Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vaeschanan-Nachamu 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vaeschanan-Nachamu 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

This week we read the haftorah of Nachamu, consolation to the Jewish People after suffering from the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash and the exile. It is noteworthy that prior to this prophecy of consolation, it is said that Yeshaya informed the king Chizkiahu that whatever his forefathers had accumulated until now would be carried off to Babylonia. Furthermore, some of his children would be taken and become officers in the palace of the king of Babylonia. The Radak writes that until this point the prophecies of Yeshaya were of retribution and destruction, and the remaining prophecies speak of consolation and the Messianic Era. Thus, the words of nachamu nachamu ami, comfort, comfort My people, serves as a divider between the two forms of prophecy. The fact of the matter is that this is essentially a reflection of Jewish history. On Tisha Baav we are in a state of mourning and a few days later we celebrate the Fifteenth day of Av, a day when many joyful events occurred in Jewish history (See Taanis 30b). Similarly, the whole week we struggle with earning a livelihood and we face the challenges from the Evil Inclination and the nations of the world. On Shabbos, however, we are granted consolation from all of our trials and tribulations. In the passage of retzei that we recite in Bircas Hamazon on Shabbos, we recite the words uvirtzoncha haniach lanu HaShem Elokeinu shelo sihay tzarah yagon vaanacha beyom menuchaseinu, may it be Your will, HaShem, our G-d, that there be no distress, grief, or lament on this day of our contentment. We then recite the words vihareinu HaShem Elokeinu binechemas Tziyon irecho uvivinyan Yerushalayim ir kodshecha ki atah baal hayeshuos uvaal hanechamos, and show us, HaShem, our G-d, the consolation of Zion, Your city, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, City of Your holiness, for You are the Master of salvations and Master of consolations. The analogy is obvious. We request that we do not experience any distress, grief or lament on the Holy Day of Shabbos. We then further beseech HaShem to show us the consolation of Tziyon and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Thus, we are declaring that just like every week we are granted respite from our troubles when we receive the Holy Shabbos, so too we should witness soon the consolation of Tziyon and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. In the merit of our observing Shabbos faithfully, HaShem should show us the consolation of Tziyon, His city, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, City of His holiness, with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkienu, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Askinu Seudasa

Composed by the Arizal, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria

Yichabeik lah baalah uviyesoda dilah diavid naichah lah yehei katish katishin, her Master embraces her in intimate unity with her, granting her serenity – let the accusers be crushed. It is well known that the path to holiness is by abstaining from immorality. Perhaps this idea is alluded to in this passage. Hashem embraces, so to speak, the Jewish People, because of the attribute of yesod, foundation, which is symbolized by resisting temptation.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Tzahala virinah lizeicher malchuso, jubilation and glad song upon the mention of His reign. Throughout Scripture and our prayers we find numerous references to rejoicing before HaShem. Here we declare that the heavenly bodies are joyful and glad with song at the mere mention of HaShem’s Name. If we were to contemplate this idea, we would discover that as soon as we think of the idea that HaShem is our Father and our King, it is cause for us to burst out in song. How could one ever complain if he is cognitive of the fact that HaShem created him and sustains his very life every second? This is truly an amazing concept which we are required to be conscious of every moment of our lives.

Shabbos Story

Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky writes: In 1993, six years after the death of my revered grandfather, a biography, “Reb Yaakov, the Life and Times of Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky,” was printed by Mesorah Publications. Based on years of my uncle, Rabbi Nosson Kamenetzky’s research and the fine writing of Yonasan Rosenblum, it was an instant success. The book shed unseen light on a Torah giant, perhaps never known by the masses. In addition to the splendid biographical research, the book is filled with hundreds of encounters with myriad personalities who were touched by the brilliant sage. From young children to Prime ministers and United States Senators, Reb Yaakov was able to relate to each of them on their level. The book also relates how Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan revealed to an Orthodox publication how surprised he had been when Reb Yaakov made a prescient prediction that the Soviet Union would cease to exist. Our Yeshiva had purchased 10,000 volumes of the book as a fundraising -educational mailer. I did not realize that the Senator's name happened to be on our mailing list until I received a beautiful letter on United States Senate stationery. After thanking me for sending the “wonderful book,” the writer said, “If I may quibble with one small point in an otherwise brilliant volume, the author reports that I was surprised by Rabbi Kamenetzky’s prediction of the fall of the Soviet Union. “Truth be told, I was never surprised by Rabbi Kamenetzky’s insights. They only reaffirmed to me the age-old biblical promise that Torah knowledge is your wisdom and understanding before the nations of the world.” It was signed Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

Rabbi Kamenetzky writes further: In the years of World War I, a young student who was fleeing the war-ravaged city of Slabodka sought refuge in Tiktin, a village near Lomza, Poland. A prodigious Torah scholar, he compensated for room and board by becoming a simple cheder teacher. He gave his lecture in a small schoolhouse, but the townsfolk were quite suspicious. There were no shouts from inside the one-room schoolhouse as it was with other teachers; the boys seemed to be listening. Rumor had it that the young man even let the children play outside for ten minutes each day in the middle of the learning session. They decided to investigate. They interrupted his class one morning and were shocked. The kanchik (whip) used by every cheder-Rebbe was lying on the floor near the trash bin. Upon interrogating the children the parents learned that this radical educator never used it. Outraged, the townsfolk decided to call a meeting with their Rabbi to discuss the gravity of the situation. Who knows what ideas a teacher who would not use the kanchik was imbuing in our children? They worried. The local Rabbi pointed to a picture of Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Spector, the leader of Lithuanian Jewry. “Do you see that picture of the Kovno Tzaddik?” He asked the townsfolk. “One day thousands of homes across the world will have this young man's picture hanging on their walls.” The elderly Rabbi was right. The young man became the leader of a generation, teacher of thousands and dean of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. It was the beginning of Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky's career in education.

Shabbos in Navi

Shmuel I Chapter 4

In this chapter we learn how because the Jewish People were fearful of the Plishtim in battle, they took the Aron, the Holy Ark, from Shiloh, and brought it into battle. The Plishtim, upon hearing that the Jewish People had brought the Holy Ark into battle, became even more determined to be victorious and they smote thousands of Jews. The Holy Ark was taken and the two sons of Eli, Chafni were killed. A man from the tribe of Binyomin ran from the battlefield and came to Eli to infirm him that the Jewish People had run from the Plishtim, Chafni and Pinchas had died, and the Holy Ark was taken. Upon hearing that the Holy Ark was taken, Eli fell backwards off his chair and died at the age of ninety-eight. Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Pinchas, upon hearing of the capture of the Holy Ark and the death of her father and her husband gave birth and died in childbirth. This incident was a tragic point in Jewish history. The Medrash states that the Jewish People were thus punished because they brought the Holy Ark into battle. This is a profound lesson for us regarding all matters of sanctity. We must safeguard everything that is sacred, and every week, we are given the opportunity to safeguard the Holy Shabbos. Hashem should allow us to be deserving of His precious gift and the tremendous responsibility that it entails.

Shabbos in Agadah

Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov said that the reason that Shabbos is referred to as shalom, peace, is because the Zohar (Korach) states that the world exists on peace and Shabbos is peace for above and below. Shabbos, Reb Menachem Mendel said, negates the seventh klipah (impure spirit) enumerated by Shlomo HaMelech in Mishlei (6:16). The seventh klipah is one who spreads strife amongst brothers, and its counterpart in holiness is Shabbos.

Shabbos in Halacha

To be exempt from the prohibition of nesinah lichatchilah, initially placing, and to be qualified instead as chazarah, returning, one must meet five conditions.

1. Garuf vikatum, i.e. the flame to which the food is being returned to must be covered with a blech.
2. Mevushal kol tzarko, the food must be completely cooked.
3. Odo cham, the food must still be warm when returned to the blech.
4. Odo beyado, (literally: still in his hand). One must not have set the pot down the entire time that the pot was off the blech.
5. Daato lihachazirah, one’s original intention when removing the pot was to return it to the blech. Next week we will begin to explain these five conditions in detail.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

In Bircas Hamazon on Shabbos we recite the words uvirtzoncha haniach lanu HaShem Elokeinu shelo sihay tzarah yagon vanacha beyom menuchaseinu, may it be Your will, HaShem, our G-d, that there be no distress, grief, or lament on this day of our contentment. In the next passage we recite the words vihareinu HaShem Elokeinu binechemas Tziyon irecho uvivinyan Yerushalayim ir kodshecha ki atah baal hayeshuos uvaal hanechamos, and show us, HaShem, our G-d, the consolation of Zion, Your city, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, City of Your holiness, for You are the Master of salvations and Master of consolations. It is noteworthy that the words Vial Yerushalayim, and for Jerusalem, equal in gematria the word Shabbos.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vaeschanan-Nachamu 5768

Is sponsored lizchus all the cholim in our city and in the entire Klal Yisroel

Shabbos hi milizok urefuah kirovah lavo

I will be giving a class in Navi Shabbos afternoon

at Congregation Dovid Ben Nuchim-Aish Kodesh,

14800 West Lincoln, in Oak Park, an hour before Minchah.

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos and may we merit this year the speedy arrival of Moshiach Tzidkienu bimheira viyameinu amen.

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

For sponsorships please call 248-506-0363.

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

Tisha Baav: Avoiding heresy

Hashem said to Adam ayeka, where are you, which the Medrash interprets as Eichah. The Gemara in Sanhedrin states that Adam was a min, a heretic. Rashi interprets the word ayeka as on nata libcha, where has your heart turned. The word lev symbolizes the intellect, i.e. the leaning towards serving HaShem or Heaven forbid, heresy. We find this idea in Shema when we say vilo sasuru acharei livavchem, do not stray after your hearts, and the Sifri states that livavchem is minus, heresy. The Gemara in Sanhedrin states that Moshiach will only come once the entire world is transformed to minus, and proof of this is from what it states regarding a metzora, kulo hafach lavan tahor hu, his body has completely turned white. Rabbeinu Bachye writes that in derush one can change the vowels of a word. The word lavan in that passuk can be read as liban, i.e. their hearts have all turned to minus. Thus, besides for sinas chinam and all the other maladies that we bring upon ourselves, we have to be aware of the possible minus in our hearts. The Medrash states that HaShem sent Adam out from Gan Eden, apparently because of his display of heresy. Hashem also sent us away from his home, apparently also because of our heretical attitudes. HaShem should be mitaheir libeinu liovdo biemes and bring the Final Redemption, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Devarim-Chazon 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Devarim-Chazon 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

Today is Shabbos, and the next day is Tisha Baav. How are we to understand the concept of going from Shabbos, a day of complete joy, to Tisha Baav, a day of complete sadness and mourning? Furthermore, how are we to comprehend the idea of mourning for a building that was destroyed two thousand years ago? The act of mourning is normally understood as someone, Heaven forbid, losing a close relative, and he or she mourns for the person who will not come back. Yet, we pray every day numerous times for the arrival of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Third Bais HaMikdash. Why, then, are we mourning over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, if it will soon be built? In order to answer these questions, we must focus on what appears to be an unrelated incident recorded in the Torah. When the spies returned from Eretz Yisroel and delivered a slanderous report, it is said (Bamidbar 14:1) vatisa kol haeidah vaytinu es kolam vayivku haam balayala hahu, the entire assembly raised up and issued its voice; the people wept that night. The Gemara (Taanis 29a) states that HaShem proclaimed, “you have wept a weeping for nothing. By your life I will give you something to weep about for future generations.” That night was Tisha Baav and the Bais HaMikdash would be destroyed in the future on Tisha Baav. Further on it is said that the ten spies died by plague and Moshe informed the Jewish People that they would die out in the Wilderness over a forty year period. It is said (Ibid verse 39) vayidabeir Moshe es hadevarim haeileh el kol binei Yisroel vaysiablu haam meod, Moshe spoke these words to all the Children of Israel, and the people mourned exceedingly. It is then said that that the next morning they awoke and they declared that that they would ascend to Eretz Yisroel for they had sinned. Moshe responded that they should not ascend as HaShem would not be with him. They defied Moshe’s command and they ascended anyway, and they were killed by the Amalekites and the Canaanites. It is said (Ibid verse 44) vayapilu laalos el rosh hahar vaaron bris HaShem uMoshe lo mashu mikerev hamachaneh, but they defiantly ascended to the mountaintop, while the Ark of HaShem’s covenant and Moshe did not move from the midst of the camp. What is the definition of the word vayapilu? Rashi writes that one explanation of the word ofel is strong, i.e., they forced their way up the mountain. Rashi then quotes the Medrash Tanchumah that interprets the word ofel written with an ayin to be akin to the word ofel written with an aleph (the letters ayin and aleph are interchangeable) and the Torah is teaching us that these people went in darkness without permission. This statement of the Medrash offers us an amazing insight into the meaning of destruction and mourning. Although in the general sense one mourns over the loss of a loved one, regarding the state of the Jewish People there is a different dimension to the meaning of mourning. When the Jewish People do not follow the will of HaShem, and we rebel against Him, we are already subjecting ourselves to a state of mourning. Thus, on Tisha Baav we are not merely mourning the destruction of a building. Rather, we are distressed over the lack of light in our lives, as our insubordination causes HaShem, so to speak, to hide Himself from us. There can be no greater tragedy than a lack of closeness to HaShem, the Life of the world. On Shabbos and on the festivals, HaShem grants us the opportunity to bask in that light, which is akin to the light of creation. We are prohibited from forcing the redemption to come (see Kesubos 111a) but we can hasten the redemption by observing the Shabbos and performing HaShem’s will. Rather than viewing this Shabbos as a temporary state of bliss which will be interrupted by Tisha Baav, we should maximize our efforts this Shabbos to heed HaShem’s will, with intense Torah study, prayer, and praising HaShem, and then we will not have to enter into Tisha Baav, which is a day of darkness and distress. Through the observance of Shabbos we will merit the light of Moshiach, and the light of the Third Bais HaMikdash, may it happen now, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Askinu Seudasa

Composed by the Arizal, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria

Yemina usmala uveinaihu kallah bikushitin azla umanin ulevushin, three preceding days to the right and three succeeding days to the left – and amid them the Shabbos bride. With adornments she goes, vessels and robes. This passage teaches us that Shabbos is the center of our lives. One should always be focused on preparing for Shabbos. In a similar vein, one should always be preparing oneself in this world for the World to Come, as Shabbos is a semblance of the World to Come.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Pieir vichavod nosnim lishmo, splendor and glory they bestow upon His Name. What is the association between splendor and glory and HaShem’s Name? The Gemara (Brachos 6a) states that HaShem wears Tefillin. The Gemara (Ibid) also states that it is said (Devarim 28:10) virau kol amei haaretz ki sheim HaShem nikra alecho veyaru mimeka, then all the peoples of the earth will see that the Name of HaShem is proclaimed over you, and they will revere you. The Gemara states that this alludes to Tefillin shel Rosh, the Tefillin that one wears on his head. Thus, we see that Tefillin are referred to as the Name of HaShem. Tefillin are called pieir, splendor, as it is said (Yechezkel 24:17) peircha chavosh alecho, don your headgear upon yourself. In this passage we are declaring that the heavenly bodies bestow pieir, splendor, upon HaShem’s Name. In a sense, this means that they are acknowledging the Tefillin that HaShem, so to speak, wears on His Head.

Shabbos Story

Once, on Erev Shabbos, when Rebbe Hirsh Leib of Alik was still a young man living in his father-in-law’s house, there arrived in town an agent of the Ministry of Taxation to investigate if the father-in-law was paying proper taxes on liquor. The man was terrified, and he called for his son-in-law and said, “Now let’s see the power of a Chasid,” meaning Hirsh Leib, because his father-in-law was an opponent of the Chasidic movement. Could Hirsh Leib help him? Could Hirsh Leib protect him? He was desperate. Hirsh Leib asked his father-in-law if they had already cooked the fish in honor of the holy Shabbos. When he was told: Yes, he went and took the pot with the fish and put it behind the door that led to the liquor cellar. When the tax agent came and opened the door to the cellar, he smelled the fish and asked the householder, “What is this delicious odor I smell?” The man answered, “It’s the odor of the fish cooked to honor the holy Shabbos,” but the agent wouldn’t believe him, saying that he had never smelled anything so extraordinary from fish! It was like the fragrance of paradise! The householder gave the agent a taste of the fish and he was so overcome and thrilled that he said to the householder, “A Jew who cooks fish like this for the Sabbath can’t be lying about his taxes!” And he did not even bother to investigate further. (Kuntres L’Sapair Yosher Kedoshei Alik, page 37)

Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov once spent Shabbos in Levov, and he sent his attendant on Erev Shabbos after midday to ascertain if the people of the town were prepared to greet the Shabbos. The attendant returned with the response that people were still busy going out about their daily affairs. The Rebbe kept on sending his attendant to see if the people were preparing for Shabbos, and the attendant continued to return with the same answer. Suddenly, immediately prior to the onset of Shabbos, the people closed the doors and the shutters of their shops and they rushed to prepare for Shabbos. Reb Menachem Mendel told his attendant, “see, as the receiving of the Shabbos is in Levov, so too will be the arrival of Moshiach. People will be preoccupied with their livelihood, completely unprepared to greet Moshiach. Suddenly, however, Moshiach will arrive, and the people will close their stores and disregard their monetary affairs, in light of the announcement that Moshiach has arrived.” ((Yalkut Menachem page 219 citing Sifrei Haleket Visippurim)

Shabbos in Navi

Shmuel I Chapter 3

In this chapter we learn how HaShem revealed Himself to Shmuel when he was yet a youngster. Hashem informed Shmuel that the sin of the house of Eli would never be atoned for by sacrifice or meal-offering. When Eli heard from Shmuel what HaShem had said, Eli accepted HaShem’s judgment. This chapter teaches us the gravity of sin. Eli himself had not sinned and according to one opinion in the Gemara (See Shabbos 55b) even his sons had not sinned. A second opinion maintains that Pinchas, Eli’s older son, did not sin, and the younger son, Chafni, did sin. The reason that Pinchas was held accountable was because he did not protest Chafni’s actions, and similarly, Eli was punished for not protesting his sons’ behavior. It is incumbent upon every Jew to observe Shabbos, and furthermore, every Jew is obligated to see to it that his neighbor observes Shabbos. If one does not take responsibility for his fellow Jew, he could Heaven forbid be held accountable. HaShem should allow us to merit observing the Holy Shabbos together, and then we will certainly merit the arrival of Moshiach, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos in Agadah

The Imrei Emes (Bo 5637) quotes the Heilege Ishbitzer who said that the reason we eat fish before any other food on Shabbos is because fish symbolizes life. The first specie that HaShem created was fish. The salvation for a Jew who wishes to bear children is drawn from fish. This is also that Jewish children should be viable and no evil eye should be cast upon them similar to fish of which the Gemara (Brachos 20a) states that fish are not dominated by the evil eye.

Shabbos in Halacha

We have learned previously of the prohibition of nesinah lichatchilah, initially placing food on a flame or on a blech. This prohibition only applies regarding placing ‘new’ foods on the flame or blech that were not there at the onset of Shabbos. Returning (i.e. replacing on a blech) food that was taken off during Shabbos will be permitted. Transferring food from one blech to another (or from a flame to a blech) is considered a form of returning and would be permitted.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

The Gerrer Rebbe, the Pinei Menachem, writes (Pinchas 5764) that Shabbos elevates everything in the world to the upper worlds, and like the Gemara (Shabbos 118b) states, even one who worshipped idols like in the days of Enosh, if he observes Shabbos, his sins will be forgiven. It is said (Tehillim 92:9) viatah marom liolam HaShem, but You remain exalted forever, HaShem. The Pinei Menachem writes that the words marom vikadosh, exalted and holy, equal in gematria the word Shabbos.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Devarim-Chazon 5768

Is sponsored by the Feldman family in loving memory of

Fayvel ben Yisroel Feldman ob”m upon his third yahrzeit

I will be giving a class in Navi Shabbos afternoon

at Congregation Dovid Ben Nuchim-Aish Kodesh,

14800 West Lincoln, in Oak Park, a half an hour before Minchah.

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos and may we merit this year the speedy arrival of Moshiach Tzidkienu bimheira viyameinu amen.

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

For sponsorships please call 248-506-0363.

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