‫פ‬

AM& YOU Shall

Speak of Them
A compilation of selected sermons,
Tor A) insists, thought-provoking ideas,
homilies anb explanations on

Rosi? Hashanal?, Yom Kippur, Sukkot,

st?emm1 Atzeret, Shabbat Bereis^it
‫הועתק והוכנםלאינטרנט‬
www.he^^wbooks.org
‫ע״י חיים תשם״ז‬
h
Ra66i Moslye Rogomilsky
New Expanbeb Edition
5766 • 2006
VEDIBARTA B A M — A N D YOU SHALL SPEAK OF THEM
R O S H HASHANAH, Y O M KIPPUR, SUKKOT,
SHEMINI A T Z E R E T , SHABBAT BEREISHIT

Published and Copyrighted © by

Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky
1382 President Street
Brooklyn, New York 11213

A l l rights reserved. N o part of this publication may be

reproduced in any form or by any means, including
photo-copying, w i t h o u t permission i n writing from the
copyright holder or the publisher.

First Impression 5761 • 2001

Second Impression 5764 • 2004
T h i r d Impression 5766 • 2006

ISBN 1-8808-8049-0
 We dedicated last year's Rosh Hashanah
edition of this seferto our family, friends, and
members of the Great Neck community, in
honor of their participation with us in
supporting the Colel Chabad Soup Kitchen
near the Kotel in Jerusalem.

A year later, we are still overwhelmed by your gracious

support of this incredible organization. We feel so lucky
to be surrounded by friends from our community and
beyond who have never failed us in responding in the
most generous way possible to our charitable appeals. It
is in this spirit that we continue the dedication in your
honor as this incredible seferis enhanced and completed.
As you well know, the Colel Chabad Soup Kitchen,
dedicated in memory of our grandmothers and in honor
of our mothers, and located near the remains of the Beit
Hamikddash, provides warm meals and good cheer to the
indigent population of Jerusalem's "Old City."
When you dip your applies into honey this Rosh
Hashanah you should know that you have not only made
your Yom Tov sweeter, but you have enabled so many
deserving people to truly start the New Year in the right
way.
This year, as we proudly present this newly
completed edition of the sefer—
incorporating the balance of
the Yamim Noraim and Sukkot— it seems
natural to jointly dedicate this seferto our
brothers and sisters in Israel, who have
sanctified Hashem's name by persevering so
gallantly in the face of the numerous
challenges and difficulties during 5761
 On this Yom Kippur, when we ask Hashem during the
Nesanah Tokefto bless us with a year of life, we will keep
you, Achainu Beit Yisrael, in our prayers and thoughts. As
we are all one family, your joy is our joy and your sorrow
is our sorrow. The popular phrase, "Kulanu Am Echad"
will ring true in our hearts, in a most poignant way.
We hope and pray that through the merit of our
collective mitzvot and maasim tovim — best represented
by support of the work of Colel Chabad — that we will all
be blessed to enjoy the dedication of the third Beit
Hamikdash together in Yerushalayim HaBenuyah, at a
Simchat Torah celebration like none other.
May we all be blessed with a happy, healthy and sweet
New Year and be inscribed in the book of life for the best
of everything, as you take to heart the following words of
Ezra the Scribe:

‫לס אבלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים ושלחו מעתל^ץ נכון לו ס‬

‫קדוש היום לימינו ו^לתעעגו ני חדות ד הי^] מעזכם‬
"Go eat rich foods and drink sweet
beverages, and send portions to those who
were not prepared, for today is sacred to
our G-d. Don't be sad; the enjoyment of
Hashem is your strength."

Kesivah Vechasimah Tovah!

Randi & Arthur Luxenberg & Family

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication 3
Foreword 15
Note on Transliteration and Format 18

R O S H HASHANAH

Derashot — Sermonic Material

Ingredient for a Happy Marriage 20
A l t h o u g h the marriage o f A d a m and Chavah had seemingly the
m o s t inauspicious beginning i n history, w e can learn from
t h e m the importance o f m u t u a l understanding to the marriage
bond.

Grand Opening — Going out of Business 24

A m a n w h o had recently come to A m e r i c a once tried to hold a
"Grand Opening" and " G o i n g out o f Business" sale at the same
time! F r o m a certain standpoint, many people take an
analogous approach to the spiritual service of Rosh Hashanah.

An Exercise in Translation 26
The words "teshuvah," "tefllah," "tzedakah," are usually
translated "repentance," "prayer," and "charity" respectively.
Actually, however, all three o f the usual translations are
inadequate to express the true meaning o f these terms.

Practice What You Preach 30

Some people have a tendency to lecture or preach w i t h o u t
taking their o w n advice and p u t t i n g their o w n exhortations
i n t o practice. The Shofar teaches a valuable lesson concerning
the importance o f action.

How Old is the world? 32

The findings o f geologists and paleontologists on the great
antiquity o f the Earth seemingly contradict the Torah account
of the creation o f the w o r l d . Hundreds o f years before m o d e r n
science, however, the T a l m u d suggested that Hashem created
the w o r l d to appear older than i t actually is.

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 VEDIBARTA BAM

The Master Key — A Broken Heart 33

Once a senior disciple o f the Ba'al Shem Tov was asked by his
teacher to b l o w the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. However, to his
great distress, w h e n the t i m e finally arrived to carry o u t his
assignment, he could remember n o t h i n g o f the elaborate
devotional meditations he had prepared. Nevertheless, the
simple broken-hearted state o f m i n d w i t h w h i c h he performed
the mitzvah accomplished more spiritually than all his
preparation.

A Call from Hashem 35

Hashem's question to A d a m , "Where are you?" was actually a
call for A d a m to engage i n self-evaluation and repent.
Sometimes a negative event i n a person's life can serve as a
similar wake-up call, b u t the cry o f the shofar also rouses us to
examine our deeds and r e t u r n to Hashem.

Pay Up Your Pledges 37

One m i g h t w o n d e r w h y the story o f Chanah was chosen as the
haftarah for the first day of Rosh Hashanah since other famous
and significant events i n the Torah happened on that day. The
answer may relate to the fact that Chanah made a v o w and
kept i t faithfully.

Don't Discourage Your Child 39

A n episode i n the book o f Samuel describing h o w Samuel as a
c h i l d heard the voice o f G-d calling h i m is relevant to our o w n
times, w h e n many y o u n g people are "hearing the call" o f
teshuvah.

The Beauty of the Teruah 41

The shofar call k n o w n as the "teruah," w i t h its sobbing quality,
is compared to a ba'al teshuvah w h o is broken-hearted w i t h
regret for his past. Despite his past, the "teruah," the ba'al
teshuvah, is especially beloved by Hashem.

The Shape of the Shofar 44

A l l the details o f the Torah are significant, as exemplified by
the laws pertaining to the shofar. Even the shape o f the shofar,
that i t is n a r r o w at one end and w i d e at the other, conveys
valuable lessons i n the service o f Hashem.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

"No Deposit, No Return" 46

W e can learn something concerning spiritual service from
everything that w e encounter i n our daily lives, even the m o s t
seemingly mundane object. A Bar-Mitzvah boy once learned an
i m p o r t a n t lesson w h e n his grandfather gave h i m an ordinary
soda bottle for a Bar-Mitzvah present.

"Here I am, My Son" 48

Even w h e n i n the m i d s t o f the Akeidah, his crowing
achievement i n the service o f Hashem, A v r a h a m was still able
to express his unwavering devotion as a parent. Similarly, i t is
vital for contemporary parents to realize that no matter h o w
pressing our business concerns or other involvements may be,
our children are our top priority.

Confusing Satan 51
O u r Sages teach us that the b l o w i n g o f the shofar on Rosh
Hashanah is meant to "confuse Satan." The deeper meaning o f
this seemingly enigmatic statement is related to the u n i t y o f all
Jews.

Asking Versus Wanting 54

F r o m the beginning o f the m o n t h o f Elul u n t i l Hoshana Rabbah
w e read an extra chapter o f Psalms i n our daily prayers,
"LeDavid Hashem Ori," containing the verse "One t h i n g I ask
from Hashem, that is also w h a t I desire." W h e n w e strive to
renew our closeness to Hashem on Rosh Hashanah, w e should
strive that w h a t w e ask for is w h a t w e t r u l y desire.

The Potential of the Individual 56

M a n , as distinguished from all other created beings, was
created as a single individual. A d a m , the first man, was able to
b r i n g all creation to a recognition o f Hashem's sovereignty.
A d a m thus serves as a valuable example to those w h o
mistakenly claim that one m a n cannot accomplish anything.

Never Write-Off Your Child 58

The Torah reading for the first day o f Rosh Hashanah relates,
among other matters, the banishment o f Yishmael from
A v r a h a m ' household. The reading for the second day relates
the details o f the Akeidah, the b i n d i n g o f Yitzchak on the altar.
A t the beginning o f the narrative, A v r a h a m is attended by his
" t w o y o u n g m e n , " one o f w h o m is Yishmael. The fact that

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 VEDIBARTA BAM

A v r a h a m evidently maintained his relationship w i t h Yishmael

teaches us an i m p o r t a n t lesson about raising children.

Avraham's Vision 62
The Gemara comments on the phrase i n the Akeidah i n w h i c h
A v r a h a m tells his servants to "remain here w i t h the donkey"
that he was alluding that they were "a nation similar to a
donkey." This c o m m e n t actually sheds l i g h t on Avraham's
profound understanding o f G-dliness.

Hearing the Cry of the Shofar 65

The law that the mitzvah o f hearing the sound o f the shofar
cannot be fulfilled by hearing an echo alludes to a teaching
concerning the true significance o f the shofar's sound.

"What is With You, Hagar?" 67

I n the story o f the expulsion o f Hagar and her son Yishmael,
the angel's question to her " W h a t is w i t h you, Hagar?" actually
points to the need for parents to act decisively and boldly
where their children's welfare is concerned.

Your Child is Not Good For Nothing 70

A story i l l u m i n a t e s the narrative o f Hagar and Yishmael and
teaches an i m p o r t a n t lesson i n child-rearing.

Personal Involvement a Must 72

The narrative o f the Akeidah includes the puzzling detail that
A v r a h a m himself performed many o f the mundane tasks
associated w i t h the b i n d i n g o f his son as a sacrifice, even
t h o u g h he obviously had servants and helpers to do these tasks
for h i m . F r o m Avraham's example we learn the importance o f
n o t delegating to others vital tasks related to our .children's
education.

Yitzchak's Greatest Fear 74

There were t w o occasion on w h i c h Yitzchak trembled: w h e n
he was on the altar about to be slaughtered, and w h e n Eisav
entered i n the narrative about the berachot. Puzzlingly, the
w o r d i n g o f the text implies that his t r e m b l i n g was greater i n
the incident w i t h Eisav. W h y ?

Vanishing or Flourishing? 79
W h i l e i t has become c o m m o n to refer to the "Vanishing
A m e r i c a n Jew," A m e r i c a is actually witnessing a renaissance o f

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Torah observance. Nevertheless, whether Judaism w i l l be

"vanishing" or "flourishing" i n our o w n lives is up to us.

Rosh Hashanah — Torah Readings / Haftarot 84

Machzor L'Rosh Hashanah — Prayers — Liturgy 114
Minhagim — Customs 136
Round Challot / New Knife / Kiddush / Ram's Head /
Apple Dipped in Honey / Pomegranates / Walnuts /
Tashlich

SHABBAT SHUVAH
Sin for the "Sake of Heaven" 144
Reuven is praised for being the originator o f repentance even
t h o u g h w e f i n d that A d a m and Kayin also repented for sins.
However, the Torah's praise for Reuven's repentance teaches
us the importance o f repenting for sins that w e m i g h t
otherwise t r y to rationalize as actually mitzvot.

Sermon in a Story 147

Understanding Hoshea's Call 147

Y O M KIPPUR
Derashot — Sermonic Material
The Berditchever's Yom Kippur Plea 150
Once Rabbi Levi Yitzchak o f Berditchev made the c o n d i t i o n
that anyone w h o w a n t e d to be m e n t i o n e d i n his annual
prayer for the w e l l - b e i n g o f all the members o f his
c o m m u n i t y w o u l d have to pay a ruble. There was one w o m a n
w h o faced a heart-rending d i l e m m a : she only had one ruble,
n o t enough for b o t h herself and her c h i l d . The outcome o f
the story teaches us an i m p o r t a n t lesson concerning self-
sacrifice for our children's w e l l - b e i n g .

The Cry of a Jewish Child 153

R. Yisrael Salanter, one o f the leaders o f the musar
m o v e m e n t , was once m y s t e r i o u s l y absent f r o m his synagogue
as the t i m e arrived for Kol Nidrei. F r o m the reason for his
delay w e can learn an i m p o r t a n t lesson concerning c h i l d r e n .
Kol Nidrei appeal.

9
 VEDIBARTA BAM

All Jews Are Beautiful 155

One o f the h i g h p o i n t s o f the H i g h Holidays is the Kol Nidrei.
A sermon dealing w i t h this famous l i t u r g i c a l passage
includes a story concerning a Jew's self-sacrifice d u r i n g the
times o f the Spanish I n q u i s i t i o n , a discussion o f w h y we
recite the blessing "shehechiyanu" after Kol Nidrei, and a story
f r o m the Mishnah concerning one w h o v o w s n o t to benefit
f r o m a certain w o m a n w h o m he wishes to avoid m a r r y i n g .

G-d Is Ringing Your Doorbell 161

A story illustrates that everyone m u s t consider w h e t h e r he
has answered G-d's " k n o c k on the door." Kol Nidrei appeal.

A Call for Consistency 163

I n the confession recited on Yom Kippur, the Magen Avraham
w o n d e r s w h y the reference to sins done " i n public and
private" lists public sins first. A novel answer; i t relates to
the issue o f consistency.

The Value of Blushing 167

I n a verse w e recite as part o f the Yom Kippur l i t u r g y , Hashem
says, " I f y o u r sins w i l l be ...red, they w i l l become w h i t e as
w o o l . " The significance o f the color r e d is i l l u s t r a t e d by a
story about a debate t h a t once t o o k place between t w o
rabbis, one O r t h o d o x and one Reform.

Teshuvah and the Stranger Within 169

Elisha ben A v u ' a h , the teacher o f the great sage Rabbi M e i r ,
became a heretic, and is c o m m o n l y referred to i n the Gemara
as "Acheir" — "another." W h e n e v e r a person is i n need o f
repentance, i t is because he has s i m i l a r l y become an "acheir"
— someone alienated f r o m his true self. Nevertheless, i t is
always possible to do teshuvah.

"It All Depends on Me" 173

Elazar ben Durdaya, a personality discussed i n the Gemara,
was famed for the e n o r m i t y o f his sins, b u t also for
d e m o n s t r a t i n g the p o w e r o f teshuvah, its ability to totally
transform a person i n a single m o m e n t . A s i n the case o f
Elazar ben Durdaya, the key realization t h a t allows a person
to repent is that " I t all depends on me."

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Garments of Linen, Garments of Gold 177

The Kohen Gadol — the H i g h Priest — p e r f o r m e d part o f the
Yom Kippur Service i n the H o l y T e m p l e i n splendid golden
Vestments and part o f the service i n plain w h i t e l i n e n .
Paradoxically, the service i n the H o l y o f Holies was
p e r f o r m e d i n the p l a i n l i n e n garments. The explanation
relates to the deeper m e a n i n g o f the g o l d and l i n e n garments,
w h i c h each correspond to a necessary d i m e n s i o n o f s p i r i t u a l
service. Kol Nidrei appeal.

A Resounding "Baruch Sheim" 181

O n Yom Kippur, d u r i n g the Shema, we say the verse "Baruch
sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed" l o u d l y rather than i n the
usual undertone. A c c o r d i n g to the Midrash, Moshe learned
the r e c i t a t i o n o f this verse f r o m the Angels, A l s o w h e n
Yaakov Avinu was on his deathbed, his c h i l d r e n p r o c l a i m e d
the verse "Shema Yisrael" and their father replied "Baruch
sheim...". Yaakov's legacy was the need to m a i n t a i n an
u n w a v e r i n g dedication to Torah and Yiddishkeit t h r o u g h o u t
the year.

Is G-d Fair? 184

Rav H u n a observes i n the Gemara that K i n g Shaul was
severely p u n i s h e d for the single sin o f sparing Agag w h i l e
K i n g D a v i d was forgiven for the t w o sins o f t a k i n g the wife o f
U r i a h and c o u n t i n g the people. The u n d e r l y i n g reason for
this seeming unfair treatment involves the necessity for
acknowledging our o w n shortcomings.

A U-Turn 187
A f t e r the famous i n c i d e n t w i t h Elazar ben Durdaya, a sinner
and reprobate w h o repented and i n s t a n t l y transformed his
entire existence. Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi exclaimed t h a t a
person can "acquire his w o r l d [eternal life] besha'ah achat —
i n one hour." The w o r d "sha'ah" — " h o u r " — can also be
i n t e r p r e t e d as m e a n i n g " t u r n . " T h i s p o i n t s to an i m p o r t a n t
i n s i g h t concerning teshuvah — repentance.

Adjust Your Clock 190

The T o r a h reading for Yom Kippur lists the details o f the
service o f Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur i n the H o l y o f Holies.
The Torah relates that Moshe was i n s t r u c t e d to tell his
b r o t h e r A h a r o n that he was n o t a l l o w e d to enter "bechol eit —
at all times — i n t o the sanctuary." T h i s statement can be

11
 VEDIBARTA BAM

i n t e r p r e t e d as teaching that w e m u s t reject the "bechol eit"

philosophy, the idea t h a t w e m u s t c o n f o r m to the dictates o f
contemporary society.

New Garments 192

There is a halachic r u l i n g that a Kohen Gadol w h o i n h e r i t s his
p o s i t i o n f r o m his father cannot wear his father's priestly
garments. T h i s law conveys an i m p o r t a n t lesson concerning
the need for each generation to have its own
accomplishments. Yizkor.

A Parent's Request 194

People often feel that Yizkor is a t i m e w h e n a k i n d o f
c o m m u n i c a t i o n takes place w i t h t h e i r departed loved ones.
Each person k n o w s best w h a t he w o u l d w a n t to
c o m m u n i c a t e to his departed parent or parents, b u t w e
s h o u l d remember the final requests o f Rabbi Yehudah
HaNassi, w h i c h teach us t h a t our departed loved ones have
an i m p o r t a n t request to make o f us.

Winning the Race 197

M a n y people are so preoccupied w i t h achieving prosperity
that they c o n t i n u a l l y p u t off spending t i m e w i t h t h e i r
families and p u r s u i n g Torah and mitzvot. T h i s is i l l u s t r a t e d by
a w e l l - k n o w n chassidic story ( w h i c h i n s p i r e d a short story by
Tolstoy) about a poor m a n y w h o is offered all the l a n d he can
w a l k a r o u n d i n a day.

He-Goats and Priorities 201

One o f the p r i n c i p a l services o f Yom Kippur i n v o l v e d t w o he-
goats, one w h i c h was t h r o w n o f f o f the precipice o f Azazel
and the other w h i c h was offered as a sacrifice for Hashem.
One p u z z l i n g aspect o f this service was that b o t h goats had
to be comparable i n w o r t h . However, this law actually
teaches us a valuable lesson concerning the money w e spend
on physical needs and l u x u r i e s and the m o n e y w e spend "for
Hashem."

The "Right" Son 205

Yaakov's r e n a m i n g o f Rachel's second c h i l d f r o m " B e n - o n i "
— "son o f m y s o r r o w " to " B i n y a m i n " — "son o f the r i g h t " —
can be i n t e r p r e t e d as a c o m f o r t i n g message t h a t B i n y a m i n
w o u l d be a " r i g h t son," a source o f nachas to his departed
m o t h e r . A m o r e contemporary story o f a m o t h e r w h o passes

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

away g i v i n g her c h i l d life r e m i n d s us that on Yizkor day we

s h o u l d be able to "face" our parents k n o w i n g w e have l i v e d a
life o f Torah and mitzvot.

The Sadducees and the Incense 208

The w e l l - k n o w n controversy between the Sadducees — w h o
denied the O r a l Torah — and the Pharisees — upholders o f
the authentic Torah t r a d i t i o n — i n c l u d e d a disagreement
concerning the incense b u r n e d on Yom Kippur i n connection
w i t h the service i n the H o l y o f Holies. This difference o f
o p i n i o n actually relates to differing approaches to the
question o f w h e t h e r Torah values or contemporary values are
paramount.

The Bond of Life 212

I n the Yizkor service we pray " M a y the soul [ o f our loved
ones] be b o u n d i n "tzeror hachaim" — "the b o n d o f life."
"Hachaim" can also be read as "the l i v i n g , " and w e pray that
w e constantly m a i n t a i n the l i n k between ourselves and our
departed loved ones: w e m u s t m a i n t a i n our devotion to the
Torah and Yiddishkeit they sought to i n s t i l l i n us. Appeal.

You Can't Run Away from G-d 213

M a n y people attend shul on Yom Kippur and avoid any
religious i n v o l v e m e n t the rest o f the year. Perhaps the
haftarah o f Yonah, w h i c h we read d u r i n g the minchah prayer o f
Yom Kippur, also contains a message for these people.

Yom Kippur — Torah Readings / Haftarah 215

Machzor L'Yom Kippur — Prayers — Liturgy 235
Minhagim — Customs 261
Lekach / Tevillah / Krepchin / Shoes / Arayot / Niggun —
Keriat HaTorah / Yonah / The Morning After / G-d's
Name

SUKKOT

Derashot — Sermonic Material

The Driver's Seat 270
To p e r f o r m the mitzvah o f the four species, a person m u s t
take t h e m i n his hand. Each o f the four species represents a
particular part o f the body associated w i t h a particular

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 VEDIBARTA BAM

faculty. T a k i n g t h e m " i n hand" thus means t a k i n g c o n t r o l o f

all our faculties and d e v o t i n g t h e m to serving Hashem. T h i s
is i l l u s t r a t e d by an a m u s i n g story i n v o l v i n g a confused
w o m a n and a car.

How a Gentile Celebrates Sukkot 272

I n the haftarah for the first day o f Sukkot, a passage f r o m the
Prophet Zecharya, there is a p u z z l i n g reference to the future
p u n i s h m e n t o f gentile nations for n o t celebrating the holiday
o f Sukkot. The explanation o f this statement stresses the
importance o f Achdut — u n i t y .

Our Season of Rejoicing 274

Sukkot — Torah Readings 275
Simchat Beit Hashoeivah 289
Kohelet 297

SHEMINI ATZERET-SIMCHAT T O R A H

A Wedding Invitation 308

A l t h o u g h Yizkor is usually recited on the closing day o f a
festival, i n the Diaspora w e recite i t on Shemini Atzeret rather
than on Simchat Torah. V a r i o u s reasons are given for this
departure f r o m the usual pattern, b u t one especially
i n t r i g u i n g explanation involves the idea that Simchat Torah is
a w e d d i n g celebration for the Jewish people and the Torah.
The Yizkor recited on Shemini Atzeret is thus a " w e d d i n g
i n v i t a t i o n " for one's departed parent or l o v e d one.

Yizkor — A Joyous Occasion 310

C o m p a t i b i l i t y o f Yizkor w i t h Zeman Simchateinu — the season
o f o u r rejoicing — appeal.

Shemini Atzeret — Torah Readings 312

Simchat Torah — Everyone Has a Right to Rejoice 314
Siyum 316
Minhagim — Customs 319
Binding the Lulav / Shehechiyanu — Kiddush /
Shehechiyanu — Lulav / Tehillim — Hoshana Rabbah / Lulav
Rings / Biting off Pitom / Simchat Torah
Shabbat Bereishit 325
Appendix — Index to Derush material 334

14
 ‫ב׳׳ה‬
FOREWORD

While derashot — sermons — on Shabbat are perhaps not

so popular today as they were years ago, they are still a high
point of the Rabbi's activities during the High Holiday
season. W i t h the advent of the Vedibarta Bam series, I have
been inundated w i t h requests by many Rabbis to publish
derashot for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
A large part of this volume has been developed i n
response to the abovementioned requests. I n it are some of
the derashot I have delivered i n my shul, Congregation
Yeshivah of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York over the
past thirty years. Thank G-d, they were well received at that
time, and hopefully the same w i l l be true today.
Some speakers may choose to discuss their insights on
current events or contemporary secular subjects i n their
sermons. It is my humble opinion that, particularly during
the High Holiday season when the shul is best attended and
there is an urge for spirituality, the sermon should focus on
Torah content. It should provide spiritual food for thought
and inspire the listeners to better observance of Torah and
mitzvot. This is the type of sermonic material the reader
should anticipate finding i n Vedibarta Bam.
In addition to derashot, this volume includes a collection
of thoughts on the Torah portions read during the Yom-Tov,
clarifications of some of the prayers and liturgy of the Machzor
as well as explanations of some minhagim — customs. A
section on Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Shabbat Bereishit rounds
out the month of Tishrei, and since some read Kohelet —
Ecclesiastes — on Shabbat Chol Hamo'eid Sukkot (or on Shemini

15
 VEDIBARTA BAM

Atzeret — see Orach Chaim 663:2) the Sukkot section includes

a selection of thoughts on Kohelet.
W i t h some innovation and creativity some of the Torah
thoughts contained herein can be developed for derashot. A t
the end of the book we have added an index which identifies
the selections which relate to a particular theme or subject.
My uncle Rav Osher Hakohen ‫ שי׳‬Katzman has one the
largest private collections of antique and contemporary
sefarim. In addition to talmudic commentaries, halachic
treatises, responsa, Chassidic thought, and history, he also
has many volumes on derush — homiletics — i n Yiddish and
Hebrew written by Rabbis who occupied pulpits i n America
during the first half of the twentieth century.
I recall that when I was young and unversed i n
bibliography, I asked h i m about the derush sefarim. W h y did he
spend so much time and resources to seek and purchase
them? His answer to my query was that i n addition to being a
Rosh Yeshivah i n Yeshivah Torah Vodaat, he is a Rav of a shul.
One of the things the congregants expect of h i m for the salary
they pay him, is to deliver a derashah every Shabbat and Yom
Tov. I f per chance he finds one good vort — thought — for a
derashah i n the sefer, the money he spent for it was a well
w o r t h investment.
It is my fervent wish that Rabbis and laymen, teachers
and students w i l l find this volume i n the Vedibarta Bam series
a useful source for this year and years to come.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The credit for producing this volume is not totally mine. I
must acknowledge the talent of my very skillful and
meticulous editor Dr. Binyamin Kaplan. Recently he moved
to Los Angeles California, where he holds an important
position w i t h the Union of Orthodox Congregations.

16
 FOREWORD

Nevertheless, he has always found time (at times during the

late hours of the night) to review, edit and elucidate my
writings w i t h his invaluable insights and comments.
My daughter, Mrs. Yehudis Leiter has lent her secretarial
skills to this publication. For her assistance i n propagating
Torah, may she and her husband Shimon merit to see much
Yiddishe and Chassidishe nachas from their family.
Rabbi Yonah Avtzon is a friend who goes beyond the call.
He heads Sichot In English, which has become one of the
largest Jewish publishing houses, and I thank h i m for taking
the disseminating of Vedibarta Bam under his wings.
Finally, the secret of Rabbi Avtzon's success is his
colleague Yitzchok Turner. In all sincerity I must state that
were it not for his patience and perseverance, computer skills
and talents, mentchlichkeit and unassuming personality, this
book could not have been a reality. Lacking adequate words
of praise and recognition, I w i l l suffice by saying yasher koach
and may Hashem reward h i m handsomely.
To my wife whose understanding enables me to
accomplish, to my children, grandchildren and relatives, and
to all the readers who have become part of our extended
family, I wish a Kesivah Vechasimah Tovah and a year of Geulah
and Yeshuah for Klal Yisrael.

Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky

2 Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5761

17
 VEDIBARTA BAM

N O T E ON TRANSLITERATION AND FORMAT

Transliteration generally employs the Sephardi accent,

w i t h the following usages:
1. Words w i t h a final hei are spelled w i t h a final "h."
2. " E i " (the vowel-sound i n "freight") is used for a tzere.
3. " A i " is used for the vowel-sound i n the word "tide."
4. A n apostrophe is used between distinct consecutive
vowels, as i n "Ba'al."
5. A n "e" is used for a vocalized sheva, i.e. "bemeizid," not
"b'meizid."
6. "F" is preferred to "ph."
7. "O" is used for cholem.
8. Doubling of consonants is generally avoided.
Use of Italics:

Transliterated Hebrew words are generally given i n italics

without capitalization, except for proper nouns, which are
capitalized and, i n the case of names, not italicized. Some
exceptions are made for very familiar Hebrew words, such as
"Torah."

English and Hebrew:

Names of Biblical persons and names of the books of the
Pentateuch are given i n Hebrew, but other books of Tanach
are given i n English; thus "Moshe" is preferred to "Moses,"
"Bereishit" to "Genesis," and "Proverbs" to "Mishlei."
Generally English words are preferred to Hebrew ones, but
often the content requires the use of the Hebrew.
Exceptions:
Exceptions to these rules most often involve forms
already familiar to the English reader, forms that would
otherwise be awkward, and ones likely to be mispronounced.

18
Rosh Hashanah —
Derashot —
Sermonic Material
20 VEDIBARTA BAM

INGREDIENT FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE

It is customary on Rosh Hashanah to extend greetings and

felicitations to one another. I n addition to the traditional
greeting of "K'sivah vachasimah tovah" — "May you be written
up and inscribed for a good year" — I think it is also
appropriate for us to wish each other a hearty Mazel Tov. The
reason is that on the first Rosh Hashanah a great wedding took
place. Adam was introduced by Hashem to Chavah, and they
immediately got married. I f not for that wedding, we would
not be here today, and thus we are all ba'alei simchah — part of
this great joyous event.
Let me introduce you to this young couple, and share
w i t h you some insights concerning their married life. Adam
the chatan was the most handsome man that ever lived. In
describing the beauty of the Talmudic sage Rav Avuhu, the
Gemara (Bava Metzia 84a) says that his beauty was "mei'ein" —
somewhat similar — to that of the patriarch Yaakov, and the
beauty of the patriarch Yaakov was somewhat similar to the
beauty of Adam. The Gemara (Megillah 15a) says that the
matriarch Sarah was one of the four most beautiful women in
the world, and the Gemara (Bava Batra 58a) also says that
Sarah compared to Chavah was like a monkey compared to a
human. Thus, Chavah was the most beautiful woman i n the
world who ever lived.
Their wedding was very elaborate, and the one who
adorned her like a kallah and led her down the aisle to meet
the chatan was no one else but Hashem (Midrash Rabbah
Bereishit 18:1). The young couple, after the wedding took up
the most exclusive residence. They lived i n the Garden of
Eden. Since the whole world was at their disposal, they could
easily be considered the richest couple that every lived.
Not having a mother to teach her how to prepare meals,
Chavah was now faced w i t h her first task — to prepare a
repast for her newly married husband. Like any young wife,
 ROSH HASHANAH 21

she undoubtedly sought to prepare some delicacy for h i m

which would soothe his palate and enhance his admiration of
her. So she went out shopping i n the Garden and met a
member of the animal world, "Mr. Serpent." They got into a
conversation and he advised her that she could make an
excellent meal for her husband from the fruits of the Tree of
Knowledge. To be extra sure she first tried it on herself, and
being convinced that it was very tasty, she gave also to her
husband and together they enjoyed the food.
Suddenly they heard the voice of Hashem, and Adam
realized that he committed an iniquity. I n the beginning he
tried to blame it on his wife, but it was to no avail. Hashem
held h i m responsible and expelled h i m from his exquisite
residence, the Garden of Eden, and he and all humanity
suffered the consequences of this sin to this very day.
In today's society, what do you think would have
happened i f such an incident took place? Considering the
staggering statistics of broken marriages and high divorce
rates, I think they would have immediately gotten divorced.
After all, i f on the first day of their marriage she had already
affected h i m negatively, what kind of future could Adam
anticipate having together w i t h her? Perhaps many a modern
day marriage counselor would consider divorce appropriate
and encourage it i n order to nip any trouble i n the bud before
they become entangled w i t h any children they may bring to
the world.
Is this what Adam did? The answer is no. Not only did
Adam not divorce Chavah, but they remained married for
many hundreds of years afterwards.
What, you may ask, helped Adam to make his decision?
Immediately after the episode, the Torah tells us,
"Veha'Adam yada et Chavah ishto" — "And the man had known
his wife Chavah [and she conceived and bore Kayin]."
According to the commentaries, "yada" is i n the past-perfect
and is telling us that the conception and birth of Kayin had
occurred before the sin and expulsion from the Garden of
22 VEDIBARTA BAM

Eden. According to p'shuto shel mikra — the simple reading of

the Torah — this is a part of the sequence of events.
The word "yada" can mean "understood." Adam knew his
wife all the time, but now he gained insight about her. The
Torah is telling us that immediately after their expulsion,
Adam did not attack her or cast blame on her and become
divorced, but Adam knew his wife and understood his wife.
He knew that she was only human and understood that as a
mortal being she could err. Thanks to this realization he
remained on as her husband for many years, and together
they brought children into this world and continued to
develop the world into a comfortable place for mankind.
One of the reasons for the unfortunate quick dismantling
of so many marriages is the lack of yada — the fact that the
man does not want to understand that his wife is human, or
that she does not want to understand that her husband is
human. The ingredient for a happy marriage is "yada" —
"understanding."
On the subject of understanding, the Gemara (Nedarim
41a) says, "He who has understanding has everything i n h i m ,
and he who does not have it i n h i m , what is w i t h i n him? He
who acquires it, what does he lack, and he who has not
acquired it, what has he acquired?"
When a couple set out to make a home, the Torah
requires a mezuzah to be placed on the entrance. On the
outside of the mezuzah is a "shin" which represents
Hashem's name of , which, like the many different
names of Hashem, denotes a phase of His many functions.
According to the Kabbalists, this name is also an acrostic for
the words ‫" — ״שומר דלתות ישראל״‬The protector of Jewish
homes." In addition to the spiritual powers of the mezuzah
which bring protection and success to the home, I think there
is also a very important lesson which the mezuzah constantly
implies to the residents and those who enter into the home.
When a mezuzah is affixed to the doorpost, it is placed on
a slant. The simple reason for this is that there is a difference
 ROSH HASHANAH 23

of opinion i n halachah whether the mezuzah should be affixed

vertically or horizontally. To satisfy both opinions, a
compromise is made by putting it on a slant (Yoreh Dei'ah
289:6).
Perhaps it can also be said that there is a homiletical
message conveyed by affixing the mezuzah on a slant.
I f one wants the home to be protected, i f one wants the
home to be long lasting, then everyone must bend a little bit.
Bending means having understanding. I f everyone wants to
stand only upright and only understand themselves and not
their partners, their home w i l l not exist. I f on the other hand,
there is understanding and i f one "bends" and is ready to
make a compromise, the home w i l l be blessed and long
lasting.
It is customary at a wedding to give out souvenirs to the
guests. I think the souvenir to best be remembered from
Adam and Chavah's first day of marriage is that their
marriage lasted thanks to "yada" — the understanding of each
other that they demonstrated. W e and our children w i l l be
blessed w i t h long and happy marriages i f we always apply the
important ingredient of "yada" — "understanding."
24 VEDIBARTA BAM

G R A N D OPENING —
G O I N G O U T OF BUSINESS

A story is told of a foreigner who came to America and

wanted to open a department store. Not knowing the
American lifestyle, he walked the streets to learn how
business is done i n America, and he noticed that a certain
store was attracting a much larger crowd than all the others.
When he inquired as to the reason, he was informed that
there was a sign above the store which read "Grand Opening"
and that this usually attracts many people. He continued on
his stroll and noticed another store a few blocks away which
was also attracting more customers than all the other stores.
Again he inquired and he was told that above this store was a
sign "Going Out of Business" and that such a sign also tends
to attract many inquisitive people.
Wanting his store to be a tremendous success, and
unfamiliar w i t h the English language, he hired a sign maker
to copy both signs and place them above the entrance to his
store. Business was terrible; people did not come i n because
they were convinced that the store was operated by a
"meshuganer" — "lunatic."
This story, which has an amusing note to it, unfortunately
portrays many facets of life i n general, and Jewish milestones
in particular. Bar Mitzvah is the first celebration i n which a
young Jewish boy actively participates. But how sad is it
when the Bar Mitzvah boy and his family, after attending
services i n the synagogue drive away on Shabbat to a non-
kosher restaurant for a festive repast. In actuality, for this boy
and his family, the "grand opening" and "going out of
business" took place at the same time.
You and I have seen the lavish Bar Mitzvot where a huge
birthday cake is rolled i n w i t h fourteen candles on it. The
candles are l i t up and then the Bar Mitzvah boy takes a deep
breath and blows out all the candles. When this happens all
 ROSH HASHANAH 25

are very happy and applaud the young man. How often is it
that w i t h blowing out of the candles he is proclaiming that on
the day of his "grand opening," he is also "going out of
business" and drawing the curtain on his interest i n Torah
and Yiddishkeit?
I am sure you all know of many weddings which were
entered into w i t h much love and anticipation, and
unfortunately end immediately afterwards w i t h strife and
animosity. The same holds true w i t h businessmen who enter
into a partnership which immediately turns into a disastrous
battle i n court. I can go on and on, but it is not necessary
because I am sure you can all think of many examples of the
"grand opening" and the "going out of business" taking place
in quick succession.
In the Musaf liturgy we declare, "Hayom harat olam" —
"Today is the birth of the world." In reality, the creation of
the world started a few days earlier, but Rosh Hashanah is the
birth of Adam — the first man — through w h o m the creation
of the world reached fruition.
On this day Adam, the progenitor of mankind, made his
"Grand Opening." Annually, on Rosh Hashanah, Hashem gives
each man and woman the chance to start afresh and make a
"grand opening." There are also some people who have a
"grand opening" followed very quickly by a "going out of
business." They make lofty resolutions and commitments
regarding their relationship w i t h other people and Hashem i n
the year to come. Unfortunately, however, these are often
very quickly disregarded and forgotten.
Let us resolve to stay i n business throughout the year,
and go from strength to strength i n our devotion and
observance of Torah and Yiddishkeit. W i t h such an approach
our "grand opening" w i l l bring happy and prosperous results.
26 VEDIBARTA BAM

A N E X E R C I S E IN TRANSLATION

One of the most stirring and thought provoking prayers

which is recited both on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is the
"Unetaneh tokef kedushat hayom" — "Let us now relate the
power of this day's holiness." It was written by Rabbi A m n o n
of Mainz, Germany approximately one thousand years ago,
and it has become one of the highlights of the repetition of
the Musaf. There is a fascinating story behind this prayer and
its originator.
The bishop of Mainz insisted that his friend and advisor,
Rabbi Amnon, convert to Christianity. In order to buy time,
Rabbi A m n o n asked for three days to meditate upon the
question. Upon returning home he was distraught at having
given the impression that he even considered betraying his
G-d.
Rabbi A m n o n spent the three days i n solitude, fasting
and praying to be forgiven for his sin, and he did not return
to the bishop. Finally the bishop had h i m brought and
demanded an answer. Rabbi A m n o n replied that his tongue
should be cut out for the sin of saying he would consider the
matter. Furious, the bishop said that the sin was not i n what
he said, but i n his legs for not coming as he had promised. He
ordered that Rabbi Amnon's feet be chopped off, joint by
joint. They did the same to his hands. After each amputation
Rabbi A m n o n was asked i f he would convert, and each time
he refused. Then the bishop ordered that he be carried home,
a maimed and mutilated cripple, together w i t h the amputated
parts.
When Rosh Hashanah arrived a few days later, Rabbi
A m n o n asked to be carried to the A r k . Before the
congregation recited the Kedushah, he asked to be allowed to
sanctify Hashem's name i n shul, as he had i n the bishop's
palace. He recited "Unetaneh Tokef" and then upon completing
the prayer, returned his soul to Hashem.
 ROSH HASHANAH 27

Three days later, Rabbi A m n o n appeared i n a dream to

Rabbi Kalonymus ben Meshullam, a great Talmudic scholar
and Kabbalist of Mainz, and after teaching the text of
Unetaneh Tokef, asked h i m to send it to all parts of Jewry to be
inserted into the Rosh Hashanah liturgy. Rabbi Amnon's wish
was carried out, and the prayer became an integral part of the
Rosh Hashanah service. Some time later it was included i n the
Yom Kippur service as well i n most communities.
In the middle of this prayer everyone screams out w i t h all
their might, "U'teshuvah, u'tefillah, u'tzedakah, ma'avirin et ro'a
hagezeirah" — which is popularly translated to mean, "And
repentance, and prayer, and charity, remove the evil decree."
The Lubavitcher Rebbe i n one of his discourses, called to
the listeners attention that when one carefully analyzes this
translation and looks up the meaning of the words i n the
dictionary, he w i l l be surprised to learn that it is inaccurate
and that it does not i n any way convey the profound meaning
of teshuvah, or tefillah, or tzedakah.
The popular translation for "teshuvah" is "repentance,"
which means regret and contrition for sins or omissions of
good deeds; and the resolve to start afresh. The term
repentance is conceived as, "to turn over a new leaf" — to
become a new man.
"Teshuvah" means something very different. It emphasizes
not the idea of "newness," but of "return." A Jew is
intrinsically good and wants to do good; sin is completely
antithetical to his nature. I f he does transgress, the
transgression does not affect his essential self, but remains a
foreign thing that has adhered to him.
Teshuvah, then, is the return to that essential, real self of a
Jew. While a person is a composite of body and soul, i n a Jew
the soul is primary and the body secondary; and that soul is
(no less than) a part of Hashem above. Teshuvah is therefore
the reforging of the essential union between the soul and its
source, a union which was temporarily i n abeyance through
28 VEDIBARTA BAM

sin. In other words, a Jew, through teshuvah, reveals his true

self and reasserts the soul's mastery over the body.
Teshuvah is relevant also to the completely wicked. N o
matter how low a person has fallen, hope is never lost. He
can always do teshuvah since he does not need to perform any
revolutionary act or create a new existence. He need merely
return to his inner self.
"Prayer" according to the dictionary is the idea of
supplication, petition; one entreats Hashem to grant one's
requests. I f nothing is lacking, or there is no desire for
anything, there is no "prayer."
"Tefillah," on the other hand, means "union." A similar
expression is found i n the Torah. When Bilhah gave birth to a
second child, Rachel said "Naftulei Elokim niftalti im achoti" —
" [ w i t h ] attachments from the Omnipresent I have become
attached to my sister" (Bereishit 30:8, Rashi). Through
Tefillah, one becomes united and attached to Hashem." I n
contrast to prayer, w i t h its emphasis on Hashem's fulfilling
one's request, tefillah stresses man's striving to achieve union
w i t h Hashem.
Thus, unlike prayer, tefillah is fully relevant even to those
who are not i n any obvious need. Tefillah is not only the
requesting of one's needs (although this is certainly a part of
tefillah), but principally the instrument whereby a Jew and his
Maker are joined.
"Charity" is commonly defined as alms, gratuitous
benefactions for the poor. The giver of charity is a benevolent
person, giving although he is not obligated to do so. He does
not owe the poor anything, but gives because of his
generosity.
"Tzedakah" has a completely opposite meaning. Its root
word is "tzedek" which means "justice." Thus, instead of
connoting benevolence, it is the idea of justice — that it is
only right and just that one give tzedakah. There are two
reasons for this:
 ROSH HASHANAH 29

1) A person is obligated to give to another, for the money

is not his own. Hashem has given the money to h i m on trust
so that he can give it to others.
2) Hashem is not beholden to man, yet gives h i m what he
needs. A Jew must act i n the same way, He must give to
others although not beholden to them. In return, Hashem
rewards h i m i n like manner. Because he has transcended his
natural instinct and given when not beholden, Hashem i n
turn grants h i m more than he is otherwise worthy of
receiving.
The true meaning of "teshuvah, tefillah, and tzedakah,"
then, is a Jew returning to his true self — teshuvah — a Jew
achieving union w i t h Hashem — tefillah — and a Jew acting
justly — tzedakah.
In merit of our conducting ourselves i n accordance w i t h
the profound meaning of teshuvah, tefillah, and tzedakah, we
w i l l not be exposed to anything unfavorable, but only
Hashem's goodness and kindness w i l l follow us all the days
of our lives.
(‫)לקוטי שיחות חייב‬
30 VEDIBARTA BAM

PRACTICE W H A T Y O U P R E A C H

Many lessons have been derived from the shofar which we

blast on Rosh Hashanah. Permit me to add one more.
According to halachah there is no l i m i t to how big the shofar
may be. In fact, i n the Musaf prayers we w i l l quote the
prophet Isaiah who says, "And it shall be on that day yitaka
bashofar gadol — a big shofar shall be sounded." H o w big is big
I do not know, but most probably it is bigger than the biggest
shofar we have seen i n the stores or i n pictures.
There is, however, a m i n i m u m size for a shofar. The
Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 27b) and the Rav i n Shulchan Aruch
(586:13) say that i t must be at least one tefach, which is equal
to the w i d t h of four thumbs, so that when one grasps a tefach-
long shofar w i t h the four fingers i n the palm of his hand, the
shofar would be visible on either side of the hand.
The significance of this requirement may be the
following. We use the shofar to make noise to alarm or to call
to attention. The hand represents action. Many people are
noisemakers or big talkers, but they are deficient when it
comes to doing. The message of the shofar is that noise alone
is not sufficient: people have to be able to see that what you
speak of can also be seen through your hand. In other words,
practice what you preach.
In a certain city there once lived two brothers by the
name Schapiro. One was the town's rabbi, and the other the
town's doctor. One day an elderly woman was not feeling
well. She dialed the telephone and politely asked, "Is this my
good friend, Dr. Schapiro?" The response came from the
other side, "Sorry Ma'am, I am the one who preaches. My
brother is the one who practices."
Hashem told the prophet Isaiah, "Kashofar hareim kolecha"
— "Raise your voice like a shofar" (58:2). In light of the
above, it can be said that Hashem's message was that
whenever one raises his voice, whenever one preaches,
 ROSH HASHANAH 31

whenever one lectures and makes demands, let your voice be

like a shofar. Just as a shofar has to be seen through your hand,
likewise, practice what you preach and be a living example to
those who you want to inspire.
32 VEDIBARTA BAM

H O W O L D IS T H E W O R L D ?

The secular world continually disputes our belief that the

world is only less than six thousand years old. Their
arguments are supported by the many fossils which have
been found, dating, according to their scientific calculations,
millions of years back.
How can our belief that the world is less than 6,000 years
old and their findings be reconciled?
Surely, the G-d-given Torah, not developed by the human
mind, is more accurate. People may err, using means of
measurement and understanding which are only human.
Even i f we accept the opinion of the secular world, there are
many explanations which we can offer to eliminate the
seeming contradiction to Torah one of them i n the following:
According to the Gemara (Chullin 60a), Hashem created
the world i n an already developed state. The trees were fully
grown and already bearing fruit. Likewise, Adam was not
created a new-born baby, but rather a fully-grown man. Thus,
according to our measurements, i f we were to find the
remains of Adam, it would be "correct" to claim that they are
older than the actual age of the world.
Likewise, it is possible that during creation, Hashem
created stones which had the characteristic of ones millions
of years old, and therefore the scientific calculations are
"correct." This does not, however, mean that the world was
created millions of years ago, but that the stones bear the
traces of the years since creation plus their "age" at creation.
 ROSH HASHANAH 33

T H E MASTER K E Y — A B R O K E N H E A R T

One year, Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem Tov said to Rabbi

Ze'eiv Kitzes, one of his senior disciples, "You w i l l blow the
shofar for us this Rosh Hashanah. I want you to study all the
kavanot (kabbalistic meditations) that pertain to shofar so that
you should meditate upon them when you do the blowing."
Rabbi Ze'eiv applied himself to the task w i t h joy and
trepidation: joy over the great privilege that had been
accorded h i m , and trepidation over the immensity of the
responsibility. He studied the kabbalistic writings that
discuss the multifaceted significance of the shofar and what
its sounds achieve. He also prepared a sheet of paper on
which he noted the main points of each kavanah — devotional
intent — so that he could refer to them when he blew the
shofar.
Finally, the great moment arrived. It was the morning of
Rosh Hashanah, and Rabbi Ze'eiv stood on the bimah —
reading platform — i n the center of the Ba'al Shem Tov's
synagogue amidst the Torah scrolls, surrounded by a sea of
tallit-draped bodies. A t his table i n the southeast corner of the
room stood his master, the Ba'al Shem Tov, his face aflame.
A n awed silence filled the room i n anticipation of the climax
of the day — the piercing blasts and sobs of the shofar.
Rabbi Ze'eiv reached into his pocket and his heart froze:
The paper had disappeared! He distinctly remembered
placing it there that morning, but now it was gone. Furiously,
he searched his memory for what he had learned, but his
distress over the lost notes seemed to have incapacitated his
brain: His m i n d was a total blank. Tears of frustration filled
his eyes. He had disappointed his master, who had entrusted
him w i t h this most sacred task. He had to blow the shofar like
a simple horn, without any kavanot. W i t h a despairing heart,
Rabbi Ze'eiv blew the sounds required by halachah, and
avoiding his master's eye, resumed his place.
34 VEDIBARTA BAM

A t the conclusion of the day's prayers, the Ba'al Shem Tov

made his way to the corner where Rabbi Ze'eiv sat sobbing
under his tallit. "Gut Yom Tov, Reb Ze'eiv!" he called, "That
was a most extraordinary shofar blowing we heard today!"
"But Rebbe...Why...?"
"In the king's palace," said Rabbi Yisrael, "There are
many gates and doors, leading to many halls and chambers.
The palace keepers have great rings holding many keys, each
of which opens a different door. But there is a master key that
opens all the doors. The kavanot are keys, each unlocks a door
and accesses another chamber i n the supernal worlds. But
there is one key which unlocks all doors and which can open
the innermost chambers of the Divine palace. That master
key is a broken heart."
(‫ מועדים‬,‫)סיפורי חסידים‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 35

A C A L L F R O M HASHEM

Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the creation of Adam,

the first man. The Torah does not record what he did on his
first day except for the account of how Hashem took h i m and
placed h i m i n Gan Eden to work it and guard it, w i t h explicit
instructions not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good
and evil.
The Torah relates that Adam and his wife Chavah were
both naked, but they were not ashamed. When they violated
Hashem's command and ate from the Tree of Knowledge, the
eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they
were naked, so they sewed together fig leaves and they made
themselves aprons. Suddenly they heard the voice of Hashem
and they hid. Hashem called out to the man and said to him,
"Ayekah?" — "Where are you?" He replied, " I heard Your
voice i n the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I
hid" (Bereishit 3:1-8).
This seemingly simple story is very enigmatic. While at
times a person may allow himself to lie to his friend, no one
would have the audacity to lie to Hashem face to face! As you
w i l l recall, a moment ago we mentioned that when they
realized they were naked, they made themselves aprons. N o w
Hashem is talking to Adam, who is dressed i n his apron, and
he tells Hashem, " I h i d because I was naked"?!
Man has been sent to this mundane and earthly world "to
work it and guard i t . " It is incumbent upon h i m to study
Torah and perform mitzvot and conduct his life i n accordance
to Torah instructions. For this he w i l l ultimately merit a
respected place i n Gan Eden.
While some are faithful to their mission, unfortunately
there are those who get side-tracked. The glitter of success
blinds them into thinking that " I am a self-made man, a
secure individual and have everything that is needed to
assure myself the very best." Little by little man forgets about
36 VEDIBARTA BAM

his dependence on Hashem and begins to make for himself

"garments" — security blankets which he is sure w i l l protect
him.
This is all good till one day he is awakened from his
slumber by a "kol Hashem" — "the voice of Hashem."
Suddenly, G-d forbid, he is taken to the hospital w i t h a
cardiac arrest or another serious ailment. Sometimes a
catastrophe i n his business shatters the entire security on
which he confidently relied. A t times it may be a tragedy in
his family which casts h i m into gloom and despair. A l l these
are the different forms of "kol Hashem" — the voice of
Hashem calling man "Ayekah?" — "Where are you?" —
"Wake up." A t that time man realizes his nakedness without
Hashem. Everything he thought he had, all that he built and
amassed, is really nil.
This is what also occurred w i t h Adam. Living i n Gan Eden
and having everything available at his disposal, he "opened
his eyes" and perceived himself as secure and successful.
Now he could do whatever he wanted, he thought, and not
fear. When suddenly he heard a "call from Hashem," he came
to the realization how insignificant and "naked" he really
was.
Hopefully, no one should ever, G-d forbid, get "a call from
Heaven" to awaken him. May the call of the shofar of Rosh
Hashanah be sufficient to bring us out of our slumber. Let us
resolve on this day, happy, healthily, and i n good spirit, to
direct our lives according to the w i l l of Hashem.
(‫ מבוסטון‬,‫)הרב יוסף דוב הלוי דיל סאלאווייטשיק‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 37

PAY U P Y O U R PLEDGES

The Haftarah for the first day of Rosh Hashanah is the story
of a woman named Chanah who yearned for a child and,
together w i t h her husband Elkanah, would annually make a
pilgrimage to pray i n the Tabernacle of Shiloh. Eventually she
was blessed w i t h a child, w h o m she named Shmuel because,
" I borrowed h i m from Hashem." The most well-known
reason for designating this story as the Haftarah on Rosh
Hashanah is that it was on Rosh Hashanah that Hashem
remembered Chanah and made it possible for her to conceive
(see Rosh Hashanah 11a).
One may, however, wonder, is this the only thing
recorded i n Scriptures which took place on Rosh Hashanah?
For instance, i t was on Rosh Hashanah that the prophet Elisha
came to Shunam and blessed the woman w i t h a child (see I I
Kings 4:8, and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 597:1, Taz). It was
also on Rosh Hashanah that the people gathered around Ezra
to hear the Torah being read and resolved to follow its
teachings. When the listeners wept because they realized that
they had been neglecting the teachings of the Torah, Ezra and
Nechemia told them not to "mourn or weep" since it was
Rosh Hashanah. "Go eat rich foods," they said, "and drink
sweet drinks...for today is sacred to Hashem" (see Nehemia,
chap. 8).
Perhaps we can add another reason for specifically
selecting the story of Chanah to be read on Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah is a day when many come to shul w i t h a tremor
in their heart, not knowing what the New Year entails for
them. They make resolutions and even vows of loyalty to
Hashem and donations to charity, etc., hoping that i n this
merit their wishes w i l l be granted and they w i l l be blessed
w i t h a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
Unfortunately, when the inspiration of the crisis disappears
38 VEDIBARTA BAM

and when the danger is over, many pledges remain

unredeemed and many vows are violated or forgotten.
I am reminded of the story of the old woman who was
about to walk across an old, rickety bridge. She said, "O G-d,
i f I get through safely, I w i l l give one hundred dollars to
charity." When she was a quarter of the way across and all
seemed well, she said, "O G-d, I do not have so much. You
won't mind, I know; fifty dollars are also enough." As she
walked a little further, the bridge suddenly began to shake
underneath her feet. "Oh," she said, " I only made a joke and
G-d took me seriously."
Chanah was a woman who was lacking fulfillment. She
wanted very much to have a child of her own, and for years
she came to the Tabernacle, poured out her heart, and
beseeched Hashem to grant her a son. Together w i t h this she
vowed, " I f You w i l l look upon the anguish of Your
maidservant and give Your maidservant a male child, then I
w i l l give h i m to G-d all the days of his life." Finally her wish
was granted, and when the boy was still very young, she
brought h i m to the house of Hashem i n Shiloh.
Though she could have procrastinated and waited till he
became much older, claiming, "A young little boy needs the
tender loving care of his mother," she did not look for
excuses or loopholes, but made every effort to fulfill her
pledge promptly.
This may be a reason for reading specifically about this
event among all those which took place on Rosh Hashanah. It
is a reminder to all of us that when i n the midst of our
inspiration and fervent prayers we make resolutions, vows,
and oaths to improve our relationship w i t h Hashem and man,
we should remember to act tomorrow i n accordance w i t h the
resolutions we have made today. Chanah was blessed w i t h an
abundance of nachas for keeping her word and we, too, w i l l be
richly rewarded when we fulfill our promises.
 ROSH HASHANAH 39

DON'T DISCOURAGE Y O U R C H I L D

On Rosh Hashanah we read the first chapter and part of the

second of the Book of Samuel, which discusses Chanah's
praying to Hashem and how she honored her vow without
any reservation. The third chapter relates an episode w i t h
little Shmuel when his mother left h i m i n the Sanctuary to be
inducted into the service of Hashem.
In the narrative it is related, "And it came to pass at that
time, when Eli was lying i n his place — for his eyes had
begun to become dim, he could not see. Hashem called
Shmuel and he said, "Here I am." He ran into Eli and said,
'Here I am, for you called me?' and he [Eli] said, ' I did not
call you, go back and lie down.' Again the young lad heard
the voice of Hashem calling h i m , but, the aged Eli sent h i m
back telling him, 'Lo karati beni, shuv shechav' — ' I did not call
you my son, go back and lie down.' " Shmuel had not yet
known Hashem, and the word of Hashem had not yet been
revealed to him. W h e n this repeated itself a third time, Eli
realized that it was Hashem W h o was calling the lad.
This narrative of an episode which took place a few
thousand years ago is very related to our contemporary times
and conveys a poignant lesson.
We are living i n a time when many a Jewish child has
heard the voice of Hashem. They have experienced inspiring
moments i n their life and have expressed to their parents a
desire to learn about our golden heritage. The child tells the
parent that he or she heard a call and would like to respond,
but the unimaginative parent w i l l say, "Shuv shechav" — "Go
back to sleep." Instead of nurturing this awakening and
helping it grow into something positive, the parent stills the
child and dampens the flame.
A story is told of a father who wanted to influence his
young son w i t h heretical views. One night, he wrote on the
side of his bed while his son was asleep: "G-d is nowhere."
40 VEDIBARTA BAM

The father hoped that this message w i l l leave an indelible

impression on his child. When the youngster awoke and
began to spell out his father's message, he jumped out of bed,
ran to his father and excitedly exclaimed, "On my bed I saw
the message written 'G-d is now here.' "
Fortunately the young members of our generation are
hearing the Divine call and refuse to listen to their parents or
mentors who tell them, "Shuv shechav" — "Go back to sleep."
In all corners of the world there is a very strong ba'al teshuvah
movement — young people from all walks of life are
returning to the fold. They are coming i n throngs to study
Torah and have accepted authentic Torah teachings as their
way of life. Let us encourage them and help them achieve
their goal of learning about our golden heritage. We should
be immensely proud of this generation, "Ki heim zera beirach
Hashem" — "They are the seed that Hashem has blessed"
(Isaiah 61:9).
 ROSH HASHANAH 41

T H E B E A U T Y OF T H E TERUAH

In the Musaf Amidah (Shemoneh Esreih) there are three

berachot known as Malchiyot — verses of kingship, Zichronot —
verses of remembrance, and Shofrot — verses referring to the
shofar. In each section there is a compilation of pesukim
discussing its respective subject, and at the end of each is a
concluding berachah. The last sentence before the recital of
the berachah for shofrot is somewhat strange. In it we declare
the greatness of Hashem, "Ki Atah shomei'a shofar uma'azin
teruah ve'ein domeh lach" — "For You hear the sound of the
shofar and listen to the teruah and there is none who can be
compared to You."
Why for shofar do we use the expression "shomei'a" —
"hear" and for teruah the term "ma'azin" — "listen"?
Rabbi Yosef T u m i m i n his commentary Pri Megadim on
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim offers the following explanation in
the name of Rabbi Chaim HaKohen Rappaport, chief Rabbi of
(Lvov) Lemberg and a senior disciple of the Ba'al Shem Tov.
Regarding the blowing of the shofar, the Torah uses the
term "teruah" (Bamidbar 29:1), and our Sages have taught that
there must also be a tekiah preceding it and following it (see
Rosh Hashanah 34a). The tekiah is a simple, straightforward
blast. The teruah is the voice of one who is sobbing and
moaning bitterly. Thus, it may be said that the tekiah
represents the tzaddikim — righteous — who have a clean
record and have lived according to the Torah all their years.
The teruah, on the other hand, represents the ba'al teshuvah,
who unfortunately spent part of his life not i n accordance
w i t h Torah, and who at a certain stage of his life decided to
change his ways and return to the fold. He, like the teruah,
sobs and moans bitterly, full of remorse for the lifestyle he
led until he saw the light and made his return.
In Parshat Ha'azinu Moshe says, "Ha'azinu hashamayim
va'adabeirah vetishma ha'aretz imrei pi" — "Give ear O Heavens
42 VEDIBARTA BAM

and I w i l l speak and may the earth hear the words of my

mouth" (31:1). Commentaries ask, why did Moshe say
"ha'azinu" — "give ear" to shamayim — and "tishma" — "hear"
— to aretz — while Isaiah said the reverse, "Shimu shamayim
veha'azinu aretz" — "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth"
(Isaiah 1:2)?
The term "ha'azinu" applies to hearing something close
by, and the term "shema" is to hear from a distance. Moshe
who achieved unparalleled heights i n the comprehension of
Divinity was closer to heaven than to earth therefore said
"ha'azinu" to earth and "tishma" to aretz. Isaiah, however, was
closer to earth than to heaven, and said "shimu" to heaven and
"ha'azinu" to earth (see ibid., Rashi).
Hashem has a special love for the ba'al teshuvah — teruah —
and He is very close to him, much more than to the originally
righteous, as our Sages have told us, " I n the place where the
ba'al teshuvah stands even tzaddikim gemurim — the greatest of
the righteous — cannot stand" (Berachot 34b). Therefore,
when we speak of the teruah — ba'al teshuvah — as opposed to
the kol shofar (Tekiah) — tzaddik —the term "ma'azin" is used
for the teruah to emphasize Hashem's closeness to the ba'al
teshuvah.
The concluding words "Ve'ein domeh lach" — "And there is
none who can be compared to You" — superficially are
enigmatic. One does not have to be Divine to be able to hear
the sounding of the shofar. Anyone whose hearing is not
impaired can hear it. I f so, what uniqueness does Hashem
possess that makes us declare, "And there is none who can
be compared to You"?
Hashem does not resemble mortal kings, who usually do
not like to use vessels which are broken or tarnished. The
ba'al teshuvah is a repaired vessel, and only Hashem, King of
Kings, has special love for this particular vessel.
(‫א‬:‫)עי׳ פרי מגדים סי׳ תקצ״ב‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 43

Perhaps another explanation to "Ve'ein domeh lach" —

"And there is none who can be compared to You" — may be
the following: The Jerusalem Talmud (Makot 2:6) relates that
a question was posed: What penalty is appropriate for the
sinning soul? Prophecy (nevu'ah) answered that the soul who
sins should be put to death. Wisdom (chochmah) answered
that the sinning soul should be punished w i t h suffering.
Torah responded, "He should bring a sacrifice and be
forgiven." Hashem Himself said, "The sinner should repent
and he w i l l be pardoned."
Hence teshuvah is something which was prescribed only
by Hashem, and therefore we say "Ve'ein domeh lach" — "And
there is none who can be compared to You."
King David says, "Ashrei ha'am yode'ei teruah" — "Happy is
the people that know the sound of the teruah" (Psalms
89:16). The Midrash Rabbah (Vayikra 29:4) asks, "But do not
the nations of the world know how to sound the blast? What
a host of horns they have! It can only mean that [the Jewish
people] know how to w i n over their Creator w i t h the blast,
so that He rises from the Throne of Judgment and goes over
to the Throne of Mercy; He is filled w i t h compassion towards
them and changes for them the Attribute of Justice to the
Attribute of Mercy. When? In the seventh month [Tishrei]."
Teruah represents the person who is doing teshuvah, which
is a most powerful Divine gift to the Jewish people.
Therefore, King David says, "Ashrei ha'am" — "Happy is the
people" — "yode'ei teruah" — "who know of the concept and
prayer of teruah [i.e. teshuvah]." Through i t they w i n Hashem
over, and He is filled w i t h compassion for them.
May we all be inspired on this auspicious day to sound
the teruah — do teshuvah — and undoubtedly He w i l l
reciprocate and w i t h mercy bestow upon us the best of
everything.
44 VEDIBARTA BAM

T H E SHAPE OF T H E SHOFAR

The shofar is narrow on one end and broad on the other.

The broad end is where the horn was attached to the animal's
head, and the narrow end is the tip of the horn. There are two
rules i n the Shulchan Aruch regarding the two ends of the
shofar. One is that i f someone mechanically changes the shape
of the shofar by applying heat, making the narrow end wide
and the wide end narrow, the shofar is pasul — disqualified.
This is based on the Torah's statement "veha'avarta shofar
teruah" — "you shall sound the blast of a teruah," i n which the
word "veha'avarta" teaches that it must be "derech ha'avarato"
— " i n the same shape as when it was removed from the
animal" (Orach Chaim 586:12).
Another halachah states that even when one does not
make any physical changes i n the shofar, but merely reverses
it and blows through the wide end, he does not fulfill the
mitzvah. A hint to this halachah is found i n the pasuk, "min
hameitzar karati Kah annani bamerchav Kah" — "from the
straights [lit. narrow] I called to G-d, and then G-d answered
me w i t h expansiveness [lit. wide open]" (Psalms 118:5).
The first halachah is very easy to comprehend, but the
second one is somewhat puzzling. To turn around a shofar
and blow through the wide side, is extremely difficult. W h y is
one who exerts such effort to produce the prescribed tones
rejected, receiving no credit for fulfilling the mitzvah?
When Bilaam was hired by Balak to curse the Jewish
people, he said i n amazement "Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov
mishkenotecha Yisrael" — "How goodly are your tents O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel" (Bamidbar 24:5). Rashi
comments that Bilaam was amazed when "he saw that the
openings [of their tents] were not lined up w i t h one opposite
the other." W h y did he focus on their "openings"?
Rabbi Baruch of Mezibush, a grandson of the Ba'al Shem
Tov, explains it i n the following way. The Midrash Rabbah
 ROSH HASHANAH 45

(Song of Songs 5:3) says that Hashem urges the Jewish

people to do teshuvah, saying: "Make a small opening like that
of the head of a needle, and I w i l l open for you an opening
through which caravans can enter." In other words, the Jew
merely has to begin the teshuvah process, and Hashem w i l l
help h i m to attain the most lofty goals. Thus, the "openings"
that Jews have to make and Hashem's reciprocal opening are
not comparable.
Therefore, i n praise and envy Bilaam said, "You Jews are
so lucky; your opening and Hashem's opening are not 'lined
up' — i.e. not identical — to each other. You only have to put
in a little effort, and Hashem opens for you the vast gates of
teshuvah. I f your G-d loves you so much, how can my cursing
possibly have an effect?"
The Rambam (Teshuvah 3:4) writes that though the
sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is one of the six
hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah, it also
conveys a call to the people to awaken from their slumber
and do teshuvah — repent to Hashem.
It may be said that the two openings of the shofar, the
narrow one and the wide one, represent the minute opening
the Jew makes and the reciprocal broad opening of Hashem.
While many may hesitate to do teshuvah, thinking that it is
very difficult for one to return and come close to Hashem, the
message of the shofar refutes this. It is simple to do teshuvah.
Just make a small opening, move closer to Hashem, and He
w i l l open up His gates for you and facilitate your return.
The halachah about turning the shofar around and blowing
through the wide end is a metaphor for those who preach
that teshuvah is very difficult and that one must go through
much effort i n order to satisfy Hashem. This approach is
contrary to our belief and, therefore, unacceptable and
disqualified. The message conveyed by our way of blowing
the shofar is that teshuvah is not difficult; a person simply has
to make a small opening — a little effort — and he w i l l reap
immense reward.
46 VEDIBARTA BAM

" N O DEPOSIT N O R E T U R N "

When a Jewish boy reaches the age of thirteen and

celebrates his Bar-Mitzvah, it is customary for h i m to receive
gifts. The most popular gift, of course, is a check, but some
also receive books and other valuable items. W h e n Yanky
became Bar-Mitzvah he was eagerly awaiting the gift that his
grandfather, a wealthy man and noted philanthropist, would
give him.
Upon returning home after the celebration he began to
unpack the gifts. His grandfather's gift came i n a box. Inside
on the top was an envelope w i t h a handsome check. As he
dug down deeper, he found an old-fashioned glass bottle of
Coca Cola. On it was a note from his grandfather telling h i m
that the bottle carried an important message for h i m to
remember all the days of his life and that it would be his key
to great success.
Unable to decipher the message, he waited till the
morning when he went to his grandfather's home, thanked
h i m for the nice check, and then asked, "What was I to learn
from the bottle?" The grandfather gently told Yanky,
"Nowadays i n most cities when you buy a bottle of soda you
pay a deposit, which you receive back when you return the
bottle. Etched i n the glass of this old bottle that I gave you,
are the words, 'no deposit no return,' and it is a important
message which you should always remember. I n life, i f one
expects a 'return,' it is necessary to make a 'deposit.' "
"Miracles do happen, but only from time to time and only
to certain people. To sit idle and wait for them to happen is
improper. It is necessary to do, to put i n one's best effort, and
undoubtedly Hashem w i l l bless one w i t h happy returns. This
is true i n every facet of life.
"When difficulties occur i n a marriage, it is necessary to
determine whether the husband and wife have really made a
'deposit' and have given of themselves to each other. W h e n a
 ROSH HASHANAH 47

partnership i n business goes sour, one should see i f each

partner really made honest deposits — earnestly devoted
himself, his time, and his interest to the business. I f a person
is disappointed w i t h the way his children are turning out, he
should ask himself, 'Is it their fault or is it mine? D i d I
deposit into them an education and appreciation of Yiddishkeit
which would produce the returns I would like to see now?' "
Rosh Hashanah is the time of the year when one makes
resolutions, but resolutions i n themselves are meaningless
and insufficient. A resolution must be supported w i t h sincere
efforts. We must not forget that "no deposit, no return." One
cannot sit back and just rely on a miracle. It is up to us to put
forth the effort and make the "deposit," and when we do, the
"return" is usually well worth it.
(‫)הרב יעקב יהודה דיל העבט‬
48 VEDIBARTA BAM

" H E R E I AM, MY SON"

The Torah reading for the second day of Rosh Hashanah is

the Akeidah — the testing of Avraham to bind his son and
prepare h i m as an offering to Hashem. Many have wondered,
"What constitutes the greatness of Avraham?" Throughout
history Jews were not just tested, but literally martyred for
the sake of Hashem.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad
Chassidut, i n his famous work sefer Likkutei Amarim —
popularly known as "Tanya" — offers the following
explanation. " I t was not the act itself, for there are numerous
saints who gave their life for the sanctification of Hashem,
even though He did not speak to them. However, Avraham
did this w i t h 'zerizut' — 'wondrous alertness' — as the Torah
states, 'vayashkeim Avraham baboker' — 'Avraham rose early i n
the morning' — to show his joy and desire to fulfill the w i l l of
his Master and to cause gratification to his Master " (Iggeret
Hakodesh 21).
According to Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Horodok, one
of the foremost students of the Maggid of Mezritch,
Avraham's uniqueness is that he was the first to face such a
difficult challenge, and when he triumphed he "opened the
channel of mesirat nefesh — martyrdom" — for future
generations (see Pri Ha'aretz, Vayeira).
Perhaps we can add another dimension to our
appreciation of Avraham's greatness and the message being
conveyed to all of humanity, particularly i n contemporary
times.
There is no doubt that anyone would comply i f Hashem
spoke to h i m personally and asked h i m to do what He asked
of Avraham. Undoubtedly, the person would prepare himself
accordingly for the fulfillment of this monumental task. For
weeks he would remain i n seclusion to sanctify and elevate
 ROSH HASHANAH 49

himself, and needless to say, he would not want to be

interrupted by anyone during this period.
Let us now take a look at Avraham's conduct. After years
of childlessness, Avraham's unequivocal reply to the Divine
test was "Hineini," — "Here I am" — I am ready. As father
and son ascend the mountain, we read, "Vayomer Yitzchak el
Avraham aviv, vayomer avi, vayomer hineni b'ni" — "And
Yitzchak spoke to Avraham his father and said, 'My father';
and he said, 'Here I am, my son.' "
We can well imagine how engrossed Avraham was i n his
thoughts and meditations and how unwilling he was to be
interrupted. Nevertheless, when his son called him, he
abandoned his lofty activities and responded immediately,
"Hineni b'ni" — "Here I am, my son." The devoted first Jewish
father and teacher of humanity realized that his child was his
first priority and deserved preference over all other matters.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe once related the following
incident involving Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the founder of
Chabad Chassidut and his son Rabbi DovBer, who later
succeeded h i m as Rebbe and leader of Chabad. Rabbi DovBer
was known for his unusual power of concentration. once,
when Rabbi DovBer was engrossed i n learning, his baby,
sleeping i n a cradle nearby, fell out and began to cry. The
infant's father did not hear the cries. However, the infant's
grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, who was i n his study on
the upper floor, and who was also engrossed i n his studies at
that time, did hear the cries. He interrupted his studies, went
downstairs, picked up the baby, soothed it and placed it back
in its cradle. To all this, the infant's father remained
oblivious.
Subsequently, Rabbi Shneur Zalman admonished his son:
"No matter how engrossed one may be i n the most lofty
occupation, one must never remain insensitive to the cry of a
child."
In contemporary times, parents are preoccupied and often
do not have time for their children. The child may be trying
50 VEDIBARTA BAM

to get his parent's attention and the parent, who is relaxing

or pursuing his usual pastimes, rebuffs the child and tells
him, "Don't bother me now; can't you see I ' m busy?"
Throughout history many have died "al kiddush Hashem"
— "sanctifying Hashem's name." When the time came for
them to perform a magnanimous act for the sake of Hashem
they complied valiantly, but unfortunately not many have had
time and patience for their children. Avraham however
passed his test w i t h flying colors.
Reading the story of the Akeidah, on this auspicious day,
is a reminder that our challenge is to always be attuned to the
call of our children and to respond immediately "Hineni b'ni"
— "Here I am, my son."
 ROSH HASHANAH 51

CONFUSING SATAN

The uniqueness of Rosh Hashanah lies i n the blowing of

the shofar, which is not blown on any other holiday.
Why is the shofar blown on Rosh Hashanah? The Sages of
the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16b) consider this question, and
suggest a peculiar answer: The shofar is blown so as to
confuse Satan. Rosh Hashanah is Judgment Day, and Satan on
that day acts as accuser. Having seduced man to sin, he then
returns to accuse h i m of the very sins which he incited. But
when he hears the sounds of the shofar, he becomes so
confused that he loses track of the proceedings and is unable
to prosecute effectively.
The obvious question, however, is what could there
possibly be i n the shofar that has such a devastating effect
upon Satan? He who all year round is full of fire and fury,
fearing no one, suddenly trembles on Rosh Hashanah — just
on account of a few blasts from the shofar?
Our Sages explain that his confusion is caused by the
numerous sounds produced by the shofar. In addition to the
smooth and long blast known as tekiah, there is a broken-up
blast of shevarim, followed by a tremulous sound of the teruah.
That confuses him!
But even that is hard to understand. H o w could it be that
the perennially old and forever-the-same clever Satan who
induces man to sin, could not by now have learned about the
shofar what any thirteen-year-old boy knows very well?
The shofar sounds on Rosh Hashanah represent different
types of Jews. First comes the tekiah, a simple, straight and
even sound, comparable i n nature to the tzaddik, who is
righteous, uncomplicated, and honest.
Shevarim means "broken" and represents the rasha — evil¬
doer — who is not satisfied w i t h his own evil ways, but,
being crooked himself, wants to see all that is whole broken
and all that is straight made crooked.
52 VEDIBARTA BAM

The teruah, which means "torn-apart," represents the

tormented soul of the ba'al teshuvah, who bemoans his past
and is now struggling to become Jewishly aware. He is no
evil-doer; he does not seek to break; he just knows very little
about being a Jew. His soul is torn because of its past, and
yearns to enter into a better and refined Torah way of life.
Finally there comes a shevarim-teruah, which is a mixture
of the two. N o t fully committed to one way of life, this Jew
wavers and fluctuates from one extreme to the other.
Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment for all. Satan
realizes that it is i n his interest to overlook the "tekiah Jew."
He agrees to rest his case against h i m but anticipates
destroying the Jews represented by the shevarim, teruah, and
shevarim-teruah. They unfortunately have provided h i m w i t h
enough ammunition to prosecute and destroy them.
Therefore, our great Sages have devised an ingenious
legal procedure to follow on Judgment Day, which even that
crafty prosecutor, Satan himself, cannot overcome. His whole
system of prosecution becomes so disrupted and disorganized
that he finds himself unable to proceed.
A n d what is this procedure? Quite simply this: They have
established a rule that a shevarim, or a teruah, or the shevarim-
teruah is never blown alone; each shevarim and each teruah is
preceded by a tekiah and followed by a tekiah. Thus, we never
see the evil-doer, the rent soul, or the wavering Jew step up
alone before the Court-on-High. They know very well that,
were they to be judged alone, they would not come off very
well. They are fortunate i n having two companions, the tekiot,
one on each side, and they all step up before the Court-on-
High and say: "We wish to be judged together. We are
brothers, inseparably attached and responsible for one
another!"
A n d so, what is there left for Satan to do? How can he
produce a valid case against all three, particularly when two
of them are righteous, even though the third is not quite so
'kosher'? I f he accuses the shevarim of a certain "break-up," it
 ROSH HASHANAH 53

is quickly covered up by the evenness and straightness of the

tekiot. The same happens i n the case of the teruah, and
shevarim-teruah. A l l come up to the tribunal flanked w i t h the
tekiot supporting them on each side, and Satan loses.
Therefore, it is understandable why Jews flock to shul on
Rosh Hashanah more than all year round. Even those who are
deeply immersed i n sins and even those who never come to
shul all year round are present. Jews feel innately that only
together do they stand a chance. Against all of them standing
together, even the crafty Satan cannot prevail. They come to
pray together w i t h the great community of Israel and are
confident that i n their merit, they too w i l l be blessed w i t h a
happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
(‫)הרב יצחק חיים שי׳ אביגדור‬
54 VEDIBARTA BAM

ASKING VERSUS WANTING

From the beginning of the month of Elul until Hoshana

Rabbah we recite twice daily the 27th Chapter of Psalms, in
which King David says, "Achat sha'alti mei'eit Hashem oto
avakeish" — "One thing I ask of G-d, that is also what I
desire."
While on the surface, it appears to be repetitious, the
truth is that King David is teaching us a lesson of cardinal
importance concerning our communication, via prayer, to
Hashem.
Unfortunately sometimes the things which "sha'alti" —
"we ask for" — and "avakeish" — "what we desire and strive
for" —are not really "achat" — "one," i.e. identical. King
David is proclaiming, "that which I ask for" and "that which I
want and desire" are "achat" — identical. You may wonder, is
there anyone who is foolish enough to pray for one thing and
work to defeat his own prayers? The answer is "yes." Permit
me to cite some examples.
Throughout the year, we pray for good health and for a
tranquil life. After our prayers, we plunge into work and
worry, i n which our physical health and nervous system get
an awful beating. Thus, the "sha'alti" — "what we asked for"
— is not complemented by the "avakeish" — "our desires."
We pray, " o u r G-d, o u r Father, return us to You i n full
repentance." Can we honestly say that we want Hashem to
grant this prayer? Do we seriously intend to alter our ways
and really do teshuvah? Is the "avakeish" compatible w i t h
"sha'alti"?
We pray for the speedy redemption of our people and that
Mashiach should bring us to our Holy Land. But are we really
ready for Mashiach? Do we seriously want to give up our
pseudo-security and our comforts to follow Mashiach to our
Holy Land?
 ROSH HASHANAH 55

In the olden days there were tzaddikim who took self-

imposed exile upon themselves. They would travel from city
to city, concealing their identity. once, such a tzaddik spent a
night i n an inn which belonged to a Jew who was alienated
from Yiddishkeit. A t midnight, the tzaddik began to recite the
prayer of Chatzot. He sat on the floor w i t h candles around
h i m and wept over the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash,
praying for Mashiach and the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash.
The innkeeper, hearing cries, traced them to the room of the
tzaddik. W i t h his master-key he opened the door and
beholding the strange scene, asked, "What is wrong? W h y
are you crying? Are you not feeling well?" The tzaddik
explained that he was crying over the destruction of the Beit
Hamikdash and praying for the speedy revelation of Mashiach.
W i t h the assurance that his guest was not ill, the innkeeper
went back to sleep.
In the morning, he related to his elderly mother the
strange episode he witnessed the night before. His mother
happened to know about Yiddishkeit, but she had become
estranged. She instructed h i m to go to the tzaddik and ask
h i m to suspend his prayers for Mashiach for three weeks
because there was a three week's supply of lard i n the barrel
which she did not want to have to throw out.
Unfortunately, there are many who verbally pray for
Mashiach without really being ready to give up their
attachments to behaviors and lifestyles which may not be
entirely "kosher."
So you see, dear friends, sometimes we utter prayers
without consciously putting an ear to what we are saying. Let
us strive during these days of prayer and teshuvah, to be
earnest i n the requests which we place before Hashem and
not only "sha'alti" — "ask of Hashem" — but also "avakeish"
— "desire and strive" to change our daily life for the better.
(‫)הרב דוד שי׳ הולונדער‬
56 VEDIBARTA BAM

T H E POTENTIAL OF T H E INDIVIDUAL

In six days the Al-mighty created the heavens, the earth,

and the earth's inhabitants. According to the Sages, creation
commenced on the 25th day of Elul and six days later, Adam,
the first man, was created (see Vayikra Rabbah 29:1).
Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of Adam, the
first man and the ancestor of humanity. Accordingly, this
singular anniversary was designated to serve as the perennial
day of judgment for Adam's descendants throughout the
generations. O n this day Adam's children should reflect and
contemplate whether man, as he evolved throughout history,
has justified the hopes and aspirations of his Creator.
o n e of the main distinguishing features i n the creation of
man is that, unlike all other species, which were created i n
large numbers, he was created single. This indicates
emphatically that one single individual has the capacity to
bring the whole of creation to fulfillment. Adam, following
his creation, single-handedly rallied all creatures i n the world
to recognize the sovereignty of the Creator. When Adam was
created, all creatures who saw h i m were gripped w i t h fear
and bowed to h i m i n mistaken belief, that he, Adam, had
created them. Adam said to them, "Do not think I created
you. 'Come, let us worship and bow down before Hashem
our Maker'" (Psalms 95:6) (see Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 11).
Adam, the first man, was the prototype and example for
every individual to follow. Every Jew — regardless of the
time, the place, and his personal status — has the capacity to
rise and attain the highest degree of fulfillment and to elevate
the entire creation.
Rosh Hashanah — the anniversary of the creation of the
first human — disproves the contention of those who sit idle
and follow the tide w i t h the excuse that it is impossible for
one person to change the world. Many of us give up when it
comes to introducing more Yiddishkeit into our neighborhood,
 ROSH HASHANAH 57

into our children's homes, or even into our own lives.

Perhaps we feel that there is no chance to add more
Yiddishkeit to the curriculum of our children's schools and
therefore we do nothing. We do this saying, "es iz farfalen, men
ken garnit tan" — " I t is a lost case, nothing can be done about
it."
The message of Rosh Hashanah is that each and every Jew
has tremendous potential, and w i t h sincere efforts he can
improve and elevate himself, his family, society, and even the
entire world.
(‫)לקוטי שיחות חייט‬
58 VEDIBARTA BAM

NEVER W R I T E - O F F YOUR CHILD

The Torah readings for the two days of Rosh Hashanah are
connected to the life of our patriarch Avraham and his son
Yitzchak.
On the first day we read about Yitzchak's birth and early
childhood, and on the second day we read about Avraham's
test, the Akeidah, i n which Yitzchak was bound on the Altar
to be sacrificed to Hashem and then miraculously spared.
The reading of the first day also discusses Yitzchak's
growing up together w i t h his half-brother Yishmael. As is
known, Yitzchak and Yishmael shared the same father,
Abraham, but they had different mothers. Yitzchak's mother
was the matriarch Sarah while Yishmael's mother was Hagar.
Sarah took great interest i n raising her only son, and did
not like his association w i t h Yishmael. o n e day, when she
observed Yishmael mocking the sublime principles of faith
and humanity and engaged i n idolatry and sexual immorality,
she sternly said to her husband Avraham "Chase out this
slavewoman and her son!"
The matter greatly distressed Avraham, for after all,
Yishmael was also his son. Nevertheless, Hashem instructed
him to listen to everything his wife demanded of him. The
following morning Avraham sent off Hagar and Yishmael,
and they strayed i n the wilderness of Beer-Sheba. Yishmael
grew up i n the wilderness and became an archer. Later, he
married an Egyptian woman and dwelt i n the wilderness of
Paran.
o n the second day of Rosh Hashanah we read the
particulars of the Akeidah test, i n which Avraham and
Yitzchak played the major role. Hashem ordered Avraham to
take his only son and bring h i m up as an offering. The Torah
relates that Avraham arose early i n the morning, saddled his
donkey and took his "two young men" w i t h h i m i n addition
to his son Yitzchak. Rashi explains that these "two young
 ROSH HASHANAH 59

men" were Yishmael and Eliezer. Commentaries (Mizrachi)

explain that Rashi derives their identities from the emphasis
"his two young men." This wording implies that while
Avraham had many servants (see 14:14), the two w i t h whom
he had a special relationship to be considered "his two young
men" were Yishmael and Eliezer.
o u r Sages explain the relevance of these two Torah
portions to Rosh Hashanah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 584,
Megillah 31a, Rashi), and over the years Rabbis have
expounded various contemporary lessons. Today I would like
to offer a novel interpretation relevant to one of the most
vexing problems of our times, a situation that is tormenting
many of our families.
Beforehand, permit me to share w i t h you a difficulty that
I have about the entire incident.
The Torah does not specify how old Yishmael was when
he was sent out of the home of Avraham and Sarah. However,
we perhaps can figure it out by the following: The Torah tells
"the child [Yitzchak] grew up and vayigamel — was weaned —
and Avraham made a great feast on the day Yitzchak was
weaned."
Immediately following this, the Torah relates Sarah's
displeasure w i t h Yishmael's behavior and her demand that he
be chased out of their home.
So obviously this incident took place after Yitzchak's
being weaned.
There is a difference of opinion concerning the weaning
that was celebrated. According to Rashi, Yitzchak was than
twenty four months old, and he stopped being breast fed.
According to the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 53:10) he was
weaned from his Yeitzer Hara — evil inclination. When a
Jewish child is born, he has a Yeitzer Hara — evil inclination
— and his Yeitzer Tov — good inclination — first enters fully
when he reaches the age of Bar Mitzvah (see Rav Shulchan
Aruch — Mahadura Tinyana — 4:2). Thus, till Bar Mitzvah he is
more under the influence of this evil inclination, and when he
60 VEDIBARTA BAM

becomes Bar Mitzvah, thanks to the full entry made by the

Yeitzer Tov, he is weaned, so to speak, from the Yeitzer Hara.
Consequently, at the party which took place immediately
prior to Yishmael's being sent away, Yitzchak was either two
or thirteen years old.
A t the Akeidah, Yitzchak was thirty seven years old
according to all opinions. Consequently, Yishmael had been
away from Avraham either 24 or 35 years prior to the
Akeidah.
As mentioned, all this time Yishmael wandered i n the
wilderness and ultimately took up residence i n the wilderness
of Paran. Nowhere is there any mention that he returned to
Avraham's home. I f so, how is it possible that on the
morning after receiving the Divine command of the Akeidah,
Avraham should take along w i t h h i m his two young men, one
of w h o m was Yishmael?
From the entire sequence it can be surmised that
Avraham obediently complied w i t h Sarah's order and indeed
sent Yishmael away. Nevertheless, he maintained a
continuous contact w i t h Yishmael. After all, regardless of his
conduct, Yishmael was his son and Avraham was his father.
Disassociating himself from h i m would not make Yishmael
any better. o n the contrary, leaving h i m i n the wilderness
alone w i t h his mother would only increase his chances of
becoming a nomad and a pera-adam — a wild-ass of a man.
Therefore, though he would not bring Yishmael into his
home, lest he have a negative influence on Yitzchak, as Sarah
feared, Avraham would meet Yishmael on a regular basis and
thus the opportunity to have hearty father-to-son talks w i t h
h i m and teach h i m right and wrong.
When Avraham received the heavenly call from Hashem,
asking h i m to bring up Yitzchak as an offering, Avraham
contacted Yishmael and asked h i m to accompany h i m on a
journey. Avraham was convinced that this was a once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity for Yishmael to see his father's
commitment to Hashem. Witnessing such a scene would
 ROSH HASHANAH 61

indeed leave an indelible impression on Yishmael and

perhaps encourage h i m to better his ways w i t h man and
particularly w i t h G-d.
The message to us i n these trying times when so many
families are experiencing difficulty i n rearing their children,
and so many wonderful boys and girls are rebelling and often
going astray is this: don't sever your relationship w i t h your
children. Always keep an "open line" to them.
Ultimately, we too w i l l be blessed w i t h the vision of the
prophet read i n the haftorah for the second day of Rosh
Hashanah that "your children w i l l return to their boundaries"
and we w i l l enjoy much Yiddish and chassidish nachas from
them.
* * *

When Avraham passed away, the Torah (Bereishit 25:8)

says that "he died at a good old age, an old man and content."
Rashi explains that the "good old age" was because Yishmael
did Teshuvah — repented. Perhaps this was a result of his
father's constant contact w i t h h i m and refusal to give up or
write h i m off
(‫)חתם סופר‬
62 VEDIBARTA BAM

AVRAHAM'S VISION

o u r Sages frown upon name calling. Not only do they

oppose calling someone by a derogatory name, but consider it
a violation to call someone by a nickname (see Shulchan Aruch
Choshen Mishpat 228:5). One need not be a Sage to agree w i t h
this. Name calling i n general and even making an unflattering
comparison is unbecoming to mature and intelligent people.
W i t h this i n mind, it is difficult to comprehend a Midrashic
interpretation of a passage i n today's Torah reading which
relates how Avraham was taking his son Yitzchak to bring h i m
up as a offering, accompanied by his two attendants, Yishmael
and Eliezer. The Torah conveys that on the third day Avraham
raised his eyes and, "Vayar et hamakom meirachok" — "He saw
the place from afar" (Bereishit 22:4). Avraham said to his
attendants, "Shevu lachem poh im hachamor..." — "Sit here by
yourselves together w i t h the donkey while i w i t h the lad will
go yonder." Regarding Avraham's expression, "shevu lachem poh
im hachamor" — "sit here by yourselves together w i t h the
donkey" — the Gemara (Yevamot 62a) comments that by
associating the two attendants w i t h the donkey, he was
alluding that they were "Am hadomeh lachamor" — "Members of
a nation who are similar to donkeys."
Superficially, isn't it puzzling that Avraham would
compare his two attendants to a donkey? I f for some reason he
did not want to take them along, he could have politely told
them to wait here until he returns, why did he speak to them
w i t h such indignity?
According to the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 56:12) the
following dialogue took place. Avraham saw a cloud hovering
over the mountain and recognized it as signifying Hashem's
presence. He turned to Yitzchak and asked, "Yitzchak, my son,
do you see what I see?" "Yes," Yitzchak said. Avraham then
understood that Yitzchak had the degree o f spiritual insight
that made h i m worthy to be an offering. He then turned to the
 ROSH HASHANAH 63

two attendants and asked, "Do you see what I see?" They
replied that they could not see anything. Noting this, Avraham
put them i n the same category as his donkey and said i n effect,
"The donkey sees nothing; and you see nothing, therefore, stay
here w i t h the donkey."
This interpretation still begs explanation. I f Avraham had
powerful vision while they were not similarly endowed, why
would he belittle them. In fact, it is against Jewish law to poke
fun at someone's handicap, as King Solomon says, "Lo'eig larash
cheiref oseihu" — "one who mocks a pauper insults his Maker"
(Proverbs 17:5). W h y would Avraham violate this and
compare them to donkeys because of their poor vision?
The only one who really knew the purpose of this journey
was Avraham. o n e can well imagine the doubts that went
through his mind during these three days. o n one hand, he
realized the greatness of Hashem. It was Hashem who mi¬
raculously had given h i m a son when he and Sarah were old
and unable to bear children. o n the other hand, his G-d who
promised him, "Ki b'Yitzchak yikarei lecha zara" — "that through
Yitzchak will offspring be considered yours" (Bereishit 21:12)
now tells h i m to bring up his son as an offering! How does one
comprehend the seemingly paradoxical views and messages of
Hashem?
I would venture to say that during the journey the four men
were not silent. Avraham being the most venerable and highly
respected by them all, opened the conversation and the sole
topic was the nature of Hashem. Endeavoring to increase the
awareness of G-dliness he turned the discussion to the topic,
"How do you perceive G-d?" As they delved into the subject,
each one expressed various views and philosophies. To the
attendants Hashem was something which they thought they
understood and comprehended. According to their way of
thinking, G-d created and sustains everything, and were He to
do something which their mind could not rationalize, it would
definitely not be the doing of Hashem. To Avraham and Yitz-
chak Hashem was far beyond human comprehension, and as the
64 VEDIBARTA BAM

prophet Isaiah (56:8-9) says i n the Name of Hashem, "For My

thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways for
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher
than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."
The word "makom" does not only mean "place." "Makom" is
another title of Hashem, as we say i n the Haggadah, "Baruch
Hamakom" — "blessed is the Omnipresent." According to the
Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 68:9), Hashem is called "Makom"
because, "Hu mekomo shel olam ve'ein olam mekomo" — "He is the
One whose holiness permeates the space of the world. The
world is contained i n H i m and not He i n the world. He is not
limited by space and therefore present everywhere."
Avraham, the Torah tells us, saw "et haMakom" — he "per¬
ceived G-d" — "meirachok" — "far ahead of h i m " — and
therefore he concluded that G-d and His doings are above hu¬
man comprehension and understanding. Though on the
surface His action, may perplex and confuse us, we are merely
stragglers and way behind. Avraham was very proud of his son
Yitzchak who shared an identical perception of Hashem as he
does.
Of the donkey the prophet Isaiah says, " A n ox knows his
owner and a donkey his master's trough [from which he eats
and gets his food]" (1:3). The donkey's relationship w i t h his
master is through the trough. He is his master's as long as he
provides h i m w i t h what he needs and should he cease, the
donkey will go wild and become destructive. Avraham simply
was using an analogy to explain the shortcoming of their
concept of G-dliness. People who perceive G-d merely as the
One who is required to provide them w i t h their immediate
needs are following "the donkey philosophy." One must
realize that "haMakom meirachok" — "G-d is far ahead of us" —
and His ways are far above our comprehension.
Regardless of the perplexity G-d is always right, and sooner
or later we will actually see it so.
 ROSH HASHANAH 65

H E A R I N G T H E C R Y OF T H E SHOFAR

The primary event on Rosh Hashanah day is the sounding

of the shofar. There are many halachot i n the Shulchan Aruch
concerning the shofar itself, the sounds produced, and the
individual who hears it. One of the halachot is that it is
obligatory to hear the actual sound of the shofar and not an
echo. I f one hears the echo of the sounds of the shofar, he has
not fulfilled the mitzvah. One may wonder why the Sages
were so insisting that the actual sound be heard. After all, the
echo sounds exactly the same as the original sounds and, it is
in fact a reflection of the original.
The Midrash Rabbah (Shemot 28:6) states that at Mount
Sinai when Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish people His
voice was unique i n that it had no echo. Usually, the stronger
the voice, the stronger the echo. Isn't the lack of echo from
Hashem's voice a sign of weakness?
The distance the voice can travel depends on the strength
of the person. When the voice reaches a wall, it rebounds,
causing an echo. The Midrash is implying that the voice of
Hashem was so powerful that it penetrated and permeated
every person and every physical part of the universe, so that
there was no echo.
The Rambam (Teshuvah 3:4) writes, "Although the
blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is an unexplained
Scriptural command, it contains an allusion: 'Sleepers,
awaken from your sleep and you that slumber awake from
your slumber, and ponder your deeds, remember your
Creator, and go back to H i m i n penitence. You who miss the
truth i n your pursuit of vanities, and waste your years i n
seeking after vain things that can neither profit nor deliver,
look after your own souls, and improve your ways and your
deeds. Let everyone of you abandon his evil ways and
thoughts and return to G-d that He may have mercy on you' "
66 VEDIBARTA BAM

The halachah of hearing an echo is imparting a very

important message. The sound of the shofar is supposed to
permeate us and move us to change and reach for higher
goals and aspirations. "Hearing an echo" means that the
sound of the shofar instead of permeating the person, has hit
h i m on the outside and has bounced off not making any
inroads into the person himself. Such a person, though he
has come to Shul and though he has heard shofar sounds, has
not really achieved the true intention of the mitzvah of
hearing shofar.
A story is told that a native villager, born and reared i n an
obscure rural environment, came to a big city for the first
time and obtained lodging at an inn. Awakened i n the middle
of the night by the loud beating of drums, he inquired
drowsily, "What is this all about?" Informed that a fire had
broken out and that the drum beating was the city's fire
alarm, he turned over and went back to sleep.
On his return home he reported to the village authorities,
"They have a wonderful system i n the big city; when a fire
breaks out, the people beat their drums and before long the
fire burns out." A l l excited, they ordered a supply of drums
and distributed them to the population.
When, some time later, a fire broke out, there was a
deafening explosion of beating of drums, and while the
people waited expectantly for the flames to subside, a
number of their homes burned to the ground.
A sophisticated visitor passing through that village, when
told the reason for the earsplitting din, derided the simple
natives: "Fools! D o you think a fire can be put out by beating
drums? They only sound an alarm for the people to wake up
and take measures to extinguish the fire."
The moral of the story is that just blowing shofar has no
real significance. We accomplish something w i t h the shofar
only i f it penetrates our very being and we are permeated
w i t h the inspiration to wake up, resort to true soul searching,
and resolve to lead a spiritually more meaningful life.
 ROSH HASHANAH 67

" W H A T IS W I T H Y O U , H A G A R ? "

The Torah reading for the first day o f Rosh Hashanah

portrays a most dramatic and gripping scene. It describes the
tragic experiences of Hagar and her only son, Yishmael, lost
in the desert. When they left the home o f Avraham, Hagar
took along a small flask o f water. The real trouble began
when the water was finally consumed. It is then that her
condition became desperate. Think o f her plight! There she
was, lost amidst the seemingly endless stretches o f burning
sand, w i t h no shelter from the blazing sun, and not a drop of
water to wet the parched lips o f her only child. The woman
could manage somehow to endure her own pangs o f thirst,
but she simply could not stand by and watch the dreadful
torment o f her boy. So, i n utter desperation, she placed
Yishmael under one of the dried up shrubs and she sat i n the
distance and wept. Suddenly an angel of Hashem appeared
and asked her, "Mah lach Hagar" — "Hagar, why are you
crying?"
This question has always intrigued me. Surely the angel
must have known why Hagar was crying. One glance was
sufficient to note the tragedy that was being enacted then and
there. What would any other mother do i n similar
circumstances? We have witnessed scenes o f mothers
breaking down when relatively minor mishaps have
overtaken their children — even after a small cut which
required a few stitches i n their darlings skin. Certainly i n this
instance, when her only child was on the verge o f death, it
was quite normal for Hagar to give vent to weeping and
wailing. W h y then did the angel ask, "Mah lach Hagar" —
"Hagar, why are you crying?" She was crying because o f her
tzorot!
Obviously the angel's question was not simply, "Why are
you crying?" but should be read as an exclamation: "Mah lach
Hagar" — "What is the matter w i t h you Hagar! Are you
68 VEDIBARTA BAM

fulfilling your obligation as a mother? Is this the proper time

for crying and self-pity? You can see for yourself that your
weeping and wailing are accomplishing absolutely nothing.
They w i l l neither still the thirst of your child nor get you out
of the desert. Do not sit idly by while your boy is i n the
throes of misery and i n the agony of death.
"Kumi" — "Arise! Get up and search for water. Turn over
every rock i n sight. Pull up every dried up shrub. A n d then, i f
you still cannot find water, dig deep into the sands of the
desert w i t h your bare hands and perhaps you w i l l uncover a
hidden spring. "Arise and pick up your child," comfort h i m
and fight w i t h every ounce of your strength for his survival.
That is what you ought to do at this very moment, instead of
sitting and crying, doing nothing to help h i m or yourself."
Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Stirred by the
sharp rebuke of the angel, Hagar resolved to heed his advice.
She rose and began a desperate search for water. Then a
miracle came to pass: "She opened her eyes and she saw a
well of living waters." She ran and gave water to her child and
quenched her own thirst, and thus both were saved. N o w the
text is quite explicit that there was no special creation of a
new well of water to satisfy the needs of Hagar and her son.
The well was there all the time. Hagar simply did not see it.
Her vision was blurred w i t h the tears that filled her eyes. The
miracle was that Hagar obeyed the Divine voice i n that she
stopped crying and began to do something about her
troubles. It was then that her eyes were opened to see the
waters which were there from the very beginning of time.
This touching story of Hagar can be applied i n many ways
to life i n contemporary society. Many parents have sought
counsel and advice i n regard to their children. Unfortunately,
they are not content w i t h the way they are developing
spiritually or worse, the absolute lack of any spirituality i n
their lives. As the conversation goes on, they often say i n
desperation, "What can you do, this is America!?" The
answer to them and many others is, "Crying and giving up
 ROSH HASHANAH 69

w i l l not produce any favorable results. I t is incumbent upon

parents to lift their child and work w i t h their child and realize
that without investing i n their child and relying that
Yiddishkeit w i l l enter into the child by a process of osmosis
there is very little chance to avoid disappointment i n years to
come.
I w i l l conclude w i t h reiterating the angelic message to
Hagar. Parents, "Kumi" — "Rise to the challenge" — it all
depends on you. "Se'i et hana'ar" — "lift the child" — to
higher spiritual levels and aspirations and then indeed you
w i l l be blessed w i t h abundance of nachas i n the years to come.
(!‫)הרב דוב אריה דיל בערזא‬
70 VEDIBARTA BAM

Y O U R C H I L D IS NOT G O O D FOR NOTHING

Recently I received a bulletin from a Congregation where a
friend of mine is the Rabbi. It contained a beautiful and in¬
spiring story which I would like to share with you today. In my
opinion, it gives insight into today's Torah reading, and the
moral of the story conveys some sound advise for many parents
who are troubled by their children's not meeting their
expectations.
An elderly woman had two large pots that hung on the ends
of a pole which she carried across her neck when she went to
draw water from the stream down the road from her house.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was
perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. A t the end
of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot
arrived only half-full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman
bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,
and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been
made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it
spoke to the woman one day by the stream. " I am ashamed of
myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out of
all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are
flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I
planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back you water them."
"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful
flowers to decorate the table. Without your being just the way
you are, the house would lack this beauty."
This, I believe, can be a parable to understand the message
G-d's angel conveyed to Hagar. On the surface we read about
Yishmael's need for some water to quench his thirst. His
 ROSH HASHANAH 71

mother, Hagar was unable to provide it, so her prognosis was

that his death was imminent. Therefore, she abandoned any
hope for his survival and sat down to cry.
On a more profound level, perhaps she was heartbroken not
only over his physical wellbeing, but also his spiritual state.
Having dwelled in the home of Avraham and Sarah, she had
witnessed how Yitzchok's refinement contrasted with her son's
chaotic behavior and debasement. Seeing no future for him, she
declared him 'good for nothing' and gave up on him.
The angel told her "Kumi — Arise — to the challenge. Every
child is good for something. Instead of knocking him down and
abandoning him for not meeting your expectations — se'ee et
hana'ar — lift up your youth — don't belittle him. Don't ridicule
him. Don't tell him 'You're no good.' Lift him up! Reach out to
him with love and encouraging words."
The angel then said to her, "vehachaziki et yadeich bo — grasp
your hand upon him — support him! Help him reach his
potential ki l'go gadol asimenu — for I will make a great nation of
him. Yes," the angel said, "everyone is good for something.
Everyone can be a great success."
The old lady in our story had a cracked pot. It couldn't meet
her expectations of providing the water she needed, but she
didn't discard it. She wisely worked with its deficiency and
through it she produced beautiful flowers.
The message for parents is the following: Even i f you ob¬
serve a flaw in your children, don't become disillusioned and it
doesn't spell devastation. They may not have delivered the re¬
sults you had in mind for them, but with warmth, support and
affection, you can ensure that they will prove that like everyone
else they have their potential. They are good for something and
will succeed immensely in that something.
But my message today is not only in regard to children.
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's up to us to
utilize the cracks and flaws to our benefit and make them a
rewarding factor in our life.
You've just got to take each person for who they are and
reveal each person's concealed good.
72 VEDIBARTA BAM

PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT A M U S T

The akeidah, which is the Torah reading of the second day

of Rosh Hashanah, has been expounded on for centuries.
Countless homiletical thoughts have been expressed on it,
and it has been given numerous elaborate explanations.
Recently, as I was reviewing it i n preparation for the High
Holiday season, something new struck me which I would like
to share w i t h you this morning.
In the narrative of the Akeidah we read of Hashem's
testing Avraham and how he faithfully accepted the test and
passed it w i t h flying colors. I n the ensuing details the Torah
relates, "Avraham rose early i n the morning and he saddled
his donkey, he split the wood, he took i n his hand the knife
and the fire. W h e n they arrived at the place of which G-d had
told him, Avraham built the altar there. He arranged the wood.
He bound Isaac his son and he placed h i m on the altar on top
of the wood. Avraham then stretched out his hand and took
the knife to slaughter his son."
Hashem's command was simply, "Take your son, go to
the land of Moriah and bring h i m up there as an offering
upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." He did
not tell h i m to saddle the donkey himself or to split the wood
himself. Nor did He tell h i m to build the altar himself, etc.
One might think that circumstances caused Avraham to do
all these things because he was unable to afford or did not
have available any people to help him. To dispel this notion
the Torah specifies that he took his two young men w i t h him.
These two were his son Yishmael, who was approximately
fifty years old at the time, and his faithful servant Eliezer,
who was dedicated to h i m and i n charge of his household.
Obviously, regardless of his assistants and the help he had
available, Avraham for some reason decided to do all these
things personally and not seek any help or intervention.
Avraham at this time was an old man of 137 years old,
and Yitzchak was a young man of 37. While for Avraham to
 ROSH HASHANAH 73

build an altar on his own perhaps was not such a herculean

task, to lift Yitzchak and place h i m on the altar atop the wood
was definitely not easy. Though he knew that he was
expected to perform a demanding task, he told his young
men to stay behind while he and the lad went on. W h y did
Avraham find it necessary to do all these details personally
and not seek any assistance?
I believe Avraham was conveying a message to posterity
in regard to the education and rearing of one's children. To
Avraham the purpose of the akeidah was to introduce his son
to a spiritual experience and indoctrinate h i m i n the service
of Hashem. It was also an education i n mesirat nefesh — self-
sacrifice for His Name. Avraham felt that the education of his
child was not something which he should delegate to others
but something to be fully involved i n personally.
In our day and age we have been blessed w i t h an
abundance of Torah oriented schools, both for boys and for
girls. The goal of many of these schools is to give our youth a
high quality education and imbue them w i t h a love for Torah
and dedication to Yiddishkeit. As good as they may be,
however, parents must be personally involved i n their
children's education. It is not enough for a parent to send his
child to a good school, pay tuition, and rely on receiving a
report card every few months or attending PTA meeting once
a year.
I am confident that parents who have investments i n
securities and the like do not leave everything up to their
financial advisors, but are quite often i n touch w i t h them and
discussing their holdings. W h y not be as involved w i t h the
valuable gifts Hashem has given us — our children — as we
are w i t h our financial interests?
Avraham's message was that parents should be fully
immersed i n every detail of their child's education and
upbringing and not rely solely on the people whose services
they have enlisted.
74 VEDIBARTA BAM

YITZCHAK'S G R E A T E S T F E A R

In the Akeidah episode, Yitzchak is described as an inactive

participant. Avraham did everything, and according to the text
Yitzchak did nothing. One may wonder, is it perhaps that he
was so dumbfounded by the whole idea to the extent that he
was numbed of any feeling, or maybe that his father had given
him an injection and sedated him?
To my great surprise, I found i n the Midrash Tanchuma
(Bereishit, Parshat Toldot), that Yitzchak was indeed alert and,
in fact, permeated w i t h fear.
The Midrash is discussing the episode of Yitzchak's bless¬
ing his children. When Eisav arrived at the home of Yitzchak
and said, "Let my father rise and eat of his son's game, so that
your soul will bless me," the Torah says, "Yitzchak trembled
w i t h an exceedingly great trembling" (Bereishit 27:33). On this
the Midrash comments, "Said Rabbi Levi i n the name of Rabbi
Chama the son of Chanina, 'Yitzchak trembled twice [in his
lifetime], once when he was on the altar, and once when Eisav
entered, and you do not know which [trembling] was greater.'
" Since it states here that his tremble was "gedolah ad me'od" —
"exceedingly great" - it follows that this trembling was greater
than his trembling at the Akeidah.
While this Midrash sheds a new light on the subject, it is
very enigmatic.
In describing the events that led up to the Akeidah, the To-
rah twice employs the expression, "Vayeilchu sheneihem
yachdav" — "And the two of them went together" (22:6, 8).
Rashi explains that i n the beginning Avraham, who was aware
that he was going to slaughter his son, was proceeding w i t h
the same eagerness and joy as Yitzchak, who was unaware of
the matter. Later, when Avraham told Yitzchak that, "Haseh
le'ohlah b'ni" — "My son [Yitzchak] will be the offering" —
though Yitzchak knew he was going to be slaughtered, it says
again, "And the two of them went together," to imply that
 ROSH HASHANAH 75

they still walked together w i t h the same enthusiasm and

frame of mind.
I f so, why did Yitzchak tremble when he was on the altar
about to be slaughtered?
Another difficulty w i t h the Midrash is why the second
trembling was much greater. Logically, I would surmise the
opposite to be the case. One should tremble more i f he is sec¬
onds away from losing his life than i f he realizes that he was
deceived by one of his children!?
A careful analysis of what went through Yitzchak's mind
at the two episodes will facilitate our understanding of Yitz-
chak's concern and reason of fear.
Yitzchak was one of the fathers of K'lal Yisrael and, i n fact,
the most concerned and dedicated of the three. The Gemara
(Shabbat 89b) relates that at a future time when Hashem will
say to the patriarchs, "Your children have sinned against Me,"
Avraham and Yaakov w i l l agree to their condemnation and
say, "Let them be obliterated for the sanctity of Your Name."
Yitzchak, on the other hand, will come to their defense. After
hearing his defense of them and telling Hashem that i f neces¬
sary he, " W i l l take all their sins upon himself, behold! I have
already sacrificed myself before You," the Jewish people will
proclaim, "For you [Yitzchak] are the [true] father."
The devoted progenitor of K'lal Yisrael was never con¬
cerned about himself, but rather about the welfare of his
progeny. As he was lying on the altar, seeing the wood and
fire which would consume his remains, and his father's out¬
stretched hand holding a knife to slaughter him, he suddenly
saw the history of the Jewish people. Instantaneously he per¬
ceived that the Akeidah was not an isolated event of a personal
nature, rather this is what his descendants would endure as a
price for their attachment to Hashem and faith i n Him. Yitz-
chak saw that throughout the millennia, till Mashiach finally
redeems them, there w i l l be many Akeidahs. The Jewish people
w i l l be oppressed, burned, and slaughtered for their faith, and
76 VEDIBARTA BAM

this caused h i m to tremble. He was worried about the future

and continuity of Torah and Yiddishkeit under such conditions.
Engrossed i n these thoughts and seized by trembling, he
was comforted however when the scene of Rabbi Chananya
ben Tradiyon, one of the asarah harugei malchut - the ten mar¬
tyrs who were killed by the Roman government, came into his
mind. The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 18a) relates the inhumane
treatment afforded h i m during his martyrdom: his body was
wrapped i n a Sefer Torah and consumed by fire. While he was
experiencing excruciating pain, his students asked him, "Our
teacher, what do you see?" He responded, " I see the parch¬
ment being burnt and the letters flying into the sky."
Rabbi Chananya was actually telling his students not to
despair. A l l attempts of the gentile world to destroy the Jew¬
ish community and the Torah would be of no avail. Even at a
time of damage to the "parchment" (the Jewish community),
the "letters" of Torah would ascend and be transferred to
another part of the world, where another Jewish community
would be built anew.
Yitzchak trembled at the thought that his children would
suffer persecution, but he was somewhat relaxed by the reali¬
zation that they would never become extinct. Torah and
Yiddishkeit w i l l always re-establish itself and ultimately flour¬
ish and blossom even more than before.
In our generation we have witnessed the holocaust, i n
which a large segment of our people were annihilated. The
Torah citadels of Russia, Poland, Lithuania and Hungry were
decimated. The scrolls were burned, but the letters flew up
and landed i n America and Israel, Australia, and other parts of
the world; and today we have, thank G-d, a stronger, larger,
and more vibrant Jewish community than existed pre-war.
Even i n Russia where for seventy years the communist lit¬
erally burned the scrolls and forbade Torah study, the letters
hovered i n the air, and we are fortunate to see the reinstate¬
ment of Synagogues which were closed for decades and a
rebirth of Torah study and dedication to Yiddishkeit.
 ROSH HASHANAH 77

Yes, Yitzchak trembled; the scenes he saw frightened him.

It bothered h i m to know what his children would go through,
but the trembling was limited. The "chardah gedolah ad me'od"
— "exceedingly great trembling" — was years later when he
became old. He was unable to take care of himself and needed
the assistance of his son Eisav w h o m he thought was a refined
and reputable person. When suddenly Eisav's true colors
came to surface, it dawned on h i m how unfortunate he was
that the gross Eisav, the person who is associated w i t h Geihi-
nom, had become his provider and was dictating what he
should do and how he should do it (see Bereishit 27:22, 33,
Rashi).
When Yitzchak saw that a time would come when the life¬
time Torah observant father or mother would be declared
incompetent and be placed i n the custody of children who
would not respect their wishes, this frightened h i m and he
trembled exceedingly.
The Torah says, "He remembers the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children and upon the grandchildren" (Shemot 34:7).
Rashi explains that this applies when, "Keshe'ochzim ma'asei
avoteihem bideihem" — "When they hold the (sinful) behavior
of their fathers i n their hands." This explanation is somewhat
puzzling. Even i f the children follow i n the wicked footsteps of
their fathers, they deserve punishment only for their iniqui¬
ties. W h y are they punished also for their father's
wrongdoings?
It happens often i n our society that when a father becomes
old or infirm, the children or grandchildren have h i m legally
declared senile or irresponsible. They then proceed to control
the father's assets and institutionalize him. In many of these
instances the father, who was a pious Jew all his life and
carefully observed the laws of kashrut, is placed i n an envi¬
ronment where the food is non-kosher and there is no spirit
of Shabbat. During his older years, this unfortunate father is
compelled to eat non-kosher and violate Torah precepts.
There are cases where the father during his lifetime was an
78 VEDIBARTA BAM

active ba'al tzedakah — generous person — and now that his

children have seized control of his assets, they deny h i m the
opportunity of giving tzedakah.
Rashi is teaching that indeed everyone is held liable and is
punished only for the iniquities that he commits. However,
there is an instance when the father or grandfather is the one
who commits the transgression and Hashem will make the
children or grandchildren account for it. This is in a case when
they are "ochezim" — "holding on" — i.e. controlling the fa¬
ther's life and restraining h i m from observing Torah and
mitzvot. In such a scenario, though it was the father who actu¬
ally ate non-kosher, or violated Shabbat, or did not give any
tzedakah, the children who are i n control and forcing h i m into
the existing situation are the ones who will be punished for the
parent's iniquities since they caused their being committed.
Years ago, I heard from Rabbi Yisrael Jacobson, of blessed
memory, a shocking story about a pious Jew who lived i n
America and conducted a Torah true life up to the last day of
his life. Due to the lack of availability of Jewish education, his
children and grandchildren went astray and were totally alien¬
ated from Yiddishkeit. Upon receiving notice of his passing they
refused to have the rabbis make an "ancient style" funeral and
had the "Jewish mortuary" i n their neighborhood do the
preparation. When some of his old friends, together w i t h
Rabbi Jacobson, arrived, they were amazed to see that the de¬
ceased was dressed in a suit and clean shaven of the beard he
proudly wore all the days of his life!
When Yitzchak saw these phenomena, he trembled, not
just a simple trembling but "charadah gedolah ad me'od" — "an
exceedingly great trembling."
Perhaps this is what goes through the minds of some of
our senior citizens or even young people who are concerned
about their future when they proclaim w i t h all their might
and emotion, "Do not cast us aside i n old age; do not forsake
us when our strength fails" (Psalms 71:9).
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 79

VANISHING OR FLOURISHING?

It is common among rabbis to exchange ideas for High

Holiday sermons. Often one w i l l call a colleague to hear
something o f interest which can be developed as sermonic
material.
A few days before Yom Tov, I was speaking to a friend of
mine who is a rabbi i n California. Unfortunately, his
synagogue does not meet our standards, but i n his personal
life he claims to be adhering to Torah and mitzvot to the best
of his ability. When I asked h i m what he planned to say i n his
sermon for the High Holidays, he told me that the first day of
Rosh Hashanah when he attracts quite a large crowd who come
to hear the shofar, his subject o f discussion would be "The
Vanishing Jew."
Quite perplexed I asked him, " I thought your operation
was successful. What made you pick such a morbid subject?"
He told me that though he had recently completed a four
million dollar edifice i n addition to his existing facilities, it is
only fully used during the High Holiday season. Listening to
him, I decided that today I w i l l speak on the opposite:
"Flourishing Judaism."
We have been privileged to witness a renaissance. After
the holocaust wiped out six million o f our brethren and
destroyed the citadels o f Torah learning which were
flourishing throughout Eastern Europe, today i n America
again Torah observance is on the rise and Jewish children are
receiving an authentic Torah education. I venture to say that
there are as many Torah institutions and young Torah
scholars i n America and Israel as there were pre-war, and
maybe more. The statistics and predictions for the future o f
Torah Jewry are encouraging and uplifting.
In the reading o f the Torah for today, we read o f the birth
of Yitzchak. The name "Yitzchak" was given to h i m as a
command from Hashem. It is derived from the word "tzechok"
80 VEDIBARTA BAM

which means "laughter." The laughter memorialized i n this

name was that of Avraham when Hashem told h i m that he
would indeed have a child w i t h Sarah, and i n fact Sarah too
laughed when they were told that though by all laws of
nature they were not able to bear a child, nevertheless their
wish for a child would be realized.
It is puzzling, however, that instead of calling h i m
"tzachak" (he — Avraham laughed) or "tzachakah" (she —
Sarah laughed) or "tzachaku" (they — Avraham and Sarah —
laughed) Hashem said to name h i m Yitzchak, which is i n the
future tense — "he w i l l laugh." W h o w i l l laugh and why?
Avraham and Sarah had undertaken to change the course
of the world by educating people about Torah and G-dliness.
They had encountered great difficulties, and Avraham had
even been cast into the burning furnace by King Nimrod, for
destroying the idols of his father Terach and propagating that
it was Hashem who created the world.
As Avraham and Sarah aged and remained childless,
those who previously feared them began to laugh and rejoice.
"Soon Avraham and Sarah w i l l die," they thought to
themselves, "and without a child to continue their work, they
w i l l be gone and forgotten, and so w i l l the ideas and ideals
they propagated."
Avraham was concerned about this and prayed to
Hashem for a child who would continue the work he had
started. Hashem promised h i m , "Your wife w i l l bear you a
son. Name h i m "Yitzchak" because he w i l l follow i n your
footsteps, and 'he will laugh' at all those who think that the
efforts of Avraham and Sarah w i l l go to waste and be
forgotten."
We read this morning that when Yitzchak was born Sarah
said, "Tzechok asah li Elokim, kol hashomei'a yitzachak li" — "G-d
had made laughter for me, whoever w i l l hear w i l l have
laughter for me." Interestingly, first she says "tzechok" £‫)צחק‬,
without a "yud," and then concludes "yitzachak" , with a
"yud." According to the Midrash Rabbah (53:7), the "yud" in
 ROSH HASHANAH 81

the name "Yitzchak" stands for the ten commandments,

which all the Jewish people would hear on Mount Sinai. The
"tzaddik" represents the fact that Sarah was 90 years old when
he was born. The "cheit," which equals eight, is for his brit.
He was the first Jewish child to have a brit on the eighth day.
The "kuf" represents the fact that Avraham was 100 years old
when Yitzchak was born.
When the baby was born, Avraham gave h i m the name
"Yitzchak." When Sarah was asked by her neighbors the
meaning of her son's name, she replied, "Tzechok asah li
Elokim" — "G-d has made laughter for me." What the ‫ ׳צ׳‬and
the and the represent, Hashem already did for me.
However, due to "kol hashomei'a" — 'everyone who w i l l hear'
— all the Jewish people w i l l be at Sinai and hear the ten
commandments; therefore, ‫ — ׳יצחק לי׳‬I have a child named
'Yitzchak.' "
Our matriarch Sarah was actually saying that when her
children w i l l hear — accept, follow, and observe — the ten
commandments as well as the rest of the Torah which is
included i n it, then she w i l l merit "Yitzchak" — a child who
will laugh at those who are predicting the vanishing of
Judaism — and through his laughter she w i l l experience true
happiness and joy.
We are living i n a time and age when, thank G-d, there
are many Yitzchaks, American born and bred Jewish children
who are staunch supporters and advocates of Torah true
Judaism, and thanks to them another generation of little
Yitzchaks — young children — are being educated to follow
suit. They are the Yitzchaks who laugh at those who have
predicted the demise of Judaism. Because of them, historians
such as Arnold Toynbee who have declared that Judaism is a
fossil, w i l l be forced to admit their erroneous forecast for the
future of Torah and Yiddishkeit.
So, dear friends, on the West Coast someone is talking of
the vanishing Jew, and on the East Coast I am talking of the
82 VEDIBARTA BAM

flourishing Jew, and i n your minds you may be wondering are

both speakers on target or is one of us i n error?
I w i l l answer your dilemma w i t h a little story. There was
once a genius who became renowned for his knowledge and
expertise i n every subject. There was not a question which
was put to h i m that he was not able to answer. He would
appear i n public and people would flock to hear h i m and pay
an admission fee. Once he visited a city and a public
gathering was arranged. Many residents of the town attended
and whoever desired was given the opportunity to ask h i m a
question.
In the crowd sat a young man who was known as the
town jester who decided that he would stump the genius. I n
his hand he held a little pigeon, and he stood up and asked,
" I f you know the answer for every question, please tell me i f
the bird i n my hand is alive or dead?" The genius realized
that whatever he said he would be proven wrong. For i f he
said it was alive, the jester would smother it to death, and i f
he said it was dead the jester would open up his hand and let
it fly out. He thought for a moment and then said, "Young
man, the answer to the question depends on you."
My friends, i f you want to know whether Judaism w i l l
vanish or flourish, the answer to the question is; it depends
on you.
Rosh Hashanah —
Torah Readings
Haftarot
84 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫ באשר אמר ויעש ה׳ לשרה באשר דגר״‬,‫ידה׳ פקד אה שרד‬

" A n d H a s h e m had remembered Sarah as
He had said: and, H a s h e m did for Sarah as
He had spoken.'" (Bereishit 21:1)

QUESTION: Since the pasuk starts, "VaHashem pakad" —

"And Hashem remembered" — which puts the subject —
"VaHashem" — ahead of the predicate — "pakad" — it should
have concluded i n the same style, "VaHashem asah" — "And
Hashem did"?
ANSWER: Rashi explains that, ka'asher amar — as He had
said — means beheirayon — w i t h pregnancy — and "ka'asher
dibeir" — "as He had spoken" — means "beleidah" — "with
childbirth."
The Gemara (Taanit 2a) says that while Hashem appointed
agents over many things, there are three keys that are
exclusively i n the hands of Hashem: the key of rain, the key
of childbirth, and the key of revival of the dead.
According to the Midrash Rabbah (Bereishit 51:2) when the
Torah says, "VaHashem" — "And Hashem" — it means He
together w i t h his Beit Din — Heavenly Tribunal — and when
it says just "Hashem" — it means He personally.
Consequently, when the Torah talks of pregnancy it says
"VaHashem" — "And Hashem" — because this is something
which He attends to together w i t h His Heavenly Tribunal.
However, when it talks of actual childbirth, it does not say
"VaHashem" but only "Hashem" because there are no agents
involved and only He has the key to it.
(‫)חנוכת התורה ועי׳ תום׳ נדה ט״ז ע״ב דייה מלאך‬

‫״וימי אגרוע א ה יצחנן גנו״‬

"Avraham circumcised his son Y i t z c h a k . " (21:4)

QUESTION: A t a brit it is customary for all present to

proclaim: "Just as he is entered into the covenant, so may he
enter into Torah, and into marriage, and into good deeds."
 ROSH HASHANAH 85

Why do we associate these three things w i t h the brit?

ANSWER: Considering the young age of the child and his
tenderness, the shedding of his blood is a very difficult
experience. Nevertheless, the child is subjected to it and
thereby he becomes a full-fledged member of K'lal Yisrael. The
message of this pronouncement is that just as he has mesirat
nefesh to fulfill his first mitzvah of the Torah, likewise, when it
comes to Torah study, conducting his marriage according to
Torah, and the performance of good deeds, he should not
permit anything to hinder h i m and even be ready for mesirat
nefesh.
* * *

Alternatively, this is a blessing to all those present at the

child's first simchah, that just as they are here today, they
should live and be healthy to witness and participate i n his
introduction to Torah study, his wedding, and his
performance of good deeds for many years.

‫ אתו אלנןים״‬,‫״וימי אגרוע את יצחנן גנו גן שמנת ימים באשר צוד‬

"Avraham circumcised his son Y i t z c h a k at the
age of eight days as H a s h e m had commanded
him." (21:4)

QUESTION: What did Yitzchak merit for being the first

one to be circumcised at the age of eight days?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Pesachim 4a) says that when the
Torah says, "And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin
shall be circumcised (Vayikra 12:3), the entire day is valid for
circumcision. Except, that the zealous are early to perform
mitzvot, as it is stated, "And Avraham rose early i n the
morning [for the Akeidah]" (Bereishit 22:3).
Therefore, it is customary to make a brit early i n the
morning, and undoubtedly, this is how Avraham too
conducted himself. Thus, at the time of the brit, seven days
and eight nights have already passed, which is a total of one
hundred and eighty hours.
86 VEDIBARTA BAM

The first person to have his brit on the eighth day was the
patriarch Yitzchak. In merit of Avraham making it early i n the
morning, Yitzchak lived one hundred and eighty years.
(‫)נחל קדומים‬

‫״ומאמר שדה צחי! עשה לי אלנןים בל השומע יצחי! לי ומאמר מי מלל‬

‫לאגרהם היניקה גנים שרה בי ילדמי גן זקוניו״‬
"Sarah said, ' G - d made laughter for me. Everyone
who w i l l hear w i l l be happy for me.' A n d she said:
'Who w o u l d have said to A v r a h a m , that Sarah
w o u l d nurse children?' for I have borne a son in
his old age" (21:6-7)

QUESTION: Anyone w i t h common sense would

understand that Hashem brought laughter to Sarah; why did
she give such a lengthy explanation of the reason for her
laughter?
ANSWER: When Yitzchak was born, the cynics said:
1) Since a lady of ninety can not give birth, either his real
mother is Hagar not Sarah, or she brought home an
abandoned child from the marketplace. 2) Even i f Sarah is the
mother, the father could not be Avraham since he is already
100 years old.
To counter the cynics' viciousness, Hashem performed
two miracles for Avraham and Sarah. One miracle was that
the milk i n the breasts of all the women dried up while
Sarah's breasts were flowing milk. Unable to nurse their
children, they had no other choice but to bring her their
children and beg her to nurse them. This convinced all that
Sarah was indeed the mother who gave birth to Yitzchak.
For the scoffers who claimed that Avraham was not the
father, Hashem made a miracle that Yitzchak's countenance
was identical to Avraham's and everyone reluctantly
conceded that Avraham was indeed the father.
In her lengthy proclamation Sarah was alluding to all this:
For those who said she couldn't be the mother, she said this
is refuted by the fact that "Sarah nursed many children." For
 ROSH HASHANAH 87

those who claimed that Avraham was not the father, she said,
"Proof to the contrary is, 'for I have borne a son — lizekunov
— i n his old age.' Now, on the pasuk, "and Sarah bore a son
unto Avraham "lizekunov" — i n his old age" (21:2), the
Midrash (53:6) says that the word "lizekunov" is an
abbreviation for "ziv ikenunin" — their facial features — were
identical. She concluded, "Hence, there is adequate evidence
that Avraham is indeed his father. For these two Divine
miracles I can say that G-d made laughter to me."
(‫)ילקוט הדרוש‬

(For another explanation on "tzechok asah li Elokim" see

sermon "Vanishing or Flourishing" page 77.)

‫״‬,‫ גנים שדד‬,‫״ותאמר מי מלל לאגדהם הינינןד‬

" A n d she said: 'Who w o u l d have said to A v r a h a m
that Sarah w o u l d nurse children?' " (21:7)

QUESTION: Rashi explains: "On the day of the feast all

the princesses brought their children w i t h them and Sarah
nursed them."
Why did Sarah violate the halachah which forbids a Jewish
woman to nurse non-Jewish children, even w i t h payment
(Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Dei'ah, 154:2)?
ANSWER: The reason for this halachah is that through
nursing the children we are helping to raise children for
idolatry. In the case of Sarah, her capacity to nurse children at
this age was a great miracle. A l l those who witnessed it
praised the G-d that Sarah and Avraham propagated.
Eventually, all the children w h o m Sarah nursed became
attached to her and converted to the Jewish religion when
they grew up.
(‫ פרדס יוסף‬- ‫)ילקוט שמעוני משלי תונקמ״ז‬
88 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״ותרא שדה את גן הגד המצרית אשד ילדה לאגרהם מצחק‬

‫ותאמד לאגדהם גדש האמה הזאת ואת גנה גי לא יירש‬
‫גן האמה הזאת עם גני עם יצחק״‬
"Sarah s a w the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
w h o m she had born to A v r a h a m , mocking, so
she said to A v r a h a m , 'Drive out this
slavewoman w i t h her son for the son of the
slavewoman s h a l l not inherit w i t h my son, w i t h
Yitzchak.'" (21:9-10)

QUESTION: What was he mocking about, and what right

does Sarah have to deny Yishmael his share of inheritance?
ANSWER: The scoffers of the generation were saying,
"since Avraham and Sarah were married many years and were
childless, Sarah became pregnant from Avimelech (the king
of the Philistines) and not from Avraham. Sarah, of course,
denied this vehemently and told everyone that she had
become pregnant through Avraham, and Yitzchok is indeed
their son.
When she heard Yishmael "metzacheik" — "mocking" —
her claim that "Asher yaldah le'Avraham" — "She gave birth to
Yitzchak through Avraham" — she immediately told
Avraham to drive h i m out of the house because when the day
of inheritance would arrive, he would not let Yitzchak inherit
together w i t h him. "He claims that Yitzchak is not your
child," she said, "and thus he is your only child and he is the
sole rightful heir to all your possessions."
(‫)דמשק אליעזר‬

‫״ותאמר לאגדהם גדש האמה הזאת ואת גנה״‬

"She said to A v r a h a m , 'Drive a w a y this
maidservant together w i t h her son.' " (21:10)

QUESTION: Hagar did nothing wrong; why did Sarah

want her expelled also?
ANSWER: Sarah was a very great prophetess. In fact, her
power of prophecy was even greater than Avraham's (Rashi
21:12). She knew that when it would come the time for
 ROSH HASHANAH 89

Yishmael to marry, his mother would make all the decisions

for him. As the Torah relates, "And his mother took a wife
for h i m from the land of Egypt" (21:21).
Sarah felt that Yishmael was behaving badly because
Hagar was not training h i m properly and not teaching h i m
moral values. Therefore, wanting to force Hagar to take an
interest i n her child, she told Avraham to also expel the
mother. Hopefully, she would learn her lesson and raise her
son correctly.
(‫)שער בת רבים‬
* * *

A wise man once said, "Parents should be more

concerned about the values they leave w i t h their children
than the valuables they leave w i t h their children.

‫ויאמד לה מה לד הגד״‬...‫״ויקדא מלאך אלנןים מן השמים‬

"G-d's angel called Hagar from heaven and said to her
'What troubles you, Hagar?' " (21:17)

QUESTION: W o u l d n ' t anyone seeing a child crying for

water i n a desert understand why the mother was crying?
ANSWER: This episode could be explained as a
metaphor: There are many parents who consider Jewish
education for their children a luxury. Therefore, when they
have what they consider an abundance o f funds, they w i l l go
through the expense of tuition and send their children to a
yeshivah. Otherwise, when experiencing the slightest
financial hardship, one o f the first changes they w i l l make i n
their lifestyle is, unfortunately, to send the children to
public school.
This, o f course, is erroneous. Jewish education is an
utmost necessity, and parents should give one to their
children even i f they have to deny themselves amenities.
Jewish education has priority over vacations, cars, piano
lessons or the like. I f necessary, parents should even deny
90 VEDIBARTA BAM

themselves staples i n order to provide their children a Torah

education.
The Torah tells us "The water o f the skin bottle was
finished and she cast off the child beneath one of the
shrubs." Observing this attitude, the angel exclaimed to her
mah lach Hagar — what is w i t h you Hagar? What kind of
mother are you, Hagar! Just because you ran out o f water —
your finances are dwindling — don't "throw away" your son.
Don't make your children's needs your first austerity
measure. "Arise, lift up the youth" the angel said to her —
regardless of your parents' financial situation, children are
and should always be the priority i n life. Their material and
spiritual needs have precedence and transcend over
everything else.
(‫)עיטורי תורה‬

(See sermon "What is W i t h You Hagar?" page 67 for

another explanation.)

‫״ויאמר אגדוע אנכי אשגע״‬

"And A v r a h a m said, ' I w i l l swear.' " (21:24)

QUESTION: The word "ishavei'ah" means " I w i l l swear."

Why the superfluous word "anochi" — "I"?
ANSWER: Avraham's mission i n life was to make the
world aware of Hashem's existence. The first of the Ten
Commandments, the one i n which Hashem declares His
Supremacy, starts w i t h the word "Anochi" — " I . "
During his negotiations w i t h Avimelech, Avraham said, " I
am ready to swear and w i l l do so i n the name of Anochi — the
one and only G-d."
* * *

Avimelech responded to Avraham's rebuke, "vegam anochi

lo shamati bilti hayom" — " I did not hear about it until this day
either." Here, too, the word "anochi" is extra? In light of the
above, it can be explained that Avimelech was saying that the
concept of "Anochi" intrigued him. W i t h amazement he said
 ROSH HASHANAH 91

to Avraham, " I must confess that until this day I never heard
of the philosophy of 'Anochi.' Thank you for enhancing my
knowledge."
(‫)דבש השדה בשם ר׳ שלמה קארלינער זצ״ל‬

‫״והובד! אברהם את אבימלך על אדות באד המים אשד גזלו עבדי אגימלן־‬
‫ויאמר אבימלד לא ידעתי מי עשה את הדבר הזה וגם אתה לא הגדת לי‬
‫וגם אנבי לא שמעתי בלתי היום״‬
"Avraham reproved Avimelech about the w e l l
stolen by his servants; Avimelech said, ' I do not
k n o w w h o did this thing; furthermore, you have
never told me, and moreover, I myself heard
nothing of it except for today.' " (21:25, 26)

QUESTION: W h y did Avimelech give Avraham three ex¬

cuses?
ANSWER: Avimelech really gave Avraham only one
excuse: namely, that he knew nothing about the alleged
incident. In addition, the Torah is relating the entire dialogue
which took place during the visit.
When Avimelech went to visit Avraham, he took General
Fichol w i t h him. During their conversation, Avraham
complained to Avimelech about the stolen well. Avimelech
apologized and said, " I do not know who did this thing."
Then Avimelech turned to Fichol and said to him, "vegam atah
lo higadeta li" — "Why didn't you tell me that your soldiers
did such a terrible thing to Avraham?" Fichol replied, "vegam
anochi lo shamati bilti hayom" — " I , too, did not hear about this
till we came here today." (Thus, Fichol was insinuating that
Avraham had made up a story.)
(‫)אלשיך‬
* * *

To prove that he was the rightful owner of the well,

Avraham said to Avimelech, "Take these seven lambs from
my hand. It w i l l be my proof that I dug this well."
How would this prove who was really the owner of the
well?
92 VEDIBARTA BAM

Avraham said to Avimelech, "The proof w i l l come from

my animals' refusal to eat things which do not belong to their
master. When the animals are my possession, the well water
w i l l rise and they w i l l drink. Afterwards, when you take them
and they become your possession, the well water w i l l not
rise, and they w i l l refuse to drink."
This is exactly what happened, and everyone was
convinced that Avraham was indeed the rightful owner of the
well.
(‫)ידי משה על מדרש רבה‬

‫״ויטע אשל ג ג א ד שגע״‬

"He planted an 'eishel' in Beer-Sheba." (21:33)

QUESTION: What is an "eishel"?

ANSWER: In the Gemara (Sotah 10a) Rav says i t means an
orchard, and Avraham served its fruits to wayfarers. Shmuel
says that it was an inn, i n which Avraham provided lodging
for wayfarers. Some say that the word "eishel" is an
acrostic of the words "achilah" (‫" — )אכילה‬eating" — "shetiyah"
(‫" — )שתיה‬drinking" — and "levayah" (‫" — )לויה‬escorting" —
the three basic services a host should provide his guests (see
ibid. Rashi). Through his magnanimous hospitality Avraham
managed to persuade people to proclaim the Name of
Hashem as G-d of the universe.
The reason he emphasized these three acts is because he
wanted to rectify the iniquities of his predecessors. Adam
sinned by eating the forbidden fruit (Bereishit 3:7). After the
deluge, Noach debased himself and planted a vineyard. He
drank of the wine and became intoxicated and he uncovered
himself w i t h i n his tent (Bereishit 9:20-21). The Sodomites
were notorious for their wickedness towards wayfarers.
Visitors were unwelcome and treated cruelly.
(‫)קול אליהו‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 93

‫ויהי אחד הדפדיפ האלה והאלנןיפ נפה את אפדהפ״‬

"After these events, G - d tested A v r a h a m . "
(22:1)

QUESTION: The Akeidah — the binding of Yitzchak —

follows the account of the peace treaty between Avraham and
Avimelech. What is the connection between the two
episodes?
ANSWER: Hashem was displeased w i t h Avraham for
making a commitment to Avimelech that his descendants
would not harm the Philistines. The land of the Philistines is
not an actual part of the Holy Land, but it is a part of the
territory that Hashem promised to Avraham. In the days of
Yehoshua it was included together w i t h the land on which
lots were cast and distributed among the tribes (Joshua 13).
The Divine command was to r i d this territory of all
inhabitants and put it totally under control of the Jewish
people.
The word "nisah" — "tested" — also means "emotionally
provoked and pained" (see Bamidbar 14:22). Hashem said to
Avraham, "You were proud of the son I gave you, and
concerned about his safety. Thus, you made a covenant w i t h
the Philistines to assure his well-being. I command you to
sacrifice your son, and let us see what your treaty
accomplished!" (This gives an insight into the Lubavitcher
Rebbe's opposition to giving away any Jewish land.)
(‫)רשב״ם‬

‫״והאלנןיפ נפה את אפדהפ״‬

" A n d G - d tested A v r a h a m . " (22:1)

QUESTION: In Hebrew the common term for test is

"bechinah." W h y doesn't it say "Veha'Elokim bachan et
Avraham"?
ANSWER: The w o r d "neis" i n Hebrew does not only mean
a test, but also a banner; as the Psalmist says, "Natatah
94 VEDIBARTA BAM

lirei'echa neis lehitnoseis" — "You gave those who fear you a

banner to raise themselves" (Psalms 60:6). A banner is
usually raised high to show its beauty. Similarly, when
Hashem tests an individual, the purpose is to lift h i m into a
higher sphere. When the individual passes the test, he is
spiritually elevated and exalted.
Hence, the verse can be rendered: "And G-d exalted Avra-
ham." Through the trial, his hidden potential powers of faith
were extracted and brought to fruition.
(‫)מדרש בראשית רבה נ״ה אי‬

‫״והאלנןיפ נפה את אבדהפ״‬

"And G - d tested A v r a h a m . " (22:1)

QUESTION: The Akeidah, the binding of Yitzchak on the

altar, would not have been possible without Yitzchak's
cooperation. Why do we only refer to it as a test of Avraham,
without mentioning Yitzchak?
ANSWER: Avraham was asked to bring up his son as an
offering. O f course, Yitzchak's consent was needed, but
immediately Yitzchak's life would come to an end. Avraham,
who would personally perform the act of slaughtering his
son, would have to live on not letting the fact that he
personally slaughtered his son affect his faith i n Hashem.
This is the most difficult part of the test, which only
Avraham would experience.
* * *
Alternatively, the Akeidah was indeed a trial for Yitzchak
who was being bound for a burnt-sacrifice which would have
put to an end his life and all his aspirations. But it was a
greater trial of Avraham's dedication, devotion and love for
Hashem. The son was the test and the "proof i n the pudding"
of all this. D i d Avraham inspire his own son to follow i n his
footsteps and be ready to give his life for Hashem? The
chinuch — education — and its success would be evident in
Yitzchak's willingness. Our children are the best evidence
and reflection of what we inculcated i n them.
 ROSH HASHANAH 95

Yitzchak's readiness and concern that he be a proper

karban olah — burnt offering — showed that Avraham passed
w i t h flying colors the test of being a true Jewish father who
indeed inspired his son to follow i n his footsteps to be
dedicated to Hashem to the extent of actual mesirat nefesh —
self sacrifice.

‫״והעלהו שם לעולה״‬
"And bring h i m up as a burnt-offering" (22:2)

QUESTION: How could Avraham offer a burnt-offering i f

he wasn't a Kohen?
ANSWER: After Avraham was forced to slay the troops of
the four kings (Bereishit ch. 14), he was afraid that Hashem
would punish h i m for shedding blood. Therefore, King David
says "Hashem has sworn and w i l l not relent: You shall be a
Kohen forever" (Psalms 110:4). In fact, according to the Yalkut
Shimoni (Shir Hashirim, 988) he succeeded Shem, Noach's son,
as Kohen Gadol — High Priest.
A n ordinary Kohen is qualified to make a burnt-offering.
Why did Hashem make Avraham a Kohen Gadol?
According to halachah, a Kohen may not offer sacrifices
when he is i n the onain state of mourning for a relative (the
period between death and burial). A n exception to this is
Kohen Gadol. Moreover, i f an ordinary Kohen became an onain
while he was i n the middle of bringing a sacrifice, he must
stop immediately, lest the offering become pasul —
disqualified — (Rambam, Bi'at Hamikdash 2:6).
Consequently, had Avraham been merely an ordinary
Kohen, the moment he would slaughter Yitzchak he would
become an onain and be forbidden to continue w i t h bringing
him as a burnt-offering. Hence, Hashem appointed h i m a
Kohen Gadol, and as such he could continue performing the
offering service even i f he were i n the state of aninut.
(‫ אות י׳׳ט‬,‫ ערך אברהם‬,‫ אופיבך תע״ו‬,‫)לקט יוסף‬
96 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״וישכב אגדהם בבקר ויחגש את חמדו״‬

"So A v r a h a m woke up early in the morning
and saddled his donkey." (22:3)

QUESTION: When Bilaam went to curse the Jewish

people, the Torah states that Bilaam arose i n the morning and
saddled his she-donkey (22:21).Rashi comments that when
Bilaam personally saddled his she-donkey, Hashem said to
him, "Wicked one, Avraham already preceded you, as it is
stated, 'Avraham woke up early i n the morning and saddled
his donkey.' "
How does Avraham's saddling his donkey affect Bilaam's?
ANSWER: Avraham interpreted Hashem's request to
bring up his son as an offering to mean that he should
literally slaughter him. Consequently, he woke up early i n the
morning and saddled his donkey i n order to speedily fulfill
Hashem's w i l l , although simultaneously the continuity of the
Jewish people would cease. After binding Yitzchak on the
altar, he stretched out his hand and took the knife to
slaughter his son, but suddenly an angel from heaven stopped
him and explained that Hashem never told h i m to slaughter
his son, but only to bring him up and prepare him for a burnt-
offering (see Rashi, Bereishit 22:2).
Permeated w i t h evil intentions, Bilaam wanted to curse
the Jewish people, and thus end their existence. Upon
noticing the alacrity w i t h which Bilaam approached to destroy
the Jewish people, Hashem said to him, "You wicked fool!
Had I wanted to destroy the Jewish people I could have done
it years ago through my faithful servant Avraham. I f I did not
do it then through h i m , I w i l l surely not permit a wicked
person like you to destroy them."
(‫)ר׳ מנחם מענדל זצ״ל מקוצק‬

‫ לעלה ויאמד אגדהם‬,‫״הנה האש והעצים ואיה השד‬

‫אלנןים ידאה לו השה לעלה גני״‬
" 'Here are the fire and the wood, but where is
the lamb for the offering?' A v r a h a m answered,
 ROSH HASHANAH 97

'Hashem w i l l provide for H i m s e l f the lamb for

the offering, my son.' " (22:7)

QUESTION: Rashi explains that Avraham was telling

Yitzchak, "Either Hashem will provide a lamb, and i f not, you
w i l l be the offering." Since it was Avraham's intention to
bring up Yitzchak as the offering, why didn't he say it openly
in response to his question, "Where is the lamb?"
ANSWER: A karban olah — burnt offering — is
considered kadeshei kadashim — holiness of the most highest
order. The unauthorized use of sacred property is a violation
of Torah law and is known as me'ilah — treachery. This is so
stringent that it is even forbidden to place a knife on the
animal to be carried to the Beit Hamikdash (Pesachim 66a).
Yitzchak indeed had a very good inkling that he was going
to be offered as the burnt-offering, and he was very happy
about it. However, when his father took the wood and put it
on him, he was puzzled. In amazement he asked his father,
"Since here is the wood and the fire, obviously we are going
to bring up an offering. Up until now, I perceived that I
would be the offering. I f so, I am sacred property and it is
forbidden for you to use me for your benefit. Now that you
gave me the wood to carry, I can deduce that the offering w i l l
not be me, but some lamb. I f so, where is the lamb?"
Avraham told h i m that unauthorized use of sacred
property is only forbidden after it has been designated to be
used for holiness. He explained, " I n our case, I have not yet
designated you, since it is possible that when we arrive
Hashem w i l l provide a lamb. I f this does not happen, I w i l l
then designate you as the burnt-offering. Thus, i n the
meantime you are not yet sacred property, and I may ask you
to carry the wood."
(‫)ילקוט הדרוש על בראשית בשם ישועות יעקב‬
98 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״וישלח אגדוע את ידו ויגןח את ד&אגלת לשחט את גנו״‬

"And A v r a h a m stretched forth his hand, and
took the knife to slay his son." (22:10)

QUESTION: This is the Torah reading for the second day

of Rosh Hashanah. One reason is that the shofar we blow on
Rosh Hashanah commemorates the horn of the ram which was
brought as an offering i n lieu of Yitzchak. Consequently, we
ask Hashem to do good for the Jewish people i n merit of our
Patriarch Yitzchak. If this is so, why do we not display a knife
to portray Yitzchak's willingness to be an offering to Hashem?
ANSWER: W i t h the knife, Avraham would have, G-d
forbid, ended Yitzchak's life. Thanks to the ram, which sud¬
denly appeared, Yitzchak's life was spared. Thus, the shofar
expresses life, and the knife the opposite.
We blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah instead of displaying
a knife because we emphasize living as a Jew, and not, G-d
forbid, dying as a Jew.
The wicked prophet Bilaam expressed the wish "Tamot
nafshi mot yesharim" — "Let me die the death of the righteous"
(Bamidbar 23:10). Contrary to Bilaam's philosophy, Torah
requires that the 120 years allotted to the individual should
be lived i n accordance w i t h Jewish tradition.

‫״וישלח אגדוע את ידו וינןח את ד&אגלת ישחט את גנו״‬

"And A v r a h a m stretched forth his hand, and
took the knife to slay his son." (22:10)

QUESTION: The Midrash Rabbah (Bereishit 56:8) says, "He

stretched forth his hand to take the knife while the tears
streamed from his eyes — yet, even so, his heart rejoiced to
obey the w i l l of his Creator."
Avraham's crying seems to cast a doubt on his sincerity
and eagerness to fulfill Hashem's w i l l . Wouldn't it have been
better i f he had not even shed one tear?
ANSWER: Many wonder how it is possible for a father to
bring his beloved and only child as an offering to Hashem.
 ROSH HASHANAH 99

Ignorantly, they conclude that he had lost all his paternal

instincts and that therefore he was not exhibiting any
particular greatness.
To dispel this error, the Midrash tells us that when he
stretched forth his hand to take the knife, tears streamed
from his eyes. He was a genuine loving and compassionate
father. Nevertheless, he did not permit his fatherly instincts
and love for his child to prevent h i m i n any way from
fulfilling the command of Hashem.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬

‫ ויאמר אל תשלח ידך אל הנער‬..‫״ויקרא אליו מלאך ה׳״‬

‫ואל תעש לו מאומה״‬
" A n angel of G - d called to him...And he said:
'Do not stretch out your hand against the lad
nor do anything to him.' " (22:11-12)

QUESTION: The order to bring Yitzchak as a burnt-offer¬

ing came directly from Hashem (22:2). W h y did the stop-
order come from an angel and not from Hashem?
ANSWER: A Jew should never harm another Jew without
a direct command from Hashem. To help another Jew,
however, one needs no Divine command. Therefore, to let
Yitzchak live, the instruction of an angel sufficed.
(‫)דבש השדה‬

‫״ויאמר אל תשלח ידך אל הנער ואל תעש לו מאומה בי עתה ידעתי‬

‫בי ירא אלקים אתה ולא חשבת את גנך את יחידך ממני״‬
" A n d he said: 'Do not stretch out your hand
against the lad nor do anything to him; for now
I k n o w that y o u are a G-d-fearing man, since
y o u have not w i t h h e l d your son, your only son,
from M e . ' " (22:12)

QUESTION: The word "mimeni" — "from me" — seems

superfluous. W h y doesn't it simply say: "you have not
withheld your son, your only son"? I n fact, further on
(22:16), the word "mimeni" is not employed.
100 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: For every mitzvah a Jew fulfills, an angel is

created i n heaven (Pirkei Avot 4:11). When one performs a
mitzvah, but does not do so properly, or without all the
details, the angel created is incomplete. Thanks to Avraham's
passing the test of the Akeidah w i t h flying colors, a perfect
angel was born. It was this angel who appeared and
instructed h i m "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad
nor do anything to h i m . "
Avraham was reluctant to listen to the angel because he
was uncertain as to whether he had fulfilled Hashem's wish
since Yitzchak was still alive. The angel assured Avraham: " I
know that you are a G-d-fearing man and that you were
wholeheartedly prepared to offer your son to Hashem. I know
this "mimeni" — "from me" — from the fact that I was created
a completely strong and healthy angel."
(‫)הרב מאיר דיל שאפירא מלובלין‬

‫ איל אחד נאחז בסבך גקדניו״‬,‫״וישא אגדהם את עיניו וידא והנד‬

" A n d A v r a h a m lifted up his eyes, and saw,
behold a r a m afterwards, caught i n the thicket
by its horns." (22:13)

QUESTION: What does the word "achar" — "afterwards"

— allude to? It seems to be superfluous since the pasuk could
merely have said "Behold a ram caught i n the thicket." (See
Rashi.)
ANSWER: On the sixth day of creation animals were cre¬
ated Afterwards man (Adam) was created. On Erev Shabbat,
bein hashemashot — immediately before nightfall — the ram
which Avraham used for the Akeidah was created (Pirkei Avot
5:6).
Thus, this ram was created after all animals. The Torah is
hinting this by saying, "Va'yar vehinei ayil" — "Avraham saw a
ram" — which was "achar" — "after" (created after all other
animals). He realized that there was something unique about
 ROSH HASHANAH 101

the ram and used it, therefore, as an offering i n lieu of his

son.
(‫)שלייה‬
* * *
Alternatively: Avraham named the place of the Akeidah,
"Hashem Yireh" — "G-d w i l l see" (in future tense). According
to the Midrash Rabbah (56:10), Avraham saw that a time
would come when the Jewish people would succumb to sin.
Hence, he prayed that at that time Hashem would see how he
suppressed the natural and inherent mercy a father has for a
child, i n order to fulfill the wish of Hashem. Similarly, when
the children of Yitzchak would be i n trouble, He would
remember the Akeidah i n their favor and be filled w i t h com¬
passion for them.
The Torah is relating that i n addition to Avraham's seeing
a ram i n the thicket which he sacrificed i n lieu of his son, he
also saw that "achar" — "afterwards" — the Jewish people
w i l l become "ne'achaz" — "entangled" — w i t h a different
animal — that is "basevach" — " i n a thicket."
Now, i f we analyze the word "svach" (‫" — )סבך‬thicket" —
we find that i n the Hebrew alef-beit, the letter following ‫ ״ ס ״‬is
the letter following is and the letter following
is ‫״ל״‬. Thus, the word "eigel" (‫ )עגל‬is hidden i n the word
"sevach" — thicket. Avraham foresaw the entanglement of the
Jewish people w i t h the eigel and therefore prayed that
Hashem spare them.
(‫)מיוסד על פתגמיו קדישין בשם מהר״ש זצ״ל מאסטראפאלי ועי׳ כלי יקר‬

‫ איל אחד נאחז בסבך בקרניו״‬,‫״והנד‬

"Behold [Avraham s a w ] a r a m caught
in the thicket by its horns." (22:13)

QUESTION: W h y was the ram caught up i n the thicket?

ANSWER: Avraham's passing the test of the Akeidah
brought great merit to the Jewish people. Satan feared lest
this happen and therefore attempted to hinder Avraham from
going (see Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeira 22).
102 VEDIBARTA BAM

I f so, why when Avraham suddenly noticed the ram, did

he immediately take it and offer it as a burnt-offering i n lieu
of his son and not fear that this was part of Satan's efforts to
stop h i m from properly passing the Akeidah test?
Often many people experience difficulty and procrastinate
when i t comes to doing a mitzvah. On the other hand, doing
an aveirah, thanks to Satan's assistance and encouragement,
goes easy.
Had the ram been readily available and easily accessible,
Avraham would have suspected that it was another effort of
Satan. Realizing the difficulty i n getting to the ram and the
tedious labor involved i n releasing it from the thicket, he was
convinced that it was not another Satanic trick, but heavenly
sent to save Yitzchak's life.
(‫)הרב מאיר דיל שפירא מלובלין‬

‫״נאחז בסבך בקרניו״‬

"Caught in the thicket by its horns." (22:13)
QUESTION: W h y does it say "karnav" — "horns" — i n
the plural?
ANSWER: The "horn" was a message to Avraham of
Hashem's unlimited love for the Jewish people. Throughout
the year Jews are caught up i n sin's clutches and led astray by
their troubles. Nevertheless, on Rosh Hashanah, when they
hear the sound of the shofar (which is made of the ram's
horn), they repent and attain forgiveness. Thus, through the
shofar they w i l l be redeemed from the clutches of their evil
inclination.
In addition, Avraham was told that there would be a
period i n history when the Jews would be entangled i n Galut
— exile. Ultimately, they w i l l be redeemed by Mashiach,
whose coming w i l l be heralded by the blast of the shofar
which Hashem w i l l sound (Zechariah 9:14).
Since the horn is an allusion to two purposes of the shofar,
thus it says, "bekarnov" — "its horns" i n the plural.
(‫ ועי׳ כלי יקר‬,‫ ובפי׳ עץ יוסף‬,‫ט‬,‫)מדרש רבה נ״ו‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 103

‫״ויקרא אברהם שם המקום ההוא ה׳ ידאה אשד יאמר היום בהד ה׳ ידאה״‬
" A n d A v r a h a m called the name of that site, 'Hashem
Y i r e h , ' as it is said this day, ' O n the mount where
H a s h e m s h a l l reveal Himself." (22:14)
QUESTION: Why the emphasis "hayom" — "this day"?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 45a) says that
whenever you come across a mountain or an elevation, be
assured that idol worship took place upon it. Though the
mountain itself does not become a forbidden entity and one
may plant on it, etc., there is an opinion however, that it may
not be used for Divine purposes, such as making an altar w i t h
its stones. Tosafot states that the Jerusalem Talmud asks, " I f
so, how was it permissible to build the Beit Hamikdash upon
Mount Moriah?" The answer given is that it was done by
specific instruction of a prophet. The same question can also
be asked i n regard to the Akeidah. How was Avraham
permitted to build an altar on the mountain to bring an
offering for Hashem?
The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni 100) says that when Avraham
lifted his eyes and saw the place, he actually saw a valley, so
he said to Hashem, "It is not befitting for You to dwell i n a
valley but on a beautiful elevated plateau." Hashem accepted
his remark and miraculously i n the place of the valley there
became a mountain.
Hence, before Avraham was given ownership of Eretz
Yisrael, the nations who dwelt there worshipped idols on the
mountains and made them forbidden for use for Divine
purposes. However, since it is not befitting for a king to dwell
in a valley, they did not worship idols i n them, and they did
not become forbidden. Consequently, Avraham was
permitted to build an altar on Mount Moriah since the place
was originally a valley and became a mountain for the first
time on that day.
Therefore, to remove any question that may be asked
about Avraham using a mountain for Divine purposes he
said, "As it is said this day," to emphasize that only that day
104 VEDIBARTA BAM

did this place where Hashem w i l l reveal himself become a

mountain, and up to that day it was a valley.
(‫)שרית חתם סופר יריד סי׳ רל״ג בשם רבו ר׳ נתן דיל אדלר‬

‫״ההר ה׳ ידאה״‬
" O n the mountain H a s h e m is seen." (22:14)

QUESTION: The Gemara (Pesachim 88a) says that unlike

Avraham i n connection w i t h w h o m the Torah describes it as
a mountain (22:14) and unlike Yitzchak w i t h w h o m the
Torah calls it a field (24:63), Yaakov called it a home. What is
the significance of these three titles for a place of worship?
ANSWER: The majority of people are not mountain
climbers, even those who are, do it rarely. Going out to the
fields (vacationing i n the country) is done more frequently
and by a larger number of people. Living i n a home is
something all people do and at all times. Yaakov emphasized
that the shul should resemble a home — a place visited by all
people and at all times.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
* * *
The less one carries the easier it is to climb a mountain.
When going out to the fields (on vacations) people take along
baggage and dwell i n cottages. However the furnishings do
not compare to the comforts of one's personal home. Yaakov
emphasized that the place of worship be treated like a home
— elegantly furnished and beautified to the highest degree.

‫״וישה אהרהם אל נעריו ויקבלו וילכו יחדו אל האר שהע״‬

"Avraham returned to his attendants, and they
rose and went together to Beer-Sheva. (22:19)

QUESTION: The word yachdav — together — is superflu¬

ous.
ANSWER: Avraham was given the most difficult test
possible, and passed i n w i t h flying colors. For this he had
justifiable reason to be proud. The attendants on the other
 ROSH HASHANAH 105

hand, had no knowledge of what had taken place after they

remained alone w i t h the donkey.
The word yachdav — together — indicates the greatness of
Avraham. Even after having attained awesome spiritual
heights, he returned to his attendants and went w i t h them
together — unaffected by pride or conceit.
(‫)ר׳ שמשון רפאל דיל הירש‬

‫״‬,‫ואת מעבד‬...‫וא‬,‫ ותלד גם ד‬,‫ דאומד‬,‫״ופלגשו ושמד‬

" A n d his concubine, whose name w a s R e u m a h ,
also bore children... and Maacah." (22:24)

QUESTION: The Torah reading for Rosh Hashanah is the

akeidah and concludes w i t h this pasuk. What does it have to
do w i t h Rosh Hashanah?
ANSWER: On Rosh Hashanah we resolve to repent and
improve our ways and beseech Al-mighty G-d to grant us a
good year. The words are an acronym for
— the verbal confession after the
experience of Teshuvah reaches His throne of Glory.
(843 ‫)תולדות לוי יצחק חייג ע׳‬

Alternatively: Rosh Hashanah is the day of the coronation

of Hashem as King. The word ‫ מעכה‬is an acronym for ‫מלך על כל‬
‫ — הארץ‬King over the whole earth.
(115 ‫)ספר השיחות תש״נ ח״א ע׳‬
106 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫מפטיר‬
‫״‬.‫ יום תרועה יהיה לבם‬... ‫״ובחדש השביעי באחד לחדש מקרא קדש‬
" I n the seventh month, on the first of the month,
you s h a l l have a holy assemble; it s h a l l be to you a
day of shofar blasts." (Bamidbar 29:1)

QUESTION: Our Sages (Rosh Hashanah 29b) note that the

wording here is "yom teruah" — "a day of shofar blasts" —
while i n Parshat Acharei Mot (Vayikra 23:24) it says "Shabbaton
zichron teruah" — "a remembrance of shofar blasts". From this
they derive that the shofar is sounded on Rosh Hashanah only
when it falls on a weekday, but not on Shabbat.
Why is the mitzvah of sounding the shofar not cited the first
time that Rosh Hashanah is mentioned i n the Torah?
ANSWER: From the festival of Pesach one can determine
on which day of the week all the festivals of that year w i l l
take place. This rule is known as (see
Orach Chaim 428:3).
— the day of the week when the first day of Pesach
falls w i l l be ‫״‬n‫ — ״‬the same day as Tisha B'Av.
— the second day of Pesach w i l l be — the same
day of the week as Shavuot.
— the third day of Pesach w i l l be — the same day
of the week as Rosh Hashanah.
— the fourth day of Pesach w i l l be — the day of
Kriat haTorah — Simchat Torah — when we complete and start
anew the reading of the Torah.
According to the Gemara (Shabbat 87b) the Jews left Egypt
on Thursday. Consequently, since the first Pesach was
celebrated on Thursday, the following Rosh Hashanah was on a
Shabbat. Therefore the Torah does not mention the actual
sounding of the shofar but only "zichron teruah" — "a
remembrance of shofar blasts."
(‫)תורה תמימה‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 107

A difficulty that may be raised w i t h the explanation is that

the rule of knowing from Pesach on what day of the week a
given holiday will fall, applies only nowadays when the new
month is established al pi hacheshbon — according to a pre-cal-
culated calendar. Accordingly, one month is complete (thirty
days) and the following month is incomplete (twenty-nine
days), and everything is known i n advance. However, when the
new month was derived based on the testimony of witness
who saw the moon's appearance, this rule would not be
applicable since there can be a few successive full or incom¬
plete months.
A n answer to this difficulty may be the following: Rab-
beinu Bachya (Shemot 12:2) writes in the name of Rabbeinu
Channaneil that throughout the forty years the Jews sojourned
in the wilderness, the new month was i n fact established
according to a pre-calculated system and not by testimony of
witness. The reason is; Hashem covered the Jewish camp in
clouds during the day and a pillar of fire during the night,
(Shemot 13:21) which made it impossible for them to see the
sun during the day or the moon during the night.
Thus, the first Rosh Hashanah the Jews celebrated was in¬
deed on Shabbat and they did not blow the shofar.

‫יום תרועה יהיה לבם״‬

" I n the seventh month, on the first day of the
month it shall be to y o u a day of shofar blasts."

QUESTION: The sounding of the Shofar is called "tekiat

shofar," so why doesn't it say "yom tekiahyihiyeh lachem"?
ANSWER: It could be said that the word "teru'ah" is
associated w i t h the word "rei'ut" — "friendship." Hashem is
thus telling the Jewish people, "Should you want to be
victorious i n the day of judgment and inscribed for a good
year, the prerequisite is "yom teru'ah" — on this day be
especially friendly among yourselves. I n that merit you w i l l be
blessed w i t h all the best materially and spiritually."
(!‫קילי‬- ‫)בית אהרן‬
108 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫חפטרח‬
‫״ותתפלל חנה על השם״‬
"And C h a n a h prayed to H a s h e m . "

QUESTION: I t should have said "el Hashem." "Al Hashem"

literally means "above" or "on Hashem"?
ANSWER: For many years Chanah together w i t h her
husband Elkanah were making a yearly pilgrimage to Shilo
and offering sacrifices to Hashem. Chanah would utilize this
opportunity to pray to Hashem for a child. For many years
Elkanah, seeing her pain and suffering, would usually
comfort her saying, "Do not despair, Hashem w i l l surely hear
your prayers and bless you w i t h a child."
This year, Chanah heard something from her husband
which she never heard before. When she wept and would not
eat, he said to her, "Chanah, why do you weep and why is
your heart grieved? A m I not better to you than ten sons?"
Upon hearing this she was i n a state of shock. She
perceived that Elkanah had given up hope on her having a
child. This grieved her immensely and aroused the very core
of her neshamah. Suddenly, she realized that she was all alone
in her requests for a child and that it was her task to
penetrate the highest spheres of the heaven.
Her prayers this time were derived from the innermost
core of her heart and soul, and they reached much higher
than usual. Up to now, she would attain the level of praying
"el Hashem" — to the holy Tetragramaton which denotes His
attribute of mercy. Now, however, her prayers reached "al
Hashem" — above and higher than the level of Hashem. They
reached the Essence of His Holiness, and upon penetrating
the highest possible level of G-dliness, she was blessed w i t h a
child.
(‫ ועי׳ תורה אור דף ע״ט‬,‫)הרב יוסף דוב הלוי דיל סאלאווייטשיק‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 109

‫ויחשבה עלי לשכרה״‬

" E l i thought she w a s drunk." (I Samuel 1:13)

QUESTION: Chanah would come annually to the Beit

Hamikdash to pray to Hashem for a child. Eli the Kohen Gadol
undoubtedly knew her as a righteous woman who yearned
bitterly for a child. W h y did he suddenly suspect her of
intoxication?
ANSWER: On the twelve stones of the choshen mishpat —
breastplate — worn by the Kohen Gadol were engraved the
names of the patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and
also the words "shivtei yeshurun" (‫( )שבתי ישורון‬Yoma 73b). On
each stone were six letters, including the name of the tribe,
and thus there were seventy-two letters i n total. In the
Choshen Mishpat was the Urim and the Tumim which
consisted of two inscriptions of the Divine Name (see Shemot
28:30, Rashi, Ramban).
When a question was brought before the Kohen Gadol, he
would meditate on His Holy Name of the Urim. This would
cause the letters on the stones of the breastplate to light up
or protrude. These letters spelled the answer to the question.
However, since they were not i n any special order, again the
Kohen Gadol would have to meditate on the Holy Name of the
Tumim and, thus, he would be given Ruach Hakodesh — Divine
inspiration — a level of prophecy lower than the one called
"nevuah," to arrange the letters properly and convey the
correct answer.
When Eli observed that only her lips moved but her voice
could not be heard, he inquired through the choshen mishpat
about her and became extremely suspicious when he saw
"shikorah" — "intoxicated" — begin to light up on the
breastplate. Chanah told h i m that obviously he lacked the
Ruach Hakodesh which is given to the Kohen to interpret and
decipher the message (see Berachot 31b). The letters which l i t
up should have been read to spell the word "kesheirah" ,
which means a good respectable Jewish woman. She
110 VEDIBARTA BAM

explained, "No, my master, I am a deeply grieved woman, I

have drunk no wine or strong drink, but I have poured out
my soul before Hashem" (I Samuel 1:15).
(‫ עי׳ רמב״ן שמות כ״וז לי‬- ‫)קול אליהו‬

* * *

A drunkard is oblivious to his surroundings and fully

involved w i t h himself. Similarly, Eli, observing Chanah's
being so immersed i n prayer for a child, suspected her of
intoxication — not from wine but from the very act and style
of her prayer. His contention was that when a Jew prays there
is no room for personal requests. The awareness of being i n
Hashem's presence should be so intense that it precludes
anything else. When Eli saw Chanah praying for a child, he
mistakenly concluded that she had forgotten Hashem's
presence.
"Not so" was Chanah's reply. Her longing for a child was
not a personal desire, but a wish to fulfill a greater mission i n
life. This is evident i n the vow she made that i f Hashem
would bless her, the child would be given over for a life of
total service of Hashem. Chanah wasn't asking Hashem to
fulfill her personal request i n order to satisfy her maternal
desires to have a child to cuddle and to reach personal
accomplishment. She was praying to Hashem to have a child
whom she could "give to H i m all the days of his life."
So, too, is it w i t h us on Rosh Hashanah. Although our
petitions are personal i n focus, the true essence of our prayer
is to unite w i t h Hashem and to use all the blessings He
bestows upon us as a way to enhance our service of Him.
(‫)לקוטי שיחות חי״ט‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 111

‫״מדחוי! ה׳ נדאה לי״‬

" G - d appeared to me from a distance."
(Jeremiah 31:3)

QUESTION: The Ba'al Haturim writes on the pasuk,

"Kenega nirah li babayit" — "Something like a plague has
appeared to me i n the home" (Vayikra 14:35), that there are
two pesukim containing the words "nirah li" — "appeared to
me" — the pasuk i n Vayikra and the one in Jeremiah.
What is the connection between these two pesukim?
ANSWER: Though the plague affecting the house seems
superficially very distressing, i n reality it contained good
tidings. Through breaking the walls of their houses, the
Jewish owners found treasures which were hidden there by
the Amorites during the forty years the Jews were i n the
desert (Rashi). The link between the two pesukim is that
when the human eye of the Jew sees that "kenega nirah li
babayit" — "Something like an affliction has appeared to me
in the house" — i n reality "Meirachok Hashem nirah li" — G-d
is appearing to me from the distance, and i n His merciful
way, bestowing His blessings upon the Jew.
(‫)ש ו״ ת תירוש ויצהר סי׳ נ׳׳ז‬

‫ ושגו גנים לגבולם״‬...‫ מנעי יןולד מגבי‬...‫״רחל מגהה על גניה‬

" R a c h e l w e e p s for her children... restrain you
voice from weeping... your children w i l l return
to their border." (31:14-16)

QUESTION: Rashi quotes a Midrash that the patriarchs

went to appease Hashem concerning the sin of Menasheh,
who placed an image i n the Temple, but He was not
appeased. Rachel entered and said to H i m , " D i d I not bring
my rival into my house? Yaakov worked for my father only
for me. When the wedding night arrived he brought my sister
and it was not enough that I kept silent but I gave her my
password. You too, i f Your children have brought your rival
into Your house, keep Your silence for them. "Hashem said
112 VEDIBARTA BAM

to her, "You have defended them well. There is reward for

your deed."
Why is Rachel's act more compelling than the
unparalleled heroism and supreme dedication the patriarchs
exhibited for Hashem?
ANSWER: Indeed, what Avraham and Yitzchok did at the
Akeidah is awe-inspiring. Yaakov's bout w i t h Eisav and Lavan
for the sake of his Torah observance was heroic. Rachel's act,
however, was one of compassion towards an unfortunate
sister. She signaled Leah to precede her i n marriage to
Yaakov though it might have meant her loss of the
opportunity to marry h i m .
Hashem appreciates those who do for His sake, but He
cherishes even more those who go out of their way and give
of themselves for a fellow Jew though it may hurt.
(‫ בספר על התשובה‬- ‫ מבאסטאן‬- ‫)הרב יוסף דוב הלוי דיל סאלאווייטשיק‬

‫ בי איננו״‬,‫ מאנה להנדום על בניד‬,‫״רחל מגבה על בניד‬

"Rachel weeps for her children, she refuses to
be consoled for they are gone."

QUESTION: "Mevakeh" means to make others cry;

shouldn't it have said Rachel "bocheh"? Since it says "banehah"
— her children — i n plural, instead of ki einenu — he is not
there — shouldn't it have said ki einam — they are not there?
ANSWER: Rachel observed that when the Jews were
exiled they were despondent and lost all hope of being
redeemed. Therefore she cried hoping that her crying would
arouse them to cry and to do teshuvah and be redeemed.
Rachel refused to be comforted because she perceived ki
einenu — the hope for His redemption had dissipated from
her children and was no longer w i t h them. Finally, Hashem
assured her that He personally w i l l awaken i n them a spirit of
teshuvah, and they w i l l return to their borders.
(‫)אלשיך‬
Machzor VRosh Hashanah —
Prayers — Liturgy
114 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״המלך‬
"The King."

QUESTION: W h y did Rabbi Aaron of Karlin (one of the

eminent disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch) faint when he
began to recite "Hamelech"?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Gittin 56a) relates that when the
Roman armies under General Vespasian besieged Jerusalem,
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai went out of the city to meet
Vespasian to intercede on behalf of the Jews. When he ap¬
peared before h i m he said, "Peace be unto you, O King, peace
be unto you, O King." Vespasian said to Rabban Yochanan,
"You are liable to death on two accounts. First I am not a
king, and you are mocking me by calling me 'King.' Further¬
more, i f I am a king, why did you not come until today?"
When Rabbi Aaron of Karlin recited "Hamelech" — "The
King" — he reflected upon the statement, " I f I am a king,
why did you not come until today!" and fell into a deep faint.
(‫)מחזור נוסח אר״י‬

... ‫ אלנןי אגרוע אלנןי יצחק ואלנןי יעקב‬...‫״פריד אתה‬

‫ ה׳ מגן אברהם״‬,‫ברוך אתר‬
"Blessed are Y o u , G - d of A v r a h a m ,
G-d of Y i t z c h a k , and G - d of Yaakov.
B l e s s e d are Y o u , G - d , shield of A v r a h a m . "

QUESTION: W h y does the berachah start w i t h mentioning

our three patriarchs and conclude only w i t h Avraham?
ANSWER: On the pasuk " I w i l l make you into a big
nation: I w i l l bless you, and make you famous and you w i l l be
a blessing" (Bereishit 12:2), Rashi explains that this refers to
what we say i n Shemoneh Esreih, "Elokei Avraham, Elokei
Yitzchak, Elokei Yaakov," "but," Hashem told Avraham, "the
berachah w i l l be concluded w i t h your name only — magen
Avraham." Wouldn't Avraham be happier i f Yitzchak and
 ROSH HASHANAH 115

Yaakov were also mentioned i n the conclusion of the

berachah?
In Pirkei Avot (1:2) we learn that the world stands on
three pillars: 1) The study of Torah, 2) avodah — the service
of G-d, and 3) gemilut chassadim — acts of kindness, tzedakah.
The patriarchs each epitomize one of these pillars. Avraham
represents chessed (21:33), Yitzchak — avodah (24:63), and
Yaakov — Torah (25:27).
According to Rashi, the pasuk is projecting the history of
Klal Yisrael. There w i l l be a time when the major relationship
between the Jews and Hashem w i l l be through the study of
Torah (Elokei Yaakov). A t other times it w i l l be through the
service i n the Beit Hamikdash or through tefillah — prayer
(Elokei Yitzchak), and there w i l l be a period when it w i l l be
through chessed — tzedakah (Elokei Avraham).
However, the "concluding phase" of galut and the coming
of Mashiach w i l l not be dependent on all three pillars, but i n
the zechut of chessed alone, which is personified by Avraham.
(‫)שמעתי מזקני הרב צבי הכהן דיל קפלן‬

‫״?בדנו לחיים מלך חפץ בחיים ובהגנו בשפר החיים למענך אלנןים חיים״‬
"Remember us for life, O K i n g Who desires life,
and inscribe us i n the Book of Life for Y o u r
sake, O L i v i n g G - d . "

QUESTION: Inherent i n man's nature is a desire for life.

Why, when praying for life, do we emphasize Hashem's
desire for life and that we are asking for life for His sake?
ANSWER: A Jew comes into this world w i t h a mission to
study Torah and do good deeds. When a person lives a
lifespan of seventy years and accomplishes very little, his
living is only biological but not the true life expected of a Jew.
When we pray for life, we emphasize that we are not
referring merely to biological life, which every human being
desires and for which he w i l l give everything he has — rather
we ask for the sort of life which "You O King" desire that we
116 VEDIBARTA BAM

live. We a life filled w i t h accomplishment, and not wasted

away i n vanity. Thus, we beseech, "Inscribe us i n the Book of
Life — for Your sake," grant us life which we w i l l use for
Your sake — Torah and mitzvot.
(‫ לאחי המהר״ל מפראג‬- ‫)ספר החיים‬

‫ שבראת״‬,‫״על בל העמים ואימתך על בל מד‬.‫״וגבן תן פד!דך‬

"And so...instill fear of Y o u upon a l l that
Y o u have made, and dread of Y o u upon all
that Y o u have created."

QUESTION: On Rosh Hashanah when we are concerned

w i t h ourselves, why do we pray that the entire world should
fear Hashem?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Bava Kamma 92a) says that when
one prays on behalf of his friend and he too is i n need of the
same thing, he is answered first. Since we, and the entire
world as well, need Hashem to instill His fear i n us, i n merit
of our praying for all those that He made and created, we w i l l
be the first i n w h o m He w i l l instill His fear and the first to
prostrate ourselves before H i m w i t h a perfect heart.
(‫)ר׳ חיים זצ״ל מצאמ‬

‫״והופע גהדר גאון עוזך״‬

"And reveal Y o u r s e l f in the majesty
of Y o u r glorious might."

QUESTION: What do we stand to gain from this

personally?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Mo'eid Kattan 28a) says that
Chayei b'nei u'mezonei — the length of a person's life, children
and sustenance — is not dependent on one's merit, rather
they are matters dependent on mazala (mazal is the influence
that celestial bodies have over events i n this world).
The first letters of the Hebrew words "hadar ge'on uzecha"
numerically add up to 78 as does the word
"mazla" . Hence, we are asking Hashem that we have a
 ROSH HASHANAH 117

favorable mazal which w i l l assure us life, children and

sustenance.
Incidentally, i n our prayers i n the Amidah we express
many times the request for chaim — life. Basically, chaim
includes primarily these three matters: life, sustenance and
children, for one who is childless or poverty stricken is
considered as not alive (Nedarim 64b).
(‫)לקוטי לוי יצחק ע׳ שפ״ב‬

‫״אבינו מלבנו חטאנו לפניך״‬

"Our F a t h e r our K i n g
we have sinned before Y o u . "

QUESTION: W h y does the individual say "chatanu" —

"we sinned" — i n plural?
ANSWER The Gemara (Shevuot 39a) says that all Jews are
responsible one for another. The reason for this is that the
Jewish people are like one body. Thus, the Jew who sins
affects the entire Klal Yisrael. Likewise, when a Jew does a
good deed it has a good effect and benefits the entire Jewish
people.
A passenger on a boat once noticed another passenger
drilling under his seat. In astonishment, he bellowed "what
are you doing?" The other responded, "Mind your own
business. I ' m drilling under my seat. I paid for a voyage on
this seat." The man said to h i m "Fool, don't you realize that
i f water comes i n under your seat we are all doomed"!
(‫)טעמי המנהגים בשם האר״י דיל‬

‫ בתבנו בספר זכיות״‬,‫״אבינו מלבנו‬

"Our Father, our K i n g , inscribe us
in the book of merits."

QUESTION: I f we have done meritorious acts we are

already inscribed, and i f we have not performed meritorious
acts, how can we ask that the books be kept inaccurately?
118 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: The Gemara (Yoma 86b) asks that Reish Lakish

seems to be contradicting himself. A t one time he said that
"Great is teshuvah — repentance — for because of it "zedonot"
— "willful transgressions" — are accounted for the penitent
as "shegagot" — "inadvertent errors." (When one becomes
aware of the negative consequences of sin and regrets his
behavior, Heaven treats his offenses as inadvertent
transgressions which do not merit punishment.) A n d at
another time Reish Lakish said that "Great is repentance, for
because of it zedonot — willful transgressions — are
accounted for the penitent as zechuyot — merits?
The Gemara resolves the contradiction, concluding that
Reish Lakish's second statement refers to repentance
motivated by ahavah — love of Hashem — the sin is
completely erased and converted into sources of merit. i n the
first statement, he refers to repentance motivated by yir'ah —
fear — and a trace of the sin still remains, similar to that of a
shegagah — inadvertent sin.
Thus, we are beseeching our Heavenly Father that we be
inspired to a level teshuvah motivated by love of Hashem,
which i n turn w i l l cause us to be inscribed — besefer zechuyot
— i n the book of merits — thanks to the fact that all our
previously committed willful transgressions w i l l become
zechuyot — merits.
* * *

Some have a custom on Rosh Hashanah to eat

pomegranates and say "may we increase merits like a
pomegranate" (see Shulchan Aruch Harav 583:4). According to
the above, this too can be explained as a plea that we be
inspired to do teshuvah out of love for Hashem and thus we
w i l l increase i n merits since all our zedonot — willful
transgressions — w i l l be converted to zechuyot — merits.
 ROSH HASHANAH 119

‫״אבינו מלבנו הרם קרן ישראל עמך״‬

"Our Father, our K i n g ,
exalt the glory of I s r a e l your people."

QUESTION: I f "keren" means "glory," why doesn't the

liturgist use the expression "hod" or "kavod"?
ANSWER: When one invests i n an enterprise, the
principle invested is called keren. The keren is invested w i t h
the expectation of receiving interest or a share of the
anticipated profits.
When the investor realizes that the business is failing and
not only w i l l he not receive the interest but he may lose the
principle too, he w i l l quickly pull out of the enterprise and
forego the interest and be happy to secure his keren —
principle.
The Gemara (Pesachim 87b) says that the reason Hashem
put us through the galut — exile — is so that there may be
geirim — proselytes — joining the Jewish people. Hence, the
galut is, so to speak, an investment. The Jewish people are the
keren — principle — and the geirim that w i l l join are the
anticipated profits and interest.
Unfortunately, while this endeavor is taking place, many
Jews are lost from the fold due to assimilation w i t h the
societies of the nations. Hence, we beseech, "Our Father our
King, lift up the keren — the principle — i.e., the Jewish
people. Speedily send Mashiach to take us out of galut and
bring us to the Holy Land, because the strong risk of losing
our Jewish identity overweighs the potential gain of our living
in galut."
(‫)ר׳ משה ליב זצ״ל מסאסוב‬

‫ל עורך דין״‬-‫״לא‬
"To the Al-mighty who arranges judgment."

QUESTION: W h y on the first day of Rosh Hashanah is this

said during Shacharit, and on the second day during Musaf?
120 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: In the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 4b) there is a

controversy concerning whether Hashem sits i n judgment the
first three hours of the day or the second three hours. Thus,
to satisfy both opinions, on the first day of Rosh Hashanah we
say this liturgy during Shacharit, which is usually recited early
in the day, and on the second day during Musaf which is
usually done somewhat later on i n the day.
(‫)טעמי המנהגים‬

‫׳ בקול שופד״‬,‫״עלה אלנןים בתרועה ד‬

" G - d ascended w i t h the blast, H a s h e m w i t h the
voice of the shofar."

QUESTION: W h y does the pasuk start w i t h the term

"Elokim" and conclude w i t h the Tetragramaton — the Holy
four letter Name?
ANSWER: This Psalm is alluding to the blast of the shofar
on Rosh Hashanah (see Yalkut Shimoni). The word "teru'ah" is
related to the word "rei'ah" — "friend." The word "shofar" is
related to the word "shipur" — "improvement."
The name "Elokim" denotes severity and judgment, and
the Holy four letter Name denotes mercy.
The Psalmist is saying that when Jews resolve to be
friendly w i t h each other and harmony prevails, alah Elokim —
He ascends and departs from His Throne of judgment (the
word "alah" can mean "ascend" as i n Bamidbar 10:11, see
Targum). When Hashem sees a resolve to improve and better
our way, we immediately merit that Hashem b'kol shofar — He
sits on His Throne of mercy and He converts harsh judgment
to compassion.
(‫ שיח צבי‬- ‫ ברכת חיים‬,‫)הליכות עולם‬

‫ ובהנפה טובה ובלבלה ולחם לאבול ובגד ללבוש ועשר״‬...‫״דגונו של עולם‬

"Master of the w o r l d , [grant me] good livelihood and
sustenance, food to eat and clothes to wear, wealth.
QUESTION: Doesn't one who has a good livelihood,
sustenance and wealth have food to eat and clothes to wear?
 ROSH HASHANAH 121

ANSWER: There are people who have food i n abundance

and a wardrobe full of clothing yet are unfortunately bed¬
ridden and unable to enjoy their delicacies or garments.
Yaakov prayed for good health so that he could enjoy his food
and wear his clothing. To h i m "gezunt" was a primary
objective.
(‫)שפתי כהן‬
* * *
Alternatively, man works very hard and goes to great
length to earn his 'bread' (parnasah). For example, people
work during the night denying themselves sleep; others
perform hazardous jobs, and still others travel far distances
and are separated from their families for long periods of time.
In reality one may wonder, are they working "for bread to
eat" or is "their bread eating them?"
Yaakov prayed to Hashem to give h i m a tranquil source of
parnasah through which he would have "bread to eat" and not
an occupation where, G-d forbid, the bread would consume
him.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬

‫״גדוד אתד״״לשמוע קול שופד״‬

"Blessed are you...to hear the sound of the shofar."
QUESTION: W h y is it customary to keep the shofar
covered during the reciting of the berachah prior to the actual
sounding of the shofar? (See Bei'ar Heiteiv 593:3)
ANSWER: Prior to the Akeidah — binding of Yitzchak to
be an offering — it says, "And they came to the place of
which Hashem had told him, and Avraham built the altar
there" (22:9). The Midrash (56:5) asks, "And where was
Yitzchak?" Rabbi Levi answered, "Avraham had taken and
hidden h i m saying, 'Lest Satan may endeavor to seduce h i m
from obedience and willingness to allow himself to be
sacrificed, or perhaps he w i l l throw a stone at him, maiming
him and disqualifying h i m from serving as a sacrifice.' "
122 VEDIBARTA BAM

Since the sounding of the shofar commemorates the

Akeidah, to recall Avraham's hiding Yitzchak before the
Akeidah, we hide the shofar.
(‫)קדמות הזהר‬

‫״מצות היום בשופר״‬

"The mitzvah of [Rosh Hashanah] day, is
[sounding of] the shofar." (Rosh Hashanah 26b)

QUESTION: Why is a lowly animal's horn used to invoke

the height of spirituality during the holiest time of the year?
ANSWER: Each person is driven by conflicting impulses:
The soul yearns for spirituality, and the body is driven by
mortal needs and instincts. Our purpose is to attain harmony
— not dissonance — between body and soul, to unite their
drives i n Divine service.
The use of an animal's horn on Rosh Hashanah reminds us
that even the most hardened "animal-like" instincts w i t h i n
mankind — those comparable to the hardest portion of the
animal, its horn — are to be included i n service to Hashem.
This is why the Shema prayer, rather than saying, "Love
G-d w i t h all your heart," literally says, " w i t h all your hearts"
— w i t h the desires of both body and soul — the yeitzer tov
and yeitzer hara — good and evil inclinations (Berachot 54a).

‫שופר‬
Shofar

QUESTION: The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 26a) says, " A l l

shofars are suitable for use on Rosh Hashanah except that of a
cow because it is called "keren" — "horn" — as it is written i n
regard to Yosef, "A firstborn, his ox, glory i n his; vekarnei
re'eim karnov — his horns are the kerens of a re'eim [with them
he shall gore nations]" (Devarim 33:17). Just as the keren of a
re'eim are unfit [because it is not a hollow tube but bone] so
the horns of an ox and its female counterpart, the cow, are
disqualified.
W h y does the name make such a difference?
 ROSH HASHANAH 123

ANSWER: The Hebrew word "shofar" which means

"horn" is also related to the word "shipur" — "improvement."
The blowing of the shofar also serves as an awakening call to
the Jew to introspect one's self and resolve to rectify and
improve one's way of life and relationship w i t h Hashem and
man (Midrash Tehillim 81).
Regarding the keren the Gemara (Bava Kamma 2b) says
that, "Ein negichah ela bekeren" — "Goring is done by the
horn."
By allowing only the use of a horn which is called shofar
and disqualifying one which is called "keren" — the Sages are
telling us that the purpose of the shofar is an awakening call
for improvement. Goring and hurting another, is not proper
behavior for a Jew. Thus, the horn which alludes to goring
should not be used on Rosh Hashanah.
(‫)ברכת חיים‬

‫״אשרי העם יודעי תרועה״‬

"Fortunate are the people who k n o w
the sound of the shofar."

QUESTION: Instead of "yode'ei" — "who know" — it

should have said "toke'ei" — "who blow" — or "shome'ei" —
"who hear"?
ANSWER: It is preferable to hear one hundred blasts of
the shofar on Rosh Hashanah (see Shulchan Aruch Harav 59b:1,
Shelah Vol. I p. 220b). Thirty are sounded before Musaf, thirty
during the silent prayer of Shemoneh Esreih, thirty during the
repetition of the prayer, and ten more during the Kaddish
recited after the repetition of the prayer. (The additional
thirty shofar blasts which Chabad does after the conclusion of
all the prayers, is only a custom i n order to confuse the
Satan.)
The word "yode'ei" (‫" — )יודעי‬who know" — has the
numerical value of one hundred.
(‫)הליכות עולם בשם דורשי רשומות‬
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‫מבני רוע מעלליהם״‬...‫״וגם את נח באהבה זברת בהביאך את מי המגול‬

"You also remembered Noach w i t h love w h e n
Y o u brought the waters of the flood...because of
the wickedness of their deeds."

QUESTION: W h y do we base our plea on Noach; can't

we find any other Jewish tzaddikim?
ANSWER: Noach is referred to as a tzaddik bedorotav —
righteous i n his generation. Some explain that this means, in
comparison to his contemporaries he was righteous, but had
he lived i n Avraham's generation he would be naught
(Bereishit 6:9, Rashi).
In our prayer we are saying, "You remembered Noach
w i t h love when You brought the flood." Though he, too,
should have drowned, You separated h i m because You took
into consideration the "wickedness of their deeds" and when
he is measured against them, he is a tzaddik. Likewise,
measure us against the people of the world we live amongst,
and regardless how we may have failed You, i n comparison to
them we are tzaddikim and are worthy to be lovingly
remembered by You.
(‫)סידור דובר שלום‬
* * *
Alternatively, Noach and the teivah — ark — have a
connection to Rosh Hashanah. The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 11a)
says that on Rosh Hashanah the Matriarchs, Sarah and Rachel,
and the prophetess Chanah were remembered by Hashem,
and it was decreed that they bear children. Their Hebrew
names each consist of three letters . Two of the
letters of each name are also present i n each of the other two
names and each contains a letter which is unique i n her name
.
The letters have the numerical value of 300, 250, and
50 respectively. These numbers are alluded to i n the
dimensions of the teivah — ark — Hashem instructed Noach
to make, as the pasuk says, "This is how you should make it
 ROSH HASHANAH 125

— 300 cubits the height of the ark, 50 cubits its width, and
30 cubits its height (6:15)."
(‫)לקוטי לוי יצחק ע׳ שפ״ב במכתב לבנו כ״ק אדמו״ר ה׳ תשרי חדצ״ז‬
* * *

Perhaps the reason Hashem hinted to Noach about these

three women is to indicate that though he would witness the
destruction of the world, he should not fear because there
would be a rebirth of the world i n general and the Jewish
people i n particular, and these three women can be credited
for the past, present and future of Jewry.
Sarah gave birth to Yitzchak, the first Jewish child. Rachel
gave birth to Yosef, who was the trailblazer and the source of
strength for Jewry to endure and survive throughout the long
galut — exile. Chanah gave birth to Shmuel, who anointed
David, the ancestor of Mashiach — the redeemer of our people
who w i l l speedily lead us out of galut to our Holy Land.

‫״כי זוכה כל הנשכחות אתה הוא מעולם״‬

"For Y o u are He W h o remembers forever
all forgotten things."

QUESTION: How does this attribute of Hashem work i n

our favor?
ANSWER: There are many good things that a person
does without making any issue of them. Since he has long
forgotten about them, when the day of judgment arrives, he
does not make mention of them as merit for his deserving to
be blessed w i t h a good year. Fortunately, Hashem does not
forget. Thus, we beseech H i m , since You do not forget
anything, take into consideration all the good things we have
done and forgotten.
On the other hand, i f one forgets about his sin and does
not repent, Hashem w i l l remember it and hold one
accountable. But i f a person committed a transgression, and
is remorseful and conducts himself, as King David said, i n a
way of "Vechatati negdi tamid" — "My sin is before me always"
126 VEDIBARTA BAM

(Psalms 51:5) — Hashem w i l l disregard this sin since He

only remembers "hanishkachot" — "what has been forgotten."
(‫)ר׳ ישראל זצ׳׳למרוזיו‬

‫ ומצות״‬,‫״פדגלומן־ מלבנו על הר פיני ללמד לע»ד מורד‬

"When Y o u our K i n g , revealed Y o u r s e l f upon
Mount S i n a i to teach Y o u r people T o r a h and
mitzvot."
QUESTION: W h y did Hashem give the Torah while the
Jews were still i n the wilderness and not wait till after they
arrived i n their own land, Eretz Yisrael?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Tamid 32a) relates that Alexander
the Great put ten questions to the elders of the South. One of
the questions was "Were the heavens were created first or
the earth?" They replied, "Heaven was created first, as the
Torah states, ' I n the beginning of G-d's creating the heavens
and the earth' " (Bereishit 1:1).
Why did he want to know the order of creation?
As a great philosopher and student of Aristotle,
Alexander was understandably interested i n the Jewish view
of creation. However, the intent of his question here was
much more profound. Alexander was the most powerful king
of his times, and his goal of conquering the entire world was
almost realized. Heaven represents spirituality and earth
represents material pursuits. He was thus uncertain whether
to emphasize physically acquiring as much of the world as
possible or spiritually uplifting and enhancing the world
already under his control.
Unable to decide on his own, he turned to our Sages for
counsel. They responded that when G-d created the world,
He created heaven first, indicating that spiritual values are
pre-eminent.
Therefore, Hashem gave the Torah i n the wilderness prior
to the arrival of the Jews i n their own land to emphasize the
Torah's superiority to land. The nations of the world who
 ROSH HASHANAH 127

refused to accept the Torah became extinct w i t h the loss of

their lands. The Jews, however, exist forever, even without a
land, as long as they keep the Torah.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי זקני הרב צבי הכהן דיל קאפלאן‬

‫״וגאו האובדים בארץ אשור והנדחים בארץ מצדים״‬

"And the ones who were lost i n the land of
Ashur w i l l come and those cast away i n the land
of Mitzrayim."

QUESTION: Why w i l l the kibutz gali'ot — ingathering of

the exiles — consist of Jews only from these two locations?
ANSWER: Jews become alienated or are lost to Yiddishkeit
because of two reasons — affluence or poverty. Some affluent
Jews live i n "sophisticated" environments where the
observance of Torah is unpopular and ultimately drift away
from Yiddishkeit. The Torah says about them, "Yeshurun
became fat and kicked" (Devarim 32:15).
On the other hand, there are those who disappeared from
the Jewish scene because of poverty. Unfortunately, they
were not shomer Shabbat out of financial need or did not
receive a Jewish education due to their parents' inability to
pay tuition. As the Gemara (Eiruvin 41b) says, "Poverty can
cause a person to violate his own w i l l and the w i l l of his
creator."
The word "Ashur" is not just the name of a country, but
can also mean "pleasure and good fortune" (see Bereishit
30:13). Likewise, "Mitzrayim" is not just the Hebrew name for
Egypt, but can be read as "meitzarim" — "limitations and
boundaries." Thus, the prophet is saying that on that day
there w i l l be a major awakening and all those who are "lost"
in the land of Ashur — affluence i.e. — pleasure and good
fortune — and those who are banished i n the land of
Mitzrayim — i.e. they abandoned Yiddishkeit because of
financial hardships and limitations — w i l l bow down to
Hashem on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
(‫ ספר המאמרים אידיש‬,‫ ר״ה‬- ‫)לקוטי תורה‬
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‫ עודו מעגיר צאנו תחת שגטו״‬.‫״פגקרת תעד‬

" A s a shepherd examines his flock, making his
sheep pass under his staff."

QUESTION: W h y the emphasis "edro" — "His flock" —

and "tzono" — "His sheep" — and not simply "eder" — "a
flock" — and "hatzon" — "the sheep"?
ANSWER: A shepherd may be tending either a herd of
sheep which belongs to someone else or his own herd. When
the sheep are not his, he handles them more roughly and
beats them more often, sometimes beating them viciously
when they go out of line. W i t h his own sheep, however, he is
more gentle and merciful. When they need to be
reprimanded, he does not hit them, but merely shows them a
whip so that they get the message.
We beseech Hashem that He deal w i t h us not as a
shepherd who is watching over someone else's sheep, but as
a shepherd who is pasturing "edro" — "his own flock." I n
such a case, when reprimand is necessary, all he does is lead
his sheep under the whip. He picks up the whip over them
and shows i t to them, but out of love and concern for his own
sheep he does not strike or inflict pain on them.
(‫ משמחי לב‬,‫)פון אונזער אלטען אוצר‬

‫״ותשוגה ותגלה וצדקה מעגיתן את רועה הגזירה״‬

"Repentance, Prayer and Charity avert
the severity of the decree"

QUESTION: In all Machzorim, above these three words

the words "tzom, kol, mamon" (‫ ממון‬,‫ קול‬,‫" — )צום‬fasting, voice,
money" — appear i n small print. What is the significance of
these three?
ANSWER: On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there are
many evil adversaries who seek to prosecute the person and
have h i m condemned, G-d forbid, and the person fights for
his existence. Each of these three words have the numerical
value of one hundred and thirty-six, and together they add up
 ROSH HASHANAH 129

to four hundred and eight, which is also the numerical value

of the word "zot" — "this."
King David is alluding to this encounter when he says,
"Im takum alai milchamah bezot ani botei'ach" — " I f a war should
be declared against me, I am secure w i t h 'zot' " (Psalms
27:3). The merit of the Jewish people is determined by how
they excel i n these three things, and they may rely on them to
overcome all adversaries.
Hashem challenges the Jewish people, "Ubechanuni na
bezot" — "Test Me, i f you w i l l , w i t h 'zot' — 'this' " (Malachi
3:10), i.e. perform the three things which add up to "zot" —
four hundred and eight — and "[See] i f I do not open for you
the windows of heaven and pour out upon you blessings
without end."
Unfortunately, there are people who do not realize or
refuse to recognize what can be accomplished through these
three things. King David says of such people, "Ukesil lo yavin
et zot" — " A fool cannot understand 'zot' — 'this' " (Psalms
92:7), i.e. the power and merit of the three things, "kol, tzom
and mamon" — "voice, fast, and money" — which have the
same numerical value (408) as the word "zot."
* * *

Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we read Parshat

Ha'azinu, i n which it is stated, "Lu chachmu yaskilu zot yavinu
le'acharitam" — "Were they wise, they would comprehend
this, they would understand what their end would be"
(Devarim 32:29). The seemingly superfluous word of "zot" —
"this" — may be alluding that, "Were they wise they would
comprehend 'zot' — the achievements that are derived
through — 'kol, tzom, and mamon' — 'voice, fast, and money'"
— and "yavinu" — they would understand — that it plays an
important role — "le'acharitam" — "for their future" — i.e.
through it they w i l l merit to be inscribed i n the Book of Life
w i t h all the best materially and spiritually.
(‫ מסלטון‬- ‫)בית יעקב‬
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‫״באין מליץ יושר מול מגיד פשע תגיד ליעקב רבד חונן ומשפט״‬
"When there is no defender to intercede i n our
behalf against the accuser who reports our
transgression, Y o u speak for Y a a k o v [and
invoke the merit of the observance of] the
statutes and ordinances."

QUESTION: Precisely what merit do we ask Hashem to

invoke i n our behalf?
ANSWER: Many mitzvot of the Torah are i n the category
of "mishpatim" — "civil law and ordinances" — and others are
"chukim" — "statutes." Shofar is actually both, as the Psalmist
says, "Blow shofar on the moon's renewal...because chok
l'Yisrael hu — it is a decree for Israel — mishpat l'Elokai Yaakov
— a judgment for the G-d of Yaakov (81:4-5).
Thus, we beseech Hashem, i f there is no one to defend us
against the accuser, then You should take over and tell h i m of
Yaakov — the Jewish people — the great merit they have for
just fulfilling devar chok u'mishpat — the mitzvah of shofar —
which is both a statute and an ordinance.
(‫)פון אונזעראלטען אוצר‬

Alternatively, i f there is not one good emissary to

intercede on our behalf, then You should tell the accusers,
"devar chok u'mishpat" — there is a statute which has become
the accepted law concerning one who is being judged i n a
matter of life or death. I f no one of the Sanhedrin can find a
merit for h i m and all rule that he is guilty, then the halachah
is that he is exonerated (Rambam, Sanhedrin 9:1). I f you tell
them this, the result w i l l be "vetzadkeinu bamishpat" — "You
w i l l vindicate us i n judgment."
(‫)ר׳ בונים זצ״ל מפשיסוזא‬

‫״וזכרתי את בדיתי יעקוב״‬

" I w i l l remember M y covenant w i t h Y a a k o v . "
(26:42)

QUESTION: W h y is Yaakov's name spelled w i t h a vav?

 ROSH HASHANAH 131

ANSWER: Rashi (Vayikra 26:42) writes, " I n five pesukim

the name Yaakov is written w i t h an extra and i n five
Pesukim Eliyahu (‫ )אליהו‬is spelled without its usual ‫׳ו׳‬. Yaakov
took a letter from the name of Eliyahu as a pledge that he w i l l
come and announce the redemption of his children — the
revelation of Mashiach."
* * *

QUESTION: W h y did he specifically take the letter as

a pledge and not any other letter?
ANSWER: I n Hebrew the word "vav" means "a
connecting hook," as we find i n the Torah: "vavei ha'amudim"
— "the hooks of the pillars" (Shemot 27:10). The curtains were
attached by "vavim" — "hooks" — to the poles that supported
them, and i n Hebrew a ‫ ״ו״‬serves the grammatical function of
attaching and connecting one word w i t h another. Thus, the
‫ ״ף׳‬symbolizes unity. Our present galut was caused by sinat
chinam, unwarranted hatred and dissension — (Yoma 9b), and
it w i l l end when true ahavat Yisrael and unity w i l l prevail i n
the Jewish community.
The last Mishnah i n Eduyot (8:7) says that Eliyahu's
purpose is only to make peace i n the world, as the prophet
Malachi proclaims: "Behold I w i l l send you Eliyahu the
prophet, and he shall turn the heart of fathers to the children
and the heart of children to the fathers" (3:23-24). Therefore,
Yaakov specifically took a from Eliyahu's name as i f to
symbolize that he should "hook together," that is, speedily
reunite the Jewish people so that they w i l l merit the
immediate coming of Mashiach.
(‫ ר׳ דוד שי׳ פיינשטיין‬- ‫)קול דודי‬
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‫ לבתך אחרי במדבר בארץ לא זרועה״‬...‫״זברתי לך חסד נעוריך‬

" I recall for you the kindness of your youth,
as you went after Me in the wilderness,
in an u n s o w n land."

QUESTION: A midbar — wilderness — is an unsown

land, so why the redundancy?
ANSWER: Before Hashem gave the Torah to the Jewish
people, He offered it to the nations of the world. Each one of
them rejected it, saying that it was impossible for them to
observe it. For instance, Yishmael had a problem w i t h "You
shall not steal" and Eisav had a problem w i t h "You shall not
k i l l " (see Sifri, Devarim 33:2).
While every midbar — wilderness — is an unsown land,
the wilderness i n which the Jews traveled was unique. It was
sown w i t h the theory known as "Lo" — "No" — i.e.
impossible for them. Hashem is particularly grateful to the
Jewish people, for not only did we follow H i m i n the
wilderness and observed His Torah, but we did i t i n an eretz lo
zeru'ah — a land where the "no" was sown. Everybody
claimed that it was impossible to observe Torah, and
nevertheless we faithfully lived a true Torah life.

‫״ובל מאמינים שהוא דיין אמת ההגוי גאהי׳ה אשר אהי׳ה״‬

" A l l believe that He is the true Judge, He is
called, ' I W i l l Be W h a t I W i l l Be.' "

QUESTION: What is the connection between Hashem's

Name being "Eh-ye asher Eh-ye" and His being the true Judge?
ANSWER: The word "Eh-ye" (‫ — )אהי׳ה‬has the numerical
value of twenty-one, and "Eh-ye asher Eh-ye" (‫)אהי׳ה אשר אהי׳ה‬
— is twenty-one times twenty-one, which totals four hundred
and forty-one. The word "emet" (‫" — )אמת‬truth" — also adds
up to four hundred and forty-one. Hence, this particular
Name emphasizes that Hashem is the epitome of truth and
thus all believe that He is the true Judge.
(‫)עיטורי תורה‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 133

‫״ובל מאמינים שהוא חי ונןים הטום ומטים לרעים ולטובים״‬

" A l l believe that He lives and is eternal, He is
good and does good to the w i c k e d and to the
good."

QUESTION: How does His doing good to the wicked

prove that he is eternal?
ANSWER: A king of flesh and blood who is eventually
going to die rushes to take vengeance during his lifetime, for
either he or his enemy against w h o m he wishes to take
vengeance might die, and he would miss the chance to be
avenged. Since Hashem lives forever He does not have to
rush to take His due, because He can collect whenever He
wants, even after the person's death, i f necessary (see Devarim
32:40, Rashi).
Hashem does not desire that the wicked perish, but
rather that they repent and live. Thus, since He patiently does
good even to the wicked though they do not deserve it and
does not rush to take His vengeance, it proves that he is
eternal.
(‫)ברוך שאמר‬

‫״הטוב ומטיב לרעים ולטובים״‬

"He i s good and does good to the w i c k e d
and to the good."

QUESTION: The word "latovim" — "to the good" — is

superfluous; i f He does good to the wicked, He surely does
good to the good?
ANSWER: Some people are aware that they were wicked
during the year and resolve on Rosh Hashanah to repent and
change their ways i n the future. There are, however, others
who don't even realize their wickedness and think that they
are good and what they are doing is good.
Hashem has mercy on every Jew. He is good and does
good not only "lara'im" — to the wicked — who are cognizant
of their past and resolved to improve, but also "latovim" — to
134 VEDIBARTA BAM

those [who i n their own eyes] are good — and who

seemingly have no need to change or improve.
(‫)פון אונזער אלטן אוצר בשם ר׳ צבי הירש זצ״ל מזידיטשויב‬

‫ לחש״‬,‫״ובל מאמינים שהוא עונד‬

"And a l l believe that He a n s w e r s silent prayer."

QUESTION: Hashem can read what is i n the mind and

heart of a person, so what praise is this for Hashem?
ANSWER: On Rosh Hashanah, Satan and vicious angels
come before His Heavenly Tribunal to prosecute the Jewish
people. They complain about the iniquities the Jews have
committed.
Hashem is the A l l Merciful and loves His chosen people
regardless of their merit. He does not enjoy hearing any
critique about them and despises those who endeavor to
besmirch them.
The liturgist is saying i n Hashem's praise that all believe
that when He hears them prosecuting, oneh — He responds
"lachash" — "be silent. Stop your complaining. I do not want
to hear anything negative said about My beloved children."
(‫)פון אונזעראלטן אוצר‬
 Minhagim —
Customs
Round Challot
New Knife
Kiddush
Ram's Head
Apple Dipped in Honey
Pomegranates
Walnuts
Tashlich
136 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫חלות עגולות‬
R o u n d Challot

QUESTION: Why for Rosh Hashanah is it customary to

make round challot, and shape them like a spiraling ladder?
ANSWER: Rosh Hashanah is the day of Hashem's
coronation, when he is crowned as King over us and the
entire world. Thus, it is appropriate to make round challot,
which resemble a crown.
In our prayers we declare that on this day it is decided,
"Mi yishafeil u'mi yarum" — "Who shall be humbled and who
shall be exalted." Therefore, i t is customary to shape the
challot as a ladder, alluding to the idea of going down and up.

‫מנהג במה חסידים ואנשי מעשה לקנות פבין חדש געד״ה‬

Some C h a s s i d i m and men of deeds have a
custom to purchase a new knife, Erev Rosh
Hashanah
(Nitei Gavriel 11:10)

QUESTION: What is the reason for the custom of

purchasing a new sharp knife before Rosh Hashanah?
ANSWER: The final letters of the words, "Potei'ach et
yadecha" (‫" — )פותח א ת ידן‬You open up your hand" — spell the
word "chatach" — "cut" — which is the name of the
Angel i n charge of parnasah — livelihood. Also, the word
"u'masbe'a" (‫" — )ומשביע‬and satisfy [the desire of every living
being]" — which follows afterwards i n the pasuk (Psalms
145:16) has the numerical value of four hundred and twenty-
eight which is also the numerical value of "chatach." Thus, the
acquiring of a new sharp knife is considered a "segulah" —
something spiritually propitious — for parnasah, which we
request on Rosh Hashanah for the entire coming year.
(‫)טעמי המנהגים ע׳ קי״וז‬
 ROSH HASHANAH 137

‫׳מקרא קדש זבד ליציאת מצדים״‬

" A holy convocation commemorating
the E x o d u s from Egypt." (Kiddush)

QUESTION: What is the connection between Rosh

Hashanah and the redemption from Egypt?
ANSWER: Though the actual departure from Egypt took
place on the 15th of Nissan, the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 11a)
says that six months earlier, on Rosh Hashanah, servitude was
removed from our forefathers i n Egypt.
(‫)לקוטי מהרי״וז‬

...‫״יש לאבול דאש איל זבד לאילו של יצחק‬

.‫דאש אחד לומד נדדה לדאש ולא לזנב‬
"It is customary to eat the head of a r a m i n
remembrance of the r a m [offered in lieu] of
Yitzchak... or an other head, to allude that we
be a head and not a t a i l . (Shulchan Aruch Harav
583:5)

QUESTION: H o w does this accord w i t h the statement of

the Mishnah "And rather be a tail to lions than a head to
foxes." (4:15)?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 16b) says that
tzaddikim are immediately inscribed and sealed i n the Book of
Life. The verdict for the beinonim — average people —
however is unclear, and according to their behavior during
the ten days of repentance, a decision is made by Yom Kippur.
Thus, the eating of the head alludes that we hope to be on
the "head" of the list together w i t h the tzaddikim and be
inscribed immediately i n the Book of Life and not be on the
"tail" end of the list and have to wait days for a decision
about our future.
(‫)שמעתי מהרב פרץ שי׳ שטיינבערג‬
* * *

QUESTION: I f the intent of the prayer is "to be a head" it

should have said, "sheniheyeh rosh." W h y "lerosh"?
138 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: The word "lerosh" (‫ )לראש‬is an acronym for

"la'asot retzon Avinu shebashamayim" (‫צון אבינו שבשמים‬1 ‫)לעשות‬.
We pray to merit that throughout the year we should merit
to fulfill the w i l l of our Father i n Heaven.
(‫)ר׳ משה זצ״ל מקוברין‬
* * *

Another explanation is: In reality it seems impractical for

everyone to be a leader. A community needs leaders and
followers. Our prayer, however, is that we should merit
"sheniheyeh" — to belong and be attached — "lerosh" — to a
rosh, to be a chassid of a rebbe, and a follower of an authentic
leader of K'lal Yisrael.

‫ בדבש״‬pirns man ‫״ויש נוהגים לאבוד‬

"Some eat a sweet apple dipped in honey"
(Orach Chaim 583:1)

QUESTION: What is the significance of eating a sweet

apple dipped i n honey, on the first night or Rosh Hashanah?
ANSWER: When any apple is cut i n half horizontally one
sees five grooves w i t h pits, encircled by ten dots. Using the
alef-beit as numerals, the hei (‫ )ה‬is five and the yud (‫ )י‬ten.
Thus, the five grooves and the ten dots are an allusion to the
"yud-hei" (‫ה‬-‫ — )י‬the first half of the Holy four-lettered Name.
The reason for the emphasis on the "yud" and "hei" of His
Holy four-letter Name is that "Hayom harat olam" — "Today is
the birthday of the world" — and w i t h these two letters the
worlds were created. The Gemara (Menachot 29b) explains that
the pasuk, "Be'yah Hashem tzur olamim" — "For i n G-d,
Ado-noy, is the strength of the worlds (Isaiah 26:4), should be
expounded as i f it means, "With 'yah' (the letters yud and hei)
Hashem formed worlds." W i t h the letter "yud" — "Olam
Haba" — "the W o r l d to Come" — was created, and w i t h the
letter "hei" — "Olam hazeh" — "this world" — was created
(see Bereishit 2:4, Rashi).
 ROSH HASHANAH 139

Thus, eating an apple is particularly appropriate on Rosh

Hashanah, the birthday of the world and the day of Hashem's
coronation as King of the world.
(‫)שמעתי מאבי חורגי הרב אליהו משה דיל ליס‬
* * *

According to Kabbalists Hashem's name "Yud — Hei" has a

special connection w i t h the month of Tishrei. In fact, the mazal
— astrological sign — of Tishrei is moznayim — scales — and
the numerical value of the Hebrew words "mazal moznayim"
(‫ )מזל מאזנים‬is two hundred and twenty-five, the same as "yud-
hei" (‫ה‬-‫ )י‬times "yud-hei" (15 x 15 = 225).
(‫)בני יששכר מאמר ב׳ סעי׳ י״ב‬
* * *

It is interesting to note, that i n the zemirot of Shabbat

(Atkinu Seudata and Azameir Bishevachim) the mention of
"Chakal Tapuchin Kadishin" — "the Field of Sacred Apples" —
refers to the Kingdom of Hashem.
(‫כ״ז‬:‫)עי׳ רש״י בראשית כ״ז‬

‫״בדגש״‬
"Dipped i n honey"

QUESTION: What is the significance of dipping the

challah and the apple into honey?
ANSWER: The challah and the apple are dipped i n honey
because the Hebrew word for honey is "devash" (‫ )דבש‬and its
numerical value is three hundred and six, which is also the
numerical value of "Av harachaman" — "merciful
Father."
(‫ בני יששכר‬,‫)ר׳ פינחס זצ״ל מקוריץ‬

‫״ויש אוכלים דמונים ואומדים נדכה זכויות כדמוך‬

"Some eat pomegranates and say,
'May we accumulate merits like a
pomegranate.' "
(Orach Chaim 583:1, Rama)

QUESTION: What message do we send to Hashem by

eating a pomegranate?
140 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: I n reference to Rabbi Meir's learning Torah

from Elisha ben Avuyah, even after he became a heretic
known as "Acheir" — "the other" — the Gemara (Chagigah
15b) says, "Rabbi Meir found i n Acheir's teachings the
equivalent of a pomegranate. He ate the inside and threw
away the peel." He discarded Acheir's openly sinful behavior
like a peel, and drew out the valuable Torah teachings that
still remained w i t h i n h i m .
Regardless of the "outer appearance" of a Jew, w i t h i n h i m
is a spark of Judaism which is glowing. It may be covered by
various kelipot — peels — of alien influences that are not
Torah oriented, but this spark w i l l not allow the individual to
be detached from Hashem (see Tanya ch. 19).
By eating a pomegranate we are asking Hashem, " I n
judging us, do not be impressed by our 'peel' — outer
appearance — but take into consideration only the good that
is w i t h i n us, and our desire to be attached to You, even i f it
requires mesirat nefesh — self-sacrifice."
(‫)ברכת חיים‬

‫״יש מדקדקים שלא לאכול אגוזים שאגוז בגימטדיא חטא״‬

"Some are careful not to eat w a l n u t s [on Rosh
Hashanah} since the numerical value of the
w o r d "egoz" (‫" — )אגוז‬walnut" — is the same as
the w o r d "cheit" (‫" — )חטא‬sin." (Orach Chaim
583:2, Rama)

QUESTION: The numerical value of "egoz" is only

seventeen, so what does it have to do w i t h "cheit" which adds
up to eighteen? Moreover, "egoz" has the same numerical
value as "tov" — "good" — so why not eat walnuts?
ANSWER: A walnut is divided into two halves which are
attached together, and i n each half there are two pieces of nut
separated by a partition. Thus, the four quarters of the nut
are all under one cover and i n one casing, yet separated from
each other.
 ROSH HASHANAH 141

The message of not eating walnuts on Rosh Hashanah is

that all Jews should be united and interdependent. To portion
oneself off and not mingle w i t h others is the equivalent of
"cheit" — a "sin."
,‫)שמעתי מאחי הרב שמואל פסח שי׳ באגאמילסקי‬
(‫ לא הביא הגימטריא עי״ש‬,‫ו‬:‫ובשו״ע אדמוה״ז תקפג‬
* * *

Alternatively, for reaching the numerical value of "cheit"

— "sin" — the "alef" (‫ )א‬is not counted since it is a silent
letter which is not pronounced.
The "alef" is silent to allude that the person sinned
because at that particular time he did not hear or pay
attention to the "alef" — Hashem — W h o is "Alufo shel olam"
— "the One and Only Master of the world."

‫תשליד‬
Tashlich

QUESTION: What is the reason for the Tashlich service on

Rosh Hashanah?
ANSWER: O n the first day of Rosh Hashanah (or on the
second i f the first falls on Shabbat) after the Minchah Prayer
before sunset, it is proper to go outside of the city to a well or
spring that contains fish — for water symbolizes kindness,
and fish an ever-open eye — and recite the thirteen Divine
Attributes of Mercy, mentioned i n the last three verses of the
Prophet Micah, "Mi Ei-l kamocha" — "Who is Al-mighty like
You" (Micah 7:18, 20), which correspond to the thirteen
Divine Attributes (see Shemot 34:6, 7).
The prophet also stated, "Vetashlich bimetzulot yam kol
chatotam" — "You w i l l cast all their sins into the depths of the
sea" (Micah 7:19).Based on this the service received the name
Tashlich.
a ‫ שו״ע אדמור״ז סי׳ תקפ״ג סעי׳‬- ‫)סידור נוסח אר״י‬
Fish have a tendency to multiply abundantly and since
they are under the cover of water, the naked eye cannot see
them, and thus they are not affected by an evil eye. W i t h our
142 VEDIBARTA BAM

going to Tashlich we are alluding that we beseech Hashem

that we be blessed w i t h the fish qualities — multiply and not
be affected by an evil eye.
* * *

Alternatively, the Gemara (Horiyot 12a) says that kings

were anointed only by a spring of water to allude that their
reign should flow continuously. Rosh Hashanah is the day of
coronation of the King of Kings — Hashem. By going to the
water we are alluding that we want His Kingdom over us to
be everlasting, and we w i l l endeavor to keep ourselves free of
transgression so that our relationship w i l l be constant and
perpetual.
R R
(‫)ברוך שאמר‬
Alternatively, the Akeidah took place on Rosh Hashanah
(Zohar, Vayikra 18a). Satan tried to stop it from happening,
and i n one of his attempts, he disguised himself as a body of
water. Avraham did not let this thwart h i m and walked right
into the water. As it reached his mouth and he was about to
drown, he prayed to Hashem. Seeing his sincerity Hashem
instructed Satan to move aside, and Avraham continued on
dry land unto Mount Moriah (Midrash Tanchumah, Bereishit).
To commemorate this aspect of the Akeidah we go to a
body of water on Rosh Hashanah.
(‫)מהרי״ל‬
* * *

Perhaps it can be said that w i t h this we are proclaiming

our commitment to following i n the footsteps of our
patriarch and resolving not to permit any obstacles to hinder
us from serving Hashem.
* * *

In Hebrew fish are called "dagim" (‫ )דגים‬and the numerical

value of the word is fifty-seven, which is also the numerical
value of the word "zan" (‫" — )זן‬nourishment." Hence, at
Tashlich we are beseeching Hashem to nourish us throughout
the year materially and spiritually.
 Shabbat Shuvah
Derashot —
Sermonic Material
144 VEDIBARTA BAM

SIN FOR T H E " S A K E OF H E A V E N "

Undoubtedly, the most popular words of the prophet

Hoshea are his message of rebuke to Klal Yisrael, "Shuvah
Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha ki chashalta ba'avonecha" — "Return,
O Israel, to G-d your G-d for you have stumbled through your
iniquity" (Hoshea 14:2). This message has been most
appropriately selected as the Haftarah reading for Shabbat
during the Aseret Yimei Teshuvah — Ten days of Repentance
— for its compatibility w i t h the theme of teshuvah, which is
the call of those days. Regarding this prophet and his
message there is a very interesting Midrash which connects it
all w i t h his lineage being that he is a descendant of Reuven,
the son of the patriarch Yaakov.
When Yosef met his brothers i n the field they
contemplated killing him. When Reuven heard of their plans
he told them, "Shed no blood. Throw h i m into this pit i n the
wilderness, but lay no hand on h i m . " (Bereishit 37:22) The
Torah relates that afterwards, "Reuven returned to the pit
and, behold, Yosef was not i n the pit." The Midrash (Rabbah,
Bereishit 84:19) asks, "Where had Reuven been?" Rabbi
Eliezer said, he was taken up w i t h his fasting and sack cloth,
and when he became free, he went to look i n the pit. This is
derived from the expression, "Vayashav Reuven" which can be
interpreted to mean, "And Reuven repented."
The reason for his repenting was because he tampered
w i t h his father's bed (ibid 35:22). When Rachel died, Yaakov
took up residence i n the tent of Bilhah. Reuven, who acted
virtuously i n defending his mother's honor, moved his
father's bed to his mother's tent. When Yaakov reprimanded
him for this, he realized that his acting hastily was incorrect,
and began the process of repentance. The Midrash continues,
"Hashem said, 'No man has hitherto repented after sinning
before Me, and you are the first who has repented. As you
live, your descendant w i l l stand forth and be the first to urge
 SHABBAT SHUVAH 145

repentance.' To whom does this allude? To Hoshea, who

cried out, 'Shuvah Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha ki chashalta
ba'avonecha' — 'Return, O Israel, to G-d your G-d for you have
stumbled through your iniquity.' "
Commentaries point out that this Midrash seems to
contradict a Midrash (Ibid. 22:13) which relates that Kayin did
teshuvah after killing his brother Hevel. I n fact Adam met h i m
and asked him, "How did your case go? ' I repented and am
reconciled,' he replied. Thereupon, Adam began beating his
face, crying, 'So great is the power of repentance, and I did
not know!' Forthwith he arose and exclaimed, Mizmor shir
leyom haShabbat' — 'A Psalm, a song for the Shabbat day' —
'Tov lehodot laHashem' — ' I t is a good thing to make a
confession [ l i t . give thanks] to Hashem' " (Psalms 92:1).
(Some commentaries say that he only said the words 'Mizmor
shir leyom haShabbat' and the word haShabbat (‫ )השבת‬can be
rearranged to spell the word teshuvah (‫)תשבה‬. Thus, he was
proclaiming a song for the day when one comes to the
realization and repents.)
Since according to this Midrash Kayin was the first to
introduce the concept of teshuvah, why then does Hashem
applaud Reuven?
To explain this difficulty, it w i l l be necessary for us to
analyze the sins committed by these three individuals, Adam,
Kayin and Reuven.
When Hashem created the world, Adam, the only man on
the face of the earth, was given access to everything and
sovereignty over all. However, Hashem w i t h His divine
wisdom decided that the fruits of one tree, should be
forbidden to him. Nevertheless, Adam, who had everything,
could not control his desire, and violated the order of
Hashem who was so benevolent to him. Undoubtedly,
everyone w i l l agree that there is no excuse or justification for
Adam.
Kayin and Hevel, the only two children of Adam and
Chavah, got into an argument. One said to the other, "Come
146 VEDIBARTA BAM

let us divide the world." One took the land, and the other,
the moveables. The former said, "The land you stand on is
mine." While the latter retorted, "What you are wearing is
mine." Out of this quarrel Kayin rose up against his brother
Hevel and killed h i m .
Now imagine, dear friends, all together there were only
four people i n the entire world, and two of them were
brothers. The vast world w i t h all its contents was not enough
to satisfy their greed, and ultimately one of them committed
the heinous crime of killing his own brother i n cold blood.
Even i n the most primitive societies such behavior is
repugnant. These two iniquities committed by Adam and
Kayin are universally accepted as wrong. There is no way i n
the world to find a justification for them.
The story w i t h Reuven is entirely different. Reuven i n a
sense, did not commit a crime. On the contrary, he
performed a mitzvah. One of the noblest mitzvot of the Torah
which is widely acclaimed by all of humanity is "Honor your
mother." However, upon learning that his father did not
appreciate his actions, he realized that even when one does
something wrong and can justify it as correct or dress it up as
a mitzvah, still it is necessary to do teshuvah. Reuven was thus
the first person on earth who repented even though he could
claim that his transgression was for the sake of Heaven. For
this he merited the reciprocation of Hashem, that his
grandson Hoshea the son of Be'eiri would proclaim, "Shuvah
Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha" — "Return, O Israel, to G-d your
G-d."
Grammatically instead of the word "ad [Hashem Elokecha]"
which literally means " t i l l [G-d your G-d]," it should have
said "el" which means "to [G-d your G-d]."
The prophet's message was "Return O Israel" — even i f
you can rationalize that your sin was a lofty act, reaching as
high as "ad Hashem Elokecha" — "till G-d your G-d."
The prophet continues "ki chashalta ba'avonecha" — "for
you have stumbled through your iniquity." Instead of using
 SHABBAT SHUVAH 147

the word "chashalta" — "you stumbled" — he should have

said "chatata" — "you sinned."
In light of the above that the prophet is not talking about
an obvious heinous crime, but an iniquity which is done w i t h
good intentions and for the sake of Heaven, he appropriately
proclaims "chashalta" — "you stumbled" — w i t h this act —
into thinking that you are doing a mitzvah.
The most problematic sin of our times is the one which is
dressed up and labeled as a mitzvah. How often is i t heard
from perpetrators of evil against their fellow man, " I t is a
mitzvah to do to h i m such and such..." Let us heed the call of
the prophet to do teshuvah, even i f we can explain that our
actions were "ad Hashem Elokecha" — for the sake of Heaven.

SERMON IN A STORY

There was once a chaplain who visited a jail to deliver a

sermon to the inmates. While ascending the podium to
speak, he tripped and fell flat on his face. The room erupted
in laughter. He picked himself up and went over to the
podium and said, " I have just concluded my sermon; the
moral is that even when a person falls flat on his face, he can
rise up again."

‫״שובה ישראל עד ה׳ אלקיך כי כשלת בעוכך‬

‫קחו עמבם דברים ושובו אל ה׳״‬
"Return, O I s r a e l to H a s h e m , your G-d, for y o u
have stumbled through your iniquity. T a k e
words w i t h you and return to H a s h e m . "
QUESTION: W h y i n the first pasuk does Hoshea say "ad
Hashem," while i n the following pasuk he says "el Hashem" —
"to Hashem"?
ANSWER: A person's sin can be either bein adam laMakom
— between man and Hashem — or bein adam lachaveiro —
148 VEDIBARTA BAM

between man and his fellow. I n both cases the person must
strive for forgiveness. However, for sins of the first nature
one must repent, pray and supplicate Hashem. For the latter,
forgiveness is accomplished by appeasing the person
wronged.
The Mishnah (Yoma 85b) says, "Sins between man and
G-d, Yom Kippur atones; but sins between man and his fellow,
Yom Kippur does not atone until he appeases his fellow."
Carefully analyzing the wording of the Mishnah,
commentaries suggest that the Mishnah is teaching that i f one
committed both categories of sins, Yom Kippur w i l l not atone
the sins between man and Hashem, unless the sinner first
appeases his fellow for the iniquity committed against h i m .
(See Rif to Ayin Yaakov, Birkei Yosef 606 and Mateh Efraim).
In fact, every time a person commits a sin against his
fellow he is simultaneously committing a sin against
Hashem, and Hashem does not forgive his part until man
forgives his (see Pri Chadash to Orach Chaim 606).
The word "ad" (‫ )עד‬sometimes means "before." As we say
in the daily morning prayers, "Atah hu ad shelo nivra ha'olam"
— "You were [the same] before the world was created."
Consequently, the prophet's message can be explained as
follows:
"Shuvah Yisrael" — "O Israel do Teshuvah" — repent among
yourselves, ad — before — i.e. prior to repenting for what
you did wrong to Hashem your G-d.
"Kechu imachem devarim" — "take words among you" —
the way to deal w i t h sins committed among yourselves, is by
approaching your fellow w i t h soothing words and begging his
forgiveness. [Afterward] "veshuvu el Hashem" — "return — i.e.
repent — to Hashem" for the sins committed against H i m .
(‫)ספר אמרי יאי מר׳ בן ציון דיל אייזענשטאדט‬
 Yom Kippur
Derashot —
Sermonic Material
150 VEDIBARTA BAM

T H E BERDITCHEVER'S Y O M KIPPUR P L E A

Chassidim are accustomed on Erev Yom Kippur to come to

their Rabbi and give some charity as a pidyon nefesh —
redemption of the soul. I n the city of Berditchev where the
famous interceder on behalf of Klal Yisrael, Rabbi Levi
Yitzchak, was the Rabbi, this custom was practiced
religiously from year to year. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak would
prepare a pidyon — prayer — w i t h which he would petition
Hashem on behalf of the members of the community. He
would list them all by name, and he would beseech that they
all be inscribed i n the book of life.
One year he clearly stated that he would not allow anyone
to be included i n the list without paying one ruble per
person. There would be no exceptions: young or old, man,
woman, or child, all were to pay one ruble.
The people wondered: I n today's times when things are
tough, expenses are staggering, and income is decreasing,
how could the Rabbi demand that a family w i t h ten — twelve
children come up w i t h one ruble per person? Nevertheless,
everyone knew that i f the Rabbi said something, one must
not argue. Even i f it was necessary to look, search, or borrow,
everyone was to bring a ruble to the Rabbi.
The Rabbi sat at his place by the table and greeted all the
people happily. A bowl on the table filled up w i t h money and
a list w i t h the name of every Jew i n the community was
before h i m . As each person came i n and made his payment,
the Rabbi checked off the name and wrote it i n his pidyon.
Suddenly the door opened, and a woman was standing there
broken-hearted. She had come w i t h her small child and
wanted the Rabbi to know that she was a widow and life was
very difficult. A l l she could come up w i t h was one ruble for
the two of them. The Rabbi sternly said, "No. It is not
enough. I w i l l not make any exceptions. You must bring me
another ruble, for I w i l l soon close the door." The woman left
 Y O M KIPPUR 151

his room crying and begged the people to help her. She
gathered a few groshen — pennies — but it did not add up to
another ruble. The streets were starting to fill up w i t h people
on their way to shul. The Rebbetzin was screaming to the
Rabbi to come to eat, as the food was getting cold and soon it
would be too late to eat, and the poor widow w i t h her child
in hand, ran to the Rabbi i n hope that the door was still open.
When she arrived, the door opened and the woman
walked i n broken hearted. "Rabbi," she said, " I promise you I
have searched everywhere, but I cannot put together another
ruble." The Rabbi said, " I am sorry. No exceptions. Give me
the one ruble that you have, and I w i l l put your name on the
list. The child has no sins, so it is not so bad i f I do not put
his name on the list." The woman broke down i n tears. The
thought of not being w i t h her child overwhelmed her, and
she screamed, "Rabbi, no! You do not feel the pain i n the
heart of a mother. Listen to me, I am going to give you one
ruble; write my child's name on your list, for I have already
lived my life and whatever happens w i t h me is immaterial."
u p o n hearing the anguished cry of the mother, Rabbi
Levi Yitzchak jumped up from his seat and looked upwards to
the heaven and said, "For these words I have been waiting all
day. Hashem, hear these words, and You do not need to hear
anymore. There is nothing even to think about. You have
seen how a mother cares for her child. She is willing to give
her life for her child. Hashem, Your people are Your children.
I beg you to have pity on them as a mother has pity on a
child."
Dear friends, I am not Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev
and fortunately no one here is as impoverished as the mother
of the little child i n the city of Berditchev, but my appeal to
you here tonight is let us learn from this poor mother and
give of ourselves, of our time, and of our resources for the
sake of our children. unfortunately, there are many mothers
and fathers as well, who because of money do not keep the
highest kashrut standards and contaminate the minds of their
152 VEDIBARTA BAM

children w i t h food that is not acceptable. There are many

parents who deny their children a proper Jewish education
because of the cost of tuition while at the same time they
spend on luxuries they can well do without. I can go on and
on w i t h examples, but suffice it to say that like that mother
of Berditchev, let us put our children on the list, even i f it
means giving up a little bit of ourselves for their benefit.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev evoked heavenly mercy
through the anguished cry of a mother on behalf of her child.
Let us hope that we too, i n merit of our resolutions regarding
the benefit of our children, w i l l succeed i n beseeching
Al-mighty G-d to bestow upon us the very best materially and
spiritually i n the year to come.
 Y O M KIPPUR 153

T H E C R Y OF A JEWISH C H I L D

Once Rabbi Yisrael Salanter did not appear at the

synagogue for the Kol Nidrei service. It was quite dark and
everyone was ready to begin the service, but there was no
sign o f Rabbi Israel. The congregants were getting most
impatient, and the head of the community decided to send a
messenger to the rabbi's residence to see what was detaining
their spiritual head.
The messenger soon returned and reported that no one
was home; everyone had left for the synagogue. N o w the
congregation became worried and decided to send a search
party to look for the rabbi. A l l the streets were searched, but
there was no trace o f the rabbi. Suddenly, as one o f the
searchers passed a house i n the poorer section o f the city, he
looked through a window and there i n a darkened room sat
the rabbi. He was bending over and rocking a cradle. "Sh, Sh,
be quiet," warned the rabbi as the group entered. "You w i l l
wake the poor child. It took me all this time to put h i m to
sleep."
Later he explained that on his way to the synagogue, he
heard a baby crying. He located the house from which the
sobbing came, entered it, and saw that the child had been left
alone when all the elders had gone to the shul for the Kol
Nidrei service. "What else could I have done?" he demanded.
"How could I have started the Kol Nidrei service knowing that
a poor Jewish infant was crying."
Dear friends, i n our community and i n Jewish
communities throughout the world there are many Jewish
children who are crying. They are yearning for a Jewish
education and would love to know about the Torah — our
golden heritage. They want to know what a Jew is all about
and become attached to G-d. We can hear some o f this
crying: It is i n the form o f the questions they are asking about
154 VEDIBARTA BAM

Judaism. However, there are other people whose crying we

cannot hear: the neshamah i n them cries.
Let me paraphrase tonight to you and to myself the words
of Rabbi Salanter: H o w can we sit calmly Yom Kippur night i n
shul, knowing that a Jewish child is crying — how can we face
Hashem when there are Jewish children who are not
receiving a Jewish education, either because of the parents',
unwillingness or inability to pay tuition or because our
schools do not have enough funds to offer more scholarships?
I recall once visiting a philanthropist for a donation for
the yeshivah and he asked me, "Rabbi, how many students do
you have i n the yeshivah?" My reply was "not enough." I went
on to explain, that every Jewish child should be receiving a
Jewish education and as long as that goal is not reached the
total number of students i n yeshivot and Hebrew day school is
"not enough."
I know that all of you here tonight share my concern
about Jewish education. I am sure your heart aches for all
those who are not i n yeshivot and also for the financial
difficulties confronting our Torah institutions. However, let
me tell you a story that I hope w i l l spare me the need of
further elaboration.
A story is told of a man who complained about chest
pains. His wife told h i m to lie down to rest while she called
the doctor. The doctor came to the patient's home, sat down
at the bedside, and took the patient's hand i n order to take
his pulse. In a faint voice the patient said, "Doctor, it is not
my hand; the pains are i n my chest, near my heart." To which
the doctor responded, " I know, but from the hand we know
how the heart works."
There is no doubt that everyone has a good heart, but let
our hand demonstrate (by giving charity) how our heart
works.
 Y O M KIPPUR 155

A L L JEWS ARE BEAUTIFUL

The best attended prayer i n all synagogues is the Kol

Nidrei, which is recited on the Eve of Yom Kippur. The
emotion-laden chanting of Kol Nidrei i n its moving centuries-
old melody begins the Yom Kippur service at a fervish pitch. In
search for the author of this so popular prayer, there is a
legend that associates it w i t h the time of the Spanish
Inquisition. Many Jews were compelled on the pain of death
to renounce their faith. A t heart, however, they remained
true to their own religion. For the benefit of these Anusim —
forced ones — popularly known as Marranos, the prayer was
recited on Yom Kippur. They would gather secretly i n hidden
chambers and tearfully ask Hashem to forgive them for
having taken a false vow.
Many disagree w i t h this theory, since the concept of
absolving vows at the beginning of the year is mentioned i n
the Gemara (Nedarim 23b), part of the Babylonian Talmud,
which was complied almost 2000 years ago, and, the text of
the Kol Nidrei prayer dates back at least to the ninth century.
It is found i n the Siddur Reb Amram Gaon of that period.
Further, much had already been written about the Kol Nidrei
prayer by the codifiers of Halachah i n their works which pre¬
dated the period of the Inquisition.
Nevertheless, many have accepted the theory that the
stirring plaintive melody (Niggun) w i t h which it is chanted i n
all communities originated at that time. A legend associates
the melody w i t h the heroic death of Don Manuel, who was
one of the close advisors to the Spanish King Ferdinand.
unfortunately, the spies of the Inquisition discovered that he
was secretly practicing his old religion and he was ordered by
the tribunal to be burned at the stake.
King Ferdinand and many noblemen came to witness the
execution. The king offered to pardon h i m i f he would
publicly denounce his religion and promise to accept the
156 VEDIBARTA BAM

Christian religion. Don Manuel turned to the king and

exclaimed, "The chain, the chain, how can one tear the
chain."
"What chain are you talking about?" demanded the king.
"You are not chained."
Don Manuel responded, "The long chain from Avraham,
Yitzchak and Yaakov and my personal family chain that goes
back to King David — how can I agree to break this golden
chain!" W i t h all his might he screamed out "Shema Yisrael
Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad" and leaped into the flaming
fire that had been prepared to consume h i m .
It is claimed that a composer present at this inquisition
was so impressed w i t h the strength of the Jew that he created
a melody to express this and i n time it was accepted
throughout the world as the traditional melody to the words
of Kol Nidrei.
(‫)פון אונזער אלטען אוצר‬
* * *

The tune of Kol Nidrei, and even moreso, the scene of Kol
Nidrei is awesome and moving. The entire congregation is
standing on its feet all garbed i n tallit and kittel. There are
many flickering flames burning, which represent our souls
and those of our loved ones. The holy ark is open, and the
chazan — cantor — stands surrounded by at least two people
holding Sefer Torahs, and together they constitute a Beth Din
— tribunal — to beseech Hashem on behalf of the
congregation.
Much has already been said and written about Kol Nidrei;
therefore, tonight, instead of elaborating on Kol Nidrei, I
would like to discuss the Biblical passages we recite
immediately after Kol Nidrei.
u p o n concluding the Kol Nidrei, everyone delivers a heart
rending plea "And may the entire congregation of Israel, as
well as the proselyte who dwells among them, be forgiven,
for all the people acted unwittingly (Devarim 15:16). This is
followed by the chazan's beseeching Hashem, "Please pardon
 Y O M KIPPUR 157

the sin of this people i n keeping w i t h the greatness of Your

kindness." Then the entire congregation cries out three times
"and Hashem said: I have pardoned i n accordance w i t h your
words" (ibid 14:20).
o n e of the most remarkable aspects of the Kol Nidrei
prayers is its conclusion w i t h the blessing of shehechiyanu. It is
recited by the chazzan and also i n undertone by the entire
congregation. In it we express thanks to Hashem for having
"granted us life and enabling us to reach this occasion."
Some say jokingly that we recite it because halachically
when one meets a friend w h o m he did not see for a long
period of time he should recite the berachah of shehechiyanu
(Orach Chaim 225:1), and tonight we meet so many faces that
we have not seen i n shul since last Yom Kippur. This is only a
humorous anecdote.
The real reason is because on every Yom Tov, shehechiyanu
is recited upon coming home from shul as part of the kiddush.
However, Yom Kippur there is no kiddush because we are
fasting and thus the shehechiyanu is pronounced i n our
prayers. Though, according to some opinions, it should be
said at the conclusion of the Ma'ariv prayers, the popular
custom is to say it at the conclusion of the Kol Nidrei to
officially usher i n Yom Kippur (see Tur, Shulchan Aruch 619).
In all honesty I must tell you that this part of the service
which I have just described is enigmatic and puzzling. The
shul is filled from corner to corner and not everyone is a
Tzaddik — nor would everyone qualify as a beinoni —
intermediate. The introduction to the Kol Nidrei is the
pronouncement by the chazzan flanked by the other two
members of the Beit Din "with sanction of the omnipresent
and w i t h the sanction of the congregation, by authority of the
Heavenly tribunal and by authority of the earthly tribunal, we
hereby grant permission to pray w i t h the transgressors."
The transgressions committed are unfortunately varied.
Some are grave and others of lesser magnitude. Among those
who have transgressed there are wanton sinners, who
158 VEDIBARTA BAM

knowingly violated Torah rules. A l l come to shul tonight

seeking atonement. A l l of us humbly stand before G-d,
knowing that our future is at stake. How do we have the
audacity to publicly state "ki lechol ha'am bishgagah" — "all the
people acted unwittingly." Even i n a court of law when
standing before the judge awaiting a judgment, one would
not make a statement which is contrary to everyone's belief
and which w i l l definitely arouse condemnation. How do we,
standing before the Al-mighty on the holiest day of the year,
filled w i t h remorse and penitence, beseech G-d's forgiveness
prefaced on a gross misrepresentation? Isn't i t contradictory.
o n one hand we are here because of our conviction that He
has the Divine powers to forgive, and on the other hand we
still think one can fool H i m and misstate the t r u t h about the
gravity of our iniquities?!
The prophet Zepaniah states unequivocally "She'eirit
Yisrael lo ya'asu avlah velo yedabru kazav" — "The remnant of
Israel w i l l not commit corruption, they w i l l not speak
falsehood" (3:13).
Nobody is lying tonight; everyone is telling the truth.
What they are saying to Hashem is that which i n our modern
legal system would be called "guilty w i t h explanation."
To better understand the plea, I w i l l quote a story related
in a Mishnah i n the tractate Nedarim (66a). According to the
halachah when a person makes a neder — vow — he is bound
to i t unless a Torah scholar finds a way to release him from it.
However, i f the neder was made i n error; i.e. i f it was based on
a mistaken premise, it never takes effect.
The Mishnah cites an incident concerning one who vowed
forbidding himself benefit from his niece, for he deemed her
ugly and did not wish to marry her (regardless of his families
encouragement). They brought her into the home of Rabbi
Yishmael, and he provided her w i t h clothing and adornments
and he beautified her. Rabbi Yishmael then brought her
before the man and said to him "My son, is i t from this one
that you vowed not to receive benefit? D i d you intend to
 Y O M KIPPUR 159

prohibit benefit from one of such beauty?" He said, "No, I did

not mean to prohibit benefit from one of such beauty." u p o n
hearing this Rabbi Yishmael permitted h i m to her. A t that
time Rabbi Yishmael felt such compassion that he wept and
said "The daughters of Israel are beautiful, but poverty makes
them ugly." Due to his great concern and compassion for the
daughters of Israel, when Rabbi Yishmael died, the daughters
of Israel raised a lament and they said "Daughters of Israel,
weep over Rabbi Yishmael."
This moving story sheds light not only on the daughters
of Israel, but all the people of Israel as well. Jews are
beautiful; they all possess an intrinsic value and beauty.
unfortunately, it is poverty that make them ugly. The poverty
can be financial, lack of Torah knowledge, lack of pride of
being the chosen people, ignorance of the Torah definition of
right and wrong, etc. etc.
Sin is external, and the Jew who sins is not inwardly
corrupt. N o Jew wants to be separated from G-d. When a
person commits a sin it is due to a lack of awareness that he
thereby severs himself from G-d. Ignorantly he assumes that
his Jewishness remains intact (see Tanya, chs. 24-25). The
root of the evil is thus "poverty" i n one form or another.
Once Jews come into the company of Rabbi Yishmael, or
his like, and are cleaned up and adorned w i t h new
"garments," their poverty of Torah ignorance is removed and
replaced w i t h the beauty and richness of Torah and mitzvot.
Then their inherent beauty come to surface and the "pintele
yid," the spark of Judaism embedded i n them, sparkles and
shines i n its full beauty.
In the verse we proclaim there are two terms used:
"aidah" and "am." We say "venislach lechol adat bnei yisrael" —
"may the entire congregation be forgiven" — and then we
conclude ki lechol ha'am bishgagah for all the people acted
unwittingly.
The term "aidah" — "congregation" — is a title associated
w i t h prominence while the term "am" — "people" — is a
160 VEDIBARTA BAM

reference to the public, ordinary folk. What we are saying is

that when we sin we stoop from great heights to great
depths. However, this is not intentional, it is a byproduct of
the various forms of poverty that we experience that have
brought us to this stage.
We are saying to Hashem, "We want to rise back to our
real state of 'aidah' and need Your Divine assistance to do it.
Help us clean off all the alien matter that has covered our
intrinsic beauty and help us shine brightly as proud members
of Your people."
Hashem accepts our plea and thus, w i t h fatherly
compassion, He says, " I have pardoned i n accordance w i t h
your words."
Upon hearing this we rightfully now declare, "Blessed are
You W h o has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to
reach this occasion."
(‫ באסטאן‬- ‫)הרב יוסף דוב הלוי דיל סאלאווייטשיק‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 161

G - D IS RINGING Y O U R DOORBELL

The High Holiday seating arrangement committee of our

shul informed me that a certain Mr. Goldberg w i t h whom I
have had good relations, who has come for years to our shul,
sent back his tickets w i t h a note that he wasn't interested i n
coming to our shul anymore. Quite puzzled, I thought I would
give h i m a call.
After a short amicable conversation I told Mr. Goldberg the
reason for my call. "Rabbi" he said, "Please don't take it per¬
sonally, I love you and enjoy your sermons. The cantor is a
pleasure to listen to, but one thing turns me off. It seems that
the shul is out to get my money. There is an appeal on Rosh
Hashanah. On Yom Kippur you have an appeal at Kol Nidrei and a
Yizkor appeal Yom Kippur day. You sell the aliyot and then they
expect me to make a mi shebeirach and contribute."
Feeling sympathy for my friend, who would really not be
affected i n the least by giving some tzedakah, I asked h i m to
listen to a story.
A woman once had a dream i n which G-d appeared and
engaged i n a very friendly and heartwarming conversation w i t h
her. Convinced that she had gained Hashem's friendship she
brazenly invited H i m for dinner and He graciously told her that
He would be coming for dinner the very next day.
In preparation for her visitor, the woman ordered the finest
foods and most gorgeous flowers. She took out her best china,
polished her heirloom silverware until gleamed, and donned
her finest clothing. The entire house was turned inside out,
and every surface was washed and dusted.
Amidst all the hustle and bustle, the doorbell rang. A poor
man in tattered clothes stood there begging for a meal. He be¬
gan telling her his sad plight, but she impatiently interrupted
him, saying, " I ' m sorry, but I ' m busy preparing for a very im¬
portant guest. Come back some other time."
A t noon the doorbell rang yet again. This time it was a
woman. Her dress was frayed. She had old slippers on her feet.
162 VEDIBARTA BAM

outside it was cold and raining. "Do you have anything I can
eat and perhaps something extra that I can take home to feed
my children?" she asked. Once again the lady responded; "Oh,
I'm so sorry for you, but now I can't do anything for you. I ' m
busy preparing for a very important guest. Come back some
other time."
Toward evening the doorbell rang once more. By now the
table was all set. The candles were l i t . The wines were de¬
canted. The centerpiece was perfectly arranged. Expecting G-d,
the woman raced to the door only to see a young boy inade¬
quately dressed for the weather and shivering from the cold.
He told her that he was an orphan and that his mother had no
money to buy h i m winter clothing. "Could you please help
me?" he asked w i t h tears streaming down his cheeks. "My
dear child" she said, " I can't help you right now — I ' m ex¬
pecting a prominent guest for dinner and I am very busy."
O f course G-d never showed up. A n d as the candles melted
down, the flowers wilted and the food went cold. The woman
fell into a sleep and dreamt of Hashem appearing to her. W i t h
much sadness she said, "Dear G-d, you promised to come for
dinner, and I worked so hard preparing everything. W h y did
you disappoint me?" A n d a voice echoed from heaven and said,
" I rang your doorbell three times today but you didn't let me
in."
As I finished the story I heard my friend Mr. Goldberg tell
me w i t h a choking tear in his voice, "Rabbi please tell them to
reserve my seat — we will be spending the High Holidays
again this year together and hopefully for many more years to
come."
So, my friends, tonight, as we make our annual Kol Nidrei
appeal and your help is solicited, please realize no one is out to
"get your money." Just resolve to give generously because you
never know who is ringing the doorbell.
Credit for story due to Arthur Luxenberg
 Y O M KIPPUR 163

A C A L L FOR CONSISTENCY

The Torah states, "For on this day (Yom Kippur) he (the

Kohen Gadol) shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you;
from all your sins before Hashem shall you be cleansed"
(Vayikra 16:30). Since it is a day of forgiveness and
atonement, confession is a prerequisite. Thus, a special
confessional prayer known as "Al chet" — "For the sin" — is
recited a total of ten times.
Al chet is first recited at the conclusion of the Mincha
Amidah on Erev Yom Kippur and it is repeated again before
nightfall. During Yom Kippur it is said by each individual as a
supplement to the Amidah of Maariv, Shacharit, Mussaf and
Minchah. I n addition it is repeated again also by the chazan
during the repetition of each of the Amidah prayers.
This confessional is i n alphabetical order and includes a
very wide range of sins. It is not meant to be a complete and
exhaustive list, but a means of introspective soul searching to
discover the shortcomings of our personality as well as to set
forth individual sins.
A general rule when beseeching Hashem is to ascend
gradually "min hakal el hakavod" — from the lighter iniquities
to the more ponderous. This is derived from King David's
phraseology i n Psalms "Who can discern mistakes? Cleanse
me from unperceived faults, from intentional sins restrain Your
servant. Then I shall be perfect and cleansed of great
transgressions" (19:13-14). (See Tur, Orach Chaim 582.)
The abovementioned procedure of supplication prompts
the Magen Avraham (607:2) to raise a difficulty w i t h some of
the verses of the alphabetical Al chet. For the letter gimmel we
say, "for the sins that we have sinned before you bagalu
ubasater — i n public or i n private."
It is undoubtedly worse to commit a sin i n public than i n
the privacy of one's home. I f so, shouldn't the order be
reversed?
164 VEDIBARTA BAM

Due to this difficulty, the Magen Avraham suggests that

the order should indeed be reversed. Hence, besatar — i n
private — should be mentioned before bagalu — i n public.
perhaps, the reason why i n fact it is not reversed is because it
would not sit well w i t h the alef-beit sequence.
The Magen Avraham goes on, however, to note that the
Rambam included Seder Tefilot Kol Hashanah — the order of
prayers for the entire year — at the conclusion of Sefer Ahavah
and i n the Al chet confession prayer he only lists "for the sin
we sinned before You begalu — i n public" — and does
mention "ubasater" — "and i n private." It is to be surmised
that the Rambam was promted to this because of the issue
raised by the Magen Avraham.
A commentary i n the Siddur Otzar Hatefilot opines that
there is no need to alter the traditional style of the Al chet
prayer for begalu — committing a sin i n public — is a lesser
iniquity than doing it basater — i n private.
He explains i t as follows:
According to Biblical law, a ganav — thief — who steals
clandestinely must pay kofel — twofold. When he steals a
lamb or an ox and slaughters or sells one of the animals, he
pays fourfold for the lamb and makes a fivefold payment for
the ox. On the other hand, a gazlan — robber — pays only the
principle and is not liable for any twofold, fourfold or fivefold
payments.
The Gemara (Bava Kamma 79b) says that the students of
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai asked h i m "Why was the Torah
more stringent w i t h a thief than a robber?" He said to them
"The robber equates the honor of the servant to the honor of
the master. Whereas the thief did not equate the honor of the
servant to the honor of his master." That is, a robber has no
fear of man, i.e. his victim, or of Hashem. A thief, however,
who steals clandestinely, honors man more than Hashem, for
he takes precautions not to be seen by people, but is not
afraid to be seen by Hashem (Rashi).
 Y O M KIPPUR 165

When one commits a sin baseiter — i n private — i n a

sense he denies one of the basic tenets of our faith, namely,
that Hashem is aware of man's actions. Thus, the perpetrator
of the transgression is more concerned w i t h man seeing h i m
than w i t h Hashem's seeing him. O n the other hand, the one
who commits a sin begalu — i n the open — does not
necessarily deny this and is not demonstrating that he gives
prominence to man over Hashem, because even the fear of
humans, w h o m he has observed w i t h his own eyes, does not
deter h i m . Thus, doing a sin i n the open is less stringent and
in our supplication it properly precedes the more stringent
iniquity of doing a sin baseiter — i n private.
* * *

The foregoing entire discussion is valid only according to

the popular interpretation that bagalu and basater refers to two
ways to commit a sin. However, today, I would like to share
w i t h you, dear friends, a novel interpretation to this passage
of the Al chet according to which the entire issue raised by the
Magen Avraham is moot.
As an introduction, permit me to first ask a question of
my own. I f the confession is for sins committed " i n public
and i n private" than this particular verse is superfluous since
all the sins enumerated i n the Al chet were done either i n
private or i n public?
This leads to the conclusion that here we are not talking
about forms of commiting a sin, but rather of a phenomena
which is, unfortunately, quite popular i n our midst. It is a
behavior pattern which must be recognized as incorrect and
confessed, and which requires a strong resolve to rectify and
abandon.
There are people who, unfortunately, live by two
standards. In public they act very frum — meticulously
religious — while i n private they are lacking immensely i n
their observance. For instance, some people are very
inquisitive about the kashrut at a catered affair, while in
private when no one observes them, they are very lax i n their
166 VEDIBARTA BAM

kashrut standards. I n shul they appear to be very religious.

They criticize davening quickly or without proper thought.
However, when they daven i n the privacy of their home, they
w i l l run through the entire davening i n an extremely short
time.
On the other hand, there are those who, i n the privacy of
their home are meticulous i n their observance of kashrut, but
when going out w i t h friends or associates they are afraid of
being considered a fanatic and therefore w i l l "cut corners" in
their kashrut standards.
The problem of dual personality is not limited just to
religious observance. It can be found also i n marital
relationships. A person may be very congenial w i t h friends
and a horror at home or vice versa. In business relations, too,
one may be pious i n the synagogue and unethical i n business.
It is easy to cite many examples, but I w i l l rely on the
introspection of the listeners to supply further relevant
examples.
The proper conduct for a Jew is to be the same on the
inside and on the outside. piety should be consistent i n
public and i n private. To live by two standards is deceit and
hypocrisy, and indeed a grave iniquity and a horrendous sin.
In this Al cheit we are confessing and begging forgiveness
for the sin of being hypocritical and committing the sin of
having different standards "bagalu ubasater" — " i n public and
in private."
May we all be blessed w i t h the intuition and
determination to live an upright life and be righteous i n both
our interhuman relations and also i n our relations w i t h G-d.
 Y O M KIPPUR 167

T H E V A L U E OF BLUSHING

In the prayer of, "Zechor lanu b'rit avot" — "Remember in

our behalf the covenant w i t h the patriarchs" — which is
recited four times during Yom Kippur, we pray that Hashem
forgive our sins, and we say, "Make our sins white as snow and
wool, as it is written, 'Come now let us reason together, says
Hashem; even i f your sins will be like scarlet, they will become
white as snow; even i f they will be red as crimson, they will
become white as wool'" (Isaiah 1:18).
Why the color scheme red and white? The opposite of
white is black and not red. The prophet should have said i n the
name of Hashem, " I f your sins will be black as coal, they will
become white as snow."
To explain this, I will share w i t h you, dear friends, a story
that took place some time ago i n the Jewish community of
South Africa.
A public debate was once held between a Reform Rabbi
and Orthodox Rabbi regarding the authentic Torah way of life
and the Reform approach to Judaism. The astute Reform Rabbi
decided that the best defense was an offense. When he was
called upon to make the first presentation, he avoided all
discussion of theology, Jewish law, etc., but instead, to
everyone's surprise, he commenced by asking the president of
the Orthodox synagogue, who was i n the audience, to rise, and
then asked h i m the following question: "Are you truly a Torah
observer?" The president of the Orthodox synagogue became
red-faced, hemmed and hawed, and w i t h a deep sigh of
embarrassment admitted that he was not.
The strategy of the Reform Rabbi became clear when he
said, "Ladies and gentleman, you see, there is no difference
between my officers and their officers: neither of them are real
Torah observers, so why debate? We are both equally non-
observant."
During all this time the late, venerable Ponavezer Rav,
Rabbi Yosef Kahanaman — sat i n the audience as a curious
168 VEDIBARTA BAM

onlooker. He asked for permission to ask a question. He

mounted the platform and asked the president of the Reform
Temple to rise and he asked him, "Are you a Torah observer?"
The president of the Temple burst into laughter, saying, "Why,
of course not!"
"This," said the Rav w i t h quiet triumph, "is the difference
between the two presidents, namely, the sense of shame that
was so evident i n the Orthodox President's words and that
was so utterly lacking i n the reply of the Reform President." A
person who turns red-faced w i t h shame when confronted w i t h
his wrong-doing, exhibits remorse.
One of the great problems of our contemporary times is
that we no longer blush; our faces do not become red. The re¬
bellion against morality is publicly flaunted. In other words,
our problem is not the "cheit" — "sin." There were always sins
and sinners, but we did not make a virtue out of them, nor did
we look at sin lightheartedly. In earlier years there was a sense
of shame, and this was already half of repentance. Today, we
are no longer red in the face because of crime, immorality and
unethical business dealings — we have become a corrupt soci¬
ety.
The prophet's words are teaching us that when shame is
gone, there is less hope for moral regeneration. However, i f a
person's sins cause reddening w i t h shame, there is hope that he
will do teshuvah and Hashem will forgive h i m and turn every¬
thing to "white."
In one of our prayers we express the words found i n the
Book of Daniel (9:7) "Lecha Hashem hatzedakah velanu boshet ha-
panim" — "To You O G-d, is the righteousness, and to us is the
shamefacedness." It may however also mean that what
Hashem does for His people is i n reality an act of tzedakah. He
owes us nothing and we are really not deserving of His be¬
nevolence. But when "velanu boshet hapanim" — we will have a
face that will portray our shame and we will blush from embar¬
rassment — then we will merit that He extend His righteous¬
ness to us. He will pardon our sins and bless us w i t h the best
of everything materially and spiritually.
7 0 1 R 1
(‫)הרב דוד שי׳ הולונדער‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 169

TESHUVAH AND T H E STRANGER W I T H I N

Man experiences many fluctuations i n fortune during his

lifetime. I n addition to changes of wealth and poverty, of
health and illness, he may also experience great variations i n
the level of his religious conviction. This not only affects
ordinary people, but even outstanding spiritual personalities.
One example of this is a great Talmudic sage.
The Gemara (Chagigah 14b) relates that "four scholars
entered the 'Garden.' They ascended to heaven i n order to
comprehend G-d and G-dliness. Ben Azzai gazed and died.
Ben Zoma perceived and became demented. Rabbi Akiva
departed unharmed, and Elisha ben Avuyah became an
apostate, from then on to be called "Acheir" — "another."
Elisha ben Avuyah was the teacher of the great sage
Rabbi Meir. After his apostasy, Acheir asked Rabbi Meir,
"What is the meaning of the verse, 'Gold and glass cannot
equal it; neither shall the exchange thereof be vessels of fine
gold?' "
He replied, "These are the words of the Torah, which are
hard to acquire like vessels of fine gold, but are easily
destroyed like vessels of glass."
Acheir said to him, "Rabbi Akiva, your master, did not
explain thus, but as follows, 'Just as vessels of gold and
vessels of glass, though they be broken, have a remedy, even
so a scholar: though he has sinned, has a remedy.' "
Thereupon Rabbi Meir said to him, "Then you, too,
repent!"
He replied, " I have already heard from behind the
"pargod" — Partition — i.e. Heaven, 'Return O backsliding
sons (Jeremiah 3:22) chutz mei'Acheir — except Acheir.' "
The Gemara then continues to relate the following
episode. Once Acheir was riding on a horse on Shabbat, and
Rabbi Meir was walking from behind to learn Torah from
him. Acheir said to him, "Meir, turn back, for I have already
170 VEDIBARTA BAM

measured by the paces of my horse that thus far extends the

Shabbat l i m i t . "
He replied, "You, too, go back (do teshuvah)!"
Acheir answered, "Have I not already told you that I have
heard from behind the partition, 'Return O backsliding sons
chutz mei'Acheir — except for Acheir.' "
This exchange between Rabbi Meir and his teacher is
enigmatic. Obviously, Rabbi Meir respected h i m highly;
otherwise, he would have not sought Torah from him, and
undoubtedly when Acheir told his student of hearing a voice
from heaven, it was not an hallucination. I f so, why would
Rabbi Meir torment his teacher and keep insisting that he
return?
The Gemara goes on to relate another episode, that Rabbi
Meir prevailed upon h i m and took h i m to a Beit Hamidrash.
Acheir asked the children to recite the Biblical verse they
were studying. One child quoted, "Velarasha amar Elokim mah
lecha lesapeir chukai" — "Hashem said to the wicked, 'What
have you to do to declare My statutes' " (Psalms 50:16). The
child stuttered, so the word "velarasha" — "and to the
wicked" — sounded like "ve'la'Elisha" i.e. "and to Elisha
Hashem said " Elisha at that time said, " I f I had a knife i n
my hand, I would cut h i m up."
Superficially, this story compounds the difficulty, since
Elisha claimed that he heard a voice from Heaven, why was
he so upset w i t h the child who stuttered? O n the contrary, he
should have felt vindicated because at least the child
substantiated the words of the Heavenly voice.
undoubtedly, Rabbi Meir believed that Elisha was telling
the t r u t h when he told h i m what he heard. However, he
interpreted the words differently.
Every person is at times his authentic self, and at times
there is an "acheir" — "stranger" — w i t h i n h i m that
challenges his spiritual identity. In modern psychology there
is the concept of dual personality, and i n literature this is
expressed by the story of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
 Y O M KIPPUR 171

However, this is not a modern phenomena or recent finding,

but something which has affected mankind from its early
beginning to this very day and which is connected to the
essence of teshuvah.
When one studies Torah and performs mitzvot, his true
inner self is expressed. When G-d forbid, he transgresses, it is
the "acheir" w i t h i n h i m who is acting i n an alien manner i n
defiance of the true inner self.
It is related that Aristotle, the "primary thinker of
philosophy," was once seen acting boorishly, totally
unbecoming to a person of his stature. When he was asked
how it was possible for h i m to act so inappropriately, he
responded, "The man you are seeing now is not Aristotle —
now I am someone else." In other words, he was saying " A t
times I am myself — Aristotle — and at times I am 'acheir' —
'someone else.' "
Consequently, while Elisha ben Avuyah had indeed heard
a Heavenly voice proclaim, "Return you backsliding children
chutz mei'Acheir — except Acheir" — Rabbi Meir asserted that
this was a misinterpretation. The correct message was,
"Return you backsliding children, [and the way to do so is]
'chutz mei'Acheir' — 'to detach yourself from acheir' — rid
yourself of the stranger w i t h i n you and return to your true
self."
Rabbi Meir knew that the gates of heaven are open to all
Jews and even for those of w h o m it has been ruled "he is not
granted an opportunity to return" (Yoma 85b). As Rabbi
Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Chassidut,
states, " I f a person strives forcefully and overpowers his evil
impulse and repents, then his repentance is accepted" (see
Iggeret Hateshuvah 11). Therefore, he persisted i n his plea that
Elisha ben Avuyah do teshuvah — not to permit the "acheir" —
"stranger w i t h i n " — to prevail over his true self, and return
to his original status as the great sage Rabbi Elisha ben
Avuyah.
172 VEDIBARTA BAM

While Elisha ben Avuyah desired that his student's

interpretation be the correct one, he was somewhat
apprehensive. Therefore, when Rabbi Meir forcefully took
h i m to the Beit Hamidrash, Elisha asked the children the pasuk
they were studying, hoping to find i n it a glimmer of hope for
himself. When it appeared from the child who stuttered that
there was a pasuk i n the Torah which confirmed his
interpretation of the voice of Heaven, and that he, Elisha ben
Avuyah could not do teshuvah, he was deeply frustrated, for
he truly desired to return and be a dedicated child of Hashem
and the Torah.
The theme of the day of Yom Kippur is "shuvu banim" —
" [ M y ] children return" — do teshuvah. Stop being a dual
personality. Be your true self at all times, and Hashem w i l l
gladly stretch out His hand to you and accept your sincere
return.
(‫ מבוסטון‬,‫)מיוסד על דברי הרב יוסף דוב הלוי דיל סאלאווייטשיק‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 173

" I T A L L DEPENDS O N M E "

The phrase which describes the task before us on the

Yomim Norayim is "cheshbon hanefesh" — "a spiritual
accounting." On these sacred days each of us must evaluate
his life honestly to eliminate all self-deception. To do this we
must resist the temptation of creating alibis and flimsy
excuses for our religious and moral failings. That this is a
difficult task no one w i l l deny, but we are capable of reaching
this goal.
This truth is illustrated by a powerful narrative related i n
the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 17a) concerning Elazer ben
Durdaya, who strayed from the path of Jewish life and
became addicted to the allurements of lust and passion. One
day when he was mocked by one who apparently shared his
view of life, he was overwhelmed by his lowly moral
situation, and realized that his life was being wasted. He felt
an intense need to return to Hashem.
In his earnest desire to repent and w i t h deep anguish,
Elazer ben Durdaya sought external help, and he called out,
"Mountains and hills, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
"Heaven and earth, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask for ourselves."
"Sun and moon, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
"Stars and planets, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
Elazer sat upon the ground, and after a long and serious
period of probing introspection, he placed his head between
his knees and expired while crying, "Ein hadavar talu ela bi" —
"It all depends on me — the responsibility is totally mine!" A
voice emerged from above and declared, "Elazer ben Durdaya
is worthy of Eternal Life."
The explanation to this enigmatic story may be as follows:
174 VEDIBARTA BAM

Elazar ben Durdaya sought an easy way out of his

personal dilemma. He tried to blame his corrupt life on
external forces and not himself. First he appealed to the
mountains and hills — symbolizing his parents (see Bamidbar
23:9, Rashi, Rosh Hashanah, 11a): "Declare it was not my
fault. I was not disciplined; I was spoiled. You were too busy
to take care of me and did not have the time or patience to
supervise me properly." But his plea was rejected.
In further defense of his shortcomings, he turned to
heaven and earth — symbolic of the society i n which he lived
and the people w i t h which he associated — " I could not have
been anything else; my environment molded my total
identity. Had I lived i n another society and been exposed to a
'purer air' I would have been different. W h y am I to blame?"
But even this plea was rejected.
When they refused to accept the blame, he further
declared, "Sun and moon, help me." They are the symbol of
affluence, as scripture says, " W i t h the bounty of the sun's
crops, and w i t h the bounty of the moon's yield" (Devarim
33:13, Rashi). He cited the affluence of the society i n which
he had lived: " A l l I knew was material things; I was brought
up i n the 'good life.' I wanted pleasure; I was taught no other
values. Was I to blame?" A n d this plea, too, was rejected.
Finally, when his despair reached an unbearable climax,
he cried out to the stars and planets — symbolic of a
predestined fate of evil w i t h i n h i m (see Shabbat 156a
concerning the effect celestial signs etc. may have on a
person). He also blamed his problems on "the good luck
alibi": " I did not have mazal. You tell them...I could not help
living the way I did...tell them it was not my fault." Little did
he realize that our Sages have said, "Ein mazal lYisrael" —
"The celestial signs hold no sway over Israel" — through
prayer and merit one can prevail over the fate they foretell
(ibid. Tosafot). Do not blame it on mazal — blame it on
yourself!
 Y O M KIPPUR 175

When his final plea was rejected, Elazar ben Durdaya

probed deeply into his heart and soul and found the truth:
"There is no one external factor to which I can shift
responsibility. Ein hadavar talui ela bi — It all depends on me, I
am totally responsible for my actions."
N o w that we have described the repentance of Elazar ben
Durdaya, one may rightfully wonder who was this
personality?
According to the Kabbalists (see Seder Hadorot) he was a
reincarnation of Yochanan Kohen Gadol, who served for eighty
years as a High Priest i n the second Beit Hamikdash and
became a heretic at the end of his life (Berachot 29a). Elazar
ben Durdaya, w i t h his brief realization and confession of
truth, acquired the merits which Yochanan Kohen Gadol lost
after eighty years of service of Hashem, and i n only one hour
of sincere attachment to Hashem the neshamah of Elazar ben
Durdaya became worthy of eternal life.
There is, however, another beautiful and intriguing
explanation given by Rabbi Yehudah Lowy, the famous
Maharal of Prague (1520-1609). In addition to the simple
meaning that the Gemara relates Elazar ben Durdaya's
agonizing experience, it could be said that the name Elazar
ben Durdaya is an allegory.
The word Elazar is a juxtaposition of two words
"Keil ozeir" — £‫ל ע'זר‬-‫" — )א‬G-d helps" — and Durdaya (‫)דורדיא‬,
which i n the language of the Talmud (Avodah Zara 32a) is the
sediment which falls to the bottom of the wine barrel. This
episode is a metaphor to teach us that Elazar, "Keil ozer" —
"G-d helps" — "durdaya" — "the one who is compared to
sediment" — the one who has fallen to the lowest level and is
like the sediment which he lost all its wine qualities — when
he comes to the realization that " 'Ein hadavar talui ela bi' — ' I t
all depends on me' — and I am the one who has to express
sincere remorse and make the effort to change."
When this incident was reported to Rabbi Yehudah the
prince, he used this unusual act of honest introspection and
176 VEDIBARTA BAM

teshuvah as a text for a great moral lesson to his disciples:

"There are those who obtain their world (Olam Haba) w i t h
many years of work, 'veyeish koneh olamo besha'ah achat' — 'and
there are those who acquire their world i n one hour' — i n
one brief instance of self realization and self transformation."
On this great Day of Atonement, may we be inspired to
emulate the example of Elazar ben Durdaya — to reject all
rationalization for our failures and shortcomings and resolve
that "we are responsible for our actions," and return
wholeheartedly to Hashem.
(‫ בראשית מאמר צייה‬,‫)הדרש והעיון‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 177

GARMENTS OF LINEN, GARMENTS OF G O L D

The unique aspect of Yom Kippur is the service of the

Kohen Gadol (high priest). Throughout the year, other
Kohanim, too, would perform the service [of the Beit
Hamikdash], but on Yom Kippur the service had to be per¬
formed by the Kohen Gadol exclusively.
The service of the Kohen Gadol was divided into two parts.
One he performed garbed i n gold vestments. (These vest¬
ments contained other materials as well, but they are referred
to as 'gold vestments.') The other he performed garbed i n
white vestments made of pure linen.
The Beit Hamikdash was divided into three sections: the
Azarah — Temple-Court — the Heichal — Temple-Building
(also known as Kodesh — Sanctuary) — and the Kodesh
Kadashim — Holy of Holies. For the services i n the Azarah and
the Heichal, the Kohen Gadol wore the gold vestments, and for
the services i n the Kodesh Kadashim, he wore the white
vestments.
The Kohanim had to be clothed w i t h beautiful and fine
garments, "holy vestments for glory and for beauty," (Shemot
28:2) and the service of Yom Kippur was done by the Kohen
Gadol while wearing gold vestments (except for the service i n
the Kodesh Kadashim). The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:45)
explains that for matters of holiness one must use the very
best and most beautiful. Gold is held i n great esteem and
impresses people: that is why the service i n the Beit
Hamikdash, and i n particular on Yom Kippur, had to be i n gold
vestments.
In fact, the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 16:2) notes, "The
world was not worthy to have the use of gold, and it was cre¬
ated solely for the sake of the Beit Hamikdash.
This raises the question of why the service i n the Kodesh
Kadashim would have to be i n white [linen] vestments. After
all, the Kodesh Kadashim is the most holy place; thus, we
178 VEDIBARTA BAM

should expect that there, more than anywhere else, the ser¬
vice should be i n gold vestments! (See Rosh Hashanah 26a, for
a Talmudic explanation of this.)
Of the Torah it is said " I t is your life" (Devarim 32:47).
Moreover, the term "Torah" is an idiom of "hora'ah —
instruction, guidance" (Zohar III:53b). In this context the
sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Joseph I . Schneersohn
explains that "Torat Chayim means that the Torah gives each
and every one instruction for day to day life" (Sefer
Hama'amarim 5711, p. 178).
Thus, though we now have no Beit Hamikdash nor a Kohen
Gadol, the priestly garments convey a relevant message and
instruction for contemporary times.
When Hashem gave the command to make the Taberna¬
cle, He said "Let them make for me a Sanctuary — veshachanti
betocham — I w i l l dwell i n them." Grammatically it should
have said "veshachanti betocho" — " I w i l l rest i n it." The selec¬
tion of the word "betocham" — " i n them" — teaches that
Hashem expects every Jew to make his own Sanctuary — i.e.
conduct his life so that Hashem w i l l feel comfortable to dwell
in him — the Jew.
The destruction of the Beit Hamikdash related only to the
physical structure, to the stones, gold, and silver. However,
every Jew is required to build his own miniature Beit Hamik-
dash, i n which he is the Kohen Gadol.
In the life of the individual Jew, the gold vestments are
analogous to physical matter w i t h which one does tzedakah.
The white vestments are analogous to the study of the re¬
vealed and the esoteric parts of Torah, prayer to Hashem, and
the performance of mitzvot.
The lesson for the Jew — the Kohen Gadol i n his own Beit
Hamikdash — is the following.
When blessed by G-d w i t h money and a Jewish soul one
must realize that when having to deal w i t h matters beyond
(outside) the Kodesh Kadashim one cannot hide behind "white
vestments." When a wealthy person is approached for tzeda-
 Y O M KIPPUR 179

kah he cannot argue that he is exempt from giving since he is

involved i n prayer and the study Talmud and Chassidut. He
must keep i n mind that the Beit Hamikdash required gold
vestments.
He can not suggest to the solicitor to go to someone else
because he himself is holy and pure. The Beit Hamikdash —
the Yeshivah, beit hakenesset (synagogue) or beit hamidrash
(study-hall) — needs gold, and thus he must contribute gold.
On the other hand, w i t h regard to the Kodesh Kadashim —
the holy soul Hashem vested i n h i m — he is the same as
everyone else. He must realize that he cannot discharge his
obligations by just supporting Yeshivoth and the like — i.e.,
by "gold vestments." He must also have white vestments,
pure garments, i.e., study Torah, pray and perform His mitz-
vot. He must bear i n m i n d that there was nothing i n the
Kodesh Kadashim except for G-d, the Torah (the Holy A r k w i t h
the luchot — Tablets) and the Kohen Gadol. A n d it is
incumbent on h i m to unite his soul w i t h Hashem through
studying Torah and observing its precepts.
When a person follows this procedure, he w i l l have the
material together w i t h the spiritual, just as i t was w i t h the
Kohen Gadol. The Kohen Gadol did not give precedence to the
gold vestments and then take the white vestments at a later
stage, but he kept exchanging them: first he wore the gold
vestments and then switched to the white ones, and then
again the gold vestments followed by the white ones, and
then, for one more time, the gold vestments. For Jews there
is no dichotomy between the material and the spiritual.
The Kohen Gadol, after serving i n the gold and white vest¬
ments, recited a brief prayer (Yoma 52b). In his few words he
prayed for a good year — also i n the physical sense — for
himself, his tribe, and for all of Israel throughout the world.
So, too, w i t h every Jew: through properly performing the
services i n his own Beit Hamikdash, the holy of holies w i t h i n
himself (the soul), and also his obligations to the outside, i.e.
180 VEDIBARTA BAM

Tzedakah, he w i l l merit to elicit happiness for all the days of

the year for himself and his family.
(411 ‫)לקוטי שיחות חייב ע׳‬
* * *

Dear friends, speaking of gold and the Beit Hamikdash

permit me to conclude w i t h a remarkable story related i n the
Jerusalem Talmud (Yoma 4:4).
According to the Mishnah (Midot 3:8) a golden grapevine
stood at the entrance to the Sanctuary. Rav Acha bar Yitzchok
tells that when King Shlomo built the Beit Hamikdash he
fashioned and designed all types of trees w i t h i n the sacred
walls. As soon as the golden vine outside brought forth its
[golden] fruit, the trees w i t h i n the Beit Hamikdash walls
produced their beautiful fruit.
What a timely beautiful message to American Jewry. We
are the "gefen shel zahav," the "golden vine," that stands out¬
side of the holy institutions — our yeshivot and synagogues.
In them — the "golden fruits" — the scholars, leaders and
laymen of the Jewish communities are produced. Thanks to
the golden fruits they produce we are assured that Jewry w i l l
flourish and the teaching of Torah w i l l continue for posterity.
However, for this to happen, first we, the "golden vine"
stationed on the outside i n the world at large, must bring
forth our fruit. Let us generously donate the gold w i t h which
G-d has blessed us and i n return the golden heritage i n the
citadels of Torah learning w i l l be propagated, making the
world a better place for us and our children materially and
spiritually.
 Y O M KIPPUR 181

A RESOUNDING "BARUCH SHEIM"

On Yom Kippur we recite a certain part of the prayer in a

different way than it is done throughout the entire year. When
the pasuk, "Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad" is re¬
cited throughout the year, it is said aloud and the second
pasuk, "Baruch sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed" is said quietly.
On Yom Kippur night and throughout the entire day, the
"Baruch sheim" is said bekol ram — w i t h a loud voice. W h y the
distinction?
In the Torah, only the passage of "Shema Yisrael" is men¬
tioned. There is no mention of the passage "Baruch sheim."
There are two reasons given for its origin. One is i n the Gemara
(Pesachim 56a) and the other i n Midrash Rabbah (Devarim 2:36).
The Gemara i n Pesachim says that when Yaakov was ready¬
ing himself to leave this world, he called for his sons and said,
"Gather together, for I shall tell you what will befall you i n the
end of days." Yaakov wanted to reveal to his sons "keitz
hayamin" — "the end of the withdrawal of Hashem's right hand
from battle against the enemies of the Jewish people." This
means that when the Jews are i n exile, Hashem's hand, so to
speak, is drawn behind his back i n a state of withdrawal to
take action. However, i n the Messianic era Hashem will return
His right hand to the forefront, which means metaphorically
that He will destroy the enemies of the Jewish people and
return the Jews from their exile.
Yaakov wanted to reveal to his children the historical date
of this epochal event, but the Shechinah — Divine Presence —
departed from h i m and he was unable to do so. He turned to
his sons and said, "perhaps, heaven forbid, there is a blemish
among my bed." He feared that the Divine Presence had de¬
parted from h i m because one of his children did not believe i n
Hashem's absolute unity and, therefore, was not worthy of re¬
ceiving this prophecy. His sons answered h i m reassuringly,
"Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad" — "Hear O Israel
— also referring to their father who was called 'Israel' as well
182 VEDIBARTA BAM

— just as there is only one Deity in your heart, so too there is

only one Deity i n our heart." A t that moment Yaakov said,
"Baruch sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed" — "Blessed be the
Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever."
The Gemara then relates that the Sages grappled w i t h the
propriety of our also uttering this proclamation. They were i n a
dilemma. Should we recite it as a part of the Shema? Perhaps
this is not appropriate since Moshe did not state it i n the
Torah as part of the Shema. Should we not recite it? Perhaps
this too is incorrect since Yaakov did say it as part of Shema
Yisrael. To resolve this dilemma the Rabbis enacted that we
recite the statement quietly.
According to the Midrash, the Baruch Sheim prayer was insti¬
tuted after Moshe came back from heaven. When Moshe
ascended to heaven, he heard the ministering angels say to
Hashem, "Baruch sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed," and he
brought down this declaration to Klal Yisrael. The Midrash asks,
" I f so, why does Klal Yisrael not make it publicly, i.e. aloud?"
Rabbi Assi replied, "This can be compared to a man who stole
jewelry from the royal palace which he gave to his wife, telling
her, 'Do not wear it publicly, but only in the house.' " But on
Yom Kippur, when Klal Yisrael are as holy as the ministering an¬
gels, they do recite "Baruch sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed" —
out loud.
Now, according to the Midrash it is well understood why
we say it quietly throughout the year while on Yom Kippur we
say it aloud. According to the Gemara, however, there are a few
points that beg explanation. Firstly, when the sons pro¬
nounced "Shema Yisrael," what did Yaakov mean by responding
"Baruch sheim...?" Secondly, i f it is improper to say it loud
throughout the year, why is Yom Kippur an exception?
Perhaps this can be explained homiletically i n the follow¬
ing way:
When a Jew finds himself i n a troublesome situation, he
often cries out "Shema Yisrael." Suddenly he reaffirms his faith
in Hashem and begins to pray to H i m religiously. When a
member of a family is sick, G-d forbid, the family knows that
 Y O M KIPPUR 183

help can be found by coming to shul to say a prayer and by of¬

fering charity. Many resolutions to strengthen the ties between
man and Hashem are made in trying moments.
Yaakov was not surprised to hear his sons pronounce
"Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad" when they stood
around his bed knowing that he was about to depart from
them physically. However, Yaakov used the opportunity to
convey an important legacy: "Do not only express your abso¬
lute faith i n Hashem i n times of anxiety and distress, but at all
times and for ever and ever, I pray you will remember to bless
His glorious kingdom."
Yom Kippur is the one day in the year when many of the
estranged and alienated are gripped w i t h a sense of fear of this
day of judgment and come to shul begging forgiveness and
resolving to alter their ways for the better. Today they proclaim
wholeheartedly and firmly, that "Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu
Hashem echad" — "The G-d of Israel is the One and Only" and
it is to H i m that I pledge my allegiance and my obedience.
They do this loudly to accentuate that they will proudly carry
the banner of Torah and Yiddishkeit.
Simultaneously, when one also declares today loudly
"Baruch sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed," it should mean "The
allegiance I expressed i n Shema Yisrael to Hashem the One and
Only, is not limited to today, while tomorrow business will be
again as usual. Rather, it is a strong resolution to do
everything to make sure that His glorious kingdom will be
blessed by me for ever and ever."
Dear friends, we are here in shul today pure and noble as
angels. We emulate the angels by not eating or drinking and by
separation from all things physical and corporeal. When ut¬
tering this angelic prayer i n a loud voice, let us resolve, to
follow the instruction our patriarch Yaakov gave his sons: to
maintain our conviction and dedication to Torah and Yiddish-
keit throughout the entire year.
184 VEDIBARTA BAM

IS G - D FAIR?

In the Gemara (Yoma 22b) Rabbi Huna said, "How little

does he w h o m Hashem supports need to grieve or trouble
himself! Shaul sinned once and it brought calamity upon h i m .
David sinned twice and it did not bring evil upon h i m . "
What was the sin of Shaul? The incident w i t h Agag. The
prophet Shmuel instructed Shaul to smite Amalek and utterly
destroy all their possessions: "Spare them not, but slay both
men and women, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel
and donkey" (I Samuel 15:3). Shaul spared Agag, the king of
Amalek, as well as the best of the sheep and the oxen and
hence did not utterly destroy them.
What were the two sins of David? One was the sin
against Uriah. Uriah was the husband of Batsheva, whom
David wanted to marry. He sent a message to general Yoav to
set up Uriah i n the forefront of the most dangerous battle
and then leave h i m alone so that he would be killed (II
Samuel 11).
David's second sin was the counting of the people.
According to Torah law, people should not be counted
directly, but through ballots or contributions, and he had
them counted directly (II Samuel 24).
One may rightfully wonder: Hashem is described i n the
Torah as "A G-d of faith without iniquity, righteous and fair
is He" (Devarim 32:4). Is it fair to punish Shaul for
committing only one sin and overlook David, who committed
two sins?
The answer lies i n careful analysis of each incident.
When Shmuel met Shaul after the war w i t h Amalek,
Shaul greeted h i m by saying, " I have performed the
commandment of Hashem."
In amazement Shmuel said, "What then is the meaning of
the noise of the sheep i n my ears?"
 Y O M KIPPUR 185

Shaul told him, "The people spared the best of the sheep
to sacrifice them to your G-d and the rest we have utterly
destroyed."
Shmuel admonished Shaul, "Hashem anointed you king
of the Children of Israel and instructed you to utterly destroy
the sinners of Amalek and fight against them until they are
consumed. W h y didn't you obey the voice of Hashem?"
Shaul responded, "Indeed I have obeyed Hashem's voice,
but the people took the spoils to sacrifice to Hashem your
G-d."
Shmuel said, "Has Hashem as great delight i n burnt-
offerings as i n obeying His voice? To obey is better than
sacrifice and to listen is better than the fats of rams." Finally,
Shaul said to Shmuel, "Chatati" — " I have sinned."
Let us consider David's response. After the death of
Uriah, Hashem sent the prophet Natan, who told David a
story of two men who lived i n the same city, one rich and the
other poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds, but the
poor man had only one little lamb. He brought it up and
nourished it and treated it very gently. Once a traveler visited
the rich man and refusing to take from his own flock to
prepare a meal for the wayfarer, the rich man took the poor
man's lamb and made a meal from it.
Upon hearing this, David's anger was greatly kindled
against the man and he said to Natan, "The man that had
done this is worthy to die."
Natan said to David, "You are the man. W h y did you
despise the commandment of Hashem and do evil i n His
eyes? You killed Uriah w i t h the sword and took his wife to be
your wife."
Upon hearing this David immediately said to Natan,
"Chatati" — " I have sinned against Hashem."
Graciously Natan told him, "Hashem has commuted your
sin; you shall not die" (II Samuel 12:1-13).
In the incident of the forbidden method used for counting
the people, immediately after general Yoav told David the
186 VEDIBARTA BAM

census, Scripture tells us, "David's heart smote h i m that he

had numbered them, and David said to Hashem, "Chatati
me'od — I have sinned greatly i n what I have done — and now
I beseech you Hashem, take away the iniquity of my sin, for I
have done very foolishly" (II Samuel 24:10).
The difference between David and Shaul is that David
immediately recognized his wrongdoing, without attempting
to justify it or to cover it up. O n the other hand, Shaul
originally thought he could 'fool' Shmuel, and therefore he
claimed to have fulfilled Hashem's wish. Afterwards, when
Shmuel asked about the sheep, Shaul blamed it on the people
and endeavored to justify it, saying the sheep would be used
for sacrifices. Only when he finally realized that this approach
was not impressing Shmuel did he express remorse and say,
"chatati" — " I have sinned."
Hashem is definitely fair i n His judgment, but we must
remember to acknowledge our mistakes and not think that
we can deceive H i m . To err is human and to forgive is divine,
but we must always recall what the wisest of all man said,
"He who covers up his sins shall not prosper, but u'modeh
ve'ozeiv yerucham — he who confesses and forsakes i t — w i l l
experience the mercy of Hashem" (proverbs 28:13).
(‫ מר׳ יצחק דיל גרינבלאט‬,‫)הגיוני יצחק‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 187

A U-TURN

The Gemara Avodah Zarah relates a fascinating story

concerning a ba'al teshuvah named Elazar ben Durdayah. For
many years he lived a frivolous life, steeped i n immorality.
They said about h i m that there was not a prostitute i n the
world that he had not visited. Once he heard o f one who lived
very far away i n one o f the towns by the sea, whose charms
were so great that she demanded a large sum o f money for
her services. So he gathered a sufficient sum and crossed
seven rivers to reach her. As he was w i t h her, she told h i m
that even i f he repented, his teshuvah would never be
accepted.
In his earnest search for penance and w i t h a deeply
troubled conscience, Elazer ben Durdaya sought external
help, and he called out, "Mountains and hills, ask mercy for
me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
"Heaven and earth, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
"Sun and moon, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
"Stars and planets, ask mercy for me."
"Ask mercy for you? We must ask mercy for ourselves."
Elazer sat upon the ground, and after a long and serious
period o f probing introspection, he placed his head between
his knees and expired while crying, "Ein hadavar talui ela bi" —
"It all depends on me — the responsibility is totally mine!" A
voice emerged from above and declared, "Rabbi Elazer ben
Durdaya is worthy of Eternal Life."
When Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, who is popularly known as
the great Talmudic Sage "Rebbe," heard this unusual act of
honest introspection and teshuvah, he cried, saying "There are
those who earn eternal life only after many years of work, and
188 VEDIBARTA BAM

there is a person who is koneh olamo besha'ah achat — acquires

his world i n one hour!"
It seems that once Elazar ben Durdayah decided to
repent, it did not take h i m a long time to accomplish it. Why,
then, did Rebbe say that, "One can earn his world i n sha'ah
achat — one hour?" W h y necessarily one hour?
In the early days of the world, Kayin and Hevel, the two
sons of Adam and Chavah, desired to bring gifts to Hashem.
Kayin, a farmer, brought an offering to Hashem of the fruits
of the ground, and Hevel, who was a shepherd, brought of
the firstlings of his flock and from the choicest.
The Torah relates that "Vayisha Hashem el Hevel ve'el
minchato" — "Hashem turned to Hevel and his offering" —
"Ve'el Kayin ve'el minchato lo sha'ah" — "And to Kayin and his
offering he did not t u r n " (Bereishit 4:3-4).
The word "sha'ah" does not simply refer to a span of time.
It also means to turn. When Hevel brought his offering,
Hashem was pleased, and thus He, so to speak, "turned"
towards him, i.e. He showed h i m His appreciation. W i t h
Kayin Hashem was not happy, so "lo sha'ah" — "He did not
turn to h i m " — He did not show h i m any attention, and thus,
Kayin knew that Hashem was not satisfied.
In light of this, it can also be that when Rebbe said, "Yeish
koneh olamo besha'ah achat" — "There are those who acquire
their world w i t h sha'ah achat" — he did not mean that they do
it quickly w i t h i n one hour, but that they accomplish it w i t h
"one turn."
His reaching the conclusion that, " i t all depends on me"
occurred instantaneously.
In light of the above, "besha'ah" can also mean "a turn." In
one brief instance of self realization and self transformation
Elazar ben Durdaya made a complete turn around and
merited Olam Haba.
As mentioned, the Gemara prefaces Rebbe's observation
w i t h the words, "bachah Rebbe" — "Rebbe cried." W h y did he
cry?
 Y O M KIPPUR 189

Rebbe cried because he felt bad for all those people who
do not want to make the t u r n i n their lives because they
perceive it as a very difficult thing to do. He cried, "Oh! I f
they would only realize how easy it is, many people would do
it."
After making his observation Rebbe went on to say:
"Moreover, not only are those who repent accepted [by
Heaven], but they are called 'Rabbi,' for the voice that
emanated from above declared, 'Rabbi Elazar ben Durdayah'
is worthy of eternal life."
Rebbe's message was that one who repents reaches the
highest elevation. He is not someone who should be viewed
w i t h disdain and skepticism, but one worthy of admiration.
Elazar ben Durdayah received the title "Rabbi" because as a
Rabbi, whose duty it is to teach others, he becomes a living
example and a teacher. Looking at him, many may learn that
at any age and at all times, one can resolve to make the turn
in life and become an entirely different person.
The famous chassidic master Rabbi Meir of Premishlan
once said to his students, "We say of Al-mighty G-d [that
thanks to our teshuvah] 'as far as east from west has He
distanced our transgressions from us' (Psalms 103:12).
Perhaps one of you can tell me how far east is from west?"
The students grappled w i t h this problem, and each one
came up w i t h a different astronomical figure. Suddenly, the
Rabbi interrupted them and declared, "You are all i n error!
From east to west is only one swerve. When one stands
facing east and turns around, instantly, he is facing west. This
is the immediacy of teshuvah."
On this auspicious day, let our resolve be to make the
turn and remember what a wise man once said, "Hashem
always allows a U-Turn."
190 VEDIBARTA BAM

ADJUST YOUR C L O C K

The assigned Torah reading for Yom Kippur is from the

book of Leviticus, the beginning of the Biblical portion of
Acharei Mot. Basically i t discusses i n detail the services the
Kohen Gadol must perform on this holy day as he enters the
Kodesh — Holy — and the Kodesh HaKadosh — the Holy of
Holies.
Unfortunately, at present we do not have a Kodesh Haka-
dashim or a Kohen Gadol. Hence, all the details discussed i n
this Biblical portion are purely academic and irrelevant at
present and especially to Jews of the Diaspora.
One may therefore wonder why this is the assigned
reading even now.
Torah is not a book of history, neither is i t a storybook i n
which interesting tales and episodes are recorded. According
to the Midrash, the w o r d Torah etymologically is associated
w i t h the word "hora'ah" — which means teaching and guid¬
ance (Zohar III:53b). Whatever parts of Torah one learns, one
is to study and reflect on the message hidden i n the words.
Though on the surface it may seem that a particular place,
event, or commandment is being discussed, one should also
interpret the Torah i n a way that reveals a timeless message
and instruction.
Time does not permit us to go through all the thirty-four
pesukim of today's reading. However, I would like to share
w i t h you an interpretation of one of the first verses.
Moshe was instructed to tell his brother Aharon, the
Kohen Gadol, that "Al yavo bechol eit el hakodesh" — "He may
not enter at all times into the Sanctuary." Simply, this is a
directive to Aharon that throughout the year he is not to
enter the Holy of Holies section of the Tabernacle.
Herein lies also a message to every Jew as to how he
should conduct himself i n regard to the Holiness of our
people, namely Torah and mitzvot.
 Y O M KIPPUR 191

There are many who erroneously think that Torah is anti¬

quated and not up w i t h the times. Thus, they claim, it is
necessary to modify and adjust Torah so that it w i l l be
compatible w i t h contemporary lifestyles. To negate this, the
Torah declares "V'al yavoh bechol eit el hakodesh." When
approaching the Kodesh — the sanctity of Torah and mitzvot
— do not apply adjustments of "bechol eit" — current trends
and fads. We must reject the "bechol eit" philosophy, i.e. the
idea that we must conform to the fashions, dictates, and
norms of contemporary society.
There is a story of an American who took his son to Lon¬
don to show h i m the interesting sights of that historic city.
During the tour, the father made sure to take h i m to parlia¬
ment and point out the huge clock on top of the building
known as "Big Ben." The child strained to get a full view of
the clock, and so did the others who came to see it. "Daddy, I
would like to ask you something," said the boy. "Why did
they put the clock so high and make people strain their necks
to look up to it? Couldn't they have made the clock level w i t h
the eyes so that everyone could see it easily, without trou¬
ble?"
The father thought for a moment and replied, " I t is this
way: I f they had placed the clock low, people would adjust Big
Ben to the time on their watches. N o w that the clock is high,
beyond the reach of all, they cannot try to reset it. I f they
want to have the correct time, they must set their own
watches i n accordance w i t h the time shown by Big Ben."
The same is true about the Torah. Torah is the Jewish
people's Big Ben. We should always regard it as being on a
lofty plane so that it w i l l not be changed by mere mortals. It
is the correct "time" for all of us, and we must adjust
ourselves to this Divine clock and not tamper w i t h it and
endeavor to adjust it to our opinion and convenience.
On this holiest day of the year, let us resolve to adjust our
lives to Torah and let the authentic teaching of Torah be our
guidepost throughout the entire year.
192 VEDIBARTA BAM

N E W GARMENTS

We are now between the completion of the Torah reading

for Yom Kippur morning and the solemn prayer of Yizkor,
when we w i l l have the opportunity to greet the spirits of our
beloved ones, and i n a sense communicate w i t h them.
This morning's Torah reading concerns the ritual that
Aaron the Kohen Gadol performed i n the Beit Hamikdash on
this hallowed day. The Torah conveys to us i n detail the
different services he performed i n order to attain atonement
for himself, his household, and the entire Congregation of
Israel. This day was the only day i n the year when he would
enter into the Kodesh Hakadashim — Holy of Holies — section
of the Sanctuary, garbed i n white linen vestments.
This service is not limited to Aaron, but rather it applies
to every Kohen Gadol. The Torah states, "The Kohen who has
been anointed or who has been given the authority to serve i n
place of his father shall provide atonement. He shall don the
linen sacred vestments." This means that when the father of
the Kohen Gadol passes on, the son takes over his position to
bring atonement for the Children of Israel, and he shall do so
in the same manner his father did.
The belongings of parents are cherished by their children
and have immense sentimental value. A daughter, though she
has her own candlesticks, from time to time uses the ones
her mother used. A son often likes to use his father's kiddush
cup or other items which his father used i n the performance
of sacred duties. Thus, the Torah's statement "He shall wear
the sacred vestments" raises the question of whether the son
wears the same ones his father wore or not.
However, though one might suppose that he does,
halachah says otherwise. When the Kohen completed his
services, the Torah says, "Aharon shall come to the Tent of
Meeting, he shall remove the linen vestments that he wore
when he entered the Sanctuary, 'vehinicham sham' — 'and he
 Y O M KIPPUR 193

shall leave them there.'" From these two words our Sages
have derived that they are te'unim genizah — they must be
stored away and never be used again by anyone, even by a
Kohen Gadol on a future Yom Kippur.
From this halachah a lesson of great importance can be
derived. Even though the son achieved his elevation and glory
thanks to his father, he must have his own clothing and not
wear his father's garb. I n other words, he cannot just live off
the achievements of his venerable father, but must have his
own accomplishments and create his own self-image and
place i n the community.
Another lesson to be learned from this is that one must
constantly strive to do better and not suffice w i t h the
accomplishment already achieved. The garb worn last year
may not be used this year. Similarly, we may not be content
w i t h our status of last year. Each new year must be a step
higher.
During Yizkor, when we w i l l "face" our beloved parents,
let us resolve that regardless of the positions they helped us
to achieve, we w i l l not just live off the past, but continuously
make new garments — new accomplishments i n our
dedication and observance of Torah and mitzvot. This indeed
is the "thank you" we owe to them.
194 VEDIBARTA BAM

A PARENT'S R E Q U E S T

Years ago, i f someone would define Yizkor as a moment of

brief communication between the living and a beloved de¬
parted family member, he would be laughed at and ridiculed.
Today, however, w i t h the amazing advance of technology that
we are witnessing (and who knows what new ideas they will
come up with), the analogy to communication is understand¬
able and accepted.
Undoubtedly, no one needs me to tell h i m or her what to
say to their beloved. Everyone of us is filled w i t h emotions and
needs, and will properly use this unique time to convey some
good tidings or beseech the intercession of their beloved to
approach the Heavenly Tribunal i n their behalf, concerning
matters such as health, parnossah, nachas from children, etc.
Thus, what I would like to tell you this morning is not
what you should say to them, but rather what they say to you,
and I w i l l preface it w i t h a story related i n the Gemara (Ketubot
103 a) regarding the great Talmudic Sage, Rabbi Yehudah
Hanasi — the Prince. (He was also known as Rebbi and
Rabbeinu Hakadosh — our Holy Teacher.) This beloved leader of
our people will be remembered forever as the compiler of the
"Mishnah."
Lying on his death-bed about to expire, he faintly whis¬
pered to those attending him, "Lebanai ani tzarich" — " I need
my sons." When his sons entered Rabbi Yehudah said to
them, "Be careful of the honor of your mother. Be sure that a
candle is always kindled i n its usual place, and let the Shabbat
table be set i n its usual place (even after his death he would
come home to make kiddush — see Gilyon Hashas, ibid., Sefer
Chassidim, 1127).
The request uttered by Rebbe is recorded for posterity be¬
cause it represents a living and eternal testament. His words
are of particular importance to us at this time when we are
about to recite the heart-rendering Yizkor prayers and pay
 Y O M KIPPUR 195

homage to the memory of our dear departed and communicate

w i t h them in a dialogue without words in which one heart
speaks to another through flashes of memory or by a tear. I f
our parents could speak to us now, they too would say, "lebanai
ani tzarich" — " I need you, my children."
Just as children need parents during their formative years,
parents need their children i n order not to be forgotten. Unless
children cling loyally and sincerely to the ideals of the parents,
remember them i n prayers, and recall them on frequent
occasions, a father and mother are soon forgotten.
As we solemnly recite the touching Yizkor prayers, we hear
the faint whisper of our father and mother, "We need you, our
dear children; please do not forget us. Even though we are
physically dead, your action, prayers, and reverence can
prolong our lives, and endow our name w i t h immortality."
How can children keep contact w i t h parents and remember
them properly? First, remember the words of Rabbi Yehuda
Hanasi: "Be careful of the honor of your dear mother." How
often do we unintentionally bring dishonor to our parents by
our actions. When one dissociates himself from Jewish life and
erases the impress of "Yiddishkeit" from his life, people are
likely to say that it is the fault of the parents who did not give
h i m a Jewish education or train him in religious observance.
When we are unethical i n our business dealings, we bring
dishonor upon our parents. Even when a person lives to a ripe
old age he still remains within the shadow of his parents; his
actions either reflect honor or shame upon them.
penetrating and instructive is the second advice of this
great Sage: "Always have a light burning i n its place." Often,
when a father passes away, a light of Judaism is extinguished,
leaving behind not even a smoking ember. So long as parents
live, the son and daughter feel a sense of obligation to adhere
to the cherished ideals of their parents; but w i t h their parents'
death, their way of life likewise dies w i t h them.
The place the father and mother occupied in the commu¬
nity and their involvement w i t h charitable and noble
196 VEDIBARTA BAM

endeavors must not cease; rather the children must take over
and continue their parents' endeavors.
Regarding the mitzvah to "Honor your father and your
mother," the Gemara (Kiddushin 31a) says that it applies both
when they are alive and after they are gone.
According to halachah, to fear our parents means that when
our parents are alive we are forbidden to sit i n their chairs or
to stand i n their accustomed places. But it could be said that
after they are gone, the greatest honor we can show them, the
greatest tribute we can pay them, is when we take their places
in life, when we succeed them i n their devotion to the spiritual
values of our people.
Last but not least is the third request: "Let the Shabbat
table be set in its place," which perhaps is uppermost i n a
parent's mind.
A wise man once compared a family to a book. The parents
are the covers and the children are the pages. As long as the
covers are intact the pages are held firmly together. Once the
cover falls off, the pages are not held firmly and eventually get
detached.
The Shabbat table is an analogy for family unity. It is the
time and place i n the home where the entire family gathers
and sits at i n unity. The parents' heartrending plea to their
children is this: "Though we are not there to physically
conduct the "Shabbat table"; nevertheless, stay firmly attached
among yourselves."
Dear friends, listen carefully during Yizkor to the voices of
our parents begging "Lebanai ani tzarich" — "We need you dear
children, we can no longer do it — please keep up everything
that was dear and important to us. please fill the vacuum that
was caused by our passing. Listen to us and we will i n turn
listen to you and do everything i n our power to see to it that
G-d grant your wishes to merit the best i n good health, success
and nachas."
 Y O M KIPPUR 197

WINNING THE RACE

Starting w i t h Kol Nidrei and concluding w i t h Ne'eilah, our

major preoccupation on Yom Kippur is prayer. W e have a spe¬
cial Yom Kippur Machzor filled w i t h all sorts of prayers, and in
fact, while normally on a Shabbat or Yom Tov the Amidah is re¬
cited three times during the day, on Yom Kippur it is done a
fourth time during the Ne'eilah service. I n addition to the
prayers i n the standard Machzor undoubtedly, many have an
abundance of their own thoughts and requests. Whatever
lofty thoughts you are pursuing, permit me to bring to your
attention something I believe we should all sincerely ask for.
I w i l l preface this w i t h a popular chassidic story.
There was a poor Yeshuvnik, a hard working Jewish peas¬
ant i n poland, who eked out a meager livelihood from his
small parcel of land. He loved his land, and he yearned for
more. I f he could have but a few more acres to till, he would
be the happiest man i n his village.
There was a little Synagogue i n that community, which
this Jewish peasant attended regularly. One Kol Nidrei night,
after everyone had departed from the Synagogue, he tarried a
little while longer, saying Tehillim and pouring out his soul
unto G-d. He then approached the Aron Kodesh and cried
aloud: "Oh Rebono Shel Olom, i f I only had a larger piece of
land, how happy and how contented I would be!"
The Poritz — the local duke who owned practically all the
land i n that territory — happened to drive past the Synagogue
that Yom Kippur evening. Noticing a light there, he was curious
to find out what was taking place i n the Jewish synagogue at
that late hour. He opened the door and entered the Synagogue
quietly, just as the Jewish peasant was offering his special
prayer to G-d. The Poritz understood every word of it, for he
had lived all his life among Jews. So the duke approached the
praying Jew and said: "Itzik, I happened to have overheard
your petition, and it moved me deeply. Now I am willing to
198 VEDIBARTA BAM

make you the following offer: The day after your fast, at the
crack of dawn, you will present yourself at the gate of my
palace; and at my signal you will begin to walk through my
fields and villages. A l l the land that you will cover from sunrise
to sunset will be yours. But there is one condition to this offer:
You must be back at the starting point by sunset. Should you
fail to return to the gate of my palace by sunset, you will get
nothing at all." When the Jewish peasant heard the words of
the Poritz, he kissed his hands i n gratitude, and rushed home
to tell the great news to his wife and children.
The day after Yom Kippur, long before dawn, Itzik ran to
the appointed meeting place, followed by his wife and chil¬
dren. A t sunrise, the Poritz appeared and gave the signal for
Itzik to begin. A n d Itzik began to walk. As he continued, he
increased his speed, for there was lush and fertile land all
about h i m .
After a while he walked so fast that his wife and children
found i t hard to keep up w i t h him.
"Itzik, don't run so fast! Take it easy — watch your
health," they implored.
"Can't you see that every moment means another acre of
land for us? I ' l l talk to you tomorrow. Tomorrow we w i l l be
rich, and I w i l l buy for you and for our children the finest and
the best. But now I must hurry on."
Itzik passed a neighbor concerning w h o m he had heard
rumors that he was i n a desperate financial condition. The
man beckoned to him:
"Itzik, I know you to be a warm-hearted person. please
help me w i t h a loan for a short time, and you will save a Jew
from ruin."
The truth is that Itzik would have liked to help this wor¬
thy individual. But how could he bother w i t h h i m at such a
time? So he rushed h i m by, saying, "Sorry, I can't stop to help
you now. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow when I'm rich, I'll set h i m up i n business and
make h i m secure for the rest of his life," he thought to himself.
 Y O M KIPPUR 199

The sun was circling towards the West, and Itzik was ap¬
proaching the little Synagogue where only the other night his
prayer was miraculously answered. It was time for Minchah,
and one of the congregants stood at the door of the shul and
beckoned to h i m : "Reb Itzik, come i n and daven w i t h us. We
need you for a minyan. You w i l l help a Yahrzeit to say Kaddish.
It w i l l take only a few minutes:"
But Itzik was out of breath and he motioned w i t h his
hands that he could not even stop to answer h i m . Itzik
thought to himself "Tomorrow I ' l l be rich, and I ' l l rebuild the
shul, and I ' l l erect a beautiful edifice to house a yeshivah for
the children of our village. But now I have a few more acres
to cover and to possess."
picture the following scene: The sun is now setting
rapidly, and Itzik is heading for the starting point. His legs
feel as heavy as lead. His mouth is as dry as dust; and his
heart is no longer beating but pounding like a drum. He
knows that for his own good he should stop. But he can't; for
he is determined to acquire all the land he covered. So he
runs faster and faster. As the last rays of the setting sun
touch the treetops, Itzik plunges toward the starting point,
and falls to the ground — dead.
Afterwards, the Poritz w i t h a wry cynical smile on his lips,
called out to one of the peasants: "Ivan", he commanded.
"Ivan, take a hoe and go to the Jewish cemetery. There you
w i l l dig a grave six feet long and three feet wide, and see to it
that Itzik is buried there. This is all the land that he really
needed."
Dear Friends, there is no need for me to elaborate how
many people — even good people — go through life like Itzik
in this Chassidic tale.
So many wives beg their husbands, "Let's spend a little
more time together." A n d the husband, w i t h a hurt look on
his face, w i l l protest: "For whom do I work so tirelessly, i f
not for you and the children? Wait a few more years, and I'll
200 VEDIBARTA B A M

be all set. I promise you that then we'll live!" But you know
that that promise is seldom fulfilled.
A child w i l l approach his father and plead: "Daddy, help
me w i t h my homework" or "Sit down and talk to me for a
while." And, inevitably the answer is: "No, my child, Daddy
is too busy right now. Soon I ' l l be able to take it easy, and I ' l l
give you all the time that you want." But somehow that day
never arrives.
How many people react the way Itzik did to the needy?
We come to a person and ask for help, and he says apologeti¬
cally: "Not now. In a little while when I w i l l have made my
fortune. Please wait a little longer." A n d we are still waiting.
And so we race through life, until the sun begins to set.
We pass from the forties into the fifties. The time for Minchah
in our lives is suddenly upon us; and some of us begin to re¬
alize that we ought to stop and enter the Synagogue to renew
our faith w i t h our G-d and to strengthen the bonds that tie us
to our people.
But we seem to lack the w i l l power to stop the mad race;
and we postpone this renewal for tomorrow — when we are
older and able to retire. But tomorrow is such an elusive
thing. It seldom comes.
On this holy day our prayers should also contain the fol¬
lowing. First, let us thank G-d for all the things he has done
for us. Hashem gave us so much during the past year! Health,
happiness and children.
Then let us pray for the gift of a good heart, one that w i l l
enhance our sensitivity for our families, needs of our people
and a feeling for Torah and Yiddishkeit. Finally, last but not
least, we should pray to be imbued w i t h the proper seichel —
good sense — to be content w i t h His blessings and enjoy
them i n the fullest manner. May Hashem grant us good
health, wealth, and nachas from our children, together w i t h
ample time to enjoy the blessings.
R 1 ‫ס‬
' (!‫)הרב דוב ארי׳ דיל בערזא‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 201

H E - G O A T S AND PRIORITIES

In the days of the Beit Hamikdash, the Kohanim were

divided into twenty-four groups. Every week another group
would perform the services. On Yom Kippur all the regular
daily services, such as the karban tamid — daily continual
offering — ketoret — incense offering — and the preparing of
the Menorah for kindling, were done by the Kohen Gadol. In
addition, he performed all the special services prescribed for
that day.
Among these services was the one involving the two he-
goats. One was slaughtered, after which its blood was
sprinkled i n the Holy and also the Holy of Holies. O n the
other he-goat the Kohen Gadol recited a confession and begged
forgiveness for the iniquities of the entire community of
Israel. Afterwards, he handed it over to be led to the precipice
of Azazeil, a steep mountain approximately eight miles away
from Jerusalem. There, it was pushed over the cliff, and
before it reached halfway down the mountain, it was torn
apart by the sharp rocks and the speed of its descent.
To distinguish between the two he-goats, a string of red
wool was tied to the one designated for Azazeil. u p o n arrival
at the precipice, the messenger would divide the string into
two parts. One piece was tied between the horns, and the
other was tied to the rock from which the animal would be
pushed off.
There was a tradition that i f the string would miracu¬
lously turn white, this would be a sign that Hashem chose to
forgive the sins committed by the Jewish people. This was an
event that was looked upon by the people as an essential part
of the day's service.
According to the Gemara (Yoma 62a) the he-goat for
Azazeil, which was to be thrown over the cliff, and the one
offered i n the Beit Hamikdash to Hashem were to be identical
in color, height, and value.
202 VEDIBARTA BAM

This rule seems difficult to comprehend. W h y was it

necessary to spend extra sums of money on a he-goat that
would be thrown over the cliff i n any event? One can easily
understand that the he-goat for Hashem, which is sacrificed
in the Holy Beit Hamikdash on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of
the year, should be of the best quality possible to buy. But
why do the Sages dictate that also the one going for Azazeil
should be of comparable value and not allow the use of the
least expensive and poorest quality goat that can be found?
It could be said that i n this rabbinic dictum our Sages are
conveying to us an important lesson as to how an individual
should spend the material wealth and resources w i t h which
Hashem has blessed h i m .
The money we spend during our lifetime can be divided
into two categories. One goes to spiritual matters such as
tzedakah — charity — to the needy, purchasing items required
for performance of Torah commandments such as tefillin,
Pesach and Sukkot supplies, etc., and tuition so that our
children may receive a Torah education.
The other category is our expenditures for physical
necessities and personal pleasures. I n retrospect, we often
feel that money spent on pleasures has been wasted.
However, money spent on the spiritual has an everlasting
effect.
There are many people who are blessed w i t h affluence
and spend freely on personal amenities. They seem to have
no shortage of funds to beautify their homes, live a luxurious
lifestyle, and go on vacations. Yet they plead poverty when i t
comes to spending on spiritual matters. There are many
examples of such misplaced priorities, but we w i l l merely cite
a few.
parents often spend huge sums of money for a lavish
party to celebrate their son's Bar Mitzvah. "This is a once i n a
lifetime event," they tell the professional party planner, "and
we want it to be a most memorable affair." However, they
w i l l not buy the boy a good quality pair of tefillin and suffice
 Y O M KIPPUR 203

w i t h the least expensive and sometimes, unfortunately, no

tefillin at all. Little do they realize that the party is short-lived,
and much of the food w i l l end up i n the garbage, while the
tefillin is an item which w i l l unite the boy w i t h Hashem for
his entire lifetime.
There are people who build an exquisite home and skimp
on funds for mezuzot. Oh, i f they would only realize that this
little mezuzah is the most worthwhile expense i n a Jewish
home.
There is a very interesting story related i n the Jerusalem
Talmud about a mezuzah. A prominent Jew named Artabun
sent a precious stone as a gift to Rebbe (Rabbi Yehudah
HaNasi) and asked that he reciprocate w i t h something of
equal value. Rebbe sent h i m a mezuzah. Artabun was upset
and sent a message to Rebbe, " I sent you an item which is
priceless while you sent me an item which is w o r t h very
little."
Rebbe responded, " I t is w o r t h more than anything you or
I can desire. Moreover, you sent me something which I w i l l
have to protect, and I sent you something which w i l l protect
you at all times."
Many refrain from sending their children to a Hebrew
Day School because of the high cost of tuition. Nevertheless,
these people have no problem w i t h the high cost of camps,
vacations, cars, and other amenities.
The two he-goats, the one designated for Hashem and the
other which was designated to be brought to the precipice of
Azazeil, can serve as metaphors for the above-mentioned two
categories of expense.
Hashem, i n His benevolence, has blessed us w i t h
financial resources. Like a loving father, He does not mind
how much money we spend or waste on our personal
pleasures. He requests, however, that at least an equal
amount of money (and perhaps more) be spent on spiritual
matters. I f one has money for "Azazeil" — to throw over the
204 VEDIBARTA BAM

cliff — one should not plead poverty when it comes to

spending for Hashem.
Recently, I visited a very wealthy individual who lives
luxuriously i n an exclusive area. My intent was to solicit his
support for a charitable organization. After presenting my
request, he smiled and politely said, "Rabbi, it seems that you
do not read the newspapers or listen to the media — haven't
you heard what is happening i n the stock market? Don't you
know that we are experiencing a recession?"
I told my friend that I was indeed up to date and that his
response reminded me of a story.
One morning before a little boy left home to go to the
Hebrew day school, his mother gave h i m two nickels; one
was for candy and the other for tzedakah. As he walked along
he was playing w i t h the coins. One coin fell out of his hand
and rolled into a sewer. "G-d," he exclaimed, "there goes
your nickel!"
I f we, G-d forbid, make a little less i n business than
anticipated or experience a temporary downward move of the
stock market, our reaction should not be, "G-d, there goes
your nickel."
Throughout the year, let us bear i n mind the lesson of the
two he-goats. Treat G-d no worse than you treat yourself. I n
return, He w i l l reciprocate by showering you lavishly w i t h the
means to meet your physical needs and desires, and granting
you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
 Y O M KIPPUR 205

T H E "RIGHT" SON

It is not unusual for a husband and wife to have an

argument. But everyone would agree that for everything,
including a dispute, there is a proper place and time.
W i t h this i n mind, let me bring to your attention an
argument recorded i n the Torah that took place between a
husband and wife. M i n d you, this was not just an ordinary
couple, but also our patriarch Yaakov and our matriarch
Rachel.
Now, that they loved each other dearly is undisputable.
Before they were married, Yaakov was very eager to marry
her and worked laboriously seven years for her father, the
infamous and unscrupulous Lavan. After being cheated and
receiving Leah as his wife, he reluctantly agreed to give Lavan
another seven years of labor as long as he would permit h i m
to marry Rachel. The Torah attests that when he had them
both for wives, Yaakov loved Rachel more than Leah (Bereishit
29:30). So it seems that Yaakov and Rachel must have been
what we classify as a loving couple.
Rachel was childless for a number of years, and finally she
gave birth to a son w h o m she named Yosef, proclaiming
"May Hashem add another son to me" (Ibid. 30:24).
This wish was granted and she became pregnant. After
she carried the baby i n her womb, finally the happy moment
arrived and she was about to give birth. Her husband was
there, anticipating to hear the good news, "It's a boy."
However, the joy was incomplete. Suddenly, she had
difficulty i n her labor. Her situation became critical, and she
felt that she would expire during childbirth. A t this moment,
w i t h her last strength, she managed to give a name to the
child. She called h i m "Ben oni" — "Son of my pain." Yaakov
objected to the name, and called h i m "Ben yamin" (Ibid.
35:18).
206 VEDIBARTA BAM

Why, when Rachel was i n such a condition, did Yaakov

argue w i t h her over the name to be given to the newborn
child? Was this the right time and place to argue over such a
seemingly trivial matter? Wouldn't Yaakov have been better
occupied w i t h saying words of comfort while she was
experiencing such excruciating pain?
Rachel felt that her life i n this world was ending, and she
worried about what would happen to her child i f he grew up
without a mother's care. As Yaakov was sitting at her
bedside, she expressed her feelings: " I am very concerned
about my child. Since he is growing up without a mother to
take care of him, I am very worried about how he may turn
out. I pray that when I am gone from this world and i n my
heavenly abode, his behavior should not cause me pain and
grief."
Yaakov, wanting to comfort his dying wife, told her not to
worry. He promised her that he would take extra care of h i m
and assured her that he would be a "ben yamin" — "a right
son" — one who would conduct himself as is "right" for his
family and be a source of nachas to his mother i n Gan Eden.
A story is told of a childless couple who for many years
yearned and prayed for a child of their own. After visiting
many medical specialists the woman conceived. When she
was about to give birth, the doctor informed her husband
that only one of the two could be saved, either the mother or
the unborn child. The husband favored saving the mother,
but when the mother heard of her husband's decision, she
was furious. Life, she said, was worthless to her without a
child. I f the baby would not be saved, she would commit
suicide.
So reluctantly and w i t h deep misgivings, the doctor saved
the baby and let the mother die. In time the baby grew up to
be a strong and fine looking boy, but he was of a coarse and
belligerent disposition. When he was of age, his father sent
h i m to an out-of-town college i n the hope that new contacts
and a different atmosphere would better his character. But
 Y O M KIPPUR 207

the reports that he received were very discouraging, for the

young man spent his time i n bad company and was wasting
his life.
One day his father sent h i m a telegram to come home
immediately as some urgent matter had arisen. The young
man, fearing the worst, took the first plane and returned
home. His father met h i m at the airport, but instead of
explaining to h i m the reason for asking h i m to return home,
he drove to a remote cemetery and stopped at a well-kept
grave. There, he told his son for the first time the story of his
birth and how his mother had died. After finishing the story,
he said to him, "My son, now that you have heard that your
mother died i n order to give you life, turn around and face
the tombstone of your mother, and tell her whether it was
w o r t h i t ! " Tears streamed down the cheeks of the young
man. He broke down, buried his face on the shoulder of his
father, and shook w i t h sobs. "Father," he cried, " I have failed
you, that's bad enough. But I have failed my poor mother,
and that is much worse."
On this Yizkor day let us face the souls of our dearly
beloved parents and grandparents and tell them whether all
their toil and sacrifice for us were worth their while. Were we
"ben-oni" — children whose conduct brought pain and sorrow
to them — or are we "ben yamin" — children on the right path
who w i l l be a source of pride and nachas.
(‫)מיוסד על מה שמצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
208 VEDIBARTA BAM

T H E SADDUCEES AND T H E INCENSE

Over two thousand years ago a very serious rift took place
in the Jewish community, one which lasted for a long period.
Antignus of Socho, who received the Torah from Shimon
Hatzadik and served as the teacher of his generation, delivered
a lecture i n which he said, "Be not like slaves who serve their
master for the sake of receiving a reward; rather be like slaves
who serve their master not for the sake of receiving a reward,
and let the fear of Heaven be upon you" (Avot 1:3).
Avot D'Rabbi Nathan (2:5) relates: "Antignus had two
disciples who misinterpreted his saying, and taught to their
disciples and their disciples to their disciples, saying, 'Why
did our rabbis see fit to say a thing like this? It is possible,
then, that a workman upon completing his day's work w i l l
not receive his wages i n the evening? I f our rabbis would be
convinced that there is a future world and that there w i l l be
resurrection of the dead, they would not have said this.' "
From these two disciples, Tzadok and Boethus, there arose
two heretical sects, the Tzedokim — Sadducees — and the
Baitusim. They were called "Tzedokin" after their founder
Tzadok, and "Boethusians" after their founder Boethus.
The Tzedokim were active during the second Beit Hamik-
dash era. They denied the validity of the Torah she'ba'al peh —
the Oral tradition of the Jewish people — maintaining that
only the literal sense of the Torah was binding. Unfortu¬
nately, they attracted such a large following that some
Kohanim Gedolim belonged to their sect.
They introduced a lifestyle based on their literal interpre¬
tations of the W r i t t e n Torah, which angered the authentic
Torah Sages of the time and caused much chaos.
According to them, the pasuk "Do not kindle fire i n any of
your dwellings on Shabbat" (Shemot 35:3) forbids one to have
any fire burning during Shabbat, even when kindled before
 Y O M KIPPUR 209

Shabbat. Thus, on Shabbat they would sit i n the dark and eat
only cold food.
To demonstrate that we have no affiliation w i t h the
Tzedokim and their heretical views, we intentionally let food,
popularly known as cholent, cook on the fire during Shabbat
and eat it for the afternoon meal.
It is not my intent to give a lecture today about this
group, but to discuss the innovation they sought to introduce
in the Kohen Gadol's service on this Holiest day of the year
when he entered the Kodesh Hakadeshim — Holy of Holies.
In the Torah portion assigned to Yom Kippur we read,
"And he shall take a shovelful of fiery coals from atop the al¬
tar before Hashem, and his cupped handsful of finely ground
incense-spices, and bring it w i t h i n the veil" (Vayikra 16:12).
The Gemara (Yoma 19b) relates that a bitter conflict raged
in ancient Israel between the two dominant factions, the
pharisees and the Tzedokim, concerning the place where the
Kohen Gadol was to burn the incense prescribed by the Torah.
The pharisees — the party which adhered to both the W r i t t e n
Law and the Oral Traditions — held that the Kohen Gadol
should enter the Holy of Holies first, and while there he
should put the incense on the fire; the clouds would then
drift from the innermost Sanctuary into the Temple proper,
and from there into the open courts of the Beit Hamikdash,
where all the Kohanim and the Israelites were assembled (see
ibid. 39b).
On the other hand, the Tzedokim — the party that denied
the authority of the Tradition — maintained that the Kohen
Gadol should put the incense on the fire before his entrance
into the Holy of Holies, and then, w i t h the clouds still as¬
cending, enter into the innermost Sanctuary.
Due to the prohibition of the Torah that no one is to be in
the Sanctuary when the Kohen Gadol "comes to provide
atonement i n the Sanctuary" (Vayikra 16:17), no one could be
present i n the Temple to see that the officiating Kohen would
perform this part of the service i n keeping w i t h the authentic
210 VEDIBARTA BAM

Torah teaching. Hence, the Kohen Gadol was made to take an

oath that he would not deviate from the tradition.
There is a very profound thought behind the controversy
that divided the two parties i n ancient Israel. Authentic Torah
lifestyle or Torah modified to prevailing lifestyles — which of
these is to wield the controlling influence? Is the main influ¬
ence i n man's life to be a G-d ordained law, which is eternal
as the Eternal G-d, or is it to be a product of a law of tempo¬
rary expedients? Are we to mold our conduct at all times in
accordance w i t h the commandments of our Torah, or are we
to live according to a Torah which is tailored to fashion? I n
short, is G-d's Sanctuary to infuse moral power into the
world or is the temporary aspect of life to affect the spiritual
destinies of the Divine Sanctuary on earth?
The pharisees, who were the party favoring the suprem¬
acy of Torah religion as against all attempts of secularizing
Jewish life, and who incidentally had the loyalty of the Jewish
masses behind them, upheld the doctrine that the clouds of
incense must originate i n the Kodesh Hakadeshim, symbol of
the highest source of spiritual power on earth. From there
they would issue into the Temple, thence spreading into the
outer courts, where the masses of people were gathered.
The pharisees thus effectively indicated their position that
Israel's first consideration should not be whether its religious
views and teachings are i n accordance w i t h the times but
whether the times are i n accordance w i t h the sacred tenets of
its faith. Thus, the Sages conceived the entrance of the Kohen
Gadol into the Kodesh Hakadeshim as a moment of national
reckoning, the rendering of an account of how Israel stood
w i t h respect to the great principles of its faith.
But the Tzedokim, who believed i n the complete seculari¬
zation of Jewish life, held that this ceremony must be
performed i n a precisely contrary manner. The incense was to
be burned "without" the veil, and from the outside world i t
was to be carried into the innermost sanctuary, thus empha¬
sizing the point of view that secular standards must exert the
 Y O M KIPPUR 211

controlling influence over the most sacred institutions of Yid-

dishkeit.
W i t h the destruction of the Temple the Tzedokim disap¬
peared from the scene of Jewish history, while the pharisees,
the great teachers of Jewish tradition as embodied i n the
Talmud, remained to preside over the destinies of the Jewish
people. This alone is an indication that the view of the phari¬
sees alone could survive the test of history.
The controversy of yesterday is prevalent also today. Our
problem comes down to this: Are we to have a religion of
definite content and value, a religion of Shabbat, kashrut,
Torah education, and all other mitzvot — being willing to
sacrifice for the perpetuation of these sacred institutions of
Yiddishkeit — or are we to accept life's conveniences as final,
and frame the principles of religion accordingly? Our future
rests clearly upon the choice we shall make between the two
sides of the issue.
In these moments before Yizkor, when soon we shall enter
the innermost sanctuary of Jewish history, the sanctuary of
our ancestors who were always ready to sacrifice their dearest
affections on the altar of Hashem so that not a fiber might be
lost from the holiness of His laws, we hear them adjuring us,
even as the elders of the priesthood charged the Kohen Gadol
before he entered the Kodesh Hakadeshim: "We charge you
w i t h an oath by H i m W h o domiciled His Name i n this
House, that you w i l l not to change anything of all that we
have told you."
May we be imbued w i t h the intuition to know how to
discriminate between light and darkness — between a relig¬
ion of convenience and a religion of truth. Let us i n this
sacred moment declare, "Anu amecha v'atah Elokeinu" — "We
are Your people and You are our G-d."
212 VEDIBARTA BAM

T H E BOND OF L I F E

In the Yizkor service we pray "Tehei nafsho tzerurah bitzeror

hachaim" — "May his soul be bound up i n the bond of life."
Some also recite the Keil Malei Rachamim prayer, i n which they
pray "Veyitzror bitzeror hachaim et nishmato" — "May the soul
of our loved ones be bound i n the bond of life."
Who are "hachaim" — "the living" — to w h o m we request
their souls should be bound?
In addition to the popular translation that "hachaim" is a
reference to "eternal life," it can also mean "those living who
survived the deceased." We pray that the souls of our loved
ones, the ideals, ideas, and goals which they fought for and
nurtured, be linked w i t h us, "hachaim" — "the living
survivors" — i n the realm of our daily thought and deed. Not
just on the four occasions a year when Yizkor is recited should
we think of them, but we should resolve to emulate them and
transmit to our children throughout the year the Torah and
Yiddishkeit that they endeavored to instill i n us.
Yizkor is not just a prayer i n which we beseech Hashem
and ask H i m to do something for our departed dear ones, but
it is also a challenge to each and every one of us that we as¬
sure that the spirit of our loved ones be embodied i n us
eternally.

A t Yizkor it is customary to make pledges for tzedakah, and

appeals are made for the synagogue or noteworthy Torah
institutions. A story is told about a wealthy man who stood
before the Gates of Heaven, but was refused admission. The
man argued w i t h the angel i n charge, but without success.
Finally he took out his check book and said, "Okay,
everything has a price. How much does it cost?" The angel
replied, "Sorry Sir, up here we do not accept checks, only
receipts" (for tzedakah already given).
 Y O M KIPPUR 213

Y O U CAN'T R U N A W A Y FROM G - D

During Minchah we read a portion of the Torah and

conclude w i t h a Haftarah which consists of the story of
Yonah. The Book of Yonah is one of T'rei Asar — the Book of
Twelve prophets — whose prophecies spanned over three
hundred and fifty years, from the middle of the first Beit
Hamikdash era to the early years of the second Beit Hamikdash.
Yonah was the son of the widow of Tzarfat, the young boy
w h o m Eliyahu brought back to life (I Kings 17:17-24; Pirkei
D'Rabbi Eliezer 33). He was a complete tzaddik, and the
Jerusalem Talmud (Sanhedrin 11:5) says that he was a "navi
emet" — "a true prophet." The entire book of Yonah consists
of only four chapters and forty-eight verses. Besides this there
is very little recorded about h i m i n the books of the prophets
except for one casual mention (see II Kings 14:25).
Why was the story of Yonah selected as the Haftarah for
Yom Kippur afternoon?
Yonah was ordered by Hashem to go to Nineveh and
warn the people that i f they did not repent, they would be
punished. He refused this mission w i t h good intention. I f the
people of Nineveh, who were not Jewish, would have heeded
him, it would have had an adverse result upon the Jewish
people, who had defied the warnings and exhortations of the
prophets. Yonah meant well, but our Sages tell us that he was
wrong to defend the honor of the child (Israel) rather than
the honor of the Father (Hashem) (Michilta, Shemot, 12:4).
To accomplish his goal, he decided to flee Eretz Yisrael and
r u n away to Tarshish, which some identify w i t h the city of
Tunis or Tartesus i n ancient Spain beyond the Rock of
Gibraltar. He chose a destination out of Eretz Yisrael because
there Hashem does not reveal Himself to prophets.
Hashem thwarted his endeavors, and made it necessary
that he be cast into the sea. There he was swallowed by a
large fish, then spewed out on dry land. ultimately he went
214 VEDIBARTA BAM

to Nineveh and warned them of their imminent destruction

as a result of their bad behavior.
Yom Kippur is the day i n the year when all shuls are best
attended. People who unfortunately don't come Shabbat and
Yom Tov, let alone weekdays, appear i n shul on Yom Kippur. In
fact, a story is told of a shul where on Yom Kippur before the
conclusion of the services, an announcement would be made
informing the people of the date and time for Kol Nidrei the
following year.
Minchah is the last prayer of the day before Ne'ilah — the
closing prayer. As we prepare to part w i t h this very holy day,
we read the story of Yonah, which conveys the powerful mes¬
sage that there is no running away from Hashem. Hashem, i n
His miraculous ways, can find us wherever we are, and our
endeavors to flee H i m are to no avail. The Haftarah serves as a
call that we should not r u n away from Hashem during the
year, but rather we must resolve to adhere tenaciously to
Hashem and Torah throughout the entire year.
(!:‫)עי׳ שו״ע אדמוה״ז סי׳ תרכ״ב‬
Yom Kippur —
Torah Reading
Haftarah
216 VEDIBARTA BAM

...‫ אחדי מות שני גני אהרן גקדגתם לפני ה׳ וימתו‬,‫׳ אל משד‬,‫״וידגד ד‬
‫ואל י ג א גפל עת אל הקדש״‬
"And G - d spoke to Moshe after the death of the
two sons of A h a r o n , w h e n they approached
before G - d and they died...'He s h a l l not come at
all times into the Sanctuary.' " (Vayikra 16:1-2)
QUESTION: 1) W h y after the death of Nadav and Avihu
did Hashem instruct the Kohanim not to enter the Beit Hamik-
dash while intoxicated (10:9), nor to enter the Sanctuary at all
times?
2) What relevance do these prohibitions have to all Jews,
even in contemporary times?
ANSWER: The death of Nadav and Avihu was not simply
due to the violation of an ordinary Torah precept. It was a
spiritual death which was caused by their immersion i n the
deepest esoteric teachings of Torah and detachment from this
mundane and physical world.
Chassidut analyzes this spiritual immersion in terms of the
concept of "ratzo" and "shov" — advancing and retreating — as
in Ezekiel 1:4. When the soul senses the all-encompassing
greatness of G-dliness, it is aroused to a passionate desire for
"ratzo" — running — seeking to be merged in G-dliness. In
this state, the soul yearns to leave the body and the world, but
the Divine will is for it to remain on earth and to establish a
dwelling place for Hashem. Thus, man must "shov" — retreat
— return to this world and observe Torah and mitzvot.
Comprehending the beauty and profundity of G-dliness,
Nadav and Avihu reached the level of "kelot hanefesh" —
expiration of the soul through absolute attachment to Hashem
— and thus they departed from their physical bodies. From
this we learn that ratzo without shov — advancing without
retreating — caused their unfortunate end.
"Kelot hanefesh" can occur i n one of two ways: either
through understanding the profundity of G-dliness or by
perceiving the lowliness of this physical world. When a person
realizes the extent of his degradation, that he has succumbed
 Y O M KIPPUR 217

to his evil inclination and transgressed the Torah, he may

resolve 1) to dispense w i t h physical existence, or 2) live a holy
life i n seclusion.
The Torah does not approve of either of these approaches,
and consequently, after the spiritual death of the sons of
Aharon, the following Torah decrees were issued: "Beware of
becoming intoxicated w i t h wine" and "He shall not come at all
times into the Sanctuary."
Wine alludes to the secrets of Torah. ("Yayin" [‫— ]יין‬
"wine" — and "sod" — "secret" — have the same
numerical value of 70). The prohibition of priestly
drunkenness thus teaches all scholars of Torah that, even
while involved i n the most esoteric and sublime teachings of
Torah, one must remember that the neshamah has to remain
vested i n a physical body i n this world and not become so
"intoxicated" w i t h holiness that the soul loses its moorings i n
physical reality.
The prohibition of "Al yavo" — "not to come" — "bechol eit
el hakodesh" — "at all times into the Sanctuary" — teaches Jews
of all levels that when one repents for inappropriate behavior
and is in a Yom Kippur spirit, the resolve should not be to enter
a life of seclusion from worldly matters. A Jew must exist in
this physical world and, through Torah and mitzvot, make it a
dwelling place for Hashem.
(‫ ועי׳ אור החיים‬,‫)לקוטי שיחות חכ״ז‬

‫י!דש‬,‫ואל י ג א גבל עת אל ד‬
"He s h a l l not come at a l l times
into the Sanctuary." (16:2)
QUESTION: What personal lesson can every individual
learn from this directive?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Ketubot 50a) says that the pasuk
"Praiseworthy are the guardians of justice, who perform
tzedakah bechol eit — charity at all time" (Psalms 106:3) —
refers to one who sustains his sons and his daughters when
they are minors. A person is only morally obligated to sup-
218 VEDIBARTA B A M

port his minor children aged six or older but not halachically.
Since these children live at home and are constantly depend¬
ant on their father for their livelihood, the father, "performs
charity at every moment" by supporting them.
When one strives to enter "the holiness" — i.e. elevate
oneself spiritually — a way to accomplish it is through the
merit of the mitzvah of tzedakah. Thus, the message of this
pasuk is that the tzedakah should not be of the sort which is i n
the category of "performing charity bechol eit" — at every
moment — i.e. feeding his own children; rather, there must
be actual expenditures of sums of money for needy
individuals and noble charitable causes and endeavors.
(‫)שלייה‬

‫״ואל יגא גבל עת אל הקדש״‬

"He s h a l l not come at a l l times into the
Sanctuary." (16:2)

QUESTION: The phrase "bechol eit" — "at all times" —

forbids the Kohen's constant presence i n the Sanctuary, but
seems to permit occasional visits. Since he was allowed to
come i n only on Yom Kippur, what is the reason for the
strange construction of this verse?
ANSWER: I t is Satan's mission to continuously induce
the Jew to sin. The Gemara (Yoma 20a) notes that "hasatan"
(‫" — )השטן‬the Satan" — has the numerical value of 364. From
this we may infer that, during 364 days of the solar year, the
Satan has permission to cause trouble, but on the 365th day
of the year — Yom Kippur — this permission is revoked. Thus,
the day of Yom Kippur is very different from the other 364
days of the year.
The message that Hashem conveyed to Aharon was that he
should not come "bechol eit" — "at all times" — any ordinary
day of the year. The only day when he could enter the Inner-
Sanctuary was on the special day of the year — Yom Kippur.
(‫)כלי יקר‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 219

‫״בזאת יבא אהרן אל הקדש״‬

"With this A h a r o n should come into the
Sanctuary." (16:3)

QUESTION: Since the Torah details all the things that

the Kohen Gadol had to do on Yom Kippur, the word "bezot"
— " w i t h this" — seems superfluous.
ANSWER: On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we
proclaim, "Uteshuvah, utefillah, utzedakah ma'avirim et ro'a
hagezeirah" — "Repentance, prayer and charity can avert the
severity of the decree." I n every machzor, above these three
words, the words "tzom, kol, mamon" —
"fasting, voice, money" — appear i n small print. Each of
these words has the numerical value of 136, totaling 408,
which is the numerical value of the word "zot" .
The Torah is hinting to us that i n addition to all the
karbanot that the Kohen Gadol must bring on Yom Kippur,
another important element is "zot" — the three things that
add up to 408, and through these he w i l l be able to avert any
evil decrees against K'lal Yisrael, G-d forbid.
* * *

A similar interpretation can be applied to King David's

statement "Im takum alai milchamah bezot ani voteiach" — " I f a
war would rise against me, I am secure w i t h zot" (Psalms
27:3). King David also said, "uchesil lo yavin et zot" — which i n
light of the above may mean, "A fool does not understand the
significance of zot" (Psalms 92:7).
(‫ פרדס יוסף‬- ‫)נחל קדומים‬

‫״ומבנפי גד יהיו על גשרו״‬

" L i n e n breeches s h a l l be upon his flesh." (16:4)

QUESTION: The words "al besaro" — "on his flesh" —

teach us that the garments must be worn directly on his flesh
and there should be nothing acting as a barrier between the
garment and the kohen's flesh (Zevachim 19a).
On Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol would immerse i n a
mikvah, dry himself, and change into other garments. He
220 VEDIBARTA BAM

needed to dry himself so that there would be no water

between his flesh and the garments (see Rambam, Avodat
Yom Hakippurim 2:2, Mishneh Lemelech).
The Gemara (Zevachim 35a) praises the Kohanim for
walking i n blood up to their knees while they performed the
service i n the Beit Hamikdash. A question is raised: W h y isn't
the blood considered a chatzitzah — separation — between
their feet and the floor? The Gemara answers that liquids are
not considered a separation. I f so, why was it necessary for
the Kohen Gadol to dry himself after immersing?
ANSWER: The halachah does not forbid a chatzizah —
separation — between the Kohen's foot and the floor, nor is
there a requirement that his foot must touch the floor. The
only thing required is that he stand on his own i n the Beit
Hamikdash while performing the service. Thus, i f one foot is
on the floor and the other on a pedestal, and should it be
removed he would fall down, the service is disqualified, since
he is not actually standing on his own i n the Beit Hamikdash.
But the fact that he is standing on one foot or a pedestal is
not considered a chatzizah, i f he does not need the pedestal to
support his standing. Hence even i f a Kohen would perform
the service while standing i n the air, i t would be permissible
were i t not for the fact that it is an inappropriate way of
performing service (see Zevachim 26a).
Consequently, though liquids are a foreign substance they
do not create a separation, and even i f they are under his feet
it is nevertheless considered that he is standing on Beit
Hamikdash property without any assistance.
In the case of the garments, however, there is a specific
halachah that they must be al besaro — tightly fitted and i n
contact w i t h his flesh — and even an air space between his
flesh and the garment is considered a chatzitzah — separation
(see Zevachim 19a). The Kohen Gadol must therefore dry
himself thoroughly after immersing, because i n regard to the
rule of "al besaro," the water would be a separation, since the
garments would not be firmly i n contact w i t h his flesh.
 Y O M KIPPUR 221

‫ ונדפס בשמו בירחון המסלה שנה א׳‬,‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
‫ ועי׳ בספר תפארת ציון סי׳ כ״ג ממו״ר הרב משה דובער דיל‬- ‫חשון תרצ״ג‬-‫ תשרי‬,‫י‬-‫חוברת ט‬
(‫ שהביא הקושיא בשם שרית עמודי אור או״ח סי׳ ל״ז וביאר באריכות ב׳ מיני חציצה‬,‫ריווקין‬

‫״ונתן אתם על ראש השעיר ושלח גיד איש עתי המדגרה״‬

"And place them upon the head of the he-goat,
and send it w i t h a man to the desert." (16:20)

QUESTION: The Gemara (Yoma 66b) relates that Rabbi

Eliezer was asked, " I f the he-goat becomes ill, may he carry it
on his shoulder?" Rabbi Eliezer replied, "Yachol hu leharkiv ani
ve'atem" — "He is capable of carrying me and you."
Rabbi Eliezer's response is enigmatic: W h o is 'he'
referring to, and how do his words answer the question
posed to him?
ANSWER: The statute of the "scapegoat for Azazeil"
serves as a metaphor of the Jewish people. For many years we
have been under the reign of alien regimes, oppressed and
persecuted. Whenever something has gone wrong anywhere
in the world, the Jew has been made the "scapegoat." Like
the scapegoat who was sent out of the camp to the
wilderness, the Jewish people, too, have been expelled from
one country after another, and have gone through a stage of
wilderness before establishing themselves i n another part of
the world.
Fortunately, regardless of their trials and tribulations, the
Jewish people have managed to "stand on their feet," to
remain firm i n their commitment to Torah and mitzvot and to
miraculously survive all attempts to destroy them physically
and spiritually.
Rabbi Eliezer was asked, what i f the "scapegoat" — the
Jewish people — becomes i l l ; i.e. what i f their suffering
sickens them to the extent that they no longer have the
strength to 'stand on their feet'? Should they yield i n their
Torah observance and accept the ways of the prevailing
forces? Should they acknowledge the dominant powers and
compromise on their Yiddishkeit?
222 VEDIBARTA BAM

Rabbi Eliezer's answer is an unequivocal "no." He told

the worried Jews, "Yachol hu leharkiv ani ve'atem — He
[Hashem] is capable of carrying me and you. Do not, G-d
forbid, falter one iota i n your Yiddishkeit. Indeed, galut may be
difficult to endure, but be assured that Hashem is able to take
us all out of it, and He w i l l do so very speedily."
Moreover, the one who leads the scapegoat is referred to
as "ish iti," which, according to commentaries, means a
person whose time has come to die and who w i l l not live
more than a year (see Chizkuni). N o t only w i l l Hashem take
the Jewish people out of galut, but all their oppressors w i l l
perish and the Jewish people w i l l exist forever.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬

‫״‬,‫״ושלח גיד איש עתי המדגדד‬

"And send it (the he-goat) w i t h a designated
man to the desert." (16:21)

QUESTION: W h y is the designated man known as "ish

iti"?
ANSWER: The word "iti" stems from the word "eit,"
which means "time," and "ish iti" means "a timely man," one
who has been told to be ready for a particular time. According
to Rashi he was prepared for this task from the preceding
day, and according to Targum Yonatan ben Uziel the appointed
man was designated for this mission after Yom Kippur of the
previous year. Thus, he had been chosen for a long time prior
to his actual service.
According to the Rashbam, he was called "ish iti" because
he had spent much time i n the wilderness and knew the
roads.
According to Chizkuni, the messenger was destined to
pass away before the next Yom Kippur. Thus, "ish iti" means a
person whose time to leave this world has arrived. By
referring to h i m as "ish iti," the Torah is emphasizing that
although he knew his life would end w i t h his mission, he did
 Y O M KIPPUR 223

not hesitate to perform it. He gladly agreed to give up his life

in order to assure that K'lal Yisrael received Divine atonement
for all their sins.

‫ לבם לחית עולם בחדש השביעי בעשור לחדש תענו את נפשתיבם״‬,‫״והיתד‬

"It s h a l l be for you an eternal decree; in the
seventh month on the tenth day of the month
you shall afflict your souls." (16:29)

QUESTION: According to the Midrash Rabbah (Devarim

2:14), when the angels ask Hashem for the dates of Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur, He tells them, "Let us go and
inquire of the Beit Din below on earth." What does it mean
that Hashem has to ask others to clarify the dates of Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
ANSWER: In the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 428), there
is a rule that Rosh Hashanah cannot be on Sunday,
Wednesday, or Friday. The Midrash Tanchuma (Mishpatim 5)
states that when judgment occurs below, no judgment takes
place above. Consequently, on Monday and Thursday, the
days when a Beit Din is officially i n session, there is no
judgment from Heaven.
The angels asked: Since "Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
are known as days of judgment. When does Rosh Hashanah
take place? It cannot be Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday.
Neither can it be Monday or Thursday. The only days left are
Tuesday and Shabbat, which are also disqualified since Yom
Kippur would then occur on Thursday and Monday,
respectively. But this is impossible because when there is
judgment below there is no judgment above."
Hashem informed them, "Indeed Rosh Hashanah is on
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Shabbat. As to your question,
'How can Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur be on Monday or
Thursday,' we w i l l go down on that day to the Beit Din below
and G-d's judgment w i l l emerge from the court below."
(‫)שמנה לחמו‬
224 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫ לבם רחקת עולם בחודש השביעי בעשור לחדש‬,‫״והיתד‬

‫תענו את כפשתיבם״‬
"It s h a l l be for you an eternal decree; in the
seventh month on the tenth day of the month
you s h a l l afflict your souls." (16:29)

QUESTION: Regarding Shabbat the Torah states,

"Vekarata laShabbat oneg" — "Shabbat shall be a day of
delight." According to the Rambam (Shavuot 1:6, see Rashba,
Responsa 614), one is obligated to eat at least a "kezayit" — a
quantity the size of an olive. Yom Kippur is violated i f one eats
an amount the size of a "kosevet hagassah" — "a thick date"
(Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 612:1). A "kezayit" is smaller
than a "kosevet hagassah."
In the Gemara (Yoma 73b) Reish Lakish is of the opinion
that eating less than the prohibited amount is not considered
a violation of Torah law. I f so, when Yom Kippur falls on
Shabbat, why isn't one required to eat a "kezayit," which is
less than the amount prohibited on Yom Kippur and thus
fulfill the Torah obligation of delight on Shabbat?
ANSWER: Although Reish Lakish maintains that a
person did not violate halachah i f he ate less than "kekosevet,"
it is forbidden, however, to do so by Rabbinic ordinance. The
halachah is that a Rabbinic ordinance must be obeyed even i f
it entails non-fulfillment of a positive commandment from
the Torah (b'sheiv ve'al ta'aseh — inactive non-compliance), in
this case not eating the amount of kezayit (see Yevamot 90b).
* * *

Alternatively, a person who eats on Yom Kippur violates

both a positive commandment and a negative commandment
(Rambam, Shevitat Asor 1:4). Delight on Shabbat is only a
positive commandment and the requirement to experience
delight is not strong enough to supersede both a positive and
a negative commandment. The Rabbis have endowed their
opinion w i t h the authority of a Torah prohibition, thus a
Rabbinic ordinance carries the authority of a Torah
prohibition. Hence, although according to Reish Lakish, the
 Y O M KIPPUR 225

prohibition (of eating less than a kosevet on Yom Kippur) is

only of Rabbinic origin, it has the same strength as a
Scriptural positive and negative commandment and cannot be
superseded by a positive Scriptural commandment. (See
Talmudic Encyclopedia, vol. 15, p. 94.)
* * *

Alternatively, when the Torah states the law of fasting on

Yom Kippur, it does not distinguish between a weekday and
Shabbat. Thus, it applies equally to every day of the week,
including Shabbat. The intent of Torah is that when Yom
Kippur is on Shabbat, the mitzvah of delight on Shabbat does
not apply because it is superseded by the mitzvah of enduring
deprivation and discomfort on Yom Kippur.
(When Yom Kippur is on Shabbat, one actually fulfills the
mitzvah of delight through fasting, as the halachah specifies i n
the instance when food is detrimental to one's health on an
ordinary Shabbat [see Shulchan Aruch Harav, Orach Chaim
288:2]).
* * *

i t should also be noted that according to some opinions

(ibid., 291:1), delight on Shabbat is accomplished w i t h eating
food equivalent to the size of an egg. Consequently, since
kekosevet is less than the size of an egg it is impossible to
fulfill the mitzvah of delight on Shabbat, without violating the
Torah law of not eating on Yom Kippur.
(‫)שרית צמח צדק אריח סי׳ ל׳׳ו‬

‫ לבם לחנןת עולם בחודש השביעי בעשור לחדש תענו את‬,‫״והיתד‬

‫נבשתיבם״‬
"It s h a l l be for you an eternal decree; in the
seventh month on the tenth day of the month
you shall afflict your souls." (16:29)

QUESTION: According to our calendar, Yom Kippur

cannot be on Sunday, Tuesday, or Friday (Orach Chaim 428:1).
Why?
226 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: The Mishnah i n Keilim (17:14) says that "a

vessel made from materials created on the first day [of
creation] can become defiled; one made from materials
created on the second day cannot be defiled. o n e made from
materials created on the third day can become defiled and one
made from materials created on the fourth and the fifth
cannot become defiled; a vessel made from anything created
on the sixth day can become defiled."
On the first day — Sunday — earth and water were
created. A n earthenware vessel can become defiled, and water
is a conductor o f defilement (something wet can become
defiled). O n Monday, the firmament was created and
defilement does not apply to it. On Tuesday, trees were
created and wooden vessels can become defiled. On
Wednesday, the sun and moon were created, and defilement
does not apply to them. O n Thursday, birds and fish were
created, and vessels made from their bones or skin cannot
become defiled. On Friday, beasts, domestic animals,
swarming creatures, and man were created. Vessels made
from the bone or skin o f any of these can become defiled.
Yom Kippur, the day when everyone is cleansed and
becomes pure, only occurs, therefore, on the days that are
associated w i t h purity.
(‫)אוצרות חיים‬

‫״כחדש השכיעי כעיטור לחדש תענו את נכשתיכם״‬

" I n the seventh month, on the tenth day o f the
month, you s h a l l afflict your souls." (16:29)

QUESTION: Does a person who must partake o f food on

Yom Kippur have to make Kiddush before eating?
ANSWER: According to halachah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach
Chaim 618:10) a sick person who is forced to eat on Yom
Kippur does not have to make Kiddush, although he is
obligated to recite berachot and Birkat Hamazon — the Blessing
 Y O M KIPPUR 227

after a Meal — (including Ya'aleh Veyavo) over the food he

eats.
* * *

When the famous Torah scholar Rabbi Avraham of

Sachetchav (popularly known as the Avnei Nezer) was five
years old, his father instructed h i m to go home to eat
something after Shacharit on Yom Kippur. When he returned to
shul, his father asked h i m , "Avremele, did you remember to
make Kiddush?" to which he replied, " I did not make Kiddush."
When his father asked h i m why not, the young genius
replied, " i n truth, a minor does not have to perform any
mitzvot. The only reason he fulfills mitzvot is for chinuch —
training — to prepare for the time when he w i l l become Bar-
Mitzvah and be obligated to perform them. Thus, i make
Kiddush every Shabbat so that i w i l l be accustomed to
remember not to eat the Shabbat meal before reciting Kiddush.
However, when I w i l l be older, I hope to fast on Yom Kippur,
so there is no reason for me to make Kiddush today while i am
a minor."
(‫)פון אונזער אלטען אוצר‬

‫ יכפר עליכם לטהר אתכב״‬,‫״כי כיום הזד‬

"For on this day He shall provide atonement for
y o u to cleanse you." (16:30)

QUESTION: In the Gemara (Yoma 85b) Rabbi Akiva says

that the Jews are lucky because "Just as a mikveh cleanses et
hatemei'im — the defiled — so Hashem purifies the Jewish
people."
Since only the defiled need a mikveh i n order to become
clean, the words "et hatemei'im" — "the defiled" — seem
superfluous?
ANSWER: The way we merit purification from Hashem is
through teshuvah. Frequently, people who have committed
numerous transgressions avoid rectifying some of their
wrongdoings, erroneously thinking that concerning Judaism
228 VEDIBARTA BAM

it is "all or nothing." For instance, they reason: "Why should

I start putting on tefillin i f I am not a shomer Shabbat?" or
"Why should I eat kosher i f I do not put on tefillin?"
Rabbi Akiva, w i t h the phrase "cleanses the defiled," refutes
this logic. A mikveh can purify a person from certain
defilements even i f he w i l l still require additional purification
from other defilements for which the time to immerse and
become clean has not yet arrived (see Mishnah, Berachot 3:6).
Thus, Rabbi Akiva is teaching us that, just as the mikveh
can purify the defiled [who were defiled for more than one
defilement] even i f they remain defiled to a certain extent, so
too, Hashem accepts and wants our teshuvah, even i f it is done
in parts.
(‫)לקוטי שיחות חי״ז‬
* * *

A mikveh can purify only be'ashboren (‫ — )באשבורן‬i f the

water is gathered together i n one place. I f the water is flowing
or leaking out, then i t is an invalid mikveh and the one who
immerses i n it does not accomplish anything.
The mikveh is a metaphor for the Jewish people: When
they are united together as one, Hashem purifies them and
forgives all their sins.

‫ יכפר עליכם לטהר אתכם מכל חטאתיכם״‬,‫״כי ביום הזד‬

"For on this day He s h a l l provide atonement for
you to cleanse y o u from a l l your sins." (16:30)

QUESTION: The word "mikol" — "from all" — seems to

be unnecessary. It could have said "meichatoteichem" — "from
your sins"?
ANSWER: The Tur Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 581)
relates that it is the custom i n Ashkenazic communities for
prominent people to fast on Erev Rosh Hashanah and explains
the reason w i t h a parable. A country had a large debt of
unpaid taxes to its king, who descended on the country w i t h
his army to collect. A n entourage consisting of the prominent
 Y O M KIPPUR 229

people went out to greet him. "We do not have any money to
give you," they told him. Touched by their pleas, the king
pardoned one-third of the debt. As he came closer to the city,
a contingent of the middle-class people went to meet h i m and
after pleading, again he pardoned a second third of the debt.
As he came very close to the city, everybody went out to greet
him and after listening to their pleas, he freed the entire city
of its debt.
The inhabitants of the country are the Jewish people.
During the year they go into debt because of their
transgressions. On Erev Rosh Hashanah the "prominent"
people fast and Hashem forgives one-third of our sins.
During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah (Ten Days of Repentance) the
"middle-class" people join i n the fast and a second third is
forgiven. O n Yom Kippur, everybody fasts and Hashem
pardons us completely.
The Beit Yosef asks: "How can it be that Erev Rosh
Hashanah should be equal to the nine days of teshuvah and
even to Yom Kippur itself?" He explains that on Erev Rosh
Hashanah, Hashem forgives the first third of the sins, the ones
that are easier to forgive. To forgive the second third is more
difficult, and therefore a period of nine days is necessary. A n d
finally, the last third are the most difficult to forgive and this
is accomplished on Yom Kippur.
Referring to Yom Kippur, the Torah says that "For on this
day He w i l l provide atonement"; although two-thirds of your
sins w i l l already be forgiven, the uniqueness of Yom Kippur is
that you w i l l be cleansed entirely "mikol chatoteichem" — from
all your sins — including the final and most difficult third.
(‫)כתנות אור‬

‫״ועניתם את נפשותיכם חנןת עולם״‬

"You shall afflict yourselves; an eternal decree." (16:31)

QUESTION: The purpose of affliction is to inspire man to

do teshuvah — repent. The Gemara (Yoma 86a) states "Teshuvah
230 VEDIBARTA BAM

is great, for it reaches as high as the Kisei Hakavod —

Hashem's Throne of Glory." What is the connection between
teshuvah and the Kisei Hakavod?
ANSWER: In gematria there is a method of computation
in which each letter is counted individually and also
cumulatively. Thus, the phrase can be calculated
as follows:106=‫=כ‬20,‫ = כ ס‬8 0 , ‫ = כ ס א‬8 1 , ‫ = כ ס א ה‬8 6 , ‫ כ ס א הכ‬,
118=‫ = כ ס א הכב‬1 0 8 , ‫ = כ ס א הכבו‬1 1 4 , ‫ כ ס א הכבוד‬, for a total of
713.
The word itself i n regular gematria also equals
713. Thus, there is an equivalence between teshuvah and the
Kisei Hakavod.
(‫)ר׳ שמשון זצ״ל מאסטראפאלי‬

‫״ועל הבחנים ועל בל עם הקהל יכפר״‬

"Upon the Kohanim and upon a l l the people of
the congregation shall he bring atonement."
(16:33)

QUESTION: The word "hakahal" — " o f the congregation"

— seems to be superfluous. The text could have read "and
upon all the people he shall bring atonement"?
ANSWER: The word "hakahal" alludes to the concept of
"hakheil" (Devarim 31:12), which means unite, gather
together. The Torah is emphasizing the importance of unity
among the Jewish people. When "Ha'am" — the people — are
"hakahal" — united and together — the Kohen is able to
beseech Al-mighty G-d to forgive their transgressions.
(‫)באר משה‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 231

‫חפטרח‬
‫״׳‬,‫״שלום שלום לרחוק ולקרוב אמר ד‬
"Peace, peace to the far and the near."
(Isaiah 57:19)

QUESTION: Since Hashem first extends greetings to the

one who was "far" and repented, and afterwards to the one
who was "near" all along, the Gemara (Berachot 34b) derives
that, "Makom sheba'alei teshuvah omdim tzaddikim gemurim einam
omdin" — " I n the place where the penitents stand, the
completely righteous do not stand." W h y are the penitents
greater?
ANSWER: The penitent soul, having been infinitely
removed from Hashem, now thirsts for Hashem even more
than the soul of the righteous. This religious experience is
unknown to the perfect tzaddik, who has never sinned and
who consequently has never experienced the remorse and
yearning of a repentant soul.
(‫)לקוטי אמרים — תניא פ׳׳ז‬
* * *

Alternatively, the Rambam (Dei'ot 1:4) says that a person

should avoid going to extremes and always conduct himself
in the way which is i n "the middle of the road." For instance,
one should not be exceedingly extravagant or excessively
stingy. One should also not be very arrogant and conceited or
totally removed from worldly matters and extremely self
effacing. A n exception to this rule involves a person who was
conducting a misguided lifestyle and who was an extremist i n
his behavior. To correct himself, he should go to the opposite
extreme and eventually work his way back to the middle
path.
Thus, while the tzaddik always conducts himself i n the
middle path, the ba'al teshuvah who is mending his ways and
was once extremely on the "left," now has to go over to the
232 VEDIBARTA BAM

extreme "right" (ibid 2:2). Hence, " I n the place where the
ba'al teshuvah stands" — to the extreme right — "the tzaddik
cannot stand" — since he always has to be i n the path which
is i n the middle.
(‫)אור יקרות‬

‫״‬...‫ והפי! לרעב נפשך‬...‫״הלוא פרפ לרעב לדזמך‬

"Surely you w i l l break your bread for the
hungry... Offer your soul to the hungry..."
(Isaiah 58:7-10)

QUESTION: The Gemara (Bava Batra 11a) tells us a story

about Binyamin HaTzaddik, who was a supervisor of the
charity fund. One day a woman came to h i m i n a year of
scarcity, and said to him: "Rabbi, assist me."
He replied, " I swear, there is not a penny i n the charity
fund."
She said, "Rabbi, i f you do not assist me, a woman and
her seven children w i l l perish." He then assisted her out of
his own pocket. Some time afterwards he became
dangerously i l l . The angels addressed Hashem saying:
"Sovereign of the Universe, You had said that he who
preserves one soul of Israel is considered as i f he had
preserved the whole world; shall then Binyamin HaTzaddik,
who has preserved a woman and her seven children, die at so
early an age?" Immediately his sentence was torn up. It has
been taught that twenty-two years were added to his life.
Why was he granted twenty-two additional years of life?
ANSWER: The Gemara (ibid. 9b) says that for giving
tzedakah to a poor man one receives six blessings and for
saying a comforting word which helps h i m endure his
unfortunate situation, one receives an additional eleven, for a
total of seventeen. When the woman first approached
Binyamin HaTzaddik for tzedakah, he said to her, " I promise,
there is absolutely nothing available i n the charity fund."
Afterwards, when she said to him, "Rabbi i f you do not
 Y O M KIPPUR 233

support me, a woman and her seven children w i l l expire," he

helped her w i t h his personal money [which he really needed
for himself — Maharsha]. Undoubtedly, when he told her that
the charity fund was depleted, he consoled her w i t h soothing
words.
The seventeen berachot for financial and moral support
one merits for helping the poor are based on the seventeen
berachot which the prophet Isaiah says one w i l l receive when,
"Haloh feros lara'eiv lachmecha" — "Surely you w i l l break your
bread for the hungry" and "Vetafeik lara'eiv nafshecha" —
"Offer your soul to the hungry" (see Isaiah 58:7-12).
In a twenty-two year period there are two hundred and
sixty-four months plus an average of eight leap months (a
second month of Adar to even out the solar and lunar
systems), for a total of two hundred and seventy-two months.
The word "ra'eiv" (‫" — )רעב‬hungry" — has the numerical
value of two hundred and seventy-two. For Binyamin
HaTzaddik's exceptional giving of tzedakah to the ra'eiv —
hungry — and his genuine interest i n their plight, he was
rewarded w i t h "ra'eiv" (‫ — )רעב‬an additional two hundred and
seventy-two months of life — a total of twenty-two years, to
enjoy the seventeen blessings he earned for supporting and
comforting the poor mother and her seven children.
(‫)עיון יעקב‬

‫״אם השיג מ ש ג ה רגלך עשוה דפציך גיוס קדשי״‬

" I f you r e s t r a i n your feet because of Shabbat from
attending to your needs on My holy day." (58:13)

QUESTION: W h y the emphasis "raglecha" — "your feet"

— wouldn't the same apply to attending one's needs w i t h
one's hands?
ANSWER: The rabbis of the Talmud (Megillah 29b)
suspended the performance of three mitzvot when a Holiday
falls on Shabbat: shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah, taking the
lulav on Sukkot, and reading the megillah on Purim. The reason
234 VEDIBARTA B A M

is concern that one may take one of the three items used for
these mitzvot to an expert to learn how to properly perform
the mitzvah and inadvertently carry it four amot through a pub¬
lic domain, which is a violation of Biblical law.
One who observes this decree is not lacking a mitzvah,
because i n merit of the extra stringency i n the observance of
Shabbat, the Shabbat itself accomplishes for h i m what he
would have achieved for himself from the fulfillment of these
mitzvot.
The word "mishavat" has the numerical value of
seven hundred and forty-two, as do the words "shofar, lulav,
megillah" (‫ מגילה‬,‫ לולב‬,‫)שופר‬. Thus, the prophet is saying, " I f you
w i l l restrain mishavat — from doing the three mitzvot alluded
by the numerical value of mishavat — [because of] raglecha —
concern that you may inadvertently 'walk' w i t h them i n a
public domain — be assured that you w i l l not lose by this.
On the contrary, Hashem w i l l reward you: ' I w i l l make you
ride on high places of the earth, and I w i l l nourish you w i t h
the heritage of Yaakov your father.' "
(‫ סטריקוב‬- ‫)זר זהב‬
Machzor UYom Kippur —
Prayers — Liturgy
236 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫׳ ומי יקום גמקום קדשו נקי פגים ו ג ד ל ג ג אשד לא נשא‬,‫״מי יעלה גהר ד‬
‫לשוא נפשי ולא נשגע למרמה״‬
"Who may ascend the mountain of H a s h e m , and who
may stand i n H i s holy place. He w h o has clean hands
and a pure heart, w h o has not s w o r n i n v a i n by My
soul and has not s w o r n deceitfully." (Psalms 24:3-4)
QUESTION: To swear falsely is one of the many
transgressions Torah forbids; why would the particular virtue
of avoiding false oaths qualify as sufficient merit to ascend
the mountain of Hashem?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Niddah 30b) says that before a
child leaves the womb to enter the world, an oath is
administered to h i m : "Be a righteous person and not a
wicked one." (The "oath" is also explained i n terms of a
delegation of power to the soul so that it be able to fulfill its
destiny i n life on earth — Kitzurim VeHa'orot LeTanya.)
This Psalm is referring to this prenatal oath. One who
honors this significant oath, i.e. one who fulfills the oath he
took as an unborn child and strives to develop into a
righteous person over the course of his life, did not take the
oath deceitfully and is thus qualified to be among those who
merit to "ascend the mountain of Hashem."
(‫)מס׳ נדה דף ל ע״ב רש״י דייה ולא נשבע‬
* * *

Regarding the word "nefesh" — "soul" — i n the verse, the

keri — traditional pronunciation — of the word is "nafshi"
(‫ — )נפשי‬M y [G-d's] soul. However, the ketiv — traditional
spelling of the word is "nafsho" (‫ — )נפשו‬his [man's] soul.
How can the two translations be reconciled?
In actuality the soul is man's soul. It is his source of life.
In reality, however, the (G-dly) soul i n man is "truly a part of
G-d above, as it is written, (Bereishit 2:7) 'And He breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life' " (see Tanya ch. 2).
Thus, the one who has not lifted up nafsho — his [man's]
soul — i n vain and does not use it improperly, because he
bears i n mind that i t is nafshi — My [G-d's] soul, i.e. a part of
Hashem, is righteous and w i l l not only merit to temporarily
 Y O M KIPPUR 237

ascend to the mountain of Hashem, but also stand firmly i n

His holy place.
(‫)שמעתי מדודי ר׳ אליהו מרדכי שי׳ קאפלאן בשם זקני הרב צבי דיל קאפלאן‬
* * *

This Psalm is recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

after the Maariv Amidah. It is a vessel through which one
elicits gashmiut — material success — for the entire year.
Thus, it should be said w i t h much kavanah — proper thought
and intention.
(‫ ועי׳ אוצר מנהגי וזב״ד ע׳ ע׳׳ה‬,112 ‫)ספר השיחות תרפ״ז ע׳‬

‫אשמנו‬
"We have transgressed."
QUESTION: W h y does one strike his chest over his heart
w i t h his hand when reciting the confession?
ANSWER: According to Torah law, one cannot be found
guilty lest there are witnesses who testify to the crime. In the
prayer of "Unetanah tokef kedushat hayom" — "Let us proclaim
the mighty holiness of this day" — we proclaim, "You open
the Book of Remembrance and i t reads itself; every man's
signature is i n i t . " Thus, by applying his signature to all his
deeds, the person serves as the witness who attests to the
validity of his actions.
The Torah prescribes that when punishment is meted
out, "The hand of the witnesses shall be upon h i m first to put
him to death" (Devarim 17:7). Thus, i n keeping w i t h this rule,
the hand — which is the witness — is, so to speak, the first
to apply punishment. It strikes the heart because it is the
power i n the body that, through expressing its desires, causes
man to sin.
(‫ה‬:‫ ועי׳ מדרש רבה קהלת ז‬,‫)אגרת הטיול‬
Perhaps, the striking of the chest over the heart is
because it is the person's life source and through sin one
affects his very life.
‫י‬ (‫)עי׳ אגרת התשובה פייה‬
The Chofetz Chaim once said, " I t is not the one who
knocks on his heart for his sins that Hashem forgives; rather
238 VEDIBARTA BAM

it is the one whose heart pounds h i m for the sins he commit¬

ted."

‫״אשמנו״‬
"We have transgressed."
QUESTION: W h y is it customary to start each verse i n
this prayer w i t h a lyrical melody — wouldn't it be more
appropriate to cry and wail?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Yoma 86b) states that when one's
repentance is motivated by fear, his zedonot — willful
transgressions — are accounted for the [the penitent] as
shegagot — inadvertent errors. When one's repentance is
motivated by love, his willful transgressions are accounted for
him as zechutim — merits. Hence, we are i n a confident spirit
when we make our confession and repent because of the
m a n y m e r i t s b e i n g a c q u i r e d .
‫״‬ ‫ז‬ ‫ת ע ] י תפ‬ ‫ [ ך א ל ׳‬1 ] ‫י‬ ‫) ת פ א ך ת‬

‫על חטא שחטאנו לפניך ביודעים ובלא יודעים‬

"For the sins that w e have committed before
Y o u , knowingly and unknowingly."
QUESTION: Since it already says, "For the sins that we
have committed before You bezadon u'bishgagah —
intentionally and unintentionally" — isn't this redundant?
ANSWER: I n the Gemara (Kiddushin 20a) Rav Huna says,
"When one commits a transgression and repeats his wrong¬
doing a second time, the deed becomes something which
seems permissible to h i m , for his repeated performance of
the sin has removed his inhibition regarding i t . "
The intent of the person i n this confession is that i n the
beginning when he committed a transgression he was aware
that he did something wrong and felt remorse. However,
after the sin was repeated a few times it became a habitual
way of life and he continued doing i t callously and no longer
felt that he was doing something wrong.
(‫)פון אונזער אלטען אוצר בשם אור כשלמה‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 239

‫על חטא שחטאנו לפניך בתשומת יד‬

"For the s i n w h i c h we have committed before
Y o u by embezzlement."
QUESTION: The expression "tesumet yad" appears i n the
Torah: " I f a person w i l l sin and commit a trespass against
Hashem and be deceitful toward his friend regarding a
pikadon — pledge — or betusumat yad — a putting of a hand
[That he put money i n his hand to do business with, or as a
loan (Vayikra 5:21, Rashi)]." So i f "tesumet yad" means
"embezzlement," isn't this already included i n our saying, "Al
cheit shechatanu lefanecha bemasa u'bematan" — "For the sin
which we have committed before You i n business dealing"?
ANSWER: "Tesumet yad" can be interpreted as "extending
a hand," i.e. cooperating or lending support to one who
commits a crime or perpetrates an iniquity. Similar to the
Biblical expression, "Al tashet yadecha im rasha" — "Do not
extend your hand w i t h the wicked [to be a venal witness]"
(Shemot 23:1). Any involvement w i t h a person that may be in
the category of "mesai'a yedei over aveirah" — "helping,
assisting, or encouraging a perpetrator of a crime" — even i f
one is not committing the crime personally, is a sin for which
one must beg forgiveness.
(‫)סדור אוצר התפלות — עיון תפלה‬

‫על חטא שחטאנו לפניך גתמהון לגג‬

"For the s i n w h i c h we have committed before
Y o u w i t h a confused heart."
QUESTION: I n the Tochachah — Admonition — we are
told that for violating Torah, "Hashem w i l l strike you w i t h
madness and w i t h blindness ubetimhon leivav — using of the
heart" (Devarim 28:28). What sin does one commit through
this?
ANSWER: Faith and belief i n Hashem is the basic tenet
of our religion. A Jew must believe i n Individual Divine
Providence and that there is a "Master to this palace."
Nothing occurs by chance or accident. One is not to question
why the righteous suffer nor why the wicked are successful.
240 VEDIBARTA BAM

Similarly, to credit the wonders of the world as acts of nature

and not the doing of Hashem is heresy.
Skepticism about G-dliness is a grave iniquity, and it is an
evil condition that induces man to sin against Hashem. Since
a used heart leads a person to skepticism about Hashem and
his Providence, we ask for forgiveness for sins committed
through timhon leivav.
(‫ עיון תפלה‬- ‫)סדור אוצר התפלות‬

‫״אם ידדה כדהך בקצה השמים משם יקבצך ה׳ אלקיך ומשם יקחך‬
" I f your dispersed w i l l be at the ends of the
heavens, from there G - d , your G - d , w i l l gather
you in and from there He w i l l take you."
QUESTION: Since people do not live i n heavens, should
not the pasuk have stated, " I f your dispersed w i l l be at the
ends of the earth?"
ANSWER: Shamayim — heavens — denotes spiritual
matters, while aretz — earth — refers to the mundane and
material. The term "biketzeih" — "at the ends" — comes from
the word "ketzat" — "a little bit."
Since every Jew has certainly done some good and
therefore has some merits i n Heaven, Moshe told the Jewish
people: "Im yiheyeh nidachacha — I n the event that some of you
may be dispersed — you need not worry because as long as
you are holding onto ketzeih hashamayim — a little bit of
spirituality — this w i l l serve as the string through which
Hashem w i l l take hold of you and bring you back to H i m and
the Jewish people."
* * *

Many people have questioned the wisdom of the

Lubavitcher Rebbe's mitzvah campaigns: "Why bother putting
tefillin on a mechaleil Shabbat — Shabbat desecrator — why go
through the effort of putting a mezuzah on a home where
kashrut is not observed?"
In light of the abovementioned, his efforts can be well
understood. The Rebbe has unlimited love for Klal Yisrael, and
he wants every Jew to perform at least one mitzvah through
 Y O M KIPPUR 241

which Hashem w i l l take hold of h i m and bring h i m back into

the fold of Judaism.

‫״אם יהיו חטאיבם בשנים בשלג ילבינו״‬

" E v e n i f your sins w i l l be scarlet, they w i l l
become white as snow."
QUESTION: I t should have said "kashani"; why does it
say "kashanim" i n plural?
ANSWER: The word "kashanim" can also mean "years."
To sin is sometimes inevitable. Mortal man at times cannot
subdue his temptations and inclinations. However, when the
sin is fitting to the person's age, it is comprehensible and
forgivable. When it is not, Hashem is angered. For instance,
the Gemara (Pesachim 113b) cites, among the people which
the mind cannot tolerate, "an old man who commits
adultery." Likewise, this could be said about the craze of our
society — young children bringing guns to school.
It is human to sin, and the Divine One forgives, providing
that the sin fits the sinner's age.
(‫ ובקרבן העדה כתב ״והזקן רודף אחר הכבוד ומשתכר״‬,‫)ירושלמי יומא פ״ו הל״ה‬

‫״שמע נןולינו ה׳ אלנןינו״‬

"Hear our voice, G - d our G - d . "
QUESTION: Instead of asking Hashem to hear our voice,
shouldn't we ask h i m to hear "tefilateinu" — "our prayers" —
or "bakashateinu" — "our supplication"?
ANSWER: A king had an only son, w h o m he brought up
in princely fashion, denying h i m nothing. He loved him, had
h i m well educated, and when the boy grew up, had h i m wed
to a lovely princess. The king hoped to have his son follow a
righteous path and eventually rule the kingdom. However,
the son did not follow his father's advice. He associated w i t h
bad company, people whose goals i n life were pleasures and
the satisfaction of lust. Soon, he left his wife and became
attached to other women. This caused his parents great
heartache, so much so, that i n time the father banished h i m
from the palace. The son left the place of his birth and
242 VEDIBARTA BAM

wandered from city to city all over the world. His clothing
became tattered. The features of his face changed so that it
was impossible to recognize h i m , let alone believe that he
was once a prince.
Years passed. The former prince suffered greatly. He
began to think about the causes for his exile and his great
suffering. He regretted his behavior and decided to turn over
a new leaf. He planned to return to his father and beg
forgiveness, and after many difficulties he succeeded i n
reaching his father's palace. W h e n he approached the king,
he fell to his knees, sobbing and pleading for forgiveness for
the sins he had committed against h i m . His father did not
recognize h i m because conditions had so changed his
physical features. I n desperation the son exclaimed, "Father,
i f you don't recognize my face because of the change i n me,
surely you recognize my voice. My voice has not changed."
The father listened carefully and did recognize it. He had
mercy on his only son and took h i m back into the palace.
So it is w i t h us. We are the children of Hashem. He loves
us, takes pleasure i n us, exalted us above all people, escorted
us under the wedding canopy, gave us the holy Torah that
teaches righteousness. But we turned away from his
commandments and were exiled from our land. The
multitude of our sins has caused our features to change and
become unrecognizable. But now that the Holy Days have
arrived, we are indeed sorry for our misbehavior. We want to
return to Hashem. We therefore exclaim, "Hear our voice,
Hashem our G-d. I f you do not recognize our features, please
recognize our voice because we are Your children. Spare us
and have mercy on us and accept us i n mercy and w i t h favor."
(‫)רועה ישראל‬

‫אל תשליכני לעת זקנה‬

"Do not cast us aside i n old age"
QUESTION: "Le'eit ziknah" literally means "to old age."
Grammatically, shouldn't we say "Al tashlicheinu be'eit
ziknah"?
 Y O M KIPPUR 243

ANSWER: The Gemara (Ta'anit 5b) says that when

Hashem found i t necessary for the prophet Shmuel to expire,
He made h i m age prematurely (to remove any implication
that he had sinned). Thus, the intent of our prayer is that
Hashem should let us fully enjoy the young and middle age
portions of our life and that He should not, G-d forbid, cast
us prematurely into the period of "ziknah" — "old age" — the
time of life when one is lacking i n strength and vigor.
(‫)לקוטי יהושע‬

‫״עשה למען פאיד״‬

"Act for the sake of Y o u r magnificence."
QUESTION: What is "pe'eircha" — "magnificence"
referring to?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Berachot 6a) says that Hashem
wears tefillin containing the pasuk, "And who is like Your
people like Israel, one nation on earth" (II Samuel 7:23),
which testifies to the uniqueness and greatness of the Jewish
people. The Gemara (Berachot 11a) also says that tefillin are
called "pe'eir" — "magnificence" — as we find that when
Yechezkeil was i n mourning, he was told, "Pe'eirecha chavush
alecha" — "Put on your magnificent headgear (tefillin)"
(Ezekiel 24:17).
Thus, when beseeching Hashem, "Asei lema'an pe'eirecha"
— "Act for the sake of your magnificence," this may be
explained to mean that we are asking Hashem to act on
behalf of His "pe'eir" — tefillin — i.e. the Jewish people:
"please forgive the sins of the Jewish people and make them
the 'one nation on earth.' Thus, Your tefillin, which declare
the praise and uniqueness of the Jewish people, w i l l be telling
the truth. Otherwise, the kashrut of Your tefillin w i l l be
questionable."
* * *

When tefillin fall to the ground they should be picked up

immediately, and it is customary to give them a kiss.
When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev once observed
such a scene in his shul, he lifted his eyes to Heaven and said,
244 VEDIBARTA B A M

"Al-mighty G-d, when this simple Jew's tefillin fell down, he

immediately picked them up and kissed them. The Gemara
(Berachot 6a) says that You, too, wear tefillin and i n Your te-
fillin is written Your pride i n the Jewish people. Unfortu¬
nately, Your tefillin — the Jewish people — have fallen, and
have been lying in disgrace for many years w i t h the nations of
the world stepping on them. W h y don't You pick up Your
tefillin — the Jewish people — and give them the 'kiss' they
so well deserve?"
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's heartfelt plea to Hashem to "pick
up Your tefillin and give them a kiss," was that Hashem
should immediately send Mashiach to redeem the Jews and
t a k e t h e m o u t o f e x i l e .
(‫ ליקוטים‬,‫)ר׳ ישראל זצ״ל מריזין — ספר רביד הזהב‬

‫ טבו ארליך יענןג משככתיך ישראל״‬,‫״מד‬

"How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov, your
dwelling places, O I s r a e l . "
QUESTION: Why do we open our daily prayers w i t h
words of the vile Bilaam, uttered in an attempt to annihilate
the Jewish people? (In fact, some omit it and start from
"Va'ani berov chasdecha" — see Responsa Maharshal 64).
ANSWER: Inherent humility and insecurity usually
inhibits a person from thinking highly of or praising his own
endeavors and accomplishments. Very often he needs the
assurance of an outsider to be convinced that his decision or
action was correct.
A popular adage states: "A stranger for a while sees for a
mile." particularly one who is familiar w i t h "both sides of the
fence" is in the best position to honestly appraise one's virtues.
Bilaam the non-Jewish prophet had a profound insight of
the secular world. When he took a close look at the Jewish
people, he was stunned and flabbergasted at their beauty.
Knowing keenly the shortcomings and faults of the gentile
world, he involuntarily proclaimed, "How goodly are your
tents, O Yaakov."
In order to dispel any doubts that we may have about our
convictions of G-dliness and Judaism, we proclaim these
 Y O M KIPPUR 245

words at the very beginning of our prayers. We thus recall

that even the great gentile prophet, Bilaam, attested to the
beauty and superiority of our religion.

‫ טבו ארליך יעקב משבכתיך ישראל״‬,‫״מד‬

"How goodly are your tents, O Y a a k o v , your
dwelling places, O I s r a e l . "
QUESTION: Rashi (Bamidbar 24:5) comments that
Bilaam uttered this in amazement when "he saw that the
openings [of their tents] were not lined up one w i t h the
other." W h y did he focus on their "openings"?
ANSWER: The Midrash Rabbah (Song of Songs 5:2) says
that Hashem urges the Jewish people to do teshuvah, saying:
"Pitchu li petach kechudo shel machat ve'Ani potei'ach lachem
petachim shetiheyu agalot nichnasot bo" — "Make a small
opening like that of the head of a needle and I w i l l open for
you an opening through which caravans can enter." In other
words, the Jew merely has to begin the teshuvah process and
Hashem w i l l help h i m to attain the most lofty goals. Thus,
the "openings" that Jews have to make and Hashem's
reciprocal "opening" are not comparable.
Therefore, i n praise and envy Bilaam said, "You Jews are
so lucky; your opening and Hashem's opening are not 'lined
up' — identical — to each other. You only have to put i n a
little effort and Hashem opens for you the vast gates of
teshuvah. I f your G-d loves you so much, how can my cursing
possibly have an effect?"
(‫)ר׳ ברוך זצ״ל ממעזיבה‬
"By the mouth of the upright ‫תתרינט‬ ‫פ‬ «.»‫״‬.‫י‬ ‫י‬ ‫כ פ‬

shall Y o u be exalted, and by the ta

!•
lips ofr .the
i . righteous
. w ua l‫״‬l Y
sh v o u be
v. ‫רך‬3‫תת‬
1 ‫ובשפתי צדיקים‬
1

blessed. B y the tongue of the ‫תתל!דש‬ ‫חסידים‬ ‫ובלשון‬

pious s h a l l Y o u be sanctified,
and among the holy s h a l l Y o u be
praised."

QUESTION: In many machzorim this statement is written

in four lines of three words each to show that the first letter
of the second word of each line forms an acrostic of the name
246 VEDIBARTA B A M

"Yitzchak." Additionally, the third letter of the final word of

each line forms an acrostic of the name "Rivkah."
What is the significance of this?
ANSWER: The combined numerical value of Yitzchak
and Rivkah (‫ )יצחק רבקה‬is 515, which is also the numerical
value of the word Tefillah — prayer (‫)תפלה‬. They are the only
couple that the Torah mentions prayed together (see Bereishit
24:2 Rashi).
* * *

prayer is song and praise to Hashem, and it should be

recited w i t h joy and happiness. Our Sages (Taanit 2a) i n
explanation of the verse "to serve H i m w i t h all your heart"
(Devarim 11:13) have defined prayer as the "service of
Hashem performed i n the heart." It is elementary that mental
and emotional concentration is an essential component of
prayer (Rambam, Tefillah 4:15).
It is interesting to note that the word "shirah" (‫— )שירה‬
"song" — and also the words "bekavanat haleiv" (‫— )בכונת הלב‬
"concentration of the heart" — have the same numerical
value as the word "tefillah" (515).

‫׳ אחד״‬,‫׳ אלנןינו ד‬,‫״שמע ישראל ד‬.‫״כתר‬

" A crown given to you... H e a r O I s r a e l , G - d our
G-d, G - d is the One and Only." (6:4)
QUESTION: W h y is the Shema recited i n the Kedushah of
the Musaf Amidah on Shabbat and Yom Tov?
ANSWER: During the middle of the fifth century, the
Persian king Yezdegerd I I (see Zevachim 19a) issued a decree
forbidding the daily recital of the Shema. His purpose was in
order to eradicate belief in Hashem and his Oneness. To
counteract this, the Sages inserted it into the Kedushah prayers.
The Talmudic sage Rav Ashi prayed for the abolishment
of the decree, and miraculously a crocodile appeared in the
king's bedroom and swallowed h i m up in broad daylight, and
the decree was nullified. The recital of Shema was thus
reinstated, and removed from the Kedushah of Shacharit.
However, i n order that this miracle be remembered, it was
 Y O M KIPPUR 247

left i n the Kedushah of Musaf, since there is otherwise no

reciting of the Shema during the prayer.
It is not mentioned, however, i n the Rosh Chodesh Musaf
Amidah, because Rosh Chodesh is often on a weekday when the
attendance for public prayer is not so large and the goal of
publicizing the miracle does not apply.
(‫ ועי׳ לבוש סי׳ תכ״א‬,‫)שבולי הלקט אות מ״ה‬

‫ותשובה ותפלה וצדקה‬

"Repentance, Prayer, and Charity."
QUESTION: In all Machzorim the word "tzom" — "fasting"
— is printed over the word "teshuvah," the word "kol" —
"voice" — is printed over the word "tefilah," and the word
"mamon" — "money" — is printed over the word "tzedakah."
Why is it necessary to explain that tzedakah means money
— isn't it well known?
ANSWER: When responding to a charitable cause, many
(instead of giving according to their financial means) give
according to a gematria — numerical value. They feel that the
merit of giving "chai" — "eighteen dollars" — w i l l assure
them w i t h "chai" — "a good life." Therefore, the placing of
the word "mamon" above the word "tzedakah" is to emphasize
that a person should not limit his giving to a numerical value,
but i f possible he should give a significant amount.
A wise man once said, i f one who wants "a good life"
would contribute the numerical value of "mitah" —
"death" — (455 = ‫ )מיתה‬instead of "chai" — "life" (18 = ‫)חי‬,
he would definitely have a better chance to merit "chai" — "a
good life."
(‫)שי לחגים ומועדים‬
* * *

Alternatively, during the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

period of the year, people customarily give charity more
generously than they would give throughout the year. There
are many who graciously make magnificent pledges, but
when it comes to redeeming them they are lax or find
excuses not to pay. The word "mamon" — "money" — above
248 VEDIBARTA BAM

the word "tzedakah" is to emphasize that tzedakah consists of

money and not just pledges. To pledge is commendable but
for the organization to exist and flourish, they must have
your actual mamon — money.
* * *

A person who was very sick and obviously frightened said

to his rabbi, "Pray for me, and i f I get well, I ' l l donate
$25,000 to the synagogue building fund."
Several months later the rabbi met the person on the
street. "How are you?" he asked. "Just marvelous, Rabbi," the
other replied.
" I have been meaning to speak to you," continued the
rabbi, "about that money for the synagogue."
"What are you talking about?"
"You asked that I pray for you and that i f you got well, you
would donate $25,000 to the fund for the new synagogue."
" I f I said that," the former patient exclaimed, "then I
really must have been sick."

...‫א גשם בפד‬:‫א‬...‫שם‬,‫אנא ד‬

" I beg Y o u Ha8hem...I beg Y o u , w i t h T h e Name forgive...."
QUESTION: W h y does he first say "Hashem" and later
says "Besheim"?
ANSWER: Hashem's Ineffable Four Letter Name (The
Tetragramaton) is spelled, "yud, hei, vav, hei." Ordinarily it is
pronounced "A-donoy" and not as it is written. In his
confessions on Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol would pronounce
the Ineffable Four Letter Name as it is spelled.
The first time he mentions it he is addressing H i m
directly, and thus he says "Ana Hashem" — "Please G-d."
After addressing H i m he appeals, "Ana Besheim" — "please
use the Name, which represents absolute mercy, to grant
forgiveness on this Yom Kippur day."
(‫י״א‬:‫ ועי׳ שו״ע אדמוה״ז ונרכ״א‬,‫)ירושלמי הובא ביומא ל״ה ע״ב ונח־״ה אנא‬

When the Kohanim would hear the Kohen Gadol this

pronounced Name, they would respond after him; "Baruch
 Y O M KIPPUR 249

sheim kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed" — "Blessed be the Name of

the glory of His kingdom forever and ever." Perhaps this is
another reason why we say this passage on Yom Kippur loudly,
to emphasize that it was through The Name that G-d granted
forgiveness to Klal Yisrael.
‫ס‬
(‫ מבאסטאן‬- ‫)הרב יוסף דוב הלוי דיל סאלוווייטשיק‬
‫והבהנים והעם העומדים בעזרה‬
"And w h e n the Kohanim and the people
standing i n the Temple court"
QUESTION: W h y is it customary that the congregation
sing along when the chazan recites this passage?
ANSWER: During the Yom Kippur service the Kohen Gadol
would recite the ineffable Holy Four Letter Name (The
Tetragramaton) ten times. He would recite it very loud and it
would be heard at a distance. However, once the "indiscreet
ones" became numerous, he would intone it i n a low voice so
that they would not learn the proper pronunciation of the
Name and use it improperly. Rabbi Tarfon, who was a Kohen
in the times of the Beit Hamikdash said, " i was standing
among my brothers the Kohanim, and i attuned my ear to hear
the Kohen Gadol, and i heard h i m drown it i n into the pleasant
singing of the Kohanim."
To commemorate this, the community sings so that the
voice of the chazan w i l l be over toned by their voices.
(‫ ועי׳ ספר מקראי קודש‬,‫ו‬:‫ רמב״ם עביוכ״פ ב‬,‫)ירושלמי יומא פ״ג הל״ג‬

‫ יוצא מבי בהן גדול‬...‫בשהיו שומעים את השם‬...‫והבהנים והעם‬

"When the Kohanim and the people...heard the
glorious and awesome Name...emanating from
the mouth of the Kohen Gadol."
QUESTION: Isn't the word "yotzei" — "coming out" —
superfluous?
ANSWER: According to the Arizal, the Kohen Gadol would
not actually recite the Holy Name; rather, when he opened
his m o u t h to say it, miraculously it emanated from his m o u t h
without h i m actually doing anything.
(‫ יומא פ״ו מ׳׳ב‬,‫)תפארת ישראל‬
250 VEDIBARTA BAM

There is an opinion i n the Mishnah (Tamid 3:8) that when

the Kohen Gadol recited the Name, his voice was heard all the
way to Jericho, which was ten parsah away (approximately
twenty-five miles). The Tosafot Yom Tov (ibid.) says that it is
difficult to say that every Kohen Gadol had such a strong voice,
and therefore he concludes that it was not the Kohen Gadol's
voice that was heard, rather it was the voice of all the Kohanim
and the people who would proclaim, "Baruch sheim kevod
malchuto" — when they heard the Name being pronounced.
However, based on the Gemara (Yoma 20b), many agree that it
was indeed the Kohen Gadol's voice that was heard.
As to the question of how is it possible that every Kohen
Gadol possessed such a powerful voice, it can be answered
according to the abovementioned Arizal that the recitation of
the Holy Name was not done physically by the Kohen Gadol —
rather the Al-mighty Himself would utter it through the
m o u t h of the Kohen Gadol.
(‫)עי׳ ספר סדר יומא על סדר עבודת יו׳׳כ‬
‫נכנס לכית קדש הקדשים להוציא את הכף ואת המחתה שהכניס בשחרית‬
"He entered to the Holy of Holies to bring out
the ladle and the fire-pan w h i c h he had taken in
during the morning service."
QUESTION: In the morning he entered holding a ketoret-
pan w i t h glowing coals i n his right hand and a ladle w i t h
incense in his left. He transferred all the incense from the ladle
into his hands and put them on the glowing coals and waited
there till the Holy of Holies became filled w i t h smoke. W h y
didn't he take out the empty ladle immediately upon leaving?
ANSWER: The Sadducees denied the validity of the Oral
Tradition of the Jewish people and misinterpreted Scripture
in accordance w i t h their whims. The Torah says (Vayikra
16:2), "He [the Kohen Gadol] shall not come at all times into
the Holy w i t h i n the Curtain [i.e., Holy of Holies], for w i t h a
cloud I w i l l be seen upon the Ark-cover." The Sadducees
expounded this incorrectly as meaning that the Kohen Gadol
should not enter w i t h unburned ketoret; rather he should
place the incense on the burning coals before entering.
 Y O M KIPPUR 251

Thus, according to them, the Kohen Gadol brings i n only

the fire-pan w i t h the incense on it and there is no need at all
to bring i n the ladle. Our rabbis strongly disagreed w i t h them
and therefore made the Kohen swear that he would do it the
traditional way and not like the Sadducees (see Yoma 19b).
In order to negate the view of the Sadducees, the Kohen
Gadol would bring i n the ladle filled w i t h unburned incense.
Additionally, to further emphasize their error, the empty ladle
was left there till the afternoon and a special entry was made
to remove it at the end of the special services of the day.
(‫ הקושיא הובא בס׳ עבודת ישראל מהמגיד מקוזניץ בשם האברבנאל‬- ‫)ש ו״ ת תירוש ויצהר סי׳ נייד‬

‫ קוממיות לארצנו״‬,‫ שתוליכנו גד‬,‫״שנד‬

" A year i n w h i c h y o u w i l l lead us upright to our land."
QUESTION: How can this be reconciled w i t h the Gemara
(Kedushin 31a) that says it is forbidden for a person to walk
four cubits "bekomah zekufah" — " w i t h an erect posture"?
ANSWER: Eretz Yisrael is our holy land, and all Jews yearn
to live there. Those who do not reach it during their lifetime
w i l l ultimately come there i n the days of techiyat hameitim —
the Resurrection. However, they w i l l have to roll through
tunnels under the earth until they reach the holy land (see
Bereishit 47:29, Rashi).
Our prayer to Hashem that He "lead us upright to our
land" asks that we merit to come to Eretz Yisrael happily and
healthily during our lifetime and not, G-d forbid, have to roll
through underground tunnels to reach it.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬

‫ גצאתו גשלום מן הקדש‬,‫ עושר‬,‫ויום ט ו ג היד‬

"He would celebrate a festive-day for his
coming out from the Holy o f Holies i n piece."
QUESTION: Some say the Kohen Gadol made the feast at
night and others say i t was made on the following day. What
is the basis for their views?
ANSWER: There are two reasons for this festivity:
252 VEDIBARTA BAM

1) When a person is i n a dangerous situation and

emerges from it safely, it is incumbent on h i m to make a
thanksgiving offering (karban todah). Thus, the Kohen Gadol
made a feast to express his thanks to Hashem that unlike
other Kohanim Gedolim who were unworthy of the position or
may have deviated i n the incense offering and who would not
come out alive from the Holy of Holies, he survived.
2) Because his service of the day was accepted by Hashem.
This was proven by the fact that he came out i n peace.
I f the reason is that his services were received by Hashem,
it makes sense that the feast should be at night, immediately
following the service of the day. However, according to the
view that it was a personal expression of thanks to Hashem
and was in lieu of a karban todah — thanksgiving offering — he
intentionally waited till the morning because a karban —
sacrifice — can only be offered during the day and not at night.
(‫ שפעת רביבים על סדר העבודה מחזיק ברכה להחיד״א אריח סרי״ט‬,105 ‫)לקוטי שיחות חל״ב ע׳‬

‫ומלוין אותו עד ביתו‬

" A l l the people accompanied h i m to his house."
QUESTION: Why, upon the completion of the services
did he go specifically to his house?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Yoma 2a) says, "Seven days before
Yom Kippur they sequester the Kohen Gadol from his house.
According to Rabbi Yochanan (Ibid. 3b) this practice is
derived from the inauguration of the Tabernacle where
Aharon and his sons were instructed, "To dwell seven days
and nights at the entrance of the Ohel Mo'eid — Tent of
Meeting" (Vayikra 8:35). According to Reish Lakish it is
derived from mount Sinai that one who enters an area of
intense sanctity needs seclusion away from his home i n
preparation for the event. After Moshe received the
commandments at Sinai, he went up to Heaven for forty days.
A t the start of the forty-day period Moshe ascended the
mountain. The Torah (Shemot 24:15-16) relates, "The glory of
Hashem rested upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered i t
for a six-day period. Hashem then called Moshe on the
 Y O M KIPPUR 253

seventh day from the midst of the cloud." (From Sinai we

learn that a sequester of six days is required before entering
an area of intense sanctity, the seventh day is added to insure
against the possibility of Tumah — see ibid.).
Hence, the seclusion of the Kohen Gadol spent away from
his home was not merely a preventive measure lest he
become contaminated, but an integral detail of the Yom Kippur
services. Consequently, just as the services commence w i t h
the Kohen Gadol's being sequestered from his home, it
concludes w i t h his return home after Yom Kippur.
The lesson to be learned from this is the following: On
Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, the Kohen Gadol, the
holiest person of the community, after a period of seclusion,
sequesters himself i n the Kodesh Hakodeshim, the holiest place
in the world — and there he achieves the greatest revelation
of G-dliness. Nevertheless, he must bear i n m i n d that this
was not Hashem's ultimate interest i n the creation. Rather,
He desired to have an abode i n the lower worlds (Tanchuma,
Nasso 7:1, Tanya, ch. 36), and this cannot be accomplished
through seclusion from the world and sequestration w i t h i n
the Holy of Holies, but through involvement i n the mundane
world and observance of Torah and mitzvot.
For this reason, immediately after completing the Yom
Kippur service, the Kohen Gadol would return to his house to
emphasize that the sublime elevation attained on this day
must be transferred to his house and become a way of life for
h i m and his household throughout the entire year. (The same
also applies to every individual on his particular level.)
(‫)לקוטי שיחות חל״ב ועי׳ ספר סדר יומא פ״א אי פרישת כהן גדול הוי מדאורייתא או מדרבנן‬

‫״‬,‫ לעשרה הרוגי מלוכד‬...‫״אלה אזכרה ונפשי עלי אשפכה‬

"These I recall and my soul overflows w i t h sorrow for the
ten martyrs who were put to death by the government."
QUESTION: On Yom Kippur when the avodah — order of
service — i n the Beit Hamikdash is discussed, there is a prayer
of "Eilah Ezkarah" — "These I recall" — about the asarah
harugei malchut — the ten Sages martyred by the Roman
254 VEDIBARTA BAM

government. Also, i n the Kinot — Lamentations said on

Tishah B'Av — we recite Arzei Halevanon — Cedars of Lebanon
— about the ten martyred Sages.
W h y are these martyred Sages mentioned on Yom Kippur
and Tishah B'Av?
ANSWER: The juxtaposing of Miriam's death w i t h the
red heifer teaches us that just as karbanot — offerings — bring
atonement for the Jewish people, so does the death of
tzaddikim — righteous people (Bamidbar 21:1, Rashi).
The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 18b) says that the fast day of
the seventh month, which was established because Gedalyah
(the appointed governor by Nebuchadnezzar over the
remaining Jewish settlement i n Eretz Yisrael following the
destruction of the First Temple) was assassinated, is listed i n
Scripture together w i t h the fast days commemorating the
destruction of the Beit Hamikdash (Zechariah 8:19) because
the death of the righteous is equivalent to the burning of
Hashem's house.
Hence, on Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement — when
the avodah which brought atonement is recited, the ten
martyred Sages are mentioned, since their passing is a source
of atonement for the Jewish people. Also on Tishah B'Av,
when we mourn the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, the ten
martyred Sages are also mentioned since their death is
equivalent to the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash.
* * *

In the liturgy we are told that "Rabbi Yishmael purified

himself and ascended to the heavenly heights and inquired of
the angel clothed i n white [about the martyrdom of the
Sages]. He answered 'Kablu aleichem — take it upon yourself
— righteous, beloved Sages, for I have heard from behind the
Curtain that this decree has been imposed upon you. [Rabbi
Yishmael] descended and informed his colleagues of the
word of G-d.' "
In view of the above, that their death was like an offering
in the Beit Hamikdash, it is understood why the angel said to
Rabbi Yishmael "Kablu aleichem" — "take it upon yourself":
 Y O M KIPPUR 255

According to halachah, for an offering to be qualified it must

be brought "liretzono" — "voluntarily" — uncoerced and w i t h
the willingness of the owner (see Vayikra 1:3).
(‫)שמעתי מהרב שלום גרשון שי׳ גינצבורג בשם הגרי״! הלוי דיל סאלאווייטשיק מבוסטון‬

‫״‬,‫״לעשרה הרוגי מלוכד‬

"The ten martyrs who were put to death
by the government."
QUESTION: Where is there a remez — hint — i n the
Torah for the martyred Sages?
ANSWER: The Romans summoned the ten Sages and
inquired, "What is the law regarding one who kidnaps a
person and sells h i m as a slave?" They answered, "According
to Biblical law, the perpetrator should be put to death." " I f
so," the king exclaimed, "this punishment should have been
meted out to the brothers who kidnapped Yosef and sold him
into captivity, and now it is you who must bear the sin of
your forefathers."
When Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, the Torah
related that "He kissed his brothers and vayeivk aleihem — he
cried upon them" (Bereishit 45:15). The word "aleihem" —
upon them — is superfluous, wouldn't just "vayeivk" — "and
he cried" — be sufficient?
The word "aleihem" is an acronym for
‫" — הרוגי מלכות״‬There w i l l be ten martyrs." Yosef saw
through Ruach Hakodesh — Divine inspiration — that i n the
future ten great Sages would be slain by the Roman
government because he was sold.
(‫)קרבן העני‬

‫ ופרקו גשרו כמפרקוה פיפיות״‬...‫״והוציאו אה רפי עקיבא‬

" T h e y brought out R a b b i A k i v a . . . and lacerated
his body w i t h sharp pointed iron combs."
QUESTION: The martyring of the ten Sages was done by
the Romans as a punishment for the brothers kidnapping and
selling of Yoseph.
256 VEDIBARTA BAM

When Yosef was sold, only nine brothers were present

(Reuven had returned home and Binyamin did not
participate). W h y were ten Sages killed?
ANSWER: According to the Midrash the brothers had
agreed not to reveal to Yaakov the whereabouts of Yosef and
had made Hashem a party to the agreement (see Rashi,
Bereishit 37:33). The Roman King thus calculated that ten
(counting Hashem) had cooperated i n the kidnapping, and
therefore he killed ten Sages.
Commentaries ask why Rabbi Akiva was among the ten
Sages killed since he was a descendant of converts and his
ancestors had taken no part i n the kidnapping.
The answer given is that Rabbi Akiva was punished on
behalf of Hashem, who participated i n the kidnapping by not
revealing to Yaakov the whereabouts of Yosef.
A hint to this i n the Torah can be found i n the pasuk
"Vechol ma'aseir bakar vatzon kol asher ya'avor tachat hasheivet
ha'asiri yiheheh kodesh la'Hashem" — "and all the tithe of cattle
and sheep, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be
holy to G-d" (Vayikra 27:32). The words "Vechol ma'asar"
(‫ )וכל מעשר‬are an acronym for ‫" — ״וידעו כולם״‬let it be known to
all" — ‫" — ״למה מ ת עקיבא״‬the reason for the death of Akiva,"
— ‫" — ״ ש ה י ה מ ע ה ׳ ׳‬who was a shepherd of" — "bakar vatzon"
— "cattle and sheep." The pasuk continues "kol asher ya'avor"
— "all those who died" (literally "went under") — "tachat
hashavet" — "represented one of the tribes (the shevatim)."
But Rabbi Akiva had no relationship to the tribes, so why was
he killed? We must conclude that "ha'asiri" — "the tenth"
sage, that is, Rabbi Akiva — was "kodesh laHashem" —
martyred on behalf of Hashem.
(‫)ר׳ שמשון זצ״ל מאסטראפאלי‬
* * *

QUESTION: W h y was Rabbi Akiva selected to be the one

martyred on behalf of Hashem?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Pesachim 22b) says that Shimon
Ha'amsuni had a practice of interpreting every occurrence of
 Y O M KIPPUR 257

the word "et" i n the Torah to mean a reference to something

additional. When he reached the pasuk, "Et Hashem Elokecha
tira" — "Hashem, your G-d, shall you fear" (Devarim 10:20)
— he stopped because what could there be i n addition to
G-d? Rabbi Akiva interpreted the word "et" as including
talmidei chachamim — Torah scholars. Since it was Rabbi Akiva
who equated Torah scholars w i t h Hashem, he was the one
selected to represent Hashem.
* * *
The Gemara (Berachot 61b) says that while Rabbi Akiva
was being put to death, he recited the Shema, and when he
said the word "echad" he expired. A voice emanated from
heaven and said, "Lucky are you, Rabbi Akiva, that your soul
'went out' w i t h 'echad.'" I n light of the above, we may say that
the voice also meant, "Lucky are you Rabbi Akiva that your
soul went out on behalf of 'Echad' — Hashem — the One and
only one."
(‫)אר״י דיל‬

...‫ להוציא דגי חנניא גן הדדיון מ ג י ה אולמו‬,‫״צוד‬

‫מיד כשדי וספד הודה עמו״‬
"The tyrant commanded them to bring out R a b b i
Chananya ben Teradyon... he w a s immediately consumed
w i t h the T o r a h Scroll [in w h i c h he w a s w r a p p e d ] . "
QUESTION: Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon was one of
the ten martyrs who were killed by the Roman government.
His body was wrapped i n a Sefer Torah and consumed by fire.
While he was experiencing excruciating pain, his students
asked him, "Our teacher, what do you see?" He responded, " I
see the parchment being burnt and the letters flying into the
sky" (Avodah Zarah 18a). What did he mean to convey by
telling them this vision?
ANSWER: He meant that all attempts of the gentile
world to destroy the Jewish community and the Torah would
fail. Even at a time when the "parchment" (the Jewish
community) was being destroyed, the "letters" of Torah
258 VEDIBARTA BAM

would ascend and be transferred to another part of the world,

where another Jewish community would be built anew.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬

This has been true throughout the history of the Jewish

people. Our generation witnessed a holocaust where a tyrant
sought to eradicate the Jewish people. Miraculously, the
survivors have reestablished themselves i n other parts of the
world and have succeeded i n building new citadels of Torah
learning which are, thank G-d, greater and larger than the
ones destroyed.

‫״אזכרה אלנןים ואהמיה בראותי בל עיר על הלה בנויה יעיד האלנןים‬

‫משפלת עד שאול תחתיה״‬
G - d , I remember, and I lament w h e n I see every
city built on its site while the city of G - d is cast
down to the depth of the abyss."
QUESTION: W h y is the destruction of Jerusalem
mentioned i n the Ne'ilah prayers?
ANSWER: Unfortunately, human nature is such that one
is usually more excited about the physical and material than
the spiritual. One may be tempted to chase after material
delights and enjoyment rather than attend a Torah lecture or
perform a mitzvah. The word "ir" £‫)עיר‬, i n addition to meaning
"city," may also stem from the word "hitorerut" —
arousal and awakening (see Psalms 35:23, Jeremiah 50:9).
During Ne'ilah, when we reach the pinnacle of our
prayers, we are expressing remorse and frustration that,
unfortunately, "bire'oti kol ir al tilah benuyah" — our
excitement for physical matters and pleasures is i n full
blossom — we run to enjoy them, but "ir ha'Elokim" — our
awakening and excitement for G-dly matters — is "mushpelet
ad she'ol tachtiyah" — cast down to the depth of the abyss.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
 Y O M KIPPUR 259

‫״אתה נותן יד לפושעים וימינך בשוטה לקבל שביב״‬

"You extend a hand to transgressors, and Y o u r
right hand is stretched forth to receive penitent."
QUESTION: By emphasizing "Atah" — "You" — over
whom are we singling out Hashem?
ANSWER: A question was posed: What penalty is
appropriate for the sinning soul? Wisdom (chachmah)
answered; "The sinning soul should be punished w i t h
suffering." Prophecy (nevu'ah) answered; "The soul who sins
should be put to death. Torah responded; "He should bring a
sacrifice and he w i l l be forgiven." Hashem Himself said; "The
sinner should repent and he w i l l be pardoned" (see Jerusalem
Talmud, Makot 2:6).
According to the first three opinions the concept of
Teshuvah does not exist, and either man or animal suffers. It is
only Hashem's advice that the sinner should do teshuvah and
he w i l l be pardoned.
(‫ א׳רכוז‬,‫)ביאור נפלא ע״ז נמצא באגרות קודש כ״ק אדמו״ר חייה‬

‫״שעדי שמים פתח ואוצדך הטוב לנו תפתה״‬

"Open the gates of heaven,
open for us Y o u r good treasure."
QUESTION: The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi
Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn asks, "From Hashem emanates
only good and all that He does is for our good, so why the
emphasis 'otzarcha hatov' — 'Your good treasure?' "
ANSWER: The punctuation i n the prayer needs
adjustment. The comma i n the statement has to be moved
and placed after the word "lanu" — "for us." Since man does
not know what is really good for him, we implore Hashem
that, "Otzarcha hatov lanu — the treasure which is good for us
— tiftach — You should open."
260 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫לשנה הגאה גידושליב‬

"Next year i n J e r u s a l e m "
QUESTION: W h y is this prayer recited twice a year; at
the conclusion of the Pesach Seder and at the conclusion of the
Yom Kippur services? A n d why "next year"?
ANSWER: In the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 11a) Rabbi
Yehoshua states that just as the redemption from Egypt was
in the m o n t h of Nissan, so too, the final redemption w i l l be i n
Nissan. Rabbi Eliezer opines that the final redemption w i l l
take place i n Tishrei.
The intent is not that we should wait until next year to be
in Jerusalem. Rather, we are asking to be immediately re¬
deemed and our prayers follow both opinions. Hence, when
we celebrate the festival of Pesach during the month of Nissan,
we pray "Leshanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim — May we be re¬
deemed immediately and thus, next year we will be celebrating
w i t h a karban Pesach in Yerushalayim." Yom Kippur is in the
month of Tishrei; thus, we pray that we be redeemed immedi¬
ately so that next year when Yom Kippur occurs we will all be i n
Yerushalayim w i t h a Kohen Gadol officiating i n the third Beit
Hamikdash.
(‫)טעמי המנהגים‬
 Minhagim —
Customs
Lekach
Tevillah
Krepchin
Shoes
Arayot
Niggun — Keriat HaTorah
Yonah
The Morning After
G-d's Name
262 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫בערב יוהב״ב מבקשים לענןאד! )מיני מזונות( וגם אוכלים ממנו‬

"Erev Yom Kippur one should a s k for lekach —
[honey] cake — and eat of it."
(Sefer Haminhagim-Chabad)

QUESTION: W h y necessarily ask for lekach?

ANSWER: The Gemara (Beitza 16a) says that, " A l l of a
person's income (food) is fixed each year from Rosh Hashanah
until Yom Kippur." I n the event that it was decreed for a
person to have to beg for food during the year, by asking now
for lekach, he is symbolically saying, "Should it have been
decided for me to have to beg, may it be accomplished w i t h
this begging that I am now doing and may it be i n a sweet
and pleasant way."
(‫)ספר המטעמים בשם תוספות חיים‬
Incidentally, the Gemara (ibid.) says that the decision re¬
garding the income for the year does not include the
expenditures for Shabbat and Yom Tov meals or the expendi¬
tures for children's study of Torah (tuition — (Beit Yosef) or
monthly gifts to teachers (Bach)). The Midrash Rabbah (Va-
yikra 30a) also includes i n the exception expenses for Rosh
Chodesh meals (see Tur, Orach Chaim 419). For i n regard to
these expenditures, i f one spends less, he receives less; and i f
he spends more, he receives more. The expenditures made for
these mitzvot do not actually diminish a person's total income.
The word "Tishrei" (‫ )תשרי‬is an acronym for the expendi¬
tures not included i n the designated income of the year. ‫= ת‬
Talmud Torah, ‫ = ש‬Shabbat, ‫ = ר‬Rosh Chodesh, ‫ = י‬Yom Tov.
(‫)מכלול המאמרים והפתגמים‬

‫״נוהגין לטבול בערב יום הגיבורים״‬

"It is customary to immerse in a mikveh on Erev
Yom Kippur."

QUESTION: H o w many times should one dip himself

under the water?
 Y O M KIPPUR 263

ANSWER: The immersion is for the purpose of attaining

purity (from seminal emissions), and one time is sufficient.
(‫ד‬:‫)רמ״א אריח סי׳ תר״ו‬

A berachah need not be recited since it is merely a custom

and not obligatory.
(‫ ס׳קי״ט‬,‫ שם‬,‫)מ״ב‬

Some say the immersion is because of Teshuvah —

repentance — similar to a proselyte who converts, and it
should be done three times.
‫ בשם מהרי״ל ובליקוטי מהרי״וז כ׳ דלפי״ד צריך דוקא טבילה במקוה‬,‫י״ב‬:‫)שו״ע אדמוה״ז סי׳ חר״ו‬
‫ וכן מוכח נמי מלשון אדמוה״ז דרק לעילבסעי׳ י״א כשכתב דטעם‬,‫כשרה ולא סגי בתשעה קבין‬
(‫הטבילה הוא משום קרי הביא אודות מ׳ סאה שאובים וט׳ קבים‬

The three times also correspond to "cheit, avon pesaha," —

"sin, iniquity, willful transgression. Also, the concept of
Taharah — purity — is mentioned three times in the Biblical
portion concerning the services on Yom Kippur (Vayikra 16:19,
30.
(‫ספר חסידים שצייד‬-‫)שלייה ע׳ רכ״ח ע״א‬

Some immerse 14 times, as on Erev Shabbat, and some 39

times corresponding to the 39 lashes (which are done
symbolically prior to the immersion — according to Chabad).
(‫)שלייה‬

Kaf Hachaim (581:83) writes to immerse 8 times.

QUESTION: How does this accord w i t h the Rambam's

statement (Mikva'ot 1:9) that one who immerses in a mikveh
more than once is acting in a way that is despicable
("meguneh")?
ANSWER: According to the Kesef Mishneh (Avot Hatumah
6:16) one acquires purity only after emerging from the mikveh
and not while still in the mikveh. Consequently, as long as one
is in the mikveh, one may immerse himself as many times as
he wishes. Only leaving and then returning to the mikveh to
264 VEDIBARTA BAM

immerse again is "meguneh" because it appears as though he

is using the mikveh to cool off and refresh himself rather than
for purification.
(241 ‫ ולקו״ש חל״ב ע׳‬,‫וזי‬:‫ ועי׳ פרדס יוסף ויקרא י״ד‬,‫)הדרש והעיון‬
* * *

Some immerse three times during Erev Yom Kippur — i n

the morning before Shacharit, i n the afternoon before Minchah,
and after the Seudah Hamfseket — before Kol Nidrei.
(‫י״ג‬:‫)שו׳׳ע אדמוה״ז תר״ו‬

‫קרעפפין‬
Krepchen

QUESTION: W h y do we eat "krepchen" (meat covered

w i t h dough) on Erev Yom Kippur?
ANSWER: On Yom Tov it is forbidden to do any work (ex¬
cept food preparation), and it is a mitzvah to experience the
utmost joy. Thus, it is customary to eat meat during Yom Tov,
because it brings one into a joyous mood (see Shulchan Aruch
HaRav 529:6).
Though work is permitted on Erev Yom Kippur, it is our
custom to consider it a holiday (see Shulchan Aruch Harav
604:4), and we eat a festive meal. Hence, we eat meat i n
order to achieve a joyous mood, but because it is not a
complete Yom Tov, we cover the meat w i t h dough. (This also
explains why krepchen are eaten on Purim and Hoshana
Rabbah.)
(186 ‫)אוצר כל מנהגי ישרוץ ע׳‬

‫ ובנעילת הפנדל״‬...‫׳׳יופ הכפוריפ אפור‬

"Yom Kippur it is prohibited in wearing shoes."
(Yoma 73b)

QUESTION: W h y are shoes not worn on Yom Kippur

(according to Kabbalah)?
ANSWER: Originally, the entire universe received a
Divine blessing. After Adam violated the command not to eat
 Y O M KIPPUR 265

from the Tree of Knowledge, Hashem said "accursed is the

ground because of you" (Bereishit 3:17). Consequently, we
wear shoes i n order that there be a chatzizah — separation —
between the flesh of the human foot and the ground which
was cursed because of man.
Holy ground, however, is excluded and is blessed.
Therefore, when Hashem appeared to Moshe i n the thorn
bush, He said, "Do not approach, take off your shoes from
your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground"
( Shemot 3:5). Thus, it is proper for a human to be attached to
holy ground and feel it without any interposition.
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, and the holiness
of the day permeates the entire universe to the extent that
the cursed earth reverts to its original blessed state. Hence,
we do not wear shoes, so that we be attached to Hashem's
holy and blessed earth.
* * *
The Gemara (Shabbat 129a) says "a person should always
sell even the beams of his house, i f necessary, to buy shoes
for his feet." I n light of the above it can be said that the
reason our Sages have given such importance to shoes is that
a person should do everything humanly possible to distance
himself from a curse.
Incidentally, when Mashiach comes, the earth w i l l return
to its blessed original state. Since Mashiach, was born on
Tishah B'Av (Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 2:4), shoes are not
worn to express our anticipating the coming of Mashiach, at
which time we w i l l be connected w i t h blessed earth.
(‫ מיוסד על מהר״מ חגיז בספרו מענת חכמים בשם חכמי הרמז‬,‫)אגרא דפרקא סי׳ ד״ש‬

‫ נןודין בעדיות‬,‫גמנדוד‬
"During the Minchah service w e read the passage
of arayot — forbidden relationships (Megillah 31a)

QUESTION: W h y is this the selected Torah reading for

Yom Kippur?
266 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: According to Rashi it is read to inspire those

who have committed acts of immorality to repent. These sins
are singled out because people are drawn to them and they
are therefore prevalent sins.
Tosafot quotes a Midrash that w i t h this we are hinting to
Hashem "Just as You forbade us to expose certain nakedness,
so You should not expose the nakedness of the Jewish people
in their sins."
* * *
Alternatively, the Gemara (Yoma 67b) says that the
precipice i n the wilderness from which the he-goat was
pushed off is called "Azazeil," indicating that it atones for the
act of Uza and Azail (Rashi). These were two angels of
destruction who descended to earth i n the days of Na'amah
the sister of Tuval Kayin and who proceeded to cohabit w i t h
the daughters of man (see Bereishit 6:2, Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer
1:22). Thus, they represent the sin of adultery, for which the
he-goat atones. (Some explain, that this does not mean it
atones only for adultery, but rather the he-goat atones for all
types of transgressions, even the very severe sin of adultery.)
Since the actual pushing of the he-goat over the cliff, and
its subsequent atonement for [even] adultery, took place after
the Kohen Gadol read the section of Acharei Mot (the Yom
Kippur morning reading), during the Minchah — afternoon
service — we read the Biblical portion that discusses arayot —
adulterous relationships.
(‫)ספר שלחן הקריאה בשם ר׳ בצלאל דיל מווילנא‬

‫במנחה דיו״ב קודין בניגון הקריאה דבל השנה‬

T h e T o r a h reading for Minchah is done w i t h the
same tune as the entire year

QUESTION: W h y is Minchah Torah reading not done in

the same sad tone as i n the morning?
ANSWER: The morning reading discusses the sudden
tragic death of Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aharon the
 Y O M KIPPUR 267

Kohen Gadol. The Zohar states concerning one who is agonized

over the death of Aharon's sons and weeps on Yom Kippur
while reading this portion of the Torah, that his sins w i l l be
forgiven and his children w i l l not expire during his lifetime
(See Shulchan Aruch Harav 621:15).
The Gemara (Shabbat 131a) explains that the pasuk "And
Moshe heard the people weeping by their families [and the
wrath of Hashem flared greatly]" (Bamidbar 11:10) means
that they wept over matters of families, that certain relatives
were now prohibited to one another i n marriage. To clearly
disassociate ourselves from this wrong behavior, we do not
read the portion of arayot — forbidden relationships — w i t h a
sad voice, but rather i n the regular manner of Torah readings
throughout the year.
(‫)אוצר כל מנהגי ישתו‬

‫ומבטידין ביונה‬
"And conclude w i t h the Haftarah
from the book of Y o n a h " (Megillah 3 1 a ) .

QUESTION: W h y was the Book of Yonah selected as the

Haftarah?
ANSWER: Repentance is necessary to gain atonement on
Yom Kippur. I t is most appropriate to read the Book of Yonah
since its main theme is teshuvah, and since it stresses that
Hashem readily accepts repentance.
The reason it is read at Minchah, which is towards the end
of the day, may be the following:
In an attempt to escape from Hashem, Yonah boarded a
ship going to Tarshish. He descended to one of the
compartments where he had lain down and had fallen fast
asleep. There was a fierce storm at sea, and the ship seemed
about to break up. The sailors were frightened and each cried
out to his god. The captain approached Yonah and said to
him, "How can you sleep so soundly? Rise, call to your G-d;
268 VEDIBARTA BAM

perhaps G-d w i l l think of us favorably so that we w i l l not

perish."
As the day of Yom Kippur is drawing to an end, some may
have been "sleeping" through it and not repenting. Reading
the Book of Yonah is a wake up call. The captain — Hashem
— calls to us, "Why are you sleeping, rise, call to your G-d —
repent — you w i l l be thought of favorably and be blessed
w i t h all good."

‫״גיוס שאחד יוהג׳׳פ משגימין לגהג״נ״‬

"The day after Yom Kippur we rise early to
shul." (Rav Shulchan Aruch 624:14)
QUESTION: What is the reason for this custom?
ANSWER: On Yom Kippur one spends the entire day i n
prayer and supplication. In order that Satan not be mekatreig
— talk evil — that the Jews are hypocrites, they "act" frum
only on Yom Kippur out of fear for the day of judgment, and
afterwards ' i t is business as usual,' we rise early to shul the
day after Yom Kippur to show that our devotion to Hashem is
sincere and that our ways are truly improved.
(‫)שלייה עי׳ מחצית השקל סי׳ תרכ״ד‬

‫״מחרת יוהג׳׳ג ננןדא גשם השם״‬

"The day after Yom Kippur is called
'Sheim Hashem' — G-d's Name.'"
QUESTION: W h y is it called this?
ANSWER: Normally i n the Shemoneh Esreih, the third
berachah (Atah Kadosh) concludes "Hakeil Hakadosh" — "the
Holy Al-mighty." Starting w i t h Rosh Hashanah till Ne'eilah of
Yom Kippur, "Hamelech Hakadosh" — "the Holy King" — is
substituted. The day after Yom Kippur is called "G-d's Name"
to indicate that on this day we revert to saying "Hakeil
Hakadosh," which is one of G-d's seven holy Names.
(‫)אשל אברהם )בוטשאטש( סי׳ תרכ״ד בשם הבעש״ט‬
 Sukkot
Derashot —
Sermonic Material
270 VEDIBARTA BAM

T H E DRIVER'S SEAT

When the Torah gives us the mitzvah of the four species

on Sukkot i t says "ulekachtem lachem bayom harishon" — "you
shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruits of a beau¬
tiful tree" — which the Sages define as the etrog — "the
branches of date palms" — the lulav, "twigs of myrtles" — the
hadassim and "brook willows" — the aravah (Vayikra 23:40).
Since it says "ulekachtem" — "and you shall take" — the
halachah is that one must take them into his hand. I f one has
before h i m the four species but does not take them i n his
hand, he does not fulfill the mitzvah. For this reason the ber-
achah recited is al netilat lulav — the taking of the lulav — and
not al mitzvat lulav to emphasize that the mitzvah is fulfilled
only when they are taken i n the hand. (See Orach Chaim 651).
Why does the Torah insist that they be taken i n one's
hand? W h y is looking at the four species insufficient?
According to the Midrash Rabbah (30:14), the four species
represent different parts of the human body. The etrog resem¬
bles a heart, the lulav (palm branch) represents the spine, the
hadas (myrtle) has small leaves which are like eyes, and the
aravah (willow) resembles the lips.
W i t h the mitzvah of "ulekachtem" — "you shall take" —
the Torah is conveying a message of great importance: that
these four major body parts must be taken i n hand, that is, be
under man's control.
The heart sometimes lusts for dangerous things. Man
must learn to control the desires of his heart. A t all times
there must also be mo'ach shalit al haleiv — the brain ruling
over the desires of the heart (Zohar, Vayikra 224a).
According to halachah, the lulav must be firm and upright.
It should not be loose, curved, or bending to all sides. The
spine provides major support for body and the spinal cord
controls it. A weak spine can, G-d forbid, cause a person to be
paralyzed or of bent stature. Taking the lulav i n hand means
that a Jew must be firm i n his convictions, walk upright, and
 SUKKOT 271

be proud of the fact that he is a Torah observant member of

the Jewish people. He must never "bend" — compromise or
yield — i n his Torah observance.
The hadas leaves, resembling eyes, must grow upright on
their stems. This teaches us that a Jew must always look up
to G-d i n Heaven w i t h optimism and not look down upon
other people.
The message implied by the halachah requiring that the
hadas be taken i n the hand is that one must learn to control
his eyes and also to be happy w i t h one's lot and not look en¬
viously on other people's good fortune.
The leaves of the aravah must be smooth and not have
sharp serrated edges. The mitzvah of taking it into the hands
emphasizes the importance of controlling one's lips. In par¬
ticular, one should be careful not to make biting remarks;
rather one should speak words of Torah and speak well of a
fellow Jew.
The halachah that the four species must be held i n one's
hand teaches us that i t is imperative that man be i n control of
himself, his ideals and ideas.
In this vein I w i l l conclude w i t h a comical story I once
heard.
One time late at night, an elderly woman frantically tele¬
phoned the police emergency number 911, and yelled "Help!
Thieves broke into my car — they removed the steering-
wheel, the brake and the gas pedal. Please send someone
immediately to investigate." Fifteen minutes later, she tele¬
phoned again: "Disregard my previous call; by mistake, I got
into the back seat."
From the halachah pertaining to the need to grasp the four
species i n one's hand we learn the importance of being i n the
driver's seat. We should not be content to merely "be i n the
back seat" and be controlled by others. When one is i n
control of himself and not controlled by the dictates of secu¬
lar society, his entire year is zeman simchateinu — a life of joy
and happiness.
272 VEDIBARTA BAM

H O W A G E N T I L E CELEBRATES SUKKOT

The Haftarah for the first day of Sukkot is the prophecy of

Zecharya concerning the war of Gog and Magog, which will
climax w i t h the final redemption and acknowledgment by the
nations that Hashem alone is the King and that Israel is His
people. This realization w i l l be celebrated on Sukkot, for,
according to the prophecy, the surviving nations w i l l join the
Jewish people every year i n celebrating the Sukkot festival. I n
his prophecy Zecharya declares, " A n d i f the family of Egypt
w i l l not ascend and w i l l not come...They w i l l suffer the
plague w i t h which Hashem w i l l afflict the nations, because
they w i l l not have ascended to celebrate the festival of Sukkot.
This w i l l be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of
all the nations that w i l l not ascend to celebrate the festival of
Sukkot."
As interesting as this may sound; it is difficult to imagine
that i n the future the nations of the world w i l l be obligated to
sit i n a Sukkah and celebrate together w i t h the Jews, and be
punished for it i f they don't!
During the Yom Tov of Sukkot, the Jew has two major
mitzvot to perform: 1) Dwelling i n a Sukkah for a period of
seven days. 2) The taking of the four species; the etrog
(citron), the lulav (palm branch), the hadassim (myrtle), and
the aravot (willow).
The common factor i n these two mitzvot is achdut — unity.
That the mitzvah of sukkah represents unity is obvious
from the fact that many families may eat together i n the same
sukkah. I n fact, the Gemara (Sukkah 27b) says that, "re'uyim kol
Yisrael leisheiv besukkah achat" — " A l l of Israel are fit to sit in
one sukkah" — which means that unlike other mitzvot (e.g.
four species) where each one must have his own object, one
can build a sukkah and let everyone use it to properly fulfill
the mitzvah of dwelling i n a sukkah. Thus, sukkah is a mitzvah
through which Klal Yisrael becomes united.
 SUKKOT 273

According to the Midrash (30:12), the four species

represent four different categories of Jews. The etrog, which is
edible and has an aroma, represents the tzaddik, who studies
Torah and performs mitzvot. The lulav, which only has taste
but no aroma, represents the one who is mostly involved i n
Torah study. The hadassim, which have aroma but no taste,
represent the Jew who is involved i n doing good deeds but
does not have the capability to study Torah. The arovot, which
have neither taste nor aroma, represent the Jew who
unfortunately lacks both Torah and mitzvot. The uniting of
the four species together emphasizes that Hashem wants us
to be a nation where all are united.
Zecharya's reference to the sukkah is an allegory. He does
not mean that i n Messianic times the gentile w i l l be obligated
to eat i n the sukkah together w i t h the Jew, and be punished i f
he does not fulfill the mitzvah. He means that the gentile
world w i l l be expected to practice the lesson conveyed by the
mitzvot of the festival of Sukkot. They must forsake their
striving for selfish gain and replace i t w i t h a sense of
responsibility and sharing of privileges w i t h all of humanity.
Hence, Zecharya's words, "Lo ya'alu lachog et chag haSukkot" —
"They have refused to go up to celebrate the festival of
Sukkot" — can be explained to mean that they have refused to
elevate themselves spiritually and realize the message that
Sukkot teaches humanity.
Let us hope and pray that, speedily i n our times, we merit
the revelation of Mashiach and the rebuilding of the "sukkah of
David" which has fallen — the Beit Hamikdash — and then all
of mankind w i l l enjoy the ultimate of harmony, peace, and
tranquility.
274 VEDIBARTA BAM

O U R SEASON OF REJOICING
Every Yom Tov has its official name and also a descriptive
surname. Pesach is zeman cheiruteinu — the season of our free¬
dom. Shavuot is zeman matan Torateinu — the season of the
giving of our Torah, and Sukkot is zeman simchateinu — the sea¬
son of your rejoicing. The adjective for Pesach and Shavuot is
well understood, but the one for Sukkot is puzzling.
How can leaving our beautiful multi-roomed houses and
moving into a small hut be called "simchateinu" — "our rejoic¬
ing"?
Indeed, I know about the many Sukkot factories fabricating
custom-made Sukkot. I also am aware of places where air-con¬
ditioners are installed i n the Sukkah. But I cannot forget how
before Sukkot we all would become carpenters and searched
the cellars of the tenement houses for old doors and scraps of
wood to erect a Sukkah in the yard of tenement house. I can't
tell you how many times, water and stones etc. were thrown
from the rooftops and landed on the table or someone's head.
Even i n those years, we said i n Kiddush, "zeman simchateinu" —
"the season of our rejoicing"!?
There is an adage from a wise person, "Ein simchah kehatarat
hasefeikot" — "There is no joy that can compare to the joy of
one who is relieved of his doubts."
The essential part of the Sukkah is the sechach covering,
through which according to halachah, one must be able to see
the sky.
During the year we live i n our fortresses and are deceived
by our pseudo security. We persuade ourselves that its win¬
dow gates, security guards, alarms etc. w i l l protect us. But, i n
reality we are frightened by the sound of a rustling leaf.
Moving into the Sukkah serves as a reminder to the mea-
gerness of our man-made systems, teaching that the only fool¬
proof security system is our Father in Heaven to whom we can
look up to for His salvation. When we reach this rationaliza¬
tion, all doubts and worries are removed and we truly
experience and celebrate our season of joy.
 Sukkot
Torah Reading
276 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫ גיוס הראשון מקרא‬.‫״בחמשה עשר יום לחדש השביעי הזה חג הטובות‬

‫קדש בל מלאבת עבדה לא תעשו• אד בחמשה עשר יום לחדש‬
‫ ולקחתם לבם‬...‫תחגו את חג ה׳ שבעת ימים ביום הראשון שבתון‬...‫השגיעי‬
‫״‬...‫ביום הראשון ברי עץ הדר‬
"On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is
the festival of Sukkot... on the first day is a holy
convocation, y o u shall not do any laborious
work.... But on the fifteenth day of the seventh
month... you s h a l l celebrate G-d's festival... T h e
first day is a rest day... Y o u shall take for
yourselves on the first day the fruit of a n etrog
tree...." (Vayikra 23:34-35,39-40)

QUESTION: 1) W h y is the mitzvah of celebrating Sukkot

repeated twice? 2) W h y i n the first pasuk does it say "lachodesh
hashevi'i hazeh" while i n the second the word "hazeh" is
omitted? 3) W h y only i n the second pasuk is there mention of
the taking of the four species? 4) W h y i n the first pasuk does
it say, "You shall not do any laborious work" whereas i n the
second it simply says, "Shabbaton" — "a rest day"?
ANSWER: From the festival of Pesach one can determine
on which day of the week all the festivals of that year w i l l
take place. This rule is k n o w n as
— the day of the week when the first day of Pesach
occurs w i l l be ‫״‬n‫ — ״‬the same day as Tisha B'Av.
— the second day of Pesach w i l l be — the same
day of the week as Shavuot.
‫״‬v‫ — ׳‬the third day of Pesach w i l l be ‫׳‬n‫ — ״‬Rosh Hashanah.
— the fourth day of Pesach w i l l be — the day of
Kriat haTorah — Simchat Torah — when we complete and start
anew the reading of the Torah.
According to the Gemara (Shabbat 87b), the Jews left
Egypt on Thursday. Consequently, since the first Pesach was
celebrated on Thursday, the following Rosh Hashanah was on a
Shabbat, and Sukkot, which is always two weeks later, was
also on Shabbat. Thus, regarding the current celebration of
Sukkot, the Torah says the fifteenth of this ("hazeh") seventh
 SUKKOT 277

month shall be Sukkot. Since it occurs on Shabbat, the Torah

instructs us that "any laborious work shall not be done."
When Sukkot occurs on Shabbat, the four species are not
taken on that day and therefore, there is no mention of the
lulav and etrog.
The second discussion of Sukkot i n the parshah refers to
the coming years and generations, and thus "hazeh" — "this"
— is omitted. Since Sukkot is not necessarily on Shabbat, the
commandment of taking the four species is mentioned. It is
only referred to as a day of rest but not one i n which any
laborious work is forbidden because on Yom Tov one is
permitted to do work connected w i t h the preparation of food
necessary for the festival.
(105 ‫ ועי׳ לעייל ע׳‬,‫)ויקהל משה‬

‫״אד בחמשה עשד יום לחדש השביעי גאפבבם את תבואת הארץ תחגו את‬
‫ בסבת תשגו שבעת ימים״‬.‫חג ה׳‬
"But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month
w h e n y o u gather in the crop of the land, you shall
celebrate G-d's festival for a seven day period. Y o u
should d w e l l i n booths seven days." (23:39)

QUESTION: Why, when we gather i n the harvest of the

land, are we commanded to dwell i n sukkot?
ANSWER: The sukkah is referred to as a dirat arai —
temporary dwelling place — and it has a roof through which
one can see the stars. A person is required to leave his
permanent abode and move into a sukkah, so that it is
impressed upon h i m that our real security is provided by G-d
in Heaven. W i t h o u t H i m , our strong "fortresses" w i t h their
bars and gates are of no avail.
One who brings home the produce of his land may
become arrogant and think that he is wealthy, able to sustain
himself, and no longer dependent on Hashem. Through the
mitzvah of sukkah such thoughts are dispelled. The sukkah
reminds the individual that his affluence and success are only
278 VEDIBARTA BAM

temporary and that he is entirely dependent on the blessing

of Hashem.
(‫)כלי יקר‬

‫למען ידעו דדתיבב בי בסבות הושבתי את‬...‫״בסבת תשגו שבעת ימים‬

‫גני ישראל בהוציאי אותם מארץ מצרים״‬
"You shall d w e l l in booths for seven days...So
that your generations w i l l k n o w that I caused
the Children of I s r a e l to d w e l l in booths w h e n I
took them out of the land of Egypt." (23:42-43)

QUESTION: W h y is the festival of Sukkot connected to

both the time of harvest and the Jews' dwelling i n sukkot
during their sojourn i n the wilderness?
ANSWER: The message of the sukkah is two-fold: When
the Jews lived i n Eretz Yisrael, worked the land, and
prospered, there was a danger that they would begin to think
that it was their strength and wisdom that earned them their
wealth. Consequently, when they gathered their crops and
their success brought them into a jubilant spirit, Hashem
commanded that they dwell i n sukkot to teach them that life
on this earth is temporary and that there are no strong
"fortresses" that we can build for ourselves. The sukkah is
covered w i t h sechach, through which one can look up and see
the heavens, alluding to the fact that our abodes are
temporary and our security is dependent on Hashem i n the
heaven above.
The trials and tribulations of exile create the danger that
the Jews, G-d forbid, w i l l suffer disillusionment. Therefore,
Hashem gave the Jewish people the festival of Sukkot, "So
that your generations w i l l know that I caused the Children of
Israel to dwell i n booths when I took them out of the land of
Egypt — and just as I protected them then and ultimately
brought them to safety, so too, w i l l I be w i t h the Jewish
people wherever they w i l l be and ultimately bring them
Mashiach and cause them to sit i n the sukkah made from the
skin of Livyatan." (Livyatan is the largest sea creature;
 SUKKOT 279

Hashem w i l l make a meal from it for the righteous i n the

Hereafter [See Bava Batra 75a].)
(‫)ילקוט אליעזר‬
* * *
In view of the above, that Sukkot is celebrated for two
reasons and conveys a two-fold message, it is understood
why the festival is known as "Chag haSukkot" — i n the plural.

‫״למען ידעו דרתיגם גי גפגות הושגתי את גני ישראל בהוציאי אותם‬

‫מארץ מצרים״‬
"So that your generations w i l l k n o w that I
caused the C h i l d r e n of I s r a e l to dwell i n booths
w h e n I took them out from the l a n d of Egypt."
(23:43)

QUESTION: Rashi explains that the "booths" are the

"Ananei Hakavod" — Clouds of Glory — that enveloped the
Jewish people i n the wilderness. When the Jews were i n the
desert, they ate manna from heaven and drank water from a
well which accompanied them on their travels. W h y do we
celebrate a festival to commemorate the Clouds of Glory and
not for the manna or the well?
ANSWER: Hashem took the Jewish people out of Egypt
w i t h the intent of bringing them to Eretz Yisrael immediately,
but they ended up traveling through the desert for 40 years.
Since Hashem planned the itinerary and chose the desert
route, it was incumbent upon H i m to provide the Jewish
people w i t h food and water, which are otherwise unavailable
in the desert. To smooth the roads and protect them from the
scorching heat, He had to provide the clouds which
enveloped them.
However, i n addition, the Jewish people were also
surrounded w i t h Ananei Hakavod — Clouds of Glory. These
were intended to show His love for His chosen people and
were not something strictly necessary. In order for future
generations to appreciate the uniqueness of the Clouds of
280 VEDIBARTA BAM

Glory (see Rashi), we commemorate them through

celebrating the festival of Sukkot.
(‫)מבי״ט‬

‫״למען ידעו דרתיגם גי גפגות הושגתי את גני ישראל בהוציאי אותם‬

‫מארץ מצרים״‬
"So that your generations w i l l k n o w that I caused
the C h i l d r e n of I s r a e l to dwell in booths w h e n I
took them out of the land of Egypt." (23:43)

QUESTION: The word "ki" seems to be superfluous.

Could not the verse have said "shebasukkot" — "that i n
sukkot"?
ANSWER: According to halachah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach
Chaim 633:1,8), the walls of a sukkah may not be higher than
twenty amot — cubits — (approx. 35 ft.) so that the sechach
w i l l be visible to the eye. A sukkah must also be a m i n i m u m
of ten tefachim — handbreadths — high (approx. 33 inches).
The word "ki" £‫ )כי‬is a remez — hint — to these two
halachot. The numerical value of the "chaf" is twenty, alluding
to the height of a sukkah, which cannot be above twenty amot,
and the numerical value of "yud" is ten, which alludes to the
m i n i m u m height of ten tefachim.
* * *
The Ba'alei Mesorah indicate two more pesukim where the
word "ki" seems superfluous. One is "vayomru lo ki
barechov nalin" — "And they said, 'No, rather we w i l l spend
the night i n the alley" (Bereishit 19:2), and the other, "Ki £‫)כי‬
neir mitzvah" — "For a mitzvah is a candle" (Proverbs 6:23).
Similar to a sukkah, Chanukah and a mavui — alley — have
laws involving the measure greater than twenty amot and less
than ten tefachim.
The law regarding a mavui is as follows: A crossbeam
spanning the entrance to a mavui (in order to make it a
domain i n which one may carry on Shabbat may not be higher
than twenty cubits. I f the distance from the ground at the
entrance to an alley to the top of the wall is less than ten
 SUKKOT 281

handbreadths, placing a crossbeam over it does make i t a

domain i n which carrying is permitted on Shabbat. (Shulchan
Aruch, Orach Chaim 363:26.)
If a Chanukah menorah is placed above twenty cubits, it is
invalid, and i t should, preferably, be less than ten
handbreadths above the ground (ibid., 671:6).
The word "ki" i n the pasuk "ki barechov nalin" — "we w i l l
spend the night i n the alley" — thus refers to the laws of an
alley, and the word "ki" i n the pasuk "ki ner mitzvah" refers to
the laws of the candles of Chanukah.
(‫ לקוטי בשמים‬- ‫)שמחת הרגל להחיד״א‬

‫״גי גפגות הושגתי את גני ישראל בהוציאי אותם מאדץ מצדים״‬

"That in booths I caused the C h i l d r e n of I s r a e l
to dwell (sit) w h e n I took them out from the
land of Egypt." (23:43)
QUESTION: The Jewish people traveled throughout the
wilderness, making 42 stops till they arrived i n Eretz Yisrael.
In lieu of, "ki basukkot hoshavti" — "That i n booths I caused to
dwell" — should it not have said, "baSukkot holachti" — " I n
booths I led"?
ANSWER: The sukkot i n the pasuk refers to the Clouds of
Glory, which surrounded the Jewish people throughout their
journey i n the desert en route to Eretz Yisrael. In reality, the
Jews never traveled i n the conventional sense: The
encompassing Clouds of Glory transported them from one
stop to the other while they were sitting i n their places.
(‫)חיד״א‬

‫״אד גחמשה עשד יום לחדש השגיעי גאפגגם את תגואת הארץ תחגו את‬
‫ ג פ ג ת תשגו שגעת ימים״‬.‫חג ה׳‬
"But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month
w h e n y o u gather in the crop of the land, you shall
celebrate G-d's festival for a seven day period. Y o u
should d w e l l i n booths seven days." (23:39)
QUESTION: In Parshat Mishpatim (23:16) it is written,
"vechag ha'asif betzeit hashanah" — "the festival of ingathering
282 VEDIBARTA BAM

[Sukkot] should be celebrated at the end of the year," and i n

Parshat Ki Tissa (34:22) it is written, "vechag ha'asif tekufat
hashanah" — "the festival of ingathering [sukkot] at the turn of
the year." Rashi explains this to mean "bitechilat hashanah
haba'ah" — "the beginning of the coming year."
Is Sukkot at the end or the beginning of the year?
ANSWER: Rabbi Levi says (Yalkut Shimoni, Pinchas 29):
Hashem planned to give the Jewish people a yom tov every
month of the spring and summer. Thus, Pesach occurs i n
Nissan, Pesach Sheini i n Iyar, and Shavuot i n Sivan. When the
Jewish people sinned i n Tammuz w i t h the golden calf,
Hashem canceled yamim tovim for the months of Tammuz, Av
and Elul. In Tishrei, however, He gave Rosh Hashanah, Yom
Kippur and Sukkot, which were really supposed to be during
Tammuz, Av and Elul respectively, and also Shemini Atzeret for
the month of Tishrei.
In Parshat Mishpatim, Hashem is talking about the yom tov
of Sukkot, before the Jews sinned w i t h the golden calf. A t that
time the festival of Sukkot was designated to be at the end of
the year, during the month of Elul. The sin of the golden calf
is recorded i n Parshat Ki Tissa. After the sin was committed,
the yom tov of Sukkot was moved up to the beginning of the
new year — the month of Tishrei.
(‫ ספר קנה אברהם‬- ‫)פנינים יקרים‬

‫״ולקחתם לבם ביום הראשון ברי עץ הדר בבת תמרים וענף עץ ע ג ת וערבי‬
‫נחל״‬
" Y o u shall take for y o u r s e l f on the first day the
fruit of an etrog tree, the branches of date
palms, twigs of myrtles, and brook w i l l o w s . "
(23:40)

QUESTION: The Midrash Rabbah (30:16) says that i n the

merit of performing the mitzvah of taking the four species on
the first day, Hashem says that " I w i l l be the first to reveal
Myself to you and take revenge for you from the first — Eisav
— of w h o m it is written 'and the first [child] came out
 SUKKOT 283

red'(Bereishit 25:25), and build for you the first — the Beit
Hamikdash — of which it is written 'A glorious throne on high
from the first, the place of our Sanctuary' (Jeremiah 17:12),
and bring for you the first — King Mashiach, of whom it is
written 'The first shall say to Tzion' (Isaiah 41:27).
Why w i l l the fulfillment of the mitzvah of taking the four
species bring Mashiach?
ANSWER: According to the Midrash (30:12), the four
species represent four different categories of the Jewish
people. The etrog, which has an aroma and is edible,
represents the tzaddik, who studies Torah and performs
mitzvot. The lulav, which only has good taste but no aroma,
represents the one who is mostly involved in Torah study.
The myrtle, which has aroma but no taste, represents the Jew
who is involved in doing good deeds but who does not have
the capability to study Torah. The willow, which has neither
taste nor aroma, represents the Jew who unfortunately lacks
both Torah and mitzvot.
The Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because of sinat chinam
— unwarranted hatred and rivalry among the Jewish people
(Yoma 9b). Taking the four species together, symbolically,
expresses ahavat Yisrael — love of a fellow Jew. Hashem is
telling the Jewish people that by fulfilling the mitzvah of
taking the four species — excelling in ahavat Yisrael — we w i l l
merit His taking revenge on our enemies, and we w i l l merit
the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash and the coming of
Mashiach.
(‫)שי לחגים ומועדים‬

‫״ולקחתם לבם ביום בראשון ברי עץ הדר״‬

"You shall take for yourselves on the first day the
fruit of an etrog tree [lit. a beautiful t r e e ] . " (23:40)

QUESTION: What is the beauty of the etrog tree?

284 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: Man is compared to a tree of the field (Devarim

20:19). Many lessons are learned from trees to guide man in
his development.
The uniqueness of the etrog is that on the bottom it has
an ukatz — the stem by which it is connected to the tree —
and on the top a pitom — stem — topped w i t h a shoshanta —
rosette blossom. Should one of these fall off, the etrog is no
longer considered to be beautiful.
The lesson of the etrog tree is that a beautiful person is
one who is connected w i t h the past and who also has
accomplishments of his own. A descendant of a fine family,
who continues the family tradition, and who does not rest
contented w i t h the family's past glories but goes forth to
blossom on his own, is indeed a hadar — a very beautiful
person.
* * *

Alternatively, according to the Gemara (Sukkah 35a) a

unique quality of the etrog tree is that "ta'am eitzo upirio
shaveh" — "the wood of the tree and the fruit have the same
flavor." Similarly, true splendor for a Jew is achieved when
the taste of the tree (parent) and the fruit (child) is the same.
i t is the greatest source of pride and feeling of achievement
for parents when the children do not merely represent a
physical resemblance, but are inspired to carry on i n the
image of the parents spiritually as well.
* * *

Alternatively, the Gemara also states that the etrog is "dar

be'ilano meishanah leshanah" — " i t dwells on its tree from one
year to the next year" (it can be left on the tree for more than
one season and remain fresh). The etrog represents the Jews
of ta'am — taste — and rei'ach — aroma — an allusion to
Torah and mitzvot. The Jew of this category is a hadar —
beautiful — when his observance of Torah and mitzvot is
throughout the entire year and weathers all seasons. His
 SUKKOT 285

attachment to Hashem remains firm i n good times and i n bad

times, i n joy and i n sorrow, i n poverty and i n plenty.

‫״ולקחתם לבם ביום הראשון ברי עץ הדר״‬

"And you s h a l l take for y o u r s e l f on the first day
the fruit of the etrog tree." (23:40)

QUESTION: The Midrash Tanchuma (21) says that the

Torah uses the word "harishon" because this day is "rishon
lecheshbon avonot" — "the first i n the accounting of sins." W h y
are the days before Sukkot free of sin?
ANSWER: On the very day Hashem created man, He
placed h i m together w i t h Chavah i n Gan Eden and instructed
him not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Later that same
day, he disobeyed and ate the fruit of the tree, thereby
committing the first sin.
There is an opinion i n Midrash Rabbah (Bereishit 20:8) that
the Tree of Knowledge was an etrog tree. Hence, the Midrash
is saying, "You should take 'bayom harishon' — 'on the first
day' — an etrog, the fruit which was 'rishon lecheshbon avonot'
— 'the first w i t h which man ever sinned.' "
(‫)תכלת מרדכי‬

‫וערגי נחל״‬...‫״ולקחתם לבם‬

"You s h a l l take for yourself...and brook
w i l l o w s . " (23:40)

QUESTION: W h y is the species which has no taste or

aroma (representing the Jew who lacks both Torah study and
mitzvot) called "aravah"?
ANSWER: When Hashem offered the Torah to the Jews,
each one of us promptly responded, "na'aseh venishma" — "we
w i l l perform and we w i l l listen (study)." Grammatically it
would have been more appropriate for each person to
respond, "a'aseh ve'eshma" — "I w i l l perform and I w i l l listen."
The reason for the plural response is that the Jews were
in a sense saying not only " W i l l we perform and listen," but
286 VEDIBARTA BAM

"We w i l l see to it that other Jews do the same." Thus, at the

time of the receiving of the Torah, every Jew became "areiv"
(‫ —)ערב‬a guarantor — for the others. Our Sages tell us that
"Kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh" — " A l l Jews are guarantors and
responsible one for another (Shevuot 39a).
The word "aravah" is derived from the root word "arov"
and thus implies the concept of responsibility and guarantee.
Hence, the name "aravah" is an explanation and reminder
that the "aravah" Jew is included because we are guarantors
for h i m . We are obligated to assure that every Jew is fully
observant.

‫ וערבי נחל״‬...‫״ולקחתם לבם‬

"You shall take for yourselves ... and brook
w i l l o w s . " (23:40)

QUESTION: According to the Midrash Rabbah (30:12) the

different species we take on Sukkot represent various
categories of Jews. The willow has neither taste nor aroma
and it represents the Jew who neither studies Torah nor does
good deeds.
Why is the Jew represented by the willow united w i t h the
other categories?
ANSWER: Every Jew possesses a spark of G-dliness and
should never be rejected. Moreover, continued association
w i t h other more observant Jews may have a positive effect on
the non-observant Jew.
The Hebrew word for willow, "aravah" , has the
numerical value of 277, which is equivalent to the numerical
value of "zera" — "children." This alludes that even i f a
father does not alter his ways, he should still be accepted
w i t h i n K'lal Yisrael, so that ultimately when his children grow
up, they w i l l possess good "taste" and a beautiful "aroma"
(good deeds and Torah study).
‫)עי׳ לקוטי מהרי״וז חייג ע׳ קייס‬
 SUKKOT 287

‫״ולקחתם לבם ביום הראשון ברי עץ הדר בבת תמרים וענף עץ ע ג ת וערבי‬
‫נחל ושמחתם לבני ה׳ אלקיבם שבעת ימים״‬
" Y o u shall take for y o u r s e l f on the first day the
fruit of a etrog tree, the branches of date palms,
twigs of myrtles, and brook willows; and you
shall rejoice before G - d , your G - d , for a seven
day period." (23:40)
QUESTION: What is the connection between the four
species and rejoicing?
ANSWER: Regarding rejoicing w i t h the four species, the
Midrash Rabbah (30:2) offers a parable: Two people came
before a judge, and we do not know which one was
victorious. I f one of them takes a palm branch i n his hand,
then we know he is the victor. So it is w i t h B'nei Yisrael and
the nations of the world: The latter come and bring
accusations before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah and we do not
know who has won. Since the B'nei Yisrael go forth from the
presence of Hashem bearing their palm-branches and their
etrogim, we know that they are victorious.
How does taking the four species prove that "we won"?
The Midrash Rabbah (30:12) explains that the four species
represent the four different categories of Jews, from the
tzaddik who studies Torah and performs good deeds to the
Jew who is on the other extreme. The unification of the four
species is an allusion to the fact that all Jews, regardless of
their spiritual level or quality, are strongly united together. In
unity there is strength and therefore victory.
The power of peace and unity is so great that even when
the Jewish people sin, G-d forbid, i f unity prevails, Hashem
does not rebuke or punish them (see Bereishit Rabbah 38:6).
Thus, when Jews are united together w i t h no rivalry or
animosity between them, Hashem takes pleasure i n them and
they experience great joy.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
288 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫מפטיר‬
‫גרים גני בקר שלשה עשר אילם שנים‬...‫״והחמשה עשר יום לחדש השגיעי‬
‫״‬.‫ ושעיר עזים אחד חטאת מלגד עלת התמיד‬...‫גגשים גני שנה ארגעה עשר‬
" O n the fifteenth day of the seventh month...thirteen
young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs i n their
first year ... one male goat for a sin-offering, aside
from the continual-offering." (Bamidbar 29:12,13,16)

QUESTION: W h y besides the daily continual-offerings

and the one he-goat as sin-offering which were offered on
every holiday, were there an additional one hundred and
eighty-two offerings i n honor of Sukkot? (Seventy bulls,
fourteen rams, and ninety-eight lambs.)
ANSWER: In the Tur, Orach Chaim (417), the Beit Yosef
writes i n the name of his brother Rabbi Yehudah that the
three festivals Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot correspond to the
patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.
When the angels visited Avraham, he told Sarah, "Hurry!
Three se'ahs of meal, fine flour! Knead it and make cakes!"
(Bereishit 18:6). The visit took place on Pesach (see Rashi, ibid.
18:10), and the cakes she baked were actually matzot. Since it
was Pesach, he wanted her to prepare the dough herself to
guard against leavening (Alshich). Shavuot commemorates the
giving of the Torah and corresponds to Yitzchak because it
was heralded by the blast of the shofar, which came from the
ram which was offered i n his stead (Pirkei D'Rebbe Eliezer, 31).
Sukkot is for Yaakov, as the pasuk says, "Yaakov journeyed to
Sukkot and built himself a house and for his livestock he
made shelters, he therefore called the name of the place
'Sukkot' " (ibid. 33:12).
The name "Yaakov" has the numerical value of one
hundred and eighty-two. Since Sukkot is i n his honor, one
hundred and eighty-two sacrifices were offered.
(‫)פרדס יוסף החדש‬
 Simchat
Beit
Hashoeivah
290 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״ושאבתם מים בששון ממעיני הישועה״‬

"You shall d r a w water w i t h joy from the
wellsprings of deliverance." ( I s a i a h 12:3)
QUESTION: In the times of the Beit Hamikdash there were
nisuch hayayin — wine-libations — offered on the altar
throughout the year. On Sukkot there were also nisuch hamayim
— water-libations. The Gemara (Sukkah 48b) relates that there
was once a Sadducee (Tzedoki) Kohen who poured the water
libations over his feet whereupon all the people pelted h i m to
death w i t h their etrogim.
[The Sadducees accept only the Torah Shebiketav — Written
Torah — but deny the Torah Shebe'al Peh — Oral Torah. The
water-libation is not mentioned explicitly i n the Torah, but
only by an allusion, from which our Sages (see Ta'anit 3a)
derived the obligation.]
I f the Sadducees deny the principle of water-libation, that
particular Kohen should not have poured at all; why then did he
pour the water over his feet? Moreover, i f someone alters the
Temple-service, he incurs "death by the hand of Heaven," or
he is subject to the rule that "the zealous may attack him."
Why, was he pelted by "all the people?"
ANSWER: There are two basic approaches to serving
Hashem:
1) Ta'am vada'at — "reason (lit. "taste") and
understanding" — serving Hashem based upon rational
apprehension of the significance of a mitzvah and the
profundity of the divine revelation achieved by performing it.
2) Kabalat ol — absolute submission to perform the will of
Hashem regardless of whether the significance of the mitzvah is
understood.
Wine has a flavor, while water on its own does not.
Therefore, one must precede wine drinking w i t h a berachah
even i f one is not thirsty, while over water a berachah is made
only i f one drinks to quench thirst (Orach Chaim 204:7), as only
then will one enjoy the taste.
Wine and water are analogous to these two approaches to
serving Hashem. Wine represents the approach of ta'am vada'at
 SUKKOT 291

— comprehension — and water represents the approach of

kabalat ol — simple submission.
The Sadducee Kohen advocated serving Hashem based on
understanding and rejected the approach of doing mitzvot when
one has no idea what they accomplish. Consequently, this
Kohen venerated the wine libation throughout the year, but
scoffed at the water libation, pouring it over his feet instead of
the altar.
The message he implied was that only the simple people,
who are compared to feet and who have no minds of their
own, should serve Hashem based on kabalat ol, but intellectu¬
als should serve Hashem based on their understanding.
Moreover, his attitude was that being a Kohen i n the
Sanctuary and serving G-d, he did not need kabalat ol himself.
On the other hand, he poured the water over his feet to
indicate that he is a source for instructions to be obediently
accepted by the "six hundred thousand footmen of the people."
For this reason "all the people pelted h i m , " i.e., the simple
folks as opposed to the Kohanim. Those blessed w i t h
intellectual capacities may base their avodah on kabalat ol. As
intellectuals, however, they do not stress that reason by itself
is insufficient, and thus they will have a problem i n refuting
the argument that there is no need for kabalat ol and that
reason suffices by itself. The simple folks, however, hearing
the suggestion that there is no need for kabalat ol, sensed
immediately that this kind of attitude contradicts the divine
W i l l , and they pelted the Sadducee to death for his heretical
philosophy.
(425 ‫)לקו׳׳ש חייב ע׳‬

‫ מימיו״‬,‫ שמחד‬,‫ לא דאד‬,‫ שמחת בית השואגד‬,‫״מי שלא דאד‬

"He who did not see the rejoicing of Beit
Hasho'eivah, never s a w rejoicing in his lifetime."
(Sukkah 51a)

QUESTION: What was so special about the rejoicing of

Simchat Beit Hasho'eivah?
292 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: In describing the details of Simchat Beit

Hasho'eivah, the Gemara (Sukkah 51a) says that everyone —
men and women — would gather i n the Beit Hamikdash.
"There were golden candelabras fifty cubits high w i t h four
golden bowls for oil on top of each and four ladders to each.
Young Kohanim would climb up each ladder carrying a pitcher
containing thirty lug of oil...and when they l i t the lamps the
entire city of Jerusalem became illuminated. Heads of yeshivot,
members of the Sanhedrin, pious men, and men of good deeds
would clap, sing, and act joyously and the general populace
would come to watch and listen."
Indeed there are many simchot i n the Jewish community
where the setting is exquisite, the palate is treated to the
most sumptuous and exotic foods, the ears are regaled by the
most lively music, but still the simchah is incomplete. After
careful analysis, one can see the fragmentation of the
community. One cannot help but notice that not all segments
of the community are participating, and still others are
present as a result of coercion. The youth does not respect
the elders and the elders do not have a common language
w i t h the youth. The "simchah" may evoke anxiety and
apprehension rather than happiness and unity.
A t Simchat Beit Hasho'eivah the people who set the mood
were the rashei yeshivah, chassidim, and men of good deeds, and
the young illuminated the area under their tutelage and
guidance. Simchah i n which unity and respect are evident is
profound and true simchah.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬

‫ישוך היין״‬: - ‫ישוך המים‬:‫״‬

"Water and wine libations"

According to halachah (Rambam, Temidim Umusafim ch. 6)

"Nisuch hamayim kol shivah" — "the water libations were done
all seven days of Sukkot. Thus, on the first night of Sukkot
water was drawn for the morning libation. Nevertheless, the
 SUKKOT 293

enhanced simcha — joy — that accompanied the water

drawing started w i t h the second night (the night of Chol
Hamo'eid), when it was permissible to play musical
instruments.
A distinction between water libations and wine libations
was that the obligation for the wine libations commenced
after the sacrifices were brought and the water libations could
be done during the night prior to the sacrifices of the day.
This is because the water libations are chovot hayom — an
obligation connected w i t h the days of Yom Tov and
Halachically day starts at evening. Wine libations are chovot
hazevach — an obligation connected w i t h the sacrifices — and
since they can be offered only during daytime, the
requirement of the wine libations commences during the day
once the sacrifice is offered.
The rationale for this distinction is that wine is analogous
to the method of serving Hashem al pi ta'am v'da'at — based
on understanding — while water represents the kabolat ol —
serving Hashem through absolute submission (see p. 282).
A n avodah based on reason is possible only when there is
"light" i n the mind, when one properly understands and
feels. One can serve G-d w i t h "rational considerations" only
in that kind of condition. A n avodah of kabalat ol, however, is
possible even at night-time, even when there is no light
shining yet i n him: he disregards everything and accepts upon
himself the yoke of the Divine sovereignty.
Kabalat ol is the foundation of avodah. Nonetheless, the
intellect, too, must be submitted to G-dliness. A n avodah of
rational apprehension, however, can develop only after an
initial kabalat ol. That is why the libation of water (nisuch
hamayim) is the first thing [on Sukkot], applicable from the
very beginning of the festival, and only thereafter one can —
and must — undertake the avodah of rational apprehension,
i.e., nisuch hayayin (the libation of wine).
(‫ ועי׳ משך חכמה פ׳ פנחס‬425 ‫)לקוטי שיחות חייב ע׳‬
294 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״ומנחתם ונפביהם״‬
"And their meal-offerings and their libations."
(Bamidbar 29:18)

QUESTION: According to the Gemara (Ta'anit 2b) there

were water libations on the altar during the Sukkot festival
which are alluded to i n the portion discussing the Sukkot
offering through three extra letters which spell — "water."
1) On the second day, it is written "veniskeihem"
— "their libations," i n plural. The ‫ ״ ם ״‬is superfluous since for
plural it could have said "unesachehah" .
2) O n all the other days it is written "veniskah" — "its
libation" — i n singular . Only on the sixth day does it
say "unesachehah" — "its libations" — i n plural w i t h an added
.
3) Each day it says "kamishpat" — "as required" —
except that on the seventh day i t says "kemishpatam"
— " i n their requirements" — containing a superfluous ‫ ״ ם ״‬.
W h y were there water libations during the festival of
Sukkot?
ANSWER: According to some opinions, the Akeidah took
place on Yom Kippur. (See Rakanti and Seder Hadorot 2075.)
From Avraham's home to the land of Moriah was a three-day
journey (Bereishit 22:4); thus, Avraham returned from the
Akeidah on the 13th day of Tishrei. On that day he was
informed of Sarah's passing and Rivkah's birth.
Three years later, Avraham directed his faithful servant
Eliezer to seek a suitable wife for Yitzchak. Eliezer arrived in
the city of Aram Naharayim and planned to test the girls of
the city. The one whom he would ask for a drink of water and
who would also offer water for his camels would definitely be
good-natured and suitable to marry Yitzchak.
The day Eliezer arrived, he engaged Rivkah to be the wife
of Yitzchak, and at that time she was three years and three
days old (Mesechta Sofrim 21:9). Thus, this episode took place
on the fifteenth of Tishrei, the first day of Sukkot.
 SUKKOT 295

To commemorate the marriage of Yitzchak, which

resulted through an act of kindness performed w i t h water,
there are water libations on the altar during the festival of
S u k k o t .

(‫)הקדמת בן המחבר ״ידי משה״ על מדרש רבה‬

* * *
When Eliezer met w i t h Rivkah's family, he told them " I
came today to the spring" (Bereishit 24:42). The Gemara
(Sanhedrin 95a) says that he was telling them that although
the trip should have taken seventeen days, the earth
contracted, enabling h i m to come from Be'er Sheva to Aram
Naharayim i n less than one day.
W h y was it necessary for h i m to tell them this?
According to halachah there are limits to how much one
may walk on Shabbat and Yom Tov from the outskirts of a city.
Exempted from this restriction is a case i n which the earth
contracts (see Eiruvin 43a).
Since Eliezer arrived on Sukkot, i n order to avoid
suspicion for violating halachah he told them that the earth
contracted, facilitating his journey.
(‫ מי‬,‫ ויקרא כ׳׳ג‬,‫)פרדס יוסף‬

‫והאפי אל עמד באשד מת‬...‫ ומת גהר‬.‫ הר נבו‬,‫״עלה אל הר העברים הזד‬

‫אהרן אחיד גהר ההר ויאפו? אל עמיו״‬
"Ascend to this Mount of A b a r i m , Mount Nebo.
A n d die on the mountain where y o u w i l l ascend
and be gathered to your people, as A h a r o n your
brother died on Mount H o r , and w a s gathered
to his people." (Devarim 32:49-50)

QUESTION: The words "vehei'aseif el amecha" — "and be

gathered to your people" — are redundant since it already
says "umut behar" — "and die on the mountain." Also, the
words "vayei'aseif el amav" — "and he was gathered to his
people" — are redundant, since it says "meit Aharon" —
"Aharon died"?
ANSWER: Rashi says that when Moshe witnessed the
death of Aharon, he desired a similar death for himself and
296 VEDIBARTA BAM

said, "Lucky is the one who dies such a death." What was so
special about Aharon's death?
During the festival of Sukkot there are "Ushpizin" —
guests — who visit the sukkah. According to Kabbalists
(Arizal), Avraham comes on the first day, Yitzchak on the
second, Yaakov on the third, Moshe on the fourth, Aharon on
the fifth, Yosef on the sixth, and David on the seventh.
Aharon passed away on Rosh Chodesh Av (Bamidbar 33:38),
which always occurs on the same day of the week as the fifth
day of the festival of Sukkot when Aharon is the "Ushpizin."
Thus, the day of the week Aharon comes as a guest visiting
K'lal Yisrael is the same day of the week as his yahrtzeit.
Moshe desired a similar death. Namely, that the fourth
day of Sukkot when he visits the Sukkah should be the same
day of the week as his yahrtzeit, the seventh day of Adar.
The Yom Tov of Sukkot is known as "Chag Ha'asif — the
Festival of Ingathering" (Shemot 23:16). Hashem said to
Moshe, " I am going to grant you your wish. Go up on the
mountain and die, vehei'aseif el amecha" — "and be gathered to
your people." Hashem thus hinted that his yahrtzeit would be
on the same day of the week as his visit to his people i n the
Chag Ha'asif: "Just as Aharon your brother died on Hor Hahor
and vayei'aseif el amav — and the day of the week when his
yahrtzeit occurs is also the day of week when he comes as a
guest to his people during the Chag Ha'asif."
(‫ מונקאטש‬,‫)טעמי המנהגים בשם ספר שער יששכר‬
* * *
It is interesting to note that the fourth day of Sukkot is
always on the same day of the week as the Lag BaOmer
preceding it.
Reb Shimon bar Yochai possessed Moshe's neshamah.
Hence, when Moshe visits K'lal Yisrael on the fourth day of
Sukkot, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai accompanies h i m .
(‫)שער יששכר‬
Kohelet
298 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫נוהגין לומר ק ה ל ת בשבת של חול המועד או בשמיני עצרת א ם איקלע‬

— It is customary to read Kohelet on Shabbat of
Chol Hamo'eid or Shemini Atzeret i f it falls on Shabbat.
( r ‫ שו״ע אדמוה״ז סי׳ ת״צ סעי׳‬,‫)או״ ח סי׳ תרס״ד סעי׳ בי‬

It is not the prevailing Lubavitch custom to read Kohelet.

(‫)המלך במסיבו ח״א ע׳ רצ׳׳ו‬

‫״דגדי קהלת גן דוד מלך גידושלים הגל הגלים‬

‫אמד קהלת הגל הגלים הגל הגל״‬
"The words of K o h e l e t , son of D a v i d , K i n g of
J e r u s a l e m , futilities of futilities — said Kohelet
— futility of futility a l l is futile." (1:1-2)

QUESTION: W h y does Shlomo state his pedigree and

position at the outset of this book?
ANSWER: Generally, people do not like to hear rebuke.
When someone talks against striving for riches the listener
may retort, "What do you know about money; were you ever
wealthy?" Or upon hearing a speech against chasing after
glory and prominence the listener w i l l say to the rebuker,
"Who are you to speak about glory and prominence, after all
you are a very simple person." I f one w i l l talk negatively
about wisdom, people may say to h i m "Undoubtedly you are
not a wise person, so you don't appreciate wisdom."
Hence, Shlomo prefaced his comments by stating his
pedigree and accomplishment, as i f to say, " I am the richest
person i n the world (I Kings 10:21), the scion of a most
prominent father and the holder of the most glorious position
anyone could wish — Kingship. I have been universally
acclaimed as the wisest of all men. After reaching all these
heights, I am qualified to tell you that it's all folly. The only
thing of permanent value is the merit for fearing Hashem and
performing His mitzvot."
(‫י״א‬:‫)עי׳ מדרש רבה קהלת פ״ג‬
 SUKKOT 299

‫״והאלקים יבקש את כדדי״‬

" G - d a l w a y s seeks the pursued." (3:15)

QUESTION: Instead of "yevakeish et nirdaf" — "seeks the

pursued" — shouldn't it have said "ozeir et nirdaf" — assists
the pursued?
ANSWER: Not always is the one who claims that he is a
nirdaf — being pursued — an innocent victim. o f t e n he
provoked i t . Thus, before Hashem gets involved, he w i l l seek
out and conduct research to find out i f the person being
pursued is really a victim. I f he finds i t to be so, He w i l l come
to his aid.
(‫)ר׳ יהושע דיל מקוטנא‬
* * *
Once a chassid complained to the Tzemach Tzedek (Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, the third Lubavitcher
Rebbe) "Everyone i n the shul is stepping on me." The Tzemach
Tzedek wisely told h i m , " i f you wouldn't spread yourself out
over the entire shul, no one would step on you."

‫״ומותר האדם מן הבהמה אין בי הבל הגל״‬

"The pre-eminence of man over beast is naught,
for a l l is vanity." (3:19)

QUESTION: Instead of saying the "pre-eminence of man

over beast is ayin — naught" — he should have said "man is
not pre-eminent over beast."
ANSWER: The word ayin may be an acronym for a yiddish
nachas (‫)א יךיש נחת‬. King Shlomo is saying that the only time
man has pre-eminence over beast is when ayin — he has
yiddish nachas; otherwise all is vanity.
* * *
QUESTION: Why, when we wish a person "nachas" from
his children and grandchildren, do we emphasize Yiddishe or
chassidishe nachas?
ANSWER: Eisav had a grandchild named "Nachas"
(Bereishit 36:13). Therefore, when wishing someone "nachas,"
300 VEDIBARTA BAM

we emphasize that we are not referring, G-d forbid, to the

type of "nachas" Eisav had. We are referring to real "nachas,"
the kind which is derived from children and grandchildren
who grow up i n a Yiddish and chassidish way.
(‫)שמעתי מהרב רפאל דיל שטיין‬

‫״ושבח אני את המתים שבגד מתו מן החיים אשד המה חיים עדנה״‬
" I consider more fortunate the dead who have already
died t h a n the living who are s t i l l alive." (4:2)

QUESTION: Which wise man would rather be dead than

alive?
ANSWER: It is not uncommon for someone to be asked
to eulogize someone w h o m he never knew. King Shlomo at
times was also confronted w i t h this. Therefore he said,
"When I have to praise someone who has died w h o m I did
not know, I do it by looking at the living — his children and
family who survived him. From the fruit I can derive a good
sense of the quality of the tree.
* * *
Alternatively: In such an instance Shlomo would speak to
the living. Based on the way they would speak about the
deceased he would have a good idea about him.
(‫ לובלין‬- ‫)ר׳ מאיר דיל שפירא‬

‫״טובים השנים מן האחד אשד יש להם שבד טוב בעמלם״‬

" T w o are better t h a n one, for they get a greater
return for their labor." (4:12)

QUESTION: Isn't this common sense? What is the

'wisest of men' alluding to?
ANSWER: The Gemara (Bava Batra 9b) says that for giving
charity to the needy, a person merits six blessings. A n d for
saying comforting words i n addition, one receives an
additional eleven blessings, a total of seventeen.
 SUKKOT 301

There are some people who give charity without saying

encouraging words to the poor. O n the other hand, there are
those who verbally comfort the poor, but do not extend any
financial assistance. King Shlomo i n his wisdom is alluding
that "Tovim hashenayim" — "Two" — i.e. doing both — giving
and saying comforting words — is better "min ha'echad" —
than one — i.e. only giving or only saying words of comfort,
for there is "sachar tov" — a reward of seventeen berachot
( "tov" has the numerical value of seventeen)
"ba'amalam" — "for laboring both together."
(‫ בשם מהר״י דיל סוזין‬,‫ מסלתון‬,‫)בית יעקב‬

‫״טוב אשד לא תדור משתדוד ולא תשלם״‬

"Better that you do not vow at a l l
than you vow and not pay." (5:4)

QUESTION: The Torah states "When you make a vow

to Hashem you shall not be late i n paying i t " and " I f you
refrain from vowing you are not committing a sin." It also
states, "You shall observe and carry out what emerges from
your lips" (Devarim 23:22-24), so what added wisdom is
there i n King Shlomo's statement?
ANSWER: King Shlomo is directing his words to a
certain group of people who borrow money and "live i t up"
w i t h other people's money. To be able to continue their
deception, they publicly make impressive pledges to
charitable endeavors so that potential lenders w i l l consider
them rich and continue lending them money. Ultimately,
they go broke and the lenders who were deceived by their
charitable pledges end up not being paid.
To these borrowers King Shlomo says, "Tov asher tidor"
— "better that you do not vow at a l l " — do not make
pledges and use your charity as a means to deceive people to
lend you money. I f you don't have money, it is better that
you live modestly and don't make any vows to charity,
"mishetodir" — than making vows i n order to stealthily get
302 VEDIBARTA BAM

money from people and ultimately velo teshalem — you w i l l

not pay your debts to the kindhearted people who
generously gave you loans.
(‫)ברכת חיים בשם טל אורות‬

‫״טוב שם משמן טוב״‬

"A good name is better t h a n good oil." (7:1)

QUESTION: What is the comparison between a good

name and good oil?
ANSWER: Just as oil rises to the top when it is mixed
w i t h other liquids, the true possessor of a good name w i l l
always be "on top" — honored and respected by all. Even i f
an attempt w i l l be made to besmirch h i m and tarnish his
good reputation, ultimately he w i l l be vindicated and like
good oil he w i l l rise to the top. The false possessor of a good
name, like adulterated oil, w i l l sink down.
The upshot is that respect and reputation that is earned is
everlasting. I f it is bought or fought for, it w i l l ultimately
wane.

‫״טוב שם משמן טוב״‬

" A good name is better t h a n good oil." (7:1)

QUESTION: In what way is a good name better than good

oil?
ANSWER: The best of oils, i f it is used for kindling
purposes, still runs out: when all of it is absorbed by the
wick, the fire extinguishes and there is no light left. I f it is
used for aromatic purposes, e.g. perfume, ultimately its good
smell w i l l evaporate. A good name, once acquired, is
perpetual. It w i l l be w i t h the person throughout his entire
lifetime and even afterwards.
‫)אלשיח‬
 SUKKOT 303

‫״אמדתי אחבמה והיא דחוקה ממנו״‬

" I thought I w o u l d become w i s e ,
but it is beyond me." (7:23)

QUESTION: The Gemara (Yoma 14b) explains that w i t h

this Shlomo meant that despite his great wisdom he was
unable to explain the phenomenon of the Parah Adumah —
red heifer.
What gave Shlomo the idea that he could duplicate
Moshe's achievement and understand the concept of the red
heifer?
ANSWER: The first letters of the words ‫״ ל ט מ א מעפר שריפת‬
‫[" — ה ח ט א ת ״‬they shall take] for the impure person some of
the ashes of the burning purification animal" (Bamibdar
19:17) — can be arranged to spell ‫( ״שלמה״‬Shlomo). Since he
found an allusion to his name i n the portion that discusses
the red heifer, he assumed that w i t h proper diligence and as¬
siduous study he could understand its meaning and significance.
(‫ פני דוד‬- ‫)וזיד״א‬

‫״‬,‫״ומוצא אני מד ממוה אה האשד‬

"And I have discovered more bitter than death,
the woman." (7:26)

QUESTION: King Shlomo also said "matza ishah matza

tov" — "one who finds a wife has found goodness" (Proverbs
18:22); H o w can the two statements be reconciled?
ANSWER: When seeking a wife, some men place an
emphasis on extraneous matters such as money and yichus —
pedigree — while others put the entire emphasis on the
character of the woman herself. The Gemara (Kiddushin 70a)
speaks very disparagingly about marrying for money and
stresses the undesirable consequences that such marriages
produce. Likewise, to put the emphasis on yichus is also not
very wise. One should look for a woman who is G-d fearing
and possesses qualities which are the products of her
achievement.
304 VEDIBARTA BAM

In general the word "et" is considered superfluous, and

the Gemara (Pesachim 22b) relates that Shimon Ha'imsuni
would always analyze the purpose of this word, assuming
that it conveyed additional meaning. I n King Shlomo's two
diametrically opposite statements regarding women, the
word "ishah" appears once w i t h the word "et" and once by
itself.
W i t h his profound wisdom King Shlomo is teaching us
the following lesson: W h e n "matza ishah" — one found a
woman — i.e. one is simply attracted to the woman for her
intrinsic qualities, without seeking any extraneous matters,
such a marriage is "matza tov" — "a good find" — and w i l l be
a pleasant one all the years of the couple. However, "Umotze
ani mar mimavet et ha'ishah" — when the man did not choose
the woman for her own achievements, but "et ha'ishah" — her
extraneous possessions, such as money or pedigree — such a
marriage may be more bitter than death.
(‫)פרח לבנון‬

‫״וגם לא לחכמים לחם״‬

"Nor does bread come to the wise." (9:11)

QUESTION: W h y does Shlomo say "chachamim" — "the

wise" — i n plural, and not chacham — i n singular?
ANSWER: King Shlomo is offering some sound advice to
two who are negotiating between themselves.
When trying to consummate a deal, i f both sides are
stubborn i n their ways and each wants to be the chacham and
outsmart the other, a deal w i l l never be made. It is imperative
that one yield and let the other party think that he was the
smart one and that the one who yielded was not so smart.
Thus, lo lachachamim lechem — when each party insists on
being the chacham — the deal w i l l never close and both w i l l
not have bread from i t . If, however, only one is the "chacham"
and the other bends and permits himself to seemingly be
fooled somewhat — the deal w i l l be made and both of them
 SUKKOT 305

w i l l have "bread." This same also applies i n husband and wife

relations and negotiations.
(‫)פון אונזער אלטען אוצר‬

‫״לב חבט לימינו ולב בפיל לשמאלו״‬

" A w i s e man's heart is to his right, while the
heart of a fool is to his left." (10:2)

QUESTION: How could there be a biological difference

between a wise man and a fool as to the position of the heart?
ANSWER: A Rabbi once walked into the Beit Midrash one
Shabbat afternoon and noticed some students who were
engaged i n devarim beteilim — idle talk. The Rabbi went over
to their table and said to them, "The word Shabbat is an
acronym for ‫' — ׳שינה בשבת תענוג׳‬Studying [Torah] on Shabbat
is a delight.' It is also an acronym for ‫— ׳שנה בשבת תענוג׳‬
'Sleeping on Shabbat is a delight.' I f you are too tired to study
Torah, then partake of the other delight and you w i l l awake
refreshed and i n a spirit to study Torah further."
One of the students replied to the Rabbi, "The word
Shabbat is also an acronym for — 'Talking
(shemu'esen) on Shabbat is a delight.' " The Rabbi looked at
him w i t h disapproval and said, "King Shlomo says, 'A wise
man's heart is to his right, while a fool's is to his left'
(Ecclesiastes 10:2). Since this cannot be taken so literally, I
always wondered what he meant by this. Your remark makes
me realize that he meant the following: When the wise man
sees the 'shin' i n the word 'Shabbat,' he places the dot above it
on the right side and thus reads the acronym to indicate
either that learning on Shabbat or sleeping on
Shabbat is a delight. However, the fool places the dot on the
left side which makes the letter a sin and reads it as sichah
(‫' — )שיחה‬idle talk.' " The students quickly understood the
Rabbi's message and started learning diligently.
306 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״פוף רבד הבל נשמע את האלנןים ירא ואת מצותיו שמור״‬

"Ultimately a l l is known; fear G - d and observe
His commandments." (12:13)

QUESTION: Basically Shlomo's message is that "the bot¬

tom line is to fear G-d and observe His commandments;"
aren't the words "hakol nishma" — "all is heard" — superfluous?
ANSWER: It is the duty of a rabbi, teacher, or parent to
guide his congregants, students, and children i n the right
path. To meet this end, such a person gives many lectures on
various Torah matters, and especially issues i n which he sees
a need for improvement. The worst thing possible is for a
rabbi, teacher, or parent to be a hypocrite. The listener loses
respect for h i m and does not accept anything that he says,
even when it happens to be correct and sincere.
King Shlomo is advising rabbis, teachers, and parents "Sof
davar — the bottom line about your words — is that hakol
nishma — everything you say (about Torah and Yiddishkeit)
w i l l be listened to, [providing] et ha'Elokim yira ve'et mitzvotav
shemor — you, the preacher, practices fear of Hashem and
observance of His mitzvot."
(‫)פניני אבות‬
Shemini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
308 VEDIBARTA BAM

A W E D D I N G INVITATION

The solemn prayer of Yizkor is recited four times a year. It

is said on Pesach, Shavuot, Yom Kippur, and Shemini Atzeret.
Unlike our brethren who live i n Israel, we i n Diaspora
celebrate two days at the conclusion of Pesach, we celebrate
Shavuot for two days, and Shemini Atzeret consists of two days,
the first known as Shemini Atzeret and the second, Simchat
Torah. Usually Yizkor is recited on the final and last day of the
festival. Therefore i n Diaspora we recite it on the eighth day
of Pesach, and on the second day of Shavuot. When it comes to
Shemini Atzeret the pattern is changed. It is recited on the first
day — Shemini Atzeret — instead of the final day — Simchat
Torah.
There are various reasons given for this deviation, but
today I would like to share w i t h you an interpretation which
is somewhat novel. Tomorrow on the joyous day of Simchat
Torah we rejoice for Hashem's giving us the Torah. We will
read the portion of Berachah, which is the concluding portion
of the Torah. In it is the popular passage "Torah tzivah lanu
Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov" — "The Torah that Moshe
commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov"
which according to Gemara (Sukkah 42a) is traditionally
taught to a Jewish child as soon as he begins to speak.
The Gemara (Pesachim 49b) expounds homiletically that
the w o r d "morashah" — "heritage" — can be read as i f
it were spelled "me'orasah" (‫" — )מאורשה‬married" — meaning
that the Jewish people and the Torah are considered like
bride and groom. Thus, i n a sense, tomorrow when we
conclude the Torah and begin again reading from the
beginning and joyously dance w i t h the Torah, it is as though
we are celebrating the wedding day of Klal Yisrael. Just as a
chatan takes upon himself obligations to his kallah, likewise
we w i l l renew and take upon ourselves vows to guard the
Torah and keep it holy.
 SUKKOT 309

There is a custom of long standing that when either the

bride or groom have, G-d forbid, lost a parent, they go to the
cemetery to symbolically invite the deceased parent to be at
the wedding. Some even go to the extent of leaving a wedding
invitation at the gravesite. In some communities it is
customary to recite under the chuppah (before the ceremony
begins) the traditional mourners prayer of keil maleih
rachamim, which serves as formal way to invite and recognize
the presence of the deceased loved ones.
It, therefore, can be said that Shemini Atzeret is, so to
speak, the day before our marriage to the Torah, and the
reciting of Yizkor on this day is the extending of an invitation
to our departed parents and loved ones to join us i n the
celebration.
A wedding is a major undertaking, and people spend
enormous amounts of money to make sure that it all be
spectacular. The mechutanim are extremely concerned that
everybody who participates should be happy and leave w i t h
the impression that the kallah looked beautiful, the decor was
breathtaking, and the affair i n general was exquisite.
During the Yizkor, when we w i l l communicate w i t h the
beloved souls of those who are no longer w i t h us and invite
them to our wedding w i t h the Torah, we must bear i n mind
that they should not leave the affair disappointed. The only
way we can assure this is by promising them today that we
love the Torah, we cherish the Torah, and we w i l l do every¬
thing possible to remain married to it happily ever after.
310 VEDIBARTA BAM

Y I Z K O R — A JOYOUS OCCASION
Yizkor is recited four times a year; Pesach, Shavuot, Yom Kip-
pur, and Shemini Atzeret. It is not unusual for one to shed a tear
or be overcome w i t h emotion when this prayer is recited. The
memory of the beloved one who is no longer physically i n our
midst justifiably evokes i n one a feeling of sorrow and sadness.
In the Amidah (Shemoneh Esreih) and i n the Kiddush, when¬
ever we mention the Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeret, we describe it
as "zeman simchateinu" — "our season of rejoicing." I f so, the
compatibility of Yizkor prayer w i t h Shemini Atzeret is puzzling?
According to sociologists and psychologists, i n contempo¬
rary times we are suffering from what is termed a "generation
gap." The children do not respect the views of the parents
and write them off as antiquated i n their thinking and unable
to understand and comprehend modern society. Often,
parents come to Rabbis or professionals seeking their
assistance to bridge the gap and help create a mutual lan¬
guage between them and their children. One of the saddest
circumstances of society is that regardless how much a parent
does for his child, the child still does not demonstrate the
proper respect, appreciation, and gratitude to the parent.
The prayer of Yizkor has been termed by many as a
moment of communication. I n absolute solitude, the child
reminds himself of his beloved parent, recalling how he
misses h i m or her and contemplating the vacuum created
w i t h his or her departure. The greatest simchah and joy to a
parent is when his child thinks of h i m and wants to be spiri¬
tually reunited. Consequently, the highlight of simchah —
happiness and joy — is expressed i n the moment of Yizkor,
when child and parent communicate open heartedly w i t h
each other. Thus, it is a most appropriate prayer for Shemini
Atzeret — the season of rejoicing.
 SUKKOT 311

In the Yizkor prayer we mention the fact that we w i l l be

making a pledge to charity. There is a story told (Yalkut
Shim'oni, Ruth 607) regarding a chassid who lost his fortune
and was compelled to labor as a hired hand. o n e day Eliyahu
came to h i m i n the guise of an Arab and told h i m he would
be blessed w i t h six prosperous years. He also had the option
to enjoy them at once or at the end of his days. The chassid
consulted w i t h his wife, who was a wise and pious woman,
and she chose to accept this heavenly gift at once. Eliyahu
kept his promise and they found a treasure which enriched
them. The woman decided to share her wealth by giving
money to tzedakah each day, and asked her son to keep a
record.
After six years Eliyahu returned and told the chassid that
the riches must be returned as agreed. The chassid told him, " I
originally took it only w i t h my wife's consent, and I w i l l give
it up only w i t h her consent." When he approached his wife
and told her that the old man came to take back his treasure,
she took out the record of their tzedakot and told her husband
to tell him, " I f you can find people more trustworthy than us,
then by all means give them this wealth for safekeeping."
Hashem agreed that they had been faithful stewards, and He
allowed them to keep their wealth.
Fortunately, many of American Jewry have been blessed
w i t h G-d's bounty. Let us demonstrate that we are worthy of
keeping it by giving generously to tzedakah.
312 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״ביום השמיני עצרת תדדה לבם״‬

"The eighth day shall be a restriction for you."
(Bamidbar 29:35)

QUESTION: After celebrating Sukkot for eight days,

Hashem added Shemini Atzeret because "kasheh alai
peridatchem" — "your going away (lit. 'separation') is difficult
for me" (Rashi).
It should have said "kasheh alai peridateinu" — "Our
parting is difficult for me"?
ANSWER: On a holiday people are relaxed, i n good
spirits, and i n harmony one w i t h another. When Jews are
united and live i n peace, Hashem takes delight i n His people.
During the week, however, when people are involved i n the
hustle of their day-to-day life, they often come into conflict.
After observing the Jewish people celebrating eight days
of harmonious living, Hashem added another day, saying:
"Kasheh alai peridatchem — It is difficult for me to see the
separation and disunity among you when you are busy w i t h
your weekday business. Therefore, let us have one more day
of Yom Tov."
(‫)פון אונזער אלטען אוצר‬
* * *
The Gemara (Shabbat 31a) relates that a gentile came to
the great sage Hillel asking to be converted on the condition
that he teach h i m the entire Torah while he stood "al regal
achat" — "on one foot." Hillel responded, "That which is
hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. This is the entire
Torah, the rest is but elaboration." (What precisely is deemed
hateful to others and should be avoided — Rashi.)
W h y did the gentile make such a strange condition?
In Torah, the holidays are called "regalim" (Shemot 23:14)
because of the mitzvah of making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem by
foot. (See Rabbeinu Bachya and Chagigah 3 a.) The Gemara
 SUKKOT 313

(Sukkah 47a) says about Shemini Atzeret that it is "Kegel bifnei

atzmo" — "a separate holiday" — independent of Sukkot.
The gentile, before deciding to convert, studied Torah and
was quite familiar w i t h our holidays, traditions, etc. After
comprehending the beauty of Torah, he made his decision to
convert. One thing, however, bothered h i m : what is the
significance of the "regel" — "holiday" — of Shemini Atzeret?
He knew the reason for celebrating Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh
Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, but saw no rationale for
Shemini Atzeret.
Therefore, he said to Hillel metaphorically, " I am
prepared to convert, but first you must clear up an enigma
bothering me. Teach me all there is to know 'al regel achat' —
about 'the holiday of Shemini Atzeret' — which I am trying to
'stand on,' i.e. understand, but for which the Torah does not
give any reason."
Hillel replied that Shemini Atzeret was given to the Jews
because Hashem said, "Kasheh alai peridatchem." Simply
explained, this means that Hashem is distressed by the leave-
taking between H i m and the Jewish people after Sukkot.
However, precisely explained, the word "predatchem" means,
"Your separation. This can be understood as a reference to
dissension between Jews themselves which is avoided by not
doing unto others what you would not like to be done unto
you. Hashem is saying, "Your separation [among yourself] is
difficult unto me. I cannot bear to witness strife and
animosity between you. Therefore, celebrate this one more
day i n unity, and may it evoke a spirit of unity w i t h i n you for
the entire year." Thus, the essence of this regel — holiday —
is to foster unity and Ahavat Yisrael among the Jewish people.
(‫)ר׳ ישראל זצ״ל מרוזין‬
314 VEDIBARTA BAM

SIMCHAT T O R A H

E V E R Y O N E HAS A R I G H T TO REJOICE

On Simchat Torah we conclude the annual cycle of reading

the Torah i n public and start anew from Bereishit. This
milestone is celebrated w i t h much joy and festivity, and all
Jews, men and women, young and old, learned and illiterate,
participate. One may wonder, w i t h what justification does the
one who did not learn Torah throughout the year rejoice on
Simchat Torah?
A popular explanation offered to this query is the
following: A scholar who once witnessed an ignorant and
non-observant Jew dancing and singing w i t h all his strength
on Simchat Torah, asked h i m , "Why are you rejoicing so
much? D i d you involve yourself w i t h the Torah study
throughout the entire year?" The man i n all sincerity replied,
"While you are right that I was remiss i n my involvement
w i t h Torah throughout the year; nevertheless, i f I am invited
to my brother's wedding, isn't it appropriate for me to dance
and sing? Thus, though my brother is really the ba'al simchah
today, I am actively rejoicing w i t h h i m . "
As intriguing as this explanation may be, it is somewhat
lacking, since after all, Simchat Torah is everyone's simchah and
everyone is a ba'al simchah and not just a stranger attending a
relative's affair.
The processions w i t h the Torah are called "hakafot."
Superficially the name "hakafot" originated from the fact that
we circle around the bimah and it is from the same root as the
word "makif" which means "circling around." However, the
previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak
Schneersohn, offers a more profound explanation of the word
"hakafot." He says that it means, "the extension of credit" as
we say i n Pirkei Avot (3:16), "Vehachenvani makif" — "the
 SUKKOT 315

shopkeeper extends credit." When one applies for credit and

is notified that his application has been accepted he is indeed
very happy. Likewise, on Simchat Torah, the "shopkeeper" —
Hashem — says to every Jew, " I give you permission to
rejoice w i t h M y Torah though your record for Torah study
and observance for the past year may not be exactly up to par,
but dance today on credit, because I trust that you w i l l make
good during the coming year." When Hashem personally
extends the Jew credit, his joy is overwhelming.
* * *
In some editions of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (138:7) i t is
stated that "on the night of Simchat Torah i n some
communities there is a custom to read Parshat Nedarim." In
the English versions this is translated as, "The portion
dealing w i t h vows (Bamidbar 32)." What connection does this
have w i t h Simchat Torah?
Actually, the custom of reading a special Torah portion on
the night of Simchat Torah is mentioned i n Shulchan Aruch
(Orach Chaim 669). The Rama writes that i n the evening we
read from the Sefer Torah, "hanedarim shebatorah." This does
not mean vows, however, but the portions for which people
make nedarim — pledges to charity — to receive the honor to
be called to the Torah, such as the berachot of Yitzchak, the
berachah of Yaakov to Yosef, (Bereishit 48:16), the priestly
blessing, etc., (see Mishnah Berurah, ibid.). Obviously, some
prints of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch read "Parshat Nedarim" —
instead of "Parshiyot Nedarim" — and this led the translators
to translate it as "the portion of vows" instead of "the
portions for which pledges [of charity] are made."
In light of the above explanation that "hakafot" means the
extension of a loan, it may be appropriate to read the portion
of vows to remind the Jew that when Hashem gives one
credit, he must honor his pledge to study Torah during the
coming year and keep his credit rating i n good standing w i t h
Hashem.
(‫ ושרית תירוש ויצהר סי׳ ק׳׳ז‬,‫)עי׳ ילקוט הגרשוני אריח סי׳ תרס״ט‬
316 VEDIBARTA BAM

SIYUM

...‫ לעיני בל ישראל‬,‫ משד‬,‫״ולבל המורא הגדול אשר עשר‬

‫בראשית ברא אלנןים״‬
" A n d a l l the awesome power that Moshe performed
before the eyes o f a l l I s r a e l . . . I n the beginning of
G-d's creating." (Devarim 34:12, Bereishit 1:1)

QUESTION: O n Simchat Torah, as soon as we conclude

the reading of Devarim, we immediately start anew from Berei-
shit, to demonstrate that Torah is like a circle; i t has no end
and no beginning. To accentuate this, it is customary to con¬
nect the final words of Devarim w i t h the first words of
Bereishit.
What message can be derived from this connection?
ANSWER: One connection between the beginning and
the end o f the Torah can be understood according to a fa¬
mous story related i n the Gemara (Megillah 9a). The Egyptian
king, Ptolemy I I (3476-3515 or 246-285 BCE) commanded
72 Torah Sages to translate the W r i t t e n Torah into Greek.
He placed them i n separate rooms, where they would be
unable to communicate w i t h each other. By placing them i n
solitary confinement, he hoped to demonstrate that their
separate translations would reflect many differences of
opinion, proving that the Torah is not Divine i n origin (G-d
forbid).
Hashem inspired them all to produce the exact same
translation, known among non-Jews to this day as the Sep-
tuagint, from the Greek w o r d meaning "seventy." A l l 72
Sages made certain identical changes from the literal mean¬
ing of the Torah i n several places to forestall possible
misunderstandings by non-Jews seeking to confirm their
own mistaken beliefs.
One of these changes was at the beginning of the Torah,
in the words, "Bereishit bara Elokim." The Sages were worried
that non-Jews, seeking to prove that our Torah substantiates
their belief i n the existence of more than one god, would try
 SUKKOT 317

to bring proof that some other god called "Bereishit" created

G-d!
Therefore, all the Sages individually reversed the order
of these words to read, "Elokim bara bereishit" — "G-d cre¬
ated i n the beginning." This shows that G-d is but one, and
He was the First Being and the sole Creator o f the world
and all other beings.
This change, however, was only for the sake of non-
Jews, whose mistaken beliefs could bring them to a false in¬
terpretation of the verse. But when Hashem commanded
Moshe to write down the words of Torah that He taught
him, He knew that the Jewish people would not misinter¬
pret these words. He, therefore, told Moshe to write them i n
their true order. (Many profound meanings lie i n the order
of the Torah's words and letters.)
This, then, is the connection between the very first
words of the Torah and its last phrase: "Le'einei kol Yisrael"
— "before the eyes of all Israel" (Devarim 34:12). Hashem
told Moshe that "le'einei kol Yisrael" — "before the eyes of all
Israel," [he should write] "Bereishit bara Elokim," and there is
no need to reverse the order of the words, since the Jewish
people believe i n only one G-d, and that He alone created
everything.

‫״‬.‫ בראשית״‬...‫״לעיני בל ישראל‬

"Before the eyes of a l l I s r a e l ... I n the
beginning."

QUESTION: What message is Hashem conveying by His

ending the Torah w i t h the letter lamed and starting it w i t h the
letter beit?
ANSWER: The final letter of the Torah,‫)ישראל( ׳׳ל׳׳‬, and the
opening letter, , spells the word "leiv" —
"heart." This alludes to what our Sages say (Sanhedrin 106b),
"Hashem desires the heart" i.e., righteousness, as it is written,
"Hashem sees into the heart" (I Samuel 16:7)
318 VEDIBARTA BAM

The message implied is that Hashem does not judge

people merely by the extent of their Torah scholarship, but
rather by the righteousness and devotion to H i m that is i n
their heart.
(‫)בוצינא דנהורא‬
* * *
A n additional profound message conveyed by the Torah
ending w i t h a lamed and starting w i t h a beit is the following.
The letters of the alef-beit preceding beit and lamed are alef
and chaf which spells the word ach £‫)אך‬. The letters that follow
beit and lamed are gimmel and mem which spells the word gam
(‫)גם‬. The Gemara (Yerushalmi Berachot 9:7) says that all gam is
lerabot to include additional and all ach is lema'et — to limit and
exclude.
Thus, the Torahs ending and starting w i t h the letters lamed
and beit alludes to what our Sages said i n (Menachot 11a) that
echad hamarbeh ve'echad hamamit ubilvad sheyechaven libo
lashamayim — one who does more is the same as one who does
less, as long as his heart is directed to Heaven.
° (‫)ר׳ עקיבא דיל איגר‬
 Minhagim —
Customs
Binding the Lulav
Shehechiyanu — Kiddush
Shehechiyanu — Lulav
Tehillim — Hoshana Rabbah
Lulav Rings
Biting off Pitom
Simchat Torah
320 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫ לאגדו״‬,‫״לולב מצוד‬
"It is a mitzvah to bundle the lulav w i t h the
hadassim and aravot." (Sukkah 33a)
QUESTION: H o w many rings should be placed on the
lulav?
ANSWER: The Shulchan Aruch Harav (651:11) writes " I t is
customary to make three bundlings (ties) on the lulav,
corresponding to the three Patriarchs. I.e., i n addition to the
ring which bundles the three species together, (because the
Torah (Shemot 15:2) states 'This is my G-d and I shall
beautify him,' ibid. 2) two ties (rings) are made to bundle the
lulav leaves to the spine."
But don't we make three rings just for bundling the
species together?
The three rings for bundling the species are all made
w i t h i n a tefach handbreadth. Thus, we apply the rule of lavud
— attached — so the three rings are considered as one.
But why do we make what appears as five rings but which
halachically is counted as three?
It says i n Pirkei Avot (3:6) "From where do we learn that
the Divine Presence rests among five that occupy themselves
w i t h Torah? For it is said 'va'agudato al eretz yesadah — He has
founded His band upon the earth' " (Amos 5:6). According to
another version, this pasuk is proof that the Divine Presence
is w i t h three who are occupied i n Torah. Because three is
considered agudah — banding together (see Bartenura).
In deference to the opinions whether an agudah —
bundling — is three or five, we make five rings which are
considered as three, corresponding to the Patriarchs.
(‫ חיים וברכה לבעמ״וז ספר משמרת שלום על פמ״ג סי׳ רפ״וז‬,‫)שו״ע סי׳ תרנ״א סעי׳ א׳ ט״ז‬

‫״גליל דאשון של שובות אומדים תחילה לישג בסוכה ואח״ג שהחיינו״‬

" O n the first night of Sukkot, w e say first leishev
basukkah and afterwards shehechiyanu."

QUESTION: When we make Kiddush the first night of

Sukkot, why is the berachah of leishev basukkah made first and
 SUKKOT 321

then shehechiyanu, while on the second night the order is

reversed?
ANSWER: Biblically, the Yom Tov of Sukkot is to be
celebrated one day — the fifteenth of Tishrei. The new month
would be established by Beit Din on the testimony of witness
who saw the new moon, and then messengers were
dispatched to inform the public. The communities of Israel
and the Diaspora that would not be reached by m i d month,
celebrated Yom Tov for two days out of doubt as to which day
was the 15th. Though we now have a pre-calculated calendar,
we continue the "custom of our parents" and observe Yom
Tov two days.
A shehechiyanu is recited at a time of joy, e.g. a Yom Tov or
over a mitzvah which is applicable only at a certain time
during the year, e.g. shofar, reading megillah, etc. Since there
was a time when a real doubt existed concerning which day
was actually Yom Tov (the 15th of Tishrei) the berachah of
shehechiyanu must be recited each night together w i t h the
Kiddush which ushers i n the Yom Tov. A person cannot rely on
the fact that he said it on the first night of Yom Tov since it is
possible that it may not have been the fifteenth of Tishrei i f
the new month were established on the testimony of witness.
However, the Gemara (Sukkah 46a) says, "One who makes a
sukkah for himself, says shehechiyanu. When he enters the sukkah
during the Yom Tov to sit in it, he says the blessing of leishev
basukkah." Nowadays, we do not recite the shehechiyanu upon
building the sukkah, rather it is done over the Kiddush cup.
Hence, on the first night the shehechiyanu is both for the
Yom Tov and the sukkah, and therefore it is recited after we
make the berachah of leishev basukkah. On the second night
there is no longer a need to make a shehechiyanu over the
sukkah, since even i f the first night were not Yom Tov one is
yotzi — has fulfilled the obligation — even i f the shehechiyanu
were made before Yom Tov upon completion of the erection of
the sukkah. Therefore, since the shehechiyanu on the second
night is only for the Yom Tov (in the event that the first night
322 VEDIBARTA BAM

was not 15 Tishrei) and not for the mitzvah of sukkah, the
shehechiyanu is recited immediately after the Kiddush.
(‫)שו׳׳ע סי׳ תרמ״א וסי׳ חרס״א‬

‫ וגיוס שני אינו מברך זמן‬,‫״גיוס ראשון מ ג י ד על נטילת לולג ושהחיינו‬

‫״‬.‫אא״ג חל יום ראשון גשגת‬
" O n the first day we recite the berachot al netilat lulav
and shehechiyanu, on the second day shehechiyanu is
not recited unless the first day w a s Shabbat."
QUESTION: W h y is shehechiyanu recited both nights in
Kiddush and only the first day of Yom Tov for taking the lulav
and etrog?
ANSWER: Yom Tov is a joyous occasion which comes from
time to time, and thus a shehechiyanu must be recited. Since
there is a doubt which day is actually Yom Tov (the 15th of
Tishrei), it is recited both nights together w i t h Kiddush.
Halachically, however, the shehechiyanu over the lulav may
be made even before Yom Tov when one prepares (binds
together the lulav w i t h the species], but it has become
traditional to make the berachah when the lulav is taken to
fulfill the mitzvah (see Sukkah 46a, Shulchan Aruch 644, Magen
Avraham). Thus, there is no need to make this berachah twice,
since either way [even i f the first day is a weekday and not
Yom Tov] one fulfilled the obligation of reciting the
shehechiyanu for the lulav.
(‫ מגן אברהם‬,‫)שו׳׳ע סי׳ תרס״ב‬

‫״אומרים תהלים גליל הושענא רגה אחר חצות״‬

" O n Hoshana Rabbah after midnight,
Tehillim i s recited."
QUESTION: W h y necessarily after midnight?
ANSWER: According to the Zohar (Vayikra 103b) we
welcome Ushpizin — guests — to our sukkah. These guests are
Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aaron, Yosef and David.
Each day of Sukkot another of these guests leads the others
into the sukkah. Thus, Hoshana Rabbah, the seventh day, is the
day of King David.
 SUKKOT 323

The Gemara (Berachot 3b) says that David did not sleep at
night. Until midnight he would be involved i n words of
Torah; henceforth, he strengthened himself like a lion and
occupied himself w i t h singing and praises to Hashem. (When
he would sleep, he would be careful to only doze off for less
than 60 human respirations, see Sukkah 26b).
Since on Hoshana Rabbah David is the primary guest, and
he compiled the Tehillim which contains the songs and praises
he would say to Hashem after midnight, we too recite the
Tehillim on Hoshana Rabbah after midnight.
(‫׳ סעי׳ ט׳׳ז‬1 ‫)טעמי המנהגים בשם מחזה אברהם ועי׳ שו״ע אדמוה״ז מהדו״ק סי׳‬

‫ מסירים שתי הבדיבות אשד על הלולב״‬- ‫״בהושענא דגה קודם הלל‬

" O n Hoshana Rabbah, before Hallel, the two
(top) rings are removed from the lulav."
(Sefer Haminhagim-Chabad)

QUESTION: W h y necessarily these two rings?

ANSWER: In the Torah (Vayikra 23:40) the lulav is called
"kapot temarim" — "branches of date palms." The word
"kapot" (‫ )כפית‬can also be read as "kafut" (‫ )כפות‬which means
"tied up." The Gemara (Sukkah 32a) derives that the leaves of
the lulav must be fresh (soft) so that they can be tied to the
lulav spine. Thus, to firmly tie the leaves to the spine it is
customary to place to rings on the lulav itself (see Rav
Shulchan Aruch 651:11).
Now, i n the Torah, the word "kapot" is written without a
vav (‫)כפית‬. Since the letter vav has the numerical value of six,
we take the lacking vav as an indication that the requirement
of kafut — tied up — is an imperative only during the six days
of Sukkot and not the seventh — Hoshana Rabbah.
(1368 ‫ ועי׳ לקו״ש ח״ד ע׳‬,‫)לבוש סי׳ ונרס״ד סעי׳ אי‬

‫״יש נשים מעוברת שנוהגת ליטול הביטום של האתרוג גהו״ר״‬

"Some pregnant women have a custom to bite off the
pitom of the etrog on Hoshana Rabbah [after davening]."
QUESTION: What is the significance of this?
324 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: According to the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah

15:7) the forbidden fruit that Chavah ate and also gave to
Adam was an etrog. As a punishment, from then on, she and
all womanhood would have to suffer pain i n childbirth.
The etrog is an edible tasty fruit and has a good aroma.
The pitom, however, is a hard inedible piece of wood w i t h no
aroma. By biting off the pitom the woman is declaring that she
disagrees w i t h Chavah and wants absolutely no pleasure from
the etrog.
The Gemara (Sotah 12a) says that righteous women of all
generations were not affected by Chavah's verdict that
womankind should suffer pain i n childbirth. Therefore, by
disassociating herself from Chavah's iniquity, she prays to
Hashem that He grant her a childbirth without pain and
complications.
(‫)אוצר כל מנהגי ישרון בשם ספר זכירה ועי׳ בנטעי גבריאל פרק פ׳ ס׳׳ז‬

‫״שמחת תודה״‬
"Simchat Torah"

QUESTION: Simchat Torah literally means the Simchah of

the Torah — is it our simchah or her simchah?
ANSWER: In Hebrew a son is called "ben" from the root
of boneh — builder — because he continues to build that
which his father started.
A very sad day i n a person's life is when he must sell a
large thriving business to a stranger because his only son has
no interest i n continuing the business. Through our dancing
and rejoicing we demonstrate our love for Torah and that it is
very dear to us. Thus, Simchat Torah — Torah is immensely
happy when she sees the cherish and love her children, the
Jewish people, have for her.
Shabbat
Bereishit
326 VEDIBARTA BAM

‫״בראשית ברא אלנןים״‬

" I n the beginning of G-d's creating..." (1:1)
QUESTION: 1) The Hebrew alef-beit starts w i t h the letter
alef, why does the Torah start w i t h the letter beit?
2) Why, when the 72 Sages translated the Torah for the
Egyptian King, Ptolemy I I (3476-3515) into Greek (known as
the Setugint — see Megillah 9a), did they reverse the order of
the words to read "Elokim bara bereishit" — "G-d created i n the
beginning" — thus starting Torah w i t h an alef?
ANSWER: The prophet Jeremiah (9:11,12) says i n the
Name of Hashem that "the Jews lost the land because of their
forsaking My Torah." The Gemara (Nedarim 81a) explains that
it does not mean literally that they abandoned Torah; rather,
"shelo barchu baTorah techilah" — "they did not recite the
blessing on the Torah first."
The Bach (Orach Chaim 47) opines that the Gemara does
not mean that they actually did not recite the blessing before
studying Torah. Rather, it means that though they indeed
studied Torah and recited the proper blessing beforehand,
nevertheless, their attitude and approach to Torah study was
faulty: They studied Torah merely as knowledge and lacked
true intent of studying Torah. When Torah is studied
properly, the person's soul becomes firmly attached w i t h the
spiritual holiness of the Torah and its Giver, and the
Shechinah — Divine Presence — is drawn down into this
world elevating the person's soul to a higher level.
This means that there are two aspects i n Torah study:
1) The actual study and effort to properly understand it and
profoundly comprehend it. 2) The attachment and unification
it creates between the studier and the Giver of Torah —
Hashem. This aspect is indicated by the wording of the
blessing "venatan lanu et Torato" — "He gave us His Torah."
Torah contains His holiness and His infinite wisdom, which is
much above our humanly limited seichel — understanding.
The alef — first — and primary way to study is to first
(even before actual study) submit and attach oneself to the
 SHABBAT BEREISHIT 327

essence of Torah which is above our comprehension.

Afterwards comes the beit — secondary — purpose, that is, the
endeavor to study and comprehend Torah according to one's
endowed human faculties. Hence, the actual text of the Torah
starts w i t h a beit to emphasize that the actual study to
comprehend is secondary, and i t must be preceded by the
prerequisite alef — the preparatory step of recognizing the
holiness and spirituality of Torah, and the intent to achieve
the exalted unification between man and G-d which is
accomplished through its study.
The abovementioned applies only to the Jewish people, as
indicated i n the berachah over Torah: "He selected us from
among all nations, and gave us His Torah. However, regarding
a gentile, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 59a) says " A n idolator who
engrosses himself i n Torah study is liable death" (see
Rambam, Melachim 10:9).
The only Torah he is permitted to study is what relates to
h i m to assure his proper observance of the seven Noachide laws.
But the concept of Torah as a means to connect oneself w i t h the
wisdom and holiness of Hashem is not relevant to him.
Hence, for King Ptolemy the Sages translated Torah as it
pertains to a Noachide, and for h i m they started it w i t h an
alef because what is secondary to us i n Torah study (study
merely for sake of knowledge of how and what to do), is
primary to h i m and the only permitted form of study.
(‫)לקוטי שיחות חט׳׳ו‬

‫״יהי אוד״‬
" L e t there be light" (1:3)

QUESTION: When Hashem said "yehi ohr" — "let there

be light," to what light was referring, and to what was he
alluding?
ANSWER: The original light Hashem created was
extremely powerful; one could see w i t h it from one end of the
world to the other. Reflecting upon the wickedness of man,
Hashem hid the light for the future, when Mashiach w i l l
328 VEDIBARTA BAM

reveal himself (Chagigah 12a). Thus, it is known as the "ohr

haganuz" — "hidden light." According to the Midrash
(Tanchuma, Parshat Noah 3) it was hidden i n the Torah to
benefit those who toil i n the Oral Torah day and night.
* * *

The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 2:4) says that the phrase

"And darkness [on the face of the abyss (1:2)]" symbolizes
Greece, which darkened the eyes of the Jewish people w i t h its
decrees, ordering Israel "write on the horn of an ox that you
have no portion i n the G-d of Israel." The Syrian-Greeks led
by Antiochus requested from the Jews a public disclaimer of
Hashem and Torah and Mashiach.
When the miracle of the kindling of the Menorah took
place i n the days of the Hasmoneans, Hashem revealed a
semblance of the great ohr haganuz — hidden light — which
w i l l radiate i n full glory i n the Messianic Era.
Immediately following the verse, "and darkness [was on
the face of the abyss], the Torah says, "And G-d said "yehi
ohr" — "let there be light" (1:3). The word "ohr" — "light" —
is the twenty fifth word of the Torah. Moreover, the word
"yehi" — "let there be" — numerically adds up to twenty
five. Hence, the words "yehi ohr" are alluding that the
darkness caused by the Greeks w i l l be illuminated w i t h the
light (of the Menorah), which w i l l be kindled by the Jews on
t h e 2 5 t h [ o f isle ].
K V (‫הגר׳א‬-‫)מהריל‬

Incidentally, every Chanukah when the Menorah is kindled,

there is a revelation of that great light i n this mudane world.
Therefore, the festival is called "Chanukah," because on it
Hashem provides chinuch to the Jewish people. He prepares
and educates them about the great hidden light by giving a
foretaste on Chanukah of that illumination which they w i l l
merit to enjoy speedily i n the days of Mashiach. , { 1 3 m m ‫) ב ] י‬

It is interesting to note that according to the above that i n

the beginning of Bereishit there is an allusion to Chanukah, it is
 SHABBAT BEREISHIT 329

particularly appropriate to read Parshat Bereishit at the

conclusion of the Sukkot-Shemini Atzeret festival, and the first
Shabbat afterwards, since Chanukah is the next festival after
Sukkot. I n fact it has a connection to Sukkot, and i n the Torah
portion concerning the festivals, Chanukah is alluded to
immediately after Sukkot. (See Baal Haturim Vayikra 24:2, and
Vedibarta Bam, Chanukah p. 124.)

‫״ויעש אלקים את הרקיע״‬

" G - d made the firmament." (1:7)
QUESTION: The Midrash Rabbah (4:6) says that i t does
not say "ki tov" — "that it was good" — concerning the
second day is because i n it schism was created, as it is
written, "and let it separate between water and water."
But on the first day there was also division, as it says,
"and G-d separated between the light and the darkness"
(1:4), and nevertheless i t says "ki tov" — "and it was good"?
ANSWER: Light and darkness are opposite and
contrasting entities. Separating them is necessary and i n
proper order, lest there w i l l be confusion. The firmament,
however, separated between two things that are alike —
water and water.
Separating between two similar things, e.g. people who
are friends or members of a family, is schism and is not good.
However, demarcation between two opposites, light and
darkness, i.e. right and wrong, truth and falsehood, etc., is
essential and considered good.

‫״לא טוב היות האדם לכדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו״‬

"It is not good that man be alone:
I w i l l make him a helper against him." (2:18)

QUESTION: The word "eizer" — "helper" — and the

word "kenegdo" — "against h i m " — are contradictory
concepts. H o w can one be a helper who is a friendly ally, and
yet also be against the person he is helping?
330 VEDIBARTA BAM

ANSWER: Due to this obvious difficulty, the Gemara

(Yevamot 63a) explains that the pasuk is describing two
different situations: "zachah — i f he merits, the wife w i l l be —
eizer — a helper, lo zachah — i f he does not merit, the wife
w i l l be — kenegdo" — against him, to wage war, i.e., to
oppose h i m .
Accordingly, marriage is very speculative and there is a
fifty-fifty chance that the wife w i l l be an adversary rather than
a helper to h i m . I f so, why does the Torah encourage
marriage?
A truly devoted wife is not one who always agrees and
assists her husband i n whatever he does. A t times it is her
responsibility to oppose her husband and prevent h i m from
doing things which she perceives as erroneous or unethical. It
is her obligation to oppose h i m and try to restrain h i m i n
such instances, and i n reality this is the greatest assistance
and help she could give her husband.
Thus, the pasuk is telling us, "zachah" — i f the husband
merited — to live an upright life and conduct himself i n a
commendable way, then "eizer" — his wife w i l l be a helper —
she w i l l be a source of encouragement and assist h i m i n every
way to be able and continue i n this path. However, i f "lo
zachah" — he did not merit — to conduct himself properly,
and is on the wrong path going astray i n his relationship w i t h
Hashem or between man and man, she w i l l then be,
"kenegdo," against h i m — oppose h i m and endeavor to deter
him from doing destructive and harmful things.
Hence, regardless of his situation, the man stands to
benefit from his eishet chayil — woman of valor — and
therefore the Torah encourages marriage because i t is a no
lose situation for the man.
(‫)דודאי ראובן עה״ת ר׳ ראובן דיל כ״ץ מפתח תקוה‬
 SHABBAT BEREISHIT 331

‫׳ אלנןים תרדמה על האדם ויישן וינןח אחת מצלעתיו ויפגר בשד תחתכד‬,‫״ויבל ד‬
‫׳ אלנןים את הצלע אשר לקח מן האדם לאשר״ ויביאה אל האדם״‬,‫ויגן ד‬
"Hashem G - d cast a deep sleep upon the man and
he slept, and He took one of his sides and He
closed flesh in its place. A n d G - d built the side
that He had t a k e n from the man into a woman, and
He brought her to the man." (2:21,22)
QUESTION: Undoubtedly, the deep sleep he cast on the
man was some form of anesthesia to assure that Adam
experienced no pain during the operation. But why was it
necessary altogether? Couldn't He perform a painless surgery
during which Adam would be wide awake and actually
visualize what is happening?
ANSWER: Until this time, the concept of marriage was
unknown to man. There were no books to read on the subject
and no marriage counselors to approach for guidance. Adam
had no parents to consult and there were no married couples
whose marriage he could analyze and perhaps emulate.
Hashem played a multi-faceted role. He was the shadchan
— marriage broker — and the marriage counselor. I t was
incumbent on H i m to educate man. He had to teach what
married life was and also counsel h i m how to make it a
successful endeavor.
Indeed Hashem could have performed the operation
without administering anesthesia. He could have made the
surgery so painless and speedy that Adam would not have
realized what have occurred before it was all done and over
w i t h . Hashem, however, did it specifically this way because
he was imparting a lesson to Adam.
When one is i n a deep sleep he is insensitive to whatever
is happening around h i m . He does not hear anything that he
should object to, nor does he see anything that he should
oppose. A person i n a deep sleep cannot offer an opinion or
register protest.
Hashem's message to Adam was that for a successful
marriage a man must not always be alert and react
332 VEDIBARTA BAM

immediately to what his wife says or does. A t times it is

healthier that the husband appear to be i n a deep sleep and
close his eyes, ears, and mouth for the time being.
Immediate reactions often provoke counter-reaction,
which may turn into argument. By being patient and
temporarily oblivious the husband gives the wife a chance to
think over her actions. Later, when the husband and wife
discuss the matter at hand rationally, the husband's opinion
and even criticism or rebuke w i l l be well received and
appreciated.
(‫)ילקוט מעם לועז‬

‫״‬,‫״וישע ה׳ אל הגל ואל מנחתו ואל קין ואל מנחתו לא שעד‬

"And H a s h e m turned to H e v e l and to his
offering, but to K a y i n and his offering he did
not turn." (4:4,5)

QUESTION: W h y was Hevel's offering accepted and

Kayin's rejected?
ANSWER: While man must have an occupation to
provide sustenance for himself and his family, his yearning
should be to achieve spirituality. A livelihood w i l l , of course,
facilitate a person's transitory stay on this mundane world,
but the pursuit of spiritual attainment w i l l earn one eternal
life i n the W o r l d to Come, which is definitely superior.
The Torah lists Kayin and Hevel's respective occupations
in the following way: "Vayehi Hevel ro'eh tzon vekayin hayeh oved
adamah" — "Hevel became a herder of flocks, while Kayin was
a tiller of the ground" (4:2).
This is not merely a description of their occupations but
an analysis of their attitudes and outlooks.
The Gemara (Megillah 10b) says that the term "vayehi" —
"and i t was" — is an expression of pain i.e. the preface to a
painful narrative, and the Midrash (Rabbah Vayikra 11:7) says
that the term "vehayah" is an expression of joy.
W i t h the expression of vayehi i n regard to Hevel, the
Torah is indicating that though he was forced to be a
 SHABBAT BEREISHIT 333

shepherd, nevertheless every minute be spent at it was

painful and distasteful. To h i m spirituality was pre-eminent,
and i f possible, he would have loved to engage i n spiritual
pursuits the entire day. On the other hand, Kayin was
content w i t h his material success and had no yearning for
anything spiritual. He dedicated all his efforts to achieving
financial success and had no remorse for living a life void of
holiness. Obviously, Hevel's offering was the one Hashem
found acceptable.
‫)ר׳ ישראל זצ״ל מריזיש‬

‫״ותהר ותלד את חנוך ויהי גנה עיר ויקרא שם העיד גשם גנו ח נ ו ך‬
"She conceived and bore Chanoch; he became a
city-builder, and he named the city after his son
Chanoch." (4:17)

QUESTION: W h y did he give the name "Chanoch" to

both his son and the city?
ANSWER: When Kayin committed the terrible act of
killing his own brother, he realized his demoralization and
debased status. After much contemplation, he concluded that
without proper education from early youth, a person can eas¬
ily go astray and commit the most gross and inhumane
crimes. To rectify this, he made it his mission to propagate
the importance of education.
When his son was born, he named h i m Chanoch, which
stems from the word "chinuch" — "education" — and also
called the entire city by this name. Kayin was stressing that
parents are obligated to educate their children as soon as they
are born. Moreover, one should not suffice w i t h this, but also
see that the entire city receives a proper education.
(‫)מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח דיל באגאמילסקי‬
334
Many of the divrei Torah in this sefer are suited to be
developed into speeches on the following subjects:
INDEX TO DERUSH MATERIAL
Achdut — Unity 107, 131,
141, 230, 312
Appeal 159, 177, 212, 247,
258
Arvut — Responsibility 222,
285
Avodah — Serving Hashem
98, 122, 216, 252, 290
Beauty of a Jew 140, 158, 283
Bar Mitzvah 24, 46
Brit 84-85
Chanukah 327
Children 48, 58, 70, 110,
150, 153, 205, 283, 299
Education 39, 67, 72, 88-89,
306, 333
Eretz Yisrael 93, 103, 251
Eulogy 212, 300
Faith 221, 277
VEDIBARTA BAM
APPENDIX
Helping a Jew 99, 111
Living as a Jew 98, 197
Mashiach 102, 119, 130, 243,
259, 282
Mesirat Nefesh 98
Mikveh 227, 262
Sanctity of the Shul 104
Shofar 121-123
Sholom Bayit — Marriage 20,
303, 329-331
Tefllah — prayer 26, 33, 54,
108, 244, 259
Teshuvah 26, 35, 41, 44, 66,
105, 119, 144, 148, 161,
169, 173, 187, 214, 227,
240, 244, 258, 267
Torah 190, 209, 316-318,
326
Tzedakah 26, 37, 130, 219,
232, 300
 ‫לזכות‬
‫כ״ק אדוננו פורנו ורמו‬
‫אור עולם‬
‫‪1‬‬
‫נזר שראל ותפארתו‬
‫־צדקת ד׳ עשה‬
‫‪1‬‬
‫‪1‬פשפט ‪ 1‬עם ישראל‬
‫‪1‬‬
‫ורמם הש ב פעון‬
‫‪1‬‬
‫ה^און האלק פרנא ורבנא‬
‫פנדום פענדל‬
‫כן הרב ‪ IKAH‬החסיד הפקובל רמ א‪ 1‬עדוק נ״ע‬

‫‪1‬‬ ‫‪1‬‬ ‫‪1‬‬

‫עלה השפ פה פתש״ק של ש לחודש תפוז‬
‫שנת ה׳ ת ה א שנח נפלאוח ד^לות‬
‫לעירה‬
 ‫לעילוי נשפת זקני הרה״ג החו״כ איש יר״א כ‪1‬׳ ר׳ זנגי הכהן ע״ה קפלן‬
‫עסק כדוינוך ז״ך •עונה כישיבת תורה ודעת‬
‫ולפני זה כישיבת פיר •שכפיר והעפיד תלפידים הרכה‬
‫נפטר ‪1‬׳ פנדום אכ תשכ״ט‬
‫‪f‬‬
‫לעילוי נשפת זקנתי הרכנית החשוכה והעדינה ‪ rrmn‬ע״ה קפלן‬
‫נפטרה יום א׳ דחג הפסדו תשכ״ה‬
‫זכתה לדור ישרים יכורך‬

‫לעילוי נשפת אכי הרה״ג דוו״כ סוע״ה וכוי‬

‫ר׳ שפ‪1‬אל פסה כ״ר פשה ע״ה בא\;אפ>לסקי‬
‫פדושוכי תלפידי הגאונים ר׳ שפעון זזי״ל שקאפ כגראדנא‬
‫‪1‬ר׳ כחך כער דצ״ל לייכאוויץ כקאפיניץ ולכסוף כישיבת פיר שכפיר‬
‫כיהן כרבנות כארה״כ‬
‫נפטר פ מ ש ״ ק פ׳ שלדו כ״ד סיון תוע׳׳ט‬

‫לעילוי נשפת אפי הרכנית הדושוכה והעדינה‬

‫הסיא הדסה כ ת הרה״ג ר׳ ‪2‬מ הכהן ע״ה‬
‫ע ש ת ה ‪y‬דקה וחסד כפסירה ונתינה לטוכת הכלל והפרט‬
‫נפטרה כשם טוכ יום השלישי‪ ,‬פרשת כ א ערכ ר״ח ש כ ט תשנ״א‬

‫לעילוי נשפת אכי חורגי הרה״ג והרה״ח התפים וכוי‬

‫ר׳ אל>ה‪ 1‬פשה כ״ר אהרן אאעזר ע״ה אס‬
‫נתפנה ע״י כ״ק אדפו״ר פההי׳ע נ״ע לפשגיח ופשפיע כישיבת תו״ת כווארשא‬
‫והפשיך כעבודה זו כישיבת תו״ת לאדז‪ ,‬ווילנא‪ ,‬וכחקלין נוא יארק פנהל הת״ת‬
‫כשאנגהאי ‪ -‬נפטר ט״ז ט כ ת תשפ״ח‬

‫לעילוי נשפת חפי הרה״ח אי״א נו״נ וכוי ר׳ פנהס כ״ר נהפן ע״ה ס‪1‬דאק‬
‫נפטר כשם טוכ וכשיכה טוכה עשרה כטכת תשנ״ז‬

‫לעילוי נשפת חפותי ה א ש ה החשוכה‬

‫‪f‬‬
‫פרת ‪ ft‬׳ כתי׳ כת ר׳ >‪1‬סף אאעזר ע״ה ס‪1‬דאק‬
‫זכתה לכנים וכני כנים עוסקים כתורה‬
‫נפטרה כש״ק כ״ג סיון תשט״ז‬

‫לעילוי נשפת דודי הרה״ג חו״כ וכוי ר׳ כחך ‪ p‬הרה״ג ר׳ ע ה ק הכהן ע״ה כהן‬
‫פחשוכי תלפידי ישיכת קלעןיק ופיר פח״ס קול תודה על סוגיות הש״ס‬
‫נפטר ש״ק פ׳ יתח ח״י ש כ ט תשכ״א‬

‫הכהן ע״ה קפלן‬ ‫לעילוי נשפת דודתי הרכנית פרים פיניא כ ת הרז־ז״ג‬
‫נפטרה י״כ תפוז תשכ״ה‬

‫ת‪ .‬נ‪ .‬זג כ‪ .‬ה‪.‬‬