Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Toldos 5770

שבת טעם החיים תולדות תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Toldos 5770

Blessings unlimited
Introduction
So he drew close and kissed him; he smelled the fragrance of his garments and blessed him; he said, “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which HaShem had blessed.” (Bereishis 27:27)
In this week’s parasha the Torah records the blessings that Yitzchak conferred on his son Yaakov. The Torah states that when Esav returned from his hunt and discovered that Yaakov had received the blessings, he cried out to Yitzchak in distress. It is said (Bereishis 27:34-36) kishmoa Esav es divrei aviv vayitzak tzeakah gedolah umarah ad meod vayomer liaviv barcheini gam ani avi vayomer ba achicha bimirmah vayikach birchasecha vayomer hachi kara shemo Yaakov vayaakveini zeh paamaim es bechorasi lakach vihinei atah lakach birchasi vayomar halo atzalta li beracha, when Esav heard his father’s words, he cried out an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me too, Father!” But he said, “Your brother came with cleverness and took your blessing.” He said, “Is it because his name was called Yaakov that he outwitted me these two times? – He took away my birthright and see, now he took away my blessing!” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” It is noteworthy that Esav felt that because Yaakov had received the blessings, there was no blessing remaining for him. Indeed, Yitzchak ultimately blessed him that the fatness of the earth shall be his dwelling and with the dew of the heavens. Additionally, Yitzchak informed Esav that he would live by the sword. Rashi cites the Medrash that states that Yitzchak told Esav that if Yaakov would falter in Torah study, Esav would be victorious over Yaakov. Yet, the fact remains that Esav did not receive a true blessing, as Yitzchak had bestowed all the blessings upon Yaakov. Let us understand how it was possible for Yaakov to receive all the blessings and Esav was left with nothing.
Blessing means that HaShem, the Source of all blessing, is unlimited
The definition of bracha is that HaShem is the Source of all blessings. This means that blessing is unlimited, as HaShem is unlimited in His powers. Esav was the firstborn and was deserving of receive the blessings from Yitzchak. However, Esav scorned the birthright when he sold it to Yaakov for a bowl of lentils. When Esav complained to Yitzchak that “He took away my birthright and see, now he took away my blessing!” he was actually stating the truth of the situation that he himself had created. By allowing Yaakov to receive the birthright, Esav was declaring that he was no longer worthy of HaShem’s unlimited blessings. Thus, Esav understood that there was no room for him to receive any blessing. The only opportunity for Esav to enter the realm of blessing, i.e. unlimited abundance, is when Yaakov falters.
Esav is limited and Yaakov is unlimited
The Pinei Menachem notes that the Gemara (Taanis 5b) states that Yaakov never died. Thus, Yaakov lives for eternity. Esav, on the other hand, declared (Bereishis 25:32) “look, I am going to die, so of what use to me is a birthright?” Esav sealed his own fate by declaring that his life was limited, essentially cutting himself off from all blessing.
The Shabbos connection
It is said (Shir HaShirim7:12) licho dodi neitzei hasadeh, come, my Beloved, let us go to the fields. The Pinei Menachem cites the Arizal who interpreted this to mean that on Shabbos the wilderness is transformed into a field. A wilderness is an ownerless area, and similarly, Esav conducted himself in a lawless manner. The Zohar states that there are various types of fields. The fields of Shabbos and the Bais HaMikdash are fields where holiness and blessings are found. When Yaakov kissed Yitzchak, it is said (Bereishis 27:27) vayigash vayishak lo vayarach es reiach bigadav vayivarcheihu vayomer rieh reiach bini kireiach sadeh asher beiracho HaShem, so he drew close and kissed him; he smelled the fragrance of his garments and blessed him; he said, “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which HaShem had blessed.” Yitzchak blessed Yaakov with the blessing of Shabbos and the Bais HaMikdash. Shabbos is unlimited in time and the Bais HaMikdash is unlimited in space. When we prepare for Shabbos properly, we are demonstrating that we are worthy of receiving HaShem’s unlimited bounty. Rivka ensured that her son Yaakov would receive the unlimited blessing of HaShem, and every week we can afford ourselves of the opportunity to receive those blessings.

Shabbos Stories

Rav Shlomo Zalman of Vilna ZT”L--Brother of Rav Chaim of Volozhin
by David Hoffman
This article originally appeared in Yated Neeman, Monsey NY. and is posted here with their permission

5516/1756-5548/1782
Rav Zalman was born in Volozhin in 5516/1756, the son of Rav Yitzchak; this was seven years after the birth of his elder brother, Rav Chaim of Volozhin. There is little doubt that had he not tragically passed away at the age of 32 he would have been no less well-known than his illustrious brother.
EARLY STARTER
Rav Zalman was an early starter – at the age of one his mother taught him to say shehakol before drinking milk. After his father sent him to cheder at two and a half years, he developed such an overwhelming love for the alef-beis that he carried a sefer with him everywhere, reading all its alefs from cover to cover, and then all its beises and so on.
Rav Chaim of Volozhin related how his four year old brother once saw his parents preparing a siyum for his older brother, Rav Simcha, who had learned the entire Mishnayos by heart.
“My brother Rav Simcha may know this small sefer by heart,” he announced, “pointing to a miniature Mishnayos on the table, “but I will one day know every sefer by heart whether small or large.” Noticing that his parents were surprised at this outburst, Rav Zalman continued, “Why are you surprised? Didn’t I learn the entire Torah and engrave it on my heart before the angel forced me to forget it? Similarly, I can be confident in my ability to remember and am certain that if I learn and review the Torah sufficiently it will be embedded in me my whole life.”
At eight years old it seemed his premonition was correct when his cheder rebbe tested him on Maseches Sukkah and discovered that he knew every masechta being learnt in the cheder.
Far from being a mere intellectual, the youngster utilized his lomdus to enhance the avodas HaShem of himself and other people. One Erev Yom Kippur he noticed that someone was refusing to forgive someone who was asking his mechillah.

Striding over to the offended party Rav Zalman said to him, “You know Chazal’s statement that Yerushalayim was only destroyed because people insisted on doing their affairs strictly according to din Torah (and would not compromise)? This is puzzling as sefer Yechezkel lists far more serious transgressions. How can Chazal blame the Churban on people refusing to compromise?
“The answer is that had people been willing to compromise HaShem would have passed over their sins because Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 17) say, ‘Whoever passes over his character traits (and doesn’t insist on having things his way), they pass over his sins, etc.’ However, because the people insisted on going according to the letter of the law, HaShem, too, went according to the letter of the law and punished them immediately.” Catching the hint, the offended person immediately forgave the other person with all his heart.
Rav Zalman always learned with immense concentration. Years later he went to a wedding of one of Rav Chaim of Volozhin’s children and Rav Chaim told him he would send some musicians to his room to play for him. The musicians arrived and began playing before Rav Zalman as he sat and murmured in learning. Later, when Rav Chaim came to the room after the musicians had left, Rav Zalman asked him, “You said you would send musicians to my room. Why haven’t you sent them?” At weddings he would dance with great simcha with the chosson and he would dance a “mitzvah tantz” with the kallah, (something only chassidim do today).


COMPUTER MIND
At the age of about fourteen, Rav Zalman knew the major sefarim by heart including the Chumash and Tanach with their various Targumim, the Bavli and Yerushalmi, various Medrashim, the Rambam, the Turim, the Zohar and the Tikunim. His mind was like a computer from which he could extract abstruse information at a moment’s notice.
For example, when someone mentioned that there is a certain mitzvah that a person will never achieve if he pursues it, but only if he removes it from his mind, Rav Zalman told him that this was the mitzvah of not going back for forgotten sheaves. Because the Tosefta (Peiah chapter 2) talks about a chassid who forgot a sheaf in his field and said to his son, ‘Go and offer a bull as a burnt offering for me and a bull as a peace offering.’ His son said to him, ‘Why are you happier with this mitzvah than all the mitzvos in the Torah?’
The Tosefta explains that the chassid was joyful because this mitzvah can never be performed deliberately, but only if one forgets a sheaf in one’s field as it says, “When you forget a sheaf in a field.”
On another occasion, someone wanted to know the location of the only two places where the Rambam mentions a Tanna or Amora in his Yad Hachazaka. Rav Zalman promptly informed him that the Rambam mentions the Tanna Hillel in Hilchos Tefillin (2:11), and the Amora Rava in Hilchos Toein Venitan (8:4,10).
Despite his fluency in the entire Torah, Rav Zalman placed special importance on the careful study of Tanach because it encapsulates everything.
“When I was still only learning Torah and Nach,” he said, “I knew that their light is limitless but they were basically closed books because their statements are brief and their keys are given to the baalei kabalah (of the Oral Torah). But when I learnt the Bavli, Yerushalmi and suchlike…, the works of Chazal were like open windows that illuminated the light of the Torah… Because the verses are brief and contain piles and piles of halachos, when I reviewed a short parsha of the Torah, it would sometimes help me remember hundreds of halachos and more.”
As an example, someone once asked him, “Where does the Torah hint at the Halacha (Demai chapter 5) that even though we do not trust an ignoramus who said that he tithed his produce, on Shabbos we believe him because the awe of Shabbos is upon him?”

“This law is hinted in the first word of the Torah,” Rav Zalman answered. “The Tikunei Zohar (tikun teshi’i) writes that the letters of Bereishis can be rearranged to read yarei Shabbos (awe of Shabbos).”
Rav Zalman utilized his immense knowledge to ensure that everything he did was in accordance with Chazal.
For example, he once rebuked someone for speaking divrei chullin on Shabbos and the person explained that he had actually been discussing a certain mitzvah. After asking his forgiveness, Rav Zalman blessed the man with the text of Birkas Kohanim. Noticing that the people around were surprised at this, he explained that the Gemara (Brachos 31) explicitly says that someone who suspects his fellow unfoundedly must not only appease him but also bless him.
Once when he was sitting before the Vilna Gaon, the Gaon said that according to his opinion, pidyon bechor should be done with five thalers of the kind used in Lithuania because we go after the coin used during one’s time. Immediately, Rav Zalman removed a coin from his upper garment, handed it to a kohen, and stated, “I am giving this to you for the redemption of my first born son who passed away a few years ago!”
THE BURNT DOCUMENTS
Although one might think that Rav Zalman had little knowledge of the goings on of this world as he was always totally immersed in Torah, Rav Chaim of Volozhin explained that this was not so. True, Rav Zalman was initially unsure how to interpret the Gemara’s statement (Yuma 19), “The rabbis taught, And you shall talk in them, etc. (Devarim 6:7), and not in other things.” Does this mean that one is never allowed speak other things at all, or does it only mean that one should not speak other things when one has the opportunity to speak in Torah? Rav Chaim answers that in a place where one is not permitted to speak in Torah one may speak other things.
Rav Zalman eventually decided leniently, and thus when he was in the bathhouse where he could not learn in any case, he would discuss world events and trade on a high intellectual level. He explained that there is no learned or ethical idea that is not mentioned in our holy Torah.
For example, some merchants were once discussing how a Jewish merchant on a journey suspected that his wagon driver wanted to murder him in order to steal his securities. What did he do? He took his flint box and burnt the documents to ashes.
“A similar episode is mentioned in the Rivash,” said Rav Zalman, and he proceeded to relate the relevant Rivash by heart.
A merchant once went on a voyage, placing a box (full of money and jewels) in his cabin. Suddenly he heard sailors whispering to each other, ‘When we reach the high seas we will throw the merchant into the sea and take his box!’ What did the merchant do? He pretended to quarrel with his companions on the boat regarding who owned the valuables inside the chest and in the middle of the fight he took the box and tossed it into the sea declaring, “Now neither you nor I will possess them!”
Back on dry land the merchant summoned the sailors to a trial complaining that he had been forced to throw his possessions into the sea because of their plot to kill him. After ruling that they must recompense his loss, the judge asked the merchant, “Tell me, where did you get the wonderful idea of throwing your chest into the sea?”
“I learnt it from King Shlomo,” the merchant replied. “He writes (Koheles 3:6), A time to seek and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away. When I heard the sailors plotting to murder me for my property I thought that this was an opportune time to throw it away.”

After citing similar examples Rav Zalman concluded that there is no wisdom not included in our holy Torah.
Rav Zalman was involved in Torah to such an extent that he never asked for things explicitly but hinted at what he wanted through a verse or statement of Chazal. Thus when he wanted to eat he might cite R. Yossi (Taanis 22) who says, “And man became living soul (Bereishis 20:7) – keep the soul I gave you alive!” When he mentioned the derush of Chazal, “And behold it was very good (ibid 1:31) – this is sleep,” his attendant understood that it was time to prepare his bed. Incidentally, he always slept with gloves so that he could learn the moment he awoke before washing his hands.
On one occasion it seemed that Rav Zalman had broken this rule when he handed someone two coins and asked him to buy him some honey cakes. However, Rav Zalman explained that his mother had ordered him to eat honey cakes two hours before lunch every day (in order to strengthen his health). Therefore sending someone to buy the cakes was an act of kibud av that he could mention explicitly.
CONSTANT REVIEW
Despite his phenomenal memory and vast knowledge, Rav Zalman never ceased reviewing his learning. Someone once witnessed him striding back and forth reviewing with such enthusiasm that merely hearing him inflamed people with love of Torah.
“How many times have you reviewed this topic?” he asked Rav Zalman.
“About two hundred and fifty times,” he answered
When the Vilna Gaon once explained one of the replies of Iyov’s friends, Rav Zalman rejoiced over the shiur as if he had received all the pleasures of the world. The following day however, when the Gaon began to explain a second reply, he noticed that Rav Zalman seemed upset about something.
“What are you bothered about?” he asked him. “Do you find some fault in what I am saying?”

“I haven’t reviewed the answer you said yesterday a hundred and one times,” replied Rav Zalman. “So how can I be sitting here listening to your explanation of the other answers?”

Someone once noticed Rav Zalman reviewing something about three hundred times and then reviewing it even more times a short time afterward.
“Why is this necessary?” he asked him.
“Chazal describe someone learning something four times and feeling that it was lying in his pocket,” he replied. “Why do they specifically describe it as lying in one’s pocket and not use the more common expression of lying in a box? This hints at Chazal’s rule that a person is predisposed to feel in his pocket all the time (to make sure he has not lost what is inside). Chazal are saying that even when a person has learnt four or five times, his learning is lying in his pocket and he must still ‘feel’ it all the time to ensure that it is not lost through forgetfulness. (This idea was probably from the Gaon)
Despite his immense Torah wisdom Rav Zalman renounced every form of honor. One Seder night he asked a guest why he was not reclining for the wine and matzah.

“You are a rav like an angel of HaShem, and I am not worthy to collect dry bones from beneath your table of wisdom, so how can I recline without your permission?” replied the guest.

“Oy, how you have upset me by raising me from my lowly status and placing my nest among the stars,” complained Rav Zalman, and striding back and forth he repeated a number of statements of Chazal that denigrate pride.
“A rav he calls me?” he laughed afterwards. “I am not a rav and not a teacher… If I compare what I know to what I do not know, I know nothing!”
THE VILNA GAON’S SOLUTION
On one occasion Rav Zalman regarded his immense reputation as a liability. Rav Chaim related that this happened after someone told Rav Zalman a ridiculous chiddush to which he expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms.
Immediately, he regretted having spoken so bluntly and shed bitter tears, but it was too late, the stranger had disappeared. Rav Zalman spent days searching for him in shuls and market places but to no avail. By now he was almost sick with concern. In order to alleviate his pain, his father-in-law asked someone to go to Rav Zalman under the pretense of being the humiliated stranger and forgive him. Although momentarily overjoyed, Rav Zalman immediately saw through the hoax and forced the man to admit that he was an imposter. Now matters were worse than ever.
“What hope is there for me?” Rav Zalman moaned, shedding a flood of tears. “Even Yom Kippur cannot atone for a sin like this until I appease the offended person.”

When the Gaon heard what was happening he sent for Rav Zalman and cited the Gemara (Sukkah 52) where R. Yehoshua ben Levi says that man’s evil inclination rises up against him every day and seeks to kill him as it says (Tehillim 36:32), “The wicked one waits for the tzaddik and seeks to kill him, and if the Holy One did not help him it would not conquer him as it says, HaShem will not leave him in his hands.”
“The last part of this statement is telling us more than HaShem’s chesed at saving us from the yetzer hara. It is also telling us that man’s duty is only to do all he can to fight the evil inclination; but once he has done his utmost HaShem will grant him heavenly assistance.
“HaShem knows that you have done everything possible,” the Gaon concluded. “Now He will send His help, and he has several ways of returning people to the truth and good they are seeking.”
Then, opening the Chovos Halevavos, the Gaon showed him what is written there in shaar hateshuvah (chapter 10):
“If a person did evil to his fellow, to his body or his property, the Creator will introduce will and love into his heart so that he forgives that which he sinned against him as it says (Mishlei 16:7), When a man’s ways please HaShem, even his enemies will make peace with him.”

Because Rav Zalman regarded every word the Gaon said as ruach hakodesh, he took comfort from his words and his cloud of misery dispelled.
While still a young man, Rav Zalman became critically ill and passed away at the age of 32 in 5548/1782. During his last hours he lay in bed reading Tehillim despite his exhaustion.

“Isn’t this an explicit Gemara?” he explained. “Citing the verse, This is the Torah when a man dies in a tent (Bamidbar 19), R. Yonasan (Shabbos 83) explains, ‘A person should not hold back from Divrei Torah even at the time of death.”
During his last minutes, he painfully hauled himself out of bed stood in one place for a short while and then walked four amos with the help of a cane (after carefully ascertaining that the owner of the cane had given him permission). This was in order to fulfill for the last time Chazal’s injunction (Kesuvos 111) that a person should spend “a third (of the time) sitting, a third standing and a third walking.”
Thousands of Jews mourned the tragedy of his passing. Rav Zalman, who could have helped direct the spiritual future of Klal Yisroel, had been cut off in his prime.
May his memory be a blessing.
Source: *Feivel, Rav Yechezkel. Toldos Adam. *a nephew of Rav Chaim of Volozhin.)






Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Toldos 5770
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