Megillas Koheles

A Daily Battle of Epic Proportions!

Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for a man whom the king desires to honor?” Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” (Megillas Esther 6:6)

This Shabbos we read Megillas Koheles. The Midrash Rabbah (Koheles 5:2) contrasts the actions of reshaim, wicked people, and tzadikim, righteous people. Reshaim are controlled by their heart. The Yefe Toar explains that they are controlled by their emotions and desires. “… Haman said belibo, in his heart, and Esau said belibo, in his heart”. Tzadikim, on the other hand, control their hearts and emotions with their intellect. “Chana spoke to her heart and King David spoke to his heart”.

The Midrash Rabbah continues. Haman went to King Achashverosh early in the morning to request that Mordechai be hung. Achashverosh pre-empted Haman’s request by asking him what to do for a person that he wished to honor. Haman’s heart was desirous. He assumed that the king wished to honor him. Immediately, he answered that the person should be dressed in the royal garments that the king wore on the day of his coronation. He should also ride on the horse that the king rode on the day of his coronation. Furthermore, the king’s crown should be placed on his head. Haman was very smart, but his desires clouded his better judgment. Achashverosh saw-through Haman’s suggestions, realizing that Haman wanted these royal honors for himself. In fact, Achashverosh was so upset that his face turned colors when Haman mentioned the king’s crown. What intelligent person would even think of asking for those coveted items that are so special and unique to the king? Yet, Haman’s personal desires clouded his better judgment and that is what he asked for.

Chana, on the other hand, controlled her emotions. She followed her intellect and acted appropriately. Chana and Penina were co-wives of Elkanah. Every year, Chana would go to the Beis HaMikdash with her husband. Penina had many children, but Chana had none. Penina felt bad for Chana. She said a few things to Chana to motivate Chana to beseech Hashem more intensely. The Eitz Yosef quoting the Yefe Toar explains, that Chana was very pained and agitated by Penina’s words. Emotions swirling, Chana wanted to scream out loud to Hashem, to beg for a child. However, she understood that screaming within the Beis Hamikdash would be a lack of respect. Thus, she controlled her emotions. She davened fervently, but silently.

King David also controlled his emotions, allowing his intellect to control his heart. Before David became king, King Shaul tried to kill him. (One of Shaul’s close advisors had poisoned his mind against David.) David told himself that he must escape, by leaving the Land of Israel. He felt in his heart that he should not leave. Emotionally, he felt that Hashem was with him and would save his life. If King Shaul would keep pursuing him to kill him, then David, having no other choice, would have to kill King Shaul. After all, the Torah permits a person to take pre-emptive action to kill a person who is trying to kill him. These were the emotions that were swirling in David’s heart. However, after thinking the matter over, he realized that he could not bring himself to kill King Shaul, who had been anointed by Hashem. If that was the case, then David was potentially in mortal danger. Therefore, David followed his intellect and determined that he did have to run away, outside the Land of Israel (Yefe Toar).

We fight a similar battle, numerous times every day, in our relationship with Hashem and with the people around us. Our emotions are screaming that we must act a certain way. We can follow what our heart is telling us, but that is not always the proper thing to do. We must stop and think logically if this is the appropriate course of action. It is not so easy to ignore the emotions that we feel in our heart. It’s a battle. We must work hard, trying our best to win each battle. Following one’s intellect and tempering one’s emotions is the right course of action. It will also be beneficial to us. For example, if our boss, our good friend, or our spouse says a hurtful comment to us, our emotions will be swirling. If we follow our emotions, we may respond in an attacking and hurtful way. That can negatively affect our job and our relationships. If we follow our intellect, we may understand that this is not the best time to respond, when we feel so hurt. We may be able to wait and respond when we are calmer. That would save us from the harmful ramifications that would surely, otherwise follow. Perhaps, we may even decide to forego our comments, realizing that the words said to us were said in the heat of emotion. The boss, friend, or spouse lost control of themself, but truly still has respect, admiration, and love for us.

We must always think before we act! We must control our emotions!

That will help us in our service to Hashem and in our interpersonal relationships.

Based on a dvar Torah by HaRav Alter Henach Leibowitz zt”l

Special Succos Edition

To Do So or Not To Do So – That is the Question

“You are not to desecrate my Holy Name, rather I should be sanctified among the children of Israel…” (Vayikra 22:32).
On the first two days of Succos we read, “You are not to desecrate my Holy Name…”.

Hashem expects a Jew to act in a manner which sanctifies Hashem’s name.

The Torah tells us, “You are permitted to take interest from a non-Jew but not from a Jew, in order that Hashem, your G-D, will bless you in your every undertaking…” (Devarim 23:21). If a Jew borrowed money from a non-Jew, agreeing to pay him interest on the loan, he may not renege on his word. The Sforno says that if he reneges, he is being dishonest. The Sforno adds, that he is also making a chillul Hashem, profaning and desecrating the Name of Hashem! Chillul Hashem is such a severe sin that one only achieves atonement for it with his death, unless he creates a kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of Hashem’s name. (Rabbeinu Yona in sefer Shaarei Teshuvah).

However, if he does pay the non-Jew the interest on the loan that he had promised to pay then the Torah says that Hashem will bless all his work.

HaRav Henach Leibowitz zt”l questioned this Sforno. We would not think that the sin of reneging to pay the non-Jew interest on a loan is so severe. We may think, true he had given his word to pay it. However, he could easily rationalize that the non-Jew would understand why he is not paying it and therefore he could renege on his word. He could tell the non-Jew that he is treating him the same way that he would treat his brother, a fellow Jew. Namely, that it is forbidden to pay interest to a fellow Jew even if he erroneously promised that he would.

However, it is clear from the Sforno that this is not the behavior that the Torah wants from us. Hashem wants us to act with honesty. If we promised to pay the interest to the non-Jew than we MUST do so. Not to do so is considered treachery and a chillul Hashem!

The Rosh HaYeshiva zt”l said that we live in a time when people are looking for monetary loopholes, especially when dealing with non-Jews. We must realize the gravity of the sin that our action is causing. We may be doing a terrible, terrible sin of causing a chillul Hashem that even Yom Kippur does not atone for. We must be very careful when dealing with non-Jews and with the government to always act in a very honest way.  And, if we do so, the Torah promises that we will not lose out. Rather, we will gain because Hashem will bless our efforts.

We must always be honest in business and avoid any chillul Hashem.

Hashem will give us extra blessings when we do so.

Special Rosh Hashana Issue

The Conductor of the Orchestra!

“And Hashem had remembered Sarah… Sarah conceived and bore a son to Avraham….” Breishis (21:1-2)

This past week, someone sent me a thirty second video clip. An elderly woman was sitting on a bench in front of an apartment building. She dropped her cane which fell a few feet away from her. She noticed a non-Jewish, teenage boy nearby.  He was standing, leaning on a pole, and munching on a candy bar. She asked him if he would pick up her cane. Although he said yes, he continued munching on his candy bar, seemingly ignoring the situation. The elderly lady shrugged her shoulders, laboriously got up, walked the few feet away from the bench with difficulty, and bent down to retrieve her cane. As soon as she did so, there was a loud crash. A piano fell from the building and crashed onto the bench that she had been sitting on moments before. Clearly, Hashem had orchestrated the lady’s cane to fall away from the bench, forcing her to move away from the bench, thus saving her life.

Hashem orchestrates many such events for us, as well.

On the first day of Rosh Hashana the Torah reading discusses Hashem miraculously enabling ninety-year old Sarah to have a child. The Torah tells us about this event immediately after telling us about a difficult event in Sarah’s life. Avimelech, King of Gerrar, forcibly took Sarah into his palace. Hashem protected Sarah from abuse. Hashem appeared to Avimelech in a dream and told him that he would die for taking a married woman. Furthermore, at Sarah’s behest, Hashem sealed all the body openings of Avimelech and all Avimelech’s people. Avimelech returned Sarah to Avraham, together with many gifts of appeasement. Whereupon, Avraham prayed to Hashem who reopened all their body openings. After Avraham’s prayers, the Torah tells us that Hashem opened Sarah’s womb, enabling her to give birth to a child.

 Why does the Torah connect these two episodes in a sequence? Why does the Torah tell us about Avimelech, followed by Sarah giving birth? Rashi learns a beautiful lesson from this. If you pray to Hashem for someone else, when you yourself have the same need, then Hashem responds to your needs first. Avraham davened that the openings in Avimelech’s body be reopened. In response, Hashem then opened Sarah’s womb. How do we know that Avraham was answered first? The Gur Aryeh, quoting Rashi in the Talmud (Bava Kama 92B) proves it from the Torah’s wording.  It should have said “vayifkad Hashem es Sarah”, that Hashem remembered Sarah. Instead, it said “Va’Hashem Pakad” means that Hashem already responded to Sarah’s need, before responding to Avimelech’s need.

According to Rashi, it seems that Sarah gave birth because of Avraham’s prayers on behalf of Avimelech. The Ohr HaChaim, as well as the Gur Aryeh, question Rashi’s explanation.  Had Hashem not already promised Avraham that Sarah would give birth, irrespective of Avraham’s prayer for Avimelech? The Ohr HaChaim explains, Hashem had already promised that Avraham would have a child. To create that desired outcome, Hashem provided Avraham with the opportunity to daven for another. That mitzvah that Hashem gave, was the force which triggered the desired result, namely the birth of a child to the barren Sarah. The Ohr HaChaim says, in general, when Hashem wants to do a specific good for someone, Hashem arranges for that person to have the opportunity to do a specific mitzvah. The result of that mitzvah will bring the person the good that Hashem wants to give him. The Gur Aryeh explains in a similar manner, with a twist.  Hashem purposely placed Sarah in the uncomfortable position of being taken into Avimelech’s palace. Hashem did so, even though it also provided an opening for scoffers to claim that Yitzchok was Avimelech’s child (In order to disprove their claims, Hashem caused Yitzchak to look just like his true father, Avraham). The resulting effect of being in this uncomfortable position was that Avraham prayed for Avimelech.  That prayer, for another, resulted in Avraham being answered first, and having a child.

The explanation of the Ohr HaChaim and Gur Aryeh give an understanding into the workings of Hashem.

At times, Hashem will create a situation which seems negative and hurtful to us.

Yet, Hashem’s intent is for that situation to cause us to respond in a way which will bring blessing into our lives!

That “hurtful” situation will end up being the trigger for extreme happiness!

Pesach

Soccer and the Mitzvah of Not Eating Chometz

Rabbi Sholom Schwadron had noticed that one of the students at the yeshiva missed his lecture, two days in a row. That was very unusual for this student. Rabbi Schwadron found out that the student was home, even though he wasn’t sick. He went to visit his student, to find out why he was absent. After some prodding, the boy finally said that he was an avid soccer fan and he stayed home to watch the finals. In fact,” the boy added in embarrassment, “I probably won’t be in yeshiva tomorrow as well. It’s the final day of the championship.”

Rabbi Schwadron furrowed his brow in interest. “It sounds very exciting. How do you play the game?” “Well,” began the student filled with enthusiasm, “The object is to kick a ball into a large goal.” Rabbi Schwadron’s face brightened! “Oh! Is that all? Let’s go to the backyard and we will kick the ball into the goal. Then you can return to yeshiva tomorrow.”

The boy laughed. “Rebbe, you don’t understand! There is a goalkeeper whose job is to stop the team from getting the ball into goal!”

“Tell me,” Rabbi Schwadron whispered. “is the goalkeeper there at night also?” “Of course not!” laughed the student. “Rabbi Schwadron suggested “We can return in the evening and kick the ball into the goal when the goalkeeper is not there. Then you can win and return to yeshiva!”

The boy threw his hands up in frustration. “Rebbe! You don’t understand. There is no challenge to kick a ball into an empty net. The excitement is to try to score if there is someone trying to stop you!”

“Ah!” cried Reb Sholom in absolute victory. Listen to what you just said! It’s not as challenging to come to the yeshiva when nothing is holding you back! When it’s difficult, when you have a temptation holding you back, that’s when it’s special. When the Yetzer Harah (evil inclination) is “crouching in the goal” to prevent you from doing the right thing, that is when it is most difficult to score. That is when you really score points. Come to yeshiva tomorrow, and you can’t imagine how much that is worth in Hashem’s scorecard!” The student understood the message and was there the next day, in class!

We are so careful not to eat chometz (bread/leaven) on Pesach (Passover). So much so, that when the matzah is baked before Passover, many hurry every 18 minutes to carefully clean all the utensils, to prevent the dough from rising. Some people are so scrupulous that they don’t even put matzah balls in their soup, concerned lest any raw dough become chometz from the liquid. There is a simple solution! Instead of using flour, why not make matzah using potato starch (flour from potatoes)? Potato starch doesn’t rise so it can’t become chometz. How much easier that would be. Yet, you are not permitted to use potato starch or other flours that can’t become chometz if left unchecked. Why not? The Chasam Sofer learns a beautiful lesson from this: To prevent potato starch from becoming chometz isn’t a true accomplishment. Only by carefully supervising the preparation of baking matzah to prevent it from becoming chometz, does a Jew show his love of Hashem and his loyalty to the Torah. Similarly, Hashem put the world into our hands, with our evil inclination, tempting us to act improperly. We will elevate ourselves spiritually, only when we work hard to overpower our evil inclination.

Through overcoming our Yetzer Harah, we achieve great successes!

Chanukah

THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM THE STORY OF CHANUKAH

based on an essay by Rabbi Yisroel Miller

The Holiday of Chanukah is enjoyable and fun.  We light the menorah, play dreidel, eat latkes and jelly doughnuts, and give gifts to children.

We can learn two very important lessons from this holiday:

1) G-D saved us from a mighty superpower and G-D continues to save us, even today.

2) The actions of the Chashmonaim (those Jews who fought the mighty Syrian-Greeks) teach us we must be willing to do battle for Torah. We must also have the courage to risk our lives, if necessary, and be willing to sacrifice for the sake of G-D.  We need to show self-sacrifice and the courage to fight against all odds.

The question is, if we are cowards by nature, how can we summon our courage to overcome all obstacles and difficulties for the sake of G-D and the Torah?

This question can be answered by a Midrash which contains a beautiful parable (story to teach a lesson):

A king, traveling on the side roads, saved a princess (from a different kingdom) from being attacked by bandits.  The princess thanked the king very much.  Sometime afterward, the king (who was not married) called the princess for a date.  She brushed him off, and refused.    The king wanted a date, so what did he do?  He hired the very same bandits, that originally attacked her, to attack her, again.  That provided the king with another opportunity to save the princess a second time (and hopefully get her to agree to go on a date). However, the second time, the princess was not in danger. It was a charade-just like a play.

There used to be a TV show called Candid Camera. Funny situations were created to see how people would react. The moderator of the show, Mr. Alan Funt, was once on an airplane that was being hijacked to Cuba. The passengers on the plane were not scared at all-they thought they were on the tv show, to see how they would react. Since they felt it wasn’t truly happening, they were not afraid.

This illustrates a very important point.  Sometimes, we are faced with great challenges and hardships in our lives.  Yet, they are not real!  They are “set-up” by G-D to encourage us to react the proper way, encouraging prayer (and more closeness to G-D) and/or spiritual growth.  It is as if G-D hired actors to challenge us, hoping we will succeed in overcoming the challenge.

If this is true, we don’t need any courage.  All we need is an awareness that G-D is the only Power in the World.  Every stressful situation, we find ourselves in, is only a test by G-D to see our reaction.  There is nothing to fear!

At the time of the Chanukah story, the Jews slackened in their service of G-D.  G-D sent the Syrian-Greeks to forbid the observance of mitzvos, as a test to see how the Jews would react.  Matisyahu and his sons and many other Jews understood that they were being tested and passed the test.  They showed their willingness to risk their lives to perform mitzvos and then to fight the Syrian-Greek armies.

This awareness, that all that happens to us is only a test from G-D, should give us the courage to conquer any obstacles and difficulties that we face.