וחוט המשולש

The Pasuk in Kohelet that could connect to Simchat Torah is והחוט המשולש לא במהרה ינתק, that a three-ply chord is not easily severed. This a reference to the number three that reflects some permanence and strength. It can refer to the three sections of Tanach, תורה, נביאים, וכתובים. It can also refer to the Avot, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who were the pillars and foundation of Judaism. The Gemara in בבא מציעא says that this Pasuk refers to someone who is a scholar, and his son is a scholar, and his grandson is a scholar, that the Torah will never more cease from his seed. This is what we celebrate on Simchat Torah. We listened to the words of Yehoshua who commanded us not to allow the Torah study to be removed from us. והגית בו יומם ולילה, “And you shall study it by day and by night.” We survived our long and bitter exile because there were always pious Jews who did not waver from this Mitzva. And we show our appreciation for the Torah is the greatest gift given to mankind. With it, there is orderliness in the world. Without it, the world self destructs. Our prayer is that the Corona should be a wake up call to the world that all must acknowledge that Hashem is truth, and His Torah is truth.

זה לעומת זה

A Pasuk in Kohelet that is often quoted is: גם את זה לעמת זה עשה האלוקים, “G-d has made the one as well as the other.” Rashi explains that Hashem has made one to parallel the other. On the one hand, there is good with its reward, and evil with its ensuing punishment. This is another confirmation that not only does evil exist in the world, but it was created by Hashem Himself. There are opposite extremes in the world. When we make the right choices and choose good, we are rewarded. When we choose evil, we are punished. Shlomo Hamelech describes a child as a “wild boar” who is born selfish and believes the world is there to serve him. He must be taught to give to others, and to know the difference between right and wrong. We are to marvel at Hashem’s creations. There are articles as small as ביצי כינים, lice eggs. And there are huge animals opposite these. This is what was meant by זה לעומת זה עשה אלוקים.

מעות לא יוכל לתקון

An interesting Pasuk in Kohelet says, מעות לא יוכל לתקון, “that which is crooked, cannot be made straight.” There are many interpretations to these words. One interpretation applies to the laws of prayer. If one missed the זמן תפילה or קריאת שמע, he cannot make up the שמע or שמונה עשרה on time. This Mitzva is lost. In addition, we learn the laws of תשלומים, making up for missing either שחרית, מנחה, or מעריב. We are only allowed to say two שמונה עשרה’s during the following Davening. If we forgot Mincha, for example, we can only make it up at Maariv. We cannot fix it at Shacharit the next morning. This is something crooked that cannot be made straight. Perhaps the best example of this Pasuk is when a man and woman commit adultery. It is forbidden for them to ever marry. What began as crooked and impure, can never be made straight. Therefore, they can never marry.

Today’s עבודה זרה

The reading of Kohelet led me to consult one of the first Artscroll books written in 1976. (I think Ruth was the very first Artscroll book to come out.) The overview of Kohelet is amazingly relevant to the time that we are currently living in. Shlomo Hamelech spoke of the vanities of this world, and how the pursuit of material gains and materialism, will not lead to happiness. The Artscroll quote from 1976 was as follows: “Man has always been hypnotized by belief in strange gods; whether they were called Baal, Emancipation, Liberalism, or science.” Today, the substitute for the beauty of a Torah way of life is Racism, Democracy, and Global Warming. In many circles, mostly secular, if anyone is accused of not properly respecting these three areas, they are looked at with disdain. The Torah is clearly not racist, as anyone of any color, is welcome to become part of the Jewish people. Democracy is also practiced provided that majority rule does not violate Halacha. And we are meant not to do things to contaminate the environment. The difference here lies with the fact that for observant Jews, these are aspects of Judaism. For the secular, democracy, racism, and global warming, become an end in themselves. This is what Shlomo Hamelech meant when he said that everything leads to futility. Without Hashem’s guiding Hand, we are living without real purpose or direction.

Wise Man

Kohelet has numerous important ideas that I hope to share during Succot. There is a Pasuk that says, החכם עיניו בראשו והכסיל בחשך הולך, “The wise man has his eyes in his head, whereas a fool walks in darkness.” There are two very different interpretations to this Pasuk. The first is that a wise man looks ahead and sees the consequences of his actions. Unlike the fool who acts recklessly, the wise man thinks carefully before he may be involved in something that he might later regret. The second interpretation is completely different. The wise man looks ahead at what he plans on eating. He will not put himself in doubt that he may not have eaten the proper amount for ברכת המזון. Or, that he will be in doubt if he made the appropriate blessing for what he is eating. He will be ready in the event that something unexpected is offered to him. This is the beauty of Kohelet. So many varied lessons can be learned from the wisdom of King Solomon.

Seeing Stars

Moadim Lesimcha. The Shulchan Aruch תרלא, Halacha ג׳ mentions that the Schach should be light enough so that large stars could be seen. The Halacha continues and says that if the Schach is so thick that stars cannot be seen, the Succa is still Kosher. The Mishna Brura clarifies the matter by explaining that even if the Schach is thick like a mat, there still must be some holes somewhere on the roof, where stars can theoretically be seen. The Mishna Brura says that a far more problematic situation is where the thickness is so great that if it rains, no water would enter the Succa. Such Schach is considered like a בית. Nevertheless, even in a situation of such thickness, there are still Poskim that would even permit such a Succa.

חג האסיף

Another name for סוכות is חג האסיף, the Holiday of Ingathering. It was the time when farmers had gathered and sold their crops. Because this was a prosperous time of year, the Rabbis decided that the Book of Kohelet should be read on Succot. The message that needed to be driven home was that one needs to know what is temporary and unimportant, and what is lasting and permanent. The Rabbis have a saying, אין אדם מורד בהקדוש ברוך הוא אלא מתוך שביעה, that man only rebels against Hashem when he is filled up. When a person feels that he has it all, he no longer feels that he needs Hashem. Kohelet tells us that material pursuits are vanity. Materialism only gives a false sense of security. Prosperity is fleeting. As quick as one can amass a fortune, he can also lose it. When all is said and done, we need to know that what is important in this world, is “to fear G-d and keep the commandments, for this is all there is to man.”

זמן שמחתינו

One of the names for the holiday of סוכות, is זמן שמחתינו, the time of our joy. Succot is meant to be the happiest of all of the holidays. Aside from feeling gratitude for having successfully completed the Yom Kippur Fast and Selichot, traditionally, it was the most prosperous time of year. Most Jews were farmers, and by this time of year, they had managed to sell their crops. The idea of being in a state of שמחה, applies every day of the year. We are supposed to be conscious of the need to be in a state of joy, all of the time. We learn to be happy with our lot in life, and we are to constantly count our blessings. But in the time of the Beit Hamikdash there was an overwhelming feeling of happiness. This was the ultimate joy, as each Jew could feel Hashem’s closeness and love. The Gemara elaborates by telling us that the singing and dancing was so strong on Succot, that people barely slept the whole week! We should focus on this aspect of Succot, and fulfill the name of the חג, Zeman Simchateinu.

הידור מצוה

One of the lessons of Succot is the concept of הידור מצוה, beautifying the commandment. This is learned from what was said at the Shira, after the Jewish people crossed the Red Sea. They sang spontaneously, זה א-לי ואנוהו, “This is my G-d, and I will glorify Him.” The Midrash says that even infants who could not speak, suddenly uttered these three words of praise. The manner in which we perform הידור מצוה manifests itself with the two main Mitzvot of Succot. There is a Mitzva to build a Succa, and to purchase the ארבעה מינים, Four Species. Obviously, the Halacha does not expect us to go into debt in finding the perfect Etrog, or most exotic Succa. But we are supposed to try to build a nice Succa with beautiful decorations. Similarly, when choosing the ארבעה מינים, some care and advise should be taken to be certain we have chosen the choicest set we can afford. The הידור מצוה idea, is a clear reflection on our part, that we cherish the Mitzvot of the Torah.

Enthusiastically Observing Mitzvot

Gemar Chatima Tova. After the intensity of the Yom Kippur Fast, we are immediately taught to show our seriousness, by being involved in the Mitzva of Succa. It appears that the Rabbis are teaching the importance of observing Mitzvot with זריזות, alacrity. זריזות means that we fulfill Hashem’s will with enthusiasm. The מסילת ישרים lists the numerous steps necessary towards achieving holiness. The first two steps are זהירות and זריזות. The זהירות refers to taking precautions to be certain that we do not violate any of the 365 negative commandments of the Torah. The זריזות refers to our fulfilling the 248 positive commandments with enthusiasm. We demonstrate in the manner in which we perform the Mitzva. So this is the first post Yom Kippur test. If we prayed with sincerity, it should be seen by how quickly and enthusiastically, we involve ourselves with new Mitzvot.

High Priest on Yom Kippur

Shavua Tov- As I prepare for the mindset of Yom Kippur, with the sound of insane demonstrators in the background, I try to focus on the scene in the Beit Hamikdash, on this holiest day of the year. I try to visualize standing in the courtyard of the Temple, transfixed, as I get a glimpse of the Kohein Gadol performing his Temple service. As Rav Bigon of Machon Meir, often explains, it is a convergence of the holiest day of the year, in the holiest place on earth, with the service led by the holiest man on earth. There were no chairs in the בית המקדש, and people stood for hours, in a deep meditative state. The highlight of the day was hearing the High Priest do his וידוי, confession, three times, using the sacred, ineffable name of Hashem. Upon hearing this, the masses of people spontaneously bowed, in reverence, upon their faces. Try to keep this image of holiness in your heads as we ask for forgiveness on Yom Kippur. And may we all be written and inscribed for a happy and healthy New Year. I ask for a מחילה if I offended anyone with anything written in my Dvar Torahs this past year.

שירת האזינו

This week we read פרשת האזינו, on this special Shabbat known as שבת שובה. It is more common for האזינו to be read after Yom Kippur, but this is an unusual year on many levels. When Moshe referred to the “שירה”, he was referring to the song of האזינו. Moshe recommended that if ever troubles come upon Israel, recite this שירה of האזינו, to get strength and encouragement. Many important ideas are alluded to in this song. It expresses Hashem’s special love for the Jewish people. It also contains a promise that the גאולה, redemption, will eventually come. The שירה of האזינו expresses the contempt that Hashem has for the nations of the world. They were sent to exact punishment to the Jewish people for their sins. But they gloated in an arrogant manner that it was their own strength that gave them dominion over Israel. Hashem promises that they will fall very hard for such arrogance, and He will cause the Jewish people to rise again. It is clear why שירת האזינו provided so much strength during difficult times.

באשר הוא שם

The Yalkut Shimoni relates the details of the dialogue between the angels and Hashem, when seventeen year old Yishmael was dying of thirst. The angels begged Hashem not to revive Yishmael because of what his sons would do to the Jewish people in the future. They were referring to a specific incident rather than the general suffering over the years by the Muslims. The incident they referred to was when the Jews went into exile after the destruction of the First Temple. The Jews begged their cousins, the Yishmaelim, for water, as they left their beloved land, and they refused. The angels said, “You are giving water to the one whose children will cause your children to die of thirst!” Hashem’s answer was that a person is judged as he is at this moment (באשר הוא שם). He is not judged for what he might do in the future, but all depends on his present status. One must never feel that he is beyond hope. Teshuva is available to everyone. This is the Chessed that Hashem does with us by giving us the ימים נוראים, Days of Awe, as a time of reflection, forgiveness, and coming close to Him. We must seize this opportunity and clean our slate. May we be blessed with a גמר חתימה טובה.

בתוך עמי אנכי יושבת

The story of the Prophet Elisha and the Shunamite woman, allegedly took place on Rosh Hashanah. The Shunamite, according to commentators, was the widow of the Prophet Ovadia. She prepared a special room for Elisha that had a bed, table, and lamp. On Rosh Hashanah, Elisha asked her if there was anything he could do for her, in order to show appreciation for her kindness. She answered, בתוך עמי אנוכי יושבת, “I dwell among my people.” The simple explanation was that she is fine and not in any need of assistance. The deeper answer was that her protection stems from her אהבת ישראל, that she consciously fulfills the Mitzva to love every Jew. This is a message of Rosh Hashanah that is not emphasized enough. We are meant to be in awe of the יום הדין, Day of Judgement. But a major component of receiving a favorable decree, is that we should begin our prayers with thoughts, concerns, and love for all of the Jewish people. We are one nation and, like the שונמית, we must fulfill, בתוך עמי אנכי יושבת.

Yishmael’s Teshuva

The Yalkut Shimoni tells an amazing story concerning Avraham Avinu and Yishmael. The Yalkut tells us that Avraham kept up a relationship with his older son, even when he was sent away at age seventeen. Avraham traveled to where Yishmael was living on two occasions. The first time, he was told by Yishmael’s wife that her husband wasn’t home. Avraham tested her by asking for bread and water. She refused. He told her by way of a hint to give a message to her husband. The hint was that Yishmael should get rid of this mean wife. Three years later, Avraham again came to visit. Again, Yishmael wasn’t home. This time, his new wife, Fatima, did offer bread and water. Avraham told her to tell her husband that an old man came to visit and blessed him with abundance. When Yishmael was indeed blessed, he did Teshuva. This whole Midrash was meant to explain how it was possible that Yishmael escorted Avraham and Yitzchak, to the Akeida. Very interesting.

Rachel Can Stop Crying

Shana Tova. The Haftarah for the second day of Rosh Hashanah is full of hope and encouragement. It comes from Jeremiah, Chapter 31. The Prophet reminds the nation that Hashem’s love for His people has never waned, throughout our long exile. Hashem will rebuild the House of Israel. He will gather the Jewish people from the ends of the earth, and bring them home to Eretz Yisrael. The land will again flourish and produce abundant crops. The same will be true of abundance in connection with our livestock. The peak of the Haftarah is the comfort given to רחל אמנו. Rachel is told that there is reward for her tears and longing to be reunited with her children. She is told to stop her crying as her children will return to their borders. Rosh Hashanah is meant to focus on the special bond between Hashem and the Jewish people. The Haftarah expressed this bond in a most moving fashion.

Don’t Take Teshuva Lightly

As Rosh Hashana approaches, we should now be in “Teshuva” mode. We should be well aware of what is at stake for ourselves and the rest of כלל ישראל. Last year at this time, none of us could have imagined the tumultuous year that we were going to experience. Thankfully, 5780 ended with a miraculous peace agreement between two of Israel’s Arab neighbors. It was as if the two brothers, Yitzchak and Yishmael, had made amends, after having been estranged for so long. And being that there are no real coincidences in Hashem’s world, we will read on the first day of Rosh Hashana, of the birth of Yitzchak, and Sara’s desire to keep Yishmael and his negative influences away from her new son. We must not take the subject of Teshuva lightly. We should try to do careful introspection, and work at coming closer to Hashem. And the Rambam adds that the most difficult Teshuva of all is changing our character flaws. Let us hope and pray that the coming year be one of good health and prosperity for all. Shana Tova.

Don’t Despair

The Torah would like us to know that we should never get to the point of despair and hopelessness. There are times when life can make it seem like we cannot cope. The idea of making changes and taking charge, might also look like an insurmountable task. The Pasuk says, לא רחוקה היא, “it is not far away.” And continues with כי קרובה אליך הדבר, “ but it is very near to you.” Built into the Torah, is the idea that that no matter how difficult the situation is, we can always start over, and make things better. This time of year, we are focused on the new beginning that Teshuva affords us. But we also have a fresh start when we get married or make Aliya. If we find ourselves deeply in debt, the Shmitta year, has all debts forgiven. (Our next Shmitta is 5782.) And we must also remember that ישועת ה׳ כהרף עין, “Hashem’s salvation can come like the blink of an eye.” This is a message for the High Holidays. Despite everything, we must never lose our hope and optimism. The future is bright! Trust in Hashem, and all will be well.

David’s Teshuva

Chapter thirty of the Book of Devarim, is one that focuses completely on the Mitzva of Teshuva. We are given a charge telling us that no matter how far we may have strayed, there is always the possibility to repent and mend our ways. The Netivot Shalom points out that the best example of a Baal Teshuva was King David. When confronted by the Prophet Nathan, he immediately accepted his guilt without making any excuses. David had thirteen years of suffering and guilt over the Bat Sheva incident. There is a line in the תחנון prayer that says, “Every night my bed was drenched with tears of remorse.” When David wrote, אל תשליכני מלפניך in תהילים, it was at a time when he felt cast aside by Hashem for his sin. He realized that our transgressions distance us from Hashem. He longed for that incredible feeling of Hashem’s closeness. Only תשובה could bring it back. It is unlikely that we will reach the spiritual level of King David, but we would do well, to follow his example.

הסתר פנים

There is a concept alluded to in פרשת וילך called הסתר פנים. It refers to the idea that there are times when it seems that Hashem is hiding His face. It becomes difficult to see Hashem’s Presence and we feel somewhat alone. In the Parsha, Hashem warns that if the people turn away from Hashem, He will hide His face. ( אנוכי הסתר אסתיר ). The Netivot Shalom claims that at some point in every person’s life, he feels that sense of הסתר פנים. He may be going through a difficult time due to financial problems, or the sickness of a loved one. The Torah is teaching us that it only “seems” as though Hashem is far away, but He is not. He is waiting for us to reach out to Him and He will be there to help us through these troubled times. It is like the story of the son who complains to his father that the father wasn’t there when he was needed the most. He says that when they walked together, there were always two sets of footprints. Now there was only one set, proving this alleged abandonment. The father tells the son that the reason for one set of footprints is that he carried the son during those times. That’s why only one set of footprints! We must never feel alone and abandoned. Hashem is there for all who call out to Him in truth.