שבת טעם החיים תולדות תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Toldos 5770
Blessings unlimited
Introduction
So he drew close and kissed him; he smelled the fragrance of his garments and blessed him; he said, “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which HaShem had blessed.” (Bereishis 27:27)
In this week’s parasha the Torah records the blessings that Yitzchak conferred on his son Yaakov. The Torah states that when Esav returned from his hunt and discovered that Yaakov had received the blessings, he cried out to Yitzchak in distress. It is said (Bereishis 27:34-36) kishmoa Esav es divrei aviv vayitzak tzeakah gedolah umarah ad meod vayomer liaviv barcheini gam ani avi vayomer ba achicha bimirmah vayikach birchasecha vayomer hachi kara shemo Yaakov vayaakveini zeh paamaim es bechorasi lakach vihinei atah lakach birchasi vayomar halo atzalta li beracha, when Esav heard his father’s words, he cried out an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me too, Father!” But he said, “Your brother came with cleverness and took your blessing.” He said, “Is it because his name was called Yaakov that he outwitted me these two times? – He took away my birthright and see, now he took away my blessing!” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” It is noteworthy that Esav felt that because Yaakov had received the blessings, there was no blessing remaining for him. Indeed, Yitzchak ultimately blessed him that the fatness of the earth shall be his dwelling and with the dew of the heavens. Additionally, Yitzchak informed Esav that he would live by the sword. Rashi cites the Medrash that states that Yitzchak told Esav that if Yaakov would falter in Torah study, Esav would be victorious over Yaakov. Yet, the fact remains that Esav did not receive a true blessing, as Yitzchak had bestowed all the blessings upon Yaakov. Let us understand how it was possible for Yaakov to receive all the blessings and Esav was left with nothing.
Blessing means that HaShem, the Source of all blessing, is unlimited
The definition of bracha is that HaShem is the Source of all blessings. This means that blessing is unlimited, as HaShem is unlimited in His powers. Esav was the firstborn and was deserving of receive the blessings from Yitzchak. However, Esav scorned the birthright when he sold it to Yaakov for a bowl of lentils. When Esav complained to Yitzchak that “He took away my birthright and see, now he took away my blessing!” he was actually stating the truth of the situation that he himself had created. By allowing Yaakov to receive the birthright, Esav was declaring that he was no longer worthy of HaShem’s unlimited blessings. Thus, Esav understood that there was no room for him to receive any blessing. The only opportunity for Esav to enter the realm of blessing, i.e. unlimited abundance, is when Yaakov falters.
Esav is limited and Yaakov is unlimited
The Pinei Menachem notes that the Gemara (Taanis 5b) states that Yaakov never died. Thus, Yaakov lives for eternity. Esav, on the other hand, declared (Bereishis 25:32) “look, I am going to die, so of what use to me is a birthright?” Esav sealed his own fate by declaring that his life was limited, essentially cutting himself off from all blessing.
The Shabbos connection
It is said (Shir HaShirim7:12) licho dodi neitzei hasadeh, come, my Beloved, let us go to the fields. The Pinei Menachem cites the Arizal who interpreted this to mean that on Shabbos the wilderness is transformed into a field. A wilderness is an ownerless area, and similarly, Esav conducted himself in a lawless manner. The Zohar states that there are various types of fields. The fields of Shabbos and the Bais HaMikdash are fields where holiness and blessings are found. When Yaakov kissed Yitzchak, it is said (Bereishis 27:27) vayigash vayishak lo vayarach es reiach bigadav vayivarcheihu vayomer rieh reiach bini kireiach sadeh asher beiracho HaShem, so he drew close and kissed him; he smelled the fragrance of his garments and blessed him; he said, “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which HaShem had blessed.” Yitzchak blessed Yaakov with the blessing of Shabbos and the Bais HaMikdash. Shabbos is unlimited in time and the Bais HaMikdash is unlimited in space. When we prepare for Shabbos properly, we are demonstrating that we are worthy of receiving HaShem’s unlimited bounty. Rivka ensured that her son Yaakov would receive the unlimited blessing of HaShem, and every week we can afford ourselves of the opportunity to receive those blessings.
Shabbos Stories
Rav Shlomo Zalman of Vilna ZT”L--Brother of Rav Chaim of Volozhin
by David Hoffman
This article originally appeared in Yated Neeman, Monsey NY. and is posted here with their permission
5516/1756-5548/1782
Rav Zalman was born in Volozhin in 5516/1756, the son of Rav Yitzchak; this was seven years after the birth of his elder brother, Rav Chaim of Volozhin. There is little doubt that had he not tragically passed away at the age of 32 he would have been no less well-known than his illustrious brother.
EARLY STARTER
Rav Zalman was an early starter – at the age of one his mother taught him to say shehakol before drinking milk. After his father sent him to cheder at two and a half years, he developed such an overwhelming love for the alef-beis that he carried a sefer with him everywhere, reading all its alefs from cover to cover, and then all its beises and so on.
Rav Chaim of Volozhin related how his four year old brother once saw his parents preparing a siyum for his older brother, Rav Simcha, who had learned the entire Mishnayos by heart.
“My brother Rav Simcha may know this small sefer by heart,” he announced, “pointing to a miniature Mishnayos on the table, “but I will one day know every sefer by heart whether small or large.” Noticing that his parents were surprised at this outburst, Rav Zalman continued, “Why are you surprised? Didn’t I learn the entire Torah and engrave it on my heart before the angel forced me to forget it? Similarly, I can be confident in my ability to remember and am certain that if I learn and review the Torah sufficiently it will be embedded in me my whole life.”
At eight years old it seemed his premonition was correct when his cheder rebbe tested him on Maseches Sukkah and discovered that he knew every masechta being learnt in the cheder.
Far from being a mere intellectual, the youngster utilized his lomdus to enhance the avodas HaShem of himself and other people. One Erev Yom Kippur he noticed that someone was refusing to forgive someone who was asking his mechillah.
Striding over to the offended party Rav Zalman said to him, “You know Chazal’s statement that Yerushalayim was only destroyed because people insisted on doing their affairs strictly according to din Torah (and would not compromise)? This is puzzling as sefer Yechezkel lists far more serious transgressions. How can Chazal blame the Churban on people refusing to compromise?
“The answer is that had people been willing to compromise HaShem would have passed over their sins because Chazal (Rosh Hashanah 17) say, ‘Whoever passes over his character traits (and doesn’t insist on having things his way), they pass over his sins, etc.’ However, because the people insisted on going according to the letter of the law, HaShem, too, went according to the letter of the law and punished them immediately.” Catching the hint, the offended person immediately forgave the other person with all his heart.
Rav Zalman always learned with immense concentration. Years later he went to a wedding of one of Rav Chaim of Volozhin’s children and Rav Chaim told him he would send some musicians to his room to play for him. The musicians arrived and began playing before Rav Zalman as he sat and murmured in learning. Later, when Rav Chaim came to the room after the musicians had left, Rav Zalman asked him, “You said you would send musicians to my room. Why haven’t you sent them?” At weddings he would dance with great simcha with the chosson and he would dance a “mitzvah tantz” with the kallah, (something only chassidim do today).
COMPUTER MIND
At the age of about fourteen, Rav Zalman knew the major sefarim by heart including the Chumash and Tanach with their various Targumim, the Bavli and Yerushalmi, various Medrashim, the Rambam, the Turim, the Zohar and the Tikunim. His mind was like a computer from which he could extract abstruse information at a moment’s notice.
For example, when someone mentioned that there is a certain mitzvah that a person will never achieve if he pursues it, but only if he removes it from his mind, Rav Zalman told him that this was the mitzvah of not going back for forgotten sheaves. Because the Tosefta (Peiah chapter 2) talks about a chassid who forgot a sheaf in his field and said to his son, ‘Go and offer a bull as a burnt offering for me and a bull as a peace offering.’ His son said to him, ‘Why are you happier with this mitzvah than all the mitzvos in the Torah?’
The Tosefta explains that the chassid was joyful because this mitzvah can never be performed deliberately, but only if one forgets a sheaf in one’s field as it says, “When you forget a sheaf in a field.”
On another occasion, someone wanted to know the location of the only two places where the Rambam mentions a Tanna or Amora in his Yad Hachazaka. Rav Zalman promptly informed him that the Rambam mentions the Tanna Hillel in Hilchos Tefillin (2:11), and the Amora Rava in Hilchos Toein Venitan (8:4,10).
Despite his fluency in the entire Torah, Rav Zalman placed special importance on the careful study of Tanach because it encapsulates everything.
“When I was still only learning Torah and Nach,” he said, “I knew that their light is limitless but they were basically closed books because their statements are brief and their keys are given to the baalei kabalah (of the Oral Torah). But when I learnt the Bavli, Yerushalmi and suchlike…, the works of Chazal were like open windows that illuminated the light of the Torah… Because the verses are brief and contain piles and piles of halachos, when I reviewed a short parsha of the Torah, it would sometimes help me remember hundreds of halachos and more.”
As an example, someone once asked him, “Where does the Torah hint at the Halacha (Demai chapter 5) that even though we do not trust an ignoramus who said that he tithed his produce, on Shabbos we believe him because the awe of Shabbos is upon him?”
“This law is hinted in the first word of the Torah,” Rav Zalman answered. “The Tikunei Zohar (tikun teshi’i) writes that the letters of Bereishis can be rearranged to read yarei Shabbos (awe of Shabbos).”
Rav Zalman utilized his immense knowledge to ensure that everything he did was in accordance with Chazal.
For example, he once rebuked someone for speaking divrei chullin on Shabbos and the person explained that he had actually been discussing a certain mitzvah. After asking his forgiveness, Rav Zalman blessed the man with the text of Birkas Kohanim. Noticing that the people around were surprised at this, he explained that the Gemara (Brachos 31) explicitly says that someone who suspects his fellow unfoundedly must not only appease him but also bless him.
Once when he was sitting before the Vilna Gaon, the Gaon said that according to his opinion, pidyon bechor should be done with five thalers of the kind used in Lithuania because we go after the coin used during one’s time. Immediately, Rav Zalman removed a coin from his upper garment, handed it to a kohen, and stated, “I am giving this to you for the redemption of my first born son who passed away a few years ago!”
THE BURNT DOCUMENTS
Although one might think that Rav Zalman had little knowledge of the goings on of this world as he was always totally immersed in Torah, Rav Chaim of Volozhin explained that this was not so. True, Rav Zalman was initially unsure how to interpret the Gemara’s statement (Yuma 19), “The rabbis taught, And you shall talk in them, etc. (Devarim 6:7), and not in other things.” Does this mean that one is never allowed speak other things at all, or does it only mean that one should not speak other things when one has the opportunity to speak in Torah? Rav Chaim answers that in a place where one is not permitted to speak in Torah one may speak other things.
Rav Zalman eventually decided leniently, and thus when he was in the bathhouse where he could not learn in any case, he would discuss world events and trade on a high intellectual level. He explained that there is no learned or ethical idea that is not mentioned in our holy Torah.
For example, some merchants were once discussing how a Jewish merchant on a journey suspected that his wagon driver wanted to murder him in order to steal his securities. What did he do? He took his flint box and burnt the documents to ashes.
“A similar episode is mentioned in the Rivash,” said Rav Zalman, and he proceeded to relate the relevant Rivash by heart.
A merchant once went on a voyage, placing a box (full of money and jewels) in his cabin. Suddenly he heard sailors whispering to each other, ‘When we reach the high seas we will throw the merchant into the sea and take his box!’ What did the merchant do? He pretended to quarrel with his companions on the boat regarding who owned the valuables inside the chest and in the middle of the fight he took the box and tossed it into the sea declaring, “Now neither you nor I will possess them!”
Back on dry land the merchant summoned the sailors to a trial complaining that he had been forced to throw his possessions into the sea because of their plot to kill him. After ruling that they must recompense his loss, the judge asked the merchant, “Tell me, where did you get the wonderful idea of throwing your chest into the sea?”
“I learnt it from King Shlomo,” the merchant replied. “He writes (Koheles 3:6), A time to seek and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away. When I heard the sailors plotting to murder me for my property I thought that this was an opportune time to throw it away.”
After citing similar examples Rav Zalman concluded that there is no wisdom not included in our holy Torah.
Rav Zalman was involved in Torah to such an extent that he never asked for things explicitly but hinted at what he wanted through a verse or statement of Chazal. Thus when he wanted to eat he might cite R. Yossi (Taanis 22) who says, “And man became living soul (Bereishis 20:7) – keep the soul I gave you alive!” When he mentioned the derush of Chazal, “And behold it was very good (ibid 1:31) – this is sleep,” his attendant understood that it was time to prepare his bed. Incidentally, he always slept with gloves so that he could learn the moment he awoke before washing his hands.
On one occasion it seemed that Rav Zalman had broken this rule when he handed someone two coins and asked him to buy him some honey cakes. However, Rav Zalman explained that his mother had ordered him to eat honey cakes two hours before lunch every day (in order to strengthen his health). Therefore sending someone to buy the cakes was an act of kibud av that he could mention explicitly.
CONSTANT REVIEW
Despite his phenomenal memory and vast knowledge, Rav Zalman never ceased reviewing his learning. Someone once witnessed him striding back and forth reviewing with such enthusiasm that merely hearing him inflamed people with love of Torah.
“How many times have you reviewed this topic?” he asked Rav Zalman.
“About two hundred and fifty times,” he answered
When the Vilna Gaon once explained one of the replies of Iyov’s friends, Rav Zalman rejoiced over the shiur as if he had received all the pleasures of the world. The following day however, when the Gaon began to explain a second reply, he noticed that Rav Zalman seemed upset about something.
“What are you bothered about?” he asked him. “Do you find some fault in what I am saying?”
“I haven’t reviewed the answer you said yesterday a hundred and one times,” replied Rav Zalman. “So how can I be sitting here listening to your explanation of the other answers?”
Someone once noticed Rav Zalman reviewing something about three hundred times and then reviewing it even more times a short time afterward.
“Why is this necessary?” he asked him.
“Chazal describe someone learning something four times and feeling that it was lying in his pocket,” he replied. “Why do they specifically describe it as lying in one’s pocket and not use the more common expression of lying in a box? This hints at Chazal’s rule that a person is predisposed to feel in his pocket all the time (to make sure he has not lost what is inside). Chazal are saying that even when a person has learnt four or five times, his learning is lying in his pocket and he must still ‘feel’ it all the time to ensure that it is not lost through forgetfulness. (This idea was probably from the Gaon)
Despite his immense Torah wisdom Rav Zalman renounced every form of honor. One Seder night he asked a guest why he was not reclining for the wine and matzah.
“You are a rav like an angel of HaShem, and I am not worthy to collect dry bones from beneath your table of wisdom, so how can I recline without your permission?” replied the guest.
“Oy, how you have upset me by raising me from my lowly status and placing my nest among the stars,” complained Rav Zalman, and striding back and forth he repeated a number of statements of Chazal that denigrate pride.
“A rav he calls me?” he laughed afterwards. “I am not a rav and not a teacher… If I compare what I know to what I do not know, I know nothing!”
THE VILNA GAON’S SOLUTION
On one occasion Rav Zalman regarded his immense reputation as a liability. Rav Chaim related that this happened after someone told Rav Zalman a ridiculous chiddush to which he expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms.
Immediately, he regretted having spoken so bluntly and shed bitter tears, but it was too late, the stranger had disappeared. Rav Zalman spent days searching for him in shuls and market places but to no avail. By now he was almost sick with concern. In order to alleviate his pain, his father-in-law asked someone to go to Rav Zalman under the pretense of being the humiliated stranger and forgive him. Although momentarily overjoyed, Rav Zalman immediately saw through the hoax and forced the man to admit that he was an imposter. Now matters were worse than ever.
“What hope is there for me?” Rav Zalman moaned, shedding a flood of tears. “Even Yom Kippur cannot atone for a sin like this until I appease the offended person.”
When the Gaon heard what was happening he sent for Rav Zalman and cited the Gemara (Sukkah 52) where R. Yehoshua ben Levi says that man’s evil inclination rises up against him every day and seeks to kill him as it says (Tehillim 36:32), “The wicked one waits for the tzaddik and seeks to kill him, and if the Holy One did not help him it would not conquer him as it says, HaShem will not leave him in his hands.”
“The last part of this statement is telling us more than HaShem’s chesed at saving us from the yetzer hara. It is also telling us that man’s duty is only to do all he can to fight the evil inclination; but once he has done his utmost HaShem will grant him heavenly assistance.
“HaShem knows that you have done everything possible,” the Gaon concluded. “Now He will send His help, and he has several ways of returning people to the truth and good they are seeking.”
Then, opening the Chovos Halevavos, the Gaon showed him what is written there in shaar hateshuvah (chapter 10):
“If a person did evil to his fellow, to his body or his property, the Creator will introduce will and love into his heart so that he forgives that which he sinned against him as it says (Mishlei 16:7), When a man’s ways please HaShem, even his enemies will make peace with him.”
Because Rav Zalman regarded every word the Gaon said as ruach hakodesh, he took comfort from his words and his cloud of misery dispelled.
While still a young man, Rav Zalman became critically ill and passed away at the age of 32 in 5548/1782. During his last hours he lay in bed reading Tehillim despite his exhaustion.
“Isn’t this an explicit Gemara?” he explained. “Citing the verse, This is the Torah when a man dies in a tent (Bamidbar 19), R. Yonasan (Shabbos 83) explains, ‘A person should not hold back from Divrei Torah even at the time of death.”
During his last minutes, he painfully hauled himself out of bed stood in one place for a short while and then walked four amos with the help of a cane (after carefully ascertaining that the owner of the cane had given him permission). This was in order to fulfill for the last time Chazal’s injunction (Kesuvos 111) that a person should spend “a third (of the time) sitting, a third standing and a third walking.”
Thousands of Jews mourned the tragedy of his passing. Rav Zalman, who could have helped direct the spiritual future of Klal Yisroel, had been cut off in his prime.
May his memory be a blessing.
Source: *Feivel, Rav Yechezkel. Toldos Adam. *a nephew of Rav Chaim of Volozhin.)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Toldos 5770
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770
שבת טעם החיים חיי שרה תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770
Everything can be perceived as good
Introduction
Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (Bereishis 23:1)
Rashi writes that the words the years of Sarah’s life teach us that all of Sarah’s years were deemed to be good. The Medrash cites the verse that states (Tehillim 37:18) yodeia HaShem yimei temimim vinachalasam liolam tihiyeh, HaShem knows the days of the perfect, their inheritance will be forever. This is interpreted to mean that the days of Sarah were complete. Rashi adds that when Sarah was one hundred years old it was as if she was twenty years old. When she was twenty years old, she was free of sin, and when she was hundred she was also free of sin. These statements imply that Sarah led a life of perfection. Further evidence of this idea is expressed in the Medrash Tanchumah where the Medrash expounds on the last chapter of Mishlei. In this chapter Shlomo HaMelech extols the virtues of the woman of valor. The Medrash cites the verse that states (Mishlei 31:12) gimalashu tov vilo ra, she bestows goodness upon him, never evil, The Medrash expounds on the other verses and how they allude to the noble acts of Sarah. Yet, regarding this verse the Medrash does not offer any interpretation regarding Sarah. One must wonder why the Medrash quotes this verse without expounding on it. Furthermore, all the statements of the Medrash and Rashi appear to contradict a different Medrash cited by Rashi. The Torah juxtaposes the binding of Yitzchak at the Akeidah where Avraham nearly slaughtered Yitzchak and the death of Sarah. Rashi cites the Medrash that states that the catalyst of Sarah’s death was that Sara heard that Yitzchak was almost slaughtered and this caused her soul to leave her. One must wonder how it is possible that Sarah is considered to have lived a good life and without sin if her demise was brought about in such an apparently tragic manner.
On the last day of the year we can perceive the entire year as a good year
In order to reconcile these seemingly contradictory Medrashim, it is worth gaining an insight into what it means that all of Sarah’s years were equally good. How can this be possible when we know that for most of her life Sarah was barren, and she underwent many of the tests that Avraham himself had experienced? Perhaps we can suggest an answer to this question based on an idea that Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, shlita, said in the name of Reb Shlomo Kluger. What should one think when reciting the Mincha Shemone Esrei on Erev Rosh Hashanah and he recites the words bareich aleinu es hashanah hazos vies kol minei sivuasah litovah, bless on our behalf this year and all of its types of produce, for goodness. We are almost at Rosh Hashanah, and we are still requesting that HaShem provide us with a year of bounty. What is the meaning of this request? (Incidentally, the Belzer Rebbe answered that yeshuas HaShem kiheref ayin, salvation from HaShem can arrive in the blink of an eye.) Reb Shlomo Kluger explains that although the year is almost completed, we ask HaShem that we should be able to perceive the year as a blessed one. Thus, we are requesting from HaShem that we be allowed to appreciate that He has given us a year of blessing. Perhaps the same idea can be used to explain the life of Sarah. While Sarah certainly endured many hardships in her life, all her years were deemed to be equally good because she was able to appreciate the good that HaShem had bestowed upon her. It is for this reason, then, that the Medrash Tanchumah does not expound on the verse that states that she bestows goodness upon him, never evil. The reason that there is nothing to add to this verse is because Sarah personified the ideal that everything that happens to a person in their lifetime can be perceived as good.
Sarah perceived the near death of Yitzchak as being good
Similarly, we can now better understand the juxtaposition of the Akeidah and Sarah’s death. The revelation that Yitzchak had almost been slaughtered would certainly seem to be tragic to most people. Yet, for Sarah, even this near calamity was perceived as good, and she died in the same manner that she had lived, always appreciating the good HaShem had performed for her.
The Shabbos connection
It is noteworthy that the words sabeinu mituvecha, satiate us from Your goodness, equal in gematria the name Sarah (505). Thus, Sarah reflects the idea that everything HaShem does for us is ultimately for the good and we request from HaShem to satiate us from His goodness. Throughout the week we are sometimes led to believe that things are not going our way and people will often say that they had a bad day or a rough week. When Shabbos arrives, however, all of the difficulties of the week dissipate and we greet the Holy Shabbos with optimism and enthusiasm. HaShem should allow us to lead the life that Sarah lived, which was a life that all her years were good, i.e. perceived as good.
Shabbos Stories
Concern for a widow
This story was originally told by Horav Shalom Schwadron, zt”l, and later related by Rabbi Paysach Krohn in “Around the Maggid’s Table.” It was the early twentieth century and a certain Reb Nachum was the baal tefillah, leader of the services, for the Mussaf prayer on the High Holy Days in the shul where Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, zt”l, was the rav. Obviously a shul which had such a venerable rav was filled to capacity during these special days when prayer is so important and effective. The baal tefillah has an awesome function, one that goes beyond the mere ability to chant the service in a melodious voice. He must inspire the congregation with impassioned service. Needless to say, Reb Nachum lived up to his position.
One year, shortly before Rosh Hashanah, Reb Nachum took ill and suddenly passed away. After mourning a dear friend, the shul’s leadership prepared for the task of filling the void and finding a baal tefillah for the upcoming holidays. When they approached Rav Yosef Chaim, he told them not to be concerned. He would see to it that a worthy replacement would be present in time. The weeks went by quickly, and soon it was a few days before Rosh Hashanah. There was still no baal tefillah in sight. When the members again approached the rav, the answer was the same: Do not worry.
On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the members were beginning to become nervous, since there still was no baal tefillah. When they once again turned to Rav Yosef Chaim, he assured them that he had the situation in hand and there would be a baal tefillah at the podium for Mussaf.
The next day, there was a sense of anxious expectation in the air. The Shacharis service was completed. The Shofar was blown. It was now “crunch” time. Where was the baal mussaf? All eyes were on Rav Yosef Chaim, as he arose from his seat, walked over to Reb Nachum’s son, and said, “You are to be the baal mussaf. Go up and pray just as your late father did.”
The young man was taken aback. He never imagined himself as the one to fill his father’s shoes. He began to protest, “I cannot. I am not prepared. I did not look over the prayers before Yom Tov.”
Rav Yosef Chaim was not taking no for an answer. In his calm voice, he assured the young man that he could and would be successful in leading the prayers, “Go up there and do your best. You will be fine.”
Understandably, one does not argue with Rav Yosef Chaim. The young man acquiesced and led the service. After Mussaf, a group of the members respectfully approached the rav and questioned his choice for baal tefillah. “After all,” they reminded him, “the Halacha clearly states that a mourner may not lead the congregation in prayer during the High Holy Days.”
Rav Yosef Chaim looked at the group with loving eyes and responded softly, “Do you know who was sitting and praying in the women’s section of the shul? Reb Nochum’s widow. Surely you can imagine the grief and sorrow that she is feeling, especially on the very day that she would have listened to her husband leading the service. Now, imagine the pain she would have felt if just anybody had ascended the podium to lead the service. She would have surely broken apart, and her sorrowful weeping would have been heard and felt by us all.
“In order to minimize her pain, I sent her son up there. The Torah admonishes us a number of times to be sensitive to the needs of a widow. Halacha dictates that if there is no one else available, a mourner may lead the services. I felt that in this case, for the sake of the widow, there was no one else.”
This was the benchmark of a gadol biYisroel, Torah leader. He carried the pain and concerns of all Klal Yisrael - both collectively and individually - on his shoulders.
Anyone can repent
Horav Eliyahu Lopian, zt”l, related the story of a certain rasha, wicked person, a kofer, agnostic, who did everything to denigrate the religion in which he was raised. He became seriously ill to the point that, after consultation with the most distinguished physicians in Koenigsburg, it was determined that his only chance for survival was surgery. Veritably, surgery was not the cure all, nor was it guaranteed, but, without it, the patient had no chance whatsoever.
The problem was that, as aggressive and loud as the person was when it came to demeaning his religion, he was a total opposite concerning himself. He was a coward, meek and insecure. Thus, he refused to have the surgery. If so, the doctors demanded that he leave the hospital. His behavior bordered on suicidal and they were not interested in taking responsibility for his imminent death. Finally, the man relented and agreed to have the surgery.
One can imagine the shock of all those present when the patient, as he was being wheeled into surgery, amidst trembling and trepidation, shrieked, biyadcha afkid ruchi padisa osi HaShem Keil emes, in Your hands I place my spirit, You have redeemed me, HaShem, G-d of truth.
This was followed with a resounding Shema Yisrael. The doctors and family members who observed this sudden changing of heart could not believe what they heard and saw. The emotion, coupled with these verses emanating from the mouth of a hardened agnostic, jarred their senses. Indeed, everybody present was so captivated by the sudden expression of faith that they also were disquieted and filled with a sense of awe and trepidation. The pain and anxiety that this man was undergoing awakened his inner emotions and the Pintele Yid, spark of Jewish faith, within the hidden recesses of his soul burst forth. Rav Elya concluded, “Do not think that any man is lost forever. There is hope for everyone, regardless of his miscreant past. There is a path of teshuvah, return, which anyone can follow. It just depends on what motivates him to begin the journey back home.”
The four questions of the Mah Nishtanah take on new meaning
Nachlas Tzvi cites an incredible story related by the Bendiner Rav zt”l, in his sefer Yechahein Peer. In the city of Nickolsburg, a group of laymen came to the rav, the famous Rav Shmuel Shmelke of Nickolsburg, to tell him that there is a butcher/shochet in the city who constantly slaughters glatt kosher. This was considered to be unusual, given that some animals are naturally prone to have some physical blemishes that would render them not glatt. Rav Shmelke decided that he would go to observe the shochet during one of his sessions and see for himself if the animals were really glatt kosher. After spending a day with the shochet, he was amazed that, indeed, every animal was glatt kosher.
Rav Shmelke summoned the shochet to his home and asked him how it came to be that he had such remarkable good fortune. The shochet responded that every time he went to the market to purchase animals, he would meet a Jew who would point out to him which animals to purchase. “If this is the case, then I must go with you to the market to meet this person,” said Rav Shmelke. They agreed to go a few days before Pesach, since the shochet would be filling a large order for Yom Tov. They met at the market on the appointed day. After being introduced to the man in question, he asked him, "How do you know which animals are glatt kosher?” “Rebbe,” responded the man, “I do not know on my own. Before I go to the market, Eliyahu HaNavi appears to me and points out which animals to use. It seems that those animals are the gilgulim, reincarnated souls, of animals that were destined to be korbanos, sacrifices, in the Bais HaMikdash. These animals must be eaten by Jews on Shabbos and Yom Tov in order for them to achieve their tikun, spiritual correction, and enter the Eternal World.” Obviously, Rav Shmelke was taken aback with the man’s response, particularly his “familiarity” with Eliyahu HaNavi. He turned to the man and asked, “If Eliyahu HaNavi is so close to you, why do you not ask him why Mashiach has not yet come to redeem us from this galus, exile?” “Rebbe,” the man responded, “in just a few days it will be Pesach. I am sure that Eliyahu HaNavi will grace my home during the Seder. I will ask him this question and relay to you his response to you.”
During Chol HaMoed, the Intermediate Days of the Pesach festival, Rav Shmelke traveled to this person to find out what Eliyahu HaNavi had revealed to him. When he came into the man’s home, the person said, “Rebbe, I asked Eliyahu HaNavi your question, and he told me that an illusion to the answer is found in the Mah Nishtanah.” The Four Questions are actually four queries and requests of HaShem regarding the exiles to which we have been subjected. "Why is this night different from all other nights,” means “why is this exile different from the other exiles?” Night has often been used as a metaphor for the darkness of galus. Each question concentrates upon a different exile. The last question centers on the present galus. The answer to why this galus is different, why each of the previous exiles had an end while this one does not seem to have an end in sight, is that during the other nights, exiles, we either sat or reclined, but on this night we only recline. This means that during the other exiles there were people who made Torah study their primary vocation. They studied, relegating their mundane labor to secondary focus. Basically, they would sit and study Torah. During our exile, our attitude towards avodas HaShem, serving the Almighty, is “kulanu mesubim,” totally from “subim.” Subim is the bran of the wheat, the inferior, hard portion of the wheat. This means, that we serve HaShem without our heart and soul. We are cold and distant in our avodas HaShem. Is there any wonder that the galus continues? (reprinted with permission from Shema Yisrael Torah Network. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema Yisrael Classes, send mail to parsha@shemayisrael.co.il )
The wine must have spilled for a reason
When Rebbe Shmuel of Dorag was young and lived in the town of Komoda, it happened once on Shabbos night that he was standing holding a cup of wine about to recite Kiddush, when the cup fell from his hand and the wine spilled. He poured another cup of wine, and again it fell from his hand. This happened, a third time too.
Seeing this, he said to the Rebbitzen that certainly something must have happened in the town, some unfortunate incident, and they should investigate to see what is going on.
The two of them went outside onto the street and began walking until they reached the end of the town, where they heard loud crying and moaning from one of the houses.
When they entered the house they found the father, who was ill with a high fever, lying in bed, utterly exhausted and weak. His son too was in the same condition, and the mother was lying in an adjacent room, undergoing birth pangs, but with no one to help her.
Immediately, the Rabbi and Rebbitzen went to bring firewood to heat the house [although it was Shabbos, this was a matter of saving life and allowed]. They gave the family a little bit to eat, then returned home and brought back all the Sabbath foods they had prepared for themselves. And they fed and took care of the family until they were able to stand and take care of themselves.
Only then did they return home to make Kiddush on the wine. (MiBeer HaTzaddikim, Chodshei Tishrei - Teves, p. 182)
Like Speaking to a Friend
The Rizhiner Rebbe said that he had never encountered another book like the Beer Mayim Chaim [The Well of Living Waters] that is written in the style of a person talking to his friend.
The reason was that Rebbe Chaim of Chernovitz used to go to the synagogue every Thursday night, open the Holy Ark, and speak words of inspiration and mussar. And there would be no one there except the scribe who recorded everything he heard. (MiBeer HaTzaddikim, vol. 2)
Boy Prodigy
When he was a boy of seven, Rebbe Shalom of Kaminka traveled to Lublin. Being a child prodigy in Torah, he visited the great misnagid gaon called the Iron Head, and spent three hours with him in Talmudic discourse. (For a seven year old boy to spend three hours discussing Torah with a great gaon is remarkable!)
Afterward, he visited the great Chasidic master, the holy Seer of Lublin. The Seer said to him, “Little boy, do you study Chumash? What is the parasha this week?”
He answered, “Parsahas Kedoshim.”
The rebbe said, “It says: ‘Be holy, for I the Lord your G-d am holy!’”
The boy’s face paled and he became weak. They had to take him to the inn where he was staying and put him to bed. He fell asleep and woke up many hours later.
In his old age, he said to his friend, the Imrei Noam, “Meirl, how can I explain what happened to me? When he spoke to me, my kishkes turned over and my bones began to shake!” (Adapted from MiBeer HaTzaddikim, vol. 2, p. 202)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770
Is sponsored liRefuah Shleima Refoel Chaim Simcha ben Devorah Aliza bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Bais Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, half an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770
Everything can be perceived as good
Introduction
Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s life. (Bereishis 23:1)
Rashi writes that the words the years of Sarah’s life teach us that all of Sarah’s years were deemed to be good. The Medrash cites the verse that states (Tehillim 37:18) yodeia HaShem yimei temimim vinachalasam liolam tihiyeh, HaShem knows the days of the perfect, their inheritance will be forever. This is interpreted to mean that the days of Sarah were complete. Rashi adds that when Sarah was one hundred years old it was as if she was twenty years old. When she was twenty years old, she was free of sin, and when she was hundred she was also free of sin. These statements imply that Sarah led a life of perfection. Further evidence of this idea is expressed in the Medrash Tanchumah where the Medrash expounds on the last chapter of Mishlei. In this chapter Shlomo HaMelech extols the virtues of the woman of valor. The Medrash cites the verse that states (Mishlei 31:12) gimalashu tov vilo ra, she bestows goodness upon him, never evil, The Medrash expounds on the other verses and how they allude to the noble acts of Sarah. Yet, regarding this verse the Medrash does not offer any interpretation regarding Sarah. One must wonder why the Medrash quotes this verse without expounding on it. Furthermore, all the statements of the Medrash and Rashi appear to contradict a different Medrash cited by Rashi. The Torah juxtaposes the binding of Yitzchak at the Akeidah where Avraham nearly slaughtered Yitzchak and the death of Sarah. Rashi cites the Medrash that states that the catalyst of Sarah’s death was that Sara heard that Yitzchak was almost slaughtered and this caused her soul to leave her. One must wonder how it is possible that Sarah is considered to have lived a good life and without sin if her demise was brought about in such an apparently tragic manner.
On the last day of the year we can perceive the entire year as a good year
In order to reconcile these seemingly contradictory Medrashim, it is worth gaining an insight into what it means that all of Sarah’s years were equally good. How can this be possible when we know that for most of her life Sarah was barren, and she underwent many of the tests that Avraham himself had experienced? Perhaps we can suggest an answer to this question based on an idea that Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, shlita, said in the name of Reb Shlomo Kluger. What should one think when reciting the Mincha Shemone Esrei on Erev Rosh Hashanah and he recites the words bareich aleinu es hashanah hazos vies kol minei sivuasah litovah, bless on our behalf this year and all of its types of produce, for goodness. We are almost at Rosh Hashanah, and we are still requesting that HaShem provide us with a year of bounty. What is the meaning of this request? (Incidentally, the Belzer Rebbe answered that yeshuas HaShem kiheref ayin, salvation from HaShem can arrive in the blink of an eye.) Reb Shlomo Kluger explains that although the year is almost completed, we ask HaShem that we should be able to perceive the year as a blessed one. Thus, we are requesting from HaShem that we be allowed to appreciate that He has given us a year of blessing. Perhaps the same idea can be used to explain the life of Sarah. While Sarah certainly endured many hardships in her life, all her years were deemed to be equally good because she was able to appreciate the good that HaShem had bestowed upon her. It is for this reason, then, that the Medrash Tanchumah does not expound on the verse that states that she bestows goodness upon him, never evil. The reason that there is nothing to add to this verse is because Sarah personified the ideal that everything that happens to a person in their lifetime can be perceived as good.
Sarah perceived the near death of Yitzchak as being good
Similarly, we can now better understand the juxtaposition of the Akeidah and Sarah’s death. The revelation that Yitzchak had almost been slaughtered would certainly seem to be tragic to most people. Yet, for Sarah, even this near calamity was perceived as good, and she died in the same manner that she had lived, always appreciating the good HaShem had performed for her.
The Shabbos connection
It is noteworthy that the words sabeinu mituvecha, satiate us from Your goodness, equal in gematria the name Sarah (505). Thus, Sarah reflects the idea that everything HaShem does for us is ultimately for the good and we request from HaShem to satiate us from His goodness. Throughout the week we are sometimes led to believe that things are not going our way and people will often say that they had a bad day or a rough week. When Shabbos arrives, however, all of the difficulties of the week dissipate and we greet the Holy Shabbos with optimism and enthusiasm. HaShem should allow us to lead the life that Sarah lived, which was a life that all her years were good, i.e. perceived as good.
Shabbos Stories
Concern for a widow
This story was originally told by Horav Shalom Schwadron, zt”l, and later related by Rabbi Paysach Krohn in “Around the Maggid’s Table.” It was the early twentieth century and a certain Reb Nachum was the baal tefillah, leader of the services, for the Mussaf prayer on the High Holy Days in the shul where Horav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, zt”l, was the rav. Obviously a shul which had such a venerable rav was filled to capacity during these special days when prayer is so important and effective. The baal tefillah has an awesome function, one that goes beyond the mere ability to chant the service in a melodious voice. He must inspire the congregation with impassioned service. Needless to say, Reb Nachum lived up to his position.
One year, shortly before Rosh Hashanah, Reb Nachum took ill and suddenly passed away. After mourning a dear friend, the shul’s leadership prepared for the task of filling the void and finding a baal tefillah for the upcoming holidays. When they approached Rav Yosef Chaim, he told them not to be concerned. He would see to it that a worthy replacement would be present in time. The weeks went by quickly, and soon it was a few days before Rosh Hashanah. There was still no baal tefillah in sight. When the members again approached the rav, the answer was the same: Do not worry.
On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the members were beginning to become nervous, since there still was no baal tefillah. When they once again turned to Rav Yosef Chaim, he assured them that he had the situation in hand and there would be a baal tefillah at the podium for Mussaf.
The next day, there was a sense of anxious expectation in the air. The Shacharis service was completed. The Shofar was blown. It was now “crunch” time. Where was the baal mussaf? All eyes were on Rav Yosef Chaim, as he arose from his seat, walked over to Reb Nachum’s son, and said, “You are to be the baal mussaf. Go up and pray just as your late father did.”
The young man was taken aback. He never imagined himself as the one to fill his father’s shoes. He began to protest, “I cannot. I am not prepared. I did not look over the prayers before Yom Tov.”
Rav Yosef Chaim was not taking no for an answer. In his calm voice, he assured the young man that he could and would be successful in leading the prayers, “Go up there and do your best. You will be fine.”
Understandably, one does not argue with Rav Yosef Chaim. The young man acquiesced and led the service. After Mussaf, a group of the members respectfully approached the rav and questioned his choice for baal tefillah. “After all,” they reminded him, “the Halacha clearly states that a mourner may not lead the congregation in prayer during the High Holy Days.”
Rav Yosef Chaim looked at the group with loving eyes and responded softly, “Do you know who was sitting and praying in the women’s section of the shul? Reb Nochum’s widow. Surely you can imagine the grief and sorrow that she is feeling, especially on the very day that she would have listened to her husband leading the service. Now, imagine the pain she would have felt if just anybody had ascended the podium to lead the service. She would have surely broken apart, and her sorrowful weeping would have been heard and felt by us all.
“In order to minimize her pain, I sent her son up there. The Torah admonishes us a number of times to be sensitive to the needs of a widow. Halacha dictates that if there is no one else available, a mourner may lead the services. I felt that in this case, for the sake of the widow, there was no one else.”
This was the benchmark of a gadol biYisroel, Torah leader. He carried the pain and concerns of all Klal Yisrael - both collectively and individually - on his shoulders.
Anyone can repent
Horav Eliyahu Lopian, zt”l, related the story of a certain rasha, wicked person, a kofer, agnostic, who did everything to denigrate the religion in which he was raised. He became seriously ill to the point that, after consultation with the most distinguished physicians in Koenigsburg, it was determined that his only chance for survival was surgery. Veritably, surgery was not the cure all, nor was it guaranteed, but, without it, the patient had no chance whatsoever.
The problem was that, as aggressive and loud as the person was when it came to demeaning his religion, he was a total opposite concerning himself. He was a coward, meek and insecure. Thus, he refused to have the surgery. If so, the doctors demanded that he leave the hospital. His behavior bordered on suicidal and they were not interested in taking responsibility for his imminent death. Finally, the man relented and agreed to have the surgery.
One can imagine the shock of all those present when the patient, as he was being wheeled into surgery, amidst trembling and trepidation, shrieked, biyadcha afkid ruchi padisa osi HaShem Keil emes, in Your hands I place my spirit, You have redeemed me, HaShem, G-d of truth.
This was followed with a resounding Shema Yisrael. The doctors and family members who observed this sudden changing of heart could not believe what they heard and saw. The emotion, coupled with these verses emanating from the mouth of a hardened agnostic, jarred their senses. Indeed, everybody present was so captivated by the sudden expression of faith that they also were disquieted and filled with a sense of awe and trepidation. The pain and anxiety that this man was undergoing awakened his inner emotions and the Pintele Yid, spark of Jewish faith, within the hidden recesses of his soul burst forth. Rav Elya concluded, “Do not think that any man is lost forever. There is hope for everyone, regardless of his miscreant past. There is a path of teshuvah, return, which anyone can follow. It just depends on what motivates him to begin the journey back home.”
The four questions of the Mah Nishtanah take on new meaning
Nachlas Tzvi cites an incredible story related by the Bendiner Rav zt”l, in his sefer Yechahein Peer. In the city of Nickolsburg, a group of laymen came to the rav, the famous Rav Shmuel Shmelke of Nickolsburg, to tell him that there is a butcher/shochet in the city who constantly slaughters glatt kosher. This was considered to be unusual, given that some animals are naturally prone to have some physical blemishes that would render them not glatt. Rav Shmelke decided that he would go to observe the shochet during one of his sessions and see for himself if the animals were really glatt kosher. After spending a day with the shochet, he was amazed that, indeed, every animal was glatt kosher.
Rav Shmelke summoned the shochet to his home and asked him how it came to be that he had such remarkable good fortune. The shochet responded that every time he went to the market to purchase animals, he would meet a Jew who would point out to him which animals to purchase. “If this is the case, then I must go with you to the market to meet this person,” said Rav Shmelke. They agreed to go a few days before Pesach, since the shochet would be filling a large order for Yom Tov. They met at the market on the appointed day. After being introduced to the man in question, he asked him, "How do you know which animals are glatt kosher?” “Rebbe,” responded the man, “I do not know on my own. Before I go to the market, Eliyahu HaNavi appears to me and points out which animals to use. It seems that those animals are the gilgulim, reincarnated souls, of animals that were destined to be korbanos, sacrifices, in the Bais HaMikdash. These animals must be eaten by Jews on Shabbos and Yom Tov in order for them to achieve their tikun, spiritual correction, and enter the Eternal World.” Obviously, Rav Shmelke was taken aback with the man’s response, particularly his “familiarity” with Eliyahu HaNavi. He turned to the man and asked, “If Eliyahu HaNavi is so close to you, why do you not ask him why Mashiach has not yet come to redeem us from this galus, exile?” “Rebbe,” the man responded, “in just a few days it will be Pesach. I am sure that Eliyahu HaNavi will grace my home during the Seder. I will ask him this question and relay to you his response to you.”
During Chol HaMoed, the Intermediate Days of the Pesach festival, Rav Shmelke traveled to this person to find out what Eliyahu HaNavi had revealed to him. When he came into the man’s home, the person said, “Rebbe, I asked Eliyahu HaNavi your question, and he told me that an illusion to the answer is found in the Mah Nishtanah.” The Four Questions are actually four queries and requests of HaShem regarding the exiles to which we have been subjected. "Why is this night different from all other nights,” means “why is this exile different from the other exiles?” Night has often been used as a metaphor for the darkness of galus. Each question concentrates upon a different exile. The last question centers on the present galus. The answer to why this galus is different, why each of the previous exiles had an end while this one does not seem to have an end in sight, is that during the other nights, exiles, we either sat or reclined, but on this night we only recline. This means that during the other exiles there were people who made Torah study their primary vocation. They studied, relegating their mundane labor to secondary focus. Basically, they would sit and study Torah. During our exile, our attitude towards avodas HaShem, serving the Almighty, is “kulanu mesubim,” totally from “subim.” Subim is the bran of the wheat, the inferior, hard portion of the wheat. This means, that we serve HaShem without our heart and soul. We are cold and distant in our avodas HaShem. Is there any wonder that the galus continues? (reprinted with permission from Shema Yisrael Torah Network. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema Yisrael Classes, send mail to parsha@shemayisrael.co.il )
The wine must have spilled for a reason
When Rebbe Shmuel of Dorag was young and lived in the town of Komoda, it happened once on Shabbos night that he was standing holding a cup of wine about to recite Kiddush, when the cup fell from his hand and the wine spilled. He poured another cup of wine, and again it fell from his hand. This happened, a third time too.
Seeing this, he said to the Rebbitzen that certainly something must have happened in the town, some unfortunate incident, and they should investigate to see what is going on.
The two of them went outside onto the street and began walking until they reached the end of the town, where they heard loud crying and moaning from one of the houses.
When they entered the house they found the father, who was ill with a high fever, lying in bed, utterly exhausted and weak. His son too was in the same condition, and the mother was lying in an adjacent room, undergoing birth pangs, but with no one to help her.
Immediately, the Rabbi and Rebbitzen went to bring firewood to heat the house [although it was Shabbos, this was a matter of saving life and allowed]. They gave the family a little bit to eat, then returned home and brought back all the Sabbath foods they had prepared for themselves. And they fed and took care of the family until they were able to stand and take care of themselves.
Only then did they return home to make Kiddush on the wine. (MiBeer HaTzaddikim, Chodshei Tishrei - Teves, p. 182)
Like Speaking to a Friend
The Rizhiner Rebbe said that he had never encountered another book like the Beer Mayim Chaim [The Well of Living Waters] that is written in the style of a person talking to his friend.
The reason was that Rebbe Chaim of Chernovitz used to go to the synagogue every Thursday night, open the Holy Ark, and speak words of inspiration and mussar. And there would be no one there except the scribe who recorded everything he heard. (MiBeer HaTzaddikim, vol. 2)
Boy Prodigy
When he was a boy of seven, Rebbe Shalom of Kaminka traveled to Lublin. Being a child prodigy in Torah, he visited the great misnagid gaon called the Iron Head, and spent three hours with him in Talmudic discourse. (For a seven year old boy to spend three hours discussing Torah with a great gaon is remarkable!)
Afterward, he visited the great Chasidic master, the holy Seer of Lublin. The Seer said to him, “Little boy, do you study Chumash? What is the parasha this week?”
He answered, “Parsahas Kedoshim.”
The rebbe said, “It says: ‘Be holy, for I the Lord your G-d am holy!’”
The boy’s face paled and he became weak. They had to take him to the inn where he was staying and put him to bed. He fell asleep and woke up many hours later.
In his old age, he said to his friend, the Imrei Noam, “Meirl, how can I explain what happened to me? When he spoke to me, my kishkes turned over and my bones began to shake!” (Adapted from MiBeer HaTzaddikim, vol. 2, p. 202)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chaye Sara 5770
Is sponsored liRefuah Shleima Refoel Chaim Simcha ben Devorah Aliza bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Bais Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, half an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayeira 5770
שבת טעם החיים וירא תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayeira 5770
King Dovid can be found in Sodom
Introduction
I have found my servant, David. And where did I find him? In Sodom (Bereishis Rabbah 44:1)
In this week’s parasha we learn how HaShem was prepared to destroy the ancient city of Sodom and its surroundings on account of the decadence of the inhabitants. Avraham prayed on behalf of the people of Sodom, hoping that HaShem would acknowledge that there were some righteous people in the city, in whose merit the city would be saved. HaShem rejected Avraham’s prayers and destroyed the city of Sodom and its surrounding cities. Avraham’s nephew Lot and his two daughters who all resided in Sodom were spared of Sodom’s fate and left the area. Concerned about their potential lack of progeny, Lot’s daughters surreptitiously intoxicated him, causing him to father a child for each of them. The nations of Ammon and Moav were the result of their act.
King Dovid is found in Sodom
Sodom was notorious for its decadence and lack of hospitality though little is known about the one redeeming aspect of this city. Commenting on the verse in Tehillim (Psalms, 89:21) “I have found my servant, David”, the Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 44:1) comments “where did I find Dovid? In Sodom.” This enigmatic comment is hard to fathom. Could the righteous King Dovid possibly have been discovered in this nefarious city of sin?
Avraham’s prayers on behalf of Sodom were for his own spiritual perfection
To understand this better, it is worth noting how the Torah describes the fate of Sodom. HaShem was prepared to destroy Sodom, but He first offered Avraham a chance to pray on their behalf. Rabbi Yissachar Frand wonders about the efficacy of such a prayer. HaShem knew that there were insufficient righteous people in Sodom that would justify the city being saved. What, then, was the purpose in Avraham praying on Sodom’s behalf? Rabbi Frand explains that although the prayers on behalf of Sodom were ineffective as far as Sodom was concerned, nevertheless the prayers helped Avraham himself. Avraham was to become known as the Pillar of Kindness, and his prayers would assist him in perfecting his attribute of kindness.
After Moshiach comes prayer
King Dovid referred to himself with the words (Psalms 109:4) vaani tefillah, but I was prayer. The Gemara (Megillah 18a) teaches us that after Dovid, i.e. after Moshiach arrives, comes prayer. Thus, the ultimate goal of the Messianic Era is that we will live in a world of prayer. Prayer means that we are in essence connected to HaShem. While on the surface we pray for our needs, we are ultimately seeking to connect to HaShem, Who is our king and our father. Thus, when Mashiach arrives and our troubles disappear, we will retain the inner quality of prayer, i.e. connecting to HaShem. In a similar vein we can suggest that although Sodom was destroyed, the inner quality of prayer, connecting to HaShem and improvement of character were retained.
Dovid found in Sodom reflects prayer
This now sheds light on the Medrash that states that Dovid is found in Sodom. The physical city of Sodom was destroyed, but the prayers that Avraham offered on its behalf remained for eternity. The result of these prayers was that King Dovid came into existence from the union of Lot and his daughters. Thus, it can be said that Dovid, who is the epitome of prayer, was found in Sodom.
Our prayers for Moshiach are cumulative
This insight into the Medrash teaches us the value of our prayers. As a community that has prayed for over 1900 years for Moshiach and for the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdash, it can be disheartening that our prayers have yet to be answered. After all, if the prayers of generations that were spiritually greater than ours were not answered, how can we expect that our prayers will be positively answered? The residual effect of Avraham’s prayer on behalf of Sodom However teaches us that no genuine prayer is for naught. As Rabbi Moshe Mitrani, commonly referred to as the Mabit, writes in his classic Bais Elokim, one should never despair from praying for the redemption. The prayers of the Jewish people, he explains, are cumulative. All of our prayers together will result in the arrival of Mashiach. When one prays for personal or communal needs he should be cognizant of the fact that every prayer serves a valuable purpose.
The Shabbos connection
Reb Tzadok HaKohen from Lublin writes that he heard that the word Sodom forms an acrostic for the words Seudas Dovid Malka, a feast for King Dovid. This alludes to the festive meal that many Jews eat following Shabbos. In line with the above mentioned Medrash that Dovid is found in Sodom, perhaps Reb Tzadok is teaching us that a Jew can find spirituality even when the holiness of Shabbos has departed. HaShem should allow us to seek out spirituality in our daily encounters, and we should merit witnessing the arrival of Moshiach, son of Dovid, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
Bleak Shabbos
That Shabbos, the first thing Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Lerner saw when he returned from the Kosel was the crowd. “I wonder why there are so many people around my apartment?” he thought. When he came closer, he gasped. There was his little son Menachem covered with blood.
Panicked, he asked a neighbor breathlessly, “What happened?”
“Uh, your son tried to ride down a flight of stairs on his tricycle.”
Rabbi Lerner took a moment or two to absorb this shock. Then he remembered: He just hit his head on a bed a few days ago and had a gash on his head. The stitches must have opened. While saying this, he was moving forward to pick up his little son. Bracing himself, he gave him as good a head examination as he could. Oh, boy, stitches open all right, plus it looks like he could use a few more stitches now. A few quick moments of thought, and he had decided. The injuries were potentially life-threatening; they must go to the hospital immediately.
Rabbi Lerner’s heart was racing after the dash over to the next building. He banged urgently on Mr. Glick’s door. His neighbor had just come home from shul and was standing in his living room with his tallis still on when Rabbi Lerner burst in. “Baruch, I need a favor. I have to get my son Menachem to Shaarei Zedek. Can I borrow your car?”
Baruch Glick bobbled for a moment, then rallied. “Sure, take the keys, they’re on a hook in the kitchen.”
Rabbi Lerner took them off the hook, said, “Tizkeh limitzvos,” and ran back to his apartment.
Recently there had been quite a few car thefts in Jerusalem. Baruch couldn’t afford a car alarm, so he had done the next best thing to “burglar-proof” his car. Each time before he turned off the ignition, he turned his car radio on full blast and tuned it to the loudest and most obnoxious rock station he knew of. That way, if anyone tried to steal his car, he would make an unholy racket the moment the engine was started.
Unfortunately, Baruch was so flustered by Rabbi Lerner’s sudden arrival that he forgot to tell him about his little invention.
The rabbi opened the car’s back door, and his wife put Menachem in the back seat. He quickly settled into the driver’s seat, put the keys in the ignition with his right hand, and turned the key.
His jaw dropped when he heard “music,” so to speak, coming out of the speakers. The car’s engine was actually drowned out by the raucous blare. For a second he put his hands over his ears, until he realized that he had to get his son to the hospital as soon as possible.
His hand went out instinctively to turn off the radio, but then he stopped himself. It was Shabbos today; nothing was permitted except what would keep his son out of danger of his life. Frantically he rolled up the windows as he guided the car out into the street. But even with the windows closed, Shabbos in Ezras Torah was now interrupted by a blaring serenade from the rock group Black Sabbath.
Baruch was just about to sit down at his Shabbos table when he heard the uproar outside. His wife said to him in shock, “Do you hear that? Who has the chutzpah to play that awful music on Shabbos?”
Baruch felt his heart sink to his stomach. He slapped his forehead as he collapsed in his dining room chair. “Oh, no! I forgot to tell him about the radio!”
Rebbitzen Lerner turned away from Menachem for a second, the shock evident on her face. Loudly she ordered, “Turn that noise off!”
“What?” He couldn’t hear a word.
This time she yelled at the top of her lungs. “I said, turn the radio off. I can’t take it!”
“What?” he shouted, then went back to repeating silently, Have to concentrate on driving, ignore that awful noise...
“Turn off the radio!” his wife screamed in desperation.
Oh, that was what she wanted.
“I can’t!”
“Why not?”
He gathered a big lungful of air in order to shout good and loud, “I can only do melachah to get Menachem to the hospital. There’s no heter to touch the radio.”
“Then turn it down,” his wife screamed. “It’s a chillul HaShem!”
“No!” he roared back. “Kiddush HaShem! There’s no heter to touch it!”
“What are you talking about?” screamed Mrs. Lerner.
“What?”
Even louder, “I said, what are you talking about? It’s a chillul HaShem!”
“No, it’s a Kiddush HaShem. We’re willing to put up with it for the sake of Shabbos kodesh. Very few people get such a test. We absolutely cannot turn off the radio. Look, I gotta watch where I’m going now.”
Fortunately, there were hardly any other cars on the road. Denmark Square was the last traffic light before the hospital, and they had to stop for a red light. Rabbi Lerner was still wearing his satin Shabbos bekeshe. A group of teenagers on their way to the beach pulled up alongside and looked to see who was playing that cool music. The sight of a long-bearded rabbi with peyos driving a car on Shabbos and blasting rock music caused shock, not laughter. The kids seemed frozen in place, speechless.
Rabbi Lerner rolled down his window. He knew he had to talk, and fast. Sure enough, one kid recovered enough to shout, “Hey, dati (religious man), why are you breaking the Shabbos?”
He pointed to his bleeding son in the back seat. “It’s pikuach nefesh!”
“Maybe, but why do you have to play rock and roll?”
Rabbi Lerner wanted to explain, but before he had a chance, the light turned green and the other car sped away.
The emergency staff took Menachem quickly into the emergency room, where they put in some more stitches. He was all right by the end of Shabbos; the only lasting effect was a ringing in his parents’ ears that took until Monday morning to go away.
In later years Rabbi Lerner used this experience to teach his students at Yeshivas Aish HaTorah. “What would all of you think if you saw me driving a car on Shabbos with loud music playing? You’d say, ‘Maybe I can justify the car for an emergency, but why is he playing the radio?’
“But what looks like wrong is sometimes right, and what looks like right is sometimes wrong.
“In my case, what I was doing looked like a serious aveirah to people who glanced at it - driving a car on Shabbos with the radio blasting! But now that you know the facts you see it was the right thing to do. In emergencies you just have to ignore what people will think and do your duty.
“Often, too, things look like great ideas or important causes, but if they go against the Halacha they’re wrong, no matter how attractive they are.
“A Jew has to find out what the Halacha is and then just go and do it, without worrying about what anyone else might think. This is the fundamental principle of Torah-true living, which is why the Rema writes it at the very beginning of the Shulchan Aruch, ‘Don’t ever be embarrassed when people laugh at you for serving HaShem.’ That Shabbos I got some really good practice in doing that Rema.”
Walking Home
The following story is true. Only the names have been changed.
When Larry and Ann’s only son, Mark, was accepted to Harvard, their pride knew no bounds. Even Larry, generally the more reticent of the two, could not restrain himself from sharing the good news with friends. By the end of the week, just about everyone on the block had heard that Mark Newton was going to Harvard in the fall.
The Newtons were well-known in their community, having lived in the same white-and-blue colonial house for almost twenty years. They had worked hard to raise their son, sending him to the best private schools in the Chicago area. So when the news arrived of Mark’s acceptance to Harvard, they rejoiced, feeling that they were reaping the fruits of their labor, and their friends rejoiced along with them.
The long-awaited day of Mark’s departure for Harvard finally arrived. That crisp September morning, the whole family piled into their gray Lincoln for the one-hour drive to O’Hare International Airport. Larry and Ann were both choked with emotion, and the car ride was unusually quiet.
At the boarding gate, Ann reached up to give her son a tearful hug and kiss, from which Mark made a half-hearted attempt to escape. Ann kissed him anyway, quickly wiping away the tear that revealed her intense pain at the separation, and Larry shook his hand.
When Mark boarded that plane to Boston, he was carrying much more than his Walkman and knapsack; he was carrying 18 years of his parents’ aspirations and dreams.
During his last two years of high school, he had become somewhat rebellious. Although he maintained a straight-A average, his relationship with both parents, especially with his mother, had become strained. Now that he was off to college, Mark looked forward to the independence of dorm life, while his parents clutched at their silent hopes that time and a new maturity would improve his relationship with them.
At Harvard, Mark distinguished himself as a campus radical, supporting and at times even leading some of the more militant, left-wing student organizations. In spite of these extracurricular activities, he maintained an excellent academic record. His major was history, with a minor in Near Eastern studies. After four years, he graduated magna cum laude. Larry and Ann, however, could not fully celebrate Mark's achievements because he refused to attend his own graduation. Spurning the ceremony as a “yuppie parade,” Mark told his parents it would make him sick if he were forced to participate.
Disappointment filled Larry and Ann’s hearts. They had really looked forward to celebrating Mark’s graduation, but now they resignedly had no choice but to accept their son's decision. Still, they tried to show him how proud they felt. “How about a small graduation party at home?” Ann ventured.
“Gimme a break, will you?” was Mark’s dismissive response, as he hung up the phone.
There had been no improvement in Mark’s relationship with his parents during his four years in college. In fact, it seemed that it had only deteriorated. He came home for fewer and fewer vacations and holidays, often preferring to stay with friends instead...
When she found herself alone one morning with Mark, she gingerly invited him to join her in the kitchen for a cup of coffee. To her surprise, Mark accepted.
“The contractor promised that our pool will be completed by the end of the month,” Ann began, thinking that a harm less chat would be the best beginning. “Dad’s really looking forward to being able to swim in his own backyard. But I told him not to count on it so fast – I’ve never yet met a contractor who kept his word about a completion date.”
But Mark appeared not to hear her... “I was thinking of taking the year off and going to work on a kibbutz in Israel. Jane, Phil, and some other kids are going, so I thought I might join them. It sounds like fun...”
Although the Newtons had bought their share of Israel bonds over the years, and were vaguely interested in Israel, they had never taken a trip there. They had been to Europe often, and once traveled to Greece on a Mediterranean cruise, but had never really thought about visiting Israel. Nevertheless, the thought of Mark working on a kibbutz in Israel did not really bother Larry and Ann. What concerned them was his decision not to continue his education. By now, though, Mark’s parents had learned that when his mind was made up, nothing could change it. In the weeks that followed, Larry and Ann made last-ditch, but unsuccessful efforts to get him to reconsider his plan.
In August, the Newtons once again drove Mark to O'Hare International Airport. This time he was leaving for Israel. The tense parting at the airport was mercifully brief. Mark once again boarded the plane carrying his Walkman and knapsack. But his parents carried home hearts heavy with disappointment.
After three months on the kibbutz, Mark had sent only two postcards and one letter. The Newtons had learned that he studied Hebrew for two hours every afternoon, that he was assigned to work exclusively with sheep, and that he had no plans to come home for Thanksgiving.
Late one evening Ann burst into tears. “Larry, we're losing our son!... Let’s visit Mark in Israel.”
Larry looked at his wife. “Visit Mark in Israel?!” he echoed. He was swamped with work at the office and could not imagine how he would get away. But one look at Ann told him he'd simply have to find the time.
Ann wrote to Mark and explained that his father needed a vacation. Since they had never been to Israel and wanted to visit Mark, they had decided to spend a week in Jerusalem. She concluded the letter by asking when, during that week, would be a convenient time for them to visit the kibbutz.
By the end of the month, Ann was losing hope of receiving a reply. Finally, a week before they were scheduled to leave for Israel, a letter from Mark arrived.
“Hi,” he wrote. “I’m really pretty busy here all day so I don't know what to tell you. I have the number of your hotel. I’ll try to call after you arrive. Mark...”
The Newtons arrived in Jerusalem on a Wednesday morning. By Friday afternoon, they had still not heard from Mark. They couldn't contain themselves any longer, and called the kibbutz. After a few failed attempts, they finally got through to Mark on the phone.
The conversation was brief and abrupt. “I won’t have time to see you on the kibbutz, but I may be in Jerusalem on Monday evening. If I am, I’ll drop by your hotel. Please don’t come up here.”
“But Mark, honey, wouldn’t you like us to come and see...”
“Mom, gimme a break, will you?” With that, the conversation ended.
Ann was crushed. She felt devastated and frightened. Even Larry could not hide his pain. For the next hour or so, he just stared out the window while Ann cried on her bed. This is it, she thought. We’ve lost him! He’s breaking away from us for good. We're never going to get him back. Oh, where did we go wrong? Why is he rejecting us this way?
Finally, Larry suggested they go out for the evening. “I don’t feel like going anywhere,” she wept. “Neither do I” Larry said softly, “but we can’t sit around here crying all night. We didn’t come 7,000 miles to sit around in a hotel room feeling miserable. We’re here already; let’s try to make the best of it... Let’s go downstairs and ask for a suggestion at the desk.”
When Larry and Ann pulled themselves together and came to the desk, they were surprised to learn how little was open on Friday night in Jerusalem. “Well, what do all the other tourists do here on Friday night?” Larry asked the attendant.
“Many of them like to go to the Kotel, the Western Wall,” he replied.
“But we saw it yesterday,” Ann countered.
The attendant smiled. “On Friday night it’s something special. A lot of people go to pray, the yeshiva boys sing and dance, the chassidim wear their fur hats and caftans, and well, it is really something special.”
Larry and Ann were not too impressed with the attendant’s description. But Ann did recall friends speaking about “the Wall on Friday night,” when they returned from trips to Israel. They agreed to give it a chance.
They took a taxi from their hotel and arrived at the Wall just before Shabbos. As the crowd gathered, Larry and Ann were intrigued by the special atmosphere and sense of excitement. They watched as groups were formed and services conducted, and they listened to the chanting and the singing. After a while, they hardly felt the damp, cold wind of the Jerusalem winter night. Larry and Ann barely spoke during the hour and a half that they spent at the Wall. But they both felt touched somehow by the experience. “I’m sorry it’s over,” Ann said, as they turned to leave with the crowd.
“Shabbat Shalom! Yeah, you! Would you like to try a Shabbat meal with an Orthodox family?” came a voice from behind them. Suddenly Larry and Ann found themselves face-to-face with a black-hatted, black-suited man with a broad, friendly smile.
“What do you mean?” was all Ann could come up with for a reply.
“Would you like to experience a traditional Shabbat meal with an Orthodox family here in Jerusalem, tonight?”
“How much does it cost?” Larry asked.
“Only about an hour or so of your time! No, seriously, it’s free. You see, I have a list of hosts here who invite people to their homes for the Friday night meal each week. I just find the guests. Have you ever had a Shabbat meal with an Orthodox family before?”
“Well, I mean, I do light candles at home... sometimes, that is, and my husband knows how to read the Kiddush, but we really don't have...”
[After a short walk, Larry and Ann arrived at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Singer - and their seven children.] The Newtons were not the only guests at the Singers’ home that rainy Friday night. Cindy, a student at the Hebrew University, was there together with her boyfriend, Al. Rabbi Singer made the introductions and showed everyone where to sit. The Singer family sang Shalom Aleichem while Cindy, Al, Larry, and Ann watched.
By the time the fish was being served, Larry and Ann were too engrossed to feel uncomfortable. And when the conversation really got rolling, they were put totally at ease by Cindy's spontaneous, quick-witted humor. In no time at all, she had everyone, including Rabbi Singer, doubled over with laughter... And then the singing began.
By the end of the meal, Larry and Ann were relaxed and happy. They were both surprised at how good they felt and were reluctant to leave. But not wanting to overstay their welcome, they got up right after the Grace after Meals.
“We don’t know how to thank you, Rabbi Singer.” Ann’s voice was filled with emotion. “You’ll never know how much we needed this pleasant evening.” Larry agreed.
“Our pleasure. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to speak with you more at the table,” Rabbi Singer commented. “I would have liked to get to know you a little bit.”
“Oh, Rabbi Singer, Larry and I both got much more than we ever expected. You gave us plenty of attention. I’m only sorry that whatever attention you gave us took you away from your own family.”
“Which hotel are you staying at?” Rabbi Singer asked, changing the subject.
“We’re at Lev Yerushalayim. Could you tell us how to get back there from here?”
“Of course. And let me walk a ways with you. I like a little stroll after Friday night dinner.”
As they started walking, Rabbi Singer asked the Newtons all the questions he regretted not asking during the meal: how long they were staying in Israel, where they had been, etc. On the way, Ann opened up about their problems with Mark. Rabbi Singer listened sympathetically. Before anyone realized it, they had walked all the way to the Newton's hotel.
“I can’t believe you walked us back all the way,” Ann exclaimed. “You’re unbelievable!”
Rabbi Singer blushed and shyly examined his shoes.
“Now, I suppose, you can understand what I meant before when I told you how much Larry and I needed the lift you and your lovely family gave us tonight.”
Rabbi Singer looked down at his shoes again. “Look, I really do have to go now. By the way, I never asked you ― where are you from?”
Larry named their suburb and then added that it was about an hour’s drive from Chicago. Rabbi Singer's face lit up. He was scheduled to speak in Chicago the following month. The Newtons asked for all the particulars and promised to make every effort to attend the speech.
The following Monday, Mark did come into Jerusalem to meet his parents at their hotel. The visit was short, cool, tense and extremely disappointing for Ann and Larry. No one lost his temper, but it was hardly the reunion the Newtons had been looking forward to. The next day, Larry and Ann left Jerusalem for a short stay in Tel Aviv, and then returned home.
Once back home, Larry managed to locate some of Rabbi Singer's books. He and Ann read them all from cover to cover. Ann looked into Rabbi Singer’s Chicago speaking engagement and made plans to attend with Larry.
Six weeks after returning from Israel, the Newtons drove into Chicago for the lecture. Rabbi Singer addressed an overflowing crowd of approximately 300 people. After his speech, people from the audience lined up to ask questions. Larry and Ann cautiously made their way to the end of the line. When they finally caught Rabbi Singer’s eye, he greeted them warmly and enthusiastically.
“Ah, the Newtons! How are you? I’m so glad you could be here tonight. Thank you so much for coming. By the way, did your son ever come to the hotel?”
The Newtons were able to sit down with Rabbi Singer for a long conversation in the lobby. They felt as if they had met an old friend.
“You know, Rabbi Singer, the Shabbos we spent with you has changed our lives. I've been lighting candles every Friday night and Larry's been making Kiddush. We even enrolled in a Torah-study class at the local synagogue.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.”
“We saw the warmth of your home, the atmosphere of closeness, and I told Larry that I want that in our home, too.”
Rabbi Singer sheepishly examined his shoes again.
The Newtons then gave Rabbi Singer an update on Mark. He was still at the kibbutz, still not planning to continue his education, and still very estranged from his parents.
“Do you think, possibly, you could speak with him?” Larry asked.
“I’ll be glad to help if I can, but frankly, I don’t really know if he would want to hear anything from me.” There was a long silence, and Ann and Larry looked so dejected that the rabbi could not keep silent.
“Look, I’ll tell you what. Next time you write to Mark, tell him to feel free to call if he needs a place to stay in Jerusalem. I’ll try to arrange something for him. And, who knows?”
That night Ann wrote to Mark and gave him Rabbi Singer’s address and phone number. “I know it’s a long shot,” she confided to Larry. “But it’s worth a try. And what have we got to lose?
Some of Mark’s friends were organizing an American-style rock music concert on the Mt. Scopus campus of the Hebrew University. On a last-minute impulse, Mark hitched a ride to Jerusalem with a member of the kibbutz in order to attend the concert. Now he needed a place to stay. Thumbing through his address book, Mark came across Rabbi Singer’s name. After a few unsuccessful calls to others, and very much as a last resort, Mark thought, “Oh, well, why not,” and called Rabbi Singer. The rabbi recognized Mark's name immediately and eagerly invited him.
When Mark arrived at the Singers’ apartment, the rabbi gave him a bed, a towel and a set of keys. No questions asked. No strings attached. Mark was surprised and even suspicious of Rabbi Singer’s nonjudgmental attitude. But Rabbi Singer brushed away the young man's defensiveness and skepticism with a gentle smile. “I know your parents very well, Mark. Any son of theirs is a friend of mine.”
Mark was very much taken by this man’s relaxed and accepting attitude. He was also struck by Rabbi Singer’s full and open trust. In fact, during the one day and two nights Mark spent there, he became very curious about this mild-mannered man, who responded to compliments by staring at his shoes. When Mark said goodbye, Rabbi Singer extended an open invitation to return for a Shabbos. When Mark replied that he'd think about it, the rabbi assumed this was his polite way of turning down the offer.
Three weeks later, much to Rabbi Singer’s surprise, Mark did call and ask to come for Shabbos. That Friday night, Mark kept Rabbi Singer up quite late, firing one philosophical question after another. The full and challenging answers, Rabbi Singer’s personality, the pervasive Shabbos atmosphere, made Mark's shell of cynicism crack.
During that year, Mark returned to the Singer home for Shabbos three more times. Each time he arrived with a heavy load of questions. And after each visit, Mark left with pleasant memories, a lot of answers, and another open invitation.
In the middle of the third Shabbos, Mark hesitatingly asked his most difficult question. It was easy for Mark to ask about the Holocaust, or proofs of God's existence. But, because he knew there would be an answer, one question terrified him: “Where can I learn more about Judaism?”
Rabbi Singer directed Mark to Aish HaTorah’s highly successful three-day Discovery Seminar. Mark credits the seminar for pushing him “over the hill." But in truth, by the time Mark signed up for Discovery, he was already receptive to the credibility of Judaism.
After the seminar, Mark’s appetite was fully whetted. He decided to remain at the yeshiva for a week... then another... and finally for a year-and-a-half of intense Torah study.
At the same time that Mark began to explore Judaism and its meaning for his life, he began to think about his relationship with his parents. By the time he returned home, they were closer than they had been for years, and Ann and Larry became baalei teshuvah as well. Before leaving Israel, Mark was also personally responsible for bringing another Harvard graduate ― who was engaged to marry a non-Jew ― over to Rabbi Singer's home and eventually back to [Judaism]. But that's another story...
Truth always wins
The religious Jews of Slutzk once complained to their rabbi, the gaon Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik that the atheists had the upper hand in the town.
“That’s not surprising,” said Rabbi Yosef Dov. “Truth always wins out.”
Astonished, they asked, “Rabbi, what do you mean? Is there, G-d forbid, any truth in atheism?”
“What I said was correct,” answered the Rabbi. “The atheists really believe in their truth. Therefore, they’re victorious. The believers don't believe in their truth with the same intensity. Therefore, they lose out!” (Haggadah shel Pesach Ayelet HaShachar, p. 222)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayeira 5770
Is sponsored liRefuah Shleima Refoel Chaim Simcha ben Devorah Aliza bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
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Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayeira 5770
King Dovid can be found in Sodom
Introduction
I have found my servant, David. And where did I find him? In Sodom (Bereishis Rabbah 44:1)
In this week’s parasha we learn how HaShem was prepared to destroy the ancient city of Sodom and its surroundings on account of the decadence of the inhabitants. Avraham prayed on behalf of the people of Sodom, hoping that HaShem would acknowledge that there were some righteous people in the city, in whose merit the city would be saved. HaShem rejected Avraham’s prayers and destroyed the city of Sodom and its surrounding cities. Avraham’s nephew Lot and his two daughters who all resided in Sodom were spared of Sodom’s fate and left the area. Concerned about their potential lack of progeny, Lot’s daughters surreptitiously intoxicated him, causing him to father a child for each of them. The nations of Ammon and Moav were the result of their act.
King Dovid is found in Sodom
Sodom was notorious for its decadence and lack of hospitality though little is known about the one redeeming aspect of this city. Commenting on the verse in Tehillim (Psalms, 89:21) “I have found my servant, David”, the Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 44:1) comments “where did I find Dovid? In Sodom.” This enigmatic comment is hard to fathom. Could the righteous King Dovid possibly have been discovered in this nefarious city of sin?
Avraham’s prayers on behalf of Sodom were for his own spiritual perfection
To understand this better, it is worth noting how the Torah describes the fate of Sodom. HaShem was prepared to destroy Sodom, but He first offered Avraham a chance to pray on their behalf. Rabbi Yissachar Frand wonders about the efficacy of such a prayer. HaShem knew that there were insufficient righteous people in Sodom that would justify the city being saved. What, then, was the purpose in Avraham praying on Sodom’s behalf? Rabbi Frand explains that although the prayers on behalf of Sodom were ineffective as far as Sodom was concerned, nevertheless the prayers helped Avraham himself. Avraham was to become known as the Pillar of Kindness, and his prayers would assist him in perfecting his attribute of kindness.
After Moshiach comes prayer
King Dovid referred to himself with the words (Psalms 109:4) vaani tefillah, but I was prayer. The Gemara (Megillah 18a) teaches us that after Dovid, i.e. after Moshiach arrives, comes prayer. Thus, the ultimate goal of the Messianic Era is that we will live in a world of prayer. Prayer means that we are in essence connected to HaShem. While on the surface we pray for our needs, we are ultimately seeking to connect to HaShem, Who is our king and our father. Thus, when Mashiach arrives and our troubles disappear, we will retain the inner quality of prayer, i.e. connecting to HaShem. In a similar vein we can suggest that although Sodom was destroyed, the inner quality of prayer, connecting to HaShem and improvement of character were retained.
Dovid found in Sodom reflects prayer
This now sheds light on the Medrash that states that Dovid is found in Sodom. The physical city of Sodom was destroyed, but the prayers that Avraham offered on its behalf remained for eternity. The result of these prayers was that King Dovid came into existence from the union of Lot and his daughters. Thus, it can be said that Dovid, who is the epitome of prayer, was found in Sodom.
Our prayers for Moshiach are cumulative
This insight into the Medrash teaches us the value of our prayers. As a community that has prayed for over 1900 years for Moshiach and for the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdash, it can be disheartening that our prayers have yet to be answered. After all, if the prayers of generations that were spiritually greater than ours were not answered, how can we expect that our prayers will be positively answered? The residual effect of Avraham’s prayer on behalf of Sodom However teaches us that no genuine prayer is for naught. As Rabbi Moshe Mitrani, commonly referred to as the Mabit, writes in his classic Bais Elokim, one should never despair from praying for the redemption. The prayers of the Jewish people, he explains, are cumulative. All of our prayers together will result in the arrival of Mashiach. When one prays for personal or communal needs he should be cognizant of the fact that every prayer serves a valuable purpose.
The Shabbos connection
Reb Tzadok HaKohen from Lublin writes that he heard that the word Sodom forms an acrostic for the words Seudas Dovid Malka, a feast for King Dovid. This alludes to the festive meal that many Jews eat following Shabbos. In line with the above mentioned Medrash that Dovid is found in Sodom, perhaps Reb Tzadok is teaching us that a Jew can find spirituality even when the holiness of Shabbos has departed. HaShem should allow us to seek out spirituality in our daily encounters, and we should merit witnessing the arrival of Moshiach, son of Dovid, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
Bleak Shabbos
That Shabbos, the first thing Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Lerner saw when he returned from the Kosel was the crowd. “I wonder why there are so many people around my apartment?” he thought. When he came closer, he gasped. There was his little son Menachem covered with blood.
Panicked, he asked a neighbor breathlessly, “What happened?”
“Uh, your son tried to ride down a flight of stairs on his tricycle.”
Rabbi Lerner took a moment or two to absorb this shock. Then he remembered: He just hit his head on a bed a few days ago and had a gash on his head. The stitches must have opened. While saying this, he was moving forward to pick up his little son. Bracing himself, he gave him as good a head examination as he could. Oh, boy, stitches open all right, plus it looks like he could use a few more stitches now. A few quick moments of thought, and he had decided. The injuries were potentially life-threatening; they must go to the hospital immediately.
Rabbi Lerner’s heart was racing after the dash over to the next building. He banged urgently on Mr. Glick’s door. His neighbor had just come home from shul and was standing in his living room with his tallis still on when Rabbi Lerner burst in. “Baruch, I need a favor. I have to get my son Menachem to Shaarei Zedek. Can I borrow your car?”
Baruch Glick bobbled for a moment, then rallied. “Sure, take the keys, they’re on a hook in the kitchen.”
Rabbi Lerner took them off the hook, said, “Tizkeh limitzvos,” and ran back to his apartment.
Recently there had been quite a few car thefts in Jerusalem. Baruch couldn’t afford a car alarm, so he had done the next best thing to “burglar-proof” his car. Each time before he turned off the ignition, he turned his car radio on full blast and tuned it to the loudest and most obnoxious rock station he knew of. That way, if anyone tried to steal his car, he would make an unholy racket the moment the engine was started.
Unfortunately, Baruch was so flustered by Rabbi Lerner’s sudden arrival that he forgot to tell him about his little invention.
The rabbi opened the car’s back door, and his wife put Menachem in the back seat. He quickly settled into the driver’s seat, put the keys in the ignition with his right hand, and turned the key.
His jaw dropped when he heard “music,” so to speak, coming out of the speakers. The car’s engine was actually drowned out by the raucous blare. For a second he put his hands over his ears, until he realized that he had to get his son to the hospital as soon as possible.
His hand went out instinctively to turn off the radio, but then he stopped himself. It was Shabbos today; nothing was permitted except what would keep his son out of danger of his life. Frantically he rolled up the windows as he guided the car out into the street. But even with the windows closed, Shabbos in Ezras Torah was now interrupted by a blaring serenade from the rock group Black Sabbath.
Baruch was just about to sit down at his Shabbos table when he heard the uproar outside. His wife said to him in shock, “Do you hear that? Who has the chutzpah to play that awful music on Shabbos?”
Baruch felt his heart sink to his stomach. He slapped his forehead as he collapsed in his dining room chair. “Oh, no! I forgot to tell him about the radio!”
Rebbitzen Lerner turned away from Menachem for a second, the shock evident on her face. Loudly she ordered, “Turn that noise off!”
“What?” He couldn’t hear a word.
This time she yelled at the top of her lungs. “I said, turn the radio off. I can’t take it!”
“What?” he shouted, then went back to repeating silently, Have to concentrate on driving, ignore that awful noise...
“Turn off the radio!” his wife screamed in desperation.
Oh, that was what she wanted.
“I can’t!”
“Why not?”
He gathered a big lungful of air in order to shout good and loud, “I can only do melachah to get Menachem to the hospital. There’s no heter to touch the radio.”
“Then turn it down,” his wife screamed. “It’s a chillul HaShem!”
“No!” he roared back. “Kiddush HaShem! There’s no heter to touch it!”
“What are you talking about?” screamed Mrs. Lerner.
“What?”
Even louder, “I said, what are you talking about? It’s a chillul HaShem!”
“No, it’s a Kiddush HaShem. We’re willing to put up with it for the sake of Shabbos kodesh. Very few people get such a test. We absolutely cannot turn off the radio. Look, I gotta watch where I’m going now.”
Fortunately, there were hardly any other cars on the road. Denmark Square was the last traffic light before the hospital, and they had to stop for a red light. Rabbi Lerner was still wearing his satin Shabbos bekeshe. A group of teenagers on their way to the beach pulled up alongside and looked to see who was playing that cool music. The sight of a long-bearded rabbi with peyos driving a car on Shabbos and blasting rock music caused shock, not laughter. The kids seemed frozen in place, speechless.
Rabbi Lerner rolled down his window. He knew he had to talk, and fast. Sure enough, one kid recovered enough to shout, “Hey, dati (religious man), why are you breaking the Shabbos?”
He pointed to his bleeding son in the back seat. “It’s pikuach nefesh!”
“Maybe, but why do you have to play rock and roll?”
Rabbi Lerner wanted to explain, but before he had a chance, the light turned green and the other car sped away.
The emergency staff took Menachem quickly into the emergency room, where they put in some more stitches. He was all right by the end of Shabbos; the only lasting effect was a ringing in his parents’ ears that took until Monday morning to go away.
In later years Rabbi Lerner used this experience to teach his students at Yeshivas Aish HaTorah. “What would all of you think if you saw me driving a car on Shabbos with loud music playing? You’d say, ‘Maybe I can justify the car for an emergency, but why is he playing the radio?’
“But what looks like wrong is sometimes right, and what looks like right is sometimes wrong.
“In my case, what I was doing looked like a serious aveirah to people who glanced at it - driving a car on Shabbos with the radio blasting! But now that you know the facts you see it was the right thing to do. In emergencies you just have to ignore what people will think and do your duty.
“Often, too, things look like great ideas or important causes, but if they go against the Halacha they’re wrong, no matter how attractive they are.
“A Jew has to find out what the Halacha is and then just go and do it, without worrying about what anyone else might think. This is the fundamental principle of Torah-true living, which is why the Rema writes it at the very beginning of the Shulchan Aruch, ‘Don’t ever be embarrassed when people laugh at you for serving HaShem.’ That Shabbos I got some really good practice in doing that Rema.”
Walking Home
The following story is true. Only the names have been changed.
When Larry and Ann’s only son, Mark, was accepted to Harvard, their pride knew no bounds. Even Larry, generally the more reticent of the two, could not restrain himself from sharing the good news with friends. By the end of the week, just about everyone on the block had heard that Mark Newton was going to Harvard in the fall.
The Newtons were well-known in their community, having lived in the same white-and-blue colonial house for almost twenty years. They had worked hard to raise their son, sending him to the best private schools in the Chicago area. So when the news arrived of Mark’s acceptance to Harvard, they rejoiced, feeling that they were reaping the fruits of their labor, and their friends rejoiced along with them.
The long-awaited day of Mark’s departure for Harvard finally arrived. That crisp September morning, the whole family piled into their gray Lincoln for the one-hour drive to O’Hare International Airport. Larry and Ann were both choked with emotion, and the car ride was unusually quiet.
At the boarding gate, Ann reached up to give her son a tearful hug and kiss, from which Mark made a half-hearted attempt to escape. Ann kissed him anyway, quickly wiping away the tear that revealed her intense pain at the separation, and Larry shook his hand.
When Mark boarded that plane to Boston, he was carrying much more than his Walkman and knapsack; he was carrying 18 years of his parents’ aspirations and dreams.
During his last two years of high school, he had become somewhat rebellious. Although he maintained a straight-A average, his relationship with both parents, especially with his mother, had become strained. Now that he was off to college, Mark looked forward to the independence of dorm life, while his parents clutched at their silent hopes that time and a new maturity would improve his relationship with them.
At Harvard, Mark distinguished himself as a campus radical, supporting and at times even leading some of the more militant, left-wing student organizations. In spite of these extracurricular activities, he maintained an excellent academic record. His major was history, with a minor in Near Eastern studies. After four years, he graduated magna cum laude. Larry and Ann, however, could not fully celebrate Mark's achievements because he refused to attend his own graduation. Spurning the ceremony as a “yuppie parade,” Mark told his parents it would make him sick if he were forced to participate.
Disappointment filled Larry and Ann’s hearts. They had really looked forward to celebrating Mark’s graduation, but now they resignedly had no choice but to accept their son's decision. Still, they tried to show him how proud they felt. “How about a small graduation party at home?” Ann ventured.
“Gimme a break, will you?” was Mark’s dismissive response, as he hung up the phone.
There had been no improvement in Mark’s relationship with his parents during his four years in college. In fact, it seemed that it had only deteriorated. He came home for fewer and fewer vacations and holidays, often preferring to stay with friends instead...
When she found herself alone one morning with Mark, she gingerly invited him to join her in the kitchen for a cup of coffee. To her surprise, Mark accepted.
“The contractor promised that our pool will be completed by the end of the month,” Ann began, thinking that a harm less chat would be the best beginning. “Dad’s really looking forward to being able to swim in his own backyard. But I told him not to count on it so fast – I’ve never yet met a contractor who kept his word about a completion date.”
But Mark appeared not to hear her... “I was thinking of taking the year off and going to work on a kibbutz in Israel. Jane, Phil, and some other kids are going, so I thought I might join them. It sounds like fun...”
Although the Newtons had bought their share of Israel bonds over the years, and were vaguely interested in Israel, they had never taken a trip there. They had been to Europe often, and once traveled to Greece on a Mediterranean cruise, but had never really thought about visiting Israel. Nevertheless, the thought of Mark working on a kibbutz in Israel did not really bother Larry and Ann. What concerned them was his decision not to continue his education. By now, though, Mark’s parents had learned that when his mind was made up, nothing could change it. In the weeks that followed, Larry and Ann made last-ditch, but unsuccessful efforts to get him to reconsider his plan.
In August, the Newtons once again drove Mark to O'Hare International Airport. This time he was leaving for Israel. The tense parting at the airport was mercifully brief. Mark once again boarded the plane carrying his Walkman and knapsack. But his parents carried home hearts heavy with disappointment.
After three months on the kibbutz, Mark had sent only two postcards and one letter. The Newtons had learned that he studied Hebrew for two hours every afternoon, that he was assigned to work exclusively with sheep, and that he had no plans to come home for Thanksgiving.
Late one evening Ann burst into tears. “Larry, we're losing our son!... Let’s visit Mark in Israel.”
Larry looked at his wife. “Visit Mark in Israel?!” he echoed. He was swamped with work at the office and could not imagine how he would get away. But one look at Ann told him he'd simply have to find the time.
Ann wrote to Mark and explained that his father needed a vacation. Since they had never been to Israel and wanted to visit Mark, they had decided to spend a week in Jerusalem. She concluded the letter by asking when, during that week, would be a convenient time for them to visit the kibbutz.
By the end of the month, Ann was losing hope of receiving a reply. Finally, a week before they were scheduled to leave for Israel, a letter from Mark arrived.
“Hi,” he wrote. “I’m really pretty busy here all day so I don't know what to tell you. I have the number of your hotel. I’ll try to call after you arrive. Mark...”
The Newtons arrived in Jerusalem on a Wednesday morning. By Friday afternoon, they had still not heard from Mark. They couldn't contain themselves any longer, and called the kibbutz. After a few failed attempts, they finally got through to Mark on the phone.
The conversation was brief and abrupt. “I won’t have time to see you on the kibbutz, but I may be in Jerusalem on Monday evening. If I am, I’ll drop by your hotel. Please don’t come up here.”
“But Mark, honey, wouldn’t you like us to come and see...”
“Mom, gimme a break, will you?” With that, the conversation ended.
Ann was crushed. She felt devastated and frightened. Even Larry could not hide his pain. For the next hour or so, he just stared out the window while Ann cried on her bed. This is it, she thought. We’ve lost him! He’s breaking away from us for good. We're never going to get him back. Oh, where did we go wrong? Why is he rejecting us this way?
Finally, Larry suggested they go out for the evening. “I don’t feel like going anywhere,” she wept. “Neither do I” Larry said softly, “but we can’t sit around here crying all night. We didn’t come 7,000 miles to sit around in a hotel room feeling miserable. We’re here already; let’s try to make the best of it... Let’s go downstairs and ask for a suggestion at the desk.”
When Larry and Ann pulled themselves together and came to the desk, they were surprised to learn how little was open on Friday night in Jerusalem. “Well, what do all the other tourists do here on Friday night?” Larry asked the attendant.
“Many of them like to go to the Kotel, the Western Wall,” he replied.
“But we saw it yesterday,” Ann countered.
The attendant smiled. “On Friday night it’s something special. A lot of people go to pray, the yeshiva boys sing and dance, the chassidim wear their fur hats and caftans, and well, it is really something special.”
Larry and Ann were not too impressed with the attendant’s description. But Ann did recall friends speaking about “the Wall on Friday night,” when they returned from trips to Israel. They agreed to give it a chance.
They took a taxi from their hotel and arrived at the Wall just before Shabbos. As the crowd gathered, Larry and Ann were intrigued by the special atmosphere and sense of excitement. They watched as groups were formed and services conducted, and they listened to the chanting and the singing. After a while, they hardly felt the damp, cold wind of the Jerusalem winter night. Larry and Ann barely spoke during the hour and a half that they spent at the Wall. But they both felt touched somehow by the experience. “I’m sorry it’s over,” Ann said, as they turned to leave with the crowd.
“Shabbat Shalom! Yeah, you! Would you like to try a Shabbat meal with an Orthodox family?” came a voice from behind them. Suddenly Larry and Ann found themselves face-to-face with a black-hatted, black-suited man with a broad, friendly smile.
“What do you mean?” was all Ann could come up with for a reply.
“Would you like to experience a traditional Shabbat meal with an Orthodox family here in Jerusalem, tonight?”
“How much does it cost?” Larry asked.
“Only about an hour or so of your time! No, seriously, it’s free. You see, I have a list of hosts here who invite people to their homes for the Friday night meal each week. I just find the guests. Have you ever had a Shabbat meal with an Orthodox family before?”
“Well, I mean, I do light candles at home... sometimes, that is, and my husband knows how to read the Kiddush, but we really don't have...”
[After a short walk, Larry and Ann arrived at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Singer - and their seven children.] The Newtons were not the only guests at the Singers’ home that rainy Friday night. Cindy, a student at the Hebrew University, was there together with her boyfriend, Al. Rabbi Singer made the introductions and showed everyone where to sit. The Singer family sang Shalom Aleichem while Cindy, Al, Larry, and Ann watched.
By the time the fish was being served, Larry and Ann were too engrossed to feel uncomfortable. And when the conversation really got rolling, they were put totally at ease by Cindy's spontaneous, quick-witted humor. In no time at all, she had everyone, including Rabbi Singer, doubled over with laughter... And then the singing began.
By the end of the meal, Larry and Ann were relaxed and happy. They were both surprised at how good they felt and were reluctant to leave. But not wanting to overstay their welcome, they got up right after the Grace after Meals.
“We don’t know how to thank you, Rabbi Singer.” Ann’s voice was filled with emotion. “You’ll never know how much we needed this pleasant evening.” Larry agreed.
“Our pleasure. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to speak with you more at the table,” Rabbi Singer commented. “I would have liked to get to know you a little bit.”
“Oh, Rabbi Singer, Larry and I both got much more than we ever expected. You gave us plenty of attention. I’m only sorry that whatever attention you gave us took you away from your own family.”
“Which hotel are you staying at?” Rabbi Singer asked, changing the subject.
“We’re at Lev Yerushalayim. Could you tell us how to get back there from here?”
“Of course. And let me walk a ways with you. I like a little stroll after Friday night dinner.”
As they started walking, Rabbi Singer asked the Newtons all the questions he regretted not asking during the meal: how long they were staying in Israel, where they had been, etc. On the way, Ann opened up about their problems with Mark. Rabbi Singer listened sympathetically. Before anyone realized it, they had walked all the way to the Newton's hotel.
“I can’t believe you walked us back all the way,” Ann exclaimed. “You’re unbelievable!”
Rabbi Singer blushed and shyly examined his shoes.
“Now, I suppose, you can understand what I meant before when I told you how much Larry and I needed the lift you and your lovely family gave us tonight.”
Rabbi Singer looked down at his shoes again. “Look, I really do have to go now. By the way, I never asked you ― where are you from?”
Larry named their suburb and then added that it was about an hour’s drive from Chicago. Rabbi Singer's face lit up. He was scheduled to speak in Chicago the following month. The Newtons asked for all the particulars and promised to make every effort to attend the speech.
The following Monday, Mark did come into Jerusalem to meet his parents at their hotel. The visit was short, cool, tense and extremely disappointing for Ann and Larry. No one lost his temper, but it was hardly the reunion the Newtons had been looking forward to. The next day, Larry and Ann left Jerusalem for a short stay in Tel Aviv, and then returned home.
Once back home, Larry managed to locate some of Rabbi Singer's books. He and Ann read them all from cover to cover. Ann looked into Rabbi Singer’s Chicago speaking engagement and made plans to attend with Larry.
Six weeks after returning from Israel, the Newtons drove into Chicago for the lecture. Rabbi Singer addressed an overflowing crowd of approximately 300 people. After his speech, people from the audience lined up to ask questions. Larry and Ann cautiously made their way to the end of the line. When they finally caught Rabbi Singer’s eye, he greeted them warmly and enthusiastically.
“Ah, the Newtons! How are you? I’m so glad you could be here tonight. Thank you so much for coming. By the way, did your son ever come to the hotel?”
The Newtons were able to sit down with Rabbi Singer for a long conversation in the lobby. They felt as if they had met an old friend.
“You know, Rabbi Singer, the Shabbos we spent with you has changed our lives. I've been lighting candles every Friday night and Larry's been making Kiddush. We even enrolled in a Torah-study class at the local synagogue.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.”
“We saw the warmth of your home, the atmosphere of closeness, and I told Larry that I want that in our home, too.”
Rabbi Singer sheepishly examined his shoes again.
The Newtons then gave Rabbi Singer an update on Mark. He was still at the kibbutz, still not planning to continue his education, and still very estranged from his parents.
“Do you think, possibly, you could speak with him?” Larry asked.
“I’ll be glad to help if I can, but frankly, I don’t really know if he would want to hear anything from me.” There was a long silence, and Ann and Larry looked so dejected that the rabbi could not keep silent.
“Look, I’ll tell you what. Next time you write to Mark, tell him to feel free to call if he needs a place to stay in Jerusalem. I’ll try to arrange something for him. And, who knows?”
That night Ann wrote to Mark and gave him Rabbi Singer’s address and phone number. “I know it’s a long shot,” she confided to Larry. “But it’s worth a try. And what have we got to lose?
Some of Mark’s friends were organizing an American-style rock music concert on the Mt. Scopus campus of the Hebrew University. On a last-minute impulse, Mark hitched a ride to Jerusalem with a member of the kibbutz in order to attend the concert. Now he needed a place to stay. Thumbing through his address book, Mark came across Rabbi Singer’s name. After a few unsuccessful calls to others, and very much as a last resort, Mark thought, “Oh, well, why not,” and called Rabbi Singer. The rabbi recognized Mark's name immediately and eagerly invited him.
When Mark arrived at the Singers’ apartment, the rabbi gave him a bed, a towel and a set of keys. No questions asked. No strings attached. Mark was surprised and even suspicious of Rabbi Singer’s nonjudgmental attitude. But Rabbi Singer brushed away the young man's defensiveness and skepticism with a gentle smile. “I know your parents very well, Mark. Any son of theirs is a friend of mine.”
Mark was very much taken by this man’s relaxed and accepting attitude. He was also struck by Rabbi Singer’s full and open trust. In fact, during the one day and two nights Mark spent there, he became very curious about this mild-mannered man, who responded to compliments by staring at his shoes. When Mark said goodbye, Rabbi Singer extended an open invitation to return for a Shabbos. When Mark replied that he'd think about it, the rabbi assumed this was his polite way of turning down the offer.
Three weeks later, much to Rabbi Singer’s surprise, Mark did call and ask to come for Shabbos. That Friday night, Mark kept Rabbi Singer up quite late, firing one philosophical question after another. The full and challenging answers, Rabbi Singer’s personality, the pervasive Shabbos atmosphere, made Mark's shell of cynicism crack.
During that year, Mark returned to the Singer home for Shabbos three more times. Each time he arrived with a heavy load of questions. And after each visit, Mark left with pleasant memories, a lot of answers, and another open invitation.
In the middle of the third Shabbos, Mark hesitatingly asked his most difficult question. It was easy for Mark to ask about the Holocaust, or proofs of God's existence. But, because he knew there would be an answer, one question terrified him: “Where can I learn more about Judaism?”
Rabbi Singer directed Mark to Aish HaTorah’s highly successful three-day Discovery Seminar. Mark credits the seminar for pushing him “over the hill." But in truth, by the time Mark signed up for Discovery, he was already receptive to the credibility of Judaism.
After the seminar, Mark’s appetite was fully whetted. He decided to remain at the yeshiva for a week... then another... and finally for a year-and-a-half of intense Torah study.
At the same time that Mark began to explore Judaism and its meaning for his life, he began to think about his relationship with his parents. By the time he returned home, they were closer than they had been for years, and Ann and Larry became baalei teshuvah as well. Before leaving Israel, Mark was also personally responsible for bringing another Harvard graduate ― who was engaged to marry a non-Jew ― over to Rabbi Singer's home and eventually back to [Judaism]. But that's another story...
Truth always wins
The religious Jews of Slutzk once complained to their rabbi, the gaon Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik that the atheists had the upper hand in the town.
“That’s not surprising,” said Rabbi Yosef Dov. “Truth always wins out.”
Astonished, they asked, “Rabbi, what do you mean? Is there, G-d forbid, any truth in atheism?”
“What I said was correct,” answered the Rabbi. “The atheists really believe in their truth. Therefore, they’re victorious. The believers don't believe in their truth with the same intensity. Therefore, they lose out!” (Haggadah shel Pesach Ayelet HaShachar, p. 222)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayeira 5770
Is sponsored liRefuah Shleima Refoel Chaim Simcha ben Devorah Aliza bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Bais Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, half an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770
שבת טעם החיים לך לך תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770
Fleeing Evil
Introduction
In this week’s parasha, we find an interesting pattern. The parsha commences with HaShem instructing Avraham to leave his homeland and travel to the Land of Canaan. Avraham was then forced to leave the Land because of a hunger and he descended to Egypt. Pharaoh took Sara and was then struck by a plague. Sensing that Avraham’s presence was detrimental to the Egyptian welfare, Pharaoh sent Avraham away. Further on we find that Avraham and Lot parted ways because of the dispute amongst their shepherds. The Torah then describes the battle of the four kings and the five kings, in which the kings of Sodom and Amorah fled and fall into the wells, and the other kings led to the mountains. Avraham is then informed by the palit, the fugitive, that his nephew Lot was captured. Following the battle, HaShem made a pact with Avraham, and Avraham took various animals and cut them up. Birds of prey descended upon the carcasses and Avraham drove them away. HaShem then promised Avraham that his descendants would be enslaved in Egypt and then they would leave with great wealth.
Evil leaving
The Torah then describes how Sara took Hagar as a second wife. Sara then became angry at Hagar and she chased her away. All these incidents reflect on the concepts of fleeing and departure. The parasha culminates with HaShem instructing Avraham to perform Bris Milah. This act involves the removal of the foreskin. All these seemingly unrelated episodes correlate as they signify the idea of departing or fleeing from the evil influences and cleaving to the good. Thus, the initial instruction that Avraham received to leave his homeland culminates with the mitzvah of Bris Mali, a physical manifest of removing the excess and undesirable and striving for the good.
Bris Milah and Eretz Yisroel
The Medrash states that in the merit of Bris Milah, the Jewish People will inherit Eretz Yisroel. In the simple sense this means that Bris Milah is a covenant between us and HaShem, and settling peacefully in Eretz Yisroel is a reflection of that covenant. On a deeper level, however, Bris Milah signifies removal of the undesirable and seeking a closer relationship with HaShem. Dwelling in Eretz Yisroel also reflects on our unique relationship with HaShem, as the Medrash states that one who dwells in Eretz Yisroel dwells there without sin.
The Shabbos connection
In a similar vein, throughout the week we are tempted by foreign influences that threaten to sabotage our spiritual ascent. HaShem has proffered on us His Holy Shabbos when all harsh judgments depart and we can focus on becoming holy and pure. This increased level of sanctity should allow us to become closer in our relationship with HaShem. We will then merit being true descendants of Avraham Avinu, of whom it is said (Yeshaya 41:8) zera Avraham ohavi, offspring of Avraham who loved me.
Shabbos Stories
Praying on Wings of Devotion
Rabbi Aharon Roth, popularly called Reb Arele, formed a new Chasidic group last century based on total self-sacrifice in davening, as taught by the Baal Shem Tov.
The following article was published [long ago] in the Hungarian literary monthly, “The Jewish Future,” by Dr. Frishman, the personal doctor of Rebbe Arele Roth." In it, Dr. Frishman tells how under the Rebbe's influence he became a baal teshuvah.
The long delicate lines on his face that was surrounded by a black beard and his sunken cheeks expressed a deep pain that emanated from severe bodily suffering. His frail body seemed ready to collapse under the burden of suffering, yet his eyes reflected a sea of calmness and a world of gentleness; wondrous lights shone in them.
For four weeks no food had entered his mouth; and in fact, he didn’t have anything to eat. All that he had he gave away for Tzedakah. He never let a single coin stay overnight in his home. The great city, blessed with a large Jewish population, had so many overwhelming problems that it gave no thought to the tzaddik who lived within it. She never lifted him up on her palms, and so the little that he had he gave to those who were needier than him.
He was not needy for food, and even if he wanted to eat he couldn’t. His body was made lean by fasts and self afflictions, and everything that entered his mouth, he vomited out. Even his body recoiled from the pleasures of this world; all of him yearned for the world above.
So now, I was called to him: His afflictions had become more severe and hindered his divine service.
“Again, they’re putting obstacles in my way!” he murmured bitterly. “They’re not letting me pray as I should, as I need to! The heavens are open, and they’re waiting for my prayers, not for my prayers alone, but for the prayers of every Jew, any Jew!”
I put my hand on his pulse to feel with my fingers the flow of holy life.
“To pray,” the rebbe cried, “is my world!” I’ve lived my whole life with physical suffering. I’ve never enjoyed even one moment of peace and quiet. But prayer caused everything to be forgotten, prayer poured new life into me, it lifted me up to the heavens and caused me to sprout wings!”
My fingers were still resting on his pulse. I feel the beats getting stronger. It seems as if wings are struggling and flapping under my fingers.
“To pray!” the tzaddik sighed with longing -“what a joy it is to pray! To bless with an overflowing heart with burning fervor the One and Only One! To pray! To experience that sweet, wonderful, and exalted taste, that pleasure garden of holy words, to count them like a string of pearls, like a treasure chest of diamonds, like precious stones. To utter each one with special care, to bask in its radiance, to ensure that it isn’t lost, to sing with a fervor that gets stronger and stronger. What supernal pleasure it is, what joy! What can compare to this - to praying?”
The tzaddik’s face glowed from an excess of joy and fervor, his bent body straightened up as it were, grew erect. I’m holding his hand, grasping it strongly as if to fly with him when his arms transform into powerful wings and lift him up into the upper realms.
“Do you know what prayer is?” he cried. “It’s flying - longings with wings, the soul getting close to the heavens, and elevating to come near to its Creator! All the worlds tremble before this powerful yearning-- the sun, the moon, the stars in the sky all yearn to fly and to elevate with great speed, shooting heavenward to the highest heights. The surging waves of the sea, the strong gusts of wind, the tongues of fire, the ravishing scents of flowers - all yearn to rise, to elevate above, all crave to get close to their Creator.
“Only the human being - the creature made to get close to the Creator, to elevate - only he crouches as if paralyzed, crude and lumpish, frozen without movement, as if chained to the earth.
“But the truth is that humans too can fly, they have only to learn from the birds. Have you ever seen how a bird prepares to take off? First, it shakes itself and flaps its wings, shaking off the earth's heaviness before flight; only after it gathers in the wind can it take off, and fly and soar on the air!”
“I don’t understand, Rebbe!” I shouted in despair. “Teach me too, teach me to fly!”
“Come with me to the synagogue, my son, and watch the Chasidim pray. See how they forget this world and everything in it, how they shake off their earthliness, how they begin to sway, to clap their hands - like a bird that wants to take off, flapping its wings - they shake themselves off, the mud that clings to them begins to drop off, to fall away, their wings gather air, their fervor increases - and suddenly they break contact with the earth, soaring closer to their Creator. Come, my son, to the synagogue, and you too will learn to fly, you too are able!”
Wealth of Happiness
The hill of sand was nearly desolate. From time to time, the rattling of passing wagon wheels broke the silence.
The sun beat down mercilessly, and between one wagon and the next there was hardly a sound except for the chirping of birds and the muffled noise of metal hitting sand. A wagon stood in the heat, harnessed to an aging horse whose head was deep in its feedbag, jaws moving methodically and without pause.
Near the wagon stood a figure in a wide-brimmed hat to protect his face from the sun. The man was dressed in a dark and dingy shirt that had seen better days, stained now with dirt, and a pair of threadbare trousers held at the hips by means of a rope made of woven straw.
The man’s face was creased with lines, thanks to hard work more than to his age. Were someone to ask his name, he would have answered with a shrug. “What’s the point of asking my name? Who am I, and what is my life? I am a digger of clay. Yaakov Dovid is my name ― the simplest of the simple. I have no title and no elaboration... Just a poor Jew who works to support his family by digging clay.”
Yaakov Dovid lifted his spade in a regular motion. With each strike in the dirt, he removed small clods of earth and emptied the shovel into his wagon. Every few days, when the wagon was filled with reddish-brown clay, he would travel to town and sell his wares to builders, in exchange for a few coins.
Such was the dirt-digger’s life for many years, and so it might have continued to the end of his days, had Heaven not decreed a different future for Yaakov Dovid.
One day, Yaakov Dovid was working hard as usual. He struck the dirt with his shovel when, suddenly, he heard a strange knocking sound. The metal spade had hit a rock. Yaakov Dovid had a great deal of experience with the kinds of rocks that came into contact with his shovel when he dug. He would merely set them aside and go on with his work. But this sound was different. He stopped for a moment to investigate.
In the dirt gleamed tiny, glistening lights. The sun's rays were breaking up on a large, glasslike lump that had been lying beneath the layers of clay. It was unclear whether the mass was nature's handiwork or that of man. Yaakov Dovid’s eyes widened. Placing his shovel at his feet, his fingers began to scrabble in the dirt until he had freed the chunk of something lying underneath.
His breath caught. It was a gigantic diamond, of a kind scarcely ever seen, not only by simple diggers, but even by much more prosperous folk.
Trembling, he glanced around on all sides to make sure no thief was lurking in the vicinity, ready to pounce on his find. His torn pockets were no place to keep this treasure. He thought for a moment, and found the solution. He hid the diamond beneath his seat in the wagon. No one would check there.
As the day wore on, he continued working with a singing heart. A festive feeling enveloped him. In his mind's eye he saw himself sitting in a luxurious armchair in an ornate palace, enjoying beauty and splendor and never again having to perform such backbreaking labor as digging for clay...
The following morning, he hastened to the jewelry store. Approaching the shopkeeper, he whispered that he had something to show him. The shopkeeper took him into a corner. There Yaakov Dovid unwrapped the diamond and showed it to him.
At the sight of the gigantic precious stone, the shopkeeper gaped as though thunderstruck. Unbelievingly, he felt it on all sides, throwing periodic glances at Yaakov Dovid all the while. “Where did you get this diamond?” he asked in amazement.
“I found it in the dirt,” Yaakov Dovid confessed. “How much is it worth?”
The shopkeeper could scarcely find the words. “Listen to me, and I’ll tell you what to do,” he said excitedly. “There is no one in this country that has the money to pay what this diamond is worth.”
“Impossible.” Yaakov Dovid thought the man was trying to get him to sell the stone cheap.
“Why argue with me?” the shopkeeper flared. “Are you the expert, or am I? A diamond the size of a chicken’s egg ― there is no one in this country who can pay for such a thing. Take it across the sea, to London, England. There, you'll doubtless find a buyer. If no ordinary merchant will buy it, perhaps the royal house will. In any case, don’t delay for even a moment. Leave at once. You are about to become an extraordinarily wealthy man!”
Yaakov Dovid returned home. Naturally, he did not go back to his job. He and his wife put their heads together to formulate a plan. For the sake of this exalted goal, she was willing to forgo certain comforts for the moment. They sold some of their belongings to pay for his passage to the port of Odessa, where he would purchase a ticket on a London-bound ship...
Like a chick newly emerged from its shell, Yaakov Dovid stood blinking at the sights and sounds of the harbor. Tens of ships, large and small, were docked there. Porters and stevedores raced to and fro. Some were loading cargo into the holds of ships about to set sail, while others unloaded boxes and bundles from ships that had recently docked. Men, women, and children stood in long lines near the ships, suitcases in hand. They are getting ready to sail away from here, he murmured to himself. With pounding heart, he approached one of the people standing in line. “Where is this ship going?”
“To London,” the man replied. “Do you want to sail on it?”
“Yes. How much does a ticket cost?”
The answer took his breath away. If he were to sell his meager home, he might just have enough money to buy passage fare to London!
Downcast, he walked around the bustling harbor. He stared sadly at the steadily dwindling line of passengers. Soon the ship would be full and it would set sail for London. Without him.
Suddenly, a resolution formed in his heart. He joined the group of passengers and climbed aboard. A stern-faced officer in a crisp uniform stopped him. “Ticket, please.”
“I’m not traveling - I only want to talk to the captain.”
“The captain?” The officer’s brow creased. He had never been confronted with such an odd request.
After much coaxing, he acquiesced to the Jew's request. A sailor was enlisted to bring him to the captain's cabin on the upper deck.
Yaakov Dovid mustered every ounce of his courage as the door opened and he was ushered into the presence of the ship's captain. To his good fortune, his sensible wife had forced him to buy a new suit, as befit his future standing as a wealthy man.
The captain lifted his head from the large map spread before him on the broad table. “What’s the problem, sir?” he asked impatiently. “Didn’t they give you a nice enough cabin? Go see the first officer, not me.”
“No, no,” Yaakov Dovid said hastily. “I have something to say to you, Captain. I am a diamond merchant and must get to London to sell this special stone.” He took the huge diamond out of his pocket.
The captain was stunned. The diamond glowed and glistened with a thousand shades of light, like a tiny sun. For a long moment, the captain stood mesmerized before it. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my life - a lot of diamonds and jewels - but I've never seen one that comes close to this for beauty and size,” he said excitedly. “Well, what can I do for you?” His manner and tone had changed completely. He spoke gently, courteously.
Yaakov Dovid succeeded in convincing the captain that, due to a series of unforeseen errors and lack of time, he had arrived at the port without a ticket in hand and, even worse, without a penny in his pocket. He assured the captain that, the moment he sold his diamond in London, he would return to the captain with the full fare.
“Certainly,” the captain agreed. He summoned the first officer to his cabin and ordered him to give the “Jewish diamond merchant” the best cabin on the ship.
Yaakov Dovid felt like a man in a dream as a pair of uniformed sailors made themselves available to fulfill his every request, day and night. His suitcase was immediately unpacked for him and its contents arranged in the cupboards. He allowed the sailors to put everything away, except for the one thing that he permitted no one but the captain to see: his precious diamond... He was afraid to leave his diamond behind for even a moment, lest thieves get their hands on it. He did not wish to take it with him on deck, as his hands were constantly going to his pocket to feel for it and would end by rousing suspicions.
So Yaakov Dovid sat in his cabin, enjoying his precious stone. He would take it out of his pocket, touch it gently, and thank his Creator for bringing him such a fortune. When he returned from London a wealthy man, he would give a great deal of charity, keeping in mind all the poor folks and remembering how, just yesterday, he had been one of them.
The sailors brought his meals to his room, setting the tray down and leaving at once. He would wash his hands for the meal and then, to whet his appetite, would take out the diamond and place it before him on the table. The sight of that sparkling stone would fill him with joy, making the food go down more easily.
At noon each day, he received a visit from the captain. Apparently, rich men merit special treatment wherever they may be. The captain found Yaakov Dovid to be an intelligent and pleasant fellow, and he enjoyed chatting with him. If he only knew who I am and what kind of work I do, Yaakov Dovid would think with a smile. Once, the captain asked him why his hands were so hard and calloused, and Yaakov Dovid confessed openly that, before he'd become wealthy, he had been a simple laborer. He was a little apprehensive over the captain’s reaction but, on the contrary, the captain was deeply moved by this information and afterward treated him with even greater respect.
One night, the sea was rocky under a stormy sky. Yaakov Dovid found it hard to sleep, and was filled with fear of the ship's sinking into the depths along with his diamond. He hardly closed his eyes all night, and when his breakfast was brought to him in the morning he was drowsy and slightly confused. He washed his hands and ate a little; then, out of habit, took the precious stone from his pocket and placed it on the white tablecloth, next to the loaf of bread. During the meal, he nearly fell asleep. With difficulty, he managed to rouse himself long enough to stumble to his bed. He threw himself onto it like a sack of bricks and sank into a leaden sleep.
While he slept, the attending sailor came into his cabin as usual. Without paying any particular attention, he picked up the tablecloth along with all its contents, carried it over to the round porthole, thrust his hands out, and - as he did every day - shook the cloth out over the waves. The loaf of bread, still nearly whole, hid the shining stone on its way to the depths.
Yaakov Dovid slept a long time. He awoke at last in an addled state, with no memory of where he was or what he was doing in the small cabin. Why wasn't he standing in his clay pit, striking the earth with his shovel?
Suddenly, he remembered. He was on his way to London, to sell the precious diamond that he'd found in the clay. With a single leap, he lunged for the table.
A heartrending cry echoed through the cabin. The table was completely bare, the tablecloth empty. Everything that had been on it was gone.
At the sound of his terrible cries, the sailor raced into the cabin. Yaakov Dovid whirled on him. “Where is the food? Where is everything that was on the table?”
The sailor explained that he’d done what he did every day: shaken the tablecloth out the porthole.
The diamond had sunk in the waters of the sea!
Goodbye, unimaginable riches. He had always been a luckless fellow, and a luckless fellow he would remain.
The sailor left without comprehending what had happened. Yaakov Dovid fell on his bed, covered his face with his pillow, and wept bitter tears. He had left his city a pauper and he would return the same way. And how was he to return? Where would he get the money to sail from London back to Odessa? And how would he pay for the overland portion of his journey?
All at once, he recovered. If he cried openly and revealed his secret to the captain, he would be hurled overboard without pity. There was one law for the rich, and quite another for the poor. He would not have to say a word; one look at his anguished face, and the captain would know all.
He had one asset, and that was joy. If he behaved as happily as usual and acted normally, the captain would notice nothing of his tragedy and Yaakov Dovid would at least make it to London.
That same day, he behaved with an extra measure of cheerfulness when the captain came to visit him. Enjoying his company, the captain lingered. Suddenly, he leaned closer and said, “I like you a lot. Let me tell you something. I’m not just a sea captain; I am also a big grain merchant. The entire hold of this ship is filled with fine wheat. All together, it’s worth a fortune ― several times more than the value of that diamond of yours. I need to sell it in London, but I can't spare the time. How about being my agent and selling the wheat for me, in return for a nice percentage?”
The sum that Yaakov Dovid realized from the sale of the wheat in London was 10 times the value of the diamond he had lost. He became a rich man overnight. On his return to the ship to give the captain the money, he found all the sailors weeping.
“Our captain died suddenly of a heart attack!”
With the captain’s death, and having not left any heirs, Yaakov Dovid inherited all the profits from the wheat, and returned home a very wealthy man.
“The diamond was not his,” Rabbi Nachman of Breslov would say when telling this story. “And the proof: He lost it. The captain’s wealth did belong to him, as you can see by the fact that he kept it. How was it that a simple clay-digger achieved this state? Only because he stood firm and did not lose his joy!”
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770
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Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770
Fleeing Evil
Introduction
In this week’s parasha, we find an interesting pattern. The parsha commences with HaShem instructing Avraham to leave his homeland and travel to the Land of Canaan. Avraham was then forced to leave the Land because of a hunger and he descended to Egypt. Pharaoh took Sara and was then struck by a plague. Sensing that Avraham’s presence was detrimental to the Egyptian welfare, Pharaoh sent Avraham away. Further on we find that Avraham and Lot parted ways because of the dispute amongst their shepherds. The Torah then describes the battle of the four kings and the five kings, in which the kings of Sodom and Amorah fled and fall into the wells, and the other kings led to the mountains. Avraham is then informed by the palit, the fugitive, that his nephew Lot was captured. Following the battle, HaShem made a pact with Avraham, and Avraham took various animals and cut them up. Birds of prey descended upon the carcasses and Avraham drove them away. HaShem then promised Avraham that his descendants would be enslaved in Egypt and then they would leave with great wealth.
Evil leaving
The Torah then describes how Sara took Hagar as a second wife. Sara then became angry at Hagar and she chased her away. All these incidents reflect on the concepts of fleeing and departure. The parasha culminates with HaShem instructing Avraham to perform Bris Milah. This act involves the removal of the foreskin. All these seemingly unrelated episodes correlate as they signify the idea of departing or fleeing from the evil influences and cleaving to the good. Thus, the initial instruction that Avraham received to leave his homeland culminates with the mitzvah of Bris Mali, a physical manifest of removing the excess and undesirable and striving for the good.
Bris Milah and Eretz Yisroel
The Medrash states that in the merit of Bris Milah, the Jewish People will inherit Eretz Yisroel. In the simple sense this means that Bris Milah is a covenant between us and HaShem, and settling peacefully in Eretz Yisroel is a reflection of that covenant. On a deeper level, however, Bris Milah signifies removal of the undesirable and seeking a closer relationship with HaShem. Dwelling in Eretz Yisroel also reflects on our unique relationship with HaShem, as the Medrash states that one who dwells in Eretz Yisroel dwells there without sin.
The Shabbos connection
In a similar vein, throughout the week we are tempted by foreign influences that threaten to sabotage our spiritual ascent. HaShem has proffered on us His Holy Shabbos when all harsh judgments depart and we can focus on becoming holy and pure. This increased level of sanctity should allow us to become closer in our relationship with HaShem. We will then merit being true descendants of Avraham Avinu, of whom it is said (Yeshaya 41:8) zera Avraham ohavi, offspring of Avraham who loved me.
Shabbos Stories
Praying on Wings of Devotion
Rabbi Aharon Roth, popularly called Reb Arele, formed a new Chasidic group last century based on total self-sacrifice in davening, as taught by the Baal Shem Tov.
The following article was published [long ago] in the Hungarian literary monthly, “The Jewish Future,” by Dr. Frishman, the personal doctor of Rebbe Arele Roth." In it, Dr. Frishman tells how under the Rebbe's influence he became a baal teshuvah.
The long delicate lines on his face that was surrounded by a black beard and his sunken cheeks expressed a deep pain that emanated from severe bodily suffering. His frail body seemed ready to collapse under the burden of suffering, yet his eyes reflected a sea of calmness and a world of gentleness; wondrous lights shone in them.
For four weeks no food had entered his mouth; and in fact, he didn’t have anything to eat. All that he had he gave away for Tzedakah. He never let a single coin stay overnight in his home. The great city, blessed with a large Jewish population, had so many overwhelming problems that it gave no thought to the tzaddik who lived within it. She never lifted him up on her palms, and so the little that he had he gave to those who were needier than him.
He was not needy for food, and even if he wanted to eat he couldn’t. His body was made lean by fasts and self afflictions, and everything that entered his mouth, he vomited out. Even his body recoiled from the pleasures of this world; all of him yearned for the world above.
So now, I was called to him: His afflictions had become more severe and hindered his divine service.
“Again, they’re putting obstacles in my way!” he murmured bitterly. “They’re not letting me pray as I should, as I need to! The heavens are open, and they’re waiting for my prayers, not for my prayers alone, but for the prayers of every Jew, any Jew!”
I put my hand on his pulse to feel with my fingers the flow of holy life.
“To pray,” the rebbe cried, “is my world!” I’ve lived my whole life with physical suffering. I’ve never enjoyed even one moment of peace and quiet. But prayer caused everything to be forgotten, prayer poured new life into me, it lifted me up to the heavens and caused me to sprout wings!”
My fingers were still resting on his pulse. I feel the beats getting stronger. It seems as if wings are struggling and flapping under my fingers.
“To pray!” the tzaddik sighed with longing -“what a joy it is to pray! To bless with an overflowing heart with burning fervor the One and Only One! To pray! To experience that sweet, wonderful, and exalted taste, that pleasure garden of holy words, to count them like a string of pearls, like a treasure chest of diamonds, like precious stones. To utter each one with special care, to bask in its radiance, to ensure that it isn’t lost, to sing with a fervor that gets stronger and stronger. What supernal pleasure it is, what joy! What can compare to this - to praying?”
The tzaddik’s face glowed from an excess of joy and fervor, his bent body straightened up as it were, grew erect. I’m holding his hand, grasping it strongly as if to fly with him when his arms transform into powerful wings and lift him up into the upper realms.
“Do you know what prayer is?” he cried. “It’s flying - longings with wings, the soul getting close to the heavens, and elevating to come near to its Creator! All the worlds tremble before this powerful yearning-- the sun, the moon, the stars in the sky all yearn to fly and to elevate with great speed, shooting heavenward to the highest heights. The surging waves of the sea, the strong gusts of wind, the tongues of fire, the ravishing scents of flowers - all yearn to rise, to elevate above, all crave to get close to their Creator.
“Only the human being - the creature made to get close to the Creator, to elevate - only he crouches as if paralyzed, crude and lumpish, frozen without movement, as if chained to the earth.
“But the truth is that humans too can fly, they have only to learn from the birds. Have you ever seen how a bird prepares to take off? First, it shakes itself and flaps its wings, shaking off the earth's heaviness before flight; only after it gathers in the wind can it take off, and fly and soar on the air!”
“I don’t understand, Rebbe!” I shouted in despair. “Teach me too, teach me to fly!”
“Come with me to the synagogue, my son, and watch the Chasidim pray. See how they forget this world and everything in it, how they shake off their earthliness, how they begin to sway, to clap their hands - like a bird that wants to take off, flapping its wings - they shake themselves off, the mud that clings to them begins to drop off, to fall away, their wings gather air, their fervor increases - and suddenly they break contact with the earth, soaring closer to their Creator. Come, my son, to the synagogue, and you too will learn to fly, you too are able!”
Wealth of Happiness
The hill of sand was nearly desolate. From time to time, the rattling of passing wagon wheels broke the silence.
The sun beat down mercilessly, and between one wagon and the next there was hardly a sound except for the chirping of birds and the muffled noise of metal hitting sand. A wagon stood in the heat, harnessed to an aging horse whose head was deep in its feedbag, jaws moving methodically and without pause.
Near the wagon stood a figure in a wide-brimmed hat to protect his face from the sun. The man was dressed in a dark and dingy shirt that had seen better days, stained now with dirt, and a pair of threadbare trousers held at the hips by means of a rope made of woven straw.
The man’s face was creased with lines, thanks to hard work more than to his age. Were someone to ask his name, he would have answered with a shrug. “What’s the point of asking my name? Who am I, and what is my life? I am a digger of clay. Yaakov Dovid is my name ― the simplest of the simple. I have no title and no elaboration... Just a poor Jew who works to support his family by digging clay.”
Yaakov Dovid lifted his spade in a regular motion. With each strike in the dirt, he removed small clods of earth and emptied the shovel into his wagon. Every few days, when the wagon was filled with reddish-brown clay, he would travel to town and sell his wares to builders, in exchange for a few coins.
Such was the dirt-digger’s life for many years, and so it might have continued to the end of his days, had Heaven not decreed a different future for Yaakov Dovid.
One day, Yaakov Dovid was working hard as usual. He struck the dirt with his shovel when, suddenly, he heard a strange knocking sound. The metal spade had hit a rock. Yaakov Dovid had a great deal of experience with the kinds of rocks that came into contact with his shovel when he dug. He would merely set them aside and go on with his work. But this sound was different. He stopped for a moment to investigate.
In the dirt gleamed tiny, glistening lights. The sun's rays were breaking up on a large, glasslike lump that had been lying beneath the layers of clay. It was unclear whether the mass was nature's handiwork or that of man. Yaakov Dovid’s eyes widened. Placing his shovel at his feet, his fingers began to scrabble in the dirt until he had freed the chunk of something lying underneath.
His breath caught. It was a gigantic diamond, of a kind scarcely ever seen, not only by simple diggers, but even by much more prosperous folk.
Trembling, he glanced around on all sides to make sure no thief was lurking in the vicinity, ready to pounce on his find. His torn pockets were no place to keep this treasure. He thought for a moment, and found the solution. He hid the diamond beneath his seat in the wagon. No one would check there.
As the day wore on, he continued working with a singing heart. A festive feeling enveloped him. In his mind's eye he saw himself sitting in a luxurious armchair in an ornate palace, enjoying beauty and splendor and never again having to perform such backbreaking labor as digging for clay...
The following morning, he hastened to the jewelry store. Approaching the shopkeeper, he whispered that he had something to show him. The shopkeeper took him into a corner. There Yaakov Dovid unwrapped the diamond and showed it to him.
At the sight of the gigantic precious stone, the shopkeeper gaped as though thunderstruck. Unbelievingly, he felt it on all sides, throwing periodic glances at Yaakov Dovid all the while. “Where did you get this diamond?” he asked in amazement.
“I found it in the dirt,” Yaakov Dovid confessed. “How much is it worth?”
The shopkeeper could scarcely find the words. “Listen to me, and I’ll tell you what to do,” he said excitedly. “There is no one in this country that has the money to pay what this diamond is worth.”
“Impossible.” Yaakov Dovid thought the man was trying to get him to sell the stone cheap.
“Why argue with me?” the shopkeeper flared. “Are you the expert, or am I? A diamond the size of a chicken’s egg ― there is no one in this country who can pay for such a thing. Take it across the sea, to London, England. There, you'll doubtless find a buyer. If no ordinary merchant will buy it, perhaps the royal house will. In any case, don’t delay for even a moment. Leave at once. You are about to become an extraordinarily wealthy man!”
Yaakov Dovid returned home. Naturally, he did not go back to his job. He and his wife put their heads together to formulate a plan. For the sake of this exalted goal, she was willing to forgo certain comforts for the moment. They sold some of their belongings to pay for his passage to the port of Odessa, where he would purchase a ticket on a London-bound ship...
Like a chick newly emerged from its shell, Yaakov Dovid stood blinking at the sights and sounds of the harbor. Tens of ships, large and small, were docked there. Porters and stevedores raced to and fro. Some were loading cargo into the holds of ships about to set sail, while others unloaded boxes and bundles from ships that had recently docked. Men, women, and children stood in long lines near the ships, suitcases in hand. They are getting ready to sail away from here, he murmured to himself. With pounding heart, he approached one of the people standing in line. “Where is this ship going?”
“To London,” the man replied. “Do you want to sail on it?”
“Yes. How much does a ticket cost?”
The answer took his breath away. If he were to sell his meager home, he might just have enough money to buy passage fare to London!
Downcast, he walked around the bustling harbor. He stared sadly at the steadily dwindling line of passengers. Soon the ship would be full and it would set sail for London. Without him.
Suddenly, a resolution formed in his heart. He joined the group of passengers and climbed aboard. A stern-faced officer in a crisp uniform stopped him. “Ticket, please.”
“I’m not traveling - I only want to talk to the captain.”
“The captain?” The officer’s brow creased. He had never been confronted with such an odd request.
After much coaxing, he acquiesced to the Jew's request. A sailor was enlisted to bring him to the captain's cabin on the upper deck.
Yaakov Dovid mustered every ounce of his courage as the door opened and he was ushered into the presence of the ship's captain. To his good fortune, his sensible wife had forced him to buy a new suit, as befit his future standing as a wealthy man.
The captain lifted his head from the large map spread before him on the broad table. “What’s the problem, sir?” he asked impatiently. “Didn’t they give you a nice enough cabin? Go see the first officer, not me.”
“No, no,” Yaakov Dovid said hastily. “I have something to say to you, Captain. I am a diamond merchant and must get to London to sell this special stone.” He took the huge diamond out of his pocket.
The captain was stunned. The diamond glowed and glistened with a thousand shades of light, like a tiny sun. For a long moment, the captain stood mesmerized before it. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my life - a lot of diamonds and jewels - but I've never seen one that comes close to this for beauty and size,” he said excitedly. “Well, what can I do for you?” His manner and tone had changed completely. He spoke gently, courteously.
Yaakov Dovid succeeded in convincing the captain that, due to a series of unforeseen errors and lack of time, he had arrived at the port without a ticket in hand and, even worse, without a penny in his pocket. He assured the captain that, the moment he sold his diamond in London, he would return to the captain with the full fare.
“Certainly,” the captain agreed. He summoned the first officer to his cabin and ordered him to give the “Jewish diamond merchant” the best cabin on the ship.
Yaakov Dovid felt like a man in a dream as a pair of uniformed sailors made themselves available to fulfill his every request, day and night. His suitcase was immediately unpacked for him and its contents arranged in the cupboards. He allowed the sailors to put everything away, except for the one thing that he permitted no one but the captain to see: his precious diamond... He was afraid to leave his diamond behind for even a moment, lest thieves get their hands on it. He did not wish to take it with him on deck, as his hands were constantly going to his pocket to feel for it and would end by rousing suspicions.
So Yaakov Dovid sat in his cabin, enjoying his precious stone. He would take it out of his pocket, touch it gently, and thank his Creator for bringing him such a fortune. When he returned from London a wealthy man, he would give a great deal of charity, keeping in mind all the poor folks and remembering how, just yesterday, he had been one of them.
The sailors brought his meals to his room, setting the tray down and leaving at once. He would wash his hands for the meal and then, to whet his appetite, would take out the diamond and place it before him on the table. The sight of that sparkling stone would fill him with joy, making the food go down more easily.
At noon each day, he received a visit from the captain. Apparently, rich men merit special treatment wherever they may be. The captain found Yaakov Dovid to be an intelligent and pleasant fellow, and he enjoyed chatting with him. If he only knew who I am and what kind of work I do, Yaakov Dovid would think with a smile. Once, the captain asked him why his hands were so hard and calloused, and Yaakov Dovid confessed openly that, before he'd become wealthy, he had been a simple laborer. He was a little apprehensive over the captain’s reaction but, on the contrary, the captain was deeply moved by this information and afterward treated him with even greater respect.
One night, the sea was rocky under a stormy sky. Yaakov Dovid found it hard to sleep, and was filled with fear of the ship's sinking into the depths along with his diamond. He hardly closed his eyes all night, and when his breakfast was brought to him in the morning he was drowsy and slightly confused. He washed his hands and ate a little; then, out of habit, took the precious stone from his pocket and placed it on the white tablecloth, next to the loaf of bread. During the meal, he nearly fell asleep. With difficulty, he managed to rouse himself long enough to stumble to his bed. He threw himself onto it like a sack of bricks and sank into a leaden sleep.
While he slept, the attending sailor came into his cabin as usual. Without paying any particular attention, he picked up the tablecloth along with all its contents, carried it over to the round porthole, thrust his hands out, and - as he did every day - shook the cloth out over the waves. The loaf of bread, still nearly whole, hid the shining stone on its way to the depths.
Yaakov Dovid slept a long time. He awoke at last in an addled state, with no memory of where he was or what he was doing in the small cabin. Why wasn't he standing in his clay pit, striking the earth with his shovel?
Suddenly, he remembered. He was on his way to London, to sell the precious diamond that he'd found in the clay. With a single leap, he lunged for the table.
A heartrending cry echoed through the cabin. The table was completely bare, the tablecloth empty. Everything that had been on it was gone.
At the sound of his terrible cries, the sailor raced into the cabin. Yaakov Dovid whirled on him. “Where is the food? Where is everything that was on the table?”
The sailor explained that he’d done what he did every day: shaken the tablecloth out the porthole.
The diamond had sunk in the waters of the sea!
Goodbye, unimaginable riches. He had always been a luckless fellow, and a luckless fellow he would remain.
The sailor left without comprehending what had happened. Yaakov Dovid fell on his bed, covered his face with his pillow, and wept bitter tears. He had left his city a pauper and he would return the same way. And how was he to return? Where would he get the money to sail from London back to Odessa? And how would he pay for the overland portion of his journey?
All at once, he recovered. If he cried openly and revealed his secret to the captain, he would be hurled overboard without pity. There was one law for the rich, and quite another for the poor. He would not have to say a word; one look at his anguished face, and the captain would know all.
He had one asset, and that was joy. If he behaved as happily as usual and acted normally, the captain would notice nothing of his tragedy and Yaakov Dovid would at least make it to London.
That same day, he behaved with an extra measure of cheerfulness when the captain came to visit him. Enjoying his company, the captain lingered. Suddenly, he leaned closer and said, “I like you a lot. Let me tell you something. I’m not just a sea captain; I am also a big grain merchant. The entire hold of this ship is filled with fine wheat. All together, it’s worth a fortune ― several times more than the value of that diamond of yours. I need to sell it in London, but I can't spare the time. How about being my agent and selling the wheat for me, in return for a nice percentage?”
The sum that Yaakov Dovid realized from the sale of the wheat in London was 10 times the value of the diamond he had lost. He became a rich man overnight. On his return to the ship to give the captain the money, he found all the sailors weeping.
“Our captain died suddenly of a heart attack!”
With the captain’s death, and having not left any heirs, Yaakov Dovid inherited all the profits from the wheat, and returned home a very wealthy man.
“The diamond was not his,” Rabbi Nachman of Breslov would say when telling this story. “And the proof: He lost it. The captain’s wealth did belong to him, as you can see by the fact that he kept it. How was it that a simple clay-digger achieved this state? Only because he stood firm and did not lose his joy!”
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Lech Lecho 5770
Is sponsored liRefuah Shleima
Refoel Chaim Simcha ben Devorah Aliza bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Bais Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, half an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Noach 5770
שבת טעם החיים נח תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Noach 5770
Noach Reveals Too Much
Introduction
In this week’s parsha the Torah records how Noach built a Teiva, an ark, that protected his family, himself, and numerous animals from the Great Flood that HaShem brought upon the world. Subsequent to the flood, Noach left the Teivah and it is said (Bereishis 9:20-21) vayachel Noach ish haadama vayita karem vayeisht min hayayin vayishkar vayisgal bisoch ahalo, Noach, the man of the earth, debased himself and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. Rashi cites the Medrash that states that Noach made himself chullin, profane, as he should have chosen a different planting instead of grapes. One must ask the obvious question. While it is true that grapes can lead to one get intoxicated, what is wrong with the actual act of planting grapes? Furthermore, if planting grapes was inappropriate, then why did Noach act in such a manner?
Noach was supposed to act discreetly
Much has been written regarding the contrast of Noach’s conduct prior to entering the Teivah and his behavior subsequent to exiting the Teivah. Perhaps we can suggest a new approach that will help us gain a perspective of how we are supposed to conduct ourselves. Prior to Noach entering the Teivah, it is said (Bereishis 7:16) vayisgor HaShem baado, and HaShem shut it on his behalf. The Baal HaTurim (Ibid) writes that this passage alludes to the fact that HaShem prohibited Noach and his family from cohabiting while on the Teivah. While in the Teivah, Noach certainly followed this instruction to be constrained. Yet, when Noach exited the Teivah, the Torah states explicitly that he revealed himself, and this was the antithesis of his conduct while inside the Teivah.
One who witnesses depravity should abstain from wine
The Pinei Menachem adds a fascinating insight into what was expected of Noach. The Pinei Menachem adds a fascinating insight into what was expected from Noach. Prior to the flood, the people had been engaged in promiscuous behavior. The Gemara states that one who witnesses a Sota (adulteress woman) in her state of shame should abstain from wine. Similarly, after witnessing firsthand the depravity of his generation, Noach should have abstained from wine. Instead, Noach became intoxicated and was shamed by his youngest son, Cham. In our own lives, we are often witness to acts of depravity, but we choose to ignore them and carry on with what we are doing. The Torah is teaching us that being witness to such acts should lead us to sanctify our actions and search for loftier goals and pursuits.
The Shabbos connection
Every week HaShem affords us with the opportunity to transcend the decadence of society and enter into the holy realm of Shabbos. It is noteworthy that in addition to the evening prayers that we recite with the onset of Shabbos, the first act that we perform is the recital of Kiddush on wine. Wine can be detrimental effect when used inappropriately. Nonetheless, one can sanctify his actions by reciting Kiddush on Shabbos and demonstrating that everything belongs to HaShem. This thought should remain with us throughout the week, and then we will merit rectifying the world and meriting the arrival of Mashiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
To be outdone by a dog
Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffman writes: A student of the holy Chafetz Chaim zt”l once heard him chastising himself: “Yisroel Meir, do you not appreciate the kindness that HaShem has done with you that he gave you the wisdom and understanding to compile an entire sefer on the laws of lashon hara (slanderous speech)?! Aren’t you thankful that by the grace of HaShem many thousands of people have purchased the sefer, and learn from it daily?! Don't you realize that if you don't show appreciation for these gifts, then the lowly dog is greater than you?!”
The next morning, the student, puzzled by his rebbe’s cryptic statement, had the boldness to ask its meaning. The Chafetz Chaim explained: “The Medrash says HaShem gave Kayin a dog. Why a dog? There is no animal on earth quite like the dog - that shows such love, appreciation, and devotion to its owner in exchange for little more than a few scraps and morsels that would likely have gone in the garbage (the Chafetz Chaim lived before the times that dog foods received more supermarket shelf- space than baby foods). No animal is more faithful and grateful to its owner than a dog. And no act could be more the contrary than Kayin's taking advantage of Hevel's kindness, and using it to kill him. By giving him a dog, HaShem was giving Kayin a constant reminder of his lack of hakaras hatov (recognition of kindness). That’s why I told myself that if I fail to appreciate the gifts HaShem has given me, I'll be outdone by a dog!”
One can always rebuild
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky writes: A renowned Rosh Yeshiva tragically lost his son to a debilitating disease at the prime of his life. Not long married, the son left a widow and a young child. The Rosh Yeshiva and his Rebbitzen were devastated at the loss and the shiva period was a most difficult time.
One of the hundreds of visitors was the Bluzhever Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel Spira, whose entire family was wiped out during the Holocaust. He sat quietly, taking in the pain of the bereaved family. Finally, when it was time to say something, Rabbi Spira turned to the Rosh Yeshiva and spoke. “Your loss is terrible, but at least your son will have a living remnant, his child. He will also have a resting place and stone where the family can visit. I do not even know where any of my children who were killed by the Nazis are buried.” Then he added, “Yet, somehow HaShem has given me the strength to rebuild my family and life.” Those words truly helped console the Rosh Yeshiva.
True belief
Rabbi Kamenetzky writes further: Rabbi Shimshon Sherer, Rav of Congregation Kehilas Zichron Mordechai, tells the following story.
In a small town there was a severe drought. The community synagogues each prayed separately for rain, but to no avail. The tears and prayers failed to unlock the sealed heavens, and for months, no rains came.
Finally, the town’s eldest sage held a meeting with prominent community rabbis and lay leaders. "There are two items lacking in our approach, faith and unity. Each one of you must impress upon his congregation the need to believe. If we are united and sincere, our prayers will be answered!” He declared that all the synagogues in the city would join together for a day of Tefillah. Everyone, men women and children would join together for this event. “I assure you,” he exclaimed, “that if we meet both criteria - faith and unity - no one will leave that prayer service without getting drenched!”
There was no shul large enough to contain the entire community so the date was set to gather and daven in a field! For the next few weeks all the rabbis spoke about bitachon and achdus (faith and unity). On the designated day the entire town gathered in a large field whose crops had long withered from the severe drought. Men, women, and children all gathered and anxiously awaited the old sage to begin the service.
The elderly rabbi walked up to the podium. His eyes scanned the tremendous crowd that filled the large field and then they dimmed in dismay. The rabbi began shaking his head in dissatisfaction. “This will never work,” he moaned dejectedly. "The rain will not come.” Slowly he left the podium. The other rabbis on the dais were shocked. “But rebbe, everyone is here and they are all united! Surely they must believe that the rains will fall! Otherwise no one would have bothered to come on a working day!”
The rabbi shook his head slowly and sadly.
“No. They don’t really believe,” he stated. “I scanned the entire crowd. Nobody even brought a raincoat.” [Reprinted with permission from www.Torah.org]
Dream while you are awake
Rabbi Shimshon Sherer, Rav of Kehilas Zichron Mordechai, told over the following story. Rabbi Shimshon Zelig Fortman was the Rav of Congregation Knesseth Israel in Far Rockaway during the 1940s. During that period, many naysayers had all but discounted any chance of a rebirth of Orthodox Jewry. Torah observant Yidden had hardly a voice in Washington, they were disorganized and fragmented, and the destruction of European Jewry was almost the last nail in the alleged coffin of traditional Torah Yiddishkeit. Rabbi Fortman had a young son-in-law, Moshe, who had studied in Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore. He would tell his father-in-law how he saw a future for Orthodox Jewry that was filled with honor and power, with representatives that would have direct access to Congress, the Senate, and even the President of the United States. They would influence legislation with their values and fill stadiums and coliseums with Torah assemblies and prayer gatherings! Rabbi Fortman was very concerned about his young son-in-law’s ivory towered dreams. He felt that he these dreams distracted him and he would never accomplish anything. Rabbi Yosef Kahanamen, the Ponovezher Rav had recently come to America to raise funds for his Yeshiva in Israel, and was staying by Rabbi Fortman in Far Rockaway. “Surely,” Rabbi Fortman thought, “Rabbi Kahanamen will end Moshe's fantasies and teach him about the realities of accomplishment.” Moshe and Rabbi Kahanamen met for nearly an hour. The Rav listened intently and then told young Moshe, “Dream my son. Continue to dream. In fact you can continue to dream as long as you live. But remember one thing. Never fall asleep.” Young Moshe was eventually known to hundreds of thousands of Jews world over as the man who may have been one of the most influential personalities in the emergence of Torah Jewry today. This man was Rabbi Moshe Sherer, the President of Agudath Israel of America.
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Noach 5770
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Bais Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, half an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Noach 5770
Noach Reveals Too Much
Introduction
In this week’s parsha the Torah records how Noach built a Teiva, an ark, that protected his family, himself, and numerous animals from the Great Flood that HaShem brought upon the world. Subsequent to the flood, Noach left the Teivah and it is said (Bereishis 9:20-21) vayachel Noach ish haadama vayita karem vayeisht min hayayin vayishkar vayisgal bisoch ahalo, Noach, the man of the earth, debased himself and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. Rashi cites the Medrash that states that Noach made himself chullin, profane, as he should have chosen a different planting instead of grapes. One must ask the obvious question. While it is true that grapes can lead to one get intoxicated, what is wrong with the actual act of planting grapes? Furthermore, if planting grapes was inappropriate, then why did Noach act in such a manner?
Noach was supposed to act discreetly
Much has been written regarding the contrast of Noach’s conduct prior to entering the Teivah and his behavior subsequent to exiting the Teivah. Perhaps we can suggest a new approach that will help us gain a perspective of how we are supposed to conduct ourselves. Prior to Noach entering the Teivah, it is said (Bereishis 7:16) vayisgor HaShem baado, and HaShem shut it on his behalf. The Baal HaTurim (Ibid) writes that this passage alludes to the fact that HaShem prohibited Noach and his family from cohabiting while on the Teivah. While in the Teivah, Noach certainly followed this instruction to be constrained. Yet, when Noach exited the Teivah, the Torah states explicitly that he revealed himself, and this was the antithesis of his conduct while inside the Teivah.
One who witnesses depravity should abstain from wine
The Pinei Menachem adds a fascinating insight into what was expected of Noach. The Pinei Menachem adds a fascinating insight into what was expected from Noach. Prior to the flood, the people had been engaged in promiscuous behavior. The Gemara states that one who witnesses a Sota (adulteress woman) in her state of shame should abstain from wine. Similarly, after witnessing firsthand the depravity of his generation, Noach should have abstained from wine. Instead, Noach became intoxicated and was shamed by his youngest son, Cham. In our own lives, we are often witness to acts of depravity, but we choose to ignore them and carry on with what we are doing. The Torah is teaching us that being witness to such acts should lead us to sanctify our actions and search for loftier goals and pursuits.
The Shabbos connection
Every week HaShem affords us with the opportunity to transcend the decadence of society and enter into the holy realm of Shabbos. It is noteworthy that in addition to the evening prayers that we recite with the onset of Shabbos, the first act that we perform is the recital of Kiddush on wine. Wine can be detrimental effect when used inappropriately. Nonetheless, one can sanctify his actions by reciting Kiddush on Shabbos and demonstrating that everything belongs to HaShem. This thought should remain with us throughout the week, and then we will merit rectifying the world and meriting the arrival of Mashiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
To be outdone by a dog
Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffman writes: A student of the holy Chafetz Chaim zt”l once heard him chastising himself: “Yisroel Meir, do you not appreciate the kindness that HaShem has done with you that he gave you the wisdom and understanding to compile an entire sefer on the laws of lashon hara (slanderous speech)?! Aren’t you thankful that by the grace of HaShem many thousands of people have purchased the sefer, and learn from it daily?! Don't you realize that if you don't show appreciation for these gifts, then the lowly dog is greater than you?!”
The next morning, the student, puzzled by his rebbe’s cryptic statement, had the boldness to ask its meaning. The Chafetz Chaim explained: “The Medrash says HaShem gave Kayin a dog. Why a dog? There is no animal on earth quite like the dog - that shows such love, appreciation, and devotion to its owner in exchange for little more than a few scraps and morsels that would likely have gone in the garbage (the Chafetz Chaim lived before the times that dog foods received more supermarket shelf- space than baby foods). No animal is more faithful and grateful to its owner than a dog. And no act could be more the contrary than Kayin's taking advantage of Hevel's kindness, and using it to kill him. By giving him a dog, HaShem was giving Kayin a constant reminder of his lack of hakaras hatov (recognition of kindness). That’s why I told myself that if I fail to appreciate the gifts HaShem has given me, I'll be outdone by a dog!”
One can always rebuild
Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky writes: A renowned Rosh Yeshiva tragically lost his son to a debilitating disease at the prime of his life. Not long married, the son left a widow and a young child. The Rosh Yeshiva and his Rebbitzen were devastated at the loss and the shiva period was a most difficult time.
One of the hundreds of visitors was the Bluzhever Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel Spira, whose entire family was wiped out during the Holocaust. He sat quietly, taking in the pain of the bereaved family. Finally, when it was time to say something, Rabbi Spira turned to the Rosh Yeshiva and spoke. “Your loss is terrible, but at least your son will have a living remnant, his child. He will also have a resting place and stone where the family can visit. I do not even know where any of my children who were killed by the Nazis are buried.” Then he added, “Yet, somehow HaShem has given me the strength to rebuild my family and life.” Those words truly helped console the Rosh Yeshiva.
True belief
Rabbi Kamenetzky writes further: Rabbi Shimshon Sherer, Rav of Congregation Kehilas Zichron Mordechai, tells the following story.
In a small town there was a severe drought. The community synagogues each prayed separately for rain, but to no avail. The tears and prayers failed to unlock the sealed heavens, and for months, no rains came.
Finally, the town’s eldest sage held a meeting with prominent community rabbis and lay leaders. "There are two items lacking in our approach, faith and unity. Each one of you must impress upon his congregation the need to believe. If we are united and sincere, our prayers will be answered!” He declared that all the synagogues in the city would join together for a day of Tefillah. Everyone, men women and children would join together for this event. “I assure you,” he exclaimed, “that if we meet both criteria - faith and unity - no one will leave that prayer service without getting drenched!”
There was no shul large enough to contain the entire community so the date was set to gather and daven in a field! For the next few weeks all the rabbis spoke about bitachon and achdus (faith and unity). On the designated day the entire town gathered in a large field whose crops had long withered from the severe drought. Men, women, and children all gathered and anxiously awaited the old sage to begin the service.
The elderly rabbi walked up to the podium. His eyes scanned the tremendous crowd that filled the large field and then they dimmed in dismay. The rabbi began shaking his head in dissatisfaction. “This will never work,” he moaned dejectedly. "The rain will not come.” Slowly he left the podium. The other rabbis on the dais were shocked. “But rebbe, everyone is here and they are all united! Surely they must believe that the rains will fall! Otherwise no one would have bothered to come on a working day!”
The rabbi shook his head slowly and sadly.
“No. They don’t really believe,” he stated. “I scanned the entire crowd. Nobody even brought a raincoat.” [Reprinted with permission from www.Torah.org]
Dream while you are awake
Rabbi Shimshon Sherer, Rav of Kehilas Zichron Mordechai, told over the following story. Rabbi Shimshon Zelig Fortman was the Rav of Congregation Knesseth Israel in Far Rockaway during the 1940s. During that period, many naysayers had all but discounted any chance of a rebirth of Orthodox Jewry. Torah observant Yidden had hardly a voice in Washington, they were disorganized and fragmented, and the destruction of European Jewry was almost the last nail in the alleged coffin of traditional Torah Yiddishkeit. Rabbi Fortman had a young son-in-law, Moshe, who had studied in Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore. He would tell his father-in-law how he saw a future for Orthodox Jewry that was filled with honor and power, with representatives that would have direct access to Congress, the Senate, and even the President of the United States. They would influence legislation with their values and fill stadiums and coliseums with Torah assemblies and prayer gatherings! Rabbi Fortman was very concerned about his young son-in-law’s ivory towered dreams. He felt that he these dreams distracted him and he would never accomplish anything. Rabbi Yosef Kahanamen, the Ponovezher Rav had recently come to America to raise funds for his Yeshiva in Israel, and was staying by Rabbi Fortman in Far Rockaway. “Surely,” Rabbi Fortman thought, “Rabbi Kahanamen will end Moshe's fantasies and teach him about the realities of accomplishment.” Moshe and Rabbi Kahanamen met for nearly an hour. The Rav listened intently and then told young Moshe, “Dream my son. Continue to dream. In fact you can continue to dream as long as you live. But remember one thing. Never fall asleep.” Young Moshe was eventually known to hundreds of thousands of Jews world over as the man who may have been one of the most influential personalities in the emergence of Torah Jewry today. This man was Rabbi Moshe Sherer, the President of Agudath Israel of America.
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Noach 5770
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Bais Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, half an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Bereishis 5770
שבת טעם החיים בראשית תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Bereishis 5770
It must have been something
Introduction
This week’s parsha discusses the creation of the world, and most important, the creation of man. The Torah describes the birth of Adam and Chava’s two sons, Kayin and Hevel, and the ensuing battle between them. Their struggle still reverberates amongst their descendants today. People are forever staking out their territory and determining their dominance over their fellow man.
The rejection of Kayin’s sacrifice
The incident began rather innocuously, when Kayin offered a sacrifice to HaShem, albeit an inferior offering, from the flax that he had cultivated. Hevel, however, offered a choice sacrifice, from the first born and the choicest of his sheep. HaShem rejected Kayin’s sacrifice but accepted Hevel’s offering. Kayin was angry that HaShem found favor in Hevel’s offering, and remained angry despite HaShem’s explanation. The narrative abruptly turns to a scene which takes place in the field where Kayin rises and kills Hevel. What happened between the time that the two brothers brought their sacrifices and the ensuing murder?
Various opinions for why Kayin killed Hevel
The Midrash offers numerous points of view as to what occurred between Kayin and Hevel. One opinion offered by the Midrash is that Kayin and Hevel struggled over land ownership. A second opinion maintains that the two brothers were quarreling over who would have the Bais HaMikdash, the Holy Temple, built in their territory. A third opinion posits that Kayin and Hevel disputed the right to marry Chava, Adam’s first wife. This presupposes that Adam had subsequently married a second woman named Chava. The fourth and final opinion cited in the Midrash is that the first Chava had already died and Kayin and Hevel were arguing over who would marry the extra sister that was born to Hevel. What is troubling about the Midrash, however, is that all the opinions appear to ignore the original cause for contention. Kayin was upset because HaShem had rejected his offering and preferred his younger brother’s offering over his. Would this not have been sufficient reason for Kayin to kill Hevel?
Our dispute must certainly be valid
A rabbi once related that when he was first hired by a synagogue, he ambitiously took on the issue that seemed to be the most troubling issue in the community at the time. For many years, two of the wealthiest members of the community were not speaking with one another. Unexpectedly, the rabbi summoned the two adversaries to his office with the intent of getting to the root of their dissention. The rabbi questioned each of them as to what they thought the catalyst had been that led to the long-standing feud. To the rabbi’s surprise, neither man was able to recall the exact point in time when the feud began. However, they both insisted that “such a fight only could have occurred if there had been good reason for it.”
Sadly, people often have fallouts in their relationships because of “something that happened long ago,” but have a hard time explaining why it had such terrible repercussions. While the Torah omitted the actual dispute that occurred between Kayin and Hevel, the rabbis in the Midrash debated the nature of the quarrelling brothers’ discussion. It would seem that the Biblical omission and the sage’s elaboration demonstrate the idea that one can easily become embroiled in a dispute over trivialities. Clearly, something occurred between the brothers that instigated the tension. Nonetheless, they allowed the dispute to escalate to the point where the origin of the debate was irrelevant..
This incident is a lesson in how to maintain harmonious relationships with friends and relatives. While differences and disputes are sometimes inevitable, it is essential to recognize that what unites us is more important than what divides us.
The Shabbos connection
Throughout the week we are engaged in competitive and aggressive pursuits that at times can lead us to harbor feelings of animosity and ill-will towards others. Although we constantly seek peace and tranquility, it is only through the light of Shabbos that we can truly experience the serenity that we are seeking. Through the ideal peace that is reflected in the Holy Shabbos, HaShem should allow us to merit finding favor in His eyes and in the eyes of all of mankind.
Shabbos Stories
You should live long
The Torah Temima, zt”l, told the story of a certain elderly man named Reb Binyomin whom he had once met as a child. This Reb Binyomin was of exceedingly old age, and it was well known that he was not particularly cautious about getting chilled or overheated. In other words, he didn’t take the normal precautions that even younger people do to safeguard their health, much less the great care that is normally taken by the elderly. His acquaintances once tried to encourage him to take better care of himself, but to no avail.
Reb Binyomin responded, “Unlike other people, I am not concerned about such matters. People, for good reason, worry that they might get overheated or catch cold and die, but I am confident that the blessing that I was fortunate enough to receive from the Vilna Gaon, zt”l, will ensure me of a very, very long life.
“I was a little boy when the Gaon was still alive, and I used to go to pray in his Beis Medrash. One time, after the prayers, the Gaon paced the floor of the Beis Medrash sunk deeply in his thoughts. On that day, I too was pacing the floor deeply immersed in reciting Tehillim, and without realizing it, the Gaon and I ran right into one another. “I was completely dumbfounded that I had knocked into the holy Gaon, and stood there paralyzed in shock. Little did I realize that the Gaon could not move away from me either - because I was standing on his tzitzis! Eventually, the Gaon saw how confused and terrified I was and he had pity on me. He placed his hand on my shoulder and said lovingly, ‘You should live long, my son, but please…let my tzitzis go.’
“When the matter became known in the Beis Medrash and later in the city, people looked at me as if I was a rare find—a child that had been graced by the attentions and the blessing of the great tzaddik. My parents even made a great celebration that day and distributed charity to the poor!”
Not now and not in the future
While he was the head of the Bais din in Dreznitz (1794-1799), the Chasam Sofer was once passing through Pressburg on his way to Mattersdorf. He stopped in Pressburg to visit with Rabbi Meshulam Igra Tismenitz, who was the chief rabbi in Pressburg. As he approached the city, the Chasam Sofer was in doubt whether he should pronounce the bracha of shechalak michachmaso liyiraiav, blessed is the One Who bestowed from His wisdom on those who fear Him, upon seeing the venerable sage, who was undoubtedly one of the leading Torah luminaries of the generation. The nature of the doubt was that this Halacha of pronouncing this bracha is not cited by Rambam in his Yad Hachazaka. Some claim that the reason for this omission is that we no longer find men of the stature to which the Gemara refers to. On the other hand, the great Rabbi Meshulam Igra was an outstanding Torah sage, and perhaps the bracha was appropriate. As he approached the home of R’ Meshulam, Chasam Sofer decided that he would recite the passage of the Gemara verbatim. “Upon seeing a great sage in Israel, one should say, ‘Blessed are You, HaShem…’,” using HaShem’s name, and as he opened the door he finished off the
blessing, “ ‘Who has conferred His knowledge upon them’ .” Then, to settle the
mind of R’ Meshulam, who most certainly
would be wondering about this pronouncement, Chasam Sofer immediately
asked him why Rambam does not rule according to this Gemara. R’ Meshulam explained that Rambam includes in his Yad Hachazaka not only halachos that are practical in our days, but he even brings laws which will once again be practical when Moshiach arrives. This is why Rambam includes laws of Korbanos, etc. However, laws that do not apply now, and will not apply when Moshiach arrives are not included. When Moshiach arrives, we will merit techias hameisim, the resurrection of the dead, when our patriarchs will be with us, together with Moshe and Aharon. The Tannaim and Amoraim, who codified and edited the Mishnah and Gemara, will live in our communities. Rambam omits the bracha said upon seeing a great sage because in our days, we have no men of this stature, and in the days to come there will be so many of them, it will not be practical to say the blessing every day. Therefore, the halacha does not apply now, and it will not apply later, either. This is why this halacha, while it is correct, no longer has any application. [Reprinted with permission from www.DafDigest.org]
No falsehood here
Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev was known for his love and good will toward his fellow Jews always trying to assess the good in people rather than expose the bad.
Once on the Fast of Tisha BaAv he saw a Jew eating in a non-kosher restaurant. He tapped lightly on the window of the establishment and summoned the man outside.
“Perhaps you forgot that today is a fast day?” Rav Levi Yitzchak queried.
“No, Rebbe,” the man replied.
“Then perhaps you did not realize that this restaurant in not kosher.”
“No, Rebbe, I know it is a treife (non-kosher) eatery.”
Rav Levi Yitzchak softly placed his hands on the man’s shoulders and looked heavenward. “Ribbono Shel Olam, Master of the Universe,” he exclaimed. “Look at how wonderful your children are. They may be eating on a fast day. In a non-kosher restaurant to boot. Yet they refuse to emit a falsehood from their lips!” [Reprinted with permission from www.Torah.org]
In the merit of Tzedakah
This story of how Rav Yosef Sharshover zt”l, a son of Rav Chaim of Volozhin, was spared from murder at the hands of a band of thieves, was related by one of the talmidim of the Volozhin yeshiva:
“While I was in the Volozhin yeshiva, I heard a story from the godol hador, which took place in the year following the death of the great gaon Rav Chaim zt”l, of Volozhin. Besides his son the gaon Rav Yitzchak zt”l, Rav Chaim had a son named Rav Yosef, who lived in the town of Sharshov, in the Horodno province. (See the introduction to Nefesh HaChaim, where Rav Itzele quotes a chiddush in his brother’s name.)
“When the gaon Rav Chaim died, his son Rav Yosef came to divide his possessions, from which he received one thousand silver rubles and some seforim and other items. When he had to return home, he hired a wagon driver from Volozhin to take him. While they were travelling, the driver lost his way and they were soon wandering away from the main route.
“Friday afternoon arrived and the two travelers wondered where they might spend the approaching Shabbos. They saw a man coming towards them and asked him if he knew where there might be a Jew living in the vicinity, with whom they could stay. The man replied, “I will go and show you where a Jew lives.” Off the three of them went, until they arrived at a Jewish home. Rav Yosef asked the Jew whether he and the wagon driver could stay there over Shabbos, to which the householder responded, ‘Why not?! Aren’t we all Jews?’ So they stayed.
“The following afternoon, Rav Yosef prayed minchah, ate the third meal and lay down on his bed to rest, for it was the summer. His father Rav Chaim came to him in a dream and told him, ‘My dear son, you are in great danger, for there are people who want to kill you and take your money. If you can run away, do so.’ When Rav Yosef saw his father in the dream, he awoke and arose from the bed. He waited a little, until it was almost nightfall and he told the driver, ‘Go quickly and harness the wagon and we’ll leave this place because it’s dangerous. There are murderers here who intend to kill us.'”
“When the driver went to harness the wagon, an armed thief came over to him and told him, ‘Come with me to the room, because you’re not going anywhere. You will die here,’ and he closed the wagon driver inside with him. Rav Yosef was sitting in his room and he saw that three armed men had come in. He realized what was happening - they had come to kill him.
He went to stand in the corner of the room and started to say vidui. As he prayed he said, ‘My father, my father, Rav Chaim zt”l, I ask you, may your merit and the merit of the Torah protect me, for I have fallen into the hands of murderers who want to kill me.' So he called, bitterly and broken-heartedly, and he wept profusely.
“When the house owner approached the room and heard him calling, ‘My father, Rav Chaim!!’ he said to him, ‘Whose son are you? Tell me!’
“He replied, ‘I am the son of the gaon Rav Chaim zt”l, from Yeshivas Volozhin!’
The murderer said, ‘Who says you are telling the truth. Maybe you’re lying?’
“Rav Yosef replied, ‘Come over here and I’ll show you proof aplenty, for it’s been four weeks since my father zt”l, died.’ The man came inside and Rav Yosef showed him his father’s manuscripts, seforim and other objects, until he saw that he was telling the truth and that he really was Rav Chaim’s son.
“Then the murderer began calling everyone and he told them, ‘Sit around the table for a trial. We’ll judge whether we can kill him or not.’ They did as they were told and sat down straight away and he told them the story of what had happened to him.
“ ‘When I killed an entire family, nine people in all, in the Minsk region, I was imprisoned in Minsk. When I was being taken to Vilna to be interrogated by the investigator, I happened to be in the Volozhin jail on erev Pesach. When Rav Chaim zt”l, heard that a Jew was in the prison he went to the governor and asked that the imprisoned Jew be permitted to come to him for the two sedorim.
“ ‘The superintendent suddenly came to me and said, “Get up, with the chain” - that was attached to my feet and hands – “for the local rabbi wants you to be with him for two nights.”
“ ‘When I came to his house, he had the appearance of a heavenly angel and the members of the yeshiva were sitting around the table for the seder which was laid out, while I was tied with iron chains like a thief. The gaon said to me, “Sit down for the seder,” and I sat down in mortal fear. This actually happened to me!
“ ‘Can we, my sons and brothers, a man like this, who was not ashamed to sit at the same table with me, can we kill his son? Where is our fairness? Where is our justice? I put this to you, and you give a fair verdict!’
“Their chief spoke out and said, ‘According to our laws and our own sense of fair play, we cannot do anything!’
“When they heard this verdict from their leader -- that he would not be sentenced to death -- the man took Rav Yosef, with his money and the wagon driver and blindfolded them so that they shouldn’t see which way the road was and he put them onto the main route. This is what I heard.”
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Bereishis 5770
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Beis Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Bereishis 5770
It must have been something
Introduction
This week’s parsha discusses the creation of the world, and most important, the creation of man. The Torah describes the birth of Adam and Chava’s two sons, Kayin and Hevel, and the ensuing battle between them. Their struggle still reverberates amongst their descendants today. People are forever staking out their territory and determining their dominance over their fellow man.
The rejection of Kayin’s sacrifice
The incident began rather innocuously, when Kayin offered a sacrifice to HaShem, albeit an inferior offering, from the flax that he had cultivated. Hevel, however, offered a choice sacrifice, from the first born and the choicest of his sheep. HaShem rejected Kayin’s sacrifice but accepted Hevel’s offering. Kayin was angry that HaShem found favor in Hevel’s offering, and remained angry despite HaShem’s explanation. The narrative abruptly turns to a scene which takes place in the field where Kayin rises and kills Hevel. What happened between the time that the two brothers brought their sacrifices and the ensuing murder?
Various opinions for why Kayin killed Hevel
The Midrash offers numerous points of view as to what occurred between Kayin and Hevel. One opinion offered by the Midrash is that Kayin and Hevel struggled over land ownership. A second opinion maintains that the two brothers were quarreling over who would have the Bais HaMikdash, the Holy Temple, built in their territory. A third opinion posits that Kayin and Hevel disputed the right to marry Chava, Adam’s first wife. This presupposes that Adam had subsequently married a second woman named Chava. The fourth and final opinion cited in the Midrash is that the first Chava had already died and Kayin and Hevel were arguing over who would marry the extra sister that was born to Hevel. What is troubling about the Midrash, however, is that all the opinions appear to ignore the original cause for contention. Kayin was upset because HaShem had rejected his offering and preferred his younger brother’s offering over his. Would this not have been sufficient reason for Kayin to kill Hevel?
Our dispute must certainly be valid
A rabbi once related that when he was first hired by a synagogue, he ambitiously took on the issue that seemed to be the most troubling issue in the community at the time. For many years, two of the wealthiest members of the community were not speaking with one another. Unexpectedly, the rabbi summoned the two adversaries to his office with the intent of getting to the root of their dissention. The rabbi questioned each of them as to what they thought the catalyst had been that led to the long-standing feud. To the rabbi’s surprise, neither man was able to recall the exact point in time when the feud began. However, they both insisted that “such a fight only could have occurred if there had been good reason for it.”
Sadly, people often have fallouts in their relationships because of “something that happened long ago,” but have a hard time explaining why it had such terrible repercussions. While the Torah omitted the actual dispute that occurred between Kayin and Hevel, the rabbis in the Midrash debated the nature of the quarrelling brothers’ discussion. It would seem that the Biblical omission and the sage’s elaboration demonstrate the idea that one can easily become embroiled in a dispute over trivialities. Clearly, something occurred between the brothers that instigated the tension. Nonetheless, they allowed the dispute to escalate to the point where the origin of the debate was irrelevant..
This incident is a lesson in how to maintain harmonious relationships with friends and relatives. While differences and disputes are sometimes inevitable, it is essential to recognize that what unites us is more important than what divides us.
The Shabbos connection
Throughout the week we are engaged in competitive and aggressive pursuits that at times can lead us to harbor feelings of animosity and ill-will towards others. Although we constantly seek peace and tranquility, it is only through the light of Shabbos that we can truly experience the serenity that we are seeking. Through the ideal peace that is reflected in the Holy Shabbos, HaShem should allow us to merit finding favor in His eyes and in the eyes of all of mankind.
Shabbos Stories
You should live long
The Torah Temima, zt”l, told the story of a certain elderly man named Reb Binyomin whom he had once met as a child. This Reb Binyomin was of exceedingly old age, and it was well known that he was not particularly cautious about getting chilled or overheated. In other words, he didn’t take the normal precautions that even younger people do to safeguard their health, much less the great care that is normally taken by the elderly. His acquaintances once tried to encourage him to take better care of himself, but to no avail.
Reb Binyomin responded, “Unlike other people, I am not concerned about such matters. People, for good reason, worry that they might get overheated or catch cold and die, but I am confident that the blessing that I was fortunate enough to receive from the Vilna Gaon, zt”l, will ensure me of a very, very long life.
“I was a little boy when the Gaon was still alive, and I used to go to pray in his Beis Medrash. One time, after the prayers, the Gaon paced the floor of the Beis Medrash sunk deeply in his thoughts. On that day, I too was pacing the floor deeply immersed in reciting Tehillim, and without realizing it, the Gaon and I ran right into one another. “I was completely dumbfounded that I had knocked into the holy Gaon, and stood there paralyzed in shock. Little did I realize that the Gaon could not move away from me either - because I was standing on his tzitzis! Eventually, the Gaon saw how confused and terrified I was and he had pity on me. He placed his hand on my shoulder and said lovingly, ‘You should live long, my son, but please…let my tzitzis go.’
“When the matter became known in the Beis Medrash and later in the city, people looked at me as if I was a rare find—a child that had been graced by the attentions and the blessing of the great tzaddik. My parents even made a great celebration that day and distributed charity to the poor!”
Not now and not in the future
While he was the head of the Bais din in Dreznitz (1794-1799), the Chasam Sofer was once passing through Pressburg on his way to Mattersdorf. He stopped in Pressburg to visit with Rabbi Meshulam Igra Tismenitz, who was the chief rabbi in Pressburg. As he approached the city, the Chasam Sofer was in doubt whether he should pronounce the bracha of shechalak michachmaso liyiraiav, blessed is the One Who bestowed from His wisdom on those who fear Him, upon seeing the venerable sage, who was undoubtedly one of the leading Torah luminaries of the generation. The nature of the doubt was that this Halacha of pronouncing this bracha is not cited by Rambam in his Yad Hachazaka. Some claim that the reason for this omission is that we no longer find men of the stature to which the Gemara refers to. On the other hand, the great Rabbi Meshulam Igra was an outstanding Torah sage, and perhaps the bracha was appropriate. As he approached the home of R’ Meshulam, Chasam Sofer decided that he would recite the passage of the Gemara verbatim. “Upon seeing a great sage in Israel, one should say, ‘Blessed are You, HaShem…’,” using HaShem’s name, and as he opened the door he finished off the
blessing, “ ‘Who has conferred His knowledge upon them’ .” Then, to settle the
mind of R’ Meshulam, who most certainly
would be wondering about this pronouncement, Chasam Sofer immediately
asked him why Rambam does not rule according to this Gemara. R’ Meshulam explained that Rambam includes in his Yad Hachazaka not only halachos that are practical in our days, but he even brings laws which will once again be practical when Moshiach arrives. This is why Rambam includes laws of Korbanos, etc. However, laws that do not apply now, and will not apply when Moshiach arrives are not included. When Moshiach arrives, we will merit techias hameisim, the resurrection of the dead, when our patriarchs will be with us, together with Moshe and Aharon. The Tannaim and Amoraim, who codified and edited the Mishnah and Gemara, will live in our communities. Rambam omits the bracha said upon seeing a great sage because in our days, we have no men of this stature, and in the days to come there will be so many of them, it will not be practical to say the blessing every day. Therefore, the halacha does not apply now, and it will not apply later, either. This is why this halacha, while it is correct, no longer has any application. [Reprinted with permission from www.DafDigest.org]
No falsehood here
Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev was known for his love and good will toward his fellow Jews always trying to assess the good in people rather than expose the bad.
Once on the Fast of Tisha BaAv he saw a Jew eating in a non-kosher restaurant. He tapped lightly on the window of the establishment and summoned the man outside.
“Perhaps you forgot that today is a fast day?” Rav Levi Yitzchak queried.
“No, Rebbe,” the man replied.
“Then perhaps you did not realize that this restaurant in not kosher.”
“No, Rebbe, I know it is a treife (non-kosher) eatery.”
Rav Levi Yitzchak softly placed his hands on the man’s shoulders and looked heavenward. “Ribbono Shel Olam, Master of the Universe,” he exclaimed. “Look at how wonderful your children are. They may be eating on a fast day. In a non-kosher restaurant to boot. Yet they refuse to emit a falsehood from their lips!” [Reprinted with permission from www.Torah.org]
In the merit of Tzedakah
This story of how Rav Yosef Sharshover zt”l, a son of Rav Chaim of Volozhin, was spared from murder at the hands of a band of thieves, was related by one of the talmidim of the Volozhin yeshiva:
“While I was in the Volozhin yeshiva, I heard a story from the godol hador, which took place in the year following the death of the great gaon Rav Chaim zt”l, of Volozhin. Besides his son the gaon Rav Yitzchak zt”l, Rav Chaim had a son named Rav Yosef, who lived in the town of Sharshov, in the Horodno province. (See the introduction to Nefesh HaChaim, where Rav Itzele quotes a chiddush in his brother’s name.)
“When the gaon Rav Chaim died, his son Rav Yosef came to divide his possessions, from which he received one thousand silver rubles and some seforim and other items. When he had to return home, he hired a wagon driver from Volozhin to take him. While they were travelling, the driver lost his way and they were soon wandering away from the main route.
“Friday afternoon arrived and the two travelers wondered where they might spend the approaching Shabbos. They saw a man coming towards them and asked him if he knew where there might be a Jew living in the vicinity, with whom they could stay. The man replied, “I will go and show you where a Jew lives.” Off the three of them went, until they arrived at a Jewish home. Rav Yosef asked the Jew whether he and the wagon driver could stay there over Shabbos, to which the householder responded, ‘Why not?! Aren’t we all Jews?’ So they stayed.
“The following afternoon, Rav Yosef prayed minchah, ate the third meal and lay down on his bed to rest, for it was the summer. His father Rav Chaim came to him in a dream and told him, ‘My dear son, you are in great danger, for there are people who want to kill you and take your money. If you can run away, do so.’ When Rav Yosef saw his father in the dream, he awoke and arose from the bed. He waited a little, until it was almost nightfall and he told the driver, ‘Go quickly and harness the wagon and we’ll leave this place because it’s dangerous. There are murderers here who intend to kill us.'”
“When the driver went to harness the wagon, an armed thief came over to him and told him, ‘Come with me to the room, because you’re not going anywhere. You will die here,’ and he closed the wagon driver inside with him. Rav Yosef was sitting in his room and he saw that three armed men had come in. He realized what was happening - they had come to kill him.
He went to stand in the corner of the room and started to say vidui. As he prayed he said, ‘My father, my father, Rav Chaim zt”l, I ask you, may your merit and the merit of the Torah protect me, for I have fallen into the hands of murderers who want to kill me.' So he called, bitterly and broken-heartedly, and he wept profusely.
“When the house owner approached the room and heard him calling, ‘My father, Rav Chaim!!’ he said to him, ‘Whose son are you? Tell me!’
“He replied, ‘I am the son of the gaon Rav Chaim zt”l, from Yeshivas Volozhin!’
The murderer said, ‘Who says you are telling the truth. Maybe you’re lying?’
“Rav Yosef replied, ‘Come over here and I’ll show you proof aplenty, for it’s been four weeks since my father zt”l, died.’ The man came inside and Rav Yosef showed him his father’s manuscripts, seforim and other objects, until he saw that he was telling the truth and that he really was Rav Chaim’s son.
“Then the murderer began calling everyone and he told them, ‘Sit around the table for a trial. We’ll judge whether we can kill him or not.’ They did as they were told and sat down straight away and he told them the story of what had happened to him.
“ ‘When I killed an entire family, nine people in all, in the Minsk region, I was imprisoned in Minsk. When I was being taken to Vilna to be interrogated by the investigator, I happened to be in the Volozhin jail on erev Pesach. When Rav Chaim zt”l, heard that a Jew was in the prison he went to the governor and asked that the imprisoned Jew be permitted to come to him for the two sedorim.
“ ‘The superintendent suddenly came to me and said, “Get up, with the chain” - that was attached to my feet and hands – “for the local rabbi wants you to be with him for two nights.”
“ ‘When I came to his house, he had the appearance of a heavenly angel and the members of the yeshiva were sitting around the table for the seder which was laid out, while I was tied with iron chains like a thief. The gaon said to me, “Sit down for the seder,” and I sat down in mortal fear. This actually happened to me!
“ ‘Can we, my sons and brothers, a man like this, who was not ashamed to sit at the same table with me, can we kill his son? Where is our fairness? Where is our justice? I put this to you, and you give a fair verdict!’
“Their chief spoke out and said, ‘According to our laws and our own sense of fair play, we cannot do anything!’
“When they heard this verdict from their leader -- that he would not be sentenced to death -- the man took Rav Yosef, with his money and the wagon driver and blindfolded them so that they shouldn’t see which way the road was and he put them onto the main route. This is what I heard.”
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Bereishis 5770
I will be giving a class in Navi on Shabbos afternoon at Beis Haknesses HaGra 14561 Lincoln in Oak Park, an hour before Mincha.
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call
248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email
Please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini Atzeres-Simchas Torah-Vizos HaBracha 5770
שבת טעם החיים
שמיני עצרת-שמחת תורה-וזאת הברכה תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini Atzeres-Simchas Torah-Vizos HaBracha 5770
Sukkos and the World to Come
Introduction
Sukkos is coming to an end, but just as we bid farewell to the Sukkah, we welcome in the festival known as Shemini Atzeres. What is the significance of Shemini Atzeres and who does this special day connect to Sukkos? The Gemara (Sukkah 55b; see Rashi Bamidbar 29:35 and 36) states that Shemini Atzeres is akin to a king whose servants make the king festive meals for seven days. When the festivities come to an end, the king requests from his friend to him to stay as his departure is too much to bear. The king then requests that the man should make a small feast so that the king can benefit from him. Let us understand the message contained in this Gemara. The Gemara is stating that following the seven days of Sukkos, we wish to depart and HaShem begs us to stay. Thus, HaShem gave us the day of Shemini Atzeres so that we could spend more time with Him, so to speak. How do we understand the concept that HaShem desires that we stay with Him an extra day? Why did HaShem not instruct us to celebrate the festival of Sukkos for eight days and then there would not have been a need to remain another day?
Shemini Atzeres stands on its own
It is told that the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, zt”l was experiencing pain in his feet on Sukkos. Yet, to the surprise of his followers, when Simchas Torah arrived, the Rebbe was dancing energetically. A Chasid queried the Rebbe as to this transformation, and the Rebbe replied, “Shemini Atzeres (and Simchas Torah) regel bifnei atzmo, Shemini Atzeres is a festival of its own. The Rebbe was making a play on the word regel, which literarily means foot. This incident sheds light on what is occurring on Shemini Atzeres. Sukkos is a time of joy, but after seven days of basking in HaShem’s Presence, we are eager to get back to the regular way of living. HaShem therefore requests of us that we do not depart so hastily and we spend another day with Him.
The last day of Sukkos and Shavuos are referred to as Atzeres
It is fascinating to note that the last day of Sukkos is referred to as Shemini Atzeres and the festival of Shavuos is referred to as Atzeres. What is the association between these two seemingly unrelated holidays? It is said (Devarim 33:3) af choveiv amim kol kedoshav biyadecha viheim tuku liraglecha yisa midabrosecha, indeed, You loved the tribes greatly, all its holy ones were in Your hands; for they planted themselves at Your feet, bearing [the yoke] of Your utterances. Regarding the words viheim tuku liraglecha, Rashi writes: they are pushing and gathering under Your shade. The Targum renders the translation of these words to be: and they are guided under your clouds. These explanations clearly allude to the idea that HaShem led the Jewish people in the Wilderness under the protection of the Clouds of Glory. It is precisely this miracle that we commemorate by sitting in the Sukkah for seven days. [It is noteworthy that the words viheim tuku liraglecha equal in gematria the word Atzeres (760, as Shemini Atzeres is a regel by itself]. Subsequent to receiving the Torah, it is said (Bamidbar 10:33) vayisu meihar HaShem derech sheloshes yamim, they journeyed from the Mountain of HaShem a three-day journey. Tosfos (Shabbos 16a s.v. puranus) quotes the Medrash that states that this verse teaches us that the Jewish People ran away from HaShem like a child running away from school. This, then, is the clear association between Shavuos and Shemini Atzeres. We can suggest that Shavuos is referred to as Atzeres because Atzeres means restrain. The message of Shavuos is that it is not sufficient to just receive the Torah. A Jew must remain connected to the Torah and not seek to flee from the acceptance of Torah and mitzvos. Similarly, following the seven days of Sukkos, we need to restrain ourselves from fleeing, so to speak, from HaShem’s Presence. It is for this reason that HaShem supplicates the Jewish People to remain one more day in His Presence.
Shemini Atzeres is for our benefit
We can now understand why HaShem did not merely instruct us to dwell in the Sukkah for eight days. Rather, HaShem instructed us to dwell in the Sukkah for seven days. When we begin to feel like it is too much for us, HaShem requests that we stay on another day. This extra day is for our good. In this way we will be cognizant of the fact that basking in HaShem’s Present is the will of HaShem and is for our good.
The Shabbos connection
The Gemara (Avoda Zara 3a) states that in the future the gentiles will seek to accept the Torah and HaShem will offer them to perform the mitzvah of Sukkah. The gentiles will then build their Sukkahs and HaShem will create an intense heat. This heat will cause the gentiles to kick their Sukkahs and reject the mitzvah. The Gemara finds proof for this in a verse that states (Tehillim 2:3) ninatka es mosroseimo vinashlicha mimenu avoseimo, let us cut their cords and let us cast off their ropes from ourselves. It is noteworthy that the word mosroseimo equals in gematria the word Atzeres and 8 (768), as the gentiles will demonstrate that they cannot tolerate being in HaShem’s Presence for the extra day which is reflected in Shemini Atzeres. Indeed, the Sfas Emes writs that Shemini Atzeres is akin to the World to Come. Furthermore, HaShem chose us as His beloved nation, and every Shabbos HaShem affords us a glimpse of the World to Come. HaShem should allow us to merit basking in His Presence, and we should embrace this opportunity at every possible moment.
Shabbos Stories
The lost Torah Scroll
The little kids quickly formed a train, each with his hands on the shoulders of the boy in front of him. They lurched into motion, running madly around the periphery of the shul as throngs of people danced in concentric rings around the bima. Some carried Torah scrolls, adorned in silver crowns and velvet finery. Others carried their small children on their shoulders. As one song ended, another one caught on, and no one wanted to stop.
Observing the action was a girl name Rachel, one of a group of teenage girls who were guests at the home of Rabbi Benzion Klatzko. Dressed in her fashionable best, she watched the frenetic scene with glee; this was an experience unlike any she had encountered thus far in Judaism. To Rachel, the spirit of the night was an injection of life itself, a salve for her ailing soul.
All at once, Rachel's snapped into sharp focus. Their host, Rabbi Klatzko, stood up on a chair in front of the bima, clutching a miniature Torah scroll in his hands. He had a story to tell, and the men, women and children packed into the shul were eager to hear it. Rachel strained to hear every word of the tale, for she knew that it would speak to her.
“Every week, in my home, I have the privilege of hosting about 30 to 40 people for Shabbos meals. Most of them are college students who are Jewish but have never had the chance to experience a Shabbos. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of places across the country, and they join together at my home and get a taste of what Shabbos is about.
“The only thing is, many of them are uncomfortable about going to a traditional shul. They'd rather stay at my house and wait until I come home. The drawback to that is that they never have the chance to see the beauty of a real Shabbos davening. So I decided that the best thing to do would be to buy my own Torah scroll and ark for my living room. That way, I could have the davening at home, and they could take part in it and still feel comfortable. Plus, it would give many of them a chance for an aliyah, some who haven't had one since their bar mitzvah. And there are those that didn't even have a bar mitzvah and have never been called up to the Torah in their lives.
“The question was, how would I ever find a kosher Torah scroll at a decent price? And an ark would also be a big investment. So it seemed that, short of a miracle, my idea would be impossible to pull off. However, G-d doesn't just perform miracles for you. You have to do your part and hope that He will take care of the rest.
“So I opened up the papers and looked around to see if anyone had a Torah scroll for sale. And believe it or not, someone did. I immediately called the number and on the other end of the phone was an elderly man who said he had a very small Torah scroll that he was selling. It was 11 inches tall.
The Torah scroll had been sitting in his closet unused for 50 years.
“I asked him where he got it, and he told me that his father had been a rabbi of a shul in the Catskills which eventually died out. They auctioned everything off, and the Torah scroll was the only thing they kept. It had been sitting in his closet unused for 50 years, and now he felt it was time to sell that as well.
“Although he wanted quite a bit of money for it and the price was a bit steep for me, I told him that I would like to take a look at it. He agreed to come to my home to show me the Torah.
“A few days later Mr. Foreman came. He showed me a beautiful Torah scroll - over 200 years old but in perfect condition. He asked me why I needed it, and I explained about my Shabbos guests and my idea to enable them to daven at my home, where they would be comfortable.
“He stared at me for a moment, seeming much moved by the idea that this Torah would help people come closer to Judaism. All of a sudden, he started crying -- I mean really crying with tears streaming down his face. I was trying to get him to talk, but he literally couldn't get any words out. Finally, he explained. He had drifted away from Judaism and married a Buddhist woman. This Torah scroll was his only connection, and at this point, he felt so cut off that he thought he might as well sell it. But when he found out that this Torah would help reconnect people to Judaism, he wanted to give it to me as a gift. In this way, he felt he would perhaps have the merit to be reconnected too and find his way home at last.
“I didn’t know what to say, but I certainly appreciated his incredible gift. I realized that this was a Torah that had been basically homeless for the past 50 years. There was no one to read it, hold it or keep it properly, and now G-d gave the Torah a home, and would hopefully bring this lonely Jew back in the near future as well.
“Now, what about an ark? That’s a story of its own. I found an online ad for an old Jewish artifact, a Jewish chest. The sellers weren't Jewish, but they had bought it from a priest who told them it was of Jewish origin.
On top of the ark was a large cross. I almost fainted.
“When I opened the online pictures of the chest, I saw before me what seemed to be a beautifully crafted ark. It was small, so it wouldn't be able to hold a regular sized Torah, but would be perfect for the Torah we had. But when I viewed a picture of the top of the ark, I almost fainted. There was a large cross attached to it. All of a sudden, I was not at all sure that this was an item of Jewish origin.
Suddenly I noticed a small plaque at the bottom of it. I asked the sellers to send me a photo of the plaque which appeared to have Hebrew writing on it. They sent me a picture where there was a clear inscription in Hebrew that said “Behold, the guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers” (Psalms 121), which proved that the item must be Jewish. The cross upon closer examination, they said, was a separate piece that had been attached. I realized that the priest who bought this ark must have made that addition. I was deeply moved, and was certain that the hand of G-d was clearly guiding me.
“I bought the ark and had it delivered to my home. The cross was removed and I marveled at the verse that was inscribed. I have never seen this particular verse inscribed on an ark before. And I realized that there was a message here. It was as if G-d were saying that although this ark was lost for many years, He would never forget about it. He didn't rest until it finally was brought home to Jewish hands.
“My dear friends, look at what we have here. A Torah that was neglected for so many years was finally given a home in an ark that had been used by a priest. Yet the message was clear that G-d would never give up on them. He had not forgotten about this lost ark and Torah scroll, and finally the two of them were brought together and can now be used to bring young men and woman back to their Father in Heaven as well.
“This Torah has not been danced with for over 50 years, and now we have the chance to welcome it home. Let's give it the welcome it deserves.”
As if on cue, the entire shul erupted in singing and dancing. The tiny Torah scroll was in the center of it all, soaking up the overflowing love and honor it had been missing for decades. It was no longer locked away, unused and untouched on this holiday meant for rejoicing. It was where it belonged, in the center of it all
Later that night, Rabbi Klatzko brought the Torah home and secured it inside the ark in his living room. To Rachel, it was not just the sense of tranquility and warmth that Rachel relished. It was the awesome, indescribable feeling of this unique Torah scroll.
The meal ended late, and at last, the contented but exhausted group headed to their rooms for a night's sleep. Rachel, lay in bed, eyes wide open, with the sound of her heart beating in her ears. She waited a long time, perhaps an hour or more, until she was certain that no one in the house remained awake. She slipped out of bed and tip-toed into the living room. There stood the ark, as if it had been waiting for her.
There, she spoke her heart to G-d, praying that the sweetness of this home would be hers, in her own life, some day. These were the first prayers her lips had uttered for many years. The bitterness of her own family home – the constant fighting, the blame and anger, the storm clouds that threatened to blow through the front door at any moment – had acted like a razor-sharp wire-cutter, severing her connection to G-d. Here at the Klatzko’s home, she could feel the connection being mended; the power was sputtering back into her being, and once again beginning to flow.
Recalling the Torah scrolls’ exile, she thought of herself. “My dear, holy Torah scroll, you know what it's like to be neglected. You know how it feels to live with people who don't see the beauty in you and don't understand what you are worth. I've lived that way my whole life, but you've lived like that so much longer. Fifty whole years you stood there and no one kissed you or carried you or looked inside you to see what was there. But you’ve given me hope, because even after 50 years, look what happened! Look what a night you just had! Everyone hugged you and kissed you. Everyone wanted to dance with you. You were the star of the show. The Almighty doesn’t sleep. He keeps watch over His people, and He’s keeping watch over me.
“Please, G-d, I’m begging you, may I be like this Torah scroll. I know there is still holiness in me. Please let me hold onto it, just like this Torah did. And when the time is right, bring me a husband who will honor me and love me the way a wife should be honored. Let me have a home that’s happy, and holy, and full of children and guests and kindness, just like this home. Please, G-d, find me, too, and bring me home.” [Reprinted with permission from www.Aish.com.]
False Testimony
There were once three men, and their names were Reb Ezriel, Reb Anshel, and Reb Eliezer. The three were partners in a business. Reb Ezriel bought feathers and hides from Russia and Reb Anshel bought similar merchandise from Galicia. The third partner, Reb Eliezer, who was the son of the Belzer Rebbe, Reb Sholom, arranged financing for their ventures and kept the books, auditing all the expenses and income of their various transactions.
For some time, all was well. Then, for some unknown reason, Reb Ezriel and Reb Anshel asked Reb Eliezer if they could see the books.
“We would like to know where we stand,” they said. Reb Eliezer, however, refused to show them the ledgers, so the two decided to go to his father, the Belzer Rebbe, with their complaint and to see if he could adjudicate the matter.
“I cannot be a judge in this matter,” the Rebbe told the men. “I am the father of the accused and I am therefore invalid to judge.”
“Even so,” the two partners assured him, “we trust your decision even though you have an interest in the matter.”
“Very well,” said the Rebbe. “But it is late, just before Minchah and there is no time to hear all the details. For now, let me quickly tell you a story that relates to this situation.
The Rebbe began, “There were once two brothers, one rich and one poor. The rich brother had a daughter who was of marriageable age, and the poor brother had a son who was a fine Talmud Chacham of the same age. It seemed natural, therefore, that when the rich brother had rejected the many offers of marriage for his daughter, the shadchan (marriage broker) urged him to take his nephew, (the poor brother’s son) as a son-in-law. The rich brother agreed and the two were married.
The young man, Yisroel, soon found life under his father-in-law’s roof very uncomfortable. Neither his wife nor father-in-law appreciated his occupation with Torah study and would have preferred that he involve himself in business. The situation became tense, so Yisroel decided to leave and become a melamed (teacher), for the sake of peace for all involved.
Yisroel traveled far, to an isolated village and there became the melamed for the children of a chassid of the Baal Shem Tov. In time, the chassid took a trip to visit his Rebbe.
Just as he was about to depart with a group of other chassidim, Yisroel asked: “Can you kindly mention me to your Rebbe? I have a difficult personal matter that is a great burden. Perhaps the Baal Shem Tov will have some advice for me.”
Yisroel’s employer did indeed mention his name to the Baal Shem, and returned home with an urgent message. "As soon as we mentioned your name to the Rebbe, he became quite upset. He told us to advise you to immediately return to your home. The Rebbe’s words were, ‘Reb Yisroel's return involves a serious matter regarding his wife.’' We didn’t even know you were married?”
“It is a painful story so I did not share it with you,” he answered.
Yisroel was skeptical. He questioned the Chassidim, “How would the Rebbe know of me? How does he even know I’m married?” “Never mind,” they insisted. “If the Baal Shem Tov was so adamant about your returning home, you must do as he says. He told us that he looked at the root of your soul and found a danger present. You must not delay. You should leave immediately.”
“How can I go home?” Reb Yisroel answered. “My belongings are here and besides, I don’t have any money for the journey.” The chassidim wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. They all quickly contributed funds to hire a wagon and driver to take Yisroel home and helped Reb Yisroel gather his few belongings and load the wagon.
“What am I doing?” he thought to himself as the wagon bumped along the dirt road. “I wonder if the Chassidim were just trying to get rid of me. I wonder if they even mentioned my named to the Baal Shem Tov. How could he know about me?” Such thoughts filled his mind as he traveled. He had thoughts of stopping the wagon and turning around, but the urgent words of the Baal Shem Tov disturbed him greatly. Finally he arrived at his hometown. As the wagon came to a stop in front of his house, he hesitated. He finally summoned the courage to knock on the door. A strange man answered the door. “What do you want?” the man asked. “Is Reb Yisroel’s wife at home?”
“She is no longer Reb Yisroel’s wife, and she doesn’t live here. In fact, she is planning to get married in two days.”
Reb Yisroel was shocked. He had never divorced his wife. How could she get married again? He now understood the urgency of the Baal Shem Tov's words. The first thing he must do was to prevent his wife from marrying another man. But how? Reb Yisroel went to the Beis Medrash and sat down to think. As he sat, he overheard several of the local beggars talking about the impending wedding. “I can’t wait for the feast. It will no doubt be lavish because the bride’s father is certainly rich.”
Yisroel then knew what he had to do. He went immediately to the town Rabbi's home. He related his story, insisting that he had never sent his wife a divorce.
The town Rabbi did indeed remember and he believed Yisroel. “Please stay here while I go to your father-in- law and discuss this matter.”
Reb Yisroel’s father-in-law had been deceived by an unscrupulous, traveling darshan (speaker). The darshan had come to town and realized the rich man's great despair because his daughter had been deserted by her husband. So he approached the girl’s father and said, “In my travels, I’ve met your son- in-law and we became friends. I’m quite sure that I can get him to divorce your daughter. Just give me power of attorney to act on your behalf and I will take care of everything.”
“That would be wonderful! And you can be sure that I will pay you well for your kindness,” the rich man told the darshan.
The darshan quickly traveled to another small town some distance away, where he was not known. There he found three men of questionable character and honesty who were willing go along with his ruse for a profit. The darshan then went to a Bais Din (Jewish court), claiming that he had recognized a man at the local inn who was sought for abandoning his wife. “His name is Yisroel and he refuses to give his wife a divorce. Her father has asked me to force him to give a divorce at any cost.”
The Bais Din was convinced by the darshan’s story. They had the man in the inn (one of the three conspirators) apprehended and brought before them. After some “coaxing,” the man admitted that he was the husband that had deserted his wife. Then, the two false witnesses (the other two conspirators) were brought to testify that they also knew the man to be the alleged Yisroel, the runaway husband of the rich man's daughter. The Bais Din managed to extract a divorce, which they gave to the darshan, having the power of attorney of the rich man.
The darshan returned to the rich man with the prized bill of divorce.
“How can I repay you for all your efforts?” the rich man asked.
“I do not want any money,” said the darshan. “I was just doing a kindness. However, I would appreciate the opportunity to introduce an eligible young man to your daughter. That is all I ask.”
The eligible young man just happened to be the darshan’s son, and he made a favorable impression on the family. The wedding date was set and plans were made.
Once the real Yisroel spoke to the town Rabbi, the Rabbi accompanied by the local police, marched to the rich man's home. The Rabbi explained Yisroel's story and accused the darshan and his son of fraud. The police promptly took the two scoundrels to jail. The rich man realized that he had been deceived but was very happy that the plot has been foiled in time. Yisroel found that his wife had meanwhile deeply regretted her unloving behavior towards her husband, and she begged Yisroel remain as her husband.
“And,” concluded the Belzer Rebbe, “they did live happily thereafter. Do you know why I told you this story?” he asked the two men before him. “You, Reb Anshel, and you, Reb Ezriel, were the two brothers and my son Eliezer was Reb Yisroel in a former life. You two owe him a great deal for the shame and discomfort he suffered. I suggest that you increase his share of the earnings and I am sure he will show you the books.”
The People Of Brisk Wait For The Rav To Start Kol Nidrei
One Yom Kippur as the people of Brisk waited to start the Holy Tefillah of Kol Nidrei, the Rav, Rav Binyomin Diskin the father of Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin, was still not in Shul. This was very strange considering Rav Binyomin’s timeliness and his deep consideration for not causing Tircha DiTzibura.
The Gabbai was quickly dispatched to the Rav’s house to see what was causing the delay. Upon entering the house, the Gabbai was astonished to find Rav Binyomin sitting over a Mishnayos learning with his young son. “Moreinu ViRabbeinu,” said the Gabbai, “The whole tzibbur is waiting for the Rav to start Kol Nidrei and he is sitting and learning Mishnayos with his little child?!”
Rav Binyomin burst our crying and he said, “I made a Cheshbon HaNefesh for the Yom HaDin and realized that I need many zechusim to be acquitted in my Din. I searched for a great mitzvah powerful enough to tip the scales all by itself and I could not find a better mitzvah that sitting and learning with my young child.”
Parshas Beshalach: Rav Asher’le MiRiminov - How A Man Supports His Wife
One time a Chasid and his despondent wife came to Rav Asher’le MiRiminov. The wife claimed that her husband did not make a decent living because he was so worried about onaah, accurate scales, and every other minute halacha. The wife complained that he had no right to be such a big tzaddik while his wife and children were starving.
Rav Asher’le MiRiminov answered that the obligation of supporting one’s wife is derived from the passuk (Beshalach 16:16), “Ish laasher biohalo tikachu,” each man should take Man back to his home. The Man in the midbar, said Rav Asher’le was acquired with pure righteousness without the slightest trace of impropriety. Similarly in a Kesuba it is written, “Viafarnes yaschi bikushta,” I will support you honestly. A man is not responsible to break or even slightly bend the laws of honesty and business ethics as the torah prescribes it, to support his wife. The extent of his effort and obligation is where the legal bounds are drawn. The rest is up to HaShem. (Iturei Torah) [Reprinted with permission from www.Revach.net]
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini Atzeres-Simchas Torah-Vizos HaBracha 5770
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שמיני עצרת-שמחת תורה-וזאת הברכה תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini Atzeres-Simchas Torah-Vizos HaBracha 5770
Sukkos and the World to Come
Introduction
Sukkos is coming to an end, but just as we bid farewell to the Sukkah, we welcome in the festival known as Shemini Atzeres. What is the significance of Shemini Atzeres and who does this special day connect to Sukkos? The Gemara (Sukkah 55b; see Rashi Bamidbar 29:35 and 36) states that Shemini Atzeres is akin to a king whose servants make the king festive meals for seven days. When the festivities come to an end, the king requests from his friend to him to stay as his departure is too much to bear. The king then requests that the man should make a small feast so that the king can benefit from him. Let us understand the message contained in this Gemara. The Gemara is stating that following the seven days of Sukkos, we wish to depart and HaShem begs us to stay. Thus, HaShem gave us the day of Shemini Atzeres so that we could spend more time with Him, so to speak. How do we understand the concept that HaShem desires that we stay with Him an extra day? Why did HaShem not instruct us to celebrate the festival of Sukkos for eight days and then there would not have been a need to remain another day?
Shemini Atzeres stands on its own
It is told that the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, zt”l was experiencing pain in his feet on Sukkos. Yet, to the surprise of his followers, when Simchas Torah arrived, the Rebbe was dancing energetically. A Chasid queried the Rebbe as to this transformation, and the Rebbe replied, “Shemini Atzeres (and Simchas Torah) regel bifnei atzmo, Shemini Atzeres is a festival of its own. The Rebbe was making a play on the word regel, which literarily means foot. This incident sheds light on what is occurring on Shemini Atzeres. Sukkos is a time of joy, but after seven days of basking in HaShem’s Presence, we are eager to get back to the regular way of living. HaShem therefore requests of us that we do not depart so hastily and we spend another day with Him.
The last day of Sukkos and Shavuos are referred to as Atzeres
It is fascinating to note that the last day of Sukkos is referred to as Shemini Atzeres and the festival of Shavuos is referred to as Atzeres. What is the association between these two seemingly unrelated holidays? It is said (Devarim 33:3) af choveiv amim kol kedoshav biyadecha viheim tuku liraglecha yisa midabrosecha, indeed, You loved the tribes greatly, all its holy ones were in Your hands; for they planted themselves at Your feet, bearing [the yoke] of Your utterances. Regarding the words viheim tuku liraglecha, Rashi writes: they are pushing and gathering under Your shade. The Targum renders the translation of these words to be: and they are guided under your clouds. These explanations clearly allude to the idea that HaShem led the Jewish people in the Wilderness under the protection of the Clouds of Glory. It is precisely this miracle that we commemorate by sitting in the Sukkah for seven days. [It is noteworthy that the words viheim tuku liraglecha equal in gematria the word Atzeres (760, as Shemini Atzeres is a regel by itself]. Subsequent to receiving the Torah, it is said (Bamidbar 10:33) vayisu meihar HaShem derech sheloshes yamim, they journeyed from the Mountain of HaShem a three-day journey. Tosfos (Shabbos 16a s.v. puranus) quotes the Medrash that states that this verse teaches us that the Jewish People ran away from HaShem like a child running away from school. This, then, is the clear association between Shavuos and Shemini Atzeres. We can suggest that Shavuos is referred to as Atzeres because Atzeres means restrain. The message of Shavuos is that it is not sufficient to just receive the Torah. A Jew must remain connected to the Torah and not seek to flee from the acceptance of Torah and mitzvos. Similarly, following the seven days of Sukkos, we need to restrain ourselves from fleeing, so to speak, from HaShem’s Presence. It is for this reason that HaShem supplicates the Jewish People to remain one more day in His Presence.
Shemini Atzeres is for our benefit
We can now understand why HaShem did not merely instruct us to dwell in the Sukkah for eight days. Rather, HaShem instructed us to dwell in the Sukkah for seven days. When we begin to feel like it is too much for us, HaShem requests that we stay on another day. This extra day is for our good. In this way we will be cognizant of the fact that basking in HaShem’s Present is the will of HaShem and is for our good.
The Shabbos connection
The Gemara (Avoda Zara 3a) states that in the future the gentiles will seek to accept the Torah and HaShem will offer them to perform the mitzvah of Sukkah. The gentiles will then build their Sukkahs and HaShem will create an intense heat. This heat will cause the gentiles to kick their Sukkahs and reject the mitzvah. The Gemara finds proof for this in a verse that states (Tehillim 2:3) ninatka es mosroseimo vinashlicha mimenu avoseimo, let us cut their cords and let us cast off their ropes from ourselves. It is noteworthy that the word mosroseimo equals in gematria the word Atzeres and 8 (768), as the gentiles will demonstrate that they cannot tolerate being in HaShem’s Presence for the extra day which is reflected in Shemini Atzeres. Indeed, the Sfas Emes writs that Shemini Atzeres is akin to the World to Come. Furthermore, HaShem chose us as His beloved nation, and every Shabbos HaShem affords us a glimpse of the World to Come. HaShem should allow us to merit basking in His Presence, and we should embrace this opportunity at every possible moment.
Shabbos Stories
The lost Torah Scroll
The little kids quickly formed a train, each with his hands on the shoulders of the boy in front of him. They lurched into motion, running madly around the periphery of the shul as throngs of people danced in concentric rings around the bima. Some carried Torah scrolls, adorned in silver crowns and velvet finery. Others carried their small children on their shoulders. As one song ended, another one caught on, and no one wanted to stop.
Observing the action was a girl name Rachel, one of a group of teenage girls who were guests at the home of Rabbi Benzion Klatzko. Dressed in her fashionable best, she watched the frenetic scene with glee; this was an experience unlike any she had encountered thus far in Judaism. To Rachel, the spirit of the night was an injection of life itself, a salve for her ailing soul.
All at once, Rachel's snapped into sharp focus. Their host, Rabbi Klatzko, stood up on a chair in front of the bima, clutching a miniature Torah scroll in his hands. He had a story to tell, and the men, women and children packed into the shul were eager to hear it. Rachel strained to hear every word of the tale, for she knew that it would speak to her.
“Every week, in my home, I have the privilege of hosting about 30 to 40 people for Shabbos meals. Most of them are college students who are Jewish but have never had the chance to experience a Shabbos. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of places across the country, and they join together at my home and get a taste of what Shabbos is about.
“The only thing is, many of them are uncomfortable about going to a traditional shul. They'd rather stay at my house and wait until I come home. The drawback to that is that they never have the chance to see the beauty of a real Shabbos davening. So I decided that the best thing to do would be to buy my own Torah scroll and ark for my living room. That way, I could have the davening at home, and they could take part in it and still feel comfortable. Plus, it would give many of them a chance for an aliyah, some who haven't had one since their bar mitzvah. And there are those that didn't even have a bar mitzvah and have never been called up to the Torah in their lives.
“The question was, how would I ever find a kosher Torah scroll at a decent price? And an ark would also be a big investment. So it seemed that, short of a miracle, my idea would be impossible to pull off. However, G-d doesn't just perform miracles for you. You have to do your part and hope that He will take care of the rest.
“So I opened up the papers and looked around to see if anyone had a Torah scroll for sale. And believe it or not, someone did. I immediately called the number and on the other end of the phone was an elderly man who said he had a very small Torah scroll that he was selling. It was 11 inches tall.
The Torah scroll had been sitting in his closet unused for 50 years.
“I asked him where he got it, and he told me that his father had been a rabbi of a shul in the Catskills which eventually died out. They auctioned everything off, and the Torah scroll was the only thing they kept. It had been sitting in his closet unused for 50 years, and now he felt it was time to sell that as well.
“Although he wanted quite a bit of money for it and the price was a bit steep for me, I told him that I would like to take a look at it. He agreed to come to my home to show me the Torah.
“A few days later Mr. Foreman came. He showed me a beautiful Torah scroll - over 200 years old but in perfect condition. He asked me why I needed it, and I explained about my Shabbos guests and my idea to enable them to daven at my home, where they would be comfortable.
“He stared at me for a moment, seeming much moved by the idea that this Torah would help people come closer to Judaism. All of a sudden, he started crying -- I mean really crying with tears streaming down his face. I was trying to get him to talk, but he literally couldn't get any words out. Finally, he explained. He had drifted away from Judaism and married a Buddhist woman. This Torah scroll was his only connection, and at this point, he felt so cut off that he thought he might as well sell it. But when he found out that this Torah would help reconnect people to Judaism, he wanted to give it to me as a gift. In this way, he felt he would perhaps have the merit to be reconnected too and find his way home at last.
“I didn’t know what to say, but I certainly appreciated his incredible gift. I realized that this was a Torah that had been basically homeless for the past 50 years. There was no one to read it, hold it or keep it properly, and now G-d gave the Torah a home, and would hopefully bring this lonely Jew back in the near future as well.
“Now, what about an ark? That’s a story of its own. I found an online ad for an old Jewish artifact, a Jewish chest. The sellers weren't Jewish, but they had bought it from a priest who told them it was of Jewish origin.
On top of the ark was a large cross. I almost fainted.
“When I opened the online pictures of the chest, I saw before me what seemed to be a beautifully crafted ark. It was small, so it wouldn't be able to hold a regular sized Torah, but would be perfect for the Torah we had. But when I viewed a picture of the top of the ark, I almost fainted. There was a large cross attached to it. All of a sudden, I was not at all sure that this was an item of Jewish origin.
Suddenly I noticed a small plaque at the bottom of it. I asked the sellers to send me a photo of the plaque which appeared to have Hebrew writing on it. They sent me a picture where there was a clear inscription in Hebrew that said “Behold, the guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers” (Psalms 121), which proved that the item must be Jewish. The cross upon closer examination, they said, was a separate piece that had been attached. I realized that the priest who bought this ark must have made that addition. I was deeply moved, and was certain that the hand of G-d was clearly guiding me.
“I bought the ark and had it delivered to my home. The cross was removed and I marveled at the verse that was inscribed. I have never seen this particular verse inscribed on an ark before. And I realized that there was a message here. It was as if G-d were saying that although this ark was lost for many years, He would never forget about it. He didn't rest until it finally was brought home to Jewish hands.
“My dear friends, look at what we have here. A Torah that was neglected for so many years was finally given a home in an ark that had been used by a priest. Yet the message was clear that G-d would never give up on them. He had not forgotten about this lost ark and Torah scroll, and finally the two of them were brought together and can now be used to bring young men and woman back to their Father in Heaven as well.
“This Torah has not been danced with for over 50 years, and now we have the chance to welcome it home. Let's give it the welcome it deserves.”
As if on cue, the entire shul erupted in singing and dancing. The tiny Torah scroll was in the center of it all, soaking up the overflowing love and honor it had been missing for decades. It was no longer locked away, unused and untouched on this holiday meant for rejoicing. It was where it belonged, in the center of it all
Later that night, Rabbi Klatzko brought the Torah home and secured it inside the ark in his living room. To Rachel, it was not just the sense of tranquility and warmth that Rachel relished. It was the awesome, indescribable feeling of this unique Torah scroll.
The meal ended late, and at last, the contented but exhausted group headed to their rooms for a night's sleep. Rachel, lay in bed, eyes wide open, with the sound of her heart beating in her ears. She waited a long time, perhaps an hour or more, until she was certain that no one in the house remained awake. She slipped out of bed and tip-toed into the living room. There stood the ark, as if it had been waiting for her.
There, she spoke her heart to G-d, praying that the sweetness of this home would be hers, in her own life, some day. These were the first prayers her lips had uttered for many years. The bitterness of her own family home – the constant fighting, the blame and anger, the storm clouds that threatened to blow through the front door at any moment – had acted like a razor-sharp wire-cutter, severing her connection to G-d. Here at the Klatzko’s home, she could feel the connection being mended; the power was sputtering back into her being, and once again beginning to flow.
Recalling the Torah scrolls’ exile, she thought of herself. “My dear, holy Torah scroll, you know what it's like to be neglected. You know how it feels to live with people who don't see the beauty in you and don't understand what you are worth. I've lived that way my whole life, but you've lived like that so much longer. Fifty whole years you stood there and no one kissed you or carried you or looked inside you to see what was there. But you’ve given me hope, because even after 50 years, look what happened! Look what a night you just had! Everyone hugged you and kissed you. Everyone wanted to dance with you. You were the star of the show. The Almighty doesn’t sleep. He keeps watch over His people, and He’s keeping watch over me.
“Please, G-d, I’m begging you, may I be like this Torah scroll. I know there is still holiness in me. Please let me hold onto it, just like this Torah did. And when the time is right, bring me a husband who will honor me and love me the way a wife should be honored. Let me have a home that’s happy, and holy, and full of children and guests and kindness, just like this home. Please, G-d, find me, too, and bring me home.” [Reprinted with permission from www.Aish.com.]
False Testimony
There were once three men, and their names were Reb Ezriel, Reb Anshel, and Reb Eliezer. The three were partners in a business. Reb Ezriel bought feathers and hides from Russia and Reb Anshel bought similar merchandise from Galicia. The third partner, Reb Eliezer, who was the son of the Belzer Rebbe, Reb Sholom, arranged financing for their ventures and kept the books, auditing all the expenses and income of their various transactions.
For some time, all was well. Then, for some unknown reason, Reb Ezriel and Reb Anshel asked Reb Eliezer if they could see the books.
“We would like to know where we stand,” they said. Reb Eliezer, however, refused to show them the ledgers, so the two decided to go to his father, the Belzer Rebbe, with their complaint and to see if he could adjudicate the matter.
“I cannot be a judge in this matter,” the Rebbe told the men. “I am the father of the accused and I am therefore invalid to judge.”
“Even so,” the two partners assured him, “we trust your decision even though you have an interest in the matter.”
“Very well,” said the Rebbe. “But it is late, just before Minchah and there is no time to hear all the details. For now, let me quickly tell you a story that relates to this situation.
The Rebbe began, “There were once two brothers, one rich and one poor. The rich brother had a daughter who was of marriageable age, and the poor brother had a son who was a fine Talmud Chacham of the same age. It seemed natural, therefore, that when the rich brother had rejected the many offers of marriage for his daughter, the shadchan (marriage broker) urged him to take his nephew, (the poor brother’s son) as a son-in-law. The rich brother agreed and the two were married.
The young man, Yisroel, soon found life under his father-in-law’s roof very uncomfortable. Neither his wife nor father-in-law appreciated his occupation with Torah study and would have preferred that he involve himself in business. The situation became tense, so Yisroel decided to leave and become a melamed (teacher), for the sake of peace for all involved.
Yisroel traveled far, to an isolated village and there became the melamed for the children of a chassid of the Baal Shem Tov. In time, the chassid took a trip to visit his Rebbe.
Just as he was about to depart with a group of other chassidim, Yisroel asked: “Can you kindly mention me to your Rebbe? I have a difficult personal matter that is a great burden. Perhaps the Baal Shem Tov will have some advice for me.”
Yisroel’s employer did indeed mention his name to the Baal Shem, and returned home with an urgent message. "As soon as we mentioned your name to the Rebbe, he became quite upset. He told us to advise you to immediately return to your home. The Rebbe’s words were, ‘Reb Yisroel's return involves a serious matter regarding his wife.’' We didn’t even know you were married?”
“It is a painful story so I did not share it with you,” he answered.
Yisroel was skeptical. He questioned the Chassidim, “How would the Rebbe know of me? How does he even know I’m married?” “Never mind,” they insisted. “If the Baal Shem Tov was so adamant about your returning home, you must do as he says. He told us that he looked at the root of your soul and found a danger present. You must not delay. You should leave immediately.”
“How can I go home?” Reb Yisroel answered. “My belongings are here and besides, I don’t have any money for the journey.” The chassidim wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. They all quickly contributed funds to hire a wagon and driver to take Yisroel home and helped Reb Yisroel gather his few belongings and load the wagon.
“What am I doing?” he thought to himself as the wagon bumped along the dirt road. “I wonder if the Chassidim were just trying to get rid of me. I wonder if they even mentioned my named to the Baal Shem Tov. How could he know about me?” Such thoughts filled his mind as he traveled. He had thoughts of stopping the wagon and turning around, but the urgent words of the Baal Shem Tov disturbed him greatly. Finally he arrived at his hometown. As the wagon came to a stop in front of his house, he hesitated. He finally summoned the courage to knock on the door. A strange man answered the door. “What do you want?” the man asked. “Is Reb Yisroel’s wife at home?”
“She is no longer Reb Yisroel’s wife, and she doesn’t live here. In fact, she is planning to get married in two days.”
Reb Yisroel was shocked. He had never divorced his wife. How could she get married again? He now understood the urgency of the Baal Shem Tov's words. The first thing he must do was to prevent his wife from marrying another man. But how? Reb Yisroel went to the Beis Medrash and sat down to think. As he sat, he overheard several of the local beggars talking about the impending wedding. “I can’t wait for the feast. It will no doubt be lavish because the bride’s father is certainly rich.”
Yisroel then knew what he had to do. He went immediately to the town Rabbi's home. He related his story, insisting that he had never sent his wife a divorce.
The town Rabbi did indeed remember and he believed Yisroel. “Please stay here while I go to your father-in- law and discuss this matter.”
Reb Yisroel’s father-in-law had been deceived by an unscrupulous, traveling darshan (speaker). The darshan had come to town and realized the rich man's great despair because his daughter had been deserted by her husband. So he approached the girl’s father and said, “In my travels, I’ve met your son- in-law and we became friends. I’m quite sure that I can get him to divorce your daughter. Just give me power of attorney to act on your behalf and I will take care of everything.”
“That would be wonderful! And you can be sure that I will pay you well for your kindness,” the rich man told the darshan.
The darshan quickly traveled to another small town some distance away, where he was not known. There he found three men of questionable character and honesty who were willing go along with his ruse for a profit. The darshan then went to a Bais Din (Jewish court), claiming that he had recognized a man at the local inn who was sought for abandoning his wife. “His name is Yisroel and he refuses to give his wife a divorce. Her father has asked me to force him to give a divorce at any cost.”
The Bais Din was convinced by the darshan’s story. They had the man in the inn (one of the three conspirators) apprehended and brought before them. After some “coaxing,” the man admitted that he was the husband that had deserted his wife. Then, the two false witnesses (the other two conspirators) were brought to testify that they also knew the man to be the alleged Yisroel, the runaway husband of the rich man's daughter. The Bais Din managed to extract a divorce, which they gave to the darshan, having the power of attorney of the rich man.
The darshan returned to the rich man with the prized bill of divorce.
“How can I repay you for all your efforts?” the rich man asked.
“I do not want any money,” said the darshan. “I was just doing a kindness. However, I would appreciate the opportunity to introduce an eligible young man to your daughter. That is all I ask.”
The eligible young man just happened to be the darshan’s son, and he made a favorable impression on the family. The wedding date was set and plans were made.
Once the real Yisroel spoke to the town Rabbi, the Rabbi accompanied by the local police, marched to the rich man's home. The Rabbi explained Yisroel's story and accused the darshan and his son of fraud. The police promptly took the two scoundrels to jail. The rich man realized that he had been deceived but was very happy that the plot has been foiled in time. Yisroel found that his wife had meanwhile deeply regretted her unloving behavior towards her husband, and she begged Yisroel remain as her husband.
“And,” concluded the Belzer Rebbe, “they did live happily thereafter. Do you know why I told you this story?” he asked the two men before him. “You, Reb Anshel, and you, Reb Ezriel, were the two brothers and my son Eliezer was Reb Yisroel in a former life. You two owe him a great deal for the shame and discomfort he suffered. I suggest that you increase his share of the earnings and I am sure he will show you the books.”
The People Of Brisk Wait For The Rav To Start Kol Nidrei
One Yom Kippur as the people of Brisk waited to start the Holy Tefillah of Kol Nidrei, the Rav, Rav Binyomin Diskin the father of Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin, was still not in Shul. This was very strange considering Rav Binyomin’s timeliness and his deep consideration for not causing Tircha DiTzibura.
The Gabbai was quickly dispatched to the Rav’s house to see what was causing the delay. Upon entering the house, the Gabbai was astonished to find Rav Binyomin sitting over a Mishnayos learning with his young son. “Moreinu ViRabbeinu,” said the Gabbai, “The whole tzibbur is waiting for the Rav to start Kol Nidrei and he is sitting and learning Mishnayos with his little child?!”
Rav Binyomin burst our crying and he said, “I made a Cheshbon HaNefesh for the Yom HaDin and realized that I need many zechusim to be acquitted in my Din. I searched for a great mitzvah powerful enough to tip the scales all by itself and I could not find a better mitzvah that sitting and learning with my young child.”
Parshas Beshalach: Rav Asher’le MiRiminov - How A Man Supports His Wife
One time a Chasid and his despondent wife came to Rav Asher’le MiRiminov. The wife claimed that her husband did not make a decent living because he was so worried about onaah, accurate scales, and every other minute halacha. The wife complained that he had no right to be such a big tzaddik while his wife and children were starving.
Rav Asher’le MiRiminov answered that the obligation of supporting one’s wife is derived from the passuk (Beshalach 16:16), “Ish laasher biohalo tikachu,” each man should take Man back to his home. The Man in the midbar, said Rav Asher’le was acquired with pure righteousness without the slightest trace of impropriety. Similarly in a Kesuba it is written, “Viafarnes yaschi bikushta,” I will support you honestly. A man is not responsible to break or even slightly bend the laws of honesty and business ethics as the torah prescribes it, to support his wife. The extent of his effort and obligation is where the legal bounds are drawn. The rest is up to HaShem. (Iturei Torah) [Reprinted with permission from www.Revach.net]
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini Atzeres-Simchas Torah-Vizos HaBracha 5770
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