The Shabbos Table – Tazria: R’ Y. Sacks Shlita: The Toras HaAdam

This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my mother Chaya Rochel Bas Dovid Tzvi A”H, my sister Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my paternal grandmother Channah Freidel Bas Avraham A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein,

It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:

-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel

-My grandmother Shulamis Bas Etta

-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL

-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili

_R’ Simcha Yitzchak Ben Mirela Yudka

-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis

-Yonatan Menachem Mendel Ben Orly, Eli Aharon Michel Ben Chaya

-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of HaRav HaGa’on V’Sar HaTorah Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Ben HaRav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky A”H, Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam) and other tragedies.

-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael during this dire time, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.

-The wounded should experience Refuah Shileimah, the captives should be returned safely, the fallen should experience Kevurah and Aliyah for their Neshamos and Nekamah for their Dam, their Krovim should experience Nechamah, the Chayalim should be Matzliach and Minatzei’ach, and Am Yisrael should experience Geulah.

 

 

בס”ד

 

 

 

Be”H, I will be translating / transcribing / paraphrasing Divrei Torah of my Rebbi, HaGaon R’ Yonason Avner Sacks Shlita. (Any inaccuracies, whether added, misrepresented, or due to omission and/or points lost in translation or context should be attributed to me alone. * = My addition.)

 

 

 

Tazria

 

“The Toras HaAdam”

 

 

Based on:

Sefiras HaOmer and Parshas Tazria

https://www.landertorah.com/shiur/5614/sefiras-haomer-and-parshas-tazria

“Kal HaNivra’im Nasnu Mashehu MeiAtzmam L’Adam B’Eis Briaso” (Chayei Adam B’Midos HaTorah, Page 232)

(“Everything that was created gave a bit from themselves to mankind at the time of his creation”)

 

 

R’ Simlai’s Observation

 

Rashi (Vayikra 12:2) in the beginning of the Parsha quotes a fascinating comment from the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 14:1), in the name of R’ Simlai, that when you look at the sequence between Sh’mini and Tazria, the Torah discusses of Tumah and Taharah of all types of creatures, Beheimos, Ofos, Sheratzim, and then it speaks of the Tumah of Taharah of Adam.

R’ Simlai comments that just as man was created after everything else, so “Toraso Nisparsha”-“his Torah (teaching) is explained,” the Toras HaAdam is elaborated on after that of the other creatures.

 

Creation, Laws of Tumah & Taharah, & the Toras HaAdam

 

What exactly is the basis for this sequence altogether? What is the Tzad HaShaveh (association) between Creation and the laws of Tumah and Taharah? And what does Rashi mean when he refers to “Toraso,” the Toras HaAdam? It sounds like this detail of Tumah and Taharah is a reflection of something greater; the “Toras HaAdam,” in other words the fundamental teaching, the status, the stature, and grandeur.

 

Why was Man Created Last? – Nefesh HaChaim

 

Why was it that in Brias Shamayim VaAretz, man was created last? One might simply suggest that “Ma’alin BaKodesh,” that we ascend in Kedushah, that man is the climax and apex of Creation.

However, in Avos D’Rebbi Nosson (31), R’ Chaim MiVolozhin writes (Nefesh HaChaim 1:6) that everything HaKadosh Baruch Hu created in the world, He created in man. Man is a microcosm of the universe. HaKadosh Baruch Hu created everything, and man is a composite of everything that He created.

 

Beast vs. Man: The Fundamental Difference – Sforno

 

Every creature has its own trait and tendencies. Some animals are meek, certain animals that are aggressive, others that are more compassionate, and yet animals that are callous.

What about Adam? He has Bechirah. The Sforno writes that that is the Tzelem Elokim. Is a person meek or aggressive, compassionate or callous? The answer is: He has Bechirah. He chooses. HaKadosh Baruch Hu created models in the Briah. (*There may be naturalistic tendencies.) But, for man, it is not one or the other. Whether a person will be like those models or not is a function of his choice.

 

The Missing “Ki Tov” of Brias HaAdam – Meshech Chochmah 

 

The Meshech Chochmah points out that the Torah does not say “Ki Tov” (“that it was good” / “that is was a complete specimen”) when it comes to the creation of man. That is because the “Ki Tov” of Brias HaAdam is a function of how he exercises his potential. You will determine whether it is “Ki Tov” or not. Every other Briah lacks that determination.

 

“Na’aseh Adam”-“We Will Make Man” – Vilna Ga’on

 

That is why, the Vilna Ga’on says, Brias HaAdam is described as “Na’aseh Adam”-“We will make man” (Bereishis 1:26), that Brias HaAdam is a Shutfus (partnership) (*perhaps between HaKadosh Baruch Hu and the rest of Creation, and perhaps man himself). It was not that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created, but He implanted, imbedded, etc. But how it is manifested is a function of Bechirah.

 

A Choice of Tumah & Taharah

 

The same is true of Tumah and Taharah. If I were to ask you of an animal, “Is it a Min Tahor (of a pure species)? A Min Tamei (of an impure species)?” The answer will be a fact. Some are Tahor, some are Tamei. But, the status is unchanging.

What about Adam? Is he a Min Tahor or a Min Tamei? The answer is: It depends. An Adam can become Tahor. He can become Tamei. An Adam who was Tamei can re-emerge Tahor. It is a function of how he conducts himself. And almost ironically, because a person is capable of Taharah, when a person becomes Tamei, it is the most intense Tumah (*worse than any animal). The model and Avi Avos HaTumah is of Adam (e.g. Mishkav, Moshav, Ohel, etc.). This is precisely because the opportunity was missed to attain Taharah. The Tumah is the most significant.

 

This is “Toraso,” the Toras HaAdam. Adam is a composite of every model that came before. He has within him the potential to live up to each model, those things which are Tamei and those which are Tahor. He has the potential for both Taharah and the most severe degrees of Tumah.

 

 

*We should be Zocheh to choose Taharah and Hashem should assist us in the process of purification and the entitlement to Geulah with the coming of Moshiach, Bimheirah BiYomeinu! Have a wonderful Shabbos!