Rabbi Reisman – Parshas Acharei Mos 5776

1. This week instead of talking about Parshas Acharei Mos I would like to discuss the Haftorah which is the Machar Chodesh Haftorah. Since Rosh Chodesh is Sunday and Monday, on Shabbos we will be Laining the Haftorah of Machar Chodesh and I would like to discuss it as today’s Shiur.

There is a misunderstanding. We understand that this Haftorah is read because it starts with the words that can be found in Shmuel I 20:18 (וַיֹּאמֶר-לוֹ יְהוֹנָתָן, מָחָר חֹדֶשׁ). Yehonasan said to Dovid that tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh. Well Sunday is Rosh Chodesh it is a very appropriate Haftorah. It would seem that it is just a coincidence. Since that story took place then, it is appropriate. If some other story would have taken place then that would be appropriate.

In fact, we need to understand that big Yesodos, a central idea, basic ideas of Torah She’baal Peh regarding Rosh Chodesh are connected to these Pesukim. Therefore, although there is so much to discuss in this Haftorah, I would like to discuss at least at the outset, the Yesodos regarding Rosh Chodesh which are connected to this Haftorah. Vayomer Lo Yehonasan Machar Chodesh. Yehonasan tells Dovid Hamelech that tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh. This immediately begs a question. As you know, in the time of the Bais Hamikdash they were Mekadeish the Chodesh Al Pi R’iya. Witnesses who saw the new moon came to Bais Din and said testimony and if they withstood the test of Bais Din then Bais Din would declare Rosh Chodesh. All of Klal Yisrael would wait, not knowing what would happen until Bais Din declared Mekudash Mekudash. Therefore, it was not possible for Yonasan to know Machar Chodesh that tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh. Maybe it would be cloudy, maybe there would be no sighting of the new moon. How could Yehonasan say Machar Chodesh, that I know tomorrow is going to be Rosh Chodesh. 

You might answer that Yehonasan was perhaps standing on the 30^th day of the Hebrew month and as you know, Rosh Chodesh is either the 30^th or 31^st. If it was already the 30^th day of the Hebrew month he could say with certainty Machar Chodesh that tomorrow will be Rosh Chodesh. That would seem like a good Teretz. Except it is not true.

When you read the Haftorah you see that Yehonasan was standing on the 29^th day of the month. Tomorrow the 30^th would be Rosh Chodesh. How do I know this? This is because when you read the Haftorah you see that there were two days of Rosh Chodesh. The next day was Rosh Chodesh and then as the Posuk says in Posuk Chaf Zayin (וַיְהִי, מִמָּחֳרַת הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי) there were two days of Rosh Chodesh. Therefore, Lamed Aleph became the first day of the next month. If Yehonasan was standing on the 29^th how could he know Machar Chodesh that tomorrow would be Rosh Chodesh? This Kasha begs an answer.

The Gedolei Rishonim have Chalukai Dai’os on how to explain this and the Chosheish is really what is the Torah She’baal Peh of Rosh Chodesh is based on this Posuk. First is the Shittah of Rabbeinu Chananel. This is quoted by Rabbeinu Bachya in Parshas Bo at the beginning of Perek 12. The Rambam in the Peirush Hamishnayos in Maseches Rosh Hashono quotes this B’sheim Gadol Echad. He doesn’t call Rabbeinu Chananel by name because he argues with him. Rabbeinu Bachya brings the Shittah of Rabbeinu Chananel and it is an incredibly Mechudashdika Shittah.

Rabbeinu Chananel holds that it is not Emes, it is not true that Rosh Chodesh was declared Al Pi R’iya. It is not so. The sighting of the new moon had nothing to do with declaring Rosh Chodesh. Rosh Chodesh was declared Al Pi Cheshban. Bais Din knew Sod Ha’ibur, Bais Din knew the secrets of the astronomical calculations of the new moon and they declared Rosh Chodesh based solely on their calculations and therefore, you can know if tomorrow was going to be Rosh Chodesh.

The Mishnayos in Maseches Rosh Hashono talk at length about Kiddush Al Pi R’iya? About the fact that Rosh Chodesh is declared from the testimony of witnesses? Says Rabbeinu Chananel, no that is a whole different story! Rosh Chodesh was declared Al Pi Cheshbon. At the time of the Tzedukim, of Tzadok and Baisos when the first mass organized Apikursus took place in Klal Yisrael, the Tzedukim. At that time, they berated the Chachmei Yisroel. One of things they said was that the Chachmei Yisrael don’t know what they are talking about. They don’t know the astronomical calculations. The calculations are too complex. Ancient man believed that the exact sighting of the moon was not predictable. When they were Motzi Laz against the Sanhedrin, the Sanhedrin declared that there would be Kiddush Al Pi R’iya. That people would come and say that they saw the new moon and in that way verify the calculations of the Sanhedrin. So that the Sanhedrin did it Al Pi calculations but they waited until witnesses came. It was all D’rabanan. According to this, when Moshiach comes we will not go back to Mekadesih Al Pi R’iya. We will be Mekadesih Al Pi Cheshbon.

Rabbeinu Chananel brings three Rayos to this and one is from Machar Chodesh. How could Yonason know that tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh? He knew because he knew Al Pi calculation, as this was before Tzadok U’baysus. He knew when Rosh Chodesh would be. This is Rabbeinu Chananel’s Shittah.

There are numerous difficulties with this Shittah. Not the least of which is the fact that it is not true, that although Machar Chodesh, there were two days Rosh Chodesh and the Aleph of the Chodesh was actually two days later and therefore, it could be that is was Al Pi R’iya. If for some reason Yonason knew that tomorrow would be Rosh Chodesh as well. An additional Kasha which the Rishonim ask on Rabbeinu Chananel is that the Mishnah says that they were Mechaleil Shabbos to be Mekadeish Al Pi R’iya. Bishlama if it is a D’oraissa we understand, if it is a D’rabbanan against the Tzedukim why be Mechaleil Shabbos? Therefore, we move to a second Pshat.

That is the Shittas Harambam in Hilchos Kiddush Hachodesh. First I should mention that the Rambam in Perek Bais Mishnah Daled quotes Rabbeinu Chananel and is Mad’che him. The Rambam Shittah in Perek Ches Halacha Daled is a new Shittah in Rosh Chodesh. The Rambam there says and I might add that there is a very fine if not the finest English Sefer that ever was published by Artscroll entitled Pathways of the Prophets, and in there you will find an explanation of the two days of Rosh Chodesh that I am about to share with you briefly. The Rambam says that Rosh Chodesh is always the day of the Molad. Whatever day is the Molad that is always the day that we call Rosh Chodesh and we say Yaaleh V’yavo. Sometimes though for various reasons Bais Din has to declare the first day of the next month as a day later. In other words, the Molad can be on Sunday, but for reasons of calculation Monday can be Aleph of the next month.

Says the Rambam, Aleph of the next month is always Rosh Chodesh. In addition, the day of the Molad is also Rosh Chodesh. Therefore, some months have 30 days and some months have 31. The day of the Molad however, is always Rosh Chodesh. Therefore, Yonason knew Machar Chodesh, tomorrow Al Pi calculation is definitely Rosh Chodesh. Whether it will be Aleph of the Chodesh or not Aleph of the Chodesh we will have to see. Witnesses may come or may not come. But certainly Machar Chodesh. As it turned out, there was another day, either because witnesses didn’t come on that day or because there was a reason that Bais Din saw fit to make Aleph L’chodesh a day later.

So this is the Rambam’s Yesod that there are two days Rosh Chodesh even at the time of Shaul and Yonason there were two days Rosh Chodesh. That was based on this idea that the day of the Molad is always Rosh Chodesh and Aleph L’chodesh is always Rosh Chodesh. When they come to be one and the same it is one day Rosh Chodesh and otherwise there are two. And so, with this I have given you a tremendous insight into the way that Kiddush Hachodesh worked, why there are two days Rosh Chodesh, and two Shittas, Rabbeinu Chananel and the Rambam in Pshat in Machar Chodesh.

2. Let me move on to another very important question regarding the Haftorah. If you listen carefully to the Haftorah and you pay attention, there are a few open issues and clear questions that should bother anybody who is paying attention. The question that I have been asked most often is the following. In the narrative of this Haftorah, Yonason will find out if Shaul is indeed out to kill Dovid. Yonason finds it hard to believe. He tells Dovid to hide and during these Rosh Chodesh Seudos he will establish Shaul’s feelings towards Dovid. As you know, Yonason tells Dovid I will come back to this location, the place where you are hiding, and I will make a Siman by shooting arrows. I will have my attendant, a boy, come to these meetings and go and retrieve these arrows. The Siman is this. If I shoot these arrows past this man and I have to say to him go further to find the arrows that is a sign that you Dovid have to get away. Go further away. On the other hand, if I shoot the arrows closer and I tell the boy come closer to get the arrows, then that is a message to you to come closer. Dovid there is nothing to be afraid of. This was a Siman and they did this. The question everyone asks is why make a Siman, why couldn’t Yonason just tell Dovid. After all, at the end of the story, and he does the Siman of the Chitzim, Yonason does speak to Dovid as is clear in the Pesukim, why make these Simanim, for what reason?

This is something that the Rishonim struggle with. So much so that some Rishonim hold that the shooting of the arrows was not a Siman, it was a test from Shamayim that Yonason would just shoot the arrows blindly and from Shamayim they should make the Siman come true. Something similar to Eliezer at the B’air with Rivkah asking for a sign from heaven. Certainly that is not Poshut Pshat in the Pesukim. Therefore, it begs an answer.

There is a beautiful Teretz which is brought in a number of places, the Mari Karo one of the Perushim on the page in the Mikraos Gedolos discusses it. The Meom Loez at length. They say the following. We know as a rule that in Shemiras Halashon, in watching what you say, there are occasions where a person is permitted to say Lashon Hora, a person is permitted to lie, a person is permitted to say things which would otherwise be Assur. Still, even when a person does that, he should try to limit the damage. As Yaakov did when he had to lie to tell Yitzchok that I am Eisav, he said it in a way Ani Bincha, Bechorcha Eisav. I am your son, your Bechor is Eisav. He didn’t say it that way to Yitzchok. He didn’t say I am your son, your Bechor is Eisav. He said Beraishis 27:32 (אֲנִי בִּנְךָ בְכֹרְךָ עֵשָׂו). But he said it in a way that at least in his heart he could be saying the truth.

The Chofetz Chaim in Sefer Chofetz Chaim explains, that even when there is a Heter, a person should be Meshaneh, a person should try to do it in a way that leaves him open to not being a blatant type of an Issur.

Here too, Yonason had a Heter to say Lashon Hora to Dovid. He had a Heter to say to him my father is out to kill you. He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to taint his tongue, it is an Issur whether it be Lashon Hora or as the Mari Karo brings on Shmuel I 20:38 Holech Rachil Megaleh Sod, whatever it may be. Even though he had a Heter, certainly Lo Samod Al Dam Rei’echa, he had to tell Dovid. He chose to do it with Simanim rather than to say it carefully. The Hanhaga of the Gedolei Yisrael to be super careful in the way that they speak, in the way that they communicate, not to G-d forbid train their tongue to say Lashon Hora.

There is a story about the Chofetz Chaim. The story goes that a person came to Radin and this is before photographs were prevalent. He got off the train in Radin and he went over to a man and he said where does the Chofetz Chaim live I want to visit him. The man he went over to was the Chofetz Chaim himself but he didn’t realize that. The Chofetz Chaim said why do you want to go visit him? The man said what do you mean he is a great Tzaddik, a Kadosh, a Gadol Hador, a Talmid Chochom, I want to visit him. The Chofetz Chaim said I know him, he is not such a big Talmid Chochom, he is not such a big Tzaddik. The man hearing this hit the Chofetz Chaim and knocked him down. He didn’t know that he was talking to the Chofetz Chaim, he thought he was talking to Stam a Yid. This Yid was besmirching the Chofetz Chaim saying he is not a Talmid Chochom, he is not a Tzaddik, and he knocked him down. 

Later when he heard what happened, he felt terrible and he went to apologize. The Chofetz Chaim said to him I deserved it. A person should not even speak Lashon Hora about himself. Ad Kan the story. The story bothered me because it is not true. There is no Issur to speak Lashon Hora about yourself. I traced this story back to the earliest source which is the Sefer Atara L’melech which is a Sefer which was printed well after the Chofetz Chaim’s Petira and it may or may not be a true story.   

I asked Rav Pam what is with this story as a person is allowed to say Lashon Hora about himself. Rav Pam said that it bothered him too. Perhaps, the Chofetz Chaim was saying that a person should watch his tongue. A person shouldn’t say Lashon Hora about himself, there is no Issur Lashon Hora. But as we are saying now even when you have a Heter to say Lashon Hora, don’t train your tongue to say Lashon Hora. Rav Pam mentioned then that even about a non-Jew who the Issur of Lashon Hora doesn’t apply to as you are allowed to say Lashon about a non-Jew, but a person shouldn’t allow his mouth, his tongue to say a Dibbur of Lashon Hora even when there is a Heter. And so, this is an extraordinary lesson from the Haftorah.

And so, today we learned something a little different, a Machar Chodesh Shiur, a Haftorah in which we learned first two Yesodos regarding Rosh Chodesh from the first Posuk and secondly the Yesod regarding Shemiras Halashon from the whole episode of what takes place. With this I wish everyone an absolutely wonderful Shabbos in preparation for Rosh Chodesh. A new Zman. A time to buckle down once again in our Avodas Hashem.