Parashat Bamidbar
Question
!A gutten Erev Shabbos
this Shabbos is Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Regarding the halacha, whether one may say the Tefillas HaShlah on Shabbos, please see below for the ruling of our Rav shlit״a.
It says in this week’s parshah: Bamidbar 1:2
"Count all of Bnei Yisrael, by family and by household, counting each name, every male according to their heads.”
If someone had two heads, would he be counted as one, or do we literally count by heads, meaning he would be counted as two?
Answer
This is a very interesting question, and I would like to share with you the approach of the Chasam Sofer (Yoreh De’ah siman 294). First, let’s study two stories on this topic from the Gemara in Menachos 37, and Tosafos there.
Plimo asked Rebbi: someone who has two heads, on which one should he put tefillin? Rashi explains that Rebbi thought he was making fun of him, since such a thing does not exist in reality, and therefore told him either go into exile or accept a ban (shamta), because such a case does not exist.
The Gemara continues;
In the meantime, a man came and said, “A child was born to me who has two heads, how much must I give to the Kohen?” An elder came and taught: he must give ten sela’im. The Gemara explains: since the Torah when discussing Pidyan Haben, specifically mentions the head (gulgoles), meaning that we need to redeem the head, therefore, in this case, we need to do Pidyan Haben to both heads.
Tosafos explains (s.v. shomea) that Rebbi did not want to address Plimo’s question about tefillin because even if such a person could live more than thirty days, he is still considered a treifah and will not live more than twelve months. Therefore, practically speaking, there is no relevance regarding the halacha of tefillin.
And Tosafos s.v. o kum geli writes an interesting question that took place in the times of Shlomo HaMelech:
In this world, it does not exist that someone could live with two heads, but there is a Midrash that Ashmedai brought a man with two heads before King Shlomo. He married a woman and had children, some like him with two heads and some like his wife with one head. When it came time to divide the inheritance, the one with two heads claimed two portions. They came for judgment before Shlomo HaMelech.
The continuation of how Shlomo judged with his wisdom is brought in the Shitah Mekubetzes:Shlomo first covered one head so it would not see what he was about to do, and then poured boiling water on the second head. Both heads screamed out in pain. Shlomo said: from here we see that they are essentially one, and therefore he only receives one portion in the inheritance.
After having studied the Gemara and Tosafos, we can now return to the words of the Chasam Sofer.
The Chasam Sofer points out that when counting Shevet Levi, the Torah does not say “according to their heads,” unlike at the beginning of the parashah.
It says:
Bamidbar 3:15–16
“Count the sons of Levi according to their fathers houses, according to their families; every male from one month and up you shall count them.
And Moshe counted them according to the word of Hashem, as he was commanded.”
The Chasam Sofer explains: if it would have said “according to their heads” by Shevet Levi, we might have thought we count literally by heads, like we see by pidyon haben where it says “per head,” and one would be counted twice.
However, when counting Klal Yisrael at the beginning of the parashah, the count is from age twenty. There, it would not be possible to make a mistake, Since even if someone were born like this, he could not live until age twenty, as explained in Tosafos. Therefore, the simple meaning of “according to their heads” there is just an expression meaning counting each individual.
Practical halacha for this Shabbos:
Since this year (5786) Shabbos is Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, we asked our Rav, HaGaon HaRav Amrom Fried shlit״ a, whether one may say Tefillas HaShlah on Shabbos.
The Rav’s answer:
The Shelah Prayer on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan That Falls on Shabbos
Many people have the custom to say the special tefillah of the Shelah on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan. This year, since Erev Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, one may think the tefillah on Shabbos rather than say it verbally, because on Shabbos it is forbidden to make personal requests, even for spiritual matters (see Azamrah L’Shmecho 161 and footnote 1).
On behalf of the entire Sheilot staff, we wish you a Shabbos Sholem u’mevorach and a Chodesh Tov
