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CHUMASH
Parshas Vayikra - Sheini with Rashi
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In today’s Chumash, Hashem is still speaking to Moshe Rabbeinu, telling him more about the korbanos that the Yidden will bring in the Mishkan.
Hashem told Moshe that sometimes a person wants to give Hashem a korban as a present (nedavah). One way to do this is by giving a Korban Olah, a korban that is burned up completely on the Mizbeiach, with no parts left for the person or the kohen to eat. (That is why it is called “olah”, because the whole korban “goes up” to Hashem.)
In yesterday’s Chumash, Hashem told Moshe about bringing an ANIMAL as a Korban Olah.
Now Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu that if a person can’t afford to bring an animal as a present, he can bring a BIRD as a Korban Olah instead. Even though the birds are smaller than animals, if the person gave it with a good kavana, it brings Hashem the same nachas as a bigger korban!
After the kohen shechts the bird, he should take out the inside parts of the bird, that are used for eating food (the digestive system). With a korban of an animal, we take these parts and wash them out, but with the bird, we throw these parts away.
Rashi tells us that this is because of the kind of food birds eat! An animal that can be brought as a korban is a kind of animal that lives on a farm, and only eats what its owner gives it. But a bird flies around and eats whatever it finds, which is like stealing. We throw these parts away so our korban won’t have a connection to stealing.
Hashem told Moshe that after taking out these parts, the bird should be burned on the Mizbeiach. Even though feathers are very smelly when they are burned, they shouldn’t be taken off! Hashem wants the korbanos of poor people to look as big and important as possible.
Still, for some very poor people, even a bird can be too expensive! Hashem told Moshe that there is another, cheaper korban that can be brought as a present to Hashem. This korban is made of flour, and is called a “Korban Mincha”.
When Hashem was telling Moshe about the Korban Mincha, Hashem didn’t use the same word as usual for the person bringing the korban. Instead of saying “Adam” (a person), Hashem said “Nefesh” — a neshama! Hashem wanted Moshe to know that when a person is very poor, but still wants to give a present to Hashem, his korban is very precious! Hashem counts it as if he is giving his whole nefesh as a present!
Hashem told Moshe about the different ways that flour is used as a korban. (Three of these ways are in today’s Chumash.)
One kind of flour korban is actually raw flour. The person brings fine flour, and the kohen should pour oil and spices on top. One handful should be burned on the Mizbeiach, and the rest of it the kohanim will be allowed to take home and eat.
For another kind of Mincha, the kohen should bake the flour. This baked Mincha has two kinds: One is called “Challos Matzos,” where the kohen will MIX the flour with the oil and then bake it. The other is called “Rekikei Matzos,” where the kohen will SMEAR the oil on top of the baked Mincha.
There is also a kind of Mincha that should be fried in a pan until it gets crispy.
Hashem told Moshe that for all of the kinds of Mincha where the flour is already cooked or baked, the kohen should break it into pieces and then pour oil in it.
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Before Kapitel Mem-Ches (like for most kapitelach) there are a few words that tell us what the kapitel is about.
Here, they tell us that this kapitel is about when Moshiach will come — how beautiful Yerushalayim will be, and how we will bring the korbanos and see all of the things the Neviim told us will happen when he comes.
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TANYA
Likutei Amarim Perek Lamed-Vov
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This Gashmius world is called “tachtonim,” the lowest part, because Hashem hides here the most.
But this is the main reason why Hashem made the WHOLE world, even all of the Ruchnius worlds! As Hashem’s chayus goes through the different Ruchnius worlds, Hashem is hiding more and more, until we get to the lowest part — right here — where Hashem is completely hiding. Since we can’t see Hashem, things sometimes look confusing, or even not good.
So of course, the hardest place to do mitzvos is here — and that’s why it gives Hashem so much nachas!
In the Ruchnius worlds, they feel Hashem, so they praise Hashem and feel close to Him. But Hashem wants that even here where we CAN’T feel Hashem, we should break our Yetzer Hara and do what Hashem wants anyway. That brings Hashem a special nachas ruach, and that makes Hashem’s light shine into the world, so He feels comfortable and does not need to be hidden!
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We learned in Tanya that this world is called Tachtonim, the lowest part, because Hashem is most hidden here. This can make the world confusing, and many times it looks like things aren’t going right.
When this happens, it can make a person upset! Many times, he will groan or sigh. In Yiddish, this is called a krechtz, or an anacha in Hebrew.
Groaning about the fact that something needs to change is an important part of avodah, like we learn in a different Hayom Yom. (Do you know where?) But there is something MUCH more important to do!
The Rebbe Rashab writes a letter to a Yid who was upset about something that wasn’t going right, and was krechtzing about it. The Rebbe Rashab tells him that it is better to do one peulah than to groan a thousand times!
No matter what happens to us, and no matter how we feel, Hashem is always there. Torah and mitzvos have a tremendous koach, and they never change! So when we stop krechtzing and work on doing what we’re supposed to, Hashem will definitely help us.
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We learn two mitzvos in today’s Sefer Hamitzvos. The first mitzvah is from the end of Hilchos Mamrim:
1) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #195) This is the aveira of a Ben Sorer Umoreh, that a young man should not behave in a grubbe way in his eating and drinking. If someone does, according to all of the conditions we learn in Perek Zayin of today’s Rambam, he is chayav misa.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Kedoshim: לֹא תֹאכְלוּ עַל הַדָּם
The details are explained in Mesechta Sanhedrin perek Ches.
We also learn a mitzvah from the new set of halachos we are learning, Hilchos Aveil:
2) (Mitzvas Asei #37) Even though a Kohen is not allowed to become tomei by going near someone who passed away, like to a levayah or a cemetery, he is supposed to become tomei for the levayah of someone very close in his family.
This mitzvah is also where we learn that any person has the mitzvah to mourn (aveilus) for a close family member.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: לָהּ יִטַּמָּא
The details are explained in Mesechta Mashkin (Moed Katan), and places in Mesechta Brachos, Kesubos, Yevamos, and Avodah Zarah.
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In today’s Rambam, we are finishing Hilchos Mamrim and starting Hilchos Aveil. “Mamrim” means those who rebel. We learned about the Zakein Mamrei, the Rabbi that rebels against the Sanhedrin. We also learned about Kibud Av Va’eim, not rebelling against parents, and now we learn about a boy of a certain age who rebels in a specific way, called Ben Sorer Umoreh.
Perek Zayin: This perek teaches us the details of the Ben Sorer Umoreh. He is a boy (not a girl) who is between the age of 13 and 13 and three months, who steals money from his father, buys a certain measurement of meat and wine, and eats the meat partially raw like robbers do, together with a group of not nice people. There are also many more details in this perek that make it very unlikely for it to actually happen.
There is an opinion in the Gemara that there never WAS a Ben Sorer Umoreh, and this is one part of Torah that we learn even if we can never actually do it —“Drosh Vekabel Schar.”
We finish learning the halachos of Mamrim, and we learn the first two perakim about Aveilus, mourning.
Perek Alef: We start learning about the mitzvah of Aveilus, mourning after someone passes away.
Many of the halachos are not kept until the person who passed away was buried.
Perek Beis: This perek explains which relatives a person has a mitzvah to mourn for.
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What happens if someone makes a neder not to get ANYTHING from someone? What is he not allowed to take from this person, and what are the times when he can?
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The very first word of this week’s parsha, “Vayikra,” is written with a small alef. This small alef teaches us that Moshe was very humble, he saw himself as small.
Did you ever wonder why the alef is the letter that is small, and not a different letter — like maybe the mem of Moshe?
The Rebbe shows us that the alef teaches us what it REALLY means to be humble. The word alef comes from the same word as aluf, which means a leader or teacher.
Being humble doesn’t mean to think that you are worth nothing. People who have a Torah kind of humility know about the special kochos Hashem gave them. They are an aluf! They use their kochos to be a leader or teach others!
So how are they being humble? They remember that these kochos are not something of their own. Their talents are presents from Hashem, that they have an achrayus to use. This not only keeps them from being proud, it makes them humble! They know that they have this big achrayus, and know that someone else might even do a better job than them!
Moshe Rabbeinu felt this way, and we learn from him how we need to feel as well.
See Likutei Sichos chelek Yud-Zayin, page 1
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In the first line of Shema, we speak to our neshama. We tell it to understand that it comes from Hashem, and that Hashem is One.
Then, we say Ve’ahavta. We say that the neshama should LOVE Hashem. How do we love Hashem?
We can learn from the way a person acts when he loves something. If a person loves to have money, or a certain kind of food, he is always looking for ways to get it!
To show our love for Hashem, we should be looking for ways to become closer to Hashem, and ways to bring Hashem into our lives.
We can become close to Hashem by doing what we say in Ve’ahavta, by speaking words of Torah (“Vedibarta Bam”), by putting on Tefillin (“Uk’shartem Le’os”), and by doing other mitzvos!
Sefer Halikutim Tzemach Tzedek os Kuf, p. 226
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There are four pesukim we say out loud, before the Baal Korei, to bring more simcha:
- Ish Yehudi (2:1)
- U’Mordechai Yatza (8:15)
- LaYehudim (8:16)
- Ki Mordechai (10:3)
The ten sons of Haman are supposed to be said in one breath. Since the Baal Korei can’t be motzi everyone for holding their breath, only that they should hear the Megillah, everyone should read the 10 sons of Haman in one breath themselves!
Minhag Chabad is only to make noise by the name of Haman if we also describe him, like “Ho’agagi” or “HaRa.”
It’s our minhag that the Baal Korei raises his voice when he says “Balayla Hahu,” because that’s the main part of the neis.
You will see that we fold the Megillah like a letter (since it is called an Igeres), and don’t read it while it is rolled up. The Baal Korei also shakes the Megillah when he says “this letter” (“Ha’igeres Hazos”) that Mordechai and Esther sent out, to show that this is what they sent out!
For more halachos about Kriyas Hamegillah and other halachos of Purim, see the Halacha newsletter s from the Badatz of Crown Heights and from Rabbi Lesches of Melbourne
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לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
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During the time of the gezeirah of Haman (which was for about a year), the Yidden — and especially the Yiddishe kinderlach — had so much Mesiras Nefesh to be connected to Hashem! The gezeira was only for Jews, and anyone who converted wouldn’t be in danger, but no Jews even considered doing that!
But what happened AFTER Purim? Did the Yidden go back to normal, regular Yiddishkeit, or did they stay with that kind of Mesiras Nefesh to learn Torah and do mitzvos in the same way?
The Rebbe tells us in a maamar that the Yidden went to an even HIGHER level of Mesiras Nefesh!
Afterwards, the Gashmius and the Ruchnius of Yidden were much better — Mordechai became great, and got all of Haman’s things, and Esther was the queen… But the Yidden were still able to stay as strong in their Yiddishkeit, when things were good!
The Rebbe tells us that we have the same thing today: In the past generation, a lot of Yidden were in places where there were decrees against doing mitzvos! Many Yidden had amazing Mesiras Nefesh, even though it was so dangerous.
Nowadays we don’t have those kinds of decrees, things aren’t as bad in Gashmius as they were then, and we have so much more opportunity for Torah and ruchnius. Still, deep inside our neshama we need to be ready to have as much Mesiras Nefesh as they did, that nothing should stop us from doing Hashem’s Ratzon!
How can we do this?
The Yidden in the time of Purim had Mordechai as their leader, who made sure their Emunah was strong so they would have koach for Mesiras Nefesh. Nowadays too, we have a Rebbe who helps bring out the deepest part of OUR neshama so we can act this way too!
The Rebbe teaches us that Moshiach is about to come, and that we will soon be able to see Hashem in the world! But right now we don’t see it, and that hurts a Yid very much. This pain brings out the deepest part of our neshama, to cry out “Ad Mosai” to Hashem, and be ready to do whatever we can to bring Moshiach. That’s how we can have the feeling of Mesiras Nefesh, even today, so the deepest part of our neshama will be felt in everything we do.
Based on the maaamar “Ve’Ata Tetzaveh,” the last maamar gave out to Chassidim. The Rebbe gave it as a present to every Chossid who was in 770!
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לע"נ התינוק זאב ארי' ע"ה בן יבלט"א הרה"ח ר' שניאור זלמן שי' גליק
נפטר ב' מנחם אב ה'תשע"ג
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