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Home -> 5778 -> Acharei Mos

ולקח מלא המחתה גחלי אש מעל המזבח מלפני ד' ומלא חפניו קטרת סמים דקה והביא מבית לפרכת

Moshe Marcovich
In Acharei Mos, 5778

He shall take a shovelful of fiery coals from atop the Altar that is before Hashem, and his cupped handful of fiery ground incense-spices, and bring it within the Curtain. (16:12)

The Kohen Gadol entered the Kodesh Hakodshim, Holy of Holies, four times on Yom Kippur. The first time was to burn incense. This was followed by sprinkling the blood of the bull between the Badim, Poles, of the Aron Kodesh. The third time, he entered with the blood of the sa’ir, he-goat, that was slaughtered l’Hashem. This blood was also sprinkled. Each time the Kohen Gadol entered the Kodesh Hakodshim, he immersed himself in the mikveh. He also changed the vestments, since the Kohen Gadol was not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies while wearing gold vestments. He performed…

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Home -> 5778 -> Acharei Mos

ושמרתם את חקתי ואת משפטי אשר יעשה אתם האדם וחי בהם

Moshe Marcovich
In Acharei Mos, 5778

You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out and by which he shall live. (18:5)

The Talmud (Yoma 85B) expounds on the words, v’chai bahem, “and live by them,” that pikuach nefesh, saving a life, takes precedence over all mitzvos, except for the three cardinal sins: murder; idolworship; adultery (and shmad, when gentiles force a Jew to choose between Hashem and his own life). Under such circumstances, one forfeits his life. Rashi interprets v’chai bahem to mean that, as a result of one’s adherence to mitzvos, he will achieve eternal life in Olam Habba, the World to Come. Horav Hillel Vitkind, zl, explains v’chai bahem homiletically as applying a mussar, character refinement, approach. A person…

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Home -> 5777 -> Acharei Mos

אחרי מות שני בני אהרן בקרבתם לפני ד' וימותו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5777

After the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they approached before Hashem, and they died. (16:1)

The Midrash (quoted by the Chida in Nachal Kedumim) relates that when Iyov heard of the incident concerning the tragic passing of Nadav and Avihu, he said, Af l’zos yecherad libi, “Even for this my heart trembles.” The Midrash Rabba (Vayikra 20) elaborates concerning Iyov’s trembling: (Iyov said to himself) “Titus the wicked had the audacity to enter the Kodesh HaKedoshim, Holy of Holies (a place where only the Kohen Gadol entered on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur), brandishing a sword. He pierced the Paroches, Curtain, and his sword emerged blood-soaked. Yet, he went in peacefully (unharmed)…

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Home -> 5777 -> Acharei Mos

אשר יעשה אתם האדם וחי בהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5777

Which man shall carry out and by which he shall live. (18:5)

V’chai bahem – “By which he shall live (by them)” is an enjoinment to us that mitzvos, commandments, are not to come in contradistinction to life. Thus, if performing a mitzvah endangers one’s well-being, his life supersedes the mitzvah, except for the three cardinal sins of idolatry, murder and forbidden relationships. Furthermore, if violating a mitzvah is under such circumstances which would bring about a chillul, desecration, of Hashem’s Name, his life takes second place to the mitzvah. The Chiddushei HaRim views the words, v’chai bahem, as setting the standard for mitzvah performance. We are exhorted to perform mitzvos in…

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Home -> 5776 -> Acharei Mos

ואל יבא בכל עת אל הקדש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5776

He shall not come at all times into the sanctuary. (16:2)

The parsha begins by reiterating the tragic deaths of Aharon HaKohen’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu; then it continues with its explanation of the Yom Kippur service. Yom Kippur was the only day of the year that the Kohen Gadol was permitted to enter the Kodesh HaKodoshim, Holy of Holies. Chazal point out that two instances of misas tzaddikim, deaths of the righteous, are juxtaposed on issues that deal with kapparah, atonement: Parah Adumah and Yom Kippur. The death of Miriam HaNeviyah is juxtaposed upon the laws of Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer; and the laws of Yom Kippur are…

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Home -> 5776 -> Acharei Mos

ואל יבא בכל עת אל הקדש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5776

He shall not enter at all times into the sanctuary. (16:2)

The only time that the Kohen Gadol was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies was on Yom Kippur – the holiest day of the year – the day set aside for spiritual atonement. Our parsha begins with the mention of the deaths of the two righteous sons of Aharon HaKohen and follows with the laws concerning the Yom Kippur service in the Temple. Chazal derive from this juxtaposition that the deaths of the righteous have an atoning effect similar to that of Yom Kippur. Likewise, we find a similar statement made by Chazal, noting that the mention of the…

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Home -> 5776 -> Acharei Mos

כי בענן אראה על הכפרת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5776

For in a Cloud I will appear upon the Ark-cover. (16:2)

The Aron HaKodesh was situated within the confines of the Kodesh HaKodoshim, Holy of Holies, a place where only the Kohen Gadol could enter on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. Otherwise, it was off limits, even to the Kohen Gadol. Ki be’anan eiraeh, “For in a cloud will I appear”: Simply, this means that no one may enter the inner sanctuary because Hashem’s Glory is manifested in the Cloud of Glory that hovers over the Ark. Entering such a place should inspire one with extraordinary fear and awe, for he stands in the Presence of the Divine….

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Home -> 5776 -> Acharei Mos

וסמך אהרן את שתי ידו על ראש השעיר החי והתודה עליו... ושלח ביד איש עתי המדברה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5776

Aharon shall lean his two hands upon the head of the living he-goat, and confess upon it… and send it with a designated man to the desert. (16:21)

The ish iti, designated man, who accompanied the seh l’azazel, he-goat, to the desert did not go alone. In fact, Chazal teach (Yoma 66b) Mi’yakirei Yerushalayim hayu melavin oso ad succah ha’rishonah, “Some of the eminent men of Yerushalayim would accompany him to the first booth”. There were altogether ten booths from Yerushalayim to the cliff where the seh l’azazel met its death. The first booth was two thousand amos, cubits, from the city, which is the techum Shabbos, the distance one may walk on Shabbos beyond the city limits. Horav Mordechai Leib Saks, zl, makes a noteworthy observation. Let…

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Home -> 5776 -> Acharei Mos

דם יחשב לאיש ההוא דם שפך ונכרת האיש ההוא מקרב עמו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5776

It shall be considered as bloodshed for that man, he has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from the midst of his people. (17:4)

After Noach saved the animals during the Flood, Hashem permitted man to partake of animals for food. If a man slaughters a consecrated animal outside of the Bais Hamikdash, the process is referred to as shchutei chutz, slaughtering “outside”. This act of slaughtering reverts to pre-Noach days and is deemed tantamount to committing bloodshed. There is no death penalty, because the individual did not take a human life; on a cosmic level, however, he did spill blood – which is an offense punishable by Heaven. Horav Ezra Barzal, zl, quotes Rashi who compares this spilling of blood to human killing….

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Home -> 5775 -> Acharei Mos

שלח ביד איש עתי המדברה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Acharei Mos, 5775

And sent it with a designated man to the wilderness. (16:22)

The man who was appointed by the bais din to lead the he-goat to the wilderness was appointed the day before Yom Kippur. Chazal (Talmud Yoma 663) teach that he was accompanied on this journey by the yakirei Yerushalayim, dear ones, distinguished members of Yerushalayim’s elite, who would drop what they were doing – just to accompany the ish iti on this unique journey. Imagine what these men were relinquishing. They could have remained in the Azarah and been spectators, observing the Kohen Gadol perform the Yom Kippur service. This inspirational experience would have impacted their lives forever. Yet, they…

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