The Weekly Dvar Torah
Volume I Issue #21
The Pilgrimage Holidays: A Spiritual Ascent of Man and Wife Together
Succos
Adapted from the wisdom of Rav Meir Simcha HaCohen of Dvinsk from the Meshech Chochmoh and Rav Tzadok HaCohen from Pri Tzadik and other works.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This publication, Zichron Yehoshua, is in memory of Yehoshua Yakov ben Moshe-Jeffrey Nussbaum through a generous grant from Dr. Eric Nussbaum and family.
This issue is dedicated by Dr. and Mrs. Donald Franklin in honor of their son, our dear alumnus Yochanan Franklin, on the occasion of his upcoming wedding to Elisheva Besserman iy"h Sunday, 27th Tishrei
On each one of the three Pilgrimage Holidays the Torah commands the Jewish people to ascend to Yerushalyim and bring special holiday sacrifices. In order to fulfill this mitzvah properly a person was required to leave all his land and possessions behind and together with his wife and family spend part of the holiday in Jerusalem. The visit to the Holy Temple and the opportunity to bring special sacrifices offered an opportunity for an exceptionally uplifting spiritual happening. In fact the mitzvah is called aliyah l'regel – ascent for the holiday.
Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk points out that our ability to gain genuine spiritual growth is predicated upon the way a man treats his wife. He derives this from a verse in Breishis 35:1 "And Hashem said to Yakov ascend to Beis El and dwell there and make an altar to the G-d that appeared to you when you fled from your brother Eisav". Before Yakov could 'ascend' to the level that deemed him worthy of offering sacrifices he was instructed to 'dwell there'. Rav Meir Simcha explains that the instruction to dwell alludes to the mitzvah to live together with his wife. Only when together with his wife would he be worthy of the spiritual elevation that offering sacrifices to G-d can facilitate. Rav Meir Simcha finds further support for this in the Zohar Breishis p. 239b. The Zohar explains that in order to offer a sacrifice to Hashem it is necessary to be married. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, literally meaning something close. The sacrifice demonstrates the unification or bringing close of Hashem and creation. When a person offers a korban he is essentially bringing Hashem close and unifying creation together with Him. In order to affect this he is required to personify it by bringing his wife close in harmonious unification.
Rav Meir Simcha explains that this lesson can be learned from our forefather Abraham in Breishis 12:8 . "And he [Abraham] moved from there to the mountain east of Beis – El and pitched [his wife's] tent and the Iy was to the east and he built an altar there to Hashem and he called out the name of Hashem". The verse emphasizes that Abraham took care of his wife before he involved himself in preaching to the masses. Pitching Sarah's tent was not a mere physical gesture. Before Abraham could call out the name of Hashem and encourage others to worship the one and only G-d he had to establish a dwelling of unity and harmony with his wife Sarah. Since the mitzvah of ascending to Yerushalayim included the responsibility to offer holiday sacrifices, which according to the aforementioned Zohar requires the one offering the sacrifice to be together with his wife; they had to come together with their wives. Furthermore, they were required to find accommodations in Jerusalem that offered them the necessary privacy so that they could continue to fulfill the mitzvah of marital intimacy. Their sacrifices would be lacking the optimal unifying effect if they were not unified as a couple. Genuine spiritual growth can never be accomplished if it entails neglect of one's spouse. Only when a couple works together to become one can they ascend the heights of spiritual splendor that the service of Hashem offers.
The Pilgrimage of Faith and Beauty
"Three times a year all of your males should appear in front of the Master Hashem… no one will covet your land when you ascend to appear in front of Hashem your G-d three times a year" (Shemos 23:17,24). These verses teach us the mitzvah to ascend to Yerushalayim for each of the three pilgrimage holiday: Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos. Rav Meir Simcha focuses on the unusual wordage of this verse. We seldom find the word Adon – Master used in association with Hashem's name. The Pasikta, an ancient medrash, explains that wherever the word Master appears together with Hashem's name it conveys an aspect of Hashem as the one who expels inhabitants and gathers in others. Rav Meir Simcah explains that one of the greatest wonders in the Torah occurred on the three pilgrimage holidays. The entire nation left behind all of their land and belongings and ascended to Yerushalayim. The most natural thing in the world would be for the enemies of Israel to grasp this opportunity to steal vast parcels of land and possessions from the Jewish pilgrims. This is why the Torah promises that no one will covet your land when you fulfill this mitzvah. This promise was miraculously fulfilled for many centuries when the people faithfully fulfilled this mitzvah. In the long course of Jewish history when the tabernacle and Holy Temples stood, well over one thousand years, we do not find a case when the enemies of Israel attempted to attack or pilage the Jewish nation on one of the three pilgrimage holidays. This is why the word Adon – Master is used in the aforementioned verse. The Master who expelled our enemies from the land and granted it to us will protect their possessions when they ascend to Yerushalayim to celebrate the holiday in front of Hashem in the Holy Temple.
King Solomon wrote a beautiful praise of the Jewish people in Shir HaShirim – The Book of Songs 7:2: "How beautiful are your [shoed] footsteps the daughter of the giver". Our sages ob"m teach us that this verse refers to the valor of the Jewish people whose great ancestor was Abraham our forefather. Avraham was the greatest of all givers. Abraham rebelled against the ways of contemporary culture, religion and beliefs. He put himself, his family and wellbeing at considerable peril in order to teach the absolute truth and remain faithful to his beliefs. Abraham was a giver not a taker. As is the case with many givers, Abraham did not hesitate to give of himself despite the risk of harm or monetary loss. Similarly, when the Jewish people ascended to Yerushalayim on the three pilgrimage holidays by placing their faith and trust in Hashem while their homes, land, flocks and other possessions were left without adequate protection they were emulating the beautiful ways of our forefather Abraham; the great giver. Serious service of Hashem requires us to prioritize our values. At times the service of Hashem may require abnegation of monetary wellbeing or personal prestige. Only when we are willing to take that risk can we be certain that we are truly on the ascent to the mountain that ascends to Hashem. May we once again merit to demonstrate the depth and beauty of our faith in Hashem and ascend to His Holy Temple in Yerushalayim speedily in our days.
During this special time of year I would like to make a personal appeal from all those who benefit and enjoy these divrei Torah. Please send in your generous support for our Yeshiva Orchos Chaim. May the merit of supporting Torah stand as a good advocate for you and your families for a healthy and successful new year. Your donations can be made by sending me, yschwartz@orchos.org an email and our office will contact you to inform you of the different ways that you can send in your donations.
By Rav Yitzchak Schwartz Rosh Yeshiva Orchos Chaim Jerusalem
yschwartz@orchos.org.
This publication, Zichron Yehoshua, is in memory of Yehoshua Yakov ben Moshe-Jeffrey Nussbaum through a generous grant from Dr. Eric Nussbaum and family.
This issue is dedicated by Dr. and Mrs. Donald Franklin in honor of their son, our dear alumnus Yochanan Franklin, on the occasion of his upcoming wedding to Elisheva Besserman iy"h Sunday, 27th Tishrei
On each one of the three Pilgrimage Holidays the Torah commands the Jewish people to ascend to Yerushalyim and bring special holiday sacrifices. In order to fulfill this mitzvah properly a person was required to leave all his land and possessions behind and together with his wife and family spend part of the holiday in Jerusalem. The visit to the Holy Temple and the opportunity to bring special sacrifices offered an opportunity for an exceptionally uplifting spiritual happening. In fact the mitzvah is called aliyah l'regel – ascent for the holiday.
Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk points out that our ability to gain genuine spiritual growth is predicated upon the way a man treats his wife. He derives this from a verse in Breishis 35:1 "And Hashem said to Yakov ascend to Beis El and dwell there and make an altar to the G-d that appeared to you when you fled from your brother Eisav". Before Yakov could 'ascend' to the level that deemed him worthy of offering sacrifices he was instructed to 'dwell there'. Rav Meir Simcha explains that the instruction to dwell alludes to the mitzvah to live together with his wife. Only when together with his wife would he be worthy of the spiritual elevation that offering sacrifices to G-d can facilitate. Rav Meir Simcha finds further support for this in the Zohar Breishis p. 239b. The Zohar explains that in order to offer a sacrifice to Hashem it is necessary to be married. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, literally meaning something close. The sacrifice demonstrates the unification or bringing close of Hashem and creation. When a person offers a korban he is essentially bringing Hashem close and unifying creation together with Him. In order to affect this he is required to personify it by bringing his wife close in harmonious unification.
Rav Meir Simcha explains that this lesson can be learned from our forefather Abraham in Breishis 12:8 . "And he [Abraham] moved from there to the mountain east of Beis – El and pitched [his wife's] tent and the Iy was to the east and he built an altar there to Hashem and he called out the name of Hashem". The verse emphasizes that Abraham took care of his wife before he involved himself in preaching to the masses. Pitching Sarah's tent was not a mere physical gesture. Before Abraham could call out the name of Hashem and encourage others to worship the one and only G-d he had to establish a dwelling of unity and harmony with his wife Sarah. Since the mitzvah of ascending to Yerushalayim included the responsibility to offer holiday sacrifices, which according to the aforementioned Zohar requires the one offering the sacrifice to be together with his wife; they had to come together with their wives. Furthermore, they were required to find accommodations in Jerusalem that offered them the necessary privacy so that they could continue to fulfill the mitzvah of marital intimacy. Their sacrifices would be lacking the optimal unifying effect if they were not unified as a couple. Genuine spiritual growth can never be accomplished if it entails neglect of one's spouse. Only when a couple works together to become one can they ascend the heights of spiritual splendor that the service of Hashem offers.
The Pilgrimage of Faith and Beauty
"Three times a year all of your males should appear in front of the Master Hashem… no one will covet your land when you ascend to appear in front of Hashem your G-d three times a year" (Shemos 23:17,24). These verses teach us the mitzvah to ascend to Yerushalayim for each of the three pilgrimage holiday: Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos. Rav Meir Simcha focuses on the unusual wordage of this verse. We seldom find the word Adon – Master used in association with Hashem's name. The Pasikta, an ancient medrash, explains that wherever the word Master appears together with Hashem's name it conveys an aspect of Hashem as the one who expels inhabitants and gathers in others. Rav Meir Simcah explains that one of the greatest wonders in the Torah occurred on the three pilgrimage holidays. The entire nation left behind all of their land and belongings and ascended to Yerushalayim. The most natural thing in the world would be for the enemies of Israel to grasp this opportunity to steal vast parcels of land and possessions from the Jewish pilgrims. This is why the Torah promises that no one will covet your land when you fulfill this mitzvah. This promise was miraculously fulfilled for many centuries when the people faithfully fulfilled this mitzvah. In the long course of Jewish history when the tabernacle and Holy Temples stood, well over one thousand years, we do not find a case when the enemies of Israel attempted to attack or pilage the Jewish nation on one of the three pilgrimage holidays. This is why the word Adon – Master is used in the aforementioned verse. The Master who expelled our enemies from the land and granted it to us will protect their possessions when they ascend to Yerushalayim to celebrate the holiday in front of Hashem in the Holy Temple.
King Solomon wrote a beautiful praise of the Jewish people in Shir HaShirim – The Book of Songs 7:2: "How beautiful are your [shoed] footsteps the daughter of the giver". Our sages ob"m teach us that this verse refers to the valor of the Jewish people whose great ancestor was Abraham our forefather. Avraham was the greatest of all givers. Abraham rebelled against the ways of contemporary culture, religion and beliefs. He put himself, his family and wellbeing at considerable peril in order to teach the absolute truth and remain faithful to his beliefs. Abraham was a giver not a taker. As is the case with many givers, Abraham did not hesitate to give of himself despite the risk of harm or monetary loss. Similarly, when the Jewish people ascended to Yerushalayim on the three pilgrimage holidays by placing their faith and trust in Hashem while their homes, land, flocks and other possessions were left without adequate protection they were emulating the beautiful ways of our forefather Abraham; the great giver. Serious service of Hashem requires us to prioritize our values. At times the service of Hashem may require abnegation of monetary wellbeing or personal prestige. Only when we are willing to take that risk can we be certain that we are truly on the ascent to the mountain that ascends to Hashem. May we once again merit to demonstrate the depth and beauty of our faith in Hashem and ascend to His Holy Temple in Yerushalayim speedily in our days.
During this special time of year I would like to make a personal appeal from all those who benefit and enjoy these divrei Torah. Please send in your generous support for our Yeshiva Orchos Chaim. May the merit of supporting Torah stand as a good advocate for you and your families for a healthy and successful new year. Your donations can be made by sending me, yschwartz@orchos.org an email and our office will contact you to inform you of the different ways that you can send in your donations.