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Zugger613Participant
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Zugger613ParticipantEikev: Do It Right
Rashi famously writes that the Brachos in this week’s parsha are destined for those who keep מצוות קלות אשר דש בעקביו, the mitzvos that a person step on with his heel. This is generally understood to be referring to “small” mitzvos that some people ignore.
However, R’ Moshe Feinstein writes that this is referring to the big mitzvos as well. He points out that Klal Yisroel were praised for accepting the Torah and mitzvos unconditionally when they said נעשה ונשמע, since they were willing to put aside their own opinions about right and wrong and completely obey Hashem’s Torah and mitzvos.
And yet, says R’ Moshe, when it comes to the biggest mitzvos, such as learning Torah and giving Tzedaka, many people just do whatever they feel is right, without ever asking a shayla about what they should be doing or how they should be doing it.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantRe’ah: Key to Contentment
Chazal famously darshan עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר – עשר בשביל שתתעשר, tithe so that you will become wealthy. R’ Shimon Schwab finds this puzzling – since when is wealth the reason we do mitzvos, or even something we should be aspiring towards at all?
R’ Schwab therefore interprets this based on another saying of Chazal: איזה הוא עשיר, השמח בחלקו. Chazal are not telling us to get rich, they are telling how to be happy with what we have.
One who is only focused on amassing wealth for himself will never be satisfied: מי שיש לו מנה, רצה מאתיים. Only when we focus on what we can give to others can material possessions bring us satisfaction.
R’ Schwab beautifully explains that this why the reward for giving tzeddaka is expressed as וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י לָכֶ֛ם בְּרָכָ֖ה עַד־בְּלִי־דָֽי, I will give you until you say “enough”. One who gives to others will be blessed with appreciation for what they have, and not want anything else.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantV’eschanan: See Who You Can Be
Before his death, Moshe sought to recap all that had happened to Klal Yisroel in his lifetime, putting special emphasis on the things that needed improvement. Moshe did not hold back, letting the nation know exactly what their mistakes were.
Yet constantly interspersed with this rebuke is a tremendous amount of praise. Moshe constantly emphasizes how special Klal Yisroel is, the chosen nation of Hashem. כי מי גוי גדול אשר לו אלוקים קרובים אליו
The Ran explains that these two elements are both necessary and complimentary. As long as a person has not acknowledged his mistakes and shortcomings, he has no chance of fixing them. But it is not enough to just point these things out. A person also has to believe that he is capable of being better than he is now, that he can rise above his shortcomings, that he has the potential within him to be great. Only when a person sees both where they are and where they can reach can they excel.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantDevarim: Always Applicable*
One of the last things that Moshe did before his death was to translate the Torah into all seventy languages for nation that he was about to leave. Why did he do this now?
The Ksav Sofer explains that until now, Moshe was able to speak directly to Hashem whenever an issue arose. But from now on, the Jews would be on their own, and they had to learn how to lead themselves.
By translating the Torah, Moshe was trying to emphasize that the ideals and laws of the Torah are not limited to one time period or location. Wherever you find yourself, the Torah is translatable and applicable to your situation. The Torah has all of the answers in it; you just have to look hard enough.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בו ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantMattos: Learn From All
When Bnei Gad and Reuven asked Moshe if they could live on the other side of the Yarden, outside of Eretz Yisroel proper, Moshe wasn’t very happy. How can you abandon your brothers, he asked them? Bnei Gad and Reuven answered that they would stay with the rest of the nation until the entire Eretz Yisroel was conquered, and each Shevet settled their specific portion of it. We can easily understand why they were needed during the war, but what was the point of watching everyone else split up the land?
Perhaps we can suggest that Moshe was not only worried whether the Shevatim would not help each other during war and hardship. He wanted them to be together as one people in times of peace as well. Each Shevet is a piece of the greater whole, and each has a lesson to teach the others. Only when we spend time seeing how others go about living their lives can we learn from them what we might be able to do better.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantPinchas: Consistency is Key 🔑
The Korban Tamid, which literally translated means “the constant Korban”, was brought twice every day in the Beis Hamikdosh. Any other Korbanos had to be brought in between the Tamid of the morning and the Tamid of the afternoon. We see how integral the role of our constant, everyday actions is. It is often easier to be excited about a rare mitzva, like a Korban Musaf. But תדיר ושאינו תדיר, תדיר קודם – the everyday mitzvos must come first.
We all know the story of Rabbi Akiva, who was inspired to begin learning at the age of 40 by seeing a hole that had been worn into a rock by the constant dripping of water. He realized there was no magic moment that suddenly changes a person. Only by consistently doing the same thing, day in and day out, can a person change for the better.
The Sefer HaChinuch famously tells us that אדם נפעל כפי פעולותיו, a person is changed by his actions. Even somebody who is rotten to the core – if he begins to constantly and consistently do what is right – can become great.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantBalak: אין הדבר תלי אלא בי
Rashi on this week’s parsha asks the obvious question: if Bilaam was such a rasha, how did he have nevuah? Rashi answers that the reason Hashem spoke to Bilaam was just so that the nations of the world would not be able to complain that they did not have Neviim to guide them like Klal Yisroel did. So Hashem gave them a Navi, and he only made things worse.
However, this answer is quite puzzling. The nations still seem to have a valid complaint: if we had had a Navi who wasn’t a rasha, maybe we could have been better.
Perhaps we can suggest that the message here is a bit deeper. The nations believed that if only they had somebody with nevuah to guide them, they’d behave. But Bilaam was living proof that if somebody does not want to do what is right, not only won’t having a Navi change them, but even being a Navi won’t help them. All the guidance and heavenly intervention in the world will do nothing for somebody who does not want to be better.
God given gifts will not change a person or a people. The only one who can change you is you.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantChukas: Just Part of the Plan
Moshe Rabbeinu had spent the last forty years trying to lead Bnei Yisroel into Eretz Yisroel. He tried to direct them to do what was right, and was the one who dealt with the fallout when they didn’t listen. But in this parsha, Moshe gets the bad news. He will not be entering Eretz Yisroel. He will die in the desert like the rest of his generation did.
But Moshe didn’t focus on his own disappointment at his life’s dream slipping away. The very next pasuk has Moshe back in action, trying to convince Edom to let Bnei Yisroel pass through so they could get to Eretz Yisroel without him. The plan must go on, with me or without me. My job is to do what Hashem says; what part I have to play is up to Him, not me.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantKorach: Keeping the Balance
When discussing the Terumah that must always be given to the Kohanim, the Torah refers to it as ברית מלח עולם. Why is salt used as a metaphor for the everlasting?
Rabeinu Bachya has a fascinating explanation. He says that since salt is produced by cooking water, salt is a mixture of water and fire. So too, Hashem’s promises are eternal because they are composed of both מידת הרחמים (represented by water) and מידת הדין (fire).
R’ Aaron Lopiansky explains that if Hashem only gave us exactly what we deserve (דין), we couldn’t survive. But if Hashem gave us everything without our deserving it, we would become spoiled instead of productive. The balance is crucial.
A similar idea applies in our own lives. If we do what is right only out of a sense of obligation, we will eventually run out of willpower. If we do it only out of idealism and inspiration, we will eventually get disheartened. There needs to be a balance of different motivations, יראה and אהבה, for us to keep at it.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantBahaloscha: Souls on Fire
We know that when Ahron HaKohen lit the menorah, he had to light each flame until it was עולה מעלה, strong enough to rise on its own.
R’ Moshe Feinstein points out that Kohanim were the teachers of the nation, as it says יורו משפטך ליעקב, and Ahron was the leader of the Kohanim. He suggests that we therefore learn a lesson about how to inspire the next generation from this particular halacha.
It is not enough to educate our children to just do what they are told; one day, nobody will telling them what to do. We must inspire our children to the point that they want to what is right by themselves. We need to instill in them a passion for yiddishkeit that will continue to burn within them for their entire lives. Only when that flame is burning on its own can it continue on without us.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantBamidbar: Free For All
The Medrash tells us that Torah is compared to a desert; just as a desert is הפקר לכל, free to all, so too the Torah is only given to one who makes themselves available to all, מי שמפקיר עצמו לכל.
Perhaps we can suggest that this why our Parsha, which is focused on counting all of the Jews, begins with mentioning the midbar. Just like the desert is accessible to all, only somebody who is there for every single Jew can become a teacher and leader of the people.
The Torah is not given to any one individual; Hashem promised it to the nation as a whole. The best way to ensure that Hashem gives you access to the light of the Torah is to approach learning Torah not for your individual satisfaction, but as a representative of the people.
וכמש״כ המהר״ל באבות: ולפיכך אמר “מי שלמד על מנת ללמד, מספיקין בידו ללמוד וללמד”. כי כאשר כונתו שתהיה התורה בעולם, כאשר ראוי לפי האמת שתהיה התורה בעולם, מספיקין בידו ללמוד וללמד כפי כונתו שרצה.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantBechukosai: Just Do It
In the middle of the frightening
קללות that we are told will befall us if we stray from the path of Torah and mitzvos, the Parsha tells us of a positive development: וְהִתְוַדּ֤וּ אֶת־עֲוֺנָם֙, Klal Yisroel will admit to their sins. And yet, the קללות continue on after that pasuk. If we admit to the mistakes we’ve made, why don’t our troubles end there?The Vilna Gaon explains that admitting what you’re doing is wrong is only half the battle. Realizing your mistakes is only helpful if you correct them afterwards. It is not enough to find where we’ve fallen short of living up to our ideals; we must fix the issue if we want anything to change.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantEmor: Live Life
We know that a Kohen may not become טמא by coming into contact with a dead body. But why is that?
R’ Shamshon Rephael Hirsch explains that in many other religions, a priest’s job only relates to death. These religions think that religion is only an explanation for where we go when we die, but not a set of instructions for how we should live our lives while we’re here.
We believe just the opposite. Once somebody has died, it’s too late for them to change. Our religion is all about improving ourselves while we still can. The Kohanim are forbidden from dealing with the dead in order to emphasize that our religion is about life, not death.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantAcharei Mos: Tainted Ideals*
On יום הכיפורים the Kohen Gadol brings three different korbanos: one for his own personal sins, one for the sins of the entire nation, and one specifically for the sin of טומאת מקדש, allowing the בית המקדש to become impure, a sin which is attributed to the Kohanim. What is it that makes this particular sin so severe that it needs its own special atonement on יום הכיפורים?
R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that the בית המקדש is symbolic of the highest ideals of the Jewish people, of perfection itself. And so by having a מקדש in their midst, the Jewish nation proclaimed both its loyalty to pure Jewish ideals and its desire to draw closer to perfection. Despite whatever shortcomings we may have had, the ideals remained intact.
However, once we allow the בית המקדש to become defiled, we show that we do not cherish and look up to the Jewish ideals in their purest form. We have allowed the actual way that we live our lives to water down our ideals. And once that happens, we have no ideals left to guide us and urge us to be better. We have nothing left to go back to. This is is why such a dramatic rectification is required specifically for this sin.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613Participant*Tazria-Metzora: Get the Hint*
Chazal tell us that צרעת would afflict those who spoke lashon hara. The meforshim point out that the treatment of a one who has צרעת seems to emphasize this message: just as lashon hara causes people to turn away from one another, so too a מצורע is sent away from society.
The Sefer HaChinuch suggests that the takeaway message from all this is that nothing happens to us for no reason. If we find ourselves suffering from some sort of sickness or trouble, it is important for us to realize that Hashem is trying to tell us something. By examining Hashem is doing to us, we can attempt to see what messages He is trying to tell us.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantThanks choosid. And thanks Reb Eliezer for all your additions.
Zugger613ParticipantShemini: Get Ready
R’ Dovid Feinstein asks why the Torah refers to the day the Mishkan was erected as the eighth day of the Mishkans preparations; why wasn’t it referred to as the first day of the Mishkan’s completion?
He suggests that this is to teach us the importance of preparing to do a mitzva. The time we spend getting ready for Pesach and the like should not be viewed merely as a necessary chore; they are an integral part of the process of the mitzva.
The time and effort we spend preparing for a mitzva do more than ensure that the mitzva is done properly. The more time and effort we spend preparing, the more we will view mitzva as being important. And the more we view the mitzva as being important, the more of an effect it will have on how we conduct the rest of our lives.
This idea is also integral to ספירת העומר – if we want the Torah to change who we are, we must prepare ourselves first.
לע״נ דוד חיים בו ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בו ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantTzav: Take Out The Garbage
One of the most intriguing types of עבודה that a כהן did was the תרומת הדשן, which was essentially the cleaning up of the ashes of all the Korbanos that had been brought that day. The Torah even emphasizes that this must be done in the full dress uniform of the בגדי כהונה. Why is this necessary?
The Abarbanel explains that there is a danger in doing the עבודה. A כהן can easily fall into the trap of focusing only on his own honor in this very public role, instead of on increasing כבוד שמים as he should.
The כהן is therefore instructed to put on his special בגדי כהונה, and essentially mop the floor. This will teach him not to focus on his own honor, but rather on the importance of the job that he is doing – carrying out Hashem’s will.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVayikra: What Lasts
We know that somebody who does one of various aveiros is supposed to bring a Korban. But how does killing an animal fix what he has done wrong?
The Sefer HaChinuch explains that a Korban is supposed to drive home the idea that nothing physical lasts forever. Just as this animal graphically met its end, one day our bodies will cease to exist. Our bodies and physical needs therefore should not be the main focus of our lives.
This is supposed to inspire us to think about the parts of ourselves that will last past the day of death, the attributes that an animal does not have: our intellect and our neshama. One who focuses their life on the needs of their spiritual selves is on track to lead a productive and meaningful life.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכנן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVayakhel/Pekudei: Use of Resources
The 224 pesukim of Vayakhel and Pekudei are essentially a list of who did what for the Mishkan, and how much of each material was donated.
R’ Moshe Feinstein suggests we can learn from here that just like Betzalel and the builders of the Mishkan, we need to keep a cheshbon of all of the resources that Hashem has granted us, and make sure that we are making the most out of our time and talents.
Somebody who has been given a good head, the ability to influence others, or more money than they need for their personal lives has a responsibility to try to help others and increase כבוד שמים. There is something out there that only you are perfectly equipped to accomplish – don’t squander the resources that Hashem has entrusted you with.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantBump
Zugger613ParticipantTezaveh: In Control
The Gemora tells us that the מעיל, the outer robe of the Kohen Gadol, was מכפר on murder. But how does that work?
The Akeidas Yitzchak, a late Rishon, explains that the lesson of the מעיל, when properly internalized, will fix the underlying issues that bring one to murder (which is the highest level of כפרה). A person can only come to murder another if they have become so angry that they have completely lost control of themselves, and their actions are no longer rational.
The מעיל, a narrow robe that went down to the ankles, is the exact opposite of this. The מעיל made sure every step of its wearer would be measured, deliberate, and thought out; no move was to be made impetuously.
From the מעיל we learn that every step and decision that a person makes in their lives should not be made in haste, but must be deliberate and thought out.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613Participant*Teruma: Spokespeople*
Inside the ארון were some of the most consequential items in all of history: the pieces of the first luchos, the second luchos, and the original Sefer Torah that Moshe wrote. And yet, when Hashem spoke to Moshe, his voice did not emanate from inside the ארון. Instead, the voice came from in between the כרובים on the top of the ארון. Why was that?
Perhaps we can suggest that this goes to show that the Torah is not supposed to exist as an interesting intellectual book on a shelf. Hashem’s Presence is only felt when people, symbolized by the כרובים, live their lives based on the Torah.
The Mishkan, the Beis HaMikdosh, and the Torah itself are only there to teach us how to live our lives in accordance with Hashem’s will. But it is up to us to live up to these ideals in our own lives, and only through our actions can Hashem’s Presence be felt.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613Participant*Mishpatim: Constant Connection*
The first Rashi in the Parsha asks why the appointment of judges is placed right next to פסוקים dealing with the מזבח. Quoting Chazal, Rashi answers that this teaches us that the Sanhedrin should sit next to the מזבח in the בית המקדש.
Perhaps we can suggest that this juxtaposition teaches us how we are supposed to view all Mishpatim. These mitzvos do not exist merely to ensure that society functions fairly. Like the מזבח, they exist primarily to connect us to Hashem.
The multitudes of mishpatim ensure that we never forget Hashem. Wherever we go and whatever we do, there is a rule in Hashem’s Torah instructing us how to behave. The fact that the Torah is so ingrained in every part of our lives is supposed to serve as a constant reminder that we are Hashem’s chosen people, and serve as a way of constantly connecting to Him.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantYisro: ‘Cuz I Said So
R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch has a beautiful explanation of what Bnei Yisroel meant when they said נעשה ונשמע:
First comes the נעשה; we keep the mitzvos because Hashem told us to, for only by obeying Him can we develop a relationship with Him.
Then comes the נשמע. This is when we try to listen to the messages behind the mitzvos, to figure out from the mitzvos how to lead the rest of our lives.
But the נשמע, the lessons we take from the mitzvos, are themselves a part of the נעשה, obeying Hashem. We don’t keep the moral lessons of the mitzvos because we happen to like them. We accept them as correct because they are God given, a part of Hashem’s mitzvos.
Morals that human beings make up change every decade, because they are based on nothing more than passing feelings and fads. Only a morality based on the eternal word of Hashem can last forever.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantBo: Constant Renewal
R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch points out that the core identity of the Jewish people was forged in a situation which would have caused most nations to completely forget who they are; in the darkness and difficultly of slavery and genocide. He opines that overcoming this near-death experience in the infancy of our nation is what allowed us to survive thousands of years of hardship without abandoning our identity as Hashem’s chosen people.
Perhaps we can suggest that this message is hinted to in the very first mitzva that Bnei Yisroel received. One of the messages of קידוש החודש is even when what little light we have to guide us through the night seems to have disappeared, we are certain it will return. And no matter how much the light of Klal Yisroel may be dimmed by the darkness of Galus, we know that we will be able to shine brightly once again.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר’ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVaeira: Equality For All
Rashi points out that when the Torah refers to Moshe and Ahron, sometimes Moshe’s name is listed first and sometimes Ahron’s is listed first. Rashi says this goes to show that the two were equal. But we know that Moshe was the greatest Navi of all time – how can they be equal?
R’ Moshe Feinstein explains this based on a Gemora which states that Olam Haba is the opposite of this world – some of those who seem great here are not viewed as being great there, while some who don’t seem special in this world are considered extraordinary in the next world. In Olam Haba, one is not ranked by how much they did, but by how they could have done. Somebody who accomplished everything they could have is great, even if those accomplishments may seem meager. Somebody who has not all that they could is not great, even if they seem to have done impressive things. Moshe and Ahron were equal not in their accomplishments, but in that both of them did everything they could to live up to their potential.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בו ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVayigash: Touch Base
After Yosef reveals himself to his brothers, he has a special reunion with Binyomin; they cry on each other’s shoulders, and Yosef gives Binyomin five sets of clothing. Rashi quotes Medrashim that they they were crying over the churban, and the clothes were a hint to the story of Purim. But what do these other stories of galus have to do with Yosef?
At the age of 17, Yosef was left alone in a decadent culture that was the opposite of everything he’d learned in his father’s house. But he never forgot who he was: a son of Yaakov, and a son of Hashem. When he was about to sin in Mitzrayim, he saws his fathers face in the window, and he asked himself “how can I betray my loyalty to Hashem”?
Just like Yosef, the only way that the Jews were able to survive all of our exiles was by never forgetting who we are. We are Jews, the children of the Avos and Imahos, the chosen people of Hashem.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantMikeitz: The Cause is really the Effect
The Parsha begins with ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים ופרעה חולם, and at the end of two years Pharaoh dreamed. The פסוק implies this dream had been waiting to happen for 2 years.
The Beis HaLevi explains that we might have thought that Yosef freedom was a result of Pharaoh’s dreams. But in reality, the opposite is true. Since Hashem decided that now is when Yosef should go free, He sent these dreams to Pharaoh to make it happen.
When Yosef finally reveals himself to his brothers, he says a similar thing: Don’t be upset that you sold me, for Hashem sent me here to help you survive. Me helping you is not an incidental effect; it is the reason Hashem orchestrated my coming down to Mitzrayim.
We sometimes look at current events as if they determine what happens to us. But really, that’s backwards. Hashem brings about events based on what He has decided should happen.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVayeishev: Peeking Through the Cracks
Rashi cites a Medrash that although Arabs usually transport foul smelling merchandise, Hashem orchestrated that the Arabs who brought Yosef into slavery had pleasant smelling spices instead.
R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz explains that this small and seemingly unhelpful miracle was a reminder that Hashem is always running the show. No matter what was happening to Yosef, Hashem was still with him.
In a similar vein, R’ Moshe Feinstein asks why the one טהור flask of oil miraculously lasted for eight days, despite the fact that טומאה הותרה בצבור. He answers that Hashem performed a small and seemingly unnecessary miracle to show us that He is always here, and He is always the true source of everything good that happens to us.
No matter how good or bad of a situation a person may find themselves in, Hashem is really the one running the show.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantReb Eliezer, thanks for the tip about the Targum Yonasan. And I apologize for never responding to your comments; I usually just post my dvar Torah and log out. But it’s good to know that at least one person reads my vort every time.
Zugger613ParticipantVayishlach: It Never Ends
When Avram’s name was changed to Avraham, he is never referred to as Avram again. When Yaakov’s name is changed to Yisrael, he is refers to as Yaakov in the very next פסוק. Why is that?
The name Yaakov is symbolic of struggle. Yaakov is always holding on to the heel of his evil brother, holding on to existence through the bitter Galus. Yisrael is symbolic of victory; כי שרית אם אלקים ואנשים ותוכל; for you have struggled… and won.
Perhaps we can suggest that this is why the name Yaakov was never shelved. For as much as Yaakov Avinu had accomplished, there still remained more to be done.
We are usually referred to as בני ישראל, symbolic of all that we have accomplished and all that we are. But we are also still בני יעקב; constantly struggling to do things better.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVayeitzei: God Always Wins
The Gemora tells us that after Yaakov asked Rochel to marry him, she gave him a warning: my father is a trickster, and he will not let you marry me before my sister gets married. Yaakov cryptically answers: אחיו אני ברמאות, I am his brother in trickery. Yet, we do not find that Yaakov ever tried to trick Lavan. What was he trying to say?
Perhaps we can suggest that Yaakov was referencing a deeper truth. In reality, nothing any person does can change the divine plan. Man plans and God laughs, for at the end of the day עצת ה׳ היא תקום.
Based on this, when Yaakov said “I am his brother in trickery” he may have meant “I don’t care if Lavan tricks me”. It wasn’t relevant to him whether Lavan seemed to have gotten away with his plans. He knew that what Hashem decided would happen, no matter what.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantToldos: Blind to the Best
The Medrash tells us that Yitzchok was blinded by the tears the Malachim cried during the Akeidah. What exactly is that supposed to mean?
Rav Shach explains that although the Malachim serve Hashem far better than we do, they never struggle to do what is right like us. This is why the Malachim were so amazed by seeing Avraham and Yitzchok overcome the Akeida, the most difficult of tests – they couldn’t relate to that kind of struggle.
But Yitzchok was blinded by this very concept. He so valued the struggle to make the right choices that he wanted to give the Brachos to Esav, because Esav had a more difficult time doing what was right.
However, this was missing an important point: Yaakov would put the Brachos to far better use than Esav. True, Yaakov was the brother who doing the right thing came more naturally to; but even the best can always get better.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantChayei Sarah: Be You
When it came time to find a wife for Yitzchak, Avraham seemed to have the perfect choice right under his nose: his top disciple Eliezer had a daughter. Yet Avraham refused to even consider this option, saying only “I am ברוך and you are ארור”. What is that supposed to mean?
R’ Ahron Lopiansky points out that the word ברכה actually means to increase. We refer to a ברכה as a blessing only as a kind of shorthand; an increase in one’s physical possessions or spiritual abilities is indeed a blessing.
Yitzchok was not supposed to be just another Avraham. He was his own man, with his own special way of serving Hashem. That is the very definition of ברוך. By contrast, Eliezer was דולה ומשקה מתורתו של אברהם, only a repetition of what Avraham said and who Avraham was. Avraham refused to consider Eliezer’s daughter for Yitzchok because he needed a spouse that valued originality.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantLech Lecha: Hard Won Habits
When Hashem informed Avrom that he would have children, the Torah tells והאמין בה׳ ויחשבה לו צדקה, the fact that Avrom believed Hashem was considered a zechus. The Ramban finds this puzzling – why wouldn’t Avrom believe the word of Hashem?
R’ Elya Lopian gives a fascinating explanation. We know that לפום צערא אגרא – the amount of reward that a person receives for their actions is dependent on how hard it was for them to do what was right.
We might think that once a person has accustomed themselves to doing what is right, they would no longer receive the same credit that they did when it was a struggle. This is why the Torah tells us that Hashem counted it as a zechus that Avrom believed – he received the same amount of reward now as he did when he first recognized and believed in Hashem. The fact that his original accomplishment had now become second nature did not lessen the amount of reward he received for each subsequent action.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכנן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantNoach: Help
This year, I think we can all really identify with the plight of Noach. We have also spent too much time trapped inside with no possibility of escape. We have also been overwhelmed and helpless while watching the world as we know it fall apart.
Perhaps we can take some lessons from Noach on how to not just weather the storm, but to actually grow from the experience. The Medrash Tanchuma says that there are only two specific people in תנ״ך that are referred to as being a צדיק; Noach and Yosef. The Medrash explains what it is that both had in common that earned them this title: both gave food to others who were unable to feed themselves.
Unfortunately, there are always people out there who need some help. But in the past few months, their ranks have swelled. Perhaps this is one thing we can hold onto in these turbulent times – to make sure that we’re always doing our best to help others, whether they be neighbors, strangers, or members of our own household.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantSukkos: What’s the Shake all About?
Although m’ikkar ha’din one can fulfill the mitzva of lulav and esrog by merely picking them up, the משנה tells us to shake them during הלל when saying הודו לה׳ כי טוב and אנא ה׳ הושיעה נא.
Based on medrashim, the תפארת ישראל explains that shaking the four species symbolizes shaking of every part of our body and soul in fervent prayer to Hashem, to both thank Him for all He’s given us and to request that His kindness continue to surround us.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע”נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVayelech: Reconnecting
Hashem tells Moshe some bad news in this weeks Parsha: after Moshe dies, the people will stray from the path, no longer doing what they are supposed to do and being who they are supposed to be. The consequences will be dire, mostly along the theme of: והסתרתי פני מהם, I will hide my face from them. If they turn their backs on me, I will turn my back them. There is no greater punishment than this. If you don’t want to develop a relationship with your Father in heaven, then you just won’t have one.
The מבי״ט writes in בית אלוקים that although חרטה and עזיבת החטא are necessary components of Teshuva, they are not the actual essence of Teshuva. Teshuva literally means to return. If someone gets into a fight with a loved one, it is not enough to merely say sorry; they have to rebuild the relationship in order for it to go back to being what it used to be. Teshuva is that process of making it up to Hashem, of fixing what we broke, of coming back to once again be with Him.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantKi Savo: Work Hard
The Meforshim are bothered by several questions on the Pasuk of אֲרַמִּי֙ אֹבֵ֣ד אָבִ֔י וַיֵּ֣רֶד מִצְרַ֔יְמָה: First of all, what does Lavan bothering Yaakov have to do with going down to Mitrayim? Secondly, why does the Pasuk seem to imply that Lavan did destroy Yaakov if he was ultimately unsuccessful in doing so?
The Kli Yakar has a fascinating explanation. He writes that on some level, Lavan did destroy Yaakov. From the time they spent together, Yaakov was affected by Lavan’s attitude towards this world. This why Yaakov was ביקש לישב בשלוה, slightly too concerned with his comfort in this world. And that is why Klal Yisroel had to go down to Mitzrayim; by experiencing being forced into backbreaking labor, they were able to internalize that אדם לעמל יולד.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל גוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantKi Seitzei: Wrong World
The Meforshim are bothered by the punishment of a בן סורר ומורה – why does he deserve the death penalty? Sure, he didn’t listen to his parents and stole some money to be able to indulge in food and wine, but why is that a capital crime?
Rashi explains that a בן סורר ומורה is put to death because his life will only go downhill from here. People who will not accept authority and instead steal in order to indulge themselves can only lead a life of crime; better to end this life early.
The Ibn Ezra disagrees. He explains that the issue is not in what this person may do in the future, but rather what he is doing right now. He is living a life focused only on attaining instant pleasure in this world by any means necessary, without any thought of what will be with him for all eternity in the next world. The Ibn Ezra writes that this lifestyle is comparable to being an Apikores. This belief that we are here to enjoy this world, rather than to prepare for the next one, is the very antithesis of our entire religion.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantShoftim: Full Control 👨⚖️👮♀️
The very first Rashi in this weeks Parsha explains what the difference is between שופטים & שוטרים; shoftim are the judges who decide what should be done, and shotrim are the police who make sure that the judges decisions are carried out. In order for society to function, there needs to be both an effective system of laws and a way of making sure that the laws are actually followed.
R’ Yerucham Levovitz of Mir points out that this idea is not limited to large societies. Every one of us also needs act as our own judge, setting aside time to think about what we should be doing with our lives. And after those decisions are made we must police them, making sure we live up to our ideals in our day to day lives. Without both a plan of what we hope to accomplish and constantly checking to make sure we’re on the right path to get there, a person is in danger of just wasting away their life.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בו ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantRe’ah: Give Wisely
We are instructed in this weeks Parsha to give to the poor דֵּ֚י מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ, enough to fill his needs, which he is lacking. But why does the Torah use such repetitive language?
The Ksav Sofer sees this as the source for a well-known principle: the highest form of charity is giving a person the ability to stand up on his own. By helping the poor attain the investments or skills that they need to become self-sufficient, you will have helped them not only with חסרו, their current needs, but also with אשר יחסר לו, what they will need in the future.
לע״נ דוד חיים בו ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantVeschanan: Guided Good
On the Passuk of ואהבת את ה׳ אלוקיך בכל לבבך, Rashi quotes the famous Maamar Chazal that one is supposed to serve Hashem with both the Yetzer Tov and the Yetzer Hara. Much ink has been spilled explaining how one can serve Hashem with their Yetzer Hara, but R’ Moshe Feinstein asks a more basic question: why do we need to be instructed to serve Hashem with our Yetzer Tov, what else would we be doing with it?
R’ Moshe explains that even good intentions, if not properly channeled, can lead to bad actions. As the Chazal taught us, those who are kind to the cruel will eventually be cruel to the kind. It is not enough just to mean well; one’s good intentions must be channeled into actions explicitly endorsed by the Torah, as interpreted by Chazal and Halacha.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantDevarim: Words Matter
Rashi famously explains that the names of all of the places that Moshe went out of his way to list were gentle reminders of all the aveiros that the nation had committed in those places.
R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz points out although Moshe felt it was necessary to rebuke the nation for what they had done wrong, he still managed to do it in a tactful way. How much more so should those of who don’t always have such noble intentions be careful that our words do not cause any hurt.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantMassei: Moving On
R’ Asher Areilli expressed a beautiful thought on the passuk
וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵרְפִידִ֑ם וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי
We know that רפידים is so named because it was there that the Jews were רפו ידיהם מן התורה, weakened their commitment to the Torah. And yet, pointed out R’ Asher, they were still able to move on to Har Sinai.Everybody has bad days. But you can’t let the inevitable bumps in the road make you forget your goal. Yes, you fell short. But you can still pick yourself up and keep going. Don’t let your failures define you.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantChukas: Do You Exist?
The Gemora famously tells us, based on the the Pasuk in this week’s parsha זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל, that the Torah is only מתקיים by a person who “kills” himself for it. What exactly is that supposed to mean?
Perhaps we can explain this with the attitude of Rebbi Akiva. When asked why he was teaching Torah despite the danger involved, he compared leaving the Torah to a fish leaving the water – certain death. He recognized that for a Jew to exist without Torah is simply not possible. כי הם חיינו ואורך ימינו, the Torah is our very existence and identity. When we truly feel that we cannot be without it, that is when we become one with Hashem’s Torah.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםZugger613ParticipantShelach: Implicit Bias
One of the biggest mistakes in Jewish history was made by the Meraglim. The Meraglim tried to convince the people not to enter Eretz Yisroel, eventually even denying Hashem’s ability to conquer the land in their efforts. Thanks to this, the entire generation died in the desert and the Churban of Tisha b’Av was decreed. How did they sink so low?
The Shelah explains, based on the Zohar, that the Meraglim were concerned that when the nation would enter Eretz Yisroel, they would lose their position of authority that they currently held. Therefore, they had their own personal interest in trying to convince the people to stay in the desert, despite the disastrous results that this would have.
The Baalei Mussar point out that each of has our own personal נגיעות that may cause us to make illogical decisions. But often we aren’t even aware of this conflict of interest. Only by searching out what is truly driving us to make our choices can we manage to improve them.
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלוםJune 16, 2020 4:03 pm at 4:03 pm in reply to: What did the mraglim do wrong? (non political) #1873197Zugger613ParticipantIn a nutshell, as I understand it:
What did the Meraglim do wrong, they were sent to give a report on the land and that’s exactly what they did?
The Ramban says that the problem was that the meraglim used the word אפס, which means impossible. The Akeidah says that they shouldn’t have editorialized the report with their opinion at all, they should have just reported the facts.
The Shelah says there were thee different groups:
Moshe wanted the Meraglim to report back on how strong the nations of the land were, so that the nation would greater appreciate the miracle that Hashem was going to perform for them.
The nation as a whole was in the middle – they wanted to make sure that conquering the land was naturally feasible, because they didn’t want to rely on a miracle. Their mistake was to take this too far, and to believe something that doesn’t seem possible is truly impossible, when nothing is impossible with Hashem’s help.
The Meraglim themselves thought they would lose their position of authority if the nation entered Eretz Yisroel, and they were therefore determined to convince the nation not to attempt this by whatever means necessary.
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