ThestoryofMatanTorahparallelsthatofRusinmanyways1 .Bothculminateatawedding experience2 ,thoughwithRusitisoneachievedthroughyibum,3 andbothnecessitategiyur.In factgierimseemtoplaypivotalrolesthroughoutthehistoryofklallyisroel.YisrojoinsusatHar Sinaiandhelpstoinstitutethecourtsystem.RebbiAkiva,theoffspringofconverts,isseenas thefoundationaltransmitteroftheoraltorah.KingDavid,paradigmformalchus,isadescendant oftheconvertRus.

MOAVI WhocanorcannotjoinJudaismundergirdsmuchofmegillasRus.Attheirmeeting,Boaz4 indicatestoRusthathertimingisimmaculate,hadshereturnedanyearliershewouldhave beenbarredfromconversionbecauseofthepasuk , '5 .Luckilythe halachahadsincebeenformulatedtoallowfortheconversionoffemaleMoabites.Thegemarah 6 explainsthat,surprisingly,theJewsthemselveswentthroughtheconversionprocesspriorto receivingthetorah.WhatthiswouldseemtoindicateisthatJudaismwasalreadyextant,Jews justhadntjoinedyet.Allthiscaststheconvertsinawarmandpositivelight. However,thereisastartlingstatementbychazal7 thatconvertsaredifficultforYisroellikea tzaraslesion.HowdoweunderstandthisincontextofMatanTorahingeneralandas applicabletheconcepttotzarasspecifically8 ?
1

Acuriousthingoccurredtome.MuchofthesongYomShabbasondescribeskabbalashatorahandthe refrainisaboutabirdfindingherrestingplace.RusandNaamaarereferredtoastwogoodbirds(Bava Kama38b)andNaomitellsRussheisa ... 2 LastmishnainTaanisbasedonShirHaShirim3:11 3 Thoughthetermyibumisnotusedperse,andthoughthereisseeminglynonecessityforyibuminthis instance,itisclearfromthetextthatapseudoyibumisBoazsintentandwhatendsuptranspiring.The reasonforthiswillhopefullybeclarifiedinfra. 4 CFYerushalmiYevamos8:3incontrastwiththeBavli76bwhichseemstoindicatethiswasanextant halachalMoshemiSinaithatwasestablishedbythebeisdinofthenaviShmuel. 5 Devarim23:47seetheexplanationoftheRambanasheisoneoftheonlymajorcommentatorswho addressesboththelackofgreetingtheJewswithfoodandthehiringofBilaam.Thereareseveralopinions astowhenexactlyRusconvertedseeRashionRus1:12,ZoharChadash,Alshich,andothers. 6 Yevamos46b.CFKliChemdah(RMeirD.Plotzki),parshasVayigash.Itisworthnotingthatmuchofthe sourcematerialforourdiscussioncomesfrommesechtaYevamos.RavTzadokHaKohenaptlydelineatesa klallthataggadicmaterialisfoundinaparticularmesechta(andevenaparticularperek)foragoodreason. 7 Yevamos47b 8 Therearemyriadexplanationsofthischazal.ForonepopularexampleseeMaharal,ChiddusheiAggadot toYevamos63awherebothtzarasandconvertsareessentiallyseenasaddonstoanalreadycompleted

 TzarasoccursmultipletimesinconnectionwithHarSinai.WeknowthatMosheshandwas afflictedwithtza'rasasoneofthesignsprovidedbyGodattheburningbush.Chazalalso explainthepasuk 9 toindicatethatafterworshippingthegoldencalf, , thenationwaspunishedwithtza'ras.Ibelievethereisacommonalitybetweengeirimand metzoraim10 whichisrelatedtomatantorahandtoKlalYisroelasawholeandthatistheirability topresentauniqueperspective. UnlikeSukkotwherewearetakenoutofourhomesandeachindividualisgivenanopportunityto gainanewperspectiveofourown,theabilitytointegrateaconvertintoYisroelreflectsour nationalneedtoassimilatesomeoneelsesnewperspectiveintotheklall,whichisinfinitely moredifficult.Themetzorahtoohasthisnewperspective,butitisforceduponhim11 .Bdad yeishev.Chutzlmachane.Thesetwotypesofpeoplehavebeenoutsiders.Theyenterourworld andseethingswithalensthatinsidersarenotfamiliarwith.However,itisonlywiththatapercu thatafullappreciationofhashgachatshomayimisattained. , , , 12 . , Thegemarah13 detailsapartoftheJewsjourneyinthemidbarwheremiraculoussalvationwas seenspecificallyandonlybythemtzorimwhowerecastoutofallthreemachanotandtraveled outsidethecloudsofglory14 .Thesameistrueofthefamedfourleperswhofindthe encampmentofthearmyofAramthathadcometobesiegetheJews,abandoned15 andrushto tellallofthenes. Whatwecanseefromhereisthatthereisaneedfortheassociationoftheconceptofgeirus

system.Hethenappliestheruleallwhoadd[infact]detract.TheoneIpersonallyfoundinterestingwas thatitisknownthatwewillnotacceptconvertsinthetimeofMoshiach,hencewitheachnewaccepted convertweareacknowledgingthattheeraofMoshiachisnotyetuponus,whichissaddening.However mostpshatimIhaveseenareessentiallytreatingthetermtza'rasaslavdavkaanybadthingcouldbe substitu,ttedandthedrashawouldremainthesame. 9 Shemos32:25,cfpesiktarabbasai7,tanchumametzorah(4),vayikrarabba17,panimyafoswhoidentifies themtzoraimhereastheeiruvrav.SeefurtherShemosRabba3:13wheretheskinoftheNachasingan edenisassociatedwithtza'ras. 10 ItisinerestingtonotethattheMishna(negaim3:1,11:1,12:1)expresslyremovesgoyimfromtheparsha oftza'ras. 11 notetheaspectoftheJewsbeingforcedatharsinai 12 Yishaya14:1 13 brachosendof54a 14 SeetheMHarshathereforwhythecloudsofglorydidntflattenthosemountains.cf.BneiYissacharwho notesthatthesepeopleweretheeiruvravwhowerenotincludedintheprotectionoftheananeihakavodsee Zohar2:191b.NotethecloudsofglorycameinthemeritofAronHaKohen. 15 Melachim2Chapter7.cf.Sota47aYerushalmiSanhedrin10:2

withmatantorahinordertoincorporateaforeignapproachintoyiddishkeit.Aswehavesaid, beforealltheJewsconvertedatHarSinai,yiddishkeitwasshrirvkayam,whatneedtohappen wasameldingofthesenewpeople,eachwiththeiruniqueindividuality.Wehavefurtherseen thatattimesaJewhimselfisforcedoutinordertobeabletolookatthingsanew.Ibelievewith thiswecangainafreshinsightonthetzivuyof , 16 theoverwhelmingly powerfulquestionissimplywhy?Whatdidthesetwonationsdothatisworsethan,say Mitzrayim,orEdom(orevenAmalek17 )? Ibelievetheanswerisfoundintracingtheoriginsofthesetwonations.AmonandMoavare descendentsoftheincestuousrelationshipbetweenLotandhisdaughters.Thesurvivalof whomwasduetoLotshospitalitytotwovisitingangelswhoenteredSodom18 .Lotispraisedfor twoactionsthere.Firstlyhishospitalityandsecond,whenanangrymobapproacheslookingto sodomizehisguests,hepresentshisdaughtersasalessvilealternative. AmonandMoavseemtohaveforgottentheirancestry.Lotshowsamodicumofconcernfor feedingandcaringforthoseinneedaswellasasenseofsexualproprietyandthesetwonations abrogatethemiddosthatallowedthemtoexistinthefirstplace.ThedonotgreettheJewswho areinneedofhospitalityandtheyhireBilaam,thesexualdeviant,ofallpeopletocursetheJews. Thatiswhytheycanneverconvert.KlallYisroelcananddoassimilateallkindsofconverts.This allowsustoexpandournationhoodwhilestillbeingwhole.Yettheonethingwecannotintegrate isanationthathasnosenseofself.BytheiractionsAmonandMoavdemonstratealackof selfintegration(atleastthemen),andthatisnotsomethingthatcanbehomogenizedwith Yisroel.Imaginemarryingsomeonewithmultiplepersonalities,howcouldyoupossiblyrelateto thepersonasawhole?

YIBUMANDCHALITZAH ButIbelievethisideagoesbeyondtheneedtosimplyincorporateafreshvantage.Because,ina bizarretwist,thereisaninklingofchalitzahatHarSinaiaswell,muchinthewayRusgoes throughthechalitzahprocesswithPloniAlmoni.Moshe,whenapproachingtheburningbushis toldtoremovehisshoes19 .TheRamchal20 (inhiscommentarytoDevarim)linksMoshes removalofhisshoeswiththeritualofchalitzah. ()" ," ", , ' ." " ,, , ," "
16 17

ibid. Yes,therearethosewhoholdanAmaleikicanconverttoJudaism.CFRambamIssureiBiah12:17 18 IbelievethisisrelatedtoHashemsquestionasMosheascendsthemountainMoshe,ainShalom biracha?Doyounotgreetandoffertohelp?ThisisexactlywhatAmonandMoavareheldaccountablefor 19 Shemos3:5 20 ExcerptedfromRabbiAriKahn

. ThismaybeunconvincinguntilweseetheingeniousexplanationofRebbiNachman 21 onthe parshawhereMiriamcontractstza'ras.MiriamspeakslashonharaaboutMosheandbecomes amtzorah.AronmakesanunusualpleatoMosheonherbehalf. , , , Lethernot,Ipray,beasonewhoisdead,ofwhomthefleshishalf consumedwhenhecomethoutofhismother'swomb22 .HereRebbiNachmanseesMiriams tza'rasasatypeofyibumlikepunishment.Asoulthatdieswithoutchildrenhasnocontinuity unlessyibumisperformed.Butwhenyibumisaccomplishedthatsoulinhabitsthebodyofthe offspring.Assuchheisonewhoisdead.Furthermorethatsoulhaslosthiszivug,hisother half,forhehasbeenrebornasthechildofhisformerwife,henceofwhomthefleshishalfand hecomethoutofhismotherswomb.Aronsfearwasthatthetza'raswouldleaveMiriam hopelesslydisconnected,muchinthewaythatasoulwhohasgonethroughyibumcanbe.This givesusareasontoreexaminethatmarriageaspectofHarSinai. I believe the only way to have clarity in this is to understand the nature of two malachim Metatron and Sandalphon. For those not wishing to delve into Angelology this may be a good pointtodisembark.

SANDALPHONANDMETATRON Therearesparse23 referencestothemalachSandalphonoutsideofkabbalisticliterature. Metatron24 maysufferfromjusttheoppositethereissomuchinformationthatitishardtofind reliablesourcesamongsttheoverwhelmingfallaciousmaterial.Somethingswedoknoware thatthetwooftenseemtobepaired,eitherastwocomponentsofasingleconceptorastwo layers(SandalphonalwaysbeinglowerthanMetatron)withinoneidea. ThereasontheyarenogeahourdiscussionisthattheZohar25 tellsusthatMetatronand Sandalphonarethemalachimassociatedwithyibumandchalitzahrespectively.Wearefurther toldthatthesemalachimaretheMemandSamach26 thatweresuspendedintheluchos27 . Therearetwowaystoexperiencetheshechina.Tobedisconnectedortobecomewhole.These
21 22

LikuteiMoharan21:6 Bamidbar12:12 23 chagigah13b.ForafullertreatmentoftheseangelsseetheencyclopedicRabbiReuvenMargoliots MalacheiElyon.CFMegalehAmukos71and250.Itisinterestingtonotesomeotherreferencestosandal includingatypeofmiscarriage(Niddah24b,25b)preciousstonesthatwouldhavebeenbroughtbythe uncursedNachash(Sanhedrin59b)andtheshoesthatEnochstitched. 24 Foracomprehensiveoverviewofthismalachseehttp://rchaimqoton.blogspot.com/2006/07/metatron.html 25 ZoharKiTezheh281aandZoharChadashRus72b 26 Shabbat104MemforMetatronandSamachforSandalphon 27 TheTikkuneiZohar(tikkun6pg23a)alsostatesthatSandalphonisthemalachinchargeofbirds.See note1above.

arereflectedinthegalut/geulahdualityrepresentedbychalitzah/yibumand Sandalphon/Metatron.Intheendbothareneededandachieved.ThefirststageofbeingaGoel, aredeemer,istogothroughchalitzah.AsPloniAlmoniandRusdo,andjustasMoshedoes. Removeyourshoe28 .Separateyourselffromthecomfortandprotectionyouveknown.Gointo exile.Then,return.Performyibum.Integratethatnewness.Marriage.Reconcilewhatwas foreign.FemaleMale29 .TheJewishpeopleweresentintoexileonlytoamassconverts30 . Thisisbroughtintodramaticreliefwhenyoucontrasthowweexperiencedgeulahoriginally:, 31 , Andthusshallyoueat[thekorban pesach]:withyourloinsgirded(wearingabelt),yourshoesonyourfeet,andyourstaffinyour hand.Comparethiswithhowwearetoldtobeolehlregel,32 whereweareonceagainfaceto facewithHakadoshBaruchHu.Themishna33 explainsthatwecantcometothemikdash bearingourstaff(Metatron34 ),moneybelt35 orshoes(Sandalphon).Furthermorewecantspit36 (chalitzah)andeveryonemustgreeteachotherlike,ofallpeople,Boaz!,bshemHashem.This isourparadigmforinterfacingwiththeShechina. TheultimateredeemerwillgatherYisroel37 fromthefarflungreachesoftheworld38 anduniteus asapeople.ShivimpanimbutRoehachas.SuchapersonmustissuefromDovidandPeretz, productsoftheseyibumlikerelationships.OnShavuosmaywebezochetounifythedisparate partsofourownlifeandmayouravodahpromptthearrivaloftheGoelTzedek.Amen.
28

cfYehoshua5:15.NotethatSandalphonisassociatedwiththemoonandnightimeasisYehoshua.See furtherSiddurHaShelahSodAravit.RahavandYehoshua/ImaginationandIntellectinOrot:A MultidisciplinaryJournalofJudaismVol.11991 29 SeeninthiswayMiriaminfacthasastrongclaimagainstMoshe,byseparatingfromhiswifeheis proceedinginthewrongdirection.HoweverinrealityMoshehadadvancedwellbeyondandhadbegunthis processanew. 30 Pesachim87b.Thisideamayunderliemuchoflikuteimoharan36andlikuteihalachos,birchashatorah1 31 Shemos12:11 32 NotethatametzorahisnotevenallowedtoenterYerushalayim.CfRambamBiasMikdash3:8 33 Brachos62b 34 MegalehAmukosofen100 35 Ihavenotyetfiguredouthowthisfitsintoourdiscussion,howeverseethediscussioninYerushalmi Kilyahim9:3whereRYirmiyahdressesinthissamemannerbeforedeathtoproperlyprepareforthe resurrection 36 IbelievethiscaststhefamousstoryofthewomanwhospitinRMeirsfaceinordertoreunitehusband andwifeinanewlight.SeeBamidbarRabba9:20 37 Nottomentiontheconverts.SeeYishaya56:3,68andRashithereonhowconvertswillcomeenmasse. SeeespeciallyShemosRabba19:4.DiscussingthepasukinIyov31:32 (notehowthis parallelsthestoryofLot)RBerachiyaasserstthatconvertswillbetheKohanimservinginthebeis hamikdashinyemoshaMoshiach.Remarkablytheproofthereisfromaplayontheword whichwe hadseenpreviouslyasreferringtotza'ras.TheundertonesoftheKohanicelementhere,whoareintegralfor themetzorahprocess,shouldnotgounnoticed.Ibelievethisisadirectoutgrowthofourdiscussionofthe roleoftheKoheninLagBOmer.Seenote13above. 38 SeeTehillim60forchalitzahladenramazimforhowthenationswillbedealtwithlatidlavo