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Dimensions in Chumash — Toldos 5781

Выпуск: Dimensions in Chumash — Toldos 5781. Темы: health_mind, parsha_commentary. Поисковые термины: здоровье, психология, стресс, health, mental, בריאות, נפש, недельная глава, парша, parsha, פרשה, פרשת השבוע. Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein 2021 / 5782 DIMENSIONS IN CHUMASH PARSHAS TOLDOS The Avos and Taryag Mitzvos ‫עֵ ֶקב ֲאשֶ ר שָ מַ ע ַאבְ ָרהָ ם בְ קֹלִ י וַ יִ שְ מֹר מִ שְ מַ ְר ִתי מִ צְ ו‍ ַֹתי ֻחּקֹותַ י וְ תֹור ָֹתי‬ Because Avraham heeded My voice, he observed My safeguards, My commandments , My decrees and My laws.1 Introduction Rashi, based on Chazal,2 explains the different phrases in this verse as comprising the various components of the Torah’s mitzvos, reflecting the idea that that Avraham kept the mitzvos of the Torah even prior to it being given at Har Sinai to the Jewish People. Commenting on Yaakov’s words to Esav upon his return to the land, “‫ – עִ ם לָ בָ ן גּ ַ רְ תִּ י‬I sojourned with Lavan,”7 the Midrash notes that the letters of the word “‫ ”גּ ַ רְ תִּ י‬are identical with those of “‫תרי”ג‬,” the numerical value of the six hundred and thirteen mitzvos of the Torah, indicating that Yaakov kept them all even while with Lavan.8 Once again, with the above-mentioned proviso that that many of the taryag mitzvos could not be kept on a practical level etc., nevertheless, the Midrash indicates that, at least as a matter of principle, Yaakov was keeping the taryag mitzvos in Chutz La’aretz. The understanding behind this idea is that even without being formally commanded regarding the mitzvos, the heightened spiritual sensitivity of the Avos enabled them to independently intuit what acts would be spiritually beneficial for them, as well as those which would be spiritually detrimental.3 The commentators discuss the fact that, understandably, there are many mitzvos whose practical performance would not seem to have been relevant to the Avos. Nevertheless, as a matter of general principle – to whatever degree and in whatever way feasible – the Avos kept the mitzvos of the Torah.4 Ramban: Home Rules A very well-known position regarding this tradition is that of the Ramban,5 who states that it only applied when the Avos were in the Land of Israel. The Ramban proceeds to cite one statement of Chazal that appears to contradict his position, for the Midrash states that Yosef kept Shabbos even while he was in Egypt!6 To this, the Ramban responds by sayi

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Dimensions in Chumash

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4 ноября 2021 г.

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2

Темы: health_mind, parsha_commentary