Sefer Tapuchei Zahav By Rabbi Gilbert Backenroth ספר תפוחי זהב על פרש"י על התורה

Description: Going for the Gold - Tapuchei Zahav Sefer Reviewed by Rabbi Nachum DelmanThe Olam Hatorah was once again treated to a groundbreaking sefer yesod with the release this week of the Sefer Tapuchei Zahav. This original work, by Gili Backenroth, follows the path of the mechaber’s previous sefer, Mokom Hinichu Avosav, by bringing a new level of clarity and insight into the words of Rashi al haTorah.The name of the sefer, Tapuchei Zahav, is, indeed, an apt description of hidden gems that can be found in the exacting words and nuances used by Rashi in his pirush on Chumash. Rashi famously notes at the outset of his commentary, “Va’ani lo ba’asi… I have not come for anything other than pshuto shel mikrah – the simple pshat, as well as the aggadah that most closely follows the wording of the pesukim. Rashi then ends with the curious words “davar dabur al ofnav ushemu’o,” that each word is stated in its proper way and according to the way the words are to be “heard.” (The word ushemu’o appears in the first edition of Rashi; other variations of the word are cited by meforshei Rashi) What is Rashi telling us with those words? Furthermore, as anyone familiar with the mefarshei hachumash can attest, Rashi, quite often, veers from the pshuto shel mikra. The Ramban and the Rashbam repeatedly take issue with Rashi’s departure from the derech hapshat. In some cases, Rashi tells us explicitly that the words of this possuk can only be explained through drash. But what about the many instances where Rashi brings the pshat and then goes on to present us with a drash?In his illuminating pesicha, the mechaber presents an entirely new perspective on Rashi al haTorah. The words used by Rashi, davar dabur al ofnav.” allude to the possuk in Mishlei (25:11) Tapuchei zahav bemaskiyos hakesef davar dabur al ofnav. The meforshim, most notably the Rambam (Pesicha, Moreh Nevuchim) and the Vilna Gaon (Pirush Mishlei ibid.), explain the metaphor as a golden gem masked by a mesh-like silver casing to refer to Pardes, the four levels of interpretation, pshat, remez drash and sod. The casual viewer sees only a beautiful, fine sterling exterior. But the one who takes the time to analyze and study the gem up close, will notice the precious gold hidden beneath the outer façade. Rashi is making an important and critical point about his pirush. Rashi’s pirush can be understood on multiple levels. The casual learner will glean the silver in Rashi’s words, the outer surface of pshat, but if one digs deeper, there are layers of gold, of remez, drash and sod to be discovered and unearthed.In this regard, the mechaber notes that only Rashi’s commentary satisfies the obligation for shnayim mikra ve’echad targum. No other pirush can be used in place of Targum Onkelos. With that principle, the machaber offers a novel insight into the uniqueness of Rashi al hatorah. The gemara in Megillah (3a) tells us that the Torah was given along with Targum. Targum, says the mechaber, is not simply a matter of translation. The Targum is an oral tradition given on Sinai with the basic principles of the Torah that needs to be transmitted to the general public. This is similar to the role of the meturgeman mentioned in the Gemara, who stood at the shiurim of various Tana’im and served as the channel of transmission between the Tanna and the general public. The Targum, given to us at Har Sinai, was lost and forgotten by the general public until it was restored by Onkelos the ger tzeddek, according to the then tradition of Rebbi Eleizer and Rebbi Yehoshua. Onkelos wasn’t simply a linguist or expert in Aramaic. Onkelos used his unique linguistic skills to explain to the then Aramaic speaking public the ancient tradition of Targum that was given at Har Sinai, that Targum which every Jew should learn when he learns the weekly Sedros of the Torah. Hence Rashi’s third criteria of his pirush “ushemu’o,” the way the word should be “heard” is Rashi’s elucidation of the Targum that should be understood by the general public with the weekly reading of the Torah. As brought down by the Chida, Rashi fasted 613 fasts before writing his pirush and merited the revelation of Moshe Rabbeinu in a dream, who attested to the truth of Rashi’s pirush. The messages of the Torah intended for the general public are incorporated into this unique work of Rashi Al Hatorah! Sometimes, the message is in pshat. Other times, it is in the drash. And, on some occasions, there are dual messages that need to be conveyed; others in remez and even in sod; hence Rashi cites the pshat, remez and sod. Davar dabur al ofnav – the golden gems beneath the silver sheathing. The objective of the sefer is to hold up a light to the words of Rashi so that golden gems are revealed for all to see. As the Chevron Rosh Hayeshiva, Harav Dovid Cohen, writes in his glowing haskama: “I have reviewed this sefer in its entirety and I have found that the mechaber has succeeded in elucidating many hidden difficult and complex issues in understanding Rashi’s pirush, which have never been explored or clarified before. The insights he presents are sweet and delightful… delving deeply into the depths of Rashi’s pirush on the Torah. His painstaking yegias haTorah and his laboring commitment to emes are evident as he substantiates his novel and original yesodos with profound, encompassing bekius.”Beyond just the chiddushim contained in the sefer, the sefer is a guidebook to the unique Derech of Rashi’s pirush al HaTorah. To quote Rav Dovid Cohen in his haskama to the mechaber’s previous sefer, it is “a Shulchan Aruch on how to approach the sacred words of Rashi.”This derech of limud hatorah was transmitted to the mechaber from his rebbe, Hagaon Rav Avrohom Yehuda Leib Pessin zt”l, the former rav of Bais Meyer Cheva Shas in Monsey, New York. It’s a derech that demands uncompromising fidelity to the pursuit of emes. Every idea, no matter how intuitively appealing, is truthful only to the extent that it is supported by an authoritative source.Scrupulously adhering to this principle, the sefer features fully quoted source notes, compared with and contrasted to similar or related terms used by Rashi, as well as Rishonim and Achronim in other places. No chiddush, no matter how slight, is presented without a substantive source. Indeed there are over 5,100 individual sources quoted in the sefer, of which over 1,800 are sources from Rashi on Tanach and Talmud Bavli.This volume takes the approach to a deeper and more profound level by building and developing fundamental themes and concepts from corresponding thoughts mentioned by Rashi. It delivers on the premise of Rashi’s role as a metargem – conveying the Torah’s messages to the general public on a host of fundamental and practical aspects of life. Concepts such as the reality of emes or the essence of emunah, just to name a few, are examined with great clarity and precision. Practical subjects, such as use of secular courts or the relationship between Yaakov and Eisav, are explored and identified in the nuances of Rashi’s vernacular.The mechaber’s previous work, Mokom Hinichu Avosav, has sold some eight thousand copies since the date of its publication six years ago, and has attracted a broad spectrum of ardent enthusiasts including prominent Roshei Yeshiva and Gedolei Yisroel. A number of these gedolim have engaged in extensive ongoing correspondence with the mechaber, expressing their delight in discovering new layers of significance in Rashi’s pirush, while adding important insights and addendums of their own. Some of these insights were ultimately incorporated in the body of Tapuchei Zahav. Many in this broad audience have been anxiously anticipating the release of this new volume and look forward to once again delighting in this unique Derech.The sefer is currently available in leading seforim and Judaica stores.

Price: 10 USD

Location: Lakewood, New Jersey

End Time: 2023-08-14T14:21:24.000Z

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