Acharei Mos-Kedoshim - 5th Portion

Join as we learnish for Thursday of paras, the combined Torah readings of a and kadoshim. As we mentioned yesterday, we begin the Torah reading of kadoshim as many many different mitzvah. And by doing the mitzvah, we are thereby becoming holy and connected to God. Today we continue with another slew of different commandments that are mentioned in this week's Torah reading. Chapter 19 verse 15ish. You must not commit injustice in judgment. You must not be partial to the poor and you must not show respect to a great man. You must judge your judge your fellow with righteousness. This teaches us that a judge who perverts justice is called disgusting or perver is injustice as well is called hateful unjust. Not only that, he can also be called he's called unjust, hateful, oathsome, condemned for destruction. He's an abomination because the word is referred to as an abomination as it says we find in the book of Deuteronomy. It's an abomination for God. Whoever does this perversion of justice and the same to this abomination is called something which is loathome and disgusting condemned. Don't bring this abomination thing into your home. It will be it will be a something which is which is banned and condemned something which is why does the Torah have to add on that you shouldn't uh sway thea case for the poor person one shouldn't say this guy's poor say the rich man anyways has to give charity so what's the big deal I'll make the poor man win the case this way is parame this way he can get his money in an honorable fashion and therefore the Torah tells us no we're not allowed to do that as well because that's a perversion of justice if he wants them to give him sodaka that's something else but that's not how we act in the court case but he said you shouldn't give respectfully one shouldn't say he's a great wealthy man he has good he comes from great lineage how can I embarrass him that he should lose the case and therefore I will show that he is wrong and he lost. Therefore, you have to remember you have to judge honestly no matter what happens and what the circumstances are. Judge a each person with righteousness another explanation as we see that the rabbis learned that we say in ethics of our father is judge every person favorably. As we know, the alterb explains what this means. Judge every person favorably. You have to judge the entirety of the person. And when you see somebody doing wrong, don't accuse and say maybe something happened, but you have to look at the entirety of the person and say this is not really who he is and look favorably into each person and seeing who that individual is. Meaning have done is judge the entirety of the person and this case that what this person did is one happen stance and is not who this person really is about. Verse 16. You must not go around as a gossip monger amongst your people. You must not stand idly by while your fellow Jew blood is being spilled. Hashem, I am God. What does it mean? What does this word mean that you shouldn't go around being a gossip monger? I say Rashi says this is all the people that start arguments. gossip mongers. They go to their friends homes to look to spy here. What kind of bad thing can I hear about this guy? What kind of gossip can I spread to go in the market? Therefore, therefore, they're called peddlers. The peddlers of gossip, the peddlers of bad stuff. They go around like they spy out to be able to see what to say. And I'll prove that the word comes from the word miracle to spy. We don't find the word that it doesn't mean that a person walks. Over here we find a word do not go do not go pedalling around gossip. And then we also find the people that go pedal the um the going around that they hold words of copper and metal. What does this mean? However, when it talks about other gossip doesn't say going, it just says don't speak the gossip. People talking and people gossiping. Therefore, why does the Torah use the terminology here which comes from the word going comes from a different terminology that he's going to spy out and therefore the word can be meaning the word says don't gossip mongering but it also comes from the word don't go traveling walking around from place to place and because the can be interchanged with a gimmel because all the letters that come from one place meaning the one um dialect. One way of saying it from the mouthu can change one with another. For example, a bay can be a pay because they come from the same lips that we're pronouncing it. Gimmel the gimmel the and the kof all come from the same from the throat from the depth. They say they're all coming from the depth of the throat. So therefore they are also interchangeable. Nunhammed nun and lammed are both from the tongue. Z and because they're both used by saying your teeth. So too you have the gim that he's talking in our case. Therefore they we find by kings by in Samuel when it talks about that they um gossiped or they spied about your servant. He uses the terminology. He spied connivingly to say something bad when we're talking about was talking about from or so to we find in did not have any bad words on his tongue. Again the same idea. So we also find a peddler in Hebrew is called somebody who goes around. He goes around from place to place and see what kind of merchandise he can go sell. So to a guy who goes around selling perfumes to women is also called a peddler and all of these are because they're going from place to place finding clients to sell their we to rashi continues. It says theum says do not eat uh meaning do not be part of a meal where they go around and gossip and when it talks about in the track date of we find the same type of terminology but that they went the kazites that they um informed that they were not praying or eating the food or also You find a terminology that if a person uh informed the king about somebody uses the same terminology for whom he says that it seems like what it may be is that this is proving their point. Like in the case of they prove that they were not participating in the meal or in the case where a person informs the king on an individual, he uses that terminology as well. like he hints with his eyes. So to all the people that have spying or are saying inside words, they use their uh hinting with their eyes or motioning or different kinds of motions that people should not hear what they're actually saying. They're only the inside people that know what they're talking about and they're hinting to those people around them. What does this mean? Don't stand by your brother's blood idly. Do you see the person dying? are able to save him. For example, somebody who's drowning in the river where an animal or a person or a robbers are attacking him and you're able to save them and you don't do anything about it. I am God. I am trusted to pay back the reward for those that follow my warnings, my laws and also to give judgment and pay punishment to those who abrogate them. Verse 17. Do not hate your fellow in your heart. You must indeed rebuke your fellow and you must not commit the sin on his account. That when you are when you are rebuking somebody, you think you have card blanc do whatever you want. Therefore, the Torah tells you when you rebuke somebody, you have to make sure in a way that it's not going to embarrass him. As the alterba says, and there's many different caveats to when you're allowed to rebuke somebody, as we know, without without hurting them, without offending them, and only if you're at their level, there's many different steps before a person has the right to rebuke somebody else. Verse 18, you must not take revenge or retaliate against a person or don't hold a grudge. The people of your nation, the members of your people. You must love your fellow as yourself. I am God. What is the difference between taking revenge or holding a grudge? If a person comes along and says, he tells his friend, can I borrow your sickle? Ly says love no I'm not going to loan it to you the next day the guy asks him back the other guy asks him can I use your axe says no I'm not going to loan it to you why you didn't loan it to me yesterday I asked you if I can borrow your sickle you didn't let I'm not going to loan you my axe my uh my shovel this is considered revenge what is considered holding a grudge he tells can I borrow your shovel says, "Love, no." The next day tells him, "Can I borrow your sickle?" The other guy says, "Hey, here I'm going to let you borrow my sickle." Because I'm not like you that you don't loan things out, that's considered holding a grudge. Believe whoever keeps a grudge in his heart even though he doesn't take revenge says this is a great rule and prince cardinal rule in the Torah. It's interestingly enough that we read about this parabaka says this in the time of the counting of the Omr which this was the time where Rabaka's students also suffered a great loss because of their lack of respect for one another. Them also explains what does it mean? Love your fellow as yourself. How can you possibly love your fellow as yourself? And this is telling you that the same excuses that you would make for yourself when you do something wrong. That's why it goes after judging a person so to make those excuses for somebody else when you see them doing something wrong. Verse 19. Now the Torah goes into the laws pertaining mixing species. You must observe my rules. You must not crossbreed your livestock. You must not sew your field with a mixture of species and a garment made of pressed and woven twisted garments you should not wear. What does it mean laws? Laws which are without reason. And these are some of them. Do not mix the species of the the animals. These are called these are statutes. These are decrees of the king. There is no reason for them. A garment of mixed of mixed uh of mixed combinations. Why does it say this garment a garment? Because it says because it says do not wear a garment mixed with wool and linen. Do not clothe yourself with a garment that's wool mixed with linen. I would think that it means don't put on yourself shears of wool and and and rows of flax. Meaning we're not talking about an actual garment, but just don't wrap yourself in pieces of wool and flax. Therefore, the Torah tells us beg it. It has to be a garment that they're interwoven with one another. How do I know that it means actually a piece of garment that was woven one another? Therefore the words the verse uses the terminology. What does the word mean? That means that there are three processes that go into making the clothing. They have to be they have to be woven. They have to be first of all spun woven and then made into one piece. The and I say news. The word news comes from the word woven something which is intertwined with one another. when you take the material and they're locked in with one another that I've seen like we find that the Talmud uses the terminology I've seen I s I saw these uh this element of this thing that they were so connected with one another so the word no means to connect wellness and that's to connect and combine them together the wordness explains which he refers to his teacher who is the uh linguist something that combines wool and linen together. Verse 20. Now we go to the new laws. Another set of laws violating a woman who is married or a partial bonds woman. If a man has relations with a woman and that woman is and she this woman is a bond woman who has been designated for her master nor was freedom been granted to her and there has been and she has been designated to be for her master's Jewish bondsman. She has not been fully redeemed. Therefore, she has not been determined of what would be with her. No. Uh she was she has not been completely freed. That means you're still working for this person. You have to make a proper investigation. He must not be put to death. Why? Has not been freed completely. What does this mean? Rashi explains as follows. The word first of all means she has been she is betrothed to a man. However, it is not considered a proper betroing yet. Rashi says I don't have another similar interpretation in the verse. But what are we talking about here? This is talking about a non-Jewish maidervant. She is partially a maid servant and partially she's freed. She's now engaged to a Jewish servant who is allowed to marry the maidervant. This is where the verse is talking about. So therefore we're talking about an individual where she's stuck. He so to speak he is the Jew. This is a this woman is half uh freed half not. She is now engaged to this Jewish uh servant. Now, how can this happen? Is because um she may have two masters. She's a partnership. One freed one didn't. She's redeemed or she wasn't redeemed. I mean, she's free, but she's not free. Generally we talk about free means redeemed means mean means with money or she was let out with a document from only one from only one master the best has to go and make an investigation. She doesn't get the death penalty because she's still she's not free completely. So therefore she has the right to be with this guy. But at the same time it's not a proper it's not proper marriage. Then what does the rabbis explain that what does it mean that she at this point gets lashes reason because it says make an investigation meaning also comes from the word they announce because when they gave the lashes because they would announce whenever they would give this person lashes they would announce you are getting this because you did this wrong. So the word means also the ka to announce what she was getting. It is the maid servant that gets the um lashes and not he because when we talk about this actual word the investigation has to been the investigation that she is the one that gets it. She is not completely free. Therefore, he is not liable of the capital punishment because she's not really married because since she's still half marriage because she was completely free then then it would be a proper marriage and then would be liable to the capital punishment. That means she is not considered a proper marriage to this Jewish slave because she's half free but at the same time she's still considered a half slave. So the guy himself is not liable capital punishment or or she is also not because since she she's someplace in the middle here. What does he have to do besides that? Therefore the priest he must bring she is punishable of lashes and the individual has to bring a guilt offering to God. The tent of meeting a what kind? A ram of a guilt offering. Verse 22 and will atone for ba with this ram of the guilt offering before God that he's committed will then be forgiven for the sin that he has committed to you know this you may think uh just because she is getting the lashes and therefore he's getting the sacrifice therefore it tells us that the person who does it intentionally or the person who inadvertently in both of these cases they are considered forgiven for it. Verse 23, we now go to tell us about the laws pertaining to fruit. These fruit of when the fruit are allowed to be eaten what and some more laws that apply afterwards. He'll come to your land and you will plant all different kinds of trees that are fruit trees. You must be blocked from the use of it as per of its fruit for three years. They must not be eaten. You should not be eaten. You're blocked from eating it and you're not allowed to eat it. The word comes like from the word that a person who doesn't have circumcision is considered blocked. So too over here the word oral means you must be blacked from it. You should be blacked out to enjoy anything of it. From when do you count the three years would I think from the time that you plant it. So therefore if a person took off the fruit and he kept it in his house and he was able to let it stay for three years it should be good the way it is. You cannot leave the tree the way it is. The tree the way it is. It cannot be touched. Company be used for three years. That means in its actual state way it is. Verse 24. However, in the fourth year, all the fruit that are produced from it to become holy as they have to be brought to the holy temple to the city of Jerusalem and eat it there. Just like that. That all the tithing has to be is holy for God. Just like when it comes to messer cheny all the fruit that you have to give in the second micer second tithing is not allowed to be eaten outside Jerusalem unless you redeemed it unless you exchanged it and so too is the fruit of the fourth year the reason why he uses the terminology praise to God is that you're bringing it to God thanking God for the fruit that you have have gotten verse 25ash and the 50 you can eat all fruit that God has increased your produce. I am your God. Meaning if you follow this commandment appropriately, you'll watch it. You'll be rewarded that you'll have plenty more because of it. In its merit, I bless you that you'll be blessed in these plantings. Used to say, "The Torah is speaking to the evil inclination. A person shouldn't say for four years I'm working with the street for no reason why would I do this therefore God says don't worry it's not a pain in vain because you will get more produce you will get plenty of produce because of item I am Godem I am the one that guarantees you can trust me that I keep to my promises verse 26 the prohibition of eating blood. Do not eat blood. Do not consume blood. You must not act on the basis of omens or auspicious times. You can read this in many different places. There are many different ways in San this is referring to you're not allowed to eat from the meat of holy things before actually sprinkling the blood. In other cases, it's also even eating from other animals. Do not eat it before its soul leaves. That means has to be completely dead. Many other explanations are taken from this. What does it mean you must not act on the basis of an omen? For example, there are people that follow based on the way a weasel acted or a bird acted like it was eating and his bread fell. So therefore he starts saying this means something or dear runs in front of him which all of these are omens that a person starts making predictions based on some occurrence that happened comes from the word that goes according to times like saying oh this day is good for that day it's good to start work I started this hour or like today they have Friday the 13th or things of these type of natures that they start making that days are certain bad things That's called to make apicious times of this type of thing. Verse 27. This is now the laws pertaining to hair cutting and chafing. You must not round off your here of your head. The corner of your head and meaning. Do not round off the corner of your head. You must not destroy the edge of your beard. This is somebody who rounds off the corners behind his ear and to his uh into his forehead. That's called making round all around the temple. Here wants to make completely round behind his ears. over here around his ears going higher meaning where the actual roots of the tree of the here come from that's much higher and we're only talking about the places which are much higher meaning right at the tips of his ears making it round referring to his pis what we would do today so the area of the pis would be from the top of his ear going down to the front of his ear that he wants to make him completely the end of his beard and its edges and Rashi explains therefore you have five places which are prohibited. What are the five places two on each cheek towards his head which is wider and has two sides to one below by his chin by his chin. the place where the two cheeks connect. Verse 28, you must not um you must not make cuts in your flesh. You should not put in your flesh and you may not etch a tattoo. Do not place on yourselves. I am God. The why does he talk about the cuts that people do make? This was the weight of the Amorites. They would make cuts in their flesh when a person died. This is etching ink in a person's skin that can never be erased that he engraves it with a needle. Then he makes it black to be able to keep the ink in there and it stays there forever. Kaka, the word was a tattoo. comes from the word that it puts them up against the sun. Meaning these are different terminologies meaning because it comes from the word they put a tree in the ground and they would hang on it like putting something deep into the ground so it shouldn't move. So too when somebody put something into flesh that it wouldn't come out something of permanence. Verse 29. You must not defile your unmarried daughter to make her a prostitute. You should not have the land engaged in prostitution that the land will be filled with immorality. The Torah is talking about over here referring to giving his unmarried daughter to be with another man for not the sake of marriage. If you will do so then you are you're making your land immoral that it will do it in other places. Meaning that he talks about it when a woman who acts immoral which this causes the land and causes punishment and brings punishment to the land bringing and desecrating the land. Verse 30 you must observe the shabas and rever my sanctuary. I am God. What does it mean rever my sanctuary? explains only he should not walk into the holy temple with his stick and his shoes with his money belt with the dust on his feet. Even though I am warning you meaning these these two mitzvah brought together even though I'm telling you about the holy temple though may be very holy to build a holy temple but that does not desecrate the shabas that does not push off the shabas. are not allowed to build a holy temple on chabas. Verse 31 this cause now we're going to divination and as we mentioned previously you must not turn to divination or to uh divination which is known by you must not seek to defile yourself by going to them and uh and asking them about the future or whatever it may be. I am God. What is this referring to? This is a warning to the people themselves of acting in such ways of divination of trying to say what may be that these that a person um because a person who acts and does it is liable of capital punishment. A person who seeks their counsel is liable of lashes because it's a negative commandment. This kind of magic is called a person who tries to bring up from the dead somebody that he tries to put like their bones under his armpit and speaks means a person who puts his bone into his mouth and the actual bone so so to speak says what's going to happen through his magic. Don't try to become impure with them. Don't even involve yourself with them because if you involve yourself because then you're making yourself impure and I am disgusted by it. I am your God. Know what you're exchanging, what you're doing, who you're putting in the place of whom. Verse 32, you must rise before an elderly person. And you must respect one who's elderly. And therefore, you will fear God. I am God. Why does he say two terminologies? Rise before an elderly person. And also you must respect one who's older. This is talking about even older person who may be bad or ignorant. Therefore says, what is the word? Is a person who's acquired knowledge. What does it mean you should respect elderly person? Don't sit in a place where this is usual an elderly person's place to sit. Don't try to contradict him. I would think then maybe just close your eyes so you won't see him. So you will never respect him. Make as if you didn't see him. Therefore it says God says you will fear him say this is given to the intent and the heart of a person. A person can say, "Ah, maybe he didn't notice that the old guy came in." As we mentioned previously, anything that which is given over to the heart of a person, the Torah says, "You will fear God." The Reb explains on this when he talks about when he spoke about creating spaces for elderly people which was in the old age and making classes for older people. The Reb is then explained why it says he must respect an older person and then the elderly because even an older person by the very virtue of him being older he has had more life experiences than yourself and for that reason itself you have to give them the respect and treat them with dignity. This concludes the fifth Torah reading of Pares.