Fwd: Parshas Shemini

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

In perek tes posuk chaf gimmel the posuk says "Vayavo Moshe v'Ahron el ohel moed vayeitzu vayivarchu es ha'am vayeira kivod Hashem el kal ha'am" "Moshe and Ahron came to the Ohel Moed and they went out and blessed the nation, and the glory of Hashem appeared to the entire nation.

One of Rashi's pshatim on why Moshe and Ahron went into the Ohel Moed to daven at this point was because Ahron brought all the karbanos the Moshe told him to bring and did all the different things he was commanded, and the shechina did not appear. Ahron was in pain and said "I know why the Shechina didn't appear, it is because Hashem is upset with me and it is because of me that He did not come. Following this he turned to Moshe and said " Moshe my brother you did this to me! You told me to do all that I've done and now I've been embarrassed becuase the shechina didn't appear. Moshe immediately went with Ahron in to the Ohel Moed and they davened to Hashem and the Shechina appeared to all of Klal Yisroel.

 The Rosh Yeshiva explains that it seems from what Rashi is saying that had Ahron never had a taayna on Moshe, Moshe would not have gone with him into the Ohel Moed to daven and ask for Hashems's mercy. Even though Moshe was a tremendous baal chessed and probably did not want his brother to be in pain he would not have taken the time to go into the Ohel Moed to help ease Ahron's pain especially because he had so many important and holy things to take care of. Only after Ahron turned to him with blame did he immediately try to remove the embarrassment that he caused Ahron.

However, if we delve into the matter there seems to be something that is hard to understand. What was Ahron's taayna on Moshe? Moshe was giving over the commandment that Hashem had told him to give over. Its pashut that Ahron didn't think Moshe was making it up. Somehow his frustration and embarrassment made him have a taayna on Moshe but it was wrongly placed. The Rosh Yeshiva explains that it must be that even though Moshe was an ones and Ahron's pain truly was not his fault, however sof kal sof he casued the embarrassment and therefore he was michuyav to fix the problem. That is why he had to immediately drop everything and daven with Ahron.

We can see from here the tremendous achrayus we are taking upon ourselves when we cause pain on other people. Moshe was held accountable for the pain he caused accidentally to his brother. We see how far we should go to be careful not to pain people close to us and learn to be aware when we do casue pain so that we can help rectify the situation...
Good Shabbos          

Parshas Tzav

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem. R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' shmuel..

In perek ches posuk lamud vav the posuk says "Va'yaas Aharon uvanav eis kal hadvarim asher tziva Hashem b'yad Moshe" "And Ahron and his sons carried out all the matters that Hashem commanded through Moshe"

Rashi explains that the posuk is coming to give praise to Ahron and his sons that they did not change one iota of what they were commanded. The Gur Aryeh explains that the reason why this was such a praise was because there were so many different rules and parts to the avoda and they did not make not even one mistake.

However the Gur Aryeh also brings down the Toras Kohanim's pshat as he understood it. The Toras Kohanim explains that the praise to Ahron and his sons was the fact that they fulfilled all the various parts of the avoda with the same simcha after hearing it from Moshe as they would have had they heard it from Hashem. He explains that this a tremendous feat because the way of the world is to not do things so happily when someone else tells us to do it. Even when we were about to do something and then we are commanded to do it, we suddenly begin to have second thoughts. Yet Ahron was able to fulfill the avoda one hundred percent b'simcha as if Hashem had commanded him directly.

Rabbi Ringelheim explained that this can teach us a tremendous lesson. We are dealing with Moshe and Ahron, two tremendous human beings. Furthermore we are talking about the rules of the Kehuna, the job that was totally Ahrons. This was Ahron's own special job that Moshe had no hand it, yet it's a shvach for him that he could have total simcha even though Moshe told him what to do.

Many times we try to guide people in the direction that we believe they should be going. Sometimes we may not even realize that our loving push is actually causing harm and being detrimental. Obviously the correct approach is not to just allow the people we wish to guide to what they want. We should guide them but it shouldn't be forceful, as if they are being commanded and forced to do what we want them to.

On the other hand however when we are the recipients we should work on being able to reach the level where being told what to do does not cause us to have second thoughts just as Ahron Hakohen had no problem being commanded..
Good Shabbos and Affreilichin Purim!

   

Parshas Vayikra

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Boruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel....

In perek beis posuk yud gimmel the posuk says "V'chal karban minchascha bamelach timlach v'lo tashbis melach bris Elokecha mei'al minchasecha al kal karbancha takriv melach." "You shall salt all your mincha offerings with salt, you may not discontinue the salt of your God's covenant from upon your mincha; on all your karbanos you shall bring salt."

The Daas Zikeinim says that the reason why salt is brought with a karban is because it is something that lasts forever and it will teach the one bringing the karban that karbanos are forever. They are a means of getting a kapara for sins. Karbanos are for man and not for Hashem's needs because Hashem does not eat or drink.
The Daas Zikeinim continues that when a man sins and brings the salted Karban and it atones for his sin, he will understand that he is clean and it will help him stay away from dirtying himself with more aveiros. Normally when someone does an averia for the first time it may be difficult and uncomfortable but after time it becomes that its "na'ases lo kiheter" as if it was allowed, but bringing the karban cleans the slate.

The Daas Zikeinim brings down a mashal that a man wearing dirty clothing does not care when he gets a some more dirt on his clothing, however if he was dressed all fancy and was all clean he would be super careful not to get dirty.

My Rebbe Rabbi Kaufman explained, that if someone were to ask a fellow bringing a karban why he was bringing it, the response would most likely be as a kapara, and not because Hashem likes lamb. Yet the addition of the everlasting mineral,salt, somehow raises the level of understanding that Karbanos are around forever and are here to help us receive a kapara. However the chiddush is a lot greater. The Daas Zikeinim continued that bringing the karban with the salt will be the difference maker between doing the aveira again or holding back. If you understand that the karban was a kapara then you will feel that your "beged is clean" and you will be careful to try to keep it that way.

The power of a negative self image is tremendous not having the salt would be able to cause someone to feel " what's the point I'm already a bum why bother refraining from this aveira.

However the Daas Zikeinim ends off that the reason why Hashem gave so many Mitzvos was because Hashem wanted to give Klal Yisroel tons of zechusim. Hashem gave us all the mitzvos "gufa" to help us understand how full of zechusim we are. We are all walking around with clean bigadim.

The perception that we have of ourselves plays a tremendous role in the people we will be. Negative self image can cause unimaginable destruction. If we understand our gadlus and the fact that we are filled with so many zechusim from all the great things we do, we will be able to realize that our begadim are truly clean and we will be able to grow to even greater heights.....
Good Shabbos.

Parshas Pekudei

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben R' Shmuel.....

In perek lamud tes posuk lamud gimmel the posuk says "Vayaviu es hamishkan el Moshe, es ha'ohel v'es kal keilav, k'rasav, k'rashav,b'richav v'amudav, va'adanav." "And they brought the Mishkan to Moshe, the tent and its keilim, its hooks, its beams, its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets."

Rashi explains that they brought the Mishkan to Moshe because they were unable to erect it. Moshe had done no other work in the construction of the Mishkan so Hashem left the actual building to him. The reason they could not erect it says Rashi is because the beams were too heavy for them to set upright.

The Medrash Tanchuma explains, that the reason why everyone else was unable to erect it was because Moshe Rabeinu was in pain that he did not partake in the construction of the Mishkan. Hashem saw that Moshe was in pain and said that because of his pain Hashem will make it that noone else can erect it and Moshe will have a part in the construction.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl sheds some light on the  Medrash and the greatness of Moshe Rabeinu's feelings of pain. Most probably Moshe wasn't just busy hanging out when the Mishkan was being created, he wasn't just chilling. He was probably busy doing Mitzvos, and not just any mitzvos, mitzvos that could only be done by Moshe Rabeinu, by the manhig of Klal Yisroel. Yet with all that he was in pain that he could not partake in the tremendous Mitzva of building the Mishkan. His pain was so great that Hashem stepped in with nisim to make it that no man besides Moshe would be able to erect the Mishkan.

We see from here the tremendous love that Moshe Rabeinu had for Mitzvos, and how we can learn from him to appreciate the greatness of each and every Mitzva...
Good Shabbos    

Parshas Vayakhel

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel...

In perek Lamud Heh posuk beis Moshe tells Klal Yisroel "Sheishes yamim teiase milacha uvayom hashvii yihiye lachem Shabbos Shabboson La'Hashem kal ha"ose bo milacha yumas."  "Six days work may be done, but the seventh day should be holy for you. A day of complete rest for Hashem, whoever does work will be put to death".

Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman asks on this posuk, why is the word "teiase"- work can be done, and not "taase"- you can do work, which would seem to make more sense.

Rav Neiman explains that then posuk uses those nekudos to teach us an important lesson regarding resting on Shabbos.  Keeping Shabbos will be easy when a person understands that the work is being done and the money is coming in, but he is not the one truly doing the work.  It is not "kocho v'otzem yado", it is all from Hakadosh Bauch Hu.  However if man believes that he is the reason for all his success, then all he sees Shabbos as is a day where tremendous business opportunities are being lost, and keeping Shabbos will be extremely difficult.  This second person would be making a tremendous mistake however, because no matter what one does he can not make more than what Hashem has already decreed he would make.  As the Ramban says "Hagizeira emes vihacharitzas sheker". "The decree is true and industriousness is false".

The Chafetz Chaim ztl explains this idea with a Mashal.  If someone has a barrel of water and his barrel has a spout which dispenses the water.  It would be foolish to make another spout with the intention that making another spout will allow you to get more water from the barrel.  Obviously whatever is in the barrel is what you will get out of it, no more and no less.  So too if one thinks they can add more money than what is decreed is just like trying to get more water than what is actually in the barrel.

This is obviously something easier said than done.  Yes, we know that everything is from Hashem but it is still tremendously difficult to just have that total bitachon after all it seems like the more you work the more you make.  However, sometimes people lose sight and forget that it is in fact Hashem awarding them the money, they throw themselves into work and have to sacrifice the important things that actually bring us closer to Hashem.

With some work we can hopefully work on getting closer to reaching that level of complete bitachon in Hashem where we will only feel the need to do what is our true hishtadlus to support the people we do.... Good Shabbos.

Parshas Ki Sisa

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel....

In perek lamud beis posuk alef the posuk says "Vaya'amod Moshe bisha'ar hamachane vayomer mi la'Hashem eilay, vayaiasfu eilav kal bnei Levi. " "Moshe stood at the gateway of the camp and said Whoever is for Hashem join me!  And all the Leviim gathered around him."

The Daas Zikeinim says from the Baalei Tosfos, Mi la'Hashem eilay meant, whoever wants to stand up for the fear of Hashem and also did not sin with the eigel join me. He continues, that the entire shevet Levi lacking noone got up to join Moshe Rabeinu. The other shvatim that joined Moshe however, were not complete. The reason for this says the Daas Zikeinim is because the Leviim were very close to Moshe and did not want to appoint another leader in his place.

It appears that the Daas Zikeinim is saying that the reason Levi didn't participate in the eigel was because of their closeness to Moshe, while the other shvatim were able to participate seemingly because they were not close to him.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks, its pashut that all of Klal Yisroel loved Moshe. After all he did for them it would be impossible not to. He risked his life many times to bring them out of Mitzrayim, he taught them Torah and was always there for them. Everyone knew he deserved to be the leader and most probably didn't want to appoint another leader in his stead. Their reason for appointing a new leader was because they truly believed he was dead and the right thing to do is go on with life and appoint a new leader to help them along. This being the case, it doesn't make sense that shevet Levi did not go along with the rest of the shvatim. Didn't they know that if Moshe was dead the right thing to do is to move on and appoint a leader?

The Rosh Yeshiva explains, that the little bit of extra closeness and love towards Moshe that shevet Levi had above all the other shvatim was able to act as a force to help them overcome the nisayon that the rest of Klal Yisroel could not. That love allowed them to realize that Moshe was alive and well and therefore there was no need to appoint a new leader.   Shevet Levi's love for their Rebbe caused them to securely attach themselves to the Torah of their Rebbe and was able to guide them in the right direction and even give them the strength to be moser nefesh for what they believed was correct.

The closer we are to the people who lead us in the proper derech the better off we are. Sometimes just a little more love can be the difference between winning the fight against the yetzer hara or chas v'shalom being overcome by him.
             Good Shabbos     

Parshas Tetzaveh

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel....

In perek chaf tes posuk alef the Torah begins discussing the procedure that was to be done in order to make Aharon and his sons into Kohanim.  "V'zeh hadavar asher ta'aseh lahem likadeish osam l'chahein li likach par echad ben bakar v'eilim shnayim t'mimim."  "This is the matter that you shall do for them to sanctify them to be Kohanim to me: take one young bull and two rams unblemished."

In the Medrash Rabah in Kedoshim it says, "You, Hashem were Gozer both the commandment to Klal Yisroel of Kedoshim ti'hiyu and this ritual to make the Kohanim kadosh.  Master of the world you request that Klal Yisroel should be holy, remove death from this world!  As it says in Chavakuk, Chavakuk asked Hashem that Klal Yisroel should not die.  Hashem answered that those are the rules.

It seems that Chavakuk's question was how could Klal Yisroel in general, and more specifically the sons of Aharon die?  They are holy and it doesn't seem right for something holy should die and be lost from the world!  Hashem responded that they need to die because it was already gozer on man to die by the chet of Adam Harishon.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl explains that we can see from here the tremendous holiness of Klal Yisroel.  The power of this holiness Chavakuk "taaynad" and Hashem even agreed was strong enough to save Klal Yisroel from death had it not already been previously decreed.  Furthermore Chavakuk was around in the time of the churban bayis rishon, a time when Klal Yisroel was sinning and was deserving of golus.  With all that however, they were considered holy enough that Hashem agreed that they really are not deserving of death, just because they themselves were holy even though they were acting inappropriately.

We can learn from here the tremendous kedusha that each and every one of us has.  We are deserving of eternal life just for being who we are.  Imagine our level of greatness when we are actually trying to grow and follow in the ways of Hashem.. Good Shabbos

Parshas Teruma

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Noshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel.

In Perek chaf heh posuk yud Hashem commands Moshe Rabbeinu "V'asu aron atzei shitim amasayim vacheitzi arko v'ama vacheitzi rachbo v'ama vacheitzi komoso."  "They shall make an Aron of shittim wood, two and a half amos its length, an ama and a half its width, and an ama and a half its height."

In the Medrash Raba it asks that why by all the keilim does it say v'asisa, and you should make, and by the Aron it says and they should make?  R Yehuda bar Shalom explains that Hashem said "All of Klal Yisroel should be "oseik" in the making of the Aron so that they should all be zoche to Torah."

The Ramban is miva'er the Kavana of the Medrash.  By Klal Yisroel being oseik in the making of the Aron they are showing that they are a part of this job because of how holy the Aron was, and so they should all be zoche in Torah.  The Ramban also explains that there were three ways to be "oseik" in the making of the Aron, either to donate some gold for the Aron, or to help Bitzalel a little bit, or to have Kavana that you're being mishtatef.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl explains that we can gain tremendous insight into the hashpa'a of a being mikayem a mitzva from this Medrash.  The physical action of creating the Aron to hold the Torah would positively affect them in their growth in Torah learning.

The Rosh Yeshiva also explains that we see from the Ramban that even with the right thoughts, with the right kavana, one would be considered a part of the actuall physical builders of the Aron.  If someone didn't have anything to give or could not help build but just had the kavana that he wanted to be a part of it, it was as if he actually built it.  Even though his kavana is not to build it, because he knew he wasn't going to actually build it, or actually donate, yet he has the kavana that he wants to be a part of it, and just like that its k'ilu he created it.

We see the tremendous koach of a "machshava tova".  Having the correct thoughts and desires when you don't even do the actual action can make it as if you Mamash did whatever mitzva it is that you desired... Good Shabbos

Fwd: Parshas Mishpatim

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <3478602930@vzwpix.com>
Date: Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Subject: Parshas Mishpatim
To: Me <yonah927@gmail.com>


Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, R' Dovid Meir ben R' Shmuel,

In perek chaf alef posuk beis the posuk says "Ki sikne eved ivri sheis shanim ubashviis yeitzei lachafshi chinam." "When you will buy an eved ivri he shall work for six years and in the seventh he shall go free without charge."

Chazal say that one of the ways a jew is sold as an eved ivri is if he steals and has no way of paying it back.

Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman ztl brings down a question that is asked on this posuk and its location. Wouldn't it be more befitting to begin  parshas Mishpatim with discussions of people doing gemilos chassadim such as lending people money or watching things for people as a shomer chinam, and not to begin with what should be done to robbers?

He answers from the Alter of Kelm that if the Torah was written by man then this question would be a valid point. Start with chashuv people not with ganavim. However, the Torah was given by Hashem who is our father and we his children. When a father has a son who is a ganav amongst his sons, a son who is troubled, all his thoughts and all his worries are directed toward that son. He is constantly thinking of ways to help out his son to lead him back onto the correct path. Therefore the Torah begins the parsha with the parsha of eved ivri.

This also can help us understand why the Torah commands Beis Din to sell them ganav as oppose to throwing him in jail. Throwing the ganav in jail as a punishment would just put him together with more ganavim and probably just cause him to become a worse person. Finally when he gets out he will be in the same penniless situation and will be forced to steal again. Selling him however, will assist him in getting back on his feet and help him back onto the correct Torah path.

We see the tremendous love that Hashem has for each and every one of us. Even a ganav has Hashem's immeasurable love, how much more so someone who spends their life trying to get as close as they can to our father in Heaven... Good Shabbos        

Parshas Yisro

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel

In perek yud tes posuk ches after Moshe tells over what Hashem had told him, the posuk says, "Va'yaanu kal ha'am yachdav vayomru kol asher diber Hashem na'ase, vayashev Moshe es divrei ha'am el Hashem."  "And all the people answered together and said, 'everything that Hashem has spoken we shall do,', and Moshe brought back the words of the people to Hashem."

Rashi explains that obviously Moshe did not need to report back to Hashem what Klal Yisroel had responded, because Hashem already knew what they said.  However, the Torah is teaching us derech eretz from Moshe Rabeinu.  Moshe could have said that Hashem knows what Klal Yisroel answered so he didn't need to go back, rather he went to Hashem and told him what they had answered.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl explains, we see from here that to act with derech eretz (proper conduct) is a d'oraisa  that applies even when one is extremely busy;  Even if the thing that they are busy with is extremely important.  Moshe Rabeinu was busy with Klal Yisroel preparing for Kabolas Hatorah, yet he knew that proper derech eretz was to go back to Hashem and give over Klal Yisroel's response.

The Rosh Yeshiva continues that the importance of derech eretz can be learned from the posuk in Ki Sisa "Vayihi sham im Hashem arbaim yom v'arbaim layla, lechem lo ochel umayim lo shasa...."  The Medrash asks, is it possible for someone to go forty days without food or drink?  R' Tanchuma in the name of R' Elazar ben R' Avin in the name of R' Meir says b'derech Mashal, when one goes to a town he should act in the way of the town.  In the heavens where sustenance is not necessary when Moshe went up he followed suit, and on earth where food and drink are necessary, Malachim went down (when they went to visit Avraham) and they ate and drank (its a machlokes tanaim whether they actually ate or just made it seem like they were eating).

From the fact that Hashem created a nes and Moshe was able to survive for forty days without food, in order to not act differently than the minhag hamokom, we can learn how important derech eretz is. Good Shabbos

Parshas B'shalach

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, Rav Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel

   In perek yud dalid posuk chaf alef the posuk says, "Vayeit Moshe es Yado al hayam vayolech Hashem es hayam b'ruach kadim aza kal halayla vayasem es hayam lecharava vayibaku hamayim."  "Moshe stretched his hand over the sea and Hashem moved the sea with a strong east wind all night, and he turned the sea to damp land and the waters split."

    The Yalkut Tehillim says on the words "Hayam ra'ah vayanas", "the sea saw and it split", What did it see? The aron of Yosef, and Hashem said "Nas mipnei hanas" split because of the fleeing of Yosef from eishes Potiphar.

    Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman ztl asks, if Hashem had already commanded the yam to split, what did it need to see the aron of Yosef? Hashem told you split you split.

    Therefore Rav Neiman explains that it must be Hashem did not command the yam to split, rather he just told Moshe "nitei es yadcha al hayam uvkaeihu" stretch out your arm over the sea and split it."  Moshe commanded the sea to split not Hashem.  However, the yam did not want to listen to Moshe.  "What makes you Moshe any better than me?  You do the ratzon of Hashem to the max?  Well guess what so do I.  I always do everything that Hashem commands me to do, so why should I listen to you."  Yet the yam was forgetting one thing and the aron of Yosef was a very strong reminder.  Yes the yam listens to Hashem, but that does not bring it onto the level of man.  The yam has no nisyonos to fight while attempting to do the ratzon Hashem.  Man on the other hand lives a life of nisayon going from battle to battle as we work on doing the ratzon of Hashem and getting closer to him.  Yosef Hatzadik was the eye opener to the Yam that told it Moshe Rabbeinu is way bigger than you!  Yosef's running from Potiphars wife is known as THE story where man came out superior to his Yetzer Hara.  After all this is what turned Yosef from Yosef to Yosef Hatzadik.

    Understanding the greatness of man and the challenges we must overcome to continue climbing caused the Yam to understand that it should be machnia itself to Moshe Rabeinu, and therefore it split.. Good Shabbos

Parshas Vayeitzei

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel

     In perek chaf tes posuk chaf hei the posuk says, "Vayihi baboker vihinei hi Leah, vayomer el Lavan ma zos asisa li halo b'Rachel avaditi imach v'lamah rimisani."  "And it was in the morning and behold it was Leah, so he said to Lavan, what is this you have done to me?  Was it not for Rachel that i worked for you?  Why have you deceived me?"

     Rashi explains, that Yaakov only realized in the morning that he had married Leah when he believed he was marrying Rachel, because he had given Rachel "simanim" signs with which she was to identify herself.  Rachel however realized the embarrassment Leah would have felt when her father sent her in the place of Rachel, and she would fail to give over the simanim correctly, and gave Leah the simanim.

     The Medrash Raba on the posuk where Rachel names Naftali (lamud, ches) says, that originally when Rachel allowed Leah to marry Yaakov, Rachel said, "If I am not deserving of having the world built from me, at least let it be built by my sister".

     The Rosh yeshiva ztl asks, what does Rachel mean she is not deserving?  How did she know that she did not deserve to the the "Ima" of the world?  She was the woman he had planned on marrying, she was the one he had worked so hard to acquire.  She just felt she couldn't go along with his plans because she could not bare to cause such pain to her sister, as is explained in the gemora in Megilla.  It would seem that she was the rightful zivug.  She was not undeserving or the wrong one; she just felt that the right thing to do was to give it up.

     The Rosh Yeshiva explains that what Chazal are teaching us, and what rachel was saying, was that this marriage was obviously not for her.  Rachel was saying that if she was truly supposed to marry Yaakov then Hashem would not have put her in a position where the right thing to do was to give up the simanim.  She understood that it was not, "I am the rightful match just something came up", that something coming up was a raayah that that is not the way it is supposed to be.  That is why she said, "If i am undeserving i may as well let my sister be zoche".  "She is not stealing this zechus away from me, because it is not rightfully mine." 

     I heard from my Rebbe, Rabbi Kaufman shlita, something that is a davar pashut but so true and oftentimes forgotten.  If a businessman was about to close the biggest deal of his life when suddenly a Navi hashem walked in and told him, "Do not make that deal it will be a tremendous mistake."  The businessman would probably feel indebted to the Navi forever for saving him from this terrible mistake.  However, if this same businessman was about to make the biggest deal of his life, and the fellow offering him this deal says, "Ill see you Saturday morning to close the deal, and I don't want to hear any excuses if you're not there you can kiss this deal goodbye".  Although the businessman would not go, he would probably hate Shabbos for the rest of his life.  We all are guilty of this on one level or another.  Shouldn't the businessman realize that Shabbos is Hashem's way of telling him "Don't do the deal".  It is the same as the Navi Hashem just in a little disguise.  There are times in our lives when we may have grand plans of how things in our life will work out, but how we think they will end up and how they do end up are many times completely different.  So many times if we just take a moment to realize that the fact that things didn't work out the way we thought they would is because Hashem, as the loving father that he is, causes things to happen sometimes that hold us back from what we think we want in order to do what is truly best for us.  This is not to say that one should not feel any pain. As we said recently, "when it hurts we cry", and I'm sure Rachel was deeply grieved to be unable to marry Yaakov, yet she understood that not marrying him was the right thing.  It was what Hashem wanted.  We should be zoche to see the not so obvious yad Hashem in all aspects of our life, but especially when things may seem to be the opposite of what we had hoped for. Good Shabbos   

Parshas Bo

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel

In perek yud posuk chaf dalid, immediately after makas choshech, it says, "Vayikra Pharaoh el Moshe vayomer lichu ivdu es Hashem rak tzonchem uv'karchem yutzag gam tapchem yeileich imachem."  "Pharaoh called to Moshe and said, Go serve Hashem only your sheep and cattle shall stay here; even your children can go with you."

After the makka of choshech Pharaoh told Moshe to take out all the people but leave the animals in Mitzrayim.  Rav Yaakov Neiman ztl asks, why would Pharaoh tell Moshe to leave the animals in Mitzrayim?  He knew they were going to serve Hashem and bring Korbanos because Moshe told him so.  Not only that, Pharaoh himself during the makka of arov had told Moshe and Aharon "l'chu zivchu LeiLokeichem ba'aretz."  "Go slaughter for your God in the land". So what exactly is Pharaoh thinking excluding the animals, the means to serve Hashem?

Rav Neiman explains, that originally Moshe had told Pharaoh that Klal Yisroel can't bring karbanos in Mitzrayim because there is no way that the Mitzriim would just watch passively as the jews killed their gods.  However, after choshech Pharaoh said to Moshe, "You were able to brings karbanos during choshech without the Mitzriim seeing.  What's your reason for not bringing them then?  It must be that you don't want to bring Karbanos.  In that case you can go serve Hashem but leave your animals.  To this statement Moshe Rabeinu answered "Gam atah titein biyadeinu zvachim v'olos..." "You will also give us zvachim and olos."  In other words, Pharaoh you've got it wrong, really we do want to bring karbanos but we don't know how much we need and maybe our animals won't be enough so we need from you.  However, we can not bring karbanos from stolen animals and therefore we could not take from you without your permission and that is why we could not bring the karbanos during makkas choshech.

I saw from the Rosh Yeshiva ztl that Rabeinu Yonah explains that when Klal Yisroel actually asked the Mitzriim for their possessions although the Torah uses the lashon of "sha'al" borrowing it obviously can not mean that because Klal Yisroel would be lying if they said that.  Even though the jews were owed so much for all their work and the things rightfully belonged to them, nevertheless asking them to borrow it and taking it for keeps would have been wrong.

I don't know if Rav Neiman meant that davka because a karban can't be stolen Klal Yisroel didn't take it and otherwise they would or that it was because stam g'neiva is assur (even rationalized g'neiva such as the case with the Mitzriim's possessions)  but it seems that either way the animals would have been considered stolen regardless of the fact that they too were well deserved.

Sometimes the line between what truly belongs to us and what is not ours can be hard to locate. Sometimes it takes extra sensitivity to help us do the right thing and not chas v'shalom take what doesn't belong to us.
Good Shabbos      

Parshas Vaeira

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchak Zev, R' Dovid Meer ben Harav Shmuel. . .

In perek zayin posuk chaf ches, Hashem told Moshe to tell Pharaoh that if he does not free Klal Yisroel, "V'sharatz hayior tzifardim, v'alu u'vau bi'veisecha u'bichadar mishkavcha v'al mitasecha ubi'veis avodecha uvi'amecha uvi'tanurecha uvi'misharosecha."  "The river shall swarm with frogs and they shall ascend and come into your palace and your bedroom and your bed, and into the house of your servants and of your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls."

Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman Ztl explains that this is where Chananya Mishoel and Azariah figured out that the correct thing for them to do was jump into the fire to die "al kiddush Hashem." They said, "If the frogs gave up their lives and jumped into the ovens, then kal v'chomer we should."
However, Rav Neiman asks that this kal v'chomer seems a little puzzling since the frogs were commanded to go into the ovens but Chananya Mishoel and Azariah were not.  He explains that although the frogs were commanded to go into the ovens, each one could have stayed far away from the ovens and said, "I'm not going in there!  I'll go somewhere else and I'll let the other frogs go into the burning ovens."  They could have said this but they didn't and that is why Chananya Mishoel and Azariah were able to make the Kal V'chomer because the frogs did not look for a way out the jumped into the flames to do what Hashem commanded.

We can learn from here how important it is to take advantage of situations where we can do a mitzva or do a chessed.  Many times its so much simpler just to pass it on and say "Let someone else do it", but if we work on ourselves we can be michazek ourselves in this inyan and take advantage of opportunities that come our way.
Good Shabbos

Parshas Sh'mos

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

   In Perek beis posuk alef the posuk says "Vayeilech ish mibeis levi vayikach es bas levi" "A man from Levi (Amram) went and married the daughter of Levi (Yocheved)."

   The Medrash Tanchuma in Parshas Bahaloscha says that Shevet Levi "nasnu nafsham", they gave their lives, to be mikadiesh the name of Hashem, and to make sure that Torah was not lost.  At the time when Klal Yisrael was in Mitzrayim, they turned away from Torah and Mila, and served idols.  Shevet Levi, however, were all Tzadikim and they kept the Torah.

   The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks, from where do we see that the Leviim gave their lives for Torah?  All we see from here is that they were great tzadikim even in a time where most of Klal Yisroel were rishaim.  That is a great thing, but we don't see anything in the Medrash that shows that the Leviim were willing to give up their lives to be mikadesh shem shomayim.

   The Rosh Yeshiva explains that the Medrash must be saying that their ability to keep the Torah and to be Tzadikim when the rest of Klal Yisroel is not doing the right thing proves that they would be willing to give up their lives to be mikayem shem shomayim.  Our natural tendency is to follow what the people around us do.  To be able to go against the tide and do what is correct is extremely difficult.  People who have the power to go against the tide prove by their actions that they would give up their lives to be mikayem shem shomayim.  Shevet Levi was holding on that level and therefore they are credited with the tremendous mitzva of giving their lives al kiddush Hashem.

   We are all going against the tide, fighting to do what's right in a society where anything and everything goes.  It's not just "ok we are doing what we feel is right even though it's difficult", We are all credited with the unbelievable level of "nosen nefesh al kiddush Hashem".
 Good Shabbos