Friday, September 23, 2011

Parshas Nitzavim



Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel...

In Parshas Nitzavim perek chaf tes posuk yud alef Moshe tells Klal Yisroel "L'avricha b'bris Hashem Elokecha uv'alaso asher Hashem Elokecha koreis imcha hayom". " For you to pass into a bris of Hashem your God, and into his oath that Hashem your God forges with you today.

The Yalkut Shimoni explains that throught history there were three brisos (covenants) that Hashem forged with Klal Yisroel. One when they left Mitzrayim, and one in Choreiv, and one now. The reason for the one now says the Yalkut Shimoni, is because the eigel had recently occured and the eirev rav had told Klal Yisroel "Eileh elokecha Yisroel" "This is your god Klal Yisroel", and the previous brisos became batul, therefore Hashem was chozer and re-forged the bris with Klal Yisroel.
The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks, Why did Hashem need to forge a new bris at this point? Its pashut that the previous brisos were not actually cancelled by Klal Yisroel when they said "eileh elokecha". The Bris that Hashem made with Klal Yisroel is everlasting and can be proven throughout the Torah, so what is the yalkut shimoni saying that the previous brisos where batul?

The Rosh Yeshiva explains that the Bris in Choreiv was obviously not batul and is truly everlasting. The Medrash is just saying what Klal Yisroel felt in their hearts. After Klal Yisroel served the Eigel, they felt in their hearts that The Bris must have been destroyed fbecause of their aveira and therefore Hashem made a new bris with them now.

However the Rosh Yeshiva explains, the matter still seems puzzling. Why did Hashem have to be koireis a new bris, why couldn't he just explain to Klal Yisroel that the old one was still intact?
The Rosh Yeshiva explains that even if Hashem would have just told Klal Yisroel that the previous bris was intact, Klal Yisroel would still feel in their hearts that is was null and void because the heart and mind although mere inches away from each other are really worlds apart.

Klal Yisroel could have known in their seichel that the bris was still there even after the Eigel just as it was there before, but in their hearts they would not have fully believed it. They knew, but they did not really know. Hashem needed to be koireis a brand new bris so that Klal Yisroel would truly know deep within them that Hashem still loved them and the bris was still there and would be there forever.
 Good Shabbos
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Friday, September 16, 2011

Parshas Ki Savo

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, My cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel....

In Perek chaf vav the Torah teach us the Mitzvah of Bikurim (first fruits). In posuk dalid the posuk says "V'lakach Hakohen hatene mi'yadecha v'hinicho lifnei Mizbach Hashem Elokecha" "The Kohen shall take the basket from your hand and lay it before the Mizbeiach of Hashem your God".

The Sapurno explains that the reason why the Kohen places the Bikkurim by the Mizbeiach is to show and make known that they were not brought as a gift for him, but rather to Hashem Yisborach.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl is bothered by why it is necessary for the Kohen to do this. The person who brought the Bikkurim is already recognizing Hashem in posuk Hei, and it seems pretty clear that he understands that they are for Hashem as Hakaras Hatov.

The Rosh Yeshiva explains, as follows. What the person bringing it says definitely helps show that he is brnging it for Hashem, however without the Kohen's actions people would not be fully margish in their hearts that they were truly for Hashem. They will have heard that its for Hashem but would not fully feel it. People put a lot of faith in what they see without even realizing it, and seeing the Bikkurim go to the Kohen even with the statement would not allow the people there to truly feel that the Bikkurim were for Hashem.

Due to the fact that the human mind works in this way, the Kohen is commanded to place the Bikkurim by the Mizbeiach in order to help everyone in Klal Yisroel truly understand and believe that they are for Hashem for all the he provides for each and every person.

 Good Shabbos

Friday, September 9, 2011

Fwd: Parshas Ki Seitzei



Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi Ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel..

Refua Shelemah for Rav Moshe Tuvia ben Rochel

In Perek chaf gimmel pesukim dalud and hei the pesukim say "La Yavo Amoni u'Moavi b'khal Hashem gam dor asiri lo yavo lahem b'khal Hashem ad olam. Al dvar asher lo kidmu eschem balechem u'vamayim baderech b'tzeischem mi'Mitzrayim, v'asher sachar alecha es Bilam ben B'or mipisor Aram Naharaim l'kalilecha" "An Amoni or Moavi shall not enter into the congregation of Hashem, even their tenth generation shall not enter the congregation of Hashem, forever. Because of the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water on the road when you were leaving Mitzrayim, and because he hired against you Bilaam the son of Beor of Pethor, Aram Naharaim, to curse you."

The pesukim present two reasons why an Amoni and Moavi can never become part of Klal Yisroel. They did not bring food and water for Klal Yisroel when they were coming from Mitzrayim, and because they hired Bilaam to curse Klal Yisroel.

The Dubna Magid asks the following question. We expect derech eretz from murderers? How can the taayna on one hand be "you tried destroying Klal Yisroel" and then also "and you didn't bring them provisions". They wanted to murder them, you have a problem that they didn't bring them bread and water? The Dubna Magid explains that in truth it was all one taayna. When Klal Yisroel was passing they didn't bring them provisions, but maybe they just couldn't afford it, so how can you have a taayna. Once it becomes obvious that money wasn't the issue because they dropped cash on Bilaam to curse Klal Yisroel, now there's a taayna "where is your derech eretz, you can't join our people". (Uncle Shmuel said this a few years ago and mentioned that this was a personal favorite of Zaidy's)

Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman ztl however, gives his own answer to the Dubna Magid's question. Rav Neiman explains that the Torah was coming to teach us an amazing thing. When you see people that are ready and willing to annihilate an entire nation, realize that they did not fall to that low level overnight. The beginning of such a person stems from a seemingly small and subtle lack of Derech Eretz "asher lo kidmu eschem balechem uvamayim". Amon and Moav started with not offering provisions and continuously fell till the point of "sachar es Bilam...L'kalilecha".

Nothing just happens at once, there is always a beginning, always a root. Many times the change is so slight its unrecognizable at first but grows to levels that can cause even the people affected to wonder how they stooped so low. A slight lack in Derech Eretz can grow into wanting to destroy an entire nation. This just opens our eyes to how careful and aware we must be      about where we are holding and how fast where we are can change if we are not careful.
 Good Shabbos


Friday, September 2, 2011

Parshas Shoftim

Liyluy Nishmas elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav zev Yehuda, my cousin Zev Yehuda ben Rav shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zav, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel.

 In perek yud zayin posuk yud tes the posuk is discussing the Sefer Torah that a king must keep with him, and the posuk says "V'haysa imo v'kara bo kal yimei chayav lima'an yilmad l'yira es Hashem Elokecha lishmor es kal divrei Ha'Torah hazos v"es hachukimha"eileh ola"asosam. "It is to accompany him and he is to read it all the days of his life in order that he learn to fear hashem his God , to guard every word of his Torah."

The Talile Oros brings down from Rav Chaim Vital that the posuk does not say "kal Yamav" "all his days" rather it says "kal Yimei chayav" "all the days of his life".
 The Reason for this Rav Chaim explains, is that the Torah is teaching us a very valuable lesson,. A person who is davak to Torah's, who attaches himself to Torah, his days on this earth are days of "life". Rishaim no matter how many years they walk the earth are considered dead. The Torah is called "Eitz Chaim" the tree of life. That is what provides life for man and attaching oneself to Torah is the only true living. Similarly, that is why a Rebbe must accompany a Talmud and vice versa to the arei miklat (as was previously discussed)

In this world it's very easy to forget what life really is. My grandfather Rav Abba Zalka Gewirtz was once speaking in Telshe Yeshiva and was discussing how he hears many times people talking about the leaving of Yeshiva to go into the "real world" of business" His response to that was as follows, "Like Heck It's The Real World"!! The real world is where "real life" comes from, from Torah not from all the luxuries in the world outside. Of course that does not mean one must stay in Yeshiva forever, families must be provided for, but the message should be clear that a world without Torah, a life without Torah, is neither a world or a life. The Torah must be taken with us and learnt by us regardless of the four walls around us because that is the only way to be truly alive.
   Good Shabbos