Divrei Yosher

Things By Which a Ben Torah is Recognized

2011-04-07T11:35:00.007-04:00

A list from the dayan in yeshiva

He is a Yarei Shamayim, meticulous with halacha and mehader with mitzvot
He has a great desire to grow in Torah, in yirat Shamayim, and in tikkun hamidot. He does not stand in one place, advancing step by step.
He is a matmid, engrossed in learning, yearning to be a talmid chacham and a gadol baTorah.
He utilizes time and is makpid on sedarim and zmanim (and zmanei tefillah).
He is engrossed in his tefillah, davening with kavanah and not merely habitually.
His ways are pleasant and his face shines; Shem Shamayim is beloved because of him.
He is giving, kind and always ready to assist and help.
He is mezakeh the community and is sensitive to its needs.
He loves peace and runs from strife.
He distances himself far from lashon hara and is careful with his friend’s kavod.
He is thoughtful and not disturbing.
He does not read things which are inappropriate nor listen to things which are inappropriate.
He is modest in his ways, in his dress, even in his room and while sleeping. He is mekayem ולא תתורו...אחרי עיניכם.
He is mekadesh Shem Shamayim in all his ways, whether in yeshiva, at home, or in the street.

Rav Zevin on Tzav

2010-03-26T14:05:00.001-04:00

Rav Zevin is awesome

צַו אֶת-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת-בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר וגו' (וקרא ו:ב)

Rashi comments that the use of the word צו, command, in the beginning of this week’s parashah is an expression of zeiruz, urging on, meant for that moment and for future generations. Rashi also quotes Torat Kohanim where R’ Shimon says that the Torah needs to convey the need for urging especially in a situation where there is chesron kis, monetary loss, such as here where Aharon and all of the other Kohanim perform the Avodah without any payment.

It is the usual way of the world that when something new suddenly pops up before us, it creates a feeling of excitement inside us that we don’t have for things which we are accustomed to daily. Be it the latest iPod or a new flavor at Ben & Jerry’s, for some reason people are just excited around new and unusual things. But the real ikar idea that should be noted in this phenomenon is not the active feelings of excitement, but rather the passive feelings of indifference that people have for that which they are used to, despite the fact that what we have around us all the time is often even more wondrous and amazing than anything new that may come along. The sun rises and sets every day, and many people habitually go about their daily tasks without even giving this natural occurrence a second thought. Were someone to take a moment to appreciate the sheer magnitude of this cosmological occurrence, the universal harmony flaunted by the many astronomical factors involved, certainly one would be filled to the brim with amazement over the world that is around him every day. It is, however, unfortunate that this among countless other things goes unnoticed by the general population as is the way of the world.

Rav Shlomo Zevin writes that this is why the Torah says והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום וגו', “And these matters that I command you today…” (Devarim 6:6); that every day the mitzvot should be like new before us, as Rashi explains. A person is supposed to view the Torah every day as if it were given to him that day and approach it with the same vigor and excitement as he would something new. In Shacharit in regards to Beri’at HaOlam we say “המחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית”. By all of Creation around us we should feel the renewal that occurs every day. This is why something which is to be performed from this moment and forever on, like these mitzvot being given to Aharon and the other Kohanim, there is a special need for the Torah to emphasis this point out the need for zerizut, that the Kohanim should be urged and urge themselves on so that the mitzvot should not appear as old and dry to them because of the regularity.

In the Midrash that Rashi above quotes, R’ Shimon adds that we especially need urging on where there is chesron kis. Rav Zevin explains that when life is peaches and cream, it’s nothing to marvel at when someone keeps the mitzvot and does ma’asim tovim. When things are going well and life is more relaxed, it’s easy for a person to do such things. It’s when times are hard that we really show who we are in our commitment to mitzvot. The Gemara in Yevamot says that if one lends money to one who is poor when he in a time of need, the Torah says of him אָז תִּקְרָא וַה' יַעֲנֶה וגו', “Then you shall call and Hashem shall respond.” (Yeshayah 58:9) Some explain this as referring to when the lender is in a time of need. The Gemara in Berachot states that HaKadosh Baruch said to the Mal’achei HaShareit, “How can I not raise My face towards Yisrael, for I said to them “ואכלת ושבעת וברכת” and they are medakdek in this until a k’zayit and a k’beitaza?” Usually this would explained as referring to the mitzvah of Birkat HaMazon, but Rav Zevin says it can be learned another way in that it refers to all mitzvot in general. That is to say, Bnei Yisrael bless Hashem not only when they are satiated and all is good, but even when food and sustenance is scarce as a k’zayit and k’beitaza. That even when times are hard and life is as good as it is at other times, Bnei Yisrael are still mevarech Hashem for what they have.

This is why immediately upon leaving Mitzrayim, Bnei Yisrael were commanded about eating matzah- לחם עוני, “poor man’s bread.” This is to symbolize that the Torah was given to be upheld even in poverty, and as the Mishnah says in Avot, וכל המקיים את התורה מעוני סופו לקיימה מעושר (Avot 4:11). This correlates to the Torah writing in a way that connotes a language of zeiruz when there is chesron kis. At a time of poverty and chesron kis it can be very easy for a person to stumble and veer off from the proper path in life, the path of Torah and miztvot. Therefore, the Torah has to come and urge us on to be mechazek and me’ametz us in our Avodat Hashem. May we be zoche to be invigorated in our Avodat Hashem with a feeling of hit’chadshut every day.

SHABBOS IS COMING!

2010-03-19T15:30:00.000-04:00

THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 3 1/2 HOURS TILL SHABBOS!!!!!!!!!! awesome. start shnayim mikrah already so you don't fall behind.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rav Zevin: The Fundamental connection of Bnei Yisrael to the Korbanot

2010-03-19T15:25:00.000-04:00

The Midrash (Vayikrah Rabbah 2:4) says that when HaKadosh Baruch Hu commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to himself command Bnei Yisrael in regards to the korbanot, he said Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam, of all the seventy umot ha'olam, you have only commanded me in regards to Bnei Yisrael.” R’ Avin says that to this Hashem replied, “For they made Me King first by the Yam Suf and said to Me, ה' ימלך לעולם ועד.” R’ Berechya said that Hashem replied, “For they accepted My Kingship at Har Sinai and proclaimed, כל אשר דבר ה' נעשה ונשמע.”

Rambam writes that the underlying principle of korbanot is only to be an impediment in the way of Bnei Yisrael straying towards avodah zarah. In the days of yore, people in general brought animal scarifices to their avodah zarah, therefore, this mitzvah came to constrict any of Bnei Yisrael’s orientation and desire to conduct sacrificial rites solely Hashem. As the Torah says, וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת-זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִם... (Vayikrah 17:7). That is to say that according to Rambam, on a fundamental level the main goal of the idea of korbanot isn’t the inherent value in and of itself, but rather the resulting bond to Hashem in the face of avodah zarah practices.

Other Rishonim argue on Rambam and say that korbanot do indeed exist on account of their core intrinsic value. They function to bring all of the worlds nearer to Hashem. As the hailege Baal HaTanya writes, by korbanot all living creatures were elevated to Hashem through one offering of an animal, and all plants were elevated through the one-tenth measurement of fine flour mixed with oil of the korban minchah (Likutei Amarim perek 34). Furthermore, it is taught that through bringing a korban, it is like a person has sacrificed himself to HaKadosh Boruch Hu. We see this alluded to in the pasuk אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' וגו', “When a person from among you shall bring a korban to Hashem…” (Vayikrah 1:2). In Hebrew it is phrased as if to say “when someone shall bring a korban from you,” as opposed to having been written אדם מכם כי יקריב. The animalistic aspect of a person is itself elevated towards Hashem through the hakravat korban.

Based on this, Rav Shlomo Zevin explains the Midrash above; Moshe was asking Hashem, that since the reason for korbanot is in order to separate Bnei Yisrael from avodah zarah, then this should reasonably be something that applies to the goyim of the world as well, so why are they not likewise commanded in regards to korbanot? Hashem replied, that korbanot actually function on a fundamental basis of inherent importance which is only relevant to Bnei Yisrael. R’ Avin said that Bnei Yisrael were exclusively given these mitzvot for having proclaimed ה' ימלך לעולם ועד at the Yam Suf, in regards to the understanding that korbanot elevate all living things closer to Hashem in holiness. Only Bnei Yisrael, who proclaimed Hashem as Ruler of the world can elevate the world closer to Hashem. R’ Berechyah said that Bnei Yisrael were exclusively chosen for having proclaimed נעשה ונשמע, in correlation to the understanding that through korbanot it is as if a person brings himself as a korban. So too here, only Bnei Yisrael could have any real connection to korbanot, for they were mekabel ol Malchut Shamayim, to do before understanding why. By accepting in such a way they entrenched their physical beings in devotion to holy actions. They sanctified their bodies and spiritually raised them the way they we are raised to Hashem through bringing a korban. That is why the mitzvot of korbanot were given only to Bnei Yisrael. May we continue to emulate these great middot of Bnei Yisrael in our relationship with Hashem and merit to bring korbanot again soon.

Bnei Yisaschar on the Names of the Months

2010-03-19T15:15:00.000-04:00

I meant to post this by Rosh Chodesh...anyway I though it was very interesting.

שמות החדשים עלו עמהם מבבל. כן אמרו רז"ל [ירושלמי ר"ה פ"א ה"ב], ויצא להם זה מדלא נמצא שום שם חודש בדברי נבואה רק בכתובים במגילת אסתר בעזרא ונחמיה, ונראה לי דודאי שמות החדשים נתקבלו ג"כ מסיני, רק שהיה בבחינת תורה שבעל פה, דהרי נזכרו השמות של חדשים בתרגום [עי' תרגום יונתן בראשית ח כב] והתרגום נתקבל בסיני כידוע [מגילה ג א], אבל התרגום הוא תורה שבע"פ אבל לא ניתנו לכתוב בכתב עד שבאו לבבל, ואעפי"כ לא נמצא בכתובים אצלנו שמות כל החדשים, ואי"ה נדבר מזה אם יהיה הש"י בעזרינו, והנה בירושלמי [שם] אמרו שמות החדשים ושמות המלאכים עלו עמהם מבבל, והוכחתם בודאי הוא ג"כ כנ"ל מדלא מצינו שום שם למלאך בדברי נביאים הראשונים רק בדניאל [ח טז, י יג] נזכרו מיכאל וגבריאל, ומה שיש לי לומר כעת בדרך אפשר דהנה בבבל היתה אסיפת דור הפלגה שאמרו הבה נבנה לנו עיר וגו' וראשו בשמים ונעשה לנו שם וכו' [בראשית יא ד], והנה רצו להגביר המרכבה טמאה בשמות הקליפות שהיו בקיאים בשמות ובנו את המגדל כפי חכמתם כל חלק וחלק כפי החדש [לקו"ת פ' נח], והנה בלל הש"י שם שפת כל הארץ ולא ידעו שמות החדשים והשרים של המרכבה טמאה שרצו להגביר כפי מזל כל חדש וחדש, והנה ידוע גליות ישראל בכל האומות ובכל מקום הוא לתקן ולברר הניצוה"ק שבכל מקום והם מבררין הטוב מן הרע כידוע [לקו"ת פ' תצא], והנה גלו בראשונה לבבל אשר שם פגמו דור הפלגה ונתבלבל לשונם ולא ידעו שמות החדשים והשרים כנ"ל, הנה ישראל תקנו בגלותם, על כן שמות החדשים והמלאכים עלו עמהם מבבל, ואי"ה עוד חזון למועד להאריך בדברים אלו והש"י יעזרי.

And more specifically on the name of Nissan:

ניסן. שמו נודע בשערים, והוא בכתובים במגילת אסתר [ג, ז], ופירושו נודע נקרא ניסן חודש של ניסים נגלים מוגבהים למעלה מן הטבע והשכל, חודש אשר הוא מוכן לניסים מששת ימי בראשית ליל שמורים הוא לה' להוציאם מארץ וכו' הוא הלילה הזה לי"י שמורים לכל בני ישראל [שמות יב מב] לגאלנו בגאולה העתידה במהרה בימינו, והנה מש"ל אשר שמות החדשים ודאי היו מקובלים מסיני אבל היה בבחינת תורה שבע"פ, ובבבל ניתנו לכתוב גם בבחינת תורה שבכתב, הנה בשם החודש הזה הראשון לכל חדשי השנה יתכן שפיר נקרא ניסן על שם נס, והנה ידוע מכוונת האריז"ל [ע"ח שער הכללים פי"א] נ"ס כוונתו אדנ"י מ"ה (כתב ובעל פה), ועוד יתבאר אי"ה.

If you need something to do...

2010-03-12T10:58:00.002-05:00

The Maharsha on Berachot writes some pretty interesting things... Just in case anyone was wondering what to do with their Shabbos afternoon time... Go for the 1st and 5th perek. Maybe I'll post something soon.

A gut Shabbos

What's up with this?

2010-03-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Is anyone else noticing what's going on? Turkish police bursting into a shul on Shabbos?
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136373
hmmm.... I didn't see it on other news sites yet though....

Tosefet Shabbat (a.k.a Tosefes Shabbos)

2010-03-05T15:03:00.000-05:00

וְאַתָּה דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אַךְ אֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ כִּי אוֹת הִוא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם לָדַעַת כִּי אֲנִי ה' מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם. (שמות לא:יג)

In this week’s parashah, Hashem speaks to Moshe in regards to keeping Shabbat. The Ben Ish Chai inquires as to the significance of four points in pasuk regarding Shemirat SHabbat. Firstly, the wordאת has been expounded by Chazal to connote an inclusiveness; what is it coming to include in its position in our pasuk? Secondly, the Torah says of Shabbos אות היא, “It is a sign,” but spells it in the lashon zachar “הוא” while it is actually pronounced in the lashon nekeivah “היא”. Why is the spelling different from the pronunciation? Thirdly, why does the Torah emphasize that Shabbat is an אות לדורותיכם, for future generations? Are not all mitzvot incumbent upon us to be safeguarded from their being given and then forever on? Why is this specially emphasized here by Shabbat? Fourthly, why is this mitzvah of Shabbat so special that it is connected to לדעת כי אני ה' מקדשכם, to know that Hashem is the One Who sanctifies us? Why is this stated here over any other mitzvah?

Shabbat itself was established by HaKadosh Baruch Hu during Maaseh Bereishit. Since then there have been six days followed by Shabbat Kodesh every week for thousands of years. In contrast, the Moadim are set at appointed times by the hands of Beit Din according to the halachot of Kiddush HaChodesh (prior to the modern calendar system). Once the days of the Moadim are set by Beit Din the relevant mitzvot then take effect on those days, even, as Chazal are doresh in Megillah 25a, if the Beit Din is in err as to the proper day for the Chag. What we know is that the kedushah of Shabbat takes effect on the seventh day of the week on its own- it an unstoppable holy force which is an inherent manifestation in the day. Such is not the case by all the Moadim, when the kedushat hayom is really dependant on Beit Din. However, we, Bnei Yisrael, still have what to do with the kedushah of Shabbat in our ability to have Tosefet Shabbat, adding on to Shabbat. We can take from the unsacred time of the week and infuse it with the holiness of Shabbat, binding it to Shabbat itself. During this man-sanctified time one can be say kiddush, eat the seudat Shabbat, and get sachar for Shemirat Shabbat. Even more astounding is that this din applies to all of Yisrael, whereas Kiddush HaChodesh, and as such Yom Tov as well, can only be done by a Beit Din with semichah.

The Ben Ish Chai writes, we all look forward to the Olam Habah, the יום שכולו שבת; then, all the days will be kadosh like Shabbat. However, this is all dependent on the merit of our actions. We have the power to bring that Day closer, or to chas v’shalom push it further away. We have the power within us to ultimately imbue the Kedushat Shabbat into every day in Olam HaBah, and this ability stems from this halachah of Tosefet Shabbat which Hashem gave us.

We find that Shabbat has two levels of kedushah: the first, and more essential, is that enacted by Hashem since the beginning of time. And the second is that of tosefet when we convert the weekday into Shabbat. So in explanation of the questions posed above, the level of Shabbat which comes directly from Hashem is referred to with הוא in lashon zachar, and the second level which stems from us is referred to with היא in lashon nekeivah. Symbolically, something which is “nekeivah” is influenced by that which is “zachar,” just as the tosefet draws from the inherent kedushah of the main Shabbat. Furthermore, we can now understand that the word את is coming to include the safeguarding of Tosefet Shabbat in addition to the regular Shabbat. It is for future generations,לדורותיכם , for it sign of that which is to come in future generations, in Olam HaBah. And finally, the reason that by specifically by Shabbat the Torah says לדעת כי אני ה' מקדישכם is really an indication of the nature of Tosefet Shabbat. The meaning of the pasuk is that Hashem makes us holy and gives us our ability to enact the kedushah of Shabbat on our own just like Hashem does.

With this in mind, Tosefet Shabbat is something which is completely pertinent to us today. We have the ability to add to the kedushah of Shabbat as much as we can during the week. May we be zoche to fulfill the words of this pasuk with proper intent and an appreciation for the sanctity of Shabbat.

Rav Zevin on the Machatzit HaShekel

2010-03-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא יַרְבֶּה וְהַדַּל לֹא יַמְעִיט מִמַּחֲצִית הַשָּׁקֶל וגו‘. (שמות ל:טו)

In Parashat Ki Tisa we learn of the famous “tax” which all Yisrael have a mitzvah of giving to- the Machatiz HaShekel. Throughout the world, taxing based on how much money you have, a “progressive tax,” is a major policy. Even if a rich person gives the same percentage of his money as a poor person, and even though that same percentage is much more when coming from the rich man, it is still a somewhat unequal tax since the rich one still has more left over than the poor one in the end. So, for example, rather than both the poor and rich giving 10% to taxes, the poor man gives 10% and the rich man gives 30%. This idea is not so new for we find it explicitly in Masechet Pe’ah (1:2) אין פוחתין לפאה מששים, ואף על פי שאמרו אין לפאה שיעור. הכל לפי גודל השדה.. Even though Pe’ah has no minimum amount m’deoraita, Chazal established that no less than 1/60 be given, and whatever amount is to be given is dependent on the size of your field. The Mefarshim ask, what is the need for “הכל לפי גודל השדה”? If a field is very large, then even if the owner only gives 1/60 it will be a lot more than what comes from a small field! However, the Mishnah is teaching us that we apply this “progressive tax” policy, that while 1/60 is a minimum, it is not sufficient for what would be considered a larger field; the owner of such a field would have to give a larger amount, say 1/40, to Pe’ah.

Rav Shlomo Zevin writes that there is yet another tax policy in the Torah, one which comes up in this week’s parashah by the mitzvah of Machatzit HaShekel – העשיר לא ירבה והעני לא ימעיט. Both rich and poor give the same amount, neither can give more nor less than the prescribed sum of money. Even if a rich man wants to generously donate a large sum we do not accept it so that he will not say that he has a greater share in the matter than someone else who is poor. When it comes to the Beit HaMikdash everyone is equal. Everyone gives a half-shekel to allude to the fact that every individual is a “machatzit,” only a half, a part of the whole nation.

In Megillat Esther (3:9), Haman says to Achashverosh, אם על המלך טוב יכתב לאבדם ועשרת אלפים אלפים ככר כסף אשקול וכו', “If it pleases the king, let it be recorded that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand silver talents...” In the Gemara in Megillah 13b, Reish Lakish says that it was clearly known before HaKadosh Baruch Hu that Haman was to measure out shekalim (i.e. silver coins) over Bnei Yisrael, therefore He preceded their shekalim to his. The idea of the Machatzit HaShekel which brought all of Yisrael together as equal partners in existing gave them the strength to overcome future adversity. This is why on the first day of Adar we begin to announce the collection of the Machatzit HaShekel.

The shekalim of Yisrael are kedoshim and represent the achdut of all Yisrael, whereas the shekalim of Haman are temei’im and represent an attempt to destroy the nation. This very notion of achdut was how Bnei Yisrael were saved from Haman, as it says in Megillat Esther (4:16), לך כנוס את כל היהודים וכו', “Go, assemble all the Jews…” Gathering together was what saved them- The Gemara says of Adar 13, which commemorates when the Jews gathered together in ta’anit and tefilah, that it is זמן קהילה לכל הוא, a time of gathering. This was not just “achdut” the way we throw the term around, it was mamash in the manner of העשיר לא ירבה והדל לא ימעיט; Bnei Yisrael came together not as a group of individuals but as a single, solid unit. With the recent celebration of Purim, we commemorated our survival as a nation as well as upheld that which Rama writes to give three half-coins as a “Machatzit HaShekel” from the currency of our wherever we live, as a zecher to the original Machatzit HaShekel. Reading about it in this week’s parashah we should have in mind the fundamental nature of this mitzvah in that it seeks to unite is on a way that we realize that we are all equal and are all pieces that make up the living organism that is Am Yisrael.

It's Purim, Be Happy!

2010-02-26T16:25:00.003-05:00

It saysin the Tikkunei Zohar (57b) that Purim is like Yom HaKippurim; The Piaseczner Rebbe writes that this alludes to a fundamental similarity in the two days. On Yom Kippur, we fast and do teshuvah whether we want to or not because it is a gezeirah from HaKadosh Boruch Hu. So too by the simchah of Purim, it is not that if a person is already happy on his own or is in a situation where he can make hismlef happy that he must be mesamei’ach on Purim. Rather, even if a person is in a lowly state and has a shattered heart, his mind and spirit downcast, it is a mitzvah that some spark of joy must enter his heart on Purim.

By Yom Kippur, the day itself atones for our aveirot, even if we have not done a complete teshuvah. So too on Purim, even though a person may not be as happy and joyous as he should be, thus resulting in an incomplete avodah of Purim, the day still activates yeshu’ah and simchah over Bnei Yisrael.

Tetzaveh: The Ketoret and the Bechina of Aharon

2010-02-26T16:20:00.001-05:00

I don't think I spent enough time writing this properly but I like this devar Torah anyway, enjoy it if you so desire.

The last aliyah of Parashat Titzaveh speaks about the commandment to construct the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret, the mizbei’ach upon which the sacred incense was offered inside the Mikdash. The Rishonim point out that this part of the parshah seems out of place, Parashat Terumah being a more fitting location alongside the other klei Mishkan. Why is it that the Torah listed the instructions to build the keilim (the Aron, Shulchan, Menorah…), then seemingly interposed a parashah about the Bikdei Kehunah, and then afterwards reverted back to speaking about the keilim with the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret? The Meshech Chachmah resolves this question of the Rishonim based on the Gemara in Zevachim 59a which says that if the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret were to be in some place other than its fixed spot in the Mikdash, the avodah of the ketoret would still be performed upon it. The structure of the mizbei’ach is not an essential component of the ketoret process in and of itself to extent that its displacement from its regular makom kavua disrupts the ability to perform the avodah. Rather, it is apparently only a means to offer the incense. Therefore it was written separately in the Torah from the other keilim. By the other keilim, they themselves are integral in the performance of the avodah associated with are necessary for the Hashra’at HaShechinah as well.

Rav Gedalyah Schorr offers a different explanation to the separate placement of Mizbei’ach HaKetoret. From the arrangement of the pesukim it seems that the main Hashra’at HaShechinah was already upon the Mishkan with the completion of the keilim listed in Parshat Terumah. Before the portion dealing with the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret, the Hashem says:

”וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹקִים. וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְשָׁכְנִי בְתוֹכָם אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיהֶם. “

This would appear indicative that all of the preceding mitzvot were prerequisites to this point of Hashra’at HaShechinah and that once they were complete the hashra’ah took effect, even before the Torah mentions the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret. The division shows us some sort of special quality unto itself. This mizbei’ach created a unity between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael in some way unique from the rest of the keilim.

Chazal say in the Gemara in Shabbat 89a that when Moshe Rabbeinu went up to Shamayim, even the Malach HaMavet gave something to him, because when there was a plague going through Bnei Yisrael, Moseh told Aharon to bring ketoret, which caused the plague to stop. If the Malach HaMavet hadn’t told him about the power of the ketoret, how would Moshe have known? But how is it that that Moshe learned this from the Malacha HaMavet? Of Moshe it is said בכל ביתי נאמן הוא, how could he not know such a thing and only be able to receive it from the Malach HaMavet?

Rav Tzadok HaKohen M’Lublin explains that at the beginning of Creation, all of the Beri’ah gave something in contribution to the creation of Adam HaRishon, as the Torah says, נעשה אדם וכו' “Let us make man…” So Man basically contained some portion of everything in the Beri’ah. The purpose of this was so that Man should have the power to maintain dominion over all the land. However, the Satan did not give any of his chelek in Creation to Man, for if Adam HaRishon had possessed such a thing, he would immediately have turned this chelek rah into good and Man would rule over bad (i.e. the Yetzer HaRah, Malacha Hamavet, etc.). So in order to maintain free will this was not allowed to happen until the coming of the Mashiach when Hashem will obliterate everything evil. At Har Sinai, when Bnei Yisrael were at a level like that of Le’atid Lavo, they had freedom from the Malach HaMavet and Yetzer HaRah, so at that point in time the Malacha HaMavet gave his chelek in the Beri’ah to Moshe – the ketoret. The ketoret gave Moshe the strength to overpower evil and convert it to good; that is its yesod in being the contribution of the Malach HaMavet from the Beri’ah.

The unique unification quality of the ketoret was its ability to bind to the evil and change that evil to good. This quality is specifically connected to Aharon, of whom Chazal said was אוהב את הבריות ומקרבן לתורה, he loved everyone and brought them closer to Torah. Aharon elevated Bnei Yisrael and connected them to the kedushah of Torah. Even those who were distanced from the Torah Aharon reconnected to their roots.

We find by Moshe Rabbeinu the Torah says ויעמד העם על משה מן הבקר עד הערב. Chazal pointed out that this is obviously not possible if taken literally, to say that people were coming to Moshe the entire day. Rather it comes to teach that one who judges truthfully is considered a partner with Hashem in the Ma’aseh Bereishit. Here in Parashat Titzaveh, by the Menorah, the Torah says יערוך אותו אהרן ובניו מערב עד בקר וכו', because there was a tikkun in of Ma’aseh Bereishit here by Aharon and the Menorah as well. However, there is difference between Moshe and Aharon here. By Moshe the Torah says boker (morning, that which is light and holier) then erev (evening, that which is darker and less holy), because his avodah was to bring the Shechinah down to the world. By Aharon the opposite is true. His avodah was to elevate the lowliness of this world to the loftiness of the Upper World. This is the avodah of the Kehunah. This is why the parashah of the ketoret is so relevant to rest of Parashat Titzaveh; the parasha speaks about the Kedushat HaKehuna of Aharon, and the Mizbei’ach HaKetoret and the special unity it creates between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael and directly connected to (the idea of) Aharon HaKohen. Aharon connected the lowly to the lofty, and this is the avodah of any person to make himself worthy of Hashra’at HaShechinah, to elevate the mundane and transform it into that which is kadosh.

חייב איניש לבסומי

2010-02-26T16:15:00.002-05:00

Purim is one of the most, if not the most, festive chagim of the year. As we all know, the Seudat Purim is a big mitzvah which noticeably involves the imbibing of large amounts of wine. The Shulchan Aruch (695:2) brings down l’halacha from the Gemara in Megillah 7b: חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי, one is obligated to intoxicate himself on Purim until he does not know between “cursed be Haman” and “blessed be Mordechai.” Rama there adds וי"א דאין צריך להשתכר כל כך אלא שישתה יותר מלימודו ויישן ומתוך שישן אינו יודע בין ארור המן לברוך מרדכי, some say that one need not make himself so drunk, rather simply drink more than you would normally drink and go to sleep, and by going to sleep you won’t know the difference between ארור המן and ברוך מרדכי.

Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (Mikra’ei Kodesh: Chanukah u’Purim siman 44) writes that some make the mistake here in explaining the words of Rama to mean two separate things; that A) you do not have to get so intoxicated, rather to drink more than normal is sufficient, and B) that the obligation of “עד דלא ידע” can be fulfilled through sleep, even if you go to sleep before drinking. But this is not the proper understanding. Rav Frank writes that Rama means that one should fall asleep as a result of the drinking. This is the lashon of Rambam (Hilchot Megillah 2:15): ושותה יין עד שישתכר וירדם בשכרותו. One need not go around in a state of bumbling drunkenness on Purim, but should rather drink whatever amount it is that he will drink, and out of resulting insobriety he should go asleep.

In terms of whether this intoxication must be with wine specifically, or if any alcoholic beverage is adequate, it seems that we learn from the lashon of Rambam quoted above that one can only fulfill his Purim obligation with wine. So too, Rashi writes in Masechet Megillah 7b on the word “לאבסומי” (to become intoxicated), “להשתכר ביין” to become intoxicated with wine. The Eliyah Rabbah writes that the reason why Chazal required us to drink on Purim, even though throughout Tanach shichrut is mentioned as something which is an impediment in being a proper Jew, because all of the nissim that happened for Bnei Yisrael in the days of Mordechai and Esther were through a mishteh. First, Vashti was deposed through Achashverosh’s mishteh at the beginning of Megillat Esther, leading to Esther becoming queen. Later, on Esther’s mishteh which brought about the downfall of Haman. Therefore, in order to remember the great miracles that occurred for us through the drinking of wine, Chazal obligated us to become intoxicated. Rav Frank writes that we can understand from these words that the mitzvah is davka with wine, in semblance of the mishteh yayin in the days of Achashverosh. However, many people are not careful with the parameters of this mitzvah and get drunk on other alcoholic beverages. So, if drinking on Purim, we should use wine.

Now that we have the basics down, we can further explore a more precise definition of “עד דלא ידע” and the nature of this yedi’ah of the difference between ארור המן and ברוך מרדכי? Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin (HaMoadim B’Halachah: Purim pp. 248-249) writes that there are innumerable explanations of this statement of the Gemara, be it in the realm of Halacha, Derush, or Chassidut. As stated above, Rambam writes that a person should drink until he falls asleep and then it will be that he doesn’t know between א"ה and ב"מ. Meaning, that on Purim one should drink and become intoxicated to the extent that he will fall asleep, and Rama writes the same. Another explanation offered by the Abudraham and brought down by the Magen Avraham and Darchei Moshe is that one must drink until he cannot calculate the gematriot of ארור המן and ברוך מרדכי (both are 502). Tosafot says it refers to the inability to properly recite the piyut of Shoshanat Yaakov (which includes “ארור המן” and “ברוך מרדכי”). The Taz (695:2) writes that one should not stop giving praise to Hashem b’simchah for the double-good bestowed on us – the fall of Haman and the rise of Mordechai – until he can no longer distinguish between the two and then he is patur from drinking more. Rav Zevin writes that according to the Taz, the focus is not the quantity of drinking but the amount of time spent doing it. One should not stop until he can no longer differentiate between Haman and Mordechai. This is similar to the Sefat Emet on Megillah 7b who writes that when the Gemara says חייב אינש לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע, it does not mean that one must drink to the point of “לא ידע”, rather that up until that level of drunkenness one is still obligated to drink, even if that means drinking the whole day. However, even before reaching that level one is still yotzei for involving himself in the mitzvah.

Rav Yehonatan Eibshitz (Ye’arot Devash) writes that ארור המן and ברוך מרדכי are seemingly two complete opposites and contradict each other. If Haman is cursed, Mordechai is not blessed, and vice versa. How so? If Achashverosh himself didn’t want the decree of l’hasmid l’harog u’l’abeid, but rather Haman in his evil lying ways convinced him to allow it, then certainly “cursed be Haman” for of his evil actions. If such was the case then there was no particular significance in Mordechai’s actions; even a lowly slave who made it clear to the king that Haman manipulated him to kill and innocent people would allow for Achashverosh’s wrath to come down on Haman. However, if Achashverosh was indeed acting of his own malevolent accord, then certainly “blessed be Mordechai” for his efforts to overturn the king’s desire. If such was the case Haman would not be specifically accursed for his wickedness for the king himself was wicked, and if Haman was not there to push for the decree against the Jews, Achashverosh had plenty of servants that could have acted and done exactly the same thing in his stead and the decree would have happened anyway. So, Rav Yehonatan writes that we should drink to the extent that we are no longer consciously bothered by this quandary of whether Haman is cursed or Mordechai is blessed.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach (Halichot Shlomo: Moadim 19:28) paskins that if one’s parents tell him not to get drunk on Purim, he must listen and he is still yoztei with Rama’s shita by drinking more than he would normally and going to sleep. It should be noted that grape juice is not a valid substitute for wine when it comes to this mitzvah. The Ran brings down that Rabbeinu Ephraim holds that we are not chayav to become intoxicated on Purim based on the Gemara of Rabbah who shechted R’ Zeira (See Megillah 7b). The Pri Chadash rejects this initially, but writes that due to the decline of generations it is proper to follow Rabbeinu Ephraim and not drink more than one would normally have on Yom Tov. With this one is yoztei since his intentions are l’shem Shamayim.

A Freilichen Purim!

Aish Kodesh on Parshat Yitro

2010-02-05T12:50:00.005-05:00

וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹהֵן מִדְיָן חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹקִים לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ כִּי הוֹצִיא יְקֹוָק אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם: (שמות יח:א)

Yitro, the minister of Midian, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard everything that G-d did to Moshe and to Yisrael, His people—that Hashem had taken Yisrael out of Egypt. (Shemot 18:1)

The Torah tells us that it was after Keri’at Yam Suf, when Bnei Yisrael had officially begun their journey to Eretz Yisrael, that Yitro all of a sudden came to join the nation, bringing Moshe’s wife and children with him . The pasuk which relates Yitro’s arrival is tells us that he heard of what Hashem did and afterwards he came. One of the famous questions amongst the mefarshim is what exactly was it that Yitro heard which enticed him to come join Moshe and become an oveid Hashem? Rashi explains that Yitro heard about Keri’at Yam Suf and Milchemet Amalek. HaRav Elimelech of Grodzhinsk asks, why does Rashi even have the question of what was it that Yitro heard that brought him to Bnei Yisrael? The pasuk itself says “that Hashem had taken Yisrael out of Egypt.” Also, if this is the case, why does Rashi answer Keri’at Yam Suf and Milchemet Amalek when the pasuk gives us the answer that Yitro heard of Hashem taking Bnei Yisrael out of Mitzraim?

The Torah says “שמע ישראל ה' אלקינו ה' אחד. ואהבת את ה' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך. ”(Devarim 6:5) Rashi explains that when it says to “love Hashem with all your heart,” it means to say that your heart should not be divided with Hashem (מקום= Omnipresent) – “שלא יהא לבך חלוק על המקום”. The Beit Aharon understands this to mean that one should not say “in this place (מקום) it is possible for me to serve Hashem and in this place it is not possible.” Rather it is incumbent upon a person to keep the Torah and serve Hashem in whatever place or predicament in which he may find himself. Bnei Yisrael received the Torah in the Midbar; the Piaseczner Rebbe, HaRav HaKadosh Reb Klonimus Kalman Shapira הי“ד, writes that had the Torah been given in Eretz Yisrael, Bnei Yisrael would have thought that it was only while they were in their native land, their home, the place where they belonged, that they could uphold the Torah. However, while in galut where they are missing the atmosphere of the comfort of home and are distracted by the world surrounding them, they would not be able to properly serve Hashem. Therefore, HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave Bnei Yisrael the Torah in the Midbar, while they were travelling and unsettled, in order to show that they must uphold it wherever they are, be it settled at home or struggling on the road.

We can now refine our understanding of what Rashi’s question was in order to understand its purpose and how it is answered. Rashi asked on Yitro, “מה שמועה שמע ובא”, what was it that Yitro heard to make him come? The emphasis it seems, is on why he had the desire to pick up from his home and join Bnei Yisrael where they were. Had he so desired, Yitro could have simply sent a request to Moshe to send some person from amongst Bnei Yisrael to Midian to teach Yitro the Torah and to help him convert, just as Yitro later did himself for his own family.

This is the logic behind Rashi’s answer of Keri’at Yam Suf and Milchemet Amalek. Amalek wanted to “cool down” Bnei Yisrael, even though it would negate all logic to have gone up against them right after Keri’at Yam Suf when they were on the level that “even a maidservant saw that which even Yechezkel and Yeshaya didn’t see.” (Mechilta Beshalach 3) But Amalek thought that since Bnei Yisrael were “on the road” at the time and not yet in Eretz Yisrael, they could overcome them chas v’chalilah, even though the nation was on such a high spiritual level. This this is the meaning of the pasuk by Amalek “אשר קרך בדרך... ”, that they happened upon Bnei Yisrael on the way, for they were depending on this for victory. But it was Bnei Yisrael who were victorious! It didn’t matter that they were in the midst of journeying, for they still kept the Torah and retained their holiness even while they remained in such a state outside the borders of Eretz Yisrael.

With this in mind, Yitro realized that it was not sufficient to simply receive the Torah while relaxing at home; rather he had to go into the Midbar and also receive it there while on the road, ba’derech, by which means he could be proper Jew at home as well. Meaning that when Yitro heard of Amalek’s absurd assumption and attempt to attack Bnei Yisrael, he realized that to truly receive and internalize the Torah in a way that would remain true and strong even in the face of adversity and even on foreign soil, he had to receive the Torah for himself as the rest of Bnei Yisrael did– on foreign ground, while in the midst of a journey, outside of Eretz Yisrael.

Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar were not just mekabel the Torah for themselves but for all future generations as well. If so, then the Torah we have today is rooted within us in the same manner. We cannot be divided on Hashem and say that only in such-and-such a place can we be proper ovedei Hashem; no matter where we are in galut we have the obligation to uphold our the mitzvot and fend off the attacks of “Amalek” which try to weaken us while we are away from home. May we soon return home to Eretz Yisrael where we will no longer have to face adversity against our Torah b’yemot HaMashiach b’meheira b’yameinu.

Trip to Poland

2010-01-22T01:04:00.000-05:00

And as long as I'm at the computer I'll just say that I'm looking forward to my trip to Poland ina couple of weeks. I'm gonna be in Warsaw, and Lublin, and Lizhinsk, and Gur, and Kotzk, and some other places, all the while stopping by certain kevarim of tzaddikim. Awesome. As well as some concentration camps; incredibly saddening but still important in its own way.

Tefillin Kiddush Hashem

2010-01-22T01:00:00.001-05:00

Everyone is hearing about the incident of the 17 year old boy who inadvertently cause a plane to land midflight in Philly due to his wearing tefillin. I have to comment on this just because I'm friends with him and he is in my class. This is insanely awesome! Foist of all, I don't like all the negative comments going on with the websites which shall go unnamed. he is a tzaddik'le of a 17 and brilliant. This is the last person I would expect to hear was handcuffed and put into a van. But now everyone knows about tefillin. Yay! Baruch Hashem the news coverage was all nice and positive.

This is definitely going in the yearbook.

And I was also happy that nothing bad happened to him (except for all the comments on all the news websites.)

גר הייתי בארץ נכרי'ה: Being in Chutz La'aretz

2010-01-08T13:15:00.000-05:00

ויקרא את שמו גרשום כי אמר גר הייתי בארץ נכרי'ה. (שמות ב:כב)

The Torah tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu named his firstborn Gershom because, as Moshe said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” This is all plain and straightforward, and seemingly doesn’t tell us anything more than what is seen at face-value. However, Rav Shlomo Zevin points out that there is indeed what to pick up in the language of the text. From the fact that Moshe spells out that he had been a “stranger in a foreign land,” it would seem to be implied that it is also possible for one to be a stranger in a land which is not foreign. Similarly, we find that it says elsewhere “כי גר יהי'ה זרעך בארץ לא להם”. (Bereishit 15:13) From that fact that the pasuk specifies “in a land that is not theirs,” it seems to imply that they could be strangers in a land that does belong to them.

The Rogatchover Gaon, Rav Yosef Rosen, explains the latter pasuk above in a halachic manner according to Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 5:8) who writes that if a melech Yisrael conquered Egypt with the approval of the beit din it would be permitted to go there (היא מותרת). When the Torah warns not to return to Egypt, it is only referring to individuals or to dwell there while it is under the control of goyim because then the behavior there will be improper.

Now, why did Rambam have to bother mentioning any of these reasons of justification in regards to conquering Egypt and going there? Does he not already write in one of the preceding halachot (ibid 5:6) that whatever a melech Yisrael conquers al pi beit din is itself then part of Eretz Yisrael? It must be that Egypt is an exception to this halacha. It can never be a part of Eretz Yisrael, rather it is only permitted to return there once it is conquered for the reasons stated by Rambam. The Torah says that Bnei Yisrael will be strangers in a land not theirs, referring to Egypt, for its soil will mamash inherently never be theirs; halachically, Egypt is never considered part of Eretz Yisrael. Following this idea, Rav Zevin explains the pasuk in our parasha, “גר הייתי בראץ נכרי'ה;” Moshe was not being redundant is saying he was a stranger in a foreign land; rather he was a stranger in a land which itself shall always be foreign to Bnei Yisrael.

However, another explanation of “בארץ לא להם” is that HaKadosh Baruch Hu promised Avraham Avinu that while Bnei Yisrael would be in galut they would not mix in, or make themselves to be as natives, nor feel themselves to be like real residents. They would always feel themselves to like gerim, strangers. Hashem promised that Bnei Yisrael would never lose hope of the geulah and would constantly yearn to be free of their galut. Thus we can also explain the pasuk “גר הייתי בארץ נכרי'ה;” Moshe is saying that in the foreign land he felt himself to be a stranger, not like an established native. The Zohar (Tikunei Zohar 112a) says, “אתפשטותא דמשה בכל דרא”. In every person there is a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu, the imparted strength passed down through the generations the knowledge of recognition of being gerim in an eretz nachri’ah.

Shlomo Katz- Shiru Lo

2009-11-29T19:06:00.000-05:00

Minchat Asher on the din of Mora'at HaMikdash

2009-11-29T00:00:00.005-05:00

(An interesting piece from this past Shabbos)

וַיִּיקַץ יַעֲקֹב, מִשְּׁנָתוֹ, וַיֹּאמֶר, אָכֵן יֵשׁ יְדוָד בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה; וְאָנֹכִי, לֹא יָדָעְתִּי. וַיִּירָא, וַיֹּאמַר, מַה-נּוֹרָא, הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה: אֵין זֶה, כִּי אִם-בֵּית אֱלֹקִים, וְזֶה, שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם. (בראשית כח:טז-כז)

Rashi explains that what Yaakov Avinu meant when he said that Hashem was there and he did not know was that had he known he would not have slept there. Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan writes, why was Yaakov afraid? Because he acted lightly in the makom HaMikdash and went against what the Torah says, “ומקדשי תיראו”. Rav Asher Weiss writes that these words are very interesting indeed, for they seem to say that the halachah of Morah Mikdash, having fear in the Mikdash, applied even before the actual Beit HaMikdash was built.

Rambam writes in Sefer HaMitzvot (mitzvah 21), we have a mitzvah to be in great fear of the Beit HaMikdash to the extent that we place a weight of fear and awe upon ourselves- and this is Mora’at HaMikdash, which we learn from the pasuk “ומקדשי תיראו”. This mitzvah includes not walking into the Mikdash with your walking stick, with shoes, or with dirt on your feet, and also that one may not sit in the Azarah unless he is a king of Davidic lineage. This is an obligation upon us always, even nowadays during the Churban. The Sifra asks how do we know that this din applies even today? The pasuk says “את שבתתי תשמרו ואת מקדשי תיראו”- just as Shemirat Shabbat is perpetual, so too is Morah Mikdash. Furthermore, it also says there that it is not the Mikdash that we fear, but rather the One Who commands over it.

However, when we look at what Rambam writes about the mitzvah of Shmirat HaMikdash (mitzvah 22), (to always have people around the Mikdash and guarding it,) it seems that that mitzvah only applies while the Beit HaMikdash stands. The explanation seems simple; the whole idea of shemirah is resultant from the kavod and romemut of the Heichal and from all the denim of the Beit HaMikdash. Morah Mikdash, on the other hand, stems from the sanctity for there dwells the Shechinah.

Furthermore, Rambam writes (Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 7:1) that it is a mitzvat aseh lirah min HaMikdash, to fear the Mikdash, and then he defines what exactly this means by saying that it is not the Mikdash itself that we fear but rather Hashem who commands fear of it. So this mitzvah is not necessarily in front of the Beit HaMikdash, but in the place of the Hashra’at HaShechinah. It says in Shemot Rabbah that in any place where the Shechinah is revealed it is assur to wear shoes. In fact, we see by Yehoshua that he is required to remove his shoes when a malach is speaking to him. So we see that even before the binyan Beit HaMikdash this halachah of Morah Mikdash was in effect by Yaakov Avinu since Hashem’s Presence was there.

There is a machloket between Rambam and Ravad as to the status of kedushat HaMikdash today. Rambam holds that the kedushah rishonah of Shlomo HaMelech made the Azarah and Yerushlaim holy from then and forever on. Ravad holds that the kedushah of Yerushalaim and the Mikdash are not deoraita today. The Minchat Chinuch shows from this that according to Ravad there is no din of Morah today as well. If so, why doesn’t he argue this against Rambam by the halachah of Morah Mikdash?

It seems that there are three categories by Kedushat HaMikdash: Firstly, there are dinim dependent on the Mikdash itself like the mitzvah of Shemirah. Secondly, there are dinim dependent on the Kedushat HaMikdash, which Rambam and Ravad argue on. Thirdly, there are dinim dependent on Hashra’at HaShechinah such as Morah Mikdash according to Ravad. So perhaps it is according to Rambam’s shitah that the makom HaMikdash is holy even today that we practice the mitzvah of Morah; that really it is dependent of the kedushat hamakom. But according to Ravad who holds that there is no kedushah, perhaps there is still Morah for a different reason. Rather than depending of the kedushat hamakom it is dependant on the Hashra’at HaShechinah, which is still there even after the Churban. So really Ravad doesn’t argue with Rambam as to whether or not Moreh Mikdash applies today, not like what the Minchat Chinuch says. Furthermore, without going into too much detail, according to Rambam the din of Moreh Mikdash only applies when there is Hashra’at Shechinah on the level of “Mikdash”, meaning when Hashem dwells amongst 600,000 Jews.

In summation, Rav Asher Weiss explains that according to Rambam there are two fundamental principles in Moreh Mikdash: Hashra’at HaShechinah and Kedushat HaMikdash. Even according to Ravad that it is dependent only on the Shechinah, from וַיֹּאמֶר, אָכֵן יֵשׁ יְהוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה; וְאָנֹכִי, לֹא יָדָעְתִּי, it seems that Yaakov Avinu knew that this place was destined to be the location of the Beit HaMikdash, but he didn’t know that the Shechinah was already there, so he didn’t think that the din of Moreh Mikdash applied yet. After the Shechinah was revealed to him as he slept, Yaakov became aware of his surroundings. That is why he said that had he known that the place was both kadosh and that the Shechinah rested there he would not have slept there.

Bnei Yisaschar on Marcheshvan: Chanukat Bayit Shlishi

2009-11-10T02:09:00.001-05:00

והנה עיין מה שכתבתי לעיל (במאמרי חדש תשרי מאמר חינוך המקדש דרוש ד') בפסוק לפני אפרים ובנימין ומנשה עוררה את גבורתך ולכה לישועתה לנו [תהלים פ ג] (הוא במזמור שאמרו בני קרח), ונאמר בכאן בקיצור, דהנה קשה א' מהו הנרצה שבחרו בני קרח בתפלתם הנך שלשה שבטים דייקא...וכתבנו עפ"י הקדמה ידועה במדרש [ילקו"ש מ"א פ"ו רמז קפ"ד] המשכן שעשה משה הנה נשלם בכסלו וצוה השי"ת להמתין בחינוכו עד ניסן ירח שנולד בו יצחק והיה כסלו מתבייש ושילם השי"ת שכרו בחינוך בית שני בזמן החשמונאים והוא לדורות ימי חנוכה (והוא היה עיקר חינוך בית שני כי מה שחנכוהו בימי אנשי כנסת הגדולה עדיין היו עבדים למלכי פרס כמו שאמרו שם כי עבדים אנחנו ובעבדותינו וכו' [עזרא ט ט], כנ"ל), והנה בית ראשון שבנה שלמה נשלם בחדש הזה מרחשון כמבואר בכתוב ירח בול [מ"א ו לח] (ופירשו חז"ל שהוא מרחשון ויבואר להלן אי"ה ענין שם בול), והנה עפ"י רוח הקדש לא חינכו שלמה עד ירח האיתנים תשרי, והיה מרחשון מתבייש והבטיח הש"י לשלם שכרו לעתיד ב"ב בבנין הג', ע"כ תוכן דברי המדרש הובא בילקוט מלכים עיי"ש, אם כן נראה מבואר מזה דחינוך בית הג' במהרה בימינו יהיה במרחשון, אם כן חינוך כל השלשה בתים הם באלו הג' חדשים, תשרי (בית ראשון), מרחשון (בנין עתיד), כסלו (בית שני בימי החשמונאים שזה עיקר חינוכו כמש"ל(.

והנה אלו הג' חדשים עפ"י סדר הדגלים אל השבטים הלא הם מתייחסים תשרי לאפרים מרחשון למנשה כסלו לבנימין, והנה תמצא לפי"ז חינוך כל הג' בתים המה בחדשים המתייחסים לבניה של רחל כי היא נקראת עקרת הבית [במדב"ר פי"ד ז'] הבן, (תמ"ך אשורי במעגלותיך בל נמוטו פעמי [תהלים יז ה], תמ"ך ר"ת ת'שרי מ'רחשון כ'סלו, כשיושלמו חינוך הבתים של אלו הג' חדשים אז לא ימוטו פעמי(.

יצא לנו מכל זה, חינוך הבית המקווה ב"ב יהיה בחדש הזה מרחשון, וטעמא רבה אית ביה על פי אשר שמעתי מפי כבוד אדומ"ו הרב הקדוש מהרמ"מ זצוק"ל אשר עינינו רואים, כל הגזירות המתחדשות על שונאי ישראל מן המלכיות וכן נתינת המסים וארנוניות, התחלתן תמיד מן מרחשון, ואמר הטעם שבחודש הזה היתה המרידה במלכות בית דוד וימליכו את ירבעם [מ"ב יז כא] (ויעש ירבעם את החג בחדש השמיני בחדש אשר בדא מלב"ו [מ"א יב לג], בו"ל, נ"ל כאשר יתבאר אי"ה), על כן גזירת המלכיות במרחשון, ע"כ דברי קדשו.

והנה לפי"ז תתבונן, להיות שחטאו ישראל ואמרו אז בחדש זה ראה ביתך דוד [מ"א י"ב ט"ז], על כן בעת התיקון ב"ב הנה ימלוך מלך בית דוד משיח צדקנו ויתחנך הבית במרחשון ויתוקן העולם במלכות, והנה לפי זה סדר החינוך של הבתים היה בתחלה בית ראשון בתשרי המיוחס לאפרים, ובית השני בכסלו חדש המיוחס לבנימין, ובית המקווה במהרה בימינו נזכה לראותו יהיה חינוכו במרחשון חדש המיוחס למנשה.

Know the Kedushat HaSuccah!

2009-10-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

The time that we spend in the succah has unbelievable, but sometimes unnoticed, meaning. It involves more than just technical halachah of when to be inside, depending on how much and what we are eating, or high or wide the walls must be, and it would be an actual enhancement to the mitzvah of yeshivah b‟succah if one would have a deeper apperception of the situation. The Mishnah Berurah writes (625:1:1) that our succot are meant to remind us of the nissim v‟niflaot of HaKadosh Boruch Hu when we left Egypt. Even though the event of Yetziat Mitrzayim which we commemorate occurred in Nissan, we celebrate Succot in Tishrei, by the rainy season when people head indoors, to show that we are doing this for the sake of the mitzvah. As such, one should have kavanah when he sits that Hashem commanded us to sit in the succah in remembrance of Yetziat Mitzrayim, as well as in remembrance of the Ananei HaKavod (look in Succah 11b), in order to be mekayem the mitzvah k‟tikunah. Every second inside the succah is a mitzvat aseh and therefore every second is spent in an atmosphere devoted in its entirety to a kiyum hamitzvah and recognizing and realizing the greatness of Hashem in concurrence. While at first it may have seemed that the succah is not of intrinsic value since we only have to be inside on condition of our activity, in truth it does contain an inherent aura of holiness which is initiated by us when we walk in; even simply sitting and standing in the succah are mitzvot (M”B 639:8:46)! The Sefer HaChinuch writes that through the remembrance of what the succah is meant for, we can become worthy of receiving goodness from Hashem. Knowing what exactly it that we are doing can elevate our own being as well as our actions. As such, the succah is really a special place which we should treat accordingly.

We really have a chance to make our new, temporary “home” into a center of elevated devotion to Hashem for the days of Succot. Again, the succah is where we are taught that we should eat, sleep, relax, talk, and of course learn Torah, (with exceptions). The Mishnah Berurah writes (639:1:2) that since the kedushat hasuccah is very great, it is proper to limit idle talk and speak words of kedushah and Torah while inside. He further writes that all the more so, one should be careful not to speak lashon harah, rechilut, or anything else which is assur. Similarly, the Baer Heitev writes that one who is speaking with his friend should speak in the succah, but not dvarim beteilim, nor should one show anger inside the succah. The reason for this is pretty simple; aside from some of the above mentioned things to avoid being assur in the first place (like lashon harah), they are especially antithetical to the nature of the succah. The proper atmosphere should be one of reverence and recognition of Hashem, with a proper attentiveness to our actions as well.

B‟Ezrat Hashem, this year we should be mekayem the mitzvot of Succot properly and with kavanah so that we may gain from them for both the chag and the rest of the year. While in the succah we should remember that it is not just a “hut”, but a nexus of our avodat Hashem if we would take the time to realize it.

Shabbos Shuvah 5770

2009-09-25T16:25:00.004-04:00

We now find ourselves in the midst of what should be the ten most fearsome, awesome, and impactful days of the year. The two days of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and the days between them comprise the עשרת ימי תשובה, the period when we are faced with a final opportunity for repentance as we are faced with the writing and eventual sealing of our judgment. The Shulchan Aruch (403:1) writes that during these days every person should search our and examine his deeds, and do teshuvah for them. The Piskei Teshuvot brings down that during these days a person must be careful to take hold of the matter of taharah, to purify the heart from machshavot aveirah and any middot ra’ot that lie therein. And as Rambam writes, the main taharat hamachshavah comes from learning Torah (so it’s a good thing you’re reading this). Shabbos is a special time of elevated holiness in this world; perhaps we can take advantage of Shabbos Shuvah to delve ourselves into the proper attitude which is proper for this time until the upcoming Yom Kippur. The first pasuk of this week’s haftorah is: שובה ישראל עד ה' אלוקיך כי כשלת בעונך

Something we learn, which is really amazing, is that Hashem is mekayem the entire Torah (Shemot Rabbah, Yerushalmi Rosh HaShanah). Since He upholds all of the miztvot, Hashem is also mekayem the mitzvah doing teshuvah. When Hashem takes back the bad that was sent to Bnei Yisrael, or that which He said to happen, that is in effect His teshuvah. וינחם על הרעה אשר דיבר לעשות לעמו לעמו- And He reconsidered the evil which he said to do to his nation. What does it mean that Hashem “reconsidered”? That is kivyachol Hashem’s charatah, the first part of teshuvah. But when the teshuvah is only on the evil which was added onto us, we still remain chas v’shalom, in the same difficult situation as we were originally. If only the bad which Hashem added, or wanted to add onto us is removed, then we are still in the lowly, harsh reality that we were stuck in to begin with!

שובה ה' עד מתי והנחם על עבדיך. שבענו בבקר חסדך ונרננה ונשמחה בכל ימינו.- Return, Hashem, until when? Relent concerning your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with Your kindness, then we shall sing and rejoice throughout our days. What does this mean? The holy Piaseczner Rebbe explains that we pray “Shuva Hashem!” Kivyachol, Hashem should do teshuvah with us! Until when will Your teshuvah just be "והנחם"? How long will it simply be a reconsideration for those tzarot that are additionally put upon us, while leaving us in the state that we were before? We are still in a poor state without this! “Sabeinu baboker chasdecha”, Satisfy us in the morning with Your kindness, and then we shall sing and rejoice for that will be your teshuvah, kivyachol. Let us wake up the next morning, the day of geulah v’yeshua, of redemption and salvation, filled with Your chesed Ribono Shel Olam! Let us leave behind the night of our exiled state! (ע"פ דברי רש"י).

We must also do teshuva in this manner. When a person (that’s you and me) does an aveira, if he only does teshuva on that aveira that he has put upon himself, then afterwards he remains in the same state he was before the aveirah. This is not our tafkid, how can this be a Jew’s goal in life?

"שובה ישראל עד ה' אלוקיך כי כשלת בעוניך"- The main part of doing teshuva is returning to Hashem for we have stumbled in our lowly darkened ways. But we might think that all we need to do is repent for stumbling in our sins and that’s it. Hence, the Navi proclaims to us not just to return and to do teshuvah, but it should be "עד ה' אלקיך"! We must raise ourselves completely in higher level of kedushah and taharah towards Hashem.

אמר רבי עקיבא אשריכם ישראל לפני מי אתם מטהרים מי מטהר אתכם אביכם שבשמים. (יומא ח"ט)

The Arvei Nachal brings down from Teshuvot Maharam m’Rotenberg, who has a kabalah, that one who is killed al pi kiddush Hashem doesn’t not feel any afflictions. The Arvei Nachal explains the reason for this being that since such a person is filled with the overwhelming fervor for his desire to die al pi kiddush Hashem, all of his feelings are elevated into the world of thought until he is completely enwrapped in thought, and his physicality is separated from him. Therefore, all he feels is this great joyousness in what he is doing. The same is true of all man’s troubles. All of our suffering is hard, but when a person knows that it is all to “polish” off his aveirot and be metaher him so that he can become closer to Hashem, then the deeper he roots himself in this thought and attached himself to it, the lighter and easier his burdens are to bear.

We learn in the Zohar: בעובדא דלתתא אתער עובדא דלעילא, with an action from below, an action from above is awakened. Therefore, we attach ourselves so much to this thought, to attach ourselves to Hashem, until our physical feelings are basically nullified. To that extent HaKadosh Boruch Hu also affixs Himself to us with his thought until his feelings, the anger which is upon us, are overturned and we have a yeshuah.

Since Rabbi Akiva was killed al pi kiddush Hashem and all his life he walked bearing the thought of being moser nefesh for Hashem, as we learn in the Gemara in Berachot (61b), when R’ Akiva was being killed by the Romans, he said “I always bothered by the pasuk of "בכל נפשך"- to serve Hashem even if it takes your life, and I would say, ‘when will I have the opportunity to perform this mitzvah?’ Now that I have the opportunity at hand, will I not uphold it?” This is the reason why it was Rabbi Akiva who taught the Mishnah in Yoma quoted above, which now has a new, deeper meaning. Praiseworthy are you O Yisrael, even with yisurim, when you remember before Whom you are purified because then your physical feelings will become batel and you will no longer feel the yisurim which you suffer from. And that which its say ""מי מטהר אתכם אביכם שבשמים, your Father in Heaven, is because just like a father cancels out his anger for the good of his son, so too Hashem does everything for Bnei Yisrael, and then all of the judgments against us will be nullified and then it will truly be a state of "אשריכם ישראל".

Rosh HaShanah Drasha: 2 Aspects of the Shofar

2009-09-18T17:00:00.009-04:00

One of the most noteworthy and defining aspects of Rosh HaShanah is definitely Teki’at Shofar. Its sound rings in our ears and minds from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Rosh HaShanah, reminding us to arouse ourselves to teshuvah as Rambam writes. And just as the Torah is a limitless wellspring of knowledge, so too there is plenty to learn about Teki'at Shofar.

Rosh (Rosh HaShanah 4:10) writes that according to Rabbeinu Tam, we make a berachah on the blowing of the shofar because with that act is the completion of the mitzvah, "דעשייתה היא גמר מצוותה וכו'". In the Teshuvot HaRambam the question is posed, what is the difference between "לשמוע קול שופר", to hear the soundof the shofar, and "על תקיעת שופר", on the blowing of the shofar? There is a great difference, Rambam writes, as the mitzvah that we are obligated with here is to hear the shofar blast, not to blow it. If the mitzvah were the actual blowing of the shofar, we wouldn’t be yotzei the mitzvah by listening through shomei’ah k’oneh; everyone would be obligated to fulfill it themselves, just as everyone must sit in the succah to fulfill that mitzvah on their own. The mitzvah is the shmi’ah, the teki’ah is only a means to this.

We seem to now have before us a machloket Rishonim. From the words of Rabbeinu Tam, the teki’ah is a component of the mitzvah itself, whereas Rambam, like we said, holds it to be a means to perform the mitzvah. This problem by further explaining what exactly Rabbeinu Tam’s understanding of Teki’at Shofar is. According to Rabbeinu Tam’s shitah, the blowing of the shofar is a form of speech which is a tefillah and tza’akah to Hashem. As we say in davening, שומע קול תרועת עמו ישראל ברחמים. If so, that teki’at shofar is a tefillah, a form of speech, then for sure the din of shomei’ah k’oneh applies to it. Conversely, Rambam writes in Hilchot Teshuva (3:4) that the reason for Teki’at Shofar is as if it is telling the slumbering to awake from their sleep and do teshuvah. Of course that definitely means that the mitzvah is in the shmi’ah.

What is the underlying reality here? Rav Shlomo Fischer shlit"a writes, there are two categories within Teki’at Shofar. We see this said explicitly in the Gemara in Rosh HaShanah 16a says:

ואמרו לפני בראש השנה מלכיות זכרונות ושופרות מלכיות כדי שתמליכוני עליכם זכרונות כדי שיעלה זכרוניכם לפני לטובה ובמה בשופר.

Everyone knows that we have three parts to blowing the shofar throughout davening on Rosh HaShanah: Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot. As we see in the Gemara, Malchuyot is in order to accept Hashem’s kingship, and Zichronot is in order that Hashem should remember us for good. Thus we see that both aspects of blowing the shofar that Rabbeinu Tam and Rambam are taught. The shofar is the means by which we achieve both of these aspects: a) As a tefillah crying out to Hashem to remove the Satan from prosecuting us. b) To instill fear into a person and break through the depths of his heart. This is what the pasuk in Parshat Nitzavim is talking about, "...פֶּן-יֵשׁ בָּכֶם, שֹׁרֶשׁ פֹּרֶה רֹאשׁ וְלַעֲנָה", Perhaps there is among you a root flourishing with gall and wormwood.

The mefarshim grapple with the meaning of the these psukim in Parshat Nitzavim, "שורש פורה ראש ולענה", "למען ספות הרוה את הצמאה", and. The pshat is that the whole parshah is coming to remove any מחשבת און, thoughts of sin, which may rise in the heart of any man, woman, family, or shevet, to say that he or she will walk complacently with themselves, not giving too much concern to the miztvot and not come to any damage for it, for Bnei Yisrael will be good and deserving to receive a shefa brachahv’hatzlachah. This thought is comparable to one who waters his fields, and even though between his fields there is one which is watered and he doesn’t have intent to water it, nonetheless, it will still drink from the water going to the other fields. So too, HaKadosh Boruch Hu will not discern those who think and act this way from the rest of Bnei Yisrael for bad. This way of thinking is exactly the “root flourishing with gall and wormwood,” for it will lead a person to commit avodah zarah with no fear. That is why the Torah coming to tell us otherwise; there is hashgacha pratitover each and every individual, even among the water carriers and wood choppers, "מחוטב עציך עד שואב מימיך". Every person is judged on his own and cannot make himself subsidiary to the mass of the tzibbur.

Furthermore, within this notion of individual judgment are two points. Firstly, it serves as tochachah, to instill fear into the heart and penetrate it, for there is the root of this corrupted thought. However, the second aspect is that of showing Hashem’s reign.

In Masechet Berachot we learn that the entire year we say "הא-ל הקדוש" except for the ten days from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur when we say "המלך הקדוש". Rav Fischer points out that this is a little odd. Going from "הא-ל" to "המלך" is like switching to a lesser adjective? Rather, the truth is that "הא-ל" is not so coupled with the idea of us as a nation. Which is not the case by מלך which cannot exist without an עם, as learn "ברב עם הדרת מלך". This why Chazal established for us to say this, in order to remind ourselves that we must show Hashem’s kingship over us as His nation.

Rav Fischer writes that with this we can resolve a seeming dispute between the Gra and the Arizal. According to the Gra, we must have a lot of simcha by Teki’at Shofar, just like a country on the day that they accept a king’s rule and crown him. So too, by blowing the shofar we are making HaKadosh Boruch Hu our King in all of the עולמות, for we are indeed his people. Wheras the Ari HaKadosh writes that one should be doing וודוי by Teki’at Shofar, which is definitely not like what the Gra says. What is the holy truth? There is no argument; the Ari’s statement to say וודיו is for the very same reason. Since we are ממליך Hashem with Teki’at Shofar, we must consider ourselves and our actions at that time. Someone who does not feel the need for this at that moment of hearing the shofar is showing himself to be like a simple animal with no responsibilities and that doesn’t care about its actions. This is mamash a detraction in the kingship of Hashem, for a king is connected to his people, as we mentioned.

Perhaps, as Rosh HaShanah is rapidly approaching, we can try to have more kavanah as we listen to the shofar, the teki'ah d'chova, and realize how much the piercing blast of a ram's horn impacts us and what it should mean to us. Shana Tova u'Metuka, Ketiva v'Chatima Tova, & Shabbat Shalom!

2009-09-18T15:17:00.003-04:00

Have you done anything to actually improve yourself lately? I don't mean just learning nice Yamim Noraim inyanim or listening to shiurim and such. I mean a real attempt to be metaken you're middot, not just a few minutes of cheshbon hanefesh and hitbonenut here and there even, mamash real ameilut to put into practice an attempt to be the better Jew that you are and always have been capable of being before the judgement tomorrow. It's really hard, just like R' Yisrael said, harder than learning shas. But still, we can learn shas and we can be metaken middot, it's been proven. Shkoyach to those who have been succesful at this, hopefully you'll be a real motivation for those around you.

K'tiva v'Chatima Tova

BS"D We Will Do Good

2009-09-18T11:00:00.004-04:00

Before blowing the shofar we say: ערוב עבדך לטוב אל יעשקוני זדים.-"Be Your servant's guarantor for good, let not willful sinners exploit me." (Tehillim 119:122))

Above is one of the psukim said before Teki'at Shofar. The hailege Piaseczner Rebbe writes (Aish Kodesh: Rosh HaShanah 5701) an short but very important concept in teshuvah. The main part of teshuvah is not returning to your aveirot. There are 2 ways through which we must do this, based on the pasuk "סור מרע ועשה טוב". The bad which we have done we must now refrain from, and the good which we did not do we must now perform. It is easier to do teshuvah in terms of the sur me'rah aspect, that we should not do any more bad. However, this is not the case by actively doing good. It is much harder as we are all surrounded by bitter yisurim which basically rob us of strength. How will we be sure to be able to learn Torah, give tzedakah, or do other mitzvot? This goal really requires an active dedication to bettering ourselves. So what do we do? We ask Hashem, "Be Your servant's guarantor for good", meaning we want, and need, HaKadosh Boruch Hu's help to actively do good, to be mekayem mitzvot and learn Torah; "let not willful sinners exploit me" and we will b'ezrat Hashem do tov.

Nitzavim- Being a Tzibbur

2009-09-11T17:00:00.003-04:00

In this week's parsha we have the somewhat well known pasuk "הנסתרות לה' והנגלות לנו ולבנינו"- from here we learn the important concept (look in Rashi/Ramban) of kol yisrael areivin (ערב=guarantor) zeh bazeh. We have a principle of being responsible for other people’s Torah u’mitzvot. And, sure enough, there are halachic ramifications for this. Rashi (ר"ה פ"ג) says that you have a right to be motzi someone else for Kiddush; but how can you have shomeiah k’oneh if you yourself were already yotzei? Because of kol yisrael areivin zeh bazeh. If there are Jews out there that have not heard Kiddush then you are not completely yotzei.

A certain Rosh Yeshiva like to say there as many different unique aspects of Eretz Yisrael: smicha, egla arufa, nevua, plus the special agricultural aspect… That being said we see that something special is going on above and beyond just the soil. There's a reason why areivut could only begin when Bnei Yisrael entered Ereytz Yisrael. We are primarily a tzibbur when in our holy land, Eretz Yisrael. The atmosphere of its kedushah affcets us and is part of who we are as a nation.

This notion of areivim is a major theme in the parshah, and this means that we are not just individuals but a tzibbur. את אשר ישנו פה ואת אשר איננו פה, tzibbur is something which transcends individual people; it is a new unit which is formed as we enter our land. Hashem should help us to make oursleves deserving of returning to our land to once again become a single unit, an unearthly nation in Eretz Yisrael. Sometimes we forget that we are inherently connected to the Jew next to us, and unfortunately that leads to our own undoing when we cannot bring oursleves to act propelry towards them. How can we be called back to our home if we have not made ourselves decent? We are not in galut for no reason. I think it was from a shiur by Rav Yisachar Frand that I heard this mashal on the churban bayit (and it's definitely a little different than the way I heard it); imagine that a young talmid was brought into the Chofetz Chaim's home to stay there. Such an experience was a reality for certain special and fortunate individuals, and its profoundity can certainly be imagined by any who have notion of the Chofetz Chaim's persona. This young man had a wonderful privelage which he cherished immensly. Then one day he walked into the house to find the tzaddik sitting at his table with solemn look on his face. He looked up and said to the young man, "I'm sorry but you cannot stay in my home anymore. Today I heard you speak lashon hara, you must leave." - We detsroyed ourselves with Sinat Chinam, baseless hatred, and were tossed from our home by the one with Whom we shared residence, HaKadosh Boruch Hu. Unless we try to repair that which we we have cracked, to what end to we expect to come? As the Yamim Noraim approach and we are faced with the dread of our judgement's inscription and the yearning for atonement, maybe we should keep this idea in mind.

(What’s the difference between the tochacha in Bechukotai and the one in Ki tavo? Bechukotai is in lashon rabim and Ki tavo is in lashon yachid. The Gra writes that when you have a chovat tzibbur it often is in lashon yachid. - Where do we see an example of this newfound tzibbur aspect taking effect in E”Y? In Sefer Yehoshua by kibush haaretz, everyone suffered because one man, Achan, did an aveira by taking the verboten booty of Yericho.)

Back for a New Year

2009-09-11T14:41:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been a lengthy intermission with the end of the last school year and a couple of months devoted to learning over the summer. B"H the summer was amazing in Morasha Kollel; there was such a shtark chevra of guys from all over- Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh, Sderot, Alon Shvut, Teaneck, one kid Virginia, Canada, England, Queens, Monsey, Riverdale... Nothing like it, such a geschmak embodiment of ahavat haTorah. Anyway, as we are now starting a new year, yeshiva has just started and Rosh HaShanah is a week away, hopefully we can enter into a new time for hitorerut in our learning, in our mitzvot, in our ahavah and yirah, and most of all in knowing who we are and what our tafkid is. בע"ה יתרבך this should be a year of ameilut and mesriut, and more (good) blog posts than last year. כן יה"ר.

Shabbat Shalom!

Emor- "They placed him [by himslef]"

2009-05-08T16:30:00.008-04:00

י וַיֵּצֵא, בֶּן-אִשָּׁה יִשְׂרְאֵלִית, וְהוּא בֶּן-אִישׁ מִצְרִי, בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיִּנָּצוּ, בַּמַּחֲנֶה, בֶּן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית, וְאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי. יא וַיִּקֹּב בֶּן-הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת-הַשֵּׁם, וַיְקַלֵּל, וַיָּבִיאוּ אֹתוֹ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ שְׁלֹמִית בַּת-דִּבְרִי, לְמַטֵּה-דָן. יב וַיַּנִּיחֻהוּ, בַּמִּשְׁמָר, לִפְרֹשׁ לָהֶם, עַל-פִּי יְהוָה

When the son of Shlomit bat Divri and an Egyptian man "blessed" the name of Hashem, he was placed under guard until his fate could be clarified. Rashi explains that they had placed him under guard alone, for this occurred at the same time as the incident with the man who gathered wood on Shabbos and was therefore chayav mittah. They were placed separately because the mechalel Shabbos was certainly chayav mittah, but the manner of death was unknown. Whereas by this man who was mechalel Shem Hashem, it was a safek whether he is chayav mittah in the first place. The Siftei Chachamim explain that this is because we do not want to worry someone that he will be put to death by placing him with someone who is known to be chayav mittah, if this is not be his fate as well.

The Da'at Zekainim m'Ba'alei HaTosfot says that they went to go learn out this mans fate because they were not sure if he was chayav mittah from a kal v'chomer of one who curses his parents, or if what he did was so terrible, that he doesn't even deserve death as a kaparah like by one who gives all of his children over to molech. That was what they were uncertain of.

It is amazing that even when a person has trespassed so greatly on the mitzvot and rebelled against Hashem, so much so that even when he might not even deserve to get the kaparah of death, Bnei yisrael still treat him with such consideration that he is not placed with someone else on death-row until his fate is clarified! Every member of Klal Yisrael must be treated with such care and consideration no matter what. There should be no excuse for a lack of Ahavat Yisrael between us. If Bnei Yisrael then treated such a sinner in this manner, kal v'chomer just imagine how considerate and kind we must be towards our friends, not friends, enemies, and any other Jew you come across!

Pesach Sheini

2009-05-07T22:00:00.000-04:00

Pesach Sheini Sameach, L'shana haba b'Yerushalaim!

Chag Kasher v'Sameach

2009-04-08T08:15:00.000-04:00

Chag Kasher v'Sameach everyone!

Shkoyach to everyone who went to vatikin this morning (or even if you didn't) and said Birkat HaChamah at the beautiful sunrise. It's amazing to thing about what has happened since the last Birkat HaChamah and to think about what may happen until the next one. Iy"H I hope to see many of the same people in 28 years to make the brachah with again.

Quick Pesach Thought

2009-04-08T07:45:00.000-04:00

The Ramban writes in Parshat Bo 13:16 that the ikar of Yetziat Mitzraim were the nisim nistarim that Hashem did, so that we should recognize his hashgachah in everything. The same is true of Birkat HaChamah. It is not something which is discernible to our eyes. But the mah norah v'ayom everything involved in the cycle of the sun leading up to this morning! We should realize the awesomeness of Hashem's hashgachah.

Rav Yonatan Sacks said an intersting dvar Torah that you may want to mention at the seder:

We know the famous question, brought down by the Rambam in Hilchot Teshuvah, that if Yetziat Mitzraim was already planned by Hashem, how could he then punish the Mitzrim? Were they not His tools? The Raavad & Ramban say that there was a gezeirah for slavery, but the actions of the Mitzrim were not part of that. They added to it of their own accord and intensified the situation without need. We see this from the fact that the shibud began with Yitzchak according to the 400 year calculation. And the Jews then certainly didn't suffer back-breaking work!

Why did Moshe and Aharon bring the mateh (staff) before Paroh just to turn it into a snake?Sure it swallowed the Mitzrim's staffs, but they were showing a "magic trick" in the black magic center of the world! R' Yosef Salant answers, we know that if a person injures another with something like a stick, he cannot blame the injury on the stick; it does not act of its own accord. However, l'halachah if you were to put a snake next to someone and the snake attacked him, the snake is liable and you are not since the snake acts by itself. Moshe and Aharon were telling Paroh that he was no longer the "staff" of Hashem, acting as a tool of HaKadosh boruch Hu's gezeirah. He was now a snake, acting on his own and therefore liable for his actions!

Shabbos HaGadol: The Power of Shabbos

2009-04-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

The Shabbos before Pesach is known as "Shabbat HaGadol" because of the miracle which occured on it. -Shulchan Aruch 430

The Mishnah Berura explains that the miracle which took place was that on the 10th of Nissan, all of Bnei Yisrael took a lamb for the Korban Pesach and tied it to their beds. When the Mitzrim saw this and inquired about it, only to realize that their gods were going to be slaughtered, they were not able to say anything. Since that day was on a Shabbos, it was established to call the Shabbos before Pesach, "Shabbat HaGadol."

Rav Gedalyah Schor brings down the question of the meforshim, why did Chazal connect the miracle to Shabbos and not to the 1oth of Nissan? Rather, we see from this that Shabbos itself was a necessary aid to Bnei Yisrael.

In Parshat Pinchas, where the Moadim and their mitzvot are listed, the Torah talks about Shabbos before all of them as a sort of introduction. Why? The kedushah of Shabbos is established and upheld within Creation itself. The Yamim Tovim are called "Shabbaton" in the Torah because they are a continuation of the kedushah of Shabbos. It is first through the existence of Kedushat Shabbat that we have the other days. This is why Shabbos is mentioned first in the Torah.

We learn in the Mechilta, "If you keep Shabbos, HaKadosh Boruch Hu will give you the 3 Moadim: Pesach, Atzeret (Shavuos), and Sukkot." This is because the Kedushat Shabbat includes within it the kedushah of these 3 chagim. Through guarding the sanctity of Shabbos, we come to their holiness as well. Shabbos is like a beam of light, which when shined through a glass prism, can be seen to break up into the 7 different lights that comprise it and are included in it (the Moadim).

We learn that the Shabbos before a chag includes within the Kedushat HaChag, and that besides for this, Shabbos gives strength to the upcoming days of the week. As such, it is only through the power of Shabbos Kodesh that Bnei Yisrael could then be prepared to receive the Moadim. This is why Bnei yisrael needed Shabbos in order to do the korban Pesach and recieve the Kedushat HaChag of Pesach.

The power of Shabbos is so incredible that it encompasses everything! It affects the days of the year, the Moadim and regular days. We know that Shabbos is the culmination of Creation and that it was planned before everything else as well- "Sof ma'aseh b'machshava t'chilah." Hakadosh Boruch gave it influence over the week, and over us too. The midrash tells that Shabbos went before Hashem and sadly remarked how the other days of teh week had partners but Shabbos was left alone. Hashem replied that Bnei yisrael is Shabbos' partner. A miracle didn't occur on the 10th of Nissan which hapened to be a Shabbos in the year of Yetziat Mitrziam, Shabbos before Pesach that year happened to be the 10th of Nissan! Especially right before Pesach, Zman Cheiruteinu, it is important to remember the power of essence of Shabbos and what it is- "Beini u'vein Bnei Yisrael ot hee l'olam." Shabbos reminds us that we are connected to Hashem as we prepare to retell how he redeemed us to be His and recieve His Torah.

Trumah: Internal Value vs External Beauty

2009-02-27T13:44:00.006-05:00

דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי: וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת: וּתְכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים: וְעֹרֹת אֵילִם מְאָדָּמִים וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים: שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאֹר בְּשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים: אַבְנֵי שֹׁהַם וְאַבְנֵי מִלֻּאִים לָאֵפֹד וְלַחֹשֶׁן:

(תרומה כה:ב-ז)

After reading the text, it would seem evident from the order of items donated to the Mishkan that they are listed from most valuable (gold, silver, copper) to least valuable (oil, spices). The Or HaChaim HaKadosh asks, that it seems odd then, that very last on the list of contributions are the avnei shoham and avnei miluim. These were precious gems used in the clothing of the Kohen Gadol! Why would the Torah put these valuable and important items last when they should have been first?

The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 33:8) teaches that beautiful stones and gems fell with the mann to Bnei Yisrael. The Nesiim gathered them and later gave them to the Mishkan (The Maharzu comments that there were only twelve stones in the urim v’tumim so they must have been given by the twelve Nesiim. The two avnei shoham, however, are still in question as to who brought them.). Similarly, the Gemara in Yoma (75a) says that the Ananei HaKavod brought the avnei shoham and the avnei miluim. If this is the case, then that would mean that they were brought without any exertion or chisaron kis; after all, they literally fell from the heavens. Therefore it makes sense that they were listed after those things which were given from by the exertion and expense of the contributor. The Or HaChaim HaKadosh teaches us an amazing thing here; these precious gems, components of the Bigdei Kehuna, may have seemed externally valuable, but lost their intrinsic value when they did not come from a tircha, from an effort.

Rashi on the pasuk, “V’yikchu Li Trumah,” says that trumah is a hafrashah- that Bnei Yisrael should set aside some money as a contribution. R’ Shlomo Yosef Zevin writes that there are three types of separation. Firstly, there is separating without intent to make a distinction of importance. An example of this would be making sure that the letters in a sefer Torah are separate from each other, which is not because one letter is holier and distinct from the other. Secondly, there is separating that which is holier from that which is not as holy. An example of this is Shabbos, which is intrinsically holier and distinct from the rest of the week, and we therefore separate it. The third type of separation is when the act of separation makes the object ditinct and thereby infuses it with kedushah. By trumot and maasrot, before separation the whole thing is tevel. But once part of it separated, it becomes special and is sanctified as trumah. This 3rd type of separation is the category of the contributions Bnei Yisrael gave to the Mishkan. It was through the act of separating that which they gave which made it special and holy. It wasn’t just a matter of taking objects which are already considered nice and beautiful and giving those; but rather the exertion of setting it aside and giving it made it intrinsically holy.

A lesson to take from this can be to realize the difference between a superficial serving of G-d, and a heartfelt, meaningful avodah of HaKadosh Boruch. Upholding the mitzvot is not just about doing the things which come easily. We are required to have some tircha, some ameilut- toil and sweat! Sometimes it can seem so nice and easy to just take out one the gems we have and give it to the Mishkan. But we need to ask ourselves whether that gem came from exertion on our part, or whether we just found it conveniently lying around and simply picked it up in order to give it. The sincerity and effort that go into performing a mitzvah makes all the difference and can easily outweigh the external beauty and value of that which has little intrinsic value.

Mishpatim: Kabbalat HaTorah & Talmud Torah

2009-02-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

In Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah tells us that Moshe called out the Torah to Bnei Yisrael, to which they famously replied, “na’aseh v’nishmah.” – Vayomru kol asher diber Hashem naaseh v’nishmah. The Gemara in Shabbos (88a) says that at the time that when Bnei yisrael said this, “b’sha’ah she’hikdimu,” 600,000 angels came down and placed two crowns on every person; one for “na’aseh” and one for “nishmah.” The Beit HaLevi writes that it was only through the hakdama of “na’aseh” to “nishmah” that Bnei Yisrael were worthy of all of this. Why is this so? Furthermore, why did Bnei yisrael not say “nishmah v’na’aseh?

The Zohar HaKodesh teaches that “na’aseh” was a kabbalah for Kiyum HaMitzvot, while “nishmah” was a kabbalah for Limud HaTorah. We know that there are two levels to learning Torah. The first is learning in order to know the mitzvot and how to perform them; this is relevant to everyone. After that, men have a mitzvat aseh to learn Torah for the sake of learning, not simply as means to Kiyum HaMitzvot. Had B”Y replied to Moshe with “nishmah v’na’aseh,” it would have seems like they were accepting the mitzvot, but that they were simply forced to learn Torah in order to know how to perform them; nishmah would merely be a means to na’aseh and it would be only one kabbalah. In replying the way they did, they said that first of all “na’aseh,” we will do the mitzvot, including necessary learning of the Torah, and then “nishmah,” we will learn the words of Torah for the sake of Talmud Torah. It is now clear that as a result of this hakdama, Bnei yisrael actually created two kabbalot and thus merited the adornment of two crowns.

Today, we still carry the Kabbalat HaTorah that we accepted thousands of years ago. Every morning we recite the Birchot HaTorah and say “asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la’asok b’divrei Torah,” and “asher bachar banu mikol ha’amim v’natan lanu et Torato.” An inherent part of this is to realize the two factors in this. We accept upon ourselves to learn in order to fulfill the mitzvot properly and to learn Torah for the sake of learning. However, this requires us to properly devote ourselves, not simply to superficial learning, but to a Limud HaTorah through which we understand the word and will of Hashem. As Rashi writes in the beginning of the Parshah, “V’eileh hamishpatim asher tasim lif’neihem”- Moshe did not simply teach the Torah two or three times so that Bnei Yisrael were familiar with it, but many times that it was set before them with proper understanding “like a table prepared to be eaten from.” Through proper ameilut and dedication to our kabbalah, we can attain the highest level of na’aseh v’nishmah and bring ourselves closer to HaKadosh Boruch Hu.

The Slonimer Rebbe writes that a person constantly has times of aliyah and yeridah throughout his life; there is rising followed by falling, followed by yet another rising. But a Jew must keep himself clinging to Hashem even when he is in a state of yeridah. This was the main part of Kabbalat HaTorah; that Bnei Yisrael would remain attached to Hashem even when they were in a lowly state. They therefore preceded “na’aseh” to “nishmah” to say that even when they didn’t understand and were in a lowly state, they would remain close to HaKadosh Boruch Hu. After this, when Bnei Yisrael have a time of aliyah, they reach the level of “nishmah” and attain the highest level cleaving to Hashem.

Waking Up: Modeh Ani

2009-02-18T22:03:00.007-05:00

I gratefully thank You, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion- abudnant is Your faithfulness! (Artscroll Siddur)

Every morning we wake up and thank the Ribbono shel Olam for restoring our neshamot to our bodies with the tfillah of Modeh Ani. Of course, like anything else, this can unfortunately develop over time into a habitual act. When we take the time to think about it, we should really be wondering what to have in mind while saying it.

The Shulchan Aruch writes that one should arise in the morning like a lion to serve Hashem (1:1). The Rama (ibid) also writes that immediately upon awaking, a person should get up with zrizut to serve Hashem. The Mishnah Berurah comments that as he gets up, it is good to say: "Modeh ani lifanecha, Melech Chai v'Kayam, she'hechezarta bi nishmati b'chemela, Rabbah Emunatecha." He quotes the Yad Efraim that one should pronounce "b'chemla" with an etnachta (as the end of the sentence or phrase), and then say the words "Rabbah Emunatecha" together. It's not problematic to say this tfillah before netilat yadayim since there is no mention of Hashem's name. Interestingly, R' Yaakov Emden tz"l disagrees and maintains that one should not even say this before washing his hands, but should rather contemplate the words and this is sufficient (Siddur Beit Yaakov).

The Gemara in Brachot (60b) actually lists the brachot one should make upon waking up; the first being "Elokai Neshama" to thank Hashem for returning our neshamot. Rabbeinu Yonah has a problem with this, that Chazal set up to say berachot like this in the Gemara becasue they were so holy and made sure to get up and wash their hands in a careful way so as to be able to say the berachot then. But for us today, we are not on such a level and therefore can't say brachot until after netilat yadayim. So the Seder HaYom writes that today, we say Modeh Ani first.

"Modeh Ani Lifanecha"- Wefulfill that which the Rama writes to uphold the pasuk "Shiviti Hashem L'negdi Tamid." We must make sure to realize what we say as we say it. We thank Hashem because He is before us and is the source of everything. "Melech Chai V'Kayam"- Just as we thank Hashem, our Melech, the Melech Malchei HaMelachim, for returning our neshamah, we must remember that we are his servants, and use our returned neshamot for His avodah! When one says "b'chemla," he should have in mind that it refers to compassion over something that it was not lost. How fortunate are we that HaKadosh Boruch returns our neshamot to our bodies every morning! "Rabbah Emunatecha"- The way of man is that when one gives his a freind something new to watch, he will get it back tattered & dirty. But when we give our neshamot to Hashem every night, dirty and worn out, He returns them as if they were new! Furthermore, this does not necessarily pertain only to the neshamah, but to the entire world. At night, the world is as if it is not there but in the hand of Hashem, and He renews it every day. (Siddur Maharal M'Prauge) Hodu La'Hashem Ki Tov Ki L'Olam Chasdo!

(Picture from www.Judaica18.com)

Parshat Va'era

2009-01-25T00:25:00.009-05:00

Some Torah shared at the table on Shabbos:

וַיַּעַשׂ יְדֹוָד אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה מִמָּחֳרָת וַיָּמָת כֹּל מִקְנֵה מִצְרָיִם וּמִמִּקְנֵה בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא מֵת אֶחָד: וַיִּשְׁלַח פַּרְעֹה וְהִנֵּה לֹא מֵת מִמִּקְנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד אֶחָד וַיִּכְבַּד לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא שִׁלַּח אֶת הָעָם:
וארא ט:ו-ז

Hashem sent the plague of pestilence which wiped out the livestock of Mitzraim while leaving the animals of Bnei Yisrael untouched. It seems odd then, that the Torah should tell us that Paroh sent out his ervants to see what had happened, and upon hearing that none were killed from among the livestock of Bnei Yisrael, his heart was hardened. Wouldn't hearing that such a thing happened cause the opposite to occur?

This can be explained according to the Malbim who writes that when it says here לא מת ממקנה ישראל עד אחד, it is like when the Torah says of the Mitzrim by the Yam Suf, לא נשאר בהם עד אחד. Chazal explain that Paroh alone survived, meaning that this phrase means "up to but not including this one that survived." Similar language is used in Sefer Shoftim by the battle of Devorah, where we know that Sisra did survive. He writes that here by the Makkah of Dever, if we read it properly according to this understanding, one animal from Bnei Yisrael was killed. It was an animal belonging to the son of a Jewish mother and a Mitzri father. According to Jewish law he was considered a Mitzri in regards to his property. However, when Paroh heard of this he considered the man to be Jewish like his mother. Therefore, in his eyes an animal had died from Bnei Yisrael and Moshe's words had not been fulfilled. According to this is we can better understand why Paroh's heart then hardened.

8 Days of Chanuka #4

2008-12-29T15:45:00.003-05:00

How could Bnei Yisrael have been yotzei for lighting the menorah with shemen shel nes? Lighting the menorah can only be done with shemen zayit from a tree! R' Chaim Brisker writes that really, the miracle was not in the quantity of the oil, but in the quality. The Maccabim poured in all of the oil on the first day, and rather then new oil miraculously appearing, the same oil was able to last for 8 days, burning up only 1/8 every day. Following this, the nes also occured on the 1st day, resolving the Beit Yosef's kashya.

An apparent message in the words of Reb Chaim is that we should try improve oursleves, not just by increasing the miztvot we do, but the quality of the ones that we already do. That is a real task! As the days of Chanuka come to a close soon, we should not forget how the candles represent not just a physical light to remind us of the nissim Hashme does for us, but a spiritual light which should help light our way through the darkness of this world (maybe i'll write more about that next Chanuka iy"H). B'ezrat Hashem, we should be zoche to keep this flame with us throughout the rest of the year, to light the path when we might be drifting off into the dark.

I hope you enjoyed your Chanuka 5769!

R' Nosson Tzvi Finkel shlit"a Lighting Neirot Chanuka

2008-12-28T06:30:00.001-05:00

If you don't know, Rav Nosson Tzvi is the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir. He has Parkinsons and is always shaking terribly. If you have ever heard him speak you know that it's difficult for him to talk. (He doesn't take painkillers because he doesn't want them to affect his memory and cause any of his Torah to be forgotten.) This is real ameilut.

Celebrating the Pach Shemen

2008-12-27T20:00:00.004-05:00

The Gemara in Shabbos (21a) teaches, "מאי חנוכה?- What is Chanuka?..." Basically, the Greeks came and took over. They entered the Mikdash, desecrated it, and ruined all the oil. But the Maccabim fought back, and when they entered the Beit Hamikdash they found but one pach shemen with the seal of the Kohen Gadol that had enough oil for one day. Hashem caused a nes and it lasted for another 7. Later on, Chazal established these days to be commemorated for praise and thanks; להודות ולהלל. It would seem from the Gemara that the basis for the establishment of Chanuka was the finding of the oil and its miraculous burning.

It appears odd then, that Chanuka should be based off of this when in על הנסים we commemorate the great victory Hashem granted us over the Greeks and the Mityavnim.

כשעמדה מלכות יון הרשעה על עמך ישראל להשכחם תורתך ולהעבירם מחקי רצונך...מסרת גברים ביד חלשים ורבים ביד מעטים וכו

The evil Greeks tried to destroy our Torah, but Hashem handed over the mighty to the weak and the many to the few. It would seem that we are celebrating the great triumph of Am Yisrael over the enemies. Also, how could the finding of some oil, and even its lasting for 7 days, compare to such a great victory that saved Torah for all future generations?

When Yosef was sold to the caravn which took him down to Mitzraim, the Torah tells us that it was carrying good smelling spices. The Midrash tells us that this is specified since it was not the way of Arabs to be carrying anything other than bad smelling things, such as petroleum and resin. But HaKadosh Boruch Hu was with the tzaddik and provided scaks of bsamim instead of the usual bad smell.

R' Chaim Shmuelevitz tz"l asks (Sichot Mussar, Maamar 16), if Yosef was being taken down to Miztraim, the most unholy place in the world; from ben zkunim shel Yaakov, from his home where Yaakov Avinu taught him all that he had learned from Shem v'Ever; what difference would it have made whether the trip down smelled nice or not. Yosef was forced into a dark situation with no hope of freedom by his own brothers; would it have really affected anything if it smelled good?

At that time Yosef could hvae come to despair. It might have seemed to him that Hashem had turned away from him and that he was lost and forgotten. Hashem sent him this bsamim in an unnatural way to show him that this was not true. Rather, He was going down with him to Mitzraim, hand in hand; as Hashem promised Yaakov: אנכי ארד עמך מצרימה ואנכי אעלך גם עלה. It was meant to be a ray of light in the dark.

This nes was not in the spices themsleves, but in the act through which Hashem told Yosef that he is not being abondoned and that he should have hope. It was meant to be mechazek him that these yisurim were coming from Hashem's love for him. It may have seemed insignificant, but it was in truth a "neshika pratit." Through this we can understand why the finding of teh pach shemen was so significant. It was a "neshika pratit" from HaKadosh Boruch Hu! After all, what shows a father's true affection for his son? When he does something extra to show his love. We know the famous maxhloket between R' Akiva and R' Eliezer in Masechet Succah, whether we sit in a succah in remmebrance of the actual succot that Bnei Yisrael sat in or because of the Ananei HaKavod. It it is becasue of the Ananei HaKavod, why would we celebrate that miracle of the midbar in such a way but not do the same for the other great miracles: the mann and the Be'er Miriam? The mann & the be'er were a source of food and water for Bnei Yisrael, necessary for survival. But the ananim were extra. They leveled out the terrain, they protected against snakes and scorpions... They weren't there to insure survival! Rather they were there to provide extra comfort, as a sign of love from Hashem.

The victory of the Maccabim was certainly a great miracle from Hashem, but it was necessary for survival and for Torah. Hashem promised us that we will never be destroyed! But this didn't show that Hashem still had for us. But through the shemen and the lighting of the Menorah, a nes that was not necessary, that was above and beyond, we saw that Hashem still loved us! There was a light shining in the dark times for us to look to. It was because we were zoche to this He'arat Panim that Chazal established the 8 days of Chanuka l'hodot u'lehallel.

Nosai B'ol Im Chaveiro

2008-12-14T00:05:00.008-05:00

Great shiur by Rav Aharon Kahn on Nosei B'ol Im Chaveiro from this past Tuesday. Definitley listen!
CLICK HERE

Yahrzeit- The Alter of Novardok

2008-12-13T22:45:00.006-05:00

17 Kislev is the yahrtzeit of R' Yosef Yoizel ben R' Shlomo Zalman Horowitz(1849-1919), the Rosh Yeshiva of the Novardok Yeshiva. He was a talmid of Rav Yisroel Salanater and was famous for the intense fiery mussar style which he employed in his yeshiva. Many yeshivot were set up by his talmidim under his teachings during the difficult times of WWI. Among the talmidim of the Novardoker yeshivot was the Steipler Gaon tz"l.

8 Days of Chanuka #3

2008-12-02T23:45:00.002-05:00

We mark the 1st day of Chanuka in remmebrance of the spiritual battle of the Jews. They were unfortunately very preoccupied with the battle against the Greeks. But nissim were done for them and they did not forsake the Torah or mitzvot.

(Divrei Yoel)

The ikar nes on the 1st day was the finding of the pach shemen. And through finding the pach, the Samech Mem (the satan, ס"מ) surrendered. פ"ך has the same gematria as ס"מ, and through the finding of it, the strength of the satan was detsroyed and he was subdued.

(Bnei Yisaschar)

Aish Kodesh on Hastarat Panim

2008-12-02T23:20:00.006-05:00

The Piaseczner Rebbe HY"D brings down the Zohar (ח"א נח.) which says that every Jew must realize and believe that everything comes from Hashem, and that He does not do anything without cause. Besides for that, it is also one of the 13 ikarei emunah: "אני מאמין...שהבורא יתברך שמו גומל טוב למי שישמור מצוותיו ויעניש למי שיעבור על מצוותיו." Through this, one can come to chizkut and joy, even during times of suffering. The Baal HaTanya writes (Iggeret HaTshuvah 12) that when a person comes to recognize his aveirot and the flaws of his heart at a time of yissurin, and sees why this punishment has come upon him, then he will not become upset and think these yissurin are bad. He will have bitachon in Hashem, that just like He has punished him, so too He will do good with him. This person will realize that Hashem desires him like a father to a son, and through this he will be mechazek and mesameach himself.

Aside from that, yissurin are a form of hastarat Panim. Therefore, when a person can see through them and realize the Yad Hashem in everything, that everything is His righteousness and truth, he removes the hastarah! And when a person removes this hastarah and reveals Hashem, it is a chesed and a hitgalut Or Panav Yitbarach. But how can yissurin be hastarat Panim? It says in Tehillim (91:15) "עמו אנכי בצרה"! Kivyachol Hashem suffers with us! Rather, it is when the sufferer himself is not mekabel yissurin with submission and reckons them unjust, that the hastarat Panim is created, chas v’shalom. The person creates the hastarah! It is like he is turning away from this notion that Hashem suffers with him.

(Aish Kodesh Re'eh 5701)

Yahrtzeit of Reb Baruch Ber Leibowitz tz"l

2008-12-01T22:07:00.003-05:00

The 5th of Kislev is the yahrtzeit of Reb Baruch Ber Leibowit tz"l (1870-1940). He was a great talmid chacham and a main student of Reb Chaim Brisker. Reb Boruch Ber headed the Kaminetzer yeshiva for many years. He wrote the sefer Birkat Shmuel which is highly regarded by yeshivas. He was very great and had tremendous anavah:

Reb Boruch ber once came to America to raise money for his yeshiva. When he was introduced to the crowd of people he would speak to, he was given a nice introduction with a few compliments to befit Reb Boruch Ber. His face immidiately began turning all sorts of colors and he stood up objecting! Afterwards, when some fish was brought out, the ba'al habayit went over to Reb Baruch Ber and suggested that perhpas he shouldn't eat the fish because it might not be so good. However, he ate it anyway. Later that night, the ba'al habayit found Reb Baruch Ber sick. He said to him, I tried to warn you about the fish Rebbe! To this Reb Baruch Ber replied that he was not sick from the fish, he was sick from all the compliments he recieved earlier.

8 Days of Chanuka #2

2008-11-30T15:30:00.003-05:00

The actual finding of the pach shemen among the "sea of tumah," and that it was in a hidden place that was not made unholy by the Greeks as well was a miracle. So the finding of the oil on the 1st day was itslef a separate miracle from the candles lasting 8 days which we commemorate.

(HaEshkol)

The 1st day was established to be commemorated because there was a victory of the Prushim over the Tziddukim & Mit'yavnim on that day. And since the miracle was with the oil, Chazal established to light candles for the 1st day as well.

(Sfarim)

8 Days of Chanuka #1

2008-11-30T00:45:00.000-05:00

The Beit Yosef has a famous kashya: We celebrate 8 days of Chanuka in remembranc eof the 8 days the Menorah remained lit. Yet the miracle was only for 7 days; there was enough oil for the 1st day as the Gemara in Shabbos (21b) tells us. So why do we celebrate the 1st day as well? The Sefer Yemei Shmonah brings down 500 teirutzim to this question, so hopefully I'll post a few by the time Chanuka gets here.

The Beit Yosef himslef offers 3 explanations:

The people at that time divided up the oil that they had into 8 portions. Every night they put in one portion and they saw that it lasted until the following day. So they saw that every night, even the 1st night, was a miracle.
On the 1st night they poured in all the oil but the jug miraculously remained full, so even on the 1st night they recognized the miracle.
On the 1st night they poured in all the oil, and saw the following day that the candles remined full of oil. And so it was every night.

(Yemei Shmonah p.19- Mahut HaKushya)

Mumbai: A Wake Up Call

2008-11-28T13:41:00.005-05:00

Today, Rosh Chodesh Kislev, we were forced to hear the sad news of the murder of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka Holtzberg as well as the other victims HY"D of the terrorist attack in Mumbai. Being friends with a bocher who is from Mumbai and learns in my yeshiva during the year, this does hurt me and affect me a bit deeper. He knew the Holtzbergs and Chabad provides the frum Indian families with Jewish necessities as he has told me.

Less than a year ago, on Rosh Chodesh Adar, a terrorist emptied rounds and rounds of bullets in Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav Kook, killing 8 of the bochurim learning there HY"D. Now on Rosh Chodesh Kislev, our enemies have attacked us again and killed Jews are maintained a Jewish House of Torah and Mitzvot in a place where such things are scarce. Adar and Kislev contain within them two of the most joyous holidays of the when we celebrated victory over our enemies because we cried out and turned to Hashem; Purim and Chanuka. We learn that Rosh Chodesh contains within it the essence of the month to come. These are both months of joy and celebration. Now the beginnings of both are marked with bloodshed and tears.

WAKE UP! This is what Hashem is crying out to us! We know have 2 rallying calls to return to HaKadosh Boruch Hu! How much longer will we keep ourselves in this galut? How much longer will we ignore the plight of our neshamot? At a time when we should be preparing for the simcha of Purim when Hashem saved us from Haman and annihilation we will always remeber the 8 kedoshim who were murdered. Now, at a time when we should be preparing for an occasion of simcha, learning Hilchot Chanuka and getting ready to publicize the nes which occured, we must mourn a loss and realize that we must do something. We had one wake up call already? We didn't respond. We know have a 2nd. Are we going to need a 3rd chas v'shalom? All Jews are one body. If a limb is infected or damaged, we can't ignore it, it affects the whole body. The source of the problem must be fixed. The cure is right in front of us, we just need to take it. We will soon recall the cry of Matityahu Kohen Gadol to the Jewish People "Mi L'Hashem Alei!" We should be hearing this in our minds now as well.

Inyanei Gittin- Notes from Shiur: ואם יש עליו עוררין

2008-11-23T01:12:00.002-05:00

סוגיית טענינן דמזוייף

The Mishnah on דף ב. ends off saying that if people come to be me’ar’er against the get, claiming that it is forged, you should be me’kayem it with the signatures.

/תוס' ד"ה ואם יש עליו עוררין/

If one has a get and no one has to come to be me’ar’er, it is valid and the woman can remarry with it. We don’t tay’nah that it is mezuyaf because the Rabanan established this to be lenient for an agunah (a woman in chains). However, by mammon we do tay’nah mezuyaf for yetomim and lekuchot because otherwise, “Lo shavkat chayaei l’chol be’riah”- someone can take advantage of them by forging shtar, and getting “edim” to sign it. There would be no defense for this otherwise. The Maharam Shif explains that this rule is applied to all sharot, even if “Lo shivkat chayei” doesn’t apply (לא פלוג).

"ומיהו מזה אין להוכיח"- The Maharam explains, from “Lo shivkat chayei” we cannot bring a proof that we do tay’nah mezuyaf. It’s not even a common thing (דבר לא שכיח הוא), and we don’t tay’nah uncommon things for yetomim. Rather, we can tay’nah paru’ah (it was already paid)!

What is the nafka minah whether we tay’nah mazuyaf or paru’ah? The Maharam says that there could be a case where paru’ah wouldn’t work. If a lo’ve dies b’toch zmano, meaning before the deadline for paying back the loan, then we have a chazakah that he wouldn’t have paid it back then so we can’t tay’nah paru’ah. Also, if a lo’ve travels to medinat hayam and remains abroad until after the deadline for the loan. The Maharam Shif says that paru’ah is more common (מצוי טפי), so it works better.

The Pnei Yehoshua has a kashya on the Maharam’s nafka minah. What would stop a person from forging a shtar which says that the lo’ve died b’toch zmano?

The Achronim have a kashya on Tosfot; how can you say that we tay’nah paru’ah, it’s not common when there is a case of "שטרך בידי מאי בעי"?
According to the Chatam Sofer, beit din can only claim something when there is a ta’anah, and there is a chiluk between whether there is no tay’nah and whether there is an inhibited tay’nah. By mezuyaf there is no tay’nah. By paru’ah there is a ta’anah, but it is blocked. The etzem ma’aseh of paying back a loan b’toch zmano is not common. But the ta’anah that it was paid back afterwards is a real ta’anah; it is simply blocked by the fact that the shtar is on the malveh’s hands.
Rav Shmuel Rizovsky (Reb Chaim & Reb Shimon Shkop) says that from "שטרך בידי", it seems that the shtar is a ra’ayah. But it’s not a proof of the metziut. It is a halachah which tell us that while paru’ah is common, it’s blocked by שטרך בידי. This leaves us with the problem that we can’t ta’anah paru’ah against שטרך בידי מאי בעי. Tosfot continues, that even if we don’t tay’nah mezuyaf, we tay’nah paru’ah because of “migo.” Since the father could have said that the shtar is mezuyaf but didn’t, we believe him that it is paru’ah. The Gemara in Bava Batra דפ' ע.-ע:)) says that by a shtar kis, the malveh can come and swear that he loaned money and claim money from yetomim. In this case he takes half of the money. The other half of the money that went into an investment he can’t take, since we tay’nah that it is paru’ah. The father would have been believed to say that he repaid it with the migo of ne’ensu, that it was lost or destroyed (פרוע במגו דנאנסו).

But we can still prove that we tay’nah mezuyaf, for if not so, any person could forge a shtar mecher or matanah and try to use it in order to claim money from yetomim or lekuchot. In such a case we could not tay’nah paru’ah.

Furthermore, from Bava Batra דף קעד: we see that we ta’ynah mezuyaf:
Rav Hunah says that if a schiv me’rah is makdish his property and says, “I have money that belongs to ploni,” we believe him. There is a chazaka that people don’t make a joke of hekdesh. Rav and Shmuel say that if the person says “t’nu,” “give him the money,” then the children must pay the man. But if he doesn’t say “t’nu” they don’t pay. When the schiv me’rah says that he has someone else’s money, he is modeh that there is a shtar. “T’nu” acts as a kiyum ha’get, whereas not saying it allows us to tay’nah that it is mezuyaf. If we didn’t, then the malveh would be able to take money from the yetomim. We don’t tay’nah paru’ah because Rav says that if the lo’ve is modeh to the shtarit doesn’t need kiyum (מודה בשטר שכתבו אין צריך קיום).

There is an apparent stira in Tosfot. Earlier, Tosfot stated that we don’t necessarily need ta’yninan mezuyaf because we can tay’nah paru’ah. This last step in Tosfot (Rav explaining why the Gemara in Bava Batra has to be talking about mezuyaf and not paru’ah) says that without mezuyaf, there is no paru’ah? There are two ways to ask a question based on this stira:
The Maharam explains that if the first step is true and we do have paru’ah even without mezuyaf. The later statement is not true and it must be that we don’t hold like Rav.
The Maharsha says the opposite. The second statement is true and that we have a kashya on the first one.

[Rebbe Akiva Eger asks an additional question on the second proof from Bava Batra.]

The Gemara in Bava Metzia דף יג. says, if we find a shtar with no lean (שטר שאין בו אחריות), the Rabbanan says not to return it to the malveh and R’ Meir says we do return it. Shmuel established that when one who is not actually chayav is modeh to the shtar, R’ Meir says to return just so he can have it; it’s useless. But according to the Rabbanan, why would we not return it? Why should we be choshesh? If the shtar is mekuyam, then the din is with him. If not then what loss is there if we give it back? Rather, we are choshesh that perhaps he will take the shtar and use it when the lo’ve isn’t there and we can’t tay’nah mezuyaf. But this can’t be! We could still tay’nah paru’ah!
The Gemara in Bava Batra דף קנד: says, according to R’ Meir if he is modeh to the shtar, it still needs kiyum. And the father would have been believed to say paru’ah because of a migo d’mezuyaf. So the yetomim can make a migo based on what the father would have said. So even if beit din doesn’t tay’nah mezuyaf, they do tay’nah paru’ah migo d’mezuyaf.

So how do we resolve the kashya on the Rabbanan? Tosfot says that the case is actually when the malveh drops the shtar (איתרע בנפילתו). Also, only when the shtar falls and the lo’ve is tay’nah mezuyaf! If he is to’en after the malveh picks it up, then it doesn’t do anything.

Tosfot says that only when the lo’ve is to’en mezuyaf before the malveh is mekayem does the din of itrah (איתרע) apply; but if the malveh was mekayem before the lo’ve was to’en mezuyaf, then ichzak kasher and he can collect.
Rav Shmuel Rizovsky writes that the reason the tay’ninan mezuyaf of beit din doesn’t work is because they are only to’en she’ma mezuyaf, and only the tay’nat bari mezuyaf of the lo’ve works against the kiyum of the malveh.

Rav Shmuel then asks why it is only huchzak kasher; that means that it is still itrah. If so, why does the shtar still work?

He gives two tei’rutzim:
First, the Brisker Rav says that midin shtar, there is no issue of itrah, and it is a perfectly good shtar. The problem is one of Hashavat Aveida since you need to be totally sure that the shtar is really his to give it back. The fact that it is itrah brings in a safek. Therefore, you would give it back if he was mekayem it (before tay’nat mezuyaf shel lo’ve) because then it would be huchzak shelo. But if the finder returned it, mistama he could be goveh (nafka minah with Rav Shmuel Rizovsky).
Rav Shmuel then writes his own opinion that the din of shtar which protects it against ir’ur is only applicable when the shtar is biyad hato’en. But without that, it isn’t self protecting. If so, here where it isn’t huchzak shelo, and therefore not self protecting, it can’t stand up against the ir’ur halo’ve (therefore, even if he got it back still not huchzak shelo, so it’s still pasul).