Vayikra

Following the holidays of Pesach and Succos, there is a set of elective fasts called BaHaB which is an acronym for Monday, Thursday and Monday. These specific days of the week were selected because they are days of good-will, as Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai on a Thursday and descended on a Monday (Rama O.C. 134,1 ). There are three divergent opinions as to why these fasts are observed.

1) Repentance and Catharsis - The Rosh tells us (Taanis 1,20) that the joyous festivity of the holidays can be a catalyst for frivolity and sin. A precedent for this is found in Eyov 1,5. "When each cycle of feast days ended, Eyov .... would rise early in the morning and bring burnt-offerings... for Eyov said, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed Hashem in their hearts.'" Similarly, the Gemarah in Kiddushin (81a) quotes Rav Avin as saying, "The most susceptible time of the year for sin is the holidays." Rashi explains because men and women gather to hear the drasha, creating an environment for sin.

2) Environmental Concerns - Rav Yehuda Hachasid writes (Sefer Chassidim 227) that we fast after Succos in order that the rains of MarCheshvan fall adequately and beneficially. We fast after Pesach in order that the heat of Iyar should not parch and decimate the wheat. This is also the opinion of the Raviyah (Mordechai, Taanis, 629).

3) Health Concern - The Mateh Moshe (716) is of the opinion that due to the change in seasons immediately following the Holidays, the body, while acclimating to the new conditions, is susceptible to illness. Therefore, we fast as a preventative measure to ward off sickness. The latter two reasons categorize these fasts as requests for salvation from trouble rather than a fast of Teshuvah. Most people don't fast BaHab as they find fasting taxing and often counter-productive. It is advisable, however, to follow the unique fast of the Ravad z"tl, "Let one not refrain completely from eating meat or drinking wine, for what the Torah prohibited is enough! Rather, while one is eating and still desires to eat, let him, in honor of the Creator, set aside some of his desires and not eat according to his appetite. This method will prevent one from sinning..." (Foundation of Teshuvah, Rabbeinu Yonah). The custom in our Shul, as in many Kehillos, is to recite Selichos before davening.

May the Almighty respond to our sincere repentance and requests and shower us all with His blessing.

Sefiras HaOmer

During the days of Sefiras HaOmer, the 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva perished in a cholera plague, for not demonstrating proper mutual respect. Therefore, it is customary to observe certain aspects of mourning to remind us of this tragedy, in order to reflect upon our middos (ethical behavior) and improve our interpersonal relationships. In later centuries, many tragedies befell the Jewish People during this time. In the year 1096, during the First Crusade, the Jewish communities of the Rhineland - Worms, Speyer, and Mainz - suffered terrible pogroms. In addition, during the days of Bogdan Chmielnicki, may his name be blotted out, in the years 1648-1649, vicious blood libels culminated in the shedding of rivers of Jewish blood.

The prohibitions of the Sefirah period include: getting married, taking a haircut, shaving, and musical entertainment. One may purchase new clothing or fruit and say the bracha of Shehechiyanu. One may get engaged and celebrate a vort, provided there is no music. Many Poskim hold that one may shave to prevent business or financial loss. Cutting nails is permissible. There are those who remember the tragedies which took place at this time of the year, by heading their correspondence with the following short prayer, “In the merit of the counting of the Omer, may Hashem, the Guardian, shield us from all evil decrees.”

There are different customs as to when this period of partial mourning is observed.

1) Some observe from Pesach until Lag B’Omer (33rd day of the Omer).

2) Others observe from the first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar until the Shloshes Y’mai Hagboloh (the three days prior to Shavuos).

On Lag B’Omer itself all restrictions are lifted. This year, Lag B’Omer falls out on Sunday, May 6th. One may, therefore, take a haircut and shave on the preceding Friday, May 4th, in honor of Shabbos.

1)The Torah commands, "Three times a year, shall your menfolk appear before the face of the Adon | Hashem (Mishpatim 33:17)." All three times the Torah enjoins us to participate in this national pilgrimage - festival at the holy Temple in Jerusalem, there is a pesik line | that separates between the word "Adon" and "Hashem". HaGaon Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt"l explains the implied dichotomy. There are two distinct pilgrim personalities. The first focuses on the glory of the Temple edifice, the inspiration of the music and song of the Leviim, and all the sundry external manifestations of the Bais Hamikdash. The second is primarily interested in viewing Hashem and cleaving to the Divine Presence. Thus, the pesik line delineates between the one that only seeks the face of the Adon, i.e. the externals of the Temple and the one that yearns for Hashem Himself. The difference between the two is highlighted after the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. Although there is no longer an external edifice with all its pomp and circumstance, one still has the opportunity to unite with the Divine Presence itself. Our Chachomim tell us, "From the day the Temple was destroyed, the Divine Presence is found in the four amos of Halacha (Brachos 8a)".

According to HaGaon Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro shlita, this concept is poignantly expressed in the poetic words of the Yom Kippur Neilah service. "The holy city and its suburbs have become a disgrace and her treasures buried and hidden. There is nothing left but this Torah." Although the "face of the Adon" is no longer manifest, the spirit of the Divine still pulsates in our holy Torah, which represents the "shirayim" i.e. the residual essence of the Bais Hamikdash. Our anticipation of Shavuos and Kabbalas HaTorah mimics the lofty desires of the pilgrim who did not merely seek the external facade but yearned for the true essence of Hashem and the Divine Presence.

2)The middle two words of the Torah are "Darosh darash Moshe (Shemini 10:16)". There is a halachic tradition that the first word, "darosh", should be written at the end of a line in a Sefer Torah and the second word, "darash", should be the first word written on the next line. The "Megaleh Amukos" in Parshas Vaeschanan explains the implications of this tradition. After one has exhausted all of his analytical capacity and has "darshined" a particular Torah topic to the limit of his ability, one must be confident that the Almighty will continue to enlighten him and reveal new insights beyond his limited ken. The "darosh" at the end of the line represents coming to the end of one's limited abilities, while the implication of the second "darash", at the beginning of the next line, implies Hashem's promise to reveal fresh new ideas and insights. Torah is not like other wisdoms where one analyzes a "static concept", and the reality of limited understanding is reasonable. Torah study initiates a relationship between Hashem - the Teacher, and us - the learner. After one has expended his intellectual abilities, the "Nosen HaTorah", the Teacher of Torah, raises us to the next level, by revealing broader vistas and wider horizons of knowledge. Indeed, in Iyov, we find a description of the Torah - "It's measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea (Iyov 11:9)". The Diniver Rebbe in his "Bnei Yissaschar" suggests that this is alluded to in the words of the sweet singer of Israel, Dovid Hamelech. "And those who know Your name (i.e. the holy Torah) will trust in You (i.e. that You will continuously reveal to them the secrets of Torah), for You have not forsaken those who seek You (i.e. even after they have achieved their finite intellectual capacity), Hashem (Tehillim 9:11)." It is this dynamic relationship of mentor and protege that we yearn for as we anticipate Kabbalas HaTorah. May we merit this never-ending adventure of discovery into the secrets of the Torah and its wisdom.

As we count the days of Sfira in anticipation of Shavuos and Kabolas HaTorah, allow me to share some words of inspiration on the pursuit of accomplishment in Torah study.

Every Shavuos, it was the practice of the saintly Chofetz Chaim zt"l to gather his students and describe in great detail the Revelation on Har Sinai. He would tell how the Almighty presented the Torah to the nations of the world, who rejected it out of hand, leaving only the Jewish People receptive to His offer. The Chofetz Chaim would then relate the story of the famous Ger Tzedek, Avraham ben Avraham, born as Count Potocki, scion of a leading Polish noble family. While studying at the University of Paris, the Count became interested in Judaism. Leaving Paris, he eventually went to Amsterdam and began studying Torah, which led to his conversion. After settling in Vilna, he joined the ranks of those who dedicate their lives to full-time Torah scholarship. The Catholic Church eventually apprehended him and Avraham ben Avraham was sentenced to be burned at the stake. His brave martyrdom took place on, none other than, the holiday of Shavuos in the year 1749.

The Chofetz Chaim would relate the significance of the martyrdom occurring on Shavuos. "When the Almighty offered the Torah to the nations, there were some stalwart individuals amongst them who wanted to accept the Torah but their minority opinion was not endorsed. Their inspiration, however, was not forgotten, for the progeny of these people are the many holy converts who have joined the ranks of Klal Yisroel."

The Chofetz Chaim's understanding of the origin of geirim offers us tremendous encouragement. Although these members of the nations of the world did not receive the Torah, their inspiration and desire was never lost. Their progeny eventually found their way back to Torah, rekindling their ancestors' fervent desire. In comparison, we, who actually accepted the Torah on Mount Sinai, should never be discouraged in our pursuit of becoming
learned and loyal to our holy Torah. In the words of the Midrash, "The fool says, 'How is it possible to master the entire Torah? Thirty chapters in Nezikin! Thirty chapters in Kaylim!' The wise man says, 'I'll learn two laws today, two laws tomorrow, and eventually I'll master the entire Torah!' (Midrash Shir Hashirim 5)"

Every Shavuos, the Almighty allocates Divine assistance to enable us to grow in Torah knowledge. Let us merit to have the positive commitment of the wise man so that the Almighty will support us in our quest.