These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah portion: # 89, Returning From a Medical Emergency on Shabbos. Good Shabbos!
At the end of the parsha, the pasuk (verse) says, “Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the L-rd, Hashem, the G-d of Israel” (Shemos 34:23). This is the mitzva of “aliyah l’regel” – going up (to Jerusalem) for the Festival. Three times a year, on Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos, the Jews were commanded to go up to the Beis HaMikdash to see and be seen by the Shechinah (Divine Presence of G-d).
The pasuk continues “…and no man shall covet your land when you go up to appear before Hashem your
G-d, three times a year.” Hashem guaranteed that we have nothing to fear while everyone is in Yerushalayim. We might have been nervous about leaving no males at home because it would be an open invitation to thieves and enemies. The pasuk says to have no fear — no one will covet our land while we go up to Yerushalayim to see the Shechinah.
The Gemara derives a halacha from this. Whoever does not own land is not obligated to go up to Yerushalayim on the Shalosh Regalim (Pesachim 8b). The whole halacha of going up three times a year is only for someone who owns land.
The Kotzker Rebbe (1787-1859) asked, “Why is it that someone who does not own land is excused from going up to Yerushalayim?” The Kotzker Rebbe answered, “Because he doesn’t need to.”
Only a person who owns land, who has a connection to this world, who is into materialism, needs to go up to Yerushalayim to see the Shechinah. The person who is unencumbered by materialism does not need to go anywhere to see the Shechinah, because he sees the Shechinah everywhere.
Someone who has property, a mortgage, two garages and a Jacuzzi, etc., etc., needs to go to Yerushalayim to see the Shechinah. However, someone who is free of the materialism of this world sees the Shechinah everywhere, so he is excused from the mitzvah of ‘Reiyah,’ – going to be seen.
Transcribed by David Twersky; Jerusalem [email protected]
Edited by Dovid Hoffman; Baltimore, MD [email protected]
This week’s write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly Torah portion. A listing of the halachic portions for Parshas Ki Sisa is provided below:
- # 046 Dealing with Illness on Shabbos
- # 089 Returning From a Medical Emergency on Shabbos
- # 137 The Census: Can Jews Be Counted?
- # 184 You and the Seriously Ill: How Much of a Responsibility?
- # 230 The Mitzvah of Shekalim and Davening Musaf
- # 274 Saying Tehillim at Night
- # 320 The Melacha of Dyeing
- # 364 The Melacha of Memachek
- # 408 Fax Machines on Shabbos
- # 452 Kiddush Shabbos Morning
- # 496 Tallis: Bringing It Home On Shabbos
- # 540 Machatzis Hashekel
- # 584 The Meat Delivery At Your Door
- # 628 Mincha – How Early, How Late?
- # 671 Neigel Vasser- Washing Hands When Arising
- # 716 Shaliach Mitzva: Is He Always Safe?
- # 760 Can You Sell Your Aveiros?
- # 804 Great Grandchildren
- # 848 Oy! The Fridge Light Is On
- # 892 Borer: Can You Separate White Meat from the Dark Meat?
- # 936 The Obligation to Learn Tanach
- # 979 Chilul Shabbos to Save a Person Who Will Die Shortly
- #1023 The Onion That Was Cut With a Fleishig Knife
- #1067 Cleaning Plastic Tablecloths, Contact Lenses on Shabbos
- #1110 Washing Your Hands Before Mincha
- #1153 Rinsing Out Your Mouth On A Fast Day
- #1196 Taking a Choleh to the Hospital on Shabbos: You or a Non-Jew?
- #1240 Borer Shailos: Piles of Seforim, Pots in the Fridge and the Messy Freezer
- #1327 Nagel Vasser By Your Bed: Necessary?
- #1371 The Hazala Member Who’s NOT On Call On Shabbos: Can He Go On the Call Anyway?
- (2019) Is It Six Hours Since I Ate Fleishigs? Can I Be Maikil and Eat Milchigs Anyway?
- #1460 Being Mechalel Shabbos to Relieve the Anxiety of a Choleh Mesukan: Is it Mutar?
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