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OnegShabbos

‫בס"ד‬

North West London’s Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets

A Torah publication that enables local Rabbonim and Avreichim to share their insights and Divrei Torah on a variety of different levels, to provide something for everyone

‫ | י”ד אלול תשע”ו | פ’ כי תצא‬17th September 2016

‫מוצש’’ק‬

LONDON: 8:00 PM K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D

For questions on Divrei Torah please contact the Editor in Chief, Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn rabbiroodyn@ jewishfuturestrust.com

‫הדלקת נרות‬

LONDON: 6:56 PM

‫לעילוי נשמת הש"ץ שלמה בן אברהם משה ז"ל לעילוי נשמת חנה בת אלעזר ע"ה‬

Preparing For The New Year

Rabbi Shimshon Silkin | Chazon UK With the summer holidays about to recede into the background there is a sense of freshness in the air. Children are about to start a brand new school year, some are beginning new schools altogether and the adults are beginning to think about Rosh Hashana and what it entails. Newness and novelty are central to Torah living; throughout the year we focus on beginnings: Kiddush haChodesh every month, the mitzvos of Bikkurim, Maaser, Orlah and more are all examples of this. The question is why indeed do we place so much emphasis on the beginning? Surely, as long as things work out, “all is well that ends well”?

Actually, from a Torah perspective, all is not well that just ends well. Rather, all will be well if it begins well. This concept is so vital that even if things are fine but they got off to a bad start, we do not wait to see how things develop but nip them in the bud before they have an opportunity to do so. A classic case in point is the law of treif. An animal that shows signs of potential perforation is immediately discounted because the “maaseh ha toref”, the act of tearing has already begun.

This idea can explain the sequence of parshiyos in this week’s sedra. First we encounter the story of the Yefas Toar, the woman of beauty who is captured in battle. Shortly afterwards we come across the Ben Sorer Umoreh, the wayward son. Rashi famously explains their juxtaposition by saying the end result of a marriage to a Yefas Toar will be a Ben Sorer Umoreh. But that does not fully explain why the two passages are interrupted by the laws of the bechor, the firstborn son, who we are told receives a double portion.

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

The Sochatzover Rebbe (Shem MiShmuel 5671) offers a brilliant insight. The reason a bechor receives double portion is to emphasise the significance of beginnings. The bechor sets the tone. What occurs to the bechor is often what will occur to his subsequent siblings, and this same message applies to the Ben Sorer Umoreh. Contrary to common understanding, this child is not the classic “off-the-derech” obnoxious teenager who gives his parents a head of white hair.

He is a mere child and all that is described about him is during his first three months of adolescence. He has hardly had a chance to express himself and yet he is already dealt with in the harshest of fashions.

The beginning of his adulthood has got off to a bad enough start to determine his ultimate iniquitous future, and the connection to the Yefas Toar is in the same vein. The essential years of marriage are the first ones, as the pasuk says “Naki yiyeh leveiso shanah achas”, he shall be clean, dedicated to his wife, for the first full year. In fact the Chazon Ish wrote that “Shanah Rishonah”, the first year of married life, lasts for five years nowadays.

This does not mean to imply that a wayward child, under good direction, cannot change and improve, and that a marriage that got off to a rocky start cannot be repaired. But it is so much more difficult.

And sometimes beyond hope.

That is why the foundation at the outset is so critical.

This applies particularly at this time of year. We are not just winding up the past year.

We are preparing for the new one. We need to ensure we get off to the best possible start, and the work begins now.

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‫לע"נ‬

‫הב' משה‬ ‫יוסף ז"ל‬ ‫ביבלחט"א‬ ‫ר' שלמה‬ ‫טבלי נ"י‬

Riddle of the Week

BY BORUCH KAHAN

Somebody in Nach famously misread a very important word in our Parshah that led to a battle not completely won by Yisroel.

Any comments can be directed to bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk.

Answer on page 37

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Rabbi Yissochor Frand | Rosh Yeshiva, Ner Yisrael Baltimore

There is a very interesting comment of the Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh in Parshas Ki Seitzei that really needs no further elucidation. The pasuk teaches “You shall not see the ox of your brother or his lamb wandering and hide yourself from them; you shall surely return them to your brother.”

[Devarim 22:1]. The Biblical commandment to return lost objects (hashavas aveidah) is derived from this pasuk. The Torah continues: “If your brother is not near you and you do not know him, then you shall bring it inside your house, and it shall remain with you until your brother’s inquiring about it, then you shall return it to him.” [Devarim 21:2]

PARSHAH

The Ohr HaChaim Retrieves Hidden Message from Mitzvah of Returning Lost Objects

the words “v’lo yedato” (and you do not know him).

The pasuk then instructs “And you shall gather him into your house and he shall be with you…” This refers to the fact that we shall bring him into the Beis HaMedrash and teach him the ways of Jewish living and the way of enlightened existence so that he not wander off the path and be misled by false claims and mistaken beliefs. So this pasuk, which at a simple level is introducing the mitzvah of hashavas aveidah, at the level of remez [allusion] is charging every Jew

It is interesting to note that the Torah

who might be compared (because of

to become what is today called a “kiruv

uses the verb ‘hashev teshiveim’ to

their actions and behaviour) to animals.

worker” [engaged in spiritual outreach].

express the command of returning a

The word “achicha” refers to the Al-

When we see someone who is lost, we

lost object. The Torah could have used

mighty and the pasuk reminds us that

have a responsibility to bring him back to

the expression ‘hachzer tachzirem’ to

these lost souls are part of the flock

the Ribono shel Olam.

express the exact same idea that the

of the Almighty. We are commanded

object should be returned. The Shala”h HaKadosh comments that the use of ‘hashev teshiveim’ connotes the idea of teshuvah.

The Torah is discussing

returning a person’s lost wallet or pen, but at the same time, the Torah is eluding

“hashev

teshiveim

l’achicha”

—

to return these souls to Him. The Ohr HaChaim explains the next pasuk: “V’im lo karov achicha eilecha…” (“If your brother) is not near you…”)

This mitzvah is certainly relevant in our times when great masses of our fellow brethren have become estranged and “lost” from the ways of Torah and the ways of the Master of the Universe.

We must make whatever effort possible towards hashev teshiveim, to bring them

a situation where the person himself is

as referring to the final period of exile

lost. By saying “hashev teshiveim” (which

(hagalus haacharon). He derives this by

may be translated as “you shall help them

equating the expression “lo karov” with

to do teshuvah) the Torah is urging us to

the expression in Bilaam’s messianic

bring “lost souls” back to the Master of

vision “I see it but it is not near” (ashurenu

the Universe.

v’lo karov) [Bamidbar 24:17]. The severity

mitzvah of “Do not see your Brother’s ox

The Ohr HaChaim interprets the

and unfathomable length of the exile

and lamb and ignore them.” Do not shut

entire pasuk as an allusion. The pasuk

causes people to lose faith and give up

your eyes to all the people who are lost

“When you see a ‘shor achicha’” does

heart – “as we see in these generations”,

but rather “hashev teshiveim l’Achicha” –

not only mean “When you see your

writes Ohr HaChaim (1696-1743). This

you shall surely bring them back to your

brother’s ox.” It also refers to people

hidden end to the exile is hinted at in

back to do teshuvah.

Imagine the joy the Al-mighty has for such a person. Imagine what He will be willing to do for the person who brought back His lost children to Him. This is the

“Brother”.

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34

THIS IS THE ENTIRETY OF MAN: NOT FOR HIMSELF WAS MAN CREATED, BUT INSTEAD TO HELP OTHERS TO THE EXTENT OF HIS ABILITY TO DO SO Rabbi Chaim Volozhin (1749-1821)

Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn | Aish UK, Oneg Shabbos Editor in Chief “If a bird’s nest chances before you on the road, on any tree, or on the ground, and [it contains] fledglings or eggs, if the mother is sitting upon the fledglings or upon the eggs, you shall not take the mother upon the young. You shall send away the mother, and [then] you may take the young for yourself, in order that it should be good for you, and you should lengthen your days.

When you build a new house, you

drives are joined by the demands

shall make a guard rail for your roof,

of moral law, we are responsible for

so that you shall not cause blood [to

our families’ wellbeing. The bird

be spilled] in your house, that the one

constructs a nest for itself and for

who falls should fall from it [the roof]. ”

its young in an endeavour, guided

1

Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch zt’’l points out that there is an important connection seemingly

between

these

disconnected

two

mitzvos.

The mitzvah of sending away the mother bird is a hint to appreciate the importance of the home and of the woman’s activities for the sake of her household. The next set of mitzvos make us aware of the higher dignity of the human home and of human domestic activity that completes the picture.

solely by the natural drive of selfpreservation. When we build our homes we have a loftier ideal in mind.

FEDERATION

Our Moral Code

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Yochanan of Yerushalayim, received the tradition from them. Yosi ben Yoezer of Tzreidah would say: Let your home be a meeting place for the wise; dust yourself in the soil of their feet, and drink thirstily of their words.

Yosi ben Yochanan of Yerushalayim would say: Let your home be wide open, and let the poor be members of your household.

In all we do to provide for ourselves and our families, in all of our activities that seek to harness or master nature and in everything we do as human beings, we have a moral code. This code was given to us by the great Lawgiver of the universe and we

In building his house, man must

were created to choose to fulfil these

be motivated from the outset by

laws through utilising our moral

consideration for the welfare not only

freedom unlike the animals who fulfil

of the people who currently dwell in

Hashem’s laws of nature instinctively,

it, but of all who may enter it at any

without a will of their own.

time, now or in the future. In the whole sphere of his home, he may not keep anything that may cause injury to someone else. Our homes are not just meant to be a place where the family can live nicely, shut the door

Animals and birds build their nests

and ignore everyone else. Rather as

and care for their young instinctively,

Chazal say in Pirkei Avos2, Yosi ben

whereas for man, these natural

Yoezer of Tzreidah, and Yosi ben

1 Devarim 22:6-8

2 1:4-5

Above all, says Rav Hirsch, man must always remember that wherever his pursuits take him, the only way that he can truly prove his manly strength and dignity is by showing self-discipline through observing the Torah’s laws and through taking care of other people both physically and spiritually in the comfort of his own home.

T H I S P A G E I S K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E F E D E R A T I O N

DO YOU HAVE A SHAILA? ASK THE federation

SHAILATEXT 07860 017 641 35

Rabbi Aron Litwin | Rabbi, Seed Manchester Summer is a time for journeys. Whether it is a day trip or if you are lucky enough to be going on a holiday, travelling and the summer have much in common. Incidentally over the past few Parshiyos we recap the journeys of Jewish people in the desert. There is nothing new, nothing that we do not already know. The question therefore begs, why does the Torah repeat the entire story, we know it all already?

Uri Weinberg was a young Jewish man who had lived through the times and terrors of the holocaust. The Jewish people had experienced brutality that we cannot fathom. Somehow, thorough Divine intervention he found himself with the opportunity of freedom. He was able to get on a ship that would take him to safety. He packed a small suitcase as this was all he could bring on board. He packed a few last family photographs, a letter from his mother who he would never see again and some valuables. He held on to his luggage tightly as this was all that he had left in this world.

He boarded the HMT Dunera, a military transport ship, on Wednesday, July 10th from Liverpool harbour. The British soldiers on board (who in reality were convicted criminals that were forced to conscript to the army) became bored and decided to use their Jewish passengers to entertain themselves with.

After they became tired of verbally and physically abusing them they decide to move on with something more extreme.

They grabbed hold of an old Jewish man’s luggage and cast it into the ocean.

His last few possessions, the only picture of his children were gone… forever. Then they went to next fellow… the last few letters from his mother were in his small bag and as they flung it far into the ocean he let out a cry of anguish. A small

36

menorah… a family heirloom… cast away forever…

This broke him. After watching the Nazis terrorizing European Jewry, after seeing the terrors of the concentration camps… he looked to the heavens and asked why? “Hashem, why did you need to break the last bit of hope in my heart?”

Forty years later in a meeting in Tel Aviv the truth became known.

Someone had obtained war transcripts written by a German SS submarine commander. Flicking through the pages a story caught his eye and he read it with intense concentration; “One day we saw a British ship nearby and I gave the order to deploy the torpedoes and sink it. We even shot two torpedoes at it that missed. But then we saw luggage falling out of the vessel. I decided to explore the nature of the goings on. When we retrieved the luggage I found a letter with German writing inside it. I came to the logical conclusion that there must be German Prisoners of war aboard and decided not to sink the vessel” For the first time in forty years did Uris’s Jewish soul find calm. Now, years later he was able to understand why Hashem allowed his case to be thrown out.

When the Jews travelled in the desert they went through many difficulties. At the time they didn’t always appreciate why certain trials and tribulations were

HASHKAFA

Enjoy the Ride

necessary but this week when looking at the entire picture they were able to see the true sequence of events. This is why the Torah repeats their entire journey to show us this message.

Life is a journey. We will all face challenges in good measure, and when we are going through those difficult times, it can be hard to appreciate their importance and their value. We become caught up in the frustration of the moment and don’t understand why the hardship is necessary. But with hindsight, everything always looks very different.

While in the moment, it may be hard to see why something is necessary; looking back always offers a clear perspective.

It’s never easy to understand why we need to go through certain experiences while we are going through them. But almost every time, when we look back after enough time, we can gain an understanding of their place and purpose.

Every now and then, it is worthwhile to think back at the journeys of our past few years and appreciate how everything has led us to where we have needed to go. Hashem always has plans, and those plans are always good. When we look back into the journey of our past, we are able to see how those plans have developed, and feel an appreciation to Hashem for having brought us to where we are today.

Some journeys this summer will work out and create everlasting memories.

Other may not and some days may be a washout. We may not know why things didn’t work out for the next 40 years. But one thing we can know is that Hashem has a master plan. So the main thing is…

Enjoy the ride!

May we merit only having sweet times and great trips.

WHEN I DAVEN, I TALK TO HASHEM; WHEN I LEARN, HASHEM TALKS TO ME The Rogotchover Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Rosen (1858-1936)

Rabbi Zach Ford | Kerem School and Kollel Halocho Berura The Torah in this week’s parasha states the following; ‘you shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen (under its load) on the road, and ignore them. (Rather), you shall pick up [the load] with him’1.

and ready to leave, explained that it was too late to start cleaning himself with the time remaining only allowing for the walk to shul itself.

‘Fine’, replied his son, who was now holding back tears at the prospect of

1 Devorim 22:4

Rashi2 explains that this pasuk is describing the mitzvah of te’inah (loading),

intentions help pave the way for a successful relationship with Him.

i.e. to load up a burden that has fallen

This is especially pertinent when

from your fellow’s animal, as opposed

preparing ourselves for the upcoming

to the mitzvah of perikah, removing a

Yamim Noraim and the self-introspection

burden too heavy for an animal. Rashi

we all undergo during this period. In

further clarifies, based on the Gemara

an anecdotal sense, Charlie Harary

in Bava Metzia3 that this mitzvah only

describes the unique relationship held

applies if the owner himself is willing to

with his son and how part of the strong

share the burden of tending to his own

bond forged between them was developed

property. If he absolves himself from any

through frequently going to Shul together

responsibility and leaves his fellow Jew

for Shabbos mincha. Holding hands the

to do all the ‘dirty work’, then his friend

whole way to Shul, he later marvelled

would be exempt from helping. Only if

at how his son would stand next to him

both parties forge a symbiotic partnership

throughout the service and pretend to

in loading the animal, can the mitzvah be

daven. One particular Shabbos, he found

accomplished.

his son playing in the garden a short

This concept, proverbially known as ‘sharing the load’, can also be applied

while before Shul having muddied his hands and soiled his clothes.

to our own individual relationship with

‘Daddy’s leaving for Shul in 20 minutes,

HaKadosh Baruch Hu, which must also

if you want to come you need to get

involve toil, investment and participation.

cleaned up’, Harary warned, with his son

As the Gemara in Shabbos states: ‘If one

half acknowledging the reminder.

comes to purify himself, they [i.e. heavenly forces] help him’4. The implication being, that if we are willing to take that first step towards Hashem, then our positive

‘Okay daddy’, was the retort.

This cycle repeated itself at five minute intervals, until eventually, with only 4 and a half minutes to spare, his son burst through the back door and made

2 Rashi 22:4 3 BM 32a 4 Shabbos 104a

PARSHAH

Sharing the Load

a courageous, last minute dash for the kitchen sink. His father, already dressed

missing his special opportunity, ‘then you clean me up so that we can go together’.

This was described as the ‘checkmate’ moment, where a child, in realising his own limitations, takes that brave step to admit his shortcomings and relies on the other person in the relationship to pull him through. Just like the mitzvah of te’inoh, where even the owner of the animal must take the necessary steps in order to tend to his own load, we too must take those crucial steps towards Hashem and show Him our true intentions. Just like the mashal of a child playing in the dirt who relies on his father to help him get ready for shul, let us take the necessary steps to help ourselves on the pathway to a teshuva shleima. There is no better time than now!

Riddle Answer The Gemoro in Baba Basra tells us that Yoav fought the Edomim who were in fact the Amolekim for 6 months, but kept the women alive as he had always learnt incorrectly the Possuk at the end of our Parshah. TIMCHEH ES ZOCHOR AMOLEK, you should blot out the MALES OF AMOLEK and not the correct version of TIMCHEH ES ZECHER AMOLEK, you should blot the memory of ALL OF AMOLEK

‫לע”נ אסתר בת מהור”ר שמואל‬ ‫י”ט אלול‬

37

Rabbi Dovid Eisenberg Rabbi of the Prestwich Hebrew Congregation

‫רבון העולמים‬ The following prayer is not said by all families but it contains a beautiful set of requests from Hashem about the Shabbos and the rest of the week.

One particular sentence that stuck out in my mind is towards the beginning, where we say, “L-rd of peace, King to whom peace belongs, bless me with peace and consider me and my entire household, and your entire people Israel, for a good life and peace.” There seems to be a lot of talk about peace in this prayer. What makes peace such a central request that it is repeated again and again?

It is noteworthy that this is not the first part of the Friday night meal where peace has been mentioned repeatedly. In Shalom Aleichem, each stanza mentions peace again, (Peace upon you, may you come in peace, may you bless me in peace, may your exit be in peace). Peace seems to take up a very significant part of our Shabbos table. Why is that?

I think the reason may be explained with the following source. The Mishna in maseches Uktzin at the end of the Talmud says, “Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta said: The Holy One, blessed be He, found no vessel that can [sufficiently] hold the blessing for Israel, except for peace, as the verse says, (Psalms 29:11) “Hashem will give strength to His

nation, Hashem will bless His nation with peace.”

The idea of not having a vessel to contain blessings can be understood with the following analogy.

Many of us have been to vending machines that dispense hot or cold drinks. The way it works is that you must purchase a cup from the counter and then, when you put the cup down and press the button, the machine will fill the cup with the beverage of choice. Sometimes, we forget to place the cup there or misplace the cup and the drink starts spilling everywhere and we only get half of the allotted amount due to spillage. So it is with blessings. Hashem sends us blessings in abundance and we need to turn ourselves into vessels to be able to contain those blessings and not spill them away.

It is for this reason that we pray so much for peace. Shabbos is described by Chazal as the source of blessing. However, without having a way to catch those blessings and to harness them, the source of blessing will miss its target and we will remain without the blessings we so desperately need. We therefore ask Hashem repeatedly, right at the beginning of our Shabbos meal, to allow us to have peace in our lives, with our families and for the entire Jewish people so that the blessings he sends us will reach their target and we will indeed become a fortunate nation that has an abundance of blessing.

Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home -as there have been few left in shuls.

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