Parshas Kedoshim

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 yud tes posuk yud zayin the posuk begins, "Lo Sisna es achicha bilvavecha" "You shall not hate your brother in your heart".
 The Gemorah in Yuma says that the reason why the first Beis Hamikdash was destroyed was because of avoda zara, giluy arayos, and shfichas damim. The second Beis Hamikdash however, where in that time period people were involved in Torah learning, mitzvos and gemilos chasadim why was the Beis Hamikdash destroyed? Because of sinaas chinam such as the famous Kamtza bar Kamtza story which the Maharsha brings down here. The Gemorah continues that this teaches us that Sinaas chinam is equal to avoda zara giluy arayos and shfichas damim.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl explains, that we see from here how difficult it is to cleanse ones heart from sinaas chinam. Even people that were talmidei chachamim and baalei midos tovos were unable to rid themselves of their sinaas chinam.

We see from here how important it is to rid ourselves of sinaas chinam, and also how difficult it is. Through learning and tremendous effort we can hopefully bring ourselves to the Madreiga of v'ahavta l'reiacha kamocha...
 Good Shabbos

Acharei Mos

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

In perek tes zayin at the end of posuk lamud dalid the posuk says "Vayaas ca'asher tziva Hashem es Moshe" "and(Ahron) did as Hashem commanded Moshe".

Rashi explains that when Yom Kippur came Ahron performed the service according to this order. The Torah mentions this to praise Ahron that he did not wear the garments for his own greatness, but rather because he was fulfilling the command of the King, Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl explains that we are talking about Ahron Hakohen, the Ahron who was a tremendous anav, the Ahron who was "ruacha v'samach b'libo" when Moshe came and took over as leader. What day was this? Yom Kippur, the one day where he is standing in the Kodesh Kadashim, with the understanding that the level of kapara that Klal Yisroel will receive is totally based on the service he is performing. Yet had the Torah not told us that Ahron wore the b'gadim completely L'sheim shomayim, we would have thought that even Ahron Hakohen when he wore the b'gadim had some kavana that it was because ofhis greatness, because it is extremely difficult to do something one hundred percent l'sheim shomayim. Therefore the Torah comes and tells us that Ahron did was so pure and was on such a teremendous madreiga, that his kavan was totally l'sheim shomayim and nothing else....
  Good Shabbos
 

Fwd: Parshas Metzora

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 tes vav posuk beis the posuk says, "Dabru el Bnei Yisroel v'amartem aleihem ish ish ki yihiye zav mi'bsaro zovo tamei huh" "Speak to Bnei Yisroel and say to them, any man who will have a discharge from his flesh, his discharge is tamei"

The Medrash Raba brings down a posuk from Koheles "U'zchor es borecha bi'ymei b'churosecha" "Remember your creator in the days of your youth". Akiva ben Mhalleil says there are three things to keep in mind that will keep people from doing aveiros, "Da mei'ayin ba'asa u'lian ata holeich, v'lifnei mi at asid litein din v'cheshbon" "Know where you came from , you started out as a little drop, Know where you are going, to the dirt, and know who you will have to give a din v'chesbon in front of, the king of all kings, Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Rabeinu Yonah explains that when one thinks about where they come from and how they were created from a tiny drop, the thought will save them from gaiva. When they think about where they are headed, they won't desire all the fancy luxuries of this world because they will understand that it's fleeting. When they think about who they will have to answer to, they will remember they were created to fear and serve Hashem. How could one sin when they keep in mind who they will answer to? The embarrassment would be so great, even greater pain than actual punishment.

It sees from Akiva that doing these three things, and only these three things and no less will help people refrain from doing aveiros. The Rosh Yeshiva Ztl asks, why isn't keeping in mind who you will have to answer to enough of a deterrent? Rabeinu Yonah said that keeping in mind who we will have to answer to leads to such a high madreiga of Yiras Shamayim and yiras chet, that the embarrassment is greater than the pain from actual punishments. Shouldn't that be enough?

The Rosh Yeshiva explained, that we see from here, that even if someone has tremendous yiras shamayim, he still will end up doing aveiros if he does not work on his middos, because it is impossible to stay away without working on ones middos.

This is why there are three things that Akiva says to keep in mind, and not just who we will have to give a din v'cheshbon to. It is vital for our ruchniyus to work on our middos as well. To work on our anava and histapkus (contentment), and only then will we truly be able to refrain from doing aveiros....
 Good Shabbos  

Parshas Tazriah

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 Meer ben Harav Shmuel.....

In perek yud gimmel posuk beis the posuk says " Adam ki yihye v'or
b'saro s'eis o sapachas o baheres v'haya v'or b'saro l'nega tzaraas
v'huva el Ahron Hakohein o el achad mibanav hakohanim." "If a person
will have on the skin of his flesh a s'eis or a sapachas, or a
baheres, and it will become a tzaraas affliction on his skin, he shall
be brought to Ahron Hhakohein or one of his sons the kohanim."

The Medrash Tanchuma brings down a story that occured with a kohen who
used to check people's afflictions for tzaraas. Money was tight for
this kohen and he decided he needed to go to Chutz La'aretz to try to
make a living. However he felt that he could not just go and leave all
the people that would come to him with afflictions in the dark. He
decided with his wife that he would teach her the laws and she would
check the people for tzaaras. He began "If you see a hair on the
person and its pore has dried up you will know that he has tzaraas,
because every single hair has its own root, its own pore, it's own
source of nutrients to provide it with all it needs. If that pore is
dried up then the hair is dried up." His wife responded "If every
single hair was created by Hashem with its own source of nutrients,
you a person who has such achrayus to support your family, isn't it
pashut that
Hashem will take care of you and give you a parnassa?" Therefore she
did not allow to him to go to Eretz Yisroel.

The Rosh Yeshiva ztl asks, what did the halachos of tzaraas do to open
this woman's eyes? Both the man and his wife knew that Hashem is the
sole benefactor of everybody "hanosein lechem l'chal basar" after all
this is one of the yesodos that everyone knows. They knew that fact
when he was making the decision to leave Eretz Yisroel as well.
The Rosh Yeshiva explains that although they both knew the fact that
Hashem provides for all, it did not change their feelings of needing
to go to chutz la'aretz. However, once she heard about these halachos,
it reinforced a fact that she already knew, and she began to realize
that they were making a mistake and her husband did not need to leave.

There are many things that we "know" ,but the question is do we really
know them and feel them? Do we give the correct answers to all the
questions because we were taught them in kindergarten or are we
constantly working on making these pieces of information a part of us?
Being aware of things around us that can remind us of what we "know"
can help us attain that level of not just knowing, but feeling that
Hashem is taking care of us and is our sole supporter.
Good Shabbos