“An Olympic pursuit really takes a full four years of Olympic preparation”-- Apolo Ohno

How often in our lives do we only consider the importance of something’s end result? We often only look at the final grade on a test, the financial profit of a company, the wholesomeness and happiness of a life, or perhaps even the fulfillment of a prayer. Do the means and preparation necessary to achieve results really matter when one accomplishes his goals at end of the day? Do we really care about the process of how one achieves the outcome?

This week's Parsha opens with the Pasuk, "And it was on the eighth day that Moshe called to Aharon and his sons and the elders of Israel" (Vayikra 9:1). The Torah then continues to describe the various inauguration services of the newly established Mishkan. The Torah seems to stress the fact that all of these proceedings happened on the eighth day. True, it was a culmination of the preceding seven days, which Moshe spent preparing for the official inauguration, but it seems as though the first seven days were merely “practice” sessions, which should make them insignificant once the Tabernacle assumed its full sanctity? Also, why is the fact that all of this happened on the eighth day given such prominence to the degree that the name of our Parsha is Shmini (eight)?

Rabbi David Feinstein answers that the Torah wants to teach us that the preparations for doing a Mitzvah have almost as much importance as the Mitzvah itself. An example of this concept can be seen by the holiday of Pesach, which we will be celebrating in less than a month. Any housewife can tell you of the arduous task it is to get the house ready for this holiday and its climax, the Seder. One might think it is a waste to spend all that time preparing for the Seder, which lasts only a few hours. In reality, however, the preparations are part of the Mitzvah because without them it would be impossible to do the Mitzvah properly. 

The reference to the "eighth" day in our Torah portion symbolizes that the seven days that preceded the consecration, even though they were not the ultimate raison d'être of the Mishkan, had an importance equal to that of the days that followed. And the same is true for the Mitzvah of learning Torah. All the effort and preparation necessary to get to the point where one can learn and teach Torah, especially to one’s own children, is part of the Mitzvah to study Torah. Taking care of one’s homework, personal finance, or livelihood can all be part of the precious preparation for the Mitzvah of learning Torah. In a world of emails and text messages, I think that the psychological preparation necessary for us to apply ourselves to learning Torah is just as important as the physical aspect of actually sitting and studying. Our attention spans have become shorter and shorter, and it will require more effort to prepare ourselves for Torah study. QUESTION OF THE WEEK In the beginning of this week's Torah portion, we learn about the different sacrifices Aharon and his sons brought on the day of the Tabernacle's inauguration. The sacrifices Aharon brought were either for himself or on behalf of the Children of Israel. One of the sacrifices that both Aharon and all of Klal Yisrael had to bring was the Chatat, sin-offering. Hashem commanded Aharon to bring a calf for his personal sin offering and a goat on behalf of Am Yisrael. Commentators explain that Aharon specifically brought a calf in order to rectify his involvement in the Chet Ha’Egel. Yet, why does the entire nation of Israel bring a goat for their sin offering? Are they not also culpable for the sin of the golden calf? What sin does the goat symbolize for the nation of Israel?

Editor-in-Chief: Ariel Amsellem ’15

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In Memory of Mr. Jack Gindi לע”נ יעקב אליהו בן אליהו הכהן In Memory of Mr. Max Glass לע”נ שמואל מרדכי בן שלמה זאב יוסף

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Likutei Ohr

In the fourth Perek of Massechet Brachot, the Gemara discusses the source for Tefillah. One opinion says that Tefillah originates from our three forefathers: Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov. Others, however, say that Tefillah comes from the Korbanot that were offered every day in Mikdash. The Gemara resolves that the primary source for Tefillah is Korbanot, but we still learn certain aspects about Tefillah from the Avot. In the Bet Ha’Mikdash, there was a three part process to bringing a Korban: The peeling off of the skin, chopping of the meat, and the burning of the Korban. We can apply this same process to Tefillah. First, when we are preparing ourselves for Davening, we must “peel” off a layer of our regular, mundane life, and we must become completely prepared for Tefillah. Next, we must “chop” our egos in order to humble ourselves before Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu. Lastly, just like the fire was always burning in the Bet Ha’Mikdash, we must add fire, an intensity, to our Davening. By applying these three steps to our Davening, we can enhance are Tefillot and ultimately strengthen our bond with Hashem.

Tefillah Gems Yosef Petlak ’17

Parshat ShminiThe Importance of Preparation Mr. Joey Small

The Flame of Our

Ancestors

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a

day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him

for a lifetime”

- The Rambam

Volume III : Issue VIThe Pamphlet of Light

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In this week’s Parsha, we learn about the signs of a kosher animal. Similarly, in Parshat Kedoshim, we learn about other laws of Kashrut along with the rules about forbidden marriages. There, the Ramban and many others explain that words “Kedoshim Tiheyu – Be holy” tell us that one must go above and beyond the letter of the law when preforming the Mitzvot. In this context, the Torah forbade Arayot and forbidden foods, but, even so, it would be permissible to “properly” marry many wives or make large and gluttonous kosher feasts. “Kedoshim Tiheyu” comes to teach us that such behavior is not in accordance with what Ha’Kadush Baruch Hu wants us to do. The Pelleh Yoetz adds that doing more than the Torah asks, which is called Hiddur Mitzvah, shows how much we love and wish to emulate Hashem. As a reward, Hashem gives us more Brachot. Rebbi Tanchuma gives a famous parable by Kashrut of two patients who go to a doctor. The doctor ordered a lax diet for one patient and a much more strict diet for the other. Only the one on the more stringent diet survived. So too, Kashrut is meant to help us achieve spiritual wellbeing. Without a Gader, fence, to protect us from coming close to doing evil deeds, a person might Chas V’Shalom fall into a spiritually devoid state. In a similar vein, the Gemara asks how earlier generations merited to have so many miracles. It answers those earlier generations were special and received miracles because they guarded themselves from indulgences in Gashmiyut, physical pleasures. A story told about Rav Shmuel Abuchatzera, a great Torah scholar, demonstrates this concept of guarding against sin. Once, Rav Abuchatzera went to collect money for a yeshiva. When he asked a captain to travel on his ship for free, the captain refused. When Rav Shmuel asked to stay in the lowest quality room and work for his upkeep, the captain still refused. With no other option, Rav Shmuel was forced to take out his mat from his bag and ride it in the ocean. The captain, seeing that he was a holy man, offered him a free ride. His descendant, Rav Yaakov Abuchatzera, who was better known as the Baba Sali (1806-1880), was known to cover nearly empty wine bottles during Seudot Mitzvot and then, miraculously, the bottles would become full again! How was it that these miracles occurred in ages when Klal Yisrael was heavily involved in Gashmiyut? These Rabbis must have merited these miracles because they had built personal fences to protect themselves against temporal desires. Hopefully, we can learn to make similar fences in order to protect against sin.

Making FencesJonathan Haroonian ’17

Kedushah: A Lesson for All Jordan Lustman ’15

In the seventh Aliyah of this week’s Parsha, Parshat Shmini, the question of why we keep the laws of Kashrut, a question raised by many Jews (and non-Jews), is finally answered. The answer is actually quite short and simple: The Torah says that the reason we keep kosher is too emulate the sanctity of Hashem. Kedushah, the Hebrew word for sanctity, is a state of being different or separate from others. In this case, Kedushah means being different and set apart form the other nations of the world. Through keeping kosher, we become more like the all-powerful Ribbono Shel Olam rather than like rest of the world’s nations. As Hashem’s chosen people, we need to be set apart from other nations so that we can serve and emulate Hashem in everything we do. If we associate and assimilate with other nations, we degrade and lessen our connection to Hashem. Since we, in a way, represent Hashem at all times and in every action that we take, our level of Kedushah brings Hashem’s sanctity down onto earth. When we are set apart from the other nations of the world, in this case by keeping kosher, we set Hashem apart from all other things, thus making Him divine in every way.

One merely needs to look around to modern American Jewry to see that we need to start focusing in on improving our levels of Kedushah. Nowadays, many Jews feel that sanctity is trait that belongs in the synagogue; they think Kedushah does not need to be in the home, on the basketball court, or at the sold-out concert. This misconception leads to improper behavior of Jews in secular venues. As a people that is meant to be “a light unto the nations,” we must show the world the sanctity of life at all hours of the day and at all places we go. Yet, this can only be done when we learn the lesson of sanctifying this world. Therefore, we must take our obligation of being Hashem’s chosen people to not only sanctify the name of Hashem in every way possible but to also emulate Him in the most positive of lights. Shabbat Shalom.

We recently celebrated the Chag of Purim when there is an important Mitzvah to give Matanot La’Evyonim, gifts to poor people. Everyone is obligated to give one gift to two poor people on Purim. This is learned from the fact that the Megillah mentions Matanot La’Evyonim in the plural.

Women are obligated in Matanot La’Evyonim just as they are obligated in all the other Mitzvot of Purim because of their involvement in the Purim miracle. Young children are also obligated in this Mitzvah as part of their Chinuch for doing the Mitzvot.

Either food or money is considered an acceptable gift. The Poskim argue as to the amount that one should give to each poor person. Some Poskim say it could be a very insubstantial amount, such as a Prutah. However, many other Poskim, including Rav Moshe Feinstein, hold that it has to be a substantial amount with which the poor person can buy a small meal. Today, that would be equivalent to approximately ten dollars. Most Poskim hold that one can give a check to fulfill the Chiyuv of Matanot La’Evyonim as long as the check is not postdated and can therefore be cashed on Purim.

Matanot La’Evyonim must be given to the poor person on Purim day; one should not give it before Purim or on the night of Purim. Even a poor person who is sustained by charity must perform this Mitzvah by giving to other poor people. It is preferable to increase the amount of Matanot La’Evyonim rather than increasing amount one spends on the other Mitzvot of Purim. A person should not be at all discriminatory while giving Matanot La’Evyonim, and he should give it to any poor person who asks for it.

Halachic IlluminationsFrom Rabbi Nachum Sauer

Compiled By Jesse Hyman ’16