(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times) Yes, it is true. Six Hamas terrorist were killed and 7 were foiled because of Matzah and a Teshuvas HaRashba (Volume 7 #20). It happened almost seven years ago, in Kibbutz Sufa at 4:00 AM Thursday morning on July 17th,  2014. Kibbutz Sufa was founded in 1982 by evacuated settlers. It is on the border of Central Gaza very near the Egyptian border. It was shortly after 4:00 AM that the Matzah and the Teshuvas haRashba did the deed. THE VERY BEGINNING The story actually begins well over 3300 years ago. The Jews are taken out of Egypt. To commemorate the miraculous occurrence that has happened and to imbue the Jewish nation with an ever-constant source of nourishment of faith itself – the Jewish people are given the Mitzvah of consuming Matzah. We fast forward 1600 years. THE PASSAGE IN THE TALMUD We are now in Babylonia, as the Talmud is being written. Torah scholars are discussing a difficult topic.  There is a fascinating exposition that the Talmud presents (Psachim 33a) in regard to the obligation to give a Kohain the gift of Trumah.  The verse in the Torah states, “Venasata lo and you shall give it to him.”  The Talmud expounds – “Lo velo l’uro – to him, but not to his flame.” In other words, the Terumah that is given to the Kohain must, at the outset, be completely edible, it cannot be something that is prohibited in consumption – to the degree that the Kohain would be obligated to burn it as soon as it reaches his hands. The Talmud is searching for an illustration of such a thing.  The Talmud is looking for an example where this exposition might apply.  Finally, an answer – wheat that is still attached to the ground which became Chometz.  This is the first section of our tale, which took place in Babylonia in the late 300’s. The observant reader may now be thinking:  Wait – just one second.  Wheat still attached to the ground that became Chometz?  Wheat that got wet?  Every plant gets wet!  That’s how they receive nutrition!  What is the Talmud talking about?  A question that requires an answer. Now we move on to the next part of our tale. BARCELONA SPAIN We are now in Barcelona, Spain. It is the late 1200’s. We are at the home of the well-regarded Rashba, Rabbi Shlomo Ben Aderet.  Indeed, the Rashba is so well regarded that even Queen Isabella of Spain has sent him to rule upon some of her country’s most perplexing cases. The Rashba receives a letter concerning our section of Talmud.  It is the very same question that the observant reader had above.  It is now posed for the first time to the Rashba. He responds (Volume 7 #20) with the following explanation: “That section of the Talmud refers to wheat that became completely ripened while still attached to the ground, and it does not need any further nutrients at all.  Everything that has dried out completely while still attached to the ground – it is considered as if it is resting in the pitcher – and thus susceptible to becoming Chometz if rain falls upon it.” TZFAT, ISRAEL It is now 1563.  We are in […]

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