5-Bullet Friday: Parshas Metzora

~ Torah Parallels ~

5-Bullet Friday

This week is Parshas Metzora! Check out this week's d'var torah here.

Have feedback or suggestions for future 5-Bullets? Fill out the survey here

Here is this week's 5-Bullet Friday, a quick summary of thoughts I’ve been pondering during the week:
:

• Question I'm pondering (on the parsha): Tzara'as on the wall. The passuk (14:34) writes that Hashem will put tzara’ason the walls of the homes in Eretz Yisroel when the B’nei Yisroel inhabit the land in order to expose where the Amorites hid there treasures of gold. Why did Hashem choose the symbol of tzara’as to aid in exposing these treasures? 

• Concept I am considering: Maalin b’kodesh v’ein moridin. The mishna in Megillah (3:1) discusses what could be bought with the proceeds from a sale of a sanctified item.. It states that, “Inhabitants of a town who have sold the town square of the town, they may use the funds to then purchase a shul. If sold a shul, they may buy an aron. If sold an aron they may buy coverings for the Torah with the proceeds. If they sold coverings for the Torah, they ay purchase sifrei Nach, and if they sell tose seforim they may buy a sefer Torah. However one may not go in reverse and use proceeds from a sale of a (more) sanctified product for a less-sanctified one. From this mishna as well as the Rashi on the mishna which splits the concept into two distinct ideas with two differing examples, it would seem that indeed this concept hsa two unique aspects to it: One, is the idea that one should generally be ma’alin be’okdesh; and the second that one must protect from being moridin. Application: This is a concept that in addition to it’s impact in halacha in this aspect as well as others, for example hilchos chanukah and the increasing number of candles that we light each day, is one that applies to our personal lives as well. Not only are we as individuals tasked with protecting ourselves from chas v’shalom being moridin, we are also challenged to make sure that we are constantly being elevated to new heights of ma’alin b’kodesh.

• Hashkafic idea I'm reflecting on: Real freedom. Pesach is of course a time that we are obligated to envision ourselves as if we left Egypt but at the same time imagine ourselves (tap into the reality) that we are indeed the chosen nation of Hashem. It is a bit ironic to be celebrating the freedom of the Jewish people from Egypt only to accept 613 rules to follow with myriads of strict sub-laws. What we have to deeply understand is that keeping the Torah and mitzvos is real freedom. Freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Not having the Torah as a guide to understand the true and real way to live life is the hindrance and restraint. Having the Torah and aligning with ratzon Hashem is an enhancement and an advantage, not a hindrance or restraint.    

• Middah on my mind: Communication. In the part of magid at the Pesach seder, we discuss the “four sons” alluded to the Torah - mentioning the way they ask the questions about the night of Pesach as well as how to respond to them. Each one - the wise son, the wicked one, the naive/wholesome one, and the one who doesn’t yet even know how or what to ask, each get a slightly different response. Speaking and listening are the tools we use to communicate where speaking is the responsibility of the communicator and listening is the responsibility of the communicatee. In order to have proper communication the communicator is responsible not just to understand, speak and explain but to also understand his/her audience and speak with them in mind. Each person requires a slightly different relationship and way of communicating. This is all part of Shammai’s statement in Mishna in Avos (1:15) to greet people b’sever panim yafos. Loosely translated it means to greet everyone with a smile. However the truth is that it literally means to greet with a sever panim yafos - using s’vara/logic to understand the type of “pleasant facial expression” that is right for him..  

• Part of Tefillah I'm concentrating on: Ashrei. “Hadar k’vod...” This passuk in Ashrei translates to: “Of the majesty of the glory of Your splendor and the words of Your wonders I shall speak.” The Radak comments that, “b’chol eis she’yikablu chesed Ha’Keil yomru oso v’yisapru l’rabim”. When one experiences kindness from Hashem one should not take it for granted or keep it to oneself. Rather, it should be acknowledged out loud and told over to others as well.
•   

What's on your mind? 

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

Parallely yours, 

Daniel

P.S:

• Topic I am thinking about: The four types of data measurement. There are four main types of data measurement scales: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio. Nominal scales are simply labeling - totally qualitative, such as valid responses for what is one’s gender or hair color. Ordinal scales are gradient and in order - such as a scale from 1-10 or from very unhappy to happy The order is known, though the real quantitative distribution to one piece over the other remains unknown.Interval scales are when we understand both order and spread between points (such as difference between 50 degrees outside and 40 degrees; the downside to interval scales is that there are no 0s, In other words 0 doesn’t represent insufficient data or no value, rather it is just part of the scale. Ratio scales on the other hand is an a strong measurement scale as it has the good qualities of each of the aforementioned other three scales and allows for descriptive and inferential statistic applications. Think about it: Along the same lines as was written in the bullet about communication, more is not necessarily better. The fact that ratio scale is a stronger form of measurement than nominal does not mean that the nominal scale has no place. Good communication has to take both the item that is trying to be conveyed and who it is being conveyed to. From that perspective, every form of scale has its place.   

Have comments or thoughts on this week's bullets? Have other random thoughts on your mind? Send an email to torahparallels@gmail.com. Thank you!