The Kohen’s Assistant

I think it's Kedai to go back to yesterday's rate talk a little bit more about the Levian and really as we'll see it's a a Dover Khadash from two perspectives and it's a rate that's not only Negaya the Levian but it's Negaya the primary topic of the first half of the second school which are the laws of Shrita. So yesterday's daf very much centered around the possuk in Parshas Nasso the Vacha G'seda. The possuk says "Me ben Shloishim shana v'a maila v'ad ben Khamishim shana" referring to the Levi. From the time they turn 30 until they're 50 kol avod lavoid avoidas avoida v'avoidas massa b'ohel moed. A tongue twisting possuk but [snorts] the possuk describes the avoida of the Levian and it says from the age 30 to 50 that's when they went lavoid avoidas avoida v'avoidas massa b'ohel moed. Yesterday's daf we spoke a lot about what that meant right? What was the job of the Levi? We read Lishana Rishona of the Rambam in Perek Gimel Hilchos Klei Mikdash the Levi's job was to be Shoimer the Mikdash. The Leviim that were Shoirim the Leviim that were Misharim. He said over the side of the Brisker Rav that all Leviim were included in the job of Shmira Samikdash but as it related to being Shoirim u'Misharim that already required a Minui. There was a a a a stereotype that a Levi got "I'm a Shoir nice to meet you I'm a Shoir Mishoir nice to meet you." And that was in contrast to the Kehanim where there was no such thing I'm a Zoirik and I'm a Makdeh. Rather there were Peisos there were Goralos that determined Mishayach Mi'Mekabel Mi'Moyelach Mi'Zoirik etc. etc. But the point is is that the Leviim were Shoimrei Hamikdash. The Leviim were Shoirim they were Misharim >> We spoke about how when they eat and when they had a whole specific job. So many people come in the area that talk about how they used to carry all the and [snorts] the of the mission. The mission itself. They were in charge of all the logistics. So the mission yeah I don't know. This is what all the young men that we spoke about They're all included in this positive but that's it. in there. We take a look at the skin and ballet twice as on this positive. The skin of them says Schmuck word. You know what it's referring to? It's referring to Schita Which [clears throat] are really the job it's the Stay in there the were the ones that did the Schita the Schita and the Schita. Like it says in Ezra and Ezra And it says regarding the carbon of Schita the were the ones that used to be Schita. So it says that the were the ones that used to be Schita. it means that the were the ones that It means Schita Three critical components of bringing every carbon. Which but it's the Schita of the Schita. Stay in there the were the ones that used to be Schita. Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita If you take a look at the who was one of the Schita on the same positive in Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita Schita and this is only that we used to do but the task came about and the other words this is coming from the base managers of the they said that what does it mean that the did love it they did the because these were things that was the avoid of the first class this is very very sweet was the avoid of the sweet we know is love away the sweet shame is so what is the skin and even mean when the says sweet shame avoid the fact it sounds like what the are saying is is that sweet and also which did not have to be done by the per se was done not by any friend not by any but was done by the way what does this mean we don't we don't know this I think we all know sweet sweet bizarre and I am I it's a by the way you want to know who does it it's the that do it what exactly does it mean it's something that's very very now the truth is that didn't just say it the truth is that how you I'll prove it to you you find it by and you find it in different and you find it by the passover so what exactly are all these talking that the were referring to so just to get a little bit of a feel this is in and base it's contest the context over there is the carbon passover that was brought in the times of it was a special carbon passover that was brought in the times of we won't speak at an epic this Indian I'm working on it the kids are what says is that just like the first carbon Pesach that was born in Mitzrayim was mishchu yet I would so every time in history when the Yidden was steeped in Avodah Zarah and now they were distancing themselves from the Avodah Zarah, so they would bring a carbon Pesach to be merachek them again mishchu yet Avodah Zarah and he says that's why you find that Chazal made such a big deal about the carbon Pesach of Chizkiyahu cuz we know Chizkiyahu was the one who was mechaper for the aveiros that his father Achaz had done done by Avdel Sheva and they found that there was this incredible renewal in terms of the dedication of the Jews to the Torah and that's why there was such a huge deal about the carbon Pesach because that teshuvah movement of Chizkiyahu's dor was manifest very much on the Yom Tov of Pesach through the carbon of Pesach cuz that's where the Yidden was always merachek himself [laughter] from the Avodah Zarah. But either way, >> [snorts] >> the pasuk says as follows, "Rak hakohanim hayu lemaat." There weren't that many kohanim. "Velo yachlu lehafshit es kol haolois." They couldn't do the hafshatah on all the olois. "Vayechezkum acheihem haLeviim." So their brothers, the Leviim, they helped them. "At kvoisam melochah va'ad yish kadosh hu hakohanim ki haLeviim yishrei leivav lehiskadeish mehakohanim." The kohanim were trying to do the hafshatah but it was too much going on. They couldn't do it. So the Leviim helped them. "Vayechezkum." Right? "Ish es rei'eihu ya'azoru lo veyametz chazak." "Vayechezkum acheihem haLeviim." So the Leviim got involved and said, "Let us help you a little bit." So the Leviim helped them. I'm skipping to perek lamed. This pasuk you're saying, "Ki rab as kol asher lo yiskadeshu." "VaLeviim al shechitas haolois." So the Leviim took over. They said, "We'll deal with the shechitah of the carbon Pesach. Let us do it because there was just too much going on. So let us be the ones that are going to get involved." In Divrei Hayamim Beis, this is in perek lamed hei. This is talking about the carbon Pesach that was born in the times of Yoshiyahu haMelech. That same Meshech Chochmah says Yoshiyahu, we know, was the greatest baal teshuvah of all time, as I'll say. It's because he walked into a generation again that was steeped in avodah zarah. And he again was avodah zarah, and that's why he brought his korban Pesach. Where wasn't it was never a korban Pesach like this brought, right, going back to the times of Moshe Rabbeinu. And why is that the dog which again by Yoshiyahu, cuz again, the way the Yidden always did chuva was through the korban Pesach. That was the mishrei'as of avodah zarah. But anyway, the pasuk over there says, "Vayishchatu ha Pesach, va yizreku ha kohanim miyadam, va Levi'im amshitan." They shachted the korban Pesach. The kohanim took the dam from them and did the zrika. And then the Levi'im went and went mashit. If you look at the Noiser Kaylim on the Nach, Metzudas Dovid, "Vayishchatu ha Levi'im shochatu, ki ha shchita ksheira b'zman." And then the kohein went and took the dam and did the zrika. And then the Levi'im went back and they were mashit. So you have it again by the korban Pesach of Yoshiyahu ha Melech. Ezra. This is in Sefer Ezra perek vav. This is talking about the times of Ezra. "Vaye'asu bnei Yisrael ha korban Pesach." We make a very big deal about the korban Pesach that they brought. Which by the way, this was the shpitz mish of mishrei'as avodah zarah. The first Beis Ha Mikdash was destroyed primarily because of the cheit of avodah zarah. And this is the beginning of "Vayishaneinu." They're doing chuva in the times of Ezra, kiyodu'a. The pasuk says, "Vaye'asu bnei ha golah es ha Pesach b'arba'a asar l'chodesh ha rishon. Ki hitaru ha kohanim va Levi'im ke'echad kulam tahor. Vayishchatu ha Pesach l'chol bnei ha golah v'la'acheihem ha kohanim v'lahem." And then they Who's the they? We mentioned the kohanim v'Levi'im. They went, they shachted the korban Pesach for their brothers the kohanim. So look at the Noiser Kaylim on Ezra, they is referring to the Levi'im. So you have it by the korban Pesach of Chizkiyahu ha Melech. You have it by the korban Pesach of Yoshiyahu ha Melech. And then you have it again in the beginning of "Vayishaneinu," the korban Pesach of Ezra. That the Levi'im are the ones that are doing the shchita. The Levi'im are the ones that are doing the hafshaka. And it's even more than that. It sounds like they're not just doing it. acheihem ha Levi'im." They're helping the Kohanim because the Kohanim are too overwhelmed and as a result they need assistance. And who's the one that's assisting them? It's the Levi'im that are the ones that are assisting them. So again, the Ba'alei Tosfos is p'shat in this pasuk in Parshas Naso is coming from Nach. It's coming from Divrei Hayamim Beis perek chof tes, perek lamed, perek lamed hei. It's coming from Ezra perek vov. These are obscure areas of Tanach but I'm just reading what the Ba'alei Tosfos say. And if you look up those p'sukim, you see meforesh that the Levi'im are doing it and when they do it, they gather of how they're doing it is they're helping the Kohanim. And again, [laughter] how does this reconcile with everything we know? We're so used to thinking sh'chita k'sheira b'zar has nothing to do with the Kohen. Why is it that the Kohen is the one that it sounds like he's responsible for the sh'chita and by the way, the hafshasa v'niyucha as well. And they can't do it so the maleh of the Levi'im are coming to the rescue. Vay'chazkum. Why the Levi'im? It doesn't have to be the Levi'im. It could technically be any Yisrael. Pashut p'shat, what exactly is going on over here? So I saw a dover nifla. I saw this in the sefer Simchas Yehoshua from Hagah'on Rav Simcha Mayman Shlita. It's an arichus, it's 10 pages long and there's so much there. A foch b'va foch b'da kulah vah. But just the ikar y'said, what he says to say p'shat in this pasuk in Ba'alei Tosfos which is the Bechor [snorts] Shor. And really, he bases the whole Torah, all 10 pages, on a seif from the Beis HaLevi. The Beis HaLevi is in chelek beis, it's in siman tes. And the Beis HaLevi over there is discussing a Rashi that we've talked about many times in the Chabura. It's a Rashi in Maseches Yevamos daf lamed gimmel amud beis. The Gemara there brings a braisa that says zor shesh y'meish b'Shabbos is chayav skilah. A zor that does the avodah on Shabbos, he's chayav mishum Shabbos um mishum avodah. Azor is not allowed to do the avodah. And if it was on Shabbos, you know, Shabbos is going to be a problem about that as well. And the Gemara tries figuring out which avodah is it because in order to qualify as the avodah, you have to check off two boxes. Number one, you have to be an avodah that Azor is not allowed to do. Additionally, you have to be an avodah that involves a chillul Shabbos. So, the Gemara says, "Azor shishim mishum Shabbos b'mai?" What avodah was it? "E b'shchita." Is it referring to shchita? Right? That sounds like a good one. Shchita for sure involves chillul Shabbos. But, the Gemara says, "Shchita b'zor shera." We know shchita shera b'zor. So, if that's the case, it certainly can't be it. So, according to Rashi, "Shchita b'zor shera." And if shchita is kosher b'zor, then in comes Azor. That means if Azor would go ahead and do shchita on Shabbos, you can't tell me he's chayav shtayim mishum Shabbos um mishum avodah. And the reason is cuz ain't no Azor cuz Azor is allowed to do shchita. So, if he's allowed to do shchita, by him doing shchita, he certainly didn't violate the issur Azor of doing an avodah. According to the Sha'ar Hamelach, it sounds like from Rashi that Rashi is saying that if Azor would do shchita on Shabbos, there wouldn't be a problem of Azor. But, it sounds like there would be a problem of Shabbos. Why? Because shchita involves chillul Shabbos, one of the lamid tes melachos. According to the Sha'ar Hamelach, if shchita is kosher b'zor, so what's the problem if Azor does shchita on Shabbos? A kohen is allowed to do shchita on Shabbos. So, if a kohen is allowed to do shchita on Shabbos, why should Azor be different? This is like an avodah that Azor is not allowed to do. So, if you go ahead and you do it on Shabbos, to the extent that it involves chillul Shabbos, so you got two problems. It's Azor and it's Shabbos. But, if shchita is kosher b'zor, so it comes out Azor's shchita is no different than a kohen's shchita. So, if a kohen is allowed to do shchita on Shabbos, Azor should also do shchita on Shabbos. But, according to Rashi, according to the Sha'ar Hamelach, according to the Shulchan Aruch Azor, "Azor shishim mishum Shabbos b'mai?" "E b'shchita." "Shchita b'zor shera." And therefore, ain't no mishum Azor. Rashi is saying, "Good. Say better. Ain't no Azor here." Shabbos. I was talking Shana from the fact that Rashi didn't say that. Rashi only said income Zyrus. You see that Shitas Rashi is that as much as Shitas Shira bizarre. But on Shabbos, when we say that the avoida is who chew and chew ya. On Shabbos, it's Dafko if a coin's going to go ahead and do it. Not if a Zyrus going to do it. And the question is why? So after base of levy. In Hebrew base of mintas. A over. Goddle which is really a you say it. Nifla. And that is. It's true a Zyrus allowed to do Shita. But the here of Shita. The midst of Shita. The highest of the Shita. That's not the Zyrus highest. That's only the coins highest. And those Shitas part of a carbon of carbon. Who's a coin to bring a carbon? It's the coin of them that are a coin to bring the carbon. Being that the coin of them are the ones that are a coin to bring a carbon. That means the here of and the highest and the midst of a Shitas carbon cuz you can't bring a carbon without doing the Shita. That's mutual 100% on the coin. It just so happens the coin. Doesn't have to do every aspect of the avoida by himself. He has a right to delegate. He can form it out. He can outsource. That's something that's his right. When it comes to the Shita, he can even outsource it to a Zyrus. But here's. The point. The point is the here of the midst of the highest of the avoida so after base of levy. That's partial that's something that belongs to the coin. What Rashi has been megalot to us here in Yevamos Gimel base is that the only time I'm allowed to do a Shita on Shabbos is if I have a midst with to do the Shita. I have a here of to do the Shita. I have an a highest to make sure the Shita is done. Whoever has the midst of and the here of he's allowed to go ahead and do it. The coin is the only one that has the mitzvah of the olah and mail only the cohen is allowed to do it. The zair, yeah, I can get this contract and be the one that's going to do the shchita, but it's never going to be my mitzvah. I'm going to be doing it as an agent of the cohen. I'm going to be satisfying the cohen's obligation through my action, but being that it's not the mitzvah of the zair, it's not the mitzvah of the zair, that's why you wouldn't be able to do it on shabbos. What Rashi was saying is that the only time shchita is shabbos is if it's your mitzvah to bring give it to your chos. That's true for the cohen, it's not true for the zair. So Simcha Maymin said that the Emes says it's very meduyak in the Listen to these subtle deyukim, but they're fire. If you take a look at the Chinuch, mitzvah kuf tes vov. This is the mitzvah of maaseh ha'olah, right? Bringing the korban olah. So the Chinuch says, "Midinay ha'mitzvah." One of the dinim of the mitzvah. Mashah Omer Zeraim on the brachah. "Bemaaseh ha'olah shaya nascheh ol the thing." I don't even want to know the dinim of the mitzvah. "Lom katzim shchiten es ha'behemah bazara." Uva'shchita by the way, it's kashair af ilu bazara. "Bekabalah adam ve'eiluch mitzvah skunah." He does this zrikah, he does the hafshatah, he does the nituach. He goes on and he tells you the whole maaseh olah. So you want to know what the dinim of what's dinim of mitzvah mean? How do you do the mitzvah? The way you do the mitzvah is is shchita, kabalah, halachah, zrikah, hafshatah, nituach, kulai kalol, right? Shvichah she right. He goes, he tells you all the dinim of mitzvah. At the end of the mitzvah, zach the Chinuch, "Vinai hegesh bizman habayis bizchri Kohanah." The mitzvah of olah is naiyak dafka bizchri Kohanah. The cohen, the whole olah. If the mitzvah of shchita, if the mitzvah of olah includes in it shchita, how could the Chinuch say "Vinai hegesh bizman habayis bizchri Kohanah"? It's not true. There's a chelek of the mitzvah of olah that negay everybody. The shchita, the hafshatah, the nituach. These are things that are kashair bazara. What zach the Chinuch? It's a fire deyak. "Vinai hegesh bizman habayis bizchri Kohanah." It's not true. Yeah, 80% of it, but what about the other 20%? What 20% of a mitzvah is foolish? Right? Right? Of course not. There's no question in the world that's part of a mitzvah. So, how could the same he should have said there's a that's haggish by the Kohanim and there's a it's not haggish by the Kohanim. If you take a look by the mitzvah of shlamim, mitzvah mem aleph, the other dinner mitzvah is much longer because there's a lot more going on with the shlamim. And in middle, the Kohanim says the Kohanim shchita, zrika, nituach, melika, haktores, so all of the mitzvahs then at the end of the mitzvah again the mitzvah of the Kohanim specifically Kohanim. Ki lo hem So, from my end, you know what the beer is? It's that last line of what the Kohanim is saying mitzvah mem aleph. Avada shchita is bizarre, but it's not bizarre's mitzvah. You want to know whose mitzvah it is? It's the Kohanim's mitzvah. And that's what the fear of the Kohanim is over here in mem aleph. Ki lo hem avada. That's why it's only specifically What's he mutching? He's so many aspects of the shlamim that has no Kohanim. Right, you could eat it. There's a lot of things you could do with the shlamim. Why is it only haggish specifically Kohanim? It's a foolish Kohanim. Ki lo hem avada. Because there's enough coming in between who has the mitzvah, who has the obligation, who has the responsibility versus who can physically be the one to go ahead and do it. A could do the shchita, but it's not his mitzvah. The mitzvah is only haggish specifically Only the Kohanim is going to have the mitzvah. And the Kohanim That's what the Kohanim means. What he said Rashi That even though shchita is bizarre, but it's only shchita is not given to It's because even though [laughter] he could do the shchita, but it's not his mitzvah. But it's not his mitzvah. As opposed to As opposed to when it comes to the Kohanim, the Kohanim has the chiyuv. The Kohanim has the mitzvah and being that the coin has the here of and the coin has the mitzvah for that reason that when it comes to the coin history is very much going to be the but it's in the base of this you say and that is the bizarre but who had the mitzvah who had the here of who had the responsibility to go ahead and do it that was all the coin and that's what the body taste with me in this possible being is not so great So the have shade the need to work to him avoid that coin and the show is the same says the same thing it's the avoid of the coin and then the question is it's a plea what do you mean it's the avoid of the coin and how did this become the avoid of the coin and it's the shade of bizarre it's the avoid of the coin and it's the responsibility of the coin to go ahead and do the they grab it don't have to do it themselves if they want to farm it out they have a right to go ahead and farm it out but it's their here and that's what the body taste with me over here it's push it that's the beer over here in the body taste with that's the beer in the but the is you see another component you see another thing here again the first that we're taking out of this rate half of a fell and that is that even though it's but the mitzvah is not bizarre it's so push it's so push it right it's been staring us in the eyes forever it's not the bizarre is a mitzvah it's the coins mitzvah he has the mitzvah he has the he has the that's in the ration of the base that's been all the took him over here in the body over here who's here is it it's the here of the coin rather if he wants to outsource this to a bizarre this is something that he very much has a right to do but you see another thing and that is that who did he used to outsource it to he used to outsource it to the right that's what he used to do that's the second part of the body taste with love with the void of the void of is the the have shade the need to work and he saw the have shade the need to work This is the pasuk that's describing what the Levi did. No of us. And take a look at the divrei hayomim beis chof tes and lamed and lamed hei and and go through all those psukim and you'll see that that's what's going on over here. But what's the beer in that? Here the beer is poshut. It's what we spoke about yesterday. Cuz really what is the job of the Levi? The job of the Levi is the Torah to do whatever needs to get done. That's their job. So you're right. It's shmirus hamikdash. It's shoyarim. It's mesharetim. In the times of the midbar they were taking care of the logistics. Chevra, the what the Leviim used to do was they were the gabbai. They were the assistant of the Kohanim. I don't know. I've never seen this visual. But this is what's going We've never been in the Beis Hamikdash. We've never zocheh. We always know about Leviim and shirim and mizmorim. That's part of the equation. The Leviim are literally the executive assistants of the Kohanim. The Kohanim are doing the avodah and they're giving you a gift. I'm giving you the Leviim nesunim la Haron u'l'vanav. The medrash says, I looked around a little bit. I found it's in the Fortresses of Forna. There's a fortress in Parshas Korach. So again, the psukim of the Leviim are so wordy. I mean just Bamidbar sedra, Bamidbar nosei, Balak, you'll see it. But in other places in the Torah as well. One of the places in Parshas Korach mitoch bnei Yisrael So the fortress The job of the Levi is to do anything that needs to be done. Right? You're hiring someone, what's your job? I'm very busy. I get overwhelmed. I need someone to help me. I need an assistant. Whatever I throw at you, I need you to get done. That's the job of the Levi. The Kohain has an assistant and that's what his job is. by oylem moyed. >> Anything that's going to have to get done in the oil my old anything mom is without a cotton by double God all that's what their responsibility is going to be and that is the only of the Havana of understanding what Levi's job was. Levi's job is he's the kind of system. That's the measure we mentioned yesterday the coin is touch me shake to show the Levi's touch me shake touch me. He's the coin assistant. That's my is the government. That's mom is what he is. That is his job. That is a few unique things that the Torah wants him to do. She saw me dash. Show you remember after the character of a coin would do it. He would even be me. So you have to learn that up maybe a little bit better. But the bottom line is if you want to know high level what the Levi's responsibility is what's his job? It's literally he is the at no solid VM the soon and the higher and the lower knob. He is the assistant. of the coin. But just to end the end of this stickle. So if some of you might have been with me saying a guy. This guy is also in Divrei Hayamim. This is in Divrei Hayamim Aleph. It's Perek Vav Pasuk Lamed Gimel and Pasuk Lamed Dalet. The Pasuk says as follows. This is the beginning of Divrei Hayamim Perek Vav. So Divrei Hayamim goes mom is from Shish. Shish Bereshit all the way to when Divrei Hayamim ends. This is mom is these parshas. The parshas that we're holding now by Midbar Naso by Lech Lecha. This is what's going on here in Divrei Hayamim. V'acheim Halvi'im. Nisunim L'chol Avodas Mishkan Beis Hashem. They were given over for all the Avodas of the Mishkan. I mean again you once you hear this read it's of course what the Pasuk means. Nisunim L'chol Avodas Mishkan Beis Hashem. L'ha'ir u'l'havon Makhtirim Al Mizbach Olah Al Mizbach Hak'tores L'chol Melaches Kodesh Hakodashim u'l'chaper Al Yisrael Kol Asher Yitzei Moshe Aved Al Hashem. You go through this Pasuk 100 miles an hour cuz it feels like you said this Pasuk already 500 times, right? Again we're just repeating this over and over and over again. It's up to go. V'acheim Halvi'im Perish Shar Halvi. So the 11 of Mishkan The next boss says That the boss says make sure Aaron had to know that this is something he had to do. No, it was the guy and is the ballet but the guy and is also being the beautifully. He says the were the assistance of the guy. So the guy knows I can ask you to do anything. So the boss says no. You have to realize Yeah, there's a lot of things that are But there is a place where you draw a line. There is a place where the ladies not going to help. But not everything. That if you take a look at boss says by mid bar. This is paragraph boss says Right, the ladies are 100%. What's the next boss says? It's my the guy on the one hand sat like this for the like the guy and now we see it's the real with the assistance they could do anything oh if that's the case so does that mean everything no that's a the make sure you can't have everything be done by your assistant there's a time where you as the executive need to step in and you need to take that meeting and you need to take that call you need to draft that note right this is something you need to do by yourself in fact I've got a car that this is so that if the is going to get too close he's even going to be that's the Hamish of the the role of the lady was yeah like the ways out the beginning of it was role that they had when they did when the midbar but really even in a higher level than the that hundreds of assistants and that's why you find in the it's that the used to farm out even the that have kind of farming out what is the kind of do with yeah because the the that's very much the but who used to help him with all this it was the lady that used to help him either way two in this below base of the the first is that even though it's bizarre but at the end of the day the of the the of the that was something that belonged very much to the to the based on the base of the and that I do this of the and in the second is is that the job of the was to be the to be the assistants to always help out the Kohanim. Inasmuch as the Torah gave certain roles to the Levi and they're very unique. If a Kohain does these misos, and even if a Levi does the other Levi's job, even that's going to end up being an issue. But you want to understand the job of the Levi in the Beis Hamikdash from a high level, he's tashmish detashmish like Rebbi Simcha said belashon hazal. What he's doing is he's there to assist the Kohain in everything he needs to do. Be it the avodahs that the Torah told him he should assist the Kohain with, or be it shchita, hefsed veniduch, any avodah that's the responsibility of the Kohain because all avodahs, even the ones that are b'zar, are the responsibility of the Kohain. But at the same time, that shera b'zar, who was the one that very often was always the Levi, that's why you find the Levi'im are doing the shchita, you find they're doing the hefsed, you find they're doing the niduch. Again, this is just another slav, another layer in terms of understanding a little bit better what the role of shevet Levi was in the Beis Hamikdash.