Vezos Haberachah

It’s very strange.

You daven, daven, and daven… and after five years, you see positive results.

Thankfully, Gilad Shalit was released today in rather good condition, considering everything he went through. Of course, in return, Israel released 1000 Arab prisoners, many who have a lot of Jewish blood on their hands. It raises an interesting halachic question, whether one can make such a deal. Not only will this encourage more kidnappings, but these same “heroes of Gaza” will most likely be seen again. Either way, I would hate to be the ones making such a decision, since it’s undoubtedly a tough one to make.

At least he’s alive and well.
“And to Zevulun he said, ‘Rejoice Zevulun when you go out and Yissochor in your tent’” (Devarim 33:18)

We all know the famous partnership between the tribes of Yissochor and Zevulun. The tribe of Yissochor were in the kollel all day, while the tribe of Zevulun were merchants who worked throughout the day, sharing their income to support Yissochor. The equally famous dvar torah from the above pasuk is that Zevulun is mentioned first because without Zevulun’s income, Yissochor would not be able to sit and learn uninterrupted.

The Ohr HaChayim writes: “The reason Zevulun can feel joy in his going out to do business is because Yissochor is studying Torah in his tent. Since Zevulun is enabling Yissochor to study Torah with his business ventures, it elevates all that he does to make a profit into a mitzvah, and when one is engaged in a mitzvah one should feel joy.”

There is such a concept today as a “Yissochor and Zevulun” partnership, where one person takes on the financial burden of somebody learning full time. It’s not a simple matter of giving some money, but, I believe, he is obligated to give half of everything he makes to the person he is supporting. His whole reason d’etre of working is to support Torah.

Giving some money to help support Torah scholars is certainly a worthwhile endeavor. However, to dedicate one’s “working life” to help support Torah, while keeping only a little for his own personal needs, is completely different. When a person has that attitude, every second of the day he spends in his office, earns him a huge amount in the World to Come.

Have a great Shabbos and Yom Tov!

I love Sukkos here.

The weather, while certainly getting cooler, is nice. People are off from work or yeshiva. Everybody has a Sukkah up and lives in it throughout the week. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere. For me, I was happy because I was able to finally accomplish the goal that I set for myself two months ago. On the first day of Chol HaMoed, I bought a loaf of uncut white bread and sat down and ate it with butter, cottage cheese, and fruit juice. And just as my blood-sugar level dropped, I cleared the table, brought out the mattress and took a nap. Ahhhh….
Next vacation: Pesach.
“And there did not rise any more in Israel a Prophet like Moshe who knew the Almighty face to face. In all the signs and wonders which the Almighty sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great fearful acts which Moshe did before the eyes of all Israel” (Devarim 34:10-12)

I thought it appropriate to quote Rav Avigdor Miller in Rejoice O Youth for the last parsha in the Torah:

“The fact that such an expression is put at the very end of the Torah is evidence of it extremely great importance.

“Our records state that our entire nation, numbering in the millions, witnessed with their own eyes and ears the presence of the Almighty when He gave them His law at Har Sinai; and our writings do not record a single instance when anyone ever challenged these facts. Our records state that the plagues were openly visited upon Egypt, after being foretold they would come in a designated manner and at an appointed time, and they were experienced by the entire nation of Egypt and were witnessed by our entire multitude. Our records state that our entire nation witnessed the opening of the Red Sea, through which we passed and in which the Egyptians were drowned.

“For forty years thereafter our entire nation witnessed continually the cloud of glory by day and the pillar of fire by night, and for forty years every soul ate food which descended from the sky. These facts were not related to them by individuals but were witnessed by millions.

“The people were not docile, but stiff-necked; for they opposed their leaders on a number of occasions, and they accepted only what they saw. They accepted the Torah not because Moshe showed them miracles, but because they heard the voice of the Almighty speaking to them from Mt. Sinai.

“After receiving the Torah, they spent forty years in the wilderness in close cohesion, with almost no contact with other nations, so that they consolidated their knowledge of the Torah without infiltration of foreign influence. Because they had no lands to till and no commerce, they had sufficient leisure to study the Torah with the utmost diligence. Unlike man-made religions, the Torah was not preached by individuals who afterward succeeded in persuading or coercing multitudes. From the first day, the Torah was accepted by the entire nation without exception”

Have a great Shabbos and Simchas Torah! I’ll see you all back in Parshas Bereishis…