Story Time

A few Hours late but today was the Yartziet of Reb Shlome ben Ben-Tzion Halbershtam- the Rebbie of Bobov Zatzal.
On a normal weekday the Bobover Ruv- R' Shlome Halbershtam, would daven shachris with the balai batim in the main Shul of Bobov. Being that most of the minyan was made up of people that had to be at work, the Ruv made sure to daven at a regular pace in order to be finished on time. When he was on vacation he was able to spend more time on Shachris and made sure to take advantage of it. It is said that Birchas Krias Shema- that usually takes five to ten minutes would take him at least twenty! One day while on vacation the Gabbi realized that the RUv was crying when he said the words 'Baal milchomos'- praising Hashem that he is the leader of war. The Gabbi was perplexed by this behavior for it was a time that the world was at peace and no war was being held, so he asked the Ruv what was he crying about? The Ruv answered that when he was in New York around the Chassidim the Chassidim had someone to look up to and be inspired by and thus their fight against the Yetzar Horah was easier. Being that he is away for awhile it's easy for the chassidim to forget him and loose some power in the fight for good and growth. When he praised Hashem that he leads wars he wasn't referring to the physical wars that go on in the world, he was praising Hashem and begging him to help his Chassidim back home to stay connected and be able to overcome the yetzer horah and not falter one bit from their connection to Hashem.

Striking Point Parshas Massai

Those who were jailed in the Ir Miklat (city of refuge for one that killed someone by accident) were freed upon the death of the Kohen Gadol. The only such clause in the Torah were one has to wait for someones death.

The ONLY death recorded in the Torah with a date of his petira, is that of Ahron- the Kohen Gadol.
Both are mentioned in this weeks Parsha.

The Three Weeks Part 2

"Al naharos Bavel shom yushavnu gam bochienuh" As we sat on the shores of Bavel our first experience of galus as a nation. We were driven from our homeland in brutal fashion with hundreds of thousands dead, our nation in ruins. What were they crying for? Dovid Hamelach continues the Pasuk "Bezachrainu ess Tzion." At the moment they got to Bavel they didn't cry for themselves in exile far from their home, not for all the pain and suffering they went through, not for the uncertainty that lay ahead or even all their lost and tortured brethren. They cried for one thing "Tzion". All that was bothering them was that they didn't have the Bais Hamikdosh and that they were so far removed from Hashem. They- the Yidden that had lived and breathed the air of the Bais Hamikdosh- knew what they had lost, they knew what the Bais Hamikdosh was. All they yearned for was that closeness to Hashem that they had lost when they witnessed Hashems House go up in flames. They knew what was the cause to all their misfortune and troubles.

The Three Weeks

A story is told of a Jewish couple living in Russia. The husband comes home from the Ein Yaakov shiur and tells his wife, "The rav says that we should pack our bags, we are going to Eretz Yisroel, Moshiach is coming any day!" His wife asked him, "Who is Moshiach. Why are we going with him?" He answered, "The Rav said that he's going to rebuild the Bais Hamikdosh where we'll bring Korbonas. The Leviem will sing the shira, were going to live with spiritual bliss". The wife answered, "Why do I have to go to Eretz Yisroel to be happy? I have my cow that gives me milk, the chickens for some food, I even have time to daven and say some Tehillem - I'm perfectly happy here." The yid not knowing what to answer ran to the Rav and told him that his wife doesn't want to come along with Moshiach. "Tell her", said the Rav, "that when Moshiach comes the Cossacks won't come along with us and they won't bother us anymore". He runs home to tell his wife this wonderful news to which his wife starts thinking, maybe that's a good idea after all no Cossacks means we will be able to live in peace. Then she came up with a brainstorm, she tells her husband, "Go tell the Rav that when Moshiach comes he should take the Cossacks to Eretz Yisroel and we will live in peace without even moving!"
What are we mourning in the three weeks? Are we just crying over all the lives we have lost and over all the torture we've been through? Or are we crying for the Shechina that's also in Galos?

Reb Elchonon Wasserman Zatza'l on His Yahrtzeit. His last Shmooze.

R' Efraim Oshry was an eyewitness to R' Elchonon Wasserman Zatzal's last shmooze before he was taken away by the cursed Lithuanians and shot Al Kiddush Hashem H'yd. It was the 11th of Tamuz 1941. As the reshoim were going door to door rounding up the Jews of the Kovno ghetto, R' Elchonon closed the gemora he was giving a shiur from. R' Oshry (printed in the introduction to Kovetz Shuirim) recounts; "R' Elchonon spoke calmly and slow, just as usual, even his voice did not falter. His face displayed the same seriousness as usual. He didn't use a special tone of voice nor did he take leave of his son Naftuli - lying in bed with a broken leg. He spoke to all - to the entire Klal Yirsoel. "In heaven they must think of us as a righteous people, for they want us to atone for klal Yisroel with our bodies. We must do teshuva right here and now. Time is short, the ninth fort - the place the kedoshai Kovno-Slabodka were taken to be killed - is close by. We have to bear in mind that we will be the ultimate Korban. If we do teshuva we will be able to save our brothers and sisters in America. None of us should have a bad intention that can void our korban. We are about to fufill the greatest mitzva. The fire that will consume our bodies is the very fire that will be used to rebuild Klal Yisroel." It was with these words that the leader of Klal Yisroel was taken away to be brutally killed. May Hashem avenge their blood.
Living in a time that Klal Yisroel was being brutally uprooted from the continent that they were living in for hundreds of years, R' Flchonon was able to look past it and past the nightmare going on around him and see America as the next home for Klal Yisroel. Klal Yisroel is eternal and is not tied down to a land. Even the land of Eretz Yisroel is only ours to be able to fufill the special mitzvos of the land, but once we stop doing Hashem's will there is no need for us to have our own country.
Billam said of Klal Yisroel 'They are a nation that dwells alone and among nations they aren't counted'. הֶן-עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן, וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב. R' Elchonon is quoted to say a pshat. הֶן-עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן, as a nation we have no one to rely on except for Hashem. No nation in the world can be relied upon to come to our asisstance. Just look through our long history, where repeatedly the nations of the world turned a blind eye to the pains and needs of Yisroel. It is only Hashem that we can turn to and he in turn will never forsake us. The definition of גּוֹיִם is a nation that shares a land, that has a country that unites them and not just a set of ideals. וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב unlike the nations of the world Yisroel does not need a land in order to be called a nation. We have survived and grown for two thousand years away from our homeland. R' S. R. Hirsch says that the reason why when we went out of Mitzraim and we didn't go directly into Eretz Yisroel is to teach us that what unites us is not the land but rather the Torah. We become a nation- not just a religon, when we are united in hearing the call of the Torah and doing the will of Hashem.
Zichuso Yagen Aleinu.

Parshas Chukas- Kedushas Sefer Torah

The Maharal Diskin as a young boy would sit at the entrance of his father's study and any question that would come before his father would be told to him first. After his father had ruled he would compare his own psak with that of his father's. He once said that he always thought of the same psak as his father, except for once. A qustion came before his father regarding a Sefer Torah that was burned. As the questioner was leaving the Maharal asked what was his father's answer. He said that his father upon hearing that a Sefer Torah was burnt fainted, it hurt him just as if a close friend was killed. That reaction of closeness to the living Sefer Torah the Maharal Diskin didn't have as a young child.
On Erev Shabbos Parshas Chukas Tzadikim fast for it was a day that twenty crates of Seforim were burnt in France. The Rishonim said that it was the the week of Chukas and not the day of the month that caused the tragedy. The Ramchal explains that the highest leval of tumah is death - the departure of the soul from the body. This tumah can only be rectified through Parah Adumah. The Ramchal says that in today's day when we are in exile and we ourselves distance our souls from our bodies through sin, there are two options instead of the Parah Adumah. The first punishment would be death c'v. Hashem in his infinite mercy is moser nefesh himself for our sake. The Marsha says that the Torah is made up of Hashem's names and is in essence Hashem himself. When a Torah is burnt Hashem himself is letting himself be burnt for Klal Yisroel's sake- just like the Parah Adumah in the times of the Bais Hamikdosh. The way we could save the Torah is if we are moser nefesh for Hashem and his Torah, as the Gemora derives from the Parsha of Parah Aduma- 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 Chazon 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.
This week - Parshas Chukas in Eretz Yisroel- eight Sefri Torah were burnt. Did we even feel the pain? Was our reaction anywhere near that of fainting? Can you hear Hashem calling to us children look i'm putting myself into the fire just to protect you! Are we ready to sacrifice anything for His sake?

Mazel Tov to family Hollander on the birth of their adorable little girl.

Parshas Korach

The fifth Perek of Avos deals with numbers- the world was created with ten utterances, ten miracles happened at krias Yam suf and so on. The last few Mishnas of the chapter deal with subjects that apparently are off topic. The 20th Mishna states that any controvery that with a noble purpose- like those of Hillel and Shammai, will in the end endure. But one that is not for a noble purpose- like the argument of Korach, in the end will not endure. What is this Mishna doing in the chapter that deals with the numbers of creation?

The world was created with opposites- dark and light, fire and water, sun and moon etc. The Maharal explains that the reason for this is that we are supposed to be looking at the two opposing forces of nature and through that realize that there is one creater that brings them together to work in harmony. That is why the Mishna regarding machlokes is at the end of the perek that deals with numbers. This teaches that the fact that there are two opinions is a way of the world- just like the ten utterances of creation- and a vital part of Torah study. It is all a way to bring us to believe in Hashem Echod- that only the creator is One. When two people are arguing for the sake of heaven, like Hillel and Shammai, when both opposites are true- 'eylu veylu divrie Elokim chaim', it is that that shows us the Oneness of Hashem. That his Torah is supernatural where two opposite opinions are both true. On the other hand when there is an argument that's for personal gain- like that of Korach, it brings to the forefront that the individual is important and that it is 'I' that makes a difference in the world, that diminishes the kavod of Hashem.

If there is an 'I' in a contoversy it is a clear sign that it intent is personal gain. Hillel and Shammai had no problem getting along peacefully with eachother, even though when you look thru the Mishna they come across as fierce enemies. It all shows that thier arguments did not have a personal agenda, it was pure Torah study. As opposed to Korach (note there is no mention of Moshe in the Mishna) his agenda was why not him, why was he not the one that was chosen. He might of been right that he was ready for the role of leadership in Klal Yisroel but he got caught up in the kovod of it. Just look at the difference between him and Moshe. Moshe spend seven days begging Hashem not to send him, that he was not big enough to lead the holy nation. Korach was the exact opposite he asked why not I? Thus Moshe was able to say "for me and Aron are nothing" we are void of any personal agendas and Korach went down in history as a classic example of machlokas.

Parshas Shelach

Rashi says that the story of the mekoshesh eitzim comes to tell us the downfall of Klal Yisroel. They kept the first Shabbos, but the second Shabbos they were mechalel. (Point to ponder; why was all of Klal Yisroel guilty of chilul Shabbos if only one person was guilty) The Mahral explains that Rashi saw from the Pesukim that the story happened when they were commanded about Shabbos. He asks how does Rashi Know that it happened the second Shabbos and not the first?
The 16th day of Iyar a Sunday, the Mon started to fall. That Friday the 21st of the month a double portion of mon fell and Yisroel was told of the hilchos Shabbos. The posuk tells us that on Shabbos Klal Yisroel went out to look for the Mon and they found none. The Marahal says it was that Shabbos that was the first one that Klal Yisroel rested and is the first time that the seventh day of the week is called Shabbos. Up until Parshas Beshalach- Parshas Hamon- there is no mention of the word Shabbos. The day only got the name Shabbos after klal Yisroel rested on that day. That is what Rashi means when they kept the first Shabbos- for had they not it wouldn't have been Shabbos at all. The first possible Shabbos that the story was able to take place was thus the second Shabbos.
What needs explanation is what does the term Shabbos mean and why was it only applied after Klal Yisroel rested?

The reason we have a Shabbos is to show our belief that Hashem created the world from nothing. The Bnie Noach are also obligated to believe in one G-d, so why is it a Goy that rests on Shabbos is punished by death?
The basic concept of the number seven s that every physical object has six sides- the seventh element is the inside- the hidden, that keeps it together. There are six day of the week and the seventh day- the belief in Hashem, is what keeps the world together. Every single society has a seven day week, nowhere in the world- to my knowledge- did they change that yet. For everyone has this basic belief ingrained in them. Klal Yisroels Shabbos is more then that. When we rest on Shabbos we connect to the source of creation- Hashem! Shabbos takes Klal Yisroel to 'Yom sheculo tov' out of the phyisical and into the world of Hashem. To that world the goyim have no connection. Up untill Klal Yisroel first forged that connection the seventh day was just that- the seventh day. No inherent kedusha, just the fact and belief that there is one G-d. When Klal Yisroel rested that first Shabbos they created a new reality- a reality called Shabbos, one that connects us to Olam Haba and the world of pure spirituality.

Halachic Point to Ponder- Parshas Behaloscha

A huge MAZEL TOV to the Singer family on the birth of their adorable prince. We cannot wait for the shalom zachor and bris. May we share many many simchas together!

Rashi (perek 11;8) says the Mon became ground and cooked- it changed it's physical nature- at the wish of the one eating it. If you wanted a cake all you had to do is want the Mon to taste like cake and so it became. In Parshas Beshalach when we learn of the Mon Moshe tells Klal Yisroel that all their cooking and baking of the mon that was needed for Shabbos should be done by Friday. The Moshav Zekainim (a Baal Tosfes) asks what kind of prohibition was there in cooking and baking Mon? If you were able to make it taste by just thinking of the food you wanted it to be why would that be assur on Shabbos? He answers that when you made it taste to your liking you are liable for the issur tikkun.
The question is what kind of tikkun would you be doing? There are two options and both of them are problematic. It can either be bishul or makeh bepatesh. The definition of the issur bishul is changing the form of an object through the medium of fire. That surely didn't apply here becuase there was no fire involved - only words or thoughts. The Pri Megadim says that one can be liable for makeh bepatesh when preparing food. The Mishna Berurah (simin 318 in the Beir Halacha) brings many proofs that that is not the case and that there is no issur of makeh bepatesh in regard to food preparation. Can we say that the Moshev Zekainim is a proof to the Pri Megadim?

R' Chaim Kanievski (Derech Emunah hilchos Shmita perek 1) raises another point. He ponders if one is permitted to do a melacha if it's not done in a natural teva way. He states a Shela Hakodosh that asks how was Moshe able to write thirteen Sifre Torah the day he died if it was Shabbos? The Shela answers that he didn't write it - he made the Sifre Torah through shaimos- pronounching Hashem's name. You see from there that doing a miraculous act and accomplishing somthing that is assur is permitted on Shabbos. If so the question of the Moshev Zekainim is stronger. What would be the problem with preparing the Mon on Shabbos?

Parshas Naso

Here in Eretz Yisroel this week Shabbos we lien Parshas Naso.
The Torah gives a special blessing to a sotah who is found to be innocent. The Posuk (5;28) states that if she drinks the bitter water and she is pure and innocent she is blessed with children. This woman was someone that definatly wasn't a tzadaikis, she was someone that her husband accused her of the worst and lowliest acts of betryal. Why is it that she is blessed with such a special bracha?
R' Yaakov Kaminetzky answers that the institution of marriage is such that if there is a serious accusition as the one of sotah, naturally there is no way for the peace in the home to return. The Shalom Bais of this couple needs special intervention from above and only a promise from the Torah can restore the peace. The shalom bais of every couple is so important, that even the marriage of this accused woman warrants special attention from Hashem.