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שבת שלום - פרשת ויקהל-פקודי

Video Shiur

Click play to watch Rav Herschel Shechter's shiur about Ahavat Hashem and Yirat Hashem

News and Notes

The entire yeshiva wishes mazal tov to David Kahana (Yesodei '05-'07) on his engagement to Naama Cohen this past Sunday! Shetizku livnot bayit ne'eman b'Yisrael! This Shabbat - the last of the zman - is an in-Shabbat, hosted by Rav Adi Krohn and his family. As always, the yeshiva will have its beautiful and inspiring davening, delicious meals, and an oneg Shabbat; additionally, Rav Krohn will be giving shiurim entitled, An Education: What we can Learn, The Hurt Locker: The Insider View, The Blind Side: Telling a Great Story, and Up in the Air: What's in Store?. Last night, Rav Kahn gave the sicha ruchanit on the topic of "Yetziat Mitzrayim, Humility, and Discovering Your Role". Rav Wolicki taught a shiur on "Dam Pesach and Dam Milah", while Rav Arram offered the insights of Rav Tzadok on Pesach.

The Limited Control of Time
By Rabbi Scott Kahn

"Rava said: I found the Elders of Pumpedita sitting and saying, 'On Shabbat, both in Tefillah and Kiddush, [one concludes the blessing with the words, Blessed are You, Hashem] Who sanctifies Shabbat. On Yom Tov, both in Tefillah and Kiddush, [one concludes the blessing with the words Blessed are You, Hashem] Who sanctifies Israel and the appointed holidays.'" (Pesachim 117b)

Rava explains that on Shabbat, which is a fixed and unchanging day, we express the reality that it is G-d Who sanctifies Shabbat, whereas on Yom Tov, the date of which is determined by the nation of Israel when it decides the date of the new moon, we praise G-d for sanctifiying Israel and the appointed holidays - that is, He sanctified Israel, who in turn sanctify the holidays.

The mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh - the sanctification of the new moon - represents the profound concept that Israel determines and controls the dates of the holidays; Hashem gave us the power to decide the flow of time. If the Beit Din determines that Rosh Chodesh falls on a certain day, the Beit Din's ruling stands even if the astronomic reality is different. Even if the Beit Din is fundamentally mistaken in its calculations, its decision creates a binding Halachic reality. This was most obviously demonstrated when Rabban Gamliel, after he and the Beit Din sanctified the new moon of Tishrei on a specific date, ordered Rabbi Yehoshua - who had an alternate calculation - to violate what Rabbi Yehoshua believed was the true date of Yom Kippur by carrying on what might have been the holy day. Despite Rabbi Yehoshua's continued disagreement with Rabban Gamliel's calculation, he ultimately recognized that the sanctification of Yom Kippur is dependent upon the Beit Din, and not upon an abstract and perhaps more accurate estimation. (Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 2:9)

If Israel is given the power to control time, why, then, can Israel not control the day of Shabbat, as well? Why does Israel's purview only cover dates of the month, and not days of the week?

The answer is that we relate to G-d in two distinct ways: as the Creator, and as the One Who exercises Divine Providence. Hashem both brought the world into existence, and continues to direct it. Nevertheless, although the world could have remained under Hashem's absolute control, He determined that His providence would be exercised in conjunction with man's activities. In a very real sense, G-d gave man the opportunity and responsibility to decide how G-d would relate to him and to the world. In the words of the Nefesh HaChaim, "He, may He be blessed, created man, and placed him in control over myriads of powers and words without number, placing them in his hand such that he is the one who moves and directs them according to the details of his movements, actions, speech, and thoughts - all of his behaviors, whether good or it opposite (G-d forbid). For in his good actions, speech, and thoughts he gives existence and power to higher holy worlds... and through his evil actions, speech, and thoughts he destroys (G-d forbid) many holy powers and worlds." (Shaar Alef, Perek 3)

Despite the fact that G-d allows us to determine the fate of the world - that he makes His providence subservient to our actions - He certainly retains the "right" and has the ability to override His own rules. Hashem created this system, and whenever He chooses to ignore the rules He put into play, He can unquestionably do so. For example, our current station in exile continues because of our imperfect actions. Still, even if we do not repent, G-d promises to redeem us in the ultimate future regardless of whether we deserve redemption. As the Ramchal explains, "One who believes in His unity and understands it, must believe that the Holy One, blessed is He, is one, singular, and unique, and there is no holding Him back or restraint at all in any way whatsoever; rather He alone rules over all... There is no forcing Him at all, and all the details of justice and the rules He established - they are dependent upon His will, and He is not subservient to them at all. When He wants, He makes His will subservient, so to speak, to the actions of man... and when He wants, he ignores man's actions and does good to whomever He wants." (Daat Tevunot 36)

We often emphasize one aspect of our relationship with G-d at the expense of the other. We sometimes believe that if we only pray a bit harder, G-d will be forced to answer us positively; we can act foolhardily in the political arena, for we are convinced that G-d must do as we demand as long as we are acting according to "Torah principles". Alternatively, we can sometimes lose hope, thinking that we are too insignificant to have an effect upon the world; my prayer and actions are rituals with no effect upon the universe beyond my front door.

Both attitudes are wrongheaded. We must simultaneously recognize that our actions have tremendous import and effect serious consequences, and internalize that our actions matter because G-d allows them to matter, not because He has no choice. G-d allows us to affect His providence, but He retains absolute control.

This is the underlying message of our ability to control the dates of holidays, but not the day of Shabbat. The Jewish holidays are primarily "zecher l'yetziat Mitzrayim" - a recollection of the Exodus from Egypt. The Exodus represented the ultimate manifestation of Divine providence; because Hashem allows His providence to be subservient to our actions, we similarly have the ability to determine the dates if these holidays. Shabbat, on the other hand, is primarily (though not exclusively) "zecher l'maaseh bereshit" - a recollection of the act of Creation. Because Creation is the exclusive province of Hashem - only He can create something from nothing - we have no say in the day that recalls Creation.

As we read Parashat HaChodesh, let us avoid simplistic notions of the Divine, and instead inculcate a deep and meaningful understanding of G-d predicated on the recognition of His ultimate control, which He voluntarily relinquishes at times to man.