Toldos

Nov 17, 2017

· Esav and Yaakov ‘agitated within Rivka’ (Breshis 25:22)

· Rashi says that even in the womb, Esav gravitated towards Avodah Zara, and Yaakov was drawn towards places of Torah study.

· The Midrash says that Esav came out red symbolizing bloodshed and sin.

· Esav went completely off the derech, and is called a Yisroel Mumar.

· Messechet Chulin 3-6 and Avodah Zara 64 discusses how to deal with a Yisroel Mumar in terms of their doing Schetah and touching wine.

· There are several types of Yisroel Mumar, depending on the level of how far they’ve moved away from Yiddishkeit.

o Mumar Ha’arol – doesn’t want to do a bris milah.

o Mumar Le Te’evon – when no kosher meat is available, will eat Traife meat.

o Mumar Le Haches – goes against everything intentionally.

o Mumar Le Kol Hatorah Kulah – goes against the entire Torah.

· There’s an interesting Hallachah regarding a Mumar that certainly applies to the more serious levels of someone who is a Mumar.

· A mumar is not allowed to bring a Korban Pesach.

· If he brings one, it is possul.

· If he is part of a Chaburah that brings a Korban Pesach, the korban is possul, and none of them get credit for bringing a Korban Pesach.

· We therefore know that the Rashah in the Pesach Hagadah is not hallachic Mumar, because such a Mumar is not allowed to be at the Pesach Seder.

· This is because a person could only eat from a Korban Pesach if he was already part of the Chaburah when it was Shechted.

· The first Mishnah is Krisas says that there are 36 causes for being chayav Krisas, chas ve shalom.

· Of the 36 reasons, 34 are negative commandments, and only 2 are caused by not doing a positive commandment.

· The first one is intentionally not doing a bris milah.

· The other is not bring a Korban Pesach, or more accurately, not being part of a Chaburah that brings a Korban Pesach.

· Therefore, an interesting question arises.

· Since a Mumar is not allowed to bring a Korban Pesach, is he Chayiv Korase for not bringing one?

· In a sense, it almost seems unfair.

· Let’s say someone finds he has a great desire of Avodah Zara, and can’t help control his Taiva for idols.

· But he knows the serious ramifications of being Chayiv Korase.

· The Gemorah says that being Chayiv Korase means either that the person himself dies young, or that his children will die young, chas be shalom.

· So let’s say he doesn’t want to be Chayiv Korase, and wants to bring a Korban Pesach in spite of his addiction to Avodah Zarah.

· Never-the-less, he is not permitted to bring the Korban Pesach.

· So the question is, in that situation, is he never-the-less Chayiv Korase?

· There are two ways of looking at this situation.

· One way to look at this is that all he has to do is do Tshuva.

· The Hebrew expression is that it is ‘be yad’, in his hand, within his ability to do Tschuva.

· All he has to do is kick his addiction to Avodah Zara.

· Then he will no longer be a Mumar, and presto – he will be able to bring the Korban Pesach.

· This is similar to an Orel who chooses not to be circumcised. 

· It is certainly within his ability to call his local Mohel, and have a bris.

· If he chooses not to do so, he is accountable.

· He is not allowed to bring a Korban Pesach, and  would be Chayiv Korase, because his not being circumcised is a condition he can easily rectify.

· But the other viewpoint shouts out and says, But Tshuva is not so easy!

· Is it really ‘be yad’ to do Tshuva?

· We all struggle to improve ourselves, and none of us finds it easy.

· Look how hard we find it to stay on a diet, or to exercise regularly!

· Rabbi Yisroel Salanter said that it’s easier to learn half of Shas rather than to change one Midah.

· Alcoholics Anonymous developed the 12 step method to kick the habit of alcohol addiction, and almost all alcoholics find it excruciatingly difficult to give up drinking.

· Tshuva is not any easier!

· People go to therapists for years and find it very difficult to change.

· A person has to create a revolution in his mind to do Tshuva – a complete turnabout.

· For this point of view, Tshuva is not ‘be yad’, one can’t just turn it on.

· For this perspective, his being a Mumar is not totally within his control.

· His being a mumar means he is not allowed to bring a Korban Pesach.

· But why should be he condemned to Korase, if he WANTS to bring a Korban Pesach?

· Perhaps he even wants to do Tshuva, but there are dark forces within him that prevent him from making that change.

· I was struggling with this conundrum, when I thought of a possible answer.

· Korase is not a punishment meted out by a Bais Din.

· A Bais Din has to determine if a person is guilty or not guilty of an accused crime.

· Either a person is Chayiv Misah (chas ve shalom) or not.

· Korase, however, is a punishment meted out by Shamayim, by Hashem.

· Now here comes the novel concept.

· Hashem can look into the person’s Neshama, mind, and situation, and determine to what EXTENT he is able to do Tshuva.

· There are many factors that could mitigate against his doing Tshuva – upbringing, psychological disturbance, environment, etc.

· Or he may be fully able to do Tshuva and is using his Bechira NOT to do Tshuva.

· Perhaps Korase is not a binary – yes or no – option.

· Perhaps Hashem can give a person the punishment of Korase TO WHATEVER EXTENT IT IS ‘BE YAD’ FOR HIM TO DO TSHUVA.

· Therefore, if Hashem determines that he is 57% capable of doing Tshuva, and therefore his crime is 57% ‘be yad’, then he gets Korase 57%.

· Perhaps Tshuva and Korase is not simply a situation of being yes or no, black or white.

· Hashem is certainly able to see the many factors involved with the push and pull of our Bechirah

· This idea is a way of resolving the problem of whether the Mumar is Chayiv Korase for not bringing the Korban Pesach.

· To whatever extent it is ‘be yad’ for him to turn himself around and do Tshuva, then he is to that extent accountable for being a Mumar, and to that extent he is Chayiv Korase.

· However, if Hashem looks inside his Neshama, and sees that it contains a Bilbul of forces that resulted from very detrimental situations in his life and environment, and many psychological factors that are beyond his control, then perhaps to that extent he is not chayiv Korase for not bring the Korban Pesach that he is not allowed to bring.