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Sunday, January 11, 2015

Parashat Vaera 5775 Lessons in Leadership


Lessons in Leadership

Audio and Essays Parashat Vaera

Audio and Essays Parashat Vaera

New Echoes of Eden Project:
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2015/01/parashat-vaera-5775-lessons-in.html
As published in Jerusalem Report
http://www.slideshare.net/arikahn1/lessons-i-leadership?ref=http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2015/01/lessons-in-leadership.html

Audio
Deserving Freedom
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/802698/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Deserving_Freedom

The Plague of "Frogs" and Kiddush Hashem
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=359
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/768099/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_Plague_of_'Frogs'_and_Kiddush_Hashem_

Knowledge In Exile (The Haftorah)
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=366
version 2 The Haftorah for Vaera - the exile of Knowledge
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=474
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/768102/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_Haftorah_for_Vaera_-_the_exile_of_Knowledge

Moshe And Aharon
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=373
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/768224/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Moshe_and_Aharon

The four Expression of Redemption and the Brit Bein Habitarim
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=390
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/768103/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_four_Expression_of_Redemption_and_the_Brit_Bein_Habitarim

The Four Cups Of Wine
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=391

The Staff
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=400

The Exodus and Elusive Perfection
http://rabbiarikahn.com/audio?id=402
http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/768101/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/The_Exodus_and_Elusive_Perfection

Essays:
Pharaoh’s Conundrum
The Fifth Cup
http://rabbiarikahn.com/writing?id=79
(with Hebrew sources )
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2010/01/parshat-vaera-5770-fifth-cup.html

Frogs
http://rabbiarikahn.com/writing?id=80
(with Hebrew sources )
http://arikahn.blogspot.co.il/2009/01/vaera-5769-frogs.html

Pharaoh's Heart
http://rabbiarikahn.com/writing?id=81

And His Name Will Be One

http://rabbiarikahn.com/writing?id=82

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Book Review: I Kings: Torn in Two

I Kings: Torn in Two
Alex Israel
Koren Publishers, Magid Books/ Yeshivat Har Etzion

Book Review by Ari D. Kahn

The Jewish People has been known for over a thousand years as “the People of the Book.” Despite the pejorative intentions of those who first coined the phrase, the Jews have adopted it wholeheartedly, reveling in their reputation as a learned people, a nation whose identity and destiny are intertwined with the “book of books,” the Torah.

However, in spectacular irony, the Jews, especially those most orthodox and most educated, are often surprisingly ignorant of the Bible. Sections of the Tenakh that were not included in the liturgy came to be regarded as obscure. As Professor Nechama Leibowitz, the late great teacher par excellence of Bible often remarked, men who study in classical yeshivas know only the verses cited in the Talmud, and are able to locate them only insofar as they are cross-referenced on the Talmud folio. And therein lies the rub; the Talmud has become such an all-encompassing repository of Jewish knowledge and scholarship that all other books have been eclipsed by the Talmud’s huge shadow.

The return to the Land of Israel in the modern age brought with it a renaissance of Bible study. For the early pioneers and founders of the State of Israel, the study of Tenakh was a means of reconnecting the nation with its homeland and heritage, and they revitalized Tenakh studies in Israel’s nascent education system. More recently, the torch of Bible study has been carried primarily by the National Religious stream; the Tenakh curriculum in non-religious public schools has been cut back drastically, and the more traditional streams have preferred to maintain the Talmud-based system -- perhaps because they fear the nationalist and even Zionist messages contained within the Bible.

The return to the Biblical text has given rise to a cadre of dedicated teachers who have brought their own intelligence and creativity, as well as the wealth of tradition, to the study of Tenakh, while expanding the walls of the classroom to include the length and breadth of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Alex Israel has firmly established himself as one of the more important teachers of this school of thought, particularly for English-speaking students.

His first published volume is a guide to the Book of Kings, and it is neither a classic academic inquiry nor a commentary. I Kings: Torn in Two combines a traditional reading of the text and the classical commentaries with a smattering of academic insights and relevant archaeological findings. A broad introduction addresses larger issues that lie beyond the text, including the general perspective and concerns of the author of the Book of Kings, as well as the different perspectives of the events as they are retold in other books of the Tenakh. Israel’s work displays great sensitivity to the words of the Biblical text and great attentiveness to its underlying concepts. Adopting an ancient exegetical approach that is based on midrashic readings of the text, thematic connections that span between various books of the Bible are revealed. Israel is creative and knows when to look at symbols and when to read things literally, both in the Biblical text and the midrashic material.

In this volume, Rabbi Israel attempts, once again, to expand the limits of the classroom – demographically, not geographically. This book undertakes the challenging task of converting lectures given in the classroom into a vehicle to reach a larger audience. The results are sometimes uneven: On one hand, the reader is engaged, and is never left with the sense of hearing only one side of a conversation. On the other hand, when more than one solution to a textual problem is offered, the reader is left to wonder which resolution the author advocates, or to create a synthesis on their own. Thus, in an early chapter, Israel discusses the first chapters of the I Kings, in which the main protagonist, King David is elderly and infirm. Why, Israel quite rightly asks, are these chapters not the concluding sections of the previous book, II Samuel, in which the vast majority of David’s life is detailed? Two approaches are offered to understand the material, one political and the other religious, yet the reader senses that ascribing such a dichotomy to the Biblical text is somewhat forced. Is it not possible that both approaches are correct, and not necessarily mutually exclusive?

In a similar passage, Israel notes the threat posed by Adonijah, David’s son and self-appointed heir. Israel then carefully shows the correlation between this rebellion, which is ultimately thwarted, and the rebellion of Absalom, which ends tragically. The parallels are insightful; we are often guided by “result oriented thinking” and hence miss this important parallel. Yet Israel could have been more daring and gone further: After noting that both sons were “good looking,” he could have cited the Talmudic tradition that David had many children from “beautiful captive women.” This insight would draw a clear line of thought from the rebellious ways of David’s children back to David’s own impetuous behavior. This, in turn, could take us as far back as Deuteronomy, to a newly-enlightened reading of the section regarding the king who takes many wives and its relationship with the consecutive sections regarding the beautiful captive and the rebellious child.

I Kings: Torn in Two has much to offer any reader seeking instruction and insight that is based upon, but not limited to, the classical commentaries. This volume will surely enlighten and enrich any reader’s understanding of the words of the Prophets, but the leap to internalizing and applying the methodology it suggests may prove too great to be accomplished without the classroom setting. Even so, this volume will fill a void, particularly for readers whose language skills do not allow them direct access to the classical commentaries, and will help bring the English- speaking audience back to an authentic understanding of the Book of Books.


Rabbi Ari Kahn, Director of Foreign Students Programs at Bar Ilan University, is a teacher, communal Rabbi, and author. His most recent book in the Echoes of Eden series is Bamidbar: Spies, Subversives and other Scoundrels.

Book Review of Torah from Alexandria

Looking Up to the Patriarchs: A Book Review of

Torah from Alexandria, Volume I: Genesis

Kodesh Press 2014

Edited by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel


Reviewed by Rabbi Ari D. Kahn


A very new, very old book has been published recently. Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel has set out to perform the herculean task of translating Philo of Alexandria's commentary on the Book of Genesis into smooth, readable English, presented in the order of the verses and chapters of the Torah. This volume is the first in a projected series on all five books of the Pentateuch.

At the outset, I should make it clear that my limited knowledge of Philo’s philosophical milieu limits my ability to write a comprehensive review of Torah from Alexandria. I leave it to scholars well-versed in the Hellenistic Roman and Egyptian philosophical traditions to examine Rabbi Samuel's efforts to compare and contrast Philo’s commentary with the philosophical trends of his age. Instead, I approached the material hoping to discover the Torah insights of an ancient Jewish philosopher, and to consider these insights in their historical and masoretic context.

I was not disappointed. In addition to translating Philo's writings, Rabbi Samuel explains the texts when necessary, often with the aid of references and notes, thus allowing the modern reader to access and understand Philo's interpretation of the Torah. Even more importantly, through Torah from Alexandria we are able to reveal the underlying exegetical approach with which Philo explained the Torah to readers of his own generation. The relevance of his approach to our own generation is striking.

In recent years, students of Tanach, especially among the religious Zionist community in Israel, have been engaged in a debate (some might characterize it as a battle) regarding authentic and legitimate interpretation of the sacred biblical text. The debate centers around two related points: First, to what extent is fidelity to classical rabbinic commentary requisite (or even desirable); and second, to what extent is it legitimate to interpret the text in a manner that implies that the heroes of the biblical narrative were less than perfect? This debate has come to be known as interpretation b’govah ha- einayim – looking biblical heroes in the eye, as opposed to gazing up at them as a mere mortal would view a titan.

One maverick in the new school of Israeli interpretation, the late Rav Mordechai Breuer, was fond of saying that he reads the text just as the sages of old did -- without the commentary of the sages. In other words, Rav Breuer's insights were based upon an unfettered reading of the text itself, stripped of the layers of traditional rabbinic exegesis. Opponents of this approach decry the deconstruction of our spiritual forebears, denounce the abandonment of our traditional view of the forefathers and our accepted understanding of their behavior. According to the more traditional approach, looking biblical characters in the eye borders on heresy and undermines the very foundations of Jewish spirituality. According to this approach, deconstructing our spiritual heroes diminishes us all, and leaves us empty and bereft of role models. At the same time, discarding traditional rabbinic explanations of the biblical text casts a shadow on our masorah, subtly calling into question the centrality of teachings attributed all the way back to Moses and passed down to the sages of each subsequent generation.

With the help of Rabbi Samuel, we are now able to look back to the exegetical method used by Philo in Alexandria some two thousand years ago, and what we find may have important ramifications for our current debate.  In Torah from Alexandria, we find a biblical commentator whose work is remarkably in sync with rabbinic tradition -- which is no small feat given that a good number of the interpretations he offers are found only in much later rabbinic writings. We must therefore assume that Philo, like the authors of those later rabbinic texts, recorded ideas and exegetical traditions that had previously been transmitted orally (or, alternatively, that these rabbinic interpretations originated in Alexandria). The masorah's centrality and antiquity are clearly reinforced.

Even more fascinating is the impact Philo's approach should have on the govah ha'einayim debate. Philo proves to be a staunch supporter of the classical approach to biblical characters, immediately and unequivocally defending them and dispelling any possible negative interpretation of their behavior.  In situations where such "mainstream" commentaries as Nachmanides or Rabbi S.R. Hirsch find fault in the behavior of the matriarchs or patriarchs, Philo is quick to defend; in fact, there are many instances in which he inserts a virtuous spin on seemingly neutral situations .

For example:

·       Abraham could have resolved the problem with Lot by force, but did not wish to humiliate him, and sought a peaceful resolution. (p. 156)
·       When Abraham seems to complain to God that he has no children, Philo reads it as a virtue: “A servant must be direct and honest with his superior.” (p. 164)
·       While Lot’s daughters' behavior is “unlawful,” their intentions were “not without some merit.” (p. 199)
·       Sarah suggested that Abraham have a child with Hagar; her motivations were “selfless and altruistic.” (p. 171)
·       Sarah’s treatment of Hagar was “disciplinary, and not abusive, in nature.” (p. 174)
·       Philo turns Abraham's false claim that Sarah is his sister into a virtue, explaining that a person who speaks only the truth in all situations is “unphilosophical as well as an ignoramus.” (p. 154)
·       Sarah's demand that Hagar and Yishmael be banished was not motivated by spite or jealousy. It was a well-earned response to their having spread malicious rumors that Isaac was illegitimate child. (p. 206)
·       Abraham acquiesces to his wife's demand; this behavior always has “the best and happiest kind of outcome.” (p. 206)
·       The expulsion of Yishmael is compared to the expulsion of Adam from the Garden of Eden: “Once the mind contracts folly, it becomes almost an incurable disease…their penchant for superficiality and mediocrity.” (p. 207)
·       “The animus against Abraham stems from an envy and hatred of everything that is good.” (p. 209)
·       The sacrifice of Isaac (whose name connotes joy) teaches us that “even joy must be subordinated to God.” (p. 210)
·       Isaac was not misguided or mistaken in his love for Esau. Isaac’s love for Esau was compartmentalized or limited, conditional; he was attracted to Esau's skill as a hunter, because Isaac himself sought to “hunt down his passions and keep them at bay.” (p. 233)
·       Esau had always been a slave, and was destined to remain enslaved for all time – with or without the blessing Jacob took. By selling the birthright, Esau proved that he was a slave to his “belly’s pleasures.” (p. 233)
·       When Jacob buys the birthright from Esau, it is an act of virtue intended to save his brother from rampant materialism that would bring about Esau's downfall. (p. 234)
·       Isaac wants to bless Esau because he sees that Esau is limited and lacking, while Jacob is perfect and does not need his blessing. (p. 240)
·       Jacob should be admired for respecting both his parents and carrying out his mother's instructions to the letter, rather than being vilified for taking Esau's blessings through subterfuge. (p. 242)
·       “Malicious people never tire of accusing Scripture of excusing Jacob’s deceit and fraud… subterfuge and maneuvering have their place in life…sometimes a general will make a threat of war, while he is actually working in the interest of peace.”  (p. 243) “A good man may do something that appears wrong, but [he] acts with noble intention.” (p. 245; also see p. 248)
·       Simeon and Levy “acted as a vanguard of justice and fought to protect their family’s purity.” (p. 272)
·       Joseph treats the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah as equals, hence drawing the ire of his other brothers. (p. 275)
·       Jacob's love for Joseph was not arbitrary favoritism. Rather, he loved Joseph because of his skills, his virtue, and his nobility. (p. 275)
·       Regarding Tamar: “Virtue is subtle –sometimes she veils her face like Tamar.” (p. 284)
·       Joseph was physically assaulted by Madame Potiphar, but never succumbed to her advances. (p. 287)
·       Joseph does not seek revenge; he wants to see how the brothers will treat Benjamin, another son of Rachel. (p. 301) Joseph sees the entire episode as divine providence (p. 313).
·       Even in prison, Joseph behaves virtuously toward all the other prisoners. (p. 288)
·       Joseph does not gain personally from any of the wealth accrued in Egypt; rather, he is a dedicated civil servant. (p. 318f)
·       Joseph completely forgave his brothers and never sought vengeance, not only out of respect for their father, but because of his love for his brothers. (p. 326)
·       Jacob enters the palace and all those present are aware of his dignity. (p. 318)

Philo proves to be a sensitive reader of the text – sensitive to the underlying philosophical issues as well as a staunch defender of Judaism. Perhaps because he lived among non-Jews, within the general society, he intuited that attacks on Abraham and Sarah are tantamount to attacks on the underpinnings of Judaism and, through a subtle process of anti-Semitism, on every Jew. Alternatively, he may simply have seen the patriarchs and matriarchs as spiritual giants – people whose thoughts and actions were far more elevated than those of common men, people who were far above the petty jealousies and foolish mistakes more cynical readers ascribe to them, people who actually were "larger than life." Philo teaches us that in order to look at them at all, to see and understand them, to learn from them - we must look up.

Rabbi Leo Samuel has done an outstanding service, both to Philo and to modern readers. In Torah from Alexandria, Philo's ancient Torah commentary becomes readable and meaningful, exciting and contemporary. I look forward to future volumes.


Book Review - Chumash Mesoras HaRav

Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Sefer Shemos
compiled and edited by Dr. Arnold Lustiger
Reviewed by Rabbi Ari D. Kahn

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of Shabbat meals in my parents’ home: Family and guests around the table, food, songs - and words of Torah. My father would share Torah insights with us  – more often than not, ideas he had heard from “The Rov.” The highlight of my father’s week was traveling to Manhattan to participate in Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik’s weekly shiur in the Moriah synagogue. This weekly Gemara class (in which The Rav dedicated a few minutes to the parasha) was attended by laymen and rabbis alike, and the words of Torah, the questions, the answers, the explanations that my father heard there and shared with us, are the bedrock of my own learning, teaching and religious identity. Only years later I was privileged to personally learn from The Rov, and to read and study his writings.

A newly published work by Dr. Arnold Lustiger reminds me of those early years, and of the glow on my father’s face as The Rov’s words flowed from his lips to our young ears. Mesoras HaRav is a digest of Torah commentary, ideas that The Rov either wrote or delivered orally in different venues, and to different types of audiences, throughout his career. Despite the fact that this work was not written by The Rov, and despite the fact that a commentary of the Torah written by The Rov himself would have undoubtedly been a completely different book, Dr. Lustiger’s Mesoras HaRav is a major achievement.

The Rov was notoriously careful with language; this was a family tradition. Had he chosen to write a commentary on the Torah, every word, every letter, would have been weighed carefully - first and foremost, in terms of the intended purpose and audience of such a work. The Rov was a master of pshat, drash, homiletics, midrash, philosophy and philology (in fact, students who sat in his classroom sensed that the Rov has mastered all of Judaism); had he chosen to focus on any one or more of these aspects of the Torah, the result would no doubt have been magnificent, breathtaking. Furthermore, The Rov had the unique ability to communicate with audiences that spanned the entire spectrum of age, affiliation and background. Whatever audience he might have chosen to address, any and all readers on this spectrum would have benefitted.  

But alas, the Rov did not leave us with such a commentary on the Torah, neither a complete nor even an incomplete opus. Thus, the purists, the “real” students, the “Rovaphiles” will have ample room to criticize Dr. Lustiger’s work for what it is not:  It surely is not what The Rov or any of those attempting to imitate or recreate his style would have written. In a sense, though, the fact that Dr. Lustiger is not among that innermost circle of The Rov’s students may be an advantage: Mesoras HaRav is not limited to sentences that The Rov himself would have penned. Instead, Dr. Lustiger attempts to share a glimpse into the thought of Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik with a new generation. What emerges is a compilation, smatterings of many things the Rov said and wrote; and even if it is uneven, it is nonetheless, magnificent.

A new generation has arisen, a generation that “does not know Yosef.” This generation does not sit in his daily Gemara shiur, his weekly Chumash shiur or his mesmerizing public classes and lectures. This new generation cannot aspire, as did every serious yeshiva student for decades, to reach the level required to join The Rov’s Gemara shiur. Today’s Orthodox Jewish community will not experience the sunburst of intellectual and spiritual energy that previous generations enjoyed at The Rov’s annual Yahrziet and Teshuva drashot. This generation will have no firsthand acquaintance with The Rov’s well-crafted lectures or the uplifting messages they conveyed, nor will they know the awe and wonder that earlier students felt when they came face to face with The Rov’s breathtaking process and methodology of learning. Although more and more of The Rov’s recorded shiurim are making their way to the internet in digital form and there is an ever-growing library of publications based on his teachings, many of these are far beyond the grasp of those not on the highest levels of Torah scholarship. Some of these publications treat topics so specific and with such erudition that they are esoteric; others, although they address broader topics, require the layperson to keep both a dictionary and encyclopedia close at hand in order to understand the words and follow the references.

Mesoras HaRav is different, accessible. Again, the purists may complain: The work is uneven, collected from many different lectures and articles, cobbled together from sources that differ in purpose, audience, topic and methodology. The eclectic nature of the sources is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Despite the disparity of its sources, the book is cogent, and should be seen as a reflection of The Rov’s vast knowledge, of the different topics he tackled and the different ways he would approach the same topic. Many of the Rov’s own writings do not lend themselves to the creation of a running commentary on the Torah. Long essays in which The Rov laid out critical elements of his philosophy, such as the delineation of  “Adam I” and “Adam II,” cannot easily be harvested for micro-comments on specific Torah verses. Such essays, although they elucidate central components of the Rov’s weltanschauung, are often too unwieldy to be used as primary sources for Mesoras HaRav and the reader must suffice with small samples from such a monumental work.

Some suggestions: In my opinion, more footnotes are needed. Occasionally, thematic connections or overarching ideas are expressed in several independent comments, but no connection is made, either between the sources from which these ideas are drawn or between the comments themselves. When a particular idea or theme is illustrated through various different verses, it would be useful to note that each independent comment is part of a larger whole; each verse expresses a larger idea in its own way, but all are related. For example: The Rov taught, in numerous lectures and to different audiences, that at one point Moses had actually given up hope in the redemption of the Jewish People, and had taken up permanent residence (or so he thought) in Midian. In Mesoras HaRav, the commentary to each relevant verse illustrates this idea, but at no point do the comments on individual verses refer to any of the other verses that deal with this topic. An introductory section would do much to help the reader identify and understand such concepts as they are applied or expressed in the remainder of the work. Alternatively, an index and cross-referencing in the footnotes would allow the reader to gain a wider view of The Rov’s treatment of this recurring theme, and would alleviate much of the perceived repetitiveness. Moreover, although it is not unusual for a single source, a single lecture or article written by The Rov, to lie behind Mesoras HaRav’s commentary to many disparate and far-flung verses, the reader is generally given no indication of this connection.

While this is not a book the Rov wrote -- or would have written -- it is a book that reminds me of those Shabbat meals with family, when my father shared The Rov’s Torah with us. Those early lessons led me, and both of my brothers, to attend The Rov’s shiur, and led our entire family to a deeper knowledge and experience of Judaism. Some of the ideas I first heard at my parents’ Shabbat table appear in print for the first time in Mesoras HaRav. The citation reads “Moriah,” where my father attended those weekly shiurim years ago. Each time I see that citation, a smile comes to my face as I recall the question my father raised at the table or the answer he relayed. Occasionally, I can recall only one or the other; now, thanks to Dr. Lustiger, they have come together.

Mesoras HaRav is valuable in and of itself, as it transmits hundreds of The Rov’s insights and explanations. If it spurs the reader to further inquiry and investigation, if it leads the reader to seek out the primary sources – The Rov’s original essays or recordings of his classes or lectures -  perhaps this generation who “do not know Yosef” will at the very least “see his back” and understand the profound privilege my generation enjoyed: We had a Torah colossus in our midst, an accessible and inspiring source of Torah tradition and innovation. I applaud Dr. Lustiger for his efforts and look forward to the publication of future volumes that will allow a new generation to bring The Rov to their table and inspire children and adults alike.

Rabbi Ari Kahn is a student of Rav Soloveitchik, he is author of numerous books including a series on the Torah called “Echoes of Eden”.
             



Monday, January 5, 2015

notes for lecture on Korbanot in the future

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/791463/Rabbi_Ari_Kahn/Introduction_to_Vayikra;_Whither_Korbanot
פרשת ויקרא התשע"ג

הרב ארי דוד קאהן                                                                                                           Rabbi Ari Kahn                      
מת"ן כח' אדר התשע"ג                                                                                          Adk1010@gmail.com       
http://Rabbiarikahn.com                                                                 http://arikahn.blogspot.com    


1.    רמב"ן ויקרא פרק א פסוק ט
והנה בכתוב הזה טעם הקרבנות שהם אשה ריח ניחוח לה'. ואמר הרב במורה הנבוכים ]ג מו[ כי טעם הקרבנות, בעבור שהמצרים והכשדים, אשר היו ישראל גרים ותושבים בארצם מעולם, היו עובדים לבקר ולצאן, כי המצרים עובדים לטלה והכשדים עובדים לשדים אשר יראו להם בדמות שעירים, ואנשי הודו עד היום לא ישחטו בקר לעולם. בעבור כן צוה לשחוט אלה השלשה מינין לשם הנכבד כדי שיודע כי הדבר שהיו חושבים כי הם בתכלית העבירה הוא אשר יקריבו לבורא, ובו יתכפרו העונות. כי כן יתרפאו האמונות הרעות שהם מדוי הנפש, כי כל מדוה וכל חולי לא יתרפא כי אם בהפכו. אלה דבריו ובהם האריך: והנה הם דברי הבאי,

2.    רמב"ם הִלְכּוֹת מְלָכִים וּמִלְחָמוֹת פֵּרֶק יא

א  הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ עֲתִיד לַעֲמֹד, וּלְהַחְזִיר מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִיד לְיָשְׁנָהּ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וּבוֹנֵה מִקְדָּשׁ, וּמְקַבֵּץ נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  וְחוֹזְרִין כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים בְּיָמָיו, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מִקֹּדֶם:  מַקְרִיבִין קָרְבָּנוֹת, וְעוֹשִׂין שְׁמִטִּין וְיוֹבְלוֹת כְּכָל מִצְוָתָן הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה.
ז  וְעִיקַר הַדְּבָרִים, כָּכָה הֶן:  שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת אֵין חֻקֶּיהָ וּמִשְׁפָּטֶיהָ מִשְׁתַּנִּים לְעוֹלָם, וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים, וְאֵין מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן, וְלֹא גּוֹרְעִין מֵהֶן; וְכָל הַמּוֹסִיף אוֹ גּוֹרֵעַ, אוֹ שֶׁגִּלָּה פָּנִים בַּתּוֹרָה וְהוֹצִיא הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁלַּמִּצְווֹת מִפְּשׁוּטָן--הֲרֵי זֶה בַּוַּדַּאי רָשָׁע וַאֲפֵיקוֹרוֹס.
ח  [ד] וְאִם יַעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ מִבֵּית דָּוִיד הוֹגֶה בַּתּוֹרָה וְעוֹסֵק בַּמִּצְווֹת כְּדָוִיד אָבִיו, כְּפִי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְשֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וְיָכֹף כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵילֵךְ בָּהּ וּלְחַזַּק בִּדְקָהּ, וְיִלָּחֵם מִלְחָמוֹת ה'--הֲרֵי זֶה בְּחֶזְקַת שְׁהוּא מָשִׁיחַ:  אִם עָשָׂה וְהִצְלִיחַ, וְנִצַּח כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁסְּבִיבָיו, וּבָנָה מִקְדָּשׁ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, וְקִבַּץ נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--הֲרֵי זֶה מָשִׁיחַ בַּוַּדַּאי.

3.    רמב"ם הִלְכּוֹת מְעִילָה פרק ח
ח  וְכָל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כֻּלָּן, מִכְּלַל הַחֻקִּים הֶן.  לְפִיכָּךְ אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁאַף עַל עֲבוֹדַת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד--שֶׁבַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים, זוֹכִין הַיְּשָׁרִים לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא; וְהִקְדִּימָה תּוֹרָה צִוּוּיֶיהָ עַל הַחֻקִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת-חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי, אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם" ויקרא יח,ה.

4.    רמב"ם הלכות בית הבחירה פרק ב הלכה ג
מִדּוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מְכֻוָּנוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וְצוּרָתוֹ יְדוּעָה אִישׁ מֵאִישׁ.  וּמִזְבֵּחַ שֶׁבָּנוּ בְּנֵי הַגּוֹלָה, כְּעֵין מִזְבֵּחַ שֶׁעֲתִיד לְהִבָּנוֹת עָשׂוּהוּ; וְאֵין לְהוֹסִיף עַל מִדָּתוֹ, וְלֹא לִגְרֹעַ מִמֶּנָּה.

5.    רמב"ם הלכות מעשה הקרבנות פרק ב הלכה יד
כָּל שיעורי הַנְּסָכִים הָאֲמוּרִין בְּסֵפֶר יְחֶזְקֵאל, וּמִנְיָן אוֹתָן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וְסִדְרֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה הַכְּתוּבִים שָׁם--כֻּלָּם מִלּוּאִים הֶן, וְאֵין נוֹהֲגִין לְדוֹרוֹת; אֵלָא הַנָּבִיא צִוָּה וּפֵרַשׁ כֵּיצַד יִהְיוּ מַקְרִיבִין הַמִּלּוּאִין עִם חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, בִּימֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ כְּשֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בַּיִת שְׁלִישִׁי.

6.    עולת ראיה כרך א עמוד רצב הרב ארבהם יצחק הכהן קוק
וערבה לד' מנחת יהודה וירושלים כימי עולם וכשנים קדמוניות. בעלי החיים, הקרבים למזבח, חל בהם עצמן התקון על ידי התעלותם להיות זבח לד', שכיון שאין בהם דעת אינם מגיעים להתעלות זו כי-אם במעשה הנעשה בהם בהעלות לד' דמם וחלבם, שהם עיקר מכון הנפש. מה שאין כן האדם, אשר בלבו המבין ישכיל את מעשה הקרבן ויתקרב אל ד' בדעתו. אבל לעתיד לבא שפע הדעת יתפשט ויחדר אפילו בבעלי-החיים, "לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתוּ בְּכָל הַר קָדְשִׁי, כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת ד'" (ישעיהו יא:ט), וההקרבה שתהיה אז של מנחה, מהצומח, תערב לד' כימי עולם וכשנים קדמוניות.

7.    ישעיהו פרק סה
(כה) זְאֵב וְטָלֶה יִרְעוּ כְאֶחָד וְאַרְיֵה כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל תֶּבֶן וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתוּ בְּכָל הַר קָדְשִׁי אָמַר ה’: ס

8.    רמב"ם הִלְכּוֹת מְלָכִים וּמִלְחָמוֹת פֵּרֶק יב
א  אַל יַעֲלֶה עַל הַלֵּב שֶׁבִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, יִבָּטֵל דָּבָר מִמִּנְהָגוֹ שֶׁלָּעוֹלָם, אוֹ יִהְיֶה שָׁם חִדּוּשׁ בְּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית; אֵלָא עוֹלָם כְּמִנְהָגוֹ הוֹלֵךְ.  וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר בִּישַׁעְיָה "וְגָר זְאֵב עִם-כֶּבֶשׂ, וְנָמֵר עִם-גְּדִי יִרְבָּץ" ישעיהו יא,ו, מָשָׁל וְחִידָה.  עִנְיַן הַדָּבָר--שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹשְׁבִין לָבֶטַח עִם רִשְׁעֵי הָעוֹלָם, הַמְּשׁוּלִים בִּזְאֵב וְנָמֵר:  שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "זְאֵב עֲרָבוֹת יְשָׁדְדֵם--נָמֵר שֹׁקֵד עַל-עָרֵיהֶם" ירמיהו ה,ווְיַחְזְרוּ כֻּלָּם לְדַת הָאֱמֶת, וְלֹא יִגְזֹלוּ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתוּ, אֵלָא יֹאכְלוּ דָּבָר הַמֻּתָּר בְּנַחַת כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "וְאַרְיֵה, כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל-תֶּבֶן" ישעיהו יא,ז;ישעיהו סה,כה.
ב  וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֶא בְּאֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים הַכְּתוּבִין בְּעִנְיַן הַמָּשִׁיחַ, מְשָׁלִים הֶם; וּבִימוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ יִוָּדַע לַכֹּל לְאֵיזֶה דָּבָר הָיוּ מָשָׁל, וּמַה עִנְיָן רָמוּז בָּהֶן.  [ב] אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, אֵין בֵּין הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אֵלָא שִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכִיּוֹת בִּלְבָד.

9.    אגרות הראיה, אגרת תתקצד – כרך ד', עמ' כד
ובעניין הקורבנות, גם כן יותר נכון להאמין שהכל ישוב על מכונו, ונקיים בעזרת ה' כשתבא הישועה, ונבואה ורוח הקודש ישובו לישראל, כל האמור ביעודה כמאמר. ולא נתפעל ביותר מהרעיונות של התרבות האירופית, כי דבר ה' אשר עִמנו, הוא עתיד לרומם את יסודי התרבות כולם למדרגה יותר עליונה ממה שיוכל כל שיקול דעת אנושי לעשות. ואין ראוי לנו לחשוב שבקרבנות מונח רק הרעיון הגס של העבודה המגושמה, אלא שיש בהם טבעיות קדושה פנימית, שאי אפשר שתתגלה ביפעתה כי אם בהגלות אור ה' על עמו, ותחיה מקודשת תשוב לישראל – ואותה יכירו גם כן העמים כולם.

10. חזון הצמחונות והשלום הראי"ה
יד. - אין ספק בדבר שיגדיל האדם מעשהו בזה, כאשר יבא המועד הנכון לו לפנות למקצוע זה, ונעלה מעל כל ספק שיגדיל האדם ויאדיר את תורת השכלת בעה"ח והתפתחותם החומרית, וביותר המוסרית והרוחנית, במעלה נִשאה כל כך, עד שאי אפשר לנו כלל לצייר אותה במצב ההוה, המלא שפלות ועכירות דעת; עד שיקבלו כולם צורה חדשה ונשאה, עולם חדש, "אי בעו צדיקי ברו עלמא" סנהדרין סה ב. וזהו הוד התמונה אשר ציירו לנו הנביאים במצב התרבותי של בעה"ח הדורסים ישעיהו יא ז: "וּפָרָה וָדֹב תִּרְעֶינָה, יַחְדָּו יִרְבְּצוּ יַלְדֵיהֶן, וְאַרְיֵה כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל תֶּבֶן. וְשִׁעֲשַׁע יוֹנֵק עַל חֻר פָּתֶן, וְעַל מְאוּרַת צִפְעוֹנִי גָּמוּל יָדוֹ הָדָה. לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתוּ בְּכָל הַר קָדְשִׁי, כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת יְהוָה, כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים".

11. חזון הצמחונות והשלום הראי"ה  טו. על המתנגדים לקרבנות

...על כן כל זמן שלא התרוממה האנושות עדֵנה עד למִדה זו שתהיה ראויה להגדיל את ערך יחסה עִם בע"ח במשקל המוסר הטהור - עד אז, לא ויתור הוא, כי אם גם זבחי צדק, זביחת בע"ח במקום הראוי. ובהקבץ עמים יחדו, וממלכות לעבוד את ד', יביעו מעומק נפשם, ההודאה היותר עמוקה, היותר מרושמת לפי טבעו של אדם ורגשו. ואם הרגש יהיה מעט סולד מזביחת בע"ח, ...
אמנם בהגיע תור האנושות לצעדים היותר רמיםבהרפא כליל המח של הנפילה המוסרית, שגרמה את הצורך של שימת איבה בין הגזעיםלמקום שהיתה ראויה להתכונן דרך סלולה, של יחש אהבה ואחוה בין האדם לכל החי, אז מברכת הטבע, מיתרון המוסר וטוב ההנהגהויותר מכל, מעונג החכמה, משמחת הצדק והמישרים התמידית, מאור דעת ד' והתענג על טובוימלא האדם אֹמץ וחָיִל, ער לאין צורך לשימוש אכילת בשר מצד העמדת חוזק כחות גופו. ותכונת המוסר תתרומם כל כך עד כדי הערת הצד החיובי של משפט הבע"ח ביחשו של האדם אליהם. על העת ההיא, שהיא ראש פסגת הגעת הקולתורה הטהורה, אמרו חז"ל דברם הגדול, שהוא גדול ומפליא "כל הקרבנות בטלין לעתיד לבא (תנחומא אמור יט).
והכתוב אומר על קץ החזון: "וְעָרְבָה לַיהוָה מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָםמלאכי ג ד, הבליט מנחה מן הצמחים במקום הקרבנות.
ורמוזה גם כן בתורה "וְנֶפֶשׁ" גבי מנחה למשל ויקרא ב א בניגוד הזבחים שכתוב בהם "אָדָםלמשל ויקרא א ב, להורות על סִבָּת החסרון, כלומר "האדם" המסופר במעשי בראשית בירידתו ונפילתו, הצריך להקמה משפלותו המוסרית.
טו. על המתנגדים לקרבנות.
ובקול דממה דקה אומרת חכמת ישראל הקבלה (שער המצות לארי ז"ל דפו"י דף צט, דפו"י דף מב): "מדרגת החי דלעתיד לבא תהיה כבחינת המדבר דעכשיו ע"י עליית העולמות". ..., בין מצד עצם מדרגת המוסר הנמוכה שלא הגיע זמנה כלל להיות אפילו רשאה להטפל עם הצד המוסרי של משפטי בע"ח, ע"כ כל אותו הזמן הגדול והארוך שהאדם עודנו נזקק ונדרש לאכילת בשר, לזביחת בע"ח לצרכיו, כל הזמן שעוד יש חפץ בהחזקת החיץ המבדיל בין האדם ובין יתר החיים, מצד צורך שמירת מעלתו המוסרית שלא תתחבל ותתטשטש - כל הזמן הזה כמה מגונה יהיה, וכמה שפלות ערך והריסת מצב של התרוממות הנפש תביא לאדם דליגה פחזנית כזאת, אם כל זמן שלצרכיו החומריים יזבח בכל אות נפשו בע"ח לאכול את בשרם, ולהורות ההכרה הפנימית בחסדי ד' טובו ורוממות כבודו, אשר כפי הנטיה הטבעית החזקה מתבלטת היא בהקרבת קרבנות, "עולות מחים, וזבחי רצון" תהלים סו פה במקום הצורך לפתח את מקור האורה, של התנשאות האנושות בכלל, תמצא החמלה מקום; כאן יעשה האדם רחמני, ולא יוכל להתאכזר על בע"ח להעלותם קרבן? פה יאמר "שלחן ד' מגאל" מלאכי א נטיה כזאת איננה מורה רושם של התעלות רגש האדם לטובה, כ"א על נפילתו המדעית והמוסרית בכללה. מה שפל ונבזה יהיה האדם עם טענה כזאת, בעת אשר יגיע מצב המוסרי של האדם ער מעלה זו, עד כדי להכיר בהכרת אמת פנימית את צד העול שיש בנטיות (בנטילת?) חיי בע"ח. צריכה ההערה השכלית לעשות ראשית דרכה, בהוראת פעולתה על הצרכים החומריים של האדם, שתכליתם שפל ונבזה, ושרשם פתוח אל יסוד זוללות האדם השפלה. אמנם הקרבנות שהם באים לתעודה נעלה, להוציא אל הפועל את רגש הכרת הטוב, למקור הטוב, לאדון עולם הטוב והמטיב, יתברך שמו, שכח הכרת טובה היא כח מוסרי אביר ונאור המסתתר בנפש, ומבקש את תפקידו לצאת בפעולות מורגשות, שהפעולות הללו המה האותיות והתיבות שהמיות הנפש הזכה מתכנסות בהן, למען תוכל לשוב למנוחתה מעצמת געגועיה, להורות אות תורתה העמוקה, המתפרצת כפרץ מים רבים, כשטף נחלים גדולים רחבי ידים הזורמים בשאון דכים "מקולות מים רבים אדירים משברי ים אדיר במרום ד' - עדותיך נאמנו מאד... ... - מהלך התעודה השלמה תבא עם הדעה החזקה והאמתית שהתפתחות המוסרית האנושית בכללה תבא בהנהגתה ע"י מסילתה מונהגת בה מיד ד'; ע"כ כל זמן שלא התרוממה האנושות עדנה עד למדה זו שתהיה ראויה להגדיל את ערך יחסה עם בע"ח במשקל המוסר הטהור - עד אז, לא ויתור הוא כ"א גם זבחי צדק, זביחת בע"ח במקום הראוי, ובהקבץ עמים יחדו, וממלכות לעבוד את ד', יביעו מעומק נפשם, ההודאה היותר עמוקה, היותר מרושמת לפי טבעו של אדם ורגשו, ואם הרגש יהיה מעט סולד מזביחת בע"ח, לא מפני שכבר בא הזמן של ההכרה השלמה של המוסר המתיחש לבע"ח להעשות, כ"א מפני הצפיה הגנוזה בטבע נפשו של אדם, אע"פ שלא יצאה אל הפועל, שזהו שורש לשאיפות רבות, שהם באות להגלות יותר מערך הזמן והתקופה, אין בזה רע, כ"א עוד יחזק בנפש רושם של דעת, שחובת הכרת טובת ד', והודעת גודל ערך כבודו, היא צריכה להתגבר באופן נעלה כזה, עד שתכריע את כל הכחות האנושיות המתנגרות לה אליה. ואפילו המעולה שבכחות, רגש הלב הנוטה לשאיפת הצדק, גם הוא ראוי להיות עולה כליל על יסוד הכרת אמתת כבוד ד' וטובו, מפני שהכרת דעת ד' וכבודו היא עמוד יסודי לשכלול המעלה האנושית היותר רמה, שכדאי להרבות במחירה, ודבר נעלה מאד הוא שירשם באדם רגש חזק, שיותר ממה שיוכלו תכונותיו הטבעיות לשאת בציורם, ראויה שתהיה עומדת אצלו ערך הכרת כבור שם ד', המרומם על כל ברכה ותהלה. אמנם בהגיע תור האנושות לצעדים היותר רמים, בהרפא כליל המח? של הנפילה המוסרית, שגרמה את הצורך של שימת איבה בין הגזעים, כמקום שהיתה ראויה להתכונן דרך סלולה, של יחש אהבה ואחוה, בין האדם לכל החי אז מברכת הטבע, מיתרון המוסר וטוב ההנהגה, ויותר מכל, מעונג החכמה, משמחת הצרק והמישרים התמידית מאור רעת ד' והתענג על טובו, ימלא האדם אמץ וחיל, ער לאין צורך לשימוש אכילת בשר מצד העמרת חוזק כחות גופו. ותכונת המוסר תתרומם כ"כ עד כדי הערת הצד החיובי של משפט הבע"ח ביחשו של האדם אליהם, על העת ההיא שהיא ראש פסגת הגעת הקולתורה הטהורה, אמרו חז"ל דברם הגרול, שהוא גדול ומפליא "כל הקרבנות בטלין לע"ל" (תנחומא אמור יט) והכתוב אומר על קץ החזון "וערבה לד' מנחת יהודה וירושלים" מלאכי ג הבליט מנחה מן הצמחים, במקום הקרבנות, ורמוזה ג"כ בתורה "ונפש" גבי מנחה בניגוד הזבחים שכתוב בהם "אדם", להורות על סבת החסרון, כלומר "האדם" המסופר במעשי בראשית בירידתו ונפילתו, הצריך להקמה משפלותו המוסרית, ויחד צד צפון הפרוץ ומיוחס כמפורסם באומה ומקובל לצד הרעה וחסרון ההשלמה, לחשובי הקרבנות, להורות שחסרון ההשלמה הכללית הוא הוא מן המקום האמתי לתכלית הקרבנות כדי להשלים למען מלאת את החסר, והגביל "לרצונכם תזבחהו" ויקרא יט שיהיה אפשר וראוי לומר רוצה אני.




Therefore this is not a fitting standard for humanity in general as long as (humanity) remains in its (state of moral) baseness, except insofar as it does not overtax the capacity which it is possible for the force of human morality, in its weakened state, to sustain. There is no doubt that if the prohibition of the killing of animals was made known as a religious and moral pronouncement issuing from the untainted sensibility of divine justice, whose nature it is to radiate out to all creatures and to instill the recognition that the holiness of God's gifts suffses all living beings, and all humanity - (if this prohibition were in force) while at the same time the general moral condition were still impaired, and the spirit of impurity had not yet passed from the world,
there is no doubt that this circumstance would result in many impediments (to spiritual progress). When the animal-like craving to eat meat would become overpowering, it would then make no distinction made between the flesh of human beings and the flesh of animals, since in any case the (eating of the) life (nefesh) of the animal (as well as of the human being) is proscribed as a prohibition and a violation of law, and the killing and sacrificing of human beings in order to eat their flesh would become a widespread phenomenon. The eating of human flesh would become so natural that, once the wide gap between human beings and animals, in terms of the relative value of their lives, has been breached, there would no longer be any trace of (lit: "any way to find") the natural abhorrence (to this practice), which humanity in its improved state possesses at the present time.


12.
The age of pure morality and peace When humanity arrives at its goal of happiness and complete freedom, when it reaches that high peak of wholeness which is the pure knowledge of God and the sanctification of life fulfilled according to its nature, then the age of "the prompting of the intellect" will arrive, like a structure built on the foundation of "the prompting of the Torah," which is prior for the whole of humanity. Then human beings will recognize their relationship with all the animals, who are their companions in creation, and how they should properly be able, from the standpoint of pure morality, to combine the standard of mercy with the standard ofjustice37 in particular relation to (the animals), and they will no longer be in need of extenuating concessions, like the concessions (referred to in the Talmud by the phrase:) "The Torah speaks only of the evil inclination;"39 rather, they will walk the path of absolute good.40 "I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the creepi.ng things of the ground; I will also banish bow, sword, and war from the land.



32. The elevation of animal life in the future to come
And according to the worthiness of their heightened rank in the course of this development, resulting from the general spiritual elevation which influences the emotions and the senses with the effect of sharpening and clarifying them, here the true form will emerge, "And the cattle and the asses that till the soil shall partake of salted fodder that has been winnowed with shovel and fan.
For their sense of taste will develop in proportion to the uplifting of their souls, in a delicate manner that corresponds to the measure of (development of) the other aspects of their souls.
And in "a still, small voice" does the wisdom of Israel speak through the Kabbalah: "The level which animal life will attain in the future will be like the present standpoint of the speaker (i.e. humanity) because of the ascent of the worlds.

And this is the glory of the picture portrayed for us by the prophets regarding the enlightened condition of (even) the predatory animals:
The cow and the bear shall graze,
Their young shall lie down together;
And the lion, like the ox, shall eat straw.
A babe shall play over a viper's hole,
And an infant pass its hand over an adder's den.
In all of My sacred mount
None shall hurt or destroy
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God
As the waters cover the sea.






רמב"ם הלכות פרה אדומה פרק ג הלכה ד
ותשע פרות אדומות נעשו משנצטוו במצוה זו עד שחרב הבית בשנייה, ראשונה עשה משה רבינו, שנייה עשה עזרא, ושבע מעזרא עד חורבן הבית, והעשירית יעשה המלך המשיח מהרה יגלה אכי"ר.