Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Pinchas 5770

שבת טעם החיים פינחס תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Pinchas 5770

Hashem loves the Jewish people no matter how much they have sinned

Introduction
פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל בקנאו את קנאתי בתוכם ולא כליתי את בני ישראל בקנאתי, Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon the Kohen, turned back My wrath from upon the Children of Israel, when he zealously avenged My vengeance among them, so I did not consume the Children of Israel in My vengeance. (Bamidbar 25:11)
At the end of last week’s parasha we learned how Balak had facilitated the Moabite women to seduce the Jewish men. HaShem became angry at the Jewish People and they were threatened with annihilation. Pinchas, the grandson of Aharon HaKohen, saw that there was a need to act and he killed Zimri, the leader of the tribe of Shimon, and Kazbi, the Midianite woman, and through this zealous act he appeased HaShem’s wrath. In the beginning of this week’s parasha HaShem informs Moshe that Pinchas will receive HaShem’s covenant of peace. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 105b; Brachos 7a) presents a perplexing statement regarding this time period in the Wilderness. It is said (Micha 6:5) ami zichar na mah yaatz Balak melech Moav umeh anah oso Balaam ben Beor min hashitim ad haGilgal limaan daas tzidkos HaShem, My people, hear, now, what Balak, king of Moav, schemed, and what Balaam son of Beor answered him, [and all the events] from Shittim to Gilgal - in order to recognize the righteous acts of HaShem. The Gemara explains that this verse teaches us that HaShem was informing the Jewish People that if He had become angry from the time that the Jewish People arrived in Shittim until they reached Gilgal in Eretz Yisroel, the entire Jewish nation would have been destroyed. The Gemara is referring to HaShem’s wrath against the Jewish People for having sinned with the Moabite women. This Gemara, however, is difficult to understand, because the Torah states explicitly that HaShem did become angry and almost annihilated the Jewish People. In fact, if not for Pinchas’ act of heroism, the Jewish People would have been destroyed. How, then, could the Gemara state that HaShem did not become angry at that time? The Netziv in his commentary Heemak Davar at the end of Parashas Balak and in Harchev Davar at the beginning of Parsahas Pinchas offers a solution to this difficulty by stating that there is a distinction between charon af and cheimah, two forms of anger. Thus, although HaShem did not display charon af, He did display cheimah [Both words are translated as wrath in English.] The Netziv’s commentary is difficult to comprehend, as the Torah states clearly that HaShem became angered with the Jewish People. Rashi (Bamidbar 23:8 and Sanhedrin 105b s.v. kol osan hayamim) indicates that the anger the Gemara is referring to is at the time that Balaam attempted to curse the Jewish People, but the verse that states “from Shittim until Gilgal” does not reflect this explanation.


All of Balaam’s attempts to cause HaShem to despise us were in vain
The Gemara is difficult to reconcile with the verses in the Torah and in Micha. Nonetheless, we can glean from the Gemara an important lesson in how HaShem views His relationship with His Chosen Nation. Balaam was attempting to curse the Jewish People, and when Hashem thwarted his efforts, Balaam employed a different tactic. Balaam’s strategy was to cause the Jewish People to sin and thus incur HaShem’s wrath. HaShem did get angry but He would not allow Balaam the satisfaction of seeing his actions bear fruit. Thus, the Gemara states that HaShem did not become angry during the entire time that Balaam sought to destroy the Jewish People.
The Shabbos connection
We may think that Hashem has left us to the elements, and we are under the jurisdiction of the forces of nature. When Shabbos arrives, however, we see clearly that Hashem has bestowed upon us His greatest gift, which is the Holy Shabbos. Even during the period of the Three Weeks, when the Jewish People are in a state of mourning for the loss of the Bais HaMikdash and for the ongoing exile, HaShem has not abandoned us. HaShem loves us more than anything else in the world, and He will demonstrate this love for us when He brings us the redemption with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
All paid up
Rav Shmuel Shtrashan of Vilna (1819-1885) was a wealthy banker as well as a renowned Torah scholar. In addition to his commerce, he maintained a free-loan society to provide interest-free loans to the needy. One time he granted a one-year loan of 300 rubles to Reb Zalman the tailor and carefully recorded it in his ledger. One year later, to the date, with 300 rubles in an envelope, Reb Zalman knocked on the door of Rav Shmuel's study. The Rav was in the midst of a deep Talmudic contemplation and hardly interrupted his studies while tucking the money away in one of the volumes he had been using. A few weeks later, while reviewing his ledgers, Rav Shmuel noticed that Reb Zalman’s loan was overdue. He summoned him to his office to inquire about the payment. Of course, Reb Zalman was astonished. He had paid the loan in full on the day it was due! The Rav could not recall payment and insisted that they go together to Beis Din (Rabbinical Court).

Word in town spread rapidly, and people began to shun Reb Zalman. His business declined, and his children and wife were affronted by their peers. The only recourse the Beis Din had was to have Reb Zalman swear that he had repaid the loan. Rav Shmuel did not want to allow a Jew to swear falsely on his account and decided to forego the procedure by annulling the loan. This latest event brought even more scorn to the tailor, and eventually he felt forced to leave Vilna and establish himself elsewhere.

A year later, Rav Shmuel was analyzing a section of the Talmud and opened a volume he had used sometime in the past. He could not believe his eyes when he saw a thick envelope with Reb Zalman's return address, containing 300
rubles. Quickly, he ran to find the hapless tailor who had been so besmirched. After unsuccessfully searching Vilna, he found that the tailor had moved. Rabbi Shtrashan traveled to Reb Zalman to beg forgiveness. The tailor, a broken man, explained that there was no way that anyone would believe the true story. They would just say that the pious scholar had shown mercy on the unscrupulous tailor. Finally, they decided that the only way to truly atone and give back the tailor his reputation was for the scholar to take Reb Zalman's son as his son-in-law. The shocked town of Vilna rejoiced at the divine union that helped re-establish a reputation. (www.parsha.net)

Pinchas and Pinchas
R' Pinchas Shapiro of Koretz zt"l (1726-1791; student of the Baal Shem Tov and early chassidic rebbe) lived in terrible poverty. His house was shabby and it looked ready to fall at any moment.
Once, R' Pinchas' chassidim in another town invited him to spend Shabbat with them. In honor of the occasion, they bought him a new suit and prepared a beautiful apartment in which he would stay.
On Friday night, R' Pinchas was in high spirits. He said: "Here, where I am a guest, they feed me on silver platters like a wealthy man, whereas at home, the poverty reaches every corner of my house. I assume that my chassidim learned to treat me this way from the Torah itself."
He explained: "Parashas Pinchas contains a description of the sacrifices for all of the holidays, yet this parashah's regular place (its 'home') is during the depressing Three Weeks. On the other hand, when this parasha comes as a guest, it is Yom Tov (i.e., on each of the holidays, we read the day's sacrifices from Parashas Pinchas as a maftir).
"Similarly, I, Pinchas, make my home in depressing surroundings, but when I come as a guest, it becomes a Yom Tov." (Quoted in Otzros Tzaddikei Ugeonei HaDoros p. 489)
R' Yeshaya Bardaky zt”l
Died 18 Cheshvan 5623 / 1862
R' Bardaky was a son-in-law (in his second marriage) of R' Yisrael of Shklov, who refers to his son-in-law as, "an important man and a talmid chacham, the sharp and erudite rabbi who is more G-d-fearing than most . . ." R' Bardaky was born in Pinsk and taught Torah there, but he decided to settle in Eretz Yisrael after his first wife died. When the ship carrying R' Bardaky, his son, Shmuel Akiva, and his daughter, neared the port of Akko, it was wrecked, and all the passengers were thrown into the sea. R' Bardaky, however, was a powerful swimmer, and, with his two children on his back, he swam ashore.
Upon reaching Yerushalayim, R' Bardaky was appointed head of the Ashkenazic community. He also was appointed vice-consul of the Austrian Empire as a result of the following incident: The Austrian Emperor took ill and sent a message to Yerushalayim that R' Bardaky, who was known as a holy man, should pray for the Emperor at the Kotel hamaaravi. Until that time, R' Bardaky had never visited the Kotel because he was afraid that when he touched the wall he might inadvertently put his finger into a deep crevice in the wall, thus inadvertently trespassing on the Temple grounds in a state of ritual impurity. However, to fulfill the Emperor's request, R' Bardaky did pray at the Kotel, and the Emperor was cured.
A pauper once visited R' Bardaky, who was in charge of distributing stipends, and asked for an advance on the following month's payment. R' Bardaky responded that regrettably he had no money to distribute at that moment. The pauper became agitated, and when R' Bardaky continued to demur, the pauper slapped him. "Wait here," R' Bardaky said in response, and he ran out of his house. Returning a while later with money that he had just collected, R' Bardaky apologized to the pauper: "I'm sorry, I did not realize how great your need was."
The entry in Yerushalayim's Chevrah Kadisha journal recording R' Bardaky's death states: "Zion will cry bitterly over the destruction which G-d has wrought in Zion, how the ark of G-d was taken . . . the famous rabbi and gaon whose name went from one end of the world to the other." (Source: Gedolei HaDoros p. 638 (www.Torah.org)
What Not To Do At The Shabbat Table
The Broodo family of Dallas, Texas is now a well-established Orthodox family. They’re leaders and role models in their community. However one event during their first Shabbat experience almost derailed their teshuva journey. If it was not for the quick thinking of their hosts, their lives might have been very different today.
Ken and Beth Broodo were both raised in non-Orthodox Jewish homes. Ken is a lawyer, and several years ago a local Jewish organization, the Dallas Area Torah Association (DATA), the “community kollel,” sponsored a onetime lunch-n-learn at his law firm. It was delivered by a big-name visiting rabbi. Ken attended the event and enjoyed it, but didn’t feel particularly changed by it.
The event put the Broodos on DATA’s mailing list, and six months later they received an invitation to a DATA seminar on the upcoming holiday of Purim. The Broodos acknowledged that they knew very little about their Judaism and were very curious to learn more, so they decided to attend the event.
At the event, DATA rabbis spoke about various topics of Purim. One topic, the Hidden Mask of Nature, peaked their curiosity. The speaker, Rabbi Aryeh Feigenbaum, surprised them by pointing out that HaShem’s name is never mentioned in the Megillah but His hand is apparent throughout the whole story.
“Only when you look back do you see HaShem’s hand in it. Even when I say it now I get chills. I had never heard something of that depth about the Torah. It was an interesting phenomenon to me,” Ken said.
Ken was fascinated by the presentation and impressed by Rabbi Feigenbaum. Ken stayed afterwards to drill him with a slew of other questions.
Following the seminar, the Broodos began attending other classes sponsored by DATA. Ken began studying one-on-one with Rabbi Feigenbaum each week. He and his wife began seeing the truth and beauty of Judaism and began to realize that this was the spirituality they were craving in their lives. However they were somewhat intimidated by the observances and cautious about jumping into anything too religious.
Rabbi Feigenbaum had given them an open invitation to come to synagogue on a Friday night and to his home for Shabbat dinner. The Broodos were intrigued by the opportunity to learn more and to get closer to the Feigenbaums. They were uncertain about what the experience would be like, but were excited about the opportunity. One Friday night they decided to take him up on it.
As soon as they entered the Feigenbaum’s house, the Broodos were made comfortable by their hosts’ warm welcome, the beauty of their Shabbat table and the obvious love and holiness that filled the home.
“It was my first Shabbat dinner. I was very taken by the whole scene – the white tablecloth, the silver Kiddush cup, the candles, the singing and the Divrei Torah,” Ken said.
Ken especially loved Mrs. Feigenbaum’s homemade Challah. He had never eaten homemade challah before, and he found it to be absolutely delicious.
After finishing his first piece, Ken craved a second slice. The challah was sitting in a metal wire basket in the middle of the table, amidst all sorts of dishes and just on the other side of Mrs. Feigenbaum’s beautiful silver Shabbat candlesticks. Ken tried asking other people to pass him the bowl, but he couldn’t get anyone’s attention. So he decided to lean across the table and pick up the challah bowl himself.
The challah basket was lined with a napkin. As he carried the basket over the items on the table, Ken lifted it over the Shabbat candles, and within a second, it caught fire and turned into a giant bowl of flaming challah!
Ken dropped the burning basket onto the table and was about the douse it with his glass of water, when the rabbi leaned over the table and said ‘Stop!’ Rabbi Feigenbaum picked up the basket, carried to the front porch and let it burn out.
Ken felt extremely embarrassed that he had set the Feigenbaum’s challah on fire. He was ready to leave the meal at the first opportunity and never come back again. But when Ken and wife finally did put on their coats to leave, without missing a beat, Mrs. Feigenbaum responded in a way that immediately turned around his negative feelings.
“Stop worrying about it,” she said to Ken. “The next time you want toast for Shabbat, just let me know in advance!”
Mrs. Feigenbaum’s quip put a smile back on Ken’s face and helped the Broodos stay on their path of growth towards Jewish observance.
“When Mrs. Feigenbaum said that, we all laughed. I realized that no one judged me for making such a ridiculous mistake. Then I felt accepted” Ken explained. “When you’re not frum and you’re around people that are, the one thing you feel sure of is that you are being judged and not accepted.”
The burning challah episode was a critical point in the Broodos’ life. If their hosts had handled it in any other way, they might have never come back. Instead they returned for many more meals in the Feigenbaum home and grew extremely close to the family. They began attending additional classes and started coming to the community frequently for Shabbat.
The Broodos eventually moved into the neighborhood. Several years later, the new local Orthodox synagogue was founded in their living room, and they remain extremely involved to this day. They also now frequently host newcomers to the community. And for anyone who seems uncomfortable by being in an Orthodox home for Shabbat, Ken eases their worries by telling them the story about the Shabbat night that he set the rabbi’s challah on fire. (http://michaelgros.com/category/stories-of-kiruv/)


Where are you from?
I once knew a baal teshuva whose name was Shlomo Zalman Satanofsky zt"l and he told me the following story. When he was becoming frum, still rather early on, he was traveling one Erev Shabbos and got stuck in Williamsburg. He knew at that point in his life that he could not drive on Shabbos so he quickly parked the car and found a place to stay. The next day, he came to one of the Satmar shuls (in a green suit and purple tie) and began to daven. He happened to look up and saw three little chassidishe kids, with curly payos, looking at him very intently.
"Where are you from?"
"I'm from a place called Los Angeles. Have you ever heard of Los Angeles?"
One of the kids looks up at him and says "We only know three places: Williamsburg, Monroe, and Mitzrayim." (www.kiruv.com)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Pinchas 5770
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler
For sponsorships or to subscribe weekly by email please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Balak 5770

שבת טעם החיים בלק תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Balak 5770

Seeing into the future

Introduction
וירא בלק בן צפור את כל אשר עשה ישראל לאמרי, Balak son of Tzipor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorite (Bamidbar 22:2)
There is an interesting theme that is recurring throughout the Book of Bamidbar, and that is the concept of sight. The first instance that we discover mention of sight is when the Torah states that there is a prohibition to see the Holy of Holies while dismantling the Mishkan. In Parashas Naso there are a few references to sight. One instance is that the Gemara states that the portion discussing a Sota and the portion discussing a Nazir are juxtaposed because one who “sees” a Sota in her disgrace should abstain from wine. Another example is that the Gemara states that one is forbidden from gazing at the Kohanim when they raise their hands to bless the congregation. In Parashas Behaaloscha we find that Aharon “saw” that he and his tribe were not included in the offerings that had been brought by the Nesiim, the leaders of the tribes. Additionally, Moshe requested from Yisro that he function as “the eyes” of the people in the Wilderness. In Parsahas Shelach Moshe instructs the spies to see the Land and the Gemara states that the spies spoke before they allowed their eyes to see. The end of the parsha discusses the mitzvah of tzitzis where we are instructed to see the tzitzis and remember all of the mitzvos. Korach, according to the Medrash, saw that in the future great people would descend from him. Further on in the parasha when HaShem chose the staff of Aharon over the staffs of the other tribe leaders, it is said that they saw and they took, each man his staff. In Parsahas Chukas we find that that Hashem instructed Moshe to speak to the rock before the eyes of the people, and because he hit the rock instead, HaShem punished him for not sanctifying His Name before the eyes of the Jewish People. Upon the death of Aharon, it is said that the Jewish People saw that Aharon had died and they all wept. After the Jews were punished for talking against HaShem and Moshe, they were instructed to gaze upon the copper snake to be healed from the bite of the snake. In this week’s parsha, the Torah states that Balak saw what the Jewish People had done to the Emori. The entire parasha is replete with instances of Balaam attempting to see the Jewish nation from various locations so he could affect his curse on them. The Mishnah states that one of Balaam’s three evil characteristics was that he had a bad eye. Furthermore, Balaam was blind in one eye. The end of the parasha informs us that while a plague was raging throughput the Jewish camp, Pinchas saw what was happening and took action, stopping the plague in its tracks. In Parashas Pinchas Hashem instructs Moshe to ascend the Mountain of Avarim and see the Land that HaShem will give to the Jewish People. Hashem then instructs Moshe to take Yehoshua and command him before the eyes of the people. Parashas Matos discusses the ambitions of the tribes of Reuven and Gad who saw that the other side of the Jordan River was a suitable place for their livestock. In Parashas Matos HaShem tells Moshe to inform the Jewish People that if they do not drive out the inhabitants of the Land, then those who they leave will be pins in their eyes and a surrounding barrier of thorns in their sides. Further on in the parasha the Torah discusses one who kills unintentionally, and one example of unintentional murder is when one throws a stone without seeing the other person. The parsha ends with the command that the daughters of Tzelafchad should be wives to whomever is good in their eyes.
Tamuz is the month of the eyes
While the Torah mentions eyes and sight frequently, there appears to be a special emphasis on this idea throughout the Book of Bamidbar. It is noteworthy that the Sefer Yetzirah writes that the month of Tamuz reflects the eyes. The Meraglim journeyed throughout Eretz Yisroel for the entire month of Tamuz, returning on Tisha BaAv. The Gemara (Taanis 29a) states that the spies caused the Jewish People to cry on Tisha BaAv. Hashem declared, “ You have cried tears in vain. I will give you something to cry about for future generations. This crying would be over the destruction of the first and Bais HaMikdash, which both occurred on the ninth of Av. Regarding the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash it is said (Yechezkel 24:16) hinini lokeiach mimcha machmad eninecho bamageifa, behold, I am taking from you the darling of your eyes in a plague. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 22a) states that this verse refers to the Bais HaMikdash. Thus, we see that the months of Tamuz and Av are a period when the eyes play a critical function in the health of the Jewish People.

One must use his vision properly
Essentially, the parasha of Balaam attempting to curse the Jewish People is the highlight of the Book of Bamidbar, which is the Book of the Eyes. Balaam sought to cast his evil eye upon the Jewish People, and HaShem thwarted his efforts. The Mishnah highlights the distinction between the disciples of Avraham and the disciples of Balaam by stating that the disciples of Avraham have a good eye whereas the disciples of Balaam have an evil eye. It is noteworthy that Balaam sought to die the death of the Just, which is an allusion to the Patriarchs. His mistake was that one has to live the life that the Patriarchs lived in order to die like them. Balaam lacked the proper foresight to realize this, as is alluded to in the statement of the Gemara that he was blind in one eye. He had one eye on glory but the other eye was closed as to how one could achieve that glory. This theem3 is recurring throughout the Book of Bamidbar. Korach also sought glory, but he did not see properly that he would be lost and it was his children who would repent and have the glory emanate from them. Similarly, the tribes of Reuven and Gad saw grazing land but they did not take into account that their tribes, many years later, be exiled before the other tribes. Perhaps the greatest misfortune for the entire Jewish People was the lack of foresight exhibited by the spies. The Zohar states that their motive for slandering the Land and was because they foresaw that that they would lose their leadership roles upon entry into Eretz Yisroel. Instead, they lost their lives and caused untold suffering for all future generations. Thus, a lack of proper vision can have calamitous results.


The message from Balaam is that we utilize our eyes for the good, both for the individual and for the collective. In this way we can be assured that we are following in the footsteps of Avraham, who always sought the good in man.
The Shabbos connection
Shabbos is referred to as a semblance of the World to Come, and the Gemara (Sanhedrin 99a) states that all the prophets were able to prophesize until the Messianic era. Beyond that, however, it is said (Yeshaya 64:3) ayin lo raasa Elokim zulascha, no eye except Yours, O G-d, has seen [that which] He will do for one who awaits Him. The World to Come is beyond our vision, and this in itself is a blessing. Something that is not tainted by human eyes remains perfect. Hashem allows us a taste of the World to Come in this world, by granting us His Precious gift of Shabbos. It should be His will that we use this gift properly and then we will see an end to all of our suffering with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
Reb Elchonon Wasserman's Last Drasha
Reb Elchonon Wasserman was one of the great pre-war Roshei Yeshiva in Europe. He learned in Telz Yeshiva and joined the Chafetz Chaim's Kodshim Kollel later on, where he learned B'Chavrusa with Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahanamen the Ponovezher Rav. During this period he became very close with the Chafetz Chaim whom he considered his Rebbi. Reb Elchonon was the Chafetz Chaim's spiritual heir, becoming the ultimate arbiter of Daas Torah for the pre-Holocaust generation fighting haskala, Zionism, communism, and the other ills of the generation.

Reb Elchonon was in his mid-60s when the war broke out. He had spent a great deal of time in America collecting for his Yeshiva in Baranovitch. Although he was quite fond of the few Binei Torah he met in America and held our great hope and promise for their future, nevertheless he resisted their pleas to remain in America and chose to return to a Europe that was about to engulfed in flames. As Rosh Yeshiva and the conscience of the Lithuanian Yeshiva world, he felt personal and public responsibility to be with his flock in their time of need, come what may.

Tragically Reb Elchonon fell victim to the Nazi collaborators on 11 Tammuz 5701/1941 when he was murdered AL Kiddush Hashem along with his son and a handful of talmidim and other Rabbonim. Sadly his death did not come together with the Talmidim he chose to return to from the safe shores of America. He was taken in Kovno while on a short trip to take care of some documents in order to secure visas for escape.

Reb Ephraim Oshry, who was 27 years old at that time, was one of the few that managed to escape. He related the following about the last thing Reb Elchonon told them.

When they saw the end was near Reb Elchonon got up and spoke to them. He spoke the same way he always did; he was calm and there was no indication of panic. He said the following.

"In Shamayim it seems that they consider us to be Tzadikim, because we have been chosen to be Korbanos for Klal Yisroel. Therefore, we must do Teshuvah now. We don't have much time. We must keep in mind that we will be better korbanos if we do teshuvah. In this way we will save the Yidden in America. Let no foreign thought enter our minds, Chas Vishalom, as that will make us pigul, an unfit Korban. We are now fulfilling the greatest mitzvah. Yerushalayim was destroyed with fire and will be rebuilt with fire. The same fire that will consume our bodies will one day rebuild Klal Yisroel."

The Alter Of Novhardok Teaches Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer To Get Dressed Up But Not To Dance
One of the main lessons of the Alter Of Novhardok was the problem of Nigius, self interest. Nigius he said, insidiously crawls its way into every decision we make, contaminates the mind, and corrupts our minds and our ability to think honestly and clearly.

The Chaim SheYesh Bahem (Korach) says that Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer personally learned a lesson on the Nigia of laziness from the Alter Of Novhardok. Rav Isser Zalman said that when a person needs to make a decision if a visitor to town is due respect and one must go greet him, the first thing he must eliminate to make a proper decision is Nigia of laziness which will skew the decision in favor of not going.

How can this be achieved, asked Rav Isser Zalman? The Alter provided the perfect solution. When a distinguished guest who may possibly deserve kavod arrived to town, the Alter would get dressed up in his finest clothing and go to the home where the guest is lodging. When he reached the lodging, he would stand outside and only then decide if this person is deserving of this honor. In that way he eliminated laziness as a consideration in his decision.

Thanks to this lesson, said Rav Isser, I have a practice that when someone asks me for a letter of recommendation I immediately write one. Only after I have taken the time and effort to do this, do I then consider if he is deserving of it. Only if he truly deserves it, do I give it to him.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Balak 5770
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler
For sponsorships or to subscribe weekly by email please send email to ShabbosTaamHachaim@gmail.com
View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
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Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World Volume I Issue 2

Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World

Volume I Issue 2

In this series we will be exploring the meaning of prayer, and more specifically, of how to pray. In this issue we will examine the effects of prayer.

Tefillah Thoughts

From time to time we all must wonder if our prayers are being accepted. In this segment we will offer the explanation of the Mabit regarding prayer for the Ultimate Redemption, and this will shed light on our prayers for ourselves. The Mabit writes in Shaar HaTefillah (§17) that for the final redemption to occur, the Jewish People are required to offer many prayers, and there are two reasons why it is easier for the later generations to have their prayers answered. One reason is that the earlier generations were further away from the redemption, whereas the current generation is much closer to the redemption. Secondly, since the final redemption is such a great matter, in order for us to merit the final redemption, we are required to offer many prayers. When HaShem decides that the quota of prayers has been fulfilled, then HaShem will surely bring the redemption. At that time all the prayers that have been offered throughout the generations will be deemed to have functioned as a vehicle to effect the final redemption. Furthermore, since all the earlier generations were anticipating the final redemption, they will be rewarded for their efforts with the final redemption. Those who anticipated the redemption are those who will merit witnessing the final redemption. The Mabit concludes that even prior to meriting the final redemption, HaShem answers our prayers in every generation, and He saves us from our troubles. These salvations are also effected through our prayers for the redemption. This, then, is akin to salvation in every generation. Thus, it would seem that according to the Mabit, even if one’s prayer for his own concern does not appear to have been answered, he will be answered because of our prayers for the Ultimate Redemption, may it occur speedily, in our days.

Tefillah Teachings

The Halacha section is based on the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with the final rendition of the Mishna Berurah.

It is praiseworthy to give tzedakah, charity, prior to prayer, as it is said (Tehillim 17:15) ani bitzedek echezeh panecho, and I – in righteousness I shall behold Your face. There are congregations that have the custom to give tzedakah when reciting the words (Divrei Hayamim I 29:12) vihaosher vihakavod milfanecho, wealth and honor come before You. There are some locales where they collect tzedakah during the reading of the Torah and this is improper, as this prevents people from hearing the Torah reading and from answering Barchu. One should also accept upon himself before praying the mitzvah of (Vayikra 19:18) viahavta lireiacha kamocha, you shall love your fellow as yourself. One should have in mind to love every Jew like himself, because if Heaven forbid there is divisiveness amongst the hearts of the Jewish People down below, then above there is also a lack of unity. The unity of the bodies down below is the catalyst for the unity of the souls above. It is through this unity that the Tefillos unite, and when the Tefillos are united, it is favorable before HaShem, blessed is His Name.

Tefillah Translated and Elucidated

Mah tovu oholecho Yaakov mishkinosecho Yisroel, how goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Israel. The Maharshal (Teshuvos 64) writes that since this verse was said by the evil Balaam, one should not commence prayer with the recital of this verse. It is interesting to note that Balaam recited this verse when he realized that it was good in HaShem’s eyes to bless the Jewish People. The Mishna in Avos (5:22) tells us that Balaam had an ayin raah, an evil eye. Perhaps for a moment HaShem allowed Balaam to utilize the “good eye” (See Ohr HaChaim Bamidbar 24:1 for a different interpretation of the verse there), and this is what allowed him to bless the Jewish People, as it is said (Mishlei 22:9) tov ayain hu yivorach, one with a good eye will be blessed. The Gemara (Sota 38b) interprets the verse to mean that one with a good eye can bless others. Thus, in support of the custom to recite the verse of mah tovu at the onset of Tefillah, we can suggest that our Sages were teaching that more important than anything, one has to have a tov ayin, a good eye. Even if one feels that his prayers have not been answered, he will be able to see everything that happens to him in a positive light. He will then be able to focus his prayers on behalf of himself and others.

Tefillah Tale

Many chassidim would come to hear the Klausenberger Rebbe zt”l daven. The Rebbe’s Tefillos were unlike any Tefillos that anyone had witnessed for many generations. The words that came out of the Rebbe’s mouth were like fiery embers, and he would recite the Tefillos with tears streaming from his eyes. The Rebbe’s Tefillos were so intense that he appeared to be consumed by fire. At times the Rebbe would repeat a verse in Tefillah, even repeating a verse ten times. When reciting the words in az yashir of tiviaimo visitaeimo bihar nachalascho, You will bring them and implant them on the mount of Your heritage, the Rebbe would plead with HaShem to redeem the Jewish People. The Rebbe would sob, “Tatte, Tatte, Tatte, oy, oy, oy… Tatte, have mercy on Your children.. Tiviaimo visitaeimo, Tatte, Tatte, Tatte, it is enough already, enough, have mercy on Your children, Heilege Bashefer, bring them now, now.. implant them on the mountain of Your heritage….” There were times when the Rebbe would recite these words alone for an hour.

Tefillah Test

Last week we posed the question: Why do we refer to prayer as Tefillah? The Torah uses many expressions for prayer, such as chanun, compassion, shir, song and more. In fact, the Medrash (Devarim Rabbah 2:1) states that there are ten expressions for prayer. Why do we refer to all our prayers as Tefillos? There were a few answers that were submitted, and for brevity’s sake, I will cite them in abridged format.

1. Zvi wrote: The root of Tefillah is palail, to judge, to differentiate, to clarify, to decide. In life we constantly sort out evidence from rumor, valid options from wild speculation, fact from fancy. The exercise of such judgment is called plilah. Indeed the word plilim from pll is used in the court of law (Shemos 21:22), and what is the function of a court if not to sift evidence and make a decision? A logical extension of pll is the related root plh, meaning a clear separation between two things. Thus prayer is the soul’s yearning to define what truly matters and to ignore trivialities that often masquerade as essential [Siddur Avodas HaLev]. The Hebrew word for praying is hitpalail. It is a reflexive word meaning that the subject acts upon himself. Prayer is a process of Self-evaluation, Self -judgment; a process of removing oneself from the Tumult of life to a little corner of truth and refastening the bonds that tie on to the Purpose of life. Source taken from The Artscroll Siddur page xiii.
2. Aurel wrote: Pillel – to judge. Judging/Changing himself through Tefillah. Tofel – joining himself to Hashem.
3. The Pinei Menachem, the Gerrer Rebbe (Vaeschanan 5753), cites the Alexander Rebbe and the Sfas Emes who writes that the ten expressions of prayer are the means with which to arrive at Tefillah. Thus all the expressions of prayer are in essence incorporated in Tefillah.

This week’s question: In the Tefillah of Vihu Rachum we recite the words (Daniel 9:17) vihaseir panecho al mikdoshco hashameim limaan Ado-nai, and let Your countenance shine upon Your desolate Sanctuary, for the Lord’s sake. What is another possible interpretation for the word Ado-nai here? If you have a possible answer, please email me at BirumOlam@gmail.com and your answer will be posted in next week’s edition of Birum Olam.

Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World

Volume I Issue 2

Is sponsored in loving memory of Ita Tzipporah bas R’ Hirsch ob”m

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

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Shabbos: Ta'am HaChaim Balak 5767

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Balak 5767

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah the Torah relates how the wicked Balaam sought to curse the Jewish People, and HaShem prevented him from doing so. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains that the reason it was necessary to earn Balaam’s blessing was akin to the Gemara (Shabbos 119b) that states that when a Jew arrives home from shul on Friday night, he is escorted by two angels, one good and one evil. If when he arrives home and finds the lamp burning, the table set and his bed made, the good angel says, “may it be the will of HaShem that it should be this way the next Shabbos as well,” and the bad angel is forced to answer amen against his will. If the table is not set, however, then the bad angel says, “May it be the will of HaShem that it should be this way the next Shabbos as well,” and the good angel is forced to answer amen against his will. Thus, writes the Ohr HaChaim, Balaam was akin to the bad angel who concedes the blessing to the good angel and responds “amen.” One must wonder, however, why it is necessary to have the bad angel concede the blessing. It is well-known that the Alshich writes that the reason it was necessary for Moshiach to be born from relationships such as Tamar and Yehudah and Rus and Boaz was so that the Satan, i.e. the evil forces, would be appeased. Similarly, the Ramban (Vayikra 16:8) writes based on a Medrash (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer 46) that states that on Yom Kippur, the he-goat was sent off the cliff to Azazel as a form of bribery to Esav and his cohorts. Thus, there are often times when the evil forces need to be appeased, and the Gemara (Brachos 7a ) states that had HaShem become angry when Balaam was attempting to curse the Jewish People, the Jewish People would have been obliterated. This thought should provoke us to recognize the importance of Shabbos, as Shabbos is not merely a holy day for the Jewish People. Rather, Shabbos is a day when the evil forces that have been pursuing us throughout the weekday are warded off by the sanctity of Shabbos, and these evil forces are forced to concede defeat, by declaring “amen” to the blessings of the Jewish People. When the Jewish People as a whole will observe the Shabbos, we can be certain that Esav, Balaam and their henchmen will all be vanquished, and we will merit speedily, in our days, the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Bircas HaBanim

Adapted from Bereishis 48:20, Bamidbar 6:24-26

Yaeir HaShem panav eliecha vichuneka, may HaShem illuminate His countenance for you and be gracious to you. The Medrash (Pesikta Rabbasi 23) states that the illumination of ones face during the weekday is not the same as it is on Shabbos. On Friday night, we bless our children that HaShem should illuminate their countenance. We then request that HaShem be gracious to you. Perhaps the idea is that once HaShem illuminates one’s countenance, the person is then a receptacle for HaShem’s grace. In a similar vein, when one is exposed to the light of Shabbos and is granted the neshamah yeseira, the extra soul, he is capable of eating and drinking more for the sake of Heaven, and on Shabbos one is also capable of studying Torah on a deeper level.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Shir ushevachah, song and praise. I have previously explained some of these words, but here I would like to offer a novel interpretation of the words shir and shevach. The commentators write that the word shir is derived from the word shur, which means a wall. The word shevach is similar to the word sheva, seven, which is also interpreted to mean proliferation. How does one truly praise HaShem? In the prayer of brich shemei that we recite upon taking out the Sefer Torah from the ark, we recite the words: beih ana rachitz vilishmei kadisha ana eimar tushbachan, in Him do I trust, and to his glorious and holy Name do I declare praises. When one is strong in his faith of HaShem, he can then declare HaShem’s praises. This, then, is the explanation for the juxtaposition of shir and shevach. When one is like a shur, a wall, i.e. he is strong in his faith, then he can offer true shir, praise, to HaShem.

Shabbos Story

Reb Moshe Ulman from Pupa relates an incident of mesiras nefesh for shemiras Shabbos that happened when he was with Reb Ben-Tzion Hirshfeld (from Rutka). One Shabbos in the middle of a bitterly cold winter, the two were guarding a storehouse, far from the village. The two guards were staying in a hut that had been built for workers in the summer to rest in during the day. It was bitterly cold, even inside, as the flimsy hut only shielded them from the wind. There was a small iron stove that gave a bit of warmth, but because they decided not to add wood on Shabbos, the fire soon went out. What did they do? They stayed awake, standing and pacing back and forth in the room, because the minute anyone sat down, he could fall asleep and freeze to death. The entire night, they spoke about mussar and mesiras nefesh for Kiddush Hashem until gentile workers came the next morning to thresh the grain. They found them suffering from the cold with an unlit oven, and they burst out screaming and laughing, mocking them for having not re-lit the stove. Go explain to a goy that it is forbidden to light a fire on Shabbos. The gentiles immediately lit the fire and we also enjoyed it and said, “Chasdei Hashem ki lo somnu.” HaRav Yaakov Pasternak tells of a similar incident: “During the Yomim Noraim I was with my friend, Pinchas Ingberman (from Makava) who was later killed in an airplane crash on his way to Eretz Yisroel. We worked together in the ‘Mehl Stroui’ which was comprised of a few buildings where the villagers from many villages would stay when they came to grind the wheat. The Mehl Stroui was about seven kilometers away from Nizshna-Machavei, and we also slept there. Pinchas and I were separated from the group in Nizshna although our spots there were still reserved for us. Before Yom Kippur, we spoke about running away and going back to Nizshna so we could spend Yom Kippur together with the group. We tried, but when we left, we were immediately captured by the policemen who brought us back to the Mehl Stroui. That night, we said whatever piyutim we could remember by heart and spoke about mussar and Teshuvah. In the morning, we complained that we were sick. The guards rebuked us but allowed us to stay inside on the condition that we make sure the fire in the oven does not go out, so the workers could cook their meal on it. We stood to daven tefillas Yom Kippur, but did not add wood to the fire and it went out. We almost froze in the cold. When the workers came back, they were very angry at us. They also made fun of us and called us lazy.” How did they honor Shabbos under such circumstances? It is worthwhile to quote a few paragraphs of a letter from Reb Ben Tzion Hirshfeld, who was with Reb Yehuda Leib zt”l in a farmhouse in Arashau. “We yearned for Shabbos even though there was nothing to look forward to, because we barely had any food or clothing, and did not even have a minyan. Whatever we could do, we did. I remember how the Rebbetzen Etka Nekritz made sure to take salami with her to Siberia. A few pieces of it were made into soup lichvod Shabbos that had a taste of Gan Eden. The salami lasted ten weeks. (For all the rest of the years, there was no kosher meat in Russia.) We sat around the kupert, a box that served as a table, with the tzaddik Reb Yehuda Leib and sang zemiros. Today, when I sing Tzur Mishelo, I tell my family that this zemer is very dear to me, because it reminds me of the past when we sang it in Siberia.” Further on in the letter he writes: “When we were forced to work separately, the group wanted to be together on Shabbos to discuss Torah and mussar. The distance between Reb Yehuda Leib’s house and us was more than the techum Shabbos, so one of the group (Reb Hirsch Nudell) would go out on Friday with a piece of bread and put it on the path two thousand amos away. On Shabbos, we would go to that spot, and when we found the eruv, we would continue on to Reb Yehuda Leib zt”l to learn Torah with him until nightfall. Usually, we would hide the bread very well so the hungry dogs that roamed the area would not smell the bread and eat it up.”

Shabbos in History

The Minchas Elazar of Munkatch would insist that the Bais HaMedrash be completely dark during Shalosh Seudos, without even a single light shining. He would apply the verse that states (Micah 7:8) ki aishev bachosech HaShem ohr li, though I sit in the darkness, HaShem is a light unto me.

Shabbos in the Daf

Yevamos 58a

The Gemara states that when the suspected adulteress’s husband is innocent from sin, then the waters check the woman, but if the man is not innocent from sin, then the waters will not check the woman. It is noteworthy that when Chava, the first woman in history, ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, she gave to Adam, her husband, to eat, and this act brought death to the world. As an atonement for the woman’s sin, and for having extinguished the light of the world i.e. Adam, she is instructed to kindle lights prior to Shabbos (Tanchumah Bereishis 1). The goal of a marriage is to allow the Divine Presence to shine in the home. When a man and woman both aspire towards this goal, the light of HaShem, the Shabbos and the light of Torah will illuminate the home. If, Heaven forbid, they have strayed from that goal, then their home will be consumed by darkness. Hashem should allow us to achieve domestic harmony in our homes, and then the light of HaShem, the Shabbos and the Torah will illuminate our homes.

Shabbos in Halacha

If hot liquids are transferred to a fourth or fifth vessel, it is nonetheless forbidden to heat in the liquid tea leaves, eggs, and extremely salty fish which is unfit to eat due to its saltiness. As long as a liquid is yad soledes bo, the liquid is considered capable of cooking tea leaves, eggs and salted fish, irrespective of how many vessels the liquid has been transferred to.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

On Shabbos we recite the word retzaih numerous times. The Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah cites the Zohar that states the one should recite the blessing of retzaih in Bircas HaMazon with intense concentration, as this recital causes great rectification in the heavenly spheres. The word retzaih in mispar katan, digit sum, equals 16, which is 1+6+7, alluding to Shabbos, the seventh day of the week.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Balak 5767

is sponsored by Avrohom and Hilda Borenstein in memory of her mother

Chaya Hadas bas Reb Yechiel Michel ob”m niftarah 7 Tammuz 5764

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos.

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

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