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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)