shabbat-b'shabbato – parshat behar (abroad: parshat emor) no
TRANSCRIPT
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Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Behar (Abroad: Parshat Emor) No 1573: 20 Iyar 5775 (9 May 2015)
AS SHABBAT APPROACHES The Bill of Sale - by Rabbi Oury Cherki, Machon Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda Congregation, Jerusalem
Before Jerusalem was conquered by the Kasdim, G-d commanded Yirmiyahu to buy
the field belonging to his cousin Chanamel, as we read in the Haftarah for
this week. This symbolic act, which took place in the last moments before
the city fell, is a sign to those about to leave in exile that they will
return to Zion: "This is what the G-d of Hosts, the G-d of Yisrael says:
Houses and fields and vineyards will be bought in this land" [Yirmiyahu
32:15].
The verses which describe in great detail how the bill of sale was written
and then stored in an earthenware vessel, the testimony given before the
witnesses, and the transfer of the money, serve as sources for many laws of
purchase, including the law that a marriage is performed by the groom giving
the bride money or a valuable object (Kidushin 2b). The connection between
establishing a private home – marriage – and an act that is relevant for the
nation as a whole – return from exile – is not coincidental. An individual
achieves perfection if the specific goal of his actions is to benefit the
community as a whole. And this is the meaning of the statement that whoever
makes a bride and groom happy is considered as having rebuilt some of the
ruins of Jerusalem.
Yirmiyahu also emphasizes the context within which the general situation
will improve, and this too is an important detail along the path to mending
reality as a whole: "Behold, G-d, You created the heavens and the earth with
Your great might and with Your outstretched hand, nothing can be hidden from
You" [32:17]. The destruction of the Temple is not just a tragedy for the
nation, it is also a desecration of G-d's name. While Moshe called G-d by
the names, "great, mighty, and awesome" [Devarim 10:17], Yirmiyahu shortens
this in this week's Haftarah to "great and mighty" [Yirmiyahu 32:18]. He
leaves out the title "awesome," because he says to himself, "Gentiles are
strutting around in His Temple, where is His awe?" [Yoma 69b]. The prophet's
prayer takes into account the fact that the destruction of the Temple causes
harm to the understanding of G-d in the world in general. However, when
Yirmiyahu mentions the Exodus from Egypt, he emphasizes its universal
significance: "You who performed signs and miracles in the Land of Egypt to
this very day, and in Yisrael and in mankind" [32:20].
G-d's response to the call of the prophet also includes a reference to the
universal aspect of Divine guidance: "I am Hashem, the G-d of all flesh"
[32:27]. And He too adds, "Can anything be hidden from me?" [ibid]. From
this we can see that the processes of history include reversals of political
situations and of the repentance of Yisrael whose detailed workings are
hidden from the eyes of man.
This is the essence of the Torah – to teach us that the actions of an
individual must be incorporated within the general framework of improving
the nation as a whole, which in turn is incorporated within the mending of
humanity and the process of mending the entire universe. In the literature
of mysticism these are called the simple song, the double song, the triple
song, and the quadruple song – leading up to a song that includes all the
others (see Orot Hakodesh, volume 2, pages 444-445). Therefore, we must
never disparage the influence a single person can have on very general
processes, and we must never forget our obligation to mend everything that
surrounds us, in the literal sense of the word.
Rabbi Cherki is the head of Brit Olam – Noahide World Center, Jerusalem
POINT OF VIEW
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Surrogates in the Service of "Abomination" - by Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, Dean of the Zomet Institute
"From the other nations... shall you buy slaves and maidservants. And you
shall also buy them from among the children of those who reside with you."
[Vayikra 25:45].
The rescue of many Israelis from the tragedy in Nepal helped to shine the
spotlight on the subject of surrogate motherhood. About twenty babies born
from surrogates were flown to Israel in an accelerated process (including
granting Israeli citizenship to the newborn arrivals). A similar number of
women from Nepal who were carrying "Yisraelite seed" knocked on the gates of
the Israeli authorities, and several of them were brought here in a
humanitarian gesture, while their unborn babies were granted Israeli
citizenship.
Some Facts
My column this week will first of all serve as an information service to my
readers, which will lead me in the end to share my outlook with you.
According to official statistics of the Population and Immigration
Authority, in 2013, 169 babies were "imported" into Israel who were born
from surrogate mothers abroad. There were 128 in 2012, 93 in 2011, and only
6 in 2008. Until today, about 500 children of surrogate mothers from abroad
have been brought into Israel. And here are statistics for Israel itself: In
2013, 58 babies were born from local surrogates (and only 41 in 2012).
The surrogacy process that is most talked about is the "full" one. That is,
there are three people who have a share in the child: the father, the woman
who donates her egg, and the one who rents out her womb. The last one
provides "pregnancy services" for the sperm of the man (usually the Israeli
man, who signs the contract for the process) and for the egg of a different
woman which was bought or somehow acquired by the man. It goes without
saying that this service is in return for pay, whether it is called by some
euphemistic name or not (such as expenses, compensation for a loss of work
time, and so on). In such cases of "full" surrogacy, the donator of the egg
can also be the wife (or life partner) of the man, if for some reason she
cannot become pregnant or doesn't want to (say, because of a career or
because of physical limitations). In this case, they want to hire a womb
together. A quick search in the internet teaches me that the cost of such a
process in Nepal can be as high as NIS 250,000.
On the other hand, if the woman who is making her womb available also
provides the egg, the surrogacy is called "partial." In this case, a man
makes an agreement with a woman that she will bear a child from his sperm,
after which he will receive the child and she will be disconnected from the
child to which she gave birth. Such a process is prohibited in Israel (and
in most other countries in the world) because it causes great harm to the
concept of motherhood, and for other reasons. There have been cases where
courts (including in Israel) have been called upon to decide who should get
the child if the surrogate mother refuses to give it up and does not want to
abide by the original contract.
Ethical and Social Dilemmas
It is obvious to anybody who thinks about the matter that the concept of
surrogacy raises a host of ethical and social dilemmas, even before we think
of any questions of halacha. Those who oppose the idea bring up such
concepts as slavery (both men and women), exploitation, and commerce in
babies, together with the health dangers and the mental anguish that can
result from the surrogate mother being disconnected from her child. From the
social point of view, the subject is linked to the shattering and total
breakdown of family values (except for a couple who are looking for a
solution for a woman who is incapable of becoming pregnant). On the other
hand, those who favor the idea point to the concept of adoption, which is
considered as an altruistic act of kindness, and they see the process of
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surrogate motherhood as a way of orchestrating and coordinating the process
of adoption.
In many countries around the world, all the many variations of surrogate
motherhood are illegal, and those who want children by this process search
for weaker countries where there are no legal prohibitions (or where the
restrictions can be overcome by various means). Israel is one of the most
liberal countries in the world in this matter (could it be otherwise?), and
we allow local surrogacy subject to strict control – the main condition
being that only a man and woman who are married can participate (even if the
egg was "donated" by another woman), and the surrogate mother must be
unmarried. If the wife is Jewish then the surrogate must be Jewish too,
although the woman who donates the egg does not have to be Jewish. In the
latter case, there will be serious halachic questions about whether the
child is Jewish or not, based on the identity of the father and the woman
who provides the womb, or if it is not Jewish, following the status of the
egg. In the various issues of the annual halachic summary Techumin, about
ten different articles have been published on this matter. (Here is an
exercise for the reader: find the articles on the Zomet website
(www.zomet.org.il) using the built-in search engine.)
Legitimizing "Abomination"
The tumult in Israel with respect to this issue is connected to the demands
of single-sex couples and individual men and women, who want to have the
right to "purchase" children in this way and raise them. In the previous
Knesset, the Minister of Health from Yesh Atid managed (about a month before
she was fired) to bring a proposed law to the first reading, in order to
amend the surrogacy law to her liking – with the enthusiastic support of the
"Abomination Community." In spite of the veto rights of the Bayit Yehudi
Party with respect to religion and the state, the party did not object
because of coalition considerations, and because of a serious error of
halachic quotes that implied that "the situation was not so terrible." And
perhaps the worst thing was the victorious declaration of the enlightened
Minister: "A family today is not made up of a man and a woman and children.
It can consist of a single woman and children, a single man with children,
two women with children, or two men with children." I wonder why she forgot
some more possibilities, such as a man with two or three women or vice versa
(heaven forbid).
We end with some halachic considerations. Such a process within Yisrael,
with a Jewish surrogate mother, raises serious questions about the true
identity of the "mother" of the child, in terms of illicit sex and incest in
marriage. And if the egg was bought from a non-Jewish woman, we become
involved in complex questions of whether the baby is Jewish or not. With a
surrogate from abroad it is clear that the child is not Jewish, and its
subsequent conversion is impossible, especially if it will grow up in a
single-sex family.
LET YOUR WELLSPRINGS BURST FORTH Clarifications - by Rabbi Moshe Shilat, Director of "The Torah of Chabad for Yeshiva Students"
This week's Torah portion begins with the current topic of the Shemitta. The
Shemitta year is not a Shabbat in the sense of a cessation of all labor. The
command to rest is only relevant for labor of the land, because this is an
expression of our total dependence on our physical needs. But we are allowed
to be involved in "weekday activities" because that is the essence of the
year. The goal is to raise up reality itself and not to disassociate
ourselves from it.
Immediately after the introduction, "Let the earth rest, a Shabbat for G-d"
[Vayikra 25:2], the following full verse appears: "For six years shall you
plant your field, and for six years shall you prune your vineyards, and you
will gather its produce" [25:3]. And then, "In the seventh year, the earth
will have a year of rest" [25:4]. The labor during six years is voluntary
and not an obligation, but it is emphasized in the verse because it is the
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objective of Shemitta. The Rebbe of Lubavitch explains that the main aspect
of our labor for G-d must focus on the "labor of clarifications" – mending
the world by "incorporating ourselves" into it. The will of G-d is that we
do our work, that we plant and harvest. And because of this objective we
must rest for an entire year and rise up above the physical world, so that
we will return in a modified state.
As opposed to the weekly Shabbat, when a person remains in the world but is
raised up completely above it, completely disassociated, during the Shemitta
year we remain connected to the world, but we live a spiritual life which
unites the seventh year with the six years of labor. And this is how the
Baal Shem Tov interpreted the verse: "Let the land rest" – we must rest and
abandon ourselves within the earth. The rest should penetrate into the
earthly elements. During the Shemitta we are not "holy" and disassociated
from the world.
Worry as a Mission of the Torah
Where do we find that the Torah brings up fear and human doubt before the
performance of a mitzva? The answer is that with respect to Shemitta, the
Torah begins a very unusual discussion: "And if you will say, What will we
eat in the seventh year, after we do not plant and we will not gather our
harvest?" [25:20]. The response is a promise, "I will command my blessing
for you in the sixth year, and enough grain will be produced for three
years" [25:21].
The complete Torah, full of absolute statements, does not try to escape the
question by giving a reply before it is asked, rather it emphasizes and
enhances the element of human doubt. When the children have gone to sleep
and the parents are wondering where they will find the money to get to the
end of the month – that is the doubtful conversation that the Torah raises,
and it specifically does so with respect to the Shemitta year. The novelty
of Shemitta is not that everything is smoothed out and that there are no
questions because we are aware that we live beyond nature. Rather, we live
in this world, and when we are told to take a year of rest we feel that this
will cause a problem, one that is fraught with difficulty! We must not
suppress our fears, but while the doubt continues we must have faith in G-d,
who has control of nature, and we must rest for a full year. If that is what
we do, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will command that His blessing will be
in effect.
Normal. Natural. Physical.
Nobody imagines or wants us to be satiated from eating air. We will never be
like Moshe, who did not eat or drink when he was on Mount Sinai. We cannot
be like Eliyahu, who had enough energy to go on for forty days after eating
one time, and we cannot expect manna to fall on us from heaven. The blessing
that we will receive during Shemitta will have the appearance of regular
bread. It will be here in the physical world, and it will be normal food.
The nation of Yisrael became acquainted with Shabbat through the double
portion of manna that came from heaven on Friday. The manna was exalted
above physical food. On the other hand, the blessing of Shemitta comes to us
as the normal harvest of the sixth year, which is blessed by G-d. This is a
harvest that comes not from the heavens but from the earth.
What, then, is the real connection between Shemitta and Mount Sinai? The
answer is that Shemitta represents all the mitzvot taken together. Their
purpose is to refine the world while it remains the same world. What is
needed is for the sanctity to penetrate into the land, not for us to become
disconnected from the land.
FROM THE TREASURY OF CHASSIDIC STORIES The "Chassidic Corpus" - by Zev Kitzis, Kibbutz Hadati Yeshiva and Bar Ilan University
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At the beginning of the twentieth century, a young man knocked on the door
at the home of Martin Buber, in Berlin. It was Shai Agnon, 25 years old at
the time, who had come from Eretz Yisrael, hoping to meet a man who would
become his mentor. Buber, who was in his thirties at the time, was already
famous as a prominent humanitarian. Very quickly, the conversation turned to
the subject that had involved Martin Buber all his life – Chassidic stories.
Buber saw Agnon as an "authentic representative" of the Jews of Chassidic
Galicia, and he greedily took in all the stories that his guest could tell
him. In later years, Agnon said that at the end of every story which he told
by heart Buber – to Agnon's great surprise – immediately found the story in
one of the books in his library on the subject of Chassidut. This encounter
between the two men would eventually produce the most important attempt
until today to compile a collection of Chassidic stories. The "Corpus
Chassidim" was meant to be an organized and comprehensive treasury of the
stories of Chassidism. The failure of the "Corpus" to take shape is keenly
felt to this very day among all those who treasure these stories. It is not
easy to find our way through the stories, it is not easy to know what the
earliest source of a story is, and what is a later imitation. The Chassidic
stories still do not have an ultimate source. But let us not get ahead of
the main story.
In 1922, the two men met Chaim Nachman Bialik in Berlin. At the time, Bialik
had established the "Dvir" publishing house in order to publish treasures of
Jewish thought. Together with Bialik, the two men made plans for the Corpus.
Bialik predicted that this would be a "book for the millennium," that it
would have greater success than his own "Sefer Ha'Aggada." Buber and Agnon
were given a grant of a hundred dollars and the work began. The stories that
the two men gathered were kept in the house of Agnon, who polished them into
their final form, and two years later the first volume out of a planned four
was close to being finished. But then tragedy struck. Agnon's house burned
down, while he was being treated in a hospital. Miraculously, his wife and
his children were saved, but most of his writings, including the Chassidic
Corpus, were lost in the flames. Agnon, broken, fell into despair, and a
short time later made his final Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael. One man who tried
to encourage the two men to return to the labor of collecting the stories
was the philosopher Franz Rosenzweig, who wrote to them, "Only death can
eradicate, fire does not eradicate." However, after a decade of trying to
rejuvenate the project, Bialik declared that it had come to an end.
In spite of their failure, the two men continued their separate involvement
with Chassidic stories for the rest of their lives. "Or Haganuz," Martin
Buber's very important anthology of stories, was based on remnants from the
Corpus. After Shai Agnon passed away, his daughter published "Stories of the
Baal Shem Tov" which her father had prepared, evidently as the first volume
of what was intended to develop into the full Corpus.
The differences between Buber's work and that of Agnon imply that perhaps
their cooperation was not a success from the beginning, because of disputes
between them in principle. As is known, Buber edited the Chassidic stories,
adding shades of reality, romanticism, and universality. Agnon was careful
to avoid such embellishments. He insisted on not modifying the original text
of the stories in any way, no matter how hard it was to read them. He added
detailed sources, and he kept the mystical aspects of the stories, without
any attempt to explain them. A small example is a discussion with a student,
where the Baal Shem Tov describes to the student how he looked at him as a
small boy. Here are the two versions of the story:
* * * * * *
Agnon: "I influenced you with a great light when I looked at you then, and
if your mother had not grabbed you away [in the original, literally: if your
mother had not kidnapped you] I know for a fact that things would have been
better for you." [Stories of the Baal Shem Tov, page 98 – including a
precise reference to the source in the book "Beit Tzadikim"].
Buber: "At such a time, one look can plant a great light in the soul. But
the fears of the creatures can erect walls that block out the light." (Or
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Haganuz, page 40, with a general reference to the book "Kevutzat Yaacov"
5653 (a mistake, the date is really 5657)].
* * * * * *
It is not easy to bring a Chassidic tale down to earth. Each story can be
read in many ways. I can note here that I recently joined a renewed effort
to collect Chassidic stories. Both Buber and Agnon are great teachers and my
colleagues and I have incorporated them into the project. We can only hope
that we will succeed for the benefit of the readers, the students, and for
the sake of heaven.
A FAMILY NAMED "YISRAELI" The Biggest Bonfire in Town - by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen, Director of the Or Etzion Institute – Publishing Torah Books of Quality
"Yehuda, Yehuda!" I could hear somebody calling me through the open window.
I stuck my head out and saw some of my friends standing there. Shimon asked
me, "Are you coming to gather wood?" I shouted back, "Sure!" And a moment
later I was downstairs with them, ready for action.
"This time we must succeed! Our fire will be the biggest one in the whole
city!" That was Yossi.
"Meanwhile we can store the wood in the yard in back of my house. My mother
gave me permission to keep the wood there until Lag B'Omer," Shimon said.
"Now, for the next few days, anybody who sees some discarded wood – even if
not during the time we set aside for collecting – should grab it right away
and bring it to Shimon's yard," Avidan said.
"Let's get started!" I shouted, full of enthusiasm.
We split up into pairs, each one searching through a different area of the
neighborhood. We agreed to meet in Shimon's yard in two hours, when we would
show each other what we had managed to gather.
When we met we were covered with sweat and dust, but we were quite happy.
Shimon and Yossi had managed to find a huge tree trunk and it was not easy
for them to drag it back to the yard. Avidan and I found some broken wooden
pallets, a couch missing one leg that somebody had put near the garbage, and
some thick boards that somebody had thrown among the weeds at the edge of a
field. The others also found good material, and we all felt that on our
first day we had been quite successful.
Yossi was very enthusiastic. "Great, guys. If we continue like this, it will
be very easy to reach our goal. Now we can be quite sure – our fire will be
the biggest one in the whole city!"
The next day we met again, but we were not as successful. After two hours of
careful searching all over our neighborhood and also outside it, we only
managed to find a few items. We were able to add a few boards, branches, and
cardboard boxes to our hoard, but we did not find any really serious pieces
of wood this time.
Avidan said, "Not to worry. We will keep going on other days. With G-d's
help we will do better." All we could do was hope that he was right.
However, the days that followed did not really help us much. Evidently we
were not the only ones who searched for wood at this time of year, and it
seemed that any piece that somebody threw away was picked up immediately...
We increased our efforts, we even went far away from our own neighborhood,
as far as the industrial area. We found a few boards and boxes, and we had
to drag them all the way to Shimon's yard. Our pile of wood did not grow
very much. We understood our bonfire would not be "the biggest one in the
city." We were very disappointed even before Lag B'Omer came.
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And then, finally, the big day arrived.
We took the wood out without much enthusiasm and brought it to the empty
field behind our houses, and we started to set up the bonfire. "Okay, this
is what we have, there is no point in complaining. Let's set it up. Our fire
will also be pretty big." This was Shimon, and he was not very convincing.
But we did what he said. What else could we do?
Night fell. We all gathered around our modest bonfire, and we lit the flame.
All around us we saw fires, some big and some small, and there were some
that were really huge. We looked at our fire, and our hearts missed a beat
when we saw how puny it looked – so simple, nothing special at all.
After the flames rose, we started to sing. We started with the traditional
songs, such as "Bar Yochai" and "Va'amartem Ko Lechai." Then our enthusiasm
grew and we went on to other songs. We very quickly stopped noticing what
was happening around us. Yossi's father, who had joined us, gave a short
Torah talk and fascinated us with new stories about Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Then we sat around the fire and talked, while our potatoes were broiled in
the heat. The fire might not have been huge, but it was certainly hot enough
to cook our potatoes. The big tree trunk that Shimon and Yossi found burned
slowly, for several hours, and it gave us a lot of light and heat. We played
some games around the red flames, and we were certainly having a good time
in the very special atmosphere.
"You know what," I said when we split up after midnight, "just look what a
great time we had. Who said we need the biggest bonfire in the city?"
***** NOW AVAILABLE: A new book by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen: "Adventures in the
Rimonim Library." To order this new book and "The Yisraeli Family," in
Hebrew, contact: 054-6340121.
(Note: The stories of the "Yisraeli" family are based on true events or on
stories that could have been true.)
Reactions and suggestions for stories: [email protected]
RESPONSA FOR OUR TIMES Supporting Young Trees during Shemitta - by Rabbi Re'eim Hacohen, Rosh Yeshiva and Chief Rabbi, Otniel
Question: During the Shemitta year, are we allowed to put a supporting rod
into the ground and tie it to a tree in order to make sure that it will grow
straight?
Answer: We have been taught:
"How do we know not to prune the branches (mekarsemin) and not to remove the
dry branches (mezardin) and not 'mefaslin' in trees? It is written, 'your
field – no' [Vayikra 25:4]." [Torat Kohanim, Behar, 1].
This Baraita also appears in the Talmud (Moed Katan 3a), where the word
"mefaslin" is replaced by a similar word, "mefasgin."
"Pisug" – a Type of Pruning
The Rambam copies the word mefasgin, but he does not explain what it means
(Hilchot Shemitta V'Yovel 1:5). Raavad and RASH (Rabbi Shimon from Shantz)
bring both versions of the word in their commentaries on Torat Kohanim. They
explain that mefaslin means to "trim the long branches, and it is called
this because it is similar to making a sculpture" (RASH). Both the RASH and
the Raavad write that "pisul" and "pisug" are similar actions, consisting
mainly of cutting away the long branches, but that pisul uses a special tool
while pisug is done by hand. Clearly, both commentators feel that the
prohibited labor is limited to action on the tree itself, but that tying the
tree to a support is not considered labor at all.
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In a similar way, Meiri in his first commentary on Moed Katan explains that
the labors are different types of trimming, on the body of the tree itself:
"And the same is true of trees. If he performs 'kirsum' – which means to
remove the dry branches from the tree or from the vine to prevent them from
weakening the tree or the vine - or 'zirud' – that there were too many
branches in one place and they had to be trimmed off, even though they were
not dry; or 'pisug' – which means to cut off all the branches except for the
upper trunk, so that it will grow better..."
"Pisug" – Supporting the Tree
On the other hand, among the commentators of the Talmud, there are some who
interpreted the labor of "pisug" differently, in a way that is relevant for
our question.
One example appears in the commentary on the Tractate of Mashkin which is
attributed to Rashi (published by Rabbi Mordechai Yehuda Leib Zaks in 5699,
1939).
"'Mefasgin' – if the tree grows and leans over to one side, it is tied to a
support so that it will grow straight." The Tosafot HaROSH bring in the name
of Rashi (the same as "others say" in Meiri) that the purpose of tying the
branches is so that they will grow upwards, but they do not explain why this
is desirable. The RAN explains that the branches should be pointed upwards
in order that they will not be an extra burden on the main body of the tree.
Rabbi Yechiel from Paris explains in his commentary that the reason for
doing this is to allow the branches to carry the weight of the fruit: "If a
tree has branches which spread out in all directions, it is tied together at
the top so that they will go straight up in order to support the weight of
the fruit." However, in this commentary it is not clear whether the goal of
the procedure is to protect the branches of the tree or the fruit.
The printed version of Rashi also explains the labor of pisug as an act
whose goal is to support the tree. However, according to this explanation it
involves supporting the trunk of a young tree with a weak trunk:
"Mefasgin – The tree, which is too fresh, is given support."
The Aruch also gives this definition for the word "pisug" in the name of
"others." Printed Rashi does not explain why the support is needed – is it
to prevent the tree from breaking or from other harm, or is it rather a way
of trimming the tree in order to make it stronger? Only the commentary of
Rabbi Shlomo Ben Hayatom on Moed Katan explicitly notes that the objective
is to prevent the tree from breaking:
"Mefasgin – The tree is supported and lifted up, from the root of 'pisgah,'
a mountain peak, because it is fresh, moist, and too heavy, and when it is
loaded with fruit it is supported so that it will not break."
In Practice
At first glance it would seem that there is a dispute among the early
commentators. According to the first group, which defines pisug as pruning,
propping up a tree is not labor at all and is therefore not prohibited. But
for the other group, which defines pisug as supporting the tree, the ruling
will depend on the exact definition. Those who define the action as a way of
preventing harm to the tree will clearly feel that this is forbidden during
Shemitta. However, those who see the goal of pisug as extending the height
of the tree might allow performing this process during Shemitta.
With respect to the original question: Since in this case the tree is
supported in order to avoid damage, and since the discussion refers to
rabbinical decrees (as is clear from the Baraita), and today the entire law
of Shemitta is a rabbinical decree – we can permit propping up the tree,
since we are lenient with respect to a doubt in a rabbinical decree.
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Rav Kook quoted only those commentators who define pisug as propping up the
tree when it is very fresh and young, and he did not quote the Raavad and
the RASH. But he writes as follows:
"For those who feel that one is permitted to perform all sorts of labor in
order to maintain the trees, this prohibition only applies when the tree can
stand without support but it will not grow. But if it might become smaller
if it is not propped up, one is allowed to support the tree in order to
maintain it." [Shabbat Ha-Aretz volume 1, 5:13].
It is true that Beit Zevul (3:42) brings a proof from the commentary of the
Mishna by the Rambam, who writes, "And it can be tied, which means that the
branches can be tied together so that the tree will grow straight up and
will not spread out over the ground" [2:4]. But this proof can be rejected,
because in that case the objective is to enhance the growth and not just to
maintain the existing growth.
NATURE AND THE TORAH PORTION Pruning - by Dr. Moshe Raanan, Herzog College and the Jerusalem College for Women
"And in the seventh year there will be a rest for the earth, a Shabbat for
G-d. Do not plant your field and do not prune your vineyard." [Vayikra
25:4].
Pruning is Included in Planting
We can understand the essence of the labor of "zemirah" – pruning – from a
question that appears in the Talmud: "It is clear that pruning is included
in planting and harvesting grapes is included in harvesting of grain – so
why are they written explicitly in the Torah?" [Moed Katan 3a]. That is, the
Talmud asks why the labors of pruning and harvesting grapes are explicitly
mentioned in the Torah, since they are included in any case in the existing
labors of planting and reaping. Rashi explains the link between pruning and
planting, as follows: "'Pruning is included in planting' – Pruning enhances
the growth just as planting does..."
In today's article we will concentrate on the biological significance of
trimming shoots of a vine or branches of fruit trees, specifically in an
attempt to understand how this action leads to "enhanced growth of the
fruit." We will use the following definitions for the sake of uniformity:
cutting off the branches of a grapevine will be called "pruning" (zemirah),
and shortening the branches of other fruit trees will be called "trimming"
(gizum). Pruning and trimming have several goals: shaping the tree or vine,
treating the plant to cause it to grow, and removing dry and/or sick
branches. The many disputes about the exact halachic definitions of the
prohibited labor of pruning are beyond the scope of this article.
Apical Dominance
We begin with one of the most important physiological phenomena of plants,
which is called apical dominance. This is an inhibition of the growth of
lateral buds by the terminal bud of a shoot in a plant, a phenomenon which
leads to enhanced growth at the end of the shoot. In a similar way, a side
branch of a tree will grow at a faster rate than its secondary offshoots.
Apical dominance influences the general structure and the final appearance
of a plant. Because of apical dominance, a plant can provide the best
resources to growing to great heights and thereby compete more efficiently
with its nearby neighbors in their struggle to perform the vital task of
photosynthesis, which is the process by which sugars are produced.
Apical dominance is a result of the action of the hormone auxin (the word
comes from a Greek root meaning to grow), which is released at the meristem,
a group of embryonic cells that are found at the end of the shoot. The auxin
inhibits the growth along the sides of the branches. If the buds at the ends
of the branch are removed by cutting, the concentration of auxin is reduced.
This allows the buds at the sides of the branches to continue developing,
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and to create new branches that grow from the branch which has been trimmed.
Various trimming techniques take advantage of this natural reaction of trees
in order to guide the growth of the plant in terms of shape, size, and
desired fertility.
Most fruit trees have very strong apical dominance which causes young trees
to grow mostly upward, with very few lateral branches. This phenomenon is
often a great benefit in private gardens in that it allows a large number of
trees to be grown in a relatively small area. On the other hand, in orchards
the effect decreases the yield and causes difficulty in gathering the fruit.
For this reason, a tree trunk should be trimmed at the height from which we
are interested in having the foliage grow. In many types of fruit trees, the
fruit develops on new annual branches. Trimming can trigger accelerated
growth of many new branches, leading to a larger harvest. Another technique
used in orchards is to bend the tall branches of the tree downwards by
attaching them to the ground (which gives the trees the appearance of a
mushroom). This procedure provides a dual benefit. First, it suppresses or
weakens the apical dominance and enhances the development of new branches.
In addition, it increases the surface area of the tree which is exposed to
sunlight, thereby improving the efficiency of the photosynthesis. In some
species, it is possible to achieve the same results by trimming and removing
some of the existing branches.
Preventing Withering
The form of growth of grapevines (specifically the main branches) differs
from the way other fruit trees grow. The branches of the vines are tied to a
supporting lattice or trellis, so that they are held parallel to the ground
and do not grow upwards. Because of this structure, the auxin, which usually
is formed at the tops of the branches of trees, becomes concentrated at the
far position on the trellis (far away from the main trunk). Thus new buds
only develop at the ends, and the development of other buds is inhibited.
The purpose of pruning is to interfere with this mechanism, and to inhibit
the apical dominance, thus allowing a greater number of new one-year
branches to form along the entire length of the trellis, so that many new
bunches of grapes will develop. Without pruning, the number of new branches
and clusters of grapes will decrease, the branches will grow to much greater
lengths, and the buds along the lengths of the branches will wither. After
the clusters have appeared, the farmer can judge his expected yields, and if
necessary weed out unwanted clusters. This is followed by a process of
removing unwanted leaves and unneeded branches which block the air flow and
allow moisture to accumulate at the center of the vine, which might lead to
disease and harm the plant. In addition, a high density of plant elements
prevents the clusters from obtaining sufficient sunlight, which is needed in
order to obtain tasty and high-quality fruit. In other fruit trees such as
peaches and apples, trimming can enhance the development of new branches
where most of the fruit for the new year or the following one grows.
To return to the question of halacha we hinted at in the beginning of this
article, it is clear that pruning of the vines and trimming of other fruit
trees is indeed necessary to obtain large and high-quality yields. However,
the accepted halachic ruling follows the opinions of the Chazon Ish and Rav
Kook, who feel that the Torah prohibition only includes pruning of branches
as it is done for grapevines (such as is practiced for kiwi).
I thank Dr. Akiva London for the substantial help that he gave me in writing
this article.
(For more information in Hebrew and for pictures, and to regularly receive
articles about plants and animals linked to the Daf Yomi, write e-mail to:
HOLY AND SECULAR "Five Steps Up!" - by Rabbi Amichai Gordin, Yeshivat Har Etzion
My first lesson was the cry, "Five steps up!" In a very loud voice. I was a
young boy, about seven years old. Friday night my father would always leave
11
very early to go to the synagogue, and we would arrive a long time before
the prayers started. This meant that when we arrived our ways would part. My
father went into the synagogue, and my brother and I would play in the
square in front of the synagogue, waiting for other children to come.
The square was empty and quiet, only my brother and I were there. Suddenly,
a loud scream broke the silence: "Five steps up!" I was frightened, I had
never heard such a shout. I was afraid, and I was also curious. Where did
this scream come from? Many times I searched for the source when I arrived
early on Friday night. But it was all in vain. The square was always just
about empty, except for two old men who walked in silence and calmly.
One Friday I discovered the solution to the mystery. Father had been delayed
in leaving the house. This time, when the shout was heard Father was with
us. He heard the sound, and he pointed at the two men in the square. He
said, "Look how much respect Rav Lichtenstein has for his elderly father.
His father is hard of hearing and he cannot see. Rav Lichtenstein does not
feel any shame in shouting to his father before they reach some stairs,
telling him what to do. Rav Lichtenstein is an important and respected man,
but he will not refrain from shouting out like a little child. He shows
respect for his father, even though this might appear embarrassing or
beneath his status."
* * * * * *
When I heard the shout, I had no idea that this man with the long family
name, would one day be my mentor. I didn't know that my entire life would
change as a result of the privilege of sitting in front of him for year
after year, in order to learn great and complete Torah from him. I didn't
know that the day would come when whatever question I had I would ask myself
what the Rav would have done in my place.
And I didn't know something else either. I didn't know that the shout that I
heard was so frightening not only because of the loud voice. I didn't know
that the shout penetrated deep into the heart of a seven-year-old boy
because it was infused with a feeling of exalted awe.
* * * * * *
We were afraid of the Rav. Each and every one of us. The Rav possessed a
deep internal holiness that caused us all to have a fear of his exalted
presence. A friend of mine who is a prominent Rosh Yeshiva today says that
when he returned to his seat after speaking to the Rav he would have spasms
in his muscles. Another friend, who is a senior government official, says
that even when he speaks to government ministers and Prime Ministers he has
never sensed the same feeling as when he would approach the Rav with a
question about his studies.
Even on Purim, when we were all feeling the effects of the wine, I never had
the nerve to give the Rav my hand during the dancing. How could I approach
such sanctity without being properly prepared? The Rav's holiness did not
stem from miraculous acts or broad knowledge of exalted mystic worlds. The
Rav was very practical, and he lived in the real world. His sanctity stemmed
from the principle, "You shall be holy" [Vayikra 19:2]. Rav Lichtenstein's
sanctity stemmed from the fact that he sanctified the practical actions in
the world.
When we met the Rav we sensed holiness that stems from this world and not
from the world to come. It was a sanctity that lifted up the practical world
to ever higher and higher levels, not a sanctity that brought spirituality
down from above.
* * * * * *
During the last few months of his life, Rav Lichtenstein withdrew into
himself. The more he gathered into himself, the dimmer the light that always
used to shine from his countenance became. As the light began to fade, we
12
felt that we had permission to approach the holiness and no longer to fear
the great flame.
The Rav continued coming to the yeshiva every day, until the end of his last
winter season in the yeshiva. Later on, we went to his house to sing Shabbat
songs with him, at the time of "ra'ava d'ra'avin," the time of the strongest
Divine will, at the Seuda Shelishit. We sat with the Rav, and I patted his
hand. I asked him, "Does the Rav want us to sing something?" And he replied,
"As you wish." Gidi began to sing the song of the angels, "Ha'aderet
V'Ha'amunah."
The Rav listened, and he joined us for the last two lines. "The song and the
praise - for eternal life; the glory and the majesty - for eternal life."
Those were the last words that I ever heard from the Rav.
Before we left the house, I leaned down towards the Rav and I said to him,
"It was very nice being with you. Thank you very much." A mere thirty-eight
hours later, on Monday at 8:30 in the morning, I understood that these were
my final parting words to the man who had changed my life.
For reactions and comments: [email protected]
THE TABLE OF THE KINGS Different Type of Blindness - by Bar-on Dasberg
In each article in this series we deal with some aspect of a single chapter
of the book of Melachim.
(Melachim I 14)
Yeravam was a brilliant politician. He was excellent at making political
ties with the new government in Egypt. He arranged for quiet from the north,
for economic quiet at home, and he established a kingdom where pride and
stability reigned. But as clear as his political acumen was, he remained
spiritually blind. He did not even recognize the miracles that took place
right in front of him.
Achiya from Shilo was just the opposite. He was physically blind, but he
recognized Yeravam's wife before she arrived. His spiritual sight led him to
decide that the best thing that could happen to Yeravam's house would be for
the sick child that Yeravam's wife was carrying would die. In human eyes,
this was impossible to understand.
These two different viewpoints could serve as the model of the storyline of
the entire book of Melachim. The book is full of revolutions, the rise and
fall of kingdoms, and personal stories. Based on the verses and external
sources, all of the stories can be explained by factors that are political,
military, and psychological. However, in this era which was filled with
prophets, we have also been given an opportunity to make a reckoning based
on eternity and to understand the spiritual motives that drove the events.
* * * My book "Katzar V'Lashulchan," a collection of articles that appeared
in this bulletin, has just been published (in Hebrew). It can be found in
the Steimatzky bookshops.
RIDDLE OF THE WEEK by Yoav Shelosberg, Director of "Quiz and Experience"
Behar
This Shabbat it refers to a year,
Last Shabbat it referred to seven weeks.
Answers for last week:
The question was: One word has many different meanings, depending on the
context. In this week's portion it is related to the sacrifices. It means to
be studious, And it is the name of a king's father-in-law, and a name for a
precious metal. It is also a tool used for threshing.
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The word is "charutz."
- In the Torah portion of Emor, it is one of the blemishes that invalidates
a sacrifice: "Blind, or broken, or scratched (charutz)..." [Vayikra 22:22].
- It is also used as in modern Hebrew, to mean a person who is diligent:
"The hand of the industrious ones (charutzim) will become rich" [Mishlei
10:4].
- Yoshiyahu's mother was "Meshulemet Bat Charutz from Yatva" [Melachim II
21:19].
- Charutz is a name for gold, as is written, "My fruit is better than gold
(charutz)" [Mishlei 8:19].
- A vessel for threshing: "For when they threshed the Gilad with the rods
(charutzot) of iron" [Amos 1:3].
* * * * * *
Do you have a bar/bat mitzva coming up? Are you looking for a special quiz?
To order: www.hidonim.com
e-mail: [email protected]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SHABBAT-ZOMET is an extract from SHABBAT-B'SHABBATO, a weekly bulletin
distributed free of charge in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is
published by the Zomet Institute of Alon Shevut, Israel, under the auspices
of the National Religious Party.
Translated by: Moshe Goldberg
To subscribe: http://www.zomet.org.il/eng/?pg=subscribe&CategoryID=165
Visit the Zomet Institute web site: http://www.zomet.org.il
Contact Zomet with comments about this bulletin or questions on the
link between modern technology and halacha at: [email protected]
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