The Forgotten Spiritual Center of Israel - Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz

Yesterday we were talking about the map of average Israel and it's important to at least have a general visual representation of that map. Again, let me remind you once again of the fundamental between Ramban and Rashi. According to the Ramban all of the tribes had the same Well, again, it's hard to describe it same amount of land but that doesn't mean area necessarily. It means same value [snorts] of land. So every was given a portion of land that would be approximately the same value. That means some may have had more land some less land but it all equaled out. That's the Ramban's opinion. But it's interesting I saw the Ramban in says an interesting rule that that did not people I think maybe mistake the Ramban. The Ramban uses the lotion that was divided into 12 equal sections for each tribe. But the truth is that has to be a little bit of an inaccurate paraphrase because the Ramban says in Baruch Hashem that this did not apply to meaning Reuben and God and half of Manasseh they got the East Bank of the Jordan. They got everything that wasn't necessarily correlated with 1/12 of or the like. So apparently when the Ramban says all the got equal him he is excluding how that worked the God be the Jordan. Now if that's the case, I'm not exactly sure what that means for Manasseh which was divided between East and West because you're telling me Manasseh got a big portion of the Golan east of the Jordan. So when you have the residual half of Manasseh do they get 1/12 or or do you kind of deduct it they're only half a tribe so they only get half as much meaning how do you factor in the half of Manasseh to the west with the fact that the other half got land east of the Jordan. I I don't know there's the truth is the more I delve into this the more questions I have just in terms of understanding basic but be it as it may putting aside the problem of Jordan and Manasseh the sheet that the Ramban is all of the got equal him. And the one thing that does mean is therefore Shavet Yosef got more lands or at least more value than any other tribe because they counted as two. They counted as two tribes. Rashi learns differently. Rashi learns that the of Israel depended on the size of the tribe a larger tribe got more land a smaller tribe got less land and even though the book of Joshua clearly says that land was apportioned based on a lottery system and how how can a lottery make sense unless you had fixed borders meaning I divide the land into equal him so I have a lottery because big tribes get the same as small tribes so the lottery determines who gets what. But if I say big tribes had more land and small tribes had less land how could you use a lottery? Because you divide into different boundaries I mean what happens if a small tribe gets a big portion. So I told you the graph that the graph says that the lottery at the time of the lottery the exact boundaries were not drawn up meaning was divided into regions northeast northwest southeast southwest central etc. and the determines the general place in Israel that the would occupy and after the assigned them that portion the borders were then adjusted to fit a large population or small population meaning the was not a precise meaning it's a little misleading because the Navi describes the process that there was a and got land with the following boundaries. So according to the Ramban that was already in the room when they decided who gets this land right one basket or the 12 tribes the other basket are the boundaries the boundaries are equal so any tribe could get any of them. But if you learn like Rashi the did not contain one basket contained the tribes the other basket did not contain exact boundary areas because the exact boundary areas are larger for large tribes and smaller for small tribes so what was in the other basket was not exact boundary sections but simply the general sections of Israel and only afterwards did they then survey it to expand it or contract it. So this is a big big important because between Rashi and the Ramban. Now most maps including the map will show the tribes had different size him either that's going not like the Ramban mean like Ramban it would be an equal division or based on values some had larger more area some had less area but in this they were treated as the same. Yeah. Yeah well that that is a possibility but but in a sense that that would almost make the lottery you know not make sense a lot because you you've already drawn up a big portion and if you know ahead of time if you know ahead of time which tribe is going to get that because you determine the size of the portion based on the tribe then in a sense you already have your answer. And then you're telling me that big sections were devised for big tribes. So that means you already know that this is going to go to this So so you can't even though will make everything work out well but you can't act as if you already know the answer before before you do the room. Right you have to enter the room in a state of ignorance. That's what the is it's then a prophetic revelation of him what is supposed to be but you can't assume the answer before you before you know the answer right? I mean how can you how can you draw up a tribal boundary in exact contours if you don't know which tribe is going to get it? And then say well will fix it up. I mean again the very drawing up of the boundaries presupposes you know how big the tribe is. You're drawing up a boundary according to Rashi based on the size of a tribe. That means you're making an assumption ahead of time that this tribe is going to get it and you're saying but the is going to you know I'm but you can't you can't you can't guess in advance meaning until the you don't know what is up. So how do you know is going to be to anything you do? You see? So that's why the graph says that according to Rashi the was only general area it was not the precise boundaries that was determined after the after the room. Now we did talk about the complaint of Joseph and we went over that I don't want to repeat all of that but I I do want to say that I mean again I'll give you another thing that I have trouble understanding and I haven't found the fortune address it that much. The after the 7 years of conquest the Mishkan is still in Gilgal. Remember Gilgal was the very first stop of the Jewish people when they crossed the Jordan. That's where they had circumcision because for the 40 years of the desert the kids were born were not circumcised. That is where they brought the Pesach Gilgal and why is it called Gilgal so actually we're told because Gilgal is to roll away that says now that you're doing a bris I'm rolling away the the shame the humiliation of the Egyptian culture that did not circumcise I am removing from you the of him. So the Mishkan was in Gilgal and Gilgal was the camp from which all of the wars >> [snorts] >> were waged. So the Mishkan was in Gilgal for the 7 years of conquest and for the initial division of Israel. And from Gilgal got its like Simeon including Simeon I'm sorry not not including Simeon. Judah got its like and Ephraim and Manasseh got their like that's the Manasseh west of the Jordan Jordan in addition to what Manasseh had already gotten east of the Jordan. But the wasn't finished. And then the Mishkan got relocated to Shiloh and then the rest of the lotteries >> [snorts] >> were finished. Now, the possuk gives us no indication whatsoever why that happened at a particular point. Meaning, Yehuda, Ephraim and Manasseh got their chalakim while the Mishkan was in Gilgal. Then the Mishkan moved to Shiloh and the goral was then completed. All the other tribes, including Shimon. By the way, how Shimon coordinates with the lotteries is absolutely a mystery to me because Shimon doesn't have a chelek. Shimon only has cities in Yehuda. So, what are you saying? A boundary was drawn up with cities in Yehuda that then went into a goral that could go to any tribe? How does that work? Meaning like even like the Ramban, how does that work? I mean, what could could Yissachar have gotten cities in the middle of Yehuda? I don't know. I can't I tell you I'm I'm I'm I'm honestly stuck with a lot of these protin. But putting that aside for a moment, >> [snorts] >> there was a major movement after the land was assigned to Yehuda, not yet to Shimon, to Ephraim, to Manasseh, west of the Yarden. And remember, by the way, you'll notice, strangely enough, there's a break, right? If you remember the map we discussed yesterday, there's Yehuda with Shimon. North of Yehuda is Binyamin. North of Binyamin is Ephraim. North of Ephraim is Manasseh. So, here's the strange thing. If the initial goral allocated the chelek of Yehuda, Ephraim, Manasseh, that means if you'd be looking at a map of Eretz Yisrael at that point in time, there would be this unassigned land between Yehuda and Ephraim, which later became the chelek of Binyamin. It's a little odd. Meaning to say, you have Yehuda assigned right away, then Ephraim and Manasseh. It's as almost as if Yehuda and Yosef get the first chalakim. And then only later Binyamin gets assigned after the move to Shiloh. So, one thing that's not clear, there's no indication of a divine command here. Why was the Mishkan moved from Gilgal to [clears throat] Shiloh? And why did that happen in the middle in the middle of a division of the land? Meaning Yehuda and Ephraim and Manasseh got their lands when the Mishkan is in Gilgal and that's where the goral was. And the other tribes got their lands after the Mishkan moved to Shiloh. I don't know. So, I don't know why there was a command to move the Mishkan to Shiloh and why it interrupted the chalukah. Why didn't all of the chalukah take place in the same place? But be this as it may, halachically, it's very very important to know the significance of the move from Gilgal to Shiloh. So, in the Mishkan was in Gilgal for 14 years. The Mishkan was in Shiloh for 369 years, the whole period of the of the judges all the way until the time of Shmuel. Okay? So, Shiloh was really a place where the Mishkan was located for hundreds and hundreds of years. And the Mishkan Zevachim tells us there's a very big halachic nafka mina between the Mishkan in Gilgal and the Mishkan in Shiloh. And that is the issur of bamos. >> [snorts] >> The Torah tells us there's an issur d'oraisa normally to bring a korban to Hakadosh Baruchu, to Hakadosh Baruchu, outside of the area that he designates as the holy place. So, when you have a Beit Hamikdash, for example, but these are called bamos. Bamos are private altars. Bamos are normally assur. And if one either shecht say korban outside of the Beit Hamikdash, that's called shechutei chutz, or one sacrifices a korban outside of the Beit Hamikdash, that's called hala'ah b'chutz. That is a chiyuv kares. The person is chayav kares. And if a person did it b'shogeg because they didn't know that halacha, they actually would bring a korban chatas. Like every aveira which b'meizid is kares, b'shogeg you bring a korban chatas. So, this is called the issur of bamos, the issur of private altars. And again, let me emphasize, this is not referring to sacrificing to idols. That's that's that of course is a separate aveira called avodah zarah. This is referring to sacrificing to Hashem. Bamos. And yet the Mishkan Zevachim states there are various times in Jewish history where bamos are halachically permitted. People could bring korbanos in their backyard. And the Mishnah says that the 14 years that the Mishkan was in Gilgal, bamos were actually permitted. If I wanted to bring an olah, I didn't have to go. Even though the cherk wasn't very far, everybody's in the same place. It's not like there was a long travel, but I didn't have to go to the Mishkan. Now, einach nami, even when bamos are permitted, obligatory offerings, like the korban tamid, the korban musaf, they have to be brought in the central sanctuary. Right? So, nobody is matering bringing the korban tamid in your backyard. So, the communal offerings had to be brought in the Mishkan in Gilgal. And even a korban yachid that was a chiyuv, like a korban chatas, you had to bring in the Mishkan. But what you were allowed to bring in the bamos were nedarim or nedavos. A neder. A person said, "Harei olai l'haviy olah, I want to bring an olah." That's a neder. I could bring it in my backyard. Right? Then you have there there are two different types of vows for korbanos. There is what's called a neder vow and there is what is called a nedavah vow vow. What's the difference? It's just a matter of how you say it. If I say, "Harei olai l'haviy olah, it is incumbent upon me to bring a korban olah." That's a neder. If I say, "Harei zu olah, I'm making this animal an olah." That's called a nedavah. What is the nafka mina between neder and nedavah nedavah? Very simple. Are you chayav in achrayus? If the animal you designate dies, do you have to bring another replacement? If you said, "Harei olai l'haviy olah, it's incumbent upon me to bring an olah." So, if the animal I designate dies, I got to bring another one because I didn't bring my olah yet. If on the other hand I didn't say, "Harei zu olah, l'haviy olah." I just said, "This is an olah." So, if this dies, I'm patur. Whatever it is. So, for 14 years you could bring your nedarim or nedavos in a bamah. And the only thing you had to go to the Mishkan for were the korbanos tzibbur, like the korban tamid, musaf, menorah, ketores, that was done there, as well as korbanos of a yachid that are a chovah, like a korban chatas. But that only happened for the 14 years of Gilgal. As soon as the Mishkan was relocated to Shiloh, that became much more of a designated permanent sanctuary. I mean, 369 years. The bamos become prohibited. [snorts] You're not allowed to bring any korban outside of Shiloh. Now, it then goes on and says that when Shiloh was destroyed, there were 52 years between the korban of Shiloh and the building of the Mikdash by That was David Hamelech's reign and the like. So, for 52 years the Mishkan was located in Nov and then Givon. And bamos were permitted for those 52 years. Then you have the Beit Hamikdash, the bamos become assur and we actually pasken the bamos are assur even today, even today. Once there's a Beit Hamikdash, the bamos are not going to be mutar. Interestingly enough, let me just mention an an interesting issue. You know, non-Jews are allowed to bring korbanos to God. They can even bring it in the base of mikdash. Kohanim, you know, bring it on their behalf. But non-Jews don't have an issue of bamos. Only Jews have an issue of bamos. So what that actually means halachically, a non-Jew today would be permitted to bring an animal sacrifice to God in their backyard. If a Jew were to bring an animal sacrifice to God in their backyard, they would be aver on the issue of the orisa of shchutei chutz and halacha. These are two different lavin, by the way. So if you transgress both of them, you'd be chayev two chatos, not just one. So I believe that there was some rabbi that was actually encouraging this. They said, you know, if you want to be a righteous Noachide, you want to keep the seven commandments of Noach. You want to serve God. So although carbonas are not mandatory, I mean, bringing a carbon is not part of the Noachide law, but it is a way you can worship God. So he was encouraging Noachides to bring animal offerings, not on the Temple Mount. They they wouldn't enter the Temple, but on uh whatever it Har Hazeisim, Har Hatzofim, bring carbonas. Uh halachically, would that be allowed? Absolutely allowed. Uh bnei Noach can bring carbonas. They don't need kohanim. Right? They don't have any of those halachas. They can bring a carbon. And they're mutar bamos. So is it permitted? It absolutely is permitted. Is it a good idea? Uh it's almost certainly not a good idea. And uh most uh poskim say we should not encourage it. There are basically two reasons why it's not a good idea. Uh reason number one is potential incitement. You start bringing carbonas in Jerusalem uh to the God of the Jews, you know, how are the Arabs going to react to that? And so if it's a chiyuv, so you know, you do a chiyuv no matter what, but if it's not a chiyuv, don't start doing things that are just going to create incitement and hatred and violence and potential war. The second reason, which I think is a very strong reason, is it's going to confuse a lot of Jewish people. Because uh a person may make a kal vachomer. A person, "Hey, that can bring a carbon? So I can't bring a carbon? I'm a Jew. I can't bring a carbon? You're telling me a guy has this connection to Hashem that I can't have?" So what's going to happen is, if start bringing carbonas, there are going to be Jews that'll start bringing carbonas. And remember, if they're bringing it outside of the base of mikdash at least, that's a real real problem. So as a result, uh the notion of bamos for is not something that we encourage. Uh but still, in terms of a Jew, remember that Shilo is very pivotal because Shilo assers the bamos. The bamos become prohibited for those 369 years. After the korban of Shilo, there's once again 52 years where the bamos are permitted, but from the time of the base of mikdash, not. Now, there's a remez that there are going to be two times in which bamos become prohibited. And that is, Hashem says, uh ki lo yibasham ad ata. This is parshas Re'eh. You have not come yet >> [snorts] >> to the menucha, to the resting place, and to the nachala, and to the inheritance. Meaning you have not yet come to what's called menucha and what's called nachala. So it's describing our coming to the land in terms of menucha, rest, repose, nachala, inheritance. So the Gemara chazal's drasha is, menucha is called Shilo. Shilo is called the resting spot of holiness because it's temporary, albeit 369 years. >> [snorts] >> Menucha is Shilo. Nachala is the base of mikdash of Yerushalayim. That's a permanent inheritance. >> [clears throat] >> And the remez is, when you have menucha, the bamos are asser, and when you have nachala, the bamos are asser, but in between the menucha and the nachala, or before the menucha. So before the menucha is the 14 years of Gilgal. And in between the menucha and nachala are the 52 years of Nov and Givon. Bamos are permitted. Uh it's only when there's menucha and nachala. Now the emes is, you might ask me a kasha, so why are bamos not permitted when the korban after the korban base of mikdash? I said that's a that's a massive massive sugya. Maybe we'll talk about it later. Suffice it to say halachically, uh once the base of mikdash was built, the bamos remained asser even after the korban. That that's a given. Bamos are not going to be permitted. Now if you if you if you read the book of Malachim, you will see over and over again when it describes the good kings of Yehuda, it will say, "Oh, this king was righteous. This king was good, but he was not able to get rid of the bamos." That's kind of a pasuk that is repeated over and over and over again, which means one of the major halachic religious problems that was faced in Malchus Yehuda, which had many righteous kings, was people got into the habit of bamos. They got into the habit of these private altars. And even when there was a base of mikdash, they could not wean themselves away. So the bamos that it is referring to are not the bamos of avoda zara. They're the bamos l'shem l'shem shamayim. Um okay. So I we do need to point out that the move of the mishkan to Shilo was a major halachic transition in terms of bamos, although once again, I'm still left with my question, why did it happen now? And why did it happen after Yehuda and Efraim and Menashe got their chalakim, and the other tribes get it after the mishkan is relocated into Shilo? And that also means the goral moves, because the goral takes place in the presence of the Aron Hakodesh with the Cohen Gadol, Elazar, Aaron's son, who's still alive. So when the mishkan moves, the whole situs of the chaluka moves. So I don't know. There must be a reason for it, but uh so far I have not been able to [clears throat] figure out uh that particular uh that particular structure. Yeah. So the festivals that were supposed to be in the Temple in the year, would the people go to Shilo then instead of the Temple? Yes, exactly right. Exactly right. The mitzvah of observing the shalosh regalim, in which you must make a pilgrimage festival, a pilgrimage visit on Chag Hamatzos, on Pesach, on Shavuos and Succos, for 369 years, they did not go to Yerushalayim, they [snorts] went to Shilo. Uh in fact, if you look in the book of Shmuel, which is before when the mishkan is still in Shilo, you find that Chana and her husband Elkanah and Penina, they would be oleh regel to to Shilo. And the reason is pashet, because the Torah does not say, uh make a pilgrimage to Yerushalayim. The Torah says, make a pilgrimage to hamakom asher yivchar Hashem, the place that God has chosen. So wherever that place is, that's where you you go. Now, it is interesting that the I think I think I think it was actually mentioned on Shabbos by uh one of the mentors, I think by Shmuel Frachtman, he mentioned it. But it comes up here, that halachically, Shilo and the later base of mikdash are both the same, that there's an issue of bamos, number one. And number two, they're both the same, that all of the carbonas could be brought in either place. Uh and uh and you know, you need kohanim. All the halachas of over are the same. It's bamos. The mishkan and the mikdash are the same. But there is a very interesting difference. We know that carbonas are divided generally into two categories. We have what are called kodshei kodashim, the holy holy of the holy offerings, like sin offerings. Even meal offerings are actually kodshei kodashim. And then we have what are called kodshei kalim, lighter carbonas, such as ola, shlamim. Okay, so think of chatos, asham, and mincha as kodshei kodashim. We're not talking about ola. Ola is totally burnt. Ola is also kodshei kodashim, but that's a different thing. That's totally burnt. But of the eat of the edible carbonas, some are called kodshei kodashim, >> [clears throat] >> and some are called kodshei kalim. What is the difference between kodshei kodashim and kodshei kalim? Let's take a sin offering. The sin offering is kodshei kodashim. So the truth of the matter is, if you read carbonas every day, >> [cough and clears throat] >> and you actually read the perek of Mishnah, eizehu makoman shel zevachim, and you learn that perek, which may may take a little bit of effort. You'll actually know all of these you'd be amazed. You will know all of the laws of the laws. from that period. Because they picked that period. for two reasons. One is that since we don't have we want our recitation of to count as we brought a bond. Number two, it's the only period in the only of the in more than 500 in which there's no there's no so it's totally totally unity no at all. Well, one out of 550 no difference. So here's the difference. If something is that I am the meat can only be eaten by them. And only in the courtyard. of the that's called the area. Only by male and him. And only in the area. If something is column like a offering. It can be eaten by a by a Israel or the wife of a way. And it's not limited to the it could be eaten anywhere. in Jerusalem. >> [clears throat] >> Anywhere in Jerusalem. Now, let's apply these rules to Shiva. I got a shin. Can also only be eaten in the courtyard. Meaning I have to mention it had a courtyard. Right? So in terms of that I am it's the same rule. I got in the can only be eaten by in the of the dash. And in Michigan low it could only be eaten in the within the curtains with in the courtyard of the Michigan Shiva. But I am calling is very different. I am calling. Which in the was limited to Jerusalem. In Shilo. You could eat it. From any distance from which you could see the Michigan of Shilo. So even if you there was no in other words, the reason is there was no concept of a holy city meaning Jerusalem is a holy city. So even I am calling have to be eaten in a holy city. In Shilo, the city of Shilo was not a holy city. But you were able to eat column as long as you had a connection. To that Michigan and Shilo. The whole area. Now I'm not sure that may give you. A less. Place you can eat or more because. When you have Jerusalem I could eat. I am calling in Jerusalem even if I couldn't see. The of the dash. Conversely if I was not in Jerusalem and I could see the of the dash like from the oven. I wouldn't be able to eat. Okay, so I am calling in the dash. Is totally on. Being in Jerusalem. I am calling in Shilo. Is totally on the whole area. Now. Let me also point out it's not only column it's also in the area of my journey. In the time of the dash there was a second my journey. And what are you supposed to do with my journey you're supposed to bring the my journey to Jerusalem. And eat it. And if you were too far away you would redeem it on money. And you would bring the money to Jerusalem and buy food and eat the food in Jerusalem. So my journey once again. Can only be eaten in Jerusalem by by that I mean the walls part of Jerusalem. In Shilo. You would bring your my journey to Shilo. And once again you could eat it the whole area. Okay, so that that's an interesting enough to me now. That uh that for my journey and column in the dash. It's with me men at home it has to be within the walls of Jerusalem. For Shilo my journey and column is the whole area. But for the dash and they're both the same. It is in the courtyard in the area itself. And of course Shilo as we said many times already Shilo and are both the same in the sense of the of the ice. Okay, [snorts] so that's just some background information. But as I say I think we're still left with some and about why the Michigan moved to Shilo at this point. And why did it interrupt the of the earth. In which Ephraim and Manasseh got their in to the that was in Gilgal. And the other tribes got their in to the that was continued. After the Michigan moved to to Shilo right so these are some things still going to be thinking about. Okay. Thank you for listening to this awesome [music] production. To find out more and to partner in our mission please visit r.edu.