Oneg Summer Edition 5778-2018 (Voeschanon-Ki Savo) by Oneg Shabbos

‫‪Summer‬‬ ‫‪OnegShabbos‬‬

‫ואתחנן‬ ‫עקב‬ ‫ראה‬ ‫שופטים‬ ‫כי תצא‬ ‫כי תבוא‬

‫תשע"ח‬

‫‪2018‬‬

Just a few minutes a day and finish Nach in just a year and a half!

‫תהלים צ‬

24 Tu 25

26 Th

day

daily nach

julyaug

‫אלול‬-‫אב‬

‫קיט‬-‫תהלים קטז‬

‫כט‬

‫ש‬

‫תהלים קיח‬

‫ל‬

‫יג‬

)‫ל‬-‫תהלים קיט (א‬

‫יד‬

)‫ס‬-‫תהלים קיט (לא‬

‫ב‬

‫אלול‬-‫אב‬ ‫יא‬

‫תהלים צא‬

‫יב‬

‫צג‬-‫תהלים צב‬ ‫תהלים צד‬

‫ראש חודש ב‬

‫א‬

‫צו‬-‫תהלים צה‬

‫ט"ו באב‬

‫טו‬

)‫ק‬-‫תהלים קיט (סא‬

‫ג‬

‫ש‬

‫צח‬-‫תהלים צז‬

‫ואתחנן‬

‫טז‬

)‫קמ‬-‫תהלים קיט (קא‬

‫ד‬

‫קא‬-‫תהלים צט‬

‫יז‬

)‫קעו‬-‫תהלים קיט (קמא‬

‫ה‬

‫תהלים קב‬

‫יח‬

‫קכד‬-‫תהלים קכ‬

‫ו‬

‫תהלים גג‬

‫יט‬

‫ש‬

‫קבט‬-‫תהלים קכה‬

‫תהלים קד‬

‫כ‬

‫קלב‬-‫תהלים קל‬

‫ח‬

‫תהלים קה‬

‫כא‬

‫קלה‬-‫תהלים קלג‬

‫ט‬

‫תהלים קו‬

‫כב‬

‫קלז‬-‫תהלים קלו‬

‫י‬

‫ש‬

‫תהלים קז‬

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‫קלט‬-‫תהלים קלח‬

‫יא‬

‫תהלים קח‬

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23 Th

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‫כו‬

‫ש‬

‫קמו‬-‫תהלים קמה‬

‫קיד‬-‫תהלים קיג‬

‫כז‬

‫קמח‬-‫תהלים קמז‬

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‫תהלים קטו‬

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28 ‫ט“ז‬

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30 ‫י“ח‬

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SHRAGA KALLUS ‫שליט“א‬

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WITH RABBI

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2018 / ‫אב תשע“ח‬

24 ‫י“ב‬

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TUE

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RAV AHARON LEIB STEINMAN Z''L

‘‫כ‬

Coke or beer, sir? I'll just Learn instead! Who is your child / grandchild marrying? The Wisdom of ‫חזל‬ ‫שבת‬: ‫ קידוש‬MINI SERIES 1/4 l Making Saturday into ‫שבת קודש‬ ‫שבת‬: ‫ קידוש‬MINI SERIES 2/4 l Kiddush bemokom sushi ‫שבת‬: ‫ הבדלה‬MINI SERIES 3/4 l Is she going to grow beard or moustache? ‫שבת‬: ‫ הבדלה‬MINI SERIES 4/4 l Borei m'Orei HaLightbulb Is our grape juice & wine really ‫?בורא פרי הגפן‬ Oh no he poured it 10.00AM now what?! SHIUR TODAY:

Our Daily recharge Why doesn’t he just sell his car? The Legacy Lives On

‫בס"ד‬

‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬

‫פרשת ואתחנן‬ ‫שבת נחמו‬

‫ט"ז אב תשע”ח‬ 28TH JULY 2018

NORTH WEST LONDON’S WEEKLY TORAH & 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

'‫ פרק ג‬:‫פרקי אבות‬ ‫יא‬:‫ז‬-‫כג‬:‫ ג‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

SHABBOS TIMES FOR LONDON, UK ‫מוצאי שבת‬ (10.09 PM

‫ ) ר”ת‬10.00 PM

‫שקיעת החמה‬

‫חצות‬

‫סו"ז‬ ‫תפילה גר''א‬

8.55 PM

1.07 PM

10:30 AM

Harav Moshe Sternbuch

Ra’avad Eidah Charedis, Yerushalayim

constant elevation I entreated Hashem at that time (3:23)

Chazal (Medrash Tanna’im, Devarim 3:23) say that Moshe prayed 515 prayers asking Hashem for permission to enter Eretz Yisrael, and the Vilna Gaon says that each prayer was accompanied by a different reason justifying Moshe’s request. Moshe knew that if he could enter Eretz Yisrael he would be able to feel a closeness to Hashem that was greater than anything he could attain in chutz laAretz. Even though he had already attained immense levels and he knew that an enormous reward awaited him in the eternal world, he was not satisfied with all of that, and he did his utmost to attempt to achieve even further spiritual qualities by entering Eretz Yisrael. This teaches us that we should never forgo the opportunity of climbing the rungs of avodas Hashem. We should not be satisfied with our achievements, but constantly continue to look for further ways of elevating ourselves, even if they involve much effort.

go-betweens are superfluous

For what great nation is there that has Hashem so near to it, as Hashem, our God, is at all times that we call upon Him? (4:7) The Chofetz Chaim was once visiting Grodna and was asked to give brachos. He responded, “Why do you need me to act as a ‘go-between’ to plead on your behalf before our Father in heaven? Every father prefers if his son appears before him to make

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8.36 AM

‫הנץ החמה‬

‫עלות השחר‬

‫זמן‬ ‫הדלקת נרות‬

‫פלג המנחה‬ ‫עש''ק‬

5.18 AM

4.06 AM

8.41 PM

19:18 PM

Parshah

his requests instead of sending his brother on his behalf. Similarly, our Father in heaven wants you yourselves to pray to him and not send me to plead on your behalf. You may be worried that He is angry with you, but do not imagine this. I promise you that Hashem loves you and yearns to hear the voice of your prayers and He will save you. Hence, dear brothers, cry out yourselves to Hashem and He will surely answer you.”

KILLING time

You shall not murder (5:17) Why does it not say “you shall not shed blood”?

Someone who touches a goses (a dying person) is considered a murderer. Even though the goses will die shortly anyway, by hastening his death by even several moments the person is considered to have shed his blood. The Derech Pikudecha (written by the author of Bnei Yissaschar) says that someone who wastes his friend’s time — or even his own time — thereby preventing the friend or himself from learning Torah during that time, is considered to have shed blood, because the main purpose of our vitality in this world is to delve into Torah, so that stealing someone’s time and depriving him of a life of Torah is deemed a kind of temporary murder for the duration of the deprivation.

This weeks Oneg Shabbos Publication is sponsored

‫לע''נ‬

‫בריינלא‬ ‫בת‬ ‫ר' נפתלי‬ ‫ע"ה‬ Martha Hofbauer o"h ‫י"ג מנחם אב תשע"ג‬

In a similar vein, the Chofetz Chaim would say, “People say that time is money, but I say time is life.” Based on this, we may suggest that the Torah specifically prohibits murder instead of shedding blood in order to include all kinds of murder, such as depriving a person of his life force by wasting his time, even without actually shedding his blood.

Taken from “Rav Moshe Sternbuch on the Parashah” by Adir Press Available in stores now To publish your sefer with Adir Press visit www.Adirpress.com

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Rabbi Moishe Kormornick

Author, Short Vort

The author can be contacted at moishe@adirpress.com

SEDRA SUMMARY

Parshah

'‫וָ ֶא ְת ַחּנַ ן ֶאל ה‬ I pleaded with Hashem (3:23)

Thank you to Chabad.org

oshe tells the Bnei Yisroel how he implored Hashem to allow him to enter Eretz Yisroel, but Hashem refused, instructing him instead to ascend a mountain and see the Promised Land. Continuing his “review of the Torah,” Moshe describes the Exodus from Egypt and the Giving of the Torah, declaring them unprecedented events in human history. “Has there ever occurred this great thing, or has the likes of it ever been heard? Did ever a people hear the voice of Hashem speaking out of the midst of the fire . . . and live? . . . You were shown, to know, that the Hashem is G-d . . . there is none else beside Him.” Moshe predicts that in future generations the people will turn away from Hashem, worship idols, and be exiled from their land and scattered amongst the nations; but from there they will seek Hashem, and return to obey His commandments. Our Parshah also includes a repetition of the Ten Commandments, and the verses of the Shema, which declare the fundamentals of the Jewish faith: the unity of Hashem (“Hear O Israel: Hashem our G-d, Hashem is one”); the mitzvos to love Hashem, to study His Torah, and to bind “these words” as tefillin on our arms and heads, and inscribe them in the mezuzos affixed on the doorposts of our homes.

he Medrash tells us that when Moshe was told by Hashem that he would not be allowed to enter into Eretz Yisrael, he immersed himself in prayer. After the 515th request, Hashem commanded him to stop, because with one more prayer, Hashem would have been obligated to annul His decree.1 In life we always try to do our best. The question is, is our best really our best? If Moshe would have asked to be let into Eretz Yisroel and been rejected, perhaps that would have been considered “his best”; after all, he tried very hard and received a “no.” Perhaps after 100 times, he would have considered that he has done “his best.” After all, after pleading with Hashem 100 times, one could certainly say that he exhausted all options. Yet, Moshe continued until he was physically told to stop praying. How may times do we put in great effort towards attaining a goal and but not succeeding? We tell ourselves that we tried our best; we put in all possible effort. Yet, in truth, our best is only attained once we make a diligent appraisal of our goal and then to push ourselves out of our comfort zone to achieve it. Unless we have reached that point, perhaps we have not truly tried our best. Rav Tzvi Mayer related the following true story about a boy he knows who didn’t give up: There was a young boy called Yoselle who lived with his mother. Since his father has passed away, there was very little money in the house and Yoselle had to work from a very young age. Towards the

time of his bar mitzvah, his mother told him about his obligation to learn Torah, and Yossele immediately ran to the cheder to be accepted. He met the principal and asked to be enrolled. The principal asked him which Gemara he can be tested on, but Yossele said that he knew no Gemara. “Then which Mishnayos do you know?” asked the Principal. But Yossele said that he knew no Mishnayos. “Then what can I test you on?” asked the bewildered Principal. “You can test me on Siddur. We only have a Siddur at home and I know it very well,” answered Yossele. “But the post-Siddur class is for 6 year olds,” responded the principal. “Then let me join that class,” answered Yossele. “But there’s no room for you, I’m afraid.” Disheartened, Yossele said the principal. “Will you write that on a piece of paper?” “Excuse me? Why do you want me to do that?” “Because after 120 years when I go to Heaven and meet my father, he is going to ask me what Torah I have learned. I’ll explain to him that when I was 12, I came to Cheder and was even willing to embarrass myself day-in-day-out by sitting with the 6 year-olds, but the Principal still wouldn’t let me. Then, not believing me, my father will say, “What kind of principal would every do such a thing?” Then I’ll show him your paper!” Upon hearing this, the principal allows Yossele to join the cheder, and he grew up to be a learned scholar and a widely respected Rav.

1Yalkut Shimoni 31

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Dreams don't work unless you do QUIZ TIME

1. livingwithmitzvos.com

Why does Parshas Voeschanon always come after Tisha B’Av, known as “Shabbos Nachamu”?

This page is sponsored by Federation

Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Guttentag

Rabbinic Coordinator, KF Kosher; Federation Shailatext

The author can be contacted at Rabbi.guttentag@federation.org.u

Halachah

MaaserText Week 8: Discovering Maaser on Shabbos Maasertext was launched to encourage members of the public to separate terumos and maasros. Previously seen as a complex mitzvah and one which is difficult to perform, the system is designed to be easy and user-friendly. This week, as our series draws to a close, Rabbi Y.M. Guttentag examines what happens when the Israeli source of one’s produce is only discovered on Shabbos.

May one take terumos and maasros on Shabbos? A mishna in Maseches Beitza (36b) teaches that maaser may not be separated on Yom Tov. On Shabbos, the mishna says one may certainly not maaser produce. Rambam (Shabbos 23:14) teaches that this ruling is founded on two halachic concerns – firstly, it is seen as fixing the fruit and forbidden in a similar vein to the case of tevilas keilim on Shabbos. Secondly, it is seen as enacting a kinyan on Shabbos and forbidden like making an item hekdesh. Are there any exceptions to this rule?

I have been mekabel Shabbos but forgot to maaser the potatoes used in the kugel – can I still maaser the produce to permit the food? During the Friday evening/ Shabbos twilight period - called bein hashemoshos – certain leniencies apply. In cases where one has no other Shabbos food, Chazal were lenient and allowed produce to be maasered where he won’t have Shabbos food. The same applies for one who is mekabel Shabbos early on Friday afternoon from plag

hamincha and on, (Mishna Brura: 261:28). Therefore, if the bulk of one’s Shabbos meal would be at risk due to its tevel status, one may maaser during this period. If the tevel in one’s food is only a side dish (eg just a salad), it is questionable whether this permission applies. Once the local community have been mekabel Shabbos, the bein hashemoshos leniencies are suspended. On a long summer Friday afternoon, there typically would be time to maaser shortly after being mekabel Shabbos, but on a short Friday afternoon, this would be more problematic as it would be likely that the tzibbur have already been mekabel Shabbos.

Shabbos has already begun, and I forgot to maaser our vegetables, I learnt in mishnayos that sometimes you can maaser with a tenai on Shabbos itself, how do I go about doing this? This question is based on the teachings of mishnayos in Maseches Demai which teach of scenarios in which the householder may maaser produce on Shabbos itself. The mechanics of this method require that a preliminary declaration is made on erev Shabbos – a tenai. This means that any suggestion of adopting this approach to save a family’s Shabbos cholent with its Israeli potatoes would only work if the householder recognises the issue before shekiya on erev Shabbos. Once

TEXT

SHAILATEXT 07403 939 613

Shabbos has begun, this approach would not be relevant.

Can produce which was not maasered be eaten on Shabbos? Produce which has not been maasered is tevel and may not be eaten. In extenuating circumstances where maaser was not separated and major aspects of one’s Shabbos meal would be at risk, one should ask a Rov before deciding not to eat the food in question.

These articles have been published in response to popular demand for further information on how our service runs. For further questions relating to the use of Israeli produce or to MaaserText in general, feel free to contact Shailatext by texting 07403 939 613

A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah by Yisroel Avrohom Kaye The posuk (Devorim 4:39) says “Know this day and lay in on your heart that Hashem He is G-d” The Ma’ayanah Shel Torah brings Chidushei HaRIm who explains another aspect to this posuk with which we are all familiar. He says that if the main thing is to “lay it on the heart” it follows that the heart must be cleansed before in order to make room for all this knowledge so that it may take root there.

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL RESPONSE TO SHAILOS ON ANY TOPIC WITHIN FOUR WORKING HOURS Wherever possible it is preferable to take shailos to your own rov who knows you personally. ShailaText is not intended to be used as substitute for a rov but L’zakos es horabim. For more information visit federation.org.uk/shailatext/ To sponsor a day/week/month of Shailatext, please email Batsheva.pels@federation.org.uk

This week’s Shailatext is

‫לע”נ שמעון בן שרגא ז”ל‬

Rabbi Meyer Amar

Hasmonean High School

The author can be contacted at 2binspirednow@gmail.com

Parshah

Appreciating Appreciation

story1 is told about the Gaon Reb Yonoson Eybechutz2. Before he became famous he used to be the Rabbi of a small town in Czechoslovakia. Seeing that he was not overly busy with halachic matters he took it upon himself to set up Gemachim, charities and a soup kitchen, taking care of the town it’s impoverished and unfortunate. Emissaries came from Prague one day bearing a transfer request to take up the Prague Rabbanus. They met with Reb Yonoson and the town leaders requesting his move to Prague. To his surprise the leaders of the town were au fait with his departure, they didn’t object or create a fuss. He was most surprised after what he had done for the community that they didn’t even ask him to continue his leadership or offer any raise in salary and conditions in order to attract him to stay. This was most upsetting for him and even more so embarrassing in front of the emissaries. When the band of wagons eventually arrived to pick up the Rav, his family and belongings, no one from the town

appeared to ask for divrei brocho or to wish him well for his future. Immediately he made a decision to call a community meeting in the shul so that he may give his leavers speech. His topic was that of shmiras hamitzvos. How careful they must all be to guard themselves from dropping their level of religious fervour and connection to Hashem. He explained the reason for his sharp words were not out of anger but out of concern. If they didn’t feel an obligation to show appreciation to a Rav who had served them with great energy for 3 years and set up multiple organisations to benefit the community then surely there was a danger of them losing their appreciation to Hashem for the good He does for them. They should strengthen their recognition and praise for Hashem and guard their connection to Torah and mitzvah observance which are the regular casualties of one who does not really appreciate what Hashem does for him. This story can be used to explain why Moshe Rabbeinu told the Bnei Yisroel ‘to guard their souls ….lest they fall into the trap of serving Idols’ (Perek 4 Possuk 15-16). Based

1 This Dvar Torah has been translated and adapted from the words of Reb Yisroel Grossman - member of the Moetzes Gedoley Hatorah in Eretz Yisroel 2 Author of sefer Urim Vetumim on Shulchan Oruch – 17th century

on a Midrash in Parshas Ekev – Moshe told off the Bnei Yisroel for their lack of appreciation of his efforts on their behalf, that it will lead to lack of appreciation of Hashem’s benevolence in their lives, leading in the worst case scenario to betrayal of Hashem through Idol worship. Appreciation is the bedrock of a practicing Jews commitment to the Torah and Hashem. In order to cultivate this one has to work on feeling and displaying appreciation to all those around, who you benefit from. The list is endless but the obvious ones that immediately spring to mind are parents, wife, husband, siblings, teachers, Rabbonim, gaboaim and askonim of tzorchei tzibbur to mention a few. When you regularly practice appreciation to those around you it embeds it into your soul facilitating your dedication to Hashem which is every Jews ultimate calling in this life. If you walk away from reading this with the intention of being Makir Tov to at least one person in the list then you have begun to appreciate appreciation - Hatzlocho Liluis Nishmas Esther bat Dona

ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK

riddle

Parsha

QUESTION

Thank you to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

QUIZ TIME

In this week's Parshah a place has a second name, however Rashi in a previous Parsha tells us that this place in fact has two other names. This place it seems has four names in total three of them come in one Parsha and one of those three plus another one comes in our Parsha. What are the four names in total and where previously did Rashi tell us this information? CLUE Shir Hashirim Perek 4 Possuk 8

2. livingwithmitzvos.com

[Question: The Haftoroh focuses on Yeshayah Hanovi’s Nevuah on the downfall of Yerushalayim hence the reason it is read before Tisha B’Av. However there are three opinions as to how many Botei Medrash existed in Yerushalayim at the time of the Churban Beys Hamikdosh. What are they and give the sources?

The first two are close to each other either 480 or 481.This depends on a Machloikes in opinions based on the Medrash Megilas Eichoh (Pesicha Ois 12) and (Parshah 2:40). It brings a Meimroh in the name of Rav Pinchos beshem Rav Hoshiyoh that the number of Botei Medrosh in Yerushalayim was equal to the Gematriya of the word Mileisi that comes in the Haftoroh in Yeshaya. The word is spelt Mem = 40 Lamed = 30 Aleph = 1 Tof = 400 Yud = 10 Total =481.The word Mileisi is spelt Moley with the Aleph but some have the opinion that you “consider” the word Chosser as if the letter Aleph is not there and so reducing it to 480. Rashi on the Possuk in Yeshaya Perek 1 Possuk 21 explains both opinions but concludes it should be 480 and the 481st is the Beys Hamikdosh itself and since it got destroyed it is not counted. The Gemoro Kesuvois (Daf 105a) brings a third opinion based on the same Maimroh from the same Amoiroh and comes up with the number of 394 with no further explanation of how it arrives at the figure.

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

Rabbi Dovid Hoffman

Author of the Torah Tavlin series of books on Torah, Haggadah shel Pesach, Yamim Noraim, and other Jewish topics, as well as the universally acclaimed series on the Holocaust, entitled ‘Heroes of Spirit’ and ‘Heroes of Faith” The author can be contacted at Torahtavlin@aol.com

Parshah

)‫יב‬-‫ (ה‬.... ‫שמור את יום השבת לקדשו כאשר צוך ה' אלקיך‬

he following story was retold recently at a Pidyon Haben, by R’ Nissan Kaplan Shlit’a, the well-known Maggid Shiur in the Mir Yeshivah, who was discussing the effect that Kiddush Hashem has on a Jew, even a tiny baby. He recalled how on a recent trip to America during the summer, he was scheduled to return from Newark Airport on Thursday at 3:30 P.M., arriving Friday morning in Ben Gurion Airport at 7:00 A.M. It was the summer and since sunset on Friday afternoon in Israel was at 7:15 P.M., he felt he had a reasonable amount of time to make it home before Shabbos. Alas, things did not work out the way he hoped. The afternoon flight was delayed again and again, and it was unclear if the plane would depart at all. Finally, the airline announced that they were cleared for a final departure time from Newark at 1:00 A.M. Friday morning with service arriving in Ben Gurion Airport at 6:30 P.M. Friday afternoon. R’ Nissan was unconvinced. Since Shabbos was only 45 minutes later (and who knew if the flight would actually arrive by its scheduled arrival time), he couldn’t take a chance and felt he had no choice but to skip the flight. He was resolved to remain in America for Shabbos and book the next flight out after Shabbos. Those who were not Shabbos observers took the flight. On the phone in the midst of his feverish arrangements, R’ Nissan saw a young lady approach him. When he got off the phone, she wished to ask the Rabbi a question. She was running a group of 50 boys and girls from “Birthright” who were on this flight. (Birthright is an organization that sponsors free ten-day heritage trips to Israel for Jewish young adults, aged 18–26. During their trip, participants, most of whom are not religious and visiting Israel for the first time, are encouraged to discover new meaning in their personal Jewish identity and connection to Jewish history and culture.) These young adults were not observant and had never kept Shabbos in their lives. They wouldn’t observe this one as well. They all wished to go on the flight even though the airline told them that they would arrive at 6:30 P.M. and it was unlikely they would make it to their hotel before candle-lighting. “What should we do?” asked the young lady. “Should we go on the flight or not?”

What an amazing Shabbos it was. For the entire 24 hours, in the Ramada Hotel, there wasn’t the slightest Chilul Shabbos from the entire group! R’ Nissan concluded, “This was a Kiddush Hashem that just fell into my hands!.

Rabbi Dovid Hoffman Author of Torah Tavlin on Chumash, Likutim, Moadim Heroes of Spirit, and Heroes of Faith

! EW N

What happened then, was incredible. The “Birthright” group was put up in a nearby Ramada hotel, but they only agreed to go if the Rabbi would accompany them for Shabbos. R’ Nissan agreed. He called a few of his students, who brought containers of food, wine, challah and even a Sefer Torah. They set up a makeshift synagogue, with a proper mechitza separating the boys and the girls. Friday night, R’ Nissan made a minyan and insisted that everyone be in attendance.

R’ Nissan continued. “I don’t know if you will ever have another opportunity like this to tell Shabbos, ‘Not one hour, not two hours - but 24 hours (from Thursday) we waited for you and gave up a trip to Israel just for you!’ We are stuck in a place without any Jews around us, just to tell Shabbos, ‘We love you, Shabbos.’ Do you know how loved Shabbos feels this week? So maybe if Shabbos feels so loved by us, maybe we will try to keep the rules of Shabbos all together this week.”

D AN BR

R’ Nissan asked that the entire group gather around him. When they all gathered, he introduced himself and announced, “I think we should take a vote. There is a great rabbi here in America named Rabbi Belsky. He is the Rabbi of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis (OU). He is very smart. Let’s call him and ask him your question and follow whatever he decides. But I’m only calling him if everyone is in agreement and votes to follow him.” Instantly, they took a vote and they unanimously agreed to follow Rabbi Belsky’s decision. R’ Nissan managed to get through and Rabbi Belsky told them not to go.

He might come there and find the house locked. Even if it is unlocked, perhaps the other person doesn’t want to see him right then. But if he comes and someone is waiting for him outside, then he knows he’s welcome. My friends, Shabbos comes and sometimes the door is locked. Last week, for example, were you all waiting for Shabbos with open arms? Probably not. But if Shabbos comes and someone is waiting for her, she knows that she is welcome.”

Make the most of this special time period. Sad and heavy as they may feel, these weeks hold the potential for so much uplift and blessing, too—if we choose to use the days properly. With Torah Tavlin on Tishah B’Av providing a steady stream of inspiration, you will find yourself emerging from the Three Weeks feeling encouraged, stirred, and closer to Hashem. ALS O IN

THI S SE RIE S

During davening, R’ Nissan spoke. He said, “When a person goes to another person’s house, he isn’t always sure if he’s welcome or not.

QUIZ TIME

3. livingwithmitzvos.com

What is so special about Eretz Yisroel 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 Yisroel)?

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Schechter Author of Seforim, Parshah Pshetl

The author can be contacted at yankieschechter@gmail.com

Halacha from

Rabbi Shraga Kallus Rosh Kollel, 'The 2nd Seder Kollel'; 'Machon Hora'ah L'Rabanim'

Hadlakas Neiros

part I – Background Every single Jew, both man and woman, has an obligation to light candles for Shabbos. This obligation is not relegated specifically to women; however, the custom is that the woman is the one who lights the candles on behalf of the household. The reason is to atone for the sin of the first woman, Chavah. She convinced Adam HaRishon to eat from the Eitz HaDa’as, which extinguished the light of the world, therefore she is the one to light candles weekly. The Gemara teaches: “One who is careful with regard to Shabbos candles will have children who are Torah Scholars”. Ra’avad addresses the obvious question: we find numerous people who light Shabbos candles and yet not all of their children are Torah scholars? He explains that the words of the Gemara do not mean that one simply has to light Shabbos candles, rather one must be meticulous in all of the intricacies and nuances of the Halachos. Merely lighting a candle before Shabbos does not suffice for this special segulah; one must fulfill the obligation in its entirety! Two ways to fulfill the above dictum in its entirety are: (1) to purchase the finest oils/ candles in order to have a beautiful light for Shabbos. (2) The time of candle-lighting is an auspicious time for prayer to merit children who will be Talmidei Chachamim. Throughout the next few weeks we will be learning the Halachos of Hadlakas Neiros, which should enable one to follow all the intricacies of the Halachos and thereby merit the awesome Segulah of meritorious children.

Adapted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky

Rabbi Slansky can be contacted at avislansky@gmail.com FIND RABBI KALLUS'S SHIURIM ON TORAHANYTIME.COM

Parshah

The Path to Binas Hatorah [3:23] ”‫“ואתחנן אל ד’ בעת ההוא לאמר‬ “Moshe implored Hashem at that time, saying.” Moshe Rabbeinu was pleading with Hakodosh Boruch Hu to be allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel. Sotah 14a – Why did Moshe Rabbeinu desire to enter Eretz Yisroel? Did he need to eat its fruit or did he need to sate himself with its bounty? Certainly not! Rather this was what Moshe was saying: There are many Mitzvos which Klal Yisroel were commanded that could only be fulfilled in Eretz Yisroel. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to enter Eretz Yisroel so that he could fulfill all of the Mitzvos of the Torah, including those which are exclusive to Eretz Yisroel. Hakodosh Boruch Hu said to him; Do you seek anything other than to gain reward? I will make it as if you performed those Mitzvos. What is the meaning of this Gemara? We all know that if one has the desire to perform a Mitzvah, but cannot perform it due to circumstances out of his control, then Hakodosh Boruch Hu makes it as if he did it. It was clear to all that Moshe wanted to enter the Land of Eretz Yisroel, but it was not in his control to do so. Therefore, he certainly would receive reward as if he did those Mitzvos. What is the Chiddush that Hakodosh Boruch Hu told Moshe that it will be as if he did them?

”‫ בשעה שעלה משה למרום‬:‫ – “אמר רב יהודה אמר רב‬Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: When Moshe ascended to the Heavenly Heights, he found Hakodosh Boruch Hu sitting and attaching crowns to the some of the letters of the Torah. Moshe said to Hakodosh Boruch Hu, Who is holding you back from giving the Torah as it is? (The Torah was complete except for some ‫תגין‬, crowns, on top of the some of the letters). Hashem told him that this is for one man who is destined to exist at the end of many generations, Akiva Ben Yosef is his name, and it is he who will expound upon each and every point heaps and heaps of Halachos. Moshe said to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that He should show Rebbe Akiva to him. Hashem told Moshe to turn around, and Moshe found himself in Rebbe Akiva’s classroom. Moshe went and sat at the end of eight rows of Talmidim, and he listened to the discourse between Rebbe Akiva and his students, but did not understand what they were saying. Moshe became disheartened that he did not understand, until they reached a certain matter which required a source, and Rebbe Akiva told his students that the source is a Halacha L’Moshe Misinai. When Moshe heard this, he was relieved. ):‫(מנחות כ”ט‬ Menochos 29b – The Arizal says that at first Moshe did not understand the words of Torah from Rebbe Akiva and his students. Moshe Rabbeinu left and went to perform Mitzvos of the Torah. When he returned to the class of Rebbe Akiva and his students, he did understand what they said. We see from this Arizal the great importance of actually performing the Mitzvos of the Torah. It is not enough to only study the Torah, but one must perform the Mitzvos of the Torah, and he will then have a better understanding of the Torah. (‫)באור החיים‬ What did Moshe Rabbeinu want? Did he want to eat the fruits of Eretz Yisroel? The answer is yes! Moshe understood that when one performs a Mitzvah, it creates a greater connection to the Torah Hakdosha, so that he would have a better understanding in the Torah Hakdosha. Moshe Rabbeinu knew that because he had a desire to perform the Mitzvos of Eretz Yisroel, it is as if he performed them. This is only in respect to receiving reward for them. However, when one performs a Mitzvah, it has a tangible effect upon him. Aside from the Tikun it creates in the world, it has a profound effect on the one who performed the Mitzvah. He will then have a greater connection to the Torah, and be able to have a greater understanding in the Torah Hakdosha. Not all agree, but Rav Chaim Volozhin, in his Sefer called Nefesh Hachaim, says that Moshe achieved the fiftieth level of Binah on the last day of his life, that which eluded him until then. What caused Moshe to achieve that level on the last day of his life? Moshe Rabbeinu was not content with it being as if he performed the Mitzvos of the Torah, but he wanted to actually perform them so that he would have a greater Koach Hatorah.

MY WEEKLY HALACHIC QUESTION

Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld

Rosh Yeshivas Beis Dovid Author “Kashrus in the Kitchen” & “The Pocket Halacha Series”

Halachah

Traveling & Vacation [part 1 of 2] Before Traveling

ÂÂ Many give tzedakah before embarking on

The poskim mention various minhagim that apply before one sets out on a journey.

ÂÂ The Mishnah Berurah writes about the

money to a traveler to distribute to tzedakah at his destination. This is based on the dictum of Chazal that messengers for mitzvos (such as tzedakah) are protected from harm.1 The same result is achieved if a person takes along his own money to give to tzedakah upon arrival at his destination. called up to the Torah for an aliyah on Shabbos before they depart on a journey. (This custom does not override any other person’s obligation to be called up for an aliyah).2

ÂÂ Many people take leave of, or ask permission from, their rebbi before departing, or they ask gedolim for a beracha.3

ÂÂ According to the directive of Rav Yehudah ha’Chassid as recorded in his will, one should not polish his shoes on the day he plans to travel. Many write that this refers only to one who travels by foot.4 Others maintain that this applies only to polishing with oil, but not to our shoe polish.5 The night before one travels it is permitted.

ÂÂ According to the directive of Rav Yehudah Hachasid, after one leaves the house one should not return home to retrieve a forgotten item (unless it is a mitzvah item, such as tefillin). Rather, he should stand by the door and ask someone inside to bring it out to him,6 or he should go through a different entrance if there is one.7

1 See Gemarah Pesachim 8b. 2 Biur Halacha 136 “Shabbos”. 3 Ramo Yoreh Dea’ah 242:18. 4 Ktzos Hashulchan Siman 68. 5 Lekach Hakemach 110:8. 6 Darchei Teshuva Yore Dea’ah 118:64. 7 ‫הגר"י ראטה שליט"א מובא בס' ובלכתך בדרך בהערות שם‬

one to forget his learning.15

importance of taking one’s tallis and tefillin on any trip he takes, even if he plans to return that night.9 He also writes that it is wrong to rely on borrowing tefillin at one’s destination, because one risks missing the zman to daven while waiting for them, or the tefillin will not fit properly and he will not fulfill the mitzvah at all.10

ÂÂ A common minhag is for others to give

ÂÂ Many people have the practice to be

ÂÂ Drying one’s hands on his clothing causes

a journey.8

Q. Which water may be used for netilas yadayim? A. Only clean water that is fit for a dog to drink may be used for netilas yadayim. Consequently, one may not use the water of a dirty lake for netilas yadayim.16

ÂÂ However, one may use the water of a dirty lake to dip his hands and recite the blessing, “Al Tevilas Yadayim”. If the water is clean, and he is dipping his hands because he has not cup, he may still recite the normal blessing, “Al Netilas Yadayim”.17

Q. If one needs to leave his home early in the morning, may he daven before haneitz? A. In a time of pressing need, one may daven before haneitz, provided that the time of alos ha’shachar has arrived. However, he must wait to recite Shema until there is enough light that he can recognize his friend from four amos away.11 One may don the tallis and tefillin from alos ha’shachar, but he may not recite a beracha on them until it is light enough to recognize one’s friend from four amos away.

ÂÂ If one has no other option, he may wash

Netilas Yadayim

A. If one finds himself in a place with no water (if he is traveling, he is obligated to travel up to 72 minutes in the direction he is traveling or 18 minutes out of his way, or if he is not traveling, he must travel up to 18 minutes to get water.), he may eat bread without washing, but only if he is very hungry20 (and there is no other food to satisfy him), and only if he wraps his hands in a towel or glove and is careful not to touch the food he is eating.

Q. May one use a plastic or paper disposable cup to wash netilas yadayim for bread? A. According to many poskim, a disposable cup is sufficient for netilas yadayim.12 Others, however, disagree and disqualify it from use for netilas yadayim.13 If one has no other choice, it is best to designate the cup from here on as the netilas yadayim cup and use the same one for that purpose.14

netilas yadayim in the bathroom.18 (In such a case, he should leave the bathroom with wet hands, recite the beracha outside the bathroom, and only then dry his hands.19)

Q. If one is in a place where there is no water, what should he do about netilas yadayim?

ÂÂ If one has only a small amount of water,

'‫ וכ"כ בספר חסידים סי‬.‫ א"ר סי' קי ובסידור היעב"ץ‬,"‫ שנאמר "צדק לפניו יהלך‬8 .‫ קצשו"ע סי' סח‬,‫תתרנו‬ ‫ "נכון לכל ירא שמים לקחת עמו הטלית והתפילין אפי' אם נוסע‬:‫ סי' קי ס"ק כ‬9 ."‫למקום קרוב ודעתו לחזור היום‬ .‫ וע"ע בבאה"ט סו"ס רצט‬.‫ סי' קי ס"ק כ‬10 ‫ וע"ע בבה"ל סי' נח ס"א ד"ה זמן כתב דמי שהשעה דחוקה לו‬.‫ סי' פט ס"ח‬11 ‫יכול לומר מקודם ברוך שאמר ופסוד"ז בלא תפילין עד יוצר אור וכשיגיע הזמן‬ .‫דיכיר יניח תפילין ויברך עליהם ויאמר מיוצר אור והלאה‬ .‫ שו"ת צי"א חי"ב סי' כג‬,‫ הגר"ש ואזנר זצ"ל מובא בקובץ מבית לוי ח"ג עמ' ע‬12 .‫ אג"מ או"ח ח"ג סי' לט‬13 .‫ עי' אור לציון ח"ב פי"א ס"ו‬14

1. Parshas Voeschanon 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 Hamikdosh 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.

it is sufficient to wash his hands until his knuckles.21 ‫ וכ"כ‬.‫ מובא במ"ב שם ס"ק מה‬,‫ מג"א או"ח סי' קנח ס"ק יג בשם התשב"ץ‬15 .‫בערוה"ש סי"ז‬ .‫ עי' מ"ב סי' קס ס"ק לח‬,‫ ולגבי מי הים‬.‫ עי' מ"ב סי' קס ס"ק לח‬16 .‫ וסי' קס ס"ט‬,‫ מ"ב ס"ק צז‬,‫ שו"ע סי' קנט ס"כ‬17 .‫ שו"ת מנחת יצחק ח"ר סי' ס ושו"ת חלקת יעקב או"ח סי' ב‬18 .‫ נחלת צבי על הל' נט"י סי' קסד כה‬,‫ חזו"א סי' כד ס"ק כו‬19 ‫ בה"ל סי' קסג ד"ה אם‬,‫ דאם לא רעב כ"כ אין להתיר וימתין עד שישיג מים‬20 .‫עפ"י חי"א וריטב"א‬ .‫ עי' שו"ע סי' קס"א ס"ד‬21

ANSWERS

2. Moshe as a great person 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 Gemora (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. Perhaps additionally, since there is more kedusha there, even all the other mitzvos that are done there are changed and are of a higher spiritual quality.

Rabbi Alan Wilkinson Rabbi, Great Ormond Street Hospital

The author can be contacted at genesisasw@gmail.com

tefilah Refaeinu….

’Heal us Hashem and we shall be healed…’

he ‘Spiritual care team’ at GOSH have monthly reflective practice sessions. The team includes representatives of what are called ‘the Abrahamic faiths’. In February the topics under discussion included ‘how we pray for patients’ and ‘how do you pray when there is no hope’. The Gemora in Megillah Daf 17b explains that the Brocha for healing is in eighth place in the shemoneh esreh because Bris Milah is on the eighth day. This Brocha turns to Hashem, the ultimate healer, to take care of any illnesses that may afflict us and heal us completely in a way that only Hashem can. A doctor can heal a patient sometimes or even many times, but he cannot assure that the recovery will be a full recovery. He also cannot assure that one will not become afflicted again by the same illness or another one. Hashem can do anything because He is our healer and when He heals it can be total and complete if we only so merit. It is interesting to note that the name of Hashem appears as the second word of this Brocha. It doesn’t appear so soon in any of the other Brochos. When we are ill, we go to a doctor to ask his advice and assistance in helping us get better. Sadly there are times when doctors say that there is nothing more that medical science can do. “Now it is up to G-d”. In this tefillah we beg Hashem: “you are always capable of healing, with no limitations, please heal us!” R’ Avigdor Miller zt’l learns out that every illness is a blow inflicted by Hashem as a father that chastises his children when they fail to achieve the Perfection of remembering him. In

this Brocha we ask for a complete or perfect recovery and that all the symptoms of the illness should disappear so that they will not reappear. When we request the healing of our body, we also request the healing of our sins. Physical illness comes to humble the arrogant and remind the one who’s ill that it is time to change their ways. This Brocha is really one of doing Teshuva, asking for Repentance and improvement of the Soul. By fixing ones’ thoughts and habits and character-traits, the illness’s of the body comes to repair the flaws of the soul. The language of this Brocha is taken from a verse in Yirmeyahu (17:14) where it is written in the singular ‘Refa·eini Hashem ve·eirafei’ (Heal me Hashem and I will be healed). The Anshei Kenesses HaGedolah, our text using plural language. In using the plural they assured that we would always be praying for others as we pray for ourselves. When we pray in the plural, as a united community, our prayers are a ‘thousand times more valuable than if each individual had prayed for himself’. [Michtav M’Eliyahu volume 1 page 150]. The Gemora in Avodah Zarah 8a tells us that if one is not well they can add a brief prayer for either himself or on behalf of someone else he may do so here. Can we include the name of any sick person? Many poskim say that we can include any name as we are all ‘family’. Because all Jews are part of one body and soul [Nedarim 39b] we have a unique ability to feel each other’s needs and pains as our own. Therefore, we can pray for each other with true sincerity. The merit of this loving empathy is so immense that Bava Kamma 92a promises that if a person prays

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Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home.

for mercy on behalf of someone else, when he himself has that very same need, the person who prays is answered first. Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis, however, writes that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach maintained that a person should be closely associated with the people for whom he is praying, and it is improper to make requests for people with whom he has little or no connection during this blessing. Rav Shlomo Zalman would mention family members during the blessing of Refa’einu and others during the blessing of Shema Koleinu (Halichos Shlomo 15,60). There are, sadly, times when a person is so ill that the doctors say there is no chance of survival. Some authorities write that upon reaching such a critical state, one is asking for an open miracle, and it is improper to pray for the patient (Rav Akiva Eiger, Shulchan Aruch 230 citing Sefer HaChassidim 795). We should always have complete emunah that Hashem has the power to heal. As we learn in Brochos 10a ‘even if a sharp sword rests upon a person’s neck, he should not refrain from [praying for mercy’ as his prayer may still be answered. A hesped given at the levayo of Nachshon Wachsman included a message from his father: ‘Please tell all our people that Hashem did listen to our prayers and that He collected all our tears... just as a father would always like to say “Yes” to all of his children’s requests, sometimes he had to say “no” though the child might not understand why. So our Father in Heaven heard our prayers, and though we don’t understand why, His answer was “No.” but we are sure that his tefillos have gone to’.

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

This newsletter contains Divei Torah. The Federation Beis Din rule that it should be double wrapped in plastic bags and discarded in the regular bin. Although great effort is taken to ensure that Shem Hashem is not included, in cases where it inadvertently is included the relevant page requires geniza. SHEIMOS BANKS ARE LOCATED IN NISHMAS YISROEL, SINAI, YESHURUN & OHR YISRAEL www.federation.org.uk/sheimos-lgeniza

‫בס"ד‬

‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬

‫פרשת עקב‬ ‫מברכין החודש‬ ‫כ"ג אב תשע”ח‬

NORTH WEST LONDON’S WEEKLY TORAH & 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

SHABBOS TIMES FOR LONDON, UK ‫מוצאי שבת‬ (9.57 PM

‫ ) ר”ת‬9.45 PM

‫שקיעת החמה‬

‫חצות‬

‫סו"ז‬ ‫תפילה גר''א‬

8.43 PM

1.07 PM

10:33 AM

‫סו"ז ק"ש מג"א סו"ז ק"ש גר"א‬ 9.17 AM

8.41 AM

4TH AUGUST 2018

'‫ פרק ד‬:‫פרקי אבות‬ ‫כה‬:‫יא‬-‫יב‬:‫ ז‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

‫הנץ החמה‬

‫עלות השחר‬

‫זמן‬ ‫הדלקת נרות‬

‫פלג המנחה‬ ‫עש''ק‬

5.28 AM

4.16 AM

8.30 PM

19:09 PM

Rabbi Berel Wein

Founder and Director of the Destiny Foundation

Parshah

Priorities: Nothing is Small Rashi, in commenting on the first word of this week’s parsha, employs an interpretation of the word eikev, which in the context of the verse itself means “since” or “because.” It usually denotes a cause and effect relationship – because you will observe Hashem’s commandments, then blessings and physical rewards will descend upon you. Rashi, however, based on midrash, expands the meaning of the word eikev and uses an alternative meaning of the word, meaning “foot” or “heel.” He comments that there are commandments and values in Torah life that the Jews somehow take lightly. They grind them into the dust of everyday life by stepping upon them with their foot and/or heel. It is these, so to speak, neglected commandments and values that are the true key for spiritual success and a good life. Rashi emphasises to us that the choice of the word eikev, in the beginning verse of the parsha, is not merely a literary issue of vocabulary. Rather, in the choice of that word, the Torah is teaching us the valuable lesson of life that there really are no small things or inconsequential acts. The Rabbis in Pirkei Avos taught us to be careful with “light” commandments just as we are justly careful with more stringent and weighty commandments. The rabbis emphasise that one does not know the true effect of the observance of these “light” commandments in the reward and punishment scheme of the judgment of Heaven. So the Torah in effect teaches us to watch our step and actions lest our heel unintentionally treads upon a holy commandment and/or value. It is difficult for us to measure differing values and the weight and worth of any of the commandments of the Torah. In cases of conflicting values and contradictory instructions, the halachic process

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

resolves for us what our behaviour and action should be. Yet, on an intellectual and spiritual plane, we are always faced with decisions regarding our priorities of behaviour and action. I am attempting to muster some semblance of intent and devotion in my recitation of the prayers when a poor man shoves his hands in front of my face demanding that I give him some money. What shall I do? Shall I ignore the poor man and attempt somehow to regain my devotional intent in prayer or shall I abandon the prayer and grant a coin to the beggar? Which value shall I tread upon with my heel? We are faced with such a type of dilemma on a regular daily basis. Somehow if we can balance our priorities and not subject any of them to be ground under our heels, great things can be accomplished. And even if we are unable to actualise such a balance, the recognition of the potentially conflicting values and actions – the realisation that one is not ever to judge Hashem’s commandments as being light and heavy, important and less important – is itself a great step toward true spirituality and an understanding of Judaism. In the American Revolutionary War there was a famous colonial flag that proclaimed: “Don’t Tread On Me!” In effect, this is the message of the Torah regarding observance of commandments and our attitude towards Torah and tradition.

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SEDRA SUMMARY

‫ואכלת ושבעת וברכת את ה' אלקיך על הארץ‬ )‫י‬:‫הטבה אשר נתן לך (ח‬ "And you will eat and be sated, and you shall bless the Hashem, your G-d, for the good land He has given you" [8:10]

n this week’s parsha, we learn about the mitzvah of birkas hamazon. Although it is one of the basic tenets of humanity to know how to say thank you, and for the reason of building our character alone, it would have been enough to obligate us to say thank you, there needs to be more to it than this. In fact, there are many opportunities in this world to show hakaras hatov to the One that is meitiv us. But does Hashem really need our thanks? Are we in fact doing this for Him? Does the fact that Hashem commands us to do this lessen what we are doing?

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oshe Rabbeinu continues his closing address to the Bnei Yisrael, promising them that if they will fulfil the mitzvos of the Torah, they will prosper in the Land they are about to conquer and settle in keeping with Hashem’s promise to their forefathers. Moshe also rebukes them for their failings in their first generation as a people, recalling their worship of the Golden Calf, the rebellion of Korach, the sin of the spies, their angering of Hashem at Taveirah, Massah and Kivros Hataavah (“The Graves of Lust”). “You have been rebellious against Hashem” he says to them, “since the day I knew you.” But he also speaks of Hashem’s forgiveness of their sins, and the Second Tablets which Hashem inscribed and gave to them following their repentance.

In a monumental discussion of birchas hamazon, Rabbeinu Bachye sheds light on this and on the entire concept of making brochos. He writes that the purpose of brochos was not at all meant for Hashem. Hashem has no need at all for our brochos. Hashem needs nothing; He has everything, and He is the mekor habrocha. Rather, the purpose is twofold and it is for us. We are actually the winners when we make brochos.

Their forty years in the desert, says Moshe to the people, during which Hashem sustained them with daily mann from heaven, was to teach them “that man does not live on bread alone, but by the utterance of Hashem’s mouth does man live.”

Firstly, we are testifying to the direct involvement of Hashem in this world. We are proclaiming our recognition that it is Hashem that provides all the sustenance in this world needed to live, and without Hashem’s involvement, we would cease to exist. Hashem wants us to recognize the chessed that He does with us and that He is the Supreme Being.

Moshe describes the land they are about to enter as “flowing with milk and honey,” blessed with the “shivas Haminim/seven kinds” (wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, pomegranates, olive oil and dates), and as the place that is the focus of Hashem’s providence of His world. He commands them to destroy the idols of the land’s former masters, and to beware lest they become haughty and begin to believe that “My power and the might of my hand have made me this wealth.”

Furthermore, Rabbeinu Bachye continues, Hashem set up the world in a manner that when one makes a brocha, it brings about an equal and counterpart reaction from Hashem. When we make a brocha on a fruit, it triggers an outpouring of blessing on that particular item in the world. We are the true beneficiaries of our brochos.

A key passage in our Parshah is the second chapter of the Shema, which repeats the fundamental mitzvos enumerated in the Shema’s first chapter, and describes the rewards of fulfilling Hashem’s commandments and the adverse results (famine and exile) of their neglect. It is also the source of the precept of tefilla and includes a reference to the techias hamesim.

The gemara in Brachos (35b) tells us that if someone has enjoyment from this world without making a brocha, he is actually stealing from Hashem and from Knesses Yisroel. He steals from Hashem by denying Him that necessary recognition that Hashem

Parshah involves Himself in our lives in every facet. Furthermore, he steals from the people because he withholds the blessings and bounty that would have been triggered as a result of making the proper brocha. The Dubno Maggid takes this a step further. The gemara (ibid) teaches that this person is actually compared to and is considered a partner of the terrible Yaravam ben Nevat that caused Klal Yisroel to do aveiros and ruin the relationship between us and Hashem. The Maggid explains this gemara as follows: Assuming that the purpose of the brocha is to acknowledge Hashem, why are we particular about which brocha is the correct one? If one says the wrong one, he has not fulfilled his obligation. But why should it make a difference, after all, he is still expressing honor to Hashem? Quoting the Shelah HaKadosh, the Maggid explains the same yesod that we mentioned above that brochos bring down to this world further power of growth. When making a brocha on an apple, all the apples of the world are improved. But when making the incorrect brocha, the trigger for those foods is not “pulled”. Accordingly, we now understand the gemara. We are stealing from Hashem the potential of giving further blessing and bounty to the world. We are stealing from knesses Yisroel because next year the apples will not grow as well as it could have, lacking the blessings from Hashem. Furthermore, this compares to Yeravam because not only are we not making our own brocha, but we are ruining it for everyone else as well. This can be compared to one that borrows and does not pay back. The lender no longer wants to extend credit, to him or to anyone else. So too, when we make brochos, Hashem “wants” to give us more in the future. Conversely, when we don’t make the bracha, Hashem won’t give to this person or to the others. No man is an island! We all have a responsibility to one another. With all the emphasis in the world on “Tikkun Olam”, perhaps one of the greatest, if not “the” greatest thing that we can do in doing our part is to make a brocha on the great bounty that Hashem continuously bestows upon us, and by giving Hashem that brocha, we are actually giving ourselves.

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QUIZ TIME

1. livingwithmitzvos.com

In Parshas Eikev (8:8) the Shivas Haminim, the seven species that Eretz Yisroel is praised with, are detailed. Why does the word “eretz” separate the first five species from the last two?

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Just Say No! ‫ – הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים‬All is in the hands of Heaven, except for the fear of Heaven This famous principle, articulated by R Chanina in the gemara, is based on the passuk in this week’s parsha, where Moshe relays the plea from Hashem to the people – “All I ask from you is to fear me” In 1982, the phrase “Just Say No” first emerged when Nancy Reagan was visiting Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland, California. When asked by a schoolgirl what to do if she was offered drugs, the First Lady responded: “Just say no.” Just Say No club organisations within schools and school-run anti-drug programmes soon became common, in which young people were making pacts not to experiment with drugs. This may sound pretty banal and uncontroversial, but the idea of placing responsibility and accountability squarely upon the person making the moral decision, irrespective of other conditioning factors, such as poverty, peer-pressure, socio-economic deprivation, weak character, etc, continues to offend the liberal mindset. The idea that we are responsible for our own actions is increasingly being challenged on many fronts1. The Guardian2 published an article containing the following quotes; “It (Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ campaign) spread fear and ignorance instead of information, placing all responsibility on the individual while denying them the tools they need to make key decisions. Unless we radically change course and acknowledge the realities of American drug use and its underlying socioeconomic factors, millions of kids like me will continue to grow up and say yes.” The idea that we act as autonomous moral agents, that of bechira – free will, is arguably the most fundamental idea in Judaism. Absent that facility, and we are no different to animals, driven irredeemably by instinct, inclination and environment. We become victims, rather than perpetrators, blaming everyone but ourselves, and the consequence is a blame-free culture. The Rambam identifies bechira as that which sets us apart, the marker which defines what it means to be human. However, fascinatingly, he builds the case in a twostep process. 1 Witness the challenges to free will from the very respectable discipline of neuroscience (B Libet, S Harris, et al) to craft a scientific narrative for determinism. 2 Tuesday March 8th 2016

In the beginning of the fifth perek of Hilchos Teshuva3, the Rambam identifies the uniqueness of Man with his ability to discern Good and Evil, and act freely upon (despite?) that realisation. His prooftext, is a surprising one.

‫הן האדם היה כאחד ממנו לדעת טוב ורע‬ ‘Now man has become like one of us, knowing good and bad’ The Rambam then proceeds to elaborate and explain the possuk to us, though, arguably, it is a straightforward statement, not requiring elucidation.

‫ הן מין זה של אדם היה יחיד בעולם ואין מין שני‬:‫כלומר‬ ‫ שיהא הוא מעצמו בדעתו ובמחשבתו‬,‫דומה לו בזה הענין‬ ‫ ואין מי שיעכב‬,‫יודע הטוב והרע ועושה כל מה שהוא חפץ‬ ‫בידו מלעשות הטוב או הרע‬ That is as if saying: “Behold, this species, man, stands alone in the world, and there is no other kind like him, as regards this subject of being able of his own accord, by his reason and thought, to know the good and the evil, and to do whatever his inclination dictates him, with none to stay his hand from either doing good or evil; The first observation, surely, is that the Rambam is identifying this as elementally human, this is unconnected with being Jewish! To be human is to have a G-d given intelligence, capable of correctly identifying good and evil, as well as having the ability to act autonomously. Furthermore, he uses no less than three separate nouns to stress Man’s ability to utilise his brain independently to determine what is good and what is evil - ‫מעצמו‬

‫בדעתו ובמחשבתו‬

After arguing passionately and unapologetically in the subsequent halacha against the fools who argue for what is known today as Determinism, ie the denial of free will, he then does an astonishing thing. ,‫ והוא עמוד התורה והמצוה‬,‫ודבר זה עיקר גדול הוא‬ :‫ וכתיב‬,"‫ "ראה נתתי לפניך היום את החיים‬:‫שנאמר‬ ,‫ כלומר שהרשות בידכם‬,"‫"ראה אנכי נותן לפניכם היום‬ ‫ בין‬- ‫וכל שיחפוץ האדם לעשות ממעשה בני האדם עושה‬

‫טובים בין רעים‬

“And, this matter is a great fundamental, the very pillar of the Torah and its precepts, even as it is said: “See, I have set before you this day, life and good, and death and evil” (Deut. 30.15), and it is, moreover, written: “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and curse” 3 Why it isn’t in ‫ הלכות יסודי התורה‬where arguably it ought to belong, is beyond the scope of this article

TEXT

SHAILATEXT 07403 939 613

(Ibid. 11.26). This is as if saying, the power is in your hand, and whatever human activity man may be inclined to carry on he has a free will to elect either good or evil” A seemingly redundant halacha – he has already established the axiom of free will, and evidenced it from the passuk in Bereshis. What purpose is served by repeating it, and offering another passuk as a source? The answer, I suggest, is that there are two layers to Free Will. The first is universal, and integral to the uniqueness of the ‫צלם אלוקים‬, and is entirely unconnected to being Jewish. To be Human is to have the basic ability to recognise Good and Evil (albeit in its most blatant forms), to give expression to that Divine component, the brain, and, ultimately, to bow to it, and heed its call. Hence, the pagan societies of the generation of the mabul were held accountable for theft (despite not being explicitly commanded)4, Sodom for their institutionalised indifference to tzedoko and social justice, and one after another, they failed to live up to being human, and were thus rejected and spurned, unworthy of the next stage in the development of Humanity, which was the revelation at Sinai and direct communication from Hashem in the form of the Torah. This process is being emphasise by the Rambam – the crux of the idea being that it is utterly impossible to progress to stage two, if one has not first acknowledged and mastered the art of being human in its fullest and truest sense5. The depth of Hashem’s plea to us, is now clear. I run the world, I am in charge of absolutely everything, except for one tiny, but crucial dimension, where you are like Me – I endowed you with a tzelem Elokim, the ability to think, and understand what is right and wrong. Additionally, you have a neshama, capable of connecting to My Torah. The only area that I have relinquished to you, is the arena of moral choices. To express humility6 and Fear of Me, to choose autonomously to submit and yield to My wishes. Paradoxically, choosing not to do, is the most exalted and majestic form of selfexpression. ,‫ חזקוני בראשית ז’ כ”א‬,’‫ ר’ בחיי בראשית י”ח כ‬,’‫ ו’ ב‬,‫ עיין רמב”ן בראשית ו’ י”ג‬4 ‫ שערי תשובה ג’ ט”ו (וע”ע משך חכמה‬,‫הקדמת ר’ נסים גאון לתלמוד בבלי‬ )‫ויקרא ו’ כ”ג‬ ‫ עיין בהרחבה בדעת חכמה ומוסר ח”א מאמרים ה’ – י’ דברים נפלאים‬5 6 ‫עקב ענוה יראת השם‬

This week’s Shailatext is

‫לע”נ שמעון בן שרגא ז”ל‬

by Aryeh Kaplan

The Living Torah info@parshapages.com

We find in .. P arshas Ekev. GudGodah ‫גדגדה‬

Kadesh Barnea

‫קדש ברנע‬ Massah

‫מסה‬ Tabh’erah, Tav’erah

‫תבערה‬

A staging-post in the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, mentioned at Deuteronomy 10:7, probably identical with Chor HaGidgad in Numbers 33:32.

A town in the Negev identified by modern scholars as either Ain Qudeis or Ain Qudeirat. Mentioned in Numbers 34:4 as the southern point of the boundary of the Promised Land, and at Numbers 32:8, Deuteronomy 1:19 and Deuteronomy 9:23 as the place from which the twelve spies were sent into Canaan by Moses. It is sometimes identified with Kadesh (where Miriam died), although some rabbinic authorities dispute this, and is also thought to be the Rithmah listed at Numbers 33:18-19.

A place mentioned in Exodus 17:7 (under the name Testing-and-Argument), Deuteronomy 6:15 and Deuteronomy 9:22, so called by Moses because the people tested G-d by demanding that Moses produce water. It is mentioned in the blessing of Moses at Deuteronomy 33:8.

A spot beyond the Sinai desert, towards Paran. Following a period of unrest among the Israelites, this place was named ‘Burning’ by Moses to mark the spot where G-d’s fire had consumed the edge of the Israelite camp (Numbers 11:1-3; Deuteronomy 9:22).

Wheat - ‫חטה‬ Wheat’s essential role puts it first among the seven species. Since ancient times, it has been considered one of man’s most basic crops: from wheat flour, bread is produced. On Shavuot, the festival of the First Fruits, the first of the wheat crop would be brought to the Temple, as a culmination of the Omer period that began on Pesach.

Barley - ‫שערה‬ Barley was, and still is, an important grain in Israel. Because it requires less water than wheat, it grows even in the arid fields of the Negev (Southern Israel). Since it ripens before wheat, its harvest begins in the month of Nissan (spring). On Pesach, the Omer offering of barley was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem as part of the festival. Bread prepared from barley was considered to be “poor man’s” bread, possibly because it was not considered as tasty as bread made from wheat.

GRAPES - ‫גפן‬ Man has been cultivating grapes from the earliest times: the first vineyard mentioned in the Bible was planted by Noah after the Flood. The cluster of grapes, brought to the Children of Israel in the wilderness by the Spies, symbolized the bounty of the Land of Israel. Throughout the generations, grapes have provided fruit and wine, and contributed to the economy of the indigenous Jewish community. Wine, indicative of joy, is used in many Jewish rituals and ceremonies.

QUIZ TIME

2. livingwithmitzvos.com

What halachic difference is there when a fruit is from the shivas haminim?

Parshah Fig - ‫טאנה‬ The broad fig tree provides a lot of shade, as the prophet Micha proclaims in his vision of peace in the Land: “Each man will sit beneath his grapevine and his fig tree, and no one will fear. . . “ This sweet tasting fruit ripens in the hottest part of the summer and can be eaten fresh or dried. It was also one of the fruits brought to Moses by the spies to prove that the Land of Israel was fruitful. Following Jewish tradition, which identifies the tree of knowledge as the fig tree, the fig is also related to the Torah.

Pomegranate - ‫רמון‬ An old Hebrew song by Yaakov Orland portrays the pomegranate: The pomegranate tree has aromas that flow out from the Dead Sea and on to Jericho. . . The pomegranate is a dark red fruit with rich red flowers, and its abundant seeds. The pomegranate’s shape has been used in many decorative objects, such as the rimonim bells used to decorate Torah scrolls, the 200 rimonim of copper on the beams of the Temple, and the rimonim which decorated the High Priest’s garment in the Temple.

Olive - ‫זית‬ The olive tree is one of the oldest and most common trees in the Land of Israel. Indeed, there are olive trees in the Galilee that are estimated to be thousands of years old. The tree’s leaves are green all year round, its roots are strong, and the silvery underside of the leaves gives off a sheen of light. In Biblical times, olive oil was used to anoint priests and kings. In its purified form it was used to light the seven-branched Menorah (candelabra) in the Temple. The olive itself is eaten after having been preserved. Its oil is also used for cosmetics, healing compounds, and soaps. The olive branch has been a symbol of peace ever since it was used by Noah as evidence that the flood had ended. It is part of the emblem of the State of Israel, its deep roots symbolizing the people’s strong attachment to the land.

Date (Honey) - ‫דבש‬ The date is both one of the Seven Species for which the Land of Israel is noted, and one of the Four Species used on the festival of Sukkot. The date tree is a tall and its fruit grows in clusters near the top. The sweet dates, which ripen at the end of summer, are eaten fresh or dried; they are also used to make honey. The tree itself is quite versatile -- its branches being used for cover (as in the Sukkah), its fibers for rope, and its trunk for building.

A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah by Yisroel Avrohom Kaye The Pasuk (Devorim 10:12) says “And now, Yisroel, what does Hashem your G-d require of you but to fear Hashem your G-d” Rashi says based on a Gemara in Brachos 34b that this means all is in the hand of Hashem apart from yiras shomayim - fear of Hashem. The Ma’ayanah Shel Torah brings the Ohel Torah who explains further that when one prays to Hashem to fulfil a request of his, he cannot be certain that his prayer will be answered. The decision to answer the prayer “is in the hands of Hashem”. This does not apply to a case where one davens for help with yiras shamayim. When one does so, he can be sure his prayer will be answered.

Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen

Rabbi for Keter HaTorah

Parshah

The author can be contacted at gefen123@inter.net.il

CLINGING TO THE WISE MAN

n Parshas Eikev, the Torah commands the people to go in the ways of HaShem, and to”cling to Him”.1 The Sifri2, quoted by Rashi, asks how it is possible to cling to HaShem, given that He is described in another place in the Torah as an “all-consuming fire”3? The Sifri answers that the Torah is instructing us to cling to Talmidei Chachamim4 and their students; by doing that it is considered as if we cling to HaShem himself. The Rishonim5 derive from here an obligatory Mitzvo to learn from Talmidei Chachamim and try to develop a connection with them, in order to learn Torah with the correct understanding.6 A person might understand that it is a good hanhago (mode of behavior) to cling to Chachamim, however it is essential to recognize that it is a Torah obligation. Moreover, the Sefer HaChinuch writes very strongly about the importance of keeping this Mitzvo. He says; ”One who transgresses this and does not cling to them [Chachamim]…transgresses this positive Mitzvo, and his punishment is very great, because they are the [basis of] the existence of Torah, and a strong foundation for the salvation of souls, and anyone who is with them a great deal, will not come to sin..”7 The Mesillas Yesharim also discusses the importance of learning from Talmidei Chachamim, particularly with regards to personal growth. He writes that one of the main strategies of the yetser hara is to confuse people so that they do not recognize the difference between good and evil. Accordingly, they believe they are acting correctly, when in truth they are being tricked by their yetser hara. How can a person avoid this trap? He answers with an analogy. A person finds himself in a very complicated maze, and there is only one path that leads to the exit, however, most paths do not lead anywhere, and in fact take him away from his destination. The person has no way himself of finding the correct path because the possible paths look identical to each other. The only way to escape such a maze is to take advice from someone who has already been through the maze and arrived safely at the other side. He can advise the person stuck inside which is the correct path to take. So too, 1 Eikev, 11:22. 2 Sifrei, 11:21, quoted by Rashi, Eikev, 11:22. The Gemara in Kesubos, 111b makes the same point. 3 Va’eschanan, 4:24. This is obviously not meant to be understood literally, rather in a figurative sense. 4 Literally translated as ‘wise students’ – it refers to people who have learnt and internalized vast amounts of Torah. 5 Early commentators, who lived in the period from the 10th Century until the 15th century. 6 See Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvo 434. There are two aspects to this Mitzvo – one is the obligation to study from Talmidei Chachamim and the other is to serve them or spend as much time with them as possible. In this essay we will focus on the aspect of learning from them. 7 Sefer HaChinuch, ibid.

a person who has not yet mastered his yetser hara will find it impossible to overcome it without the guidance of Talmidei Chachamim who have spent many years refining their characters.8 We have seen how essential it is for one’s spiritual well-being to learn from Chachamim. However, a person may argue that this is an overly difficult Mitzvo because a significant amount of effort and persistence is required to attach oneself to Chachamim due to their busy schedules and the fact that already many people flock to them. The answer to this point is found in the words of the greatest Chacham, Moshe Rabbeinu. In Parshas Devarim, he recounts the episode when Yisro suggested that Moshe refrain from ruling on every matter of law, rather, other wise men should be appointed to guide the people in certain questions.9 The practical reason for this was in order to lessen the burden for Moshe and for the people who had to wait a long time for Moshe to be available.10 Moshe agreed to the suggestion and instructed the people to appoint Chachamim. The people gladly agreed to this request. Rashi points out that in his recollection of this incident, Moshe rebuked the people for their enthusiasm for Yisro’s idea. Moshe was telling them, “you should have answered, Rabbeinu Moshe, from who is it better to learn, from you or from your students, is it not [better to learn] from you, who suffered over it [the Torah]?!”11 Moshe rebuked them for not wanting to learn from the greatest Chacham, despite the fact that they would have to endure significant hardships in order to do so. We see from here how important it is to be willing to be moser nefesh12 to learn from Chachamim. This lesson is borne out by a teaching of Chazal, that a person who learns a great deal of Torah but does not cling to Talmidei Chachamim is considered an am ha’aretz (ignorant person).13 Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l explains that one who learns alone only relies on his own understanding and does not turn to wise people for guidance. Because he does not verifiy his understanding with Chachamim, it is inevitable that he will come to make serious mistakes in his learning.14 In contrast, one who clings to Chachamim can achieve great levels in his wisdom. The Alter of Novardok zt”l expressed this point when extolling the greatness of Rav 8 Mesillas Yesharim, Ch.3, ‘Explanation of the parts of Zehirus’. 9 Parshas Devarim, 1:12-15. 10 Parshas Yisro, 18:18. 11 Rashi, Parshas Devarim, 1:14. 12 Mesiras Nefesh is most accurately translated as self-sacrifice. 13 Brachos, 47b. 14 Sichos Mussar, Maamer 14, p.61-2. See there, where he brings an example of this phenomena.

Chaim Ozer Grodzensky zt”l. “His wisdom and genius is so great and of so much depth and breadth, because when he was young he was always to be found in the presence of the Gedolei Hador (greatest Rabbis). He never said to them, ‘accept my opinion’, rather he made himself into a ‘vessel’ who would listen and absorb all the opinions and explanations of all the Gedolim there. He absorbed into his very being all the wisdom that he heard and his wisdom became purified and elevated by the greatness of many generations that became embedded in his mind.15” When we discuss the greatness of Rav Chaim Ozer we generally focus on his incredible natural genius and ability to think of many things at the same time. We see from the words of the Alter that the key to his greatness was his willingness to learn from Talmidei Chachamim. We have seen how essential it is for one to learn from Chachamim. The Sefer HaChinuch points out that this Mitzvo is also incumbent upon women. He writes, “This Mitzvo is in place in every place, at all times, for men, and it is also a Mitzvo for women to hear the words of Chachamim so that they will learn how to know HaShem.”16 It is interesting to note that the Sefer HaChinuch also writes that women are not obligated in the Mitzvo of Talmud Torah (learning Torah)17 Nevertheless, they are obligated to seek out Chachamim to guide them in their Avodas HaShem. It is clear from the sources discussing this Mitzvo that both men and women must strive to learn from Chachamim. This is a particularly relevant lesson to people who grew up in more secular environments. In the secular world, the concept of ‘asking the wise man’ for guidance in life issues is almost unheard of. This is partly because intelligence and life wisdom have no necessary correlation. As a result of this, a baal teshuva may find it unnatural to ask life questions to Rabbis. Rav Noach Weinberg zt”l addressed this issue – he pointed out that in the secular world, people spend many years on studying in order to attain a certain qualification. However, with regard to basic life issues, such as marriage, child rearing, and life satisfaction, people spend almost no time studying how to succeed. The results of this failing are clear to see, with the divorce rate skyrocketing, family relationships consistently failing, and general life dissatisfaction commonplace. The Torah teaches that in all such issues it is essential that we learn from Chachamim, people who understand the Torah approach to life challenges. 15 ‘Hameoros Hagedolim’, quoted in Mishel Avos, ibid. 16 Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvo 434. 17 Mitzvo 419.

MY WEEKLY HALACHIC QUESTION

Rabbi Avi Wiesenfeld

Rosh Yeshivas Beis Dovid Author “Kashrus in the Kitchen” & “The Pocket Halacha Series”

Travelling & Vacation

Halachah

(Part 2 of 2) Mezuzah

Feeding Animals

Q. When one rents an apartment or house, must it have a mezuzah while he stays there?

Q. Is one allowed to feed animals with food fit for humans?

A. The requirement to have a mezuzah depends on where the property is located, and on how long one is renting it:

ÂÂ In Eretz Yisrael, one must affix a mezuzah regardless of the duration of the rental.

ÂÂ Outside of Eretz Yisrael, it depends on the duration of the rental. If it is being rented for less than 30 days, there is no obligation to affix a mezuzah.2 If one rents an apartment or stays in a hotel room for more than 30 days, the poskim disagree about whether he must affix a mezuzah there or not.

Car Safety Q. What halachos should one be aware of when driving a car? A. Included in the Torah’s commandment, “‫“ – ”ונשמרתם מאד לנפשתיכם‬And you shall guard your lives well” (Devarim 4:15), is the requirement to drive safely. Some poskim include in this halacha a prohibition against driving over the speed limit.3 Also included in this halacha is a prohibition against speaking on a phone while driving, since doing so puts oneself and others in grave danger.

A. Yes, although many poskim say that bread should not be thrown to animals.5

Q. Must one was his hands with netilas yadayim after touching an impure animal? A. No, one does not have to wash netilas yadayim.6

A Church Q. Is one permitted to enter a church while sightseeing? A. No, one may not enter a church, even if it is for the purpose of sightseeing. However, one may enter adjacent buildings that are open for the public (e.g., washrooms), even if they are owned by the church. There is a dispute among the poskim if the same prohibition applies to entering a mosque.7

Q. Is one permitted to look at a church clock to see the time? A. One may look at such a clock since it was made for passers-by and not specifically for avodah zarah.8

Lo Sechanem

Ribbis

Q. May one praise the beauty of a non-Jew’s home, hotel, store, and the like?

Q. Is there any concern for forbidden ribbis (interest) when one borrows or changes money of different currencies?

A. Whenn one praises the non-Jew not with intent to find favour in his eyes, but with intent to praise the skill he had to have in order to make it, it is permitted.4

Q. May one tell a non-Jewish taxi driver to “keep the change” after a ride? A. This poses an issue of lo sechonem, however practically speaking, if not doing so will cause a chillul Hashem, or doing so will cause a Kiddush Hashem, then one should tell the driver to keep the change. 1 Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah 286:22. 2 Ibid. 3 See Shevet HaLeivi 6:112:1. 4 See Gemarah Avodah Zara 20, Shulchan Aruch 151.

A. One may not borrow money if he intends to pay back the loan with money of a different currency, if the currency with which one is paying back is worth more than the one which he borrowed. For example, one who borrowed 100 Canadian dollars may not repay the loan with 100 American dollars. However, if one pays back the loan with American currency equivalent to the value of the borrowed money at the time of payment (not at the time of the loan), it is permitted. Moreover, there may be a problem of ribbis even when one borrows money of a foreign 5 Mishnah Berurah 172:2. 6 Shulchan Aruch HaRav 97:3. 7 See Titz Eliezer 12:91:4. 8 Minchas Elazar 2:73.

currency and repays it with the same currency, if the transaction takes place in a country in which that currency is not widely used (for example, one borrows Israeli currency and pays it back using Israeli currency while in America). These halachos are complicated, and one should avoid paying back loans using a different currency prior to consulting a Rav.

Cutting in Line Q. Is there a real prohibition against cutting in line, such as a line waiting to pay at a supermarket? A. Yes. According to many poskim, cutting in line is tantamount to stealing.9

Q. Is one permitted to hold a place in the line for a friend? A. Yes. One may hold a place for a friend, but not for both himself and his friend.10

Killing Insects Q. Is killing insects included in the prohibition against causing pain to animals (tzaar baalei chayim)? A. There is no problem with killing insects that bother or disturb a person. One should not kill them needlessly, as they are Hashem’s creations, and just as “His mercy is upon all of His words,” we must also be merciful towards His creations.11 It is important to teach one’s children not to pain animals, since children often find small animals or insects and play with them. Buying from a Non-Jew as Opposed to a Jew Q. If one has a choice to buy either from a Jew or a non-Jew, is it preferable to buy from the Jew? A. There is a mitzvah to buy and support his fellow Jew.12 This mitzvah includes buying from a Jewish- owned store rather than a nonJewish-owned store, even if there is a small difference in price and buying from the Jew may be slightly more expensive.13 9 Rav Elyashiv zt”l quoted in “Peoples Money” (Bodner) page 78. 10 Ibid. 11 Nodah B’Yehudah Yoreh De’ah 2:10, Iggros Moshe Choshen Mishpot 2:47. 12 See Rashi Parshas Bahar 25:14, Rabbenu Bechaya, Chinuch Mitzvah 337, Ramo Yoreh De’ah 249:6. 13 Shut Be’er Moshe 2:120, Minchas Yitzchok 3:129.

Rabbi Shraga Kallus Rosh Kollel, 'The 2nd Seder Kollel'; 'Machon Hora'ah L'Rabanim'

riddle

Hadlakas Neiros Part II – Basic Rules

Q A

I just learned of the amazing importance of Hadlakas Neiros. What are the reasons why we light candles on Friday night? Should I be spending money to light with oil? There are three basic reasons given for the Mitzvah of Hadlakas Neiros: (1) K’vod Shabbos: Whenever there is an important meal, there are candles lit. One way of showing honor to Shabbos is by having lights heralding the onset of this special day. (2) Oneg Shabbos: Eating a meal in a well-lit area makes the food more enjoyable. (3) Shalom Bayis: If one’s house is dark, one may come to injury, and a Shabbos which is not well-lit will not be one of peace and harmony. The words of Shulchan Aruch imply that it is most optimal to kindle Shabbos lights of olive oil. Chazon Ish explains that olive oil was preferable because in the time of Shulchan Aruch it produced the most beautiful light. In practice, wax candles and liquid paraffin produce a light more beautiful than that of oil, therefore they would take precedence over olive oil. However, there are reasons Al Pi Kabbalah to light with olive oil, and therefore some are accustomed to always have two candles, those of Zachor V’Shamor, of olive oil. The remaining candles should be lit with the best type of light, either candles or paraffin.

Adapted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky

Rabbi Slansky can be contacted at avislansky@gmail.com

Thank you to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

CLUE

Rashi waits a few Parshios after this one to clear this problem up for us.

ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK [Question: In this week's Parshah a place has a second name, however Rashi in a previous Parsha tells us that this place in fact has two other names. This place it seems has four names in total three of them come in one Parsha and one of those three plus another one comes in our Parsha. What are the four names in total and where previously did Rashi tell us this information?

In this week’s Parsha(Perek 4 Possuk 48) we come across the town of Chermon which is also known as Siyon. In Parshas Devorim(Perek 3 Possuk 9) the same place Chermon is given there an additional two names; Siryon snd Senir. So the town of Chermon has in total three other names; Siyon, Siryon and Senir.

ANSWERS 1. The Vilna Gaon explains that the first five species are foods consumed in their natural state. The last two are separated since the by-product of the fruit is used. They are used for the juice. The problem with this is that grapes are also mainly used for their juice as seen in the halochos of sechita, squeezing juices, on Shabbos that olive oil and grape juice is stricter since they are used mainly for their juice? The Meshech Chochma explains that in Mitzrayim they did not have naturally olives and honey. This is seen in that when the Jews complained in the desert about having things in Mitzrayim they only mention the first three fruits of these minim (see Parshas Chukas 20:5). Therefore the Torah adds the word “Eretz” before the last two minim since these are special to Eretz Yisroel! 2. Some differences: the brocha acharoina, end brocha; instead of a normal borei nefoshois we say Al HoEitz. Additionally, bikkurim are only brought from fruit of the shivas haminim

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The Shivas Haminim, the seven fruits that Eretz Yisroel is praised for, occur in this week’s Parsha. However one of them the Torah calls Devash. We automatically assume this is dates ie honey that comes from dates and not bees. Where in Sefer Devorim does Rashi confirm this as he says nothing about it in our Parsha?

Parsha

Halacha from

QUESTION

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NORTH WEST LONDON’S WEEKLY TORAH & 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

11TH AUGUST 2018

'‫ פרק ה‬:‫פרקי אבות‬ ‫יז‬:‫טז‬-‫כו‬:‫ יא‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

SHABBOS TIMES FOR LONDON, UK ‫מוצאי שבת‬ ( 9.45PM

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1.06PM

10:36 AM

‫סו"ז ק"ש מג"א סו"ז ק"ש גר"א‬ 9.22AM

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5.39AM

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8.17PM

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Rabbi Zev Leff Rav of Moshav Matityahu

The author can be contacted at zevleff@gmail.com

Ahavas Chesed The Love of Kindness

Parshah

Grant truth to Jacob, kindness Abraham, as you swore to our forefathers from ancient times (Michah 7:20) In the first, second, fourth, and fifth years of the seven-year shemittah cycle, Jews living in Eretz Yisrael were commanded to separate a tenth of their crops and bring them to Jerusalem to eat. In the third and six years of the cycle, that tenth was given to the poor as ma’aser ani. At first glance, it would seem that the order of ma’aser sheni and ma’aser ani should have been reversed. Why were the landowners not required to first share with the poor and only subsequently to enjoy their produce in Jerusalem. In other words, why was ma’aser ani not given at the beginning of the threeyear cycle, and only then ma’aser sheni? Rambam (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:2) writes that one must give tzedakah with a joyous countenance, and that giving with a disgruntled mien negates the mitzvah. Thus we see that the attitude with which one gives tzedakah is intrinsic to the mitzvah itself. The prophet Michah (5:17) defines that which G-d wants from us as “to do justice, love, chesed, and walk modestly with G-d.” And in the concluding blessing of Shemoneh Esrei we thank Hashem for giving us, “through the light of His countenance a Torah of life and a love of chesed.” It is not enough to do chesed. One must love chesed. More than any other positive commandment, writes Rambam, tzedakah is a sign of the essence of a Jew. It is the very fibre of Jewish existence and the source of our future redemption. (Pirkei Avos 2:13), refers to an attitude which fosters chesed. The goal of our striving in this world is the perfection of our neshamos. The mitzvos are the means to achieving this goal. There are two mitzvos

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

which enable us to emulate Hashem as He relates to us. ON is talmud Torah. Through the study of Torah we attach ourselves to G-d’s mind, as it were, as He created the world. The second is chesed. The basis of all existence is G-d’s desire to do chesed to His creation. Hence when we do acts of chesed with a strong desire, we follow in Hashem’s footsteps. Avraham discovered Hashem through the characteristic of chesed of recognizing the chesed inherent in the creation. He so longed to perform acts of chesed, that even when he sat in great agony after his own bris milah, he suffered when no guests appeared. Our mother Rivkah, too, was distinguished by her love of chesed. It was for that quality alone that Eliezer tested her. We are now prepared to understand the order of ma’aser sheni and ma’aser ani. By commanding us to bring one-tenth of our crops to Jerusalem to rejoice there, Hashem taught us two vital lessons. The first is that our material possessions are a present from Hashem and He can dictate how we use that material bounty. The second is that using material wealth in the way prescribed by Hashem generates feelings of joy and sanctity.

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Once we have internalized these lessons in the first two years of the cycle, we can offer that bounty to the poor in the third year — not perfunctorily but with a true love of chesed. The letters of Elul hint to the verse, “ am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me,” signifying our intensified relationship with Hashem leading up to the Yamim Noraim. To achieve this we must condition ourselves not only to do chesed but to love it.

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SEDRA SUMMARY Thank you to Chabad.org Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17 “See,” says Moshe to the Bnei Yisrael, “I place before you today a blessing and a curse”—the blessing that will come when they fulfill Hashem’s commandments, and the curse if they abandon them. These should be proclaimed on Har Gerizim and Har Eval when the people cross over into the Holy Land. A Temple should be established in “the place that Hashem will choose to make dwell His name there,” where the people should bring their sacrifices to Him; it is forbidden to make offerings to Hashem in any other place. It is permitted to slaughter animals elsewhere, not as a sacrifice but to eat their meat; the blood (which in the Beis Hamikdash is poured upon the altar), however, may not be eaten. A false prophet, or one who entices others to worship idols, should be put to death; an idolatrous city must be destroyed. The identifying signs for kosher animals and fish, and the list of non-kosher birds (first given in Vayikra 11), are repeated. A tenth of all produce is to be eaten in Yerushalayim, or else exchanged for money with which food is purchased and eaten there. In certain years this tithe is given to the poor instead. Firstborn cattle and sheep are to be offered in the Temple, and their meat eaten by the kohanim. The mitzvah of charity obligates a Jew to aid a needy fellow with a gift or loan. On the Shmitta year, all loans are to be forgiven. All indentured servants are to be set free after six years of service. Our Parshah concludes with the laws of the shalosh regalim, Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkos —when all should go to “see and be seen” before Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash.

For forty years in the midbar the Jewish people ate mon. Guided by Moshe Rabbeinu, engaged in constant Torah study with every physical need taken care of, the Klal Yisrael lived on a lofty spiritual plane. Now that they were being ushered into a different era – entering Eretz Yisroel where they would begin living in a natural manner – they were given many directives to retain their status as an exalted nation. One of the points that Moshe Rabbeinu made to the Klal Yisrael is that when they settled the land and followed the Torah, they would find

Parshah Consumerism and the Overspent Generation

“When Hashem your G-d will broaden your boundary as He spoke to you, and you say, “I will eat meat,” for you will have a desire to eat meat, to your heart’s entire desire you may eat meat.” – Devarim 12:20 success in their endeavors, and Hashem would expand their borders. When this would occur, they would desire meat. And they would be allowed to eat it anywhere they wished. Rashi is bothered by the relationship between the expanding of borders and the “desire to eat meat.” It almost implies that the expansion of borders brings on the desire. Rashi explains that the Torah is teaching us a principle in derech eretz. A person should only desire meat when he can afford it. When Hashem expands our borders and we enjoy financial success, then it is appropriate to desire meat – not before. This Rashi seems difficult to understand. What is wrong with desiring meat? The Torah might tell me that if I can’t afford meat, I shouldn’t eat it. If it is beyond my means and purchasing it would create an undue expense, I shouldn’t buy any. But what is wrong with just desiring it?

Pleasures and Lusts The answer to this can be best understood with a moshol. Imagine that you find yourself shipwrecked on a desert island. You haven’t eaten in three days, and you are driven by one burning desire – food. As you hobble along the island, you notice a brown paper bag under a palm tree. You open it up to find a dry peanut butter sandwich that has sat out in the sun for three months. You gulp down that sandwich with more gusto than anything that you have ever eaten in your life. Here is the question: how much pleasure did you derive from eating that sandwich? There is no question that you had a powerful urge, a very real desire, but how much enjoyment did you receive from that activity? The answer is not much. It certainly relieved your hunger, and in that sense brought a release from pain, but it would be hard to imagine that for the rest of your life you would be reminiscing back to the sensation of the bitter, spoiled peanut butter and dry, cracked bread as it scratched your throat when you swallowed it. This is a good example of the distinction between pleasure and lust. You ate that sandwich with great desire – a lot of passion – but you didn’t derive much pleasure from that

activity. Lust is the pull to engage in a given activity. Pleasure is the amount of enjoyment you receive from it. As unusual as it may sound, most people fail to make a distinction between pleasures and passions.

Hashem wants us to be happy This seems to be the answer to the Rashi. While it is true that life is a battle, and exerting self-control is the primary vehicle of growth, Hashem created us to be happy. If you bring new desires into your world, desires that you can’t possibly fulfill, you are destined to be miserable. You will be constantly wanting, constantly hungry. Your life will become the opposite of a pleasurable existence. The Torah is teaching us that our desires are things that we can and need to control. If you have the capacity to meet the desire to eat meat, there is nothing wrong with allowing those desires to surface. Hashem created many pleasures for man to enjoy, and you should use those pleasures to better serve Him. But if you don’t have the means to fulfill those hungers and you allow them to be present, then you will be living a very uncomfortable existence, constantly hungering for something that can’t be met. When Hashem grants you abundance and you can afford luxuries, then you will desire meat – but not before. The Torah is educating us into a higher form of living. When you enjoy the pleasures and control your desires, you use this world for its intended purpose, thereby living b’shleimus – complete, not lacking.

Consumerism - a national culture of competitive acquisitions This concept is very applicable as we are the Chosen Nation – expected to be above the rest of the nations. Unfortunately, that sense of living at a higher standard can become perverted into materialism, where the expectation is that for people like “us,” nothing less than the best will do. And so our weddings, our wardrobes, our homes, and our cars have to be the best. The way our children dress and

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Parshah

parshas re’eh Imagine you were the military officer responsible for monitoring the airspace in the UK or better yet the United States. Your evening shifts are filled with quiet and calm, but you diligently monitor the screen knowing the chain of command and your responsibility. Your country, friends and family rely on you and their security rests in your hands. Suddenly, late one night when all seems quiet, the siren starts HOWLING and in big letters on your screen is the word ‘LAUNCH’! It is the highest alert possible and everything checks out in order. What do you do? As you sit there the alarm goes off again and a second missile has been launched! Then a third and a fourth and a fifth! The computers no longer say missile ’launch’ but ‘missile strike’. Every second you delay puts your countrymen, friends and family one step closer to destruction. What would you do now? On September 26, 1983, this was Stanislav Petrov’s dilemma. The fate of the world rested in his hands and making one decision would plunge the world into nuclear war and the other, peace during the Cold War. The parsha begins with Moshe telling the Jewish People, ‘See, this day I have set before you blessing and curse. Blessing, if you obey the mitzvos of Hashem your G-d that I command you today and curse if you do not obey the commandments of Hashem your G-d…’. When looking at the pasuk in Hebrew one is struck by several questions. Firstly, why does the pasuk use the term ‘see’ when Moshe is speaking to klal Yisrael? Secondly, the pasuk begins

in the singular by stating see/‫ ְר ֵאה‬, and then it switches to the plural when it says before you/ ‫לִ ְפנֵ יכֱ ם‬. Rashi tells us these are the blessings and curses that will later be recited on Har Gerizim and Har Eval. If this is so, then why does Moshe say he is setting before klal Yisrael blessings and curses ‘this day’ when it takes place after the Bnei Yisrael cross the Jordan river when standing at Har Gerizim and Eval? Finally, the gemarah in Sota tells us that when the Bnei Yisrael stood at Har Gerizim and Eval they were divided by tribes. Six stood on Har Gerizim and six stood on Har Eval. Why were the Jewish people split in half at the time of the giving of the blessings and curses rather than having them all stand together as a whole?

the scales. Additionally, this is why they were told see/‫ ְר ֵאה‬because they actually needed to see for themselves that they were split into two halves and the well-being of klal Yisroel and the world depended on them! Moreover, the pasuk continues in the plural saying before you/‫ לִ ְפנֵ יכֱ ם‬to impress upon every individual that the Jewish community and people are dependent upon them and one action means the difference between blessing and curse. Finally, the pasuk tells uses the word ‘this day’/ ‫ היום‬to stress to us that every day each of us must see our lives as literally hanging in the balance. One mitzvah or aveirah changes everything not only in our own lives but the entire world!

The sefer Be’er Yosef provides an insightful answer to our questions based on the Talmud in Kiddushin 40b. The Talmud says that each person should see themselves as if they are half guilty and half innocent. If they do one mitzvah they tip the scales to innocent and if they do one aveirah they tip the scales to guilty. Furthermore, Rabbi Eliezer bar Rabbi Shimon says if the world is judged according to the majority and if a person does one mitzvah they are praiseworthy and the whole world is judged meritoriously and if they do one aveirah they tip the scales and the whole world is judged accordingly. This is why the bnei Yisrael were split up on Har Gerizim and Har Eval to instil in them the enormous obligation they bear for each other and the world. They were to see that blessing and curse hang in the balance and one mitzvah or aveirah would tip

About 10 years ago, on our way to shul during Rosh Hashanah a friend and I were discussing the concept of judgement and the negative associations many people had with it. During the conversation, he made the most stunning and life changing comment that has stuck with me all these years. It is one I have taught my children and family. He said judgement can be a good thing because it means your actions have importance and impact. It means you, and what you do, matter. As we stand prepared to embrace the month of Elul and make the necessary preparations for Rosh Hashanah maybe there are two messages we need to take with us. One that we need to truly view ourselves, klal Yisroel and the world as hanging in the balance and one mitzvah can change everything. Secondly, that each one of us and our actions are important.

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the types of toys that they expect are nothing short of top-notch. And we find ourselves with an ever-increasing cost of living. When barely surviving in our communities means that we are expected to earn three to four times the national median household income, something is wrong with our lifestyle. We live in times of mass prosperity where the average person is rich, but to enjoy that

great bracha, we must maintain control. Everything in this world was created for man’s use – but it must be used properly, in balance, in the right time, and in the right measure. When man does that, he enjoys his short stay on this planet and accomplishes his purpose in Creation. For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #156 Get out of Debt

Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz.com – The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of charge at www.theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz App for iphone or Android. Simply text the word “TheShmuz” to the number 313131 and a link will be sent to your phone to download the App.

Rabbi Dr Abraham Twerski

Founder and Medical Director Emeritus Gateway Rehabilitation Center

The author can be contacted at

Building Self-Esteem in Children

Hashkafa

To help your children attain self-esteem, you need to develop your own self-esteem. Whenever I lecture on self-esteem, I am invariably asked, “What can we do to give our children self-esteem?” Many parents notice that even their young children have self-esteem problems. My answer is that selfesteem is contagious. Parents who feel secure, confident and good about themselves will pass that feeling on to their children. Parents who are anxious, insecure and have low selfesteem are likely to pass that feeling on to their children. Therefore, to help your children attain self-esteem, develop your own self-esteem.

and teaching, they may grow up without a sense of responsibility and dignity.

I also recommend a book by Dr. Patricia Berne, Building Self-Esteem in Children. It is an excellent book, but I take issue with Dr. Berne on one point. She says that “if you have given your children self-esteem, you have given them everything. If you have not given them self-esteem, then whatever else you may have given them has little value.” My disagreement with her is that you cannot give your children self-esteem, any more than you can give them happiness. You can only provide them with the love, care and environment that is conducive to self-esteem. You can give them the building blocks, but they have to develop self-esteem by themselves.

The waitress returned with the parents’ orders, and in front of the child she set two hot dogs and a coke. The mother was horrified, but the child grinned from ear to ear and said, “Look, Mummy! She thinks I’m real.”

Parenting a child is the most important thing we will do in our lives. Parenting is a skill, and in today’s world in which children face unprecedented challenges, parenting requires great skill. We are not all born intuitive parents, nor can we rely on raising our children the way our parents raised us. The world is changing rapidly and previous techniques may not be adequate. It is crucial that young parents-tobe learn parenting skills before they have to apply them. There are a variety of theories on parenting, and each authority feels his method is most effective. There is really no way to determine which one is best. What is most important is that both parents agree on a particular method and apply it consistently. Children caught between two different methods, or inconsistent parents, may be confused and unable to develop a proper course in life. Parenting for self-esteem is somewhat like walking a tightrope. There is not too much room for deviation in either direction. If children are not allowed to exercise their decision-making skills because the parents do everything for them, they may never develop self-confidence. If children receive no guidance

Parents took their six-year-old son to a restaurant. After taking the parents’ orders, the waitress turned to the child, “And what will you have?” The child responded, “Two hot dogs with lots of mustard and a coke.” The mother smiled to the waitress and said, “You can bring him roast beef with mashed potatoes and vegetables.”

Parents must give their children an opportunity to feel that they are real, and that they are people, very much a part of the family, but distinct entities in their own right. Children should be permitted to make age-appropriate decisions. Their feelings should be respected, and yes, even their right to privacy should be respected. Respecting a child’s feelings means realizing that a child has the right to have feelings. There are some feelings that we consider objectionable, and it is only if we recognize that the child has these feelings that we can help him cope with them and redirect them, wherever possible, to constructive channels. How should you react if a child expresses a desire for something treife? “I could sure go for one of those burgers.” Would you say to him, “What a terrible thing to say! No good Jewish child would think that way?” If so, then you are at odds with the Talmud that I cited earlier that says that, “A person should not say, ‘I do not want pork.’ Rather, one should say, ‘I do want pork, but my Father in Heaven has forbidden it’ “ (cited in Rashi, Vayikra 20:26). Condemning a child for feelings over which he has no control is giving him the notion that he is inherently bad. Rather, this is an opportunity for a parent to explain to the child that there may be many things we may desire, but inasmuch as we live by the Will of Hashem as revealed in the Torah, we may not have some things that we desire. But what if a child says, “I hate mummy!” Should the response be, “That’s terrible! Hate is an awful feeling. You should never hate anyone, and certainly not your mother”? The child has a negative feeling toward mummy, if only because she refused to buy him the candy

or toy that he wanted. The fact is that the child does not hate mummy, but is using the word “hate” to express his anger at her, because he does not know any other words to use. This may be an opportunity to tell the child, “I don’t think you really hate mummy. I think what you mean is that you are very angry with her. You know, sometimes you do things which may make me angry, but even when I’m angry at you, I still love you very much.” (By the way, do not assume that words that children use mean the same thing to them as they do to you. Try to find out just what the child means by a word he uses. Just as “I hate” may really mean “I’m angry,” the expression “I wish he were dead” is not the horrible thing you may take it to mean. The child may have no idea what “dead” means, and may be saying only, “I wish he would go away for a while.”) You may then try to explain to the child that there are times when daddy and mummy will not give him what he wants because they know it is not good for him. You understand that this may make him angry, but that as parents, you must do what is best for him. The child may not grasp this or agree with it, but you have validated the fact that he has a negative feeling, and even that you can understand why a juvenile mind would feel that way. I’m not sure that even if a child’s feeling is “hate,” that the parent has a right to simply condemn it. The mitzvah “Do not hate your brother in your heart” (Vayikra 19:17) is unfortunately not universally observed even by adults. A parent should do some serious soulsearching to find whether he has eradicated all residuals of hatred within himself as the Torah requires. We teach our children best by modelling. If a child can become aware that the parent does not hate anyone, there is a much better chance that he can be helped to overcome this feeling. Rather than denying the child’s feeling, the parent may help him understand why hatred is a destructive feeling, and that he should try to overcome it. The parent will first have to have recourse to the mussar [personal growth] writings that teach how to eliminate hatred in himself. These teachings may be beyond what a child can understand, but if the parent succeeds at this, he can better convey it to the child. If a child’s perception of reality is dismissed as incorrect, he may lose confidence in his ability to make judgments. When father and mother have a loud interchange, and the child

23 says, “Why were you and Daddy fighting?” it is foolish to say, “Daddy and Mummy were not fighting.” Rather, you might say, “Daddy and Mummy were disagreeing on something, and just got carried away and shouted instead of talking. But Daddy and Mummy always makeup” (or I hope they do). Of course, Daddy and Mummy should learn how to disagree without shouting at each other.

Halacha from

Obviously, children require discipline. Parents should learn effective ways of disciplining without shaming or ridiculing the child. I must repeat a personal experience that I have related elsewhere. When my father disapproved of something I did, he would say in Yiddish, “Es past nisht” (That does not become you. It is beneath your dignity). I was not told that I was bad, but rather that what I did was inappropriate for someone as good as me.

Rabbi Shraga Kallus

Children need positive strokes. We “catch” our children doing wrong things. The good things they do may be taken for granted. We should make an effort to “catch” our children doing right things at least three times a day and commend them for it. A five-year-old girl was given a new jump rope, and she proceeded to try to jump. Her parents clapped loudly at her performance and then went on to do their things. A bit later, the child approached her parents, saying, “I think I can do it, but I need more clapping.” Parents must be careful not to “use” their children. When I see a two-year-old wearing designer clothes, I wonder if these were bought because of their quality or because the parents wanted others to see that their child was wearing designer clothes. Whereas designer clothes for a two-year-old is rather innocent, insisting on what school the son or daughter must attend because of its prestige for the parents, or what family he or she must marry into to suit the parents’ social standing, is far from innocent. Parents must make an effort to know their children, to know their talents and strengths and to help the child maximize his/her unique potential. Children should not be demanded to do something beyond their physical and psychological maturation. In my early days as a Rabbi, I prepared boys for Bar-Mitzvah. There was one boy who was absolutely tone-deaf. I had no idea how he would ever chant the Haftarah. The father insisted that he must be the chazzan, and when the boy said that he couldn’t, the father shouted, “What’s the matter with you? Don’t you want to be a Jew?” Hopefully, most parents exercise much better intelligence and judgment, but sometimes a parent may not be aware why the child does not perform up to his expectations. A father who had hoped that his son would be a sports athlete may be bitterly disappointed if the child cannot hit or catch a ball. In such a case, it is the father who must correct unrealistic expectations, and encourage the child to develop the skills he does possess. Children did not ask to be brought into the world. The parents who brought them into the world owe them the best shot at developing themselves to the fullest and, within the parents’ means, the best opportunities to achieve self-esteem and happiness. Although we cannot expect young children to keep a journal, we can help them make use of some of the suggestions I made. For example, in the evening, ask the child about the events of the day. Sometimes you might ask, “What did you like best about today?” or “Was there anything you didn’t like today?” These are openings to give a child the opportunity to look at the positives and a chance to get help with the negatives. To do this, parents must set aside some time to talk with the child, which is in itself a good self-esteem builder. A very simple way to help children build their self-esteem is for the family to eat together. In “Family Meals May Prevent Teen Problems,” APA Monitor, 28 (10), 8, Oct. 1997, the researchers found that the best readers from elementary through high school came from families that ate their meals together. These children develop more extensive vocabularies at an earlier age, are better equipped to articulate, and score two to three grade levels higher on standardized reading tests. The family mealtime created a sense of belonging and allowed parents to keep abreast of what was going on with their children. An excerpt from Dr. Twerski’s new book “Ten Steps to Being Your Best”.

Rosh Kollel, 'The 2nd Seder Kollel'; 'Machon Hora'ah L'Rabanim'

Hadlokas Neiros

Part III – Understanding the Bracha

I do not understand, all Mitzvos we make the Bracha prior to the performance, so why is the Bracha on candle-lighting made after the candles are kindled? And, why do we cover our eyes?

The Poskim explain that when lighting Shabbos candles it is not possible to recite the Bracha and then light the candles. This is due to the concern that the words of the Bracha, “L’Hadlik Neir Shel Shabbos”, are an implicit acceptance of Shabbos, thus forbidding lighting the candles afterwards. Due to this concern, Ashkenazi custom is to light the candles and only afterward make the Bracha In order to connect the subsequent Bracha with the earlier lighting, the custom is for the woman to cover her eyes with her hands while reciting the Bracha. This practice guarantees that no benefit is derived from the candles until the Bracha is recited. Only once the Bracha is completed should she uncover her eyes and enjoy the candlelight. [After the Bracha is recited, one should open her eyes and derive benefit from the light before Davening. This achieves that there is no unnecessary interruption, Hefseik, between the Bracha and the Mitzvah.] On Yom Tov, since one is allowed to light a candle (from an existing flame), it is possible to recite the Bracha and then light the candles. Unless one has a specific custom otherwise, this is the preferable course of action.

Adapted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky

Rabbi Slansky can be contacted at avislansky@gmail.com FIND RABBI KALLUS'S SHIURIM ON TORAHANYTIME.COM

Bronx Former Shuls Tour: A Review

By Sergey Kadinsky

The landscape of the Grand Concourse in the Bronx resembles Queens History Boulevard, with a five-mile procession of middle-class apartment buildings along a wide thoroughfare of local and express lanes. Among the apartments are dozens of buildings that have Jewish features on them, reminders of a bygone era in that borough’s history. “The buildings are still standing. For the most part, they’ve become churches,” said Ellen Levitt, author of Lost Synagogues of the Bronx and Queens, an encyclopedic guide to the current conditions of former synagogue facilities. On Sunday, July 10, she gave a tour of the Grand Concourse’s former congregations. “Most of them closed by the 1970s, but the buildings are still standing.” My connection to the Grand Concourse goes back to my high school days, when I had a couple of friends who lived in the neighborhood. They were not Jewish, but their apartments had mezuzos hidden behind layers of paint. It piqued my curiosity, and I was told by their parents that the neighborhood was once overwhelmingly Jewish. The 22 tour participants included residents of all boroughs and nearby suburbs, mostly middle-aged and elderly, who were either raised in the neighborhood or grew up hearing about it. “I moved out in 1974 and was among the last,” said Flatbush resident Joel Schnur. “It was a dangerous neighborhood. I carried a knife daily, except on Shabbos, and used it on a couple of occasions.” The tour began at the corner of Tremont Avenue and the Grand Concourse, where blue paint had covered the brick arched windows and Stars of David on a Christian nursery school. “This is the former Temple Zion,” said Levitt. The elaborate decorative elements of many former synagogues evoked a bygone culture whose people had left the neighborhood entirely while leaving behind plenty of evidence. In contrast to the former shuls in Arab countries and Eastern Europe, in New York’s inner-city neighborhoods relocation was voluntary. “Sometimes it was under economic duress. They wanted to move to nicer neighborhoods,” said Levitt. In the years following World War II, this meant trading in the relatively spacious apartments of the Grand Concourse for the backyards and driveways of the suburbs, following the patterns of the general population. A public school teacher, Levitt developed an interest in former shuls while driving by the shul she had attended as a girl. “In April 1999, I decided to see what had become of the synagogue. Once known as Shaare Torah, in Brooklyn’s Flatbush section, it had morphed into the Salem Missionary Baptist Church,”

said Levitt. “I snapped photos of the site, on East 21st Street and Albemarle Road.” Some former synagogues have so many Jewish architectural elements on them that, if not for the metal church signs nailed to the façades, one could assume that the neighborhood is still Jewish. “These lost synagogues are intriguing. We can appreciate them for their past: how they were created, how they flourished, how they declined,” said Levitt. Turning a corner on 177th Street, the tour passed by a park built on vacant land in 1993, busy with teens playing basketball; but a reminder of why many Jews had left by the 1970s was also at that location – in the form of memorial candles on the sidewalk for a homicide victim. Two police officers stood by the makeshift tribute. Sandwiched between the playground and a parking lot, a Pentecostal church bears the engraved name of an earlier occupant, Congregation Mesilath Yeshurun, which had its last services here in 1975. While the police officers appeared surprised to see a tour group on Walton Avenue, the church was in the middle of Sunday services, aware of the building’s past and inviting the visitors to take a glimpse of the sanctuary, where Christian slogans took the place of memorial plaque on walls. From my own experience leading walking tours, limiting one’s script exclusively to the topic at hand leaves out things that the group saw in between, such as the flourishing community gardens built on empty lots, prewar public schools designed in the Collegiate Gothic style that evokes elite universities, and the Puerto Rican, Dominican, and West African newcomers who moved into the Bronx neighborhoods vacated by Jews. Levitt’s background as a teacher made her a natural to give tours based on her ability to lecture in front of large audiences. Nevertheless, precautions should be kept in mind before giving a tour. When a tour route is organized, it is best to take a dry run ahead of the tour date to make sure that there is enough to see along the way, to anticipate questions from participants based on the surroundings, and that the route is realistic depending on the age, physical abilities, and weather conditions. As a native of the neighborhood, Schnur often added his personal insights to the guide’s

narration, but he should not have appeared as more knowledgeable than the guide. On the opposite end of the age spectrum were Batsheva and Danny Solomon, a young Brooklyn couple pushing a double stroller. “We were dropping off a brother in Queens and were looking for something to do. We found this tour online,” said Danny Solomon. Coming from the borough with the largest Jewish population, they were surprised to walk down 169th Street, which was the Bronx’s synagogue row of the mid-20th century. “They even had a mikvah here,” said Solomon. Like them, I was puzzled to learn that so many expensive structures were abandoned within the span of a decade. I did not know how tough it was in those days, when neighborhoods were redlined by banks, properties sold in fire-sales by blockbusting real estate agents, or burned for insurance by owners. Such neighborhoods were subjected to disinvestment that led to an uptick in crime while services and infrastructure deteriorated. Certain neighborhoods had highways carved through their hearts. It was a New York unimaginable for today’s young adults, who only know of the city as a place where people want to live, paying premium prices to do so. The sight of doorways with traces of mezuzos and Hebrew letters on churches serves as a reminder of the ephemerality of exile. Whether it is Baghdad, Warsaw, or a borough whose population was nearly half Jewish in 1930, these places were all temporary stops in the historical journey of the Jewish people. Reprinted from the July 12, 2016 edition of the Queens Jewish Link. For a free copy, please forward your request to keren18@juno.com

Rabbi Binyomin Hoffman

Parsha Pages

The author can be contacted at leibhoff@gmail.com

‫אור החיים על התורה‬

Parshah

“See, I present before you today a blessing and a curse. (Es ha’beracha) (11,26) The blessing: that you hearken to the commandments of Hashem….” Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh in his commentary points out that the word “es” seems to be superfluous. The word “es (and),” is an adjunct is coming to include something that is not explicitly mentioned in the verse. There is a Positive Commandment, “You shall fear (revere) Hashem. (Es Hashem Elokecha Tirah).” The Gemara explains that the word “es,” which in its own right has no interpretation, however indicates an adjunct to the subject matter being discussed (which is the reverence of Hashem in this case), is coming to include Torah Sages. The Torah requires one to revere the Torah Sage no less than one must revere Hashem Himself. Regarding the verse in the Portion of Re’eh, what is the word “es” coming to include, regarding the blessing that one will receive if one adheres to the Torah? Ohr HaChaim continues, “In addition to the blessing that one will receive if he follows the ways of Hashem, one will merit another ornament (benefit). What is this additional benefit? When one engages in Torah study he will experience a degree of pleasure and joy that is extraordinary and overwhelmingly positive. This unique pleasure and joy will bring life to his spirit. As it states in Yeshiya, ‘When you hear it (Torah) your spirit will be enlivened.’ Just as one is able to sense things with his physical senses, the Jew is able to sense the exquisite taste of Torah. Rather than one seeking reward for studying Torah, one who truly senses its delight, will feel obligated to his benefactor (Hashem) for giving him such an overwhelming degree of pleasure and joy.” Thus, the word “es” regarding the blessing for adhering to the Torah, is coming to include not only the knowledge and wisdom of its truth, but also the unlimited degree of pleasure and joy that one will experience. This is the additional benefit hat the Jew will receive by adhering to the Torah. The Gemara in Tractate Kiddushin states, “I (Hashem) have created the evil inclination, and the Torah as its antidote.” It seems from the Gemara that if one engages in Torah study, he will naturally incapacitate his evil inclination. Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains that it is only when the Torah is studied for its own sake (lishmah), that it has the capacity to act as an antidote against the evil inclination and protect the individual from its influence. However, the Torah that is studied not for its own sake (shelo lishmah) will not being about this effect. It will not be an antidote against the evil inclination. One would think that engaging in Torah study is

in itself sufficient to counter the evil inclination, regardless of one’s intent. “You shall Obliterate their names from that place…” (12,3) Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains on an allusionary level this is referring to the spiritual conflict between good and evil. We as physical beings are only privy to see the physical world around us. However, the only reason the physical world has any value, is because it has a spiritual counterpart that is associated with it, which gives it value and potency. For example, the verse states regarding the exodus from Egypt, “They saw Egypt traveling behind them.” If the Torah was referring to the Egyptian army that was pursuing the Jewish people, it should have referred to them in the plural (i.e. Egyptians). Rashi cites Chazal who explain that the verse is referring to the archangel of Egypt that was pursuing the Jewish people. Ultimately when the archangel of Egypt was incapacitated/ destroyed, the Egyptian people no longer exist. The physical world is only a reflection of its spiritual counterpart. Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh continues that the way evil is obliterated in the world is by incapacitating and destroying the spiritual forces that correspond to that evil. When the Torah commands us to “obliterate their names (of idolatry)” it is in fact referring to the ability of the Jew to destroy the spiritual counterparts of evil by acting within the context of the Torah. When the Jew increases and intensifies his good deeds, he will be able to destroy the evil that is obvious and concealed in the world (the power of satan). When the Jew sanctifies Hashem’s Name he intensifies the power of holiness and purity in the world – thus weakening and dispelling the evil forces from existence. However, when the Jew transgresses and violates the Torah, he empowers the nether forces/evil and undermines the Altar of Hashem. “You should surety give” (15,10) Rashi explains even many times according to the needs of the person in a way that does not embarrass. A story is told about the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh. One time a Talmid Chacham came to Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh and requested his assistance. Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh agreed on the condition that the Talmid Chacham first relate verses from the Torah where two of the same letters were connected together from the letters Aleph through Tav. The Talmid Chacham replied that he would do so but he first stated

that there was no such combination for the letter “‫ ”ע‬in Tanach. He then preceded to list: )‫ ג‬,‫ומקללך אארו (ראשית יב‬ )‫ז‬,‫בשבתך בביתך (דברים ו‬ )‫ ח‬,‫ועשית מעקה לגגך (דברים כב‬ )‫ מט‬,‫דדו או בן דדו יגאלנו (ויקרא כה‬ )‫ יא‬,‫וישכב במקום ההוא (בראשית כח‬ )‫י‬,‫ווי העמודים (שמות כו‬ )‫ט‬,‫על מזזות ביתך (דברים ו‬ )‫ כב‬,‫חח ונזם (שמות לה‬ )‫ו‬,‫והיו לטטפות (דברים ו‬ )‫ טו‬,‫ובחרת בחיים (דברים ל‬ )‫ג‬,‫ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה (במדבר ל‬ )‫ ח‬,‫וללי אמר (דברים ל‬ )‫ ו‬,‫ממלכת כהנים (שמות יט‬ )‫ ו‬,‫ושננתם לבניך (דברים י‬ )‫ ג‬,‫ויסעו מרעמסס (במדבר לג‬ )‫חפף עליו כל היום (דברים לג יב‬ )‫ ט‬,‫בחצצרות על עולותיכם (במדבר י‬ )‫ ב‬,‫חלקת מחקק ספון (דברים לג‬ )‫ יד‬,‫וימררו את חייהם (שמות א‬ )‫ ב‬,‫שש משזר (שמות לט‬ Before stating the letter “‫ ”ת‬the Talmid Chacham stopped and say that the Holy Rabbi should now bless him as promised. Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh agreed and gave him a proper beracha and nice sum of money. Then the Talmid Chacham proceeded to the final verse: )‫ י‬,‫נתון ותתן לו (דברים טו‬ The verse implies that the given needs to give and give again. Therefore, Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh was pleased with the ingenuity of the Talmid Chacham and proceeded to give him another sum of money.

Parsha riddle Thank you to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

QUESTION

Question: The four types of animals listed as having only one Siman of Taharah and therefore are Ossur to eat are repeated here from what we have already been told in a previous Parsha in Sefer Vayikro. Find anything strange? CLUE The four animals according to one opinion in the Medrash represent the four Goluyois. ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK Question: There is one Daf and Omud somewhere in Shas that has on it two Marei Mekomois from the Mesoras HaShas the commentary of Rabbi Yeshaya Pick both times they are on two different Toisfos on that Omud and both times he refers us to two different Toisfos with the same Dibur Hamaschil from the same Perek in Shas but on different Dafim in that Perek. Which Dafim of which Perek of which Masechta does he refer us to look at the two Toisfos? In Maseches Shabbos (Daf 89a) the Mesoiras Hashas refers us to Bovo Kamma Perek Merubah (Daf 73b) Toisfos D.H. Kedi. Later, on that same Omud in Shabbos (Daf 89a) he again refers us to another Toisfos in Bovo Kamma Perek Merubah (Daf 82a) that also has the same D.H. Kedi. This second Tosfois gives us much information to help us understand the order and dateline of what took place with Hashem and Moshe Rabbeinu and the giving of the two sets of Luchois based on the Pessukim in our Parsha and that of Parshas Ki Siso.

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Schechter

tefilah Kabbolas Shabbos – Dogged Devotion Author of Seforim, Parshah Pshetl

The author can be contacted at yankieschechter@gmail.com

Tefilas Kabolas Shabbos – First Mizmor – Tehillim 95:1 “‫”לכו נרננה לד' נריעה לצור ישענו‬

“Come let us sing joyfully to Hashem, let us call out to the Rock of our salvation.” Kabolas Shabbos begins with six Mizmorim, whose common theme is that Hashem is the Master of the universe, as well as yearning for the days of Moshiach. This Mizmor begins by telling us to sing joyfully to Hakodosh Boruch Hu, acknowledging His greatness, and ends with Hakodosh Boruch Hu exhorting Klal Yisroel not to emulate the sins of our ancestors in the Midbar, which caused Hakodosh Boruch Hu to swear that they would not enter the Land of Eretz Yisroel. What is the connection between these two parts of the Mizmor, and why is this the opening Mizmor for Kabolas Shabbos? Rav Shamshon Refoel Hirsh explains that these six Mizmorim correspond to the other six days of the week, with all of the days receiving their Shefa from Shabbos Kodesh. It says in Parshas Vayakhel, “‫וביום השביעי יהיה‬ ‫ – ”›לכם קדש שבת שבתון לד‬The Kedusha of Shabbos, which goes beyond the actual day of Shabbos, is split into two parts. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday receive Kedusha from the upcoming Shabbos; and Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday receive Kedusha from the previous Shabbos. The Kedusha of each Shabbos is found in two weeks, half of the week before and half of the week after. Shabbos 118b – “If only Klal Yisroel would heed two Shabbosos K’halacha, they would be redeemed immediately.” The Zera Beirach explains that when it says “two Shabbosos”, it means a Shabbos which gives off Kedusha to two weeks – the half week before and half week after. When the Torah says “‫ ”זכור ושמור” – “זכור‬a Loshon of remembering, refers to the past – the half week before Shabbos. “‫ – ”שמור‬is a Loshon of future, represents the half week after Shabbos. (‫)אדרת אליהו‬ “‫ – ”ושמרו בני ישראל את השבת‬Chazal say that “‫ ”השבת‬is a Remez to the Bais Hamikdash. Avrohom Avinu called the Makom Hamikdash, “‫ ;”הר‬Yitzchok Avinu called it “‫ ;”שדה‬Yaakov Avinu called it “‫”בית‬, and Dovid Hamelech called it “‫ – ”תפילה‬the Roshei Taivos is “‫”השבת‬. The rebuilding of the third Bais Hamikdash is dependent on our heeding Shabbos properly (Shabbos 118b). In the Zechus of Klal Yisroel heeding “‫ ”השבת‬properly, they will be Zoche to the Bais Hamikdash which is Merumez in the word “‫”השבת‬. This Bais Hamikdash will not be destroyed like the first two were, rather this one will last “‫”לדורותם‬, forever. (‫)אדרת אליהו‬ Vayakhel 35:3 “‫ ביום‬,‫לא תבערו אש בכל משבתיכם‬ ‫“ – ”השבת‬You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the Shabbos.” Every Erev Shabbos, when the day of Shabbos Kodesh becomes Kodosh, a proclamation is sent forth that all of the fires of Gehinom should cease. The Holy King comes, the day is infused with Kedusha, and He protects all, even the wicked. Immediately the fires cease, and there is Menucha for the wicked. However, the fires of Gehinom do not cease for those who never heeded Shabbos. All of the Resha’im in

Gehinom ask why the fires do not cease for a portion of Resha’im. The judges respond that those who rebelled against Hakodosh Boruch Hu and transgressed the entire Torah, they did not heed Shabbos, their fires do not cease even on Shabbos. Being that they never rested in the world below, there will be no rest for them from the fires in the next world. A Malach brings the Guf of these wicked people into Gehinom, in front of the other wicked people who see that the Guf is full of worms. They all gather around this Guf and state, “This is that Rasha who was not worried about the Kovod of the Creator, he rebelled against Hakodosh Boruch Hu and the Torah. Woe to him, it would have been better had he never been born, and not come to this embarrassment.” (‫)זוהר הקדוש‬

the Shlah Hakodosh say, “‫ ”עתידין‬and “‫– ”לעתיד לבא‬ which both mean that in the future Klal Yisroel will sing Shira to Hakodosh Boruch Hu? In Mitzrayim, Klal Yisroel did not sing Shira to Hakodosh Boruch Hu until they saw the Mitzriyim dead on the river bank. However, in the future, Klal Yisroel will have Emunah in Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and they will sing Shira even before miracles happen for them. The double Loshon is to tell us that while in Mitzrayim they did not sing Shira until they saw the complete miracle, at a future time, Klal Yisroel will sing Shira for Le’asid Lavo, for the times of Moshiach, even before it happens, due to their great, “‫ ”אמנה‬- Emunah in Hakodosh Boruch Hu. “‫ – ”'לכו נרננה לד‬Let’s sing to Hashem for the future wonders that He will perform for us. (‫)שבט מישראל‬

‫ – פרק שירה‬Dogs – “‫ באו נשתחוה‬:‫כלבים אומרים‬ ‫ נברכה לפני ד' עשנו‬,‫“ – ”ונכרעה‬Come! Let us prostrate

We begin Kabolas Shabbos, and the holy day of Shabbos enters. This holy day has great Kedusha, and great opportunity for salvation. If we keep Shabbos properly, we can be saved from Gehinom, and it is the Kedusha of Shabbos which can bring the Geulah. We need to recognize that everything comes from Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and we must have Emunah that Hakodosh Boruch Hu will bring the final Geulah. There will be many miracles performed for us, and we must have complete faith in it. If one has complete Emunah that something will happen, that makes it as if it has already happened, and we must certainly thank Hakodosh Boruch Hu for that. We must not fall into the trap of our ancestors, who despite seeing the greatness of Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and that which He did for them, sinned greatly against Him. The dogs sing out to Hakodosh Boruch Hu – they are loyal, and in Mitzrayim, they were kicking the bones of the Avodah Zara, en-route to causing them to be nullified. We must be at least as loyal and grateful as dogs, and truly thank Hakodosh Boruch Hu. There are many Chazzonim who sing the ending of this Mizmor with a beautiful and uplifting melodious voice – “‫ אם יבאון אל‬,‫אשר נשבעתי באפי‬ ‫“ – ”מנוחתי‬Therefore, I (Hakodosh Boruch Hu) have sworn in My anger, that they shall not enter into My contentment”, as if this is something good. If one looks at these words, it does not look like something one would sing with great joy. However, with our understanding of this Mizmor, we can explain that while it is true that our ancestors sinned greatly, we are now rejoicing in the amazing Koach of Shabbos. We sing to Hakodosh Boruch Hu with great joy for the future miracles that we have Emunah will come. If we heed Shabbos properly, learn from the mistakes of our ancestors, and have complete Emunah in Hakodosh Boruch Hu, we will have much to rejoice for, for we know that the Geulah is coming. May we be Zoche to see the Geulah Shlaima, ‫!במהרה בימינו אמן‬

ourselves and bow, let us kneel before Hashem, our Maker.” The praise of the dogs comes from the opening Mizmor of Kabolas Shabbos that we are speaking about. This is the climax of Perek Shira. It is well known that dogs are known for their great loyalty, and for their displaying gratitude to their masters who treat them well.

The Zohar Hakodosh says on the words, “‫ועצם‬ ‫“ – ”לא תשברו בו‬And you shall not break a bone in it.” There was great degradation and embarrassment to the Avodah Zarah in Mitzrayim. The bones of the Avodah Zarah in Mitzrayim were strewn in the streets and in the marketplace. The dogs came along and kicked the bones from place to place. This was more difficult for the Mitzriyim than all of the Makkos – to see their Avodah Zarah being treated with such disgrace. It was apparent to all that the bones were from their Avodah Zarah, and the Mitzriyim were mortified. Klal Yisroel threw the bones around without care, but they did not break the bones, rather it was the dogs that broke them. This in their eyes was even more disrespectful to their Avodah Zarah. When the Mitzriyim saw the dogs pushing, and breaking the bones of their Avodah Zarah, they hid the bones in the dirt so that they dogs should not find them, and continue to disrespect their Avodah Zara. By the Mitzriyim themselves burying the Avodah Zarah, they nullified the Avodah Zarah, so that it was not called Avodah Zarah anymore, and this brought more Kovod Shomayim into the world. This helps reign in the Koach of the Sitra Achara. Klal Yisroel were not able to be nullify their Avodah Zara, and that is why the dogs needed to be involved, so that the Mitzriyim themselves would end up nullifying their Avodah Zarah.

The Shlah Hakodosh says, “‫עתידין ישראל שיאמרו‬ ‫ שנאמר 'תשורי מראש אמנה‬,‫שירה לעתיד לבא‬.”. Why does

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‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬

NORTH WEST LONDON’S WEEKLY TORAH & 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

‫פרשת שופטים‬ ‫ז' אלול תשע”ח‬ 18TH AUGUST 2018

'‫ פרק ו‬:‫פרקי אבות‬ ‫ט‬:‫כא‬-‫יח‬:‫ טז‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

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‫שקיעת החמה‬

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‫הנץ החמה‬

‫עלות השחר‬

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Rabbi Dov Birnbaum Rabbi of The Seed Shul, Edgware

The author can be contacted at dbirnbaum@seed.uk.net

What’s wrong with a Matzeivah?

hilst cycling in the grounds of Holkham Hall with my family one summer (yes, all of us!) We came across a huge obelisk (pictured below). I later discovered that it was erected in 1730 to commemorate the construction of the house. Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians who placed them in pairs at the entrance to Temples. Ancient obelisks are monolithic, that is, they consist of a single stone. In this week’s Parsha we are told “Do not erect a matzeivah that Hashem dislikes.” Rashi explains that a matzeivah is an altar or monument made of a large single stone. Although we find that the Avos used these to offer sacrifices, since they were later used for idol worship we may no longer use them. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt’’l asks that a multi-stone altar can also be used for idol worship, so why is only a matzeivah problematic? He answers that a matzeivah – a static pillar, suggests immutability, never accumulating further merits. In the days of our forefathers, before the Torah was given, they fulfilled the mitzvos of their own volition. However, after the giving of the Torah we are commanded to do so and therefore we can never have the attitude that we have done enough. One who erects a monument to

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

Parshah

celebrate his own achievements implies that he has finished his life’s work. The only time that we do erect a matzeivah is over a grave. As long as we are alive we continue to strive and achieve more. It is only after 120 years that we stop striving and are satisfied with our achievements.

A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah by Yisroel Avrohom Kaye The pasuk, Devarim (16:19) says “Justice, justice shall your pursue” The Ma’ayanah shel Torah brings R Yaakov Yitzchok of Peshishcha (The Yid Hakodesh) who explains that the way in which one pursues justice must be justice. One mustn’t allow oneself to be guided by the godless principle that the end justifies the means. To advertise here please contact Batsheva.pels@onegshabbos.org.uk

Rabbi Mordechai Appel

Shomrei Shabbos Chevra Mishnayos & “‫”דרכים בפרשה‬

Parshah

The author can be contacted at derachimbeparsha@gmail.com

SEDRA SUMMARY

Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your cities….so that you will live and possess the Land [16:18-20] Upon looking at the pasuk for the first time, we are left with the impression that the reward mentioned at the end of the passuk comes with conditions. If we set up a judicial system, and we successfully pursue a life of righteousness, we shall receive in return life and the ability to settle Eretz Yisroel. Rashi points this out by telling us that the merit of these actions will make us worthy.

Thank you to Chabad.org

oshe instructs the Bnei Yisrael to appoint judges and law enforcement officers in every city. “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” he commands them, and you must administer it without corruption or favouritism. Crimes must be meticulously investigated and evidence thoroughly examined—a minimum of two credible witnesses is required for conviction and punishment.

The Minchas Asher, quoting from the Ketzos HaChoshen, makes an observation in these pesukim that I believe can really help us set the tone for Chodesh Elul. Although Rashi stresses the great zechus of setting up a judicial system, nowhere does Rashi actually tell us that we need to abide by the judgements of the court system. Of course, it goes without saying that din and mishpat are meant to be adhered to, otherwise of what purpose are they? But still, shouldn’t Rashi have said that the merit is gained by actually abiding by the laws? What merit is there just from making the appointments and setting up the system?

In every generation, says Moshe, there will be those entrusted with the task of interpreting and applying the laws of the Torah. “According to the law that they will teach you, and the judgment they will instruct you, you shall do; you shall not turn away from the thing that they say to you, to the right nor to the left.” Shoftim also includes the prohibitions against idolatry and sorcery; laws governing the appointment and behaviour of a king; and guidelines for the creation of “cities of refuge” for the inadvertent murderer. Also set forth are many of the rules of war: the exemption from battle for one who has just built a home, planted a vineyard, married, or is “afraid and soft-hearted”; the requirement to offer terms of peace before attacking a city; and the prohibition against wanton destruction of something of value, exemplified by the law that forbids to cut down a fruit tree when laying siege (in this context the Torah makes the famous statement, “For man is a tree of the field”).

If we look at Parshas Vayeira and in Sefer Shoftim, we see two similar incidents with completely different outcomes. Parshas Vayeira tells of the city of Sedom and their cruel behaviour towards their “guests”. As a result, the entire city was wiped away with no remnants other than Lot (in Avraham’s merit). Sefer Shoftim tells the infamous tale of pilegesh b’Givah. Clearly, the details were no less gruesome with a woman being murdered in a terrible manner by the people; yet, the people did not suffer nearly the same fate as Sedom. The Ketzos explains that Sedom’s guilt was not only their evil ways. The Gemara in Masechta Sanhedrin (109b) tells us a little bit about their court system. The judges were named Shakri (Liar), Shakrurai (Deceiver), Zayfi (Forger), and Matzli Dina (Corrupter of Justice). The fault of Sedom was not so much in their ways of wickedness, but rather in their failure to set up a court system that would punish the wickedness. As a result, this became their way of life. It became the

The Parshah concludes with the law of the eglah arufah—the special procedure to be followed when a person is killed by an unknown murderer and his body is found in a field—which underscores the responsibility of the community and its leaders not only for what they do, but also for what they might have prevented from being done.

minhag hamakom to lie, cheat, and steal. At that point, no hope remained, and the only option was to destroy them. In Givah, it was a different story. Although the people slipped up, there was a righteous legal system in place that would punish evil and maintain justice. With such a system in place, the people would eventually be reformed and led back to righteousness. Therefore, unlike Sedom, there was no need to destroy them as there was a realistic hope that they would do teshuvah. Accordingly, we understand why Rashi stresses setting up the system. That alone is a merit strong enough to save Klal Yisroel. As long as we have righteous shoftim that are leading us, it is a given that they will be able to show us the right way should we stray. On an individual level, this same concept applies in our personal lives. We have shoftim bechol she’arecha- our own internal conscience judging our actions all the time. Shlomo Hamelech wisely states (Koheles 7:20) that there is not a single person, even a tzaddik, in this world who always does good, and does not sin. We fall prey to temptations even when we know it’s wrong, but if we still keep proper ideals, knowing the right from the wrong, eventually we return in teshuvah. A true rasha is one that becomes warped. He no longer has a conscience. He doesn’t feel it when he does an aveirah, not during the act or even after. I’ve heard from Rav Wolbe zt”l in his shmuessen a concept that he would call “chai margish” (a live person has feelings). Hashem doesn’t need perfection from us, but He does expect us to at least feel it when we stray. No feelings mean that we are dead people walking around aimlessly. Let us recall the opening words of Mesilas Yesharim which state very clearly that we have a purpose in this world. The yesod of our true avodah is to clarify and recognize what our obligation in this world is. Once we keep these goals in mind and we aspire to fulfil them, even if we do fall, we will be able to stand right back up and start again.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

One Day, or Day One. You Decide. QUIZ TIME

1. livingwithmitzvos.com

Is asking for a Jewish king something good or bad?

This page is sponsored by Federation

Rabbi Menachem M Junik

Beis Gavriel, Lubavitch, Federation

The author can be contacted at beisgavrielrabbi@federation.org.uk

he parsha this week, Parshas Shoftim, deals primarily with the establishment of a system of leadership and judicial roles in every city in Eretz Yisroel. The parsha says, “Magistrates and officers you shall appoint at all of your gates.” Rashi (16:18) explains that magistrates refer to those who pass judgment, and officers means those who implement the law. This passuk is also reflected in the prophecy of Yeshaya (1:26), “I will restore your judges as they were at first, and your advisers as they were in the beginning”. It is similarly found in shemonah esreh, where we mention ‘Return your judges as of old and your advisors as in the beginning”.

why it is important to follow. The emphasis on moshiach is him being an advisor, in addition a judge, someone who speaks at a level that all can understand and see that it is to their benefit. These two methods of instructing can be compared to the difference between the words of Torah, and prophecy. Whilst Torah is the pure word of Hashem, transcending all human wisdom, and prophecy is the word of Hashem as it is embodied and articulated in the mind of the prophet. To expand this concept, allow me to share a novel approach to the difference between sefer Devorim and the first four books of the Torah. I was always troubled by a gemora in Masechta Megillah (31b) stating that the first four seforim were said Mipi Hagevurah but the last sefer “Moshe Mipi Atzmo Omron” - Moshe said it on his own.

There is a blatant difference as to how it is presented in our parsha, where it mentions ‘Shoftim veShotrim’ - magistrates and policemen, and in shemoneh esreh and Novi Yeshaya, where it mentions Shoftim veYoetzim - meaning magistrates and advisors. What is the reason for this seeming discrepancy? In our parsha it refers to the times of exile - a time when the bnei Yisrael are in galus. Therefore, it mentions police officers, as they are needed to enforce the law. The Midrash Tanchuma (Shoftim 2) stresses the need for both of these roles: ‘Without the policeman, there is no judge. For if the court finds a person guilty, once he leaves the courtroom the judge is powerless unless the policeman takes control.” The Novi Yeshaya is referring to yemos hamoshiach - the era of redemption, an era of no selfishness and evil - when the words of the judges will be sufficient, and it won’t be necessary to have those laws enforced. The judges will be needed to teach Torah and provide direction to the bnei Yisrael.

The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah perek 3 halacha 8, says that if someone entertains the thought that Moshe Rabbeinu said even one word of the Torah on his own, he is a kofer, a heretic! You must say that the gemoro never intended that Moshe actually created the content, as Rashi does indeed explain that he repeated what he heard from Hashem. If that’s the case we’re back to square one. What is the difference between the first four books and the last, if they were both from Hashem? The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt’’l introduces a fascinating insight that not only answers the question but sets the foundation to allow us to understand important concepts in yahadus that are crucial to our Torah comprehension and our emunas Hashem and His neviim.

Why then does the Novi mention judges and advisors? Why do we need an advisor if we will all be following the words of the judges? There is an underlying difference between a judge and an advisor. When a judge proclaims a verdict, whether one understands the word of law or not, the judgement must be followed in full. However, an advisor will explain the subject matter to the extent that the individual receiving advice understands and appreciates

Moshe Rabbeinu served as an intermediary between Hashem and the Jewish People. However, there are two ways that a message could be processed through an intermediary. One way is that the message simply “passes through” (derech maavir) without integrating into the faculties of the intermediary himself, affecting no change at all, and one that is integrated (derech hislabshus) or ;dressed into’ the intellect of the intermediary. In the latter,

TEXT

SHAILATEXT 07403 939 613

QUIZ TIME

2. livingwithmitzvos.com

Parshah the message has been somewhat altered and changed in such a manner that allows the final recipient to receive and comprehend the message which he could not have beforehand. The first four seforim, Moshe served merely as a shliach shel odom k’moso, (A messenger is literally like the sender) retaining the words it in its purest form mipi hagevurah. The last sefer, Devorim, however, was said b’ruach hakodesh, Moshe served as an emissary in such a way that he integrated the nevuah, mipi atzmo, into his intellect and understanding so that he could convey it to klal Yisroel on their level. The reason why the last book of Devorim was different and Moshe had to say it on ‘his own’, the Rebbe explains, is because if the Torah would have only been conveyed by ‘passing through’ the intermediary, without allowing it to be integrated, the Torah would never have ‘come down’ from Sinai and the Jewish People would never be able to truly grasp the essence of Hashem’s Torah which is higher than the intellect of Human beings. However, once Moshe Rabbeinu served in the capacity of a “memutza derech hislabshus” who integrates the message to the level of the recipients, this completed the true essence of the Giving of the Torah, whereby the incomprehensible word of Hashem could be integrated into the human mind of the Jewish People. This approach sheds light on our topic of discussion of the difference between Torah and prophecy. While Torah is the complete unadulterated word of Hashem, prophecy is conveying Hashem’s word through the intellect and emotions of the prophet. You could say that Moshe Rabbeinu wore two hats. At times he was completely uninvolved and at times he ‘put his word in’, while maintaining the word of Hashem in its entirety. This set the stage for the integration of Hashem’s Torah to permeate the world and elevate our human side to appreciate Torah and Yiddishkeit from our perspective as well.

Can a king forgo the honour accorded to him?

This week’s Shailatext is

‫לע”נ שמעון בן שרגא ז”ל‬

Rabbi Michoel Jablinowitz

Rosh Yeshiva, Ateret Yerushalayim

The author can be contacted at ateret1@013.net

This week’s parsha begins with the words Shoftim V’Shotrim Parshah Titen Lecha Bechol She’arecha. You shall place Shoftim, judges, and Shotrim, those who enforce the judgment, in all your gates. Rashi explains Bechol She’arecha to mean in each and every city. The Sfas Emes teaches that there is significance between the beginning of our parsha and the end of last week’s parsha. Parshat Re’eh ended with the mitzvah of going up to Yerushalayim during the three festivals of Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos. Our parsha begins with the mitzvah of appointing judges and enforcers. Shoftim and Shotrim represent Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And if the three festivals included a pilgrimage to Yerushalayim, the days of judgment and repentance are not dependant on Yerushalayim or the Beis Hamikdash. Hence, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Shoftim and Shotrim, are Bechol She’arecha, are applicable everywhere.

of mitzvos. First one must act as a shofet for himself and make his choices for how he would like to lead his life. Then he must be a shoter and enforce his decisions. As Chazal teach in Brachos 13A first one must accept Ohl Malchus Shamayim; the first step is to decide to accept the yolk of heaven. Afterwards, one must carry this out by accepting Ohl Mitzvos, the yolk of performing the mitzvos. This dual process is carried out on a weekly basis. Every week we have Shabbos which is a day of introspection and reflection. It is a day during which we decide what type of a life we would like to live. And during the week, the “Sheshes Yemei Ha’Ma’aseh”, we work on carrying out these decisions. We attempt to ensure that our actions are consistent with our thought process. It is not enough for us to make our personal decisions and judgments; we need our inner shotrim to force ourselves to carry out and enforce our decisions.

What is the connection between Shoftim V'Shotrim and the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? As we mentioned above, Shoftim are the ones who judge and decide what the proper judgment is. The Shoftim represent the intellectual process of adjudicating the law. The Shotrim are the enforcers; they will even use physical force if necessary. The Sfas Emes teaches that this distinction correlates to all aspects of man, particularly in his performance

Perhaps this is the connection between Shoftim V’Shotrim and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, albeit in reverse order. Rosh Hashanah is Yom HaDin, it is the day of judgment in which we are accountable for

our misdeeds. We might have made good, solid decisions, but we might not have been successful in carrying them out. Rosh Hashanah focuses on our physical acts, and in that regard more represents facing up to the shotrim within us. Yom Kippur, though, is the culmination of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah. It is a day of intense introspection and decision making about how we want to lead our life. Yom Kippur is called Shabbos Shabbason; if Shabbos is a day of rest and introspection, then Yom Kippur is the ultimate day of introspection where we must judge ourselves and see where we are holding and what we need to change. Even though on a simple level one might connect Rosh Hashanah with Shoftim, since it is a day of judgment, and Yom Kippur with Shotrim since the judgment is sealed, this is in regard to Hashem. But in regards to us, it is in reverse. On Rosh Hashanah we are held accountable for our actions; did we properly fulfil Ohl Mitzvos. And on Yom Kippur we judge ourselves and decide whether we need to rededicate ourselves to a more comprehensive Ohl Malchus Shamayim.

ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK

riddle

Parsha

QUESTION

There is a well known two word Hebrew expression that comes before Sheni in both this week's and next week's Parsha but they mean completely different things. What is it and what do they mean? CLUE

How many witnesses do you need?

Thank you to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

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[Question: The four types of animals listed as having only one Siman of Taharah and therefore are Ossur to eat are repeated here from what we have already been told in a previous Parsha in Sefer Vayikro. Find anything strange?

In Parshas Shemini Perek 11 where it lists the four animals for the first time it puts them in the following order a) Gomol b) Shofon c) Arneves d) Chazir. In our Parsha the order is a) Gomol b) Arneves c) Shofon d) Chazir. The Sefer Taamah DeKroh by Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlito on this week's Parshah discusses this at length.

A king must not have too many horses as this will involve going to Mitzrayim and this is forbidden. (17:16) How then can we ﬁnd that Jews, including the famous Rambam, lived in Mitzrayim?

Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier Founder, Shmuz.com

The author can be contacted at office@theshmuz.com

For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #51 - Bitachon and Hishtadlus – Finding the Balance Rabbi Shafier is the founder of the Shmuz.com – The Shmuz is an engaging, motivating shiur that deals with real life issues. All of the Shmuzin are available free of charge at www.theShmuz.com or on the Shmuz App for iphone or Android. Simply text the word “TheShmuz” to the number 313131 and a link will be sent to your phone to download the App.

Parshah

The Religion of Evolution- Just Keep the Faith “You shall not pervert judgment, you shall not respect someone’s presence, and you shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the eyes of the wise and make just words crooked.” – Devarim 16:19

The mitzvah of appointing judges

The Jewish nation as a totality was given the mitzvah of appointing judges. These judges were commanded to mediate with righteousness according to the Torah’s laws. One of the rules of a judge is that he may not accept a bribe because a “bribe will blind the eyes of the wise.” Rashi is bothered by a question: the Torah already commanded the judges to rule honestly with the expression, “Do not pervert justice.” There is no need for a second prohibition against accepting bribery. The purpose of a bribe is to cause the judge to ignore the truth and change the verdict. That is certainly included in the requirement of not perverting justice. So why does the Torah write a second prohibition specifically warning judges not to accept bribes? Rashi answers that the prohibition of not accepting bribery refers even to cases in which the judge fully intends to rule fairly. If a shofet plans to accept a bribe but not to allow it to influence his decision, the Torah forbids him from doing this. The nature of bribery is to pull his heart, and it is impossible to remain unbiased once he has received a bribe. The Torah is teaching us that even if he wants to judge honestly, it will be impossible for him to do so because once he accepts a bribe, against his will he will favor the one who bribed him. This Rashi is difficult to understand. Assuming we are dealing with an experienced, skilled judge who is well-versed in law and the proceedings, why can’t he accept a bribe and still judge honestly? The facts are the facts. Either the man is guilty or innocent. Either he owes the money or he doesn’t. Why can’t a judge make up his mind that the money is the money, but I will not allow this to affect my ruling in this case?

The wind made it

The answer to this question can best be understood with a moshol. Imagine that you find yourself in a junkyard in the backwoods of Tennessee. You look around and see piles and piles scrap: old refrigerators, a rusted-out stove top, entire cars demolished. Everything is all strewn about without any order. Then suddenly you see something out of place: a brand new Dell laptop computer — red color, no less. You pick it up and you see that it is unscratched and in perfect working order. You turn to the owner of the junkyard, a rather primitive fellow, and innocently ask, “Where did this come from?”

“Oh,” he responds. “I don’t know if you heard, but we had us some fierce winds here last night.” “Fierce winds?” “Yeah, some real strong gusts. I came this morning and things were all blown about, and then I saw that there computer, so I rightly figured that the winds just sort of blew the pieces together.” You look at the fellow incredulously and ask, “The wind blew the pieces together?” “Yeah, you know they just sort of blew a piece from over here, and then a piece from up there, and before you know it, we have this here computer.” At that point, you say to the man, “Sir, I don’t mean to be rude, but there is a monitor and a fully functioning mouse. I turn it on, and the fan kicks in. And the keyboard! How do you explain the keyboard? Look at it, QWERTY, in perfect order!” “Listen, fella,” he responds. “I’m not saying it’s likely. I’m just saying things happen. There was a huge nor’easterner last night, it blew things all around, and this is what happened.” At this point, you recognize that there is little point in continuing the discussion because the man clearly isn’t speaking sense. This is a very apt moshol to phenomena that we regularly experience. We will have conversations with intelligent, well educated people who will tell you that the world evolved. Everything that you see, from the flower to the bee, from the oceans to the mountains, rivers, planets, the sun, the moon, and the stars, all just sort of happened. No designer. No Creator. It just began with a Big Bang and all of the wonder of this infinitely complex world came into being. The uniformity, the complexity, the harmonious systems, the universal laws of physics, just happened. Just a lucky roll of the cosmic dice and a hundred billion galaxies, each one containing a hundred billion stars – just occurred. It becomes very difficult to argue against such a position. Where do you begin? But if we carry the moshol to its next step, we see the question deepens dramatically.

Who wrote the code?

A computer doesn’t have a brain. It is a machine that processes data as directed by software programs. That software is actually coding. Beginning with the most basic commands all the way up the most complex, software engineers write line after line of code. If this, then that. If this, than that. . . The writing of code is very time consuming and tedious, and it must be exact. One mistake in the flow of logic, and the program hits a dead end. When the computer industry was young, software programs were measured in the amount of hours it took to develop them. 100

hours? 200 hours? As the industry developed, the programs became so complex that single individuals could no longer write them; entire teams had to be dedicated towards the task. Now they no longer could be measured in hours, but estimated in man years. Assuming that we put a team of twenty programmers to work full-time on this project, how many years will it take them to complete it? 10 man years? 20 man years? The software that runs today’s computers is based on compilations of thousands of man years of coding. Now let’s go back to our moshol. Imagine that we were to ask the junkyard owner a very pointed question: “I will grant you the monitor and the six cell battery. I’ll even give you the four-color Windows decal on the keyboard. But who wrote the code? Who programmed the thing? When you turn on that laptop and launch a program, hundreds if not thousands of man years of programming went into that software. Where did it come from? Did the wind sit there and write line after line of complex, intricate instructions? Who wrote the code?”

The religion of evolution

The nimshol of this is that the same people who tout evolution as a religion are also aware that physical life itself has exact rules. Every cell in the human body is directed by the DNA coding. The simplest amoeba is far more complex than any machine ever devised by man. A human baby is so much more infinitely complex than an amoeba that it defies a relationship. The trillions and trillions of cells of the body are all specific, all organized into organs and systems with each one perfectly in place, each one playing its part. How can anyone possibly think that it just evolved? Who wrote the code? The answer to this is quite simple: Hashem created man with free will, free will to believe or not to believe, to accept or not to accept. With the capacity called free will was included this most amazing ability to accept the most farfetched, ludicrous positions as long as it fits into my agenda. This seems to be the answer for Rashi. The Torah is teaching us that the human may be brilliant and wise, but he has a weakness. His pure judgment can be easily influenced. If a man accepts a bribe, it will color his vision. He will lose his detached sense of judgment and will no longer be able to rule objectively. He may think that he won’t be influenced, but it is human nature to be pulled, and he will no longer be capable of objective clarity. He will be blinded. The application of this Torah concept is clear in what we witness today as the blindness of man staring into the brilliance and wonder of Creation and mouthing the words, the “wonders of evolution.”

Rav Aryeh Levine and The Crying Woman A woman once came to Rav Aryeh Levine’s home. She pleaded, “Please just let me sit and cry before you.”

e replied kindly, “You may surely sit, and you may even cry— but not before me. Direct your tears to Hashem, the One Who listens to weeping and hears the cries of His people.”

The woman took a seat and cried, and in between her tears she described to Rav Aryeh Levine her sad situation. Rav Aryeh asked her not to cry so much, and said that Hashem has so much mercy and He will surely help. But a few days later the woman returned to tell him that the person she had been Davening for had passed away. She now cried with new tears, and Reb Aryeh did his best to comfort her. She said, “I will accept your calming words, but I have a question. What became of the thousands of tears I cried over saying Tehilim? Was it all for nothing?” Rav Aryeh gently answered, “After 120 years, and you come before the Heavenly Court, you will see how many severe and harsh decrees against the Jewish people were torn up, all because of those precious and holy tears that you have cried. Not one teardrop goes to waste! Hashem counts them like pearls and treasures them!” The woman smiled and tears of happiness flowed down her cheeks. Sometime later she came back to visit Rav Aryeh and she said, “Dear Rabbi, please tell me those beautiful words again. What happened with all those tears?” Rav Aryeh Levine taught her that no Tefilah ever goes to waste, but it is cherished by Hashem forever!

Torah U’Tefillah: A Collection of Inspiring Insights collected by Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg To subscribe to weekly stories email keren18@juno.com

ANSWERS 1. Being a positive commandment means that it is good. Why then does Shmuel get angry when the Jews ask him for a Jewish King? It is because they asked for it in order to be like the other nations and for this to be the main reason is something bad. It shows that the Jews went to enter the realm of teva, nature, like the goyim as opposed to remaining under the special hashgocha, Divine Providence, of Hashem. (see the Malbim to Shmuel I, 8:6) 2. The Gemara Kiddushin 32b learns that only a king cannot forgo the honour due to him (learnt out from the possuk in Parshas Shoftim, 17:15). Why? Perhaps since this honour is to represent the honour we must give to Hashem, the Kings of Kings. Therefore to show that the honour of Hashem must not be lacking this is extended to be also seen in the physical king.

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3. The Ritva (Yuma 38) answers that the prohibition of living in Mitzrayim is only when the Jews are living in charge (led by a King) in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbeinu Bechai answers that this prohibition was only for the time when Mitzrayim was known to be so low spiritually with such negative influences but this has long since ceased. Alternatively, the prohibition is only to go from Eretz Yisroel to Mitzrayim but not to go there from other countries. 4. The possuk says the reason of not causing people to go to Mitzrayim. A king should also not place his trust in security or trace his success due to his horses and army but rather be limited and known all success comes from Hashem. Also, he should not get haughty having them. 5. Targum Yonason says in order that he should not place his security and success due to his wealth. The Ibn Ezra says that it is to prevent his high demands taking the form of heavy taxes on the people.

What are the reasons why the king must not have too many horses?

Halacha from

Rabbi Shraga Kallus Rosh Kollel, 'The 2nd Seder Kollel'; 'Machon Hora'ah L'Rabanim'

Hadlakas Neiros Part IV – Personal and Household Obligation

I’m traveling on business and will not be able to make it home for Shabbos. Must I light candles, or does my wife’s lighting at home work for me as well? Before beginning to discuss the correct location of lighting candles, it is important to understand that there are two simultaneous obligations when it comes to Hadlakas Neiros: 1. Chovas Gavra – obligation on each individual: Every person has their own personal obligation to light candles for Shabbos. This obligation is applicable both for men and women, and this is even in a fully lit house. 2. Chovas Bayis – obligation on the household: Every house occupied during Shabbos has its own responsibility to have candles lit for Shabbos. Even in a situation in which one might not have a personal obligation (see below), the house itself requires that there be lights lit within. In a case that a husband is away on a business trip, and his wife is home: (1) Chovas Gavra – He fulfils his personal obligation with his wife’s lighting candles in his house (it is a questionable whether one’s personal obligation can be fulfilled if there is a time zone difference). (2) Chovas Bayis: There is still a requirement to make sure there is light in the house in which he is staying over Shabbos. This obligation will often be fulfilled with the lights that are already on in the room, bathroom, etc., and in such a case there is no need to do anything else.

Adapted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky

Rabbi Slansky can be contacted at avislansky@gmail.com

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

See Miracles In Life Every

Good Shabbos

Day

When walking on the street on Shabbos, say Good Shabbos (or Good Yom Tov) to all of your fellow brothers & sisters. It doesn’t matter if the recipient doesn’t respond, if you don’t like that person or in a rush, it doesn’t hurt to greet someone.

‫גוט שבת‬

FIND RABBI KALLUS'S SHIURIM ON TORAHANYTIME.COM

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5. Why should a king not have too much gold and silver (17:17)? livingwithmitzvos.com

Rabbi Reuven Lanning

United Synagogue Burial Society

The author can be contacted at rabbilanning@usburial.org.uk

U’vechol meodecha: With all of your Football?!/Ice cream?!

Parshah

It is a mitzvah to love Hashem with all ‘meodecha’. What does this word mean. If one looks in Rashi, he says that it means ‘with all of your money,’ and he also brings an alternative: be’chol mida u’midah, that whether Hashem is seemingly being good to you or not, you should still love Him. It is interesting that Unkelus translates the word meodecha as Nichsoch, which means property. In other words, it does not just mean money as in ‘cash in hand’ or ‘in the bank,’ but all material possessions. This might be ArtScroll’s translation, as resources, if we understand resources as referring to physical ones. Rashi learns his explanation from the Gemara in Brochos 61b, that meodacha refers to money. But we can still ask ‘How does the Gemara know that meodecha means money. ‘Kesef’ would be the usual word used for money. The sefer Baruch She’Amar by HaRav Baruch Epstein (more well-known as the author of the Torah Temimah) says the word meodecha comes from the word meod meaning ‘very much’. Something which you love very much; Money, which most people love and are very attached to, and have a strong desire for, is called meodecha.

“The school football team which he was a part of was playing on Shabbos. What should he do? Should he keep Shabbos and give up his place on the team, or put Hashem and Shabbos first?”

I want to extrapolate the idea further and to say that it is not only money, but anything which one really loves and which is really important to you, you have to be prepared to give up for Hashem.

very personal and can only be said in second person singular, not like the second paragraph which is plural. That which is dear and beloved to you is to you but is not necessarily loved by anyone else.

There is evidence for this idea from the Rashi in the Gemara 61b that ’that which is dear to you’ is not specifically money but anything.

When I was a teenager, I had a friend in a non-Jewish school who was progressing in his shemiras hamitzvos and he came to a nisayon. To him football was all-important. It was the love of his life. He lived it, he breathed it. The school football team which he was a part of was playing on Shabbos. What should he do? Should he keep Shabbos and give up his place

The Baruch She’Amar alludes to the fact that this could be a partial reason why meodecha is excluded from the second paragraph of the Shema because what is dear to you is

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Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home.

on the team, or put Hashem and Shabbos first? For him, this was a big nisayon. He was becoming shomer Shabbos but was not there yet. He had a problem. Someone else whose Shabbos is a way of life and football is not so important would not find this a nisayon, but to him it was. He was omeid be’nesayon and became and remained a shomer Shabbos. I didn’t see him for 35 years but when I did, he was still shomer Shabbos, married with children who had gone to yeshiva and sem, and grandchildren as well. (The grandchildren had not gone to yeshiva/sem yet. They were still too young). (Some details were changed in this story). Other people have different things which are hard for them to give up for the sake of Avodas Hashem. We are commanded to look after our health and not to smoke or overeat. For some of us who are overweight or diabetic, we need to cut down on sugar, cakes and ice cream but we really like our food and it is difficult to give up. Yet it is a mitzvoh (obligation) just like any other. Look in the sefer To Your Health by Rav Yechezkel Ishayek (available in good Jewish bookstores) where he explains the Torah obligation to look after one’s health. U’vechol meodecha, your meod, not someone else’s. Most of us have our things that we love very much, but we need to be prepared to give up those as well for Ahavas Hashem.

‫לע"נ שירה ברכה בת ראובן אפרים ע"ה‬

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5TH AUGUST 2018

‫ב‬-‫ פרק א‬:‫פרקי אבות‬ ‫יט‬:‫כה‬-‫י‬:‫ א‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

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Rabbi Berel Wein Founder and Director of the Destiny Foundation

Parshah

KI SEITZEI The Torah deals with temptation in this week’s reading. Temptation is a constant factor in human existence. Usually we do not carry out the acts that tempt us simply because of lack of opportunity and not necessarily because of our piety. People are watching, the police are in the vicinity, the circumstances currently conspire against us being successful in this tempting but illicit venture. However there are times when these outside inhibitions are not present to deter one from succumbing to the temptation presented.

the Torah restricted it but did not deny it completely.

At such times the Torah seems to imply that it will be very difficult to deny the temptation completely. During war and battle, the soldiers’ inhibitions are released. The Torah therefore proposes to channel the fulfilment of this temptation rather than attempt to deny it completely. Because of this unusual set of circumstances, occasioned by war and its attendant violence and human callousness, the temptation of a defenceless attractive woman captive will be so overriding that

Yet in spite of all of the above, the Torah warns the Jewish soldier that there are unpleasant results and sad consequences to one’s succumbing to temptation even in “permissible” circumstances. No stable and lasting family life can be built upon such wanton initial behaviour. Even acts that cannot be initially categorized as being forbidden or illegal can engender dire results later for the person who perpetrates them.

QUIZ TIME

There is too much opportunity present here. The Torah is well aware of the frailties and weaknesses of human behaviour. It never demands the impossible from Hashem’s creatures. But it does impose a set of rules and a sense of discipline regarding all area of life’s activities. The set of circumstances posed by the Torah at the onset of this week’s reading is a paradigm example of the Torah’s attitude and instructions in all other like matters.

This is true in commercial life as well as in personal affairs. One

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should always restrain one’s self from pushing the envelope too far. Every act of human behaviour potentially carries with it unseen and far reaching consequences. The rabbis always advocated caution in all matters in life – in speech, in behaviour and in decision-making. One should never stand too close to the edge of any precipice, whether moral, physical or spiritual. Everyone’s life experiences validate this wisdom of the sages of Israel. Don’t sit too close to the fire lest one be singed by it. Don’t lean over the fence lest one may fall. Don’t always justify giving in to convenient temptation for there will always be unforeseen and in most cases very negative consequences. In a world that somehow overvalues risk taking, prudence and caution are not especially favoured. Yet this week’s Torah reading illustrates, in a graphic fashion, the wisdom of restraint. The advent of the month of Elul only serves to reinforce these ideas in our hearts and minds and most importantly, in our behaviour.

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1. What is this rebellious son described with two descriptions of ‫?סורר ומורה‬

Rabbi Dov Birnbaum

Rabbi of The Seed shul, Edgware

The author can be contacted at dbirnbaum@seed.uk.net

SEDRA SUMMARY

An attitude of gratitude

Thank you to Chabad.org

Parshah

What do the words faleminderit and ngiyabonga have in common?

Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19 Seventy-four of the Torah’s 613 mitzvos are in the Parshah of Ki Seitzei. These include the laws of the captive woman, the inheritance rights of the firstborn, the wayward and rebellious son, burial and dignity of the dead, returning a lost object, sending away the mother bird before taking her young, the duty to erect a safety fence around the roof of one’s home, and the various forms of kilayim (forbidden plant and animal hybrids).

They both mean “thank you” - in Albanian and Zulu respectively (isn’t Google clever?!).‘Thank you’ is one of the most frequently used phrases in every language and a basic sense of gratitude is the norm in every culture.

Also recounted are the judicial procedures and penalties for various aveiros related to marriage and relationships. The following cannot marry a person of Jewish lineage: a mamzer (someone born from an adulterous or incestuous relationship); a male of Moav or Ammonite descent; a first- or secondgeneration Edomite or Egyptian.

After being freed from an Egyptian prison, Yosef advised Pharoh how to survive the years of famine. He was placed in charge of the initiative and masterminded the stockpiling of food, which kept the Egyptians well - fed throughout years of scarcity. Yosef invited his family to join him in Egypt and when his father Yaakov came the famine ceased completely. In addition, Yaakov blessed the waters of the Nile and from that time on they irrigated all the

In this week’s parsha, the Torah sets our standards of gratitude very high: “Do not hate an Egyptian because you lived in his land.” (23:8) To understand just how surprising this statement is let’s cast our minds back to the beginning of our sojourn in Egypt.

Our Parshah also includes laws governing the purity of the military camp; the prohibition against turning in an escaped slave; the duty to pay a worker on time, and to allow anyone working for you—man or animal—to “eat on the job”; the proper treatment of a debtor, and the prohibition against charging interest on a loan; the laws of divorce (from which are also derived many of the laws of marriage); the penalty of thirty-nine lashes for transgression of a Torah prohibition; and the procedures for yibbum (“levirate marriage”) of the wife of a deceased childless brother, or chalitzah (“removing of the shoe”) in the case that the brother-in-law does not wish to marry her.

crops in Egypt. Yaakov was so esteemed by the Egyptians that when he died they proclaimed a period of national mourning for seventy days! Despite all of this, a new king arose and enslaved the Jewish people. The people were mercilessly beaten for not fulfilling their work quotas and eventually all baby boys were drowned. Generations of Jewish children were born into a life of constant suffering at the hands of their cruel taskmasters. We would expect the legacy of this painful episode to leave bitter feelings on our national conscience. Instead, the Torah itself reminds us that we should still feel grateful towards them for hosting us in their land! As Hashem’s ambassadors, we are expected to develop a sense of gratitude that goes above and beyond social and cultural norms. In turn, this enables us to appreciate all that Hashem does for us too. Ngiyabonga for reading!

A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah by Yisroel Avrohom Kaye The pasuk (Devarim 21:10) says “When you go forth to battle against your enemies and Hashem your G-d delivers them into your hands and you carry them away captive.” The Ma’ayanah shel Torah brings the Chassam Sofer in Toras Moshe who explains that this posuk can be applied to the constant fight which we must wage against our yetzer harah. Chazal tell us that our yetzer harah gathers strength against us each day and

Ki Seitzei concludes with the obligation to remember “what Amalek did to you on the road, on your way out of Egypt.”

were it not for Hakodosh Baruch Hu being there to help us he would not be able to prevail against it. It is very difficult to conquer the yetzer harah and this thought might deter one from continuing the battle. We can learn from this pasuk that it is incumbent upon us to begin the battle and we can be sure that Hashem will deliver them into our hands. Hashem will help us conquer our yetzer hara because, as chazal tell us, “Hashem will help those who come to purify themselves”.

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The punishment for this rebellious son is stoning. Why such a strict form of death? For stealing and killing the punishment is only beheading. Why then is this son given worse than this?

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Coming up with the Goods The Torah tells us that although we can accept geirim from almost all the nations of the world, when it comes to geirim from Amon and Moav, they will not be allowed to marry in to the Jewish people. The reasons given for this are,

Now, this criticism seems a little harsh. To provide for a huge nation of 600,000 men, plus woman and children, would be hugely expensive. Were the Moabites really expected to provide food and water for the whole of klal Yisrael, for free?

‫אתכֶ ם‬ ְ ‫ַעל ְּד ַבר ֲא ֶׁשר ֹלא ִק ְּדמּו ֶא ְתכֶ ם ַּבּלֶ ֶחם ַּוב ַּמיִם ַּב ֶּד ֶרְך ְּב ֵצ‬ ‫ִמ ִּמ ְצ ָריִם וַ ֲא ֶׁשר ָׂשכַ ר ָעלֶ יָך ֶאת ִּבלְ ָעם ֶּבן ְּבעֹור ִמ ְּפתֹור ֲא ַרם‬ )‫ דברים פרק כג (ה‬:ָ‫נַ ֲה ַריִם לְ ַקלְ לֶ ּך‬

The answer, says the Dubno Maggid, is understood, as ever, by a parable. A man promised to support his future sonin-law financially for several years, but shortly after the wedding the father-in-law reneged on his promise and declared that he could not continue supporting the young couple. The next day the son-in-law left town, and did not return. After some months, the father-inlaw, seeing his daughter’s distress at being left alone, offered a large financial reward for anyone who would bring his son-in-law home. Soon after, the recalcitrant husband was found and brought home, and brought before the town’s rov. The young man claimed that he ran away from town because his father-in-law had reneged on his promise of financial support. When the rov asked the father-in-law why he had in fact reneged on his promise, he replied that he didn’t have much money, and simply couldn’t afford it.

“Because they didn’t come out towards you with bread and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because he hired Bilom the son of Be’or from Pesor, Aram Naharayim, to curse you.” These actions indicate ingrained negative middos, which are antithetical to the holy nation of klal Yisrael. The Sifsei Chachomim raises a question, though. It is apparent from pesukim in Devorim that the Moabites did in fact sell the Jewish people bread and water:

‫כ''ט‬-‫כ''ו‬:'‫דברים ב‬ ‫וָ ֶא ְׁשלַ ח ַמלְ ָאכִ ים ִמ ִּמ ְד ַּבר ְק ֵדמֹות ֶאל ִסיחֹון ֶמלֶ ְך ֶח ְׁשּבֹון‬ ‫ ֶא ְע ְּב ָרה ְב ַא ְר ֶצָך ַּב ֶּד ֶרְך ַּב ֶּד ֶרְך ֵאלֵ ְך ֹלא‬:‫ִּד ְב ֵרי ָׁשלֹום לֵ אמֹר‬ ‫ּומיִם‬ ַ ‫ אֹכֶ ל ַּבּכֶ ֶסף ַּת ְׁש ִּב ֵרנִ י וְ ָאכַ לְ ִּתי‬:‫ּוׂשמֹאול‬ ְ ‫ָאסּור י ִָמין‬ ‫ ּכַ ֲא ֶׁשר ָעׂשּו לִ י‬:‫ַּבּכֶ ֶסף ִּת ֶּתן לִ י וְ ָׁש ִת ִיתי ַרק ֶא ְע ְּב ָרה ְב ַרגְ לָ י‬ ‫ּמֹוא ִבים ַהּי ְֹׁש ִבים ְּב ָער ַעד ֲא ֶׁשר‬ ָ ‫ְּבנֵ י ֵע ָׂשו ַהּי ְֹׁש ִבים ְּב ֵׂש ִעיר וְ ַה‬ :‫ֹלקינּו נ ֵֹתן לָ נּו‬ ֵ ‫ֶא ֱעבֹר ֶאת ַהּי ְַר ֵּדן ֶאל ָה ָא ֶרץ ֲא ֶׁשר ה' ֱא‬

“I find that difficult to believe,” replied the rov. “When you really wanted to, you were able to find plenty of money to pay for a reward to anyone who found the son-in-law!”

Moshe relates that he sent messengers to Sichon, the king of Emori, asking for permission to pass through his land. He requested that the Emmorites allow passage for klal Yisrael, whilst offering that the Jews pay for any food and water provided, just as the bnei Esov had done, and as had the Moabites done! Son the Moabites did actually provide food and water.

The Moabites provided food and water for the Jewish people, and perhaps couldn’t be faulted for charging for this if they couldn’t afford to provide for free. But the truth was exposed in the next part of the pasuk. “And he hired Bilom the son of Be’or from Pesor, Aram Naharayim, to curse you.” In order to entice Bilom to come and curse the Jewish nation, the Moabites offered huge sums of money. So, they did have plenty of money. They “couldn’t afford” to offer sustenance to the Jewish people for free, but to hire Bilom to curse them, they had no problem drawing upon enormous financial resources.

The Sifsei Chachomim answers that the Moabites were criticised because although they provided food and drink for klal Yisrael, they didn’t give this for free but charged for everything. The Ammonites didn’t offer anything at all, and as for the Moabites, although they offered provisions, they wouldn’t give them for free.

Parshah

they [i.e. Ammon and Moav] didn’t come out towards you with bread and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, [Ammon didn’t provide at all, and although Moav did provide, they charged for it, and not because they needed the money, for] and because he [i.e. Moav] hired Bilom the son of Be’or from Pesor, Aram Naharayim, to curse you.” If Moav had plenty of financial resources, they should not have charged for the bread and water provided for the passing Jewish people. The lesson is clear. If someone simply doesn’t have the financial resources, the physical or the emotional strength to dedicate himself to Torah and mitzvos, he may possible have an excuse. But if, somehow, he manages to find and apply these resources for other activities, his excuses will fall flat. It is only if a person looks honestly at the sum of his activities that he can discern what he himself is really capable of.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Tzadikim Tahorim do not complain of the dark, but increase the light; they do not complain of evil, but increase justice; they do not complain of heresy, but increase faith; they do not complain of ignorance, but increase wisdom.

With this in mind, we can reread the verse and see new interpretations: “Because

TEXT

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This week’s Shailatext is

‫לע”נ שמעון בן שרגא ז”ל‬

The Gemora Sanhedrin 71a states that this rebellious son never happened and never will happen. Why then is it mentioned at all in the Torah if it is not relevant?

Rabbi Binyomin Hoffman Parsha Pages

The author can be contacted at leibhoff@gmail.com

SHILUACH HAKEIN – SENDING AWAY THE MOTHER BIRD

Parshah

‫כי יקרא קן צפור לפניך בדרך בכל עץ או על הארץ אפרחים או ביצים והאם רבצת על האפרחים או על‬ ‫ שלח תשלח את האם ואת הבנים תקח לך למען ייטב לך והארכת ימים‬:‫הביצים לא תקח האם על הבנים‬ )‫ז‬-‫ ו‬:‫(דברים כב‬ Sending a mother bird away from her nest contains two Mitzvos (separate but related), a negative command not to take the mother bird while it is hovering over its nest, and a positive command to send the mother away. The Commentators discuss if the mitzvah of sending away the mother bird only applies when a person wants to take the chicks or eggs, the contents of the nest. Perhaps the mitzvah is that before taking the chicks a person must send away the mother, but if one has no interest in using the eggs or chicks he has no mitzvah to send the mother away. Or, perhaps the mitzvah applies even where a person has no interest to take the mother or the chicks. The understanding of this Mitzvah has implications in other areas of Torah:

Chidushei R’ Yehuda b. R’ Binyamin HaRofeh notes that this Gemara begins with the assumption that one should have to trek through hills and valleys in order to fulfil this mitzvah. It is only a special phrase in the verse (‫כי‬ ‫ )יקרא‬that limits our obligation

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Maharsham (1:209) infers the opposite conclusion from this Gemara. It opens with its suggestion, Rashi explains, “The Gemara notes that the verse here states, ‫שלח תשלח‬ you shall certainly send away the mother. This double expression suggests that one must pursue this mitzvah until it comes into his hands.” Maharsham notes that without a double expression, there was no expectation to pursue this mitzvah, and this seems to be the impression of the Gemara regarding all mitzvos.

After showing the Karaite this in the Greek work, the chacham concluded, “Since there were such monks in the times of the sages of the Talmud as well, is it any wonder that they discuss the halachic ramifications of one who finds a bird nesting on someone’s head?”

A Karaite once debated a great sage who was also learned in non-Jewish literature. The Karaite chose a strange sounding statement from the mitzvah of Shiluach HaKein to demonstrate what he thought was the obviously ridiculous nature of Talmudic discourse.

Chullin 139 questions: “Should one search through the hills and valleys to find a nest?”

“In Chullin 139 the Talmud wonders about the halachah of a bird nesting on a human’s head. Have you ever heard of anything more ridiculous in your life? What human would ever allow a bird to nest on his head?” The chacham did not hesitate for a moment. “In earlier works in Greek we find that there were monks who worked hard to nullify their material selves. They were willing to do any self-mortification to attain this goal. One of the ways they worked to completely divest themselves from their physical senses was to stand for long periods without any motion whatever. They would choose a deserted place, like a desert or field, thinking as deeply as they could, while carefully standing absolutely inert.

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These works record that the monks were so still that birds thought they were statues and nested on their heads. Of course this is a very specialized kind of physical torture, but these monks accepted this on themselves to help them come to this state.

Understanding Strange Statements in the Gemara

Is there an obligation to pursue other mitzvos, or are we expected to fulfil mitzvos only when they come our way?

specifically in this case and teaches that this mitzvah of “sending away the mother” only applies when the mitzvah comes our way. We see, therefore, that the general approach to mitzvos is that one must assert himself and find opportunities to fulfil them.

Tefilas haDerech

One that travels a Parsah beyond the city’s limits, must pray to complete the trip in safety, by reciting the prayer of Tefilas haDerech. The distance of a parsah is equivalent to 8000 amos (4 mil) which in our terms range from 3.840 km. / 2.385 miles (per Rav Na’eh) to 4.640 km. / 2.9 miles (According to the Chazon Ish) to 4.800 km./3 miles. The Rogatchover wonders if one who flies in an airplane can, in fact, be compared to a road traveller to recite the brachah. Interestingly, he quotes the Gemara in Chulin 139, which discusses the mitzvah of shiluach hakein (sending away the mother bird). The Gemara asks if one who finds a nest at sea must do shiluach hakan, and the Gemara responds, “He is obligated because it says, ‘He Who made a way (derech) in the sea.’ (Yeshaya 43:16)” And, when discussing shiluach hakein, the Torah says, “If a bird’s nest chances before you on the road derech” (Devarim 22:6). The Gemara then asks if one must fulfil the mitzvah if the nest is found in the air, because it says, “The way (derech) of an eagle in the heavens.” (Mishlei 30:19) But the Gemara responds, “The way of an eagle is called; an unspecified way is not called.” In other words, the air cannot be referred to as a “derech”. Hence, the Rogatchover holds that tefillas haderech should not be recited in an airplane, but said while the plane is moving on the runway.

Rashi (21:18) brings that this rebellious son should die while still innocent as opposed to be allowed to be left alive and then die as a sinner. This means that we do judgement now for the future. Why is this diﬀerent to Yishmoel when he was ill and the Malochim complained that letting him live would in the future mean his descendants would kill the Jews. Hashem refused saying that he would only be judged for the present situation and not the future. Why are they judged diﬀerently?

Rabbi Ozer Alport Author of Parsha Potpourri and Renowned Lecturer

The author can be contacted at oalport@optonline.net

Strength to Overcome Ki Setzei(Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19)

The parsha begins by discussing the y’fas toar - woman of beautiful form. The Torah permits a soldier who becomes infatuated with a non-Jewish woman during battle to marry her (Deut. 21:11). This concept is difficult to comprehend. The Torah is replete with warnings against becoming too familiar with the non-Jewish inhabitants of the land, yet it explicitly permits a soldier to take a nonJewish woman home and marry her. Rashi explains that this apparently counter-intuitive permission was granted as a concession to the evil inclination. Hashem recognized that if He didn’t allow the soldier to marry this woman in a permissible fashion, he would do so illegally, so He made an allowance for this exceptional case. Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky derives from here an inspiring lesson. Judaism is such an all-encompassing religion, with laws governing virtually every aspect of daily life, that a person will almost surely encounter mitzvot that run counter to his nature. Although which mitzvah seems insurmountable will vary from person to person, it is likely that there will be laws that upon learning of them, one’s instinctive reaction will be to declare their observance beyond his capabilities. From the fact that the Torah permitted a soldier to marry a y’fas toar as an acknowledgement that forbidding him to do so would represent an impossible task, we may conclude that our Maker clearly understands our human limitations. If He nevertheless commanded us regarding a particular mitzvah, it must be that He knows that we have within us the strength to overcome the evil inclination by properly observing that mitzvah.

TOTALLY ABSORBED

The Torah prohibits a person who is born to proper Jewish parents to marry an Ammonite or Moabite because they failed to give the Jewish people bread and water after the Exodus from Egypt (Deut. 23:4-5). Why was there a need for them to do so when the Manna

and well provided them anything they wanted to eat or drink? Rabbeinu Bechaye explains that although the Jews were not lacking anything to eat or drink, it is still appropriate conduct to greet travelers and offer them food and drink, and Ammon and Moab were punished for neglecting to do so. The Paneiach Raza maintains that the Manna only fell when the Jewish people were in the wilderness. When they passed through an inhabited area, it temporarily ceased falling, thereby requiring them to purchase food from the local residents. He adds that the Torah alludes to this when it records (Exodus 16:35) that the Jews ate the Manna until they arrived in an inhabited land.

THE DIVORCE DOCUMENT

The Vilna Gaon explains that a divorce document (Deut. 24:1) is called a Get (spelled gimmel-tet) because these two letters are not found next to each other in any other word in the Hebrew language and aren’t pronounced with the same part of the mouth. This name therefore symbolizes separation. Based on this concept, the Margalios HaTorah - a student of the Vilna Gaon - notes that in the section in the Torah (Genesis 49:29-32) which details the final instructions of Yaakov to his sons immediately prior to his death, every letter in the alphabet is used except for gimmel and tet. As long as Yaakov remained alive, unity reigned between his children, as symbolized by the fact that the letters which connote separation aren’t used to describe his final moments with his sons. However, the following verse (Genesis 49:33), which relates Yaakov’s death, contains both the letter gimmel and the letter tet to hint that upon the death of the unifying figure who inspired peace, the brothers immediately began to have feelings of distrust (see 50:15). Similarly, the section in the Torah (Numbers 28:1-8) which discusses the Korban Tamid, the continual offering which was brought twice daily on the Altar, contains every letter

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Parshah in the alphabet except for gimmel and tet. This hints to the Talmud (Gittin 90b), which teaches that when a man divorces his first wife, the Altar sheds tears. As a result, the portion which describes the sacrifice which was most regularly brought on the Altar omits the two letters which are used to describe a Jewish document of divorce. Though the letters gimmel and tet aren’t found next to each other in any other word in the Hebrew language and therefore symbolize separation, there are four other two-letter combinations which also never appear together. How many of them can you identify, and why is a divorce document called a Get as opposed to one of these other combinations? Demonstrating the encyclopedic mind for which he is renowned, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky (Taima D’Kra) points out that the letter combinations zayin-tet, zayin-tzaddik, gimmel-kuf, and samech-tzaddik also never appear together in any word in the Hebrew language. To explain why a divorce document is called a Get as opposed to one of these other combinations, he cites Tosefos (Gittin 2a), who explain that a divorce document contains 12 lines which is the numerical value of the word Get, something which isn’t true of any of the other letter combinations.

HONEST WEIGHTS AND LONG LIFE

Why is the mitzvah of keeping honest weights and measures (25:13-16) specifically rewarded with long life? (Yalkut HaGershuni) Rav Elazar Fleckeles explains based on the teaching of the Gemora (Sotah 9a) that Hashem doesn’t punish a person for his sins until his “Heavenly cup” becomes full of sins. However, Hashem judges people measure-formeasure, and somebody who sins by using inaccurate weights and measures runs the risk of having his Divine quota unfairly adjusted, which could result in him being punished prematurely. Only a person who is careful to use honest weights and measures will be guaranteed that Hashem will treat him in the same manner, which will enable him to live a longer and fuller life.

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5. Why the need for hanging after the Ben Sorer Umore has already been killed?

Rabbi Yissocher Frand

Rosh Yeshiva, Ner Yisrael Baltimore

Parshah The Lesson of Not Plowing With an Ox and Donkey

This week’s parsha contains the prohibition of ploughing with an ox and donkey together [Devarim 22:10]. The Torah lists three examples of prohibitions related to mixed species in close juxtaposition. We cannot sow our field with mixed seed (kilaei zera), we cannot plough our field with an ox and donkey together (a form of kilaei beheimah), and we cannot wear garments made of wool and linen combinations (kilaei begadim — shatnez). In the final analysis, all laws regarding forbidden species fall into the category of Divine Decrees (Gezeiras haKasuv) that have no apparent reason. Nonetheless, there is a fascinating comment from the Daas Zekeinim m’baalei haTosfos regarding the prohibition against harnessing together an ox and donkey that does shed some insight — at least homiletically — into this prohibition. The Daas Zekeinim offers a logical explanation why the Torah forbade this particular combination of animals. The ox, the Daas Zekeinim says, chews its cud, while the donkey does not. In other words, two animals would be working next to each other, one kosher and one non-kosher, one that chews its cud and one that does not chew its cud. The donkey would see the ox chewing and imagine that it must be eating. The donkey would become upset: “I’m working and not eating, while my ‘yoke-mate’ is working and eating at the same time!” The Daas Zekeinim’s message is that we need to make sure that we are compassionate even towards our animals. We do not want to put the donkey in a situation where he will feel jealousy towards the ox. The eminently obvious (kal v’chomer) conclusion from this lesson relates to human relationships. If we are even commanded to worry about the jealousy we might inspire in a donkey, which most likely has very little pain or anguish from such a situation, certainly we need to be worried about human beings, who are very sensitive to jealousy. Our friends and neighbours are very sensitive to “what the other guy has”. We certainly should not do things that incur the envy and jealousy of other human beings.

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Parshas Ki Seitzei Getting Credit For “Selfish” Actions

Later in the parsha, the Torah mentions the prohibition against a Moabite or Ammonite (male) ever marrying into the Jewish nation [Devarim 23:4]. This is a harsher restriction than that levied against the Egyptians, whom we are allowed to accept as marriage partners after 3 generations. Despite the fact that, historically, we would assume that the Egyptians treated us worse than the Moabites, the Moabites are more restricted than the Egyptians “because they did not greet you with bread and water on your journey when you came out of Egypt and because they hired against you Bilaam son of Beor… to curse you.” In past years, we have cited the Ramban’s opinion that the reason for the harsher treatment against Amon and Moab was due to the fact that they were “cousins” who should have repaid the favours to the Jewish people that our ancestor Avraham did for their own ancestor, Lot. Their lack of gratitude (hakaras haTov) and particularly their repaying good with bad — by hiring Bilaam to curse the Jews triggered the Torah’s insistence that they never be allowed into “the Congregation of Hashem.” This year, we would like to focus on the continuation of the pasuk [verse], which states, “And the L-rd did not hearken to Bilaam and He inverted Bilaam’s curses to blessings for Hashem your G-d loves you.” The Dubno Maggid asks a simple question here: This is history. Parshas Balak describes the whole narrative. Balak hired Bilaam to curse Klal Yisrael. Bilaam tried to curse them several times, but every time he tried, the words came out a blessing. This is not germane to Parshas Ki Seitzei and the prohibition of marrying Moabites and Ammonites! It may make sense for the pesukim to explain the wickedness of the Moabites by mentioning that they hired Bilaam to curse us. But the fact that “Hashem did not wish to listen to Bilaam” is not germane to the issue at hand. We know that already! The Dubno Maggid explains: Perhaps the Moabites will argue that they did us a favour. In hindsight, they paid for beautiful blessings that were bestowed upon the Jewish people. Even though that might not have been their initial intent, nonetheless, from the historical perspective they can claim that

they indirectly benefited us. To counteract this line of reasoning, the Almighty answers them: “No. You are not going to get away with such an argument. Do not try to say that you did Klal Yisrael a favour. The only reason why it resulted in blessing is because I chose not to listen to Bilaam. You tried to do a wicked sin, but I interceded to prevent it from taking place.” The Dubno Maggid continues as follows: We see from here that the only reason why they did not get credit for collateral benefit that emerged from their actions is because their intent was malicious. They would have gotten credit if their intent was not malicious, but perhaps only self-serving. If in the course of an action taken for my own benefit, an indirect benefit emerges for someone else — I can be credited with having done a mitzvah. Rav Aharon Kotler zt’’l writes that if one hires a friend to fix his house, he is credited with doing the worker a Chessed [act of kindness]. Although his primary intent was clearly “selfish” — to have his house repaired, since he thereby provided a livelihood for his friend as well, he will get reward for that mitzvah. As long as a person’s intent is not malevolent, any benefit that derives to someone else is counted as a Chessed.

Putting The “Snap Crackle and Pop” Into One’s Relationships

Later in the Parsha, the Torah says (regarding the draft deferment of the Jewish solider for the first year after his marriage): “He shall be free do go home and make his wife happy (v’simach es ishto) for one year.” [Devorim 24:5] Rashi comments on the words “v’simach es ishto” by citing the Aramaic Targum: “v’yachdi yas itsei”. Rashi explains that anyone who translates the pasuk to mean “v’yachdee IM itsei” is making a mistake. The two versions of Aramaic translation quoted by Rashi hinge around the interpretation of the Hebrew word “es”. “V’simach ES ishto” could mean “You should MAKE your wife happy” or it could mean “You should be happy WITH your wife.” Rashi says the former translation is correct and the latter translation is erroneous. Rashi supports his position by stating that the meaning of the ‘piel’ grammatical form of the word v’simach is to make someone else happy. Had the meaning been “you should rejoice

6. Is burying the deceased quickly for the beneﬁt of the Ben Sorer Umoreor or for his living relatives?

Halacha from

Rabbi Shraga Kallus

WITH your wife,” the expression would have appeared as “v’sAmach es” not “v’sEEmach es”. However, the Targum of Yonasan ben Uziel quotes the very translation that Rashi rejects as erroneous. Yonasan ben Uziel was a Tanna! How can Rashi imply that a Tanna does not know how to properly translate a pasuk in Chumash?

Rosh Kollel, 'The 2nd Seder Kollel'; 'Machon Hora'ah L'Rabanim'

The Shemen HaTov offers a beautiful interpretation to resolve this difficulty. Certainly, the meaning of the pasuk is — as Rashi says — that the husband must try to make his wife happy. But if one’s intent in marriage is to make the other partner happy then they will ultimately find happiness together. A marriage only works when each party is trying to make the other one happy. When each person tries to make the other one happy, they will wind up both being happy. On the other hand, if one approaches marriage from the perspective “What is in it for me?” then no one will be happy. This interpretation of the Shemen HaTov could shed light on the universally expressed blessing when a child is born that the parents merit to bring the child to Torah, to the Chupah, and to ma’asim tovim. The sequence of this blessing is often questioned. Why do ma’asim tovim appear last in the list? It sounds from this wish like good deeds only begin after one is married. Is that the case?

Hadlokas Neiros

Part V – K’nas / Penalty for forgetting to light

Q A

I once heard the following explanation: When one is single and he goes shopping for breakfast, he walks down the cereal aisle to make his selection. He thinks to himself, “What kind of cereal do I like? Cheerios. What about Rice Crispies? I can’t stand Rice Crispies.” He buys himself a box of Cheerios every single week. Then he gets married and goes shopping for the family. The first week he brings home Cheerios. His wife tells him “I hate Cheerios. I like Rice Crispies.” If he can afford it, then fine, he buys two boxes — one of Cheerios and one of Rice Crispies and everyone is happy. But what if he cannot afford it? He will have to make a choice. He goes to the store and looks at the cereal aisle and asks himself “What should I buy? Should I buy Cheerios or should I buy Rice Crispies?” The pasuk in this week’s parsha cries out to him: V’Simach es Ishto. “I am going to buy Rice Crispies!” After marriage, even the act of buying cereal — which until the time one gets married was just a mundane shopping chore — now becomes a Gemillas Chessed, an act of kindness. The mundane act of shopping is turned into a ma’aseh mitzvah (an action with religious nuance). Therefore we understand: First Torah; then Chuppah; and after that even buying cereal will fall into the category of Ma’asim.

I was so tired, so I thought a quick nap would help. But, I overslept and did not light Shabbos candles. Must I light an additional candle for the rest of my life?! If one forgets to light candles one Friday night, for the rest of their life they must add an extra candle. This candle is in addition to the number of candles that this person is normally accustomed to lighting. There is only a K’nas in cases of negligence (P’shi’ah) and disgrace (Zilzul) and not in cases of unavoidable mishaps (Oness). The purpose of the K’nas is to serve as a reminder to accord Shabbos the appropriate honor. In this case, at first glance it would appear that such a situation would deserve a K’nas. Oversleeping should be considered negligence, thereby incurring the K’nas. However, upon further probing, it would seem that in this and other similar scenarios there is room to be lenient because the Mitzvah of Hadlakas Neiros might have been fulfilled b’dieved, and therefore there would be no K’nas. In this specific case, they turned on the lights in the kitchen for Shabbos after P’lag HaMinchah, before they had gone to sleep, which was a form of Hadlakas Neiros and fulfilled their obligation. Since these lights suffice for the Mitzvah, there would be no K’nas.

Adapted by Rabbi Avraham Chaim Slansky

Rabbi Slansky can be contacted at avislansky@gmail.com

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QUIZ TIME

QUESTION

Question: Someone in Nach misread a very important word in our Parshah that lead to a battle not completely won by Yisroel. Who was it and where is it recorded in the Gemoro? CLUE He was Dovid’s chief officer and held on to the horns of the Mizbeiach when trying to escape punishment by death.

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ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK Question: There is a well known two word Hebrew expression that comes before Sheni in both this week's and next week's Parsha but they mean completely different things. What is it and what do they mean?

Answer: Rabbah and Rav Yoisef; we always Pasken like Rabbah throughout Shas except for three cases that all occur in Maseches Bovo Basro where we Pasken like Rav Yoisef. These three exceptions are known as 1) Sodeh which is in the first Perek (Daf 12a). 2) Inyan which is in the eighth Perek (Daf 114b). 3) Mechitzoh which is in the ninth Perek (Daf 143b).

7. When in Jewish History do we ﬁnd that Jews were left to hang much longer than this time period?

Rabbi Michoel Fletcher Author of sefarim: “Do You Know Hilchos Shabbos?”, “Do You Know Hilchos Brachos?”, “From Strength to Strength”, “Dancing in our Heart” and the soon to be published; “The Hidden Light, a New look at the Holocaust and other essays”.

tefilah

Revolutionising our Shemoneh Esrei Avrohom Ovinu’s statement that he is “like dust and ashes” (Bereishis 18:27) is much misunderstood. People often understand that just as dust and ashes are virtually valueless, so Avrohom Ovinu is saying that he regards himself also as having no value. This understanding is not only contradicted by Rashi’s explanation of the posuk but is wrong and dangerous. Rashi says that Avrohom Ovinu meant that if not for Hashem’s help he would have died and become like dust during the war with the four kings and the five kings and he would have become ashes in the furnace of fire into which he was thrown by Nimrod. Far from expressing his low estimate of himself, the words reflect Avrohom Ovinu’s total emuna that we can do nothing without Hashem. This is true humility as we explained in connection with Noach. To suggest that Avrohom Ovinu would consider himself worthless is preposterous. Imagining that the Torah expects us to consider ourselves worthless is a mistake which could lead to yi’ush and depression. As Nefesh Hachaim explains at length, every mitzvah we do, every pure thought, has a tremendous effect in the higher worlds, which is in turn reflected in brochos which descend later to our world. Naturally, Gedolim and tzaddikim have the greatest effect but we can all contribute in our own way. We have all heard the stories of apparently simple people changing a Heavenly decree through some act of exceptional righteousness.

ANSWERS

We can all play a major role in protecting Klal Yisroel from our many enemies as can be learnt from a section of Agadah in Kiddushin

(29b). Abaya had a problem with a certain mazik (demon) which was causing harm in his Yeshiva. He heard that the tzaddik Reb Acha bar Yaakov was coming to learn in the yeshiva. Abaya hoped that Reb Acha would destroy the mazik. He engineered that Reb Acha would sleep in the Beis Hamedrash on the first night knowing that the mazik would be sure to try to damage him. The commentators say that Abaya knew that Reb Acha because of his righteousness, would come to no harm. Indeed the mazik, appearing in the form of a snake with seven heads, did try to harm Reb Acha. However every time Reb Acha bowed down in tefilla, one of the heads of the “snake” was destroyed. After his seventh kriah, (bow) the mazik was completely destroyed. Rav Elyashiv in his He’oros on Kiddushin brings from the Shita Mekubetzes that the seven krios were the two at the beginning of the Shmoneh Esrei when we say Boruch Atoh, the two at the beginning and end of Modim and the three times we bow as we say Oseh sholom bimromov…at the end Shemoneh Esrei. Why was one head of the mazik destroyed every time Reb Acha bowed down? It seems that this is the explanation: bowing down is a way of saying that we cannot stand up without You. You provide us with everything. Nothing else has power. Our enemies have power only if we ascribe power to them. In short, this is the famous concept of ein od milvado (There is nothing without Him.) If we genuinely believe ein od milvado, our enemies automatically lose their strength. Therefore each time Reb Acha bowed down expressing his emuna in ein od milvado, a head of the mazik was destroyed.

This understanding should revolutionise our Shemone Esrei. We have the power to neutralize our enemies as we bow down in Shemone Esrei through the correct kavana that nothing has any power besides Hashem. We may not be on the madreiga of Reb Acha bar Yaakov. Our belief in ein od milvado may not go as deep as it did with the Brisker Rovzt”l who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe, even walking past Nazi soldiers, as he concentrated intensely on ein od milvado. But each of us can achieve something. And together we can do much to protect Klal Yisroel from our enemies. If we are not on the level to destroy our enemies, we can weaken them, so that they will not always succeed in their plans against us. Even at the end of Shemoneh Esrei, when we tend to be mentally into chazoras hashatz or even outside the shul, we have still a major avoda ahead of us; three more krios with which can weaken our enemies and perhaps save Jewish lives. This is not a time to dilute our kavono but rather to bring it to new heights which could save ourselves and others from danger. Bearing in mind that nothing besides Hashem has any power, we can have greater kavana throughout Shemone Esre. “Only You, Hashem, can maintain our mental health. Only You, Hashem, can redeem us from our tzoros. Only You, Hashem, can give us good health and parnasa. Shema Koleinu, Listen to us, Hashem, because only You can help us.” Our Shemone Esre should never be the same again. To be continued…

These refer to his rebelliousness and refusing listening to his father (Rashi, 21:18). The Sforno learns that his rebelliousness removes any hope of him turning back and repenting. The Ibn Ezra says that there are two phrases for his rebelling against the positive and the negative mitzvos. The Vilna Gaon learns that he rebels against the two parts of Torah – the Written and Oral Law.

The Maharsha (Sanhedrin) because of this question says that we must be talking about a case where he does several different sins that come with the punishment of stoning and beheading. He then gets the severest punishment of stoning.

The Chinuch (535) brings that the idea of raising high up someone killed by Beis Din is to serve as a deterrent to other potential sinners.

The Gemora says that we are meant to learn it and get reward for doing so. It is coming to teach us a lesson like the Akeida. It is showing us how much a person must love Hashem that he is willing to kill his own son in preference to serving Hashem. (Rabbeinu Bichai)

There is any interesting Zohar (Emor 88b) that says that it his for the deceased’s benefit. This is because his Neshama might need to go through another gilgul and this is not possible until he is buried.

The Gur Aryeh answers that there is a difference in who is judging the case. By Yishmoel the discussion took place Above in the Beis Din Shel Maale. There things are judged

The Gemora Yevomas (79) brings that some of the sons of King Shaul were given over to the Givoinim to avenge how they were treated. They chose to hang these sons and they were left hanging up from Nissan until Tishrei. How could the Jews allow them to do this if the Torah forbids it? The Ramban answers that this is because they were not hang by Jews.

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Please could you ensure that there are ample sheets left in shuls for Shabbos before taking one home.

based on the present state of the person. However, in Parshas Ki Seitsei by the rebellious son the judgement is taking place in the Beis Din in this world and then they judge a person based on the projected result of the future.

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

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‫הריני בא ללמוד תורה לשמה לעשות נחת רוח לאבינו שבשמים‬

‫פרשת כי תבא‬ ‫כ"א אלול תשע”ח‬

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1ST SEPTEMBER 2018

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‫ד‬-‫ פרק ג‬:‫פרקי אבות‬ ‫ח‬:‫כט‬-‫א‬:‫ כו‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

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6.12 AM

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HaRav Zvi Kushelevsky Rosh Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah, Yerushalayim

An unlikely confession, and three ways of closeness to Hashem When you finish giving all ma’aser of your produce...and you shall say before Hashem your God ‘I have emptied the kodesh from the house...’ Devarim 26:12-13 As Rashi writes, this is known as viduy - a confession. The earlier source of this title is the Gemara in Sotah (32b) which tells us these can be said in any language...viduy ma’aser, as it says ‘and you shall say before Hashem your G-d ‘I have emptied the kodesh from the house...’ But, how and why is this a viduy? When it comes to Yom Kippur our viduy is a deep sincere confession of sin; this is how he would do viduy: ‘I have sinned, erred, and acted disloyally before You...’ (Yoma 36b). Our viduy ma’aser seems to be the opposite - we are confessing that we have done the mitzvah, not that we have been lax in our mitzvah performance! Why is this considered to be a viduy? In order to answer this, we have to develop a new angle on what viduy is. It seems that the definition and operative part of viduy is less about the words one says, and more about the way or situation that one says it in. In this vein, we see a remarkable feature about how viduy is described: it is lifnei Hashem, in front of Hashem. In describing viduy the Rambam, both in his hilchos Teshuva (1:1) and his Sefer Hamitzvos (#364) writes that viduy is done lifnei Hashem. Similarly, the pasuk above in reference to viduy ma’aser tells us that this viduy is to be done lifnei Hashem. Interestingly and comparably, as we shall explore soon, the prayer of a poor person is also considered lifnei Hashem - ‘the prayer of a poor person, before Hashem he will pour out his words’ (Tehillim 102:1). In his Moreh Nevuchim (3:51) the Rambam constructs a parable to depict our different levels of closeness to Hashem. He speaks about different people clamouring to visit the king’s palace to gain an audience with the king. Some people make it to the capital city and no further, some manage to reach the palace grounds, and some end up entering the palace itself. The common thread between the three cases of lifnei Hashem above - the viduys and the prayer of a poor person - is that

Parshah

Hashem is right by them, so to speak. Hashem is close, because they are all lifnei Hashem. As the Talmud Yerushalmi1 tells us, a poor person’s prayer to Hashem is like someone whispering in their friend’s ear - is there anyone closer to Hashem than this?!’ The viduy on Yom Kippur sees us elevated to being close to Hashem, the genuine prayer of a poor person is close to Hashem, and the viduy ma’aser is also close to Hashem. However, despite the similarities, we can also identify differences between these three situations and cases. Let us expand on them, presenting them as three different paths of gaining closeness with Hashem. The first is the prayer of a poor person. This means reaching out to Hashem with complete humility and reliance, asking for your basic needs. This is genuine tefillah and submission to Hashem. The second path is that of viduy ma’aser; when one has fulfilled all of his responsibilities of giving his produce to the correct people - especially the poor. In the words of Rashi (26:15) the gifts to the poor are great, for they can change a strict decree to mercy. As the Ralbag writes, someone who gives to the poor is as if they are lending to Hashem Himself (Hashem sustains the poor) and therefore Hashem will pay you back and add much blessing.2 This is the lifnei Hashem of hashkifah mim’on kodshecha of viduy ma’aser - an opportunity to stand before Hashem to elicit Divine mercy. The third avenue is to come close to Hashem through pure teshuva repentance. This refers to someone who feels that their spiritual account is lacking, and they want to remove past errors and become better people in the future. They feel like poor people knocking on Your door, as we say in our Slichos. Indeed, the Zohar3 writes that the teshuva of David was considered like a prayer of a poor person. This should show us how to say our Selichos - with humility, reflection, and thoughts about our past and future. It is not often in life that we manage to be lifnei Hashem, that we manage to visit the palace, so to speak. But the opportunities are worth grasping, holding on to, and developing into more permanent features of our lives. This Devar Torah is a sample from the forthcoming book of HaRav Zvi Kushelevsky ‘s Divrei Torah on Chumash. Published by Israel Bookshop and iyH available after Simchas Torah. 1 Yerushalmi Brachos 9:1 (63a) 2 Ralbag Mishlei 19:17, based on the pasuk there 3 Zohar parshas Balak chelek gimmel daf 195

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Rabbi Yissocher Frand Rosh Yeshiva, Ner Yisrael Baltimore

SEDRA SUMMARY Thank you to Chabad.org

oshe instructs the Bnei Yisroel: When you enter the land that Hashem is giving to you as your eternal heritage, and you settle it and cultivate it, bring the firstripened fruits (bikkurim) of your orchard to the Holy Temple, and declare your gratitude for all that Hashem has done for you. Our Parshah also includes the laws of the maasros/tithes given to the Leviim and to the poor, and detailed instructions on how to proclaim the blessings and the curses on Har Gerizim and Har Eival—as discussed in the beginning of the Parshah of Re’eh. Moshe reminds the people that they are Hashem’s chosen people, and that they, in turn, have chosen Hashem. The latter part of Ki Savo consists of the Tochachah (“Rebuke”). After listing the blessings with which Hashem will reward the people when they follow the laws of the Torah, Moshe gives a long, harsh account of the bad things—illness, famine, poverty and exile—that shall befall them if they abandon Hashem’s commandments. Moshe concludes by telling the people that only today, forty years after their birth as a people, have they attained “a heart to know, eyes to see and ears to hear.”

QUIZ TIME

Parshah

Normally We Say, “Don’t Look at the Kankan” But Not Here

[Avos 4:20]

he Torah says us that when a person brings the Bikkurim [First Fruits] to the Kohen “the Kohen shall take the basket from your hand and place it before the Altar of the L-rd, your G-d.” [Devorim 26:4] The Malbim points out that there were a number of rituals in the avodah, for which keilim were necessary. Rarely, if ever, however, does the Torah speak about the Keili that is used to bring the offering. For example, in discussing the ritual of “zerikas hadam” [sprinkling the blood from a sacrifice on the altar], the Torah does not say, “you shall take the receptacle in which the blood was gathered and sprinkle the blood…,” it merely says, “you shall sprinkle the blood.” We would expect that here too the Torah should say, “the Kohen takes the Bikkurim from your hand.” Uncharacteristically, the Torah here focuses on the basket, rather than merely the contents of the basket! The Malbim quotes the Sifrei: “From here we derive that the wealthy used to bring their First Fruits in keilim of silver and gold (which they took back after the Kohanim took the Bikkurim from them) and the poor used to bring the First Fruits in woven reed baskets (which the Kohanim kept).” According to the Malbim, based on this Sifrei, the reason the Torah emphasizes that the Bikkurim were brought in baskets is precisely for this reason — to teach us that (in the case of poor farmers who brought reed baskets) the Kohanim kept the basket along with the fruits. The Malbim explains that the Sifrei derives this distinction between the rich and poor famer from the fact that when the Torah speaks about Bikkurim in parshas Mishpatim and parshas Ki Sisa there is no mention of baskets. It is only here in parshas Ki Savo that the basket is mentioned. The Sifrei concludes that our parsha is referring to a poor farmer who brings the fruit in a woven reed basket. In this case, the Kohen takes the basket from his hand (and keeps it). In Sefer Shmos, the Torah is referring to a rich farmer who brings his First Fruits up to Yerushalayim on a silver platter. There, the Kohen takes the fruit from him and the farmer keeps the fancy container.

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The purpose of this “double standard”, the Malbim explains, is actually to the poor farmer’s merit (l’zakos es ha’ani). Most likely, the poor person wove the basket himself. The basket he makes with his own hands is more impressive for the Kohen than the rich farmer’s silver platter — to such an extent that it becomes part of the Bikkurim gift to the Kohen. Why? It is because the poor person put his blood, sweat, and tears into making that basket. Since he needed to ensure that the basket would be tahor [pure], he presumably made a new basket with his own hard labor and the basket now becomes an integral part of his Bikkurim offering. The woven reeds are infused with the same Kedusha [holiness] as the Bikkurim are. True, the wealthy person paid a lot of money for the silver platter — but it is not the same. That which you put your personal time and effort into because it is the most you can afford takes on a special importance. When my wife and I were first in Kollel, we were struggling financially. I remember that for some special occasion — a birthday or Mother’s day — my wife wanted to buy her mother a present. However, in those days, the money we had would not have bought more than a trivial item. Instead, my wife decided to make some kind of item for her mother — either knitting or embroidery, I do not remember the details. I do remember that it made a big impression on my mother-in-law. This is the best we could do. It was the most we could afford. But it was a beautiful hand crafted item that my wife made with love with her own hands. This is exactly what happens with the poor farmer and the basket. The rich farmer can go to a silver store and buy plenty of platters. However, the poor farmer, who knew he had to make a basket and spent time gathering the materials and working hard in shaping it — he probably even cut himself in making it — it was literally his blood, sweat, and tears. That takes on a special importance. Therefore, Parshas Bikkurim is one of the rare places where the Torah talks about the keili in which the offering is brought.

Which is the only letter of the Aleph-Beis missing from Parshas Bikurim and why?

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Rabbi Danny Kirsch Chairman of JLE, Federation

The author can be contacted at rabbikirsch@jle.org.uk

It’s hard to believe, but yes it’s erev selichos! A year has passed and we find ourselves just a few days away from Rosh Hashanah. The sefarim teach that these are precious and powerful days, with real opportunities to examine our past deeds, change our behaviour and make resolutions for the future. Our sedra begins with the mitzvah of bikkurim. What message can we see and learn from this beautiful mitzvah, which will enable us to be better prepared for the Yom Hadin?

Parshah

field by tying a thread? Grapes, pomegranates and figs; the very same category of fruits that brought about their original downfall!

In the third perek of Mishnayos Bikkurim the mishnah outlines the process of separating bikkurim

Klal Yisrael’s entrance into Eretz Yisroel should have taken place many years earlier. However, Moshe sent the spies to view this glorious and unique land. Sadly, they returned 40 days later with a false and perverted report. They also brought back fruit to verify their claim.

‫יֹורד ָא ָדם ְּבתֹוְך ָׂש ֵדהּו‬ ֵ .‫ּכּורים‬ ִ ‫יׁשין ַה ִּב‬ ִ ‫ּכֵ ַיצד ַמ ְפ ִר‬ ,‫ ִרּמֹון ֶׁש ִּבּכֵ ר‬,‫ ֶא ְׁשּכֹול ֶׁש ִּבּכֵ ר‬,‫רֹואה ְּת ֵאנָ ה ֶׁש ִּבּכְ ָרה‬ ֶ ְ‫ו‬ .‫ּכּורים‬ ִ ‫ ֲה ֵרי ֵאּלּו ִּב‬,‫אֹומר‬ ֵ ְ‫ ו‬,‫קֹוׁשרֹו ְבגֶ ִמי‬ ְ

‫מֹורה וְ ֶא ְׁשּכֹול‬ ָ ְ‫ד־נחל ֶא ְׁשּכֹל וַ ּיִכְ ְרתּו ִמ ָׁשּם ז‬ ַ ‫וַ ָּיבֹאּו ַע‬ ‫ּומן־‬ ִ ‫ן־ה ִרּמֹנִ ים‬ ָ ‫ּומ‬ ִ ‫ֲענָ ִבים ֶא ָחד וַ ִּי ָׂשּ ֻאהּו ַבּמֹוט ִּב ְׁשנָ יִם‬ ‫ַה ְּת ֵאנִ ֽים׃‬

A person goes into his field and sees the figs, grapes and pomegranates ready to ripen.

“They reached the valley Eshkol, and there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes—it had to be borne on a carrying frame by two of them—and some pomegranates and figs.” [Bamidbar 13:23]

If I conclude that in the past I have not spoken correctly, then now is the perfect time to analyse my speech and find opportunities to communicate in a positive way. If on reflection my hands have not helped others in need, then let me direct my energies to insure my hands are put to productive use. If my grim and uncommunicative face has not been welcoming to strangers then let my smile be the first thing that greets you.

The meforshim are bothered, why does the mishnah specially mention these three fruits? Eretz Yisrael is blessed with other fruits as well! One answer is that these are the first to ripen and are therefore highlighted

The spies spoke in a derogatory way about Eretz Yisrael and they sinned showing the rest of the people the grapes, pomegranates and figs.

HaRav Menachem Zemba zt’’l Hy’’d, quoting the Arizal, suggests an alternative idea, which offers us a fascinating insight into the power of teshuvah and the opportunities which are given to us to re-evaluate and move forward from past failures.

So, when eventually klal Yisrael go into their promised land, they bring the gifts of that land, their bikkurim their first fruits! And which are the fruits that they mark first in their

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QUIZ TIME

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The meforshim explain that the tikun is to take the very thing that caused the sin, and correct the sin by elevating it in the most exalted way.

If we misused the fruits of Eretz Yisrael. Then our tikun is to bring the very same fruits and use them to praise Hashem and His wonderful, truly blessed Land. May we all be blessed for a Kesiva v’chasimah tovah

This week’s Shailatext is

‫לע”נ שמעון בן שרגא ז”ל‬

The Mishna in Bikurim notes that there is a difference between a rich and poor man when bringing bikurim. The rich man gets back his basket while the poor man forfeits his to the Kohen. Surely it should be the other way around?

STORY Resolving a Dispute Between Parents on the Name for a Baby Boy Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein once related the following story to his brother-in-law, Rav Chaim Kanievsky. A couple who had just been Bentched with their first son came before Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l, with a question, concerning what they should name their son. The husband had just recently lost his father, so it was natural that he would want to name his son after his father. His wife refused to give that name, because a short time earlier, in their apartment building, a young child with that same name had unfortunately passed away, and the mother feared that it was a bad sign to give her son that name.

Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, shlita

The husband argued that Kibbud Av, honoring the memory of his father, was more important than her concern, but she responded that under no circumstances would she put her son’s life in “danger” by giving him that name. Rav Shlomo Zalman gave the matter some thought, then he gave his decision. He said, “I have to side in favor of the mother, but for a different reason than she has.” He explained, “The baby should not be named after his father’s father, but not because of a fear concerning a bad sign. “The reason is because in just a few years when your son will go out to play, and his mother will call out from the window for him to come home, your neighbor who lost their child with the same name will hear the name of their child being called out, and it will cause pain to them. One cannot give such a name that quite possibly will cause pain to another Jew.”

When Rav Chaim Kanievsky heard this psak, tears welled up in his eyes. He said, “This is what it means to be sensitive when deciding a halachic ruling. To most people, the Halachic response to the husband and wife was clear, it was either one way or the other. To Rav Shlomo Zalman, there was so much more to consider!” Torah U’Tefilah: A Collection of Inspiring Insights compiled by Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK If you are persistent you will get it. If you are consistent you will keep it.

QUIZ TIME

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The parsha talks about saying two viduyim: for bikurim and for maaser sheini. Why by bikurim does he say it out in a loud voice while by maaser he says it quietly, ‘‫?לפני ה‬

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Schechter

Author of Seforim, Parshah Pshetl

The author can be contacted at yankieschechter@gmail.com

Parshah

Partners in Torah

”‫ וירשתה וישבת בה‬,‫ “והיה כי תבוא אל הארץ אשר ד’ אלקיך נתן לך נחלה‬1:62 “And it will be when you enter the Land that Hashem, your G-d, gives you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it.” This is the opening Posuk of this Parshah, and the previous Parshas ends with the Mitzvah of Mechiyas Amalek. The Posuk begins, “‫– ”והיה‬ with a “‫ ”’ו‬which connects this Parshah with the previous one. What is connection between Mechiyas Amalek and Bikkurim?

he reason for the Mitzvah of Shemita is so that Klal Yisroel should learn Torah. The other six years, they need to work their vineyards and their fields. In the seventh year, they put aside all of their worries of providing sustenance and learn Torah full time. They have full Bitachon that Hakodosh Boruch Hu will provide for them. (‫)מגלה עמוקות‬

they worked their field and vineyards, and that is why Amalek was able to attack them. While Klal Yisroel did not completely turn away from the Torah, for they learned Torah like other years, that was not good enough. The Shemitah year they were required to abandon their fields and completely devote themselves to the Torah Hakdosha. It was because they did not do so that it was an impetus for Amalek attacking them. Why were Klal Yisroel Zoche to receive the Land of Eretz Yisroel? It was only because of the Torah Hakdosha. They needed to make a firm commitment to the Torah, throughout the years that were not Shemitah, and even more so during the years of Shemitah. Klal Yisroel are to give Bikkurim as a reminder that the field is not really theirs; it is Hakodosh Boruch Hu’s. Hakodosh Boruch Hu is very magnanimous, and although it is His field, He only makes us give Him a little portion and allows us to keep the rest. However, we must remember this point; the Land is for us to have produce, but we must always remember our primary obligation is to Hakodosh Boruch Hu and His Torah. The Torah places the Mitzvah of Bikkurim right after Mechiyas Amalek to teach us that the reason that Amalek came was because Klal Yisroel had lost focus of what they were supposed to be doing and were not completely attached to the Torah.

riddle

Parsha

What does Mechiyas Amalek (the previous Parshah) have to do with the Mitzvah of Bikkurim? Klal Yisroel left Mitzrayim in the year 2448, and it was at that time that they had a battle with Amalek, as it says in the Ramban in the name of Rabbeinu Chananel, the Abarbanel, and others. Amalek attacked Klal Yisroel during that time for a specific reason. Medrash Tanchuma in Parshas Shlach says on the Posuk, “‫ויבא עמלק וילחם עם ישראל‬ ‫ – ”ברפידים‬the word, “‫ ”רפידים‬here means that Klal Yisroel were, “‫ – ”רפו ידיהם מן התורה‬for Klal Yisroel let go of the Torah Hakdosha, that is why Amalek came and attacked them. The year 2448 was a year of Shemitah, and the year of Shemitah, one is obligated to leave his fields and toil in Torah during that Hakodosh Boruch Hu commanded that the field should be left fallow once every seven years so that all Yidin should have time to learn Torah during that year. Klal Yisroel were not learning Torah, and

Thank you to Boruch Kahan bkahan47@yahoo.co.uk

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QUESTION

Someone in Nach misread a very important word in our Parshah that lead to a battle not completely won by Yisroel. Who was it and where is it recorded in the Gemoro? CLUE

He was Dovid’s chief officer and held on to the horns of the Mizbeiach when trying to escape punishment by death.

4. livingwithmitzvos.com

To counteract Amalek, we must toil in Torah. We must always remember that while there is much to take care of in this world from a physical standpoint, we must never let go of the Torah Hakdosha. (‫)יד דוד‬ There is another important lesson we can learn from Amalek being near the Parshah of Bikkurim. Amalek came to attack Klal Yisroel, to harm them. There are many who seek to antagonize Klal Yisroel, both physically and spiritually. How are they able to be successful on any level? It is only when Klal Yisroel are not serving Hakodosh Boruch Hu properly. Klal Yisroel let go of the Torah, and they were attacked. If we want to be protected from all harm, we must remember the Mitzvos of the Land; Bikkurim, Shemitah, etc.… We are to remember that it is not really our Land, rather it is Hakodosh Boruch Hu’s Land, and we must not let it consume us. We must stay focused on our Avodas Hashem and our Limud Hatorah and then Hakodosh Boruch Hu will ensure no harm comes to us. Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants to help us, and we need His help – but we need to show Him that we want to return to Him. As we prepare for the Yemei Hadin, we must strengthen ourselves in Limud Hatorah and Avodas Hashem, so that we are protected from all evil. May we be Zoche to have a Ksiva V’chasima Tovah.

ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK [Question: There is a well known two word Hebrew expression that comes before Sheni in both this week's and next week's Parsha but they mean completely different things. What is it and what do they mean?

Pi Shenayim. In our Parsha this means by the mouth of two ie that two Eidim have to give testimony in a court case and generally one is not enough even though there are exceptions. Rashi (Perek 16 Possuk 6) discusses other Halochos that we learn from the words Pi Shenayim. The same expression is found in next week’s Parsha--Parshas Ki Tzetze (Perek 21 Possuk 17). This teaches us a completely different Halocho that a Bechor gets double portion of Yerushah compared to the other Yorshim.

When and why does the Baal Korei read Parshas Ki Sovoi some pesukim loudly and others quietly?

Osher Chaim Levene

Orah

The author can be contacted at osher.levene@googlemail.com

Parshah

The Living Law: The Reward of a Mitzvah One of the central principles within Judaism is the concept of sechar v’onesh, “reward and punishment”. This means man is culpable for his deeds and misdeeds; his conduct leaves an indelible imprint both in this world and the next. In the end, man will be richly rewarded for his good actions and severely punished for his misdemeanours. A significant portion of the sidrah deals with the Tochachah, “Admonition”. In it, the Torah vividly delineates the horrendous catastrophes to befall Israel should they defy the word of Hashem and fail to fulfil their responsibilities in observing mitzvos. This leads us onto an interesting discussion about the nature of “reward” vis-à-vis the performance of a mitzvah. What is the reward

by Yisroel Avrohom Kaye The pasuk, Devarim (16:19) says “Justice, justice shall your pursue” The Ma’ayanah shel Torah brings R Yaakov Yitzchok of Peshishcha (The Yid Hakodesh) who explains that the way in which one pursues justice must be justice. One mustn’t allow oneself to be guided by the godless principle that the end justifies the means.

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Though Hashem does not withhold the reward from any of His creatures, the a priori position is for man to act as “a servant serving his master with no regard the issue of reward” (Pirkei Avos 1:3). Were he to employ a selfcentred agenda, his first question would be “What’s in it for me?” Where the Jew shows a selfless portrayal of his unremitting loyalty to his Master, he is approaching it from the ideal perspective. The opportunity to put into practice his love for Hashem stands as reason enough for his servitude. For him, the privilege itself to serve Hashem is a tremendous source of pleasure. It is the means to prove his love is for Hashem, not himself. And so, he is not propelled by the resultant reward that he may deserve. He “delights in His mitzvos but not in the reward for His mitzvos.” (Avodah Zarah 19a).

A Quick Vort: Ma’ayanah shel Torah

for mitzvah observance? What is the currency of this remuneration? Why is the main reward reserved for the world to come?

The profundity of the concept of reward for a mitzvah is given an interesting interpretation in the words of the Mishnah that declares sechar mitzvah – mitzvah construed to mean “the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself” (Avos 4:2). What animates every mitzvah, say its “soul”, is the concept of dveykus b’Hashem, closeness to Hashem. In-other-words, the very act of the mitzvah is the medium whereby man forges a timeless relationship with Hashem. Conversely, every sin or transgression causes the opposite impact: it draws the person away from G- d. So one should never attempt to evaluate and weigh up the relative importance of mitzvos based upon their perceived level of reward. Insofar as both function to successful bring man closer to Hashem, the Jew truly has no way of knowing the exact reward within

each mitzvah. Whether it is classified an ‘easy’ compared to ‘harder’ , he has to scrupulously perform both with the same vigilance and zeal (Avos 2:1). This comes out of cognizance that their defining objective – i.e. to draw close to Hashem by obeying His will – lies at the heart of each and every mitzvah. This beautifully explains why, apart from some occasional side benefits, the principal of man’s reward is not within this world” (Kiddushin 29b). Fundamentally flawed, the physical, fleeting world lacks the currency to adequately reward the righteous. Such a person’s reward is reserved, instead, for the world to come. How pathetically inadequate any reward in this world is, is memorably explained by Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler. All the happiness and pleasure of a lifetime coupled with the joy of every person in every city and country who have ever lived, if it was possible to concentrate them into one moment; could still not provide reward even for the smallest mitzvah compared to the delight man will experience in connected with Hashem in the world to come (Michtav MiEliyahu I, p 4-5). The resultant state of dveykus is brought out by a lifetime of mitzvah performance. The greatest reward imaginable that is a spiritual, eternal one that will to be fully felt in the world to come. Importantly, the spiritual world to come is exclusively determined by whatever man makes of himself and his achievements in this physical world. What the Jew does here comes to define his reward there. Obviously, it is imperative that man chase after mitzvah opportunities to constantly develop his closeness with Hashem. The relationship successfully forged, after all, is his ultimate and eternal reward.

5. How does the gabbai in shul decide who to give the aliya of the curses? livingwithmitzvos.com

Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

Author of Lashon HaKodesh: History, Holiness, & Hebrew (Mosaica Press)

The author can be contacted at historyofhebrew@gmail.com

Parshah

Ki Savo: Tree Words

We might be familiar with the word eitz and its various forms from the Bible: eitz ha-daat (the Tree of Knowledge), eitz ha-Chaim (the Tree of Life), atzei Shittim (Shittim wood), atzei Levanah (Lebanon wood), and the like. There is, however, another word for tree: ilan. We have already shown over and over again that no two words in the Hebrew language mean exactly the same. So then why are there two words for “tree” and what is the difference between those two words? Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim of Breslau (1740–1814) writes that the word eitz is related to the Hebrew word atzum (strong) and etzem (bone), as it denotes the strength and durability of a tree (as opposed to other, flimsy forms of flora, like grass). The attentive reader might notice that while the word eitz appears countless times in the Bible, the word ilan does not. Rather, the word ilan appears only once in the Bible (Daniel 4:7) and a similar word—ilana (which also means tree)—appears several times in the fourth chapter of Daniel (verses 8; 11; 17; 20; and 23). That chapter, like most of the book of Daniel is actually written in Aramaic, not in Hebrew. This would suggest that eitz is a Hebrew word, while ilan(a) is an Aramaic word. The latter word constantly appears in the Mishnah and other rabbinic writings, leading us to ask why the sages of the Mishnah preferred to use the

Aramaic word for tree, instead of the Hebrew one. (The word ilan should not be confused with the Hebrew word allon which refers to an oak tree.) To resolve these difficulties, Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn (1857–1935) explains that while Biblical Hebrew uses the word eitz to mean both a tree and its wood, the Rabbis decided to differentiate between living trees and cut wood by using two different words. To that effect, they took the Aramaic word ilana found in the Bible to mean a living tree, Hebraized it to coin the word ilan, and adopted that neologism as the new word for a live tree. Concomitantly, they narrowed the definition of the Hebrew word eitz to refer only to wood. The advantage of this new linguistic policy was that the Rabbis now had a convenient way of differentiating between a live tree and wood with a simple change in word.

Rabbi Betzalel Stern (1911–1988), the author of responsa be-Tzel ha-Chachmah, was once asked whether the traditional formulation of blessings and prayers were phrased according to the grammar and usage of Biblical Hebrew or of Rabbinic Hebrew. He answered this question by citing the Mishnah (Brachot 6:1) which rules, “On the fruits of an ilan, one blesses borei pri ha-eitz (“He who creates the fruit of the eitz”).” Rabbi Stern explained that although the word for tree in the spoken vernacular was the Aramaic-based ilan, the Mishnah nonetheless chose to use the word eitz in the wording of the blessing before eating fruits. To him, this clearly demonstrates that the Rabbis preferred Biblical Hebrew to their own form Hebrew when deciding on the exact phraseology of blessings.

ANSWERS 1. The letter Samech since the amount to give for bikurim is one sixtieth (Baal Haturim).

said aloud. However, the rest of the year a person must daven quietly since these davenings are full of personal requests.)

2. R’ Leib Lopian zt”l answers that the rich man brings his bikurim in an expensive basket and therefore wants it back. The poor man brings it in an inexpensive basket. However, since he does not have too many fruits to give and does not want it to look miserly therefore he stuffs the bottom with stuffing to look full. Imagine if the Kohen would need to return his basket and would empty its contents in public how embarrassed the poor man would be? In order to save the poor man from this the Kohen kept his basket.

4. These curses are read by the Baal Korei quietly while the pesukim that deal with comfort, like those remembering the covenant, is read loudly. The rise and lowering of voice expresses our fear and hope. (See Kitzur Shulchan Oruch 78:4).

3. The vidui of bikurim is said aloud because it talks about the greatness of Hashem. However, the vidui of maaser talks about a person’s actions and therefore is said quietly. (This same idea is seen by the Yomim Noiroim. R’ Shlomo Kluger explains that the reason why during these holy days we can say the davenning out aloud is because they are days of “Hamelech” where Hashem is closer to the world as King. Since these tefillous focus on the greatness of Hashem, therefore they can be

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5. The gabbai usually calls up the Baal Koire for the curses in order that no one should think that the curses should be placed on a different person who is being called up for them. (See Mishna Berurah 428:17.) 6. The toichocha is mentioned twice in the Torah – here in Parshas Ki Sovoi, and again in Parshas Bechukosai. The Ramban (26:16) explains two main differences. In Parshas Bechukosai it describes them in the first person and it is said in the plural. These curses happened during the churban of the first Beis Hamikdosh. The toichocha in Parshas Ki Sovoi is spoken in the third person and is said in the singular. The punishments mentioned here happened by the churban of the second Beis Hamikdosh and in the following exiles that continues even until today. See the Ramban inside and also the Gemora Megilla 31b.

6. Parshas Ki Sovoi contains the toichocha. We have another toichocha in Parshas Bechukosai. Why the need for two times curses? What is the difference between them?

Rabbi Alan Wilkinson Rabbi, Great Ormond Street Hospital

The author can be contacted at genesisasw@gmail.com

tefilah Tachanun Gift horses…. [Part 1] -

here is an old English proverb ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.’ The advice, of course, is that when you receive a gift you should be grateful for what it is; don’t imply you wished for more by assessing its value. As with most proverbs the origin is ancient and unknown but apparently the phrase first appeared in print in English in 1546. This proverb came to mind several years ago when I heard a mohel [from memory it was Rabbi Pesach Krohn] mention that sometimes when he goes to a shul on a Monday or a Thursday morning he is asked if he is ‘performing a bris’. On one occasion when he said ‘No’ the response was ‘well what use is it having you here then?’. Why this reaction? Because the kehillah would still have to say tachanun. Many of us may identify with the desire to shave between 30 seconds and five minutes off davening [depending on where you are] but are we going beyond inspecting the teeth and actually rejecting the gift horse. Whilst Tachanun differs on Mondays and Thursdays compared to other weekdays for Ashkenazim it always includes Tehillim from perek 6 where Dovid Hamelech finds himself bed-ridden with a terrible illness and sees this as a sign to repent for his sin with Bas Sheva. Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch zt’’l notes that after reciting Shemoneh Esrei, which is a prayer on behalf of all our brethren, Tachanun makes us focus on our personal failings and examine our deeds so that we can repent and rectify them. Just as Dovid Hamelech reflected on his behaviour and sought Hashem’s forgiveness, we are compelled to do the same and we fall on our faces to seek out Hashem’s forgiveness, begging Hashem to protect us from harm and retribution for sinning against Him.

The Ben Ish Chai explains that Sephardim do not recite the chapter of Tehillim that Ashkenazim do for Tachanun is based on the Zohar commenting that saying the chapter of Tehillim of Rachum Ve·chanun without proper concentration is not only not beneficial, but it can be spiritually harmful. On that basis as we are prone to reciting the Tachanun prayers without proper concentration, it is better for us not to recite it at all. The Zohar explains that falling to our faces (Nefilas Apayim) is showing our total devotion to Hashem to the point that we are ready to lay ourselves down and give up our lives. The Ari zt’’l writes that this is the second time we demonstrate our full devotion to Avodas Hashem. The first time is when we recite the Shema: we imagine ourselves serving Hashem to the point of even dying for His Name’s sake as we say Ve’ahavtah eis Hashem Elokecha bechol le’vavecha uve’chol nafshecha which our Sages determine to mean even if it means giving up our soul for Hashem’s sake. The difference between the two instances can be understood with the comment by Rav Shlomo Alkabetz as quoted by the Shelah Hakadosh, that when falling to one’s face we demonstrate our willingness to die for some sins that cannot be atoned through any other means, such as the sin of Chillul Hashem. In effect, Nefilas Apayim represents a punishment by death that brings atonement and closure to one’s sin, while with Krias Shema the message is that we are so devoted in our Avodas Hashem that we are even willing to give up our lives so as not to transgress Hashem’s commands. The Tanya and the Yaavetz write in their commentary to the Siddur that the basic difference between our willingness to die for Hashem’s sake and for the sake of his Torah at the time of reading of Shema and with Nefilas

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Apayim is that with the reading of Shema it is only theoretical, while with Nefilas Apayim it is actual. Although falling to one’s face one isn’t giving up his life; one still demonstrates the resolve to lie down and give up one’s own life for Hashem’s honour. When reciting these prayers with proper intent, one’s thoughts will be considered as good as deeds. Tachanun may be recited at any time but its proper place is right after the Shemoneh Esrei. This fits in according to the explanation that this prayer is recited to emulate the different methods that Moshe Rabbeinu utilised in his tefilos. In the Gemara in Bava Metzia it relates that the full potential of Tachanun is realised only when it is said without interruption between it and Shemoneh Esrei. The Gemara tells us how Rebbe Elazar’s wife Imma Shalom, would always ensure that her husband had some form of interruption between Shemoneh Esrei and Tachanun. She did so because she feared that the power of her husband’s Tachanun would cause her brother Rabban Gamliel to die because Rebbe Elazar became upset with him. By reciting Tachanun, which closes with the verses dealing with Dovid Hamelech’s prayer that Hashem do away with his enemies, she was concerned that something would happen to her brother as well. The Gemara goes on to relate that once Imma Shalom was delayed and Rebbe Elazar said Tachanun immediately after Shemoneh Esrei without any interruption; Rabban Gamliel, his brother in law, died shortly afterwards. Whilst our tefillos may not be on the level of those of Rebbe Elazar this does demonstrate the importance of reciting Tachanun immediately after Shemoneh Esrei without interruption and the tremendous power this tefilla possesses when it is said with the proper concentration and intention.

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