For donations Click Here

Rabbi Reisman – Parshas B’reishis 5769

 

This week we learn about Maasei B’reishis. We learn in the Posuk (1:5), Vayahi Erev Vayahi Boiker Yom Echad. That there was day and night even before the sun was created (the sun was created on the 4th day.) So does day and night depend on the sun or doesn’t it depend on the sun? Is the fact that the sun rises make it day (a Sibah), or no, there is a rotation of day and night that Hakodosh Boruch Hu set into the Briyah, and the suns synchronization to day and night is a Siman to that fact?

 

It would look like from Vayahi Erev Vayahi Boiker Yom Echad, that the sun is a siman l’dovor. If we allow such a chiddush, then what R’ Elchonon says in the beginning of Maseches Pesochim in Koivetz Shiurim, which is similar to this, would leave us with a Kasha. In the beginning of Parshas Vayeitzei, we learn Ki Bo Hashemesh, that the sun set 2 hours early. Rashi says, that took place in order that Yaakov should sleep there. It is very shver. We are off by 2 hours. If the sun is synchronized to day and night, then Bishlomo that you learn that the sun is a Sibah, so then if the sun goes down 2 hours earlier, then it is night. However, if you learn that day and night are in the Briyah, and the sun is only a Siman L’dovor, so when Hashem made the sun go down early, Takeh Yaakov thought it was night, but we know it was 2 hours early.

 

This Kasha is not a Kasha, it is a Rayah L’dovor. In B’reishis Rabbah, the Medrash says, the 2 hours that the sun went down early in Parshas Vayeitzei, when were those 2 hours paid back? When Yaakov Avinu was limping from the Makah that the Sar Shel Eisav gave him, the sun stayed up 2 hours longer, which equalized for the hours it went down early. What is P’shat in the Medrash, why should there be a reason to GIVE back 2 hours? If a miracle happens, it has to be paid back?

 

According to what we are saying, it is Geshmak. Really, the sun is only synchronized to day and night; it is not mamash day and night, so that is why the medrash could ask when were those 2 hours given back.

 

In Yehoshua (Perek Yud, Posuk Yud Bais) it says, he also held the sun up, Shemesh B’givon Doim, and you may ask the same question, Ai it is not synchronized? Rashi in Yehoshua says, Shemesh B’givon Doim, was a full 24 hours delay, so everything is still synchronized.

 

There is a strange din. You are allowed to daven Maariv an hour and a Quarter before nightfall. This makes no sense as Maariv is a tefillah for Laylah, so why would we have this exception? Maybe the Pshat is where do we learn about Tefillas Arvis?

 

From the incident of Yaakov Avinu at Har Hamoriah. The sun went down 2 hours early, he thought it was night, however, it really wasn’t night. How early did Yaakov Avinu daven? It is possible that the original Tefillas Arvis was davened during the hour and a quarter before nightfall, which is commonly referred to as Plag Hamincha. Maybe this is the reason that for generations we can daven maariv earlier as well.

 

1:11 In the Meshech Chochmah it says, there is a Man D’omar that the Eitz Hadaas was an Esrog tree. That fits very Geshmak with what the Gemarah says that the siman of the Esrog is, Eitz Shetam Piryoi V’Eitzoi Shavah that the Tam of the tree is like the Tam of the Esrog. This is important, because at the beginning of the Parshah it says Hakodesh Boruch Hu commanded that the trees should have the taste of the fruit. The trees understood, Eitz Oiseh Pri not Eitz Pri, so they were meshaneh from what Hashem said. It would make sense that from all the trees, the Eitz “Hadaas” would listen to what Hashem commanded. So it is Geshmak that Esrog is a fruit in which the tree tastes like the fruit.

 

The Bais Haleivi once went over to someone who was dancing very leibidig on Simchas Torah, and asked him, I know you, you don’t have any sedorim. So why are you dancing so leibidig? He answered, I was thinking of that. Yom Kippur just passed, I clapped Al Cheit for many different Aveiros, I didn’t do all those aveiros. For example, I am not a judge, so I never took a bribe. So obviously, we are clapping Al Cheit for all of Klal Yisroel. So if I can Clapp for Klal Yisroel, then I can dance for Klal Yisroel as well. B’emes, the whole hemshech of Yomim Noraim to Sukkos, Shmini Atzeres, and Simchas Torah, is a felling of togetherness of Klal Yisroel, an achdus.

 

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *