Sav 5784 - Purging our Absorbtion

Part #1 - Introduction: Forgive & Forget

- Forgiveness is a key part of Judaism. We must forgive others to be forgiven, by others and Hashem

- Forgiveness has many benefits, emotional and socially. It helps us to rid ourlseves of negative emotions, such as anger, jealousy, etc. and to strengthen key relationships, whether marriage, family, or friendship.

- Forgiveness is known to produce healthy physical benefits.

- But are we made to forget? Is forgetting possible, necessary, or even appropriate? Does Hashem want us to forget?

- If by forget we mean to avoid bearing a grudge, seeking revenge, or reminding others of their behavior, then yes we are to forget.

- However, forgetting is nearly impossible for a person and in some cases is necessary to avoid future issues with the person and repeat offenses.

- Yet, we ask God to forget our transgressions, "אל תזכר לנו עונות ראשונים". What does the Torah ask of us?

Part #2: The Law of Purging Utensils

- This week's Parasha discusses the laws of purging utensils amidst the laws of Korbanot.

- In the section dealing with Korban Hatat the Torah teaches us that if earthenware utensils are used in the cooking of the Hatat meat they must be destroyed. Rashi explains because they will be נותר since one cannot release the flavor absorbed in the walls.

- Metal utensils or others which absorb can be koshered by using water. This will release the flavor.

- From here we extrapolate the laws of koshering utensils for Pesah -- this explains why Parashat Sav around the time of Pesah.

ויקרא ו׳:י״ח-כ״א

(יח) דַּבֵּ֤ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶל־בָּנָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר זֹ֥את תּוֹרַ֖ת הַֽחַטָּ֑את בִּמְק֡וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ תִּשָּׁחֵ֨ט הָעֹלָ֜ה תִּשָּׁחֵ֤ט הַֽחַטָּאת֙ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' קֹ֥דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִֽוא׃ (יט) הַכֹּהֵ֛ן הַֽמְחַטֵּ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ יֹאכְלֶ֑נָּה בְּמָק֤וֹם קָדֹשׁ֙ תֵּֽאָכֵ֔ל בַּחֲצַ֖ר אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (כ) כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּ֥ע בִּבְשָׂרָ֖הּ יִקְדָּ֑שׁ וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִזֶּ֤ה מִדָּמָהּ֙ עַל־הַבֶּ֔גֶד אֲשֶׁר֙ יִזֶּ֣ה עָלֶ֔יהָ תְּכַבֵּ֖ס בְּמָק֥וֹם קָדֹֽשׁ׃ (כא) וּכְלִי־חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּבֻשַּׁל־בּ֖וֹ יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר וְאִם־בִּכְלִ֤י נְחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ בֻּשָּׁ֔לָה וּמֹרַ֥ק וְשֻׁטַּ֖ף בַּמָּֽיִם׃

Leviticus 6:18-21

(18) Speak to Aaron and his sons thus: This is the ritual of the sin offering: the sin offering shall be slaughtered before ה', at the spot where the burnt offering is slaughtered: it is most holy. (19) The priest who offers it as a sin offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in the sacred precinct, in the enclosure of the Tent of Meeting. (20) Anything that touches its flesh shall become holy; and if any of its blood is spattered upon a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in the sacred precinct. (21) An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; if it was boiled in a copper vessel, [the vessel] shall be scoured and rinsed with water.

רש"י על ויקרא ו׳:כ״א

(א) ישבר. לְפִי שֶׁהַבְּלִיעָה שֶׁנִּבְלַעַת בּוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה נוֹתָר, וְהוּא הַדִּין לְכָל הַקֳּדָשִׁים: (ג) ומרק ושטף. לִפְלֹט אֶת בְּלִיעָתוֹ, אֲבָל כְּלִי חֶרֶס לִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב כָּאן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא מִידֵי דָּפְיוֹ לְעוֹלָם (עבודה זרה ל"ד):

Rashi on Leviticus 6:21

(1) ישבר — because the substance absorbed in it becomes what is known as נותר. That, too, is the regulation applicable to all sacrifices. (3) ומרק ושטף — in order that it should give out what it has absorbed: but as far as an earthen vessel is concerned Scripture teaches you that it can never get rid of its taint.

משנה תורה, הלכות מעשה הקרבנות ח׳:י״א

כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ שֶׁנִּתְבַּשְּׁלָה בּוֹ הַחַטָּאת הַנֶּאֱכֶלֶת טָעוּן שְׁבִירָה בָּעֲזָרָה. וּכְלִי מַתָּכוֹת שֶׁנִּתְבַּשְּׁלָה בּוֹ טָעוּן מְרִיקָה וּשְׁטִיפָה בְּמַיִם בָּעֲזָרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ו כא) "וּכְלִי חֶרֶס אֲשֶׁר תְּבֻשַּׁל בּוֹ יִשָּׁבֵר". אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר כָּאן (ויקרא ז ו) (ויקרא טז כד) "בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ" הֲרֵי דִּינָן כְּדִין הַכִּבּוּס. מָה כִּבּוּס הַבֶּגֶד בַּקֹּדֶשׁ אַף שְׁבִירַת כְּלִי חֶרֶס וּשְׁטִיפַת כְּלִי מַתָּכוֹת וּמְרִיקָתוֹ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ. וְאֶחָד כְּלִי שֶׁבִּשֵּׁל בּוֹ אוֹ כְּלִי שֶׁהֶעֱרָה לְתוֹכוֹ רוֹתֵחַ:

Mishneh Torah, Sacrificial Procedure 8:11

An earthernware vessel in which a sin-offering that is to be eaten was cooked must be broken in the Temple Courtyard. A metal vessel in which [a sin-offering] was cooked must be cleansed and rinsed in water in the Temple Courtyard, as [Leviticus 6:21] states: "An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked shall be broken." Although this verse does not state "in a holy place," the same laws that apply to washing [a garment] apply. Just as the washing must be performed in a sacred place, so too, the breaking of an earthenware vessel and the cleansing and the rinsing of a metal utensil must be performed in a holy place. [These laws apply equally to] a utensil in which [the sin-offering] was cooked and one into which it was poured while it was boiling.

משנה תורה, הלכות חמץ ומצה ה׳:כ״ה

כָּל כְּלִי חֶרֶשׂ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן חָמֵץ בְּחַמִּין בֵּין כְּלִי רִאשׁוֹן כְּגוֹן קְדֵרוֹת. בֵּין כְּלִי שֵׁנִי כְּגוֹן קְעָרוֹת. בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ מְשׁוּחִין וְשׁוּעִין בַּאֲבַר שֶׁעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן כְּעֵין זְכוּכִית. בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ חֶרֶס כְּמַה שֶּׁהֵן. אֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בָּהֶן בְּמַצָּה אֶלָּא מַנִּיחָן לְאַחַר הַפֶּסַח וּמְבַשֵּׁל בָּהֶן:

Mishneh Torah, Leavened and Unleavened Bread 5:25

All earthenware utensils that were used for chametz in hot water, whether as a כלי ראשון - for example, pots - or as a כלי שני - for example, bowls - whether they were glazed and coated with lead so that they became like glass, or they were of simple earthenware: we do not use them for matzah. Rather, we put them aside until after Pesach, and then we may cook with them.

Part #3: Why does the Torah specifically mention the law to purge utensils amidst the Korban Hatat?

- Rashi notes that the purging of utensils, particularly earthenware, applies to all sacrifices. Why then does the Torah mention it by the Korban Hatat?

- The Kli Yakar explains that the different utensils represent different types of people and the absorbtion of sin.

a) some people are ignorant and indulgent, thus absorbing sin in the most intense way. The only way to rectify this is through שבירת הלב -- the person must break their heart and undergo radical transformation.

b) others like Torah scholars absorb less and can be cleansed by using water -- i.e. Torah study can purge them of their evil thoughts and deeds.

*** By teaching this by the Korban Hatat the Torah teaches us that despite the Korban, and especially when we are absent a Temple and have no Korban, the way towards reconciliation is either through radical character reform or Torah study.

כלי יקר על ויקרא ו׳:כ״א

(א) וכלי חרש אשר תבושל בו ישבר וגו'. פירש"י והוא הדין לכל הקדשים, ומ"מ הדבר צריך ביאור למה כתבה התורה דין זה דווקא גבי חטאת הבא לכפרה, וכפי הפשט נוכל לומר לפי שהתורה העידה על כלי חרס שאינו יוצא מידי דפיו לעולם (פסחים ל;), וסד"א דווקא בקדשים קלים הנאכלים לב' ימים ולילה אחת שהמאכל מתעכב בקדירה זמן רב ע"כ הוא בולע כ"כ הרבה עד שאינו יוצא מידי דפיו לעולם, אבל קדשי קדשים שאינן נאכלין כ"א ליום אחד ולילה אחת סד"א שבזמן מועט כזה אינו בולע כל כך הרבה ויש תקנה אף לכלי חרס בשטיפה קמ"ל.

(ב) ועל צד הרמז קרוב לשמוע, שטהרת הכלים יש להם דמיון לטהרת החוטא המקריב חטאת, כי כמו שהכלים יש מהם שבולעים הרבה מן האיסור ולא יוכל לצאת ע"י שטיפה ואין להם תקנה כ"א בשבירה, ויש מהם שאינן בולעים הרבה מן האיסור ויש להם תקנה בשטיפה, כך יש לך אדם חוטא שבולע הרבה מן האיסור וקשה לו לעזוב ההרגל ואין לו תקנה כ"א בשבירת לבו כי הוא הכלי שנתבשל בו האיסור, ויש לך אדם שאינו בולע הרבה ויש לו תקנה בכל דהו... (ג) ע"כ כתבה התורה דין הכלים אצל החטאת, לומר לך שבזמן שאין זבח ומנחה אז טהרת החוטא כטהרת הכלים, כי כל עם הארץ נמשל לכלי חרס ואינו יוצא מידי דופיו כ"א בשבירת לבו, וכל ת"ח יש לו דין כלי נחושת שיש לו תקנה ע"י מריקה ושטיפה מבית ומחוץ, כך כל ת"ח יש לו תקנה ע"י התורה שנמשלה למים המטהרו מבית ומחוץ כי ע"י התורה יהיה תוכו כברו

Kli Yakar on Leviticus 6:21

(2) An earthenware vessel … must be broken. The means of purifying vessels parallels the way of repentance. Earthenware vessels which have absorbed a lot of prohibited food cannot be purified through water and must be broken, but metal vessels that absorbed only a little can be purified with water. In the same way, some people have become habitual in transgressing and can be purified only by breaking their heart. Others, however, transgressed only a little and need only a slight rectification. Today, when we have no Beis HaMikdash, the way for the unlearned masses to achieve rectification is through breaking their heart, the vessel in which they ‘cooked up’ the sin. For the Torah scholar, though, rectification for any sin can be achieved through Torah study. (3) Thus, the Torah specified the laws of purifying vessels here concerning the sin-offering to teach that today, when there are no sacrifices, repentance parallels the purification of vessels.

Part #4: Decisional Forgiveness vs. Emotional Forgiveness

- The Kli Yakar's symbolism of utensils absorbtion can also apply to בין אדם לחבירו

a) some people absorb the insults and wrongdoings of others in a deep way, making it difficult to extract the negative feelings from their heart. For them, שבירת הלב, breaking their own character and finding in themselves pity, sympathy, and comapssion for others is the key towards "forgetting". This is called emotional forgiveness.

b) other absorb less and can extract their negativity by simply willing it to be removed. This is known as decisional forgiveness.

- The Torah teaches us that when koshering our utensils for Pesah, we must also look into purging our inner feelings against our friends, family and neighbors. Redemption for our people cannot be achieved without strong relationships among each other. We must learn to break our nature and character and use Torah to help us.

David Tawil