YWN Coffee Room Nightly D’Var Torah

here goes…

D’Var Torah – Parshas Bamidbar – 5764

By Rabbi Baruch Lederman

The Children of Israel, led courageously by Moshe Rabeinu (Moses), traveled through the wilderness for 40 years with the help of Hashem (G-d). Many of us have heard this story hundreds of times, since we were children; but it is AWESOME, almost overwhelming when you think about it in detail:

Moshe and the people were in the desert, but what was he going to do with them?

They had to be fed, and feeding 2 or 3 million people requires a lot of food.

According to the Quartermaster General in the Army, it is reported that Moshe would have to have had 1500 tons of food each day. Do you know that to bring that much food each day, two freight trains, each at least amile long, would be required!

That is why Hashem provided them with Manna each day!

Besides you must remember, they were out in the desert, so they would have to have firewood to use in cooking the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day.

The manna came fully cooked.

And just think, they were forty years in transit.

And Oh yes! They would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day and a freight train with tank cars, 1800 miles long, just to bring water!

Hashem provided water from the rocks!

And then another thing!

They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. Now, if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to get through. So there had to be a space in the RedSea, 3 miles wide so that they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.

Yet Hashem made the ground hard and smooth for them. Who else but Hashem could build a road so fast?

But then, there is another problem……………each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles long…….. think of it!

This much space for just for nightly camping. And they didn’t even have cell phones to stay in contact with each other to coordinate their actions and movements.

Do you think Moshe figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think not! Moshe believed in Hashem. Hashem took care of these things for him. Do you think Hashem has any problem taking care of all your needs? When the road you’re traveling on seems difficult at best, just remember; Hashem has an amazing track record of helping and providing for us. Hashem did it before, He can do it again no matter how bleak or helpless your situation seems.

*kapusta*

especially for me right now.

(see OTD support for more info.)

*kapusta*

kapusta: great DT! well done there!

glad to be of service. 🙂

*kapusta*

nice Jax- very true

Jax, I second that! thanx for posting.

*kapusta*

jax, thanx for the excellent lesson!

~a~

Before I give my dvar torah. (This is a non-CR personal shout out) I’d like to say a personal farewell to the one who gave me a tremendous chizuk at a time when it was appreciated most. Thanks Rabbi J, You know who you are and I hope you will read this. I see where you are coming from, you feel it is time for you to move on, and you are probably correct. Hatzlacha to you in all your endeavors and your dropping me a bracha now and then will always be appreciated.

I’m not on tap to do one tonight, but this one is for you.

To all whom that was not intended for, thanks for your patience.

This Shabbos being Mevorchim, I thought I’d do something on the Birchas HaChodesh.

(As seen in the Gevuras Yitzchak on Shavuos & Rambam Hilchos Talmud Torah)

Why does the Birchas HaChodesh, with all its wonderful brachos not contain a bracha on Torah? We have many tfillos in which we request Torah and assistance with our Torah (some even composed just for this purpose) Why is Torah not in the Birchas HaChodesh?

The Gemarra in Nidda says ?? ???? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? (???? ?) ?? ?’ ??? ???? ???? ??? ??????

What should a person do to to gain wisdom in Torah? He should learn more and work less. But many did this and it did not work for them. Rather he shall additionally daven for mercy from the one who grants wisdom.

So we see from here that one needs to daven for Torah! So why don’t we in Birchas HaChodesh?

We could answer that we do in fact daven for Torah in Birchas HaChodesh. We ask that the new month be ????? ??????. In Pirkei Avos it says The only Tov (good) is Torah. The Gra’s siddur (in Shabbos Mincha )explains that the only ???? is Torah.

We also ask for ???? ?? ????. The Yalkut on Mishlei says on the passuk ????? ???????????? ??????, That the Torah is ???? ????.

The siddur of the Gra states on the passuk ?’ ??? ???????? ?????? ?’ ???????? ??? ?????? ?????????? that only through Torah can one reach ?????, so we see that this part of Birchas HaChodesh also refers to Torah.

The only question we are left with, is why we ask for Torah in this manner and we do not ask for it outright ??”?

uh…ames? do you have a DT to share?

*kapusta*

CrashOverride: that was a great DT! thank you! good day to you!

29 Iyar, 5769 Vol. 10, No. 30 Parashas Bamidbar

In Parshas Bamidbar, Nadav and Avihu are mentioned as the children of Ahron who died because they brought an Aish Zara (foreigh offering) before Hashem.

The Zohar, however, states that the reason for why they died was due to the fact that they never got married and they never had children.

How is this possible? How can the Zohar argue on the Torah? Is this an argument.

We know that Hashem is ??? ??? ???? ??-???? ???-??? ????, ??-????? ???-?????. Punishment for sins of fathers will be given to them, their children … down 4 generations.

I once saw the following peirush (sorry, forgot whom). It was a compound effort of the Aish Zara and not having children. When someone needs to be punished, some their punishment will be given to later generations instead of to the sinner. If one does not have decedents, then they will receive full punishment for their action. One in such a position will have a lower threshold.

As such Nadav and Avihu, having chosen to not get married and to not have children, put themselves in a major danger zone, with this lower threshold. They then go and bring this Aish Zara and they die from it.

The Torah chooses to make the point that the action of the Aish Zara caused the death of Nadav and Avihu. The Zohar chooses to make the point that the Aish Zara was an action which resulted in death solely because they did not have children. Had they had children, some of the punishment would go to them and therefore they would have had a significant threshold.

In reality, there is no dispute between the Zohar and the Torah. They are just choosing to focus on different angles. The Torah focuses on the action, while the Zohar focuses on the power of the punishment.

jaymatt: wonderful DT!

david s.: that was a nice one!

When we think about Yom Tov, we tend to associate a specific Yom Tov with its unique Mitzva (Rosh Hashana-Shofar, Pesach-Matza etc.)Other than cheesecake (which, funny enough is not listed in the Mishna Berura) why does Shavuos not have a Mitzva of its own.

R’ Moshe Feinstein says that there actually is something unique to Shavuos. THe korban of Shavuos, the Shtei HaLechem is the only koban brought which is chametz.

What is the significance of this and why would we bring a korban of Chametz after we just removed all our chametz for pesach?

Granted that during Pesach we view the chametz as the Yetzer Hara, and therefore we rid ourselves from it. But chametz also represents gashmius. During the holiday of Shavuos, the chag of Kaballas HaTorah we specifically bring a korban of gashmius to show that Torah is all encompassing in all aspects of our life. The Torah is not just for ruchnius, it teaches us much more. Therefore we go out of our way to bring the most gashmius of korbanos to show our recognition and thanks to HaKadosh Baruch Hu for this all encompassing Torah which guides us though our daily challenges.

Jaymatt: well done R’ Jaymatt! shkoyach!

72: great vort there!

jax i luv your dt posts!!! when you posting the next one?? if soon ill stay up 4 it

Tuesday’s D’var Torah

A nazir is a person who takes a vow to abstain from wine and other physical pleasures for 30 days or more, in order to remove earthly distractions and dedicate himself solely to serving Hashem. At the end of his term of nazirus he goes to the Bais Hamikdash where the kohain performs a service that terminates his nazirus. The Torah says at this point “V’achar yishteh hanazir yayin” (and afterwards the nazir drinks wine). The fact that he is drinking wine shows that he is no longer a nazir. Why, at this point, does the Torah still refer to him as a nazir? (and afterwards the NAZIR drinks wine). He is no longer a nazir. He just ended his nazirus. It should say, “and afterwards the PERSON drinks wine.” The Torah does this to teach us that even though his official nazirus is over, he should still maintain the high spiritual level he has acheived. He should use the inspiration and enthusaism to springboard him to greater heights. David Hamelech said, “Shivti b’vais Hashem kol yimei chayai” “May I sit in the house of Hashem all the days of my life.” How can one be in Hashem’s house all day every day? It is not possible. The answer is that even when you leave, you should take the lesson’s of Hashem’s house with you 24/7. The Vilna Gaon was an amazingly dedicated scholar who sat in his study, day and night, engrossed in Torah. He once asked the Dubner Maggid to give him constructive criticism. The Dubner Maggid said, “Anyone could be a gaon if they sat isolated in a room all day. To acheive your full greatness, you must use your Torah and be involved in the community at large.”

Have a great day all!

GoldieLoxx: yeah a record for me two in one day! 😉 thank you!

kapusta: thank you!

For me it will be Shabbos Nasso this week, so here is something on the Parsha

????, ????, ?????, ????? ?? ???? ????, ?????

The Orech Chaim asks Why here the name of the nassi precedes the shevet (unlike the rest of the nessiim)

He answers that there is a lesson here in the name itself. The name teaches us about the Torah and how it is acquired. The name ????? means “given by Hashem” and ?? ????, from the lashon of ???, that it is acquired through yissurim.

This is the way of Torah “Adam ki Yamus B’Ohel”

We can also add on that the reason he is listed prior to the name of the shevet, is that due to the aforementioned reasons, he was zoche to lead the shevet known for their Limud HaTorah