Chukas 5784
Rashi on the Parsh:
On the first pasuk in this week’s parsha on the words “זאת חרת התורה” Rashi explains that the שטן and the nations of the world antagonize B’nei Yisrael by saying: “What is this commandment and what reason does it have?”. Hashem therefore tells us from the beginning that it is a חק and that we don’t have the authority to ponder it. A point that can be taken from this is that there are two sources of intellectual confusion – internal and external. The שטן internally and the nations externally try to cast doubt on the mitzvos that we are commanded to keep. They are not so much asking a question here as much as they are creating a demand to understand the underlying principles of the mitzva. However, in this, as in all mitzvos, the point is not that we can intellectually recognize the rational for what we do, but rather that Hashem told us the rules and we follow them because we were told to.[1]
Halacha of Shabbos:
It is prohibited Rabbinically to write in a way that is not lasting (e.g. on a surface that won’t keep a mark or with a medium that naturally fades quickly). It is additionally prohibited to make a mark that, while it does not carry inherent meaning, is meaningful in context (e.g. leaving a mark to remember where something is in a book). This only applies to a mark that will endure.
It is also prohibited Rabbinically to write in an unusual manner, such as with one’s non-dominant hand. (based on Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen’s Hilchos Shabbos set, The Shabbos Home v. 1)
Mishna Berura:
When one wakes up and is finished sleeping (not randomly awake for a bit in the middle of the night) one says the beracha of אלוקי נשמה.[2] One should pause slightly between the Hashem’s name and נשמה, so that it does now sound like you are addressing your soul as your god. (סימן מו ס”ק ב,ג)
While the beracha does not start with ברוך אתה ד’ the Mishna Berura (סימן ו ס”ק יב) discusses whether or not it should be immediately preceded by אשר יצר.[3] While the Shulchan Aruch understands the beracha to not need the opening formula (due to its status as a ברבת ההודאה) and there is therefore no reason to connect it to אשר יצר, the Gra understands that it is meant to follow אשר יצר and that is why it does not begin with ברוך אתה ד’. The Mishna Berura says that it would be better to follow the Gra (as this is valid according to all opinions).
Mesilas Yesharim:
The Mesilas Yesharim understands that it is an impossibility to achieve growth in serving Hashem without putting in the time and effort thinking about it and working on it. He asks the question, then, given that this is so critical, why is it that we don’t see people spending time on this? He answers that for learned people, they don’t feel that there is a point in spending time on these topics given that the information is evident and well known. They therefore think that you only need to spend time learning about שלימות, יראת השם and דביקות if you are not capable of “deeper” intellectual topics. In truth though, one can only reach the depths of these concepts through consistent study.
[1] While we do have a concept of gaining as much understanding of the mitzvos (and Hashem) as we can, that understanding is not the basis for what we do. Similar to last week’s concept that we are not the deciders of who is close to Hashem and what is the appropriate way to serve him.
[2] The Shulchan Aruch and the Mishna Berura discuss when various berachos should be said in the morning. At least for נטילת ידים, אשר יצר, אלוקי נשמה there should not be a break between washing hands and saying them. (סימן ו ס”ק ח)
[3] This is based one the concept of ברכה הסמוכה לחברתה. This is a concept in the formulation of berachos that a beracha that might have normally began with ברוך אתה ד’ will omit those words if it is immediately preceded by another beracha (e.g. most of the berachos of שמונה עשרה).