This week,
we present the introduction to the halachic code Mishnah Berurah by R' Yisroel
Meir Hakohen z"l (the "Chafetz Chaim"; approximately 1838 -
1933):
Blessed is Hashem,
the G-d of the heavens and the G-d of the earth, Who created everything in His
kindness in six days and, in the end, created man. This man is the least
numerous among the creatures and was the last one created, but qualitatively -
if he merits to attach himself to Hashem and if runs to do His will - he is the
most important among the creations. This is the meaning of the verses (Yishayah
66:1-2), "Thus said Hashem, 'The heaven is My throne and the earth is My
footstool; . . . My hand created all these things and thus all these things came
into being - this is the word of Hashem - but it is to this that I look: to the
poor and broken-spirited man who is zealous regarding My word'."
Everything
was prepared for man during the Six Days and under his control were placed the
fish of the sea and the birds of the heaven and everything that moves on the
land. All of this was prepared for his convenience and to serve him, and
he was created to serve his Master by studying Torah and performing mitzvot.
For this purpose the whole world was created . ..
I have explained elsewhere the verse [in this week's parashah,
18:5]: "You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out
and by which he shall live." Onkelos interprets: "By which he
shall live an eternal life." The explanation of this is as it sounds.
It is known that every one of the creations, whether man down here on earth or
that which is found in the sky
or even the higher creations, they all need sustenance from Hashem, for only
Hashem Himself is complete [on His own]. . . However, the sustenance of the
higher beings is not like ours, for it is spiritual "food." It
is plain that even the neshamah/soul needs "food" after it leaves the
physical body, just as one would not think that merely because the body has
removed its weekday clothes and dressed itself in Shabbat clothes that it would
not need food thereafter. [The author apparently is referring to the
elevated spiritual state that one attains on Shabbat which is said to be a
glimpse of the World-to-Come.] . . . [The soul] cannot live eternally on
physical food precisely because that food is physical and because, since such
food is part of this world, which is bound by time, it can only sustain a person
for a short time, whether one or two days - but forever, certainly not!
Therefore, Hashem, in his great mercy, gave us the holy Torah which is eternal,
and, by observing it, one shines the light of Hashem on his soul, and from that
light we derive pleasure [and sustenance in the World-to-Come]. [This is the
meaning of the verse at the beginning of this paragraph and Onkelos' comment.]
Now! Although the mitzvah of learning Torah is fulfilled by
learning any part of the Torah, even Kodshim and Taharot [which have little
practical application when the Temple is not standing], nevertheless, man's
primary study must be that which leads to action . . . Look in Yoreh Deah
(chapter 246), in the commentary of the Siftei Kohen, where he quotes from the
work called Prishah that man must study halachah / law every day so that his
study will lead to action. Through studying halachah, one is guaranteed
life in the World-to-Come, but one must take care to study every day . . .
Therefore, it is obvious that the section [of the Shulchan Aruch]
called Orach Chaim should be the first one studied. [Ed. note: This section
includes the laws of prayer, blessings and Shabbat, among others.]
Although all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch are necessary in order to act
[properly], nevertheless, this section must come first because it is crucial for
every day of a person's life, and, without it, no Jew can even lift a hand or a
foot.
This
week, we present an excerpt from the introduction to Mateh Moshe, a halachic
work by R' Moshe of Przemysl z"l (Poland; died 1606). Mateh Moshe is
noteworthy for explaining the sources of many customs which we take for granted,
for example, the custom to make noise when Haman's name is mentioned.
In the part of the introduction before this excerpt, the author discusses the
importance of Torah study.
"I
used to live in the city of Belz, where I was surrounded by many students who
heeded my voice to hear the words of Hashem; there were many, so many, who
relied on me. They were like my
sons, sitting at my table before G-d, until the troubles of the time carried me
and brought me here, to a metropolis among the Jews ("ir v'aim be'yisrael"
- based on Shmuel II 20:19), to the house of my father-in-law, the
philanthropist and adviser, wise and kindly, a prince and head among Israel,
Shmuel, may the One Who Redeems save
him. Here, too, I did not rest or find tranquility, for I could not
fulfill my desire to spread the Torah.
However,
I have found what my soul has sought in the words of R' Moshe Almosnino z"l
[Turkey; 1510-1581] who explained the verses (Kohelet 7:11-12), "Wisdom is
good with an inheritance, and better for those who see the sun, for to sit in
the shelter of wisdom is to sit in the shelter of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of those who
possess it."
This
means: Wisdom, like inheritance can be transmitted in two ways - in the
teacher's lifetime, from his mouth to his students, and after death, through
books. "Better for those who see the sun" means that it is
better to transmit wisdom while one is living. The verse explains the
reason . . . : There is a great difference between wisdom and money.
When a teacher transmits wisdom to his students, he does not lose anything, for
"wisdom preserves the life of those who possess it." [Thus the teacher
gains. On the other hand, if one gives away his money, he has nothing.]
Therefore, if I cannot transmit the Torah from my lips to students, which is the
best way to pass-on the inheritance, at least I will transmit it through books,
and may my words be as desirable as if I had uttered them from my mouth to
worthy students.
This
week, we present excerpts from the introduction to
Likutei Halachot by R' Yisrael Meir Hakohen z"l (the "Chafetz Chaim";
circa 1838 - 1933). Besides authoring such popular works as the halachic
code, Mishnah Berurah, and several works discussing the laws and the evils of
lashon hara, the Chafetz Chaim took it upon himself to encourage scholars,
especially kohanim, to study the laws of the Temple service.
Likutei
Halachot, a compendium of such laws, was written to further that goal, as the
Chafetz Chaim explains in his introduction:
Learning Torah may be divided into two parts: (1) learning to know the mitzvot
and to observe them, which involves learning things which have application today
-- this type of learning precedes everything -- and (2) learning those things
which do not have direct application in our times, for example Zera'im / the
agricultural laws and Taharot / the laws of ritual purity.
[Ed. note: These words were written in 1899, when there was not yet a
significant Torah-observant farming community in Eretz Yisrael.] This
latter type of learning is very dear in G-d's eyes, for it shows that one values
G-d's words and wants to toil in them and understand them. [Ed. note: This is
shown more so when one studies things that have no practical use.]
Know!
Learning the laws of Kodshim / the sacrifices, although they also are of no
practical consequence today, is very, very lofty. It says in the midrash
that it is regarding Kodshim that the verse says (Tehilim 19:9): "The
command of Hashem is clear, enlightening the eyes." The midrash lists
this as nearly the highest form of Torah learning. When one learns these
laws today, it is as if he has sacrificed sacrifices, as it is taught at the end
of Tractate Menachot. . .
The gemara says regarding the verse (Malachi 1:11): "In every place, it is
brought up in smoke and brought near for My Name" --is it possible that
sacrifices are brought in every place? Rather, this refers to Torah scholars who
study the laws of the sacrifices, and G-d considers it as if they have brought
sacrifices. . .
It always amazed me [the Chafetz Chaim writes] that rather than devoting extra
effort to learning this Order [i.e., the section of the Talmud called Kodshim],
which, after all, would fulfill the mitzvah of learning Torah and be equivalent
to bringing sacrifices, the Order of Kodshim is neglected to such an extent that
the great Torah scholars and the average ignoramus are equal in their knowledge
of it. Most students of Torah do not even
know those laws of the sacrifices to which numerous verses are devoted in the
Torah. If it was announced that the Bet Hamikdash had been built, the
lowliest among Israel would not hesitate to spend tens of rubles to reach our
Holy Land and to bring an olah- offering before Hashem . . . , but we don't seem
to care that Hashem has assured our holy Patriarchs that our learning these laws is
equivalent to bringing a sacrifice, without traveling and without great expense.
It is very close to us. Each person can find his atonement in his own
house or study hall just by studying these laws - yet we are negligent in this.
