No Abusers

Shavua Tov-

We learn an important principle from the story of the Flood. Despite the numerous sins of that generation, the one that sealed their fate, was the sin of robbery.

Many transgressions are between man and G-d, and the individual sinner is only hurting himself. This would certainly be true regarding idol worship.

Robbery has a victim, where the thief causes much grief to that victim. We learn from here that there is Divine wrath against those who harm the defenseless. This is particularly true regarding the orphan, convert, and the widow.

In the case of the widow, the Torah tells us that if we do mistreat the widow, our sons will become orphans, and our wives will become widows.

Rabbi Twerski used this commentary to cry out against cases of abused wives by husbands who were prominent members of the community. He felt that these aggressors were protected and the women’s cries were not being heard.

Subjects like this as well as cases of rabbis who abuse their students, are similarly not being dealt with fairly, according to Rabbi Twerski.

If so called religious Jews would take the Torah’s message, seriously, it would put a stop to all kinds of abuse. There would be a public outrage, and the aggressors would be brought to justice, regardless of their high position.

Depraved Behavior Prevents Teshuva

We are taught at the beginning of פרשת נח, that it took Noach 120 years to build the ark. The question is asked as to why the people would not listen to Noach’s warning that the world would be destroyed by flood.

Rabbi Twerski explains answers this question by describing just how depraved the generation of the flood, actually was. They made corrupt behavior, legitimate.

Once a society legalizes such corrupt behavior, there is no hope for Teshuva. One cannot do Teshuva, if the individual does not believe he did anything wrong.

We see how our world has deteriorated. Western society has legalized that which we once believed was wrong. Such things as drugs, gambling, abortion, and even euthanasia, in a different time, would not have been tolerated in the societies of previous generations. In short, depravity is being legalized.

Like the דור המבול, the generation of today has made corrupt behavior, legal.

Because they do not believe they are doing anything wrong, Teshuva alludes them. Even if someone were to build an ark, it would not change their bad behavior.

Rejected Snake

The punishment of the serpent for giving Eve the forbidden fruit was, ועפר תאכל כל ימי חייך, that you will eat of the dust all of the days of your life.

Rabbi Twerski pointed out that this does not seem like a punishment if he will always have food available to him. Hashem seems to be telling the snake that he will never go hungry, because dust will always be available to him.

The answer to this question is that Hashem was making a statement of absolute rejection. He was saying, in essence, that while other creations, such as animals, pray to me for sustenance, you will not pray. You will always lick the dust, and you will not need to pray, because I don’t want your prayers.

A Chassidic rebbe once commented that he felt sorry for the wealthy. Their fortune gives them the false sense of security that they have it all. In a way, they are blocked from being able to pray.

The poor, on the other hand, have to suffer with poverty. Their consolation comes with the fact that Hashem reaches out to them and longs for their prayers. Feeling Hashem close to them, relieves the difficulty of being impoverished.

There can probably be no greater punishment than either being rejected by G-d, like the serpent, or being unable to pray because of being blocked like the wealthy man.

See the Light

Rabbi Twerski tells the story of a 96 year old woman who stopped talking. They put a fourteen year old girl in the room with her, with the hope that she would get her to speak. One day the young girl asked the old woman what she was so focused on, out the window. She finally answered that she was enjoying looking at the light. She was not referring to objects, but to the light itself.

At the beginning of creation, Hashem commanded, “Let there be light, and there was light. And He saw that the light was good.”

Like the elderly woman, the focus was only on the light, because nothing else was created at that point, except for the light.

It is interesting how we refer to an intelligent person as, “enlightened.” We sometimes speak of someone who has a “bright” idea, or is simply, bright.

We generally associate light with goodness, and darkness with evil. Those who claim to have had near death experiences, referred to the beautiful bright lights that they saw. And when speaking of a criminal, we refer to him as a “shady” character.

We need to see the light and recognize what is holy and pure, and unholy and impure. Perhaps that elderly woman was on a high level for she saw the light, and recognized that it was good.

Body and Soul

There is a Pasuk where Hashem reprimands Adam, and tells him, כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב, “You are dust, and you shall return to the dust.”

Rabbi Twerski points out that this is a clear reference to the two principle elements that make up a human being. There is the body and there is the soul. The body comes from the dust and has a limited life span of up to 120 years. We have an obligation to care for the body by getting proper rest and eating nourishing foods.

The soul, however, comes from the כסא הכבוד, Throne of Glory. It is בצלם אלוקים, in the image of G-d. Just as Hashem is eternal, so is the soul. Being that it is completely spiritual, it needs spiritual nourishment. This nourishment is the Torah that we learn, and the Mitzvot that we perform. Our soul needs at least the same attention as the body. The more attention we give it, the higher we go spiritually. This is what gives a person feelings of contentment and purpose. The satisfaction of bodily needs are fleeting. They give temporary pleasure. Fulfilling the needs of the soul give lasting pleasure. This is why the greater the צדיק, the more detached he is from the material world, and the more attached he is, to the spiritual world; the world of the soul.

Psalm 92

There is an interesting Midrash connected with Psalm 92 from תהילים, that begins with the words, מזמור שיר ליום השבת. Even though we attribute תהילים to King David, this particular chapter is attributed to אדם הראשון.

It is noteworthy that the contents of this psalm, do not mention Shabbat at all. It is more or less a praising of Hashem for his kindness and faithfulness.

The Midrash explains that Adam was told that if he eats of the forbidden fruit, he will die. He ate the fruit on Friday, and was meant to be put to death on Shabbat.

Just like Shabbat pleaded for a partner, for all the other days of the week had a partner, and Hashem gave עם ישראל to be Shabbat’s partner, Shabbat made another plea.

Shabbat asked that Adam be forgiven because it did not want to be known as the day when Adam was executed. Hashem agreed to forgive Adam.

To Adam’s great delight, he sang praises to יום השבת, the Day of Shabbat, who saved his life. And, of course, he gave thanks to Hashem for His kindness in agreeing to forgive him. This is a very interesting Midrash, indeed.

Torah is Truth

Shavua Tov-

We learn by way of רמז, hinting, that the foundation of the Torah is אמת, truth.

The last letter of the first three words of the Torah, בראשית ברא אלוקים, spell the word, אמת. Similarly, the last three words at the end of the section on creation, ends with the words, ברא אלוקים לעשות. Again, the last letters of these words, spell אמת, truth.

Rabbi Twerski explains that the foundation of the Torah is אמת. The reason for this is that we believe that truth is absolute. It is not relative. We say that משה אמת ותורתו אמת, that Moshe is truth and his Torah is truth.

We also note that the word, אמת, comes from the beginning, middle, and end of the א׳ב׳. The word, שקר, meaning, falsehood, all come from the end of the א׳ב׳. They have nothing to stand on, because they represent lies and negativity.

We must remember that the Torah is אמת. And the study of Torah and Talmud, is an exercise in the pursuit of truth.

No Spirituality-No Life

Rabbi Twerski makes an interesting observation about Shabbat observance. He noted that creation was only completed when Hashem rested on the seventh day. This is surprising because Hashem, in His perfection, is not in need of rest. Yet, with the cessation of work and creativity, creation was completed.

This מנוחה, or rest, was essential for the world to know that we must spend one day a week refraining from weekday creative acts.

The other key word comes from the Shabbat day Kiddush taken from Shmot, Chapter 31. We say, וביום השביעי שבת וינפש, and on the seventh day, G-d rested and was spiritually charged. This word, וינפש, has the word, נפש, or soul, in it. This represents the fact that Shabbat is not only a day when we do not work. It must be a day of spirituality.

We must realize that we are spiritual beings. This is what separates us from the animals. This also explains why the Rabbis say that a רשע, evil person, even when alive, is like he’s dead. This is because a person who has no spirituality in his life, is not really living.

A world that is without spirituality and acknowledgement that there is a G-d, is on such a low level. This is the essence of the world’s problems and lack of morality. And this is why we pray in עלינו three times a day, that the world should know that there is a G-d who controls the world.

Shabbat is where we are meant to be given this spiritual charge, where we live as holy men, and not like animals.

Creation Has Purpose

Rabbi Twerski points out that there is a great deal to be learned from the first Pasuk of the Torah. If we believe that Hashem created the world, and it didn’t just get her by chance, or a “Big Bang”, then we must believe something else.

This acceptance of creation must also mean that there is a purpose to creation. Hashem would not have created this intricate world, without a plan and purpose.

It is easy for us to deal with pain and discomfort in certain areas of life. If a medical or dental procedure is painful, we endure because we know it is for our benefit. The same holds true with earning a livelihood. It often comes with difficulty, but we know that this is how we will sustain ourselves.

When we are faced with dealing with inexplicable pain and suffering, we have a hard time understanding why. The Gemara speaks of a discussion between Moshe Rabbeinu and G-d, where Moshe asked why some people suffer more than others.

Hashem told Moshe that this is something He would not reveal to him. But he did reassure Moshe that it is part of a Divine plan that one day will be revealed.

Accepting creation, means accepting that everything happens for a reason and is part of a plan.

Why Does the Torah Begin With בראשית

Shavua Tov-

I have decided to use “Twerski on Chumash” as my primary commentary on Parshat Shavua. These are the comments of Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twerski, who recently passed away. They are excellent and relevant.

The first question raised by Rabbi Twerski is why it is necessary to even have the Book of Bereisheet as part of the Torah. If the Torah is basically a book of laws and the 613 Mitzvot, why not focus on these Mitzvot?

The answer is that although the first book only consists of three Mitzvot (Having children, circumcision, and the prohibition of eating the sciatic vein), it is an integral part of the Torah. It is known as ספר ישר, the Book of the Upright.”

The point emphasized here is that the Torah is meaningless without first teaching Midot. We learn ספר בראשית in order to become acquainted with the matriarchs and patriarchs. We learn of their very real struggles, and how they dealt with them in an exemplary fashion. We must first learn how to be ישר, honest and upright before beginning Torah study. This is why the Torah begins with ספר בראשית.

Stay Another Day

We are now coming close to the end of the holiday season. The last day of Succot is a חג בפני עצמה, a holiday in itself, as we celebrate שמיני עצרת and שמחת תורה.

Because it is its own holiday, we recite שהחיינו during candle lighting and Kiddush. Our Rabbis tell us that Hashem was sorry to see the holidays end, and He didn’t want to lose that special closeness that was developed over the past several weeks. He says, קשה עלי פרידתכם, it is difficult to part ways and not see each other again until Pesach, the next pilgrimage festival. This is what שמיני עצרת represents, and we add to it the celebration of completing the Torah with שמחת תורה.

One of my beloved Rebbes, Rav Herzl Kaplan, זצ״ל spoke about this unique day. He said that only the Jewish people have a day where they sing, שישו ושמחו בשמחת תורה, let us thoroughly rejoice with the celebration of the Torah.

The Christians do not have a day where they sing, שישו ושמחו with the New Testament. Or the Muslims don’t have a day where they sing, שישו ושמחו with the Koran.

Rabbi Kaplan said it was because only the Torah is truth. We run to kiss the Torah because it is alive. They don’t run to kiss their books, because they are not alive.

We should resolve to learn the weekly Torah portion with a new commentator this year, and try to know our beautiful Torah better than before. Chag Sameach

החכם עיניו בראשו

Another example of a Halacha that is alluded to in Kohelet, comes from the words, החכם עיניו בראשו, “the wise man has his eyes in his head.”

This is a reference to the problem we may be confronted with, regarding planning a meal and making the appropriate before and after Bracha. We sometimes get in trouble when we decide to eat foods that we were unaware of, at the beginning of the meal. For example, we made a blessing on an apple, not taking into account the dates and figs that he would also eat. He should have made the Bracha on the Seven Species, and should have paid better attention.

Another example would be making blessings on specific foods, and only afterwards, noticing some delicious looking bread. He will only then decide to wash and make המוציא that would have exempted him from all of these Brachot.

Kohelet is telling us that a wise man has his eyes in his head, and anticipates before sitting down for a meal, all of the potential foods that he may eat.

That Which is Crooked

In the Book of Kohelet, there are subtle references to Halacha. One such example comes from the words, מעות לא יוכל לתקון, which means, “that which is crooked cannot be made straight.”

From this Pasuk, we learn the laws of תשלומים, or making up a missed prayer service. The rule is that if we forgot to daven Shacharit, Mincha, or Maariv, we can make up the missed prayer by saying an extra Shmone Esrei, in the next Davening. For example, if one forgot to do Mincha, he says two Shmone Esreis in Maariv. This also applies on Friday afternoon, where one would say two Shabbat Maariv Shmone Esreis, to cover Mincha.

The verse in Kohelet teaches us that if, in our example, one forgot Mincha, and only remembered the next morning, he no longer can make up for his missing Mincha. This is an example of something that is crooked, cannot be made straight.

Kohelet

This Shabbat we read Kohelet as part of שבת חול המועד. Shlomo Hamelech contributed three of the twenty four books of Tanach. Only Mishlei was without controversy, while Shir Hashirim and Kohelet were added after much debate.

Rabbi Akiva went to bat for שיר השירים and called it, “Holy of Holies.” Kohelet was added primarily because of its message at the end of the book.

This message was simply to state that after all considerations of what are worthwhile pursuits in this world, the only thing to know is, “Fear G-d and keep the commandments, for this is all there is to man.”

Shlomo Hamelech was the ultimate “been there, done that” kind of guy. He claimed to have tried every possible pursuit in this world. His conclusion was “all is vanity.”

Everything has its limitations in this world. One May amass a fortune, only to have it wasted away by his heirs. There is nothing that one can do that will give him the satisfaction and peace of mind as spiritual pursuits.

This is emphasized on Succot where we need to set our priorities straight as to what is important in this world, and what is not.

Jewish Unity

Succot is a good time to talk about the importance of Jewish unity. During our Davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we asked Hashem, ויעשו אגודה אחת, and they shall form one unit, to fulfill Your will in this world, with a perfect heart.

When the Jewish people are united, no force on earth can harm us. It is our divisiveness that causes a breach in our Divine protection.

This should be our Kavana when we take hold of the ארבעה מינים. Each specie represents a different kind of Jew. The Etrog, with it’s good smell and good taste, represents the Tzaddik. The willow, with no taste and no smell, represents the רשע, the wicked person. The other two species involve some deficiencies. Nevertheless, we bind them all together as one unit. This is the example of symbolically showing Jewish unity.

We must learn to love every Jew, despite their deficiencies. When we do this, we create this wall of protection that cannot be broken. This, too, is an important message of Succot.

Succot-The Holiday of Joy

One of the names of חג הסוכות is זמן שמחתינו, the season of great joy. As uplifted as we feel right now, it was nothing compared with the joy that was felt when there was a functioning Beit Hamikdash.

The Gemara in מסכת סוכה describes the non-stop festivities that lasted the whole week of Succot. There was singing and dancing all through the night, and people barely slept during the entire holiday.

Compare this to some of the partying that goes on nowadays in places like Burning Man, or in my day, Woodstock. There was an incredible spiritual high that was felt (not drug induced), where people celebrated their great love for Hashem and being able to feel Him so near.

It is sad that so many Jews need to search in places other than Judaism, to try to find meaning in their lives. When Judaism is practiced the way it is supposed to be practiced, it is as good as it gets even today.

The realization that there was a time when this joy was even higher, should both make us long for the Beit Hamikdash, and strive to go higher each day.

Message of Succot

There are many themes to the holiday of Succot. One of its major themes is connected to another name for the holiday, חג האסיף, the Holiday of Gathering.

Traditionally, since most Jews were farmers, this was the most prosperous time of year. They had gathered and sold all of their crops, and were probably more cash heavy at that time, more than any other time of year.

This is one of the reasons why we sit in our Succah in the fall and not in the spring. It is to remind us that we should not allow our material wealth to give us a false sense of security. People tend to turn away from Hashem when they are filled up.

This is also the reason why we read the Book of Kohelet on שבת חול המועד. The message of King Solomon is that we should focus more on what is “above the sun,” rather than what is “under the sun.”

One of the reasons money is called ״זוזים״ is because they are זז, meaning that they move. They are not permanent and can be gone as fast as we acquire it.

On Succot, we are not to get side tracked from putting our focus where it belongs. The only real security we have, is trusting in Hashem. He is our Rock, and is always there for us, as long as we trust in Him.

Even American currency confirms this. As it is written on the money, “In G-d we trust.”

Empty Jews

At the end of the שירה in פרשת האזינו, Moshe Rabbeinu gives a final charge to the nation, as to the importance of observing the commandments.

He says, כי לא דבר ריק הוא מכם, that this (Torah observance) is not something empty from you. That extra word, מכם, from you, seems superfluous. The Pasuk should simply have said that the observance of Mitzvot, is not something empty. Why add the word, מכם?

The answer is a kind of play on words. The Rabbis add a few words with a change in punctuation. They say, ואם ריק הוא, and if he is ריק, empty, then it is מכם!

It is telling us that if an individual, himself, is empty of the intellectual capacity to see just how rich our heritage is, and how special it is to be a Jew, then it will elude him. He will be blocked from being able to see what should be obvious.

This is a sad commentary of the state of the Jewish world today. While there is a rebirth on the one hand of the Jewish nation, incredible ignorance abounds through so many of our Jewish brethren. May Hashem open their eyes so that they realize that Judaism is not something empty.

Torah Blessings

Shavua Tov-

There is a Pasuk in today’s Parsha that has Halachic implications. The Torah says, כי שם ה׳ אקרא, that I will call out in the name of Hashem.

Some learn this Pasuk to be referring to the Torah obligation to recite the blessings on ברכות התורה, that begin with אשר בחר בנו מכל העמים, before studying Torah.

We must call out to Hashem, before we study His Torah.

According to this view, in addition to ברכת המזון being a Torah blessing, we would also add the blessings before learning Torah as a second blessing that is also from the Torah.

Some even add the Bracha of בורא פרי הגפן as a third Torah blessing. When the Torah says, זכור את יום השבת לקדשו, that we are to remember to keep the Sabbath say holy, the Rabbis say, זכרהו על היין, remember it with wine.

All other Brachot that we make are דרבנן, from the Rabbis. Therefore, we say, ספק ברכות להקל, that because blessings are rabbinical, when in doubt, we take the lenient approach.

The שירה

be even more disturbing. How could they believe that they could conquer Israel, if Hashem didn’t allow it to happen?

There is a reminder that the Torah is not something empty, and that it will again be fulfilled. The שירה should leave us with the feeling that a brilliant future awaits the Jewish people.

This is a great message following Yom Kippur, as we prepare for the holiday of Succot, that is meant to be the most joyous time of year.גמר חתימה טובה