Beyond Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

By Rav Moshe Sternbuch


Swimming against the Tide

"Let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh"

Rashi cites Rav Moshe Hadarshan who says that the Leviyim had to undergo this procedure to atone for the firstborn who had engaged in idol worship, which is called "sacrifices of the dead," and since a metzora is termed a dead person, the Leviyim were required to be shaved just like a metzora. However, according to this explanation, it is difficult to understand why the Leviyim, and not the firstborn, had to be shaved, and, in any case, we also do not find anywhere that idol worshippers are shaved.
A metzorah who speaks lashon hara is sent out of the camp and shaved so that he will become repulsive and other people will keep a distance from him. That way, he will learn to bridle his speech and refrain from speaking lashon hara in the future. Similarly, the Leviyim had to shave their hair in order to look different from the rest of the nation. Since they were the recipients of ma'asros (tithes), some members of the nation are likely to consider them to be "parasites," who are living off other people. By shaving their heads, the Leviyim are given the message that they must be willing to endure humiliation like a metzora and that they must not let this affect their pride at being soldiers in Hashem's army.
Nowadays, as the Rambam tells us, anyone who dedicates his life to Torah acquires the status of a ben Levi and they too must have the confidence and positive pride to be able to swim against the tide of public opinion, and against warped ideologies and materialism. Only daas Torah guides their actions, regardless of the reactions of people around them. Happy is the lot of those fortunate enough to come close to Hashem.

Moving and Stationary Torah

"When the Aron traveled, Moshe said 'Rise up, Hashem and let Your enemies be scattered, and let them who hate You flee before You'" (10:35)
"And when it rested, he said, 'Return Hashem, to the tens of thousands of the families of Yisrael" (10:36)

The Gemara (Shabbos 116a) says that these two pesukim constitute two separate parshiyos in their own right, and for this reason, two inverted Nuns appear before and after them, so these pesukim must be conveying a message of fundamental importance.
It is only when the Aron, i.e. the Torah, travels, only when it is being disseminated to distant quarters and learned around the globe, that the Jewish nation is worthy of defeating its enemies and having them flee before them. Swimming against the tide does not entail a rejection of those who are swimming with the tide. On the contrary, it is only when bnei Torah are concerned not only for themselves, but for the whole nation, that we are saved from misfortunes. It turns out that outreach is a recipe not only for spiritual growth, but also for our physical survival.
However, for the Shechinah to remain with us, we must ensure that the Aron rests, i.e. that the Torah remains concentrated in and focused on its main abode, the yeshivos and kollelim. Without them, the nation has no hope of surviving.

The Levels of Anavah

"And Aharon did so" (8:3). Rashi (quoting the Sifri): "This is to Aharon's credit, to teach us that he did not change."

One interpretation of this Medrash is that most people have ups and downs in their avodas Hashem, but Aharon did not change, and every time he went up to light the neiros, it was with the same degree of joy and enthusiasm for performing Hashem's will which he had the first time he performed this mitzvah.
However, the Sifri can also be taken as expressing another point. IN principle, even a zar (non-Kohen) may light the Menorah, but iin the desert only Aharon was privileged to light it. Aharon did not understand why he was different from the kohanim gedolim of future generations in that only he enjoyed this exclusive privilege. Even though this seemed strange to him, he did not ask any questions, but simply accepted it as a Divine decree. In his humility, it did not occur to him that he was on a higher level than future kohanim gedolim. The pasuk is praising him for not deviating from the Divine command, even though he did not comprehend it.
Once, when Rav Akiva Eiger arrived in Warsaw as a guest, he noticed a crowd around him walking together. He assumed that they were on the way to a funeral, and so he joined in the crowd in order o participate in the mitzvah of accompanying a meis. Since so many people had gathered for the occasion he wanted to know more about the meis who was being accorded such great respect, and so he asked the person next to him who it was. He was astonished to be told that the crowd was actually honoring him, and after that he endeavored to remain incognito.
There are two types of genuine anavah. One is when people are aware of their positive deeds but do not take credit for them, knowing that they are due to G-d given strengths and talents. They are not interested in the honor bestowed upon them by others, because they do not feel worthy of being honored or praised. Other people, like Rav Akiva Eiger are not even aware of having performed anything out of the ordinary entitling them to be honored. Moshe Rabbeinu was the ultimate embodiment of this higher type of anavah. As the Torah testifies in this week's parsha, "The man Moshe was more humble than any man on the face of the earth. (12:3) When Hashem tried to convince Moshe to agree to lead the nation out of Egypt, Moshe responded by saying, "Send by the hand of him whom You will send," which the Medrash explains to mean "There is no person in the world not more suited than I for this mission." Moshe Rabbeinu only saw the positive qualities in others and totally disregarded his own.
Some people have such a low opinion of others, and denigrate them in their minds to such an extent, that they feel no interest in being honored or praised by them. This is not humility, but conceit disguised as humility. Another type of false humility is when we denigrate our own capabilities. This type of humility is discussed in the next section.

Understanding the Sin of the Mis'onenim

"And the mixed multitude that was among them lusted" (11:4)

The commentators have difficulty understanding this incident. How could people who witnessed Maamad har Sinai and all the other miracles in the desert seek to distance themselves from Hashem? Adie from that, they were about to enter Eretz Yisrael, and there they would surely not be lacking any meat take as spoils.
The whole lifestyle of the nation in the desert was a supernatural one, without any physical actions. The monn was spiritual food, and even though it contained various tastes and was filling, it was not accompanied by the usual gastronomic pleasures o normal food. The Bnei Yisrael thought that they were not on a high enough level to be worthy of spiritual food, all the more so since they were about to enter Eretz Yisrael, the Palace of the King, where much more was expected of them. They knew that those who benefit from miracles are expected to live up to higher standards, and they preferred to live an ordinary lifestyle, in which they we not dependent on spiritual food or other miracles requiring them to live on very high levels.
Their mistake was that Hashem does not expect His creations, and not even the Bnei Yisrael, to be perfect angelic beings. Although it was true that they were expected to meet very high spiritual standards, they should have had more confidence in their ability to do so. The sin of the meraglim stemmed from the same flaw. They did not feel worthy of conquering the country through miracles and wanted to see if it could be done naturally. They suffered from a false type of humility, seeing themselves as insignificant "grasshoppers". These two terrible sins and their consequences demonstrate how important it is not to belittle our own G-d given capabilities.

Awaiting the Redemption

"And the people did not travel until Miriam was brought in again" (12:15)

Rashi cites the Sifri that she was accorded this honor by Hashem as a reward for having waited for Moshe, when he was thrown into the Nile. On the face of it, anyone would have done the same out of pure curiosity, so why did she deserve this reward?
The Gemara (Shabbos 31a) says that one of the questions we will be asked when the time comes for our Heavenly judgment is whether we "expected the redemption. "Rav Yechezkel Abramsky zt"l explained that it does not say that we will be asked whether we "expected" it. Great people, like the Chofetz Chaim did indeed "expect" the redemption at any time, and they lived their lives accordingly. Here, too, Miriam was utterly convinced that Moshe would be saved, and she merely waited to see how Hashem would guide events to bring about this result, and in the merit of her emunah, the whole nation waited for her. We too, must strive to reach such a level of emunah regarding the future redemption, so that we will be able to respond confidently that we did "expect the redemption."

Question: The minhag in our shul is to stay up Shavuos night and learn, and daven at neitz afterwards. In the morning, it is often diffi cult to fi nd someone to make Birkas HaTorah. How much does one have to sleep at night in order to recite Birkas HaTorah in the morning? Also, if I sleep 3 to 5 hours during the day after tefi llah, do I have to make Birkas HaTorah when I wake up?
Thank you.
A. Brochin

Answer: The custom is to find someone who slept Shavuos night to recite the brachos for everyone who did not sleep. It is preferable to fi nd someone who had a proper sleep Shavuos night. In regards to your second question, the custom is that people do not recite Birkas HaTorah after sleeping during the day. However, there are many opinions, including that of the Vilna Gaon, obligating one to recite Birkas HaTorah again after a significant daytime sleep. In the words of the Mishnah Berurah (47:28), someone will not lose out if he follows these opinions and makes Birkas HaTorah on Shavuos morning after his daytime sleep.

TORAH, TORAH, TORAH

Other than eating cheesecake and other fine foods, Shavuos has no official mitzvos of the day. Much of Klal Yisroel has adopted the custom of the Bais Yosef to study Torah the entire night. While this is certainly praiseworthy for anyone who can do so, staying up all night creates a number of problems regarding Birkas HaTorah, the blessings recited on Torah learning.

According to some opinions, Birkas HaTorah is a birkas hamitzvah, blessings recited on the mitzvah of learning Torah. Like other brachos recited on mitzvos, if there is a significant interruption, one must recite the blessing again. On normal days, when we sleep the whole night, we recite Birkas HaTorah each morning on the mitzvah of Torah learning.

Others understand that Birkas HaTorah is a birkas hashevach, a blessing praising Hashem for giving us the Torah. Like other brachos of praise, it is recited once a day and is not said again even if there is a significant interruption. Every morning, after a new day has passed, we praise Hashem for giving us the Torah with Birkas HaTorah. Reciting Bikras HaTorah on Shavuos morning after learning the whole night depends on these two understanding. If Birkas HaTorah is a birkas hamitzvah, an interruption of sleep is needed and someone who stayed up cannot recite this blessing. However, if Birkas HaTorah is a birkas hashevach, then on Shavuos morning one can say Birkas HaTorah again.


PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

The Shulchan Aruch (47:11) cites both of these opinions. Although the primary halachah is that sleep interrupts Birkas HaTorah, the Shulchan Aruch concludes that the custom is like the second understanding and that one does not repeat Birkas HaTorah if he slept during the day. This ruling has a number of important ramifications for Shavuos morning.

According to the first opinion that sleeping obligates one in a new bracha, if one did not sleep the whole night of Shavuos, he cannot recite Birkas HaTorah in the morning. The second opinion, which connects the obligation to recite Birkas HaTorah to the new day, would require Birkas HaTorah in the morning. In deference to the fi rst understanding, someone who stayed up Shavuos night does not recite Birkas HaTorah, and we try to find someone who slept Shavuos night to recite these brachos.

This brings us to the second problem that we face on Shavuos morning: Who will recite Birkas HaTorah for everyone in shul? Sometimes it is difficult to find someone who slept the whole night, and instead, someone who only slept a short time will recite Birkas HaTorah for everyone. He might have just put his head down on a shtender in the bais medrash or rested lying down for a short time with his clothes on.

Putting one’s head down on a shtender or a short nap with one’s clothes on does not constitute a significant interruption. Depending on the circumstances, this may not be sufficient to say Birkas HaTorah again. Rav Sternbuch rules that one should find someone who slept properly to recite Birkas HaTorah. Even after we have found someone who slept the whole night to recite Birkas HaTorah, we still have a third problem to deal with. Generally, after staying up the whole night, one will have to go to sleep after the tefillos. According to the opinions that sleep

By Rav Moshe Sternbuch

Wilderness

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai in the Ohel Moed.”

The Torah mentions that we received the Torah in the wilderness, outside Eretz Yisroel and at Har Sinai, which was not even a mountain, but only a small hill, in order to emphasize that we have to keep the Torah anywhere and at any time. Non-believers throughout the generations have attempted to induce us to remove the yoke of Torah by advancing various arguments. When most of the nation lived outside Eretz Yisroel, the argument went that the Torah was meant to be kept mainly or even exclusively in Eretz Yisrael. Zionist secularists, on the other hand, argued that the Torah was fine for chutz la’aretz, because it was needed to prevent national assimilation, but now that we have our own state, we have no more need for such antiquated things. In truth, by virtue of the Torah, Hashem’s Presence will dwell
anywhere,if we only let it, just like it did in the Ohel Moed in the wilderness.

The location of the wilderness also teaches us that we must live our lives as if we are dwelling in a wilderness and not let ourselves be affected by the conduct or mores of our environment. In fact, the Rambam says that in an extreme situation, where we are unable to overcome the pressure of the environment, we are obliged to literally move to the desert in order to escape pernicious influences.


Evolution


“And they declared their pedigrees after their families, by their fathers’ houses.” Yalkut Shimoni: “The Jewish nation only merited to receive the Torah because of their pedigree.”

It seems very surprising that this is a reason why we deserved to receive the Torah.
However, the Medrash relating a fundamental difference between us and the other nations. It is a truism of Western culture that civilization progresses with time. Not only science, but even man’s moral dignity, is deemed to improve with each generation. Since belief in evolution has become an inextricable component of Western secular dogma, such an assumption is inevitable. It would be inconceivable for a descendant of monkeys to have anything other than contempt for former generations. By the same token, someone with such a mindset could not imagine that something 3,000 years old has anything of value to offer.

Rav Sternbuch once gave a talk in South Africa to some leading academics. When he
started ridiculing the theory of evolution, there was a veritable uproar from the audience, and even the Jewish attendees could not believe that anyone claiming to be enlightened could dare express such «heretical» views and impugn the cornerstone of modern science. How tragic that intelligent people still cling to this theory, which is responsible for many of the depravities of modern times. In reality, our moral preeminence is dependent on maintaining our connection with all generations going back to Maamad Har Sinai and to the avos hakedoshim. We see from the Medrash above that we only received the Torah in the first place because of our pedigree, i.e., our physical and moral connection to our forefathers, and each generation since then recognizes the moral superiority of its royal ancestors, strives to emulate them, and endeavors to reach their elevated levels.


Uniqueness of every Jew

“By a head count.”

Rashi says that the poll took place by means of coins, but other meforshim disagree
and state that a head count did indeed take place. Although it is forbidden to count the Jewish nation, even for the sake of a mitzvah, and Dovid Hamelech was punished for doing so, these commentators are of the opinion that this particular poll was permitted in order to demonstrate that the number revealed by this census was identical to the number that was arrived at six months prior thereto, even though some people must have died and been born during the interim period.

This teaches us the significance of each individual for the completeness of the nation as a whole. Where the poll itself constitutes a mitzvah in that it emphasizes the virtue of each individual, it is a mitzvah to perform the poll through a head count specifically. Hashem cherishes each and every individual Jew and each mitzvah he or she performs. We must endeavor to utilize our full potential and be cognizant of how our actions can create or, chas veshalom, destroy worlds. This is also the reason behind the mitzvah of being mesameiach chosson vekallah. For a whole week, the groom is treated like a king in order to inculcate the message that he is not just another number in the statistics of married couples aiming to build a new home. Each couple makes its own unique contribution to the nation and is therefore indeed of royal significance.


SHEVET LEVI

The tribe of Levi is so elevated that it was not even included in the same census as the rest of the nation. Just like every Jew is as precious as royalty and his privileged status goes hand-in-hand with increased obligations towards his fellow man and towards Hashem, so are the members of shevet Levi expected to fulfill their obligations with even greater force and punctiliousness in return for their prominent status. As the Rambam points out, anyone who dedicates his life to Torah and to running every aspect of his life in accordance with the demanding dictates of a ben Torah has the opportunity of acquiring the special royal status associated with shevet Levi.

The males of all the tribes were counted from age 20 and upwards, but the members of
shevet Levi were different. As soon as a boy was 30 days old, at which age it is presumed that he will stay alive, they were already included in the count. As with any royalty, the next generation has to be inducted into their obligations from an early age and be taught that they are obligated to serve in Hashem’s army. Similarly, anyone who wants his son to grow up to be a ben Torah must start educating him from the earliest possible age and instill the message that being a ben Torah calls for a great degree of self-sacrifice and dedication.

Shevet Levi was the smallest tribe. This teaches all future generations to consider only quality and not quantity. Bnei Torah, too, must realize that even if their way of life or opinions run counter to the majority view, this is, if anything, a sign that they are on the right path, since the majority view and daas Torah are, for the most part, incompatible.


Innocent by lack of Association

At the time of the Eigel, shevet Levi demonstrated supreme dedication. The whole nation witnessed a golden calf, which had been created seemingly out of nothing, miraculously talking and eating. Nevertheless, only 3,000 actually worshipped it and had to be killed for their sin. When Moshe Rabbeimu declared, “Mi laShem eilai,” most of the nation was reluctant to take up his call, because they felt that the miracles accompanying the golden calf had led the sinners astray, and only shevet Levi separated themselves from the rest of the nation, having no hesitation in killing even relatives. Due to this act of dissociation, shevet Levi was counted in a totally separate census, as mentioned above.

During the time of the spies, too, shevet Levi was the only tribe which did not send a representative, because they had complete trust in Hashem and did not feel any need to investigate the country. All the other tribes were punished, because they failed to protest the statements made by their representatives, who acted as their agents. Only shevet Levi was spared the punishment of all male members more than 20 years old having to die before entering Eretz Yisroel. All this serves as a lesson for future generations that when faced with a choice between maintaining “peace” with erring brethren for the sake of “unity” and completely dissociating ourselves from them, we know which route to take, both for the sake of the nation
as a whole and for the sake of our own future.


Life mission

The descendants of the three sons of Levi were each assigned their own unique tasks,
which were not interchangeable. For example, someone who was meant to sing could
not decide that he was better suited to guarding the Aron. During the times of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt”l, there was a mashgiach who told him that he felt it was time to move on to do something else, but Rav Yosef Chaim responded that it would not be a good idea, and he should continue with his current position, as that was his mission in life. Each of us has our own unique shoresh haneshama and potential, and Hashem determines whether we have met it. If we have been given children, it is our duty, in our capacity as parents or teachers, to help them maximize their specific potential. Once we are adults, we must do this on our own. Furthermore,
each tribe makes its own unique contribution to the nation, and regardless of the specific role given to each of us, we must never forget that we are all part of a royal team.

By Rav Moshe Sternbuch

Walking with Hashem

“If you walk in My statutes.” Rashi: “You
must toil in Torah.”

Some people behave differently when they are at home or in shul than they do in the workplace or when travelling. Our observance of the mitzvos should be identical, irrespective of time, place or circumstance. What we put into our mouths or utter with our speech organs, and what we focus our eyes on should not be determined by the environment we happen to be in. A Yid is expected to maintain the same standards of kashrus, tznius and honesty everywhere even when out “walking.”

Moreover, we must not distinguish between different types of mitzvos and decide on the basis of our own judgment - as opposed to clear halachic guidelines - which mitzvos take priority over others. For this reason, the posuk focuses on chukim (statutes) to teach us that, ultimately, all mitzvos are G-d-given decrees, even those whose rationales seem obvious to our human comprehension. Since we are not privy to the concealed reasons and effects of mitzvos, we cannot treat one mitzvah more lightly than another.

“Walking” also refers to a unique human characteristic. Unlike angels who are completely static spiritually speaking, human beings are in a constant state of motion. Every day, we either come closer to Hashem or become further removed from Him. As the Chazon Ish zt”l pointed out, just like physical weeds grow on their own without any special effort, so too will negative middos sprout up and accumulate, unless we take positive steps to prevent this from happening. Only if we actively toil in Torah and avodas hamiddos can we prevent a downward spiral in our spiritual state.

Quality of our learning

Rav Sternbuch’s rosh yeshiva, Rav Schneider zt”l, expounded Rashi literally: Even when you are walking, you must toil in Torah by thinking and talking about what you have been learning. This is the true sign of a ben Torah. Rav Schneider felt that this was such an important aspect in the conduct of a ben Torah that he would personally make sure that his students were talking in learning even when eating and on the way to their dormitories.

“…and keep My commandments.”

The Torah does not refer here to mere observance of the written rules (kiyum),
but to a type of observance which knows no limits (shmirah), in which fences and safeguards are always being added to ensure optimum compliance. The more a person toils in Torah to the best of his abilities, the more is expected of him in terms of punctilious mitzvah observance, since intense and continuous Torah study elevates a person to higher intellectual and spiritual levels. Such a person lives with the awareness that the Torah is the greatest treasure, which must be safeguarded in any possible way.


Content of our learning

“But if you will not listen to Me.” Rashi: “To toil in Torah.”

How does a refusal to “listen to Me” allude to insufficient toiling in Torah? We may take this as a reference to the contemporary situation, where yeshiva bochurim exempt themselves from genuinely toiling in the whole Torah, preferring instead the easier and more immediately stimulating path of being mefalpel (engaging in in-depth analysis) of sevaros (theories). In this way, they hope to acquire the name of a lamdan (analytical scholar). Intellectual enjoyment in Torah learning is a positive thing, but such bochurim are not listening to Hashem and learning his Torah because they have been commanded to do so and in order to fulfill His will, but solely for their own intellectual enjoyment, and Torah study not for His sake makes you forget that He gave us the Torah and commanded us to delve therein. Such studies can, chas veshalom, lead to a churban (destruction).

Rav Eliyahu Lopian zt”l was once privileged to hear the Chofetz Chaim zt”l expound Chapter 31 of Mishlei ( Aishes Chayil) on Shabbos. When he reached the posuk of “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land,” the Chofetz Chaim stopped and translated it into Yiddish. He explained that the Aishes Chayil is the Torah, and her husband is the talmidei chachomim. In this world, talmidei chachomim can pretend to be erudite Torah scholars, and when asked about a Gemara or a Tosafos they will recall a Ketzos or Nesivos (or an Avnei Miluim in Seder Noshim), but when they reach the Heavenly court, the talmidei chachomim of the generation will be asked to recite what they have learnt, masechta after masechta, and it will be revealed who the real talmidei chachomim are. This is “the husband known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land” (according to this interpretation a reference to the Mesivta Derakia). The Chofetz Chaim went on to talk excitedly about yeshiva bochurim who are not completely conversant even in two sedorim of Gemara. What, he concluded, will they say when they stand in judgment before the Almighty?

Eternity of Torah

“And I will bring the land into desolation.” Rashi: This is a favor for the Jewish nation, in that their enemies will not enjoy their country, which will remain desolate for its inhabitants.”

The statement of Chazal constitutes testimony to the eternity of the Torah. As already noted by the Ramban (on posuk 16), it is an historical fact that mighty nations have ruled this country, and many have competed to conquer it, but even after succeeding in that, they never invested funds into rebuilding it, notwithstanding the fact that the members of the various religions also consider Eretz Yisroel to be their holy country. Not even the church,
with its vast financial resources, opened its coffers to build up the Holy Land. Nor did this situation change in the many centuries since the Ramban.

There are many other testimonies to the eternity of the Torah. For example, the Torah
states unequivocally that with the exception of the camel and two types of rabbits, every animal that chews its cud also has cloven hooves, and that every animal that has cloven hooves also chews its cud except the pig. In the past thousand years or so, many countries have been discovered, and they are inhabited by animals whose existence scientists were not even aware of, yet no animal has been discovered with only one of the signs of a kosher animal other than the pig, the camel, and the two types of rabbits mentioned by the Torah. However, we believe in the truth of the Torah and do not feel the need to search for such proofs. On the other hand, they are not sufficient to convince our wayward brethren who choose to go after their hearts’ desires rather than acknowledge the truth.

Pride leads to security

“And I will make you fruitful and multiply you.” Rashi: “Walking tall.” (Also see the Rashi at the end of posuk 26:13).

If we keep the Torah and mitzvos properly and with pride, Hashem will make us “walk
tall” in the eyes of the nations, and make it apparent to all that we are the Am Hashem. Nationalists would have us believe that national pride consists of practicing the non-Jewish values espoused by them and “standing up” to the nations of the world. Doing so, they are convinced, will result in our security and prosperity. Liberals, on the other hand, argue that by adopting enlightened universal values, the rest of the world will respect us and let us live in peace. Both camps are puzzled that after so many decades of independence, anti- Jewish hatred, even from supposedly friendly countries, only seems to increase, and instead of drawing conclusions about their outlook or way of life, they seek to attribute the worrying situation to tenuous factors, such as faulty public relations.

The Torah is telling us that both our physical and spiritual well-being depend precisely on not adopting non-Jewish values antithetical to the Torah. If we, as a nation, were to be proud of the Torah and mitzvos and observed them as befits the Am Hashem, not only would the security situation improve dramatically to the point that it would no longer be an issue at all, but the nations’ loathing of us would turn into genuine respect. They would become more than receptive to our moral message and we would finally become an effective light unto the nations.

Concealed rewards

“And I will give your rains in their season.”

The Rishonim ask why the Torah does not explicitly mention the spiritual rewards and
punishments of the World to Come. (See the Kli Yokor on 26:12 who sets out seven different answers suggested by the Rishonim.) If the Torah would have specified the severe long-term spiritual ramifications of not keeping the Torah properly, this would have increased the claim against those who nevertheless fail to take note of the severity of sinning to such an extent as to endanger the very existence of the nation. For this reason, Hashem, in His mercy, wanted to conceal the main reward and punishment awaiting us. Moreover, this way, the reward of those who keep His Word even without knowing the full extent of the reward awaiting them will be incalculably greater than any reward that would have been their due had they known all the details of the rewards and punishments in the afterlife.

Lag Ba'Omer: The Concealed Torah

The Ibn Ezra in Parshas Ha'azinu, says that matters relating in the World to Come are so profound that they cannot be comprehended by most people because material beings finds it difficult to grasp spiritual concepts, and for this reason the Torah concealed these profound matters from the masses.
Similarly, until Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the conealed part of the Torah was only studied by exceptional individuals in every generation. After Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the Toras Hanistar (concealed Torah) became more revealed. On Lag Ba'Omer, we do not "celebrate" his death, but rather the illumination produced by the Toras Hanistar revealed to the world by him in the same way that we celebrate the Toras Hanigleh (revealed Torah) on Shavuos. Of course, not everyone is worthy of studying Toras Hasod in depth (and if one lacks sufficient Torah knowledge and requisite character traits, such study can only be harmful), but all of us must at least be aware of the consequences of our actions in the upper worlds, for the good and for the bad, and that those worlds are in fact determined by our actions (see e.g.Nefesh Hachayim). Internalizing this reality properly is awe-inspiring and should affect our conduct immensely.

The Vilna Gaon zt"l said that anyone who denies the concealed Torah also denies the revealed Torah. In the time of the Chasam Sofer zt"l, someone publicly ridiculed the chocmas hanistar. The Chasam Sofer said that if someone denies the secret aspect of the Torah in an open ("revealed") manner, it is a sign that he secretly denies also the revealed Torah.
We are awaiting the day - may it be very imminent - when all of the concealed aspects of the Torah will become revealed to everyone.

Questions may be sent to editor@yated.com and selected answers will be printed in this column. Answers are transcribed by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis. The answers given here are the general rule, but each case has its merits and drawbacks and must be referred to a posek.


Haircuts For Women During Sefirah

Question: My teenage daughter’s hair has grown longer than she has ever worn it. It does not conform to her level of tznius. May she trim it during Sefirah so that it doesn’t appear so long? Thank you.
D. Weiner

Answer: The minhag is that women do not get haircuts during Sefiras Ha’omer. However, in a case such as yours, where tznius or some other great need is involved, a woman may take a haircut during Sefirah.


FEMALE MOURNERS

During the times of Chazal, 24,000 of the students of Rabi Akiva passed away during the time from Pesach until Shavuos because they did not honor each other properly (Yevamos 62b). As a result, there are a number of customs of mourning that we follow every year during this period. Since the minhagim of Sefiras Ha’omer stem from the halachos of aveilus, in order to clarify any question, we must look at the halachos of mourning. When a man’s parent passes away, it is forbidden for him to take a haircut. He is only allowed to get a haircut when his hair is so long that his friends comment about it and thirty days have passed. Otherwise, he may not take a haircut for the entire year (Yoreh Deah 390:4)

Do women have the same restrictions? Many Rishonim (early commentators) permit a woman to get a haircut after the seven days of aveilus have passed. The Shulchan Aruch follows these opinions and rules that as soon as shivah ends, a woman may cut her hair (Yoreh Deah 390:5). In contrast to the Shulchan Aruch, the Rama (Rav Moshe Isserles) rules stringently and forbids women from getting haircuts during the first thirty days of mourning. However, the consensus of most poskim, including Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Yoreh Deah 2:137), is that since refraining from haircuts during Sefiras Ha’omer and the Three Weeks (with the exception of shovuah shechal bo, the week in which Tisha B’Av falls) is only a minhag, it is likely that even the Rama would permit haircuts during these times. Nonetheless, since women have accepted upon themselves not to take haircuts during Sefirah, a woman should avoid getting a haircut unless it is a question of great need.

MAINTAINING TZNIUS

Although the accepted custom is that women do not cut their hair during Sefirah, if there is a pressing reason she may take a haircut. Certainly, a married woman whose hair is too long and is not covered properly may cut her hair. In regards to an unmarried girl, if she is dating for marriage, maintaining the proper level of tznius is reason to permit getting a haircut. What does this include? Anything which a woman does in the street that attracts attention to her and causes others to look at her (e.g.,perfumes, brightly-colored or tight-fitting clothing, long shaitels, etc.) can be considered a breach in tznius. Therefore, in a situation where her long hair causes her to stand out from other girls, this can be considered a breach in tznius and she may also get a haircut. Parents are obligated to make sure that their daughters follow the proper guidelines of tznius, and we should not take such matters lightly. As much as one tries to watch one’s daughters’ tznius, it is not enough to ensure that they stick to them. In addition to keeping an eye on the way they dress, parents should make sure that their children do not frequent places where others breach tznius through the way they dress, speaking nivel peh, and other actions which do not meet the elevated standards that the Torah expects of us.

The Rambam writes that in his time, it was normal for women to leave the house one or two times a month (Ishus 13:11). Today, many of the boundaries between men and women have been torn down, and women must be very careful in today’s society regarding interaction with men. Especially when a woman takes a job as a secretary or in another context where she is surrounded by men, she must be extremely wary to maintain separation so that she does not stumble. Tznius is one of the foundations of educating Jewish girls and is the way to make sure that they will maintain a life of kedushah. In our times, the tests in tznius are very great and we need to make whatever fences we can to keep our children from being pulled by these negative influences. Teaching girls the halachos of tznius is the only way to make them aware of what is expected of them Many girls get swept away by the tide of fashion and forget about the laws of tznius. It is extremely difficult when everyone is acting a certain way to disregard their behavior and cling to the ways of the Torah. Your daughter should be complimented for her concern with tznius, and you and your wife should certainly do whatever you can to strengthen this attribute.

By Rav Moshe Sternbuch

Torah min Hashomayim

“And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Har Sinai.” Rashi quotes the following Medrash: “Why is Shmittah juxtaposed to Har Sinai? After all, all the mitzvos were stated on Sinai. This teaches us that just as all the general and specific rules of Shmittah were stated at Sinai, so too were all other general specific rules [of the Torah] stated at Sinai.”


It seems strange that the Torah makes this point with respect to a mitzvah which only applies in Eretz Yisroel, only when the Bais Hamikdosh is standing, and even then only once every seven years. We would have expected a more universal mitzvah to be chosen as a paradigm for the whole Torah. The mitzvah of Shmittah contains an explicit promise from Hashem that if we observe it, the produce of the sixth year will be sufficient for two years, and in a Yovel year for three years. Moshe Rabbeinu would not have dared to make such a promise unless he had heard it from Hashem, and just like the mitzvah of Shmittah could not have been fabricated by him, so too all the other mitzvos were conveyed to Moshe at Sinai directly by Hashem. Thus, the mitzvah of Shmittah is proof of Torah min haShomayim.


Hashgacha protis

On another level, Shmittah teaches us a basic article of faith, since observing it requires absolute dedication. A farmer whose livelihood is totally dependent on his field suddenly renounces his ownership altogether and retains no more right to his produce than anyone else. He is prohibited from working the field and is expected to trust Hashem absolutely that this is His will and for his benefit. Acting in this manner, he is saved from various misfortunes. Such a person puts into practice the abstract belief that events in this world are the result of Hashgacha Protis (Divine Providence) and not our actions. The Medrash is telling us that this fundamental principle was taught at Sinai, the smallest of mountains, which symbolizes
Hashem’s “humility” in agreeing to dwell with us when He showers each and every person with personal and unique Providence. Although this message is clearly a universal one not limited in place or time, Shmittah only applies in Eretz Yisroel, which enjoys special Providence “from the beginning of the year to the end,” and in this country we are obligated to prove our faith to ourselves and others even more, especially when wayward brethren would have us believe in kochi ve’otzem yod , in the strength of our own actions. It is in a situation where we are imbibing the sanctity of this country and of the Bais Hamikdosh, when Hashem’s Presence is so manifest, that we are commanded to observe the mitzvah of Shmittah, so that Hashem’s bounty may be showered on His holy nation in the holy country.


Counting

We are currently counting the days of the Omer. This serves to connect us to Kabbolas HaTorah and to prepare us for it. Similarly, each year, bais din declared with much publicity where the forthcoming year was in the Shmittah and Yovel cycles. This focus on Shmittah served to inculcate the message that our sustenance is only dependent on the blessing of Hashem. Each weekday, too, revolves around Shabbos: “Six days you shall work and complete all your labor, and on the seventh day is Shabbos for Hashem, your G-d.” There is no commandment to work on weekdays, but the Torah is telling us to be aware of the sanctity of Shabbos, which is reminiscent of the World to Come, on weekdays too. If we live with the constant awareness that Hashem sustains us constantly, just as He does on Shabbos¸ then the otherworldly sanctity of Shabbos will flow over to the rest of the week and we will enjoy a taste of such sanctity even in our mundane actions. Some non-Jews have claimed that the reason for Shmittah is to give the soil a chance to rejuvenate and thus produce better-quality produce. Whether or not there is an element of truth in this contention in agricultural terms, we know the real reason behind this mitzvah.

The Torah connects Shmittah to Shabbos: “The land shall keep a Shabbos to Hashem.” Non-Jews or irreligious Jews assume that it is a day of rest, since this is the only concept they are familiar with. In reality, however, although this may be a pleasant side effect of Shabbos, it is actually an ois, and both Shabbos and Shmittah are signs reminding us that Hashem created the world and continues to rule it with Hashgachah Protis.


Putting it into practice

So much for the theory. What about the practice? Clearly, much depends on the level we have attained in our avodas Hashem. Just after the Second World War, Rav Sternbuch met a Holocaust survivor who told him that when he was in a concentration camp, they were starved, yet they still were expected to work like slaves in the constant fear of imminent death should their state of health fail to satisfy their taskmasters. They had no beards or peyos, and this particular survivor
had no access to tefillin, but he still made a point of davening before starting work every day. Once, he overheard one fellow inmate tell another that he was incapable of saying the bracha of “Who has taken care of all my needs,” because he felt that this did not reflect the reality of his situation. However, the other Yid, who was apparently a talmid chochom, did not accept this, reasoning that everything Hashem does is for the good. Hashem is merely testing our fortitude, said the talmid chochom, and eventually He will award us a high position with the ministering angels. He then proceeded to make the bracha and the other Yid answered, “Amein.” The survivor whom Rav Sternbuch met noted how awe-inspired he had been to witness such a faithful soldier of Hashem’s army. The Alshich Hakadosh comments on the posuk, “And those who seek Hashem will lack no good,” that it does not say that they will possess everything good, but only that they will be not be lacking anything, because the righteous do not desire material possessions which have no substance, and they do not feel a lack of them. That talmid chochom in the concentration camp showed that it is possible to feel this even in the most extreme circumstances.

In a similar vein, it is related that the Alshich once gave a drasha in which he said
that someone who dedicates his time entirely to avodas Hashem will not have to worry at all about making a living, because Hashem will take care of it. A simple coachman was greatly affected by the statement and resolved to try it out. He immediately stopped working, went to the bais medrash, and said Tehillim all day. After only several days, he found a golden treasure trove. The students of the Alshich were amazed and asked him the following question: “We are also busy with Torah and prayer, so why have we not merited such Divine assistance?” The Alshich replied that the Yid had simple faith and believed absolutely that Hashem would take care of his needs. He did not have the slightest doubt in his heart, and he therefore enjoyed corresponding Hashgachah without any effort on his part. “Your level of bitachon¸” concluded the Alshich, “is not so high. You are still testing Hashem as to whether He will provide you with all your needs. Such bitachon is not sufficient to exempt you from making hishtadlus (human effort).” This point is evident from Parshas Behar.

The Torah says, “And you shall sow in the eighth year.” Lest we think that after enjoying the miracle of Shmittah, Hashem will continue to send us what we need while we sit by idly, we are taught that we are still subject to the curse of “By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread.” The Medrash states that even the monn could not be eaten without making the effort of walking to receive it. Most of us are not on the level of the talmid chochom in the camps or the devout coachman. How much hishtadlus, then, are we expected to make? Rav Sternbuch’s mother asked Rav Elchonon
Wasserman zt”l this question when she was a young widow faced with bringing up nine children. He told her that she must make at least minimal hishtadlus in accordance with her circumstances, which also required her to educate her children. He added that the main aspect of bitachon is to realize that there is no “chapping” (grabbing). Whatever is set aside for us will reach us, irrespective of our actions. If we spend a lot of time and effort making a living, we may see returns in the short term, but this might come at the expense of our health, long life, nachas from our children, and so on in the longer term. If we do no more than absolutely necessary, we will not gain one cent less than we would by making more hishtadlus. For this reason, the prohibition against dishonest business dealings appears in the middle of the parsha of Shmittah. The person who has observed Shmittah has seen with his own eyes that Hashem is perfectly capable of seeing to all his needs without any effort on his part at all. Such a person knows that success does not depend on his talents, business acumen, or slyness. Even when required to make hishtadlus from the eighth year onwards, he will be scrupulous in his business dealings, knowing
that his earnings are predetermined and bear no relation to the extent of his efforts.

Temporary residents

“For you are strangers and settlers with me.” Toras Kohanim: “If you are strangers with Me in this world, you will be settlers with Me in the next world, but whoever is a settler in this world will be a stranger in the next world.”


As we said, although the mitzvah of Shmittah only applies in Eretz Yisroel, it is of universal significance. It teaches us not to rely on our strengths or possessions, as do the nations of the world, which only have one world. A Yid lives with the awareness that he is a temporary resident in this world and is only concerned with preparing his soul for eternal life in the next world.One time, a tourist from America visited the Chofetz Chaim zt”l in his house. He was amazed at the lack of furniture in the Chofetz Chaim’s home and expressed amazement that the leader of the Jewish nation lived in such conditions. The Chofetz Chaim asked his guest why he had not taken any furniture with him. He responded that he did not need any, because he is only a passing tourist and had fit everything he needed for the journey in his suitcase. The Chofetz Chaim responded, “I am also only a passing tourist in this world and what I have here is more than enough.” The Chofetz Chaim would say (based on a Zohar) that some people imagine that the world belongs to them and that they will live forever. Rav Sternbuch recalls how Rav Elya Lopian zt”l would chant the Toras Kohanim quoted above in the special tune used by the baalei mussar¸ and this had a deep effect on his listeners. Living our lives in accordance with this fundamental saying of Chazal should both protect us from sinning and inspire us to perform actions conducive to acquiring permanent residence status in the next world.

As noted before, the Ari Zal requires us to accept the commandment of loving our fellow before we daven. We can explore a more practical, more personal advantage to the concept of being connected with Klal Yisrael by doing some act of kindness before davening: we need this connection to those around us in order to daven well. This can be shown to be true for a number of different reasons.

First, we will not daven well if we do not also consider how other people will feel about our davening. It's wrong for us to just daven as if we are all alone and don't care about others.

We learn about this from Rashi's explanation of Moshe Rabbeinu's davening when his sister Miriam had tzora'as (Bamidbar 12:13). He provides two explanations for why Moshe Rabbeinu made so brief a prayer at that time:

1. So that the Bnei Yisrael would not consider him to be so insensitive to
the needs of his sister that he spent all his time in prayer instead of attending
to her.

2. So that the Bnei Yisrael should not think the opposite, and criticize him for
spending more time davening for his one sister than he did praying for all of
them.

Likewise, we must always consider how our prayer will make others feel.

The other deeper reason for us to feel connected to Klal Yisrael in davening is because of what it will do to our feelings of our own selves: It will raise us up.

If we think of our position in Klal Yisrael, we will have more self-esteem. As the Nefesh HaChaim says, "No one would have an issue with having proper kevana if he were fully aware of the power inherent in his prayer. Not would he be lax in his actions were he to be aware of their consequences, as it says in Pirkei Avos (1:4), "Know what is above you..."

Feeling connected to Klal Yisrael, which is what happens when we do acts of kindness before davening, will bring upon us exactly this awareness of how great Klal Yisrael is, and that will build up our own self-esteem and build our awareness of this power inherent in our prayer. all this comes from doing acts of kindness before davening.