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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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?