Achitofel, Shavuot and Torah Study

Hi,



Achitofel is described in Tanach as the wisest advisor of King David. The Talmud presents a cryptic statement regarding Achitofel's instructions to his children:



"Achitofel told his children three things...The third lesson was: If the weather on the holiday of Shavuot is clear, plant wheat."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 147a)

Maharsha explains: Shavuot is the holiday of the presentation of the Torah. Optimal study requires clarity, like one achieves on a breezy day. Wheat is a symbol of wisdom, as the Talmud notes that a child first begins to show intelligent thought at the age when it starts eating wheat.



Thus Achitofel instructed his children: If the time when Torah is presented to you is opportune for Torah study, take advantage of it and study Torah.



Have a great day,

Mordechai

Immersion in Torah study

Hi,

There is a daily morning blessing which serves to thank Gd for giving us Torah, and one part describes the mitzvah of Torah study as "Laasok b'Divrei Torah," "to be involved with words of Torah." The word "Laasok," "to be involved," is also the word for business investment.

The Chafetz Chaim commented, as recorded in his notes to the prayerbook: "One who has a business and wishes to become wealthy certainly will not be satisfied with spending an hour or two in his store, closing early and going to rest or play. Rather, he will be involved with the store with every effort, both during the day and until the late hours of the night. He will not rest and he will not be silent, and he will put all of his resources into this investment."

Have a great day,
Mordechai

One can always make time for Torah

Hi,

Lest anyone say he is too busy to learn Torah -

"There have been great sages of Israel who were woodchoppers, water-drawers and blind people and who yet managed to involve themselves in Torah day and night. They were among those who passed the tradition down, from one to the next, from the mouth of Moshe Rabbeinu."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Revealing new lessons of the Torah

Hi,

"One who learns Torah and law as they were given by Gd, from Heaven, and does not seek to learn something new from them, is acting inappropriately.

"Gd wishes to enlarge the Torah and greaten it, for aside from the Torah which has been given to us, there is a hidden portion from which an experienced student will learn new things each day."

(Derashot Chatam Sofer II pg. 405)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The protective power of Torah study

Hello,

In preparation for Shavuot, when we celebrate (among other things) receiving the Torah, we'll look at the value of Torah study:

"Rav Chisda was sitting and studying in Yeshiva, and the messenger of death was unable to get close to him because his mouth never fell silent from learning.

"The messenger settled in the wood of the room, causing it to split. Rav Chisda fell silent, and so it was able to take him."

(Talmud, Makkot 10a)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

The importance of timely prayer

Hello,


"It is written, 'That which has been made crooked cannot be fixed' - This refers to someone who did not recite Shma in the evening or morning, or the Amidah in the evening or morning…

"R’ Yitzchak said, citing R’ Yochanan: This is where one omitted it intentionally."

(Talmud, Berachot 26a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honor

Hi,

"Do not pursue honor, and do not ascend a platform which is not appropriate for you."

(Orchot Chaim, Rabbeinu Asher (Rosh), #88)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honesty

Hello,

"A customer once entered Rav Safra's store to make a purchase. He made an offer for an item, but R' Safra was reciting the daily 'Shma' and did not respond. The customer raised his offer repeatedly, and still Rav Safra did not respond.

"When Rav Safra completed the Shma, he said he would accept the initial price. He explained: 'I was willing to accept the first offer. Since in my heart I said 'Yes' - although I could not speak - I will not change my mind."

(She'iltot d'Rav Achai, Vayyechi 36)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Parental advice

Hi,


"Listen, my son, to the rebuke of your father, and do not reject the Torah of your mother. They are an escort of favor for your head, and a [golden] necklace for your throat."

(Mishlei [Proverbs] 1:8-9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Oneg Shabbat - Enjoying Shabbat

Hi,





"R' Yochanan taught, citing R' Yosi: One who creates enjoyment for Shabbat will be given a boundless lot [in the next world], as it is written (Isaiah 58), 'You will call Shabbat 'Enjoyment'...then you will enjoy Gd and Gd will make you ride upon the heights of the earth, and I will feed you the lot of Jacob, your father.'"

(Talmud, Shabbat 118a-b)



Have a great day,

Mordechai

Gd first, me second

Hi,

"Rav Idi bar Avin taught in the name of Rav Yitzchak bar Ahseeyan: If a person prays in the morning before embarking on a trip to fulfill his own needs, Gd will take care of his needs for him, as it is written, 'Righteousness will walk before him, and he will place his feet upon the path.' [The verse indicates that one should take care of 'righteousness' before setting out on the road.]"

(Talmud, Berachot 14a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Importance of the Siddur

Hi,

"Among the fundamental texts of Judaism, the siddur holds a modest place. It is not an elemental or exalted text like Tanach, it is not a text of breadth or depth like the Talmud, it is not a text of mystery or the heavens like the Zohar. Opposite these great and various texts, the siddur appears to stand off in a corner.

"People study, review and examine the other texts. The sages of every generation learn them in depth and explain them, and their students struggle and exhaust themselves to understand them. Opposite them, the small siddur is found in everyone's hands, they pray with it - and then they put it down until the next prayer.

"But with all that, there is no book closer to the heart of a Jew than the siddur, and there is no book that has as pervasive and penetrating an impact as this. It is possible that the other books are more honored and more admired, but none is as beloved to every Jew, from small to great, man and woman alike, and none penetrates and influences the depths of the soul as does the siddur."

(R' Adin Steinsaltz, HaSiddur v'haTefillah, pg. 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Arrogance and Mount Sinai

Hi,

"Rav Yosef taught: One should always learn from the traits of his Creator, for Gd left all of the mountains and peaks alone, and manifest Himself on Mount Sinai (a low mountain)."

(Talmud, Sotah 5a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tithing

Hi,

"Whenever a person profits:
-whether as payment for teaching, writing, or working, or
-whether one finds an item or is given an item as a gift, or
-whether one makes money in any way, whether silver or gold,
one must separate one tenth.

"This practice is invaluable, for in all matters Gd said one may not test Him [to see whether one will be rewarded], but in this matter Gd permitted it (in Malachi, 3rd chapter)."

(Sefer haYirah of Rabbeinu Yonah)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

True Love, and True Love of Gd

Hi,

Quite demanding, but quite logical based upon his definition of love:

"'To love' means to feel one's own being only through and in the being of another.

"'To love Gd,' therefore, means to feel that one's own existence and activity are rendered possible and obtain value and significance only through Gd and in Gd."

(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb paragraph 49)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Accountability

Hi,

"Know before whom you will have to give an accounting for your deeds."

(Pirkei Avot 3:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Caring for the property of others

Hello,

"Rav Pinchas reported: Once a traveler misplaced chickens near R' Chanina ben Dosa's home. R' Chanina's wife found them.

"R' Chanina said, 'Don't eat from their eggs.' And so the eggs and chickens increased, to the point that they became a nuisance. They sold them, and purchased goats.

"Later, that man who had lost the chickens passed again, and he said to his traveling companion, 'This is where I left my chickens.' R' Chanina heard this, and asked, 'Do you have a sign [by which to verify that they were yours]?'

"The man said 'Yes' and presented the sign, and took the goats."

(Talmud, Taanit 25a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Importance of Torah Study

Hello,

"Study bring a person to action, but action does not bring a person to study."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Bringing Mashiach

Hi,

"The Torah does not specify how the redemption will evolve, because this great matter is entrusted to Israel’s leaders. It is up to them to do as they see fit, according to the place and the time.

"Therefore we are taught regarding the redemption (Zecharyah 8:19), “The fasts…will become for the House of Yehudah…cheerful festivals.” This teaches that the redemption is entrusted to the human Beit Din just like the fixing of the festivals."

(R’ Yissachar Techtel, Em haBanim Smeichah pg. 267 (Lichtman translation))

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yom ha'Atzmaut - Israel's 60th Birthday

Hi,

In honor of Yom ha'Atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, which is celebrated today (tomorrow if you read this on the blog, today if you read it on the feed email):

"You will return to HaShem your Gd and hear his voice, according to all that I instruct you today; you and your children, with all of your heart and all of your soul.

"HaShem will return your exile and have mercy on you, and He will return and gather you from all of the nations to which HaShem, your Gd had scattered you.

"HaShem your Gd will bring you to the land which your ancestors inherited, and you will inherit it, and HaShem will prepare good things for you and make you greater in number than your ancestors.

"HaShem your Gd will circumcise your heart and the heart of your children, to love HaShem your Gd with all of your heart and with all of your soul, for your life."

(Deuteronomy 30:2-6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yom haZikaron

Hello,

For Yom haZikaron, in memory of those who have been murdered, in war or in acts of terror, in Israel and in defense of Israel:

One who is buried in Israel is considered as though he had been buried next to the Temple Altar.
(Talmud Bavli, Ketuvot 111a)

Their memory is a blessing.

Be well,
Mordechai

Israel

Hello,

In honor of Israel's 60th birthday:

"One who walks four cubits in Israel is forgiven for all of his sins."

(Talmud, Ketuvot 111a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Maintaining peace

Hi,

"One who degrades his neighbor lacks heart, but a man of discernment holds his peace."

(Mishlei [Proverbs] 11:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Student Entrance Qualifications

Hello,

"Beit Shammai said: One should only teach a person who is wise, modest, of humble spirit, a child of ancestors and wealthy.

"Beit Hillel said: One should teach everyone, for there were Jewish transgressors, and once they became close to Torah study, pious and righteous people came from them."

(Avot d’Rabbi Natan, additional note to Version I, Chapter 2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Righteous flourish, bear fruit and regenerate

Hi,

"Rabbi Chiyya bar Lulayni taught: What is the meaning of the verse (Psalms 92), 'A righteous person will flower like a date tree, he will grow tall like a cedar of Lebanon?' If he is comparable to a date tree, why introduce a cedar? If he is comparable to a cedar, why introduce a date tree?

"Had the verse only mentioned a cedar tree, I would have said that just as a cedar does not produce edible fruit, so a righteous person does not necessarily produce edible fruit, just as a cedar does not produce edible fruit. Therefore, the date tree is mentioned.

"Had the verse only mentioned a date tree, I would have said that a righteous person does not regrow after he falls, just as a date tree does not regenerate after it is chopped back. Therefore, the cedar is mentioned."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 80b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai