Parshas Mikeitz

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R'
Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel
Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel,
Daniel Feivish ben R' Yaakov Yitzchak, Eliyahu ben R, Mordechai
Haleivi
 In perek mem beis posuk chaf dalid the posuk says, "Vayosov mei'aleihem vayeivch, vayashav aleihem vayidaber aleihem, vayikach mei'itam es Shimon vaye'esar oso l'eineihem."  "He (Yosef) turned away from them and wept,he returned to them and spoke to them; he took Shimon from them and imprisoned him before their eyes."  The Medrash Tanchuma gives two pirushim why Yosef imprisoned Shimon.  The first Pirush is because he was the one that pushed Yosef into the pit.  Another pshat is because he didnt wan't him to advise his brothers to kill him.  The Medrash continues that as soon as Yosef took Shimon to imprison him, Shimon said to his brothers, "This is what you did to Yosef and now you're trying to do it to me too!"  To which the brothers responded, "What do you want us to do? If we don't follow his orders our entire families will perish in this famine."  Shimon believed that just as the brothers wanted to kill Yosef, they wanted to get rid of him.  Even though he knew that Yosef was the one calling the shots, and they had no choice but to listen, he believed that somewhere in the hearts of his brothers they were happy to be rid of him.  The brothers response to him is to remind him of the seemingly obvious and already known fact that they have no control over the situation, and that if they don't listen their families will perish.  The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks, how did the brothers response to Shimon remove his suspicions?  He knew that the brothers had no control and still had his suspisions so what changed?

   The Rosh Yeshiva explains, that when the brothers responded to Shimon, true it was something he already knew, but they said it whole heartedly, and truly meant it.  Shimon was able to sense that and realized that they weren't looking to get rid of him.  "Dvarim hayotzim min haleiv nichnasim el haleiv."  "Words that come from the heart, enter into the heart."  Shimon knew from the way their response struck him that they must have been telling the truth.

    This is an important thing for everyone to remember, Parents, Rabbeim and even friends, "Words from the heart reach the heart", and the recipient always knows where the words are truly coming from.. Good Shabbos and Afreillechin Chanuka!!

Parashas Vayeishev

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R'
Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel
Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel,
Daniel Feivish ben R' Yaakov Yitzchak, Eliyahu ben R, Mordechai
Haleivi

In Perek Kuf Yud Dalid Kapital Gimmel in Tehillim it says "Ha'yam Ra'ah Va'yanas" Chazal discuss that what the sea saw that caused it to split was the aron of Yosef that was coming toward the sea. Hashem told the sea "Yanus Mipnei Hanas" as it says in Perek Lamud Tes Posuk Yud Beis "Va'yanas Va'yeitzei Hachutzah"..Yosef fled and ran outside (away from eishes Potiphar).Rav Chaim Shmulevitz ztl is troubled by why running out was singled out from all the other things that he did - For stopping himself from the etzem aveira he got tremendous schar. Not only that, Chazal go through each limb of his and the schar that he got for not doing an aveira with that limb.Obviously there is  something extra special and extra hard about his running outside above all the other restraints,that caused him to get the greatest reward of all, having the Yam Suf split to save all of Klal Yisroel,.Reb Chaim explains,that this teaches us a tremendous yesod in the avoda of man. We all think that we will work on ourselves for years and then we'll go out out and fight our yetzer harah! We think that after preparing for the fight, we have a chance against him! How foolish can we be?! From Yosef we see the way to win is to run, get out of the ring.He knew that sticking around for even one more second would just increase his chances of losing the battle. He understood the power of the yetzer harah and therefore ran for his life not even taking a second to grab his beged (which ended up costing him jail time).Its not easy,in fact its extremely difficult,and that is why Yosef got the most schar for that action. However,it is vital for us to take this to heart. It is almost impossible to beat the yetzer harah, no matter how great we think we are. Don't make it into a boxing match,its not worth it. Sometimes it's good to look like a chicken, sometimes that's the only way to win..Good Shabbos

Parshas Vayishlach

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R'
Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel
Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel,
Daniel Feivish ben R' Yaakov Yitzchak, Eliyahu ben R, Mordechai
Haleivi,
In perek lamud hei posuk chaf beis the posuk says "Vayihi bishkon Yisrael ba'aretz hahi vayeilech Reuven vayishkav es Bilha pilegesh aviv vayishma Yisrael."  "And it came to pass While Yisrael dwelt in the land, Reuven went and lay with Bilha his fathers concubine, and Yisrael heard."  Rachel passed away and Yaakov moved his bed into Bilha's tent.  Reuven feeling that Yaakov's bed should have been put in his mothers tent went and moved it.  The Torah considered the aveira so wrong that he is considered as if he lay with his father's concubine.  The Ramban says on this incident that it shows the "anava", humility, of yaakov avinu.  He heard about what Reuven did and did not command him to leave his house and kick him out of the family and the shvatim.  Rather he counted him as one of the shvatim, and counted him as the first one as the shvatim, his true spot. 

      The Torah is complimenting Yaakov on his great humility for not kicking Reuven out of his house.  Its obvious that the Torah is not praising Yaakov for not having a wrong amount of "gaivah" because it is no "chidush" that Yaakov did not attain a level of "gaivah" that would be totally incorrect.  Rather the Torah must be praising Yaakov for being totally void of "gaivah" and on a tremendous level of "anava", and is saying that without this he would have thrown Reuven out.

       The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks, "mima nafshach", if the right thing was for Yaakov to throw Reuven out then why is he praised for not throwing him out, and if the right thing to do was not throw him out, then why such praise for doing what he was supposed to?  The Rosh yeshiva explains that the right thing to do was what Yaakov actually did do, however even a drop of "gaivah" would have changed his decision and caused him to believe that the right thing to do was to throw him out.  The fact that he was on that level deserves recognition.  The Rosh Yeshiva explains that there is still a question begging to be asked.  Lets say Yaakov wasn't a full fledged "anav", and maybe he had a little bit of a negia to want to throw Reuven out, but we know the draw that Yaakov had to the truth "Titein emes l"Yaakov", shouldn't his desire for the truth overcome everything else?  He explains that obviously from the Ramban we see that even with his tremendous draw toward "emes", just a drop of "gaivah" would have skewed his decision.  We see from here the extremely negative effect that even a tiny dose of gaiva has on a person.  We should be zoche to work on our gaiva and be able to make the right decisions in everything in our lives. Good Shabbos

Reply

Reply to all

Forward

Parshas Vayetzei

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R'
Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel
Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel,
Daniel Feivish ben R' Yaakov Yitzchak, Eliyahu ben R, Mordechai
Haleivi,
 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, 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'm the rightful match just something came up", that something coming up wass 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 what 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 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, 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 being the loving father that he is causes things to happen sometimes 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 Chayei Sara

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zekaini Moiri R'
Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben Harav Zev Yehuda, Zev Yehuda ben Rav Shmuel
Mordechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel,
Daniel Feivish ben R' Yaakov Yitzchak, Eliyahu ben R, Mordechai
Haleivi,

In perek chaf dalid posuk beis Avraham was sending Eliezer out to find
a wife for Yitzchak. The posuk says "Vayomer Avraham el avdo zikein
beiso hamoshel b'chol asher l, sim na yadcha tachas yireichi" "Avraham
said to his slave, the elder of his household who controlled all that
was his: Place your hand under my thigh"

 Rashi explains that when one makes a shvua they must take in their
hand an object that is used for mitzvos such as a Sefer Torah or
Tefillin. Since mila was Avraham's first mitzva and it came to him
through pain, and it was chaviv to him, he used that for his shvua.

The Gur Aryeh and the Mascil L'Dovid explain Rashi. Rashi was bothered
why Avraham didn't just take a pair of tefillin for the shvua? Min
hadin that is more proper for a shvua. Rashi explains, that Mila was
chaviv to him and therefore he b'davka wanted to use it.

The Rosh Yeshiva Ztl explains that we see that Avraham had a special
love for his first mitzva. If Avraham felt this and therefore used
Mila instead of Tefillin, it must be a correct hargasha. The Rosh
Yeshiva continues that this is not only regarding the first mitzva but
to any first thing.

The Story is told of Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel ztl that every year on
the day that he had given his first shiur as Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir,
he would make a seuda. He forever wanted to remember his "first shiur"

These passed few weeks have turned the world upside down.. Now is a
time for first times! My second Seder Rosh Chabura told me, "when
things like this happen so close to you, when Bachurim who are kimaat
part of your family are taken so suddenly, you must dig deep. You have
to take something that you know is difficult for you, something that
you know you need work in and start working". We all must take on
something and make ourselves better people. How can we just keep going
on as the same people after such a blow? We owe it to Dani and Eli,
and we owe it to ourselves as well. Life does go on, but that doesn't
mean we need to or should forget. If we take one thing and change
ourselves, start doing something new for the first time, we will never
forget it or the reason why we began that new inyun of growth. That
growth will allow us to keep Dani and Eli close to us, and give them
tremendous zechusim.
 Good Shabbos

--
Sent from my mobile device

Lech Lecha

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 the first posuk in this weeks parsha Hashem says to Avraham (Avram) Avinu "Lech Lecha Mei'artzecha u'mimoliditicha umibeis avicha el ha'aretz asher arecha" Rav Akiva Mibartenura al Ha'Torah says the reason why Hashem meintioned these three was to explain the reason why Hashem was giving Avraham this mitzvah to leave.  All three of these were filled with rishaim,and your land,your house and your family are the places you learn your derech in life from.The Rosh Yeshivah Ztl says that we see from the Bartenura,a tremendous yesod.  Avraham Avinu, the person who recognized Hashem at three years old, broke his own fathers idols, and was moser nefesh for Yidishkeit by being thrown into a kivshan Ha'eish, still could have been mushpaah from the hashpaah of his surrounding and the hashpaah of his family,and therefore had to leave.If our father, Avram Avinu, can be mushpaah from his surrounding, imagine us.We think we have ourselves set in who we are and we are good enough to withstand hashpaah, but this is obviously not true.  We have to do whatever we can to remove ourselves from things that can influence us in a negative way.. Good Shabbos

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
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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

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

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  
 
 

Parshas Re'eh

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

 In perek yud beis posuk chaf gimmel the posuk says "Rak chazak l'vilti achal  ha'dam ki ha'dam hu hanafesh, v'lo sochal hanefesh im ha;basar". "Only, exercise strength in not eating blood, for the blood is the life, and do not eat the spirit with the meat". Rashi brings down Rav shimon ben Azai who says, the Torah is teaching Klal Yisroel the extent that one must go to strengthen their keeping of the mitzvos. If blood which is easily avoided because man has no craving for it still requires strengthening oneself from eating it, then kal v'chomer other more difficult mitzvos.

The Sifsei Chachamim brings down in the name of the Mahari, that R' Shimon ben Azai was explaining that the yetzer hara of a person is constantly trying to overpower him,and therefore one must be careful in the seemingly easy mitzvos and Kal V'chomer in the mitzvos that people have a taayva to go against.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl explained that we can see that according to R' Shimon ben Azai Klal Yisroel had zero taayva to eat blood, because its just miusdik. Yet after Hashem commanded against it one must be michazek themselves not to do it.The reason for this is that even though eating blood may seem nasty, once Hashem commanded against it, the Yetzer Hara is working on all cylinders to make people eat it. If the yetzer Hara can turn something uninticing intosomething that needs strength to stay away from, then imagine the things that started off enticing in the first place.

Rav Yisroel Salanter  ztl in the Igeres Hamussar explains that there are really two types of Yetzet hara's. One that plays to peoples desires and tries to cause them to fall, and a second that speaks to the tuuma of a person and tries to convince him to sin in order to go against Hashem. Therefore it is very possible to do things that one may not even want just because the yetzer hara is trying to get them to go against Hashem.

Its scary to see that not only do we have to be careful not to fall into the trap of doing things wrong that we desire, but even of things we have no interest in.
"V'haseir satan milfaneinu u'meiachreinu", hes coming from all over the place. Hopefully if we know that he's coming on so strong we can better equip ourselves for battle.
  Good Shabbos

Parshas Eikev

 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 perek ches posuk gimmel the posuk says "Vayochlacha es ha'man asher lo yadaata v'lo yadun avosecha" "I fed you the maan that you did not know about and your forefathers did not know about".
 The Medrash Raba says, R Ilai asked in the name of R' Yosi ben Zimra, why didn't Hashem tell Avraham avinu about the maan? Rav Abba says becasue its the way of Tzadikim to say a little and do a lot so Hashem didn't tell him. Davar acheir is, had Hashem told Avraham and klal Yisroel knew about it, Klal Yisroel would have said "we already ate maan when we were in Mitzrayim." Just as Klal Yisroel remembered eating fish in Mitzrayim that chazal say they never got any of it, they just saw Mitzriim eating it.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks the following, Klal Yisroel then wasn't a group of people that would just complain about having something random b'meizid that was so far fetched. They weren't just out to complain and they weren't crazy so how could they complain about something that wasn't even there in Mitzrayim with them.

The Rosh Yeshiva explains that the wa people work is when they know they are going to have something they begin to have the hana'a from it as soon as they know its coming. I heard from a Rav in a Shabbos Drasha the same idea. Someone is bidding for something at an auction for example a nice watch. He bids high and it seems that the watch is his they start counting down until the watch is his. The bidder begins to picture the watch on his arm shining in the sunlight completing his image. His nice suit and tie, his stylish shoes and his new beautiful watch. Suddnely someone from the crowd jumps up and raises the bid and wins the watch. In the first bidders mind, the second bidder has just stolen his watch. If you don't believe it think of your own scenario and you'll come to realize that this is in fact the way it works.

Klal Yisroel would have been so used to knowing the Man was coming that over the years they would have begun to believe it was theirs already way before they actually began getting it, and would have lost appreciation for it.

This is the way we are. It takes effort to realize what we take for granted. We get so used to things that we lose our appreciation but it doesn't have to be that way. We can try to stay focused on it and realize the things we do and don't have and appreciate them in turn.

Good Shabbos
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Parshas Vaes'chanan

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 Mrdechai, Avraham ben R' Yitzchok Zev, R' Dovid Meir ben Rav Shmuel......

In perek dalid posuk beis "Lo sosifu al hadavar asher anochi mitzave eschem v'lo sigriu mimenu lishmor es mitzvas Hashem elokeichem asher anochi mitzave eshchem." "You shall not add to the word that I command you , nor shall you subtract from it to keep the commandments of Hashem your God that I command you"

Many mefarshim ask the seemingly obvious question. It is understandable why the Torah says one should not subtract from the Mitzvos Hashem commanded, but what is wrong with adding onto the Torah? Perhaps by adding on one can be mikayim the Torah on an even more chumradik level.

Rav Yaakov Neiman ztl explains, that every single person in Klal Yisroel has to understand that the Torah was giving to us straight from Hakadosh Baruch Hu. He is the one who wrote it and gave the mitzvos, mishpatim, and chukim. That being said and understood everyone is obligated to believe that it was given b'shleimus, perfect and complete. "Toras Hashem Temima". The Torah is complete without even one tiny minuscule mistake. If one were to add on to the Torah and try to be more "machmir" and more holy then what he is in fact showing is that he does not believe that the Torah was given from Hashem. If someone tries to be "frummer" than the Ribono shel olam they are actually being "koifer b'ikar".

Don't be frummer than the Ribono Shel Olam. My grandfather Harav Abba Zalka Gewirtz shlita always says these words and follows with the following Chazal. In the maaseh of Nadav and Avihu and the aish zara the Ohr Hachaim is mashma that what Nadav and Avihu did wrong was that they brought a Karbon that Hashem had not told them to bring. They did what Hashem asked and then some and that is why they were chayiv misa.

 Its important to keep the Torah and follow all that Hashem commands, but that's is where it ends, all that Hashem commands. When people start trying to be holier than that and more machmir, its not chasidus or ultra orthodox, its kfira, it's its own religion. The Torah was given to us straight from Hashem complete and perfect and that is how we are expected to keep it and follow it.
 Good Shabbos

parshas Devarim

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 R' Shmuel

In perek alef posuk zayin Moshe delivers the following message from Hashem to  Klal Yisroel "Pnu u'siu lachem uvou har ha'Emori v'el kal shcheinav ba'arava bahar uvashfeila uvanegev uvichof hayam eretz ha'canani v'halvanon ad hanahar hagadol nahar pras" "Turn Yourselves and journey, and come to Mountain of the Emori and all its neighbors, in the plain, on the mountain, and in the lowland, and in the south, and at the seacoast. The land of the Cannanite and the Lebanon, until the great river the Euphrates river."

 Rashi explains, that because Nahar Pras is mentioned with Eretz Yisroel it is call "Nahar Gadol". The slave of a king is considered a king to the common folk. Chazal say that in actuality the Nahar Hagadol is the smallest from all the rivers, but its association with Eretz Yisroel makes it great.

Reb Chaim Shmulevitz Ztl explains, that if that is the Kedusha of things associated with Eretz Yisroel, Kal V'chomer Eretz Yisroel itself. Ein Torah K'Toras Eretz Yisroel.

 Reb Chaim Explains that people don't understand and utilize the greatness of Eretz Yisroel. Moshe Rabeinu came to Hashem with a taayna "The Atzmos Yosef are entering Eretz Yisroel, and I can't?" Hashem explained to him that Yosef acknowledged and appreciated that Eretz Yisrael was his land he was called an Ivri by the Mitzriim, and even called himself "gunov gonavti mei'eretz Ha'Ivrim" He on the other hand was called an Ish Mitzri by Yisro's family and was quiet. We don't find there being a  taayna on him for not correcting them from believing he was a non jew. Perhaps it would have been a sakana. However, because he was not "hoda ba'aretz" he was not buried in Eretz Yisroel.
 Good Shabbos

Parshas Masei

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 R' Shmuel....

 In perek lamud heh posuk yud alef the posuk says " V'hikrisem lachem arim arei miklat ti'hiyena lachem v'nas shama rotzeiach makei nefesh b'shagaga" "You shall arrange cities for yourselves, cities of refuge they shall be for you, and a killer who kills unintentionally shall flee there".
 In Meseches Makos the gemora says that if a talmud must run to an arei miklat his Rebbe must go with him, similarly if a Rebbe must go, his yeshiva must go with him.
 The laws of arei miklat are learnt out from the posuk "v'nas el achas ha'arim va'chay" "he shall run to one of the cities and live". The Rambam explains that this means we must give this man all that is necessary to live, and a life without talmud Torah is comparable to death.
 This idea of a Rebbe going with his talmud seems puzzling to many. Granted a person must learn but does he need his Rebbe there? His Rebbe did nothing wrong, and there are probably many people who can teach him. After all the arei miklat was where all the Leviim lived. Even if he does not find another Rebbe, he can learn himself. The Torah is going to make the Rebbe go and therefore cause an entire Yeshiva to have to move (Rav she'gala migalim yeshivaso emo") because of this one guy?
 Rav Yaakov Aryeh Neiman explains that from here we can get a glimpse of the relationship between a Rebbe and his Tamud. Learning from your Rebbe who you are accustomed to learning with and comfortable with is considered Talmud Torah and taking that away from is considered taking ones life even if you can find someone else. Yes it seems extreme but the bond is so great that the Yeshiva must relocate so that one person can continue learning from their Rebbe.
 This can give us a little insight into the deep connection between a Rebbe and Talmud. Bein poresh from your Rebbe is being poresh from life itself.
Good Shabbos