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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- TOLDOS
Rabbi Moshe Greebel
By way of difficult riddles, what is the only Mitzvah that can be accomplished on a Wednesday or Thursday? For those who plan on reading on, and not pausing here to deliberate, the answer is Airuv Tavshilin, the permission to cook for Shabbos on a Friday Yom Tov.
When the first day of Yom Tov falls on a Thursday or Friday, in order to prepare meals for Shabbos on Friday (Yom Tov), Airuv Tavshilin must be recited on Erev Yom Tov (Wednesday or Thursday). Pertaining to this subject, in this week’s Sidra, HaShem assures Yitzchak protection from all evil, because he is the son of Avraham:
“Because Avraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my Torahs, my statutes, and my laws.” (B’raishis 26:5)
Note the plural term ‘Torahs’ in this Passuk (verse), upon which the Gemarah in Yoma 28b instructs:
“Rav said, ‘Our father Avraham kept the whole Torah, as it is said, “Because Avraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My Torahs, My statutes, and My laws.”’”
This is to say that Avraham kept every Mitzvah of both Torahs- the Torah Sh’Bichsav (written Torah), and the Torah Sh’Ba’al Peh (oral Torah as interpreted by our Rabbanim), even prior to the Torah being commanded from atop Sinai years later. Our Gemarah continues:
“Rava or Rav Ashi said, ‘Avraham, our father, kept even the law concerning Airuv Tavshilin, as it is said, “My Torahs”- one being the Torah Sh’Bichsav, the other, the Torah Sh’Ba’al Peh.’”
So great was the extent of Torah that Avraham kept, that in the Gemarah, Rashi tells us that Airuv Tavshilin is considered a mandate that would be made by future Rabbanim, not even originating at all from Moshe Rabbeinu.
Now, there is an obvious question that anyone would pose concerning the opinion of Rava or Rav Ashi. In order to show the vastness of Avraham’s commitment to Torah, prior to its official giving at Sinai, why did this Gemarah specifically choose the example of Airuv Tavshilin, and, not simply state that Avraham kept even Mitzvos of the Rabbanim? Surely then, there must be something special about Airuv Tavshilin, to have singled it out so. An answer to this query is available to us from the text Mai’Ain Bais HaSho’Aiva, by Rav Shimon Schwab, of blessed memory (1908- 1993).
Rav Shimon taught that the very nature of Airuv Tavshilin is based on the fact that during the entire preceding week, there is an obligation to prepare for Shabbos. What Airuv Tavshilin basically accomplishes, is that it extends this preparing for Shabbos on a preceding weekday, to preparing for Shabbos on a preceding Yom Tov.
To be more precise, taught Rav Shimon, since the obligation to prepare for the upcoming Shabbos exists in effect, even prior to Yom Tov of that week, the preparing of food on that Yom Tov for Shabbos, is nothing more than making an end to something that began earlier in the week. It is for this basic reasoning, that food may be prepared for Shabbos on Yom Tov. The important thing though, is to keep in mind that Airuv Tavshilin is a conclusion to a process that began earlier.
Now, continued Rav Shimon, there is a traditional principle among us, that prior to Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah atop Sinai), the Mitzvos of the Torah Sh’Bichsav, and, the Mitzvos of the Torah Sh’Ba’al Peh were already transmitted to us by the Avos (patriarchs such as Avraham). That is to say, our acceptance of the Torah and its Mitzvos was a twofold prospect, which began with the Avos, and concluded atop Sinai.
Can there be a better example, instructed Rav Shimon, of a Mitzvah which also entails a conclusion to an end, as did the transmission of Torah from the Avos, all the way to Sinai? It is for this specific reason then, that the above Gemarah in Yoma singled out the Mitzvah of Airuv Tavshilin.
This very same principle of the acceptance of Mitzvos having first originated with the Avos, can be seen from the Korban Pesach, the Paschal lamb, which was first commanded to the B’nai Yisroel while they were still in Egypt:
“Then Moshe called for all the elders of Yisroel, and said to them, ‘Draw out and take a lamb according to your families, and slaughter the Pesach lamb!’” (Sh’mos 12:21)
The expression ‘slaughter the Pesach lamb’ utilizes the definite article ‘the’ as if this Mitzvah of Korban Pesach was known since the beginning of time, when in reality, it seems to have first been given to the B’nai Yisroel in Egypt. Yet, the truth is that even Korban Pesach was known to the Avos years earlier. Rashi, citing Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer (chapter 31), in the account of the ‘two kids’ that were prepared for Yitzchak on the night he would bless his first born, instructs the following:
“Were then, two kids (a lot of food) the normal diet of Yitzchak? Rather, it was Pesach. One was offered for his Korban Pesach, the other was for a delightful meal, (as seen) in Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer.” (Rashi, B’raishis 27:9)
It becomes clear that Mitzvos did not first come about at Sinai, but, originated in fact, with the Avos. And, this transmission from the Avos led to a grand finale so to speak, at Matan Torah, a process not dissimilar at all to Airuv Tavshilin.
May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- speedily, and in our times. Good Shabbos.
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