1. The Torah writes, "On the eight day bris milah should be performed" (Vayikra 12). Most Rishonim understand that the Torah commandment of Bris Milah must be performed on the eight day after birth, and if it is done earlier it is invalid. However the opinion of the Rosh (Shabbos 19,5) is that a bris performed before the eight day is considered valid.
2. What is the halachah? In one place the Rema (Yoreh Deah 262,1) seems to rule like leniently like the Rosh, yet in another place the Rema (Yoreh Deah 264,1) seems to rule stringently, that a bris performed within eight days is invalid.
3. Some explain that the Rema permits a milah done within eight days if it was performed by a Jew, but invalidates a milah done within eight days if it was performed by a non-Jew (Biur Hagolah, Yoreh Deah 264).
4. Most poskim disagree with the Rema (Taz, Shach, Gra, Chachmas Adam, Aruch Hashulchan, etc.) and consider a milah done with eight days to be invalid. The halachah follows these opinions, and one had a bris before the eighth day, e.g. the doctor in the hospital performed it, the bris should be repeated.
5. There is a second dispute amongst the Rishonim regarding a bris milah done by a non-religious Jew. The Rambam appears to be lenient, while other Rishonim consider such a bris to be invalid.
6. What is the halachah? While the Shulchan Aruch rules leniently like the Rambam, the Rema rules like the stringent opinions, and writes that even if the mila was already done, a small amount of blood should be removed by a religious mohel (hatafas dam bris).
7. Although one should definitely not use a non-religious mohel lechathila, a number of prominent poskim (Gra, Rav Akiva Eiger, etc.) write that if one already did the mila it can be relied on.
8. Modern day poskim (Minchas Yitzchak, Teshuvos V'Hanhagos, etc.) rule that in both of these questions one should preferably perform hatafas dam bris. However if it is very difficult, e.g. the person involved is very nervous to have blood drawn, then one can rely on the lenient opinions that the bris milah done early or by a non- religious Jew is valid. In all case a rav should be consulted.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Simcha of Succos
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
The High Point
While every Yom Tov is a time for simcha, on Succos marks a high point of joy. When we had the Beis Hamikdash Succos was celebrated with music, dancing and all kinds of rejoicing. Chazal tells us, "Whoever did not see the Simchas Beis Hashoeva, never saw simcha in their life." Why was the joy of Succos so much greater than any other time of year?
During Elul, Rosh Hashanah, the Eseres Yemei Teshuva and Yom Kippur, each and every Jew would do teshuva, and reaffirm his or her commitment to the mitzvos of the Torah. However, such a big undertaking entailed a risk that a person would be left feeling overburdened by the responsibility of keeping 613 mitzvos.
For this reason, straight after Yom Kippur the Torah gave us the festival of Succos, which is celebrated in a spirit of merriment. Seven days of non-stop celebrating in the Beis Hamikdash was more than enough to help anyone realize that our commitment to Torah and mitzvos is not a burden. On the contrary, we cannot contain our joy over this privilege.
On Succos we leave our permanent home to enter temporary ones. Our relocation to makeshift huts symbolizes the recognition that our stay in this world is fleeting. Lasting fulfillment cannot be found in this world, and can only be had in the world to come.
This concept is beautifully illustrated in the famous story of a wealthy individual from overseas who visited the house of the Chafetz Chaim in Poland. The guest asked his host why his home was so bare of furniture and comforts. The Chafetz Chaim replied by asking his guest where was all of his furniture. The traveller answered that he was just passing through and naturally had left most of his belongs at home. The Chafetz Chaim responded, "I am also just passing through this world on the way back to my real home, and I also do not want to overburden myself with belongings on my travels."
The Chafetz Chaim’s simple perspective on life shows us how we can experience true joy on Succos. By temporarily "leaving behind" all of the furniture and conveniences that fill the rooms of our homes, we hope to taste the eternal pleasures that lie in store for us in the world to come. If we incorporate this outlook into our daily living, we can experience the pleasure of Succos all year long.
Special Korbanos
On Succos we find a unique phenomenon that we do not see on other festivals. We are commanded to bring a total of seventy sacrifices, which Chazal tell us are for the benefit of the seventy nations of the world. Why is Succos the time when we bring korbanos for the non-Jews?
We can understand this directive with the following story. Rav Avraham ben Avraham was from a family of gentile aristocracy, yet decided to give up his status to become a righteous convert. His family, who were very devout in their religious beliefs, ordered him to renounce his Jewish faith or be burned at the stake. Rav Avraham refused to compromise, and chose to die al kiddush Hashem.
Rav Araham was very close to the Gaon of Vilna, who told him that he could release him using one of the names of Hashem. The righteous Rav Avraham refused the offer, explaining that if he was freed people might think that he had agreed to renounce his faith. He was not willing to risk such a misconception.
As the holy Rav Avraham was being led to his death, the non-Jews who were instructed to carry out his sentence trembled. They recognized the holy spark in Rav Avraham’s soul and, being devout believers, they were concerned about Divine retribution for perpetrating his execution. Fearfully they begged Rav Avraham to renounce any claim before the Heavenly Court against those who were instructed to burn him.
Rav Avraham responded sharply, "Do you think that when I get to Heaven I will spare a thought for you! I will be basking in the Divine Presence and will be completely distanced from this world and people such as yourselves!”
Seferim say that when Rav Avraham made the blessing on Kiddush Hashem the entire universe shook as a result of the tremendous sanctification of his act.
We rejoice on Succos after experiencing the purification of Yom Kippur. Every Jew who did teshuva properly sits in the shade of the Shechinah – in his sukkah – and experiences the World to Come. There is no greater joy to be had in this world.
So too, a Jew sitting in his sukkah exists in an entirely different dimension than members of the other nations who dwell on Earth. Therefore, the Torah commands us to bring the seventy sacrifices during Succos in order to show that this seemingly massive offering that is brought in their merit, is a drop in the bucket compared to the reward that we experience in this world and the world to come. Like Rav Avraham the righteous convert, we are in a class of our own and have no real connection to them at all.
Separate But Together
On the Yom Tov of Succos we hold the lulav, hadasim, and aravos in one hand, and the esrog in the other. What is the deeper meaning behind the dividing of the arba minim between two hands?
The Medrash explains that each of the minim represents a different type of Jew. Lulav is a Jew who is strong in Torah learning and weak in mitzvos, hadasim a Jew strong in mitzvos but weak in Torah, and aravos represents a Jew weak in both areas. The esrog symbolizes the true talmid chacham who excels in both Torah and mitzvos.
Chazal stress the importance of all of these Jews living together. Each one has a contribution to make, and their unification is the beauty of Klal Yisrael. This is symbolized by the bringing of all the minim together.
Yet while unity is extremely important, a talmid chacham must maintain some level of separation. His place is with Hashem and if he gets too close to others he will lose his elevated level. Therefore the esrog is held in a different hand than the rest of the arbas haminim.
Succos is a time when all Jews rejoice in the knowledge that we are close to Hashem after Yom Kippur. Every Jew can reach an unparalleled level of simcha that he can not feel the rest of the year.
Let us hope that this year we will celebrate Succos in Yerushalayim with the building of the Beis Hamikdash and the coming of moshiach tzidkenu.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
The High Point
While every Yom Tov is a time for simcha, on Succos marks a high point of joy. When we had the Beis Hamikdash Succos was celebrated with music, dancing and all kinds of rejoicing. Chazal tells us, "Whoever did not see the Simchas Beis Hashoeva, never saw simcha in their life." Why was the joy of Succos so much greater than any other time of year?
During Elul, Rosh Hashanah, the Eseres Yemei Teshuva and Yom Kippur, each and every Jew would do teshuva, and reaffirm his or her commitment to the mitzvos of the Torah. However, such a big undertaking entailed a risk that a person would be left feeling overburdened by the responsibility of keeping 613 mitzvos.
For this reason, straight after Yom Kippur the Torah gave us the festival of Succos, which is celebrated in a spirit of merriment. Seven days of non-stop celebrating in the Beis Hamikdash was more than enough to help anyone realize that our commitment to Torah and mitzvos is not a burden. On the contrary, we cannot contain our joy over this privilege.
On Succos we leave our permanent home to enter temporary ones. Our relocation to makeshift huts symbolizes the recognition that our stay in this world is fleeting. Lasting fulfillment cannot be found in this world, and can only be had in the world to come.
This concept is beautifully illustrated in the famous story of a wealthy individual from overseas who visited the house of the Chafetz Chaim in Poland. The guest asked his host why his home was so bare of furniture and comforts. The Chafetz Chaim replied by asking his guest where was all of his furniture. The traveller answered that he was just passing through and naturally had left most of his belongs at home. The Chafetz Chaim responded, "I am also just passing through this world on the way back to my real home, and I also do not want to overburden myself with belongings on my travels."
The Chafetz Chaim’s simple perspective on life shows us how we can experience true joy on Succos. By temporarily "leaving behind" all of the furniture and conveniences that fill the rooms of our homes, we hope to taste the eternal pleasures that lie in store for us in the world to come. If we incorporate this outlook into our daily living, we can experience the pleasure of Succos all year long.
Special Korbanos
On Succos we find a unique phenomenon that we do not see on other festivals. We are commanded to bring a total of seventy sacrifices, which Chazal tell us are for the benefit of the seventy nations of the world. Why is Succos the time when we bring korbanos for the non-Jews?
We can understand this directive with the following story. Rav Avraham ben Avraham was from a family of gentile aristocracy, yet decided to give up his status to become a righteous convert. His family, who were very devout in their religious beliefs, ordered him to renounce his Jewish faith or be burned at the stake. Rav Avraham refused to compromise, and chose to die al kiddush Hashem.
Rav Araham was very close to the Gaon of Vilna, who told him that he could release him using one of the names of Hashem. The righteous Rav Avraham refused the offer, explaining that if he was freed people might think that he had agreed to renounce his faith. He was not willing to risk such a misconception.
As the holy Rav Avraham was being led to his death, the non-Jews who were instructed to carry out his sentence trembled. They recognized the holy spark in Rav Avraham’s soul and, being devout believers, they were concerned about Divine retribution for perpetrating his execution. Fearfully they begged Rav Avraham to renounce any claim before the Heavenly Court against those who were instructed to burn him.
Rav Avraham responded sharply, "Do you think that when I get to Heaven I will spare a thought for you! I will be basking in the Divine Presence and will be completely distanced from this world and people such as yourselves!”
Seferim say that when Rav Avraham made the blessing on Kiddush Hashem the entire universe shook as a result of the tremendous sanctification of his act.
We rejoice on Succos after experiencing the purification of Yom Kippur. Every Jew who did teshuva properly sits in the shade of the Shechinah – in his sukkah – and experiences the World to Come. There is no greater joy to be had in this world.
So too, a Jew sitting in his sukkah exists in an entirely different dimension than members of the other nations who dwell on Earth. Therefore, the Torah commands us to bring the seventy sacrifices during Succos in order to show that this seemingly massive offering that is brought in their merit, is a drop in the bucket compared to the reward that we experience in this world and the world to come. Like Rav Avraham the righteous convert, we are in a class of our own and have no real connection to them at all.
Separate But Together
On the Yom Tov of Succos we hold the lulav, hadasim, and aravos in one hand, and the esrog in the other. What is the deeper meaning behind the dividing of the arba minim between two hands?
The Medrash explains that each of the minim represents a different type of Jew. Lulav is a Jew who is strong in Torah learning and weak in mitzvos, hadasim a Jew strong in mitzvos but weak in Torah, and aravos represents a Jew weak in both areas. The esrog symbolizes the true talmid chacham who excels in both Torah and mitzvos.
Chazal stress the importance of all of these Jews living together. Each one has a contribution to make, and their unification is the beauty of Klal Yisrael. This is symbolized by the bringing of all the minim together.
Yet while unity is extremely important, a talmid chacham must maintain some level of separation. His place is with Hashem and if he gets too close to others he will lose his elevated level. Therefore the esrog is held in a different hand than the rest of the arbas haminim.
Succos is a time when all Jews rejoice in the knowledge that we are close to Hashem after Yom Kippur. Every Jew can reach an unparalleled level of simcha that he can not feel the rest of the year.
Let us hope that this year we will celebrate Succos in Yerushalayim with the building of the Beis Hamikdash and the coming of moshiach tzidkenu.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Giving With Joy A Different View of Simcha
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha by
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim )
Giving To Ourselves
"When you come to the land that the Almighty has given you as an inheritance and settle there. And you have taken the first of every fruit – the bikurim – from the land that the Almighty has given you and put it in a basket…and the Kohen will take the basket from your hands” (Devarim 26: 1 - 4).
The bikurim were among the many gifts that the Jewish people gave to the Kohanim and Leviim in exchange for their service in the Beis Hamikdash. They were also sustained by gifts of fruits and vegetables in the form of terumos u'maaser, wool from the reshis hagez, and meat from the zaroyah lechayim v'keiva. At first glance the Torah seems to have assigned the tribe of Levi to an eternal fate of being "schnorers," forever dependent on the “hand-outs” of their fellows Jews for every aspect of their existence.
But if we look deeper, we will see that just the opposite is true. Kohanim are the agents transferring Hashem's blessing to the Jewish people through Birkas Kohanim. By assigning the Kohanim to be the ones to bless the Jew people, the Torah is showing us that in truth when we give to them we are actually on the receiving end.
Giving these gifts allowed us to form a partnership with the Kohanim and Leviim. The Torah gives us the opportunity to support the ovdei Hashem and thereby acquire a share in their holy service. In this sense, the gifts to the Tribe of Levi were the ultimate bargain – mere worldly produce in exchange for a priceless connection to the Almighty and the World to Come.
Recognizing Good
"And you shall rejoice with all the good that Hashem has given you" (Devarim 26,11).
Many of us find ourselves beset by problems in our lives which, if we let them, could cause us to sink into a state of despair. When overwhelmed with responsibilities and troubles, how can we recognize all of the good that the Almighty has bestowed upon us?
By giving to others we can get a real glimpse into how much we have been given by Hashem, and this brings us to a state of simcha.
Since it is not always easy for us to feel simcha upon giving away our hard-won earnings, the mitzvah of Bikurim is accompanied by a special viduy. We humbly concede that we have listened to "the voice of Hashem" and done all that He has commanded. In order to grant the mitzvah its full impact, we need to bear in mind that the Almighty has specifically asked us to give away our money.
Shulchan Aruch obligates us to give tzedaka with joy. Whatever we are able to distribute, we should do it with simcha. Even if we give a large sum, if we do so with a sour face, we are transgressing the Torah's will, and we do not fulfill the mitzvah of tzedaka.
One Gaon once said, "It is difficult for me to give tzedaka as I do not have any money. However it is even harder for me to refuse in the proper way." If we can only give a small donation, we should give it joyously and express our appreciation for the opportunity to have a share in this mitzvah.
The Torah obligates us to give charity for our own benefit, for the giver actually reaps more benefit than more than the receiver. For this reason these gifts are referred to as tzedaka, from the word tzedek, justice. Money distributed to tzedaka is really owed, and by giving it away, we are merely carrying out our obligation to distribute it.
Even someone so poor that he is not able to give tzedaka can find ways to enjoy the Almighty's overwhelming kindness. Rav Shternbuch's Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Shneider, related that the talmidei talmidim of the Vilna Gaon learned Torah in a state of dire poverty, something which could potentially lower one's spirits. How did they ensure that they would stay b’simcha and focus on all the good that Hashem bestowed on them?
Every erev Shabbos they would visit the local hospital in Vilna. When they saw all of the sick people there, they felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Almighty that He had preserved their health for another week. In this way they always recognized all of the good that they received and remained in a state of joy.
Seize the Moment
"Because you did not serve Hashem with joy and good-heartedness when you had everything" (Devarim 38,47).
Based on the above we can understand why the Torah promises such harsh treatment if we fail to serve the Almighty with joy. Hashem gave us Bikurim and other mitzvos to help us to recognize how much good we have. If we are not able to appreciate all He has bestowed upon us, it will be taken away so we can look back and realize how blessed we actually were.
We can apply this concept to the month of Elul and the upcoming judgment on Rosh Hashanah. If we recognize now what is incumbent upon us and prepare ourselves properly while the opportunity is still in our hands, we can hope to receive a year of beracha.
Rav Chaim Brisker offered the following parable to help us wake up and internalize our situation as we progress through Elul:
There was once a Jew who hired a wagon driver to smuggle his entire fortune over the border. Since the Jew stood to lose all of his money if his plan failed, he was plagued by nervousness for the entire month prior to the fateful day.
The wagon driver, on the other hand, was used to this type of work, and although he would be punished severely if caught, he only started worrying a week ahead.
Only one member of this team was calm from start to end – the horse that pulled the wagon. He had no clue that he was participating in such a dangerous operation, and that something bad could happen. Both before and during the smuggling operation, the horse was completely calm.
So, too, said Rav Chaim, those tzadikim who recognize how much they have to lose on Rosh Hashanah, start to worry during at the beginning of Elul. They fill the entire month with prayers and pleading for Divine mercy. Individuals with less awareness and less at stake only wake up a week before, during selichos. Unfortunately, some people are like the horse and even on Rosh Hashanah they have no idea what is transpiring.
Wake Up!
Chazal describe two levels of sleep, sheina and tenuma. Sheina is a normal state of sleep, and if a person is shaken he can be woken up. Tenuma is a heavy state of slumber, and arousing a person in this state is much more difficult.
The tochachos that we read on Parshas Ki Savo were meant to shake us out of our sleep. In our generation, our hearts are less sensitive and waking up is much more difficult. Only someone who is ready to open up his heart and dedicate himself to Hashem, stands a chance of waking up from the deep slumber that encompasses the world today.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha by
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim )
Giving To Ourselves
"When you come to the land that the Almighty has given you as an inheritance and settle there. And you have taken the first of every fruit – the bikurim – from the land that the Almighty has given you and put it in a basket…and the Kohen will take the basket from your hands” (Devarim 26: 1 - 4).
The bikurim were among the many gifts that the Jewish people gave to the Kohanim and Leviim in exchange for their service in the Beis Hamikdash. They were also sustained by gifts of fruits and vegetables in the form of terumos u'maaser, wool from the reshis hagez, and meat from the zaroyah lechayim v'keiva. At first glance the Torah seems to have assigned the tribe of Levi to an eternal fate of being "schnorers," forever dependent on the “hand-outs” of their fellows Jews for every aspect of their existence.
But if we look deeper, we will see that just the opposite is true. Kohanim are the agents transferring Hashem's blessing to the Jewish people through Birkas Kohanim. By assigning the Kohanim to be the ones to bless the Jew people, the Torah is showing us that in truth when we give to them we are actually on the receiving end.
Giving these gifts allowed us to form a partnership with the Kohanim and Leviim. The Torah gives us the opportunity to support the ovdei Hashem and thereby acquire a share in their holy service. In this sense, the gifts to the Tribe of Levi were the ultimate bargain – mere worldly produce in exchange for a priceless connection to the Almighty and the World to Come.
Recognizing Good
"And you shall rejoice with all the good that Hashem has given you" (Devarim 26,11).
Many of us find ourselves beset by problems in our lives which, if we let them, could cause us to sink into a state of despair. When overwhelmed with responsibilities and troubles, how can we recognize all of the good that the Almighty has bestowed upon us?
By giving to others we can get a real glimpse into how much we have been given by Hashem, and this brings us to a state of simcha.
Since it is not always easy for us to feel simcha upon giving away our hard-won earnings, the mitzvah of Bikurim is accompanied by a special viduy. We humbly concede that we have listened to "the voice of Hashem" and done all that He has commanded. In order to grant the mitzvah its full impact, we need to bear in mind that the Almighty has specifically asked us to give away our money.
Shulchan Aruch obligates us to give tzedaka with joy. Whatever we are able to distribute, we should do it with simcha. Even if we give a large sum, if we do so with a sour face, we are transgressing the Torah's will, and we do not fulfill the mitzvah of tzedaka.
One Gaon once said, "It is difficult for me to give tzedaka as I do not have any money. However it is even harder for me to refuse in the proper way." If we can only give a small donation, we should give it joyously and express our appreciation for the opportunity to have a share in this mitzvah.
The Torah obligates us to give charity for our own benefit, for the giver actually reaps more benefit than more than the receiver. For this reason these gifts are referred to as tzedaka, from the word tzedek, justice. Money distributed to tzedaka is really owed, and by giving it away, we are merely carrying out our obligation to distribute it.
Even someone so poor that he is not able to give tzedaka can find ways to enjoy the Almighty's overwhelming kindness. Rav Shternbuch's Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Shneider, related that the talmidei talmidim of the Vilna Gaon learned Torah in a state of dire poverty, something which could potentially lower one's spirits. How did they ensure that they would stay b’simcha and focus on all the good that Hashem bestowed on them?
Every erev Shabbos they would visit the local hospital in Vilna. When they saw all of the sick people there, they felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Almighty that He had preserved their health for another week. In this way they always recognized all of the good that they received and remained in a state of joy.
Seize the Moment
"Because you did not serve Hashem with joy and good-heartedness when you had everything" (Devarim 38,47).
Based on the above we can understand why the Torah promises such harsh treatment if we fail to serve the Almighty with joy. Hashem gave us Bikurim and other mitzvos to help us to recognize how much good we have. If we are not able to appreciate all He has bestowed upon us, it will be taken away so we can look back and realize how blessed we actually were.
We can apply this concept to the month of Elul and the upcoming judgment on Rosh Hashanah. If we recognize now what is incumbent upon us and prepare ourselves properly while the opportunity is still in our hands, we can hope to receive a year of beracha.
Rav Chaim Brisker offered the following parable to help us wake up and internalize our situation as we progress through Elul:
There was once a Jew who hired a wagon driver to smuggle his entire fortune over the border. Since the Jew stood to lose all of his money if his plan failed, he was plagued by nervousness for the entire month prior to the fateful day.
The wagon driver, on the other hand, was used to this type of work, and although he would be punished severely if caught, he only started worrying a week ahead.
Only one member of this team was calm from start to end – the horse that pulled the wagon. He had no clue that he was participating in such a dangerous operation, and that something bad could happen. Both before and during the smuggling operation, the horse was completely calm.
So, too, said Rav Chaim, those tzadikim who recognize how much they have to lose on Rosh Hashanah, start to worry during at the beginning of Elul. They fill the entire month with prayers and pleading for Divine mercy. Individuals with less awareness and less at stake only wake up a week before, during selichos. Unfortunately, some people are like the horse and even on Rosh Hashanah they have no idea what is transpiring.
Wake Up!
Chazal describe two levels of sleep, sheina and tenuma. Sheina is a normal state of sleep, and if a person is shaken he can be woken up. Tenuma is a heavy state of slumber, and arousing a person in this state is much more difficult.
The tochachos that we read on Parshas Ki Savo were meant to shake us out of our sleep. In our generation, our hearts are less sensitive and waking up is much more difficult. Only someone who is ready to open up his heart and dedicate himself to Hashem, stands a chance of waking up from the deep slumber that encompasses the world today.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Secret Weapon, Strategies for a Meaningful Elul
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Going to War
"When you go out to war against your enemy, and Hashem delivers him into your hands…” (Devarim 21:10). One might expect the Torah, when talking about victory in battle, to address the entire army. So why does the pasuk use the singular form of “you,” apparently addressing each person individually?
Seforim explain that the enemy referred to here is the yetzer hara which attacks each person daily. The Torah reveals that we are incapable of fighting this enemy on our own. Only if Hashem delivers the enemy straight into our hands can we hope for success.
The Chofetz Chaim points out another aspect of this struggle. "When you go out to war" implies that a person can only win this fight if he is willing to engage in combat. Once he has taken up arms, Hashem will take charge and help him to win the war.
Strategy, tactics, and armaments are just a few of the factors that play a key role in military victory. So too, when battling the yetzer hara, without weapons and a battle plan, a person has little chance of prevailing.
What would happen if a person chooses not to fight, and rather lets nature take its course? Without taking the initiative to do battle, he has no chance of winning. His life will surely be destroyed by the tailor-made tactics of the yetzer hara. Furthermore, since every Jew is obligated to strive to overcome his yetzer hara to the best of his ability, and one who lays down his arms stands of losing part of his portion in the World to Come.
While melachim were created with no evil inclination, man has a yetzer hara which burns eternal within him. From the moment he is born until he breathes his last breath, he is engaged in a constant struggle. Only someone who understands the serious nature of this war will ever come out on top.
Releasing Captives
"And you see amongst the captives a beautiful woman" (Devarim 21,11). The Zohar explains that the captive referred to in the pasuk is our mitzvos. When we transgress, our mitzvos are taken away from us.
How can we free these prisoners of war? Mitzvos taken captive are not lost; they can be freed. Teshuvah allows us to get back the mitzvos we lost, and return them to our credit.
Some sifre mussar state that one way to overcome the yetzer hara and bring ourselves to teshuvah is to recognize the insignificance of our own existence compared to the Almighty Creator. "The difference between man and beast is nothing," and by grasping how small we are we can serve Him properly. The end of man is the worm. The Ba’alei Mussar say that if we can develop an awareness of this harsh truth while we are still alive, we can yearn for true greatness in the World to Come.
Others take an opposite approach and recommend that a person focus on the G-d-given potential for greatness that lies in each and every Jew – even you. Hashem has placed Man at the center of the universe, and the entire heavenly assembly must wait for Man’s cue before it can do anything. Developing awareness of this great responsibility should instill a feeling of awe within us, and propel us to reach higher level of Divine service.
These two approaches regarding the proper approach to serving Hashem, are expressed in Hilchos Shofar. Those who favor the approach of humility rule that the shofar should be curved, to show that we are bowed before G-d in humility. Others say that the shofar should be straight, symbolizing how a Jew should stand upright and proud in his Divine service.
Choose Your Weapon
Tefilah and Torah are the primary tools we have to fight the yetzer hara. However transgressions taint our actions and weaken the potency of even the most powerful weapons. Under such circumstances, Hashem no longer has interest in our actions.
Many of us are plagued by irrelevant thoughts that disturb our prayers. The Zohar explains the source of these interruptions. Klipos of tumah which are created when we transgress are summoned especially to disturb our prayers.
Rav Eliyah Lopian once pointed out how careful we must be to protect ourselves from this outside interference. Hashem hears what is passing through our mind as if it was actual speech. Imagine the disgrace when our tefilos arrive in Shamayim together with all of the irrelevant thoughts that accompanied our prayers!
"I created the yetzer hara and I created Torah as its antidote" (Kedushin 30b). Torah is a powerful weapon against the yetzer hara when learnt with the proper intentions. Torah studied like any other academic discipline does not have the power to overcome this masterful enemy.
"We should all know Your name and learn Torah with pure intentions". Torah requires that a person recognize who his Source is. At the same time we should try and study Torah with the intention of bringing ourselves closer to Hashem.
Rav David Karliner used to learn Torah with the words "Place Hashem before you at all times" written on his shtender. Rav Reuven Bengis once asked him, "Why do you need this?" Rav Karliner replied, "I don't want to forget for even one moment that I am studying the Torah of Hashem!"
Getting the Most Out of Elul
While most of the world does not recognize Elul as different from any other time of year, Klal Yisrael knows that this month is a period of tremendous Divine mercy and compassion. During this time Hashem yearns for us to return to Him. Those who make use of this time will be rewarded greatly, as expressed in the following parable told in Medrash Tehillim.
A king once made an elaborate banquet. To his great dismay, no one turned up to the affair, and. As he awaited his guests alone in his grand dining room, the monarch was filled with anger and was ready to issue a harsh decree against his subjects.
The king was just about to act, when a few beloved subjects turned up to his banquet. He was pacified, and decided to forego his decree. Said the king, "Because you came, you saved everyone from punishment."
So too, even though we have been invited by the King and He awaits our presence, many people still fail to “show up” for Elul. Those loyal subjects of the King who do take the time and effort to make Elul what it should be, give tremendous nachas ruach to Hashem. Every one of us should look within and sincerely try to use this precious time to come closer to our Creator.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Going to War
"When you go out to war against your enemy, and Hashem delivers him into your hands…” (Devarim 21:10). One might expect the Torah, when talking about victory in battle, to address the entire army. So why does the pasuk use the singular form of “you,” apparently addressing each person individually?
Seforim explain that the enemy referred to here is the yetzer hara which attacks each person daily. The Torah reveals that we are incapable of fighting this enemy on our own. Only if Hashem delivers the enemy straight into our hands can we hope for success.
The Chofetz Chaim points out another aspect of this struggle. "When you go out to war" implies that a person can only win this fight if he is willing to engage in combat. Once he has taken up arms, Hashem will take charge and help him to win the war.
Strategy, tactics, and armaments are just a few of the factors that play a key role in military victory. So too, when battling the yetzer hara, without weapons and a battle plan, a person has little chance of prevailing.
What would happen if a person chooses not to fight, and rather lets nature take its course? Without taking the initiative to do battle, he has no chance of winning. His life will surely be destroyed by the tailor-made tactics of the yetzer hara. Furthermore, since every Jew is obligated to strive to overcome his yetzer hara to the best of his ability, and one who lays down his arms stands of losing part of his portion in the World to Come.
While melachim were created with no evil inclination, man has a yetzer hara which burns eternal within him. From the moment he is born until he breathes his last breath, he is engaged in a constant struggle. Only someone who understands the serious nature of this war will ever come out on top.
Releasing Captives
"And you see amongst the captives a beautiful woman" (Devarim 21,11). The Zohar explains that the captive referred to in the pasuk is our mitzvos. When we transgress, our mitzvos are taken away from us.
How can we free these prisoners of war? Mitzvos taken captive are not lost; they can be freed. Teshuvah allows us to get back the mitzvos we lost, and return them to our credit.
Some sifre mussar state that one way to overcome the yetzer hara and bring ourselves to teshuvah is to recognize the insignificance of our own existence compared to the Almighty Creator. "The difference between man and beast is nothing," and by grasping how small we are we can serve Him properly. The end of man is the worm. The Ba’alei Mussar say that if we can develop an awareness of this harsh truth while we are still alive, we can yearn for true greatness in the World to Come.
Others take an opposite approach and recommend that a person focus on the G-d-given potential for greatness that lies in each and every Jew – even you. Hashem has placed Man at the center of the universe, and the entire heavenly assembly must wait for Man’s cue before it can do anything. Developing awareness of this great responsibility should instill a feeling of awe within us, and propel us to reach higher level of Divine service.
These two approaches regarding the proper approach to serving Hashem, are expressed in Hilchos Shofar. Those who favor the approach of humility rule that the shofar should be curved, to show that we are bowed before G-d in humility. Others say that the shofar should be straight, symbolizing how a Jew should stand upright and proud in his Divine service.
Choose Your Weapon
Tefilah and Torah are the primary tools we have to fight the yetzer hara. However transgressions taint our actions and weaken the potency of even the most powerful weapons. Under such circumstances, Hashem no longer has interest in our actions.
Many of us are plagued by irrelevant thoughts that disturb our prayers. The Zohar explains the source of these interruptions. Klipos of tumah which are created when we transgress are summoned especially to disturb our prayers.
Rav Eliyah Lopian once pointed out how careful we must be to protect ourselves from this outside interference. Hashem hears what is passing through our mind as if it was actual speech. Imagine the disgrace when our tefilos arrive in Shamayim together with all of the irrelevant thoughts that accompanied our prayers!
"I created the yetzer hara and I created Torah as its antidote" (Kedushin 30b). Torah is a powerful weapon against the yetzer hara when learnt with the proper intentions. Torah studied like any other academic discipline does not have the power to overcome this masterful enemy.
"We should all know Your name and learn Torah with pure intentions". Torah requires that a person recognize who his Source is. At the same time we should try and study Torah with the intention of bringing ourselves closer to Hashem.
Rav David Karliner used to learn Torah with the words "Place Hashem before you at all times" written on his shtender. Rav Reuven Bengis once asked him, "Why do you need this?" Rav Karliner replied, "I don't want to forget for even one moment that I am studying the Torah of Hashem!"
Getting the Most Out of Elul
While most of the world does not recognize Elul as different from any other time of year, Klal Yisrael knows that this month is a period of tremendous Divine mercy and compassion. During this time Hashem yearns for us to return to Him. Those who make use of this time will be rewarded greatly, as expressed in the following parable told in Medrash Tehillim.
A king once made an elaborate banquet. To his great dismay, no one turned up to the affair, and. As he awaited his guests alone in his grand dining room, the monarch was filled with anger and was ready to issue a harsh decree against his subjects.
The king was just about to act, when a few beloved subjects turned up to his banquet. He was pacified, and decided to forego his decree. Said the king, "Because you came, you saved everyone from punishment."
So too, even though we have been invited by the King and He awaits our presence, many people still fail to “show up” for Elul. Those loyal subjects of the King who do take the time and effort to make Elul what it should be, give tremendous nachas ruach to Hashem. Every one of us should look within and sincerely try to use this precious time to come closer to our Creator.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Preparing Ourselves For Moshiach, Laying the Eternal Foundations of the Beis Hamikdash
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
A State of Churban
"How [Eichah] can I bear your cumbrance, your burden and your strife? (Devarim 1,13)"
"How [Eichah] the city which was once so populous remains lonely like a widow? (Eichah 1,1)"
Both Moshe Rabbeinu and the prophet Yermiyahu bemoaned the fallen state of the Jewish people with the word Eichah. What is the connection between the Jewish people in the midbar and the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash?
For forty years, Klal Yisrael had all of their needs provided for; mann to eat, water from Miriam’s well, the ananei hakavod to light up and pave their way. Nonetheless, during this time there was strife and lack of respect amongst the Jewish people.
This shows us that when Klal Yisrael lacks the basic foundations of derech eretz, their situation is likened to the churban Beis Hamikdash. Notwithstanding the miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, despite living in an era when Hashem openly revealed His Presence constantly and even though they were led by a tzadik as great as Moshe Rabbeinu, these were not enough to save us from falling into this trap. As long as sinas chinam and lashon hara prevail, we will continue to live in a state of churban.
In our days, we have seen tremendous miracles, yet they have not transformed us. If we have tarnished our nesahamos with baseless hatred for other Jews, and other interpersonal transgressions, the miracles will not have an affect on us. Only when we are worthy, will Hashem’s revealed Presence touch us personally.
G-d of Vengeance
Someone once traveled from America to ask the Brisker Rav for a beracha. Before the Rav had a chance to open his mouth and the man said, "Give me a blessing that I should see moshiach!" The Brisker Rav looked at him and asked, "Have you prepared yourself for moshiach? – Perhaps you are soiled with transgressions."
Taken aback by the Rav's sharp response, the man replied that he did not think that he had many aveiros. To which the Brisker Rav said, "You have no idea the shame you will feel on the day that Hashem reveals Himself to the world. Prepare yourself now, while you still have the opportunity.”
On the same note, the Baal Shem Tov offers the following analogy, based on the verse "He is a G-d of vengeance, G-d of vengeance reveal yourself" (Tehillim 94,1):
A king once got lost on the road, and found himself in a small village in his kingdom. When he told the people living there that he was their king they jeered at him and called him a lunatic before running him out of town.
When the king managed to return to his palace, he took council with his advisors regarding how he should punish the people of that town for this disrespect. Some said that every one in the town should be put to death. Others suggested locking them up in the royal dungeon.
One of the wiser counselors suggested that such a harsh revenge was unnecessary. All the king needed to do was to appear in the town wearing his royal crown. When they recognized his royal personage, the villagers would be shocked to realize that the person that they had humiliated was none other than their own king and that they had seriously mishandled a golden opportunity to earn his favor. Their agonies of remorse and shame would be all the punishment needed.
So, too, Hashem is a "G-d of Vengeance" and His Prescience is overwhelming. By merely "revealing Himself," as described at the end of the verse, His vengeance will be felt on the final Day of Judgment. At that auspicious moment, there will be no greater punishment than the shame felt by those who are not properly prepared for this experience.
The Almighty certainly wants to reveal Himself even today, and return to His dwelling place in the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim. Although yearning for moshiach is one of the foundations of our emunah, looking towards the future is not sufficient for this to happen. We must first fix up our transgressions, especially sinas chinam, in order that we should be ready for Him to reveal His Presence.
A Question of Belief
"How (Eichah) can I bear your cumbrance, your burden and your strife? (Devarim 1,13)" Your burden refers to Apikorsis (Rashi).
At first glance, it may be difficult to understand why those who doubt Hashem are considered so wicked. We all have questions; why one person is rich and another poor, why one person is healthy and another sick, why one person dies young and another in old age. It is normal to be confounded by the mysteries of Hashem’s universe. So what makes the Apikoris’ questioning so objectionable?
While the ma'amin may have a healthy inquiring mind, he knows that there is one answer to all of his questions. Flesh-and-blood man cannot understand the ways of Heaven. We must strengthen our emunah in Hashem and then the sting in all of these questions will disappear.
The Zohar writes that during the era precending the coming of moshiach, the power of Apikorsis will grow stronger and stronger. This is analogous to a fire which has a last moment of surge right before it goes out and is extinguished forever. So, too, although the power of Apikorisis seems so strong in the world right now, soon it will be no more.
As we get closer and closer to the day of the final redemption, the power of the Apikorsim grows ever stronger. Every day, their yetzer hara gives them new ideas and novel ways to try conceal the revelation of Hashem in the world and eliminate any semblance of holiness from the Jewish people. What can we learn from their actions?
The pasuk says, "From my enemies I became wiser regarding Your mitzvos" (Tehillim). The Chafetz Chaim would often say that we must learn a lesson from the great enthusiasm that the Apikorsim pursue evil. While our pursuit of truth is tainted by a false assessment of our true capacity to achieve this goal, they pursue falsehood with such single-minded dedication and ambition that it is the true embodiment of these virtues.
We should admire and emulate their ruthless drive, for while they labor to build fleeting castles on the quicksand of worldly strivings, we will likewise struggle, with Hashem’s help, to build the glorious and eternal Beis Hamikdash on the everlasting foundations of derech eretz and the mitzvos bein adam lechaveiro. Bimhera Beyameinu, Amen.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
A State of Churban
"How [Eichah] can I bear your cumbrance, your burden and your strife? (Devarim 1,13)"
"How [Eichah] the city which was once so populous remains lonely like a widow? (Eichah 1,1)"
Both Moshe Rabbeinu and the prophet Yermiyahu bemoaned the fallen state of the Jewish people with the word Eichah. What is the connection between the Jewish people in the midbar and the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash?
For forty years, Klal Yisrael had all of their needs provided for; mann to eat, water from Miriam’s well, the ananei hakavod to light up and pave their way. Nonetheless, during this time there was strife and lack of respect amongst the Jewish people.
This shows us that when Klal Yisrael lacks the basic foundations of derech eretz, their situation is likened to the churban Beis Hamikdash. Notwithstanding the miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, despite living in an era when Hashem openly revealed His Presence constantly and even though they were led by a tzadik as great as Moshe Rabbeinu, these were not enough to save us from falling into this trap. As long as sinas chinam and lashon hara prevail, we will continue to live in a state of churban.
In our days, we have seen tremendous miracles, yet they have not transformed us. If we have tarnished our nesahamos with baseless hatred for other Jews, and other interpersonal transgressions, the miracles will not have an affect on us. Only when we are worthy, will Hashem’s revealed Presence touch us personally.
G-d of Vengeance
Someone once traveled from America to ask the Brisker Rav for a beracha. Before the Rav had a chance to open his mouth and the man said, "Give me a blessing that I should see moshiach!" The Brisker Rav looked at him and asked, "Have you prepared yourself for moshiach? – Perhaps you are soiled with transgressions."
Taken aback by the Rav's sharp response, the man replied that he did not think that he had many aveiros. To which the Brisker Rav said, "You have no idea the shame you will feel on the day that Hashem reveals Himself to the world. Prepare yourself now, while you still have the opportunity.”
On the same note, the Baal Shem Tov offers the following analogy, based on the verse "He is a G-d of vengeance, G-d of vengeance reveal yourself" (Tehillim 94,1):
A king once got lost on the road, and found himself in a small village in his kingdom. When he told the people living there that he was their king they jeered at him and called him a lunatic before running him out of town.
When the king managed to return to his palace, he took council with his advisors regarding how he should punish the people of that town for this disrespect. Some said that every one in the town should be put to death. Others suggested locking them up in the royal dungeon.
One of the wiser counselors suggested that such a harsh revenge was unnecessary. All the king needed to do was to appear in the town wearing his royal crown. When they recognized his royal personage, the villagers would be shocked to realize that the person that they had humiliated was none other than their own king and that they had seriously mishandled a golden opportunity to earn his favor. Their agonies of remorse and shame would be all the punishment needed.
So, too, Hashem is a "G-d of Vengeance" and His Prescience is overwhelming. By merely "revealing Himself," as described at the end of the verse, His vengeance will be felt on the final Day of Judgment. At that auspicious moment, there will be no greater punishment than the shame felt by those who are not properly prepared for this experience.
The Almighty certainly wants to reveal Himself even today, and return to His dwelling place in the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim. Although yearning for moshiach is one of the foundations of our emunah, looking towards the future is not sufficient for this to happen. We must first fix up our transgressions, especially sinas chinam, in order that we should be ready for Him to reveal His Presence.
A Question of Belief
"How (Eichah) can I bear your cumbrance, your burden and your strife? (Devarim 1,13)" Your burden refers to Apikorsis (Rashi).
At first glance, it may be difficult to understand why those who doubt Hashem are considered so wicked. We all have questions; why one person is rich and another poor, why one person is healthy and another sick, why one person dies young and another in old age. It is normal to be confounded by the mysteries of Hashem’s universe. So what makes the Apikoris’ questioning so objectionable?
While the ma'amin may have a healthy inquiring mind, he knows that there is one answer to all of his questions. Flesh-and-blood man cannot understand the ways of Heaven. We must strengthen our emunah in Hashem and then the sting in all of these questions will disappear.
The Zohar writes that during the era precending the coming of moshiach, the power of Apikorsis will grow stronger and stronger. This is analogous to a fire which has a last moment of surge right before it goes out and is extinguished forever. So, too, although the power of Apikorisis seems so strong in the world right now, soon it will be no more.
As we get closer and closer to the day of the final redemption, the power of the Apikorsim grows ever stronger. Every day, their yetzer hara gives them new ideas and novel ways to try conceal the revelation of Hashem in the world and eliminate any semblance of holiness from the Jewish people. What can we learn from their actions?
The pasuk says, "From my enemies I became wiser regarding Your mitzvos" (Tehillim). The Chafetz Chaim would often say that we must learn a lesson from the great enthusiasm that the Apikorsim pursue evil. While our pursuit of truth is tainted by a false assessment of our true capacity to achieve this goal, they pursue falsehood with such single-minded dedication and ambition that it is the true embodiment of these virtues.
We should admire and emulate their ruthless drive, for while they labor to build fleeting castles on the quicksand of worldly strivings, we will likewise struggle, with Hashem’s help, to build the glorious and eternal Beis Hamikdash on the everlasting foundations of derech eretz and the mitzvos bein adam lechaveiro. Bimhera Beyameinu, Amen.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Searching For Hashem
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Veschanan )
Just Getting Started
"My Master Hashem, You have started to show your servant (Moshe) Your greatness and Your mighty hand, and proven that there is no one in the Heavens or Earth as great as You " (Devarim 3,24)
Moshe Rabbeinu's words are difficult to understand. Previously he had spent forty days in the Heavens speaking directly to Hashem and receiving the Torah, and had seen the miracles in and leaving Mitzrayim. After all that Moshe had witnessed, how can he only say now that he started to see Hashem?
Moshe Rabbeinu had just been moser nefesh to recite over five hundred tefilos to Hashem, to permit Him to come into Eretz Yisrael. Chazal tell us that Moshe Rabbeinu was certainly not interested in the physical benefits of being their, such as eating the delicious fruit which could not be matched in any other country. Rather he wanted to fulfill the mitzvos of Eretz Yisrael, and achieve a greater level of closeness to his Creator.
Moshe Rabbeinu had seen many of Hashem's miracles. Yet with all that he had seen, it was not enough. No matter how much a person experiences of Hashem's glory, he has not even witnessed an iota of His infinite Magnitude. After all of His tefilos he achieved an even greater level of perception, and it was as if he was only starting to witness Hashem's greatness.
Looking At The Stars
The Almighty has placed billions of stars in the universe, each one bigger than our planet. The Rambam writes in the second perek of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah that a person is meant to gaze into the cosmos and see the stars and all of His wonders. Immediately he should tremble in amazement after witnessing such glory and splendor, and recognizing his own tininess.
The main purpose of the stars is to express Hashem's glory. Hashem set them in the sky for us to perceive His greatness. At the time of the final din we will all be questioned why we didn't make use of such an opportunity.
The Rambam's directive to gaze into the heavens is not a suggestion. We are obligated to think about that which we see every day and take for granted. We should not squander such an opportunity to imbue our lives with fear and recognition of Hashem.
Divine Reward
Chazal tell us that although Moshe Rabbeinu had great merit, he did not request compensation for his actions in this world. He wanted to save all of his reward for the world to come. Moshe was only interested in a gift from Hashem.
The Yerushalmi explains that it is impossible to compensate a person for his mitzvos in this world. Olam Habah is an eternal spiritual existence. This world is transient and physical with no permanence at all.
The Alter of Norvordok explained that this world is like an expensive restaurant. Pleasures can be enjoyed without limit, but they all most be paid for at the end. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to save all of his reward for the next world, and therefore asked that he should be a recipient of Hashem's Divine favor.
Adding is Subtracting
Even while searching to perceive Hashem's Greatness in this world one must be wary. The way to find holiness is to follow the Torah's guidelines to the tee. Adding or subtracting from the mitzvos is forbidden, even if the intention is to achieve a greater fulfillment of the Torah.
In our day, Reformed and Conservative Jews have changed the mode of Torah observance. They justify their actions with the above claim that in a modern world it is impossible to keep all of the laws that the Torah lays down. The Torah makes it quite clear that such an argument is baseless, and that the best way to perpetuate the Torah is to follow it in its entirety.
In a similar vein, we are forbidden to count Klal Yisrael. Numbering gives importance to quantity, while the Jewish people's distinction is qualitative and can not be perceived numerically. Only by keeping the Torah in its complete form can we achieve this greatness.
After relating the prohibition to add or subtract from the commandments, the Torah immediately mentions not to follow Baal Peor. The juxtaposition implies a connection between these two concepts. How does adding to the Torah relate to worshiping idols?
Generally, an idol was served by bowing down, kissing, or sacrificing to it. Baal Peor was unlike all other idols, in that it was worshipped by disgracing it in the most vile way. At first glance, one might think that this form of service is actually praiseworthy for it shames the idol. Since this is the form of worship, the Torah prohibits this, and acting in such a manor arouses Divine wrath as by any other type of idol worship.
The message of the Torah is clear. Any philosophies that propose changing the Torah are prohibited, even if they seem logically correct. Although we must love all Jews, all aspects of Reformed and Conservative philosophies must be avoided. In doing so we will merit to see the fulfillment of the verse "And you shall cling to Hashem your G-d and you will be alive" for only this is called true life.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Veschanan )
Just Getting Started
"My Master Hashem, You have started to show your servant (Moshe) Your greatness and Your mighty hand, and proven that there is no one in the Heavens or Earth as great as You " (Devarim 3,24)
Moshe Rabbeinu's words are difficult to understand. Previously he had spent forty days in the Heavens speaking directly to Hashem and receiving the Torah, and had seen the miracles in and leaving Mitzrayim. After all that Moshe had witnessed, how can he only say now that he started to see Hashem?
Moshe Rabbeinu had just been moser nefesh to recite over five hundred tefilos to Hashem, to permit Him to come into Eretz Yisrael. Chazal tell us that Moshe Rabbeinu was certainly not interested in the physical benefits of being their, such as eating the delicious fruit which could not be matched in any other country. Rather he wanted to fulfill the mitzvos of Eretz Yisrael, and achieve a greater level of closeness to his Creator.
Moshe Rabbeinu had seen many of Hashem's miracles. Yet with all that he had seen, it was not enough. No matter how much a person experiences of Hashem's glory, he has not even witnessed an iota of His infinite Magnitude. After all of His tefilos he achieved an even greater level of perception, and it was as if he was only starting to witness Hashem's greatness.
Looking At The Stars
The Almighty has placed billions of stars in the universe, each one bigger than our planet. The Rambam writes in the second perek of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah that a person is meant to gaze into the cosmos and see the stars and all of His wonders. Immediately he should tremble in amazement after witnessing such glory and splendor, and recognizing his own tininess.
The main purpose of the stars is to express Hashem's glory. Hashem set them in the sky for us to perceive His greatness. At the time of the final din we will all be questioned why we didn't make use of such an opportunity.
The Rambam's directive to gaze into the heavens is not a suggestion. We are obligated to think about that which we see every day and take for granted. We should not squander such an opportunity to imbue our lives with fear and recognition of Hashem.
Divine Reward
Chazal tell us that although Moshe Rabbeinu had great merit, he did not request compensation for his actions in this world. He wanted to save all of his reward for the world to come. Moshe was only interested in a gift from Hashem.
The Yerushalmi explains that it is impossible to compensate a person for his mitzvos in this world. Olam Habah is an eternal spiritual existence. This world is transient and physical with no permanence at all.
The Alter of Norvordok explained that this world is like an expensive restaurant. Pleasures can be enjoyed without limit, but they all most be paid for at the end. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to save all of his reward for the next world, and therefore asked that he should be a recipient of Hashem's Divine favor.
Adding is Subtracting
Even while searching to perceive Hashem's Greatness in this world one must be wary. The way to find holiness is to follow the Torah's guidelines to the tee. Adding or subtracting from the mitzvos is forbidden, even if the intention is to achieve a greater fulfillment of the Torah.
In our day, Reformed and Conservative Jews have changed the mode of Torah observance. They justify their actions with the above claim that in a modern world it is impossible to keep all of the laws that the Torah lays down. The Torah makes it quite clear that such an argument is baseless, and that the best way to perpetuate the Torah is to follow it in its entirety.
In a similar vein, we are forbidden to count Klal Yisrael. Numbering gives importance to quantity, while the Jewish people's distinction is qualitative and can not be perceived numerically. Only by keeping the Torah in its complete form can we achieve this greatness.
After relating the prohibition to add or subtract from the commandments, the Torah immediately mentions not to follow Baal Peor. The juxtaposition implies a connection between these two concepts. How does adding to the Torah relate to worshiping idols?
Generally, an idol was served by bowing down, kissing, or sacrificing to it. Baal Peor was unlike all other idols, in that it was worshipped by disgracing it in the most vile way. At first glance, one might think that this form of service is actually praiseworthy for it shames the idol. Since this is the form of worship, the Torah prohibits this, and acting in such a manor arouses Divine wrath as by any other type of idol worship.
The message of the Torah is clear. Any philosophies that propose changing the Torah are prohibited, even if they seem logically correct. Although we must love all Jews, all aspects of Reformed and Conservative philosophies must be avoided. In doing so we will merit to see the fulfillment of the verse "And you shall cling to Hashem your G-d and you will be alive" for only this is called true life.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
High Stakes Getting the Most Out of Elul
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Shoftim)
Out of Order
We all know that Rosh Hashanah is the day when the Almighty issues our judgment for the upcoming year, while Yom Kippur is our opportunity to atone for our transgressions.
Based on this, Rav Yisrael Salanter asked a simple yet startling question: Aren’t these holidays out of order? Surely it would better for us to have our spiritual state wiped clean before our future fate is determined.
Rav Yisrael answers his own question by pointing out that in fact Rosh Hashanah has to come first. Through the awesome spirit of strict judgment of that day, we are able to perceive that Hashem is truly the undisputed ruler of the entire universe. Only after we have achieved this level of recognition are we worthy of being purified on Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashanah is not a day of teshuvah. Throughout the long hours of davening, we do not say a single viduy. Rather Rosh Hashanah is a Yom Tov of malchious, recognizing that everything that happens in our lives is in His hands alone.
Rav Sternbuch was once approached by a businessman for a beracha right before Rosh Hashanah. The rav asked him what sort of blessing he sought, and the man replied, "This year went business went amazingly well. I know that Hashem can turn things around so I ask for one thing; that He should stay clear of my affairs and just let things continue to prosper."
Rav Sternbuch was shocked by the man's request and tried to make him see irrationality of his outlook. The Almighty orchestrates every detail of our existence and there is nothing which is not in His absolute control. Asking Him to stay out of one's business shows that one has not grasped the full extent of His Kingship.
The rav offered the businessman the following parable to help him understand the fallacy of his thinking: People readily purchase lottery tickets, even though the chances of winning are extremely slim. Since the stakes are so high, they are willing to spend money to enter despite the near-impossible odds. Moreover, they eagerly await the drawing of the winning numbers, hoping and praying that riches will be theirs.
When it comes to Rosh Hashanah, however, the odds that a person could receive a judgment involving much trial and suffering in the upcoming year are not remote. Yet we find that many people are pretty relaxed before the Day of Judgment, assuming that if things went OK last year they will stay OK in the following year. This complacency comes from the fact that they do not grasp the full extent of the din. And if we want the outcome of our judgment to be positive, we should first recognize that every aspect of our destiny is entirely in the Almighty's hands.
Guarding the Gates
"You should set up judges and police by all of your gates...Justice, justice pursue" (Devarim 16: 18, 20).
On a simple level, the Torah is instructing us to ensure that there is a justice system in Klal Yisrael. Judges make sure that the judicial laws of the Torah are properly upheld. Policemen protect the Jewish people from those who break the laws.
On a deeper level, the Torah is speaking personally to each Jew as an individual. All of us have gates; our eyes, mouth, and ears. We must guard these portals carefully and make sure that nothing which conflicts with Torah values enters us through them.
In this vein, the Torah writes "tzedek, tzedek tirdof", (justice, justice purse), repeating the word tzedek twice. While we must make sure to carry out justice on a national level, we should not forget that we must apply it to ourselves as well. Especially in regards to shemiras halashon, each person must establish his own personal guidelines, which will distance him from transgression.
Starting Fresh
"Do not set up for yourself a stone altar which Hashem hates" (Devarim 16: 22).
Once again, deviating from the simple reading of the pasuk gives us a deeper message to aid us in teshuvah. The Torah warns us from becoming cold and rigid like a stone altar, unable to bend and change. Rather we should view each day as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and make a change for the better.
Elul is a time of tremendous Divine favor, and for this reason, the mazel of this month is a besula. Every kalla looks forward to her married life with as a fresh start, full of promise. We can live out the month of Elul with a similar sense of hope and anticipation.
The Arizal offers an allegorical explanation for the pasuk "and she cries for her father and mother for a month," referring to the eshes yafes toar. The father represents the Almighty, and the mother represents the Jewish people. During the year, we abandon our father and mother to pursue our heart’s worldly desires. During Elul we have an entire month to focus on rebuilding these fundamental relationships, and to regain to our original level of closeness.
On Rosh Hashanah the Almighty judges us "as we are at that moment." Our din on that day will reflect any changes that we have brought about in ourselves during Elul, no matter how small they may be. Let us seize this precious opportunity to ensure that we will be inscribed immediately into the book of life, health, and prosperity.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Shoftim)
Out of Order
We all know that Rosh Hashanah is the day when the Almighty issues our judgment for the upcoming year, while Yom Kippur is our opportunity to atone for our transgressions.
Based on this, Rav Yisrael Salanter asked a simple yet startling question: Aren’t these holidays out of order? Surely it would better for us to have our spiritual state wiped clean before our future fate is determined.
Rav Yisrael answers his own question by pointing out that in fact Rosh Hashanah has to come first. Through the awesome spirit of strict judgment of that day, we are able to perceive that Hashem is truly the undisputed ruler of the entire universe. Only after we have achieved this level of recognition are we worthy of being purified on Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashanah is not a day of teshuvah. Throughout the long hours of davening, we do not say a single viduy. Rather Rosh Hashanah is a Yom Tov of malchious, recognizing that everything that happens in our lives is in His hands alone.
Rav Sternbuch was once approached by a businessman for a beracha right before Rosh Hashanah. The rav asked him what sort of blessing he sought, and the man replied, "This year went business went amazingly well. I know that Hashem can turn things around so I ask for one thing; that He should stay clear of my affairs and just let things continue to prosper."
Rav Sternbuch was shocked by the man's request and tried to make him see irrationality of his outlook. The Almighty orchestrates every detail of our existence and there is nothing which is not in His absolute control. Asking Him to stay out of one's business shows that one has not grasped the full extent of His Kingship.
The rav offered the businessman the following parable to help him understand the fallacy of his thinking: People readily purchase lottery tickets, even though the chances of winning are extremely slim. Since the stakes are so high, they are willing to spend money to enter despite the near-impossible odds. Moreover, they eagerly await the drawing of the winning numbers, hoping and praying that riches will be theirs.
When it comes to Rosh Hashanah, however, the odds that a person could receive a judgment involving much trial and suffering in the upcoming year are not remote. Yet we find that many people are pretty relaxed before the Day of Judgment, assuming that if things went OK last year they will stay OK in the following year. This complacency comes from the fact that they do not grasp the full extent of the din. And if we want the outcome of our judgment to be positive, we should first recognize that every aspect of our destiny is entirely in the Almighty's hands.
Guarding the Gates
"You should set up judges and police by all of your gates...Justice, justice pursue" (Devarim 16: 18, 20).
On a simple level, the Torah is instructing us to ensure that there is a justice system in Klal Yisrael. Judges make sure that the judicial laws of the Torah are properly upheld. Policemen protect the Jewish people from those who break the laws.
On a deeper level, the Torah is speaking personally to each Jew as an individual. All of us have gates; our eyes, mouth, and ears. We must guard these portals carefully and make sure that nothing which conflicts with Torah values enters us through them.
In this vein, the Torah writes "tzedek, tzedek tirdof", (justice, justice purse), repeating the word tzedek twice. While we must make sure to carry out justice on a national level, we should not forget that we must apply it to ourselves as well. Especially in regards to shemiras halashon, each person must establish his own personal guidelines, which will distance him from transgression.
Starting Fresh
"Do not set up for yourself a stone altar which Hashem hates" (Devarim 16: 22).
Once again, deviating from the simple reading of the pasuk gives us a deeper message to aid us in teshuvah. The Torah warns us from becoming cold and rigid like a stone altar, unable to bend and change. Rather we should view each day as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and make a change for the better.
Elul is a time of tremendous Divine favor, and for this reason, the mazel of this month is a besula. Every kalla looks forward to her married life with as a fresh start, full of promise. We can live out the month of Elul with a similar sense of hope and anticipation.
The Arizal offers an allegorical explanation for the pasuk "and she cries for her father and mother for a month," referring to the eshes yafes toar. The father represents the Almighty, and the mother represents the Jewish people. During the year, we abandon our father and mother to pursue our heart’s worldly desires. During Elul we have an entire month to focus on rebuilding these fundamental relationships, and to regain to our original level of closeness.
On Rosh Hashanah the Almighty judges us "as we are at that moment." Our din on that day will reflect any changes that we have brought about in ourselves during Elul, no matter how small they may be. Let us seize this precious opportunity to ensure that we will be inscribed immediately into the book of life, health, and prosperity.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Entering Elul
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita, Ravad of Yerushalayim
Leil Shabbos Re'eh)
What Elul Once Was
Sefer Ohr Yisrael describes what Elul once was. The mere mention of the word "Elul" in shul on the Shabbos Mevarchim before Rosh Chodesh would cause people to faint in trepidation. Jews felt that Rosh Hashanah was quickly approaching and expressed this recognition through total involvement in Torah and mitzvos.
Rav Yoshe Ber Solevetchick, the Beis HaLevi was known for his elevated level of yiras shamayim. Every day he would place his hands over a fire, in order to instill within himself a feeling of what it would be like to have to pass through the purification of Gehenom. The Brisker Rav testified that Rav Yoshe Ber's hands were black from this daily torching.
All year long Beis Halevi's avoda was unparalleled. However during Elul his Divine service took on a completely new dimension. Anyone who saw his face realized that the Day of Judgment would soon be here.
Rav Shternbuch relates that when he was a young boy his father would learn Hilchos Teshuva of the Rambam at the Shabbos table during Elul. When his father passed away his mother carried on the tradition. Rav Shternbuch testifies that just hearing the nigun that his mother used to teach these halachos instilled within his heart a fear of the upcoming din.
One time a non-Jewish women came in Elul to the home asking Rav Shternbuch's mother for help. Rebbedson Sternbuch said that she had a court case coming soon, and asked if she could be in touch with her when it was finished. When the non-Jewish women offered her assistance, Rebbedson Stherbuch replied that she could only take care of this mater herself.
Elul in our days has certainly taken a radical shift from what it once was. However even in our generation we can still reap the tremendous gift of Elul. If we use these days of mercy properly we will come to the Yom Hadin prepared to be successful in the judgment that awaits us.
See For Yourself
"See what I have placed before you (the Jewish people)"… (Devarim 11,26 )
The Torah starts off writing the word see in the singular. However the verse concludes with the word the word lifnechem, which is plural. What is the deeper significance of this phrasing?
Hidden in this grammatical discrepancy Torah is the key how to successful teshuva. Many of us look around and think to ourselves that we are not doing so bad considering the lowly state that the world is in today. Comparing ourselves to others can bring us to a feeling of complacency that we really do not need to change.
For this reason the Torah addresses each and every one of us in the singular. Hashem is telling us "See yourself as an individual and do whatever is in your power to fix up, and disregard what is happening in the rest of the world." Only then will we be able change the bad habits we have acquired during the year that have caused us to stray from Him.
Take a Close Look
Looking around at people who are not keeping the Torah should provide us with another impetus to teshuva. Some of them spend their life in the pursuit of happiness, but how many of them can say that they have actually found it. Running after worldly pleasures usually brings one to depression, for it is impossible to attain even a small portion of what one desires.
Leading one's life like an animal filling his physical desires causes one to feel that his life is empty and without reason. On the other hand, someone who keeps the Torah can fell that there is great purpose to their existence. Every mitzvah that a person performs is a great pleasure and fills one's life with meaning.
Looking around superficially could cause one to make the mistake that those seeking physical pleasure are really fulfilled in their existence. For this reason the Torah commands us "See!", take a deeper look, and try to fathom what is really going on. Once the mask has been removed it will be self apparent that they are really not satisfied with their lives, and the empty outer façade is just a front to cover up their feeling of nothingness.
However if you look deeper at the Torah lifestyle you will see how substantative it is. Every mitzvah a Jew performs brings him joy in this world, and eternal life in the next. The Jewish people were given the "Living Torah", and only it contains the directives to a truly happy life.
Starting Fresh
"…before them today, a blessing and a curse…"(Devarim 11,26 )
Once again the Torah is revealing a powerful tool when addressing us with this directive "today". When involved with teshuva don't get caught up in the past and become overly involved with how low we may have fallen. Pick yourself up and start from fresh today, as if you had never transgressed.
Focusing too much on our misdeeds can be a cause to stop us from doing teshuva. Especially in our generation, it is very easy to get depressed and give up hope that we will ever be able to overcome the desires which can pull us far away from a true Torah lifestyle. In this vein the Torah guides us that we should start anew, with the happiness and freshness of someone who has never sinned.
Rav Chaim Brisker explained that this is why we mention every day in Krias Shema that the commandments were given hayom, today. Rather than living in the past or the future, we should place our main focus on the present. Every day we should feel that this is the first time we are keeping the Torah, and infuse our avoda with the freshness that comes with this outlook.
The Zohar speaks of the great praises of the Mara D'Chusbana, those people that make an accounting each day. Every day we should start our lives with a clean slate, and leave the past behind us. Each day should be viewed by itself, and at night, we should make an accounting if we succeeded in serving our Creator properly that day.
A Date in Court
Rav Yisrael Salanter asked in his generation why people are not more afraid in Elul? When we see someone getting ready for a court case he loses sleep at night trying to think of was that he can be victorious. How come we are so passive when our lives are on the line?
Rav Yisrael Salanter concludes that the source of the fear of someone who is awaiting a court case is that they feel that there is something for them to do. As long as they feel that they could do more they will try to accomplish whatever they can. We however feel that we are who we are, and tat we are unable to make major changes in our lives to influence the Divine ruling on Roish Hashamah.
Herein lies a fundamental error. Elul is a time of great heavenly favor and we can definitely make use of it to change our ways. If we connect to these days of mercy by trying our best to do teshuva, Hashem will respond accordingly.
In our generation where depression is rampant, we should not focus on the fear and trepidation of Elul. Rather we should strengthen within ourselves the feelings of the great privilege we have to serve the Creator of the universe. This will bring us to a state of great joy and closeness to our Father in Heaven.
The Torah hints to the aforementioned world outlook: "See what I have placed before you, a blessing and a curse, the blessing if you listen to the mitzvos of Hashem your G-d…"(Devarim 11,26 ). Fulfillment of the blessing is listening to Hashem's mitzvos and understanding the opportunity we have in our hands to serve the King of kings.
This is what Chazal meant when they said, "The reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah." Our greatest remuneration is the fact that we can continue to serve Avinu Malkeinu.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita, Ravad of Yerushalayim
Leil Shabbos Re'eh)
What Elul Once Was
Sefer Ohr Yisrael describes what Elul once was. The mere mention of the word "Elul" in shul on the Shabbos Mevarchim before Rosh Chodesh would cause people to faint in trepidation. Jews felt that Rosh Hashanah was quickly approaching and expressed this recognition through total involvement in Torah and mitzvos.
Rav Yoshe Ber Solevetchick, the Beis HaLevi was known for his elevated level of yiras shamayim. Every day he would place his hands over a fire, in order to instill within himself a feeling of what it would be like to have to pass through the purification of Gehenom. The Brisker Rav testified that Rav Yoshe Ber's hands were black from this daily torching.
All year long Beis Halevi's avoda was unparalleled. However during Elul his Divine service took on a completely new dimension. Anyone who saw his face realized that the Day of Judgment would soon be here.
Rav Shternbuch relates that when he was a young boy his father would learn Hilchos Teshuva of the Rambam at the Shabbos table during Elul. When his father passed away his mother carried on the tradition. Rav Shternbuch testifies that just hearing the nigun that his mother used to teach these halachos instilled within his heart a fear of the upcoming din.
One time a non-Jewish women came in Elul to the home asking Rav Shternbuch's mother for help. Rebbedson Sternbuch said that she had a court case coming soon, and asked if she could be in touch with her when it was finished. When the non-Jewish women offered her assistance, Rebbedson Stherbuch replied that she could only take care of this mater herself.
Elul in our days has certainly taken a radical shift from what it once was. However even in our generation we can still reap the tremendous gift of Elul. If we use these days of mercy properly we will come to the Yom Hadin prepared to be successful in the judgment that awaits us.
See For Yourself
"See what I have placed before you (the Jewish people)"… (Devarim 11,26 )
The Torah starts off writing the word see in the singular. However the verse concludes with the word the word lifnechem, which is plural. What is the deeper significance of this phrasing?
Hidden in this grammatical discrepancy Torah is the key how to successful teshuva. Many of us look around and think to ourselves that we are not doing so bad considering the lowly state that the world is in today. Comparing ourselves to others can bring us to a feeling of complacency that we really do not need to change.
For this reason the Torah addresses each and every one of us in the singular. Hashem is telling us "See yourself as an individual and do whatever is in your power to fix up, and disregard what is happening in the rest of the world." Only then will we be able change the bad habits we have acquired during the year that have caused us to stray from Him.
Take a Close Look
Looking around at people who are not keeping the Torah should provide us with another impetus to teshuva. Some of them spend their life in the pursuit of happiness, but how many of them can say that they have actually found it. Running after worldly pleasures usually brings one to depression, for it is impossible to attain even a small portion of what one desires.
Leading one's life like an animal filling his physical desires causes one to feel that his life is empty and without reason. On the other hand, someone who keeps the Torah can fell that there is great purpose to their existence. Every mitzvah that a person performs is a great pleasure and fills one's life with meaning.
Looking around superficially could cause one to make the mistake that those seeking physical pleasure are really fulfilled in their existence. For this reason the Torah commands us "See!", take a deeper look, and try to fathom what is really going on. Once the mask has been removed it will be self apparent that they are really not satisfied with their lives, and the empty outer façade is just a front to cover up their feeling of nothingness.
However if you look deeper at the Torah lifestyle you will see how substantative it is. Every mitzvah a Jew performs brings him joy in this world, and eternal life in the next. The Jewish people were given the "Living Torah", and only it contains the directives to a truly happy life.
Starting Fresh
"…before them today, a blessing and a curse…"(Devarim 11,26 )
Once again the Torah is revealing a powerful tool when addressing us with this directive "today". When involved with teshuva don't get caught up in the past and become overly involved with how low we may have fallen. Pick yourself up and start from fresh today, as if you had never transgressed.
Focusing too much on our misdeeds can be a cause to stop us from doing teshuva. Especially in our generation, it is very easy to get depressed and give up hope that we will ever be able to overcome the desires which can pull us far away from a true Torah lifestyle. In this vein the Torah guides us that we should start anew, with the happiness and freshness of someone who has never sinned.
Rav Chaim Brisker explained that this is why we mention every day in Krias Shema that the commandments were given hayom, today. Rather than living in the past or the future, we should place our main focus on the present. Every day we should feel that this is the first time we are keeping the Torah, and infuse our avoda with the freshness that comes with this outlook.
The Zohar speaks of the great praises of the Mara D'Chusbana, those people that make an accounting each day. Every day we should start our lives with a clean slate, and leave the past behind us. Each day should be viewed by itself, and at night, we should make an accounting if we succeeded in serving our Creator properly that day.
A Date in Court
Rav Yisrael Salanter asked in his generation why people are not more afraid in Elul? When we see someone getting ready for a court case he loses sleep at night trying to think of was that he can be victorious. How come we are so passive when our lives are on the line?
Rav Yisrael Salanter concludes that the source of the fear of someone who is awaiting a court case is that they feel that there is something for them to do. As long as they feel that they could do more they will try to accomplish whatever they can. We however feel that we are who we are, and tat we are unable to make major changes in our lives to influence the Divine ruling on Roish Hashamah.
Herein lies a fundamental error. Elul is a time of great heavenly favor and we can definitely make use of it to change our ways. If we connect to these days of mercy by trying our best to do teshuva, Hashem will respond accordingly.
In our generation where depression is rampant, we should not focus on the fear and trepidation of Elul. Rather we should strengthen within ourselves the feelings of the great privilege we have to serve the Creator of the universe. This will bring us to a state of great joy and closeness to our Father in Heaven.
The Torah hints to the aforementioned world outlook: "See what I have placed before you, a blessing and a curse, the blessing if you listen to the mitzvos of Hashem your G-d…"(Devarim 11,26 ). Fulfillment of the blessing is listening to Hashem's mitzvos and understanding the opportunity we have in our hands to serve the King of kings.
This is what Chazal meant when they said, "The reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah." Our greatest remuneration is the fact that we can continue to serve Avinu Malkeinu.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Watch Your Step, Developing Greater Appreciation For the Smaller Mitzvos
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Eikev)
"Eikev refers to the seemingly insignificant mitzvos that a person treads on with his heel " (Rashi).
In truth every mitzvah is filled with depth and there is no such thing as an insignificant mitzvah. Mitzvos are commandments of Hashem, and they must all be dealt with the greatest importance. Treating a mitzvah with contempt is paramount to rebelling against the King of kings.
Only by studying the halachos can we give mitzvos the respect they deserve. Overcharging, interest, theft, are only a few examples of Torah prohibitions that we can easily violate as a result of unfamiliarity with their guidelines. Without proper knowledge we will tread over these mitzvos on a constant basis.
Right after teaching us the Eseeres Hadibros in Parshas Yisro, the Torah follows with Parshas Mishpatim which focuses heavily on financial rulings. What is the deeper meaning behind this juxtaposition? The Torah equates the mitzvos, comparing business law to the severity of the ten commandments.
A rav once came to Rav Yisrael Salanter and told him that he wanted to resign his position in rabbanus. Perhaps as rav he had ruled improperly, and caused a distortion of Torah law. Instead he would earn a living as a businessman.
Rav Yisrael replied that the rav's concern that he was not fulfilling his role properly was admirable. Ruling halacha for the public is a tremendous responsibility and it should be approached with the greatest severity. In fact every rav should share these noble sentiments.
However that which he felt that in business he would be free from transgression was a fundamental mistake. Just the opposite, the business world requires a greater knowledge of halacha to keep ones hands clean of transgression. When a person gets to the next world the first question he will asked will be, "Were you honest in business?"
Why did Moshe Rabbeinu wait so long to warn Klal Yisrael regarding these mitzvos that are generally trodden on? While the Jewish people were in the Midbar they dined each day on Mann and pheasant, and did not need to concern themselves with financial laws. Now that they were preparing themselves to enter Eretz Yisrael the reality of the situation necessitated strengthening these halachos.
This is the intent behind Eikev Tishmaon – i.e., before these halachos become relevant. Even though these laws would only become applicable latter, nonetheless Moshe Rabbeinu mentioned them now. Tanach is filled with warnings about monetary infringements, since Hashem considers them to be among the most serious transgressions.
Rav Yisrael Salanter points out that each group of individuals has there own unique daily nisyanos. Bachurim and avreichim need to insure that they are making the proper efforts to learn Torah, business men have to be sure that they act with integrity and give the proper respect to talmidei chachamim, and rabbanim have to make sure they are making the proper efforts for the sake of Klal Yisrael.
The one factor which unites all Jews is that all financial matters should be carried out with integrity. We should know that whatever money has been decreed for us will come into our hands, not a penny more or less. Efforts made to aquire more than our share dishonestly will lead nowhere, and will only cause a desecration of Hashem's name.
The Avnei Nezer adds that the main thing is that the reason one must be especially wary of the seemingly insignificant transgressions, is for such an attitude destroys ones whole outlook to Divine service. Repentance is characterized by the recognition that we sinned 'in front of Hashem' and constant repetition wears away at that realization. Because it is so hard to separate oneself from these small sins, the pasuk places a special emphasis that we should be careful in these matters.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Eikev)
"Eikev refers to the seemingly insignificant mitzvos that a person treads on with his heel " (Rashi).
In truth every mitzvah is filled with depth and there is no such thing as an insignificant mitzvah. Mitzvos are commandments of Hashem, and they must all be dealt with the greatest importance. Treating a mitzvah with contempt is paramount to rebelling against the King of kings.
Only by studying the halachos can we give mitzvos the respect they deserve. Overcharging, interest, theft, are only a few examples of Torah prohibitions that we can easily violate as a result of unfamiliarity with their guidelines. Without proper knowledge we will tread over these mitzvos on a constant basis.
Right after teaching us the Eseeres Hadibros in Parshas Yisro, the Torah follows with Parshas Mishpatim which focuses heavily on financial rulings. What is the deeper meaning behind this juxtaposition? The Torah equates the mitzvos, comparing business law to the severity of the ten commandments.
A rav once came to Rav Yisrael Salanter and told him that he wanted to resign his position in rabbanus. Perhaps as rav he had ruled improperly, and caused a distortion of Torah law. Instead he would earn a living as a businessman.
Rav Yisrael replied that the rav's concern that he was not fulfilling his role properly was admirable. Ruling halacha for the public is a tremendous responsibility and it should be approached with the greatest severity. In fact every rav should share these noble sentiments.
However that which he felt that in business he would be free from transgression was a fundamental mistake. Just the opposite, the business world requires a greater knowledge of halacha to keep ones hands clean of transgression. When a person gets to the next world the first question he will asked will be, "Were you honest in business?"
Why did Moshe Rabbeinu wait so long to warn Klal Yisrael regarding these mitzvos that are generally trodden on? While the Jewish people were in the Midbar they dined each day on Mann and pheasant, and did not need to concern themselves with financial laws. Now that they were preparing themselves to enter Eretz Yisrael the reality of the situation necessitated strengthening these halachos.
This is the intent behind Eikev Tishmaon – i.e., before these halachos become relevant. Even though these laws would only become applicable latter, nonetheless Moshe Rabbeinu mentioned them now. Tanach is filled with warnings about monetary infringements, since Hashem considers them to be among the most serious transgressions.
Rav Yisrael Salanter points out that each group of individuals has there own unique daily nisyanos. Bachurim and avreichim need to insure that they are making the proper efforts to learn Torah, business men have to be sure that they act with integrity and give the proper respect to talmidei chachamim, and rabbanim have to make sure they are making the proper efforts for the sake of Klal Yisrael.
The one factor which unites all Jews is that all financial matters should be carried out with integrity. We should know that whatever money has been decreed for us will come into our hands, not a penny more or less. Efforts made to aquire more than our share dishonestly will lead nowhere, and will only cause a desecration of Hashem's name.
The Avnei Nezer adds that the main thing is that the reason one must be especially wary of the seemingly insignificant transgressions, is for such an attitude destroys ones whole outlook to Divine service. Repentance is characterized by the recognition that we sinned 'in front of Hashem' and constant repetition wears away at that realization. Because it is so hard to separate oneself from these small sins, the pasuk places a special emphasis that we should be careful in these matters.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Freedom Of Speach, Protecting Ourselves From Speech Related Transgressions
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha Leil Shabbos Matos - Maasei
from HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Short and to the Point
Generally the Torah introduces a statement, "And Hashem said to Moshe…". In Parshas Matos we find a deviation form this pattern. The Torah writes "And Moshe spoke to the heads of the Matos (tribes) saying..." What is the reason for this change in phrasing?
The pasuk continues, " …this is what you should tell the Jewish people..." In other sections the Torah merely states the concept without this introductory phrase, " This is what…". What justifies adding these words in this parshah?
Most of the Torah was taught to Moshe Rabbeinu in a brief form, and then taught to the rest of Klal Yisrael in a more elaborated version. Parshas Nedarim differs from the rest of the Torah in two ways. Moshe Rabbeinu told it directly to the leaders of Klal Yisrael, and relayed the parshah in the condensed form that he had heard it directly from Hashem.
The Parshah of Nedarim comes to teach us the great power of speech that we have been endowed with. A simple object can be sanctified with kedusha merely by uttering a few words. By saying "This is like a korban" we can even give an object the status of hekdesh.
Similarly, Jewish mouths should be sanctified with words of Torah and Tefilah. Someone who pollutes his speech with lashon hara and other verbal transgressions is destroying this holy gift. His Torah will not affect him and his tefilos will not be accepted by Hashem.
"Life and death are regulated by the tongue". Our Sages revealed to us that eternal life in the next world, or conversely spending the rest of eternity in oblivion depends on how one uses his faculties of speech. Shlomo HaMelech drove this lesson home when he said "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue, spares himself from devastating punishment."
For this reason Parshas Nedarim is written differently than the rest of the Torah. By using the exact concise wording that Hashem had relayed it to Moshe Rabbeinu, Hashem wished to convey how carefully one must deal with the power of the tongue involving Nedarim and all speech related areas. Each word must be weighed prudently lest the wrong word slip out and wreck havoc in the world.
This is why the Torah introduces Nedarim with the words, "This is what Hashem said…" Unlike other parshos which were altered for the sake of clarity and explanation, the Torah used the exact wording to relay this section. This choice of brevity comes to stress how careful one must be when choosing words in any setting.
After the above explanation we can understand why the section of Nedarim had to be taught directly to the leaders of Klal Yisrael. Only great Torah scholars ar capable of fathoming the terse version and then accurately communicating it to the rest of the Jewish people. After they had sufficiently absorbed this section they could teach it to the rest of the Jewish people in their own words.
We should learn from the terse nature of the parsha of Nedarim and apply it to our everyday speech. Great precaution must be exercised when selecting each word that leaves our mouths. Guarding our tongues in this manner will help us to avoid the many speech related transgressions that can easily creep their way into our conversations.
The Final Accounting
On one hand the parsha of Nedarim was written succinctly to teach us how much we have to weigh every word. However at the same time the Torah elaborates on these halachos to teach us how stringent they are. The final judgment on one's speech is from the most arduous aspects of our final din.
Rav Yitzcka Blauzer transcribed the works of his Rebbi Rav Yisrael Slanter, and was one of Rav Yisrael's most famous students. After Rav Yitzchak Blauzer's death, he came to his colleague Rav Chaim Berlin in a dream. Rav Yitzchak reveled to him that while all of the judgments in the next world are difficult, that of speech related sins is amongst the hardest.
Doing teshuva on these transgressions during one's lifetime is no easy task. Constant repetition makes these aveiros almost an inseparable part of our personalities. Only with great effort can we dissect these words from our conversations.
Our Sages teach us that a person is judged on all of his words. Even the simple conversations that he had with his spouses will be included in his final reckoning. Every word needs to be accounted for.
In the past century technology has brought us an array of new gadgets which can transmit and record our words. The Chafetz Chaim noted that these inventions are meant to teach us the great surveillance that takes place on our speech. When the day of din comes all of our words will be played back to us.
The Zohar describes just what this moment will be like. After listening to the words that we said we will beg, "Please give me another opportunity!" The Heavenly Assembly will reply, "Whoever made the effort in their lifetime will reap the reward in the world to come."
How can we guard our tongues successfully? Learning the halachos of Lashon Hara from the sefer Chefetz Chaim certainly has a major impact on the way one speaks. The previous Ger Rebbi, Rav Avraham Mordehai testified on himself that he could feel the effects of one day that he did not learn the halachos of Lashon Hara.
The Nine Days
During the Nine Days, when we make an effort to mourn the Beis Hamikdash, we must be especially careful to guard our tongues. Senseless hatred which expressed itself as lashon hara was one of the main causes of the Temple's destruction. Every generation that the mikdash is not rebuilt, is held accountable as if they had propagated its ruin.
Rav Shternbuch remembers as a bachur in yeshiva, what the Nine Days looked like. Talmidim would fall onto the floor crying over the great loss they felt that the mikdash has not been rebuilt. What a moving sight it was to see such a heartfelt expression of mourning!
Churban Hamikdash means that the Shechinah has left us. Our mourning during these times brings the shechnah back and will eventually lead to the rebuilding of the Temple. May we see the fulfillment soon of what Chazal promised, "All those who mourn the destruction of the Mikdash will merit to experience the joy of its rebuilding.
Protest in Yerushalayim
In a derasha about speech, we cannot ignore the chain of events that has taken place here in Yerushalayim during the past weeks. The authorities have acted atrociously to members of the religious community, treating them as sub humans and animals. One is forbidden to remain quiet while such atrocities take place around us.
Lest we ask what will it help if I protest. Rav Shternbuch Rebbi, the famed Gaon Rav Yiyzchak Zev the Rav oof Brisk offers the following answer. We must internalize his words and recognize that they are halacha lma'aseh during these times/
The Medrash says that when Pharoh decided to sunjagate Klal Yisrael he spoke the issue over with three of his advisers. Billam consented, Yisro fled, and Eyov was quiet. Because Eyov was silent he was tortured with great affliction.
The Brisker Rav asks, why are yesurim considered an appropriate punishment for silence? When a person feels he is being tortured, he screams. Even though his yelling does not help, since he feels excruciating pain he screams. So too when we see chilul Hashem chas vashalom, we too must scream and express our pain.
When we see or hear about the events that the police and authorities performed in the holy city of Yerushalayim, we must feel that the full force of the churban is being felt. We must make our voices heard and show Hashem how much pain we feel. This will arouse Divine mercy and bring an end to their leadership.
However as much as we feel pain one thing is clear. Acting with violence is lowering ourselves to their level and accomplishes nothing. We must make our voices heard while at the same time maintain our dignity. In this way we are standing up for the truth and at the same time sanctifying Hashem's name.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
(based on a derasha Leil Shabbos Matos - Maasei
from HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Short and to the Point
Generally the Torah introduces a statement, "And Hashem said to Moshe…". In Parshas Matos we find a deviation form this pattern. The Torah writes "And Moshe spoke to the heads of the Matos (tribes) saying..." What is the reason for this change in phrasing?
The pasuk continues, " …this is what you should tell the Jewish people..." In other sections the Torah merely states the concept without this introductory phrase, " This is what…". What justifies adding these words in this parshah?
Most of the Torah was taught to Moshe Rabbeinu in a brief form, and then taught to the rest of Klal Yisrael in a more elaborated version. Parshas Nedarim differs from the rest of the Torah in two ways. Moshe Rabbeinu told it directly to the leaders of Klal Yisrael, and relayed the parshah in the condensed form that he had heard it directly from Hashem.
The Parshah of Nedarim comes to teach us the great power of speech that we have been endowed with. A simple object can be sanctified with kedusha merely by uttering a few words. By saying "This is like a korban" we can even give an object the status of hekdesh.
Similarly, Jewish mouths should be sanctified with words of Torah and Tefilah. Someone who pollutes his speech with lashon hara and other verbal transgressions is destroying this holy gift. His Torah will not affect him and his tefilos will not be accepted by Hashem.
"Life and death are regulated by the tongue". Our Sages revealed to us that eternal life in the next world, or conversely spending the rest of eternity in oblivion depends on how one uses his faculties of speech. Shlomo HaMelech drove this lesson home when he said "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue, spares himself from devastating punishment."
For this reason Parshas Nedarim is written differently than the rest of the Torah. By using the exact concise wording that Hashem had relayed it to Moshe Rabbeinu, Hashem wished to convey how carefully one must deal with the power of the tongue involving Nedarim and all speech related areas. Each word must be weighed prudently lest the wrong word slip out and wreck havoc in the world.
This is why the Torah introduces Nedarim with the words, "This is what Hashem said…" Unlike other parshos which were altered for the sake of clarity and explanation, the Torah used the exact wording to relay this section. This choice of brevity comes to stress how careful one must be when choosing words in any setting.
After the above explanation we can understand why the section of Nedarim had to be taught directly to the leaders of Klal Yisrael. Only great Torah scholars ar capable of fathoming the terse version and then accurately communicating it to the rest of the Jewish people. After they had sufficiently absorbed this section they could teach it to the rest of the Jewish people in their own words.
We should learn from the terse nature of the parsha of Nedarim and apply it to our everyday speech. Great precaution must be exercised when selecting each word that leaves our mouths. Guarding our tongues in this manner will help us to avoid the many speech related transgressions that can easily creep their way into our conversations.
The Final Accounting
On one hand the parsha of Nedarim was written succinctly to teach us how much we have to weigh every word. However at the same time the Torah elaborates on these halachos to teach us how stringent they are. The final judgment on one's speech is from the most arduous aspects of our final din.
Rav Yitzcka Blauzer transcribed the works of his Rebbi Rav Yisrael Slanter, and was one of Rav Yisrael's most famous students. After Rav Yitzchak Blauzer's death, he came to his colleague Rav Chaim Berlin in a dream. Rav Yitzchak reveled to him that while all of the judgments in the next world are difficult, that of speech related sins is amongst the hardest.
Doing teshuva on these transgressions during one's lifetime is no easy task. Constant repetition makes these aveiros almost an inseparable part of our personalities. Only with great effort can we dissect these words from our conversations.
Our Sages teach us that a person is judged on all of his words. Even the simple conversations that he had with his spouses will be included in his final reckoning. Every word needs to be accounted for.
In the past century technology has brought us an array of new gadgets which can transmit and record our words. The Chafetz Chaim noted that these inventions are meant to teach us the great surveillance that takes place on our speech. When the day of din comes all of our words will be played back to us.
The Zohar describes just what this moment will be like. After listening to the words that we said we will beg, "Please give me another opportunity!" The Heavenly Assembly will reply, "Whoever made the effort in their lifetime will reap the reward in the world to come."
How can we guard our tongues successfully? Learning the halachos of Lashon Hara from the sefer Chefetz Chaim certainly has a major impact on the way one speaks. The previous Ger Rebbi, Rav Avraham Mordehai testified on himself that he could feel the effects of one day that he did not learn the halachos of Lashon Hara.
The Nine Days
During the Nine Days, when we make an effort to mourn the Beis Hamikdash, we must be especially careful to guard our tongues. Senseless hatred which expressed itself as lashon hara was one of the main causes of the Temple's destruction. Every generation that the mikdash is not rebuilt, is held accountable as if they had propagated its ruin.
Rav Shternbuch remembers as a bachur in yeshiva, what the Nine Days looked like. Talmidim would fall onto the floor crying over the great loss they felt that the mikdash has not been rebuilt. What a moving sight it was to see such a heartfelt expression of mourning!
Churban Hamikdash means that the Shechinah has left us. Our mourning during these times brings the shechnah back and will eventually lead to the rebuilding of the Temple. May we see the fulfillment soon of what Chazal promised, "All those who mourn the destruction of the Mikdash will merit to experience the joy of its rebuilding.
Protest in Yerushalayim
In a derasha about speech, we cannot ignore the chain of events that has taken place here in Yerushalayim during the past weeks. The authorities have acted atrociously to members of the religious community, treating them as sub humans and animals. One is forbidden to remain quiet while such atrocities take place around us.
Lest we ask what will it help if I protest. Rav Shternbuch Rebbi, the famed Gaon Rav Yiyzchak Zev the Rav oof Brisk offers the following answer. We must internalize his words and recognize that they are halacha lma'aseh during these times/
The Medrash says that when Pharoh decided to sunjagate Klal Yisrael he spoke the issue over with three of his advisers. Billam consented, Yisro fled, and Eyov was quiet. Because Eyov was silent he was tortured with great affliction.
The Brisker Rav asks, why are yesurim considered an appropriate punishment for silence? When a person feels he is being tortured, he screams. Even though his yelling does not help, since he feels excruciating pain he screams. So too when we see chilul Hashem chas vashalom, we too must scream and express our pain.
When we see or hear about the events that the police and authorities performed in the holy city of Yerushalayim, we must feel that the full force of the churban is being felt. We must make our voices heard and show Hashem how much pain we feel. This will arouse Divine mercy and bring an end to their leadership.
However as much as we feel pain one thing is clear. Acting with violence is lowering ourselves to their level and accomplishes nothing. We must make our voices heard while at the same time maintain our dignity. In this way we are standing up for the truth and at the same time sanctifying Hashem's name.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Freedom Of Speach, Protecting Ourselves From Speech Related Transgressions
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha Leil Shabbos Matos - Maasei
from HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Short and to the Point
Generally the Torah introduces a statement, "And Hashem said to Moshe…". In Parshas Matos we find a deviation form this pattern. The Torah writes "And Moshe spoke to the heads of the Matos (tribes) saying..." What is the reason for this change in phrasing?
The pasuk continues, " …this is what you should tell the Jewish people..." In other sections the Torah merely states the concept without this introductory phrase, " This is what…". What justifies adding these words in this parshah?
Most of the Torah was taught to Moshe Rabbeinu in a brief form, and then taught to the rest of Klal Yisrael in a more elaborated version. Parshas Nedarim differs from the rest of the Torah in two ways. Moshe Rabbeinu told it directly to the leaders of Klal Yisrael, and relayed the parshah in the condensed form that he had heard it directly from Hashem.
The Parshah of Nedarim comes to teach us the great power of speech that we have been endowed with. A simple object can be sanctified with kedusha merely by uttering a few words. By saying "This is like a korban" we can even give an object the status of hekdesh.
Similarly, Jewish mouths should be sanctified with words of Torah and Tefilah. Someone who pollutes his speech with lashon hara and other verbal transgressions is destroying this holy gift. His Torah will not affect him and his tefilos will not be accepted by Hashem.
"Life and death are regulated by the tongue". Our Sages revealed to us that eternal life in the next world, or conversely spending the rest of eternity in oblivion depends on how one uses his faculties of speech. Shlomo HaMelech drove this lesson home when he said "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue, spares himself from devastating punishment."
For this reason Parshas Nedarim is written differently than the rest of the Torah. By using the exact concise wording that Hashem had relayed it to Moshe Rabbeinu, Hashem wished to convey how carefully one must deal with the power of the tongue involving Nedarim and all speech related areas. Each word must be weighed prudently lest the wrong word slip out and wreck havoc in the world.
This is why the Torah introduces Nedarim with the words, "This is what Hashem said…" Unlike other parshos which were altered for the sake of clarity and explanation, the Torah used the exact wording to relay this section. This choice of brevity comes to stress how careful one must be when choosing words in any setting.
After the above explanation we can understand why the section of Nedarim had to be taught directly to the leaders of Klal Yisrael. Only great Torah scholars ar capable of fathoming the terse version and then accurately communicating it to the rest of the Jewish people. After they had sufficiently absorbed this section they could teach it to the rest of the Jewish people in their own words.
We should learn from the terse nature of the parsha of Nedarim and apply it to our everyday speech. Great precaution must be exercised when selecting each word that leaves our mouths. Guarding our tongues in this manner will help us to avoid the many speech related transgressions that can easily creep their way into our conversations.
The Final Accounting
On one hand the parsha of Nedarim was written succinctly to teach us how much we have to weigh every word. However at the same time the Torah elaborates on these halachos to teach us how stringent they are. The final judgment on one's speech is from the most arduous aspects of our final din.
Rav Yitzcka Blauzer transcribed the works of his Rebbi Rav Yisrael Slanter, and was one of Rav Yisrael's most famous students. After Rav Yitzchak Blauzer's death, he came to his colleague Rav Chaim Berlin in a dream. Rav Yitzchak reveled to him that while all of the judgments in the next world are difficult, that of speech related sins is amongst the hardest.
Doing teshuva on these transgressions during one's lifetime is no easy task. Constant repetition makes these aveiros almost an inseparable part of our personalities. Only with great effort can we dissect these words from our conversations.
Our Sages teach us that a person is judged on all of his words. Even the simple conversations that he had with his spouses will be included in his final reckoning. Every word needs to be accounted for.
In the past century technology has brought us an array of new gadgets which can transmit and record our words. The Chafetz Chaim noted that these inventions are meant to teach us the great surveillance that takes place on our speech. When the day of din comes all of our words will be played back to us.
The Zohar describes just what this moment will be like. After listening to the words that we said we will beg, "Please give me another opportunity!" The Heavenly Assembly will reply, "Whoever made the effort in their lifetime will reap the reward in the world to come."
How can we guard our tongues successfully? Learning the halachos of Lashon Hara from the sefer Chefetz Chaim certainly has a major impact on the way one speaks. The previous Ger Rebbi, Rav Avraham Mordehai testified on himself that he could feel the effects of one day that he did not learn the halachos of Lashon Hara.
The Nine Days
During the Nine Days, when we make an effort to mourn the Beis Hamikdash, we must be especially careful to guard our tongues. Senseless hatred which expressed itself as lashon hara was one of the main causes of the Temple's destruction. Every generation that the mikdash is not rebuilt, is held accountable as if they had propagated its ruin.
Rav Shternbuch remembers as a bachur in yeshiva, what the Nine Days looked like. Talmidim would fall onto the floor crying over the great loss they felt that the mikdash has not been rebuilt. What a moving sight it was to see such a heartfelt expression of mourning!
Churban Hamikdash means that the Shechinah has left us. Our mourning during these times brings the shechnah back and will eventually lead to the rebuilding of the Temple. May we see the fulfillment soon of what Chazal promised, "All those who mourn the destruction of the Mikdash will merit to experience the joy of its rebuilding.
Protest in Yerushalayim
In a derasha about speech, we cannot ignore the chain of events that has taken place here in Yerushalayim during the past weeks. The authorities have acted atrociously to members of the religious community, treating them as sub humans and animals. One is forbidden to remain quiet while such atrocities take place around us.
Lest we ask what will it help if I protest. Rav Shternbuch Rebbi, the famed Gaon Rav Yiyzchak Zev the Rav oof Brisk offers the following answer. We must internalize his words and recognize that they are halacha lma'aseh during these times/
The Medrash says that when Pharoh decided to sunjagate Klal Yisrael he spoke the issue over with three of his advisers. Billam consented, Yisro fled, and Eyov was quiet. Because Eyov was silent he was tortured with great affliction.
The Brisker Rav asks, why are yesurim considered an appropriate punishment for silence? When a person feels he is being tortured, he screams. Even though his yelling does not help, since he feels excruciating pain he screams. So too when we see chilul Hashem chas vashalom, we too must scream and express our pain.
When we see or hear about the events that the police and authorities performed in the holy city of Yerushalayim, we must feel that the full force of the churban is being felt. We must make our voices heard and show Hashem how much pain we feel. This will arouse Divine mercy and bring an end to their leadership.
However as much as we feel pain one thing is clear. Acting with violence is lowering ourselves to their level and accomplishes nothing. We must make our voices heard while at the same time maintain our dignity. In this way we are standing up for the truth and at the same time sanctifying Hashem's name.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Passion For Truth, Prerequisites For Jewish Leadership
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
Family Ties
"After Pinchas killed Zimri, the Shevatim chided him saying, 'Your grandfather [Yisro] was a Priest to idol worshipers and you have the audacity to kill one of the heads of a shevet of the Jewish people.’ Hashem rectified the situation by tracing Pinchas' genealogy to Eliezer" (Rashi).
Rashi's comment requires explanation. The individuals who were harassing Pinchas knew that his father was Eliezer, son of Aharon. So what difference does it make if the Torah writes his father's name in the pasuk?
His detractors said that Pinchas' zeal to kill Zimri was due to negative character traits which he inherited from the non-Jewish side of his family. They accused him of feigning kanayos, passion for truth, saying that he was a 'wild man' who had taken the law into his own hands and had committed a reckless act. Pinchas should be held accountable for killing Zimri.
Yet Eliezer was a son of Aharon, who personified the attitude of "pursue peace and love peace." Everyone knew that Eliezer followed in his father's harmonious ways, and any act by his son which resulted from his influence was certainly motivated by pure intentions. By tracing Pinchas' genealogy to Eliezer, the Torah makes it clear that Pinchas' killed Zimri in the name of the genuinely peace-loving ways he absorbed from his father, and not due to any sinister influences.
The Whole Truth
Pinchas was rewarded for his act of truth with a bris of Shalom. When the Torah recounts this, the letter vuv in the word Shalom is a written ketuah, split. What is the deeper meaning behind this?
Peace is not always easy to come by. Some people feel that peace-making justifies excessive compromising. Rather than pursuing truth, they rush to carve up everything sacred in a vain attempt to appease all the parties. While they may have good intentions, what results is very far from what the Torah calls peace.
By writing the vuv split¸ the Torah is warning against such strategies. The split vuv hints that the words Shalom can be read without the vuv, spelling shalem, complete. Thus, the Torah unequivocally warns us against carving up that which is worthless if it is not complete, in the name of peace.
Technology has given us real life examples of this concept. A sophisticated spacecraft that can take man to the moon and cost millions of dollars becomes a deathtrap if a single screw is loose. Likewise, attempts to forego certain core Jewish values and practices in the attempt to compromise with the forces of the modern world, result in the self-destruction of communities. Only complete dedication to the Torah ideals can bring real everlasting peace.
Standing Alone
Pinchas understood that his act would attract criticism, yet he did not hesitate to kill Zimri. In doing so he showed Klal Yisrael the proper way that to act. One should only consider what is correct in Hashem's eyes, and disregard how others might judge you.
This fundamental concept is hinted at in the Eseres HaDibros. While most of the Torah is in the plural form, the Ten Commandments, which encapsulate the entire Torah, are written in the singular. This fundamental creed is directed personally to each individual Jew. The Torah thereby teaches us that one's fulfillment of mitzvos must not be affected by the herd mentality.
This point is illustrated by the following story. Rav Avraham Kalmanovitch was the rav in the city of Rokav in Europe. Later he came to the United States and was instrumental in helping the entire Mir Yeshiva to reach Shanghai, and thus saving their lives.
While still in Europe, Rav Kalmanovitch had an important question that he needed Rav Chaim Brisker to answer. He heard that the Rav Chaim was in Brisk, and he went to Rav’s home and knocked on the door. He continued knocking, but to his disappointment there was no answer.
After waiting for a long while Rav Kalmanovitch realized that he had to resort to more assertive techniques. He called out, "Rav Chaim, I have a question that involves pikuach nefesh." Within a few moments the Rav of Brisk was at the door.
Rav Chaim explained his reluctance to answer the earlier knocks as follows: “The Rambam writes (Deos 6) that if the world is full of evil people, a person should isolate himself in the desert. Once in a while I shut myself up in my home and imagine that I am in such a desert.” Rav Kalmanovitch had come during one of these times, and Rav Chaim had only been willing to break his isolation when he heard that it was a situation of pikuach nefesh.
Helping the Klal
Pinchas taught us a crucial lesson that one must pursue the truth regardless of what others might think. The Chilul Hashem alone was certainly enough reason to kill Zimri. However there was another major motivation behind Pinchas' actions.
Hashem had responded to the transgressions of Klal Yisrael with a magefah, a deadly plague which was claiming thousands of Jewish lives. Pinchas' timely act atoned for their sins and stopped the magefah. This effectively saved the entire Jewish people.
A passion for the truth is praiseworthy, but only if it is tempered with a love for Klal Yisrael. Had Pinchas' actions been spurred only by anger against the Jewish people they would not have been as effective. His sincere desire to save Klal Yisrael made Pinchas' conduct a true act of Kinas Hashem.
Next in Line
As Moshe's term of leadership over the Jewish people drew to a close, he needed an appropriate successor. After Pinchas had shown such a passion for the truth, perhaps he should have been first choice for the position. Why wasn't he even considered a candidate for the next leader of Klal Yisrael?
Yehoshua ben Nun spent years of his life personally learning from and serving Moshe Rabbeinu. If a doctor or lawyer cannot properly function in their roles before completing an extensive hands-on internship, certainly a leader of Klal Yisrael must work closely with another leader beforehand. This hands-on experience helping Moshe Rabbeinu put Yehoshua before Pinchas or any other candidate for the leadership position.
Rav Sternbuch once spoke to the Brisker Rav about someone who was a talmid of his father, Rav Chaim Brisker. When the Brisker Rav asked how long this person had learned from his father, Rav Sternbuch replied three years. "Three years!" exclaimed the Brisker Rav. "Three years is not enough time to be considered a talmid of my father."
From Pinchas we learn that in the pursuit of truth we must disregard the opinions of others, yet we must always maintain a deep concern for all our fellow Jews. Yehoshua ben Nun teaches us that, while we must maintain our individuality, true Jewish leaders are humble enough to learn deeply and extensively from their predecessors, who exemplify and epitomize true Divine service. May Hashem help us all to serve Him with truth at all times.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Between a Blessing and a Curse, The Power of Bilam’s Words for our Lives
Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha leil Shabbos Balak from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim)
A Self-Made Man
"Why did Hashem rest His Presence on this evil non-Jew [Bilam]? In order that the nations of the world should not be able to claim: 'If we only had prophets, we would have repented.' Hashem gave them a prophet and he destroyed the moral standard that previous generations had established." (Rashi, Bamidbar 22,5).
The Medrash tells us more details about Bilam. Although the Jewish people never produced another prophet as great as Moshe Rabbeinu, the non-Jews did. This was the evil Bilam whose prophetic insight equaled that of Moshe.
Yet even Bilam's great prophetic powers do not really seem to provide a solid basis for Rashi’s statement. The nations of the world can still argue that had they been given a great prophet as good and righteous as Moshe, they would have repented. Giving them someone as wicked as Bilam just made their situation worse.
This complaints can be addressed as follows: Torah lauds the greatness of humility, and teaches that when Hashem gives a person extraordinary gifts, the recipient is obligated to use these strengths in order to work on himself and make himself worthy of such Divine benevolence. Other nations that are not bound to the Torah do not feel this obligation. Therefore, Bilam, who was arrogant and money-hungry preferred to use his G-d given gifts to promote his personal status and wealth.
Moshe Rabbeinu who taught the Torah to the entire Jewish people followed the directive to cling to the attribute of humility, and is described as the humblest person who ever lived. When he was offered power, he replied: "Give it to someone else and not me. Anyone else is worthier of leadership than I."
Rashi explains that Balak shared Billam's negative drives and felt that, as long as the Jewish people were around, life was not worth living. Their very existence cast a damper on his relentless pleasure seeking and self-aggrandizement. The Jewish People, the Torah and the Divinely inspired moral consciousness that they inspired were a thorn in his side. As far as he was concerned, they had to be destroyed.
An Eloquent Orator
"How good are your tents Yaakov, your Mishkan, Yisrael." Bilam's words of blessing are some of the most beautiful pasukim in Tanach. At face value, it is difficult to perceive why the Torah considers him such a rasha.
Behind Bilam's eloquent phrases was the intention to completely wipe out the Jewish people. Praising the exalted level of holiness of the Jewish people was a ploy to try and arouse Hashem’s judgment when the Jews failed to live up to this high praise. He wanted Klal Yisrael to act immorally, in order that Hashem would punish them with an exacting judgment reserved only for the truly righteous.
Although he was not successful in cursing Klal Yisrael, Bilam's evil intentions bore fruit. He advised Balak to tempt them with immorality, and as a result, 24,000 Jews perished. If Pinchas had not stood up for the Divine honor, Bilam's evil plan could have come to fruition.
Take Me to Your Leader
Bilam's arrogance further expressed itself in his speech. Balak sent melachim, messengers, to summon him. Billam responded that he should have sent sarim, heads of state, to speak to him.
This snobby attitude is a sign of true conceit , and a Jew should be careful to act in the opposite manner. Successful professionals, businessmen and public figures should be accorded honor, but every humble Yid is also worthy of respectful treatment. Moreover, when it comes to lomdei Torah, whose Torah study sustains the entire universe, we should be careful to treat them respectfully, even if the whole world looks down on their “lack of accomplishment.”
I heard recently of an incident in a shul in New York which one morning was visited by a Rav and a well-known Jewish politician for Shachris. The Rabbi of the shul gave the politician a warm welcome, saying what an honor it was that he had chosen to daven in their shul. He did not make mention of the Rav, though he did remind him privately not to try and collect money in his congregation after the services.
A Place in the World to Come
The Gemara is Sanhedrin asks, "Who is an apikoris? Someone who says, 'What do talmidei chachamim do for us?'” Chazal tell us that someone who does not value the essential contribution of talmidei chachamim has lost his place in the World to Come.
"Let me [Bilam] die the death of the righteous… (Bamidbar 23,10)". Bilam understood that Klal Yisrael will receive immeasurable reward in the World to Come, and even wanted to die the death of the righteous. He was not however willing to live the life of a tzadik, and instead directed his gifts towards destroying the Jewish people. As a result, he most certainly found himself in the darkest corner of Gehenom.
The Vilna Gaon once saw a famished wagon driver stranded without a roof over his head in the middle of the night. After the Gaon invited him into his home and fed him, the wagon driver gave a weary sigh and lamented his struggles to make a living. The Vilna Gaon responded that the day-to-day struggle to survive in this transient world is indeed challenging, but it pales in comparison to the work one needs to do to secure an eternal portion in the World to Come.
In a Class of Their Own
We can further understand the unique purpose and goals of Klal Yisrael as learned from Bilam's words from the following incident. Rav Elchanan Wasserman once traveled to England to collect funds for his yeshiva in Barenvitch. He came to speak in a local shul frequented by individuals who did not appreciate what he was doing for Klal Yisrael. The message of the Rosh Yeshiva's derasha was as follows:
"They are a nation in a class of their own, and are not counted among the other nations (Bamidbar 23,9)." Rav Elchanan Wasserman explained that other nations need a land to establish their identity. Without a homeland, their national cohesion quickly dissipates.
Klal Yisrael, on the other hand, does not value Eretz Yisrael as a homeland. For the Jewish people, the Land of Israel is a place where we can perform mitzvos in the optimal fashion. In this way, we are “not counted among other nations,” for our yearning for our land differs from all that of all other peoples.
The gabai considered Rav Elchanon's message to be anti-Zionist and after the speech told everyone in the shul to leave and daven Mussaf somewhere else. A handful of people remained with Rav Wasserman, among them Rav Sternbuch, who was then a young bachur. Rav Elchanan said that success in acquiring funds is in Hashem's hands and was undaunted by the fact that most of his audience left.
Permanent and Temporary
"How good are your tents Yaakov, your Mishkan, Yisrael." Bilam's words are strikingly beautiful and the above phrase was even incorporated into our tefilos. They have the potential to be a source of tremendous bracha for us.
What is the deeper meaning of the above pasuk? Bilam's words come to describe the exalted nature of the Jewish people. The name Yaakov represents the physical aspect of the Jewish people, while the title Yisrael refers to our spiritual nature.
The Jewish people’s physical needs are like a tent – a temporary home in this transient world. Our spiritual endeavors, on the other hand, are like the Mishkan, which although it was only a temporary resting place for the Divine Prescience, served as Klal Yisrael’s spiritual focal point for hundreds of years and is still the model for Jewish homes until this day.
If we properly absorb this world outlook, viewing our never-ending physical needs as fleeting matters, and our brief spiritual opportunities as an investment in perpetuity, we will merit seeing Bilam’s words fulfilled as a bracha in our lives and homes today.
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