The parsha tells us that Aharon tried to stop the plague that came upon Bnei Yisrael as a punishment by offering ketores. Rashi comments 17:13
יעמוד בין המתים וגו׳ – אחז את המלאך והעמידו על כרחו. אמר לו: הנח לי לעשות שליחותי. אמר לו: משה צוני לעכב על ידך. אמר לו: אני שלוחו של מקום, ואתה שלוחו של משה. אמר לו: אין משה אומר כלום מלבו אלא מפי הגבורה, ואם אין אתה מאמין, הרי הקב״ה ומשה אלא פתח אהל מועד, בא עמי ושאל, וזהו שנאמר: וישב אהרן אל משה וגומ׳
The malach ha'maves did not want to stop, claiming that he was doing G-d's shlichus and Aharon was only doing Moshe's shlichus. Aharon had to show the malach that Moshe did not initiate this tactic of offering ketores of his own accord -- everything that Moshe said came from Hashem.
R' Shteinman asks: Rashi two pesukim earlier tells us that at mattan Torah the malach ha'maves revealed to Moshe the secret that ketores stops a plague. So why now was the malach putting up an argument? Why was the malach not responsive to the segulah of ketores?
We learn from here an important yesod: a segulah is not a magic trick. The ONLY way to stop the midas ha'din is by a kiyum mitzvah, by doing the ratzon Hashem.
The malach said to Aharon that true, ketores has the power to stop a plague, but in this context its being offered is not a kiyum of ratzon Hashem. To the contrary, he, the malach, is carrying out Hashem's command and Aharon was just doing Moshe's shlichus. Aharon had to prove to the malach that his offering was in fact a mitzvah as well, that it was a fulfillment of ratzon Hashem, and then it worked to stop the plague.
Don't put your trust in magic tricks! Don't think that by mumbling through saying the parsha of ketores, even if you do it from a klaf, then you will be immune from illness or magically cured. The best segulos are Torah, tefilah, mitzvos, teshuvah.
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Interesting that he nems ohn that a malach is not a baal bechirah at all.
ReplyDeleteSaying the parsha of ketores is, I think, a mitzva, in that it is a korban like all korbanos. And the klaf business, odd as it may seem to us, is of ancient provenance.... besides Reb Akiva Eiger's advice to say the parsha of ketores in the time of a plague (Igros Sofrim, Siman 29). Can't hoit.
But the issue of whether the parsha of ketores is like other korbanos is talui in the discussion in 554 from the Ramban about what is called seder hayom that would be muttar for an aveil or on Tisha ba'av, in 559. Funny thing is that the reason we say the ketores after davening is as a shemira from mazikim, I guess that's why we talk about the pitum, which, although the Chinuch says is a mitzva on its own, is obviously not an avodah.
>>>Saying the parsha of ketores is, I think, a mitzva, in that it is a korban like all korbanos
DeleteWhat mitzvah is it?
Let me ask it this way: if you have a limited amount of time, and have already read the parshas ha'tamid, would you be better off learning a piece of gemara or reciting the parsha of ketores?
What do you mean? I am talking about זאת התורה לעולה etc, the Gemara in Men 110, the mechaber in 1, of course there's a toeles in saying the parsha of a korban. Whatever toeles there is in a korban, the same applies to saying the parsha.
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DeletePhew. The world can continue to spin.
DeleteI think your point is buried in the closing snippet, "Don't think that by mumbling through saying the parsha of ketores, even if you do it from a klaf, then you will be immune from illness or magically cured. The best segulos are Torah, tefilah, mitzvos, teshuvah."
ReplyDeleteWithout explicating what tefillah is, so that it doesn't include mumbling through a text that was put in the siddur as some kind of theurgic magic, I think your point remains buried.
I am not asking you to explain it to me because I am confused... I think I can come up with differences. Tefillah vs. lechishah is much discussed. Or, for that matter, between (1) being a good Jew, (2) being like avadim hamshamsim es hara al menas leqabel peras, and (3) being like umos ha'aku"m who only do chessed ... ela lehisgadel ba.
I just think that in general, including an explication would add a lot to the post.
"Moshe did not initiate this tactic...everything that Moshe said came from Hashem"
ReplyDeleteis it always so clear? Rabban Gamliel says if you do His will then He does yours, etc., Avos 2:4...
-- "magically cured"
on the one hand, is there really any substitute* for the physical, cultic actualization of Temple (mishkan) service? aren't any 'equivalents' but "a loop of logs burning in a fireplace" [DC, May 11, "1)"]?
on the other hand, Hashem wants the heart (San. 106b), so who knows when He works a little of His magic, even in response to superstitious behavior**?
*be it regular recital or repeated study
**of course there are those who would include the entire Torah in this category [of superstition]; still, couldn't G-d the creator be so impressed by the elaborate, painstaking system of the Jews, and by their enduring devotion through it, that He gives it a Thumbs Up [as if it were His own]? the 'Adopt an Am' response...
-- Bottom Line: "reciting the parsha of ketores" is a questionable exercise, "Dennis Prager", "a must read"...