Rabbi Rubenstein’s Sedra questions - past and present.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
As a postscript to Tisha B`Av; I remember a very great lady describing to me, how she and her husband were hidden in a basement during the Second World War. On one occasion, they heard the couple who were hiding them, arguing upstairs about whether to obey the priest`s sermon to hand over any Jews they knew, to the Nazis.
To this day, I remember the fear which emanated from her in waves, as she relived those moments, when her life hung in the balance. For a moment, I felt a little, of the fear she had felt. It is one thing to remember words, it is another thing altogether, to remember the emotions which accompanied the words. That leaves a far deeper impression.
Similarly when we remember the giving of the Torah, in this week`s Sedra, it is not enough to remember the words of the Torah alone. We need to remember the feelings of awe and inspiration we experienced too. The words which were said, “from the midst of the fire, the cloud, the thick darkness, the voice that did not stop” (Chap. 5 verse 19) had a colossal emotional impact and we have to remember that as well. That is why it says about the giving of the Torah; (Chap. 4 Verse 9) “Guard yourself, in case you forget the things your eyes saw, and in case you remove them from your heart”
In keeping with this idea, it is not enough to do a Mitzvah without feeling, as if it is a burden, to be dealt with, as quickly as possible. We should give as much honour and make as much fuss, for the Mitzvos as we can. That is the way to engage the emotions.
On a personal note I remember, and I am sure everybody who met him remembers, the enthusiasm and the beaming smile, with which my father Z”tsal kept his Judaism. That is how he reached my heart, and the hearts of those around him.
The words in Oleinu, from this Sedra, sum it up; “And you shall know it this day and put it in to your heart”. (Chap 4 Verse 39)
SOURCES; Based on the teachings of Rav Ben-Zion Levy.
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
In the first part of Shema, in this week`s Sedra, we are told to teach our sons the Torah (Chapter 6 Verse 7). The usual Hebrew word for “And you shall teach” is “Velimadetem”, as in fact we find in the second part of the Shema. But here the word used is “Veshinantom”. What is the extra nuance, of the word “Veshinantom”?
ANSWER;
Rashi gives one answer. However the Alshiech Hakodosh says, the root of the word is the same as in the Verse, “Chitsei gibor Shinoonim” (Psalm 120)-“The arrows of the mighty person sharpened”. The Alshiech explains, a mighty archer sharpens his arrows, because he wants his arrows, not only to hit the target, but also to penetrate it. So when we teach our sons, we want our words not only to reach our sons, but also to penetrate inside their being.
The Alshiech then proceeds to say, How do we achieve that? The answer is in the preceeding verse of the Shema. “And these things which I teach you this day shall be, “Al Levovecho”-“On your heart”. If these teachings are on your heart, then they will penetrate your sons hearts as well.
SOURCES; Sefer Alshiech on the Torah
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
Please note my new E-mail address is rabbij@talktalk.net
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
“Charles Darwin was only able to think that man is descended from the apes, because he never saw Rabbi Yisroel Salanter”. This statement, made by a pupil of Rabbi Yisroel Salanter means, the Rabbi had such obviously spiritual qualities, they could not possibly be explained by a physical process only. They could only be explained, by accepting that man`s origin comes from a higher being.
In 1983 a distinguished Rav, quoted that saying about Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, and said it applied to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein too. He said, nobody who met Rabbi Moshe Feinstein could believe that human beings were descended from apes.
Rabbi Feinstein himself said; the Torah describes the importance of punishing a murderer by saying “Velo Sachanifu es ho-oretz”. This is usually translated “you shall not corrupt the earth”. But the root of the word “Sachanifu” usually means, “to flatter”, so how does it fit in here? Rabbi Feinstein answered, if we belittle the significance of the murder of a person, we are flattering the physicality, what one might call the earthiness, of the person. Hence the phrase, “you shall not flatter the earth”. We are saying the victim was just another form of physical existence, which has now come to an end. In fact, every person has something spiritual and divine in him, and that is why murder is such a terrible thing. In this age of a movement towards euthanasia, this is a timely thought. Of course, the greater the person, the more these spiritual qualities are apparent.
Similarly, when we mourn, during these three weeks, the destruction of the Temple, we are not mourning the destruction of a beautiful building alone. We are mourning the destruction of the place, in which we were given, the guidance and inspiration, to develop the spiritual and divine within all of us. It reminds us, that developing the spiritual qualities in each of us, is what Jewish life is really all about.
SOURCES; Sefer Dorosh Dorash Moshe.
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
The Rambam (Chap 7 Laws of Sefer Torah, Par. 7) writes that the number of lines in each column in a Sefer Torah should be 48, corresponding to the number of Journeys made by the Jewish people in the desert, described in this week`s Sedra. What connection can you think of, between the number of journeys they travelled in the desert, and the number of lines in a column of a Sefer Torah?
(Other opinions say it should be 42 lines which corresponds to opinions there were only 42 journeys. See Sefer Shiras Dovid)
ANSWER;
The journeys were ordained by Hashem to give them various experiences which were necessary to mould and shape their character. Everyone of the lines of the Torah is necessary to shape and mould the character of the Jew.
SOURCES; Sefer Anofeho Arzei E-l.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
In sport and in business, and in almost every other area of human activity, it is not really the effort that counts, it is the result. Even if you play badly, if you score a goal you have won the game. In business, even if you do not work so hard, if by chance you obtain a big order, you are doing well.
However in Judaism, there is a reward for every iota of effort. Joshua was chosen to succeed Moshe Rabeinu, not because he was the most brilliant student, but because of the constant effort he put in to learning from Moshe. Hashem said to Moshe Rabeinu, “He arrived early at your meeting place and left late. He was the one who arranged the benches before you gave a lecture. He was the one who served you with all his strength. (Midrash Raboh 21)
In a similar vein there is a Midrash which has a discussion about which verse encompasses most of the Torah. On Rav said, “Shemah Yisroel”. Another said “Love your neighbour as yourself”. But a third said the verse from this week`s Parsha, “One sheep you shall bring as a sacrifice in the morning, and the second sheep you shall bring in the afternoon”. Perhaps this means, the key to success in Judaism, is to take constant small steps forward.
Maimonidies writes, you can earn a place in the world to come with ONE Mitzvoh, if you do it properly. In fact Hashem gave us a variety of Mitzvos in order to give us more opportunities, to do that one Mitzvoh.
Every effort is worthwhile and produces a result. In the words of King Solomon “Adding one to one, makes the whole amount” (Koheles 7:27.
SOURCES; Introduction to Sefer Ein Yaakov
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Why were the Jewish people commanded to attack only the daughters of Midyon and not the daughters of Moav, (Bamidbar Chapter 25:17) although both were equally culpable?
ANSWER;
One answer is, Moav had a slight excuse, because they acted out of fear, but Midyon acted entirely out of malice
SOURCES; Ramban 25: 18.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
Is it possible to be genuinely generous and charitable, yet mean and unkind at the same time? The answer has to be yes! Many people are happy to be generous to others less fortunate than themselves, but are still resentful and unkind to people in a better position than themselves. They cannot tolerate other people being more successful than themselves, but will be quite kind, to people who are in difficulties and need their help.
As we find ourselves on the threshold of the three weeks, it is salutary to remember, the second Temple was destroyed because as the Talmud puts it (Yoma 9), “They were busy with Torah, Mitzvos and Kindness, but had amongst them needless hatred”: Both things at the same time!
There is a wonderful quality of Ayin Tov which is the opposite of this. It includes not being concerned to keep up with the “Joneses” at all. We might want things and strive for them because we like them, but not because other people have them. Ayin Tov means to be really happy, about another person`s prosperity and success.
Bilaam was shaken to the core of his being, when he saw the tents of the Jewish people arranged in a way that prevented them looking in to one another`s homes (see Rashi). They had no interest in monitoring how well everyone else was doing. He was inspired to give the blessing Ma Tovu …. “How good are your tents …”. Because there was no envy amongst them, the divine presence would be found in their homes .
In the words of King Solomon “Tov Ayin Hu Yevorach”-He who looks benignly at other people, will be blessed (Proverbs 22,9). Or as the Kotsker Rebbe pithily put it, “ If I am (what ever I am) and you are (whatever you are), because I am myself and you are yourself, then I am I and you are you. But if I am because you are, then I am not I and you are not you.
SOURCES; Sefer Matnas Chayim (Maamorim 2) & Sefer Hamussar Vehadaas by Rabbi A. Yoffen.
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
In Chapter 22 Verse 4, it says Bilaam looked at some of the (Jewish) people. How could he see them, were they not surounded by the clouds of glory?
ANSWER;
The Targum Yonasan says he saw some of the tribe of Dan. They were carrying an idol called Pesel Micah. Therefore they were not protected by the clouds of glory.
SOURCES; Sefer Sucas Dovid.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
On Erev Shabbos, of the Sedra of Chukas, in Paris in 1242; by the command of King Louis 1X (Known as Louis the Pious), cartloads upon cartloads, filled with manuscripts of Jewish sacred texts, including most of the copies of the Talmud available in France, were burnt in a public square.
In an age when all texts were written by hand, this was a catastrophe for the Jewish people. Many individuals used to fast on the anniversary of that day. What a contrast to the present day, when sacred texts are churned out in enormous numbers, are obtainable everywhere in every language, and are photocopied, E-mailed and available, to everyone. We certainly do not have the challenge of unavailability of texts for Jewish learning.
But we have other challenges. Hashem sends different challenges and different tests to every generation, and to an extent to every individual, to see whether they will rise to the new challenge.
In this week`s Sedra, Moshe Rabeinu made a copper snake to remind the people to pray to Hashem, to save them from the plague which had struck them. Many generations later King Chiskiyohu destroyed that copper snake, so that people would not serve it as an idol. The question is, why did earlier kings not destroy it for the same reason? The Talmud answers, there is always an opportunity left to each generation, to take new measures to safeguard Judaism. Presumably until the time of King Chiskiyohu, the tendency to use the copper snake as an idol was not so widespread. It was a danger which developed during his reign, and he rose to the occasion and dealt with the new problem.
We all need to be proactive in our Judaism, recognising new challenges, and acting appropriately to overcome them. It would be an interesting discussion point, to consider what are the greatest challenges, to Judaism, here and now. I personally think, it is the threat to morality and family life. But I would welcome all suggestions.
SOURCES; Magen Avrohom on Orach Chayim 580-9 & Talmud Chullin 7 .
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
We know that Moshe Rabeinu was punished for hitting the rock, and forbidden to enter the Land of Israel. But why did Aharon also receive that punishment, he did not hit the rock?
ANSWER;
The Malbim points out, Aharon was also commanded to speak to the rock-see Chap 20 Verse 8, and he failed to do so. Therefore he too received the punishment.
SOURCES; Malbim on Chumash.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
This week`s Sedra touches on a very painful and sensitive subject. Korach started a dispute with Moshe Rabeinu, together with On Ben Peles and others. But On Ben Peles is mentioned once at the beginning of the Parsha and then never appears again. The reason is, his wife calmed him down, and persuaded him it was not worthwhile getting involved in the dispute. By contrast, Korach`s wife goaded him on, and persuaded him he had been insulted. In the end Korach`s family suffered terribly, and On Ben Peles`s family flourished.
I personally know of more than one family where brothers had an argument, but it was the wives who took greater offence, and caused the argument to flare up into a massive row, which harmed both families until the end of their lives.
I also know of an instance where two relatives had an argument which was affecting the whole family. Then one them, whom I am sure was in the right, decided the situation was ridiculous. She went and apologised to the other, although she really did not need to, and the whole family was saved. Of course in all these cases it can equally be the husband who makes it worse or better.
Arguments themselves can be bad enough, but the golden rule is; “Don`t get involved in an argument which is not yours” (see Proverbs 26,17) It is the people who take sides and join in, the argument, who cause the greatest harm.
SOURCES; Sanhedrin109b &110a
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK
Which prophets besides Moshe Rabeinu, said “If no sign occurs I am wrong”?
ANSWER;
Eliyahu Hanavi; Melachim 1, Chap18, Verse 36.
& Michohu; Melachim1, Chap. 22, Verse 28.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
Post-Shovous Reflections.
If you have a satnav in your car, you will probably find it has two functions. Firstly it tells you how to get from A to B. Secondly, if you take a wrong turning or make some other mistake, it starts telling you how to proceed from where you are now, towards your desired destination.
When the Jewish people received the Torah at Sinai each individual understood how he had to proceed to keep it, with his particular personality , nature, and circumstances. Every person has to make a different journey to keep the Torah, because no two people are the same.
For example, the Midrash tells of Rabbo Shimon ben Chalafta who was so poor he could not make Shabbos. He prayed for heip, and some of the reward which had already been stored up for him in the World to Come was given to him immediately, in the form of wealth. When his wife heard what had happened she did not want him to lose part of his reward in the World to Come, in exchange for wealth in this world. Rabbi Yehudah the prince offered to replace any of the reward Rabbi Shimon might lose from the World to Come, with some of his own future reward. She replied that is impossible, because it is written each person goes to his reward. Every person has to make different kinds of efforts to keep the Torah because everybody has different strengths and weaknesses. Therefore everybody will receive a different kind of reward in the World to Come, so one person`s reward cannot replace another person`s reward. The reward for each person, will be appropriate to the kind of journey, he had to travel to keep the Torah.
Like the satnav “Lehavdil”, the Torah tells you how to get to the correct destination from wherever you now are, even if you have taken a wrong turning, spiritually speaking, as we all do occasionally.
SOURCES; Lev Eliyahu, Parshas Pekudei & Sefer Latorah Velamoadim Parshas
Parshas Nosso
Is it possible to watch a pornographic film and then davven immediately afterwards with proper devotion? Absolutely not! In fact it is not possible then, to do any Mitzvah with proper devotion. In contemporary society, when we are constantly bombarded with indecent and immoral images we have to take steps to avoid being in that situation. In fact we all have to employ a kind of self-censorship.
The Sedra tells us the laws of a Nazir, who makes a vow which forbids him among other things to have any wine. It writes it, after the Parshah which talks about a woman who is suspected of committing adultery. Because a person who had seen what happened to her, might well want to vow not to have any wine, so that he would not get drunk and find himself in the same situation.
Underlying this, is the idea of making safeguards for oneself according to the situation one is in. As mentioned above, every person and also every society has to travel a different journey to arrive at keeping the Torah. Frequently this involves making safeguards. appropriate to a particular situation. Unquestionably one of the safeguards we have to make in contemporary western society, is the exercise of self-censorship.
QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Why is the Parshah of “Duchaning”-the priestly blessing written immediately after the Parshas of “Nozir”
ANSWER;
To teach us that somebody who makes safeguards for himself deserves Blessings.
SOURCES; Midrash Rabah 11-1
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
In Fiddler On The Roof, Tevya the milkman famously sings; would it spoil some vast eternal plan “if I were a rich man”. In fact since we believe, that what happens to every person is important to Hashem, the answer should be Yes! Your wealth (or lack of it) is part of a vast eternal plan.
I feel this idea goes together with a line from Megillas Esther Chap. 1 Verse 3. Achashverosh makes a party “for all his officers and servants” (Lechol Sorov Vaavodov). The Vilna Gaon comments, two people have constant access to the king, the Prime Minister, and the king`s personal attendant. This is why Achashverosh made a party for his officers, and for his servants.
The Gaon adds, when the son of the great Rav Yochanan Ben Zakai fell ill, he asked Rav Chanina ben Dosa to pray for him. Rav Yochanan`s wife said to him, is Rav Chanina greater than you? He replied no, but I am like the prime Minister before Hashem (he was the leader of his generation and a great scholar), but he is like a personal attendant to Hashem. Through his constant, humble, and sincere prayers, he is like a personal attendant and therefore his prayers reach Hashem even more effectively than mine do.
The message for us is; possibly we cannot all be great like Rav Yochanan ben Zakai, (although maybe we could). But certainly we can all become personal attendants as Rav Chanina ben Dosa did, through regular, absolutely sincere prayer. Then our prayers will be very effective. Because our prayers do matter, they are a significant part of His “vast eternal plan”.
Incidentally, this is an explanation of Hashem`s rebuke, (Chap.12 Verse 80) to Aharon and Miriam in this week`s Sedra. “Why were you not afraid to speak about my servant about Moshe?” Moshe Rabeinu had both qualities, he was, so to speak, the Prime Minister of the nation, but he was also the humble servant (see Rashi there).
SOURCES; The Vilna Gaon on Megillas Esther & Sefer Taam Vodaas Parshas Behaaloscho.
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Question
Rashi says (Chap.10 Verse 25), the Tribe of Dan travelled behind the other Tribes, and collected everything they left behind, because they were the most numerous of the Tribes. But the Tribe of Yehudah had 74,600 people whereas the Tribe of Dan only had 62,000 people?
One Answer Is;
Yehudah had to be the leaders, so they went in front, and Dan were the next most numerous.
SOURCES; Sifsei Chachomim
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me. My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
The tale is told in the Midrash, of the saintly man whose father was a terrible drunkard. The father regularly used to drink until he collapsed in the street, and was laughed at, and ridiculed by passers-by. His son was overcome with shame and embarrassment.
One day the son saw another drunkard lying in the street, ridiculed and despised by everyone who went past him. He thought to himself, I will show this to my father when he is sober, perhaps it will shock him so much, he will stop becoming drunk himself. He brought his father to the scene, but his father did not notice the the disgrace and the humiliation the drunkard was suffering. He just went over to the drunkard and said to him “where did you get such wonderful wine?”
People only notice those events, or those parts of events, which they are interested in seeing. The ten spies noticed a lot of people being buried, as they travelled through Israel, and concluded it was an unhealthy place to live in. It did not occur to them that Hashem had made this happen, so that people would be distracted, and not notice them passing through. According to the Zohar, they subconsciously did not want to enter the Land of Israel, because they were afraid of losing their high position, so they only thought of reasons not to enter the land.
Some people always have real-life stories to tell you, which make you disillusioned, cynical and anti-religious. Other people always have stories from daily life to tell you, which are uplifting and inspiring.
Both sets of stories are true. There are some people whose behaviour makes you wonder, what happened to all the high ideals they were taught. But there are other people, who put into action the ideals they have been taught, and whose behaviour is fantastic and uplifting. We have the choice of deciding which people or events we want to concentrate on. We should learn to concentrate on those which inspire us.
SOURCES; Midrash Tanchumah Shemini 11 & Zohar quoted Sefer Mesillas Yeshorim Chap. 11
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
In Chap. 13 Verse 22 it says that the spies came to Chevron, and names the three giants who lived there. Why does it mention the giants who lived there. What relevance does it have to the main narrative?
ANSWER;
According to Rashi, only Calev came. It mentions the giants there, to show that although it was dangerous, Calev still came there to pray that he should not be influenced by the spies.
SOURCES; Zohar quoted Sefer Zichron Moshe.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me. My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
There is a famous story from the Dubna Magid about a prince who wanted to be an expert archer. One day he was passing through a village and to his amazement he saw a series of arrows all exactly in the centre of their targets.
He found the archer who had shot the arrows, and asked him, “how do you manage to get such 100% accuracy. I never get anywhere near that?” The archer replied “when you practice archery, you set up the target and then fire the arrow. That way sometimes you get near the centre and sometimes you don`t. I fire the arrows first, and then I draw the circles around it, that way I always hit the centre.
I would like to suggest, this tale can serve as analogy to explain one of the most startling episodes in the Book of Ruth. We are told that Machlon and Chilyon married non-Jewish women (according to Rashi`s explanation). How did they come to do such a thing?
Similarly, in the second Parshah of Shema, we are told “If you will listen to Hashem and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…..Beware in case your heart persuades you and you serve other Gods”. The question begs to be asked what would cause such a dramatic change from serving Hashem with all your heart, to serving idols without any spiritual halfway stage in between?
The answer is, (wrote Rav Shlomoh Wolbe,) if people around you laugh at you for serving Hashem, that can cause you to change your lifestyle very rapidly. I would add, every human wants to be respected by their peers. It is incredibly difficult to maintain a code of behaviour, if people around you think it is silly and ridiculous. Perhaps that is how Machlon and Chilyon came to marry non-Jewish women once they had moved to Moav. See a similar idea in Question 1 overleaf.
Like the archer who first fired the arrow then drew everything around it. The trick is to first decide on your beliefs and then build your life,-where you live-what you do-who your friends are, around them. If you build your life first, particularly your social circle, and then try to make your beliefs somehow fit in; the beliefs usually suffer.
SOURCES; Sefer Ali Shur Vol. 2.
QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK;
Question 1
Which group of people mentioned in this week`s Sedra, were influenced to the bad because the arrangement of the camp described in the Sedra gave them bad neighbours? Which people were influenced to the good because the arrangement gave them good neighbours?
ANSWER;
Some of the tribe of Reuvein were influenced to the bad because they were next to Korach. They were all on the south of the camp.
Some of the trbe of Yehudah & Yissachar& Zevulun were influenced to the good because they were next to Moshe Rabeinu. They were all on the east of the camp.
SOURCES; Rashi Chap. 3 Verse 29 & 38.
Question 2
The midrash statesthat at the giving of the Torah and at the confrontation between Eliyahu Hanavi and the prophets of the Baal, “not a bird called out, not a bird flew, not an ox bellowed the Ophanim(angels)did not move, the Seraphim (angels) did not say Holy(Etc.), the sea did not move, creatures did not speak, the whole world was silent” Why did Hashem make all that happen?
ANSWER:
The ancient Greeks and earlier generations, believed in a pantheon of Gods . They believed different Gods had control over different parts of nature. Therefore when Hashem said “I am Hashem …who brought you out of Egypt He wanted to show he contolled all of nature, so he brought all nature to a standstill. The same applied with Eliyahu Hanavi.
SOURCES: Sefer Yevakshu Torah by Rabbi P. Roberts.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
Throughout the election campaign which has dominated the media for the last month, I have been struck by one remarkable fact. All the candidates have made their predictions about what is going to happen in the next few years, and how they are going to deal with it. In fact the last two premiers had their political lives transformed by events which nobody predicted. Tony Blair, by the twin towers disaster and the Iraqi war, and Gordon Brown, by the economic downturn.
Yet none of the current candidates has even mentioned the possibility, that something we have not thought of could occur, which will compel us to refocus our attention on something new.
But of course this is what happens all the time. Because we are not the masters of our own destiny. We try our best, but it is Hashem who manipulates events and determines the outcome. This is the meaning of the phrase “Ki Gerim Vesoshovim Atem Imodi”- For you are strangers and dwellers with me(Chap 25 Verse 23). We are tenants in Hashem`s world.
The worst thing that can happen, is for everything to occur at the wrong time in the wrong place. For example the new business order comes in, just when we cannot deal with it, or the doctor is on holiday just when we need him. That is why, says the Midrash, the punishments described in Bechukosai start with a “Vav” –“Ve-im Lo Sishmou” and finish with a “Hei”-Mosheh. Everything in reverse order and mixed up. The best thing, is when everything falls in to place, just at the right time. For that reason the blessings begins with an “Aleph”-“Im Bechukosai” and conclude with a “Taf”-Komemiyus. This symbolises everything happening in order and at the right time.
We have to lead our lives according to the parameters Hashem has given us, (see question on next page). If we follow His guidelines, we can hope He will make the right things happen to us, at the right time and place. For He is the one who controls what will happen in the world, not Prime Ministers or Presidents.
SOURCES; Sefer Latorah Velamoadim
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Question 1
Which Mizvos in this week` Sedras, affect the way we can earn our livelihood?
ANSWER;
Amongst others;
A)You can work and cultivate your field but must let it rest in the 7th year
B)You must not overcharge when selling goods.
C)You must not charge Jews interest for lending money.
D)When “Yovel” was in force, any land which had been bought had to be returned in “Yovel”-“because you are strangers and dwellers with me”
SOURCES; Chumash.
Question 2
There is a famous prediction that in the times of Moshiach “The wolf will lie down with the sheep.” Where is this prediction referred to in this week`s Sedras?
ANSWER:
According to some opinions, in the Verse “And I will destroy evil animals from the land” Chap.26 Verse 6.
SOURCES: Toras Kohanim in the name of Rabbi Shimon.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
Einstein`s theory of time is a fascinating subject. So is the history of methods of measuring time, including atomic clocks, on which so much of the modern technology we use, depends. Countless articles and books have been written about the nature of time, including one by a British physicist, who believes that time does not really exist.
But I believe they are all missing the most important question about time. However you measure it and explain it, time marches inexorably on. Does this mean that whatever we do is rapidly consigned to a soon forgotten and irrelevant past? I think the answer is contained, in the following story from the Midrash.
A Roman aristocrat said to Rav Yehoshua ben Chanania. “ I am greater than your teacher Moses, because I am alive and he is dead, and in the book of Koheles, it says a live dog is better than a dead lion”. The Rav replied, “ you issue a law that nobody should light a fire in your kingdom for three days” he did so, and they soon found that people were breaking the law. The Rav then said “but Moses issued a law so many years ago, not to light a fire on Shabbos, and people still keep it, so he is still greater than you”
The Rav was saying, if a person did something of eternal value like teaching Shabbos, he is still better than the person who is alive, but doing nothing of enduring value.
In other words, the answer to my question is, no unit of time is lost if you do something worthwhile with it. Every second becomes immortal if you do a Mitzvah with it.
This “theory of time” is what the Midrash means, when it says, the seven weeks of the Omer, are only “Temimos”-complete, when you use them to do Mitzvos. This is one of the underlying ideas of the Mitzvah of counting the forty nine days of the Omer, mentioned in this week`s Sedra, which we keep at this time of the year.
SOURCES; Sefer Latorah Velamoadim & Midrash Koheles Rabah 9-3.
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
What do Purim and Lag Bo`Omer have in common?
ANSWER;
The Shulchan Aruch (428) states, whatever day of the week Lag Bo`Omer falls on, Purim that year, also fell on that day of the week; and the way to remember it is, “Plag”
SHABBOS
TABLE-TALK
Parshas; Acharei Mos-Kedoshim. 5770.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
At this time of year we do not have any weddings and we observe other laws of mourning, because the pupils of Rabbi Akiva died en masse between Pesach and Shovous. Unfortunately, in our history, there have been many mass deaths, why do we particularly keep so many laws of mourning, for this one.
A second question is, we are told, the reason for their deaths was, they did not treat one another with sufficient respect. This hardly seems to justify the death penalty?
The solution is, Rabbi Akiva`s pupils were meant to be the link in the chain of tradition of Judaism, learning the teachings from the previous generation, represented by Rabbi Akiva, and passing them on, to the next generation. However Judaism is not an academic study external to the person. It has to be experienced. For example, Shabbos has be experienced, so does doing kindness to others, and every other teaching of Judaism. If you have not experienced it yourself, you cannot pass it on to the next generation.
Rabbi Akiva`s pupils could not practice and experience Judaism properly, because they lacked some of the essential qualities of character needed for keeping Judaism. This was demonstrated by their lack of respect for one another. (See Pikei Ovos Chap. Six, a for a list of forty-eight qualities, essential for acquiring the Torah). If they could not experience it themselves, they could not possibly pass it on to the next generation. This meant the crucial link was in danger of being broken, which would destroy the whole chain. That is why we particularly mourn that event.
SOURCES; Sefer Noam Siach
A second topic, based on the Sedra, has a strong connection to the first topic.
We are commanded in the Sedra to honour a “Zokein”-an elder. The Gemara says Zokein is an acronym for “a person who acquires wisdom (of Torah)”.
“Zayin”= “Zeh” meaning “this is a person”
“Kuf” and “Nun” = “Konoh” meaning “who acquired”.
There is no letter referring to wisdom. The reason is, the only thing you can really acquire, in the sense that it becomes part of you and nobody can take it away, is wisdom. All other acquisitions are external to you, and can be taken away from you. So once the word hints, at something you really acquire, you don`t need another letter to tell you it refers to wisdom
In this sense, the pupils of Rabbi Akiva had not “acquired” wisdom, and therefore could not pass it on.
SOURCES; Sefer Birchas Peretz
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
On Yom Kippur, we keep repeating the Verse from this week`s Sedrah “For on this day He will atone for you to purify you”. Chap 16 verse 30. what is the real difference between atone and Purify?
ANSWER;
When a person sins he deserves a punishment, but besides that it damages his soul. He will atone means, He will remove the punishment. To purify, means the damage to the soul will be repaired. Yom Kippur combined with repentance achieves both.
SOURCES; Sefer Zichron Meir.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
The Hebrew word for plague, used in this weeks` Sedras, in connection with the plague of Leprosy, is “Nega”. It consists of three letters, “Nun” “Gimmel” and “Ayin”. The Hebrew word for pleasure is “Oneg”. It consists of the same three letters, but in a different order; “Ayin”, “Nun” and “Oneg”. This is a hint to us, if you change the
“Ayin” (the eye) in your life, meaning the way you look at things, you can change the plague into a pleasure.
For example, “Tzorus Ayin” means looking at things with a stingy eye. The Gemara says “Tzorus Ayin” was one of the causes of the Biblical Leprosy. An infamous example of this, was the life story of Gechazi the pupil and attendant of the prophet Elisha. He was an outstanding pupil of Elisha. But he begrudged spending money on supporting the students of Elisha, and actively discouraged more people becoming students. In the end, because of this, and some other failings, he was stricken with Leprosy. The four lepers referred to at the beginning of the Haftorah, were Gechazi and his three sons.
Another of the causes of the Biblical leprosy was talking Loshon Hora. Frequently, speaking Loshon Hora, is driven by “Ayin Ra” that is looking at other people`s successes with envy and jealousy.
By contrast, “Ayin Tov” means looking at other people generously, and being pleased for them about their successes. A person who changes from looking at people with “Tzorus Ayin or with “Ayin Ra”, to looking with “Ayin Tov” will change from having a plague in his life, to having pleasure in his life. It is the difference between being “eaten up” by jealousy, and having a happy life. All you have to do, is change the “Ayin”!
SOURCES; Sefer Vanofeho Arzei E-L. & Rav Pam on Chumash.
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Why is it customary not to invite people directly to the Seudah of a Bris, but rather just to inform them it is taking place?
ANSWER;
Because the Gemara says that someone who is invited to the Seudah of a Bris and does not attend, deserves to be put in Cherem. Therefore we want to avoid the possibility of putting people in that position, and just inform them it is taking place.
SOURCES; Pesachim 113b.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
As this week`s Sedrah contains the basic laws of Kashrus, here are some discussion points about Kashrus.
Question; What is the worst thing you can do, with milky cutlery which by mistake was used for meaty food, or vice-versa?
Answer; Wash it clean with hot water, that could make it definitely treif. You should wash it clean with cold water and then ask a Shaaloh.
Question; In which situation does it help to stick cutlery repeatedly into the ground?
Answer; Only if a meaty knife was used to cut a hard milky food, or vice-versa, and it was all cold.
Question; Fish are Kosher if they have fins and scales. What is the Din if one only finds scales on a fish?
Answer; It is Kosher because you can assume it has scales as well.
Question; What is the Din if one only finds fins on a fish?
Answer; You cannot assume anything and it is not Kosher.
Question; The Torah only lists birds which are not kosher. Because we do not not know the correct translation of some of the names, we have to assume any type of bird is not Kosher, unless we have a tradition that it is kosher, Which birds do we know for sure nowadays, are Kosher?
Answer; Hens, geese, turkeys, and some kinds of ducks and pigeons .
Question; What is the minimum number of eggs you should boil together in a pot?
Answer; Three, so that if one of them is found to have a bloodspot, everything else is still Kosher.
Question; May one trade in non-Kosher food?
Answer; Not deliberately, but if by chance, non-Kosher food came into your possession you may sell it.
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QUESTION ON THE REST OF THE PARSHAH;
We are told that on the day the Mishkon was put up, two of the sons of Aharon died suddenly. Moshe Rabeinu made a mistake about the Din of the other sons, eating one of the offerings which had been brought. When Aharon pointed out the mistake, Moshe Rabeinu immediately admitted that he had made a mistake.
Moshe Rabeinu is praised for his honesty. But how did he come to make a mistake in the first place, except for a few specific cases where a reason is given, Moshe Rabeinu, always knew the correct answer?
ANSWER;
One opinion in the Midrash is, he became angry that they had decided the question without consulting him first. We are taught that anybody who becomes angry, loses his wisdom and his prophecy as long as he is angry.
SOURCES; Ohr Hachaim
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
When the “iron curtain” came down in 1989, a friend of mine travelled to visit Hungary. He was struck by the calmness of life there. On the one hand, few people possessed cars, most were dressed in shabby clothes, and lived in small and dilapidated houses. But there was an absence of pressure and tension. People had time to stop and chat in the village square. There was a peacefulness which was very attractive.
When he crossed the border to Austria, he found himself back in a familiar world. People were driving around in cars, dressed smartly and living in big houses. But they seemed constantly to be rushing around and always under pressure.
I have often thought that by keeping Shabbos, we get the best of both worlds. We can work hard to make our lives more comfortable, but when Shabbos comes, peace descends, the phone does not ring etc. and a quality of life fills our existence, which nothing else can equal.
The problem with Shabbos Hagodol is, it appears to be on the wrong date. It is called Hagodol, because the Jewish people took the sheep for the Pesach sacrifice, on the 10th of Nisan, which that year was a Shabbos. The ancient Egyptians worshipped the sheep. Nonetheless the Jews had the faith, to take this Egyptian God, in front of the Egyptians, for the purpose of the Pesach sacrifice. But this year Shabbos is the 12th of Nisan. We should mark the Thursday before Pesach, which is the tenth of Nisan rather than Shabbos?
A novel explanation is given by Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky. Moshe Rabeinu, had negotiated with Pharaoh that Shabbos should be a day off for the Jews. He had also composed Palms including Mizmor Shir Leyom Hashabos. This Psalm is full of encouragement to have faith, even when evil people appear to be doing well, and good people suffering.
The Jewish people spent their Shabbosos studying this text. This developed their faith and enabled them to have the faith to take the sheep at the right time. So that event was a triumph for the power of Shabbos. That is why we commemorate the Shabbos rather than the precise date.
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
This week`s Sedra describes the Thanksgiving Offering. Nowadays we say the Brochoh Hagomel, on occasions that in the past, we would have brought that offering. It is the only Brochoh that instead of answering with Amen, we say a whole sentence. Why is this so?
ANSWER;
The Thanksgiving Offering, and now Birchas Hagomel are a response to Hashem for particular acts of deliverance by Him. (The Vilna Gaon says the whole of the Hagodoh is built on the principles of the Thanksgiving offering.) We are afraid that these kindnesses will detract from the person`s reward in the World to come. Therefore we wish him, that Hashem should continue to bestow good on him.
Similarly, near the end of Benching, we thank Hashem for his good things and we pray “Leolam Al Yichasreinu”-In the future we should not be lacking his kindnesses!
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
The recent “expenses scandal” in parliament was a truly shocking revelation. We discovered that the elected representatives of the nation, were taking public money for their own uses, while pretending they were entitled to it. In all probability, they managed to persuade themselves, they were doing nothing wrong. It seems to confirm what Lord Acton said, “power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Indisputably it is an utter necessity that an impartial body should decide what expenses they are entitled to.
This weakness seems to have been anticipated in this week`s Parshah. For every type of sin it says “And if the person sins. (Chap. 4 Verse 3 and Chap 4 Verse 25). But when it talks about a prince sinning, it says “Asher”. that a prince sins,(Chap. 4 Verse 22) implying that his princely status almost inevitably makes hin sin. (Rashi gives another explanation.
However it is not only the great and mighty who are capable of self-delusion. We are taught that if a person knew for sure, with hindsight, that he had sinned by accident, he had to bring an offering which cost at least one sixth of a Shekel. But if there was a doubt whether he had sinned, he had to bring an offering which cost at least two Shekel-much more. The reason was, if there was only a possibility he had done wrong, he would persuade himself that he had not erred, and would never repent. If he knew for sure he had done wrong, he would be more likely to repent and therefore did not need such a big offering.
If we are, for example, not sure whether something is correct for Pesach, we soon persuade ourselves it is in order. But in fact it might be Chametz! The only solution, is to ask an impartial authority. In all areas of religion, we must always try and avoid the trap of self-delusion.
SOURCES: Chumash Haamek Dovor Chap. 4 Verse 22, & Ever Since Sinai by Irving Bunim Page 104-105.
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Why are yeast and honey forbidden on the altar? (Chap.2 Verse11)
ANSWER:
The Sefer Hachinuch says it is difficult to know the reason. But perhaps part of the reason is; yeast represents allowing time for the dough to rise. In other words procrastination, and not doing Mitzvot eagerly and promptly. Honey represents, indulgence in the luxuries of life, which distract from service of Hashem.
SOURCES: Sefer Hachinuch
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
In every community, there are people who give of their time and energy for others, and in the end have a massive impact on the life of the whole community. You don`t have to be a genius to do this, everyone has some talent or ability which could be used for the benefit of the community.You just have to make the decision to use those abilities for the right purposes..
I know that in a previous generation, most of the institutions of learning in Gateshead, were brought into existence by a quiet unassuming man called R` Dovid Dryan who was the Shochet there. Not a public speaker or giver of Shiurim at all, he was famous, in his later years for coming in to the Yeshivah with his screwdriver and tools, to attend to anything that needed mending. He simply directed his energies towards working hard at what he thought was right for the community .In the end he created most of the institutions there, and helped countless individuals, including my father ztsa”l.
This idea is shown at a very high level, when the Chumash says “see Hashem has called Bezalel by nam. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein comments how could the people see, that Hashem had chosen him? He answers that the very fact Bezalel had the talents necessary to build the Mishkan, meant Hashem had given him those talents, to use for that purpose. When people saw Bezalel had the gifts needed to build the Mishkan, they knew Hashem had “called” him.
At our own level, whether we are businessmen, professionals or craftsmen, we all have individual abilities which could be used to benefit others, and serve Hashem. The very fact that we have been blessed with these abilities, means that Hashem is “calling” us to use them in the right way!
SOURCES; Sefer Dorosh Dorash
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
In the Laining for Parshas Hachodesh it says about Rosh Chodesh Nisan; This is the first for you of the months of the year. One of the commentaries says, this is when you began to have freewill. Why did we only begin to have freewill, on Rosh Chodesh Nisan before coming out of Egypt?
ANSWER;
As long as they were slaves they were not free to do what they wanted with their time. Now that they were free, they were in control of their own time, and therefore had complete freewill to do good or bad. This is symbolised by the authority given in this Parshah, to the Jewish people to set the Jewish calendar.
SOURCES; Seforno and Sefer Sucas Dovid
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please E-mail me, or tell me. My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
There is a wonderful story told in the Midrash (Tanchumah Parshas Re-eh 3) of the old man who sat at the starting point of two roads. One was full of thorns and nettles at the beginning, but afterwards was a good road, the other was smooth at the beginning, but later on became impassable. He sat at the junction and warned travellers; “although the first road looks full of thorns, travel along it, because in the long term it is a good road”. Those who were wise listened to him, and although in the beginning they found it difficult, in the end they had a good journey. Those who did not listen to him, in the end got nowhere.
The idea represented by this parable, applies to every area of Judaism, as well as perhaps to other things. If you do a mitzvoh without effort or thought, and merely by rote, it is easier, but in the end it becomes less and less uplifting or meaningful. If you work at it, in the end, you gain much more from it.
This applies particularly to Davenning. Perhaps we could ask ourselves, what could we do to make our Davening more meaningful. Look more at the translation, put in our own personal requests, or Daven more slowly, are some of the possibilities. Whatever we do, at the beginning it will be difficult, but in the end it will be worthwhile .
This underlying principle also explains the obvious discussion point of this week`s Sedra. How could the people worship a golden calf so soon after the incredible revelations at Mt. Sinai? The answer is, it was the mixed multitude of people known as the eruv rav, who instigated the whole thing. They had witnessed the great revelation at Sinai, but had not invested any effort in it. They had never built themselves up to the occasion. Therefore the effect on them was only superficial. When the revelation had passed, the effect rapidly wore off, and they turned to idolatry. In short, no investment, no return! In order to gain lasting uplift and inspiration from anything spiritual, one must put in real effort at the beginning.
SOURCES; Mussar Talks of Rav Chaim Shmulevitz & Mussar Talks of Rav Bestzion Levy
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Why do we read Parshas Poroh at this time of the year?
ANSWER;
The Mishkon in the desert was put up on the first of Nissan. Two weeks later they brought the Korban Pesach. Every single Jew had to partake of the Korban Pesach, and had to be pure to be allowed to do so. Therefore the Poroh Adumah was burnt at the end of Adar, so that its ashes would be ready to be used, for purifying the people, as soon as the Mishkon was put up. We read this Parshah to pray that Hashem will soon cast apon us his pure water. (See Verses of Haftarah of Parshas Poroh)
SOURCES; Mishneh Berurah, Chap 565 Note1
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
A friend of mine, Rabbi Baruch Dunner, who is probably well known to many Stenecourt members, told me the following story. He visited Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky when the Rav was over ninety years old. Rabbi Dunner put to him, the words put to a number of elderly sages, in the Talmud,-“Bameh He-erachto Yomim” To what do you attribute your length of days.
In reply, Rabbi Kaminetsky related how all the young men of his generation were called up for service in the Russian army. They tried all kinds of methods to get out of it. Although the official conscription age was eighteen, Rabbi Kaminetsky was summoned when he was only seventeen. The officer asked him how old are you? He answered seventeen. The officer pointed his finger at him and said you are telling a lie. Rabbi Kaminetsky said to him Ihave never told a lie in my life. His sincerity must have communicated itself to the Russian, because he let him go. Rabbi Kaminetsky told this story to Rabbi Dunner, and added (this, when he was over ninety) I think this is still the case, meaning that he had still never told a lie in his life, and this was why he had merited such longevity.
This honesty and integrity was one of the hallmarks of Rabbi Kaminetsky`s life. I know of many other examples of it. It ought to be the hall mark of every Jew`s life.
The Jewish people were saved from Egypt because of four merits. One of them was the fact that they did not betray one another. The Medrash (Yalkut Shimoni Emor 657) brings as a proof of this, the verse from this week`s Sedra, “Please speak in the ears of the Jewish people, and they should borrow from their neighbours, gold and silver”. Rabbi Matisyihu Salamon explains; the Jewish people had actually been told a year earlier, that when they would come out of Egypt, they would borrow gold and silver. The whole Jewish nation knew about this for a year, but not one of them revealed it to anybody else. Honesty, trustworthiness, and confidentiality, go together. By demonstrating these qualities, they merited to be saved.
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Question on the Parshah;
Why do we wrap the Afikoman in a cloth on Seder night? The reason is based on a Posuk in this week`s Sedra.
Answer;
We do this to remind us, that when the Jewish people left Egypt, they wrapped the leftovers of their of their matza and maror in a cloth , and took them with them. This is described in Chapter 12 Verse 34.
SOURCES; Shulchan Aruch.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
A Story for TuBishvat, The New Year for Trees
A Rav once passed by an old man who was planting a tree. He said to him, do you really think you will live long enough to see this tree bear fruit? The man replied, when I came in to this world, I found a fully grown tree ready for use, just as my fathers planted a tree for me, so I will plant a tree for my son.(Talmud, Taanis 23a)
Symbolically, this means, we should try and pass on to our children, what we learnt from our parents. It is a wonderful thing if one can remember a good deed, however small, or a good saying, from a parent or a member of a previous generation, and pass it on to the next generation.(Without boring them.)
The splitting of the Red Sea, is described in Hallel as “The sea saw and it fled” The Medrash says it saw the box carrying the remains of Joseph. This means, because of the merit of bringing out that box, the Jewish people deserved to be saved. Many generations earlier, Joseph had made his children make an oath that they would bring his bones with them out of Egypt. When the Jewish people were about to leave Egypt, and all the people were busy borrowing gold and silver, Moshe remembered that oath; he went and fetched the box containing Joseph`s remains, and took them with him out of Egypt. When the people were threatened with destruction on the banks of the Red Sea, it was the merit of that deed not the gold and silver, which caused the sea to be split, and the people to be saved for the future. Moshe remembered the promise of the past and saved the people for the future. Sometimes, honouring the wishes of past generations spoken or unspoken, is the greatest gift we can give to our children.
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QuestionFor the Week;
We are told in the Mishnah (Rosh Hashonoh Chap 1 Mishnah2) that Hashem decides on Shavous, how much fruit of the trees we are going to have in the following twelve months, so what is Tu Bishvat “the New Year For The Trees”, all about?
Answer;
Every year the farmer had to give a tenth of the the year`s newly grown fruit, to the levi. He was not allowed to give more from the next year to serve as a tithe for both years. The tithe had to be given from that year`s produce. The dividing point between the years was tubishvat. It was also the dividing point for various other tithes. A little like having “Lehavdil”, your accounts done by the 29th Jan.
SOURCES; Mishnah Rosh Hashonoh Chap.1 Mishnah 1.
Arguably, the most difficult of the Ten Commandments to keep, is the last one, “don`t desire the house of your friend…or anything which belongs to your friend”. To put it briefly, so much of society is based on the idea that if my friend has the latest gadget, I must have it too. If people in your peer group, have a particular type of house, or car, or anything else, it is very easy to be self-conscious about not having it, and in fact to be envious of the other person. Although the precise prohibition, in the Ten Commandments, is not to desire the actual item your friend has, we are told elsewhere, unambiguously, of the evils of envy and jealousy. How do we avoid it?
Certainly, if in the deepest recesses of our hearts, we felt that material possessions are not so important, and other things, like happiness, and being a good Jew , are more important, that would remove a major cause of envy. Another route to the solution would be, to develop a genuine concern for the happiness, and success, of our friends, then we would be so pleased by their successes, that there would not be room for envy.
Unquestionably, it is a topic which merits serious thought and discussion. I would welcome any input to the discussion.
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Question For the Week;
In the laws about Shabbos, it says, (Chap. 20 Verse 10) “ you shall not do any work, you and your son and your daughter” . Why does it mention your son and your daughter? If they are adults, the prohibition “You” is addressed to them anyway; if they are children, we are obliged to train our children to keep all the Mitzvos, but it does not say, “ Your son and your daughter” with any of the others?
If a father, knowingly and deliberately, causes his child to break Shabbos, that is like breaking it deliberately and knowingly himself, and is equal to idol worship. It is therefore much more serious than causing your child to do another sin.
SOURCES; Sefer Zichron Moshe, quoting Rav Chaim Soloveitchik.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
The Yartzeit of Rabbi Yisroel Salanter always falls in the week that we read the Sedra of Mishpatim. This is particularly appropriate as he always stressed the laws of behaviour towards your fellow man; and the majority of this Sedra deals with those laws. He had numerous original ideas for strengthening Judaism, many of them based on his remarkable understanding of human nature. The following, are a few of his aphorisms.
The worst illness, is despair.
There is nobody more dependent on other people, than a conceited man.
Not everything which you think, should be said, not everything which should be said should be written, and not everything which should be written, should be published.
If you want to make yourself higher than the other person, don`t belittle him, rather improve yourself. (An approximate translation.)
For yourself, give spiritual things more importance than material things, but as far as another person is concerned, don`t overlook any material needs, because the other person`s material needs, are your spiritual requirements.
Just as a Rav must examine the Shechita knife of the Shochetim of the town, so he must examine the weights and measures of the merchants of the town.
Don`t be extra careful about the performance of Mitzvos-at the expense of others.
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
In the extra prayers many congregations say on Parshas Shekalim, it says that counting the Jewish people is mentioned in five other places besides Parshas Shekalim. Where are they?
ANSWER;
Twice with King Saul, Samuel, 1, 11-8.
Samuel, 1,15-4.
Once with King David, Samuel, 2 24-9.
Once with Ezra Hasofer, Ezra, 2
Once a prediction about Messianic times, Jeremiah, 32- 13.
SOURCES; Siddur Otzar Hatefillos.
There is a saying, you can judge a person by his heroes. It is based on one interpetatoion of a Verse in proverbs 27-21. It reminds me of what I once learnt, that Rav Elchonon Wasserman said about the Chafetz Chayim, “The more I got to know him personally, the more I respected him”.
There are many people who have great charisma and ability but whose personal behaviour is not so admirable. In Jewish tradition they are not the people we look to as heroes. We look to people whose character and private behaviour, is on a par with, or even higher than, their public deeds. That is the symbolism of the ark in the Holy of Holies, being covered in gold on the outside and on the inside. In the words of the Talmud “A person`s inside should be like his outside”.
One of my own experiences of this, was with the Ponevezer Rov. He was a world class orator and Talmudic scholar. He rebuilt his prewar Yeshivah, in Bnei Brak; plus orphanages for orphans from the war, besides helping countless individuals. He has to constantly raise fundsto maintain all the institutions he had built. Every year he stayed in my parents home, on his fund raising mission. Once the baby was moved out of a room to make space for him. The baby started crying. He realised what had happened, and moved his cases to a non-Jewish hotel. He stayed in our home except for sleeping. He explained in his smiling, disarming way, he did not want to cause a baby to be unhappy. I have always thought to myself, which secular world figure, travelling around the world, would inconvenience himself, in order not to upset a baby?
The message is, do we spend our time, studying the life stories of sportsmen, film stars, or political figures, whose personal behaviour is often not so wonderful, or of studying life stories of real heroes, whose “inside is like their outside”?
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
Why were the poles of the ark, never removed from the ark, unlike the poles of the other vessels in the Mishkan? See Chapter 25, Verse 15.
ANSWER;
The poles were the symbol of carrying the vessel. The other vessels represented Priesthood and Jewish Royalty, which only have their complete fulfilment in Israel, but the Ark represents learning, which you should take with you wherever you go.
SOURCES; Netziv in Chumash Haamek Dovor.
SHABBOS
TABLE-TALK
Parshas Tetzaveh Parshas Zochor 5770
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
In the 1830`s, there was a major controversy between the Jewish printing house in Vilna, and the Jewish printing house in Slavita, about who had the rights to publish the Talmud. At one point the case came before Rabbi Akiva Eiger. He ruled that the Vilna press could publish the Talmud as well as the Slavita press.
The Slavita publishers, who were themselves learned people, did not like this, as previously they had been granted sole rights to publish the Talmud. One of them wrote to a friend, that one should not rely any more on the rulings of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, because he had aged and was now over-influenced by others. Rabbi Akiva Eiger was famous for his humility. He had been known to conceal his identity in order to avoid receiving honour, he always preferred to give others honour rather than receive it himself. Nevertheless, when he saw a copy of this letter he stood up and said; “Hashem! I teach the teachings of your Torah, I forgive the offence to me personally, but I don`t forgive the offence to your Torah”.
Shortly afterwards, one of the Slavita publishers was subjected to a false accusation by the government, and made to run between two rows of people hitting him with sticks. Later on, he met Rabbi Akiva Eiger and said to him, “I know Hashem made this happen to me because of your words, but why were you not kinder to us, in view of our learning?” Rabbi Akiva Eiger replied, “ because in this generation the honour of the Torah resides in me!”
There is a fine dividing line here. In matters of personal honour, Rabbi Eiger was famous for his dislike of honours and compliments. But if his Halachic rulings were challenged he was unyielding. Because he knew, that if his authority were to be challenged in one case, then his authority in all cases would be undermined.
We should all be forgiving in matters of honour. We should not take offence if we are not invited to a Simchah. If people are rude to us because they are having a bad day, we should forgive them. But in matters of Halachic principle, we must be polite, but stand our ground.
In this Sedra we are told, the High priest wore a majestic blue cloak, amongst his other splendid clothes, so that people would honour him. But on the hem of the cloak, were little bells which tinkled before he entered the sanctuary, as if he was ringing the bell to ask permission before entering. The magnificent clothes were so that people would respect his high office, and what it represented, but the bells were to ensure he retained his personal humility.
Achashverosh obtained the Priestly clothes, and wore them at his party. (See Talmud Megillah 12). He understood the message of beautiful clothes gaining respect, he did not understand the message of the bells, that we must retain personal humility.
SOURCES; Sefer Chut Hameshulosh & Sabbath Shiurim, Rabbi M. Miller
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QUESTION FOR THE WEEK;
The Sedra of Terumah describes all the vessels of the Mishkan except one, the inside altar. The Sedra of Tetzaveh describes the clothes of the kohanim, then the procedure for the dedication of the Mishkan and the kohanim, and then the dimensions of the inside altar. Why is the description of the inside altar, separate from the description of all the other vessels of the Mishkan?
ANSWER;
The Divine presence could not rest on the Mishkan until it, and all the other vessels in it, were complete. But the inside altar was not essential. In fact, the offering of the spices, for which it was used, could have been done without it. Therefore it is only mentioned later.
SOURCES; Seforno & Sefer Meshech Chochmoh.
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
One of the most uplifting, but little known, life stories of recent times, is that of Rabbi Shlomoh Zalman Aurbach of Jerusalem(1910-1995). For example, when his wife of over fifty years passed away, it was a Shabbos. At the end of the Shabbos, Rabbi Aurbach was coming down the stairs of the hospital where she had died. On the way he met a pupil who knew nothing about the sad news.
He went over to his Rabbi and told him that his wife had just given birth to a baby daughter. Rabbi Aurbach, with a big smile, wished him Mazeltov and enquired after the welfare of the mother and child. He then went on to ask whether she would be going to a nursing home, for mothers and babies, in order to recuperate. All this was done with same beaming expression on his face. Too often we become so engrossed in our own problems, that we become oblivios to the situations and needs of others. The above episode, was a sharp reminder, to those who witnessed it, not to make that mistake.
This is the meaning of the fourth verse in this weeks Sedra, in which Hashem says “And also I have heard the cries of the Jewish people” What does the word “also” refer to?. Rashi says tt means, in addition to making a covenant with them, I have also heard their cries. But the Chasam Sofer says, The word also, refers to the people who had listened to the cries. Hasem said, in addition to the Jews (themselves in slavery) who listened in sympathy to the cries of their fellow Jews, I have also listened. In other words, although indivdual Jews were themselves in great suffering,. They still managed to be attuned to, and listen to, the cries of their fellow Jews.
This is surely a great lesson. Even if we have problems ourselves, we should still remain sensitive to the situations of others, including their difficulties and their Simchas.
Question on the Parshah;
When the plague of hail occurred, it struck people and animals. See Chapter 9 Verse 10. Rashi asks how did theEgyptians have any cattle left, were they not all killed in the plague of Pestilence, which preceeded the plague of hail? Rashi says that people who feared Hashem, brought their animals inside, and those animals did not suffer from the Pestilence; as it says in Verse 3, ”your cattle which are in the field”.
The problem is, why does it not mention with the plague of Pestilence, like it does with the plague of hail, that those who feared Hashem brought their cattle in.?
Answer;
It did not require so much fear of Hashem to bring in their cattle, when threatened with Pestilence, because Pestilence happened quite often in those days. But life threatening hail never happened, therefore only those who really feared Hashem brought their cattle in.
SOURCES; Rivah on the Torah.
If you have any comments, answers, or information, on any of the above, please
E-mail me, or tell me.
My E-mail address is mail@rabbij.plus.com
Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)
SHABBOS
TABLE-TALK
Parshas Vayeiro 5770
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
One of the most uplifting, but little known, life stories of recent times, is that of Rabbi Shlomoh Zalman Aurbach of Jerusalem(1910-1995). For example, when his wife of over fifty years passed away, it was a Shabbos. At the end of the Shabbos, Rabbi Aurbach was coming down the stairs of the hospital where she had died. On the way he met a pupil who knew nothing about the sad news.
He went over to his Rabbi and told him that his wife had just given birth to a baby daughter. Rabbi Aurbach, with a big smile, wished him Mazeltov and enquired after the welfare of the mother and child. He then went on to ask whether she would be going to a nursing home for mothers and babies, in order to recuperate. All this was done with the same beaming expression on his face. Too often we become so engrossed in our own problems, that we become oblivios to the situations and needs of others. The above episode, was a sharp reminder, to those who witnessed it, not to make that mistake.
This is the meaning of the fourth verse in this weeks Sedra, in which Hashem says “And also I have heard the cries of the Jewish people” What does the word “also” refer to?. Rashi says tt means, in addition to making a covenant with them, I have also heard their cries. But the Chasam Sofer says, The word also, refers to the people who had listened to the cries. Hashem said, in addition to the Jews (themselves in slavery) who listened in sympathy to the cries of their fellow Jews, I have also listened. In other words, although indivdual Jews were themselves in great suffering,. They still managed to be attuned to, and listen to, the cries of their fellow Jews.
This is surely a great lesson. Even if we have problems ourselves, we should still remain sensitive to the situations of others, including their difficulties and their Simchas.
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Question on the Parshah;
When the plague of hail occurred, it struck people and animals. See Chapter 9 Verse 10. Rashi asks how did the Egyptians have any cattle left, were they not all killed in the plague of Pestilence, which preceeded the plague of hail? Rashi answers that people who feared Hashem, brought their animals inside, and those animals did not suffer from the Pestilence; as it says in Verse 3, ”your cattle which are in the field”.
The problem is, in that case, why does it not mention with the plague of Pestilence, that those who feared Hashem brought their cattle in?
Answer;
It did not require so much fear of Hashem to bring in their cattle, when threatened with Pestilence, because Pestilence happened quite often in those days, so it is not mentioned there. But life threatening hail never happened, therefore only those who really feared Hashem brought their cattle in, when threatened with the hail. That is why it is mentioned in connection with the plague of hail.
SOURCES; Rivah on the Torah.
SHABBOS TABLE-TALK - Parshas Shemos 5770
I hope the ideas contained below, will provide you with some topics for discussion, at your Shabbos table.
In the Broughton Park area, not far from Stenecourt Shul, there is a young married man whose mother has the following story to tell. She was born in Holland just before the Second World War she was given the name Yocheved. Two weeks before the Nazi invasion, she was given by her parents to a non-Jewish family to safeguard her. In fact her parents and two elder sisters were taken to concentration camps and perished there.
After the war an aunt and uncle were told of her survival. The non-Jewish family agreed to give over the young child to them, and they brought her up in their home. When she was in her teens she attended a wedding in Israel. At the wedding she was introduced to an elderly lady called Mrs. Pinkhof who came originally from Holland. Mrs Pinkhof took one look at her and immediately said I know who you are, you look exactly like your mother did at that age. After talking to her for some time, she said to the girl do you know why you are called Yocheved? Yocheved said she did not know.
Mrs Pinkhof said, in the late 1930`s she used to write a column for a Dutch Jewish Newspaper. At that time people were frightened of the Nazi threat, and therefore did not want to bring children into the world. Mrs. Pinkhof wrote an article reminding people that when the decree, described in Sedra Shemos, was made to drown all Jewish sons, Amram divorced Yocheved. Miriam who had already been born, rebuked them and said your decree is worse than Pharoh`s, because you are preventing girls living as well. (The Talmud also says, that even the boys who were drowned, gained a place in the word to come, because they had spent some time in this world). Amrom and Yocheved remarried and Moshe the saviour of the jewish people was born.
Mrs Pinkoff said that Yocheved `s mother had written to her thanking her for the article. She said she was pregnant, and some her of her friends had told her off for having a child, in such times. The article had reassured her. She had also decided, if the baby was a boy she would call it Amram, if a girl Yocheved. That is why she was called Yocheved. The rest of the family perished, but this Yocheved survived to continue the family line.
This story is written in the book ”Echoes of the Maggid” page 205. People living in Manchester who know descendants of Yocheved can appreciate it even more.
What do we learn from this story, apart from the obvious lesson of the infinite value of every life? I think we learn, that when there is a Mitsvah to be done, for example keeping Shabbos, or eating kosher, or any other Mitzvah, you cannot always work out what the long term effects will be. Even if it appears the Mitzvah will cause us difficulties, we have to get on with doing the Mitzvah, and leave Hashem to look after the consequences.
Question on the Parshah.
In this week`s sedra we meet Doson and Avirom for the first time, who are both described as wicked people-see Chap.2 Verse 13, and Rashi there. But Rashi on Chap.10 Verse 22 says that the Jewish people who were wicked, died during the plague of darknesss. Why were Doson and Avirom spared?
Answer
Although they were wicked in so many respects, they were among the Jewish officials who allowed themselves to be whipped, rather than whip the Jews under their charge.-see Chapter 5, Verse 14.
SOURCES; Sefer Derech Sichah.
QUESTION
At the beginning of Chapter 44, Yosef tells his servants to put money in the sacks of each of the brothers, and the silver cup in the sack of Binyamin. Why do we find later on, when he sends his servant after them to accuse them of stealing from him, he only mentions the cup and not the money? In fact no further mention is made of the money at all?
ANSWER
One answer is the money was put in with their knowledge. They were told it was to compensate them for the accusations which had been made against them.
Another answer is, it says “and he searched” meaning they did not search their own bags, only the servant put his hand in to feel for the cup therefore he did not discover the money.
SOURCES: Ramban, Alshiech
QUESTION
In Al Hanissim it says, “Vehidliku Neiros bchatsros kodshecho”-And they kindled lights in your holy courtyard. But the Chumash tells us that the Menorah was lit inside the building of the Beis Hamikdosh, not in the courtyard?
ANSWER
The Rambam`s view is, (Chap. 9 Laws of Bias Hamikdosh law 7) that the main Mitzvoh of the Menorah, which had to be done by a Kohein inside the Beis Hamikdosh, was cleaning and preparing it, but lighting it good be done by a non-Kohein outside the Beis Hamokdosh. That is what happened on this occasion.
Rav Leib Gurwicz once suggested, it does not mean The Beis Hamikdosh Menorah at all, but refers to celebratory lights they kindled like our Chanukah menorahs
SOURCES: Sefer Shiras Dovid.
QUESTION
When the Torah describes the first of Yosef`s dreams, it says, “and they (the other sheaves), bowed down to my sheaf”. But in the second dream it says “they (the sun moon and other stars) were bowing down to me” Why does Yosef not say to my star like he said in the first dream, to my sheaf?
ANSWER
The first dream was a vision of what would happen when the brothers would bow down, before they knew the man in front of them was Yosef. Therefore they only bowed down to his sheaf, because they were only bowing to him for the food. However the second dream was a vision of what would happen after they knew it was Yoseif, and they came down with their father, represented in the dream by the sun. Then, when they knew who it was, they bowed down to Yosef himself, because of his greatness.
Similarly, the Beis Halevi points out, when you are are talking about possesions it is all external-your sheaves bowed down to my sheaves, but when talking about spiritual qualities, represented by the sun moon and stars, that is what the person himself is, therefore they bowed down to him. One could add, the Greeks worshipped external things, physical beauty, architecture etc. The Chashmonayim worshipped inner qualities, qualities of character subservience to Hashem etc.
SOURCES; Sefer Shiras Dovid.
QUESTION
The Talmud says “Mai Chanukah”-What is Chanukah? And proceeds to describe the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days. The Maharal on that passage says as follows. The festival was also instituted because of the victories over the Greeks. But the miracle of the oil showed undisputably Hashem`s intervention. Otherwise people might have thought, the victory was because of superior military tactics etc. The miracle of the oil was to remind people, that the military victories were also brought about by Hashem. So the Mitzvah of the Menorah and the celebration of the military victory are inextricably bound up with one another. Where else do we see in the mitzvos of Chanukah, a connection between the Mitzvoh of the Menorah and the military victories?
ANSWER
The Gemara says, women have to to light the Chanukah light because they too were in that miracle. Rav Leib Gurwicz, ztsa”l used to point out; women did not light the Menorah in the Beis Hamikdosh , so they they were not really involved in the miracle of the oil, so it must refer to the miracle of the victory. So you see that because of the military victory they light the Menorah.
Furthermore, we say in “Haneiros Hallolu” we kindle these lights because of the ….wars and the salvations.
SOURCES; Sefer Zichron Moshe.
QUESTION
We are told, in explanation of this Parshah, that Yaakov prepared to meet Esav in three ways. With presents to pacify him, with prayer, and with preparations for war. Who else do we find in Tnach, prepared to meet his adversaries with these three preparations?
ANSWER
King Chizkiyohu to meet Sancherev. See Melachim 2- 18&19, and Divrei Hayomim 2 -19.
SOURCES; Rabeinu Bachai..
QUESTION
We read at the end of the Sedra, Chap. 35 Verse 27, how Yaakov finally arrived back from his stay with Lovon, to Yitzchok`s home in Chevron. But when he first set out to Lovon, it says Vayetse Yaakov Mebe`er Sheva, implying that his parents were living in Be`er Sheva?
ANSWER
When Yaakov left his parents home, they were living in Chevron. But Yaakov went first to Be`er Sheva to ask permission from Hashem to leave Israel, because it was in Be`er sheva that Hashem had told Yitzchok where he should go.
SOURCES; Ramban Parshas Vayetse.
QUESTION
We are told that the Avos kept the Torah. The Ramban says, they only kept it in Israel, therefore you find that Yaakov was only married to two sisters outside Israel, because Rochel died before they entered Israel. What does this mean, what would Yaakov have done if Rochel had not died then?
ANSWER
Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky answers, they only kept the Torah voluntarily. They were not obliged to do so. However Yaakov had given his word to marry Rochel and had also become married to Leah. The obligation to keep his word, would have overridden any other practices he had taken apon himself, such as keeping the laws of marriage we have in the Torah. Therefore he would have remained married to them in Israel too. However Hashem ordained that he would not need to break the practices he had taken apon himself, and Rochel died outside Israel. .
SOURCES; Sefer Tetein Emes Leyaakov..
QUESTION
Which episode in this week’s Sedra is referred to in a song we sing on Seder night?
ANSWER
The episode of Hashem appearing to Lovon in a dream, and telling him not to do anything to Yaakov. In the song “Vayehei Bachatzi Halaylo” in the words “Hifchadeto Arami Bemesh Laylo.
SOURCES; The Hagodoh...
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Have a wonderful Shabbos
Jacob Rubinstein (Rabbi)