Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayechi 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayechi 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah the Torah records the blessings the Yaakov conferred upon his twelve sons. Upon close examination, we will notice a recurring theme throughout the blessings. This theme will be one of unity and its converse, disparity. When Yaakov seeks to bless his children, it is said (Bereishis 49:1-2) vayikra Yaakov el banav vayomer heiasfu viagida lachem es asher yikra eschem biacharis hayamim hikavtzu vishimu bnei Yaakov vishimu el Yisroel avichem, then Yaakov called for his sons and said: Assemble yourselves and I will tell you what will befall you in the End of Days. Gather yourselves and listen, O sons of Yaakov, and listen to Israel your father. These seemingly innocuous words actually define the essence of the blessings that Yaakov conferred on his sons. Yaakov was not merely calling to his children. Rather, he was demonstrating to them that the prerequisite for redemption was unity. The chastisement that Yaakov delivered to Reuven reflects on the idea that Reuven was not conforming to the principle of unity. Yaakov told Reuven (Ibid verse 4) pachaz kamayim al tosar ki alisa mishkivei avicha az chilalta yitzui ala, water-like impetuosity-you cannot be foremost, because you mounted your father’s bed; then you desecrated Him Who ascended my couch. Rashi explains that Yaakov was informing Reuven that his fault was that he had violated the Divine Presence that frequented Yaakov’s resting place. The Divine Presence reflects unity, and Reuven had disrupted this unity. Thus, Reuven could not function as the king of the Jewish People, as the essential function of the king is to unify the nation under the banner of Torah and HaShem’s will. Shimon and Levi acted like brothers, yet their unity was misplaced. Yaakov thus prayed that his own name not be mentioned regarding the spies in the Wilderness, as the spies were unified for a cause that brought catastrophe upon the Jewish People. Yaakov also requested that his name not be mentioned regarding the disgrace that Zimri, a leader from the tribe of Shimon, brought upon the Jewish People. Pinchas, a descendant of Levi, was the one who appeased the Divine wrath by killing Zimri and Kazbi, the Midianite woman. This act was one of unity, allowing the Divine Presence to rest upon the Jewish People. Additionally, Yaakov requested that his name not be invoked regarding the dispute that Korach and his entourage engaged in with Moshe, as this was a blatant declaration of division and strife amongst the Jewish People. The apparent curse that Yaakov delivered to Shimon and Levi was that they would be dispersed amongst the Jewish People. The function of this curse was that Shimon and Levi would act as the teachers of the Jewish People, thus bringing the nation closer to HaShem. Yaakov than reinstated Yehudah as the king, because Yehudah made the effort of saving Yosef from a certain death. The brothers felt threatened by Yosef, and they condemned him to death, thus willingly separating Yosef from the Jewish People. Yehudah, who advised against killing Yosef, merited that Moshiach will descend from him, and the function of Moshiach is to unify the Jewish People to perform HaShem’s will. Due to space constraints, we will not discuss all the tribes, but it is noteworthy that regarding the tribe of Dan, it is said (Ibid verse 17) Dan yadin amo kiachad shivtei Yisroel, Dan will avenge his people; the tribes of Israel will be united as one. Rashi writes in an alternative interpretation that the words kiachad shivtei Yisroel can be interpreted to mean that Shimshon, a descendant of the tribe of Dan, would judge the Jewish People akin to Dovid, who was a descendant of the tribe of Yehudah. Thus, Yaakov foresaw that Shimshon would have the potential to unify the nation to the degree that Shimshon could have been Moshiach (Bereishis Rabbah 98:14). This is why Yaakov prayed (ibid verse 18) lishuasicho kivisi HaShem, for Your salvation do I long, HaShem. The Holy Shabbos is referred to in the Zohar as raza diechod, the secret of unity. Throughout the week the Jewish People are prone to disparity and rivalry, but upon the onset of Shabbos, all distinctions between Jews vanish and we are all unified. It is for this reason that Yaakov reflects Shabbos, as Yaakov was constantly seeking unity amongst the Jewish People and Shabbos reflects unity. HaShem should allow us to merit being unified to perform His will, and then we will merit the fulfillment of the verse that states (Hoshea 2:2) vinikbitzu bnei Yehudah uvnei Yisroel yachdav visamu lahem rosh echod vialu min haaretz ki gadol yom Yizriel, the Children of Yehudah and the Children of Israel will be assembled together, and they will appoint for themselves one head and ascend from the land, for the day of Jezreel is great.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Melech tamim darco, King Whose way is wholesome. The word tamim can be translated as wholesome, and can also refer to one who is honest and innocent. It is said (Devarim 32:4) haTzur tamim paalo, The Rock!-perfect is His work. When one is honest in all his actions, even what may seem like deceit will eventually be revealed to be truthful. Often we are perplexed by the way that HaShem conducts His world, as we see the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. Yet, by believing that Hashem is “honest and innocent,” we can declare that HaShem is perfect and wholesome in His ways, as in the future it will be revealed that everything HaShem has done is for our good and for the world to reach a state of perfection. This theme is elaborated on by the Ramchal in Daas Tevunos, a truly insightful work describing how Hashem conducts Himself in this world.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Uvituvo mechadesh bichol yom tamid maaseh vireishis, and in His goodness renews daily, perpetually, then work of creation. It is well-known that the meaning of this passage is that were HaShem to cease even for a moment from giving life to the universe, the entire universe would cease to exist. It is important, however, to focus on the word uvituvo, and in His goodness. Every second that the world exists is because of HaShem’s goodness. Ultimately, everything that HaShem created is for the good. Were we to be cognizant of this fact, we would most likely never sin and we would merit the Ultimate Redemption immediately.

Shabbos Story

[Yechiel Mechel Rabinowicz was a businessman who lived in England during World War II. He was devout in his Jewish observance, letting nothing stand in the way of Torah tradition. As his daughter relates:] Upon his return to London, my father opened a small factory, similar to the one in Birmingham. He was employed by the government to check the precision of various instruments and to produce munitions. My father was paid a salary by the government and was not permitted to accrue any personal profits from his work. As he had done in Birmingham, he hired as many Jews and refugees as he could. This was a godsend for many Shabbos-observant Jews; obtaining a job that did not require work on Shabbos in those times was next to impossible. The refugees he hired were saved the fate of being drafted or evicted from the country. One Friday night, when my parents were sitting at the Shabbos table, a government official and two police officers came to their home. “Where is Mr. Rabinowicz?” they demanded. “I am Mr. Rabinowicz,” my father answered. “I am a government inspector,” said the official. “I found that your factory is closed tonight. You must come with us.” My mother protested and begged them to wait until after Shabbos, to no avail. “All right,” Father said. “I will come with you now, but I must walk since I do not ride in a vehicle on the Sabbath.” They had no choice but to agree. He walked while they rode alongside him in their police car to the nearest police station, which was not very close by. The officer in charge gazed at my father with a stern expression on his face. “Mr. Rabinowicz, are you aware that all war production plants are required to operate seven days a week, 24 hours a day, in three shifts, in order to ensure maximum efficiency of our war effort?” My father responded calmly, “Certainly, sir, I am aware of this fact. But you see, sir, as an Orthodox Jew I am a Sabbath observer. We are commanded to rest on the Sabbath. It is impossible for me to have my factory in operation on the Sabbath.” “Mr. Rabinowicz,” the man bellowed, “you are charged with the crime of having your factory closed on Saturday. Your crime falls under the category of jeopardizing the safety of our country during wartime, a most serious offense. We will inform you when the court-martial will take place. You are advised to hire the best lawyer you can find, and you may be accompanied only by your lawyer in court. Remember that failure to appear at the court-martial is a serious infringement of the law. You may return home now.” The police officer who accompanied my father home tried to explain to him the ramifications of his crime. He told my father that he need not bother to retain a lawyer, since the men in the tribunal that would try him were not judges by profession. They were army and naval officers, and in their eyes his offense was inexcusable. By jeopardizing the safety of the country, he would be found guilty of treason, which usually incurred the death sentence. It was worse than that, my father thought to himself. He was not even a British citizen but was actually a former resident of Austria, an enemy ally. His travel permit classified him as “stateless,” which implied that there was something suspicious about him. Father decided to forgo the services of a lawyer (he did not have the money for one anyway) and prepared his own defense. He spent the next few days and nights preparing the production records of the factory. He recorded all the orders he had received, when he had delivered the samples, and when he had filled the orders. His records were meticulous to the last detail. The call finally came, informing him exactly when and where to appear in court. My mother was not permitted to accompany him, and she had an agonizing wait until he finally returned home at the end of the day. He announced simply that he was a free man and described the scene to her. He had been led to a room containing a long table. There were many men sitting there, adorned with all sorts of medals. It was obvious that they were high-ranking army and naval officers. My father was asked where his lawyer was. He replied that he had prepared his own defense. Then he was asked to state his name, address, and occupation and to answer questions about the nature of his work. He told them, “I have made a tremendous effort, working many extra hours, sometimes close to exhaustion, in order to meet my production deadlines. If you will examine the records I have brought of our production schedules, you will see that I have never missed my deadlines for government consignments by even one day.” They did a thorough examination of his records. One of the officers said, “Since you have been hired by the government as part of the war effort, and the law of the land is that any such enterprise must be in full production seven days a week, 24 hours a day, you are accused of jeopardizing the safety of our homeland, Great Britain. What do you have to say in your defense? Keep in mind that if you are found guilty you may incur the death penalty.” “I felt no fear as I looked into their eyes,” Father told Mother. “I knew exactly what I was going to say. I told them, ‘I may not operate my factory on Saturday. G-d does not permit me to work on the Sabbath’.” “We also have a Sabbath-Sunday-but we go to work. We are in the midst of a war!” his accuser countered. “How can you jeopardize the safety of an entire country for the sake of the Sabbath?” “My dear, honorable officers, I am a newcomer to this land of England. I have chosen to live in this country because you are the defenders of democracy. You are fighting the forces of evil in the world and saving the lives of the many innocent brothers and sisters I left behind in mainland Europe. I wish for victory for our homeland surely as much as you do. “What I realize, however, is that this war that we are fighting is not a war like other wars. It is not a natural war. It is not two nations or a number of nations fighting each other. I see clearly here that in this war a group of allied nations is fighting evil. In order to be able to successfully overcome this evil we must elicit the help of G-d in Heaven. He has the ability to destroy this evil and to allow the forces of democracy to rule throughout the world. And so I pray daily to our Father in Heaven that He deliver the enemy into our hands, to stop the deaths of our noble and good English citizens, and to allow us to end the war. But, my dear gentlemen, in order for me to find favor in G-d’s eyes, I must do His will. Why would He listen to me and answer my plea, why would He help me, if I disobey His word? I am a religious Jew, and our code of law is the holy Torah. One of the commandments of our Torah, as I am sure you are aware, is to honor the Sabbath. If I were to transgress the Sabbath, not only would I not find favor in the eyes of G-d, but He would certainly pay no attention to my pleas of mercy to Him. And so, as part of my efforts toward winning the war, I am doing whatever is in my capabilities to win G-d’s favor and to get Him to fight our battle for us. “And so, gentlemen, by keeping my factory closed on the Sabbath and fulfilling the will of G-d, I am actually helping you win the war. May G-d be with us and bring victory to our land.” The men were silent for a long moment as they absorbed my father’s fiery words. Then they all stood up for him. They were visibly overcome with emotion, something the proud Englishman rarely exhibits. One by one they extended their hands to shake my father’s. The death tribunal unanimously waived the charges against him. My father’s chief accuser said, “Continue working as you have until now, continue observing your Sabbath, and continue praying for our victory!”

Shabbos in Navi

Yehoshua Chapter 16

In this chapter the Navi delineates the inheritance of the tribe of Yosef. It is said (Yehoshua 16:4) vayinchalu vnei Yosef Menasheh viEphraim, the children of Yosef-Menasheh and Ephraim-received their heritages. The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 84:5) states that Yaakov is akin to the fire, whereas Yosef is akin to the flame. The Sfas Emes (Vayigash 5659) writes that Yosef reflects Tosefes Shabbos, the addition of Shabbos to the weekday. Perhaps we can suggest that Menasheh, whose name is rooted in the word nashah, forgetfulness, reflects the six days of the week, when one may forget his true purpose in this world. Ephraim, however, means to become fruitful, so Ephraim reflects Shabbos, when one returns to himself and to his true purpose in this world. In truth, both forgetfulness and remembrance play important roles in our lives, as we constantly seek to forget the evil and remember the good. Yosef himself epitomized this dual function, as he sought to forget his troubles and only remember the good. Thus, the verse that states that the children of Yosef-Menasheh and Ephraim-received their heritages alludes to this idea, as by forgetting the troubles of the week and remembering the Shabbos, we merit the heritage of Yaakov, which is Shabbos, and the heritage of Yosef, who reflects Tosefes Shabbos.

Shabbos in Agadah

The Gemara (Shabbos 119a; Avodah Zara 3a) extols the virtue of one who prepares well for Shabbos. Yet, the Torah states (Shemos 20:9) that one should work six days of the week. How, then, is one expected to prepare for Shabbos properly if he is constantly engaged in labor throughout the week? The simple answer to this question is that when one is not engaged in labor during the week, he will have time to prepare for Shabbos. In truth, however, there is a more profound answer to this question. The Meshech Chochmah (Shemos 31:16) writes that in one instance it is said (Shemos 20:9) sheishes yamim taavod viasisa kol milachtecha, six days shall you work and accomplish all your work, whereas in two other instances it is said (Shemos 31:15; Ibid 35:2) sheishes yamim yaiaseh (teiaseh) melacha, for six days work may be done. In the first instance the Torah is stating that one should work six days, whereas in the other two instances the Torah states that the work will be done by others. The Mechilta explains that when the Jewish People are performing the will of HaShem, their work will be done by others. Thus, in our present state we must work during the week and subsequently we have little time left to prepare for Shabbos. When we will merit the redemption, however, our work during the week will be performed by others and we will have the leisure of preparing for Shabbos throughout the entire week.

Shabbos in Halacha

Instant coffee can be prepared in the same way as coffee. One can only prepare unprocessed cocoa, however, in a kli shelishi.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

It is said (Bereishis 3:21) vayaas HaShem Elokim liadam ulishto kosnos ohr vayalbisheim, and HaShem made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and He clothed them. The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 20:12) states that in the Torah of Rabbi Meir the word ohr (ayin-vav-fei), skin, was written ohr (aleph-vav-fei), light. The commentators write that the meaning of this statement is that one should aspire to ascend from skin, i.e. materialism, to light, i.e. spirituality. This idea is reflected in Shabbos, as throughout the week one can be submerged in materialism, and he only sees the true light on Shabbos. It is noteworthy that the word ohr, skin, spelled with an ayin, in mispar katan, digit sum, equals 6, which alludes to the six days of the week. The word ohr, light, spelled with an aleph, in mispar katan, equals 9, and the word Shabbos in mispar katan equals 9, thus alluding to the light of Shabbos.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayechi 5768

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Shabbos: Ta'am HaChaim Vayigash 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayigash 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

In this week’s parashah it is said (Bereishis 47:8-9) vayomer Pharaoh el Yaakov kamah yemei shenei chayecho vayomer Yaakov el Pharaoh yemei shenei migurei sheloshim umeas shanah miat viraim hayu yemei shenei chayai vilo hisigu es yemei shenei chayei avosai bimei migureihem, Pharaoh said to Yaakov, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” Yaakov answered Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourns have been a hundred and thirty years. Few and bad have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the life spans of my forefathers in the days of their sojourns. The dialogue here is troubling, as it is difficult to understand why Yaakov would complain to Pharaoh about his hard life. The Medrash (see Daas Zekanim MiBaalei HaTosafos and Chizkuni to Bereishis 47:8) states that Yaakov was punished for his complaint, and he forfeited thirty-years of his life. Yet, the Heilegeh Ishbitzer writes in Parashas Mikeitz that the only words that Yaakov ever uttered in vain were when he said to his sons (Bereishis 43:6) lamah hareiosem li lihagid laish hayeish lachem av oh ach, “why did you treat me so ill by telling the man that you had another brother?” Other than these words, every word Yaakov uttered had profound meaning. What was Yaakov implying in his apparent complaint to Pharaoh? To answer this question, we must understand why it was necessary for Yaakov and his sons to descend to Egypt. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh writes (Bereishis 46:3) that HaShem deemed it necessary for the Jewish People to descend to Egypt so that they would bring out the Holy Sparks that existed in Egypt. Essentially, writes the Ohr HaChaim, this is the function of all the exiles. Thus, we can now understand Yaakov’s complaint to Pharaoh. Yaakov was intimating that he had yet to fulfill the purpose of the exiles, as the majority of his years were few and bad, i.e. unfulfilled regarding the redemption. The Gemara (Pesachim 56a) states that Yaakov desired to reveal the end of days to his children, but HaShem prevented him from doing so. It is evident that Yaakov’s ambition in life was to witness the Ultimate Redemption or at least to make his children aware of the time when the Ultimate Redemption would occur. When Yaakov arrived in Egypt, he knew that that the exile would soon commence. Thus, Yaakov informed Pharaoh that as long as the Ultimate Redemption had not arrived, his days were few and bad. We may not always be aware of the circumstances in our daily lives, but it is incumbent upon us to realize that we are in exile. Shabbos, writes the Shem Mishmuel, is a form of redemption. In the Kabbalas Shabbos prayers that we recite Friday night, we invoke the passionate supplication of karvah el nafshi gealah, draw near to my soul-redeem it! We beseech HaShem to redeem us from our long and bitter exile. Although we are at times led to believe that we have everything we need, our souls are aware that we are still in mourning for the Bais HaMikdash, the lack of the Divine Presence in our midst, and all good that we truly seek. Yaakov, who reflects Shabbos, understood that exile is exile. Despite the fact that the Baal HaTurim (Bereishis 47:28) writes that Yaakov’s best years were the seventeen years that he dwelled in Egypt, they were still years of exile. HaShem should give us the strength to observe His Holy Shabbos properly and faithfully, and then He will surely bring us the Ultimate Redemption, with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Melech shomeia Tefillah, King Who harkens to prayer. What is the association between HaShem being King and the fact that He hears our prayers? We are familiar with the idea that HaShem is both our father and our king. It would seem more appropriate to refer to HaShem as our father who listens to our prayers. Why do we refer to HaShem here as King Who harkens to prayer? The answer to this question is that the Medrash (Mechilta Yisro Bachodesh) states that upon the Exodus from Egypt, HaShem caused the Egyptians to pursue the Jewish People so that the Jewish People would raise their voices in prayer to HaShem. While it is the aspect of fatherly love that prompts HaShem to seek our prayers, the Maharal (Nesiv HaAvodah) writes that the ultimate goal of prayer is for us to be cognizant of the fact that we are dependant on HaShem. This dependence is referred to as malchus, kingship. Thus, we refer to HaShem as our king who listens to our prayers.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Hameir laaretz viladarim aleha birachamim, He Who illuminates the earth and those who dwell upon it, with compassion. There is an apparent redundancy in this passage, as we just declared that HaShem illuminates the entire world and its inhabitants, which He created with the attribute of mercy. The Otzar HaTefillos notes that at this juncture we commence the same prayer that is recited during the week. This would be the simple explanation for the repetition. Alternatively, we can suggest that the first passage refers to the fact that HaShem created the world with the attribute of mercy. The second passage, however, refers to the fact that HaShem illuminates the world with compassion. Thus, it is insufficient that HaShem created the world with mercy. Rather, HaShem created the world with mercy and as we will see next, that mercy is perpetuated daily.

Shabbos Story

Of the countless Jewish women who have immersed themselves in Torah, Bruriah is the most famous. She lived during the wisdom-rich Talmudic era, surrounded by the influences of her father- the great sage Rabbi Chanina ben Tradion, and by her husband-the great sage Rabbi Meir. Torah was her first love and its words guided every facet of her life. The following true story is frightening and deeply moving. Bruriah stretched her arms and raised her head from the Torah portion she was studying. As usual on Shabbos afternoons, her husband Rabbi Meir was at the study hall giving his regular lesson, and their two sons were up in their room challenging each other with a knotty Talmudic problem. Bruriah smiled as she listened to her children. She was glad to see her sons’ love of Torah and passion for truth, which had been kindled early on by their parents. She thought back to the previous evening and her husband and children singing “A Woman of Valor” as they did every Friday night. The same verses always made her stop and think: “Her husband’s heart trusts in her... She opens her mouth with wisdom, and a lesson of kindness is on her tongue. Her sons arise and laud her, and her husband praises her.” (Mishlei 31) She often asked herself how well she embodied these words. Surely she had occasionally opened her mouth with wisdom, but had she done so with kindness and compassion? And could her husband truly put his trust in her? Did she think solely of his welfare in his time of need? Was she truly “a woman of valor,” worthy of her family’s praise? Bruriah shivered and returned to her reading. Yet something was wrong. The letters blurred before her eyes and refused to make sense. Lifting her head from the book, she noticed that her sons had suddenly become still. That stillness was more disturbing than any noise could have been. She jumped up and ran to the stairs. The silence pressed in upon her and she could barely breathe. Pulling herself up by the railing, she burst into the upper room. There, she saw her sons still at the table, still clutching their books, their heads dropped lifelessly before them. As she stood in shock, the years seemed to fall away. She was [in flashback], once again a young girl, watching the flames leap before her eyes... Standing near the pit, she could see the kindling quickly catching fire, and there, in the center of the blaze... “Father! Father!” she cried. “What are they doing to you?” She screamed in horror, but her voice was swallowed up by the roar of the Roman crowds surging forward to view the execution. The firewood crackled and tongues of flame licked at her father’s flesh. Bruriah could feel the heat singeing her hair. She gazed at her father’s tortured face. Just a few hours earlier, he had been teaching his disciples from the precious Torah scroll he always kept at his side. It was one of the few that the Romans had not yet confiscated. But suddenly the soldiers had rushed in and seized him, calling the public to witness another execution. In death as in life, Rabbi Chanina ben Tradion was not parted from his beloved Torah, for they had wrapped the scroll around his body. The parchment rapidly caught flame, but his own end was not as quick. To prolong his agony, the executioner had placed wet cloths over his heart. Bruriah gasped for air. “Father!” she cried. “How can I see you like this? Is this the reward for a life of Torah?” Out of the flames, Rabbi Chanina managed to reply: “If I were being burned alone, it would be difficult for me to bear. But now that I am being burned together with the Torah, I am confident that the One Who avenges the disgrace of the Torah will avenge my disgrace as well.” Suddenly a great, thunderous roar was heard overhead. Rabbi Chanina’s eyes grew wide, yet even as his disciples craned their necks skyward, they saw nothing. “Rabbi! What do you see?” they asked. “I see only the parchment consumed; the letters fly up into the air! The flesh is scorched, but the spirit returns home...” Slowly the flames began to recede, and there before Bruriah were her sons, slumped over their books. The same words resounded in her mind: “Is this the reward for a life of Torah?” But the same comfort mingled with her grief. In death as in life, they were not parted from the holy Torah. They had been learning up to the very last moment, and had died amid their books. Their souls had accomplished their mission in this world and had now returned home with all the holiness they had gleaned here. “How foolish we are to rejoice over birth and weep over death,” she remembered learning. “When a child is born, we should weep over the perilous voyage ahead of him. What dangers lurk out there? Will he ever reach safe shores? But when a person dies after a life of righteousness, it is cause for joy. He has ventured down to the depths and escaped with precious spoils.” Bruriah knew that she could only grieve for herself, not for her sons, for they had successfully completed their journey. She gathered up her eldest son and cradled his body in her arms. Gently, she laid him on the bed. Then she lifted up her younger son and placed him beside his brother. She gave each one a parting kiss and spread a sheet over them, securely tucking in the covers as she had so often done on cold, windy nights. Passing by their table, she closed their books. “The letters fly up,” she reminded herself. “Only the parchment is consumed...” Stars were already making their way across the horizon. The Shabbos had ended, and Bruriah knew her husband would be home shortly. Her eyes burned with the sting of unshed tears, but this was not the time to let them flow. Rabbi Meir took his coat off slowly as he entered the room. “Where are the boys?” he asked, looking around. “They have gone to study,” replied Bruriah. “But I just came from the study hall and did not see them.” Bruriah responded by handing him a cup of Havdalah wine. Yet the service did not distract Rabbi Meir from his unanswered question. “Where are the boys?” he repeated. Bruriah seemed unconcerned.
“They went somewhere. They may be back any moment,” she said as she poured him a bowl of hot soup. When he had finished, Bruriah sat beside him. “Before the Shabbos, a man left some valuables in my trust,” she said. “He asked me to guard them until he returned. He has now come back and asked for his belongings. Must I return them?” Rabbi Meir stared at her in astonishment. This was not the kind of question he expected to hear from his scholarly wife. “My dear,” he replied at once, “when one guards a deposit, [of course he is] obliged to return it to its rightful owner!” Bruriah nodded silently and led her husband upstairs. She brought him near the bed and lifted the sheet. There lay their two sons, without a breath of life. “My sons! My sons!” Rabbi Meir cried out. Falling into a chair, he sobbed until it seemed his frail body would burst. “My teachers! My teachers!” he wept. “You were my sons in the eyes of the world, but in my eyes you were also my teachers, enlightening me with your Torah!” “Rabbi,” Bruriah whispered, “did you not say that we are obliged to return valuables whenever the rightful owner claims them? Our children were never our own possessions. They were only left with us for safekeeping. G-d gave them, and now G-d has taken them back.” Rabbi Meir’s sobs began to subside. He looked over at his wife and understood that they had been chosen as the guardians of two precious souls during their short stay on earth. And he knew that they had been proper caretakers, for not only had their sons departed without blemish, they had even attained their unique portions of truth. Surely their souls had returned with the fire of Torah burning brightly within them. Bruriah had comforted her husband. She had not indulged in her own sorrow until she had prepared him for his loss. In her great wisdom, she had helped him let go of the precious sons who were no longer in his possession. Rabbi Meir knew that he could always trust in Bruriah. In his grief, he praised her. And he was certain that in the world of truth, their sons were rising up to laud her as well.

Shabbos in Navi

Yehoshua Chapter 15

In this chapter the Navi delineates the inheritance of the tribe of Yehudah. It is said (Yehoshua 15:51) vigoshen vicholon vigiloh, Goshen, Cholon, Giloh. The Daas Zekanim MiBaalei HaTosafos (Bereishis 46:29) write that since Yehudah was sent by Yaakov to Yosef, to prepare ahead of him in Goshen, Yehudah merited the city of Goshen in Eretz Yisroel. It is noteworthy that Rashi cites the Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 95:3) that states that Yehudah went ahead to establish for him a house of study from which instruction shall go forth. The Zohar states that a Torah scholar is in the category of Shabbos. Thus, Yehudah established a house of Torah study and was in the category of Shabbos. He then merited inheriting the city of Goshen, which represents Torah and Shabbos. It is fascinating that the words shalach lifanav el Yosef, sent ahead to Yosef (701), equal in gematria Shabbos (702).

Shabbos in Agadah

The Gemara (Shabbos 119a; Avodah Zara 3a) extols the virtue of one who prepares well for Shabbos. Why is it so important to prepare for Shabbos when Shabbos is sanctified from the time of creation? One would think that even if he is unprepared he can still observe Shabbos and delight in this Holy Day. Perhaps the idea is similar to what the Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 39:9) states regarding Avraham, when HaShem instructed him to leave his homeland, and also when HaShem instructed Avraham to refer Yitzchak as a sacrifice. HaShem elaborated on the instruction so that Avraham would receive reward for each and every statement. The Maharal (Gur Aryeh Bereishis 12:1) explains that the righteous look forward with longing to hear more details of the instruction for HaShem, and every statement thus evokes a love for HaShem. This results in HaShem bestowing more reward upon them. Ina similar vein, when we prepare for Shabbos, we come to anticipate the Shabbos even more, and this allows HaShem to bestow us with an even greater reward.

Shabbos in Halacha

One should prepare coffee and tea in the following manner: One should pour hot water from the kettle or urn (kli rishon) into a dry cup (kli sheini). One can then add instant coffee, sugar and milk. One can also add cold water to coffee in the kli sheini. One should follow the same procedure when preparing a cup of instant tea. There are those who adopt a more stringent practice, and they transfer the hot water to a kli shelishi before adding the other ingredients.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

It is said regarding Shabbos (Shemos 31:16) laasos es haShabbos ledorosam bris olam, to make the Shabbos an eternal covenant for their generations. The first letters of the words laasos es HaShabbos equal in mispar katan, digit sum, 9, and the word Shabbos in mispar katan also equals 9.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Vayigash 5768

is sponsored by Mr & Mrs. Moshe Greenberger sheyichyu

in loving memory of his father Reb Ezrie-l Yehuda Ben Rav Moshe o”h and
in loving memory of his mother Esther Neecha b"r Menashe o”h,

vizichronom livracha.

I will be delivering a class in Navi this Friday night

at my home 26100 Marlowe Place in Oak Park.

The class will be 8:30-9:15

We will be studying Sefer Shmuel Perek 1 and there will be Oneg Shabbos.

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

For sponsorships please call 248-506-0363.

To subscribe weekly by email, please send email to bentopoftheline@gmail.com

View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com

Shabbos: Ta'am HaChaim Mikeitz-Chanukah 5768

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Mikeitz-Chanukah 5768

Shabbos in the Parashah

This week is Chanukah, the festival when we commemorate the Jewish People’s victory over the Syrian-Greek army and subsequently, the miracle of the oil in the Menorah burning for eight days. Regarding Chanukah, the Arizal (Shaar HaKavanos Derushei Chag Chanukah Derush 1) mentions that the blessing that we recite over the Chanukah lights ends with the words lihadlik ner Chanukah, to kindle the candle of Chanukah. The Arizal notes that the first letters of these three words spell the word nachal, which means a stream. It is noteworthy that the word nachal is equal in numerical value to the word Chanukah (88-89) and furthermore, in the form of at bash, the word nachal equals the word Chanukah. The Arizal explains on a kabbalist level the association of Chanukah to nachal, but perhaps there is also an explanation on basic level. The word nachal means stream, and amongst bodies of water, a stream is unique that it is constantly flowing. In Parashas Toldos we learn about the wells that Yitzchak dug. It is said (Bereishis 26:15) vechol habieiros asher chafru avdei aviv bimei Avraham aviv sitmum Pelishtim vayemalum afar, all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Avraham his father, the Philistines stopped up, and filled them with earth. One must wonder why the Torah states that the Philistines stopped up the wells and filled them with dirt. It is not sufficient to state that they filled the wells up with dirt? It is interesting to note that later on in history, the Philistines are once again stopping up, as we read regarding Shimshon (Shoftim 16:21) vayochazuhu Pelishtim vayinakru es einav, the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. Why are the Philistines constantly stopping up and gouging out eyes? When one scrambles the letters of the word Pelishtim, we find the words Yefes Mosheil, Yefes (Greece) rules. Although the Pelishtim are descendants of Cham and Greece is a descendant of Yefes, the Torah chose to allude to the Chanukah miracle in the passage that discusses the struggle that occurred between Yitzchak and the Pelishtim. The Baal HaTurim writes regarding the wells that Yitzchak dug: “The first well was referred to as Eishek, which corresponds to Babylonia, who oppressed the house of Yehudah, umiyad oshkeiehm koach, and their oppressors have the power (Koheles 4:1). The second well was referred to as Sitnah, and this corresponds to the decree of Haman, and it is said (Ezra 4:6) uvimlachus Achashveirosh bitchilas malchuso kasvu sitnah al yoshvei Yehudah ViYerushalayim, during the reign of Achashveirosh, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote a calumny against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. The third well corresponds to Yavan, Greece, as the Greeks decreed that the Jewish People could not use the mikveh, and a miracle occurred and a mikveh appeared in every Jew’s house. This is the meaning of the verse that states (Bereishis 26:22) vayateik misham vayachpor beer acheres vilo ravu aleha vayikra shamah rechovos vayomer ki atah hirchiv HaShem lanu ufarinu baaretz, he relocated from there and dug another well; they did not quarrel over it, so he called its name Rechovos, and said, “for now HaShem has granted us ample space, and we can be fruitful in the land.” The miracle of the Mikvaaos allowed the Jewish People to continue procreating. It is evident from the words of the Baal HaTurim that although the Greeks attempted to “darken the eyes” of the Jewish People, they were ultimately unsuccessful, as HaShem allowed the “stream” of Jewish life to continue. Thus, Chanukah is not merely about victorious battles in the physical realm. Rather, the festival of Chanukah is about the flow of Jewish continuity, and this flow is precipitated by our engagement in HaShem’s mitzvos. Although Yefes (Greece) attempts to be Mosheil (rule) over the Jewish People in spirit, we are governed by a higher Source, Who protects us and allows us to continue in His service. Throughout the week we are confronted by challenges that threaten our spiritual citadel. Upon the arrival of Shabbos, however, no force in the world can dominate the Jewish spirit, as all harsh judgments are removed with the onset of Shabbos. It is noteworthy that the law is (Shulchan Aruch O. C. 678:1) that if one only has sufficient money to purchase provisions for Chanukah lights or for Shabbos lights, one is required to purchase provisions for the Shabbos lights, as the precept of domestic harmony supersedes the requirement of Chanukah lights. Similarly, the Greeks sought to extinguish the light of the Jewish People by inhibiting the Jewish People’s efforts towards perpetuating Jewish life. HaShem saw to it that the light of the Jewish People would continue to be illuminated, as the restoration of sanctity in their midst warranted that the Jewish People should be blessed with even greater light. Thus, the light of Chanukah continues to flow like a stream in our lives, illuminating every area of darkness in the world. In the same vein the light of Shabbos illuminates our lives and transforms us into completely different beings. HaShem should grant us this Chanukah the fulfillment of the first words of the Chanukah hymn, maoz tzur yeshuasi lechah naeh lishabeiach tikon beis tefilosi visham todah nizabeiach, O Mighty Rock of salvation, to praise You is a delight. Restore my House of Prayer and there we will bring a thanksgiving offering.

Shabbos in the Zemiros

Ribbon kol HaOlamim

Published in 5401 (1641)

Melech ram vinisa, King Who is sublime and upraised. The Gemara (Megillah 31a) states that wherever you find HaShem’s greatness, there you find His humility. One proof that is offered is because it is said (Yeshaya 57:15) ki choh amar ram vinisa shochein ad vekadosh shemo marom vekadosh eshkon vies dakah ushefal ruach lihachyos ruach shefalim ulihachayos leiv nidkaim, for thus said the exalted and uplifted One, Who abides forever and Whose Name is holy: I abide in exaltedness and holiness, but I am with the despondent and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the despondent. Hashem is simultaneously exalted and humble. A human being certainly cannot exist in such a state of mind. We can either be arrogant or humble. It behooves us to choose humility, as HaShem, with all His greatness, still prefers humility.

Shabbos in Tefillah

Umeiir liolam kulo uliyoshvav bimidas harachamim, Who illuminates the entire world and its inhabitants, which He created with the attribute of mercy. Rashi in the beginning of Bereishis quotes the Medrash that states that initially HaShem sought to cerate the world with the Attribute of Justice, and when He saw that the world could not exist on justice alone, HaShem added the Attribute of Mercy so that the world could exist. Yet, here we declare that HaShem created the world with mercy. In Sifsei Tzaddikim (Rimanov, Apt, and other great Chasidic masters) to Parashas Vayishlach, there is a revolutionary explanation towards understanding the words of Rashi. It is written there that Rashi is not referring to justice in the sense of punishment. Rather, the word Elokim denotes manhig and dayan, i.e. HaShem acts as the conductor of the world. HaShem initially sought to conduct the world with the Attribute of Mercy and with the Name of Elokim in order to benefit His creations. Hashem foresaw, however, that man could not exist if he was constantly cleaving to the Living G-d, because man is prone to sin. For this reason HaShem adjoined the Attribute of Mercy to the Attribute of Justice, so that the mercy could precede the justice. Thus, the world was initially supposed to function with the Name Elokim, because the world cannot exist without a conductor. Based on the words found in Sifsei Tzaddikim, we can suggest that the passage here means that once HaShem foresaw that the inhabitants would not be able to exist with the Name Elokim alone, He preceded Elokim with mercy.

Shabbos Story

The world renowned Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Yisroel Meir (HaKohen) Kagan (1838-1933), had a rebbe who was not nearly well known as he was. His rebbe was a saintly man from the town of Horodna, Lithuania, named Rabbi Nachum Kaplan (1812-1879). Those who knew him referred to him lovingly as Reb Nachumke. The Chofetz Chaim made it a point to observe carefully Reb Nachumke’s every action and deed, for he knew that anything that Reb Nachumke ever did was done with forethought and good reason. It happened one night during Chanukah that the Chofetz Chaim was in the home of Reb Nachumke. The time for lighting Chanukah candles came and the Chofetz Chaim waited for his rebbe to recite the blessings and light the candles, but Reb Nachumke let the time pass and made no move to light the menorah. The Chofetz Chaim was a bit surprised that his rebbe would let the time slip by - but he did not dare say anything. More time elapsed, and still Reb Nachumke went about his regular routine without saying anything about the lighting of the Chanukah candles. An hour went by and then another hour, still the menorah was not lit. The Chofetz Chaim simply could not understand his rebbe’s inaction and apparent inattentiveness to this mitzvah. Finally, deep into the night, there was a knock at the door. The Chofetz Chaim ran and opened it; it was Reb Nachumke’s wife. Almost immediately after she came in, Reb Nachumke began his introductory prayers, recited the appropriate blessings and then lit the Chanukah menorah. The Chofetz Chaim felt that there had to be a lesson here and so once the flames were flickering, he respectfully asked his rebbe to explain to him why he had let so much time elapse before finally lighting his menorah. Reb Nachumke explained patiently to his beloved student. “The Talmud (Shabbos 23b) poses a question: What is the law if a man has money to use for only one candle on the Friday night of Chanukah? Should he spend it on a Shabbos candle and fulfill the mitzvah of lighting Shabbos candles? Or rather spend the money on a candle for his Chanukah menorah and thereby fulfill the mitzvah of Chanukah candle-lighting?” Reb Nachumke continued. “The Talmud states unequivocally that one is obligated to spend the money for a Shabbos candle, the reason being that the Shabbos candle, aside from the mitzvah involved, adds to shalom bayis (peace and tranquility of the home). Thus a candle that fosters shalom bayis takes precedence even over the mitzvah of lighting a Chanukah candle.” (See also Shulchan Aruch O.C. 678:1) “I have no doubt,” continued Reb Nachumke, “that had my wife come home and realized that I did not wait for her with the Chanukah candles, she would unquestionably have been distraught. There would have been tension, and perhaps even anger on her part that I did not show her the courtesy to wait until she returned. Thus I delayed and delayed until she came home.” “You see,” added Reb Nachumke, “the Talmud itself used Chanukah candles as a focal point to emphasize the importance of marital harmony. Should I then have taken these same Chanukah candles and through them caused a lack of shalom bayis? I had no choice but to let the ideal time for candle lighting pass, and wait until later to kindle them at a time that was still consistent with Jewish law. When Rabbi Sholom Schwadron retold this story he would add an interesting insight. “Shalom bayis in this instance also meant that Reb Nachumke did not complain to his wife - when she finally arrived - that her lateness had caused him to wait so long to perform a mitzvah. He understood that to complain would have fostered ill will as well and minimized shalom bayis.”

Shabbos in Navi

Yehoshua Chapter 14

In this chapter the Navi describes the request of Calev Ben Yefuneh to Yehoshua for the land of Chevron which Moshe had promised him. The Gemara (Sota 11b) states that the reason he was called Calev ben Yefuneh was because he was panah, turned away, from the counsel of the meraglim, the spies who he went with to tour Eretz Yisroel. The mission of every Jew in this world is similar to Calev. A Jew must constantly be on guard against the diabolical schemes of the Evil Inclination, and he must turn away from the forces of evil and follow the Good Inclination. With the onset of Shabbos, we turn away from the forces of evil that throughout the week have attempted to bring about our downfall. We recite the words lecho dodi likraas kalah penei Shabbos nekablah, come my Beloved to greet the bride-the Shabbos presence, let us welcome! We turn away from the forces of evil and we greet penei Shabbos, the Shabbos presence.

Shabbos in Agadah

The Gemara (Shabbos 20b) states that we light candles prior to the onset of Shabbos, and Rashi (Ibid 25b s.v. hadlakas ner biShabbos) writes that the reason for this lighting is that one should not stumble in the darkness. This explanation is difficult to understand, as in earlier times, once it became dark, one would have to light a candle every day of the week so there would be light in the house. Why is Shabbos unique that the Chachamim necessitated the lighting of candles? The Maharal (Ibid) writes that the function of light is to distinguish between various items. When one can distinguish between various items, this is deemed to be peace. For this reason the Shabbos lights are referred to as peace. Perhaps based on the words of the Maharal we can interpret the words of Rashi homiletically. When one distinguishes between what is permitted to do on Shabbos and what is forbidden, he has attained true peace. Lighting the Shabbos candles itself requires knowledge of the laws of Shabbos, such as the earliest time to light the candles on Friday and until what time of the day one can light candles. HaShem should allow us to see the light and merit observing the Holy Shabbos so that we will have peace in our lives.

Shabbos in Halacha

When one replaces the cover on a pot of hot food (kli rishon), if the cover was left off long enough to cool, it is preferable that one shake off any liquid from the cover prior to replacing the cover on the pot. Wee will learn that a ladle cannot be used at all unless the pot is first removed from the blech.

Shabbos in Numbers and Words

It is said regarding Shabbos (Shemos 31:17) beini uvein bnei Yisroel os hi liolam, between Me and the Children of Israel it is a sign forever. The word liolam can be broken down as follows: The lamed and lamed in mispar katan, digit sum, equals six, and this alludes to the six days of the week. The letters ayin and mem in mispar katan equal 11, and 1+1=2. This alludes to the onset of Shabbos when we light two candles for Shabbos, and this also alludes to the idea that on Shabbos everything is double.

Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Mikeitz-Chanukah 5768

is sponsored in loving memory of HaRav Nachman ben Rav Meir ob”m, niftar Rosh Chodesh Teves 5761, by his grandson Shlomo Yaakov

I will not be delivering a class in Navi this Friday night

Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos and a Freilechen Chanukah

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.

For sponsorships please call 248-506-0363.

To subscribe weekly by email, please send email to bentopoftheline@gmail.com

View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim and other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com