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פרשת שופטים ז' אלול תשע”ח 18TH AUGUST 2018
' פרק ו:פרקי אבות ט:כא-יח: טז:קריאת התורה
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Rabbi Dov Birnbaum Rabbi of The Seed Shul, Edgware
The author can be contacted at dbirnbaum@seed.uk.net
What’s wrong with a Matzeivah?
W
hilst cycling in the grounds of Holkham Hall with my family one summer (yes, all of us!) We came across a huge obelisk (pictured below). I later discovered that it was erected in 1730 to commemorate the construction of the house. Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians who placed them in pairs at the entrance to Temples. Ancient obelisks are monolithic, that is, they consist of a single stone. In this week’s Parsha we are told “Do not erect a matzeivah that Hashem dislikes.” Rashi explains that a matzeivah is an altar or monument made of a large single stone. Although we find that the Avos used these to offer sacrifices, since they were later used for idol worship we may no longer use them. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’’l asks that a multi-stone altar can also be used for idol worship, so why is only a matzeivah problematic? He answers that a matzeivah – a static pillar, suggests immutability, never accumulating further merits. In the days of our forefathers, before the Torah was given, they fulfilled the mitzvos of their own volition. However, after the giving of the Torah we are commanded to do so and therefore we can never have the attitude that we have done enough. One who erects a monument to
NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES
Parshah
celebrate his own achievements implies that he has finished his life’s work. The only time that we do erect a matzeivah is over a grave. As long as we are alive we continue to strive and achieve more. It is only after 120 years that we stop striving and are satisfied with our achievements.
A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah by Yisroel Avrohom Kaye The pasuk, Devarim (16:19) says “Justice, justice shall your pursue” The Ma’ayanah shel Torah brings R Yaakov Yitzchok of Peshishcha (The Yid Hakodesh) who explains that the way in which one pursues justice must be justice. One mustn’t allow oneself to be guided by the godless principle that the end justifies the means. To advertise here please contact Batsheva.pels@onegshabbos.org.uk
Yerushalayim, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Baltimore, Beit- Shemesh, Birmingham, Borehamwood, Budapest, Cancun, Detroit, Edgware, Elstree, Gateshead, Gibraltar, Glasgow, Hale, Henderson, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Lakewood, Larnaca, Las Vegas, Leeds, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Memphis, Miami, Milan, New York, Oslo, Paris, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Pressburg, Radlett, Ruislip, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Stanmore, Southend, Tallinn, Tarzana, Toronto, Uman, Vienna, Zurich
Rabbi Mordechai Appel
28
Shomrei Shabbos Chevra Mishnayos & “”דרכים בפרשה
Parshah
The author can be contacted at derachimbeparsha@gmail.com
SEDRA SUMMARY
Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities….so that you will live and possess the Land [16:18-20] Upon looking at the pasuk for the first time, we are left with the impression that the reward mentioned at the end of the passuk comes with conditions. If we set up a judicial system, and we successfully pursue a life of righteousness, we shall receive in return life and the ability to settle Eretz Yisroel. Rashi points this out by telling us that the merit of these actions will make us worthy.
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M
oshe instructs the Bnei Yisrael to appoint judges and law enforcement officers in every city. “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” he commands them, and you must administer it without corruption or favouritism. Crimes must be meticulously investigated and evidence thoroughly examined—a minimum of two credible witnesses is required for conviction and punishment.
The Minchas Asher, quoting from the Ketzos HaChoshen, makes an observation in these pesukim that I believe can really help us set the tone for Chodesh Elul. Although Rashi stresses the great zechus of setting up a judicial system, nowhere does Rashi actually tell us that we need to abide by the judgements of the court system. Of course, it goes without saying that din and mishpat are meant to be adhered to, otherwise of what purpose are they? But still, shouldn’t Rashi have said that the merit is gained by actually abiding by the laws? What merit is there just from making the appointments and setting up the system?
In every generation, says Moshe, there will be those entrusted with the task of interpreting and applying the laws of the Torah. “According to the law that they will teach you, and the judgment they will instruct you, you shall do; you shall not turn away from the thing that they say to you, to the right nor to the left.” Shoftim also includes the prohibitions against idolatry and sorcery; laws governing the appointment and behaviour of a king; and guidelines for the creation of “cities of refuge” for the inadvertent murderer. Also set forth are many of the rules of war: the exemption from battle for one who has just built a home, planted a vineyard, married, or is “afraid and soft-hearted”; the requirement to offer terms of peace before attacking a city; and the prohibition against wanton destruction of something of value, exemplified by the law that forbids to cut down a fruit tree when laying siege (in this context the Torah makes the famous statement, “For man is a tree of the field”).
If we look at Parshas Vayeira and in Sefer Shoftim, we see two similar incidents with completely different outcomes. Parshas Vayeira tells of the city of Sedom and their cruel behaviour towards their “guests”. As a result, the entire city was wiped away with no remnants other than Lot (in Avraham’s merit). Sefer Shoftim tells the infamous tale of pilegesh b’Givah. Clearly, the details were no less gruesome with a woman being murdered in a terrible manner by the people; yet, the people did not suffer nearly the same fate as Sedom. The Ketzos explains that Sedom’s guilt was not only their evil ways. The Gemara in Masechta Sanhedrin (109b) tells us a little bit about their court system. The judges were named Shakri (Liar), Shakrurai (Deceiver), Zayfi (Forger), and Matzli Dina (Corrupter of Justice). The fault of Sedom was not so much in their ways of wickedness, but rather in their failure to set up a court system that would punish the wickedness. As a result, this became their way of life. It became the
The Parshah concludes with the law of the eglah arufah—the special procedure to be followed when a person is killed by an unknown murderer and his body is found in a field—which underscores the responsibility of the community and its leaders not only for what they do, but also for what they might have prevented from being done.
minhag hamakom to lie, cheat, and steal. At that point, no hope remained, and the only option was to destroy them. In Givah, it was a different story. Although the people slipped up, there was a righteous legal system in place that would punish evil and maintain justice. With such a system in place, the people would eventually be reformed and led back to righteousness. Therefore, unlike Sedom, there was no need to destroy them as there was a realistic hope that they would do teshuvah. Accordingly, we understand why Rashi stresses setting up the system. That alone is a merit strong enough to save Klal Yisroel. As long as we have righteous shoftim that are leading us, it is a given that they will be able to show us the right way should we stray. On an individual level, this same concept applies in our personal lives. We have shoftim bechol she’arecha- our own internal conscience judging our actions all the time. Shlomo Hamelech wisely states (Koheles 7:20) that there is not a single person, even a tzaddik, in this world who always does good, and does not sin. We fall prey to temptations even when we know it’s wrong, but if we still keep proper ideals, knowing the right from the wrong, eventually we return in teshuvah. A true rasha is one that becomes warped. He no longer has a conscience. He doesn’t feel it when he does an aveirah, not during the act or even after. I’ve heard from Rav Wolbe zt”l in his shmuessen a concept that he would call “chai margish” (a live person has feelings). Hashem doesn’t need perfection from us, but He does expect us to at least feel it when we stray. No feelings mean that we are dead people walking around aimlessly. Let us recall the opening words of Mesilas Yesharim which state very clearly that we have a purpose in this world. The yesod of our true avodah is to clarify and recognize what our obligation in this world is. Once we keep these goals in mind and we aspire to fulfil them, even if we do fall, we will be able to stand right back up and start again.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
One Day, or Day One. You Decide. QUIZ TIME
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Is asking for a Jewish king something good or bad?
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Rabbi Menachem M Junik
29
Beis Gavriel, Lubavitch, Federation
The author can be contacted at beisgavrielrabbi@federation.org.uk
T
he parsha this week, Parshas Shoftim, deals primarily with the establishment of a system of leadership and judicial roles in every city in Eretz Yisroel. The parsha says, “Magistrates and officers you shall appoint at all of your gates.” Rashi (16:18) explains that magistrates refer to those who pass judgment, and officers means those who implement the law. This passuk is also reflected in the prophecy of Yeshaya (1:26), “I will restore your judges as they were at first, and your advisers as they were in the beginning”. It is similarly found in shemonah esreh, where we mention ‘Return your judges as of old and your advisors as in the beginning”.
why it is important to follow. The emphasis on moshiach is him being an advisor, in addition a judge, someone who speaks at a level that all can understand and see that it is to their benefit. These two methods of instructing can be compared to the difference between the words of Torah, and prophecy. Whilst Torah is the pure word of Hashem, transcending all human wisdom, and prophecy is the word of Hashem as it is embodied and articulated in the mind of the prophet. To expand this concept, allow me to share a novel approach to the difference between sefer Devorim and the first four books of the Torah. I was always troubled by a gemora in Masechta Megillah (31b) stating that the first four seforim were said Mipi Hagevurah but the last sefer “Moshe Mipi Atzmo Omron” - Moshe said it on his own.
There is a blatant difference as to how it is presented in our parsha, where it mentions ‘Shoftim veShotrim’ - magistrates and policemen, and in shemoneh esreh and Novi Yeshaya, where it mentions Shoftim veYoetzim - meaning magistrates and advisors. What is the reason for this seeming discrepancy? In our parsha it refers to the times of exile - a time when the bnei Yisrael are in galus. Therefore, it mentions police officers, as they are needed to enforce the law. The Midrash Tanchuma (Shoftim 2) stresses the need for both of these roles: ‘Without the policeman, there is no judge. For if the court finds a person guilty, once he leaves the courtroom the judge is powerless unless the policeman takes control.” The Novi Yeshaya is referring to yemos hamoshiach - the era of redemption, an era of no selfishness and evil - when the words of the judges will be sufficient, and it won’t be necessary to have those laws enforced. The judges will be needed to teach Torah and provide direction to the bnei Yisrael.
The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah perek 3 halacha 8, says that if someone entertains the thought that Moshe Rabbeinu said even one word of the Torah on his own, he is a kofer, a heretic! You must say that the gemoro never intended that Moshe actually created the content, as Rashi does indeed explain that he repeated what he heard from Hashem. If that’s the case we’re back to square one. What is the difference between the first four books and the last, if they were both from Hashem? The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt’’l introduces a fascinating insight that not only answers the question but sets the foundation to allow us to understand important concepts in yahadus that are crucial to our Torah comprehension and our emunas Hashem and His neviim.
Why then does the Novi mention judges and advisors? Why do we need an advisor if we will all be following the words of the judges? There is an underlying difference between a judge and an advisor. When a judge proclaims a verdict, whether one understands the word of law or not, the judgement must be followed in full. However, an advisor will explain the subject matter to the extent that the individual receiving advice understands and appreciates
Moshe Rabbeinu served as an intermediary between Hashem and the Jewish People. However, there are two ways that a message could be processed through an intermediary. One way is that the message simply “passes through” (derech maavir) without integrating into the faculties of the intermediary himself, affecting no change at all, and one that is integrated (derech hislabshus) or ;dressed into’ the intellect of the intermediary. In the latter,
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Parshah the message has been somewhat altered and changed in such a manner that allows the final recipient to receive and comprehend the message which he could not have beforehand. The first four seforim, Moshe served merely as a shliach shel odom k’moso, (A messenger is literally like the sender) retaining the words it in its purest form mipi hagevurah. The last sefer, Devorim, however, was said b’ruach hakodesh, Moshe served as an emissary in such a way that he integrated the nevuah, mipi atzmo, into his intellect and understanding so that he could convey it to klal Yisroel on their level. The reason why the last book of Devorim was different and Moshe had to say it on ‘his own’, the Rebbe explains, is because if the Torah would have only been conveyed by ‘passing through’ the intermediary, without allowing it to be integrated, the Torah would never have ‘come down’ from Sinai and the Jewish People would never be able to truly grasp the essence of Hashem’s Torah which is higher than the intellect of Human beings. However, once Moshe Rabbeinu served in the capacity of a “memutza derech hislabshus” who integrates the message to the level of the recipients, this completed the true essence of the Giving of the Torah, whereby the incomprehensible word of Hashem could be integrated into the human mind of the Jewish People. This approach sheds light on our topic of discussion of the difference between Torah and prophecy. While Torah is the complete unadulterated word of Hashem, prophecy is conveying Hashem’s word through the intellect and emotions of the prophet. You could say that Moshe Rabbeinu wore two hats. At times he was completely uninvolved and at times he ‘put his word in’, while maintaining the word of Hashem in its entirety. This set the stage for the integration of Hashem’s Torah to permeate the world and elevate our human side to appreciate Torah and Yiddishkeit from our perspective as well.
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Can a king forgo the honour accorded to him?
This week’s Shailatext is
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Rabbi Michoel Jablinowitz
30
Rosh Yeshiva, Ateret Yerushalayim
The author can be contacted at ateret1@013.net
This week’s parsha begins with the words Shoftim V’Shotrim Parshah Titen Lecha Bechol She’arecha. You shall place Shoftim, judges, and Shotrim, those who enforce the judgment, in all your gates. Rashi explains Bechol She’arecha to mean in each and every city. The Sfas Emes teaches that there is significance between the beginning of our parsha and the end of last week’s parsha. Parshat Re’eh ended with the mitzvah of going up to Yerushalayim during the three festivals of Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos. Our parsha begins with the mitzvah of appointing judges and enforcers. Shoftim and Shotrim represent Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And if the three festivals included a pilgrimage to Yerushalayim, the days of judgment and repentance are not dependant on Yerushalayim or the Beis Hamikdash. Hence, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Shoftim and Shotrim, are Bechol She’arecha, are applicable everywhere.
of mitzvos. First one must act as a shofet for himself and make his choices for how he would like to lead his life. Then he must be a shoter and enforce his decisions. As Chazal teach in Brachos 13A first one must accept Ohl Malchus Shamayim; the first step is to decide to accept the yolk of heaven. Afterwards, one must carry this out by accepting Ohl Mitzvos, the yolk of performing the mitzvos. This dual process is carried out on a weekly basis. Every week we have Shabbos which is a day of introspection and reflection. It is a day during which we decide what type of a life we would like to live. And during the week, the “Sheshes Yemei Ha’Ma’aseh”, we work on carrying out these decisions. We attempt to ensure that our actions are consistent with our thought process. It is not enough for us to make our personal decisions and judgments; we need our inner shotrim to force ourselves to carry out and enforce our decisions.
What is the connection between Shoftim V'Shotrim and the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? As we mentioned above, Shoftim are the ones who judge and decide what the proper judgment is. The Shoftim represent the intellectual process of adjudicating the law. The Shotrim are the enforcers; they will even use physical force if necessary. The Sfas Emes teaches that this distinction correlates to all aspects of man, particularly in his performance
Perhaps this is the connection between Shoftim V’Shotrim and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, albeit in reverse order. Rosh Hashanah is Yom HaDin, it is the day of judgment in which we are accountable for
our misdeeds. We might have made good, solid decisions, but we might not have been successful in carrying them out. Rosh Hashanah focuses on our physical acts, and in that regard more represents facing up to the shotrim within us. Yom Kippur, though, is the culmination of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah. It is a day of intense introspection and decision making about how we want to lead our life. Yom Kippur is called Shabbos Shabbason; if Shabbos is a day of rest and introspection, then Yom Kippur is the ultimate day of introspection where we must judge ourselves and see where we are holding and what we need to change. Even though on a simple level one might connect Rosh Hashanah with Shoftim, since it is a day of judgment, and Yom Kippur with Shotrim since the judgment is sealed, this is in regard to Hashem. But in regards to us, it is in reverse. On Rosh Hashanah we are held accountable for our actions; did we properly fulfil Ohl Mitzvos. And on Yom Kippur we judge ourselves and decide whether we need to rededicate ourselves to a more comprehensive Ohl Malchus Shamayim.
ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK
riddle
Parsha
QUESTION
There is a well known two word Hebrew expression that comes before Sheni in both this week's and next week's Parsha but they mean completely different things. What is it and what do they mean? CLUE
How many witnesses do you need?
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[Question: The four types of animals listed as having only one Siman of Taharah and therefore are Ossur to eat are repeated here from what we have already been told in a previous Parsha in Sefer Vayikro. Find anything strange?
In Parshas Shemini Perek 11 where it lists the four animals for the first time it puts them in the following order a) Gomol b) Shofon c) Arneves d) Chazir. In our Parsha the order is a) Gomol b) Arneves c) Shofon d) Chazir. The Sefer Taamah DeKroh by Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlito on this week's Parshah discusses this at length.
A king must not have too many horses as this will involve going to Mitzrayim and this is forbidden. (17:16) How then can we find that Jews, including the famous Rambam, lived in Mitzrayim?
Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier Founder, Shmuz.com
The author can be contacted at office@theshmuz.com
For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #51 - Bitachon and Hishtadlus – Finding the Balance Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz.com – The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of charge at www.theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz App for iphone or Android. Simply text the word “TheShmuz” to the number 313131 and a link will be sent to your phone to download the App.
Parshah
The Religion of Evolution- Just Keep the Faith “You shall not pervert judgment, you shall not respect someone’s presence, and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked.” – Devarim 16:19
The mitzvah of appointing judges
The Jewish nation as a totality was given the mitzvah of appointing judges. These judges were commanded to mediate with righteousness according to the Torah’s laws. One of the rules of a judge is that he may not accept a bribe because a “bribe will blind the eyes of the wise.” Rashi is bothered by a question: the Torah already commanded the judges to rule honestly with the expression, “Do not pervert justice.” There is no need for a second prohibition against accepting bribery. The purpose of a bribe is to cause the judge to ignore the truth and change the verdict. That is certainly included in the requirement of not perverting justice. So why does the Torah write a second prohibition specifically warning judges not to accept bribes? Rashi answers that the prohibition of not accepting bribery refers even to cases in which the judge fully intends to rule fairly. If a shofet plans to accept a bribe but not to allow it to influence his decision, the Torah forbids him from doing this. The nature of bribery is to pull his heart, and it is impossible to remain unbiased once he has received a bribe. The Torah is teaching us that even if he wants to judge honestly, it will be impossible for him to do so because once he accepts a bribe, against his will he will favor the one who bribed him. This Rashi is difficult to understand. Assuming we are dealing with an experienced, skilled judge who is well-versed in law and the proceedings, why can’t he accept a bribe and still judge honestly? The facts are the facts. Either the man is guilty or innocent. Either he owes the money or he doesn’t. Why can’t a judge make up his mind that the money is the money, but I will not allow this to affect my ruling in this case?
The wind made it
The answer to this question can best be understood with a moshol. Imagine that you find yourself in a junkyard in the backwoods of Tennessee. You look around and see piles and piles scrap: old refrigerators, a rusted-out stove top, entire cars demolished. Everything is all strewn about without any order. Then suddenly you see something out of place: a brand new Dell laptop computer — red color, no less. You pick it up and you see that it is unscratched and in perfect working order. You turn to the owner of the junkyard, a rather primitive fellow, and innocently ask, “Where did this come from?”
“Oh,” he responds. “I don’t know if you heard, but we had us some fierce winds here last night.” “Fierce winds?” “Yeah, some real strong gusts. I came this morning and things were all blown about, and then I saw that there computer, so I rightly figured that the winds just sort of blew the pieces together.” You look at the fellow incredulously and ask, “The wind blew the pieces together?” “Yeah, you know they just sort of blew a piece from over here, and then a piece from up there, and before you know it, we have this here computer.” At that point, you say to the man, “Sir, I don’t mean to be rude, but there is a monitor and a fully functioning mouse. I turn it on, and the fan kicks in. And the keyboard! How do you explain the keyboard? Look at it, QWERTY, in perfect order!” “Listen, fella,” he responds. “I’m not saying it’s likely. I’m just saying things happen. There was a huge nor’easterner last night, it blew things all around, and this is what happened.” At this point, you recognize that there is little point in continuing the discussion because the man clearly isn’t speaking sense. This is a very apt moshol to phenomena that we regularly experience. We will have conversations with intelligent, well educated people who will tell you that the world evolved. Everything that you see, from the flower to the bee, from the oceans to the mountains, rivers, planets, the sun, the moon, and the stars, all just sort of happened. No designer. No Creator. It just began with a Big Bang and all of the wonder of this infinitely complex world came into being. The uniformity, the complexity, the harmonious systems, the universal laws of physics, just happened. Just a lucky roll of the cosmic dice and a hundred billion galaxies, each one containing a hundred billion stars – just occurred. It becomes very difficult to argue against such a position. Where do you begin? But if we carry the moshol to its next step, we see the question deepens dramatically.
Who wrote the code?
A computer doesn’t have a brain. It is a machine that processes data as directed by software programs. That software is actually coding. Beginning with the most basic commands all the way up the most complex, software engineers write line after line of code. If this, then that. If this, than that. . . The writing of code is very time consuming and tedious, and it must be exact. One mistake in the flow of logic, and the program hits a dead end. When the computer industry was young, software programs were measured in the amount of hours it took to develop them. 100
hours? 200 hours? As the industry developed, the programs became so complex that single individuals could no longer write them; entire teams had to be dedicated towards the task. Now they no longer could be measured in hours, but estimated in man years. Assuming that we put a team of twenty programmers to work full-time on this project, how many years will it take them to complete it? 10 man years? 20 man years? The software that runs today’s computers is based on compilations of thousands of man years of coding. Now let’s go back to our moshol. Imagine that we were to ask the junkyard owner a very pointed question: “I will grant you the monitor and the six cell battery. I’ll even give you the four-color Windows decal on the keyboard. But who wrote the code? Who programmed the thing? When you turn on that laptop and launch a program, hundreds if not thousands of man years of programming went into that software. Where did it come from? Did the wind sit there and write line after line of complex, intricate instructions? Who wrote the code?”
The religion of evolution
The nimshol of this is that the same people who tout evolution as a religion are also aware that physical life itself has exact rules. Every cell in the human body is directed by the DNA coding. The simplest amoeba is far more complex than any machine ever devised by man. A human baby is so much more infinitely complex than an amoeba that it defies a relationship. The trillions and trillions of cells of the body are all specific, all organized into organs and systems with each one perfectly in place, each one playing its part. How can anyone possibly think that it just evolved? Who wrote the code? The answer to this is quite simple: Hashem created man with free will, free will to believe or not to believe, to accept or not to accept. With the capacity called free will was included this most amazing ability to accept the most farfetched, ludicrous positions as long as it fits into my agenda. This seems to be the answer for Rashi. The Torah is teaching us that the human may be brilliant and wise, but he has a weakness. His pure judgment can be easily influenced. If a man accepts a bribe, it will color his vision. He will lose his detached sense of judgment and will no longer be able to rule objectively. He may think that he won’t be influenced, but it is human nature to be pulled, and he will no longer be capable of objective clarity. He will be blinded. The application of this Torah concept is clear in what we witness today as the blindness of man staring into the brilliance and wonder of Creation and mouthing the words, the “wonders of evolution.”
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Rav Aryeh Levine and The Crying Woman A woman once came to Rav Aryeh Levine’s home. She pleaded, “Please just let me sit and cry before you.”
H
e replied kindly, “You may surely sit, and you may even cry— but not before me. Direct your tears to Hashem, the One Who listens to weeping and hears the cries of His people.”
The woman took a seat and cried, and in between her tears she described to Rav Aryeh Levine her sad situation. Rav Aryeh asked her not to cry so much, and said that Hashem has so much mercy and He will surely help. But a few days later the woman returned to tell him that the person she had been Davening for had passed away. She now cried with new tears, and Reb Aryeh did his best to comfort her. She said, “I will accept your calming words, but I have a question. What became of the thousands of tears I cried over saying Tehilim? Was it all for nothing?” Rav Aryeh gently answered, “After 120 years, and you come before the Heavenly Court, you will see how many severe and harsh decrees against the Jewish people were torn up, all because of those precious and holy tears that you have cried. Not one teardrop goes to waste! Hashem counts them like pearls and treasures them!” The woman smiled and tears of happiness flowed down her cheeks. Sometime later she came back to visit Rav Aryeh and she said, “Dear Rabbi, please tell me those beautiful words again. What happened with all those tears?” Rav Aryeh Levine taught her that no Tefilah ever goes to waste, but it is cherished by Hashem forever!
Torah U’Tefillah: A Collection of Inspiring Insights collected by Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg To subscribe to weekly stories email keren18@juno.com
ANSWERS 1. Being a positive commandment means that it is good. Why then does Shmuel get angry when the Jews ask him for a Jewish King? It is because they asked for it in order to be like the other nations and for this to be the main reason is something bad. It shows that the Jews went to enter the realm of teva, nature, like the goyim as opposed to remaining under the special hashgocha, Divine Providence, of Hashem. (see the Malbim to Shmuel I, 8:6) 2. The Gemara Kiddushin 32b learns that only a king cannot forgo the honour due to him (learnt out from the possuk in Parshas Shoftim, 17:15). Why? Perhaps since this honour is to represent the honour we must give to Hashem, the Kings of Kings. Therefore to show that the honour of Hashem must not be lacking this is extended to be also seen in the physical king.
QUIZ TIME
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4. livingwithmitzvos.com
3. The Ritva (Yuma 38) answers that the prohibition of living in Mitzrayim is only when the Jews are living in charge (led by a King) in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbeinu Bechai answers that this prohibition was only for the time when Mitzrayim was known to be so low spiritually with such negative influences but this has long since ceased. Alternatively, the prohibition is only to go from Eretz Yisroel to Mitzrayim but not to go there from other countries. 4. The possuk says the reason of not causing people to go to Mitzrayim. A king should also not place his trust in security or trace his success due to his horses and army but rather be limited and known all success comes from Hashem. Also, he should not get haughty having them. 5. Targum Yonason says in order that he should not place his security and success due to his wealth. The Ibn Ezra says that it is to prevent his high demands taking the form of heavy taxes on the people.
What are the reasons why the king must not have too many horses?
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Halacha from
Rabbi Shraga Kallus Rosh Kollel, 'The 2nd Seder Kollel'; 'Machon Hora'ah L'Rabanim'
Hadlakas Neiros Part IV – Personal and Household Obligation
Q
I’m traveling on business and will not be able to make it home for Shabbos. Must I light candles, or does my wife’s lighting at home work for me as well? Before beginning to discuss the correct location of lighting candles, it is important to understand that there are two simultaneous obligations when it comes to Hadlakas Neiros: 1. Chovas Gavra – obligation on each individual: Every person has their own personal obligation to light candles for Shabbos. This obligation is applicable both for men and women, and this is even in a fully lit house. 2. Chovas Bayis – obligation on the household: Every house occupied during Shabbos has its own responsibility to have candles lit for Shabbos. Even in a situation in which one might not have a personal obligation (see below), the house itself requires that there be lights lit within. In a case that a husband is away on a business trip, and his wife is home: (1) Chovas Gavra – He fulfils his personal obligation with his wife’s lighting candles in his house (it is a questionable whether one’s personal obligation can be fulfilled if there is a time zone difference). (2) Chovas Bayis: There is still a requirement to make sure there is light in the house in which he is staying over Shabbos. This obligation will often be fulfilled with the lights that are already on in the room, bathroom, etc., and in such a case there is no need to do anything else.
Adapted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky
Rabbi Slansky can be contacted at avislansky@gmail.com
On his recent trip to London, Rabbi Paysach Krohn suggested that we all greet our fellow Jew because שבת שלוםyou make them feel special.
See Miracles In Life Every
Good Shabbos
Day
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.
גוט שבת
FIND RABBI KALLUS'S SHIURIM ON TORAHANYTIME.COM
QUIZ TIME
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5. Why should a king not have too much gold and silver (17:17)? livingwithmitzvos.com
Rabbi Reuven Lanning
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United Synagogue Burial Society
The author can be contacted at rabbilanning@usburial.org.uk
U’vechol meodecha: With all of your Football?!/Ice cream?!
Parshah
It is a mitzvah to love Hashem with all ‘meodecha’. What does this word mean. If one looks in Rashi, he says that it means ‘with all of your money,’ and he also brings an alternative: be’chol mida u’midah, that whether Hashem is seemingly being good to you or not, you should still love Him. It is interesting that Unkelus translates the word meodecha as Nichsoch, which means property. In other words, it does not just mean money as in ‘cash in hand’ or ‘in the bank,’ but all material possessions. This might be ArtScroll’s translation, as resources, if we understand resources as referring to physical ones. Rashi learns his explanation from the Gemara in Brochos 61b, that meodacha refers to money. But we can still ask ‘How does the Gemara know that meodecha means money. ‘Kesef’ would be the usual word used for money. The sefer Baruch She’Amar by HaRav Baruch Epstein (more well-known as the author of the Torah Temimah) says the word meodecha comes from the word meod meaning ‘very much’. Something which you love very much; Money, which most people love and are very attached to, and have a strong desire for, is called meodecha.
“The school football team which he was a part of was playing on Shabbos. What should he do? Should he keep Shabbos and give up his place on the team, or put Hashem and Shabbos first?”
I want to extrapolate the idea further and to say that it is not only money, but anything which one really loves and which is really important to you, you have to be prepared to give up for Hashem.
very personal and can only be said in second person singular, not like the second paragraph which is plural. That which is dear and beloved to you is to you but is not necessarily loved by anyone else.
There is evidence for this idea from the Rashi in the Gemara 61b that ’that which is dear to you’ is not specifically money but anything.
When I was a teenager, I had a friend in a non-Jewish school who was progressing in his shemiras hamitzvos and he came to a nisayon. To him football was all-important. It was the love of his life. He lived it, he breathed it. The school football team which he was a part of was playing on Shabbos. What should he do? Should he keep Shabbos and give up his place
The Baruch She’Amar alludes to the fact that this could be a partial reason why meodecha is excluded from the second paragraph of the Shema because what is dear to you is
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Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home.
on the team, or put Hashem and Shabbos first? For him, this was a big nisayon. He was becoming shomer Shabbos but was not there yet. He had a problem. Someone else whose Shabbos is a way of life and football is not so important would not find this a nisayon, but to him it was. He was omeid be’nesayon and became and remained a shomer Shabbos. I didn’t see him for 35 years but when I did, he was still shomer Shabbos, married with children who had gone to yeshiva and sem, and grandchildren as well. (The grandchildren had not gone to yeshiva/sem yet. They were still too young). (Some details were changed in this story). Other people have different things which are hard for them to give up for the sake of Avodas Hashem. We are commanded to look after our health and not to smoke or overeat. For some of us who are overweight or diabetic, we need to cut down on sugar, cakes and ice cream but we really like our food and it is difficult to give up. Yet it is a mitzvoh (obligation) just like any other. Look in the sefer To Your Health by Rav Yechezkel Ishayek (available in good Jewish bookstores) where he explains the Torah obligation to look after one’s health. U’vechol meodecha, your meod, not someone else’s. Most of us have our things that we love very much, but we need to be prepared to give up those as well for Ahavas Hashem.
לע"נ שירה ברכה בת ראובן אפרים ע"ה
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