239. Oneg Yisro

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

‫מוצאי שבת‬

239

Issue

'‫פקד יפקד ה‬

‫בס"ד‬

‫פרשת יתרו‬

‫כ' שבט תש"פ‬ 15 Feb 2020

‫קבלת שבת‬

JLM

MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSCW

GHD

MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSCW

GHD

MAN

LON

6.39

6.31

6.28

6.03

6.14

6.17

6.08

6.12

6.06

4.48

5.06

5.02

4.54

5.01

4.57

SHABBOS OF THE MIND, SHABBOS OF THE HEART Parshas Va’Eschanan contains a retelling of Matan Torah (first narrated in our sedra, Parshas Yisro), including the Aseres Hadibros. There are a number of notable differences between the text here and in Sefer Shemos, but undoubtedly the best-known is “Shamor ve-Zachor”, which also features in the beautiful piyut of Lecha Dodi. Referring to Shabbos, in Shemos the term is zachor, remember. In Devarim (5:12), it is shamor, safeguard. Why the difference, and what is the significance of each of these terms?

A further question: Rashi (Shemos 20:8) teaches that both words were miraculously expressed by Hashem simultaneously, and so were they perceived by the people. If indeed Hashem intended to employ both terms, why not simply use them both: “Remember and safeguard the Shabbos day to keep it holy”? Not difficult, not confusing, no need for vocal or aural miracles.

I would like to suggest an answer (loosely based on Ramban to Shemos 20:8): In Shemos, remembering the Shabbos is part of the mitzvah of belief in Hashem, who created heaven and earth in six days, and rested on the seventh. In Devarim, after forty years of miraculous existence in the wilderness, belief in Hashem was more secure. But as the nation prepares to enter the Land of Israel, the duty to safeguard the Shabbos from profaning it through work is paramount.

‫ספר דברים‬

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

Director of Kesher

The term zachor (which also means masculine) alludes to the positive, active and celebratory as well as sacred aspects of Shabbos. Shamor, safeguard, encompasses the 39 melachos—prohibited creative activities—of Shabbos. That is, restrain yourself and guard the Shabbos from profanation. In Ramban’s characterisation, zachor refers to positive commandments of Shabbos observance, whereas shamor refers to the prohibitions of Shabbos. Indeed, we speak of one who is Shomer Shabbos, rather than zocher Shabbos. In the amida of Shabbos morning when referring to the luchos, we say ‫“ וכתוב בהם שמירת שבת‬on which is inscribed the observance”—rather the remembrance—“of the Shabbos”.

Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to think of these aspects as entirely distinct from one another. On the contrary, the Shabbos experience is only complete and in balance with itself when both components are valued and embraced. We may think of this as the letter of the law (shamor) and its spirit (zachor).

This relationship between the Shabbos of the mind and of the heart is eloquently expressed by Rav YB Soloveitchik zt’’l. As a youth, Rav Soloveitchik was raised on the Shabbos of Brisk. This he called the Shabbos of Bameh Madlikin (the perek of Mishna said before borchu in Nusach Ashkenaz). As a teenager he moved to Warsaw, where Chassidic thought and practice predominated. There he discovered

‫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

Rabbi Rashi Simon

‫ספר ויקרא‬

the Shabbos of kegavna (the mystical passage from the Zohar recited in Nusach Sefard). The former represents the Shabbos of the mind; the latter, of the heart. Both are essential and indeed symbiotic.

This, then, is why shamor and zachor were pronounced simultaneously. Shabbos is only complete when both aspects are appreciated and implemented. Shabbat Shalom! M This week’s Oneg Shabbos is sponsored In loving memory of our dear mother

Mrs Ruth Lunzer o”h ‫לעילוי נשמת‬

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‫ספר בראשית‬

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Oneg Shabbos Issue 239.

Are We o o T g n i t t Si ? y l b a t r Comfo

Y

isro was Moshe’s father in law, he was also a minister or priest of Midian and a key figure in Midianite idol worship. He had dabbled in virtually every form of idol worship. Yet a parasha was named after him. What practical lessons does the story of his arrival at Har Sinai have for us?

In Shemos we are told about his daughters’ first encounter with Moshe and that Yisro criticises them for not looking after their saviour “Kiren lo v’yochal lochem.” As the Ohr HaChaim explains it is not proper etiquette if someone does a kindness to you to leave them standing outside. We must show our appreciation, ideally in a tangible way. Is this expression of gratitude the key point? Is this why Yisro was rewarded not just by having Moshe as a son in law but also by having his ‘own’ parasha?

On his recent trip to London, Rabbi Paysach Krohn suggested that we all greet our fellow Jew because you make them feel special.

See Miracles In Life Every Day

‫גוט שבת‬ Good Shabbos

When walking on the street on Shabbos, say Good Shabbos (or Good Yom Tov) to all of your fellow brothers & sisters.

It doesn’t matter if the recipient doesn’t respond, if you don’t like that person or in a rush, it doesn’t hurt to greet someone.

‫שבת שלום‬

For questions on Divrei Torah, please email the editor Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn at editor@oneg.org.uk

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Rabbi Alan Wilkinson Rabbi, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Rav Ahavat Yisrael, Edgware

The Medrash tells us that Yisro, Bilaam and Iyov were advisors to Pharaoh, who sought counsel on how to deal with his “Jewish problem.” Pharaoh no longer wanted to acknowledge any gratitude to Yosef and the Bnei Yisroel. Bilaam urged Pharaoh to oppress the Jews and ultimately, he was killed by Bnei Yisrael. Iyov kept silent and experienced severe trials and traumas in his life. Yisro fled Egypt rather than advising Pharaoh how to destroy the emerging Jewish nation. Was this the action that merited the rewards?

The Mechilta implies that, at least initially, Yisro didn’t have such a positive relationship with his son in law, saying that Yisro made Moshe swear that his first child would be dedicated to idolatry. The Yalkut Shimoni even tells a story in which Yisro imprisoned Moshe for ten years.

In this parasha we are told that Yisro leaves his home in Midian to visit Klal Yisrael at their desert encampment. When Yisro arrived, Moshe went out to greet his father-in-law, “and he bowed and kissed him, and each man asked after the welfare of his friend, and they came into the tent.” Although there is some discussion amongst the commentators Rashi makes it clear that it was Moshe who bowed to Yisro and not vice versa.

Why is this significant and indeed why did Yisro want Moshe to come to meet him? The Maharal explains that it was not because Yisro wanted to receive kovod from Moshe, more a matter of not wanting to be degraded. Yisro’s past was well known. Yisro was worried that the Jewish people might look at him askance. He had come to recognise the singular greatness of Hashem, but he was concerned that others would still remember the old Yisro. A cold greeting from Moshe would have indicated that perhaps the leader of the Jewish people himself was unapproving or ashamed of his father-in-law. Yisro implored Moshe to pay him the respect of a gracious welcome demonstrating his acceptance of Yisro before the entire nation. Moshe, as we know, ensured that Yisro received a reception unparalleled in all the Torah. Yisro’s welcome made him feel part of the kehillah to such an extent that he was comfortable expressing his own ideas to Moshe.

Moshe was THE Godol Hador but he was prepared to go out of his way to make someone welcome, even someone who may not have treated him that well. He didn’t stand on his kovod. It is significant that this warm greeting happed just before Matan Torah.

Maybe we need to consider how we relate to others to be able to receive Torah.

In Pirkei Avos (1:15) Shammai says: Receive [greet] every person with a “sever panim yafos”. Sever Panim Yafos is often translated as “a pleasant countenance”. Receive [greet] every person with a pleasant countenance. Practically that means with a smile. Smile at people when you greet them. Smile at people in the street.

When we see someone new in shul or in the neighbourhood, we shouldn’t stand on ceremony but go and greet them. Unlike many commercial organisations, who are criticised for treating new customers better than existing customers, we should also smile at and greet those we know. Don’t just ignore people but on Shabbos greet them with a warm ‘Good Shabbos’. M

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To suggest an idea or a response to the ideas exchange please email ideas@oneg.org.uk

15 Feb 2020

‫כ' שבט תש"פ‬

‫פרשת יתרו‬

3

What’s behind a role model?

Rabbi Danny Kirsch Chairman of JLE

E

veryone seems to have a favourite chazal they love to quote. If you have younger siblings, then a chazal you may enjoy could be a well known insight into one of the Ten Commandments honouring parents.

The obligation to honour one’s parents is central to our obligations between Man and Man, as well as between Man and Hashem.

In Parshas Va’Eschanan1, Chazal2 draw our attention to the extra vov in the second es which teaches us that just as we have an obligation to honour our parents, additionally we have an obligation to honour an older brother (hence a favourite for them!)

Rav Zalman Sorotzkin zt’’l offers a simple but powerful reason as to why Chazal choose to learn the above lesson from kibbud av vo’em. By virtue of being the eldest this brother spends more time with his parents consequently he’s best placed to know his parents’ desires, behaviour and habits. If anyone knows what’s important to the parents it must surely be the eldest. Therefore when a younger sibling honours their older brother, they are in 1 Devorim 5:16 2 Kesubos 103a

Courage is not having the strength to go on...

it is going on when you don't have the strength TorahDaily

fact honouring their parents who educated the eldest in an intense way imbibing him with their ideals and goals Based on this idea Rav Sorotzkin points out that the Gemara3 quotes the Posuk4, es Hashem Elokecho tiroh, Hashem your G-d shall you fear. Rabbi Akiva famously explains that the word es comes to teach that not only should one fear Hashem but Torah scholars as well.

After all who knows better than a Talmid Chochom, how to follow Hashem’s will and follow in his ways. A true Talmid Chochom knows what Hashem wants because the Torah he learns allows him to comprehend Hashem’s will and desires for His world. Therefore by fearing a Talmid Chochom we are in an indirect way really fearing Hashem.

By honouring those who are truly role models, we are honouring those who brought us into this world. Older brothers take note! You have the ability to be a proper role model. M 3 Pesachim 22b 4 Devorim 6:13

4

Oneg Shabbos Issue 239.

This page is sponsored ‫לע''נ ביילא בת ר׳ משה ע''ה‬

Matan Torah is epic, dramatic & transformative.

T

© David Cohen 156 / Shutterstock.com

Yet its content is surprisingly elusive.

he Torah reports the precise wording of the aseres hadibros.

But forty years later when Moshe Rabbeinu retells the moment, he uses different words. When it comes to the mitzva of Shabbos, the discrepancy is striking.

‘Zochor’ - ‘be conscious of Shabbos’, is replaced with shomor - ‘preserve Shabbos’.

In Yisro the justification for Shabbos is that ‘in six days Hashem made heaven and earth … and He rested on the seventh day...’

(Shemos 20:11) In Vo’eschanan, Shabbos is not about creation, but about yetzias mitzrayim: ‘Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and Hashem your G-d freed you... therefore Hashem your G-d has commanded you to observe the Shabbos.’ (Devorim 5:15) The Gemoro famously resolves this by declaring: ‘both shomor and zochor were said in a single speech-act’ (Rosh Hashonoh 27a).

Rashi quotes the possuk in Tehilim (62:11): “Hashem spoke once; I heard it twice” So on the one hand it sounds like more was said at Sinai than is written in Parshas Yisro. Indeed the Midrash Shemos Rabba (28:6) quotes Rav Yitzchok as saying that Har Sinai also contained the nevuos that every novi would prophesise, and the chiddushim that every chochom would teach. At the same time, it also seems that far less than those words was given!

Repeatedly the Torah refers to what was given as a ‘voice’. ‘...Moshe would speak and G-d would answer with that voice.’ (Shemos 19:19). See also Moshe Rabbeinu’s retelling in Devorim 5:20-24.

Indeed Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim 2:33 says that, ‘we infer from the pesukim, as well as from the words of chazal, that the Bnei Yisroel heard… a sound which Moshe understood to proclaim the first two commandments…’ Revelation itself contained a single sound. It was Moshe Rabbeinu who translated it into the words of aseres hadibros.

Incredibly the Rambam (ibid.) quotes the very same posuk that was brought in support of the

opposite approach! “G-d has spoken once; twice have I heard this” (Tehilim 62:11) But perhaps there is no contradiction whatsoever. The Rambam is not saying that the sound that Bnei Yisroel heard had no content at all. It had immense content. It is just that Bnei Yisroel could not unlock it on their own. The single ‘voice’ of Hashem’s Will is beyond any words. At Sinai, the Bnei Yisroel were lifted to a level that is beyond what words can describe.

It took Moshe Rabbeinu to be able to translate that experience into words. In truth, if you would ask anyone at Sinai to translate it into words, they would first say zachor and then they would say shomor. Somehow it takes both to capture the experience of the revelation at Sinai in words.

But that single voice contained so much more. At Sinai the pure voice contained the pure essence of rotzon Hashem. All divrei torah ever after, find a way to translate that pure Will into one detail or another.

The essence of Torah is beyond human words. But the miracle of Sinai means it can be contained in words. It may need two lots of words. And that pure essence of Torah echoes through every dvar torah that will ever be taught.

But why do zachor and maaseh bereishis make it into parshas yisro, whilst shomor and yetzias mitzrayim remained torah shebe’al peh for forty years until parshas vo’eschanan?

The Ramban explains that zachor relates to the positive mitzva of Shabbos; the consciousness of the spiritual light that is brought by Shabbos. Shomor relates to the prohibition of melachoh. They are two sides of Shabbos. But the primary point is the positive.

The essence of Shabbos is to live a day that is me’eyn olam haboh - a weekly taste of the world of the future. The olom haboh is the culmination of the days of creation. It is the seventh and final day of creation, every single week.

Olom haboh is a state that we touched at Har Sinai itself. To be zocher Shabbos, is to touch the level of G-d consciousness of Har Sinai. That is why the Shabbos amidoh takes

Rabbi Daniel Rowe Executive Director of Aish UK r CR ne EDIT : David Ches

us back to Sinai: ‘yismach Moshe bematnas chelko…’

So the first report of the kol of Sinai, given in Yisro, tells us what Hashem intended by the mitzva of Shabbos. But it did not tell us how to achieve that goal. The method was also something that could be sensed by anyone who understood the kol. It is to be shomor - to refrain from doing melochoh. Only when we let go of melochoh, do we attain freedom. In a sense we have a weekly reenactment of yetzias mitzrayim.

Parshas Yisro captures the goal of Shabbos, to be zochor and to taste the end of creation.

Vo’eschanan captures the means - shomor that gives us the freedom to do so.

The kol of Sinai is beyond words, and yet present in every word of Torah. During the six days that we inhabit this world, the kol is overshadowed by the worries of the week. On Shabbos, those other voices can be tuned out.

The kol of Sinai is magnified. It is there for all who wish to tune in. M

Rabbi Eli Mansour The Edmond J Safra Synagogue

Chazal tell us that at ‫ מתן תורה‬all ‫ חולים ר׳ל‬were healed. This week we are leining ‫ פרשת יתרו‬and we have the chance to relive Kabbolas HaTorah. Let us use this opportunity to ensure that we don’t speak at all from the moment the Sefer Torah comes out until it is returned to the ‫ארון הקודש‬. In this merit may we ‫ בע׳ה‬see a ‫רפואה שלמה לכל חולי‬ ‫עמך בית ישראל‬.

15 Feb 2020

‫כ' שבט תש"פ‬

‫פרשת יתרו‬

5

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Achieving the Impossible The Gemara in Shabbat (88) relates that a heretic saw Rava whilst he was immersed in study. Rava’s fingers were beneath his leg and he was squeezing them to help him concentrate His fingers were spurting blood. Rava did not notice that he was bleeding because he was engrossed in study. The heretic said to Rava: ‘You impulsive nation, who accorded precedence to your mouths over your ears.’ Namely, the Jews acted impulsively when they said at Mount Sinai ‫ נעשה ונשמע‬- we will do, then we will listen, i.e. we will accept the commandments before knowing what they are.

The heretic was admonishing Rava because he could not fathom the sight before his eyes. He knew he was standing face to face with one of the greatest Sages who ever lived. Even putting aside Rava’s supreme spiritual stature, Rava was clearly a wise and incredibly intelligent person. The heretic knew all of this, yet saw Rava was employing methods to help him concentrate that were so extreme, he was causing himself to bleed and was completely oblivious to it. He was essentially saying to Rava: This is crazy! If this is what it takes even for someone like you, Rava, to become a Talmid Chacham, it is impossible - it is too hard! Whenever you enter into an agreement you have to see if you are able to keep your end of the bargain. You have acted impulsively and irresponsibly by accepting the Torah - how can anyone be expected to live like this?

Rava responds with the following: About us, who proceed wholeheartedly, it is written: “The wholeheartedness of the upright will guide them” (Mishlei 11:3), whereas about those people who walk with assessments, it is written “And the perverseness of the faithless will destroy them.” Rashi explains Rava was telling him, we trust Hashem that he will not charge us with something we cannot endure, and we will succeed. Whereas people like you, who are constantly assessing, will fail. Rava’s response seems to be very perplexing? How has he addressed the issue? The bottom line is that Rava is indeed suffering on his journey to becoming a Talmid Chacham. What was his answer? What is the depth being said here?

It is known that the Netziv, the great Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin, when he was a child did not excel in his studies and did not take his learning so seriously. When he was coming of age, he heard his parents discussing, that, seeing as he was clearly not going to become a Talmid Chacham it was time he started studying a trade so he could earn an honourable living. The Netziv began to cry at his prospective fate and begged his parents for one last chance.

They conceded, and he became the Netziv.

This story illustrates the core Rabbi Natan Kahlani of what Rava is Rosh Bet Medrash of Chazak UK teaching us. When we entered into a covenant with Hashem and accepted the Torah this was not like anything else in history and therefore cannot play by the normal rules. The Torah is Hashem’s wisdom, and as He is infinite, so is His Torah. Hashem gave the Jewish people the Torah to learn it, live by it, and imbue it into our very being. This is what it means to be Hashem’s nation to contain within us the Infinite and the Transcendent. How does one achieve such a lofty ideal?

Here lies the point: Rava was saying to the heretic that from your perspective i.e from someone who lives outside the Torah and didn’t say – ‫ נעשה ונשמע‬you are right! It is impossible! However, we go with Hashem wholeheartedly, i.e we have the emunah, and that is why we can succeed. That is the depth of ‫נעשה ונשמע‬, the acknowledging that the Torah is infinite and immeasurably bigger than me; therefore, the only way to succeed is to have emunah, and take the plunge. We have to say to Hashem: ‘The steps I need to take to make this spiritual achievement a reality are way bigger than what I am capable of and seem impossible. But, I know this is what you want me to do so I will give it all I’ve got. I will work, and push, my fingers will bleed but it won’t stop me! Please help me succeed!’

When we push ourselves to our limits and surrender ourselves to Hashem’s agenda, Hashem will make us bigger and we will achieve heights that were indeed impossible for us before the journey began. When the Neztiv began his journey he was not the Netziv. He was a little boy. But he wanted so much to become a Talmid Chacham that he cried over it. He pushed himself to his limits and he transcended and went beyond what he was capable of and became the leader of European Jewry.

We must never lose that focus. To grow spiritually, at whatever level a person is, means to go beyond the comfort zone. Far beyond the comfort zone. Whether it is taking on a new seder limmud, daf yomi, or committing to davening mincha b’tzibbur even in hectic days in the office, all these things can seem like mountains to us. We have to know that they are indeed mountains.

But naaseh venishma guarantees our success if we really give it our all. If we go wholeheartedly with Hashem’s agenda we can indeed achieve the impossible. M

6

Oneg Shabbos Issue 239.

This page has been sponsored anonymously

There was once a man who told the following story to a large crowd of people:

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T

here was an Australian madrich in Camp Simcha, who was actually in remission. There was also madricha in the girls section of who was in remission too. At the end of camp, someone suggested that they go on a shidduch as they would understand each other.

Things proceeded smoothly and they got engaged.

A few weeks before the wedding, the chosson needed to go back to Australia to sort out a couple of things before the wedding. They went together to the airport, and then they parted ways, full of excitement and anticipation about their future together. The chosson had a 7 hour flight from New York to Las Vegas and then a 13 hour flight to Melbourne.

He got on the plane and it took off safely. Back in New York, the kallah suddenly became very ill and was rushed to hospital. The family managed to get the airline to contact the pilot, to tell him that if he wants to see his kallah before its too late, he must to turn back as soon as he lands and take the first plane back.

He returned to New York, exhausted, and went straight to the hospital.

When he arrived, he saw his bride, very pale and frail, and started talking to her, but she did not respond. He then called his rabbi and asked him if he would come to the hospital and get them married, as he wants to marry her before she dies. The rabbi said that he will come to the hospital, but cannot guarantee that he will be able to marry them for numerous Halachik reasons.

The rabbi came to the hospital, and started talking to the kallah. He said to the chosson, ‘I am really sorry but I cannot marry you two’. The chosson was distraught and went to daven shacharis outside. During the shemoneh esrei he cried bitter tears during refaeinu and shema kolenu. During sim shalom, he davened and asked Hashem to take some of the light from His face and put it in his bride’s face.

When he returned to the hospital room his kallah’s face was pink.

As he retold the words, ‘face was pink’, two impatient little children ran onto the stage and said, ‘Daddy, daddy, let’s go already!’ He then said: ‘Baruch Hashem, I am still married to her and these are our kids.’ M

Never, never, never give up!

It happens that you can not see how close you are to your goals...

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15 Feb 2020

‫כ' שבט תש"פ‬

‫פרשת יתרו‬

7

How Curious!

Osher Chaim A sudden noise from the Levene corner of the room causes all heads to turn in that direction.

Motorists slow down to steal a glance at a car crash on the opposite side of the road. Train commuters who are more interested reading their neighbour’s newspaper than their own.

All these are common examples of “curiosity”.

Curiosity is the inner drive to explore the unknown in the search for stimulation or answers. Arguably, there has not been any period in history more curious than our generation. The internet is a boon for the curious and a magnet for the inquisitive mind. Information about almost every topic under the sun is instantly available at the click of a button.

Not that curiosity is a bad thing when motivated by a thirst for knowledge. The great physicist Albert Einstein said about himself: “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious”. It is widely claimed that the “future belongs to the curious” because they are the ones most likely to expand the borders of human knowledge in our fast-moving technological world.

But there is also a cautionary note. This is popularised by the famous proverb: “curiosity killed the cat”. (I was curious about the origins of this saying but didn’t want my curiosity to find out!)

“Curiosity” is not necessarily the same thing as “interest”. Being “curious” is often a symptom of being “unfocused”. Often, this is a damaging drive that diverts a person’s attention from what he is meant to be doing. A tightrope walker who lets his curiosity distract him risks losing his balance. A surgeon who interrupts keyhole heart surgery can cause his patient to die on the operating table. And a driver who momentarily diverts his attention from the road is in danger of crashing.

Regrettably, in so many walks of life, we find curiosity is the “key” that unlocks the forbidden door of “temptation”. Once curiosity is aroused, it leads a person astray. In the words of the Talmud, “the eye sees, the heart desires, and the body executes the sin”.

It is therefore essential to be extremely cautious lest that once something which piques your curiosity can lead to your undoing.

There is nothing wrong with being interested and informed about Hashem’s amazing universe. But there is everything wrong should your curiosity derail you such that you fall into the jaws of temptation. Let your focus be exclusively upon what you are doing to the exclusion of everything else – something that applies to Torah study and mitzvah performance.

Take care not to let “curiosity gett the better of you”.

Stay focused for the task at hand. M

Help Others; You Are Really Helping Yourself

Rabbi Paysach Krohn

Hashem has given us the great gift of life. We are all alive. We have to jump and dance that we’re alive. Being alive means that we have the opportunity to get better. And every one of us could get better. Nobody is perfect.

One way to grow is to stop ourselves from speaking loshon hara. It is so easy to speak loshon hara, but we can learn to control ourselves. Even if at first we cannot control ourselves all the time, we can start with little steps and stop talking loshon hara some of the time. Every single time that you control yourself from speaking loshon hara, feel good about yourself. With time, you will get better and better.

The medrash in Avos d’Rav Nosson tells us how once Rebi Yochanan ben Zakkai was walking in Yerushalayim with his talmid, Rabbi Yeshoshua. They were able to see the place where the Beis Hamikdosh stood and they saw how now it was destroyed. Rebi Yehoshua said to his rebbi, Rebi Yochanan, “Rebbi, look how sad it is. It’s terrible. This is the place where we used to get kapara and forgiveness for our sins. Now we have no Beis Hamikdosh. How are we going to get kapara?”

Rebi Yochanan ben Zakkai replied, “Bnee, al yirah lach.

Yesh lanu kapara achas. V’aizeh zeh? Zeh gemilus chassadim” My child, don’t feel bad. There is a way that we could all get kapara even if we don’t have the Beis Hamikdosh. What is that way of getting kapara that is just as good as bringing the sacrifices? That is gemilus chassadim – doing favors. As it says in the passuk, “Ki chesed chofatztzi v’lo zovach.”

Hashem wants to see that we love each other and that we do favors for each other. The second Beis Hamikdosh was destroyed because people didn’t care for each other and hated each other. There was no kindness to each other because of sinas chinam.

I want to suggest that we make a kabalah that the same way we are going to be careful with watching our tongues, from now on every single day we should do a favor for somebody else. The Chofetz Chaim talks about this in his sefer Ahavas Chesed (12). Let us do a chesed for someone else every single day.

I’m not talking about favors that a husband does for a wife and a wife does for a husband; that you have to do if you know what’s good for you. I’m talking about favors out of the house. I suggest that we should do a chesed for someone out of the house every single day!

And I guarantee you that your life is going to change. Do you know how I can guarantee it? Because Dovid HaMelech says in Tehillim, Hashem tzilcha – Hashem is your shadow. If you do good for others, others are going to do good for you. M From Torah Anytime

8

Oneg Shabbos Issue 239.

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

Rabbi Meir Orlian Halachah Writer, BHI

MISSED SESSION BILLING Mr. Teicher* was a special education teacher who provided service through the city’s SEIT (Special Education Itinerant Teacher) program. He met individually with students in their schools and billed the city for the sessions he provided through the program.

Aharon Blau* was one of Mr. Teicher’s regular students.

He met with him every Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock.

One winter morning, Mr. Teicher came to the school for his regular session with Aharon. When he arrived, he was told that Aharon was not there.

“Do you know why he is not here?” Mr. Teicher asked.

“He has been sick for the whole week,” said his class teacher.

“You knew that he would not be here today?” Mr. Teicher asked.

“Aharon’s mother notified us three days ago that he would be out for the whole week,” replied the teacher. “She didn’t notify you?”

“No, she didn’t contact me,” said Mr. Teicher. “It’s a pity, since I wasted my time coming here.”

Mr. Teicher called Aharon’s mother. “How is Aharon doing?” he asked.

“Oh, he’s home sick for the week,” Mrs. Blau replied. “I notified the school but forgot to notify you; I’m sorry.”

“I would have very much appreciated being notified,” Mr. Teicher said. “I spent time and money traveling here. Please be on top of this next time if Aharon should miss a session.”

“Will do,” said Mrs. Blau apologetically.

Mr. Teicher looked at his watch. He had an hour until his next appointment, but there wasn’t much he could do meanwhile.

It didn’t pay to go home. He took out his Gemara and began learning Daf Yomi.

is hired. For example, someone was hired to plough a field, but it was full of water. The halachah is that if neither the employer nor the employee was expected to know of the problem, the employer is not liable for the day’s wage.

However, if the employer was aware and the employee was not, the employer must pay the worker at least partially for his lost time and effort (C.M. 333:1; 334:1).

Shulchan Aruch applies this halachah also to a teacher, when the student is sickly (C.M. 334:4; Pischei Choshen, Sechirus 12:16).

Nonetheless, city regulations directly address the issue of reimbursement for missed sessions. They state: “Missed sessions due to student or staff absence must be documented. Missed SEIT sessions do not effect reimbursement for SEIT services.” The rule regarding missed sessions, whether due to student or staff absence, is that they do not effect, i.e., do not cause, reimbursement.

No distinction is made between excused or unexcused absences, or whether notification was given.

When a contract is explicit, it supersedes the default halachah, since people can stipulate whatever they want on contractual issues. According to the terms of the contract, regardless of the cause of the missed session, you are not entitled to reimbursement for the missed session (Sma 337:34).

In theory, perhaps the parent is liable to Mr. Teicher for having caused a loss by not notifying (garmi). However, this would not be reason to bill the city, since their contract precludes billing in this situation (see Pischei Choshen, Sechirus (10:[10]; 12:[3]).

Verdict: According to the city contract, which is binding also halachically, you may not bill for the missed session. *Name changed

Mr. Teicher wondered whether he could bill the city for the lesson, since he had come as planned and it was cancelled due to Aharon’s absence. True, Aharon was sick, but Mrs. Blau had known about this and was negligent in not notifying him.

He called Rabbi Dayan and asked: “May I bill for the session if the parent did not notify me of the child’s absence?”

“This question has two parts,” replied Rabbi Dayan. “First, what is the halachah, in general? Second, what is the halachah in the specific case of a SEIT contract?”

The Gemara (B.M. 76b) addresses the case of an employee who is prevented from performing the work for which he

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15 Feb 2020

‫כ' שבט תש"פ‬

‫פרשת יתרו‬

9

SHEMIRAS HALOSHON

QUIZ

FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO SPARK N CONVERSATIO

A new exciting quiz on the Parsha Perfect for the Shabbos table!

This quiz is colour coded into three abilities

WHAT IF I’M TALKING TO A BRICK WALL?

1

e: True or Fals of the e n o d ‫ מ ֶֹשה‬marrie ְ ‫יִ ת‬ sisters of ֹ‫רו‬

of arried one False! He m ers of ֹ‫יִ ְתרו‬ the daught

2

ֹ‫ יִ ְתרו‬actually had six oth er names. How many of them can you remember?

,‫ ֵקינִ י‬,‫ ֶח ֶבר‬,‫ חוֹ ָבב‬,‫ יֶ ֶתר‬,‫ֵּאל‬ ‫ְרעו‬ ‫יאל‬ ֵ ‫ּפו ִּט‬

6

n his ith him o ְ ִ‫ י‬bring w ? ‫ת‬ ֹ‫רו‬ id d ֹ ‫מ ֶש‬ Who n visit to ‫ה‬ n childre all his ow t h g u ro own is h n a) ֹ‫ יִ ְתרו‬b o me d ‫נ‬b) He ca his daughter an e with m ca e s H c) son ers her two e memb ith all th w e m ca n w d) He to of his

SOMETIMES WE SEE THE CAUSE OF ANOTHER PERSON’S PROBLEM FAR MORE CLEARLY THAN THE PERSON HIMSELF SEES IT. WE MAY KNOW WHO IS CAUSING HIM GRIEF, BUT WE ALSO KNOW HE WON’T DO ANYTHING TO HELP HIMSELF. MAY WE OFFER OUR ADVICE?

THE DILEMMA Your co-worker Shmuel has been passed over for a promotion and a raise many times during the ten years he’s worked in your organisation. He’s depressed and miserable, but afraid to say anything for fear of antagonising the boss. You’ve heard Shmuel’s immediate supervisor paint him as a bumbling incompetent, and you know that this is why the boss lacks confidence in him.

May you tell Shmuel what his supervisor has been saying?

THE HALACHAH If you’ve seen from Shmuel’s behaviour over the years that he lacks the confidence to confront his superiors, you can be fairly sure that he won’t change now. Your information will only deepen his agitation. Since nothing positive is likely to be accomplished, your report, despite its good intentions, is rechilus.

is e with h c) He cam er two sons r and h daughte

Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Hilchos Rechilus 9:12

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10

Oneg Shabbos Issue 239.

Daf Yomi WEEKLY

‫ברכות מ"ג‬

Distinctive Insight THE STATURE OF A TALMID CHACHAM

‫ שִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים גְּנַאי ל ֹו לְתַלְמִיד חָכָם‬:‫תָּנ ּו רַבָּנַן‬

We were taught in a beraisa: Six things are disgraceful for a talmid chacham. - 43b

J

ust as a talmid chacham is distinct in his Torah knowledge, so too should he stand apart and portray an image of refinement and excellence in his appearance. For example, he should not go among people wearing tattered shoes, with torn areas which are patched. He should not appear in public with any clear defects in his clothing.

His conduct should also reflect dignity and honour, and he should not

be neglectful of his elevated status and the image he displays in terms of the Torah. Clearly, people make conclusions when they see a talmid chacham who is unkempt, and they associate this indignity to the Torah itself, thus resulting in a bona fide Chillul Hashem. This is the reason the Gemara says that a talmid chacham who has a disgraceful soiled spot on his clothing is liable for death, because this causes the name of Hashem to be desecrated.

“Clothing” here also refers to one’s character, for a person’s personality and his demeanour envelop him like clothing. A stain on one’s character refers to bad middos, such as anger or lack of tznius. Just as a stain is more pronounced on a fine and delicate fabric than it is upon a rag, so too are these character imperfections more significant when found by a talmid chacham, whom people expect to be of a higher calibre than the average person.

Consequently, a talmid chacham should not underestimate the impact his conduct has upon others. He should be careful, even in private, to display only the most refined traits. In fact, the Gemara makes a comment emphasising the extent attention should be given in this regard. Who is the talmid chacham to whom we can return a lost object based upon his visual recognition of the item alone? It is someone who is careful about his shirt to change it if it was reversed (Shabbos 114b).

This refers to a shirt which is under one’s jacket, and even so, the talmid chacham is meticulous to wear it only in its proper manner. M

Y

isro saw that his son in law Moshe was judging the entire Jewish nation by himself and understands that this was not good for Moshe nor the people. He points out to him ‘The thing that you are doing is not good…..’ (18:17).

It would have been easy for Yisro to stop here. To see something not going well, to criticise, and then move on. But he continues, tries to help and offers a constructive suggestion, ‘I will advise you…’(18:19)

The Sifre explains that Yisro’s advise caused an extra verse to be added to the Torah (which is why one of his names was Yeser –extra!), and explains that the added section begins with the advice on how to make things better (18:21), rather than the beginning of the conversation.

Rabbi Meir Shapiro explains the Sifre, and points out that merely criticising someone does not merit the adding of a section in the Torah.

But constructive advice – that is worthy of a section!

How often do we just find fault with the actions of others, and are quick to criticise or complain, but then not actually try to help?

It can be easy to point out problems but a giver will not just spot it, and stop there.

They see someone struggling, notice something going wrong, and instead of criticising,

find a solution!

Adapted from Love your Neighbour by Zelig Pliskin Brought to you by

www.jgift.org

15 Feb 2020

‫כ' שבט תש"פ‬

‫פרשת יתרו‬

11

Sages through Ages THE

Dr Benji Schreiber

Rav Ovadia Yosef Baghdad, Iraq 1920 – Jerusalem 2013 ‫ג’ חשון‬

R

av Ovadia Yosef was a most remarkable Talmid Chacham.

He was the best known Sefardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, The Rishon Letzion. His knowledge of Torah was truly encyclopaedic, and he gave bold halachic rulings on many modern issues, generally favouring leniency. He was a spiritual and political leader of Sephardi Jewry and he worked hard – and was very successful – in restoring pride in the Sefardi heritage and in the psak of Shulchan Aruch. He built a political and social system, Shas, which not only held seats in Knesset and in the Cabinet, but ran social welfare programmes and schools.

Biography He was born in Iraq to Yaakov and Georga and they came to Palestine when he was four. He learned in the Talmud Torah and wrote his first commentary aged only 9. He learnt in Yeshivat Porat Yosef and received Semicha aged 20 and became Rav and Head of the Beit Din in Cairo aged 27 where he spent two years. He returned to Israel and learned with Rav Zvi Pesach Frank. He became a Dayan in Petach Tikva and aged 31 published his first halachic sefer, Hazon Ovadia, on Pesach. The next year he started publishing Yabia Omer, his major work of Teshuvot. He became Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and then, aged 53, of Israel. Aged 64 he set up Shas, of which he was the spiritual head until his death.

He married Rabbanit Margalit Fattal and they had 11 children, including Rav Yitzchak Yosef, the current Sefardi Chief Rabbi.

He had thousands of sefarim in his home and knew them all. Stories abound about

his incredible dedication to learning in every possible moment (He said he learnt Tanach – which he knew by heart – in the 5 minutes between seder and mincha); the depth of his concentration (the bus driver would honk for him because he wouldn’t realise his bus had arrived) and his phenomenal recall. In his youth he couldn’t afford to buy seforim so he borrowed them for 2 days from the bookseller and memorised them.

Opinions He explicitly prefers the lenient opinion, quoting Rav Chida who says “‫הספרדים‬ ‫”אחוזים במידת החסד ולכן הם מקילים בהלכה‬.

He tried to encourage maximal keeping of mitzvot by as many Jews as possible. He tended not to quote mystical sources such as Zohar and Arizal.

He ruled that Ethiopian Jewry were authentic Jews; that the agunot widowers of the Yom Kippur war could remarry; he allowed women to show two fingerbreadths of hair but was vehemently opposed to sheitels; he ruled that in principle land in Israel can be exchanged for real peace and he ruled that brain death is death.

He said Hallel without a Bracha on Yom HaAtzmaut. He said a Mi SheBerach for soldiers but was opposed to forced conscription of Yeshiva students.

He often made bold controversial statements and journalists would come to his shiurim just to catch these headlinemaking snippets, which were sometimes taken out of context. These included negative comments about gentiles, Arabs, women and some politicians. He offered religious explanations for events such as the Yom Kippur war and hurricane

Katrina, which he blamed on Bush’s support of the evacuation of Gush Katif “...We had 15,000 people expelled here, and there (in America) 150,000 (were expelled). It was G-d’s retribution.”

When, in a Shabbat morning drasha he called for “all the nasty people who hate Israel, like Abu Mazen (Abbas), should vanish from our world... May G-d strike them down with the plague along with all the nasty Palestinians who persecute Israel” the American government criticised him and the Israeli government had to distance itself from his comments.

Writings The major work was Yabia Omer - halachic responsa in ten volumes. Yechaveh Daat were halachic responses given to questions over the radio. Other, less well known, works include Anaf Etz Avot on Pirkei Avot and Hazon Ovadia on the festivals.

He was an outstanding talmid chacham and leader of our generation. M

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