Thorah Attitude 63-65

1.
BERESHIETH
2. NOACH
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Torah Attitude: Parashas Noah: The power of prayer

Summary
Looks can be deceiving. Only after Yom Kippur can we distinguish the true penitent from the
others. Just like the body needs three meals daily to sustain it, so does the soul crave the three
expressions of prayer on a daily basis. Isaiah refers to the flood as the "waters of Noah". The
prayer of Noah stopped the flood. Everyone is equal in front of G'd. It was necessary for the High
Priest to counteract the prayers of travellers. The prayers of killers placed the life of the High
Priest in real danger. Scientists have started to realize the power of prayer. Not one prayer is lost
or in vain. We have to try to be sincere in our daily prayers as we were on Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur
Just a few weeks ago, most Jews the world over stopped their daily routines to participate in the
Yom Kippur service. Many were deeply emerged in prayer and serious thoughts on this
awesome day. A passer-by observing an assembly for a few moments would think that all who
participated were righteous, repentant people totally committed to pursue a new year of mitzvah
observance. The Dubno Maggid, however, points out that looks can be deceiving, as is apparent
from the following parable.
Everyone looked the same
An extremely affluent person in a certain town was making an extravagant wedding feast to
celebrate the marriage of his daughter. The whole town was invited. All the guests were dressed
in beautiful clothing and adorned with the finest jewellery. A visitor from out of town attending the
wedding was under the impression that every member of this community was very rich based on
their attire. However, as the visitor stayed for a day or two after the wedding, he noticed that
many of the guests were rushing to return the outfits and jewellery that were rented or borrowed
for this special occasion. During the celebration, the visitor could not tell who was rich and who
was not. Everyone looked the same. It was only in the days following that the truth emerged.
Thus, says the Dubno Maggid, only after Yom Kippur, when people return to their regular
routines and to business as usual can we distinguish the true penitent from the others. Already at
the evening prayer after Neilah, the end of the Yom Kippur service, one can notice a difference,
and even more so a week or two after Yom Kippur; it can be difficult to believe that this is the
same people one saw on that most holy of days. Many have given back the conduct and
attitudes that were "borrowed" or "rented" for the day.
The soul craves prayer
People that only pray and show up in the synagogues on Yom Kippur miss the opportunity and
privilege to pray on a daily basis. Rabbi Yehuda Halevi in the Kuzari explains that just like the
body needs three meals daily to sustain it, so does the soul crave the three expressions of
prayer on a daily basis (Kuzari 3:5).
Noah failed to pray
In this week's Torah portion, we read about the great flood. The world at the time of Noah was
punished for its misdeeds. The prophet Isaiah refers to the flood as the "waters of Noah" (54:9).
Our sages explain that Noah was blamed for not praying for his generation when G'd notified him
that He was about to bring the flood (Zohar 1:67). This shows us that prayer is more than a
privilege. Although the obligation to pray three times a day had not been instituted yet, Noah was
expected to understand on his own his obligation to pray to avert the forthcoming calamity. Noah
was a righteous person; however, in some way due to his failure to pray, he was considered
responsible for the flood. This teaches us that just like a person who can stop a certain act is
considered responsible for that act for not stopping it (see Shabbat 54b), in the same way a
person is responsible for failing to pray to stop or avert a situation.
Everyone is equal
The Midrash Rabba teaches that every person has this power to make requests of G'd through
prayer (Beshalach 21:4). G'd is different than human beings. If a pauper approaches someone,
most people will not listen as carefully to the request and give it the same serious consideration
as if an affluent person approaches the same person. G'd, on the other hand, listens carefully to
all requests. Everyone is equal in front of G'd. The Midrash continues and points out that the
same expression is used in Tehillim when referring to the prayer of Moses (Tehillim 90) as is
used when referring to the prayer of the poor person (Tehillim 102). This confirms that everyone
is equal before G'd. The Midrash concludes that at the exodus from Egypt the Jews cried out to
G'd and Moses also started to pray. Moses was told by G'd, My children prayed and I have
already heard their prayers, so why are you praying? (Shemos 14:15). G'd listens to everyone's
sincere prayers.
Counteract travellers' prayers
Rabbi Simcha Zisel Ziv, the Alter of Kelm, points out that the High Priest would say a short prayer
upon entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. A significant part of this prayer was entreating
G'd not to listen to the prayer of travellers that it should not rain at the time when the world needs
rain. Who were these travellers that it was necessary for the holiest person standing on the
holiest place on the holiest day to counteract their prayers so that it should not interfere with the
needs of the rest of the world? They could be the simplest of people, general wayfarers, but if
they were stopped in their travels due to heavy rainfall they knew that the only one they could
turn to, the one to stop the rain, was the Almighty himself. Their prayer would be pure and
sincere. Such prayer would be very powerful and it was necessary to intervene on the highest
level to stop their effect.
The prayers of killers

On a similar note, says the Alter of Kelm, we find a very interesting Mishna in the Talmud
(Makkos 11a). The halacha is that if someone kills unintentionally, he shall flee to one of the
specially designated cities of refuge (see Bamidbar 35:9-34). Only after the death of the High
Priest can the killer return home (Ibid 28). Says the Mishna: "Therefore, the mothers of the High
Priests would provide food and clothing to the refugees so that they did not pray that their sons
(the High Priests) should die." From this we learn two lessons. On one hand, the Talmud (Ibid)
explains that the High Priest is considered somewhat guilty, as he should have prayed for his
generation that such calamities should not happen. Therefore, the life of the High Priest was in
real danger. On the other hand, we see the power of the prayer of even killers, who were
careless in their conduct and killed others. These people knew that the only way to get back
home would be if the High Priest died. Since they might pray to G'd with a clear realization that
only He could help them by letting the High Priest die, their prayers had real power. Again, we
see that no one is beyond the power of prayer.
Scientific results
It is interesting to note that even scientists have started to realize the power of prayer. Recently,
several medical journals have published amazing results from scientific studies. Patients who
had people praying for them, even without their knowledge, had a higher recovery rate than
patients who had no one praying for them.
Obligated to pray
We live in turbulent times. Millions of people the world over feel insecure about unknown
dangers. Although every person has the power to communicate to G'd through prayer, the Jewish
people, as descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, have been blessed with special powers to
pray as the chosen people. This is a privilege but with it comes special obligations. We have
specific times when to pray and what to pray. However, whether we use an established prayer
book or personal expression, whether we pray at the synagogue with a minyon or elsewhere,
whether we pray in Hebrew or in a language with which we feel more comfortable, it is all part of
our special privilege and obligation to pray. Our sages explain that this was the deeper meaning
of Isaac's statement when he blessed Jacob (Bereishis 27:22): The voice is Jacob's voice."
Never give up
We often find ourselves in situations where we feel powerless and wish there was something we
could do. Someone close to us is sick or is going through a difficult time with family issues or
financial problems. We tend to forget that we are in a position to do something: we can pray to
the One who has the real power to help and heal. We can also ask others who may have more
merits to include this person in their prayers. Even more, we can undertake to do things that can
add to our own merits and thereby be better equipped to pray ourselves. We must realize that we
should never give up. On the contrary, we must continue to pray, since the power of prayer is
cumulative. Moses prayed to G'd 515 times, begging to be allowed entry into the Promised Land
till G'd told him specifically to stop. The Jewish people is praying for almost two thousands years
for the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Temple. We continue to do so until we have
accomplished what we need. Not one prayer is lost or in vain. G'd listens to everyone, but only
He knows what is best for us and when it is the right time to satisfy our requests.
Praying for peace
Noah finally realized his mistake and began to pray. Rashi says that the prayer of Noah stopped
the flood (Beresheis 8:1), the waters began to dissipate, and G'd restored life to the earth again.
Who knows how much life could have been saved if Noah had only discovered his mistake
sooner? We too have the privilege and obligation to pray. On Yom Kippur, we cried our hearts out
to our merciful Father in Heaven. The Talmud (Berachot 6b) bemoans that prayer, which is so
exalted, is taken so lightly by people. Prayer is something that requires constant strengthening
and improvement (ibid. 32b). We have to try to be as sincere in our daily prayers as we were on
Yom Kippur. King David says, "G'd is close to all who call upon Him" (Tehillim 145:18). However,
there is one condition, as King David continues," to all who call upon Him sincerely". The sooner
we make sincere prayer a part of our daily routine, the sooner our prayers will help to restore the
wonderful blessings that G'd wishes to shower upon us. We are longing for peace in Israel and in
the rest of the world. With our prayer we have the ability to make a difference, and approach the
only One who has the power to establish peace once and for ever. As we say at the end of the
Amida prayer, "He who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us and upon all
the Jewish people." Then and only then will the world be filled with peace.
These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and
Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

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3. LECH LECHA
Torah Attitude: Parashas Lech Lecha: Testing,

testing, can you hear Me?
Summary
Before Abraham the world was in a very poor state. Human beings cannot measure the ability of
others without first administering a test. G'd does not need tests to measure our ability. G'd
wanted to demonstrate to the world how great was Abraham's love for G'd. Offspring inherit both
the spiritual and physical makeup of their ancestors. The Jewish people inherited our love for the
Holy Land from Abraham. " We also inherited from Abraham the ability to accept that "Whatever
G'd does is for the good". We further inherited from him the strength to withstand difficult tests.
Abraham
The Great Flood destroyed the world. Only Noah and those on the ark with him were saved. At
the Tower of Babel, G'd confused the one language so that people no longer understood each
and scattered everyone over the face of the earth. After these events, the world was in a very
poor state. Since the days of Enosh, idol worship had become the accepted norm and almost
everyone had forgotten about G'd. And then came Abraham, our patriarch, who, with his
unbelievable courage and lovingkindness, restored G'd's relationship with the world.
Ten tests
The Mishna says in Pirkei Avos (5:4), "Our forefather Abraham was tested with ten tests and he
withstood them all to show how great was Abraham's love for G'd". In general, a test is given to
someone to measure their ability to perform a certain task. For example, if a person wishes to
attend a prestigious school, there is an entrance examination to see how the person will handle
this test. When someone has a high score on the entrance examination, it proves that this
person has the necessary ability to perform well at the school. In the absence of prophecy or the
like, human beings cannot measure the ability of others without first administering a test.
Nothing is hidden from G'd

G'd, on the other hand, knows each of us even better than we know ourselves. Nothing is hidden
from Him. All of our thoughts and actions in the past, present and future are known to G'd. So
why would G'd put a person to a test? He knows the results even before the person performs the
test. Obviously, G'd does not need tests to measure our ability.
Abraham's great love for G'd
The answer is that G'd did not test Abraham ten times to see how he would perform. This is
apparent from the fact that G'd did not wait to choose Abraham as the patriarch of the Jewish
people until after the tests. As it says in Nehemiah (9:10-11), "You are HASHEM, G'd who chose
Abram, brought him out of Ur Kasdim and made his name Abraham and You found his heart
faithful before You." G'd first chose Abraham and then only afterwards did He test him in order to
demonstrate to the world how great was Abraham's love for G'd, as the above Mishna concludes.
"Genetic" testing
Rav Chaim Volozhiner points out an additional purpose of Abraham's ten tests. When a righteous
person toils and overcomes a test, he transmits to future generations the ability to build upon
what he already accomplished. Offspring inherit both the spiritual and physical makeup of their
ancestors (see Mishna Edeyos 2:9). As King Solomon says in Proverbs (20:7), "the righteous
person walks in his integrity, 'blessed' are his children after him." They are blessed because the
righteous path has already been paved for them. The offspring do not have to exert nearly as
much effort to raise themselves to spiritual heights, as they stand on the shoulders of their
righteous ancestors.
The Holy Land
Rav Chaim Volozhiner continues by pointing out that the Jewish people have been exiled from
our homeland for almost 2000 years. Nevertheless, the yearning to return to the Holy Land was
never extinguished. Throughout the generations Jews endured unthinkable hardships to fulfil
their dream of living in the land of our ancestors. Simple nationalism would not have lasted for
2000 years. There is a Holy Bond between the Holy Land and the Holy Nation. From where do
Jews all over the world have this drive? We inherited this from our patriarch Abraham. In this
week's Torah portion, G'd commands Abram, "Leave your land, your relatives, your father's
house, to go to the land that I will show you" (Bereishis 12:1). Abraham passed this difficult test,
leaving his whole life behind him to venture to an unknown land. The Land of Israel was given by
G'd to Abraham. The Jewish people inherited not just the land, but a special love for it from
Abraham. This strong and special bond continues to be passed down by generation to
generation right to our days.
Trust in G'd
The Jewish people have excelled in their ability to withstand tremendous hardships throughout
their long and bitter exile and always accepted that whatever G'd does is for the best. When
things apparently seemed to be bad, even simple Jews with their strong faith and trust in G'd,
knew that this was another hardship and test sent by G'd. >From where do they draw such
strength? Again, we inherited this trust in G'd from another of Abraham's tests. G'd commanded
Abraham to go to the Holy Land. Soon after he arrived, there was a severe famine and Abraham
had to descend to Egypt for food (Bereishis 12:10). Rather than to question G'd's wisdom of
originally sending him to a land where there was no food, Abraham trusted G'd. "Whatever G'd
does is for the good" (Berachot 60b) is an attitude that the Jewish people have inherited from
Abraham. With this inheritance, we have survived persecutions, pogroms, and other horrible
atrocities. When we put our trust in G'd in all situations we stand on the shoulders of our father
Abraham.
Difficult times
We live in difficult times. The descendants of Ishmael are terrorizing the world at large and the
Jewish people in particular. However, we must realize that all our hardships and difficulties are
G'd given tests. We experience today the fulfilment of the words of the angel to Hagar, the
mother of Ishmael. As it says in this week's Torah portion, (Bereishis 16:10-12) "I will greatly
increase your descendants you will become pregnant and give birth to a son and you shall
name him Ishmael and he will be a savage of a man, his hand against everyone and
everyone's hand against him, and over all his brothers (all over the world) shall he dwell." These
tests are designed to elevate us and bring us closer to the love of G'd, and we have to draw on
the strength and ability to withstand such difficult tests that we have inherited from our father
Abraham. Rather than trusting our own power and the might of our allies around the world, we
must overcome our tests by strengthening our faith and trust in G'd, just as Abraham did so many
years ago.

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4. VAYEIRA
5. CHAYE SARAH
6. TOLEDOTH
7. WAJETZE
8. WAJISHLACH
9. WAJESHEV
10. MIKETZ
Torah Attitude: Parashas Miketz, Blowing whistles

Summary
There was a very close connection between Joseph's time in prison and Pharaoh's dream. G'd's
will to have Joseph freed from prison was the real cause of Pharaoh's dream. In most cases, the
real cause is beyond human sight. Pharaoh and the butler and everyone else involved in the
process of releasing Joseph from prison were merely "whistleblowers" in the hands of the
Almighty. Our enemies at Purim and Hanukkah were just the instruments through which G'd
wanted to wake us up. The sin at Purim was done physically with our bodies. The sin at
Hanukkah was done spiritually at the Temple service. Those who rise up against the Jewish
people are just stones. The real power behind the stones is our own shortcomings.
End of two years
At the beginning of this week's portion we read, "It happened at the end of two years. And
Pharaoh was dreaming" (Be. 41:1). Why does the Torah mention that it was "at the end of two
years" when Pharaoh was having a dream? What was so special about these two years? The
Midrash Rabbah quotes a verse from Job (28:3) "An end was put to the darkness". Explains the
Midrash, the end of the two years refers to the end of Joseph's time in prison. As the two-year
term ended, then Pharaoh had a dream. On the surface, there does not appear to be any direct
connection between Joseph's time in prison and Pharaoh's dream. But as the Midrash explains,
in fact there was a very close connection.
Real cause and effect
At first reading, it appears that Pharaoh's desire to have his dream interpreted caused the butler
to remember Joseph's ability to interpret dreams. This seems in turn to cause Joseph to be freed
from prison. So it appears that Pharaoh's dream brought about Joseph's release from prison.
The famous Rav of Brisk, known as the Bais Halevi, explains that the truth is just the opposite.
G'd had decided that Joseph had to stay for another two years in prison. This resulted from
Joseph's failure to put his trust in G'd rather than relying on the butler, who he should have
realized was not trustworthy. But now it was time for Joseph to leave the prison and that is why
G'd brought about Pharaoh's dream. G'd's will to have Joseph freed from the prison was the real
cause for Pharaoh's dream. The Torah refers to "the end of two years" as a hint that Pharaoh's
dream was divinely arranged just in time for Joseph's release from prison.
Beyond human sight
This teaches us a very important lesson in life. What to the human eye seems to be the cause
might be the effect, and what seems to be the effect may be the cause. For example, if a person
has a very big profit from an investment in a certain stock that yields a large capital gain, we
would say that the cause is the investment in this particular stock and the effect is the profit. The
Torah here teaches us otherwise. When G'd decides that a person should have a profit, G'd
arranges events so that the stock being held as an investment will increase in value. While most
see the stock going up in value as the cause of the profit, G'd's desire to benefit the person is the
real cause. In most cases, the real cause is beyond human sight.
The whistle blower
The Chofetz Chaim compares this to a parable of someone that comes for the first time to the
train station and hears the whistle blower summoning passengers to the train. He sees how the
passengers board the train after they hear the whistle blow. The newcomer is in awe of this
person who appears to be the one in charge. He respectfully approaches the official, asking all
sorts of questions about the operations of the train station. The whistle blower looks at him with
amusement saying, "I can't answer these questions. You have to ask the stationmaster." The
newcomer responds, "I thought you were the stationmaster. You seem to be in control." He says,
"No my friend. I am just a low ranking employee who takes instruction from the stationmaster's
office. He is too busy and too important to go around the station blowing the whistle. He sits
upstairs in his office making sure that everything continues to run smoothly." So concludes the
Chofetz Chaim, many people make this mistake when they see people around them who seem
to be in control. The truth of the matter is that the one who really is in control is "Upstairs" hidden
from the human eye. The ones down here are nothing but whistle blowers. In reality, just like
Pharaoh, the butler and everyone else involved in the process of releasing Joseph from prison
were merely "whistleblowers" in the hands of the Almighty, so has everyone got a host of
"whistleblowers" around them all the time.
Purim and Hanukkah
With this in mind we can understand as the Bach, a commentary to Tour Shulchan Aruch,
explains, the difference in the way we celebrate Hanukkah as opposed to the way we celebrate
Purim. Both concern events when the Jewish people were in mortal danger and were saved from
our enemies. So why is it that Purim is a time of merriment, with an emphasis on eating and
drinking, whereas Hanukkah seems to be a more spiritual celebration, with candle lighting
(symbolizing the Jewish soul and the wisdom of Torah) and extra prayers? Explains the Bach,
again we have to look at the underlying cause. It was not just Haman and his cohorts at the time
of Purim or the Greek-Assyrian Empire at the time of Hanukkah that endangered the Jewish
nation. The real cause, as our sages explain, was the shortcomings of the Jewish people
themselves. Our enemies were just the instruments through which G'd wanted to wake us up.
Purim
The Talmud explains (Megillah 12A, see also Midrash Rabbah Ester 7:18) that the mistake in the
days of Mordechai and Ester was the participation of the Jews in banquets hosted by King
Ahashvairus. They were warned by Mordechai not to participate. Although the food served to the
Jews was under kosher supervision, it was not appropriate to join in the celebration that was full
of immorality and entertainment unsuitable for a holy nation. As the Jews sinned with their bodies
by participating in these festivities, their bodies became endangered. Haman, just like the Nazis,
did not care whether the Jews were observant or not. His intent was to annihilate all of them. He
was after the Jewish body. Only when the Jews repented and listened to Mordechai and with fast
days, extra prayer and Torah study, returned to our Father in heaven, did the danger pass. The
sin was the sin of the Jewish body. The danger was against the Jewish body. Therefore, we
celebrate Purim the way the body celebrates, with food and drink.
Hanukkah
On the other hand, explains the Bach, the events leading up to Hanukkah were of a different
nature. The Temple service had been slacking. That is why the Hellenists came and forbid
bringing sacrifices, lighting the Menorah, and other spiritual activities. They introduced the
worship of Greek idols and the admiration of the human body. Greek sporting events soon
replaced the Temple service in the holy city of Jerusalem. Only when the Hasmoneans stood up
and were ready to sacrifice themselves to restore the holiness of Jerusalem and rededicate the
Temple service did G'd miraculously help them. With G'd's intervention, the many were delivered
into the hands of the few, the strong were delivered into the hands of the weak, and the wanton
were delivered in the hands of those occupied in Torah study (Al Hanisim). A handful of Kohanim
was victorious over the most powerful army in the world. The Hellenists originally did not go after
the Jewish body but the Jewish soul. They wanted the Jews to assimilate and act like them. Just
like Communist Russia, as long as the Jews went along with the ideas and ideals of those in
power, they would leave them in peace. But as soon as the Jews wanted to observe the laws of
the holy Torah they were persecuted without any mercy. So we see that Hanukkah is totally
different than Purim. The sin of Hanukkah was spiritual. Therefore, the danger faced by the Jews
was spiritual annihilation. The victory came when Jews stood up to serve G'd in the way of their
forefathers. So we celebrate Hanukkah the way the soul celebrates, with candle lighting and
prayer.
Dog attacks the stone
The Chofetz Chaim quotes a strange statement from the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97A) that in the time
before Mashiach the generation will be in some way comparable to a dog. If someone throws a
stone at a dog, the reflex action of the dog will be to attack the stone. The dog does not
appreciate that the real danger is the power behind the stone. In the time before Mashiach, we
have been warned that our enemies will rise against us. Many people make the mistake thinking
that those who rise against us are the real danger. We dare not forget that they are just the
stones. The real power behind the stones is our own shortcomings. Our mistakes empower our
enemies to harm us. We have had plenty of wake-up calls. The time has come for us to identify
the real causes and not be fooled by appearances. We must stop focusing on the whistle blower
and direct attention to the One above so that we, like our ancestors, may be saved from our
enemies to again serve G'd in peace. Then the lights of the Menorah will burn bright again in the
Temple in Jerusalem.

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11. WAJIGASH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Vayigash: Better dead than

white
Summary
Joseph cleared the room to avoid embarrassing his brothers. With no one to protect him from his
brothers, Joseph put his life in danger. Joseph decided that it was better for him to die than to
shame his brothers. Joseph arranged for Benjamin's presence to fulfill the dream. Joseph was
ready to sacrifice everything to avoid embarrassing his brothers. A person should let himself be
thrown into a burning furnace rather than to embarrass someone in public. The pain of shame is
worse than death itself. Someone who shames another in public has no share in the world to
come. Mar Ukva and his wife jumped into a burning oven to protect a pauper from being
embarrassed. No good can come from causing embarrassment.
Joseph takes precautions

In last week's portion, Joseph pretends to be a stranger and puts his brothers through a number
of tests. The Rambam explains that this was to gauge their attitude towards the youngest
brother, Benjamin. In this week's portion, Joseph decides the time is right to reveal himself to his
brothers, but first he takes some precautions. As it says (Be 45:1), "Joseph could not restrain
himself in the presence of all those who stood in front of him, so he called out, 'Remove
everyone before me!'" Rashi explains that Joseph cleared the room because he could not bear to
let his brothers be embarrassed with all the Egyptians standing there.
Joseph's life in danger
The Midrash Tanchuma shares with us an insight how Joseph at this moment put his life in
serious danger. He could not know whether the attitude of the brothers had changed towards
him. Previously, his brothers had plotted to kill him. Now with everyone except his brothers
leaving the room, there would be nobody there to protect him. Why would Joseph put his life in
danger?
Better to die than to shame others
Explains the Midrash, Joseph felt that he would rather risk being killed than shaming his brothers
in front of the Egyptians. If Joseph revealed himself in front of the Egyptians then all would know
the story of how his brothers plotted to kill him and then sold him into slavery. This would cause
great shame to his brothers. Joseph decided that it was better for him to die than to shame his
brothers.
Dream fulfillment
We have to realize the enormous excitement that Joseph must have felt at this moment. He saw
in front of his eyes the fulfillment of the dream he had dreamt many years earlier. As it says (Be
42:9), "Joseph recalled the dreams that he had dreamed about them." The Ramban explains that
was why Joseph arranged that Benjamin should be brought down to Egypt. The dream showed
all eleven brothers bowing down to him. Benjamin's presence was necessary to fulfill the
prophetic vision of his dream.
Sacrifice everything
The fulfillment of his dreams had started to come true. And soon Joseph would be able to reunite
with his beloved father again. Furthermore, he understood that this was a most important
moment, not only for himself, but also for the entire Jewish nation. Nevertheless, he was ready to
sacrifice everything to avoid embarrassing his brothers.
Burning furnace
The Talmud (Baba Metziah 59A) teaches that a person should rather let himself be thrown into a
burning furnace than to embarrass someone else in public. The Torah tells the story of Tamar
who was prepared to be burned at the stake rather than expose Judah to embarrassment (Be
38:24-25). The Midrash explains that Tamar was divinely inspired to seduce Judah and that the
child born from this strange union would set the stage for the royal lineage leading to Moshiach.
Nevertheless she was ready to give everything up to spare Judah from embarrassment.
Turning white
The Talmud (ibid 58b) compares shaming someone to killing a person. The Torah commands
that a person should allow oneself to be killed rather than to kill another innocent victim. Similarly,
our sages say that a person should sacrifice oneself rather than to put another person to shame
in public. Someone who is put to shame will often go all white as the blood is drained from their
face, just as when a person is killed the heart stops pumping blood and the face turns white. In
fact, Rabeinu Yonah in his famous work, The Gates of Repentance (3:139), explains that that the
pain of shame is even worse than death itself.
No share in the world to come
With this we can understand the statement of the Talmud (ibid 59a) that someone who shames
another in public has no share in the world to come. This harsh punishment is not even
mentioned for someone who physically kills another person. Explains Rabeinu Yonah that the
one who puts his fellow to shame does not realize the seriousness of this sin. Therefore, the
transgressor will not be remorseful and will not repent. On the other hand, the one who kills
physically is much more likely to later regret this most evil act. From this we learn that the one
who shames another person and is later remorseful, repents, and asks forgiveness from the
victim, his share in the world to come is restored.
Mar Ukva and the pauper
To what extent a person must go to avoid putting another to shame is seen from an amazing
story in the Talmud (Ketuboth 67B). In the neighbourhood of one of the Rabbis of the Talmud,
Mar Ukva, there was an extremely poor person. The Rabbi would daily leave four coins behind
the pauper's door. In this way, the pauper would never see his benefactor. One day the pauper
decided to wait for his benefactor to arrive so that he could catch him in the act and see who he
was. That particular day Mar Ukva was late for the study hall and when he delivered the coins he
was walking together with his wife. When the pauper saw the coins being delivered, he ran out to
see who was there. Mar Ukva and his wife sensed that they were being followed so they ran
away and jumped into a hot stone oven. The feet of Mar Ukva started to burn on the stones, but
his wife's feet did not. His wife said, "Put your feet on mine." Mar Ukva felt bad that this miracle
only happened to his wife but not to him. She explained to him that she merited this miracle
because the kind of lovingkindness of her charity was greater than his. "I am at home and I
provide food for the needy to eat immediately. But you give them money with which they have to
go and buy food." Concludes the Talmud, what was the need for Mar Ukva and his wife to run
and hide in a hot stone oven? Because a person should rather let oneself get thrown into a
burning furnace than put another person to shame. Although the poor person was curious to
know who his benefactors were, Mar Ukva protected the pauper from being embarrassed to see
the great Rabbi providing him his daily needs.
No good if embarrass
The Torah attitude is that when we do a good deed, one has to be extremely cautious not to put
the recipient in an embarrassing situation. As the Talmud explains, when you give reproof to a
fellow human being, you should do it in a soft way. It says (Vayikra 19:17) "You shall reproof your
fellow and do not bear a sin because of him." Explains the Talmud, (Erchin 16B) that even
when one has to reprove someone, one has to be cautious not to speak harshly so as not to
embarrass. Even when we do a mitzvah we should be careful not to embarrass or put someone
to shame. The Torah teaches us to be sensitive and extremely cautious of other's feelings. When
it comes to embarrassment, we have to be extra careful. No good comes from causing
embarrassment in any situation even with the best intentions.

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12. WAJECHI
Torah Attitude: Parashas Vayechi: Keep smiling

Summary
Each tribe received a blessing from Jacob to strengthen and direct them according to their
nature and abilities. Better to smile at someone than to give them milk. All we need is to know
that G'd is happy with us. A smile is more valuable than any other effort to accept and
acknowledge others. Anyone who deprives others of the pleasantness of their cheerful face is a
thief. We learn from Jacob's punishment. There is more to be thankful for and to appreciate than
to complain about. Everyone appreciates and feels good about receiving a smile. The smile has
the power to elevate, encourage, and please anyone who receives it.
Yehuda's blessing
In this week's portion, Jacob blesses his children before he passes away. The Or Hachaim
explains, the meaning of "he blessed each according to his appropriate blessing" (Be 49:28).
Each tribe was blessed to strengthen and direct them to achieve their potential according to their
nature and abilities. For example, the final words of the blessing to the tribe of Yehuda, the tribe
destined for kingship and leadership in general, express that they will experience prosperity. As it
says "he (Yehuda) will launder his garments in wine and his robe in the blood of grapes. Red
eyed from wine, and white toothed from milk" (Be 49:11). The simple meaning of these poetic
words refers to the abundance of grapes producing wine and the abundance of cattle producing
milk. However, as we constantly find in the Torah, there is a deeper meaning as well.
White toothed
The Talmud (Ketuboth 111a) has a very interesting homiletical interpretation of the last part of
this passage. "The congregation of Israel says to G'd: 'Master of the Universe, wink to me with
Your eyes for that exhilarates me more than wine and smile at me with Your teeth for that is
sweeter to me than milk." The Talmud continues and says this is proof to what Rabbi Yochanan
said, "Better is the one who shows the white of his teeth (in a smile) to his friend, than the one
who gives him milk to drink." In other words, "white toothed from milk" can be interpreted as
"white toothed" is to be preferred to the milk.
We find another statement in the Talmud (Bava Bathra 9b): "Someone who gives a coin to the
poor will be blessed with six blessings, whereas the one who addresses him with words of
comfort will be blessed with eleven blessings (even if he does not give him a donation)." Explains
the Maharal, the one who provides milk to drink or a coin for the poor provides a physical
donation that sustains the person for a little while. Whereas the one who smiles at or comforts
the poor with encouraging words, gives the person an everlasting feeling of self worth. This lifts
the person's spirits and sustains the recipient at least as much as any donation.
G'd's face
In Psalms (80:8) it says, "G'd of legions, return us and illuminate Your face that we may be
saved." Say our sages, the Jewish nation ask G'd to illuminate His face to us. That is all we ask
for. That is all we need. When G'd illuminates His face to us it is an expression that G'd is happy
with us and He wants us. What can be more important to us than knowing that G'd is happy with
us?
Need for acceptance and approval
Rav Wolbe, one of the greatest Musar exponents of today, explains that just like this is all we
want from G'd, in the same way there is no greater thing we can give each other. Everyone has a
need to be accepted and approved of by others. People get frustrated, even devastated, when
they do not get invited to a Bar Mitzvah, wedding or other event. Not so much because they want
to attend the affair, as they want to be acknowledged. When we have done something, we are
waiting for a sign of approval from the people around us, such as a thank you, a kind word of
appreciation or encouragement, even a nod with the head. Anyone can with a smile
acknowledge the other person's existence and approve of the person's actions. It is the easiest
and cheapest way of accepting and approving others and it is more valuable than any other
effort. When someone holds the door for the person coming behind, it is not just a matter of
extending a courtesy to a fellow human being; rather, it is acknowledging the other person's
existence as a worthy member of society.
Cheerful face
The Mishna (Pirkei Avos 4:20) says, "Always be the first one to greet every person." The Talmud
(Berachot 17a) relates that no one ever met the great Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai in the street
who greeted him before he greeted them. Shammai, who was known as a stern and strict
person, used to say, "Receive everyone with a cheerful face" (Pirkei Avos 1:15). Our sages
elaborate on this and say, if you give the most precious gifts in the world with a stern face it is as
if you did not give anything. But if you accept someone with a cheerful face it is worth more than
the most precious gift you could ever give. Rav Dessler once admonished one of his pupils who
was walking around with a long face. He said, "You are like a thief!" and explained that the face
of a person is a public domain for everyone to see. He questioned, "What right do you have to
deprive your fellow human beings of the pleasantness of a cheerful face?"
Jacob's punishment
As a matter of fact, we learn from Jacob himself how important it is to appear pleasant and
cheerful in all situations. The Ramban (Bereishis 47:9) explains that when Joseph brought Jacob
to Pharaoh, Pharaoh was taken aback at the sight of a man who looked exceedingly old. This
prompted him to ask Jacob the unusual question about how old he was. To this Jacob answered:
"I am not really as old as I appear but I have suffered a lot in life and that is why I look so old."
The Midrash (quoted by Da'as Zekeinim Miba'alei Hatosafoth) relates that at this point G'd said
to Jacob: "I saved you from Eisav and Laban. I brought you back Dinah and Joseph, and you
complain that your days have been few and bad [and that they have not reached the days of
your forefathers.] I promise you that I will deduct from your life the amount of words recorded in
the Torah regarding this incident, compared to the lifespan of your father Isaac." Isaac lived for
180 years whereas Jacob only lived 147 years, a difference of 33 years, the equivalent of the
words of these two verses.
Be thankful
Says Rav Chaim Shmulevits, it is difficult for us to understand that it was considered wrong of
Jacob to explain himself in the way he did. However, this teaches us how under all
circumstances one must accept that everything G'd does is for the good, and the blessing of
being alive outweighs all difficulties and tribulations of life. But how can we try to understand why
Jacob should be punished for the eight words of the first verse recording Pharaoh's question?
Answers Rav Shmulevits that since Jacob's experience of being old and worn brought about
Pharaoh's question, he was punished for that as well. As my father, Reb Eliyahu Kahn, always
used to teach: "In every situation in life, there is more to be thankful for and to appreciate than to
complain about."
Good morning!
We all know the difference it makes how we are greeted when we meet or call someone on the
telephone. It can make or break the day for someone. A cheerful "good morning" can put us in a
good mood; whereas, the opposite can spoil our good mood. Just like little infants respond to a
smile by smiling back, so too every adult appreciates and feels good about receiving a smile.
Smile power
The smile has the power to elevate, encourage, and please anyone who receives it. It is
something that we can all give with little effort. No one is too rich or too poor to smile. No one is
too big or too little to smile. This is one of the final messages given by our patriarch Jacob. And it
was recorded in our holy Torah to emphasize that this relates to everyone and at any time. Keep
smiling, and may the whole world smile back at you.

P.S. Can you figure this one out?
What is it?
It costs no money, yet its benefits are great.
It is liked by all, if it comes soon or late.
It enriches those who get, without diminishing those who give it.
No one is too rich to refuse, and no one is too poor to afford it.
You cannot buy one with money, nor can it be taken away,
It needs little effort; it is easily produced each day.
It has no value for the owner, until he gives it away.
It can come fast as lightning, yet its memory will stay.
No one turns it down, we hope to receive one tomorrow,
It brightens the home, and chases away our sorrow.
When no one has one, it is needed even more,
It's a smile on your face that will always score!!!
Adapted by Rabbi S. Wagschal

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13. SHEMOTH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Shemos: Sweet and sour

Summary
The Egyptian saved Jethro's daughters. Appreciate the wild donkey that bit me and the Egyptian
I killed. Rewarding a speaker of gossip with treasure. Life can be a sweet and sour experience.
Try to recognize the good, even from bad situations.
The Egyptian
In this week's Torah portion, Moses witnesses an Egyptian dealing deadly blows to a Jew. In
order to save the Jew, Moses kills the Egyptian. When Pharaoh finds out, he orders that Moses
be put to death. Moses flees Egypt in a hurry and ends up in Midyan. There he saves the
daughters of Jethro from the bullying shepherds of Midyan. The daughters had for some time
been taunted because their father had stopped bowing down to idols and had started serving
G'd. Moses sees what is happening and steps in to chase the bullies away. When the daughters
come home, Jethro questions them as to how they have returned earlier than usual. They tell him
that an "Egyptian" saved them from the bullies. Now while it is true that Moses had spent many
years in Egypt, our Sages tell us that it is unusual that Moses should refer to himself as an
Egyptian. Rather, our Sages teach us that there is an important lesson to be learned from this
reference to the "Egyptian".
Wild Donkey
The Midrash (Rabbah 1:32) compares this to a man that has just been bitten in the leg by a wild
donkey. To relieve his pain, the man rushes over to a river where he dunks his aching leg in the
cool rushing waters. Just then, the man sees a young child drowning in the raging torrents. The
man stretches out his hand and pulls the child to safety. The child thanks the man profusely and
tells him that "if not for you, I would have surely died." The man corrects the child and says "it
was not I that saved you, but the donkey. If the donkey had not bitten me, I would not have had
the opportunity to pull you from the river."
Don't thank me
Says the Midrash, when the daughters of Jethro thanked Moses for saving them from the
bullying shepherds, he responded: "The Egyptian that I killed he saved you." Concludes the
Midrash: This is what Jethro's daughters told their father: who caused Moses to come here; the
Egyptian that he killed. Had he not perpetrated his evil act, Moses would not have run away from
Egypt.
Irrespective of intentions
But does this make any sense? Is it not strange to suggest that one should attribute anything
good to a wild donkey that bites a man, or an Egyptian that tries to beat a Jew to death? Why
should the donkey or the Egyptian get any credit for their misdeeds? Is it not contradictory to give
praise for an evil or harmful act? In order to understand this we must differentiate between the
actual act that took place and the benefit derived from this act. The Torah does not propose to
give credit for a misdeed or to praise a harmful or evil act. But if we receive a benefit from any
person or being, it is important to realize that this was orchestrated by G'd for us. This also
applies to situations where the benefit comes indirectly and even from evil acts and deeds. This
is what Joseph said to his brothers at the end of last week's portion ,(Bereishis 50:20): "You
intended to harm me, but G'd intended it for the good, in order to keep alive a vast people."
All for our benefit
We all have our challenges in life such as economic hardships, sickness, or the loss of a close
relative or friend. Almost instinctively we ask why is this happening, why is G'd doing this to me?
The truth is that in most cases we have no way of knowing why G'd made this or that happen.
But once we realize and accept that this is an act of G'd, we must remember and internalize the
basic lesson that Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto teaches us in Derech Hashem (The Way of G'd,
Part 1, Ch.2) that the raison d'?tre of creation is for G'd to do good to man, and every act of G'd
is for man's benefit. We may not see it immediately and we may never fully understand it while
living in this temporary world of ours, but we must believe it.
Horrific accident
One of the greatest Torah leaders of our generation was once visiting a bereaved family during
the Shiva after a horrific traffic accident where they had lost several family members. He said that
we can neither start to fathom the ways of G'd, nor can we question them. Not only because we
are obligated to accept them as a Divine decree, but rather because we never know what really
is good for us. As an example, he mentioned that prior to the outbreak of World War II, Germany
and Russia split Poland between them. Many Jews who lived close to the Russian border were
exiled to Siberia. Their families and friends were devastated and could not stop worrying for their
fate. In the end, it turned out that many of those exiled survived the war, whereas the "lucky"
ones who had been left behind were killed by the Nazis. The family asked the Rabbi, how could
there possibly be any benefit from such a horrific accident? To this the Rabbi answered that in
every society there are values that are greater than life for which people are ready to risk their
lives, i.e. to save other people or to fight for one's homeland. In the Torah we also find that we
are obligated to give up our life rather than to bow down to idols, to kill someone else, or to
commit adultery. Similarly, if others are inspired to live more productive lives through an accident
or catastrophe, by realizing how fragile life can be, this can be a greater merit for the ones who
perished than they could have achieved in a long life.
Repent and return
The world is in shock after the great catastrophe that was caused by the earthquake and tidal
waves in Asia, where tens of thousands have been killed, hundreds of thousands wounded, and
millions have been left homeless. Again, we have no way of understanding or interpreting G'd's
ways and acts. But if we turn to our great prophets of the past we can gain some general insight
and benefit from such a major catastrophe. In Zephaniah (3:5-7) it says: "G'd is righteous
does not do any injustice, everyday He judges I have wiped out nations, have made desolate
their high towers, I have destroyed their marketplaces laid their towns empty I said fear Me
learn a lesson " On this the Talmud (Yevamot 63a) comments that whenever G'd punishes
anywhere in the world it is at the same time a call to the Jewish nation to repent and to return to
the ways of G'd.
Treasure behind the walls
However, we still need to clarify why G'd would punish a person or a group of people to inspire
and teach others or bring about a benefit through an evil act. Before trying to understand this
apparent difficulty, let us look at one more situation. In Parashas Metzora (Vayikra 14:33-53), we
are taught that a person who spoke badly about another may be punished with "leprosy" on the
walls of his house. This could be very embarrassing to the speaker if his neighbours found out
about the infected walls. Furthermore, in some cases, it was necessary to knock down the walls
in order to get rid of the "leprosy". Now when the Jewish people entered the land of Israel, some
took possession of houses that had been abandoned by the Canaanites. When it was necessary
to knock down a Jewish owned Canaanite house due to "leprosy", lo and behold, there were
treasures hidden in the walls. The speaker of gossip received both the punishment of having his
house knocked down and the reward of finding buried treasures at the same time. Why would
the Master of the Universe reward a gossiper with a treasure?
Sweet and sour
The Sages teach us that rarely is life totally black or totally white. Many times, life can be a
"sweet and sour" experience. A speaker of gossip may be punished by having the walls of his
house knocked down, while being rewarded with the treasure inside the walls because even one
who speaks evil about others may have some merit for which he is entitled to receive a reward.
Similarly, even a wild donkey that bites, or an evil Egyptian who beats, may have done some
good with their lives. The sages teach us that there are no accidents or coincidences in life. If
something bad leads to something good, then the evildoer has some merit that deserves to be
rewarded. If G'd chose someone to be instrumental in saving others, that person must have had
some merit. Similarly, when something good leads to something bad, the one who did good must
have had some fault that needs to be corrected. As it says in the Talmud (Shabbos 32A), G'd
brings something good through a person who has a merit, and something bad through a person
who has a fault.
Benefit from pain and suffering
The man who saved the child taught the child to give credit to the donkey because he
appreciated the act that led him to the child, even though it was very painful at first. Moses told
Jethro's daughters to give credit to the Egyptian for saving them for although the Egyptian
certainly deserved punishment for his misdeeds, he nevertheless set in motion the whole chain
of events which led Moses to Midyan, and to save them.
Recognize good even from bad situations
The world can be a nasty and dangerous place. Sure we can get beaten and bitten by man and
beast or punished directly by acts of G'd. But sometimes being bitten by a donkey may help us
save a person from drowning or a punishment from G'd can entail side-benefits for us or others.
In such cases, instead of focusing on the pain or the suffering, one must recognize the good that
came out from a bad situation. The world can be seen in many different ways. If we appreciate all
the good around us, and focus on the benefits of life, trying to extract the good from the bitings
and beatings, we will live a much more pleasant and happy life.

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14. VAEIRA
Torah Attitude: Parashas VaEira: An attitude of

gratitude
Summary
Aaron replaced Moses to perform the first three plagues. There is an obligation to care for and
show gratitude to inanimate objects. If we fail to be sensitive to the benefits we received from
inanimate objects, eventually we will fail to be sensitive to the benefits we receive from our fellow
human beings. Just because one pays for a service or item does not take away the obligation to
appreciate the service rendered or the item provided. There are two kinds of visitors to this
world. Every child is obligated to show gratitude to their parents and Gd. This weeks Torah
Attitude is that one who lacks sensitivity to express appreciation to inanimate objects will
eventually not show appreciation to parents and Gd.
Why Aaron?
In this weeks Torah portion (Shemos 7:19), Moses is instructed by Gd: Say to Aaron, Take your
staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt and they [the waters] shall become
blood. It seems strange why Gd commands Moses to ask Aaron to initiate the first of the ten
plagues, turning the water in Egypt into blood. Why did Gd not command Moses to perform this
himself?
Aaron performs three plagues
In last weeks portion (Shemos 4:10), after Moses complained to Gd that because of his speech
impediment, he was heavy of mouth and heavy of speech, Gd told Moses that Aaron would
speak on his behalf to the people. However, Gd expressly told Moses that he would perform the
miracles with his staff, as it says: (Shemos 4:17) And this staff you shall take in your hand, with
which you shall perform the signs. So why did Aaron, and not Moses, take the staff to perform
the first plague? And not only did Aaron perform the first plague of blood, he also used the staff to
bring about the second plague of frogs (Shemos 8:1) and the third plague of lice (Shemos 8:12).
For each of these three plagues, Gd commanded Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out the staff and
strike the water and the dust of the land to perform the plagues. Yet for the remaining seven of
the ten plagues, Moses was instructed by Gd to bring them about without Aarons involvement.
So what was so different about the first three plagues that required Aarons participation?
The water protects Moses
Rashi quotes from our sages that the reason why Moses could not be the one to bring about the
first three plagues was because he had received a personal benefit from the water and the dust.
Pharaoh had commanded that every boy who was born at the time of Moses birth, be killed by
throwing them into the river (Shemos 1:22). Moses mother hid him for three months and then
placed him in a wicker basket among the reeds of the bank of the Nile River (Shemos 2:3).
Rather than killing him, the water actually protected Moses from the fate of the other boys who
were drowned in the river, until Moses was taken from the basket by Pharaohs daughter. So we
see that Moses life was saved by the waters of Egypt.
The dust benefits Moses
Similarly, Moses received a great benefit from the dust of Egypt. When Moses grew up he saw
an Egyptian man striking a Jewish man. He killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand (Shemos
2:12). Again, we see how the sand, or dust, of Egypt provided a benefit to Moses.
Three questions
This raises a number of questions: (1) Water and dust are inanimate objects. They have no
choice whether to provide or withhold benefits. They merely exist and it is the person who utilizes
them for a particular benefit. Why should that be a reason for Moses not to perform the plagues
that affected the water and dust?; (2) The water and dust have no feelings so what is the
purpose not to offend them and to show them gratitude and appreciation?; and (3) In a sense, it
is a merit and honour for the water and dust that Gd brings about the first three plagues through
them, so why should it be considered an offence to them?
Dont shame food
Similar questions arise from various Talmudic passages. The Talmud (Eruvin 64b), teaches that if
food is found lying about on the ground, one is obligated to put it away. From this the Halachic
authorities learn that one must not step on food to avoid putting the food to shame (see Shulchan
Aruch, Orach Chaim 180:4). The Talmud (Bava Kama 92b), quotes a popular saying: The pit
you drank water from, dont throw a rock into it. It appears from these teachings that there is an
obligation to care for and show gratitude to inanimate objects, such as food and water. Again, the
question arises, what is the purpose for this?
Intellect and emotions
The great Mussar thinker, Rabbi Eliyahu Elieser Dessler, explains that a person functions on two
levels. On one level, our actions are directed by our intellectual understanding. On the other
level, our actions are affected by our emotions and sensitivities. Although in general it is
commendable for a person to function on his intellectual understanding rather than his emotional
feelings, human nature is constantly affected by feelings. From a purely intellectual point of view,
it does not make any sense to show gratitude to an inanimate object. However, if we fail to be
sensitive to the benefits we received from inanimate objects, eventually we will fail to be sensitive
to the benefits we receive from our fellow human beings.
Gratitude to parents
Rabbi Dessler teaches that the person who fails to recognize his obligations to food and water
that sustains him will one day fail to show gratitude to his parents as well. Parents who bring their
child into this world do not necessarily do so for totally unselfish reasons. As they care for their
child from infancy to adulthood, no doubt they often enjoy tremendous pleasures that their child
generates. So if parents have selfish reasons for rearing their child, why should their child show
appreciation to them? However, the Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 33) explains that every child is
obligated to show gratitude to their parents for having brought them into the world. As such,
every child should feel obligated to honour and help their parents in anyway possible in
appreciation for all their dedication in raising their child. While it is true that parents enjoy raising
their child, this does not in any way diminish the childs obligation to fully appreciate the benefits
received. Appreciation is not dependent on the parents intentions or their difficulties in raising
their child. Rather the obligation to feel appreciation comes from the benefit received by the child.
The same principle applies in all kinds of relationships: husband and wife, employer and
employee, merchant and customer, etc. Just because one pays for a service or item does not
take away the obligation to appreciate the service rendered or the item provided. Gd wants to
educate us to be generous and to develop a love to give. People who are generous and giving
want to reciprocate any goodness and benefit they receive. The fact that providers enjoy doing
their jobs and are paid for their services does not change the urge of generous recipients to
express their appreciation and at least say thank you.
Two guests
Our Sages (Brachos 58a) bring home this message by telling us about two guests: one with the
attitude of gratitude, and the other without. The one with gratitude says: How much bother did
the host go through for me. Look how much meat he served me, how much wine he gave me to
drink, and how many delicacies he brought me. The one without gratitude says: What did the
host already do for me? I only ate a little bread and a slice of meat. I drank one cup of wine. He
did not really go through much bother for me since this meal was really being served for his
family. The first guest appreciates everything that has been done for him; whereas the second
guest minimizes what he has received and focuses on what the host had to do in any case. The
Vilna Gaon interprets this passage from the Talmud about the two visitors to refer to two kinds of
visitors in this world. Gd is the host that created and prepared everything for the benefit of
man. The appreciative visitor to this world sees a world that provides him with all his needs from
the day he is born throughout his life. He understands that even the difficult tests and challenges
he goes through are ultimately for his benefit. He appreciates everything and does not feel
anyone owes him anything, neither Gd nor man. On the other hand, the non-appreciative person
feels that everything is owing him, and he does not owe anyone even a thank you: Gd should
provide me with whatever I need and want. It does not cost Gd anything to give me what I need
and He even enjoys giving so why should I have to thank Him? As far as his fellow human
beings, he imagines that everyone is as selfish as he, and whatever they do they have their own
interest in mind.
Parents and Gd
People who show gratitude to their parents and do not cause them pain will also show gratitude
to Gd and make an effort not to cause Him pain, and vice versa. As the Talmud says (Kedushin
31a) that when a child causes pain to his parents, Gd declares: It is good that I did not dwell
amongst them. Had I dwelled with them, the child would have caused Me pain as well.
Importance of gratitude
We can now understand and appreciate that from an intellectual point of view there is no purpose
to show gratitude to water and dust. It can even be considered as an honour for these elements
to be partners in doing Gds will to bring the plagues. Nevertheless, Moses was precluded from
performing the first three plagues since he de facto had received a benefit from the water and the
dust. Had Moses performed the first three plagues, his involvement would diminish his sensitivity
for the benefits he received, and could eventually affect his relationships with his fellow human
beings and Gd as well. The Torah teaches us the importance of gratitude and showing
appreciation. Even one who lacks sensitivity to express appreciation to inanimate objects will
eventually not show appreciation to other people and Gd.

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15. BO
Torah Attitude: Parashas Bo: Exiting the exile

Summary
Even in the most difficult of times, G'd always remembers the Jewish people. A major
earthquake is caused when two Divine tears fall down from above into the great ocean. Although
G'd is slow to anger, eventually the Day of Reckoning and Judgment will come. History will
repeat itself. These are the times referred to as "birth pangs of Mashiach". Our belief and trust in
G'd are being tested. We are obligated to believe G'd will take us out of this exile through
Mashiach. The exiles will only be gathered as a reward for their trust in G'd.
G'd remembers
In last week's Torah portion (Shemos 7:3), Rashi quotes our sages that when G'd punishes the
nations of the world, it is also a message to the Jewish people that they should learn to fear G'd
(see also Torah Attitude Parashas Shemos). In the beginning of this week's portion, G'd tells
Moses that he is going to harden the heart of Pharaoh and his servants in order to bring upon
them His signs (i.e. the plagues). In addition it says (Shemos 10:1-2) that the purpose of the
plagues was: "So that you shall tell your children and grandchildren how I made mockery of
Egypt and the signs that I placed among them and that you shall know that I am G'd." We see
that this is not just a message for the Jewish people who experienced the exodus from Egypt but
for all generations to strengthen their faith and trust in G'd and to realize that even in the most
difficult of times, G'd always remembers the Jewish people. As G'd told Moses when He revealed
Himself at the Burning Bush (Shemos 3:7), "I've seen the affliction of My people in Egypt, I've
heard their outcry and I know their sufferings and I will descend and save them from the hand
of the Egyptians and I will bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land "
Earthquakes from G'd's tears
In this connection, there is a fascinating interpretation of the Talmud (Berachot 59a) provided by
one of the early commentaries, Rabbenu Chananel. (For many years this, and other parts of the
Talmud, have not been printed due to censorship and fear of various non-Jewish governments.)
This commentary is especially relevant with the recent tsunamis in mind. It is well known that
every word of G'd has many meanings on many levels and that every act of G'd has many
reasons and many purposes. The Talmud discusses what causes an earthquake and offers a
homiletical insight. When G'd sees how the nations of the world cause pain to the Jewish people,
He has in mind to bring a flood. As G'd recalls His promise that He will not bring another flood
(see Bereishis 9:15), two Divine tears are shed and fall down from above into the great ocean.
The noise reverberates from one end of the world to the other. This is the cause of an
earthquake. Says Rabbenu Chananel, this is all to show the Jewish people that G'd has neither
forsaken them, nor forgotten them, or left them behind and that in the future, He will bring them
back to their land. Earthquakes come to strengthen the Jewish people and help them not to give
up hope for the coming redemption, and to accept their afflictions till such time when G'd will
decree that the exile has come to an end. This is similar to the situation of the Jews having to
accept the exile and affliction in Egypt. These are signs of G'd's association with the Jewish
people and their difficult situation and that G'd's mercy has never departed from the Jewish
people. When we see this, concludes Rabbenu Chananel, we strengthen ourselves and increase
our observance of the Torah and its commandments.
Slow to anger
Another of the early commentaries explains the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos with a similar thought. It
says (Pirkei Avos 5:2): "There were ten generations from Adam to Noah to let us know how slow
G'd is to anger. For all these generations made G'd increasingly angry until He brought upon
them the waters of the flood." Says Rabbenu Yona, this is to teach us that although G'd is slow to
anger, eventually the Day of Reckoning and Judgment will come. So also in our exile we should
not despair and think that this will take forever. Eventually, everyone will get to bear the
consequences of their conduct when G'd will redeem His nation.
History repeats
Just as at the exodus from Egypt G'd made wonders and miracles for the Jewish people and at
the same time He punished the Egyptians, history will repeat itself. As the Prophet Micah says
(7:15): "Just like in the days of the exodus from the land of Egypt I will show you wonders, the
nations will see it and all their might will dry up."
The birth pangs of Mashiach
We live in difficult times. Our Torah sages tell us that these are the times referred to as "birth
pangs of Mashiach". Just like an expectant mother has extreme pain in the last phase of her
pregnancy before giving birth, so too we were told that the last phase of our exile would be
difficult and painful. On one hand, it is a scary time. We are lost for political and military solutions
to the situation in Israel and its effects on all of us throughout the world. On the other hand, we
must take comfort in the realization that this is part of a larger development that ultimately will
lead to the coming of Mashiach. When Mashiach "is born" (assumes his leadership role) there
will be complete redemption for the Jewish people and complete peace for everyone. No one can
say how long this will take. In historic perspective, this could take days, weeks, months, or many
years. But we eagerly anticipate his arrival every day.
Testing our belief and trust in G'd

Our belief and trust in G'd are being tested just as the Jewish people were tested prior to the
exodus from Egypt. When Moses came to Egypt as G'd's prophet to inform the Jews that they
were going to be redeemed, Pharaoh made their lives even more miserable than they were
before. Rather than appear as their redeemer, the arrival of Moses at first seemed to bring more
pain and difficulty. However, G'd had His reasons for allowing this and it all fit into His masterplan
to bring forward the Exodus from Egypt. It is easier for us to stay strong in our faith as we live
through these difficult times if we remember and learn from our past and realize that our pain is
bringing the coming of Mashiach closer and closer.
The commandment to believe in the arrival of Mashiach
In the first of the ten commandments, G'd says "I am HASHEM your G'd Who has taken you out
of Egypt." The Smag, one of the great codifiers of the 613 commandments, explains that this
commandment first of all tells us to believe that G'd took us out of Egypt. However, it also
includes that based on the knowledge that G'd kept His promise and took us out of Egypt, so too
we are obligated to believe, and have full trust, that G'd will keep His promise, as He has notified
us through His prophets, that He will take us out of this exile through Mashiach.
Redemption
Our sages say (Yalkut Shimoni Beshalach 240) that our ancestors were only redeemed from
Egypt in the merit of their trust in G'd. As it says (Shemos 4:31) "And the people believed and
they heard that HASHEM had remembered the children of Israel, that He saw their affliction "
Concludes the Yalkut, so too will the exiles only be gathered as a reward for their trust in G'd.
May we merit the fulfillment of these words speedily in our days.

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16. BESHALACH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Beshalach: Prayer Obligation or occupation?

Summary
With the Egyptians in pursuit, the Jewish people were frightened and cried out to HASHEM.
What do our sages mean when they refer to prayer as an occupation? Spending nine hours
praying is not and has never been the norm. There are two kinds of prayer. Special prayers were
referred to at the inauguration of the Temple. The well-being of family and business is G'd's
doing. As Jews we should not define ourselves by what we do for a living. The occupation of the
Jewish nation is prayer. The nations of the world will achieve their accomplishments through the
work of their hands and other natural efforts; whereas, the Jewish people achieve our
accomplishments by turning ourselves to G'd through prayer. We are totally dependent on G'd in
good times and bad. One should pray as a needy person begging for his needs. Although there
are two kinds of prayer, there is only one sincerity with which to say any prayer.
This Torah Attitude will explore the meaning of that prayer is the "occupation of our forefathers."
Frightened and cried out
In this week's portion, while on their way after the exodus from Egypt, the Jewish people
suddenly see the Egyptians pursuing them. As it says (Shemos 14:10): "And the children of
Israel raised their eyes and behold Egypt is travelling after them and they got very frightened and
the children of Israel cried out to HASHEM." Rashi quotes from our sages that as they were
crying out to HASHEM they took to the occupation of their forefathers.
Prayer as an occupation?
The Talmud (Berachot 26b) learns from Scripture that Abraham was the one who instituted the
morning prayer, Isaac the afternoon prayer, and Jacob the evening prayer. However, we may ask
what do our sages mean when they refer to prayer as an occupation? We know that Abraham
operated a guest house in the desert, Isaac was envied by the Philistines because of his many
enterprises, and Jacob is referred to as being a student of the study halls of Shem and Eber.
Later when he lived with Lavan he built up flocks and herds tendered by his shepherds as had
Abraham and Isaac before him. So why is it that the occupation of our patriarchs is said to be
prayer rather than how they made a living?
Nine hours
The Talmud relates (Berachot 30b) that there were extremely righteous people who spent three
hours for each of the three daily prayers for a total of nine hours per day. For these people it may
be understandable to say that prayer was their occupation. But praying for nine hours is not and
has never been the norm and we do not find any reference that this was the case for our
Patriarchs.
Two kinds of prayer
The words of our sages need further clarification. We find that there are two distinct kinds of
prayer: the regular daily prayers and prayer in times of need and danger. When Jacob told
Joseph (Beresheis 48:22) that he was giving him an extra portion which he had taken from the
Emorites with his sword and his bow, the Targum Onkelus interprets this as referring to prayer
and supplication. The commentaries explain that prayer means the daily prayers and
supplications refers to the special prayers said in the times of need and danger.
Special prayers
It says: (Bamidbar 10:9) "When you go to war in your land against an enemy that oppresses you,
you shall blow in your trumpets and you shall be remembered before HASHEM your G'd " The
Ramban, in his Annotations on the Rambam's Book of the Commandments (Mitzvah 5), explains
that this is a commandment to cry out in prayer with trumpet blasts when the community is in
distress and danger. It is this kind of prayer that King Solomon referred to at the inauguration of
the Temple. He was pleading with G'd and said: "When there is no rain when there is hunger
or other natural calamities as well as when the enemy attacks, or when there is any sickness.
Every prayer, every supplication and You shall listen in heaven at the foundation of Your
dwelling place "(Books of Kings I 8:35-39). And it is this kind of prayer the Jews prayed as they
cried out when they stood before the Sea with the Egyptians in pursuit. So it seems strange to
suggest that this conduct followed in the footsteps of the Patriarchs who instituted regular daily
prayer services.
How are you doing?
The following stories shed a new light on all this. The Bais Halevi, the famous rabbi of Brisk,
during a trip once visited a former student of his. The Rabbi asked him how he was doing. The
student answered, "Thank G'd, business is fine, my family is healthy, everything is going well."
The Rabbi asked again, "How are you doing?" The student assumed that the Rabbi had not
heard him the first time, so he repeated his answer. The Rabbi told him that he heard him the first
time, and informed him, "That your family is doing well and the business is going fine, this is
G'd's doing, but I want to know how you are doing?"
G'd fearing Jew
A similar incident is related about his grandson, Rabbi Velvel Soloveitchik who elaborated and
explained that we Jews do not define ourselves by what we do for a living. The Prophet Jonah
was travelling on a boat hit by a storm as we read in the Haftorah on Yom Kippur. He was asked
by his fellow travelers what is your occupation? Where do you come from? He answered them, "I
am a Hebrew and I fear HASHEM, the G'd of the Heavens, Who created the oceans and the
land" (Jonah 1:8-9). Jonah did not reply that he was a prophet, but that he was a G'd fearing Jew.
As Jews, we should define ourselves not by how we are making a living but by our essence of
being G'd fearing people (see Listen to your messages, by Rabbi Yissocher Frand, p.201). This
is what it says in the Talmud (Berachot 33b), everything is in the Hands of Heaven besides fear
of Heaven. Being a G'd fearing Jew manifests itself in our prayers. As King David says (Tehillim
33:18), "Behold the eye of G'd is upon those who fear Him, those who long for His
lovingkindness, to save their soul from death and to sustain them in hunger. Our souls long for
HASHEM, our hope and shield " We define ourselves as people who fear G'd and we express
our longing for His help through our prayers.
Prayer occupation
Rabbi Yerucham Levowitz, one of the great mussar exponents of pre-war times, explains that
from the time of our Patriarchs the occupation of the Jewish nation is prayer. Unlike the nations
of the world, who are governed by the laws of nature, we are directly dependent upon G'd
Himself under His personal guidance. As it says (Devarim 4:19): "Don't raise your eyes to the
heavens so you will see the sun, moon and stars - the entire legion of heaven which HASHEM
your G'd has given to the nations under the entire sky. But G'd took you and brought you out from
the iron oven, from Egypt, to be a nation that is His lot to this very day."
Natural forces
G'd created a world where the laws of nature are affected by the sun, moon and other natural
forces. The entire world is governed by these laws of nature. But when G'd selected the Jewish
nation at the time of the Patriarchs and later brought the Jews out from Egypt, we came under
His direct supervision. The nations of the world will achieve their accomplishments through the
work of their hands and other natural efforts; whereas, the Jewish people achieve by turning
ourselves to G'd through prayer. As we say everyday with the words of King David (Tehillim
20:8), "These with chariots and those with horses, but we call out in the name of HASHEM our
G'd." Whether in times of war or times of peace, our strength lies in our ability to pray directly to
G'd. As the Talmud (Sotah 49b) says regarding the situation before the coming of Mashiach,
"who do we have to rely on, only our Father in heaven." This is also alluded to in the famous
words of our Patriarch Isaac (Beresheis 27:22 ): "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands
are the hands of Eisav." This is not to say that the prayers of non-Jews are futile, or that Jews do
not need to work. In the continuation of King Solomon's prayer at the inauguration of the Temple
he pleaded for the gentiles as well and said (Books of Kings I 8:41-43): "Also the gentile that is
not from your nation Israel who come from a distant country and he will pray in this House
[Temple] and You shall listen in heaven and do all that he asks " For the Jewish nation
prayer is our occupation and our only real means of success. We work because we may not rely
on open miracles, and for the vast majority of Jews, G'd wants us to live normal and natural
lifestyles. However, we must always bear in mind that our primary effort of making a living is
through prayer. As the Chofetz Chaim once impressed upon a Jew who on a weekday morning
left the synagogue in a rush before the end of the service. "Where are you running?, asked the
sage. "To make a living", answered the Jew. Replied the Chofetz Chaim, "Maybe you are really
running away from making a living." When we see many Jews who are successful in business
despite the fact that they do not pray, it may be the result of prayers of their ancestors and other
righteous people, or based on other calculations that only G'd Himself knows. On the other hand,
for the non-Jews prayer is an opportunity that can enhance their situation but it cannot be their
occupation, for they are in general always governed by the laws of nature and its forces.
Good times and bad
Rabbi Levowitz lived in the time just prior to World War II, when the Jews of Europe felt the
noose tightening around their necks. On one side Nazi Germany, made one decree after another
restricting the Jewish citizens and eventually stripping them of their citizenship altogether. On the
other side was Communist Russia making it more and more difficult to live a life of Jewish
observance. Whoever was caught was doomed to exile or worse. It was a time of despair.
Everyone understood that there was nothing to do but to turn in prayer to the Almighty. But said
Rabbi Levowitz, is it only in time of peril and danger that we have no one else to turn to? Even
when things go well, we also have no one else and we are totally dependent only on G'd Himself.
In this regard, there really is no difference whether times are good or difficult.
Begging for needs
In his commentary on Pirkei Avos (2:18), Rabbenu Yona explains the words of Rabbi Shimon:
"Don't make your prayer a routine, rather ask for compassion and supplication from G'd. As it
says, 'For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness " Says
Rabbenu Yona, in any situation one should pray as a needy person begging for his needs and
not just say the words as someone who does not need anything. Everyone needs to pray for
himself because no one is free of sin. Even when everything seems to be fine and going well
who knows if this is due to the slow anger of G'd Who mercifully is just waiting for the person to
repent. In the best of times, a person should be humble and realize that everything he has may
just be an act of mercy of G'd.
Sincerity
Concludes Rabbi Levowitz, our sages comment that the Jewish people prior to the splitting of the
sea took on the occupation of their forefathers. It teaches us firstly what our occupation really is,
namely prayer. It further teaches us how to pray. At the time of peril and danger, the outcry in
prayer is very sincere. By telling us that the Jews at the Sea took to the occupation of their
forefathers, our sages teach us that when our Patriarchs instituted our three daily prayers, it is to
be done with the same sincerity and focus as prayers in special times. There should be no
difference in the format of the prayer whether in "regular" daily prayer or whether it is a prayer in
times of danger and peril. Although there are two kinds of prayer, there is only one sincerity with
which to say any prayer. May the words of King David regarding the time prior to the coming of
Moshiach (as the Vilna Gaon explains) come to fulfillment: (Tehillim 20:8-10)"These with chariots
and those with horses, but we call out in the name of HASHEM our G'd. They knelt down and fell
and we stood up and were encouraged. G'd help! The King will answer on the day that we call."

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17. JETHRO
Torah Attitude: Parashas Yithro: Do first, listen later?

Summary
The Jewish people committed themselves not only to do G'd's will, they also committed
themselves to listen. We acted with complete faith. G'd is greater than any doctor we trust. The
word used in Hebrew for listening has three interpretations. The acceptance of the Torah as
G'd's instructions for living is not based on our personal understanding. A person that takes upon
himself this acceptance will be rewarded as if he fulfilled all the commandments. By making a
firm decision to turn around and accept the yoke of the commandments, one is considered like a
different person.
We will do
In this week's Torah portion, G'd instructs Moses to speak to the Children of Israel telling them to
prepare for the giving of the Torah. To this the entire nation responded in unity and declared,
(Shemos 19:8) "Everything that G'd has said we will do." The Ramban explains that at this point
the Jewish people committed themselves not only to do G'd's will, they also committed
themselves to listen. As it says in next week's portion (Mishpatim, Shemos 24:7) "Everything that
G'd has said, we will do and we will listen!". Rashi explains (ibid 24:1), that although this portion
appears later in the Torah, historically it took place prior to the revelation at Mount Sinai.
Complete faith
The Talmud (Shabbat 88a) relates that a Sadducee once made a jeering remark to Rabba, one
of the Rabbis of the Talmud: "What a rash people you were when you let your mouth go ahead of
your ears. You ought to have listened first and if you liked it you would accept it, and if not you
should not have accepted it." Rabba answered, "We acted with complete faith." As Rashi
explains, we acted out of love for G'd, and trusted that He would not demand anything of us that
we could not handle.
Trusting the doctor
This is comparable to a person seeking advice from his doctor. He confides in his doctor and he
will trust the doctor and listen to his advice. He accepts that the doctor is an expert in his field
with an unblemished record of service to his patients. If the doctor happens also to be a friend for
many years, this only enhances the level of trust. G'd is greater than any doctor we trust. Based
on this analogy, we can understand why the Jewish people accepted the Torah without first
feeling that they had to investigate what was expected of them. But it still does not seem to make
sense that their acceptance was formulated by saying "we will do and then we will listen". This
appears to be out of sequence. It would have been more logical for them to say that they would
first listen to whatever G'd told them and then do it.
Three interpretations
The word used in Hebrew for listening has three interpretations: first, it can mean a physical
listening with the ear (see Targum Onkelus Shemos 18:1); second, it can be interpreted as an
acceptance (see ibid 24:7); third, it can refer to a deeper understanding (see Eben Ezra ibid
15:26). In English we say "do your hear me" which can be taken literally to hear. It can also mean
to "accept my words" or to understand them.
Accepting recommendations
With this in mind we can understand that the Jewish people did not mean to say that they would
first do and then hear what they had to do. Rather, they expressed that they would do what G'd
commanded them, and then they would try to understand why they had to do it and the deeper
meaning of what they were doing. As the Beis Halevi brings from the Zohar that "we will do"
refers to the fulfillment of the commandments and "we will listen" refers to the study of the Torah.
The Jewish people were acting like the patient who trusts his doctor and accepts the doctor's
recommendations to take the medications and even undergo surgery. The patient does what the
doctor tells him because the patient trusts that the doctor knows what will cure his ailments. The
medication may be bitter at times and the surgery may hurt but the patient is willing to endure
whatever is necessary to heal him or save his life. Were the patient to turn around and insist that
the doctor explain in detail why the doctor is prescribing a treatment or demand to know how the
treatment works, the doctor may respond that it will be necessary for the patient to attend
medical school to be able to understand the treatment and it is unlikely the patient would survive
before completing the necessary medical courses.
Not based on our personal understanding
The acceptance of the Torah and the commandments was not based on personal understanding.
Had the Jewish people at Mount Sinai said, "First we will study the Torah and then we will accept
and fulfill the commandments as we understand them", Judaism would have ceased to exist
centuries ago. If every Jew would perform this or that commandment according to his or her
understanding, this would erode our unity and our acceptance of the 613 commandments. One
person would say that, "I like the idea of putting on Tefillin but I don't like the colour black. Why
not change to the colour that suits my preferences?" Another might say, "It is beautiful to connect
with G'd by putting on Tefillin but I don't have time to do it during the week so I will wait till
Shabbos to put them on when I have more time." And so it would be with every commandment.
The Jewish people expressed their readiness to do all the commandments as directed by G'd
and then to try to understand and study them to get the deeper meaning behind them. However,
our fulfillment of the commandments must never depend on our personal understanding of any
particular commandment. Only this readiness guarantees Jewish continuity for all generations.
As if all 613 were fulfilled
There is a second approach how to understand what happened when the Jewish nation
accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai. In Pirkei Avos (3:12) it says, "Anyone whose deeds exceeds
his wisdom, his wisdom will endure. But anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, his wisdom
will not endure." Asks Rabbenu Yona, how is it possible that the deeds of a person could possibly
exceed his wisdom? How can a person do more than he knows? If a person has not been taught
or studied the Torah, is it possible that the person could fulfill the commandments? Says
Rabbenu Yona, this Mishnah gives us a new insight providing a beautiful piece of advice for a
person that did not have an opportunity to learn until now. "Don't worry", says the Mishnah. "Just
accept upon yourself that you are ready to do whatever you are being taught from now on, and
you will not turn away from any Torah law that you will learn in the future. As soon as you take
upon yourself in full sincerity this acceptance, it will be considered and you will be rewarded as if
you fulfilled all the commandments." This is what the Mishnah means: "anyone whose deeds
exceeds his wisdom". Anyone who accepts upon himself to fulfill all the commandments even if
he does not yet have the knowledge and therefore cannot yet fulfill them. Nevertheless, it is
considered as if all the good deeds have been done and he will be rewarded for his good
intention and acceptance. As our sages say, (Avos D'Rabbi Nathan): "Anyone whose deeds
exceeds his wisdom, his wisdom will endure. As it says: 'We will do and we will listen'." The
Jewish people at Mount Sinai prefaced their doing with their listening, meaning that they
accepted upon themselves immediately to do whatever G'd would command them. At that
moment they received the Heavenly rewards for every single commandment which would be
taught to them later. So will every individual be rewarded at the time of acceptance even before
fulfilling the commandments.
Becoming a different person
In Gates of Repentance (Gate 2, para.10), Rabbenu Yona elaborates further on the same
subject. Even a totally illiterate person can in one instant leave total darkness and enter into
great light. By making a firm decision to turn around and accept the yoke of the commandments,
and do whatever is being taught, one is considered like a different person. He has acquired for
himself the merit and the reward for all commandments that he will do in the future. Prior to the
exodus from Egypt, Moses instructed the Jewish elders regarding the laws of the Passover
offering. As Moses finished his lecture, it says: (Shemos 12:28) "And the Children of Israel went
and did as G'd commanded Moses and Aaron " Our sages, quoted by Rashi, ask a question
regarding the meaning of "they went and they did as G'd commanded." These instructions were
given on the first day of the month of Nissan (see ibid 12:1-2) and were only to be followed on
the 14th of Nissan. So how can it say that they did as G'd commanded immediately after Moses'
lecture? To this our sages answer that since they accepted upon themselves to do these
instructions, it was already then considered as if they had done it. Continues Rabbenu Yona,
when a person reaches such a commitment, he will continuously seek to understand and learn
so that he will be able to actually fulfill what he has taken upon himself. This is how our ancestors
committed themselves at the revelation at Mount Sinai when they accepted the Torah with the
613 commandments. And this is how every Jew has the privilege and ability to accept upon
himself the total gambit of the commandments and immediately receive the reward for all of
them.
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18. MISHPATIM
Torah Attitude: Parashas Mishpatim: Friend or foe,

who comes first?
Summary
The donkey owner is not a gentile but a Jew. The donkey owner is being hated because he has
been transgressing one of the commandments. It is like seeing one's brother taking a gift he
received from his father and using it to cause pain and anger to the father. Those who witness
this conduct are actually commanded to have feelings of animosity and hatred towards the
transgressor until he repents. G'd wants us to take care of any Jew whether righteous or not.
The Torah wants to educate us to be above personal feelings so that we extend our hand to the
transgressor. In order to break the second kind of animosity, the Talmud teaches that we are
required to first help the transgressor to load his donkey. Our first priority must be to prevent
searching souls to seek foreign fields by providing them with a thorough education of the beauty
and wisdom of the Torah and to stretch out our hands to the ones who have fallen to help them
come back home.
Jewish enemy
In this week's Torah portion it says: (Shemos 23:5) "If you see a donkey of someone you hate
crouching under its burden would you refrain from helping him? You shall repeatedly help him."
The Talmud (Pesachim 113b) asks who is this owner of the burdened donkey? The Talmud
learns that this donkey owner is not a gentile but a Jew. The phrase "you hate" refers to an
enemy of this specific person. Sometimes the Torah refers to gentiles as enemies of the Jewish
people; however, it is unlikely that the Torah would refer to a gentile as a personal enemy of an
individual.
Hating the transgressor
Asks the Talmud, is it then permissible to hate another Jew? Does it not say (Vayikra 19:17):
"You shall not hate your brother in your heart." This does not refer to a biological brother. This
refers to a fellow Jew. The Talmud answers that the hate directed at the donkey owner is not a
personal hatred. Rather, the donkey owner is being hated because he has been transgressing
one of the commandments.
Brother's chutzpah
The Torah law prohibits a single individual to go to the Beth Din to give evidence against a
person who transgresses the commandments. As it says, (Devarim 14:15) "A single witness shall
not stand up against a man for any sin according to two witnesses shall a matter be
settled." >From this the Talmud (ibid) learns that if a person would go on his own to the Beth Din
and tell the Judges what he had seen, this would be considered as gossip, and he would be
punished with lashes. The Chofetz Chaim explains that since the judges may not believe this
person, nothing is achieved by telling them what he saw. On the other hand, he may have
feelings of animosity against this other person. G'd provides the transgressor with the gifts of
everything he needs to live, to move and to function This transgressor has the chutzpah to take
these gifts and at the same time to transgress one of G'd's commandments. It is like seeing one's
brother taking a gift he received from his father and using it to cause pain and anger to the father.
It is understandable that anyone who witnesses his brother acting with such chutzpah would feel
animosity even though it is his own brother.
Commanded to hate
Obviously, this only applies to someone who understands and is aware of how wrong he is to
transgress a Torah law. As the Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat (272:11) explains that this is
referring to a case where the transgressor was warned to desist from doing the transgression
and nevertheless chose not to change his ways. Says the Talmud, those who witness this
conduct are actually commanded to have feelings of animosity and hatred towards the
transgressor until he repents.
Still obligated
It is most noteworthy that although the transgressor has not repented, if his donkey is found to be
crouching under its burden, we are still obligated to help him to unload the poor animal and to
even load it. This would also apply if the person himself requires to load or unload. As the
Shulchan Aruch adds, the transgressor could get into danger if he is left by himself on the road
with his burden. G'd wants us to take care of any Jew whether righteous or not. As the prophet
says in the name of G'd: "I do not want the wicked person to die but to repent his ways of evil
and live."
First help the transgressor
The Talmud (Bava Metziah 32b) discusses the details of this law and says that if there are two
people that require help, one to load his animal and the other to unload his animal, first we must
help the one who needs to unload in order to alleviate the pain of the poor donkey from carrying
the heavy burden. However, says the Talmud, if the person who needs help to unload is a good
friend, whereas the person who needs help to load is a transgressor that one hates, then
although under normal circumstances one should unload first, the priority in this case is changed
to load in order to bend one's own evil inclination. It goes without saying that normally we would
run to help our friends before we help the those we hate. But the Torah wants to educate us to be
above personal feelings so that we extend our hand to the hated transgressor.
Reflected feelings
Tosaphoth in their commentary on the Talmud (Pesachim ibid) ask how do these two portions in
the Talmud fit together. In the first portion we are commanded to have feelings of animosity
against the one who transgresses the Torah. This is not a personal animosity but is directed at
the chutzpah of the transgressor who acts against G'd's commandments. So why in the second
portion does the Talmud teaches us to lend our hand to give priority to this transgressor in order
to subdue our personal evil inclination? With an amazing insight into human psychology,
Tosaphoth answers with a quote from King Solomon (Proverbs 27:19): "Just like water reflects
back the image of the face of one who looks into it, so too does the human heart reflect the
feelings of one human heart to another." Says Tosaphoth, since the witness who saw the
transgressor has feelings of animosity against him, this will cause the transgressor also to have
feelings of animosity towards this witness. These personal feelings of animosity of the
transgressor may now bring about that the witness also develops personal feelings of animosity
against the transgressor. So although the witness originally had permissible feelings of animosity,
we must suspect that this will bring about impermissible feelings of animosity. It is in order to
break the second kind of animosity that the Talmud teaches that we are required to first help the
transgressor to load his donkey before we help our good friend to unload. This educates us to
love our fellow Jew on a personal level even if he is a transgressor, as we find that Abraham
loved Yishmael on a personal level despite that he hated him for his wrongdoings (see Bereishis
21:19 and 22:2).
Helping those who stray
The Torah's concern to train us to have good characters and prevent improper animosity takes
precedence over the concern that we normally have to alleviate the pain of the donkey. Says the
Chofetz Chaim, the Torah teaches us and obligates us to help the animal of a person who has
transgressed the laws of the Torah, that is crouching under its burden or that has strayed away
from its path. As it says, (Devarim 22:1): "If you see the cow or donkey of your enemy that has
strayed, you should bring it back to him." How much more is it our obligation to help fellow Jews
who have strayed away from the path. We must exert ourselves to help them to return. We live in
a time where there is a tremendous surge of spirituality. Unfortunately, many Jews fall prey to
missionaries or are attracted to cults and other groups. Every Jew is obligated to assist and help
these straying members of the Jewish nation, our brothers and sisters. Our first priority must be
to prevent these searching souls to seek foreign fields by providing them with a thorough
education of the beauty and wisdom of the Torah and to stretch out our hands to the ones who
have fallen to help them come back home.

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19. TERUMAH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Terumah: At Your service,

but for what purpose?
Summary
G'd allowed His presence to dwell in the Sanctuary. By serving G'd, we can get closer to Him.
The Sanctuary continued the Sinai revelation. It was possible to obtain instant clarity when
entering the Temple. One could get closer to G'd by bringing an offering. Ten miracles were
performed in the Temple on a constant basis. The Western Wall still retains some of the holiness
of the Temple. A Minyan or even one person pouring out his heart in prayer can merit the
presence of the Divine Spirit. Temple service and our prayers are directed only to G'd.
G'd sanctuary
In this week's portion, the Jewish people are commanded to erect a sanctuary where they will
serve G'd. As it says, "(Shemos 25:8) "They shall make a sanctuary for Me, that I shall dwell
among them". The Midrash Rabba (34:1) relates, "When Moses heard this commandment from
G'd, he exclaimed: 'How can Your glory, which fills the Heaven and Earth, dwell in a man-made
structure. G'd answered, 'I don't need the whole tabernacle as a place for My residence. My glory
will dwell in the space of one square cubit between the rods of the Holy Ark." In other words, man
could never make a fitting abode for G'd. But G'd, in His infinite love and kindness to the Jewish
people, would confine His presence in the smallest of spaces.
Serving G'd
With this Midrash we can understand the purpose of our service to G'd. A human king is
dependent on his servants to fulfill the needs of His kingdom and to provide for his subjects. G'd,
on the other hand, takes care of our every need and does not need anything from us. As we say
in the famous Adon Olam poem, "The Master of the universe reigned before anyone was
created. And when everything will cease to exist, G'd alone will still reign." G'd does not need us
to serve Him. Our service to G'd is only for our benefit so that we remember that we are totally
dependent on Him and get closer to Him.
Sinai continued
The Ramban points out that at the beginning of this week's portion, that the Jewish nation
received the Torah at Sinai, G'd said that this nation is worthy that He should dwell amongst
them. This would continue the relationship established at Mount Sinai. Just as everyone felt the
presence of the Divine Revelation at Sinai, so also when a Jew entered the sanctuary, he
experienced a similar clarity of the Divine Presence dwelling there. This happened in the
Tabernacle, the "travelling" sanctuary that was put up at every location throughout the wandering
in the desert, and was subsequently erected for many years after they arrived in the land of
Israel. This also took place later in the Temples that were built in Jerusalem.
Getting closer to G'd
The offerings brought in the Temple served as a means to bring one close to G'd and His service.
The root of the Hebrew word for offering, "korban", means to bring close. When people would go
up to Jerusalem, and feel this closeness, they would pray to G'd on a higher level and emulate
His ways in their daily lives. At the three festivals, when everyone would gather in unity, it would
elevate them and they would return home as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Shemos
19:6). At the inauguration of the Temple in Jerusalem, King Solomon poured out his heart (Kings
I 8:27 etc.) beseeching G'd that He should dwell amongst them in this structure built in His
honour, to listen to their prayers, and forgive their sins, accept their repentance, and accept the
prayers of the gentiles who would come to the Temple as well.
Ten miracles
The Mishna says, (Pirkei Avos 5:7), "There were ten miracles performed for our ancestors in our
Holy Temple: (1) No woman miscarried; (2) the sacrificial meat never became putrid; (3) no fly
was seen in the place where the meat was butchered; (4) no seminal emission occurred to the
High Priest on Yom Kippur; (5) the rains did not extinguish the fire on the altar; (6) the wind did
not disperse the vertical column of smoke from the altar; (7) no disqualification was found in the
Omer, Two Loaves, or the Showbread; (8) the Jewish people stood crowded together, yet there
was room for everyone to prostrate themselves; (9) no serpent or scorpion ever caused injury in
Jerusalem; and (10) no one ever said to another that the space was insufficient to stay overnight
in Jerusalem. Many of these miracles were performed on a constant basis. One can imagine that
anyone entering this holy place would be immediately elevated and feel closer to G'd.
Instant clarity
After the destruction of the Temple, it is related that Plato, one of the prominent Greek
philosophers, came to Israel requesting to meet the prophet Jeremiah. The philosopher was told
that he could find the prophet at the Temple site. When he arrived, he found Jeremiah sitting,
crying and mourning the destruction of the Temple. The philosopher asked, "I don't understand?
You are an intellectual and spiritual person. How can you mourn over a materialistic building that
was destroyed?" Further he asked, "What is the purpose of your crying? The Temple is already
destroyed. It is not fitting for a scholar to cry over the past." Jeremiah answered him, "Have you
any philosophical issues that you are not clear about, things that cause you to wonder?"Of
course", said the philosopher. "As a student of philosophy there are many things that are not
clear to me and no one in the world can solve them." Said Jeremiah, "Please present me with
your doubts and questions and I shall solve them for you." Plato readily asked all his questions
and immediately was answered by the prophet. The great philosopher was dumbfounded. He
stood there wondering whether he was talking to a human person or a higher sort of being.
Jeremiah continued and said, "You are surprised, but I can tell you that all this wisdom I drew
from these pieces of wood and stone. When this building was standing, the Divine Presence was
so strong that when one would enter with the proper state of mind, everything would become
clear. This has gone. That is what I am mourning. As far as your second question, I cannot
answer you, as it is beyond you to comprehend."
Sudden connection
We find that even today, 2000 years after the destruction of the Temple, with only a part of the
outer Western Wall left, anyone visiting this holy place, leaves a different person. People who
have been atheists their whole lives feel an urge to pray at the Wall. Many who have never
before felt their Jewishness suddenly feel connected to their people.
Divine Presence never left
What is so special about this place? The answer may be found in a verse in the Song of Songs:
"Behold He is standing behind our wall" (2:9). Our sages explain this to mean that the Divine
Presence never left the Western Wall. This in itself is an amazing statement, a proof of the Divine
origin of the Oral Torah. No human being could have allowed themselves to make such a
statement, knowing that the Jewish people would be in exile for many years and that the Temple
Mount would be under the control of our enemies. The odds of the Western Wall surviving after
all these years are staggering. Is there any doubt that the Wall has retained some of the holiness
of the Temple?
Miniature sanctuary
For 2000 years, the Jewish nation has continuously prayed to G'd to allow us once more to
gather in Jerusalem to erect a structure in His Honour where we can serve Him with the full
Temple service. But even during this long, difficult exile, we have an opportunity to beseech G'd
and pray to Him in our houses of prayer. As G'd has promised, through His prophet Ezekial,
(11:16) "And so says HASHEM, your G'd, 'I distanced you amongst the nations. And I have
spread you out in countries. And I will be for you a miniature sanctuary in the countries you are
coming to." The Talmud (Megillah 29a) explains that this refers to the houses of worship and
study in the exile. Wherever a Minyan gathers to pray, the Divine Spirit is present, and one may
say certain special prayers such as Kaddish. Even regarding the lone voice of a single person
pouring out his heart in prayer, G'd says that wherever you mention My name I will come and
bless you (Shemos 20:21).
Only G'd
Both the service in the Temple and our prayers are directed to G'd and G'd only, with the
conviction and understanding that there are no other powers that can make a difference. We do
not need any intermediates between G'd and us. Neither spiritual nor human powers can do
anything on their own. Just as the prophet Hoshea said (Hoshea 14:4): "Assyria cannot save us.
We cannot trust in the power of horses", we must constantly remember that also today no
friendly superpower can save us. We cannot put our trust even in the power of sophisticated
weapons. Everything is in the hands of the Almighty and empowered by Him. Only what He
allows will be. Our prayers are there to remind us that there is no other power but G'd Himself.

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20. TETSAVEH
21. KI TISA
Torah Attitude: Parashas Ki Sisa: Trying to

understand the golden calf
Summary
It is hard for us today to understand the incident of the golden calf. We may not serve
intermediaries. It appears to us that idol worshippers were primitive, ignorant people. The urge to
serve idols was much stronger than we could ever imagine. Those who felt distant from G'd
began worshipping His intermediaries instead. When the Jewish people thought Moses had
died, they panicked and made the golden calf. We must never forget that ultimately everything is
in the hands of G'd.
Golden calf
In this week's Torah portion, the Jewish people participated in the formation and worship of a
golden calf after giving up waiting for Moses to return from the top of Mount Sinai. This was only
a short time after the Jewish people were on a very high level of prophecy and received the
Torah from G'd. How could the Jewish people have fallen so quickly? Why would they have any
desire to worship a golden calf? It is hard for us to understand the incident of the golden calf.
However, with some background information, we may be able to better appreciate some of the
motivation of worshipping the golden calf, and at the same time learn some practical lessons
from this incident.
One G'd
G'd created the world from four fundamental elements: earth, air, fire and water. Everything else
in the physical world was in turn formed by G'd from these elements. Similarly, all spiritual beings
were created by G'd. We must realize that everything created by G'd is limited in its power in
accordance with the restrictions imposed by G'd. There is only one all-powerful and almighty G'd.
There is no one to worship other than G'd. Says the Rambam (Laws of idol worship 2:1), we may
not even serve anything else as an intermediary between G'd and us. All our service must be
directly to G'd. That is why we are prohibited from serving idols.

Primitive idol worshippers
Nowadays we find it difficult to understand how people could possibly worship idols. It appears to
us that these idol worshippers were primitive, ignorant people. Surely, no intelligent person could
believe that there is any benefit to be had by worshipping an idol fashioned out of wood, or
stone, or any other material. It seems that these idol worshippers lacked a basic comprehension
of the laws of physical reality. We would assume the reason why there is no desire to worship a
golden calf or any other idol today is due to our advanced understanding and high intelligence.
However, the truth is that we are the ignorant people since we lack the understanding of the
great powers that G'd has given to the various elements. That is the reason we have no urge to
serve them.
Evil inclination and free will
For every transgression prohibited in the Torah, there are people who have an evil inclination to
do it. Some people are inclined to do acts of immorality, while others are inclined to be dishonest.
This is necessary for us to exercise free will. If there was no evil inclination, there would be no
choice between good and evil. However, everyone has the power and ability to fight and
overcome their evil inclination.
Evil inclination removed
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 64a) explains that at the beginning of the Second Temple, the men of
the Great Assembly prayed to G'd to remove the evil inclination to serve idols. They were
concerned that their fellow Jews and subsequent generations would not anymore have the
spiritual strength to resist the very strong urge to worship idols. This urge was much stronger
than we could ever imagine. Their prayer was granted and since that time there has been no
urge to serve idols. When they saw that their request was granted, they made a second request
to have the evil inclination for adultery removed. This request was also granted. However, the
result was that cohabitation between males and females of all humans and animals ceased.
When the evil inclination was removed, there was no driving force to cohabit. So they prayed
again for the inclination for adultery to be restored. Yet it was not entirely restored. To this day,
there is no natural evil inclination for relations with blood relatives. We can now appreciate that
the reason we do not have the urge to worship idols is not due to our advanced understanding;
rather, it is because this evil inclination was removed thousands of years ago. However, we paid
a price for having this particular inclination removed; at the same time we lost our ability to
understand the essence of the powers associated with the heavenly bodies and other objects of
idol worship.
King Menashe
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 102b) relates how Rav Ashei told his students that they were going to
study the following day about the three kings of the Jewish people who do not have a share in
the world to come due to their great sins. He referred to these kings in a slightly disrespectful
way by calling them "our colleagues". The following night, King Menashe came to him in a dream
and asked him a halachic question that he could not answer. He reproved him by saying, "You
call us your colleagues. You cannot even answer this simple question". Rav Ashei asked him, "If
you are such a great scholar, how could you go and serve idols?" To this Menashe said, "If you
had been in our times, you would have lifted up your garments and run after me to serve the
idols." As it says in Pirkei Avos (2:5) "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place."
Even the great Rav Ashei had to be reminded of the change that had occurred from the times of
King Menashe. Sometimes we hear of someone who did something wrong, and we think to
ourselves that we would have done the right thing, or we would have reacted differently. We look
down on that individual or that group of people for their inability to make the right decision. We
forget that every person has their weakness and their personal evil inclination that tests and
challenges that person accordingly. Chances are that had we been in that person's situation, we
would not have done any better.
The beginning of idol worship
We may ask, how did the worship of idols first begin? No doubt Adam believed in G'd and served
Him only. And he transmitted that belief to his children. So who invented the whole concept of
idol worship? We find a passage in the Torah referring to the beginning of idol worship: "And as
for Seth, to him also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. Then to call in the Name of G'd
became profaned" (Beresheis 4:26). Rashi explains this to mean that idolatry was introduced at
this time, by ascribing divine qualities to human beings and inanimate objects.
Intermediaries
The Rambam (ibid 1:1-2) explains that at this time idol worship began when people started to
believe that G'd was too high above them to worship Him directly. So they started to worship the
intermediaries instead. This is similar to honouring the Governor General as an indirect honour
to the Queen. Since G'd empowered the heavenly bodies, the idol worshippers believed that it
was appropriate to honour those bodies, instead of honouring G'd directly. They built temples,
brought offerings, and prostrated themselves, to praise and worship their idols. At first, this was
all done in order to try to please G'd. When the people first fell into idol worship, they did not
forget about G'd. But they felt distant from G'd so they worshipped His intermediaries instead.
Only much later did some unscrupulous merchants see a profitable opportunity of inventing
various images to worship. This eventually developed into the full-scale worship of idols, at
which time the idol worshippers forgot about G'd.
Moses delayed
With this in mind, we can attempt a better understanding of why the Jews made the golden calf.
Moses had been like an intermediary between the Jewish people and G'd. The Torah relates,
"Moses had delayed descending from the mountain" (Shemos 32:1). The Jewish people were
waiting for him to return from on top of Mount Sinai. When he failed to return at the expected
time, they panicked. Rashi explains that they believed that Moses had died and now they would
be without an intermediary to relate G'd's instructions to them and to pray on their behalf to G'd.
They felt totally lost.
Four images
The prophet Ezekiel (1:10) once had a vision of G'd's Throne where he saw four images: an ox,
a man, a lion, and an eagle. With a deep understanding of the meaning of these images in G'd's
throne, the Jewish people at Mount Sinai chose the image of the ox and formed the golden calf.
They felt that through this they could reach G'd on their own level. But as the Rambam explains,
we may not serve anyone, even as an intermediary, to bring us closer to G'd. We must serve
only G'd directly.
Everything in the hands of G'd
This gives us some understanding of how so soon after the revelation at Mount Sinai the Jews
transgressed the second of the Ten Commandments prohibiting idol worship. They had not
forgotten that there is a supreme G'd Who created the world and took them out of Egypt.
However, they thought they had lost the link that connected them to G'd and this is what they
tried to replace by forming the golden calf. Thus, their mistake was similar to the mistake made
at the time of Enosh and is considered idolatry.
Although nowadays, we do not have the evil inclination of serving idols, nevertheless we often
make a similar mistake by placing our trust in human beings. We forget that when we need help
it is not the doctor who heals; it is not the boss who provides our sustenance; the only one who
can really help us is G'd Himself. For sure, we must turn to a doctor when we need medical help.
And we must turn to our boss or others to fulfill our physical needs. But we must never forget that
ultimately everything is in the hands of G'd. Only when G'd grants our request can this person or
others provide us with the assistance we need.

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22. VAJAKHEL
Torah Attitude: Parashas Vayakhel: Beware of

calculated love
Summary
The Torah is the instruction manual for living. In this week's Torah portion, we learn that making
calculations is a sign that love is not being expressed to its fullest extent. The faster we run to
express our love, the purer is our love.
Precious items to build the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle was the temporary Temple that G'd commanded the Jewish people to erect
wherever they camped during the forty years sojourn in the desert. In the beginning of this
week's Torah portion, the Torah presents a list of contributions to build the Tabernacle: "Gold,
silver, copper, turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool; linen, goat hair; red-dyed ram skins, tachash
skins, acadia wood; oil for illumination, spices for the anointment oil and the aromatic incense;
shoham stones and stones for the settings, for the Ephod and the Breastplate" (Shemos 35:5-7).
The order of words
The Torah was dictated by G'd and written by Moses. It is the greatest prophetic work of all time.
Each word and each letter have profound meanings on many different levels of understanding.
We can even learn from the order in which the words are presented.
Illuminated messages from G'd
The order of the materials mentioned seems to be starting from the most expensive gradually
declining in value. Gold is the first in the list of the contributions. We all recognize that gold is a
valuable commodity. After gold, silver is mentioned, then copper, etc., and each item is less
expensive than the one before. However, the precious stones for the Ephod and the Breastplate
were the most valuable of all the contributions, so it seems strange that they are only mentioned
last. The Ephod and the Breastplate were instruments used to receive illuminated messages
directly from G'd. The Torah describes how Aaron, and later High Priests, wore these
instruments on their hearts (Shemos 28:28-30). The names and letters of the twelve tribes of
Israel were engraved in the stones on the Breastplate. The High Priest would ask questions of
national importance to G'd, and the response would be presented when the individual stones for
the letters would light in sequence (Rashi from Yoma 73b).
Precious stones mentioned last
This direct communication with G'd was greater in value than all of the gold used to construct the
Tabernacle. Further, the Talmud indicates that some of the stones were worth 600,000 to
800,000 golden coins (Kedushin 31a). So why are the stones, asks the Or Hachaim (Shemos
25:7), mentioned last? If they were more valuable than the gold and all of the other contributions
to the Tabernacle, should not they have been mentioned at the beginning of the list?
The leaders' contribution
The Torah tells us that the precious stones were donated by the leaders of the Jewish people
(Shemos 35:17). Rashi explains that the leaders waited until the end of the building of the
Tabernacle before bringing their contributions. They figured that they would not upstage the
Jewish people in helping to build the Tabernacle if they were the last ones to contribute. They
reasoned that it would be proper for them to hold back until the rest of the Jewish people had an
opportunity to contribute, and then they would donate whatever was missing. Although the
stones they donated were the most expensive items, since the leaders waited until the end, G'd
was angry and their contributions lost their special value. This is why the Torah placed what they
gave at the end of the list.
Excess contributions
The leaders had miscalculated with their plans. They should have run to make their contributions
to the Tabernacle, instead of waiting till the end. On the other hand, the Jewish people were so
enthusiastic about giving towards the building of the Tabernacle, that there was an excess of
contributions (Shemos 36:7).
The Shema
We may ask, what was wrong with the reasoning of the leaders? Any worthy charitable
organization would be more than happy to get such a pledge, that someone would donate
whatever is missing at the end of a charity campaign! So why were the contributions of the
leaders not appreciated to their full value? The first paragraph of the Shema helps us to
understand this. The Shema obligates every Jew to serve G'd out of love. Love means serving
with all your heart whenever an opportunity presents itself. Love is expressed by giving without
any calculations and questions.
Calculations
Calculations and questions reveal a flaw in the love. Love is simple and pure; whereas,
calculations are rationalizations motivated, albeit sometimes unconsciously, by other concerns.
King Solomon taught us that "G'd made man simple, but they sought to make many calculations"
(Koheles 7:29).
Maranos
Rav Dessler relates that the sophisticated, intelligent, upper class of Jews during the Spanish
Inquisition made many calculations. They figured that it was proper to save themselves and their
possessions by becoming "maranos". They pretended to be converted to Christianity on the
outside, while trying to maintain some connection to Judaism on the inside. Their calculations
came in the form of excuses, rationalizations and cover-ups. The simple, unsophisticated Jews
made no calculations and served G'd out of love, even if it cost them their lives.
Leaders were left behind
Rav Chaim Shmulevitz teaches that by making calculations instead of rushing to serve G'd
immediately, the Jewish leaders missed an opportunity to demonstrate their pure love for G'd. All
of the other Jewish people ran to contribute in excess. The Torah tells us that "the entire
assembly of Israel left Moses' presence" (Shemos 35:20). The Ohr Hachaim explains that this
means that the Jewish people left immediately to give whatever they could. The leaders were left
behind to make their calculations.
Subjective reasoning flawed
The problem with making calculations when expressing our love for G'd, or anyone else, is that
our subjective reasoning may be flawed. Rashi explains that there was an aspect of laziness in
the calculations of the leaders. When we serve G'd without making any calculations, we can be
sure that our love is pure, and not tainted with other motives or concerns.

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23. PIKUDEI
24. WAJIKRA
25. TSAV
Torah Attitude: Parashas Tzav: You are what you see

March 18, 2003
Summary
Gd hides miracles disguised as nature. A person who wants to see the Hand of Gd will see
miracles on a daily basis. The open miracle of the Great Flood was rationalized by the builders of
the Tower of Babel to be a natural phenomenon. The exact order of creation suggests that it was
created by an intelligent force and did not suddenly appear out of chaos. Only in retrospect,
when we put everything together, do we see the concealed Hand of Gd guiding the events in the
story of Purim. Even in the darkness of our exile, and most difficult situations in our lives,
somewhere is hidden the goodness and lovingkindness of Gd.
Fire on the altar
In the beginning of this weeks Torah portion, Gd tells Moses to tell Aaron and his children about
how to conduct themselves when bringing an offering on the Altar. This concludes with a
commandment that a permanent fire shall remain aflamed on the altar and shall not be
extinguished. The Talmud explains (Yuma 21b) that although there was a Heavenly fire
descending on the Altar, nevertheless there was an obligation that the Jewish people should
bring fire as well.
Gd hides miracles
Says the Chinuch (Ch.132), this is an example of a basic concept in regard to miracles. Even
when Gd performs open miracles, He will somewhat hide them in disguised as nature so that
they appear to be natural phenomena, or at least close to natural. Even at the splitting of the Red
Sea, which was a very open miracle, it says, (Shemos 14:21) And HASHEM moved the Sea
with a strong east wind all night and He turned the Sea into dry land and the water split.
Similarly, Gd commanded us to bring a fire on the Altar, although a fire came down from Heaven,
in order to hide the miracle. On a daily basis, the Jewish people did not necessarily see the
Heavenly fire. Only at the inauguration of the Tabernacle did they merit to see it (Vayikra 9:24) A
fire came out from Gd and consumed the offerings on the AltarAnd all the people saw, and
they sang and they fell upon their faces.
Seeing miracles
This is how Gd conducts Himself. Even at the time when there is a need for Him to perform open
miracles, Gd blends the miracle with the ways of nature in order to give people the ability to
choose on their own, whether to see the Hand of Gd, as is quite evident, or to dismiss it as just
being nature. A person who wants to see the Hand of Gd will see even on a daily basis how Gd
is behind daily natural happenings. The one who chooses not to see can experience open
miracles and will explain it as nature. Reb Eliyahu Kahn of Copenhagen used to point out that it
says before the splitting of the Sea (Shemos 14:13) Place yourself and see the salvation of Gd
that he will perform for you today. Even then in order to see the miracle and the salvation, the
Jewish people would have to focus and want to see it in order to absorb what was happening.
Rationalizing the Great Flood
We find an example of this by the Tower of Babel where the Midrash explains that the people
wanted to wage a war against Gd by building a tower that would reach into Heaven. We wonder
how they dared to try to fight Gd after the Great Flood which clearly showed the supreme power
of Gd. Says the Midrash, they rationalized by saying that every 1656 years the Heavens open
up and everything will be in upheaval. Since it was only 340 years after the last flood, they
figured that they had another 1316 years until the next flood. Gd had warned humanity through
Noah that a flood was imminent. But the people of the Tower of Babel ignored this. They chose
instead to make the flood into a natural phenomena. Here is a clear example of how an open
miracle can be turned around and twisted in such a way as to justify ones own belief.
The exact order of Creation
Gd made Creation from nothing. Everything functions with such precision and accuracy that any
objective observer will clearly see the Hand of Gd. The suns position is so exact that it properly
warms the Earth. If it were a little further away, our whole planet would be covered with ice. If it
were a little closer, all liquids would vaporize and the ground would dry up. Mammals breathe in
oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants in turn absorb the carbon dioxide and produce oxygen
in exchange. The exact order of Creation suggests that it was created by an intelligent force and
did not suddenly appear out of chaos. It is incredible how someone cannot believe in the Divine
origins of Creation. Nevertheless, millions of intelligent people choose not to believe.
The story of Purim
In our daily prayers, we thank Gd for the miracles bestowed upon us every day and for the
wonders and favours we continually receive. With these words, we acknowledge that even daily
occurrences are nothing but hidden miracles. This is a lesson that we can learn clearly from the
story of Purim. If we look at each occurrence of the Book of Esther as individual events nothing
appears to be miraculous. King Ahashvarous invited all his subjects to a magnificent feast and
the Jews attended despite warnings from their leader Mordechai. Seemingly unrelated to this,
the King gets into a fight with his queen and has her executed. Sometime later Esther, the niece
of Mordechai, is chosen against her will to be the next queen. Interwoven with this is the planning
of two of the kings guards to poison the king only to be foiled by Mordechai. Finally, Haman is
elevated to become the Prime Minister and Mordechai refuses to bow down to him or show him
any honour. Only in retrospect, when we put everything together, do we see the concealed Hand
of Gd that has been guiding the events. None of this was coincidence. However, those who
choose not to see the Hand of Gd will rationalize that these events merely happened by chance.
The hidden goodness and lovingkindness

Says Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, of Lakewood, that through the reading of the Megillah we learn
to understand our daily lives. Even in the darkness of our exile, and most difficult situations in our
lives, somewhere is hidden the goodness and lovingkindness of Gd. Sometimes from the most
difficult situations themselves springs forth the salvation. As Rabbenu Yonah says in The Gate of
Repentance, the darkness itself can be the cause of the light (2:5). During these days of
insecurity and uncertainty we have to understand that this is not just something that happened to
be. There is no doubt that the Hand of Gd is behind it. Just as in the difficult time of Purim, when
the Jewish people felt endangered by their enemies, it brought them closer to Gd, we must
follow in their footsteps and do everything in our power to understand the message of the time
and bring ourselves closer to Gd and in that merit He shall surely send us the salvation with the
coming of Mashiach in the near future.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Zachor: Honesty is the

protective policy
Summary
The Torah commands us to remember to blot out the memory of Amalek. The attack by Amalek
was totally unprovoked. A deeper meaning of this commandment is that dishonesty in our
financial affairs allows our enemies to attack us. We sometimes forget that we are being carried
on our Fathers shoulders. Gossip also brings harsh consequences. Entrance may be denied to
Heaven even for unintentional theft. We should always try to be accurate in our financial
dealings.
Remember Amalek
The Torah commands us: Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came forth out
of Egypt you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky; you shall not forget
(Devarim 25:17-19). On the Shabbos before Purim, we read this portion of the Torah to remind
us of our obligations regarding Amalek.
Totally unprovoked
A few weeks ago, in Parashas Beshalach (Shemos 17:8), we read that Amalek were a people
who viciously attacked the Jewish people when they arrived at Refidim for no reason other than
to wage a war against Gd. This attack was totally unprovoked. The Jewish people did not
wander near the land of Amalek. Nor did the Jewish people make any threats or do anything to
cause Amalek to attack. Our Sages teach us that the reason Amalek attacked was that they
wanted to show the rest of the world that Gd could be defeated in battle by defeating the Jewish
people, the nation chosen by Gd to represent Him.
Basic meaning
On a basic level, the Ramban teaches us that the commandment regarding Amalek consists of
three parts: (1) never to forget what Amalek did to the Jewish people, (2) to erase the existence
of Amalek from the world, and (3) to relate to our children the importance of not forgetting and
erasing the existence of Amalek.
The deeper meaning
On a deeper level, Rashi quotes a Midrash that teaches an additional approach to the
commandments regarding Amalek. If we look at the context in which the commandment appears
in the Torah, we learn a profound lesson we can apply in our daily financial affairs.
Financial honesty
Immediately before the commandment regarding Amalek, the Torah states: You shall not have in
your bag diverse weights, a great and a small. You shall not have in your house diverse
measures, a great and a small. A perfect and just weight shall you have; a perfect and a just
measure shall you have; that your days may be long in the land which Gd gives you. For all who
do such things, [even] all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Gd (Devarim 25:13-16).
The reference to weights and measures in the Torah is a warning to be honest in our financial
affairs. Rashi teaches us that the connection between these two commandments is that if the
Jewish people are not honest in our financial affairs, then Gd will allow our enemies, the
Amaleks of the world, to attack us. The deeper meaning of the commandment regarding Amalek
is to elevate us to be honest in our financial affairs, failing which we are open to attack by our
enemies.
One may ask, if dishonesty is the cause for which Gd allows Amalek to attack, why did Amalek
attack the Jewish people in the desert. The Jewish people were not involved in any business
affairs at that time. However, by closer examination, we find the answer.
Immediately before the attack of Amalek, the Torah states: Because the children of Israel
quarreled, and because they tested Gd, saying, Is Gd among us, or not? Then Amalek came
and fought with Israel in Refidim (Shemos 17:7-8). Many times, we also fail to examine our own
behaviour before blaming Gd for the consequences of our errors. We ask questions such as:
How could Gd do this to me as a person, or to us as a nation; Is Gd really there with us? Rather
we ought to ask: why did Gd do this to me, why did He let this happen to us?
The fathers shoulders
Rashi quotes the Midrash that compares this to a father who carries his son on his shoulders
from place to place. Every so often the son requests his father to pick up various things from
their path and hand them to the son. The father complies with each of his sons requests. After
the father and son have traveled some distance, and the father has picked up many things for his
son, they encounter someone. The son asks him have you seen my father. Upon hearing this,
the father drops the son from his shoulders. The son must now fend for himself. A dog chases
after the son and bites him. Of course, the son goes running after his father, begging to return to
his fathers shoulders. This analogy reminds us of the saying: There are no atheists in a
foxhole.
Blessings from Gd
In the same way, when someone is not honest in his dealings, he is really asking, Is Gd among
us? The one who realizes that what we make and earn is all a blessing from Gd understands
that dishonesty will not enlarge his earnings. Gd can and will provide for him. Gd does not need
or want his dishonesty. Unfortunately, this kind of attitude makes it necessary for Gd to make us
suffer painful experiences to remind us of His existence and help us appreciate everything that
Gd provides us in the good times. Amalek, or his likes, acts as the dog to remind us on whose
shoulders we are riding.

Gossip
We find another transgression that brings about painful suffering. The Torah commands us to
remember six events. One is the attack of Amalek. Another is to remember what happened to
Miriam when she spoke improperly about her brother Moses. The Ramban points out that, even
though Miriam was a very righteous woman, the consequences of her mistake are important for
all generations to learn. Any gossip brings harsh consequences.
Big temptations
Our Sages tell us (Bava Basra 165a) that most people steal and all people gossip. Although
many people try not to gossip, nevertheless their words may be interpreted as gossip. Stealing
and gossiping are very big temptations that are difficult to avoid.
Subtle stealing
The Path of the Just (Chapter 11) explains that our Sages do not refer to regular stealing; rather
they refer to situations such as dishonesty in business, and other dealings with our fellow human
beings, for no matter how subtle it may be, it is still considered stealing. The smallest
misrepresentation, even if made innocently, is considered theft. Although we may try to
rationalize that business is business, the truth is that it is incumbent on us to be very careful in
our financial dealings. Only then can we avoid the harsh consequences of our mistakes. The
following story illustrates just how careful we should be.
No entrance to Heaven
Rav Chaim of Valozhin was walking down the corridor of his Yeshiva when a former student who
had recently passed away appeared to him. The student informed him that he had obtained
special permission from the Heavenly Court to visit the Rav. The student had been returning to
his hometown due to his poor health and was accompanied by another student to assist him. The
two students stopped at an Inn to spend the night. The next morning, when the students went to
pay the bill, they found that they were short a few coins. They promised to pay the innkeeper the
balance of the bill upon the return of the assistant student on his way back to the Yeshiva. The
assistant student accompanied the sick student to his hometown, received the additional funds
from the sick student to repay the innkeeper and headed back to the Yeshiva. When the
assistant student returned to the Inn, he paid the innkeeper for his current bill, but he forgot to
pay what was still owed for the previous bill. When the sick student died, he was refused
entrance by the Heavenly Court because he failed to pay the innkeeper the outstanding balance.
It was decreed that the sick student would have to be reborn to rectify his error. The sick student
pleaded with the Heavenly Court. He pointed out that his fellow student was really the cause of
the default. The Heavenly Court allowed the plea and permitted the student to visit the Rav to
request him to take care of the situation, which he promptly did.
Accuracy in financial dealings
It is important to be accurate in our financial dealings. Even small amounts can make a big
difference in the consequences that flow from our acts and omissions. So when we fulfill our
obligation to remember Amalek every year, a deeper meaning is for us to remember to be very
careful to avoid errors in our financial dealings. In this way, we avoid falling into situations where
we are open for attack by our enemies, and we bring closer the day when all our enemies will
recognize that Gd is one and His name is one.

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26. SHEMINI
Torah Attitude: Parashas Shemini: "Altogether"

Righteous
March 20, 2003
Summary
Why were the sons of Aaron killed when bringing an offering? Their mistake was so minute that
the main reason for their deaths is difficult to pinpoint. A student may not make halachic
decisions when his teacher is around. When dealing with fire the sons should have been extra
careful to follow standard procedure instead of inventing new ways of serving Gd. A Kohen
should not drink a cup of wine before performing his duties. Were Nadav and Avihu killed
because of their own sin or the sin of their father? Why would the Torah say that Gd is "without
iniquity"? A human judge is not able to tailor-make the punishment to fit all of the circumstances
of the crime. Gd takes absolutely everything into consideration when He passes judgment on us.
The Torah does not permit us to watch passively while our fellow Jews go astray. There was no
one "real" reason for the death of Aaron's sons. All things were considered by Gd before He
passed judgment. The more righteous people that we include in our inner circle, the greater the
protection this "mutual insurance" may provide us.
The death of Aarons sons
In this weeks Torah portion we read: "The sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, each took his fire
pan, they put fire in them and placed incense upon it; and they brought before Gd an alien fire
that He had not commanded them. A fire came forth from before Gd and consumed them, and
they died before Gd" (Vayikra 10:1-2). The Torah does not say exactly why the sons of Aaron
were killed. Our sages mention a number of different reasons. If there are different reasons, we
may wonder what the real reason was for their death.
Minute mistake
Rav Dessler explains that there were a number of flaws in their conduct, which lead to the death
of Aarons sons. However, their mistake was so minute compared to the behaviour of most that
the main reason for their deaths is difficult to pinpoint.
Not ask Moses
The Talmud (Eruvin 63a) says that the sons of Aaron died only because they gave a legal
decision in the presence of Moses, their Master. In other words, they made a decision about the
laws of the Torah before asking Moses if they were correct. Even though their intentions were
beyond reproach, they should have asked Moses, as a student may not make halachic decisions
when his teacher is around.
Alien fire
Other sages say that it was the actual bringing of an "alien" fire that led to their deaths.
Especially since they were literally dealing with "fire" by bringing an offering in the holiest part of
the Temple, the sons should have been extra careful to follow standard procedure instead of
inventing new ways of serving Gd.
Drinking wine
The Midrash says that it was because they were drinking wine before they entered the Temple to
bring their fire offering that caused their deaths. This is why the Torah brings immediately
afterwards that a Kohen should not drink a cup of wine before performing his duties.
Aarons punishment?
Rashi (10:12) quotes the Midrash that when Aaron created the golden calf, he was punished with
the loss of all of his children. However, Moses prayed and invoked Gds mercy, so that the
punishment was reduced to the loss of two of his children. But why should Aarons sons die due
to the conduct of their father? Further, were Nadav and Avihu killed because of their own sin or
the sin of their father?
"Without iniquity"
The Torah refers to Gd as "perfect in His work, for all His paths are justice; a Gd of faith without
iniquity, righteous and fair is He" (Devarim 32:4). Why would the Torah say that Gd is "without
iniquity"? Surely, there are better ways to refer to the attributes of Gd?
"Altogether righteous"
In Psalms, we learn that "The judgments of Gd are true, altogether righteous" (Psalm 19:10). To
understand how Gds judgments are altogether righteous, we may compare to the courts run by
humans. A human judge can only distribute justice for the accused in his court at the time and
judge the accused for the conduct prior to the offense. He is not able to consider the effect the
judgment will have on everyone associated with the accused. Nor can he deliberately delay the
punishment. A human judge is not able to tailor-make the punishment to fit all of the
circumstances of the crime, the criminal, the victim and everyone and everything associated with
all of them.
Gd is in no hurry
On the other hand, when Gd sits in judgment in the Heavenly Court, He is in no hurry to mete
out punishment. The Torah teaches us that one of the thirteen attributes of Gds mercy is "slow
to anger" (Shemos 34:6). The Talmud tells us that one of the reasons that Gd is slow to anger is
because He waits to see if the person will repent and try to correct the mistake. Rashi explains
that whereas Gd has unlimited time to see that justice is done, human judges do not know what
tomorrow may bring. Whereas, all options are open to Gd, human judges are limited in their
perceptions and abilities to judge others. Gd takes absolutely everything into consideration when
He passes judgment on us, and that is why His judgments are "altogether righteous". Every
judgment is rendered by Gd in exactly the right measure for each recipient.
Brothers' keepers
In the Talmud (Shabbos 54b), we learn that someone in a position to protest a wrongdoing who
does nothing is also incriminated for the conduct that follows. We are our brothers keepers. As
the Talmud (Shavuoth 39a) says: All Jews are responsible for each other. The Torah does not
permit us to watch passively while our brothers go astray.
The bigger picture
Aaron made the golden calf reluctantly to try to buy some time, hoping that Moses would return
at any moment. When Hur tried to stop the mob from making the golden calf, they killed him.
Aaron did not want his blood on the hands of his fellow Jews as well. Nevertheless, Aaron should
not have participated in making the golden calf and he was punished with the loss of his children.
However, Gd would not have allowed Aarons sons to be killed unless there was something
wrong in their conduct that led to their deaths. When Gd gave judgment for Aarons sons to die,
Gd had the bigger picture in mind, including all of the details of Aarons conduct and his sons
conduct.
Unfortunately, the judgments of human judges may sometimes cause greater iniquity than they
resolve. For example, the family of a criminal sent to jail may be put on the street through no
wrongdoing on their part. So while the criminal is punished, so are many others who are totally
innocent of the crime.
Although Aaron suffered greatly upon hearing of the death of his sons, and the mistakes of his
sons cost them their lives, there was no "iniquity" which resulted from Gd judgment. Both the
conduct of Aaron and the conduct of his sons were considered. There is no contradiction
between the different reasons given for the death of Aarons sons. There was no one "real"
reason for the death of Aaron's sons. All things were considered by Gd before He passed
judgment.
Mutual insurance
Rav Simcha Zissel of Kelm (the Alter) teaches us to surround ourselves with as many good
friends as possible. That way, if, Gd forbid, we deserve to receive a punishment, that will also be
hurtful to our friends, then the punishment may be varied in the merit of our friends. Since Gds
judgments are "altogether" righteous, the more righteous people that we include in our inner
circle, the greater the protection this "mutual insurance" may provide us.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Shemini: Euthanasia is

murder - murder is not merciful
Summary
A heavenly fire consumed Aaron's sons. Closest relatives should defile themselves to take care
of their deceased. The commandments were given to preserve life and not to destroy life. Even if
it is a matter of prolonging life for a few moments, one is obligated to desecrate the Shabbos
laws. Even if we know that the person will suffer for the rest of his life, whether it is short or long,
we are obligated to save the person's life. If G'd makes someone sick, then why does G'd not
cure them? G'd cures the sick and provides for the poor through His messengers. A person who
takes his own life is considered a murderer. Do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to bring about
an early death. Anything that brings about early death to a person is considered murder. There is
a purpose in suffering.
Aaron's sons die
In this week's portion Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aaron, brought an unauthorized offering
into the Holy of Holies on the occasion of the inauguration of the Tabernacle. Our sages explain
that they committed a number of transgressions by doing so. A heavenly fire came down upon
them, consumed their souls and they died. Moses called upon his cousins Mishael and Elzaphan
and told them to carry the two bodies out of the Sanctuary and out of the camp. Our sages
discuss how the bodies were removed from the Holy of Holies as it was forbidden for anyone to
enter there. One opinion is that the Angel of Death killed them and brought them outside. Another
opinion is that it was necessary to pull them out.
Kohanim and dead bodies
We may question why did Moses called upon his cousins rather than his nephews, the brothers
of the deceased to remove the dead bodies. Kohanim are prohibited from having any contact
with a dead body. However, there is a special commandment which also applies to Kohanim that
the closest relatives should defile themselves to take care of their deceased (see Vayikra 21:1-3).
The Da'as Zekenim explains that since this was the day of the inauguration of the Kohanim as
well as the Tabernacle, they had been anointed and on that particular day they had risen to the
status of the High Priest. The special commandment does not apply to the High Priest who may
not defile himself, even for his closest relatives.
Live and not die
Had Nadav and Avihu just been smitten and not killed by the heavenly fire, and they were in
mortal danger, everything would have been different. Under those circumstances it would have
been permissible for their brothers to run into the Holy of Holies to save them and to do anything
necessary to keep them alive. As it says, (Vayikra 18:5) "And you shall observe My decrees and
My laws and live by them." The Talmud (Yuma 85b) explains this to mean you shall live by
them and not die by them, and learns from here that saving a person's life overrides even the
laws of Shabbos. The commandments were given to preserve life and not to destroy life. The
laws of Shabbos may be violated and everything is permitted even if there is only the slightest
chance to save a life.
A few moments
Our sages are very explicit that even if there is a chance of prolonging life only for a few
moments, one is obligated to desecrate the Shabbos laws (see Shulchan Aruch Or Hachaim
329:4). There is a beautiful insight in The Meiri, one of the Talmudic commentaries. He explains
that a few moments of life in this world prior to entering the eternal world have a tremendous
potential to make a world of a difference. For example, a person who repents from his sins of the
past even a few moments before death changes his whole Olam Haba for eternity.
Suffering
It goes even further. Even if we know that the person will suffer for the rest of his life, whether it is
short or long, we are obligated to save the person's life. The value of life is so great in itself that it
overrides any other concerns. The quality of being alive is more important than any concerns
about the quality of life. The prophet Jeremiah exclaims, (Eichah 3:39) "What is a living person
complaining about, is he strong to control his sins? Explains the Talmud (Kidushin 80b), why
does a person who is alive complain about what happens to him? Did he never sin that he lives
in the merit of his righteousness? He should stop complaining and realize that he is only alive
due to the grace of G'd.
Why does G'd not cure?
G'd gave permission to man to get involved in the lives of his fellow human beings to heal and
support in any way possible. The Talmud (Bava Kama 85a) learns that it is permissible for a
doctor to heal from what it says (Shemos 21:19) that if one hits his fellow Jew he has to pay for
the healing. In regards to charity, it says explicitly (Devarim 15:7-8) "when there is among you a
poor person you shall open your hand to him whatever he is lacking." The Talmud (Bava
Basra 10a) tells us how the great Rabbi Akiva was once asked by the Roman commander,
Turnus Rufus, if G'd loves the paupers why does G'd not support them? Why does G'd make
people poor and then command us to give charity and care for them? In the same way we may
ask, if G'd makes someone sick, then why does G'd not cure them? Why does G'd expect us to
cure them?
G'd's messengers
There are two issues. On the one hand, a person suffering with an illness or suffering from
poverty is the result of a Divine Judgment. At the same time, there is an opportunity and
obligation for those surrounding the afflicted person to do charity and acts of loving-kindness.
Our sages say that G'd has many messengers and ways of dealing with individuals. Both the
doctor who heals and the philanthropist who gives charity are messengers acting on behalf of
G'd. So G'd cures the sick and provides for the poor through His messengers.
Suicide is murder
On the other hand, in matters of life and death G'd has retained the final say for Himself. As it
says, (Samuel I 2:6) "G'd kills and gives life." No doctor or other individual has the right to
interfere with G'd's plans. As we say in our daily prayers (Shemoneh Esrei, G'd's Might), "G'd kills
and gives life and lets salvation spring forth." Only G'd Himself knows when the salvation will
come through giving life or taking life. A dying person in great pain who is begging for his life to
be terminated may not do so and may not be assisted to do so. Just as it is forbidden to take
someone else's life, the Rambam says (Laws of Murder 2:2), "It is forbidden for a person to take
his own life." A person who takes his own life is considered a murderer.
Do not bring an early death
The Halachic authorities are very explicit that near the time of death, the most important
consideration is not to contribute, directly or indirectly, to bring about an early death. As its says,
(Shulchan Aruch Yorehdah 399:1), "Near the time of death one must not touch a dying person as
it may bring about an earlier death." And as the Rambam says (ibid 2:7) the same capital
punishment applies to someone who kills a dying person as to the one who kills a healthy
person.
Early death is murder
In our society, there is a lot of confusion about the ethical and moral conduct of dealing with
these situations of life and death. It is similar to the discussion in last week's Torah Attitude
concerning whether Robin Hood was a righteous person or a criminal. In the same way, we are
experiencing a heated debate regarding whether the one who removes a feeding tube from a
brain damaged person is a hero or a murderer? From the Torah point of view, the Halachic law is
clear. Anything that brings about early death to a person is considered murder. However, one is
not obligated to start using life-sustaining equipment to try to lengthen the life of a person who is
about to die, when death is imminent (Halochos of Aveilus based on Shulchan Aruch ibid).
Purpose of suffering
We have to realize that there is a purpose in suffering as well. Any suffering endured in this world
relieves a person of much harsher suffering in the world to come. The Ramban in his introduction
to Job writes that if a person would realize the benefits of suffering in this world, he would
request to be inflicted with the suffering of Job. We may not ask for tests. In fact, in our morning
prayers we ask not to be tested. Therefore, we may not ask for suffering because it may be a test
that we cannot endure. But the knowledge of the benefits of suffering puts into perspective our
inability to decide matters of life and death, even when it involves suffering. Only G'd knows the
total picture about this world and the world to come. Only He understands the real benefit for any
particular individual and is in a position to decide whether this person should suffer in this world
or in the world to come. May we all be spared any suffering and pain, and not have to make
these difficult decisions for our dear ones. And may the time come soon when G'd will remove
the angel of death forever.

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27. TAZRIA
Torah Attitude: Parashas Tazria: The world was

created for me
March 20, 2003
Summary
Humans were created at the very end after the rest of creation. Four reasons are offered why we
were created last. Gd created existence so that everything is ready for all situations. Gd
commanded us not to spoil or destroy His world. Every person is obligated to say, The world
was created for me. We should maintain a constant attitude of appreciation for everything that
Gd does for us. Animals receive their sustenance from Gd without pain, so why do I not? In
these times of trouble, we must join together as one.
Animals then humans
Rav Simlai in the Midrash says that just like the creation of man was after all the animals were
created, so too the laws regarding man follow after the laws regarding animals. Last weeks
Torah reading (Shemini) talked about the laws of purity concerning animals. We learned which
animals are kosher to eat and which are not. This weeks Torah reading talks about the laws of
purity concerning humans, including birth, relations between spouses, plagues and otherwise.
Man created last
Why was man created last, after all the rest of creation? Our sages relate (Sanhedrin 38a) that
man was created on the Friday, the last day of creation, just before Shabbos. They offer four
reasons why man was created at this time: (1) to disprove the non-believers who argue that man
assisted Gd in the creation process; if man was not created until the end how could he possibly
be one of the original partners in creation; (2) the arrogant among us are reminded that even the
tiniest insect was created before any human (3) as soon as man was created he immediately
could fulfill the mitzvot of Shabbos; (4) everything was created for man to use for his benefit, like
the King who builds a palace and makes preparation for a feast, and only then invites his guests
to enter for their enjoyment.
Everything ready for all situations
Although each of the four reasons is different from the other, they are each true and they
complete each other. In His infinite wisdom, Gd created existence so that everything is ready for
all situations. Saving the creation of man for last addresses the non-believer, the arrogant and
the righteous at the same time. On the one hand, man is the crown of creation. On the other
hand, man cannot claim priority over the tiniest insect. In addition, there is a message that man
was created with the purpose to fulfill the mitzvos.
Do not spoil or destroy
Koheles (7:13) says See the works of Gd, who can correct his wrongdoing? The Midrash
comments that when Gd created Adam, He took him on a guided tour of the Garden of Eden,
showing him all the trees. Gd said Look how beautiful and praiseworthy is all that I created. I
created it all for you. Make sure not to spoil and destroy My world.
Everything for man
Everything was created by Gd for man to use. But Gd also warned man to use it for his benefit
and not to destroy it. Dynamite, for example, can be used to help mankind and enhance our lives
by blasting holes through mountains to make tunnels for transportation, or it can be used to
produce weapons of mass destruction and destroy life. Basically, the same applies to every new
technological and scientific invention and development.
Everything for me
Our sages tell us (Sanhedrin 37a) that every person is obligated to say, The world was created
for me. Rashi explains that the correct attitude should be to think that if I am so important, and
the whole world was created for me, then how could I think of doing even one transgression. This
attitude brings us to stop in our tracks whenever we have a choice to make. However, the
arrogant may say that if the whole world was created for me, then I expect everyone and
everything to serve my needs. Just like the child who expects every wish to be fulfilled, the
arrogant expect that their needs will be treated with priority over everything else.
Continual appreciation
However, the Talmud (Brachos 58a) teaches that the realization of the world being created for
me obligates me to appreciate everything that Gd created and does for me on a continual basis.
The Talmud relates that Ben Zoma witnessed a huge gathering of people at the Temple mount.
He blessed and thanked Gd for creating all these people to serve him. When Adam was first
removed from the Garden of Eden, said Ben Zoma, it was necessary for him to make bread by
the sweat of his brow. Adam had to plow, sow, harvest, gather, thresh, winnow, separate, grind,
sift, kneed, and bake before he could put bread on his table. I merely get up in the morning and
find it all prepared for me.
Animals receive sustenance without pain
On a similar note, the Talmud (Kiddushin 82) relates what Rav Shimon ben Elazar exclaimed:
Did you ever see an animal that needed a job to make a living? The animals receive their
sustenance from Gd without pain and they were created just to serve me. I was created just to
serve Gd. Should I not get my sustenance without pain also? Only my wrongdoings are to be
blamed for my difficulties in earning a living.
Obligated to appreciate every detail
All of creation was created for man. The plants and animals provide us with food and material for
clothing, housing, and otherwise. We were all created to assist and provide for each other. This
does not entitle any of us to abuse or exploit any part of Gds world. On the contrary, this
obligates us to appreciate every detail of this wonderful creation and exclaim: How abundant are
Your works, Gd. You made them all with wisdom (Tehillim 104:24).
Times of trouble
In these days we witness how the president of the United States, George W. Bush, has risen to
the challenge of ridding the world of an evil tyrant, a dictator who does not care about anyone but
himself. Saddam Hussein personifies the evil, arrogant, person who abuses his power, and will
kill and destroy to further his own interest. He exploits his own subjects and even uses women
and children as human shields for himself and his henchmen. He is a threat to the world at large
and in particular to our brothers and sisters in the land of Israel. This is how low a human being
can fall when he looks at himself as the centerpiece of the universe.
These are dangerous times for Jews all over the world. There is a real threat that the hatred of
anti-Semitism could easily be ignited by blaming the Jewish people for any suffering caused by
this war. We must join together as one and pray to Gd that He gives His divine assistance to the
coalition to stop the forces of evil. May this war, between the descendants of Esav and the
descendants of Yishmael, be the last of all wars. And may the world experience the coming of
Mashiach and the fulfillment of the words of the prophet (Yeshayah 2:4): One nation will not lift a
sword against another nation and they will not study any more how to battle. Then all the people
will truly benefit in peace and prosperity from this beautiful world that Gd created for everyones
enjoyment.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Tazria/ Parashas

HaChodesh, The power of the spoken word
Summary
The Torah describes plagues resulting from gossiping, lies, breaking promises and other
improper speech. We must be very careful with our powerful words by guarding our tongues.
The status of a person afflicted with the plague changes to impure and pure only after a
declaration by a kohen. Hopefully, the person learns the lesson of how the spoken word can
make or break every part of our existence. The punishment for impurity resulting from improper
speech is isolation. Contamination from the sins of the spoken word cause a spiritual
impediment. The first development of the animosity with his brothers was when Joseph went to
his father with a bad report. The gossip about Moses disclosed to him the reason for the harsh
slavery in Egypt. Not gossiping about the future plans for the exodus is one of the merits for
which the Jewish people were eventually redeemed. Gossip caused our long and bitter exile that
we still suffer today.

Plagues resulting from bad speech
This week's Torah portion mainly describes the plagues that afflict a person's body and garments
(and house in next week's portion). The Midrash enumerates a number of sins that bring about
this malady as a Divine punishment. The main reasons mentioned are speech related, such as
gossiping, lies, breaking promises and other improper speech. People often underestimate the
power of the spoken word and the responsibility to fulfill one's word.
Power of words
Words can heal and words can damage. Words can build and words can destroy. Words can put
people together and words can breakdown relationships. It is no wonder that humans are defined
as speaking beings at the time of creation (see Targum Onkelus Bereishis 2:7). The unique gift
given to us by G'd is our ability to speak. But with this special gift comes a special responsibility
to guard our tongues and be very careful how we use our powerful words.
Kohen inspection
It is interesting to note that the Torah obligates the person afflicted with one of these plagues to
go to a kohen to inspect the plague and verify whether the person is rendered impure (see
Negaim 3:1 and 12:5). Even a learned scholar may not decide this issue without the assistance
of a kohen. Only once a kohen confirms that the person is infected with the plague does the
person become impure. After the time of seclusion expires, the person must return to a kohen to
inspect the status of the plague infection and determine whether the person is free of the
impurity. The status of the infected person does not change until the kohen declares the person
pure and free of the plague.
Lesson
What is the significance of the kohen's pronouncement of purity or impurity. Why cannot a
scholar who knows the laws of plagues make this determination, especially if a kohen is not
more knowledgeable? It seems that the Torah wants to teach us the lesson about the power of
the spoken word. The reason a person was smitten with a plague due to improper speech is that
he does not realize the value of his own words. By being obligated to go to a kohen to await the
spoken pronouncement of purity or impurity, hopefully the person learns the lesson of how the
spoken word can make or break every part of our existence.
Isolation
Similarly, the Talmud (Erchin 16b) explains what is mentioned in this week's portion (Vayikra
13:46) "All the days that the plague is upon him, he is impure he should dwell in isolation
outside the camp." Says the Talmud, why is the punishment resulting from the impurity for
improper speech different than all other impurities (for example, contact with dead bodies) that
the one infected with it has to sit in isolation. Answers the Talmud, by his improper speech this
person separated husband and wife, broke up friendships, etc. Therefore, let him sit in isolation
and contemplate the evil affect of his words.
Chofetz Chaim
The Talmud (Bava Basra 165a) emphasizes that everyone is afflicted in some measure with the
sin of gossip. As soon as two people speak about a third person, it is almost impossible that no
derogatory remark comes from the conversation. How many relationships have been broken,
business opportunities spoiled, and other calamities caused for individuals and communities over
the years? The Chofetz Chaim put a lot of effort into understanding the damage caused by the
spoken word. In his introduction to his book, Chofetz Chaim, by which he later became known,
he explains that the cause for our long and bitter exile resulted in large part from the evil tongue
of gossip. Towards the end of the Second Temple, the Jewish people were fractioned into groups
that could not live in peace together. He explains that when the Talmud (Yoma 9) speaks about
the baseless hatred that led to the destruction of the Second Temple it manifested itself in
derogatory talk about individuals and groups.
Spiritual impediment
The Chofetz Chaim further explains that evil talk is the primary cause of prolonging our exile.
First, this was the main reason for the destruction of the Second Temple. Second, if we cause
impurity to our mouth through improper speech, it disables us from pure prayer on the level that
is needed to bring about our redemption from this exile. As he quotes from the Zohar (Parashas
Pekudei 264b), when a person contaminates his mouth with any of the sins of the spoken word,
he causes a spiritual impediment and takes away from the power of prayer said from the same
mouth. He further shows that the first seed to the destruction of the Temples on Tisha B'Av was
the evil report of the ten spies given on the night of Tisha B'Av in the desert.
Parashas HaChodesh
This week we read an extra portion, The Maftir, at the end of the regular Torah reading known as
Parashas HaChodesh. This is read every year on the last Shabbos before Nissan in preparation
for this special month of redemption. This was the month when the Jews merited the exodus
from Egypt. And this is the month that our sages say is specially suited for our future redemption.
Joseph's bad report
It was decreed that the Jews had to go into exile already at the time of our Patriarch Avraham. As
it says, (Bereishis 15:13) "And He [G'd] said to Abram, you shall know that your offspring will be
strangers in a land not their own and they will serve them and they will afflict them for four
hundred years." The Shem Meshmeul quotes the Zohar explaining that the fulfillment of this
prophecy would not have necessarily involved all of the hardships that the Jews suffered in
Egypt. These hardships were caused by the animosity between Joseph and his brothers. The
first development of this animosity was when Joseph went to his father with the bad report about
his brothers. No doubt Joseph had only the best intentions that his father should correct the
brother's conduct. As the Chofetz Chaim explains (Shmiras Haloshon 2 Chapter 11), however,
Joseph's mistake was that he should have tried to speak to his brothers before approaching his
father. Again, we see the major cause of the difficulties of the slavery in Egypt was caused by
gossip.
Gossip about Moses
Later in the exile we find that Moses also referred to the sin of gossiping as the cause of the
difficult slavery in Egypt. When Moses went out and saw two Jews fighting and tried to stop
them, they said to him (Shemos 2:14) "Who made you a ruler and judge over us?" Moses
exclaimed, "Indeed, it has become known." Rashi quotes the Midrash that explains that Moses
expressed, "Now I understand what I was always wondering about. What was the sin of the Jews
that they sinned more than the seventy nations of the world, that they should be afflicted with
such harsh slavery? Unfortunately, now I see that they are such evil gossipers, deserving of this."
So we see that Moses understood that the gossip caused the harsh slavery in Egypt.
No gossip about the exodus
On the other hand, the Jews were given a test to see if they would keep quiet and not gossip.
When G'd sent Moses back to redeem the Jews, G'd instructed Moses to tell them that they
would soon leave Egypt and they would not leave empty-handed. As it says (Shemos 3:22) "And
every woman shall request from her neighbour, from the one who lives in her house, silver
vessels and gold vessels, garments " Says the Midrash Rabbah (Parashas Emor 23:5 ), for a
whole year not one member of the Jewish people spoke or gossiped about the future plans for
the exodus. This is one of the merits for which they were eventually redeemed.
Controlling gossip
As we see, gossip brought us into the exile of Egypt and controlling gossip got us out of the exile.
Gossip also caused our long and bitter exile that we still suffer today. In the merit of us controlling
ourselves from gossiping we will be partners uniting the Jewish people and, hopefully soon, we
will get out of this exile and bring true redemption for the benefit of the Jewish people and the
whole world.

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28. METSORA
Torah Attitude: Parashas Metzora: The gossiper and

the snake, biting off more than they can chew
April 8, 2003
Summary
Plagues will inflict the one who speaks evil about others. Gd was not pleased with Moses
hesitation. The signs of the snake and leprosy were hints. The biting gossiper hurts others for no
reason whatsoever. The level of impurity inflicted on the metzora is severe. Evil talk destroys
marriages and friendships. The gossiper is isolated from Gd. Gossip has kept the Jewish people
in exile. The slander of the spies kept the Jewish people in the desert for 40 years. Gossip is in a
certain sense considered the greatest sin of all. Guarding our tongues will hasten the coming of
the greatest redemption.
Speaking evil
At the beginning of this weeks Torah portion it says, This shall be the law of the metzora on the
day of his purification. In Hebrew, someone who speaks evil is called motzi shem ra which
obviously is closely connected with the word metzora. The Talmud (Erchin 15b) interprets this
verse as This shall be the law of the one who speaks evil about someone else. Based on this
the Talmud warns that plagues will inflict the one who speaks evil about others.
Moses improper accusation
When Moses had his first encounter with the Almighty at the burning bush, Gd commanded him
to redeem the Jews and take them out of Egypt. Moses was extremely reluctant to assume this
leadership role upon himself (Shemos 3:11). One of the reasons for his hesitation was that he felt
that the Jews would not believe and trust him.
Snake and leprosy

Gd was not pleased with Moses improper suspicion. In response to his hesitation, Gd gave him
signs to demonstrate his divine mission. Gd told Moses to take the staff in his hand and cast it
on the ground. When Moses did this the staff became a snake. Gd told Moses to put his hand to
his bosom. When he withdrew his hand it was plagued with leprosy. Our sages explain that both
of these signs provided a hint to Moses that he was making improper accusations by speaking
about the Jewish people in a negative way. The sign of the snake hinted that his accusation was
similar to the improper words of the snake in the Garden of Eden. The sign of leprosy hinted that
he deserved to receive the punishment inflicted for slander.
The biting gossiper
King Solomon says, (Koheles 10, 11) Does the snake bite without anyone whispering? There is
no advantage to the master of the tongue. On this the Talmud (ibid) says, All the animals will
gather by the snake (to challenge it): The lion tears and the wolf rips and they eat. But you, what
benefit do you have when you bite? The snake answers back: And what benefit does the
gossiper have? A gossiper is like a snake that bites without receiving any real benefit and
causes only harm. Similarly, in Tehillim (120:3) it says, What does it give you and what does it
add to you, deceitful tongue? The biting gossiper often hurts others for no reason whatsoever.
Severe spiritual impurity
The metzora is an evil gossiper. The plagues that inflict the evil gossiper are both a physical
sickness and a spiritual impurity. The seriousness of this improper conduct is seen from the
severity of the level of impurity inflicted on the metzora. For example, someone who has been in
contact with a deceased person becomes impure but this impurity only prevents one from
entering the holy grounds of the Temple. However, not only is a metzora restricted from entering
the Temple, he is also forced to remove himself from any contact whatsoever with other people.
As it says (Vayikra 13:46),All the days that the plague is upon him he shall dwell in isolation;
his dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Destroyed marriages and friendships
Our sages explain that the severity of the plagues inflicted on the metzora is not merely a
quarantine to prevent the spread of some contagious disease. Rather, this is a lesson for the
person who is plagued to help him correct his behaviour. With his evil talk he destroyed
marriages and friendships and thereby isolated spouses and friends. Therefore, the appropriate
correction for him is also isolation.
Isolated from Gd
Furthermore, in Tehillim (101:5) it says, The one who slanders his friend in secret, [Gd says]
him I will cut down. The one with haughty eyes and a broad [envious] heart, I cannot bear him.
The Talmud (ibid) explains that this verse means that Gd says that He cannot live with the
gossiper in the world. Not only is the gossiper isolated from his fellow human beings, he isolated
from Gd as well.
Gossip keeps the Jewish people in exile
All the calamities and exiles of the Jewish people were a direct consequence and punishment
resulting from gossip. One of the initial causes that brought about the descent of Jacob and his
family into Egypt was Josephs bringing gossip about his brothers to his father (see Rashi on
Beresheis 37:2). Later when Moses found out that Dothan and Aviram had reported him to the
Egyptian authorities, he exclaimed, (Shemos 2:14) Indeed, the matter is known. Rashi quotes
from the Midrash that these means the matter became known to Moses why the Jews were
suffering in exile. As long as there are gossipers amongst the Jewish people, Moses understood
that they deserve to remain in exile.

The spies
Before entering the land of Israel, Moses sent spies to scout the land and report back with their
findings. When they returned from their mission, ten out of the twelve spies slandered and spoke
evil about the land of Israel. Because of this misconduct, the Jewish people had to remain in
exile in the desert for 40 years. But it goes even further than that. As it says, (Tehillim 106:24-27)
They despised the desirable land. They did not trust His word And He [Gd] lifted up His hand
in an oath to throw them down in the desert and to throw down their descendants among the
nations and to scatter them in the lands. All the subsequent exiles of the Jewish people originate
with the slander by the spies. If that would not have taken place, the Jews would have merited
entering the land of Israel without having to wander for 40 years in the desert. They would have
entered with Moses as their leader and would never have had to leave the land of Israel again.
Baseless hatred
The Chofetz Chaim explains that our present exile is also a direct consequence of gossiping in
the time of the Second Temple. The Talmud (Yuma 9b) questions why the Second Temple was
destroyed, as it is a known fact that the Jews at the time were Torah observant. The Talmud
answers that the Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred. How does this hatred
manifest itself? The initial expression, says the Chofetz Chaim, is slandering and gossiping.
The greatest sin
We may wonder why gossip is the basic cause for all our suffering in all the exiles. The Chofetz
Chaim quotes from the Zohar (Pekudei) that other misconduct and wrongdoings are not brought
up in the Heavenly Court immediately after they occur. The Accuser at the Heavenly Court is only
permitted to bring forth his accusations if someone down on Earth opens his mouth to speak evil
about others. So many transgressions could be filed away without any punishable consequences
as long as no one slanders his fellow being in this world. Our sages (Midrash Rabba Shoftim
5:10) explain that there were generations of evil idol worship that lived in unity without slander
and enjoyed great military success. On the other hand, there were generations of otherwise
Torah observant Jews that slandered others and would continually lose in battle. From this
perspective, it appears that gossip is the singular sin with the greatest consequences of all.
The greatest redemption
The Midrash (Vayikra 32:5) says that in the merit of four things were the Jews redeemed out of
Egypt: (1) they did not change their names, (2) they kept their language, (3) they did not gossip,
and (4) they were not adulterers. Again, we see that just like gossip was the cause of the exile,
refraining from gossip and living in unity led to the redemption. The Talmud (Rosh Hashana 11a)
says that just like the Jews left Egypt in the month of Nissan, so too is it the month most suitable
for the final and complete redemption. There are abundant signs that this time is very close. It is
up to us to guard our tongues from gossip and to unite with all Jews as one so as not to miss this
opportunity of leaving our long and bitter exile in this month of Nissan.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Metzora/ Shabbos Hagadol,

Finding merits and excuses brings salvation
Summary
Gossip is prolonging our exile. Gossip enables accusations in the heavenly court to be spoken
against the Jewish people. As soon as G'd saw that Gideon was trying to find a merit for the
Jewish people He set in motion the means for the Jews to defeat their enemies. It takes very
little to arouse the Heavenly Mercy to protect and help the Jewish people. In the merit of the
fulfillment of circumcision and the Pesach offering, G'd took them out of Egypt. Mordechai told
Esther to go and plead to King Ahashverus on behalf of the Jews. As long as no one on earth
accuses the person and gossips about it, the hand of the accuser in the Heavenly Court is
stayed. Any individual who will give others the benefit of doubt and try to find excuses and
explanations for their wrongdoings will bring forth a tremendous measure of mercy in the
Heavenly Court.
Gossip prolongs exile
This week's Torah portion continues to discuss the laws regarding the person who was inflicted
with plagues due to gossiping and the process of how the person was purified. On an individual
level we do not have the plagues nowadays and we have no way of purifying ourselves with
sacrifices that can only be brought when the Temple is standing. However, we are far from cured
from this malady. As the Chofetz Chaim explains, gossip is one of the main causes of the
destruction of the Second Temple and the prolonging of our exile.
Gossip effects heaven and earth
Gossip is one of the worst transgressions. Our sages (Midrash Koheles 9:12) explain that some
sins only have an effect here on earth and other sins only have an effect in heaven. Gossip is
one sin that is so severe that it has effects both in heaven and on earth. As it says, (Tehillin 73:9)
"They set their mouth in heaven and their tongue goes on earth." The Chofetz Chaim quotes the
Zohar Parashas Pekudai (264b) that when a person gossips down on earth it enables
accusations in the heavenly court to be spoken against the Jewish people. He further mentions
from the Tana D'Vei Eliahu that all gossip spoken on earth ascends to the Heavenly Throne. Who
knows how many tragedies and calamities have occurred from arousing accusations in front of
the Heavenly Court through gossiping on earth.
Gideon
On the other hand, when a person speaks well about his fellow human beings, and looks for
excuses for the wrongdoings of others, this has a positive effect in the Heavenly Court. An
example of this is found in the Book of Judges (6:12-14) where a heavenly angel appeared to
Gideon to appoint him to be the judge and leader of the Jewish people. The angel said to
Gideon, "G'd is with you mighty warrior." Gideon responded, "Please my master, if G'd is with us
why is all this happening to us? Where are all the wonders that our fathers told us? Did not G'd
take us out of Egypt and now G'd has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of Midian?
And G'd turned to him and said, 'Go with this strength of yours and save Israel from the hands of
the Midianites.' Our sages (Midrash Tanchuma Parashas Shoftim 4) relates that in the days of
Gideon the Jews were suffering from calamities inflicted on them by their enemies, the
Midianites. G'd was waiting for someone to say something good about the Jews. No one had
anything good to say. Their performance and fulfillment of the commandments were too poor.
Rashi explains from the Midrash that on the first day of Pesach that year, Gideon spoke up and
said, "Last night my father read the Hallel [in the Haggadah] and I heard how he spoke about
when the Jews went out of Egypt [all the wonders that G'd did for them]'. Said Gideon, why has
He forsaken us? 'If our ancestors were righteous then G'd should help us in their merit. If our
ancestors were evil doers then He should help us just as he helped them even without having
merits. So either way, why does G'd not do wonders to help us?"
Finding merit
Gideon was not able to easily find merit in the conduct of the Jews of his time. So instead, he
contrived a merit based on the fact that they had ancestors that had merit or at least their
ancestors were helped even if they did not have merits. If their ancestors were helped with our
without merits, Gideon pleaded that G'd should help the Jews of his time. Says the Midrash, as
soon as G'd saw that Gideon was trying to find a merit for the Jewish people as minor as it might
be, He set in motion the means for the Jews to defeat their enemies and immediately the angel
revealed himself and said, "Go with this strength of yours trying to find a merit for My Children."
How very little it takes

We see from here how very little it takes to arouse the Heavenly Mercy to protect and help the
Jewish people. Gideon was living in a time when the Jews were serving idols. They had strayed
away from Torah conduct and had absolutely no merits of their own to justify being saved. Yet
when Gideon "invented" a merit on behalf of his beloved people, that was sufficient to arouse the
Heavenly Mercy.
Merit to leave Egypt
G'd has established that only if people have merits can they achieve salvation and help from
above. At the time of the exodus from Egypt, when the Jews also lacked merits to be helped, G'd
gave them two commandments: circumcision and the Pesach offering. In the merit of the
fulfillment of these two commandments, G'd took them out of Egypt. At the time of Gideon, the
Jewish people had already received all 613 commandments and there was no purpose for G'd to
give new commandments if they did not keep the old ones. It took the pain and concern of
Gideon to contrive some merit to form the basis on which G'd could help the Jewish people.
Mordechai and Esther
Similarly, when Mordechai told Esther to go and plead to King Ahashverus on behalf of the Jews,
Esther hesitated because she feared that she would be killed if the King did not summons her
first. Mordechai said to her, (Esther 8:6) "If you are going to be quiet now salvation will come
through another source." The Midrash (ibid) interprets this, "If you are going to be quiet now and
you are not going to be an advocate for the Jewish people and find merit for them, there will
come a time when you will be accused and will be lacking an excuse why you did not help the
Jews."
Accuser stayed
This is how the true leaders of the Jewish nation conduct themselves. They constantly try to find
merits for their fellow Jews. As the Talmud (Berachot 32a) relates how Moses pleaded with G'd
after the Jews had sinned and made the Golden Calf. "Master of the universe, the gold and silver
that You showered upon them brought about that they produced the golden calf." The Talmud
continues and says that this is comparable to a person who bathes and applies oil to his son's
skin. He gives him to eat and drink, hangs a full purse around his neck and brings him to the
entrance of a place of ill repute. How can this son possibly avoid to sin? Every individual will
always have a host of excuses for themselves and the ones closest to them. This is how we
should feel for each other and treat one another. Too often do we blame each other and find fault
with our fellow beings. The order of the Heavenly Court is that even if a person does something
wrong and sins, as long as no one on earth accuses the person and gossips about it, the hand of
the accuser in the Heavenly Court is stayed and he will not be allowed to pursue his accusation.
Furthermore, any individual who will give others the benefit of doubt and try to find excuses and
explanations for their wrongdoings, and to make circumstances milder in regards to the dealings
of others, will bring forth a tremendous measure of mercy in the Heavenly Court.
Bring forth mercy
We have been exiled for close to two thousand years, persecuted and pursued by our enemies.
As we say in the Haggadah, "In every generation, they rise against us to annihilate us." We can
only marvel at the Jewish nation who after all we have gone through, we still sit down every year
at the Seder night to celebrate the exodus from Egypt being chosen as G'd's nation. It is painful
to see how many Jews that have assimilated and have lost their contact to Torah and its
commandments. However, what can one expect of a child who has been exiled for so long on its
own. It is no wonder that so many have strayed. If not for G'd's mercy, chances are that none of
us would have survived. As we gather to celebrate the exodus from our first exile, let us at the
same time follow in the footsteps of Gideon and plead to G'd and say, "What do You expect of
your children that have been estranged and scattered among the nations of the world. We may
also be poor in our performances of the commandments, just as in the time of Gideon, but we
have great ancestors with many merits, right back to our Patriarchs and Matriarch. In every
generation righteous Jews have continued to cling to and observe the commandments despite
the hardships and difficulties, including most recently during the horrors of the Holocaust. In the
merits of all these righteous people, please G'd take mercy on us and bring all Your children
back home, rebuild Your House with the coming of Mashiach. Amen."

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29. ACHREI
30. KEDUSHIM
Torah Attitude: Parashas Kedoshim: True love lasts

forever
Summary
How can the Torah command us to feel love towards another person? Hillel said to the
prospective convert, "What you don't want for yourself, don't do to your fellow." Do not disobey
the instructions of G'd. You are expected to actively pursue a course of action of helping others.
The act of doing something for another person brings out feelings of love for that person. A
person who does not use language accurately and declares his love for fish really means that he
loves to eat fish. Any love that is dependent on a specific reason, when the reason disappears,
so does the love. Everlasting love is not based on what benefit one receives from the
relationship but is based on what investment one puts into the relationship. Rather than seeking
personal benefit, satisfaction and fulfillment in a marriage, one must learn to seek how to give
and benefit one's spouse. The Torah attitude of giving in a relationship brings to mind the famous
speech by President Kennedy. The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos refers to the true love between
Jonathan and David. Nothing makes a person feel as good as by giving of oneself to benefit
others.
You shall love
In this week's Torah portion it says (Vayikra 19:18): "And you shall love your fellow as yourself."
Love is an emotion. It is a very personal feeling between one person and another. Love does not
seem to be an act that one can be commanded to perform. So how can the Torah command us
to feel love towards another person?
Hillel
In Targum Yonathan ben Uziel this verse is explained in the following way: "And you should love
your fellow. That what you dislike for yourself do not do to the other person." This corresponds to
the famous words of Hillel related in the Talmud (Shabbos 31a): A gentile came to Hillel
requesting that he be converted to Judaism on the condition that he be taught all of the Torah
while standing on one leg. Hillel somehow sensed that this prospective convert was very serious
about his commitment. Hillel said to him, "What you don't want for yourself, don't do to your
fellow. This is the basic of all the Torah and the rest is commentary. Go and study."
Do not disobey G'd
Rabbi Akiva also alluded to the fundamental importance of this commandment. Rashi quotes that
Rabbi Akiva said that this is a major rule of the Torah. However, how can it be said that this is the
basis of all the Torah? It is well known that there are two types of commandments. One type of
commandment deals with the relationship between man and G'd. The other type of
commandment deals with the relationship between man and his fellow beings. Based on this,
Rashi in his commentary on the Talmud explains that we find that G'd is called the "friend" of
man. As such, there is a double meaning in Hillel's words. On a simple level, it was to be
understood that a person should not do to another human being what the person would not like
done to him. This is the bare minimum necessary for human beings to be able to coexist in
peace and harmony. On a deeper level there is a message alluding to the relationship between
man and G'd. Just as you would dislike if someone disobeyed your instructions, in the same way
do not disobey the instructions of G'd.
Actively help others
This interpretation of not doing to others what you would dislike for you is a command that
everyone can be expected to follow. However, the Torah has a message for various levels of coexistence in this command. Some of our commentaries make a note of the literal translation of
this verse that reads "And you shall love to your friend as to yourself." They explain that a person
is obligated to take an interest and provide for others as one would want for oneself. On this level
it is not sufficient to merely abstain from harming others; rather, you are expected to actively
pursue a course of action of helping others (see Ibn Ezra, Malbim and others).
Bringing out feelings of love
Rabbi Moishe Chaim Luzatto (Path of Just Chapter 11) takes this commandment to the highest
level, that a person should love his fellow being exactly as one loves himself. This returns us to
the original question as to how can we be commanded to love others.
Love fish
Some people who declare their love for another may use the expression of love very loosely.
When a person declares that he "loves fish", what does this mean? As the Mussar exponents
explain, when someone claims to love fish it is far from the truth. True love for fish would entail
purchasing an aquarium and spending time, effort and funds to care and provide for the fish. A
person who does not use language accurately and declares his love for fish really means that he
loves to eat fish. In other words, fish satisfy his needs and appetite.
Dependent love
Based on this we get a better understanding of the Torah attitude towards love. Some people
love other people the way they love eating fish. This kind of love for another person only lasts as
long as a person's appetite or desire is satisfied. As it says in the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (5:19):
"Any love that is dependent on a specific reason, when the reason disappears, so does the love.
A love that is not dependent on a specific reason, that love will never cease". The Mishnah is
obviously referring to an expression of love that exceeds just a benefit derived from a specific
person. Often feelings of love emanate from certain qualities of another person. These qualities
appeal to you and satisfy you, whether it is outer beauty or other qualities a person possesses
such as a good sense of humour or kindness that creates a bond of attraction. Says the
Mishnah, if this is the sole basis for the love, the instant these qualities cease to exist, so will the
love.
Everlasting love
The Mishnah continues and says that if the love is not based on another person's qualities then
nothing will cause the love to cease to exist. The obvious question is if the love is not based on
qualities then what is it based on? The answer to this we find in a startling statement our sages
make in Masechet Derech Eretz Zuta (Chapter 2): "If you want to love your fellow being then you
should do something for his benefit." As the Orchas Tzadikim explains that, contrary to public
opinion that a person would do something for someone he loves, our sages here teach us that
the act of doing something for another person brings out feelings of true love for that person.
Everlasting love is not based on what benefit one receives from the relationship but is based on
what investment one puts into the relationship. Therefore, even if the other person loses some of
the qualities this will not result in a diminishing love because this love is not just based on these
qualities. Rather, this true love is created by a bond of mutual care and interest for each other.
Isaac and Rebecca
This message is brought home by the Rambam in his commentary on Pirkei Avos (1:6) which
states: "You should acquire for yourself a friend". The Rambam says, "When you love do not love
by your own measure. Rather love by the measure of the one you love. When both lovers will
have this in mind, each one will work towards satisfying the other one and eventually they will
both want the same thing, no doubt." We find this kind of love in the Torah by the marriage of
Isaac and Rebecca. In general people would say that when a man and woman develop a love for
each other, this would be a reason for them to marry. However, the Torah says (Bereishis 24:67):
"And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and he took Rebecca and she became
his wife and he loved her". Only after they were married and cared for each other did the true
love emanate between Isaac and Rebecca. This kind of love is the solid basis for every marriage.
We live in a time when too many marriages end up in divorce with so much pain and
aggravation, not only for the spouses but even more so for the children. If couples would follow
the direction of the Torah on how to build a loving and lasting relationship, then many of these
sad divorces could be avoided. Rather than seeking personal benefit, satisfaction and fulfillment
in a marriage, we must learn to seek how to give and benefit one another in our relationships.
Ask not
The Torah attitude of giving in a relationship brings to mind the famous speech by President
Kennedy: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you
can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but
what together we can do for the freedom of man. (John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Friday,
January 20, 1961)
Jonathan and David
The Torah attitude towards true love is not limited to the loving relationship of husband and wife.
It also applies to many other relationships. The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos refers to the true love
between Jonathan and David. This was a relationship where two people only cared about the
welfare of the other without concern for their own personal satisfaction. Jonathan's father, King
Saul, was very displeased with Jonathan's relationship with David since he expected his son to
succeed him. To the contrary, Jonathan did everything he could to assist David to become king.
Giving ourselves
This ultimate expression of loving your fellow being as yourself stems from an appreciation of the
other person's worthiness without diminishing the self-worth of the one expressing it. After all, the
Torah instructs to love another as you love yourself. This first requirement is that one loves
oneself. To reach such a high level of selflessness to benefit others we must realize that there is
an ultimate satisfaction in life that never comes from amassing benefits and assets for oneself.
On the contrary, nothing makes a person feel as good as by giving ourselves to benefit our fellow
human beings both to individuals and to our communities. May the Torah attitude of true love
enrich our lives with everlasting love that and may we soon experience the days of true peace
and harmony forever.

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31. EMOR
Back to this Week's Parsha | Previous Issues
Torah Attitude: Parashas Emor: Respectfully yours

A matter of sensitivity
April 8, 2003
Summary
There appears to be a strong connection between the Festivals of Pesach and Shavuous and
the counting of the omer. Each Jew began to count in anticipation of receiving the Torah.
Counting upwards is exciting. The time of the counting of the omer are days of mourning. The
24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva died because they did not treat each other with due respect. This
lack of respect means lacking the sensitivity to avoid upsetting others. The Torah code of
conduct requires us to build fences that prevent us form causing any offence to others. The
Torah teaches us to be sensitive to the differences between the donkey and the ox. Rebbi
suffered severe pain for many years when he did not pity a calf. We must respect and revere
others like we respect and have reverence for Gd. Before we satisfy our needs, we must make
sure to be sensitive to the needs of others. The Torah is so great that it requires 100% purity in
its transmission. Character building is a prerequisite for accepting the Torah. To transmit the
Torah from one generation to the next, we must live up to the high standards of the Torah.
Counting the omer
In this weeks Torah portion we are commanded to count each day for seven weeks from the
second day of Pesach until Shavuous (Vayikra 23:15-16). This commandment is referred to as
the counting of the omer. Just before this commandment, the Torah speaks about Pesach
(Vayikra 23:4-7); and just after, the Torah speaks about Shavuous (Vayikra 23:16-22). There
appears to be a strong connection between the Festivals of Pesach and Shavuous and the
counting of the omer.
Pesach and Shavuous
Pesach is the Festival dedicated to the re-enactment of the exodus from Egypt. It is the time of
the year when we celebrate our freedom as a nation. However, this freedom would not be
complete if it were not followed by Shavuous, the giving of the Torah. Gd told Moses that after he
takes the Jewish people out of Egypt, they will come to serve Him at Mount Sinai and receive the
Torah (Shemos 3:12). The Midrash relates that when the Jewish people were redeemed from
Egypt, they asked Moses when this service would take place. Moses told them it would be in fifty
days, and each one began to count, in anticipation of receiving the Torah.
Counting up or down?
There are two ways to count towards an event: one is to count up; the other is to count down. A
young couple, eagerly waiting to get married, counts down the days with great anticipation.
However, the Sefer Hachinuch teaches us that one of the reasons that we do not count down the
days to receiving the Torah is for psychological concerns. Starting a count with such a large
number of 49 is psychologically difficult; whereas, counting upwards is exciting.
Days of mourning
However, we find something very strange during the time of the counting of the omer. We are
forbidden to celebrate during this time. These are days of mourning. For example, we are
prohibited from getting married and playing music. This time is similar to the mourning period of
the three weeks prior to the 9th of Av (the destruction of the Temple). How do we explain why
such a happy event of counting towards receiving the Torah is filled with days of mourning?
The students of Rabbi Akiva
Rabbi Akiva was one of the greatest Torah scholars of all time. His teaching was so great that he
attracted 24,000 students from all over the land of Israel to learn with him. Our Sages (Yevamos
62b) relate a terrible tragedy that befell these students. All of them died between the time of
Pesach and Shavuous. The reason that they received this extreme Divine punishment was
because they did not treat each other with due respect. We must keep in mind that the lack of
respect exhibited by these students who were on a very high spiritual level have very little in
common with what exists today. The higher the spiritual level, the closer one is to Gd, the
greater are the consequences for any misconduct. This lack of respect was so minute that even
Rabbi Akiva did not detect it before it was too late.
Lack of sensitivity
Rav Aaron Kotler, the founder of the Lakewood Yeshiva, explains that this lack of respect means
lacking the sensitivity to avoid upsetting others. In most cases, this is unintentional. Everyone
around us has different tolerances to our acts and omissions. For example, some are more
sensitive to tidiness than others. By not being sensitive to others feelings, we are not acting
respectfully towards them. A stark example would be falling asleep during a conversation with
someone else. Those who are sensitive to others will take extra precautions to avoid hurting their
feelings.
Torah attitude towards sensitivity
The code of conduct of the non-Torah world is that as long as one does not intend to cause harm
to others almost any conduct is acceptable. The Torah code of conduct is much more onerous.
We must build fences that prevent us form causing any offence to others, whether or not the
offence is intentional.
Sensitivity to animals
The Torah (Devarim 22:10) commands us not to harness a donkey and an ox to work together.
One of the reasons is that the Torah teaches us to be sensitive to the differences between these
animals. The ox chews it cud. Therefore, when the ox and donkey are working together in the
field after having being fed, the ox continues to digest its food, while the donkey has no more
food to eat. This hurts the donkeys feelings. The Torah shows us to respect the donkey by
being sensitive to its feelings.
Rebbi, the calf, and the weasels
Rebbi, the great sage who first transcribed the Oral Torah to writing, was punished because of
his insensitivity to an animal. A calf was being taken to be slaughtered when it broke away and
hid in terror under Rebbis clothing (Bava Metzia 85a). Rebbi said to the calf, Go, for this you
were created. Thereupon, the Heavenly Court declared, Since he has no pity, let us bring
suffering upon him. Apparently, Rebbi suffered severe pain for many years. However, one day
Rebbis maid was sweeping the house, when she saw some young weasels lying on the floor.
She began to sweep them away. Rebbi commanded her to stop. Let them be, he said.
Thereupon, the Heavenly Court declared, Since he is compassionate, let us be compassionate
to him. And then the severe pain that inflicted Rebbi disappeared.
Reverence for Gd
Our sages taught us that the honour owing to your disciple should be as precious to you as
yours. And the honour owing to your fellow should be like the reverence owing to your master.
And the reverence owing to your master should be like the reverence owing to Heaven (Perkei
Avos 4:12). We must respect and revere others, our teachers, friends, students and even
animals, like we respect and have reverence for Gd. Of course, there are different levels of
respect and reverence. But we must be sensitive to the needs and feelings of everyone around
us at all times.
The Shema
In the second paragraph of the Shema it says, I [Gd] will provide grass in your field for your
cattle and you will eat and be satisfied (Devarim 11:15). The Talmud (Brachos 40a) learns from
this that before we eat our food, we must make sure that our cattle have been fed. Before we
satisfy our needs, we must make sure to be sensitive to the needs of others.
100% purity
When the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva died, so much great Torah learning was lost with them.
Rabbi Akiva had to start from scratch and only found six students. There were R. Meir, R. Judah,
R. Jose, R. Shimon and R. Eleazer ben Shammus. It was they who revived the Torah at that
time. These Torah giants are mentioned throughout the Talmud. If only six Torah scholars helped
the Jewish people to maintain the Torah, imagine for a moment what greatness the Jewish
people would have attained if 24,000 students participated. These 24,000 students were all great
scholars and fine people. Unfortunately, they suffered from a flaw in their character that caused
them to lose their lives. Rabbi Akiva was an integral link in the chain of the transmission of the
Torah from Mount Sinai. The Torah is so great that it requires 100% purity in its transmission. No
flaw in the transmission process is permitted.
Building character by counting
It is unlikely that the 24,000 students only exhibited their character flaw during the time between
Pesach and Shavuous. So why is it that they all died during that time? Our Rabbis explain that
this is a time for us to prepare to accept the Torah. Just as our ancestors spent these seven
weeks in preparation, so it is expected of every generation to prepare them to accept the Torah
every year. Character building is a prerequisite for accepting the Torah.
High standards
This is why the Divine punishment came especially during this period when every Jew is
expected to be extra cautious and sensitive to the feelings of others as part of the preparation
toward his personal acceptance of the Torah. Although we lost a lot of Torah scholarship with the
death of Rabbi Akivas students, we learned a very important lesson. We must treat each other
with the deepest respect at all times and be sensitive to the feelings of others. In order to be part
of the transmission of the Torah from one generation to the next, we must live up to the high
standards of the Torah.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Emor: Counting turns

barley into wheat
Summary
It appears that the Omer offering and the New Meal offering have a special connection with
Pesach and Shavuous. Mordechai and his students were saved in the merit of the Omer
offering. Our reading and studying of the various offerings is considered as if they were brought
in the Temple. Pesach is a Day of Judgment for the produce; Shavuous is a Day of Judgment for
the fruit of the trees. With the bringing of the Omer offering we express our understanding that
the Hand of G'd is behind all laws of nature. Everything which happens to the Jewish people,
even what appears to be nature, is guided by the Divine Hand. After 49 days of counting, the low
spiritual Omer offering of barley leads to the high level wheat of the New Meal offering and the
giving of the Torah.
The impurity of the Jewish people was so severe that they needed a count of seven times seven
to purify themselves.
The Omer and New Meal offerings
In the middle of this week's portion, the Torah deals with the Festivals in the Jewish calendar,
starting with the weekly Shabbos and continuing from Pesach throughout the year to Succos.
Between the mention of the Pesach and the Shavuous Festivals there is a small portion dealing
with the commandment to bring the Omer offering at on the second day of Pesach in the Temple.
This is followed by the obligation to count the Omer from that day for seven weeks ending at the
Festival of Shavuous when the New Meal offering was brought, accompanied by a number of
animal offerings. No other offerings of the Festivals are mentioned in detail in this week's portion.
It appears that the Omer offering and the New Meal offering have a special connection with these
Festivals; the Omer offering on Pesach and the New Meal offering on Shavuous. It further seems
that the 49 days of the counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuous combines the two
offerings as well as the two Festivals.

Haman and the Omer
What is the significance of these offerings and this counting? The Midrash Rabba (Vayikra 28:6)
mentions a number of instances where our ancestors were saved in the merit of the Omer
offering. One incident, also mentioned in the Talmud (Megillah 16a), occurred during the time of
Purim when King Ahashvarous commanded Haman to take Mordechai and parade him
throughout the streets of Shushan on the Royal Horse on the 16th of Nisan, the second day of
Pesach. Haman went to look for Mordechai and found him teaching his students the laws of how
to bring the Omer offering. As Mordechai saw Haman coming with the horse in the distance, he
got worried. He said that Haman was most likely coming to kill him and warned his students to
run. Mordechai stood up, wrapped himself in his prayer shawl and began to pray to prepare
himself for what he believed were his last moments. The students, however, decided to remain
with their teacher. They declared that whatever happened to Mordechai would happen to them
and continued to study. Haman approached and asked the students what they were doing. They
told him that they were studying the laws of the Omer offering that was brought by the Jews in
the Temple on this second day of Pesach. Haman asked whether the offering was made of gold
or silver. The students said no, it was made of barley. Haman then asked whether it was made of
a tremendous amount of barley and was very expensive. The students said no, ten small coins
were all that it would cost. Exclaimed Haman, "Your ten small coins had the power to push away
my ten thousand silver coins" (see Esther 3:8-11).
Study is considered offering
Haman understood the importance of not only the bringing the Omer offering, but merely
studying it. As the Talmud (Menachos 110a) teaches that at the time when we do not have the
Temple, our reading and studying of the various offerings is considered as if they were brought in
the Temple. It was no mere chance that on that very day when they were studying the laws of the
Omer offering, Mordechai and his students were saved from the hands of the wicked Haman. It
was not so much Haman's appreciation of their study as their own dedication. It was a time when
they knew they were in danger and nevertheless they continued to study because they were
aware of the importance of studying Torah in general and the laws of Omer offering in particular.
Days of Judgment
The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16a) explains that the Omer offering is brought on Pesach, a Day
of Judgment to determine how plentiful the produce of this year will be. Similarly, we bring the
New Meal offering and species of the new fruit on Shavuous because it is a Day of Judgment for
the fruit of the trees.
The Hand of G'd
Rabbi Dessler explains that with the bringing of the Omer offering we express our understanding
that the Hand of G'd is behind all laws of nature. As the Maharal says, this offering was brought
to show an appreciation that nature is not governed by its own laws but by the Hand of G'd. At
the time of Mordechai, the whole story of Purim is shrouded in the cloak of nature. The name of
G'd is not mentioned even once in the whole book of Esther. And as the Talmud (Chulin 139b)
says, the name Esther is hinted at in the Torah when G'd says "I will hide Myself". The literal
translation of Esther means "hidden". When the students studied the laws of the Omer with
Mordechai, they acknowledged that everything that was happening was not just a sequence of
natural events. Rather, they knew that everything was being guided by the Hand of G'd. In the
merit of this understanding, the Jews at the time were saved.
Nothing by chance
At the time of the Temple, this Omer offering was brought when we celebrated the exodus from
Egypt. This is a time when G'd revealed himself to the Jews and all of mankind with open
miracles, teaching that He is in control of every part of the universe and all the elements follow
His instructions. As the Ramban explains at the end of Parashas Bo that from the great and
public miracles at the time of the exodus we have to learn that everything which happens to the
Jewish people, even what appears to be nature, is guided by the same Divine Hand. Absolutely
nothing happens by chance. The appropriate time of the year to reinforce this message is at the
time when we celebrate the miraculous events of the exodus to remind us of the miraculous
events of our everyday life which we call nature.
Barley and wheat
The commentaries point out that barley is generally considered animal food, whereas wheat is
mainly used for human consumption. On Pesach, the Jews had just left Egypt and were still
under the influence of the Egyptian culture. The Egyptians served animals as idols and they were
very far removed from the Holiness of G'd. The Omer offering of barely reflects the low level of
spirituality of the Jewish people as they left Egypt. It was so low that they were merely at the
level of someone fit to eat barely. It would take forty nine days of counting towards the Festival of
Shavuous to elevate them and build them up to a high spiritual level to receive the Holy Torah,
and to bring them to a level where they were fit for the wheat of the New Meal offering. The
Zohar (Vayikra 97) explains that because of the impurity of the Jewish people at the time of the
exodus, we do not say the complete Hallel for the last six days of Pesach. Hallel is only said on
the first day when a special Divine spiritual elevation allowed them to bring the Pesach offering.
Upon the second day of Pesach and for the next seven weeks, they had to rid themselves of the
impurity of the Egyptian culture and reach a high spiritual level to enable them to accept the
Torah at Shavuous, when we once again say the complete Hallel.
Count 49
Says the Zohar, just as it is necessary for a woman who has become impure to purify herself by
counting seven days before going to the Mikvah, the impurity of the Jewish people was so
severe that they needed a count of seven times seven to purify themselves before being ready to
accept the Torah. On the Seder night, we say that every person is obligated to consider
themselves as being part of the exodus from Egypt. Just as the Jews in Egypt were told that
there was a higher purpose in the exodus to bring them to Mount Sinai to accept the Torah, and
in their longing and excitement for that day they immediately started counting towards it, so does
every Jew in every generation follow in their footsteps and count the seven times seven days of
purification to free ourselves of foreign influences of impurity that surround us. Each day of
counting brings us closer to our personal acceptance of the Torah as we celebrate the Festival of
Shavuous.

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32. BEHAR
Torah Attitude: Parashas Behar: Everyone is better

April 8, 2003
Summary
The Torah prohibits buyers and sellers from deceiving one another. The Torah prohibits hurting
fellow Jews verbally. One should not inquire of the price if there is no intention to purchase. One
should not send someone on a wild goose chase. We are prohibited from reminding both the
baal teshuva and the convert of their past. If someone is afflicted with pain and suffering, one
may not tell him that the pain is a punishment for his misconduct. Verbal abuse cannot be
reversed. Verbal abuse dishonours Gd. The prophet Elijah disguised himself as an ugly stranger
to test a rabbi. In the world to come we find that the ones who are up here may be down there
and vice versa. The Alshich and the Ramban in his letter to his son teach proper conduct. The
Torah attitude is that you should look at every person as being better than you.
Deceiving buyers and sellers
In this weeks Torah portion, it says, (Vayikra 25:14) When you make a sale to your fellow or
make a purchase from the hand of your fellow, do not do injustice to one another. A little further
in the text it says, (Ibid 25:17) A man shall not do injustice to his fellow, and you shall fear your
Gd An obvious question arises why this prohibition of doing injustice is repeated one verse
after another? Rashi quotes from our sages that the first verse is dealing with business conduct.
This is a prohibition against the seller deceiving the buyer by overcharging and against the buyer
deceiving the seller when he sells valuable merchandise for less than its value if the seller is not
aware of its real value.
Verbal damage no intention to purchase
The second verse is a prohibition against hurting a fellow Jew verbally. The Talmud (Bava Metzia
58b) enumerates a number of examples. A person should not inquire about the price of some
merchandise if one has no intention of buying it. For example, it is prohibited to inquire about the
price in order to obtain a lower price from another merchant or to confirm that one received a
good price for merchandise already purchased. There is no problem to make inquiries to obtain
the best possible price provided there is a real possibility that one will purchase the item from the
vendor.
Wild goose chase
A person should not provide misleading advice to another as a jest or for some other reason. The
Torah prohibits sending others on a wild goose chase.
Baal Teshuva and converts
Likewise, a person is prohibited from reminding another of his past misconduct. This also applies
in regards to both the baal teshuva and the convert. We have to be very careful not to hurt
them by referring to mistakes they made before undertaking their new commitments to Judaism.
For the convert, the Torah has an additional prohibition: (Shemos 22:20) You shall not do
injustice or oppress a convert This extra requirement is necessary because in regards to a
convert it is more likely for us to breach this prohibition.
Pain and suffering
Furthermore, if someone is afflicted with pain and suffering, one may not tell him that the pain is
a punishment for his misconduct. It is an injustice to hurt others verbally by suggesting what we
believe to be the reason for their pain and suffering.
Serious offence
We see here the high standards of Torah expectations for the Jewish nation how to conduct
itself. No other judicial system would have laws prohibiting any of these examples of verbal
conduct. Not only does the Torah prohibit this conduct, but the Talmud (ibid) explains that the
prohibition of hurting someone else verbally is a more serious offence than hurting him
financially. The Talmud offers three reasons for this: (1) in connection with this prohibition it says,
And you shall fear your Gd. That in itself indicates the seriousness of the offence; (2) when you
hurt someone verbally you are hurting the person himself. Whereas if you hurt someone
financially you are hurting his assets; and (3) verbal abuse cannot be reversed. Once the
damage is done, no apology or excuse can reverse the damage. However, financially damages
can always be reversed through compensation.
Dishonouring Gd
The Alshich elaborates on the reasons why the Torah concludes the prohibition with the words
and you shall fear your Gd. He explains that we should be aware that when we hurt others
verbally, we are not only disrespecting the honour of others, we are also dishonouring Gd. Every
Jew has a Divine spark. If we taunt or ridicule others, we are also ridiculing the Divine spark of
Gdliness they contain.
The Rabbi and the ugly stranger
There is a story told about one of the rabbis in the Talmud (Taanis 20) who was returning home
from his teacher. His spirit was very elated after learning so much Torah. On the way, he met an
extremely ugly person. Our sages explain that this was really the prophet Elijah in disguise who
had come to test him. Elijah greeted him. However, in his elated mood, the Rabbi did not return
the greeting. On the contrary, he said, You ugly person. Are all the people in your town so ugly?
Elijah answered, I dont know but why dont you go to the craftsman that made me to tell him
what an ugly vessel he produced. Immediately, the Rabbi realized that he had sinned. He
lowered himself from his donkey, and prostrated himself in front of the stranger. He begged him
for forgiveness. Elijah said, I will not forgive you until you go to the craftsman who made me and
tell him what an ugly vessel he produced. All the way to town, the Rabbi walked behind the
stranger. As they arrived at the town, the townspeople came out to honour the Rabbi with due
respect. Elijah asked, Who are you honouring? They answered, The one who is travelling
behind you. He said, If this is a Rabbi, may there not be many like him in the Jewish nation.
What happened, asked the townspeople and Elijah related the events to them. The
townspeople requested Elijah to forgive the Rabbi because he was such a great scholar. Elijah
agreed to forgive him for their sake on condition that he would never repeat this kind of
behaviour. After this the Rabbi gave a lecture and said, A person shall always be humble and
soft like a reed and not arrogant and hard like a cedar tree.
The world to come
The Alshich continues to explain that a person should never feel himself better than another,
whether he is bigger or smaller. As the Talmud says (Pesach im 50a), In the world to come we
find that the ones who are up here may be down there and vice versa. Only in the world of truth
we will find out who is really great and who is not. There was a person who always honoured
everyone he met and always felt that others were always better than him. He explained his
conduct in the following way: If the other person is younger than me, he is likely to have fewer
sins than I. If he is older than me, he is likely to have more merits than I. If he is a greater
scholar, I must honour him for that. If I am a greater scholar than him, then my wrongdoings are
more serious than his because he was not aware of the pitfalls as I was.
Rambans letter
The Ramban, in his famous letter to his son, teaches him to conduct himself in a similar way. He
says, If you meet an affluent person he must be honoured for his virtues. If you are more affluent
or smarter than him, you have to realize that your obligations are greater.
Exceedingly humble
Our sages tell us, Be exceedingly humble in front of every individual (Perkei Avos 4:4-12). You
should look at every person as being better than you. With this kind of Torah attitude, no one will
come to do injustice to another.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Behar: Listening for peace

Summary
Can a small country stand up against world opinion that clearly demands Israel to give up part of
the land for peace? Our only right as Jews to the Land of Israel is based on the promise given by
G'd to our Patriarchs. The Land of Israel is the private domain of G'd Who determines who will
live there and for how long. The two kinds of security are being allowed to dwell in the Land and
being provided with all our needs. The Meshech Chochma shares with us a deeper insight.
There will be produce so plentiful that there will be a large export of the produce of the land. The
Torah warns to keep the commandments or the land will become desolate. When the Jews
abided by the laws of the Torah, they lived in prosperity and peace. When we listen to G'd and
follow His commandments we succeed and have peace. When we forsake His ways it has
disastrous consequences for us.
Land for peace
The world's eyes are focused on Israel and especially the issue whether they are going to give
parts of the land to the Palestinians or not. The population in Israel is deeply divided over this
issue. It is an extremely volatile situation with a lot of uncertainty in many circles. What is the
right thing to do? No one really knows what the future will bring, whether land for peace is given
or not. How can one trust people who have sworn to kill and annihilate the Jewish people? Even
if one Palestinian is willing to sign a peace treaty, what about all those who will not stop their
terrorist acts until all the Jews are driven out of the Land of Israel. On the other hand, can a small
country stand up against world opinion that clearly demands Israel to give up part of the land?
Can Israel allow themselves to be isolated from the other nations of the world including their
friends and allies?
Promised Land
Our only right as Jews to the Land of Israel is based on the promise given by G'd to our
Patriarchs. As G'd said to Abraham, (Bereishis 12:7) "To your offspring I will give this land "
This promise is repeated time and again throughout our Holy Torah. We dare not neglect the
Torah's instructions about the special nature of this Land. The Holy Land is different than any
other land or country in the world, as it says in this week's Torah portion, (Vayikra 25:23) "And the
land shall not be sold in perpetuity for the land is Mine. You are staying and living with me." In
Tehillim (115:15) it says, "The heavens belong to G'd but the earth is given to mankind." Explains
the Sforno in his comment on this week's portion (ibid) that this refers to every other land in the
world but the Holy Land. G'd has retained the Land of Israel for Himself and He looks after it with
a special direct relationship. As it says, (Devarim 11:12) "A land that G'd seeks out constantly
the eyes of G'd watches over it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year."
Creation
Rashi in the beginning of his commentary (Bereishis 1:1) cites Rabbi Yitzhak that the Torah is
primarily a book of laws and instructions. So we may ask why was it necessary to begin with a
description of the creation. Only in Shemos do we start getting the detailed instructions and laws.
What is the importance of the First Book of Moses? He explains that the purpose of the Torah's
detailed account of creation is to establish that G'd is the Creator and Sovereign of the whole
world. If one day the nations of the world would accuse Israel of robbing the land from the seven
nations who lived there before the Jews then they can answer: "The whole world belongs to G'd.
He created it and gives it to whomever he sees fit. He gave it to them [Seven Nations] and now
He gave it to us." Any other country in the world could have claimed that once the land was given
to them, no one else had the right to take it away from them. The Land of Israel is different. It is
the private domain of G'd. He and only He determines who will live there and for how long.
Twice secure
G'd has provided us with instructions in the Torah as to the conditions to merit to live and see the
blessings of this special country. He clearly says in this week's portion (ibid 18-19) "And you shall
fulfill My decrees and keep My ordinances And you will live in the land in security. And the land
will give of its fruit and you will eat until you are satiated. And you will live in security in it." It
seems strange that the Torah repeats itself about living in security in the Land. The Sforno (ibid)
explains that the Torah is talking about two kinds of security. The first kind is referring to that in
the merit of fulfilling the laws and decrees of G'd we will be allowed to dwell in the Land and not
be exiled. The second kind is referring to that the Land will provide us with all our needs and we
will not be required to travel abroad to import food to support us.
Deeper insight
The Meshech Chochma shares with us a deeper insight. It is no secret that the majority of the
world's population hates and has animosity against the Jewish people. There are two reasons for
this. Firstly, it is a hatred against our religion that is different from all other religions in the world.
Second, it stems from when we are successful and become affluent. G'd promises us in these
two verse that if we keep His laws, we will dwell in the Land of Israel secure from our enemies. In
the second verse, we are told that, even when we will prosper and have plenty, we will still be
secure in our Homeland.
Plentiful produce
In next week's portion this same lesson is spelled out in even greater detail. As it says, (26:3-10)
"If you follow My decrees and the land will give its produce You will live in security in your
land and I will provide the land with peace And you will remove the old produce to make room
for the new." As the Sforno explains this means that the produce will be so plentiful that there will
be a large export of the produce of the land.
Desolate land
On the other hand, the Torah clearly warns us (ibid 14- 34) "And if you do not listen to Me and
you are not performing all of these commandments And the land will not give its produce
And I will bring upon you a sword And I will make the land desolate And I will scatter you
among the nations." The same message we find in the second portion of the Shema where we
are promised: (Devarim 11:13) "And it will be if you listen to My commandments And I will
provide grass in your fields And you will eat and be satisfied." Again we are warned, "Be
careful that you hearts shall not seduce you and you will stray and serve idols And He will
restrain the Heaven And the land will not give its produce. And you will quickly vanish from the
good land that G'd has given you."
Prosperity and peace
In the days of the Judges it is described that when the Jews abided by the laws of the Torah, they
lived in prosperity and peace, and as soon as they strayed away from their observance of the
commandments, their enemies would attack and wreak havoc in the Holy Land. During the reign
of the Kings, we find different periods of more and less observance. G'd in His conduct of being
slow to anger waited for the Jews to repent and return to the ways of the Torah. Eventually, when
the measure of their transgressions was full, first G'd exiled the ten tribes that have not been
heard of since. Later G'd decided to let the Babylonians destroy the First Temple. After the
destruction of the Temple, the last two tribes were exiled into Babylonia. Seventy years later, G'd
in His great mercy took pity and permitted these two tribes to return to the Holy Land and again
the Jews merited building the Temple. However, times were not always good. Many Jews again
strayed away from the path of the Torah and eventually after 420 years, the Second Temple was
destroyed. And this time the Jews were scattered among all the nations of the world.
Holocaust
We have suffered for almost 2000 years at the hands of the world's nations, most recently 65
years ago during the horrendous Holocaust where 6,000,000 of our brothers and sisters were
brutally killed and where even the thousands of survivors came out broken in body and spirit.
Who would have thought that after all that we had been through we would have been able to
rebuild our nation, not to mention return to the Land of our forefathers. Almost all nations in the
world displayed such hatred and animosity against the Jews during the Holocaust. First and
foremost were the atrocities of the Germans. But also the apathy of the Allied Forces who did not
lift a finger to try to save one Jewish soul allowed the Germans to pursue their horrific conduct.
Things did not look much better afterwards during the mandate of the British in the country then
called Palestine. As unbelievable as it sounds, they simply closed the gates and ports of the Holy
Land to the persecuted and downtrodden remnants of European Jewry.
Hand of G'd
It was clearly the Hand of G'd that brought about the change of heart to let His Beloved Children
back into His special domain of the Land of Israel. After our long history of fortune and suffering,
we clearly see what brings us success and what brings our downfall. When we listen to G'd and
follow His commandments we succeed and have peace. When we forsake His ways it has
disastrous consequences for us. It is most unfortunate that such large segments of our nation
have not yet learned to appreciate this lesson and thereby endanger themselves and their
neighbours around them. Since Jews have returned in large numbers to the Holy Land so much
blood has been spilled and so many wars have been fought. Who knows how much of this could
have been avoided if we, the Jewish nation would open our eyes and collectively embrace the
Holy Words of the Torah and its commandments. It is only by the mercy of G'd that we have
survived both amongst the nations of the world and lately in our Holy Homeland. It is an open
miracle that the little lamb of Israel is able to stand up against the hungry wolves of its Arabic
neighbours.
Every one of us can make a difference, whether we live in Israel or in the Diaspora. We all have
a share in the Land and its destiny. With every commandment we fulfill and every good deed, we
help in the defence and security of the Land. No doubt it is a special responsibility for those of us
living in G'd's private domain; however, we are all connected and responsible for each other and
for our Holy Land. We can only hope and pray that the leaders of our nations will turn to the
words of the Torah and understand that only then do we find true peace for every part of the
Land and all its inhabitants.

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33. BECHUKOTAI
34. BAMIDBAR
Torah Attitude: Parashas Bamidbar: The Torah

Nation
April 8, 2003
Summary
Why was the Torah given to the Jewish people in the desert and not in the land of Israel? The
Midrash offers two answers. First, the Torah cannot be rejected on grounds of nationality.
Second, this avoids possible strife between the 12 tribes. The knowledge of Torah is available to
all. Unlike all the other nations of the world, the Jewish people do not derive our identity from the
land that we live in. The tiny land of Israel has special holiness and spirituality. The essence of
the identity of the Jewish people is our relationship with the Torah. Gd provides the Torah to
quench the thirst of anyone who desires to acquire the ultimate knowledge. On Shavuous, we
have the privilege and obligation to accept the Torah upon ourselves every year. The sooner we
return to the ways of the Torah, the sooner we will be insulated from the ways of the evil forces
that seek to destroy us.
In the desert
This weeks Torah portion Bamidbar literally means in the desert. Many things happened in
the desert during the 40 years journey from Egypt to the land of Israel, the greatest of which was
the giving of the Torah by Gd to the Jewish people. The Midrash questions why the Torah was
not given in the land of Israel. The Jewish people, the land of Israel and the Torah are closely
connected. Many of the 613 commandments contained in the Torah can only be fulfilled in the
land of Israel. For instance, most of the agricultural commandments are not applicable outside of
the land of Israel. So why was the Torah not given in the land of Israel, instead of in the desert?
No mans land
The Midrash (Mechilta Shemos 20:1) offers two answers: first of all, if the Torah was given in the
land of Israel, the nations of the world could say that they did not accept the Torah as it only
applies to those living in the land of Israel. Since the Torah was given in no mans land and not
in a particular place belonging to one nation, the nations of the world have no excuse to reject it
on the basis of nationality. Secondly, it was in order to avoid strife between the 12 tribes of Israel.
If the Torah was given in a particular place in the land of Israel belonging to one tribe, that tribe
might argue that the Torah was only given to them.
Available to all
The desert where the Torah was given belonged to no one nation. Just as anyone can journey
into the desert, anyone can journey into the teachings of the Torah. The knowledge of Torah is
available to any and all that wish to apply their lives to its teachings. Just as Yisro, father-in-law
of Moses, a non-Jew, was able to journey into the desert to acquire the Torah, so too can anyone
else make the journey.
Aleinu
At the end of each of the three prayer services in the morning, afternoon and night, we recite the
Aleinu and express that [Gd] has not made us like the nations of the lands and has not
emplaced us like the families of the earth. Unlike all the other nations of the world, the Jewish
people do not derive our identity from the land that we live in. Every other nation has a
homeland where the nation was born. The Jewish people were born where the Torah was
given, in the desert, in no mans land. When our forefathers entered into the land of Israel, they
were already a nation. We do not require a homeland to survive. We were banished from the
land of Israel for thousands of years. We were persecuted by most of the other nations. We
suffered from the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Pogroms and the Holocaust. After 2000 years of
exile, it is the biggest miracle of all times that the Jewish people have been able to survive. The
other nations tried everything to annihilate us, but Am Israel Chai; the nation of Israel lives on.
Special land
Although the Jewish people, by the grace of Gd, has survived during our long and bitter exile
outside the land of Israel, we can only reach our full potential and purpose once we will return
there under the leadership of Mashiach and rebuild the Temple. This tiny land has special
holiness and spirituality. When Gd commanded Abraham to leave his country and birthplace
(Parshas Lech Lecha Bereishis 12:1), He did not have to point Abraham in the right direction.
Abraham knew to head towards the holiest place in the world, the land of Israel. Three times
each day, we pray that Gd will restore His glory and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem that we
may serve Him there.
Torah identity
The exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt occurred during Pesach and 50 days later we were
given the Torah at a time celebrated as Shavuous. For 40 years we journeyed in the desert until
we came to the land of Israel. Although we entered the land of Israel at the time of Pesach, our
entry is not celebrated as part of the Pesach festival. Although our souls and bodies bind us to
the land of Israel, as we exclaim at the end of the Passover Seder and at the conclusion of the
Yom Kippur service Next year in Jerusalem, the essence of our identity is our relationship with
the Torah. More than anything else, the Torah has preserved us as Gd scattered us throughout
the world.
Thirst for Torah
Ideally, Torah is available to anyone, Jew or non-Jew, who desires it. The prophet Isaiah
compares the Torah to water and says, Ho, everyone who is thirsty, go to the water, even one
with no money, go, buy and eat (Isaiah 55:1). The Torah is a gift from Gd to the Jewish people,
but anyone, like Yisro, who so desires may acquire it. All that is necessary is to have the thirst for
Torah. Gd will provide the Torah to quench the thirst.
Shavuous
We are about to celebrate the holiday of Shavuous, the time of the giving and the acceptance of
the Torah. This acceptance at Mount Sinai gave the Jewish people our identity as a Torah nation.
But just as the Torah was accepted then, we too have the privilege and obligation to accept the
Torah upon ourselves every year. The more the Jewish people unite and connect to Torah, the
stronger we become as a nation, and this is the only guarantee for Jewish continuity and safety.
How can the whole world be wrong?
In the past, there has been great criticism of how Israel has responded to the terrorist attacks.
Every country, sometimes even the United States, and sadly, especially Canada, have
questioned the methods of the Israeli army. Any other nation would have long ago used the full
force of its army to destroy its enemies. But the Jewish people are expected to put our own
people at risk rather than to kill innocent lives of those living amongst the terrorists. If anything,
the Israeli army has demonstrated that they are not barbarians like so many of the armies of the
world. How can the whole world be so biased? Why does the rest of the world set double
standards when it comes to Israel and the Jewish people? We must realize that the hatred of the
nations of the world stems from the fact that we are different. Others view us as the ugly
duckling amongst the nations. Since Gd chose the Jewish people to give them His Torah, this
made us unique and set us apart from the rest of the world. Whether consciously or
unconsciously, the world expects the chosen people to live and behave by a higher standard, the
standard of the Torah. The moral and ethical ways of the Torah Nation have always expected to
be on a higher level than everyone else. As soon as the Jewish people did not live up to the
expectations of the gentile world, they were only too quick to point a finger and ridicule us, at
best. At worst, they would issue harsh decrees and punishments. They would instigate pogroms
and make our lives miserable in every way possible.
Return to the ways of the Torah
So what can we do to change all this? The truth is that there is very little we can do to change the
attitude of the nations of the world. All the various isms that well-meaning Jews created to make
us more popular, or to give us equal status with the other nations, have failed. However, we can
change ourselves! We can mend our ways. We can fulfill the obligations the Torah commands
between the Creator and man, as well as between man and his fellow human beings. This will
give us strength and Divine assistance. This will gain us the respect of the world around us. The
more we guard the Torah, the more the Torah guards us. The sooner we return to the ways of the
Torah, the sooner we will merit seeing the final redemption from this long and bitter exile through
our righteous Mashiach. Amen.

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Torah Attitude: Shavuous and the Testimony from

Mount Sinai
April 8, 2003
Summary
Shavuous is called the time of the giving of our Torah. A kitchen gadget offers us proof of the
Divine origin of the Torah. By following the instructions and commandments contained in the
Torah, we will gain the maximum benefit of the world around us. The continuity of the Torah
depends on each generation to preserve the teachings of the Torah and to transmit the
instructions to the next generation. It is a common accepted norm in the whole world to trust and
believe witnesses. The entire Jewish nation experienced the revelation at Sinai with their own
eyes and ears. The experience at Sinai was unique in the history of the world. One of the
reasons that Gd did not heal Moses was that it should not be possible later to say that an
eloquent speaker manipulated the Jewish people. We have an opportunity to strengthen our
belief every year on Shavuous as each of us accepts the Torah as if we were standing at Mount
Sinai.
The time of the giving of our Torah
The festival of Shavuous is called the time of the giving of our Torah, as we say in our Amidah
prayer on Shavuous. This festival does not just commemorate the historical event that occurred
in the year 2448 when Gd gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. Rather, it
describes the process of accepting the Torah anew each and every Shavuous, as if we were at
Mount Sinai at the first giving of the Torah. Just as the festival of Succos is called the time of our
gladness and describes our experience of gladness every year on the festival and does not
refer to an historical event that happened many years ago. In the same way Shavuous is a time
for us to accept the Torah, just like our forefathers accepted the Torah at Mount Sinai.
The kitchen gadget
In order for us to accept the Torah with sincerity, it requires that we strengthen our belief in the
Divine origin of the Torah. Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein, one of the great masters of mussar, once
brought a kitchen gadget into one of his mussar talks. He showed the gadget to his students and
exclaimed, this is a proof of the Divine origin of the Torah. As he saw the startled look on the
faces of his students, he explained. My wife received this gadget as a present from a relative.
When she was trying to use it, she could not figure out how it worked. But after she found a little
booklet with instructions, she discovered how easy it was to operate.
The manual for living
Every producer of a product, machine or gadget, will usually supply instructions or some form of
manual. In this way the buyer (or consumer) will know how to operate it to its best use. Is it not
obvious, said Rabbi Yechezkel, that Gd, the Creator and Inventor of the universe, supplied us
with a detailed book of instructions? The Torah is our manual of how to use the world to get the
maximum benefit. The Torah is our manual for living. By following the instructions and
commandments contained in the Torah, we will gain the maximum benefit of the world around us.
From generation to generation
The Torah instructs us not to forget the great event at Mount Sinai, when all of the Jewish people
stood in front of Gd and received the entire Torah through Moses. Only beware for yourself
lest you forget the things that your eyes saw and make them known to your children and
childrens children, the day you stood before HASHEM your Gd at Horeb (another name for
Mount Sinai) (Devarim 4:9). The Torah instructs us to give over its teachings to our children
and grandchildren. The continuity of the Torah depends on each generation to preserve the
teachings of the Torah and to transmit the instructions to the next generation. It is our
responsibility and obligation to be a link for future generations to pass on to them what we have
received from earlier generations.
Judicial witnesses
As the Sefer Hachinuch writes in his introduction, it is a common accepted norm in the whole
world to trust and believe witnesses who give evidence about an experience they have had. The
more witnesses who testify the stronger is the evidence of the truthfulness of an event. Every
judicial system relies on evidence to judge and punish those accused of criminal conduct. Even
more so, when parents give over to their children what they have experienced, or what they have
been told by their parents of their experience, this can be accepted as the truth. The more
parents who give the same evidence about an event, the more validity the event will acquire by
their children.
The testimony from Sinai
For this very reason, says the Sefer Hachinuch, Gd gathered the complete nation of the Jewish
people, 600,000 males from the ages 20 to 60, together with all others, young and old alike, to
witness this great event. This was the most important event in the history of the Jewish people.
As it says (Shemos 19:9), Gd said to Moses, Behold! I come to you in the thickness of the
cloud, so that the people will hear as I speak to you, and they will also believe in you forever.
The entire Jewish nation experienced the revelation at Sinai with their own eyes and ears. They
were witnesses who gave testimony to their children how every word of the Torah was given by
Gd to Moses. This is how the belief in the giving of the Torah through Moses has been passed
on with firmness of belief from generation to generation. (It is interesting to note that Judaism is
the only religion where the relationship between the prophet and Gd was witnessed by the whole
nation!)
Experience at Sinai
The experience at Sinai was unique in the history of the world. Three days of preparation were
necessary for the Jewish people to receive the Torah so that they were mentally and spiritually
ready for the revelation of Gd. On the third day, Gd descended in the sight of the entire Jewish
people on Mount Sinai. As it says, on the third day when it was morning, there was thunder and
lightning and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of the shofar was very powerful, and
the entire people that was in the camp shuddered. (19:17) The entire people saw and
trembled and stood from afar. Everyone present was blessed with prophetic vision so that they
could personally experience what Gd spoke. As it says, You have seen that I have spoken to
you from heaven. (20:19)
Unclear speech
When Gd first wanted to send Moses down to Egypt, one of Moses reasons for not going was
that he did not have clear speech. I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech (Shemos 4:10).
Asks the Ramban, why did Gd not heal Moses? This speech defect could have easily been
cured by Gd. One of the reasons that Gd did not heal Moses was that it should not be possible
later to say that an eloquent speaker manipulated the Jewish people.
Our obligations
We have an obligation to our children to teach them that the Torah is of Divine origin given in
totality by Gd to Moses at the revelation at Mount Sinai. Every year on Shavuous we have an
opportunity to strengthen this belief. As we hear the reading of the Torah with the Ten
Commandments, each of us should personally accept the Torah as if we were standing at Mount
Sinai. In this way, we have a personal share in the eternal Torah.

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35. NASO
Torah Attitude: Parashas Nasso: Use them or lose

them
April 8, 2003
Summary
Two unique themes are strangely juxtaposed: Sotah and Nazirite. The Sotah is suspected of
having committed adultery. The Nazirite voluntarily refrains from drinking wine, cutting hair and
having contact with the dead. Substance abuse is closely related to immorality. High levels of
fear, awe and love are quickly lost if not internalized. Whoever sees the Hand of Gd has an
opportunity to utilize it for personal growth. It is incumbent on each of us to raise our spiritual
levels.
Sotah
This weeks Torah portion presents two unique themes that are strangely juxtaposed. One is the
Sotah. The other is the Nazirite. The Sotah is a woman who has been warned in advance by
her husband not to be alone in the company of a particular man. If the woman ignores the
warning and is suspected of having committed adultery with this man, the Torah describes a
miraculous method of resolving the concern of whether the adultery occurred or not. The woman
was given special water to drink in the Temple by the Kohen. If she was an adulterer, she
suffered a horrible death where she bloated with the water until she exploded. If she was not an
adulterer, she walked away totally absolved of any suspicion.
Nazirs
Nazirs voluntarily decided to elevate themselves for a period of at least 30 days by refraining
from drinking wine, cutting hair, and avoiding contact with any impurity connected with death.
After the designated time, Nazirs would return to their regular lifestyle.
Whats the connection?
Why does the Torah describe the Sotah immediately followed by the Nazir? Whats the
connection? Our Sages (Sotah 2a) say that whoever sees the death of the Sotah, should refrain
from drinking wine. Rashi explains that the reason for this is that excessive use of wine, as any
substance abuse, is closely related to immorality. This answer at first appears to be very strange.
We would assume that the person who does not see the Divine punishment of the Sotah would
be the more appropriate candidate to refrain from wine as a reminder to be cautious. The one
who views the miracle first hand of all people is this the person who requires to become a Nazir?
Quickly lost
The Ramban teaches us an extremely important lesson about the psychology of man and his
behaviour. A person may experience a very sensational miracle, or may for another reason be
strongly impacted emotionally and spiritually. Some of these sensations could include great
levels of fear and awe, or love for Gd. However, if one does not immediately utilize the
experience to transform it into a part of ones psyche, the experience is quickly lost. Unless one
takes upon oneself to do something to internalize the experience, the effect disappears.
Modern miracles
During the 6-Day War, many Israeli soldiers came back from the front lines with miraculous
stories of being saved from certain death. The whole world was in awe when the missiles from
the Gulf War exploded in Israel with almost no direct casualties. Even today, with terrorist acts
ripping away at Israeli society, there have been numerous incidents when the destruction could
have been much worse than normally expected.
Unfortunately, many of us have not taken the opportunity to capture these miracles into our inner
psyches. The Ramban says that when a person realizes and sees the hand of Gd, there is a
potential for this spiritual elevation to be used as a vehicle for growth to receive the blessing of
Gd. But a blessing needs a vessel to receive it. Only if people utilize opportunities by
transforming strong feelings into action, will they merit to change and to receive Divine blessing.
Whoever sees the Hand of Gd has an opportunity to utilize it for personal growth. But the
opportunity must be used immediately or it will be lost forever.
Those who saw the punishment of the Sotah saw the Hand of Gd. Our Sages advised to use
this opportunity to become a Nazirite to elevate oneself to higher spiritual heights. This way the
experience would be transformed into a lasting change.
Once a Nazir
What happens to the Nazirite after the period of refrain ends, in most cases after just 30 days?
The Nazirite brings different offerings and the Torah states (Bamidbar 6:20) that then the
Nazirite may drink wine. If the Nazirite is no longer a Nazir after this time, why does the Torah
still refer to this person as a Nazirite. The answer is that after having gone through the period of
holiness, the Nazirite is now ready to go back into the daily life on a higher spiritual level. Gd
created the world for our pleasure. Gd does not wish to have us refrain from living pleasurable
lives within the parameters of the Torah. We are not expected to live the life of a Nazir in general.
Although the Nazirite is considered holy for undertaking these extra restrictions, there is also an
aspect of sin involved in restricting oneself from what is permitted. So the Nazirite goes back into
the normal lifestyle in the elevated state of someone who was a Nazir. That is why this person is
still referred to as a Nazirite. We often stand in awe of our experiences, past and present. We
must realize that these are Divine opportunities to help us grow and fulfill our potential. The only
way to accomplish this is to turn our excitement into practical action. We are not expected to
become Nazirs, but it is incumbent on each of us to seize the opportunities to raise our spiritual
levels and to strengthen our relationships with Gd and our fellow humans.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Nasso/Shavuous: Torah &

cheesecake
Summary
There is a widespread custom to eat cheesecake and other dairy foods on Shavuous. A few
places have the custom to eat milk and honey. You can never give over to another person the
taste of a food item. Only when one becomes personally involved and experiences the
sweetness and satisfaction of a Torah lifestyle does one "taste" how much more is gained rather
than lost. This week's Torah portion alludes to the fact that the Ten Commandments were "filled"
with the 613 commandments. The simplest, quickest foods the Jews could serve when they
returned to their tents after receiving the Torah were all milk dishes. Every time we study Torah,
we experience a new "taste" and understanding of the depths of the Torah.
Cheesecake
There is a widespread custom to eat cheesecake and other dairy foods on Shavuous. This
custom is mentioned in Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 494:3) where it says that there are some
places where they have the custom to eat dairy on Shavuous. The Shulchan Aruch explains that
the reason may be similar to the two roasted foods found on the Seder plate on Pesach night.
Just like at the Seder we have the shank bone and the egg to commemorate the Pesach-lamb
and the Chagigah offerings, in the same way on Shavuous, some first eat diary and in the same
meal afterwards eat meat. As the Halacha does not permit to use the same loaf of bread eaten
with diary foods and meat, in case something spills on the bread, one will have to use two loaves
in this meal. This reminds us of the two loaves that were brought on the Festival of Shavuous at
the Temple.
Milk and honey
The commentaries on Shulchan Aruch advise that there are a few places that have the custom to
eat milk and honey because on this day when the Torah was given we should eat foods that the
Torah is compared to. As it says, "Sweetness [of Torah learning] drops from your lips, O bride, as
honey and milk it is under your tongue" (Shir HaShirim 4:11). Similarly, it says even more in
Tehillim (19:11): "The words of Torah are more desirable and sweeter than honey."
Taste of food
Many people wonder what is so sweet about learning and studying the words of Torah. Rabbi
Eliyahu Lopian once answered this with an insight based on another verse in Tehillim (24:9):
"Taste and you will see that G'd is good." Says Rabbi Lopian, you can never give over to another
person the taste of a food item no matter how hard you try to explain the ingredients, the
chemical formula, the nutrients, or provide any other details describing the food. The other
person will never know what the food tastes like until he actually puts the food on his own palate
and tastes it for himself.
Sweet Torah
In the same way, it is difficult to give over to another person the sweetness of studying Torah and
living a Torah life. For the uninitiated, the Torah lifestyle looks restricting and difficult. Only when
one becomes personally involved and experiences the sweetness and satisfaction of a Torah
lifestyle does one "taste" how much more is gained rather than lost by fulfilling the
commandments. This is what the Mishnah says in Pirkei Avos (2:1): "Calculate what one looses
by fulfilling a mitzvah against its benefit." It is no secret how the family laws preserves and
enhances a marriage. Similarly, the observance of Shabbos and Festivals brings together
families and creates a bond between parents and children that is so lacking in the secular society
around us. Every restriction is really a protection from harmful influences and is there only to help
and guide us to a happy and fulfilled lifestyle.
613 commandments
The Chofetz Chaim, in his commentary on Shulchan Aruch (Mishneh Berurah), brings additional
reasons for eating dairy foods on Shavuous. Although it appears that the Jews at Mount Sinai
were only given Ten Commandments at the time, our sages explain that in the Ten
Commandments there is an allusion to all 613 commandments, as Rav Saadia Gaon explains in
detail. We actually find a hint to this at the end of this week's Torah portion where it refers to the
sacrifices brought by the leaders of the twelve tribes at the inauguration of the Tabernacle. The
Torah goes into great detail to enumerate the sacrifices brought by each leader. Despite that in
general the Torah is very short in its description of events, the Torah here repeats the identical
sacrifices brought by each of the twelve leaders in full. One of the reasons for this repetition is
that each leader had his own purpose for bringing his sacrifice. Rashi quotes from Rabbi Moshe
Hadarshan concerning some of the reasons behind these sacrifices. One of the sacrifices was
one golden spoon that weighed ten shekels filled with incense. The one spoon alludes to the
"one" Torah; the ten shekels alludes to the Ten Commandments; and, as Rashi explains, the
Hebrew word for incense, "ketores", has the numerical value of 613. In other words, this sacrifice
alludes to the fact that the Ten Commandments were "filled" with the 613 commandments.
No time for meat
After the revelation at Mount Sinai, when the Jews returned to their tents, they had to start a new
lifestyle with the obligation to follow the 613 commandments. As part of the commandments
came all the rules and regulations of the dietary laws, including the prohibition of eating milk with
meat, using a special knife to slaughter the animal, salting the meat to remove the blood, and
using new vessels for cooking the meat. All these requirements to prepare the meat required a
considerable amount of time. The simplest, quickest foods they could serve when they returned
to their tents after receiving the Torah were all milk dishes. To commemorate this event, we also
partake of dairy dishes on Shavuous.
New taste every time

As with every law and custom the reasons behind it are manifold. This is part of the beauty and
sweetness of a Torah life and may be an additional reason to have milk and dairy products on the
day we received the Torah. As King David says, (Tehillim 131:2) "I am like a suckling child at his
mother's side." The Talmud (Eruvin 54b) explains that just like a child who suckles every time
finds that there is milk, so too every time we study Torah, we experience a new "taste" and
understanding of the depths of the Torah.

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36. BEHAALOTHEKHA
Torah Attitude: Parashas Beha'aloscha: To copy or

not to copy
Summary
The kindling of the lights of the Menorah by Aaron was greater than the offerings of the twelve
leaders. Why did Aaron not copy the other leaders in bringing his own offering on behalf of the
tribe of Levi? Since Hevel merely copied the conduct of his brother, this was not a truthful deed
to protect him from evil. A sinner cannot bribe G'd by bringing offerings or contributions to charity.
Aaron was worried whether there was some flaw with him personally or with the tribe of Levi.
Empty customs and traditions have no lasting value. Every year on Shavuous we reaffirm our
acceptance of the Torah and its commandments. The more we understand the background and
reasons for our observance, the more truthful and complete will be our observance of the
commandments.
Light the Menorah
In the beginning of this week's Torah portion, G'd commands Moses to tell Aaron to kindle the
lights of the Menorah. Rashi brings that the Midrash Tanchuma asks why this portion comes
immediately after the offerings of the leaders of the twelve tribes. The Midrash answers that
Aaron was distressed that every tribe represented by its leader had participated in the dedication
of the Tabernacle with special offerings, while Aaron and the tribe of Levi had not brought any
offerings. G'd comforted Aaron saying that his participation in the service of the Tabernacle by
kindling the lights of the Menorah was greater than the offerings of the twelve leaders.
Aaron did not copy
We have just celebrated Shavuous commemorating the revelation at Mount Sinai. At that
occasion the Jews exclaimed "we will do and we will listen" (Shemos 24:7). The commentaries
explain that the unusual order of this exclamation means "we will do even if we do not
understand why, and later we will study and analyze to learn the reasons and rationale of the
mitzvot to the best of our ability." With this in mind, one may ask why did Aaron not copy the
other leaders in bringing his own offering on behalf of the tribe of Levi? Although our sages
explain that the reason why the Torah describes in great detail the identical offerings of each tribe
was due to the fact that each leader had his own purpose in bringing the offering. No doubt no
one would have stopped Aaron from bringing one as well.
Cain and Hevel
We can answer why Aaron did not copy the other leaders by analyzing an earlier occasion that
incidentally also regards offerings. When Cain and Hevel brought their offerings and G'd
accepted only Hevel's offering, Cain reacted by killing Hevel (see Bereishis 4:3-8). The Maharal
asks why the mitzvah of bringing an offering did not protect Hevel from any evil? As it says,
(Koheles 8:5) "Someone who keeps a mitzvah will not know of any evil." The Maharal answers
that Hevel had not initiated the offering on his own; rather, when he saw Cain bringing his
offering, he decided to copy his brother. Therefore, since Hevel merely copied the conduct of his
brother, this was lacking in truthfulness and therefore was not sufficient to protect him from evil.
Not accept bribe
It seems strange that G'd accepted the offering of Hevel rather than the one brought by Cain as
he merely copied his brother. Explains the Maharal that Cain thought he could appease G'd with
his offering despite his evil ways. However, it says (Devarim 10:17): "For G'd does not show
favour and does not accept a bribe". Even the most elaborate offering will be of no help as it
says, (Proverbs 21:27) "The offering of the wicked is an abomination." As the commentaries
explain, a sinner cannot bribe G'd by bringing offerings or contributions to charity. Rather, G'd will
reward for the good deed and still punish for the sin. On the other hand, despite the lack of
truthfulness of his offering by copying his brother, Hevel's offering was accepted by G'd because
he was a righteous person. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the actual deed was somewhat
flawed and could not protect him from his brother's evil deed.
Aaron worried
We can now understand why Aaron would not copy the other leaders and bring an offering of his
own. The real cause of Aaron's distress was that he did not have in mind to bring an offering on
this specific occasion. If the twelve other leaders had thought to bring the offering, Aaron was
worried whether the reason that he had not thought of it was the result of some flaw with him
personally or with the tribe of Levi. G'd comforted Aaron by assuring him that the reason it did not
come to his mind to bring the offering was because this was not part of his purpose in life. He
had to kindle the Menorah which was much greater than the offerings brought by the other
leaders.
Empty customs and traditions
It is significant to take note that both the offerings of Cain and Hevel as well as the offerings of
the leaders of the tribes were not commanded by G'd. These were voluntary offerings brought by
these individuals. Since the revelation at Mount Sinai, when G'd gave us the Torah and 613
commandments, we are obligated to fulfill every commandment applicable at any time. It is not
open for anyone to say: "I do not want to just copy other and perform a commandment for which I
do not know or understand the reason." On the other hand, one should not perform a mitzvah
just because that is what everybody does or because that is the "in thing" to do in a particular
society or community. We fulfill the mitzvot because G'd commanded us to do so. As the Prophet
Isaiah (29:13) complains in the name of G'd: "For this nation just come near to Me and honour
Me with their mouths and lips but their hearts are far away from Me. And the 'fear' of Me is only
as if instructed by man." Empty customs and traditions have no lasting value and cannot be
transmitted from generation to generation. When we said "we will do and we will listen" the
Jewish people collectively undertook to study to try to understand the reasons behind the
commandments, not as a condition for fulfilling them but to enhance our performance of them. As
the Rambam says in the end of the Laws of Meiloh: "It is proper for every person to analyze the
laws of the Holy Torah to try to understand the rationale to the best of their ability."
Reaffirm our acceptance
Every year on Shavuous we reaffirm our acceptance of the Torah and its commandments. This is
a renewal of our commitment both to fulfill the commandments and to broaden and deepen our
understanding of them. The more we understand the background and reasons for our
observance, the more truthful and complete will be our observance of the commandments. We
will be able not to tell our children what to do, but also to create the atmosphere of understanding
why we are doing it. Only in this way can we secure and guarantee Jewish continuity and
transmit to future generations what we originally received at Mount Sinai.

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37. SHELACH LECHA
Torah Attitude: Parashas Shelach: Beware, are the

glasses coloured?
Summary
Gd preferred that the Jewish people entered Israel without sending spies. Ten of the twelve
spies felt like grasshoppers compared to the huge inhabitants. Gd orchestrated many funerals to
keep the inhabitants busy burying their dead. Some view the glass half-full while others view it
half-empty. The ways of Gd are straight. Angels never grow. Mans purpose is to grow as much
as possible. The righteous and the transgressors are not necessarily two different people: it all
depends on the tint of their glasses. The ten spies left as righteous men and returned as wicked
men. Their subjective fears tinted their perspective. The hunchback never sees his own
deformity. If we examine our tint we may take the straight path to fulfill our potential.
The spies
In this weeks Torah portion, we read that Gd gave permission for the Jewish people to send
spies into the land of Israel (Bamidbar 13:1). Gd would have preferred that the Jewish people
trust Him to enter the land of Israel without sending spies beforehand. However, when Moses
made the request on behalf of the people, Gd did not refuse.
Like grasshoppers
After forty days of spying out the land, the spies returned with their report to Moses, Aaron and
the entire assembly of the Jewish people. Ten of the twelve spies gave an evil report that the
land devours its inhabitants, and that the inhabitants were so huge that the spies felt like
grasshoppers (Bamidbar 13:31-33). Only Joshua and Caleb brought back favourable reports.
Many funerals
Rashi explains that the spies referred to the land as devouring its inhabitants, because they were
shocked by the unusually large number of funerals taking place all around them during their
mission. Wherever they went, they found the inhabitants busy burying their dead. The ten spies
who brought back the evil report assumed that the inhabitants were dying as a result of some
harsh conditions of living in the land. However, the real reason for the presence of death
everywhere was that Gd specifically orchestrated this so that the inhabitants would be too busy
burying their dead to take any notice of the spies. This way they would not be detected as
intruders.
Half-empty or half-full
Instead of thanking Gd for masking their presence, the spies focused on the large number of
funerals in a very negative way. They assumed that the land was the cause of the funerals. This
is like the famous saying about two people looking at the same glass of water with very different
perceptions: one sees a half-empty glass; the other sees a glass that is half-full.
Walk straight or stumble
We find this lesson in the words of the Prophet Hoshea: For the ways of Gd are straight; the
righteous walk in them and the transgressors stumble over them (Hoshea 14:10). Two people
may set out on the same path. The righteous one will get to the destination without any
problems. The transgressor will stumble and fall. It is not the path that causes the transgressor to
stumble and fall. It is the mindset of the transgressor that causes the problem.
Man vs. angels
Our Sages teach us that man is constantly on the move, either up or down, as opposed to angels
who just have jobs to complete, but neither grow nor fall. Mans whole purpose in life is to grow
as much as possible during our walk on the path of life in this world. We constantly develop our
minds and continue to grow physically and mentally. However, in which direction this takes us is
our challenge and choice.
Tinted glasses
The righteous and the transgressors are not necessarily two different people. When we look at a
situation objectively without a bias, when we forget our own personal interests for a greater good,
we are righteous in our attitude. When we look at a situation subjectively from our own little
platform of ambitions filled with envy and jealousy, when we distort our perceptions by focusing
on our own desires we are transgressors. The objective mind will grow and the subjective mind
will stumble. This is like putting on a pair of coloured glasses; our view will be effected by the
colour of the glasses. If the glasses are tinted green, we will see green. If the glasses are tinted
red, we will see red. As long as we wear the tinted glasses, we will not see the real world. A
righteous person sees through objectively clear glasses. A transgressor sees through
subjectively tinted glasses.
The spies glasses
When the spies first set out on their mission, the Torah describes them as men of distinction
(Bamidbar 13:2). At the time, all of the spies were very righteous people, leaders of their
generation. When they returned from their mission, the ten who brought the unfavourable report
were referred to as wicked people. It appears that a major change occurred during their mission.
However, the Torah states that they went and came to Moses (Bamidbar 13:26). Rashi asks
why the Torah says that they went since by that time the spies had already returned from the
land of Israel. Rashi teaches us that this means that there was some flaw in their character from
the outset. Before they left for their mission, the ten spies had some tint in their glasses. Even
men of distinction can have a flaw.
Subjective fears
In Path of the Just, Rabbi Luzatto writes that the ten spies had subjective fears of losing their
positions once the Jewish people entered into the land of Israel. It is quite possible that they
were not even aware themselves of their fears. This fear tinted their glasses and caste
everything in the land of Israel in a negative light so that the ten spies could not see all the
beauty of the land and its great opportunities. If they had been able to see the land of Israel
objectively, like the other two spies, they would have appreciated the miracle that Gd performed
for them by causing so many inhabitants to die.
Self-scrutiny
Jealousy, lust and seeking honour drive a person out of this world (Perkei Avot 4:28). It takes a
lot of self-scrutiny to make sure we look at something objectively and not infect our perspective
with bias for our own personal interests. Many times we are critical of others for deficiencies
within ourselves. Only with self-scrutiny are we able to objectively see how much tint is on our
glasses.
The hunchback
Sometimes one hears of a person who makes a complete U-turn and becomes Torah observant
overnight. It is interesting to observe how friends and relatives often claim that this is not good.
The person is moving too fast, it is better to take ones time and do things step by step.
Psychologically it can be harmful to make such a major change in such a short time. Although
there might be some merit to their objections; however, if they were honest with themselves they
would see that often the real issue is not the speed that this person is changing, but how that
change affects them. The hunchback never sees his own deformity.
Examine our tints
The spies were great people who were chosen for their greatness and honesty to be the ones to
spy out the land of Israel. No one but Gd could have known that deep inside ten of the spies
there was a tiny grain of insecurity, waiting to surface. No matter how great any of us are, if we
are not careful to examine the tints through which we view life, we will not be able to see the
world objectively. The more tint, the more we will stumble and fall. The less tint, the straighter our
path will take us to the fulfillment of our potential.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Shelach: Spying the evil

inclination
Summary
It seems mind-boggling how the Jewish people suddenly seem to lose faith in G'd. As the
Talmud explains, the evil inclination, the Satan, and the angel of death are all one and the same.
Each person's evil inclination is tailor made to a person's abilities and strengths. The evil
inclination of a person renews itself daily with new tests and new tactics all according to a
person's situation, circumstance and character traits The evil inclination made the ten spies feel
inadequate and lacking merits to conquer the Promised Land. Even a person who has sinned
may still merit G'd's mercy, especially as they had repented and had become true baalei
teshuva. The real purpose of the evil inclination is not to bring us down, but rather to give us
opportunities to overcome our challenges and tests.
Mind-boggling
In this week's portion, is related how Moses sent spies to check out the land of Canaan. Although
these spies were from the leaders of their generation, they came back with a bad report and
influenced the whole Jewish nation that they felt they could not conquer the land. It seems mindboggling how this could happen to a generation that had witnessed the splitting of the sea and
experienced the revelation at Mount Sinai. They were constantly provided with Manna falling
from Heaven, and a flow of water through the well of Miriam, and had been protected from their
enemies and other natural difficulties with the Clouds of Glory. How could they suddenly seem to
lose faith in G'd Who had looked after them in so many miraculous ways from the day of the
exodus onwards. In order to understand what happened, let us try to analyze the ways of the evil
inclination that every human being has.
Evil inclination
As the Talmud explains (Bava Basra 16a) the Satan, the evil inclination, and the angel of death
are all one and the same. He first comes to test and challenge the person. If the person fails and
does wrong he will be the accuser in the Heavenly Court and eventually will be the punishing
angel of death to meet out the punishment. In the beginning of the Book of Job, it is related how
the Satan received permission from G'd to test the righteous Job with extreme suffering. Our evil
inclination is an angel of G'd created to test and challenge us in order to help us to grow. No one
is tested beyond their capabilities. Rather each person's evil inclination is tailor made to a
person's abilities and strengths (see Avoda Zara 3a and Midrash Rabba Shemos 34:1).
New tests and tactics
The Talmud (Kidushin 30b) explains that the evil inclination of a person renews itself daily with
new tests and new tactics all according to a person's situation and circumstance. Rav Moshe
Chaim Luzatto (The Path of the Just, Chapter 1) writes that every situation that a person
encounters is a test. On the one hand, poverty is a test; on the other, affluence is a test. Similarly,
tranquility is a test and so is suffering. Luzatto further explains (The Ways of G'd, Part II, Ch.3)
that in the same way any character trait is a test for a person. There are situations where
mercifulness is a test and other situations where cruelty is a test. As our sages say (Midrash
Koheles 7:33), the one who shows mercy to a cruel person will eventually be cruel to a merciful
person. In one situation the evil inclination may use a person's ego to fail through pride. In
another, it will diminish a person's self-esteem and bring a person to depression. Although in
general modesty and low profile is the way of the Torah, this does not apply in every situation. As
we find in Chronicles 2:17:6 where King Yehoshafot is praised for being proud walking in the
ways of G'd.
Feel inadequate
The Chofetz Chaim explains that when the spies went to the land of Canaan, G'd tested them. As
Rashi says in the beginning of this Parasha (Bamidbar 13:2) when the Jews came and requested
to send spies G'd exclaimed: "I told them that the land is good. (So why do they want to send
spies?) I vow that I will give them a test that may cause them to lose inheriting the land." So the
evil inclination made the ten spies feel inadequate and lacking merits to conquer the Promised
Land. They reasoned that to take possession of such a holy land, they would need a lot of merit.
Since they had sinned at the golden calf and other places they could not believe that G'd would
fulfil His promise despite their sins. It did not make things better that they had heard the
prophecy of Eldad and Meidad (see Bamidbar 11:26-29) that Moses would not lead the Jewish
people into the land of Israel so they would not be able to draw on his great merits either.
Baalei teshuva
Joshua and Kalev desperately tried to refute their worries showing that G'd had conducted
miracles continually in the desert despite their shortcomings and sins since the exodus.
However, the other spies insisted that G'd in His righteousness would not be able to evict one
nation for another unless the second nation was thoroughly righteous. They did not deny G'd's
promise of the land of Israel to the Jewish nation. However, they understood that this promise
was conditional upon the Jewish people being free of sin. The Jewish people accepted the
reasoning of the ten spies and this caused the outcry that they were not worthy of G'd's kindness
and would not be taken to the Promised Land. Joshua and Kalev could not convince them that
G'd would keep His promise as long as they did not rebel against Him. Even a person who has
sinned may still merit G'd's mercy, especially as they had repented and had become true baalei
teshuva.
Real purpose
Such is the power of the evil inclination. When a person is about to do something good, says the
Chofetz Chaim, it may come and tell him: "Who do you think you are? Do you not remember all
of your sins? How do you expect to raise yourself and come close to G'd." There was once a
rabbi who noticed that a certain kohen did not plan to participate in the priestly blessing in front of
the congregation on Yom Tov. The rabbi called over this kohen and asked him why he would not
participate in the priestly blessing. "Rabbi", said the kohen, "Dare I bless the congregation with
hands that have desecrated Yom Tov?" The rabbi replied, "Participate and then come back to me
afterwards." When the service was over, and the kohen returned to the rabbi, the rabbi said to
him, "How dare you desecrate the Yom Tov with hands that have blessed the congregation." We
must always remember that our evil inclination is an angel sent by G'd to challenge us. Its real
purpose is not to bring us down, but rather to give us opportunities to overcome our challenges
and tests. Just as the evil inclination uses constantly renewed tactics and methods to challenge
us, so we must be even more creative in counteracting. We must not let the evil inclination get
the better of us. We must fight back. No past sins need be obstacles from preventing us to come
closer to G'd. How true are the words someone once said, "Today is the first day of the rest of my
life." With this attitude it is never too late to raise ourselves and become closer to G'd and our
service to Him.

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38. KORACH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Korach: A tale of two wives

Summary
Korach organized a revolt against Moses and Aaron. No mention is made of On. On was saved
by his wife. Korachs wife fanned the flames of revolt. Ons wife built her house with her wisdom.
Korachs wife destroyed her house with her foolishness. A woman has the ability to build up her
husband or to destroy him. If a man is worthy, his wife will help him to fulfill his potential;
however, if a man is unworthy, his wife will fight against him. Everything depends on the woman.
Deborah, a great prophet and judge, still referred to herself as a mother.
Revolt
In this weeks Torah reading, Korach, Dathan, Abiram, and On, together with 250 leaders of the
Jewish people revolt against Moses and Aaron. They complain and say, Its too much [you take]
for yourself! All the Jewish people are holy and Gd is among them. Why do you exalt yourselves
over the congregation of Gd? (Bamidbar 16:3).
The missing On
However, when Moses responds to the demands of the rebels, everyone is referred to except
On. No further mention is made of him. Why is Ons name missing?
Ons wife
The Talmud relates (Sanhedrin 109b), Rav said: On was saved by his wife. She said to him,
What does it matter to you whether Moses remains your master or Korach becomes your
master? Either way, you remain a disciple. On replied, But what can I do? I have sworn to help
Korach. She said, I know that the whole community [including the rebels] is holy. Sit here and I
will save you. She gave him wine to drink, intoxicated him, and laid him down to sleep inside the
tent. Then she sat at the entrance of the tent and uncovered her hair. Whoever came to summon
On saw his wife sitting with her hair uncovered and retreated.
Korachs wife
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 110a) continues to relate how Korachs wife fanned the flames of revolt
and encouraged him and the other rebels to dethrone Moses. She said to Korach, See what
Moses has done. He has become king; his brother Aaron he appointed High Priest. If Terumah is
brought, Moses decrees let it be for the Priest; if tithes are brought to the Levites, one tenth goes
to the priests. Moreover, he had your hair cut off, and made sport of you as if you were dirt, for he
was jealous of your hair.
The wise and foolish women
The Talmud concludes that this is a classic example of the wise woman, exemplified by Ons
wife, and the foolish one, exemplified by Korachs wife. As King Solomon said, Every wise
woman builds her house. But the foolish one tears it down with her own hands (Mishleh 14:1). In
the end, On was saved and lived; whereas, the Torah records that Korach and all the other
rebels were either burned alive when bringing their offerings or swallowed into the pit of the earth
when the ground beneath them opened up. Ons wife built her house with her wisdom. Korachs
wife destroyed hers with her foolishness.
The power of women
It is all too easy to underestimate the power of women. On the whole, men have a need to
express their power to be recognized and respected by others. Women, on the other hand, with
their common sense, are brains behind many great men. If Korachs wife had used her power
wisely as Ons wife, he would not have rebelled against Moses. The real power player was not
Korach but his wife. A woman has the ability to build up her husband or to destroy him.
Helpmate
Our Sages (Niddah 45b) teach us that Gd gave extra insight to women more than to men. The
Torah (Bereishis 2:18) declares that it is not good for man to be alone; therefore Gd made a
helpmate to be against him. The Talmud (Yevamot 63a) explains that if a man is worthy, his wife
will help him to fulfill his potential; however, if a man is unworthy, his wife will fight against him.
This can be understood to mean that if the husband is about to undertake a worthy cause his
wife shall boost him and encourage him to fulfill his undertaking. However, if she sees he is
making a mistake and is about to do something unworthy, it is her obligation to stand up against
him and discourage his undertaking. Ons wife had common sense. She showed her husband
that he had nothing to gain and everything to lose by joining the rebellion. And then she devised
a clever way to keep the other rebels away from her husband. Korachs wife was foolish. She
filled the minds of her husband and the other rebels with envy and jealousy. Her foolishness
destroyed the lives of her husband and hundreds of others.
Everything depends on the woman
The Midrash Rabbah (Bereishis 17:12) relates a story about two righteous people who were
married to each other. For some reason, they did not have the merit to parent children. They
decided that they could not fulfill their potential and serve Gd unless they both had children. So
they divorced and married other spouses. Unfortunately, they both married evil spouses. The
Midrash relates that the righteous man soon turned evil, but the righteous woman turned her new
evil husband into a righteous man. The Midrash concludes: everything depends on the woman.
She is the foundation of the home. She sets the tone and has an extremely strong influence on
all members of the family. The husband, children, and anyone else who enter the home are
caught by the atmosphere created by the woman. By nature, men are more involved in the
external world around them. Men bring home ideas that they picked up in the market place.
Women are in charge of the house. They control what is expected and tolerated within the four
walls. Men seek wisdom from outside sources. Women were given a gift from Gd to generate
wisdom without the need to venture beyond their families.
Judge Deborah
Gd blessed Jewish women with special insight. One of the greatest Jewish women of all time,
Deborah, was a prophet and a judge, but she still referred to herself as a mother (Judges 5:7).
Jewish women have the power to direct their husbands and their families. This power can be
used to build and maintain the Jewish people like Ons wife, or to destroy or cripple them, like
Korachs wife. May the Jewish women restore the greatness of Israel. Just as the Jews in Egypt
went out in the merit of the righteous women of that generation (Sotah 11b), may we soon be
taken out of our exile in the merit of the righteous women of our times.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Korach: For Heaven's Sake

Summary
Korach's apparent motivation for the revolt was his belief that everyone is equal. Korach
questioned whether a completely blue garment still requires blue threads of tzitzis on the four
corners and whether a room full of Torah scrolls still requires a mezuzah. Any dispute that is for
the sake of Heaven will endure in the end. In all of Talmud, we never find any personal attack
between Hillel and Shammai or any of their students. The common purpose of both the Houses
of Hillel and Shammai were to clarify and reach the truth which is the real meaning of a dispute
for the sake of Heaven. It is clear that whatever Moses did was for the sake of Heaven with no
personal interests. A person must always investigate and scrutinize the reasons behind his
conduct. A difference of opinion involving lack of respect is not a dispute searching for truth but
rather a dispute searching for self-aggrandizement. Just like a bird cannot fly without its wings,
so too has the Jewish nation no standing without its elders.
Korach revolt
In this week's Torah portion, we read about the revolt of Korach against Moses; however, as we
read the Parsha we see that Korach was not just a revolutionary seeking to overthrow the
existing authority of Moses. Rather, Korach's apparent motivation for the revolt was his belief that
everyone is equal. As he said (Bamidbar 16:3): "For the whole assembly, all of them, are holy
and G'd is in their midst. Why do you raise yourself above the congregation of G'd?"
Blue threads and mezuzahs
Rashi explains from our sages that Korach complained that it may be justified that G'd appointed
Moses as the leader, but why did Moses then appoint his brother Aaron as High Priest. Korach
argued that only Moses had received the Torah directly from G'd and Aaron was merely a
bystander like everyone else. The Midrash relates that Korach dressed the 250 leaders that
followed him in garments made completely of techeilis, a special blue thread that was used for
tzitzis. He asked Moses whether a completely blue garment like this still requires the tzitzis of
techeilis in the four corners? Similarly, he asked that if there is room full of Torah scrolls, would it
need the scroll of a mezuzah on its doorposts? The hidden message behind these questions was
that if the whole congregation were equally holy and all heard the words of G'd at Mount Sinai,
why was it necessary to appoint a High Priest who appears to have more holiness than everyone
else?
For the sake of Heaven
We see that the apparent rationale behind Korach's revolt was not just to assume control over
the leadership but also to allow everyone to get equally close to G'd. It seems that it was for the
sake of G'd that Korach started this dispute. However, in Pirkei Avos (5:20) it says, "Any dispute
that is for the sake of Heaven will endure in the end. But if it is not for the sake of Heaven, it will
not endure in the end." The Mishnah continues, "Which dispute was for the sake of Heaven, the
dispute between Hillel and Shammai and which one was not for the sake of Heaven, the dispute
of Korach and his entire assembly." How do our sages know that Korach did not start this dispute
for the sake of Heaven? It seems that he had very pure intentions. Further, why does the
Mishnah say "the dispute of Korach and his entire assembly" and not "the dispute of Korach and
Moses"?
Hillel and Shammai
We find a very fundamental difference between the dispute of Hillel and Shammai and the one
between Korach and Moses. In all of Talmud, we never find any personal attack between Hillel
and Shammai or any of their students. On the contrary, in Edeyos (4:8) the Mishnah says that
although there were serious differences between the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai
they lived in complete harmony with each other. There was even a case where according to the
ruling of Hillel a certain person would not be allowed to marry another Jew, contrary to the ruling
of Shammai that permitted the marriage. Nevertheless, the Mishnah tells us that the Houses of
Hillel and Shammai never refrained from intermarrying because they had mutual complete trust
that each would inform the other to alert them if there was a problem according to the other
party's opinion.
Reach the truth
The common purpose of both the Houses of Hillel and Shammai were to clarify and reach the
truth which is the real meaning of a dispute for the sake of Heaven. The Mishnah (ibid 1:4) asks
why do we always mention the opinion of both Hillel and Shammai? Would it not make sense to
just mention the final decision of how we should conduct ourselves in our practical lives? Says
the Mishnah, this is to teach the coming generations that a person should never stand on his
right as these great sages did not stand on their own opinion. Both the Houses of Hillel and
Shammai were not looking necessarily to justify their own opinion. On the contrary, the Mishnah
(ibid 1:12-14) enumerates a whole list of rulings where the House of Hillel changed the ruling to
rule like the House of Shammai. There is a further case where both Hillel and Shammai revoked
their original rulings in favour of two laymen who testified concerning a ruling by Shmayoh and
Avtalyon (ibid 1:3).
No personal interests
Both Hillel and Shammai were peace-loving sages. The disputes of their Houses of Study were
totally for the sake of Heaven and never affected their personal relationships in any way
whatsoever. At the time of the revolt of Korach, we find a similar trait by Moses who through any
possible venture tried to make peace and calm down the disputants. As it says (ibid 16:4) when
Moses heard the accusations of Korach and his followers, his initial reaction was to fall on his
face. Moses could not have done a more humiliating act at the time when his authority was being
challenged. Only a person of the caliber of Moses with no personal agenda could act like this. He
later tried to appease the revolutionaries. First he pleaded with Korach to appreciate having the
special position of the Tribe of Levy and that it was not appropriate to seek priesthood as well.
When he failed to appease Korach, he sent a message to Dathan and Aviram to try to appease
them (see ibid 16:12). And in a final attempt, he went himself to the tent of Dathan and Aviram
hoping that they would make peace (see ibid 12:25). It is clear that whatever Moses did was for
the sake of Heaven with no personal interests.
Jealousy
On the other hand, although Korach no doubt in his own mind thought that his actions were for
the sake of Heaven, our sages reveal to us that what really prompted him was his jealously on
the appointment of his younger cousin, Eltzaphan, as leader of their family. Korach felt this
appointment belonged to him. The outcome is known. Because of his jealousy, Korach attacked
Moses on a personal level and challenged his leadership and authority. He failed to do some soul
searching to analyze what were the deeper motives for his conduct. The Talmud says (Eruvin
13:1) that a person must always investigate and scrutinize the reasons behind one's conduct.
Only then can one feel secure that one's actions are honest and pure without personal motives.
Lack of respect
The Midrash Tanchuma (Pinchas 10) teaches that just as no two individuals have the same facial
expressions; neither do any two have the same mindset. Difference of opinion is not negative;
rather, it is an expression of one's individualism. However, the moment it involves lack of respect
for another human being, we know that this is not a dispute searching for truth but rather a
dispute searching for self-aggrandizement. This is how the sages of the Mishnah knew that,
unlike Hillel, Shammai and Moses, Korach did not enter his dispute for the sake of Heaven.
Bird without wings
We learn from here that just as a house full of Torah scrolls still requires a mezuzah and a
garment made completely of threads of techeilis still requires the tzitzis of techeilis in its four
corners. In the same way, although every Jew is holy, nevertheless it is imperative that we accept
the authority of our spiritual leaders. As the Midrash Rabba says (Shemos 5:12): "Said Rabbi
Akiva, why is the Jewish nation compared to a bird? Just like a bird cannot fly without its wings,
so too has the Jewish nation no standing without its elders."

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39. CHUKOTH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Chukas: If in doubt, dont

Summary
When Miriam died, the flow of water in the desert ceased. The Jewish people were scared that
they were being punished for their errors. It was the wrong decision for Moses to hit the rock. For
a relatively minor error, the consequences and punishment upon Moses were quick and severe.
Only the Torah, being a book of Divine origin, dares to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth.
Why does the Torah question Moses belief? When Gd gives a command, it cannot be changed.
Only Gd knows all the reasons for His commands. We should never try to second guess Gd.
Miriam dies, well disappears
In the 40th year of the Jewish peoples sojourn in the desert, Miriam passed away and the flow of
water ceased. Throughout the 40 years, the Jewish people were provided with a well that
miraculously followed them in the merit of this great woman (see Taanis 9a). It is understandable
that the Jewish people quickly began to despair, especially since there was no water to nourish
the infants and children. They gathered and complained to Moses fearing that they were going to
die in the desert. They were scared that they were being punished for some error that they had
made.
Speak to the rock
Gd told Moses, Take your staff, call an assembly, you and your brother Aaron, speak to the rock
before their eyes and it shall bring forth its waters (Bamidbar 20:7). Moses did as he was told,
but as our Sages explain, Moses could not properly identify the correct rock, so when he spoke
to the rock, no water came forth. The Jewish people were desperate. They argued what
difference would it make from which rock Moses brought the water. Rashi, referring to the
Midrash, relates that the Jewish people caste aspersions on Moses saying, Moses knows the
nature of these rocks. If he really wanted, he could bring forth water immediately. Moses got
angry and reproved the Jewish people referring to them as rebels (Bamidbar 20:10). Moses
was in a dilemma. On the one hand, Gd had expressly told him to speak to the rock, not to strike
it. On the other hand, maybe he was supposed to strike the rock, similar to a previous occasion
when he struck a rock with his staff to bring out water (see Shemos 17:5). After all, Gd had told
him to take his staff. Moses was worried. If he did not listen to the Jewish people, this may lead
to a desecration of Gds name, since no water was appearing as promised by Gd. However, Gd
had told him to speak to the rock. Moses decided that the right thing to do was to hit the rock.
Unfortunately, it was the wrong decision. Gd immediately told Moses and Aaron that because
they did not believe in Him and sanctify His Name in the eyes of the Jewish people. Therefore,
they would not be allowed to bring the Jewish people into the land of Israel (Bamidbar 20:12).
Great leaders, great consequences
Much has been written about Moses striking the rock. One aspect of the incident is that it shows
the greatness of Moses. For a relatively minor error, the consequences and the punishment upon
Moses were very quick and severe. This could only happen to a great leader such as Moses. Our
Sages offer many opinions as to exactly what Moses did wrong. Some say he should not have
become angry with the Jewish people. Others say that he should not have struck the rock. The
Abarbanel offers ten different opinions, questions all of them and offers another of his own. But
regardless of the different approaches, the description of the incident highlights the greatness of
Moses and the truthfulness of the Torah. No other nation records its history in such a manner as
to illustrate the flaws of its leaders and its people. Only the Torah, being a book of Divine origin,
dares to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Was Moses a non-believer?
The Torah states that Moses was punished because he did not believe in Gd at the time of
striking the rock. How can this be so? There is no doubt that Moses had good intentions. The
reason he struck the rock was to provide water for the Jewish people. He had nothing to gain
personally from the situation. And there is no doubt that Moses loved Gd with all his heart, his
soul and his life. Moses was the most devoted servant of Gd. So why does the Torah question
his belief?
Dont second-guess Gd
Rabbi Yosef Horwitz (The Alter of Novardok) explains that when Gd gives a command, it
cannot be changed. Even if we sincerely believe that we have the best reasons to change
it, anyone who does not follow Gds commands, lacks in his belief in Gd. If Gd
commands you to do something, no matter how good your intentions may be, you are not
allowed to second-guess Gd. Instead of hitting the rock, Moses could have prayed to Gd
to ask why he was having trouble getting the water by speaking to the rock. His doubt
was no reason for him to breach Gds command.
Only Gd knows
Under no circumstances are we allowed to amend Gds command. King Solomon
understood reasons for all Mitzvoth except that of the Red Heifer. Thus, he came to the
conclusion that even if we know some reasons for a Mitzvah, we never know all the
reasons. Only Gd knows all the reasons for His commands. Gd is eternal and so is His
Torah. Even if one reason for a Mitzvah seems not to apply, there are other reasons,
unknown to us, which make the Mitzvah relevant at any time.

Eternal Torah
The story is told of a certain gentleman who approached the Chief Rabbi of Berlin, R.
Hirsh Levin, and questioned whether certain laws in the Torah still apply in modern times.
The gentleman argued that if Moses lived in our times, he would not have written the
Torah the same way. The Rabbi answered with a parable. "There once was a merchant
who hired a driver to bring merchandise to the market in another town. The merchant
made it very clear that it was vital that the goods arrive in the other town by a certain date.
The driver agreed to the terms of the contract to deliver the goods and agreed to forfeit
his fee and pay damages to the merchant if the goods were not delivered in accordance
with the contract. While travelling on the road, the driver encountered a terrible
snowstorm that blocked parts of the road and reduced the visibility. Due to the storm, the
driver did not arrive in time. The merchant was not able to sell his goods and suffered
damages. Rather than honour the terms of the contract, the driver argued that he should
be paid for his troubles and not pay the merchants damages. The driver believed that he
was not responsible to have foreseen the extent of the snowstorm. The matter was
referred to the local rabbi who decided that the driver was responsible to pay damages to
the merchant in accordance with the contract. After hearing the rabbis decision, the
driver continued to argue his case. The Rabbi said that although he felt sorry for the
driver, his decision was based on the Torah. Tell me, Rabbi, said the driver, when was
the Torah given? The Rabbi said, Shavuous, of course. The driver replied, On
Shavuous, in the month of Sivan, there was no snow. If Moses had given the Torah to the
Jewish people in the winter, then I would have won my case and the merchant would have
to pay me money. Rabbi Levin said to the gentleman, you are like this driver. The Torah
is eternal and does not change from one period of time to another.
Circumstances may change. We may have questions, but we should never try to second
guess Gd. We must accept that our understanding is limited. Only the Creator, in His
Infinite wisdom, knows the importance of every single Mitzvah and its purpose in the
world He created.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Chukas: From ashes and

evil to purity and goodness
Summary
The reason for the decree of the red cow is the one and only Torah law that G'd only revealed to
Moses and no other human being ever understood it. The red cow is an atonement for the sin of
the golden calf. The sin of the golden calf was so great that G'd decided to break up the
punishment. Seeing the ashes in the Temple and studying the laws of the red cow after the
destruction of the Temple reminds us of the golden calf. That the impure becomes pure at the
same time as the pure becomes impure is so difficult to understand that it was even beyond King
Solomon. Only the hand of G'd can bring about goodness from evil, purity from impurity The
Talmud teaches that a person is obligated to bless G'd both for something good and for
something bad. G'd brings about impurity, wickedness, and other evils, only in order to
eventually produce purity and goodness.
Red cow decree
In the beginning of this week's Torah portion, we are told about the decree of the red cow. Rashi
quotes the Midrash Tanchuma who explains that a decree is a Torah law that is beyond human
understanding. In the Torah there are many decrees including the prohibition of mixing meat and
milk foods and mixing wool and linen garments. However, the Midrash says that the decree of
the red cow is the one and only Torah law where the reason was only revealed by G'd to Moses
and no other human being ever understood it.

Atone for golden calf
Later in this week's portion, Rashi quotes Rabbi Moshe Hadarshan who explains that the red
cow is an atonement for the sin of the golden calf. He shows how the details of the laws
surrounding the red cow correspond to the details surrounding the sin of the golden calf. For
example, just as there was a large group of Jews who donated the materials to make the golden
calf; similarly, it was necessary for the red cow to be donated by the community. The Midrash
further compares the connection between the golden calf and the red cow to a child of a maidservant that soiled her master's mansion, where the mother of the child was called upon to clean
up the mess made by her offspring. In the same way, the red cow comes to atone for the sin of
the calf. The redness of the cow symbolizes sin. The requirement for it to be without blemish is to
atone for the Jews who originally were without blemish but developed a blemish by their
participation in this sin. The Jews threw off the Heavenly Yoke when they made the golden calf;
therefore, the red cow was prohibited from ever having worn a yoke on its neck.
Not annihilate
At the time after the Jews had made the golden calf, G'd's initial reaction was to destroy them
immediately and make a new nation from the offspring of Moses. G'd said to Moses: "Let My
anger flare up against them and I shall annihilate them and I shall make you a great nation"
(Shemos 32:10). Moses pleaded and prayed to G'd and G'd agreed not to annihilate the Jews.
However, G'd told Moses that "On the day that I make my account, I shall bring their sin to
account against them (Shemos 32:34). The sin of the golden calf was so great that G'd in His
great mercy decided to break up the punishment into small portions. As Rashi explains,
whenever G'd punishes for the sins of the Jewish nation throughout the generations, some of
that punishment will include punishment for the sin of the golden calf (see Sanhedrin 66b).
Ashes and study atone
Rashi (19:9) quotes from the Mishnah (Parah 3:11) that the ashes of the red cow were divided
into three portions: One of these portions was to be kept throughout the generations. Whenever
the Jews at the time of the Temple service would see these ashes, they would be reminded of
the sin of the golden calf. Since upon seeing the ashes the Jews would regret their communal
sin, the ashes were instrumental in bringing about their atonement. After the destruction of the
Temple, when we read Parashas Parah and study the laws of the red cow, we are also reminded
of the sin of the golden calf and this in turn brings us to regret our communal sin. In this way we
achieve atonement for the sin of the golden calf even today.
Pure and impure
Rabbi Yosef Zvi Salant asks, if we know a reason for the golden calf, why is it still referred to as a
decree? To answer this he quotes the Talmud (Niddah 9a) which quotes from Job (14:4): "Who
can produce purity from impurity, is it not just One? Says the Talmud, this refers to the water into
which the ashes of the red cow are mixed. The impure person upon whom this water is sprinkled
becomes purified, whereas the pure person who touches it becomes impure. This apparent
contradiction is so difficult to understand that it was even beyond King Solomon, the wisest sage
of all time. The Talmud teaches that when King Solomon said (Koheles 7:23) "I said I will become
wise but it is far removed from me", he was referring to the decree of the red cow.
Goodness springs forth from evil
The Midrash Rabba in this week's portion (19:1) elaborates on this and brings a number of
situations where either purity comes out of impurity or goodness comes out of evil. For example,
we find wicked people who had righteous children either immediately or as later offspring. Rabbi
Yecheskel Levenstein, the legendary mashgiach who was one of the leaders of the Mirrer
Yeshiva during the Holocaust, when it set up temporary residence in Shanghai, China, discusses
this Midrash in one of his mussar talks. He points out that, from the point of the laws of nature,
the fruit and produce should always be similar to the source that produces it. Only the hand of
G'd, can bring about goodness from evil, purity from impurity, etc. With this insight, we can
understand how sometimes G'd will allow wickedness and evil to exist. In the complete, final
account, from this evil and wickedness, goodness will spring forth.
Bless G'd for both good and bad
The Talmud (Berachot 54a) teaches that a person is obligated to bless G'd for something bad
just as one blesses G'd for something good. Without the knowledge that G'd is capable of
bringing good from bad, it is totally beyond human comprehension why one should bless G'd for
something that is bad. The famous Ponevez Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Eliazar Shach, often related
how at the time when the Russians entered Poland and exiled many Jews to Siberia, the ones
left behind took a tearful leave of what was seen as the wretched victims of the cruelty of the
Soviet Union. Such a tragedy, how would they fare in the tough Siberian winters? Years later, at
the end of the Holocaust, many of the exiles returned to rebuild their lives whereas the vast
majority of those who had seen them off met their death in the concentration camps. Only the
hand of G'd saved these people and took them away before the real danger came around.
Hidden lesson
This is the hidden lesson from the decree of the red cow. G'd in His infinite wisdom brings about
impurity, wickedness, and other evils, only in order to eventually produce purity and goodness.
The Jewish nation have endured almost 2000 years of exile and have experienced a lot of
difficulties in many different ways, culminating with the atrocities of the Holocaust. It is our strong
belief that out of the ashes and the evil will spring forth a beautiful life and good future for us and
the whole world with the coming of Moshiach soon in our days.

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40. BALAK
Torah Attitude: Parashas Balak: Bilam the wicked

prophet
Summary
Bilam, a prophet close to G'd, used his spiritual powers to curse the Jews. How could such a
great prophet as Bilam slip so low? Bilam does not fit the profile of prophets described by the
Rambam. Could not the gentiles claim that the prophetic vision should have been given to a
person of good character rather than Bilam? Abraham is the pillar of lovingkindness; Isaac is the
ultimate servant of G'd; Jacob is described as the diligent student. Developing a good character
is not one of the 613 mitzvot. The 26 generations from Creation till the revelation at Mount Sinai
is related in the Torah to teach us lessons of what constitutes proper conduct Without fear of G'd
there are no boundaries between what is acceptable and what is not. The truth of Torah wisdom
can only be achieved when it is based on good character and fear of G'd. Bilam was doomed to
fail to use his spiritual powers for proper purposes because he did not have the necessary base
of good character, fear of G'd and torah study to properly direct him. We are still obligated to
develop our character, to fear G'd, and to study His Torah so that each one of us can fulfill our
potential.
Bilam curses Jews
In this week's Torah portion it is related how the people of Moab feared the Jewish nation that
was passing them by on the way to the land of Israel. Balak, their king, sent messengers to
Bilam, the gentile prophet, asking for his assistance to come and curse the Jews. It seems
strange that a prophet who is close to G'd should be willing to use his spiritual powers to curse a
whole nation, men and women, as well as the elderly and little children. This is very different than
engaging in war when opposing armies fight each other and the civilian population is not
attacked directly.
Slip so low
The Rambam (The Law of Torah Fundamentals 7:1) explains that prophecy does not come to a
person unless he is a great scholar who is in constant control of his character and who is
elevated above the masses to the extent that he does not even entertain any idle thoughts. He
further explains that there are different levels of prophets, just as not all sages are on the same
level. Above all other prophets, Moses was in a class of his own. Our sages (Sifri Devarim 34:10)
explain that the only other prophet who was on a similar level of prophecy as Moses was Bilam.
This seems even more perplexing, how could such a great prophet as Bilam slip so low and use
his prophetic powers for negative rather than positive purposes.
Not fit profile
The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (5:22) sheds some light and gives us some understanding how this
could happen: "Whoever has any of the following character traits, a good eye, a humble spirit
and a modest soul is considered a disciple of our ancestor Abraham; whereas, someone who
has an evil eye, an arrogant spirit, and a greedy soul is considered a disciple of the wicked
Bilam." We clearly see from here that Bilam does not fit the profile of prophets described by the
Rambam.
Not fair choice?
So why did G'd give prophetic powers to Bilam? Rashi in the beginning of this week's portion
(22:5) answers that this was in order that no gentile nation could argue that if they would have
had prophets like the Jews they too would have acted righteously. We may still ask whether
Bilam was a fair choice of a prophet for the gentiles. Could not the gentiles claim that the
prophetic vision should have been given to a person of good character rather than Bilam?
Torah, Service and Lovingkindness
To be a prophet of the calibre that the Rambam describes a person must work on oneself stepby-step in order to reach a closeness to G'd that enables this person to receive prophetic vision
and power. In the beginning of Pirkei Avos it says, (1:2) "The world stands on three things: Torah
study and observance, serving G'd, and acts of lovingkindness." The Maharal, in his commentary
on this Mishnah, explains that this is not merely the triple base of the whole world. Rather, this is
the foundation for every person. In order to fulfill one's potential in life, every individual must
develop himself in these three areas. Our three Patriarchs all developed themselves in all of
these areas. Nevertheless, each excelled in one particular area. Abraham is known as the
personification of lovingkindness with an open house of hospitality to all wayfarers providing
them with all that they needed. Isaac is the ultimate servant of G'd who with his great fear of G'd
was ready to give his life and sacrifice himself for the honour of G'd. Jacob is described as the
diligent student who studied first under his father and later in the study halls of Shem and Eiver.
Good character
Rabbi Chaim Vital (Shaarei Kedushah 1:2) explains that the development of a good character is
a prerequisite for accepting the Torah and its laws. As it says (Pirkei Avos 3:21): "If there is no
proper conduct there is no Torah." That is why developing a good character is not one of the 613
mitzvot.
Proper conduct
The Midrash Rabbah, in the beginning of Vayikra, explains that the 26 generations from Creation
till the revelation at Mount Sinai is related in the Torah to teach us lessons of what constitutes
proper conduct, both what to do and what not to do. This is the first condition for personal
fulfillment, and this corresponds to Abraham, the first of our Patriarchs, the pillar of
lovingkindness.
Fear of G'd
Secondly, the Mishnah (ibid) says that "If there is no fear of G'd, there is no Torah wisdom." This
corresponds to our second Patriarch Isaac who was the pillar of the fear of G'd and His true
servant. Without fear of G'd there are no boundaries between what is acceptable and what is not.
As Abraham said to Abimelech, the King of the Philistines: (Bereishis 20:11) "There is no fear of
G'd in this place. And they would kill me because of my wife." The Philistines were supposed to
be a civilized people and as such would not take someone else's wife. The way they would deal
with this situation was by killing the husband so the woman was no longer someone else's wife.
In recent times, it is well documented that part of the philosophical background for the Nazis and
their racial philosophy of the survival of the fittest was Darwin's Theory of Evolution which
obviously was totally devoid of any fear of G'd.
Elixir of life or death
Thirdly, our Patriarch Jacob was the pillar of the truth of Torah wisdom. This can only be
achieved when it is based on the development of good character and the fear of G'd. The Vilna
Gaon warns that if someone would study Torah without these preparations it would be a negative
development. As it says in the Talmud (Shabbos 88b), Torah study is an elixir of life or death. If a
person merits by developing good character and fear of G'd, Torah study can elevate him to the
highest spiritual level. But if Torah is studied without the proper preparation it can pull him down
and bring out negative qualities.
Doomed to fail
When the nations of the world declined to accept the Torah they brought about a situation where
their prophets could never develop into the spiritual giants found in the Jewish nation. Bilam was
doomed to fail to use his spiritual powers for proper purposes. He did not have the necessary
base of good character, fear of G'd and torah study to properly direct him. On the contrary, his
closeness to G'd and his prophetic power made him arrogant and greedy, as he felt better and
above everybody else. Only a person fulfilled in all three areas of lovingkindness, fear of G'd and
Torah study, can develop into a true prophet of G'd. G'd allowed prophetic power and wisdom to
the gentiles that they should not have an argument despite the fact that this was an impossible
situation. Moses only reached his high level of prophecy through his modesty and fear of G'd.
The closer he came to G'd the more he saw G'd's greatness and felt his own inadequacy. On the
other hand, Bilam, who was given it without the proper preparation, the closer he came to G'd the
more he felt his own greatness.
Fulfill potential
Nowadays we do not have prophets. However, we are still obligated to develop our character, to
fear G'd, and to study His Torah. Only then can we properly fulfill our potential. And when G'd
sees that we strive to fulfillment in our daily lives then in His Great mercy He will bring about the
days when prophetic powers will return to the world.

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41. PINCHAS
Torah Attitude: Parashas Pinchas: Killing for peace

Summary
Bilam devised a plan to lure the Jewish men to commit acts of immorality. Pinchas, a true zealot,
speared Zimri and the Moabite woman in his tent. The Torah traces the lineage of Pinchas to
Aaron to teach that there were no murderous genes in his blood. No one loved peace more than
Aaron the High Priest. There are two ways to pursue peace: one is to run after it; the other is to
push away what appears to be peace when necessary. True peace is only possible where the
participants all have good intentions. Gd rewarded Pinchas by making him a Kohen and by
granting him the covenant of peace. To avoid immorality our Sages instituted fences to protect
us from future lapses. The Torah commands us to judge people favourably and to give others the
benefit of the doubt. An evil person we always judge with suspicion.
Immorality
In last weeks Torah portion, we learned about the evil Bilam and his three failed attempts to
curse the Jewish people. Despite his failure, Bilams hatred for the Jewish people was so strong
that he stubbornly persisted until he managed to disrupt the holy relationship between Gd and
the Jewish people. He looked for a way to entice the Jewish people to act immorally. He knew
that no matter how strong the relationship, Gd would never tolerate blatant acts of immorality. So
Bilam devised a plan where the Moabites set up a marketplace near the camp of the Jewish
people. There were stalls in front of tents where all kinds of goods were offered for sale. They
knew that the holiness of the Jewish people would never allow them to come even close to
immorality, so on the outside of each stall sat elderly women, respectfully clothed. However,
when the Jewish men approached to view the goods for sale, the elderly women told them that
better quality goods for lower prices were being sold inside. When the unsuspecting men entered
the tents, they were given unlimited samples of wine, and many soon became drunk. All of a
sudden, voluptuous women appeared from their hiding places and the defenseless men
succumbed and committed acts of immorality. They even were tricked to stoop so low as to serve
Moabite idols.
The zealot Pinchas
Like sheep in a flock, one Jewish man after another began to indulge in baseless acts of
immorality. The situation became so barbaric that Zimri, son of Salu, one of the leaders of the
tribe of Simeon, committed acts of immorality in his tent with one of the Moabite women, within
the sight of Moses and the entire assembly of the Jewish people. The only one to stand up
against this abomination was Pinchas, son of Eliazar, grandson of Aaron, the High Priest. The
Oral Torah provides that if a Jewish man has a sexual relationship with a gentile woman, a zealot
should kill them both (Sanhedrin 82b). Everyone had forgotten this law. Pinchas was the only
one who reacted. As a true zealot, he grabbed a spear and killed them.
Crowd reaction
Initially, the Jewish people reacted with anger towards Pinchas. They caste aspersions on his
motives. They said, Have you seen this Pinchas, whose grandfather fattened calves for idol
worship. How dare he kill one of the leaders of a tribe of Israel, when his own family worshipped
idols (Sanhedrin 82b). But the Talmud vindicates Pinchas and says that the Torah traces his
lineage to Aaron. This teaches us that there were no murderous genes in his blood. On the
contrary, he had the purest of motives, as befitting a descendant of Aaron.
Aaron, lover of peace
Our Sages tell us that no one loved peace more than Aaron, the High Priest. As they say, Be
among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people, and bringing
them closer to Torah (Perkei Avot 1:12). Pinchas followed in his grandfathers footsteps. The
regular way to pursue peace is to run and make peace between people. Our Sages relate how
Aaron united estranged spouses and mended friendships that had broken down by telling each
of them how much one loved the other and was saddened by the schism that separated them.
Sure enough, the next time they met, they embraced each other and peace was restored (Avot
dRabbi Nathan 12:3).

No peace for the wicked
Another way to pursue real peace is to push what may appear to be peace away when
necessary. Peace cannot be attained at any price. As it says, There is no peace for the wicked
(Hoshea 48:22). True peace is only possible where the participants in the process all have good
intentions. A participant who is evil or wicked cannot be trusted to pursue or maintain peace.
Prime Minister Chamberlain was foolish to believe that he could pursue peace with the Nazis.
Sometimes, like Pinchas, it is necessary to stand up and repel any evil person who threatens the
true peace process.
Covenant of peace
In addition to the lineage of Pinchas, the Torah leaves no doubt that Pinchas had good intentions
when he killed Zimri. The Torah expressly states that Gd rewarded Pinchas by making him a
Kohen and by granting him the covenant of peace (Bamidbar 25:12-13). From the time that the
Moabite women first seduced the unsuspecting Jewish men, a horrible plague inflicted the
Jewish people. Thousands upon thousands of Jews died from this plague. But when Pinchas
killed Zimri, the plague immediately ceased. Peace was restored after the zealot publicly
destroyed the evil.
Fences
To avoid immorality, like this unfortunate part of Jewish history, our Sages instituted fences to
protect us from future lapses. Jewish people are prohibited from drinking wine that has been
touched by gentiles. In addition, there are restrictions on eating bread made by gentiles. To
prohibit any interaction with gentiles would be absurd and unenforceable. However, our Sages
made these fences to remind us not to let our guard down to be lured into acts of immorality
and intermarriage in general.
Benefit of the doubt
The Torah commands us to judge people favourably and to give others the benefit of the doubt
(Vayikra 19:15). The Jewish people were mistaken to react negatively when Pinchas acted
zealously. The Chofetz Chaim explains that if the conduct of a Gd fearing person at first appears
to be wrong, we must give that person the benefit of the doubt. We must assume that the
righteous know what they are doing, even if appearances are deceiving. On the other hand, we
must not give the benefit of the doubt to an evil person. We must assume that the wicked are
pursuing a course of conduct for improper motives. In other words, the righteous, such as
Moses, we always judge favourably. The wicked, such as Bilam, we always judge with suspicion.
Since Pinchas was a Gd fearing person, the Jewish people should have assumed that his
motives were proper. They should have given him the benefit of the doubt even though his zealot
act of killing two people was startling. To this end, the Torah makes it very clear that Pinchas was
right.
Judging the righteous
In our daily lives, we encounter many different people. It is important for us to know how to judge
each one. Says the Chofetz Chaim, if we know little or nothing about a person, we are obligated
to give them the benefit of the doubt. People who are known to be Gd fearing, we must judge
favourably, even in circumstances which might suggest otherwise. With people who are evil, we
must be suspicious and judge them negatively. We must not be fooled by their devious methods.
In this way, we will be able to associate and have good relationships with the righteous and weed
out the wicked.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Pinchas: Holy women, Holy

Land
Summary
G'd commands Moses to count the Jews. At the same time the men gathered to make plans to
return to Egypt, Zelophechad's daughters were pleading to inherit part of the Holy Land. The
women also remained loyal to G'd at the sin of the golden calf. The actual exodus from Egypt
was in the merit of the righteous women of that generation. Every name mentioned in this count
contains two letters from G'd's name. The two attributes of generosity and loyalty are especially
needed for life in the Land of Israel. The Land of Israel does not tolerate marital disloyalty or
forbidden relationships. It will be dependent upon these two great merits that G'd will allow the
Jewish people to live in peace in the Holy Land.
Second count
In this week's Torah portion, G'd commands Moses to count the Jews. As Rashi quotes from the
Midrash Tanchuma: "After the exodus from Egypt, they were delivered with an account. Now
when the time had come for Moses to pass away and return his flock, he was told to make
another account." At the end of the account it says (Bamidbar 26:63-65): "These are the ones
counted by Moses and Elazar the Kohen and of these there was no man of those counted by
Moses and Aaron who counted the children of Israel in the desert of Sinai. As G'd had said about
them, 'They will surely die in the desert.'"
Zelophechad's daughters
Rashi quotes the Midrash Tanchuma that points out that only the men were counted and
subsequently it says that there was no "man" who had survived from the first count. The women
were not condemned to die in the desert and as such they had the merit to enter the land of
Israel. It was decreed that the men could not enter the land due to their participation in the sin of
the spies as it revealed their lack of appreciation for the Holy Land. On the other hand, says the
Midrash, the women expressed their love for the Land of Israel. Immediately after the counting it
is related how the five daughters of Zelophechad brought their case in front of the court of Moses
asking to inherit a lot in the Holy Land because their father had no sons to inherit him. G'd had
specially concealed this law of female inheritance from Moses in order to give these righteous
women the merit of having the law written in the Torah through them. The Yalkut teaches that
after the evil report of the spies the men gathered and said (Bamidbar 14:4) "Let us make a head
and return to Egypt". At that very same time, the daughters of Zelophechad brought their case to
Moses and pleaded to inherit part of the Holy Land. He questioned them, "Are you not aware that
the Jews are seeking to return to Egypt, so why are you asking for an inheritance in the Land of
Israel?" To this they answered, "We know that at the end, the Jews are going to take possession
of the Land. Especially now when others are desecrating the words of G'd it is the time to stand
up for the honour of G'd."
Golden calf
This was not the first time that righteous women stayed loyal to the words of G'd where the men
failed. At the sin of the golden calf, where the seed of the decree against the Jewish men was
planted, prohibiting them from entering the Holy Land (see Rashi Bamidbar 14:33), we find that
the women did not participate. Aaron, in an effort to delay the making of the calf, told the men to
go and remove the gold rings in the ears of their wives and children (Shemos 32:2). However, we
are told immediately after Aaron's delay tactic that the people removed their own rings from their
ears. As our sages point out, the women never participated in the making of the golden calf. This
was not due to the fact that the women were not ready to part with their jewellery. As we find at
the time of the erection of the Tabernacle, it says: (Shemos 35:22) "And the men came with the
women " The commentaries point out that it appears that the men were only secondary to the
women in donating the gold and silver. So we see that the women were more than ready to give
their jewelry to a worthy cause but remained loyal to G'd at the sin of the golden calf.
Exodus from Egypt
Not only did the women merit to enter the Holy Land, and were not subject to demise in the
desert as were the men, the Talmud (Sotah 11b) points out that the actual exodus from Egypt
was in the merit of the righteous women of that generation. The Yalkut in this week's portion (26)
mentions that only one women had a child with an Egyptian male and even in that case the
woman was deceived (see Rashi Shemos 2:11). The merit of this avoidance of immorality, says
the Yalkut, was instrumental in bringing about the exodus.
Two letters
The Yalkut further brings (as quoted in Rashi (26:5)) that the gentiles mocked the Jews who
claimed that all their children were born from Jewish parents. They calculated that if the
Egyptians had power to control the bodies of the Jewish men, surely they had the power to
violate their wives. Our sages explain that this is the reason why every name mentioned in the
count contains two letters from G'd's name. They are all prefixed with a "hey" and suffixed with a
"yud" besides one that has the "hey" and "yud" in the actual name. This is what King David says
in Tehillim (122:4): "The tribes of G'd, a testimony for Israel", meaning that G'd Himself testified
for the Jewish lineage in every tribe.
Loyalty and generosity
The Kli Yakar points out that these two attributes, that the Jewish women excelled in, generosity
and loyalty are especially needed for life in the Land of Israel. There are many tithes and other
donations required for the produce grown in the Land of Israel; not least the special
commandment of taking challah fulfilled in general by the women who would separate part of the
bread and donate it to the Kohanim, when they were able to consume it with purity.
Contamination
The Kli Yakar further points out that the Land of Israel does not tolerate marital disloyalty or
forbidden relationships. As it says, after the laws of forbidden relationships (Vayikra 18:24-28),
"Do not become contaminated through any of these; for through all of these the nations that I
expel before you became contaminated. The Land became contaminated and the Land
disgorged its inhabitants. But you shall safeguard My decrees and My judgments, and not
commit any of these abominations Let not the Land disgorge you for having contaminated it,
as it disgorged the nation that was before you." The special holiness of the Land of Israel does
not tolerate marital disloyalties or forbidden relationships.
Holy Nation
These two great merits of loyalty and generosity of the women were imperative to enable the
Jewish people to enter the Holy Land. And it will be dependent on these two great merits that G'd
will allow the Jewish people to live in peace in this land. We are on the threshold of the "three
weeks" when we mourn the destruction of the Temple and the exile of our ancestors. Although a
major part of the Jewish nation lives in the land of Israel, we have still not merited the redemption
that we long for almost two thousand years. In these days of great concern for the future of our
brothers and sisters living in the Holy Land, it is our prayer and hope that the Jewish nation will
merit to live up to the high expectations and thereby merit to live in peace as a Holy Nation in the
Holy Land.

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42. MATOTH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Mattos-Masei: The Secret

Army
Summary
Revenge was taken only against the Midianites and not against the Moabites. For every
thousand from the tribes of Israel that went into the army, another thousand went into the study
halls to battle our enemies. The physical battlefield is only a fa?ade. The real confrontation takes
place in the house of study and prayer where the soldiers are those who study Torah and pray to
Gd. The sword refers to the study of Torah, and the bow refers to words of prayer. The power
of prayer depends on sincerity and truth. Our secret army is our Yeshiva students who fight with
studies and prayers.
Revenge against Midianites
In last weeks Torah portion, the Moabites and the Midianites seduced the Jewish men to commit
various acts of immorality. Yet G'd commanded Moses to take revenge only against the
Midianites. One reason why the Moabites were spared was that they were acting to protect their
homeland from invasion. However, the Midianites made no pretensions whatsoever to justify
their attack on the Jewish people. The Midianites hated the Jewish people and their hatred was
the only reason why they attacked (see Rashi on Bamidbar 31:2). Rashi also mentions that since
Ruth, the mother of the royal house of King David and eventually the Mashiach, was a Moabite,
the whole nation was spared from attack (see Rashi Bamidbar 25:17).
Preparations for attack
G'd commanded Moses to prepare the Jewish army for attack: "A thousand from a tribe, a
thousand from a tribe, for all the tribes of Israel shall you send to the legion" (Bamidbar 31:4).
Not one word in the Torah is without meaning. So why are the words a thousand from a tribe
repeated? The Midrash says that for each soldier that went into the battlefield, another went into
the house of prayer to daven. We find a similar situation in Tehillim when King David said,
"Immobile stood our feet, within your gates, O Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:2). The Talmud says,
"what was the cause that our feet stood immobile, firm in the war against our enemies? The
gates (shearim) of Jerusalem where people were occupied with Torah study" (Makkos 10b).
Jacobs powerful weapons
Prayer is the powerful weapon of the Jewish people. As our Patriarch Isaac said when Jacob
came to receive his blessing, "the voice is the voice of Jacob and the hand is the hand of Eisav"
(Bereishis 27:22). The power of Jacob and his descendants is their voice whereas the power of
Eisav and his descendants is their hand. When the voice of Jacob is heard in the houses of
prayer and study, then the hands of Eisav have no power (Gittin 57b as quoted by the Vilna
Gaon). When Jews go into battle, the physical battlefield is only a fa?ade. The real confrontation
takes place in the house of study and prayer where the soldiers are those who study Torah and
pray to Gd. This explains the verse we quote whenever we open the Holy Ark before the reading
of the Torah: And it was when the Ark traveled, and Moses said, Arise Gd and let your enemies
scatter and let those who hate you flee from you. (Bamidbar 10:35) This sounds like a battle cry
and would appear to be out of place in a synagogue prior to the Torah reading. However, with the
realization that reading and studying the Torah is our most powerful weapon against our
enemies, we understand why this is the appropriate time to quote this declaration.
Sword and bow
Jacob himself acknowledged this when he gave Joseph an extra piece of land, the land of
Shechem. Before he passed away, he said, "I am giving you this land which I have taken with my
sword and my bow" (Bereishis 48:22). However, our Sages explain that Jacob never fought at
Shechem. He actually scolded his sons Shimon and Levy for fighting there. What does it mean
"he took it with his sword and bow"? Moreover, why was the land of Shechem not given to
Shimon and Levy who fought for it? Why was it given to Joseph? Rashi explains that the sword
refers to the study of Torah, and the bow refers to words of prayer. The study of Torah strikes
down the enemies of the Jewish people as in face to face confrontations. The prayers of the
Jewish people reach up high to the Heavenly Throne and strike at our enemies from a distance
(see Brachos 6b). For not by their sword did they possess the land, nor did their own arm help
them; but by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your Countenance" (Psalm 44:4). The
Targum explains that they merited the light of Gds Countenance through their study of Torah.
Everyday in our prayers we say, "for with the light of Your Countenance You gave us, our G'd, the
Torah of life". In return, we merit the light of His Countenance through our Torah study.
Not so secret
Study and prayer, the secret weapons of the Jewish people, were not so secret many years ago.
Our ancestors always accepted that when they went into war, they would rely on study and
prayer. Even the gentiles were aware of this and took it into consideration when they went to fight
the Jews. When Moses sent a message to the King of Edom requesting permission to go
through their country, his introduction mentioned that in Egypt they prayed to G'd Who listened
to them (Bamidbar 20:16). Rashi quotes this message: "we have this blessing from our father,
the power of the voice of Jacob; when we pray, G'd answers". The message back from Edom
was, "don't even try to enter our land, since our sword is against you". As descendants of Eisav,
they knew that they had the power of the physical sword. As Jacob said in his blessing to Eisav:
You will live by the strength of your sword" (Bereishis 27:40).
Praying with sincerity
In this weeks Torah portion, it says that the Canaanites living in the south heard that the
Israelites were coming (Bamidbar 21:1). Our Sages point out that the nation living in the south
were Amalekites, not Canaanites. Apparently, they changed their language to speak the
Canaanite language so that the Jews would pray that Gd should help them to conquer the
Canaanites, and their prayers would have no or little effect. So strong was the Amalekites belief
in the power of Jewish prayer that they tried to disguise their identity in order that the Jews would
say the wrong prayer by asking for Gd to assist against the Canaanites rather than the
Amalekites. King David says, G'd is close to all who call upon Him - to all who call upon Him in
truth (Psalm 145:18). Although G'd takes everything into account and good intention has value,
the truer the words, the more powerful the prayer will be. G'd knows what the person praying
means to say, but in order that the prayer shall be real effective it is extremely important that the
prayer is said sincerely and truthfully. This is why it is so important to say our prayers clearly and
correctly and we should make an effort to understand what we pray. In this case, the Jews saw
past the ruse. The Amalekites changed their language but not their clothing. So when the Jewish
people prayed to destroy the Amalekites, they did not mention them by name. Instead, they
prayed: if You [Gd] give this nation into our hands, we will dedicate all spoils from their towns to
the Tabernacle (Bamidbar 21:2). "This nation" did not refer specifically to the Amalekites but to
the nation in the south.
The secret army
Whoever really cares about the security of the people of Israel must accept the need to maintain
this secret army. By allowing the Yeshiva students to defer their army commitments, one enables
them to save their people in a unique way. These students do not fight with conventional
weapons. They fight with their studies and prayers. As King David reminds us, Some with
chariots and some with horses, but we - in the Name of our G'd, we call out (Psalm 20:8). Our
enemies come to battle with their tanks and infantry, but we come with our study and prayer. And
in the end, "They slumped and fell, but we arose and were invigorated, G'd Save! May the King
answer us on the day we call" (ibid 20:9). The sooner we rediscover the power of our secret
army, the sooner we will be able to protect the land of Israel from its enemies and live in true
peace.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Mattos: Dying to fulfill a

mitzvah
Summary
Moses was in control and could have prolonged his life by holding back G'd's commandment. By
delaying the attack against Midian, Moses would have had many more opportunities to fulfill
G'd's commandments. The Vilna Gaon cried because the privilege to fulfill mitzvot is only in this
world. This world is compared to an antechamber to the world to come. The Jews were
extremely reluctant to wage war because Moses' demise was dependent on it. Although he knew
his life depended on it, Moses did not hesitate to fulfill the mitzvah. No one has the right to seek
the fulfillment of a mitzvah on the account of another's suffering or inconvenience. Moses, the
most modest and humble of all people; every act of his was for the sake of G'd and His Honour.
Every Jew has the potential to be like Moses.
Moses did not hold back
In this week's Torah portion, G'd commands Moses and says, "Take revenge for the Children of
Israel against the Midianites, after that you will be gathered with your people [you will pass
away]." The Yalkut (Chapter 31) explains that G'd in effect told him that he will not die till he has
taken his revenge against the enemies of the Jewish people. So in fact, Moses was in control
and could have prolonged his life twenty or thirty years. However, Moses reasoned and said,
"We have no right to hold back from fulfilling a mitzvah" and immediately instructed the Jews to
arm themselves for battle.
Delay for more opportunities
If Moses' sole intention was to fulfill the commandments of G'd he could have reasoned
differently. If he would have stayed alive longer by delaying the attack against Midian, he would
have been able to fulfill many additional commandments, and he would always have had the
possibility of attacking Midian later. In that sense, by delaying the attack, he would have had
many more opportunities to fulfill G'd's commandments.
Vilna Gaon
The story is told about the Vilna Gaon. When his disciples found him crying at his death bed,
they asked, "You who have dedicated your whole life to studying the Torah and fulfilling the
mitzvot, what is the cause of your tears? You do not have anything to fear." The Gaon answered,
"My tears are not due to fear of the world to come. Rather, that I have to leave such a beautiful
world that I am in now." He showed them his tzitzis and said, "In this world, one can for a few
coins buy a pair of tzitzis and fulfill other mitzvot. This privilege is only in this world. Once I am in
the world to come, there is no such opportunity. That is why I am crying."
The antechamber
Rabbi Moishe Chaim Luzatto writes in the first chapter of the Path of the Just that the purpose of
man's existence is to have enjoyment and that real enjoyment can only be achieved in the world
to come. However, the only way to reach that enjoyment is to go through this world. As it says in
Pirkei Avos (4:21): "This world is compared to an antechamber to the world to come." The means
through which we create our world to come are the mitzvot and the only forum for the fulfillment
of the mitzvot is in this world. Moses understood this no less than the Vilna Gaon, so why did he
not try to stay in this world as long as possible?
Reluctant to wage war
Even more, we find that the Jewish people would have been more than happy had Moses
chosen to prolong his life by delaying the warfare against the Midianites. Rashi quotes from the
Midrash Tanchuma that the Jews were aware that Moses' demise was dependent on this war
and they were extremely reluctant to wage war because of that. As it says (Bamidbar 31:5): "And
there were delivered from the thousands of Israel a thousand from each tribe armed for the
legion." This unusual expression "there were delivered" implies that the Jewish soldiers had to be
forced to go into war. They were delivered against their own will. So what was Moses' hurry?
Moses did not hesitate
Our sages teach that when a mitzvah comes our way we should not postpone it (see Rashi
Shemos 12:17). A mitzvah is an opportunity. One never knows how long that opportunity will
exist. Whenever the opportunity arises it is a sign that this is the time for fulfilling this mitzvah.
Whoever is privileged to have the mitzvah turn up at their doorstep should be aware that this is
their opportunity to fulfill it at that very moment. Moses was aware that if he delayed fulfilling
G'd's command, circumstances may prevent him from fulfilling this mitzvah later. And although he
knew his life depended on it, he did not hesitate to go and fulfill this mitzvah.
Affect others
There is an additional reason why it would have been incorrect for Moses to delay the war
against Midian for the purpose of his ability to fulfill more mitzvot. Every day that Moses would
delay this war would mean prolonging the wandering of the Jews in the desert. (The fact that the
Jews were reluctant to engage in this war shows their selflessness and total dedication to their
beloved leader.) No one has the right to seek the fulfillment of a mitzvah on the account of
another's suffering or inconvenience. It sometimes happens that people in their eagerness to do
a mitzvah forget how it affects others. For example, the Shulchan Aruch (Or Hachaim 101:2)
quotes the Talmud (Berachot 24b) that one may not raise one's voice when saying the Shemona
Esrei prayer in public so as not to disturb others. Rabbi Avraham Pam, the illustrious Rosh
Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodous, New York, once gave another example in one of his weekly
talks. He spoke about how husbands sometimes like to entertain visitors and invite friends or
strangers without first making sure that their wives are up to having company. One must always
remember that a mitzvah is to do what G'd wants of us rather than promoting oneself through
one's mitzvah observance. As the Mishnah says in Pirkei Avos (5:16): "The one who wishes to
give (charity) himself and that others should not give, has an evil eye on others" since he
deprives them of the mitzvah. Obviously, this consideration only applies when it is a mitzvah
which is not obligatory or can be done in a different place or at a different time without causing
inconvenience to others.
G'd's Honour
Rabbi Yehudah Leib Chasman mentions a third reason for the eagerness of Moses to enter into
this war. Our sages point out the difference between G'd's command to Moses and Moses
instructions to the Jewish people. G'd said (31:2) "Take revenge for the Children of Israel against
the Midianites." On the other hand, Moses instructed the Jews (ibid 31:3) "Arm men from
amongst yourselves for the legion and they shall be against Midian to take revenge for G'd
against Midian." Rashi quotes the Midrash that whoever goes into war against the Jewish people
really is going into war against G'd. The enemies of the Jewish people first and foremost hate us
because we are the nation chosen by G'd. G'd told the Jews to "take revenge" for the honour of
the Jewish nation; therefore He called it the "revenge of the Jews". Says Rabbi Chasman, Moses
however looked at it totally different. He told the Jews to go into war to revenge the honour of
G'd. Moses, the most modest and humble of all people (see Bamidbar 12:3); every act of his was
for the sake of G'd and His Honour. In all his deeds, Moses only saw G'd; he himself was nonexistent. As when the Jews complained about the lack of food, Moses said to them, (Shemos
16:8) "As G'd hears what you are complaining against Him, so what are we? Not against us are
your complaints but against G'd." When G'd's Honour is at stake, it is self-understood that Moses
would make no other considerations to fulfill any other mitzvah.
Potential to be like Moses
The Rambam says that every Jew has the potential to be like Moses. The Rambam is obviously
not referring to Moses' level of prophecy, but rather to his conduct in the fulfillment of the mitzvot.
Every Jew has the ability to emulate Moses and fulfill the commandment of G'd in modesty and
humbleness with considerations of one's fellow human beings, and last but not least for the
honour of G'd.

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43. MAASEI
Torah Attitude: Parashas Masei: Gaza, to live or to

leave?
Summary
At the end of the exile, prior to the coming of Moshiach, no one will feel safe anywhere in the
world. In Israel the population is divided, for and against disengagement. There is no
contemporary issue or question that we can not find an answer to in our Holy Torah. In this
week's Torah portion, G'd defines the borders of the land of Canaan which the Jewish people
were about to enter. It is not sufficient to drive the inhabitants out physically; rather, it is also
necessary to drive out their beliefs and lifestyle. The mitzvah of dwelling in the land of Israel
weighs as much as all the other mitzvot in the Torah. The Rebbe of Sochatzov shows clearly that
only if one can live in the land in peace does the mitzvah to dwell in the land apply. Abraham had
made a covenant promising not to harm any of Avimelech's offspring for four generations. The
land of the Philistines will only be possessed in the final redemption through the Moshiach. If
giving up part of the land will save Jewish blood, then we really have no choice.
Not feel safe
The three weeks from the Fast Day of the 17th of Tammuz culminating with the Fast Day of Tisha
B'Av is a time of mourning. On the 17th of Tammuz the Romans breached the walls in Jerusalem
on the way to destroy the Second Temple. On the 9th of Av both Temples were destroyed. This
period is a time for reflection on our long and bitter exile. This year, with the forthcoming
disengagement plan and the recent bombings in London, brings home the reality of the fact that
the Jewish people are still in exile, with all its dire consequences for us and the world around us.
What the episode of 9/11 did to the citizens of the United States, the recent episode of 7/7 has
done to the citizens of Europe. How true are the words given over in the name of Rav Saadia
Gaon that at the end of the exile, prior to the coming of Moshiach, no one will feel safe anywhere
in the world.
Answer in our Torah
The Jews of Europe are wondering where they shall turn. There is no country in the world that
does not have a large Muslim population and influence. Danger lurks in every corner of the
world. It seems clear that we are experiencing what is described as the exile under the children
of Ishmael, which will be the last of all exiles. In Israel the population is divided, for and against
disengagement. We must go in the footsteps of the Chofetz Chaim who used to say that there is
no contemporary issue or question that we can not find an answer to in our Holy Torah.
The borders
In this week's Torah portion, G'd defines the borders of the land of Canaan which the Jewish
people were about to enter. It says (Bamidbar 34:2): "This is the land that shall fall to you as an
inheritance " Regarding the southern and western borders it says (ibid 34:3-6): "And the
southern border shall be from the edge of the Dead Sea till the stream of Egypt and it shall
end by the Sea. And the western border it shall be the Great Sea [Mediterranean]."
Drive out beliefs and lifestyle
It seems clear that the Gaza Strip falls within the borders of the land of Israel. Just prior to this
G'd instructs Moses to tell the Jews (ibid 33:52-53) "You shall drive out all the inhabitants and
you shall destroy all of their prostration stones and you shall drive them out of the land and
you shall dwell in it." The double command of driving the inhabitants out is to explain the purpose
of exiling the inhabitants. It is not sufficient to drive them out physically; rather, it is also
necessary to drive out their beliefs and lifestyle. As it says (Vayikra 18:3) "The deeds of the
inhabitants of the land of Canaan you may not do."

Dwelling in Israel
Rashi explains that the Torah here informs us that only after ridding the land of Canaan of its
prior inhabitants will the Jews be able to settle there. However, the Ramban writes that this is a
positive command where the Torah instructs us to settle in the land of Israel. In the Ramban's
annotations on the Rambam's Book of Mitzvot he further elaborates that this is a command for all
generations, even during the period of exile. He concludes with a quote from Sifri (Devarim
12:31). The Sifri relates how some of our great sages traveled to the Diaspora but when they
arrived at their destination they decided to return and said, "The mitzvah of dwelling in the land of
Israel weighs as much as all the other mitzvot in the Torah."
Only applies if live in peace
The Rebbe of Sochatzov (Avnei Nezer Yoreh Deah 454) explains that the fact that the Rambam
does not include this mitzvah in his count of the 613 mitzvot does not necessarily mean that the
Rambam does not consider this act to be a mitzvah. As the Vilna Gaon explains, there are a lot
more than 613 mitzvot in the Torah. The number 613 is a description of basic commandments,
many of which include many other commandments. The Rebbe goes through a lengthy
discussion of the details relating to this mitzvah and shows clearly that only if one can live in the
land in peace does this mitzvah apply. He further elaborates that a person who does not live in
accordance with Torah and fulfill the mitzvot may endanger himself by moving there. As we find
after the sin of the spies that although the Jewish people are were eager to rectify their mistake,
G'd told Moses to tell them not to enter the land. Those who nevertheless tried to enter were
killed by their enemies (see Bamidbar 14:40-45). Finally, he explains that as long as the Jewish
nation is in a status of exile we may not revolt against the nations of the world and take land by
force. As the Talmud (Ketuboth 111a) says G'd made three adjurations, two addressed to the
Jewish nation and one to the nations of the world. The Jews are adjured not to take the land of
Israel by force and not to rebel against the nations of the world. On the other hand, the gentiles
were adjured not to oppress the Jews excessively.
Abraham and Avimelech
It is important to note that the Gaza Strip was not settled when the Jews entered after wandering
40 years in the desert. At the time when they returned from the Babylonian Exile it was not even
conquered. The first Jews who lived in the Gaza were in the time of the Chashmonaim. In the
Book of Judges (1:18-21) it says that the Tribe of Judah conquered Gaza and its surroundings
and drove out the inhabitants of the mountain but not of the valley. Even the inhabitants of
Jerusalem were not driven out by the Tribe of Benjamin until the reign of King David. Rashi
explains that these were the descendants of Avimelech, the King of the Philistines, who lived in
Gaza. Abraham had made a covenant promising not to harm any of Avimelech's offspring for four
generations (see Bereishis 21:23). Since his great-grandson was still alive at that point they had
to honour Abraham's oath.
Land of the Philistines
In the year 5357 (1497) Rabbi Yosef of Triani (Maharit 1:47) wrote that although the Gaza falls
within the borders of the land of Israel, nevertheless the one who dwells there does not fulfill the
commandment of living in the land of Israel. This can only be fulfilled living within the boundaries
conquered by our ancestors when they came back from the Babylonian Exile. The Torah relates
(Bereishis 26:23) the incidents that happened to Isaac when his servants were digging wells for
water. In the land of the Philistines, there were constant arguments and quarrels and only when
he moved further north was he able to dig a well and live in peace. This was similar to what had
happened to his father Abraham (see ibid 21:31). In the early commentary of Rav David Kimchi,
known as the Radak, he points out that this was a sign that G'd would give this part of the land to
their descendants; however, the land of the Philistines although it is a part of the land of Israel,
would not easily be possessed by their descendants. This will only happen in the final
redemption through the Moshiach, as is the case with the other three parts of the land known as
the Keini, Knizi, and Kadononi (see Bereishis 15:109).
Save Jewish blood
The issue at hand regarding the disengagement plan is not so much the question of fulfilling the
mitzvah of settling in the land of Israel. Even if someone would argue that this mitzvah applies in
the Gaza it is like all other mitzvot that we should live by and not die for. There are only three
mitzvot for which we are obligated to sacrifice our life for: not to commit murder, adultery or idol
worship. As quoted above, our sages in the Sifri noted that this commandment weighs as much
as all other commandments. Similar statements are found about other mitzvot including the
wearing of tzitzis. No one would suggest that one should endanger one's life to fulfill the mitzvah
of wearing tzitzis. The real issue at hand is the safety of the people living in the land of Israel.
This is a very serious question and only people who are informed about all the details and have
an understanding of the total situation can decide upon this. It is our hope and prayer that those
in charge will merit to make the right decision for the safety of the inhabitants of Israel. As painful
and sad as it may be, if giving up part of the land will save Jewish blood, then we really have no
choice, as the Ponievitch Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Elazar Schach said 26 years ago. He further
added that peace in Israel will affect not only the safety of Jews living there; rather everyone all
over the world will be affected by it.

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44. DEBARIM
Torah Attitude: Parashas Devarim: The silver lining

Summary
The book of Devarim contains the final goodbye of Moses to the Jewish people. Moses reproofs
the Jewish people for their mistakes. It was not like Moses to blame others. Losing Moses was
like a body losing its head. The Jewish people appeared to make little effort to plead with Gd to
allow Moses to lead them into the land of Israel. Gd got angry with him because of them has
two interpretations. The cries and pleas of the Jewish people for no reason were on the 9th of
Av, the most tragic date in the Jewish calendar. Gd let his anger out on the wood and the
stones of the Temple rather than on the Jewish people. Mashiach is born on the 9th of Av. The
roots of redemption lie in the destruction itself. The more we appreciate and trust Gds words,
the closer we will be to the Final Redemption.
Moses says goodbye
The book of Devarim, the fifth of the five books of Moses, is also called Mishne Torah because it
is a repetition of the Torah. This book contains Moses' final goodbye to the Jewish people. As we
read in last weeks portion, G'd had told Moses that after the war with the Midianites, his time had
come to leave this world. He could not enter the land of Israel because of the flaw in his conduct
when he hit the rock. However, Moses was allowed to climb the heights of the mountain of
Avarim to view the land from there (Devarim 27:12).
Blame the Jews
In his speech, Moses reproofs the Jewish people for their mistakes in the past. He follows in the
footsteps of Jacob who also gave reproof to his children before he passed away. When Moses
discusses his prohibition from entering the land, it sounds like he is blaming the Jewish people.
Moses says, "G'd got angry at me because of you [the Jewish people] (see Devarim 1:37 and
3:26).
Not like Moses

This was not like Moses. He was the humblest man of all time. If anything, Moses would
introspect on his own behaviour before trying to blame others (see Torah Attitude, Parashas
Vaeira: From Blame to Fame). Furthermore, when he speaks about the events in the desert,
King David also confirms that "the Jews made G'd angry at the waters of strife, Moses suffered
because of them" (Tehillim 106:32). On the other hand, G'd clearly told Moses that he had made
a mistake, so how can the Jewish people be blamed? What is the real message?
A body losing its head
When Moses was denied entry into the land of Israel, this was not only a loss for him; it was a
tremendous loss for the Jewish people. Moses was the greatest leader of the Jewish people of
all times and was instrumental in making us a nation. Losing Moses was like a body losing its
head.
The national mistake
When Moses blames the Jewish people for his being prohibited from entering Israel, he is not
addressing his personal situation as an individual; he is addressing the Jewish people as a
nation. He is speaking about their flaw at the Waters of Strife when they had no patience to wait
for Moses to find the right rock to speak to and how they could have intervened to keep him as
their leader. Several times when the Jews made mistakes and sinned against G'd, Moses, as
their advocate, saved them with his prayers. When Moses made his mistake, he prayed for G'd's
forgiveness so he would be able to enter the land of Israel. Our Sages tell us that Moses prayed
515 prayers until G'd told him to stop (515 is the numerical value of the word Vaeschanan, next
weeks Torah portion). For some reason, the Jewish people overlooked their ability to call a
prayer meeting. On a national scale, they appeared to make little effort to plead with Gd to allow
Moses to lead them into the land of Israel.
Two interpretations
We may ask, why did the Jews overlook the obvious? Why did they do nothing to preserve
Moses as their leader? And why did Gd not intervene? Or did He? When Moses told the Jews
that G'd got angry with him because of them, this can be understood in two ways. It could mean
that they caused and made Gd angry. It could also mean that in order to benefit them, Gd got
angry. When words in the Torah have two interpretations, we can rest assured that both of them
apply.
The 9th of Av
In his speech, Moses refers to the evil report of the spies (Devarim 1:22-40). In the middle of this
he mentions the sin at the Waters of Strife (Ibid. 1:37). Why are these two events put together?
What do these two events have in common with Moses being barred from entering the land of
Israel? The Or HaChaim explains that the night the spies came back with their report, the Jewish
people cried out, pleading that they should not enter the land of Israel. Their cries and pleas were
not warranted. The Talmud relates that since they cried for no reason, from then on there would
be reasons to cry on that night (Taanis 29a). It was the night of Tisha BAv, the 9th of Av.
National mourning
The 9th of Av has become the most tragic date in the Jewish calendar. This was the very same
day that the first and second Temples were destroyed; the great City of Betar was destroyed; the
Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492; the first shot of Saragossa brought in the era of the
world wars, and so much havoc on the Jewish People, an era of horrible tragedy that yet has to
end.
Song of Asaf
Our Sages tell us that if Moses had entered the land of Israel and built the Temple in Jerusalem,
it would have been established for eternity. However, if the Jews would not have been living up to
the high standards expected of them, the destruction, G'd forbid, would have been on the people
and not on the country and the Temple. When Asaf bemoans the destruction of the Temple, he
calls it, "a song of Asaf". He continues, "The nations have entered into Your inheritance, they
have defiled the Sanctuary of Your holiness, they have turned Jerusalem into heaps of rubble"
(Tehillim 79). Our sages ask the obvious question, "How is this an expression of song?" Should it
not say "a lamentation of Asaf"?
High standards
The answer is that it is a song, because rather than destroying the Jewish people, G'd let his
anger out on the "wood and the stones" of the Temple. Says the Or HaChaim, had Moses come
into the land and built the Temple, then the Jewish people would have been destroyed by their
sins. That is why Moses refers to the sin of the spies together with his prohibition from entering
the land of Israel. As far as the Jewish people were concerned, they lost the merit of having
Moses lead them into the land as far back as the incident of the spies. Their lack of trust in G'd
and his Word, their lack of appreciation of the goodness of the land of Israel, showed that they
were not worthy or able to maintain the high standards of living in the land of Israel.
Punishment and benefit
The destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jews is directly connected to the negative
report of the spies, as it says, "And they despised the desirable land, they had no faith in His
Word ... Then He lifted up His Hand ... to throw them down in the wilderness. And to throw down
their descendants among the peoples and to scatter them among the lands (Tehillim 106:24).
This may be why the Jews were not inspired to pray for Moses when Gd forbid him to lead the
Jewish people into the land of Israel. And this is what Moses is telling them, Now, because of
you, you lost the merit of having me as leader bring you into the land of Israel. The Jewish
people are being punished. However, at the same time, the Jewish people are receiving the
benefit of having their existence preserved.
The silver lining
On Tisha B'Av, when we lament the destruction of the Temple and all the other tragedies that
have befallen the Jewish nation, we see G'd's hidden Hand directing and guiding us. We see the
rays of His mercy and infinite love as the silver lining in the middle of the darkness and
destruction that have plagued the Jewish people for so many years. Our sages tell us that
Mashiach is born on Tisha B'Av. The roots of the Redemption lie in the destruction itself. As we
say in our daily prayers, G'd "causes death and restores life and makes salvation sprout"
(Artscroll Siddur, p.101, Shemona Esrei). From death, Gd restores life and brings salvation.
Final redemption
By reflecting on the causes of destruction, the crying in vain in the desert from lack of
appreciation of the land of Israel, and lack of trust in the G'd of Israel, this brings out that the
more we appreciate and trust G'd's words, the closer we will be to the Final Redemption when
Mashiach will be joined by Moses and bring all Jews back to restore the glory of Israel and
rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Devarim: No respect, no

consistency
Summary
The gathering at the sending of the spies and the gathering at the time of the revelation at Mount
Sinai were different. The young ones pushed the older ones aside and the older ones went
ahead of the leaders at the gathering sending the spies. Just as a bird cannot fly without its
wings, so too can the Jewish nation not stand without its elders. Young people with a lack of life
experience often get enthusiastic and idealistic without realizing the consequences. Elders are
not necessarily old people, but rather learned, knowledgeable Torah scholars. Unlike flowers,
every child is born with a set of parents. Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky told the one travelling next to
him that as far as his descendants are concerned he was just one generation closer to the apes
than they are. Teenagers see their parents try to copy them, dress like them, talk like them and
act as if they are contemporaries. Abraham saw that it was destructive for the world if they could
not distinguish between father and son. The worst of the 18 curses issued by Yeshayah was
"And the young ones will rule over the elders." The inconsistency between the two approaches is
the biggest rebuke, says the Kli Yakar. There is inconsistency in Israel. The first seed that
caused our long and bitter exile was when the youngsters at the time pushed ahead at the
sending of the spies.
Two gatherings
This week's Torah portion begins the Book of Devarim. In this Book, Moses rebukes the Jewish
people before he passes away. He recalls the various incidents throughout their sojourn in the
desert in a final attempt to ensure that in the future they will listen to the words of G'd and His
messengers. One of the incidents that Moses mentions is the sending of the spies. Moses says,
(Devarim 1:22) "And all of you approached me and you said, 'Let us send men ahead of us that
they should spy out the land.'" On this Rashi quotes the Sifri who points out the difference
between this gathering and the gathering at the time of the revelation at Mount Sinai, where it
says (ibid 5:2) "And it was when you heard the voice in the midst of the darkness And all the
heads of your tribes and your elders approached me."
Disorderly conduct
At Mount Sinai the young ones honoured the older ones by letting them go ahead. And the older
ones honoured the leaders making sure that they should be in the front of the gathering. In
contrast, at the gathering requesting Moses to send the spies the conduct was disorderly. The
young ones pushed the older ones aside and the older ones went ahead of the leaders.
Not stand without elders
The Talmud (Nedarim 40a) says, "If the youngsters tell you to build and the elders advise you not
to build, (literally to tear down), listen to the elders, rather than to the youngsters. For the building
of the young ones is destruction, whereas the tearing down of the elders is construction." The
Talmud brings an example of King Rechavom, son of King Solomon, related in the Book of Kings
(I 12) who disregarded the advice of the elders and instead listened to the young advisors. Rashi
explains that the disastrous consequences of the young advisors' folly led to the destruction of
the Temple. This is what the Midrash Rabba (Shemos 5:12) brings from Rabbi Akiva who said,
"Why is the Jewish nation compared to a bird? Just as a bird cannot fly without its wings, so too
can the Jewish nation not stand without its elders."
Youthful eagerness
Young people with a lack of life experience often get enthusiastic and idealistic without realizing
the consequences. In youthful eagerness and self-confidence they jump into situations where
they are unable to control the outcome. However well-meaning they may be and however worthy
their cause may be, there is great danger in their youthful approach when they neglect the
wisdom of the elders. They can never measure up to the elders who with their extensive life
experience will know how to avoid the pitfalls of what the youngsters are not even aware of.
Life experience
The Midrash continues that the elders are not necessarily old people, but rather learned,
knowledgeable Torah scholars as explained in the Talmud (Kidushin 32b). These leaders are
guided not by their own ideas or interests, but by the word of G'd. However, the Talmud (ibid 33a)
teaches that even the older person who is not a scholar should be respected and honoured by
the fact that he has acquired so much life experience.
Flowers have no parents
I recall as a child walking with my mother one Shabbos morning on the way to shul when she
showed me some flowers growing in a garden. She pointed out that it is interesting that human
beings theoretically could be created just like a flower coming out of the ground. However, G'd in
His infinite wisdom saw to it that every child is born with a set of parents. She went on to explain
that the reason for it is that every person requires parental guidance to develop fully and
properly.
Close to monkeys or G'd?
In the past, there were always young people who were eager to join any new movement who
tried to revolutionize their society with their new ideals. However, nowadays the problem of
children not listening to their parents and going their own way has multiplied manifold. There is a
famous anecdote about the great Torah sage, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, who was once
travelling on a plane with his son and granddaughter. Next to him was the Secretary-General of
the Israeli Trade Federation, Histadrut. He was amazed at the dedication of the son and
granddaughter to the elderly rabbi. As related in the book, Reb Yaakov: His Life, pp.218-219:"He
confided sadly to Reb Yaakov that he almost never saw his grandchildren and his children only
rarely. Rab Yaakov explained to him that the difference in their relationships to their children and
grandchildren could be traced to their differing views of Creation 'You believe in the
Darwinian view of life as the result of random, purposeless events,' he told [him], 'so as far as
your descendants are concerned you're just one generation closer to the apes than they are. We,
on the other hand, do not believe that we are superior to our ancestors. Quite the contrary. For
us the central event in history was the Revelation at Sinai. The generations immediately after that
Revelation lived in awe of their parents as people to whom G'd actually spoke. And their children
in turn viewed them with veneration for having known those who heard G'd speak. And so it is
with each passing generation. My children and grandchildren honour me as one who had contact
with spiritual giants whose greatness is almost beyond their comprehension, and therefore they
attribute to me a wisdom and spiritual sensitivity that they do not possess."
Self-centered
There is, however, more to it. We live in a time when children are educated to become selfcentered and therefore feel that everything is owing to them. In earlier generations, the centre of
the household would be the father. The breakdown of traditional family values has changed all of
this. Going back a generation or two, parents had authority in the house and were able in general
to discipline their children. Today, a mother would be sitting with her toddler asking him what he
wants to eat, and asking her young daughter what she would like to wear. A little while later the
same mother will complain that her children do not listen to her and instead tell her what to do.
Rather than educating to know one's duties and obligations as espoused by the Torah, the
youngsters are being taught what their rights are in life. Adding to this is the idolization of youthful
appearance. Teenagers see their parents try to copy them, dress like them, talk like them and act
as if they are contemporaries.

Abraham ages
The Talmud (Baba Metzia 87a) relates that till the time of our Patriarch Abraham people did not
age. Abraham saw that it was destructive for the world if they could not distinguish between
father and son. The Midrash Rabbah (Bereishis 55:9) tells us that Abraham requested from G'd,
"Master of the Universe, a person comes with his son to a place and no one knows to whom to
give honour. If you adorn the father with age then people will know who to honour." G'd said to
him, "You are right. This is a good thing that you are asking for and I will start with you." As it
says (Bereishis 24:1), "And Abraham become old with age."
Biggest curse
Abraham was not looking for personal honour and gains. However, he understood that for the
constructive development of society it was important that the young ones should honour their
elders. Age is supposed to be a sign of dignity and authority. Nowadays people spend thousands
of dollars to reverse the aging trend in a vain attempt to appear youthful and dress and act
accordingly. It is no wonder that the youth has no respect for the elders who try to copy them. It is
an amazing fact that we were warned by our prophets and sages that in the time prior to the
coming of the Mashiach the lack of respect for elders would be the biggest curse and calamity of
that period. The Talmud (Chagigah 14a) relates that the Prophet Yeshayah warns the Jews at his
time of the curses that would befall them if they did not listen to the word of G'd. There were 18
curses in total issued by Yeshayah, the worst of which says the Talmud, was (Yeshayah 3:5)
"And the young ones will rule over the elders." The sages of the Mishnah (Sotah 49b) describe
the calamities of the time before the coming of Mashiach: "The youngsters will put the elders to
shame. The elders will have to rise for the young ones. A son despises his father. A daughter
rises against her mother Who do we have to rely on? Only our Father in heaven." The
Mishnah gives us an exact description of our generation. We have developed into a situation
where the young have totally lost their respect for their parents and elders who are powerless to
change the situation. The older generation themselves is at fault for giving their children this
power. Only G'd Himself can reverse this situation.
No consistency
The Kli Yakar explains that the difference between the two gatherings approaching Moses, one
at the time of Mount Sinai and the other at the time of the sending of the spies, are both part of
Moses' rebuke to the Jewish people. If the young people were so eager when it came to conquer
the land and to take possession of it, why were they not equally eager to come forward to accept
the Torah and its commandments? If youthful excitement would push respect aside why did that
not show itself at Mount Sinai? The inconsistency between the two approaches indicates that
taking possession of the land was more important to the young ones than accepting the Torah.
This inconsistency is the biggest rebuke, says the Kli Yakar.
Inconsistency in Israel today
In the current situation in Israel we find a somewhat similar situation. Everyone is strongly
opinionated and feel they know exactly what is to be done. Would it not be correct to seek the
advice of the Torah sages, the elders of our generation? No doubt many have asked their rabbis
and leaders how to handle the situation and what to do. However, many well-meaning people,
especially young ones, are taking to the streets demonstrating. They show their solidarity with
their brothers and sisters in the Gaza, opposing the Israeli government's policy of
disengagement. If this is the right approach, why then is it not used for other issues? There are
many other issues such as cuts in the government grants to students studying in Torah
institutions and in social benefits. These issues do not seem to attract the same attention. There
have been neither demonstrations nor banners of solidarity. We dare ask the question asked by
Kli Yakar, where is the consistency? The land of Israel is definitely most important to all of us. It is
the land that G'd promised to our ancestors and it is the only place in the world where we can
fulfill His commandments. However, we must always remember that the uniqueness of the
Jewish people is not by the land of Israel but rather by study of the G'd given Torah, through the
observance of its commandments with the lovingkindness of its social structure.
Tisha B'Av
The Kli Yakar concludes that the first seed that caused our long and bitter exile was when the
youngsters at the time pushed ahead at the sending of the spies. As it says in Tehillim (106:24)
"And they despised the desirable land. They had no faith in His word And He lifted His hand to
throw them down in the desert and to throw down their descendants among the peoples and to
scatter them amongst the lands." This misplaced eagerness rather than facilitating taking
possession of the land of Israel caused the death of that generation and the delay for 40 years
before the Jewish nation was allowed to enter the Holy Land. Subsequently, it caused the
destruction of the Temple and the mourning throughout the generations on Tisha B'Av, the very
same night the spies had returned.
This Tisha B'Av, when we sit on the ground and mourn the destruction of the Temple and our
exile, it will no doubt be a more meaningful experience than many other years. The words of the
prophet Jeremiah (Eichah 5:1-2) will speak for themselves: "Remember G'd what has happened
to us, look and see our disgrace. Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses
to foreigners." However, let us unite not just in communal mourning but in constructive prayer
and resolve that this should be our last year of mourning. Let us undertake to do everything
possible to merit the coming of Mashiach who will rectify all evils for the Jewish people and the
whole world.

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45. VAETHCHANAN
Torah Attitude: Parashas VaEschanan: From the

darkness of mourning to the light of morning
Summary
During the three weeks of mourning and the seven weeks of comfort, there are special Haftorahs
that relate to the themes of mourning and comfort. So what is the comfort? The fact that after
close to 2000 years in exile, we still mourn the destruction of the Temple shows that we still have
a close relationship with what we lost. Ever since the destruction of the Temples, the Jewish
people cannot regain the former glory. The suffering and affliction the Jewish people went
through during the Holocaust is the strongest that we have seen throughout the exile. The
description of the period before the Messianic era sounds very much like the time we are now
experiencing. We have the comfort of knowing that one day life will be totally beautiful. Rabbi
Akiva laughed when he saw a fox coming where the Holiest place of the Temple had stood.
3 weeks mourning, 7 weeks comfort
The last three weeks in the Jewish calendar were a period of mourning, culminating with Tisha
BAv, the day when both the first and second Temple were destroyed. We are now entering the
seven weeks of comfort. On a regular Shabbos we read the Haftorah, a selection from the
writings of the Prophets that relates to the weekly Torah portion. However, during the three
weeks of mourning and the seven weeks of comfort, there are special Haftorahs that relate to the
themes of mourning and comfort, rather than the themes of the Torah portion.
No Temple, what comfort?
This Shabbos is named Shabbos Nachamu, the Shabbos of comfort. One may ask, What is
the comfort? How has anything changed since the mourning of the three weeks and Tisha BAv?
The Temple has not been rebuilt. The Jewish people are subjected to acts of terrorism. We are
losing a lot of blood physically, and we are losing even more blood spiritually through missionary
activities and assimilation whose rates are at the highest levels ever. So what is the comfort?
The comfort in mourning
In a sense, the comfort is in the mourning itself. When, Gd forbid, a Jew loses a close relative, a
parent, sibling, or child, one observes a period of mourning starting with the Shiva. The mourning
is an expression of losing someone who is very dear. It gives an ability to express ones
innermost feelings. And following the passing of a dear relative, one observes Yahrzeit every
year on the anniversary of their death. This shows how the person, who passed away physically,
is still there in a spiritual sense. In this way, we maintain a special kind of spiritual relationship
with the deceased. This conduct is reserved only for close relatives. It would not be appropriate
to observe this kind of intimate mourning for distant relationships. The fact that after close to
2000 years in exile, we still mourn the destruction of the Temple having lost all the goodness that
comes with it shows that we still have a close relationship with what we lost. That is in itself a
comfort.
The glory of the Temple
Although Jews today can live in the land of Israel, we must realize that with the destruction of the
Temple and the exile, we lost more than a piece of real estate. Both on a spiritual level and on a
physical level, the blessings of Gd were showered on the Holy Land at the time when the Temple
stood in Jerusalem. The glory of the first Temple was on a higher spiritual level than of the
second one. The second Temple did not regain the Divine presence, the holy ark with the
Tablets, and the heavenly fire on the alter. They were also missing the spiritual part of the
breastplate that would make it illuminate answers for questions of national importance and the
holy spirit of prophecy.
Ever since the destruction of the Temples, the Jewish people cannot regain the former glory. We
must wait until the third and final Temple is built.
The end of the exile
We are clearly living in the time at the end of the exile. Our sages compare the end of the exile to
the darkness before the dawn. Like the darkness of the night is strongest just before dawn, and
the birth pangs of the expectant mother are the strongest just before birth, so too explain our
sages, will the suffering of the Jewish people be the most severe in the final stage of our exile.
This period known as Chevlei Mashiach, the so called birth pangs of Mashiach, explains the
Vilna Gaon, will last for 70 years and culminate with the coming of Mashiach. No one can say for
sure when these 70 years started; however, no doubt, the suffering and affliction the Jewish
people went through during the Holocaust is the strongest that we have seen throughout the
exile. This is another reason for comfort. When we see the strongest darkness of night, we know
that the dawn is imminent. The best time of all is on the horizon, waiting to fill our lives with the
beautiful light of the Messianic era.
The coming of Mashiach
Our sages provide a description of the period before the Messianic era that sound very much like
the time we are now experiencing. There will be a lot of chutzpah. People will do things in
public without shame or fear of the consequences of their immorality. Prices will soar although
there will be plenty. Governments will be corrupt and there will be no one to give reproof.
Immorality will be rampant. The wisdom of the Torah sages will not be appreciated. People who
fear Gd will be despised. There will be a lack of truthfulness. The young will have no respect for
their elders. This is a very accurate description of our time. But as the darkness gets stronger,
one senses that the light of the Mashiach is imminent.
The comfort of knowing
Since the destruction of our Temple, the lives of the Jewish people have deteriorated gradually
until this day. However, the fact that our sages of the Mishnah, thousands of years ago, gave
such an accurate description of our times, gives us comfort and strength to endure the darkness
before the dawn; they also spoke about the beauty of the era after Mashiach arrives, as
described by the great prophets. We have the comfort of knowing that one day life will be totally
beautiful. When the Temple is rebuilt, we will once again enjoy the glory and closeness of Gd.
Rabbi Akiva laughed
The Talmud relates that Rabbi Akiva was walking together with his colleagues, Rabbis Gamliel,
Ben Azaria, and Yehoshua (Makkos 24b). On the way to Jerusalem, they came to Mt. Scopus.
On viewing the ruins of the Temple, they tore their garments, as mourners tear clothing at the
time of the Shiva. As they came closer to the Temple mount, they saw a fox coming where the
Holiest place of the Temple had stood. Rabbi Akivas colleagues started to cry. But Rabbi Akiva
laughed. The other rabbis asked, Why are you laughing? He asked back, why are you crying?
They said to him, this was the most holy place where only the High Priest could enter on Yom
Kippur; otherwise anyone else who entered would be eligible for capital punishment. Now foxes
run in and out from there. Should we not cry? Said Rabbi Akiva, for this very reason, I am
laughing. One prophet said, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field (Micah 3:12).
Another prophet said, there will come a time when old men and ladies, boys and girls, will once
again sit together in the streets of Jerusalem (Zacharia 8:4-5). Said Rabbi Akiva, since the
words of the one prophet warning of the destruction of the Temple has been fulfilled, the words of
the other prophet telling us of the rebuilding of the Temple for sure will also be fulfilled. To this
the rabbis exclaimed, You have comforted us Akiva, you have comforted us.
The comfort of mourning
For three weeks we mourned the destruction of the Temple. Now for seven weeks we are
comforted by our mourning. We are comforted by the close relationship we have maintained for
thousands of years so that we yearn to rebuild the Temple. Knowing that the end of the exile is
imminent comforts us. We are comforted by the reasoning of Rabbi Akiva that the Temple will be
rebuilt. We are confident that just as all the prophecies of various punishments both in the Torah
and the Prophets, clearly have been fulfilled, so too will the day come when the words of the
prophets of the beauty and glory of Mashiach will be fulfilled in full measure. May it happen soon
in our days.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Va'Eschanan: From the

darkness of mourning to the light of morning
Summary
During the three weeks of mourning and the seven weeks of comfort, there are special Haftorahs
that relate to the themes of mourning and comfort. So what is the comfort? The fact that after
close to 2000 years in exile, we still mourn the destruction of the Temple shows that we still have
a close relationship with what we lost. Ever since the destruction of the Temples, the Jewish
people cannot regain their former glory. The suffering and affliction the Jewish people went
through during the Holocaust is the strongest that we have seen throughout the exile. The
description of the period before the Messianic era sounds very much like the time we are now
experiencing. We have the comfort of knowing that one day life will be totally beautiful. Rabbi
Akiva laughed when he saw a fox coming where the Holiest place of the Temple had stood.
3 weeks mourning, 7 weeks comfort
The last three weeks in the Jewish calendar were a period of mourning, culminating with Tisha
B'Av, the day when both the first and second Temple were destroyed. We are now entering the
seven weeks of comfort. On a regular Shabbos we read the Haftorah, a selection from the
writings of the Prophets that relates to the weekly Torah portion. However, during the three
weeks of mourning and the seven weeks of comfort, there are special Haftorahs that relate to the
themes of mourning and comfort, rather than the themes of the Torah portion.
No Temple, what comfort?
This Shabbos is named "Shabbos Nachamu", the Shabbos of comfort. One may ask, "What is
the comfort?" How has anything changed since the mourning of the three weeks and Tisha B'Av?
The Temple has not been rebuilt. Everything around the disengagement clearly shows that the
Jewish people are in exile. All over the world, people live in fear of acts of terrorism. We are
losing a lot of blood physically, and we are losing even more blood spiritually through missionary
activities and assimilation whose rates are at the highest levels ever. So what is the comfort?
The comfort in mourning
In a sense, the comfort is in the mourning itself. When, G'd forbid, a Jew loses a close relative, a
parent, sibling, or child, one observes a period of mourning starting with the Shiva. The mourning
is an expression of losing someone who is very dear. It gives an ability to express one's
innermost feelings. And following the passing of a dear relative, one observes Yahrzeit every
year on the anniversary of their death. This shows how the person, who passed away physically,
is still there in a spiritual sense. In this way, we maintain a special kind of spiritual relationship
with the deceased. This conduct is reserved only for close relatives. It would not be appropriate
to observe this kind of intimate mourning for distant relationships. The fact that after close to
2000 years in exile, we still mourn the destruction of the Temple having lost all the goodness that
comes with it shows that we still have a close relationship with what we lost. That is in itself a
comfort.
The glory of the Temple
Despite the pain of disengagement, we must appreciate the fact that Jews today can live in the
land of Israel. However, we must realize that with the destruction of the Temple and the exile, we
lost more than a piece of real estate. Both on a spiritual level and on a physical level, the
blessings of G'd were showered on the Holy Land at the time when the Temple stood in
Jerusalem. The glory of the first Temple was on a higher spiritual level than of the second one.
The second Temple did not regain the Divine presence, the holy ark with the Tablets, and the
heavenly fire on the alter. They had no prophets and were missing the spiritual part of the
breastplate that would make the breastplate illuminate answers for questions of national
importance. Ever since the destruction of the Temples, the Jewish people cannot regain the
former glory. We must wait until the third and final Temple is built.
The end of the exile
We are clearly living in the time at the end of the exile. Our sages compare the end of the exile to
the darkness before dawn. Like the darkness of the night is strongest just before dawn, and the
birth pangs of the expectant mother are the strongest just before birth, so too, explain our sages,
will the suffering of the Jewish people be the most severe in the final stage of our exile. This
period known as "Chevlei Mashiach", the so called "birth pangs of Mashiach", explains the Vilna
Gaon, will last for 70 years and culminate with the coming of Mashiach. No one can say for sure
when these 70 years started; however, no doubt, the suffering and affliction the Jewish people
went through during the Holocaust is the strongest that we have seen throughout the exile. This
is another reason for comfort. When we see the strongest darkness of night, we know that dawn
is about to come. The best time of all is on the horizon, waiting to fill our lives with the beautiful
light of the Messianic era.
The coming of Mashiach
The Talmud (Sotah 49b) provides a description of the period before the Messianic era that sound
very much like the time we are now experiencing. There will be a lot of "chutzpah". People will do
things in public without shame or fear of the consequences of their immorality. Prices will soar
although there will be plenty. Governments will be corrupt and there will be no one to give
reproof. Immorality will be rampant. The wisdom of the Torah sages will not be appreciated.
People who fear G'd will be despised. There will be a lack of truthfulness. The young will have no
respect for their elders. This is a very accurate description of our time. But as the darkness gets
stronger, one senses that the light of the Mashiach is imminent.
The comfort of knowing
Since the destruction of our Temple, the Jewish people have gone through many periods of
immense suffering and our spiritual level has deteriorated gradually until this day. However, the
fact that our sages of the Talmud, thousands of years ago, gave such an accurate description of
our times, gives us comfort and strength to endure the darkness before the dawn; our sages also
spoke about the beauty of the era after Mashiach arrives, as described by the great prophets.
This is an additional comfort knowing that one day life will be totally beautiful. Once the Temple is
rebuilt, we will enjoy the glory and closeness of G'd as never before.
Rabbi Akiva laughed
The Talmud (Makkos 24b) relates that Rabbi Akiva was walking together with his colleagues,
Rabbis Gamliel, Ben Azaria, and Yehoshua. On the way to Jerusalem, they came to Mt. Scopus.
On viewing the ruins of the Temple, they tore their garments, as mourners tear clothing at the
time of the Shiva. As they came closer to the Temple mount, they saw a fox coming where the
Holiest place of the Temple had stood. Rabbi Akiva's colleagues started to cry. But Rabbi Akiva
laughed. The other rabbis asked, "Why are you laughing?" He asked back, "why are you crying?"
They said to him, "this was the most holy place where only the High Priest could enter on Yom
Kippur; otherwise anyone else who entered would be eligible for capital punishment. Now foxes
run in and out from there. Should we not cry?" Said Rabbi Akiva, "for this very reason, I am
laughing." One prophet said, "because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field" (Micah 3:12).
Another prophet said, "there will come a time when old men and women, boys and girls, will once
again sit together in the streets of Jerusalem" (Zacharia 8:4-5). Said Rabbi Akiva, "since the
words of the one prophet warning of the destruction of the Temple has been fulfilled, the words of
the other prophet telling us of the rebuilding of the Temple for sure will also be fulfilled." To this
the rabbis exclaimed, "You have comforted us Akiva, you have comforted us."
The comfort of mourning
For three weeks we mourned the destruction of the Temple. Now for seven weeks we are
comforted by our mourning. We are comforted by the close relationship we have maintained for
thousands of years so that we yearn to rebuild the Temple. Knowing that the end of the exile is
imminent comforts us. We are comforted by the reasoning of Rabbi Akiva that the Temple will be
rebuilt. We are confident that just as all the prophecies of various punishments both in the Torah
and the Prophets, clearly have been fulfilled, so too will the day come when the words of the
prophets of the beauty and glory of Mashiach will be fulfilled in full measure. May it happen soon
in our days.

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46. EKEV
Torah Attitude: Parashas Eikev: Use our heads not

our heels
Summary
The use of the Hebrew word eikev indicates that the Jewish people will listen to Gds
commandments. The use of the word eikev is strange, as it appears to violate the principle of
free will. Rashi offers a homiletical interpretation that eikev refers to people who treat certain
mitzvoth lightly by stepping on them with the heel. There are two different types of
commandments by Gd, ordinances (mishpatim), which seem to make sense to us, and decrees
(chookim), which are beyond our understanding. It is much more difficult to refrain from trying to
second-guess Gd when observing the mishpatim. "Be as scrupulous about a minor mitzvah as a
major one, because you do not know the reward given (Perkei Avot 2:1). Gd designed the world
in such a way that every mitzvah is an integral part of life, which is necessary to sustain the
workings of the universe. The reward of long life for honouring our father and mother is the exact
same reward for sending a mother bird away. The mitzvoth were not given to benefit Gd but to
refine man. When we listen to and observe the wisdom of the Torah, we become partners in
Gds creation. We must be careful how we take each step. We must use our heads, not our
heels.
Because not if
In the first verse of this weeks Torah portion, it literally states, "this shall be the reward because
(eikev) you listen to the ordinances" (Devarim 7:12). It seems unusual to use the Hebrew word
eikev which indicates that it is certain that the Jewish people will listen to Gds commandments.
We find this expression when Gds blesses Isaac:Because Abraham obeyed my voice
(Bereishis 26:5). This was a certain fact at that point after Abraham had passed away. The Torah
usually provides that if the Jewish people listen to Gds commandments, then certain benefits
will result. For example, in the well known verses of the Shema, we are told of the wonderful
benefits which follow if you listen (Devarim 11:13). So why is the word eikev used in this Torah
portion in this unusual way?
Free will
The use of the word eikev in this Torah portion is further strange, as it appears to violate the
principle of free will by stating that it is certain that the Jewish people will listen to Gd. Although
Gd knows the future and He is beyond our understanding of time, the Torah is based on the
premise that we have free will. Only in very rare and exceptional circumstances is this principle
overridden. So why would Gd in this Torah portion appear to violate our free will?
Heel
The word eikev also means the heel of the foot. Since we walk from heel to toe, the word eikev
can be interpreted to mean that something is the next step in a logical sequence of events. The
simple interpretation of this verse is not because you listen but rather when you listen to the
ordinances, the next step will be a blessing from Gd. However, we may still ask why does the
Torah not use the usual expression of if you listen. Explains the Sifsei Chachamim, there is an
additional message here. Rashi offers a homoletical interpretation from the Midrash Tanchuma
that this verse refers to people who treat certain mitzvoth lightly by stepping on them with the
heel. Although Rashi normally prefers the straightforward interpretation, since the Torah uses the
word eikev, this indicates that the lesson of the homoletical interpretation takes preference.
Chookim
There are two different types of commandments by Gd, ordinances (mishpatim), which seem to
make sense to us, like prohibitions against stealing and killing, and decrees (chookim), which are
beyond our understanding, like the prohibition against mixing wool and linen, dietary restrictions,
and purification by the red heifer. At the end of last weeks Torah portion (VaEschanan), Gd
commands the Jewish people to observe both the ordinances and the decrees. However, in the
first verse of this weeks portion, the Torah only refers to the ordinances. Why?
Mishpatim
When a Jew observes the chookim, he does so without any attempt to second-guess Gd, or to
add his own personal perspective as part of the process. However, it is much more difficult to
refrain from doing so when observing the mishpatim. Since misphatim appear to be logical, it is
very easy for someone to add personal twists or justifications deciding when to apply the mitzvah
and when not. Someone may justify an inaccuracy in his dealings with a client claiming this is not
considered stealing. Another person feels that turning on electricity on Shabbat is not what the
Torah meant to prohibit.
Transgressions of the heel
The Psalmist cautions himself to do right and not to transgress the laws so that he has nothing to
fear on the Day of Judgment. He says, "Why should I have to fear in days of evil, when the
transgressions of my heel will surround me?" (Tehillim 49:6). The Talmud explains, "These are
the transgressions that a person steps upon with his heel. They surround him on the Day of
Judgment" (Avoda Zora 18a). We all have particular preferences which are important to us and
dislikes or neutral things which we tend to overlook as less significant. Everyone has a different
nature, which is as unique as our fingerprints. However, when it comes to observance of the
mitzvoth, the Mishnah warns us, "be as scrupulous about a minor mitzvah as a major one,
because you do not know the reward given (Perkei Avot 2:1).
Every mitzvah counts
G'd gave us 613 mitzvoth. Each and every one is important and they all complete each other to
bring the world and the individual to the desired purpose. What may seem to us as insignificant
may be of utmost importance and rewarded in a large measure. When an artist paints a picture,
a very minor brush stroke can change the whole effect. When a builder constructs a building, he
must be careful to complete each part with precision. Similarly, when a computer programmer
designs a program, if merely one digit in the code is misplaced, the whole program is rendered
useless. It is not up to us to pick and choose which mitzvah to observe. Every mitzvah counts.
Gd designed the world in such a way that every mitzvah is an integral part of life, which is
necessary to sustain the workings of the universe.
Honour your father and mother
The Torah tells us honour your father and mother so that your days will be lengthened and so
that it will be good for you (Devarim 5:16). Interestingly, the Torah offers the exact same reward
for sending a mother bird away: If a birds nest happens to be before you on the road, on any
tree or on the ground young birds or eggs and the mother is roosting on the young birds or
the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. You shall surely send away the mother
and take the young for yourself, so that it will be good for you and will prolong your days
(Devarim 22:6-7). The obligation to honour our father and mother is compared in the Talmud to
honouring Gd (Kidushin 30b). The mitzvah of sending away the mother bird is not even an
obligation but a rare opportunity. For some reason, known only to Gd, the rewards for each of
these two very different mitzvoth are exactly the same!
What difference does it make?
Sometime we may ask what difference does it make to G'd what we do and how we do it? And
we are right, it does not. It does not make any difference to Gd if we chase away the mother bird
or not (see Berachoth 33b). G'd did not give us the Torah to make a difference to Him. Rather, it
should make us different. Our Sages posed this question, "What difference does it make to G'd
whether we slaughter an animal from the throat or from the neck? (Midrash Rabba Bereisheit
44:1). They answered, "The mitzvoth were not given to benefit Gd but to refine man.
Step carefully
Gd is the painter, the builder and the programmer of all existence. When we listen to and
observe the wisdom of the Torah, we become partners in Gds creation. But we can also use our
free will to do more harm than good. If we try to second guess Gd by treating one mitzvah more
lightly than another, we can destroy the beautiful painting, building and program that Gd has
specially designed for our enjoyment. We must be careful how we take each step. We must use
our heads, not our heels, as we walk through this wonderful creation.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Eikev: Head over heels

Summary
The Hebrew word "eikev" indicates that the Jewish people will listen to G'd's commandments.
The use of the word "eikev" is strange, as it appears to violate the principle of free will. Rashi
offers a homiletical interpretation that "eikev" refers to people who treat certain mitzvoth lightly by
stepping on them with the heel. There are two different types of commandments by G'd,
ordinances (mishpatim), which seem to make sense to us, and decrees (chookim), which are
beyond our understanding. It is much more difficult to refrain from trying to second-guess G'd
when observing the mishpatim. "Be as scrupulous about a minor mitzvah as a major one,
because you do not know the reward given" (Pirkei Avos 2:1). G'd designed the world in such a
way that every mitzvah is an integral part of life, which is necessary to sustain the workings of
the universe. The reward of long life for honouring one's father and mother is the exact same
reward for sending a mother bird away. The mitzvoth were not given to benefit G'd but to refine
man. When we listen to and observe the wisdom of the Torah, we become partners in G'd's
creation. We must be careful how we take each step. We must use our heads, not our heels.
"Because" not "if"
In the first verse of this week's Torah portion, it says, "And it shall be because ("eikev") you will
listen to the ordinances and HASHEM your G'd will keep the covenant with you " (Devarim
7:12). The Sifsei Chachamim points out that it is unusual to use the Hebrew word "eikev" in this
connection as it indicates that it is certain that the Jewish people will listen to G'd's
commandments. We find the same expression when G'd's blesses Isaac in the merit of Abraham
and says: "Because Abraham obeyed my voice " (Bereishis 26:5). There, where Abraham
already had obeyed G'd's voice, it is fitting to use the expression of "because" ("eikev"). But why
does the Torah use this expression here? The Torah usually provides that if the Jewish people
listen to G'd's commandments, then certain benefits will result. For example, in the well known
verses of the Shema, we are told of the wonderful benefits which follow "if you listen" (Devarim
11:13).
Free will
The use of the word eikev in this connection is further strange, as it appears to violate the
principle of free will by indicating that it is certain that the Jewish people will listen to G'd.
Although G'd knows the future and He is beyond our understanding of time, the Torah is based
on the premise that we have free will. Only in very rare and exceptional circumstances is this
principle overridden. So why would G'd in this Torah portion appear to violate our free will?
Heel
In order to understand this we must look a little closer at the word eikev. This word also means
the heel of the foot. In English we find the expression "to follow at the heel of something" which
means something that is the consequence of that particular thing. Similarly, we may translate the
above verse in the following manner: "And it shall be the consequence of you listening to the
ordinances and HASHEM your G'd will keep the covenant with you ". However, we may still
ask why does the Torah not use the usual expression of "if you listen". Says the Sifsei
Chachamim, there is an additional message here. As Rashi quotes from the Midrash Tanchuma,
there is a homiletical interpretation explaining that this verse refers to people who treat certain
mitzvoth lightly by stepping on them with the heel. Although Rashi normally prefers the
straightforward interpretation, since the Torah uses the word "eikev", this indicates that the
lesson of the homiletical interpretation takes preference.
Chookim
There are two different types of commandments by G'd, ordinances (mishpatim), which seem to
make sense to us, like prohibitions against stealing and killing, and decrees (chookim), which are
beyond our understanding, like the prohibition against mixing wool and linen, dietary restrictions,
and purification by the red heifer. At the end of last week's Torah portion (Va'Eschanan), G'd
commands the Jewish people to observe both the ordinances and the decrees. However, in the
first verse of this week's portion, the Torah only refers to the ordinances. Why?
Mishpatim
When a Jew observes the decrees (chookim), he does so without any attempt to second-guess
G'd, or to add his own personal perspective as part of the process. However, it is much more
difficult to refrain from doing so when observing the ordinances (mishpatim). Since the
ordinances (mishpatim) appear to be logical, it is very easy for someone to add personal twists
or justifications deciding when to apply the mitzvah and when not. Someone may justify an
inaccuracy in his dealings with a client claiming this is not considered stealing. Another person
feels that turning on electricity on Shabbat is not what the Torah meant to prohibit.
Transgressions of the heel
The Psalmist cautions himself to do right and not to transgress the laws so that he has nothing to
fear on the Day of Judgment. He says, "Why do I fear the days of evil (when one will be judged
for one's evil doings) because the transgressions of my heel will surround me." (Tehillim 49:6).
The Talmud (Avodah Zorah 18a) explains, "These are the transgressions that a person steps
upon with his heel. They surround him on the Day of Judgment". We all have particular
preferences which are important to us and dislikes or neutral things which we tend to overlook as
less significant. Everyone has a different nature, which is as unique as our fingerprints. However,
when it comes to observance of the mitzvoth, the Mishnah warns us, "be as scrupulous about a
minor mitzvah as a major one, because you do not know the reward given" (Pirkei Avos 2:1).
Every mitzvah counts
G'd gave us 613 mitzvoth. Each and every one is important and they all complete each other to
bring the world and the individual to the desired purpose for which we are created. What may
seem to us as insignificant may be of utmost importance and rewarded in a large measure.
When an artist paints a picture, a very minor brush stroke can change the whole effect. When a
builder constructs a building, he must be careful to complete each part with precision. Similarly,
when a computer programmer designs a program, if merely one digit in the code is misplaced,
the whole program is rendered useless. It is not up to us to pick and choose which mitzvah to
observe. Every mitzvah counts. G'd designed the world in such a way that every mitzvah is an
integral part of life, which is necessary to sustain the workings of the universe.
Honour your father and mother
The Torah tells us "honour your father and mother so that your days will be lengthened and so
that it will be good for you" (Devarim 5:16). Interestingly, the Torah offers the exact same reward
for sending a mother bird away, as it says: "If a bird's nest happens to be before you on the road,
on any tree or on the ground - young birds or eggs - and the mother is roosting on the young
birds or the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. You shall surely send away the
mother and take the young for yourself, so that it will be good for you and will prolong your days"
(Devarim 22:6-7). The obligation to honour our father and mother is compared in the Talmud to
honouring G'd (Kedushin 30b). The mitzvah of sending away the mother bird is not even an
obligation but a rare opportunity. For some reason, known only to G'd, the rewards for each of
these two very different mitzvoth are exactly the same!
What difference does it make?
Sometime we may ask what difference does it make to G'd what we do and how we do it? And
we are right, it does not. It does not make any difference to G'd if we chase away the mother bird
or not (see Berachot 33b). G'd did not give us the Torah to make a difference to Him. Rather, it
should make us different. Our Sages posed this question, "What difference does it make to G'd
whether we slaughter an animal from the throat or from the neck?" (Midrash Rabba Beresheit
44:1). They answered, "The mitzvoth were not given to benefit G'd but to refine man."
Step carefully
G'd is the painter, the builder and the programmer of all existence. When we listen to and
observe the wisdom of the Torah, we become partners in G'd's creation. But we can use our free
will to do more harm than good. If we try to second guess G'd by treating one mitzvah more
lightly than another, we can destroy the beautiful painting, building and program that G'd has
specially designed for our enjoyment. We must be careful how we take each step. We must use
our heads, rather than our heels, as we walk through this wonderful creation.

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47. REEIH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Re'eh: Forks and thorns

Summary
Moses refers to the blessing and the curse. There is a parable of a sage sitting at a fork in the
road. This world is comparable to the corridor before the great banquet hall. Rabbi Luzatto
explains that there is no logic in assuming that this world with all its suffering is the purpose of
creation. There must be a higher purpose for our creation where the soul will find its real
enjoyment, where there will be no pain and no difficulties. Part of our difficulties is that we see
evildoers having a good time. Success is not necessarily a proof of being right. Once we know
the true situation of the two worlds, even our lives in this world will be enhanced and
pleasurable. King David encourages us to taste the sweetness of the ways of G'd. To choose the
life that the Torah teaches means giving ourselves the opportunity to experience the personal
fulfillment and enjoyment by observing the commandments.
Blessing and curse
This week's portion starts with Moses saying in the name of G'd, "See, I present in front of you
today a blessing and a curse. The blessing that you listen to the commandments of G'd and
the curse if you do not listen to the commandments of G'd " (De:11:26-28).
Fork in the road
The Midrash Tanchuma explains these verses with a parable: A respected sage sat at a fork in
the road. One path was full of thorns at the entrance, but later was a straight inhibited path. The
other path was smooth and straight in the beginning, but later was full of thorns. The sage was
warning travelers that although there were a lot of thorns, this was the path to take as after a little
while there would be a beautiful straight road awaiting them. The smart ones listened to the
sage. They endured a relative short path of difficulties, but they arrived in peace at their final
destination. The others who did not want to listen to the sage's advice eventually reached the
part of the path where they endured numerous difficulties. Concludes the Midrash, this is how
Moses explained to the Jewish nation and said to them: "There is a way of life and a way of
death, blessing and curse. Choose life that you and your descendants may live."
The corridor
The Mishna (Pirkei Avos 4:21) says that this world is comparable to the corridor before the great
banquet hall. One would be foolish to put all one's efforts into beautifying the corridor and neglect
the banquet hall. Our problem is that we only see the corridor in this world, and we have to trust
G'd and believe that the world to come is where the true enjoyment and pleasure of the
"banquet" are to be found.
No logic in suffering
Rabbi Moishe Chaim Luzatto (Path of the Just, Ch.1) explains that there is no logic in assuming
that this world with all its suffering is the purpose of creation. If we stop just for a moment to
observe the world around us we see a horrific picture. In the United States, the hurricane has
killed hundreds of people and has left thousands homeless. In Europe, floods and wildfires have
caused havoc in many areas. Add to this wars and famine in the third world with tens of
thousands being killed and dying from disease and malnutrition. Closer to home there are so
many suffering from sickness, poverty or other problems. Rabbi Luzatto analyses every
individual's life. It takes years until a child develops. As people get older, many suffer from pains,
aches, or take ill after struggling with a serious condition. Even during the prime of our lives, a
large part is consumed with problems and difficulties. Could it really be that G'd, who only wants
to bestow goodness on His creation, could have created us with such difficult lives? Besides that,
if we were created only for this world, why would we need a spiritual soul that is so exalted that it
finds no pleasure in material pursuits?
Soul's higher purpose
There must be a higher purpose for our creation where the soul will find its real enjoyment,
where there will be no pain and no difficulties. The eternal pleasures of the world to come are
beyond our understanding as long as we live in this material world However, we trust Moses'
message from G'd to choose eternal life by fulfilling the commandments. We all create our own
niche in the world to come by overcoming our tests and fulfilling the commandments while going
through the thorny path of this world.
Evildoers having fun
Part of our difficulties is that we see evildoers having a good time. We do not see any
consequence of their wrongdoings. King David addressed this issue (Psalms 37:1-4: and said:
"Don't compete with the evildoers and don't be jealous of those who do injustice. For like grass,
they will quickly be cut down and like greenery they will wither. Trust in G'd and do good and
you will have enjoyment with G'd and He will give you all what your heart desires". Even
evildoers have some good in them. G'd will reward them for their goodness in this world. As it
says (Devarim 7:10): "And He repays His enemies He does not delay for His enemy, in his
lifetime He repays him." But in the world to come they will be cut down and wither. On the other
hand, even the righteous have their shortcomings. As King Solomon says (Koheles 7:20): There
is no righteous person on earth that only does good and never sins." They will be punished for
their wrongdoings in this world, so that their share in the world to come will be even more
beautiful, and they will get what their hearts desire.
Success not always right
In other words, success is not necessarily a proof of being right. Later in this week's Torah
portion, we are told that if a prophet predicts that a sign or wonder will occur and it actually
happens, and this prophet says "Let us follow the idols", the Torah instructs us (De:13:4), "Don't
listen to the words of that prophet for G'd, your G'd, is testing you, to see whether you love
Hashem, your G'd, with all your heart and all your soul". We find people, both within the Jewish
nation and otherwise, who will propagate various ideals or ways and will try to prove their point
by showing their success and their seemingly pleasant lifestyles. The Torah warns us not to be
fooled by these false prophets. Their success in no way provides proof of their righteousness.
Some of these ideals and "saviors" are short-lived; others last for years and generations. The
longer they exist the more difficult is the test but this is part of the thorny path of this world, with
all its pitfalls. Only by being strong in our trust in the word of G'd will we succeed in reaching our
destination with all its blessings.
Fortunate and good
Once we know the true situation of the two worlds, even our lives in this world will be enhanced
and pleasurable. As it says (Pirkei Avos 6:4), "This is the way of the Torah. Eat bread with salt,
drink water in small measure, and sleep on the ground ... If you do so you will be fortunate in this
world and it will be good for you in the world to come." We understand well that this person will
have a good life in the world to come. But how can we understand that this person is considered
"fortunate" in this world? The answer can be found by analyzing the exact wording of the Mishna
which adds and says, "If you do so then you will be fortunate in this world." Only those who have
experienced the pleasure and enjoyment of studying Torah and fulfilling the commandments will
be able to understand how fortunate a person is by doing so. As King David says (Psalms
34:10), "Taste and you will see that G'd is good. Fortunate is the man that takes protection by
Him."
Taste G'd's ways
Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian explains that it is impossible to describe the taste of a good wine by using
chemical formulas. The only way to appreciate how the wine tastes is to experience it for
ourselves. In the same way, King David encourages us to taste the sweetness of the ways of
G'd. Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits, the former Chief Rabbi of England, once said that in general it
is only people who do not observe the Shabbos who speak about the difficulties and restrictions
of this observance. Once a person experiences the pleasantness of Shabbos and its spiritual
uplifting, nobody feels restricted or finds it difficult to observe.
Choose life
To choose the life that the Torah teaches means giving ourselves the opportunity to experience
the personal fulfillment and enjoyment by observing the commandments. Only then will we enjoy
and feel fortunate and good in this world and we can rest assured that it will be good for us in the
world to come as well.

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48. SHOFETIM
Torah Attitude: Parashas Shoftim: Here comes the

bribe
Summary
The Torah commands us to appoint judges who will judge righteously. The Talmud teaches that
bribes may take the form of words or any kind of benefit that a judge receives. Shmuel
disqualified himself from judging a mans case when he was given a hand crossing a bridge.
Ameimar did not want to judge after one of the litigants reached over and removed a feather
from his head. Rabbi Yishmael Bar Yossi decided he should not judge as he received his own
basket earlier than normal. Every time we choose between different actions or thoughts, we are
making judgments. Unconsciously, we are affected by the appearances of everything we see,
and these appearances cloud our judgment. The correct Torah behaviour is to see people, not
their garments. We must be very careful to look past the exterior, to search out and find the truth,
before we pass judgment.
Appoint judges
The Torah portion this week opens with the commandment to appoint judges who will judge
righteously. The Torah expressly provides that the judges shall not pervert judgment, they shall
not favour one litigant over another, and they shall not accept a bribe, for the bribe will blind the
eyes of the wise and make just words crooked (Devarim 16:18-20).
Any benefit is a bribe
Every society understands the need to prohibit judges from accepting bribes. Most societies do
not permit judges to accept monetary payment from litigants, as this is an obvious form of
bribery. However, the Torah standard of what constitutes a bribe goes beyond the understanding
of other societies. The Talmud teaches that bribes may take the form of words or any kind of
benefit that a judge receives and relates several instances where the rabbis of the Talmud
disqualified themselves due to minor factors or benefits they received from one of the litigants
(Ketuboth 105b).
The bridge
Shmuel was a great sage and judge. Once he was crossing a bridge when a man gave him a
hand to support him. Shmuel thanked the man and asked him where he was heading. When the
man told him that he was headed for the court of the Rabbis, Shmuel declared that since he had
received a benefit of assistance, he was disqualified from judging the mans case.
The feather
Ameimar was sitting in the court when a feather fell on his head. One of the litigants reached
over and removed the feather. Ameimar said that since he had benefited somewhat from one
party, he could not act as a judge in the dispute.
The sharecropper
Rabbi Yishmael Bar Yossi had an orchard. There was a sharecropper working for him and every
Friday the Rabbi received a basket of food from the sharecropper. One time the sharecropper
showed up on a Thursday. The Rabbi asked him why he came one day early. The sharecropper
said that since the rabbinical court was open on Thursday and he was headed for the court, he
thought he would bring the Rabbi his basket a day early. The Rabbi did not accept the basket,
told the sharecropper that he could not judge his case, and asked him to find another rabbi to act
as judge. While the sharecropper went looking for another judge, R. Yishmael thought to himself
of different ways that the case of the sharecropper could be presented to be most favourable to
the court. Suddenly, when he realized what he was doing, he expressed, A curse on the ones
who accept bribery. I didnt accept the bribe, and even if I had, it was product from my own
orchard. Nevertheless, I look at the case from the sharecroppers point of view. How much more
someone who accepts real bribery is affected!
We are judges
The Torah requires that a judge has to be very careful not to receive any benefit whatsoever
before rendering judgment. But this applies not only to judges in the courts. We are all judges.
Every time we use our minds to choose between different actions or thoughts, we are making
judgments. We all have to be extremely cautious not to allow bribes to effect our judgments.
Appearances cloud judgment
The Talmud gives us a further insight into how easily we can be bribed (Shavout 31). If two
people come to court with a dispute, one who is affluent and the other a pauper, and they are
dressed in garments exhibiting their economic status, the judge must tell them to dress the
same. Both must either dress like the affluent one, or both must dress like the pauper. Otherwise,
the judgment will be perverted. R. Eliyahu Lopian asks: What difference does it make; the judge
still knows who is who even if they change clothing? We learn from this that a person is
influenced more by what is seen than by what is known. Unconsciously, we are affected by the
appearances of everything we see, and these appearances cloud our judgment. Even the most
righteous judge is affected by what is seen.
Greet people not garments
Picture two complete strangers entering the room: one who is well dressed and the other who
appears shabby. Who will we normally be first to greet? We have to make a conscious effort not
to allow appearances to affect our judgment. The Torah commands us to distance ourselves from
falsehood. It is a falsehood to judge people by their garments. The correct Torah behaviour is to
greet and deal with people based on who they are rather than based on their garments.
Day of Judgment
The Torah commands us not to commit a perversion of justice in making measurements of
weight or volume (Lev. 19:35). The Talmud teaches us that anyone who measures anything is a
judge (Bava Batra 89). We must be straight and honest in our judgments. We must judge what is
right and what is wrong. We must not allow ourselves to be bribed by people around us or by our
own evil inclinations. It is all too easy to be bribed by the appearances of what we see. We must
be very careful to look past the exterior, to search out and find the truth, before we pass
judgment. The path of our good inclination may at first appear to be less exciting, but once we
look past the exterior difficulties, we will see that the truth takes us along a beautiful road paved
with many benefits both in this world and the world to come. The Day of Judgment is rapidly
approaching. May we make right judgments to merit a good judgment.

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Back to This Week's Parsha| Previous Issues
Torah Attitude: Parashas Shoftim: Here comes the

bribe
Summary
The Torah commands us to appoint judges who will judge righteously. The Talmud teaches that
bribes may take the form of words or any kind of benefit that a judge receives. Shmuel
disqualified himself from judging a man's case when he was given a hand crossing a bridge.
Ameimar did not want to judge after one of the litigants reached over and removed a feather
from his head. Rabbi Yishmael Bar Yossi decided he should not judge as he received his own
basket earlier than normal. Every time we choose between different actions or thoughts, we are
making judgments. Unconsciously, we are affected by the appearances of everything we see,
and these appearances cloud our judgment. The correct Torah behaviour is to see people, not
their garments. We must be very careful to look past the exterior, to search out and find the truth,
before we pass judgment.
Appoint judges
The Torah portion this week opens with the commandment to appoint judges who will judge
righteously. The Torah expressly provides that the judges shall not pervert judgment, they shall
not favour one litigant over another, and they shall not accept a bribe, "for the bribe will blind the
eyes of the wise and make just words crooked" (Devarim 16:18-20).
Any benefit is a bribe
Every society understands the need to prohibit judges from accepting bribes. Most societies do
not permit judges to accept monetary payment from litigants, as this is an obvious form of
bribery. However, the Torah standard of what constitutes a bribe goes beyond the understanding
of other societies. The Talmud teaches that bribes may take the form of words or any kind of
benefit that a judge receives and relates several instances where the rabbis of the Talmud
disqualified themselves due to minor factors or benefits they received from one of the litigants
(Ketuboth 105b).
The bridge
Shmuel was a great sage and judge. Once he was crossing a bridge when a man gave him a
hand to support him. Shmuel thanked the man and asked him where he was heading. When the
man told him that he was headed for the court of the Rabbis, Shmuel declared that since he had
received a benefit of assistance, he was disqualified from judging the man's case.
The feather
Ameimar was sitting in the court when a feather fell on his head. One of the litigants reached
over and removed the feather. Ameimar said that since he had benefited somewhat from one
party, he could not act as a judge in the dispute.
The sharecropper
Rabbi Yishmael Bar Yossi had an orchard. There was a sharecropper working for him and every
Friday the Rabbi received a basket of food from the sharecropper. One time the sharecropper
showed up on a Thursday. The Rabbi asked him why he came one day early. The sharecropper
said that since the rabbinical court was open on Thursday and he was headed for the court, he
thought he would bring the Rabbi his basket a day early. The Rabbi did not accept the basket,
told the sharecropper that he could not judge his case, and asked him to find another rabbi to act
as judge. While the sharecropper went looking for another judge, R. Yishmael thought to himself
of different ways that the case of the sharecropper could be presented to be most favourable to
the court. Suddenly, when he realized what he was doing, he expressed, "A curse on the ones
who accept bribery. I didn't accept the bribe, and even if I had, it was product from my own
orchard. Nevertheless, I look at the case from the sharecropper's point of view. How much more
would someone who accepts real bribery be affected!"
We are judges
The Torah requires that a judge has to be very careful not to receive any benefit whatsoever
before rendering judgment. But this applies not only to judges in the courts. We are all judges.
Every time we use our minds to choose between different actions or thoughts, we are making
judgments. We all have to be extremely cautious not to allow bribes to effect our judgments.
Appearances cloud judgment
The Talmud gives us a further insight into how easily we can be bribed (Shavuous 31). If two
people come to court with a dispute, one who is affluent and the other a pauper, and they are
dressed in garments exhibiting their economic status, the judge must tell them to dress the
same. Both must either dress like the affluent one, or both must dress like the pauper. Otherwise,
the judgment will be perverted. R. Eliyahu Lopian asks: "What difference does it make; the judge
still knows who is who even if they change clothing?" We learn from this, says Rabbi Lopian, that
a person is influenced more by what is seen than by what is known. Unconsciously, we are
affected by the appearances of everything we see, and these appearances cloud our judgment.
Even the most righteous judge is affected by what is seen.
Greet people not garments
Picture two complete strangers entering the room: one who is well dressed and the other who
appears shabby. Who will we normally be first to greet? We have to make a conscious effort not
to allow appearances to affect our judgment. The Torah commands us to distance ourselves from
falsehood. It is a falsehood to judge people by their garments. The correct Torah behaviour is to
greet and deal with people based on who they are rather than based on their garments.
Day of Judgment
The Torah commands us not to commit a perversion of justice when making measurements of
weight or volume (Lev. 19:35). The Talmud teaches us that anyone who measures anything is a
judge (Bava Batra 89). We are all judges and must be straight and honest in our judgments. We
must judge what is right and what is wrong, and not allow ourselves to be bribed by the
appearance of people around us or by our own evil inclinations. It is important to look past the
exterior, to search out and find the truth, before we pass judgment. The path of truth may at first
be a difficult one, but once we get past the initial difficulties, we will see that the truth takes us
along a beautiful road paved with many benefits both in this world and the world to come. The
Day of Judgment is rapidly approaching. May we make right judgments to merit a good
judgment.

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49. KI TEITZEI
Torah Attitude: Parashas Ki Seitzei: Kindness lives

forever
Summary
Ammonites and Moabites are restricted from marrying Jewish spouses. The Talmud teaches that
this only refers to the male members of these nations. The Torah recounts the horrible things the
Egyptians did to the Jewish people, yet they are permitted to intermarry. Rashi explains that the
difference is that the Egyptians afflicted the bodies of the Jewish people, but the Moabites and
Ammonites afflicted Jewish souls. The Egyptians calculated that most likely the family of Joseph
had some of his amazing talents, and Egypt would benefit greatly from having his family join their
economy. No matter how harshly we were treated by the Egyptians before the exodus, the Torah
expects the Jewish people to remember and show our gratitude for the initial benefits given to us
by the Egyptians.
Ammonites and Moabites restricted
This week's Torah portion states: "An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter the congregation of
G'd, even after ten generations, to eternity, because they did not greet you with bread and water
on the road when you were leaving Egypt and because they hired Bilaam to curse you" (Devarim
23:4-6).
Females not restricted
This prohibition does not mean that these two nations cannot convert to Judaism. It means that
they can never marry a Jewish spouse. The Talmud teaches that this only refers to the male
members of these two nations, not to the females, as they were not expected to come and greet
the travelers (Yevamot 73a). This is how Ruth, the ancestor of King David, who came from the
nation of Moab, was able to marry Boaz and set in motion the royal dynasty. Rashi quotes a
further reason the males of these two nations are not allowed to intermarry with us as they
instigated and caused the Jewish men to sin with immorality and idolatry. In Parashas Pinchas,
we learned how the Jewish males were tricked into entering the tents were they were seduced to
commit immoral acts.
Egyptians not restricted
The Torah goes on to state: "You shall not reject an Egyptian, for you were a sojourner in his
land. Children born to them in the third generation may enter the congregation of G'd" (Devarim
23:8-9). If we were asked who would be preferable to intermarry with the Jewish people after
conversion, the Moabites and the Ammonites may have been a more likely choice than the
Egyptians. After all, the Torah recounts and our sages elaborate on the horrible things the
Egyptians did to the Jewish people. They drowned the newborn Jewish males in the Nile. They
used Jewish children as bricks in their buildings. They inflicted us with hard labour and treated us
very cruelly. So why does the Torah permit the Egyptians to intermarry with us and not the male
Moabites and Ammonites? Is not the cruelty of the Egyptians much worse than the acts of these
two other nations?
Lose share in world to come
Rashi explains that the difference is that the Egyptians inflicted the bodies of the Jewish people,
but the Moabites and Ammonites afflicted Jewish souls. The Torah attitude in this regard may
somewhat surprise us. One who causes another to sin is worse than one who kills. Those who
are killed "only" lose their share of this world. But those who sin may lose their share both in this
world and the world to come.
Egyptians initially hospitable
Furthermore, the Torah expressly states that the Moabites and Ammonites are barred from
intermarrying because they did not greet the Jewish people with food and water. On the other
hand, when Jacob and his family first came to Egypt, they were given Goshen, the finest land in
the country, as a new homeland. Even though the Egyptians would later treat the Jewish people
with great cruelty, their initial treatment was one of kindness and hospitable conduct.
Selfish reasons
The fact that the Egyptians were not acting altruistically does not change this. As the Talmud
points out, (Berachot 63b), the Egyptians calculated that most likely the family of Joseph had
some of his amazing talents, and Egypt would benefit greatly from having his family join their
economy. The Torah records Pharaoh's excitement of having Joseph's family to watch over his
livestock for him (Beresheit 47:6). This was one of the many times in history when nations
opened their borders to the Jewish people in anticipation of the economic gains that were
expected to follow.
Expecting kindness
There is yet another question that needs clarification. The Moabites and Ammonites were not the
only nations to close their borders to the Jewish people, rather than to come out and greet them.
So why are only their males barred from intermarrying? The Ramban explains that these two
nations were descendants of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Lot was an orphan. His uncle,
Abraham, raised him as part of his family. He brought his nephew into his house; he taught him
how to earn a living. He showered him with great wealth and opportunity. He risked his own life to
rescue him from kidnappers. The nations of Moab and Ammon owed their existence to Abraham.
So when the Jewish people, emerged from the desert, it was expected that these two nations
would recall the benefits given to them by Abraham by providing food and water to his
descendants. In fact, the Moabites did sell them food and water, but sinned by hiring Bilaam to
curse the Jews.
The Torah attitude

The Torah here teaches to what extent one should remember a favour and express one's
gratitude. The Torah attitude goes far beyond normal expectations. Six generations had passed
since the time Abraham provided for Lot. Nevertheless, the Torah expects the descendants of Lot
to remember and show their gratitude hundreds of years later. Similarly, no matter how harshly
we were treated by the Egyptians before the exodus, the Jewish people are expected to
remember and show our gratitude for the initial benefits given to us when our forefathers settled
in Goshen.
Pleasant and peaceful lives
In our daily lives, we continually receive benefits from others. As our sages point out, even if
these people have personal, even selfish reasons for providing us with benefits, we are still
obligated to remember and appreciate every benefit we receive. Each time we return the Torah
scrolls to the ark, we say "the ways of the Torah are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are
peace" (Mishleh 3:17). If we would train ourselves to remember every kindness extended to us,
in accordance with the attitudes of the Torah, how pleasant and peaceful our lives would be!

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Ki Seitzei: Remember

Miriam and repent
Summary
Miriam's tzaraas is a reminder for us to be extremely careful not to gossip about others. The
primary cause for our current exile was baseless hatred which manifested itself through gossip
and evil talk. In the month of Elul we repent and prepare ourselves for the Day of Judgment. Any
calamity in a specific place is a punishment for that local population with a message for the rest
of the world in general, and the Jewish people in particular. Remembering what Gideon said to
the angel gives new meaning to the blessing of the new month when we pray for redemption.
Remember Miriam's tzaraas
In this week's Torah portion it says, (Devarim 24:8-9)"Beware of the affliction of tzaraas
Remember what HASHEM your G'd did to Miriam on the way when you left Egypt." Rashi
explains in the name of our sages that this verse refers to some critical remarks Miriam made to
her brother Aaron regarding Moses as mentioned previously in the Torah (Bamidbar 12:10). The
Ramban is of the opinion that this is one of the 248 positive commandments, to verbally
remember the great punishment that G'd did to this righteous prophetess, despite that she had
merely spoken about her brother whom she had lovingly taken care of. She did not even put
Moses to shame since she did not speak in front of him. She only spoke to their brother Aaron.
The Chofetz Chaim adds that in the merit of this great woman the entire Jewish nation was
provided with water in the wilderness since the exodus from Egypt. Nevertheless, all of Miriam's
merits and good intentions did not help her. The Ramban concludes that this comes to warn us to
be extremely careful not to gossip about others for if this great woman was not spared, it is
certain that others will not go without punishment. In fact, this reminder to guard our speech is
one of the remembrances many people recite daily as printed in many prayer books (see
Artscroll p.177).
Primary cause for exile

Not so long ago we observed Tisha B'Av commemorating the destruction of the Temples and the
exile of the Jews that we continue to suffer from until today. The Chofetz Chaim explains that
when the Talmud teaches (Yuma 9b) that the primary cause for our current exile was baseless
hatred, it manifested itself through gossip and evil talk. It did not only cause the destruction and
the exile at the time, but prolongs the exile and prevents the final redemption. He further
elaborates that the seriousness of this transgression is due to the fact that besides causing rift
and quarrels among individuals and whole communities, the Zohar explains (Shemos 264b) that
gossiping down here on earth enables the prosecutor in the heavenly court to accuse individuals
and whole communities regarding their evils and wrongdoings. This in turns brings G'd's wrath
and can cause untold punishment upon all humanity.
Elul repent and prepare
We have entered the month of Elul, the month when we try to repent and prepare ourselves for
the Day of Judgment. This year we do not need much imagination what Divine judgment is all
about. The world has experienced an unusual number of natural catastrophes. A number of
months ago the tidal waves of the Tsunami killed hundreds of thousands of people in the Far
East. Whole communities were washed away and disappeared. In recent weeks, both Europe
and North America have experienced unusual floodings. In New Orleans, the number of victims
may exceed ten thousand.
Calamitous message
A number of suggestions have been made why G'd brought about such a disaster to New
Orleans that has affected not only the local population but all of North America in many ways.
Some point to the rampant immorality and corruption that flourishes there with a celebration of
what G'd clearly defines as abominable, planned for the time the flooding took place. G'd expects
us to learn from the past (see Rashi Devarim 19:17). The Torah clearly explains the corrupted
lifestyle of the people as being one of the reasons for the flood in the time of Noah (see Bereishis
6:1-13). Others point to the fact that this destruction of a total city in the United States and the
forced evacuation of its inhabitants come shortly after the United States lead the nations of the
world forcing Israel to destroy Gush Katif and evacuate the settlers.
The truth is that it is beyond our ability to interpret the reason for these calamities but the general
message is very clear. As our Patriarch Abraham said, there must be a Master who is in charge.
There is, however, a problem when we suggest why G'd did this and point fingers in various
directions. The story is told of a certain gentleman who went up to his rabbi after a sermon where
the rabbi chastised his congregation: "You really gave it to them good and proper today" said the
gentleman, totally ignoring that he himself was a member of the congregation and that the rabbi's
words were as much directed to him as to everybody else.
Our sages have told us that although no doubt any calamity in a specific place is a punishment
for that local population, there is always a message for the rest of the world in general and the
Jewish people in particular. Rabbeinu Nisim Gerundi in Drashos Haran writes: "Sometimes
things will happen in far away countries and in distant islands to awake the Jewish people to
repent that they should fear and tremble that the punishment should not reach them. As the
prophet Zephaniah says: (Zephaniah 3:6-7): "I cut down the nations, make desolate their towers,
destroy their marketplaces I said so that you should fear Me and you should learn a lesson so
that your place should not need to be cut down.' If the Jews do not get the message of the evils
that happened already it will come closer to them. Whoever sees these happenings, that are real
warnings from G'd, and nevertheless continues in his own ways is comparable to someone who
was sinning and received a personal warning with all its dire consequences." These words,
written hundreds of years ago, ring true today more than ever and are a clear wakeup call for
everyone.
Beg for redemption

Every month the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh we bless the new month and say, "He who
performed miracles for our forefathers and redeemed them from slavery to freedom, may He
redeem us soon and gather our dispersed from the four corners of the world. All Jews are friends
and let us say Amen." This brings to mind what Gideon's said to the angel concerning the
suffering of the Jews. He said (see Rashi on Judges 6:13): "If our ancestors were righteous, then
G'd should help us in their merit. If our ancestors were evildoers, then G'd should help us just as
He helped them, even without merits." In the same way we express "G'd you performed miracles
for our forefathers and redeemed them from slavery. We beg You to redeem us, either in their
merit or redeem us as you redeemed them even without merit." We further add, "We do not want
to be split up in fractions. We do not want to gossip and speak evil about each other. We all want
to be friends, united in one common goal, to serve You in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem.
Amen." Let us unite not just in this beautiful prayer expressed before every new month but to live
up to the ideal of the prayer throughout the month. Especially in this month of Elul this will be a
worthy preparation for the Days of Judgment. In this merit may we, together with all Jews worldwide, be inscribed to a year of redemption and salvation with the coming of Moshiach. Amen!

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50. KI TABO
Torah Attitude: Parashas Ki Savo: Its not so hard to

be a Jew
Summary
The Ramban points out that the two Torah portions of warning correspond to the two
destructions of the Temple and all of the tragedies that the Jewish people have endured during
the exiles. The Torah says that the Jewish people suffer so many tragedies because we do not
serve G'd with gladness and goodness of heart. Rabbenu Bechayey explains that all these
tragedies result from our failure to serve Gd with joy. The Rambam says this verse in the Torah
refers to serving Gd altogether. Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon explains that both interpretations
compliment each other. Rather than try to force our feelings, the Torah tries to help us develop
our feelings. Children who appreciate how much their parents do for them naturally love their
parents very much and will do everything they can to make their parents happy. The stronger we
feel Gds love and care for us, the greater is our joy in serving Him. Parents who do not serve
Gd with joy cannot expect their children to serve Gd at all.
Warning
This weeks Torah portion contains one of two portions known as tochachah, warning the
Jewish people that if we do not adhere to the commandments, disastrous consequences may
follow. The other warning is contained in Parshas Bechukosai (Vayikra 26:14-43). In this portion,
Moses warns that if we do not hearken to the voice of Gd to observe and perform His
commandments and decrees, many curses will come upon us and overtake us (Devarim 28:15)
as listed with much detail (Devarim 28:15-68). The Ramban points out that the two Torah
portions of warning correspond to the two destructions of the Temple and all of the tragedies that
the Jewish people have endured during the exiles (Vayikra 26:16).
Serving amid gladness
Near the end of the warning in this weeks Torah portion, Moses says that the Jewish people will
suffer so many tragedies "because you did not serve G'd amid gladness and goodness of heart,
when everything was abundant" (Devarim 28:47).
Two interpretations
There are two different interpretations. Rabbenu Bechayey explains that all these tragedies result
from our failure to serve Gd with joy. (Ibid) In the Mishnah Torah, the Rambam (Laws of
Teshuva) gives us to understand that these tragedies result from our failure to serve Gd
altogether (a service which is performed with joy and gladness). The Rambam confirms that this
Torah verse refers to the joy we should feel when we fulfill a mitzvah (Law of Lulav 8:15).
However, in the laws of Torah learning, the Rambam again states that this verse in the Torah
refers to the actual service of Gd (3:13).
Forced feelings
According to Rabbenu Bechayeys interpretation, we may question why the Torah commands us
to serve Gd with joy. Is it not sufficient to fulfill all of the Torah obligations? Someone who is
scrupulous to fulfill all of the Torah obligations but does it without any joy, could it be that they
deserve the tragedies mentioned in the warnings just because they were not joyful? In general,
how can there be a commandment telling us how to feel emotionally when we fulfill our
obligations? Is the Torah trying to force our feelings?
Both correct
These two interpretations at first appear to contradict one another. Are the punishments for not
serving Gd at all or just for the lack of joy in serving Him? Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, of the
Lakewood Yeshiva, explains that both interpretations are correct and compliment each other. The
punishments and curses only come if the Jewish people do not observe the commandments
altogether. However, what is the cause that some Jews stop doing mitzvot? The answer is the
other interpretation of a lack of feeling joy in the observance of the mitzvot. Sometimes it may
take a generation or two before the lack of enjoyment in fulfilling mitzvot leads to not observing
the mitzvot at all, and sometimes it can happen by the very same person.
How do we develop joy in performing the mitzvot? Only through appreciation and gratefulness for
Gds love and care for us will we enjoy fulfilling his will.
Free will
The Torah is not trying to force our feelings. That would have no purpose. Human beings have
free will. That means that everyones feelings are their own. Gd designed life so that free will
allows all of us to control our own feelings. Rather than try to force our feelings, the Torah tries to
help us develop our feelings.
Grateful children
When a person knows that there is someone who loves, cares and provides for that person in
every situation; this will bring the person to feel good, happy and full of joy. Further, this person
will be more than happy to show appreciation and reciprocate to the benefactor. It will be a
pleasure and joy for this person to do as much as possible to make the benefactor happy.
Children who appreciate how much their parents do for them naturally love their parents very
much and will do everything they can to make their parents happy. Even in difficult times, the
children will not forget to be grateful to their parents. How much more so is this true in times of
goodness and joy. Ungrateful children, on the other hand, are miserable and show disrespect to
their parents in good times as in bad and have no interest in doing anything for them.
Our relationship with Gd

In the Shemona Esrei, we acknowledge three times a day that Gd is our Helper, Saviour, and
Protector. Gd continually showers us with His love. He cares and provides for us in every
situation. Realizing this will help us to serve Gd with joy, if only to acknowledge the love that we
feel for Him, knowing that this gives Gd pleasure. The stronger we feel Gds love and care for
us, the greater is our joy in serving Him. Failing to serve Gd with joy shows a lack of
appreciation of His lovingkindness to us.
Its hard to be a Jew
The great sage, Rav Moishe Feinstein, once commented on why the children of so many pious
Jews who came to North America from Europe fell away from Torah observance. He blamed the
well known expression commonly used "es is schwer zu sein a yid", it is hard to be a Jew.
Parents who do not serve Gd with joy cannot expect their children to serve Gd at all. The
children of parents who observe all of the Torah commandments will have no desire to follow in
their parents footsteps if the parents do not convey any joy in their observance. We cannot judge
these pious Jews. Many of them had very difficult times trying to put bread on the table. But the
truth is that it is possible to be joyous even in difficult times.
The Joy of Shabbos
There is another well known saying that more than the Jews have kept Shabbos, Shabbos has
kept the Jews". But this is only true when Shabbos is kept with joy. Jews who were oppressed
throughout the week and intimidated by their neighbours and co-workers, when they entered
their homes on Friday nights, sang the traditional songs with their families, and sat at beautiful
tables, they elevated themselves above the tragedies in the physical world around them. To this
very day, Jews all over the world sit around their Shabbos tables and enjoy the atmosphere of
royalty they have created. They enter into a different dimension that gives them strength to
endure all the hardships of the coming week in the physical world.
The New Year
The Talmud says that we read this portion of warning every year before Rosh Hashanah
(Megillah 31b). It is an expression of our hope and prayer that as the year is coming to an end,
so too may it be that all the tragedies shall come to an end. We have again been through a very
difficult year for the Jewish people. The troubles that continued in Israel since last Rosh
Hashanah have been on all of our minds for the whole year. As we read this portion at this time
of year, we all join with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land and pray that no more blood will
be spilt and that the coming year shall bring complete peace and the end of this long and bitter
exile with the coming of Moshiach.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Ki Savo: From first fruits to

daily prayers
Summary
When Moses saw that the first fruit offering would be lost he instituted that the Jewish people
should pray three times daily. The Talmud teaches that our three daily prayers were instituted by
our Patriarchs. A person should always first express praise to G'd and then say his prayer. One
should express thanks and appreciation at the end of one's prayer. Prostration is the highest
form of expressing gratitude to G'd. When a person prays and asks for his personal needs he
expresses how he is dependent on G'd and His blessings. Our Patriarchs instituted the daily
prayers teaching us that whatever we lack we have one source where to request and ask for our
daily needs, whether personal or communal. "Who is rich? The one who is satisfied with his lot."
We should always remember, appreciate and be thankful for all the good that G'd does for us.
First fruit offering lost

At the beginning of this week's Torah portion, we are commanded to bring of the first fruit up to
the Temple as an offering. The Midrash Tanchuma (ibid) says that Moses had a prophetic vision
and saw that the Temple was eventually going to be destroyed and the opportunity to bring the
first fruit as an offering would be lost. He therefore instituted that in place of the offering the
Jewish people should pray three times daily. Concludes the Midrash, "Because prayer is more
dear to G'd than any good deed or offering." Despite all his good deeds, when it was decreed
that Moses could not enter the land of Israel, the only thing he felt he could do to change the
decree was to pray to G'd.
Patriarchs' prayers
It seems strange that the Midrash tells us that Moses was the one who instituted the daily three
prayers. The Talmud (Berachot 26b) teaches that our three daily prayers were instituted by our
Patriarchs. Abraham was the first to pray the Morning Prayer; Isaac was the first to pray the
afternoon prayer; and Jacob was the first to pray the evening prayer. It further needs clarification
what is the connection between the offering of the first fruit and the three daily prayers.
First express praise
The Talmud (ibid 32a) says: "A person should always first express praise to G'd and then say his
prayer." The Talmud continues to explain that we learn this from Moses. Before he prayed for the
revocation of the decree prohibiting him from going into the land of Israel, he praised G'd and
said: (Devarim 3:24) "For what power is there in the Heaven and on Earth that can do like Your
deeds and mightiness?"
Express thanks at end
Based on this the Rambam (Laws of Prayer 1:2), rules that a person should first praise G'd and
only then ask for his needs in requests and supplications, and finally he should thank G'd for the
goodness that He has bestowed upon him. We may ask, the Talmud only mentioned two parts to
prayer, praise and requests for personal needs; where is the source of the Rambam's ruling that
one should also express thanks and appreciation at the end of one's prayer?
Prostration
Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz, the late Rosh Hayeshiva of the famous Mir Yeshiva, notes that the only
commandment where we find that the Torah obligates a person to prostrate himself is by the
bringing of the first fruit. As it says, (Devarim 26:2-10): "And you shall take of the first fruit of the
earth that you shall bring from your land and you shall place it in a basket and you shall go to
the place that HASHEM your G'd will choose and you shall place it in front of HASHEM your
G'd and you shall prostrate yourself before HASHEM your G'd." Rabbi Shmulevitz explains that
prostrating oneself expresses the ultimate acknowledgment that the person, who has diligently
worked his fields from planting the first seeds through harvesting, realizes that he himself has no
ability to do anything and that everything is G'd-given. However hard a person works in his field,
nothing would grow without the rain falling, the sun shining, and the earth providing all the
necessary nutrients to allow the produce to grow and develop. Therefore, prostrating oneself at
the time when one brings the first fruit of one's labour is the highest form of expressing gratitude
to G'd. It shows that whatever a person has, and however much effort a person has exerted,
nothing would have been produced if not for G'd's blessings.
Dependent on G'd
Moses saw that there would be a day when the Jews would not be able to express their gratitude
by bringing the first fruit of their labour, acknowledging that everything comes from G'd. He
understood that this powerful message would need to be replaced some way. He decided the
appropriate time would be when a person prays and asks for his personal needs. At the time
when one expresses how dependent one is on G'd and His blessings and nothing can be
achieved without that, at that same time one must show one's gratitude for all G'd's blessings.
Mercy for our daily needs
Our Patriarchs instituted the daily prayers teaching us that whatever we need we have one
source where to request and to ask for it, whether personal or communal. Abraham was praying
for the inhabitants of Sodom that they should be saved. In his great compassion for any human
being, he extended himself for these wicked people (see Sforno Bereishis 19:27). Isaac prayed
as Rebecca was being brought to him by his father's servant. As a bachelor at that time, having
lost his mother, it is not difficult to imagine what type of prayer was on Isaac's lips (see Rashi and
Sforno ibid 24:62-63). Similarly, Jacob prayed as he was fleeing his brother Eisav on route to his
uncle Laban, with danger lurking on all sides (see Rashi ibid 28:11). From our Patriarchs we
learn that for any need we have we pray to G'd. Moses, on the other hand, instituted a different
aspect of prayer. With every prayer, when we ask for our needs, we must remember to express
gratitude for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon us.
Appreciate what we have
My late father used to tell us that we always have more to thank for than what we are lacking. If
we could get accustomed to count our blessings and appreciate what we have, how much more
happy and satisfying would our lives be. As the Mishnah says (Pirkei Avos 4:1), "Who is rich?
The one who is satisfied with his lot." In general, we take our blessings for granted and expect
things to go well. When we wake up in the morning and are able to open our eyes, put our feet
on the ground, and attend to our personal routines, we do not give it too much thought. We go to
our job and business and we are able to look after and sustain our family and we feel that this is
natural. The moment something does not function as expected, we have questions: Why did this
happen and why to me?
Nothing too big or small
When we open our Siddur and take a closer look at the daily prayers, we find that we actually
start off the day praising G'd and thanking Him that we are able to open our eyes, take our steps
and do all our daily chores. The structure of the main prayer, the Shemona Esrei said three times
a day, is exactly as described by the Rambam. In the first three blessings we praise G'd. This is
followed by thirteen blessings of personal and communal requests. These thirteen blessings are
the kind of prayers taught to us by our Patriarchs. Nothing is too big or too small for us to turn to
our Father in Heaven to beg of Him to provide us with our needs. Finally, after we have
presented our requests, we express our gratitude and thank G'd for all that He does for us, the
daily wonders and blessings, and all the good He bestows upon us constantly. This is what
Moses taught us should be part of our daily routine during our exile as we have no Temple where
to remember, appreciate and be thankful for the all the good that G'd does for us. This blessing
of gratitude is enveloped between two final requests, one for the restoration of the service in the
Temple and one for peace for the Jewish nation. This symbolizes our longing to again express
our gratitude by bringing the first fruit up to the Temple in Jerusalem in peace.

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51. NITSAVIM
Torah Attitude: Parashas Nitzavim- Vayeilech: All

for one
Summary
Everyone is standing in judgment before the Heavenly Court on Rosh Hashanah. The strength of
the Jewish people lies in our being united like a bundle of branches. This weeks Torah portion
identifies exactly what unites the Jewish people. Even with the different character traits of 12
tribes, the Jewish people received the Torah as one people. We entered the land of Israel as one
people. We built the Temple as one people. The Jewish people have always transformed the
many traits and qualities from many different countries into the service of Gd. Even character
traits that at first appear to conflict with one another can be used in the service of Gd. One of the
purposes for our exile, wandering from country to country, is to pick up the Holy Sparks. Just
like an army requires different units, so too the Jewish people are better suited with our different
customs. The common goal of the Jewish people is to serve Gd and fulfil His commandments.
Everyone in the world is unique. Every Jew is unique. The Torah cautions us to maintain the
common goal. As long as the common goal is in place, the Torah attitude is one of tolerance and
acceptance. All Jews have a common goal and a common responsibility to fulfil this goal.
Everyone judged
Every year during the week before Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, we read the Torah
portion of Nitzavim, which says: "You are standing today, all of you, before G'd, the heads of your
tribes, your elders, and your officers, your small children, your women and your converts
(Devarim 29:9-10). This seems to be the message we need to receive before the Day of
Judgment that each and every one of us is standing in judgment before the Heavenly Court. No
one is too big and no one is too small. No one is too important and no one is too insignificant.
Everyone will be judged and our future will be decided based on where we are holding on this
Holy Day.
Bundle is stronger
The Midrash Tanchuma (Nitzavim 1) teaches us that it is common knowledge that a bundle of
branches is very difficult to break. But even a child can break a single branch by itself. Similarly,
the strength of the Jewish people lies in our being united like a bundle. The Midrash concludes
that we will not merit redemption until we are united.
Meaning of Jewish unity
What does unity mean? For different people and different groups unity may mean different
things, such as having things in common whether it is a purpose, a goal, a land or an interest. All
these things can unite a people. But this weeks Torah portion identifies exactly what unites the
Jewish people: "To pass into the Covenant of G'd ... to establish you today as a nation to Him
and that He be a G'd to you" (Devarim 29:12).
12 Tribes, one people
The Jewish people from its inception consisted of 12 tribes, each with its own special purpose,
and with a character and a nature suited to that purpose. The Ramban, when discussing the way
the Jewish camp was set up, describes the unique character trait of each tribe: for Judah it was
leadership, for Issachar it was the ability to learn Torah, for Zebulun it was the ability to do well in
commerce, for Reuben it was the ability to repent, for Gad it was their strength, and so on
(Bamidbar 2:2). Yet, even with all these different character traits, the Jewish people received the
Torah at Mount Sinai as one people. We travelled for forty years in the desert as one people. We
entered the land of Israel as one people. We built the Temple as one people.
The exile
In our exile, the Jewish people were disbursed in many different countries throughout the four
corners of the world. We have acquired different character traits and different qualities, some of
which we have picked up from the different lands of our exile. But we have always utilized and
transformed these traits and qualities into the service of G'd.
Different traits and qualities
Sometimes the Jewish people have adopted conflicting character traits. For example, both the
conservatism of the English and the revolutionary attitude of the French have made their way
into the Jewish people. But even character traits that at first appear to conflict with one another
can be used in the service of G'd. The English conservatism can be used to preserve the old
traditions and to protect the word of G'd. On the other hand, the French revolutionary attitude can
help us to repent and return if we fall and make improper choices. Even the music of the various
countries that we have lived in the exile has been utilized in our liturgy, whether it is the Sefardi
tunes influenced by the Oriental countries or the Eastern European melodies.
Holy Sparks
The Kabbalists refer to these various traits and qualities that we have picked up in the exile as
the Holy Sparks. As the Jewish people have wandered from one country to the next, we have
gathered many different traits and qualities that we would not otherwise be exposed to if we
remained in the Holy Land. This is one of the purposes and reasons for our exile, wandering from
country to country.
Different customs
Jews in different countries have different customs in their prayer and in certain halachic aspects
of their daily observance. The Chofetz Chaim was once asked whether it would not be better if all
Jews prayed in the same way and conducted themselves in the same fashion, in order to
reinforce the unity of the Jewish people. He answered that just like an army requires different
units, so too the Jewish people are better suited with our different customs. If every soldier in an
army were trained to do the same thing, the army could not function properly, if at all. The
powerful army has many different units, each bringing its own uniqueness to strengthen the
whole. Each part of the army is trained with unique abilities to perform either in the air, at sea or
on the ground. The armys power is because of these differences, not in spite of them.
Common goal
It is the common goal of the soldiers of the different units to serve their country that unites them.
Similarly, said the Chofetz Chaim, it is the common goal of the Jewish people that unites us. Our
common goal is to serve G'd and to fulfil His commandments. Some commandments can only be
fulfilled by the Kohanim or Leviim. Some can only be fulfilled by Jews living in Israel. Each group
has their own special purpose. But we are all a part of the total Jewish nation and together as
one we are able to fulfil all of the commandments.
Everyone unique
Everyone in the world is unique. We all have our own set of fingerprints that is different than
everyone else. Our Sages say that just as the facial features of every individual are different than
all others, so too are the character traits unique (Midrash Tanchuma Pinchas 10). In every
society there are a host of different jobs that are required to be done, and we cannot all do the
same job. As a matter of fact, the Duties of the Heart says that one of the special wonders of
the world is that different people have different interests and want to do different things, because
only in that way can society function and develop.
Maintain the common goal
Every Jew is unique. We are unique as individuals. We are unique as members of the tribes
of Levy and Judah. We are unique as members of groups with different customs we have
acquired from our various host countries in the exile. However, as long as we do not lose
sight of our common goal, as long as we maintain the common vision, there is no lack in
the unity of the Jewish people, even if we all do things in different ways. This weeks
Torah portion cautions us to maintain the common goal: Perhaps there is among you a
man or woman, or a family or tribe, whose heart turns away from being with Gd to go and
serve the gods of other nations. And it will be when they hear the words of imprecation,
they will bless themselves in their hearts, saying, Peace will be with me, though I walk as
my heart sees fit (Devarim 29:17-18).
Tolerance and acceptance
As long as the common goal is in place, the Torah attitude is one of tolerance and acceptance.
The Torah recognizes that every individual has the right to be diverse in fulfilling Gds
commandments in order to pursue the common goal. However, there is no tolerance for the
person who says, I will walk as my heart sees fit. The Torah expressly states, strongly and
unequivocally, that G'd will not be willing to forgive this person, among the other calamities listed
(see Devarim 29:19-28).
All for one
Our sages teach us that all Jews are responsible for each other. We have a common goal and a
common responsibility to fulfil this goal. On the High Holidays, we gather world wide to serve G'd
in prayer and repentance. May this expression of unity flow over into the rest of the year. May we
unite in the observance of our common goal. And in this merit, may we see the final redemption
with peace and prosperity for all forever.

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Torah Attitude: Parashas Nitzavim/ Rosh Hashana:

No one is too bad, and no one is too good
Summary
You will take it to heart among all the nations where Gd has dispersed you, and you will return to
HASHEM your Gd. The main focus of our prayers on the Day of Judgment is our request for Gd
to restore His kingdom on earth. It would be petty to make personal requests on Rosh Hashana.
The Shunammite woman said to Elisha that he should pray not just for her but for the whole
nation. If a person repents then Gd is prepared to forgive the sinner. There are four main
components to the process of repentance. No one is too far away or has sinned too much that
the Gates of Repentance are closed. No one is too bad, and no one is too good, to have the
ability and need to repent.
Teshuva
This weeks Torah portion is read every year before Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgment. It is
very appropriate that this portion deals with the mitzvah of doing teshuva (to repent). As it says:
(Devarim 30:1-2) And it will be when all these come upon you, the blessing and the curse
and you will take it to heart among all the nations where Gd has dispersed you, and you will
return to HASHEM your Gd, and you will listen to His voice
Restore Gds kingdom
If we analyze the prayers of Rosh Hashana we may be surprised that on this Day of Judgment
the focus of our prayers does not deal with repenting for our mistakes and asking for forgiveness.
Neither do our prayers deal with personal requests. The few requests that we do make, we ask
on behalf of the community rather than for the individual. The main focus of our prayers on this
special day is our request for Gd to restore His kingdom on earth that will only take place with
the coming of Mashiach. At that time the honour of the Jewish people will be restored, the
righteous will rejoice, and the universal kingship of Gd will be accepted by all nations.
Petty requests
The essence of the judgment on Rosh Hashana is Gds decision how to deal with every
individual and every community worldwide for the coming year. The exaltedness of this
opportunity is so great that it would be petty to make personal requests. It is to be compared to if
someone has a private audience with the President of the United States and instead of using the
opportunity to present a request on behalf of the whole population, just presents his own
personal issue. In addition, Gds judgment is influenced by the requests we make to Him. As we
say daily, with the words of King David: (Psalms 145:16) You open Your hand and satisfy the
wish of every living thing. The Midrash Rabba (Shemos 25:3) comments that this verse does not
say that Gd satisfies everyone with food; rather, it says that everyone will be satisfied with
whatever they wish. Gds blessings depend on our perceptions and priorities. On this day, we
have an opportunity to request that the whole world will reach its purpose, with all of humanity
living in peaceful co-existence, and accepting Gds supreme sovereignty. That will automatically
take care of any need of every individual. This is why it would be inappropriate to make personal
requests on this special day.
Elisha and the Shunammite woman
This insight helps us further to understand a famous story from Tanach with an amazing
explanation from the Zohar. In the Book of Kings II (4:8-14) it is related that the Prophet Elisha
used to come to the Town of Shunem where he was hosted by a certain couple. At some point
the hostess (known only as the Shunammite woman) suggested to her husband that they should
make a special room and furnish it for this saintly guest who was visiting them on a regular basis.
On one of his visits, the Prophet told his assistant, Geichasi, to call the lady of the house. Elisha
told Geichasi to tell her that in appreciation for all their effort to make him feel welcome in their
house, he wished to reciprocate in some way. He suggested that maybe he could do a favour for
her by speaking to the king on her behalf. The hostess declined saying, I sit in the midst of my
people. The Prophet continued to inquire through his assistant as to what he could do for her. To
this Geichasi advised that the couple had no children and the husband was getting old. The
Zohar explains that this took place on Rosh Hashanah and what Elisha was offering was to
intervene on her behalf before Gd, the King of kings. It seems unbelievable that a childless
woman would decline such a generous offer from the greatest prophet at the time, the spiritual
leader of that generation. We would expect people to line up for such a great opportunity and
here she declined. Maybe the answer is that on this Day of Judgment this pious woman felt that
it was inappropriate for her to make any personal request. When she said to the Prophet that I
am in the midst of my people she meant that he should pray not just for her but for the whole
nation. In the end the Prophet blessed her and promised her that she would have a son, and the
prophecy was fulfilled the following year.
Ten Days of Repentance
From Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur we have the Ten Days of Repentance, a unique opportunity
that Gd in His great mercy has provided us. We can gain a better understanding of the
uniqueness of repentance from a homiletical exchange in the Jerusalem Talmud (Makkos 2:6). It
says: Wisdom was asked, what should be the punishment of the sinner? Wisdom answered:
Let evil pursue the sinners. Prophecy was asked, what should happen to the sinner? Prophecy
answered: The person who sinned should die. The Torah was asked, what should be the
punishment of the sinner? The Torah answered: Let the sinner bring an offering and be forgiven.
Finally, Gd was asked, what should be the punishment of the sinner. Gd said, Let the sinner
repent and he will be forgiven. From a human perspective, a person who sins has to be
punished. Common wisdom would dictate that the sinner has to feel the consequence of his
transgression. The judgment of a sinner, when seen with a prophetic vision, would require the
death penalty for any person who disobeys Gds commandments. This person who is provided
with life by the grace of Gd and his every movement is made possible by Gd; he goes and
abuses these great gifts and transgresses what Gd told him to do? By the standards of strict
judgment, this person deserves to lose his lease on life. In the Torah we find that for certain sins
a person can achieve forgiveness by bringing an offering. This would take care of peoples sins
to some extent at the time of the Temple. What happens during our exile when there is no
Temple and no offering can be brought? Says Gd, if a person repents then Gd is prepared to
forget about punishment and to forgive the sinner.
Four components
From the perspective of wisdom, prophecy and Torah, there must be some consequence if a
person sins. No human judge would have the authority to annul the punishment for a
transgression. Only Gd Himself, in His great mercy, could do so. Although we have the
opportunity to repent all year round, during the Ten Days of Repentance there is a special Divine
assistance for those who utilize these days to repent. Even if the judgment on Rosh Hashana
was not favourable, the Talmud (Yuma 85b) teaches that through repentance one can change
the judgment and achieve forgiveness on the day of Yom Kippur (literally the Day of
Forgiveness). So what are we supposed to do to repent? Our sages teach us that there are four
main components to the process of repentance: (1) Stop doing the transgression; (2) Regret
having done the transgression; (3) Verbally confess the transgression; and (4) Take upon oneself
never to repeat the transgression. The Talmud (ibid), also quoted in Shulchan Aruch (Orach
Chaim 606:1) says however that no forgiveness is available for transgressions that involve other
people unless one obtains forgiveness from the one that was harmed or wronged. Only once a
person has settled the account with his fellow human being is Gd ready to forgive these kinds of
transgressions, just as transgressions between individuals and Gd. Of course it would be wise to
repent before Rosh Hashana and come as a repentant person on the Day of Judgment. The
custom of blowing shofar in the Ashkenazi community, and saying special Selichos prayers in the
Sephardi community, throughout the month of Elul, remind us that we are approaching the Day of
Judgment and we should prepare ourselves appropriately.
Gates of Repentance not closed
It this weeks Torah portion it says further (ibid 30:11): For this commandment that I command
you today is not beyond you, and it is not distant. It is not in the heaven and it is not across
the sea. It is very close to you. It is in your mouth and in your heart to perform it. The Ramban
explains that these verses are referring to the commandment of doing teshuva that is mentioned
in the portion just before. The Torah teaches us that wherever we are holding regarding our
relationship with Gd and His commandments, no one is too far away or has sinned too much
that the Gates of Repentance are closed. The Sforno adds that we do not need prophets who
know what is happening in the heavens. Nor do we need to travel to distant countries to visit
great sages in order to repent. It is a personal obligation that every single individual can
accomplish on their own. It is in our mouths to express the confession. It is in our heart to regret
what we have done wrong. And it is our performance of ceasing the wrongdoing, combined with
the undertaking of doing the right thing in the future that will bring about Gds forgiveness.
None too bad, none too good
This Torah portion speaks to every Jew. The Talmud (Eruvin 19a) teaches us that even those
who do not live a life of Torah observance constantly perform many good deeds and thereby fulfil
a host of commandments. On the other hand, King Solomon says (Koheles 7:20) there is no
righteous person on earth who does only good and does not sin. No one is too bad, and no one
is too good, to have the ability and need to repent. Gd provides every individual with their
challenges and tests in life. We all have our successes and failures. Our sages teach that all we
need to do is to make a sincere commitment that we want to get closer to Gd. We are not
expected to rectify all our wrongdoings in a short few days. But we are expected to take the first
steps in that direction. Sometimes, with just one little deed one can change ones situation for
life. Unfortunately, there are couples who do not have the strength to follow the rules of family
purity, with monthly immersion in the mikvah. They do not realize the severity of the
transgression and do not see the consequences of it. However, many of these couples have
reached a stage in life where just one immersion in the mikvah would free them from this
transgression for the rest of their lives. This is just one example how one minor deed can change
ones situation for life. May we all have the strength to move closer to Gd through sincere
repentance, and together with the whole Jewish nation and all humanity, be inscribed for a year
with all the Divine blessings. And may we merit this year to reach the purpose of creation with the
coming of Moshiach. Amen.

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Back to This Parsha | Previous Issues
Torah Attitude: Rosh Hashanah: Even one is a

multitude
Summary
Ezekiel says Repent and Live! Would it not have been better if Yom Kippur came before Rosh
Hashanah? Full, honest, sincere repentance is inspired in times of judgment. In the Mussaf
service, there is a very moving prayer called the Unesaneh Tokef. Why does Gd allow so many
peace-loving victims in Israel to be murdered and maimed? Only Gd knows why He lets horrible
things happen. Whoever destroys the life of one Jew, it is to be considered as destroying a
whole world. And whoever sustains the life of one Jew, it is to be considered as if sustaining a
whole world. The Torah teaches us that we really have nobody to rely on other than our Father in
Heaven.
Repent and live
The High Holidays are a time for reflection. We search our inner soul for ways to improve our lot,
both as individuals and as a community. Once again, this past year has brought great tragedy
and tremendous loss of precious lives to the Jewish people. This is not what Gd would want to
happen. As the Prophet Ezekiel says in the name of G'd, "I do not want that a person should die.
Repent and live! (18:32).
Better forgive then judge?
With this in mind, there is a famous question asked by Rabbi Israel Salanter: Would it not have
been better if Yom Kippur came before Rosh Hashanah? Since Yom Kippur is the day when G'd
forgives us for our sins, and Rosh Hashanah is the day when He judges us, imagine having a
day of forgiveness before the day of judgment. There would be nothing left to judge and no
reason to punish since all would have been forgiven.
Prerequisite of repentance
G'd is definitely not interested in punishing anyone. After all, the whole purpose of creation was
for Gd to bestow his goodness upon everyone He created, in general, and on the Jewish people
in particular. Rabbi Salanter answers his question by pointing out that if forgiveness preceded
judgment, there would be no incentive to repent. Full, honest, sincere repentance is inspired in
times of judgment. The Day of Judgment brings each of us to search ourselves and to carefully
analyse our deeds of the past year. And repentance is a prerequisite for Gd to wipe our slates
clean and forgive us. That is why the Judgment of Rosh Hashanah must precede the forgiveness
of Yom Kippur.
Who will die
On the High Holidays, we acknowledge in our prayers that these are auspicious times when
every individual is being judged and everyones future is being decided. In the Mussaf service,
we say in the very moving prayer called the Unesaneh Tokef: The great shofar will be sounded
and a still, thin sound will be heard. Angels will hasten, a trembling and terror will seize them
and they will say, Behold, it is the Day of Judgment All mankind will pass before You like
members of the flock On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed
how many will die and how many will be born; who will live and who will die; who will die at his
predestined time and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword, who by
beast, who by famine, who by thirst, who by storm, who by plague, who by strangulation, and
who by stoning
Why does Gd let this happen?
This past year has been filled with horrific tragedies: so many bombings in Israel with so many
peace-loving victims being murdered and maimed. The pain of the destruction of so many
innocent lives is fresh in our hearts. We question why does Gd let this happen?
Gds ways are not our ways
We cannot begin to understand the ways of G'd. The prophet Isaiah says, "My thoughts are not
your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways says G'd. As high as the Heavens over the
earth, so are My ways higher than yours, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts (55:8-9).
The greatest prophets had difficulties understanding G'd's judgment. Our patriarch Abraham
argued with G'd back and forth, at great length, in an attempt to try to save the wicked Sodom
and neighbouring cities from destruction. Only when G'd explained to him that there were
absolutely no righteous people worthwhile saving, besides Lot and his family, Abraham finally
ceased to plead for mercy (Bereishis 18:23-33). Moses, at the Korach uprising, protested to G'd,
"one man has sinned and Your anger struck at the whole congregation?" (Bamidbar 16:22). We
cannot understand. The greatest could not understand. In Parsha Nitzavim, last weeks portion,
we learned that the hidden things in life are for Gd only (Devarim 29:28). Only Gd knows why
He lets horrible things happen.
One is a multitude
We may not be able to understand the ways of Gd; however, we do know that every individual's
life is very dear and valuable to Him. When Gd sent Moses to warn the Jews at Mount Sinai, He
said, "Go down and warn the people that they should not break through and rise on the
mountain, and a multitude of them will fall (Shemos 19:21). Our Sages point out that the word
will fall in the Hebrew is in the singular. This is grammatically incorrect as it refers to the
multitude which is plural. Rashi explains that even if one single Jew will fall, Gd considers it as
though a multitude has fallen. There is a famous statement in the Talmud, Whoever destroys the
life of one Jew, it is to be considered as destroying a whole world. And whoever sustains the life
of one Jew, it is to be considered as if sustaining a whole world (Sanhedrin 37a). This person
may marry, have children and those children may marry and have children, and so on. So every
individual has the potential to be a mini-world of numerous countless generations waiting to be

born. Even in the rare case when a Beth Din executed a wicked person, the Mishnah (Sanhedrin
46a) expresses the pain G'd feels at losing one of his beloved children. How much more so when
a righteous person loses his life!
Who can we rely on?
Just a few days ago the world remembered the victims of 9/11. This is a stark reminder how
fragile our lives really are. The strongest nation in the world could not protect itself and secure
the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, and even the Pentagon, one of the best-protected
buildings in the world, against the insane acts of a few terrorists. If the strongest government
could not prevent these terrorists from making so much destruction, who will protect us? This
summer we were shown how powerless we are. In one instant, 50 million people had no
electricity for days. All our scientific knowledge and sophisticated technology could not help us.
On the contrary, our dependency on this advanced technology in so many areas of our life was
our biggest problem. The Torah teaches is that we really have nobody to rely on other than our
Father in Heaven (see Sotah 49a). As King David so eloquently said, (Psalm 127:3) "If G'd will
not guard the city, in vain is the watchman vigilant". May we merit a year of peace and prosperity
for all under the direct protection of our Father, our King.

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52. WAJELECH
Torah Attitude: Parashas Vayeilech / Yom Kippur:

Igniting the holy sparks
Summary
There does not appear to be a lasting impact to change people's conduct and lifestyle from one
Yom Kippur to the next. Rabbi Aaron fainted when he heard the word 'Hamelech'. It seems to be
against all odds that the Jewish people still exist as a nation. The Torah warns that after the
Jewish people transgressions, G'd will conceal His face. G'd promised that the Torah will never
be forgotten from the offspring of the Jewish people. There is a great measure of mercy in G'd's
concealment. Assimilation does not eliminate the intense hatred amongst the nations of the
world against the Jewish people. No matter what transgressions and sins have been done, every
single Jew can never lose the holy spark.
No lasting impact
On Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Jews worldwide join in earnest prayer and
fill the synagogues to capacity. Some Jews, who throughout the year show very little commitment
to the Torah and its commandments, observe this day of fasting together with their more
observant brothers and sisters. No doubt every mature individual who follows the laws of Yom
Kippur and attends the synagogue expresses their connection with G'd and His nation. However,
one would expect that this Day of Repentance and Forgiveness would have a strong and lasting
impact that would continue to be noticeable after Yom Kippur. Unfortunately, in general, we do
not see a major change in people's conduct and lifestyle from one Yom Kippur to the next. A
person may eat matzah on Pesach, sit in a succah on Succos, and light the menorah on
Hanukkah, because these are part of "Jewish tradition." But it is unlikely that someone would fast
a whole day and immerse himself in serious prayer for the sake of a "nice tradition." Obviously,
this person deep-down accepts that there is a G'd who has instructed us what to do and how to
conduct ourselves. So what happens to this person the rest of the year?
Hamelech
There is a famous story about the great Rabbi Aaron of Karlin who stood in his place on Rosh
Hashanah morning in front of his congregation. As the cantor intoned the morning service with
the word "Hamelech" (the King, referring to G'd) Rabbi Aaron fainted. Later someone asked him
what had happened. Rabbi Aaron answered that the word 'Hamelech' had reminded him of an
incident related in the Talmud (Gittin 56a) where Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai presented himself to
the Roman governor, Vespassian, and greeted him with the words: "Peace to you your majesty.
Peace to you your majesty." To this Vespassian answered, in part, "You deserve to be executed
for if I am king, why have you not come till now (to show respect)?" Said Rabbi Aaron, on the
Days of Awe, when we proclaim G'd as King of the universe, who knows if G'd does not say to us
as well, "If I am King, why have you not come till now?" Even this great Rabbi felt that G'd may
have a complaint against him and his devoted congregants for lacking awareness of G'd in their
daily lives.
Against all odds
In all fairness we should ask a totally different question: How is it possible that, after almost 2000
years of exile, filled with persecution and pogroms, Jews worldwide still gather with a common
goal, some only on Yom Kippur, but many on a daily basis. We have been dispersed among the
nations of the world, expelled from one country to the next, and we have suffered untold
hardships. It seems to be against all odds that we still exist as a nation, and even more unlikely
that we still conduct ourselves according to the law of the Torah. Rabbi Yacov Emden marvels at
this in his introduction to his Siddur where he writes that the biggest miracle in the history of the
Jewish nation is the fact that we still exist. It is totally against all laws of nature that a nation
continues to cling to their laws and traditions for hundreds and hundreds of years without having
a land of their own. This is a bigger miracle than the exodus from Egypt or the revelation at
Mount Sinai. Rabbi Emden concludes that the longer the exile, the bigger is the miracle. So what
is the secret that has preserved the Jewish nation throughout this long and bitter exile?
G'd conceals His face
We are faced with two major questions. On one hand, how has the Jewish nation survived
against all odds? On the other hand, why is it that the majority of Jews, despite the fact that they
still identify themselves on Yom Kippur with G'd and His nation, do not live accordingly the rest of
the year? We may find the answer to these two questions in this week's Torah portion. It says:
(Devarim 31:16-21) "And G'd said to Moses and this nation will rise and stray after the gods of
the strangers of the Land and they will forsake Me and I will get angry on that day and I will
forsake them and I will surely conceal My face and now write this song for yourselves and
teach it to the children of Israel and it shall be when many evils and distresses come upon
them and this song shall speak up as a witness for it will not be forgotten from the offspring."
Never be forgotten
The Jerusalem Talmud (Sanhedrin 10:2) explains that this song refers to the entire Torah and
states: "There was no more difficult time in the world than the time when G'd said to Moses: 'And
I certainly will conceal My face.' But nevertheless I [the Jewish nation] anticipate Him as He
promised: 'for it [the Torah] will never be forgotten from the offspring.'" G'd's warning to Moses
that the sins of the Jewish nation would cause G'd's anger to flare up, was fulfilled at the time of
the destruction of the Temples. As we say in the Mussaf prayer on every Yom Tov: "And because
of our sins we have been exiled from our land " Despite G'd's constant caring for our welfare,
He warned us that if we sinned and forsook Him, He would respond by hiding His face from us.
In other words, G'd would make it appear that He was not taking an interest in our welfare.
Obviously, this only means that we cannot see G'd and the way that He conducts the affairs of
the world. It does not mean that there was ever one instant that G'd ceased to watch over us.
G'd's great mercy

G'd's concealment is not just a punishment, but involves a great measure of mercy as well.
Rabbi Moshe of Triani (Beit Elokim Gate of Teshuva chapter 2) compares this to a person who
transgresses the law of his country. He explains that someone living in close proximity with the
king sees the king on a daily basis. Therefore, his transgression is much greater than someone
who lives far away from the king's palace and has never seen the king in his lifetime. When G'd
saw how the Jews conducted themselves and transgressed the commandments, in His great
mercy he concealed Himself. Had He continued to reveal Himself, their sins would be magnified
and the punishment would be much stricter. By concealing His face, meaning concealing the way
He conducts the affairs of the world in general and the Jews in particular, the transgressions of
the Jewish nation became much less severe, and the punishment not so harsh.
Assimilation totally wrong
On one hand, our exile has been full of pain and suffering. But at the same time, G'd has kept
His promise that He will watch over us and He will never let us forget our raison d'?tre, the Torah.
Many Jews have not been educated to understand why G'd has hidden Himself and has let the
Jews suffer throughout our exile. They have been influenced by their gentile neighbours who
claim that G'd has forsaken us (G'd forbid) and therefore have adopted a lifestyle of assimilation
that they thought would eliminate the gentiles' hatred against us. Time and again this philosophy
has proven itself to be totally wrong. The Nazis did not distinguish in any way whether a Jew
lived a life of Torah observance or had totally assimilated into the gentile community. Similarly,
despite the efforts of its leadership to secularize their country, it becomes more and more
apparent that the State of Israel is treated with intense hatred amongst the nations of the world.
Holy spark
Deep down every Jew is connected with G'd. As we say in our daily morning prayers: "My G'd
the soul that you have placed within me is pure." Every single Jew can get up in the morning and
make this statement. Whatever transgressions and sins we have done, we can never lose this
holy spark within us. This is G'd's promise to us that He will never let us forget who we are and
whatever we do we can never sever the bond between Him and us. On Yom Kippur, when G'd is
ready to forgive our sins, this spark within us is ignited and draws us to the synagogues, to
identify with our Creator and Master.
G'd's promise
Looking back over the past fifty years, the Jewish nation has rebuilt themselves from the ashes
of the Holocaust, not only in a physical way, but even more so in a spiritual way. Only the
promise of G'd that the Torah will never be forgotten by us can explain how this renaissance has
taken place. It is incredible how just a few Torah scholars survived and managed to build up a
host of Torah institutions in Israel and all over the world. The Steipler Gaon reminds us that this
promise was given to us as a nation and it is up to each individual to attach ourselves to the
Torah in order for us to utilise and benefit from this promise. This effort must be made not only
Yom Kippur but throughout the year so that the spark that is ignited every year on Yom Kippur
has the potential to grow and burn in all of its glory. Only in this way can we ensure that our
children and grandchildren also will overcome the temptations of assimilation and intermarriage,
and will pass our proud heritage from Sinai to future generations.
Wishing you and your loved ones a Gemar Chatima Tova!

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Torah Attitude: Yom Kippur: Preparing for the

Banquet
Summary
Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah. Why do righteous people die and wicked people
live after Rosh Hashanah? The Talmud refers to judgments in the World to Come. Why should
the judgment every year on Rosh Hashanah affect a persons share in the World to Come?
There are two judgments taking place. The special inserts in the Amida correspond to these two
different judgments. There is a general judgment and a specific judgment. The World to Come is
eternal. This world is like a lobby. This world is the only place where we prepare for the World to
Come by repentance and good deeds.
Inscribed for life and death
It says in the Talmud, "Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for the totally wicked,
one for the totally righteous, and one for the intermediate. The totally righteous are inscribed and
sealed immediately for life. The totally wicked are inscribed and sealed immediately for death.
And the intermediate people are left dependent on the events from Rosh Hashanah to Yom
Kippur. If they merit they will be inscribed for life. And if they do not merit, they will be inscribed
for death" (Rosh Hashanah 16b).
One may question if judgments of life for the righteous and death for the wicked are inscribed on
Rosh Hashanah, why are there righteous people who die and wicked people who live every year
after Rosh Hashanah? If life and death are inscribed and sealed, then the totally righteous would
never die and the totally wicked would never live more than one year?
The World to Come
One of the accepted answers is that the judgments to which the Talmud refers concerns "Olam
Haba", the World to Come. In other words, on Rosh Hashanah the totally righteous are inscribed
in the Book of Life and the totally wicked are inscribed in the Book of Death in the World to
Come.
However, asks Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, "Does not the judgment regarding the World to Come
only apply when a person leaves this world? Why should the judgment every year on Rosh
Hashanah affect a persons share in the World to Come if a person has many more years to
live? Another question Rabbi Friedlander asks, The Talmud on the previous page (ibid. 16a)
states, as we say in the Unesaneh Tokef prayer (see Torah Attitude: Rosh Hashanah: Even one
is a multitude), that everyone is judged on Rosh Hashanah and all judgments are sealed on
Yom Kippur. How does this reconcile with the other statement that the fates of the totally
righteous and the totally wicked are sealed immediately on Rosh Hashanah?
Two judgments
Rabbi Friedlander quotes the Vilna Gaon who explains that there are two judgments taking
place, one regarding this world, the physical/material world, and one regarding the World to
Come. Everyone is judged on Rosh Hashanah and their judgment sealed on Yom Kippur with
respect to their status in this world. But the difference between the judgment of the righteous,
wicked and intermediate person is in regards to their status in the World to Come.
Special Amida inserts
The special inserts that we add in the Amida during the ten days of repentance from Rosh
Hashanah to Yom Kippur correspond to these two different judgments. In the beginning of the
Amida, we ask to be inscribed for life in general. This refers to the life in the World to Come.
Towards the end of Amida, we insert details of blessings for good livelihood and peace. This
refers to the physical world.
Before death
However, we still need to clarify how can judgment be made for life in the World to Come if a
person has many more years to live? To understand this R. Friedlander quotes R. Moshe Chaim
Luzatto who teaches in Derech Hashem that there is a general judgment and a specific
judgment. The general judgment is whether a person is considered to be generally righteous.
The generally righteous is inscribed for life as a ben olam haba, a person destined for life in the
World to Come. This describes where the person belongs but not where the person is presently.
On the other hand, if a person is considered generally wicked, this person will be inscribed in the
Book of Death in regards to Olam Haba, and is at the moment not destined to reach the World to
Come. With this we can understand what the Talmud says, The wicked are considered dead
even while they are alive (Berachot 18a).
Change situation in this world
As long as a person lives in this world, this situation can be changed. The generally righteous
cannot relax and just assume that everything will be fine. As it says in Pirkei Avos (2:5), Do not
believe in yourself until the day you die. Neither should the generally wicked give up and think
everything is lost. Right until the last day can a person repent and change the status for eternity
in the World to Come. As the Prophet Yecheskel says in the name of Gd (18:32), For I do not
want the death of the dead (i.e. the wicked who is considered dead already). They shall repent
and live. We have no way of knowing how we have been judged. Either way, we must constantly
try to improve ourselves and mend our shortcomings.
Every Jew has a share
On Shabbos afternoons, during the summer, we say that every Jew has a share in the World to
Come (Introduction to Pirkei Avos), but this share can be guarded or thrown away. The righteous
people look after their share in the World to Come. The wicked people throw their share away.
Detailed judgment
Besides the general judgment, there is a detailed judgment of what specifically is a persons lot in
this world for the coming year. Even the righteous people make mistakes for which they must
suffer the consequences. For example, Moses was without any doubt a righteous person. But he
was denied entry into the land of Israel as punishment for his mistakes. No one would dare
suggest that Moses was a wicked person. In general, he was judged to reach the World to
Come. In detail, he died before entering the land of Israel.
Wicked rewarded
On the other hand, even a generally wicked person can do good things and will be rewarded.
Tosafos (ibid 16B) quotes a verse in the Torah, "And He repays His enemies in his lifetime to
make him perish" (Devarim 7:10). In detail, the generally wicked people receive their reward in
this world only, and never reach the World to Come, if they do not repent.
The mountain and eternity
Since the judgment on Rosh Hashanah is regarding the World to Come, R. Chaim Volozhiner
warns us to investigate our choices and be careful to guard our share in the World to Come. The
Mussar exponents remind us that the World to Come is eternal. They provide us with a parable
to get some idea of the meaning of eternity. Imagine a huge mountain. Once every thousand
years a bird takes away one grain in its beak. When the bird has finished moving this mountain,
eternity has not even begun to pass. The days of our years are 70, and if with strength, 80
years (Psalm 90:10). Even with a life expectancy of 120 years, the longest life in the physical
world cannot be compared to eternity.
The Banquet
R. Yaakov said, This world is like a lobby before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the
lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall (Pirkei Avos 4:21). No one would be foolish enough
to spend all their time decorating the lobby at the expense of missing the opportunity of entering
the banquet. The problem is that while living in the physical world, we tend to put all our focus on
having a good life here and often we forget about the World to Come. Life in this world is short
and fragile. Life in the World to Come is eternal and perfect. If we can develop the proper focus,
the choice is obvious!
The Lobby
So why did Gd create the lobby? Why do we not all proceed directly to the banquet? R. Yaakov
also said, Better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this World than the entire life of the
World to Come; and better one hour of spiritual bliss in the World to Come than the entire life of
this World (Pirkei Avos 4:22). This world is the only place where we can prepare for the World to
Come by repentance and good deeds. Once we reach the World to Come, we cannot change
our status. If we did not have the lobby, we could not raise our spiritual levels. Although the
rewards in this physical world cannot compare to those in the World to Come, it is a necessary
stepping stone to maximise our benefits in the World to Come.
May we all be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life, both in this World and the World to Come.
And may we merit all the blessings that Gd wishes to bestow upon us so that we may use this
lobby wisely to prepare for the feast in the banquet that awaits us.

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53. HAAZINU
Torah Attitude: Parashas Haazinu & Succos: Real joy

Summary
The time of our gladness does not seem to correspond to a special event taking place on a
specific date. On the Festival of Succos we have two mitzvot: one we fulfill by taking together the
four species; the other is to dwell in the succah for seven days. The Talmud brings two
interpretations of what the succah that G'd provided us in the desert refers to. When we leave
our homes to dwell in a succah in a colder season, it is clear that we are doing so to fulfill the
mitzvah. The Vilna Gaon explains that the Clouds of Glory returned to the Jewish nation on the
fifteenth of Tishrei. We learn from Koheles that real joy can only be accomplished with mitzvot
and good deeds. Real joy and gladness is not to be found in material wealth and comfort.
Affluence and wealth often cause spiritual decline as well as shortcomings in interpersonal
relationships.
Time of our gladness
Each of our three festivals is a special time. As we say in our prayers (Shemona Esrei for
Festivals): "Passover is the time of our freedom. Shavuous is the time of the giving of our Torah.
And Succos is the time of our gladness." We begin to celebrate Passover on the date that we
were redeemed from slavery in Egypt. Similarly, we celebrate Shavuous on the date when the
Torah was given. On the other hand, Succos does not seem to correspond to a special event
taking place on a specific date. It is called "the time of our gladness" because the Jews, as they
entered the land of Israel, were living in an agricultural society and this is the time of the year
when the harvest was brought home. As it says, (Vayikra 23:39-40) "But on the fifteenth day of
the seventh month, when you gather the crop of the land, you shall celebrate G'd's Festival for
seven days and you shall rejoice before HASHEM your G'd for seven days." The Torah
teaches us that at the time we rejoice with the crop that will sustain us for the coming year, we
shall remember to rejoice in front of G'd. He is the one who blessed our crop and provides us
with all our needs.
Two mitzvot
On the Festival of Succos we have two mitzvot: one to take the four species; the other to dwell in
the succah. To rejoice with the four fine-smelling species throughout our festival corresponds to
the time of the harvest. But the succah does not seem to have anything to do with a celebration
about bringing home the crop. As a matter of fact, the Torah gives us a totally different reason for
this mitzvah. As it says, (ibid 43) "So that your generations shall know that I provided Succos for
the children of Israel when I took them out of the land of Egypt."
Two interpretations
The Talmud (Succah 11b) brings two interpretations of what the succah that G'd provided us in
the desert refers to. On a simple level, the Talmud explains that our ancestors actually lived in
some kind of booths during their sojourn for forty years in the wilderness. On a deeper level the
Talmud explains that this refers to the Clouds of Glory that enveloped the Jewish people
throughout that period, protected them from their enemies, wild animals, and other dangers,
besides providing shade from the hot sun and other harsh elements.
Winter dwelling
The Tur Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 625) asks an obvious question. If the succah is to
commemorate what happened at the time of the exodus from Egypt, would it not have been
more natural to sit in the succah during the Festival of Pesach when we celebrate that exodus?
Says the Tur, "We were not commanded to make a succah in the month of Nissan because that
is the beginning of the summer when it is customary to make booths to sit in the shade, and it
would not be noticeable that we made our succah to fulfill the commandment of G'd. We were
commanded to make our succah in the seventh month, at the beginning of the winter, when
everyone leaves their booths to dwell in their homes. Then we leave our homes to dwell in a
succah to show everyone that we are doing so to fulfill the mitzvah."
Clouds of Glory
The Vilna Gaon explains that according to the deeper interpretation that the succah in the desert
refers to the Clouds of Glory, it is very understandable why we leave our homes to dwell in
succos on the fifteenth of Tishrei. He brings that the Clouds of Glory left the Jewish nation after
the sin of the golden calf and only came back to protect them when they started to erect the
Tabernacle. Our sages explain that the sin of the golden calf took place on the 17th of Tammuz.
This brought about that Moses destroyed the first tablets and was the first cause to establish that
day as a fast day. The next day Moses ascended Mount Sinai for the second time, to pray to G'd
and beg Him to save the Jewish people. He returned forty days later, at the end of the month of
Av, only to ascend for a third period of forty days to receive the second tablets. He returned on
Yom Kippur, the 10th of Tishrei, with the second tablets. On the following day, Moses gathered
the Jewish people to instruct them about erecting the Tabernacle. For the following two days, the
Jews brought the materials needed to build the Tabernacle. A day after that the materials were
given to the craftsmen, each according to their particular job. The next day, the 15th of Tishrei the
actual work started. Concludes the Vilna Gaon, this is the day the Clouds of Glory returned to the
Jewish nation and this is the day that we begin to celebrate Succos.
Koheles
It is interesting to notice that on the Festival that is the time of our gladness, we leave the comfort
of our homes to dwell in a primitive hut. We eat there, and when possible we sleep there, and do
as many of our activities as we can in the succah. On this Festival we also read Koheles that
describes the futility of life. The Talmud (Shabbos 30b) asks that King Solomon seems to
contradict himself. On one hand he writes (Koheles 8:15) "And I praised happiness", but he also
writes (ibid 2:2) "And regarding happiness (I said) what does it achieve?" The Talmud answers
that there are two kinds of happiness: one that comes from performing a mitzvah; this one King
Solomon praises. The other one, that is not connected to a mitzvah, says King Solomon what
does it achieve? Materialistic happiness is a very fleeting experience. As our sages say, what
makes you laugh today may make you cry tomorrow. Real joy can only be found with the
accomplishment of mitzvot and good deeds.
Unique mitzvah
The Festival of Succos falls in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar: Chodesh HaSheviyi. If
we change the "Shin" to a "Sin" then it reads Chodesh Haseviyi which means the saturated
month. No month in the Jewish calendar is so saturated with mitzvot as the month of Tishrei,
starting with Rosh Hashanah with the blowing of the shofar, through Yom Kippur, culminating with
Succos when we take the four species and dwell in the succah. The Mitzvah of Succah in itself is
unique in the sense that we perform our regular activities, eating and sleeping, and just by doing
them in this primitive booth, they are transformed into mitzvot that can be performed 24/7. This is
the message of Succos: the real joy and gladness is not to be found in material wealth and
comfort. On the contrary, that often brings problems and misfortune. As its says in this week's
Torah portion (Devarim 32:15) "And Jeshurun (the Jewish nation) became obese (affluent, see
Targum) and kicked and it deserted G'd its maker they made Him angry with strangers and
angered Him with abominations."
Spiritual decline
Affluence and wealth often cause spiritual decline as well as shortcomings in interpersonal
relationships. Only the person who understands that wealth is not an end in itself but a means to
a better society, where the more fortunate assist the less fortunate, can overcome the test of
material wealth. As the Rambam writes (Laws of Purim 2:17) "There is no greater and more
beautiful joy than pleasing the poor." This is specifically mentioned by the Festival of Succos. As
it says (Devarim 16:13-14) "You shall rejoice you on your festival, your son and your daughter,
your slave and your maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow." As we
celebrate this beautiful festival of Succos, let us ensure that the spirit of this Festival, the time of
gladness, is shared with everyone around us, whether by providing financial assistance to those
less fortunate, or by inviting individuals who are lonely to join us in our succos.
Wishing you and your loved ones a Gemar Chatima Tova and Chag Sameach.

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54. WE ZOTH HABERACHAH

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