1st early shabbos - change clock. Got text miracle if make it to ess.. Truthfully every yid is miraculous that we were able to make shabbos.
I always thought friday's height of tirdos olam hazeh & arrival of shabbos are coincidental....
Vayeilech charanah. Yehuda's Rebbi asked let it say l'charan? Answered (chassidish) he had k'fitzas derech so vayilech charan to yakov!
Sound s cute. But y reuvaini brings from asara mamaros (rma mipanu) yakov instituted maariv. Tefiah is mechper like korbon & korbon atones - v'chiper b'ad beiso ub'ad kol yisrael. Can't institute tefilah without bayis. - HE WENT TO CHARAN SAW RACHEL & CAME BACK & INSTITUTED MA'ARIV.
even though tefilah requires DISENGAGEMENT from tirdos. so much so that the Rambam says 3days back from business trip patur from tefilah, however ones family is not tirdah to diengage from ad'raba - a shliach tzibur is supposed to be married & with a family to support. This is a t'nai for tefilah!
so when it comes to shabbos we have to learn how to disengage from olam hazeh complete detachment. vayisa yakov raglav - slonim. But taking care of family is not a tirda. Its a tnai for the sha'ar hashamayim
Vayisa yakov raglav
Monday, November 18, 2013
Vayishlach
What caused vateitzei dina? tanchuma can lady go out w ir zahav? Mahril shaichis? answers yakov gave dinah ir zahav of sh'chem & she went to see b'vnos ha'aretz the buildings of the land if it matched!
Ir zahav is tachshit of prime srarah - chashivus.
Gra gaavah 1/8 pasuk 1/8 parsha katonti
we see theme - avoiding gavah.
Y. Shmoni right bef. Dinah - yakov made mizbeach & called 'Eil' - Hashem said srarah? - watch what will happen to your own daughter!
Ir zahav is tachshit of prime srarah - chashivus.
Gra gaavah 1/8 pasuk 1/8 parsha katonti
we see theme - avoiding gavah.
Y. Shmoni right bef. Dinah - yakov made mizbeach & called 'Eil' - Hashem said srarah? - watch what will happen to your own daughter!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Avos 4.3
Rashi, Rambam & R' Yonah learn davar to mean words & all explain (with slightly different nuances) to be careful with other people & with your own or others words not to think they cant harm or help you, as they all have a time or place for being quite useful or harmful to you or others. This seems to be practical advice.
Why are the words 'Buz' & "Sha'ah" used for a person and 'maflig' and 'makom' used for 'devarim'?
The gemara shabbos (which we learned today in ein Yakov) says that either ben zoma or ben Azai says that 'ki zeh kol ha'adam' means the whole world serves as company for the person that is elokim yirah v'es mitzvosav yishmor.
In my unlearned understanding I would say this is the ben Azai of our mishnah. Somehow the entire world of people is needed for this purpose & one person missing would somehow effect the entire setup needed for this.
It is impossisble for the human mind to understand how all of creation is fulfilling one purpose for one individual while at the same time that individual plus the rest of creation somehow is serving ANOTHER individual. And ANOTHER. And ANOTHER. To the extent that each individual may say b'shvili nivra haolam!
The chassid ya'avetz takes this a step further by stating that with the knowledge we have of the Torah being the blueprint of the world, anything found in existance is here by the dictates of its blueprint. Something missing from the world can be likened to a letter missing from a sefer Torah!
The Maharal explains in tandem with what we would have said is the simple understanding of the mishnah. Don't denegrade any person & assume any object to be superfluous as every human is uniquely valuable & irreplacable and every object has a pupose and place in this world. This follows the theme of the last mishanah - also from ben Azai - that one should realoze the great importance of even a 'light' mitzvah.
Expounding on this the Maharal says we learned in gemara that Hashem told Iyov that every hair is nourished from a different source on the scalp & if 2 would draw from the same source there would be devastating effects. If 2 hairs are unique enough to grow from a different source, how much more so would that apply to every completely unique human being! Being so, every person I quite honorable as being thel ONLY person created at the moment (see maharal on this) of his birth. The ONLY person with this exact mazal. The ONLY one with his specific potential & mission. NO ONE can replace him & there can be no substitute for his uniqueness!
The timing of his creation which makes him so distinct demands respect & honor for his unique contribution to the perfection of the world. Therefore the word sha'ah & buz - the lack of require kavod - applies.
An object that exists does not have the same unique value & purpose of a human, but it it exists, it has its place in the world to be here & we should not veiw any item as being superfluous.
The mesilas yesharim (perek 19) warns "dont say 'who am I to pray for the shechinah's galus & the redemtion of klall yisrael? Will it be because of my tefillah - from all the millions - that will bring about the geulah?' For this Chazal teach us the reason why Adam was created alone.
To teach us that this unique value of being 'THE ONLY ONE' still applies to each unique person.
YES! Your tefilah may surprisingly be 'THE ONE' we've all been waiting for. Your one passuk of chumash, one complimentary remark, one act of honesty, smile, kvishas hayetzer, kavod beis haknesses, -YOUR ONE ANYTHING can mean THE WORLD.
Ben Azai
Why are the words 'Buz' & "Sha'ah" used for a person and 'maflig' and 'makom' used for 'devarim'?
The gemara shabbos (which we learned today in ein Yakov) says that either ben zoma or ben Azai says that 'ki zeh kol ha'adam' means the whole world serves as company for the person that is elokim yirah v'es mitzvosav yishmor.
In my unlearned understanding I would say this is the ben Azai of our mishnah. Somehow the entire world of people is needed for this purpose & one person missing would somehow effect the entire setup needed for this.
It is impossisble for the human mind to understand how all of creation is fulfilling one purpose for one individual while at the same time that individual plus the rest of creation somehow is serving ANOTHER individual. And ANOTHER. And ANOTHER. To the extent that each individual may say b'shvili nivra haolam!
The chassid ya'avetz takes this a step further by stating that with the knowledge we have of the Torah being the blueprint of the world, anything found in existance is here by the dictates of its blueprint. Something missing from the world can be likened to a letter missing from a sefer Torah!
The Maharal explains in tandem with what we would have said is the simple understanding of the mishnah. Don't denegrade any person & assume any object to be superfluous as every human is uniquely valuable & irreplacable and every object has a pupose and place in this world. This follows the theme of the last mishanah - also from ben Azai - that one should realoze the great importance of even a 'light' mitzvah.
Expounding on this the Maharal says we learned in gemara that Hashem told Iyov that every hair is nourished from a different source on the scalp & if 2 would draw from the same source there would be devastating effects. If 2 hairs are unique enough to grow from a different source, how much more so would that apply to every completely unique human being! Being so, every person I quite honorable as being thel ONLY person created at the moment (see maharal on this) of his birth. The ONLY person with this exact mazal. The ONLY one with his specific potential & mission. NO ONE can replace him & there can be no substitute for his uniqueness!
The timing of his creation which makes him so distinct demands respect & honor for his unique contribution to the perfection of the world. Therefore the word sha'ah & buz - the lack of require kavod - applies.
An object that exists does not have the same unique value & purpose of a human, but it it exists, it has its place in the world to be here & we should not veiw any item as being superfluous.
The mesilas yesharim (perek 19) warns "dont say 'who am I to pray for the shechinah's galus & the redemtion of klall yisrael? Will it be because of my tefillah - from all the millions - that will bring about the geulah?' For this Chazal teach us the reason why Adam was created alone.
To teach us that this unique value of being 'THE ONLY ONE' still applies to each unique person.
YES! Your tefilah may surprisingly be 'THE ONE' we've all been waiting for. Your one passuk of chumash, one complimentary remark, one act of honesty, smile, kvishas hayetzer, kavod beis haknesses, -YOUR ONE ANYTHING can mean THE WORLD.
Ben Azai
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Vaeschanan Nachamu
The entire parshah are the WORDS of Moshe Rabinu in muusar or chizuk. There is only one ACT that take place in the parsha - Moshe designates 3 of the later-to-be six arei miklat.
A big part of the nechama is the fact that Hashem is here with us in galus & did nit forsake us to be on our own.
Where is Hashem? - Well, from the first line in Shulchan Aruch we see that Hashem can & should be right in front of you at all times! Shivisi Hashem l'negdi tamid - it is up to the person to bring Hashem to be in right in front of him always!
The biur halacha explains how one can have Hashem before him ALWAYS. Through the Six Constant Mitzvos. This is how we create a place for Hashem to be here right with us 'ein l'Hakadosh Baruch Hu ela daled amos shel halachah'. Not every place is available for Torah but the 6 constants create the opportunity for a constant presence of shechinah anywhere anytime.
It is interesting to note that at least 5 if not all of the six are in this parshah. [Shema contains 4. 'Es Hashem elokecha tira' is the 5th & even lo sasuru the sefe HaChinuch explains to mean not to follow desire without any constructive purpose & he says the same is included in the positive form in the mitzvah of ahavas Hashem.]
The chinuch draws a similarity to these six by using the Six arei miklat as the mnemonic device for the Six mitvos temidios. This represents the safe assylum of holiness that these six mitzvos create in our galus similar to the cities' protective assylum for a rotzeach in galus.
I'd like to extend the similarity to another point.
On the pasuk of v'ahavta es Hashem, Rashi says DO what He says out of love. Why does Rashi here speak about doing mitzvos out of love & fear, if we know the mitzvah is to love Hashem in our hearts, independant of other mitzvos?
I would like to say that just as the 3 arei miklat of eiver l'Yarden would not be effective until all of the six are designated, so too, the first 3 of the six constant mitzvos which are quite theological are actually dependant upon the other threes practical fulfillment. One cannot say he trully fulfilled the belief of Hashem Echad, if it remains just in the heart without practical fruition in action & deed. Here Rashi explains the mitzvah of ahavah & yirah on a practical level.
Nachamu Nachamu...... Let us create a 'room' for Hashem here with us in galus & with that may we merit to return 'home' with the rebuilding of Avinu Malkeinu's palace b'mhairah b'yameinu.
A big part of the nechama is the fact that Hashem is here with us in galus & did nit forsake us to be on our own.
Where is Hashem? - Well, from the first line in Shulchan Aruch we see that Hashem can & should be right in front of you at all times! Shivisi Hashem l'negdi tamid - it is up to the person to bring Hashem to be in right in front of him always!
The biur halacha explains how one can have Hashem before him ALWAYS. Through the Six Constant Mitzvos. This is how we create a place for Hashem to be here right with us 'ein l'Hakadosh Baruch Hu ela daled amos shel halachah'. Not every place is available for Torah but the 6 constants create the opportunity for a constant presence of shechinah anywhere anytime.
It is interesting to note that at least 5 if not all of the six are in this parshah. [Shema contains 4. 'Es Hashem elokecha tira' is the 5th & even lo sasuru the sefe HaChinuch explains to mean not to follow desire without any constructive purpose & he says the same is included in the positive form in the mitzvah of ahavas Hashem.]
The chinuch draws a similarity to these six by using the Six arei miklat as the mnemonic device for the Six mitvos temidios. This represents the safe assylum of holiness that these six mitzvos create in our galus similar to the cities' protective assylum for a rotzeach in galus.
I'd like to extend the similarity to another point.
On the pasuk of v'ahavta es Hashem, Rashi says DO what He says out of love. Why does Rashi here speak about doing mitzvos out of love & fear, if we know the mitzvah is to love Hashem in our hearts, independant of other mitzvos?
I would like to say that just as the 3 arei miklat of eiver l'Yarden would not be effective until all of the six are designated, so too, the first 3 of the six constant mitzvos which are quite theological are actually dependant upon the other threes practical fulfillment. One cannot say he trully fulfilled the belief of Hashem Echad, if it remains just in the heart without practical fruition in action & deed. Here Rashi explains the mitzvah of ahavah & yirah on a practical level.
Nachamu Nachamu...... Let us create a 'room' for Hashem here with us in galus & with that may we merit to return 'home' with the rebuilding of Avinu Malkeinu's palace b'mhairah b'yameinu.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Avos 1.3
Antignos Ish Socho was used to saying Don't be like a slave who serves al m'nas l'kabel pras.....
What is the connection to the mishnah earlier, that the world stands on Torah Avodah & Gemilus Chassasim?
'AL' is a very prohibitive language which seems out of place in Avos?
If it is prohibited, then we must make sure we're not transgressing it... Aren't we all serving for reward or at least using the reward punishment system as a powerful incentive? - Isn't that what the Torah writes about all over? - How can Antignos prohibit it?
It doesn't say "Al ta'avod" describing the act, rather a long lashon of 'al tihiyu k'avodim' describing the person?
It says al mnas as opposed to 'k'deiy l'kabel...' ?
Why 'Avodim hamishamshim' as opposed to 'ha'ovdim'?
What is the meaning of 'pras'?
[It seems like Rashi & Rambam argue, as Rashi uses the wors 'schar' & the Rambam outrightly says it does not mean schar.
However its possible that Rashi means like the Rambam, as follows. Don't serve Hashem for expected payment of taking care of your needs, because in reality that's expecting pras an undeserved gift - because payment doesn't take place in olam hazeh. So the Mishnah uses the term pras according to reality - don't serve expecting a prize.]
Rashi & Rambam both say the point is to serve out of love. Isn't that too lofty of a madreigah to say don't be .... ONLY serve out of love? Also, why is Yir'as shamayim mentioned almost as a side note?
The Mishnah is not saying what to DO, rather who to BE. Don't BE like a slave who serves 'al mnas' conditionally. So perhaps this doesn't really apply to us as none of use would say I'm a frum Jew on condition that things work out well for me. We're way ahead of that! Is Antignos coming to teach basics or 'mili d'chassidus'?
We are not talking about the eved's avodah. Rather the eved's 'simush'. shimush is very diferent from avodah. Avodah refers to hard work that is profit oriented & impersonal. Shimush is a personal service & is usually more delicate. This is perhaps chassidus, that MUST be out of love. So even if general avodah mei'ahavah is not everyone's level, regarding 'shimush' it is integral. It is also more readily assumed that if I am doing extra than I should get 'brownie points' - not pay, but a pras. Also it is more probable for the 'al m'nas' to apply, as one may do extra conditionally to be treated extra special in response.
In this regard perhaps the mishnayos flow from what the spiritual energy the world at large exists upon. Then the spiritual existance of man. Then how to express & spread that to the world - through a proper home (see maharal on next mishnah).
However the Chassid Ya'avetz says the next 2 mishnayos explain 'al haTorah & al Gemilus Chassadim'. This mishnah describes the pillar of avodah - tefilah.
As above, this is not telling us how to actually daven but our character & approach - who we are when we daven.
'Tefilah tzorech gavoah' in a certain regard tefilah is more of 'service' to the 'eibeshter' than all mitzvos, as they are all self serving to develop ourselves. Tefilah is avodas halev so requiring an emotion whether of love or yir'ah is not a 'madreigah' rather it is intrinsic to what tefilah is.
This is certainly a form of avodah which is quite common to be 'conditional'. Although we understand that not all we ask for is best for us, there is a common expectation for things to be better if we 'daven good'. This is true to the point that a tremendousiy laxed mannerism is prevelant with tefilah because it is 'al m'nas' & 'results' are not noticed enough to fulfil the 'condition'.
For this Antignos warns prohibitively DONT BE LIKE A SERVANT WHO SERVES HIS MASTER CONDITIONAL ON RECEIVING.... That would truthfully redefine tefilah to be self-serving! This is not just midas chassidus, but the definition of what tefilah is. - An Eved serving his Master selflessly.
What a new perspective on prayer!
What is the connection to the mishnah earlier, that the world stands on Torah Avodah & Gemilus Chassasim?
'AL' is a very prohibitive language which seems out of place in Avos?
If it is prohibited, then we must make sure we're not transgressing it... Aren't we all serving for reward or at least using the reward punishment system as a powerful incentive? - Isn't that what the Torah writes about all over? - How can Antignos prohibit it?
It doesn't say "Al ta'avod" describing the act, rather a long lashon of 'al tihiyu k'avodim' describing the person?
It says al mnas as opposed to 'k'deiy l'kabel...' ?
Why 'Avodim hamishamshim' as opposed to 'ha'ovdim'?
What is the meaning of 'pras'?
[It seems like Rashi & Rambam argue, as Rashi uses the wors 'schar' & the Rambam outrightly says it does not mean schar.
However its possible that Rashi means like the Rambam, as follows. Don't serve Hashem for expected payment of taking care of your needs, because in reality that's expecting pras an undeserved gift - because payment doesn't take place in olam hazeh. So the Mishnah uses the term pras according to reality - don't serve expecting a prize.]
Rashi & Rambam both say the point is to serve out of love. Isn't that too lofty of a madreigah to say don't be .... ONLY serve out of love? Also, why is Yir'as shamayim mentioned almost as a side note?
The Mishnah is not saying what to DO, rather who to BE. Don't BE like a slave who serves 'al mnas' conditionally. So perhaps this doesn't really apply to us as none of use would say I'm a frum Jew on condition that things work out well for me. We're way ahead of that! Is Antignos coming to teach basics or 'mili d'chassidus'?
We are not talking about the eved's avodah. Rather the eved's 'simush'. shimush is very diferent from avodah. Avodah refers to hard work that is profit oriented & impersonal. Shimush is a personal service & is usually more delicate. This is perhaps chassidus, that MUST be out of love. So even if general avodah mei'ahavah is not everyone's level, regarding 'shimush' it is integral. It is also more readily assumed that if I am doing extra than I should get 'brownie points' - not pay, but a pras. Also it is more probable for the 'al m'nas' to apply, as one may do extra conditionally to be treated extra special in response.
In this regard perhaps the mishnayos flow from what the spiritual energy the world at large exists upon. Then the spiritual existance of man. Then how to express & spread that to the world - through a proper home (see maharal on next mishnah).
However the Chassid Ya'avetz says the next 2 mishnayos explain 'al haTorah & al Gemilus Chassadim'. This mishnah describes the pillar of avodah - tefilah.
As above, this is not telling us how to actually daven but our character & approach - who we are when we daven.
'Tefilah tzorech gavoah' in a certain regard tefilah is more of 'service' to the 'eibeshter' than all mitzvos, as they are all self serving to develop ourselves. Tefilah is avodas halev so requiring an emotion whether of love or yir'ah is not a 'madreigah' rather it is intrinsic to what tefilah is.
This is certainly a form of avodah which is quite common to be 'conditional'. Although we understand that not all we ask for is best for us, there is a common expectation for things to be better if we 'daven good'. This is true to the point that a tremendousiy laxed mannerism is prevelant with tefilah because it is 'al m'nas' & 'results' are not noticed enough to fulfil the 'condition'.
For this Antignos warns prohibitively DONT BE LIKE A SERVANT WHO SERVES HIS MASTER CONDITIONAL ON RECEIVING.... That would truthfully redefine tefilah to be self-serving! This is not just midas chassidus, but the definition of what tefilah is. - An Eved serving his Master selflessly.
What a new perspective on prayer!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Avos 3.19
Hakol l'fi rov maaseh.
Its all in the numbers. But its knowing how to decipher the numbers is in itself a chochmah. Let's take a look at the simple rule of following the 'Rov' - the majority.
Rambam explains that its not one big deed that defines one's character, rather through many minor deeds a person develops accordingly.
Rashi says if one has a majority of merits he is a tzaddik etc.
Sounds nice & simple. We may even feel somewhat smug before elul & rosh hashanah as the Rambam too write in hilchos teshuvah that the judgement is based on majority. However, totally contrary to our initial understanding, this is quite a 'rough' & demanding Mishnah.
The gemarah in kedushin 39b states that one who has a majority of mitzvos will be judged for his sins in this world. (This is based on schar mitzvah b'hai alma leka which the Rambam paskens like.)
A Tzaddik who is Rov mitzvos is a tzaddik, BUT WOE TO HIM! A tzaddik who does not eradicate his minority of sins, with proper teshuvah is due for harsh times ahead r"l! This mishnah is comforting that just by a majority one is a tzaddik & he's 'on Hashem's good side (k'vayochal)' so he will have a pristine olam habah, but it certainly should not provide a feeling of complacency! If anything this should be a wake up call before we are judged for next year's success. The minority may not define the whole, but at least in this case it is not 'batul b'rov'. If it is there we must do our part to erase it.
Following the majority is wonderful to define someone as a tzaddik. But don't be fooled by the numbers.
Its all in the numbers. But its knowing how to decipher the numbers is in itself a chochmah. Let's take a look at the simple rule of following the 'Rov' - the majority.
Rambam explains that its not one big deed that defines one's character, rather through many minor deeds a person develops accordingly.
Rashi says if one has a majority of merits he is a tzaddik etc.
Sounds nice & simple. We may even feel somewhat smug before elul & rosh hashanah as the Rambam too write in hilchos teshuvah that the judgement is based on majority. However, totally contrary to our initial understanding, this is quite a 'rough' & demanding Mishnah.
The gemarah in kedushin 39b states that one who has a majority of mitzvos will be judged for his sins in this world. (This is based on schar mitzvah b'hai alma leka which the Rambam paskens like.)
A Tzaddik who is Rov mitzvos is a tzaddik, BUT WOE TO HIM! A tzaddik who does not eradicate his minority of sins, with proper teshuvah is due for harsh times ahead r"l! This mishnah is comforting that just by a majority one is a tzaddik & he's 'on Hashem's good side (k'vayochal)' so he will have a pristine olam habah, but it certainly should not provide a feeling of complacency! If anything this should be a wake up call before we are judged for next year's success. The minority may not define the whole, but at least in this case it is not 'batul b'rov'. If it is there we must do our part to erase it.
Following the majority is wonderful to define someone as a tzaddik. But don't be fooled by the numbers.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Pinchas
Hinini nosein lo es brisi shalom.
The medrash says that higiah hasha'ah litol s'charo - The time has come for Pinchas to get rewarded.
Many ask how this is possible if s'char mitzvah b'hai alma lekka?
The darchei mussar gives a novel answer.
One of the reasons that one cannot demand s'char in this world is because schar mitzvah mitzvah - the actual opportunity to serve the master of the universe is already such a joy how can one ask to be paid as well! We are am m'duchnei oneg - if we do mitzvos mindfully we a nation that is engorged with pleasure! The people of the world who spend all their time seeking more & more earthly pleasures, are starved from a truly satisfying pleasure we have in our avodas Hashem.
There is one time where even if one is doing the right thing it is conditional upon having zero pleasure from it whatsoever. When one must put another Jew down - even rightfully so, such as lashon hora for toeles or even a beis din exacting punishment, there must be absolutely no pleasure derived from causing pain or the downfall of another yid.
Therefore, Pinchas, even in doing this incredible act of Kiddush Hashem & calming the anger of Hashem upon the Jews & stopping the plague, had to have had absolutely no pleasure in doing so! Kana'us even when praised & applauded by all, cannot bring the mikaneh any joy in doing so.
Since Pinchas had no pleasure in this avodas Hashem, the time has come for him to paid.
The medrash says that higiah hasha'ah litol s'charo - The time has come for Pinchas to get rewarded.
Many ask how this is possible if s'char mitzvah b'hai alma lekka?
The darchei mussar gives a novel answer.
One of the reasons that one cannot demand s'char in this world is because schar mitzvah mitzvah - the actual opportunity to serve the master of the universe is already such a joy how can one ask to be paid as well! We are am m'duchnei oneg - if we do mitzvos mindfully we a nation that is engorged with pleasure! The people of the world who spend all their time seeking more & more earthly pleasures, are starved from a truly satisfying pleasure we have in our avodas Hashem.
There is one time where even if one is doing the right thing it is conditional upon having zero pleasure from it whatsoever. When one must put another Jew down - even rightfully so, such as lashon hora for toeles or even a beis din exacting punishment, there must be absolutely no pleasure derived from causing pain or the downfall of another yid.
Therefore, Pinchas, even in doing this incredible act of Kiddush Hashem & calming the anger of Hashem upon the Jews & stopping the plague, had to have had absolutely no pleasure in doing so! Kana'us even when praised & applauded by all, cannot bring the mikaneh any joy in doing so.
Since Pinchas had no pleasure in this avodas Hashem, the time has come for him to paid.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Avos 6.2
Every day a bas kol is emmitted from har chorev.... Whoever is not invoved in Torah study is called a ostricized. As it is written lika a golden nose-ring in the 'af' - snout of a pig, is a beautiful woman who is 'untasteful'. It is also written that the Luchos were the handiwork of Hashem & the writing was the writing of G-d engraved upon the Luchos..... there is no Free man like the the one who is osek in Torah.... He also rises to greatness... From Matanah to Nachliel & from Nachliel Bamos.
A few questions: first of all since when does har sinai have anything special about it that a bas kol should come from there? - There is no remaining kedusha to it - lo kidsha l'asid....
Secondly, if noone hears this kol what's the point. Let the mishnah just inform us of the fact that "woe unto those for ignoring the Torah"?
Thirdly is there any special need or reason for this announcement "kol yom"- every single day?
Why is the ignoring of the Torah specifically compared to the disgrace of a nose-ring of all things, & the ignorer - a pig (which is known for for a big nose)?
How is the 'ben chorin' lesson related specifically to the earlier part of the mishnah, it seems like a generic positive aspect to Torah study, but why here in this mishnah? Also what's the significance of this lesson coming from the engraved lettering on the luchos? And what is wrong with the simple reading of charus al haluchos that calls for a drashah which is not pashut pshatt?
I would like to offer a new approach to the mishnah.
We're familiar with the question of how can the date & location of ma'amad har sinai be up for dispute? The famous answer is so that no one could put a finger on it & say this day or place in history is when/where the Torah was given. The Torah is given fresh daily in every beis medrash across the world.
The name Har Chorev itself calls out the 'bas kol'. The desolate mounatain's name screams forth, "Do you know why I am charuv?! Specifically for all to realize that Torah is not a part of history to be looked upon as an antique memory. Rather, as it says Asher Anochi mitzav'cha HAYOM!" That is why the bas kol calls out b'kol yom - HAYOM Hashem is NOSEIN hatorah! Har Sinai has no remaining Kedusha specifically for this purpose! How can the torah be ignored like yesterday's paper?! The Torah is fresh & new with chidushim flowing each time it is learnt well. But there is a perceived lack of luster & shine of something new that normally sparks interest & curiosity.
The nose has the function of constant renewal more than any limb. New air is breathed every moment. It is also directly associated with the spiritual, as it says 'vayipach b'apav nishmas chaim'. (This is especially true when discussing its functional name -'Af' as opposed to 'chotem'.) This explains why we use the nose in describing curiosity for new information.
Perhaps that is the meaning of o nose ring. It is given to a women for her proper use of 'curiosity' as opposed to being a 'yentah'. [This may be the reason Eliezer gave the nezem zahav to Rivkah even before the bracelets. She offered her kindness without asking who he was etc]
The nose is also the 'freshest' part of the body as we darshan "kol haba el ha'ohel" when a person enters, he becomes fully tamei upon his NOSE'S arrival.
The pig's sense of smell is even stronger than a dog's, & it constantly seeks for 'new s'choirah' in the mud.
Somone who takes this 'news seeking tool' and ignores the Torah which is full of fresh new ruach, assuming it to be old & not newsworthy, & he puts his nose into worldly news instead, is like using the pigs nose to dig in the ageless mud - A "domem" that never is new but as old as hills.
It is this mistaken assumption that our mishnah is addressing.
The mishnah continues onto a similar misunderstanding about the luchos.
In accordance with what we just mentioned, something is engraved in stone for it to be an age old memory of the ancient past. That is what one would assume the engraving of the luchos was meant to be.
The Chassam Sofer brings from the Zohar that if the passuk meant the writing was engraved in the luchos, it should have said charus BAluchos, not AL haluchos.
Rather, the 'michtav Elokim' was a spiritual G-dly writing that was placed (or hovering) UPON the engraved space of the luchos! The engraving was just allowing the minds eye to understand what was spiritually written there! It was those letters of spirit that -'osios porchos ba'avir'- departed and floated away when the luchos were broken.
Here again we see the mistaken view that the words of Torah are old & etched in stone and in reality Torah is a Ruach chadash, new & fresh all the time. This perspective opens the mind to see new vistas & a whole new world of chochma & understanding. It unleashes one from the being bound to the finite & limited understanding he's had previously as he continues to find fresh & new waters from the endless spring of Torah. Perhaps is the type freedom associated with the one who is osek batorah properly.
The one who sees Torah as a new attractive matanah truly rises to the greater heights of Bamos.
A few questions: first of all since when does har sinai have anything special about it that a bas kol should come from there? - There is no remaining kedusha to it - lo kidsha l'asid....
Secondly, if noone hears this kol what's the point. Let the mishnah just inform us of the fact that "woe unto those for ignoring the Torah"?
Thirdly is there any special need or reason for this announcement "kol yom"- every single day?
Why is the ignoring of the Torah specifically compared to the disgrace of a nose-ring of all things, & the ignorer - a pig (which is known for for a big nose)?
How is the 'ben chorin' lesson related specifically to the earlier part of the mishnah, it seems like a generic positive aspect to Torah study, but why here in this mishnah? Also what's the significance of this lesson coming from the engraved lettering on the luchos? And what is wrong with the simple reading of charus al haluchos that calls for a drashah which is not pashut pshatt?
I would like to offer a new approach to the mishnah.
We're familiar with the question of how can the date & location of ma'amad har sinai be up for dispute? The famous answer is so that no one could put a finger on it & say this day or place in history is when/where the Torah was given. The Torah is given fresh daily in every beis medrash across the world.
The name Har Chorev itself calls out the 'bas kol'. The desolate mounatain's name screams forth, "Do you know why I am charuv?! Specifically for all to realize that Torah is not a part of history to be looked upon as an antique memory. Rather, as it says Asher Anochi mitzav'cha HAYOM!" That is why the bas kol calls out b'kol yom - HAYOM Hashem is NOSEIN hatorah! Har Sinai has no remaining Kedusha specifically for this purpose! How can the torah be ignored like yesterday's paper?! The Torah is fresh & new with chidushim flowing each time it is learnt well. But there is a perceived lack of luster & shine of something new that normally sparks interest & curiosity.
The nose has the function of constant renewal more than any limb. New air is breathed every moment. It is also directly associated with the spiritual, as it says 'vayipach b'apav nishmas chaim'. (This is especially true when discussing its functional name -'Af' as opposed to 'chotem'.) This explains why we use the nose in describing curiosity for new information.
Perhaps that is the meaning of o nose ring. It is given to a women for her proper use of 'curiosity' as opposed to being a 'yentah'. [This may be the reason Eliezer gave the nezem zahav to Rivkah even before the bracelets. She offered her kindness without asking who he was etc]
The nose is also the 'freshest' part of the body as we darshan "kol haba el ha'ohel" when a person enters, he becomes fully tamei upon his NOSE'S arrival.
The pig's sense of smell is even stronger than a dog's, & it constantly seeks for 'new s'choirah' in the mud.
Somone who takes this 'news seeking tool' and ignores the Torah which is full of fresh new ruach, assuming it to be old & not newsworthy, & he puts his nose into worldly news instead, is like using the pigs nose to dig in the ageless mud - A "domem" that never is new but as old as hills.
It is this mistaken assumption that our mishnah is addressing.
The mishnah continues onto a similar misunderstanding about the luchos.
In accordance with what we just mentioned, something is engraved in stone for it to be an age old memory of the ancient past. That is what one would assume the engraving of the luchos was meant to be.
The Chassam Sofer brings from the Zohar that if the passuk meant the writing was engraved in the luchos, it should have said charus BAluchos, not AL haluchos.
Rather, the 'michtav Elokim' was a spiritual G-dly writing that was placed (or hovering) UPON the engraved space of the luchos! The engraving was just allowing the minds eye to understand what was spiritually written there! It was those letters of spirit that -'osios porchos ba'avir'- departed and floated away when the luchos were broken.
Here again we see the mistaken view that the words of Torah are old & etched in stone and in reality Torah is a Ruach chadash, new & fresh all the time. This perspective opens the mind to see new vistas & a whole new world of chochma & understanding. It unleashes one from the being bound to the finite & limited understanding he's had previously as he continues to find fresh & new waters from the endless spring of Torah. Perhaps is the type freedom associated with the one who is osek batorah properly.
The one who sees Torah as a new attractive matanah truly rises to the greater heights of Bamos.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Avos 5.2
There were Ten generations from Addam till Noach to teach us how much erech apayim - 'patience' - Hashem has until He braught the mabul. There were Ten generations from Noach to teach us how much erech apayim - 'patience' - Hashem has until Avraham came and took the potential reward of all those before him.
Rabeinu Yonah writes - contrary to the simple understanding - that the focus is not how much patience Hashem has, Rather that there is a point when Hashem says "ENOUGH!". The message here is not to lose hope in this galus, thinking Hashem will be patient with our enemies forever, rather Hashem will fianlly say "ENOUGH!" & this galus will come to an end.
A tremendous difficulty with this Rabeinu Yonah is that the Mishnah according to him is telling us that up to 10 generations Hashem is patient & then He says "ENOUGH". - So how can we still be here wayyyy longer than the limit set in the Mishnah???!
Secondly, is there actually a limit to Hashem's patience?
Third of all, why did Hashem 'wait' so long when He knew they wouldn't repent?
Another obvious problem here is that the 'patience' chiddush seems repetitive?
Obviously the 'limit' stated regarding Hashem's Midah of Erech Apayim is not limited in time, for the mishnah itself describes the first & second periods of 10 generations as equals when the 1st was 1656 years and the 2nd only 440. This leads us to conclude that the Limit is not because it took so long it finally got used up, this is quite obvious hashkafically as well. No 'quality' of Hashem can be limited.
Truthfully any description given about Hakadosh Baruch Hu is not of Himself, rather our perception of Hashem's 'interaction' with the world. So Hashem enacts erech apayim upon the world the up to a certain point.
If so, we may ask, what is the limit of 10 generations, & why are we still waiting?
The answer is there are two seperate reasons for 'patience' stated in this Mishnah. That's why the mishah is not really repetitive at all. The first reason, Hashem set a limit of 10 generations for. However the second reason for enacting Erech Apayim may be timeless.
Both are of course for the good of creation. Each generation that continues the previos one's ways developes a stronger nature to that midah. A full 10 doros of evil would shape the actual self-identity of the people into being inseparable from evil itself. This would make the evil irreversible.
Hashem knew that the people wouldn't change their ways. Therefore, instead of being 'impatient' to punish the wicked and then they'd continue in their ways, Hashem enacted Erech Apayim in order to make a full 'reset' at the the end at the point of "nismalei sa'asm".
This is why the first reason is specific to 10 generations as opposed to years.
The mishnah then informs us of a second reason for Erech Apayim. This one spans all time. When there is Knowledge of a future tzaddik great enough to receive all the potential reward of all the people before him Hashem will be patient until that tzaddik comes! Noach was not on that level, so the 10 generation 'reset' was applied.
The second part of the mishnah discusses a different reason fo Erech Apayim. Avraham was so great he was destined to be notel s'char k'neged kulam. So, either there really wasn't a limit set for the erech apayim it 'just turned out' to be 10 or perhaps we may say that untill the kedusha of klall yisrael was established in our genes, even though the point of WAITING was for the tzaddik to get the s'char as opposed to the purpose of "pushing it to the end", however the 10 dor LIMIT to the patience still existed. So while the patience was for avraham it still could not go past 10.
This understanding offers an anser to our quoestion on R' Yonah, and a whole new insight to our lengthy galus.
R' Moshe Feinstein ztz"l in kol ram qoutes the mamar chazal that Moshiach will come in a dor that is kulo chayiv or kolu zakkai. Therefore says R' Moshe, we can be sure that Moshiach is almost here as we we are just about kulo........ZAKKAI!!! He explains that never before have we been so incorporated into the gentile society as here in America. This sways just about any merit of ours to be monumental compared to the genrations before, & our shortcomings to be considered relarively miniscule.
According to this I believe we can say that Hashem's Erech Apayim for the past thousands of years may very well be specifically for US to be notel s'char kulam of the thousands of years & millions of people throughout the world!!!!
Rabeinu Yonah writes - contrary to the simple understanding - that the focus is not how much patience Hashem has, Rather that there is a point when Hashem says "ENOUGH!". The message here is not to lose hope in this galus, thinking Hashem will be patient with our enemies forever, rather Hashem will fianlly say "ENOUGH!" & this galus will come to an end.
A tremendous difficulty with this Rabeinu Yonah is that the Mishnah according to him is telling us that up to 10 generations Hashem is patient & then He says "ENOUGH". - So how can we still be here wayyyy longer than the limit set in the Mishnah???!
Secondly, is there actually a limit to Hashem's patience?
Third of all, why did Hashem 'wait' so long when He knew they wouldn't repent?
Another obvious problem here is that the 'patience' chiddush seems repetitive?
Obviously the 'limit' stated regarding Hashem's Midah of Erech Apayim is not limited in time, for the mishnah itself describes the first & second periods of 10 generations as equals when the 1st was 1656 years and the 2nd only 440. This leads us to conclude that the Limit is not because it took so long it finally got used up, this is quite obvious hashkafically as well. No 'quality' of Hashem can be limited.
Truthfully any description given about Hakadosh Baruch Hu is not of Himself, rather our perception of Hashem's 'interaction' with the world. So Hashem enacts erech apayim upon the world the up to a certain point.
If so, we may ask, what is the limit of 10 generations, & why are we still waiting?
The answer is there are two seperate reasons for 'patience' stated in this Mishnah. That's why the mishah is not really repetitive at all. The first reason, Hashem set a limit of 10 generations for. However the second reason for enacting Erech Apayim may be timeless.
Both are of course for the good of creation. Each generation that continues the previos one's ways developes a stronger nature to that midah. A full 10 doros of evil would shape the actual self-identity of the people into being inseparable from evil itself. This would make the evil irreversible.
Hashem knew that the people wouldn't change their ways. Therefore, instead of being 'impatient' to punish the wicked and then they'd continue in their ways, Hashem enacted Erech Apayim in order to make a full 'reset' at the the end at the point of "nismalei sa'asm".
This is why the first reason is specific to 10 generations as opposed to years.
The mishnah then informs us of a second reason for Erech Apayim. This one spans all time. When there is Knowledge of a future tzaddik great enough to receive all the potential reward of all the people before him Hashem will be patient until that tzaddik comes! Noach was not on that level, so the 10 generation 'reset' was applied.
The second part of the mishnah discusses a different reason fo Erech Apayim. Avraham was so great he was destined to be notel s'char k'neged kulam. So, either there really wasn't a limit set for the erech apayim it 'just turned out' to be 10 or perhaps we may say that untill the kedusha of klall yisrael was established in our genes, even though the point of WAITING was for the tzaddik to get the s'char as opposed to the purpose of "pushing it to the end", however the 10 dor LIMIT to the patience still existed. So while the patience was for avraham it still could not go past 10.
This understanding offers an anser to our quoestion on R' Yonah, and a whole new insight to our lengthy galus.
R' Moshe Feinstein ztz"l in kol ram qoutes the mamar chazal that Moshiach will come in a dor that is kulo chayiv or kolu zakkai. Therefore says R' Moshe, we can be sure that Moshiach is almost here as we we are just about kulo........ZAKKAI!!! He explains that never before have we been so incorporated into the gentile society as here in America. This sways just about any merit of ours to be monumental compared to the genrations before, & our shortcomings to be considered relarively miniscule.
According to this I believe we can say that Hashem's Erech Apayim for the past thousands of years may very well be specifically for US to be notel s'char kulam of the thousands of years & millions of people throughout the world!!!!
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Chukas
The aish das notes that in Hashem's command to Moshe it say 'v'nasan meimav' - the stone will give forth its waters. When Moshe performed the miracle however, it does not say the rock gave its waters, rather Moshe took out the water.
The aish das uses this to explain the lack of kiddush Hashem that could have resulted from "yesh me'ayin" and in stead was 'yesh miyesh'.
I would like to bring out another point using his diyuk.
Some learn that the chet was the labeling of tzon kosho with "shimu na haMORIM. - Rebels.
Rabeinu Yonah says on the mishnah I'm ein ani li mi li - that if one does not arouse himself who will do it for him. Even if one hears the admonition of a great maggid, the firey words will only heat the listener temporarily. The listener must consciously apply the words to himself - whether from a mussar giant or a soft spoken vort he hears or sees in a sefer. THEN his inspiration can have a lasting affect.
Perhaps we can say if Moshe would have spoken to the rock it would be recognizable that the ROCK was giving forth its OWN waters. However, with the use of the staff it was understood that we respond only to the 'shtekin' - this does not represent any greatness in the listener, rather the strength of the leader.
The Ramban in his famous igeres to his son writes, "ka'asher takum min hasefer t'chapeis ba'asher lamadta I'm yesh bah davar asher tuchal l'kaimah". Don't assume the sefer to 'do its magic' upon you! SEARCH for something you've seen, that you can learn from and improve in!
Perhaps tah assumtion of Moshe that klall yisrael were rebels when he didn't see immediate improvement, he felt the rock too would only produce by his 'coersion' by 'raisng the shtekin'. However, truthfully, though the results may not be immediate or very recognizable, klall yisrael has the capability that the Ramban & Rabeinu Yonah write about. They can be 'ani li'. They can hear soft words of tochacha and arouse THEMSELVES to the task.
Yhe message here applies twofold. A rav, parent, or anyone in a position of guidance & leadership should not be discouraged that his words fall on deaf ears. - the rock was deaf too (see Rashi as this was part of the potential lesson to bearned from talking to the rock) and yet it would have produced its own waters when spoken to.
Secondly the recipient of the mussar should never rely on the assumption that he will have an automated response to words of tochacha. SEARCH in the words for something to apply to yourself. We can then be hopeful that this method of growth will reverse the decree of "lo saviu es hakahal hazeh el ha'aretz" & may Moshich bring us there b'mehairah b'yameinu.
The aish das uses this to explain the lack of kiddush Hashem that could have resulted from "yesh me'ayin" and in stead was 'yesh miyesh'.
I would like to bring out another point using his diyuk.
Some learn that the chet was the labeling of tzon kosho with "shimu na haMORIM. - Rebels.
Rabeinu Yonah says on the mishnah I'm ein ani li mi li - that if one does not arouse himself who will do it for him. Even if one hears the admonition of a great maggid, the firey words will only heat the listener temporarily. The listener must consciously apply the words to himself - whether from a mussar giant or a soft spoken vort he hears or sees in a sefer. THEN his inspiration can have a lasting affect.
Perhaps we can say if Moshe would have spoken to the rock it would be recognizable that the ROCK was giving forth its OWN waters. However, with the use of the staff it was understood that we respond only to the 'shtekin' - this does not represent any greatness in the listener, rather the strength of the leader.
The Ramban in his famous igeres to his son writes, "ka'asher takum min hasefer t'chapeis ba'asher lamadta I'm yesh bah davar asher tuchal l'kaimah". Don't assume the sefer to 'do its magic' upon you! SEARCH for something you've seen, that you can learn from and improve in!
Perhaps tah assumtion of Moshe that klall yisrael were rebels when he didn't see immediate improvement, he felt the rock too would only produce by his 'coersion' by 'raisng the shtekin'. However, truthfully, though the results may not be immediate or very recognizable, klall yisrael has the capability that the Ramban & Rabeinu Yonah write about. They can be 'ani li'. They can hear soft words of tochacha and arouse THEMSELVES to the task.
Yhe message here applies twofold. A rav, parent, or anyone in a position of guidance & leadership should not be discouraged that his words fall on deaf ears. - the rock was deaf too (see Rashi as this was part of the potential lesson to bearned from talking to the rock) and yet it would have produced its own waters when spoken to.
Secondly the recipient of the mussar should never rely on the assumption that he will have an automated response to words of tochacha. SEARCH in the words for something to apply to yourself. We can then be hopeful that this method of growth will reverse the decree of "lo saviu es hakahal hazeh el ha'aretz" & may Moshich bring us there b'mehairah b'yameinu.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Korach
Aharon took the k'tores a successfully stopped the magifah litterally in its tracks. Rashi explains that the secret antidote was given to Moshe by the Angel of Death himself.
What connection may there be between the machlokes of korach & the secret potion of the malach hamoves?
R' Chaim Shmuelevitz z"l takes note of the language of the gemarah that relates how Moshe Rabeinu got the secret. In Shabbos (89a) the gemara tells how Moshe was fearful that the malachim would incinerate him for bringing the Torah down to Mankind. Hashem told Moshe to debate with the Angels. Upon Moshe's success, "na'aseh kol echad v'echad OHAVOY
What connection may there be between the machlokes of korach & the secret potion of the malach hamoves?
R' Chaim Shmuelevitz z"l takes note of the language of the gemarah that relates how Moshe Rabeinu got the secret. In Shabbos (89a) the gemara tells how Moshe was fearful that the malachim would incinerate him for bringing the Torah down to Mankind. Hashem told Moshe to debate with the Angels. Upon Moshe's success, "na'aseh kol echad v'echad OHAVOY
Friday, June 7, 2013
Korach. R' Yerucham Levovitz, based on the mishnah in avos that korach was a machlokes shelo l'shem shamayim, says, that Korach was perfectly good in his actual deed, but only he had the wrong intent. In what way do we find that this was different from the claim of 'lamah nigara' when the jews werent happy about their loss of opportunity for the korban pesach?
We learn the halacha of Ma'alin bakodesh V'LO MORIDIN from the story of korach. From the pans that the k'tores was offered in by Korach's group. If the halacha states that we must go up in kedusha, why does it have to state that we may not go down?
A similar question is dicussed regarding the din of zochin l'adam shelo b'fanav, v'ein chavin.... why is the ein chavin needed? the answer given is that even if there is an overwhelming z'chus to be done on behalf of another, so that the condition of zachin exists, however if ther is ALSO a chav involved the z'chus cannot be done.
similarly, by Korach we find that besides for his desire to rise in kedusha - ma'alin bakodesh, however he also was very clear to include "lama tisnasu" - the bringing down of another. when the ma'alin also incorporates the moridin of others it is a clear sign that the wrong approach to aliyah is being used.
we should all strive for greatness without any detriment and downfall of others, then perhaps we will all be elevated to kulam kedoshim with the right approach and intent.
We learn the halacha of Ma'alin bakodesh V'LO MORIDIN from the story of korach. From the pans that the k'tores was offered in by Korach's group. If the halacha states that we must go up in kedusha, why does it have to state that we may not go down?
A similar question is dicussed regarding the din of zochin l'adam shelo b'fanav, v'ein chavin.... why is the ein chavin needed? the answer given is that even if there is an overwhelming z'chus to be done on behalf of another, so that the condition of zachin exists, however if ther is ALSO a chav involved the z'chus cannot be done.
similarly, by Korach we find that besides for his desire to rise in kedusha - ma'alin bakodesh, however he also was very clear to include "lama tisnasu" - the bringing down of another. when the ma'alin also incorporates the moridin of others it is a clear sign that the wrong approach to aliyah is being used.
we should all strive for greatness without any detriment and downfall of others, then perhaps we will all be elevated to kulam kedoshim with the right approach and intent.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Shlach
Kalev was crowned with an awesome name "Avdi Kaev". What a coveted lofty title! Moshe was called Eved Hashem - as we know Moshe was anav mikol adam - "eved les ley migarmey klum". How is it that Kalev was awarded such an illustrious title with the deed of arguing with the miraglim?
The answer lies in the passuk itself. Kalev expressed a "ruach acheres" in his opposition to the other spies. Not in his argument with them! Rather as Rashi explains earlier - vayahas kalev es ha'am el Moshe - he spoke in a negative tone that drawed the attention of all the complainers, thinking he was on THEIR side. THAT was the ruach acheres. Not the opposition itself. Yehoshuah also opposed the miraglim - but Kalev was able to deal with the situation from a whole different approach. He momentarily, acted in a way that publicly denounced his past. This was such a selfless deed, an act that showed that Kalev too, was les ley migarmey klum.
In the ba'al teshuavah world this 'different spirit' is usually not just a momentary act, but quite often a very induring one indeed. A 'ruach acheres' in the face of the many family members & friends, and a ruach acheres for themselves from the person they used to be.
This spirit of selflessness, of completely dropping the entire being of who they were all the previous years, is a tremendous self bitul, truly deserving of the title "Avdi".
This is something we all can practice even if we are now all frum yidden. Are we complacent, always just riding on the waves of yesterday? We all should have a Ruach Acheres! Just because 'we always did that', just because 'last time we weren't makpid', just because we've relied on a certain kula or acted in questionable manner in the past, WHY DOES THAT HAVE TO BE TODAY AS WELL???!
Re-investigate, be introspective, look at things objectively from anew! May we all start using a Ruach Acheres & may Hashem be able to lovingly call us "Avdei Hashem".
The answer lies in the passuk itself. Kalev expressed a "ruach acheres" in his opposition to the other spies. Not in his argument with them! Rather as Rashi explains earlier - vayahas kalev es ha'am el Moshe - he spoke in a negative tone that drawed the attention of all the complainers, thinking he was on THEIR side. THAT was the ruach acheres. Not the opposition itself. Yehoshuah also opposed the miraglim - but Kalev was able to deal with the situation from a whole different approach. He momentarily, acted in a way that publicly denounced his past. This was such a selfless deed, an act that showed that Kalev too, was les ley migarmey klum.
In the ba'al teshuavah world this 'different spirit' is usually not just a momentary act, but quite often a very induring one indeed. A 'ruach acheres' in the face of the many family members & friends, and a ruach acheres for themselves from the person they used to be.
This spirit of selflessness, of completely dropping the entire being of who they were all the previous years, is a tremendous self bitul, truly deserving of the title "Avdi".
This is something we all can practice even if we are now all frum yidden. Are we complacent, always just riding on the waves of yesterday? We all should have a Ruach Acheres! Just because 'we always did that', just because 'last time we weren't makpid', just because we've relied on a certain kula or acted in questionable manner in the past, WHY DOES THAT HAVE TO BE TODAY AS WELL???!
Re-investigate, be introspective, look at things objectively from anew! May we all start using a Ruach Acheres & may Hashem be able to lovingly call us "Avdei Hashem".
Shlach
The beginning of the parshah begins with exploring & the end finishes with a prohibition against exploring. This comes with the mitzvah of tzitzis - a mitzvah named for its representation of the four boundaries and the extensions beyond.
The middle of the parshah contains the source for a minyan. In a group of 10 men for a davar shebik'dusha there lies a bond between them all. They are not 10 lone individuals, rather they all extend themselves to each other, becoming one unit.
This is a parsha about borders & boundaries & how to appropriately deal with them. Sometimes to be self contained as in not being curious to explore to our eyes desire. Sometimes focus the effect we exprres upon those around us, both in the positive as the power of minyan illustrates, & sometimes in the negative.
In a way, as a Jew we are never really alone. Everything we do has an indirect influence upon the greater soul of the Klall. We are not limited to the finite boundaries of our bodies. We all extend way beyond our physical limitations.
We must be aware also of the direct influence we all have on others. We are not alone. When one person starts dressing casually for davening with no change of attire (trangressing the halachah of 'hikon likras Elokecha Yisroel') it spreada to others until the halachah can be completely forgotten. Similarly when one woman dresses with a certain style the others follow suit. We must be aware that our actions extend way beyond ourselves, and this can be utilized for the positive as well.
The maharal explains the mishnah in avos that galus come upon the world due to the desecration of boundaries. When we don't respect and regard boundaries and how we go beyond them, the result is exile.
May we be careful to respect the gevulim we have & may we recognize the apprpriate way to extend beyond them, & may Hashem return us to the gevulim of eretz yisroel b'karov.
The middle of the parshah contains the source for a minyan. In a group of 10 men for a davar shebik'dusha there lies a bond between them all. They are not 10 lone individuals, rather they all extend themselves to each other, becoming one unit.
This is a parsha about borders & boundaries & how to appropriately deal with them. Sometimes to be self contained as in not being curious to explore to our eyes desire. Sometimes focus the effect we exprres upon those around us, both in the positive as the power of minyan illustrates, & sometimes in the negative.
In a way, as a Jew we are never really alone. Everything we do has an indirect influence upon the greater soul of the Klall. We are not limited to the finite boundaries of our bodies. We all extend way beyond our physical limitations.
We must be aware also of the direct influence we all have on others. We are not alone. When one person starts dressing casually for davening with no change of attire (trangressing the halachah of 'hikon likras Elokecha Yisroel') it spreada to others until the halachah can be completely forgotten. Similarly when one woman dresses with a certain style the others follow suit. We must be aware that our actions extend way beyond ourselves, and this can be utilized for the positive as well.
The maharal explains the mishnah in avos that galus come upon the world due to the desecration of boundaries. When we don't respect and regard boundaries and how we go beyond them, the result is exile.
May we be careful to respect the gevulim we have & may we recognize the apprpriate way to extend beyond them, & may Hashem return us to the gevulim of eretz yisroel b'karov.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
B'ha'aloscha
"By chance" I heard shiur of R' miller on Chanukah this week - & now I realize its appropriate for the parshah - beha'aloscha es haneiros!
Vehayu li halevi'im what got them to such a level that from Hashem's chosen nation - vehayu LI! - they are the CHOSEN ONES?
Ravta es Rivam - R' miller asks a great but simple question - we praise Hashem for fighting THEIR fight???!!! Hashem ought to thank THEM for fighting HIS fight!? They lives weren't threatened, rather the Torah was!
The answer is though just as simple. It WAS their fight. This qeeks pirkei avos says "asay ritzono kirtzonecho" do His will as your own. It doesn't mean just to do it that way but it SHOULD be YOUR WILL! The chashmonoim took Torah & mitzvos so PERSONALLY, it was THEIR fight!! To the point that we can honestly say HASHEM did it for THEM!!
This was shevet Levi. when the rest of the jews saw the eirev rav with the eigel, it didn't bother THEM enough to take a stand. But shevet levi did. Mi LHashem eilay. - vehayu LI.
We spoke about the need to have our own brakes. It comes from Torah having a meaning to ourselves. Our own yiras shamayim. Our own appreciation for honesty, Tzniyus, kiddush Hashem, middos tovos etc.
We don't have shotrim to ensure that others are doing well. But each man - if there are things he takes stand on, things that he shares wuth his family - AS HIS OWN PERSONAL upset about certain downfalls he's noticed by others (w/o mentioning names) that BOTHER him. We can - & must be - the brakes that restrain the yeridah & prevent nefilah. Take a stand. Draw a line for yourselves that says 'ad kan', and let your family sees what yidishkeit means to YOU, regardless of your capabilty of changing the world. You can stop yourself & let your family be 'the chosen people' as well.
Vehayu li halevi'im what got them to such a level that from Hashem's chosen nation - vehayu LI! - they are the CHOSEN ONES?
Ravta es Rivam - R' miller asks a great but simple question - we praise Hashem for fighting THEIR fight???!!! Hashem ought to thank THEM for fighting HIS fight!? They lives weren't threatened, rather the Torah was!
The answer is though just as simple. It WAS their fight. This qeeks pirkei avos says "asay ritzono kirtzonecho" do His will as your own. It doesn't mean just to do it that way but it SHOULD be YOUR WILL! The chashmonoim took Torah & mitzvos so PERSONALLY, it was THEIR fight!! To the point that we can honestly say HASHEM did it for THEM!!
This was shevet Levi. when the rest of the jews saw the eirev rav with the eigel, it didn't bother THEM enough to take a stand. But shevet levi did. Mi LHashem eilay. - vehayu LI.
We spoke about the need to have our own brakes. It comes from Torah having a meaning to ourselves. Our own yiras shamayim. Our own appreciation for honesty, Tzniyus, kiddush Hashem, middos tovos etc.
We don't have shotrim to ensure that others are doing well. But each man - if there are things he takes stand on, things that he shares wuth his family - AS HIS OWN PERSONAL upset about certain downfalls he's noticed by others (w/o mentioning names) that BOTHER him. We can - & must be - the brakes that restrain the yeridah & prevent nefilah. Take a stand. Draw a line for yourselves that says 'ad kan', and let your family sees what yidishkeit means to YOU, regardless of your capabilty of changing the world. You can stop yourself & let your family be 'the chosen people' as well.
B'ha'aloscha
the beginning of the parsh speaks of aliyah - b'ha'aloscha....
the end of the parsha speaks of yeridah - baba basra 75a - when moshe gave over the spirit of nevuah to the 70 elders, they said pnei moshe k'chama pnei yehoshua kyerach, oy L'oso busah... pninim mishulchan gra asks What busha?
rosh hashana 25a says why the torah doesn't detail the names of the 70 zekainim? so that no one in future generations may say my rav is not like so & so so I don't have to listen... The 70 names are hidden so people may assume their rav to be like them who are unknown to them.
this was the busha of the zekainim. When they saw such a yeridah already in one dor, from moshe to yehoshua, & this would go on for so many more generations, what a bushah it would be for them to be compared to the gedolim of the later doros!
the middle of the parsha avoids nefilah. - Vayehi b'nsoa ha'aron is entirely a new sefer. Rashi explains that this was to break between one "puroniyos" & another. The Nuns here also represent nefilah - as we know ashrei does not have a pasuk starting with nun because if there is nun - nefilah - R"L, there's very little hope.
What's the difference between such a huge yeridah & the nefilah that we're so careful to avoid?
When one goes down, he still retains his own ability to STOP. However when one is falling, he stops only when he hits something. Something else stops him.
If the yeridah becomes a nefilah, where he have to be reliant on external entities to stop us, that is a terrible state.
We surely need to have filters on the internet, but if we're RELYING on the goyim to stop us from cheit, we're in huge trouble. We need to have something internal - not instead - but besides, for the filters. We need OUR OWN BRAKES! If we don't build our own capability to stop ourselves, - oy vey! What a sorry sight!
the end of the parsha speaks of yeridah - baba basra 75a - when moshe gave over the spirit of nevuah to the 70 elders, they said pnei moshe k'chama pnei yehoshua kyerach, oy L'oso busah... pninim mishulchan gra asks What busha?
rosh hashana 25a says why the torah doesn't detail the names of the 70 zekainim? so that no one in future generations may say my rav is not like so & so so I don't have to listen... The 70 names are hidden so people may assume their rav to be like them who are unknown to them.
this was the busha of the zekainim. When they saw such a yeridah already in one dor, from moshe to yehoshua, & this would go on for so many more generations, what a bushah it would be for them to be compared to the gedolim of the later doros!
the middle of the parsha avoids nefilah. - Vayehi b'nsoa ha'aron is entirely a new sefer. Rashi explains that this was to break between one "puroniyos" & another. The Nuns here also represent nefilah - as we know ashrei does not have a pasuk starting with nun because if there is nun - nefilah - R"L, there's very little hope.
What's the difference between such a huge yeridah & the nefilah that we're so careful to avoid?
When one goes down, he still retains his own ability to STOP. However when one is falling, he stops only when he hits something. Something else stops him.
If the yeridah becomes a nefilah, where he have to be reliant on external entities to stop us, that is a terrible state.
We surely need to have filters on the internet, but if we're RELYING on the goyim to stop us from cheit, we're in huge trouble. We need to have something internal - not instead - but besides, for the filters. We need OUR OWN BRAKES! If we don't build our own capability to stop ourselves, - oy vey! What a sorry sight!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Avos 1.2
HaTorah HuAvodha - hey hayediah is exclusive. I'm lo brisi Torah she bal peh. The world DOESN'T stand on the existance of Torah scroll or its spiritual entity. Rather it's living existance by the mouths (chaim l'motzaihem bapeh) of its learners.
HuAvodah is exclusive even though all mitzvos are avodas Hashem & acc. to sefer chareidim, every mitzvah even demands avodah shebalev, the world stands specifically on HaAvodah sheb'lev of korbanos/tefilah.
Gemilus chassadim doesn't seem to be exclusive of anything...
Chassam sofer notes the mention of Shimon hatzadik being from the anshei knesses hagedolah. They restored 'attarah l'yoshna' with hagadol hagibor v'hanora. The C.S. Explains these 3 titles as refferences to the three pillars Chessed Torah & Avodah. (as the avos were - chessed avodah & torah). Gadlus is an extension or expansion of self beyond its previous borders & limitations.
This perhaps defines Gemilus Chassadim of our mishnah as being exclusive as well. The world doesn't stand on just any Chessed. It stands on chessed of gadlus, which is the difference bet. Chessed & GEMILUS chassadim. The gemara shabbos relates why the feet of the gimmel run after the dalet....
The world stands on the chessed of those who LOOK to do chesed. Who run & create chessed, not on those who wait for a need to arise to then help out.
HuAvodah is exclusive even though all mitzvos are avodas Hashem & acc. to sefer chareidim, every mitzvah even demands avodah shebalev, the world stands specifically on HaAvodah sheb'lev of korbanos/tefilah.
Gemilus chassadim doesn't seem to be exclusive of anything...
Chassam sofer notes the mention of Shimon hatzadik being from the anshei knesses hagedolah. They restored 'attarah l'yoshna' with hagadol hagibor v'hanora. The C.S. Explains these 3 titles as refferences to the three pillars Chessed Torah & Avodah. (as the avos were - chessed avodah & torah). Gadlus is an extension or expansion of self beyond its previous borders & limitations.
This perhaps defines Gemilus Chassadim of our mishnah as being exclusive as well. The world doesn't stand on just any Chessed. It stands on chessed of gadlus, which is the difference bet. Chessed & GEMILUS chassadim. The gemara shabbos relates why the feet of the gimmel run after the dalet....
The world stands on the chessed of those who LOOK to do chesed. Who run & create chessed, not on those who wait for a need to arise to then help out.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Naso
Vayehi byom kalos moshe. Tanchumah vay - the angels cried that the shechina is leaving the heavens....
Another pshatt the tanchuma says is mashal for king with argumentative wife. He gave her fine fabric to make a royal garment. After a long while she finished. Upon presentation to the king he wailed. Oy vey! - she asked if he didn't like it to which he replied its beautiful but until now things were quiet, as you were busy. Now with the free time the arguments will resume!
so too when klall yisrael finished the mishkan....
We must be aware with the long days of summer arriving now, to be extra careful that the available time not cause more 'arguments' but rather we must make use of the time wisely.
Another pshatt the tanchuma says is mashal for king with argumentative wife. He gave her fine fabric to make a royal garment. After a long while she finished. Upon presentation to the king he wailed. Oy vey! - she asked if he didn't like it to which he replied its beautiful but until now things were quiet, as you were busy. Now with the free time the arguments will resume!
so too when klall yisrael finished the mishkan....
We must be aware with the long days of summer arriving now, to be extra careful that the available time not cause more 'arguments' but rather we must make use of the time wisely.
Shavuos
Minhag yisroel torah brings from yismach yisroel a minhag for Rav not to darshan night of shavuos to show derech eretz kadmah LaTorah.
So we will speak about derech eretz.
It's quite a statement to say d.e. Kadmah LaTorah.
We say ilu kirvanu lifnei har sinai vlo nusan lanu es haTorah, Dayenu. R' Yeruchom & others explain, that for us to reach a status of being READY to accept the Torah is a tremendous accomplishment of its own! In spirituality we say only a keli malei is machzik - how full of maalos we were just to be a recepticle for Torah!
The preparation for mattan Torah seems like derech eretz. (see also medrash shmuel avos 2.2 t.t. w d.e. Refers to peace & brotherliness with others. - this works well with vayichan) R' Yeruchom though points out that reishis chochma Yir'as Hashem.
However the two are not really different. As a matter of fact from b.k. 92a its clear that Avraham's claim rak ki ein yir'as elokim bamakom hazeh - was in response to Avimelechs asking about Sarah - which Rashi calls a lack of Derech Eretz.
what's the connection bet. D.e. & Yirah? The simplest form of Yirah is recognition of limits. That I am not free to do anything I feel like. That same self restriction or discipline can be on a non relidous level - derech eretz, or on a more lofty level - yir'as elokim.
minhag yisroel Torah brings birkei yosef that when haman blasphemed the Jews to Achashveirosh, he also said "they set up assabim on shavuos..." what's the lashon hara about that???
I'd like to say the title d.e. means that even on a non-religous level, eretz, - which seems hefker & without restriction, also must have a derech. A road that has definition, limitations, guidlines & a goal. Even before Torah & religion, the simple world around us needs some form & guidlines with boundaries & a starting point and destination. The world must be recognized Not as a 'hefker velt' even from a non religous perspective. Eretz has a Derech, & its possible to be 'off the derech' of derech eretz besides for being non religous.
Achashveirosh wanted to show the Jews that even the material world can be enjoyed & used without limitation & with no purpose. (This was to show that not neccessarily is there another world of eden.)
Haman looked at the Jews who take the most 'hefker' disorderly, unlimited natural product of eretz - assabim - wild grasses - (he didn't say flowers) & place them near the Torah on Shavuos showing that all of nature has guidlines & requires disipline in their use and a purpose! Can there be a greater antithesis to the ideas of Achashveirosh!?
Beyond d.e. KADMAH laTorah... There is also the Torah's specific guidlines how to use the world on an elevated plain. That is the 'Lachem' of shavuos - how Moshe Rabeinu debated with the angels for the Torah.
Let us use the lachem of Shavuos properly. The yesod v'shoresh hoAvodah intsructs very stongly that when we sleep & eat on shavuos it shouldn't be 'regular'. Rather full of Joy & thankfullness to Hashem. don't allow the eretz of the 2 days of Shavuos to be 'hefker'. it should at least be with discipline, guidlines, - on a derech. And perhaps even elevated - to a means of ahavas Hashem.
So we will speak about derech eretz.
It's quite a statement to say d.e. Kadmah LaTorah.
We say ilu kirvanu lifnei har sinai vlo nusan lanu es haTorah, Dayenu. R' Yeruchom & others explain, that for us to reach a status of being READY to accept the Torah is a tremendous accomplishment of its own! In spirituality we say only a keli malei is machzik - how full of maalos we were just to be a recepticle for Torah!
The preparation for mattan Torah seems like derech eretz. (see also medrash shmuel avos 2.2 t.t. w d.e. Refers to peace & brotherliness with others. - this works well with vayichan) R' Yeruchom though points out that reishis chochma Yir'as Hashem.
However the two are not really different. As a matter of fact from b.k. 92a its clear that Avraham's claim rak ki ein yir'as elokim bamakom hazeh - was in response to Avimelechs asking about Sarah - which Rashi calls a lack of Derech Eretz.
what's the connection bet. D.e. & Yirah? The simplest form of Yirah is recognition of limits. That I am not free to do anything I feel like. That same self restriction or discipline can be on a non relidous level - derech eretz, or on a more lofty level - yir'as elokim.
minhag yisroel Torah brings birkei yosef that when haman blasphemed the Jews to Achashveirosh, he also said "they set up assabim on shavuos..." what's the lashon hara about that???
I'd like to say the title d.e. means that even on a non-religous level, eretz, - which seems hefker & without restriction, also must have a derech. A road that has definition, limitations, guidlines & a goal. Even before Torah & religion, the simple world around us needs some form & guidlines with boundaries & a starting point and destination. The world must be recognized Not as a 'hefker velt' even from a non religous perspective. Eretz has a Derech, & its possible to be 'off the derech' of derech eretz besides for being non religous.
Achashveirosh wanted to show the Jews that even the material world can be enjoyed & used without limitation & with no purpose. (This was to show that not neccessarily is there another world of eden.)
Haman looked at the Jews who take the most 'hefker' disorderly, unlimited natural product of eretz - assabim - wild grasses - (he didn't say flowers) & place them near the Torah on Shavuos showing that all of nature has guidlines & requires disipline in their use and a purpose! Can there be a greater antithesis to the ideas of Achashveirosh!?
Beyond d.e. KADMAH laTorah... There is also the Torah's specific guidlines how to use the world on an elevated plain. That is the 'Lachem' of shavuos - how Moshe Rabeinu debated with the angels for the Torah.
Let us use the lachem of Shavuos properly. The yesod v'shoresh hoAvodah intsructs very stongly that when we sleep & eat on shavuos it shouldn't be 'regular'. Rather full of Joy & thankfullness to Hashem. don't allow the eretz of the 2 days of Shavuos to be 'hefker'. it should at least be with discipline, guidlines, - on a derech. And perhaps even elevated - to a means of ahavas Hashem.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Bamidbar
The Ramban asks why there was a mitzvah to count & more specifically, why the detail count?
He answers that for each person to be seen & introduced to Moshe avi hanevi'im & Aharon k'dosh Hashem, for them to place their eyes upon them with good will, this would be a zechus & source of life & blessing.... Etc.
We must realize, that these individuals, just about a year before, stood before G-D himself & heard Hashem's voice talking to them at har sinai. Wasn't that enough of a z'chus & source of blessing & life? - Imagine our children would come home one day with a direct prophcy from G-D, - Can there be anything better than that?!
The very clear message we see here is that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ENOUGH IN RUCHNIYUS! Especially with regard to one's hopes for his childrens' growth in spirituality. "EPPES MEHR" more & more whatever more we can hope for we must attempt.
Another thing to note, is that we're not talking about little boys being nudged by their young dreamy idealistic fathers. The youngsters in the count were 20yrs old! Chinuch doesn't stop at bar mitzvah & our aspirations for growth doesn't just apply to our kids. Its lifelong. We should continue looking out for opportunities of more kedusha, more brachah, more growth in yir'as shamayim, for our children AND ouselves as long as we're here.
In these areas there should never be enough.
He answers that for each person to be seen & introduced to Moshe avi hanevi'im & Aharon k'dosh Hashem, for them to place their eyes upon them with good will, this would be a zechus & source of life & blessing.... Etc.
We must realize, that these individuals, just about a year before, stood before G-D himself & heard Hashem's voice talking to them at har sinai. Wasn't that enough of a z'chus & source of blessing & life? - Imagine our children would come home one day with a direct prophcy from G-D, - Can there be anything better than that?!
The very clear message we see here is that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ENOUGH IN RUCHNIYUS! Especially with regard to one's hopes for his childrens' growth in spirituality. "EPPES MEHR" more & more whatever more we can hope for we must attempt.
Another thing to note, is that we're not talking about little boys being nudged by their young dreamy idealistic fathers. The youngsters in the count were 20yrs old! Chinuch doesn't stop at bar mitzvah & our aspirations for growth doesn't just apply to our kids. Its lifelong. We should continue looking out for opportunities of more kedusha, more brachah, more growth in yir'as shamayim, for our children AND ouselves as long as we're here.
In these areas there should never be enough.
Sivan bamidbar yisro
Yisro 19.1 - bachodesh.... Bayom haZEH bau midbar sinai. rashi- like today. Ohr gedaliah - torah not for another 6-7 days?! Bachodesh - ba chodesh the month Moshe was anticipating arrived..
We see not only to look forward to mattan torah itself , but even the arrival of sivan! What's pshatt?
R' Yeruchom - Ilu kirvanu lifnei har sinai dayeinu. Need keilim - a vessel or recepticle to receive torah. What a madreigah to be READY for receiving Torah!
in ruchniyus only a kli malei is machzik. We were malei! Raishis chachmah yiras Hashem! BRIMMING TO THE TOP with Yir'ah!
sefiras ha'omer was kidshanu so far, we should be excited with anticipation - &
fill up on yirah & achdus & may we be zocheh....
We see not only to look forward to mattan torah itself , but even the arrival of sivan! What's pshatt?
R' Yeruchom - Ilu kirvanu lifnei har sinai dayeinu. Need keilim - a vessel or recepticle to receive torah. What a madreigah to be READY for receiving Torah!
in ruchniyus only a kli malei is machzik. We were malei! Raishis chachmah yiras Hashem! BRIMMING TO THE TOP with Yir'ah!
sefiras ha'omer was kidshanu so far, we should be excited with anticipation - &
fill up on yirah & achdus & may we be zocheh....
Saturday, May 4, 2013
B'har bechukosai
Six years plant six years cut from the vines the 7th should be a shabbos l'Hashem. Again repeated 7th year shabbos shaboson - like yom kippur? - l'Hashem.
The 6thyr triple bounty is ecpressed interestingly as well - v'tzivisi es birchosi - I will command my blessing? - since when do blessings need mitzvos?
I'm b'chukosai teileichu - the chok here is specifically Ameilus baTorah, as that is not a logically driven mtzvah.
The Mahril diskin & R' Moshe feinstein z"l both say that the torah is teaching us that shmittah must be l'Hashem. This is not about land regaining nutrients - you don't go 6 straight years fpr that. And the 6th year bracha dispells that notion as well - after six straight years the land can produce a triple crop!
This not about being lazy either. The Torah tells us to work the land the six years before, so, similar to shabbos. Those that work must take off 1 in 7 - lshem Hashem, & those that don't work all six, the Torah stresses that still the 7th should be a shabbos of shabbosos - an extra resting, recognizably l'Hashem.
This is a chok which establishes a notably greater relationship of loyalty from the subjects to their King. their doing this with 'no questions asked. Just because the King commanded.
this explains the strange language of blessing as well. Many time a reward can be witheld & blessing left unfulfilled due to some 'kitrug' against the recepient. However here Hashem tells us of the midah k'neged midah, - if you keep shmittah l'Hashem - with a 'no questions asked' approach just as Hashem commanded, so to I WILL COMMAND MY BLEESING, & it will respond against all reason to be witheld or cancelled, against any 'kitrug'. Just because Hashem commanded.
we don't have shmittah d'oraisah anymore, but we still have the opportunity for I'm b'chukpsai teileichu. In that merit may all the blessing come - no questions asked.
If you keep the chok of torah
The 6thyr triple bounty is ecpressed interestingly as well - v'tzivisi es birchosi - I will command my blessing? - since when do blessings need mitzvos?
I'm b'chukosai teileichu - the chok here is specifically Ameilus baTorah, as that is not a logically driven mtzvah.
The Mahril diskin & R' Moshe feinstein z"l both say that the torah is teaching us that shmittah must be l'Hashem. This is not about land regaining nutrients - you don't go 6 straight years fpr that. And the 6th year bracha dispells that notion as well - after six straight years the land can produce a triple crop!
This not about being lazy either. The Torah tells us to work the land the six years before, so, similar to shabbos. Those that work must take off 1 in 7 - lshem Hashem, & those that don't work all six, the Torah stresses that still the 7th should be a shabbos of shabbosos - an extra resting, recognizably l'Hashem.
This is a chok which establishes a notably greater relationship of loyalty from the subjects to their King. their doing this with 'no questions asked. Just because the King commanded.
this explains the strange language of blessing as well. Many time a reward can be witheld & blessing left unfulfilled due to some 'kitrug' against the recepient. However here Hashem tells us of the midah k'neged midah, - if you keep shmittah l'Hashem - with a 'no questions asked' approach just as Hashem commanded, so to I WILL COMMAND MY BLEESING, & it will respond against all reason to be witheld or cancelled, against any 'kitrug'. Just because Hashem commanded.
we don't have shmittah d'oraisah anymore, but we still have the opportunity for I'm b'chukpsai teileichu. In that merit may all the blessing come - no questions asked.
If you keep the chok of torah
Behar bechukosai
Mah shmittah with all its details was from sinai, so to all the mitzvos....R' Moshe explains the exemplary clarity of shmittah being from Hashem was because it was indeniable. People would literally see the miraculous blessing each 6th yr of the cycle. Noone could be mistaken.
However he adds nowadays that we don't have that miracle anymore, we must strengthen our emunah to not have questions in the first place, & this is done only through living a life of kedusha by not allowng ourselve to sink into matterialism which clouds our vision & allows room for mistake.
There seems to be something missing here. Why doesn't R' Moshe say nowadays we have the intelectual proof that no one else besides for the Creator could make the promise of the 6th yr blessing (& expect the mation to exist faithfully for more that 6 yrs) So obviously, the Torah is from Hashem! Why does R' Moshe resort to kedusha?
very simply, our bodies speak more louder to us than our mind. As much intelectual proof as there may be, our addiction to the material world & its desires will allow for confusion & blindness.
We must practice self restriction & be kedoshim, with that we can approach Har sinai.
However he adds nowadays that we don't have that miracle anymore, we must strengthen our emunah to not have questions in the first place, & this is done only through living a life of kedusha by not allowng ourselve to sink into matterialism which clouds our vision & allows room for mistake.
There seems to be something missing here. Why doesn't R' Moshe say nowadays we have the intelectual proof that no one else besides for the Creator could make the promise of the 6th yr blessing (& expect the mation to exist faithfully for more that 6 yrs) So obviously, the Torah is from Hashem! Why does R' Moshe resort to kedusha?
very simply, our bodies speak more louder to us than our mind. As much intelectual proof as there may be, our addiction to the material world & its desires will allow for confusion & blindness.
We must practice self restriction & be kedoshim, with that we can approach Har sinai.
Avos 4.1
Who is a chacham one who is willing (enough to go & push his way in. Not just "I pick up a lesson from everyone I meet"...see Rashi) to learn from any & every one. Who is mighty, one who restricts his desire. Who is wealthy, one who is happy with his lot. Who is honorable, one who honors others.
these are associated with the ma'alos required for a navi, the traits decided for a baby within 40 days from conception, & the passuk in yimiyahu al yis'halel....
if chochom refers to love & thirst for wisdom, as R' Yonah explains, we can understand 'Hashem gives chochma only to chachomim' that one is born with the trait of seeking chochmah, & it his to him that Hashem offers the actual wisdom to.
The mesilas yesharim end of perek 22 says that wisdom is nothing to be proud of, as its one's nature that brings him to it, no less than a bird learns to fly.
According to this, al yis'halel make sense to apply, even to one who is lomed mikol adam.
If so, then we should apply the same approach to all the ma'alos listed. Even the wealth of one who is satisfied with his lot, is nothing to be proud of. As this as well is perhaps what was predefined by Hashem "should this be rich or poor".
this the continues to "gibor" - even though one who restricts his desire is a gibor, this also predesigned "gibor oh chalash" Though this seems quite difficult to understand, perhaps some are blessed with more willpower than others. (they accordingly are 'blessed' with a greater yetzer hora as well, to make life challenging, but they are nonetheless giborim.) Perhaps the end of the qouted passuk is completely unnatural & deserving of pride - tikkun yitzro - not just retraint.
The person who is honorable by his honoring others, obviously is not priding himself to be above anyone in this manner.
this approach does not allow for pride in any areas of ma'alos - just 'haskel v'yadoa osi'. However, this was based on a misunderstood medrash shmuel. The rishonim (& achronim) who associate the mishnah to "al yis'halel" all explain that the mishna is describing the varied forms of these 3 ma'alos which allow for pride as they are considered part of haskel v'yadoa. I'm not sure why they say this, but if so, my approah that all pride is innapropriate is wrong.
On another note. Whether the mishna is or is not allowing pride in these areas, we do see for sure that these 4 traits are not just subjective, arbitrary socially decided attributes. Rathwr the mishnah is definately singling them out as "ma'alos". this itself is an important fact in accordance with what R' yeruchom says on this weeks parsha 'Lo yitamei ba'al b'amov l'heichalo' one must avoid losing a "ma'alah" of his at all cost.
If one does posses any of these ma'alos, whether or not he may pride himself, he most certainly expend all effort to retain them & should gaurd & protect himself against losing them.
these are associated with the ma'alos required for a navi, the traits decided for a baby within 40 days from conception, & the passuk in yimiyahu al yis'halel....
if chochom refers to love & thirst for wisdom, as R' Yonah explains, we can understand 'Hashem gives chochma only to chachomim' that one is born with the trait of seeking chochmah, & it his to him that Hashem offers the actual wisdom to.
The mesilas yesharim end of perek 22 says that wisdom is nothing to be proud of, as its one's nature that brings him to it, no less than a bird learns to fly.
According to this, al yis'halel make sense to apply, even to one who is lomed mikol adam.
If so, then we should apply the same approach to all the ma'alos listed. Even the wealth of one who is satisfied with his lot, is nothing to be proud of. As this as well is perhaps what was predefined by Hashem "should this be rich or poor".
this the continues to "gibor" - even though one who restricts his desire is a gibor, this also predesigned "gibor oh chalash" Though this seems quite difficult to understand, perhaps some are blessed with more willpower than others. (they accordingly are 'blessed' with a greater yetzer hora as well, to make life challenging, but they are nonetheless giborim.) Perhaps the end of the qouted passuk is completely unnatural & deserving of pride - tikkun yitzro - not just retraint.
The person who is honorable by his honoring others, obviously is not priding himself to be above anyone in this manner.
this approach does not allow for pride in any areas of ma'alos - just 'haskel v'yadoa osi'. However, this was based on a misunderstood medrash shmuel. The rishonim (& achronim) who associate the mishnah to "al yis'halel" all explain that the mishna is describing the varied forms of these 3 ma'alos which allow for pride as they are considered part of haskel v'yadoa. I'm not sure why they say this, but if so, my approah that all pride is innapropriate is wrong.
On another note. Whether the mishna is or is not allowing pride in these areas, we do see for sure that these 4 traits are not just subjective, arbitrary socially decided attributes. Rathwr the mishnah is definately singling them out as "ma'alos". this itself is an important fact in accordance with what R' yeruchom says on this weeks parsha 'Lo yitamei ba'al b'amov l'heichalo' one must avoid losing a "ma'alah" of his at all cost.
If one does posses any of these ma'alos, whether or not he may pride himself, he most certainly expend all effort to retain them & should gaurd & protect himself against losing them.
Emor & lag b'omer Hod shebHod
Why is it that of all places the ever important tremendous mitzvah of kiddush Hashem is stated within the halachos of (improper thoughts of)a korbon?
In bamakheilos barchu we say shekein chovas kol hayitzurim lefonecha ....L'hodos the first in the list of Duties of all mankind. In Yishtabach the last form of praise to Hashem is "v'hodaos".
(in hindsight I think yishtabach is listed from top down)
Perhaps one refers to a simple level of hoda'ah that is the duty of any creature - to e thankful for the noticeable good that stands out & calls our attention. while yishtabach refers to the constant recognition that all is from Hashem & we thank Him for everything.
The trait of hod is the capability to bend in response to soroundings which sereves as the baseline potential for 'hadar' to spring back. (see pachad yitzchak on chanukah along these lines.)
The basis for thanks is that there is a response to a situation. We are moved & affected & brought to a point where we react accordingly.
Emor begins with the mitzvah of aveilus which the sefer chinuch explains that 'yehudim' don't look at death r"l as just nature taking its course, but as a message to improve.
perhaps this is another reason for the name Yehudi. We recognize all to be an act of G-D. This is our name, our essence.
This is the minimal status of a Jew. - He is MOVED. He REacts. He REsponds.He RElates. It is the DUTY of all mankind to at least react to a supernatural event but its the essence of a Yehudi to see & react & relate to Hashem with everything that happens.
R' Yeruchom on 'Lo yitamei baal b'amov L'hachalo' explains the importance of keeping one's elevated state & by all means not to allow a madreigah to be lost in the mundane.
when someone is a "BA'AL" madreigah of any type, there is an influence of G-D in himself. Madreigos, though acquired by human effort are really a gift of divine G-Dliness to the person in reward for his effort. Its chilul, is truthfully a real chilul Hashem.
If Hoda'ah is part of the essence of a Yehudi, then the offering of a korbon todah is perhaps the greatest form of self expression of the basic madreigah of a Jew. A deviation - even just in the MIND - of the use of this korban is a truest form chilul of the G-D of the Yehudim.
In bamakheilos barchu we say shekein chovas kol hayitzurim lefonecha ....L'hodos the first in the list of Duties of all mankind. In Yishtabach the last form of praise to Hashem is "v'hodaos".
(in hindsight I think yishtabach is listed from top down)
Perhaps one refers to a simple level of hoda'ah that is the duty of any creature - to e thankful for the noticeable good that stands out & calls our attention. while yishtabach refers to the constant recognition that all is from Hashem & we thank Him for everything.
The trait of hod is the capability to bend in response to soroundings which sereves as the baseline potential for 'hadar' to spring back. (see pachad yitzchak on chanukah along these lines.)
The basis for thanks is that there is a response to a situation. We are moved & affected & brought to a point where we react accordingly.
Emor begins with the mitzvah of aveilus which the sefer chinuch explains that 'yehudim' don't look at death r"l as just nature taking its course, but as a message to improve.
perhaps this is another reason for the name Yehudi. We recognize all to be an act of G-D. This is our name, our essence.
This is the minimal status of a Jew. - He is MOVED. He REacts. He REsponds.He RElates. It is the DUTY of all mankind to at least react to a supernatural event but its the essence of a Yehudi to see & react & relate to Hashem with everything that happens.
R' Yeruchom on 'Lo yitamei baal b'amov L'hachalo' explains the importance of keeping one's elevated state & by all means not to allow a madreigah to be lost in the mundane.
when someone is a "BA'AL" madreigah of any type, there is an influence of G-D in himself. Madreigos, though acquired by human effort are really a gift of divine G-Dliness to the person in reward for his effort. Its chilul, is truthfully a real chilul Hashem.
If Hoda'ah is part of the essence of a Yehudi, then the offering of a korbon todah is perhaps the greatest form of self expression of the basic madreigah of a Jew. A deviation - even just in the MIND - of the use of this korban is a truest form chilul of the G-D of the Yehudim.
Monday, April 29, 2013
talmidei r' akiva sefiras omer
In Yevamos 52b we learn about the tragic story of talmidei R' Akiva that was
due to the fact that 'lo nahagu kavod zeh lazeh? - They did not act
with honor one to another.
The Maharsha says that they verbally degraded each other & therefore
their punishment was a fatal condition associated with the mouth.
While this explains what they did wrong & the midah k'neged midah,
however the lashon of the gemara - shelo nahagu kavod - does not seem
to be a positive act of degradation, rather what they did NOT do -
shev v'al tasseh.
The untimely death of twenty four thousand torah students because of
what seems to be just a deficiency in some midas chassidus is quite
perplexing and requires study.
The gemara (kiddushin 39b) relates the story of the unnatural death of
a son who went up a tree to do shiluach hakein & bring a bird for his
father. The gemara provides a possibilty for his mid-mitzvah tragedy
because he may have sinned with thoughts of avodah zarah while doing
the mitzvah.
The Dibros Moshe states that the gemarah could not attribute his
unnatural death to improper thoughts of women, for although the
prohibition against it is d'oraisah, it still would not result in such
a death.
Similarly, from the fact the talmidei R? Akiva died the bitter &
unnatural death of ask'ra, it seems not to have been due to a lack of
midas chassidus. (One may argue on the comparison from a typical boy
to an expected level of chassidus of talmidei R? Akiva.)
The Maharsha (& others with different nuances - mishnas R? Aharon,
michtav meEliyah, maharal) learn this as a problem
in the kavod haTorah of each other. However the general 'velt? seems
to learn as the Iyun Yakov notes, that this is a story of lack of
simple bein adam l'chaveiro. Yet from the severity of punishment it
appears as a real transgression of
some issur min hadin. If this is so, it requires understanding as from
where do we find a real chiyuv of kavod to another equal Jew (not
because of his Torah) who is not a parent, Rebbi, or elder?
The gemara shabbos 31a relates the incident with the ger who ask to
learn all of Torah on one foot. Regarding the well-known response of
Hillel "mai d'alach sani l'chavrach lo savid? the maharsha points out
that this was said in the negative rather than positive form - love
your friend as yourself, because truthfully, in the positive, it's not
required to love another as much as one's self rather 'chayecha
kodmim'.
Similarly, the Ramban on the passuk ve'ahavta l'reyacha kamocha
(kedoshim 19.18) says that one is not required, NOR CAPABLE, of loving
another equally with himself. However the Ramban states that although
we can't love another as much as ourselves, we are commanded against
specifically wanting another to have LESS than ourselves. What's
amazing from this Ramban is even though if you're not doing or wishing
you friend any HARM - just less massive wealth, wisdom, or blessing
than yourself, it is already transgressing this mitzvah.
The maharsha may still hold that one is able to love that much, but
definitely not commanded to do so actively. This leaves room perhaps
for the literal positive form of the passuk to be a chiyuv in the
heart and 'chayecha kodmin in ma'aseh.
On a side note, it appears from the gemara yevamos 61a that with
regards to one's wife we are capable of completely equal ahava (and
perhaps then required so as well) which goes in tandem with the fact
of ishto k'gufo ? she IS like yourself. R? Avraham Gurwitz in Toras
Avraham on Rambam Yesodi HaTorah & De'os suggests that regarding one's
wife there might not be a din of chayecha kodmin at all, as she must
be treated totally kamocha. It is interesting that one is also
encouraged to honor his wife more than himself. This may be due to the
fact that since ishto k'gufo, unless one shows a distinction between
his own honor and that of his wive's, it would be rendered self love
and he has not fulfilled the requirement of v'ahavta l'reyacha kamocha
in her. Certainly this distinction cannot be in the form of less
honor as that would transgress the general chiyuv of kamocha as
metioned by the Ramban above.
Please note the Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos assay 206 & in hilchos de'os
6.3 seems to hold that one is capable & required
to have complete equal love for another without any limitations. The
Rambam would have to say that chayecha kodmin only applies to acts &
deeds, but the actual love & good will towards another must be equal
to oneself.
Based on the Ramban and above Maharsha (and many other classic
rishonim and achronim), we may conclude as follows. The equal love of
'kamocha? required by the Torah, is not to allow oneself priority over
his friend by treating or even FEELING towards the other any more
NEGATIVELY than toward yourself.
The question remains what kavod was demanded of talmidei R? Akiva min
hadin, that is associated with the mouth and yet that was not
fulfilled b'shev v'al ta'aseh?
Kavod takes on many forms and has various expressions. Standing up for
Talmidei Chachomim, preparing food, clothing, and escorting parents in
or out. Dressing and eating differently than normal is kavod chol
hamoed as brought by R? Yonah in Avos.
R? Shlomo Wolbe in alei shur offers an enlightening definition of the
word Kavod. It may well be 'substantial'. Kaved means
heavy, meaning containing more mass/substance. (Accordingly, kaved
rosh as opposed
to kalus rosh is a mind that is either heavy with substancial thought
or light without
substancial thought.)
There is another thing which I found to be interesting as an example
for kavod, but based on this definition it sheds a great light upon
this sugyah. The mesilas Yeshorim in perek 22 describes deeds of
anavah - humbleness. One of the manners of a humble person, is to
honor others. The prime example of this is "hevei makdim shalom l'chol
adam". At first glance this does not appear to be an act of kavod,
rather a polite manner that enhances human relationships. However, in
truth this may be Kavod in its purest & simplest form. Acting in a way
that REGARDS the SUBSTANTIAL EXISTENCE OF THE OTHER. Although this may
not fit with the classic english definition of the word kavod, however
the Ramchal clearly defines this simple act as kavod.
To understand this a bit deeper, the Maharal regarding the sugyah of
ona'as devarim (baba metziah 58b) explains that the mishnah's first
case of ona'ah is the defining example for what ona'as devarim is.
This is the case of one who asks a merchant for the price of an item
without any intention to buy it. It seems that this is ona'ah even
when the merchant doesn't realize his time time is being wasted. The
Maharal explains that this defines ona'ah, as taking advantage of
another to the point where the victim is degraded - even if just in
the eyes of the offender - to be just an object of entertainment as
opposed to a human of intrinsic value.
Perhaps we can add along these lines, that noticing another Jew and
acting as if he didn't exist, or is less "substantially existent" than
yourself, by ignoring his presence is a direct transgression of
v'ahavta l'reyacha kamocha, as explained by the Ramban. This is the
minimal form of kavod due to any individual - that his existence as a
human with feelings be recognized. Hevai makdim Shalom l'chol adam may
very well be the halachically required, d'oraisah chiyuv, of kavod
that we are all commanded to do for another Jew regardless of his his
age or wisdom. This can be the shev v'al taasaeh lack of kavod that
was required of the talmidei R? Akiva min hadin. This is also a
universal form of kavod performed with the mouth, and hence the
punishment of assk"ra.
Let us all be TALMIDEI CHACHOMIM MARBIM SHALOM BA'OLAM.
due to the fact that 'lo nahagu kavod zeh lazeh? - They did not act
with honor one to another.
The Maharsha says that they verbally degraded each other & therefore
their punishment was a fatal condition associated with the mouth.
While this explains what they did wrong & the midah k'neged midah,
however the lashon of the gemara - shelo nahagu kavod - does not seem
to be a positive act of degradation, rather what they did NOT do -
shev v'al tasseh.
The untimely death of twenty four thousand torah students because of
what seems to be just a deficiency in some midas chassidus is quite
perplexing and requires study.
The gemara (kiddushin 39b) relates the story of the unnatural death of
a son who went up a tree to do shiluach hakein & bring a bird for his
father. The gemara provides a possibilty for his mid-mitzvah tragedy
because he may have sinned with thoughts of avodah zarah while doing
the mitzvah.
The Dibros Moshe states that the gemarah could not attribute his
unnatural death to improper thoughts of women, for although the
prohibition against it is d'oraisah, it still would not result in such
a death.
Similarly, from the fact the talmidei R? Akiva died the bitter &
unnatural death of ask'ra, it seems not to have been due to a lack of
midas chassidus. (One may argue on the comparison from a typical boy
to an expected level of chassidus of talmidei R? Akiva.)
The Maharsha (& others with different nuances - mishnas R? Aharon,
michtav meEliyah, maharal) learn this as a problem
in the kavod haTorah of each other. However the general 'velt? seems
to learn as the Iyun Yakov notes, that this is a story of lack of
simple bein adam l'chaveiro. Yet from the severity of punishment it
appears as a real transgression of
some issur min hadin. If this is so, it requires understanding as from
where do we find a real chiyuv of kavod to another equal Jew (not
because of his Torah) who is not a parent, Rebbi, or elder?
The gemara shabbos 31a relates the incident with the ger who ask to
learn all of Torah on one foot. Regarding the well-known response of
Hillel "mai d'alach sani l'chavrach lo savid? the maharsha points out
that this was said in the negative rather than positive form - love
your friend as yourself, because truthfully, in the positive, it's not
required to love another as much as one's self rather 'chayecha
kodmim'.
Similarly, the Ramban on the passuk ve'ahavta l'reyacha kamocha
(kedoshim 19.18) says that one is not required, NOR CAPABLE, of loving
another equally with himself. However the Ramban states that although
we can't love another as much as ourselves, we are commanded against
specifically wanting another to have LESS than ourselves. What's
amazing from this Ramban is even though if you're not doing or wishing
you friend any HARM - just less massive wealth, wisdom, or blessing
than yourself, it is already transgressing this mitzvah.
The maharsha may still hold that one is able to love that much, but
definitely not commanded to do so actively. This leaves room perhaps
for the literal positive form of the passuk to be a chiyuv in the
heart and 'chayecha kodmin in ma'aseh.
On a side note, it appears from the gemara yevamos 61a that with
regards to one's wife we are capable of completely equal ahava (and
perhaps then required so as well) which goes in tandem with the fact
of ishto k'gufo ? she IS like yourself. R? Avraham Gurwitz in Toras
Avraham on Rambam Yesodi HaTorah & De'os suggests that regarding one's
wife there might not be a din of chayecha kodmin at all, as she must
be treated totally kamocha. It is interesting that one is also
encouraged to honor his wife more than himself. This may be due to the
fact that since ishto k'gufo, unless one shows a distinction between
his own honor and that of his wive's, it would be rendered self love
and he has not fulfilled the requirement of v'ahavta l'reyacha kamocha
in her. Certainly this distinction cannot be in the form of less
honor as that would transgress the general chiyuv of kamocha as
metioned by the Ramban above.
Please note the Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos assay 206 & in hilchos de'os
6.3 seems to hold that one is capable & required
to have complete equal love for another without any limitations. The
Rambam would have to say that chayecha kodmin only applies to acts &
deeds, but the actual love & good will towards another must be equal
to oneself.
Based on the Ramban and above Maharsha (and many other classic
rishonim and achronim), we may conclude as follows. The equal love of
'kamocha? required by the Torah, is not to allow oneself priority over
his friend by treating or even FEELING towards the other any more
NEGATIVELY than toward yourself.
The question remains what kavod was demanded of talmidei R? Akiva min
hadin, that is associated with the mouth and yet that was not
fulfilled b'shev v'al ta'aseh?
Kavod takes on many forms and has various expressions. Standing up for
Talmidei Chachomim, preparing food, clothing, and escorting parents in
or out. Dressing and eating differently than normal is kavod chol
hamoed as brought by R? Yonah in Avos.
R? Shlomo Wolbe in alei shur offers an enlightening definition of the
word Kavod. It may well be 'substantial'. Kaved means
heavy, meaning containing more mass/substance. (Accordingly, kaved
rosh as opposed
to kalus rosh is a mind that is either heavy with substancial thought
or light without
substancial thought.)
There is another thing which I found to be interesting as an example
for kavod, but based on this definition it sheds a great light upon
this sugyah. The mesilas Yeshorim in perek 22 describes deeds of
anavah - humbleness. One of the manners of a humble person, is to
honor others. The prime example of this is "hevei makdim shalom l'chol
adam". At first glance this does not appear to be an act of kavod,
rather a polite manner that enhances human relationships. However, in
truth this may be Kavod in its purest & simplest form. Acting in a way
that REGARDS the SUBSTANTIAL EXISTENCE OF THE OTHER. Although this may
not fit with the classic english definition of the word kavod, however
the Ramchal clearly defines this simple act as kavod.
To understand this a bit deeper, the Maharal regarding the sugyah of
ona'as devarim (baba metziah 58b) explains that the mishnah's first
case of ona'ah is the defining example for what ona'as devarim is.
This is the case of one who asks a merchant for the price of an item
without any intention to buy it. It seems that this is ona'ah even
when the merchant doesn't realize his time time is being wasted. The
Maharal explains that this defines ona'ah, as taking advantage of
another to the point where the victim is degraded - even if just in
the eyes of the offender - to be just an object of entertainment as
opposed to a human of intrinsic value.
Perhaps we can add along these lines, that noticing another Jew and
acting as if he didn't exist, or is less "substantially existent" than
yourself, by ignoring his presence is a direct transgression of
v'ahavta l'reyacha kamocha, as explained by the Ramban. This is the
minimal form of kavod due to any individual - that his existence as a
human with feelings be recognized. Hevai makdim Shalom l'chol adam may
very well be the halachically required, d'oraisah chiyuv, of kavod
that we are all commanded to do for another Jew regardless of his his
age or wisdom. This can be the shev v'al taasaeh lack of kavod that
was required of the talmidei R? Akiva min hadin. This is also a
universal form of kavod performed with the mouth, and hence the
punishment of assk"ra.
Let us all be TALMIDEI CHACHOMIM MARBIM SHALOM BA'OLAM.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Avos 3.1
Akavyah be mehalalel says to look at 3 things & you won'tcome to sin. KNOW from where you've come. Where you're going & to Whom you will give an accounting.
He then seems to repeat?
Also why the 1st time in statement form - KNOW where.. & 2nd time in question?
Also, why the first time does he not say the answer but in the repeat he says the answers.
Also, what was the need to number them?
Chasid Ya'avetz asks what's connection to next mishnah - pray for peace of govt. ? & the next many are all about Torah.?
interesting to see that Rashi says the passuk "uz'chor es bor'echa" is the source for all three. As a matter of fact, they're all learned from the SAME WORD!!! so it seems like the 3 may not be so distinctly separate as we thought!
another thing to ponder is, if the mishanh can garuantee safety from sin from this seemingly simple excercise, whay are we all not doing this & saving ourselves????
perhaps the repetition informs us that the tanna was talking to two different types of people. And perhaps we can say that is why the 3 may be learned from one word. To the understanding person, all three statements arrive at the same goal. zchor Bor'echa. His Neshome came from Hashem - man dlnofach midilei nafach. & his soul is returning & presenting itself with its accounting before Hashem.
He does not need the answers. He KNOWS.
The other needs to ponder the question as is so mixed up, he needs to be guided to the answers.
The chassid yavetz says the next mishnah comes to argue on ours by saying, don't expect the 'hamon am' to bring this to fruition. The only real eitzah to protect from sin is what's described in the rest of the perek - Torah. For all those who will not make use of Torah Tavlin, we'll just have to pray for the wellfare of the Government & its Law enforcement agencies, because otherwise people will be eating each other alive.
He then seems to repeat?
Also why the 1st time in statement form - KNOW where.. & 2nd time in question?
Also, why the first time does he not say the answer but in the repeat he says the answers.
Also, what was the need to number them?
Chasid Ya'avetz asks what's connection to next mishnah - pray for peace of govt. ? & the next many are all about Torah.?
interesting to see that Rashi says the passuk "uz'chor es bor'echa" is the source for all three. As a matter of fact, they're all learned from the SAME WORD!!! so it seems like the 3 may not be so distinctly separate as we thought!
another thing to ponder is, if the mishanh can garuantee safety from sin from this seemingly simple excercise, whay are we all not doing this & saving ourselves????
perhaps the repetition informs us that the tanna was talking to two different types of people. And perhaps we can say that is why the 3 may be learned from one word. To the understanding person, all three statements arrive at the same goal. zchor Bor'echa. His Neshome came from Hashem - man dlnofach midilei nafach. & his soul is returning & presenting itself with its accounting before Hashem.
He does not need the answers. He KNOWS.
The other needs to ponder the question as is so mixed up, he needs to be guided to the answers.
The chassid yavetz says the next mishnah comes to argue on ours by saying, don't expect the 'hamon am' to bring this to fruition. The only real eitzah to protect from sin is what's described in the rest of the perek - Torah. For all those who will not make use of Torah Tavlin, we'll just have to pray for the wellfare of the Government & its Law enforcement agencies, because otherwise people will be eating each other alive.
emor pre Lag b'omer
Zohar vaikra 97 (raya mehimna) sefira is like tumah of wife (quotes passuk of zavah countinting) even after blood stops needs to count ofr complete taharah so too jews left mitrayim ended the sibah - cuase of tum'ah but were still tamei till they counted 7 completely clean weeks.
If like zavah what happens to someone who is nichshal during the seven weeks ? one drop of dam is soser the whole count! - does such a person have to restart & miss matan Torah?!
Kdai R' Shimon L'smoch alav b'shas had'chak. Ein L'cha shas d'chack gedolah mizu.
R' Shimon les lieh Muktzeh. We know he agrees to some - chisaron kis, mius, issur etc... But he is matir if there is no positive cause for haktza'ah or whenever the cause of hak'tza'ah is removed. He doesn't hold of migu d'iskatzoi bein hashmashos iskatzoi kula yoma.
only when the sibah of rejection & tumah is still present does he hold that one can be pushed aside, -muktzah. But just because of an earlier state of tumah will not cause one to be pushed away now.
although in general we don't paskin like him in muktzah, K'dai lismoch alav bshas had'chak.
The problem still is that dam in the 7 days is cause for tumah & reverses all!
If we have the midah of hod we ADMIT our guilt we can say ritzoneinu L'asos ritzoncha, umi me'akev? S'or sheb'isah - yetzer & shibud malchiyos. Our sin is not really coming from us but from other sources. Dam not from the mekor is not a cause for tumah. It is a stain we can be toleh on another source, a bug or wound.
Then we may use the midah of hod again 'back to back' (hod sheb'hod) to THANK Hashem for the opportunity of teshuvah & cleanliness, and anticipate with simcha kabolas haTorah in purity.
If like zavah what happens to someone who is nichshal during the seven weeks ? one drop of dam is soser the whole count! - does such a person have to restart & miss matan Torah?!
Kdai R' Shimon L'smoch alav b'shas had'chak. Ein L'cha shas d'chack gedolah mizu.
R' Shimon les lieh Muktzeh. We know he agrees to some - chisaron kis, mius, issur etc... But he is matir if there is no positive cause for haktza'ah or whenever the cause of hak'tza'ah is removed. He doesn't hold of migu d'iskatzoi bein hashmashos iskatzoi kula yoma.
only when the sibah of rejection & tumah is still present does he hold that one can be pushed aside, -muktzah. But just because of an earlier state of tumah will not cause one to be pushed away now.
although in general we don't paskin like him in muktzah, K'dai lismoch alav bshas had'chak.
The problem still is that dam in the 7 days is cause for tumah & reverses all!
If we have the midah of hod we ADMIT our guilt we can say ritzoneinu L'asos ritzoncha, umi me'akev? S'or sheb'isah - yetzer & shibud malchiyos. Our sin is not really coming from us but from other sources. Dam not from the mekor is not a cause for tumah. It is a stain we can be toleh on another source, a bug or wound.
Then we may use the midah of hod again 'back to back' (hod sheb'hod) to THANK Hashem for the opportunity of teshuvah & cleanliness, and anticipate with simcha kabolas haTorah in purity.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Re: Keilim Avos keser shem tov draft 2
The Rambam in perek 3 of hilchos talmud torah details a list of requirements for one who desires to acquire the crown of Torah. These are different halachos not required by the actual mitzvah of talmud torah.
What is the purpose of this crown? Who needs a crown? Is it just a way of enticing someone to exert more effort in his learning? Is there any concrete difference between a talmid chochom who has the crown & one who does not?
In pirkei avos we find the mishnah making enough of an issue of the crowns to enumerate how many crowns exist. Obviously this is not just a way to encourage dedication to a good cause, as that would allow us to say there are as many crowns as there are mitzvos! So what is special about the limited 3 that are counted?
Rashi explains the source of these 3 crowns come from a remez in the klei mishkan, where we find 3 keilim that had a zer saviv.
The maharal goes into great detail explaining the crowns' measurements associated to the kinyanim needed for these crowns.
(mizbeach 1amah by 1 ama - 6x4 sides =24. Aron 1.5 x 2.5 - 15 +15 +9+9=48 shulchan use height 1x2 =12 & W 1.5 x2 =18 =30)
Where's keser shem tov in the mishkan? & why is it not counted as a 4th crown?
Rashi, & R' Yonah - learn that there is no such thing as a kesser shem tov being its own crown. Rather it comes with the proper dedication to the mission of the other 3.
This needs explanation.
A kesser is also called a nezer, or, as with the klei mishkan, a zer. Its purpose is to set apart & estrange others from the elevated status of the wearer.
The crowns described in the mishnah are not just trophies or 'rewards for excellence' which can be applied to any mitzvah. Rather they are definitive of a specifically defined level of dedication to specifically these three missions. This explains the fact that there are 3 crowns & no more. In all other mitzvos and occupations there is no recommendation to be tied to that mitzvah to the extent that it would affect one's social relationships. On the contrary, the torah regards social relationships very highly. As the mishnah states L'olam y'hei da'ato shel adam me'urav im habrios. eizeh hu derech yesharah...tiferes lo min ha'adam. However, with regards to these three missions, the tanna informs us that although one is not required to go so far for these mitzvos, still, the extra dedication is commendable and encouraged. The crown associated with Torah, Kehunah, and Malchus, is worn by one who has experienced some level of detachment from normal social life due to his dedication to these mitzvos. He has set himself apart from the crowd in giving prime importance to the mission at hand. Only in these three areas of avodah is such a separation acceptable and even praised. Hence, the crowns have a definitive meaning and they are specifically available only by way of three clearly defined achievements.
A tremendous chidush comes to light with this understanding. One would assume that the socially limiting dedication described here, would naturally cause a breakdown in peoples' appreciation for the 'dedicated individual'. We would think that such a person would not posses "tiferes lo min ha'adam" and he would certainly not be as well liked as his peers. For this the Tanna informs us a great chidush. Through his dedication to these three missions he will BE CROWNED AS WELL WITH A KESSER SHEM TOV!!! True, he will have set himself somewhat apart, but not in a negative way, rather in glory! He will not be disliked, he will be admired! This is one amazing chidush of our mishnah.
There is another valuable insight the mishnah teaches us here.
The only way one would attempt to achieve an elevated status of shem tov on its own, would have to be through complete selflessness on behalf of others. Intrinsically that cannot set him APART, rather that unifies him with the public to the extent that he is an 'ish klall'. While this is certainly worthy of a glorious crown no less than the others, by nature it is impossible for there to be a kesser that separates him from others.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Vayigash
Paroh commands Yoseph to take wagons & send them to his family to bring them to Egypt. Yoseph takes & sends them. Ya'akov sees the (calf drawn -yonasan ben uziel) wagons that yoseph sent & is thereby consoled. He thentravels to Be'er Sheva with no mention of the wagons & after receiving a vision & message from Hashem he goes to mitzrayim - on the wagons. (He didn't want to use the wagons for his own use as pharoah gave them with the intent to immigrate to egypt. Meshch chochma?)
We may ask why did Pharoah have to express himself so strongly -"v'attah tzuvaisah zos assu" - "And you are hereby commanded, this you must do." just to give permission for yoseph to send the wagons?
the da'as zekeinim makes a diyuk that the wagons were for the family, but pharoah wanted Yakov to be CARRIED by his sons.
perhaps pharoah was scheming.... He knew that the 400 years may be not full slavery & was concerned that Yakov's yeridah to egypt should not be the beginning (little did he know the numbers could be counted from even before that!) so that it can be 400 years of real slavery.
Therefore he wanted the family to come in respectful wagons - and yakov be carried as a sign of royalty - so that it cannot be the start of galus.
Yakov didn't even allow family to use wagons for this concern. Until he had a prophecy from Hashem that this was already part of the cheshbon of galus as Hashem had to tell him not to fear & "I will go down with you'' which is the assurance that Hashem is with us in exile. Then in the next pasuk it clearly says yakov allowed himself to be carried & the family went in the wagons.
We may ask why did Pharoah have to express himself so strongly -"v'attah tzuvaisah zos assu" - "And you are hereby commanded, this you must do." just to give permission for yoseph to send the wagons?
the da'as zekeinim makes a diyuk that the wagons were for the family, but pharoah wanted Yakov to be CARRIED by his sons.
perhaps pharoah was scheming.... He knew that the 400 years may be not full slavery & was concerned that Yakov's yeridah to egypt should not be the beginning (little did he know the numbers could be counted from even before that!) so that it can be 400 years of real slavery.
Therefore he wanted the family to come in respectful wagons - and yakov be carried as a sign of royalty - so that it cannot be the start of galus.
Yakov didn't even allow family to use wagons for this concern. Until he had a prophecy from Hashem that this was already part of the cheshbon of galus as Hashem had to tell him not to fear & "I will go down with you'' which is the assurance that Hashem is with us in exile. Then in the next pasuk it clearly says yakov allowed himself to be carried & the family went in the wagons.
Trumah
The medrash relates the neginning of terumah - "v'yikchu li", to Torah - ki lekach tov. What's the connection?
merchants on boat teased the talmid chochom that he didn't have merchandise. He retorted that he has better than they. Pirates looted ship & all were left penniless. Tha Rabbi had nothing to lose. Upon arrival he gave shiur @ beis medrash & was escorted out in great honor with many invitations... Then he met the begging merchants in the street...
Torah is best mechandise - can't lose it.
Secondly, the medrash relates in business its either gold OR silver not both, but Torah is mei'alfei zahav vachesef. It has both attributes.
The meshech chochmah (or maharil diskin) asks, in business of course you can buy both as well!?
He answers that kesef refers to the fact that kesef koneh - it is currency that is easily transferable & accepted. Zahav is considered 'kli' the item being purchased. In every transaction one sells an item & one buys one gives away kesef to the other & gets 'zahav - an item from the other. It is impossible to be both in any given transaction. torah has both elements. Zahav is a dvar Torah that is not so 'over lasocher' - not so transferable to others but has a lot of value to its owner. Kesef is very transferable. In any dvar Torah there can be special meaning to the person & a simpler transferable point.
also in every exchange one gives up what he has & vice versa except for an exchange of torah.
just as terumah the donation given was really an act of gaining for oneself.
merchants on boat teased the talmid chochom that he didn't have merchandise. He retorted that he has better than they. Pirates looted ship & all were left penniless. Tha Rabbi had nothing to lose. Upon arrival he gave shiur @ beis medrash & was escorted out in great honor with many invitations... Then he met the begging merchants in the street...
Torah is best mechandise - can't lose it.
Secondly, the medrash relates in business its either gold OR silver not both, but Torah is mei'alfei zahav vachesef. It has both attributes.
The meshech chochmah (or maharil diskin) asks, in business of course you can buy both as well!?
He answers that kesef refers to the fact that kesef koneh - it is currency that is easily transferable & accepted. Zahav is considered 'kli' the item being purchased. In every transaction one sells an item & one buys one gives away kesef to the other & gets 'zahav - an item from the other. It is impossible to be both in any given transaction. torah has both elements. Zahav is a dvar Torah that is not so 'over lasocher' - not so transferable to others but has a lot of value to its owner. Kesef is very transferable. In any dvar Torah there can be special meaning to the person & a simpler transferable point.
also in every exchange one gives up what he has & vice versa except for an exchange of torah.
just as terumah the donation given was really an act of gaining for oneself.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Kedoshim
Rashi says this parshah is said by Hakhel because majority of torah. Many ask that only contains 51 mitzvos not Rov.
Shabbos 31a V' ahavta l'rayacha kamocho. Rashi says most mitzvos are included in this rule of bein adam l'chaveiro. Perhaps that's why this parsha contains 'rov gufei Torah'. Accordingly though we don't start new minhagim, i'd say that those we, who stand by aseres hadibros because all of torah is included in them, it would be proper to stand by v'ahavta... As well.
Rambam de'os 6.3 mitzvah to love as self & therefore praise protect & honor....& one who is 'miskabed b'klon chaveiro ein lo chelek l'olam haba'. sounds like a side note stuck in while describing the main mitzvah?
Similarly, baba metziah 58b one of 3 who go to gehinom & don't come up is one who calls another by his uncomplimentary nickname. The gemarah clearly states this refers to a case where the other is used to the name & not embarrassed by its use anymore.
why is this so chamur?
The Maharal allways explains gehinom or ein cheIek... as avadon - negative or absence. Someone who is spiritually 'present' retains that presence l'asid. Someone who is absent will be so too.
I believe the reason why the rambam brings miskabed bklon in the the ikkar mitzvah is because this is the klall here. 'BE POSITIVE with regard to others'. One who can gain a feeling of 'presence' by a witty sharp line against another - even which not neccesarilly cause pain to to his friend - is sustaing himself through negativity. he has no eternal kiyum at all - Ein lo chelek l'olam haba.
How careful we must be to BE POSITIVE. What a positive life of happy love would it be if we felt love for every Jew we'd meet! Do, Think, Talk, & Feel Positive to others & with that we should be vayichan sham yisrael neged hahar.
Shabbos 31a V' ahavta l'rayacha kamocho. Rashi says most mitzvos are included in this rule of bein adam l'chaveiro. Perhaps that's why this parsha contains 'rov gufei Torah'. Accordingly though we don't start new minhagim, i'd say that those we, who stand by aseres hadibros because all of torah is included in them, it would be proper to stand by v'ahavta... As well.
Rambam de'os 6.3 mitzvah to love as self & therefore praise protect & honor....& one who is 'miskabed b'klon chaveiro ein lo chelek l'olam haba'. sounds like a side note stuck in while describing the main mitzvah?
Similarly, baba metziah 58b one of 3 who go to gehinom & don't come up is one who calls another by his uncomplimentary nickname. The gemarah clearly states this refers to a case where the other is used to the name & not embarrassed by its use anymore.
why is this so chamur?
The Maharal allways explains gehinom or ein cheIek... as avadon - negative or absence. Someone who is spiritually 'present' retains that presence l'asid. Someone who is absent will be so too.
I believe the reason why the rambam brings miskabed bklon in the the ikkar mitzvah is because this is the klall here. 'BE POSITIVE with regard to others'. One who can gain a feeling of 'presence' by a witty sharp line against another - even which not neccesarilly cause pain to to his friend - is sustaing himself through negativity. he has no eternal kiyum at all - Ein lo chelek l'olam haba.
How careful we must be to BE POSITIVE. What a positive life of happy love would it be if we felt love for every Jew we'd meet! Do, Think, Talk, & Feel Positive to others & with that we should be vayichan sham yisrael neged hahar.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Vayikra
why not yeast or honey but salt is not only allowed but required? How do these 3 ingedients realteChinuch - sod. rmbn intro mishkan/korbon to retain lasting kurvah even after sin.
3 approaches to making something last. Taking it slow, - s'or - chometz delaying fulfilling one's tafkid & slowing down his avodah to extend is not an option.
Sorrounding oneself either with 'life preservers" to constantly be me'orer & coach him, or with sheilds blocking out the challenging environment - dvash - also will work a bit but not the proper approach.
slat brings out the good from within. We have to draw from the resevior of good Hashem put in us. & from there reach a long term relationship. this is pwerful enough even if one is exposed to the environment. The inner traits we ourselves posses were custom made for our challenges.
3 approaches to making something last. Taking it slow, - s'or - chometz delaying fulfilling one's tafkid & slowing down his avodah to extend is not an option.
Sorrounding oneself either with 'life preservers" to constantly be me'orer & coach him, or with sheilds blocking out the challenging environment - dvash - also will work a bit but not the proper approach.
slat brings out the good from within. We have to draw from the resevior of good Hashem put in us. & from there reach a long term relationship. this is pwerful enough even if one is exposed to the environment. The inner traits we ourselves posses were custom made for our challenges.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Ki sisah
Ach shabsosai tishmoru - priority over building mishkan. What's hava amina mishkan -asai- overide shabbos asai & lo sasei with death?
Shabbos shaboson - menuchas margoah what is different about menuchas arai vs. Margoah?
'os' a sign of how cherished we are to Hashem - Rashi - you rest on My day of rest. the os of Hashem's love is not the fact that he gave us a day off, rather the choice of which day. Why on earth would it be a DIFFERENT day?! - there already existed this day from 6 days of creation, why choose tuesday over shabbos?!!! How does this show special love?
most partnershops are created with the common goal to run a company to produce money. the 2 partners each take a shift to fill in for each other & the goal is constantly fulfilled. however there may be a partnership in which the purpose was just have a partnership in one unifying entity together. If one partner does both jobs to be able to join his partner for a vacation, that is a clear sign that the goal is the unity not the company.
if our day 'off' would be on G-d's work day, & vice versa, we wouldn't see the day off as a partnership of love rather a business partnership. But Hashem says let's squeeze all the work into 6 days so we can take the day off TOGETHER.
Not menuchas arai, - a need to take a break, rather an intentional designated day to truly vacation TOGETHER with Hashem. Since the goal of the mishkan was to set up the 'accomodations' for this togetherness, we'd have thought its docheh shabbos. However Hashem tells us that on Shabbos we are on such a level of closeness that that the need for accomodations is less. - similar to kodem chet eigel in which Hashem would dwell in the heart of each jew without a designated building.
Shabbos shaboson - menuchas margoah what is different about menuchas arai vs. Margoah?
'os' a sign of how cherished we are to Hashem - Rashi - you rest on My day of rest. the os of Hashem's love is not the fact that he gave us a day off, rather the choice of which day. Why on earth would it be a DIFFERENT day?! - there already existed this day from 6 days of creation, why choose tuesday over shabbos?!!! How does this show special love?
most partnershops are created with the common goal to run a company to produce money. the 2 partners each take a shift to fill in for each other & the goal is constantly fulfilled. however there may be a partnership in which the purpose was just have a partnership in one unifying entity together. If one partner does both jobs to be able to join his partner for a vacation, that is a clear sign that the goal is the unity not the company.
if our day 'off' would be on G-d's work day, & vice versa, we wouldn't see the day off as a partnership of love rather a business partnership. But Hashem says let's squeeze all the work into 6 days so we can take the day off TOGETHER.
Not menuchas arai, - a need to take a break, rather an intentional designated day to truly vacation TOGETHER with Hashem. Since the goal of the mishkan was to set up the 'accomodations' for this togetherness, we'd have thought its docheh shabbos. However Hashem tells us that on Shabbos we are on such a level of closeness that that the need for accomodations is less. - similar to kodem chet eigel in which Hashem would dwell in the heart of each jew without a designated building.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Avos 2.1
must CHOOSE a mehalech. Not just what comes by. of course good to be nice etc. But must realize the importance of choosing it as a derech. Nedarim 22b only because of this mishna could he use R' Nachman's agitation as a pesach. Otherwise can't claim one person's bother renders neder a mistake. But since it is the chosen derech accepted upon himself, a new chumrah of neder that didn't fit with his derech must be error.
Rashi says tiferes is noach & hana'ah for him & other. See igeres hagra ' for G-D's sake raise them b'tov ub'nachas!' ...that a lesson is not absorbed unless b'yishuv & b'nachas....dispense small coins & the like....
This not only applies to kids but ourselves as well. We absorb & grow when the approach is noach & hana'ah easy & enjoyable. Painful & self deprivaty though sometimes is neccessary, cannot be a persons 'Derech' approach.
R' Yeruchom says az kanomer - bold undertaking. but kal kanesher - the approach to achiev the goal must be so light - as the effortless gliding of an eagle in the air.
Rambam only middle, non extreme is derech yashar. Within that guidline there's still plenty room for personal choice. techunah chshuvah is tiferes - L'nafsho - for self. & minhag tov for people. tiferes means techunah Chashuvah not just 'nice' to some level self glorification. Ba'al tishaktzu demands self refinement not just for others but for self. Assur to smell bad smell - Don't get used it! meiri says 'silsul' is a good trait to have, perhaps this may be reffered to as refinement or class. Not to be 'down & dirty' & casual.
Kalah k'chamurah. Rambam - simchas regel. Ruach chaim - lo lishmah. perhaps that's meaning of kal & chamur light (lacking) substance because the mitzvah lacks true spiritual essence. As opppsed to chamur filled with substance - spiritual essence. Don't view lo lishmah as cheap & not worth the effort. Even lo lishma has huge reward - we can't fthom the reward of any mitzvah. someone enumerated a few intitutions he founded & prided himself that they were pure & lishmah, The ponovezher rav (i think) said what a shame! - if only weren't so lishmah we'd have so many more!
Simchas yom tov can easily be lo lishmah but still be very careful about it! - even more so shabbos r' sorotzkin brings from zohar that oneg shabbos not lishmah is not even deficeint - karas L'shabbos oneg. Not oneg shabbos!
Enjoy shabbos. :-)
Rashi says tiferes is noach & hana'ah for him & other. See igeres hagra ' for G-D's sake raise them b'tov ub'nachas!' ...that a lesson is not absorbed unless b'yishuv & b'nachas....dispense small coins & the like....
This not only applies to kids but ourselves as well. We absorb & grow when the approach is noach & hana'ah easy & enjoyable. Painful & self deprivaty though sometimes is neccessary, cannot be a persons 'Derech' approach.
R' Yeruchom says az kanomer - bold undertaking. but kal kanesher - the approach to achiev the goal must be so light - as the effortless gliding of an eagle in the air.
Rambam only middle, non extreme is derech yashar. Within that guidline there's still plenty room for personal choice. techunah chshuvah is tiferes - L'nafsho - for self. & minhag tov for people. tiferes means techunah Chashuvah not just 'nice' to some level self glorification. Ba'al tishaktzu demands self refinement not just for others but for self. Assur to smell bad smell - Don't get used it! meiri says 'silsul' is a good trait to have, perhaps this may be reffered to as refinement or class. Not to be 'down & dirty' & casual.
Kalah k'chamurah. Rambam - simchas regel. Ruach chaim - lo lishmah. perhaps that's meaning of kal & chamur light (lacking) substance because the mitzvah lacks true spiritual essence. As opppsed to chamur filled with substance - spiritual essence. Don't view lo lishmah as cheap & not worth the effort. Even lo lishma has huge reward - we can't fthom the reward of any mitzvah. someone enumerated a few intitutions he founded & prided himself that they were pure & lishmah, The ponovezher rav (i think) said what a shame! - if only weren't so lishmah we'd have so many more!
Simchas yom tov can easily be lo lishmah but still be very careful about it! - even more so shabbos r' sorotzkin brings from zohar that oneg shabbos not lishmah is not even deficeint - karas L'shabbos oneg. Not oneg shabbos!
Enjoy shabbos. :-)
Tazria metzorah
R moshe notes relationship bet. tumas leidah & bris 8th day (on shabbos). Even before 1st positive step in chinuch parents must have awareness that just coming into this world & just by a body coming into existence, the natural state is tum'ah. After the cautios awareness of the nature of our bodies & the world we're in, they can then begin the positive chinuch w bris.
on the other hand, we find also the opposite - that for 33 days following the bris any blood which normally is considered severe tumah is reversed to 'dam tohar'. (all the more so acc. to mayan echad). from this we learn that the proper training of even one child has the power to affect & completely reverse not just himself but even (others) his surroundings.
on the other hand, we find also the opposite - that for 33 days following the bris any blood which normally is considered severe tumah is reversed to 'dam tohar'. (all the more so acc. to mayan echad). from this we learn that the proper training of even one child has the power to affect & completely reverse not just himself but even (others) his surroundings.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Mishpatim
We pierce the ear of an eved with a Claim against Ozen 'sheshama'? -it seems like the EAR did its job?!
A horse that runs with the rider not being ready is an untrained 'vildeh ferd'. idealistically, (& perhaps by matan torah shepaskah zuhama like adam bef. Cheit) The ear should not hear when the nefesh is not ready to be mekabel.
R' Alivah eiger did not SEE the light at a family simcha & complained about the darkness, when they were lit on shabbos for the jews by a goy. The Chofetz chaim didn't HEAR a talmids 'white lie'.
R' Yeruchom da'as torah ma'amar on b'shalach. Any limb of the body should ideally not function w/o its 'trainer'.
though this may be an overly - lofty level for ourselves, there can be a practical application of this lesson.
Our ears fool ourselves to feel accomplished by hearing news, music, or even a shiur when really our mind was tuned out. Perhaps we can start a practice of not physically doing things when our inner self is not ready & attentive. Whether eating, looking around, hearing etc.
A horse that runs with the rider not being ready is an untrained 'vildeh ferd'. idealistically, (& perhaps by matan torah shepaskah zuhama like adam bef. Cheit) The ear should not hear when the nefesh is not ready to be mekabel.
R' Alivah eiger did not SEE the light at a family simcha & complained about the darkness, when they were lit on shabbos for the jews by a goy. The Chofetz chaim didn't HEAR a talmids 'white lie'.
R' Yeruchom da'as torah ma'amar on b'shalach. Any limb of the body should ideally not function w/o its 'trainer'.
though this may be an overly - lofty level for ourselves, there can be a practical application of this lesson.
Our ears fool ourselves to feel accomplished by hearing news, music, or even a shiur when really our mind was tuned out. Perhaps we can start a practice of not physically doing things when our inner self is not ready & attentive. Whether eating, looking around, hearing etc.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Yisro
koh tomrun l'beis yakov V'saged l'bnei yisrael. Women first. Har tzvi takeid w yud? & why repeat few psukim later - eileh jad'varim, already said koh?
R frank answers first moshe would say to women AND THEN IT WOULD BE SAID -v'sageid w yud - BY THE WOMEN TO THE MEN. ( moshe softly to ladies & then they harshly to the men! Then Hashem told Moshe that he too should tell the men as well.
how much is placed in the responsibility of the women!
rambam writes that most men only develop from the da'as of their mothers to the da'as od their wives!
Besides for respect a hakoras hatov to our n'shei chayil, we must realize that they need a source from where to get their inspiration from. We must recognize that they depend on us to feed them small doses of Torah inspiration & they in turn will strengthen it in us & our children tenfold.
If we want to get a powerful 'sageid l'bnei yisroel' from them we have to continuously feed them a soft 'tomrun l'beis yakov'
R frank answers first moshe would say to women AND THEN IT WOULD BE SAID -v'sageid w yud - BY THE WOMEN TO THE MEN. ( moshe softly to ladies & then they harshly to the men! Then Hashem told Moshe that he too should tell the men as well.
how much is placed in the responsibility of the women!
rambam writes that most men only develop from the da'as of their mothers to the da'as od their wives!
Besides for respect a hakoras hatov to our n'shei chayil, we must realize that they need a source from where to get their inspiration from. We must recognize that they depend on us to feed them small doses of Torah inspiration & they in turn will strengthen it in us & our children tenfold.
If we want to get a powerful 'sageid l'bnei yisroel' from them we have to continuously feed them a soft 'tomrun l'beis yakov'
Yisro
Yisro med tanchuma 'leimor' Hashem prepared Torah to Himself to say over. R akiva x aliyah x prep. Hachanah x to vaoid mistake, rather kavod for Torah/tzibur. Taharah seems to have been the hachana to matan torah, however the opposite is true as well. - hachana creates taharah. Mesilas yesharim says hazmanh brings taharah purity of thought, & intent to the mitzvah about to be done. This is a form of taharah that can apply to anyone during shovavim. Pause momentarily bef any mitzvah to mentally prepare what you're about to do.
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