Parshas Shmini

How Dare You Criticize ME -It Was YOUR Fault!

“Why didn’t you eat the sin-offering in the Sanctuary, seeing it is most holy and Hashem gave it to you to bear the sins of the congregation, to make atonement for them…?” (Vayikrah 10:17)

Tom was thinking, “My boss, John, has such nerve! True, last month’s business decision just caused the business to lose 10 million dollars. John was the one who made the decision. It wasn’t me! No way that I am taking the blame! John should accept the fact that he was the one who made the mistake.”

Tom’s reaction was automatic and understandable. No one likes to be criticized. It puts us on the defensive and makes us feel bad. We feel compelled to respond to protect our sense of worth. It’s especially true if the criticism is totally unjustified. If it was totally his fault, what nerve he has, to blame me!

Tom was 100% correct. However, because he didn’t control his reaction, he lost his job. Where was he going to find another job with such a high salary? Too bad that Tom couldn’t accept the criticism quietly.

It was the eighth day of the celebration of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). It was the day that the Mishkan would be permanently set up. The joy of the day was marred by the Heavenly deaths of two of Aharon’s sons. Aharon was somehow able to control his grief to be able continue his duties on this special day. Various sacrifices were brought on this day. Moshe found out that the Rosh Chodesh sacrifice was burnt and not eaten. Moshe got “angry” (one of the very few times in his life that he displayed anger) at Aharon’s remaining two sons, Elazer and Itamar, for burning instead of eating this korban. “Why didn’t you eat the sin-offering in the Sanctuary, seeing it is most holy and Hashem gave it to you to bear the sins of the congregation, to make atonement for them…?”

The great leader, Moshe Rabbeinu, rebuked Elazer and Itamar for doing the wrong thing. Moshe even told them to respond and explain their actions. Their to the criticism was silence. They didn’t say anything to defend their actions. They could have responded to Moshe, since they had acted correctly in not eating the korban (as Moshe later admitted). Yet they did not. Rashi explains that they felt it wasn’t respectful to respond to the rebuke of their teacher. They also felt that it was a lack of respect to respond in front of their father (Their father should be the one responding and not them. Aharon did respond soon after).

Elazar and Itamar were rewarded for their herculean effort of not responding to criticism. One opinion in the Midrash (13:1) is that their reward was a personal message from Hashem. Another opinion explains that this act saved their lives, as they were destined to die.

Our G-d given task in our lifetime is to come close to Hashem through learning Torah and performing mitzvos. We are also supposed to refine our character traits. In order to properly refine our character traits and have personal growth, we must be willing to accept criticism. We must be willing to listen objectively and change, if need be. We must to be open to listen and examine our actions carefully, if we are told that we erred. We must do this even when we feel we are totally correct.

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” –Winston Churchill

Parshas Tzav

Hashem Has Extra Special Love for…

“It [the Mincha offering] shall not be baked with leaven…it is most holy (kodesh kodoshim) as the sin offering and the guilt offering.” (Vayikrah 6:10)

There was a Jewish immigrant who came to the United States from Europe in the 1920s and refused to work on Shabbos. Each week, he informed his boss on Friday that he would not be coming to work on Saturday. The boss warned him that, if he did not come in on Saturday, he should not come on Monday or ever again. Thus, he would begin each week looking for a new job. At one point several months passed without a job. The man was unable to pay his rent, and he and his family were evicted from their apartment. As he, his wife and his children were leaving their apartment, the building’s custodian saw them and felt bad for them. He told them that there was a coal room near the heating system in the basement where they could live until their situation improved. Having no other choice, the family moved into the coal room and lived there.

One day, the children were playing outside the building, with their faces covered with soot from the coal room. A wealthy Jewish man passed by, and when he saw them, he assumed they were African-American children, as their faces were black. But as he drew closer, he heard them speaking Yiddish. When he heard their story, he was very moved. He pulled out his checkbook, asked the couple how much they needed to get set up in a new apartment, and wrote out a check.

The wife turned to the man and asked if he was shomer Shabbos. “I used to be,” the man said, “but after I came to this country and started earning money, I gave up Shabbos.” “Then I cannot take your money,” the woman said. “What?” the man asked. “What do you mean?” “We are sacrificing for the sake of Shabbos,” she explained. “We got into this situation because we refused to work on Shabbos. We will not take money from somebody who works on Shabbos.”

The man went home and told his wife what had transpired. She became very upset and said, “Remember, when we first married, we, too, observed Shabbos. But then we became wealthy and gave it up. I want to keep Shabbos again”.

The man agreed. He returned to the couple, told them that he would now be keeping Shabbos, and not only gave them a check, but hired the husband to work in his business. The husband accepted and went on to become financially successful. (from Living Shabbos by Rabbi David Sutton)

Whenever a Korban Mincha, a meal offering consisting of flour, was brought it had the status of “most holy” – “kodesh kodoshim”. That was so, even if it was just brought as a free-will offering and not as sin offering. The Abarbanel questions why that should be so. He answers that a Mincha offering was brought by a poor person who could not afford to offer an animal as a sacrifice. This korban brought by a poor person was especially cherished and beloved to Hashem. That is because of the financial difficulty the poor person went through to even bring this less expensive sacrifice. Thus, it is always considered “most holy” – “kodesh kodoshim”.

We see a similar idea in the Mishna, in Tractate Bikurim (3:8). The rich bring their first fruits to Jerusalem in silver and gold baskets which they bring back home with them. The poor bring them in baskets woven with willow reeds. The baskets of the poor are accepted by the kohanim, together with the fruit in them. Why do the kohanim take the baskets of the poor yet return the baskets of the rich? The Malbim explains that the poor probably made the baskets themselves, especially to place the first fruits in them. Since the poor went to the extra bother, the self-sacrifice, their baskets are accepted by the kohanim. The baskets of the rich were bought and didn’t involve the same measure of self-sacrifice.

All of us have many opportunities to make personal sacrifices to Hashem. It may be sacrificing in order to learn Torah, to keep Shabbos, to show respect to certain people, to do acts of kindness or to dress more modestly.

We see the extra special love that Hashem has for those who make personal sacrifices in order to serve Him. In Hashem’s eyes, these people are truly special.

Parshas Vayikrah

Why is so Hard to say, “I Am Sorry”?!

“When a ruler sins… in error….” (Vayikrah 4:22)

The following is an excerpt from the Reader’s Digest dated September 15, 2017. Similar stories can be said about friends, spouses, and family. How sad it is when we make a mistake but are too proud to admit it. People have suffered years of misery, estranged from loved ones whom they truly care about, because of their inability to admit their mistakes and say, “I am sorry”.

“Years ago, I had a falling out with a friend due to a misunderstanding that was completely my fault. I was afraid to admit that I was wrong, so we didn’t speak for years. Then we bumped into each other and decided to meet for lunch. It was so pleasant that we kept meeting. After two or three meals together, I felt compelled to apologize for my transgression years earlier”. 

They lost the benefit of their friendship for so many years. Many are not so fortunate and pass away after a life of sadness of relationships lost. If only they would have had the courage to apologize! Admitting to a mistake and apologizing is not easy, but it is so worthwhile!

If a relationship is important enough to you, you may even choose to take the initiative to be the one to say, “I am sorry”. In so doing, you are saving that close and meaningful connection.

Our parsha discusses the sacrifices brought if different people sin in error. “If” the anointed kohen sins; “If” the Sanhedrin (the high court of 70) sins; “If” any person sins; and “When” the Nasi (leader) sins. Why does the Torah change the wording and not say “If” the Nasi sins? Rashi explains that the word “when” – “asher”, signifies the word “ashrei” which means fortunate or praiseworthy. The pasuk is saying, fortunate is the generation whose leader brings an atonement (a sacrifice to Hashem) for a sin that he does in error. The pasuk also adds the extra word “elokav”, his G-D, indicating that the leader who admits his error has greatness and a special relationship with Hashem (according to the Radak in Shmuel 1; 15:15).

Why was it considered so special for a leader to repent for a sin done in error? You would think that it would be easy for a great person to want to get atonement for his sin! HaRav Henach Leibowitz zt”l answered that it is very difficult for any person, even a great person, to admit that he sinned or that he made a mistake. Even admitting a small mistake that was done in error, is difficult. The Maharal from Prague, in his commentary the Gur Aryeh, adds a further insight. When a leader admits he sinned it is a sign of his humility. He doesn’t feel that he is too great to admit that he had sinned. Since he is not arrogant, he is more apt to be a gentle leader to his people. Fortunate is the generation whose leaders are humble and won’t lord excessively over their people.

Admitting a mistake is not an easy thing to do. It requires humbleness and courage. Yet it can spare you from untold sadness. Remember, it is never too late to say, “I am sorry”.

Parshas Behar/Bechukosai

A Shmittah a Day Keeps the Locusts Away!

“Speak to the Jewish people… when you come into the land that I give you, the land shall observe a Shabbos rest for Hashem” (Vayikrah 25:2)

How will I earn a living? Where will I get food from? How will I manage? These are all valid questions that could be asked by a farmer in the land of Israel, prior to the shmittah year (Every 7th year is shmittah. There is a mitzvah not to work the land in Israel). To answer all those questions, the Torah promises that the farmer will have an abundance of food in the 6th year – enough to sustain him & his family for the 6th, 7th & 8th years (until the new crop is harvested). What a special blessing!

Two famous shmittah miracles occurred in the religious settlement of Moshav Komemiyut, a settlement that kept the laws of shmittah. At the close of the shmittah year in 1952, they were left without any wheat to plant. With great difficulty they bought leftover wheat that was in terrible condition, cracked, and full of worms. People from nearby farms, who had not kept the laws of shmittah, laughed at them. A miracle occurred, and it rained at the best time for the crops of Moshav Komemiyut. They actually harvested a bumper crop and were the only settlement in the area that had any yield on the crops.

During the Shmittah year of 1958-1959, a swarm of locust struck the neighboring settlements, destroying most of their crops. The entire swarm then headed towards Komemiyut. As soon as the swarm reached its borders, it turned away and flew away as quickly as it had arrived. Another miracle had occurred for those who kept the mitzvah of shmittah!

What message can we learn from the challenging mitzvah of shmittah?

The pasuk says “Shabbos laShem”. Why is shmittah referred to as Shabbos? Rav Ovadia Mibartunura’s explanation of Rashi is that shmittah, like Shabbos, testifies to the fact that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. When you abstain from work on Shabbos, you show your belief that Hashem created and continues to oversee the world, determining what you will earn. You show that same belief when you don’t work your land during the entire 7th year.

In a similar vein, the Alshich explains, shmittah shows that your successes are not the result of your hard work. Your bumper crop wasn’t due to your 12-hour days of plowing, planting, weeding, watering, etc…. Rather, your success is solely due to the graciousness of Hashem.

During the time of the prophet Yirmiyahu the Jews spent too much time working their fields at the expense of Torah learning. Yirmiyahu showed them the jar of manna that had been saved in the Bais HaMikdash. His message to them and to us as well, was that Hashem will provide for your needs, just as He provided in the dessert, through the manna.

Even though you are putting in effort to earn a living, remember that the actual income comes from Hashem. Hashem wants you to remember to do what is of primary importance – to learn Torah!

Parshas Emor

Don’t Place Me on Death Row!

“…He fought with a Jew and cursed him, using Hashem’s Holiest Name…and was placed in jail, awaiting his punishment.” (Vayikrah 24:10-12)

Of the millions of Jewish women in Egypt, only one was attacked and abused. This tragic episode led to the birth of a son. A number of years later, in the midst of a disagreement with another Jew, this man cursed, using Hashem’s Holiest Name. Moshe was unsure as to the correct punishment for this blasphemer. While awaiting instructions from Hashem, Moshe placed him in jail. Rashi says that he was placed in a different cell than the man who awaiting the death penalty for having desecrated Shabbos.

Why wasn’t the blasphemer placed in the same cell?

Rashi explains that his fate was not yet known. Had he been put in the same cell as the one awaiting the death penalty, he would have assumed that his penalty was also death. This would have caused him to feel mental pain and anguish. To avoid his unnecessary suffering, he was placed in a different cell.

The Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, HaRav A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l, taught a beautiful lesson from this: Should we care about the mental anguish of an evil person? Perhaps we should make him feel as bad as we can, and then punish him? No, we should care about him! It’s true he was a very wicked person, deserving punishment. Yet, Moshe had an obligation not to cause him any extra or undue pain. If he would not be given the death penalty, staying on death row would have caused him undue pain and stress, by his thinking that he would be executed.

If someone bothers us and deserves a punishment, we don’t have the right to give him any extra pain or discomfort. We may not hurt him or his feelings unnecessarily. Certainly, we must be sensitive and sympathetic to the feelings of our friends and family and not cause them any anguish or pain.

As Lag Ba’Omer approaches, we should remember to show care and respect, compassion and love for every Jew!

Parshas Acharei Mos/Kedoshim

Don’t Hit the Mailman!

“Don’t take revenge or bear a grudge against your fellow Jew; You should love your neighbor as you love yourself; I am Hashem.” (Vayikrah 19:18)

The Torah instructs us not to take revenge or harbor any feelings of ill will towards anyone who refused to do us a favor.

Why doesn’t the Torah focus on the first individual-the one who refused to do us a favor; who refused to help us in our time of need? He didn’t act nice, in the first place while the second person’s act of revenge is somewhat justified?

The reason is, the first person doesn’t have the proper appreciation of kindness- he can’t part with his property to share with you. You, on the other hand, do appreciate the level of kindness one should have. You would be willing to share your possessions were it not for the hatred you feel in your heart towards the one who couldn’t share with you. That hatred poisons your desire to act with kindness. The Torah is emphasizing that the root of this problem is hatred between Jews, and that must be eradicated.

One can’t be fully blamed for not recognizing the true value of kindness to others. However, one can be blamed for harboring hatred and resentment to a fellow Jew, even if it appears justified.

How can we control our automatic feelings of animosity towards one who did not act appropriately towards us?

One way is to realize that everything that occurs to us is from Hashem. There is no reason to have anger at Hashem’s “messenger”. Would we hit the mailman if he brought us a letter containing terrible news?

Another way is indicated by the seemingly extra words of the pasuk, “I am Hashem”. If you just won the Mega Millions Lottery, you would be so happy. In the midst of this joy, would it bother you if your friend didn’t repay the money he owed you? Hashem loves us and provides all our needs. Everything comes from Hashem. If we focus on that, why should we feel anger towards another person for refusing us a favor. Maybe Hashem felt we didn’t need that particular favor. Or, if we did, Hashem would arrange for someone else to give it to us.

In these days of Sefiras Ha’Omer, let us realize that all we receive is from Hashem and let us remove any traces of hatred from our hearts.

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l said, if you feel anger towards someone and are able to control yourself from talking back, yet you don’t talk to that person, that is stilled called hating a fellow Jew. That causes a delay in the building of the eternal Bais HaMikdash.

Let us help hasten the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdash.
We can remove any traces of anger in our hearts towards a fellow Jew and replace them with love.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l,
Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim

Parshas Tazria/Metzorah

The Power of One Word!

“If a person has on his skin certain unnatural types of whiteness, he is brought to a kohain who may determine that he has the plague of leprosy.” (Vayikrah 13:2)

Mr. Cohen was looking to hire a bookkeeper. Yosef Levine responded to the ad in the paper. Yosef was so impressive at the interview that Mr. Cohen was ready to hire him on the spot. However, he said that as a formality, he would wait two days before calling him. Yosef was desperate for the job and was anticipating a positive phone call from Mr. Cohen. Meanwhile Mr. Cohen had casually mentioned to his sister that he was about to hire a new bookkeeper. “What is his name?” she asked. When she heard who it was she said, “You don’t want to hire him. He has a reputation for not being too intelligent”. Mr. Cohen couldn’t believe he made such an error in judgement. He called Yosef & said that he no longer needed him for the job. Yosef was unable to get a job because the word got around that Mr. Cohen didn’t want to hire Yosef. People assumed that Mr. Cohen must have had a good reason for refusing Yosef a job. As a result of the words of Mr. Cohen’s sister, Yosef could not get a job. Her remarks were baseless gossip and it cost a good and honest man a job.

The Rambam explains that the disease of leprosy was supernatural. It was sent as a warning to stop speaking loshon hara (gossip; hurtful speech). There were three levels of this disease. The first attacked a person’s house. If he repented and stopped gossiping, the disease would stop spreading. If he continued spreading gossip, his clothes would get leprosy. If he repented and stopped, the disease would stop spreading. If he continued, the disease would spread to his body.

The Dubno Magid said that many people speak gossip because they aren’t aware of the impact a word can make. People tend to rationalize and say, “I didn’t do anything to him, I only said a few words.” To teach this person a lesson about the power of one single word, he becomes impure and is isolated from the rest of the Jewish people through one single word of the kohain- טמא (impure)!

Rav Yisroel Salanter used to say, “If a person says that a rabbi can’t sing, or a cantor isn’t a Torah scholar, he is guilty of speaking loshon hora. But if someone says that a rabbi is not a scholar and a cantor can’t sing, it is like murder (because the subject of his loshon hora is liable to lose his livelihood because of his words).”

Words can destroy a reputation and a friendship. They can destroy a successful business and a person’s happiness. We must be as careful with words as we would be if we were holding a bomb!

Parshas Shmini

Which Path Should We Take?

“Hashem spoke to Aharon. When you or your sons enter The Tent of Meeting, do not drink wine or other intoxicating beverages, lest you die.” (Vayikrah 10:8-9)

The Netziv explains that a regular kohain must be in a state of joy and happiness when he does a service in the holy Temple. That happiness must result of his awareness of and closeness to Hashem. It may not come from an artificial stimulant.

The Midrash (12:1) warns against the danger of too much drinking. “If a person drinks too much wine, he will end up selling all that he owns to keep up his addiction to drinking.”

Unfortunately, we see this problem, with alcoholism and with drug addiction. Even if the addiction stems from sadness or depression, the good feeling is fleeting, and the results can have serious consequences. If we do feel depressed or unhappy, we are told to go learn Torah. That will bring us closer to Hashem and will help us feel true joy.

The Midrash relates a story: There was a man who spent so much money on his drinking habit that his family members were worried they would soon become penniless. They thought of a fantastic plan. The next time their father was drunk, they took him to the nearby cemetery. They hoped that when their father became sober he would be so shocked to find himself in the cemetery that he would realize his problem and stop drinking. Their plan may have worked were it not for a strange happening. A caravan passing near the cemetery was attacked. As the caravan quickly left the area, a large barrel fell and rolled next to the sleeping, drunk father. When the father awoke, he was surprised to find the faucet of a barrel of wine right next to his face. Excitedly, he put his mouth on the faucet and kept drinking, right there in the cemetery.

Rav Eliyahu Dessler commented, we see from here the principle that Hashem leads a person in the way he wants to go. The events that led to the person to find the wine in the cemetery were so unusual that they were almost miraculous. Rav Dessler continues, “If this is so when a person wants to do something which is improper, how much more so will Hashem lead one on the way when a person has a strong will to do what is good.

The greater our desire to do something, the more successful we will be.
We should increase our desire for spiritual matters and Hashem will give us special help
to lead us in that path and help us achieve our goal.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

Parshas Tzav

For Love of Money!

“[Hashem told Moshe to] “COMMAND” Aharon and his children about the laws of the korban Olah…” (Vayikrah 6:2)

Rashi questions the terminology used by Hashem. In most instances, Moshe was instructed to “speak to” Aharon. Yet here it says “command”. Why? Rashi explains that the word “command” was used to give Aharon and his descendants extra encouragement and reinforcement to do this mitzvah. Rabbi Shimon said that extra encouragement was needed in situations that involve monetary loss. Unlike other korbanos (sacrifices), the korban Olah was totally burnt on the altar, and the Kohanim did not receive any benefit from its meat. Thus, it was a loss of money for them.

The obvious question is, why would such a tzadik as Aharon, need the extra encouragement? Would love of money cause him to refuse to bring a korban Olah?? We see in Parshas Behaloscha that Aharon was saddened that neither he nor his shevet (tribe) was asked to participate in the dedication of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Only when Hashem told Aharon that he would have a more important job – of lighting the Menorah, did Aharon feel better. That was because Aharon cherished doing mitzvos. If mitzvos were so beloved by him, why did he need the extra encouragement to sacrifice the korban Olah?

The fact that Aharon still needed the extra encouragement, teaches us the power that money has over us. We all have an inborn desire for money. Even a great and holy person such as Aharon could be slightly affected by that desire. That could cause him to hesitate ever so slightly before sacrificing a korban Olah. Certainly, this desire for money can impact the rest of us. It can cause us to rationalize less than honest behavior. What a difficult challenge we have!

There’s a story of a vicious anti-Semite who hated Jews, without ever having met a Jew. Once, he had business dealings with a specific individual and was impressed by that person’s integrity and helpfulness. When that person told him he was a Jew, the anti-Semite couldn’t believe it. Sometime later, the anti-Semite visited the Jew and thanked him for changing his perspective about all Jews. He was now a lover of Jews.

In Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky’s town in Europe, a Jew made a Kiddush Hashem by returning the extra change given to him by the postmaster. The postmaster thought it was a fluke. He started testing other Jews by intentionally giving them extra change. They all returned the extra money. Their actions made such a great Kiddush Hashem. When the Nazis entered the town, there was only one non-Jew who worked tirelessly to save Jews. It was the postmaster!

We must be so careful in our business dealings or any dealings involving money. We must always have integrity in our business dealings with both Jews and non-Jews.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l,
Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim

Parshas Vayikrah

Don’t Step on Me!

“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When a man (אָדָם) from among you brings an offering to Hashem: you shall bring your offering from the cattle or from the flock.” (Vayikrah 1:2)

Hashem is instructing the Jewish People which animals they may use when they bring sacrifices.

Rashi (quoting the Midrash) asks, why does the Torah use the term “אָדָם” to refer to a person, rather than the word “אִיֹש”? Apparently, there is a significance to this, just as there is a significance to each and every word and even each letter in the Torah. Rashi answers that it teaches us a very important lesson. Just as אָדָם, the first man, did not bring a korban (sacrifice) to Hashem from stolen property (everything belonged to him) so too, we should not bring a sacrifice to Hashem from stolen property. You are not permitted to do a mitzvah if you can only do it through an act of sinning.

A person may be doing something beautiful, such as bringing a sacrifice to Hashem. However, that action becomes ugly and repulsive in the eyes of Hashem if it was done through a sin or inappropriate action causing harm to another person.

The following anecdotes illustrate this idea:

Rav Yisroel Salanter once saw someone quickly racing into shul to say kedusha with the congregation. In his haste, this person accidently stepped on someone’s newly polished shoes. After davening, Rav Yisroel Salanter told the man he was obligated to pay for the shoes to be re-polished; the entire mitzvah of saying kedusha would be lost if it came about through someone else’s loss.

It is an honor to the Torah to kiss the scroll when it is being returned into the Aron (Holy ark). But is it an honor to the Torah to push and shove others in order to reach the Torah scroll?

Someone once slept in a yeshiva dormitory. He was awakened from his sleep by the sounds of others who rose early to daven at sunrise. Do you think their prayer was better or worse if it involved “stealing” another’s sleep?

Rav Yisroel Salanter went even further in his actions. It is preferable (but not obligatory) to use a large quantity of water when we wash our hands, before eating bread. Once, when staying at an inn, Rav Yisroel Salanter used only the minimal amount of water necessary to fulfill the mitzvah. When questioned, he replied that the maid had to carry heavy pails of water, over a steep hill, to provide the inn with water. Rav Yisroel Salanter felt that it wasn’t proper to cause her excessive work in order for him to do the mitzvah in a more preferable manner.

Having the maid work harder was not a sin. Yet Rav Yisroel Salanter was teaching us the sensitiviy we must have for others, even when doing a mitzvah.

We are not permitted to cause harm to others in our attempt to do a mitzvah.
We must also show sensitivity to others whenever we do an action.