6 oneg shemos

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‫בס"ד‬

‫פרשת שמות‬ Warmest M

azal Tov w is s to RWaabrm bei st ze alisTov whe AvMi a W hes to enfeisld Familyan BdoFru am chilyKah‫שליט"א‬

NORTH WEST LONDON’S WEEKLY TORAH & OPINION SHEETS

‫א‬:‫ו‬-‫א‬:‫ שמות א‬:‫קריאת התורה‬

6TH JANUARY 2018

an

o n DM on ove’sirB’sarA muitv frah uf

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

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In Memory of Leslie and Freda Aronson

SEE PAGE 4 FOR

Rabbi Yonasan Roodyn

Jewish Futures Trust; Oneg Shabbos Editor in Chief; Federation ShailaText

The author can be contacted at rabbiroodyn@jewishfuturestrust.com

Chanukah is over and Pesach is coming!

Parshah Although Yom Tov is some three months away, the lead up to Pesach is full of cleaning and Kashering and other important preparations for the chag. This can often mean that we are simply too busy to prepare new material and ideas for the Seder and Yom Tov meals. Fortunately we have the coming sedras, of Shemos, Va’era, Bo and Beshalach which give us a full month to delve into the stories, themes and deeper insights before the Yom Tov rush!

T

his week’s sedra describes the world’s first recorded population explosion.

Yaakov’s family descend to Egypt numbering some seventy souls and within a short time we are told that, ‘The children of Israel were fruitful and swarmed and increased and became very very strong, and the land became filled with them.’ (Shemos 1:7). It is at this point that our ancestors make the transition from being a family to a nation.

Pharaoh becomes fearful of the growing power of the Bnei Yisrael and proposes a ‘final solution’ to ensure that they can never take over his country.

Israelite boys are massacred at birth, family life is disrupted and

NOW IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES

slave labour becomes the order of the day. In the midst of this all, through a twist of fate, there is one man born into freedom.

Instead of being drowned at birth or born into slavery, Moshe is brought up in Pharaoh’s palace, living a life of luxury in splendid isolation from the tyranny that exists outside.

Upon reaching adulthood, Moshe steps out onto the street and sees what is going on with his own eyes. He observes their burdens and takes their pain to heart (Shemos 1:7). Rather than being a disinterested outsider, he immediately identifies with their pain. The Midrash explain that Moshe started to work shoulder to shoulder with his new found

brothers. In fact some meforshim explain that he even had the audacity to petition Pharaoh for better work conditions for his wretched brothers and sisters.

Even at this early stage of life, Moshe demonstrates the qualities that are required of a leader, namely care and empathy.

He could have remained aloof, but instead he goes out to feel their pain. This had the dual effect of giving strength and encouragement to the enslaved Jews and of inspiring him, committing himself to make a difference to their lives, risking his own security and comfort.

The seeds of Moshe’s leadership are sown in the desert plains of Egypt and are a lesson for us all.

Please urgently Daven For

‫שלמה טבלי בן שרה נ''י‬ '‫שירה תמר בת שושנה דבורה תחי‬ ‫אריאל יהודה בן יהודית נ"י‬ ‎'‫חיה רוחמה בת אטא תחי‬ ‫הרב יונתן יוסף בן טעמא שליט"א‬ ‫ישראל זאב בן יצחק מירל נ”י‬ ‫לרפואה שלימה בתוך שאר חולי ישראל‬

This weeks Oneg Shabbos Publication is sponsored

‫לע''נ‬ ‫ר' יחיאל‬ ‫נתן בן‬ ‫ר' שמאי‬ ‫ז"ל‬ In memory of

Mr Michael Feldman ‫ז״ל‬ on his tenth Yahrzeit

Yerushalayim, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Baltimore, Beit- Shemesh, Birmingham, Borehamwood, Budapest, Cancun, Detroit, Edgware, Elstree, Gateshead, Gibraltar, Glasgow, Hale, Henderson, Hong Kong, Ilford, Johannesburg, Lakewood, Larnaca, Las Vegas, Leeds, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, Milan, New York, Oslo, Paris, Petach Tikva, Philadelphia, Pressburg, Radlett, Ruislip, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Southend, Tallinn, Tarzana, Toronto, Uman, Vienna, Zurich

Rabbi Moishe Kormornick

2

Author, Short Vort

The author can be contacted at moishe@adirpress.com

SEDRA SUMMARY Thank you to Chabad.org

T

he Bnei Yisrael multiply in Egypt. Threatened by their growing numbers, Pharaoh enslaves them and orders the Jewish midwives, Shifrah and Puah, to kill all male babies at birth. When they do not comply, he commands his people to cast the Jewish baby boys into the Nile.

A child is born to Yocheved, the daughter of Levi, and her husband, Amram, and placed in a basket on the river, while the baby’s sister, Miriam, stands watch from afar. Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the boy, raises him as her son, and names him Moshe.

As a young man, Moshe leaves the palace and discovers the hardship of his brethren. He sees an Egyptian beating a Jew, and kills the Egyptian.

The next day he sees two Jews fighting; when he admonishes them, they reveal his deed of the previous day, and Moshe is forced to flee to Midian. There he rescues Yisro’s daughters, marries one of them (Tzipporah), and becomes a shepherd of his father-in-law’s flocks.

Hashem appears to Moshe in a burning bush at the foot of Har Sinai, and instructs him to go to Pharaoh and demand: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.” Moshes’ brother, Aharon, is appointed to serve as his spokesman. In Mitzrayim, Moshe and Aharon assemble the elders of bnei yisroel to tell them that the time of their redemption has come. The people believe; but Pharaoh refuses to let them go, and even intensifies the suffering of Bnei Yisrael.

Moshe returns to Hashem to protest: “Why have You done evil to this people?” Hashem promises that the redemption is close at hand.

The Silver Lining ‫ֹאמר לִ ְבנֵ י‬ ַ ‫ֹאמר ּכֹה ת‬ ֶ ‫מׁשה ֶא ְהיֶ ה ֲא ֶׁשר ֶא ְהיֶ ה וַ ּי‬ ֶ ‫ֹלקים ֶאל‬ ִ ‫ֹאמר ֱא‬ ֶ ‫וַ ּי‬ ‫יִ ְׂש ָר ֵאל ֶא ְהיֶ ה ְׁשלָ ַחנִ י ֲאלֵ יכֶ ם‬ And Hashem said to Moshe, “I will be what I will be;” and He said, “This is what you should say to the Children of Israel, “’I will be’ has sent me to you.” (3:14) Hashem tells Moshe that the essence of His name is “I will be what I will be” which stands for ‘I will be with them in this trouble [of the Egyptian servitude] as I will be with them during their subjugation under other kingdoms.” However, so as not to cause distress to the Jewish People by telling them that there will be future hardship for the Jewish People, Hashem says that Moshe should only mention the first half of His name: “I will be,” — comforting the Jewish People in this exile while refraining from informing them that there will be future kingdoms who will cause the Jewish People suffering.1 If Hashem did not want to cause upset to the Jewish People by informing them that this would not be the last of their troubles, why did He tell Moshe? Surely as the leader of the Jewish People this would cause him even more distress than anyone else?

The Shlah Hakadosh answers that Hashem told Moshe so that “he should join in the pain of Israel, for Moshe was great in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants.”2 The words of the Shlah Hakadosh are difficult to understand. What has Moshe’s lofty status in the eyes of the Egyptians to do with his need to join in the pain of the Jewish People?3 Perhaps we can answer this question with the following story: A poor chassid was renowned for his generosity in hosting guests. Even though his home lacked the bare minimum, there was always a bed, food and a hot drink for anyone who needed. One day, the chassid’s fortune changed and he became very 1 Rashi.

2 Shlah Hakadosh, Parashas Vaeira.

3 If anything, the reason why Hashem would not have hidden the Jewish People’s future trouble was because of his lofty status in the eyes of Hashem, as we find by Avraham, whom Hashem did not want

Parshah wealthy. However, his generosity also changed.

Although he had a much bigger house filled with beautiful furnishings, his home now lacked guests or any remnant of his past activities of kindness.

When the Rebbe heard how the chassid had changed, he decided to visit him. The Rebbe took him to the window and asked, “What do you see?”

“People walking the chassid.

QUIZ TIME

1. livingwithmitzvos.com

the

street”

answered

“Now,” said the Rebbe pointing to the mirror, “what do you see?”

“I see myself,” said the chassid unsure of the line of questioning.

“Why when you were standing by the window, you saw other people, but in front of the mirror you only saw yourself?” asked the Rebbe further.

“Because the window is made of clear glass, whereas the mirror has a layer of silver covering it.”

“Exactly!” exclaimed the Rebbe, “a person’s heart is like clear glass, but look what happens when it’s covered with a little silver!”4 This explains why Hashem told Moshe about the future plight of the Jewish People. Moshe was a prince in Egypt whose elevated status could easily have led him to see his own glory and focus on his own successful future. By enjoining Moshe to share in the suffering of the Jewish People, He was removing the layer of silver from his heart, thus allowing him to see others’ suffering and feel their pain.5 The silver lining on our hearts which causes us to ignore others’ difficult plight is not necessarily wealth; it can be health or any area where we do not struggle. For, even though we may be in a position where we are not affected personally with certain difficulties, we must see the pain of others and feel it with them, and then help in any way we can, through a supportive ear, good advice, financial assistance, or at the very least, a prayer for their success. to hide his plan to destroy Sodom (Bereishis, 18:17-18).

4 Related by Rav Yaakov Galinsky.

5 In fact, Moshe’s ability to see others’ suffering despite the comfort of his own surroundings was the reason why Moshe was chosen to lead the Jewish People (Shemos Rabbah, 1:27).

Rachel Charitable Trust ??

in

Who was the first and last sheivet to die in Mitzrayim?

This page is sponsored by Federation

Rabbi Dovid Roberts

3

Rav, Kehillas Netzach Yisroel & Director of Education, Federation The author can be contacted at rabbi.roberts@federation.org.uk

‫ משה רבינו‬is unable to identify any ‫ עבירה‬that would justify and

Parshah explain the depths of the suffering endured by generations of his brothers and sisters in the Golus of Mitzrayim. Until he is challenged with the words ‘are you going to kill me, as you did to the Egyptian’? Now he is pacified, he is able to justify the inhumane subjugation of a nation, the state-backed infanticide. ‫ – ’אכן נודע הדבר‬verily the matter is known’ is

‫“ – הולך רכיל מגלה סוד ונאמן רוח מכסה דבר‬The

understood by Chazal to refer to the rationale for the Golus. ‫ משה רבינו‬is mollified by the knowledge that ‫ לשון הרע‬is endemic. This surely requires our attention.

talebearer reveals a secret, whilst the faithful of spirit, covers the matter” The unwillingness and/or the inability to keep quiet is at the heart of the problem. There is a world of ‫פנים‬, an inner world, where careful evaluation is needed before exposure to the world of ‫ חוץ‬is justified. This inner space is pristine, unsullied by the accommodations and compromises that are the hallmark of the realities of the world of ‫חוץ‬.

Upon being asked what his views were on British democracy, Gandhi is said to have responded that he thought it was a splendid idea! Perhaps the same could be said of the Information Age that is the term often used to define our times. Instead of the ready availability of truth that the age promised, we seem to be more manipulated than ever.

The harnessing of the digital revolution for the purposes of the dissemination of misinformation, fake news, information overload, niche news, superficial sound-bites that take pole position ahead of reasoned analysis, have sadly made it genuinely more difficult to know where the truth lies, buried somewhere under the rubble of the global village it was supposed to have constructed.

Judaism is concerned with the world of

‫פנים‬, challenging us to construct ourselves, and our perspectives in line with this reality.

Once achieved, external expression of, and connection to, this inner dimension is appropriate. 1

One needs to appreciate the ‫סור מרע‬, before one can give full expression to the ‫עשה טוב‬.

And that is the real tragedy of our world, where the true beauty and value of restraint and ‫ יראת שמים‬is not appreciated, or valued.

The mind-set that it has generated, is that of the right and the need for information to be disseminated instantaneously, preferably live, to anyone who wishes to access it. Public interest trumps the interests of individuals and decency, and the boundaries that used to delineate public and private space are increasingly becoming blurred and eroded. We witness the bizarre spectacle of a President of the most powerful nation on Earth, bypassing the conventional channels of communication to spew forth his thoughts, in real-time, commenting on other world leaders, spurning the traditions of diplomacy, the statecraft that was the mainstay of assuring stability in a fragile world, and all in the digestible format of 140 characters.

Golus Edom is characterised by the emphasis on image over substance.

‫עשו‬, in his hunger, opts to recognise only the most external and superficial details of a meal laden with significance. The shape of the lentils, the mourning for his grandfather all wilfully spurned in favour of the colour of the soup, the very first thing to hit the eye, and his need for immediate self-gratification. It becomes the very first fast-food meal in history, and the price of his birth-right absolutely justified from his perspective.

From that point on, the veneer of respectability just about covers the inner hypocrisy of the institutions venerated by Western democracies. It is therefore, truly ironic to see that very ability to reach a global audience anonymously, being used to expose the sham of those institutions on a massive

The relevance of all of this for us cannot be overstated. Shlomo Hamelech, in characterising the toxicity of slander and Loshon Hora takes us down a surprising route, challenging us to think of it in entirely new terms.

TEXT

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11 Until that point is reached, special licence is granted to perform Torah and Mitzvos – ‫שלא לשמה‬, which now mandates such sub-optimal performance.

QUIZ TIME

‫ יוסף הצדיק‬is the paradigm of ‫עבודת פנים‬, he lays the foundation3 of the descent into Golus (and indeed the pathway needed to reverse it – hence the ‫משיח בן יוסף‬4) by demonstrating his ability to retain his connection to his inner core, despite being utterly alone, though having no external support network. Alone in Mitzrayim, he is able to conjure up an image of his saintly father, chiding him for discarding his future should he fail this enormous test. His inner world is so real that it defines him – ‫את האלוקים‬ ‫אני ירא‬.5 This is a world that brooks no compromise6 – the inner world of aspiration and ambition, of who we really want to be. The two extra words that Yosef uttered that were out of line with his inner reality earned him two extra years of incarceration7.

Our challenge to extricate ourselves from this Golus of the external and superficial, manifests in one very practical realm, the ability to exercise restraint and preserve the world of that which ought to be private. The imperative to refrain from Lashon Hara is the benchmark against which we are assessed to ascertain whether we are inhabitants of an inner dimension, or citizens of the crass, shallow, virtual world of the flashy, superficial emptiness that is Edom.

12 Wikileaks, the Panama Papers, etc 13 ‫מידת היסוד‬ 14 The apparent involvement of Yosef in Lashon Hara which appears to be the catalyst for Golus is beyond the scope of this article, but needs to be addressed. The Lashon Hara of the ‫ מרגלים‬can now be seen as part of the subtext of Golus.

15 The Maharal sees ‫ יראה‬as the product of real vision – the letters of ‫ ראיה‬rearranged.

16 ‫’עי’ ספר מחשבות חרוץ אות א‬ 17 )‫שאול באחת ועלתה לו וכו’ (יומא כ”ב‬

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scale2. The true clash of civilisations, is the battle for the existence and supremacy of the world of ‫פנים & חוץ‬. One has to choose between the descent into superficiality and the validation of the external, versus the still, silent voice that populates and animates the world of the spirit.

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Rashi (2:14) brings that Moshe killed the Mitzri with Hashem’s Name. How then did Doson and Avirom then know that Moshe and not someone else had killed him? What evidence is there by simply seeing someone’s lips moving?

Rabbi Yossi Goldberg

4

To subscribe to receive weekly a family friendly vort and story email yossi@avortandastory.com

Parshah

No one is perfect

)'‫ (ד' כד‬:‫וַ י ְִהי ַב ֶּד ֶרְך ַּב ָּמלֹון וַ ּי ְִפּגְ ֵׁשהּו ה' וַ י ְַב ֵּקׁש ֲה ִמיתֹו‬ As Moshe was on his way, he stopped off at a Hotel and there Hashem met him and He wanted to kill him

Moshe Rabbeinu had just been instructed

by Hashem to travel to Mitzrayim to bring the Yidden out of their miserable Golus. Without delay, he took his wife and newborn son Eliezer and journeyed towards Mitzrayim.

Rashi explains however that at this very time, Eliezer was due to have his Bris. So Moshe had to decide whether to give Eliezer his Bris first and only then to travel to Mitzrayim, or to delay Eliezer’s Bris and to travel immediately to Mitzrayim.

two people are walking down two separate roads but are heading towards the same corner; when they both turn the corner, they bump straight into each other. That is a ‫פגישה‬ a meeting; by chance. When Aaron came out to greet Moshe, the Possuk ('‫ )כז‬writes ‫וַ ּי ְִפּגְ ֵׁשהּו‬ and he met him. Rav Yackov points out - that was a meeting by chance as Moshe was clearly not expecting Aaron to come out to greet him.

The question is then, how can the Possuk describe Hashem meeting Moshe as though it was by chance? Can we say this about Hashem? Everything is known to Hashem beforehand- nothing ‘just happens’ by chance!

Moshe decided it was too dangerous to travel after a Bris and so he delayed Eliezer’s Bris in order to fulfil Hashem’s instruction straight away.

Rav Kamenetsky explains that it is possible to explain this word ‫ פגישה‬not only to mean a physical meeting but also to mean a meeting of ‫דעת‬, of mind-set. When two people have opposite views, they meet in a clash of views.

This too is a form of ‫ פגישה‬meeting.

As soon as they stopped for a break in their journey, Moshe arranged for them to settle down in a hotel. Here Hashem ‘pounced’ on Moshe for not grabbing this opportunity to give Eliezer a Bris straight away and He wanted to kill Moshe as a punishment.

Here Hashem ‘met’ Moshe Rabbeinu with an opposite view. Moshe chose to deal with the hotel first and Hashem wanted him to do Bris Mila first. This clashing of views is described in the Possuk as ‫ וַ ּי ְִפּגְ ֵׁשהּו‬and he met him.

riddle

Parsha

In his Sefer Emes LeYackov, Rav Yackov Kamenetsky asks on the word in the Possuk ‫ וַ ּי ְִפּגְ ֵׁשהּו‬and he met him. He explains that normally this word is used to describe a meeting that ‘happens’ by chance. Like when

What can we learn from here?

Take a moment to realise what is happening here. Moshe had been chosen as the leader of Klal Yisroel and Hashem was relying on him to take the Yidden out of Mitzrayim and to give them the Torah etc. A great future for Moshe Rabbeinu lay ahead. And now because of his mistake in delaying the Bris, Hashem was about to kill him and destroy his future.

It is true that in the end, his wife saved the day. But why does the Torah write this noncomplimentary story about Moshe Rabbeinu that highlights this mistake that he made?

Moshe had barely started as leader and was already almost killed by Hashem!

The important lesson that the Torah is teaching us is; we are not embarrassed to claim that we are not perfect. It is normal and it is ok to make a mistake. The Torah is replete with stories of our great leaders making mistakes (obviously on their exalted level and not for us to criticise ‫ )ח''ו‬for us to learn important life lessons.

This is an encouraging thought. Next time you “mess up” - don’t beat yourself up in anxious regret. Square your shoulders back and just try again.

QUESTION

There is a famous pair of brothers who are introduced to us in this Parsha who unlike another famous pair, Moshe and Aharon, were in fact Reshoim and come again in two more of the Chamishoh Chumshei Torah.

What are the names of these two brothers?

How many times are they mentioned in the Pessukim in this week’s Parsha?

How many times are they mentioned in Rashi’s Pirush on our Parsha?

Which three Parshas in the Chamishoh Chumshei Torah are their names mentioned in the Pessukim?

CLUE They caused trouble with the Mon on Shabbos as well.

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

ANSWER FROM LAST WEEK

Fox 1: Rashi: Perek 47 Possuk 31 Fox 2: Rashi: Perek 48 Possuk 7 Wolf: Torah Perek 49 Possuk 27 this is in reference to Binyomin

FIND THE ANSWER IN NEXT WEEK'S ONEG Friday

Shabbos

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

5th Jan - ‫י"ז טבת‬

6th Jan - ‫י"ח טבת‬

7th Jan - ‫י"ט טבת‬

8th Jan - ‫כ' טבת‬

9th Jan - ‫כ"א טבת‬

10th Jan - ‫כ"ב טבת‬

11th Jan - ‫כ"ג טבת‬

‫ד‬:‫ ט‬- ‫ז‬:‫עירובין ז‬

‫ז‬:‫ ט‬- ‫ג‬:‫שבת פרקים י‬

‫ד‬:‫ י‬- ‫א‬:‫עירובין י‬

‫ח‬:‫ י‬- ‫ה‬:‫עירובין י‬

‫ב‬:‫ י‬- ‫ט‬:‫עירובין י‬

- ‫יג‬:‫עירובין י‬ ‫א‬:‫פסחים א‬

‫ה‬:‫ א‬- ‫ב‬:‫פסחים א‬

‫איוב ל"ח‬

‫איוב ל"ט‬

'‫איוב מ‬

‫איוב מ"א‬

‫איוב מ"ב‬

‫איוב מ"ג‬

‫איוב מ"ד‬

TIME4MISHNA - an international program which involves learning 4 new Mishnayos each day from Sunday to Thursday, reviewing that week's 20 Mishnayos on Friday, and going over the previous Masechtos on Shabbos. A time committment of just 15 mins a day, and finish Shas Mishnayos in 4 years - having reviewed it multiple times! To Sign Up for a 15 min daily Shiur visit the website time4torah.org. DAILY NACH - just a few minutes a day and finish Nach in just a year and a half! Sign Up at dailynach.com.

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Rashi (2:1) brings that Yocheved was 130 years old when she gave birth to Moshe. Why then does the possuk not mention this miracle (like it does by Soro)?

Rabbi Zev Leff

5

Rav of Moshav Matityahu

The author can be contacted at zevleff@gmail.com

The Measure of a Gadol

Parshah

The child grew up ... It happened in those days that Moses grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man, of his brethren (Shemos 2:10-11).

Ramban, commenting on the apparently repetitive mention of Moshe’s growing up, explains that the first phrase refers to Moshe’s attainment of physical maturity. The second phrase refers to Moshe’s growth in intellectual and spiritual maturity, to his becoming “a man of understanding.”

own body,” say Chazal. Hence one’s concern for a spouse is included in the natural concern for self. Others extend their self to include their families, still others their neighbours.

The more one perfects himself, the more his concept of self encompasses. The truly great person feels all Klal Yisrael, indeed the entire world, as part of his self.

The Torah proceeds to specify the sign of Moshe’s spiritual maturity the fact that he went out to his brothers and saw their labours.

Rashi comments on this phrase that Moshe contemplated their plight and “applied his eyes and heart to suffer with them.”

And so, the Mishnah in Avos continues, when my ani is limited to my individual self alone, what is the value of this ani?”

A baby enters this world with a clenched fist. After 120 years, part of the preparation for burial includes the opening of the deceased’s hands. A person comes into this world concerned only with his own needs and desires. His fist is clenched tight. He is closed unto himself. As he matures, he slowly opens that fist to reach out to extend his self to others, to embrace an entire world in his concern. He must exit this world with an open hand.

The mark of a gadol, a person who possesses greatness and maturity, is defined by the Torah in terms of his ability to be concerned with others. The Ribbono Shel Olam is called HaGadol, the Great, and Chazal explain this appellation to refer to Hashem’s trait of goodness and kindness. Therein lies His gadlus. The concern that envelops and permeates all existence is the mark of His unlimited greatness. Hence He is HaGadol.

This outreach of the self is not mere sympathy, but rather a deep empathy and total identification. Hence, it requires applying one’s eyes and heart. It necessitates observing, assessing and understanding the circumstances and needs of others.

We are exhorted to walk in Hashem’s ways and emulate His attributes “As He is called merciful, so, too, should you be merciful.”

Thus, if Hashem is called HaGadol, we too must strive to emulate this gadlus. Just as He is concerned with all Creation, so must we strive to emulate that all-encompassing concern.

But that is not sufficient, for once one has assessed his neighbour’s situation with his eyes, he must open his heart to what he seesto actually experience emotionally the hurt and pain, the fears and apprehensions, the joys and satisfaction of one’s extended self.

Rabbi Shimon Shkop, zt”l, in his preface to Shaarei Yoshor, addresses the following paradox. On the one hand, man was created with a natural concern for himself and his own personal needs. “Love your friend as yourself” is predicated on self-love and self-concern.

And yet, man is exhorted to be concerned with others. Reb Shimon explains that the key to resolving these seemingly conflicting concerns lies in the definition of self.

The true gadol is only indirectly measured by how many blatt Gemara he has mastered and the profundity of his pilpul. Rabbi Aharon Kotler, zt”l, explains that Torah learning is the ultimate chessed. When we say, “Talmud Torah is equal to them all,” it is other acts of chessed to which we are referring. For all other kindnesses are specific and limited, but Torah study is the source of existence. If not for constant Torah study the world would cease to exist. How profound and all-encompassing is the concern and kindness of the one who immerses himself in the study of Torah, thereby preserving the entire universe.

Everyone possesses their “ani”-the essence of their being. As the Mishnah clearly states in Pirkei Avos (114), “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” However, the definition of this selfhood can be expanded beyond the parameters of one’s physical person.

Many people feel that their spouses are part and parcel of themselves-”His wife is like his

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4. livingwithmitzvos.com

What is Shovavim Tat?

The Torah giant is familiar with the entire world. For Torah is the blueprint of the world and only through comprehensive and penetrating knowledge of this blueprint can one gain the eyes to see the world as it really is, to truly be cognizant of the needs and problems of mankind.

The study of Torah and the total immersion in Hashem’s will unites one with his Creator and imbues him with an open heart, with emotional understanding, compassion, and empathy. Only the Torah giant can fully possess the sensitivity that emanates from Hashem’s Torah, which is referred to as Rachmana-the Merciful.

Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, Rav of Vilna and Gadol Hador of the previous generation, kept a written record of all the many and varied charities of Vilna which he supervised. In it were the records of free loans, monies for poor brides, caring for the sick, the guesthouses for poor travellers, and general tzedakah accounts.

It was a massive, voluminous record. When a fire destroyed this book, Reb Chaim Ozer reproduced it from memory.

This story is not important for what it tells us about Reb Chaim Ozer’s phenomenal memory, but for what we learn of the importance that he attached to these records.

Our respect for our gedolim is enhanced when we realize that their gadlus in Torah is an emulation of the gadlus of Hashem, which leads them to concern for the entire world.

Appreciating this gadlus should inspire us to strive to extend our concern to include all of our fellow Jews. When we achieve this goal Hashem will reciprocate as He did in Egypt.

When Moshe applied his eyes and ears to his fellow Jews, Hashem responded in kind.

As the Torah tells us, “And Hashem heard their moaning, and Hashem remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Hashem saw the Children of Israel; and Hashem knew” (Shemos 2:24-25). And Rashi comments “Hashem put His heart to suffer with them and did not turn His eyes from them.”

Osher Chaim Levene

6

Orah

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

Moshe Our Teacher Name:

ÂÂ Korach’s challenge to his leadership was

Moshe

Other names: Tuviah, Avigdor, Yered,

Chever, Avisocho, Yekutiel, Avi-zenoach Life span:

120 years

Father: Amram Mother: Yocheved Father-in-law: Yisro Siblings:

Miriam, Aharon

Children:

Gershom, Eliezer

ÂÂ Hidden as a newborn child, Moshe was placed in a casket on the River Nile.

ÂÂ Discovered and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter who raised him in the royal palace.

ÂÂ Helped his burdened brethren cruelly oppressed by Egyptian persecution.

ÂÂ Killed an Egyptian and escaped to Midian where he rescued Yisro’s daughters.

ÂÂ Tended to Yisro’s sheep and had vision of the burning bush, where Hashem commanded him to take the Children of Israel out of Egypt.

ÂÂ Accompanied by Aharon, who becomes his spokesman before Pharaoh, as Hashem struck Egypt with the Ten Plagues.

ÂÂ Redeemed the Jewish people out of Egypt leading them to their freedom.

ÂÂ Split the Red Sea to drown the Egyptians as he and the nation sang Oz Yashir.

ÂÂ Led the Jewish people for forty years in the wilderness.

ÂÂ Manna descended in his merit ÂÂ Lifted up his hands in prayer at the war with Amalek in Refidim

ÂÂ Ascended onto Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights to receive the Torah

ÂÂ Smashed the Tablets upon his descent at the sight of the Golden Calf

ÂÂ Rejected Hashem’s proposal to annihilate the Children of Israel, successfully pleading for their forgiveness to receive second Tablets on Yom Kippur

ÂÂ Built the Sanctuary for seven days before its inauguration

ÂÂ Dispatched the spies to scout the land ÂÂ Denied entry into Land of Israel because of “Waters of Dispute”

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ÂÂ Succeed by his disciple Yehoshua, ÂÂ Died with divine ‘kiss’ and buried in Mount Nevo.

Spouse: Tziporah

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miraculously quashed

M

oshe, as the beloved leader, redeemer, prophet and teacher of the Jewish nation, occupies an unparalleled position in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people.

From the moment of his birth, when he radiated such light that it filled the house,1 Moshe was destined for greatness.2 Moshe’s future as a compassionate leader was evident from the time he left the environs of the royal palace to share in his brethren’s suffering,3 helping them bear their physical and emotional burdens.4

Moshe’s love for every Jew5 and leadership qualities (as reflected in his sensitivity to every sheep when shepherding Yisro’s flock), led to his summons at the burning bush where Hashem chose him as the redeemer of His chosen people. Initially, Moshe demurred, due to his extreme modesty. In the end, however, he accepted this role – and thereafter, his life was unstintingly dedicated to tirelessly championing the cause of his beloved people.

The welfare of the Children of Israel became his primary concern with no thought for himself.6 In his ardent protection of the Jewish people, Moshe did not hesitate to challenge Hashem Himself. Thus, after Moshe’s initial appearance before Pharaoh resulted in the intensification of the Jews’ servitude, Moshe complained to Hashem, “Why have you done evil to this people? Why have You sent me?”7And when, in the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident, Hashem threatened to destroy Israel and start a new nation from Moshe, he—the humblest of men to have walked the face of the earth8— protested vociferously, asking Hashem to “wipe me out of your Book [the Torah]”.9 It is precisely because Moshe was so humble that he was capable of becoming the greatest of all prophets: “There did not arise in Israel a prophet like Moshe, whom Hashem knew face to face”.10 Prophecy mandates an individual’s absolute submission, his selftransformation into a receptacle to experience the word of Hashem. Moshe so effaced himself

Parshah that he – and he alone – was able to perceive the divine with an unparalleled clarity through an unclouded lens.11 So vigorous and passionate an advocate of the Jews did Moshe become, that his soul itself was deemed on par with the six hundred thousand members of Israel.12 Moshe was not only the quintessential leader; he was the Jewish people.13 Thus, Moshe is never associated with the particular; he is typically identified as a universal figure.14 He was ten cubits tall15 – the number ten denoting community,16 an entity in which individual parts blend into one collective (e.g., a quorum, which is composed of ten adult Jewish men)17 – underscoring how Moshe was the embodiment of the Chosen Nation.

Moshe was also the nation’s unparalleled Teacher – he was and remains Moshe Rabbeinu, “Moshe our teacher”. He ascended Mount Sinai to receive the taryag mitzvos, 613 commandments – the numerical value of Moshe Rabbeinu – and upon his descent, taught it to Israel. Moshe was the initial link in the chain of Torah transmission: “Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshua”.18 More than that, Moshe is identified with the Torah.19 Torah is the adhesive between Hashem and Israel;20 and Moshe himself was the intermediary between the two.21 Accordingly, because he was the exemplar of Torah, itself the definition and locus of Jewish living, Moshe was the one to show every member of the Jewish nation how to conduct his life. He was like a shepherd guiding his flock away from danger and back onto the correct path, and because the passage from the Exodus to the Jews’ final destination in the Holy Land is a metaphor for life itself:27,2 Moshe’s laws are the exemplar for all generations.

The Torah linked etymologically to the word hora’ah – “instruction” or “teaching” – contains the directives for every generation.23Insofar as Moshe is synonymous with the Torah, there is an assurance no generation will lack a leader who, in some way, resembles Moshe.24 Through Moshe, the Jewish people’s timeless legacy lives on: “The Torah Moshe taught us is the inheritance for the Congregation of Israel”.25

footnotes on page 7 5. The daughter of Paro saved Moshe and converted to Judaism. Who did she marry? livingwithmitzvos.com

Rabbi Yisroel Gewirtz

7

The Jerusalem Kolel

The Author can be contacted at yisroelgewirtz@gmail.com

Parshah

The Art of Sight

I

magine yourself walking down the street on a day like any other – taking the usual path to work. You stop at your regular coffee shop and order the “usual”. You continue on your way, and all of a sudden, you catch a glimpse of something so extraordinary, so majestic and so unique – a tree. Yes a tree.

But not just any tree. This tree is adorned with the most beautiful colours. Its shape and position are perfect. You stop midway and say to yourself, “Wow, what a tree!”

In this week’s parsha, we read about a very similar incident. Moshe Rabbeinu, on a day like any other, was out grazing his father-inlaw’s flock of sheep. On this particular day, he came upon something very unusual. He saw a bush lit up in flames, but it wasn’t being consumed like it should. Moshe Rabbeinu wondered how this could be possible. He stopped abruptly and thought, “Let me turn aside now and see this great sight – why is the bush not being consumed by the fire?”

When Hashem saw that Moshe had stopped to observe this supernatural phenomenon, He called out to him and revealed that Moshe would be the one to lead the Jewish people out from under Pharaoh’s subjugation to the great redemption.

What did Hashem see in Moshe to choose him as the redeemer? It is safe to say that anyone stopping to look at something as supernatural as a non-consuming burning bush should be considered quite ordinary.

The Sforno explains the pasuk ‫וירא ה’ כי סר‬ )’‫ד‬,’‫“ לראות (ג‬Hashem saw that he turned aside to see.” Moshe did not merely see something that could not be explained on a physical level, but he stopped, looked and internalized what

he saw before him. The ‫ מדרש רבה‬explains further that Moshe was internalizing the pain and anguish the Jewish people were enduring.

Hashem saw that Moshe did not only look on a superficial level but also internalized what he saw, and that is when Hashem called out to him. It was at that moment that Moshe was chosen to lead the Jewish people from slavery to freedom.

Two broke out, and the Nazis had begun their demonic plan to annihilate the Jewish people.

They shot and killed Rav Gustman’s son, but the Rav, his wife and daughter miraculously escaped capture by hiding in a cave. They survived only because of the edible plants they found in the forest. Rav Gustman now truly understood the incredible and prophetic foresight of his rebbe.

Every day, we are given the opportunity to learn from our experiences – whether it is witnessing an act of kindness or being offered a good piece of advice. Often we disregard these opportunities without taking a good look at what is really going on or internalizing the deeper meaning regarding what is happening around us. On the negative side as well, we are quick to judge and hate being on the receiving end of criticism. What we fail to do is stop and take that moment to think and internalize what it is that actually is occurring.

We may be seeing the superficial sight of the “burning bush” but not that the “flames are not consuming the bush.”

After the war, Rav Gustman went to America and eventually came to Eretz Yisrael where he founded the yeshiva Netzach Yisroel.

He took upon himself the responsibility of caring for and watering the yeshiva’s garden.

There were those who asked him why a great rosh yeshiva would lower himself to tend to the garden. Rav Gustman explained that since plants were his family’s only source of survival in the forest, he was obligated to care for them as a sign of “hakaras ha’tov” (gratitude).

There is a well-known story about Rav Yisroel Zev Gustman zt”l. Prior to the war, he was travelling outside Vilna with his rebbe Rav Chaim Ozer zt”l. Rav Chaim Ozer turned to his talmid, pointed out a cave and said, “Remember this cave.” Although Rav Gustman had no idea why his rebbe had said this, he did keep it in his memory. On their way, Rav Chaim Ozer kept pointing out various types of plants – which ones were edible and which not. Once again, although Rav Gustman was puzzled by what seemed so uncharacteristic of his great rebbe, he listened and held what he taught him close to his heart. World War

The main lesson to learn from this story is that we need to show gratitude to anyone or anything for what they have done for us.

However, there is an additional lesson. Maybe in a less dramatic setting than escaping the Nazis, one can overlook such seemingly small things like watering plants. After all, plants and the rest of nature are here to serve us. But a true leader is the person who stops, thinks and internalizes every event that he witnesses or plays a part in.

Moshe Rabbeinu possessed this character trait, and it was for this reason that Hashem chose him to lead the Jewish nation from slavery to freedom. May we all be worthy of possessing the art of sight - not just being able to see at face value, but also being able to internalize what we see.

footnotes from page 6 : OSHER CHAIM LEVENE 1 Rashi, Shemos 2:2 citing Shemos Rabbah 1:20 2 The Torah’s description of Moshe’s birth is intentionally vague. Neither of his parents are directly identified – an indication that his role had been predetermined from the moment of creation irrespective of his parents. (Maharal, Gevuros Hashem Ch.16).

3 Shemos 2:11 and Rashi, ad loc.

4 Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv, Chochmah uMussar 2:1.

5 See Menachos 65a 6 See Moshe’s statement, “Not one donkey did I demand from them” (Bamidbar 16:15). Hence Moshe gave a complete account of the money donated to the mishkan – showing that he took nothing for himself (for his own wealth came from the sapphire cuttings of the luchos. See Bechoros 5a and Shemos Rabbah 51:1) 7 Shemos 5:22.

8 Bamidbar 12:3.

9 Shemos 32:32.

10 Devarim 34:10.

11 Rashi, Bamidbar 12:6. See Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 7:6, for some examples of the various distinctions between Moshe and the other prophets.

12 Tikkunei Zohar 19:40. “There was a woman in Egypt who gave birth to 600,000 children in her

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womb…this was Yocheved who gave birth to Moshe who was equivalent to all the members of the Jewish people.” (Mechilta, Beshalach). See Maharal, Gevuros Hashem Ch.19.

13 See Bamidbar Rabbah 19:28 how “Moshe is Israel, and Israel is Moshe”.

14 Maharal, Gevuros Hashem, Ch.16, Ch.19.

15 Shabbos 92a; Bechoros 44a.

16 The ten spies (excluding Yehoshua and Kalev) are classified as eidah, congregation (Sanhedrin 2a).

17 Maharal, Gevuros Hashem, Ch.18.

18 Pirkei Avos 1:1.

19 See for example “Moshe is true and his Torah are true…” (Bava Basra 74a). Indeed, the Torah is called after Moshe as in “Recall the Torah of my servant Moshe” (Malachi 3:22).

20 “The Holy One Blessed is He, Torah and Israel are one entity” (Zohar 3, 73a) 21 Moshe declared “I was standing between G-d and you” (Devarim 5:5). See Sefas Emes, Succos p114 22 Israel’s national birth at the Exodus parallels a baby’s emergence from the womb. See Yechezkel 16:5, who describes the Exodus as “the day you were born”. See also Maharal, Gevuros Hashem, Ch.3.

23 See Maharal, Gur Aryeh, Bereishis 1:1.

24 Bereishis Rabbah 56:7.

25 Devarim 33:4.

6. What can we learn from the evil plan of Paro (Shemos, 5:9) to increase the workload? livingwithmitzvos.com

Rabbi Daniel Fine

8

Community Rabbi, Stanmore and Canons Park US; Hasmonean Beis Programme

Parshah

The author can be contacted at danielpfine@gmail.com

It’s A Small World After All Our parashah tells of the bravery of two women who worked as midwives for the Bnei Yisrael, and their official Egyptian names were Shifrah and Puah (Shemos 1:15). Instead of obeying Pharaoh’s orders to kill the Jewish male babies, Shifrah and Puah allowed them to live. In fact, Rashi (ibid. 1:15) reveals that Shifrah and Puah were none other than Miriam and Yocheved, which begs the question why the Torah refers to them as Shifrah and Puah!

Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky makes the prudent observation that all official Egyptian names had to contain one of the core letters of the name ‘Pharaoh’ (the letters peh, reish, or ayin) - such was the law, to reflect the subservience of the people to Pharaoh. Thus, if Miriam and Yocheved were to have official Egyptian names, these names had to have those core letters in them, which ‘Shifrah’ and ‘Puah’ do. However, this does not explain why these particular names were chosen. At the very least we need to start by understanding what these names mean. As Rashi tells us, the name Shifrah conveys the fact that Miriam put the babies into improved physical condition (leshaper means ‘to improve’, as alluded to by the similarity to the word ‘shofar’ - the vehicle for our self-correction on Rosh Hashanah). The name Puah conveys the fact that Yocheved would make noises to calm the babies, as well as speaking to them.

However, this raises a further question that will provide the central theme of this discussion.

Why is this the only accolade that the Torah gives Miriam and Yocheved? Surely they did

much greater and nobler things than caring for the babies like any mother would - they risked their lives in order to save others![1] Rav Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman teaches an important principle which answers our question. Often, a person’s true greatness is only discernible through the little things he does. Many people would be prepared to stick their neck out and perform acts of tremendous self-sacrifice, for they assume that everyone will hear about their heroism. However, the true mark of greatness is for someone to perform continuous small acts which nobody will ever hear about. Thus, the Torah gives Yocheved and Miriam names which highlight the small actions that they did, for it shows that they even performed the little (‘unnecessary’) actions that would not feature in the headlines.

As an example of this quality, I was once visiting a certain senior Rabbi to obtain a copy of one of the tests that he sets, and he insisted on going to copy the test questions for me rather than allowing me to do the copying. He did not have to insist on that, nor does he have much spare time generally. This was a little action which does not grab any headlines, yet reflects the true character of the person. Similarly, I heard about a tremendously hospitable and generous person in Antwerp who invited a family to stay with him since they were making the wedding of their son in Antwerp that week.

After being told to make themselves at home, the visiting family arrived to find that the hosts’

1. The first one to die was Yosef and the last sheivet to die was Levi, when the start of the slavery in Mitzrayim started.

2. The Gur Aryeh answers that the killing with Hashem’s Name only works when accompanied with some small form of hitting.

3. The Ramban (Vayigash, 47:15) brings that a miracle that was told over beforehand by a messenger that it will happen is recorded in the Torah. However, miracles done to assist a tzaddik or punish a rosha are not explicitly mentioned. The Gur Aryeh (Shemos, 2:1) answers that since Hashem made this miracle of birth special in Mitzrayim (e.g. they unnaturally had so many children in one go) therefore Yocheved’s miraculous birth is also not singled out for mention.

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

family name plaque had been taken down from the front door, and had been replaced by this visiting family’s name! This was a small action, but it showed something about the genuinely hospitable nature of the host.

Small actions are not something that should be shunned - on the contrary, they should be valued and cherished, for they can reveal more about the person than the bigger actions.

Moreover, it is the smaller actions that are seen as the building blocks for a bigger character.

The midrash[2] reveals that because of Moshe’s ‘little action’ of making sure his sheep grazed in ownerless land he merited the to be the leader of Bnei Yisrael.

One final story: a couple were having marriage problems and they went to take advice. The counsellor took the husband aside and told him privately, “Make sure that you say ‘good morning’ to your wife each morning, and ‘goodnight’ every night.” Next, he took the wife aside and said to her, “Make sure that you compliment your husband on one thing every day.” Weeks later they reported that all their marriage issues had been solved and they were living happily together.

Often the small things make all the difference.

1 Even if the Egyptians gave them these names (and they did not know that these midwives were saving the Jewish babies), one could still ask what the Torah is teaching us by telling us about these names; why are they important for us to know?

2 Midrash Shemos Rabbah 2:3 (the midrash calls it a ‘small action’)

ANSWERS

4. It is an acronym for many of the Parshious in Sefer Shemos. It is a special time for teshuva in the areas of negativity that the Jews were exposed to in Mitzrayim. With the going out of the Jews with special help from Hashem in these parshious, so too each Jew can have special help to free themselves from sins of aroyous seen in leaving Mitzrayim.

5. Bisya married Kolev (Gemora Megilla 13a).

6. The Mesillas Yeshorim (Chapter 2) brings that Paro’s plan was that the Jews would be so busy working that they would not have time to think and plan how to oppose it. We learn from here that this same thing applies to the evil inclination who tries to make a person so busy with other things that they do not have time to stop, think and analyse their lives.

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