Category Archives: Sefer Shmos

Parshas Besalach: Now I Understand!

Parshas Beshalach

Now I Understand!

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“Then Moshe and Bnei Yisroel chose to sing this song to Hashem… “ (Shmos 15:1)

 

Prior to World War ll, a group of German Jews were lucky to escape from Germany to England. However, in 1940, the British were afraid that German foreigners were spies who would join with the enemy when the Nazis invaded their country. As a result, the British government rounded up all the Germans and sent them out of England. Those Germans of military age, from 18 to 65, were sent by boat to a prison in Australia, which was then a British colony. The British filled a troopship, the HMS Dunera, with over 2,500 refugees, most of whom were Jewish.

There was a fear of the Nazi submarines that patrolled the waters. All identifying marks were removed from the ship. In addition, the captain and crew were instructed not to respond to any radio requests to identify themselves. On board the ship, the Jews were all very badly treated by their British guards. The guards also looted any valuables that they could find. When they finished searching the personal luggage of the Jewish prisoners, they threw much of it overboard. Imagine how the Jews must have felt. They thought that after escaping Nazi Germany that they would be safe in England. Now they were being sent to prison and all their valuables were stolen from them. In addition, their suitcases were dumped overboard. Any extra clothes and personal mementos from home, went to the bottom of the ocean.

Life in Australia was very difficult. Eventually the prisoners were freed. Many stayed in Australia and made a life for themselves. The refugees retained unpleasant memories of their voyage. Over 40 years later a diving-team off the coast of Europe found a German submarine that had been sunk. They recovered the captain’s diary. One entry was especially interesting. The captain wrote that they were trailing an English troopship that did not have any identifying markings on it. The Germans prepared their torpedoes to sink the ship. As they were doing so, they noticed suitcases and papers floating on the surface. They sent a diver to retrieve some of the items. When they found German writing on them, they determined that this was not a troop transport carrying British soldiers. Instead, it must have been transporting German prisoners of war. The order was given NOT to torpedo the ship in order that they not harm their German brethren.

Only now, 40 years after the fact, did the refugees understand why Hashem had orchestrated that all their belongings be thrown in the ocean. That saved their lives! (Rabbi Frand on the Parashah 2 and Stephen G. Rosenberg in the Jerusalem Post online, December 12,2015).

 

At Hashem’s directive, Moshe went to Pharaoh, telling him to allow the Jews to go to the desert to serve Hashem. Pharaoh refused the request and even made the work harder for the Jewish People. He said that from this point on, the Jews would have to find their own straw to make bricks. Furthermore, they had to make the same number of bricks as they used to, when the straw had been provided to them. The Jewish foremen complained to Moshe and Aharon about their worsening plight. Moshe felt very badly that his actions caused more harm to the Jews, just the opposite of what he had intended. Moshe complained to Hashem, “Hashem, why have you done evil to this people…. “u’may’az basi”, ‘From the time’ I came to Pharaoh… he did evil to this people….” (Shmos 5:22-23)

After the plagues were brought upon the Egyptians, the Jews were freed from Egypt. They miraculously crossed the Red Sea and saw the Egyptian army drown. At that point, the Jews sang a song of praise to Hashem. The first word of the song that Moshe started was “az”, “then”. The Midrash (Shmos 23:3) says that the word Moshe used was significant. Moshe told Hashem, “I know that I sinned before You with the word “az”... .Therefore I am now praising You with the same word.”

When Moshe first approached Pharaoh he complained to Hashem that his visit had made matters worse for the Jews. After the Jews safely crossed the Red Sea, Moshe understood that his visit had actually helped bring salvation to the Jews. The Jews were supposed to be in Egypt for 400 years. Hashem was concerned lest they would never be able to make it out of Egypt. They had fallen to the 49th level of impurity, while in Egypt. Had they fallen one more level, they would have been so low that they would have never left Egypt. To resolve that problem, Hashem caused Pharaoh to increase the workload so that 400 years of had work be crammed into 210 years. Now, at the Red Sea, Moshe understood that the increased suffering to the Jews because of Moshe’s intervention, actually benefitted them and aided in their eventual freedom from Egypt. (based on Rabbi Frand on the Parasha 2)

We all have various difficulties in life. Our suffering may actually be the means to our ultimate salvation!

Parshas Bo: The World Is Looking At You!

Parshas Bo

The World Is Looking At You!

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“Sanctify for Me every first born…” (13:2)

 

Shmuel’s wife, Rachel, had waited months to have a very serious operation. The day finally came. In the hospital, as she was being prepared for surgery, the nurse asked, “Of course you used the special lotion on your scalp before you came?” Rachel looked dumbfounded for a moment and said that she had not. The nurse said that it was important for it to have been applied to the scalp in advance of the surgery. Now, the surgery would have to be rescheduled. Rachel did not want to postpone the surgery any longer. Shmuel asked the nurse if there still be time to put it on his wife’s scalp if he could quickly get the lotion. The nurse looked at her watch and replied that if Rochel put it on in the next half an hour, the surgery could continue. Shmuel raced out of the hospital to a nearby pharmacy, but it was closed. The lights were on and Shmuel banged on the door. An employee came to the door and saw the urgency in Shmuel’s face. Shmuel explained the seriousness of the situation and said which lotion was required. The employee responded that the store had it in stock it, but the cash register was already closed, and he could not take Shmuel’s money. Shmuel promised to pay for it the next day. For some reason, the employee agreed. The next day, Shmuel came into the store to pay. When he told the cashier that he was paying for the lotion that he had taken the night before, the cashier screamed into the back room where yesterday’s employee was working. Apparently, the cashier had told the employee that he was crazy for letting the man take the lotion without paying for it. There was no way that the man was going to return to the store to pay. The employee felt that he would return. They had made a bet with each other as to whether Shmuel would return to the store to pay. Now the cashier screamed, “Had I known that the man you gave the lotion to was one of those people who wear the caps on their heads (Jews) then I would never have made the bet. Of course, he will return. Those people are honest”. Shmuel had made a kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of Hashem’s name. Clearly, other Jews also made a kiddush Hashem and that was why the cashier understood that a Jew would return to pay.

During the last plague, makas bechoros, Hashem killed all the first-born Egyptians and their animals, as well as all the firstborn non-Egyptians who were in Egypt at the time. Since the firstborn Jews were the only firstborn whose lives were spared, they became holy to Hashem forever. That is why we have the mitzvah of pidyon ha’ben, in which a parent must redeem his firstborn son from Hashem, by giving money to a kohen.

The Alter of Slobodka, Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv zt”l (Rabbi Frand on the Parsha), says that the Jewish firstborn were involved in a great kiddush Hashem. However, they did not do anything on their own. Their role was totally passive! We see from this that even passive participation in a kiddush Hashem is very great. Thereupon, Rav Simcha Zissel said, “If this is the reward for a person who has a passive role in a kiddush Hashem, how can we even begin to imagine the reward of a person that actively makes a kiddush Hashem?”

Rav Alter Henach Leibowitz zt”l quotes the Sforno (Devarim 23:21) who says that a Jew who borrows money with interest from a non-Jew must pay back, of course. If he only pays the principal and does not pay back the interest his action is considered “treachery” and he is causing a chilul Hashem, desecration of Hashem’s name. If he does pay back, he will be blessed. People look for rationalizations. Causing a chilul Hashem is so serious that Rabbi Yona of Gerona says, Yom Kippur and repentance do NOT atone for it. We must be so careful with our dealings with non-Jews and with the government to make sure that all our actions are honest.

Na’aman, the general of the King of Aram was a great warrior who was highly respected by his people. He developed tzarayas (a type of leprosy). Whichever cure he tried did not work. He heard about the Jewish prophet Elisha and asked him for help. Elisha told him what to do and Na’aman’s tzarayas was healed. King Na’aman came to Elisha with a large group of his followers. He told Elisha that he now knew that Hashem was the only true G-D. What a tremendous kiddush Hashem! Then he offered Elisha a thank you gift. Elisha refused to take it even though the Na’aman tried numerous times, pressing him to take it. (Melachim 2 5:14-15) The Ralbag explains that a navi taking a thank you gift would minimize the kiddush Hashem. Clearly, the remedy that Elisha advised clearly would not have worked without Hashem. Yet, on some level the kiddush Hashem would have been minimized had accepted a thank you gift . Even when doing a kiddush Hashem, we must be so careful not to diminish it in any way (Based on a discussion by Rabbi Alter H. Leibowitz zt”l).

 

The world expects a higher level of moral integrity and conduct from the Jews. Our actions are always under a microscope. The way we act, the way we talk to others, the way we conduct our business affairs

and the way we treat others, both Jewish and non-Jewish, make an impact.

Each one of us has this great opportunity to make a kiddush Hashem.

Parshas Va’era: Do You Have Five Minutes? It Could change Your Life!

Parshas Va’era

Do You Have Five Minutes? It Could change Your Life!

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“And Moshe spoke thus to Bnei Yisroel, but they did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of breath and hard work”. (Shmos 6:9)

Rabbi Avraham Pam zt”l gave his son a watch as a bar mitzvah present. He wanted to teach his son the value of time, that time is life!

Someone once asked the Chasam Sofer the secret to his success in Torah. “I became a talmid chacham in five minutes,” the Chasam Sofer said. “Really?” asked the man. “All those five minutes that go to waste in the course of one’s lifetime – I made sure to maximize the use of them. That is why I say I became a talmid chacham in five minutes. Five minutes here and five minutes there.” (Achim.org)

Moshe returned to Egypt to rescue the Jews from bondage. Hashem told Moshe to tell the Jews that the servitude would end, and they would eventually go to the Land of Israel. The Jews were unable to pay proper attention to Moshe’s message “because of shortness of breath and hard work”. The Vilna Gaon says that the Jews were so busy with a combination of hard work and incessant work that they could not properly hear Moshe’s message of hope and freedom.

The Sefer Talelei Oros, compiled by Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rubin, quotes Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin who has a different explanation of the pasuk. After Moshe spoke to the Jews, Hashem told him to speak to Pharaoh. Moshe responded that he had a speech impediment. The Jews did not listen to him, even though he was speaking for their benefit, telling them news of their freedom. Certainly, Pharaoh, their slave-owner, would not listen to him.  Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin questions Moshe’s argument. The Torah explained previously that the Jews did not listen to Moshe because they were overburdened with work. That reasoning did not apply to Pharaoh. Why did Moshe assume that Pharaoh would not listen to him?

Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin answers this with a parable:

A man visited a prisoner in his jail cell. The man had a very bad stutter and spoke very slowly. The prisoner listened to him half-heartedly. When the prisoner realized that his visitor was speaking about how to secure his release from prison, he started listening to his visitor very carefully, even though it was difficult for him. Had the visitor gone to the warden to discuss the possibility of releasing the prisoner, the warden would not have had the patience to listen to him.

With this parable we can understand the pasuk. The Jews did not listen to Moshe because of their “shortness of breath and hard work”. Their bondage was so severe that they were unable to listen to the speech-impeded Moshe. Moshe told Hashem that if the Jews found it too difficult to listen to him speaking, even though it was for their benefit, then certainly Pharaoh would not have the patience to listen to him.

Pharaoh’s strategy worked. The Jews were so overburdened with work that they were unable to listen to news about their freedom. This is the same strategy that the yetzer hara, evil inclination, uses with us. The Mesilas Yesharim, The Path of the Just, by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto, says that this is one of the yetzer hara’s strongest tricks. He distracts us and busies us with mundane matters. We get so involved in the unimportant aspects of life that we do not stop to think. We don’t think, what is the purpose of life, why did Hashem create us, what have we accomplished of significance, and how much time is left in our lives to accomplish what is important and eternally precious. If we would take the few minutes to think, the yetzer hara realizes that we will probably make meaningful changes in our path in life and use our time more wisely.

 

Parshas Shmos: Watch Your Mouth!

Parshas Shmos

Watch Your Mouth!

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”Moshe was frightened and he thought, “Indeed the matter is known!” (Shmos 2:14)

I had $100,000 in the bank account. I went to the bank to take out the money to use as a down payment on a house. When I gave the teller the withdrawal slip, she told me that I only had $20 left in the account. I worked hard and saved for many years. What happened to all my money?!

How was the Rabbi’s speech today? You know, I love the Rabbi, but his speeches are so boring!

I overheard the boss today. Do you want to know what he said about the group working on the project? Boy, are they in trouble!

I do not think that this shidduch is for you. I do not have firsthand knowledge, but my sister-in-law heard some negative things from her neighbor.

When he passed by, I turned to my friend. I did not say anything, I just wrinkled my nose and gave a look of disgust.

He turned to his wife and told her that the storekeeper cheated one of his customers.

As he sat in the teacher’s room, he listened to the teacher’s complaining about the bad behavior of their students.

Moshe could not understand why the Jews were suffering so terribly in Egypt. The Sifsei Chachamim (Shmos 2:14) explains, Moshe knew that Hashem had already told Avraham that his children would be slaves and would suffer affliction for 400 years. That, however, did not explain why the Jews had to suffer so horrifically or why the servitude was so harsh (“avodas perech”).

Then, an event occurred which opened Moshe’s eyes to the answer as to why this was happening to the Jews. Moshe had killed an evil Egyptian taskmaster who had snuck into a Jewish home and had accosted a Jewish woman (Astonishingly, this was the only time this ever happened during the entire time that the Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians). The next morning, Moshe saw this terrible Egyptian taskmaster mercilessly beating a Jew. After looking into the future and seeing that no good person would ever come from this Egyptian man, Moshe killed this Egyptian by saying one of Hashem’s holy names (The commentaries discuss why this Egyptian had incurred the death penalty for his actions.) The following day when Moshe saw two Jews fighting, he tried to stop the fight by telling them that their actions were evil. Immediately, one of the two Jews said to Moshe, “Do you intend to murder me as you had murdered the Egyptian?” Moshe was taken aback. He said to himself, “Indeed the matter is known!” Rashi says that Moshe realized that his act of killing the Egyptian was known to others. Rashi quotes the Midrash that explains, now Moshe understood why the Jews were suffering so terribly in Egypt. “Now, I understand why the Jews are deserving this” because they are speaking loshon hara, slandering fellow Jews. In fact, the two Jews slandered Moshe to Pharaoh. Moshe would have been killed by Pharaoh if not for Hashem’s miraculous intervention.

The Jews were on the 49th level (out of 50) of impurity. They were serving idols (Midrash). Yet Moshe could not understand why they were suffering terribly. Once Moshe saw that there was also the sin of slander, then he understood. The Chofetz Chaim zt”l in Sefer Shmiras Haloshon (Part 2 perek 4) quotes a Zohar that loshon hara awakens accusations in heaven against the Jewish People. Apparently, other sins, even serious ones, do not have the power to bring accusations against the perpetrator and the Jewish People as a whole. Once loshon hara is spoken, it enables all the other sins to accuse the Jews.  The Chofetz Chaim quotes the Midrash (Vayikrah 26:2) that the generation of Achav sinned by serving idols. Yet they were always victorious and never had casualties in battle because they did not speak loshon hara. The people in the generation of King Shaul (see Yefe To’ar) were steeped in Torah learning, yet they had casualties in battle because they sinned with loshon hara. The Matnos Kehuna explains that they were ba’alei loshon hara; they spoke loshon hara regularly. That is what the pasuk means, “Indeed the matter is known!” The loshon hara allowed the severe sin of serving idols to be known. Now the sin of serving idols was able to stand in accusation against the Jews. Now Moshe understood why the Jews deserved such harsh treatment by the Egyptians.

The sin of speaking loshon hara is very severe, especially if one habitually speaks loshon hara. The Chofetz Chaim zt”l in the sefer Shmiras Haloshon (Sha’ar Zechira perek 3) quotes the Chovos Halevavos of Rabbeinu Bechaya (Sha’ar Hachniya perek 7, at the end of hasiman hashlishi) who writes about the terrible shock that awaits one who speaks loshon hara habitually. When he is judged, after he dies, he will be shown his mitzvos and his sins. He will notice, to his great chagrin, that many mitzvos that he had done in his lifetime are no longer there. In addition, there are sins recorded that he had never done. What happened?!! When he habitually spoke loshon hara about another person, his mitzvos were transferred to that person. In addition, that person’s sins were transferred to him.

The sin of speaking loshon hara is so severe, impacting us as individuals as well as the entire Jewish nation. It weakens the efficacy of our tefillos. The reward for holding ourselves back from speaking loshon hara is great!

We are rewarded for every second that we can restrain ourselves.

May Hashem grant us the wisdom to learn the laws of not speaking loshon hara

and along with that, may Hashem protect us from speaking loshon hara.

Parshas Vayakhel/Pekudei: Special Current Events Issue – How To Act In These Troubling Times

Parshas Vayakhel/Pekudei

Special Current Events Issue – How To Act In These Troubling Times

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In last week’s parsha, Parshas Ki Sisa, Moshe went up to Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments from Hashem. He didn’t return when he was expected to. The impatience of a few resulted in the making of the golden calf. Although very few people were involved in worshipping it, it became a stain of sin for the Jewish People as a whole. Rashi says that the Jews thought that Moshe had died atop the mountain. The Satan brought darkness to the world and said that Moshe was dead (Talmud Shabbos 89A).  The Jews did not believe the Satan until he showed them an image of Moshe’s coffin (Midrash 41:10). Hashem gave the Satan the ability to fool some Jews into believing that Moshe was dead. Why did Hashem give him such power? One explanation is that the Jews were on such a lofty level of holiness. To test them, Hashem allowed the Satan greater powers than usual.

In our current situation, shuls and yeshivos have closed. They are our lifeblood. Davening to Hashem and learning Torah are the hallmarks and power of a Jew. Why did Hashem grant the Satan the ability to close them? Perhaps we are currently in a period of tremendous holiness or potential holiness. If we strengthen our prayers, our learning, our kindness to others and our other mitzvos, perhaps we can reach that special level of holiness.  Perhaps the Satan was given extra power to try to combat that holiness. Who knows what greatness awaits us, as a People, if we pass this test?

We are experiencing unique events. How can we remain calm when many people are panicking? Is there anything special that we could and should do?

The enemy soldiers surrounded the castle. Their catapults were showering the castle walls with huge stones. The people inside the castle walls were greatly outnumbered. They started to panic. The king was calm. As the enemy crept closer and closer, the people inside felt more and more worried. However, the king remained calm. The enemy came within five feet of the castle walls. The people inside started screaming in fear. Just then, the king gave a signal and boiling oil was poured down onto the unsuspecting enemy. Those soldiers who didn’t die, quickly ran away in pain and in fear. The people inside the castle were saved. They cheered their king.  All along, their king had not been worried because he knew that he had a plan of which the people were unaware. Had the people known, in advance, of the king’s plan, they, too, wouldn’t have been worried.

  • Similarly, Hashem has a plan! Nothing in this world just happens! Hashem is guiding all the events that occur. We don’t know the plan, but we can feel calm knowing that there is a plan!

There is a famous poem that can also help to calm our nerves.

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with Hashem.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to Hashem. 

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

 This really troubled me, so I asked Hashem about it.
“Hashem, you said once I decided to follow You,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

 Hashem whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.” 

  • Hashem loves each of us more than a parent loves a child! Hashem is with us “every step of the way”. Clearly, Hashem will protect us from any harm. Hashem does not want anything bad to happen to us! Anything that does happen is only for our ultimate good! We can feel calm knowing this.

A story is told about a man who travelled with Eliyahu the prophet. One evening, a very poor couple graciously invited them to stay in their home, overnight. They gave up their own straw beds to the guests and shared their meager rations. In the morning, Eliyahu thanked them. As he past their source of food, a solitary cow, Eliyahu whispered in the cow’s ear and the cow dropped dead on the spot. Eliyahu’s companion could not understand how Hashem could “punish” such a wonderful couple by causing their only source of food to perish. Eliyahu explained that we don’t understand the ways of Hashem. Hashem loves us and wants only good for us.  Eliyahu explained that their host’s wife was supposed to have died that day.  It was her time to pass on. Due to her kindness, Hashem took the life of her cow instead of her life.

If something “bad” occurs to us during these days of unique world events, perhaps it is Hashem’s kindness to save us from a worse fate.

The knowledge that nothing in this world happens by accident and the belief that Hashem loves us and only wants good for us will help us remain calm and feel happy in any situation.

Is there anything concrete that we can do that can to lessen the bumps in the road as we approach what is ultimately good for us?

The Jewish People have a very special gift and power called prayer. When we pray to Hashem with intensity and with our total heart, Hashem often performs untold miracles for us. Our Torah learning is another powerful tool of ours. It can protect us, as well as our fellow Jews, from harm. Acting with chesed, with kindness, is a hallmark of the Jewish People. Our acts of kindness to each other helped the Jews in Egypt merit salvation and can help us merit our future and ever-lasting salvation. Restraining from speaking negatively about others, not speaking loshan hara, gives us untold merits. including benefitting from the special light that Hashem created during the Six Days of Creation and hid away for the future Tzadikim to benefit from.

  • How will each of us react towards the current challenges?
  • What one mitzvah can we do or strengthen our observance of doing?
  • What one character-trait can we strive to improve?

Our actions elevate and protect us as well as the entire Jewish People.
Let’s pray with greater intensity, learn a little extra Torah, do an extra act of kindness, and try to refrain from negative comments about others. Let’s always remember that Hashem plans everything that happens to us and that Hashem loves us so much!

Parshas Tetzaveh: The Key to Success Is…..

Parshas Tetzaveh

The Key to Success Is…..

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And you shall speak to all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments… .” (28:3)

HaRav Yehoshua Isaac Shapira zt”l was known as Harav Aizel Charif because of his exceedingly sharp intellect. He was one of the greatest Torah leaders of his generation (in the 1800’s). He once travelled to the yeshiva of Volozhin, the premier yeshiva of his time, to look for a prospective husband for his daughter. He gathered all the students together and asked a very difficult and complicated question. He said that whoever could answer the question would become his son-in-law [the dating and marriage process was very different in those days than in our days]. The students worked for days and nights, thinking how to answer the question. After a few days, they lined up to give their answers. None was able to answer the question. Rav Aizel Charif went into his carriage to return home, without a son-in-law. After his carriage had gone some distance, he heard a voice calling out to stop. One of the boys from the yeshiva was running after the carriage. Rav Aizel thought that the boy had just figured out the answer to the question. The boy said that he didn’t know the answer, but he truly wanted to know what it was. Rav Aizel smiled. This is the boy that he wanted as a son-in-law. One who was a “mevakesh”, one who loved Torah so much that he had an unquenchable thirst to know it. (from sefer Yalkut Lekach Tov by Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Beyfuss)

Hashem put extra wisdom into the Jews who were “wise-hearted”, enabling them to have the skills to help build the Mishkan, its vessels, and the garments for the kohanim. Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l, the late Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Mir, questions what qualification was needed to be considered a “wise-hearted” person who had merited to acquire extra wisdom from Hashem? Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l in his sefer, Sichas Mussar, proves from the story of King Solomon that a “wise-hearted” person is one who has a strong desire to acquire wisdom. He is a “mevakesh”. That person will merit the gift of wisdom from Hashem. King Solomon ascended to the throne, becoming the king of the Jewish People, at the age of 12. Hashem appeared to him in a dream, asking what he wanted. Solomon answered that he desired an ”understanding heart”, to be able to judge the people properly. Hashem was very pleased at Solomon’s request. He could have asked for riches or a long life, yet he didn’t. As a reward, Hashem granted Solomon riches and honor and the potential for long life, in addition to unmatched wisdom. Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l explains that King Solomon only merited the gift of profound wisdom because of his great yearning for wisdom. His yearning for wisdom was greater than his desire for wealth, honor, or a long life. A person who has a true and strong yearning for wisdom can merit receiving wisdom from Hashem. It was those Jews who thirsted for wisdom, that Hashem infused with greater wisdom, giving them the knowledge and skills to help build the Mishkan.

To what extent must a person yearn for wisdom to be considered “wise-hearted”? Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l says that we can get a glimpse of the extent, from one who had a strong yearning for honor. Haman had an intense desire for honor. All the people from 127 countries bowed down to him. Only one person, Mordechai did not bow. Since one person did not bow, Haman felt that all the honor of so many people bowing down to him, was worthless.

We can learn from Yehoshua how far a person must go in order to acquire wisdom. When Moshe ascended Har Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments, Yehoshua pitched a tent at the foot of the mountain. He remained alone from his family and friends for 40 days because he wanted to assist Moshe the very second that Moshe descended. Yehoshua was a “mevakesh”. This strong desire to assist Moshe earned Yehoshua the privilege of taking the reins of leadership from Moshe even though there were many thousands of candidates who were greater than he (see Ramban and Bal Haturim in Parshas Shelach). The Sforno (Parshas Pinchas 27:18) compared Yehoshua’s yearning desire, to that of the “wise hearted”. The “wise-hearted” acquired extra wisdom from Hashem because of their burning desire for wisdom. Similarly, Yehoshua achieved a position of leadership because of his burning desire to serve Moshe.

A key to success is to be a true “mevakesh”. If you truly have a burning and yearning desire to do good, you will be rewarded with extra Divine assistance to help you succeed.

Parshas Terumah: It’s Mine! No, It’s Mine! It’s Ours!

Parshas Terumah

It’s Mine! No, It’s Mine! It’s Ours!

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“And you shall make an Ark of acacia wood…”. (25:10)

Hashem asked Moshe to build a Mishkan (Tabernacle) to house Hashem’s Holy Presence. Moshe and Betzalel were told to construct the different vessels. Hashem said, “You shall make…”. When it came to constructing the Aron (the Ark which contained the 10 Commandments), Hashem told Moshe,”They should make”. Regarding all the other vessels, Hashem said each vessel should be made by one person. Yet, Hashem said that the Aron should be made by multiple people. The Ramban says that Hashem wanted every single Jew to participate in constructing the Aron. Why? It was so that every single Jew would merit to attain a knowledge of the Torah. How could every Jew possibly join in? The Midrash (34:2) explains that every Jew could participate in one of three ways. He could donate some gold toward its construction, he could help Betzalel a little, in its actual construction or he could merely have a desire to be involved. Rabbi Meir Dan Plotsky in his sefer the Kli Chemdah (as quoted in the Commentary on the Ramban by Rabbi Charles Chavel) says that even the desire alone to help Betzalel in making the Aron was considered an act of helping to make it. That desire would be enough to merit acquiring the knowledge of the Torah. The Eitz Yosef explains why the participation of a donation or physical help in the actual construction would make a difference.  He says that the involvement and participation in constructing the Aron would awaken their hearts to the holiness of the Aron since it housed the holy Torah.  That in turn, would make an impression in their hearts about the holiness of the Torah and would enable them to acquire a share in the Torah. It seems that in order to acquire a share in the Torah, our hearts must be able to feel its holiness.

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l explains that Hashem wanted all the Jews to have a share in the Torah. Hashem didn’t want one Jew to say to another, “I learn more Torah since I donated more towards its construction.” Hashem also didn’t want one Jew to say to another, “You didn’t donate towards the construction of the Aron, therefore you do not have a share in the Torah.” To prevent these comments Hashem told Moshe that all the Jews were to be involved in the Aron’s construction. The Torah belongs to all Jews!  The Ibn Ezra in Tehillim (19:9) says that the Torah was entrusted to us. We have an inner need for Torah.  It quenches an inner thirst that brings us joy. In fact, we are taught that if a person is sad or depressed, he should go learn Torah. That will lift his spirits.

However, the Klai Yakar says that not all Jews are capable of learning Torah. Those who can’t learn, can acquire a share in Torah by supporting those who do learn. By supporting others, it is considered as if they themselves learned Torah also. [Nowadays, even those who support Torah learning can also learn on their level, as there are many Torah classes and books available in English and on all levels.] The Chofetz Chaim says that there is a great reward both for those who learn Torah and for those who support Torah learning. The poles that were used to carry the Aron when the Jews travelled were never removed, even when the Aron was in the Mishkan. The reason is that since they were used to carry the Aron, they acquired the holiness of the Aron. The Chofetz Chaim says that the poles represent the financial supporters of Torah. The financial supporters of Torah will merit eternity, together with those who learned Torah.

The Torah belongs to all Jews. Some acquire a share through learning the Torah while others acquire a share by supporting those who learn Torah. [Even those who support Torah learning should learn to the extent that they are capable of].

Parshas Mishpatim: The Key to a Happy Marriage & Other Personal Relationships, Part 2

Parshas Mishpatim

The Key to a Happy Marriage & Other Personal Relationships, Part 2

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“Do not afflict any widow or orphan”. (22:21)

The Torah says not to cause pain or harm to a widow or an orphan. Rashi says that the same prohibition applies to harming any person. The Torah specifically mentions these because they are more sensitive and defenseless, thus they are more susceptible to be harmed. The Rambam (Hilchos Dayos 7:8) says that this even applies to a rich widow or even a powerful widow such as a queen. The reason is that they feel more dispirited than other women. The Rambam continues that we must be especially careful to speak softly and respectfully to them.

The Sefer Lekech Tov brings two instances illustrating the greatness of our Torah leaders in how they acted towards widows. Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt”l was the Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim during the time of the British Mandate. When he was younger, he was a student in the yeshiva in Pressburg. Every Shabbos the students would leave the yeshiva to eat at the homes of various families. Every week, the young Rav Sonnenfeld would disappear enroute. Some of his fellow students became curious and decided to follow him. They followed him to one of the poorer sections of the city, down many steps to an apartment in the cellar. Rav Sonnenfeld knocked on the door of a widow and in a loud and cheerful voice called out his Shabbos greetings. Then he returned to his Shabbos meal. His friends couldn’t contain their curiosity and asked if the widow was his relative. He replied that she wasn’t.  He just wanted to bring joy to a widow. It was just a few words on his part, yet that was enough to bring a smile to the widow’s face.

Rav Yosef Zev Soloveitchik zt”l  was the Chief Rabbi of the town of Brisk. Since he was exceedingly humble, he never signed his name followed by his title as the Head of the Rabbinical court of the town of Brisk. He once heard that a widow living in the outskirts of the city needed encouragement and support. He quickly went to visit her. A younger person accompanied Rav Yosef Zev. He asked the fellow to quickly go ahead of him and announce to the widow that the Rabbi of Brisk was coming to visit her. He had the fellow use his title that he normally didn’t use in order to make the widow feel special and important.

These are the actions of one who has truly imbibed his Torah learning and acts accordingly. This is the sensitivity we must show to everyone in need.

Is there something else to do to make others feel good and to foster loving relationships?

Avraham’s servant, Eliezer, was sent to look for a wife for Yitzchak. He met Rivka at the well and asked for a drink. With haste, she gave him a drink.  On her own, she offered to provide water for Eliezer’s camels. After being asked for lodging, she added on her own that her family had ample food for Eliezer and his animals. Levi ben Gershon zt”l, known as the Ralbag, (Braishis 24:19) learns from this episode that an ideal servant and a true ba’al chessed, a truly kind person, is one who can anticipate the needs of another. He must be keenly observant to notice a need without being asked. Then he must be conscientious is fulfilling that need. Eliezer saw this trait in Rivkah and knew that she would be the perfect wife for Yitzchak. The Ralbag says that it does not suffice for a servant to follow orders and do all that he is asked. His master will still be lacking because he won’t realize to verbalize all his needs. In order be considered the quintessential servant, he must be observant to notice ways to help his master and act on those needs. Rav Henach Leibowitz zt”l, Rosh Hayeshiva of Chofetz Chaim, pointed out that being alert to the needs of others is a middah of its own, that must be worked on to perfect. One can’t be a complete servant or baal chessed without this trait. King Shaul’s son, Yehonasan lacked this trait. He had such love and devotion to Dovid and would have done anything for him. Yet, Yehonasan overlooked Dovid’s need for food. He didn’t even provide him with two loaves of bread. As a result, Dovid had to get food from the city of Nov, the city of Kohanim. Since that city provided food for Dovid, King Shaul killed the entire city of Nov (Gemorah Sanhedrin 103B).

We see from the Ralbag that it is an important middah to be a complete ba’al chessed and anticipate the needs of others. This same trait is important for a happy marriage. Noticing a spouse’s needs before it is verbalized will foster a loving and lasting relationship.

Parshas Yisro: Special Thanks for???

Parshas Yisro

Special Thanks for???

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“And Yisro rejoiced over all the good that Hashem had done for the Jews, that he saved them from Egypt. Now I know that Hashem is greater than all idols, for the very thing that they had planned came upon them”. (18;9,11)

There was a very wealthy man living in Pressburg, Slovakia. Although he was blind, he lived alone and took care of himself. A group of robbers wanted to rob him of his wealth. They noticed that he left his home every day at the same time and walked the same route, through a public park. They dug a hole in the middle of the route and covered it with twigs. They figured that the blind man would fall into the hole and hurt his ankle. The robbers would then appear and “kindly” offer to carry the man into his home.  Once inside, they would rob him. The blind man exited his home and began his daily stroll. He took the exact route that he always did. He walked to within ten feet of the hole and inexplicably turned around and returned home. That was something that he had never done before and it saved him from being robbed. He never knew that Hashem had saved him from harm. Rabbi Moshe Sofer zt”l, known as the Chasam Sofer, somehow heard about this story that had occurred in his town. He said that this story illustrates what King David meant in Tehillim (117). King David says that all the nations should praise Hashem’s kindness to the Jewish People. Why should the nations praise Hashem for that which would most likely cause them unhappiness? The Chasam Sofer explains that the nations know that their evil plots against the Jews that didn’t come to fruition because of Hashem’s kindness to the Jews. The nations should praise Hashem because they alone clearly see the hand of Hashem protecting the Jews from harm. (based on a story in the book, Around the Maggid’s Table by Rabbi Paysach Krohn)

How many times does Hashem save us from pain and sorrow that we are not even aware of?

Rashi says that Yisro rejoiced after hearing all that Hashem did to punish Pharaoh and the Egyptians for treating the Jewish People harshly. Furthermore, Yisro said, “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all idols”. What brought Yisro to come to this conclusion? Rashi, explains that it was the way that Hashem punished the Egyptians.  Their punishment wasn’t arbitrary. Rather, it mirrored the evil that they did to the Jews. They were punished by the same means that they used against the Jews. Rav Henach Leibowitz zt”l explains, when one sees the truth in Hashem’s justice it leads one to repentance. In Yisro’s case, it led him to recognize Hashem as the only true Supreme Being. One sees the beauty and righteousness of Hashem’s judgement when the punishment exactly matches the crime. It shows, with clarity, that there is a “master plan” by a true King.

Yisro was privy to information that the Jewish People did not even know. That further impressed him with the greatness of Hashem. The Targum Onkelos explains the pasuk, “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all idols, for the very thing that they had planned came upon them”. Rav Yitzchok Zev Halevi Soloveitchik zt”l  explains the word “planned”. He says that the Egyptians had planned to do many more terrible things to the Jewish People but not all their plans came to fruition. Yet, Hashem still punished the Egyptians for those thoughts! The Talmud, Kiddushin 39, says that Hashem punishes the other nations for their thoughts of harming the Jews, even if their plans don’t get carried out. The Jewish People were not aware of those evil thoughts. However, the Talmud (Sanhedrin 106A) says that Yisro was aware! Yisro was one of Pharaoh’s three advisors and had the inside knowledge of all the Egyptian’s evil plans against the Jewish People. Yisro, alone, was able to appreciate “all” the good that Hashem did for the Jews. Only he could properly praise Hashem for saving the Jews for all the evil that the Egyptians had planned.

Even though we have many challenge’s in life, we have so much to be thankful for.  Hashem does so much good for us. We must be appreciative of all the good that we see and for all the good that we are not even aware of.

Parshas Beshalach: Help is Just Around the Corner!

Parshas Beshalach

Help is Just Around the Corner!

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“They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter…. And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees…” (15:23,27)

The Talmud (Ta’anis 19B) brings a fascinating story. In the time of the Beis HaMikdash, the Jews would pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year. One year, during the Succos holiday, there wasn’t enough water for all the people. Nakdimon ben Gurion was a wealthy man who loved the Jewish People. He asked a Roman prince to borrow water from his twelve large wells. He told the prince that the water would be returned by the rains that would surely come after the Jews would pray for rain. The prince refused. The prince finally agreed when Nakdimon told him that he would pay him a large amount of money if his wells would not be refilled by a certain date. Thanks to Nakdimon, the Jews had plenty of water. Time passed. It did not rain and the Roman prince’s wells were not filled.  When the last day came and there was still no rain, the Roman sent a messenger to Nakdimon to pay. Nakdimon was not impatient. He was confident that Hashem would help. That afternoon the messenger returned but Nakdimon said that the time was not up yet. Towards evening the messenger returned but Nakdimon pushed him off again. At that point Nakdimon went to the Beis HaMikdash and davened to Hashem. Hashem answered his prayers and the rain suddenly started pouring, filling the Roman’s wells.

Hashem took the Jewish People out of Egypt. They were on their journey, traveling through the desert on their way to Eretz Yisroel. They were thirsty. They came to a place that had water, but they could not drink it because the water was bitter. They named that place Marah, which means bitterness. Hashem was testing them to see how they would react to their lack of water. They should have approached Moshe to pray to Hashem for water.  Instead, what did they do? They complained, thus failing this test.  Moshe did cry out to Hashem. Hashem told Moshe to throw a specific tree into the water and miraculously the water became drinkable. The Ibn Ezra says that the Jews remained there for just one day. The very next day the Jews travelled to a place called Elim.  At Elim there were twelve springs of water, a separate one in honor of each tribe. There were also seventy date palm trees, one for each of the elders. The Ibn Ezra says that the Jews found Elim to be so pleasant that they remained there for twenty days. The Chofetz Chaim says, had the Jews known that they would find plentiful, drinkable water the very next day, they would not have complained. The Chofetz Chaim points out that by nature people are shortsighted, therefore they complain. If they lack something or things aren’t going the way they want, people may complain.  If people would be a little more patient, they would often find that things turn out better than they had first thought. If one is not patient, he may cause himself unnecessary aggravation or unhappiness that may soon prove to be irrelevant. Why should he suffer for no reason?

What is the solution to help protect us against needless aggravation and unhappiness? Obviously, the first solution is patience. As illustrated by the Jewish People and the water, often good tidings and improvement are “right around the corner”. Furthermore, we can follow Rashi’s suggestion (Devorim 32:7). Rashi says we should think about our past, how Hashem helped us and saved us from certain difficulties. Hashem has a “good track record”.  We should have confidence that Hashem will help us now, as well.  

A person can save himself from needless aggravation and pain with the realization that “help is right around the corner”. After all, Hashem has a good “track record” of helping.