After discussing the laws surrounding childbirth, our parsha tells us the law of bris mila, וביום השמיני ימול בשר ערלתו, “on the eighth day he shall be circumcised.” Rabbeinu Bachya explains that we wait until the eighth day to do the bris mila because the bris is compared to a korban, a sacrifice. By animal sacrifice the blood of the animal sprinkled on the mizbaiach serves as a catalyst for divine forgiveness. Similarly, the blood that comes out at a mila elicits divine forgiveness. Just as an animal can't be offered before it's eight days old, so, too, one can't circumcise a child before he is eight days old. The sefer אוצר התורה explains the minhag that people at a bris express the wish that “just as he entered the covenant, so may he enter into Torah, marriage and good deeds” to mean that just as a circumcision is an expression of self- sacrifice, we hope and pray that this child will exhibit self-sacrifice for Torah, for his family and for helping others.
Rabbeinu Bachya goes on to explain that this is also the reason we make a festive meal at a bris, for just as a korban achieves forgiveness only after the appropriate parts are eaten by the kohanim and the owners, so, too, the completion of a bris mila is only after the celebrants take part in the meal.
The second parsha we read this week talks about the metzora and how one gets cleansed from tzaraas. The posuk says והובא אל הכהן – “and he shall be brought to the kohen.” The implication is that he is being brought against his will. If this is the purification process, why wouldn't he go willingly? Reb Chaim Volozhin explains that the most frequent targets of slander are the leaders; people tend to always find fault with the leaders of the community, who at that time were the kohanim. Even though his healing is dependent on the kohen, he still has to be forced because he feels uncomfortable going for help to the one he slandered.
The Gemara tells us that one who judges his friend favorably is judged favorably in heaven. The simple understanding is that because you judged favorably, you will also be judged favorably. Reb Avraham Grodzinsky relates a novel interpretation. When one judges his friend favorably, he causes heaven to judge his friend favorably too. The way a person views someone else affects how that person is judged in heaven. When one speaks ill of others, it not only hurts his standing with his fellow man, it also can have far reaching repercussions. Conversely, when one judges favorably, the merit can be far reaching.
Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev was invited to all the joyous occasions of his townspeople and made every effort to attend. When told about a bris, he would always respond, “I’m ready to come on the condition you must make a festive meal.” Though accustomed to this response, the townspeople felt it was odd, for the rabbi was not generally that concerned with food and drink. One day, one of the people mustered up the courage to ask him why he insisted on a lavish meal for a bris. He explained as follows, “You know that the Satan is always trying to find fault with the Jewish people and says that they fall short on their obligations to Hashem. I always try to defend the people and say to Hashem, look at your people; whenever they do a mitzvah they do it with the utmost joy. On the other hand, when they sin, they feel very upset. To prove this, I say, ‘have you ever seen a Jew make a party to celebrate sinning? Never! However, when a Jew does a mitzvah, he celebrates with a festive meal, inviting family and friends.’ The Satan remains silent because he has no response. Therefore, I'm insistent that you make a festive meal so that I can prove that you’re doing the mitzvos with joy.”
Reb Levi Yitzchok was demonstrating that the way we judge others, heaven judges us, for even though we make big meals for the mitzvos, like a bris, Shabbos, bar mitzvas, weddings and the like, we're not always doing it for the sake of heaven alone. Yet, that was his claim, that the way he perceived it is how it was perceived in heaven, too. Let's take this lesson to always judge people favorably so that Hashem will too!
Rabbeinu Bachya goes on to explain that this is also the reason we make a festive meal at a bris, for just as a korban achieves forgiveness only after the appropriate parts are eaten by the kohanim and the owners, so, too, the completion of a bris mila is only after the celebrants take part in the meal.
The second parsha we read this week talks about the metzora and how one gets cleansed from tzaraas. The posuk says והובא אל הכהן – “and he shall be brought to the kohen.” The implication is that he is being brought against his will. If this is the purification process, why wouldn't he go willingly? Reb Chaim Volozhin explains that the most frequent targets of slander are the leaders; people tend to always find fault with the leaders of the community, who at that time were the kohanim. Even though his healing is dependent on the kohen, he still has to be forced because he feels uncomfortable going for help to the one he slandered.
The Gemara tells us that one who judges his friend favorably is judged favorably in heaven. The simple understanding is that because you judged favorably, you will also be judged favorably. Reb Avraham Grodzinsky relates a novel interpretation. When one judges his friend favorably, he causes heaven to judge his friend favorably too. The way a person views someone else affects how that person is judged in heaven. When one speaks ill of others, it not only hurts his standing with his fellow man, it also can have far reaching repercussions. Conversely, when one judges favorably, the merit can be far reaching.
Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev was invited to all the joyous occasions of his townspeople and made every effort to attend. When told about a bris, he would always respond, “I’m ready to come on the condition you must make a festive meal.” Though accustomed to this response, the townspeople felt it was odd, for the rabbi was not generally that concerned with food and drink. One day, one of the people mustered up the courage to ask him why he insisted on a lavish meal for a bris. He explained as follows, “You know that the Satan is always trying to find fault with the Jewish people and says that they fall short on their obligations to Hashem. I always try to defend the people and say to Hashem, look at your people; whenever they do a mitzvah they do it with the utmost joy. On the other hand, when they sin, they feel very upset. To prove this, I say, ‘have you ever seen a Jew make a party to celebrate sinning? Never! However, when a Jew does a mitzvah, he celebrates with a festive meal, inviting family and friends.’ The Satan remains silent because he has no response. Therefore, I'm insistent that you make a festive meal so that I can prove that you’re doing the mitzvos with joy.”
Reb Levi Yitzchok was demonstrating that the way we judge others, heaven judges us, for even though we make big meals for the mitzvos, like a bris, Shabbos, bar mitzvas, weddings and the like, we're not always doing it for the sake of heaven alone. Yet, that was his claim, that the way he perceived it is how it was perceived in heaven, too. Let's take this lesson to always judge people favorably so that Hashem will too!
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