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.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
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.
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