Time to Seek, Time to Keep: Commentary on the Torah and Koheles

By David J. Greenbaum

Twenty years ago I asked a simple question which became the foundation to this book. What makah coincided with Rosh Hashanah when Yisrael was exempt from doing slave labor? That question took over two years to answer and was the first of many that followed. The search for answers that touched all facets of the question taught me to think creatively and find solutions by combining commentaries from the sages into concepts that go beyond what one person said. My experience as an accountant for an international real estate company gave me the tools to see problems often had multiple facets and solutions involved linking diverse concepts together into one comprehensive idea that needed to be presented clearly and concisely.

This book gives an understanding to the Torah from a new perspective. Some commentaries are simple while others are linked to other parshas and sefers. I have endeavored to write all the commentaries concisely so the reader wont be confused. This book was written because as Kli Yakar says, these ideas are too precious to lose. Time to Seek, Time to Keep will broaden your understanding of the Torah and introduce you to new ideas to ponder and consider.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543434538

David J. Greenbaum

I have worked for over thirty years as a financial accountant for a major real estate company in New York City. The complicated ownership structure of buildings has trained me to see both the essence of the transaction and all the steps from inception to completion. This unique perspective enables me to see aspects others have overlooked that form the basis for much of the book.

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Copyright © 2017 by David J. Greenbaum.

Library of Congress Control Number:            2017910591

ISBN:                     Hardcover                     978-1-5434-3455-2

                                Softcover                       978-1-5434-3454-5

                                eBook                            978-1-5434-3453-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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The translation was from the original Hebrew source, Torah, Prophets, Mishnah and Gemorah. In English a sentence is structured as noun, verb, adjective. In Hebrew a sentence is structured as verb, noun, adjective. Where the sentence would not lead to confusion, the translation in many cases followed the Hebrew sentence structure.

Rev. date: 08/02/2017

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CONTENTS

BERESHEIS

NOACH

LECH LECHA

VA’YEIRAH

CHAYEI SARAH

TOLDOS

VAYEITZEI

VA’YISHLACH

VA’YEISHEV

MIKETZ

VAYIGASH

YA’YECHI

SHMOS

VA’EIRAH

BO

BESHALACH

YISRO

MISHPATIM

TERUMAH

TEZAVEH

KI SISA

VA’YAKHEL

PEKUDAI

VAYIKRA

TZAV

SHEMINI

TAZRIAH

METZORAH

ACHERAI MOS

KEDOSHIM

EMOR

BEHAR

BECHUKOSAI

BAMIDBAR

NASO

BAHAALOTCHAH

SHELACH LECHA

KORACH

CHUKAS

BALAK

PINCHAS

MATTOS

MASEI

DEVARIM

VA’ ETCHANAN

EIKEV

RE’EI

SHOFTIM

KI SEITZEI

KI SAVO

NITZAVIM

VAYEILECH

HA’AZINU

ZOS HA’BARACHA

KOHELES

50877.pngletter%20of%20approbation.jpg

Rabbi Shaya Richmond

Congregation Aitz Chaim

2518 N Haverhill Road

West Palm Beach, Florida 33417

For years, David Greenbaum has shared his insights on the weekly parsha with me. He has shared with me his questions and solutions on Rashi and other commentaries. We have traded Novellae and sparred, as the Sages of old, over our interpretations. I have always admired his tenacity and intensity in acquiring the pshat, the authentic meaning of the scripture.

I am so very pleased he has written his Torah thoughts down in order to share them with other lovers of Torah. May the Almighty bless his efforts with success and grant him many years of health to continue his quest to learn and teach the beauty of our Holy Torah.

With deep regard,

Shaya Richmond

LETTER OF APPROBATION FOR MR. DAVID GREENBAUM

RABBI EPHRAIM EDELSTEIN

David and I have had an opportunity to work together on behalf of the Gemorah education in Congregation Bais Tfilah in Woodmere, Long Island. The shiur presents the frame of the sugyah and its concepts as understood through the analysis of the great Achronim. David always picks up on this approach and is successful in teaching the class.

David has added new techniques to our understanding of the posuk, yet remains true to his mentor and rebbe, Rashi. He also has exhibited skills in reiterating critical ideas that are true to the posuk. I would encourage people to study his book on the Torah portions and sefer Koheleth. As a committed student of our rebbe Rashi, he has followed his direction in explaining the posuk line by line in a concise manner. In our tradition, we turn to Rashi in order to grasp the meaning of a verse or word that seems obscure. Like many others, I felt we graduated to another level of Torah understanding with another great rabbi and commentary. Nevertheless, Rashi makes certain that we never turn our back and go astray along the way. David has followed this path.

PREFACE

The title comes from Koheles (3.6). A time to seek, a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away. A person must put in the effort to understand the Torah. Reviewing what he learned is essential to retain the knowledge that was acquired. If he doesn’t put in the time to review, all his effort to acquire knowledge of the Torah will be lost.

Knowledge is acquired by addressing three components: seeing a problem, gathering information and applying the information to reach a solution. This process starts at a young age. Children are given questions and are encouraged to search for answers. Many schools prepare weekly newsletters filled with questions for which answers are submitted by students.

All this starts with a question that bothers you enough to look for an answer. The Gemorah says On Rosh Hashanah the service of our fathers was removed in Mitzraim and in Nisan they were redeemed. (Rosh Hashanah 11a) Rashi says the plagues lasted six months. Tosfos says that R. Yehudah said the plagues lasted a year although he agrees they were not exempt from the labor until Rosh Hashanah. What plague coincided with Rosh Hashanah when Yisrael was exempt from doing labor? How long were the plagues, six months or a year?

This book is the result of thousands of hours looking for questions, searching for answers, and developing a writing style to present them clearly and concisely. Sometimes there is a question because the Torah changes from one subject to another and goes back. Other times, a word or phrase is repeated for no apparent reason. Rashi or another commentator may write something that will inspire a question. The answer may be simple yet it answers every facit of the question so completely you can’t wait to share the thought.

All of these questions and answers made me realize how fortunate I am. If Hashem had not given me the ability to ask questions and search for answers, none of these ideas would have been found.

How many saw a statement in the Gemorah and never asked a question?

How many asked a question and stopped because they weren’t bothered enough to look for an answer?

How many were bothered with the question, started to look for an answer and stopped because they didn’t know how to look for an answer?

How many were bothered with the difference between two answers and didn’t know how to resolve them?

How many looked for an answer and failed?

How many found an answer and told no one?

How many told an answer to someone but didn’t write it down and lost the idea?

How many wrote an answer and went no further?

Hashem gave me the ability to look for a question, search for an answer and compose it so the thought could be shared with others.

There is a well known saying: Two steps forward, one step back. This implies an obstacle will prevent someone from achieving a goal. Reversing the words gives a different idea. One step backward, two steps forward. Experience gives a person the tools to advance farther than if there had been no challenge to overcome.

This book would not have been possible without people who helped me along the way. My father in law of blessed memory, Yehudah ben Fraji, inspired me to start a journey I have been traveling since 1976. My wife, Simone, suggested I start learning Gemorah in 1988, which was the first of many steps that led to writing this book. My mother in law of blessed memory, Simcha bas Machloof, encouraged me whenever she read my early editions. My first chavrusa, Rabbi Israel Londinski, gave me the tools to learn.

I also wish to thank Steven Greenblatt, Shalom Jacob, my daughter Amy and her son Chaim, Ronniel and Caroline Levy and Rabbi Peretz Zutler. They inspired me to improve my writing and encouraged me to keep looking for ideas to ponder. I am very fortunate to have found such kind and understanding people.

BERESHEIS

(1.1) In the beginning of creating. Rashi says the Torah begins with Beresheis to indicate the land is given to the nation Hashem chooses. (ibid)

Ramban says nations lose their land because of their sinful acts. Adom sinned and lost the Garden of Eden. The generations of the flood sinned and lost their lives. The people of the Tower of Babel sinned and were scattered throughout the world. (ibid)

By extension, the Canaanite nations sinned and lost their land. (Devarim 9.5) Perhaps Yisrael lost their land because they sinned with the sale of Yosef. Yaakov and his sons left the land because of a famine and went to Mitzraim for 210 years.

(1.8) A second day. On the second day Elokim does not say and it was good. Rashi says this is because the creation of the waters wasn’t completed until the third day. (ibid)

Perhaps and it was good wasn’t said because a pair was not created on that day. Hashem told Adom it’s not good to be alone. (Beresheis 2.18) So too during the creation of the world a day is good if two items are created.

On the first day Elokim made light and saw it was good. He called the light day and the darkness night. (Beresheis 1.4-5)

On the second day Elokim made only heaven. (Beresheis 1.8)

On the third day He called the land, earth and the waters, seas and saw it was good. (Beresheis 1.10) Elokim also created herbs and trees and saw it was good. (Beresheis 1.12)

On the fourth day Elokim created the sun and the moon and saw it was good. (Berisheis 1.16, 1.18)

On the fifth day He created the fish and the birds and saw it was good. (Beresheis 1.20-21)

On the sixth day He created animals and insects and saw it was good. He also made Adom and Chava and saw it was good. (Beresheis 1.25, 1.31)

(1.22) And Elokim blessed them. Rashi notes birds and fish were blessed, but the beasts of the field were not blessed because of the serpent. (ibid)

Kli Yakar notes each group received a different blessing. Fish were told be fruitful and multiply. They are compared to the righteous.(ibid) Birds were given one blessing. They are compared to the average person. (ibid) The beasts of the earth were not blessed. They are compared to the wicked. (Kli Yakar Beresheis 1.25)

(1.26) Let us make man. Ibn Ezra said Elokim named five items: day and night, (Beresheis 1.5) heaven, (Beresheis 1.8) earth and seas. (Beresheis 1.10) These were all named after they were created.

He also named man. Unlike the others Adom was named before he was created. Perhaps this was done because man has the ability to change. The only time he is in a finished state is when he is no longer alive.

(2.2) And Elokim completed on the seventh day. Ohr HaChaim says Elokim created the universe with enough strength to endure six days. On the seventh day He gave the universe and the creatures the ability to renew and revitalize themselves. If the universe hadn’t been given this ability, everything would have returned to being empty. (Ohr HaChaim ibid)

(2.4) The generations of heaven and earth when they were created (written with a little ‘hei’) in the day Hashem Elokim made earth and heaven. Two items indicate the world was created with mercy.

This is the first time the Torah writes the name Hashem which signifies the attribute of mercy.

They were created was written with a little hei. Rashi says this world was created with a hei and the world to come was created with a yud. Hei is like a pavilion closed on top and opened at the bottom. Anyone who wishes to leave (a life of virtue and sin) can depart and go to the lower world. If he repents he can be brought back. The world to come was created with a yud. (Rashi ibid)

Kli Yakar says this world was created with a hei which represents a woman. All a person feels in this world is mixed with tears like a woman who cries during childbirth. The world to come was created with a yud which represents a man since their joy is not combined with tears. (ibid)

Perhaps both worlds were created with a hei and a yud. Hei sounds like hei and yud together. Hei has a value of five and is linked to the five letter name of Elokim with the attribute of justice. Yud has a value of ten and is linked to the first letter of Hashem with the attribute of mercy. The sentence also supports this idea since the Torah wrote: heaven and earth as well as earth and heaven, to indicate they are equal.

This world was first created with justice and then mercy was added. Elokim, representing justice, was written for the first six days of creation. Hashem was added to indicate mercy was added to justice. The sages say mercy was added because Hashem saw the world would not be able to survive without mercy. It could also be mercy was added to this world so a person could repent after he sins and change his destiny.

The world to come was first created with mercy because a mate is created there for everyone. Perhaps Hashem added justice since He is exact to reward and punish a person for his actions. Justice was added to mercy to include prayers said for those who died. When Absalom died the Gemorah says his father, David Hamelech, trembled. He went up to the upper chamber of the gateway and cried as he went. He said my son, Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom. If only I could have died in your place. Absalom, my son, my son. He covered his face and cried out in a loud voice. My son, Absalom. Absalom, my son, my son. (II Shmuel 19.1;19.5) Why did he say my son eight times? Seven times to bring him up from the seven rooms of Gehinnom. And regarding the eighth some say his head was brought near his body, and some say it brought him to the world to come. (Sotah 10b)

(2.4) in the day Hashem Elokim made earth and heaven. The Torah sometimes says Hashem and other times Elokim. It seems when the Torah mentions Elokim, the attribute of justice becomes dominant. When the Torah mentions Hashem, the attribute of mercy becomes dominant. When Hashem Elokim is written neither attribute is dominant. Hashem Elokim was written from the creation of man until they were removed from the Garden of Eden. (Beresheis 3.23) Perhaps their leaving was not a punishment but part of the plan to populate the world.

(2.8) A garden in Eden in the east, and He placed there the man He had formed. The Torah shifts to a new subject and speaks of the four headwaters that were the catalysts for the growth of civilization. (Beresheis 2.10) These waters were the source for the materials used to build civilizations, which is mentioned after Adom and Chava leave the garden. When this topic is finished the Torah returns to Adom and Chava and speaks of their eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge which caused them to leave. "And Hashem took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it." (Beresheis 2.15) In order not to confuse the reader the Torah reiterates the sentence before the shift.

(2.11) The name of the first is Pishon. Civilization began on these rivers with the development of agriculture, manufacturing and the arts. Chanoch built a city. (Beresheis 4.17) Javal was the father of the tent dwellers. Juval was the father of music, the harp, and pipe. Tuval kayin developed cutting tools of brass and iron. (Beresheis 4.20-22)

(2.16) And Hashem Elokim commanded the man. Man was commanded not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Beresheis 1.17) This indicates if an animal ate the fruit it wouldn’t acquire knowledge and wouldn’t be punished.

(2.18) I will make a helpmate for him. Instead of making a helpmate, man was asked to name the animals. (Beresheis 2.19) After he named every male and his mate, he realized he also needed a mate. (Beresheis 2.20) Perhaps if he had not named them, he wouldn’t have realized he was alone.

(2.22) Built the rib that He had taken from the man into woman. Woman was formed from a part of Adom while all of the other creatures came from the ground.

(2.23) To this shall be called woman. The Torah shifts to a new subject and speaks of Chava and the incident of the serpent. Then the Torah returns to Adom naming woman and leaving the garden. The Torah returns to the first topic by reiterating the sentence before the shift. And the man called the name of his wife Chava because she was the mother of all living. (Beresheis 3.20)

(3.3) Within the garden. Perhaps the prohibition against eating the fruit was a test. The location was known, the fruit was tempting and easily taken. If Hashem did not want the fruit to be eaten the tree could have been hidden or made as tall as a redwood and surrounded by thorny bushes.

(3.14) Cursed are you (the snake) from all the cattle and from all the beasts of the field. The curse was to travel on his belly and eat dust. (ibid) It seems the only other land organism that has no legs is a worm.

(3.21) Garments of skin and clothed them. The garments are mentioned after Adom named his wife and not with the incident of the snake. (Beresheis 3.7) This indicates the garments were not connected to the sin of eating the fruit. They were made to help them survive outside the garden.

(4.1) I have gotten a man with Hashem. Chava was the first person to say Hashem. Perhaps when she gave birth to Kayin she realized conception and birth only happened because of the kindness of Hashem.

(4.3) Kayin brought from the fruit of the ground an offering to Hashem. Firstborns and priests are the only ones who can bring sacrifices. Perhaps this is learned from here. Kayin was firstborn. He and Abel made offerings to Hashem. After Abel made his offering Kayin killed him. (Beresheis 4.8) Perhaps Kayin felt since he was firstborn the responsibility for bringing an offering rested only with him. Abel was the only one who wasn’t a firstborn or kohen to die after making an offering.

(4.26) Then they began to call upon the name of Hashem. Two of the seven Noachite laws are mentioned here. They are blessing Hashem and idolatry. Rashi says they named their idols and called them divine beings. (ibid)

(5.1) The generations of Adom. There were ten generations from Adom to Noach, from the creation of the world to the flood. (Pirkei Avos 5.2) Ten seems to represent transition, the end of one stage and the start of another. Noach’s children were part of the next stage, from the repopulation of the world to Avram.

(5.3) Thirty and one hundred year and he fathered Shais. The Torah gives three dates for Adom: his age when his first son was born, how long he lived after the birth of his son, (Beresheis 5.4) and the age he died. (Beresheis 5.5)

The same information was written for the other men in this stage. Perhaps this indicates they were righteous like Methuselah who Rashi says was righteous. (Beresheis 7.4) Rashi and Kli Yakar understand righteous to mean they did not rob, do immoral acts or worship idols. (Beresheis 6.9)

(5.5) Nine hundred year and thirty years. The Torah wrote the age of Adom with first the larger number and then the smaller. The Torah normally writes dates with the smaller number first followed by the larger. (Beresheis 5.3) It seems the numbers were written this way to give a special designation to a righteous person. When Sarah died her age was written in a similar manner. And the life of Sarah was one hundred year and twenty year and seven years. (Beresheis 23.1)

When centuries and decades are written, the Torah writes singular year. When the numbers one to nine are written, the Torah writes plural years. Perhaps only one plural term is needed. Since centuries and decades are plural or refer to multiple periods, year was written. Since one to nine is singular, years was written.

(6.5) And every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil every day. Rashi says they became perverted. (Beresheis 6.7) They transgressed the Noachite law of sexual perversion and mated with animals.

(6.7) And Hashem said I will blot out the man I have created from the face of the earth. Hashem judged the world and decided to bring a flood on the generation. The Torah indicates this by changing from Hashem, the attribute of mercy, to Elokim, the attribute of justice. And Elokim walked with Noach. (Beresheis 6.9)

It seems when Hashem makes a ruling of justice, Elokim becomes dominant. When Elokim makes a ruling of mercy, Hashem becomes dominant. Hashem ruled on a case of capital punishment, so Elokim became dominant.

NOACH

(6.9) And Noach was a man, righteous and pure. Rashi says the sages disagree on his level of righteousness. Some say he would have been considered righteous in Avraham’s generation. Others say he was righteous in his generation, but would have been considered ordinary in Avraham’s generation. (ibid)

Perhaps Noach and Avraham were chosen by Hashem because they were the best choices for the generations they lived in. Noach worked one hundred and twenty years to build an ark on dry land that was three hundred amos (six hundred feet) long. Everyone knew why he was building the ark and no one repented.

Avraham wandered for thirty years. Everyone knew he was the prophet of Hashem, and many followed him and turned away from idolatry. No one knows if Avraham would have been able to survive in the evil generation Noach lived in.

Rashi says Noach learned Torah from the clean animals that entered the ark. (Beresheis 7.2) He taught this to his son Shem who started the first yeshiva. Avraham sent Yitzchak there after the akaidah. (Medrash Rabbah 61.11) Yitzchak sent Yaakov to learn in the yeshiva of Eber. (Rashi Beresheis 28.9) Yaakov’s offspring passed his learning to their sons until the Torah was given. The yeshiva survived for hundreds of years.

The greatness of Noach was he started the first yeshiva and passed his knowledge of Torah to others. The greatness of Avraham was he passed knowledge of Hashem and acts of kindness to others.

(6.10) And Noach sired three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. Shem was the youngest. It seems he was mentioned first to indicate he was righteous. Noach was five hundred years old when he fathered Japheth and six hundred years old when the flood came. At the time of the flood Japheth was one hundred and Shem was ninety seven. The flood lasted a year and two years later, when he was one hundred, Shem’s son was born. (Beresheis 11.10)

(6.11) And the earth was corrupt before Elokim and the earth was filled with violence. Kli Yakar says Noach was saved because he was righteous. He didn’t rob from others, he guarded himself from immorality, and he didn’t do idolatry. (ibid)

Rashi says corruption means immorality and idolatry while violence means transgressing the Noachite law against robbery. (Beresheis 6.11) The flood came because all the people and animals committed these crimes.

(6.12) And Elokim saw the earth and behold it was corrupt. This indicates Elokim did not go down to judge them. Later the Torah says Hashem went down to judge the Tower of Babel. (Beresheis 11.5) Rashi says this was written to teach judges should see and understand the case before they render a decision. (ibid)

Perhaps Hashem went down to see Babel since it was in a specific location and a righteous person could bring atonement to the place. Perhaps He did not go down to the earth before the flood since one person would not be able to stop the corruption. It could also be the sins of that generation were so great they tainted the earth and their evil could be seen from a distance.

(6.13) The end of all flesh comes before me. Kli Yakar says an angel called the end of all flesh comes the day a person dies. The angel complained no one remembers it to change their ways. Mourning and eulogizing are needed to remember the end of all flesh. If people remember they would realize they can only take their good name with them when they die. (ibid)

The end of all flesh can also mean the angel of death wanted to strike the people and kill both the wicked and the righteous. Hashem said He would destroy them so Noach and his family would survive.

(6.15) 300 amos the length of the ark, 50 amos the width, and 30 amos the height. These measures are all combinations of the numbers 5, hei, and 10, yud. Hei refers to the five letter name of Elokim, the attribute of justice, and yud refers to the first letter in Hashem, the attribute of Mercy.

The length of 300 is 5 times 10 times 6. The width of 50 is 5 times 10. The height of 30 is 5 plus 10 times 2. Perhaps this indicates Justice and Mercy together saved a remnant from the flood.

Justice and Mercy also repopulated the world after the flood. Man is spelled with a yud (aleph yud shin) while woman is spelled with a hei (aleph shin hei). Together they combine the attributes of Justice and Mercy which repopulated the world.

(6.18) And I will establish my covenant with you. Rashi says the covenant was needed so the food wouldn’t rot. (ibid) This is difficult to understand. A covenant is an agreement between two parties and Noach didn’t agree to anything. The Torah says the ark will be used to keep the animals alive. (Beresheis 6.19) Keeping them alive implied having food to eat. Hashem agreed beforehand to preserve the food.

Perhaps the Torah is referring to the covenant made after they left the ark. Hashem assured Noach he wouldn’t spend the rest of his life in the ark.

(7.4) Because in seven more days. It seems the flood came because Methuselah died. Hashem said Sodom would not be destroyed if there were forty five righteous people living there. (Beresheis 18.28) Rashi says nine from each city plus Hashem equals ten. (ibid) Noach and his wife, his three sons and their wives, and Methuselah totaled nine, and Hashem was the tenth. Perhaps as long as he was alive the world was not destroyed. When he died there were no longer nine righteous people to save the world from destruction.

(7.4) Forty day and forty night. The generation of the flood sinned by doing immorality, robbery and idolatry. Perhaps forty days of rain was decreed to punish them for having illegitimate children since forty weeks is the gestation period for a child. (Rashi ibid) Kli Yakar says forty is also linked to idolatry which is punished with either strangulation or drowning. The numerical value of robbery (gimel zyan lamed) is 3 plus 7 plus 30 which totals 40. (ibid)

(8.5) In the tenth, on the first of the month, were seen the tops of the mountains. Rashi says the water went down one quarter cubit a day, or fifteen cubits in sixty days. (ibid) This is difficult to understand. All the water was drained in three months, from the first of the tenth month until the first of the year. (Beresheis 8.13) A five thousand cubit (ten thousand foot) mountain would decrease at a rate of fifty cubits a day. The last three months would then drain two hundred times faster than the prior two months. It seems some periods are not calendar dates but time spans.

The lunar year starts on