Neighborhood Day

As Galus Yidden, the Mitzvos of Pesach that stick out most are the ones that we are able to be Mekayem: Matzah, Maror and the Daled Kosos. We all know, however, that the main Mitzvah of the night is missing from our repertoire. Because we have not yet been Zoche to the Binyan Bais HaMikdash, we cannot be Makriv, or partake in, the Korban Pesach. Much as we Daven and hope, with each passing year, that we will be able to be Mekayem this Mitzvah in its fullest, many of us don’t know as much about it as we should. Perhaps, if we examine part of this Mitzvah we will come to an understanding that will help bring closer the day that we indeed ascend the Har Habayis en masse, Korbanos in hand.

The Mitzvah of Korban Pesach was given very early in out nationhood, while we still in the midst of Galus Mitzrayim. Immediately following the Mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh, the first given to Moshe and Aharon, Hashem tells them: “Dabru El Kol Adas Yisroel…V’Yikchu Lahem Ish She L’Bais Avos She L’Bayis”. As Rashi explains, the most basic Mitzvah of Korban Pesach was to take one sheep per family, and if the family was large one per household.

The Passuk then addresses the opposite side of the equation: “V’Im Yimat HaBayis MiHiyos MiSeh V’Lakach Hu U’Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso…Lifi Ochlo Tachosu Al HaSeh.” If a particular family was small, and did not have enough participants to eat an entire Korban, they could join together with their neighbors and share an animal.

On one hand this seems to be a relatively practical detail in the Mitzvah. As the Torah tells us just a few Pessukim later, the Dinim of Korban Pesach included an Issur of Nosar: one was not allowed to leave any of the meat over past the night of Pesach, “V’Hanosar Mimenu Ad Boker B’Esh Tisrofu”. The Torah wished to help Bnei Yisroel avoid this Issur, and therefore suggested that neighbors band together to share in a Korban.

In fact, Rabbeinu Bachya counts this Mitzvah as one of four places where the Torah is “Chas Al Mamonum Shel Yisroel”, careful with Yiddishe Gelt. Because any Nosar would have to be burnt, leading to a waste of the money spent on that portion of the animal, the Torah allowed for neighbors to join together, thereby avoiding potential waste. A similar idea is seen in the Issur of Neveilah: the Torah tells us that one may give Basar Neveilah—meat of an animal that died without Shechita—to a non-Jew.

The consensus of the Meforshei HaPshat certainly seems to line up with this approach. The Ikkur Mitzvah of Korban Pesach was “Seh L’Bais Avos”—it was meant to be a family-based Mitzvah—yet the Torah made allowances for those that could not fulfil the Mitzvah in that way.

That said, the way the Passuk itself is written should give us pause. The Torah could have said “V’Im Yimat HaBayis MiHiyos MiSeh V’Lakach Hu U’Shcheno Bimichsas Nefashos”. Why are the words “Hkarov El Baiso” necessary?

Sforno offers an explanation for these words: even if there are Mitzri houses between the a person and the next Jewish home, it is still considered a “Shachen”, because the other family is “Karov El Beiso”, the closest to his home. These words therefore come to teach us that even two houses that are not adjacent can be considered “Hu U’Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso”.

Even with this Pshat, however, these words raise questions. If the purpose of this Din is to allow people to join together even with those who are not family, why would it matter if the two housese were next to each other or not? The Torah seems to put a particular emphasis on the fact that the two families that join together are “neighbors” and even that they must be the closest to one another, even if there are Mitzriyim in between. Why is this the case? Why does the Torah seem to insist on neighbors joining together specifically, and why the closest in proximity?

Now, there is a seemingly easy way to explain this Halacha: during the evening of Pesach Mitzrayim, when the first Korban Pesach was to be eaten, there was another Mitzvah to be observed. Later, when giving over the Halachos of the Korban Pesach, Moshe tells Bnei Yisroel: “V’Atem Lo Teitzu Ish M’Pesach Baiso Ad Boker.” Bnei Yisroel were not allowed to leave their houses during that first Seder night. Because of this restriction, it would be most practical for people to join with their most immediate neighbors, so that they may easily share the Korban.

This would of course be an adequate explanation if the Halacha of “Hu U’Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso” applied only for Pesach Mitzrayim, when the restrictions of movement were in place, and not every other year. If one was allowed to join with whomever they wished every other year, regardless of proximity, then this explanation of the Passuk would be helpful.

It is not clear, however, if this is indeed the case.

The Tosefta, in the eighth Perek of Pesachim, lists the differences between Pesach Mitzrayim and Pesach Doros, of which there are quite a few. For example, in Mitzrayim the Seh was taken in to their houses on the tenth of Nissan, and brought as a Korban on the fourteenth. In subsequent years, however, it was not necessary to bring the Seh into their houses early. One of the other differences mentioned by the Tosefta is this Din: “Pesach Mitzrayim Ne’emar Bo ‘V’Lakach Hu U’Shecheino”, indicating that this rule in fact applies only in Mitzrayim.

The Tosefta then brings another opinion: R’ Shimon holds that this Din applied to Pesach Doros as well. That is, in any given year, one who cannot finish the entire Korban with those in his own home, or with his famly, should join with “Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso”. R’ Shimon explains the reason for this Halacha: “Kidei Shelo Yaniach Adam Shecheino HaKarov El Baiso V’Yelech V’Yaaseh Es Pischo Etzel Chaveiro.” The Torah wanted to ensure that one would not leave his neighbors to go make the Korban Pesach with his friend who lived farther away. R’ Shimon adds that this is a Kiyum of the Passuk in Mishlei that says “Tov Shachen Karov M’Ach Rachok”.

Whether or not the Halacha Pesuka follows R’ Shimon, it seems that he is teaching us something very important about the Korban Pesach. The Din of “Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso” was not a practical Eitzah for Pesach Mitzrayim, because they couldn not leave their houses. Rather, the Korban Pesach is somehow meant to teach us something about the value of a Shachen—as noted by Shlomo Hamelech in the Passuk in Mishlei.

We must of course understand what this means. Why is this lesson, “Tov Shachen Karov M’Ach Rachok”, tied so closely to the Korban Pesach? What were we meant to learn at the time of the very first Korban Pesach, when we received this Tzivuy, and what lesson should we be learning anew each year as Pesach approaches?

Perhaps we can explain this Halacha, and its specific relevance to the Korban Pesach, with an approach, in the Derech of Drush, to the Passuk quoted in the Tosefta.

R’ Shlomo Kluger, in Chachmas Hatorah on Parshas Toldos, notes that the Passuk in Mishlei, “Tov Shachen Karov M’Ach Rachok”, cannot be imparting a piece of practical advice. While it may be true that a close neighbor is in some ways better than a brother who is farther away, “Ain Derech Shel HaKasuv L’Haamid Mili D’Alma”, the Passuk does not speak about such mundane matters.

R’ Shlomo therefore explains the Passuk as referring to the two forces that inhabit our lives: the Yetzer Tov and the Yetzer Harah. When a person is born, his Yetzer Harah is created with him, in this way it is like an “Ach”, a brother, because it is born of the same womb as each of us. The Yetzer Tove, on the other hand, joins a person only when they reach the age of Chiyuv B’Mitvos, and it is therefore not an “Ach”, a natural born relation, but a “Shachen”, one that comes later in life.

The Passuk, if understood this way, is telling us “Tov Shachen Karov”, although the Yetzer Tov is only a Shachen, it is “Tov” because it wishes for us to be successful, as opposed to the “Ach”, the Yetzer Harah, which is “Rachok”, and roots for our demise. Therefore, say R’ Shlomo, although it is not an “Ach” but a “Shachen” the Yetzer Tov is indeed “Tov” as compared to its counterpart.

R’ Shlomo then adds another important difference between the two Yitzrei HaAdam.

The reality of life is that the more one relies on the Yetzer Harah, and follows his Eitzos, the more deeper he falls into its snarls. If one does an Avierah once, it is easier to aovid repeating the error than if he does it reapetedly. Such is the way of the Yetzer Harah, for, though he is an Ach, he wishes for a person to fail.

When it comes to the Yetzer Tov, however, the opposite is true. When a person starts on a path to growth: “HaHaschala V’Hahisorirus L’Mitzvah Shelo Aval HaGmar Na’aseh AlYidei Siyuah HaYetzer Tov.” The inspiration and motivation to start a Mitzvah may be our own, but we can complete the job only with the help of the Yetzer Tov. In thise sense the Yetzer Tov is “Moshel” upon the person and bring him to Mitzvos. The more a person becomes accustomed to Torah, Mitzvos and Maasim Tovim, however, the less he relies on the Yetzer Tov instead being driven by his own abilities. Eventually, concludes R’ Shlomo, a person is totally independent of the Yetzer Tov and in fact becomes the “Moshel”.

Indeed the relationship between a person and his “Ach” differs greatly from that of his “Shachen”.

Perhaps this was the message that Hashem wished to send with the Tzivuy of “Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso”

At the time of Pesach Mitzrayim we stood at the precipice—years of Galus had sullied our Neshamos, and drawn many from within our ranks. Now, we knew that Geulah was at hand, and with it the reality of “Tavdun Es HaElokim Al HaHar Hazeh”—but how? How could we get there? We were steeped in the Tumas Mitzrayim, how could we hope to achieve all that was expected of us?

The answer lie in this Tzivuy: “V’Im Yimat HaBayis MiHiyos MiSeh V’Lakach Hu U’Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso”. If we feel too small for the Korban Pesach, to diminutive for Kedusha, we must remember that we have a Shachen. Yes, we were born with a Yetzer Harah, his is our “Ach” remaining with us for life, but we also have a Yetzer Tov, our “Shachen”. When we feel as though we are helpless we can rely upon our Shachen Tov to help us—and eventually he will step back as we achieve our own greatness.

Sometimes we feel as though we can’t even locate our Yetzer Tov, but we must remember that he is Karov El Baiso. As Sforno explained, even if there are many Batei Mitzryim between us and our Shachen—he is nonetheless there to be found.

This message was not limited to Pesach Mitzrayim, as R’ Shimon explains in the Tosefta, it resonates today as well. Who among us does not sometimes need a reminder that “Tov Shachen Karov M’Ach Rachok”? Each Pesach we are meant to remind ourselves that the Yetzer Tov, our Shachen, stands ready to assist us in our journey to greatness.

In fact, it seems that a similar message, which highlights the Koach of Pesach itself, is perhaps found in the Haggadah.

In the first question of the Mah Nishtana we note that on all other nights we may eat Chametz or Matzah, but on this night “Kulo Matzah”. This seems to mean that the night itself is Kulo Matzah, no mention is made of eating the Matzah, which would seem to be the appropriate contrast.

The Rodomsker, in Tiferes Shlomo, explains these words based on a well-established Yesod. We know that Chametz are related to the Yetzer Harah, and when we destroy the Chametz we hope to eliminate the Se’or SheBisa as well. “Halayla HaZeh Kulo Matzah”, explains the Radomsker, means that this night, Pesach, is itself Kulo Tov, there is no hint of Chometz or the Yetzer Harah that they represent.

Each year on Pesach we celebrate a night of Kulo Matzah, one in which the influences of the Yetzer Harah are mitigated, when each one of us joins with his “Shcheno Hkarov El Baiso” in our journey to greatness and the day which we will once again eat “Min HaZevachim U’Min HaPesachim”.