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Shemos:
Friday, January 16, 1998 / 18 Teves 5758
"Pharaoh commanded his entire people, saying, "Every boy that will be born - into the River shall you throw him!..." (Shemos, 1:22)
Originally, Pharoah orders the midwives of the Jews to perform abortions on all male fetuses right before they were born so that the murders would be done quietly, compared to killing the babies after they were born. Now suddenly, Pharaoh commands his entire people to kill EVERY boy born, both Jewish and Egyptian!!! What could have possibly brought Pharaoh to order such a thing! Why did he order only newborns to be killed? And why was it done by drowning?
He chose drowning because the Egyptians thought that no one who afflicted Bnei Yisroel (that's us) with water would be punished, since G-d had promised that He would bring no more Floods on the earth (Sotah 11).
And newborn infants? According to tradition, Pharaoh dreamt that all the inhabitants of Egypt were on one side of the scales and a single lamb was on the other, and the lamb tipped the scales. Pharaoh's necromancers (i.e., those guys who hung around the Emperor in "Return of the Jedi." They didn't say anything; instead they stood there in dark robes looking really ugly) interpreted this to mean that a boy would be born in Egypt who was destined (Luke...it is your DESTINY!!!...sorry, that slipped) to take Bnei Yisroel out of Egypt. Since these guys told him that this boy's death would be through water (you know Moshe hit the rock in a fit of anger, out came water, and then Moshe couldn't go into Eretz Yisroel) Pharaoh decreed that all newborn males must be thrown into the water.
Now, these Dark-Side Dudes (DSDs) didn't go to college, and since they didn't have their degrees in Dark Magic in the Business World, they couldn't tell whether the boy would be Egyptian or Jewish!! So Pharaoh said, "Heck, let's just chuck every newborn boy into the river!!" Little do people know, but this is where the feminist movement REALLY started. In fact Pharaoh was an avid feminist! Of course nowadays, the really heavy duty feminists would cry, "That's sexist!!! Why is it that only boys get to drown?? Are we not good enough??? We want to drown too!!!!"...Anyways, back to the dvar Torah...It's pretty interesting that thousands of Egyptian boys were killed because these DSDs couldn't tell whether the boy was going to be Jewish or Egyptian. Boy, I bet they felt pretty dumb after they found out that Moshe was Jewish! So this is why the pasuk says "Pharoah commanded his entire people;" this included the Egyptians along with the Jews. That's how fearful Pharoah was of losing his best slaves! And that's why he chose to drown them in the river. He certainly held some belief in G-d; he just thought he could fool him.
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Shemos:
Sunday, January 16, 2000 / 9 Shvat 5760
Sorry about last week. I'm starting to move my site from the current server to my server at work. So that means I will pay around...nothing to host my site. We can all thank my boss for that!
"And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the first was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah."
Okay. So, first question is, who are these ladies who Pharoah spoke to? We learn that Shifrah was actually Yocheved (Moshe's mum) while Puah was her daughter Miriam. The men of wise attribute Yocheved's name to the fact she "smoothed out" the limbs of the infant after it was born. The Midrash tells us that her name comes from the fact that she washed off the blood which covered the babies when they "popped" out. For those who have never seen a live birth, I can tell you, it's not a pretty sight, and full of blood, mucus, and other gook. I hope you're not reading this at the Shabbos table. The question is this: Obviously Moshe's mother was a great woman, why is she referred to by this name? Isn't that a little insulting? What happens if we take Shuli Hubscher (who's a nurse in Labour & Delivery) and started calling her "Afterbirth?" I doubt she will take that as a compliment!
A name that a person has describes that personality. Obviously this is true since Michael, for example, is "Mi Cha K'ail" or "Who is like G-d". Remember who Yocheved was. She was born as Yaakov and his family entered the gates of Egypt, she married the leader of the Jewish people, and she gave birth to Moshe, Aaron, and Miriam who liberated the Jews. Why did the Torah name her based on the fact that she helped deliver children?
Rav Goldwasser cites Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz who said, "It is not the action that determines an individual's greatness, but rather, it is the person who determines the action." That is, if a great person performs an action, no matter how small, it becomes a noble act, just by the fact that that individual did it.
We see that Yocheved did not grow simply by doing "the big things" in life. She's not praised for just taking the hard way and making it through. She took a simple job and raised it to a level of holiness. That is why she is known as Shifrah. In order to grow, we do not go out and look for the hardest mitzvos possible. We take every little mitvah and treat it like the only mitzvah we can do. By putting our heart and soul into that little mitzvah, we too can grow to great heights. Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos:
Tuesday, January 16, 2001 / 21 Teves 5761
"They embittered their lives with hard work...All their labours that they performed with them were with crushing harshness" (1:14)
As we all know, on Pesach when we celebrate our redemption from Egypt, we eat Marror to remember the hard labour that we were put through. Believe it or not, Marror doesn't equal horseradish. In fact, leaf lettuce is used as marror, while many put horseradish on top to add that extra "bitterness." Out of all the vegetables from the ground, why is lettuce used as marror? In order to answer that, we'll have to take a look into how we became slaves in the first place.
The Egyptians didn't wake up one morning on the wrong side of the bed and decide to enslave the entire Jewish people just for fun. They didn't drink some coffee, read the paper, send the kids off to school, and round up a couple of Jews for slave labour. They first enticed them to work for them. They offered good hours, weekends off, two weeks paid vacation, and a comprehensive PPO plan. Naturally, the Jews weren't going to turn down such a sweet deal. After all, look how well the Egyptians are treating us! They really like us! Look at these job offers! Well, that way of living slowly came to an end. The two-week vacation was cut down to one week, then none at all. The PPO turned into an HMO. The 10-year anniversary gold watch turned into a one-foot whip. The bosses started hitting people, and children were being used for bricks. And worst of all, no more free coffee. Slowly, all these "benefits" that were promised were taken away, as the workplace became a place of slavery. This is why we use lettuce for Pesach. At first, nothing looks more refreshing then crisp lettuce (remember those Jewel and Dominick’s commercials?). But after eating too much, the lettuce starts to taste more and more bitter. Thus, lettuce is a direct reflection on how we became slaves.
Rav Yosef Salant notes two types of suffering. One type of suffering is where one person inflicts pain on another. A second, and far worse, type is when the person is responsible for getting himself into the situation in the first place. The Jews thought that their good buddies, the Egyptians, were on their side and willing to help. They slowly learned that the opposite was the case.
We have learned throughout history, and we even see it today. When the other nations of the world open their arms with big smiles on their faces, we must be very careful and weary. While some honestly wish to help, many are waiting to stab us in the back. We should always remember the lesson of marror. At first, everybody looks to be our friends, but that quickly follows with our own spiritual and physical downfall. Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos:
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 / 3 Shvat 5762
This week's parsha is Torah, Book II: Attack of the Egyptians. We're introduced to the Jews being enslaved, Moshe being born, married, speaking to G-d, etc..., and beginning his first dialogue with Pharaoh. Lou and I would enjoy these upcoming parshas. When we were in Yeshiva together and the Rabbi would be giving his talk on the parsha, we would always interrupt with, "...but Rebbe...in the movie, 'The Ten Commandments,' Heston...I mean 'Moses,' never said that!" They were not very happy with us. :)
Interesting question is often raised concerning Moshe. Moshe is not a hebrew name. At least originally it wasn't. Moshe was an Egyptian name, given to him by Pharaoh’s daughter who found him in the Nile and named him that, since "I drew him out of the water." (2:10) So, the question is, why does the Torah apply his Egyptian name when referring to him? Why not call him by the name his real mother gave him?
The Torah relates that when Aharon went to greet Moshe, he did so with a heart full of joy. The Medrash writes that had he known this act would have been recorded, he would have met Moshe will drums and horns. Several weeks ago, Reuvein is credited with saving the life of Yosef when he told his brothers that Yosef should not be killed. The Medrash tells us that had he known this act was going to be recorded in the Torah, he would have carried Yosef home to his father on his own shoulders.
Does this mean that Aharon and Reuvein only did their acts, only for some possible reward and credit? Did they act in a manner that is beneath them? Did they care more about how they looked to others than spiritual growth? The answer is an obvious no. Whenever we do an action, we tend to do it in a matter-of-a-fact way, mainly because we tend to live a matter-of-a-fact life. The Torah clearly states that Aharon went to meet Moshe with a happy heart; therefore we must believe that Aharon was indeed happy to see Moshe. Similarly with the case of Reuvein, we see that he had the right intentions when saving Yosef.
When Reuvein was saving Yosef, he had no clue that this one act of kindness ended up saving the entire Jewish people. Similarly, when Aharon met Moshe and greeted him warmly, he had no clue that this one act of kindness helps reassure Moshe of his leadership role. When the daughter of Pharaoh rescued Moshe from the Nile, she thought she was taking pity on a child, nothing more, nothing less. She had no clue that Moshe was going to be the redeemer of the Jewish people, and lead them to their spiritual apex.
These three cases are examples where a person did something that they thought was an everyday thing, but was in reality an event that helped save and mold the entire Jewish nation. Had they realized this at the time when they were doing their respective actions, they would have made even a bigger "to do" about it!
The Ateres Mordechai writes, that when we refer to Moshe by his Egyptian name, not only are we showing honour and respect to Pharaoh’s daughter, but we are also reminding ourselves of this important lesson. Something which we might deem so small can in fact lead to a pivotal moment of our history. Each and every time we do a mitzvah, no matter how small and insignificant we think it is, we need to remind ourselves of these three cases. It's stated in Pirkei Avos (2:1), "Be as scrupulous in performing a 'minor' mitzvah as in a 'major' mitzvah, for you do not know the reward given for the respective mitzvos." Not only do we not know the reward, we do not even know the historical consequences that might evolve from doing that mitzvah. By performing those "small" mitzvos in a full-hearted way, we might be changing the course for the entire Jewish people. Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Shemos
Friday, January 16, 2004 / 22 Teves 5764
Happy birthday to all of us. This week's parsha marks year five of this email lists existence! I'm surprised I've lasted this long. A thank you to all those who wrote me consoling me on my poor grammar skills. Next time I feel low, I'll send out an email and we can all have a great big "Group Hug"... Okay, on to Torah...There once were three wise men... wait...let me rephrase that. Pharaoh had three advisors, who I will assume to be wise men. They were: Bilaam, Iyov (You know, "Job", Howard Dean's favorite "New Testament Book"), and Yisro (Moshe's soon-to-be father-in-law).
Pharaoh was becoming concerned about "the Jewish problem." The Jewish people were multiplying, and he was worried that they will eventually overthrow his government. So, he asked his primary advisors what they suggest he do. Bilaam suggested enslaving the Jews. Iyov remained silent and was punished with a harsh life. And instead of giving in to such an evil person, Yisro ran away, and was rewarded with worthy descendents.
The Midrash relates that each of their reactions to Pharaoh’s request was not according to their personality. Bilaam, as we have seen in the past, was known for his arrogance and inflated ego. If anything, he should of told Pharaoh that the Jews were not worth anything and were not a problem. Yet, he acted as if they were bigger and more powerful than he was.
Iyov was a pacifist and was known for his love of humanity. And what did he do? He remained silent! How could such a person remain silent when Jewish children are being slaughtered outright?
Finally, we come to Yisro. Yisro was known as a person who personally tried every known religion at the time. Yet, after going through all of them, he realized that there was only one G-d. Yisro stood for truth and justice. Yet, we see Mr. Truth-And-Justice running away! Why did he not stand up against Bilaam and Pharaoh?
Rav Yosef Salant gives us an answer. Several parshos back, Hashem told Avraham that his descendents will be exiled in Egypt and suffer under Egyptian persecution, yet He promises Avraham that He will personally bring them out. Given the personalities of Pharaoh’s advisors, this should not have taken place. Bilaam would not have considered the Jews a national threat, and Iyov and Yisro would have stood up and defended the Jews. This would have completely nullified Hashem's will.
The lesson to be learned is simple. Hashem has promised us that certain things will happen within the history of our people. Some of those events are conditional. For example, bad things will happen to us when we ignore the Torah. And some things are not conditional, such as the coming of Moshiach. We might look around at the political situation and say, "we have nothing to worry about." Just remember, that's exactly what the Jews in Germany thought shortly before the Second World War. We cannot look at the world and know what will happen in the future. If Hashem decrees something, no matter how impossible it might seem, it will come to fruition. Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: See Where the River Leads
Thursday, December 30, 2004 / 18 Teves 5765
Wow. Already at Parshas Shemos. That's this site's anniversary. I now announce the beginning of Year Six of this mailing list! Maybe in four years, we'll hold a 10 Year Anniversary Banquet.
Anyhow, some small announcements. One: Mazel tov to Robert Williger on his recent engagement! I thought nothing could top me getting engaged, but he pulled it off! Two: Next Thursday is the wedding. Considering the fact that I'm going to be quite busy doing all the last minute things, I cannot promise a dvar torah for next week. For a week after that, is sheva brochas, which continues to make it difficult for me to promise a dvar torah for THAT week. So, don't hold your breath for the next two weeks. If I can, I will definately try to get them out, but that's all depending on if I have the time. Now, that I've cleared that up, on to Torah!
"And his sister stood in the distance, to know what would be done to him" (Shemos 2:4)
"In the same manner in which a person conducts himself, he is awarded accordingly. Miriam waited a short while for Moshe, as it is said, 'And his sister stood in the distance'. Therefore, Yisroel was delayed for her for seven days." (Gemara Sotah 9b)
When the Jewish Nation was in the desert, there was a small episode that took place. Miriam, inadvertantly spoke loshon horah about Moshe, and was punished with a pseudo-spiritual/pseudo-physical affliction called, tsaraas. This tsaraas rendered her spiritually impure and forced her to wait outside the main camp for seven days. Throughout the seven days, instead of continuing on their journey, with her following along in back, the Jewish people waited for her before continuing.
So, what exactly did Miriam do to earn such a reward? According to the Gemara, she waited and watched to see what the fate of Moshe was? Asks Rav Mordechai Rogow, "So what?" What is so amazing that a sister should watch to see what happens to her baby brother as he floats down the Nile in a basket? Who would simply turn away and NOT watch?
Answers Rav Rogow, the reward came due to her behaviour during that time. Most people, seeing such a situation, would be either crying or screaming, or showing some very clear emotions, concerning the fate of the infant in such a situation. However, if Miriam acted in such a way, people would have clearly seen her, and realized that Moshe was really Jewish, which would lead to his death, which, in turn, would be very bad for the Jewish people.
Instead, Miriam acted in a very different manner. She watched Moshe with a calmness that few would be able to project in such times. She quitely watched to see what would become of her younger brother, and it was through her faith in Hashem that she was able to muster such strength.
When things happen in our lives that are not 'according to the plan', we must keep in mind the lesson that Miriam has taught us. Not only will yelling and screaming NOT help us, but at the same time, might come to harm us. We must take what life gives us, and calmly see how things progressed. There are times where we can and should influence the way things happen, but, like Miriam's situation, there are times where we must see 'where the river leads'. By having some degree of faith in G-d, and allowing things to play out according to His will, in the end we will see that everything DOES have a happy ending. Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: A Baby's Unlimited Potential
Thursday, January 19, 2006 / 19 Teves 5766
And now for another "Only in Israel" Moment:
I just received a small magnet which is an advertisement for a cab driver. Along with a photo of a beautiful car overlooking the ocean, it mentions three things to catch your eye. They are:
*Only for intercity service*
*Luxurious Vehicle*
*Licensed for Personal Arms*
What a fun country :)
Before we begin, one of our Frum.org-ers sent me an email informing me that he is a co-worker of Jill Carroll, the reporter kidnapped by the Iraqi "freedom-fighters". So please say a little extra in your davening for her safe return. Thank you!
Okay, on to Torah!
Rabbi Rosenthal showed me an excellent piece that Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky wrote on this week's parsha, I thought I would share.
The Rema in the Shulchan Oruch (Yorah Deyah 81:7) states an interesting halacha. That is, a Jewish child may not nurse from an Egyptian woman. Why? Since this woman worships idols, this can spiritually 'pollute' the milk and damage the child's neshama (interesting side-point: this also applies a nursing woman who eats non-kosher food). The Vilna Gaon cites Rashi from this week's parsha where Moshe would only nurse from a Jewish woman:
"...because, in the future, he will speak to Hashem"
Since Moshe would be speaking to Hashem, it would be damaging for him to nurse from a woman who worships idols. According to the Vilna Gaon, this is the reason why the Rema states this halacha.
Rav Kaminetsky asks, why would this one story be the sole reason for this halacha? After all, there was only one Moshe Rabbeinu who was able to speak to Hashem in such a close manner! Why would this halacha apply to everybody else for all times?
Rav Kaminetsky answers his own question: This is the lesson that every parent must teach his or her children. The halacha stands today because EVERY child has the potential of being on such a high spiritual level. It's for their own spiritual protection that this halacha is applicable. Who knows what is in store for each baby. Since each person has the capabilities of reaching such levels, we are so careful in their spiritual development, that we even keep the away from the 'taste' of idol-worship!
With that thought, I wish you a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Seeing Accomplishment
Friday, January 12, 2007 / 22 Teves 5767
There are many things that Israeli society needs to learn from the rest of Western Civilization. One of those things is marketing.
It seems that every major food store has to contain the word “zol” (cheap), in it. Whether it’s:
Kol Zol (Everything Cheap)
Zol Po (Cheap Here, which recently changed its name to “Aleph”, thankfully)
Zol Mehadrin (Cheap Extra-Kosher… don’t ask)
Pashut Zol (Simply Cheap)
and my personal favourite: Mr. Zol (Mr. Cheap… got to feel sorry for his wife).
So, I was thinking about opening a store myself. We’ll call it: Gum Zol L’Tova (This is Cheap For Good), which is a play off of the famous Gemara: Gum Zu L’Tova (This too is for the best).
Well... I found it funny...
Okay, on to Torah!“So they appointed taskmasters over the nation in order to afflict it with their burdens. They built treasure cities for Pharaoh – Pithom and Raamses” (Shemos 1:11)
The Gemara (Sotah 11a) states that despite the fact Pharaoh had a huge slave-labour force, the cities we were forced to build were built on land that was impossible to build on. One opinion states that as soon as one wall was put up, it would topple due to the poor foundations.
Rav Avraham Pam asks an interesting question.
During the Holocaust, the Nazis used Jews and Russian/Polish Prisoners of War as slave-labour. They had an immense pool of man-power. This man-power was put to full use in the Nazi war machine, by not only the Nazis, but also the business that supported them.
What did Pharaoh do?
He used his immense pool of slave-labour to build cities that he knew were impossible to build. We know that the Pharaohs throughout that period in history used their slave-labour to build the Pyramids and other magnificent constructions, in order that people should never forget them. Yet, Pharaoh seemingly wasted the pool of man-power that was at his disposable. Why did Pharaoh make such a poor management decision?
The answer Rav Pam gives is quite insightful.
The Nazis used their slave-labour in such a way, because they wanted to make the most of the situation. If you have the labour, use it! Pharaoh on the other hand, had a different goal: “…to afflict it (the nation) with their burdens” (1:11)
Pharaoh wasn’t out to build magnificent cities for himself; he was out to destroy the nation’s will-power. Pharaoh knew that no matter how hard a person has it, he still gains something, some pride or sense of consolation, when he sees his work complete. It’s quite easy for us to understand how the slaves who built the Pyramids felt after completing it. True, they were slaves. True, they were tortured and beaten. True, they were exhausted. However, at least they had some pride when the project was complete and they were able to see the fruit of their labour.
Pharaoh, on the other hand, was out the crush the spirit of the Jewish people. That was his goal and that is why he had them make futile attempts to make cities on such land. Not only did they work under horrific conditions, they accomplished nothing.
This lesson is applicable in many areas in life. One such area is growth in our Torah observance. If a non-religious person asked a rav how they should become religious, that rav will tell them: take it slowly, one mitzvah at a time. When a person “jumps in the deep end”, without any idea what he’s doing, he is doomed to fail. When he takes on too much, he is not prepared, and accomplishes little, if anything.
This applies to every person, no matter what background they come from, or what level they are holding on in life. In order to grow, a person needs to see accomplishment.
We see this in the current setup in the day of a yeshivah. In the morning, four hours are spent on in-depth analysis in Gemara. In our Kollel, we started a tractate a month before Rosh Hashanah. In the morning, we have covered 7 pages (both sides). Granted, this is with all sorts of additional commentaries; but we haven’t moved far. Had the whole day been set up for this type of learning, many people would leave. So, the afternoon is dedicated for faster learning in the Gemara. A person can go through a page a day, if he knows what he’s doing.
Why is it set up in this way? In the morning a person is certainly accomplishing, but he doesn’t see it so easily. The afternoons are spent covering ground. Not only is he accomplishing, he can also see the accomplishment.
This is an important lesson. Yes, we are supposed be constantly moving up, but we should do it in an intelligent way. We are only human and we must acknowledge the fact that we have a natural desire to see accomplishment in our lives. This is not only proper education for us, but for when we deal with our children and students as well.
With that, I wish you a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Raising Our Children As Royalty
Friday, December 28, 2007 / 19 Teves 5768
My parents came in. I have to give over a chabura (class) to give next week in yeshivah, and I haven’t slept. As punishment, you don’t get an introduction"And the lad grew up, and he was to her as a son, and she called his name Moshe" (Shemos 2:10)
Ibn Ezra writes that it is possible that the reason Hashem had Moshe grow up in the palace of Pharaoh was so Moshe would experience how royalty behaves. This experience would serve Moshe in the future when he led the Jewish nation.
Rav Yeruchem Levovitz, whom I've been quoting quite often lately, comments that we learn a very powerful lesson here concerning how we raise our children.
As any leader of any Jewish group knows, being in charge of Jews is no simple manner. Ask any shul president.
However, despite the daily attacks and suffering he must bear; his demeanor and temperament must never waver.
Royalty, at least on the outside, demands that its bearer act in a refined manner at all times. If he is publicly insulted, he cannot simply turn around, lose his temper, and belt the person in the face. Rather, he must hold himself in control, smile to the public as nothing happened, and then two months later make sure the attacker had an 'mishap', which involved him accidentally shooting himself with a sniper rifle several times.
When we raise our children, we have two ways to go. We can make them feel worthless by showing them that we are worthless, by acting on impulse and living our lives without thought, or we can raise them like kings.
Rav Simcha Zissel of Kelm would wake up his children every morning by telling them gently, "Children, you are sleeping away when you have a kingdom to rule. The Almighty has made man ruler over the entire creation"
By acting as royalty, even within our homes, we ingrain our children with a sense of royalty. With that, they can earn their position of children of the King.
Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Playing with Children
Friday, January 16, 2009 / 20 Teves 5769
I can’t verify the validity of this story. However, I can confirm that this story was said by the commanding officer of the soldiers involved over the radio here in Israel. Most likely, the officers and/or soldiers involved were not religious, another thing to keep in mind.
--
The Israeli soldiers were going from house to house looking for terrorists the other night. Three times in the same night, at three different houses, a woman dressed all in black stopped them from entering. She pleaded with them not to go in. They listened to her and found out all three of the houses were rigged with tons of explosives. She saved a lot of our soldiers from dying. No one knows who she was. She disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. One soldier asked who are you, and she said Rachel and Rav Mordechai Eliyahu asked her to watch over them. Other soldiers heard her say this.
--
My friend’s relative over heard this on the radio and wanted to confirm the story. Since he was friendly with the family of Rav Eliyahu, he called up his daughter, who confirmed that over Chanukah, Rav Eliyahu went to the grave of Rochel Imeinu and davened for the protection of the soldiers.
Again, whether it’s true or not, I cannot say for sure. But stories like these in Israel’s wars are certainly not rare.
Okay, on to Torah!"And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one was Shifrah and the name of the second was Puah" (Shemos 1:15)
Rashi states that Shifrah was the second name for Yocheved, Moshe's mother. She was called Shifrah because she did beautifies (MeShaperet) for the infants in her care. Puah was another name for Miriam, Moshe's sister who would make sounds to comfort the crying babies.
Rav Yeruchem Levovitz comments that when the Torah uses a certain name for somebody, that name represents that person's essence.
Even though Yocheved and Miriam could have easily been called by their real names, the Torah wanted to emphasize the care that they gave the infants they watched over.
We see from here how important the Torah looks at even 'small' acts of kindness. Nothing, according to the Torah, is too small.
Rav Zelig Pliskin heard from a relative of the Chazon Ish that the Chazon Ish would bend over and have his nephews ride on his back. He also heard from a student of Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz that he once saw Rav Shmuelevitz playing hide and seek with his grandchildren.
When such great people are playing with young children, they are not just playing around. They are acting just like Hashem Himself, by helping develop a child who will give love and compassion for others.
Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Choose Your Environment
Friday, January 08, 2010 / 22 Teves 5770
"When Moshe asked Yisro to give him his daughter Tziporah as a wife, Yisro said, "Accept one thing which I shall tell you and I will give her to you" "What is it?" said Moshe. Yisro replied, "The son who will be born to you first shall be for idolatry from then on, for Heaven". He accepted this. Yisro said, "Take an oath on it," and he took an oath, as it says, 'vayoel Moshe". The word vayoel always means an oath." (Mechilta, Parshas Yisro)
Rav Eliyahu Dessler wrote that by "consenting" (the literal translation of vayoel), Moshe committed himself to Yisro's terms as if he took an oath.
It's somewhat unbelievable that such a conversation should take place, from both sides.
Concerning Moshe, it's an incredible thing that he would come to agree to Yisro's terms.
Concerning Yisro, it is said that he tried every form of idol worship to find the truth. Only after he tried everything, did he come to recognize Hashem.
Perhaps, Moshe thought that since Yisro was, at that time, on the verge of 'discovering' G-d, that he would easily retract on his side of the oath. However, we see that Moshe was still critisized for such a thing.
Moshe stayed with Yisro for 10 years before marrying Tziporah. Unfortunately, the environment had an effect on him, no matter how small, and he continued to live with Yisro. Because of this commitment, he was willing to take on further commitments, in which he would not have done previously. When he made that commitment (vayoel) it was practically an oath (vayoel), in which he would be forced to ride out the consequences.
What happened to Moshe's first born, Gershom? HIS son, became a priest of an idolatrous cult in Eretz Yisroel. In fact, if you look in Shoftim (Judges 18:30), you will see a similar language, used concerning Moshe's grandson; "he consented (vayoel) to stay with the man".
Moshe's consenting to stay in an environment which was on a lower level, forced him to lower his own level, even if it was a small amount, which resulted in further degradation of his descendants.
Concerning Yisro, it is asked, why, if he knew idolatry to be wrong, would he dedicate his first grandson to idolatry? The Sifsi Chachamim responds that you can read the condition not as, "The son who will be born to you first shall be for idolatry", but rather, "The son who will be born to you shall be first for idolatry", hinting that later he would be for Hashem. Why such a condition? Because Yisro wanted him to follow in his footsteps and try out everything else first and then on his own, return to Hashem.
However, we see the same theme being used here. Yisro, while his intentions were certainly noble, still erred.
One cannot put himself in an environment which is lower than he is and expect to come out on the same level he came in. If it happens, it happens. But nonetheless, a person should strive to live among bnei Torah who will help him and his descendents flourish in this world and the next.
Have a great Shabbos!While the world is covered in snow, we’re enjoying 70 degree weather. Unfortunately, it’s hard to enjoy it when you’re still suffering from a drought, the government starting to put heavy taxes on water usage to make money (G-d forbid it should go to water reclamation), and the water company itself increasing prices by 40%). However, it’s still nice to walk around without a jacket, knowing that everybody is freezing.
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Shemos: Kindess
Friday, February 19, 2010 / 5 Adar 5770
My friend and I were learning yesterday. As a was reading through a Rashi, I noticed that while he was looking at his Gemara, he wasn't paying any attention. Naturally, I stopped and obnoxiously asked him if he was interested in focusing in on our learning for once in his life.
The nice thing about us is that we both have the attention span of a newt, so this banter is not new.
He apologized and explained that he was thinking about a “mole saw” he recently saw. Just as I do computers on the side to support myself, he does carpentry.
He told me that a few years ago he was walking down the street, when a picture in a hardware store caught his attention. It was a "beautiful" (his words) drill with all sorts of thingies that I'm sure I would find fascinating, if I really cared about drills. He was so enamored by this piece of beauty, it took him 30 seconds or so to realize the other part of the picture... a not-so-dressed woman was holding the drill. There he was a nice, religious guy, standing in public starting at a photo of a not-so-dressed woman. He swears that he never noticed the woman, because frankly, the drill spoke more to his heart.
Nerd."The center crossbar shall go through the middle of the beams, from one end of the Mishkan to the other" (Shemos 26:28)
This week's parsha is the first dealing with the construction of the Mishkan, the predecessor to the Beis HaMikdash.
The Targum Yonoson writes that the center crossbeam that went through the length of the walls was made by wood from the trees that Avraham planted, so many centuries earlier.
Rav Mordechai Mann of Bnei Brak commented that these trees were planted by Avraham in order to shade guests and other wanderers. They were planted simply in order to provide kindness to others.
Rav Mann says that the reason these trees were used specifically, was to teach us that even while we are working in Torah and mitzvos, we need to never forget that we have to keep kindness and compassion in mind throughout the whole time.
I saw from Rav Pliskin, a story about Rav Akiva Eiger, who, when asked by a government official if he had any free time to meet him said, "I have no free time, but I always try to be courteous to my visitors".
Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Standing on Holy Ground
Friday, December 24, 2010 / 17 Teves 5771
A few weeks ago, I came home from shul after Shabbos to find my family sitting in the living room staring at the ceiling. Following their gaze, I saw a cockroach sitting there.
The Israeli Cockroach is something to behold. They are virtually indestructible, with the ability to grab small children and pull them down the sink drain to their evil lair.
While my wife froze, Chaim yelled: "Chaim get hammer!"
THIS is a warrior! Even though the girls outnumber the boys 3:2, with Chain’s testosterone level, the ration is 3:6.
We should have named him Chaim "Patton" Winner.
Thought the pink pajamas with flowers on them that he is currently wearing, probably wouldn't help the image.
Okay, on to Torah!"Do not come closer to here, remove your shows from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground" (Shemos 3:5)
A friend in yeshiva told me a nice piece on this pasuk in the name of the Chofetz Chaim.
Often time, people complain about their lot in life. They say things like, "If I had the mind of so-and-so" or "If I were born to such a family" or "If I had more money". With these excuses, they pardon themselves mentally from growing spiritually.
The Chofetz Chaim uses this pasuk to teach us differently.
"The place upon which you stand is holy". What is that place? The place in which Hashem put you. The place that which you are currently standing. THAT place is holy. Hashem put you in that specific situation because FOR YOU, it is holy, since it is your holy mission to make do with the tools you were given and to grow with them.
A person who was born rich, for example, might not have the spiritual mission to work on his emunah, while instead that might be the mission of the poor person. And if the poor person were to be born rich? It might be a setup for failure in his spiritual mission!
Each individual was put on earth with their specific spiritual goals. Included with these goals, are tools for that person to use, whether it be in the realm of health, wealth, family, children, IQ, etc...
Don't think you know what's best for you and that you know what tools you need. Hashem knows your goal and will give you the appropriate tools.
Sit back, be happy with what you have, WORK with what you have, and hopefully after 120 years, you'll return with a Mission Accomplished.
Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: The Rules of Davening
Friday, January 13, 2012 / 18 Teves 5772
How can people not live here?
The mikvah is a 20 minute walk from my house. Every erev Shabbos, I go to the store, which is half-way there, buy what I need for Shabbos, leave my cart, go to the mikvah, come back, pick up my cart, and walk back home.
Nearly every week, I meet the same person at the mikvah. Very sweet guy. Your stereotypical “working man sfardi”. Very nice, very friendly, very spiritual, yet you know, deep down inside, he probably knows enough kabala to turn you into a frog if you cross him. Every Thursday night, around 1am, he drives to Meron to learn until davening. After davening, he comes back, heads to the mikvah, and gets ready for Shabbos. He’s a great example on what a person should focus on in life.
As I was leaving the mikvah, he was coming in. I guess he was running a little late. He looked at me, handed over the keys to his car and said, “It’s raining out here. Go in the car, there are sfarim in the door, learn, and wait for me, and I’ll take you back right after”.
“Who is like you O’ Israel?”
“And they cried out” (Shemos 2:23)
Rav Meir Shapiro, the Rosh Yeshiva of Lublin yeshiva was renowned for his davening. He was once asked by one of his students, “If you spend so much time praying, doesn’t that affect the amount of time you are able to learn?”
Rav Shapiro replied, in the name of the Chasam Sofer, that if a person prays at length, his life is lengthened; and therefore if a person spends additional time praying, he is compensated for that time with the additional time he is given to live.
That is how Rav Shapiro viewed davening.
After several years, the level of the davening in the yeshiva decreased dramatically. People started to come late and leave early, there was walking around, some started to talk to others during that time, etc… In response, Rav Shapiro formed a committee consisting of some of the best students, to make new regulations intended to improve the situation.
They composed and circulated a strong-worded proclamation concerning this deterioration. Along with this, they made the following new rules that if not followed, would result in punishment:
1. The doors of the beis medresh/shul would be closed from the beginning of davening until after the end of davening
2. Every student in the yeshiva has to stand in his assigned place and not walk around during prayer.
3. Learning or looking in other books was prohibited during prayer.
4. Whoever was unable, for whatever reason, to attend the prayer services in the yeshiva had to receive prior permission from the committee.
THIS is how important proper davening is!
Can you imagine what would happen if your local shul made the above rules? Can you imagine that outcry against them? This is how far we have fallen in this realm.
Davening is one of the pillars of our relationship with Hashem. If you had to meet with somebody who was willing to give you a million dollars, would you be late to the meeting? Would you dress improperly? Would you speak to other people during this meeting? So how can we do such things when we’re speaking to the King of Kings?
May we use our davening opportunities this Shabbos as best as we can, showing up on time, not talking, davening clearly, and with as much concentration as possible.
Have a great Shabbos!
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Shemos: Using Each Moment
Friday, January 04, 2013 / 22 Teves 5773
I just made the mistake of asking Yoel the Grocer how he was doing.
When checking out, I asked, “HaKol B’Seder?” which loosely means, “How are you?” and literally means, “Is everything in order (b’seder)”.
He looked at me and said, “Of course it is! Is it possible that there is one moment in this world that is NOT b’seder (in order)? Only according to YOUR mind and YOUR plans, can you question if things are in order. But in the world of Hashem? OF COURSE everything is b’seder! He doesn’t make mistakes, He knows all that was, is, and going to be, and He has a plan for each and every one of us. So no matter what, everything is ALWAYS b’seder!
Who are the people in your neighborhood?...
Many times in life we are expecting or going through ‘great tests’ that will push us to our limits and, with success, help us propel upwards on the spiritual ladder. We focus so much on the ‘larger picture’ we sometimes slip and fall on the ‘smaller’ things. We say to ourselves, “How much will this sin really set me back? All in all, I will manage. True, a sin is destructive, but I will do teshuvah.”
Rav Shimshon Pincus discusses this attitude and explains that this thought that runs through a person’s head is really a rebellion against Hashem. A person with such thoughts goes through life thinking that ‘small’ moments here and there, don’t really matter to his overall plan in life. “Okay, so I waste this moment,” a person feels, “as long as in the end, I will get to where I want to go”.
The Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Tshuva, Chapter 4) teaches us that this idea, is so foreign to Judaism, that it’s almost impossible to do teshuvah (repent) for.
Our avodah, our work, in this world, is not only about the final outcome, but it’s about the journey. It’s about using every moment available for us for growth.
How does such thinking affect our lives? We see an example that stems from this week’s parsha. When Moshe came to the Burning Bush, the Torah says “Moshe covered his face.” (Shemos 3:6). We also see Moshe’s reluctance to work as Hashem’s messenger. Later, when in the desert, Moshe asks Hashem, “Please show me Your Glory”, and Hashem replied, “You cannot see My face”. The Yalkut Shemoni explains Hashem’s reply as follows: “Hashem said to Moshe: When I wanted, you didn’t want. Now that you want, I don’t want”.
“Sometimes,” says Rav Pincus, “a person doesn’t feel so much like learning, and he slacks off, figuring he’ll make it up later. Eventually, he decides he wants to get back into learning with energy once again. But at that point, who knows if a Heavenly voice might not declare, ‘When I wanted, you didn’t want. Now that you want… you will have to wait a little’.
We should try, as much as our energy allows us, to utilize every moment properly. We should not focus on the ‘big picture’, but rather focus on the small things, the ‘small’ opportunities that come our way to test us. A small test could ultimately lead to great rewards.
Have a great Shabbos!
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