Justice vs Korbanot

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: One who practices righteousness and justice is considered as though he had brought burnt offerings and celebration offerings to Gd, as it is written [Mishlei 21:3], 'One who practices righteousness and justice is more choice to Gd than a celebration offering.'"

(Midrash, Midrash Mishlei 21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The effect of tzedakah upon one's children

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: One who pursues [opportunities to give] tzedaka will have children who are masters of tzedakah, as well as Torah and Aggada [Torah which is not law-oriented]."

(Midrash Mishlei 21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The limits of personal responsibility

Hi,

"One is not held responsible for actions taken during his moment of pain."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

True Friends

Hi,

Background:
Taanit 23a says, "One must have friends, or death."
But Bava Batra 16b says, "One must have friends like those of Job, or death."

Maharsha to Bava Batra 16b explained, "This text teaches us that 'one must have friends' does not mean just any friends, but friends like thoes of Job, who traveled many parasangs in order to comfort him."

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tu b'Av - The Fifteenth of Av

Hi,

We are taught (Taanit 30b-31a) that Tu b’Av (the 15th of Av, celebrated Sunday night and Monday July 25-26 this year) is one of the two greatest days on the Jewish calendar, sharing the title with Yom Kippur. The gemara enumerates seven elements of Tu b’Av’s special character:

On Tu b’Av, the die-off of the Desert Generation stopped, so that the remaining Jewish nation knew they would enter Israel.

On Tu b’Av, the Civil War between Binyamin and the rest of the Jews (see the end of the book of Shoftim) stopped.

When Moshe announced that Israel’s land would be divided among patrilineally determined tribes, and that men would inherit land, Machlah, Noah, Chaglah, Milkah and Tirtzah requested the power to inherit their deceased father’s portions. This was granted to them, but among the consequences was a decree that women who inherited land would need to marry within their tribes, guaranteeing that the land would remain within the tribe. This decree was lifted, broadening marriage options and gladdening shadchanim everywhere, on Tu b’Av.

After the Bar Kochba revolt was smashed by the Romans, the victors refused to allow us to bury our dead. Years later - on Tu b’Av - the Romans pioneered the now-routine practice of returning murdered Jews, and permitted us to bury them.

When the Northern Kingdom of Yisrael split off from the Southern Kingdom of Yehudah, Yeravam, leader of the north, set up roadblocks to keep Jews from the north away from Yerushalayim and the Beit haMikdash. Those roadblocks were removed, generations later - on Tu b’Av.

Tu b’Av, coming midway through the summer heat, is when we finish cutting wood for the korbanot of the Beit haMikdash, and so it is a day of siyyum, celebrating completion of this great mitzvah.

Tu b’Av comes at around the time when the nights begin to lengthen and the days begin to shorten (not precisely, of course, since Tu b’Av is a lunar date!). From this point on, then, we have less time to work in the fields, but more time to study Torah at night!

Have a great Tu b'Av,
Mordechai

Estate Advice

Hi,

"Shemuel said to Rav Yehudah: Sharp one! Do not be among those who shift portions, even from a bad son to a good son."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 133b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Value of Momentary Righteousness

Hi,

"And R’ Yitzchak said: We only judge a person according to his actions at that time, as it is written, “For Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.”"

(Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Re-creating Sinai

Hi,

"Rabbi Eliezer's study hall was arranged like eyelashes (in an arc, presumably), with a single stone designated as his seat. Once Rabbi Yehoshua entered and kissed the stone, saying, 'This stone is like Mount Sinai, and the one who sits there is like the Ark of the Covenant.'"

(Midrash, Shir haShirim Rabbah 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Better to have a Sharp Mind or a Powerful Memory?

Hi,

"Even if one is sharp and extremely talented in logical analysis, and one increases his wisdom as a result of his logical analysis, it is still better to be a limed cistern [which does not leak, ie forget].

"As the gemara says at the end of Horiyyot, when we compare Sinai and an Uprooter of Mountains, it is better to be Sinai, as this person is; everyone needs the person who has a lot of wheat [meaning, broad knowledge of texts]."

(Machzor Vitry 425 on Pirkei Avot 2:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Hope, after Tisha b'Av

Hello,

"And I will bring them to My holy mountain, and I will make them glad in the house of My prayer. Their offerings will be desirable on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. This is the word of Gd, Elokim, who gathers in the scattered of Israel: I will yet gather them in!"

(Isaiah 56:7-8, the last verses of the Haftorah for the afternoon of Tisha b'Av)

Hope you had an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai

Tisha b'Av and Yom Kippur

Hello,

In advance of the fast day of Tisha b'Av, coming up on Monday night-Tuesday:

"Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: One who eats and drinks on Tisha b'Av is as though he had done so on Yom Kippur.

"Rabbi Akiva said: One who goes to work on Tisha b'Av will not see any sign of blessing from it.

"The sages said: One who goes to work on Tisha b'Av and does not mourn for Jerusalem will not merit to see its celebration, as it is written, 'Rejoice with Jerusalem and celebrate in it, all who love it! Rejoice in it, all who mourn for it.'

"Based on this, our sages taught: One who mourns for Jerusalem will merit to see its joy; one who does not mourn for Jerusalem will not see its joy."

(Talmud, Taanit 30b)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Exile from the Garden of Eden and Exile from Israel

Hello,

"Rabbi Avahu cited Hosheia 6:7, 'They are as man [Adam], they violated the covenant.' This is a reference to Adam the First.

"Gd declared: I brought Adam the First into the Garden of Eden (Bereishit 2:15), I gave him instructions (Bereishit 2:16), he violated My instructions (Bereishit 3:11), I sentenced him to divorce (Bereishit 3:24) and exile (Bereishit 3:23) and I mourned him with 'Eichah' (Bereishit 3:9). It is written as 'Eichah' [even though it is read as Ayekah].

"So, too, I brought his children to Israel (Yirmiyah 2:7), I instructed them (Vayyikra 24:2), they violated My instructions (Daniel 9:11), and I sentenced them to divorce (Hosheia 9:15) and exile (Yirmiyah 15:1), and I mourned for them 'Eichah' (Eichah 1:1)."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah Petichta 4)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

The loneliness of exile

Hi,

"It is written (Yirmiyah 15:17), 'Because of Your hand, I dwelled alone' - Pharaoh's hand struck me and I did not dwell alone, Sancherev's hand struch me and I did not dwell alone, but when Your hand struck me I dwelled alone, as it is written (Eichah 1:1), 'How did she come to dwell alone, the city that had once contained a great nation.'"

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 3)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Linking Torah study and the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash

Hello,

[I know that the following is not the dominant popular viewpoint; people tend to view Torah study as an intellectual exercise, and less significant than the social aspects of Judaism. This is all the more reason to cite this source for study.]

"Rav Huna and Rav Yirmiyah said in the name of Rav Shemuel bar Rabbi Yitzchak:

"We have found that Gd overlooked idolatry, sexual immorality and murder, but did not overlook the rejection of Torah. It is written (Yirmiyah 9), 'Why was the land lost?' And then the passage does not say, 'For idolatry, sexual immorality and murder,' but rather, 'For they abandoned My Torah.'

"Rav Huna and Rav Yirmiyah said in the name of Rav Chiyya bar Abba:

"It is written (Yirmiyah 16), 'They abandoned Me, and they did not guard My Torah.' Gd was saying: I wish that they had abandoned Me and still guarded My Torah, for through their involvement in Torah, its light would have brought them back to righteousness."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 2)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Neturei Karta

Hi,

"Rabbi Yehudah haNasi sent R' Asi and R' Ami to go repair the cities of Israel. They would ascend to cities and say, 'Bring us the guardians of the city ["Neturei Karta נטורי קרתא"].' The people brought out the heads of the guards. R' Asi and R' Ami said, 'Are these the guardians of the city? These are the destroyers of the city!'

"The people asked them, 'Then who are the guardians of the city?'

"They replied, 'These are the teachers of Torah and Mishnah, who read and teach and guard the Torah day and night, as it is written (Yehoshua 1), 'You shall read it day and night,' and (Tehillim 127), 'If Gd will not build a house, its builders will have worked for nothing. If Gd will not guard a city, its guard will have been diligent for nothing.'"

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 2)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

A reason for destruction: Low salaries for teachers of Torah?

Hello,

"It is written (Yirmiyah 9), 'Who is wise, who will understand this? Why is the land lost? HaShem declared: Because they abandoned the Torah.'

"R' Shimon bar Yochai said: If you see cities uprooted from their places in Israel, know that they did not properly reward teachers of Tanach and Mishnah."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 2)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Daughter of exile

Hi,

[Isaiah 10:30 says to the Jews, "Give forth your voice, daugther of Galim; listen, Layish!"]

"'Daughter of Galim [גלים]' means 'Daughter of exiles [גולים]' - The daughter of Avraham, regarding whom it is written, 'And there was a famine in the land, and Avram descended to Egypt. The daughter of Yitzchak, regarding whom it is written, 'And Yitzchak went to Avimelech, King of the Philistines, to Gerar.' And the daughter of Yaakov, regarding whom it is written, 'And he went to Padan Aram.'

"'Listen' - Listen to My mitzvot, listen to the words of Torah, listen to the words of prophecy, listen to acts of righteousness and good deeds."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 1)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Household fire

Hi,

"Rava said: Why is a woman called אשה? Because she is אש [fire]. Why is a man called איש? Because he is אש [fire]. With the extra י in the man's name and the extra ה in the woman's name, the Name of Gd [י-ה] is among them.

"If they overheat, the Name of Gd departs from their midst, and only fire and fire remain."

(Kallah Rabti 1:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

True Wealth

Hi,

"It is better to have a piece of dry bread and peace, than to have a house filled with slaughtered animals and fighting."

(Mishlei 17:1)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

No justice, No joy - Part II

Hi,

Continuing from yesterday's link between the dissolution of the Sanhedrin and the end of musical celebration, the Talmud Yerushalmi clarifies that the loss of the Sanhedrin led to the sages banning song:

"Rav Chisda said: In the beginning the awe of the Sanhedrin was upon them, and people did not say repellent things in their songs. Now that the awe of the Sanhedrin is not upon them, they say repellent things in their songs."

(Talmud Yerushalmi Sotah 9:12)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

No justice, No joy - Part I

Hi,

"When the Sanhedrin ceased, song ceased from the party houses, as it is written, ‘They will not drink wine with song.’… How do we know that this was written specifically when the Sanhedrin ceased? Rav Huna son of Rav Yehoshua explained: It is from, ‘The elders ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.’"

(Talmud, Sotah 48a)

To be continued...

Have a great day,
Mordechai

True humility

Hi,

"There are four elements in humble behavior:
a. Functioning in a humble manner;
b. Bearing one's own embarrassment patiently;
c. Fleeing from honor;
d. Treating others with respect."

(Mesilat Yesharim [Path of the Righteous], R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Chapter 23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Our approach to the world

Hi,

This is a re-run, but I use it today for the Fourth of July:

"Our approach to and relationship with the outside world has always been of an ambivalent character, intrinsically antithetic, bordering at times on the paradoxical. We relate ourselves to and at the same time withdraw from, we come close to and simultaneously retreat from the world of Esau. When the process of coming nearer and nearer is almost consummated, we immediately begin to retreat quickly into seclusion. We cooperate with the members of other faith communities in all fields of constructive human endeavor, but, simultaneously with our integration into the general social framework, we engage in a movement of recoil and retrace our steps. In a word, we belong to the human society and, at the same time, we feel as strangers and outsiders."

(Rav Yosef Dov Soloveichik, Confrontation, 1964)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Michah's Three Principles of Judaism

Hi,

Michah 6:8 instructs us that Gd expects of us to, “Practice justice, love generosity and walk privately with Gd.”

On this Rav Yaakov Ettlinger commented:
“Michah specified three actitvities, representing three types of mitzvot: Between Man and Gd, between Man and Other, and between Man and Self.

“Between Man and Self – Practice justice, meaning to weigh all of one’s deeds to ensure that they are just, and he has no corruption in his hand.

“Between Man and Other – Love generosity, meaning providing acts of generosity between himself and another.

“Between Man and his Creator – Walk privately.”

(Aruch l’Ner to Makkot 24a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Redemption through tears

Hi,

"'And he [Yosef] gave voice, in tears [when he was reunited with brothers]' - Just as Yosef appeased his brothers only with tears, so Gd will redeem the Jews only with tears, as it is written [Yirmiyah 31:8], 'In tears they will come, and in beseeching I will bring them.'"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 93:13)

Note Radak to Yirmiyah 31:8 - "There are tears of joy, for example, 'And Yaakov kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and cried.'... So, too, this is a case of crying fromgreat joy. When they come to their land they will cry, for it will have been many years since they were exiled therefrom."

Have a great day,
Mordechai