Hoarding and Greed

The incident at קברות התאווה where the people complained about lack of meat and watermelon, was very telling. Hashem answered their request by sending the quails.

It was bad enough that they were unappreciative of Hashem’s kindness in the desert. The מן provided them with all of the nourishment that they needed. But what was worse was the way they collected the quails. Rabbi Soloveitchik comments that they gathered the שליו in piles and acted like mad men.

Judaism hates hoarding, avarice, and greed. People who believe that security comes with amassing wealth are nothing but fools. The sin of קברות התאווה was one of greed and desire. The important lesson here is that our real security comes only with our complete reliance on Hashem. Anything else is vanity of vanities. Shabbat Shalom

Aharon and the Menorah

Parshat בהעלותך begins with the commandment to light the Menorah. The Ramban comments that Aharon was a little despondent after seeing that each of twelve tribes were honored to make sacrifices at the dedication of the Mishkan,

Aharon was concerned that perhaps he was unworthy for his part in creating the Golden Calf. He is assured that he is in Hashem’s good graces. Not only is he given the exclusive Mitzva to light the Menorah but there will be a special holiday in the future where his descendants will save the Jewish people. The story of the Maccabees and his special Mitzva were meant to give Aharon special recognition.

Rabbi Soloveitchik points out that Aharon demonstrated tremendous humility. He allowed himself to be insulted and struck with stones. He guarded sanctity with self sacrifice and unbounded love.

Aharon was similar to Rachel who helped her husband, Rabbi Akiva. Because of all of this, Aharon was rewarded with Chanukah.

An Interesting Story

Harav Shalom Shvadron, was known as the “מגיד” or storyteller of Jerusalem. He told the following story to make an important point.

The Rav was once passing an area where the sewage pipe had broken, leaving a very bad smell. Rav Shvadron hurriedly passed that area as quickly as possible. To his surprise, on his way home, he noticed the sewage workers taking their lunch break right in the middle of where the horrible stench originated. These workers were so used to this smell, they didn’t even notice it.

The message of Rav Shvadron was that there are times when people settle in to a lifestyle or marriage that is really bad. But instead of doing something to work hard to change the situation, they settle for the status quo and learn to get used to the stench.

Others see what’s going on and can’t believe what is obvious. However, the victims of their predicament become oblivious and try to convince themselves by way of denial, that things don’t smell at all.

We must learn from this story to work harder at our marriages and to live more quality lifestyles.

Too Much Money- Too Much Free Time

The Gemara in מסכת ברכות describes how Moshe Rabbeinu convinced Hashem to forgive the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf.

Surprisingly, Moshe blames Hashem for the sin. He says that the fault was with Hashem because of all the gold they were given when they left Egypt. Without gold, they could not have built the Golden Calf.

The comparison to this was like giving a young man a pouch of gold and placing him in front of a house of prostitution. There is just too much temptation to resist.

This story seems to also explain the problem with the Western world today. When there is an abundance of money and free time, it only spells trouble. If the funds were not there and people used their time wisely, they would not have time to sin.

This is why the Mishna says יפה תלמוד תורה עם דרך ארץ, that Torah and work is ideal, for the involvement in both will minimize sin.

Slaughtering on Rosh Hashanah

The debate over eating meat and vegetarianism is ongoing. In Jewish writings, both views do receive recognition. On the one hand, Hashem gave us the ability to conquer the land and all that is in it. This allows us to use animals to our benefit, provided we do not violate צער בעלי חיים, mistreating animals.

On the other hand, some view שחיטה, ritual slaughtering, as possessing a certain element of cruelty. I was told by Rabbi Eliezer Wolff, a שוחט of עופות, that there exists an interesting Halacha conforming this idea.

We are permitted to do שחיטה on all of the Yom Tovim except Rosh Hashanah. At the time of the Talmud, there was no refrigeration, so the only way to have fresh meat was to slaughter during the Chag. The Rabbis felt that despite this allowance on other holidays, it was not appropriate for Rosh Hashanah. This was a day when we ask Hashem for mercy and שחיטה still represented an element of cruelty. Therefore, the שחיטה allowance did not extend to Rosh Hashanah.

Shimshon and Shlomo

Shavua Tov. The Haftarah from yesterday’s Parsha, told the story of the birth of Shimshon. His parents declared him a Nazir from birth.

The Rambam discusses Shimshon in connection with the laws of conversion. He says in הלכות איסורי ביאה, the following: One must not allow himself to even think that the מושיע, savior of Israel, could have married a non-Jewish while she remained in her non-Jewish status. But the secret of the matter is that both Samson and King Solomon made sure that these women were converted before they were married.

The Rambam goes on to teach the laws of conversion. If they did error, it was only that they created makeshift courts in order to facilitate these conversions.

The main point here is that Shimshon and Shlomo couldn’t possibly have gone down in history as the מושיע in Shimshon’s case, or ידיד ה׳, the beloved of G-d, had they actually married non-Jews.

The Nazir

The Nazir, is a central topic in today’s Parsha. There is great controversy between the Rambam and Ramban as to whether the choice to separate from wine, the dead, and not cutting hair, is a praiseworthy act.

The Rambam felt it was a negative decision, which is why the Nazir offers a sin offering at the end of his Nazirite vow. It’s as if he is telling Hashem that He did not give us enough laws in the Torah. He is afflicting himself unnecessarily.

The Ramban, on the other hand, felt that trying to elevate oneself spiritually, has to be positive. His explanation for the sin offering is that he is punished for ending this period of added spirituality.

Shimon Hatzaddik, who was כהן גדול for forty years, only had one encounter with a Nazir. It involved an extremely handsome individual who first saw his reflection by a small body of water. He needed to become a Nazir to contain his יצר הרע. Such a Nazir, certainly did a praiseworthy act.

We need to be certain that all acts of Kedusha that we take upon ourselves, should be solely motivated by the intention to get closer to Hashem. Shabbat Shalom

Desert Travel

Parshat נשא continues with the special תפקיד, or role of the three Levite families, גרשון קהת and מררי. They were to carry the curtains, the beams, and the holy vessels.

Moshe Rabbeinu had special עגלות, or wagons made for גרשון and מררי to transport the beams and curtains. However, the holy vessels had to be carried by the קהת family. The Torah says בכתף ישאו, that it had to be carried on their shoulders.

We also find that עגלות were mentioned when transporting Yakov Avinu to Egypt, as directed by Yosef. This would further emphasize that Yakov was a living sacred being.

Rabbi Soloveitchik notes that it was forbidden to watch the wrapping of the holy vessels. It was meant to be a רמז to the importance of צניעות, modesty.

It is interesting to note all of the symbolism that is learned from the Torah, even when giving details of how the Jews traveled in the desert.

Achdut

One other message to take with us from Shavuot is אחדות, or Jewish unity. The Pasuk says, ויחן ישראל כנגד ההר, Israel dwelled opposite the mountain. It should have said ויחנו, in the plural.

The explanation is כאיש אחד בלב אחד, as one man with one heart. This teaches that on Mount Sinai there was incredible unity among the Jewish people. This was certainly important at that moment of Divine revelation when we received the Torah.

Some say this is the explanation of the famous story of the non-Jew who asked to be taught the Torah on רגל אחד, one foot. The play on words of רגל is that it could be referring to the שלוש רגלים. The non-Jew is asking what the meaning of the רגל of Shavuot was all about. Succot was about dwelling in a Succa and Pesach was about Matza and the Seder. What was Shavuot about? Hillel answered that the message of Shavuot was ואהבת לרעך כמוך, love your neighbor as yourself. The rest is commentary. We need to take this feeling of Achdut and love into the summer months ahead.

Conversion

One of the themes of Shavuot is the subject of conversion. The entire nation converted on הר סיני as they accepted the Torah. We also read the Book of Ruth which is also about the most famous convert among the Jewish people.

The Rambam discusses the rules for conversion in הלכות איסורי ביאה chapter fourteen. He uses Ruth as the example of one who is מתאמצת, insistent or persistent in her desire to become Jewish. We first try to determine what the motivation was of the potential convert. We first want to make sure that there isn’t a romance involved. It is obvious from ancient times that people will convert in order to marry the Jew they have fallen for in love. We also want to be sure that they are not using the conversion for personal gain.

If after all of this, the convert still stubbornly wants to be Jewish, he is allowed to convert.

Momentum

Now that Shavuot is behind us, we should carry this momentum into the summer that is upon us. Hopefully, the experience of מתן תורה, receiving the Torah, will keep us focused on where our thoughts should be.

The first chapter of מסילת ישרים, speaks of man’s purpose in this world. The ultimate is to achieve the שלימות האמיתי, the true perfection. This is accomplished by knowing what is important and what is not.

We are not here on this world in order to acquire physical possessions or to experience physical pleasures. We are here because of the eternal existence that awaits us in the next world.

Our behavior and actions in this world, are the means towards meriting life in עולם הבא. This world is filled with too many difficulties and imperfections, for us to believe that justice will be found here. True justice is in the next world.

The Torah we study and the Mitzvot we perform are the pursuits that give us satisfaction. This is combined with a complete dependence on Hashem.

Shavuot was meant to reaffirm these basic truths. Let us hope this momentum will keep us focused in the coming weeks ahead.

Uniqueness and יקנה״ז

This Shabbat we read פרשת במדבר, as we start the fourth book of the Torah. The Parsha begins with a census taking of the Jewish people.

Counting shows how precious the עם is. It is also meant to show Hashem’s kindness, as we went from a nation of seventy to over 600,000 in only 210 years.

Rabbi Soloveitchik adds that counting shows that each individual has his own uniqueness. It is important that we see how we are unique, and that we not be afraid to express this uniqueness.

This year Shavuot follows Shabbat and presents us with a יקנה״ז situation. This abbreviation teaches the order that we are to use as we make Kiddush on Saturday night.

The order is as follows: First, we make a Bracha on יין, wine, בורא פרי הגפן. We then make קידוש for Shavuot. After this, נר, a Bracha on the candle and a special text for הבדלה. The Kiddush ends with זמן, which is the Bracha of שהחיינו. This is יקנה״ז. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach

יעוד

The Jewish people made two declarations before receiving the Torah. The נעשה ונשמע, we will do and we will hear, is pretty well known. This was a complete acceptance by עם ישראל to observe all of the Mitzvot of the Torah with complete faith.

The lesser known declaration that was also made, was simply, נעשה. In this situation, Moshe Rabbeinu explained that there was a special יעוד, or destiny, for the Jewish people.

In ספר התודעה, this יעוד is explained to mean that עם ישראל were destined to be different than any other nation. They were to carry the weight of the world. They were to teach the world morality where the desire was self indulgence and immorality.

This יעוד also meant that the Jewish people would suffer discrimination at the hands of the other nations. As Moshe explained all of this to the עם, they readily and enthusiastically answered with נעשה. They were now ready to receive the Torah.

Trust in G-d

Last week’s Haftarah makes two very important statements. The first is ארור הגבר אשר יבטח באדם, “Cursed is the man who puts his faith in other men.” And the second Pasuk says, ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח בה׳, “Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem.”

There is a clear message made by the prophet. One needs to understand where one is able to feel a sense of security. People foolishly think that they can achieve this peace of mind by amassing wealth and physical possessions. They believe that as long as they are in control of others based on their status, all will be well. Man can lack loyalty or scruples and bring this person down. ( The media does this to good people all the time. )

Only faith in Hashem creates real security. Hashem will never forsake those who trust in Him. He is the G-d of truth and true justice is with Him. We must never forget this simple message. ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח בה׳

U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem

Today’s big event of moving the embassy to Jerusalem, reminds me of Isaiah 53. This is one of the more misunderstood chapters in all of Tanach.

On the surface, it is an ideal proof for the missionaries, but it obviously is not. There are verses that say, “We esteemed him not.” “He suffered for our sins.” “He was cast out of the land of the living.”

The correct interpretation is that this is a prophecy about the future. The “we” in this case refers to the nations of the world. The “he” refers to the Jewish people.

The prophet is saying that there will come a time when the nations of the world will realize that they had misjudged the Jewish people. They were looked down upon and despised by most. But a time will come when there will be terrible guilt feelings by the nations of the world.

The nations will come to respect and admire the Jewish people. Israel will become the admiration of the world. They will truly fulfill their role as a “light unto the nations.”

It looks like today is the day that this prophecy is being fulfilled.

Seven Stages of Rebellion

Yesterday’s Parsha discusses the punishment for not observing the Mitzvot. Rashi points out that the Pasuk, אם בחוקותי תמאסו, if you despise my statutes, indicates seven stages of turning against Hashem.

The stages of deterioration are as follows: It begins with לא למד, he does not study Torah. This is followed by לא עשה, not observing the Mitzvot. The next stage is מואס באחרים העושים, despises others who do observe. He then is שונא את החכמים, hates the Rabbis. After this, מונע את האחרים, prevents others from observing. This leads to כופר במצוות, denying the Mitzvot. And the final stage is כופר בעיקר, he denies the basic principles of Judaism.

It is understandable how this is a  clear indication of turning against Hashem. Such actions will be met with severe punishment.

Yom Yerushalayim

Shavua Tov. Tonight is the celebration of fifty-one years since the liberation of Jerusalem. Yom Yerushalayim is a justifiable reason for great celebration.

The miracle of the Six Day War, was one of biblical proportions. It probably was the greatest miracle since biblical times.

It took Joshua seven years to conquer thirty-one kings. In 1967, this was done in six days. Anyone incapable of seeing the hand of G-d is blind.

At times like this, it is incumbent upon every Jew to acknowledge this great with celebration and the recitation of Hallel with a Bracha.

Hakarat Hatov, recognizing and giving thanks to Hashem is a basic principle of the Torah. This certainly must be done on this great day of יום ירושלים. And we need to give thanks again on Monday as we will witness another miracle as the United States embassy moves to Jerusalem. A double Chag Sameach!

Israel’s Attachment to the Land

This week’s Parsha, בחוקותי, ends ספר ויקרא and has the first תוכחה, rebuke. In this case, blessings and curses are mentioned in the plural. In the second תוכחה in כי תבוא it is said in singular.

One of the interesting verses says והשמתי אני את הארץ, , “that I will leave the land desolate.”

Rabbi Soloveitchik points out that enemies of Israel will also not find gratification from the land. Only Israel can make the land produce. Christians, Muslims, Crusaders, were all drawn to Israel, and all failed. The land changed hands so many times, but nobody developed it agriculturally, industrially, or scientifically.

Seeing the abundance of beautiful produce in Israel today is a clear proof of Hashem’s great blessing, the fulfillment of prophecy, and attests to the special relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people. Shabbat Shalom

We Struggle and They Struggle

There is a prayer we are to say after learning Torah when we leave the study hall. This was composed by נחוניא בן הקנה in the Mishna.

The prayer thanks Hashem that our lot is one where we are involved in Torah. “We struggle and they struggle. We struggle and receive reward and they struggle and do not receive reward.”

The simple explanation is that there are many who live meaningless lives, wasting time on frivolities. While those immersed in Torah, have meaning, purpose, and reward.

Rashi insists that those who struggle and receive no reward refers to shopkeepers. The explanation is that if one’s shop is open for several hours and he is hoping for Parnassa. He only sees reward for his efforts if customers purchase his wares. However, when one studies Torah for several hours and has difficulty understanding the material, still gets his reward for making the effort.

This is what is meant by, “We struggle and get reward and they struggle and do not get reward.”

Living Securely in our Land

Both פרשת בהר and בחוקותי mention וישבתם בארץ לבטח, that you will live securely in your land. The commentary on these verses teach that only in Israel does one live securely- which is not the case outside of Israel.

Rabbi Soloveitchik points out that the first person in Tanach to make a common mistake was Elimelech, the father in-law of Ruth. He felt that security was expressed with one’s finances. Elimelech thought that as long as he held on to his wealth and possessions, he would be safe and secure. In essence, he thought he could build a wall of economic security.

There are others who foolishly believe that bombs and rockets give a sense of security. The Torah is teaching us that if one truly wants to feel safe, he needs to be living in ארץ ישראל being dependent only on Hashem in His land. Money and rockets are not nearly as strong as the knowledge that it is G-d and Eretz Yisrael that are the ultimate protection.

We must remember that בארץ אתה יושב לבטח ולא בחוצה לה. In your land you are secure, but not outside of the land.