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The Salant Foundation Newsletter
The Vision of Klal Yisrael \ Shavuot Edtion
“The number of the Children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor counted.” (Hosea 2:1) The Talmud (Yoma 22b) asks: The first section of the verse states that the number of Jews equals the number of grains of sand of the sea. Therefore, although the amount will be gigantic, it will still be a finite number as the sands of the sea.
Conversely, the second phrase states: which cannot be counted, implying that the number of the Children of Israel will be infinite. Hence, the verse contradicts itself regarding the quantity of Klal Yisrael, whether or not they will be able to be counted.
The Torah's infinite scope and endless depths make it impossible for one individual to fulfill the entire Torah. The complete fulfillment of the Torah requires the participation of every member of Klal Yisrael. Each soul must contribute his unique portion of Torah. Only when all the Torah portions of every Jewish soul - are joined together - is the entire Torah complete.
In light of this, we can understand the verse from Hosea. The number of "the Children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea," - meaning, Hashem will bless Klal Yisrael so that there will be a massive quantity of Jewish people. And the concluding phrase states, “Which cannot be measured nor counted" , meaning, it is irrelevant to count them individually because all of them together will be considered as one individual.
Hosea's vision of the Messianic age is that Klal Yisrael will unite to create the manifestation of the Torah. Hence, the level of one Jew over the other will be insignificant. Instead, Klal Yisrael will join together under one leader, with one singular goal. There will not be divisiveness among them, and they will have one collective mindset, to link together to fulfill the Torah.
Shavuot is a Holy day for us to unite and collectively bring forth Hashem's Torah. May HaShem bless us with the harmony to join together as “one man, with one heart” so that we will have the privilege to fulfil the entire Torah.
(Based on the writings of the Ksav Sofer)
Bircas Hatorah on Shavuos Morning
Rabbi Tzvi Abramoff, Rosh Kollel Emek Yehoshua
A halachah which can be considered a "Shavuos halachah" although not from the halachos of the Yom Tov per say is the halachah of bircas haTorah, more specifically the law of one who didn't sleep the entire night. What is also relevent, as we make up for the night's sleep Shavuos morning, is the halachah of bircas haTorah after one slept during the day. We'll try to give a short synopsis of the sugyah and the halachah le'maaseh.
The rishonim in Brachos (:יא) refer to a Yerushalmi that says that although one is 'yotzei' bircas haTorah with the brachah of 'ahavah rabbah' this is only if he learns right away but if he breaks in between the bracha does not work to 'patur' his learning and he needs to say a new brachah. The rishonim grapple with the fact that the minhag yisrael is not this way and even someone who doesn't learn anything until later in the day or even in the evening does not recite a new bircas haTorah.
The rishonim have ways of reconciling the Yerushalmi but the general consensus is to differentiate between the affixed bircos haTorah that we say every morning which works for the entire day and 'ahavah rabbah' which 'paturs' in a limited way. According to one opinion 'ahavah rabbah' 'paturs' only should one learn right away and another opinion is that even after learning right away it doesn't count to 'patur' any subsequent learning done after a break (see Tosfos and Rosh).
However, even though bircos haTorah last the entire day, there is a dispute as to exactly how this works. The Rosh says at one point that only because a person who's involved in learning never loses sight of his learning even throughout all his other obligations of the day therefore he does not need to say another brachah when he returns to his learning. Therefore, he writes, a man who sleeps a proper sleep in his bed during the day is required to say another brachah aferwards before he resumes learning. Alternatively, Rabbeinu Tam held that bircas haTorah covers a person until the following morning even if he slept in between. The Shulchan Aruch in סימן מ''ז סע' י''א writes that the minhag is not to say a new brachah after sleeping during the day yet the Mishnah Berurah (ס''ק כ''ה) concludes that one who says a brachah doesn't lose out being that many poskim hold to do so.
Based on the above, there is also a dispute amongst the poskim with regard to someone who was awake the entire night, that some hold that so long that one didn't break with sleep he needn't say another brachah even after passing the entire night. The Mishnah Berurah (ס''ק כ''ח) considers this a safek brachah and therefore concludes not to say a new brachah in the morning. He writes, however, that if one can have someone else say the brachos aloud to be 'motzie' him he should do so and then himself say a few pesukim in order to learn right after the brachah as per the above issue in the Rishonim. It seems, though, from the Rishonim that even according to those that speak of breaking in the middle the brachos do not carry over to the next day, and there are indeed Poskim who feel that one can, if necessary, say the brachos himself. Also, the Mishnah Berurah brings from Rabbi Akiva Eiger that if he slept during the previous day he can definitely say the brachos the following morning, assuming he didn't learn immediately after maariv in so that he wasn't 'yotzei' with the brachah of 'ahavas olam'. It would be better, though, to do as I heard from HaGaon Rav Mordechai Goldstein Shlita that if he napped on erev Shavuos to learn immediately after maariv in order for ahavas olam' to 'patur' and then to be 'yotzei' in the morning with someone else rather than go the whole night of Shavuos with possibly no bircas haTorah.
Another issue that arises is that some claim that according to the opinion that one needs a new brachah in the morning one is required to immediately stop his learning come morning until he is 'yotzei' with a new brachah. It seems to me though from the Rishonim that so long as he didn't break at all in his learning after morning his learning is still covered from yesterday's brachos.
The Blessings of Love \ Parashat Naso
“May HaShem bless you and protect you, may He illuminate the countenance of His face upon you and show you favour, and may He grant you peace” (Bamidbar 6:23).
When the Kohanim bless Klal Yisrael they should say their blessings sincerely and wholeheartedly. Prior to blessing Klal Yisrael, the Kohen is required to recite the blessing, “Blessed are You HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who sanctifies us with His commandments and commands us to bless His people Israel with love.”
The Kohen is commanded to bless the Jewish nation with love because the blessing is manifest and emanates from love. If the Kohen does not feel love in his heart for Klal Yisrael, no blessing will come forth.
Love is not an extra portion of Birkat Kohanim; it is the very essence of the Mitzvah. The blessing of the Shechinah is only conveyed through the Kohen when he holds love in his heart for Klal Yisrael. In this way, the Kohen emulates HaShem, Who is the Source of love and blessings, and desires that His love and blessings flow upon us.
The Kohen has a specific Mitzvah to “love Klal Yisrael” so the that all the blessings of HaShem will rest upon His people. Similarly, all of Klal Yisrael is commanded to love all of HaShem’s creations. Just as the Kohen awakens his love by engaging his whole heart to love Klal Yisrael, so too, we can awaken our hearts to love Klal Yisrael as well as all of HaShem’s creations. Let us begin this vital Mitzvah by consciously expressing love to every member of our family and all of our friends.
(Based on Da’at Torah of Rav Yerucham Levovitz)
