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I heard this dvar Torah tonight from Rabbi Paysach Krohn at a gathering in memory of ????? ??? ?? ???? ??? who was nifteres a little more than a month ago. May her neshama have an aliya.
The Zohar says that the word Yisrael is Roshei Taivos Yesh Shishim Ribo Osiyos BaTorah. There are 600,000 letters in the Torah. The Jews (600,000 of them left Mitzraim) are compared to the letters in the Torah. Just as if one letter is missing the entire Torah is passul, so too we have to look at the Jewish people as if everyone is an important part of the whole – Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Lazeh. Also, in a Torah, no two letters can overlap. So too, every Jew has a tachlis amongst Klal Yisrael.
When we are mekabel the Torah tomorrow night, we must keep in mind that every Jew must be mekabel his cheilek in the Torah and we must try and help out those who are not fortunate enough to have learned Torah yet to begin learning and following it. In honor of the upcoming Yom Tov of Shavuos please consider donating a letter in a Sefer Torah.
Side note: In the Purim Story and Story Tapes threads, I along with Moderator-42 and Just Smile were quoting song lyrics. Who knows what song these lyrics come from (not a story tape): “I just want to find my letter in the Torah, I know it’s somewhere out there, if I can only see. I just want to find my letter in the Torah. The one that’s written just for me.”
6 Sivan, 5769 Vol. 10, No. 31 Shavuos
degrading herself and internally feeling some degree of discomfort and even pain. Even this woman, who has repressed her natural feelings of tzniyus, still is sensitive on a subtle level to the shame she is wreaking on her neshama.
Let us be aware of the depth and breadth of the human being, and the breathtaking range of feelings than can coexist within us. No matter where our circumstances take us, we can still summon the most beautiful, delicate and exquisite sensitivities from within ourselves. This can connect us to the frequency of the radio signal of Sinai, which still calls to every Jew for over three thousand years, since the giving of the Torah on this very day of Shavuos. Hashem created each human being with the unique ability to juggle many different emotions
a little late, sorry!
omTov, Vol. II, # 12
Shavu’os and Megillas Rus
by Rabbi Yehudah Prero
The Megilla of Rus (Ruth) is read on the holiday of Shavu’os. The author of the Megilla, our sages tell us, was Shmuel HaNavi, the prophet Samuel. There are many commentators who have given reasons explaining the connection between Shavu’os and Megillas Rus. (For some reasons, see vol. I, 26.) However, an answer to a question posed in the Medrash gives us a particularly important understanding of the connection between Shavu’os and Megillas Rus. In the Medrash Rabbah on Rus (2:14), we find the following question: Rav Zaeira said ‘This Megilla (of Rus) does not tells of the laws of purity and impurity…Why was it written?” The question, however, does not have to end here. We can question further. Even once we know a reason for why it was written, why was it necessary to include it among the Scriptures?
In order to understand the answers, a little background about an issue of Halacha that was of concern at the time of Rus is needed. Generally, according to Halacha, gentiles are allowed to join the nation of Israel through conversion. However, there are certain nations that the Torah explicitly lists whose members may not join the nation of Israel. The Torah states “Lo yavo Amoni U’Moavi b’kahal Hashem,” “An Ammonite or a Moavite shall not enter into the assembly of G-d.” As Rus was from the nation of Moav, how could it happen that not only was she permitted to convert, but she also married one of the most respected, distinguished, and wisest men of her generation, Boaz ?
The answer lies in the verse cited above. The verse says that a “Moavi,” a male Moavite, can not enter into the nation of Israel. However, the verse does not say that a “Moavis,” a female Moavite, can not enter into the nation of Israel. Boaz understood that the law was a female Moavite was indeed allowed to convert, and therefore Rus’ conversion and marriage to a Jew presented no problems. This Halachik ruling about the status of a female Moavis, however, was not widely known amongst the nation of Israel. Many thought that no person, male or female, from the nation of Moav was allowed to convert to Judaism. This understanding of the law not only presented problems in the time of Rus, but also in the time of King David, Rus’ great-grandson. In the time immediately proceeding the crowning of David as king and right afterwards, there were those who began to publicly raise doubts as to whether David was of proper, “kosher,” lineage, because of his great-grandmother Rus.
Shmuel HaNavi, the author of the Megillas Rus, was the one who anointed David and proclaimed him king. Shmuel saw first hand how weak the knowledge of the nation of Israel was regarding the laws surrounding the conversion of Moavite women. Therefore, Shmuel decided he had to educate the masses in this area. It could even be that Shmuel felt he was obligated to do such, because he was the one who anointed David as king over the nation of Israel. Therefore, he was the one who had to “defend” what he had done and publicize the fact that David was of proper lineage, according to Jewish law, and more than fit to be king of Israel. The Megilla of Rus accomplished this task. It cleared the air of any doubts as to the lineage of David, from who Moshiach, the Messiah, will descend. It proclaims that a Moavite woman, like Rus, may join the nation of Israel.
It is because of the importance of the underlying message of Rus that not only was it included in Scriptures, but it is read on Shavu’os on well. When Boaz married Rus, there were those that were amazed – the Torah says that a Moavite cannot enter the nation of Israel! Boaz, a leader of the generation, is blatantly violating a law of the Torah! When we read the Megilla, we could ask the same questions, and add to them: How could Moshiach, who will come to redeem the entire nation of Israel, come from such blemished lineage, from a union prohibited by the Torah? The answer is that there are two components of the Torah that was given to us on Sinai by G-d: The Written Torah, and the Oral Torah. It is true that the Written Torah seems to say that Rus’ conversion and marriage was forbidden. However, the Oral Torah clarifies the issue for us. It lets us know that the verse only forbade male Moavites from converting. The Oral Torah contains the laws of the Torah and their explanations. Both the Oral and Written Torah were given to the nation of Israel at Sinai. Both need to be followed.
The Megilla of Rus stands for the proposition that the Oral Law was given to us at Sinai, and that the Oral and Wriiten Torah are truly one intertwined gift from G-d. Boaz acted properly based on that which he knew from his study of the Oral Torah. His willingness to act on that which he knew to be the law should send us a message: we must show that we truly believe in the Oral Torah, that we recognize that the Oral Torah was given to us at Sinai. Becasue of the importance of this message, the Megilla was included in Scriptures. This message also makes the reading of the Megilla on Shavu’os appropriate. On Shavu’os, the day on which we celebrate the fact that we were given the Torah, we demonstrate our belief that the Written and Oral Torah were both given to us on this day by reading the Megilla. By reading the Megilla, we reaffirm our belief in the authenticity of the Oral Torah. On Shavu’os, we affirm and celebrate our acceptance of the Torah, and therefore the Megilla, which tells of this affirmation, is read on Shavu’os. (from Hegyonai Halacha)
72: that was outstanding! thank you for sharing it! amazing lessons for us from that one!
chofetz chaim: both great pieces! shkoyach!
kapusta: very nice one there!
“Vayichan sham Yisrael neged hahar” Shemos (19:2). The word “vayichan,” they camped, is singular. Everyone knows the Rashi that says that this is because they were “k’ish echad b’lev echad,” as one person with one heart, like one unit. R’ Yeruchum Levovitz comments and says that from here we see that love of our fellow man is a prerequisite for accepting the Torah.
R’ Yitzchak of Vorki noted that the word “vayichan” also comes from the word chain (ches-nun), finding favor. This means that Bnei Yisroel found favor in the eyes of one another and therefore found favor in the eyes of Hashem. When one just sees the faults and shortcomings of another person, he becomes distant from him. But when one sees the positive in other people, he becomes closer to them. This unity is a fundamental requirement for Kabalas HaTorah.
It says in the sefer Nachal Kedumim that togetherness between people is only possible when there is humility. When B’Y came to Har Sinai, which is the symbol and epitome of humility, they internalized this attribute. Humility leads one to see the good in others and enables one to elevate themselves to accept the Torah, because they are not focusing on themselves, rather on others and on Hashem.
May we be zoche to grow to the level of “V’ahavta l’reacha komocha” and take the lessons of Sefirah into Shavuos so that we can fully accept the Torah.
Chag Sameach!
I know that I did not sign up for tonight, but I wanted to post one anyway – hope that nobody minds 🙂
So, for the near future, Eretz Yisroel and Chutz L’Aretz will be on different Sedrah’s. So, this post is for the ‘just read’ Parsha of Noso in E”Y, and for the forthcoming one in Chutz. Enjoy it
Any interaction with another person can have an effect on many, many people, let alone the people with whom they have direct contact on a daily basis. Of course, in the opposite scenario, the same is true with a nice gesture, a kind word; this too will spread far and wide.
Our lives are based around groups; we are constantly in a group here or there. In all the actions we do, we must consider all factors which will procure the effects they will entail. Groups as a whole can be destroyed easily, like by making a chillul HaShem or spreading Lashon Hara in a family. One person telling the other something that a third party did causes complete disharmony in the Kahal as a whole, not only to those involved. If we would just open our eyes, we would see the damaging effects!
All in all, we learn a great lesson about caring, and how much we have to strive to keep shalom between everybody. We should all merit the sensitivity to be more careful in our day to day interactions, causing peace and harmony within our surroundings, and through this, in turn, merit the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.
????? ??? ?????, ?????? ???
If the sota is found innocent, the gets a bracha for children
The Gemarra in Brachos states that R’ Yishmael says that this means a barren woman will have children and R’ Akiva says this is a bracha for easy childbirth.
R’ Moshe Sternbuch asks Why is there such a bracha in the 1st place? This woman is not a tzaddekes, granted she is still pure to her husband, but she was caught acting improperly and she did go against the words of her husband, so why is she rewarded?
R’ Sternbuch says we see from here the power of busha (embarrassment). Since she was embarrassed by this public accusation, the forced uncovering of hear hair and the drinking of the waters. This busha was enough to erase the avera of her improper behavior AND there was still additional zechusim of this busha to give her this bracha.
Alternatively, the name of Hashem was dissolved into the water. once she was found to be pure, there would be room to say that Hashem’s name was erased for no reason. Theefore the Torah tells us that is was for a reason, that reason being the Bracha for this woman.
Gut Voch and I appologize in advance, but iy”h I plan on posting my diverei Torah in accordance with the Parshios in Eretz Yisroel.
CrashOverride: great peice & nice lesson for us all!
Jaymatt: nice one there!
Thanks for the short notice. Better than no notice at all I guess.
Here is a small piece on the Shmoneh Esrei.
???????? ?????? ??????????? ???????. ?????? ????????. ??????? ??????
Why do we praise that Hashem is ???????? ?????? before we mention he is ????? ??????? Would it not make more sense to go in order of life cycle, 1st he cures the sick, then, those who were not cured, he will be ???????? ?????? those who passed on.
The Chida says that the order of our Shmoneh Esrei is indeed in order. However, we are speaking about the time of ???? ?????. The Gemarra in Sanhedren states that during ???? ????? people will return the way they were at the time of their death. This means that is someone had a wounded limb at the time of their death, they will return with that wounded limb. Only afterward will Hashem cure these wounds.
Therefore, our davening is in line with the life cycle. As such we first praise Hashem’s koach of ???????? ?????? and only afterward the koach of ????? ??????. Since Hashem will first be ???????? ?????? and only after will he be ????? ??????.
72, I hope you get the privilege of posting this 😉
JayMatt19: nice peice & really nice that 72 can always count on you for a great DT!
72: wow cool!
Let them eat cake 😉
Don’t worry, This time I was not insulted :o)
Need me tomorrow or is someone else going to step up to the plate?
ok, somethings funny here, it seems like the steady DT givers are JayMatt, Jax, and kapusta. the problem is kapusta never volunteered. I was actually gonna take a break from DT giving this week, so if anyone wants wednesday, I’m flexible.
I will bl”n try to come up with something this week, dont put me down for wednesday, I’m not sure which day its gonna be…
I think its about time for moish and areivim and some other people to do one… can someone track them down?
thanx. 🙂
????? ??? ???? ???
The Gemarra in Niddarim says: ??? ?’ ????? ??? ???”? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?????. Hashem gives nivuah only to those who are strong, rich, wise and humble.
R’ Chaim Volozuner asks why are rich and strong included here? I can understand wise, and humble is required, lest he become haughty that Hashem is choosing to speak with him. But where does strong and rich fit in?
In reality, the main asset of one who gets nevua is the humility. But if he is poor or weak, we have no idea whether he is truly being humble or if this is just the poverty or weakness speaking. However, once we know he is rich and strong, and he still behaves in a humble manner, now we all know that he is truly a humble person.
JayMatt19: beautiful DT!
Tuesday Nights D’Var Torah – Parshas Naso
“May G-d bless you and keep you…” Hashem created everyone, and He gave us everything we have. Because Hashem commands us to take care of the Jewish needy, we should give to others less fortunate than ourselves.
There is a heartwarming story, which relates to this idea: There once was a man who was poor but was too proud to take money from anyone. One of his friends really wanted to give him some kind of tzidakah, but the man would not take it so his friend went to the store and bought a whole bunch of cans of really expensive, good quality fish for a total of $100. Then he went home and crushed each can of fish with a hammer. After he was done, he went to the mans house and told him that the cans got crushed on the way over to the store so the manager sold them really cheap and you can buy them all for $20. The man took them and thanked his friend. So, as you can see there are many ways to give charity without the receiver knowing.
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There is a great story about the Brisker Rav. There was a man who went up to the Brisker Rav and asked him if he can use four glasses of milk instead of four glasses of wine for the Peseach Seder. The Brisker Rav not only gave him money to buy wine, he also gave him money to by Peseach foods. One day another man came up to the Brisker Rav and asked him why he gave the man money to buy not only wine but also other foods for Peseach when he only asked if he could use milk instead of wine. The Brisker Rav told him that when the man asked him that question he realized that he probably asked because he could not afford wine and if he could not afford wine he could not afford the other Passover foods either.
sorry it was a little long, thank you for taking the time out to read through it!
Jax, excellent! You’re giving me stiff competition for tomorrow night. 🙂
kapusta: thank you! we’ll do great tomorrow night with yours too! 😉
Parshas Naso
Respectful Repeats
One of the most striking components of Parshas Naso is the listing of all the princes, the nessi’im, of the Children of Israel, and the gift offerings that they brought in conjunction with the dedication of the Mishkan.
Despite the fact that each and every nasi brought the same gift as his predecessor, the Torah details each offering with exactitude: it does not skimp on detail or abbreviate its significance.
Over and over again, the Torah meticulously states the name of the nasi, the tribe he headed, and the gift that he brought.
“He brought his offering – one silver bowl, its weight a hundred and thirty [shekels]; and one silver basin of seventy shekels in the sacred shekel; both of them filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering, one gold ladle of ten [shekels] filled with incense. One young bull, one ram, one sheep in its first year for an elevation offering. One he-goat for a sin-offering. And for a feast peace-offering – two cattle, five rams, five he-goats, five sheep in their first year … this is the offering of …”
These verses are repeated in tandem for each and every prince — their identical offerings exacted as if they were the only ones.
The Torah, which can consolidate laws that fill expansive Talmudic tomes into merely a few brief words, chose to elaborate expansively in order to give each nasi his place in the eternal spotlight of the Torah’s wisdom. Why?
Rabbi Paysach Krohn, in the first book of his classic Maggid Series, relates the story of Rav Yitzchak Elchonon Spektor, the Kovno Rav. Under Russian law, all young men were obliged to enlist in the army. Besides the obvious ubiquitous threat of violent death, maintaining any semblance of religious observance in the army was virtually impossible. The only way out was an exemption from army service.
Yaakov, a student who was much beloved by his rebbi, Rav Yitzchak Elchonon, applied for an exemption. Moscow did not immediately respond to the request, and each day Yaakov’s friends, together with their beloved Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Elchonon, waited to hear any news of whether Yaakov’s exemption was accepted.
One afternoon, Rav Yitzchak Elchonon was engrossed in a Rabbinic litigation. He sat together with Rav Elya Boruch Kamai, the Rav of Mir, and a third distinguished Rav. They were litigating a complex problem involving two wealthy businessmen. Both side was willing to compromise, and for hours the three Rabbis attempted to find an amicable yet halachically acceptable resolution.
Suddenly, the door opened and a young man stuck his head into the room. As soon as he saw Rav Yitzchak Elchonon, he excitedly addressed him. “Rebbi!” he exclaimed. “We just got the news, Yaakov was granted an exemption!” Rav Yitzchak Elchonon breathed a sigh of relief and said with a radiant smile, as he showered him with blessings. “May G-d bless you for bringing this wonderful news. May you merit long years and good health. Thank you ever so much!”
The boy left smiling, glad that he had made his rebbi so happy. Immediately the Rabbis resumed deliberations in an attempt to resolve the din Torah.
A few minutes later, another student opened the door. Not knowing that his rebbi already knew the news, he apologized for interrupting saying he had something very important to share. Then he announced with joy, “Rebbi, we’ve gotten word that Yaakov is exempt!”
Rav Yitzchak Elchonon replied with just as much enthusiasm as he had the first time. “How wonderful!” He showered him with blessings as well. “May G-d bless you for bringing this wonderful news. May you merit long years and good health. Thank you ever so much!”
The boy closed the door and left, beaming with joy that he had made his rebbi so happy.
Five minutes later, yet a third boy entered the room. “Rebbi, did you hear? Yaakov is exempt!” Once again Rav Yitzchak Elchonon smiled broadly and blessed the boy for the wonderful news. He thanked him and blessed him in the exact manner as with the previous boys.
Six times, different boys came in with the same news, each one anticipating the happiness their rebbi would feel at the news, each one not aware that others had preceded him. Rav Yitzchak Elchonon smiled at each boy, expressed his gratitude and made him feel as important as the first one.
The Ponovez Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Eliezer Schach, of blessed memory, once explained in a talk to his students that the attention to the honor of a fellow Jew is one of the most important lessons we can learn. Therefore the Torah repeated and repeated each and every Nasi with the same enthusiasm to teach us the importance of respect for the individual.
And now that the story of the repetitive princes was incorporated into the Torah, the lesson of individual attention, too, becomes not just a lesson in morality, but a portion of the Torah, whose study merits the same value as the most intricate laws that are contained in the most difficult portions. Because a lesson about honoring a fellow Jew is surely worth repeating.
Dedicated in memory of Irving I. Adelsberg by the Adelsberg Family.
taken from torah.org by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky
mod, was this read and then approved or just approved? read and then approved. Oh and btw, I always like hearing that story, thanks for posting it.
I see I have a way to make it up to JayMatts status. 😉 my pleasure! 🙂
nice one, kapusta! We can all learn from that story…
kapusta: great DT! i really enjoyed it!
jax!! kapusta!! that rocked!!
GoldieLoxx: thank you!
hey, i just joined….. i’m a friend of jaymat and he suggested i post my thing here…. so i figured i would give it shot…..
K, i dunno what to do with you guys!!!!!! what am i supposed to for the next month???? u chutz la’aretz ppl are a parsha behind!!!! u can;t even get the parsha right for crying out loud!!!……so i guess maybe i’ll do the main thing on the REAL parsha, and then i’ll do the idea on the WRONG parsha. JUST MOVE HERE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! sheesh! everything would just be so much more simple (plus moshiach would be here, and that would also solve some problems!!!!)
SO HERE GOES IT
Rashi at the beginning of the parsha explains that the reason the parsha of the menorah was placed right after the parsha of the nesi’im (see this has to do with naso too!!!), is cuz when aharon saw that the nesi’im were bringing all these beautiful korbanos and didnt get to join in the offering bringing, and he became sad and so hashem pointed out to him that he has nothing to be sad bout, cuz he gets to light the menorah.
And now the question is…….. ( i believe the ramban asks it.probably in a bit of a different wording but……), come on Aharon? ur the koheyn gadol! u get to go into the kodesh kodashim!!! u bring korbanos all year round, why would he allow this little incident get on his nerves???
And the answer goes like dis- actually b4 we get to the answer we will add 2 more incidents which are similar to aharon hakoheyns……..just for fun
Rabbi Akiva, and the GRA.
k, now for the answer………..huh?
When Rabbi Akiva was being brutually put to death by the romans, he was…….happy! he was happy that he could finally be mekayem “bechol levavcha”,, to die al kidush hashem, no with all due respect Rabbi Akiva was the undisputed gadol hador, he is responsible for all the torah be’al pe as we know it, he was full of mitzvos and quite frankly he was also full of mesirus nefesh, true he didn’t give up his life, but he lived in poverty, he threw everything away to go into torah……. so why did it matter to him that he was unable to fulfill this one mitzva till then?
When the gra was niftar, he……..cried. huh? why? cuz he was sad that he would not be able to do any more mitzvas, THE GRA!!!!!! the person who spent every minute of his life doing mitzvos, the man who with one word could understand more that we can in a life time, the man who in his sleep learnt more then we will ever do awake, what is he sad for? he lived the fullest life a jew can live!!!!
So what exactly is going on here? what are all these gedolim stressing about? it’s all based on 1 yesod.
When a person makes a certain amount of money, and then tries to get some more money…. does anyone even blink an eye? when a person has gone to many good restaurants but still plans on going to a new one, does anyone raise an eyebrow? if someone already has every gadget u can think of but he continues to search for the next fun thing, would u look at him weird? if the answer to all or any of tose questions was no, u should be able to figure out the answer on your own.
We r NEVER supposed to be satisfied with our ruchniyus, we r always supposed to strive for more, we r always supposed to try to get to the next level, to try and get even one more mitzva, even one more good deed, that is the way it should be, Aharan, Rabbi Akiva and the GRA all knew very well that they were loaded with zchuyos, they knew that they had really lived their life to the fullest, they understood their own greatness….. and yet, any opportunity they had to get another mitzva they ran after it, they lived every moment of their life in search of the next mitzva, the little edge that they could add to their arsenal of good deeds,
Sounds a bit weird? well if it works for our gashmiyus,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it can definitely work for our ruchniyus!!!!
This went on too long, and it actually covered both parshas………so im going to sleep!!!!
LAYLA TOV
SHLUF TZEIT
tip of the week: stretch!!!!
quote of the week: Diplomacy — the art of letting someone have your own way
Welcome aboard nooseisko and Yasher Koach
nooseisko- you doin a lot o cryin (out loud to boot) 😉
WELCOME TO THE GRAND CR- join the circus and introduce yourself in the ‘New Members’ thread
Maybe you should hook up with Jax (!!!!!!)
Thank you JayMatt for so highly recommending us 🙂
noose, glad to have ya here. Hope to see the weekly email in the CR many weeks to come.
mod72 just tightened the noose…
nooseisko: that was some amazing Devar Torah! thank you for sharing it with the CR! & welcome to the CR!
Jaymatt: wow your friends got some good DT! thanx for telling him to post it here!
areivim: R’ Jaymatt will be your chavrusha & nooseisko will be my chavrusha! ok?!
Mussar HaTorah
14 Sivan, 5769 Vol. 10, No. 32 Parashas Naso
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 6:8) describes the census of the tribe of Levi. Moshe counted each of the three major Levite families, Kehas, Gershon and Merari, as instructed by Hashem. Moshe also invited his brother Aharon to join him in the census, but there was a slight difference in how Aharon was invited for the counting of each of the three families. Hashem commanded Moshe to invite Aharon when He instructed Moshe about Kehas, the first family. However, Hashem did not specifically mention Aharon in the original command for the other two families. As a result, while Moshe did, out of respect for his older brother, invite Aharon for the next census, that of Gershon, he did not mention to him that it was in the name of Hashem as he had done for the family of Kehas. Since Moshe was including Aharon by his own initiative, Moshe felt he could not relay the invitation as coming from Hashem.
We see that Moshe davens for his sister, Miriam, after she gets tzoras. Moshe Rabeinu davens to Hashem, saying: “?-?, ?? ??? ?? ??” The Nachal Kedomim says that this special secret of davenin which Moshe Rabbeinu received from shamayim. This received secret is that if one says the word ?? twice, Hashem will answer their tfillos in the affirmative.
Using this we can also understand the exchange between Moshe Ranneinu and Hashem in the beginning of Parshas ??????. Daving to enter Eretz Yisroel, Moshe asks Hashem “?????-??, ????? ??-???? ?????, ???, ???? ?????” to which Hashem replies “??-???? ??? ??? ???, ???? ???” Moshe in his davening says the word ??, therefore Hashem replies ??-????, don’t add ???? ??? in this which you have already said, i.e. don’t say the word ?? a second time.
In the introduction to the sefer Mordechai L’Rav Ashkenazi it says that the reason for this is because the word ?? in gemartia (when doubled, since we are saying it twice) is equal to ?????
The following is from R’ Shimon Schwab’s zt”l sefer Mayan Beis HaShoeva
(Parshas Shelach)
????? ??? ?????, ?????; ??????, ??? ???? ????–???? ????
Rashi quotes the sifri which says that this was a gnai (embarrassment, a negative) for Klal Yisroel. They kept one Shabbos in the midbar, then this occurs on the second Shabbos.
R’ Schwab asks if this is truly a gnai, then why does the Torah still choose to refer to them as ??? ?????, let them simply be refered to as ???.
When we analyze the situation we see that only 1 person out of 600,000 (more including the women and children) committed chillul Shabbos. So what is the gnai here?
Since Bnei Yisroel were on such a high madrega (as evident from the fact that they are being refered to here as ??? ?????) therefore one person violating the Shabbos is as if the entire Klal did not keep Shabbos.
It is comparable to a new white garment. Even if a tiny drop of something like mustard drips onto it, it is as if the entire garment is stained, even though the stain would not be recognized on any other type of garment.
Liekwise this action of the one who went out to collect the wood on Shabbos is a stain on all of klal yisroel simply because they were on the laufty madrega of ??? ?????.
chofetzchaim very nice one!
JayMatt19: well done on both! shkoyach!
No ones up for tonight, so I thought I would do 72 a little favor. I hope this qualifies as mondays. 🙂
Parshas Behaaloscha
Mo’ Better Jews
Volume 6 Issue 39
by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky
Rashi elucidates: “against My servant,” even if he was not Moses, and “against Moses” even if he was not “My servant.” The Torah seems to make a clear warning against slandering either Moses the servant or Moses the man. What is the difference?
My grandfather, Reb Yaakov Kamenetzky told the story of the Chafetz Chaim and another Rabbi who were traveling together in Poland. As guests at an inn, they were served a fitting meal. Upon finishing their supper, the proprietress inquired about the quality of the service and the food.
“Excellent,” replied the Chafetz Chaim. The other rabbi nodded in agreement and then said as an afterthought, “the soup could use a bit more salt.”
The Chafetz Chaim turned white. The moment the hostess left the table he turned to his travel partner. “What have you done? All my life I have tried to avoid lashon harah and now I regret this entire trip!” “But what did I say?” pleaded the other Rabbi. “All I mentioned is that the soup needed a bit of salt. Otherwise I was as complimentary as you!” Don’t you understand? There is a poor Jewish widow that is the cook. Right now the owner will complain to the cook who may deny that she did not salt the soup, then there may be a fight. The widow may lose her job! And if you don’t believe me, come to the kitchen and see what is happening!” True to his prediction they entered the kitchen and saw the hostess admonishing the cook. Only the intervention and continued compliments of the rabbis calmed the ire of the hostess and the cook retained her position. The Torah teaches us an important lesson in considering about whom we speak. Some of us worry about speaking about Hashem’s servants. But the Torah clearly chastises those who speak against Moses, even if he were not “my servant”! Everyone has a capacity in life and deserves the utmost regard no matter how high or low they are on the social scale.
taken from torah.org
The simplicity of the moshol- pure white garment- lends clarity to many similar inyunim (like someone on a high madreiga and how Hashem judges them). Thanks for sharing. (JayMatt- the moshol turned a lightbulb on in my head and really made things clear)
kapusta: great DT! very enjoyable to read! thank you!
……………… Jax’s Tuesday’s D’Var Torah……………………
…………………………..Parshas Behaaloscha………………………………
The Jews traveled through the desert on pure faith and trust in Hashem. The Divine Cloud protected and guided the Jews throughout their journey. They moved ahead when the Cloud moved and they encamped when the Cloud stopped. They never knew how long each encampment would be. They might be staying for a day or a year or ten years. They never knew in advance.
There may have been times when they thought the best thing to do would be to go, but the Cloud stood fast. There may have been times when they thought they should stop, but the Cloud pushed on. We might have gone crazy from anxiety if we had to live under such uncertainty, but that generation understood with total conviction that Hashem would always do what was good for them – whether or not it seemed to make sense. The following incredible true story told recently at the Maalot Dafna Melave Malka illustrates this point:
Remember the bomb that was found in Meah Shearim a few months ago, in an attache case that a guy opened? and he disarmed it? Well here’s the story behind it. One morning this lady goes out to her mirpeset-balcony and she notices a guy throwing an attache case in the garbage. So this lady thinks, “Oy vey, that guy stole that bag from some jew here in the neighborhood and it probably has his tallis or tefillin in it and the poor jew is now without them, he must be so worried.”
So she looks over to the side and sees her brother-in-law who was fixing his car, and she says to him,”Go over there and get that bag out. There’s probably a tallis and tefillin in there and some poor Jew has probably lost it”
So he goes over there right away, he doesn’t say, “Sure one minute I’ll do it when I’m finished.” No, right that second he goes. He opens up the bag and he finds a cellular phone and a bunch of wires … he realizes it’s a bomb and disconnects it. A minute later the phone rings …and we all know the rest. A near tragedy was averted.
How did this man who’s a charedi-frum, know that this was a bomb and even more interesting how in the world did he know how to disconnect it without blowing himself up? The answer goes back 15 years. Fifteen years ago, ten chassidim from Mea Shearim suddenly got drafted into the army! Everybody was up in arms, how can they let them go to the army?? They should have been covered by a Religious Exemption.
The ten families used all the protekzia they could possibly get and finally the army let go of nine of them – they didn’t have to do the army. But this one guy is left and no matter what, they just can’t get him out. This is of course this same guy and he had to go to the army for 6 months. Guess what he learned there? Bomb Diffusion! Hashem put this exact man right at that exact location at that precise moment.
Jax, excellent DT, I loved it! (you know, you’re getting hard to compete with!!!)
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