SAFEGUARDING SHABBOS MAKES IT YOURS

It is noted by many that when Shabbos was first described as שבת היום לה' - a day that is for HASHEM, some people went out and desecrated it. But then Shabbos is described as ה' נתן לכם השבת - a day that Hashem has given to YOU, all the Jews kept it. This certainly shows the importance of realizing that Shabbos is a gift for us and this realization dismisses any challengea of its obvervance.

However the Mechilta sounds a bit different. ה' נתן לכם השבת - שתשמרוה . This doesn't sound like the לכם we had in mind...

I believe there's an amazing insight here. How or why does the medrash learn שמירה from לכם ?

I would like to suggest, how does shabbos become ours? If Hashem is giving it to us as a gift, what קנין - act of acquisition is there for it to become לכם ?

This is what the medrash is telling us! The acquisition of shabbos is שתשמריהו! Shmirah does not mean to KEEP shabbos, it means to SAFEGUARD shabbos. When one accepts the responsibility of shmirah upon something, it becomes theirs to some extent. We find this by chometz on pesach and in general we know that the responsibility over the item takes effect with a kinyan that establishes the relationship between the receipient and the item.

The medrash is telling us that perhaps keeping the laws of shabbos is ok and renders you a kosher observant Jew, but shabbos only becomes YOURS as a gift from Hashem when you not only keep it but when you accept to SAFEGUARD it. Not only from your own desecration but also from others!

May I ads that this passuk actually specifies o ly one aspect of shabbos to safeguard - הוצאה. Some learn this passuk as hinting to the melacha of transferring objects and some say it refers to Techum Shabbos. Both are uniquely viewed as being the 'lightest' desecrations of shabbos.

This is what is meant by safeguarding Shabbos. Not only to prevent coarse obvious chilul, but keeping Shabbos safe from any breach.

We have this opportunity no in our community. Not only to observe Shabbos for ourselves but to care and try to promote its sanctity, safeguarding it from the sadly common desecration of carrying on shabbos.

Shemos - HARMFUL REBOUNDS

 

Shemos 2.13 HARMFUL REBOUNDS

ויאמר לרשע למה תכה ריעך - It is interesting to note the use of the word ריעך  here, where seemingly these people were far from being called friends. Rashi notes this and says the victim was not his comrade but  רשע כמותך. Perhaps we may also glean from here that often we fight, hit, insult and hurt those are closest to us because of the safe assumption that it won't really affect anything. We think to ourselves, "They'll come around. We're family. He needs me. She'll bounce back." But similar to the one who raised his hand but did not physically harm his fellow, is deemed a Rasha, the Torah is teaching us that WITHOUT  any apparent damage and with no permanent effects visible, you might think "no harm done". But it is not so. An innocuous invisible damage HAS taken place. And the assailant is called a Rasha even with היזק שאינו ניכר.

SHEMOS - ESCALATION IN DISPUTE

 ESCALATION IN DISPUTE 

Shemos 2.13

ויאמר לרשע - We are all familiar with the Rashi based on the gemara Sanhedrin 58b, that one who lifts his hand to hit another Jew is called a Rasha even without actually hitting his victim. 

This always seemed a bit extreme and thus difficult to properly digest and learn from.

 

However, it is brought in Shulchan Aruch חו''מ ל''ד ד'  as psak Halacha from the Rema, that one who does so is disqualified מדרבנן from testimony!

One who actually hits another Jew is disqualified מן התורה as he pro-actively transgressed a לא תעשה that would be deserving of makkos. This renders the title רשע  upon him and he is therefore passul for eidus.

 

However, R' Yechiel Michel Stern asks why the Rasha in our case is only Rabbinically disqualified? One who raised his hand against another is unequivocally called a Rasha by the Torah itself, without having to come onto the normal route of transgressing a lo sasseh to get there!

 

I would like to suggest a new approach that also has a very clear lesson to learn as well. 

 

We find a concept of צדיק באותו דין  regarding the judgement of Rosh Hashanah. In which a person who may generally be considered a Rasha, but in the specific judgement of חיים  or מות  of that year he is deemed Tzaddik and lives. The reverse is true as well. Similarly, the concept is clear in the passuk which the gemara makkos 2b uses as a hint to עדים זוממים defaulting to get makkos - והצדיקו את הצדיק והרשיעו את הרשע… . The simple understanding of this passuk is in a dispute between two individuals and one is found to be in the right and the other is found to be in the wrong. This is not a general description of character, but a relative title in the specific dispute.

 

Based on this we can safely explain that our passuk is not extreme at all and is informing us of a very practical lesson. 

When two people are arguing it may be that one is right and the other wrong, both may have valid points or both may be wrong. But as soon as one lifts his hand to hit the other, he has escalated the dispute from just verbal to the realm of physical. And even without actually harming the other, his escalation deems him the wrong one in this dispute and the other is in the right since he remained in the realm of just arguing with words. 

Vayechi – Chevrah

 Vayechi – Chevrah 

R' Chaim Kanievsky brings from a Medrash, that when Yakov spoke to Reuven as ראשית אוני , he prophesied about the men of shevet Reuvein who would join Korach in the claim for Kehunah.  Only און would be saved from amongst them as his wife would separate him as one would separate challah from dough. Hence, ראשית - like the separation of challah ראשית עריסותיכם - אוני  will designate און to be My און.

 

There is a tremendous lesson to be learned here. The metaphor of Hafrashas Challah brings to mind the example that dough serves in the separation of Klal Yisrael from the Egyptians at Yetzias Mitzrayim. The Torah describes the wonderous extraction of  גוי מקרב גוי  as a unique event that only Hakadosh Baruch Hu could do. Separating און from the group of 250 tribesmen was a virtually impossible task. The draw of social connection and sense of belonging is so powerful that disrupting און's friendship, and severing his bond from this unified group just could not happen. 

Except through his wife. 

The way to pull some sticky dough apart from the rest can only be with something even more sticky attaching itself and pulling in the other direction. Only the greatest bond of an אשת חיל  who is אשתו כגופו  can draw her husband from the mire and muck of negative friendships and relationships. רעים אהובים  can have a stronger pull than all the mussar, tochacha and warnings in the world.

 

This is a tremendous lesson in the dangers of bad friendships and social connections and importance of building positive ones. And it is an empowering message to the N'shei Chayil of Klal Yisrael that their unique bond can be smartly used to overcome the greatest challenges that we face in our surroundings. 

 

p.s. It's interesting to note that און's wife who used a bit immodesty to save her husband from wrogly pursuing Kehunah, returned as the mother of 7 sons who served as Kohanim gedolim in the second bes Hamikdash, in the merit of her meticulous modesty. Her name, reminiscent of hafrashas challah, was קמחית. 

TOLDOS - EISAV'S PREDISPOSITION

TOLDOS - EISAV'S PREDISPOSITION

 

The age old question of the seeming destiny controlling Eisav's life from before his birth can be addressed by the Bal HaTurim making the clear comparison to a very different yet another אדמוני - David HaMelech. We see that all of Eisav's predisposition was shared by David HaMelech! And yet David excelled beyond even Shmuel HaNavi's expectations!

 

The words Hashem said to dismiss Shmuel's doubts and make distinction were אדמוני עם יפה עינים

This does not simply mean he had nice eyes. Rather as the bal HaTurim points out, the Sanhedrin are the עיני העדה.

He listened. As the Gemara says דוד הוא הקטן - he was as humble and receptive to his rabbeim after his rise to malchus as he was before his rise to malchus. He would look and ask for the עיני to guide him.

 

I would like to suggest another approach. Mori HaMashgiach had a keen and sharp insight into Yakov Avinu's concern in Vayechi that if he would give Mussar earlier in his lifetime, Reuven might leave and join Eisav. It cannot mean the  coarse interpretation that Reuvain of the Shivtei Kah would be violent and idolatrous like Eisav. Rather, we find that on the surface - as understood in simple reading of the Parsha -  Nothing seemed terribly wrong with Eisav. He was an outdoorsman who knew how to trap and used it to honor his father. Given his profession, he assumed he may die before his very settled father and there was no value to his inheritance. It is only with the deep penetrating, perceptive eyes of chazal, that we discover the horrors of who Eisav was. That deep invasive look is the true demand of the din v'cheshbon of the Ribonon shel Olam. יצרי מעללי איש are exposed in full glaring spotlight. A slight movement in Yakov's tent was deemed וישכב ראובן. Reuven could easily have felt accused and targeted, as upon the surface nothing was actually done wrong. Eisav's approach is much more comfortable. Leave me alone with the sharp invasive mussar of my innermost נטיות drives and intentions!

 

This invasive inspection needs DEPTH. Eisav was a man who was all about the externals. The acts of honor while trapping his father. The surface color of the stew as opposed to its substance. That lack of deep introspection is what set his future. He had no interest in toiling effort involved in cleaning out his own kishkas.

David Hamelech was יפה עינים - two eyes give percption of depth. The introspection of David Hamelech and his never ending sense of remorseful guilt and need for tefilah and atonement is saturated in almost every kapital Tehilim. David would self examine and focus with ultra magnification on his own character.

 

Those who lack the self introspection and honest willingness to see their own deep rooted drives, are in great danger of succumbing to the drives and middos lurking beneath our wonderful externals. The only other way to save oneself from utter demise is עיני העידי - Mussar seforim learned honestly for self examination and correction or a Rebbi with whom to consult and be open and vulnerable with.

BYA SHABBATON – IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BUTTONS

 BYA SHABBATON – IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BUTTONS

מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת

 

The basic concept of preparing is very simple. If you work on something in advance you achieve and if not you lose.

But don't we find instances otherwise?  -  יש קנה עולמו בשעה אחת גמ' ע''ז יז. -  The truth is that there are such rare instances - יש - it may happen but it is certainly not to be relied upon. Most sinners who think they will surely one day repent and be zocheh to Olam Habah, usually DON'T. Hashem does not assist in the teshuvah of one who says אחטא ואשוב and without Hashem's assistance the future is bleak. 

I recently visited a shivah house (which probably was not a halachically mandated mourning) for a man who lived a very free-style irreligious life into his nineties, and he did not make any statement of regret or viduy. To the contrary, he demanded to be buried at the bottom of the sea.

So certainly the "way to go" is with preparation. 

But even so, it seems like the rare ones who achieve their lofty goal in one moment are surely the lucky ones! 

 

So why is it that R' Meir cried upon hearing the heavenly voice declaring their place in Olam Haba? It is NOT because R' Meir was jealous of this lucky man's lot. Rather, says the Maharsha, he felt bad for the individual. If he could achieve Olam Habah in such a short moment how much more could he have achieved if he would've lived a full life of Torah & mitzvos!

 

I'd like to suggest another reason to be sad for this UNLUCKY person who did not prepare throughout his life.

 

A story is told about a woman who desperately needed a blessing for her infant son from the  Chofetz Chaim. He told her that Shabbos has the source of blessing to bring his salvation and to prepare everything for Shabbos early, so that by noon every Friday, the house would be tranquil and fully set for Shabbos. 

The Chofetz Chaim writes that from the time a person begins his preparations for Shabbos, the spirit of Shabbos already takes some effect. (Gehinom itself will cease for such a person from the time he started his preps!)

From here we see a whole new perspective on preparations. The become PART of the goal itself! It is not two distinct, separate activities, rather they blend together to become part of the whole experience. When we prepare for an exciting trip, vacation or camp, the preparations carry the same excitement as the goal itself! 

 

I'd like to suggest an insight into the gemara of מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת  - Hashem said these words as a rebuke to the Non-Jews who seek reward in olam haba. Hashem calls them שוטים ! To thinnk they can get reward without putting in the effort beforehand, is such a foolish assumption that even Goyim are rebuked for thinking so. 

But even more than this, the entire concept of מי שטרח is really a Non- Jewish concept. Work today to be paid tomorrow is a very poor, shallow perception of life. 

A person who lives enriched with Torah values and perception sees it very differently. Every effort and activity in preparation is not a toil or an unavoidable headache, but an exciting part of the process!

We don't call erev Shabbos preps טירחה but rather a much more positive word - הכנה! This is the word Yosef Hatzaddik used when his brothers came to Egypt. This the word Moshe used when the Mann fell on Friday. This is the word we should use for preparing for Shabbos and our entire life for Olam Haba - HYPE.

 

It is part and parcel of Shabbos itself. And so too EVERY SINGLE THING we do in our lifetime can be l'shem shamayim, as part of building our eternal palace. 

Chanoch was the quintessential embodiment of chinuch - not separate acts in training for the future, but chinuch is a concept of inauguration, the beginning of the goal itself. He was the ultimate Ben Olam Haba - he went alive to heaven, without a dividing line between the worldly activities of olam hazeh and the eternal joy of olam haba. On him it was said that as he stitched shoes to their soles, he was מייחד יחודיים unifying the Heavens. R' Yeruchom Levovitz explains that although this is a deep mystical concept, it also means that his perfect intent on honest quality work for his customers was actually what brought heaven and earth together.

 

The story of R' Elchanan's button was a message to simple unlearned Jew - it's not about the buttons. But for a Torah enriched mind, every one of a person's buttons throughout life can actually be a diamond. 

 

Preparing for Olam Haba should not be viewed as a טירחה - a burden of prerequisites to attain a goal. We can van and should view everything we do with the concept of Ben Olam Haba - we are infusing everything with the excitement, thrill, and hype of the dream goal itself.

 

It's never too early to build hype for Shabbos. You're not too young to infuse your life to become the next Mrs Fedder or Rebbetzin Reisman. 

Every moment of your life now can be steps inaugurating the most amazing wife in the world and the greatest Jewish mother your children can wish for!

Build hype for Shabbos & build hype for life!

Lech Lecha - Don't SAY Thank You

 Lech Lecha - Don't SAY Thank You

We find a few times in this parsha  ויבן שם מזבח - Avraham built numerous altars, one for each prophecy of good news. R' Gamliel Rabinovich points out the clear message that it does not suffice to just yell or sing "TYH" (or a bumper sticker, rubber band or ____________ (fill in the blank). Something has to be DONE!

Additionally, Avraham didn’t just do a passing act but built something of permanence. It also wasn't מצבות - one stone monuments that he erected, but מזבחות that are built up. 

Megillas Ta'anis was a recording of the days that we may not fast or say Tachanun due to various miracles that occurred on many different dates throughout the years. It was dissolved because there were so many miracles, that we could never fast! 

Baruch Hashem the lovingkindness that each of ourselves and our families experience are so abundant, it would certainly be difficult to build so many structures as our thankfulness should demand. 

But we are not excused.

Very small permament commitments have the same effect. They amass a huge structure built of so many deeds! Each new small commitment becomes its very own מזבח that elevates us to serve Hashem more intimately than before. We are Olah as Korbanos Shelamim upon those altars we build.

Thank Hashem! - And build your own Mizbe'ach.

NOACH - INFLUENCE

 NOACH - איש האדמה 

In an entire year of animal care Noach did not become a zoologist, but in a few moments of farming he became איש אדמה

a) While busy in the teivah taking care of others, he did not absorb their lower nature. As when a vessel is "busy" expelling and ejecting flavors it does not absorb. So too, when the focus is entirely on being mashpiah, it prevents absorbing hashpa'ah. 

b) When doing something unpleasant the body, and heart works to reject it. When doing something that is perceived as pleasurable we are open to swallow hook line and sinker. The power of hashapa'ah in an enjoyable environment of fun, friendship like in camp or bungalow colonies, or over a meal or at a concert, is tremendous. It may be an amazing tool for giving hashpa'ah or a dangerous pitfall for receiving the wrong hashpa'ah. 

The spoon full of sugar will make anything go down.   

NOACH – CHESSED

NOACH – CHESSED

Noach 6.14 תעשה את התיבה

The רוקח points out that the word את usually adds an associated subject to the main one being doscussed and therefore, here it is icluding either an additional board upon which Og or perhaps the giant Re'eim were seated upon. He offers another pshatt that seems astounding. An additional small Teivah was build to tag along the "Mothership" and it stored extra food if needed. 

 

What?

It is interesting to note that את התיבה  is mentioned only once more when the ark first rose up upon the water. However it is not mentioned again. It seems perhaps that it didn't even make it through the flood. So what was the point of this additional small teivah?

 

In Birchas Hamazon we say that Hashem gives בחן ובחסד - One was Noach's midah - to give what is needed with grace - "service with a smile". The other was Avraham's midah, to offer more than necessary. 

Perhaps the first instructions from Hashem to Noach was an exercise in Avraham's midah - Chessed. As much food as was brought into the teivah, either it was minimal (as the Gra explains אשר יאכל to mean just one כדי שביעה and it miraculously sufficed) or all that was needed crammed in. Both of these left no room for extras. But as a midah of chessed, when only "enough" is presented, the recipient feels uncomfortable to take. But when an overflowing platter of extra food is offered, then the guest is comfortable to take as much as he would like. 

The only way to exercise this type of giving was to purposefully designate a whole extra unit for extras. This was the purpose of the additional teivah - an act of overflowing chessed to allow all the guests in the teivah to feel comfortable to eat, knowing there are extra reserves and nothing to be concerned about. So once they saw this extra storage at the beginning of the mabul, there really was no need for it to survive the flood.  

Noach – Hakoras HaTovah

 Noach – Hakoras HaTovah

Noach 11.5 אשר בנו בני האדם

Rashi asks who else could we have thought were building the tower? Rather the Torah is associating them to Adam Harishon who was כפוי טובה - ingrateful to Hashem for his wife, and these people were aslo ingrateful to Hashem who saved them for the mabul and provided them with so much goodness. 

It seems that this is the natural human condition for Bnei HaAdam, (Aznaim LaTorah says this excludes Noach and those who would follow his lead who DID show Hakoras HaTov) for although Hashem gave him the exercise of gratitude when nothing would grow until Adam would appreciate the value of rain, the short lived experience did not instill this trait within the DNA of mankind. 

However as we find our Sages compare Noach to Avraham, we may inspect Avraham's manner of using Hakoras HaTov as the foundation of Avodas Hashem. It worked because he put a clear price tag on what was owed. And only then did he offer to cover the tab if his guests showed appreciation to Hashem. 

 

There are two steps in instilling this midah in ourselves and in the chinuch of our children. One is dispelling the notion of entitlement and recognize that there is some indebtedness for what was done. This hopefully is an easy training - by instructing children (and ourselves) to say thank you. This was the basic level of training for Adam, and yet it still was not absorbed in him. 

However, the true midah is when the Tov received is quantified. It is measured to appreciate the extent of the goodness done and properly express gratitude accordingly. 

 

When someone is not yet a Makir Tovah, it behooves his benefactor to first make him pay and only then offer the gift. This allows the recipient to clearly understand what is owed and yet being given as gift.