Oneg Summer 5776/2016 Edition by Oneg Shabbos

OnegShabbos

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North West London’s Weekly Torah and Opinion Sheets

Summer Edition

5776 2016

GABRIEL BIRO, age 6 Machzkei Hadath Shul

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CONTENTS

‫ לע''נ‬all those who have never had anything done in their memory

‫ ואתחנן‬VA’ESCHANAN.......................3 ‫ עקב‬EKEV.............................................. 11 ‫ ראה‬RE'EH........................................... 19 ‫ שופטים‬SHOFTIM..............................27 ‫ כי תצא‬KI SETZEI...............................33

ELIANA KIENWALD, AGE 10 Od Yosef Chai Shul

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AURELIA, age 8 Shul Heichal Leah

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

‫ | ט”ז אב תשע”ו | פ’ ואתחנן‬20th August 2016

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‫הדלקת נרות‬

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

Tefila T-fil-a - To Feel A… Rabbi Meyer Amar | M.A.(Jewish Education). Senior Kodesh Teacher at Hasmonean High School A story is told about Reb Yeshaya Bardaki Zt”l1, a talmid of the great Reb Chaim Volozhin Zt”l. He had a great desire to live in Eretz Yisroel. Two weeks into his boat journey from Europe with his 7 and 8 year old children, stormy waters arose. The waves became meters high and they all had to hold on for dear life to remain aboard. The storm worsened and eventually broke the ship into pieces. Reb Yeshaya shouldered his children and began swimming away from the wreckage in a valiant attempt to escape the carnage and save their lives. An hour went by like this as he weakened further and further from the exertion. He worried that if he continued in this way they would all die. He had a heart wrenching decision to make – should we all die or can one be left behind to drown so the others might be saved. As he racked his brain in the stormy seas, a Gemora sprung to mind in Meseches Horoyos. There are Dinei Kedima in such tragic circumstances, Chas Vesholom. He explained to one child his pesak din and the gadlus in accepting death leshem Shomayim. The child began reciting the Shema for the last time. As Reb Yeshaya’s hand slipped away from the child the child gave a shriek ‘father, father have mercy’. He had never ever heard such a gut wrenching cry from his child, suddenly he found new untapped energy and managed to return the child to his shoulder and continued to swim with renewed powers he didn’t know he had. Each time he began to falter and splutter the child shouted again and he would find new reserves to swim the remaining few kilometres until the shore was in sight and finally safety. After having collapsed in the sand and become somewhat revived the child expressed to the father with great feeling ‘you saved my life’ to which he feebly replied ’ No, it was you who saved yourself by crying out so emotionally that you made me find new energies’. Upon his return to Yerushalayim, as he related the amazing salvation, he remarked that H’shem had taught him a lesson about His relationship with mankind. I am here to save you and I have the energy and power to do so but I need to see that you yearn for me with true intensity. 1 Brought down in the Sefer Otzros Hatorah - Devarim

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Lilui Nishmas We call this Tefila. Moshe Rabbeinu famously Esther Bat Dona davened to H’shem to allow him into Eretz Yisroel. H’shem told him ‘Rav loch al Tosif daber Eilay’ - enough for you, do not continue to speak to me. The Gemora in Brochos2 states that Tefila is greater than Mitzvos and Maasim Tovim as we see that Moshe was successful to at least see Eretz Yisroel. We need to understand why should H’shem change his mind if he has already decreed a certain future, how can that be changed through Tefila? The Sefer Haikarim3 explains that it is not H’shem who has changed his mind but rather the person has changed himself through Tefila. Now H’shem is dealing with a new you who can have different decrees to the previous you. I would like to suggest that this is connected to a later part of this Sidra – the Aseres Hadibros. The first of the 10 commandments instructs us to believe that H’shem exists and has the power to control our lives as he displayed in Mitzrayim. When we daven sincerely we are acknowledging the existence of our G-d who has the power to make anything happen in our lives. The greater the intensity of the internalisation of this knowledge into our emotional state amplifies the power of our adherence to the first commandment. If we can feel like that child, whose whole life depended on the father at that crucial moment, where life and death were teetering in the balance, then we can reveal and merit salvation that was not available before.

For questions on Divrei Torah please contact the Editor in Chief, Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn rabbiroodyn@ jewishfuturestrust.com To receive this via email or for sponsorship opportunities please email mc@markittech.com

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‫לעילוי נשמת‬

‫הרה״ח‬ ‫ר׳ אהרון‬ ‫מנחם‬ ‫מנדיל בן‬ ‫ר׳ משה‬ ‫ביוד ז״ל‬

This is said to be the meaning of why some people say or think the words ‘Da Lifnei Mi Ato Omed, Lifnei Melech Malchei Hamelochim Hakodosh Boruch Hu’ just before Shemone Esrei. By connecting ourselves meaningfully to the first commandment we increase our potential power of a successful Tefila. May we all merit to have the presence of mind to focus on our Tefila and grab the opportunity to change and begin a metamorphosis into a new and improved ‘you’. 2 32b 3 Sefer Ha-Ikarim ("Book of Principles") is a fifteenth-century sefer by Rabbi Joseph Albo

Riddle of the Week

BY BORUCH KAHAN

The Torah tells us in this week’s Parshah that a place has a second name, however Rashi in a previous Parsha tells us that this place in fact has 2 other names, what are they and where does Rashi tell us this? Any comments can be directed to bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk. Answer on page 7

Yerushalayim, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Baltimore, Beit- Shemesh, Borehamwood, Edgware, Elstree, Gateshead, Gibraltar, Hale, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Lakewood, Larnaca, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, Milan, New York, Oslo, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Radlett, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Tallinn, Toronto, Vienna, Zurich

Rabbi Daniel Fine | Community Rabbi, Stanmore and Canons Park US and the Hasmonean Beis Programme Va’eschanan is the second time the Ten Commandments appears in the Torah: the first time being in Yisro. We have noted previously that there are several differences between the two sets of commandments, with various different explanations given by the commentaries: some giving individual reasons for each difference and others preferring to give overarching scope on the reason for the existence of differences in general. One of those differences pertains to the mitzvah of Shabbos: in parshas Yisro the reason for Shabbos is given as ‘for Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh...’ whilst in Va’eschanan the reason given is Hashem taking us out of Egypt. Which is it? In his sefer, Gevuros Hashem, the Maharal writes that these two reasons simply reflect two different aspects of Shabbos: the holiness of Shabbos and the fact that it was given as a gift to Bnei Yisrael. The creation of the world is the source for the holiness of Shabbos, whilst the Exodus is the reason that Klal Yisrael were charged with observing this holy day. There is a beautiful Midrash we have cited previously that illustrates what the Shabbos-Klal Yisrael partnership is all about... The Midrash writes that Hashem blessed the day of Shabbos ‘for it had no partner’. All the other days of the week were partners with each other, but Shabbos had no partner. In the words of the Midrash ‘Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: ‘Shabbos said to Hashem ‘they all have partners, and I have no partner.’ Hashem responded ‘Klal Yisrael will be your partner… this is what the passuk means ‘remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it’’ (Shemos 20:8). I don’t need to tell you that this Midrash is extremely cryptic and fantasy tale-esque. Firstly, what does it mean that every other day has a partner? Secondly, why does Shabbos feel that it needs a partner? Thirdly, what is the proof from the passuk; why are Bnei Yisrael

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greater partners to the day of Shabbos than to every other mitzvah that we observe? The Vilna Gaon reveals the depth of this Midrash, as elaborated on by Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky shlit’’a. Just as in a marriage, a partner brings out the potential of the other: bringing their plans and aspirations to fruition – turning potential to actual. Moreover, adds the Gra, the way we are to view the week here is that Shabbos is in the middle. Thus, each day has a partner: day one (Sunday) is paired with day four (Wednesday), Monday with Thursday, and Tuesday with Friday - leaving Shabbos in the middle without any partner. As the Gra continues, the depth of this is that the creation that occurred on each day in Bereishis saw its potential completed and actualised through its complementing partner. For example, on day one, light was created whilst on day four, the job was completed – the sun and stars were given times and roles. Day four was thus the partner of day one, for it completed the creation of light. Similarly, day two and day five are partners. For on day two Hashem ‘split the waters,’ whilst on day five the fish, amphibians and various sea creatures were created: the sea’s occupants moved in. Likewise, days three and six are partners by virtue of the creation of the land. On day three the land emerged and plant life was formed, whilst on day six the animals (and humans) that inhabit the land were created. So each

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Shaaabbos!

day had a complementary day to turn potential to actual. Shabbos, a day bereft of physical creation, was understandably left in the lurch: the teams having been picked, Shabbos was left alone (on the figurative bench) with no partner. Thus, argued Shabbos, ‘who will be my partner – who will bring out my potential into the world?’ And Hashem responded that ‘Klal Yisrael will be your partner.’ Klal Yisrael will be able to bring out the sanctity of Shabbos and access its potent spiritual quality, thereby enhancing and actualising it. This is the depth of the passuk ‘remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it’: we have the power to sanctify the day of Shabbos itself – to increase and enhance its sanctity. This, adds the Gra, is why Shabbos is called ‘a bride’ and why we go out to greet Shabbos (nowadays enshrined in the kabbalas shabbos service) – for we are real partners with Shabbos: we have the awesome power and responsibility to bring out the sanctity and laden potential of Shabbos itself. As a friend of mine once commented, the passuk says ‘and Bnei Yisrael observed Shabbos – to make the Shabbos’ (‘la’asos es Ha’Shabbos’): our ‘making Shabbos’ here refers to our actualising and harnessing its potential. A baby must wait eight days before his bris milah in order to experience and ingest the kedusha and revitalising vitality of Shabbos (Ohr Hachaim). Yet the Gra in Yeshaya writes that we can only experience the sanctity of Shabbos if we observe the day of Shabbos: that neshama yeseirah (more potent neshama) that is present on Shabbos is only bequeathed to those who observe the sanctity of the day. The Tanya stresses the observance of the details of the Rabbinic laws such as muktzeh too, as crucial to the sanctity of Shabbos. Given that Shabbos is our partner, there is a reciprocal relationship here: we infuse sanctity into the day of Shabbos and it infuses us with parallel sanctity, vitality and direction.

Why does Parshas Vaeschanon always come after Tisha BeAv, known as “Shabbos Nachamu”?

Rabbi Benji Landau | Associate Rabbi, Edgware Yeshurun and Director of Mesila UK

As we arrive, this week, at Shabbos Nachamu, we begin the seven-week period known as the sheva d’nechemta, the 7 weeks of consolation which lead us all the way to Rosh Hashanah. That’s right, just seven weeks until the Yomim Noroim are upon us! As we begin that journey, there is a wonderful idea in this week’s sedra that can help us to prepare for the forthcoming period of teshuva and tefilla. With so much focus on davening it’s worthwhile being prepared, and the best way to do that is to understand one of the most fundamental aspects of tefilla in general.

into the land. A proof to support the idea that he could have asked for entry into the land without having the requisite merit; the posuk in Shemos 31:17 states, ‫אשר אחון‬-‫וחנותי את‬, that Hashem is able to demonstrate kindness, even to those who are without merit. The Kli Yakar is bothered by various elements of Rashi’s comment. Firstly, the mere suggestion that Moshe was in a position to exchange spiritual merit for this-worldly reward, is antithetical to Torah-thinking; fulfilment of mitzvos simply does not mean that Hashem ‘owes us one.’ The idea that Rashi seems to be positing, namely, that Moshe’s plea was predicated on the basis of quid pro quo, is just not possible.

The Maharal in the Nesivos Olam, Nesiv Ha’avoda asks a key question about davening. It’s axiomatic that the Al-mighty is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving. He knows what’s best for us, able to achieve any end and loves us enough to do the right thing for us. If that’s true, why do we even bother engaging in tefilla; Hashem surely knows better than we do what’s best for us and will give it to us anyway?

Moreover, the verse that Rashi cites in support of his position is equally troubling. The thrust of that verse is to demonstrate that even a person lacking merit can still be in receipt of Hashem’s kindness. However, that does not provide any meaning as regards to a person who is specifically lacking in merit – Moshe’s not being allowed to enter the land was due to the transgression of hitting the rock instead of speaking to it. That consequence applies regardless of how meritorious Moshe is.

The opening posuk of this week’s sedra describes Moshe Rabbeinu’s plea to the Almighty to allow him to enter into Eretz Yisrael, even if it’s only for the briefest of moments. The word used to describe Moshe’s tefilla is ‫ואתחנן‬, which implies some sort of free gift. Rashi tells us that’s exactly what it means and offers insight as to why this was the tone of Moshe’s prayer.

‫אין חנון בכל מקום אלא לשון מתנת חנם אף ע"פ‬ ‫שיש להם לצדיקים לתלות במעשיהם הטובים אין‬ ‫מבקשים מאת המקום אלא מתנת חנם לפי שאמר לו‬ ‫(שמות לג) וחנותי את אשר אחון אמר לו בלשון ואתחנן‬:

Before mentioning the Kli Yakar’s answer to this question, let’s add one final thread to the discussion. The meforshim are keen to understand why exactly Moshe was so adamant that he should be allowed into Israel. One of the four answers that the Abarbanel offers is as follows. Moshe’s motivation was the opportunity to add further aspects of perfection and spirituality to his already refined being. With entry to the land of Israel came the chance to perform mitzvos that it is

‘Chinun’ refers to a type of prayer that implies a free gift. For even though Moshe most surely have had a plentiful supply of merits which he could have ‘cashed in’, righteous individuals on the sublime level as that which Moshe had achieved, prefer not to do so, and instead, he beseeched Hashem to give him free entry

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The Purpose of Prayer

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not possible to perform outside the land; mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’aretz. Such was the nature of Moshe’s personality, his reason for wanting to enter into the land was only for lofty and refined reasons. With that in mind, we can now understand the Kli Yakar’s powerful approach that answers the difficulties in Rashi, in a way that not only defends Rashi’s comments, but offers new insight into them. The mistake we’re making, is to believe that when Rashi speaks of Moshe asking for entry into the land as a reward for good deeds, he is not referring to the good deeds that he had previously carried out. Rather, he is referring to the good deeds that Moshe would ultimately be able to achieve if given entry into the land. This opens new vistas for us in contemplating the purpose of prayer. We don’t make deals with the Almighty and of course we understand he knows what’s best for us. We engage in prayer not to convince him of what’s best for us, but to demonstrate to him that we have the right motivations in asking for whatever it is we’re asking for. Asking for all sorts of things in life without truly understanding how they will contribute positively to our spiritual goals, or to other people, is not only superficial, it borders on downright rude! A job, a career, wealth, comfort, health, meaningful relationships, successful children, wisdom and the countless other things we ask for when davening, are all perfectly legitimate requests, but only in as much as we understand why and how those things will make a valid contribution to our lives and the lives of those around us. As we gear up to the Yomim Noroim it’s worth setting aside some time to consider what it is we truly want to achieve in the upcoming year, and how we can get there. If we do that, our tefillos will be on a more sublime and impactful level.

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

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Rashi (3:23) brings that there are ten expressions of tefilla. Why did Moshe use here the expression of techina, supplication, asking for a matnas chinom, a present as opposed to any other expression or why not ask for permission due to his own merits?

Rabbi Dr Julian Shindler | Director of the Marriage Authorisation Office, Office of the Chief Rabbi ‫ וקשרתם לאות על ידך‬- And you shall bind them as a sign upon

your hand1 - seems to imply that the key to the observance of the mitzvah of tefillin is that the wearer should actually apply the tefillin himself, rather than have it bound upon him by another person. But what then is the position of someone who was disabled from birth, or who becomes less able through some accident or infirmity? In this article we ask: Can he fulfil the mitzvah if his tefillin are applied to him by someone else? Consider the following: 1 Devarim 6: 8

To the question – at which point should one recite the blessing on the tefillin? the Gemara2 answers – from the time one places them on his arm. This is challenged from a statement by Rav Yehuda in the name of Shmuel that blessings over mitzvos are always to be recited just before they are performed. Abaye and Rava contend that the berochoh is said during the period between placing the tefillin on the arm and tightening it. This position is confirmed by the Rambam3 who adds ‘Keshirah’ (binding, tightening) is the mitzvah.

bound tefillin on her husband – presumably by acting as a shaliach. However, Tosafos6 appears uncomfortable with this interpretation and suggests that that case concerned a husband who found it difficult to accomplish this by himself and she merely assisted him. Rav Wosner7 opines that a woman may not act as a shaliach in these circumstances, adducing proof from another Talmudic passage8 which categorically states that a woman is not obligated in the mitzvah of tefillin. As such, she cannot act as a shaliach.

Nevertheless, it would appear that a person who is unable to do this himself could appoint a shaliach (agent), who is similarly obligated with this mitzvah, to apply the tefillin for him whilst the wearer recites the blessing. Maharam Shik agrees and also considers the possibility of the helper being a woman, who is not obligated to keep time-bound positive mitzvos. In his responsum4 he rules that, since women may perform such mitzvos voluntarily, even though they are not obligated to do so, they may likewise take on the role of a shaliach.

These arguments matter only if it is assumed that keshiroh, binding, is the crucial part of the mitzvah. However, the Avnei Nezer9 writes that the mitzvah is fulfilled merely by wearing the tefillin – as indicated by the verse– ‫ והיו לאות על ידך‬10 ‘And they shall be for a sign upon your hand’. According to this view, the main practice of the mitzvah is thus not the putting on but the wearing of them.

Indeed, the Gemara records a ‘ma’aseh’ concerning a certain married woman who

In another responsum the MaHaRiT11 quoting Rabbeinu Tam understands that the verb ‫ וקשרתם‬does not refer to binding the tefillin on one’s arm but to actually tying the special knots of the tefillin. As this only occurs

2 Menochos 35B 3 Mishneh Torah Hilchos Tefilin, Mezuzah and Sefer Torah 4: 7 (according to the critical edition based on manuscripts published in Yad Peshutah by Rav N E Rabinovitch) 4 Orukh Chaim siman 15 5 Avodah Zoroh 39A

6 7 8 9 10 11

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Menochos 36A Shevet Halevi Orukh Chaim siman 8 Gittin 45B Orukh Chaim siman 40: 6 Shemos 13: 9 Orukh Chaim siman 7

(usually) once, we do not make the blessing

‫‘ לקשור תפילין‬to bind tefillin’ but say ‫להניח‬ ‫ – תפילין‬to place the tefillin. On this reading, the function of binding the tefillin is only to ensure that they remain in place. As such, the keshiroh is, effectively, a hechsher mitzvah – a preparatory act to the mitzvah, and if so, the qualifications of shlichus (agency) would not apply. The BaCh12 likewise states that the main mitzvah of tefillin is that they should be worn – ideally - throughout the day. This is why the sages instructed that the words for the blessing for tefillin should be ‘to place the tefillin’ rather than ‘to bind the tefillin’ as otherwise one might have thought that one could fulfil one’s obligation simply by putting them on and removing them straight away. The Rabbis wanted to convey the idea that the mitzvah involves wearing the tefillin continuously for a period of time. Accordingly, Pri Megadim13 rules that if one forgot to recite the berochoh when applying the tefillin, one may do so thereafter because the mitzvah extends throughout the period that they are worn. Rav C P Scheinberg14 zt”l also regards the wearing of the tefillin as a mitzvah that one performs with one’s body and he too argues that it should be in order for a woman to put tefillin on a man and for him to recite the blessings. The Bottom Line: If we assume the mitzvah of tefillin to be primarily the act of putting them on, a disabled person may appoint another similarly obligated Jew – as his shaliach to put them on him. A woman may not qualify as a shaliach as regards to this, but she may assist. However, according to those poskim who regard the putting on of the tefillin merely as preparatory to the mitzvah of wearing the tefillin, it would be in order for any person to put them on him. 12 Commentary on the Tur Orukh Chaim siman 25 13 Orukh Chaim siman 25: Eshel Avrohom para 12 14 Mishmeres Chaim

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What is so special about Eretz Yisrael that Moshe was so desperate to go there (something that we have found throughout the generations, the desire of great people to embark on diﬃcult journeys to reach Eretz Yisrael)?

Rabbi Zvi Gefen | Aish UK Asks the Maharal why is it that Chazal look at the differences of zochor V’shamor when there are so many other differences between this parsha and the other set of Aseres Ha’dibros? Why couldn’t it just say zochor V’shamor in one place and we would read “zochor V’shamor es yom Ha’Shabbos Le’kadshoi”. If they are two different mitzvos why couldn’t they still be together? The Maharal continues; “everything on Shabbos is double, we have two candles, two loaves of bread, there were two lambs brought up, since Shabbos is this world and the next world”.

What does all this have to do with Shabbos? Explains the Maharal; Hashem created in 6 days this world and the next, when he said “the world was perfect” he was referring to the entire creation. When you look at this world together with the next world it’s all fine. This world without a look at the next isn’t fine. Hashem created this world and another world. The perfection of the world is this world and the next world. When you see the whole picture then we are all clear. The evil success in this world is because there is no reward in the next. Hashem’s resting is a declaration that the world is perfect.

The Maharal brings out a very important yesod. What does it mean Hashem rested? Hashem wasn’t worn out, He didn’t need a hammock. We say in ve’shomru that Hashem was shovas Va’yinafash. What does that mean? Says the Maharal, that the resting was a declaration that the creation is complete, not missing anything and the world was perfect. The problem is, do we agree? How can you say the world is complete? There is endless potential, but humanity has made a big mess of it. It’s a world that allows human beings to destroy each other and themselves. How is that a complete world?

That’s how you understand a wicked gaining in this world, and a tzaddik losing out. Shabbos is the day when we are living this world and the next world together. That is how we appreciate the “resting” of Shabbos. We sit back and understand that Hashem created a perfect world but it’s only perfect because it has an Olam Ha’ba. On Shabbos we take it easy. We remember that Hashem created a perfect world and ultimately all will work out. To quote my rebbe “On Shabbos we need to be able to feel the menuchah in the Creation. Menuchah means appreciating how life all works out, that everything is just right. Any questions we have are because we are cornering off a small segment from existence, taking something out of context and asking a question”.

We say the Mizmor shir L’yom Ha’shabbos three times on Shabbos where Dovid ha melech talks about the philosophical question of why bad things happens to good people and how we see good things happen to those that seemingly are bad; “a fool cannot understand....the wicked sprout like grass and blossom” which is a reference to seeing how people that do the wrong thing do well in this life. “It’s to destroy them for eternity”- you should know they suffer, because they have done it all now in order not to get to the next world “A righteous man will flourish like a date palm”

PARSHAH

The Resting of Shabbos

Therefore we signify that with the two of everything since the way to see Shabbos in a complete picture is to look at both worlds Therefore Shabbos has to be made of Shamor Ve’zochor B’dibbur Echad”, the command itself includes that double expression. It means the Mitzvos of the day has to be double. What is the zochor? Kiddush by way of saying “zochor es yom Ha’shabbos Lekadsho”. A Jew that learns all the Halochos of Shabbos well and is careful with all the Halochos and all the stringencies, is he the complete Shabbos Jew? It seems that he is Shomer Shabbos but not zochor ha’Shabbos. There is mitzvah to be zochor, which means that you have to mention Hashem, through Kiddush. When Chazal established it, it was with their understanding of what the torah wanted, therefore we mention Hashem creating the world and Hashem taking us out of Egypt. Shmiras Shabbos just isn’t an acknowledgment of Hashem’s resting from creating the world but it’s also declaring that the world is perfect through the two worlds When we say Kiddush on Friday night we are saying that there was a creation and there is a resting. We have to feel it. The zechira explains our shemira. The reason we don’t do work is because the world looks like it needs our work. We show that the world doesn’t need our work. On Shabbos we see the truth that the world doesn’t need us. The world and all its’ seeming problems are there to give us an opportunity for ourselves to build our Olam haba. This is the way you are supposed to feel. Try to remember on Shabbos why we are keeping Shabbos, feel it in davening. Maybe even talk about it. Shabbos is a day when we appreciate the total perfectionism of this world, on Shabbos we recognise that the purpose of being here isn’t because the world needs us, rather an opportunity to build us for eternity.

ANSWERS 1 Parshas Vaeschanon contains the second Luchos. These express the idea that after the breaking of the first Luchos there is still hope. So too, after the churban there is still hope and we believe in the coming of Moshiach and that the third Beis Hamikdash will be built. It has a special name of Shabbos Nachamu being the first of the shiva d’nechemta, the seven weeks of comfort that follow Tisha B’Av, with a message from the parsha. 2 Perhaps the idea here is that Moshe as a great person who viewed nothing as coming to him and therefore did not use his merits as a reason, to be allowed. He therefore asked for a present as opposed to demanding rights. 3 The Gemara (Sota 14a) says that there are certain mitzvos that can only be done in Eretz Yisroel and it was this that Moshe wanted so much to do. Additionally, since there is more kedusha there, even the same mitzvos that are done there are changed and are of a higher spiritual quality. 4 Rashi (3:27) implies that it was for Moshe’s benefit, the part of his request that was granted. Alternatively, we find elsewhere the power of seeing can cause goodness to be

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OHR YISRAEL 4.

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bestowed and here it was Moshe’s seeing the land that would somehow make it easier for the other Jews when they entered there. Perhaps the idea here is that the sin of the meraglim caused by their negative seeing preceding the entry of the Jews into Eretz Yisroel. By Moshe now looking he was causing a positive seeing of Eretz Yisroel that would now precede the Jews entry into Eretz Yisroel. 5 Rabbeinu Bechaye (3:27) brings that it was for the benefit of all the Jews who are buried outside of Eretz Yisrael – like the generation of the desert and all other Jews in exile throughout the ages. They now can feel “comforted” and honoured that also a great person like Moshe is also buried outside of Eretz Yisrael. 6 We must recognise that Hashem knows everything. If He gives a specific number of mitzvos then there is a reason for this number. Wanting to add mitzvos is like saying that ‘we know better’ and this is obviously wrong.

Riddle Answer In last week’s Sedrah Devarim 3:9 Rashi tells us that Chermon has 4 names the two in last week’s Sedrah are Siryon and Senir and the two in this week’s Sedrah are Chermon and Siyon 4:48

A COMMUNITY SERVICE OF THE

EDGWARE

YESHURUN

Moshe was allowed to see Eretz Yisrael from on top of a mountain. Was this viewing for his benefit or for the benefit of the other Jews?

QUIZ TIME

SHABBOS MINCHA 6.00PM FOLLOWED BY SHIUR APPROX 6.20PM

‫עקב‬

MINCHA 7.45PM SHIUR: 8.00PM FOLLOWED BY MAARIV

169-171 GOLDERS GREEN ROAD NW11

BEIS HAMEDRASH BEIS SHMUEL

‫אב תשע“ו‬

AUG 2016

SHRAGA KALLUS ‫שליט“א‬

WITH RABBI

SUMMER SHIURIM

TUES

Really? I can do WHAT? Surprising ‫ קולות‬and ‫ חומרות‬in ‫הלכות שבת‬ ‫לע״נ ר׳ חיים משה בן ר׳ אלימלך ז״ל ולע״נ ר׳ שמעון בן ר׳ חיים משה ז״ל‬ Cholent and Coffee on a Thursday night ‫שאלות בשר וחלב‬ ‫לע״נ ר׳ חיים אפרים בן ר׳ אליעזר שלמה ולע״נ פעסיל בת ר׳ אליעזר נלב״ע ח״י אב‬ Finger tips or shower ‫מים אחרונים‬ ‫לע״נ ר׳ שמעון צבי בן ר׳ שלמה הכהן ז״ל נלב״ע כ״א תמוז‬

20 ‫ט“ז‬ 22 ‫י“ח‬ 23 ‫י“ט‬

Get it right and your life will change ‫ברכת המזון‬ ‫לע׳׳נ ר׳ אהרן חיים ז׳׳ל ביבדלחט״א ר׳ ראובן יצחק נ״י‬ Do you believe? ‫הלכות בטחון‬ ‫לע״נ הבח׳ שמעון ז״ל ביבלחט״א ר׳ אשר צבי משה ני״ו נלב״ע כ״ג אב‬ It’s Shabbos but I can’t have another, I’m driving ‫הלכות קירוב‬ ‫לע״נ הילד רפאל יוסף ז״ל ביבלחט״א ר׳ משה דוד נ״י‬ It started when he hit me back! ‫כעס‬ ‫לע״נ הילד ישראל צבי ביבלחט״א הר״ר שאול נ“י‬ R’ Chaim Kanievsky on ‫הלכות תפילה‬ ‫לע״נ הרב ר׳ פסח בן הרב ר׳ אברהם יעקב נלב״ע י״ב תמוז‬

25 ‫כ“א‬ 27 ‫כ“ג‬ 29 ‫כ“ה‬ 30 ‫כ“ו‬ 31 ‫כ“ז‬

All shiurim will be delivered in English. The ‫ עזרת נשים‬will be open

MINI SERIES 3/3 l

Prepare to go into the palace ‫ זימון‬before Bentching ‫לע״נ הרה״ח ר׳ יצחק שלמה בן ר׳ שמואל זנויל קראוס ז״ל‬

24 ‘‫כ‬

MINI SERIES 2/3 l

MINI SERIES 1/3 l

Whipping the person behind you! The halochos of putting on a ‫טלית‬ ‫לע״נ מרת ראציל בת ר׳ שלמה צימער ע״ה נלב״ע כ״ו תמוז תשע״ו‬

18 ‫י“ד‬

The most powerful of answers ‫אמן‬ ‫לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ אהרון מנחם מנדיל בן ר׳ משה ביוד ז״ל נלב“ע י“ב אב‬ The door has been open all week ‫הלכות יחוד‬ ‫לע״נ מרת חנה גנענדל בת ר׳ יחיאל דוד ע״ה נלב״ע י״א אב‬

16 ‫י“ב‬

‫בס“ד‬

17 ‫י“ג‬

WED THURS

‫שבת‬ MON TUES WED THURS

livingwithmitzvos.com

‫שבת‬

MON

?? TUES

8 WED

‫ואתחנן‬ ‫ראה‬

Not only was Moshe not allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael when alive, but also his bones after death were not taken there (unlike Yakov and Yosef’s as well as the other shevatim’s bones). Why not? Was this a punishment for him or was it for the benefit of the Jews?

‫פרקי אבות‬

Pirkei Avos

Reproduced with permission from the ArtScroll / Mesorah Heritage Foundation:

The Noé Edition PIRKEI AVOS

‫ ָחכְ ָמתֹו‬,‫ כָ ּל ֶש ַׁמ ֲּע ָשׂיו ְמ ֻר ִבּין ֵמ ָחכְ ָמתֹו‬,‫אֹומר‬ ֵ ‫הּוא ָהיָ ה‬ ‫ ֵאין ָחכְ ָמתֹו ִמ ְת ַקיֶ ֶּמת‬,‫ִמ ְת ַקיֶ ֶּמת וְ כָ ל ֶש ָׁחכְ ָמתֹו ְמ ֻר ָבּה ִמ ַמ ֲּע ָשׂיו‬ )‫ משנה יב‬,‫(פרק ג‬ ‫ ּכֹל ֶש ַׁמ ַע ָשיו ְמ ֻר ִּבין ֵמ ָחכְ ָמתֹו ָחכְ ָמתֹו ִמ ְת ַקיָ ֶמת‬:‫אֹומר‬ ֵ ‫הּוא ָהיָ ה‬ He [R’ Chanina ben Dosa] used to say: Anyone whose good deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom will endure. The previous mishnah mandated a strong commitment to refraining from transgression as a precondition to acquiring enduring wisdom; this mishnah refers to a commitment to fulfil positive commandments as a prerequisite (Rav). The term, ‫ ְמ ֻר ִּבין‬exceed, implies greater quantity or importance (Tosafos Yom Tov). Thus, one should perform good deeds in greater quantity and frequency and with greater care than is called for by his intelligence. Even if, in a narrow halachic sense, he has no obligation, he should go beyond the demands of the law and his own perceptions and seek to perform deeds that please G-d, whether towards Hashem or towards his fellow man (Meiri). In areas of doubt, where one cannot ascertain with his own judgment whether he is obligated to fulfil a certain mitzvah or not, he should nevertheless fulfil it (Midrash Shmuel). Another explanation is that even when one does not understand the rationale for a mitzvah, he must still perform it. One’s actions must exceed his limited understanding (Tiferes Yisrael). Rashi renders ‫ ִמ ְת ַקי ֶָמת‬is of everlasting value. Only if one’s learning results in increased good deeds and charity is the wisdom he acquires of eternal value. The mitzvah of tefillin is symbolic of this precept. One places the tefillin on the hand first and then on the head; and when he removes them, the tefillin of the hand remain on until those of the head are taken off. Thus, the head tefillin, representing wisdom, are never worn without the hand tefillin, representing action. Ideas and wisdom are only valuable if they are translated into action. The question arises, however, that it seems impossible for one’s good deeds to exceed his wisdom. Since he cannot act without foreknowledge of what he plans to do, his wisdom perforce must always exceed his deeds. R’ Yonah explains: On the first day of Nissan, Moses commanded the Children of Israel to bring the Pesach offering on the fourteenth, yet as soon as he finished giving them the commandment, the Torah states, And the Children of Israel went and did so (Shemos 12:28). The Sages explained that since they took it upon themselves to do so, the Torah credits them as if they had done so immediately (Mechilta, Bo 12:2). [Hashem deems a sincere commitment as a completed act.] A general commitment to fulfil Hashem’s mitzvos, even those that one may not yet have learned, makes one’s actions greater than his knowledge. Avos De Rabbi Nosson (22:11) writes: “One whose deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom endures, as it is said, We will do and we will hear” (Shemos 24:7), for the Jews committed themselves to carry out all the commands of the Torah even before they knew what would be demanded of them. The verse from Shemos is cited as a perfect example of the principle in our mishnah; for if one commits himself wholeheartedly to the ways of the Torah, he receives merit for what is revealed to him as well as for that which is still unknown, as did Israel at Sinai when they declared, “We will do and we will hear,” placing their acceptance of the deed before their hearing of it. Otherwise, it is impossible that a man’s deeds can be more than what he knows (Shaarei Teshuvah 2:10).

Intended Incident. As one’s understanding of the true meaning of life matures and he better appreciates Hashem’s expectations of him, he constantly refines his character and behaviour and his increasing wisdom is linked to eternity. However, if his experiences do not change his approach to Hashem, then his wisdom, never fully realized, exceeds his actions. Such wisdom is of negligible value; it is certainly not enduring. According to R’ Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, this idea sheds light on an enigmatic statement of the Sages (see Rashi, Numbers 6:2): “Why is the section regarding a nazir placed immediately after that of a sotah? To teach, that one who sees a sotah degraded [by the terrible punishment visited upon her (see Numbers 5:27)] should become a nazirite and abstain from wine, since wine can lead to immoral behaviour. If wine leads to immorality, then shouldn’t everybody abstain from it? Why is a nazirite vow particularly appropriate for one who witnessed a sotah’s downfall? Our mishnah provides the answer. Every human experience, understood properly, is really a lesson from Hashem on how to serve Him better. There are no accidents, only messages. That someone witnessed a sotah’s downfall was not coincidental; he must analyse the experience and use it to better himself spiritually. Thus he is advised to take on the vow of a nazir. If his wisdom exceeds his actions because he does not bring into deed the lessons taught through his life experiences, the lessons accrue no eternal value. There is a story of Rabbi Saadia Gaon which finely illustrates the importance of learning from experience. Rabbi Saadia was asked by his disciples why he engaged in constant repentance. What sins had he committed? He replied that once, as a traveller, he had spent a day at an inn, where the innkeeper treated him as he would any other guest. The next morning, the leading citizens of the town converged on the inn to greet R’ Saadia and benefit from his wisdom. After they departed, the innkeeper approached him and said tearfully, “Please, Master, forgive me for not serving you properly.” “But you treated me very well. Why do you apologise?” “I treated you as I treat all my guests. Had I only known yesterday who you were, I would have served you as befits a person of your stature!” R’ Saadia told his students that the innkeeper’s reaction illustrates the feelings that a Jew should have. The innkeeper was not remiss in his behaviour, but if he had known the truth a day earlier, he would have acted differently. In our service to Hashem, we should take the same approach. Surely we realise when we are middle aged that our youthful service of Hashem was immature and unsophisticated; if only we knew then what we know now, we would have acted differently. The same holds true when we examine our deeds of yesterday. Every life experience must teach us how to better fulfil our spiritual mission. Should we not repent, therefore, for failing to serve Hashem yesterday as we do today?

Rachel Charitable Trust QUIZ TIME

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6. There is the mitzva of not adding to or detracting from the mitzvos of the Torah. It is easy to understand why we may not detract, but why can we not do more?

Zemiros

NEW SERIES!

Rabbi Lister | Rabbi, Edgware United Synagogue

‫ברוך ה' יום‬ New-Dimensional History “Baruch Hashem Yom Yom” – “Blessed is Hashem day by day” Shimon bar Yitzchak | 10th – 11th century Mayence The start of this zemer is a volcano ready to blow its top. We relive the many difficult periods of Jewish history, and recall Hashem’s salvation each time: When they had trouble [in Egypt] it was hard for [Hashem] as well. …He showed them the strength of His love And He was revealed to lift them from the depths of the pit. [Hashem] was sent to Babylon for them, He was counted among those who were taken there in the slave galleys He made their captors treat them mercifully. In the next verses, we revisit the near annihilation of the Jews at the hand of Haman, the Greek occupation of Eretz Yisrael and the Hasmonean revolt, and the Roman galus which lasts to this day. The zemer continues with an assurance that justice will be done, that the Bnei Yisrael will be restored to Israel and that the Temple will rise again. The road for our people has been long and hard. We might look back on this grim history with feelings of frustration and resentment. But in fact, when the emotions erupt, they are torrents of gratitude and praise! How are we to understand this next verse, where we thank Hashem for His boundless mercy?

Blessed is our L-rd who has done good for us! According to His mercy and kindness He has done greatly with us! May He do more for us like this To glorify His great, mighty and terrible name which is associated with us! Were we never jealous of the freedom, wealth and tranquillity of the kingdoms that vanquished and crushed us time and again? Besides, our composer was probably no stranger to persecution himself. The Bishop of Mayence had tried to ban Jews from commercial activity in 972, and Henry II briefly exiled the town’s Jews in 1012. In 1096,

over a thousand Mayence Jews died at the hands of the Crusaders led by Emicho of Leinigen. Whence the composer’s staunchly positive attitude? The next verse provides an answer that obviates any temptation to complain to Hashem, if we look at our history in earthly terms, it has been very hard. But the zemer guides us to a different perspective, soaring above ambitions for worldly greatness. We are invited to consider our history from a different dimension altogether. For Shimon bar Yitzchak and those who share his unshakeable faith in Hashem, earthly ambition is quite simply an alien concept:

Blessed is the L-rd who created us for His glory To praise Him, to glorify Him and to recount His fame! Bnei Yisrael are hardly of this world at all, and should certainly not be preoccupied with making their way in it. Our mission is to be outriders for Hashem’s kingdom, and this is the supreme privilege:

His kindness has worked mightily for us So with all our heart, soul and might we will acclaim His reign and His unity. Here, in this epic zemer, we see the spirit of Shabbos. It is primarily on this otherworldly day, when we shun things of this world, that we can rededicate our lives to Hashem, and shrug off suffering as a distraction from the glory of being Hashem’s special people. The end of the zemer looks forward to the end of history: [Hashem] to whom peace belongs, will grant us blessing and peace, from left and right peace. The All-merciful will bless His people with peace, And they will see descendants working in Torah and its commandments, bringing peace. And this is the full realisation of that Shabbos spirit. After the six days of the week, we have the rest and peace of Shabbos; after the turmoil of history, we will have the peace of the ultimate Shabbos, with Hashem’s kingdom established on earth.

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.

This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimos - please dispose of accordingly.

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

‫ | כ”ג אב תשע”ו | פ’ עקב‬27th August 2016

‫מוצש’’ק‬

LONDON: 8:51 PM K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D

‫הדלקת נרות‬

LONDON: 7:44 PM

‫מברכין החודש‬

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

Completely Missing The Point – Again!

Chazan Michael Simon | Author of Mimini Michoel, weekly email on the Torah & Mo’adim The vicissitudes of my work have recently required my spending rather more time than usual away from home. In order to dispel any possible misimpression, I would hasten to add that my destinations have been anything but glamorous or exotic. There is perhaps only one upside (although my family may readily be able to articulate others). I have been frequenting the same hotel chain and have as a result moved up a grade within their loyalty scheme. Again, whilst not wishing to overstate the minimal, additional benefits, the satisfaction derived from knowing that there will be sparkling rather than still water awaiting me in the bedroom should not be underestimated. It can be tempting to view our observance of mitzvos, in a not dissimilar way, as generating loyalty points as we travel through life that we will then redeem after 120 years (plus inflation and VAT) for the choicest celestial spot on the highest heavenly floor that our grand total will purchase. This inaccurate notion, of course lacks a vital element of mitzvah observance. The fulfilment of positive commandments in this world (and the avoidance of the negative ones) is designed to have a profound, beneficial impact on us, by encouraging us to perfect our characters and to make us sholeim – in the sense of ameliorating as far as possible the enduring tension between our spiritual neshomo and our physical guf. On the theme of mitzvah observance, our parshah opens with vehoyo eikev tishme’un, upon which Rashi famously comments that this refers to the ‘light’ mitzvos that a person treads on without care. In similar vein, the Mishnah in Pirkei Ovos [2:1] states in the name of Rebbi, hevei zohir be’mitzvoh kalloh ke’vachamuroh – we must be just as scrupulous in the performance of mitzvos that we view lightly as with those that we take more seriously, she’ein ato yodei’a matan sechoron shel mitzvos – for we know not the extent of the heavenly reward that such mitzvos will attract. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’’l observes that mortal man cannot comprehend a mitzvah’s roots in shomayim or the wider impact that its performance may generate, whether on the one performing it or indeed on others. Set within these parameters, to which mitzvos is Rashi referring when he terms them mitzvos kallos, which we trample underfoot? Rav Moshe answers that Rashi is actually referring to a person’s ignorance, which all too often

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

manifests itself through their failure to treat seriously the fundamental aspects of a mitzvah, because they are far too caught up in, what might be labelled, elements of at best secondary importance. These include, says Rav Moshe, segulos (practices considered efficacious in improving a situation or protecting from harm), chumros (stringencies) and hiddurim (embellishments). He goes as far as to suggest that sometimes what we denote as or discern to be a mitzvah does not in fact have such a status. It is all part of the ingenious ploy by the yetzer horo to lead us astray by creating a fug of ambiguity, guiding us away from fulfilment of Hashem’s commandments as He desires. Rashi’s comment underscores the importance of studying the mitzvos and absorbing the truth of Divine Will. We have to develop, at the very least, sufficient awareness to know when to ask a shailah of a competent halachic authority and to seek clarification of what is demanded of us. Only then will we desist from our habit of side-lining the real mitzvos and from keeping our own version of the Torah. In this way, declares Rav Moshe, can we be reassured that the full measure of heavenly recompense will be allotted to us and we have no need to know the relative reward structure for mitzvos. The Ba’al Shem Tov points out that the word zohir, meaning careful, has its root in the verb zohar – to shine. Thus, the mishnah is encouraging us to let our neshomos radiate and shine from the fulfilment of what we may misguidedly consider a ‘minor’ mitzvah in exactly the same way as for one we think of as being ‘major’. As we move towards Rosh Chodesh Elul, may the perspicacious words of the Ba’al Shem Tov and Rav Moshe act as a timely reminder that we must do all in our power to ensure that we are constantly focused on those things that really count in Hashem’s reckoning. It really is time to stop missing the point.

Riddle of the Week

BY BORUCH KAHAN

This week’s Parshah lists the Shivas Haminim, the seven fruits that Eretz Yisrael is praised for. However the Torah writes Devash so we automatically assume this is dates i.e. honey that comes from dates and not bees. In which Parshah in Sefer Devarim does Rashi confirm this, because he says nothing about it in our Parshah? Any comments can be directed to bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk. Answer on page 14

PARSHAH

To Fear G-d!

Rabbi Jonathan Tawil | Director, TAL

Bertrand Russell (the British philosopher and mathematician who was a leading proponent of atheism in the early 20th century) once was asked what he would respond if he were to meet G-d after he died, and He judges him for his lack of belief. Russell responded that he would ask G-d, “Why did You not provide sufficient evidence of Your existence?” Hashem might respond, “Why didn’t you exercise your common sense and look beyond the surface of the world to see the overwhelming evidence of My existence and of My Holy Torah?”

Moshe, fear of G-d was a small thing. Rabbi Chanina compared it to a person who is asked for a big article, and he has it. Since he has it, then it seems like a small article to him.”

How could it be possible for such an orderly world to come into existence?

So we know that for Moshe it was simple, but just because it was easy for Moshe, who says it is easy for us? Why then does Moshe imply to the people that fear of G-d is simple. Surely he is relating the Torah to us, and for him it might be a ‘walkover’, but for us it is not?

The oxygen levels in the air are exact, the beautifying scenery, the flowing sea, the lush fields, Man’s intellect. All these are gifts from our Creator. Belief in Hashem is one step, but the next step is to ask, “What is it that Hashem desires from us?” In this week’s parshah, Moshe asks this very question. The problem is that Moshe presents the petition as if it were a simple feat. He says: “And now Israel, what does G-d want of you? Only that you fear G-d, your Lord,” (Deuteronomy 10:12). He makes it sound as though the fear of G-d is only a minor matter. The Gemara Brachos asks: “Is the fear of G-d such a small thing?” The Gemara relates how Rabbi Chanina said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yocha’i: “The Holy One, blessed be He, has in His treasury nothing except a stockpile of the fear of heaven, as it says, ‘The fear of G-d is His treasure’ (Isaiah 33: 6). Obviously if fear of G-d is so cherished by the Almighty, it must be very difficult to attain.” The Gemara answers: “True! For it was Moshe who said this verse and for

QUIZ TIME

Rav Yitzchak Zilber, founder of Toldot Yeshurun, an organization that re-educates estranged Russian Jews about the heritage that was snatched from them, is known as the Father of Contemporary Russian Jewry. A native of Kazan, Russia, Rav Zilber was born just before the Russian Revolution in 1917. His revered father discreetly taught him Torah and he not only completed Shas several times during his years in Russia, but he also taught Torah to many others. During World War II, he was imprisoned in Stalin’s gulag where he managed to remain Shomer Shabbos despite the inhumane conditions. He later had to flee from the KGB, who wanted to arrest him for his Torah activities in Russia. In 1972, he immigrated to Israel. As he walked off the airplane on his arrival in Israel, he embraced the custom agent. “Chavivi! My dear one!” shouted Rabbi Zilber as he gave the man a bear-hug embrace. “It is so wonderful to be here and talk to a Jew like a Jew!”

1. livingwithmitzvos.com

The man offered a polite smile and a pleasant “Shalom. “ “Please tell me,” pleaded Rabbi Zilber with an intensity that seemed to announce a question whose answer would solve all the problems facing Jews for the millennia. “For years I am struggling with this problem. Please tell me, how did you understand the K’tzot HaChoshen on the sugya of areiv?” “Ma zeh K’tzos HaChoshen?” (What is a K’tzot HaChoshen)? came the reply. Rav Zilber was puzzled. He tried another query. “Maybe you can explain how you understood the mishnah in (tractate) Uktzin in the last chapter?” “Mishnah? Uktzin? K’tzot? What are you talking about?” Rav Zilber, recalling the difficulties he had trying to teach and study Torah in Russia was mortified. In honest shock, he asked the man. “How is this possible? You mean to tell me that you live here in Israel and have the ability to learn Torah and you don’t know what the Ktzot is? You never heard of Mishnah Uktzin?” Rav Zilber began to cry. They say that the customs agent was so moved by Rabbi Zilber’s simple sincerity that he began to study Torah. Perhaps the Gemara is telling us the simple truth. It was important for an entire nation to see the man for whom fear of Heaven was considered the simplest and most rudimentary aspect of life. To Moshe, fear of Heaven was natural. As a leader, he had the imperative to impress the nation with his sincerity. To us simple Jews, it is important to see someone whose Jewish observance is as simple and graceful as if it is second nature. To us it may be a struggle, but it is imperative that the benchmark of our goals is someone for whom this comes naturally.

The possuk (7:16) says that Hashem will remove from the Jews every “choili” and all the “madvei” Mitzrayim. What are these things?

Rabbi Dovid Roberts

| Rav, Kehillas Netzach Yisroel & Federation Director of Education

And now, Israel, what does Hashem your G-d ask of you? Only to fear Hashem… (10:12) This seminal posuk forms the basis of the Talmudic axiom that “all is in the hands of Heaven, save for the fear of Heaven”. The deepest form of self-expression in Jewish thought is actually the exercising of free will in the submission to Hashem’s authority, for therein exclusively lies the ability to self- actualise, as any action requires Siyata Dishamaya. Inaction however, is entirely within my gift!! The concept of fearing Hashem is based on the acknowledgment of the vast gulf between our finite existence and His infinite existence, whereas the concept of love of Hashem is based on the close personal relationship He forges with each of us.1 One accentuates connection, whilst the other emphasises distance. Accordingly, for the latter concept we use the term ‫ אהבת השם‬to signify our being on a ‘first name basis’ with Him, hence the familiarity of name is utilised, while for the former concept we use the term ‫ יראת שמים‬to signify the great distance between us and Him.

melech Mitzrayim’ – the midwives feared Hashem, and did not obey the command of the King of Egypt. The Telzer Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Mordechayi Gifter zt”l has an astounding insight into this episode. A person might well have refused to obey Pharoah out of compassion and sympathy for the newborn children. Yet, as we have seen throughout history, emotional considerations are a wobbly foundation upon which to build a structure of ethics, as emotions can be swayed and twisted. They are often highly subjective, and the abrogation of even universal values, such as the paramount sanctity of human life can be potentially justified in extreme circumstances. The midwives did not act (only) out of compassion, but rather because of Yiras Elokim -- not even the common-garden variety Yiras Shomayim, not Yiras Hashem, but specifically Yiras Elokim, signifying a fear of the awesome nature of the attribute of Divine Justice. The midwives did not desist from infanticide merely because it was unjust to do so, not because it pulled on their heartstrings, but because they realised that, in the final analysis, the accountability to a Supreme Being surpassed their fear of a mortal, temporal monarch.

The compelling necessity of Yiras Shomayim in Avodas Hashem is demonstrated in Parshas Shemos when the Jewish midwives refused to do the bidding of Pharoah. It is a remarkable episode, probably the first recorded instance of civil disobedience, a very personal rebellion against an immoral edict. This is made all the more noble by virtue of the very real risks to their personal safety they were prepared to undergo by saving the lives of the infants. The contrast of their commitment to the preservation of life to the moral turpitude of the Nazi beasts, invoking their duty to follow orders as moral justification in Nuremberg in 1946, and thus entitle them to ignore all moral imperatives could not be more striking.

The Chazon Ish reportedly asked the following question: Why are we not producing spiritual giants of the stature of R’ Akiva Eiger any more? We have so many more tools to

The posuk says ‘VaTirena hamiyaldos es haElokim v’lo asu ka’asher dibeir aleihem

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The Compelling Necessity of Yiras Shomayim

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facilitate our learning, we have computers to help us, we have Mossad HaRav Kook texts of the Rishonim, we have electric lights so we can stay up all night and learn in heated homes in the middle of winter, luxuries the Gedolim of old could never have envisaged. So where are the R’ Akiva Eigers of our world? The Chazon Ish answers that we may potentially find Talmidei Chachmim just as intelligent as R’ Akiva Eiger. What we lack is the Yiras Shomayim of R’ Akiva Eiger. The wholehearted dedication to the quest for absolute Emess that is to be found in Torah, when motivated by Yiras Shomayim produces greatness. When we have the opportunity to deceive others, the Torah exhorts us “you shall have fear of your G-d.” Hashem cannot be deceived, and we are accountable to Him. Yiras Shomayim holds in check the yetzer harah to deceive others. And, by extension - Yiras Shomayim can also hold in check the yetzer harah to deceive ourselves. Admittedly we have a capacity for self-deception, but, conversely, we also have a matching capacity for self-awareness. Yiras Shomayim can be instrumental in activating the latter and suppressing the former. Yiras Shomayim not only counters the impulse to self-deception and fosters selfawareness. It also cultivates the capacity for altruistic l’sheim shomayim conduct. Simply put: one who has deep-seated Yiras Shomayim and is keenly aware of and preoccupied with Hakadosh Baruch Hu, is much more likely to act genuinely l’sheim shomayim. This fact was ironically acknowledged by the ‘free’ thinking Voltaire with this wry observation ‘I want my lawyer, my tailor, and my wife to believe in G-d. So, I imagine that I shall be less robbed and less deceived’.

1 See R Tzadok Hakohen Takonas Hashovin 5:6

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Besides for the fighting of the seven nations, Hashem sent another thing against the enemy called the “Tzera”. What is this and why the need for it?

Rabbi Zvi Gefen | Aish UK ‫ט‬-‫דברים פרק‬

‫ ְׁש ַמע יִ ְׂש ָר ֵאל ַא ָּתה ע ֵֹבר ַהּיֹום ֶאת ַהּיַ ְר ֵּדן לָ בֹא לָ ֶר ֶׁשת ּגֹויִ ם ּגְ דֹלִ ים וַ ֲע ֻצ ִמים‬ }‫{א‬ ‫ ַעם ּגָ דֹול וָ ָרם ְּבנֵ י ֲענָ ִקים ֲא ֶׁשר ַא ָּתה יָ ַד ְע ָּת‬ }‫ {ב‬:‫ִמ ֶּמּךָ ָע ִרים ּגְ דֹֹלת ְּוב ֻצרֹת ַּב ָׁשּ ָמיִ ם‬ ‫ֹלקיָך הּוא ָהע ֵֹבר‬ ֶ ‫וְ יָ ַד ְע ָּת ַהּיֹום ּכִ י ה' ֱא‬ }‫ {ג‬:‫וְ ַא ָּתה ָׁש ַמ ְע ָּת ִמי יִ ְתיַ ֵּצב לִ ְפנֵ י ְּבנֵ י ֲענָ ק‬ ‫הֹור ְׁש ָּתם וְ ַה ַא ַב ְד ָּתם ַמ ֵהר‬ ַ ְ‫לְ ָפנֶ יָך ֵאׁש אֹכְ לָ ה הּוא יַ ְׁש ִמ ֵידם וְ הּוא יַ כְ נִ ֵיעם לְ ָפנֶ יָך ו‬ ‫ּכַ ֲא ֶׁשר ִּד ֶּבר יְ הוָ ה לָ ְך‬ :‫ והם עצומים ממך‬,‫ אתה עצום‬.‫{א} גדלים ועצמים ממך‬ ‫ רש"י‬says they are strong and they will be stronger then you. The Maharal asks if the Torah is trying to stress the miracles that Hashem will do for us, then why does Hashem stress our strength? That would make it less of a miracle? He answers, conquering Eretz Yisrael is completely the work of Hashem by way of a Nes (miracle). Our strength plays no role. The Torah mentions our strength and theirs to show how strong they are. The Torah doesn’t have to bother leaving out our strength because our strength doesn’t even make a difference. The miracle is that Hashem is saving us from such a mighty nation, we are strong but they are even stronger than that. It comes out that we now understand these pesukim to be saying as; we are observers whilst our enemies will destroyed through miracles. The question is, why isn’t Siyatta dishmaya good enough, why does it have to be through grandiose ‫?ניסים ונפלאות‬

[That really was the tayna of the spies, they were saying there are giants in Eretz Yisrael, it will have to take a great miracle to exist in Eretz Yisrael and we will never be zocheh to such a big miracle]. Later the Torah continues, ‫ֹאמר ִּבלְ ָב ְבָך ַּב ֲהדֹף‬ ַ ‫ ַאל ּת‬ }‫ד‬ ‫ֹלקיָך א ָֹתם ִמּלְ ָפנֶ יָך לֵ אמֹר ְּב ִצ ְד ָק ִתי ֱה ִב ַיאנִ י ה' לָ ֶר ֶׁשת ֶאת ָה ָא ֶרץ‬ ֶ ‫ה' ֱא‬ ‫יׁשם ִמ ָּפנֶ יָך‬ ָ ‫מֹור‬ ִ '‫ ַהּזֹאת ְּוב ִר ְׁש ַעת ַהּגֹויִם ָה ֵאּלֶ ה ה‬:. Don’t think that it’s because of your righteousness and they are so bad. Rather ‫ּובי ֶֹׁשר לְ ָב ְבָך ַא ָּתה ָבא לָ ֶר ֶׁשת‬ ְ ‫ֹלא ְב ִצ ְד ָק ְתָך‬ }‫ה‬ ‫ ֶאת ַא ְר ָצם ּכִ י ְּב ִר ְׁש ַעת ַהּגֹויִם ָה ֵאּלֶ ה‬the only zechus you need is that they are terrible. That is why Hashem will do it for us. The Torah is saying that conquering Eretz Yisrael was done through Nissim without any involvement of Klal Yisroel. We just have to not be like the nations but because of their wickedness and through our righteousness, Hashem would throw them out of Eretz Yisrael. Often one finds oneself facing a crisis where there doesn’t seem to be a natural way out. And we say to ourselves we need a miracle! But then we think “who am I to merit a miracle”? Whether we are

trying to raise money for an important cause, start an organisation, and so many other important needs of Klal Yisrael, it all requires a miracle to succeed and people always think how we are going to do this? They think “if we were tzaddikim, that’s one thing”, but how can we even daven for a Nes? We should all be tzaddikim, but even if we aren’t, what are we fighting against, and what are we trying to do? When we fight for the Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s honour in this world, this is something that Hashem wants as well, we are His side, and therefore miracles can happen. The only condition is, that you have to come to observe in the same way the Yidden needed to do something small, for example when Klal Yisrael took over Yericho they did a procession. We need to be ready to accept the miracle. The same in Avodas Hashem. At times we are asking for Siyatta Dishmaya in something that is a ‫נס‬ considering time restraints and limited intelligence, similarly working on ones Emunah and working on ones kedusha. This all requires a miracle considering what we are up against. The Siyatta Dishmaya that we are looking for is miraculous, as small as we may be, but Hashem is on our side and we can count on Him. As long as we are prepared to put our life on the line because we know it will happen, understand that it’s possible to have miracles, if it means enough to you and you are ready to believe it can happen. If you don’t think you deserve it, then you’ve missed the point.

ANSWERS 1. The Ibn Ezra says that the first one is a natural illness, while the second one is an unnatural illness. Rabbeinu Bechai says that choili is an illness that comes from outside, while madvei is an internal illness. The Vilna Gaon says that the first is where the whole body is affected and results in being bedridden, while the second is an illness in one particular limb while the rest of the body is healthy. The Netziv says that the first one is an illness that a person brings on himself by not looking after himself, while the second are illnesses that come as punishments. 2. Rashi (7:20) brings that it is a type of flying bird that throws poison from a distant (see Rashi Mishpotim 23:28) that it did so from across the Yarden and it resulted in killing the enemies. The Chizkuni learns that it is an illness on their bodies, like the tzaraas. Although the Jews were able to kill the people of the seven nations whom they found, however there were lots of them who fled elsewhere and hid. To this end Hashem sent the Tzera to deal with and kill the hidden enemy so that none survived. 3. There are two problems when entering a foreign land. The first is the enemy nation and their negative influences that go against the Jewish religion. This was dealt with by the battle and killing of the seven nations. The second danger lay in their form of foreign worship that could become an enticement to the Jews by offering an alternative source of worship. To this

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4. When it says in Parshas Eikev that their feet did not swell the reason for this is like it says later, that they had shoes on that did not wear away and therefore their feet were protected. (Bartenura) The possuk in Parshas Eikev that implies they went barefoot talks about the Leviyim who carried the Aron barefoot. However, when it talks about having shoes on refers to all the other Jews. (Rabbeinu Bechai) 5. The midda of ga’ava, haughtiness. The Rambam tells us that usually the middle pathway is correct for all middos. However, an exception is haughtiness from which we must be totally distanced. 6. He went up three times. The first time to receive the first Luchos after Shavuos. He came down on the 17th of Tammuz and smashed the Luchos when seeing the egel, the golden calf. The second time he went up was to attain forgiveness, and he came back down on the 29th of Av, and the third time he went up was on Rosh Chodesh Elul to receive the second Luchos that he came down with on Yom Kippur, the 10th of Tishrei.

The mitzvah is the reward!

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end came the command to totally destroy all idols with the addition of being forbidden to have any benefit from them.

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PARSHAH

Being Open To Miracles

Riddle Answer In Parshas Ki Savo almost at the beginning 26:2 Rashi tells us clearly that devash in our pasuk here is date honey and therefore devash means dates as opposed to any other type of honey or fruit.

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After the victory, the pesukim (7:25-26) describe the need to destroy the avoda zora, idols of the captured nations, and forbids any benefit from them. What is the problem with them after the enemy that had worshipped them had been killed?

PARSHAH

The Departed Rabbi Mashiach Kelaty | Rabbi of Stanmore United Synagogue Sephardi Kehilla “Banim a’tem laHashem Elokaichem, lo tisgo’d’du... l’meis (You are sons of Hashem your G-d, do not gouge yourselves over a death) [14:1].” What is the connection between our being the sons of Hashem and the prohibition of gouging ourselves over the death of the departed? The Ohr Hachaim explains that death is a loss to those that remain alive, not to the one that died. At the time of death, the person is simply returning to the Father. Therefore, to gouge yourselves over a death really contradicts our beliefs.

through a garden filled with beautiful flowers. Suddenly, a white-bearded Jew wearing a long white garment appeared and gently asked her if she’d like to see her husband. With her heart pounding she followed him to a tree full of beautiful ripe fruit, overlooking a spacious clearing surrounded by a golden fence. There were colourfully dressed Jews sitting in rows learning Torah from a young man.

The Chizkuni explains that the basis for Banim a’tem laHashem is that we are mere children. Do we have an understanding of why we live and why we die? Can we fathom the Divine decisions which determine these occurrences? A child does not comprehend the decisions that a father makes.

The class finished and she saw the teacher approaching them. It was her husband.

R’ Yom Tov Ehrlich brings the following story, based on the writings of Rav Chaim Vital.

She nearly fainted and leaned against the tree. When she regained her composure she cried out, “Why did you leave me at such a young age?”

Yosef, who had recently married, walked back from shul with his youngest brother, Dovid, to wish their mother a good Shabbos. The table was set and the candles glowed brightly. However, the empty seat at the head of the table upset the tranquillity. Their father had died two years earlier and their mother was inconsolable. Even at the Shabbos table she couldn’t hide her tears.

“Please understand that the world in which you live is a world of exile,” he explained serenely. “People are sent there to complete specific tasks or to rectify earlier transgressions. This is the true world. Before you ever knew me I was a Torah scholar and perfectly righteous. My only fault was I was unwilling to marry and have children because it would have disturbed my learning. “When I left the world I began to ascend to even higher levels but at a certain point I couldn’t ascend any higher because I had never married nor had children. I was sent back to the lower world, where I married you. When our seventh child was born, I was recalled to Gan Eden. Great is your merit that I was your husband. When the right time will come, we will be together again.”

“Mummy, it’s Shabbos, we’re not supposed to be sad,” Yosef said gently. “But it was exactly two years ago today that your father died!” she replied. “But Tatte is now in Gan Eden and your tears must be upsetting him. They also show Hashem that you’re not willing to accept His judgement. Mommy, please forgive me for speaking this way,” Yosef apologised.

“Why doesn’t our Yosef prosper in his business affairs?” she continued to question.

“You are right, I know that everyone wants me to be happy again, I will try my best,” she promised.

“I’m sure you remember the litigation that Yosef had with another Jew,” her husband responded. “He was legally correct but was guilty of causing the other person great pain. He faced a harsh sentence but I prayed on his behalf that he be given only four hard years. In just one more year, that period will end and he will prosper.”

Yosef left to go to his house and Dovid made the Kiddush on the wine. A calm serenity seemed to envelope the seuda and the entire house. As she went to sleep, the mother felt an inner peace that she hadn’t felt since her husband’s death.

“And what about our Dovid? Not a single shidduch has been offered and I have no money to make a wedding.”

As she drifted off to sleep she dreamt that people were running. She began to run with them. They ran through a dark forest until, with a burst of light, the forest ended. The bright sun glimmered off a sparkling blue stream, running

He smiled and explained: “Dovid’s future wife is now only thirteen years old. In five years they

will move to your city, she’ll get engaged to Dovid and they will finance the entire wedding.” In a pained voice she asked, “And why was our three year old son killed by a drunk?” “Follow me,” her husband answered with a smile. They began to walk to a light-filled garden. Brilliant beams of multi-coloured light shone from above while beautiful songbirds flew from tree to tree singing the praises of Hashem. Suddenly she saw leaping circles of fire positioning themselves near her in column-like formation followed by small angels who also settled near her. She felt her soul slipping away and her husband quickly placed a flower near her nose to revive her. A canopy made of sparkling stones appeared before her and under the canopy stood a small angelic form that she recognized as her son. “Why did you leave me when you were so young?” she asked. “Everything is done according to Hashem’s plan,” he answered. “I had been in the world once before and during one of the wild attacks against my town, gentiles had murdered my entire family. I, at the age of six months was the only survivor. A kindly gentile woman took me into her home and raised me until I was redeemed by Jews. They taught me Torah until I became a great scholar. When I left that world I was received here with great joy. I reached a point where I couldn’t rise higher because I was nursed by a non-Jewish woman. It was decreed that I be born again to a Jewish mother and live those early years in purity. After three years there was no reason for me to remain in that lowly world so I was returned here. You have a great merit that you helped me to reach this next level.” The child laughed softly and disappeared from view. Her husband continued: “You now see that there is an answer to all of your questions. Hashem does no evil.” He escorted her back to the tree where he had met her. “It is very good here but I can’t bear to see your suffering. You will do me a great favour by living happily. A shidduch has been proposed for you. Please accept it.” With that he vanished and the old man led her back through the forest. She awoke a different person, soon remarried and lived a life of contentment. “Banim a’tem laHashem Elokaichem”--we are His children. Watch my shiurim on Torah Anytime: http:// www.torahanytime.com/speakers-list/rabbimashiach-kelaty/

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QUIZ TIME

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The possuk (8:4) describes the special conditions for the Jews in the desert. One of them was that their feet did not get cracked or swell, implying that they walked barefoot. However, in Parshas Ki Sovo (29:4) it says that their shoes did not wear out on their feet implying that they did not go barefoot. How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction?

Rabbi Eli Birnbaum | Rabbi Title

“And it will be, because you will have listened to these laws, and you will have safeguarded and fulfilled them; so too HaShem your G-d will guard for you the covenant and the kindness that He promised to your forefathers” (Devarim 7:12) The opening statement of our parsha is classically interpreted through one of Rashi’s most well-known and oft-quoted ideas. Linking the word Eikev to its literal etymology ‘heel’ rather than the contextual ‘because’1, he says the following: “If you keep the seemingly unimportant mitzvos that one unthinkingly tends to tread underfoot...then HaShem will keep His promise to you etc.” (Rashi, ibid.). Rashi’s comments, based on the Tanchuma2, are reflected in the equally wellknown adage of Rebbi Yehudah Hanassi; “Be as meticulous with minor mitzvos as with major ones, for you do not know the actual reward of the mitzvos” (Pirkei Avos 2:1)3. This teaching seems straightforward: don’t take the risk of neglecting what in your eyes may be an insignificant mitzvah; perhaps its actual reward is worth your while to invest in. However, this implication is deeply troubling. To encourage the performance of ‘minor mitzvos’ through the context of receiving untold reward is a belief system that contradicts the principle repeated time and again in the same work: “Do not be like servants who serve the master in order to gain reward” (Pirkei Avos 1:3)!

1 See Bereishis 26:5 for this more common translation of the word, thus: “Because (eikev) Avraham hearkened to my voice, and safeguarded my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my laws.” 2 Tanchuma Devarim 1. Cf. Ramban to 7:12 who also bases his reading of ‘eikev’ around the idea of a ‘heel’, but prefers to explain that the reference is purely metaphorical: the reward you will receive for fulfilling all the mitzvos will come at the end of time, just as the heel is at the end of the body. See also Kli Yakar to 7:12 who offers further insight into the thought-process behind Rashi’s interpretation, and alternative approaches that utilise the ‘heel’ translation without relying on the idea of ‘insignificant mitzvos’. 3 This statement is found in the same Tanchuma, and is ascribed there to David Hamelech who said (Psalms 19:11-12) ‘They are more desirable than gold and even abundant refined gold! They are sweeter than honey and the nectar of combs! Indeed, your servant is scrupulous in them in safeguarding them (eikev) abundantly’.

Beyond this, elsewhere in Pirkei Avos, we recount another famous saying: “the reward is proportionate to the effort invested” (5:21). Apparently, the reward is known to us! Either way we approach this conundrum, it is difficult to properly fathom the real point of the Tanchuma’s teaching: If there is a problem in performing mitzvos purely for the sake of receiving a reward, the promise of that reward should not be used as a motivation for ‘insignificant’ mitzvos. On the other hand: if there isn’t an issue with using reward as a motivator, we already have a rough idea how much reward to expect! It has nothing to do with how ‘small’ or ‘big’ the mitzvah is, and everything to do with how ‘easy’ or ‘difficult’ it was to perform! A number of years ago, I heard a beautiful explanation from one of my teachers, who prefaced his answer with the following anecdote: In the early 1990’s, New York City was in the grips of a crime epidemic. At its peak in 1991, official police data estimated that close to 2300 people out of every 100,000 residents of the city were guilty of committing some of the worst crimes under the sun. The municipality was at a loss to halt or at least slow down the horrifically frequent murders, assaults and thefts. In 1993, newly elected Mayor Rudi Giuliani appointed William Bratton to the post of Police Commissioner, and charged him with restoring law and order to the chaotic metropolis. Much to the Mayor’s surprise, Bratton diverted the majority of his budget away from chasing and apprehending hardened criminals, and instead instigated a city-wide initiative to clean up every letter of graffiti, fix every broken window and repair every wall. He planted trees, cleaned up parks, restored benches and repainted public buildings. Within 3 years, crimes rates in New York had plummeted by over 50%.

The methodology used by Bratton is referred to as ‘broken window theory’. It states that there is no point exhausting yourself trying to tackle serious crime, if the surrounding environment - all the little details that noone really notices or views as significant - remains the epitome of neglect, carelessness and failure. By paying attention to the minor details, the bigger picture starts to change – the mood of the entire city starts to improve, until one day the good folk of New York woke up, looked around them, saw a city that was clean, bright and presentable. And they started to take pride in their city. Suddenly, the thought of committing an unspeakable crime in such a respectable place seemed abhorrent to them. One final quote from Pirkei Avos resolves our paradox: “Ben Azzai said; run to perform even an insignificant mitzvah, for one mitzvah brings about another mitzvah...” (5:2). Once again, the emphasis is on small, insignificant mitzvos. And yet, we are urged to perform them. Why? Because paying attention to the seemingly minor, unimportant details, to the actions and behaviours that people ‘tread underfoot’, can actually create an avalanche of change that slowly but surely transforms the bigger picture, until a person is stuck in the most beautiful of chain reactions, with one mitzvah leading to another and many more beyond. True, we have a pretty clear general idea behind the measure of reward: it is granted in accordance with the effort invested. True, at some stage in life we must become spiritually mature enough to no longer rely on the promise of reward to motivate us. But nonetheless... ‘Be as meticulous with minor mitzvos as with major ones, for you do not know the actual reward of the mitzvos’. By implementing those dozens if not hundreds of minor changes in our lives, we set into motion a change in outlook and attitude whose ultimate reward - a potentially endless chain of mitzvah observance – remains completely unknown to us. Like Broken Window Theory, Parshas Eikev begs us to take those small steps for man, which will become giant leaps for mankind.

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5. Which terrible midda, character trait, are we warned about in our parsha? livingwithmitzvos.com

PARSHAH

Eikev – One Small Step For Man...

Rabbi Daniel Fine | Community Rabbi, Stanmore and Canons Park US and the Hasmonean Beis Programme In many respects, humour or laughter is an outgrowth of incongruity. On that ingloriously rather un- presidential day of 1992 when President Bush vomited at his banquet with the Prime Minister of Japan, the absolute and utter incongruity was too much not to simply laugh. And in truth, laughter as a concept will occur when something happens that is out of the ordinary or the angle of expectation is changed. Think of the old classic ‘man in smart suit striding to work slips on a banana peel’ or any given English-humour type joke where the audience is led down one path, only to then veer sharply in a different direction (“we need someone intelligent, capable and smart: you would be perfect...to assist that person” kind of thing). In short, incongruity breeds laughter. Indeed, I cannot fail to be reminded of the military experiences of a prominent Rabbi, who was a chaplain in the Israeli army. As an older oleh, he was put into basic training with an inordinately diverse group of people. The general who was training the group thus decided to give orders in both English and Hebrew - which was fine for most people, apart from a couple of Russian olim who understood neither language. Thus, they brought someone to add Russian to the roster too. This was fine for most people, apart from the two Ethiopian immigrants who were members of the brigade - hence calling for some Amharic to be inserted. Yet there was still one stupefied member of the group - a new oleh from Germany, who understood none of the above languages, and, with no German translator available, our heroic Chaplain Rabbi (with a slightly Chassidish background) decided to use one of the great military languages to assist his German comrade - yiddish. The words nemen, the gun und fayer de zach can only get you so far! As you can imagine, with the entire drill looking more like the Eurovision song contest than a military exercise, by the time the general had barked his orders, the ensuing ten seconds of translations and confused faces meant that anything more than press-ups and star-jumps would be untenable. Only in Israel, as they say, only in Israel. Used to tangential, irrelevant segways and leadins by now, you will not be surprised to find that whilst incongruity and humour go hand-in-hand, incongruity and Torah do not. For Torah is a Divine book, and instructions for life - there is no place for inaccuracy or apparent incongruity. Thus, any given phrase in the Torah which seems even repetitive or superfluous, let alone inconsistent, is immediately pounced on by the various commentaries and explained accordingly.

The question is therefore, what passuk 5 (underlined below) is doing ensconced among the following pessukim in perek 8 of our parasha: And you shall remember the entire way on which the L-rd, your G-d, led you these forty years in the desert, in order to afflict you to test you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He afflicted you and let you go hungry, and then fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your forefathers know, so that He would make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but rather by, whatever comes forth from the mouth of the L-rd does man live. Your clothing did not wear out upon you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You shall know in your heart, that just as a man chastises his son, so does the L-rd, your G-d, chastise you. Pessukim 1-4 (above) seem to be speaking of Hashem’s kindness to us in the desert, whilst passuk 5 seems to change tone somewhat in mentioning Hashem’s chastising us. To an onlooker, it seems a bit disjointed. What is the link and or unified message here? The simple explanation seems to be that of the Ramban here: the passuk is telling us that just as our struggles are ultimately constructive (for Hashem is a loving father who tests us to bring out the best in us), so too the arduous and sometimes challenging journey into the desert (mentioned in passuk 2) was for the productive and constructive aim of entering Eretz Yisrael - the subject of the following few pessukim too. The Ibn Ezra expresses similar sentiments to the Ramban here, albeit not identical. The Ba’al Haturim, however, offers a seemingly different explanation (or at least we can offer an explanation based on something the Ba’al Haturim points out), pointing out that the word chastise (me’yasrecha) has a crown on top of the Mem - the goal being to accentuate its numerical value of 40. The Ba’al Haturim points out that the message being conveyed here is that ‘just as the Torah was given in 40 days (Moshe was on Har Sinai for 40 days) the neshama was created after 40 days of our lives: in order to preserve your neshama observe the Torah.’ Given that the Torah is thus accentuating the Mem (40), perhaps the Torah is linking this verse (5) with verse 2 of this paragraph your God, led you these forty years in the desert. Is there a link between these

PARSHAH

The Effect of 40

two mentions of the word/number 40? (Clearly the answer is yes, hence the question! A Rabbi of mine used to joke about shiur titles such as ‘Shabbos and Shmittah - any connection?’ - as if the Rabbi giving the shiur would stand up, say ‘no connection whatsoever’ and summarily sit down!). What is the idea behind this magic number 40 which seems to feature so heavily in Torah? After all, the flood in Noach’s times saw the rain lash down for forty days, Moshe was up the mountain to receive the Torah and then gain forgiveness for the golden calf and again for the second tablets for forty days apiece, the spies were sent to look round Israel for forty days (and we then wandered round the desert for a total of forty years), a baby undergoes a special formative process after forty days, and the Gemara in Gittin reports that in the times of the second Temple, Rav Tzadok fasted for forty years to prevent the destruction of the Temple. Why forty? The Maharal writes that the number forty symbolises a process of a new creation of holiness. To recreate a corrupt world in the times of the flood, forty days was required. To bequeath the Torah to Bnei Yisrael and create the world anew via raising the world up several notches of holiness (and then the gaining for forgiveness to retain this level somewhat), forty days was required. To then prepare for entering the holy confines of Eretz Yisrael a further forty days of eyeing out the land was required, and to create his generation anew, Rav Tzadok fasted for forty. Perhaps the idea is that forty is made up of four multiplied by ten: four is the number of the natural world (four seasons, four directions on the compass) and ten is the number of kedusha (Ten Commandments, Yom Kippur on the tenth, the Yud is the smallest letter, symbolising a lack of physicality). Thus, four multiplied by ten (forty, for those mathematically uninitiated) denotes a new creation of holiness. Consequently, the entry into Eretz Yisrael was either to be a shorter process into kedusha (forty days), or once we sinned, it became a necessarily more prolonged process to regain that kedusha. Perhaps this is what the forty link in the above passuk is drawing our attention to: the process can either be longer or shorter, depending on how receptive we are - but a process of forty there will be. Arguably the greatest vestige of the forty concept we have today is the forty days between the beginning of Elul and Yom Kippur: our forty days to recreate ourselves are keys to harness this opportunity. Though the process of forty is a much greater concept in our lives - to know that we have the opportunity to create our world anew and constantly refresh and refine our perceptions, notions and behaviour, may we exhibit such self-belief.

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‫קידוש‬ I

remember the question like it was yesterday. “Rabbi – why do you religious Jews deny yourselves from all the good the world has to offer”?

It came from a young man in the audience of an open Q and A I was running, for a Shabbaton of young Jews on a journey towards finding out more about Yiddishkeit. The answer I believe lies in my favourite time of the whole week. Kiddush on Friday Night. Shining smiles around the Table – Yom Hashishi… There’s something we all love about Kiddush. If we drill down, it’s not just our favourite kiddush wine or grape juice (although that is great too!) There’s something about the taste of Kiddush that we can’t replicate any other time of the week. Its secret lies in the word itself, Kiddush, it embodies Judaism, Yiddishkeit itself. Let me explain. The interesting thing is, the answer actually lies in Kiddush itself. Many other religions do not allow the consumption of wine or any alcohol. “The drink of the devil” and many other names is what they call it. However our relationship with alcohol and materialism is very different. The marriage between a husband and wife is called Kiddushin, the sanctification. Others may say the ideal state of holiness is when we live celibate. Yiddishkeit says the opposite, the shechinah lies within a marriage, not outside of it. Kiddushin – to make holy. But truthfully, the translation of Kedusha is holiness with an H rather than Wholiness with a W. The convergence of wholesomeness, physical, material, that is what Yiddishkeit is all about. We don’t shun engaging with food, - we just make sure it’s kosher and say a bracha and eat with derech eretz, we are conscious of the blessings that lie within our lives and within the food itself. Is that denial? Or the inverse? We don’t disengage from marriage, alcohol, clothing, money or anything else that the world engages

with. Anu Ratzim Veheim Ratzim, We are deeply entrenched in this world. We just have the tightrope task of keeping the balance. I once heard from Rav Shimshon Pincus zt’’l, that in many ways being a yid is a lot harder, other religions are easy, he said, go and live on the top of a hill, don’t get married, don’t speak, don’t engage with the world. Easy. But Yiddishkeit demands something much greater from us, but equally much more rewarding, to walk the tightrope of engagement and elevation. That, explains the Derech Hashem is why the ultimate of the human experience is Techiyas Hameisim, the body and soul in harmony, with the soul being in the driving seat. So as we launch Shabbos, our most special day, Me’en Olam Habboh, we live out that reality in a microcosm of a reality to come. A time of drinking that which could destroy us and our consciousness, and elevate, in a merging of Wholiness – wholesomeness. It’s what we all crave for. Wholesomeness. Elevation. Balance. We all know how we feel when we perceive imbalance, too much indulgence in materialism, egocentricism, or the fundamentalist extreme of spiritual engagement at any cost. There’s something that irks us. Because deep inside our neshomoh we know, that what Hashem wants from us is Kedoshim Tuhyu to be wholesome and Wholly. So as we raise our Kiddush cup, let us remember, Hashem created this world in 6 days, with purpose with Melachah laasos – to do - We all have a job to do. In one word the job is simple. Elevation. But it’s harder to implement. As we welcome Shabbos every week we gently remind ourselves of the purpose of the world, and actually the purpose of why we are here. We’ve got a job to do, walk the tightrope of balance, engagement and elevation. If we can do this, we’ve succeeded, and we can look forward to a yom shekulo Shabbos.

Lchaim!

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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

‫ | ל’ אב תשע”ו | פ’ ראה‬3rd September 2016

‫מוצש’’ק‬

LONDON: 8:34 PM K I N D LY S P O N S O R E D

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

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

A Meaningful Life Rabbi Shimmy Miller | Rebbe at Manchester Mesivta Moshe’s final words of guidance to the Jewish people are both poignant in their recounting of previous misdeeds and prophetic in their vision of what will take place after his death, entirely dependent on the path the Jewish people choose. Moshe begins this week’s Parsha with the famous words “See I have placed before you a blessing and a curse”. This is a rather cryptic statement to begin his address to the Jewish people. What does Moshe mean to imply to the Jewish people with this introductory statement and what does it add to what Moshe is immediately to begin telling them? Does it really need an explanatory preamble to what is about to be made abundantly clear to them anyway, that there will be blessings for those that heed the instructions of Hashem and curses for those who disregard His guidelines? When one is trying to encourage a child to do the right thing, we usually employ the carrot and stick technique, whereby we provide encouragement to perform the deed with the promise of a suitable prize and deter the child from doing what they are not meant to by threatening with a punishment of some sort. This is appropriate when dealing with a child as their immature mind cannot appreciate the beauty and joy of a life led correctly, but as one matures this method should become obsolete as one comes to the realisation that living a moral life reaps its own benefits. Moshe was admonishing the Jews for the fact that before them there was still a blessing and a curse. He was letting them know their shortcomings, that even after all they had been through they still needed this childish

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tool to steer them in the rabbimillersmusings. blogspot.co.uk right direction without the correct view that they should by now have attained. As children we ourselves were perhaps told of the terrible consequences of our misdeeds and this may have been where the focus lay. This is then often taken on into adulthood, where our sole reason for our observant life is driven by our fear of retribution. There is no doubt that this is a part of Jewish belief, that the wrongs we do all have a price. But if this is our only motive for doing the right thing, we are surely missing out on the essence of what it means to follow the will of Hashem, to understand that to live the life Hashem meant for us, is to live the best life that is possible. We must consider this carefully when passing on to the next generation the value of leading a life based on Torah values and we must try and instil within our own lives the infinite worth of living as we should. Hashem has given us the Torah as instructions for the most profoundly purposeful and pleasurable existence possible. A life based on fear can never be as meaningful as one driven by our knowledge of its inherent good.

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Riddle of the Week

May we only experience the joy and pleasure of Shabbos.

BY BORUCH KAHAN

Look carefully at the four types of animals which are listed as having only one Siman of Teharah and therefore are Ossur to eat and then go to the other Sedrah that lists them. Can you find anything strange? Any comments can be directed to bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk. Answer on page 25

Rabbi Shimshon Silkin | Chazon UK “No man evey said on his deathbed: I wish I’d spent more time at the office”. A truer statement was never said. What people are more likely to say that they regret at the end of their lives, is that they did not spend more time with their children and grandchildren, more time in the Beis Hamedrash, or more time contributing to their community. On gravestones the world over people are remembered with epitaphs such as “devoted husband”, “dedicated mother”, “pillar of his community” etc. You are far less likely to read “Here lies Yankel… who drove a Lamborghini. Very fast. Sorely not missed by sensible motorists everywhere.” Yet too many people set their entire lives up around the goal of owning their own Lamborghinis. They’d die of shame – if they weren’t already dead – if the Lamborghini made it onto their tombstone. They’d much rather a mention of their devotion to their families and communities. But during life itself they happily abandon their nearest and dearest in their relentless pursuit of the material dream. Some people are fortunate enough to suffer a mid-life crisis – usually when the meaninglessness of their lives suddenly dawns upon them – and have the opportunity to turn their lives around. Others are not so fortunate. This unfortunate state of affairs is down to the lack of direction and purpose people have at the early stages of life. In their teens and twenties they are fed with a non-stop barrage of societal messages telling them happiness and fulfilment can be bought with a credit card. They are also fed the myth that they are the centre of the universe and that in this dog-eat-dog world it’s every man for himself or risk being left behind. It is only later on in life that the truth starts to come into focus.

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But by then, they are caught in the rat race and it is often too late. Hillel HaZakein provided the remedy for this existential angst. In his famous yet cryptic declaration, he said: If I am not for me who is for me? [But] if I am [only] for myself what am I? And if not now, when? Here, Hillel teaches us three essential mind-sets required for success. Firstly, a person must have clarity regarding their personality and character. Each individual must

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PARSHAH

Pay Attention To Our Family & Communal Responsibility

understand what it is that makes him stand out, what motivates him, what features define his identity. But then he must immediately consider what unique role he is destined to fulfil with that identity, he must strive to match his identity with the world around him. And lastly, he must not procrastinate. If he wishes to avoid deep depression at the end of his life, then at the earliest stage possible he must chart his course with great focus. It is with this formula that he can then expect to experience a truly blessed life. This entire message is contained in the opening line of this week’s Parsha. “Re’eh, see”, is written in the singular form. Each individual must “see” for himself, set his sights with consideration, focus on his individuality, and understand his own unique character. Then, immediately, “lifneichem, before you” is written in the plural. Turn your attention to the public, to your community. Ask how you can apply the ultimate you to the communal we. And then, “Hayom, today”. Do not procrastinate. Do not say I’ll make my millions and then I’ll pay attention to my family and communal responsibility, do it now before it is too late. And the consequence is “Bracha”, the blessed life. Or, if unheeded, Heaven forbid the opposite.

When else in the year do we read Parshas Reah?

There Are Some Mitzvos Which On The Surface Appear To Be Irrelevant To Our Lives

Rabbi Yaakov Hamer | Finchley Central Federation/Shaarei Orah There are some mitzvos which on the surface no longer seem relevant to our lives. These are typically mitzvos or aveiros which appear foreign to us and as such, are often not carefully examined. It is always worthwhile considering every mitzvah and asking ourselves if there is any practical, halachic relevance nowadays. Let us take an example from this week’s sedra.

appeared in one of the local papers, in which the last two letters of Hashem’s name were on the corner of the photo. The question arose as to whether or not one could discard the paper normally or would this, in fact, go to the prohibition of, “don’t do this to Hashem, your G-d.’’

The Torah mentions that when the Klal Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel, they were instructed to utterly wipe out all signs of idolatry. ‘’Overthrow their altars, break their pillars, burn their asheira trees, hew down the carvings of their gods and destroy the name from those places.’’ The Torah immediately goes on to say, “don’t do this to Hashem, your G-d!’’ What a curious juxtaposition. It is as if the Torah is saying, although you are commanded to annihilate these idols, this should not be done or directed towards Hashem, our G-d. What does this mean? Is this really relevant to our lives?

Let us consider the second prohibition. Although we do not have a Beis Hamikdash nowadays and cannot remove or destroy stones from the Temple, we nevertheless find a modernday application of this prohibition. In several places in Chazal, a shul is considered to be a mikdash me’at or a ‘mini-Temple’. Several halachos of how it should be built, its layout and the decorum are learned from the halachos of the Beis Ha’mikdash.

Rashi quotes the midrash (Sifri) which explains these words as a warning against two possible scenarios. We may not erase one of Hashem’s names and we may not remove or destroy one of the stones in the Temple. Let us see if this has any practical ramifications today.

It follows that the types of acts which are considered to be transgressing this prohibition of, “don’t do this to Hashem, your G-d…’’ namely, removing or destroying stones or its structure would apply, albeit on a rabbinic level (or possibly even on a Torah level. [See Pri Megadim O’’C, Eshel ASvrohom 152:6 and Shut Beis Yitzchok Y’’D, Vol 2, kuntres acharon 2]) inside each and every shul!

The first concept of erasing Hashem’s name does indeed crop up from time to time. In fact, just last week someone showed me a photo, which

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Let us give a few examples. The Rema (O’’C 152:1) writes that it is forbidden to demolish something from the Beis Ha’knesses unless it is done for the sake of rebuilding it. The commentaries explain that this prohibition is based on the above pesukim, as were a person to damage or demolish part of the shul structure, they would be transgressing this prohibition. The Mishna Berura explains that either damaging (even) movable fixtures in the shul such as a Menorah or uprooting attached furniture is included in the prohibition. If a person merely removes moveable items, without damaging them, they do not transgress this issur. There is a lengthy discussion in the poskim based on this principle, as to what precisely is included in this ban. Can one discard a perfectly good, attached air-conditioning unit to replace it for one of better quality? What does one do with wooden benches which are permanently attached to the floor of the shul? What if the items are starting to get old and one wants to replace them purely for aesthetic reasons? If there is a problem in some of these cases, surely there must be a way to remove these things in a permitted manner. How so? As we can see, ki lo davar reik hu mi’kem (Devarim 32:47), the posuk says, that the concepts in the Torah are not empty and devoid of meaning and relevance. They just require thought and a deeper understanding!

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Why does the Torah not name the exact location of the Beis Hamikdash but calls it as “the place that I will choose” (12:5)? Why not name it simply as Har Hamoriya?

Rabbi Daniel Fine | Community Rabbi, Stanmore and Canons Park US and the Hasmonean Beis Programme

have tried to explain things to many people in my time – concepts that ostensibly appear strange, alien, counter-intuitive and intrusive – but no challenge was as daunting and evidently pointless as trying to explain cricket to an American peer. After getting over the fact that the bat is flat (at least on one side) and that it is possible to catch a hard ball without padded gloves, the fact that a game can go on for five days straight, (with several breaks for meals, sleep, and drinks), and end in a draw, clearly called for a change in perception, understanding and attitude greater than the Atlantic Ocean, and having been to a baseball match myself, I can attest to this gulf: I can honestly say that the most interesting part of the game at Wrigley Field was watching horizontally-tall people who had been crunching peanuts and colas the entire game, lumber up for the seventh innings stretch. Though this was nearly bettered when the commentators came down and handed me their notes and stats – at least I now had doodling paper to pass the time. Nothing can beat a good old day at the test – the bowler and wicketkeeper chastising the batsmen throughout the day, the crowd by the boundary getting autographs from the boundary fielders whilst the game is going on, the scorecards, etc. etc. etc. (A complete aside – hilarious at that – a friend of mine went to watch Middlesex play at Lords and went out to buy a drink for a couple of minutes just after the fielder had caught out a batsmen on the boundary. When he came back a few minutes later he gave a congratulatory ‘good catch’ comment to the fielder, and was surprised when he received an expletive in response. It turned out that whilst my friend was out at the bar this fielder had dropped a particularly easy catch, and he thought my friend was taunting him!). Anyway, that’s enough of a run-up, let’s get to our parashah.

Parashas Re’eh begins with Moshe telling the people ‘See I have placed before you today blessing and curse’. [Other than the words ‘see’ and ‘place’] the commentators are bothered by the word ‘today’ here – was it only today that the notion of blessing and curse was implemented: the blessings and curses had been enumerated in Bechukosai thirty-nine years earlier! This year I spotted a fascinating comment of the Ohr Hachaim here. The Ohr Hachaim writes that ‘today they reached a new level of knowledge/understanding, as it says (Gemara Avodah Zarah 5b) ‘one does not fully understand their teacher until forty years later.’’ In other words, today the people fully understood the meaning and connotations of the blessings and curses, for they had now reached a greater level of understanding and knowledge after forty years – for one can only understand their master properly after forty years. Whether ‘master’ here refers to Moshe or Hashem Himself is debatable, but either way the insight is fascinating. There are many observations one could make about such a comment (note for example the deeper level of understanding being called ‘a new giving’), but we shall stick with one. True, after forty years they now understood better, but the initial plan was not to meander around the desert for forty years: it was to receive the Torah and head into Eretz Yisrael quicker than an El Al pilot can remind everyone to stay seated until the plane comes to a complete halt. Would they not have fully understood if the initial plan had been kept? Perhaps the answer is that had we not sinned with the golden calf and the spies (the two sins that caused the forty-year scenic route detour) we would have been on a higher level and thus we would have reached higher levels of understanding quicker too. However, what I find even more fascinating about this observation is the following. If the people now fully understood Moshe, they reached new levels of depth and knowledge and that process took forty years, this does not mean that they heard what Moshe had to say during year one, then filed it away, for it to resurface at year forty with a greater understanding. This meant that for forty years they were mulling over what Moshe had told them and were constantly contemplating and developing it to the extent that they reached a new mental precipice at year forty. In this

PARSHAH

Good Things Come…

ability to cleave to an idea and develop it tenaciously and consistently, they borrowed the trait of their great ancestor Avraham, who was busy contemplating the existence of G-d for thirty-seven years (from the age of three through the age of forty) – constantly bettering his thinking, understanding and philosophical calculations. Technologically-centred society nowadays tends to demand speed and quick results. Football managers and players are consigned to the veritable scrap heap if they cannot perform well within the first few months of signing on. Communication must be speedy, instant and to the point: even emails are passed over or don’t sink in properly nowadays. The combination of rapid TV scene-changes, Facebook, and emails on the go create a short-term society looking for quick results and commitment and long-term planning suffer. This makes the realisation that our ancestors were able to dwell on a single idea and concept for years even more noteworthy impressive. The ability to cleave to something for a while and subtly develop it is a skill well-worth contemplating on. The haftara of parashas Bo ends with G-d comforting the exiled Jewish People regarding their future redemption, for, unlike the Egyptians, our exile has lasted for more than forty years. Why has our exile lasted for so much longer and why should the fact that it has been a long exile be source of comfort? The Maharal of Prague notes that the more important or complex a substance is, the longer it takes to mature. Whilst a foal gladly skips around the field soon after birth, the human baby only walks after months of effort. It takes even longer for the faculty of speech (a particularly spiritual faculty) to develop fully. The same is true of our redemption. The spiritual importance of our return to Israel to build the Temple demands gradual steps and patient preparation before it can be fully realised. Accordingly, forty years was not deemed sufficient, and the fact that the process takes time is itself a source of comfort, for it is demonstrative of its importance, centrality and ultimate permanence. In a world of quick-fix solutions, short-term entertainment and little long-term focus, it is crucial to remember that building something of lasting importance takes time.

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Why the need to do so many destructive things to the idols found in Eretz Yisrael?

PARSHAH

Positive First

Rabbi Yissochor Frand | Rosh Yeshiva, Ner Yisrael Baltimore “But this shall you not eat from among those that bring up their cud or have completely separated split hooves: the camel, the hare, and the hyrax, for they bring up their cud, but their hooves are not split — they are unclean to you; and the pig, for it has a split hoof, but not the cud — it is unclean to you” (14:7-8) The Torah’s listing of kosher and non-kosher animals, which seems somewhat technical, contains many lessons beyond the mere details of what we may and may not eat. Rav Noach Weinberg zt’’l, Rosh Yeshivah of Aish HaTorah, who was directly responsible for bringing tens of thousands back to Yiddishkeit and an exponentially larger number through his students, would point out (based on a Gemara in Chullin 60b) that there is proof that an all-knowing G-d wrote the Torah from the verses listing the animals that chew their cud but do not have split hooves, and the animal that has split hooves and does not chew its cud. Would a human put his credibility on the line by predicting that at no point in the future would a single

Why does the Torah list the kosher signs of these animals first if the non-existent signs are the only ones we really need in order to label these animals non-kosher? A Midrash explains that the Torah is trying to teach us that even when something is not

animal that is not on that list be found somewhere in the world?

kosher, we should find a way to

And indeed, some three millennia after the Torah was given, and with all the searching science has done for unknown species, not a single such animal has been found!

about it first. Even something as

Aside from strengthening our faith, however, these verses also teach us a lesson in how to view, and relate to, other people.

this consideration with regard

The point of the verses listing the animals that have only one kosher sign is to teach us that they are not kosher. It would seem appropriate, then, to list the sign that causes them to be non-kosher first. Yet we see that the Torah lists them as the camel, the rabbit, and the hyrax, which chew their cud but do not have split hooves, and the pig, which has split hooves, but does not chew its cud.

mention something praiseworthy treif as chazir (pig), deserves to have its positive trait pointed out. If the Torah does so for nonkosher animals, how much more do we have to learn to have to people? Bosses, students,

employees,

children,

co-workers,

and

neighbours will invariably have some negative traits. It might be our job, from time to time, to deliver a negative message. This Midrash is teaching us that even when we have to deliver a negative message to others — to tell them that they are “nonkosher” in some way, we should always find a way to point out their positive attributes or qualities first.

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When describing how to destroy with the Asheira tree we find three different descriptions used. In Parshas Re’eh (12:3) it says to burn it in fire. In Parshas Vaeschanon (7:5) it says to cut it down and in Parshas Ki Searisa (34:13) it says it should have “kares” done to it. Why the need for ,all these different descriptions?

Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld | Rosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halachah Beis Horaah

Travelling & Holidays Ask Before You Go…

When travelling on a journey Chazal instituted a special tefillah to be said when traveling through an area frequented by armed robbers or wild animals to protect him from those dangers. Although some Poskim only require it when travelling in real dangerous areas, most Poskim require it in any form of travel on any type of journey.1 In the Gemara, this tefillah was actually a form of request to travel from Hashem, and one would actually ‘feel’ if one would be successful or not while saying the tefillah. Q. How long of a journey requires tefillas haderech to be said? A. Chazal require one to recite this tefilla when leaving a city and travelling more than the distance of a parsa – 3.84km/2.4 miles (R’ C’ Noah) or 4.60km/2.9m (Chazon Ish).

ÂÂ Women are also obligated in this tefilla.2 ÂÂ Even one travelling for mitzvah purposes should say this tefilla.3

ÂÂ One going boating, fishing or sightseeing on a boat and travelling approximately three miles away from the city should also recite tefillas haderech.

ÂÂ One going on a cable car (the required distance – see below) should also recite tefillas haderech.4 Q. When should tefillas haderech be said? A. It should be a said after one has left a distance of seventy amos (approx. 120 feet) 1 2 3 4

Gemarah Berachos 29b. Levushei Mordechai Yora Deah 35. Sefer Ohlecha B’amisecho Chapter 9:6. Sefer Vayehi Binsoah Chapter 2 in the name of Rav Shamei Gross Shlita.

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past the last house in the city. If it was said too early, one has nevertheless fulfilled his obligation.5

Follow Rabbi Wiesenfeld’s shiurim on torahanytime.com

then the next day without the beracha at the end.10

ÂÂ If one said tefillas haderech and along the

ÂÂ If one is travelling in a populated area the entire time, one does not recite this tefilla – unless it is a dangerous area.

way stopped travelling for a few hours, then continued on his way, he need not say it again.11

ÂÂ When travelling on a plane (if it wasn’t

ÂÂ One saying it on the way to the airport for

said on the way to the airport), it should be said on the runway as the plain takes off.6 Some have the custom not to say tefillas haderech when flying.

example, should have intention to cover the flight also.12

ÂÂ Since this tefillah doesn’t start with a "‫"ברוך‬ one should say it close to another beracha, such as after a beracha achrona or after asher yotzar after using the bathroom. If one isn’t able to do so, it may be said on its own as well.7 Some Poskim don’t require this condition and allow it to be made at any time. Q. How many times a day must this beracha be said? A. It is only said once a day, no matter how many times a person travels during that day.8

ÂÂ If one is travelling continuously for a few days, it should be said each day (in this case one need not wait until he is 72 amos past the last house – see next question) provided one slept a proper sleep during the night.9 When travelling at night and continuing the next day, it should be said at night when one starts the journey, and 5 Mishnah Berurah. Some have the custom of saying it in their house before leaving, others include it in shemonei esrei during ‘shema koleinu’. 6 Shut Mishnei halachos siman 77. 7 Shulchan Aruch. 8 Mishnah Berurah 26. 9 Mishnah Berurah.

Q. What is the correct manner that it should be said? A. If one is driving, it is always best to stop the car and say it, since all berachos should be made while standing in one place.13 One need not leave the car. If one is travelling on a bus or train, its best to stand if possible.14 If it is difficult to stand, it may be said sitting.15 Q. Should each person make his own beracha, or should one person say it to exempt everyone else? A. Although the minhag seems to be that one person says it for everyone,16 some Poskim prefer that each person recites his own beracha.17 It is best not to be said over a microphone.18 The Satmer Rebbe zt”l used to say one who goes on holiday should remember that although one may be leaving his home, one cannot leave Hashem. Have a Safe and Enjoyable Trip! 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Shulchan Aruch and Mishnah Berura. Mishnah Berurah 5. Rav Y S Elyashiv zt”l. Shulchan Aruch 4. Levush, Aruch hashulchan 11. Mishnah Berurah 22. Aishel Avraham, Rav Y S Elyashiv zt”l. Mishnah Berurah 59:15. Shut Minchas Yitzchok 3:38:17.

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5. Rashi (12:21) brings the source for the mitzva of shechita is seen in Parshas Re’eh. Why is it brought in Sefer Devarim and not already mentioned in the previous Chumashim?

Rabbi Moishe Kormornick | Author, Short Vort ‫ ּכִ י ָפת ַֹח ִּת ְפ ַּתח‬:‫ֹלא ְת ַא ֵּמץ ֶאת לְ ָב ְבָך וְ ֹלא ִת ְקּפֹץ ֶאת יָ ְדָך ֵמ ָא ִחיָך ָה ֶא ְביֹון‬ ‫יטּנּו ֵּדי ַמ ְחסֹרֹו ֲא ֶׁשר יֶ ְח ַסר‬ ֶ ‫ֶאת יָ ְדָך לֹו וְ ַה ֲע ֵבט ַּת ֲע ִב‬

…Do not harden your heart or close your hand against your needy brother. Open your hand generously, and extend to him any credit he needs to take care of his wants … (Devarim 15:7-8). Since the natural implication of hardening one’s heart is that he will not give to someone in need, why then does the verse add the words, “Or close your hand against your needy brother”? The Vilna Gaon understands that the imagery of a closed and open hand teaches us a fundamental lesson in giving tzedaka. He explains that when one’s hand is closed, all of his fingers appear to be equal; however, with an open hand, one sees that his fingers are indeed different sizes. So too, explains the Vilna Gaon, when giving tzedaka it can be equally inappropriate to harden one’s heart as it is to give everyone the same. Each individual is exactly that — individual; with different needs and different responsibilities.1

1 Ha’Maor HaGadol, quoting the “Imrei Noam al HaTorah.” This visual interpretation of the verse, offered by the Vilna Gaon, also explains why the Torah seemingly “wasted words” by saying that one should not “close his hand against his needy brother” and that he instead should “open his hand.” If the Torah is telling us not to close our hand, surely we are being directed to open our hand?

One who genuinely cares about helping someone should bear this in mind. He should look at the person before him as an individual, rather than a ‘poor person who gets the “usual” donation.’ In fact, the Gemora learns from this verse that even someone who is used to great luxuries (such as having a servant run in front of his horse) and then falls upon hard times can have his needs (luxuries) paid for from tzedaka.2 For as long as this is his need, he is essentially no different than someone who was always poor and has his own more meagre needs.3 Someone who opened her hand generously in quite a literal sense was Rebbetzen Rivky Holtzberg HY’’D, the Chabad shaliach killed in the terrorist attack in Mumbai a few years ago. During her shiva, a young Israeli woman approached her mother and handed her a small 2 The question of whether this obligation falls upon the community as a whole or on every individual is discussed by the Shach (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 250:1). 3 Kesuvos 67b.

PARSHAH

Look at the Individual

Anyone wishing to receive Rabbi Kormornick's weekly short vort should sign up on www.ShortVort.com package. Inside was Rivky’s diamond ring and her finest Shabbos dress. “How did you get these?” Rivky’s mother said in shock. “I was in India a short time ago and found myself in trouble with the law. Basically, I ended up in an Indian jail. You cannot begin to imagine what a terrible and primitive place it was. Fortunately for me, the jails there are very disorganized and those who are in charge are easily bribed, and I managed to escape. Once free, I ran to Chabad House where I knew I would be looked after. Your daughter welcomed me, fed me, and told me that it was vital that I get out of the country immediately. That was obvious, but I was afraid that I would be caught. Your daughter immediately gave me one of her Shabbos dresses and diamond ring. “If you look very dignified, like a well-dressed married woman with a ring on your finger,” she said, “they won’t look too closely at you. A woman with a diamond ring is in a different class. She’s a respectable woman, not a criminal. Not someone who is fleeing from the law. They won’t bother you,” she said. She was right. I wasn’t checked. And I arrived home safely.”

ANSWERS 1. On the eighth day of Pesach, second day of Shavuos and on Shemini Atzeres. 2. The Rambam (Moreh, 3:45) brings three reasons: If the goyim would know it’s location as place of shefa they would fight to get it; had the kenani inhabitants known that the Jews would go there, then they would have destroyed and ruined the place; had the shevatim known of this special place then there would have been arguments between them as to whom would get this portion of Eretz Yisrael for their tribe. Perhaps it can be added that even though the Beis Hamikdash has a physical location, the Torah is telling us that it is really spiritual; above time and space. 3. Perhaps it is coming to tell us the great danger of idols and the great lengths needed to distance ourselves from them. Besides for destroying the idols even after this we are required to make fun of their names. Because of not allowing these forms of worship, the Torah now continues and says what forms of worship are permissible in the form of the korbanos and the Beis Hamikdash. 4. There are two types of Asheira trees. There is one where the tree is planted originally to serve in this capacity and therefore since the whole tree is bad in Parshas Re’eh (12:3) it says to burn it in fire. The less severe Asheira tree is one that has grown and then people decide to designate it to worship as an Asheira tree. The tree itself is not forbidden only any new additions, like

leaves and fruit. It is such a tree that is described in Parshas Vaeschanon (7:5) and we are told to cut it down. In Parshas Ki Sisa (34:13) where it says it should have “kores” done to it this is talking about both types of these Asheira trees and therefore uses the general description of kores that includes being cut down and destroyed. 5. Until now, the Jews were all together around the Mishkon and the shechita was usually done by the kohanim who are zerisim, swift and efficient. However, now in Parshas Re’eh it is talking about the time when the Jews would enter Eretz Yisrael and would spread out over the country. It was now permitted to slaughter away from the mishkan and now even ordinary Jews who are not zerisim would shecht. Therefore the command to shecht waits to appear in Sefer Devorim in Parshas Re’eh. 6. When an animal is slaughtered the blood comes out in different consistencies, colours and at different speeds. The first blood comes out slowly and starts being black in colour and then changes to red. This is known as ‫דם התמצית‬. Then the blood comes gushing out with force and sprinkles out in different directions. This is called ‫דם הנפש‬. Then the blood returns similar to the previous state of ‫ דם התמצית‬slows down and trickles out. The first and last stage, eating this blood is punished with malkos, lashes. However, the middle stage, the blood that is associated with the animal’s living soul, is punishable with kores.

Riddle Answer The other Sedrah is Parshas Shemini Perek 11, there it lists the 4 animals in the following order a) GOMOL b) SHOFON c) ARNEVES d) CHAZIR in our Parshah it is a) GOMOL b) ARNEVES c) SHOFON d) CHAZIR (Look in Sefer Taamah DeKroh of Rav Chaim Kanievski on this week’s Parshah for the answer)

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6. What are the different types of blood that come out by shechita, slaughtering, and what are their different punishments?

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‫כל מקדש שביעי‬

“D

Kol Mekadesh Shvi’i & The Akeida

orshei Hashem, Zerah Avraham O’havo, hame’achrim latzeis min hashabbos ume’maharim lavo” – “those who seek Hashem, the offspring of Abraham His beloved, who delay leaving the Shabbos and hurry to welcome it…”

all. “Lo uchal la’avor es PI Hashem” – “I can’t transgress the WORD of Hashem”, implying that I don’t care at all about His wishes – if he doesn’t absolutely forbid it, I’ll be up early in the morning to saddle my donkey!

In next week’s sedra we read about the final and ultimate test of Avraham Avinu, when Hashem instructed him to offer his beloved son Yitzchok as a burnt offering on a specially prepared altar. The question is famous. BIG DEAL! Surely there have been many Jews over the years who have willingly given up their life for the sake of G-d and our religion; a mere 70 years ago there were thousands of Jews who did so! So what was Avraham’s big test?!

Avraham was the opposite, the true lover of Hashem. He was out to do anything he possibly could to make Hashem happy. Whether he was instructed to do it or not was completely irrelevant. So even though he had a good excuse and good reason to decline Hashem’s suggestion to sacrifice his son, after all, he had been promised that through this son he would father many offspring, such a thought never crossed his mind. Yitzchok was not the cup of tea, but rather the biscuit by the side.

The Ran (Rabeinu Nissim, approx 1290-1375) offers a fantastic and original explanation. Avraham had already been promised by Hashem that he would father many offspring through this beloved son Yitzchok. So Hashem couldn’t possibly instruct him to kill Yitzchok, but rather He requested it. “Please, Avraham”, He said, “let Me go back on My word. Let’s forget about the promise I made”. That’s why He said “Kach Noh es bincha”- “PLEASE take your son”. Tests and commands are not normally introduced with the word “please”, but this was no command – it was a plea. Which begs us to ask, if Avraham didn’t have to sacrifice his son whom he loved so dearly, why did he agree to it? After all, he would receive no punishment if he didn’t do it, and Hashem wouldn’t even have any complaints! Here lies the key. Your dad asks you for a cup of tea. You serve him a tea with his favourite biscuit by the side. He didn’t ask for the biscuit, so why did you put it there? Because you know that’s what he wants. The love which you displayed by adding the biscuit far exceeds the expression of love which you achieved by serving him the tea. When there’s a real feeling of love and a strong healthy relationship, you’ll do far more than you have to; you’ll do anything which you know the other party would appreciate. Bilaam wanted to curse the Jewish nation, but Hashem refused to grant him permission. So he asked and nagged again until finally Hashem reluctantly let him go. It was obvious that although he now wasn’t forbidden to go, nevertheless Hashem would have far preferred if he would stay put in Midyan. But that didn’t interest Bilaam at

We were all born Jewish, like it or not. We all have to listen to Hashem, like it or not. But there are two very different approaches to keeping the Torah and the Mitzvos. One could resent it all, such a long list of instructions, so many restrictions! I’ll keep to it because I have to, but as soon as something is permitted according to the letter of the law, I’m all for it! Or, on the other hand, one could learn to appreciate the beauty of it all. This is the WILL of Hashem, this is His desire and what would make Him happy. And even if something is permitted by law, if I know that He would appreciate or prefer if I refrain from it, I’ll happily oblige, because I love Him so dearly. To put it bluntly, it’s the difference between the attitude of Avraham Avinu and that of Bilaam. One classic example is the beautiful mitzvah of Shabbos. According to the letter of the law, I can run around till almost the very last minute before sunset on Friday evening, and once again from the minute three stars are visible at the conclusion of Shabbos. But that is an indication that this whole Shabbos business was a burden, an unwelcome nuisance in my week. Someone who appreciates the beauty of the day will no doubt approach it as Avraham would; he would rush to bring in the holiness of the day, and delay its departure. That’s the attitude of Avraham Avinu, and someone who follows this line can be titled his offspring. “Those who seek Hashem, the offspring of Abraham His beloved, who delay leaving the Shabbos and hurry to welcome it…” It’s a question one must ask oneself – am I happy to be a Jew? Would I prefer not to have this long list of restrictions? Or is my connection and relationship with my Creator so strong and healthy that I’d do anything I possibly could to make Him smile? Food for thought, indeed.

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.

This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimos - please dispose of accordingly.

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

‫ | ז’ אלול תשע”ו | פ’ שופטים‬10th September 2016

‫מוצש’’ק‬

‫הדלקת נרות‬

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

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

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Shortcuts Rabbi Joseph Dweck | Senior Rabbi Of The S&P Sephardi Community Don’t take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and make crooked the path of the righteous. (16:19) Faithfulness and integrity are essential ingredients for building an ethical life. Having integrity means that we are consistent in doing what is right even when no one is watching. Bribes devastate integrity. Moshe opens this week’s parashah by warning us that bribes are powerful blockades to wisdom and righteousness and anyone interested in building a real life, as well as a just society, had better steer clear of them. Steering clear, however, is not as easy as it may sound. We tend to think that bribes only apply to people like judges and politicians, but payoffs come in a variety of fun flavours that everyone is capable of enjoying. Every day we are tempted to abandon, in a large or small way, a commitment to faithful selfcreation, and to destroy the integrity of our lives in exchange for cheap stand-ins. Some persuade us to eat what tastes good rather than what is good for us, some entice us to stay awake instead of getting our needed rest, others convince us to engage with people who dim our identity rather than with those who build and brighten it. We are encouraged to make a buck, but destroy our virtue or toss away sportsmanship in lieu of a score. All of these are bribes, and

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

when we make a habit of accepting them, we leave our identity in tatters. Sell-outs corrode the weave of the human soul that allows for G-d’s presence to rest within us. There are only so many cracks that a single life or a single society can maintain before it falls apart. We read this week of the importance of our personal dignity. It encourages us to love what is right not only as an ideal, but as a means to create a viable life. We are encouraged to be proud enough not to compromise our identity and instead to weave each of our days into a beautiful and substantive tapestry.

MORE THAN 20,000 TORAH VIDEOS & OVER 400 DIFFERENT SPEAKERS

Parashat Shoftim describes to us a society that is built on truth and justice, and bound together with lives developed in faithfulness and integrity. It is a society that cannot be mechanically constructed, but one that emerges, gradually honed by individuals who are committed to righteous thoughts and acts. A society is then born of citizens who BY BORUCH have come to know, deep KAHAN within their souls, that truth, as King Solomon If you look BEFORE SHENI IN BOTH this week’s wrote [1], must be acquired Sedrah and next week’s Sedrah you will find a well-known two word expression, but they mean at all costs, and never sold.

torahanytime .com

Riddle of the Week

completely different things. What is it and what do they mean?

[1]

Proverbs, 23:23

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

PARSHAH

Listen To Your Own Words Rabbi Yossi Goldberg | Speeches by Design )'‫ כ‬- '‫לא תטה משפט לא תכיר פנים וכו' צדק צדק תרדוף (טז' יט‬ “Don’t twist the judgement, don’t recognise faces (ie don’t treat people differently) etc. only the absolute truth you should chase.” Why is the word ‫ צדק‬written twice?

Reb

Simcha

Bunim

A Talmid once came to his Rebbe and bemoaned his situation. “I’m not learning well enough and I’m not being a good enough Jew,” he cried. “I simply have nothing to

from

show for myself!” “How much money do you have

To be a Dayan in Beis Din, you

Peshischa zy’’a, explains the use

have to be a very honest and

of the word ‫ צדק‬twice in the pasuk,

righteous person. Imagine you have

a bit differently. Even when as a

to listen to a Din Torah between a

Dayan you are searching for the

“About £1000,” replied surprised.

very Choshuve person with a long

truth, make sure that you search for

“You have NOTHING!” The rebbe

white beard and a tramp who is

the absolute truth, truthfully. This

dirty and unkempt.

double expression emphasises how

“With respect, but I do have

so easy it is to miss the truth even

something,” the Talmid protested,

The

Torah

warns,

‫תטה‬

‫לא‬

‫ משפט לא תכיר פנים‬Don’t twist the

when you’re searching for it.

judgement, don’t recognise faces

Rabbi Yisroel Salanter zt’’l would

(i.e. don’t treat people differently).

say that this pasuk is not only a

You must hear each one out with no

reference to the Dayan in Beis Din

predetermined opinions.

but it is relevant to every single

When the Torah stresses the word

‫ צדק‬twice in the pasuk, the Seforno writes that the Torah is addressing the person who is choosing the Dayonim. If you find a Dayan who has this quality of absolute truth and honesty even if he lacks other qualities, you should still appoint him. Because, this is the primary quality of a Dayan.

person. When one reflects on his own behaviour he must use these same qualities to judge himself. ‫לא‬

‫ תטה משפט‬Don’t twist the judgement

in your bank account?” the Rebbe unexpectedly asked his Talmid.

said emphatically.

“though it may not be much.” The Rebbe smiled. “Listen to your own words. You have something though it may not be much.” “There

always

room

for

improvement but that doesn’t mean to say that what one has managed to achieve so far is worthless!”

He needs to be honest with himself

As we now usher in the month of

Equally ‫ לא תכיר פנים‬don’t treat

Elul and our mode of preparation

people differently, meaning not be

for Rosh Hashonah begins, we

unrealistic in his own expectations

reflect on our behaviour throughout

of himself, more than one would

the past year. We should take the

expect from others who are similar.

approach of the Dayan: to be truthful

Only with this approach of genuine

and honest with ourselves, but not

‫ צדק‬can a person grow.

unrealistically harsh either.

THE TORAH IS NOT LACKING, EVEN TO THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED SCHOLAR, NOR IS IT BEYOND THE GRASP OF THE SIMPLEST SCHOOLCHILD. The Alter of Slabodka, Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (1849-1927)

Rabbi Chaim Zundel Pearlman | Machzike Hadath and Rosh Beit Midrash, Hendon

In this week’s parsha we read about the role of the Mashuach Milchamah – the specially anointed Kohen whose main duty was to raise the morale of the soldiers before they engaged in battle. At the end of Maseches Taanis, there is a beraisa which indicates that the deputy Kohen Gadol had a higher status than the Mashuach Milchamah h. On the 15th of Av the eligible daughters of Yerusholayim would walk out in the streets in borrowed white clothing, so that the poor would not be embarrassed. A princess would borrow from the daughter of the Kohen Gadol, who would in turn borrow from the daughter of his deputy (segan), who would likewise borrow from the daughter of the Mashuach Milchamah, who would borrow from the daughter of an ordinary Kohen. The clear implication is that the segan was of a higher status than the Kohen Hamoshiach. Yet at the end of Maseches Horiyos, the mishna states that the Mashuach Milchamah had priority over the segan. This apparent contradiction is noted by Rav Yaakov Emden (Yaavetz) and Rav Shlomo Cohen (Cheishek Shlomo). Unlike all other appointments which were hereditary, the position of Mashuach Milchamah was specifically excluded from being inherited. The post of King, Kohen Gadol, or less prestigious offices could be inherited by a son if he was fit for the role. The Chasam Sofer explains that there is a difference between an appointment of ‘seroroh’ and that of ‘kedusha’. The king and other offices were positions

of seroroh whereas the offices of Kohen Gadol and Mashuach Milchamah were derived from their kedusha. Hence to permit the son of a Kohen Gadol to succeed his father an explicit possuk is required but the normative rule is applied to the Mashuach Milchamah, so the son does not inherit his father’s position. Hence, the Chasam Sofer is of the opinion that there is no inheritance entitlement of a son to succeed his father in a Rabbinical post. With this principle in mind, Rav Kook explained that the above apparent contradiction can be resolved. In Horiyos, the mishna clearly states that the Mashuach Milchamah has a higher status than the deputy Kohen Gadol. His role as a leader in battle, which determines long term survival ‘chayei olom’- confers upon him this higher status and therefore where there is a choice between sustaining him or sustain the segan, he has priority. However, in matters of inheritance of his legacy, (or as described by Rav Kook as ‘chayei sho’o’) his daughter cannot claim priority over the daughter of the segan. The sanctity of the Mashuach Milchamah cannot be inherited and remains with him alone. On the subject of war and peace, let me share a gem from my greatgrandfather the Kamenitzer Maggid in a

FEDERATION

The Mashuach Milchamah

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fading pencil footnote to a commentary on Koheles. Koheles writes there is a time for all different items. In most of the 28 cases which he enumerates he employs the use of the infinitive, eg

‫ֵעת לָ לֶ ֶדת וְ ֵעת לָ מּות‬ The chapter concludes with

‫ ֵעת ִמלְ ָח ָמה וְ ֵעת ָׁשלֹֽום‬: It would have been more consistent to write

‫עת להלחם ועת להשלים‬. Why did Koheles grammatical form?

change

the

The Kamenitzer Maggid explains with great perception. All the examples brought by Koheles are direct opposites. Birth and death, planting and uprooting, killing and healing etc. This dichotomy is illustrated by the use of the infinitive which emphasises the contrast. However, in the case of war and peace, even when one is engaged in battle, at the same time there must be a peace plan. Without an end plan for peace there will be no purpose to the war. On the other hand, when one negotiates a peace, if in the background there is no army to back up the peace, the peace negotiations will result in a surrender. War and peace are thus not absolute concepts which exclude each other. When at war we must think of peace, and when negotiating peace, we must back it up with the threat, as a last resort, of war. Therefore, it is inappropriate to use the infinitive which emphasises the exclusivity of each concept.

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NISHMAS YISROEL SINAI ELSTREE

OHR YISRAEL

A COMMUNITY SERVICE OF THE

EDGWARE

YESHURUN

Rabbi Shimshon Silkin | Chazon UK The atmosphere of the world we live in is charged with dishonesty – just observe the world’s media coverage of the current situation in Eretz Yisroel. It appears as if society has been doused in the fuel of falsehood so that the single spark of a lie can cause a widespread wildfire. For the voice of truth to be heard, it must struggle. Politics, power, money… the items that make the world go round, blind the eyes of the wise (see Devorim 16:19). It has become virtually impossible to maintain a perfectly objective mindset. Unfortunately, this state does not just effect politicians; it can impact upon even the greatest of the great. As R. Dessler points out, the mere fact that one’s thoughts originate from one’s private mind already creates a position of bias. Chazal relate how R. Yishmoel refused to litigate a case involving his own employee despite the fact working for a living cannot be considered a kindness. Even more to the extreme is the case of Ameimar who refused to preside over a case of a litigant who had done nothing more than shoo a bird away from him (Kesubos 105b). The Gemoro in Shavuos (31a) further details the lengths to which a judge must go to ensure impartiality: “How do we know that if two come to court, one clothed in rags and the other in fine raiment worth a hundred maneh, they should say to him ‘Either dress like him, or dress him like you’? Because it is said: From a false matter keep far. When they would come before Raba bar R. Huna, he would say to them, ‘Remove your fine shoes, and come down for your case.’” Similarly the Gemoro (ibid.) prescribes

Everyone has a potential soulmate. Shidduch.im gives you a better chance to find yours

equality with regard to the timing of the presentation of their defence. If such rigorous safeguarding is required for men of great stature, how much more so for the common man. For this reason we are all enjoined in this week’s Parsha: Tzedek Tzedek tirdof, righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue, which the Targum renders: Truth, truth you shall pursue (Devorim 16:20). This double expression reflects the difficulty of the directive: pursue truth relentlessly because any relaxation in the pursuit of truth can result in a less than honest result. Therefore Chazal use an expression of “emess la’amito”, true to its truth, in describing the ambition of an honest judge (Bava Basra 8b) – the quest for establishing the honest truth has to be unyielding. R. Leib Lopian z”l (Lev Eliyohu, Shoftim) advises that the way to guarantee that one is on the path to truth is to ensure the “sechel”, one’s intellect, is fully engaged. Bias, prejudice, partiality and subjectivity are all the product of the emotions. As the Sheloh teaches, the Shoftim and

Shotrim of this week’s Parsha are the powers of the mind and the intellect which need to control the emotional elements of our decision making. One particular piece of advice learned from Chazal is to avoid engaging excessively in idle chatter as the Gemoro says: A man shall not let his ears hear idle matters (devorim beteilim) because they are burnt first of [all] the organs (Kesubos 5b) – how much more so words of heresy (Rambam Hil. Teshuva 3:6). It is essential therefore to keep the mind clear and sharp to avoid falling into the trap of prejudice. One aspect mentioned above requires special attention: Raba bar Rav Huna’s issue with clothing. How worrying it is that we are likely to judge people by the clothes they wear! Shakespeare famously said: “Clothes maketh the man”. Actually, “clothes betrayeth the man” as the Maharal teaches the root of the word for clothing – begged – is that of betrayal – bigud. Perhaps this is what is alluded to in the Mishna: “Judge the whole person favourably”, not by his external clothing or status. As we approach Elul and enter into the season of judgement, we seek to gain favour in Hashem’s eyes and hope that we are considered for who we are and not for who we sometimes appear to be. Perhaps such an attitude begins at home with our own estimation of our fellow Yieden. Before broadly classifying and categorising, let’s “remove their fine shoes/hats/coats” and appreciate them for the holy souls they truly are.

Rabbi Kimche - Ner Yisrael

PARSHAH

Clothes Betray the Man

IF MAN IS NOT ASCENDING, HE IS INEVITABLY DESCENDING. The Vilna Gaon, Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna (1720-1797)

Rabbi Zev Leff | Rav of Moshav Matityahu

When you go out to war against your enemy and you see horses and chariots, an army greater than you, do not fear them, for Hashem your G-d, Who took you out of Egypt, is with you. (Devarim 20:1). How can we possibly expect to achieve such a high level that we do not fear when we go into battle? Even Moshe fled in terror when his rod was transformed into a snake. Yet if the Torah commands us not to fear the impending battle, it must be something within the capability of every Jew.

that a single stone represents a person standing perfect before Hashem. A mizbe’ach of many stones, by contrast, represents the quest for perfection of a yet imperfect individual. If a Jew deludes himself into thinking he has reached perfection, disaster is sure to follow.

The Gemara (Berachos 60a) raises a seeming contradiction between the verse, “Fear in Zion, you sinners” (Yeshayahu 33:14), which implies that fear is a sin, and the verse, “Fortunate is the one who fears constantly” (Mishlei 28:14). The Gemara resolves the apparent contradiction: fear of losing one’s Torah learning or mitzvah observance is positive; all other fear is negative.

The next prohibition against offering a blemished animal teaches us, says Sforno, that our goal is perfection and quality, not quantity.

A careful consideration of the mitzvos of our sedrah provides important clues as to how we can attain the proper fear and avoid all other fear. The unifying thread running throughout is the necessity to pursue perfection. The sedrah begins with the command to appoint judges and enforcers of the law to ensure tzedek, complete and perfect righteousness. Our right to occupy Eretz Yisrael, the land of perfection, depends on our pursuing this goal diligently. Life, meaning an attachment to Hashem, is possible only where that quest for righteousness is in progress. For this we require judges to discern what is right. And they must be given the means to enforce that judgment. The Alter of Kelm explains that judges and enforcers parallel chochmah and mussar on the individual level. Chachmah is the ability to discern what actions and thoughts are an expression of G-d’s will; mussar is the ability to translate that knowledge into action. The Torah continues with three prohibitions that put our quest for perfection into perspective. First we are told not to plant an asheirah (a tree) near the altar. The message is that one is not to be misled, by that which is attractive or fruitful — such as an asheirah, from the path of total subjugation to Hashem. The cold, unattractive stones of the mizbe’ach represent total devotion to Hashem, and it is the sacrifices, which appear to involve the destruction of an aspect of the physical world, that in reality preserve and give sustenance. For this reason we are commanded to salt the portions of the sacrifices that are to be burnt on the altar. Salt is a preservative. We salt the portions about to be consumed on the altar to show that they are in fact being preserved eternally by being offered to Hashem. Next the Torah enjoins us not to set up a matzeivah, a monolith, but rather a mizbe’ach. Sforno explains

‫הלכה‬ ‫ומעשה‬

Practical Halachic Solutions

If one deviates even slightly from following G-d’s will, the quest for perfection cannot succeed. “Justice, justice pursue” — righteousness is a result of righteousness; it can never result from unrighteousness. R’ Yisrael Salanter relates the following mashal. King A bet King B a million rubles that he could convince King B’s prime minister to disrobe publicly. King B could give his prime minister any instruction he wanted as long as he did not reveal the wager. King B called in his prime minister and informed him that he was being sent to King A’s country, where he could do whatever he pleased with one exception — under no circumstances was he to disrobe publicly. After a few days, King A called in the prime minister and asked him how he had become a hunchback. The prime minister responded that he was not a hunchback. King A countered that he most certainly was a hunchback, and he was willing to wager a half of million rubles to that fact. To establish who was right, the prime minister was to disrobe in front of the royal court. The prime minister eagerly accepted the wager, despite the king’s orders. He reasoned that the bet was a sure thing, and he would split the profits with King B. The prime minister disrobed. The royal court unanimously concurred that he was not a hunchback, and the king gleefully gave him his half of million rubles. Upon returning home, the prime minister told King B his windfall and offered to split it with the King. But instead of being delighted, the King was enraged. “You think you won me 250,000 rubles, you fool. You cost me a million rubles because you failed to heed my command,” King B shouted. So, too, says R’ Yisrael, do all those who attempt to reach Hashem in non-prescribed ways deceive themselves. Theirs is the path of idolatry, the next subject in the sedrah. Only by obeying the Torah leaders of the generation can one be assured that his path leads to

PARSHAH

The Rebellious Son and the Fundamentals of Education

perfection, and not the opposite. Thus the need for such obedience is the next topic in the sedrah. When the quest for perfection is the driving force in a person’s life, the fear that he is deluding himself or is failing to achieve this perfection is always with him. He can be compared to someone who is afraid of mice and finds himself in a burning building with a mouse standing at the only exit. That person will quickly forget his fear of mice. So, too, will every other fear pale for the one who seeks above all to draw close to Hashem — besides the fear of losing his closeness to Hashem: “G-d is my light and salvation, from whom should I fear; Hashem is my life’s strength, from whom should I dread?...If an army encamps against me,...in this do I trust...that I will dwell in Hashem’s home all the days of my life, that I will see the pleasantness of Hashem and visit in His inner sanctum” (Tehillim 27:1-4). When such a person goes into battle to fight the enemies of Israel and Hashem, the only thing that concerns him is the strengthening of G-d’s rule that will result from victory. In this vein, Sefer Hachinuch (Mitzvah 525) explains the foundation of the mitzvah not to fear the enemy in battle: Every individual Jew should put his trust in Hashem and not fear for his own personal life in a situation where he can give honour to Hashem and his people. He should not think about his wife or children or property, but rather divert his mind from everything and concentrate only on the battle. And further he should ponder that the lives of the entire nation depend upon him...One who fights with all his heart, with the intention of sanctifying G-d’s Name, is assured not to be harmed and will merit for himself and his children a faithful home in Israel and eternal life in the World to Come. Because his only fear in battle lies in not achieving the kiddush Hashem of victory, he does not fear the enemy because he is thinking only of his own awesome responsibilities. It is not fear which is prohibited but fearing “them.” The fear of the enemy pales into nothingness next to the fear of the chillul Hashem of being vanquished in battle.

Riddle Answer Pi Shnayim. In our Sedrah, this means the mouth of two, i.e. that 2 eidim have to give testimony in a court case and generally one is not enough even though there are exceptions. Pi Shnayim in Parshas Ki Seitze tells us that a Bechor gets double portion of Yerushah compared to the other Yorshim.

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Rabbi Aron Litwin Rabbi, Seed Manchester

‫כל מקדש שביעי‬

Creating our Continuity

riday night in a Jewish home, the scene is set. The aroma of fresh Shabbos food fills the room, everyone is dressed in their finest and the table is laid, fit for a king. The reflection of the deep red wine glistens on the silver cup and everyone can feel how this is an auspicious moment. The very first zemer we sing is Kol Mekadesh Shevii. What special message lies in these words that they were chosen to stand at the very beginning of the Shabbos meal? There is a glaring question on a famous verse regarding Shabbos; The verse states; “V’eshamru Bnei Yisroel es HaShabbos la’asos es HaShabbos” “And the children of Israel shall guard the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos” If one ‘guards’ the Shabbos, he is effectively ‘making’ Shabbos, so the obvious question is, why does the verse repeat itself? Rabbi Chayim ben Moshe ibn Attar (1696-1743) in his sefer ‘Ohr Hachayim’ gives a fascinating insight. He tells us that when Hashem created the world, in effect He only created six actual days. The power for the world to continue another week was not yet in existence. It is only through Klal Yisroel keeping Shabbos that the energy for another week of days comes to be. The continuity of the world directly depends on us guarding this holy day.

her car was a dwarf. Suddenly he caught sight of a picture lying on the passenger seat. “How do you know that man,” he said pointing at the picture, “Where is he? I have been looking for him for over two years.” The picture was a portrait of Chana Malka’s father, Rav Eliezer Geldzahler, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Yisroel. Rav Geldzahler had tragically passed away when the bus he was riding on crashed near Meron in Eretz Yisroel. As she broke the news to the midget, he began to cry. Now it was his turn to explain; “Being a midget isn’t an easy life, people come by every day and try to look away when I serve them. They shift awkwardly when I am nearby. I found things so hard I was contemplating calling it a day… and then… your father drove by. He looked me in the eye and said; “Young man, you are an inspiration, many people in your shoes wouldn’t get out of bed but you choose to live your life to the fullest”. The midget concluded, “That Rabbi literally saved my life, for the very first time in my life I felt tall!” Sometimes it is hard to see which of our actions are small and which ones are tall. A few kind words from Rav Geldzahler could be perceived as a nice, cute gesture, however to this young fellow, it saved his life. The same is true for many of our actions, but especially Shabbos.

With this, the Bnei Yissaschar (Rabbi Zvi Elimelech Spira 17831841) explains our troublesome verse; “And the children of Israel shall guard the Shabbos” if we ‘guard’ Shabbos, the verse continues; “to make the Shabbos” it will ‘make’ a new existence… the existence of another week.

When a person keeps Shabbos he can mistakenly think that he is doing a small, trivial act of observance, however as previously explained when we keep Shabbos, we are in effect ‘creating worlds’. The opening words of Kol Mekadesh Shevii tell us this exact message;

My brother, Reb Mordechai Shlita shared with me the following powerful story;

“Whoever guards the Shabbos correctly… his reward is way beyond the scope of his actions”

Chana Malka Geldzahler was driving along the Garden State Parkway from New Jersey to New York; she was running low on petrol so she stopped at the next gas station. The attendant who came to service

So as we begin Shabbos, it is important for us to know that we are not embarking on a small, minor journey. Instead when we keep Shabbos, we are creating our continuity!

“Kol mekadesh shevii k’roi lo… Sechoro harbeh meod al pi pe’olo”

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.

This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimos - please dispose of accordingly.

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

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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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

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

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

Zemiros

NEW SERIES!

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.

This newsletter contains Divrei Torah and may contain Sheimos - please dispose of accordingly.

‫בס“ד‬

Rabbonim, men and boys

Join thousands of worldwide children davening for ‫חולי ישראל‬ Thurs 6th October 2016 ‫ד‘ תשרי תשע“ז‬

5.45pm Hendon United Synagogue Raleigh Close

With a short message from guest speaker

Dayan Yonasson Abraham ‫שליט“א‬ Tehillim led by

Rabbi S.Y. Bixenspanner ‫שליט“א‬

Some of the schools that have attended in previous years Beis Medrash Elyon

Talmud Torah Tiferes Shlomo

Tashbar of Edgware

If your school wishes to participate please contact JAM Events on 020 8371 9080 or info@jam-events.com Duation: Approx 45m. There will be a minyan for Mincha following the Tehillim Event (Shkiyah 6.26pm).

Torah Vodaas