The Eddie B. Sit Edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, Masechet Zevachim, has been dedicated by our good friend and student of the Shiur Daf Yomi, Binyomin Hacohen, also known as Benny C. He has dedicated this Masechet, which specifically discusses the avoda of the Kohanim in the Beit HaMikdash concerning the Korbanot. It is a command from the Almighty that we don't necessarily understand. One of the ultimate examples of this is the parah adumah, the red heifer, discussed in Parshat Chukat. The process of the parah adumah is completely paradoxical because while it purifies someone who is ritually impure, it makes the people involved in the process impure themselves. Even Shlomo HaMelech, who was the wisest of all men, remarked about the parah adumah, 'Amarti echkama vehia rechoka mimeni'—I thought I could understand it, but it remains far from me. This teaches us a very important lesson in our avodat Hashem, our service of God. While we should use our sechel, our intellect, to understand the mitzvot, we must remember that our foundation is emunah, faith. We do the will of HaKadosh Baruch Hu because He is our King and knows what's best for us, even when it is beyond our understanding.
As we gather together, we find strength in community, yet we also face the challenge of losing some individuality. This balance is illustrated through the concept of a minyan, a gathering of ten people. The Gemara tells us in Masechet Megillah, on daf chaf gimmel amud bais, that an individual does not recite kedushah. This requirement for ten people for a davar shebikdushah is derived from a pasuk: 'V'nikdashti betoch bnei Yisrael.' The term 'betoch' leads us to a gezeirah shavah to another pasuk regarding the eidah of Korach, which states, 'Hibadlu mitoch ha'eidah hazot.' Furthermore, there is another gezeirah shavah from the word eidah to the meraglim, where it states, 'Ad masai la'eidah hara'ah hazot.' Notably, there were ten people in that eidah, as the meraglim were twelve, and when Yehoshua and Kaleiv are excluded, we are left with ten. Thus, we see that an eidah is ten people, and from this, we understand that to have a davar shebikdushah, we need an eidah, which consists of ten people.
This is particularly intriguing because when the Torah defines what a community is, it references two of the most negative groups in Jewish history: the eidah of Korach, who led a massive rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu, and the meraglim, who spoke lashon hara about Eretz Yisrael. Why would the Torah derive the definition of a holy gathering, a davar shebikdushah, from such negative sources? In Parshat Vayeitzei, it describes Yaakov Avinu's dream of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending upon it. The commentators ask why it states that the angels were ascending first. Shouldn't they descend from heaven before ascending back? Rashi explains that there were different angels for Eretz Yisrael and for Chutz L'Aretz. The angels accompanying Yaakov in the holy land were now ascending to heaven because he was leaving, while the angels of the diaspora were descending to join him on his journey.
The Kedushat Levi, the Berditchever Rav, offers a beautiful lesson regarding avodat Hashem. A person's life is like a ladder; we are always meant to be oleh, to rise and grow in our ruchniyut, our spirituality. However, even when there is a yerida, a descent, it is only for the purpose of a greater aliyah, a greater ascent. As the saying goes, 'Yerida l'tzorech aliyah'—a descent for the sake of an ascent. Every challenge is an opportunity to climb even higher on that sulam, that ladder of life.
Now, let us examine the halachic implications surrounding the status of an onen. An onen is someone who has lost a close relative and has not yet buried them, and they are in a state of mourning. The Gemara discusses various rulings regarding the onen's ability to partake in holy matters, particularly in relation to korbanot. It is stated that an onen is prohibited from eating kodashim, but they are allowed to touch them. This distinction is significant and requires careful examination.
For instance, in Masechet Chagigah, the Mishnah states that an onen must immerse in a mikveh to touch kodashim. This raises a question: Is there a contradiction between the Mishnah in Chagigah and the earlier Mishnah, which permits the onen to touch kodashim without any requirements? The Gemara clarifies that the Mishnah in Chagigah refers to a case where the onen had a hesech hada'at, a distraction from their awareness of purity, which may have caused them to become tamei. In contrast, the earlier Mishnah discusses a situation where the onen maintained their focus and did not lose their awareness of purity.
It is essential to note that the onen is considered tahor, pure, in a halachic sense, and does not require immersion in a mikveh unless they have experienced a hesech hada'at. This distinction is crucial, as it emphasizes the importance of intention and awareness in maintaining one's spiritual status. The Gemara further explores these concepts, discussing the implications of hesech hada'at in various scenarios, including the touching of kodashim.
In conclusion, the discussions surrounding the status of the onen and their relationship to korbanot illustrate the complexity of halachic rulings and the significance of maintaining awareness in our spiritual lives. As we navigate the intricacies of these laws, we are reminded of the importance of community and the delicate balance between individuality and collective worship.