232. Oneg Miketz

Issue

232

‫בס"ד‬

‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬ ‫מוצאי שבת ר"ת‬

‫מוצאי שבת‬

‫ חנוכה‬- ‫מקץ‬

‫ל' כסלו תש"פ‬ 28 Dec 2019

‫קבלת שבת‬

JLM

MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSGW

GHD

MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSGW

GHD

MAN

LON

6.02

5.08

5.10

5.23

5.07

4.57

4.51

4.58

4.56

4.06

3.53

3.33

3.28

3.39

3.41

You only sing when you’re winning!

Rabbi Mashiach Kelaty Rabbi, Stanmore United Synagogue Sephardi Kehilla

There can be no one as discerning and as wise as you.

(41:39)

Yosef had just successfully interpreted Pharaoh’s dream. He informed the Egyptian ruler that he would be the sole distributor of food for the entire world. Pharaoh’s reaction is, at best, enigmatic. He praises Yosef, but in the name of G-d (Elokim).

According to one opinion in the Gemara, this Pharaoh was the same one that enslaved the Jews in the time of Moshe Rabbenu. When he was asked to release the Jewish slaves in the name of Hashem, his reaction was altogether different: “Who is this Elokim?” He looked in his book of deities (every self-respecting idolator has one – it’s a sort of Idiots Guide To gods) but Hashem’s name didn’t appear there.

Why on earth would he be praising Yosef in the name of Hashem one minute, and then years later, denying Him completely?

To answer this, I wish to cite an incident in the Gemara which is equally, if not more, enigmatic.

In Sanhedrin 92b, the Gemara tells us the story of when Nebuchadnezzar threw Chananya, Mishael and Azariah into the furnace. Hashem instructed Yechezkel to go to the Dura Valley and resurrect the dead bodies buried there. At that time, some of the bones came and slapped Nebuchadnezzar in the face.

Nebuchadnezzar then started praising Hashem. At that point, an angel came and slapped Nebuchadnezzar in his face. He immediately stopped praising Hashem.

Rav Yitzchak then said that if an angel hadn’t stopped him, his praises would have been so great that he would have put David Hamelech to shame.

Do we really comprehend this statement? Nebuchadnezzar uttering praises to Hashem greater than David Hamelech? After building the

‫ספר דברים‬

‫ספר במדבר‬

‫לע"נ ר' יקותיאל זלמן נאה ז''ל‬ ‫בן ר' חנניה יו''ט ליפא הי''ד‬ ‫נלב''ע ט''ז אדר תשע''ז‬

‫לע"נ מרת טויבא רחל נאה ע''ה‬ ‫בת ר' שמואל שמעלקא הי''ד‬ ‫נלב''ע כ''ה מנחם אב תשע''ז‬

foundations of the Beit Hamikdash? After all the Tehillim he wrote.

After being the iconic King of Israel? Why!?

The Ben Ish Chai says that if Nebuchadnezzar would not have been stopped there and then, he would have starting boasting about his praises, claiming that they were superior to the praises offered by David Hamelech.

The Kotzker Rebbe gives an altogether different answer. He says that the slap from the angel was a test. David Hamelech suffered all his life, and yet he still praised Hashem. Nevuchadnezzar got one slap from an angel, while he was praising Hashem, and he stopped his praises immediately. That’s all it took. One ‘potch’.

Is Pharaoh a believer in Hashem? Well, he certainly praised Yosef in Hashem’s name. But that was when he was promised to be the King of the world. Anyone would praise Hashem, if Hashem promised him everything. But in Moshe’s time, Pharaoh was told to let the slaves go.

This represented a significant financial loss. That’s when he said “Who is Hashem that I should listen to Him”.

There is a popular sports chant which I feel is very relevant here.

When the fans of the winning team wants to taunt fans of the losing team, they chant “You only sing when you’re winning!”

A Jew has to sing whether he feels like he is winning or losing. Then he can be assured that he will always be on the winning team. M

‫ספר ויקרא‬

‫ספר שמות‬

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Oneg Shabbos Issue 232.

Why Couldn’t the Magicians Figure It Out?

P

arshas Miketz begins with the famous story of Pharaoh’s dreams. In the first dream, seven fat cows emerge from the Nile, followed by seven scrawny cows. The seven scrawny cows eat the seven fat cows. What does that mean? Then Pharaoh has a similar dream – but instead of cows, there are stalks of grain. The same scenario plays out – seven thin stalks swallow up seven fat stalks and the stalks remain as thin as they were previously.

The pasuk says “And it was in the morning; and his spirit was agitated; so he sent and summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all of its wise men; Pharaoh related his dream to them, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.” (Bereishis 41:8) Eventually, they brought up Yosef from the dungeon. Yosef came with a recommendation that he is a master dream interpreter. When Pharaoh introduces himself and his situation to Yosef, he says – “I understand you are an interpreter of dreams” to which Yosef responds “That is beyond me; Hashem will respond to Pharaoh’s welfare.”

(Bereshis 41:16) Basically Yosef denied having any personal ability to interpret dreams, but did acknowledge that if Hashem would communicate the dream’s message to Yosef, he would be able to pass that information on to Pharaoh.

The question needs to be asked: How was it that “all the magicians and wise men of Egypt” were not able to interpret these dreams for Pharaoh? These dreams were not rocket science. You do not need to be a world class genius to figure out what the symbolism might

be of scrawny cows swallowing up fat cows.

True, Yosef gave a nice interpretation, but it was not so unique or creative that it makes sense to say nobody else could have figured out the same symbolism.

Why, in fact, did these dreams stump the magicians (chartumim) and the wise men of Mitzrayim?

Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin zt’’l writes that they could not figure it out because these were the “chartumei Mitzrayim.”

We have seen on other occasions that the “Chartumei Mitzrayim” could foretell the future. They were seers. They had clairvoyance. So they looked in their crystal ball and saw that there were going to be seven years of plenty and they were going to be followed by only two years of famine. (This ability to discern the future on the part of the “magicians” was some type of sorcery – through the powers of tumah (impurity) — that existed in Biblical times).

Why were there only two years of famine? Chazal say that when Yaakov came down to Egypt – two years into the period of famine – the famine stopped.

Had the magicians seen in their crystal ball seven years of plenty followed by seven lean years, they would have certainly been able to interpret the dream! However, seven years of plenty followed by only two years of famine did not match the parameters of the dream.

Consequently, “No one could interpret them to Pharaoh.” They saw the future but it did not make any sense.

Yosef, on the other hand, responds “Elokim will answer the welfare of Pharaoh.” The Master of the Universe knows not only what WILL happen in the future, He also knows what COULD HAVE BEEN. The Al-mighty knew that Yaakov Avinu will come down to Egypt, and in his merit the famine will stop, but what could have been without this special merit of the Patriarch was that the famine would have lasted for seven years. This is why Yosef

Rabbi Yissocher Frand Rosh Yeshiva, Ner Yisrael Baltimore

could interpret the dream, but not the magicians of Pharaoh.

Rav Yehoshua Leib says that with this we can understand a passage in the Hagadah. (Write this down and stick it in your Hagadah for next Pesach or you won’t remember it!) The Hagadah says “v’es lachatzeinu” (and our oppression) “zu perishus derech eretz” (this refers to abstinence). Inasmuch as parents were afraid of bringing more children into the world (particularly after the decree to slaughter male children by throwing them into the Nile), husbands and wives abstained from each other. This means that potentially there could have been many more Jewish children, but the parents did not allow this to happen.

What textual proof does the author of the Hagadah cite to corroborate this teaching? “As it is written: “And Elokim knew.” (She’ne’emar vayedah Elokim).

What is the meaning of vayedah Elokim?

This expression is used because the Almighty knows not only what WILL BE in the future, He also knows what COULD HAVE BEEN. The Ribono shel Olam saw that if the men and women had lived together, there would have been so many more children. This is the interpretation of “v’es lachatzeinu zu perishas derech eretz; she’ne’emar vayedah Elokim.” M

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28 December 2019

‫ל' כסלו תש"פ‬

‫ חנוכה‬- ‫פרשת מקץ‬

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Eilu V’Eilu

Similarly, if the story of Chanukah would have occurred a few generations later, Hashem would not have caused any miracle to occur because the accepted psak was like R. Yosi ben Yoezer that the olive oil cannot become tamei. But in the generation of the Chasmona’im the Ribbono Shel Olam ‘went along’ with the psak of the consensus of that generation and caused the nes to occur. M 1. See also She’eilos U’Teshuvos Beis Yitzchok, Orach Chaim #110 / 2. See Pesachim 16a / 3. See Sotah 4b / 4. Eruvin 13b / 5. Eruvin ibid / 6. Zevachim 61b

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Every so often in the gemara we find that in different generations the consensus amongst the Rabbonim shifted and the psak was changed. The two positions are often referred to mishna rishonah and mishna acharona. The gemara tells us 6 that for the four hundred and ten years of the first Beis

Hamikdash the Kohanim fulfilled the mitzvah of nisuch hayayin in one fashion. When the second Beis Hamikdash was built (after the seventy years of galus Bavel), the chachomim of that generation decided to do the nisuch hayayin in a different fashion. The Sfas Emes in his commentary on that gemara raises a question, does that mean that during for all of the four hundred and ten years of the first Beis Hamikdash they were never properly yotzei the mitzvah of nisuch hayayin?! The simple answer is that eilu v’eilu divrei Elokim chaim. Since both groups of chachomim were knowledgeable in kol haTorah kullah and both were working within the framework of the middos sheHaTorah nidreshes bohem, both positions were considered correct. During the Bayis Rishon period the correct halachic position was in accordance with the consensus of that time and during the Bayis Sheini period the correct halachic position was in accordance with the consensus of that era.

ig • Thank Hashem publicly for ev

Some suggest the following answer. The psak of a talmid chochom is binding because he probably had Divine assistance in developing his position 3 . And even when there is a machlokes in halacha each yeshiva is obligated to follow its own Rebbe, and we assume that this is so because each Rebbe was given the Divine assistance to formulate his position. The story of Chanukah occurred in the middle of the period of the second Beis Hamikdash over two hundred years before its destruction.

In that generation, the accepted psak was that even liquids in the Beis Hamikdash are also mekabel tumah. It was only several generations later, during the period of the zugos, that R’ Yosi ben Yoezer’s position that liquids in the Beis Hamikdash are tahor was adopted l’halacha. How can it possibly be that Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel each had a Divine assistance to come to differing conclusions? The answer is: the gemara says that sometimes when there is a machlokes in halacha we say eilu v’eilu divrei Elokim chaim 4 . The Ritva 5 explains that when Moshe Rabbeinu was on Har Sinai and Hashem was teaching him the entire Torah, and Moshe Rabbeinu posed questions to Hashem regarding what the din is in various cases and under various circumstances. In some cases Hashem told him that the din is mutar; in other cases Hashem told him the din is assur; and in other cases Hashem told him that this is a grey area of halacha, with both elements of heter and of issur, and He leaves it up to the judgment of the chachmei ha’dor in each generation to decide based on their perspective of kol haTorah kullah whether the elements of heter outweigh the elements of issur or the reverse.

Rosh Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan

erything and anything He doe

T

he gemara (Shabbos 21b) quotes the story of Chanukah from Megillas Taanis (Rashi, Shabbos 13b, explains that this work is referred to as a megillah because it was already written down at the time that the mishnayos were still being learned orally.) The Yevonim were metamei all the oil in the Beis Hamikdash and the Chashmona’im only found one small container of pure oil that should have only lasted for one night. Rav Yaakov Emden (Mor U’Ketzia #670) 1 raises the following major issue: the mishna tells us that liquids in the Beis Hamikdash are not mekabel tumah 2 so the whole story does not make any sense! The olive oil was a liquid and could not become tamei, so why was there a need for a miracle if there is no such thing as shemen tamei in the Beis Hamikdash?

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

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Oneg Shabbos Issue 232.

“Not I, Hashem Will Give an Answer” This page is sponsored ‫לע''נ ביילא בת ר׳ משה ע''ה‬

Rabbi David Etengoff Talmid and Musmach of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik ztl

L

ast week’s parasha concludes with the story of Yosef’s undeserved imprisonment in an Egyptian dungeon based upon Potiphar’s wife’s false accusations. While incarcerated, Yosef rises to the top of the dungeon hierarchy and analyses the dreams of two of his fellow prisoners − Pharaoh’s chief baker and chief cupbearer. Based upon his ruach hakodesh, Yosef realises that the chief cupbearer will be returned to his former position of honour and prestige, and most likely will be able to influence Pharaoh on his behalf. He therefore asks him: “But remember me (zikartani) when things go well with you, and please do me a favor and mention me (v’hizkartani) to Pharaoh, and you will get me out of this house1.”While Yosef’s strategy seemed to guarantee success, this is not how matters initially proceeded: “[Pharaoh] restored the chief cupbearer to his [position as] cupbearer, and he placed the cup on Pharaoh’s palm…But the chief cupbearer did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him2.” When we fast forward to our parasha, we encounter a situation wherein none of Pharaoh’s wise men were able to effectively interpret his very disturbing dreams.

This becomes the impetus for the chief cupbearer to finally remember Yosef, the dream analyst, and bring him to the regent’s attention. Not too surprisingly, the perplexed king quickly takes advantage of this newfound opportunity: So Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon, and he

shaved and changed his clothes, and he [then] came to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it, but I have heard it said of you [that] you understand a dream, to interpret it.” And Joseph replied to Pharaoh, saying, “Not I; Hashem will give an answer [that will bring] peace to Pharaoh3.”

Allow me to expand upon our passage: Yosef was summoned from his dungeon of despair and brought before Pharaoh, the most powerful man on the planet.

Almost immediately, the monarch told him that he had heard Yosef was capable of accurately interpreting dreams. Let us pause for a moment and imagine how many of us would have responded to such a seemingly omnipotent ruler. Assuming that we had Yosef’s talent, most of us probably would have said some variation of the following: “Yes, I can interpret dreams very well. In fact, your majesty, I haven’t been wrong yet! I do have an amazing gift that is now at your service.

What did Pharaoh dream? Allow me to interpret the dream’s meaning.”

Yosef, however, chose a very different approach and, in so doing, took the final step toward becoming Yosef Hatzadik (Yosef the Righteous): “Bil’adai, Elokim ya’aneh et shalom Pharaoh” (“It is not through my wisdom [Onkelos] that I shall interpret your dreams, G-d will provide an answer that will bring peace to Pharaoh”).

The singular import of these six Hebrew words cannot be overestimated. They created a chain of events that established Yosef as the key figure who enabled the Jewish people to initially thrive in Egypt, and subsequently survive the Egyptian exile.

Why does the phrase, “Bil’adai, Elokim ya’aneh et shalom Pharaoh,” have such manifest power? We are fortunate that the Malbim provides us with an answer to this question: [When Yosef declared this phrase, he was actually telling the king that] the dream was a communication of Divine Providence from Hashem.

Moreover, just as Hashem sent you [Pharaoh] this communication

Yosef achieved his ultimate greatness precisely because he took himself completely out of the picture. to make known to you your peace [i.e. your future] … so, too, will He make known its interpretation to the dream analyst no matter who he may be. In addition, even if the [interpretation] of this [Heavenly] message will not come from me, nonetheless, others will be able to interpret it, for even without me, certainly Hashem Himself will provide an answer to Pharaoh that will bring you peace…

A careful reading of the Malbim’s words leads to an inescapable and seemingly counterintuitive conclusion: Yosef achieved his ultimate greatness precisely because he took himself, and any agenda of self-aggrandizement, completely out of the picture. Instead, Yosef declared that everything that takes place is completely dependent upon the Al-mighty, and never upon an individual, no matter who he or she may be.

May we strive to be like Yosef Hatzadik, and ever be aware of Hashem as the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, as found in the words of Dovid HaMelech: “M‘es Hashem haysa zos he niflos b’eineynu” 1 Bereishis 40:14 2 Ibid. 40:21, 23 3 Ibid. 41:14-16 4 Tehillim 118:23

− “This was from the L-rd; it is wondrous in our eyes4”. May this time come soon and in our days. M

28 December 2019

‫ל' כסלו תש"פ‬

‫ חנוכה‬- ‫פרשת מקץ‬

‫הללו את ה’ כל גוים‬ Dovid Hamelech in Hallel tells the nations to praise Hashem for His kindnesses to us. But why should the nations praise Hashem for his kindnesses to us?

A popular comment is that we do not even know about all the plots of the nations against us, many of which have failed to come to fruition. Only the nations know about all their plans to destroy us. However this doesn’t answer why the nations should praise Hashem for their failures.

Here are three possible explanations of this section of Hallel which we are saying everyday of this week of Chanuka.

The first explanation is given by the Rashbam at the end of parshas Ha’azinu.

“Harninu goyim amo ki dam avodov yikom. O nations, sing the praises of His people for He will avenge the blood of His servants.” The shira of Ha’azinu has now reached the stage that Hashem has redeemed the Jewish People. He is showing them visible kindness and giving them a wonderful reward for their loyalty to Him, so much so that the nations of the world are now jealous of the Jews.

Why are they so blessed by Hashem?

How can we earn such blessings? And the shira answers with invaluable advice. You can also be the recipients of Hashem’s blessings by following the Jewish People’s example. What is the secret of their success that Hashem blesses them so?

And the answer is that they continually praise Hashem. They have lived through difficult times but they are always praising Hashem. The Rashbam interprets the posuk as follows, “Praise Hashem as His People does. Hashem showers blessings upon His People because this is what they do; continually praise Him. As the posuk in Hallel says, “Praise Hashem, you nations, praise Hashem, you peoples because this is the reason Hashem has been so kind to us. Follow our example and you too can be the recipients of Hashem’s kindnesses.

The next two explanations are my humble suggestions. The first one is based on Yeshayohu 60: (15-17). The novi is looking forward to the glorious future awaiting us in the time to come.

“Instead of your being forsaken and despised, I will make you into an eternal

pride. In place of the copper I will bring gold, and in place of the iron I will bring silver, in place of the wood, copper. In place of stones, iron.” Rosh Hashono (23a) explains that in the time to come, nations of the world will have to pay back all the gold and silver and other money they have plundered from the Jews throughout the exile. They will pay back not only what they stole, but much more besides. If they stole copper they will have to pay back gold and so on.

Then the Gemoro asks what will be their atonement for murdering Rebbe Akiva and his colleagues. For that, says the Gemoro, there is no atonement. As the posuk says (Yoel 4:21): “Yinoku, vedomom lo yinoku.” Those who have shed Jewish blood will have no atonement. They will pay with their lives. In the time to come there will be many amongst the nations who will suffer that punishment. However others attempted to kill us but did not succeed. Maybe they managed to rob us but bechasdei Hashem they failed to kill us.

At the time they were no doubt upset that their plans failed but in the future these non-Jews will be relieved. Even though they might have to pay a great deal of money as an atonement, they will want to praise Hashem for their failure to kill us because now their lives will be spared.

My second explanation is based on the Malbim. He interprets the posukim of Hallel as saying that the more we have receive, the greater should be our appreciation to Hashem. Every Jew, who has been the Torah and Mitzvos, should say yomar na Yisrael, ki lo’olam chasdo. Kohanim who have been given a special gift of the avoda in the Beis Hamikdosh have to give even more thanks to Hashem: yomru no beis Aharon, ki le’olam chasdo. Those Jews who merit to have a specially close relationship with Hashem have an extra responsibility to thank Hashem: yomru no yirei Hashem, ki le’olam chasdo.

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Rabbi Michoel Fletcher Author of sefarim: “Do You Know Hilchos Shabbos?”, “Do You Know Hilchos Brachos?”, “From Strength to Strength”, “Dancing in our Heart” and the soon to be published; “The Hidden Light, a New look at the Holocaust and other essays”.

This theme of the Malbim can also be used to explain the previous line in Hallel.

The pesukim which call on the nations to thank Hashem refer to the many kindnesses of Hashem which benefit every human being, such as air, food, water, etc. The word ‘nations’ includes us, the Jewish nation. We also should begin our thanks to Hashem by thinking of these innumerable basic miracles. Then we thank Hashem for those extra miracles which we as Jews have benefited from and then Kohanim and so on.

This seems to be the idea behind the nusach and order of benshing which begins by thanking Hashem for our food which is not given just to us, of course, but to everyone (hazon es ho’olam kulo). We then say Nodeh lecho in which we thank Hashem for Eretz Yisrael and many other things which are specially for the Jews.

Then we daven for Yerusholayim and the Beis Hamikdosh in which Kohanim have a special role. The fourth brachah—Hatov vehameitiv was established to acknowledge Hashem’s allowing the victims of Beitar to be buried with dignity. Perhaps it corresponds with the yirei Hashem of Hallel who are especially close to Hashem and appreciate every single kindness, even those which we do not immediately recognise as such. M

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Oneg Shabbos Issue 232.

Daily Inspirational Stories

Listen to over 1270 stories and subscribe to receive them daily on storiestoinspire.org or Whatsapp: +1 (310) 210-1205

Tested by Hashem

Rabbi Binyomin Pruzansky

David was traditionally religious. He was the successful manager of seventeen stores of Starbucks. Although he was an important member of the shul that he attended from time to time, he was not keeping the Torah and mitzvos the way he knew he should be.

Then came the day when he was faced with a tremendous test. Every Yom Kippur, David took off. His whole staff knew to not to expect David in work on Yom Kippur. This year was no exception.

However, David forgot to request leave for the day before – the eve of Kol Nidrei.

When David realized that he was on shift to work in Starbucks the night of Kol Nidrei, he immediately informed his supervisors that he needed the night off.

He always would cover for his coworkers when they took leave and was therefore confident that someone would be able to cover for him.

This time, however, he was in for a surprise. Though they gave him leave for Yom Kippur, when it came to the night of Kol Nidrei they told him, “Sorry, you can’t take the night off.”

“But I always cover for other people when they need off,” he answered surprised.

“Sorry, we have no one to fill your spot.

You have to stay and manage – we have nobody to take you over.”

David was disappointed. However, he did not pursue it further and stayed

© Silvi Photo / Shutterstock.com

Walking into the bagel store in Lakewood this week, I came out with much more than the bagels and donuts that I went to buy. While waiting on line to pay, David Rosen, the manager of the store, stuck out his hand to me and shared his incredible story.

that night in work instead of going to synagogue for Kol Nidrei as he always did.

The next day, he went to shul on Yom Kippur, but for days later, the feeling started to burn inside of him. Why did I do that? Why didn’t I take off? Why didn’t I stand up? Why didn’t I do what a Jew is supposed to do?

Two weeks after this incident, David resigned. He gave up his prestigious position as the manager of Starbucks. He changed his whole life around. He called his family together and explained to them that from now on things were going to be different. “I’m going on a journey.”

His family stood behind him all the way. David became religious, went to shul regularly and became an integral part of his community.

Today, if you walk into the bagel shop in Lakewood, you might see David with a big yamulkah on his head, serving the customers and realizing how blessed he is to have made the most important decision of his life.

He told me, “I was always a big Mets fan. A couple of years ago, I was invited to go to a big Mets game. I had the seat

that was worth two million dollars a year, where there was a suite with special waiter service. However, I had a learning seder with my Rabbi, which I did not want to miss. So when I got the call, ‘Hey, Dave, you’re coming to the game,’ I answered, ‘No. I’ve got to learn Torah with the Rabbi.’”

“They couldn’t believe it. ‘What do you mean? It’s a big game and we have this suite. Dave, you know what you’re giving up!?’”

“I told them, ‘I know exactly what I’m giving up, but it’s not giving up, because I’m playing the greatest game in the world – learning Torah.’”

“I went to learn Torah that day and was overcome with the thrillingly happy feeling of withstanding the test.”

“That changed my life. It was the moment that I realized that Hashem was testing me. It was a big test. And I had to overcome that test. And I gave up a lucrative job and changed my whole way of life, because I realized what being a Jew is all about.” M

28 December 2019

‫ל' כסלו תש"פ‬

‫ חנוכה‬- ‫פרשת מקץ‬

7

Rabbi Jonathan Hughes Rav, Radlett United Synagogue US City Rabbi Director, Gateway

PAY ATTENTION One of the many challenges of modern life is learning how to relate to the millions of things that are constantly vying for our attention. In the rush, we find ourselves so busy that we often fail to properly pay attention to what is really important. Worse still, we get side-tracked and misplace realising where our priorities should really lie.

Being constantly swept off our feet, we do ourselves a disservice if we fail to stop to actually “pay attention” to what we are doing and why. Perhaps the following unforgettable true story of a young and successful City stockbroker called David can bring home this point.

One sunny afternoon, he was driving his beautiful, white convertible in an unfamiliar neighbourhood with the top down and music blazing. Out of nowhere, David feels a massive thud on the side of his car so he slams on the brakes. Getting out, he sees an 8-year old child standing on the pavement who had just thrown a brick at his vehicle. Absolutely livid, David peered at the big ugly dent.

“How dare you?!” he yelled at the kid “Do you have any idea what damage you just caused?”

The boy looked up sadly, “I’m sorry but I threw the brick to get you to stop because nobody else would”. He points to another boy lying face down on the street. “My disabled brother has fallen out of his wheelchair. I’m not strong enough to lift him up. Please help”.

David runs to the fallen child, picks him up, and props him back into his wheelchair. The kid blessed him for his help as the brothers disappeared down a side street towards home.

David’s walk back to his dented car is the longest walk of his life. He swallows the lump in his throat not being able to fight back the tears.

He never did have his convertible repaired. He wanted that permanent reminder about the timeless lesson he learned that day. Do not go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Putting things into the right perspective is a call for all of us to focus on what is really important in life. Let us not mistakenly confuse “big” with “better”, “quantity” for “quality” or “wealth” with “success”. Let us not be too enamoured with technology and entertainment to the detriment of our dear and loved ones.

Let us slow down and really pay attention to what is important in life. M

516.668.3725 meaningfulminute.org @meaningfulminute ACKNOWLEDGE THE PERSON RIGHT NEXT TO YOU Last week, I landed at the airport, I got into my Uber and I said, “Hello.” The driver ignored me. I tried a little louder, “Hi, Sir, how are you?” Once again, he didn’t respond. This repeated itself three or four times until I realised that he just did not want to talk to me.

Rabbi Yisroel Majeski

I know anti-Semitism is on the rise, but didn’t he want his five-star rating? I leaned forward and said, “Hello, Sir, how’s it going?”

Shocked and startled, he almost let go of the wheel. I repeated, “Hi, how are you?”

He said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you were talking to me… I thought you were on the phone.”

Can you imagine how many hundreds of thousands of people must have walked into his car and not even said hello. We meet so many people in the street and in shul and sometimes we don’t even acknowledge them.

R’ Yochanan ben Zakkai would be the first one to say to everyone he meets. The mishna says, ‫ – הוי מקדים שלום לכל אדם‬Say hello to people. It’s so easy to give someone a genuine smile and make them feel so good. Let’s just acknowledge the person right next to us. M

8

Oneg Shabbos Issue 232.

Restoring the primacy of Choshen Mishpat Under the auspices of Harav Chaim Kohn ‫שליט"א‬

Rabbi Meir Orlian Halachah Writer, BHI

RETURN EXCHANGE Shimmy moved into a new apartment and needed four bookcases for his sefarim. He went with his wife to the local branch of a large furniture chain.

“I recommend these bookcases,” said the salesperson. “They’re solid wood and easily assembled. This week they’re 15% off and cost only $499 each.”

Shimmy and his wife liked the look of the bookcases. He ordered four units and had them delivered to his house.

He assembled the bookcases and arranged his sefarim.

“Who cares?” replied Levi. “Either way you are returning bookcases to the store. Why should it make a difference whether these are the same bookcases of other ones? You still have three weeks to return the bookcases.”

Shimmy mentioned the idea to his wife. “This seems outright deceitful!” she declared.

“I also don’t feel comfortable with the idea,” said Shimmy, “but logically I can’t see what’s wrong with it. And it’s a lot of money.”

A week later, Shimmy was browsing online. The store was now selling the same bookcases online at an amazing sales price of $299.

“I don’t think that you should do it without consulting Rabbi Dayan,” Shimmy’s wife said.

“What a waste that I bought the bookcases at the store last week!” he exclaimed. “I could have ordered them now for almost half the price and saved myself $800!”

Is it permissible to order new bookcases and return them with the old receipt?

“What’s done is done,” said his wife. “You already assembled the bookcases, so you can’t return them to the store.”

Shimmy spoke with his friend, Levi, later that day and incidentally mentioned his frustration with what happened.

“There is a way to save yourself the money,” said Levi. “You could order additional, new bookcases, and then return them with the old, expensive receipt. It’s still within the 30-day return period. No one will know that these are not the original bookcases.”

“But that would not be honest,” argued Shimmy. “I’m not returning the bookcases associated with the initial receipt.”

Shimmy called Rabbi Dayan and asked:

“Most return policies allow returning only unused items,” replied Rabbi Dayan. “When you acquire the bookcases and assemble them, you no longer have a right to return them. Therefore, returning the new bookcases in the guise of the original ones with the original receipt would be geneivas daas and cheating the store, which is not allowed even when the store is not Jewish owned. Gaining an undeserved refund is like stealing from the store (C.M. 348:2; 228:6).

“Moreover, it is possible that the second order is itself onaas devarim and geneivas daas, since you have no interest in actually purchasing more bookcases from the store, but only in using them to take advantage of the store. You are also wasting their time in processing your order” (C.M. 228:4).

This page is sponsored by nextgenrealestate.co.uk

“Similarly, if you found the same bookcases cheaper in a different store, it would certainly be prohibited to buy new bookcases from them and return them to the first store.”

“Are there any situations in which this idea might be permissible?” asked Shimmy.

“One possible situation in which this ploy might be permitted,” replied Rabbi Dayan, “is if the store has an unconditional, no-questions asked return policy, which allows returning items even after using them. In this case, in theory, you could return the original bookcases that you already assembled, and order new ones for the cheaper price. Ordering new bookcases and returning them with the initial receipt rather than the used ones, is better for the store since they can still sell them, so that this ploy helps the store rather than harming it.

“Even in this case, it would not be completely ethical, since the unconditional guarantee is primarily intended to address satisfaction from the product, not future prices.”

Verdict: Shimmy may not order new bookcases and return them with the old receipt, unless the store has an unconditional, no-questions-asked guarantee that allows returning used items.

‫לע''נ אריאל יהודה ז''ל בן ר' פינחס צבי נ''י קליין‬

Provided by Business Halacha Institute. The BHI is a non-profit organization based in New York that educates and guides people in up to date applications of monetary halacha. For more information or to browse the BHI archives, visit www.businesshalacha.com

28 December 2019

‫ל' כסלו תש"פ‬

‫ חנוכה‬- ‫פרשת מקץ‬

MIDDOS ‫דרגה יתירה‬ Rabbi Zalman Guttman Ramat Shlomo

‫וישלח פרעה ויקרא את יוסף ויריצהו מן הבור‬ )‫י‬-‫(מא‬

Yosef was languishing in prison for years at the mercy of his captors. He thought that by asking the wine steward to mention him to Pharaoh, it might hasten his release. To his dismay, not only did it not hasten his release, but it prolonged his agony. However, at the very moment that Hashem decided that Yosef should go free, he was rushed out of jail with an urgency that contrasted to the humdrum daily existence that was his constant companion in the depths of the Egyptian dungeon.

The Chofetz Chaim zt’’l remarks that this is the way Hashem brings about redemption. The moment it is meant to take place, not a split second is lost!

This, says the Chofetz Chaim, is the way the final redemption will come as well.

When the time is right, we will all be rushed to greet Moshiach and our lives will suddenly and without warning be changed.

On a personal level, every individual is locked up in situations of pain, sadness or difficulty. There are times that we almost give up hope that the situation can improve and therefore our prayers and relationship with Hashem is stilted, rather than strengthened, which is usually the reason for the difficulty in the first place! But a yid should NEVER lose faith that his salvation can come in the blink of an eye! It can happen so suddenly that he won’t even know what hit him! As much as we feel that our situation is difficult, we must believe that Hashem can do anything - and do it QUICKLY! This is the lesson of Yosef being rushed out of jail. Similarly, the days of Chanukah, which is a time of great miracles and redemption, is uniquely effective for collective redemption and personal salvation. May we all be zoche to realise them. M

9

AHAVAS YISROEL

FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO SPARK N O CONVERSATI THE DANCE HE PROMISED YOU

Reb Usher looked like, acted like, and walked like a broken man. He was indeed as crushed as a human being could be, bereft of his wife and children, his entire extended family, his friends and neighbors, and everything that had been part of his life before the war. He had settled in Boro Park among other Holocaust survivors, but unlike many of them, he had yet to find a reason to live.

Only one person could put some life in his eyes, and that was Rav Aharon Kotler, the founder of the then-nascent Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood. During those early years, Rav Aharon lived in Boro Park, traveling back and forth to his yeshivah.

So he had many opportunities to encounter Reb Usher and revive him with a few encouraging words. One day Rav Aharon stopped to speak to Reb Usher on the street, but Reb Usher didn’t respond. All hope had drained from his heart; there was no fuel to feed even the smallest spark of joy.

“Reb Usher, I know that you will remarry soon,” Rav Aharon told him. “And you will have a daughter. And I will come to dance at her wedding.”

Those words cracked Reb Usher’s mask of gloom and brought light back into his eyes. A new wife? A child? Could it happen?

In time, Rav Aharon’s prediction was fulfilled. When Reb Usher’s daughter was 10, Rav Aharon passed away. The years moved along and at last she became a bride. The night of the wedding was a celebration for Reb Usher and the many survivors who came to share the occasion. The Jewish people had survived to build a future! As the dancing grew livelier and more joyful, a small commotion seemed to be developing near the entrance to the hall.

Someone of note had arrived. Soon everyone saw that the “someone” was Rav Shneur Kotler, the son of Rav Ahron and the current Rosh Yeshiva. He had come from Lakewood to join in the simcha. He strode straight into the centre of the circle to dance with Reb Usher, the chassan, and other memberes of the family. When the dance was over, Reb Usher expressed his great joy and appreciation at the Rosh Yeshivah’s presence. “But what brought you all the way from Lakewood to Brooklyn for my daughter’s wedding?” he asked. “I’m here on my father’s behalf,” said Rav Shneur. “Shortly before he passed away, he called me in and left me instructions. One of the things he told me was that there was a Holocaust survivor in Boro Park – he gave me your name – and that he had promised to dance at your daughter’s wedding. ‘It doesn’t look like I’m going to make it,’ he said, ‘so make sure you go there and dance in my place.’”

Adapted from Stories That Unite Our Hearts by Rabbi Binyamin Pruzansky, with permission from Mesorah Publications.

TALK ABOUT IT

This story illustrates Rav Aharon’s keen understanding of the value of words. What are the lessons you learn from it?

The Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation Reviewed by Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Lowy. For discussion only; actual halachic decisions should be made by a rav or halachic expert on a case-by-case basis.

10

Oneg Shabbos Issue 232.

12 X

DAYS

CO U

‫נ“ב‬ ‫בכורותס“ו‬ ‫נדה‬

E TH

Daf Yomi WEEKLY

DOWN TO NT

Siyum Hashas

Stories off the Daf TRUE EMPATHY ‫“ גלי לחברותיך כי היכי דל‬ ”...‫יבע יעליך רחמים‬ Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, once offered an explanation for a practice that is little understood. “I can see very well why Rebbes take money when asked to daven for people. They know that one’s prayers are most effective when intoned wholeheartedly. But how can one genuinely feel another’s pain? One simple way to arouse true feeling for another’s difficulty is to be bound to the person by having received a gift. I do not take money, but I find it very hard work to sensitise myself to feeling the pain of another’s troubles.”1 Rav Chaim Kreiswirth, zt”l, said a similar thing based on a statement on today’s daf. “In Niddah 66 we find that when a woman went to Rav Yochanan requesting help about a problem that was particular to women he suggested that she ask other women to daven for her. On the surface, this seems strange.

We know that our sages say that when one has a sick person in his home he should go to a chacham and request that he daven for the sufferer. Yet here we find an exception to the rule. Instead of the chacham alone davening, he sends her to other women to petition that they daven for her. Although the gemara cites that she is like a metzorah who should tell the many to daven for her, it seems odd that he said specifically to tell other women to daven for her.

“We learn an important principle from this story.

That the only one who can really pray properly for a person suffering is the one who can truly empathize with the problem. We see that it is better for one who is ill with a certain sickness to request those who have suffered from it to daven for his recovery. Only those who have suffered from the disease truly empathize and their prayers will be more effective than those who have not.”2 M Brought to you by

T

wo people walk into the same shopping centre, walk past the same shops, restaurants, and items. When asked about the ‘new restaurant’ which they had both walked past, one shopper could describe it in detail, yet the other had not noticed it’s existence!

Why is this? A difference in desire. One was hungry, and therefore noticed anywhere that sold food, but the other, only noticed the shops that were relevant to his shopping trip.

What we see and remember, will be swayed by our preconceived ideas, and interests. Had the second shopper been queried about shoe shops, he would have had plenty to say, as was looking for ‘There is no shoes!

Yosef faces his brothers after not seeing them for 22 years. Yosef recognises them, yet the brothers do not recognise Yosef !

thinking without prior interest’ R’ Dessler

One way of understanding this, is that in the minds of the brothers, the governor that they were standing in front of was so unlikely to be Yosef, that they simply did not recognise him!

In the Shema we are commanded ‘do not follow after your heart, and after your eyes…’. An explanation for this, is that although it is the eyes that actually ‘see’, the heart is mentioned first. It is our heart and desires that direct our eyes to what they see!

Someone who wants to notice opportunities around them for chesed, to spot a person looking upset, notice the homeless man on the street, or the even the opportunity to lend something to someone, first needs to ‘want’ to see the opportunities!

Once the desire is there, the heart will direct the eyes, and the world is suddenly viewed in a new light.

The opportunities for kindness that were always there, but not seen, now shine brightly! M

‫ הל’ תפילה‬,‫ הליכות שלמה‬1 ‫ פניני חיים‬2

www.jgift.org www.jgift.org

28 December 2019

‫ל' כסלו תש"פ‬

‫ חנוכה‬- ‫פרשת מקץ‬

Sages through Ages THE

11

Dr Benji Schreiber

The Rogatchover Gaon Rogachev, Russian empire 1858 – vinsk (Daugavpils) Latvia 1936 ‫י”א באדר‬ Rav Yoseph Rosen, ‫ראזין‬ ָ ‫יוסף‬, was born in Rogatchov (today Rahachow), today Belarus, in 1858. His unusual capabilities were noticed at the age of thirteen, when he was sent to study in Slutzk along with Rav Chaim Soloveitchik under Rav Chaim’s father, the Beis Halevi, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik. In 1889 he became Rov of the Hasidic community in Dvinsk, a post he held for almost 50 years, while his non-Hasidic counterpart was Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk – the ‫אור שמח‬. They served in parallel until the late 1920s.

They enjoyed excellent relations.

Genius Nachman Bialik met the Rogatchover and wrote: “Two Einsteins can be carved out of one Rogochover”. Legend has it that when the Rogatchover heard this statement he dryly remarked, “And from the leftover specks one could create numerous Bialiks.”

It is told that the ‫ אור שמח‬said of him that his greatness was not in his incredible memory because it’s no great matter to remember what you learnt just yesterday or the day before!

Dov Ber Schwartz writes: “The Rogatchover is reported to have said that he could refine and abstract all of Torah knowledge into ten ideas!” While Reb Chaim of Brisk was a microscopic scholar – taking laws and delving into their complex ambiguous depths to discover their inner core, their molecular structure - the Rogatchover, was a telescopic scholar. In each minute law he saw the universe of Torah. He abstracted each law until it took on massive proportions and gained immense applicability to all other fields of Torah.

Works He wrote the Tzafnas Paneach, ‫צפנת פענח‬ on the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, on Chumash, Shas and responsa - Shaalos and Tshuvos. Despite meaning ‘unlocking that which is hidden’, the ‫ צפנת פענח‬is still rather obscure even to great scholars. It was written with great brevity and with subtle references. It is full of ‘ayeinim’ citations – look here, look there, with sources cited without explanation.

Customs He never had a haircut. Some say he saw it as a waste of time. He would stand on his feet day and night with an open Gemara in front of him on a small lectern and learn Torah or respond to halachic queries that came to him from all over the world.

He was very poor. When people wrote to him they usually didn’t include a stamp for him. He would calculate and affix a stamp that was half of what the postcard required, and the recipient, by law, had to pay the rest.

The Rogatchover was a unique personality. He would answer those who came to him with questions very concisely. Many of his responses were extraordinarily biting and sharp or, at the very least, incredibly short, with ayin after ayin and nothing more. Some people received answers full of citations of where

to look and when they looked up the sources they saw that all of them dealt with an ignoramus.

Learning In stark contrast to all the other leading rabbis of his day, he had a small bookshelf and very few sefarim that he would use on a consistent basis, including the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, a Tur and some Rishonim. His learning was focused on these core sources and the Rambam, with much less attention to other Rishonim and very little to the Acharonim. He saw himself as a talmid of the Rambam and it is said that he said: “good morning Rebbi” and “good evening Rebbi” to the Rambam every day.

He developed kidney disease and travelled to Vilna where he died. He was buried in Dvinsk next to Rav Meir Simcha. His two married daughters both were tragically murdered in the Holocaust. M

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