253. Bamidbar

‫מוצאי שבת ר"ת‬

‫מוצאי שבת‬

253

Issue

‫פקד יפקד ה' אתכם‬

‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬

‫בס"ד‬

‫במדבר‬

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬ 23 May 2020

‫פרקי אבות פרק ו' • מ"ד לעומר‬

‫קבלת שבת‬

MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

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GHD

MAN

LON

JLM

BMTH

GLSCW

GHD

MAN

LON

9.00

10.31

10.15

8.16

10.07

11.04

10.42

10.31

10.06

6.57

8.45

9.21

9.05

8.59

8.41

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were attacked by Amalek. They still clung firm to the avoda zara they had been exposed to in Egypt. The Clouds of Glory would not tolerate them and thus they found themselves exposed to the dangers of the desert. The machaneh Yisroel is not just a group of disparate people who choose to join together. Its raison d’être is kedusha; consequently, tribes that want more kedusha are near the front and those who want less find themselves relegated to the back. Rav Nevenzahl shlita explains that this gives rise to a spiritual principle, namely: individual spiritual achievements and desires will be confirmed by Hashem, if you want more ruchniyus, Hashem will give you the opportunity to get more.

can all

W

alking in a fixed rhythm and pattern is a skill most Jewish men struggle to demonstrate during the recitation of Hoshanos.

Fortunately, our holy ancestors in the midbar had no such trouble. The Bnei Yisroel travelled the desert in a precise formation. Each tribe knew its position.

Let’s jump to the front of the camp. ‫ח ֵנ ֥ה יְהּודָ ֖ה לְ צִ בְ א ֹתָ ֑ם‬ ֲ ַ‫הַ חֹנִים ֙ ֵ ֣ק ְדמָ ה ִמז ָ ְ֔רחָ ה ּדֶ ֛גֶל מ‬ ‫ְהּודה נ ְַח ׁ֖שֹון ּבֶ ן־עַ ִּמינ ָ​ָדֽב׃‬ ָ֔ ‫ְונ ִָׂשיא ֙ לִ בְ ֵנ ֣י י‬

Camped on the front, or east side: the flag of the tribe of Yehuda, troop by troop. Chieftain of the Yehudah: Nachshon son of Amminadav.

‫חר ֹ ָנ ֥ה י ְִסע֖ ּו‬ ֲ ‫ לַָא‬....‫ח ֵנ ֥ה דָ ֛ן ָצ ֖פ ֹנָה לְ צִ בְ א ֹתָ ֑ם‬ ֲ ַ‫ּדֶ ֣גֶל מ‬ ‫ְלֵיהֽם׃‬ ֶ ‫לְ ִדג‬

If there is one figure who stands out as the example for wanting to connect with Hashem, it’s Nachshon. He had no fear at the Yam Suf and marched into the water trusting in Hashem that he would be ok. He had the zechus to stand at the head of the entire nation.

“On the north: the flag of the tribe of Dan…..

These shall march last, by their flags.”

According to Chazal, the motivation to be structured so precisely was Matan Torah. The Bnei Yisroel perceived the malochim organised into groups and they wanted the same. This would indicate that the concept of a structure and the placement of each tribe are profoundly linked with spirituality.

But it’s not really so simple. The liberating idea in this approach is how individuals can break free from their tribe’s position.

When it came to the building of the Mishkan, Oholiav and Betzalel, from the Tribes of Dan and Yehudah, worked together. Our surroundings can never be used to excuse our own lack of spiritual growth and connection to Hashem. Whilst Dovid Hamelech in Tehilim warns us: ‫ׁשעִ ֥ים ּובְ דֶ ֶ֣ר ְך‬ ָ ֫ ‫ֲׁש֤ר ׀ לֹ֥א הָ ל ְַך ֮ ַּב ֲע ַצ֪ת ְר‬ ֶ ‫ׁ֥ש ֵרי־הָ ִ֗איׁש א‬ ֽ ְ ‫ַא‬

We know that the tribe of Dan were not as spiritually connected as the others. They were the ones described as weary and stragglers who This Week's Edition is dedicated

‫לע''נ הקדושים והטהורים שנהרגו על קדוש‬ ‫שם שמים בימי חרבן אירופא בזמן שבועות‬

‫ָׁשב׃‬ ֽ ָ ‫מֹוׁש֥ב לֵ֝ ִ֗צים ֣ל ֹא י‬ ַ ְ‫חַ֭ ּטָ אִ ים לֹ֥א עָ ָמ֑ד ּוב‬

‫הקב''ה ינקום דמם‬

‫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

‫ספר ויקרא‬

Rabbi Benjy Rickman Head of Jewish Studies, King David High School Manchester

“Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or taken the path of sinners, or joined the company of the insolent.”

Ultimately, even if you are on the wrong path, or hanging out with people who are taking you in the wrong direction, you must expect more from yourself.

Even though Betzalel had a team, his mesirus nefesh was so strong that the Torah says that “Betzalel made the Aron.” He merited being named as responsible for making this one item due to his desire and passion for Hashem.

Was the tribe of Dan therefore relegated perpetually to spiritual oblivion? Certainly not. The Midrash teaches that being at the rear of the nation meant that they had the chance to collect lost items and return them to their owners. The Midrash is telling us that if, through worshiping avoda zara, they brought damage to the nation, they could now provide a positive service by helping others. This mitzva was given precisely to this tribe as a tikkun and to rehabilitate the tribe. The Baalei Mussar teach that at times a person may not be worthy of life, but through attaching themselves to the tzibur and being needed, they are blessed with life. Through an act of chessed, Hashem gave the tribe of Dan a way to be rehabilitated. Even if two of the pillars that the world stands on are beyond an individual’s grasp, gemilus chassidim is open to all, regardless of background. This way, no one need to be lost to our people. M Written L’ilui Nishmas my son Naftoli Meir ‫ז"ל‬

‫ספר שמות‬

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‫לע''נ ר' בנימין בן ר' מאיר דוד ז''ל‬ ‫נלב''ע ב׳ אדר תשע''ז‬

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2

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

How we can attain the level of Leviim The Ramban points out that there are many interesting parallels between the description of the Mishkan and that of ma’amad Har Sinai. From this comparison, we learn that the Mishkan, the Beis Hamikdash, and later the Shul are meant to serve as a reminder of the amazing experience that the Jews had at Har Sinai. When the Torah was given, the Shechina came down and temporarily rested among Klal Yisrael. With the completion of the Mishkan the Shechina had a permanent resting place, and we have the opportunity to re-enter the experience we had at maamad Har Sinai on a daily basis.

Rabbi Naftali Kassorla Maggid Shiur, Yeshivas Tiferes Yisroel, Yerushalayim

Perhaps this is the reason that ‫ שבט לוי‬was chosen. Since they were the only ones who did not sin at Har Sinai – and therefore the only ones who did not fall from their high level – it makes sense that only they could do the service in the Mishkan, the ‫הר סיני הקטן‬. The Leviim would serve as constant reminders of the ‫ גילוי‬of Har Sinai that was witnessed by all.

Perhaps we can take the Ramban’s concept a little bit further. The beginning of the Sedra deals with the counting of Klal Yisrael, yet Hashem specifically commands Moshe: “But you shall not count ‫שבט לוי‬, and you shall not take a census of them among the children of Israel.”

Why does Hashem give the command not to count ‫שבט‬ ‫ ?לוי‬Are they not part of Klal Yisrael as well? Rashi explains that it was because this ‫ שבט‬chose not to sin with the ‫עגל‬, and therefore they are not to be counted with the rest of Klal Yisrael, but rather as a separate entity. We see here, that since the Leviim did not sin with the ‫עגל הזהב‬, they are considered to be more choshuv.

Immediately after this, Hashem tells Moshe to entrust ‫ שבט לוי‬with the building, disassembling and transporting of the Mishkan. One might ask why it was that ‫שבט לוי‬ was specifically chosen. In what were they zoche, and what connection does this have with the Mishkan itself?

This is true for us even today. While we did not consciously experience the giving of the Torah personally, we have the incredible opportunity to return back to the level that was reached there, every time we enter a shul to daven or learn.

If we truly take this idea to heart that when we return to our shul or a Beis Medrash it is as though we are visiting the Shechina itself, we too can be on the level of the Leviim and merit to see the return of the Beis Hamikdash, where we can once again do the ‫עבודה הקדושה במהרה בימינו אמן‬. M

However, according to both the Ramban and Rashi, the connection becomes obvious. As we know, Klal Yisrael reached an incredible madreiga at Har Sinai. To have Hashem’s Divine Presence revealed was the most important moment of kedusha in this world and its power echoes through the generations to this very day.

As we know, at Matan Torah, Klal Yisrael reached the same level as Adam Harishon before the cheit of the ‫עץ הדעת‬. Yet we fell from our ‫ דרגה‬when Klal Yisrael sinned with the ‫עגל הזהב‬.

However, one ‫ שבט‬remained steadfast to Hashem; this was ‫שבט לוי‬. This ‫שבט‬, by succeeding in not sinning, kept that original ‫ קדושה‬and ‫ דרגה‬that Klal Yisroel had reached.

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

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

23 May 2020

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬

‫פרשת במדבר‬

We are not just

numbers Just before I started writing this devar Torah, I was learning mishnayos.

I am sure I am not alone in that, even if I am learning ‘alone’. I was learning l’ilui nishmas Yehonatan ben Yosef o’’h, a victim of Covid-19. He was not the only victim, nor the only victim whom I personally knew but I am writing this devar Torah l’ilui nishmas Reb Yehonatan ben Yosef: an incredibly special, humble man, devoted to his family and students, a true giver.

Bamidbar opens with the command to count the Bnei Yisroel. Moshe is told

by Hashem: Take a census (se’u es rosh) of the congregation of Bnei Yisroel according to their families, according to their fathers’ houses, by the number of names (b’mispar sheimos), every male head by head. From twenty years and up, all that go out to assemble (kol yotzei tzovo), you and Aharon shall number them according to their legions (letzivosom) (1:2-3).

In the Gemora (see Yoma 3a, 68b, Sota 36b) Sefer Bamidbar is referred to as “Chumash Ha-pekudim.” “Pekudim” means counting and refers to the census. In this week’s parsha, there is a counting at the beginning of the time in the midbar; there is another counting later in parshas Pinchas. This is after the earlier census in Ki Sisa in Shemos.

Ki Sisa has similar instructions: “ When you take a census (ki sisa es rosh) of the Bnei Yisroel recording their numbers, each man should give atonement (kofer) to Hashem when they are counted, then there will be no plague when they are counted.”

Rashi explains the multiplicity of censuses: because they were dear to Him, He counted them often. When they left Mitzrayim, He counted them.

When [many] fell because [of the sin] of the eigel ha’zahav, He counted them to know the number of the survivors.

When He came to cause His Divine Presence to rest among them, He counted them. On the first of Nissan,

the Mishkan was erected, and on the first of Iyar, He counted them.

The phrase “b’mispar sheimos” (by number of the names) is unusual.

Normally numbers are used to provide anonymity. A name is totally different, it implies significance, individuality. Here the emphasis is on b’mispar sheimos. Is Hashem looking for the overall numbers or the individuality?

Rabbi Yissochar Frand shlita provides an answer from Rav Mordechai Gifter ztl who wrote that numbers by their very definition are finite. Stating a number, one quantifies an item such that the quantity is no more and no less than the number stated. A human being, by his very definition, is not finite in this sense. He has a soul and strengths, and characteristics. He has unlimited potential to grow and expand his capabilities. Trying to put a number on an individual limits him.

We cannot just “count” Jews. When we enumerate people and treat them as numbers, we in effect say they are defined and limited. This is certainly not the way that Hashem wants us to view the Jewish people.

Later in the parasha we read the names of the bnei Aharon. Nadav and Avihu are mentioned specifically, even though they were niftar. The Torah does not say that two sons died. I think that this again emphasises the value and significance of individuals and their contribution to Klal Yisroel. We are all tzelem Elokim. Hashem is unique. Every human being created in the Divine Image is unique and valued.

For Hitler yemach shemo and his henchmen, we were numbers.

3

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

Nowadays we have daily numbers and statistics released about victims of Covid-19. Stalin yemach shemo famously said “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.” Many of us have lost family, friends, neighbours

and teachers to this virus. For us, every life is valuable, every death a tragedy.

We must remember those we have lost and their unique contributions to klal Yisroel and not let their memories disappear as part of a larger number or statistic. M

4

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

Singing with Gratitude ‘Shetilei Zeitim’ is a well known and well established shul in Bnei Brak.

The vasikin minyan had been led daily

by Rabbi Ezra Mizrachi for more than two decades, without any change in the style of service.

But then, one day four years ago, R’ Ezra did something different; when he got to the psalm of Mizmor L’Soda – Song of Thanks, instead of saying it quietly to himself as per usual, he sang it out loud to an upbeat tune. The regulars crowded round him at the end of the service, itching with curiosity to find out the reason for the change.

R’ Ezra explained: “Yesterday I came across a little-known Halacha in the Shulchan Aruch where we are instructed to sing this. We are being told that, instead of saying it without any special emphasis (or possibly even without any thought at all), we should make it significant: with a tune that truly expresses our deepest gratitude to our Creator. “What do you think?” he asked the congregants. “Should we make this upgrade a daily occurrence?”

After they had been reassured that he would use a swift upbeat tune and the service would only be lengthened by a minute, they agreed. And so it was, every day R’ Ezra sang the song and everyone joined in with joy.

About a year later, R’ Ezra started experiencing severe pains which his family doctor could not explain. He was referred on to a specialist who carried out a full battery of tests. When he was invited back to the clinic a few days later for the results he saw that the consultant had a serious look on his face. He said, “I have been a doctor for many years and I still don’t know how to deliver difficult news to my patients. While the results are not 100% conclusive and we will have to do further, more intensive tests in a few weeks, nevertheless I would recommend that you prepare yourself.

We live in a time where there are many

Rabbi Menachem Salasnik Director, Journey to Better Speech

excellent treatments but you should be prepared for a lengthy and difficult period ahead.”

There was silence in the room while R’ Ezra digested the information.

While the doctor had left the diagnosis unspoken, it was clear what he was hinting at. However, he quickly pulled himself together and offered a silent prayer with deep faith: “My life until now has been wonderful! Thank you Hashem! I trust in You that just as up until now my life was happy and beautiful, so, if You choose, You can continue to give me many more years of happiness to come!” As he left the consulting room, without knowing why, he found himself humming the tune to Mizmor L’Soda.

Three weeks passed and the day preceding his recall arrived. As he was singing Mizmor L’Soda that morning, he had a sudden thought. As soon as prayers were over, he rushed home, discussed it with his wife and then went straight to the bus stop to head to Tzfat, where he planned to pray at the grave of Rabbi Yosef Caro, author of the Shulchan Aruch. When he arrived at the gravesite, he suddenly found himself crying uncontrollably. He started to pray from the depths of his heart. He thanked Hashem for all the good years he had been gifted, his family, health, livelihood.

And then he begged that he should be healthy, that his children should have a healthy father. And finally he cried out, ‘Rabbi Yosef! You wrote the Shulchan Aruch for us, filled with laws of daily living. But there is one that is not so well known - to sing Mizmor L’Soda in public - which I have been careful to keep over the last year, so that I can thank Hashem in the appropriate way. I am in a desperate situation!

Please plead my case before Hashem and be a meilitz

yosher (a positive advocate) on my behalf, so that Hashem in His kindness will arrange for me to go through the tests tomorrow peacefully. May there be no growth or sickness, no worry or suffering; just health, calm and joy so that I can continue to demonstrate my gratitude!” And then, after reciting a few chapters of Tehillim, he sang Mizmor L’Soda with real feeling.

The next day, throughout the many tiring examinations, R’ Ezra maintained his gratitude and trust in Hashem. When he was finally called into the specialist’s office, he was surprised to see the doctor confused, with shock and disbelief etched on his face. “Listen,” he said. “In all my medical career I don’t remember a more astonishing situation!” Pointing to the scans, he explained, “This is the scan from 3 weeks ago, you can clearly see the growth. But this is today’s scan, there is nothing there, not even a tiny remnant. Even the blood tests today were normal! It’s unbelievable!”

The doctor carried on speaking but R’ Ezra wasn’t really taking it in – he was already humming the tune! M

23 May 2020

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬

‫פרשת במדבר‬

5

The Same Mitzvahs,

Different Generations Rabbi Eli Lefkowitz Director of Mesivta Division, Project Witness Project Witness EDUCATE. INSPIRE. TRANSFORM.

A

bout twenty years ago, Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon shlita arrived in Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood to assume the position of Mashgiach. His inaugural shmues was a memorable event, with thousands of people crowded in and around the beis hamedrash to hear his words. The new mashgiach spoke of the parsha of chatzotzros, the special trumpets used in the Midbar to call the Bnei Yisrael to attention. When the people were to depart for the next journey through the wilderness, the trumpets were used to sound their assembly.

The mashgiach continued by citing the Gemara in Menachos, which says

that although all the vessels made by Moshe Rabbeinu in the Midbar were fit for use forever, the trumpets were not to be used again.

Why, asked the mashgiach, were these

vessels any different from the others?

The answer he offered was profound.

Over the course of history, the nature of mankind has continued to change.

Today’s generation is different from generations gone by, and society today bears little resemblance to the days of yesteryear. Therefore, noted the mashgiach, the way one calls out to get the attention of the people never remains the same. If we want to reach the youth of today, we cannot employ the methods of the past. In order for any message to resonate, it cannot come across as outdated or else it will be completely ineffective.

But it’s not just the medium of delivery; it’s the message as well. A mashgiach in a European yeshiva could deliver a shmues with a focus on the importance of Olam Haba, or the details of Divine reward and punishment.

Today, while the fundamentals never change, these ideas must be couched in relevant concepts to which our youth can relate to.

A youngster who was responsible for much mayhem in his classroom once went too far in his antics.

His teacher decided to send him to the headmaster of the school, who was an older man of impressive visage. The youngster was seated in a chair in front of the desk, while the headmaster stroked his beard and contemplated the right words

which would get through to this child.

Finally, he spoke. Peering down at boy, he asked, “Where is G-d?”

The little boy was wide-eyed, and silent.

Leaning forward, the headmaster repeated, “Where is G-d?”

The boy jumped out of his chair in fright and ran down the hall. Bumping into his friend, he exclaimed, “Now I’m really in trouble! They can’t find G-d and they think I took Him!” The way to one’s heart is certainly not simple. Rabbeinu Saadya Gaon lists no less than ten reasons for sounding the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Why is it necessary to give so many explanations?

Perhaps the answer is that since this mitzvah is done over so many generations, Rabbeinu Saadya Gaon wanted to give different messages, with the hope that the mitzvah would be able to touch everyone’s neshama. Judging by the reverence with which we accord this mitzvah, I think that it certainly does. M

6

The Power of the

Community PIRCHEI

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

‫בס״ד‬

Rabbi Ben Goodman www.mydvartorah.com Providing tailor-made Divrei Torah for all occasions

“Learning that deals with the identification of the Reb Chaim says that we see from this Midrash that when substances of which matter is composed; the investigation of Hashem issues a decree on a tzibur- a community- that decree their properties and the ways in which they interact, combine, member of the tzibur, regardless of whether each May 27, 2017 - ‫ תשע"ז‬,‫ב' סיון‬affects - Vol:every 4 Issue: 28 and change; and the use of these processes to form new one deserves it. From the Torah’s point of view, a tzibur is not )‫כב‬-‫א‬:‫ (הושע ב‬...‫ והיה מספר בני ישראל כחול הים‬:‫ במדבר הפטרה לשבת‬:‫פרשה‬ substances” is not the type of blurb you would expect to read merely an assembly of individuals; rather it as a new entity ‫לעומר‬ ‫ימים‬ 64 '‫ו‬ ‫פרק‬ ‫אבות‬ ‫בתרא קכ״ה‬ in a Yeshiva prospectus, nor the type of education you would greater than‫בבא‬ the:‫יומי‬ sum‫דף‬ of all its parts - formed by its constituent suppose receiving from a page of Talmud. Realistically, elements: its congregants. Although the Levi’im did not ‫יז‬:‫טז‬-‫יט‬:‫ דברים טו‬,‫ רות‬:‫כג; יום ב‬:‫כ‬-‫א‬:‫ שמות יט‬,‫ אקדמות‬:‫שבועות יום א‬ though, there are two types of “matter”- physical matter deserve to die in the wilderness, if they had been counted ,‫קכ״ט‬ ‫ בבא בתרא‬:‫יזכור יום ב׳ דשבועות דף יומי‬ - ‫שלם‬they ‫ הלל‬would have become part of the and spiritual matter- and while the‫ק״ל‬ above definition with,‫ימים‬ Bnei ‫ב׳‬ Yisroel, applies to the study of physical matter, it is no entity of Klal Yisroel and suffered the overall less relevant to the study of spiritual fate of the tzibur. matter, namely, the study of Torah.

On the other hand, the power of the

Agudas Yisroel of America

TorahThoughts

From this week’s parsha, Reb Chaim Shmuelevitz (1902-1979) derives a classical example ofThere a “spiritual compound.” are no ‫וֹת‬ ְ‫ ִמצ‬specifically associated with ‫שבוּעוֹת‬. ָׁ ‫ָׁשבוּעוֹת‬ is the ‫טוֹב‬ ‫יוֹם‬ celebrating ‫ה‬ ‫תּוֹר‬, ָׁ and there is no distinctive ‫ָׁה‬ ‫ ִמצְ ו‬that Reb Chaim questions why the Torah, in represents ‫ה‬ ‫תּוֹר‬, ָׁ other than the ‫ה‬ ‫תּוֹר‬ ָׁ itself.

However, there is a special addition to instructing Moshe Rabbeinu importance attached to the ‫מנְהָׁ גִ ים‬, ִ customs, of ‫שבוּעוֹת‬. ָׁ A ‫ ִמנ ְָׁהג‬is a toprotection count thefor Levi’im separately the ‫תּוֹרה‬. ָׁ The letters of the word ‫ ִמנְהָׁ ג‬are the same as from of Bnei Yisroel, finds ‫הַ מָׁ גֵן‬,the therest protector. it necessaryThe to Vilna specify three times Gaon offers an interesting ‫רמֶ ז‬,ֶ hint, based on five of theBnei popular ‫מנְהָׁ גִ ים‬counting ִ of ‫בוּעוֹת‬that ָׁ‫ש‬. They during Yisroel’s the are: ‫ — אַ ְקדָׁ מוּת‬Introductory ‫ חַלָׁב‬included.

— eating dairy products, ‫וּת‬Reb ‫— ר‬Chaim reading the story of praise were of ‫ה׳‬, not Levi’im Consequently, ‫רוּת‬, ‫ — ירק‬placing greenery around the home and shul and ‫תיקוּן‬ ַ — concludes that the exclusion of the Levi’im from Bnei learning all night from ‫ ִתּיקוּן לֵיל שָׁ בֻעוֹת‬. The first letters of each word Yisroel’s must principle spell outcensus the word ‫רית‬reflect ִ ֲ‫ — ַאח‬aend.

The ‫תּוֹרה‬ ָׁ of paramount is always referred to as importance. ‫אשית‬ ִ ‫ר‬,ֵ beginning, and these very diverse ‫ ִמנְהָׁ גִ ים‬are performed together.

They represent of of thethe ‫תּוֹרה‬ ָׁ fiasco and are similar to The Midrash explains the that,protection as a result with an outer protective covering (the end). the ten spies, the 603,550 included in this the count Various reasons men are offered to explain ‫נְהָׁ ג‬were ‫ ִמ‬of flowers. destined to provides die in theanother wilderness next four the decades; Each one insightover intothe appreciating ‫ יוֹם טוֹב‬of ‫בוּעוֹת‬ ָׁ‫ש‬. and Hashem deliberately excluded the Levi’im from the count.

TheLevi’im ‫ ַר ָׁמ״א‬explains that placing greenery around had the home Although the were innocent of any wrongdoing, and in shul reminds us of the events of ‫ה‬ ‫תּוֹר‬ ָׁ ‫ן‬ ַ‫תּ‬ ַ‫מ‬.

A miracle occurred they been counted together with Bnei Yisroel, they too would at the time of ‫תּוֹרה‬ ָׁ ‫מַ ַתּן‬: ‫ ַהר ִסינַי‬was covered with greenery. [Our shul and have that harrowing our died homeinare the ‫ ִמ ְקדָׁ ש ְמעַ ט‬decree. that represent the beauty of accepting the ‫תּוֹרה‬.] ָׁ The ‫ מָׁ גֵן ַאבְ ָׁרהָׁ ם‬suggests that the ‫ ִמנְהָׁ ג‬of greenery is to

tzibur also works to its advantage. Since the collective value of a tzibur far outweighs thetime value any one remind us that ‫ ָׁשבוּעוֹת‬is the weof brought up of ourits ‫ים‬participants, ‫כּוּר‬ ִ ִ‫ ב‬to the ‫בֵ ית‬ ‫הַ ִמ ְקדָׁ ש‬. [We thank ‫ ד׳‬foran all individual, the goodness that we after we through hismerited connection to accepted the ‫תּוֹרה‬.] ָׁ the tzibur, opens himself up to a degree of ‫ ר' ַי ֲעקֺב ִמעֶ ְמ ִדין‬reasons that we have this ‫ ִמנ ְָׁהג‬because protection and success that he never flowers offer a pleasant aroma and therefore will enhance the ‫יוֹם טוֹב‬ would have merited on his ‫טוֹב‬ own. environment. Even though this reasoning is applicable to any ‫יוֹם‬, it Indeed, it ‫א‬ is‫ ָׁר‬for thisthat reason thatthat a person applies even more so to ‫בוּעוֹת‬ ‫ ָׁש‬as the ‫ גְ ָׁמ‬says all agree one must have physical enjoyments on this ‫טוֹב‬ ‫יוֹם‬. should always pray with a tzibur and make The ‫ ַאל ְִשי״ְך‬says that this on ‫מנ ְָׁהג‬behalf ִ is to of remind us about the his requests the tzibur.

children of ‫יִשָׁ שכָׁר‬. ‫ִששכָׁר‬ ָׁ ‫ י‬is the tribe that represents ‫תּוֹרה‬, ָׁ and ‫יִשָׁ שכָׁר‬ overofthe months, we have was bornUnfortunately, after an exchange ‫אים‬last ִ ָׁ‫ דוּד‬two (a kind of flower) that ‫ְראוּבֵ ן‬ first-hand broughtwitnessed home on ‫בוּעוֹת‬ ‫עֶ ֶרב ָׁש‬. the terrible effects of being caught in ‫ ַמ‬explains that this ‫ְהג‬ ָׁ ‫ ִמנ‬ishave to remind us about ‫מֺשֶ ה‬ the The net ‫י״ם‬ of a‫ל ְִב‬worldwide decree.

We lost distinguished ‫ ינוּ‬leaders ֵ‫רב‬,ַ who and was sterling born on ‫ר‬members ‫ז׳ ַא ָׁד‬. His of mother was able to hide him for our communities, seemingly three months without anyone asking questions. She then took ‫מֺשֶ ה‬, without rhyme or reason. strengthen ourselves at this placed him in a basket and hid Let him us in the flowery reeds.

This episode time to on impress took place ‫ז׳ ִסיוָׁן‬, upon the dayourselves of ‫תּוֹרה‬ ָׁ ‫ ַתּן‬the ַ‫מ‬. power of the tzibur and renew The our commitment to stand in the service ‫ִששכָׁר‬ ָׁ ‫ ְבנֵי י‬suggests thattogether this ‫נ ְָׁהג‬as ‫ ִמ‬one demostrates the difference between ‫ כְּ לַל י ְִש ָׁר ֵאל‬and all the other nations, based on the of Hashem. ‫פָׁסוּק‬: ‫חוֹחים‬ ִ ַ‫ — כְּ שוֹשַ נָׁה בֵ ין ה‬like a rose between the thorn bushes. The other nations refused to accept theof‫ה‬Reb ‫תּוֹר‬, ָׁ Asher but ‫ ֵאל‬ben ‫י ְִש ָׁר‬Tzvi ‫ כְּ לַל‬Haynoch said ‫ַנעֲשֶ ה‬ In memory of the Neshama ‫ וְ נ ְִש ָׁמע‬and accepted the ‫תּוֹרה‬ ָׁ Nishmas unconditionally.

L’iluy Aidel bas Avraham

Yahrtzeits Gedolim of our

‫ב׳ סיון‬

‫ירא זַצַ ״ל‬ ָ ִּ‫ ר׳ חַ יִּים ֶאלְעָ זָר שַ פ‬of Munkács was born in Stryzow, 5632 — 5697 Poland, to ‫ירש‬ ְ ‫יוֹרה ֵדעָ ה( ר׳ ְצ ִּבי ִּה‬ ֶ ‫;בַ עַ ל דַ ְרכֵי ְתשוּבָ ה עַ ל‬ 1871 — 1937 great-grandson of the ‫בְ נֵי יִּשָ שכָר‬, ‫ )ר׳ צְ בִּ י ֶאלִּימֶ לְֶך‬and ‫ֶא ְס ֵתר‬ (Horowitz). He learned under his father and became the ‫ ָרב‬of Munkács in 1914. From his youth, he completed the ‫ ַש״ס בַ ְבלִּי‬and ‫ יְרוּשַ ל ְִּמי‬every two years. He was a prolific writer. In addition to his 6-volume magnum opus, ‫מנ ְַחת ֶאלְעָ זָר‬, ִּ he wrote ‫אוֹרח ַחיִּים‬ ַ ‫ִּמוּקי‬ ֵ ‫ נ‬and ‫אוֹת וְ ָשלוֹם‬, among other ‫ספ ִָּרים‬. ְ He opened ‫י ְִּשיבָ ה דַ ְרכֵי ְתשוּבָ ה‬, which attracted hundreds of students.

Famous as a ‘Wonder Rabbi,’ he was visited by many world leaders, such as the Czechoslovakian President and Queen Wilhelmina of Holland, who sought the ‫’ ָרב‬s advice and ‫ ְב ָרכוֹת‬.

With to publication Rabbi I Eckstein Dedication opportunities are available. If you would like to sponsor or thanks receive this via email, please send an email to pircheiweekly@agudathisrael.org

Adapted from: A ‫ ִשעוּר‬by R’ Zev Leff ‫שַ ִליטָׁ "א‬

Gedolim Glimpses R' Chaim Elazar Shapira ‫זַ צַ ״ל‬, the Munkácser Rebbe, placed great emphasis on learning and ‫תפִ לָּ ה‬. ְּ He encouraged his ‫ידים‬ ִ ‫ חַ ִס‬to rise early and learn ‫ גְּ מָּ ָּרא‬before davening. He would say in the name of ‫בְּ נֵי יִ שָּ שכָּ ר‬ that through the learning of ‫גְּ מָּ ָּרא‬, our ‫ ְּתפִ לוֹת‬go up to ‫ שָּ מַ יִ ם‬with the ‫ מַ לְּ אֲ כֵ י ד׳‬of ‫יאל‬ ֵ ‫גַּבְּ ִר‬, ‫יכָּאל‬ ֵ ‫מ‬ ַּ , ‫פָּאל‬ ֵ ‫ ַּר‬and ‫יאל‬ ֵ ‫אוּ ִר‬. The first letters of the name of each of these ‫ מַ לְּ אָכִ ים‬spell the word ‫גַּמָ ַָּרַּא‬. of Pirchei Aguda

‫לע״נ ר׳ ישראל בן אברהם ז"ל‬ ‫לע״נ הב׳ ישעיהו דוב ע״ה בן יבלחט״א יצחק צבי נ״י‬

23 May 2020

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬

‫פרשת במדבר‬

7

Why would they say NO?

Rabbi Moshe Levy Executive Director, Chazak UK

O

ur Chachamim tell us that before Hashem gave us the Torah, He went to the other nations and offered it to them. They very logically asked “ What’s inside this Torah You are offering us?” Hashem replied “Don’t kill, don’t steal and don’t commit adultery.” “No thank you” they all answered.

Is there a civilised society in the world where it is ok to kill, steal or commit adultery? If Hashem would have said to them “You need to keep kosher and Shabbat etc”, I could understand their apprehension. However to keep things they are already doing, that constitute the fabric of a functioning society, makes no sense to reject.

One of the main questions asked of me as a Rabbi is “I am a good person - why is that not enough”? I often respond “ Well, what makes you a good person? “The inevitable answer almost always is “ I give charity and help old people.” Those are of course both mitzvot from the Torah. “What else?” I ask, to which people often don’t really have much to add to their original response.

The majority of values in the wider world are based on the teachings of the Torah, but not all of them. When you look at the world today compared to 50 or 100 years ago, it is a very very different place. What was considered ethical and moral then, seems outdated, old-school and sometimes even crazy in the present day. The type of language which was used then and the modesty in which the average person dressed in public, then compared to now represents two different worlds.

When the nations told Hashem “We don’t want the Torah You are offering”,

what they were actually saying was “We don’t want You to decide for us what is ethical and moral. We will decide what is murder, as You might tell us that abortion is murder, but we have decided it is ok.

You might tell us that certain situations are stealing while we think it is isn’t.”

President Obama in his inauguration speech said “Our challenges may be new.

The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.” I think that we as Jews in 2020 can say the same exact thing about Torah. We live in a world that is constantly changing but our principles need to be the identical to those 100 and 1000 years ago.

We do not try to live in the past; but we need to make sure we don’t get caught up in the ever changing views and values of society. If we do then, before we know it, we will have a different religion than the one we were blessed from Hashem with, three thousand three hundred and thirty two years ago.

A few years ago, I was on a plane to Israel seated next to a man named Paul.

When I asked him his occupation, he told me that he is the chairman of a reform and liberal rabbinical institution. When he asked me what I do, I replied I am an orthodox Rabbi teaching and.... We both could not help but smile as to how Hashem had put us next to each other. We got schmoozing, eventually talking about what it means to be a Jew. Paul said that he believes that Judaism is all about being a good person and doing the right thing.

I told him I agree 100%. He got a big grin and responded “My 86-year-old motherin-law loves to go to shul; the only way she can get there is to drive. Isn’t it right that she should be able to get to shul and pray to Hashem?” Wouldn’t you say that is the right thing to do?

I answered him that in theory that sounds very good. The problem is that

when one person comes and says to me “I am quite poor. I live next door to a KFC which is happy to give me the leftovers late at night. Isn’t it right that I should be able to eat well at no cost, even if it is not kosher?” Another person might say “I am forty years old, have been dating for years, and have fallen in love a person at work.

Isn’t it right I should be able to get married to someone who loves me while I can still have children, even if that person is not Jewish?” Someone else tells me he has a friend who works at Hugo Boss. He gives him suits which happen to have wool and linen together. Isn’t it right that he would be able to wear a new amazing suit even if there is shatnez?

If each person starts to decide what is right and what is wrong, then we will have a million versions of Judaism and ultimately no Judaism. Sure it sounds logical that we should be able to drive when we want, eat what we want and wear what we want; but the line and boundaries of what is ok and what isn’t ok keeps changing with each generation. When we accepted the Torah we were telling Hashem “We are letting You decide for us what is right and what is wrong, what is ethical and what is moral.”

We are good people whose virtuous actions emanate from the Torah. Just being a good person is not enough. I might think it is enough and you might think it is enough, but Hashem in His infinite wisdom knows that we need to do more.

It does not matter what we think; it only matters what Hashem thinks. We need to keep it in the fold: keep Shabbat, kosher shatnez, and more, even if we do not understand why. I trust and know that Hashem does. The nations told Hashem “No” so they could do what they wanted, justifying it by saying that in today’s day and age, this is the norm.

The Torah is our guiding compass on how to live life always, especially today in a world that often seems so crazy. Torah is our instruction manual in our generation where what is right and what is wrong is so complicated. Torah is more relevant now than ever before. M

8

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

Torah Links

Oneg Shabbos is privileged to receive submissions from Rabbonim and Mechanchim from across the world. Here are links to their personal parsha sheets and websites to provide you with even more Torah content and inspiration during these challenging times.

Pulse of Emunah

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Part of Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation’s Shabbos Table Machsom L’fi program, is a free weekly engaging Shmiras Haloshon email newsletter guaranteed to stimulate positive discussion and enhance your Shabbos meal.

To subscribe to Shabbos Menu and/or to join the Shabbos Table Machsom L’fi program, visit powerofspeech.org/shabbos

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Mevaser Tov

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Daf Digest An Invaluable Resource for learning Daf Yomi. Helping you to understand the Daf, helping you to remember teachings of the Daf. Subscribe to our mailing list at www.dafdigest.org/subscribe.php

Translations of Chassidic Discourses by the Biala Rebbe ‫שליט"א‬.

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My Dvar Torah Torah Bite is the perfect resource for a short, dynamic and meaningful Dvar Torah, written

by Rabbi Goodman. Subscribe now to receive a weekly Torah Bite for the Shabbos Table MyDvarTorah.com

Gur Aryeh Yehudah A weekly parasha sheet, usually containing an inspirational story, always containing a moral lesson. Edited by Rabbi Mashiach Kelaty.

Subscribe by emailing info@blendvideo.co.uk

Hilchos Shabbos (Zochor V’Shomor) To subscribe end email to halochos39group8@googlegroups.com Our learning should be ‫ לעילוי נשמת‬the author of the Sefer Zochor V’Shomor. ‫לעילוי נשמת הרב הגאון‬ ‫רב פסח אליהו פאלק זצ”ל‬

Living Emunah Short powerful audio and text of Chizuk on Emunah delivered daily via email, given

by Rabbi David Ashear. To subscribe visit Livingemunah.com or send a request to livingemunah123@gmail.com

The Ohr Somayach Torah Magazine You can subscribe to the Ohrnet at https://subs. ohr.edu/lists/?p=subscribe&list[6]=signup The magazine can be viewed here https://ohr.edu/new/

Parsha Pages Parsha for Youth - Interesting activities (Word Search, Gematria, Sudoku, Math, 7 Questions, It All Adds Up, Crossword Puzzle) and articles (Persons Connected to the Parsha, Yossi & Co., Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said, Parsha with Pictures) connected to the Parsha for Youth of all ages.

Parsha Pages - Interesting ideas and viewpoints collected from the commentaries on the Parsha Lekutei Sichos - Resource to encourage the study of the Rebbe’s sichos on the Parsha (Basic Parsha insights, Overview and Abstract plus a extended review of one Sichah) To subscribe please email: leibhoff@gmail.com

23 May 2020

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬

‫פרשת במדבר‬

9

Parshasheets.com

Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

A one - stop site for parsha sheets and Divrei Torah. Subscribe at Parshasheets.com or send an email to parshasheetsweekly@gmail.com

Check out my Divrei Torah at: ParshaParagraphs.blogspot.com

Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein Drawing on a broad range of commentaries, many of them well-known, and some of them not so well-known, Dimensions in Chumash comprises weekly thought-provoking discussions on the parsha, with particular emphasis laid on the different ways in which the Torah transmits its messages.

To receive these divrei Torah weekly please visit journeysintorah.com and click on subscribe for Dimensions in Chumash at the bottom of the homepage, or contact Rav Bernstein at ravbernstein@gmail.com

Rabbi Binyonim Adler Enhance your Shabbos with Shabbos: Ta’am Hachaim.

Insights on the Parasha, Zemiros, Tefillah, Halacha and Entertaining Stories by Rabbi Binyonim Adler.

Subscribe shabbostaamhcahaim@gmail.com

Rabbi David Etengoff My emailing list consists of my drasha for the Parashat HaShavuah that may also be found at reparashathashavuah.org. You may subscribe by contacting me at rdbe718@gmail.com.

Imrei Binyamin A weekly Dvar Torah from the wisdom and writings of Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of South Shore, and Founder of the Five Towns community, written and distributed weekly by his grandson, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky. You can subscribe by sending an email to sk@rbktorah.org or visit www.rbktorah.org

Rabbi Yankie Schechter A perfect resource for those looking to gain a concise, yet insightful, look at each week’s Parshah, and is an excellent reference for those preparing a Dvar Torah to repeat at the table, or for a speech. Please email parshapshetel@gmail.com to subscribe.

Rabbi YY Jacobson We send out via email weekly essays and classes.

If you would like to receive them, please click this link: https://www.theyeshiva.net/jewish/2453 Also, if you want to receive our whatsapp clips, please click here: theyeshiva.net/whatsapp

Parsha Insight Lessons learned from the Weekly Parasha or Holiday.

Authored by Rabbi Eli J Mansour. Subscribe at info@itorah.com

From the desk of Rabbi Jablinowitz Weekly Devar Torah from the Rosh Yeshiva Ateret Yerushalayim. Subscribe by sending an email to: ateretyer@gmail.com

Rabbi Jonathan Gewitz Dvar Torah, Story, Thought of the Week Enhance your Shabbos and your life with a free subscription to the Migdal Ohr. Original, thought-provoking material on the Parsha and Moadim. https://bit.ly/2YawVYz to sign up.

R’ Dovid Winiarz ‫ז"ל‬, was a giant in Kiruv known as the Facebuker Rebbe for his pioneering work online (with Rabbinic approval and guidance.) His legacy lives on in a weekly Parsha sheet that combines light and meaningful messages with humor and an easy smile. Visit https://bit.ly/357m7vI to subscribe.

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A weekly series of Torah essays by Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein of Beitar Illit that focuses on explaining the differences between apparent synonyms in the Hebrew Language.

To subscribe or to contact the author with questions, comments, or suggestions, please email rabbircklein@gmail.com

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Subscribe by sending an email to storiestoinspire.org@gmail.com

Fascinating Insights A unique, inspiring, interesting, thoughtprovoking, encouraging, informational and transformational weekly Torah sheetwhich is comprised of many topics that are seldomly spoken about- sent to thousands around the world. You can subscribe by sending an email to yalt3285@gmail.com

10

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

Stand Up and be Counted ‫ֲׁש֥ר‬ ֶ ‫ְוֽ֠הָ יָה ִמ ְסּפַ ֤ר ּבְ ֵנ ֽי־י ְִׂש ָראֵ ל ֙ ּכְ ח֣ ֹול הַ ָּי֔ם א‬ .…‫ֽל ֹא־יִּמַ ֖ד ו ְ֣ל ֹא יִּסָ פֵ֑ר‬

“The number of Bnei Yisroel shall be like that of the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted…”1

This week’s Haftara from Hoshea, likens the number of Bnei Yisroel to the sand of the sea. However, as the gemara in Yoma expounds, the verse contains an inherent contradiction: “Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani said that Rabbi Yonatan raised a contradiction: It is written in this verse: “And the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea,” suggesting that they will have a specific number, though it will be very large. On the other hand, it continues and says: “Which cannot be measured and cannot be counted,” which means they will not be countable at all. How can these two statements be reconciled? (Yoma 22b)” The gemara gives two answers to this contradiction2 but I would like to focus here on the answer given by the the Izhbitzer Rebbe3 Ztl in his sefer Mei Hashiloach. He gives a powerful answer that I would like to suggest also links to the theme of Bamidbar and the invaluable realisations that one can attain in the sand not of the sea but of the desert.

The Mei Hashiloach says that in reality ‫ כלל ישראל‬has no numerical status. As an entity we stand above the limiting world of numbers. However, every Yiddishe neshama ‫ בפרט‬is a precious entity which has it’s own individual value and worth and is precious in the eyes of Hashem.

This, says the Mei HaShiloach, is the way to understand the apparent

contradiction in the pasuk in Hoshea.

Every Jew needs to know that they are counted, they are needed and they are integral: “..because from the collective Klal Yisroel, made up of all the individuals, the greatness of Hashem is made known in the world. And if just one individual is missing from Klal Yisroel then the mixture will be deficient (the impact will be felt). It is as if the image of the King were made up of many small parts, and if just one of the parts was missing, then the picture of the King would be lacking.”4 This incredible demonstration of the unique mission of every Jew is also echoed in the more contemporary words of Rav Shlomo Wolbe ‫ זצ"ל‬in Alei Shor: “Every person needs to know that he has great value. Not an imagined value, in that he “considers himself special”… rather a deeply profound, even astonishing, importance…

I – with my special character strengths, my particular parents, born at a specific time period, and in a certain environment – certainly there is a unique challenge that is placed upon me. I have a special share in the Torah, and the entire world is waiting for me to actualize that which is incumbent upon me. For my role cannot be exchanged with anyone else in the world!” 5 We know that the Parsha of Bamidbar is always read before Shavuos and one of the reasons given in the midrash is that this teaches us that only those who make themselves hefker like the desert are able to recieve the Torah.6 The desert is ownerless and

Rabbi Dov Ber Cowan Director, JLE Young Professionals

empty. It is void of distraction and is silent. The real avodah for us, living in such a noisy world filled with incessant distraction, is to find the precious moments of seclusion and silence that allow us to meditate on finding the unique mission that Hashem has charged us with. We need the singular process of self-discovery in the Midbar before we are able to re-join the Klal with the full realisation of our unique role that only we can achieve. And when this is achieved, the “King’s image” is complete. M

1 Hoshea 2:1 - Haftara for Parshas Bamidbar 2 ‫אמר רבי שמואל בר נחמני ר' יונתן רמי כתיב והיה מספר בני ישראל‬ ‫כחול הים וכתיב אשר לא ימד ולא יספר לא קשיא כאן בזמן שישראל‬ ‫עושין רצונו של מקום כאן בזמן שאין עושין רצונו של מקום רבי אמר‬ ‫משום אבא יוסי בן דוסתאי לא קשיא כאן בידי אדם כאן בידי שמים‬ 3 Reb Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izhbitz (1801-1854) 4 Mei Hashiloach - Parshas Bamidbar 5 Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, Alei Shur, Vol. I, p. 168 6 ‫שה‬ ׂ ֶ ֹ ‫ אֶ ּלָא ּכָל ִמי ׁ ֶשאֵ ינו ֹ עו‬,‫משה ְ ּב ִמדְ ּבַר ִסינַי‬ ֶ ׁ ‫ ַויְדַ ֵּבר ה' אֶ ל‬,‫ָ ּדבָ ר אַ חֵ ר‬ ְ ‫ לְ כ‬,‫ אֵ ינו ֹ יָכו ֹל לִ ְקנו ֹת אֶ ת הַ חָ כְ מָ ה וְהַ ּתו ָֹרה‬,‫ הֶ פְ ֵקר‬,‫ַמ ְד ָּבר‬ :‫ָך נֶאֱ מַ ר‬ ִ ּ ‫עַ צְ מו ֹ ּכ‬ .‫ ִמ ְד ַּבר ִסינָי‬-Bamidbar Rabba 1:7

23 May 2020

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬

‫פרשת במדבר‬

11

SHEMIRAS HALOSHON

FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO SPARK ON CONVERSATI Rabbi Elimelech Beiderman

T

Be’er Mayim

osfos in Maseches Megilla says that Parshas Bamidbar must be read before Shavous. They explain that this is because we must not go from the curses in Parshas Bechukosai directly into Shavous. Atzeres/Shavuos is the Rosh Hashana for fruits of the tree. We don’t go directly from the mention of curses to Rosh Hashanah. We need to make an interruption, therefore Bamdibar is read at this point.

Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’’l explains this in another way, Why is Bamidbar read before Shavuos? In Parshas Bamidbar, Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu to count every person in Klal Yisroel. Every single one. The first preparation in honour of Kabbolas HaTorah is that every Jew must know that without me (regardless of who I am and what I do) there is no Klal Yisroel. Matan Torah is a marriage between Hashem and the Jewish People and so there’s no chuppah without me!

Furthermore, says Rav Moshe Feinstein, the great tzaddik will be counted as one unit, as will each and every one of us, we are all equally important!

The Chasam Sofer explains, that we have a custom to hang Atzei Srak (barren/non fruit trees) in the Beis Medrash to teach us that every one of us, even an Etz Srak is a part of this holy day!

There is another idea based on the pasuk that says, ‘bmispar sheimos’. The Jews should be counted ‘bmispar sheimos’. What am I, a number or a name?

When it comes to numbers there is a sequence; if you are number five, it’s because the person before you is number four and the one after you is number six. But when it comes to names, my name is Meilich not because he is Yankel and he is Getzel - My name is Meilich because my name is Meilich!

It’s unrelated to anyone else.

I CAN’T SAY FOR SURE BUT I HEARD….

HOW SURE DO YOU HAVE TO BE ABOUT YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU OFFER NEGATIVE INFORMATION FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE PURPOSE?

THE DILEMMA

A woman calls you for information about a young man who has been suggested as a potential shidduch for her daughter. Your son knows the boy from yeshivah, and has described him several times as “inconsiderate.” Can you mention this information?

THE HALACHA

Hearsay, which is negative information that you’ve heard from someone else, may not be repeated. You may only report what you’ve witnessed yourself [l’to’eles]. Even then you must be absolutely sure that you understand the context of what you’ve seen.

Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Hilchos Rechilus 9:2-4

The Torah is saying “ I am counting YOU; because without you, there is no Klal Yisroel!!

Also, I am counting you by name - you alone.

Unrelated to your father or grandfather or friends.

Bmispar sheimos! I’m taking YOU under the chuppah. I need YOU. M

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.

12

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

Daily Inspirational Stories

Listen to over 1500 stories and subscribe to receive them dailyon storiestoinspire.org or Whatsapp: +1 (310) 210-1205

Rabbi Yehudah Yonah Rubinstein

enlighten our eyes Benny Rubinstein, a man in his 30s, has keratoconus, a serious eye condition that causes the cornea to distort unevenly. With double vision, he could need a cornea transplant before the age of forty, but there is a ten year waiting list. Many doctors told him that it was only a matter of time before he would go blind.

Benny is a photographer. His eyesight is his livelihood.

One day, Benny was flying from Manchester to Israel to photograph a wedding. His first flight, which had a stopover in Berlin was cancelled and he immediately purchased a ticket for the next direct flight from Manchester. He boarded the plane and sat down in a seat in the last row.

Dr. Fink was in complete shock. “Incredible! I loved your father’s classes.”

Benny told Dr. Fink some of his medical history. “I have keratoconus and the prognosis is not good.”

Dr. Fink asked several questions, listened patiently and finally said, “Your doctors are wrong! A new procedure was developed in the United States and has been recently approved by the Israeli Health Ministry. It will heal your eyes.”

Benny was stunned, but Dr. Fink wasn’t done yet. “Your father impacted my life tremendously and I am forever grateful. I want to perform this procedure for you for free.”

To his surprise, the flight attendant approached him and asked if he would like to be upgraded to first class. Benny enthusiastically agreed. As soon as he sat down in his plush new seat, the man sitting next to him introduced himself as Andrew Fink, an ophthalmologist from Manchester.

Several weeks later, Dr. Fink performed the procedure and restored Benny’s eyesight. His sight has remained stable ever since. In addition to his photography, Benny digitizes Talmudic scripts that are learned by thousands of Torah scholars worldwide.

After a few minutes of conversation, Dr. Fink discovered that Benny was originally from Gateshead. “I studied medicine at the University of Newcastle,” Dr. Fink said, “So I’m familiar with Gateshead.”

In our morning prayers, we ask the Al-mighty, v’haer eineinu b’sorasecha – enlighten our eyes with your Torah.

Staring at Benny’s kippah, he continued, “When I was a medical student, there was a rabbi from Gateshead who came to the university to teach us Torah. Do you by any chance know Rabbi YY Rubinstein?”

Benny couldn’t believe it. “He’s my father,” he proudly replied.

Thirty four years after Rabbi YY Rubinstein had enlightened Dr. Fink’s eyes with the depth and the meaning of Torah, the doctor reciprocated and enlightened his son Benny’s eyes with the gift of clear eyesight.

As we approach the holiday of Shavuos when we celebrate the receiving of the Torah, let’s discover how we can inspire others with the beauty of Torah and bring immeasurable clarity and light to the world. M

13

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

Rabbi Meir Orlian Halachah Writer, BHI

This page is sponsored by nextgenrealestate.co.uk

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

CORONA CANCELLATIONS, PART 2 The questions of Corona cancellations are countless: travel, hotel, apartment, school, work, events, dinners, weddings, etc. We open with the disclaimer that this topic is very complex, and the ruling varies from case to case depending on the details. Furthermore, the sides should try to work out an agreement between them, wherever possible.

when the loss cannot be attributed to the misfortune of one side more than the other (see also Sma 321:6; Shach 321:1). It is questionable whether the organizer or hotel can claim kim li according to them, since he is in possession, if he insists on withholding some of the amount prepaid.]

Last issue, we introduced three relevant sources in the Gemara: 1) Work rendered impossible due to uncontrollable circumstances. 2) A boat that sank with its cargo. 3) Makkas medinah (widespread devastation) in a field rental. We would like to sketch some guidelines based on these sources.

In addition, the arrangement of a “Pesach Hotel” or any similar program, is not a standard rental or employment agreement, like the aforementioned sources. It is primarily a commitment (hischayvus) to provide a future service or room, which is governed by other rules of umdena (presumption). The clear umdena is that there was no intention to commit under such circumstances, so that the agreement is null and void from the beginning (C.M. 207:4; Pischei Teshuva 227:7; Nesivos 230:1)

Based on the first source, a person who hired someone for a job, but retracts due to uncontrollable circumstances that could not be foreseen by either side, does not have to pay, since he is in possession of the money. The same is true for rentals that were not yet confirmed with a kinyan. Thus, when the person hasn’t paid yet, in almost all situations he will not have to pay when he retracts on account of oness such as coronavirus (C.M. 333:1-2; 334:1-2; Sma 334:1).

If the person already paid, whether he is entitled to a refund depends on many factors. In the typical case of a “Pesach hotel,” a deposit to confirm the reservation would seem refundable, even if initially labelled non-refundable. The deposit is to demonstrate sincerity and serve as a “penalty” if the guest retracts, which would not apply when retracting under such circumstances, especially if the hotel is also restricted (Pischei Teshuva 207:13).

However, if the guest prepaid a significant portion of the cost for the Pesach hotel, since the hotel is now in possession of the money, according to the first source it seemingly should not have to refund the money when neither party could have foreseen the problem (Pischei Choshen, Sechirus 12:1[2]).

Similarly, according to the second source, the criterion is: who is prevented from continuing the commitment: one side, the other, both or neither? If one side can still fulfill his part, while the other cannot, the one who can has the upper hand. In many coronavirus cases, neither side can fulfill his commitment; the guest cannot come and the hotel cannot operate. In this case, the money should remain where it is (C.M. 311:2- 5; Shach 311:2; R. Akiva Eiger, B.M. 79a Pischei Choshen, Schirus 3:14[39]) Nonetheless, the bulk of the cost of the Pesach hotel is to cover costs of food, staff, education and entertainment, which are all spared when the hotel does not operate in practice. Even when a worker is entitled to payment for work he didn’t do, we reduce the pay since they didnt toil (po’el batel). Accordingly, most should be returned, regardless (333:1-2).

Furthermore, based on the third source, since the inability to travel and congregate is a widespread makkas medinah, according to most authorities the guest is entitled to a refund of prepayment. In the case of a widespread fire, Rama rules that the renter is entitled to a full refund for the remaining months; the loss is entirely the landlord’s. Thus, seemingly, the Pesach hotel should have to refund full payment (C.M. 312:17).

[We should note, however, that Ra’avan (#98) and Chasam Sofer (Sefer Zikaron, p. 41) maintain that the loss of makkas medinah is split evenly

In the case of a private apartment rental, the situation is different. Firstly, the contract may be considered a kinyan on the apartment. Secondly, the apartment is usable, but the renter is prevented from coming. Machane Ephraim (Sechirus #7) derives from the Yerushalmi that even a makkas medina depends on who can uphold his commitment, similar to the case of the boat. Therefore, he maintains that a house abandoned due to war or plague, where the landlord can uphold his commitment does not entitle a refund, unlike a house that burned, where the tenant can uphold his commitment, and therefore is entitled to a refund.

Moreover, the landlord can claim that perhaps he would have rented otherwise to one of the few people who still came (Ketzos 322:1).

Therefore, it would seem that the landlord has a greater claim that he can retain part of the rental that was prepaid, in accordance with the Ra’avan, Machaneh Ephraim and Ketzos (see Emek Hamishpat, Sechirus Batim #50 regarding Katyusha rockets in Northern Israel during the summer of 2006.)

However, if all people are confined to their homes by governmental restrictions and nobody can access the rented premises, it is fair to argue that the house is considered “burnt” and the landlord also cannot uphold his commitment, so that the renter is entitled to a refund according to the Rama.

Regarding tuition refunds, there are other considerations. First, the school year is already underway and the issue is employment cancellation.

Second, many schools are offering alternative options to uphold their commitment through online courses, etc. Third, Rama cites two opinions regarding who suffers the loss in an educational makkas medinah. Fourth, the rationale of po’el batel has limited application in educational contexts, since an educator often prefers teaching to idle vacation. Thus, an educational institution would have greater basis to withhold tuition that was already paid (C.M. 321:1; 335:1).

Conclusion: With the disclaimer that the ruling varies from case to case, we can suggest the following guidelines: The person who cancels usually won’t have to pay what hasn’t been paid yet. When he prepaid, in typical cases of Pesach hotels there is strong basis for a refund, and in the case of a private apartment or educational institutions, it is arguable whether the landlord may retain part of the prepayment, but in any case it is proper to compromise.

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

14

Daf Yomi WEEKLY

Oneg Shabbos Issue 253

‫שבת ע“ח‬

HalachaHighlight

AM I BOUND BY A NON-VERBALISED DECISION TO FORGO A LOAN? ‫ מאי טעמא אזלו רבנן בתר רפואתו‬,‫אלא מים שתייתו שכיחא רפואתו לא שכיחא‬ .‫ עח‬- ‫לחומרא‬

Rav Yosef said: [Whether] it is forbidden to keep a bill of loan that has been paid is the [matter of contention] between them . . . Abaye said: Everyone agrees that it is forbidden to keep a bill of loan that has been paid.-78a

In accordance with Abaye’s statement, Shulchan Aruch1 rules that it is forbidden for a lender to keep a bill of loan that is no longer in effect because the borrower has repaid the loan.

Teshuvos Yabia Omer2 discusses a very interesting situation where this ruling is applied. The case under discussion there concerns a lender who decided to forgo collection of the debt owed by him by a borrower (mechilah), but never verbalized that decision (balev). Subsequently, the borrower came to repay the loan. May the lender accept the money, or must he abide by his internal decision?

In a different context, Ketzos HaChoshen3 writes that decisions that are rendered internally but never verbalized are null and void. His position is at variance with the position of Maharshal4, who maintains that a mechilah balev is binding upon the person who has come to that decision.

Aderes5 questions the position of Ketzos HaChoshen. Ketzos HaChoshen bases his position on the principle that “statements in the heart are not statements” (devarim shebalev einam devarim). But that principle only applies to cases where a decision reached in thought is in apparent contradiction to deeds done in practice.6 In the case of mechilah balev, however, the decision to forgo collection contradicts no deed that has been done in practice. Why, then, should the decision to forgo the loan not be binding on the lender?

Aderes suggests an answer on the basis of Abaye’s statement in our Gemara: Shulchan Aruch (see above, note #1) rules that just as it is forbidden for a lender to keep a bill of loan that has been repaid, so too it is forbidden for a lender to keep a bill of loan if he has decided to forgo its repayment. Hence, in the case of a loan that has been documented in a bill of loan, the retention of the bill of loan is a deed, done in practice, that is in apparent contradiction to a decision reached in thought to forgo the loan. Therefore, the principle “statements in the heart are not statements” is, in fact, applicable, and the decision to forgo repayment of the loan is overriden by the lender’s retention of its bill.7 Hence, the strict letter of the law is that the lender may accept the borrower’s repayment of the loan, as his internal decision to forgo the repayment is not binding.8

)‫ אסור להשהות שטר פרוע בתוך ביתו ]וה”ה שטר שנמחל שעבודו[ (תשו’ הרא”ש כלל ע”א‬:’‫שו”ע חושן משפט סימן נז סעיף א‬1 ‫ קצות החושן סימן רס”ט ס”ק‬3 ’‫ שו”ת יביע אומר ח”ג חו”מ סי’ ג‬2 ...‫ואם אינו רוצה להחזיר שטר פרוע ראוי לנדותו עד שיחזירנו‬ ‫ המגביה מציאה לחבירו – כתב הסמ”ע (סק”א) ז”ל פי’ ראובן שאמר בשעה שהגביה המציאה מע”ג קרקע הריני מגביה מציאה‬:’‫א‬ ‫ ובש”ך (סק”א) כתב ול”נ דאפילו לא אמר כלום אם מודה שהיה כוונתו לכך וכן משמע‬.‫זו כדי לזכות בה לשמעון קנאה שמעון ע”כ‬ ‫ מהרש”ל‬4 .‫ ונראין דברי הסמ”ע דכיון דקי”ל דברים שבלב אינן דברים א”כ מחשבה גרידא לאו כלום היא‬.‫מדברי הפוסקים עכ”ל‬ ‫ ונ”ל דמכאן דמחילה‬:[‫בפי’ להסמ”ג (עשין מ”ח) ]בדין אלמנה ששהתה בבית אביה ולא תבעה כתובתה כ”ה שנים שמחלה כתובתה‬ 5 .‫ וגם נ”מ אם הודה בב”ד שמחל בלב‬.‫ והוי כגזל‬,‫ להיכא שמחל בלב שאסור לו לתבוע אח”כ‬,‫ ולמאי נ”מ‬.‫אפי’ בלב מהני בלא דיבור‬ ‫ עיי”ש ביבי”א‬7 .‫ והדברים מפורסמים ואכמ”ל‬,‫ עיין קידושין מ”ט ע”ב – נ’ ע”א ובמפרשים שם‬6 .‫ סי’ י”ב‬,‫קונטרס את דבר המשפט‬ ‫ והסיק‬,‫ אלא שקיים דעתו ולאו מטעמיה‬,‫אות י”ד שדחה את דברי האדר”ת‬ ‫ ומ”מ נראה‬:‫ עיי”ש מסקנת היבי”א‬8 .‫ שאף במלוה ע”פ לא מהני מחילה בלב‬Brought to you by

‫ ולחוש למ”ש הגאון מהר”ח‬,‫שאם רצה המלוה לנהוג לפנים משורת הדין‬ ‫ ולפייס את הלוה בדברים עד שיתפשר‬,‫פלאג’י בשו”ת חיים ביד (סי’ נז) הנ”ל‬ ‫ אך מדינא זכה הלה במה שבידו‬,‫ תבא עליו ברכה‬,‫עמו‬

The Importance of Humility The name of this Sefer – ‘Bamidbar - In the desert’ – describes Hashem’s chosen setting for giving over the laws of the Torah to the Jewish people. A seemingly strange choice! Usually when a leader wishes to make an announcement to his people, he does so from an impressive, or grand setting.

Why choose a barren and desolate desert?

One of the reasons for this choice was to impress upon the nation the importance of humility.

Someone with the trait of arrogance will be held back from reaching his full potential in acquiring Torah, and becoming a fully developed human being.

If one’s life is filled with their own ego, no space will be left for other people. This includes being able to help those around him, but also from learning and gaining from those that they comes into contact with.

The arrogant person will not want to risk lowering their status by listening to the opinions of those ‘lower’ then him, and perhaps even avoid mixing with certain people altogether! With this attitude a person will be unable to acquire true wisdom.

A humble person however, is able to take a step back and to create space for other people in his life.

He is able to both help them, and to find something to learn from each individual, no matter what their status or relationship to him.

In his humility the focus is not on himself and fuelling their own ego, but on how they can gain and share wisdom, whilst simultaneously making a difference to those around him.

Ben Zoma says: Who is wise? He who learns from every person…(Pirkei Avos 4:1).

Receiving the laws of the Torah in the desert, amongst a plain and empty, sand filled backdrop, was a powerful, visual reminder to us. A reminder that it is impossible to acquire wisdom, help others, and let the Divine spark shine within us, unless we step back from our own ego, and make a space for others in our lives.

23 May 2020

‫כ"ט אייר תש"פ‬

‫פרשת במדבר‬

‫פרקי אבות‬ Chapter 6 - Mishna 6

One good turn deserves another Mordechai could have told the king about the assassination plot directly. However he chose to pass it in through Esther, hoping that the king would give her the credit for it. At the same time, Esther quoted Mordechai’s name, hoping that he would receive the reward. We see here how Hashem helps us when we help others.

The ultimate source A deeper meaning of the virtue of giving credit to the original author is attributing the Torah to its author and source - Hashem. While learning, one should keep in mind that Torah is not like any other subject, but the holy words and wisdom of Hashem.

This idea can be extended to recognise that everything that exists comes from the words of Hashem that created the universe. Seeing Hashem as the source of everything reveals Hashem’s presence in the world and brings the geulah.

15

Table

Shabbos

Convenr satio Starter

rsation ve n co a e av h ld u co u yo f I with anyone in history, who would it be?

When do you feel the mo st proud of who you ar e?

idea of What is your ? an ideal day

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