E.M. Saidel: PURIM BREAD?

 

Saidel:  Purim Bread?

Parshat Emor is the first time the lechem hapanim is described in the Torah. In Parshat Terumah  (Shemot 25:30), describing the shulchan, the Torah first mentions the lechem hapanim, but does not describe what it is.

After the Torah describes the menorah in Parshat Terumah (Shemot 25:31), it follows shortly after in Tezaveh with a description of what oil to light it with (Shemot 27:20). After the Torah describes the mizbe’ach haketoret in Parshat Tetzaveh (Shemot 30:1), it follows shortly after (23 pesukim later) with a description of what the ketoret is. Why does the Torah wait another 12 parshiot, all the way until Parshat Emor, to describe the lechem hapanim? Why not simply follow the description of the shulchan with the description of the lechem hapanim, in Parshat Terumah, or shortly after?

The Zohar HaKadosh (Part B, 154a) resolves a debate in the Gemara, which tries to determine what is the essence. Is the shulchan the essence (Zevachim 87a), or is the  lechem hapanim (resting on the shulchan) the essence (Menachot 100a)? The Zohar  says that the shulchan is the essence, and he compares it to a tree, the lechem hapanim to its fruit. Without the “tree” there can be no “fruit.”

Following this train of thought, one might say that the parshiot of the Mishkan  in Sefer Shemot focus on the “trees.” They describe the shulchan, the menorah and the mizbe’ach haketoret in intricate detail, but focus less on the “fruits” of these “trees” – i.e the lechem hapanim, the oil for the menorah and the ketoret for the mizbe’ach haketoret. They focus on the “permanent” structures and less on the transient, ever replenished “ingredients/raw materials” which are associated with these vessels.

Except, as we see above, this is not entirely true. The Torah does describe the oil for the menorah and the ketoret for the mizbe’ach in close proximity to the vessels themselves in Sefer Shemot. All three are in the category of “temidin,” regular offerings in the Mishkan. So why is the lechem hapanim the exception?

One might say that the menorah and the ketoret were “temidin,” while the lechem hapanim  was only switched once a week, on Shabbat. However, although it was only switched once a week, the lechem hapanim was on the shulchan every day, a korban in itself, a repeating miracle that occurred each day anew.

So, the question remains – why wait until Parshat Emor, and specifically after the section of the festivals (Vayikra, chap. 23) to describe the lechem hapanim?

The Rokeach (Hilchot Purim, siman 240) asks this question. Why are the festivals followed by paragraphs discussing the oil for the menorah and then the lechem hapanim? The Rokeach says that the festivals listed in Emor are all the festivals that are de’orayta – from the Torah. However, by immediately following the festivals with the parsha of the oil for the menorah and the lechem hapanim, the Torah is also hinting to the festivals which are de’rabanan, through the oil – Chanukah, and the lechem hapanim – Purim. The association of oil to Chanukah is obvious, but not necessarily the connection between the lechem hapanim and Purim. The Rokeach says that the lechem hapanim conjures up the image of a seudah, a feast, which is reminiscent of Purim – Achashveirosh’s feast and our Purim feast, during which bread is eaten.

This is an incredible perush of the Rokeach and explains why the lechem hapanim is mentioned in Parshat Emor, but it does not explain why the lechem hapanim was not detailed in Shemot, like the oil and the ketoret.

To understand why the lechem hapanim is not detailed in Sefer Shemot and why the Torah waits 12 parshiot until Emor to describe it, we have to examine the exact positioning of the paragraphs of the lechem hapanim (and the oil for the menorah) in our parsha. The positioning here in Emor can best be described as a lechem hapanim/oil “sandwich.” The two “slices of bread” on both sides of the sandwich are the section of the festivals on one side, and the section of Shemittah on the other side.

Both these sections symbolize recognition and gratitude toward Hashem. We celebrate the festivals to declare that Hashem is Master of the Universe and to thank Him for various things, for taking us out of Egypt, for giving us the Torah, for giving us rain, etc. We observe Shemittah also to recognize that Hashem is the source of all our sustenance and to thank Him for the bounty He provides.

In the middle of the “sandwich,” the filling, as it were, we find the paragraphs of the oil for the menorah, the lechem hapanim and the paragraph about am Yisrael sinning. These are, according to the Rokeach, indicative of the festivals de’rabanan – Chanukah and Purim. The reason we have these festivals in the first place is because of Am Yisrael sinning. If Am Yisrael would not have sinned, the first Temple would not have been destroyed, the Greeks would never have desecrated the second Temple, and the story of Chanukah would never have happened. If Am Yisrael would not have sinned, the first Temple would have not been destroyed, and the story of Purim would never have taken place.

The placement of the de’rabanan festivals sandwiched between the sections of recognition and gratitude, shows us the correct context. They are a tikkun, reparations for lack of recognition and gratitude to Hashem.

Parshat HaShavua Trivia Question: How did the sin of Am Yisrael mock the lechem hapanim?

Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: How did the Kohen Gadol select which goat was for Hashem and which one was for Azazel?

Two plates of gold, one with the word “le’Hashem” and the other with the word “le’Azazel” written on them, were placed in a wooden ballot box and mixed together. The Kohen Gadol, standing facing the two goats, (without looking) inserted both hands into the box, each hand picking up one of the plates. The plate in the right hand was the fate on the goat to his right and the plate in the left hand was the fate of the goat to his left.

https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/parsha/not-on-bread-alone/purim-bread/2025/05/14/

Reb Ginsbourg: Why is Shabbat listed among the Holidays?

 Why is Shabbat listed among the holidays?

Torah commentaries weigh in on the philosophic and practical issue of the difference between Shabbat and the other festivals and why Shabbat is mentioned with them despite that.

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We read in our Parasha (23:1-4), that:’Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:’Speak to Bnei Israel and say to them: אלה מועדי ה׳: These are My appointed festivals that you are to designate as holy convocations - these are מועדי: My appointed festivals.

‘On six days labor may be done, and the seventh day is a day of complete rest, a holy convocation, you shall not do any work; it is a Sabbath for Hashem in all your dwelling places.

‘These are the appointed festivals of Hashem, the holy convocations, which you shall designate in their appropriate time’ - then prescribing the festivals ln their order, commencing with Pesach.’

Rashi brings the question of the Midrash, on these psukim:’Why does the Shabbat appear here amidst the מועדים: festivals?’

He answers:’. To teach you that whoever desecrates the festivals is considered as if he had desecrated the Shabbat; and that one who fulfills the festivals is considered as if he has fulfilled the Shabbat.’

Rav David Hofstedter asks, on this Rashi:What is the source and explanation of the linkage between Shabbat and the festivals?

Further, why, in this passage, does the Shabbat precede the festivals - after all, Shabbat is not one of the festivals, and, if it was to teach us the teaching of the Midrash, it would have sufficed to write it at the end of the parsha of the festivals, and not at its outset.

We also need to understand the Mechilta ( end of Beshalach ):’If you observe the Shabbat, Hashem is going to give you the three festivals - Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot’ - how are we to understand this teaching?

To answer these questions, we need to delve on the essence of the difference between Shabbat and the festivals - the main difference that we find in halakha being, that on Shabbat, the preparation of אוכל נפש : food for the festival, is forbidden, whilst on the festivals, it is permitted.

It appears that - from this halakhic difference - we can learn the innate essence of both Shabbat and the festivals: the festivals were established as remembrance of the miraculous deeds and the revelation of the closeness to Him, which we merited to receive from Hashem on our way to becoming a nation, which closeness is felt, on each of the festivals, as it was felt originally.

Since the closeness to Hashem, is at the heart of the festivals, a major feature of the festivals, is the mitzvah of עליה לרגל: ascending, to Jerusalem on each festivals, to celebrate with the masses of Bnei Israel, by the holy house of Hashem - in Jerusalem.

On the other hand, the essence of Shabbat, is to reinforce our emunah in Hashem, the Creator of heaven and earth, Shabbat being a remembrance of Creation, a testament that Hashem created all, and that the whole of creation - and every moment of its existence, since its creation - is in His hands. so that all will know that ‘in six days, Hashem created heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh day.’

Since Hashem was the One who sanctified and blessed the Sabbath day, it is immutable and unchanged - and is not dependent on anything, except on being the seventh day, ‘on which Hashem rested from all His labor’.

This is in contrast to the festivals, which are not sanctified from the Creation of the world, but need the the participation of the Bet Din - the emissaries of the congregation of Bnei Israel.

This difference also teaches that the essence of Shabbat is to teach the greatness of Hashem - and therefore its appointed time is ‘fixed’, and does not require the participation of Bnei Israel - in contrast to the festivals.

Our Sages, in the gemara ( Pesachim 117: ), expound, that ‘since the sanctity of Shabbat is established and fixed, its blessing concludes:’Who sanctifies the Shabbat’ - as Hashem alone sanctifies the Shabbat - unlike the blessing of the festivals, which depends on Bnei Israel, who sanctify the festivals - which concludes:’’who sanctified Israel and the זמנים: the appointed times.’

This understanding also explains the reason for the difference between the mussaf offerings on Shabbat, and the mussaf offerings on the festivals - on Shabbat we offer two ewes, and nothing more, whereas on the festivals, we increase the mussaf offerings, mainly oxen, rams and ewes.

From that which we have brought, this can be readily understood, as the sanctity of Shabbat comes from Hashem, and there is no need for partnership and additional sanctity, from us; on the festivals, on the other hand - whose sanctity is from the influence of the closeness between Israel and Hashem - we increase our offerings of mussaf, to increase the closeness and the connection between us, and Hashem.

We can now understand why the Torah opened the parsha of the festivals, with the mitzvah of Shabbat, as only after Bnei Israel attained their emunah in Hashem - recognizing that He is the master of the land, and its Creator, was there place for closeness between Hashem, and Bnei Israel.

We therefore find, that the sanctity of the festivals is founded on the sanctity of the Shabbat.

Further, we can say, that by this sanctity and the elevation that the Shabbat infuses in Bnei Israel, we are ‘tied’ to Hashem, and sanctified by His sanctity, and this is what gives us the ability - in turn - to sanctify the festivals.

We can now also expound the words of the Midrash - ‘if you merit to observe the Shabbat, Hakadosh- Baruch-Hu is destined to give you the three festivals’ - as the ability of Bnei Israel to sanctify the festivals, derives from keeping the Shabbat, and only if they keep the Shabbat, and receive its sanctity, do they have the power to sanctify the festivals.

For this reason - as we brought at the outset - ‘whoever desecrates the festivals, is as if he desecrated the Shabbat’, as the sanctity of the festivals derives from the sanctity of the Shabbat, and therefore, when one desecrates the festivals, he is deemed to have offended against the source of the sanctity of the festivals: the sanctity of the Shabbat - the reason being that desecration of the festivals offends against one of the objectives of Shabbat: to sanctify and to give power to Bnei Israel to sanctify themselves, through the festivals.

The S’fat Emet adds:’Regarding Shabbat preceding the festivals, Shabbat is, as we say in the Kiddush of erev Shabbat:’The beginning of the מקראי קודש: of the days of holy convocations’, as it is by the force of Shabbat, that Bnei Israel merited the festivals, as Shabbat was given to them first, and it is the testimony that Bnei Israel bear on Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu.

‘By their acceptance of this in a proper manner, Hashem gave them the festivals, which is the testimony that Hashem testifies on behalf of Bnei Israel - and this is why the nations are envious of Bnei Israel, and their closeness to Hashem, as by their closeness to Hashem, He gave them additional festivals - and Shabbat is the gateway to all these heights.’

Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler, on our Rashi, comments: The subject of Shabbat is the belief in the creation of of the world, and its formation with all its ways and laws, by the Creator of all.

The matter of the festivals, however, is the conduct and divine providence above the natural order, by which Hashem acts with the congregation of Bnei Israel.

The two are linked, one with the other, and therefore, though one believes that there is a Creator, who created the world, but lacks belief in the divine providence over His creations, it is as if he also desecrated the Shabbat - meaning, he is considered ככופר בעיקר: a denier of a main tenet.

On the other hand, whoever observes the festivals, is as if he observed the Shabbat, as since he believes in the divine providence on creation, and on Bnei israel in particular, he also believes in the One above, the creator of the world.

This is elucidated in Parashat Ki Tissa, where, in the parsha of the festivals, the mitzvah of desisting from labor on Shabbat is also written.

We need to understand why the place of this mitzvah is in the midst of the festivals, and also, why it is written precisely between the festival of Pesach, and the festival of Shavuot, when we would have thought that its proper place was before the mention of the festivals, as Shabbat preceded the festivals in time, and in being commanded.

The festivals are the occasions of the revelation of the divine providence and the special conduct of Bnei Israel, and this impression of their sanctity remained for all time.

The foundation of Shabbat, on the other hand, is the renewal of creation - as we see in the episode of the Manna, where it is said: ( Beshalach 16:29 )’Behold, Hashem gave you the Shabbat’, meaning: that the manna only fell on the weekdays, and not on Shabbat; and, on the other hand, a double portion fell on Friday, for Shabbat.

All witnessed to their eyes, that Hashem gave Bnei Israel the Shabbat, and also a revelation of Hashem’s divine providence beyond the natural, and this within the framework of the rest of creation.

This revelation pertains to the matter of the festivals - we find therefore that Shabbat, too, has this aspect of the festivals.

This explains why the proper place of the mention of the Shabbat is rightfully between Pesach and Shavuot, as that was the period that the manna fell - after the splitting of the sea, and the giving of the Torah - but no special festival was established for this, as this phenomenon continued for the forty years that Bnei Israel were in the desert - and was not a ‘once only’ occurrence.

We can now understand that the Shabbat is the foundation of all the festivals, as all the festivals are a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, which - as we have brought - could only have occurred by Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu who created heaven and earth in six days.

This is why the Torah first brought the matter of the Shabbat which testifies to the renewal of the world, before bringing the matter of the festivals, as an introduction and foundation on which the structure it built - the structure of the belief in the exodus from Egypt.

‘If Bnei Israel will with all their hearts have emunah, that ‘in six days Hashem created heaven and earth..and rested on the seventh day’ then, through observing Shabbat in all its minutae, they would reach complete emunah in all the miracles and signs that Hashem performed in Egypt, and, thereby, will sanctify and venerate all the festivals, the objective of which is to strengthen that emunah.

However,, if רחמנא לצלן, Bnei Israel should not fully observe the Shabbat, because they do not believe that ‘in six days Hashem created heaven and earth..and rested on the seventh day’, they will also not observe the festivals, because when the foundation is removed, the whole structure will fall away.

Rav Moshe Feinstein brings our Rashi, and comments: The explanation is that the Shabbat is the תכלית: the objective of the emunah in the creation of the world - and for this reason, the desecration of the Shabbat is, רחמנא לצלן, as a denial in the creation of the world.

The festivals, on the other hand, are the emunah that Hashem manages the world by Himself, and arranges nature as is His will, for the purpose of saving Israel, as He was compelled to do, to redeem us - and to perform miracles, to take us out of Egypt - and Who protected us by the shade of the clouds of glory, when He led us through the desert, and sustained us there, and gave us the Torah and mitzvot, so that we should go in good ways, and act righteously.

The Sages said that emunah ‘in part’ is as nought - if one believes that Hashem created the world, but errs to say He gave the conduct of the world to others - be they angels or other heavenly creatures - or that nature is fixed, and the world is governed by it - that person does not believe in the Creation, and there is no benefit in such emunah, as since his mistaken belief that the conduct of the world is in the hand of others, there is no need to keep Hashem’s Torah, but only that which these unbelievers conjure up.

This, as Rambam expounded, was the error of the generation of Enosh, until the emunah in Hashem, was completely forgotten.

Therefore, one who desecrates the festivals is deemed as if he desecrated the Shabbat; and, if he should believe that Hashem conducts and manages the world, but errs to believe that not Hashem - but others -created the world, or at a different time than known to us from the Torah or our Sages, it is as if he also does not believe that Hashem conducts the world.

This is the reason that Shabbat is mentioned amidst the festivals, as all the fundamentals of our emunah are dependent on this, including thr emunah that Torah was given from Above.’

The Abarbanel brings a different insight, saying: The words אלה הם מועדי:’These are My festivals’, do not appear to refer to the festivals which were mentioned - (the ones determined by the Beit Din, D.G.) - but seems to be connected to what is said afterwards, on the subject of Shabbat- saying, that it should be said and announced to Bnei Israel, that there are festivals of Hashem which are dependent on their declaration, and He said this, to separate them from the festival which is not dependent on their declaration by Bnei Israel - the Shabbat.

To this end, He said:’These are My festivals, six days..’, as if saying:’apart from the festivals which are dependent on your declaration, in the Great Bet Din, there are other festivals which are not dependent on your declaration, and they are the Shabbats of Hashem: ‘six days perform your labor, and the seventh day, Shabbat Shabbaton’- and it is truly a day of holy convocation’, and ‘no labor shall you perform’ on it - because ‘it is Shabbat to Hashem’: meaning, that Hashem rested on it, when Creating the world.

And this shall be ‘in all of your settlements’, both in the Land, and outside it, as it will always be sanctified to Hashem, though Israel do not sanctify it.

Therefore, His saying:’These are מועדי: My festivals’, is not an announcement, but an elucidation and explanation why it said earlier:’Which you shall declare’, as the moadim - some of which are Hashem’s alone, like the Shabbat, which is a remembrance of Hashem’s awesome deeds, in the renewal of the world.

He therefore said:’Apart from the Shabatot of Hashem’, there are festivals, attributed to Bnei Israel, as He commanded them to commemorate the kindnesses He did for them.

Accordingly, what was said here on the subject of Shabbat, was ‘by the way’, as it was not brought here because it - Shabbat - is one of the moadim, but rather, to distinguish it from them.

The Alshich Hakadosh also distinguishes between the two types of festivals, noting:’The words:’Speak to Bnei Israel’, is one matter, and the words

‘And:’say to them’, is a second matter.

The first is מועדי ה׳: ‘the festivals of Hashem’, which occur by themselves, without the declaration of the Bet Din, they are My moadim.

The second:’Which you are to designate as holy convocations’, are those determined by the Bet Din’s determination of the months.

This is a sufficient reason as to why, in regard to the moadim of Hashem, it elucidates and says:’These are My moadim’ - meaning: of themselves, they being the Shabbatot of Hashem, the ‘six days..and on the seventh day is a day of complete rest...

As to the second, which I said:’That you are to designate as holy convocations’, I now elucidate, saying:’These are the appointed festivals of Hashem, the holy convocations, which you shall designate’ - to which I alluded above - which are:’In the first month..’, and all the festivals mentioned there, in their order.

Rav Baruch Halevi Epstein proffers yet another understanding of our psukim, saying: From the style of the entire parsha, it is solely concerned with the three festivals and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as we read:’The appointed festivals that you are to designate as holy convocations’, and, as our Sages teach ( Rosh Hashanah 25. ), this refers to the festivals whose time is determined according to the determinations of the months, by the Bet Din.

Clearly , the determination of the Bet Din only concerns the moadim, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and not Shabbat, whose time is fixed and set from Creation - every seventh day of the week.

Therefore, the words:’For six days labor may be done, and the seventh day is a day of complete rest’, is to be read in this context, that, the whole parsha is not concerned at all with Shabbat - according to what we have brought, as Shabbat does not require determination.

It thus appears that these words, too, refers to the moadim, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The explanation is, that these words allude to the permission to perform the labor of אוכל הפש: preparation of food on the three festivals, and on Rosh Hashanah, and for its prohibition on Yom Kippur - the six days being one day of Rosh Hashanah ( though our Sages extended it to two days, it is deemed as ‘one long day ), two days of Sukkot ( Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret ), two days of Pesach, and one day of Shavuot.

Our psukim allude to this:’These are My appointed festivals, that you are to designate..’, and, of them, on ‘six days labor may be done’ - the labor of אוכל נפש - and ‘the seventh day you shall not do any work..it is a Shabbat for Hashem’ - this being Yom Kippur, when even אוכל נפש is not permitted.

The parsha then concludes:’These are the festivals of Hashem’, and describes them in their order of occurrence.’

A parting gem from the Kli Yakar:’אשר תקראו אותם במועדם: Which you shall designate as holy convocations’’ - the word תקראו literally means ‘read’ - Read divrei Torah, to be engaged in the halachot of each festival, on the festival.

It therefore says:’In their appointed time’, and to this ‘reading’, it says:’These are My moadim’.

However, if we do not engage in learning on the festivals, but engage instead in eating and drinking, they are not ‘My moadim’ at all, and on them, the prophet Isaiah said:( 1:14 )’ Your new moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being’.

thank you A7 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408461

Emor: Kedusha - The Biblical Mitzvah to Sanctify the Entire Universe

 

Eliezer Meir Saidel: Masquerade of Wealth – Parashat Emor

 Masquerade of Wealth – Emor

As you have probably guessed by now, parshat Emor is one of my favorite parshiyot (after my bar mitzva parsha, Tzav), because it is the parsha of … the Lechem HaPanim.

 

How much can one talk about the Lechem HaPanim already? As it turns out, quite a lot actually, because the Lechem HaPanim is not simply a bread – it is a foundation principle upon which this material world operates. If you understand the Lechem HaPanim, you will understand how to live a fulfilling life in this world.

 

In this week's shiur I would like to harvest numerous snippets from sefer Meir Panim and bring them all together to complete a picture which perhaps epitomizes the essence of what the Lechem HaPanim is and why it has so captured my imagination.

 

But first a few short stories.

 

The first story is about a landsman of mine, Elon Musk. We were both born in South Africa - yours truly in Johannesburg and Elon about an hour's drive away (and 6 years later), in Pretoria.  But that is not why I am telling you this story. The reason is because Elon is the wealthiest person in the world today, with assets valued at around 360 billion dollars, according to Forbes.

 

Musk is regarded as a genius by some, a crackpot by others. He is a self-declared Asperger (high functioning on the spectrum of autism) and a self-declared workaholic, which perhaps explains to some degree (but not fully) his tumultuous personal life - two divorces, numerous breakups with other partners and he is the father of at least 13 children from his different relationships.

 

The question I would like to ask is "Is Elon Musk happy?" I have absolutely no idea whether Elon Musk is happy or not, he is very close lipped about his personal life. His unquestionable wealth and power obviously enable him to live a life of luxury and satisfaction, but in various interviews (e.g. UK Independent, 27/3/2022) he has admitted that he is sometimes lonely.

 

Our second story (lehavdil elef havdalot) is about Avraham Avinu.

 

Avraham is on the way to perform the Akeida. Obviously, Yitzchak is with him, but there are two others, שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו, who also tag alone – Yishmael and Eliezer (Targum Yonatan, Breishit 22, 3). What are they doing here?

 

According to Rashi (ibid.) an important man always has to be accompanied by at least two additional companions (in case one has to go to the bathroom, there will be at least one other companion to look after him, so that he will not be alone and in danger). Another perush (Yalkut Shim'oni, ibid.) says that Avraham did not want Sarah to know that he was going to sacrifice Yitzchak, so he concocted a story that he was taking Yitzchak to Hebron to study in Yeshiva. Having Eliezer and Yishmael accompany them was part of this ruse (There is a question on this second perush – Avraham took both Yishmael and Eliezer because he thought he was going to be returning without Yitzchak, so he needed two companions for the return journey. However, if he was trying to fool Sarah, why take both of them? Sarah – who knew the halacha - could ask "Why do you need three companions, aren't two sufficient?" By taking three companions, it could arouse suspicion and the whole ruse could fall apart. Perhaps the answer could be that after leaving Yitzchak in the "Yeshiva", the other two companions were required to return with Avraham).

 

Another explanation for taking Yishmael and Eliezer (I have not found any  sources for this) could be that at first when HKB"H commanded Avraham קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת יִצְחָק, Avraham still had some faint hope that it was not Yitzchak he would have to sacrifice. בִּנְךָ could also mean Yishmael. יְחִידְךָ could also mean Eliezer. So, Avraham took these other two along on the off chance that it might be one of them … and not Yitzchak.

 

As they approached the designated place, Avraham says to Yishamel and Eliezer "You stay here with the donkey, שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר, while I continue on with Yitzchak".

 

The question I would like to ask is why Avraham didn't take the donkey? They had to shlep the wood for the sacrifice, which Avraham had gathered before they left. Until now the wood was on the donkey, why unload it from the donkey and make Yitzchak shlep it up the mountain by hand? Why not tell Yishmael and Eliezer to wait behind and take the donkey with the wood together with them to the Akeida?

 

The third and final story is about Yaakov masquerading as Eisav to get Yitzchak's bracha.

 

Yaakov knew he was Yitzchak's spiritual heir, that he was unquestionably to be the recipient of the spiritual bracha (which in fact he was – Breishit 28, 4). Chazal (Yalkut Shim'oni, Breishit 25, 22) tell us that Yaakov and Eisav made a pact while still in the womb, that Yaakov would inherit olam haba and Eisav would inherit olam hazeh. Yaakov didn't want Eisav's bracha! Rivka had to force him to dress up as Eisav and trick Yitzchak into giving him the material bracha intended for Eisav. Yaakov could not disobey his mother, so he went along with the ruse, unwillingly.

 

The question is why didn't Yaakov (and/or Rivka) simply approach Yitzchak directly and say to him "Eisav is evil. Yaakov is your rightful heir and he deserves both brachot!" Why have this whole charade, with Yaakov dressing up in Eisav's clothes בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו הַחֲמֻדֹת? The passuk (Micha 7, 20) says תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם וכו', Yaakov's attribute is truth and Rivka is asking him to deceive his father?

 

The reason I brought these three, seemingly unconnected, stories is because they all have one common thread, which will soon become apparent.

 

The Mishna (Avot 4, 16) says הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בַּפְּרוֹזְדוֹר כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין. Olam hazeh, this material world, is but a "corridor" before olam habah. The purpose of our lives in olam hazeh is to prepare/fix (הַתְקֵן מִלְּשׁוֹן תִּקּוּן) ourselves in order that we may enter olam habah. In other words, olam hazeh is not the ikar, it is a necessity, a means to an end, but not the end in itself. Olam habah is the ikar, the end.

 

Part of olam hazeh, the materialistic world is … materialism, wealth/parnasa. A person cannot exist in olam hazeh without parnasa. The Gemara (Avodah Zara 5a) says that a poor man is compared to a מֵת, someone who is dead! Obviously, a poor man is still breathing and he has a pulse, so what does it mean he is "dead"? The Gemara is teaching us that someone who is "poor" does not have the means with which to fulfil his purpose in this world. Instead of fulfilling his intended purpose, he is running around begging for money all the time and not fulfilling the reason for which HKB"H put him in this world (we will soon see that it is possible to be poor AND fulfil your purpose in the world).    

 

Therefore, parnasa/wealth is a necessary means to the end – to fulfil our purpose in this world and merit olam habah. This is why Rivka would not allow Yaakov to forgo this bracha from Yitzchak. If Yaakov never received this bracha, he would have forever been knocking on Eisav's door begging for money (Yitzchak mistakenly thought that there could be a Yissachar/Zevulun relationship between Yaakov/Eisav, where the parnasa would have been offered willingly).

 

Materialism/wealth/parnasa is not intrinsically an evil thing. It all depends on our attitude towards it.

 

If we regard parnasa as something that HKB"H and only HKB"H provides to us (not that we obtain it by our own devices כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי), then it is a good thing. If we regard whatever parnasa HKB"H provides to us as exactly the right amount that we need at any given point in time, then we will forever consider ourselves to be wealthy אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.

 

The converse is also true. If we believe that our parnasa is obtained solely by our own efforts and that HKB"H is not involved in it in any way, then it is an evil thing. If we are never satisfied with what we have and are constantly striving to have more than we have, then we will never be wealthy. In either (or both) of these cases, parnasa becomes an evil thing and a form of avodah zara.

 

HKB"H intended for mankind to have parnasa the good way – recognizing Who provides it and being satisfied with it. This is the way He created Adam and Chava in Gan Eden. HKB"H gave them a purpose to fulfil לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ. It is not that HKB"H created Adam and Chava to be lazy layabouts, doing absolutely nothing, basking in the luxury of Gan Eden and getting an even suntan, while sipping pina coladas. Adam and Chava both had their work to do, their hishtadlut, each fulfilling their specific purposes. And HKB"H wasn't stingy either chas vechalila, פַּת בַּמֶּלַח תֹּאכֵל וּמַיִם בַּמְּשׂוּרָה תִּשְׁתֶּה וְעַל הָאָרֶץ תִּישָׁן וְחַיֵּי צַעַר תִּחְיֶה. They were in Gan Eden with the best of the best of everything, waited upon by angels.

 

Their failure was that they mistakenly thought they could improve on HKB"H's parnasa using כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי and not being satisfied with what HKB"H gave them. This was the source of the disconnect that changed the course of history.

 

The (brief) tikkun for that was at Har Sinai, after HKB"H gave Am Yisrael Mann and the Well of Miriam, parnasa like in Gan Eden – no doubt where the parnasa came from and in exactly the right measure needed. Again … a failure, a disconnect. Am Yisrael failed to recognize the true source of the parnasa and mistakenly thought they needed to improve upon it with כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי in the form of the egel.

 

When Am Yisrael arrived in Eretz Yisrael, it was exactly what HKB"H promised, אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ.

 

We have no conception of the physical splendor of Eretz Yisrael in biblical times. What we see now (those who live here and those who visit) is a pale, infinitesimal shadow of what Eretz Yisrael was back then (not that it is not beautiful and miraculous even today – it is). For all you travelers out there who like to travel to see the natural beauty and wonders of the world, what you are seeing (in Switzerland, New Zealand, Niagara Falls, etc.) is actually the beauty of Eretz Yisrael that went into exile when the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed. Wherever Am Yisrael were exiled to, the beauty of Eretz Yisrael was exiled with them and was scattered around the globe. The descriptions of the fruit that the 10 spies brought back with them gives us but a faint inkling of that physical bounty and splendor. Eretz Yisrael back then was a veritable Gan Eden, יְפֵה נוֹף מְשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הָאָרֶץ (תהילים מח, ג) . It is impossible to fathom the level of material abundance in a land where HKB"H's Shechina is umbilically connected and visibly present via a Beit HaMikdash. If only Am Yisrael back then would have been שָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, we would not be where we are now.

 

In our world today the disconnect is prevalent. It is not the perfect world that HKB"H intended, where parnasa was meant to be used לְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, to be used for the benefit of mankind, for man to help his fellow man.

 

Let us examine the countries in the world today that are blessed with wealth and we will see exactly the opposite of what HKB"H intended.

 

Let's begin with the countries that Yitzchak referred to as מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה מוֹשָׁבֶךָ, the oil rich countries. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Gulf states. Look at the situation in these countries. You have a very rich ruling elite and the masses are in abject poverty. In an isolated case or two, like the UAE, the ruling class "throw a bone" or two to improve the standard of living of the masses, like giving them free cars, free healthcare, free education. However, the discrepancy of the income bracket of the ruling class compared to masses is astronomical. The UAE is the best of them, in Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. the masses are downtrodden and most live in poverty (without even any "bones").

 

Only a third of the world's oil is produced in the Middle East, another third is produced in Russia and the final third in the USA. Russia can hardly be described as a country that looks out for its citizens. Everyone regards the USA as the "Goldene Medina", the land of freedom and prosperity, but the reality is not exactly that.

 

You would expect the major oil producing countries to rank high on a "quality of life" index. Let's examine such an index. Out of 89 countries listed, (where #1 is the highest quality of life and #89 is the lowest), Iran ranks #86, Kuwait is #49, Russia is #46, Saudi Arabia is #31, UAE is #37, USA is #22.

 

What about the countries in the world with the  most abundant natural mineral resources (aside from oil). The biggest by far is China (coal, gold, aluminium, mercury, tin, titanium, zinc, etc.). Russia is the largest producer of diamonds, followed by Botswana (in Southern Africa). Kazakhstan has the most uranium, Chile the most copper, Mexico the most silver, South Africa the most platinum, Indonesia the most nickel. Let's check these countries' rankings on the "quality of life" index. China is #26, Russia we said is #46, Kazakhstan is #82, Chile is #53, Mexico is #37, South Africa is #57, Indonesia is #39.

 

Africa is peppered with countries blessed with minerals – cobalt, bauxite, lithium, graphite, manganese, etc. Most of Africa is 3^rd world, living in abject poverty.

 

Which countries rank on the top of the "quality of life" index? Denmark #1, Sweden #2, Switzerland #3, Norway #4, Canada #5 etc. Notice anything? None of them are blessed with an abundance of natural resources. They are blessed with natural beauty – Switzerland with its mountains and lakes, the Scandinavian countries with the fjords, Canada with Niagara Falls. You would expect the countries with the best quality of life to be "giving" people who help each other, right?  In a ranking of "giving" index (out of 89 countries), Denmark is #24, Sweden is #50, Switzerland is #76, Norway is #32, Canada is #8.

 

The world's leading superpower, the USA, has an interesting distribution of wealth amongst its citizens. 20% of Americans own 80% of the country's wealth.

 

What does all this data tell us about wealth in the world? It tells us one thing and one thing only – greed and exploitation. The countries with the major natural resources are ruled by minority elites who repress and exploit the people of those countries. The countries with the highest quality of living, the prettiest countries in the world, are way down the list as far as chessed is concerned (except for one – Canada). Remind you of anything? Sdom perhaps?

 

This is exactly what Rivka was afraid of – Eisav getting the bracha for parnasa. When Eisav holds the power over wealth, instead of using it for good, he uses it to exploit and make himself wealthier. Eisav is יֶשׁ לִי רָב, he already has a lot, but is greedy and always craves more. Yaakov, on the other hand is יֶשׁ לִי כֹל, I have everything! Make no mistake, when Yaakov reunited with Eisav he was exceedingly wealthy – he had so many sheep they needed 600,000 sheep dogs to tend them (Yalkut Shim'oni, Breishit 32,2). That's a lot of sheep! Was he the wealthiest person in the world though? Certainly not. Pharaoh was most probably. Does Yaakov crave to be like Pharaoh? No, יֶשׁ לִי כֹל, I have everything, I am שָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקִי. When Yaakov entered Charan penniless after being stripped of all his belongings by Eliphaz, he was just as ִ שָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ as when he left Charan with multitudes of sheep. Only such a person can be the custodian of wealth. In his hands the wealth will be used for good, to glorify HKB"H's name in the world and help others.

 

When Am Yisrael had the Beit HaMikdash, all the nations of the world would pay pilgrimage to Eretz Yisrael on Sukkot to give thanks to HKB"H, because by virtue of Am Yisrael, their countries were blessed as well. Arteries of prosperity branched out of the Beit HaMikdash to all corners of the globe, blessing the entire world. Eretz Yisrael has no natural resources, it doesn't need them, because all these nations when they came to Eretz Yisrael on Sukkot, would bring gifts of all their natural resources. There were so many diamonds that the streets of Yerushalayim were paved with them (Midrash, ישעיהו נד, יב). Countries with no natural resources sent gifts of people to serve Am Yisrael as slaves – willingly, not forcibly. They preferred to be Israel's servants rather than celebrities and free men in their own countries, like Pharaoh's daughter Hagar in the time of Avraham.

 

This was HKB"H's vision of wealth when He created the world. An understanding that wealth is only a means to an end and not an end in itself. Am Yisrael, who have always had their eyes on the ikar, who understand that olam hazeh, the material world, is only a "corridor" before the ikar, olam habah - we are the only people to be trusted with the keys to the Heavenly treasury.

 

Before the Akeida, Eliezer the servant of Avraham managed Avraham's household, but he was a Canaanite and his understanding of the purpose of wealth did not correlate with that envisioned by HKB"H. Eliezer thought that since he had the keys to the treasury, that entitled him to offer his daughter as a wife to Yitzchak, he was part of the elite and being the elite had its privileges. Yishmael was a highway robber and a  murderer, who always wanted to forcibly take more than was his due. Avraham said to Yishmael and Eliezer שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר, you remain behind here – not with the donkey, but with the חוֹמְרִיּוּת. That is what interests you. Only Avraham and Yitzchak proceeded to the Beit HaMikdash, only they understood the true purpose of wealth in the world (Eliezer later did teshuva when he was sent to find a wife for Yitzchak). At the end of Avraham's life, the passuk says וַה' בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל, like Yaakov they both shared a philosophy of כֹּל regarding wealth, אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.

 

Only such a person, with such a philosophy, is truly wealthy. Having 360 billion dollars does not make you wealthy. Power and billions cannot buy happiness. Ask Elon Musk.

 

In the Beit HaMikdash, the keys to the "treasury", the Heavenly wealth that is distributed by arteries to the entire world, are located on the northern end of the Heichal – the Shulchan and the Lechem HaPanim. The Lechem HaPanim are the gateway between the Heavenly and earthly wealth, HKB"H's philosophy of wealth.

 

Where does wealth come from? From HKB"H. We don't give rise to our own wealth – HKB"H does. All we have to do is our minimum hishtadlut לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ. This is what the six days of the week are. We bake the Lechem HaPanim on the 6^th day, erev Shabbat. The Lechem HaPanim does not miraculously appear, we have to bake it, we have to do the hishtadlut. That is the first passuk above וְלָקַחְתָּ סֹלֶת וְאָפִיתָ אֹתָהּ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה חַלּוֹת שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים יִהְיֶה הַחַלָּה הָאֶחָת.

 

Notice any difference between this passuk and the rest of the psukkim in the paragraph above about the Lechem HaPanim? This is the only passuk in which HKB"H's name does not appear, this is our part, not HKB"H's part. After this it is all in HKB"H's hands. All the remaining psukkim have HKB"H's name in them, because from then on, it is out of our hands and in HKB"H's hands. The Lechem HaPanim leave the material, earthly plane and enter a higher plane, HKB"H's plane, where the laws of nature no longer apply – the breads remain fresh (and warm?) on the Shulchan for an entire week.

 

HKB"H doesn't miraculously teleport twelve loaves of Lechem HaPanim onto the Shulchan, He wants us to make them, but not just anyone. The people who make the Lechem HaPanim have to be worthy, so that their breads will in fact be the keys to the treasury. These people must have a deep understanding of what the Lechem HaPanim is and what it does, that it is a very powerful "weapon", which basically controls the global economy. You cannot entrust such a secret to anybody. It has to be someone who deeply understands the philosophy of אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ. It has to be entrusted to an Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who have all have this philosophy בַּכֹּל מִכֹּל כֹּל. It has to be entrusted to the Garmu family, who were of this caliber כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו (ישעיהו מג, ז).

 

You should not divulge this secret chas vechalila, that it might be used by an "Eisav" to exploit, out of greed, like a "Yishmael" to steal – like the world is de facto being run today, as we speak.

 

The whole story of Beit Garmu (Yoma 38a) was a kind of a "masquerade", dressing up in someone else's clothing, so that you are not sure who is who. Are they the good guys? The bad guys? It was a kind of a Rivka ruse with Yaakov dressing up in Eisav's clothing, until finally – the end result – was that the keys to the treasury remained in the right hands, Avraham's hands, Yitzchak's hands, Yaakov's hands. The Shulchan is bizchut the chessed/hospitality of Avraham. The Levonah burned on the Mizbeach is bizchut Yitzchak's sacrifice. The twelve loaves of Lechem HaPanim are bizchut Yaakov's twelve sons, who he envisioned in the dream of the Sulam, when he entered Charan, twelve loaves arranged in harmony on the Shulchan וְנָתַן לִי לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹל וּבֶגֶד לִלְבֹּשׁ (בראשית כח, כ), switched and eaten by the Kohanim in bigdei kehuna (Yalkut Shim'oni, ibid.).

 

In fact, "wealth" itself is a kind of a masquerade. You are not sure if it is the good guy or the bad guy.

 

It can be like a fly on a window pane, a moth to a flame. They are both drawn to the light. The fly will repeatedly slam against the glass trying to break through and reach the light, to no avail, until it finally dies. A moth will repeatedly be drawn to the flame, until it is finally incinerated. This is wealth in its evil, avodah zara form. It attracts you like a moth to a flame, like the sunlight through a window pane to a fly. The more you try to approach it, the closer you hasten your demise.

 

Wealth can also exist in its good form and benefit us, as long as we do not continually and repeatedly slam against the window, dive into the flame. If we do not continually pursue it and are שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקֵנוּ, then the light does not draw us in the wrong, destructive direction. Instead, it lights our path in the right direction and acts as a means to fulfilling our purpose in life and meriting the ikar - olam habah.

  

This is the essence of the Lechem HaPanim.

 

This is the way it once was, in the time of the Beit HaMikdash, when the world was blessed, until the yetzer hara lured us to the window pane, just as he lured Adam and Chava in Gan Eden, Am Yisrael after Har Sinai with egel, and the Tzedokim in the time of Bayit Sheini. This is the way it will be once again in the time of Mashiach and the Geulah, when true, good wealth and prosperity will be restored to the world בבי"א.

 

 

Shabbat Shalom

Eliezer Meir Saidel

Machon Lechem Hapanim

www.machonlechemhapanim.org