"#169 - Our Good Fortune"

O.K., so what is so special about today’s date just because it is the birthday of Asher? You see, the meaning of his name is based on the word fortune - Osher, which in this case begins with the letter Aleph rather than the letter Ayin, which denotes a wealthy person, though no doubt that the similarity of these two words are no coincidence. In fact, this name Asher follows in the footsteps of the name of his older brother Gad from the same mother Zilpah, for the name Gad means luck, particularly good luck, which in Hebrew popularly means Mazel Tov. 

It seems that the English word good is based on this name Gad, which besides its good connotation, is most similar in sounding to this name. And while we are at it, G-d’s name in English is also very similar to the word good, as G-d is perceived by many only as a “good G-d”, explaining while some people after the Holocaust stopped believing in G-d, since to begin with, they only perceived Him as a “good G-d”, for “how could G-d allow such evil to have happened?”, which is basically avoiding the soul searching that they never even attempted to see where they went wrong, instead of blaming it on G-d, or on chance.  

what does this have to do particularly with Asher. After all, he wasn’t even the son of one of Jacob’s wives Leah or Rachel, a son of one of his maidservants, as the maidservants are not considered to be on the high spiritual level of Leah and Rachel.  

we see that there is a unique connection between Asher and Mishna study. Now, what Asher did special to have this connection, I don’t know. But what I do know is that the Midrash Talpityot tells us that Asher stands at the entrance of Gehinnom, and saves those who know Mishnayot from entering.. And there is a hint to Asher’s connection to Mishna, for in the blessing that Jacob gave him, it states - Me’Asher Shemeina Lachmo “From Asher will there be fat bread…” The letters of the word Shemeina (fat) can be rearranged as the word Mishna. Moreover, the name Asher and the very first word of the Mishnayot - Me’eimatai, have the same Gematria - 501! 

Moreover, rearranging the letters of Asher’s name, the word can be read as Rosh (head), and indeed, the very first word of the Mishnayot is the Rosh - head word, which bears the very same Gematria. And this is significant for one more reason - for the first word is not merely the first word as opposed to the second word, but is the HEAD word. For this very first word Me’eimatai means “from when”, which focuses on the importance of time, as in the particular context, the question is from what time on does one have the obligation of reciting the Shema in the evening. And as related to the Mishna as a whole, taking the first letters of the names of the six orders (or volumes) of the Mishna - Zayin for Zeraim (Seeds), Mem for Moed (Holiday or Appointed Time), Noon for Nashim (Women), Noon for Nezikin (Damages), Koof for Kadashim (Holy Things), Teit for Teharot (Purity Things), these six letters can be read in order in the form of two words - Nekot Zeman “take the time”. That is, use your time wisely and learn Mishna, for the Mishna is the Rosh (head) of the Torah She’B’Al Peh (Oral Torah) which includes the Gemara/Talmud, Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), and all other Jewish law related books.  

With this said, let us first note the very first word of Deutronomy - Eileh (these), which is the Gematria of 36, and as we know, the Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud) consists of 36 tractates (excluding Tractate Tamid which includes Gemara on only some of the chapters of this tractate). Moreover, the word Bavli (Babylonian) is the Gematria of 44, and Deutronomy begins with the 44th Parsha of the Torah. Now, let us see how the beginning of this verse makes sense Eileh HaDevarim Asher Diber Moshe El Kol Yisrael “These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel…” Now, the word immediately following Eileh HaDevarim “These are the words” is Asher (that or which), which is essentially the same word as the name Asher, except that the name Asher bears the vowel Kometz under the Aleph, while the other word Asher bears the vowel Patach under the Aleph. It is true that the regular word Asher is written thousands of times in the Torah because after all, it is a key word used in speaking, but the fact that we see that this word which is essentially the same spelled word as the name Asher immediately follows the first words “These are the words” is most significant here as related to above about Asher’s special connection to the Mishna, the HEAD of the Oral Torah.  

Moreover, not only is the birthdate of Asher within this month of Shevat, but so is the whole month of Shevat that corresponds particualarly to the Tribe of Asher, as mentioned in the Chasidic Sefer “Bnei Yissaschar”, And as mentioned in this Sefer, Rosh Chodesh Shevat - the date that Moses started his final address to the Jews, is considered the ROSH Hashana of the Oral Torah. What a powerful statement here! You see, in the beginning of the Mishnaic Tractate Rosh Hashana, it mentions four (or five) dates in the year that are called Rosh Hashana. In fact, the fourth of these is Rosh Chodesh Shevat, which is considered the Rosh Hashana for trees according to Beit Shammai, though in fact according to Halacha (Jewish Law), we follow Beit Hillel who holds that the observance of this Rosh Hashana for trees to be on Tu B’Shevat (15 Shevat). However, in Torah, it isn’t simply that one rabbi is right and the other one is wrong; for in fact, both rabbis or the Yeshivot of these rabbis were on very high spiritual standing, and it wasn’t just their simple “opinion”, but their decisions in Torah were based on following the Torah rules, includes the 13 methods through which the Torah are interpreted. And hence, we have the rule Eilu V’Eilu Divrei Elokim Chayim “Both these and these are the words of the living G-d”, so while in fact, it is only possible in this physical world to follow the Torah decision of one of the two rabbis, the words of both of them are equally Torah words. For in fact, even the Torah decision of the rabbi which is not accepted as Jewish law has lessons to learn from.  

Now, on this past Shabbat which coincided with Rosh Chodesh Shevat, we read Parshat Va’eira in which the first seven of the 10 plagues that smote the Egyptians took place. In some years, Rosh Chodesh Shevat occurs during the week of Parshat Bo, in which the final three plagues took place. With this said, when we mention the 10 plagues in the Haggada for Passover, we also read an acrostic of so to speak three words that make up the first letters of the ten plagues - Detzach Adash B’Achav. As it turns out, the total Gematria of these 10 letters is 501, the same Gematria as the name Asher, the Tribe of this month of Shevat, in which we always read of the 10 plagues in the Torah, or on the Shabbat before Shevat, which is called Shabbat Mevarchim Shevat. For in fact, the word Shevat can also be read as the same letters as Sheivet - rod, for Moses had used his rod to bring the plagues on the Egyptians. 

Strange. Wasn’t it Hashem Who brought the plagues? So, how did Moses using his rod do anything in bringing the plagues that happened only through Hashem’s will and power which was not within regular nature but in the form of a miracle. If anything, wouldn’t it have been better if Moses didn’t do anything after giving his warning to Pharaoh to let the Jews go if he didn’t anything himself, but only Hashem? 

First, we learn a lesson here is that even though Hashem can do whatever He wants whenever He wants, but we also have to do our part. For after all, while Hashem can easily provide, that is provided that we do our part to deserve Hashem’s benevolence. And so, the rod that Moses used symbolizes this concept, along with the Jews having observed Mitzvot as related to the Korban Pesach (Pascal sacrifice) in order to be worthy to leave Egypt, even though it was Hashem’s wish that they leave anyways, but He gave the Jewish people merit through which they could earn their way out of the land of slavery. 

As it turns out, it was more than just a plain rod. There is a whole story about this truly “magic wond”, but basically it began from Adam, having originally received it from Hashem, who passed it down from generation to generation until Jethro got a hold of it and planted it in his backyard, but no one, including Jethro, was able to remove it from the ground, until his son-in-law Moses came by and lifted it out. Moreover, these very letters beginning the names of the 10 plagues were written on this rod.  

As it turned out this year, Rosh Chodesh Shevat, the beginning of the month that corresponds to the Tribe of Asher fell out on Shabbat when we read about the first seven plagues in Parshat Va’eira; and the birthday of Asher - 2 Shevat, fell out on the first day of the week of Parshat Bo in which we read about the final three plagues. In any case, as I mentioned in Post 167 (Dec ‘12), there is a custom among some Jews to learn one or more Mishnaic tractates corresponding to some theme of the corresponding Parsha. Hence, the Tractate learned for Parshat Va’eira is Masechet Makkot, whose name which is translated as plagues in the context of the Chumash (blows or lashes in the context of the Mishna), and in this year, this Parsha was read on Rosh Chodesh Shevat, as related the concept of Eileh HaDevarim ASHER and the Sheivet (rod) on which the letters of the Esser Makkot (10 plagues) were inscribed from Hashem whose total add up to the Gematria of the name Asher. 

As for the number 13 as related to the words Magid/Aguda, we see within Deutronomy near the end that upon Moses writing 13 Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls), one for each of the 12 tribes, and one for all of Israel; he gave the one for all Israel to the Tribe of Levi to be kept in the Sanctuary, so that should there ever be a question as to what a certain letter should be in one of the Sifrei Torah of the Tribes, then this 13th Sefer Torah would be checked for the correct lettering. So as we see, it is particularly the NUMBER THIRTEEN that maintains the unity and balance of the Jewish nation. And in terms of time, in order for our Jewish calendar should have the seasons synced with the months, we add an extra month every two or three years, being the 13th month of the year, so that Passover can always be observed “in the month of spring”. So once again, we see how the NUMBER THIRTEEN plays a major role in maintaining balance between matters.  

Finally, in certain versions of the Aleinu prayer, the final prayer in every prayer service, in which we acknowledge Hashem as the King of Kings, and that one day, the whole world will be worshiping only Him, there are exactly 169 words. For in fact, the very last word of this prayer is Echad, which is the Gematria of the number 13, the square root of 169. And while we are enjoying OUR GOOD FORTUNE, the greatest fortune of all -the Torah, even in our final days of exile, we will soon forever enjoy OUR GOOD FORTUNE without problems from the outside world when, as the verse that concludes the Aleinu prayer reads “Hashem will be King over the entire world; on that day, Hashem will be One, and His Name One”. 

shimonmatisyahu: 2 Shevat, 5773 - Birthdate of Asher ben Yaakov Avinu