OU Israel Center Torah Tidbits - Parshat Mishpatim 5785
Dear Torah Tidbits Family
Rabbi Avi Berman Page 4
How and When to Speak Up
Aleeza Ben Shalom Page 78
Rabbi
“Among the Sins of My Youth”
Rabbi
Tzvi Hersh
and Pasting”…
a Hundred Years Ago
Our Way Back Home
Dr. Adina Shmidman
Rav Kook: Prophecy is Attainable
Halachic Status of Hydroponic Maror
Importance of Nurture Rabbi
and When to Speak Up
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and Ma’asrot
Rabbi Ezra Friedman COVER IMAGE Photographed by Sara Heiney
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
My name is Sara Heiney, I moved here from Miami about 2 years ago. This picture was taken a few months ago by the Arizal’s kever when there were still many sirens going on in Tzefat. As I went down the long winding stairs in the peaceful emptiness, I noticed a group of three chayalim. Two waited on the side as one stepped forward leaning over the kever in tefillah. His green uniform against the peaceful blue stone with the softening colors of the sky in the background were truly striking. Three chayalim coming to pray knowing the power of tzaddikim, the power of their prayers and that Hashem is truly watching over us. May G-d protect and watch over our warriors. May He see the prayers of our nation and bring the geulah speedily.
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OTHER Z'MANIM
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Ranges 11 days Wed–Shabbat
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All Times According to MyZmanim (20 mins before Sunset in most Cities; 40 mins in Yerushalyim and Petach Tikva; 30 mins in Tzfat and Haifa)
All Times According to MyZmanim (20 mins before Sunset in most Cities; 40 mins in Yerushalyim and Petach Tikva; 30 mins in Tzfat and Haifa)
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Daf Yomi: Sanhedrin 67
DEAR TORAH TIDBITS FAMILY
DEAR TORAH TIDBITS FAMILY
RABBI AVI BERMAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OU ISRAEL ABERMAN@OUISRAEL.ORG
Rabbi Avi Berman Executive Director, OU Israel
We are living through an era of unprecedented change. There are many examples, but this week I’d like to focus on social media and chinuch. How should Torah education adapt, if at all, to this new age of technology?
If you look at the Torah Tidbits stats page for Parshat Mishpatim, you will see that it’s the parsha with the fourth-most amount of mitzvot of any parsha. This is a lot to study, but luckily we have great rabbis and educators who came before us and wrote commentaries that allow us to sit down and learn in depth, which is amazing. Spending serious time with these texts helps us grow and connect to our shared spiritual community of both past and present.
The online world clearly goes in a different direction. Social media incentivises being quick, entertaining and easy. It does not often induce sitting for an hour to work on a deep Torah idea or make demands of us to be better people. Can there be any space for Torah in this world?
Several years ago I sat down with my Director of Marketing, Laya Bejell, to discuss OU Israel’s digital presence. It became more and more clear that we needed to hire someone whose full-time job was to promote OU Israel through the different avenues of social media. Someone who could share what we’re doing with a larger audience, exposing people to OU Israel’s initiatives in Torah and in chesed. Back in the day, we needed someone to show people what we were doing in our main center on Keren HaYesod street, and now
someone to cover our activities throughout Yerushalayim and across the country. We needed a Director of Social Media.
That is how the amazing and talented Nina Broder came to be our fantastic Director of Social Media. She knows exactly how to create the content that gets people informed and watching. One day she came over to me and said, “Rav Avi, I am opening an Instagram page for OU Israel.” I thought that was a great idea. A place to put pictures and videos from events, what could be better than that? Then she said, “But, I want to film you saying a dvar Torah in less than 60 seconds about Parshat Shemot.” I wasn’t so sure anymore. What could a person possibly say in less than 60 seconds? Yet she challenged me, and I discovered that it is indeed possible to share an insight for Parshat Shemot in under a minute.
The second time Nina asked for a dvar Torah, it was for Parshat Mishpatim. By now, I was intrigued by these videos and ways to maximize their impact. Instead of just standing in the office or outside the building to say the dvar Torah, I suggested we make it a little more practical, a little more exciting. We went to Ein Karem, walking through the muddy streets with a mission - to find a donkey. After speaking to its owner and getting permission to film, I began to speak to the camera about donkeys for Parshat Mishpatim.
This parsha teaches us, “If you see the donkey of your enemy collapsing under its burden… you must surely help him” (Shemot 23:5). I knew that standing next to a donkey
and talking about a mitzvah involving a donkey would clearly be more interesting than filming it in the office.
We hardly had any followers then, but we posted it on Instagram and I remember being amazed that a few hundred people ended up watching this dvar Torah. That was a lot more than we were getting before. That moment for me was somewhat of a turning point, because I realized that if we make things exciting and dynamic, we’re going to have more people viewing Torah at home and from their phones. It is incredible that since we started our @theouisrael Instagram in January 2023, we have had over a quarter million views on our content focused on Jewish values and Torah.
All I can tell you is that a tremendous amount has changed since then. Nina and Laya, together with the rest of the OU Israel team, have been working extremely hard in order to get as much quality content as possible on the OU Israel social media platforms. For this purpose, we also opened a YouTube channel with content that focuses on our strategic goals of helping English-speaking olim thrive in Israel and working with at-risk Israel teens, providing them with tools to become contributing members of Israeli society. Two years ago, we started an annual Tisha B'Av video, and this year's video currently stands at over 117,000 views on YouTube.
In addition, we are filming the shiurim that take place under the auspices of OU Israel’s Torah Initiatives and Women’s Division in high quality and putting them on a new YouTube channel that Nina created specifically for Torah content: youtube.com/@ OUIsraelShiurim. Short reels are made from the Shiurim as well and can be viewed on
YouTube shorts and our dedicated Instagram account for Torah: @ouisraelshiurim. In this way, we are taking advantage of the social media environment to enable the world to see and experience and enjoy the Torah that we are responsible for. “Ki MiTzion teitzeh Torah” (From Zion the Torah will spread). It’s really incredible seeing the many tens of thousands who are watching the shiurim and
enjoying them online, as well as the packed rooms of people who are enjoying them in person. This past year, we had over 206,000 views on our OU Israel Shiurim YouTube channel. I would like to take this opportunity to recommend to each and every one of you, if you are on social media, to subscribe to our YouTube channels, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. This will ensure that you’re receiving what we are getting out to the world.
We know that fewer people are listening to the radio when they commute or at home. They’re listening to podcasts and YouTube videos. Often, if they see a video they’re interested in, they’ll click. So subscribe to our channel, and I know that the shiurim, reels, and videos you see on your feed will catch your interest and most of all, enable you to fit more Torah learning into your schedule.
To be able to just listen to shiur after shiur after shiur is just remarkable and, quite honestly, very exciting. I was down in Florida last week, and I was impressed by the amount of compliments that I was getting from people that just sit and watch the shiurim one after another. It was heartwarming to hear from so many that our shiurim are part of their routines. They told me that when they listen to OU Israel shiurim, they are so grateful that they can feel like they’re receiving the Torat Eretz Yisrael in their homes in Florida.
So, if you enjoy what OU Israel has to offer you in Torah Tidbits, I am sure you will enjoy the content and shiurim that we are putting up on our social media pages. Just as the Torah tells us with the donkey that when we see our enemy's donkey we should not turn away and ignore him, I will tell you that you will not be able to turn away from enjoying the shiurim
that are on the OU Israel shiurim YouTube page. To take a phrase from an OU Kosher product when I was growing up, of Pringles fame, “Once you pop you just can't stop.”
When you watch us, I hope you will all enjoy the hard work that the OU Israel programming teams are putting into these high caliber shiurim and that the marketing team is doing to ensure it is reaching a broader audience. We invest so much into making sure that OU Israel shiurim go up, that events are promoted and our Torah can reach you wherever you are. Whether a thousand people watched that video or ten thousand people watched it, it cost us the exact same amount, but the return on investment, so to speak, is much greater the more people see it and learn from it. So please help us make sure that more and more people are learning the Torah, enjoying the content, and I look forward to hearing from you how much you are enjoying our shiurim and videos.
Wishing you all an uplifting and inspiring Shabbat,
Rabbi Avi Berman
Executive Director, OU Israel aberman@ouisrael.org
FROM THE DESK OF RABBI MOSHE HAUER
OU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Rays of Hope
“One who wishes to become wise should engage in the study of dinei mamonos, monetary law.”
What is unique about the Torah of monetary law that makes us wise?
Torah has two sides, chukim u’mishpatim. On the one hand, it is a system of truth and of justice that is admired by the world at large for its wisdom and understanding, chochmaschem u’vinaschem l’einei ha’amim (Devarim 4:6), while on the other it contains
In loving memory of
our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother
NORMA CHIOTT
Iris & Rabbi Shimon Felix and family
Irv & Debbie Chiott and family Pammy & Glenn Graber and family
puzzling rules such as shatnez and kosher laws that invite their scorn (Rashi Vayikra 18:4). This is the difference between the mishpatim, the logical rules of our Parsha and Seder Nezikin that are the guidance system for the monetary laws and all our human relationships, versus the chukim, the religious rules that transcend human understanding and express our deference to Hashem and that fill the other five orders of the Talmud.
It is therefore specifically the study of monetary laws, the mishpatim, that necessarily generate wisdom. While our relationship with Hashem is predicated on our faith in His greater and inscrutable wisdom, our relationships with other people are grounded in mutual understanding.
The epic tragedy of Simchas Torah-October 7 came during a period of horrible division within Klal Yisrael, a massive national failure of mutual understanding reminiscent of Yosef and his brothers. A few weeks later, in early November 2023, tens of thousands of Daf Yomi learners began to study the monetary laws of Bava Kama, as if Hashem was assigning us the curriculum we needed to make us wiser and more understanding of one another
Today, more than a year into this war, we continue to sincerely pray to Hashem for the hostages, the soldiers, the injured, the
bereaved, and the displaced, and we express our sincere gratitude to Him for the remarkable miracles we have experienced and the rays of hope that have begun to shine, koh yosif. Let us also say that we have literally learned our lesson, that we will go forward truly wiser for the experience, and for the
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and our next step will be to plant a fruit tree. I never thought of myself as being the agricultural type, but the feeling of settling and planting a portion of Eretz Yisrael, has been truly euphoric. Iy”H, when we plant our tree, and eat the fruits that will grow one day, I think we will be able to truly appreciate that unique Kedusha found in
To conclude, when you buy your Tu B'shvat fruit this year, don’t search for those dried apricots and banana chips imported from Turkey. Rather, head over to the fresh produce and buy yourself some nice juicy Kedusha-filled Jaffa oranges and thank in , imbibing that Kedusha in every bite that
Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
Rabbi Reuven Tradburks
RABBI REUVEN TRADBURKS
RCA Israel Region
RCA ISRAEL REGION
In memory of Evelyn Rivers a”h
Mother of Reuven Tradburks
PARSHAT MISHPATIM
The first half of Parshat Mishpatim has 51 mitzvot in 86 verses. This is the substance of civil law. The second half of the parsha resumes the narrative, describing the impending entry into the Land of Israel. Moshe ascends the mountain to receive the tablets. The narrative is broken by this section of civil law. Our book began with slavery, exodus, the splitting of the sea, the complaints in the desert and the receiving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. And will continue in the second half of our parsha when Moshe ascends the mountain to get the tablets of the 10 commandments.
Why interrupt the story with civil law?
Let me offer 2 thoughts on this interruption in the narrative.
In Loving Memory of our Husband, Father, Grandfather and Brother
Tzvi Dov Atik z”l
January 19th 2025
On the occasion of his shloshim
The Atik, Strick and Dykan families
The first: this is not a break in the story line at all. The story line is the journey to the Land of Israel. I mean, the story line of the entire Torah from the time of Avraham. Moshe was told at the burning bush that G-d would take the people out of Egypt to bring to the Land of Israel. We are out of Egypt. Time to journey to the Land.
But it is not just a journey to a Land. It is a journey to a new life; a Jewish society in the Land of Israel. We aren’t just leaving Egypt; we are journeying to our Land and our own society. But the society we are going to build – don’t make it like the one in Egypt. Leave Egyptian society behind. Our Jewish society is to be nothing like that: we are building an anti Egypt society. Leave behind its abuse of slaves, its flippant disregard for human life (babies in the river), its excessive use of physical force (the slave master).
Our Jewish society will respect life, respect others, delineate regard for the property of others and build a society of goodness and justice. So, in that regard, it makes perfect sense to begin the description of the march to the Land with what our Jewish society will look like when we get there. And we will see that it is built on the very things that Egyptian society failed at: slavery, physical assault, property infringement.
The second explanation of this break could be to create contrast. We have in fact 2 breaks in the narrative, bracketing the receiving of the Torah at Sinai; Yitro’s suggestion to Moshe to manage the people’s disputes
through lower courts and this presentation of civil law. In a word; procedural law and substantive law. How to adjudicate. And the rules of settling disputes, the substance of the decisions.
In other words, these people get into a lot of disputes. They complained in the desert. They have disagreements. They damage each other’s property, assault each other.
And this is to create a striking contrast. Two moments of complete and total agreement, where all the people acted in unison, without disagreement: Sinai and the next story, the building of the Mishkan.
When it comes to dealing with each other, we get into disagreements. When it comes to being invited to receive the Torah, to engage the Divine, to aspire for holiness, the Jews are all in. One voice. We want it. The reach for the Divine, the desire for the Holy One to be in our midst, in that, we all, without disagreement want in. People have disputes. But in reaching for G-d, the Jewish people have no dissent.
To give some structure to these 51 mitzvot, I have introduced each section with a heading in bold, indicating the topic of the laws that follow.
1ST ALIYA (21:1-19)
And these are the laws you are to instruct them in. The laws of slaves: a Jewish slave goes free after working 6 years. If he chooses, he may extend his slavery permanently. The owner or his son may marry a female slave. If they choose not to, she goes free upon puberty. Physical assault resulting in death is punishable by death; as is assaulting a parent, kidnapping, cursing a parent. For bodily assault not resulting in death, payment is made for damage,
unemployment and medical costs.
Though odd to begin civil law with laws of slaves, if our civil law is to contrast Egyptian failures, then how to treat slaves properly would be the first thing for the recently released slaves to appreciate. And respect for human life.
2ND ALIYA (21:20-22:3)
Physical assault resulting in financial payment: assault of slaves, of a pregnant woman resulting in a lost pregnancy. Assault of a slave resulting in loss of an eye or tooth grants the slave his freedom. Death caused by my property or actions: a goring ox resulting in death of a person, death of an animal as a result of a pit dug by me, or as a result of my ox goring another. Theft and sale or slaughter of animals requires restitution of 4 or 5 times the value of the loss. In clandestine theft, if the thief is killed, the perpetrator is deemed to have acted in self-defense. The punishment for theft is double the stolen object.
Jewish society, unlike what we saw in the Egyptian treatment of us, will be built on respect of people. Respect for their life itself. Respect for their dignity. And respect for their property. The topic of this aliya is not oxen goring oxen; it is people taking responsibility for their property. If my property damages yours, I take full responsibility. People respecting the property of others.
3RD ALIYA (22:4-25)
Property damage caused by my property: damage to your property must be compensated if done by either my grazing animals, or by a fire lit by me in my property; laws of compensation for loss of your property while being guarded or borrowed by me. Abuse of power: seducing an
unwed woman, sorcerers put to death. If one oppresses the stranger, widow or orphan and they call to Me, your wives will be widows, children orphans.
Returning to the theme of rejecting the norms of Egypt the superpower; power does not grant privilege. There are people with power. And people without. The foreigner, the widow and the orphan have no power –they are alone, with no one to champion their cause. Do not prey on their lack of power. I, says G-d, am the Champion of those who have no power. They may have no person to turn to. But they always have Me. You, with power, who take advantage of those without; you will have Me to reckon with.
4TH ALIYA (22:26–23:5)
Good citizens: do not curse judges or rulers, do not delay obligations, nor ally with tricksters to pervert justice, nor follow a bad crowd in disputes. Helpful neighbors: return a stray animal, help unburden a buckled animal even of your enemy.
The power imbalance of Egypt that bred resentment of those in power is not for us. It is not us versus the leaders. We are them: respect those in power, for they serve us. Our society is to be cooperative for the good of us all. And bettering the lives of others is not the sole responsibility of the government. We all need to make the lives of others better. Initiate the return of lost items, unburdening the burdens of others.
5TH ALIYA (23:6-19)
Justice: do not pervert justice – of the poor and weak, through lies, through bribes and of the foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt. Man’s limits in G-d’s world: work the land 6 years, leave
it for the poor in the 7th. Work 6 days, allow rest to your workers on the 7th. Observe the 3 pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot. Do not appear empty handed.
This detailed listing of what we would call civil law concludes with Shmita, Shabbat and the holidays. The root of a Jewish society is the healthy realization of the limits of man and our partnership with G-d. We work; but the land is His. We employ workers; but we are all servants to Him. Our agriculture is punctuated by holidays; so as to temper our pursuit of wealth for wealth’s sake with an infusion of standing before Him.
6TH ALIYA (23:20-25)
Journey to the Land : I am sending My angel to guide you to the Land of Israel. Loyalty to what I say will ensure your successful settling of the Land. Don’t worship idols there; rather serve G-d and you will enjoy blessing and health in the Land.
The listing of the mitzvot concludes and the narrative picks back up. We are on our way to the Land of Israel, armed now with a vision of what that society will look like. In just a few months we’ll be setting up a new Jewish society in the Land of Israel. After hearing those mitzvot, we now know in what way it will be a Jewish society – one rooted in justice, respect, responsibility and kindness.
7TH ALIYA (23:26-24:18)
Your opponents in the Land will cower. I will cause them to leave slowly over time so the Land not be desolate when you arrive. Do not make a pact with the people in the Land; they may not dwell with you lest you end up serving their gods. Moshe ascended the mountain, wrote the words of G-d. He built an altar at the foot
of the mountain; offerings were brought. He read the words of the covenant; the people responded that they will fulfill it all. Blood was sprinkled as a covenant. Moshe ascended with Aharon, Nadav and Avihu and the 70 elders; they perceived sapphire, the purity of the heavens. G-d called Moshe up the mountain to give him the luchot, the Torah and the Mitzvot. The cloud of G-d was on the mountain, the vision of G-d like a consuming fire. Moshe was there 40 days and 40 nights.
The last aliya of a parsha gets scant attention. But this last paragraph? Sapphire, vision of purity of the heaven, a cloud and fire on the mountain. While we often focus on the content of the 10 commandments at Sinai, much more attention is given in the Torah to the drama of the experience; both in Yitro last week and in this description. The experience of Sinai is frightening. The people felt unsure, frightened, unworthy, overwhelmed, confused. They want a close and benevolent G-d, but they may very well be having second thoughts on seeing the power and implications of what a close G-d means.
This heavenly vision, following the civil law, creates the dual nature of the Jew: peering into the unknown, lofty, ephemeral world of the heavens. While living in this earthy world where my animals break your property. Reaching for heaven. Walking on earth.
HAFTORAH
YIRMIYAHU 34:8 - 22; 33:25-26.
In this week's haftorah, Yirmiyahu relates the punishment that would befall the Jews if they continue enslaving their Hebrew slaves after six years of service—transgressing the mitzvah first mentioned in this week's Torah
reading.
King Zidkiyahu made a pact with the people according to which they would all release their Jewish slaves after six years of service. However, the Jews reneged on this pact and forced their freed slaves to continue on. G-d then sent Yirmiyahu with a message of rebuke: "Therefore, so says the Lord: You have not hearkened to Me to proclaim freedom, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor; behold I proclaim freedom to you, says the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth." The haftorah goes on to depict the destruction and devastation that the Jews would experience.
The haftorah concludes with reassuring words: "Just as I would not cancel My covenant with the day and night and I would not cancel the laws of heaven and earth, so too I will not cast away the descendents of Jacob . . . for I will return their captivity [to their land] and have mercy on them."
STATS
18th of 54 sedras; 6th of 11 in Sh’mot. Written on 185 lines in a Torah (31st). 33 parshiyot; 6 open and 27 closed. 118 p’sukim - ranks 22 (5th in Sh’mot). 1462 words - ranks 31 (7th in Sh’mot). 5313 letters - ranks 37 (8th in Sh’mot).
Mishpatim’s p’sukim are among the shortest in the Torah.
1558 words - ranks 24th. MITZVOT
Mishpatim has 53 mitzvot; 23 positive and 30 prohibitions.
Only 3 sedras have more mitzvot - Ki Teitzei (74), Emor (63), and R’ei (55).
enumerated. Yishmael dies. His descendants dwell from Egypt to Assyria.
A SHORT VORT
Yishmael’s story is brief. He has numerous and powerful offspring. The brevity
Adoniyahu convinces two very significant personalities - the High Priest and the commander of King David’s armies - to
“If indeed the theft be found in his hand…...he shall pay double.” (22:3) - )ג:בכ(
A SHORT VORT
BY RABBI CHANOCH YERES R av, Beit Knesset Beit Yisrael, Yemin Moshe
Why does the Torah instruct us that the penalty of theft is a double payment? Why wouldn’t just returning the stolen be enough with an additional fine, why double the amount?
When Avraham addresses the people of Cheit, trying to acquire a burial spot for his wife, he says “Ger V’Toshav Anochi Eimachem” (23:4) “A Stranger and a Resident am I with you”
This seems to be a contradiction. If one is a stranger than he is not a resident, if he is a resident than he is no longer a stranger. What did Avraham mean?
The Magid of Dubno (Jacob ben Wolf Kranz 1741-1804) explains that Avraham watched how he spoke in this tense situation in order to, both, state his truth and be able to keep the peace -Shalom Bayit. Avraham said, on the one hand, “I am a Resident’ due to G-d’s promise to receive this Land and on the other hand, I still need your agreement to purchase a plot. In other words, Avraham implied “I am the resident” and you are the “strangers”, while they understood him as saying that “they” are the residents and Avraham is the stranger.
The peace was kept, and Avraham remained true to his ideals.
Rabbeinu Bechaya (Rabbi Bechaya ben Yosef Ibn Pikuda 1050-1120) answers by quoting a Pasuk in Devarim 19:19 “You shall do to him as he had thought to have done to his brother.” The general principle in the Torah’s justice system is that punishments are designed to be “measure for measure”. This method is to serve as a proper atonement and help to rehabilitate the thief. When a person steals a certain value from someone else, his criminal intention was to cause that person that value and for him (the thief) to gain that value. Therefore, by having to pay double, the thief, in the end, sustains the loss of that very value that he intended the victim to lose. It is now the original victim who gains that amount of value himself. This results in the best punishment corresponding to this crime.
Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat Shalom
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BY RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREB OU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, EMERITUS
BY RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREB OU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, EMERITUS
“Among the Sins of My Youth”
Famous men have said, “Youth is wasted on the young.” There are various opinions as to whom to attribute this wise saying, but it seems quite clear that it originated with the Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw. Even though I was born in the early years of the Holocaust and grew up in its aftermath,
I was fortunate to have benefitted from safety and security. My family was intact, I was blessed with both sets of grandparents and one great-grandmother, and I had an excellent Jewish and secular education.
My Jewish education was enriched by several of my rabbinic teachers, all of whom survived the Holocaust and each of whom had their own stories to tell. They certainly had a lot of Torah to impart to us, having all been products of the famed Lithuanian yeshivot. Some had even been children or grandchildren of famed Talmudic scholars and spiritual guides.
However, while my classmates and I tried our best to relate to these gentlemen, we found it difficult to do so. We followed their curriculum, which was essentially limited to Talmud study, but our American upbringing created a barrier between us, so that we could not really appreciate what they had to teach us.
Only as we entered adulthood did it dawn on us that we had missed a golden opportunity by dismissing or ignoring the precious life-lessons and perspectives upon authentic traditional Judaism that they possessed and were eager to pass on to us.
Indeed, youth proved to be wasted on the young. We were simply too young to accept the treasures we had missed.
One of these teachers was a man named Rabbi Simcha Zissel Levovitz, of blessed memory. Long after we had lost touch with each other, I discovered that he was the son of the a"h
very well-known Reb Yerucham Levovitz, the mashgiach ruchani or spiritual guide of the Mirrer Yeshiva where he served for close to forty years before his death just prior to the Holocaust. I do not recall him mentioning his illustrious father during the year that I was among his seventh-grade students.
Much more recently, but still some time ago, I learned that Rav Simcha Zissel had collected and edited and eventually published a collection of his father’s many lectures. I immediately recognized the possibility of rectifying the missed opportunity that I had “wasted” in my youth.
At this point in my life, I keep a volume or two of this collection with me wherever I travel. It is entitled Sefer Daas Chochmah u’Mussar, “Book of Knowledge, Wisdom, and Ethics,” and it contains material which is relevant to our lives to this very day.
One of these lectures connects us in a remarkably timely fashion. For one thing, it was delivered on the Fast of Esther, the 13th of Adar, 1935. This Shabbat, we anticipate the month of Adar that is fast approaching— together with Purim and the Fast of Esther which precedes it.
More striking is the fact that this lecture deals with the problem of antisemitism, which has become frighteningly prevalent and evermore threatening in our current difficult times.
The Book of Esther, which we read twice on this happy holiday, is a study in antisemitism. The villain Haman strives to eradicate the Jewish people—man, woman, and child. His hateful propaganda convinces the King, the royal court, the local populace, and eventually the entire kingdom which spans the vast area from India to Ethiopia. Shades of October 7,
2023, and the ensuing world-wide Jew hatred from which we suffer today.
Reb Yerucham bases much of his thesis about the origins of antisemitism upon the question raised by our Sages in Tractate Megillah 12a: “Why did the people of Israel deserve to face utter extinction? Because they joined and enjoyed the King’s feast!” The Jewish people believed that the best way to alleviate the hatred they were experiencing would be to draw close to, and to establish friendly relationships with, their oppressors. They sought to mitigate antisemitism by merging with the enemy politically and culturally.
“This was a mistake,” argues Reb Yerucham. “And,” continues Reb Yerucham, “it was the mistake of our own time [remember that he spoke these words in 1935] when we sought political acceptance from our host
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countries, particularly Germany, which led to assimilation, the diminishment of Jewish self-identification, and eventually the rise of Hitlerism” (and we can now add, the Holocaust!).
Besides the similarities to the Purim story, and besides the resemblance to aspects of the current rise of antisemitism, Reb Yerucham’s argument also refers to two verses in this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18).
He quotes and explicates these verses (Exodus 23:32-33); I translate loosely: “Do not join in a covenant with them, nor with their gods. Do not permit them to dwell in your land lest they mislead you and provoke you to sin against Me, for they will eventually tempt you to worship their gods. They will entrap you!”
Reb Yerucham describes the effect that affiliation with the German nation and its culture had upon German Jewry. It was drastic assimilation, mass conversion to Christianity, and total rejection of Jewish identity by many Jews. He observed this decay personally, and in his final years became an eyewitness to the extent to which the yearning for welcome to German society eroded and became transformed into the most vicious antisemitism
ever known to mankind.
How I would have appreciated hearing such teachings from my seventh-grade teacher, the son of Reb Yerucham. Truth to say, he may very well have delivered these words to our class, but we were deaf to them. After all, youth is wasted upon the young. I will grant you that the antisemitism of our current time may be fundamentally different from the antisemitism that Reb Yerucham knew and predicted. But one aspect of his thesis remains relevant, and that is this: The focus of our reaction to antisemitism is not to be found in political activity, publicity in the media, or searching for allies among non-Jewish entities. It does not lie upon supposedly supportive governments and politicians, however we may trust and put our hopes in their promises.
It resides instead in the deepening of our Jewish identity, in our knowledge and fidelity to Torah and mitzvot, and above all with pride in our Jewishness, and expressing this pride in every arena of discourse.
I close with my own response to the question, “Does George Bernard Shaw’s famous quote about wasted youth have any basis in Torah?” To this I reply, “Yes!” It is encapsulated in these excerpts from Tehilim, psalm 25:
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“O Lord… be not mindful of my youthful sins and transgressions; in keeping with Your faithfulness, consider what is in my favor… He guides the lowly in the right path, and teaches the lowly His way… See how numerous my enemies are, and how unjustly they hate me… May integrity and uprightness watch over me, for I look to You. O God, redeem Israel from all its distress.”
Parsha that follows (why the information is given at that particular point is the subject of another article).
With the Purim Festival soon upon us, I would invite you to reconsider Achashverosh.
Of all the colorful figures populating the Purim story, Achashverosh is, I believe, the least understood. The subject of a Talmudic dispute as to whether he is a foolish or conniving king; Achashverosh actually emerges from the Megilla as a paradigm of evil. The malevolence modeled by this king, however, is easy to miss if you don’t read the Megilla carefully.
in the Shushan the capital, and the king and Haman sat down to drink, and the city of Shushan was dumfounded.”
If the information concerning Moshe’s lineage is eventually shared, why is it left out in the first place?
With the month of Nissan upon us, we return to the story of our nation’s birth, as Moshe rises to leadership and the exodus again unfolds.
Moshe’s yearly introduction in the text, however, is cause for pause. For some reason, the Torah chooses to introduce the birth of the greatest leader we have ever knownin the most innocuous way possible.
We begin our exploration at the point in the story when Haman and Achashverosh hatch their plot against the Jews. At that point, the text paints a stark picture:
“The couriers went out posthaste on the royal mission, and the decree was proclaimed
“And a man went from the House of Levi and he took a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived and gave birth to a son.”
Questions abound:
Why does the Torah depart from its usual mode of describing an individual’s birth?
In loving memory of our beloved Father, Grandfather & Great-Grandfather Saba Sababa
What does the seemingly superfluous phrase “and a man went…” indicate?
Why does the Torah omit any mention of Moshe’s lineage- to the point where even the names of his parents are deliberately omitted?
on his 15th Yahrtzeit
May the Torah learned from this TT be in his merit
Above all, is this any way to introduce a hero?
The Maisel, Bodenheim and Gottlieb Families
Efrat, Bet Shemesh and Kiryat Sefer
Compounding these questions is the fact that the omitted information concerning Moshe’s lineage is ultimately included in the
Numerous commentaries address the issues before us…
Note that the text does not say that the Jews of Shushan were dumfounded. Apparently, the entire populace of the city was bewildered.
And for good reason…
Working within the realm of pshat, the Ibn Ezra suggests that, at the time of Moshe’s birth, the Israelites lived in many cities in Egypt. Through the phrase, “And a man went,” the Torah is simply informing us that Amram “went” from one Egyptian city to another in order to marry Yocheved.
Imagine that you are a non-Jewish citizen in a city affected by the king’s decree. You have just been told that you are invited-on a particular day, in a particular month, many months hence- to attack and kill the members of a specific group in your neighborhood. All their possessions will be yours for the taking, as you pillage their homes with impunity.
Perhaps the Ibn Ezra intends to emphasize that Yosef’s plan for his family’s descent into Egypt has, by this point, broken down. Originally meant to remain separate from the Egyptians in the land of Goshen, the Israelites are assimilating into their surroundings.
The Ramban, however, takes issue with the Ibn Ezra’s interpretation, arguing that the Torah would have no reason to inform us concerning a journey taken by Amram from one city to another.
How are you supposed to act tomorrow? How will you interact with your neighbors over the next few months, while you and they know that you will soon be murdering them and their families? Do you knock on their door to borrow some salt for cooking? Do you talk about the weather? How can daily life continue under such circumstances?
Instead, maintains the Ramban, the verb lalachet, “to go,” is often used in the text when a new and difficult step is about to be taken. By stating, Veyeilech ish, “And a man went,” the Torah underscores Amram’s courageous willingness to marry in spite of Pharaoh’s harsh decrees.
The Ramban’s approach connects to a
Haman and Achashverosh have effectively lobbed a figurative grenade into the streets of Shushan, creating great consternation among the city’s entire population. The two architects of the impending horror, however, remain removed and unaffected by the turmoil in the streets. While Shushan is in an uproar, its king is busy drinking.
As long as the tumult stays outside the palace walls; Achashveirosh couldn’t care less.
The tale continues as Mordechai hears of the King's decree and descends into a state of mourning. Donning sackcloth, he walks through the streets of the city, “crying a bitter cry.” He stops abruptly, however, upon reaching the palace gates. For good reason. The law prohibits anyone from entering the king’s gates wearing clothes of mourning.
Once again, we confront a king who insists upon keeping pain or difficulty outside of the palace. There have been kings throughout history who have resonated to the concerns of their subjects. Not Achashverosh! His world is designed to be light and carefree. Anything that might threaten that world must be kept at bay.
Standing at the palace gates, Mordechai beseeches Esther to intercede on behalf of her people. Esther’s initial response is telling:
“All throughout the Kingdom know that anyone approaching the king without being summoned, is summarily executed; spared only if the king extends his scepter.
And I have not been summoned to visit the king for the last thirty days.”
Esther is frightened. Even she, despite her lofty position, will take her life into her hands if she approaches the king without invitation. Any unexpected visitor, even the queen, is barred from entry into the presence of the king. Struggling desperately to control his palace life; Achashverosh insists upon seeing only whom he wants to see. Safely sequestered, he, and he alone, will control the parameters of his world.
The attempt to maintain such a world requires ever increasing effort and breeds mounting paranoia. At all costs, the unbidden
and the unexpected must be kept at bay. Even a small crack in the palace walls cannot be countenanced. Such a crack would threaten Achashverosh’s carefully created world.
No wonder, then, as the story continues, that the king has trouble sleeping…
Fitfully awake in the darkness of the night, Achashverosh summons a servant to read to him from the kingdom’s records. Perhaps such a reading will return the king to his comfortable world and lull him to sleep once again.
The true depth of Achashverosh’s evil, however, only becomes apparent during the climactic moments of the Purim story. As the king and Haman dine at the second of two banquets arranged by Esther, she turns and identifies Haman as a villain threatening her people with destruction. Achashverosh and Haman are aghast. Suddenly revealed as a Jewess, Esther is among the individuals to be targeted by the king’s own evil decree.
Achashverosh’s initial reaction to Esther’s pleas is abundantly strange. He runs away, out of the party room into the Palace Garden. Why this reaction? Because Achashverosh cannot face the disaster that has struck. His worst fears have been realized. The outside world has come pouring into the palace. The tumultuous devastation that he, himself, ordained is now invading his own personal space.
The king then returns to the banquet hall, only to find Haman prostrating himself, in supplication, on the couch upon which Esther is lying.
“Have you come” Achashverosh exclaims, “to ravish the queen in my very own palace?”
Does the king really believe, at this point, that all Haman has on his mind is the seduction of Esther? Of course not! Haman knows
that he is one step away from the hangman’s noose. Instead, the king is redefining the challenges he faces. Ignoring the substance of Esther’s supplications, Achashverosh creates a narrative in which Haman is the whole problem. Haman is seducing the queen.
This redefinition allows the king to arrive at a simple solution to the issues before him. ‘If the problem is Haman,’ then I must destroy Haman...’
And so he does, hanging the villain upon the very tree that Haman had prepared for Mordechai’s execution.
And the king can now breathe a sigh of relief. After all, with Haman’s death, the challenges have been met, the problems solved. The palace can now go back to its natural state of blissful unawareness, as all problems remain outside of its walls.
Esther recognizes, however, that the danger is far from over. The king has returned into his shell and it will be difficult to pry him out. That is why, as the Megilla testifies, she must “speak again to the king, fall at his feet, weep, and beseech him to avert the crisis facing her people.”
And Achashverosh responds to Esther’s entreaties. His response, however, finally
uncovers the full extent of his malevolence. He declares that an edict issued by the king cannot be revoked. After all, such a revocation would reveal the king as fallible, a perception that cannot be countenanced. Instead, Achashverosh decides to issue a second edict: The Jews can defend themselves.
In one fell swoop, Achashverosh mandates civil war within his kingdom. Non-Jews are allowed to attack and Jews are allowed to defend themselves. The streets of Shushan will run with blood, while the king sits safely in his palace.
“As long as it doesn’t touch me, Achashverosh effectively says, I really don’t care..
Achashverosh thus emerges as the paradigm of a true despot, of a monarch totally divorced from the state of his subjects. This Purim King, however, reminds us of much more. Throughout our history we have dealt with the perpetrators of evil. But we have also encountered many bystanders, individuals who witnessed evil, could have helped the victims, but deliberately stayed out of the fray.
A Haman cannot exist without an Achashverosh.
Rabbi Goldin is the author of the OU Press volumes "Unlocking the Torah Text," and "Unlocking the Haggada."
Bricks
Bricks
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Covenant & Conversation
COVENANT & CONVERSATION
Thoughts
on
the Weekly Parsha
THOUGHTS ON THE WEEKLY PARSHA
RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS ZT"L
RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS ZT"L
FORMER CHIEF RABBI OF THE UNITED HEBREW CONGREGATIONS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
FORMER CHIEF RABBI OF THE UNITED HEBREW CONGREGATIONS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
May the learning of these Divrei Torah be תמשנ
HaRav Ya'akov Zvi ben David Arieh zt"l
The Slow End of Slavery
In Parshat Mishpatim we witness one of the great stylistic features of the Torah, namely its transition from narrative to law. Until now the book of Exodus has been primarily narrative: the story of the enslavement of the Israelites and their journey to freedom. Now comes detailed legislation, the “constitution of liberty.”
This is not accidental but essential. In Judaism, law grows out of the historical experience of the people. Egypt was the Jewish people’s school of the soul; memory was its ongoing seminar in the art and craft of freedom. It taught them what it felt like to be on the wrong side of power. “You know what it feels like to be a stranger,” says a resonant
Dedicated L’iluy Nishmat
phrase in this week’s Parsha (Ex. 23:9). Jews were the people commanded never to forget the bitter taste of slavery so that they would never take freedom for granted. Those who do so, eventually lose it.
Nowhere is this clearer than in the opening of today’s Parsha. We have been reading about the Israelites’ historic experience of slavery. So the social legislation of Mishpatim begins with slavery. What is fascinating is not only what it says but what it doesn’t say.
It doesn’t say: abolish slavery. Surely it should have. Is that not the whole point of the story thus far? Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery. He, as the Egyptian viceroy Tzofenat Paneach, threatens them with slavery. Generations later, when a pharaoh arises who “knew not Joseph,” the entire Israelite people become Egypt’s slaves. Slavery, like vengeance, is a vicious circle that has no natural end. Why not, then, give it a supernatural end? Why did God not say: ‘There shall be no more slavery’?
The Torah has already given us an implicit answer. Change is possible in human nature, but it takes time: time on a vast scale, centuries, even millennia. There is little doubt that in terms of the Torah’s value system the exercise of power by one person over
another, without their consent, is a fundamental assault against human dignity. This is not just true of the relationship between master and slave. It is true, according to many classic Jewish commentators, of the relationship between king and subjects, rulers and ruled. According to the Sages it is even true of the relationship between God and human beings. The Talmud says that if God really did coerce the Jewish people to accept the Torah by “suspending the mountain over their heads” (Shabbat 88a) that would constitute an objection to the very terms of the covenant itself. We are God’s avadim, servants, only because our ancestors freely chose to be (see Joshua 24, where Joshua offers the people freedom, if they so choose, to walk away from the covenant then and there).
So slavery is to be abolished, but it is a fundamental principle of God’s relationship with us that he does not force us to change faster than is possible of our own freewill. So Mishpatim does not abolish slavery, but it sets in motion a series of fundamental laws that will lead people, albeit at their own pace, to abolish it of their own accord. Here are the laws:
“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything . . . But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. (Ex. 21:2-6)
What is being done in these laws? First, a fundamental change is taking place in the nature of slavery. No longer is it a permanent status; it is a temporary condition. A Hebrew slave goes free after seven years. He or she
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knows this. Liberty awaits the slave not at the whim of the master but by Divine command. When you know that within a fixed time you are going to be free, you may be a slave in body but in your own mind you are a free human being who has temporarily lost their liberty. That in itself is revolutionary.
This alone, though, was not enough. Six years are a long time. Hence the institution of Shabbat, ordained so that one day in seven a slave could breathe free air: no one could command him to work:
Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you . . . nor your male or female servant . . . so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. (Deut. 5:12-14)
But the Torah is acutely aware that not every slave wants liberty. This too emerges out of Israelite history. More than once in the wilderness the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt. They said, “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost, also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic” (Num. 11:5).
As Rashi points out, the phrase “at no cost” [chinam] cannot be understood literally. They paid for it with their labour and their lives. “At no cost” means “free of mitzvot,” of commands, obligations, duties. Freedom carries a highest price, namely, moral responsibility. Many people have shown what Erich Fromm called “fear of freedom.” Rousseau spoke of “forcing people to be free” – a view that led in time to the reign of terror following the
French Revolution.
The Torah does not force people to be free, but it does insist on a ritual of stigmatization. If a slave refuses to go free, his master “shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl.” Rashi explains:
Why was the ear chosen to be pierced rather than all the other limbs of the body?
Said Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai: ...The ear that heard on Mount Sinai: "For to Me are the children of Israel servants" and he, nevertheless, went ahead and acquired a master for himself, should [have his ear] pierced! Rabbi Shimon expounded this verse in a beautiful manner: Why are the door and the doorpost different from other objects of the house? God, in effect, said: “The door and doorpost were witnesses in Egypt when I passed over the lintel and the two doorposts, and I said: ‘For to Me are the children of Israel servants’, they are My servants, not servants of servants, and this person went ahead and acquired a master for himself, he shall [have his ear] pierced in their presence.”
A slave may stay a slave but not without being reminded that this is not what God wants for His people. The result of these laws was to create a dynamic that would in the end lead to an abolition of slavery, at a time of free human choosing.
And so it happened. The Quakers, Methodists and Evangelicals, most famous among them William Wilberforce, who led the campaign in Britain to abolish the slave trade were driven by religious conviction, inspired not least by the biblical narrative of the Exodus, and by the challenge of Isaiah “to proclaim freedom for captives and for prisoners, release from darkness” (Is. 61:1).
Slavery was abolished in the United States
only after a civil war, and there were those who cited the Bible in defence of slavery. As Abraham Lincoln put it in his second Inauguration:
“Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged.”
Yet slavery was abolished in the United States, not least because of the affirmation in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal,” and are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights, among them “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Jefferson, who wrote those words, was himself a slave-owner. Yet such is the latent power of ideals that eventually people see that by insisting on their right to freedom and dignity while denying it to others, they are living a contradiction. That is when change takes place, and it takes time.
If history tells us anything it is that God has patience, though it is often sorely tried. He wanted slavery abolished but He wanted it to be done by free human beings coming to see of their own accord the evil it is and the evil it does. The God of history, who taught us to study history, had faith that eventually we would learn the lesson of history: that freedom is indivisible. We must grant freedom to others if we truly seek it for ourselves.
These weekly teachings from Rabbi Sacks zt”l are part of his ‘Covenant & Conversation’ series on the weekly Torah teaching. With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel. Visit www.RabbiSacks.org for more.
Dr. Harry Weisman
Former Assist. Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine; Div. of Endocrinology & Metabolism
The faculty of the Jerusalem College of Technology congratulates our colleague Chairman of the Board
Stuart Hershkowitz Attorney
on being named a Yakir Yerushalayim )Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem(
For many years, Stuart has been dedicated to the success and growth of the Jerusalem College of Technology as a leading and unique academic institution, and he continues to contribute greatly to its advancement.
We wish Stuart many more years of successful endeavors for the benefit of JCT and the capital of the State of Israel
Jerusalem College of Technology
PROBING THE PROPHETS
BY RABBI NACHMAN (NEIL) WINKLER FACULTY, OU ISRAEL CENTER
Forfeiting One’s Future
Early rabbinic scholars chose the 34th perek of Sefer Yirmiyahu as a fitting haftarah for the parasha of Mishpatim. In it, King Tzidkiyahu charged the nation to uphold Hashem’s demand to release Hebrew bondsmen (servants) after six years of servitude – the very mitzvah that opens this week’s Torah reading. Unfortunately, as our haftarah relates, the ruling classes reneged on the agreed covenant and their own oath by recapturing the newly freed servants and subjecting them to servitude, once again.
The bulk of the haftarah, therefore, focuses upon Yirmiyahu’s severe criticism of the nation’s refusal to observe the Torah, their King and their oath and warns the nation of what punishments G-d would bring upon them due to their abhorrent behavior.
We would be mistaken, however, if we saw the navi’s words only as a censure of the slave owners’ treatment of their workers. Yirmiyahu saw in their actions a reflection of the corruption of the entire society, revealing
Mazal Tov to Debbie & Herby Dan and family on the birth of a granddaughter
destructive elements that would bring the collapse of the Judean kingdom. The proof of the severity of this sin is revealed in the opening words of the haftarah.
The navi’s message to the nation foretold the fall and destruction of their Holy City, the imprisonment of the populace and their exile from Yehuda. But WHEN did G-d choose to have this prophecy announced to the Judeans? We learn in the beginning of the haftarah, that Yirmiyahu’s message was delivered AFTER King Tzidkiyahu had established a formal covenant that was accepted both by the bureaucrats and the common people. The brit called for the release of the Judean slaves-even proclaiming that “none shall hold his Jewish brother as a slave” [v. 9]. BUT the people reneged on their agreement! The text lets us know, therefore, that beyond their sinful deeds and negative attitudes, their insistence to disregard G-d’s mitzvot and their defiance of their own King – succeeded in undermining the very fabric of a moral society…..because they were insensitive to the plight of their unfortunate brethren!
It is puzzling as to why our haftarah closes with two p’sukim that were “drafted” by Chazal from the previous perek (33; 25-26) and seem to have no obvious connection to the haftarah or Yirmiyahu’s message. The 25th verse states:
“If not My covenant with the day and the night, then the statutes of heaven and earth I did not place”
Rav Soloveitchik unravels the meaning of
this puzzling verse by explaining that G-d’s reign expresses itself through natural law and moral law. He then clarifies:
“The Kingdom of G-d is to be found solely in the natural law. His …will regulates all of creation…Nature behaves in accordance with regulated patterns (attesting) to His absolute sovereignty. Man has no control over the laws of nature…..
However, as far as the moral law is concerned, G-d’s sovereignty is not yet universally accepted. Ironically, what interferes with G-d’s (complete) sovereignty in the moral realm. is the fact that he provided man with free will. He challenged man to accept the moral law voluntarily….”
I believe that the words of the Rav underscore the gravity of one who does not voluntarily accept the moral law and, certainly, of a society that refuses to treat one another in an honest and ethical fashion. His message suggests that such depraved behavior that fails to uphold Hashem’s reign over the universe, reveals a contempt for G-d and His sovereignty.
Perhaps, this is precisely why our ancient scholars chose to close the haftarah with this message. The very refusal of Yirmiyahu’s generation to free the suffering from their bondage, their dismissive attitude that had them defy Hashem and His Torah, their prophet and their king – and even their own oath – sealed their fate.
It is quite clear: A civilization that ignores both G-d and Man is a civilization that forfeits its future.
Rabbi Winkler’s popular Jewish History lectures can be viewed by visiting the OU Israel Video archive: https://www.ouisrael.org/video-l ibrary
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A Deeper Appreciation of Na’aseh V’nishma
He took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “na’aseh venishma” “We will do and we will learn everything that God has spoken.” (Shemot 24:7)
Two of the most famous words that appear in the Torah are “na’aseh venishma”. Bnei Yisrael expressed their unequivocal commitment to Hashem by stating that they will obey all of His commands, and only afterwards, will they seek to learn and understand them. On its surface, however, this statement may be somewhat troublesome to modern man. Surely an intelligent person seeks to understand before he practices and to make an educated decision and choice. To blindly accept a religion that is imposed upon one externally is not viewed admirably by modern man. So why is it praised by our Sages?
To clarify, Judaism should not be classified as an anti-intellectual religion. On the contrary, there is no other religion that has emphasized studying to the extent of Judasim. The study of Torah is even considered to outweigh all other precepts (Talmud Torah K’neged Kulam)! However, even with this insight, this “na’aseh venishma” foundation
needs to be better understood. Rabbi Norman Lamm z”l (Drashot L’Dorot) offers three intriguing explanations.
WAY OF LIFE (NATURALNESS)
We refer to the laws of the Torah as “Halacha” – the way. The Torah is not a history book but rather sets forth a way of life! And life has to be lived before it can be fully comprehended.
For example, the best way to learn a language is to place oneself in an environment where it is spoken and to begin to imitate, practice and to speak the language. By just reading the rules of the language would make it virtually impossible to converse in the language. The same is true with learning to walk or ride a bike. The best way to accomplish such a feat is to try it. If our religion is to be natural to us and not mechanical, we must respond with the words “na’aseh venishma”. When we educate our children, we do not give them a crash course on the beauty of Judaism, but rather we teach them to live as Jews, to conduct themselves in a certain manner and to engage in the fulfillment of mitzvot and only afterwards do we proceed to provide them with a deeper understanding and appreciation. Most ba’ale teshuva are turned on to Judaism not just by reading about it, but
by experiencing a Shabbat. The experience (Na’aseh) is what creates the commitment and desire to better comprehend (venishma).
LOVE
When you love someone, you do what they desire, even without fully comprehending the reason. Parents do so much for their children, often without explanation other than out of love. When there is love, full comprehension can wait.
One of the highest ideals is to love God. When there is love, we will follow Halacha and then study and inquire. Where there is love, every word of prayer will be con
firmly, once and for all “
As our ancestors did at Har Sinai, may we proclaim “na’aseh venishma”! To engage in the performance of mitzvot, even absent a complete comprehension and understanding of their meaning or purpose. As we stated above, our action reveals that Judaism is natural to us, it reveals our love of Hashem and our discipline and unequivocal com mitment. Thereafter we can take a deeper dive and gain an appreciation of what we are fulfilling.
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Beware! Bribes
Parashat Mishpatim presents numerous laws that span a variety of interpersonal arenas. It is prohibited to take bribes as such gratuities can blind a person and distort one’s views. At face value, this law seems to apply to custodians of justice who are obligated to adjure fairly. However, we will see that this law is applicable to everyone all the time.
In his work Ohr Hatzafun, the Saba of Sladboka explains how bribes influence our beliefs and in turn, our actions. When one receives any type of favor, assistance or support, automatically his perception of the
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giver has been altered and he can no longer be fully objective. Not only are we affected by material favors, but we are also affected by anything that brings us pleasure or joy.
In truth, notes Rav Yisrael Salanter in Igeret HaMussar, we are all constantly making judgement calls. Our thoughts, decisions and actions are the results of processing the biases and personal agendas that we possess. Often, we espouse a “truth,” yet it is merely a reflection of the beliefs and preferences we have developed due to our experiences and circumstances. Frequently, we are not even conscious of how strongly we are affected by these biases, and think we are being completely objective.
Rav Elchanan Wasserman hy”d in Kovetz Ma’amarim discusses how these biases affect the very core of our faith. “Ve’lo taturu acharei levavchem ve’acharei eineichem - you shall not deviate after your heart and after your eyes.” (Bamidbar 15:39) Chazal deduces that “your heart” refers to heresy, do not be drawn to blasphemous thought. Rav Wasserman wonders why the Torah would use the word ‘heart’ and not ‘mind;’ is not heresy related to the beliefs in one’s intellect? He responds that knowledge of Hashem is something so basic and intrinsic to our essence that one does not need philosophy to believe.
Indeed, a boy at the age of 13 and a girl at the age of 12 are commanded to believe in Hashem since it is not something difficult to comprehend. It is the desires and inclinations of one’s heart that create a barrier to belief. The mitzvah to believe in Hashem is really
about ensuring that one’s desires do not override one’s intellect. When one is able to regulate his desires, belief follows organically. The challenge arises when the realization of truth runs counter to one’s desires, then even the greatest of minds no longer has the clarity of discernment. Our desires are the ‘bribes’ that distort our reality, and we can easily fall into false and deceptive perceptions. Let us be aware and honestly assess what drives our decisions and choices as we strive to stay aligned with the ultimate Divine truth.
RABBI JUDAH MISCHEL BADERECH
RABBI JUDAH
Mischel EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CAMP HASC AUTHOR OF BADERECH SERIES
An Eitzah
Rebbe Chaim of Tzanz, the Divrei Chaim, zy’a, was known for his greatness in Torah, righteousness, and generosity. His ahavas Yisrael , kindness and compassion was legendary.
Once, one Erev Shabbos, a poor woman knocked on the door of the Divrei Chaim. She was beside herself with worry and agony, and begged for financial assistance to buy basic necessities for Shabbos. The Rebbe was surprised, as he knew the woman to be a hard working long-time business owner. “Don’t you have a vegetable stall in the marketplace?” he asked, “Did something happen?”
The woman explained that there were some people in town who spread a rumor that her potatoes were of inferior quality and were not fit to be grated for kugel, nor on the level to be included in one’s Shabbos cholent. As a result she had not sold any potatoes all week, and had no money to make Shabbos for her family.
The Divrei Chaim sat quietly for a few moments and then said, “I have an eitzah; I think I have a solution….” The Rebbe rose from his place and made his way to the marketplace with the woman, and walked directly to her potato stand. Word spread quickly that the Divrei Chaim was in the marketplace, and the townsfolk,
Executive Director, Camp HASC Author of Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva (Mosaica 2021)
unaccustomed to seeing the Rebbe in the streets of the shuk, flocked to find out what was happening. Why would their beloved Rebbe lower himself to tread the alleyways of the marketplace? It was surely beneath his honor...
“Teiyreh yiden, sweet Jews!” the Rebbe called out, “I’ve come here today to have the zechus of purchasing the greatest potatoes in the world; they are delicious, and of the highest quality, in taste — and in their supernal root. Who would like the great merit of buying some of them as well?”
Predictably, the potatoes were sold out in minutes, with people offering to pay up to ten times the regular price. If these were the preferred lichvod Shabbos kartufle of the Divrei Chaim, everyone in the city wanted to have them too!
The woman made more money that day than she had all season. “You see,” said the Divrei Chaim, “your potatoes were of good quality; it is just that the townspeople didn’t realize it until today.”
Following the dramatic events of Matan Torah, our sedra turns to introduce an extensive series of civil laws that form the backbone of a moral and ethical religious society.
V’eileh ha-mishpatim... “And these are the ordinances that you shall set before them. Should you buy an eved Ivri, a Hebrew servant, he shall work for six years, and in the
seventh year, he shall go out to freedom without charge” (Shemos, 21:1-2). Rashi explains that the focus of this first law highlights the process of acquiring the service of one whom the court has sentenced to servitude as a result of his crimes, as a way to pay back his theft and cover his debt.
The great baal mussar, talmid chacham and pedagogue , Reb Simcha Zissel Ziv Broide zt’l, the Alter of Kelm, was one of the primary students of Rav Yisrael Salanter. He asked a penetrating question. The Torah speaks in honorable, positive terms. Why do the halachos of bein adam l’chaveiro begin in such a shameful fashion? Why should the civil laws begin with the lowly subject of a Jew who steals or commits a crime, an aveirah, that undermines the moral fabric of a society? After the glorious experience at Mount Sinai, in which the Jewish People together were initiated into the greatest Divine revelation in world history, and attained an unimaginably high spiritual state — might it not be more appropriate to begin Mishpatim, a parsha of over fifty mitzvos, on a more positive note?
The Alter of Kelm answered that these civil laws are actually beyond ‘do’s and don’ts’, crimes and punishments. Hashem is communicating with each of us through Torah. Banim atem laHashem, “You are all children to Hashem”; if the Ribbono shel Olam has a beloved child who falls into mistakes, steals something or damages the body or property of another, He sees a Jew who is struggling, who has a serious debt to repay and needs assistance. Therefore, His Torah reveals processes of rehabilitating his children and reconciling them into community life. A dire personal challenge
demands immediate action, even if it is unpleasant. Hashem is showing us how to get busy working out a solution, finding an eitzah to help a challenged Jew get his life back on track.
Rebbe Avraham Ibn Ezra teaches that our sedra, and the entire corpus of Torah, law begin with the eved Ivri because this represents the weakest sector of our society, and we must ensure that we are aware of and sensitive to the plight of those who are most vulnerable. After the awe-inspiring ‘fireworks’ of Mount Sinai, the Torah guides us to where the rubber hits the road, and where ‘spiritual initiation’ meets the tests of life in this world: taking responsibility to do whatever is necessary to ensure the wellbeing of each of Hashem’s children.
Let us renew our commitment to being sensitive to the needs of our friends and neighbors, and do our utmost to find an eitzah regarding any ‘potatoes’ that we are collectively having trouble selling.
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OU KASHRUT
PAGE BY RABBI EZRA FRIEDMAN Director, The Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education Director, The Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education
Introduction to Bishul Akum
Consuming Produce Without Terumot and Ma’asrot
The prohibition
INTRODUCTION
According to Biblical law, food that is completely kosher and cooked by a nonJew is permitted. However, our Sages decreed that such food, even when cooked in kosher utensils, is prohibited for consumption. This prohibition is known as bishul akum. In the coming weeks we will discuss the parameters of this rabbinic prohibition, including the reasons behind the decree, when it applies, and the practical halacha for modern industrial kashrut.
The mitzvah of removing terumot and ma’asrot from produce grown in Israel is essential for its consumption. This mitzvah must be observed to permit the consumption of these items. In addition to the fact that the produce is grown in Eretz Yisrael, two other factors determine whether fruits, vegetables, and grains are obligated to have terumot and ma’asrot removed. Onat Hama’asrot refers to the point of growth at which the produce is ripe enough for the removal of terumot and ma’asrot. Gmar Malacha is the action performed after harvesting, which formally obligates the produce in terumot and ma’asrot.
CONSUMPTION BEFORE GMAR MALACHA
The consumption of produce prior to Onat Ma’asrot is permitted. For instance, if undeveloped fruit is harvested, it can be consumed, even if it has been rendered edible through special cooking methods or smoking. There are no limits on quantities; one may
Food is a very connecting element in every society. That is the basis behind the decree of bishul akum. Our Sages were very concerned about close relationships with non-Jews since intermarriage is a very severe transgression. The prohibition effectively limits Jews and gentiles dining with each other, although there is no specific prohibition against dining with a non-Jew per se. (See Rashi on Avodah Zara 31:b.)
Forbidding the non-Jew’s cooking would be enough to create an emotional distance such that families wouldn’t marry into each other.
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Rabbeinu Tam (Tosfot Avodah Zara 38:a) and Rambam (Ma’achalot Asurot 17:9)
maintain that the decree is based on this issue of closeness to non-Jews that could lead to intermarriage; this is the opinion of most early authorities. However, Rashi and others attribute a different reasoning to the prohibition of bishul akum, which is that non-Jews might mix non-kosher ingredients into the kosher food. In future articles we will discuss whether the parameters of bishul akum are based on both of these reasons or just one. However, it is clear from numerous sources that the danger of intermarriage is the main reason behind the prohibition (See Torat Habayit 3:7).
pick thousands of kilos of underdeveloped produce and consume or sell it without the requirement to remove terumot and ma’asrot (Kedushat Ha’aretz 6:5)
Consumption of produce before Gmar Malacha is more complex. Biblically, one may consume an unlimited amount without terumot and ma’asrot until Gmar Malacha has been performed. However, Our Sages decreed that produce that has been picked but has not yet undergone Gmar Malacha may only be consumed in a limited manner. The rationale behind this decree is to prevent individuals from using Gmar Malacha as a loophole to exempt their produce from the essential halachic tithes. Consequently, Our Sages established two categories of consumption: Achilat Keva (permanent consumption) and Achilat Araiy (temporary consumption).
The decree is binding regardless of the reason
Since the transgression of intermarriage was the primary concern behind our Sages’ decree, their goal was to powerfully discourage the possibility of developing emotional connections to non-Jews that could lead to intermarriage either in that generation or the next. Accordingly, early authorities discuss whether the prohibition of bishul akum still applies even in situations where intermarriage is not technically possible. For example, Rashba, in his responsa (1:248), examines the case of food cooked by a priest. Being that Catholic priests do not marry nor do they have children with whom to intermarry, is it permitted to eat food cooked by a priest even though the reason for bishul akum seemingly does not apply to
Achilat Keva refers to a meal that is substantial and prepared, akin to what one would typically eat during regular meals. Such consumption is deemed inappropriate without terumot and ma’asrot. In contrast, Achilat Araiy encompasses smaller, more casual meals that can be consumed without these obligations. However, it remains important to note that terumot and ma’asrot must still
be removed from the produce, even if Gmar Malacha has not yet been performed. The concepts of Achilat Keva and Araiy will be further explored in future articles.
GAINING BENEFIT BEFORE GMAR MALACHA
While it is prohibited to consume produce in certain ways prior to Gmar Malacha, halacha allows for other types of benefit.
The OU Israel Gustave & Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education was created to raise awareness and educate the public in all areas of kashrut. Rabbi Ezra Friedman, Deputy Rabbinic Administrator for OU Kosher Israel is the Center's director. him? Rashba answers that we have a rule regarding rabbinic decrees: even when the reason does not apply, the prohibition still stands. This is a necessary element in every rabbinic prohibition. Otherwise, Rashba explains, people could rationalize and find reasons why any decree should not apply in their particular situation.
Our Sages were primarily concerned with large-scale consumption as a potential loophole to avoid removing terumot and ma’asrot. Regarding benefit, however, there seem to be no limitations. Practically, one may pick fruit before Gmar Malacha and serve it to animals or pets, use it as compost, or conduct tests in a laboratory (Mishpitei Eretz 7:14).
Accordingly, Rashba concludes that even food cooked by a Catholic priest has the prohibition of bishul akum. A similar ruling is made by Ramban (Avodah Zara 35:a) regarding non-Jewish royalty who, because of their stature, are prohibited from marrying Jews. He maintains that the fact that the non-Jews are royalty is irrelevant, and that the decree of bishul akum stands regardless of the reason behind it. Taz (YD 112:1) , Shach (YD 112:4) and Pri Megadim (YD 112:1) cite these rulings as axioms of the laws of bishul akum.
Other examples
Although, it is important to note that giving Tevel (produce that has not had terumot and ma’asrot removed) as a gift without first removing halachic tithes is prohibited (Rambam, Ma’aser 6:6). Giving produce that has not yet undergone Gmar Malacha may be permitted, as it is considered merely a form of benefit, and Achilat Araiy is allowed (see Mishpitei Eretz 7:30). In such cases, one should inform the recipient that the fruit has not yet had Gmar Malacha performed.
Later authorities discuss similar cases where the logic behind bishul akum may not apply. Responsa Shevet Kehati (6:273) rules that even food cooked by a non-Jewish child is considered bishul akum, despite the fact that the chances of marriage seem remote. The same is true for food cooked in a faraway country where Jews cannot travel -- bishul akum still applies.
In summary:
IN SUMMARY:
gentiles, even if the ingredients and utensils are kosher.
• It is permissible to consume any amount of produce prior to Onat Hama’asrot.
• One may consume produce in a limited manner and quantity prior to Gmar Malacha.
The reason cited by most authorities is the risk of intermarriage.
Even in cases with virtually no risk of intermarriage, the food is still prohibited, including non-Jewish royalty, priests, young children, and non-Jews from distant lands.
• Benefit derived from produce before Gmar Malacha is permitted, with the exception of planting, which cannot be done without terumot and ma’asrot.
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Our Sages prohibited food cooked by
Our sages instituted one exception regarding the benefit derived from produce before Gmar Malacha: according to halacha, one may not plant produce or seeds from produce prior to this stage. Although this does not involve consumption, the act of planting is so common that stricter guidelines apply (Torat Ha’aretz 2:37) .
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SIMCHAT SHMUEL
simchat shmuel
BY RABBI SAM SHOR DIRECTOR, TORAH INITIATIVES, OU ISRAEL
BY RABBI SAM SHOR Program Director, OU Israel Center
Being truthful, speaking the truth, and conducting oneself honestly, is one of the fundamental ideas of Jewish life.
Our Chazal teach us:
״תמא״ אוה ךְורב �שּו דקה לש ּו מתּוח. The seal of HaKadosh Baruch Hu is truth... (Shabbat 55a).
Indeed our Sedra this week, Parshat Mishpatim, introduces us to this very fundamental concept:
- Distance yourself from a word of falsehood...(Shemot 23:7)
The Great Chasidic Master, Reb Zusha of Anipol,zy'a, offered a powerful interpretation of our verse-midvar sheker, from even a single false word,tirchak, one can cause himself to be distanced from the Ribono Shel Olam.
Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa zy'a famously pointed out that for no other transgression does the Torah stipulate to distance oneself from the transgression,rather simply do not transgress! This comes to teach us that the attribute of truthfulness is so vital, that one must stay
far away, and keep distant from even the appearance of a lie!
In his beautiful commentary on the Chumash, Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski zy'a asks a fundamental question on this verse:
"Just what is meant by 'Distance yourself? It means that one should act in a way that there will be no need to lie!...The Talmud (Tamid 32a) says that a wise person is one who can envision the outcome... Wisdom consists of seeing the long term consequences of one's actions rather than just the immediate effects.
Distancing oneself from falsehood not only prevents one from transgressing the prohibition of lying, but also results in behavior that is both ethical and profitable..." (Twerski on Chumash,pgs 154-155)
Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Horowitz, the Patiker Rav, zy'a, points to the statement in the last mishna in Eduyot, to further explain our verse:
"The mishna in Eduyot states: Eliyahu will come to make distant those that are close, and to bring close those who are distant...
This is an allusion to our verse midvar sheker tirchak- since the letters in the word sheker (false) are close to one another, while the letters in the word for truth-emet- are distant from one another sequentially. Eliyahu will come and push aside, and make distant all the falsehood in the world, and bring close- bring us all closer to see the ultimate truth....
Perhaps now more than ever, this
incredible insight of the Patiker Rav is as relevant as it has ever been. In a world where so many are easily misled , and the truth is consistently blurred and obscured, the need for removal of sheker and coming closer to emet is stronger than ever before.
Yehi Ratzon, may we each merit to strive to take to heart each of these beautiful insights, to use the gift of speech appropriately and truthfully, and may we soon merit to see the day when indeed the world will be free of falsehood, and we will all come together to embrace the ultimate truth and goodness that the world so desperately needs.
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“Cutting and Pasting”… From a Hundred Years Ago
Parashat Mishpatim delves into the intricate web of civil laws that govern monetary and commercial interactions. It opens with an allusion to beit din: "םהינפל
"These are the principles which should be placed before them"
The term "םהינפל"—"before them"—is interpreted by Chazal as a directive to bring civil and monetary disputes before a beit din. The preface to Parshat Mishpatim, which establishes the framework of Choshen Mishpat, empowers a beit din to oversee and resolve all legal monetary matters.
DELIBERATION AND CHANGING OPINION
The second Mishnah of Pirkei Avot encourages dayanim to be ןידב םינותמ—to carefully deliberate before issuing a verdict. This instruction not only urges caution but also allows for the possibility of their changing their opinion, especially if the reconsideration occurs before the verdict or pesak din is formally delivered. Regarding capital crimes of dinei nefashot, dayanim are not only permitted but, in certain circumstances, even encouraged to retract their ruling, particularly if they had initially deemed the accused guilty.
In these instances guilty verdicts can be reversed even after a formal verdict has been handed down. The halachic legal system values intellectual honesty and the willingness to reconsider, ensuring that justice is pursued with the utmost integrity and deliberation. Reevaluating a ruling—even one rooted in halachic reasoning—is seen as a mark of wisdom among seasoned judges. Changing an opinion is not a sign of intellectual inconsistency but rather of sharp reasoning and of intellectual integrity.
HASHEM "CHANGES HIS MIND"
Several times in the Torah, Hashem Himself is depicted as changing His mind. After witnessing a series of moral failures—from the sin of Adam and Chava to Kayin’s murder of Hevel, followed by the corruption of the "Children of God"— Hashem regretted creating humanity, a shift that ultimately led to the mabul that engulfed the world.
Of course, theologically, Hashem does not actually "change" His mind. Yet, despite the provocative wording, the Torah presents this imagery to teach us that we, as finite
beings, must cultivate the ability to reassess, refine, and, when necessary, change our own opinions.
Similarly, the Torah describes Hashem reversing His decision to annihilate the Jewish people:
Though this "change of heart" was triggered by Moshe Rabbeinu’s fervent tefillot and our collective teshuva, Hashem already knew this outcome beforehand. He knew that He would ultimately forgive us. And yet, once again, the Torah portrays Him as "changing His mind," underscoring the value of reconsideration, and the importance of changing a decision.
IDENTITY AND OPINIONS
Ideally, our identity should be shaped by our character traits, our relationships, our experiences, and, of course, by our religious life and connection with Hashem. By contrast, opinions and ideologies should not define the core of who we are. When a person has a strong sense of self—rooted ideally in both a deep relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu as well as a secure inner identity—they are not defined solely by their opinions or positions.
A strong "inner" identity should be stable enough to allow our views to evolve without fear of "losing ourselves". Reconsidering a viewpoint does not mean surrendering ourselves or undermining our essence since the foundation of our identity rests on something far deeper than any particular position.
By contrast, an inability to reconsider views may sometimes indicate a fragile identity, one that is precariously perched on opinions rather than built upon character
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and lived experience. Changing your opinion or ideological standpoint is often a sign of a balanced and healthy identity. Opinions can change.
THE AGE OF IDEOLOGIES
We live in an era of intense ideological ferment. Monumental shifts in Jewish history, coupled with rapid technological and cultural upheavals, have thrust upon us fundamental questions rarely confronted in the past. These questions center primarily upon two pivotal issues: Jewish engagement with broader society, and the role of the State of Israel and how it influences this extraordinary historical moment. Diverse
ideological perspectives, or hashkafot, have emerged, each striving to help us navigate these defining challenges.
As always, we turn to our past for guidance, drawing from our Mesorah. In particular, many look to the towering figures and thinkers of the past 150 years—a period of remarkable intellectual creativity—for wisdom. The Ashkenazi Orthodox world was shaped both by the flourishing yeshiva movement, and by Chassidut, each of which produced prodigious Torah thought and extraordinary talmidei chachamim. Naturally, we seek direction from these recent luminaries, whose lives feel closer to our own reality than those of the Rambam or Rabbi Akiva, whose historical realities were far more distant from our own.
Many of the towering Torah scholars from Pre-WWII Europe held views on both the State of Israel and the role of secular engagement which seem to align more with contemporary Charedi culture. Though there was a diversity of opinion, the majority of these Torah thinkers opposed the emerging secular State and resisted the integration of secular studies with Torah learning. Some voiced their opposition to both the State and secular studies in stark and forceful terms.
Therefore, in our modern reality those who embrace a Charedi orientation more naturally identify with these Torah figures. Rooted in an unwavering commitment to preserving the past, the Charedi world sees itself as the direct heir to this rich world of Torah and ideas. As a result , it has directly adopted the classic positions of these Torah personalities regarding the broader world and the State of Israel.
By contrast, serious Torah Jews who do not identify as Charedi often struggle to connect with great pre-WWII Torah figures whose views do not align with their unconditional support for the State of Israel or their openness to the broader world of ideas. At best, many non-Charedi people resolve this tension by separating Torah scholarship from hashkafah—appreciating the brilliance of their Torah while sharply diverging from their worldview. For many, though, this split proves difficult; they find it challenging to divorce ideology from Torah. And even when such a separation is possible, the lack of identification with their hashkafah makes it harder to fully connect with their Torah and their legacy.
A NEW WORLD
There is a third approach. The world has shifted so dramatically since the preWWII era that it is difficult to determine exactly how these Torah giants would have responded to our current reality.
For example, many of the rabbinic opponents of Zionism were contending with a movement that, in its early stages, was led by aggressively anti-religious secularists who sought to replace Jewish tradition with nationalism—often infused with Marxist/socialist ideology. Additionally, Torah leaders were engaged in fierce struggles with local Zionists in European shtetls and cities, where political battles over resources—both human and financial—posed a direct challenge to the social order and rabbinic authority. What would these towering Torah personalities say if they lived in our modern reality? What would Rav Elchonon Wasserman think if he beheld today’s State of Israel—a land home
to eight million Jews, where the majority, though not traditionally observant, still harbor a deep spiritual connection and recognize this Land as a divine gift, foretold in the prophecies of the Torah? How would the horrors of the Holocaust, which many anti-Zionist rabbis never witnessed, have influenced their support for a Jewish state as a refuge from antisemitism?
Would their perspective remain steadfast, or would the sweeping transformation of Jewish history compel them to reconsider? Would they have reexamined their stance in light of the unfolding redemption?
In a similar vein, those who opposed any encounter with the secular world lived in a reality where universities were hotbeds of heresy. Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz, known as the Birchat Shmuel, was one of the great Torah scholars of the early 20th century. He penned a famous and scathing opposition to any interaction with the secular world. In truth, enrolling in the University of Berlin or Moscow was often a one-way departure from religious commitment.
The academic landscape has dramatically shifted. Studying in a university in 2025 certainly presents challenges, but these institutions are no longer the ideological battlegrounds they once were. If anything, the surge of rampant antisemitism has diminished the cultural pull of these institutions upon Jewish students, making them less likely to drift from their heritage. The hostility directed at Jews has, paradoxically, lessened the spiritual danger these environments once posed.
There are still significant concerns regarding engagement with secular studies and life in non-Jewish environments,
but these concerns have evolved dramatically since the early part of the previous century. The presence of strong Jewish frameworks—both within explicitly Jewish settings and embedded in broader non-Jewish institutions—has made the encounter with the world of the university far less perilous.
Would opponents of secular engagement have been equally resistant had they witnessed the modern context?
Great people possess the wisdom and humility to reassess their views when new realities emerge. It is difficult to determine how positions articulated in the early 20th century might have evolved, given the seismic transformations of our world— the devastation of the Holocaust, the mass migration of millions of Jews to Israel, and the shifting cultural landscape.
Torah Jews of every ideological persuasion should feel a deep connection to the great figures who shaped the Torah world, even when their positions differ from our own. The fact that they took stances that may seem incongruous with our present reality does not mean they would have maintained them unchanged in the face of the dramatic upheavals history has wrought.
2025 isn’t 1925. Cutting and pasting opinions across 100 years of tectonic shifts doesn’t always work. Hashem "changed His mind", and we are expected to change our mind as well.
Rabbi Taragin’s newest sefer entitled “Reclaiming Redemption Deciphering the Maze of Jewish History (Mosaica)” is now available at: www.reclaimingredemption.com and in bookstores.
HAFTORAH
INSIGHTS
BY REBBETZIN DR. ADINA SHMIDMAN
DIRECTOR, OU WOMEN’S INITIATIVE
Finding Our Way Back Home
YIRMIYAHU 34:8-22, 33:25-26
One word echoes throughout this week’s haftorah—רורד, freedom. More than just physical release, רורד represents a deeper, intrinsic state of autonomy and belonging. In Rosh Hashana 9b, Rashi cites Rabbi Yehuda, who explains that רורד stems from רוד, meaning one who freely chooses where to dwell—someone who is not just unchained but truly home. Ibn Ezra offers another insight: רורד is a swallow, a bird that sings only when free; when trapped, it refuses to eat and dies, a poignant reflection of the human soul’s need for unencumbered existence.
Rashi in Mishlei expands on this imagery: ףועל רּו רדכֹּ, the swallow always returns to its nest. Unlike other birds that abandon their birthplace, swallows migrate vast distances—up to 6,000 miles—yet instinctively return to the same barn, the same partner.
OU Israel extends Mazal Tov to Michal & Avromi Sommers and family on the occasion of Tehila's Bat Mitzvah
Historically, British sailors even tattooed a swallow on their arms as a symbol of returning home. True freedom is not just about leaving captivity but about returning to one’s rightful place.
This theme of return lies at the heart of the Torah’s laws of servitude. The Torah mandates that Jewish slaves be freed after six years, ensuring that they, too, can reclaim their homes and identities. Yet in Yirmiyahu’s time, the people, after initially releasing their slaves as commanded, cruelly re-enslaved them. The Navi rebukes them, emphasizing רורד—true freedom is not just about unbinding shackles but about restoring people to where they belong. By denying others their freedom, the people of that time committed a grave sin.
This principle of רורד extends beyond individual cases; it is woven into the very fabric of Jewish law. The message is powerfully expressed in the Yovel year, when the Torah in Sefer Vayikra 25:10 commands that
, And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land for all its inhabitants. This enduring message of restoration and release is so fundamental that it was inscribed on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, a symbol of universal freedom.
Today, we have witnessed a modern-day cry for רורד After close to 500 days in cap. tivity, hostages are finally returning home to Israel. Their journey, like that of the swallow, has been long and fraught with uncertainty, yet the pull of home never wavered. Their return reminds us that true freedom is not just release from captivity but the restoration of identity, dignity, and belonging. As we witness this moment, we pray for the release of all the hostages. It is also a moment to reflect on our own spiritual journeys and strive to free our selves from the distractions that distance us from our essence. Like the swallow, may we always find our way back home.
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RABBI AARON GOLDSCHEIDER
RABBI
AARON
Editor, Torah Tidbits
GOLDSCHEIDER EDITOR, TORAH TIDBITS RAV, THE JERUSALEM SHUL BAKA, JERUSALEM
Rav Kook: Prophecy Is Attainable
PROPHECY IN REACH
The Rambam in the Mishneh Torah outlines the laws related to how a Jew receives prophecy: “It is one of the foundations of our faith that God conveys prophecy to man. Prophecy is bestowed only upon a very wise sage of strong character, who is never overcome by his natural inclinations in any regard. Instead, with his mind, he overcomes his natural inclinations all the time…” (Yesodei HaTorah 7:1).
It may come as a surprise to learn that in the Rambam’s view attaining prophecy is not only a magnificent aspiration but a stature that is indeed within reach of every Jew. Perhaps we as a people have lost a sensitivity to this unique spiritual endowment due to our long and tumultuous exile that has obscured our aspirations for this lofty goal.
THE LOSS OF A PRECIOUS GIFT
When we think about the loss of the Beit
Hamikdash and our exile from the Land of Israel, we generally associate it with the Jew being bereft of the holy service in the Beit Hamikdash and our sovereignty in the Land. We pray for our return and to reestablish these losses. However, there was another significant loss that we incurred as a people. Namely, a basic shift that occurred in the inner spiritual consciousness of the Jewish people - the loss of nevu’ah (prophecy). Each year on Tisha B’Av, we mourn the loss of our most direct path of communication with Hashem - nevuah - and pray for its return. This loss of prophecy is highlighted in the book of Eicha (2:9) and in a number of the Kinot recited on Tisha B'Av. For example in Kinnah 12, the poet, Hakalir, describes the pain to God that prophecy is lost: “Gone is the prophet, yet You murmur, “Is there none here?” Rabbi Soloveitchik in his teachings on Tisha B’Av commented on this passage in the Kinot, that God is lonely
The Nazir of Jerusalem
with the termination of prophecy and only when God communicates again with man can He assuage this loneliness. (Kinot Mesoret HaRav, Koren, p. 309)
FRESH AND DRIED OFFERINGS
Rav Kook taught that the mitzvah of bringing the Bikkurim (first fruits) to the Beit Hamikdash contains a hint to a unique feature in our own service to Hashem. The Mishna (Bikurim 3:3) speaks about the fruits that were brought to the Temple by those who were close and those who lived far away: “Those close to Jerusalem would bring fresh figs and grapes, while those further away would bring dried figs and raisins.” Those who were close brought fresh fruits and those who lived further away needed to bring dried fruit in order that the fruits would withstand the long journey.
Rav Kook suggested that there is profound symbolism contained in this statement. The two groups represent two spiritual paths: the path of “Prophecy” and the path of “Torah.”
The Torah of the exile (those far from Jerusalem) is more legalistic, often dry. It contains sweetness but it does not have the fresh and moist taste of the fresh fruit. This is the halacha. In order to receive the Torah in the long bitter exile it was necessary that it be concentrated in this form. However, for “those close to Jerusalem,” the Jewish people living in the Land of Israel together with the Shechina dwelling in their midst, their spiritual world taps into the prophetic. There is an enlightenment which is not accessible in exile. There is a more profound recognition of God and His presence is more easily discerned. The religious experience in the Land is fresh,
it is moist, it is full of vigor and life. Rav Kook teaches that we are to celebrate both kinds of fruit being brought to the Beit Hamikdash. Together, with both ingredients: (1) adherence to the details of Torah and (2) the lofty spiritual elevation which is found exclusively in the area of prophecy, provide the ideal balance needed for the vitality and flourishing of the nation. (Ain Aya, Bikurim, vol. 2 of Berachot, p. 412)
VISUALIZING AND DREAMING IN THE LAND
Prophecy is a product of the imaginative faculty. Thus, Rav Kook argues, a Jew’s capacity to visualize and imagine suffers due to the impure surroundings outside the Land.
Early on in his classic work Orot (Orot Ma-Ofel #5) Rav Kook exquisitely expresses
this idea: “The imagination of the Land of Israel is pure and clear and suited for the appearance of decisive truth, for garbing the lofty, exalted will of the ideal direction that is at the height of holiness; ready for explication of prophecy and its lights for the shining of divine inspiration and its brightness.” (translation Naor, Orot, pp. 91-92)
One who resides outside the Land of Israel is simply not privy to the immensely potent spiritual forces that enhance the imaginative faculties and aids a person in attaining unique heights of intuition and clairvoyance. Rav Kook states this explicitly: “The imagination that is in the lands of the Nations is murky, mixed with darkness, with shadows of impurity and pollution. It cannot ascend to the heights of holiness and cannot be the basis for the influx of divine light that transcends the lowness of worlds and their straits…even the intellect outside the Land cannot shine with the same light as in the Land. “The air of the Land of Israel makes wise” (Bava Batra 158b).(Ibid.)
A STUDENT EMULATES HIS MASTER
Rav Kook found himself stranded for the duration of World War I in Europe, far from his beloved Eretz Yisrael. He believed that heaven must have a mission for him to accomplish outside the Land; there must be some souls just waiting for him to uplift them. One such extraordinary soul was the Nazir, Rabbi David Cohen (at
the time a student of philosophy at the University of Basel), who after their initial encounter in St. Gallen, Switzerland, on the Eve of Rosh Chodesh Elul , 5675 (1915) followed Rav Kook to the end of his days, geographically - to Jerusalem and Yeshivat Merkaz Harav, and spiritually - through the editing of Orot ha-Kodesh (Lights of Holiness), perhaps Rav Kook’s magnum opus. The day of their meeting became the most significant in the life of the Nazir.
Amazingly, twenty years later to the day, he presented to his dying master the finished galleys of their joint venture Orot Hakodesh:
“On Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5695 (1935), twenty years after receiving the face of the Rav, I visited him for the last time, with the frontispiece of Orot ha-Kodesh. He lay on his deathbed, rejoiced and cried, commanding [me] not to write about him any titles. Two days later, the third day of Elul, 5695, the light of lights was extinguished. The world became dark for us. But the light of his holy Torah will appear and light of the world.” (see Orot ha-Kodesh 1, Intro., up. 17, 24) (Translation Naor, Orot, p. 241, footnote #23).
The Nazir reported that Rav Kook would jot down his thoughts as they came to mind, rather than present them in systematic form, “writing disconnectedly, inspired by his daily visions.” (see introduction to Orot Ha-Kodesh Vol. 1, translated in “The Philosophy of Rabbi Kook”, Zvi Yaron, p.9)
Mazal Tov to the Luber family on the birth of a great-granddaughter
Apparently, the ‘daily visions” that the Nazir refers to are the exalted spiritual levels of ruach hakodesh or perhaps even sparks of prophecy that he was convinced his master, Rav Kook, had achieved in his
lifetime.
It is also interesting to note that when the Nazir was asked by Rav Kook to take the lead in establishing a new yeshiva in Jerusalem, he asked him to construct a new program of study. Indeed a unique curriculum was established with the novel feature of gearing its students towards reigniting the spirit of prophecy in the Land of Israel (Mishnat Hanazir, p. 48)
We see that Rav Kook’s aspiration for renewing prophecy was passed on to his prized student, the Nazir, Rabbi David Cohen. The Nazir placed great importance in his own practice in seeking to make Rav Kook’s aspirations for prophecy a reality. In his own writings (Mishnat Hanazir, p. 70), he shared that his becoming a Nazir was a step in his personal journey toward becoming a navi. He lived a life of holiness, abstaining from food and speech for days on end. His diary also reveals that at times he felt that he merited revelations of a sort (Mishnat Ha-Nazir 69:73;100). (See “The Loss and Revival of Prophecy in the Thought of Rav Kook, Yosef Bronstein, YU Torah TO-Go, Tisha BeAv 5775)
A DESIRE FOR CLOSENESS WITH THE DIVINE
Did Rav Kook attain a level of prophecy in his own life? This answer is known only to Rav Kook himself. However one thing is certain. His unique and impassioned aspirations in this area reflect his deep and perpetual desire to draw closer to Hashem. He sought to fulfill the imperative of loving God with all of one's heart, soul and might. As soon as he stepped into Yeshiva at a young age his longing for a profound relationship with the Almighty was apparent.
The following remarkable story captures Rav Kook’s unique longing for closeness with Hashem:
“Haskala and its literature were in the air at the Volozhin yeshiva, in the dormitories, and at times inside the folios of Talmud over which the students poured day and night. Indeed, a fellow student of Avraham Yitzchak Kook named Zelig Bengis noticed that his friend Avraham Yitzchak Kook would, during his Talmud study, repeatedly look down at some papers on a shelf of his study stand. Thinking that his friend was stealing glances at Maskilic literature or newspapers, Bengis reported his fears to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (known as the Netziv) who told him to leave Avraham Yitzchak alone, “He’s a tzaddik.” Unable to restrain himself, the student eventually caught a glimpse of his friend's mysterious papers: “And what did I find? Pieces of paper, handwritten with the Name of God.” (Rav Kook Mystic In A Time of Revolution, Yehuda Mirsky, pp. 16-17)
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ASK THE RABBI SERVICE
OU VEBBE REBBE
RAV DANIEL MANN
Rav Daniel Mann
Halachic Status of Hydroponic Maror
Question: I know that the beracha for hydroponically grown vegetables, such as the insect-free romaine lettuce used for Pesach, is Shehakol since it is grown in water, not soil. May one use it for the Seder as maror and, if so, does one say then Shehakol or Borei Pri Ha’adamah?
Answer: I understand that most “insectfree” vegetables are not hydroponically grown but use other methods to minimize the chance of insects. We will discuss the cases of hydroponically grown romaine lettuce, but our main focus will be on the correctness of your assumption that the beracha is Shehakol.
The Yerushalmi (Kilayim 7:6) questions whether one recites Hamotzi on bread made from grain that grew in a flowerpot without holes (atzit she’eino nakuv = ashn). Based on this, the Chayei Adam (I, 51:17) instructs to make Mezonot on such bread, and Shehakol on similarly grown vegetables. The issue is the language of “…min ha’aretz” (from the land) and “pri ha’adama” (fruit of the soil), which may not be sufficiently accurate in these cases. Regarding fruit of a tree that grew in an
ashn , he is less sure because perhaps that is still called pri ha’etz. Presumably hydroponic produce is less connected to land/soil than that which grows in an ashn. (Note that there are always nutrients in the water, and in some systems (aggregate), there are elements present that could arguably make it considered watery soil.)
We can question the Chayei Adam’s position based on logic and sources. It is logical to argue that foods are categorized for berachot based on the species’ characteristics, irrespective of the specific item one is eating. Regarding sources, the conclusion of the Yerushalmi (ibid.) is disputable, and a different Yerushalmi (Berachot 6:1) indicates Hamotzi for such bread. It says that whatever food gets Birkat Hamazon after it, gets Hamotzi before it, and the gemara (Berachot 47b) assumes we make Birkat Hamazon after bread that originates from an ashn. This encourages some (see S’dei Chemed VI, p. 279) to make Hamotzi on bread from an ashn, as the Rambam (Berachot 3:11) may imply.
How do we pasken? The Chayei Adam is more equivocal elsewhere (Nishmat Adam II, 152:(1)). Some contemporary poskim instruct to make Ha’adama on hydroponic vegetables (Shevet Halevi I:205), even if
Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, is headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by Rav Shaul Yisraeli, zt”l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in the Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Eretz Hemdah, and OU Israel’s Torah Tidbits. hydroponics is common, as long as society views it as grown on the ground (Teshuvot V’hanhagot II:149). Others rule to make Mezonot for bread and Shehakol for vegetables (Machazeh Eliyahu I:25,28; Yechaveh Da’at VI:12 views hydroponics as “worse” than ashn). They reason that not only do these berachot not mention land but they are also b’di’eved catch-all berachot making them preferable due to safek berachot l’hakel (in doubt, we avoid berachot that could be l’vatala ). Still, Yechaveh Da’at (ibid.) says that if one does not know how a given vegetable was grown, you assume it is from the majority of vegetables, which are grown in the ground. Also, he says that if one made Ha’adama on a hydroponic vegetable, he would not say Shehakol afterward (as safek berachot l’hakel encourages us here to rely on the beracha that was already made). While we do not take a strong stand, we note that “pri ha’adama” seems a fair description of hydroponic vegetables, even if “min ha’aretz” (from the land) is not for such bread (Teshuvot V’hanhagot ibid.)
There is little question regarding Pesach. The lettuce’s maror status is determined by its qualities; its origin is, at best, relevant for the language of the beracha (Cheshev Ha’efod III:9). Indeed, the gemara (Pesachim 35b) alludes to kosher matza coming from grain grown in an ashn. It is conceivable to eat it and recite “al achilat matza,” followed by “Mezonot” (Tzitz
Eliezer IX:12). That paradox does not usually arise for maror, which does not get a birkat hanehenin, since it is eaten as part of the “meal” (a slight oversimplification –see Living the Halachic Process V, D-14). If one has hydroponic maror and no matza, he should follow his normal p’sak for the birkat hanehenin, followed by the beracha on maror.
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Machon Puah for Fertility and Gynecology in Accordance with Halacha
The Importance of Nurture
Last time we discussed the recent court case regarding Sofia, the little girl who was born after a tragic mistake in which the wrong embryo was used in an in-vitro fertilization, and was born to a couple who were not her genetic parents. Recently the courts ordered that the couple hand over the baby to her genetic parents.
This case raises numerous questions, one being the definition of motherhood. The judge, Oved Elias, does not discuss this at all, but makes a claim that it is clear that the genetic parents are the only true parents. This is a sweeping suggestion and needs much more clarity and examination.
In discussing this case, some have used the terms “the biological parents” as opposed to “the people who are raising her”. This suggests that science has the answer to whom is the mother and those intelligent people who follow science
ARIE JAFFE
“know” that the mother is the woman who supplied the genetic material. This is a misnomer, since it suggests that biology is only genetics, and only the genetic parents can be considered the scientific parents.
But even science must admit that genetics alone cannot make a baby. A fertilized egg does contain the complete set of genes required to create a human being. But the embryo alone is not yet life, far from it. The uterus and gestation within it are no less essential in the process of creating life. Without genes none of us would be here, but without our time developing in the uterus we would have remained as fertilized eggs and would also not be here. Which of these is more significant as the definition of motherhood? While the court claimed that only genetics needs to be taken into account, and this may be the viewed shared by many people, it is a very limited view of what life is and the importance of carrying a baby and delivering a child.
The court ignoring this entire element of motherhood is more than an unfortunate omission but appears to be a deliberate move that negates the importance of the uterus and presents man as merely an aggregation of cells. Of course, we know that this is not the case and the woman
who carried the pregnancy, nurtured and sustained and eventually delivered the baby is more than just an incubator for the genetic material, but is an essential element of life.
More on this next time.
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A group of women have been maintaining a list of injured soldiers to daven for. There are hundreds of soldiers on the list, so we have been sending people lists of names to daven for so that all the soldiers' names are mentioned in people's tfilot (the default is 10 names, but you can ask for however many you want).
If you are interested in signing up for names, send an email to: tehillim4soldiers@gmail.com together with your name and the number of soldiers' names you want to daven for. You will get automatic updates when there are changes to your list.
Tizku l'mitzvot and besorot tovot!
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How and When to Speak Up
CHAYA ASKS:
My friend is dating someone I don’t think is right for them—should I say something?
ALEEZA ANSWERS:
Should You Speak Up? Great question. Many people ask this question and debate long and hard over the answer. Your friend is dating someone, and something just feels off to you. Maybe you see red flags, or maybe you just don’t think they’re the right match. The question of—should you say something, is a difficult one to answer. The short answer: Maybe. The real question is how and when should someone speak up? And if you do, how can you do it in a way that’s actually helpful.
STEP 1: CHECK YOUR MOTIVES
Before saying anything, ask yourself:
• Am I genuinely concerned for my friend’s well-being, or is this just my personal preference for them?
• Is there a real issue, or do I just not like their personality, style, or quirks?
If your concerns are based on serious issues (like emotional instability, disrespect, or unhealthy dynamics), then it may be worth bringing up. Then you need to ask yourself if you have first hand information. If yes. Then be careful as you deliver the news not to exaggerate details. Just share the minimum necessary to get your point across without spreading lashon hora. However, if it’s just
about a vibe or personal preference, do not interfere. Not every match makes sense to outsiders, and sometimes the best relationships don’t look “perfect” from the outside. What matters most is how your friend feels in the relationship.
STEP 2: TIMING & APPROACH
MATTER
If your friend just started dating, they’re still forming their own opinion. Jumping in too soon could push them toward the person instead of away. But if things are progressing towards something more serious, and you see clear red flags, that might be the right time to share what you know or to start by helping them to reflect on this relationship as they may already be seeing what you know. Instead of saying: “I don’t think they’re right for you.”
Try: “Can I ask how you’re feeling in this relationship? Do you feel like your best self with them?”
Questions invite conversation. Judgments build walls. And if they’re struggling with doubts themselves, your gentle approach could give them the space to process without feeling pressured.
And you may not even need to share information if they’ve already been thinking about this. They maybe need a listening ear to process their own thoughts about this relationship. Which leads us to…
STEP 3: SUPPORT, DON’T CONTROL
At the end of the day, it’s their decision. Your role is to be a safe space, not to make choices for them. If they’re happy and there’s no clear harm, respect their process—even if you don’t agree.
But if they do start seeing the same issues, be there to support them. Sometimes, people need to realize things on their own. The more they feel like they’re making the decision rather than being pushed, the more empowered they’ll be to walk away if needed.
FINAL THOUGHT
The goal isn’t to be “right.” It’s to be a good friend, someone who says something when necessary and listens when your opinion isn’t necessary to share. Trust that your friend is on their own journey—one that might need your support or one that will have lessons they need to learn on their own.
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THE DAILY PORTION
THE DAILY PORTION
BY SIVAN RAHAV-MEIR
BY SIVAN RAHAV-MEIR
International Bible Quiz Champions Speak
International Bible Quiz Champions Speak
The Mothers’ Heartfelt Request
Last week, I had the privilege of participating in a global women’s Zoom event. Initiated by social activist Sharon Adam and Rabbanit Rachel Bazak, this joint broadcast connected thousands of women from Israel and around the world.
Much excitement has surrounded Emunah Cohen and Neta Lax, the two fresh winners of the annual International Bible Quiz. Yesterday I interviewed them and heard their story.
Much excitement has surrounded Emunah Cohen and Neta Lax, the two fresh winners of the annual International Bible Quiz. Yesterday I interviewed them and heard their story.
It turns out that they studied long hours together and were confident they would be the leading competitors. "We planned on winning together "We thought both of us would answer every question correctly so that we would both be champions, tied for first place.
the first time?' Yet I simply forgot it. I thought afterwards that HaShem caused me to forget the answer in order to remind me that I do not know everything, that I am human and not perfect."
the first time?' Yet I simply forgot it. I thought afterwards that HaShem caused me to forget the answer in order to remind me that I do not know everything, that I am human and not perfect."
"The more you learn," Neta said, "the easier it gets. When you learn a lot of Tanach (Bible) you simply see how everything connects to your life. I truly felt that what I learned accompanied me wherever I went. It made my heart feel good."
"The more you learn," Neta said, "the easier it gets. When you learn a lot of Tanach (Bible) you simply see how everything connects to your life. I truly felt that what I learned accompanied me wherever I went. It made my heart feel good."
In closing, Neta declared: "The two of us will continue to study the Tanach. There were parts of the Tanach that were not in the material covered by the quiz, and it's important for us to learn them too."
The broadcast hosted Lena Troufanov, mother of Sasha, who thankfully was released last Shabbat. “Dear women, what am I asking?” Lena said. “Please try to be less angry, less irritable, express gratitude, and speak kindly. It’s the little things that matter.”
It turns out that they studied long hours together and were confident they would be the leading competitors. "We planned
But in the end Emunah won. "They made a big deal about our big hug after I lost," Neta said. "But it was the easiest thing to share in her happiness. Besides, we were just relieved that the competition was finally over."
In the course of the entire contest, Emunah made only one error. "I knew the answer to the question: 'When did King David cry for
And Emunah had this recommendation: Study the Bible for 5 minutes every day. Not for school, not for the Bible quiz, but just for how much fun it will be."
In closing, Neta declared: "The two of us will continue to study the Tanach. There were parts of the Tanach that were not in the material covered by the quiz, and it's important for us to learn them too."
And Emunah had this recommendation: Study the Bible for 5 minutes every day. Not for school, not for the Bible quiz, but just for how much fun it will be."
Sivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and lecturer. Married to Yedidya, the mother of five. Lives in Jerusalem, and formerly served as the World Mizrachi Shlicha to North America. Sivan lectures in Israel and overseas about the media, Judaism, Zionism and new media. She was voted by Globes newspaper as most popular female media personality in Israel and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.
But what does refraining from yelling at one’s children have to do with Sasha? Lena, who emigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union, had very little familiarity with Judaism. However, since the tragic events of October 7, when she herself was also taken hostage, she discovered a deep connection to her heritage, including the concept of mutual responsibility among the Jewish people. “During the time I was held captive and afterward, Judaism provided me with meaning and joy,” she shared. “I realized that all Jews are interconnected, and every commandment we observe impacts others. Your actions give strength to me and to Sasha.”
Sivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and lecturer. Married to Yedidya, the mother of five. Lives in Jerusalem, and formerly served as the World Mizrachi Shlicha to North America. Sivan lectures in Israel and overseas about the media, Judaism, Zionism and new media. She was voted by Globes newspaper as most popular female media personality in Israel and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.
Lena also discussed her decision to avoid exposure to the news until Sasha’s return, as she found it disheartening and confusing
rather than helpful.
The event resonated with similar powerful sentiments from additional mothers of hostages. Shelly Shem Tov, whose son Omer remains captive in Gaza, described her anguish as labor pains, painful yet hopeful that something positive will emerge. “You are the midwives assisting me,” she said. “Focus on strengthening one small aspect of your lives.”
Siggy Cohen, mother of Eli, asked attendees to keep her son in their thoughts during Shabbat candlelighting, Kiddush, and the Torah reading in shul. Julie Kuperstein, Ditsa Or, Efrat Mor, and Galit Kalfon each echoed these powerful messages.
Concluding the event, Meirav Berger, mother of recently released hostage Agam, expressed gratitude to the millions of Jews worldwide who supported their ordeal. “Agam was kidnapped because she is Jewish, prompting a reflection on our Jewish identity. It is only together, with strength and with prayer, that we turn the impossible into the possible. Dream, pray, and request the utmost.”
Translated by Yehoshua Siskin, Janine Muller Sherr.
Sivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and lecturer. Married to Yedidya, the mother of five. Lives in Jerusalem, and formerly served as the World Mizrachi Shlicha to North America. Sivan lectures in Israel and overseas about the media, Judaism, Zionism and new media. She was voted by Globes newspaper as most popular female media personality in Israel and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.
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At the very end of Parshat Mishpatim, when Moshe reads the Sefer Habrit to Am Yisrael, they declare the famous phrase: ”!עמשנו השענ” - “We will do, and we will obey!”. The Gemara Shabbos (86:a) reveals to us Hashem’s reaction to Am Yisrael’s intense acceptance. The Gemara states that a bas kol boomed stating: “Who revealed my secret to mankind, the likes of which only the ministering angels use?!”.
We had an innate spiritual intuition. Without being taught what to say, we knew to say it. Our neshama craved it.
In a similar vein, we have the concept of “Minhag Yisrael Torah”, that within us exists internal spiritual insight. Furthermore, the Gemara in Megillah (3:a) describes how our mazal can source our distress even when we can’t perceive it.
Ben Azay says in Pirkei Avos (4:3) “Every
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person has his time and every object has its place”. Every Jew matters, and the Torah of each Jew matters. Each and every one of us has his own special divine piece to contribute to the holy puzzle of Am Yisrael and to the Torah bestowed on us. We each have our own unique spiritual intuition that guides us individually and Am Yisrael as a whole.
At JLIC, we believe that community is derived from the individual. The community as a whole, is a conglomerate of unique qualities offered by each member. To quote my grandfather, Rabbi Joel Lehrfield: “to build a community, you must get to know all the individual members”.
Parshas Mishpatim marks a shift in the narrative of Sefer Shemos. Immediately after Hashem reveals Himself and gives us the Torah, we transition from the lofty ideals of Har Sinai to discussions of damages, fines, and shomrim. What is this parsha doing here, and why the sudden shift?
Rabbi Berel Wein explains that while
number is 157,600. The total count of the army age men is 603,550 without the tribe of Levi.
the Torah is a perfect book, it addresses an imperfect world. It does not gloss over human shortcomings but instead provides us with a guide on how to navigate them in a holy way. Every person will encounter situations where they must make amends with others. Therefore, right after Parshas Yisro—containing the most elevated experience in history— we are given a parsha that deals with human failings. These halachos help us correct our mistakes and build a just society as Hashem intended.
The people travel and camp with the Mishkan in their midst. Physically and metaphorically. We travel our history with G-d in our midst. While the distinct feeling you get in the detailed description of where each tribe encamped is the feeling of an army encampment, there is another layer of meaning. Yes, regimented. Specific. Detailed. Organized. But an army for which purpose? To fight the anticipated foes in the Land of Israel? Or to be the army of Hashem? A fighting army with its G-d in its midst? Or both?
We mirror Moshe bringing the Torah down from Shamayim when we bring ethical Torah principles into our everyday lives. These Mishpatim serve as the framework through which we elevate an imperfect world.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the State of Israel, where we have the opportunity to demonstrate to the world what an army, a legal system, and a society look like when built on Torah values. Living here every day, we are privileged to take part in a profound Kiddush Hashem—one that will ultimately lead to the Geulah, speedily in our days.
4th aliya (3:1-13) Aharon’s sons’ names were Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Itamar. Nadav and Avihu died without children. Elazar and Itamar serve as Kohanim with Aharon. Take the Leviim: they are to serve Aharon. The Leviim are responsible for the Mishkan: to support the Kohanim and the people, to facilitate the running of the Mishkan. The Leviim shall take the place of the first-born, who became obligated to me when saved in Egypt.
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There are 2 groups mentioned here: Kohanim and Leviim. The lineage of the Kohanim is given. It just doesn’t take much room. Because Aharon is a Kohen and his sons. But he only has 2. So the entire lineage of the Kohanim is 3 people. The Leviim, on the other hand, are an entire tribe, Every person who was not born in Israel and lives in the Holy Land should celebrate his/her ALIYANNIVERSARY annually! REMEMBER! WITH ALIYAH BLESSINGS! The NEAMANS
descendants of Levi, son of Yaakov. Their lineage, at quite some length, is given in the next aliya.
5th aliya (3:14-39) Count the tribe of Levi by households, from 1 month and older: the households of Gershon, Kehat and Merari, the sons of Levi. The sons of Gershon, Kehat and Merari are listed. Gershon’s family, from a month and above, is 7,500. They camp to the west of the Mishkan. Their task was to transport and be responsible for the curtains and coverings. Kehat numbered 8,600, camping to the south. They were responsible for the vessels: Aron, Menorah, Table, altars. Merari numbered 6,200, camping to the north. Responsible for the structure of the Mishkan; the walls, supports and beams. The total of the tribe of Levi is 22,000. On the front side, the east of the Mishkan, Moshe and Aharon and families camped.
The encampment around the Mishkan had 2 layers. The Leviim were in close, on 3 of the 4 sides of the Mishkan. The 4th side, the leading side, had Moshe and Aharon. The entire 12 tribes were farther removed on all 4 sides.
The 3 sons of Levi were family groups; Gershon, Kehat and Merari. They had full responsibility for the Mishkan. Their tasks fell in categories. Gershon; textiles. Kehat; furniture. Merari; building. Gershon took care of the curtains and coverings. Kehat, the important main vessels of the Mishkan. And Merari the structure of the building. 6th aliya (3:40-51) Count all the firstborn of the age of a month and above. The Leviim are to replace the firstborn. There were 273 more
YACHAD
This dvar Torah is a summary from a chavrutah between Gavriel Kramer, Yachad volunteer, and Yisroel Lipkin
Beit Shemesh chapter participant.
Every day in Pesukei D’Zimra, we recite םיליהת Perek 147 which says, וירבד דיגמ לארשיל ויטפשמו
"He tells His words to Jacob, His statutes and His laws to Israel."
We learn from the use of both "His words" and "His laws" that the mitzvot Hashem requests of us are also His: Hashem Himself fulfills His commandments that are given to us.
This week's parasha, Mishpatim, has many commandments, among them to lend to a person in need - without viewing them as a creditor or charging interest (Shmot 22:24).
"lends" each of us the special strength and ability to fulfill His will by giving us our neshamah in this world.
In this manner, the neshamah is granted its strength free of charge. The קוספ says, ”ימע־תא הולת” - If you will lend money to my people, Hashem loves us and calls us "My people"; he grants us the loan because we are part of His nation. Our role is to focus on using the loan for good, maximizing its potential by fulfilling the commandments.
When we lend money, we often do so for a specific purpose, but we do not ultimately control how the borrower uses the money. But we, as borrowers, need to be responsible to repay our debts. Hashem, our generous lender, gives His Nation (ימע) a "loan” through our ability to fulfill the Torah, with the expectation we will do mitzvot and make appropriate choices.
How does Hashem fulfill THIS mitzvah?
Rebbezin Malka Touger explains that giving someone a loan can feel like giving away something for nothing. After all, it will not be repaid immediately and may even be longer term. Lending involves parting with something, with the expectation it will eventually be returned. We trust the debtor to ultimately repay, even a poor person.
Now let us try to understand how Hashem fulfills this commandment. Like a person lending another money, Hashem
May our people continue to strengthen and unite and bring Mashiach through our fulfillment of His will.
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