Kiddushin 6

The Gemara states that if one sold his Canaanite slave to a gentile, the slave goes free, and Rashi writes that the slave is granted his freedom despite the fact that the Gemara in Gittin (38a) states that one who frees his slave is penalized because he has removed from the slave the obligation of performing mitzvos. One must wonder why it is important for a Canaanite slave to perform mitzvos? Even if the slave is required to perform mitzvos like a woman, it would not seem to be an obligation upon the master to have him perform mitzvos. Perhaps we can suggest that the rationale for this obligation is because the Rambam (Hilchos Isurei Biah 12:11, based on Gemara Sanhedrin 58b) writes that a Canaanite slave, after having immersed in a mikveh for the purposes of slavery and having accepted upon himself the mitzvos that a slave is obligated in, no longer has a status of a gentile, but he is not a bona fide Jew either.  Thus, it follows that the master of the slave must ensure that the slave continue to fulfill his obligations., This is a strong lesson for us, as we are Baruch HaShem genuine Jews, HaShem’s beloved children, and we should do everything possible to study HaShem’s Holy Torah and perform His mitzvos.

Kesubos 6

The Gemara states that a mourner is required to observe all the commandments except for the commandment of Tefillin which is referred to as פאר, glory, and a mourner is not allowed to glorify himself. We derive this ruling from the verse in Yechezkel that states that HaShem instructed Yechezkel regarding the laws of mourning and HaShem instructed Yechezkel explicitly that he should don his Tefillin. This commandment implies that all other mourners are not permitted to don Tefillin. A mourner, although he is thinking about his sorrow, is not preoccupied with performing a mitzvah and for this reason he is still obligated to observe mitzvos.

Rashi writes that a mourner is wallowing in the dust and it is not a glory for the Tefillin. One must wonder why Rashi writes that it is not a glory for Tefillin to be on the head of a mourner. If there is a commandment to wear Tefillin every day, why does it matter if the mourner is wallowing in the dust?

The answer to this question is that while it is true that the mitzvos of HaShem are beyond the physical realm, there is an association between the mitzvah and the person performing the mitzvah. Prior to the recital of certain mitzvos we recite the blessing אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, Who sanctified us with His commandments. Clearly this means that one who is performing the mitzvah is undergoing a process of becoming holy. When one wears Tefillin, the Tefillin are glorified through the pure and untainted thoughts of the person wearing the Tefillin. When one is in a state of mourning, Heaven forbid, he is not in a glorious state. Thus, it follows that one cannot wear Tefillin, as it will not be glorious for the Tefillin to be on the head of one who is in a temporary state of mourning and lacking glory.

Moed Katan 11

The Gemara cites an incident where Maryon the son of Ravin and Mar the son of Rav Acha the son of Rava owned a yoke of oxen together, and Mar the son of Rav Acha the son of Rava became a mourner. Mar removed his ox from the yoke so that he should not benefit from his animal working. The Gemara explains that the reason he was not concerned for the loss of Maryon, despite the fact that Mar was actually permitted to allow his ox to plow Maryon’s field, is because Mar maintained that a prominent person is different and must act in a stringent manner. for this reason Mar did not allow his animal to continue working. Had Mar allowed his ox to work in Maryon’s field, a casual observer would have assumed that Mar made an arrangement with Maryon during Mar’s mourning period, which is forbidden. Mar thus chose to distance himself from even apparent impropriety.

The Gemara often answers that a prominent person is different. It would behoove us to study Torah continuously so that we become prominent Torah scholars. This is in line with the Gemara that states that one should always study Torah and perform mitzvos with ulterior motives, as such motives will ultimately lead one to study Torah and perform mitzvos altruistically.

 

Megillah 20

The Mishna states that any mitzvah that is required to be performed during the day can be performed the entire day, and any mitzvah that must be performed at night can be performed the entire night.

While one can only perform a daytime mitzvah during the day, one has the opportunity to prepare for the mitzvah and anticipate its arrival at night. On the first night of Sukkos, Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev would stay awake all night in anticipation of the first moment of sunlight when he would then be allowed to recite the blessing on the lulav and esrog.

The story is told that once the esrog was lying in a glass-door cabinet. In his great excitement to perform the mitzvah, Reb Levi Yitzchak failed to notice the “obstruction.” Reb Levi Yitzchak simply put his hand through the glass and, with incredible fervor, recited the appropriate blessing and fulfilled the mitzvah. Only after his excitement had somewhat abated did Reb Levi Yitzchak notice his bloodied hand.

Similarly, at the end of the holidays of Sukkos and Pesach (when Chasidim do not wear Tefillin), Reb Levi Yitzchak would not sleep all night, as he would wait for the first opportunity to put on Tefillin after the long interruption.

HaShem should allow us to merit anticipating the performance of His precious mitzvos.

Megillah 19

The Gemara states that HaShem showed Moshe the fine interpretations of the Torah, the fine rabbinic interpretations, and what the Sages would innovate in the future. The innovation was the mitzvah of reading the Megillah.

We learned earlier (2b) that a prophet is not allowed to introduce any new mitzvos. Furthermore, we learned (7a) that Esther requested of the Sages that they incorporate the Book of Esther in the Scriptures, and they responded with a verse that states (Mishlei 22:20) הֲלֹא כָתַבְתִּי לְךָ שָׁלִישִׁים, have I not written for you three times, which implies that the battle with Amalek can only be recorded three times in Scripture, not four. Ultimately the Sages expounded on a verse in the Torah that served as a permit to incorporate the Book of Esther in the Scriptures.

One must wonder, however, how the Sages were allowed to add the Book of Esther if a prophet is prohibited from adding on to the Torah. It is noteworthy that the Yerushalmi (Megillah 1:5) states that indeed the Sages were concerned with this prohibition until HaShem illuminated their eyes with the verse from the Torah that permitted them to write the Book of Esther. Nonetheless, our Talmud does not seem to have been concerned with this prohibition.

The Sifsei Chachamim to our Gemara is bothered why the Gemara only mentions that HaShem showed Moshe the innovation of the reading of the Megillah and omits mitzvos such as Chanukah and fasting on the ninth of Av and other rabbinic innovations.

Perhaps the answer to all these questions is that the Gemara (2b) wondered how the prophets were able to institute the letters מ נ צ פ ך, which have open and closed letters, if a prophet is not allowed to innovate. The Gemara mentions that the letters ם (mem) and ס (samach) in the Tablets stood in place by a miracle. Our Gemara cites a verse that states (Devarim 9:10) וַעֲלֵיהֶם כְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְ-ה-וָ-ה עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר, and [the writing] upon them, i.e the tablets, was in accordance with all the words that HaShem spoke to you on the mountain. This verse teaches us that HaShem showed Moshe all the future interpretations and innovations of the Sages, and one of them was the reading of the Megillah. We can interpret this statement homiletically to mean that HaShem showed Moshe how even when the Jews were slated for annihilation, they were able to survive by returning to HaShem and the letters of the Holy Torah, as the Jewish People, like the letters, stand by a miracle. Thus, although a prophet cannot introduce new mitzvos, the Jewish People, through their self-sacrifice for HaShem and His Torah, are capable of creating a new mitzvah such as the holiday of Purim and the reading of the Megillah.

This is also the meaning of the Gemara (Shabbos 88a) that states that the Jewish People re-accepted the Torah in the days of Achashveirosh. This can be interpreted to mean that because of their re-dedication to HaShem and His Torah, it was akin to having accepted a new Torah, and this was the permit for innovating the holiday of Purim and the reading of the Megillah.

 

Taanis 11

The Gemara states that when the Jewish People are in distress and one of them separates himself from the group, the two angels that escort a person come and place their hands on his head and they say, “this person who separated himself from the group should not merit seeing the consolation of the group.” One must wonder why two angels are dispatched to punish this individual? Furthermore, Rashi writes that the person has an angel to his right and an angel to his left. What is the significance of these two angels?

The answer to this question is that the Sfas Emes writes that an angel reflects a person’s mission in this world. Hence, we are all angels and we are required to fulfill our mission in this world. A Jew’s purpose is to sanctify HaShem’s Name through Torah study and mitzvah observance. Furthermore, one must always be cognizant of the fact that he is a part of a Holy Nation. When one separates himself from the Jewish People, he is effectively ending his mission in this world. The two angels from his right and from his left, i.e his Good Inclination and his Evil Inclination, both come to inform him that he will now meet his end because he has abandoned his mission in this world.

HaShem should allow us to always remember our mission in this world, which is to study Torah and observe mitzvos and assist other Jews in whatever way possible.

Rosh HaShanah 29

The Mishna cites the verse that states (Shemos 17:11) וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵק, it happened that when Moshe raised his hand Israel was stronger, and when he lowered his hand Amalek was stronger. The Mishna wonders, was it Moshe’s hands that won the battle or lost the battle? Rather, this teaches us that as long as the Jewish People gazed upward and subjugated their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were victorious. If not, they lost the battle.

The Medrash (Tanchuma Ki Seitzei 10) states that Amalek would cut off the circumcisions of the Jewish People and cast them heavenward in defiance, as if to say to HaShem, “here are your worthless mitzvos that You commanded the Jewish People.” It is said (Devarim 30:12), מִי יַעֲלֶה לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה, “who can ascend to the heaven,” and the Baal HaTurim (ibid) writes that the first letters of these words spell out the word מילה, circumcision, and the last letters spell out the Name of HaShem.

We can suggest that the Mishna is teaching that when the Jewish People looked heavenward, they were affirming their faith in HaShem and His mitzvos, and this negated the power of Amalek. Furthermore, they subjugated their hearts to HaShem and the Sefarim write that in addition to the circumcision of the body, one must also circumcise the covering of the heart in order to serve HaShem sincerely.

Beitzah 13

The Gemara states that one can separate both Terumah Gedolah and Terumas Maaser with a thought and one does not need to physically or orally designate the terumah. There are certain mitzvos which require one to contemplate the mitzvah, such as loving HaShem, fearing HaShem and other such mitzvos. There is even a situation where if one sought to perform a mitzvah and he could not complete it because of extenuating circumstances, it is considered as if he performed the mitzvah. Thus, thoughts play an important role in serving HaShem.

Rav Chaim Volozhiner writes in Nefesh HaChaim that one who entertains immoral thoughts is worse than the Roman general Titus, who defiled the Holy of Holies, because a gentile does not have the capability of reaching high spiritual levels, whereas a Jew has the ability to reach very high spiritual levels, and improper thoughts defile the spiritual Holy of Holies. This idea should teach us that not only do we have to be pure in our actions but we must also keep our thoughts pure and holy.