BS”D
Suka 56b -Siyum
M Cheshvan 2, 5784. October 17, 2023
1- Discussed the two opinions of the distribution of the 12 loaves of the לחם הפנים every Shabbos afternoon at the changing of the משמרות.
The חכמים say it was an even split. 6 for the outgoing משמר and 6 for the incoming משמר.
רבי יהודה says that is a 7 -5 split, with the incoming משמר receiving 7 and the outgoing one, only 5. The reason being that the incoming משמר ‘completed’ the work of the outgoing משמר by closing the doors Shabbos evening that were opened שבת morning by the outgoing משמר. This ‘extra’ work earned them another loaf.
The גמרא points out that the sum total is the same. If one receives 6 this week (upon incoming) and 6 next week (upon outgoing) – that equals 12.
Ditto for taking 7 this week (upon incoming) and only 5 next week (upon outgoing) it also equals 12.
So why does Reb Yehuda say the split was 5 to 7?
אמר אביי בוצינא טבא מקרא
Literally translated: People will choose receiving a tiny vegetable now, while still growing, despite it being small, over a promise of receiving a large fully grown vegetable in the future.
In our vernacular: One in the hand is better than 2 in the bush.
So, we show the incoming משמר, that their volunteering for the coming week is appreciated, by giving them 7 now. Not 6. Despite them knowing that next week, on the way out they will receive only 5.
2- We went on to finish BE”H the מסכתא that we began on December 5, 2019!
3- The tragic story of the girl that went astray, married a Greek goy and slammed the מזבח with her sandal.
לוקוס לוקוס עד מתי אתה מכלה ממונן של ישראל ואי אתה עומד עליהם בשעת הדחק
4- Spoke about the famous incredible Sicha of the Rebbe on Miryam bas Bilga. ו’ תשרי תשל”ה.
Video with Hebrew subtitles. Here. English here.
5- We discussed the equally incredible Sicha of the Rebbe two weeks later on שמחת תורה.
The Rebbe quite clearly said that his finding (on ו’ תשרי) some merit in what this unfortunate girl did, was to be מעלה her נשמה that has been unable to find its place for thousands of years!
He prefaced it with a story of the Alter Rebbe who similarly found a זכות for the killers of זכריה הנביא. By doing this he elevated their נשמות and subsequently the דיבוק of these people left the person they ‘infested’.
And The Rebbe concluded:
6- Spoke about the continuation of the Sicha explaining the Rambam in his letter (אגרת השמד ואגרת תימן) that ירבעם בן נבט who is the symbol of the epitome of evil, will be judged (in addition to all his monster עבירות) for also not performing the Mitzvah of עירוב תבשילין!
The Rebbe emphasized the flip side of the above, that even a small מצוה, performed by a ‘lowlife’ who has done דבר שפל ביותר, offers the opportunity for him to connect himself with הקב”ה.
Here are the incredible words:
6- We BE”H began מסכתא שקלים from the ירושלמי.
מחצית השקל
A מצוות עשה and yet, most opinions say that there is no ברכה said on it.
We discussed briefly the תשובת הרשב”א that offers an explanation. (18)
The Rashba lays down many rules as when to make a ברכה or not.
Here are 2 rules:
1- A מצווה that may not be completed after the ברכה. Such as צדקה and other מתנות עניים.
One makes a ברכה, the receiver refuse it, and the ברכה is לבטלה!
So prior to giving צדקה a ברכה is not made.
2- תרומה or מעשר and מחצית השקל. Why do we not make a ברכה? ‘Because you are not giving anything that belongs to you’!!
It belongs to the Kohen or the Beis Hamikdash to begin with.
We had a lively discussion as to why money of צדקה is, as it seems from the רשב”א, more ‘yours’ than מחצית השקל or תרומה.
To be continued.
