Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Devarim 5770

שבת טעם החיים דברים תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Devarim 5770

Eicha: a Time to Give, not to receive

Introduction
איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם, how can I alone carry your contentiousness, your burdens, and your quarrels? (Devarim 1:12)
In this week’s parasha it is said (Devarim 1:12) eicha esa livadi tarchachem umasachem virivchem, how can I alone carry your contentiousness, your burdens, and your quarrels? The Medrash (Eicha Rabbah 1:1) notes that there are three instances in Scripture where the word eicha appears. One instance is here in Devarim. The second instance is when Yeshaya (1:21) declares eicha haysah lizonah kiryah nemanah, how the faithful city has become a harlot! The third instance is in the beginning of the Book of Eicha (1:1) which we read on Tisha BaAv, where the prophet Yirmiah laments eicha yashvah vadad, alas – she sits in solitude! The Medrash draws a distinction between these three instances of eicha. Moshe witnessed the Jewish People in their glory. Yeshaya knew the Jewish People when they were in a state of rebellion, and Yirmiah observed the people when they were in a state of degradation. This Medrash poses a number of difficulties. First, if Moshe saw the Jewish People in their glory, why did he bemoan the fact that they were contentious and quarrelsome? Second, what is the significance of the word eicha that warrants the Medrash to highlight these three time periods in Jewish history?

The difference between eich and eicha
In order to understand the significance of the word eicha, it is worthwhile to examine the meaning of the word itself. The word eicha is similar to the word eich, with one notable difference. The word eich is in the masculine form, whereas the word eicha appears in the feminine form. The reasons for this difference is beyond the scope of this essay. Nonetheless, the fact that one is in the masculine form and the other is in the feminine form is reflective of a profound insight into the conduct of the Jewish People. When Moshe wondered how he could bear the burden of the Jewish People alone, he was expressing his disappointment in the people’s inability to rise above the pettiness and struggles of one who is always needy. Thus, Moshe was bemoaning the fact that the Jewish People had everything delivered to them on a silver platter, but they could not resist quarrelling with each other and provoking HaShem to anger. Yeshaya, however, saw the Jewish People in a state of rebellion, where they had already fallen from their glory and were wallowing in the gutter. Yirmiah witnessed the Jewish People in their state of degradation, when there was apparently no more hope. Thus, while all three leaders saw the Jewish People in different states of existence, they essentially observed the people when they were on the receiving end and not on the giving end.

Being satisfied with what we have will help us avoid baseless hatred
What message is the Medrash conveying to us? Do we not know that the Jewish People sinned and this brought about the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash and the Land? The answer to this question is that we are being taught a powerful lesson in human nature. When HaShem bestows us with wealth and comforts, it behooves us to appreciate what we have and to be satisfied with our lot. While we always look to HaShem as the Source of all blessings, we cannot become weakened like one who is in constant need of fame and riches. Desiring more than what we have only leads to contentiousness and quarrels with one another. The Gemara (Yoma 9b) states explicitly that the second Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because of baseless hatred, and one of the catalysts for this hatred is desiring more than what we have.
The Shabbos connection
This Shabbos is referred to as Shabbos Chazon, the Shabbos of vision. We are required to gaze inwards and contemplate the luxuries that HaShem has provided us with and to appreciate those comforts. We can then use our possessions to help others in need, thus fulfilling the verse that states (Yeshaya 1:27) Tziyon bimishpat tipadeh vishaveha bitzedakah, Zion will be redeemed through justice, and those who return to her through righteousness. When we realize that we have everything that we need in the physical realm, we will begin to crave higher levels of spirituality. HaShem will then hear our pleas to restore the glory of Yerushalayim to the days of old, with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu and the rebuilding of the Third Bais HaMikdash, speedily, in our days.
Shabbos Stories
The Talmud records that the Jewish people went into exile 2,000 years ago because they lacked love one for another. The road of return, therefore, is paved with gentle caring and compassion for each other.
I know that it is Tisha BaAv today and I am eating anyway
One of the outstanding mitzvos is “Love of others,” love for another person. The Baal Shem Tov said that inasmuch as God is abstract and in tangible, it may be difficult to develop love for Him. The royal road love to God, said the Baal Shem Tov, is Love of others. Many righteous people excelled in love of others. Perhaps most prominent in Chassidic folklore is Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, who was constantly interceding with God on behalf of His people.
For example, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak once encountered a man who was eating on Tisha B’Av. “My child,” he said, “you must have forgotten that day is Tisha B’Av.”
“No, I know it is Tisha B’Av,” the man replied.
“Ah, then you have been instructed by your doctor that you may not fast because of poor health.”
“I am perfectly healthy,” the man said.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak raised his eyes toward heaven. “Master of the universe,” he said. “I have given this man two opportunities to exonerate himself for eating on Tisha B’Av, but he is so dedicated to truth that he rejected my offer, even at the risk of incriminating himself…”
Better to be bitten by insects now
The "Tzaddik of Stitchin" would welcome wayfarers into his home and provide them with a place to sleep, even if they were dressed in tattered clothes and covered with the dust of the road. When it was pointed out to him that they might be carrying insects that would infest his bedclothes, the tzaddik said, "The Talmud states that the dead body actually feels the pain of being worm eaten. At that time I will not be able to do anything to the insects that will be irritating me. Is it not better that I take the risk of being bitten by insects in this world, where I can at least brush the insects away, and hope that by merit of the mitzvah of hosting guests, I will be spared the misery after death?"

The Ten Thousand Fund

It started one afternoon when the Rottenbaum family sat down to lunch and they heard a tremendous crash of something heavy falling. They ran to the window, looked out onto the garden below them, and heard a rough voice call from above: "Don't stick your heads out the window or you'll be sorry!"
They closed the window and in front of their very noses saw a metal trellis fall heavily to the ground. They recognized it as one of the porch trellises of the Gutman family who lived on the floor above them. Eli Rottenbaum explained excitedly, "Srulie Gutman told me at school that his family are starting to enlarge their apartment. Today the workers came, and from now on they're sleeping in another apartment." True, the Gutmans were seen leaving with their suitcases, but they did not say to where or for how long.
Another trellis fell heavily to the ground, on the beautiful garden the Rottenbaums had so lovingly cultivated. Then the thud of heavy equipment shook the entire building, and ear-splitting drilling made everyone cover their ears. The roof shook, and the acrid smell of dust soon filled the air. The apartment building contained only a few families, and the neighbors had always gotten along well. But Mrs. Rottenbaum felt that some part of her neighborly feeling was being torn to bits, together with the clotheslines that were lying on the ground under the weight of the trellises.
"They're building, they're building!" exulted the children. But the parents furrowed their brows. The Gutmans had nine children and lived in cramped quarters; it was wonderful that they were finally enlarging their narrow living space. Everyone knew that both Mr. and Mrs. Gutman worked long hours and that making a livelihood was not easy for them. But still, couldn't they have given advance warning to their neighbors? "If we had known, we could have asked them to tell the workers to take the trellises down safely and put them near the garbage bins... we could have come to an agreement about a break in the work during afternoon rest hours...
The Rottenbaums had no midday rest, neither that day nor the next. Mr. Binyamin Rottenbaum, a teacher, really needed his afternoon rest, as his teaching hours continued late into the evening. He went upstairs and tried to talk to the workmen, but encountered total obduracy on their part... Two more days passed, two very difficult days: construction work lasted from 11 A.M. until 6 P.M., and already their decorative living-room window had cracked deeply and shattered. "Who knows how much the Gutman construction is going to cost us!" someone muttered.
That night, Binyamin Rottenbaum ran into Yankele Gutman. Yankele poured out his heart: he had made the decision to start construction at the last minute because he'd found a contractor who gave him a really good price, but the catch was that they'd have to begin immediately or the price would go up. That's why they'd left in such a rush and didn't have the chance to talk to their neighbors. He'd signed a contract with a shrewd contractor who promised to complete the work as soon as possible, maximum three months.
"Friends told me," said Yankele, "that the contractor is liable to take advantage of the fact that I don't have certification and all the proper papers yet, by taking on inexperienced workers, since I won't be able to lodge a complaint against him. But so far, everything seems to be going smoothly."
Going smoothly! Maybe for the Gutmans, but certainly not for the Rottenbaums. Binyamin bit his lip, but Yankele continued with his list of woes, mainly money problems. He looked terribly haggard and troubled, and Binyamin felt sorry for him. A few days later when the two ran into each other, Binyamin did try to talk to his neighbor and explain how the unbearable noise and dirt were affecting the other tenants. He even told him that the work was slovenly, negligent and careless ― in short, much worse than the norm. But Yankele's eyes were darting from side to side; it was clear that the man was distracted and in over his head. He told Binyamin he'd see what he could do.
This same scenario repeated itself a few more times, and Binyamin became resigned to the fact that Yankele did not seem able to deal with the situation. "That's the way it is," Binyamin understood. "Yankele is wrapped up in his own troubles and money issues with his contractor, and just can't seem to deal with this."
One evening, Binyamin was called to the neighbor who lived upstairs... "We have to roll up our sleeves and get to work," said the upstairs neighbor grimly. "We have to declare war against the chutzpah going on under our very noses. Yes, I gave Gutman the go-ahead to build, but not like this! I saw your shattered window, and I've also had some breakage. We have to file a lawsuit before this gets even more out of hand."
This tone did not suit Binyamin at all, and he cut the conversation short. Later that night, he opted to walk home from his nephew's wedding instead of taking the bus so that he could think. War? Confrontation? What kinds of words were those? He, Binyamin Rottenbaum the teacher, was he going to get involved in such shady business? All his life he had avoided gossip and slander, conflict and strife. Among his wide circle of friends and acquaintances, there was not even one that he "didn't talk to." When one of his children came home with a story of anyone being criticized for doing such-and-such, he would firmly cut off the discussion by saying, "We don't discuss such things in the Rottenbaum household..."
But, still: the racket every day, the shattered window, rest hours, drilling, rudeness. Wasn't there a limit?
But how could he continue to tell his children, "We don't discuss such things in the Rottenbaum household," if the Rottenbaum household was full of resentment and anger? Furthermore, what kind of relationship would they have with the neighbors once construction was finished and the Gutmans returned? Binyamin was not naive. He knew full well what transpired in many apartment buildings after someone started renovating and there were problems ― grievances before rabbinical courts, evacuation orders, neighbors who did not speak to one another. Even if the work continued for months, Binyamin reasoned, with the drilling and dust and whatnot, there would be many more years afterward when they would need to live in peace and harmony with the neighbors. Was it worth spoiling all that?
After all the years of working on their character traits, now they were being put to the test. It's no problem getting along with others when things are pleasant. It's only under difficult circumstances that we are really tested, and this is precisely when we must restrain ourselves, understand the other person's actions, and maintain our inner balance. As Binyamin neared home and the end of his walk, he arrived at his decision.
Later, Binyamin sat down with his wife and discussed everything with her. "But what about the monetary damage? Only ten days have gone by, and look how much this has already cost us," she said.
Binyamin had already anticipated his wife's question, and had prepared an answer. "We will take it out of the 'ten thousand'," he said.
After Binyamin's father passed away, they had received an inheritance of ten thousand dollars. Binyamin decided immediately to put the money away; they would need it in a few years for the bar mitzvah of their twin boys, and then for their daughter's wedding. His monthly salary was not enough for serious savings, and the inheritance would provide the seed money...
As time went on, the Rottenbaums were able to add several thousand dollars more to their savings, but it always retained its original code name: the "ten thousand." This was a subconscious source of peace of mind, as whenever the Rottenbaums talked about future expenses, they knew that the "ten thousand" would help them out...
And so the Rottenbaum parents talked to their older children and explained their course of action: to maintain their silence, keep the peace, and never let the Gutmans know how much they suffered. They would cover all the damage with their savings, and that was that. Binyamin took out a plastic bag with some earplugs. "These are available any time you need some peace and quiet; or if you really need to, you can go to Grandma's house to do your home work. And the garden? When this is over, we'll take from the "ten thousand" to buy new flowers."
And so it was. Binyamin made it clear to his upstairs neighbor that he would not take part in any actions against the Gutmans, and explained his rationale. Time passed. The Rottenbaum's solar water heater was ruined by the construction work and needed to be replaced; a careless worker bashed in their front door with his machinery and that too needed to be replaced. There were some very difficult moments, such as the "spritz" episode. One Friday, the workers sprayed the outside of the building with white "spritz" ― spackle material ― right through the Rottenbaums' open window! It took the entire family hours of work on Shabbat eve to scrub the stuff off the furniture. "If worst comes to worst," Binyamin reassured his wife, "we'll pay someone to remove it professionally. After all, we have the means to cover the expense."
Four thousand dollars. Yes, four thousand dollars of the money that had been set aside for bar mitzvahs and weddings was spent to cover the damages caused to the Rottenbaum family by Gutman's construction work.
And they never let on to the Gutmans. "Of course, Mrs. Gutman, it was no problem at all with the construction work. We look forward to your return as our dear neighbors when it's all over. And after it was all over ― thank God! ― the Rottenbaums organized a welcome-home celebration for the Gutmans, with cakes, signs, hugs and kisses.
After the construction was completed, the four thousand dollars that Mr. Rottenbaum had spent was returned to him in amazing ways so that, in effect, he never "lost" that money. That, too, is a wonderful story, but it is really "beside the point." (www.innernet.org)

Once In a Yovel
A wealthy wood merchant once came to Rav Chaim of Volozhin for advice, explaining that all his wealth was in danger of being lost. He had sent a huge ship laden with wood to a foreign country, but the authorities were not allowing the wood to enter the country. In fact, they were threatening to sink the ship if it didn’t leave the border of the country.

Rav Chaim reassured the man, “Don’t worry, you’ll see. The salvation of Hashem is like the blink of an eye!”

On that day, the price of wood rose dramatically, and later that day, the authorities finally allowed the merchant’s ship to enter the country.

The wealthy man returned to Rav Chaim, beaming with happiness. He said, “Rebbi, today I experienced hashgachas pratis! If the authorities hadn’t delayed me, I would have received the original price for the wood. The delay actually turned out to be beneficial; I ended up earning significantly more money because of it.”

Rav Chaim sighed, “This is the difference between a rich man and a poor man. The poor man sees the hashgachas pratis of HaKadosh Boruch Hu every day. The rich man sees hashgacha only once every few years.” (Ukarasa LaShabbos Oneg)

Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer's Sad Goodbye
R' Shneur Kotler, the Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, escaped Europe and managed to survived the Holocaust after experiencing great miracles. Eventually, he arrived in Eretz Yisrael, joining his grandfather R' Isser Zalman Meltzer with whom he shared a very close relationship. Once he was in Eretz Yisrael, news reached him that his kallah who he was engaged to before the war was still alive. However, she was unable to join him in Eretz Yisrael so R' Shneur made plans to travel to her to finally get married.
On the day of his departure R' Shneur went to his grandfather's house to part from him. R' Isser Zalman expressed his great joy on his grandson's upcoming marriage and began accompanying him down the stairs. Surprisingly, after descending only two steps from his second floor apartment he turned around and went home. Everybody present was shocked and puzzled by his behavior. Was this a fitting way for R' Isser Zalman to part from his dear grandson who he would probably never see again?
One of his students dared to ask him why he had not accompanied his grandson all the way down the stairs. R' Isser Zalman said, "As I was walking down the steps, I saw a vision of the thousands of Yidden who did not merit living long enough to marry. I returned home to join in their pain." (Source: Stories My Grandfather Told Me) (www.Revach.net)


Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Devarim 5770
Have a wonderful and delightful Shabbos
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
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Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Matos-Masei 5770

שבת טעם החיים מטות-מסעי תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Matos-Masei 5770

Vows and clarity

Introduction
וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות לבני ישראל לאמר זה הדבר אשר צוה ה', Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel, saying: this is the thing that HaShem has commanded. (Bamidbar 30:2)
In this week’s parasha the Torah discusses the laws of Nedarim, vows. It is said (Bamidbar 30:2) vayidabeir Moshe el roshei hamatos livnei Yisroel leimor zeh hadavar asher tzivah HaShem, Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel, saying: this is the thing that HaShem has commanded. The Sifri notes that whereas all other prophets prophesized with the words koh amar HaShem, thus says HaShem, Moshe was unique in that he prophesized with the words zeh hadavar, this is the thing. There are a number of questions that must be addressed regarding this Medrash. First, what is the fundamental difference between the words koh amar and the words zeh hadavar that reflect a distinction between the two forms of prophecies? Second, why does the Medrash specifically point out this distinction between prophecies regarding the laws of vows? Third, we find that the words zeh hadavar are already mentioned regarding the prohibition of offering sacrifices outside of the Bais HaMikdash. Why did the Medrash not highlight there the distinction of the words koh amar and the words zeh hadavar?
The Netziv’s explanation regarding the difference between Moshe’s prophecy and other prophets
The Netziv, in his commentary to the Sifri, explains that the difference between the prophecies of all other prophets and the prophecy of Moshe is that the other prophets transmitted their prophecy after the Divine Spirit had left them, whereas Moshe uttered his prophecies while HaShem was talking to him. Thus, the words of Moshe were essentially the words of HaShem. The Netziv does not explain, however, the uniqueness of the words zeh hadavar to the laws of Nedarim. Upon examining the rationale of Nedarim we will discover the reason why the Medrash points out the uniqueness of the words zeh hadavar specifically regarding these laws.
The articulation of a vow reflects clarity
When one makes a vow, he is doing something different than telling people of his intentions. A vow reflects a clarity that the person did not have until this moment. Thus, by uttering a vow to perform an action, one is demonstrating that it is clear to him why he is performing this act. The Gemara (Nedarim 8a) evidences this concept by stating that one who declares that he will learn a chapter of Torah has pronounced a great vow to the G-d of Israel. The commentators explain that this declaration is not necessarily a true vow. Rather, one who declares that he will study a certain section of Torah is akin to one who vows to donate to charity. Nonetheless, one who articulates his intention to study or to donate to charity is surely demonstrating his inner conviction of performing the will of HaShem. While people, may be cognizant of the requirement to study Torah and donate to charity, it is much more valuable when one declares his intentions to study and to donate.
Moshe’s prophecy was akin to the clarity of a vow
Given the fact that a vow reflects the idea of clarity, we can better understand why the Medrash chose to highlight the distinction between Moshe’s prophecy and all the other prophets’ prophecy specifically regarding the laws of vows. Other prophets are akin to one who has good intentions but does not necessarily articulate his true wishes. Moshe’s prophecy, however, reflects the determination of one who is willing to act on his convictions. Thinking good thoughts are noble, but acting on them is clearly a higher level of dedication to HaShem and His Torah.
The Shabbos connection
Throughout the entire week we are faced with trials and tribulations that may at times impede on our efforts to perform good deeds and study Torah. With the arrival of Shabbos, however, a great light descends upon the world. Through the prism of this light HaShem allows us to clearly see our mission in this world, which is to study Torah and perform good deeds. HaShem should shine upon us the light of Tziyon, with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days.

Shabbos Stories
Accepting rebuke with love
The Sfas Emes' father died when the Sfas Emes was young. The Chidushei HaRim, who was the Sfas Emes’ grandfather, raised the young orphan, who was a child prodigy. At a very young age, the Sfas Emes once stayed up almost the whole night learning Torah with a study partner.
The Sfas Emes fell asleep right before morning prayers and came into Shacharis late. The Chidushei HaRim approached his grandson after davening and laced into him. He told him, "If the Rebbe's grandson comes late to davening, what type of impression does that make on the people?" He told him his actions were a Desecration of G-d's Name. He went on and on, cutting the young boy to pieces.
The Sfas Emes kept totally quiet. He did not offer the obvious excuse that he was up all night learning. His chavrusa, who was up with him and knew what had happened, approached his young study partner and asked, "Why didn't you just tell your grandfather you were up all night studying?"
The Sfas Emes answered, "To hear mussar from a great person is a wonderful experience. It was worth it to hear the admonitions and chastisement of the 'Zeida' even though I am 100 percent innocent."
We can't relate to this idea. When we are right and someone accuses us falsely, we are the first to jump and correct the misimpression. The Sfas Emes wanted to hear the chastisement.
The Sfas Emes brought a proof to the correctness of his position (of listening silently to the unjustified rebuke of a great person) from the Tribes of Gad and Reuven.
When they came to Moshe Rabbeinu and asked to live in Trans-Jordan, Moshe Rabbeinu jumped at them. He accuses them of being cowards, of refusing to fight, of repeating the sin of the Meraglim, and on and on. Then they clarified their original position. However, in the meantime, they sat there and listened to Moshe Rabbeinu's whole tirade. They patiently took in all the mussar that he was giving them, before they corrected his misimpression of their proposal.
It is worthwhile to hear mussar from a great teacher. It is worthwhile to hear oneself being cut up and put in one's place by a great individual... even if the criticism is not correct. The Sfas Emes explained that it was worth hearing his grandfather's mussar, whether or not he was at fault. (www.Torah.org )
Chazon Ish - Whose Guest Is He?
The Chazon Ish in his Sefer Emunah U'Bitachon tells a story of a Chosid who invited a guest to his home for Seudas Shabbos. His whole family joyously prepared for the meal because they loved hosting guests.

However the person making arrangements for the guest didn't realize that the Chosid had invited him, so he sent him to a different family for the Seudah.

When the Chosid finished Davening on Friday night the guest was nowhere to be found. The Chosid finally got to the bottom of the story and when he returned home without the guest the family was greatly disappointed. The Chosid said to them, "Is our guest your personal property to do business with? I only worried that he should have a place to eat and enjoy Seudas Shabbos. What is the difference if this is done in our house by someone else?"

Selflessness is considering another person's needs. Selfishness is using other peoples' needs as a way to satisfy your personal desires, whatever they may be.
The Brisker Rav & Rav Dessler - Waiting For Moshiach At The Door
The Rambam (Melachim 11:1) writes that anyone who does not believe in the coming of Moshiach or does not wait for him... is Kofer in Toras Moshe. The Brisker Rav points out that even if you believe in Moshiach but are not awaiting his imminent arrival, you are a Kofer. This is further emphasized by the Rambam by writing in the 13 Ikarim, "Achakeh Lo BiChol Yom SheYavo". The waiting is not simply a word about our yearning for Moshiach. It is part and parcel of believing in him. If you are not waiting, you do not believe.

So how does one wait? Rav Eliyahu Dessler in Michtav MeiEliyahu writes that when a person is deathly ill and waiting for a special expert Doctor who promised to come from far, when the patient hears every knock on the door he jumps expecting it to be the Doctor. Even if the Doctor hasn't shown up for days, the patient never gives up hope and is convinced that each knock is finally him.

It is said on the Chafetz Chaim that often when he woke up, he would urgently ask, "Did Moshiach arrive, while I was sleeping?"

Rav Avrohom Grodzinsky Dances Right On Time
The following story gives a glimpse of the greatness of Rav Avrohom Grodzinsky and gives new meaning to the obligation to feel for another Jew. One time when Rav Avrohom was in Warsaw he went to visit some relatives. All during the visit he kept asking what the time was. At one point after they told him the time he got up and started dancing. His hosts asked him what he was doing, but he was oblivious to his surroundings as he danced with great fervor. After finishing dancing he sat back down again as if nothing happened.

When his relatives asked him what this odd behavior was all about he explained that one of the talmidim was getting married in Slabodka that night. He really wanted the Mashgiach Rav Avrohom to be there. "While unfortunately I was unable to be there for his simcha", said Rav Avrohom. "There is no reason that I could not share in his simcha." (Gedolei HaDoros)

Rav Avrohom Grodzinsky Hy"d was the Mashgiach of the Slabodka Yeshiva. He was the sole leader of the Yeshiva present at the outbreak of the Holocaust, as the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Isaac Sher was abroad at the time. Years earlier the Yeshiva had split into two with the establishment of Slabodka in Eretz Yisroel and while Rav Avrohom was actually sent with the initial group, he was recalled to Slabodka to hold up the Yeshiva when the Alter himself traveled to Eretz Yisroel.

Rav Avrohom was the spiritual leader in the Kovno Ghetto, which was situated in the suburb of Slabodka. He dispensed chizuk and emuna to the broken hearted remnants of the Yeshiva and the rest of the Kovno/Slabodka community during those bleak days. Rav Shloime Volbe and Rav Chaim Kreiswirth were married to his daughters. Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky was his brother-in-law. (www.Revach.net)

A Soul for a soul

Winter in Israel can be the coldest of times, especially out, unprotected and vulnerable, in the frigid air of the Casbah. As Yoni patrolled the deserted streets and marketplaces, he felt a longing for the simple, uncomplicated existence he had enjoyed before being drafted to the Golani Brigade. He thought back to his high school days, to the summers spent at a little bungalow high in the hills of the Galil. He let his mind take him far away. Anywhere was preferable to where he was right now. "Any shadow could be a terrorist, every rock a mine waiting to be stepped on." Why, oh why, had he wanted to join an elite combat unit?...
Not more than one hundred feet away, perched high in the minaret of the nearby mosque, Jamal steeled himself against the bone-numbing coldness of the damp stone wall. Next to him stood the rifle, snout poking through the small window high in the tower’s side. He peered at his watch, a present from his uncle for his seventeenth birthday, and he knew that it would soon be time...
Wait! There he was, the Israeli soldier, out on the evening’s patrol. Jamal’s finger tensed, teasing the trigger, caressing it gently. As the Israeli soldier moved directly into his line of vision, equipment weighing him down, Jamal al Khadouri pressed down gently on the trigger, sending out a bullet which sped straight at the unsuspecting soldier. The bullet struck its target. The soldier crumpled to the ground, and Jamal knew that he’d been successful...
If there was one thing that Doron Halpern hated about being a soldier, it was the fact that the barracks were so crowded. It was too hard to find a little space for yourself in a room with so many other soldiers. Sometimes the only recourse was to get into his heavy army overcoat and go for a stroll outside. Just for a few minutes and not too far away ― one never knew who was waiting in the dark streets and squalid alleyways.
There had been a special delivery of shwarma that evening, which one of the soldier’s mothers had sent up to them from Tel Aviv, and the excitement was high, the mood festive. Their platoon had almost finished its time here, and the feeling of liberation was palpable. It was party time in the barracks and Doron wanted no part in the festivities.
He shrugged into his coat, slung his rifle over his shoulder, and prepared to brave the inclement weather. He opened the door leading to the street and left the building, strolling past the guardhouse where the soldiers stood alert and ready. He breathed in deeply, tasting the fresh night air and began walking down the quiet street in the direction of the Casbah, the city square. He had been walking for seven minutes when he heard the shot.
It came from somewhere to his left and his training kicked in immediately. Without pausing for a second, his rifle was off his shoulder and his eyes were sweeping from right to left as he ran in the direction of the shot. They timed it well, he thought as he ran. No one was supposed to be out now. On and on he ran, through the darkened streets and empty lots full of vandalized cars. And then he turned a corner and ran through the courtyard of the mosque and out through the parking lot. Doron nearly went flying over the prostrate form of the soldier who’d been shot.
Fresh blood gushed out of his wound, and Doron realized that time was of the essence if he wanted to save the young soldier’s life. He dialed the base’s emergency line, giving the soldier on the other end his location, and he then got down to work. First, he ripped a thick piece of material off his shirt and wrapped it tightly around the area of the wound, stanching the bleeding somewhat.
The soldier’s face was turning paler and paler, and it seemed like forever before Doron heard the welcome relief of the sirens. The medics jumped out of the ambulance, pulled out the stretcher and practically threw the soldier inside. The doors slammed closed and the ambulance sped away to the nearest hospital, leaving Doron with torn clothing and bloody hands. With nothing more to be done, Doron ran back to the base, changed out of his clothes and, without telling anyone what had happened, went to bed and tried to sleep. He had never been one to boast.
And so, when the parents of Yoni Harel came to the hospital to visit their son ― who was recuperating beautifully ― and inquired as to the identity of their son’s savior, nobody had anything to tell them. There were a few platoons stationed in the city, and there was no telling from which patrol Yoni’s anonymous guardian angel had come. When a few more days had gone by and the brave soldier had still not come forward, the army gave up the search for the hero.
Yoni’s parents, however, went home to the grocery store they owned in Kiryat Malachi and posted a sign on the wall with the date and details of the story. Israel is a small country, and they figured that sooner or later somebody was bound to walk in who knew the soldier, or who knew someone who knew someone who knew the soldier. But the sign hung there, month after month, with no one volunteering the information they sought.
It was late December the following year when the woman walked into the store. She glanced around, as if to reacquaint her memory with her present surroundings, and she picked out a bottle of orange soda which she carried to the checkout counter. There were a number of customers in the store, and the woman had the chance to observe the owners in action. Every person was greeted as if he or she was a long lost friend. There were smiles, plenty of them, along with warm wishes and soothing energy. Small or large purchase, it mattered not; what was important was how each person was feeling.
As the woman waited in line to pay, she happened to glance at the old sign on the wall opposite the cash register. She scanned the bold, black print with obvious interest and, with mounting excitement, motioned at the owner’s wife to come over to her. The owner’s wife finished wrapping up a purchase and came over to the excited woman.
"Yes?" she inquired.
"This story," said the strange woman pointing at the sign, "I think it was my son. Yes, I remember, almost exactly a year ago, he arrived home from his army base for the weekend and told us the entire story. Wait," she whipped her phone out of her bag, "I’ll call Doron right now and ask him if this is the story." She dialed the number and the storekeeper’s wife stood nearby, watching intently...
"Listen, Doron," said his mother. "I’m here in this grocery store in Kiryat Malachi and there’s a sign on the wall..." She told him the entire story.
"That sounds like my story," Doron confirmed. "Tell them that I found the soldier lying wounded in the parking lot next to the Salheda ibn Salhera mosque." Yoni’s mother heard every word, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"That was the place," she confirmed through the sudden mist, and the two women suddenly discovered an intense bond between them and their families.
The celebration party was set for the following Saturday evening at the home of the Harel family in Kiryat Malachi. Lights blazed from all the windows, and passersby wondered at the sounds of rejoicing coming from inside. The festivities were just beginning as members of the Harel family streamed to their home from all around the country, to meet the young man who had saved their son/cousin/brother or nephew. Trays and trays of luscious food kept on putting in an appearance, and the music was loud and heartfelt. In the midst of all the goodwill and happiness, Doron’s mother called Yoni’s mother over to the side for a private chat. They strolled together outside behind the house and into the nearby park. After walking around the park for ten minutes, they sat down on one of the benches and Doron’s mother began to speak.
"The truth is," she began, "that I didn’t just happen to walk into your store. It wasn’t just random."
"I know," replied Yoni’s mother. "You live in Kfar Saba, and Kiryat Malachi isn’t much of a tourist attraction."
"The truth is," said Doron’s mother, "that I came especially to Kiryat Malachi to come to your store."
"Why on earth would you do something like that?"
"The reason for my visit to your store goes back many years," Mrs. Halpern said, and her eyes took on a faraway look. "About twenty years ago," she continued, "a young woman walked into your grocery store. She had just happened to pass through the city and just happened to stop in your store for a drink. She was very troubled about something and it showed in her eyes.
"The woman behind the counter was very busy, but she became unbusy when she caught sight of the young woman’s face. In a soft, caring voice, she began questioning the stranger, expertly drawing out her story. She was able to make the stranger feel comfortable enough to confide in someone she had never met before.
"The young woman related how she was expecting a child, but instead of joy, she felt only bitterness and heartbreak. Their desperate financial situation wasn’t sufficient to support a larger family, and she and her husband had begun to argue over the upcoming child’s arrival.
"All the fighting had made her sick, and the more the tension escalated, the more weak and frail she became. The doctors all concurred that the longer the situation stayed the same, the more danger she was in. They painted the blackest of pictures of what would happen to her if she continued with the pregnancy.
"The young woman found herself in the harshest of predicaments. On one hand, she was truly frightened over what would happen to her if she didn’t listen to the doctors’ advice. On the other hand, she couldn’t imagine doing what they were advising her to do. And so, she was walking around torn from within, terribly sick from without.
"The store-owner’s wife suddenly, miraculously, found herself without anything to do, and she bundled her young and troubled charge out of the store and into her home where, over hot coffee and fresh cake, they sat and talked, for what felt to the young woman like a few minutes, but what was in reality quite a while. And during the course of that conversation, her confusion lifted. The young woman suddenly knew that she was not going to listen to the doctors and their advice: she would find a new doctor who would support her in doing what felt right to her. The young woman’s fresh resolve and newfound confidence was all because of that store owner’s wife, who saw a troubled soul and reached out to her in her time of need.
"Five months later," continued Doron’s mother, "that young woman had a baby boy. His parents named him Doron." As quoted on Arutz Sheva (www.innernet.org)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Matos-Masei 5770
Is sponsored by Mrs. Sybil Carmen and her children in loving memory of her dear departed husband, Mr. Moshe Carmen, Moshe ben Shlomo zt”l, niftar Rosh Chodesh Av
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 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
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View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim
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Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chukas 5770

שבת טעם החיים חקת תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chukas 5770

The Tribe of Levi, a Higher Standard

Introduction
ויאמר ה' אל משה ואל אהרן יען לא האמנתם בי להקדישני לעיני בני ישראל לכן לא תביאו את הקבל השה אל הארץ אשר נתתי להם, HaShem said to Moshe and Aharon, “Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation to the Land that I had given them.” (Bamidbar 20:12)
In this week’s parasha we learn about how the Jewish People complained about the lack of water and HaShem instructed Moshe to take his stick and speak to the rock to draw forth water for the people. Moshe instead hit the rock, thus causing a desecration of HaShem’s Name and forfeiting his privilege of entering into Eretz Yisroel. The Ibn Ezra and the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh cite many opinions regarding Moshe’s sin. Some commentators posit that Moshe’s sin was that he became angered with the Jewish People and for this reason HaShem punished him by not granting him entry into Eretz Yisroel. Other commentaries write that Moshe sinned because he disobeyed HaShem’s commandment of speaking to the rock and instead he struck the rock and this was not the correct method for producing water. There are also opinions that maintain that Moshe should only have hit the rock once and not twice. Many of the commentators cite the verse in Tehillim (106:32-33) where it is said vayakitzifu al mei merivah vayeira liMoshe baavuram ki himru es rucho vayivatei bisfasav, they provoked at the Waters of Strife and Moshe suffered because of them, because they acted contrary to Shi spirit, and He pronounced with His lips, as proof for their opinions. The Medrash (Shemos Rabbah) states that matters that Moshe did not explain fully were elaborated on by Dovid HaMelech in Tehillim. What message is Dovid HaMelech conveying to us with these words?
Are Miriam and Aharon different than Moshe?
Surprisingly, most of the commentaries seem to ignore an explicit verse in the Torah that sheds much light on the incident of Moshe deviating from HaShem’s instructions. It is said (Devarim 33:8) uliLevi amar tumecha viurecha liish chasidecha asher nisiso bimassah tiriveihu al mei merivah, of Levi he said: Your Tumim and Your Urim befit Your devout one, whom You tested at Massah, and whom You challenged at the waters of Merivah. Rashi writes something that at first appears to be very puzzling. Citing the Sifri, Rashi writes that HaShem, so to speak, came upon Moshe with a libel. If Moshe uttered the words (Bamidbar 20:10) shimu na hamorim, listen now, O rebels, what did Aharon and Miriam do? The Sifri is perplexing, because it appears to be asking a rhetorical question. The explanation of the question at first glance seems to be as follows: “we understand what Moshe did wrong, and thus was deserving of a punishment, but Aharon and Miriam did not do anything, so why were they also punished?” This, however, is difficult to understand, because in this verse Moshe is blessing the tribe of Levi, so why would he publicly reprimand himself? Furthermore, how can it be that there is a libel against members of the tribe of Levi? Aharon was faulted for his involvement in the fashioning of the Golden Calf, and Miriam sinned by gossiping about Moshe. Why does the Sifri deem Moshe’s act at Mei merivah to be different?
The tribe of Levi is held to a higher standard
In order to gain a better understanding to what occurred at Mei merivah, we need to focus on the uniqueness of the tribe of Levi. The Medrash (Shemos Rabbah 5:16) states that Moshe told Pharaoh that every nation has spiritual leaders that guide the nation, and the Jewish People are no different. Pharaoh therefore allowed for one tribe to be exempt from the slavery, and that tribe was the tribe of Levi. Thus, while the entire Jewish People was enslaved to the Egyptians and were bitterly persecuted, the tribe of Levi was free to do as they pleased. When Moshe was on his way to Egypt, he was required to circumcise his son, and his delay almost cost him his life. The reason for Moshe being liable the death penalty was not because he had delayed in the circumcision, as a father is not liable the death penalty for not circumcising his son. Rather, it would appear that Moshe was being held to a higher standard than other Jews, and HaShem deemed his delay to be a desecration of His name, which was only atoned for through death. Similarly, when Aharon abetted the fashioning of the Golden Calf, he may have violated a negative commandment of fashioning an idol, but the consequences could have been more severe, if Moshe had not interceded on his behalf. HaShem wished to punish Aharon by killing all of his sons, and Moshe’s prayers were effective to save two of them from death. Aharon, as a member of the tribe of Levi, was held accountable because his tribe was placed on a pedestal, and he did not conform to the high standard that his tribe exemplified. Similarly, Miriam gossiped about Moshe and was punished. What was it that was so serious about Miriam’s act? The Medrash states that Miriam questioned why Moshe was able to separate from his wife and other prophets were not required to do this. In truth, however, Moshe was from the tribe of Levi, and the tribe of Levi always went beyond the letter of the law. An example of their transcending the normal laws is from the Gemara (Yevamos 72a) that states that while sojourning in the Wilderness, the Jewish People did not circumcise their children because they required the northern wind to blow to heal the wound. HaShem did not allow the northern wind to blow because the wind would have dispersed the Clouds of Glory. The tribe of Levi, however, put their lives at risk by leaving the clouds and circumcising their children. Thus, we see that the tribe of Levi went beyond the letter of the law to fulfill HaShem’s will. Similarly, Moshe separated from his wife so he could always be connected to HaShem. This conduct was in line with the tribe of Levi always beings separated for spiritual pursuits.
When Moshe deviated from his calling he was punished
We can now better understand what occurred regarding the Jewish People’s complaint for water and why Moshe was punished so severely. The fact that the Jewish People requested water was not unique, as the Torah records other instances where they asked for water and HaShem provided for them. The uniqueness of this incident was that Miriam had just died, and the Gemara (Taanis 9a) states that it was in her merit that the Jewish People had the water source. When the Jewish People complained about the lack of water, HaShem decided to test Moshe and Aharon to see if they would go beyond the call of duty. Whereas in the past Moshe had used his staff to produce the water, here HaShem desired that he should talk to the rock, thus transcending the laws of nature. Moshe did not fulfill HaShem’s instructions to the letter, and it was for this reason that he was punished by not being granted entry into Eretz Yisroel. In truth there is a pattern to this action and reaction, as we see that when Moshe complained to HaShem that by going to Pharaoh he had only made matters worse for the Jewish People. HaShem informed Moshe that he would see what He did to Pharaoh but he would not witness what HaShem would do to the gentile kings when the Jewish People entered Eretz Yisroel. Furthermore, in the Song of the Sea it is said (Shemos 15:16-17) ad yaavor amchah HaShem am zu kanisa tivieimo visitaeimo bihar nachalascho, until Your people passes through, HaShem – until this people You have acquired passes through. You will bring them and implant them…. Rashi writes that in this verse Moshe was prophesying that he would not enter Eretz Yisroel. Why did Moshe mention this prophecy in middle of the Song? The answer to this question is that after describing the Jewish People as the nation that HaShem acquired, Moshe alluded to his own future, as he was required as a member of the tribe of Levi to set the standard for everyone else. By failing to adhere to this standard, Moshe was punished. Thus, in his blessing for the tribe of Levi, Moshe was praising the tribe for their steadfastness in fulfilling HaShem’s will. The subsequent verses testify to the tribe of Levi going beyond the call of duty by punishing the sinners who were involved in worshipping the Golden Calf. The passage further alludes to the battle that eth Chashmonaim waged against the Greeks. Similarly, Dovid HaMelech in Tehillim depicts a nation that provoked HaShem at Mei merivah, and Moshe suffered on their account. The words ki himru es rucho, because they acted contrary to his spirit, is interpreted by some of the commentators (see Radak and Ibn Ezra Ibid) to be referring to Moshe. We can therefore suggest that the verse is alluding to the idea that the Jewish People caused Moshe to act contrary to his calling as a member of the tribe of Levi. This deviation resulted in Moshe being punished for his sin.
The praises of Levi allude to the higher standard
We can now understand the words of the Sifri mentioned earlier. The Sifri not asking a rhetorical question. Rather, the Sifri is noting that Moshe sinned, and the Torah records his punishment. Regarding Aharon and Miriam, however, one would be led to think that their actions did not warrant a severe punishment of not being granted entry into Eretz Yisroel. The Torah therefore continues to describe the praise of the tribe of Levi, thus hinting to the idea that Aharon and Miriam, as members of that tribe, were also held to a higher standard.
The Shabbos connection
The role of the tribe of Levi is to serve as spiritual guides for the Jewish People, and as the Rambam writes (end of laws of Shemitah and Yovel) every Jew is capable of aspiring to the level of the Levites. Throughout the week we may not be able to rise to these heights, as the burden of earning a livelihood weighs us down and we struggle to transcend the world of physicality. With the arrival of Shabbos, however, we are all given the opportunity to become connected to HaShem and His Torah. The word Levi means to become attached, and HaShem should allow us to attach ourselves to His Torah and to those who study it.
Shabbos Stories
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach the Husband
"Although it is customary to ask forgiveness from one who has died," R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach said at his wife's funeral, "I shall not do so. Throughout our entire marriage we never offended or hurt one another. We conducted our lives according to the Shulchan Aruch, and I have no reason to ask her forgiveness."
The following is an example of R' Auerbach's exquisite sensitivity towards his wife combined with his exactitude in fulfilling the Shulchan Aruch. R' Yitzchak Yeruchem Borodiansky told this story in one of the eulogies during the shivah week.
Once, R' Shlomo Zalman's sister came to his house to ask about a certain bachur who was suggested as prospective match for her daughter. When she first entered the house, there were a few people waiting to speak to R' Shlomo Zalman. She waited until they left, and finally she was alone with R' Shlomo Zalman and his Rebbitzen. She asked him about the bachur, and he answered, "He's a fine boy."
When R' Shlomo Zalman' sister was about to leave, he asked her if she was planning on visiting their sister in Sharei Chessed before she went home and she answered in the affirmative. Later, when she left the house of their sister, she found R' Shlomo Zalman waiting outside. He approached her and said, |"Regarding the bachur, you should know that you should only ask about others in privacy." "But who was there?" she said. "The Rebbitzen was there," he said, "and she doesn't need to hear lashon hara." Then he told her, "Don't follow through with this shidduch. He's not for your daughter."
R' Shlomo Zalman felt responsible to convey the proper information to his sister, but he was so sensitive to his Rebbitzen’s feelings that he didn't even want to ask her to leave the room. Instead, he used his precious time to meet his sister in another location, saving his wife from hearing lashon hara and from being insulted! (Source: The Man of Truth and Peace)
A Lawyer Meets His Match
A Rav in England had a friend who was a lawyer, and who knew very little about Yiddishkeit. Once, this lawyer approached the Rav with a very serious dilemma. He was currently defending a non-Jew who had become involved in criminal activities. This man was extremely cunning and deceitful, and the judge who saw right through his lies, decided to prosecute his lawyer as well, since he was a partner to the criminal's deceit. It is common practice in England that the judges can implicate the lawyers, to ensure that they do not become tainted by their clients' wrongdoings. This lawyer was in great danger of not only of losing his right to practice his profession, but of also of receiving a heavy punishment and fine. The lawyer was anguished and worried, and at a loss of what to do.
The Rav said to him, "Listen, my friend, the best advice I can give you is to do what all of Klal Yisrael does. Simply daven to the Ribbono shel Olam, and He'll save you from this tzara." The lawyer replied, "What! I should ask HaShem? It's not possible, and I'll tell you why. Once I already asked for help from Him, and I promised that I wouldn't ask for anything else."
The lawyer explained that few years prior, he traveled to Australia for work, and stayed there for six months. While in Australia, his only daughter, who was then seven years old, suddenly became critically ill. After many tests, it was determined that it was cancer, and she began treatment. Unfortunately, she did not respond well, and she grew sicker. One day, which happened to be Shabbos, the doctor told the lawyer that her situation is critical, and she has only a few hours to live.
The distraught father decided immediately to find a shul. Despite his ignorance of Yiddishkeit, he remembered that when he became Bar Mitzvah, his father took him to shul. He searched for a shul, and eventually found one, which was unlocked. It was the middle of the day, and the shul was empty. He burst out crying and continued crying without a stop for two hours. Amidst his tears he said, "HaShem, I need to ask You something, and I promise You that I'll never ask for anything else. I ask of You that my beloved daughter remain alive." Eventually, the lawyer felt a sense of relief, and returned to the hospital.
He was greeted at the hospital with miraculous news - his daughter had opened her eyes. She began improving little by little, and eventually fully recovered. In fact, her new X-rays showed no sign of a cancerous growth at all, and even the doctors admitted that it was a complete miracle.

The lawyer finished speaking, "So, didn't you hear that I promised HaShem never to ask for anything else? How can I break my promise?"

The Rav said, "Your promise is not valid! HaShem is not a person. You can continue to request whatever you need from Him."

The lawyer followed his advice, and was declared innocent. (Shaal Avicha Veyegadcha) (www.Revach.net)
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Chukas 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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שבת טעם החיים קרח תש"ע
Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Korach 5770

One door closes and another opens

Introduction
דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם ועשו להם ויאמר משה בזאת תדעון כי ה' שלחני לעשות את כל המעשים האלה כי לא מלבי אם כמות כל האדם ימותון אלה ופקודת כל האדם יפקד עליהם לא ה' שלחני ואם בריאה יברא ה' ופצתה האדמה את פיה ובלעה אתם ואת כל אשר להם וירדו חיים שאלה וידעתם כי נאצו האנשים האלה את ה', Moshe said, “Through this you shall know that HaShem sent me to perform all these acts, that it was not from my heart. If these die like the death of all men, and the destiny of all men is visited upon them, then it is not HaShem Who has sent me. But if HaShem will create a phenomenon, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that is theirs, and they will descend alive to the pit – then you shall know that these men have provoked HaShem.” (Bamidbar 16:28-30)
In this week’s Torah portion we learn about Korach and his entourage who sought to claim power and glory for themselves. Their basis was that all the Jews had heard HaShem speak at Sinai and there was no justification for Moshe and Aharon to share all the high ranking positions for themselves. Ultimately, Korach and his entourage were either swallowed up by the ground or burned to death. Moshe finally decided that the game was up, and it is said (Bamidbar 16:28-30) Moshe said, “Through this you shall know that HaShem sent me to perform all these acts, that it was not from my heart. If these die like the death of all men, and the destiny of all men is visited upon them, then it is not HaShem Who has sent me. But if HaShem will create a phenomenon, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that is theirs, and they will descend alive to the pit – then you shall know that these men have provoked HaShem.” Rashi writes that regarding the opening of the earth, Moshe was stating that HaShem would either allow for the primordial opening of the earth to swallow Korach and his entourage, or HaShem would create a new opening to facilitate Korach’s downfall. This statement of Rashi is puzzling, as the Mishnah (Avos 5:8) states clearly that the opening of the earth was one of ten things that were created on the first Friday at twilight. Why, then, was there a need to have HaShem create a new opening?
Muki Betser finds a new doorway
The Israeli army was preparing for its raid into Entebbe, Uganda, to free the captives of a terrorist hijacking. In preparation for the raid, the Israelis simulated the planned raid by creating a building that was a replica of the Ugandan airport. Soldiers trained in the simulated building, learning all the ins and outs of the airport. When the soldiers arrived in Uganda, they quickly recognized the layout of the airport and began running through the hallways, confident in their abilities to stop the terrorists and free the captives. One soldier, Muki Betser, was running through the hallway and was expecting a doorway. To his dismay, there was no door. His first thought was, “how can this be? We practiced this operation to perfection, and now there is no door?” Muki then realized that there was only one thing to do. He had to keep running and hope that soon he would come upon an entranceway. To his good fortune, he soon came upon a different doorway and he and the other soldiers were able to successfully complete their mission.
One can find the door of repentance even at the height of wickedness
Moshe was not merely reading Korach and his group their last rites. Rather, Moshe was demonstrating to them that although HaShem had already “simulated” their destruction, there was still a way out. If they repented, the previously ordained opening in the earth would be used for different function, and HaShem would create a “new” opening, which would be the proverbial opening that HaShem grants anyone who seeks to repent. Regrettably, Korach and his group remained adamant and were swallowed up by the earth. [The Talmud states that Korach himself was not swallowed up by the earth nor was he burned by fire.] The words of Moshe had some effect, however, as Korach’s sons repented, and HaShem allowed for them to be elevated in Hell and merit eternal reward.
Often in life we are faced with situations where we do not perceive and openings or paths that lead us out of our despair. While it may not appear to us that we have an escape plan, we can pray to HaShem to either show us where the exit is, or to create a new opening that will allows us to exit our current situation and continue on the illuminated pathway of life.


The Shabbos connection
Throughout the week we are faced with challenges and at times there appears to be no way out of predicaments. With the arrival of Shabbos, however, it is said (Yechezkel 46:1) ko amar HaShem Elokim shaar hechatzer hapinimis haponeh kadim yihyeh sagur sheishes yimei hamaaseh uvayom haShabbos yipaseiach uvayom hachodesh yipaseiach, thus said the Lord/Elokim: “The gate of the inner courtyard that faces eastward shall be closed during the six days of labor, but on the Shabbos day it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.” This verse alludes to the idea that on Shabbos all the gates of Heaven are open for us to entreat Hashem to show us the correct path in serving Him. When HaShem sets us on that path, we will surely succeed in all or spiritual and material endeavors.
Shabbos Stories
The Staff of Life
There was a long line of customers at the checkout counter... Yosef, the grocer, was in over his head calculating totals, making change, and marking down what people owed when they bought on credit. But even working at top speed, so that he scarcely had a moment to breathe, he found the time to admonish his customers, "Please, don't crumble the bread. Be careful not to drop the bread on the floor!"
Everyone who shopped at Yosef's grocery was long familiar with his caution regarding the treatment of bread... Every new customer who entered his grocery received his first lesson in the laws of safeguarding the honor of bread:
"Understand that this bread that God has given us is a gift from Heaven. Think of how many people were involved in producing this bread. Farmers plowed the fields, fertilized it, seeded it, and watered it, praying to God to send rain in its proper time. With anxious hearts, they watched every stage of the growth process, and when the wheat reached its peak ripeness, they harvested it. They took the sheaves they had cut down, and separated the wheat from the chaff."
He went on with his lecture, indifferent as to whether the customer was interested or not. It was his business to educate the Jewish consumer in the proper respect for bread ― Heaven's gift.
As evening drew near, the grocery emptied out. That was when Yosef would take his broom and, with sincere reverence, gather the crumbs that had fallen to the ground near the bread shelves. Sometimes he would do this several times a day. Any time he saw a pile of crumbs collecting near the shelves, he would whisk out his broom and a special dustpan, and collect the crumbs into a large, clean plastic bag. He would toss these crumbs to the birds in the grassy area behind the store, so that no stray crumb would come to be tossed disrespectfully into the garbage, Heaven forbid...
Yosef himself was true to his beliefs, at home as well as in the shop. Not a crumb of bread was ever thrown away in his house. He conducted a careful investigation into his family's bread needs. If there was ever a bit of bread left over, it was not thrown out, Heaven forbid, but used in a hundred and one different dishes, beginning with fried bread slices and ground bread crumbs for use in beef and fish patties, and ending in sweet bread pancakes and other delicacies whipped up by Yosef's creative wife. Yosef humbly, gratefully, and lovingly accepted the gift God had given him in the form of breads, rolls, challahs, and pitas. What they all had in common was that they were completely eaten, down to the last drop.
And if, in a rare case, a piece of leftover bread was simply inedible for some reason, Yosef would soak it in water and leave it in the garden. The pigeons and sparrows pecked at it, until not even a crumb remained...
[One day, Yosef revealed his reason for being so concerned about pieces of bread.]
Jerusalem, in the year 5676 (1916), was a hungry city.
World War I, which ended with the Turkish conquerors being chased out of Israel, had wreaked havoc on the poor country's food supplies and left it barren. Many years of drought, an invasion of locusts, and the closing of sea supply-lanes had brought in them wake a terrible famine. In the city of Jerusalem, people scoured the streets for anything edible.
The three Templer sisters ― orphans ― managed, somehow, during the first two years of the War. The eldest, Shoshanah, who was 18, worked as a seamstress for the Turkish military machine, which did not yet believe in its own fast-approaching demise. Thanks to her steady job, she and her two sisters ― Rivkah, 15, and Shulamis, 10 ― did not starve. Each day, the younger sisters waited tensely for Shoshanah's return. She brought her day's wages each evening: one bishlik (a small coin). occasionally, when her military supervisors were especially pleased, she received a bonus of one lira...
In the starving city, where whole families nearly died of hunger, the odds that three orphans would remain alive were just about zero to none. But, through Heaven's mercy, Shoshanah's work found favor with the Turkish army officers, who saw to it that she received, from time to time, not only an extra coin but also a small sack of flour. Shoshanah would bring these sacks home and bake little loaves of bread from them ― loaves which just barely sustained the three sisters.
The terrible winter of 1917 arrived. The Turkish Army began to sense its impending defeat at the hands of the British, whose forward movement had begun in Egypt and was slowly approaching Palestine. As the tottering Ottoman Empire fought a losing battle to keep control of Palestine, little attention was paid to the appearance of the soldiers' uniforms. The young seamstress returned from work one day with the bitter news that there would be no going back the next day. The Templer girls' coffers were empty. Now they began to know what hunger really felt like.
The small loaves of bread became a dream of the past ― a sweet dream. The house had nothing in it, not even so much as a potato peel. Hunger began to gnaw at their sides. Rivkah was old enough to deal with it reasonably well, but Shulamis, being only 11, began to show alarming signs of the swelling that accompanies malnutrition.
Rivkah and Shoshanah watched anxiously as their younger sister's face began to turn yellow. Despairing, they tried to hide from the young girl the fact that she was about to die of starvation. This was no unusual phenomenon in wartime Jerusalem. Starving people ― Jew and Arab alike ― dotted the streets, begging passersby for a morsel of bread to keep them alive. But there was no one to offer that life-giving morsel. Everyone was hungry; it was those who managed to obtain the bare minimum who survived...
Rivkah was the first to return home. She was in despair. A search of the trash bins had resulted in nothing ― not even a crumb. Better to return home and stay with Shulamis, she thought, than to leave her all alone.
To her dismay, she found her little sister sprawled on the ground outside. The girl's breathing was rapid and shallow. She was fighting for her life.
"Shulamis, don't die!" Rivkah sobbed. "Our father and mother have already died. Stay with us!"
Shulamis did not react. Like a madwoman, Rivkah raced into the house. She found a cup of water, drenched a clean rag in it and began to squeeze out the water, drop by drop, into her sister's mouth. Perhaps the water would save her ... Shulamis sucked the rag weakly, and tried to chew it. Hunger was troubling her worse than thirst...
Suddenly, an idea struck Shoshanah with the force of a lightning bolt. The bakery! How had she not thought of it before? The small bakery near the shuk. She had no way of knowing that the bakery had been abandoned two weeks earlier by its owner, who fled the country after deserting the Turkish Army.
Reaching the bakery, Shoshanah was stunned to find it dark and deserted. She tried the door ― and found that it opened easily, unlocked. The place was black as midnight. She walked forward with hands outstretched, groping for the bread trays. These had once held warm, fragrant loaves. Perhaps there were still a few crumbs left behind...
Her fingers touched something hard and round. A cry of joy burst from her lips. It was a dry loaf, baked some two or three weeks before ― but it was bread! Old bread that could be softened and eaten.
With supernatural speed, Shoshanah flew through the Old City streets, loaf in hand. She found Rivkah dipping a rag in water and thrusting it into Shulamis' mouth. Shulamis was only half-conscious.
"Give me the water," Shoshanah ordered.
With trembling hands she broke off a small piece of the loaf and soaked it in the cup of water. She then placed the softened bread into Shulamis' mouth.
The girl's dry lips felt the difference. Her mouth sucked the moisture out of the bread, and then began to chew with a barely perceptible motion of the jaws. The small piece was swallowed. Then came another, and another. Shulamis' eyes opened and the spark of life nearly extinguished, shone into the night.
At the very last moment, Shulamis had been saved from starving to death.
"Shulamis Templer was my mother, may she rest in peace," explained Yosef to Nachum, who was raptly listening to the tale. "All her life, she treated bread with tremendous respect, for it had saved her life. She never let us throw any away ― not even a crumb. Every chunk of bread was consumed in one of 101 ways, but was never thrown in the garbage. You don't throw away a gift from God..."
The color black

Mrs. Tolman gave the pretty tablecloth a small pat. The table was set so nicely ― just sweets and something to drink. Simon was coming in an hour or so, at six o'clock, bringing his wife, he said. Simon had been living in California for five years now. He was "in computers," he told his mother, and "doing all right." He talked to her at least once a week and made it a point to come home for the High Holy Days every year. He was a good son. They had a good relationship, caring but not effusive. Most of all, Mrs. Tolman was grateful that Simon had kept the Jewish faith. It was her solace and her pride.
Mrs. Tolman sat down in her favorite rocking chair. She was enjoying the anticipation as she rocked gently. She had waited for Simon to get married for a long time now. His father had passed away when he was fifteen, and he had become restless and difficult, finishing high school almost under duress.
Simon loved his mother, but he wanted out. Out of the house, out of school, out of the city. He tried an out-of-town college for a year and deliberately flunked out. He wandered from one job to another until suddenly he told his mother that a friend had offered to teach him computers if he would go to California with him. What did he have to lose?
When Simon left, Mrs. Tolman went through a period of rejection, guilt, and anger. She didn't go for therapy ― she still thought psychology as something a little creepy. As an aide in a day-care center, she lived a simple, religious life, had friends much like herself, and wanted to see Simon married. A grandchild would be so nice.
The bell tinkled. She hurried to the door. There was Simon, and with him a pretty black woman.
"Come in. Come in. Excuse me, but where is your wife?"
"Carla is my wife, Mother," he said as they entered.
For a full ten seconds, Mrs. Tolman could not speak. She just stared at them. Words would not come. This was his wife? Simon bent and kissed her cheek.
"Let's sit down," he said, gently and firmly. Mrs. Tolman let him guide her to a chair, without taking her eyes off the woman. Somehow she couldn't grasp the situation.
Simon took over as they sat around the table. "Mother, I know this is quite a surprise, maybe even a shock. But I knew I could never explain anything on the phone, or by letter. I wanted you to meet Carla first..."
Mrs. Tolman and Carla stared at each other. Carla offered a small smile, but Mrs. Tolman seemed somehow unable to react. Simon thought, a little belatedly, that perhaps he should have prepared his mother a little better.
"Carla and I met at the company where I work. She is a fine computer analyst. She comes from Raleigh, Mother, and she became Jewish four years ago... We worked in the same department, and I got to know her. When I saw that she didn't eat with the other workers and heard that she didn't come in on Shabbos, I realized she was different and we became friends. Many times she worked overtime to make up hours. She was so gentle and kind and so very intelligent that we became more than friends..."
"Could you tell me a little about yourself?" Mrs. Tolman asked hesitantly.
It was a strange and curious story. Carla was born and bred in poverty in a small town in the South. She was a quiet child, not given much to roughhouse playing. Her father was a truck driver, and her mother "did houses." There was never any money for books, and Carla's greatest joy was Sunday school because there Miz Rosa gave out books about the Bible with beautiful pictures and stories. Although she didn't really understand it at all, the Bible stories of the Old Testament worked a curious magic on her mind. She believed them, and she daydreamed about them.
As she got older and began reading fluently, she would go to the library and find books to satisfy her mind. Not being a sociable child, she became even more introspective as she got older. She went to church regularly, together with her mother and sisters, her brothers having dropped out as early as possible. And while she listened attentively and sang in the choir, she felt a sense of not belonging.
In the town, there was a small grocery store run by a Jewish man named Moshe, who seemed very old to Carla. On the High Holy Days, the grocery store was closed. Carla liked to come to the store to do a little shopping and talk to Moshe, especially as she grew older. He always had time and stories for her. One day, she asked him, "How do you like being a Jew?"
Moshe was not surprised. Carla was not one of your run-of-the-mill kids; she was a thoughtful girl, interested in the world. "It don't make much difference what I like, Carla. I was born a Jew and I'll die a Jew. That's what the good Lord wants from me, I guess." He stopped a moment. "Not everybody likes Jews, you know, but this town's been pretty nice to me. I got no complaints." Looking at her earnest face, he added honestly, "I'm not very learned or smart, never went to yeshivah."
"What's a yeshivah?"
"It's where boys go to study Talmud and become rabbis and teachers. Some boys go just to get educated in Jewish stuff."
"Why didn't you go?" Carla prodded.
"I went to work." He seemed to want to close her out.
One day, when she was already in high school, Carla came in with a new question. "Moshe, could I become a Jewish person? I read a lot about Jews and conversion and that sort of thing. I think I would like to be Jewish."
Moshe was surprised this time, and he was a little afraid for her. She really didn't understand what it meant to be a Jew in the outside world. He said, "This town's been good to me, Carla. But not every town and not all people care too much about Jews. Being born a Jew is the first strike against you. Today it's much better, but there was a time when a Jew couldn't get into the best schools or get the best jobs. Besides, a Jew has to live by a lot of rules and regulations that you don't even know about."
"I could learn," she said.
"What would your folks say?" Moshe could envision the tragedy she was heading into. "They maybe wouldn't even want you around if you tried to convert. They're good Christians. Stay the way you are."
Carla smiled a small smile. She picked up the bag of groceries she had come for and put some coins on the counter. "Pray for me, Moshe. I'm not coming back."
The town buzzed when Carla left. It buzzed even louder, several years later, when it heard she had converted to Judaism. Even the deacon fretted about it in his sermon on Sunday.
Carla was proud to be a Jew, but she could not hide her color. One Shabbos she went to a synagogue for services. The men at the door asked her if she was the new cleaning lady...
The rabbi with whom she studied got her a job and recommended a business school where she could learn computer programming. As it happened, she was a natural in this field.
With all its declarations of equality, the South is not too kindly disposed toward black people. Carla found it hard to get a job, even an entry one. Weeping one day to her mentor, she asked, "Where do I go from here?"
The rabbi, a kindly and understanding man, said, "I have a friend in Los Angeles. People out there are not thrown by skin color. I'll speak to him. Would you be ready to try your luck there?"
"Tell me where to go. I'll leave tomorrow. I'm ready to try anything now."
The rabbi was right. The lady who interviewed her on her first try at a new job was not particularly interested in color or gender. She wanted someone efficient and smart who could manage the company's computer programs. Carla got the job. Simon worked in another department. God moves His people on His giant chessboard, in His own mysterious ways.
Now Simon and Carla sat at Simon's mother's table, ill at ease, trying to make conversation. Mrs. Tolman had listened to Carla's story without comment. Now she asked tentatively, "Would you like tea?"
"Don't bother, Mother," Simon answered. "Let me show you some pictures of our apartment in LA."
Carla opened her bag and took out an envelope, but the picture showing wasn't very successful. The conversation lagged, and the three uneasy people tried to make something better of the unsatisfactory party. It didn't work too well.
When Simon and Carla were leaving, Simon began to put his arms around his mother. Almost instinctively, she drew back. She caught herself, but the gesture had made a statement. There was no kissing or hugging in the goodbyes. Outside, Carla wept.
Back home, in their Los Angeles apartment, they confronted each other in ultimate sadness. "Do you think your mother will ever accept me?" Carla asked.
"Isn't it enough that I accept you?" Simon asked angrily.
And so anger crept into their otherwise happy relationship. And fear crept into Carla's heart. Where were they going? What was going to happen?
Carla had made friends with a friendly woman, Dina, who sat next to her in shul on Shabbos. The Shabbos after Carla's visit to New York and her mother-in-law, Dina asked, "How was your trip?"
Carla looked her full in the face... "Dreadful."
"Was she pleasant to you?" Dina asked.
"She tried to be, but I think she was just too shocked. I told Simon he should tell his mother about me before we came, but he said it was better his way. It wasn't. It was awful."
Dina took her hand. "Carla, when Simon goes to the rabbi's class this afternoon, come visit me. We'll talk."
Shabbos afternoon. The most relaxed hours of the week. Dina and Carla were companionably engrossed with Dina's baby, the third in Dina's home. Dina brought up Carla's situation abruptly.
"I thought of something, Carla. It might not work, but then again, it just might. No harm in trying."
"What is it?"
"Simple. Every Friday, around nine or ten in the morning, about noon in New York, call up your mother-in-law and simply wish her good Shabbos. Just a pleasant, non-threatening call. You can add regards from Simon. That's all."
Carla looked at her friend gratefully. "Sounds simple, not very brilliant, but I will certainly try. Nothing to lose."
The first Friday Carla made the call, Mrs. Tolman recognized her voice and hung up the receiver, quietly but definitely. On the next two Fridays, it was the same. On the fourth Friday, Mrs. Tolman asked, "Why are you calling me?"
Carla caught her breath at Mrs. Tolman's voice, but she answered pleasantly, "Just called to say good Shabbos and have a very nice day."
There was a five-second silence. Then Mrs. Tolman said, "Thank you," and hung up.
Friday by Friday, for four long months, Carla called and Mrs. Tolman answered briefly and hung up. It was well into the fifth month when Carla called as usual and received no answer. She tried again, letting the phone ring for a while, and a third time half an hour later. No answer. She would ask Simon if his mother had been in touch with him at the office or if perhaps she had gone away for Shabbos. But she didn't usually.
By two o'clock, she knew it was almost Shabbos in New York, and Carla tried once more. She dialed without much enthusiasm. Then the doorbell rang. Putting the phone down, she hurried to the door.
Mrs. Tolman said simply, "Good Shabbos, my child." Carla flew into her arms. (www.innernet.org.il)



Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Korach 5770
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