Parshat Ra'eh - All a matter of perception

Parshat Ra'eh, like many of the Parshiot in Sefer D'varim is chock-a-block full of stuff, a lot of Chumash D'varim is a collection of "Greatest hits" from other parts of the Torah.

One of the things repeated in this week's parsha is HaShem's Kosher List - and I wanted to focus on one of the non Kosher Birds listed - the ראה also known as the איה or the דאה.

This bird is mentioned in D'varim 14:13:

: וְהָרָאָה וְאֶת הָאַיָּה וְהַדַּיָּה לְמִינָהּ.

Rashi points out that these are three names for the same bird:

"והראה ואת האיה וגו'" - (חולין סב) היא ראה היא איה היא דיה ולמה נקרא שמה ראה שרואה ביותר ולמה הזהירך בכל שמותיה שלא ליתן פתחון פה לבעל דין לחלוק שלא יהא האוסרה קורא אותה ראה והבא להתיר אומר זו דיה שמה או איה שמה וזו לא אסר הכתוב ובעופות פרט לך הטמאים ללמד שהעופות הטהורים מרובים על הטמאים לפיכך פרט את המועט

My Alacalay dictionary translates ראה as "Vulture" and says that the word can also be spelt
"דאה"

Bible Picture Gallery says that the bird is a Hawk or a Kite (see here or here)

Firstly, it is very surprising (at least to me) that the Resh and Daled seem to be interchangeable, as Vayikra Raba (19:2) points out:

אם אתה עושה דלת - ריש, אתה מחריב את כל העולם כולו

"If you change a Dalet to a Resih, you destroy the entire world"

However in the case of this world both ראה and דאה seem fitting names for the bird - ראה from the verb "to see" designates its incredible eyesight, דאה from the verb "to fly, sore, or glide" is also a good description of this type of bird.

The Gmara describes the bird's eysight in Chulin 63b:

ולמה נקרא שמה ראה שרואה ביותר וכן הוא אומר (איוב כח) נתיב לא ידעו עיט ולא שזפתו עין איה תנא עומדת בבבל ורואה נבלה בארץ ישראל

Why is it called "Ra'ah", because it sees very well, as it is written (Job 28) "No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no vulture's eye has seen it.", we learn that this bird could be positioned in Babylon, and see a corpse in Eretz Yisrael.

The question is, given that we should try to emulate Kosher animals, and avoid the traits of non-kosher animals, why is this bird not kosher? Surely eyesight (and with it perception) is an important trait - shouldn't this bird be the prime example of a kosher animal?

I think that the answer is in what the bird perceives, it sits in Bavel and all that it sees in Eretz Yisrael is a corpse - dead bodies.

I think that unfortunately today we have many people who emulate the Ra'ah, they can sit in their homes in Bavel (or Canada, or the US, or Europe, or anywhere else in the world), and can look at Erezt Yisrael with the help of CNN or BBC or other news cameras. But when they turn on the news to look at Eretz Yisrael, they don't see the miracle of our nation rebuilding its land and language, they don't see thousands of school children happily retuning to school, or world leading technological and medical advances. They don't see the hundreds of thousands of people sitting and learning our Holy Torah, or the beautiful new and rebuilt communities throughout the country - what do they see? a corpse, or even several corpses.

Unfortunately we are effected by this attitude, Rabbi Riskin used to say that Eretz Yisrael is like Israeli Coffee - it's either "Nes" or "Botz", if you don't see the "Nes", the miracle that is Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael, all that is left if the "Botz", the mud on which our holy land rests.

We should all work on our perception, when הקב"ה gives us a beautiful gift like Eretz Yisrael, we should appreciate it, and not be like the Ra'ah who only sees the dead bodies.

Shabbat Shalom

Who were the Ludai'i? (Gittin 46)

Yesterday we leaned in Daf Yomi (Gittin 46b, last line) that:

ההוא גברא דזבין נפשיה ללודאי אתא לקמיה דרבי אמי אמר ליה פירקן

A certain man sold himself to the Lydians and then appealed to R. Ammi saying, Redeem me.

This translation comes from the Soncino Talmud, available online here:
http://www.come-and-hear.com/gittin/gittin_46.html#PARTb

So the question is, who or what were the לודאי?

One possible translation is that they came from a place called Lod, hopefully not the modern Lod which is close to Modi'in, and a pretty scary place but doesn't seem to be as scary as the "Lydians" of the Gemara seem to be.

Rashi describes them as cannibals (אומה שאוכלים בני אדם), this would help us understand the story of Reish LaKish who was captured by these Ludim and was granted a final request before they would kill him (he requested the right to "bop" each one over the head 1.5 times, unfortunately for them, the first "bop" was enough to kill them so Reish lekish managed to escape.)

The problem with Rashi's approach is that if they were cannibals is that why would anyone sell himself to cannibals? I understand that if someone falls on hard times, he may sell himself to slavery, but to sell yourself to be eaten sounds like an unusal practice.
If you can explain how Rashi would understand the concept of selling yourself for dinner, please leave a comment.

One of the other guys at the shiur last night, who is a tour guide and is studying history, said that he understood the Ludai as Gladiators.

With a bit of research on line, I found that the poeple who arranged galdiator fights were known as "Ludarii", so it would seem that the man in our Gemara sold himself as a contestant in a battle to the death as a Gladiator. This makes a little more sense, although contradicts Rashi.

The Soncino has the following footnote, which quotes both approaches:

[H] A tribe of cannibals (Rashi). [Or 'ludarii' [ludi], people who arrange and hire men for gladiatorial contests to kill off with the finishing stroke the enraged beasts; v. Graetz, Geschichte, IV, p. 238, and Krauss, AT, I. p. 701.]

Jastrow (which i hadn't taken off my bookcase for a VERY long time), also thinks that the Ludim were organizers for Galdiators, and even has a "Jastrow Jackpot" (i.e., he quotes our daf) - see for yourself:


(BTW - Did you know that Jastow is available on line here: http://tabs-online.com/TABS/Jastrow/ )

Anyway, if you are interested in who these Ludim were, and whether you should avoid Lod just in case you get eaten, there is a very interesting article by Eliezer Segal available here:
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/031204_CanaanCannibals.html

Can there be such a thing a Soferet? (Gittin 45)

Hi,

I haven't blogged for a while, but I'll try to get back into it - so here's a quick post or thought.

In the Daf earlier this week it said (Gitting 45b):

דתני רב המנונא בריה דרבא מפשרוניא ס"ת תפלין ומזוזות שכתבן מין ומסור עובד כוכבים ועבד אשה וקטן וכותי וישראל מומר פסולין שנאמר (דברים יא) וקשרתם וכתבתם כל שישנו בקשירה ישנו בכתיבה וכל שאינו בקשירה אינו בכתיבה

"We learn in a Barita: Rav Huna son of Rava from Parshunia says: a Sefer Torah, Tfillin, or Mezuza written by someone who betrays fellow Jews, a non-Jew, a servant, a woman, a minor, a "kuti", or a non-believing Jew is Pasul (not Kosher), as it says (Deuteronomy 11) "And you should tie it [on you arms] ... and you should write it", this teaches that anyone who is obligated to tie [Tfillin] can write [Tfillin], and anyone who is not obligated to tie [Tfillin] can not write.

This Gmara seems pretty clear that a woman cannot write a Sefer Torah, and if she was to write a Sefer Torah the Torah would be Possul and should be put in Geniza.

Just in case you had any doubt, Rambam brings this down explicitly (Hilchot Tfillin, 1:13):

יג ספר תורה תפילין ומזוזות שכתבן מין, יישרפו. כתבן גוי, או ישראל משומד, או מוסר, או עבד, או אישה, או קטן--הרי אלו פסולין וייגנזו

Sefer Torah, Tfillin, or Mezuzot written by a heretic should be burnt. Written by a non-Jew, or Jew who betrayed other Jews, or Servant, or woman, or minor is Pasul and should be put in Geniza.

When this came up in Shiur, I was a little surprised as I definitely remembered hearing about a woman who claimed to be a Soferet - could it be that there was a woman who took the time to learn Hilchot Sofrut, but never learned that STAM that she writes is passul and should be put in Genizza.

Well, sure enough, with a little help from Google I found the worlds only Soferet:
http://www.hasoferet.com/ritual/women.shtml
She even has her own Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jen_Taylor_Friedman

What to me was strange is that she takes the time to explain that Halachic sources are pretty explicit that her STAM products are possul. She does bring down a few minority opinions who tried to reinterpret them (e.g., when it says "Sefer Torah" it doesn't mean 'Sefer Torah", when it says "Woman" it doesn't mean "Woman").
Even she seems to agree that these opinions aren't very compelling, yet she's written a Sefer Torah anyway.
The Sefer Torah is currently at Conservative Congregation called Anshei Chesed.

So I guess if you every are looking to buy a Sefer Torah, you should double-check who wrote it before carrying out the purchase, and if you ever find yourself in New York, and you want to be Yotzei Kriyat haTorah, all can suggest is avoid Anshei Chessed.
I believe that there are other congregations in New York.

PS - A post about the Soferet wouldn't be complete without a link to her Tfillin Barbie - for the Egalitarian Girl who has everything,

"God picks the most beautiful flowers for his garden"

Normally before I blog I plan in my mind what I'm going to write, gather a few sources (if appropriate), and then put fingers to keyboard, however sitting here listening to the funerals on the radio from last night's horrific event, I feel that I have to express my thoughts as they come, without planing the post in advance (so sorry in advance if this post seems disjointed.

First of all, we should remember each of these precious angels that were called back to the Heavenly Yeshiva before their time in this world was finished:

Yohai Lifshitz, 18, of Jerusalem

Yehonatan Yitzhak Alder, 16, of Shilo

Yehonadav Haim Hirshfeld, 19, of Kochav Hashahar

Neria Cohen, 15, of Jerusalem

Roy Rot, 18, of Elkana

Segev Peniel Avihail, 15, of Neveh Daniel

Avraham David Mozes, 16, of Efrat

Doron Mahareta, 26, of Ashdod

Notice the ages of these young Kedoshim who were studying in the High-School program at Merkaz HaRav, not at the Higher Yeshiva.
Notice that they came from all over our beautiful country, leaving families in mourning in every corner of this Land.

These young men were all connected to the Heart of the Torah World, and lived a life immersed in Torah.

YNet had the following quote from David Moriah, the step-father of 16 year old Avraham Mozes הי"ד

"Every Thursday I would go to the yeshiva to study with him. This week I wasn’t able to make it. I also teach a class at the Horev yeshiva, and I sent him a test message telling him that we would complete the Torah studies on Saturday, because he was supposed to come home.

"He is a righteous, outstanding person," said David Moriah. "He always made sure to be 100 percent, both with God and with friends and people. He had amazing internal integrity. He was like an angel."

Well it seems like Avraham will miss his regular learning session with his father in Shabbat. Maybe instead he'll be able to learn with his other father and namesake, Avraham Avinu.


A few thoughts about Merkaz HaRav. The selection of the target of this attack clearly wasn't random, rather the perpetrators were clearly attacking the cornerstone of the most Patriotic component of the Zionist enterprise.

For anyone not familiar with the institution, Merkaz HaRav was founded by HaRav Kook זצ"ל and was the first Yeshiva affiliated with the Religious-Zionist movement. The thousands of other Religious-Zionist institutions, the Hesder Yeshivat, The Bnei Akiva Yeshivot and Ulpanot, the Pre-Army mechina Programs, the Garinim Toranim, Kollelim all over the world, Bnei Akiva, Ezra, Oz, and many many other organizations are all outgrowths from this root so firmly planted by HaRav Kook.

The only time in my life that I made a Bracha "Dayan HaMet" with Shame Malchut upon hearing upon the death of someone was Succot this year when the news came that Rav Shapira, Rosh Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, had been called back to the World of Truth. I made the Bracha not because I was ever Zoche to hear shiur from Rav Shapira, but all of the Israeli Rabbonim who I am close to are either graduates of Merkaz HaRav, or studies in schools that were founded by graduates of Merkaz HaRav.
(Disclaimer - making a Bracha was a gut reaction, I am not sure whether M'ikar HaDin it was appropriate, you should consult your own halachic Authority in a similar situation)

May The Holy One soon fulfill the words of Megillat Ester:

כַּיָּמִים, אֲשֶׁר-נָחוּ בָהֶם הַיְּהוּדִים מֵאֹיְבֵיהֶם, וְהַחֹדֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר נֶהְפַּךְ לָהֶם מִיָּגוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה, וּמֵאֵבֶל לְיוֹם טוֹב; לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם, יְמֵי מִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה, וּמִשְׁלֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ, וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיֹנִים
(אסתר ט' כ"ב

the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
(Ester 9:22)

Today we'll make Purim, Tomorrow Tisha B'Av

I don't often manage to blog twice in one day, but I'm listening to the initial reports of the terrible incident that just happened at Merkaz HaRav and I felt that I should write - it's my therapy.

Firstly our Tfillot and thoughts are with the dead and wounded, and their families.
This is certainly not the appropriate way to mark the beginning of Adar.

For some reason, Purim time has often been a time of tragedy. Rav Moshe died around Purim, Baruch Goldstein committed his terrible Chillul HaShem on Purim, and there have been many terror attacks on or around Purim.

I remember the first Purim that Debbie and I were married. It was the very beginning of the Oslo process when Rabin was still giving guns to Arafat and he was responding by sending Palestinians to blow up buses. I remember that first Adar well, there had been several bus bombings, the number 18 in Jerusalem, a Dan bus in Tel Aviv and others. One of the worst happened a few minutes before Purim, I remember leaving the house in fancy dress with my megilla and hearing the news from my neighbour - no one felt in a mood to celebrate that Purim.

The story is told that the Ger Chassidim asked their Rebbe the Pnei Menachem how we could celebrate Purim at such a difficult time, he instructed them that there was a Mitzva to be happy on Purim, so today we'll make Purim - however tomorrow we'll make Tisha B'av.
The following day (after Shushan Purim), the Rebbe was called to the Beit Midrash shel Mala, and thousands of Chassdim made Tisha B'Av. People say that he died of a broken heart, after seeing so many holy Jews murdered in cold blood.

May HaShem protect us all from further trouble and sorrow, and may this Purim turn Avel to Simcha for the Students of Merkaz HaRav, the residents of Sderot, and all Klal Yisrael

וזות התורה אשר שם משה

I had to take the car to the Mechanic today - always a fun proposition ("Check Engine' light came on).

While I was waiting for them to analyse the problem, I had a chance to look over the reading material provided. One of the things that I love about this country is that in addition to the old newspapers, there was a set of Chumashim (which gave me a chance to finish Parshat Shavua), and a 2 volume set of thoughts on the Parsha (sorry I can't remember the title of the book - I have to take the car back next week, I'll try to look then).

Anyway, there was a wonderful thought which ties into a news article this week.

Midrash Raba asks on the Passuk: וזות התורה אשר שם משה ("And this is the Torah which Moses Placed...)
What type of "Sam" (סם - drug) did Moshe place in the Torah - סם המות or סם החיים ("Drug of life" or "Drug of Death") The Midrash then goes on to show that the Torah can be the source of all life, or Chas V'Shalom - Death.

How is this related to the news, well some Genius thinks that he discovered the cause of the overwhelming sensory experience at Sinai, apparently Moshe and all Bnei Yisrael were on Drugs (you couldn't make this stuff up)

You don't believe me - check out this from AP.

You see, this guy has a problem, he doesn't believe in G-d, or the Truth in the Revelation at Sinai - after all, as an intelligent person he realizes that if the revelation were true, he would have to change his lifestyle.

At the same time, he doesn't want to discount the Torah's description of the events at Sinai, including the Synesthesia that's described (the ability to see sounds like Thunder).

Suddenly he worked out a solution, as an experienced drug user (by his own admission), he realized that if all of Bnei Yisrael were on drugs, that would explain everything - well everything except for the existence of the Torah at the end of the experience.

And I thought that I have heard every carzy idea imaginable....

Too Much Excitement

Well, we had an exciting Shabbat, both at our home, as well as other parts of the country.

ב"ה here everyone is OK (now), but Debbie did spend most of Shabbat in Tel HaShomer hospital with Yael.

We were invited for Sudat Shabbat Friday night at our friends the Levines who live right accross the road. They were also hosting the minyan this Shabbat (still no shuls in the neighbourhood), so we were planning to daven and eat there.
Before kiddush, Yael was playing on their climbing frame outside, and managed to fall on her head. Initially she seemed shaken, but no sign of injury, however within a few minutes she fell into quite a deep sleep, and half an hour later threw up - twice, and turned very pale - almost a pale blue.

We agreed that Debbie would take her up to Paul (AKA Dr Gaon), who is a friend of ours, and has a son, Matan who carpools with Yael home from gan each day. I said that if it was more serious, I'd take her to hospital, as Debbie spent almost a week with yael in hospital 2 years ago (but that's a different story).

Anyway, Paul checked her out, said that he was concerned about the vomitting, and if she threwup again we should call an ambulance. As he was saying that, Yael threw up, so Paul sent Debbie and Yael streight to hospital, without even giving them the chance to come home to get a change of clothes, or to give me instructions what to serve for Shabbat lunch.

So I was stuck at home, with 3 kids, and 2 guests (2 girls from Toronto on their Gap year program), and no idea what to serve for Shabbat meals.
Debbie and Yael spent the hospital at tel HaShomer with no change of clothes, or anything else.

The kids were quite Shaken, each expressed it in their own way - Noam had trouble sleeping and became very clingy, Avital shone, prepared Shabbat meals, and acted very grown up. And both Yehoshua and Avvital expressed concern (Shabbat afternoon Yeoshua asked me what happens when a child dies - who says Kaddish the father or the older brother).
Surprisingly the thing that spooked me was quite trivial, when we got home Friday night, I noticed that both Shabbat candles had gone out. That had never happened before, and for some reason it really shook me.

ב"ה by the time Yael got to hospital her condition seemed to have improved, and they would have released her that night, except being Shabbat they had no where to go.
Yaeli came home after Shabbat happy as Larry, full of excitements after her adventure, and with a bracelet with her name on it.

Unfortunately, the rest of the country also had a busy Shabbat, especially in Ashekelon and the Gaza area where things are really heating up. But I'll leave my opinion on that for a future post.