Chesapeake Torah

BSD
MAZAL TOV We have finished another sefer/ book of the Torah
Mazal Tov to the Raskin Family of Providence on Miriam’s Wedding

Affiliate of the Lancaster Yeshiva
Affiliate of the Baltimore Community Kollel

This week is sponsored by the Yarmak and Barber Families
for the refuah shleima of Sima Feiga bas Sora
in memory of R’Mordechai ben Yehuda HaLevi

In Parshas Vayakhel we meet some very dedicated Jews, our very own ancestors. They eagerly gathered to donate for the Mishkan far beyond what was expected of them. But it mattered not. They were thrilled to participate in this monumental event. In the description of these generous Jews we find several different phrases:

“his spirit was generous”
“his heart was generous”
“his heart uplifted him”.

There are many interpretations regarding the differences between these phrases. One indicates the heart/soul overtaking the body to do the higher ethic. Another indicates the entire being elevating itself to give all it can for a good cause.
The N’tziv explains, “heart uplifted” to be a very high level of bitachon/faith. That would mean that the donor is willing to give a large amount without fear of it causing financial imbalance.
When you think about our topic of Lifnim M’shooras Hadin/going beyond, all of these phrases come into play. They all could describe a person who is motivated to do a little more for G-d and their fellow man.
The Torah itself may not demand these uplifted levels, but they are certainly what to aim for.
In Parshas P’kudei we review the garments of the Cohen. The most amazing one for sure, would be the Choshen Mishpat. This was the jeweled breastplate, which had the ability to reply to the most challenging of public questions. Basically it was the last word and the ultimate authority. It was the closest you could get to a direct phone call to Hashem.

Throughout history we find the idea of having a chief rabbi. He too was meant to be a sort of Choshen. He was to be the ultimate answer person, ”where the buck stops.” He was someone you could really put your trust in. The concept worked well in some European countries like England, but not in America. As we look again at Chief Rabbi Jacob Joseph of New York , we lament this. Chicago also attempted to have the Ridvaz /Rabbi Dovid Wilowski as their chief rabbi. That did not end well, either. Both cities were trying to unite and better things for Judaism, but it just didn’t work on this continent.
We await Moshiach who will be the ultimate Chief Rabbi, the ultimate Choshen Mishpat.
(The Chosen only functioned during Temple #1 when loaded with the Urim V’Tumim).

Halacha Section
Going beyond “my” own Kavod-Choshen Mishpat 263 1-3
When it comes to returning lost articles which the salvation of such
is beneath my dignity (depending on the situation), we have POSSIBLE exemptions. It is worth the look into Choshen Mishpat to see them. To qualify, you need not necessarily be old, a talmid chacham or a rich aristocrat. The Baal HaTanya tells us that your honor may be a result of almost anything publicly bestowed, as long as it is not self-invented.
Nevertheless, the Shulchan Aruch recommends that people not rely on the exemption. They should elect to go Lifnim M’shooras Hadin. The Shulchan Aruch calls such people,” those who walk in the good and straight path.”

There is a difference of opinion though, concerning a talmid chacham.
Some say that he has the right to forgive the honor of HIS TORAH for the greater honor of doing Heaven’s mitzva. Others opine that a rav can forgive his honor but not his disgrace. According to them, the way to go beyond the regular law of returning articles, would be like Rabbi Yishamel did with loading (Bava Metzia 30). That would be, to give the loser an amount of money equal to the unrescued lost/unloaded object. This way, the Torah’s honor is preserved and the rav has gone the extra mile.

Jewish History
Rabbi Jacob Joseph part II
Rav Yaakov Yosef was an example of both of today’s ideals; going beyond the law and forgiving his honor.
By 1895, R.J.J. was practically an invalid. Scandal, jealousy and outright disgrace of the Torah had shrunken the great man’s office to naught. It had all sickened him and he would not make it to age 60.Yet he reached deep within himself to do another mitzva. There was no pay or glory in this mitzva, but he just had to do it. In 1900, R.J.J. founded the Beis Sefer Yeshiva. After his untimely death, the yeshiva would be given his name. After seeing so many of his endeavors collapse, he just had to do something of lasting effect. What could be better than to start a yeshiva? He knew that this and only this could remedy the ills of early “treife” America . Once a generation would receive a proper Torah education; there would be true hope for the community.
Education was especially dear to Rav Yaakov Yosef. We find that soon after his arrival in 1888,he was eager to examine the boys of Yeshivas Etz Chaim (later Yeshiva University ). Their progress excited and impressed him for the future. Maybe Torah did have a chance in “Treife America.” These examinations were practically a form of entertainment for that time. The students would be gathered in a large shul(like Beis Hamedrash Shaarei Torah on Christie St. or Kahal Adath Jeshurun on Eldridge St.). Room was allocated for visitors/spectators. Many present described the scenes as being “just like a Beis HaMedrash in Poland .”

Rav Yaakov Yosef and Pesach
Of course Rav Yaakov Yosef was involved in the supervision of wine and matzo for Pesach. This was meant to be a good thing for the Jews. Sadly this supervision became a part of Rav Yaakov Yoseph’s downfall. The scandals that ruined everything for the office of Chief Rabbi, were those of the meat business. Kashrus back then was highly questionable and was in dire need of true and honest supervision. Rav Yaakov Yosef had tried his best to facilitate this. It was necessary though to charge a small tax to offset costs. By today’s standards it would have been miniscule. But the tax became fuel for the fires of contempt. Anger, strife and protest erupted. Try as he may, the Chief Rabbi could not quench the turmoil. Things spiraled down from bad to worse.
But somehow, due to his grand personality and greatness as a Gadol, he still held onto a few “shreds of dignity.”
After the meat issue had “passed”, Rav Yaakov Yosef was working on the supervision of Passover products. He found it necessary to assess a small tax on matzo flour. It came out to be much less than a cent a pound. Nevertheless that was enough to rekindle the wrath of lashon hora and yetzer hora. The anti-religious press did its very best to fan the fire. The Passover mitzvah was disgraced with the total lack of kavod haTorah.
Now where did Rav Yaakov Yosef go beyond? He would not take revenge. He would not publicly speak against his detractors. The only criticism he ever gave, was for those who bought treife to avoid the hashgacha taxes. Other than that, he refrained from delivering the well-deserved scolding to those who were “bringing him and Torah down.”
There are those who question why Rav Yaakov Yosef did not take more stern action. The Gemara does say that “Any talmid chacham who does not take revenge like a snake is not a scholar.”
Well, he knew that Gemara too. But from everything we know about him and his shiurim, he was one to win people over with his brilliance and loving-kindness. There were points when congregants actually thought that he might do just that. The yetzer hora for money and other vices won out….this time.
His efforts were not for naught. He reached many a soul and set the foundation for later great Jews to finish the job.
Sources:
“The Story of Yeshiva University” by Gilbert Klaperman
“Saga of American Jewry, 1865-1914: Links of an Endless Chain” By Harry Simonhoff
Encyclopedia Judaica
“The Torah Personality “article of Rabbi Shmuel Singer
“We are many: Reflections on American Jewish history and Identity” By Edward S. Shapiro

My thanks to Reb Zvi Tusk for his assistance

Good Shabbos from all of the Karps and Goldmans

All Chesapeake Torah Publications are
dedicated to the memories of:
ABE SCHMELL Reverend Isak Katz(Monticello)
Sinai Aryeh ben Chaim Larry Ambush Mendel Taubenfeld
Sarah Ambush Pattashnick Yisroel Mordechai Schmell
Rabbi Dr.Aaron Eliezer Schnell
Eliezer ben Zvi Jean Mildred Wartzman
Melissa Heward Joseph London Sol Milgrom
Sidney Goldstein. FANNY and SAM STEINBERG. Rabbi Elozor Isbee, Florence & Arthur Goldstein, Mr.& Mrs. Morris Weiner, Florence Zolchonik, Yosef, Gussie and Pearl Zoller, Mrs. Shirley Schmell, Mr. & Mrs. Harry (Naftali) Schmell, Rabbi Solomon Schneider, Arthur Karp and the Martyrs of Slonim, Seymour Borish, Joseph Schuman, Dorothy Karp, Jack Pearlman, Rabbi Michoel Tzvi Nussbaum, Rev. Yossel Winzelberg, Mr & Mrs. Boruch Rosenfeld, Morris and Rose Gibber, Benjamin Needleman, Zelig and Bessie Glazer, Mr and Mrs. Azriel Jacubowitz, Yissocher Mattel, Nathan and Sara Cain, Harvey Miller, Rabbi Benjamin Steinberg, Rav Yehuda Kreitman, Arkady/Avraham Resman.

THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE ASSOCIATED JEWISH COMMUNITY FEDERATION THROUGH Their Educational Programming