Terumah

This week the country woke up, for once, with a fresh breath of air.  Instead of hearing more and more news of how the world is turning against us, we also learned of the successful rescue (or "release," according to Al Jazeera), of two of the hostages.  It was a nice change to be able to speak positively about something in the news.  In fact, my wife used it as an excuse to make a nice meal for dinner.

What made it even more interesting was the story of how, not so long ago, the daughter of one of the hostages took upon herself to light Shabbos candles every week, and the son-in-law took it upon himself to put on tefillin every day.  This is the third such story which I have heard (and confirmed) where family members took upon themselves mitzvos in the merit of seeing their relatives released, and then actually seeing their relatives released.  It's fascinating, to say the least.

May we continue to hear such good news and to hear even more such stories.

"Make a rim of a hand’s breadth around it and make a gold molding for its rim round about"  (Shemos 25:25).

There are three utensils that reside in the Mishkan/Beis HaMikdash that have a "crown" of gold that goes around it: The Aron (which held the tablets of the Ten Commandments), the small Altar, which was used to offer different spices, and the Table, which held the bread that lasted from week to week.  All of these were kept in the second-most holy places in the Beis Hamikdash.  Each one of these represents the "three pillars of the world": Torah, Service, and Chesed.  They also represent the three crowns mentioned in Avos (4:13): The Crown of Torah, the Crown of Kahuna (the kohanim did the service in the Beis HaMikdash), and the Crown of Kingship.

The Crown of Torah goes to those who struggle and toil in their learning and understanding of the Torah.  The Crown of Service goes to those who try to be impeccable in everything they do, in order to serve Hashem properly.  However, why should the Table get a crown?  The Table represents livelihood, food, material things.  To make things even more interesting, according to many commentators, the Table not only had a crown around the rim, but it also had one further down, near the base.  So, out of the all the things to receive two crowns, why does the Table get it?  Not only that, but how does the crown of Torah relate to livelihood and material needs?

Rav Pincus posits (my new big word of the day), that the upper crown represents those who have money - a lot of it.  For those of us who are not in such situations, we don't understand the difficulties wealthy people have.  As we see in the outside world, wealthy people crave more wealth.  It's human nature.  For somebody whose ultimate goal is to live a spiritual life, having a lot of money could be a big temptation.  It's harder to give it away, even to worthy causes.  One never knows who their real friends are.  And, as noted, the temptation to spend more and more time to acquire more and more is a great temptation.   Another issue is using money in a legal manner, both according to Jewish and secular law.  So many people fail in this.  So, this upper crown is reserved for those wealthy people who use their wealth properly, and who remain focused on what their true mission is in this world.

The lower crown, represents … well … us!  We might not be the more financially affluent people around (and if you are, feel free to donate via PayPal 😊), so we don't have the same temptations as the wealthy do.  However, we also have what to work on with our physical lives.  For example, my Rosh Yeshiva once commented that the most dangerous animal in the world is a hungry man.  Woe to the woman whose husband comes home hungry and dinner is not ready!  That's why he always advised newly married men to always eat a small package of crackers before returning home in the evening.  At least with something in his stomach, he will have more control over himself, even if dinner is not yet ready.  And what do we do when we are hungry and food is served?  We quickly mumble a "bracha," eat like an animal, and mumble our way through Birkat Hamazon where we supposedly thank Hashem for giving us the food.  By controlling ourselves in such situations, for example, we rectify three things: One, we are making a proper bracha before eating.  Two, we eat like a mentch and not like a dog.  Three, we do the (Torah ordained) mitzvah of Birkat Hamazon, as fit for a servant of Hashem.  This idea is applicable in all aspects of livelihood and material needs.

When a wealthy person controls and conducts himself as a Torah Jew, despite whatever temptation he has; and when a not-so-wealthy person controls and conducts himself as a Torah Jew, they both receive the crown of Kingship.   He brings honor to himself, his family, and to his nation, and therefore is worthy of the crown of Torah.

Have a wonderful and quiet Shabbos.   

This week I had my yearly pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem, where I began the "Pesach Season" with baking our matzos for Seder night.  Since my wife had a business meeting there a day-and-a-half later, we decided to make it a small getaway before Purim/Pesach/Shavous/Summer season hits.  Naturally, we went to the Kosel, since it's been a while and while we were in the Old City, we decided to do some "People Watching."  And there is probably no better time to do that, than in the spring, when the weather is getting nicer (assuming of course there was a good winter, which there hasn't been).  Of course, there were tons of religious Christians making their pilgrimage through the Holy Land, and oodles of English speakers from all over.  My favorite was an older black couple, both draped in blue-stripped tallisim.  It was very tempting to ask them why they were wearing them, but common sense (for once) held me back.

At one point we found ourselves in the middle of a group of Christians from Arkansas (it was great to hear that accent again), and our Hebrew is just good enough to switch and talk to each other without their understanding.  A useful tool which we rarely use.  And no, we weren't saying anything bad.

As we were watching all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds and countries, I could hear the words of Dr. Seuss, "Oh the thinks you can think," running through my head.

Anybody who was once a Senior in high school is familiar with the term "Senioritis," which is a medical condition that most, if not all, seniors experience.  It's accompanied by such symptoms as "lets get this over with already" and "okay, most of my grades are in, who cares?" and "When can I start the next phase in life?"

All this is natural.  It's been a long three-and-a-half years, and they're ready to move on.  They need new challenges, new experiences … the old is boring.  They want to quickly get through the end and move on to new beginnings.

The cause of this is simple, as we stated.  There is a desire for newness.  And this is all fine and acceptable.  All healthy human beings crave newness.  I personally love having order in my life, but even within that order, if I were learning the same thing over and over again, or doing the same work over and over again, I would go crazy (or crazier).

Yet, the Torah takes a slightly different view on what to do about "the end."  People are happy to leave the boring "old" and move on to the exciting "new," but we have this month called Adar, which is at the end of our year, and teaches us something important.

The Gemara famously states, "when Adar enters, we increase simcha," and the cause of this simcha is Purim.  On Purim, due to the amount of sin we committed, the Jewish nation was sentenced to annihilation.  Only through teshuvah did Hashem step in and reverse the situation.  We saw the "revival of the dead" with our own eyes.  And this month carries that power throughout the ages.

While the high school senior wants to skip the last half of their last year, we look at Adar as an opportunity, to renew the year at the last moment, to give life to a year that might not have been so lively (spiritually speaking).  By putting extra energy into our learning and into the mitzvos we do in this month, we receive extra help from Above, to rejuvenate a year of stagnation.  We don't want to skip the end, since the end has power to raise us to new heights.  And when we start the new year, in another month, we will start on a much higher stage than we were at 31 days earlier.

Purim, and the entire month of Adar, is a month of "newness," which gives us the power to revive the spiritual dead within ourselves.  By using it properly, with simcha, we can attain growth that is very difficult to achieve any other time of the year.

With that, I wish you all a wonderful Shabbos and a wonderful month of Adar!  

The Gemara (Shabbos 118b) states, "Whoever recites Hallel every day, defames in the name of G-d."

Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter, the head of the Breslov community in Yerushaliyim, asks the famous question, "WHY?"  If anything, that person should be praised.  Isn't praising Hashem one of our "jobs"?

He explains that Hashem interacts with our world in two different ways.  One, through natural means.  In this way, we cannot always see Hashem's hand in things, and when we can, it is more often than not, after the fact and connecting the dots.  The second way is through direct "Divine Intervention," otherwise known as miracles.  To us, there is a huge difference.  To Hashem, there is none.

Hallel is customarily recited to commemorate the second, more miraculous way.  When a person focuses on only that aspect, he is in essence saying, "Hashem only interacts with us when He needs to, but in general, He doesn't deal with us every day."  And when a person says that, he is "limiting" Hashem's power, defaming His name.

In the first brachah of Shemoneh Esrei, we refer to Hashem as "Ozer U'moshiah," a "helper" and a "deliverer."  When He interacts with us through natural means, He is a "helper."  When he goes beyond nature, He is a "deliverer."

The Gemara (Brachos 4a) says that had the Jewish people been worthy, they would have returned to Eretz Yisroel (from Babylon) in the same miraculous way as they had originally entered in the days of Yehoshua.

When they originally conquered the land under Yehoshua, the Jordan River split for them, the walls of Yericho fell for them, the sun and the moon stayed in their place for them.  Their conquest was made through miracles.

When they returned to build the Second Beis HaMikdash, they were led by Ezra, and only with permission from the Persian king.  Everything was done via natural events.

And in case you didn't notice, "Yehoshua" is from the word "deliverer" and "Ezra" from the word "helper."

When we are on a high level, whether nationally or individually, we merit to see more Divine Interaction.  When we are on a lower level, we see Hashem through natural means.

But what's most important to remember, is that it's all the same to Hashem.  He will continue to interact with us on a daily, and mundane level, even if we don't always live up to His expectations.

With that, I wish you all a wonderful Shabbos!

Since Pesach, all Israelis are required to wear masks in public (i.e. out of the house).  It's annoying, but, it's been part of life.

This week, the Kollel made a private rule stating that anybody who is at least one week past his second vaccine shot does not need to wear a mask within the Kollel.  It was my first time in nearly a year seeing people's faces.  What a relief!

I know this whole thing is not over.  We have no idea what will be.  But, when given the opportunity to "relax" the rules in a safe environment, you have to take it and enjoy it.

Just a warning.  This is a Winner Original and may or may not be true.  Any spiritual punishment you earn for reading and believing it is on your head.  You have been warned.

When discussing the Aron which held the two tablets which Hashem gave to Moshe, there is a strange redundancy.  In the 16^th pasuk of the chapter, Moshe is commanded to place the tablets in the Aron, "You shall put into the Aron the Testimony that I shall give to you."

Six pesukim later, the Torah relates the exact same commandment, "You shall place the lid on the Aron from above, and into the Aron you shall put the Testimony that I shall give you."

Even Rashi seems to be baffled by this.  He suggests that based on the verses, that the commandment is a bit more specific than we initially think.  Really, we are to first put in the tablets and only THEN put the covering on the Aron, and NOT put the covering on, then lift it off, and then put in the tablets.  It's a good explanation.  But my question is: why?

Another strange anomaly: In verse 40, at the end of the description of the Menorah, the Torah gives a reminder to make the Menorah exactly as it was shown to Moshe on Mt. Sinai, "See and construct, according to their form that you are shown on the mountain." Only regarding the Menorah, do we see such a specific commandment.

I think it's possible to connect these two ideas.  The Aron represents the Written Torah, that is why it contains the two tablets.  And with the Written Torah, once it's "in." it's "in."  There is no going back and adding or subtracting.  It's a "closed book" if you will.  That is why Hashem commanded that they be put in and then covered up, never to be opened again.  It's a warning: the Written Torah is not to be "played" with.  The Christians came and added to it.  So did the Muslims.  The Reform don't even recognize the Author, so they cut and paste it as they see fit.  But in truth, we are being warned against any of these ideas.

The Menorah, on the other hand, represents the Oral Law.  It represents the Mesorah, the tradition, that we have passed down uninterrupted for 3300 years.  The Oral Law is something that we do "play with."  We sit and learn it with the Written Law, and we work hard to understand it and apply it to our lives.  We (or at least those trained to) can use it and apply it to different situations, which enables us to keep the Torah no matter where or when we live.  However, the Torah is warning us that even if it's been passed down Orally, we have an obligation to keep it "just as you saw it on the mountain."  We cannot start changing how we learn the Oral Law or use it in a twisted and perverse manner.  There are rules and regulations on how we use it.

I once read a "thesis" of a certain Reform rabbi who wanted to say that tattoos are perfectly acceptable by Jewish law.  Not only that, he claimed, but the Gemara clearly shows it.  He brought in "proofs" from the Gemara itself, with a few mistranslations and interesting "interpretations" and "theories."  But like all such "Jewish law" that they pass, it's not based on Mesorah, tradition, of what was learned at Sinai, rather it was based on "personal interpretations," which are really just what the person wants to do at that moment, and wants to find a way to allow it, no matter how far-fetched it is.

I don't know if what I wrote was on "Hashem's mind" at the time, but I think the lesson is still a good one.  We must remain vigilant not to touch the Written Law and remain careful to make sure that the Oral Law continues to be the same as the one spoken "at the mountain."  That is how it has been for 3300 years, and that is how it will always continue.

Have a wonderful Shabbos! 

My weekly editor is Missing In Action, so I apologize for any grammatical issues.

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My son has a very good rebbe this year, which is good, since last year was a bit… rough.

With the beginning of Adar and the mitzvah to increase one’s happiness beginning (either this Adar or next, is a question), his rebbe decided that he will allow certain students to be the rebbe and there will be appointed troublemakers to cause that ‘rebbe’ trouble.  Of course, he had a whole set of rules in place, so things would run smoothly.  The ‘rebbe’ had to know his lesson well and give it over.  The troublemakers as well, are limited in causing the ‘rebbe’ no more trouble that they would the real one.

One of the things his rebbe would joke about is his dandruff problems that he gets in the winter (it’s good to be a man… everything is so open).  So one of the ‘rebbes’ asked if he could put some flour on his jacket the next day when he’s the ‘rebbe’, just like the real rebbe.  He laughed and gave him permission and told him  that it was a great idea.

It’s nice to see a fifth grade boys’ teacher have such a good handle on his students.  And as a parent, I appreciate my son coming home happy everyday knowing and enjoying his learning.

“Take My offering from everyone whose heart impels him to give” (Shemos 25:2)

I’ve been listening to more talks from the Mosghiach.  I miss them.

This week’s parsha begins the description and building of the Mishkan.  It was to serve as a temporary and mobile “mini-Beis HaMikdash” until the Beis HaMikdash itself was to be built by Shlomo HaMelech.  It’s interesting to note that the Mishkan, which was supposed to be temporary and have less holiness than the Beis HaMikdash, was, unlike the Beis HaMikdash itself, never destroyed.  It was captured in its history, and relocated many times.  But it never was destroyed.  Rather, it was hidden away when the Beis HaMikdash was built (Of course, anybody who has seen Indiana Jones, KNOWS that the Aron (Ark) is hidden away in some warehouse in Washington DC).  

What was the difference between the two? While did the permanent building get destroyed and the temporary building survive?  What was the key to that survival?

When Shlomo HaMelech built the Beis HaMikdash, he naturally wanted the “best of the best”.  He found the best workers from all around, it did not matter whether they were Jewish or not.  He wanted only the best, paid the best, and received the best.  How was the Mishkan built?  By former slaves who barely had any skills.  How was the Beis HaMikdash paid for?  Taxes.  What about the Mishkan?  Donations.

When a person wants success in life, and while I’m focusing more on the spiritual rather than the physical, it certain applies to the physical as well.  A person’s TRUE want has a tremendous impact on the amount of Heavenly Help, he receives.  The Mishkan was paid by people who WANTED to donate and was built by people who WANTED to build it.  The Beis HaMikdash on the other hand was paid via taxes and built by people who looked at is as another well-paying job.

If a person wants help in his growth, the greater his desire for it, the greater the help and everlasting affects.

So too with Jewish education.  The success in transmitting Torah ideas from parents to children, depends a lot on the true desire that the parents themselves have for growth in Torah.

Once my Rosh Yeshiva was invited to speak to an audience of soon-to-be Jewish Outreach professionals.  The person who invited him to speak, knew that he didn’t hold anything back, and that’s why he specifically asked him to speak.  Needless to say, the Rosh Yeshiva would smile and remark afterwards that he didn’t make too many friends there.  His main point was very clear: Before you go out and bring people closer to Judaism… how strong are YOU in your Judaism?  Are you leaving the yeshivah/kollel, because you have no choice, or because you actually WANT to?  Because your success is fully dependent on your REAL spiritual level.

I’ve seen this first hand with parents and ‘outreach professionals’.  They are, in general, successful in bringing up their children/students to be no higher than themselves.  On the other hand, I have seen many parents, who are not the most knowledgeable people, but with a real desire to grow, raise Bnei Torah.  Much of one’s (biological or spiritual) children’s growth is dependent on that of their parents.  Of course, there are many other factors involved, so parents cannot always take the credit or the blame… however; this is one of the basic principles that I’ve seen.

The first part of making anything in life last long, is the heart of the individual.  The more he or she strives to grow, and are willing to put in, the longer lasting the effects.

Have a great Shabbos!

My weekly editor is Missing In Action, so I apologize for any grammatical issues.

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My son has a very good rebbe this year, which is good, since last year was a bit… rough.

With the beginning of Adar and the mitzvah to increase one’s happiness beginning (either this Adar or next, is a question), his rebbe decided that he will allow certain students to be the rebbe and there will be appointed troublemakers to cause that ‘rebbe’ trouble.  Of course, he had a whole set of rules in place, so things would run smoothly.  The ‘rebbe’ had to know his lesson well and give it over.  The troublemakers as well, are limited in causing the ‘rebbe’ no more trouble that they would the real one.

One of the things his rebbe would joke about is his dandruff problems that he gets in the winter (it’s good to be a man… everything is so open).  So one of the ‘rebbes’ asked if he could put some flour on his jacket the next day when he’s the ‘rebbe’, just like the real rebbe.  He laughed and gave him permission and told him  that it was a great idea.

It’s nice to see a fifth grade boys’ teacher have such a good handle on his students.  And as a parent, I appreciate my son coming home happy everyday knowing and enjoying his learning.

“Take My offering from everyone whose heart impels him to give” (Shemos 25:2)

I’ve been listening to more talks from the Mosghiach.  I miss them.

This week’s parsha begins the description and building of the Mishkan.  It was to serve as a temporary and mobile “mini-Beis HaMikdash” until the Beis HaMikdash itself was to be built by Shlomo HaMelech.  It’s interesting to note that the Mishkan, which was supposed to be temporary and have less holiness than the Beis HaMikdash, was, unlike the Beis HaMikdash itself, never destroyed.  It was captured in its history, and relocated many times.  But it never was destroyed.  Rather, it was hidden away when the Beis HaMikdash was built (Of course, anybody who has seen Indiana Jones, KNOWS that the Aron (Ark) is hidden away in some warehouse in Washington DC).  

What was the difference between the two? While did the permanent building get destroyed and the temporary building survive?  What was the key to that survival?

When Shlomo HaMelech built the Beis HaMikdash, he naturally wanted the “best of the best”.  He found the best workers from all around, it did not matter whether they were Jewish or not.  He wanted only the best, paid the best, and received the best.  How was the Mishkan built?  By former slaves who barely had any skills.  How was the Beis HaMikdash paid for?  Taxes.  What about the Mishkan?  Donations.

When a person wants success in life, and while I’m focusing more on the spiritual rather than the physical, it certain applies to the physical as well.  A person’s TRUE want has a tremendous impact on the amount of Heavenly Help, he receives.  The Mishkan was paid by people who WANTED to donate and was built by people who WANTED to build it.  The Beis HaMikdash on the other hand was paid via taxes and built by people who looked at is as another well-paying job.

If a person wants help in his growth, the greater his desire for it, the greater the help and everlasting affects.

So too with Jewish education.  The success in transmitting Torah ideas from parents to children, depends a lot on the true desire that the parents themselves have for growth in Torah.

Once my Rosh Yeshiva was invited to speak to an audience of soon-to-be Jewish Outreach professionals.  The person who invited him to speak, knew that he didn’t hold anything back, and that’s why he specifically asked him to speak.  Needless to say, the Rosh Yeshiva would smile and remark afterwards that he didn’t make too many friends there.  His main point was very clear: Before you go out and bring people closer to Judaism… how strong are YOU in your Judaism?  Are you leaving the yeshivah/kollel, because you have no choice, or because you actually WANT to?  Because your success is fully dependent on your REAL spiritual level.

I’ve seen this first hand with parents and ‘outreach professionals’.  They are, in general, successful in bringing up their children/students to be no higher than themselves.  On the other hand, I have seen many parents, who are not the most knowledgeable people, but with a real desire to grow, raise Bnei Torah.  Much of one’s (biological or spiritual) children’s growth is dependent on that of their parents.  Of course, there are many other factors involved, so parents cannot always take the credit or the blame… however; this is one of the basic principles that I’ve seen.

The first part of making anything in life last long, is the heart of the individual.  The more he or she strives to grow, and are willing to put in, the longer lasting the effects.

Have a great Shabbos!

It’s strange.  What you see on the news, we sort of see live.

Last Shabbos, I was up early and saying brachos at home.  I suddenly heard an explosion-like thump.  Enough to make me stop and wonder what just happened.  Turns out an F-16 went down around that time.

Now, all week, we’re hearing low-flying F-16s.

Pretty cool.

As long as it stays cool J

“…from every man whose heart will motivate him you shall take My portion” (Shemos 25:2).

My wife knows a Rebbetzin who's gone through . . . quite a bit.  She was born and raised in Israel, has been through several wars, including being behind Syrian lines during one of them, and is one of those people who stories always happen to.

She recently said in a class that when she was younger and living in the Golan Heights, they had an old woman as a neighbor.  She wasn’t religious, but very Zionistic.  She would often sit on the front porch of this neighbor and hear her stories and talk with her.  One of the things the woman would always say is how she’s a proud Zionist and those who call themselves Zionists, but live outside of Israel, are nothing but fakers.

Just recently, this woman passed away at the age of 102.  The Rebbetzin felt that she should go to the funeral, and headed north to attend.  She was in for a shock when she got there and found the funeral was full of former Prime Ministers and heads of Mossad and Army Intelligence (of course she knows who they are . . . the army sends her to "hot zones" to help calm down civilians).  She was obviously trying to figure out why so many big shots were there.  It turned out that this old woman was some big time Mossad agent, back in the day.

She said to her class that she never likes hearing from secular Jews, “I have a Jewish heart,” or “I have a Jewish soul,” as if that’s all there is to being Jewish.  It’s not, and it’s only a “cop-out” from actually having to do mitzvos.  We don’t just have “Jewish hearts.”  Being Jewish means . . . BEING Jewish . . . LIVING as a Jew.

She explained that when a Jew works on internal values, in the end, there will always be action involved.  If, for example, a person is working on faith in Hashem, in the end, they might have better davening or feel more calmer in troubled times, etc.

This woman believed in Zionism.  It was something that was extremely important to her.  To the point that if you believe something, you need to act on it.  And she did.  She moved here from outside of Israel and lived her life here.  And why did she scorn “Zionists” living abroad?  Because she understood that if you BELIEVE something, you should ACT on it.

But it goes even deeper.

Older people tend to ramble on about stories (especially glorious ones) about their past.  Yet, not once did this woman give any hint to her “secret identity.”  She truly believed in her beliefs, and THAT led to action, by keeping quiet after so many years.

When a Jew has a “Jewish heart,” that means there will be action to follow.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

mwinner@frum.org

Every year, or twice a year, there are different “in” things in the boys and girls school.

Last year for the boys was some weird game with a ball and stick. The year before, “Rebbe cards.” This year is: Rubik's Cube. You’re simply not a boy if you don’t have it.

So, we bought Mr. Seven-Year-Old a cheap one, which shortly broke. We then bought another one, which broke even quicker. So, my wife began the hunt for the Official Rubik's Cube, which is better built. Store after store, she searched high and low. At two stores, the women behind the counter yelled, “What is it with you Chareidim and the Rubik's Cube! You’re the tenth person to come in just today!”

I’ll take Rubik's Cube addiction over Smartphone addiction any day, lady.

Okay, on to Torah!
“Take My offering (vayikchu li) from everyone whose heart impels him to give . . .”

There are many midrashim on commentaries on the first words of this pasuk, Vayikchu li, “take from me.” One Midrash notes that it can be read, “Take Me . . .” and explains that when somebody sells a product, he sells the product and that’s it. For example, if you go to a car dealer and buy a car, you’re walking around with just the car. If you were to turn around to the dealer and say, “Okay, let’s go . . . you can drive me home now,” he’ll think you’re crazy. You bought the car! He doesn’t come with it!

With the Torah, it’s different. “Take Me” says Hashem. When a person learns, he doesn’t only get the Torah, but he also “takes” Hashem with it. My Rosh Yeshiva would say, though, that this is on condition. If one learns Torah for the intellectual sake, he isn’t going to have Hashem as part of his life. However, if he learns in order to properly do, THEN Hashem will be part of the deal.

He continued to explain (in a talk given to kollel members), that there are two types of people found in a kollel. Bnei Torah and Bnei HaRachov (‘people of the street’). Perhaps they are indistinguishable, they look alike, sound alike, and perhaps both learn 10 hours a day. But the one who internalizes his learning and allows it to change him, HE is the Ben Torah, and HE has Hashem.

A great example of this difference just occurred in my life.

In general, what people do is their business. I don’t get involved and try to tell people where they need improvement. However, six months ago, I broke that rule. We have Chareidi neighbors, and the eldest is a 14-year-old boy who’ve I already tagged as my future son-in-law. This year was his first year away in yeshiva. I started to notice when he came back for the first break, that he was coming late to minyan in the morning. If it was anybody else, I wouldn’t have said a thing. But, he IS my future son-in-law, and more importantly, he is somebody with potential to make something of himself. So, one day I pulled him aside and told him that I’m not allowing him to start slacking off and he needs to start being more punctual. He listened, and said, “You’re right. What time should I be there at?” I replied, “10 minutes before davening. Minimum.” Thankfully, to this day, every time he’s been back, he’s been on time to Shachris.

On the other hand . . .

This past week was a rough week for our 6:30 a.m. minyan. The rav was out of town, and the minyan was weaker than ever. Twice we had to wait to continue since people came so late, they were putting on their tefillin when we should have been starting the brachos of Shema. At one point last Friday morning, I had had enough, banged on the bima, quoted the Mishnah Brurah that spoke of the importance of coming to minyan on time and saying ALL of Pesukei D’zimra IN ORDER AND PROPERLY, and finished with, “Listen, I’m not your Moshgiach (spiritual advisor), and I couldn't care less what you do . . . but there are four (FOUR?!) people who come to this minyan and are ready on time regularly, and it’s not fair to us that we have to wait for you.”

Somebody, who knows more than I and shouldn’t be asking such questions, asked me after davening to show him the halacha. He said it, smiled, and said, “This is talking about the importance of not skipping parts, not necessarily about the MINYAN starting on time” (You can see where we’re going with this guy). After Shabbos, he made another quip (and believe it or not, he IS a nice guy), about whether I’m going to bring any more halachos in the morning. I told him that there is a very scary Gemara that deals exactly with this issue in Brachos. He asked me to show him, and I told him that I will have the source the next morning.

The next morning came, and I showed him where the gemara was (Brachos 6b, by the way) along with the Maharshal and the Meiri on that particular gemara. Simply put, the gemara says that Hashem gets angry at a minyan when He comes on time, yet the members of the minyan itself, do not. The Maharshal adds that even if they have nine people, Hashem gets angry. And the Meiri adds that their behavior shows that they are very distanced from “Love of Hashem.” I underlined that for him, and gave it to him on Sunday morning. He took it and thanked me.

He still continues to show up late.

Two people. If you were to look at them, you would think that this person, who’s a few years my senior, is going up the ladder, while the 14-year-old is just starting off, and we’ll see where he is going.

Just the opposite. The 14-year-old is going somewhere, while this other individual is stalled.

“Take Me,” says Hashem. Don’t take the Torah and use it as some intellectual wisdom. Use it to make real changes in your life, and you will gain Hashem Himself as part of the deal.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

A lesson I’ve learned several times after moving away from the “Torah center” of Eretz Yisroel is always check the hechsharim of food produce . . . ESPECIALLY during shmittah.

As we know, during Shmittah, it is forbidden to work the land, and one must let it rest and make the fruits and vegetables open to the public to take for free.

There is something here called Heter Mechirah. Basically, it’s when a Jewish farmer “sells” his land to an Arab for two years (one year of Shmittah for the vegetables and the year after, when the fruits are Shmittah), and then afterwards the land goes back to him. During this time, he works the field as usual, and that’s that. Needless to say, it’s rather controversial (and no, it’s not comparable to selling one’s chametz to a non-Jew).

It’s a big, long story, but it goes back to the 1880s when the original charedi yeshuvim did not know what to do with Shmittah, since it was literally a life and death situation not to farm and grow food. The charedi rabbis were split on this issue. Some tried to make this heter mechira (“permission to use the land through sale”) because of the situation, and some maintained that it was impossible. Both sides included big people, and nobody was looking for any excuses not to keep Shmittah. Even those who believed it was possible to sell the land under such conditions believed that such a leniency was only temporary and should not be used in a permanent way. In fact, Rav Kook himself wrote, “Did I not repeatedly state that this rule is only temporary and only as need and when the necessity is great? Far be it from me to uproot such a great mitzvah such as the sanctity of Shmita without great necessity . . . that people would die, G-d forbid, from starvation without work or a means of sustenance . . .” (Igrot Hare’iyah II #555)

Either way, today the sale is still being used as a permanent thing. Some say so we don’t buy from and support Arabs (yet, they do by hiring them for work, shopping at stores that hire them, pay taxes that pay for Arab workers, buy homes that are built by them, buy vegetables from them during the other six years, pay taxes to the government that give money to them . . .). Some say it’s okay since many of the farmers are not religious and will be farming anyhow, so we should at least “minimize the damage” (I personally prefer this reasoning). Either way, the vast majority of chareidi and a good number of religious Zionist rabbis (don’t know the numbers from them) hold that heter mechirah today should not be relied upon. Therefore, like any other produce that is illegally farmed on Shmittah, it has the status of “not kosher,” just like a chicken and cheese sandwich. And since that is what my rabbeim hold, so do I.

That being, I bought a package of potato chips last Thursday for Shabbos. When I got home, I opened the package, ate two, and was closing it to put away . . . THEN I realized they were heter mechirah chips. Now, I’m in a bind. On one hand, for me they are treif. On the other hand, they have the sanctity of Shmittah, and I cannot do anything to ruin them. So, now I have to find a nice safe, out-of-the-way place to keep them for the next who knows how long until they spoil. After they spoil, they lose their kedushah, and I can throw them away. Nor can I sell them, since I cannot do business with Shmitah produce.

I was a bit annoyed at myself for not being more careful, until a certain talmid chacham told me that he bought heter mechira jam last Shmittah, and it’s still sitting in his apartment.

Only in Eretz Yisroel!
“And they shall make for Me a Sanctuary” (Shemos 25:8)

This week’s parsha begins to describe the construction of the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash. The Gemara in Megillah 29a learns out from a pasuk in Yechezkel, that today’s shuls, yeshivas, and battei medreshot (places to learn Torah) have the status of a “small Beis HaMikdash.”

Rav Pincus said that this is not just a cute hint to the sanctity of the shul, but it is actually a halachic issue. The way we treat our shuls and yeshivos are a matter of Jewish law straight from the Torah (as opposed to rabbinic), not a matter of simply “what’s nice.”

The Chofetz Chaim writes in the name of Sefer Yareiyim that one is obligated to have fear of Heaven in the shul and not joke around, and this is a Torah obligation.

Therefore, one must be careful on how we treat our shuls and yeshivos. Our conversations should be self-monitored and our conduct should be befitting as if we were in the Beis HaMikdash itself.

One (and one’s children) should also be careful to throw away their garbage when they are done. One should return books to their places when they are done, so it looks clean and others can use them when they are needed. There are many things one can do to fulfill this particular mitzvah.

When the Jewish nation was in the desert, they donated gold and silver and used their talents to build the Mishkan. So too, throughout the generations, we have donated our money and talents to our shuls to keep them running smoothly and looking properly.

One need not go farther than their local Sphardi shul to see how to perform this mitzvah properly. For whatever reason, the Sphardim are very particular about this.

In fact, when we were living in Yerushaliyim, we lived on a street where there several “not-so-high-class” Sphardim. I remember one teenager (I named him “Elvis” in my head, since it looked like he was trying to copy him a bit), who was not the most religious person, if he was religious at all. The whole family was like this . . . not such a simple case.

Either way, most of the time, he spent outside “being cool” with his friends. However, I remember him once coming into shul for something, and he was literally a completely different person. No attitude was etched on his face, he was modest, he was quiet. It was interesting to see such a change.

May we all learn this lesson from such a person, the importance of guarding the sanctity of our shuls.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

This week's parsha is TERUMAH, not Mishpatim, as the dvar Torah was filed under.

Boy, things get more and more interesting here.

The Tal Law was recently ruled illegal by the Supreme Court. For those not familiar, the Tal Law is the law that gives yeshivah students the right to defer military service as long as they are sitting and learning Torah in the yeshivah. It ALSO is the framework for the Hesder program, which is used by the Religious Zionist camp, where you serve X amount of months and then learn for Y amount of months. This is coming off the heels of reports of ‘glass ceilings’ that growing amount of religious (-zionist) officers have been constantly encountering, the ruling of the new chief rabbi of the army that a commander’s orders over rules Torah, the fact that ‘ultra-orthodox-only’ battalions aren’t necessarily so, and the backing out of certain deals that the army has made with religious soldiers in regard to their service.

So… officially, everybody is required to join the army. Unofficially, the large amount of secular draft-dodging will continue, the Chareidim will continue to fight it, and the Religious Zionists? I’m not sure at this moment, but given the growing points of contention between their yeshivahs and the government over the years, and the growing amount of ‘anti-government’ sentiments since Gush Katif; I wouldn’t be surprised to see them fight as well. From what I’ve seen so far, I think we’ll be seeing more of a united front between the Chareidim and the serious members of the Religious Zionists.

Should be interesting to watch!

Okay, on to Torah!

“…and ram skins that are dyed red, and techashim skins, and shittim wood…” (Shemos 25:5)

“From where did they have shittim wood in the wilderness? R’ Tanchuma explained: Our forefather, Yaakov, foresaw through Divine inspiration that Israel was destined to build a Mishkan in the wilderness. He brought shittim trees to Egypt and planted them. He commanded his sons to take them with them when they would depart from Egypt” (Rashi)

I heard a small yet wonderful piece from Rav Pomerantz, who recently passed away after a brief fight with cancer. I had the honour of learning one on one with Rav Pomerantz for at least a year when I was living in Chicago and was close to him and his family. Chicago, in fact the whole Jewish world, took a big loss with his death. He was a person who always looked for the good in people and in situations. He never backed down from truth and would never compromise Torah principles, and at the same time he would make everybody comfortable around him and want to learn from him.

Anyhow… Rav Pomerantz quoted Rav Chaim Shmuelevitch who said that the more kedusha (holiness) that a person puts into something, the longer it lasts. That is why the Mishkan, which was built from these trees and all the instruments that were made by Moshe Rabbeinu and that generation, were never destroyed. They were ultimately hidden away before the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. And who built the Beis HaMikdash? While Shlomo HaMelech oversaw it, much of the actual building was not done by Jewish hands. Hence it lacked the kedusha, which in turn, lacked immortality.

Anything that we do runs with this principle. When we create a family, the more kedusha we introduce to it, the longer-lasting that kedusha will be. So too is the opposite. Everything we create works this way, and that is why we should try our best to do things with as much kedusha as possible. With that, we will hopefully ‘live’ eternally.

Have a great Shabbos!

This Shabbos is the first day of the month of Adar. This year we are lucky to have two months of Adar, followed by Nissan. That means we have a three month period where miracles are more likely to happen and where we can more easily come closer to Hashem.

Here in Israel, we had our first back-to-back-to back days of rain of the winter, which has been horrific, rain-wise. Hopefully, we can receive extra rain over the next two and half months before Pesach to make up for such terrible losses.

In the meantime, with Adar in the air, Eretz Yisroel starts to turn a little greener (hopefully) and you certainly feel the simchos of Purim and Pesach approaching.

Okay on to Torah!
Throughout this week’s parsha, we go through the descriptions of all the instruments used in the Mishkan, the predecessor to the Beis HaMikdash.

Going through them, we notice that many of the heavier objects have poles attached to them so they can be carried in the desert. All of these instruments were to have their poles removed when not travelling, with the exception of the aron, which was considered the holiest object and contained the Ten Commandments inside.

Rav Shlomo Ganzfried gave an explanation of this based off of the famous Gemara in Sotah (35a) which says that while it appeared as though those who carried the aron were transporting it, in face a miracle occurred and the aron was actually carrying them.

Rav Ganfried explained that those who were 'carrying' the aron were representing those who support Torah learning. While it does indeed seem as if THEY are supporting Torah, the reality is that it is the Torah learning that is supporting them.

This is a big surprise to some. Who supports the supporters when they need supporting? Those who are being supported…

Interesting point to ponder.

One of the bigger donors of Ponevitch yeshiva once approached Rav Schach. He told the rav that he was considering selling off his business in order to sit and learn full time.

Rav Shach responded, "If you want to do this to enjoy the pleasure of learning in this world, by all means, sell your company. However, if you want to have it all in the World to Come, keep your business and continue to support the yeshiva, for your share in Torah is most likely greater than mine".

He continued and explained that when a person supports Torah learning, he will receive that Torah as a reward in the next world. If a person supports somebody with all his needs for one year, everything that person learned during that year, will not only be credited to the donor's 'account', but in the next world, the donor himself will know that same Torah. The more he supports, the more he receives.

The Torah is the center of Jewish life. Everybody is obligated to learn it as much as he is able, in order to bring themselves closer to Hashem. While most people are not cut out to sit and learn a full day, everybody is cut out to help support Torah in one way or another.

Have a great Shabbos!