There are seven Rabbinical mitzvahs and all are prefaced with the brocha that suggests a Divine command. ‘Asher kiddeshuno bmitzvosov vetzeivanu…’ Nowhere does the Gemora question this concept of Hashem commanding a rabbinical ordained mitzvah. Except Ner Chanukah. The Gemora asks ‘Where did Hashem command us to light Ner Chanukah? (Shabbos 23a).
When the Mishkon was inaugurated the twelve nasiem each brought a set of korbanos to dedicate the Mishkon. Rashi (the beginning of Parshas Behaloscha) says that Ahron was distressed why he wasn’t part of the chanukas hamishkon. Hashem told him that his portion is greater than theirs for he will light the menorah. The Ramban says “Korbanos are limited to the Bais Hamikdash. They can be brought only as long as the Bais Hamikdash stands. This is true with the menorah in the Bais Hamikdash. With the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash came an end to all avodah- including korbanos and Menorah. Kohanim, however still continue to serve even after the churban- they bless Klal Yisroel. Similarly, the Menorah continues even after the churban. This is the Ner of Chanukah that is ongoing even in exile. Hence Ahron’s mitzvah is greater than the Nasiem- for in every generation we light the Menorah. Note that the dedication of the Mishkon is preceded with Birchas Kohanim and followed by reference to Ner Chanukah. These two Mitzvahs continue to proclaim the grandeur of Ahron.”
There is a fundamental difference between these two mitzvah- Birchas Kohanim and Menorah. Birchas Kohanim does not require the Bais Hamikdash it can be said anywhere that there are ten Jews gathered. Not so the Menorah, the Menorah was an avodah of the Bais Hamikdash. Yet the Chachomim took the Menorah of the Bais Hamikdash and gave us an opportunity to bring it into our homes and transform our homes into a sanctuary. The Baal Hamoer explains that this is the reason we cannot derive any pleasure from the Ner Chanukah, for it is the Menorah of the Bais Hamikdash that we are lighting- transferred thru time and space into our own homes. Chanukah is a time when every Jewish home shines with the holy light of the Bais Hamikdash.
The Gemora was never bothered with how the Rabbonim can ordain a new mitzvah. The Gemora’s question of ‘Where did Hashem command us to light Ner Chanukah?’ is, where do we find that the Rabbonim can take the avodah out of the Bais Hamikdash and into our homes.
Adopted from Citadel and Tower by Reb Meir Belsky Volume 2 pg. 157.
May we all be blessed with a lichtiga Chanukah!!
11 December, 2009
26 November, 2009
Parshas Vayaitzai
Avraham referred to the makom hamikdosh as har Hashem- the mountain of Hashem. Yitzchok called that same spot sadeh- a field. In this week's parsha Yaakov calls it bais Elokim- the house of Hashem.
Maseh Avos siman l'bonim- everything that the Torah tells us that transpired to the Avos, is a sign to what their children will go through. Yaakov was the Av that taught us how to live life in golus. He was the one that lived through exile, in a hostile environment and flourished and grew despite the antogonism of Lavan and Esav. We are to learn about the life of Yaakov and learn the lessons of how to live through the long golus.
As Yaakov was leaving Eretz Yisroel- running away from a brother who wanted to kill him, running to live by an uncle who wanted to destroy him- he first stopped at the Makom Hamikdosh to daven. How would he be able to survive the hostilities he was about to face in the house of Lavan- so far from the kedusha of the house of Yitzchok? His hope was to build a house of kedusha for only a house can protect him from the outside influences. His last stop before going into exile was the makom hamikdosh- the source of kedusha in this world. He built himself a house of kedusha in that spot to take along with him on his journey through golus.
אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵֽית־יְהֹוָה כָּל־יְמֵי חַיַּי - Dovid hamelech asks Hashem for one thing- to dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of his life. Isn't that request a bit unrealistic? Dovid had to take care of his kingly duties, to take heed of and solve the problems of the country and of the Jewish people. He had to deal with other kingdoms, meet with his ministers, and make crucial decisions accourding to the will of Hashem. How could he pray to dwell in the house of Hashem ALL the days of his life? Reb. Sarah Schenirer (Carry Me In Your Heart by Pearl Benisch, Feldheim Publisherd- pg. 127) answers: The whole universe is a House of Hashem. Wherever we go, whatever place we occupy, we can make it a dwelling for Hashem. Whatever we do, every day and every minute of our lives, we dwell in Hashem's house if we do everything with His will in mind. Everything we do, say, and feel, in dealing with people or in practicing our professions with honesty and truth according to Hashem's commandments, we dwell in Hashem's House all our lives. Dovid's wish was that he be able to live his life and yet never leave the house of Hashem.
Yaakov was the first one to go into exile. On his way he was taught an important lesson. One can be doing the most mundane things and yet be dwelling in the house of Hashem. Hashem made sure that Yaakov went to sleep at the makom hamikdash, to teach him that if you build a house of Hashem, a house of kedusha- anywhere in the world, anything you do in it- even sleep, if it is done to bring you closer to Hashem, is the highest form of service of Hashem.
Parshas Vayietzai Ponderable Points:
Why is it important for the Torah to tell us the give and take between Yakoov and the shepherds about the rock on top of the well and that Yakoov (The 'ish tam') was able to roll it off himself?
Why did Yakoov offer to work for seven years?
(In the Torah we find we find the concept of working for six- days, years and resting the seventh. Shabbos, Shmitta and eved evrey)
Is there a significance that all the Shvotim where named by their mothers? (With the exception of Levi)
How come Yakoov left Lavans house before his mother called for him, as she said she will?
Maseh Avos siman l'bonim- everything that the Torah tells us that transpired to the Avos, is a sign to what their children will go through. Yaakov was the Av that taught us how to live life in golus. He was the one that lived through exile, in a hostile environment and flourished and grew despite the antogonism of Lavan and Esav. We are to learn about the life of Yaakov and learn the lessons of how to live through the long golus.
As Yaakov was leaving Eretz Yisroel- running away from a brother who wanted to kill him, running to live by an uncle who wanted to destroy him- he first stopped at the Makom Hamikdosh to daven. How would he be able to survive the hostilities he was about to face in the house of Lavan- so far from the kedusha of the house of Yitzchok? His hope was to build a house of kedusha for only a house can protect him from the outside influences. His last stop before going into exile was the makom hamikdosh- the source of kedusha in this world. He built himself a house of kedusha in that spot to take along with him on his journey through golus.
אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהֹוָה אוֹתָהּ אֲבַקֵּשׁ שִׁבְתִּי בְּבֵֽית־יְהֹוָה כָּל־יְמֵי חַיַּי - Dovid hamelech asks Hashem for one thing- to dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of his life. Isn't that request a bit unrealistic? Dovid had to take care of his kingly duties, to take heed of and solve the problems of the country and of the Jewish people. He had to deal with other kingdoms, meet with his ministers, and make crucial decisions accourding to the will of Hashem. How could he pray to dwell in the house of Hashem ALL the days of his life? Reb. Sarah Schenirer (Carry Me In Your Heart by Pearl Benisch, Feldheim Publisherd- pg. 127) answers: The whole universe is a House of Hashem. Wherever we go, whatever place we occupy, we can make it a dwelling for Hashem. Whatever we do, every day and every minute of our lives, we dwell in Hashem's house if we do everything with His will in mind. Everything we do, say, and feel, in dealing with people or in practicing our professions with honesty and truth according to Hashem's commandments, we dwell in Hashem's House all our lives. Dovid's wish was that he be able to live his life and yet never leave the house of Hashem.
Yaakov was the first one to go into exile. On his way he was taught an important lesson. One can be doing the most mundane things and yet be dwelling in the house of Hashem. Hashem made sure that Yaakov went to sleep at the makom hamikdash, to teach him that if you build a house of Hashem, a house of kedusha- anywhere in the world, anything you do in it- even sleep, if it is done to bring you closer to Hashem, is the highest form of service of Hashem.
Parshas Vayietzai Ponderable Points:
Why is it important for the Torah to tell us the give and take between Yakoov and the shepherds about the rock on top of the well and that Yakoov (The 'ish tam') was able to roll it off himself?
Why did Yakoov offer to work for seven years?
(In the Torah we find we find the concept of working for six- days, years and resting the seventh. Shabbos, Shmitta and eved evrey)
Is there a significance that all the Shvotim where named by their mothers? (With the exception of Levi)
How come Yakoov left Lavans house before his mother called for him, as she said she will?
23 November, 2009
Point to Ponder- Tefillah
All brachas in shemona esrah speak of ourselves- Klal Yisroel- in first person, רְפָאֵנוּ- heal us, שְׁמַע קולֵנוּ,- hear our prayers etc. We ask Hashem to help us- me, included in Klal Yisroel. There is one bracha that speaks of Klal Yisroel and yet speaks of Yisroel in third person.רְצֵה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ בְּעַמְּךָ יִשרָאֵל וּבִתְפִלָּתָם .....וְאִשֵּׁי יִשרָאֵל וּתְפִלָּת . Take pleasure in your people and their prayer...
What is different in this bracha that we change the way we relate to ourselves- from first person to third person?
What is different in this bracha that we change the way we relate to ourselves- from first person to third person?
20 November, 2009
Parshas Toldas
Yitzchok and Rivka prayed to be blessed with a child. Both of their tefilos were the same, yet the posuk tells us that Hashem listened to the tefilos of Yitzchok over Rivka. Rashi explains that the tefilos of a tzaddik who is the son of a tzaddik are much more powerful than that of a tzaddik who is the son of a rasha, hence Yitzchok's tefilos were preferred over Rivka's.
The obvious question is: If both were great tzadikim why does it make a difference what their parents were like? Or better yet, Rivka's tefilos should have been more dear to Hashem being that she had to work on herself as opposed to Yitzhock whose greatness came naturally?
I heard the following answer from R' Yakov Salomon (b'shem Rav Dessler Vol 2 pg 205) at the bris of his grandchild, Yeudah Garfinkel- (mazel tov!). For the son of a wicked person- someone who wasn't brought up with the teachings of Hashem- to find hashem on his own is very noteworthy. Though once he finds Hashem the path he takes in serving him comes naturally- for he has nothing to emulate. On the other hand the son of a tzadik knows from the day he was born that there is a creator of the world, yet he still faces great challenges. His challenge is to find his own path in avodas Hashem- not just to serve Hashem the way his father did- rather he has to serve Hashem because that is what he himself feels and knows is right.
We start shemona esrai with 'Elokai Avraham Elokai Yitzchok v'Elokai Yakov'. Why dont we just say 'Elokai Avraham Yitzchok v'Yakov? Why do we preface each of the Avos with Elokai? Avraham found Hashem through the middah of chessed. He realized that Hashem is the fountain of chessed in the world and therefore sought to emulate Him by living a life entirely made up of doing chessed. Yitzchok could've just served hashem the same way, the way he was brought up by his parents- chessed. Yet he went out and found Hashem on his own, through his own middah of gevurah. So too, Yakov found Hashem on his own through the middah of emes. We say 'Elokai' before each Av for each one found Hashem on his own, with his own strenthgh and own personality. It is this that gave us three Avos, each one with his own distinct avodah. All three together form a unit that was able to father Klal Yisroel.
With this in mind we can now understand why Hashem prefers the Tefilos of the Tzaddik the son of a Tzaddik (Yitzchok) over the Tefilos of a Tzaddik the son of a rasha (Rivka).
Thank you Menachem Schwartz from yerushlaim for his input.
The obvious question is: If both were great tzadikim why does it make a difference what their parents were like? Or better yet, Rivka's tefilos should have been more dear to Hashem being that she had to work on herself as opposed to Yitzhock whose greatness came naturally?
I heard the following answer from R' Yakov Salomon (b'shem Rav Dessler Vol 2 pg 205) at the bris of his grandchild, Yeudah Garfinkel- (mazel tov!). For the son of a wicked person- someone who wasn't brought up with the teachings of Hashem- to find hashem on his own is very noteworthy. Though once he finds Hashem the path he takes in serving him comes naturally- for he has nothing to emulate. On the other hand the son of a tzadik knows from the day he was born that there is a creator of the world, yet he still faces great challenges. His challenge is to find his own path in avodas Hashem- not just to serve Hashem the way his father did- rather he has to serve Hashem because that is what he himself feels and knows is right.
We start shemona esrai with 'Elokai Avraham Elokai Yitzchok v'Elokai Yakov'. Why dont we just say 'Elokai Avraham Yitzchok v'Yakov? Why do we preface each of the Avos with Elokai? Avraham found Hashem through the middah of chessed. He realized that Hashem is the fountain of chessed in the world and therefore sought to emulate Him by living a life entirely made up of doing chessed. Yitzchok could've just served hashem the same way, the way he was brought up by his parents- chessed. Yet he went out and found Hashem on his own, through his own middah of gevurah. So too, Yakov found Hashem on his own through the middah of emes. We say 'Elokai' before each Av for each one found Hashem on his own, with his own strenthgh and own personality. It is this that gave us three Avos, each one with his own distinct avodah. All three together form a unit that was able to father Klal Yisroel.
With this in mind we can now understand why Hashem prefers the Tefilos of the Tzaddik the son of a Tzaddik (Yitzchok) over the Tefilos of a Tzaddik the son of a rasha (Rivka).
Thank you Menachem Schwartz from yerushlaim for his input.
02 November, 2009
Parsha Chayai Sorah
When Eliezer went out to find a wife for Yitzchok, he planned a simple 'test' to see which girl would be right for Yitzchok. He would request a drink of water from a girl. If she would give him and then offer his camels to drink, she would surely be the right wife for Yitzchok.
There are two middos that seemingly are the same, but are vastly different- the midda of chesed and that of rachamim. Both look the same, for both involve giving to someone anything that he lacks. Yet the difference is elementary. A baal rachamim dosn't just give out of the goodness in his heart. If a pauper comes his way he feels bad and hurt for the fellow and helps him accordingly. As much mercy as he has on the poor man, that's how much he will help him- he is there to fill the needs of others. A baal chesed on the other hand is much greater. He is someone that feels a need to give, a need to help others. This need stems from his own feeling that he must give and goes out to find people that he can do favors for. That was the middah of Avraham- chessed. On a scorching hot day he sat outside looking and running after guests- for he felt a need to give and couldn't rest unless he was helping someone else. Eliezer was looking for someone who was ready to join the house of Avraham and the most important quality she had to posses was that of chessed. He devised a plan to see if the girl was a baalas rachamim or was she on the higher level of a baalas chessed. He would ask her for a drink - if she was a baalas rachamim she would gladly offer him- a wary travler- some water to drink. But he was looking for much more. He wanted to see if she would go the extra mile and do extra for him. Would she out do her duty and find a way to give more- was she a baalas chessed? If she offered the camels a drink also, she did more then she was asked- then she was the right one to join the house of chessed.
In the zemiros of Friday night we say, דורשי יי זרע אברהם אוהבו. המאחרים לצאת מן השבת וממהרים לבא
Why do we refer to Klal Yisroel as the children of Avraham when we say that they anxiously wait for Shabbos to begin?
All mitzvahs have an exact time and place when and how they can and should be done. We have no right to add or subtract fom any mitzvah. We don't have permission to do a mitzvah more then we are told to do just because we want to do more - it is baal tosef. The only mitzvah we could add to is Shabbos. We can accept Shabbos a little early and extend it a few hours into the night after nightfall- the mitzva of Tosfes Shabbos. That is the way we show Hashem that we serve him not because we are told, but rather because it's what we really want to do- our middah of chessed in doing mitzvahs. The middah of Avraham is what gave us the zechus of Tosfes Shabbos.
Lzchus refuah shleima for Shaindel bas Golda
There are two middos that seemingly are the same, but are vastly different- the midda of chesed and that of rachamim. Both look the same, for both involve giving to someone anything that he lacks. Yet the difference is elementary. A baal rachamim dosn't just give out of the goodness in his heart. If a pauper comes his way he feels bad and hurt for the fellow and helps him accordingly. As much mercy as he has on the poor man, that's how much he will help him- he is there to fill the needs of others. A baal chesed on the other hand is much greater. He is someone that feels a need to give, a need to help others. This need stems from his own feeling that he must give and goes out to find people that he can do favors for. That was the middah of Avraham- chessed. On a scorching hot day he sat outside looking and running after guests- for he felt a need to give and couldn't rest unless he was helping someone else. Eliezer was looking for someone who was ready to join the house of Avraham and the most important quality she had to posses was that of chessed. He devised a plan to see if the girl was a baalas rachamim or was she on the higher level of a baalas chessed. He would ask her for a drink - if she was a baalas rachamim she would gladly offer him- a wary travler- some water to drink. But he was looking for much more. He wanted to see if she would go the extra mile and do extra for him. Would she out do her duty and find a way to give more- was she a baalas chessed? If she offered the camels a drink also, she did more then she was asked- then she was the right one to join the house of chessed.
In the zemiros of Friday night we say, דורשי יי זרע אברהם אוהבו. המאחרים לצאת מן השבת וממהרים לבא
Why do we refer to Klal Yisroel as the children of Avraham when we say that they anxiously wait for Shabbos to begin?
All mitzvahs have an exact time and place when and how they can and should be done. We have no right to add or subtract fom any mitzvah. We don't have permission to do a mitzvah more then we are told to do just because we want to do more - it is baal tosef. The only mitzvah we could add to is Shabbos. We can accept Shabbos a little early and extend it a few hours into the night after nightfall- the mitzva of Tosfes Shabbos. That is the way we show Hashem that we serve him not because we are told, but rather because it's what we really want to do- our middah of chessed in doing mitzvahs. The middah of Avraham is what gave us the zechus of Tosfes Shabbos.
Lzchus refuah shleima for Shaindel bas Golda
30 October, 2009
Parshas Lech Lecha
Parshas Noach opens with an introduction to who Noach was and why he deserved to be chosen by Hashem. Parshas Lech Lecha jumps straight into the story of Avraham and fails to tell us what Avraham did and why he was chosen by Hashem.
Adam was created by the hands of Hashem and his neshoma was the highest and most pure. Adam didn't have to be chosen to be the first man, by default he was the first man - it wasn't possible to have prior merits.
Since Adam's creation every human has to work on himself and create himself, in order to be special and find favor in the eyes of Hashem. The Maharal says that is true for everyone except for Avraham. Noach had to merit to be the one to be saved from the mabul and be the one that rebuilt the world. Avraham was created special and prechosen to be the one to start the nation of Yisroel. Just like Adam was a new creation not like anything that preceeded him, so too Avraham as the father of Klal Yisroel had to be a total new creation created from the very start for the purpose of being Hashem's children.
Happy birthday to Yakov Simcha K.!
Adam was created by the hands of Hashem and his neshoma was the highest and most pure. Adam didn't have to be chosen to be the first man, by default he was the first man - it wasn't possible to have prior merits.
Since Adam's creation every human has to work on himself and create himself, in order to be special and find favor in the eyes of Hashem. The Maharal says that is true for everyone except for Avraham. Noach had to merit to be the one to be saved from the mabul and be the one that rebuilt the world. Avraham was created special and prechosen to be the one to start the nation of Yisroel. Just like Adam was a new creation not like anything that preceeded him, so too Avraham as the father of Klal Yisroel had to be a total new creation created from the very start for the purpose of being Hashem's children.
Happy birthday to Yakov Simcha K.!
21 October, 2009
Parshas Noach
וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה--לֹא יִשְׁבֹּתוּ. The Gemora learns from this verse that a Ben Noach who rests on Shabbos is punishable by death.
We know that the Avos observed the entire Torah before it was given. What did they do on Shabbos- if they rested on Shabbos, as a Ben Noach they would have been guilty of death?
The Panim Yafos answers: The issur for a Ben Noach to rest on Shabbos is 'Yomam Vlayla'- day and then night as the words of the posuk go. While Shabbos for Yisroel is night before day. The Avos did melacha on the night of Shabbos (Motzei Shabbos), thus avoiding the problem of a Ben Noach resting on Shabbos. (The problem would arise if Yom Kippur fell on a Sunday and no melacha is permitted motzei Shabbos - R' Akiva Eiger deals with this issue)
The Aruch L'ner (Tshuvas Binyan Tzion 126) says that this question is a relevant halachic question. He states a case where a child is found and we don't know if it's a Jew or not. The Rambam says that he has to keep the stringencies of a Jew. The question is what does this person do on Shabbos? The Aruch L'ner says that the Panim Yafos's deduction from the posuk- that the Shabbos of a ben Noach is day before night, is not accurate. The wording of the posuk cannot be taken literal to mean that the prohibition is only day before night. We know that night comes before day, from the pesukim in Bereishis 'Vayihi erev vayihi boker'- night before day. Since that was said at the time of creation it applies to all of creation- including a Ben Noach. The Posuk of Yomam Vlayla does not come to teach us that in this case the opposite is true. For in most places in tanach we find reference to the day before night, because the day is more important then night. Only four places in all of Tanach is the order reversed- night before day- and each has a specific reason for it. The Aruch L'ner has a different solution. On shabbos we must rest from 'melocha'- work. How do we define work? The basic defenition is 'to exert oneself by doing mental or physical work'- strenuous activity. If that were the case then it would be assur to move a heavy object across a room, while walking out of your house into a public domain with a key in your pocket would be totally permitted. Yet we know the opposite to be true. To Klal Yisroel the meaning of melocha was defined by the mishkon- work that was done to build the mishkon remains assur on Shabbos. We got that definition when we recieved the Torah. Since the Bnei Noach didn't receive the Torah and it's new definition of melocha, they are prohibited from doing melocha in its most literal translation- strenuous work. The solution for someone that dosn't know if he is jewish would be to move something heavy in a private domain. It's a melocha for a Ben Noach to be working and yet as a Yisroel he wouldn't be guilty of transgressing Shabbos. The flip side of this is that a Ben Noach that walks out of his house with a key in his pocket will still be called resting on Shabbos and thus deserving of death.
A huge Mazel Tov to the Ginzberg family on the birth of a baby boy!
And a huge Mazel Tov to a loyal reader and commenter- MFS- C. Neuhoff and family and the entire Edelstein family on the birth of their little princess!
We know that the Avos observed the entire Torah before it was given. What did they do on Shabbos- if they rested on Shabbos, as a Ben Noach they would have been guilty of death?
The Panim Yafos answers: The issur for a Ben Noach to rest on Shabbos is 'Yomam Vlayla'- day and then night as the words of the posuk go. While Shabbos for Yisroel is night before day. The Avos did melacha on the night of Shabbos (Motzei Shabbos), thus avoiding the problem of a Ben Noach resting on Shabbos. (The problem would arise if Yom Kippur fell on a Sunday and no melacha is permitted motzei Shabbos - R' Akiva Eiger deals with this issue)
The Aruch L'ner (Tshuvas Binyan Tzion 126) says that this question is a relevant halachic question. He states a case where a child is found and we don't know if it's a Jew or not. The Rambam says that he has to keep the stringencies of a Jew. The question is what does this person do on Shabbos? The Aruch L'ner says that the Panim Yafos's deduction from the posuk- that the Shabbos of a ben Noach is day before night, is not accurate. The wording of the posuk cannot be taken literal to mean that the prohibition is only day before night. We know that night comes before day, from the pesukim in Bereishis 'Vayihi erev vayihi boker'- night before day. Since that was said at the time of creation it applies to all of creation- including a Ben Noach. The Posuk of Yomam Vlayla does not come to teach us that in this case the opposite is true. For in most places in tanach we find reference to the day before night, because the day is more important then night. Only four places in all of Tanach is the order reversed- night before day- and each has a specific reason for it. The Aruch L'ner has a different solution. On shabbos we must rest from 'melocha'- work. How do we define work? The basic defenition is 'to exert oneself by doing mental or physical work'- strenuous activity. If that were the case then it would be assur to move a heavy object across a room, while walking out of your house into a public domain with a key in your pocket would be totally permitted. Yet we know the opposite to be true. To Klal Yisroel the meaning of melocha was defined by the mishkon- work that was done to build the mishkon remains assur on Shabbos. We got that definition when we recieved the Torah. Since the Bnei Noach didn't receive the Torah and it's new definition of melocha, they are prohibited from doing melocha in its most literal translation- strenuous work. The solution for someone that dosn't know if he is jewish would be to move something heavy in a private domain. It's a melocha for a Ben Noach to be working and yet as a Yisroel he wouldn't be guilty of transgressing Shabbos. The flip side of this is that a Ben Noach that walks out of his house with a key in his pocket will still be called resting on Shabbos and thus deserving of death.
A huge Mazel Tov to the Ginzberg family on the birth of a baby boy!
And a huge Mazel Tov to a loyal reader and commenter- MFS- C. Neuhoff and family and the entire Edelstein family on the birth of their little princess!
14 October, 2009
Parshas Bereishis
The shir of Shabbos begins with an introduction מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת this is the shir of Shabbos. (Point to ponder: why doesn't any other shir shel yom start with the same introduction?) If you read and learn the rest of the chapter you will not find a single reference to Shabbos. How did this chapter become the chapter of Shabbos? Why when you say this chapter, do some poskim hold that you were mekabel Shabbos?
Let us learn the chapter of Tehilim to get a better understanding. טוֹב לְהֹדוֹת לַיהֹוָה וּלְזַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ עֶלְיֽוֹן- everything Hashem does is perfect and should be praised. לְהַגִּיד בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְֽדֶּךָ - in the dawn when everything is bright, tell the world of Hashem's chesed. וֶאֱמֽוּנָֽתְךָ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת- when it's dark and there's no hope in sight, talk of your faith in Him. Dovid Hamelech goes on to answer the question that has bothered everyone since Moshe: בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּֽמוֹ עֵשֶׂב - Why do the wicked florish? Why is it that the evil can enjoy the world while the rightous suffer? To this King Dovid answers: לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָם עֲדֵי־עַֽד - they will be lost forever. The wicked enjoy this world for it is all they have, they don't have a part in the world to come. צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה- The righteous don't need the pleasures of this world. שְׁתוּלִים בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה בְּחַצְרוֹת אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ - they will florish and enjoy the house of Hashem in the world to come. The theme of the mizmor is perfection. If you look at the world through Hashem's lens you will not see any bad in the world- every good deed is payed in full, while no bad deed will go unaccounted for. We just dont have the eyes to see it and sometimes we need to rely on our faith, לְהַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁר יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְֽלֹא עַוְלָתָה בּֽוֹ - that all of Hashems ways are perfect.
The final posuk of the six days of creation- the posuk that ushered in the first Shabbos is: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, וְהִנֵּה-טוֹב מְאֹד - Hashem looked at the entire creation, at everthing that will ever traspire in the world- the yetzar tov and the yetzar horah, the good and the evil, everything- and it was very good- perfect. וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי - with that knowledge the world was ready to enter Shabbos. Shabbos is 'Yom shekulo tov' the day when all in the world is perfect, a day that we leave all of our worries of the week and we enter the world of Hashem- the world of perfection.
What is a more appropriate shir to welcome the Shabbos then the shir that sings of the perfection of the world?
Adopted from Pachad Yitzchok- Shabbos mamer 2.
Let us learn the chapter of Tehilim to get a better understanding. טוֹב לְהֹדוֹת לַיהֹוָה וּלְזַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ עֶלְיֽוֹן- everything Hashem does is perfect and should be praised. לְהַגִּיד בַּבֹּקֶר חַסְֽדֶּךָ - in the dawn when everything is bright, tell the world of Hashem's chesed. וֶאֱמֽוּנָֽתְךָ בַּלֵּילֽוֹת- when it's dark and there's no hope in sight, talk of your faith in Him. Dovid Hamelech goes on to answer the question that has bothered everyone since Moshe: בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּֽמוֹ עֵשֶׂב - Why do the wicked florish? Why is it that the evil can enjoy the world while the rightous suffer? To this King Dovid answers: לְהִשָּֽׁמְדָם עֲדֵי־עַֽד - they will be lost forever. The wicked enjoy this world for it is all they have, they don't have a part in the world to come. צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּֽה- The righteous don't need the pleasures of this world. שְׁתוּלִים בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה בְּחַצְרוֹת אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַפְרִֽיחוּ - they will florish and enjoy the house of Hashem in the world to come. The theme of the mizmor is perfection. If you look at the world through Hashem's lens you will not see any bad in the world- every good deed is payed in full, while no bad deed will go unaccounted for. We just dont have the eyes to see it and sometimes we need to rely on our faith, לְהַגִּיד כִּֽי־יָשָׁר יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְֽלֹא עַוְלָתָה בּֽוֹ - that all of Hashems ways are perfect.
The final posuk of the six days of creation- the posuk that ushered in the first Shabbos is: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, וְהִנֵּה-טוֹב מְאֹד - Hashem looked at the entire creation, at everthing that will ever traspire in the world- the yetzar tov and the yetzar horah, the good and the evil, everything- and it was very good- perfect. וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי - with that knowledge the world was ready to enter Shabbos. Shabbos is 'Yom shekulo tov' the day when all in the world is perfect, a day that we leave all of our worries of the week and we enter the world of Hashem- the world of perfection.
What is a more appropriate shir to welcome the Shabbos then the shir that sings of the perfection of the world?
Adopted from Pachad Yitzchok- Shabbos mamer 2.
08 October, 2009
Simchas Torah
R' Moshe Weintraub (a rebbi in Torah Vodaath) once said: The world says that mikvah is a big mitzva, for it encompasses all of your body without a separation. Succah is a bigger mitzva for you enter your succah even with your muddy clothing. I say that simcha is the biggest mitzva, for you can sit in a succah and yet your mind can be somewhere else, whereas when you are besimcha your entire mind is filled with simcha.
We can say that this refers to the days of Tishrai. Yom Kipper is like a mikvah, for there is nothing that separates us from Hashem on that day. On Succos we come into our succah with our muddy clothing. The climax of Tishrai is Simchas Torah when all of our mind in filled with simcha. We have no mitzvas execpt to fill our minds with happiness.
Mazel Tov to a dear reader (I hope) Luzy Steinmetz on the birth of a baby girl!
We can say that this refers to the days of Tishrai. Yom Kipper is like a mikvah, for there is nothing that separates us from Hashem on that day. On Succos we come into our succah with our muddy clothing. The climax of Tishrai is Simchas Torah when all of our mind in filled with simcha. We have no mitzvas execpt to fill our minds with happiness.
Mazel Tov to a dear reader (I hope) Luzy Steinmetz on the birth of a baby girl!
02 October, 2009
Sukkos
We end Neilah with the recitation of the posuk "Hashem hu haElokim" seven times. (R' C. Kompel claims that throughout Tanach we find the words "Hashem Hu Elokim" exactly seven times!) The Levush explains that at the end of Yom Kippur we escort Hashem back to his heavenly throne. We recite the verse seven times to escort Hashem through the seven heavens.
When you escort someone you don't just watch him walk off, you walk with him. Yom Kippur ends with us walking Hashem through the heavens to his throne. It is there- at Hashem's side- that we begin the Yom Tov Sukkos. When we sit in the Sukka we are sitting in Hashem's shadow, being embrached by Him- the place where we escorted him on Yom Kippur. My Shvugger Zalmen Leib told me a insight into the Ushpizen that he heard from R' Aron Fogel. What is special about Sukkos that we greet the Ushpizen into our sukka? When we are seated near Hashem in the heavens - which is where our Sukkas are located- who do we expect to meet? - the ones that mingle there all the time, the Ushpizen. They aren't guests at our table, rather we are guests in their world.
When you escort someone you don't just watch him walk off, you walk with him. Yom Kippur ends with us walking Hashem through the heavens to his throne. It is there- at Hashem's side- that we begin the Yom Tov Sukkos. When we sit in the Sukka we are sitting in Hashem's shadow, being embrached by Him- the place where we escorted him on Yom Kippur. My Shvugger Zalmen Leib told me a insight into the Ushpizen that he heard from R' Aron Fogel. What is special about Sukkos that we greet the Ushpizen into our sukka? When we are seated near Hashem in the heavens - which is where our Sukkas are located- who do we expect to meet? - the ones that mingle there all the time, the Ushpizen. They aren't guests at our table, rather we are guests in their world.
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