You will not plow with an ox and a donkey together

Transcription

1 Rabbi Pinches Friedman Parshas Ki Seitzei 5778 Translation by Dr. Baruch Fox You will not plow with an ox and a donkey together During the Month of Elul It Is Imperative to Subdue the Klipos of the Ox and the Donkey by Studying Torah in Depth Like an Ox and Comprehensively Like a Donkey In this week s parsha, parshas Ki Seitzei, it befits us to establish the connection between the parsha and the avodah of the month of Elul. During this month designated for teshuvah, we prepare ourselves for the High Holidays Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim which approach us auspiciously. To establish this connection, we will focus on one of the prohibitions mitzvos lo sa aseh mentioned in the parsha (Devarim,22 :(10 תחרוש בשור ובחמור יחדיו you לא shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. Many straightforward, plausible explanations have been suggested and taught regarding this prohibition. We will present two that are related to the issue of animal abuse. The first appears in the commentary of the Ibn Ezra. Being infinitely merciful, HKB H took pity on the donkey, which lacks the sheer strength of the ox. If these two animals were to plow together, the stronger ox would compel the donkey to plow faster and push the donkey beyond its physical limits. This clearly represents an example of cruelty to animals. In the commentary of the Chizkuni, he also presents this רחמיו של הקב ה על כל מעשיו, ואין כח החמור ככח השור rationale: he stresses that HKB H is displaying His mercy toward the comparatively weaker donkey. Yet, he adds another rationale שהשור מעלה גרה תמיד ואוכל, והחמור habits: related to their eating because אינו מעלה גרה, נמצא שזה אוכל וזה מתענה, וזהו צער בעלי חיים an ox chews a cud, it is constantly consuming food; whereas the donkey does not chew a cud; therefore, while the ox is eating, the donkey is suffering; this constitutes another example of cruelty to animals. Amplifying on this second rationale, the Da as Zekeinim authored by the Tosafists explains that the donkey is tormented by the sound of the ox s eating. A Person Who Refrains from Giving Tzedakah to the Poor Violates the Prohibition of You shall not plow with an Ox and a Donkey Apropos this topic, I would like to propose a fascinating explanation of the following passage in the Gemara (A.Z. 5b): אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי בנאה, מאי דכתיב אשריכם זורעי על כל מים משלחי רגל השור והחמור, אשריהם ישראל בזמן שעוסקין בתורה ובגמילות חסדים, יצרם מסור בידם ואין הם מסורים ביד יצרם, שנאמר אשריכם זורעי על כל מים, ואין זריעה אלא צדקה שנאמר זרעו לכם לצדקה וקצרו לפי חסד, ואין מים אלא תורה, שנאמר הוי כל צמא לכו למים. משלחי רגל השור והחמור: תנא דבי אליהו לעולם ישים אדם עצמו על דברי תורה כשור לעול וכחמור למשאוי. Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Bana ah: What is the meaning of that which is written (Yeshayah 32, 20): Fortunate are you who sow upon all waters, who send away the feet of the ox and the donkey? This means fortunate is Yisrael when they engage in Torah-study and the performance of acts of kindness, for their yetzer is delivered into their hands, and they are not delivered into the hands of their yetzer. For it is stated: Fortunate are you who sow by all waters. Sowing only refers to tzedakah. As it is stated (Hoshea 10, 12): Sow for yourselves for tzedakah; reap according to chesed. Water only refers to Torah, as it is stated (ibid. 55, 1): Ho! Everyone that is thirsty go to the water (Torah). Who send away the feet of the ox and the donkey a Tanna of the academy of Eliyahu taught in a Parshas Ki Seitzei

2 Baraisa: A person should always apply himself to the words of Torah like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden. This passage teaches us that the yetzer hara that assails mankind is described as the feet of the ox and the donkey ; whereas, those who study Torah and perform acts of chesed are described as those who send away the feet of the ox and the donkey indicating that they are able to thwart the efforts of the yetzer hara. We will endeavor to explain why the yetzer hara is associated with the ox and the donkey. The Ben Yehoyada explains (A.Z. ibid.): It appears that the unintentional and intentional yetzer hara is referred to as the ox and the donkey. As our teacher Maharam Alshich, z l, writes regarding the passuk (Shemos 21, 33): And an ox or a donkey fall into it one who causes damage deliberately is represented by the ox, it intends to damage; whereas one who causes damage inadvertently is represented by the donkey, it does not intend to damage. Based on this understanding, we can suggest that the yetzer hara that persuades a person not to perform an act of chesed on behalf of a friend, is the yetzer hara that joins an ox and a donkey together. As we learned above, the Torah prohibits plowing with an ox joined with a donkey, so that the donkey will not suffer when it hears the ox chewing its cud, while it has nothing to eat. Similarly, when a poor person has nothing to eat, he suffers when he sees his neighbor enjoying all the delicacies of Olam HaZeh. This is the point of the Gemara s elucidation with regards to those who study Torah and also perform acts of chesed on behalf of their fellow man. The passuk states: Fortunate are you who sow upon all waters, who send away the feet of the ox and the donkey they drive away the yetzer hara, who is called the feet of the ox and the donkey. This description indicates that it tries to persuade a person not to be bothered by his neighbor s distress. As explained, this is a corollary of the prohibition of: You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey Teaches Us Not to Allow Eisav and Yishmael to Join Forces It is with great pleasure that I would like to introduce a לא תחרוש of: profound interpretation of the mitzvas lo sa aseh In his composition Asarah Ma amaros, the.בשור ובחמור יחדיו Rama of Pano introduces an incredible chiddush regarding the shape of the eigel (the golden calf): They stated in an Aggadah that its upper half, toward its head, resembled an ox, eating grass; its lower half, toward its tail, resembled a donkey. These represent two elements of the klipah... Regarding this unholy and improper union, they proclaimed: These are your god, O Yisrael. The source for this notion is found in the Tikunei Zohar (Tikun 5, 142a): When it (the Torah) says of the Erev Rav (Shemos 32, 3): The entire people unburdened themselves of the golden rings... and Aharon threw it all into the fire, an eigel emerged in the shape of an ox and a donkey. In his sefer Megaleh Amukos (beginning of Vayeitzei) and also in his sefer on Vaeschanan (71), the divine kabbalist writes לא תחרוש בשור that, on a deeper level, the mitzvas lo sa aseh of prohibits the union of the two forces of tumah that ובחמור יחדיו all the nations of the world are affiliated with--namely the ox and the donkey. The Zohar hakadosh states (Beshalach 64b) that when these two forces of tumah join as one, the world is לא תחרוש בשור passuk: doomed; this is the implication of the. ובחמור יחדיו Let us explain based on what the Megaleh Amukos writes in parshas Lech Lecha. He explains what HKB H showed Avraham at the Covenant of the Parts Bris bein HaBesarim (Bereishis,15 :(10 לו את כל אלה ויבתר אותם בתוך he -- ויקח took all of these to Him, and he split them in the center. It is known that there are seventy nations of the world; they are divided into two groups. Thirty-five are on the left side of kedushah led by,סמא ל the guardian angel of Eisav. Opposite them, there are thirty-five on the right side of kedushah, led by,רה ב the guardian angel of Yishmael. Thus, we have seventy nations, אל ה opposite.אל ה In other words, we have,ל ה thirty-five nations on the right with their leader, their,א opposite,ל ה thirty-five nations on the left with their leader, their.א In fact, the holy people of Yisrael stand in the middle, between the two groups of אל ה. This is the allusion in the passuk cited above: לו את כל אלה ויקח he took the two sets ויבתר-- heads comprising the seventy nations and their,אל ה of he אותם split them into two halves and placed Yisrael בתוך between them. This is also alluded to in the passuk (Tehillim refers אלה to the two corresponding ברכב ואלה בסוסים 28): 20, ואנחנו בשם ה אלקינו nation; representing the seventy אל ה sets of Yisrael. refers נזכיר to We will now return to the Megaleh Amukos s explanation of לא תחרוש בשור of: the Zohar hakadosh regarding the lo sa aseh Parshas Ki Seitzei

3 Yishmael is the corrupted aspect of Avraham s.ובחמור יחדיו midah of chesed; he is the chesed of the klipah the klipah of the donkey. He is the leader of the thirty-five nations on the right side. Eisav, on the other hand, is the corrupted aspect of Yitzchak s midah of gevurah; he is the gevurah of the klipah the klipah of the ox. He is the leader of the thirty-five nations on the left side. Therefore, the Torah prohibited us from uniting them: תחרוש בשור ובחמור יחדיו. לא Their union poses a grave danger; for, they represent the source of all the forces of tumah of the seventy guardian angels of the nations of the world. Eisav Joined Forces with Yishmael to Combat Yaakov In this manner, the Megaleh Amukos explains what transpired after Yaakov took the berachos from Eisav (Bereishis so וילך Eisav went עשו אל ישמעאל ויקח את מחלת בת ישמעאל :(9,28 to Yishmael and took Machalas, the daughter of Yishmael (as a wife). We know that Yaakov s midah is tiferes, which is an amalgamation of the two midos of chesed (from Avraham) and gevurah (from Yitzchak). Hence, when Eisav realized that Yaakov had succeeded in taking the berachos away from him, he concluded that it was because he only had the power of the klipah of the ox on his side the gevurah of the klipah; whereas Yaakov, on the side of kedushah, had both chesed and gevurah working on his behalf, combined in the midah of tiferes. Therefore, Eisav cleverly decided to join forces with Yishmael and his klipah of chesed, as chronicled by the passuk: Eisav went to Yishmael and took Machalas, the daughter of Yishmael. Thus, he would also have the powers of chesed and gevurah on his side, albeit from the side of the klipah. In this manner, he thought he would be able to overcome Yaakov s midah of tiferes on the side of kedushah. Recognizing Eisav s ploy, Yaakov sent him the following message (Bereishis 32, 5): לבן גרתי I עם have sojourned with Lavan. Rashi points out that the term גרתי is an anagram for In other words, Yaakov is informing him: I lived with.תרי ג Lavan and, nevertheless, I observed the taryag mitzvos, and I was not influenced by his evil ways. To emphasize this point, Yaakov adds (ibid. 6): לי שור וחמור even ויהי with the two forces of tumah, the ox and the donkey, on your side, I still have the power and wherewithal to defeat you. With this understanding, the Megaleh Amukos explains why the form of the eigel was such that its upper half resembled an ox and its lower half resembled a donkey. For, we have learned in the Gemara (Shabbas 146a) that when Yisrael approached Har Sinai, the contamination of the nachash ceased to affect them; however, after the cheit ha eigel, it returned in full force. The Gemara expresses this phenomenon as follows (A.Z. 5a): לא קיבלו ישראל את התורה אלא כדי שלא יהא מלאך המות שולט בהן, שנאמר --אני אמרתי אלהים אתם ובני עליון כולכם, חבלתם מעשיכם, אכן כאדם תמותון Yisrael only received the Torah so that the Malach HaMaves would not prevail over them, as it is stated (Tehillim 82, 6): I said, You are divine, sons of the most high. However, you have corrupted your deeds and therefore: Like men you shall die. The Midrash (S.R. 32, 1) makes a similar statement based והמכתב מכתב 16): on an elucidation of the passuk (Shemos 32, the אלקים הוא חרות על הלוחות... חירות מן הגלויות, חירות ממלאך המות script on the luchos was provided by G-d; it was engraved on the luchos... The word for engraved,,חרות resembles the word meaning freedom indicating that they were afforded,חירות freedom from exiles and freedom from the Malach HaMaves. This explains very nicely why the eigel took the form of an ox and a donkey. It indicated that as a result of the cheit ha eigel, the Satan succeeded in uniting the forces of the ox and the donkey namely, the two Klipos of Eisav and Yishmael. Consequently, the reality of the Malach HaMaves and galuyos among the seventy nations of the world returned. This is the gist of his sacred remarks with some additional clarification. Tikun for the Cheit Ha Eigel Is Achieved by Studying Torah Like an Ox with a Yoke and a Donkey with a Burden Following this line of reasoning, let us proceed to elaborate on the deeper connection between the month of Elul and the mitzvas lo sa aseh of: תחרוש בשור ובחמור יחדיו. לא Due to the cheit ha eigel, representing the union of the ox and the donkey, Eisav and Yishmael, Moshe Rabeinu shattered the first set of luchos. In contrast, during the month of Elul, HKB H accepted Moshe s entreaty to give Yisrael a second set of luchos. Thus, it behooves us to make amends during the month of Elul for the uniting of the ox and the donkey. So, we must explain how the separation of the ox from the donkey is accomplished and how their union is prevented. I had a wonderful idea! Let us refer to the Gemara cited above תנא דבי אליהו לעולם ישים אדם עצמו על דברי תורה כשור לעול :(5b (A.Z. a וכחמור Tanna from the Academy of Eliyahu taught למשאוי in a Baraisa: A person should always apply himself to the Parshas Ki Seitzei

4 words of Torah like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden. We must endeavor to comprehend the characterization and distinction between an ox to a yoke and a donkey to a burden as they apply to Torah-study. Additionally, we should clarify Yaakov s intent in the berachah he bestowed upon יששכר חמור 14): Yissachar, the pillar of Torah (Bereishis 49, donkey; Yissachar --גרם is a strong-boned רובץ בין המשפתים he rests between the boundaries. Rashi explains that like a strong-boned donkey, he bears a heavy burden, namely the yoke of Torah. It is puzzling! Seeing as one must study Torah like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden, why did Yaakov Avinu only refer to the characteristic of the donkey in his berachah? It appears that we can reconcile this difficulty by referring to the incredible teachings of the Chasam Sofer, zy a, in his chiddushim (Chullin 7a). An ox with a yoke symbolizes in depth Torah-study aimed at clarifying the precise nuances and details of a given halachah. Whereas, a donkey bearing a burden symbolizes reviewing the details of various halachos. A similar explanation is provided by the great author of the לעולם ישים ibid.): Ben Ish Chai in his sefer Ben Yehoyada (A.Z. אדם עצמו כשור לעול וכחמור למשוי. נראה לי בסייעתא דשמיא, כשור לעול the בלימוד ox bearing העיון והסברה, וכחמור למשוי בלימוד הגרסה a yoke represents study aimed at depth and understanding; whereas the donkey bearing a load represents study aimed at comprehensive knowledge, being well-versed. The Chafetz Chaim explains the matter magnificently in the sefer Shem Olam: וזהו שאמרו חז ל תנא דבי אליהו לעולם ישים אדם עצמו על דברי תורה כשור לעול וכחמור למשא. ומה שדימהו לענין שור וחמור, דכח השור נברא כדי לחרוש בו את האדמה, שתוכל אחר כך להוציא פריה כשזורעים בה, וכמו דכתיב )משלי יד-ד( ורב תבואות בכח שור. והחמור עניינו הוא רק שיהיה נושא עליו את התבואה שהוציאו כבר מן האדמה. וכן הוא בענין לימוד התורה, דמתחילה צריך לייגע עצמו להבין את דברי התורה, ואחר כך כשנתברר לו מצוה לישא עליו את דברי התורה, כמו דכתיב )דברים ו-ו( והיו הדברים וגו על לבבך, וכתיב )שם ד-ט( ופן יסורו מלבבך כל ימי חייך, והיינו על ידי שחוזר עליהם כמה פעמים שלא ישתכחו ממנו. He explains that the function of the ox is to plow the earth, so that it will be able to bear fruit. He cites the passuk (Mishlei 14, 4): The strength of the ox yields an abundance of crops. The function of the donkey, in contrast, is merely to carry the crops that have been harvested out of the fields. This is analogous to Torah-study. At first, one must work hard to comprehend the words of Torah; afterwards, once the mitzvah is understood clearly, he must review it over and over again, so that he doesn t forget it. A Sinai and an Uprooter of Mountains It seems clear that this distinction between the ox bearing a yoke and a donkey bearing a load parallels remarkably the two philosophies and approaches to Torah-study comprehensive, extensive knowledge versus in-depth knowledge. Now, in the Gemara (Horayos 14a), we find that Chazal describe these two types of Torah-scholars as Sinai and uprooter of mountains : אמר רבי יוחנן, פליגו בה רבן שמעון בן גמליאל ורבנן, חד אמר סיני עדיף וחד אמר עוקר הרים Rabbi Yochanan said: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and the Rabbis disputed this point. One said that a Sinai is preferable, while the other said that one who uproots mountains is preferable. Rashi explains that a scholar is called a Sinai, when his familiarity with the Mishnayos and Baraisos is so profound that his rulings are as organized in his mind as on the day they were given at Sinai. An uprooter of mountains may possess powers of analysis that are superior to a Sinai, but his knowledge of Mishnayos and Baraisos is not as extensive. The Gemara informs us that this question arose when the sages wished to appoint a Rosh Yeshivah in Bavel: רב יוסף סיני, רבה עוקר הרים. שלחו לתמן איזה מהם קודם, שלחו להו סיני עדיף, דאמר מר הכל צריכין למרי חיטיא, ואפילו הכי לא קביל רב יוסף עליה, מלך רבה עשרין ותרתין שנין, והדר מלך רב יוסף. Rav Yosef was a Sinai ; while Rabbah was an uprooter of mountains. They sent this question there (to the authorities in Eretz Yisrael): Which one of them takes precedence (to be appointed as the Rosh Yeshivah in Bavel)? They sent this reply back to them: A Sinai takes precedence, because the master has said: Everyone needs the owner of wheat (to acquire wheat to bake bread; similarly, everyone requires a scholar whose knowledge of halachos is extensive). Even so, Rav Yosef did not accept the position. Rabbah (who was appointed in his place) ruled for twenty-two years. And then (after Rabbah passed away), Rav Yosef ruled. Parshas Ki Seitzei

5 Now, the explanations of the Chasam Sofer, Ben Yehoyada and the Chafetz Chaim regarding the teaching of the Academy of - לעולם ישים אדם עצמו על דברי תורה כשור לעול וכחמור למשאוי -- Eliyahu -make perfect sense. The characterization of an ox to a yoke applies to a scholar who employs pilpul to achieve a profound understanding of the issues at hand; he explores the similarities and differences between issues until he arrives at the truth of the matter. This is analogous to an ox who bears the yoke of the plow to uproot and turn over the earth to remove stones and unfavorable terrain, leaving the earth ready and favorable for sowing and growing. On the other hand, the characterization of a donkey to a burden applies to a different sort of scholar. First the ox must plow the field, so that various fruits and produce can be cultivated and harvested. Afterwards, the load of fruit and produce is placed on the donkey. In similar fashion, after a person has clarified a halachic issue like an ox bearing a yoke, he must then review and study all of the halachos that he has learned like a donkey bearing a burden. The donkey does not perform the arduous labor of plowing; its task is to bear the heavy load of harvested fruit and produce. Similarly, the Sinai scholar must carry with him all of the refined halachos in the Torah, like a donkey carrying a load of sefarim on his back, ensuring that he is well-versed in all aspects of the Torah. This explains very nicely why the Tanna from the Academy of Eliyahu intentionally mentioned the ox prior to the donkey: Initially,. לעולם ישים אדם עצמו על דברי תורה כשור לעול וכחמור למשאוי it is essential to be a לעול to שור clarify halachic issues by means of pilpul, plowing the depths of Torah. After arriving חמור at the truth of the matter, one must adopt the role of to למשאוי carry and remember all of those halachos and their precise details. We can now understand and appreciate why Yaakov Avinu chose to mention in the berachah he bestowed upon Yissachar, יששכר חמור ox: the pillar of Torah, only the donkey and not the Seeing as he carries on his shoulders the fruit of clarified.גרם halachos that he studied, it is evident that he already performed the work of the ox with a yoke; he plowed the depths of Torah, employing the methodology of pilpul. Having performed that laborious task, he now assumes the role of the donkey, bearing the heavy load of all the halachos. Accordingly, the description of a donkey with a load incorporates within it the description of an ox with a yoke, as well. For, that is a prerequisite for ultimately becoming a donkey with a load. Yaakov Avinu Subjugated Eisav and Yishmael with the Power of Torah This explains very nicely the Megaleh Amukos s contention that Eisav harasha took Machalas, the daughter of Yishmael, as his wife, so that he could harness the two forces of the klipah the ox and the donkey to help him combat Yaakov. For, as we have learned, Yaakov s midah was tiferes, a combination of chesed and gevurah from the realm of kedushah. Thus, we must explain how Yaakov managed to overcome the united front of those two Klipos. Let us refer to what we have learned in the Mishnah (Avos על שלשה דברים העולם עומד, על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילות :(2,1 Torah, the world stands on three pillars on the --חסדים on religious service and on the performance of acts of kindness. The Zohar hakadosh (Vayeitzei 146b) explains that על שלשה Avos: these three pillars are none other than the three דברים העולם עומד, על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילות חסדים, התורה דא יעקב, the העבודה world is supported דא יצחק, גמילות חסדים דא אברהם by three pillars... Yaakov is the pillar of Torah; Yitzchak is the pillar of religious service; Avraham is the pillar of acts of kindness. Thus, we see that Yaakov Avinu is the pillar of Torah. Therefore, by studying Torah like an ox bearing a yoke and like a donkey bearing a load from the realm of kedushah, he was able to subdue the union of Eisav and Yishmael, the ox and donkey of ויהי message: the klipah. He intimated as much to Eisav in his In other words, by studying Torah like an ox and.לי שור וחמור a donkey, I have succeeded in defeating you, even though you joined forces with Yishmael. It should now be clear what is expected of us during the month of Elul. It is our sacred duty to rectify the damage caused by the cheit ha eigel. As we ve learned, the top half of the eigel resembled an ox and the bottom half resembled a donkey indicating that the combined forces of tumah of the ox and the donkey Eisav and Yishmael had prevailed over them. Thus, it is incumbent upon us to abolish these unholy forces during the month of Elul the month during which Moshe Rabeinu ascended to the heavens to receive the second Parshas Ki Seitzei

6 set of luchos. We can accomplish this feat by studying Torah שור לעול וחמור-- load like an ox with a yoke and a donkey with a As we ve learned these are the two methodologies of.למשאוי Torah-study rigorous, in-depth analysis and comprehensive knowledge uprooter of mountains and Sinai. By means of the ox and donkey of kedushah, we are able to abolish the union of Eisav and Yishmael, the ox and donkey of the klipah. The Geulah from the Galus of Edom and Yishmael Will Come in the Merit of Torah Study It is with great pleasure that we can now comment on what the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh brings down (Tetzaveh) in the name of the Zohar Chadash (Bereishis). It asserts that the last galus is attributable to the sin of bitul Torah being remiss with regards to Torah-study. Consequently, the future geulah will come in the merit of diligently studying the Torah that was given to Moshe: רבי יוסי בן חלפתא ישב לפני רבי יצחק, אמר לו שמא שמע מר מדוע נתארכו כל כך ימות המשיח בגלות זו. אמר לו רבי יצחק לא התארכה הגלות אלא בשל ביטול תורה, כי כך שמעתי מרב המנונא סבא, שלוש גלויות גלו ישראל ונגאלו מהן בזכות ג האבות, אבל מהגלות הרביעית יגאלו ישראל בזכות משה. בא ואראה לך, שלא גלו ישראל אלא על ביטול תורה, שנאמר )ירמיה ט-יב( ויאמר ה על עזבם את תורתי. אמר הקב ה, בגלויות הראשונות חזרו בזכות אברהם יצחק ויעקב, עכשיו הם חטאו בתורה שנתתי למשה, כשישובו ויעסקו בתורתו, בזכות משה אני גואלם. Rabbi Yossi ben Chalafta questions why the current exile is lasting so long. Rabbi Yitzchak answers, in the name of Rabbi Himnuna, that the first three geulos were in the merit of the three Avos; the fourth geulah, however, will be in the merit of Moshe. He adds that since this exile is the result of forsaking the Torah, which Hashem gave to Moshe, Hashem will redeem them when they occupy themselves once again with His Torah; He will do so in the merit of Moshe. To explain the matter, let us introduce an idea from the Arizal in Likutei Torah (Ki Seitzei). He teaches us that the four galuyos Bavel, Madai, Yavan and Edom constitute the entire body of the klipah. Bavel represents the head; Madai and Paras (Persia) represent the two arms; Edom and Yishmael represent the two lower extremities, which are long. Thus, we learn that the last galus the one that we are currently in corresponds to the two legs the galus of Edom and the galus of Yishmael. As we have discussed, they correspond to the Klipos of the ox and the donkey, who want to join forces to wage war against Yisrael. It was precisely for this reason that HKB H warned us: תחרוש בשור ובחמור יחדיו not לא to plow with an ox and a donkey joined together. The key is כשור לעול וכחמור: Torah for us to commit ourselves to studying with למשאוי rigorous, in-depth analysis and comprehensive knowledge. By means of the ox and donkey of kedushah, we will eliminate the ox and donkey of the Klipos of Eisav and Yishmael. In this merit, we will be privileged to witness the complete geulah--swiftly, in our times! Amen. Family Madeb for the Refuah Shelimah of Lea bat Virgini לזכות Arthur & Randi Luxenberg of their wonderfull parents and children To receive the mamarim by mamarim@shvileipinchas.com Parshas Ki Seitzei