#169 • VAETCHANAN • 13 AV, 5777 • 8/5/17

SHAPELL'S / YESHIVA DARCHE NOAM · MIDRESHET RACHEL V'CHAYA · JACK E. GINDI Z"L PATHWAYS ISRAEL & PATHWAYS PLUS

Dedicate the daf kesher in honor or in memory of a loved one.

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DVAR TORAH TU B’AV & YOM KIPPUR

The great Tanna and Nasi, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, says something surprising: “ ‫– לא היו ימים טובים לישראל‬
No holidays were greater for Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur” (Mishnah Taanit 4:8). He goes on
to describe the beautiful custom where the daughters of Yerushalayim would lend each other white garments
and dance in the vineyards. As wonderful as that custom was, what makes those two days on the Jewish
calendar so much greater than, for instance, the first night of Pesach or the celebrations of Sukkot?
Furthermore, the Fifteenth of Av is not even mentioned in the Chumash, whereas there is a Biblical mitzvah to
rejoice on Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Yom Kippur is a great and awesome day – but doesn’t fasting and the
preoccupation with sin make it less festive? What makes the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur special?

The author of the Shem Mishmuel (Harav Shmuel Bornshtein, ‫זצ"ל‬, 1855-1926, Poland, in Shem Mishmuel on
Vaetchanan 5670, p. 34) suggests an explanation based on the following: A quality becomes noticeable by
being juxtaposed to its opposite. Darkness makes light noticeable, as Kohelet says: “ ‫וְ רָ אִ יתִ י ָאנִי שֶׁ יֵּש יִתְ רוֹן לַחָ כְ מָ ה‬
‫ – ִמן הַ סִ כְ לּות כִ יתְ רוֹן הָ אוֹר ִמן הַ חֹ שך‬I have seen that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness as the advantage
of light over darkness” (Kohelet 2:13). The end of that verse can be read with a twist: “‫– ”כִ יתְ רוֹן הָ אוֹר ִמן הַ חֹ שך‬
the advantage of light becomes apparent from viewing it next to darkness.

Closeness to Hashem is felt more powerfully after a period of distance. Perhaps this is why, as Rabbi Avahu
says, “In the place where penitents stand, the righteous do not stand” (Sanhedrin 99a). He bases this teaching
on the words of Yishayah: “‫ – שלום שלום לרחוק ולקרוב‬Peace, peace to the one far and near” (Yishayah 57:19).
The baal teshuvah comes first in this verse; he initially distanced himself from G-d, but then came close.

This explains the greatness of Tu B’Av and Yom Kippur. Tu B’Av comes on the heels of Tisha B’Av. On Tisha B’Av
we experience being distanced from the Divine revelation. This is one of the themes of Eichah: “Even her
(Yerushalayim’s) prophets did not find vision from Hashem” (Eichah 2:9); “Even as I scream and call out [to Him]
He closes off [Heaven to] my prayer” (Eichah 3:8). Tu B’Av’s greatness is the renewal of the closeness to Hashem
after the distance of Tisha B’Av. That sharp contrast is not felt on the other holidays – except for Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgement. To be Judged by Hashem demands distancing. We read, in the Haftarah
for the second day of Rosh Hashanah, “‫ – מֵּ רָ חוֹק ה' נ ְִרָאה לִ י‬Hashem appears to me from afar” (Yirmiyah 31:2). But
Yom Kippur, the Day of Forgiveness, Atonement, and Mercy follows soon after the Day of Judgement. Yom
Kippur is, like Tu B’Av, a day of closeness after distancing. We, as a People, are the distant ones that came close.

The Shem Mishmuel quotes the Ramban’s teaching, that we should preserve inner love of Hashem through
mitzvah activities. This is why Tu B’Av and Yom Kippur, holidays of intense love and closeness to Hashem, are
followed with intense mitzvah activity. Yom Kippur’s love is channeled into the mitzvot of Sukkot; and after Tu
B’Av, when the nights become longer, we increase our night-time Torah study. !‫ט"ו באב שמח‬
Also in this week’s Daf Kesher: Source Guide - “Numbers Make a Difference” · “Reliving Mount Sinai,” by Rabbi Binyamin Wolff
SOURCE GUIDE: NUMBERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
After the names of the seven Canaanite nations are listed in our Parshah, the Torah mentions their number,
calling them “the seven nations.” This seems extra, because the reader could, of course, count them and realize
that there are seven. Why does the Torah mention the number? This source guide is built on approaches to
answering that question.

A. Seven Nations, Five Kings

Moshe foretells the great miracle that will occur in the Land of Israel; the People of Israel will overcome the
powerful seven Canaanite nations. The Torah does not only list them but also counts them:
1. Devarim 7:1 ‫א‬:‫דברים ז‬
When Hashem your G-d will bring you to the Land that you ‫א‬ ָ‫ב‬ ‫ה‬ ָ‫ת‬ ַ‫א‬ ‫ר‬ ֶׁ‫ֲש‬ ‫א‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶׁ‫ָאר‬ ָ‫ה‬ ‫ל‬ ֶׁ‫א‬ ‫יָך‬ ֶׁ‫ק‬ ‫ֱֹל‬ ‫א‬ '‫ה‬ ‫כִ י יְבִ יאֲָך‬
are coming to possess, He will cast away many nations from ‫י‬ ִ‫ת‬ ‫ח‬ ִ ַ‫ה‬ ‫ֶׁיָך‬ ‫נ‬ ָ‫פ‬ ִ‫מ‬ ‫ים‬ ִ‫ב‬ ַ‫ר‬ ‫ִם‬ ‫י‬ ‫ו‬
ֹ ‫ּג‬ ‫ל‬ ַ‫ָש‬ ‫נ‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫ּה‬ ָ‫ת‬ ‫ש‬ ְ ‫שָ מָ ה לְ ִר‬
before you: the Chiti, the Girgashi, the Emori, the Canaani, the ‫י‬ ִ‫ּו‬ ‫ח‬ ִ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫י‬ ִ‫ז‬ ‫ר‬ִ ְ‫פ‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫ִי‬ ‫נ‬ ‫ע‬
ֲ ‫נ‬
ַ ְ‫כ‬ ַ‫ה‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫י‬ ‫ר‬ ִ ֹ‫ֱמ‬ ‫א‬ ָ‫ה‬ ְ‫ו‬ ‫י‬ ‫וְ הַ ּגִ ְרּג ִָש‬
Perizi, the Chivi, and the Yevusi – seven nations more .‫ך‬ָ ֶׁ‫מ‬ ִ‫מ‬ ‫ים‬ ‫ֲצּומ‬
ִ ‫ע‬ ‫ו‬ ַ ‫ים‬ ִ‫ב‬ ַ‫ר‬ ‫ִם‬ ‫י‬ ‫ו‬ֹ ‫ג‬ ‫ה‬ ָ‫ע‬ ְ‫ב‬ ִ‫ש‬ ‫י‬ ִ‫וְ הַ יְבּוס‬
numerous and powerful than you.

Harav Eliahu Mizrachi, ‫( זצ"ל‬1450-1525, Chief Rabbi of the Ottoman Empire and author of one of the major
supercommentaries on Rashi) asks:
2. Mizrachi Commentary on Devarim 7:1 ‫א‬:‫מזרחי על דברים ז‬
What was the need, after mentioning them by name, to write ‫מה צורך היה לכתוב אחר שהזכיר אותם‬
“seven nations”? Is the Torah coming to tell us their number?! ‫ אטו מניינא אתא‬,"‫בשמם "שבעה גוים‬
?‫לאשמועינן‬

A similar difficulty comes up in the following verse:

3. Bamidbar 31:8 ‫ח‬:‫במדבר לא‬
They killed the kings of Midian along with their slain – Evi, ‫וְ אֶׁ ת מַ לְ כֵּי מִ ְדיָן הָ ְרגּו עַ ל חַ לְ לֵּיהֶׁ ם אֶׁ ת אֱוִ י‬
Rekem, Tzur, Chur, and Revah – the five kings of Midian; and ‫וְ אֶׁ ת רֶׁ קֶׁ ם וְ אֶׁ ת צּור וְ אֶׁ ת חּור וְ אֶׁ ת רֶׁ בַ ע חֲמֵּ שֶׁ ת‬
they killed Bilam son of Beor by the sword. .‫מַ לְ כֵּי ִמ ְדיָן וְ אֵּ ת בִ לְ עָ ם בֶׁ ן בְ עוֹר הָ ְרגּו בֶׁ חָ רֶׁ ב‬

Rashi raises a similar difficulty about the use of the word “five” in that verse:
4. Rashi on Bamidbar 31:8 ‫ח‬:‫רש"י על במדבר לא‬
“The five kings of Midian” – Do I not see that the Torah lists ‫"חמשת מלכי מדין" – וכי איני רואה‬
five? Why did it have to say “five”? Rather, this comes to teach ‫שחמשה מנה הכתוב למה הוזקק לומר‬
you that they were all equally involved in the plot and were ‫חמשת אלא ללמדך ששוו כולם בעצה‬
equally punished. .‫והושוו כולם בפורענות‬

B. Numbers Count
Rashi’s solution is that the number shows that they are all equal. Another possible solution is that the five kings
and the seven nations became units of five and seven, not merely five individual kings and seven individual
nations. Some numbers form significant units. We can better appreciate this through a Mishnah in Pirkei Avot:
5. Avot 3:6 ‫ו‬:‫אבות ג‬
Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa of Kfar Chanania would say: Ten who ,‫רַ בִ י ֲחלַפְ תָ א בֶׁ ן ּדוֹסָ א אִ יש כְ פַ ר ֲח ַנ ְניָה אוֹמֵּ ר‬
sit together and occupy themselves with Torah, the Divine ‫ ְשכִ ינָה‬,‫עֲשָ רָ ה שֶׁ יו ְֹשבִ ין וְ עוֹסְ ִקין בַ תוֹרָ ה‬
Presence rests amongst them, as is stated: "G-d stands in the ‫ "אֱֹל ִקים נִצָ ב בַ ע ֲַדת‬,‫ שֶׁ ֶׁנאֱמַ ר‬,‫ְשרּויָה בֵּ ינֵּיהֶׁ ם‬
congregation of G‑d" (Psalms 82:1). And from where do we ?‫ ּומִ ַניִן אֲפִ ּלּו חֲמִ שָ ה‬.)‫א‬:‫אֵּ ל" (תהלים פב‬
know that such is also the case with five? From the verse, "He
‫ " ַו ֲאג ָֻּדת ֹו עַ ל אֶׁ רֶׁ ץ יְסָ ָדּה" (עמוס‬,‫שֶׁ ֶׁנאֱמַ ר‬
‫ "בְ קֶׁ רֶׁ ב‬,‫ ּומִ ַניִן אֲפִ ּלּו שְ לשָ ה? שֶׁ ֶׁנאֱמַ ר‬.)‫ו‬:‫ט‬
established his band on earth" (Amos 9:6). And three? From
‫ּומ ַניִן אֲפִ ּלּו‬
ִ .)‫א‬:‫אֱֹלהִ ים י ְִשפֹ ט" (תהלים פב‬
the verse, "He renders judgement in the midst of the tribunal" ‫ "ָאז נ ְִדבְ רּו י ְִראֵּ י ה' אִ יש אֶׁ ל‬,‫שְ ַניִם? שֶׁ ֶׁנאֱמַ ר‬
(Psalms 82:1). And two? From the verse, "Then those who fear .)‫טז‬:‫רֵּ עֵּ הּו ַוי ְַקשֵּ ב ה' וַיִ ְשמָ ע וְ גוֹ'" (מלאכי ג‬
Hashem conversed with one another, and Hashem listened ‫ "בְ כָל הַ מָ קוֹם‬,‫ּומ ַניִן אֲפִ ּלּו אֶׁ חָ ד? שֶׁ ֶׁנאֱמַ ר‬
ִ
and heard" (Malachi 3:16). And from where do we know that "‫אֲשֶׁ ר ַאזְ כִ יר אֶׁ ת ְש ִמי ָאבוֹא אֵּ לֶׁיָך ּובֵּ רַ כְ תִ יָך‬
 such is the case even with one individual? From the verse, .)‫כא‬:‫(שמות כ‬
"Every place where I have My name mentioned, I shall come to
you and bless you" (Exodus 20:21).

Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa’s teaching is based on the assumption that the Divine Presence accompanies particular
quantities of people learning Torah. Ten people learning form an ‫עדה‬, a congregation; five people form an
‫אגודה‬, a band; three are a unit of potential judgement; two are a friendship unit; and there is a source that even
one who learns Torah is accompanied by the Divine Presence.

The Maharal (Harav Yehudah Loewe, ‫זצ"ל‬, 1525-1609), in many of his works, describes the significance of
numbers in Torah thought. In his commentary on Avot 3:6 he shows how the number ten represents completion
(one indication is that in Hebrew the number following ‫עשר‬, ten, is ‫אחת עשרה‬, a unit of ten plus one – ten is the
complete number). A unit of five is, similarly, not merely a particular quantity; five is a qualitative unit,
qualitatively different than one through four. Five is a unifying number (see also Gevurot Hashem Chapter 23).
The number four represents division and separation – the Jews were exiled to the four corners of the earth –
but five is a unifying point in the middle of the four.

This might explain what the expression “the five kings of Midian” adds to the list of five Midianite kings. Just as
five creates a special unity of holiness, the five Midianite kings became a united quintet of evil. Similarly, the
Torah’s expression “seven nations” adds a new element after listing the seven Canaanite nations. Just as seven
has special significance for holiness – seven days culminate in a Shabbat; seven years make up a Shemittah
cycle – the seven Canaanite nations were a unit of seven, united for negativity.

The author of the commentary Siftei Kohen (by Harav Mordechai Hakohen, ‫זצ"ל‬, one of the mystics in Tzfat in
the early 1500s) takes a similar position in his comments on Devarim 7:1. Israel’s conflict with the seven
Canaanite nations, in his eyes, is not just this-worldly. A spiritual struggle on high parallels the wars below.
There are seven nations in the land of Canaan below – but they are connected to seven powers above that are,
in turn, diametrically opposed to seven Heavenly positive powers:
5. Siftei Kohen on Devarim 7:1 ‫א‬:‫שפתי כהן על דברים ז‬
After he mentioned them by name, he said “seven nations, ‫גוים‬ ‫שבעה‬ ‫אמר‬ ‫ אחר שהזכירם בשמם‬...
more numerous and powerful.” But from their names I know ‫שהם‬ ‫יודע‬ ‫אני‬ ‫ ומשמם‬.‫רבים ועצומים‬
that there are seven; why was there a need to say “seven”? ‫אין‬ ,‫אלא‬ ?‫שבעה‬ ‫שבעה; מה צורך לומר‬
Rather, [the explanation is that] nothing is done below until ‫כנגדו‬ ‫שנעשה‬ ‫עד‬ ‫שום דבר נעשה למטה‬
something parallel happens above … Therefore he said “seven
‫רבים‬ ‫גוים‬ ‫שבעה‬ ‫ לזה אמר‬... ,‫למעלה‬
‫ כלומר אף על פי שהזכרתים‬,‫ועצומים‬
nations, more numerous and powerful.” That is to say, even
‫בשמם לא תחשוב שעל הגשמיים אני אומר‬
though I mentioned them by name, do not think that I refer to ‫אלא על השבעה העליונים הרבים כלומר‬
the physical ones, but, rather, to the upper seven, the lofty ‫ אחר כך ונתנם ה' אלהיך לפניך‬,‫המעולים‬
ones. Afterwards: “Hashem will place them before you and you ‫והכיתם אחר שהשרים שלהם יפלו אתה‬
will smite them.” After their heavenly source falls, you will be .‫יכול להם‬
able to conquer them.

C. Practical Ramifications
There is a practical side to the significance of numbers, especially in the world of holiness. One should strive,
says the Maharal (in his commentary on Avot 3:6), to learn Torah with a unit of five people rather than with four
or less. The same goes for three and two, and certainly for ten. These units are preferable to smaller groups
because Torah should be learned in a setting of the most intense Divine revelation.

RELIVING MOUNT SINAI BY RABBI BINYAMIN WOLFF

How will the ‫עשרת הדברות‬, the Ten Commandments, sound to you this week?

There are two traditions regarding the ‫טעמי המקרא‬, “trop” (cantillation), which the Torah reader will use when
reading the ‫ עשרת הדברות‬this week. The regular trop, the one that appears in most chumashim, is known as ‫טעם‬
‫תחתון‬, the “lower” notes, as most of the ‫טעמים‬, cantillation notes, are those printed below the words. The
special trop is known as ‫טעם עליון‬, the “upper” notes, because a higher percentage of the notes are those that
are placed above the words.

The fundamental difference between these two systems is the division of ‫פסוקים‬, verses. ‫ טעם תחתון‬divides the
verses in the way Moshe Rabbeinu received them from Sinai, just like all the verses of the Torah. ‫טעם עליון‬, on
the other hand, makes each commandment into a unit of its own, one verse. For example, the commandment to
keep the Shabbat is divided into four verses in the ‫טעם תחתון‬, but in ‫ טעם עליון‬it is one long verse.
Commandments 6 through 9 are one verse in ‫טעם תחתון‬, but four different verses of 2 words each in ‫טעם עליון‬.
(For many of the grammatical changes that occur due to the switch between the two systems, please see Bi'ur
Halacha, on the side of the Mishna Brura Siman 494 "B'chodesh Hashlishi").

The Ba'er Heiteiv (Orach Chaim 494) records two different customs about when to use which trop. Some have
the custom to use ‫ טעם עליון‬on all three occasions when we read the ‫ עשרת הדברות‬in public: Parshat Yitro,
Parshat Vaetchanan, and on Shavuot morning. This is the predominant custom among communities in the
diaspora as well as in Sefardic and Chasidic communities as well. The other custom, prevalent in most
Ashkenazic communities in Eretz Yisrael, is to read with ‫ טעם תחתון‬for Parshat Yitro and Va'etchanan and to use
‫ טעם עליון‬on Shavout morning.

Based on the analysis of Harav Yosef Soloveitchik ‫( זצ"ל‬1903-1993, Boston – of Yeshiva University’s Yeshivat
Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan – as presented in “Harrerai Kedem” on Shavout), we can explain that these
customs reflect differing goals of the mitzvah of Torah reading. Reading with ‫ טעם תחתון‬fulfills the purpose of
learning Torah the way Moshe received it from Hashem and transmitting it to the public. In contrast, the ‫טעם‬
‫ עליון‬accomplishes a goal of reliving the giving of the Torah at Sinai, when we received the Ten
Commandments, each one on its own. The custom to read ‫ טעם תחתון‬during the "regular" Torah reading of Yitro
and Vaetchanan maintains that the mitzvah of reading the Parshat Hashavua is to teach Torah as Moshe
received it – hence we read it with ‫( טעם תחתון‬and, according to Rav Soloveitchik, it would be inappropriate to
give it special significance by standing for its reading). On Shavuot, though, our goal shifts to reliving the event
of Matan Torah, and therefore ‫ טעם עליון‬is in order (and it is appropriate to stand up).

Those who have the custom of always reading the ‫ עשרת הדברות‬with ‫ טעם עליון‬certainly agree that the point of
Kriat Hatorah is to teach Torah the way it was taught to Moshe Rabbeinu; however, we are also supposed to
feel as if Hashem is giving us the Torah right now at Sinai. (This idea is reflected in many of the customs of
Kriat Hatorah, although that is beyond the scope of this piece). Certainly when we read the ‫עשרת הדברות‬, even
as part of the Parshat Hashavua, we should be striving to relive the experience of receiving the Torah at Mount
Sinai, which is reflected in the ‫טעם עליון‬.

We are exhorted in this week’s Parshah (Devarim 4:9) not to forget the day we stood at Mount Sinai and
received the Divine Torah. The quality of our Torah learning and the way we live our life will be greatly
enhanced by constantly remembering: “I myself stood at Sinai and received the gift of the Torah from the
Master of the Universe.”
‫שבת שלום ומבורך‬
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The Daf Kesher, a project of Shapell’s Darche Noam, is prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Kwass, edited by Rabbi
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at dafkesher@darchenoam.org.

The following digital Torah resources have been extremely helpful in researching and preparing the Shapell’s Daf Kesher:
DBS – Hataklitor Hatorani, Otzar Hachochmah, the Bar Ilan Responsa Project, and Hebrewbooks.org.

We continue to pray for a refuah shleimah, a complete healing, for all those wounded in the attacks against our People.
Next edition of the Shapell’s/Darche Noam Daf Kesher: Parshat Shoftim – 4 Elul, 5777 – 8/26/17