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

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