Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Sefiras Ha'Omer, what does it mean?
12:03 PM | 
Posted by
Rabbi Chaim Coffman |
Even though there may be the simple explanation of why we do a particular mitzvah, nonetheless there are many hidden explanations as well. For examples, the mitzvah of blowing the shofar, the Rambam writes in the Laws of Teshuvah Chapter 3 Halacha 4) that even though the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is really a Divine decree written in the Torah, there is a hint as to why we do it. The reason is because we are sleeping most of the year in our performance of mitzvos and the shofar helps wake us up to get back to our true selves. There are other mitzvos as well like eating matzah on Passover or sitting in a sukkah on Sukkos that the reasons that we do these mitzvos are pretty clear. What about Sefiras Ha'omer? The reason why we count days, weeks seems to be extremely hidden and unclear why we do it.
The Torah tells us to count 7 weeks and each week we count seven days..but why? When we count the days, are they good days or bad days? There are a lot of things we could do in a day and what we can fill it with so why count the seven weeks with seven days seven times?
The Sefer Ha'Chinuch in Mitzvah 306 tells us: "The foundation of the mitzvah is that the essence of the Jewish people is to keep the Torah and because of the Torah the heavens and earth were created as well as the Jewish people. The reason that the Jewish people were redeemed and came out of Egypt was to accept the Torah on Mount Sinai and keep the mitzvos that G-d gave us.
We are then commanded to count from the day after the first day of Passover until the holiday of Shavuos (the day of the giving of the Torah).The reason that we count up until the day of the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people is to show out happiness that G-d freed us and took us out of Egypt.
We therefore count each day, then the week and the day until you reach "That Day!", the day that G-d gave us the Torah and the ability to keep His mitzvos! Each day is significant because it relates to the past (all the miracles that happened in Egypt and our leaving Egypt) to our status as a nation that saw G-d face to face at Mount Sinai to be His people to perpetuate His message for the world, ie the Torah!
May we use each day productively!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Can a Conversion Ever be Revoked?
By Rabbi Chaim Coffman
After learning for many years, changing one's life, moving to a new community and finally finishing the conversion process and becoming a full-fledged Jew, how could that conversion be overturned? Was the conversion valid in the first place? Why could this happen?
Once a conversion candidate interviews with a beis din (rabbinical court) and they agree to work with them, the candidate is then off and running. Most beis din's will give the candidate books to read witha syllabus and hopefully set them up with a mentor that will be able to guide them.
The conversion candidate will be expected to follow the syllabus and learn the material and start implementing what halachos they learn in the areas of Shabbos, Yom Tov, Prayer, Kshrus and Blessings, After being in the community for at least a year and depending on the candidates level of learning and implementation, if the beis din feels the conversion candidate is ready then the beis din will convert them. If the beis din does not feel the candidate is ready, then it will take longer.
The day finally comes and the candidate is informed by the beis din that they are finished and ready for the mikveh to become a full-fledged Jew. After the conversion is done, this new Jew will continue learning and growing spiritually as was done before the conversion. If everything si done according to halacha, then there should be no problems after the conversion right?
While one is in the conversion process, one of the most important things is to make sure that the beis din you will go to will be recognized around the world. How does a convert candidate find out about these batei din? They will either find out through their mentor or their sponsoring rabbi.
Unfortunately what can happen is that either the new convert even many years later starts to slack off in mitzvah observance or gives up mitzvah observance altogether. The question that will then arise at that point is what happened during their conversion? Was it really valid in the first place? Who was the beis din that converted them?
This is how in one way a conversion can be questioned retroactively. Secondly, the beis din that did the conversion could have had some halachic issues when they did the conversion in the first place. this could have happened if one of the rabbis on the bies din is suspect or years later the beis din could have pmeritted things that maybe they should not have...
Another possible thing that could happen is that all beis din's do not have the same standards. While they should have and probably should coordinate between themselves, that is often not the case. This means that there may be different standards among the beis din's and may bring up questions about a person's conversion.
In any case, the situation is not an easy one and even if there is an issue, each candidate should be judged on theri own merit and not be judged by which beis din they came from since each case is different in and of themselves.
After learning for many years, changing one's life, moving to a new community and finally finishing the conversion process and becoming a full-fledged Jew, how could that conversion be overturned? Was the conversion valid in the first place? Why could this happen?
Once a conversion candidate interviews with a beis din (rabbinical court) and they agree to work with them, the candidate is then off and running. Most beis din's will give the candidate books to read witha syllabus and hopefully set them up with a mentor that will be able to guide them.
The conversion candidate will be expected to follow the syllabus and learn the material and start implementing what halachos they learn in the areas of Shabbos, Yom Tov, Prayer, Kshrus and Blessings, After being in the community for at least a year and depending on the candidates level of learning and implementation, if the beis din feels the conversion candidate is ready then the beis din will convert them. If the beis din does not feel the candidate is ready, then it will take longer.
The day finally comes and the candidate is informed by the beis din that they are finished and ready for the mikveh to become a full-fledged Jew. After the conversion is done, this new Jew will continue learning and growing spiritually as was done before the conversion. If everything si done according to halacha, then there should be no problems after the conversion right?
While one is in the conversion process, one of the most important things is to make sure that the beis din you will go to will be recognized around the world. How does a convert candidate find out about these batei din? They will either find out through their mentor or their sponsoring rabbi.
Unfortunately what can happen is that either the new convert even many years later starts to slack off in mitzvah observance or gives up mitzvah observance altogether. The question that will then arise at that point is what happened during their conversion? Was it really valid in the first place? Who was the beis din that converted them?
This is how in one way a conversion can be questioned retroactively. Secondly, the beis din that did the conversion could have had some halachic issues when they did the conversion in the first place. this could have happened if one of the rabbis on the bies din is suspect or years later the beis din could have pmeritted things that maybe they should not have...
Another possible thing that could happen is that all beis din's do not have the same standards. While they should have and probably should coordinate between themselves, that is often not the case. This means that there may be different standards among the beis din's and may bring up questions about a person's conversion.
In any case, the situation is not an easy one and even if there is an issue, each candidate should be judged on theri own merit and not be judged by which beis din they came from since each case is different in and of themselves.
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Idol Worship: Epikorsus and Anger
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
unity
“The rich
shall give no more, and the poor shall give no less than half a shekel, with
which to give the offering to Hashem, to atone for your souls” (30:15)
The
rich man's large donation to charity is no dearer in Hashem's eyes than the
poor man's small one, everything rather depends on the degree of devotion and
self-sacrifice displayed by the donor; there is no justification for the rich
man to feel superior to the poor man just because of the size of his donation.
Every
person had to donate an identical half-shekel amount to finance the korbonos
to teach us that it is not the
amount of a donation that counts, and also to emphasize that the resulting atonement was the result of the joint
effort of the entire nation. For the same reason the amount specified was
half a shekel, to indicate that each individual’s private donation could not be
complete without being complemented by the donations of all the other
individuals comprising the entire nation. Only then would be there be a
complete shekel.
However,
the Mishna at the beginning of Masseches Shekolim says that an
announcement was made on the first of Adar about bringing shekolim
and also about kilayim. Since the shekolim, as we said, symbolize
unity between all members of the nation, the Mishna counterbalances this by
mentioning kilayim in the same breath in order to remind us that
although unity is indispensable, the holy may not be intermingled with the
profane, and we therefore cannot unite with epikrosim who detach
themselves from the rest of the nation, because such "unity" would
constitute kilayim (a forbidden mixture).
The
Baal Haflo’oh, who was the rov of Frankfurt, refused to count irreligious
people as part of a minyan. When he was challenged about this policy in
the light of the medrash that encourages sinners to be part of our
public prayers, he replied that he had no objection to their joining our
prayers once a kosher minyan had been formed, the point being that if the
non-observant approach us seeking to make a connection, we must of course
welcome them with open arms, but as long as they remain antagonistic towards
us, we must maintain our distance.
Following in the footsteps of
the LEVIYIM
“Whoever is
for Hashem, let him come to me! And all the sons of Levi gathered around him” (32:26)
The
Brisker Rov zt”l noted that it seems
strange that only the Leviyim volunteered to participate in executing the death
sentence on those who had sinned. Surely the whole nation had now witnessed
that Moshe Rabbeinu was alive and well, so that the whole raison d'être for the
golden calf had dissipated. Why, then, did only the Leviyim answer Moshe’s
call?
This
teaches us, he replied, that if someone doubts Hakodosh Boruch Hu it is
difficult for him to detach itself from his erroneous beliefs even if he is
presented with proof of the false nature of his views. He added that people
think that when moshiach comes everyone will become righteous overnight,
but this is not so. We have to prepare ourselves for moshiach by
connecting completely to Hashem. Without such a connection it will be difficult
to dissociate ourselves completely from heretical thoughts even once moshiach
comes.
He
also commented that the entire Jewish nation believed in Hashem, but only the
Leviyim answered Moshe’s call, because only they believed in Hashem exclusively,
only they had had no desire to join the erev rav, to have anything to do
with them, or to approve their actions in their hearts. As Chazal say: anyone
who acknowledges idol worship, it is as if he denies the entire Torah.
Similarly,
in our times, if someone seeks to unite with anti-Torah elements, it is as if
he denies the entire Torah. We must not delude ourselves into thinking that
only bnei yeshiva are at stake. As much as they wax eloquent about the Torah,
in reality they wish to uproot it by enacting laws such as those pertaining to the
secularization of marriages and conversions.
Our
very existence in this country is supernatural, and we have been witness to
miracles both during peacetime and, in particular, in times of war, but we
cannot take this for granted. We must beseech Hashem that He will continue to
protect us in His mercy. In order for us to have clean hands in this respect,
we must continue to resist any talk of compromises and dissociate ourselves
completely from anti-Torah elements and their supporters.
TWO SHABOSOS
“Only
keep My Shabossos” (33:13)
The
Torah mentions Shabossos in the plural. One Shabbos refers to the
fact that we refrain from performing melochos, whereas the second Shabbos
refers to the positive, active kedushah inherent in Shabbos based
on which we strive to create an otherworldly experience, and to recharge our
spiritual batteries, thereby sanctifying ourselves and this holiest day. Kedushah
in this context means learning Torah, saying divrei Torah, singing zemiros
and conveying fundamental messages to our children at the Shabbos table.
Chazal
(Masseches Shabos 118b) tell us that if we all keep two Shabossos
properly we will be redeemed immediately. These two shabossos may be
interpreted as referring to the Shabos of refraining from melochos and
the Shabbos of actively creating the requisite kedushah.
neshomo
yeseiro
“And
on the seventh day He ceased and rested [vayinofosh]” (33:17)
The
gemara (Masseches Beitza 16a) expounds this as a comment made by
a person when Shabbos starts: vay ovdo nefesh: “woe is to my soul,
which has departed from me”. The gemara says this in the context of the neshomo
yeseiro, the “additional soul” with which we are endowed and which departs
on motzoay shabbos, so how can we understand this exposition in view of
the fact that the possuk appears to be talking about Shabbos itself
not motzoay shabbos?
The
Imrei Emes zt”l says that already
upon the commencement of Shabbos a person should bear in mind that his neshomo
yeseiro will only be with him for the duration of the Shabbos and he
should therefore utilize it to the utmost for as long as he has it by refraining
from forbidden or idle talk and endeavoring to infuse the holy day with kedusha.
Alternatively,
when Shabbos starts a person should take stock of whether he has given his neshomo
its due during the week that has elapsed. If he has not, he bewails his neglect
of it, and undertakes to dedicate more time during the upcoming week to
learning Torah and generally catering to the needs of his neshomo.
clarity in hindsight
“You
will see My back but My face shall not be seen” (33:23)
We
have an annual Day of Judgment every Rosh Hashono and are also judged
after we pass away, but it is only on the Final Day of Judgment, which will
follow the chevlei moshiach and techias hamesim, that Hashem will
reveal to us the reasons for our national and personal suffering, and for the
rewards that have been allotted in this world and the Next World.
For
now we cannot see Hashem’s “face”, we cannot fathom the depths of His judgment,
only after the Final Day of Judgment will we be capable of understanding the
justice of all His deeds, only then will we “see” His “back”, only then will we
understand in retrospect everything that happened to us.
beware of anger
“You shall
not make molten gods for yourself. The Festival of Matzos you shall keep” (34:17-18).
Rav Meshulam
Igra zt”l was a famous Gaon who died
in 1801. His shamash told the following story to the Chasam Sofer zt”l, who succeeded Rav Meshulam to the
Pressburg rabbinate.
Rav Meshulam
was very particular about personally handling the entire process of matzo production
right from the first stage of ketziro (reaping). For example, he checked
each wheat stalk himself to ensure that there was no suspicion of chimutz (fermentation).
One erev Pesach Rav Meshulam left the house early to go to shul before Yom Tov started, and the maid found three matzos on
the table. These were the matzos which Rav Meshulam had so painstakingly
prepared for the Seder, but thinking that they were simple matzos
she took them to make a dish with them.
Soon after
that the Rebbetzen noticed that her husband’s matzos were no longer
there, and she asked the maid if she knew where they were. When the maid told
her what she had done with them, the Rebbetzen became very upset with her, and
told her that her husband had spent so much time and effort on these matzos
and he would now not have any matzos for the Seder. The Rebbetzen was in
such a state that she fainted. A doctor was summoned and he told everybody not
to worry, because the Rebbetzen would be all right.
When Rav
Meshulam came home he was surprised to find a large crowd gathered in his
house, and he became worried that something had happened to the Rebbetzen. When
he was told about the preceding events, there was no change to his calm
demeanor, and he did not say anything, but merely asked where the maid was. It
turned out that she had become so frightened that she had run away, and had to
be summoned. The rov told her that she must not worry, because what she had
done had not been her fault, and he would just borrow three matzos from the
neighbors. These matzos, he added, were perfectly kosher. The matzos and
all the chumros I invested in them, he concluded, would not be worth
anything if I now became angry because of them.
The Chasam
Sofer was very impressed with this story, and was amazed at how Rav Meshulam reacted to his maid’s conduct, even though he
heard about the incident suddenly and without any warning.
According to
the plain meaning “You shall not make molten gods for yourself” is a
prohibition against idol worship, but the Zohar learns that it is an admonition
against becoming angry, so these pesukim may be read as follows: you
shall keep the Festival of Matzos meticulously and employ as many chumros as possible to ensure their kashrus limehadrin, but do not do so at the expense of
becoming angry!
*****
Half-baked religion worse than no religion
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
“Trepidation
has taken hold of me, because of the wicked who have forsaken [ozvei] Your
law” (Tehillim 119:53). The Vilna Gaon zt”l reads ozvei
as ozrei: we are consumed with trepidation when the wicked seek to assist
the Torah. Our erring brethren are currently claiming that the Torah is
wonderful and unique, and that it merely has to be amended somewhat to make it acceptable
to the whole nation. For example, we have to be flexible about the laws of
conversion and marriage, so as to take into account the large numbers of
halachik non-Jews, which were deliberately brought in from the former Soviet
Union. Let us accept everybody with open arms, they say, without the need for
them to undertake observance of mitzvos.
“The
proud have had me greatly in derision; yet I have not turned aside from your Torah.
I have remembered Your laws which are of old, O Hashem, and have comforted
myself” (Ibid 119:51-52). These people are deriding us for sticking to
the Torah only, but we do not turn aside one iota from it. This is not the
first time in our history that we face such challenges, but we find comfort in
the Torah itself. As we said last week, The
Torah is kept in the kodesh
hakodoshim as a reminder that we
cannot fathom its holiness, and any attempts to tamper with it are likely to
have dire consequences.
The Mizrachi (as they
used to be known) are now showing their true face. Already many decades ago Rav
Chaim Brisker zt”l saw through them. Once one of their rabbonim was supposed to talk in Brisk, but Rav Chaim was opposed to it. People
could not understand him. The person seemed to be learned and have fine middos, but Rav Chaim compared the divrei Torah uttered by this person to kosher food cooked in a treif pot.
Similarly,
in the early days of the State, his son, the Brisker Rov zt”l, was vehemently opposed to a United Religious Front between
the Aguda and the Mizrachi, even though other rabbonim praised the idea
as one that would be likely to lead to harmony between the religious factions.
They cloak their
warped outlook with a veneer of religiosity, but in reality they want to uproot
religion. Now that they are adopting an open anti-Torah platform and aligning
themselves with an extreme anti-Torah party, Rav Chaim’s foresight is evident
for all to see.
Our response to all
this is to beseech Hashem, who has presented us with this trial, that he will
save us in His great mercy, but we must also educate our students about the
essence of Torah. Rabbomim and roshei yeshiva must give the bochurim chizuk, and encourage them to pray properly, and
they should also emphasize how dear they are in the eyes of Hashem, how the
continued existence of the whole nation depends on them, and how vital it is that
Torah remains the predominant feature of our lives and not a fleeting one.
The Chazon Ish zt”l
already said that we are more afraid of the "candies" offered by
anti-Torah elements than by their decrees. Our duty is to remain steadfast in
the face of various temptations being offered to bochurim and avreichim
to lure them away from their learning. We must realize that nothing is
sweeter than Torah, and any "candies" may appear to be sweet, but
their end is bitter. In this period of parashas Zochor and Purim we must
counteract the forces of Amolek by reinforcing our emuno and strengthening
our hasmodo in learning.
May
we merit to welcome moshiach zidkeinu speedily and without suffering.
*****
Donations and Efforts
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
Give and receive
“And have
them take for Me… ” (25:2). Rashi: for my sake
We would have
thought that the purpose of mitzvos such as giving charity or donating
objects to hekdesh is fulfilled irrespective of the motives of the
donor, so what is the meaning of the midrash quoted by Rashi? Furthermore,
the commentators wonder about the Torah’s phraseology: why does it say "have them take for Me a
donation” instead of "have them give Me a donation"?
When we
observe the mitzvos of Hashem and donate money for the sake of
His honor, we become worthy of receiving an abundance of blessings and success.
That is why we "take" this Divine bounty in return for our donations,
and the purer our intentions upon voluntarily giving away our possessions for
the sake of Hashem, the greater will be the divine reward.
Rav Sternbuch
was once speaking to a wealthy person and encouraging him to make a donation to
poor talmidei chachomim. The
person responded that he preferred to make a donation for a building
that would commemorate his name for ever. Rav Sternbuch replied by citing Rashi
here. Hashem wants us to give charity for His sake. If we do so, He will provide
us with a heavenly and eternal "monument and memorial better than sons and
daughters” and better than any memorial plaque.
Terumo from money
“…
a donation [terumo]… (ibid)
Separating terumo
is not only a mitzvah in its own right, but we thereby also
"fix" the remaining produce. The possuk refers to terumo
to tell us that the mitzvah of tzedoko may be compared to the act
of separating terumo from produce, since when we make a donation to the mikdosh
or charity we thereby fix and elevate the money remaining in our possession, and
can thereafter legitimately use it as a divine gift. Conversely, when we fail
to set aside appropriate amounts to charity our possessions acquire a status
equivalent to produce which has not been tithed.
Someone who
has internalized the fact that when he gives away "his" possessions,
he is not parting with anything belonging to himself, but rather transferring
an object actually due to the recipient, for example when he makes a donation
to an oni who is entitled to his ma’aser kesofim, will do so with
a totally different attitude and will, in turn, enjoy manifold blessings.
PURE donations
“… from every
person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My donation” (ibid)
The Zohar hakodosh
on parashas vayakhel says that before the sin of the golden calf
donations to the mishkan were accepted also from the erev rav, as
it says "from every person", whereas after the sin their donations
were no longer accepted, as it says: "Moshe called the whole community of
the bnay yisroel to assemble”, and not "every person".
It may be
assumed that even before the incident of the golden calf the erev rav did
not behave impeccably, but as long as they did not act conspicuously and remained
subservient to the Jewish nation it was permitted to take donations from them.
However, once they actively transgressed and incited the rest of the nation to
do so, their donations were no longer acceptable.
Even when his
yeshiva was in great financial trouble, Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l refused to accept donations from mechalelei Shabbos (people
that don't keep shabbos) arguing that
this would have a detrimental effect on the spiritual level of the students,
and that, to a large extent, the students’ success depended on the purity of
the financial resources supporting the yeshiva, because when we accept
donations from resho’im this increases their power of evil and has
a negative impact on the whole Yeshiva. Instead, the Grodzinski Bakery, which
was owned by religious Jews, agreed to donate all the bread that had not been
sold by the end of the day to the yeshiva.
On another
occasion it became public knowledge that a religious Jew had obtained his
wealth through fraudulent means. When Rav Schneider heard this he was adamant
that no donations would be accepted from this person either. Rav Schneider did
not budge from his principles, and in the end even his opponents had to acknowledge
that he was a man of truth.
Reward based on effort
“And
this is the donation that you shall take from them: gold, silver, and copper… Shoham
stones and filling stones for the ephod and for the choshen” (25:3, 7)
The Ohr
Hachayim hakodosh wonders why the Shoham stones, which are more valuable
than gold and silver, are not mentioned first. He replies that these precious stones had been
brought to the Jews miraculously in clouds, and since they had been attained
without any effort or financial sacrifice specifically for the purpose of being
used in the mishkon, the Torah saw fit to enumerate the gold
and silver first, because since they had been obtained from the Egyptians and
the owners donated them with self-sacrifice they were dearer in Hashem’s eyes.
Similarly, the self-sacrifice of a poor man
who donates one dollar to charity may be dearer in Hashem's eyes than the deed
of a wealthy person who donates 1000 dollars effortlessly. It says “from every
person whose heart inspires him to generosity” to emphasize that the jov,
generosity and self-sacrifice accompanying the act of giving are the main
components of the mitzvah of tzedoko.
The
same holds true with regard to any mitzvah. Hashem investigates the hidden
recesses of every person’s heart and mind to determine the extent to which he
has had to overcome difficulties in order to succeed in his Torah learning or observance
of mitzvos. The genuine importance of each yid depends on the extent to which he has been successful in overcoming such
trials.
outreach
“And
they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst” (25:8)
Nothing is
more elevated than Hashem, and yet He still "lowered Himself" so that
the shechino could kivyochol dwell in the mishkon. We too
should learn from this by way of a kal vachomer not to find it beneath
ourselves to interact with those who have not been fortunate enough to receive a
Torah education or with people who do not comport themselves the way they
should despite having received a good education. Instead of denigrating them we
should endeavor to bring them closer to avodas Hashem.
talmidei chachomim
“And
you shall overlay it with pure gold; from inside and from outside you shall
overlay it” (25:11)
The gemara
(Masseches Yomo 72b) says that this possuk teaches us that a talmid
chachom whose external wisdom
belies his character (literally: whose inside is not as his outside) is
not a real talmid chachom. However,
since the oron itself was made
of wood and covered with gold, so that its interior was also not the same as
its exterior, this gemara seems difficult to understand.
Someone who
knows that people consider him to be a talmid chachom is obligated to sanctify the divine name by
behaving in the way described by the Rambam (Hilchos Dei’os, beginning
of chapter 5). All his private and public actions as well as his speech will be
in conformity with the elevated status expected of him. People expect him to
behave in a superior manner, symbolized by the external gold covering, and also
to be replete with yiras shomayim and midos tovos, symbolized by
the internal gold covering.
However, in his private thoughts he lives with
the awareness that he is nothing more than wood, since his deeds, speech and
thoughts are still in need of much improvement in light of his true potential
for greatness. Such a person is indeed following the path of a true talmid chachom:
although his
internal dialogue with the Creator is “wooden”, and reflects a genuine anovo, his external behavior, which is witnessed
by onlookers, is appropriately gilded. His inside is like his outside in the
sense that both of them are in conformity with the path a genuine talmid chachom
is supposed to follow.
who supports who?
“And
you shall bring the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the
ark with them” (25:15)
Chazal tell us
(Masseches Sosto 35a) that notwithstanding the poles, the oron miraculously carried its bearers on its own.
This teaches us that although it appears as if the donors for Torah
causes support the Torah, in reality the reverse is the case: the Torah
supports them, and their donation is the catalyst for receiving blessings from Hakodosh
Boruch Hu.
Similarly, the
yisroel appears to be supporting the kohen with terumos
and ma’asros, but Hashem instructed the kohanim to bless the nation in order to teach us that all the
abundance enjoyed by the rest of the nation is in fact received via the kohanim.
Nowadays, too,
bnei Torah enjoy the same status as kohanim (see the Rambam at
the end of Hilchos Shmita Veyovel) and those who support them are in
reality supported by the bnei Torah. If our erring brethren realized
that their material welfare stems from the lomdei Torah we would not be
in the situation we are currently in.
In any case,
it is clear that instead of priding himself for his generosity, a person who
makes donations to Torah causes should rather be grateful for the opportunities
presented to him for receiving Hashem’s bounty.
Tampering with the Torah
“And
you shall place the ark cover over the Ark of the Testimony in the Holy of
Holies” (26:34)
It seems
difficult to understand how the luchos inside the oron could have served as a testimony when they
were stored in the kodesh hakodoshim, which everyone except the kohen godol on Yom Kippur was forbidden to enter.
Throughout our history there have been people
who have argued that the Torah has to be adapted to the times. Sometimes such people
really appreciate and honor the Torah, and feel that by adapting it to the
needs of their generation they are protecting it, so to speak. However, their
actions lead to very grave changes in such areas as the laws of conversion, chupa and kidushin.
The Torah is kept in the kodesh hakodoshim as a reminder that we cannot begin to fathom its holiness, and any
attempts to tamper with it are likely to have dire consequences.
toil to receive siyata
dishmaya
“The menorah shall be made of
hammered work” (25:31) Rashi: “By itself”.
This Rashi may
be understood in light of the Vilna Gaon’s explanation of the statement
"if you have toiled and found, then believe”. He says that this does not
mean that a person enjoys the fruits of his labor, as is the case in other
areas, but rather that even after a person has toiled in Torah he can only
acquire a proper understanding of it the way one finds a lost object [meziah
– yogato umozoso], by way of a divine gift.
On the other
hand, a precondition for meriting such siyata dishmaya is to first toil
in one’s studies. That is why the menorah, which symbolizes the Torah and mitzvos,
first had to be made of hammered work, and, then, after all the toiling,
was constructed by itself.
A yeshiva bochur upon first entering his yeshiva, or a ba’al teshuva who
sees a talmid chachom, may
become disheartened at the magnitude of the task facing them. How can they
possibly begin to master the whole Torah? The answer is that if they utilize
their abilities to the utmost, that is all that Hashem asks for, and He will
reward them with corresponding siyata dishmaya to complete the
task.
*****
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Sovereignty of Torah
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
DIVINE ETHICS
“And these
are the ordinances” (21:1). Rashi: just as what was previously stated
[the Ten Commandments] were from Sinai, so too are these from Sinai.
After
describing kabolas hatorah the Torah immediately delineates the laws of interpersonal
relationships, such as the provisions against cheating and stealing. This teaches
us that the Torah’s civil and criminal laws are no less divine than the chukim,
which cannot be derived by applying the principles of human logic. "He has
not dealt so with any nation: and as for His ordinances [mishpotim],
they do not know them”. Furthermore, Pirkei Ovos, which deals
exclusively with ethics, starts with Moshe kibel Torah miSinai, in order
to emphasize that ethical matters too are divinely ordained.
For example, the
mishna (Masseches Bovo Metzia 75b) states that if an employee
deceives a fellow employee upon hiring him with regard to the remuneration
terms specified by their employer, the deceived worker only has a grievance
against the other worker. In other words, the aggrieved party does not have a claim
which he can enforce in bais din, but he is entitled to hold a grudge
against the person who has wronged him. Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l said in the name of Rav Yisroel
Salanter zt”l that this demonstrates
that even holding a grievance is forbidden unless the halocho explicitly
confirms it to be justified.
DIVINE PUNISHMENT
“Should you
buy a Hebrew slave” (21:2)
The Chofetz
Chaim zt”l noted that this section teaches us how much Hashem condemns a thief.
With us a wealthy person is likely to be honored and feted even if his wealth
has been amassed by dishonest means, and everyone knows it. By contrast, the
Torah prescribes that if a thief cannot pay back what he has stolen, he has to
be degraded by being in the service of another person for six years, and
cohabiting with a Gentile maidservant.
On the other hand, unlike secular systems in
which thieves are imprisoned, only to have their wayward ways reinforced by
constantly sharing the company of fellow criminals, the Torah’s idea of punishment
focuses not only on the restoration of the stolen object and degradation of the
thief, but also on educating him. Thus, the Torah insists that the master must
give his best food to the "slave". By witnessing such behavior and generally
being in a Torah environment, the thief is inspired to appreciate the beauty
and justice of its laws, and is more likely to be rehabilitated once he has
completed his punishment.
Honesty pays
“The
homeowner shall approach the judges [venikrav ba’al habayis el ho’elokim] [to
swear] that he has not laid his hand upon his neighbor's property” (21:7)
The above is
the plain meaning of this possuk, but a Rebbe once rendered it as
follows: How can a businessman [ba’al habayis] come close to
Hashem? If he has not laid his hand on his neighbor's property, in other words
if he has not obtained property by dishonest means, only then can he come close
to Hashem.
Bonding with our children
“And one
who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death…” (21:15)
The possuk
talks about someone who strikes his father or mother and about a person who
curses his father or mother, but in between it refers to someone who steals a
man, and sells him. Why did the Torah not put the prohibition against smiting a
parent in juxtaposition to the prohibition of cursing a parent? On the face of
it, these two similar prohibitions belong together.
The Ibn Ezra
explains that the Torah is telling us about the origins of this extreme case of
a son cursing his father. Since he was stolen from his father's house, and did
not learn how to respect him, he will eventually end up cursing him. Unfortunately,
we witnessed such phenomena in recent generations, when children were separated
from their parents here in Eretz Yisroel. In such circumstances, the son
is exposed to outsiders seeking to convince him that his father belongs to the
old generation and has no understanding of today’s needs. The boy’s heart will
be “stolen”, he will start calling his father names, and will eventually curse
him.
Moreover, even
in the absence of physical separation, if there is no close connection between
a father and son, the father's influence over his child will decline. If we
make it our priority to nurture a genuine connection with our children, then
even if they go through difficult periods, they will never want to sever their bond
with their parents.
Kashrus
“And you
shall be a holy people to Me, and flesh torn [tereifo] in the field you shall
not eat” (22:30)
When it comes
to ma’acholos asuros we have to behave like “holy people" who adopt
stringencies and ensure that any food enters their mouths does not have the
slightest suspicion of being treif. For this purpose we have to stick
only to the most reliable hechsherim, and avoid places where shochtim
compete with each other as to who can shecht the most chickens or beef
in an hour. Moreover, even when we are away travelling ("in the
field"), we should not compromise the standards which we maintain at home.
UNISON
“And all
the people answered in unison and said, "All the words that Hashem has
spoken we will do."” (24:3)
Why does it
say that the people answered in unison?
In a public
auction in which people bid against each other, the person whose bid is
accepted might claim that he would not have agreed to buy the auctioned item
had the other people not forced him to outbid them. Similarly, had only part of
the nation agreed to accept the Torah and others followed suit, those who did
not agree initially might have argued that they had been convinced to consent
by those who agreed before them, and they wished to withdraw their consent.
Since, however, all the people answered in unison, any such arguments could not
be made.
Cancelling gezeiros
“And Moshe
was upon the mountain forty days and forty nights” (24:18)
The number 40
is of great significance. For example, the mabul lasted for 40 days. Also,
continuous prayer for a 40-day period for the sake of a specific purpose is a
wonderful segulo. Someone suffering from misfortune, who is in need of a
yeshu’o should go to shul on a daily basis especially for the
sake of the prayer, he should state what he is asking for, give money to
charity, and afterwards recite the fourth book of Tehilim (chapters
90-107) and undertake bli neder that if Hashem will answer his prayers,
he will say the nishmas prayer continuously for a 40-day period.
Many people have had their prayers answered in this way. We must not lose sight
of the fact, however, that the basis of all segulos is to trust in
Hashem that He will help.
Moreover, dinim
(judgments) should be distinguished from gezeiros (decrees). Dinim can be
overturned through prayer, segulos and repentance, whereas gezeiros are much more difficult to overturn. This
could only take place on occasions such as Yom Kippur or when we pray with
tears throughout the year. We also have a tradition that if someone undertakes
to pray the yom kippur koton prayer
every month and engages in a dialogue with the Creator from the depths of their
heart with tears to the best of their ability, that is also effective for
overturning gezeiros.
During the last
yom kippur koton prayers (erev rosh chodesh odor) Rav Sternbuch spoke briefly about the
current situation in Eretz Yisroel. He said that this was an ais zoro,
and that the issue of serving in the army is symptomatic of their general goal
of secularizing the nation. They are fully aware that the yeshivas are
the core of the whole nation in its genuine form, and that is why they wish to
undermine them as much as they can. Rav Sternbuch implored those present to
bear in mind that we are still before the stage of a gezeiro, and should make the most of our
possibilities of changing the situation through prayer and repentance before a gezeiro
crystallizes, because such a situation would rachmono litzlon be much
more difficult to overturn.
ParaShas Shekolim
Rashi brings
the Medrash that Moshe had difficulties with the machatzis hashekel,
and so Hashem showed him the form of a fiery coin. Why did Moshe have
difficulties in understanding the shape of a coin, and what was the
significance of the fire?
Moshe did not
understand why specifically half a shekel was required. Hashem’s response was
that the physical act of giving only constituted half of the mitzvah, whereas
the emotion accompanying the act and the desire to perform the will of Hashem
are complementary and indispensable ingredients. If these are lacking, then not
even half of the mitzva has been performed. Since these aspects of the mitzva
are intangible, they are compared to fire, which cannot be touched.
Similarly, it
says that someone giving tzedoko to a fellow Jew with a sour face loses
his reward. During World War Two, Rav Sternbuch went round collecting money for
Rav Schneider’s Yeshiva in London. Some people refused to give anything pointing
to the sign outside their door “No hawkers allowed!”, and even some of those
who did give something, complained to Rav Sternbuch: "Why do people come
to me all the time? I’ve had enough of this! All right, what can I do, here,
take this and go!”
The act of
giving is only an empty shell that has to be filled with genuine love and respect
for the recipient - be he an oni or the representative of a Torah
institution - based on the recognition that the money with which we are parting
is not ours in the first place, and that by means of this act money is being
handed over to its rightful owner, and the recipient has enabled us to
come closer to Hashem.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Closeness to Hashem
By Rav Moshe Sternbuch
Spiritual rejuvenation
“Moshe's
father-in-law, Yisro, the chieftain of Midian, heard all that Hashem had done
for Moshe and for Yisroel” (18:1)
Rashi cites
the gemara [Zevochim 116a] that the news that made such an
impression on Yisro that he came was the splitting of the Red Sea and the war
with Amolek. However, the event mentioned in the possuk itself is that
Hashem took us out of Egypt, which Rashi himself says was the greatest miracle
of them all. Why, then, did Yisro wait until the war with Amolek to join Moshe
Rabbenu and not come immediately after we left Egypt, or after hearing about
the miracles of the mon and the pillars of fire and smoke?
When he heard
about all the previous miracles, he did not yet think that the time had come to
uproot himself and make his way to his son-in-law, but after hearing about how even
after the miracle of the splitting of the Red Sea Amolek still remained adamant
that everything is happenstance, that the only reality is nature, and that, at
best, any unusual event must be attributed to witchcraft, he felt the need to
join the holy Moshe Rabbenu and remain in his environment in order to boost and
maintain his spiritual level.
The Ramban
asks why according to the opinion that Yisro came after matan Torah is
that event, which literally shook the foundations of the world, not mentioned
as being a catalyst for Yisro’s move. According to our approach, it may be suggested
that perhaps Yisro’s original plan had been to join the nation only once they
arrived in Eretz Yisroel and that it was only when he heard that shortly
after krias yam suf Amolek was still denying divine Providence, that he
realized that he could no longer stay where he was and was in urgent need of
receiving chizuk from Moshe Rabbenu.
Spiritual VICTORY
“Her two
sons, one of whom was named Gershom, because he said, "I was a stranger in
a foreign land, and one who was named Eliezer, because [Moshe said,] "The
G-d of my father came to my aid and rescued me from Paroh's sword” (18:3-4)
Moshe’s rescue
from Paroh’s sword took place before he became a stranger in Midian, so why was
the latter commemorated first when Moshe's first son was born?
Gershom’s name
symbolized Moshe’s elation at the fact that he had managed to remain a stranger
spiritually speaking in the country, which had welcomed him when he fled from
Paroh. The main danger facing the Jewish nation is not the threat of physical
destruction, but when we imagine ourselves to be an integral part of our host
nation, or wish to adopt their mores, because this eventually triggers a
process of spiritual assimilation, and our ruin in this world and the next.
Erosions of
spiritual levels are often imperceptible in the initial stages, and therefore
require greater siyata dishmaya to be overcome. That is why Moshe
Rabbenu wished to first celebrate his spiritual victory with his firstborn, and
only subsequently to commemorate his physical rescue from Paroh’s wrath, which
he considered to be of secondary importance.
Relating stories
“Moshe told
his father-in-law [about] all that Hashem had done to Paroh and to the
Egyptians” (18:8)
As we saw, the
very reason that Yisro came to Moshe was because he had heard about krias
yam suf and the war with Amolek, and he certainly knew about the events
leading up to yetzias Mitzayim, because he had been a witness to them,
so what could Moshe have added that he did not already know?
Rav Moshe
Schneider zt”l noted that this
teaches us that telling a story is an art, and when Moshe Rabbenu related all
the events that had taken place, they took on a different hue, and Yisro’s
perception of them became much deeper.
dayonus
“You will
surely wear yourself out both you and these people who are with you for the
matter is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. I will advise you, and may
Hashem be with you” (18:18-19)
The main
prerequisite for a successful dayan is not for him to be a big rov
and lamdan, but rather that he should enjoy siyata dishmaya. Yisro
was telling Moshe: "let me advise you what you should do so that
Hashem may be with you, that you may enjoy siyata dishmaya. If you will
relieve yourself of some of the burdens of public service, you will be in a
better position to concentrate on coming closer to Hashem and serving him, and
then He will become closer to you.
Nowadays, the
prevalent custom is to appoint dayonim on the basis of examination results. Anyone who achieves good marks
immediately becomes a candidate for dayonus. In reality, dayonim should be
appointed by gedolei yisroel who should ascertain whether candidates are
also G-d-fearing, in which case Hashem will be with them, and such dayonim will have the merit of passing proper judgments.
Jewish leaders
“You shall
choose… men… who hate monetary gain [sonay beza]” (18:21)
Rav Zelig
Reuven Bengis zt”l once told Rav
Sternbuch that although he knew Jews who do not chase money, he had yet to meet
one who hated it. How, then, could Moshe have looked for a person who does not exist?
If we
translate beza as a compromise, instead of monetary gain, this possuk
becomes easier to understand. There are many Jews who are willing to compromise
here and there in spiritual matters in the hope of acquiring a reputation as
magnificent leaders. Moshe was looking for people who hated compromise, and
would not be willing to compromise an iota when it came to religious matters. Only
such men of truth are worthy becoming genuine Jewish leaders.
Women's rights
“So
shall you say to the house of Yaakov and tell the sons of Yisroel” (19:3)
Rashi cites
the Chazal that the house of Yaakov refers to the women. Those who are ignorant
of the Torah reproach us with discriminating against women and denying them
equality. Chazal tell us that the women were commanded first here, because they
are the ones who perform the commandments with greater alacrity, or, others say,
because they take their children to learn Torah. In general, women are
responsible for maintaining the sanctity of the Jewish home and guarding it
against harmful influences from the outside. The fact that they are exempt from
certain mitzvos does not mean that their merits are less than those of
men, or that they are less important in the eyes of Hashem.
An English
vicar once came across a translation of the siddur known as the Singer’s
Prayer Book, and noticed the blessing "who has not made me a
heathen". He became infuriated. “Is this how the Jews repay us for all the
rights they enjoy in join this country”, he ranted. Look how they make fun of
us and degrade us in their prayers! He threatened to make a big fuss if the
Jews would not delete this blessing from their prayer book.
One rov pointed
went to see the vicar and pointed out to him that in the next but one blessing
in the prayer book every Jewish male thanks Hashem that he has "has not
made me a woman." Do you think, the rabbi told the vicar, that we despise
all our women? Of course we don't! We honor and respect them, but they have a different
function in life. Similarly, Jews have a different task than Gentiles do. Would
you like to stop eating pork or give up on a whole list of things you would not
do without? You wouldn't, but we're happy to do so. Gentiles too have a holy task
to fulfill in this life by recognizing the Creator, but we observe a myriad of
commandments and thank G-d every day for this privilege and the closeness to
Him that they create. This argument placated the vicar.
Greatness of each individual
“You
shall not have [lo yiyeh lecho] the gods of others in My presence” (20:3)
The Ten
Commandments were stated in the singular. This teaches us not to look around to
compare ourselves with others and conclude that lots of people are worse than
us in many ways and we are completely righteous compared to those others. Hashem
addressed us in the singular in order to emphasize that each and every one of
the 600,000 individuals present and all their descendants have a unique task to
fulfill, and each of us should focus exclusively on ourselves and on that task
to determine whether we specifically are doing what we can to realize it.
Although every
person has his specific strengths and weaknesses, every individual must feel
the awesome sanctity of his neshomo, which has been hewn from the upper spheres, and conduct his life in
accordance with the realization that only his internal neshomo is of eternal significance, and he must therefore sanctify it with
Torah and good deeds.
Tangible faith
“And
all the people saw the voices” (20:15) Rashi: “They saw what was
audible, which is impossible to see elsewhere”.
The
commentators wonder how it is possible to see voices. The fact is, however, that
sound waves can be recorded and seen, and subsequently played back. Rav Nissan
Aharon Tikochinsky zt”l writes in Gesher
Hachayim that his father, Rav Yechiel Michel Tikochinsky zt”l, expressed the hope that one day a device would be invented that would
enable the sound waves of our holy forefathers to be absorbed. Such a device
would be likely to cause a great spiritual reawakening.
In any event, the Chazal cited by Rashi
indicates that at the time of matan
Torah the whole nation attained the
type of tangible faith (emuno
chushis) where the person feels
Hashem's presence tangibly kivyochol. From the time of matan Torah onwards the ability to perceive
Hashem is granted to each and every Jew. Some people have the merit of experiencing
such elevated feelings only every so often when they pray or during certain
parts of prayers, when they feel a wonderful closeness to Hashem, whereas other
righteous people have attained such love of Hashem and intimacy with Him, that
they constantly feel His presence kivyochol.
Be that as it may, every yid can
and should enjoy some feelings of closeness to Hashem based on his spiritual attainments
and levels.
Wedding with the Torah
“Moshe
said to the people, "Fear not, for Hashem has come in order to exalt you,
and in order that His awe shall be upon your faces, so that you shall not sin” (20:17)
Rav Sternbuch
heard a parable from Rav Zvi Hirsch Ferber zt”l, which illuminates this section.
There was once a fabulously wealthy person
whose daughter got engaged to a young man possessing all the required qualities,
including wealth, although his wealth was as nothing compared to his
father-in-law's. A date was set for the wedding, and on the appointed day, the
father of the bride set out in his magnificent carriage, together with the
groom. The media reported this event in great detail. However, the proud
father's joy was spoilt when he noticed the groom was upset about something.
When he was asked him to explain his melancholy, the groom told his future
father-in-law that now that he was witnessing the extent of his bride’s
family's immense wealth and honor, he was starting to worry that even the huge
dowry he had received would not be sufficient to maintain a standard of living
which his wife was used to.
Upon hearing this explanation, the bride's
father reassured the groom that he was fully aware that his daughter would
henceforth have to get used to a more modest standard of living, and she
herself was also aware of this, agreed to it wholeheartedly, and what was not
expecting anything more than that. The only reason he was expending all these
expenses during the journey was to do his utmost to pay tribute to this
wonderful bride and to demonstrate to the groom and to the public what material
sacrifices she would be making for the sake of marrying a ben Torah.
Similarly, the Torah is compared to a
princess whom Hashem has wedded to the Jewish nation. When it was given to us amidst
thunder and lightning and in the thickness of the cloud, Moshe brought
the people out towards Hashem (Rashi: “like a bridegroom going out toward a
bride”), and the people saw and trembled upon seeing the Torah being given
amidst flames of fire, and the nation began to feel that the Torah was too
elevated for them, and that we would not be able to withstand its holiness.
They therefore said to Moshe: “You speak with us, and we will hear, but let Hashem
not speak with us, lest we die”. To this Moshe responded that they should not
be afraid because Hashem was only coming to exalt them, to elevate them and
show them the Torah in all its splendid glory. Hashem wanted the bnei yisroel
to appreciate this important gift
and do their utmost to observe it in its entirety, but Moshe reassured the
nation that Hashem did not require of the Jews anything beyond their abilities:
all He asked them to do was to subjugate all their senses, thoughts and powers
to His service.
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