The Weekly Daf #83
Shavuos 14-20
Week of 11-17 Elul / 6-12 September
By Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, Dean, Ohr Somayach Institutions
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                        Torah as Preventive Medicine

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi recited Psalm 91 of Tehillim before retiring at
night to protect himself against the dangers of the night.  (This has been
universally accepted as part of the Shma recited before going to sleep.)
In response to the challenge that it is forbidden to conjure healing with
words of Torah the Talmud explains that what the sage did was preventive
rather than curative.

This distinction is utilized by Maharsha in explaining the counsel given by
this same sage (Eruvin 54a) that "one who feels an ache in his head should
study Torah."  The subject there is not one who already suffers a serious
ailment in his head, only a slight ache which causes him to be concerned
that it will develop into full fledged illness.  His study of Torah is
therefore of a preventive nature which is not only permitted but advisable.
                                                                Shavuos 15a

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                            Divine Architecture

The Beis Hamikdash, states the Sage Abaye, cannot be constructed at night.
When the Torah describes the erection of the first Sanctuary in the
wilderness it speaks of "the day the Mishkan was established" to teach us
that such construction cannot take place at night.

This raises a problem regarding a scenario presented by the Talmud (Sukkah
41a) of the Third Beis Hamikdash being constructed on the night between the
15th and 16th of Nissan and the implications of such a situation for the
post-Beis Hamikdash decree of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai to refrain from
eating new grain until the entire 16th day has passed.

The ban on nocturnal construction, explains Rashi (ibid.), applies to human
effort.  The Beis Hamikdash of the future, to which we are looking forward,
will descend from Heaven completely built as we say in the Shirah which the
Children of Israel sang at Yam Suf "the Mikdash which Your hands formed,
Hashem" (Shmos 15:17).
                                                               Shavuos 15b
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