt, on the
other hand, is an additive which
enhances the natural flavor of a food
item. Salt is independently poor-
tasting, but it can be used to make
things better – much in the same way
that HaShem‘s control of the world
sometimes seems bad, but actually
makes things better.
Why does the Torah use the word
“asher” rather than the more common
“im” when describing the
transgression and korban of a leader?
 Rashi, citing Horiyyot 10b, explains
that the word asher is similar to ashrei,
which means praiseworthy or fortunate,
as if to say: How fortunate is a
generation whose leader publicly
recognizes, and atones for, his
accidental transgressions.
 Seforno claims that the usage of asher is
to suggest the inevitability of a
transgression on the part of a Nasi, as
opposed to im (if) of a regular person.
Similarly, Netziv explains that it is
fundamental to the very nature of the
Nasi‘s leadership position that he will
sin.
 On a separate point, Ba’al HaTurim
explains that this phrase is juxtaposed
with the transgressions of the nation, to
teach us that one who has the ability to
protest the actions of others (like a
communal leader), and does not try to
stop them, is responsible for those
actions.
Why does the Torah use the term
“nefesh” when describing the sin-
offering, as opposed to the term
“adam” which had been used
previously?
 Ramban claims that the term nefesh is
used because the nefesh (spirit) is
which led to the person to transgress.
He also quotes the midrash (Torat
Kohanim) which explains that the word
nefesh is broader than adam, including
parties who would not have been
included in adam.
 Ohr HaChaim quotes the same
midrash as Ramban, but notes that
adam does naturally include women,
even though the term adam is often
limited to the masculine.
 Rabbeinu Bachaye explains that
nefesh refers to the whole person, the
combination of the physical and
spiritual elements. He claims that there
would have been no difference had the
Torah used the word adam, and it is
merely a substitution of one
synonymous word for another.
For children: Why is the opening word
‫ויקרא‬written with a small ?‫א‬
 Ba’al HaTurim, basing himself on a
midrash, claims that Moshe—due to his
extreme level of humility—wanted to
write the word without the aleph at all,
so that it would be read as vayiker,
which denotes happenstance, that
HaShem happened to speak to him.
Moshe did not want it to seem that
HaShem spoke to him directly, but
rather that HaShem addressed him
through dreams. HaShem commanded
Moshe to write the full word, and so in
his humility Moshe wrote it with a small
aleph.

Schedule for the Week of March 12, 6 Adar II

Shabbat, March 12
7:45AM R‘ Azarya Berzon, Ramban, Or Chaim
10:15AM R‘ Azarya Berzon, Clanton Park
One Hour Before Mincha: R‘ Azarya Berzon, Masechet
Kiddushin, Mizrachi Bayit
7:50PM Parent/Child Learning, Shaarei Shomayim
Sunday, March 13
8:45AM R‘ Mordechai Torczyner, Medical Halachah
(with CME credit): Doctor-Patient
Confidentiality, BAYT, $5
9:15AM Itamar Zolberg:Parshah & Issues b‘Ivrit, Zichron
Yisrael
7:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Masechet Megillah, Shaarei
Shomayim
8:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Masechet Kiddushin, Shaarei
Shomayim
Monday, March 14
12:10PM Russell Levy, Masechet Pesachim (advanced),
Wolfond Center Lunch served
8:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon, Rambam, Clanton Park
8:30PM R‘ Meir Lipschitz, All About Alcohol week 2/3:
Beer, Shaarei Shomayim
9:20PM R‘ Azarya Berzon, Ramban, 12 Midvale Road
Tuesday, March 15
1:30PM R‘ Mordechai Torczyner: Michah, at Shaarei Shomayim, with
Mekorot: A Punning Navi
7:15PM R‘ Meir Lipschitz: The Thought of R‘ Shlomo Aviner: Purim, 3000
Bathurst, Apt 1201, Women
7:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Tools for Brisk, Thornhill Community Shul
8:00PM Dovid Zirkind: Interactive Parshah Discussion, Westmount Learning
Centre
8:00 PM R‘ Mordechai Torczyner, ―Purim Costumes and Shpiels, BAYT
8:30PM R‘ Mordechai Torczyner: Minchat Chinuch at Clanton Park, does not
meet this week
8:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Halachic Business Ethics: Responsibilities towards
other people‘s money, Thornhill Community Shul
Wednesday, March 9
9:15AM R‘ Mordechai Torczyner: Hosheia, 239 Franklin Women, Babysitting
provided: You will return
6:35PM R‘ Azarya Berzon, Highlights of Week‘s Shiurim, Clanton Park
8:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Masechet Psachim, Shomrei Shabbos
Thursday, March 10
8:00PM R‘ Netanel Javasky: Landmark Halachic Responsa, Bnai Torah,
Cancelled this Week
8:00PM Itamar Zolberg: Know your Megillah 2/3, Thornhill Community Shul
8:30PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Rav Soloveichik‘s Yahrtzeit Shiurim, Clanton Park
10:00PM R‘ Azarya Berzon: Rambam Hilchot Talmud Torah , Clanton Park
Mon-Fri, 6 AM R‘ Mordechai Torczyner, Daf Yomi, BAYT

4 We would like to thank koshertube.com for filming our shiurim! Visit us at www.torontotorah.com