Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English Parshas Bo – 3 Shevat 5785
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Bo – 3 Shevat 5785
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
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My father, the Rebbe zt”l once told me that in the middle of World War II, when the German army was in close proximity to Eretz Yisroel that his father, the first Bostoner Rebbe zt”l, declared a day of fasting and prayer. Some of those praying in shul who came from Poland, Czechoslovakia, or other countries that were under German occupation at the time complained that the Rebbe did not care about Jews living in other countries, since he only made a day of prayer and fasting for the threats to the inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel. My grandfather zt”l explained to them that he was making a day of prayer in accordance with the Rambam’s opinion that if there are no longer ten Jewish men in the Land of Israel, then the sanctification of the moon is canceled and all the festivals that depend on Kiddush HaChodesh would be canceled.
The Meshech Chochma on the Pasuk, “This month shall be for you the beginning of the months…(Shemos 12:2) explains the Machlokes between the Rambam and the Ramban in the Sefer HaMitzvos (Mitzvah 153). The commentary on the page known as the Megillas Esther believes that the opinion of the Rambam and Ramban align, but the Meshech Chochma disagrees. He writes, “In my humble opinion, Rambam’s method is that the determination of the New Moon according to a calculation, even when it is not visible to anyone on the thirtieth day of the month, the month is nevertheless sanctified. The Halacha L’Moshe M’Sinai is that when there is a Sanhedrin of Musmachim (ordained Rabbis), the moon needs to be sanctified according to the sighting of the moon and the testimony of witnesses. If witnesses did not come, the month is not sanctified and the current month will have thirty days. When there is no official Sanhedrin of Musmachim, even if there is a Beis Din of Musmachim, then there is no need to determine the New Moon according to the sighting of the moon and testimony of witnesses. The Beis Din Musmach may opt to determine Rosh Chodesh based on their calculation rather than accept witnesses or they may accept witnesses. However, when there is not even a Beis Din Musmach, the New Moon is sanctified according to its calculation
When the Gemara (Beitza 4b) states, “And today when we know the determination of the month”, it means that even when there is no Beis Din Musmach in Eretz Yisroel, since we know that this day is calculated by the people who live in Eretz Yisroel as Rosh Chodesh, then it is sanctified as Rosh Chodesh. The Rambam bases his opinion on the fact that the people of Yisroel could reenact Musmachim if they wanted to and therefore it is sufficient to rely on the calculations of Bnei Yisroel living in Eretz Yisroel.
From here we understand why it is necessary today to keep two days of Yom Tov in Chutz L’Aretz even though we all know the calculations of the moon and can project them until the end of time. As we use the term Minhag Avoseinu B’Yadeinu that we need to observe the ‘custom of our ancestors’. When the Sanhdrin HaGadol comes back to Eretz Yisroel they will not have the option to rely on the calculations the way a Beis Din Musmach has the option to rely on the calculation or the testimony of witnesses. Therefore, just as Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai made certain decrees, such as forbidding Chadash for the entire day of the 16th of Nissan, even though it is permissible according to Torah law, just in case the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt and this may lead to the transgression of those people who get used to a world without a Beis Hamikdash, so too, if we didn’t keep a second day of Yom Tov in Chutz L’Aretz, people would get used to the current world based completely on calculation and would not be ready for the change when there will be a Sanhedrin HaGadol and the Yom Tov must be determined based on witnesses and not calculation, leading to transgression.
This also seems to be why Eliyahu HaNavi needs to come along with the Moshiach to proclaim his arrival, since Eliyahu who is Pinchas was ordained by Moshe Rabbeinu, and Moshiach will need Eliyahu to ordain the Beis Din in Eretz Yisroel so the laws can revert to their original state.
May it be His will that we merit the coming of Eliyahu, the Sanhedrin HaGadol, and Moshiach Tzidkaynu speedily in our days.
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