A Menorah Point to Ponder

Why is there no mention of the lighting of the Menora- that happened everyday in the Bais Hamikdosh- in our daily prayers- just like the Korban Tomid and Ketoras?

Chanukah- First Night

After the 12 leaders of Klal Yisroel brought their Korbonas in honor of the new Mishkon (Parshas nasso) we learn the Mitzva of Hadlokos Neiros of the Kohanim (Pasrshas Bhaloscha). The Ramban brings a Medrish that says that Aharon was promised that even at a time when Klal Yisroel won't have the services of the Korbonos they will always have the Mitzva of menora. The Ramban explains that the Mitzva the Medrish is referring to is the mitzva of Ner Chanukah.
If one doesn't light Chanukah candles, he has to make a bracha when he sees lit candles. R' Yitchok Hutner asks, why is the mitzva of Chanukah Candles different than all other mitzvos, that you make a bracha just upon seeing the candles?
There is a Halacha that says if one passes a 'Makom shnaseh bo nes' a place where a miracle happened- he's obligated to recite a bracha of she'asa nissim.
The Neiros Chanukah aren't merely objects of a mitzva, but rather the candles themselves are a place where a nes happened to all of us. The candles every jew lights on Chanukah are actually the same candles that Kohanim lit in the Bais Hamikdosh, transported in time and space to every Jewish home.
That is what the Ramban is referring to when he says that Aharon was promised that the Menora will be eternal, for in every Jewish home we fulfill the same mitzva as the Kohanim did in the Bais Hamikdosh.

Parsha Point to Ponder- Parshas V'yaishev

Who knows Eleven?
At the end of the Peasach Seder there is a song that we sing- Echod me yodaiah- who knows one. It's a song that goes through numbers one through thirteen describing what they represent.
The number eleven is represented by the stars in Yosef's dream- where he dreamt that eleven stars were bowing down to him. The eleven stars represented his eleven brothers and that he would be king. What is the significance of this number? We know the number twelve represents the Shevatim - the tweleve sons of Yaakov. All the number eleven is is the Shevatim- 12 minus one- Yosef - whom they were bowing to. So why is it that in the song the number eleven is represented by something that's seemingly not an entity on its own?

Parshas Vayishlach

The Posak relates that when Yaakov met Esav, Esav fell on Yaakovs neck, kissed him and they cried. The medrish says that "Esav tried biting Yaakov but Yaakovs neck turned into marble and thus didn't hurt Yaakov. Yaakov and Esav both cried Yaakov cried for his neck and Esav cried for his teeth." What is the symbolism of Yaakovs neck that Esav tried to bite it? Why is it that Yaakov cried for his neck, nothing had happened to it he should of been thankful and happy that it turned into marble?
The Maharsha (Megilah 16b) says that the Bais Hamikdos is compared to a neck of a person (as we see when Yosef met Binyomin they cried on each others necks for they knew that the bais Hamikdosh and the Mishkon will be destroyed)
The deeds of our forefathers are a sign for things to come. Esav was trying to get to Yaakovs neck- the third Bais Hamikdosh which was in zechus of Yaakov. Hashem showed Esav that he will not be able to conquer the third Bais Hamikdosh and it will always be protected by Hashem. Esav cried for he realized that at the end of time he will be doomed. Yaakov cried for his neck he realized that there will be three Bati Hamikdosh and that Esav will be able to destroy the first two.
Happy anniversary to A. and Y. B.
Mazel Tov to my future shvuger A. C. on his ufruf.
(P.S. grammar may be worse than usual, my editor is out of town)

Parshas Toldas

Chazal tell us that Avraham was supposed to live until the age of 180 years. In order not to see Esav stray off the right path- which happened when Esav turned 13, Hashem took away five years from him and he died at the age of 175 years. R' Yossef Chaim Zonnefeld explains, that is why the Torah expresses Yitzchoks teffilas in such a strong manor. The consequences of Yitzchoks teffilas being answered at the time that they were meant that Avraham was going to have to die five years before his time. R' Yossef Chaim added that the gematria of the words 'Vayosar lo Hashem'- and Hashem listened to his prayers, is 748- which is also the exact value of the words 'Chomish shanim'- five years.The price Yitchok payed for his prayers to be heard was five years of his Father Avrahams life. This was told over to R' Aron Kotler Zatzal- whose yartziet is this Shabbos- his reaction was that this vort had to been of said with Ruach Hakodesh.

Lzchus, Aryeh Leibish ben Elta Nechama Maltshi (Teitelbaum), Bentzion ben Elka (Chroman), Gavriel Noach ben Freida Bluma (Holtzberg), and Rivka bas Yehudis (Holtzberg / Rosenberg), Rochel Golda bas Gittel (Pasikov)

Parshas Chai Sarah

Hashem blessed Avraham with 'Bakol'- everything. What is the meaning of everything? He obviously didn't own everything in the literal sense, there were things in the world that were owned by other people, so what is the meaning of 'bakol'?
(Yitzchok and Yaakov also received the same blessing and thus we ask for it in bentching to be blessed just like our Avos 'Bakol mekol kol').
Esav made a statement that 'Yesh li rav' I have 'a lot'. Yaakov on the other hand said 'Yesh li kol' I have everything. The answer lies in understanding the difference between these two statements. If you ask anyone how to achieve a positive outlook on life, you would be told to think positive, think of all the good things you have in your life, don't dwell on what you don't have and you will see that the good outweighs the bad. While this outlook is a healthy one, it still has its downfalls, for you'll always have a natural yearning for more. Hashem blessed Avraham with everything- Hashem relieved him of the natural yearning for wanting more, thus there was nothing more that he wanted or could of possibly have- 'Bakol'.
Esav said he has 'a lot' because even though he had what he needed he wanted more. The Avos on the other hand were happy with what they had and received a special blessing of having everything they could possibly want.

Parshas V'yiarah- Tefilas Avos Tiknu

The Gemora teaches us that the three tfillahs were instituted by the three Avos 'Tefilas Avos tiknu'. Someone (Y.R.) once asked me, why is it that just because the Avos davened are we obligated to daven?
R' Eliyahu Lopian explains the concept of 'Tfillahs Avos tiknu' with a parable. We all know what to do if you want to speak to someone in London- we pick up a phone and just call. Did you ever think about what it took for you to make that call? Someone (Alexander Graham Bell) had to invent the technology, investors were needed to further the idea, companies to run it and to lay down the telephone line or to send up the satellites etc.. After all that work, all we have to do is pick up the phone and dial. That is what the Avos did for us. Avraham invented and set up the technology for the Tefilah of Shachris, Yitzchok and Yaakov did the same for Mincha and Marriv. It is thanks to them that we have the ability to just stand up and talk to our Father in heaven. The Korbanos are what gave us the obligation to pray three times a day. As the Gmorah says that the Tefilas are also in place of the daily sacrifices brought in the Bais Hamikdosh. It was the Avos that gave us the opportunity to daven three times a day.

Point to ponder. Why does the Torah interupt the story of the destruction of Sedom and the salvation of Lot with the posuk that tells us that Avraham instituted Shachris?

Parshas Noach

The Meshach Chochma points out that Noach started out as an 'Ish tzadik'- a man a tzadik, but later in his life the Torah describes him as 'Ish hasodeh'- man of the fields. We find the opposite by Moshe Rabbainu. In Parshas Shemos he's refered to as 'Ish Mitzri'- Egyptian man, and at the end of his life the Torah calls him 'Ish huElokim'- a G-dly man. What was the difference between these two biblical personalities? How is it that their lives were polar opposites? The Meshach Chochma answers that Moshe dedicated his life to helping people and bringing them closer to Hashem, thus he was granted extra siatah dishmaiah to grow to a G-dly level. Noach on the other hand let the people of his generation sink to the lowest level without trying to help them and thus he himself fell from the level he was on.
Rashi brings a pshat that had Noach lived in Avraham's generation he wouldn't have been a Tzaddik. This is perplexing, was he a tzadik or not? If yes then he would have been the same tzadik in any generation, why is it relative to other people?
The Massai Hashem explains that Noach believed in Hashem and knew his glory, because he had it passed down to him father to son back to Adam. Avraham grew up in a home of avodah zora, he had no mesora, he came to find Hashem on his own. Had Noach lived in a generation where he wouldn't have had the rich mesora he wouldn't have been a tzadik, for he made no effort to find the creator on his own and would have been just like every other person- devoid of the knowledge of Hashem. That is why Noach couldn't help his generation, it was to dangerous for him to expose himself to the elements and to bring them closer for he didn't possess the tools needed to prove the existence of Hashem.

Parshas Brieshes- Yartziet of Harav Levi Yitzchok Ben Sorah Sosha Zatzal

'V'yikra Elokim l'or yom'- This says the Medrish, refers to the deeds of the rightous 'Velachoshech korie layla'- refer to the deeds of the wicked and which one does Hashem prefer- 'Vyar Elokim es h'or ki tov' He likes the light of the righteous. This Medrish need explanation. Why was it ever a question whose deeds are loftier - isn't it quite obvious that Hashem would like the righteous?
The Kedushas Levi says that there are two types of middos. There are character traits that are positive and there are middos that are inherently bad but can be used for doing good. For example, some people are soft spoken in nature and some are the angry type. While usually it's a bad middah to be angry, one can utilize it for the good, as in standing up for Hashem's will. The question in the Medrish is which one is a better way to serve Hashem. Should one work on becomeing an easygoing and softspoken indivdual or should he be like Pinchas and act with zealousy. To that Hashem said he'd rather the person deal with people in a pleasant manner and even when one must stand up for Hashem's honor to first and try doing it pleasantly.
Friday the 25th of Tishrei is the yahrtziet of the Kedushas Levi- R' levi Yitzchok of Berditchev. If there was anyone that served Hasham through pleasantness and an 'ein tova' it was the ultimate defender of Klal Yisroel- the 'Heiliga Berdichive'. May his memory be a blessing to all of Yisroel.

Succos

The Gr"a explains the reason we celebrate succos on the fifteenth day of tishri. Klal Yisroel lost the clouds of glory that escorted them out of Mitzraim on the 17th day of Tamuz- when they made the eigal. It didn't return to them until they did something solid- when they started building the Mishkon. Hashem granted us forgiveness on the tenth day of Tishri- Yom Kipper. The next day- 11th day of Tishri- Moshe told Klal Yisroel to build the Mishkon. The next two days-12th and 13th of Tishri- Klal Yisroel donated the material for the Mishkon. On the 14th day the gathered and took inventory of what was donated. The actual building of a house for Hashem began on the 15th day of Tishri- the day known to us as the first day of Succos. On that day the Clouds of Glory were given back to Klal Yisroel and they were granted final forgiveness.
R' Yitzchok Hutner points out that at the Simcha Bais Hashovaivah there was a special song that the Baali Teshuva sang. The whole Yom Tov comes as an extension- and gives a finality- to the Yommim Noraim. The Month of Tishri starts with the fear and trepidation of the Yemai Din. It closes with days of Simcha that we can get closer and that we were successful in getting closer to Hashem. That over the Ymai Din Hashem decided that Klal Yisroel is a Nation of eternity.
(The Medrish- Vaikra Rabbah 30;2- says that that is what the Lulov shows that we came out of the courtroom with our hands held high as a sign of victory.)

(I apologize about the grammar for it's getting late)

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Artscroll Stone Chumash-
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Parshas Hazienu

The posuk in this week's parsha (32;6) calls Klal Yisroel 'foolish and not wise'. The Targum adds that 'the people that received the Torah is unwise'. What about Klal Yisroel receiving the Torah classified them unwise?
We know that the Avos kept all the mitzvos even before the Torah was given. The Rashba explains that they knew what the mitzvos were from understanding creation and realizing what was missing from the world. Klal Yisroel wasn't on that level that they were able to figure out exactly what was wanted from them so they needed the Torah to tell them what they are to do.That is what the Targum means, the fact that Klal Yisroel received the Torah shows that they weren't as smart as their ancestors, they had to be told what their purpose in life was and what they were to do.
Point to ponder- This Chasam Sofer suggests that the Avos were on a higher level because they were not commanded. How does that fit with the concept of 'gadol mitzuva veoseh' the reward for a mitzva is greater if one is commanded to do it.

Gmar Chasimah Tova to all my readers and all of Klal Yiroel May this be a year full of brocha, simcha and kedusha. Amen!

Eseres Yemai Teshuva- Question

One of the reasons we blow the shofer during Elul is that Klal Yisroel blew the shofer when Moshe went to get the second luchas in order not to make the mistake that they made when they made the eigal. They blew from Rosh Chodesh Elul for forty days, until Moshe came down with the luchas on Yom Kipper.
Why is it that we only blow the Shofer during Elul and not during the Eseres Yemai Teshuva?

Dip The Apple In Honey

We all eat and make a big deal about the simanim- and say the appropriate yehi ratzons, on the night of Rosh Hashana. The Mishna Breurah quotes a Shlah that one should think of Teshuva and say a tefila- that being the yehi ratzons. R' Shlome Kluger says that the simanim are not a tefilah but rather an expression of emunah that the judgment will be favorable one. When we say "Yehi ratzon that this year shall be a sweet and good one" we are saying that we trust Hashem that in the judgement that he passes on the Yom Hadin we will be given a sweet and happy year. R' S. Kluger goes on to explain that this emunah alone is enough to swing the din in our favor. When Hashem sees that we put our full trust in him he has mercy and gives us what we ask for.
I once heard another nice reason for the simanim from C.K. The word we use is 'siman' which means a sign- something we use to remember something. When we dip the apple in honey we make a sign for ourselves that we want a sweet year- one that's really sweet - with holiness. In a few months when the yomim noraim are a faint memory and we are in the same place we were last year let us remind ourselves that we really wanted to be better this year and that on Rosh Hashana night we asked for a sweet year and we really wanted to change. The sign that we make for ourselves on this night will last through the long winter and we will really achieve what we set out to do.

Parshas Netzavim

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת--לַיהוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ; וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ, עַד-עוֹלָם--לַעֲשׂוֹת, אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת

"The hidden is for Hashem, that which is revealed is for us and our children forever, to upkeep all the words of this Torah."

The Chassam Sofer has a few nice peshutim on this posak.

There are many miracles that happen in this world. Most of them are hidden miracels that the human mind can't fathom and the eye cannot see. These are the miracles of everyday life, the things we take for granted. You happened to meet the right person, saw that something you need is on sale etc. and most of all just that we are alive and healthy. These are the 'nistoras' the hidden which only Hashem sees. There is one miracle that is 'niglah'- open for all to see. The fact that Klal Yisroel, after two thousand years of a dark bitter golus, is still around and we are still learning Hashem's Torah. That we survived a churban, Spanish inquisition, forced conversions, pogroms, holocausts and much more and we are still standing tall and Torah and mitzvos are growing is the greatest miracle that us and our children should see - that nothing stands in the way of 'lasos es kol divrie ha'Torah hazos"

A second prashat.
Every mitzva has many reasons why we do them and what consequences they cause in heaven. That is 'nistoras' the hidden part of the Torah. That part we have no need to know- that's for Hashem. What we do have to learn and internalize is the practicalities of the mitzvos and what they mean to us. The 'niglah' of Torah is for us and our childern to learn.
Theres a story told about the students of the Baal Shem Tov. The Baal Shem told them that the world stands on the Shofer blowing of the Noda B'Yehuda. So the students traveled to Prague- were the Noda B'yehuda was Rav, for Rosh hashana, to hear his shofer blowing. The Noda b'Yehuda got up before the tekias and gave a speech. He opened a Gemora Rosh Hashana. The Gemora asks why to we blow shofer on Rosh Hashana? The Gemora quickly interjects 'Why do we blow? The Torah commanded us to blow' The Gemmora then goes on to clarify what the question was. The Noda B'Yehuda just read that passage of 'Why do we blow? The Torah said to blow' closed the Gemora and thus finished his speech and started the tekias. The students were agahst, they traveled all this way just to hear the Gemora? And they asked their rebbi was this realy what kept the world going? The Baal Shem Tov answered that all the reasons that we know about performing any mitzva are called 'tammai hamitzvos' - the reasons of mitzvos. 'Tammai' can also mean just a taste. The highest leval of doing mitzvos is doing them because Hashem told us to do it. He explained to them that those that cannot get the right feeling of the mitzvos by just listening to Hashem - they need all the reasons.

Rosh Hashana Mussef- Tidbits

The Sefer Haikrim categorizes the thirteen ikrim into three basic categories. 1. To believe that Hashem is one 2. the Torah is from heaven 3. that there is reward and punishment. The Marasha says that the three special brochos we add to the Rosh Hashanana Mosef parallels the three ikrim. Malcheus is in lieu with the belief that Hashem is one. Zechronas represents schar and onish we say that Hashem remembers all that transpired since the beginning of time and takes it all into account when he hands out rewards. The third bracha of Shoferis represents Mamod Har Sinai, when the shofer sound was heard as Klal Yisroel was given the Torah.

Did you realise that the brochos of Malcheus and Shoferis have eleven pesukim each?

Parshas Ki Savoh- 5767

All over the world Yidden on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur shed thousands of tears when we say the tefilah of “Unisaneh tokef”. If we think about it it seems as if we don’t understand what is the important part of the davening. All that tefilah is just a mussar shmooze, just telling us what happens on these exalted days. It’s not at that moment that we are being judged and it’s not the highlight of the tefilos. If anything we should be crying when we crown Hashem by saying Malchios, zichronos and shofros or when we blow the shofar. What is it about this small tefilah before Kedusha that became the highlight of our Mussaf?
Ezra implemented the reading of Parshas Ki Savoh- the Parsha that contains 98 curses, before Rosh Hashanah because “Tichlah shanah v’kililosehuh” the year and it’s curses shall come to an end. What does that mean just because we read the Parsha how does that translate into a year of blessing?
The Rma”z (one of the big chachmai kabola) writes that if one reads the curses with yiras shamaim it’s as if he lived through them. The Beer Moshe (Ozlevah Rebbah) explains, that the point of bad things befalling Klal Yisroel is that we should come to fear Hashem. To come to the realization that everything we get or don’t get, the good and the bad all come from our father in heaven. We say on Yom Kipper “Ki atah tzadik al kol haboh aleinu” For you are righteous on all that befalls us. We can translate this to mean that we put our full faith in Hashem that anything that will happen to us is coming from Hashem and is just. Standing less then two weeks away from the day of judgment, we read about curses and what can happen to us if we don’t listen to Hashem. What we have to believe is that the only thing that keeps us removed from all those terrible things stated in the Parsha, is Hashem’s loving kindness. That on our own standing we don’t deserve anything that we have or the good we ask Hashem to send us in the new year. “Whatever Hashem sends our way is righteous”. Ezra told us a deep secret, if we read the curses before Rosh Hashanah and picture ourselves going through all of it and then believing that Hashem is the one that’s saving us from every curse and in his infinite kindness gives us all the good, then there is no need to live through it.
This special gift of being able to come to Yiras Hashem just through visualizing the potential calamities was put into our Rosh Hashana mussaf by Reb. Amnon. When we say the beautiful yet frightening words of Unesanah Tokef the point is to experience the words “who will live and who will die,…who with water and who with fire….” To realize that on the day of judgment we stand there in front of Hashem deserving nothing and that anything we get is overflowing with his kindness.

Based on a shmooze given by, Reb Elyah Brudny Shlit"a.

Shesh Zechronas Tidbits

In most sidurim after shachris there are the 'shesh zechronos'- six remembrances (some recite ten of them) that should be recited everyday. The six things we are to remember every day are 1. Shabbbos 2. the story of the eigal 3. the story of Amalek (this week's parsha) 4. The story of Miriam who spoke loshen horah about Moshe (also in this week's Parsha) 5. Matan Torah 6. Yitzias Mitzraim.
The Magen Avraham says the you should think about these six at the end of the tefilah of Ahavas Olam/Rabbah of shachris. The words 'uvanu vachartah' you have chosen us, represents Matan Torah. 'Vekairavtonu' brought us closer is the opposite of what Amalek wanted to do. 'Lehodos lecha' to thank you, to use our mouths for thanking Hashem and not forbidden speech. 'B'ahavah' with love, and not like we acted when we sinned with the eigal. The last two are in the last Parsha of shema. 'Uzchartem es kol mitzvos' remember all the mitzvos, by remembering Shabbos which is equal to all the mitzvos. 'Asher hotzaise eschem meretz mitzraim' that took us out of Mitzraim is quite obvious- remember yitzias Mitzraim.
There is talk amongst the reshonim which ones are a deoraisah. We all know that reading about Amalak is a mitzva deoraisah- we do it every year before Purim. the same is true of yitzias Mitzraim. The Even Ezrah says that we can fulfill the mitzva of remembering the Shabbos every day. When we say "today is yom rishon l'shabbos" when we say the shir shel yom, the counting towards Shabbos is the way to remember it. The Ramban holds that there is a mitzva- in fact he counts it as part of the 613 mitzvas, to remember in your heart and recite by mouth, what Hashem did to Miriam. The Rambam doesn't count this as a mitzva. The Minchas Chinuch stays undecided what the Ramban holds about remembering the sin of the eigal.
The question remaining is according to the Ramban how often do we hav to remember the story of Miriam? Is it like Amalak which we do once a year or like Shabbos which we could do everyday?

A special Mazel tov to B.E. and A.C.!

Parshas Shoftim

When a new king is appointed there's a mitzva for him to write himself a new Sefer Torah. Just like everyone else, there is a mitzva for him to own a Sefer Torah, in addition to this he is to write a new one that he is to carry with him, at all times. The meforshim explain that this is the source of our minhag that a chosson gets an aliyah to the Torah the week before and the week after his wedding. The significance of this is that while a king has a upbringing that was vital in forming the person that he is, at the same time he has to realize that only he himself can form his life. He has a Sefer Torah and a rich mesorah handed down from his father and the previous generations. His new Sefer Torah- the one that he is to keep close at all times- is there to ingrain in him that all that was handed down to him by the previous generations is just a backdrop to which to base his decisions that he'll make on his own to which he himself will be responsible for. We try to teach the same lesson to a chosson, to take everything he was taught and experienced in his parents house along with him, but to realize that he's beginning a new stage in life and it's up to him to make sure it's an upstanding Torahdik home.
Thanks to my Father-in-law for this lesson.

Point to ponder- Yomim Noraim

During our weekday Shemona Esrah we have one brocha where we daven for the abolishing of the wicked- 'velamalshienim'. And one brocha asking for the welfare of the righteous 'al hatzadikim'. In the shemona esrah of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, both of these tefillos are found in the brocha of 'Ata Kodosh'. We say 'U'vechain Tzadikim'- where we ask that the Tzadikim should live to and enjoy the times of Moshiach. Then we ask 'Vechol haresha kula kason techleh'- the evil in the world should disintegrate.
Why is it that during the year we first ask for the abolishment of evil- sur m'rah and then the asai tov- the longevity of the righteous, while on the Yomim Noraim we switch the order to first aseh tov and then sur m'rah?

Parshas Reai

ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה. The meforshim all ask, why does the posuk start using the singular form- "You ('Reai' singular) shall see" and continue in the plural- "Before you ('lefnaichem' plural)"?
The Kotzker aswers, the Torah was given the same to every Jew, each one of us have the same potential connection to the Torah. The only difference is how much we as individuals connect and learn the Torah. Every Jew has the potential to fully attach himself to every word of Hashem, for it was given to all of us together. It's our personal choice of how much we realy want to be connected and live with Hashem's words.
With this in mind the question doesn't start, each one of us has to see for himself how much of the Torah- that was given to all of Yisroel- he wants.

This week’s parsha we learn about the mitzvah of bentching. The posuk seems to tie the mitzvah of bentching and Eretz Yisroel together.
There is a machlokes (Tur, Orach Chaim; 208) regarding the wording of the brocha of ‘Al hamichya’. Some reshonim (so is the Sfardic custom) take out the words ‘Venochal mepirya v’nisba metuva’ where we ask to be able to enjoy the fruits of Eretz Yisroel. Rabbianu Yona explains that in a prayer where we ask for the rebuilding of Yerushalayim, our aspirations shouldn’t be the wanting of eating of the fruits. In such a special brocha we should much rather ask to be able to fulfill the mitzvos that are special to Eretz Yisroel. The Bach defends the Ashkenazic custom. He writes that the land of Eretz Yisroel is actually blessed by Hashem and there is a spiritual manifestation in the actual soil and thus in every fruit that grows in Eretz Yisroel. The only way to get that piece of Hashem into your body is if you go and eat a part of the land- which would be a fruit. So that the prayer and yearning to eat the fruits of Eretz Yisroel isn’t merely to be satiated with delicious fruits, rather a will to ingest part of the kedusha of Eretz Yisroel into our bodies.
Every one of the seven parshios that we read after Tisha B’av has a special message of nechama in them. We could say that this is the message of the Parsha. We are fixing the first tragedy that led to the churban- the meraglim. Their mistake was that they didn’t perceive Eretz Yisroel as Hashem’s land. The Torah puts them both together - the fruits of the land and the mitzvah of bentching - to thank Hashem for what we ate and to remind us to yearn to be able to eat the much more delicious fruits- the ones that have a piece of Hashem in them.

The Holiness of A Sefer Torah

The Maharal Diskin as a young bochur would sit in front of his father's bais din room and any question that was brought before his father would be told to him first and while the question was being asked to his father he would do the research and come to his own conclusion. He said that came to the same conclusion as his father in all shailos except for one. The only shailoh that he didn't come up with the same answer as his father was a question regarding a burnt Sefer Torah. The questioners came out from his fathers study and he told them what he thought the ruling was and asked what his father had said. They answered that his father upon hearing the question fainted. In that aspect the Maharal Diskin said, he didn't come close to his father, to react to a Sefer Torah as one reacts to a loved one and to feel the pain of a Sefer Torah and just faint upon hearing that one had been burned. The Alshach in last week's Parsha says that holiness of a Sefer Torah isn't just because it's a holy book that tells us how to live - rather it is a part of Hashem himself. Every letter in the Torah is a name of Hashem- which is the way Hashem manifests himself in this world. That is the meaning of what we say Shabbos Mincha "Ata echad, Veshimcha echad" the name of Hashem is one means that the Torah which is made up of Hashem's names are one. How many of us gave any more then a sigh when we heard that four Sifrei Torah were burned? Was our reaction anywhere close to fainting? Do we really realize that every Sefer Torah burned is just as if Hashem himself is being burned?

Shabbos Chazon

The tragedy of Tisha Bav started when Klal Yisroel cried all night and didn’t want to enter Eretz Yisroel, after hearing the meraglim’s report. This was the beginning of many tragedies that befell us on this day. But the Mishna associates it as the first of five disasters that include and are related to the churban habais. And as mentioned last week, parallel the five tragedies of the 17th of Tamuz.
This weeks Parsha when Moshe recounts the story of the meraglim he tells them that when they requested the meraglim the asked for spies that would come back and tell them an answer. In Parshas Shelach- when the story happened the posuk doesn’t say anything about them bringing an answer back to Moshe and Klal Yisroel.
Back in Parshas Shelach Rashi says that the Meraglim all went with bad intentions. The Maharal asks that there is an apparent contradiction, Rashi just a few pessukim before says that at the time when they were appointed they were all tzadikim. When did this turn about from tzadikim to them having bad intentions come about? The Maharahl answers that they might have been tzadikim at the time of departure but they went with their own intentions not that of Moshe. Moshe told them just to spy the land- not with any intention of getting feed back of how to conquer Eretz Yisroel. Moshe knew that there is no need for that knowledge- for Hashem had promised them the land. Moshe’s intention was that Klal Yisroel should see that Eretz Yisroel is not like any other land that even the mere physical in the holy land, is just that- holy. Klal Yisroel was living in a dessert in a pure spiritual environment. The bread they ate was the mann- straight from the heaven, their water was from the well- again straight from heaven and even their living quarters were the clouds of glory. Klal Yisroel wasn’t ready to live in a physical land where they would eat potatoes and wheat that grow from the ground and yet stay and the spiritual level of eating mann. Their mission was to go and see that Eretz Yisroel is precisely that where the water that comes from a well is just like the Well of Miriam and the wheat that makes the bread is just like the mann. They went with their own intentions that Eretz Yisroel is just a land and has to be conquered just like any other land and the fruits are the same as every other land.
There is a story said about the Baal mechaber of the Baer Lachai Roi. He came to Eretz Yisroel and complained to a friend, that he was told that the stones in Eretz Yisroel are diamonds but he looked around and he didn’t see any. The guy told him must be your problem if you can’t see it. He locked himself into a room and sat there and yearned for a closeness to Hashem. He came out and sent a message to his friend that he was right, with proper closeness to Hashem he now sees the diamonds clearly.
The mistake was just like that of the eigal, they took Hashem out of the equation. They didn’t see Eretz Yisroel as The land where ‘The eyes of Hashem’ are focused. And without Hashem even Eretz Yisroel became just like any other land and even the Bais Hamikdosh the holiest place on earth became a trotting ground for animals. And its no wonder how yidden- people that are have a piece of Hashem in them, can be lead like sheep to slaughter- if we ourselves ignore the G-dlieness that lies in our souls.

Serving Hashem

Five things happened on the 17th of Tamuz and five things on Tisha B'av. The Maharal explains that the two sets of five mirror each other, the ones from Sheva Aser Betamuz are the beginning of the churban while the five things that happened on Tisha B'av are the end of the churban. The first thing the Mishna states is the breaking of the Luchas on the seventeenth day of Tamuz, after Klal Yisroel made and worshiped the golden calf. (Interesting to note that there is no mention of the making of the eigal in the Mishna, only the aftermath). What is the relationship between the breaking of the luchas and the churban of the Bais Hamikdash? What about that tragedy led to the churban Habais?
Let us try to understand a little bit of what the sin of the eigal was and why Moshe’s response was to break the Luchas.
In the Kuzri the King of Kuzar asks the Rabbi, how is it that the same people that received the Torah were able to turn around and sin the way they did and worship a graven image? To which the Rabbi answered- had they built a temple and built an alter in the middle and read from a scroll- would you be at peace with it? Of course we would- we do it everyday – it’s part and parcel of our Judaism. The problem we have in relating to the eigal is that the concept of worshiping a golden calf is foreign to us but to them a golden calf was the way everyone served g-d. One of the thirteen Ani Mamins is that Hashem is not a physical being and that no physical being can fathom him. At Matan Torah the skies opened and we all saw the highest levels- Klal Yisroel saw that there is nothing to see- that there is no physicality in heaven at all. Forty days later Klal Yisroel felt that they couldn’t relate to Hashem totally divorced from physicality, they felt that they needed something down here that could connect them to Hashem. R’ Shamshon R. Hirsch says that they were serving Hashem the way they saw fit, not the way that Hashem had told them to. Thus they had taken the G-dliness out of serving Hashem and that is making an avodah zorah out of Hashem. Moshe didn’t break the luchas as a punishment, he showed Klal Yisroel that if you take Hashem out of the picture, even something as holy as the Luchas- something that came straight from Hashem- is worthless and can be broken. Klal Yisroel’s mistake was not realizing that the only way to serve Hashem is by listening to him. The kapporah for the Eigal was the building of the Mishkan, which at every step the posuk says ‘Al pi Hashem’- everything was done solely because Hashem had said. The Meshach Chochma says that the Luchas had to be broken or else Klal Yisroel would have thrown away the Eigal and worshiped the Luchas as an alternative to their idea of serving Hashem and not the way that Hashem had commanded.
The same thing repeated itself many years later in Eretz Yisroel. Klal Yisroel served Hashem the way they felt appropriate and even with the Bais Hamikdosh they managed to lose sight of Hashem and his commandments. With that Klal Yisroel took Hashem out of his own city and only then were the Babylonians and later the Romans able to step foot into Yerushalayim.

Parshas Mattos

The Rambam paskens (Ramban counts it as a mitzvah) that when conquering a city one should not to surround it from all four sides - only from three sides in order to leave room for anyone who wishes to escape. He learns it from a posuk in this week’s Parsha, (31;7) “And they formed an army against Midian as g-d had commanded Moshe”. (Based on a Sifri) They were commanded in the ways of war.
This Halacha is quite strange, why at a time when your at war with you enemy, do you let them escape, isn’t that counterproductive?
The Torah Temimah and the Meshach Chochma explain that the Rambam is giving us a brilliant strategy when going to war and in everyday life. When one is cornered into a corner he does all that he can to save himself. Ever see kids chasing a cat? The cat’s running for its life until it’s stuck and can’t get out. At that point the cat attacks and fights its way out scratching and kicking - when given no option it fights with all its might. When a city is surrounded from all four sides by the enemy and no one has any place to escape to, they will fight for their lives for they have nothing to lose - and that is a much more dangerous enemy.
(The Ramban explains that the reason for this is that it is in order for us to work on our Rachmonus- mercy and hence he counts it as a Mitzva).

Parshas Pinchos

Rashi (27;16) quotes a Medrish that Moshe davened that his kids should take over his leadership of Klal Yisroel after he was nifter. Hashem answered that Yehoshuah Ben Nun would take over, in the zechus that he served Moshe and never left his side.
Were Moshes children worthy to lead Klal Yisroel? Did they have the qualities of a true leader? If yes why was it that Moshes prayers weren’t answered and if not why did Moshe want them to be the leaders?
The Hafloh answers, (R’ Shimon Schwab writes similarly) in truth no one was worthy to take the place of Moshe. It was impossible for anyone to lead Klal Yisroel the way Moshe did. Only Moshe spoke to Hashem and received the Torah straight from Hashem. Moshe in his great humility felt that he wasn’t either deserving of the position and felt that he got it as a gift from Hashem. His prayer was that being that no one was capable and deserving of being the leader of this great nation and who ever whould lead would be getting an extra dose of seatah dishmayah he wanted his sons to get that madriegah of closeness to Hashem. To which Hashem told him that even though no one was at the level Moshe was, Yehoshua Ben Nun was the only one that was worthy of getting the gift of greatness and thus be worthy of leading Klal Yisroel.
The Medrash states (quoted partially by Rashi 27;20) that when Yehoshuah took over, the zekainem said “Moshes face was like the sun (he was the source of light) and Yehoshuah’s face was like the moon (reflecting the light of the sun), woe is the embarrassment”. The basic understanding is that they were sad about the fact of how low they fell with the death of Moshe. The Baal HaIkrim explains that the zekainim realized that Yehoshuah wasn’t either worthy of leading, but was given that zechus in Klal Yisroel’s honor. At that point they realized that they too could’ve been zoche to such holiness had they just tried a little harder and served Moshe as faithfully as Yehoshuah did- and that was embarrassing to themselves.

Parshas Chukas

Chazal learn from this week’s Parsha that Torah cannot be acquired only if one kills himself for its sake. This seems like an impossible level to attain, if one is dead how does he acquire torah?
The Chazzon Ish (Igress Chazon Ish chelek aleph pg. 27) explains that Chazal aren’t referring to death in its actual meaning, rather a superficial death. A person is defined by his actions, the character traits he was born with. If one by nature is easily angered, by definition he’s an angry person. Every time this person doesn’t get angry he’s in essence ‘killing’ himself. With every bad middah we overcome we leave our previous lives and live a new life on a higher plane then before. That is what the Chazal teach us, Torah can only be acquired if we work on our middos, kill the bad traits we were born with and live the life that the Torah prescribes for us. It’s a goal that might be difficult- but definitely attainable.

Parshas Korach

The Mishna in Avos says that ten things were created Friday afternoon bein hashmoshos- one of them being the hole that swallowed Korach. The Maharal explains that Friday afternoon is the bridge between the mundane days of the week and the holy Shabbos. The twelve and a half minutes of bein hashmoshos is part of the six days of creation and thus something had to be created. At the same time it’s part of Shabbos so whatever was created had the spark of Shabbos in it- an added kedusha. The ten things created at that point were all things that are physical but yet have an extra spark of ruchnius- spiritualism. (I.e. Bilam’s donkey was a regular donkey but had a spiritual charge that gave it the power of speech.) That is why we light Shabbos candles at that moment for the candles are the spark that links the days of creation into the world of menucha.
Rabbeinu Yona says that when one is born he gets his neshoma from the heavens and his body comes from the ground. When one is niftar the two parts separate and return to where they came from, the body is buried in the ground while the soul returns to heaven for judgment and eventually back to the heavenly throne where it came from.
May we suggest that under normal circumstances the earth cannot swallow a human soul. The ability for the earth to rise up and be able to swallow a human soul - something purely spiritual, was something that was only able to be created bein hashmoshos on Friday. Just like everything else on the list the ‘mouth of the earth’ that swallowed Korach, was something physical with a touch of spirit added.

Story Time

R' Tzvi Kunstlinger Zatza"l who was a rav in Yerushalayim mid century, lost a few kids during his lifetime. His escape- just like any gadol- was a blatt gemora, he would immerse himself in learning and forget all his worries. One of his sons was nifter at the age of 35, on the operating table. The family didn't know how to break the news to him and decided on a plan. When he was learning they approached him and said that they asked the Belzer Rebbe Zatza”l how to do the operation but the doctors weren't successful. He looked up from his Gemora and said, "silly children you don’t ask a Rebbe how to operate you ask if you should operate” and with that went back to his Gemora.

Take A Deep Look

Rashi says that the blue string on the Tzitzis is to remind one of the sea which is blue, which in turn reminds one of the sky, which is supposed to remind one of the heavenly throne of Hashem. A lot of the meforshim ask, if Tzitzis is supposed to remind us of the throne, why does rashi give us the connection in a roundabout way? What is about Tzitzis that the Torah tells us will help us remember the Mitzvos of Hashem and protect us from the temptations of Olam hazeh?

R’ S. R. Hirsch explains the protection that Tzitzis provides against the temptations of this world, isn’t just magic- but rather a practical suggestion by the Torah. The pleasures of this world stare us in the face. The ‘reward’ of following your heart and eyes are instant, the pleasures of this world offer instant gratification. As opposed to spiritual reward- by nature- is hidden from us, we cannot see or feel it in our life time. It takes deep self introspection to realize that doing what the Torah says is the right thing to do. The only way to fight the temptations that are right in front of us is to really look at the options and see what is it that we are giving up for that quick pleasure. When you look at your Tzitzis what is it that you see? Is it just random strings? That is all you’ll see if you look at it superficially and you’ll then struggle with the ‘taavis’ of the world around you. Rashi is telling us to take a deeper look and see a connection- albeit one that’s not so recognizable, but definitely there- a real and deep lasting connection to Hashem. Tzitzis are blue strings that links you all the way to the heavenly throne and offers a path to rise above the struggles of this world. Just like the Tzitzis the beginning you will feel all tied up and restricted, but you’ll come to the realization that you’re the freest person in the world!

Tzitzis Point to Ponder

Why is it that of all the Mitzvos(that i can think of), only Tzitzis has two different ways to mekaim it- Talis gadol and katan? Why is a talis gadol only worn during Teffilah and- according to many minhogim- only after marriage?

Shevuos

The Mishna in Avos states that the world stands on three pillars, Torah, Avodah and Gemilas Chasodim. On Shavuous- the day that the reason for creation of the world was realized, we have symbolism to all three. Torah is obvious- Shavuous is Yom Matan Torah. Avodah is represented with the Korban Shnei Lechem which was brought on Shavuous- as the Torah calls it "Yom Bekurim". To represent Gemilas Chasodim, we read the Megilah of Ruth which is based on the chassodim of Ruth and Boaz.

Parshas Naso

The last part of the Parsha talks about the chanukas hamishkan and the twelve days that followed. (Interesting to note that that day in history- the First of Nissan- is mentioned in Sefarim Shemos, Vayikra and Bamidbor). The narrative begins with "B'yom kalous Moshe lhokim es hamishkan"- The day Moshe set up the Mishkan. The Medrish compares the Mishkan to the creation of the world and ends off with the comparison of the word ‘kalous’ with the word “Vayichal’ Elokim bayom hashevie” - from the posak that completed the creation of the world. The Alshach explains this with a famous Medrish. The Medrish says that the Seven days prior to the building of the Mishkan, Moshe would set up the Mishkan and dismantle it twice a day- once for the morning Korban Tomid and one for the evening one. What needs understanding is- why did Moshe have to dismantle it every day? Couldn’t he just leave it standing throughout the week? The Alshach explains that the Mishkan couldn’t stand naturally, only through a nes. The Mishkan in its mere physical state could not stand, it needed the Kedusha, the Neshoma from Hashem. That is why the days prior to the inauguration it just couldn’t stand so Moshe had to dismantle it. The same is true with the world at large. Hashem created the world in six days, the state of the world was that of a ‘golam’ until Shabbos came along and gave it its spark, its life- its kedusha and neshoma. The six days of the week would not be able to last if it were not for Shabbos that comes every Seventh day.
This is what the Medrish is comparing, the day of Shabbos when the world was complete- which was the day that gave it the possibility to go on. To the Mishkan the day that it was complete- the First day of Nissin- gave it the power to stand.

A Comment From Reb Z. on The Shavuos Question

I heard a very nice speech yesterday which in a nutshell explained that what we really are celebrating Shavuos is (not the actual matan torah, but) the level that we reached through the avodah over the 49 days of sefirah.. a level which brought us to the possibility of receiving the Torah. Each Jew in his own way can strive to reach that level with the proper focus and work each and every year by realizing that even the seemingly mundane and unholy (working the field)can be raised to a level of kedusha. This can be accomplished by working on ourselves to come to the realization that the benefits we reap from our work in the field (and in business) is all from Hashem and we have no control over it. Once we reach that level we can be vessels ready to receive the Torah properly. This explains why on Pesach we bring the Omer made of barley (animal feed) and on Shavuos we bring the Two Loaves made of Chametz, which symbolizes the Yetzer Hara; we are showing that before we start working on ourselves (Pesach) we are not on the level to bring chametz, but after the days of sefira we are now on a level where we can bring chametz to demostrate that even the our evil inclination can be raised to be used to do acts of kedusha. And indeed the Torah makes no mention of Matan Torah when it mentions Shavuos! This explains why we celebrate Shavuos! COmments are welcome...

Parshas Bechukosai

"Im bechukosai talaicho" Rashi explains it to mean, if you toil in torah. Explanation is needed why toiling in torah is expressed as a 'chok'- something done without knowing the reason behind it.
The Or Hachaim starts this weeks Parsha with forty two different ways to explain the first posok. In his first explanation he says that while all learning of torah is important, that's not what the special brochas of the Parsha are for. Rather it's for the learning one does for the sake of learning, the third, forth and fifth time one learns, when he already knows what is being said, but learns it just as it would be his first time. It is this learning that the Torah calls a 'chok' something we do for no apparent reason. When Klal Yisroel's learning is on such an elevated level, then they're zoche to the brochos stated in this weeks Parsha.

Shevuas- The Question

Yomim Tovim by Jews are not mere days of 'we were threatened, Hashem saved us, lets celebrate!'. Rather we celebrate days that allow us to tap into the nissim that transpired and the siritual levels that were gained through them.
Klal Yisroel were given the Luchas, twice. On Shavuous we were given the first set of Luchas- which Moshe broke the 17th day of Tamuz, the day that Klal Yisroel made the golden calf. The second Luchas was given after Klal Yisroel did Teshuva and were forgiven, on Yom Kippur. There were intrinsic differences between them. The first one was written on stone taken from heaven- had we been zoche we would have had a actual piece from shmayim down in our midst. Being that is was so great it would have made a bigger impression on us. There wouldn't have been any forgetting of torah or any sin. We would have reached the tachlis of creation. All that would have been the case had the luchas come down from Hashem and not been broken. But we sinned and were not ready for that level of serving Hashem, so Moshe broke the Luchas. After eighty days of doing teshuva and begging for forgiveness we were given a new set of tablets. This one was made up of stone from down here on earth, written with the finger of Hashem. It was lacking that spiritual benefit of being straight from Hashem and we were left to toil in the Torah and fight the Yetzar Horah.
The Torah we have today is from the second Luchas the one that humans can relate to, the one we got on Yom Kippur. The Question is- why do we celebrate Shavuous if we can't (seemingly) tap into the levels of Luchas reshonim?

Parshas Emor

In Parshas Emor we find a few posukim that talk about the Lechem Haponim that were set on the Shulchan. The Posuk (24;8) says “Beyom hashabbos beyom hashabbos yarchenu lefnai Hashem” loosely translated - Each Shabbos he shall set it before Hashem. What has to be understood is why does the Torah repeat the words “beyom hashabbos”? The Alshich explains this by pointing out that the Lechem Haponim were actually on the Shulchan for eight days. The day they were put on- Shabbos, is day one and taken off the following Shabbos which is day eight- the point of it being eight days is of great significance, but we’ll leave that for now. That is what the meaning behind the writing two times “beyom hashabbos”.
Chazal say (Shabbos 118) that if Klal Yisroel would keep two Shabbosim they would be redeemed. The Sedurai Shel Shabbos in his hakdomah explains that Shabbos lasts until the following Tuesday. The new Shabbos comes in on the Wednesday before. (Hence we end off the Shiur of Wednesday with the first posak of lecha nerannenah). He says that if we really kept Shabbos it would take us through the week up until the next Shabbos. The Gemorah is telling us that is we keep two Shabbosim- meaning we connect the two Shabbosim. If Shabbos lasts us till Tuesday and we are ready for Shabbos Wednesday then our whole week is one big Shabbos and that is what can bring the Geulah. May we suggest that this is the lesson of the Lechem Haponim. It rested in the Mishkan from Shabbos to Shabbos for Eight days thus connecting the two Shabbosim- making it one day “shekoolo Shabbos”.

The Alter of Salbodkah once said "It's harder for a human to live without kavod- self respect, than to live without air"

Points To Ponder- Peasach

Why is it that most of the mitzvos of the Sedar are related to the mouth. We eat matzah, drink wine, say the haggadah etc.
Furthermore when we talk about the Korban Peasach (Reb Gamliel omar...) we talk about the point of eating it and not that of the korban aspect.

Why is it that the number four is so significant by the Sedar? Four sons, questions, cups, four expressions of geulah. Any more?

Why is it that we say Hallal at night?

My Zaideh- Moshe Ben Yosef Hillel zatza'l

Late last night 9 Nissen, my grandfather- Moshe Ben Yosef Hillel zatzal, was nifter. A yid that lived through the fires of the holacust and all of his life, with great misiras nefesh for Hashem and his mitzvos. For the six years of the war under the most horrific conditions he and his brother almost never missed a day of wearing Tefilin. That mesiras nefesh never left him. My brother was once carrying his Tefilin casually Zaidy started to scream at him "I was willing to give my life for the mitzva of tefilin- you should at least carry it with respect!". To him mitzvos wasn't something you 'just do' rather he put his very life into doing Hashems will. He wasn't from the six million that died 'Al kiddish Hashem'. He was from the endless number of Yidden that lived their lives al kiddish Hashem. Hopefully we will never have to serve hashem with all our being. How sad is it that we will never reach that level of serving Hashem.

A New Blog

Coming soon a new blog.
The story of two brothers (the same ones of the 'peasach story') during the Holocaust.

The story is written in Yiddish, I will try to translate it and share it with the world.

brothersthroughfire.blogspot.com
Just click the new link to the right.

Peasach Story

It was the year 1942 the ghetto of Krakow was judenrien already, but there were two brothers hiding and trying to stay alive amidst all the insanity. The Yom Tov of peasach was approaching and those two brothers had to find a way to eat matzah. They found a way to make matzah, but with great mesiras nefes and found a little borscht that they would use instead of wine.
They sat down to their makeshift seder- To celebrate Klal Yisroels going out of Mitzraim. Instead of a beautiful laid table with the nicest silver, they sat down in an attic running from the Nazi beasts with Matzah that they sacrificed their lives for. The younger brother- a mere 21 year old calls to his brother that there is no way he can have a seder tonight. The sedar is to celebrate our freedom, our going out of exile- but here we sit, our lives in danger the tragedy unspeakable- our family is all gone, what kind of freedom are we celebrating tonight? The older brother answered that the 'cheiris olam'- the everlasting freedom that we gained on Peasach wasn't a physical freedom. Rather it's the spiritual freedom that was recognized. Peasach is the birth of a nation- not just any nation but the birth of a nation that Hashem could call his own. We celebrate something that no one can take away from us, a going out of slavery into the embracing hands of our father in heaven- having the zechus to be called 'eved Hashem'. With those words two brothers sat down to a Sedar that only had matzah and borsht but most probably was the most magnificent sedar ever experienced.

Parshas Hachodesh

There are two opposite ways that Hashem runs the world. One is 'hashgachah klallis' That the world runs just like a worldly kingdom. The king sits on his throne taking advice from his aides and making decisions for his kingdom. When a decision comes forth from the king he relays it to the minister in charge of that aspect and the minister thus relays it to the local governors and so on and so forth until everyone that is affected by the kings decision knows about it and the police enforce it. So too Hashem runs his world e.g. that rain should fall in New York- Hashem decrees that it shall rain and sends forth his decision to the angels in charge of the region of New York they 'arrange' that the rain ministers should send rain. Those ministers thus gather the clouds who make the rain. Everything is run in the most orderly fashion.
The second way hashem runs this world is that Hashem alone is in charge of every aspect. Hashem makes and carries out all his decrees personally- without any intermediaries.
The world in general runs according to te first way. The second fashion is reserved for Klal Yisroel- and that started at Yitzias Mitzraim when Hashem himself- not thru a angel - took the Jews out of exile.
The two approaches are exhibited in our yearly calendar. While most most of the world (There is an obvious question someone please ask it) goes according to the sun-the solar calendar, Klal Yisroel counts the months according to the lunar calendar- but is still influenced by the solar calendar which leaves us with leap years.
The seforim explain that the sun's cycle is just a natural go around, every year it goes around the earth. This would symbolise the first way that Hashem runs his world. A world in which Hashem stays behind the scenes and everything is carried out through different emissaries. As apposed to the moon which is not just a natural cycle but rather Hashem actually recreates the moon every month. (Hence we say Kiddush Halevonah every month). This is an exact parallel to the relationship between Hashem and Yisroel. Hashem is actively recreating and intimately involved in our every move.
With the above in mind we understand why the mitzva of Kiddush Hachodesh was given right before Yitzias Metzraim- and that we read Parshas Hachodesh this week. For the moon is an exact example of the relationship Klal Yisroel forged with Hashem at Yitzias Mitzraim.

PuRiM

In the zemer of Purim- Shoshanas Yaakov, we say “Berosam yachad techeiles Mordechai”. Klal Yisroel rejoiced when they saw the ‘Techeiles- the blue wool’ of Mordechai. The simple meaning is that techeiles is referring to seeing Mordechai wearing the royal garments. What was it about that scene that provoked the feelings of happiness?
You can suggest that the techeiles isn’t referring to the royal garments just rather to the Tzitzis (which have a string of techeiles) that Mordechai was wearing along with the royal garments.
The sin that lead to all the problems was that they ate from Achashvarosh’s party and that they bowed down to the cross. They really didn’t want to go to the party or bow to the cross, but political obligations made it necessary to join. Mordechai didn’t cave in to the political pressure and tried to convince Klal Yisroel not to go to the party. When they saw Mordechai with all the royal glory and fame- being second to the king, still wearing techeiles- his Tzitzis, they realized what their mistake was. That Mordechai was right and that there was no need to sacrifice their mitzvah observance under any amount of pressure. This was a cause for an extra celebration.
Have a frielechin Purim

Shabbos Zachor

In this weeks Haftorah we read the story of King Shaul and his failings in the war against Amalek. When the king of Amalek, Agog- who Shaul failed to kill was brought before Shmuel to be killed the posuk says he was brought “madanos” (Shmuel1 15;32) translated by most, as chained. There is another meaning to the word “madanos” that comes from the word ‘edan’- pleasure or cheerful. Why is that that the Navi used such a word that can be interpreted in two diverse ways?
The philosophy of Amalek is that there was a creator to the universe but all he did was create the world and program it for eternity. His outlook of G-d is that great that he left no room for humans to change or make a difference in this world. The flip side of this is that he wasn’t responsible for any of his deeds and being so was totally free to do as he pleased. While the Torah way is that we all have bechira- free will. Every action we do, can and does effect the universe on a whole. We believe that we can change Hashem and his interaction in this world, by every mitzvah we do we bring Hashem closer and more welcome in his world. Thus we are responsible for all our actions.
When Agog came before Shmuel he showed that he was, at the same time ‘chained’ by a higher force that all his actions were preordained. At the same time his life was all ‘cheerful’ for he was free to do what he pleased.
Taken from Pachad Yitzchok.

Parshas Sheqalim

The Medrish says that the giving of the Machtzis Ha’sheqal was an atonement for the sin of the golden calf.
At the giving of the Torah Hashem threatened Klal Yisroel if they won’t accept the Torah they will be buried under the mountain. The question is asked: Klal Yisroel had said naaseh vnishma, what was the need of Hashem forcing the nation to accept the Torah? One of the answers that is given, is that Klal Yisroel accepted Torah shel bekesav- the written Torah, but were reluctant- and thus had to be forced- to accept Torah shel bal peh- the oral Torah. The Bobover Rebbi explains that the reluctance to accept the oral Torah is what led to the sin of the eigal. When Klal Yisroel saw that Moshe was in heaven for forty days they got scared that he won’t return. Their fear was based that they knew Moshe was the one that brought down the oral Torah but now that he was gone they where scared that that was the end of the process of the Written Torah, and all that was left for them was the Oral Torah which they weren’t so excited to accept and work on. It was this that led them to the grave mistake of the eigal. The atonement was that when they gave a Half Sheqal, they showed Hashem that they were willing to give and toil with, their half of Torah- Torah shel baal peh.
The Oral Torah which was forced upon us at Har Sinai was fully accepted by Klal Yisroel after the miracle of Purim. Klal Yisroel expressing their gratitude to Hashem over the miracle took upon themselves the learning of Torah shel baal peh. Thus leading into the period of the Anshe Kenesses Hagdolah- The Men of the Great Assembly- who were the ones that started the Mishna and Torah shel baal peh (see the 1st mishna in Avos). That is why we read Parshas Sheqalem before Purim for the miracle of Purim is when we expressed our willingness to give Hashem our portion of the Torah- the Oral Torah.

Parshas Mishpotim

Hashem told Moshe to explain the laws of this week’s Parsha “Like a set table”. (Rashi)
My brother (SEB [beshaim R' Grossman]) once told me a beautiful explanation. What one can prepare to eat depends on what utensils he has with him. If he has a knife he can make himself a sandwich, if he has a flame to cook with- more can be prepared, a full oven even more etc. But if one comes to a wedding hall and sits down in his seat and before him the table is laid with three types of forks, three spoons, two knives and three glasses- he knows that whatever they bring out of the kitchen, he’ll be prepared and ready to eat. Rashi is telling us how to teach and give over Torah and Yiddishkiet. For the giving over of Torah teaching is not enough, one must give over a way of life and prepare the student so that whatever comes his way he will be ready with all tools at his disposal.

Story Time

Rabbi Friefeld in his older years was going to the Doctor. Being that he was weak, he was debating if he should get dressed- after all he was a Rosh Yeshiva or he should go in pajamas. He decided on getting dressed but did not put on shoes but rather went in slippers. A talmid asked him what made him decide on his choice of footwear. He answered that he felt that it would not be respectful to his talmidim if their Rebbi was seen in pajamas and a robe. But being that he couldn't tie his shoes it would be disrespectful to his Rebbitzin to have her tie it for him, so he decided to wear slippers.

Rav Shamson Raphael Hirsch Zt"l

I would like to share a thought from Reb. Shamson Raphael Hirsch zt"l- who's yahrtziet is this Shabbos, the 27th of Tevas.
"Other nations habitually are described by the picture of an animal, Yisroel is pictured preferably as a tree. An animal can be killed with a single pressure of the trigger- finger or a single stab of the dagger. But a tree reproduces with every part- the possibility of the continuance of life of the whole. Even if the root is severed, a branch, a twig, a bud, a germ is often sufficient to reinstate the destroyed plant, and save its continued existence" (Shemos 3;18)
The best way to learn about a Gadol and what he stood for is to learn his Torah. In this small piece we see all that Rabbinner Hirsch went through in his life as Rav in Frankfurt. He came to town with all but a small bud left of a tree which was once from the nicest kehillahs in Europe and revived and nurtured it back to its old glory. While leaving all of Klal Yisroel with his eye opening and bright writings. Yehai zichro boroch.