Toil in Torah

This week we will read פרשת בחוקותי in Israel. It begins with the words, אם בחוקותי תלכו, translated as, “If you will keep my commandments.”

Rashi comments on this Pasuk by saying, שיהיו עמלים בתורה, “That you should toil in Torah.”

Rabbi Twerski wrote that there is a serious misconception regarding the study of Torah. This was demonstrated by an incident between the חפץ חיים and a student. The student expressed his frustration that he had been studying Torah for many years, and felt that he should have already become a Talmid Chacham, a scholar at that point.

His Rebbe explained that nowhere is it written that one must become a scholar. Our obligation is to “toil in Torah.” We get credit for the effort more than the result.

Rabbi Twerski goes on to explain that there is a big problem in the Yeshiva world. Too often the more gifted students get all the attention, and the weaker students are neglected. This rejection often forces these students to drop out of Judaism, and turn to drugs and alcohol as an expression of their failure.

This point needs to be driven home. We must be sincerely involved in devoting ourselves to Torah study. We should not be focused on where we think we should have advanced to, in our studies.

The most important thing is to “toil” in Torah. That alone is our obligation. We need to feel satisfaction in the diligence that we have in our studies. That is all that matters.

No Interest

Parshat בהר, in its discussion on money matters, emphasized the prohibition of taking interest. The subject is introduced in connection with one who is impoverished.

A poor person is the most likely individual to need a loan. Interest is referred to as ריבית, but is also called, נשך, which means to take a bite out of someone. It is hard enough for a poor person to pay back a loan, but to add interest makes it that much more difficult.

There is also the concept of אבק ריבית, translated as the “dust of interest.” We are commanded to stay away from anything that might even look like receiving some kind of benefit for a loan that was given.

There is a story told of the חתם סופר, who gave a loan to a wealthy merchant, that had fallen on hard times. This loan allowed him to get back on his feet in a big way. As a token of gratitude, the merchant gave the חתם סופר a diamond as a token of gratitude. The saintly rabbi, refused the gift as he felt it would be a form of taking interest.

This Mitzva is one that we must take very seriously, as it is easy to fall into its trap.

Honesty

Parshat בהר deals with business ethics. It discusses the importance of being honest in monetary transactions.

There is a limit as to the amount of profit we are entitled to, when it comes to selling merchandise. The Gemara in בבא מציעא uses the term, “שתות,” which means one sixth.

It is the obligation of a merchant to be certain that he be aware of the going rate of a particular item. He may not charge more than a sixth, above this amount.

There is also the concept of גניבת דעת, which is a form of stealing, in terms of misleading people. It is forbidden to enter a store and pretend that one is going to make a purchase, when he has no such intention. It is in order to say, “I am just looking.”

Honesty in business and money matters, is an absolute priority in Judaism. The Gemara in מסכת שבת says that when we die, we will need to answer as to whether we dealt honestly with our fellow man. Many of these laws are based on פרשת בהר.

רבי שמעון בר יוחאי

Lag B’Omer is associated with רבי שמעון בר יוחאי, as his Yahrtzeit is on Lag B’Omer. Some say that the bonfires lit on this day are like giant Yahrtzeit candles, as his teachings and revealing the secrets of the Torah, brought great light to the world.

It is a well known story from מסכת שבת that רשבי, as he was known, hid in a cave for twelve years, from the Romans, with his son, Rav Elazar.

When he came out he was upset to see people working and not serving Hashem. He was told to go back in the cave for another year, until he better understood the world.

Rav Shlomo Mann wrote that the lesson that he learned during that year was the following: It was possible for a Jew to be able to elevate even mundane activities, so that everything the person did was sanctified.

The work an individual did was in order to feed his family, so that they could better serve Hashem. Sleeping and eating became elevated when the individual realized that through proper rest and nourishment, he would have the strength necessary to do Mitzvot.

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was on such a high level that he needed to learn to appreciate the simple people and their zeal in serving Hashem the best way possible.

Yovel and Turmoil of the Sixties

Rabbi Twerski made a comparison between יובל, the Jubilee year, and the sixties in the United States.

The connection is that there was a great deal of turmoil in both years. During יובל, the turmoil is caused by land returning to its ancestral owners, as well as slaves being freed. The end of this period culminated with land being returned, and families reunited. Stability is then restored.

The sixties were years of turmoil, where authority was totally ignored. All social norms were cast aside, and people felt free to do whatever they pleased. This led to drug and alcohol abuse, and the breakdown of the family unit. The general attitude was that it was perfectly in order to do whatever “feels good.” This led to more divorce and more Chutzpah.

Unlike Yovel, where stability was ultimately restored, we are still suffering from the upheaval of the sixties. This is the outcome when Hashem and the Torah are ignored, because there is nothing to get the society on track. We want Mashiach now!

Control Freaks

Parshat בהר begins by dealing with the subject of שמיטה and יובל. This refers to rules regarding the Sabbatical year and the Jubilee year.

The laws involved with these two laws involves the cancellation of loans, and proper treatment of the Hebrew slave.

The Prophet Jeremiah was known for his rebuke of the Jewish people for not treating their slaves properly. Their was a reluctance to set them free at the proper time, because of their inability to let go of their control.

Rabbi Twerski used this law as an opportunity to speak about the problem of control in relationships. The main reason why people choose to control and dominate others, is their own feeling of inadequacy, and low self esteem. This domination makes them feel important, but it damages such relationships.

This can apply between parent and child, teacher and student, employer and employee, and, of course, between husband and wife.

The bond within a family should be one of love. This love cannot exist when the relationships are full of control.

Our Parsha is telling the controllers to let go and avoid intimidation. The inability to overcome this can have dire consequences as expressed by Jeremiah.

Succot Messages

Parshat אמור is also the source of the laws of the various holidays. Rabbi Twerski chose to put his emphasis on Succot, because of its three important messages.

The first idea is that we learn the importance of seeing how life is temporary and fleeting. We move into a temporary dwelling, the Succah, to drive home this point. We need to know what is worth focusing on, and what is not. The spiritual matters, and the material does not.

We also learn of the importance of hospitality and generosity. We invite the אושפיזין, the famous biblical guests, each night of the holiday. A home without having welcome guests, cannot be a happy or spiritual.

The final message is that of the Lulav and Etrog. By binding the Four Species, we learn how we need to welcome all Jews of all backgrounds. Jewish unity must be emphasized in order to strengthen our people.

So we see how Succot is unique because of its three special messages.

Something to Die For

Parshat אמור has in it the Mitzva of קידוש ה׳, sanctifying the name of G-d. The Rabbis actually voted in connection with the idea of יהרג ואל יעבור, which laws were the ones that a Jew was expected to give his life, rather than violate the commandment.

These, of course, are the three cardinal sins of murder, idol worship and immorality. If a Jew is given the choice of violating these laws, or being killed, he should choose to be killed, rather than violate the Torah.

Rabbi Twerski sees in this commandment, a very important lesson. In order to make life worth living, there must be something that a person believes in so much, that he is willing to die for this belief. If he does not have anything worth dying for, his life has no value.

This explains why מסירות נפש, extending our soul, or giving our all for the sake of Hashem and the Torah, is so important. A passive approach to life and religion, makes life very hum drum and boring. He is alive, but he is not really living. We are meant to keep a fire of excitement and enthusiasm in our lives.

We need to embrace and cherish every moment of life. We are to use these moments in the most positive way possible. The willingness to give our lives for such beliefs, is an indication that we treasure life and our love for Hashem and our people, is very strong.

Benefit of Suffering

Parshat אמור speaks about the קרבן תודה, Thanksgiving Offering. The Torah tells us that this sacrifice should be offered with the correct, positive, intent.

One offers a קרבן תודה for the similar situations that we say the גומל blessing in Shule. The abbreviation, חיים, tells us when גומל or the תודה is offered.

The ח stands for חבוש, having been released from prison. The first י is יסורים, or suffering, and refers to recovering from a serious illness. The second י is ים, where we safely cross the sea. And the מ is מדבר, or desert, that refers to overcoming a dangerous situation such as being attacked by robbers.

The overall message of גומל and קרבן תודה, is that suffering is difficult to overcome. But we must remember that such suffering shapes us when we overcome such suffering.

Survivors of suffering learn to be more tolerant and sensitive to other people’s pain. They pray with more sincerity, and learn to be appreciative for the gift of life. Every day is special and nothing is taken for granted.

Going through difficulties is not easy. But isn’t it interesting that when we put these difficulties behind us, we say thank you to Hashem. We give thanks not only for our new beginning, but also for the benefits that come with overcoming our specific ordeal.

Baal Teshuva Becomes a Different Person

Rabbi Twerski pointed out a key word in the Torah that has a double meaning. It refers to the individual who has completed the purification process after having been defiled, in a state of טומאה.

Referring to the reinstatement of the Kohein, the Torah says, ואחר יאכל מן הקדש, “And after, he may eat from sanctified food.”

This is one interpretation of the word, “ואחר.” The other possible interpretation in the name of Rav Yehoshua Frank, is that אחר means, “different.”

This refers to the transformation that the Baal Teshuva goes through. He is no longer the person he was, but he is a different person. Now that he has worked on himself, and has distanced himself from sinful behavior, he will never go back. If we use the addiction to eating a cheeseburger, as an example, we will see how ואחר comes into play.

Although in the past, eating the cheeseburger was a regular occurrence, now that he has done Teshuva, he cannot possibly eat this forbidden food. The same is true with Shabbat violation. Now that he has done Teshuva, he will never consciously violate Shabbat. This is the beauty of working on oneself. Yesterday he was one kind of person, but today he is אחר, somebody different and much better.

תרומה

Parshat Emor deals with various rules related to the Kohanim. Among them, are the rules related to their receiving the gift known as, תרומה.

This refers to the initial separation of approximately two per cent of the produce of the field. It is sanctified given to the Kohein and his family to enjoy. It must be eaten in a state of purity, and great care must be taken to make sure that the Teruma is not defiled.

We also learn in the Parsha that a daughter of a Kohein, the בת כהן, is allowed to eat of this hallowed food until she marries a non-Kohein. If that marriage is terminated by divorce, or the death of the husband, and she is childless, she may go back to her father’s house and continue to eat תרומה.

The first Mishna of ברכות speaks of the alacrity of the Kohanim, and, they knew the exact moment when darkness came, if they were recovering from a state of impurity. They were eager to eat of this holy food at the first possible moment. When others saw the Kohanim partaking of תרומה, they knew it was late enough to recite the evening שמע.

The penalty for a non-Kohein eating תרומה, or a כהן in a state of impurity eating it, is מיתה בידי שמים, death by the Heavenly court. This shows the great care needed, and the severity of not giving the proper care of this holy food.

Hero Worship

Shavua Tov-

Rav Twerski makes a note that the wording regarding respect for Kohanim is very exact. The Torah says אני ה׳ מקדישכם, “It is Me, Hashem that makes you holy.”

The emphasis here is that the Kohein is the messenger of Hashem, that through him, a person is sanctified by his blessing. One must remember that as saintly as the Kohein might be, the source of the blessings is from G-d.

Rabbi Twerski sees this as a warning to stay away from “Rebbe” worship, and any other cult-like worship. People of low self esteem have a tendency to gravitate towards this type of hero worship, that borders עבודה זרה.

The Kohein or spiritual leader, must not take advantage of his position of authority, and prey on these weak individuals.

Sometimes if you tell such vulnerable people that you love them, and you feed them, you have won them over for good.

The role of the Kohein, could attract blind followers. All of these people in leadership roles, must be reminded, that, like the Kohein, they are messengers of G-d. It is Hashem, and only Hashem, that we must worship. For it is He that sanctifies us.

Yom Ha’atzmaut- הכרת הטוב

The responsibility to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut is an important one. Back in my Yeshiva days, my old rebbeim from Slobodka, always made a point that, as Americans, we have an obligation to celebrate Thanksgiving. This was a gesture of הכרת הטוב, giving recognition for the kindness we were shown by the United States.

Similarly, we must give thanks to Hashem for giving us a Jewish homeland, after nearly 2000 years. This is definitely not something we should take lightly. The State of Israel gives all Jews a sense of security and safety that we have not had for a very long time.

The image of the Jew has changed since the formation of the State. We have become world leaders in fighting terrorism and in science and technology.

But the biggest reason for celebration on Yom Ha’atzmaut is that Israel is a Kiddush Hashem, a sanctification. No longer can the nations of the world, mock the Jewish G-d, asking us where He is.

The State of Israel shouts out to the world that Hashem never abandoned His people. He has already brought back to His land, nearly seven million Jews. And we have witnessed in our lifetimes, numerous prophecies. Therefore, we must show our הכרת הטוב to G-d by celebrating and reciting Hallel on this very special day.

Jews Are Meant To Be Separate

Parshat קדושים ends with the words, ואבדיל אתכם בין העמים, that Hashem will separate us from among the nations. This is meant as a blessing if we follow the Torah.

Rav Chaim of Voloshin said that this blessing will come true if we act as a holy nation. This separation also implies protection from G-d against anti-semitism from the nations. Rabbi Twerski added that many Jews foolishly believe that if they do not act too Jewish, then the Goyim will be kind to us.

When Judaism is abandoned, it does not diminish anti-semitism, but increases assimilation.

When we faced persecution over the generations, our persecuters never made a distinction between those who acted outwardly Jewish, and those who tried to hide their Jewishness.

The message of protection and separation from the nations, depends on our observance of the Torah. This is particularly true in Israel where we have the additional promise that if we keep the commandments, the land will not vomit us out.

This is also why it is written that anyone who manages to stay in Israel, is a Tzaddik, because if he wasn’t, the Land would not tolerate him.

Foolishness of Holding a Grudge

There are commandments in פרשת קדושים that give advice on how to get along with other people. We are told to love our neighbor as ourselves, which teaches the Mitzva of אהבת ישראל, loving every Jew. We are also told not to take revenge or hold a grudge against another person.

And there is also the commandment that forbids us from hating our brother in our hearts. The Torah recommends that rebuking one who has harmed us, will remove these feelings of resentment.

Rabbi Twerski takes this a step further by explaining that when one allows himself to hold a grudge or hold on to feelings of resentment, the only one he is hurting, is himself.

The person that these feelings are aimed at, most likely is unaware or doesn’t care that this person has such feelings against him. He is not the one losing sleep because he is eating himself up with this anger and resentment.

The Torah is telling us that we need to rid ourselves of these negative feelings. It is clearly for our benefit that we move on, and leave this negativity behind us.

It is utter folly to punish yourself for someone else’s misdeeds. In Kohelet it’s written that, “Anger lingers in the bosom of a fool.” It is simply not worth hating another Jew.

Perverting Justice

There is a Pasuk in קדושים that carries an important message. The Torah says, לא תעשו עול במשפט, that we are not allowed to pervert justice.

This means that laws of ethics and morality are absolute. The judicial system is limited in not being able to pass laws that are contrary to the Torah.

There can never be laws passed that would allow dishonesty or cheating in business. And there can never be laws passed that would change what is morally correct in terms of marriage and fidelity.

Rabbi Twerski wrote that the violation of this law is what has led to the degradation of society. Two examples of crossing these lines are related to gambling and abortion.

According to the Torah, these are absolutely forbidden, and there cannot be legitimate rabbinic authority, who would allow gambling and abortion. Rabbi Twerski would see the legalizing of these two vices, to be very Sodom like. The passing of immoral laws stems from the way society rationalizes and tries to justify such things.

The beauty of the Torah as opposed to democracy, is that the Torah sets limits as to how far one can bend the law. Democracy does not have such limits, and whatever the majority decides, becomes law. This is the very reason why we have this instruction of not perverting justice.

Always Respect Parents

The well known Pasuk from פרשת קדושים that tells us to fear our parents and keep Shabbat, has a little different meaning nowadays.

The classic interpretation is that we are to honor and fear our parents at all times, but we need not obey them if they tell us to violate Shabbat. Hashem’s Torah comes first.

Rabbi Twerski pointed that this Pasuk carries a different problem since the Baal Teshuva movement emerged.

We now have numerous situations where the children are far more religious than their parents.

The Rabbis teach that a son is supposed to say respectfully, “But Father, doesn’t the Torah say otherwise?” This teaching is to emphasize that there is never a justification of being disrespectful to parents who are less religious.

In general, all observant Jews should take great care in avoiding taking an elitist attitude over the secular community. Who are we to judge who is righteous in Hashem’s eyes?

This admonition to fear parents and keep Shabbat has a double message. We don’t need to obey when it comes to violating the Torah. But we must always be respectful to our parents as well as every Jew.

No More Humiliation

There is a prophecy related to Yechezkel that says, על כן נתתיך לחרפה לגויים, which means that we are warned that if we don’t follow the Torah, we will be shamed among the nations. This Pasuk would have been in the Haftarah had it not been Rosh Chodesh.

There is a startling Midrash from איכה, that describes a conversation between two non-Jewish women. One woman got angry at the other and called her a יהודי, a Jew. The other woman was so insulted that she told her, “You can call me any name you want and I would forgive you. But I can never forgive you for calling me a Jew.”

This is the fulfillment of that prophecy. There will come a time when we will be so despised by the nations. Thankfully, the period where that prophecy existed, is behind us. Although anti-semitism still exists in the world, the situation for the Jewish people has dramatically changed.

This represents the coming week where we pay tribute to the State of Israel. We acknowledge and mourn for our fallen heroes, who gave their lives so that there would be a Jewish homeland.

We will celebrate the miracle of the State of Israel that is now seventy-four years old. It represents an end to the shame and degradation the Jewish people faced in the Exile. Today Jews hold their heads high, and the image of the Jews has changed.

When we will see Israeli fighter jets flying overhead this Thursday, it is an assurance to us that we will never again have to suffer such humiliation.

Basic Principles of Torah

This week we will read פרשת קדושים in Israel. Rashi says that this Parsha is special because the עיקרי התורה, the basic principles of the Torah are found in it.

Rabbi Twerski interprets this to mean that this applies to interpersonal relationships. It includes, respecting parents, helping the poor, no theft, not withholding wages, no improper advice, and not holding a grudge, just to name a few.

The common principle here is that religious Jews should not take these ethical laws lightly. This particularly applies to proper behavior in business matters. Torah observant Jews should not be capable of spousal abuse, but, unfortunately, they are. They must be careful about not speaking Lashon Hara, and should not harbor resentments towards others.

The overall conduct of an observant Jew is what is meant here. This is why Rashi says that these are the basic principles of the Torah. Observing laws between man and G-d meticulously, is certainly praiseworthy. But all of this can be undone when a religious Jew is dishonest in business and doesn’t treat others with respect and dignity, both at home and in the workplace.

Walking in Hashem’s Ways

The end of פרשת אחרי מות speaks about refraining from walking in the ways of the Egyptians and Canaan, but instead to walk in the ways of Hashem.

This simple statement leaves a great deal to interpretation. On the one hand, the Pasuk is telling us to walk in Hashem’s ways regarding the Mitzvot that are difficult to understand, such as the prohibition against wearing wool and linen, known as שעטנז. It also includes the prohibition against eating milk and meat, which has no clear explanation.

There is also the emphasis on “walking” in Hashem’s ways. Walking implies avoiding stagnation and being active in our observance of the Torah. We are to avoid complacency and passivity, and not lose our enthusiasm and excitement in how we serve G-d.

This is the reason why we are told to run to perform a Mitzva and flee from sin. The end result will be the continuation of the Pasuk that tells us that we shall “live by them,” referring to the Mitzvot. Mitzvot bring life, when we “walk” and do not stagnate.