Chicago Chesed Fund

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Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Vayakhel and Pekudei Parsha Questions

1. The brass altar in the courtyard is described as being "five amos long and five amos wide, square." The golden altar in the Heichal is "one ama long and one ama wide, square." The description "square" appears to be unnecessary. If all sides are equal, it's a square. What would we think if it wasn't described as being square? This pertains to practical halacha, because we have an oral tradition from Sinai that our Tefillin must be square, similar to the altars.
"Square" teaches geometric perfection of 90 degree corners and straight lines, so if it is a rhombus, or or there is a nick on the edge, it would be passul. The Meshech Chochma and Netziv in Ki Sisa 27:1 say additional answers regarding where the ribu'a has to begin and the application to the Mizbei'ach in the Mikdash which had different dimensions.

2.  If something has been used personally, can it be donated and used in the Mishkan?
From the Mar'os HaTzovos and the jewelry, yes, but only if it undergoes a significant physical change. See Magen Avraham OC 147 sk 5, אם שינה צורתן. But see Rav Hirsch here regarding the Kiyor.

3. What words in our parsha indicate that a mental resolution to give charity cannot be retracted and creates a legal obligation, and why do you think this applies uniquely to hekdesh/tzedakah.
Nediv Lev.  יו”ד סימן רנח, סעיף יג. Why? You’re on your own.

4. On the basis of a close similarity of its name, some scholars believe that one of the ingredients of the Anointing Oil was Cannabis. Which ingredient do you think that was?
Kenei Bosem. I'm not making this up. There are convincing reasons to believe this is the case.

5. If one only has enough for one candle, the Shabbos candle takes precedence over any other, including Chanuka. This is because of the vital importance of Shalom Bayis. On other days of the week, Chanuka takes precedence over Shalom Bayis. Apparently, avoiding friction on Shabbos is of greater importance than at any other time of the week. What passuk indicates that this is so.לא תבערו אש בכל מושבותיכם ביום השבת
See Gittin 52b about the Sattan instigating fights between a married couple every erev Shabbos and Reb Meir's intevention. 
See Shla'h Shabbos Ner Mitzva 32, where he says
 ועל כן עבירה כפולה היא מי שמראה כעס בשבת וכבר נתנו סימנים לא תבערו אש בכל מושבותיכם ביום השבת והוא אש המחלוקת וחימום הכעס 
and Chasam Sofer there in Gittin and Shaarei Ora I Ki Sisa.

6.  Moshe and Betzalel were required to give a precise accounting. For every penny they were given, they had to say "This is what I used it for." This was a public accounting given to Klal Yisrael, and it was presented in a fashion that the Jews all said "Well done. You used it all just as it ought to have been used."  After 120 years, when you come to the Olam Ha'Emes, you're going to undergo a Din v'Cheshbon. This Din v'Cheshbon will be like the cheshbon of Moshe and Betzalel in Parshas Pekudei. You are going to be asked, "You were given the ability to walk, to talk, to see, to feel, to think, to influence others, you were given intellectual and emotional gifts above others. What did you do with these precious gifts? You are now going to tell us exactly how you used your gifts, how you spent your time and money." It's not enough to convince yourself that you did the right thing. You're going to have to show the court that you did the right thing, Rochel Bitcha Haketana. Each one of us was given a Tafkid, and the tafkid involves בין אדם למקום, and בין אדם לחבירו, and בין אדם לעצמו. How do you think you're going to do when you leyn your personal Parshas Pekudei?
Inspired by Kol Rom I beginning of Pekudei.


5 comments:

  1. 1- Perhaps "square" is a shi'ur for the corners. WRT tefillin, "square" means that either one of the diagonals must be between
    1.4 * side
    and the exact
    sqrt(2) * side.

    (I made it about either diagonal so as to avoid talking about
    (2.8 - sqrt(2)) * side
    the same error in the other direction.)


    2- Women's brass mirrors can. So it seems "yes". Also, bracelets are among the donated items.

    4- Translating literally, "qaneh bosem" some sweet cane. Calamus fits the bill. (So would sugar cane, but they couldn't even trade to get sugar cane.)

    5- I wanna know too! Family time is a big part of the Shabbos experience in practice. But having a source would be great. (Especially when pushing back against those who think Shabbos is all about learning.)

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    1. Reb Micha, I'm glad you didn't know that if you highlight the space between questions you'll find my answers.
      I think the most interesting one is number 4. In my very limited experience, and there are innumerable varieties, but the fragrance can be incomparable.
      As for number 5, I think the Gemara in Gittin is a powerful lesson. The Sattan makes an extra effort to inject tension into a home erev Shabbos, because he knows that Shabbos is the Mekor HaBracha and
      !לא מצא הקדוש ברוך הוא כלי מחזיק ברכה לישראל אלא השלום

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  2. 1. My brother-in-law, Harav Chaim Aron Lopian Shlita, asked me this question before Purim, and I answered him al derech what you wrote. He had a different answer, though, which I found fascinating: the Gemara says that if אי אפשר לצמצם, the Torah when giving the shiurim is only requiring us to do the best we can (cue the famous vort from the Brisker Rov on why Vayak"P are repeated). Fregt my shvogger, what happens if I did my best to make the length one amah, and then I did my best to make the width one amah, but the the two dimensions are demonstrably different? Mitzad the din of אמה ארכו ואמה רחבו it would be kosher, but kumt the din of rovua and tells you that it is not okay!

    2. Wasn't that Moshe Rabbeinu's hava aminah by the nesiim's covered wagons?

    3. I think I once suggested a why to you, and you buried me in an avalanche of acharonim proving me wrong.

    4. Interesting.

    5. See also Tomer Devorah where he explains that the middas hadin in Shomayim is forced to refrain from judgement on Shabbos, which therefore causes great trouble for people who become angry or judgemental themselves, because if the sacred Judgment must rest, who can be so arrogant as to employ his own profane one?

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    Replies
    1. Your comment, content and presentation, is better than the post. Yasher koiach.

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    2. Beyond evaluations of style and substance, so you're a brother in law to Rabbi Shmuel Keller's brother in law? Could be that Ha'adam yir'eh l'einayim, but as far as I can tell, he's a tzadik yesod olam.

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