January 22, 2021
A Sheep or a Goat
Bo, 5781
One of the best presents I have ever gotten was a pair of ice fishing gloves that my wife recently surprised me with in order to help me manipulate my siddur during the cold winter months. The gloves provide excellent protection but still allow me to pop up one or two fingers on each hand as needed. Since as a result of the pandemic we now pray outside three times a day in order to maximize safety—even in freezing temperatures—it was obviously a great gift.
But then this past week as an extension of our daf yomi studies we came across the halacha that one is not supposed to wear gloves during prayers. The Mishnah Berurah, quoting an earlier source, explicitly states, “One should not wear gloves while praying” (91:12).
Oy!!! We need our gloves when we daven outside!
Luckily, poskim do make an allowance for gloves needed for protection from the cold as they argue that gloves during prayers are only problematic when they are worn in the context of arrogance or improper attire that reflects a lack of seriousness with which we approach our prayers (https://www.torahmusings.com/2020/12/davening-outside-with-gloves/). However, in the context of freezing conditions it is certainly permitted.
The reason why this relates to our daf yomi studies is because some trace the prohibition of wearing gloves while praying to a story that appeared in our Talmud study this week. The Talmud tells of a Kohen Gadol–Yissachar of Kefar Barkai--who was so arrogant that he insisted on wearing gloves while performing the Temple service. He did not wish to get his hands dirty with the blood of the Temple offerings, so instead he covered his hands in silk gloves (Pesachim, 57a-b).
The people in the courtyard of the Temple were very upset about this for two reasons. First, it is prohibited to have an interposition between one’s hands and the Temple service that the Kohen Gadol is performing. And, second, by wearing gloves, Yissakahar was implicitly declaring his distaste for the rituals of the service. The people therefore threw him out of the courtyard of the Temple while shouting, “Leave here, Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai, who honors himself and desecrates the items consecrated to Heaven.”
The Talmud tells us about the ultimate fate of Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai. It wasn’t pretty at all. The king and the queen in those days were sitting and talking amongst themselves and were engaged in a seemingly trivial argument. The king said that the meat of a young goat tastes better than that of a sheep. While the queen said the young sheep tastes better than the young goat.
How were they to decide this very important argument? They said, “ Who can prove which one of us is correct? Let us call upon the Kohen Gadol as he offers sacrifices all day and tastes their meat. The Kohen Gadol had the right to take a portion from any sacrifice offered in the Temple, and therefore was an expert regarding different meat. So they summoned Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai.
When he arrived, they asked him this question. His response was extremely disrespectful. He waved his hand at them in a dismissive manner, as if to say, do not waste my time with your nonsense. He then answered them by saying that clearly sheep tastes better, “For if goat is better, it should have been the one that is sacrificed as the daily offering (Tamid).” But we know that the Tamid is a lamb, proving that sheep meat is better than goat meat.
The king was very upset. Not only had Yissakhar disagreed with him, but he had also acted disrespectfully. Very bad idea! Said the king: “Since he not only disagrees with me but has no reverence for the monarchy, as evident from his contempt, sever his right hand.” Yissakhar was obviously very upset to lose his right hand, so he bribed the official in charge of the punishment who instead severed Yissakhar’s left hand. When the king heard about this, he decreed that Yissakahar’s right hand should also be severed.
When Rav Yosef heard this he said: “Blessed is God Who took retribution from Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai in this world and did not wait to punish him more severely in the next world.”
“Rav Ashi said: Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai did not study the Mishna and was an ignoramus who did not know that this halakha is stated explicitly in the Mishna. As we learned in a mishna: Rabbi Shimon says: Lambs take precedence over goats in every place they are mentioned in the Bible. I might have thought that this is because it is a more select species. Therefore, the verse states: “If he brings a lamb as his offering” (Leviticus 4:32). The Torah passage where bringing a lamb as a sin-offering is discussed appears after the passage describing the sin-offering of a goat. The inconsistent order teaches that both these animals are equal. Ravina said: Yissakhar did not even read the Bible properly, as it is written: “If a lamb” (Leviticus 4:32), “if a goat” (Leviticus 3:12), teaching: If one wishes let him bring a lamb; if one wishes let him bring a goat. There is no clear preference” (Pesachim, 57a-b).
The upshot of this story from the Talmud is that despite what the king or the queen might argue in the eyes of Hashem a sheep and goat are equal.
For certain sacrifices –like the Tamid--one must use only a sheep. But for other sacrifices one can use either a sheep or a goat.
The option to choose between a sheep and a goat is clearly the case with respect to the Paschal offering (korban pesach). The korban pesach is the first sacrificial offering commanded to the Benei Yisrael. It is a commandment to them while they are still in Egypt as a way of marking their upcoming redemption from slavery but it is also an eternal commandment. The korban pesach is also the only offering which everyone from Benei Yisrael is required to eat from. Failure to eat from this offering subjects one to the severe punishment of karet.
Hashem tells Moshe to command the Benei Yisrael:
“Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a seh to a family, a seh to a household. But if the household is too small for a seh, let him share one with a neighbor who dwells nearby, in proportion to the number of persons: you shall contribute for the seh according to what each household will eat. Your seh shall be without blemish, a yearling male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats” (Shemot 12:3-5).
There are many mitzvoth associated with the korban pesach. In our portion alone the Sefer Hachinuch lists nine commandments associated with the korban pesach. This is remarkable when one considers that prior to our portion there are only three commandments in the entire Torah. So suddenly we have an explosion of commandments and many of them are based around the korban pesach.
The Sefer Hachinuch and other commentators explain that all of the details of the korban pesach are highly symbolic and purposeful. For example, Chezkuni, argues that the offering was to be roasted so that its smell could waft throughout all of Egypt and thereby alert the Egyptians to our declaration of freedom. Sefer Hachinuch himself sees in the intricacies of the commandments the desire to inculcate within us a feeling of nobility. Here is how he describes the commandment not to break the bones of the korban pesach:
“For it is not honorable for the sons of kings and the advisers of the land to drag the bones and break them like dogs. Except for the impoverished among the people and the starving, it is not a proper thing to do this. And therefore, as we began to become the chosen of all nations, 'a kingdom of priests and a holy nation' - and in each and every year at that time - it is fitting for us to do acts that show the great stature which we achieved at that hour, about us” (Law 16).
What, then, is the symbolism of being able to choose from either a sheep or a goat for the korban pesach?
I saw two suggestions to this question.
First, the Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches that a crucial difference between sheep and goats is that goats are usually dark, while sheep are typically light. “The dark goat therefore evokes the imagery of a life devoid of Divine light; i.e. the former life of a penitent sinner. In contrast, the white, unassertive sheep evokes the imagery of a pure life unsullied by sin and undefiled by a skewed ego, i.e. the life of a righteous person. The fact that the Torah gives total equivalence to sheep and goats for the Passover offering reflects the fact that this offering was required of every Jew, regardless of his or her spiritual status. Whether we are righteous, or on the way to becoming righteous, we all have to internalize the message of the Exodus from Egypt and be redeemed from limitations that prevent us in progressing in our relationship with God” (Chumash, Based Upon the Works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 381).
According to the Rebbe, the choice between a sheep and a goat represents the importance of including all Jews in this central offering. Support for this approach of the Rebbe comes from many of the details of the laws of the offering. For example, the offering is a commandment upon all of the people of Israel, it must be eaten as a group, and even with one’s neighbor (12:3). As we were redeemed with freedom in Egypt we were simultaneously reminded through the korban pesach that the path of redemption is open to both the sinner and the righteous. Furthermore, the ideal situation seems to be that the sinner and the righteous gather together to celebrate this annual celebration of redemption thereby encouraging the sinner to realize the possibilities inherent in a redeemed world.
Chida (1724-1806) offers a second suggestion by connecting this question to a Talmudic passage in tractate Shabbat (77b). The Talmud records that one time Rav Zeira found Rav Yehuda to be in a joyous mood. So, seeing as it was a fortuitous time, Rav Zeira asked Rav Yehuda the following question: “Why is it the nature of the world that goats walk at the head of the flock, while sheep walk in the back?” Rav Yehuda responded that since darkness was in existence before light, therefore the darker goats precede the lighter sheep.
Chida gave his own answer to Rav Zeira’s question. The evil inclination (yetzer harah) is also called izim (the Hebrew word for goats), because izim also means hard and stubborn. So izim can mean “goats” or “stubborn.” On the other hand, the inclination for good (yetzer hatov) is sometimes called imri as in to say or speak in a positive, soft manner. In Aramaic, imri also means sheep. So imri can mean “sheep” or “to speak in a positive manner.”
Explains Chida, the nature of the world is that the yetzer harah precedes the yetzer hatov as a person does not fully develop their yetzer hatov until they are older (bnei mitzvah). This is why typically the izim come before the imri.
However, as it relates to the korban pesach we have the option of taking from either the sheep or the goats because we have a great deal to learn from all aspects of our personalities. Yes, we can even learn from the yetzer harah. From the izim we learn to rush—to approach our task with eagerness and not to delay in service of Hashem. The fact that the korban pesach incorporates both these elements reminds us that we must use all of our personality traits in a positive and channeled manner in order to achieve a full redemption before Hashem. (Chida’s explation is found in Ve-karata Leshabbat Oneg, Volume 2, 142.)
A third suggestion:
There is a marked contrast between Hashem’s commandment telling the Israelites to take a sheep or a goat and between the earlier words of Pharaoh.
With respect to the korban pesach the Torah says min hakevasim u-min haizim tikachu (12:5). The same word “to take” also appears when Pharaoh is upset that Moshe and the Israelites have asked for freedom. Pharaoh in anger tells them he will no longer give them straw to make bricks. Instead, the Israelites must now find their own straw -- atem lechu kechu lachem teven (5:11).
Both scenes use the same action of taking. Pharaoh gives them no choice. The Israelites must take the straw. But the Torah gives our ancestors the ability to make a choice. It is a limited choice -- between a sheep and a goat. But it is still a choice. Part and parcel of what it means to be free is to have the ability to choose and to recognize that our destiny is in our own hands.
Dr. Leon Kass notes that this commandment to observe the ritual of the korban pesach is unprecedented and not repeated in human history. “In a directive probably unmatched in human affairs either before or since, a fledgling people—a mere mass of oppressed slaves—are told, even before it happens, how to celebrate forever the event of their (not yet) deliverance” (Reading Exodus, 168).
The Israelites are standing on the precipice of redemption. Previously our ancestors were not given a choice. But now they have a choice between a sheep and a goat. The difference may not be great. However, the fact that they have a choice is the point. As a redeemed nation, and as a redeemed individual, we always have a choice in life. We can choose our destiny. We can choose the path that leads us back to Pharaoh or we can choose the path of redemption.
Shmuel Herzfeld
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You can now watch a Youtube recording of Rabbi Herzfeld’s D'var Torah:
https://youtu.be/L5jeQ9um4Z4
