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שבת שלום - פרשת שמיני
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Dear Friends,
Yeshivat Yesodei HaTorah was founded as a unique learning enviroment for highly motivated high school graduates providing a systematic approach to learning and employing a curriculum designed by leading educators in Israel and the United States.
Our mission is to guide students on their paths to becoming independently skillful b'nei Torah through a skill-centered curriculum utilizing a goal-oriented and student-centered approach.
To all those who support us in this mission, we extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation.
With Torah Blesssings,
Rabbi Scott Kahn and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki,
Roshei Yeshiva
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Video Shiur
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Click play to watch the video shiur by Rav Yosef Kaminetsky
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News and Notes
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With the arrival of the Spring Z'man on the 3rd of Iyar (May 1), there is much to look forward to at Yesodei HaTorah. Our students will soon celebrate a Siyum Mesechta, having completed their bekiyut studies of Mesechet Brachot prior to Pesach. In addition, with the completion of the 6th perek of Bava Kamma, we now turn our attention to the 1st perek and an intensive analysis of the 4 major categories of Nezikin, of tort law.
Yom HaZikaron will be solemnly observed with a visit to the military cemetary at Har Herzl followed by a festive celebration of Israel Independance Day.
This month features as well our annual old city Shabbaton and a special visit with Rav Nachman Kahane of Ateret Kohanim
We are especially proud of shana bet Yesodei student Zalman Nemoy of Fairfield Connecticut.
Zalman will soon be leaving us to pursue his studies at the Yeshivat Hesder in S'Derot. Zalman plans to enlist in Zahal this summer and on behalf of all of us at Yesodei HaTorah, we wish him Hatzlacha Rabbah!
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The Pig's Deception
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
It is well known that the animals that are allowed to be eaten are those that chew their cud and have split hooves. After stating this rule in this week's Parsha (Leviticus 11:3) the Torah lists four animals that have one of these features and lack the other.
The first three - the camel, hyrax, and hare, - chew their cud but lack a split hoof. The pig has a split hoof but does not chew its cud. The pig is the only animal in the world that has a "kosher" split hoof but does not chew its cud. Every other split-hoofed animal also chews its cud. In other words, if the pig did not exist, the Torah need only say that split-hoofed animals are permitted. This would be enough since, in the absence of the pig, every split-hoofed animal also chews its cud. The pig, then, serves to draw attention to the importance of the chewing of the cud as a feature of kosher animals.
The Midrash refers to the pig as follows: "A pig, when it is squatting on the ground, exposes its hooves and says, "See that I am pure [kosher]!'" (Vayikra Rabbah 13:5) The split hoof is an external characteristic. Chewing the cud is internal. The pig symbolizes the characteristic of dishonesty. The pig appears kosher on the outside but is not kosher on the inside. This lack of internal 'kosherness' is seen in another characteristic of the pig. Among split-hoofed animals the pig is the only omnivore. It is not exclusively vegetarian. The pig looks like a herbivore but is not. It is important to note that all kosher animals are herbivores. This is understood by many commentaries to teach us to not be cruel. We do not eat animals that prey on others so that we do not take on their characteristics. This is hard to understand and somewhat hypocritical. How can eating an animal teach me not to prey on animals?
I would like to suggest another possible reason that only herbivores are kosher. If an animal is an omnivore - and certainly if it is a carnivore - it most likely has eaten something that is not kosher. By eating only herbivorous animals, we are guaranteed that everything about the animal is kosher including what it itself has eaten. We are guaranteed, too that no animal we eat has ever hunted and killed another animal. >From the above we see two lessons learned from the pig. First, we must be consistent in that our outer appearance and behavior must accurately and honestly reflect who we are on the inside. Second, we must guard ourselves from any kind of impurity and cruelty represented by carnivorous animal behavior. May we merit this blessing!
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