Chomer And Tzura - Part 2 - Book Offer

More from the Rogochover: The Yerushalmi [Yoma 6/1] asks - If one has 2 korbanos, one is bigger and meatier while the other looks nicer, which one do you bring? The answer is .... the meatier one. That is because we follow the חומר [its size] over the צורה [its beauty]. We live in a world of chomer and a mitzva should be performed with the item that excels in chomer. [Rav Aharon Levin ztz"l in Shu"t Avnei Cheifetz 5 suggest from this gemara that if one can choose between a bigger esrog or a more beautiful one he should choose the bigger one. He then rejects this on the basis of a different source.]

There is a famous argument in the gemara [Horiyos 14a] who is greater - סיני - a master of the whole Torah who is not necessarily the sharpest or עוקר הרים a super sharp learner who doesn't know as much as his counterpart. This is really an argument as to whether the mass of vast knowledge חומר [the סיני] is preferable or צורה [the עוקר הרים], the חריף. The gemara concludes that סיני is more necessary.

Two points for חומר over צורה....

Shammai was always looking to enhance the צורה. That is why whenever he would see a beautiful, tasty animal, he would set it aside for Shabbos. If he would find a better one he would eat the first and put the second aside. Shabbos is definitely צורה-דיק.

Or how about the gemara in Yevamos [14a]. Beis Shammai didn't follow Beis Hillel's opinion even though Beis Hillel were the majority and we generally hold the "majority rules" because Beis Shammai were more sharp than Beis Hillel so they felt that their opinion was the decisive one. Their צורה - intellectual sharpness, was superior to Beis Hillel's greater number - their חומר.

I should really start a blog just devoted just to the Rogochover. But in the meantime, I will keep it here..... If anybody has money and wants to commission a full length book of Rogochover Torah's - contact me. I have the time, the desire and could use a little of those green papers with pictures of men with shaitels. Ya know - food and stuff:-). In G-d we trust.

לזכות נעכא גיטל בת רחל אסתר זרעא חיא וקיימא זרעא די לא יפסוק ודי לא יבטול מפתגמי אורייתא.