Of wisdom and wealth

Hi,

[Mishlei 10:14 - Wise men guard store wisdom, and the fool's mouth soon leads to collapse.]

"First: A wise man should protect his ideas and guard them as a wealthy person guards his assets; otherwise, he will be lik a pauper, without assets.

"Second: Wisdom generally protects its holder, guarding him as money guards and protects its holder, and more so."

(Rav Saadia Gaon, Commentary to Mishlei 10:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The need for sense

Hi,

[Mishlei (Proverbs) 21:16 says: 'One who wanders from the path of sense will lie down in the place of the dead.']

"In this world, as you can see, a person who lacks sense will be ruined, for ithout understanding and the ability to analyze one will fall into ruin. And in the next world he will not achieve fortune, for this cannot be achieved without listening [to Gd's word], and listening requires sense."

(Rav Saadia Gaon to Mishlei 21:16)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The pursuit of entertainment

Hi,

"Gd created the world, and nothing in the world is empty and in vain and worthless. All of Creation has a purpose, even if a person thinks something is worthless. It is not so – all is necessary. Therefore, a letz [in this context: One who pursues entertainment without redeeming value] cannot be before the Shechinah, for he pursues emptiness and worthless things."

(Maharal, Netivot Olam, Netiv ha'Emet 2)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

The Letz, Part III

Hi,

"[The category of Letz also includes:] One who verbally mocks deeds or things, not because he personally scorns them but because this is the way of people who are happy for no reason, and it is a joking practice. Sometimes wine and intoxication causes this."

(Rabbeinu Yonah, Shaarei Teshuvah III 177*)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

The Letz, Part II

Hi,

"One who perpetually mocks things and activities… is brought to this bad trait by being wise in his own eyes… And this trait so rules over him that he mocks the views of others. This is a hopeless trait."

(Rabbeinu Yonah, Shaarei Teshuvah III #176)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

The Letz, Part I

Hi,

"Without any personal gain in the matter, a letz causes great harm to people by denigrating them before others' eyes. This is what makes zadon worse than theft or banditry, which is done to increase one's wealth. Such a person is also arrogant, for one who is humble and recognizes his own deficiencies and blemishes and does not mock other people."

(Rabbeinu Yonah, Shaarei Teshuvah III 174)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Humans v Angels II

Hi,

"Gd informed us via His prophets that He gave Man an advantage over His other creations, as Bereishit 1:28 says, 'And they will reign over the fish of the seas, etc.'… He gave us the ability to serve Him, and He put [the world] before us and gave us control.

"He placed freedom of choice in our domain and instructed us to choose the good, as Devarim 30:19 says, 'See, I have placed before you today life and good, etc.'… And if one will think that some non-human entity is more significant, let him show us the advantages, or some of them, which another creature possesses, for one could not find such a thing."

(Rav Saadia Gaon, haEmunot v'haDeiot 4)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Humans v Angels

Hi,

"Israel is more beloved before Gd than the ministering malachim, for Israel sings to Gd always, and the ministering malachim only sing daily, some say weekly, some say monthly, some say annually, some say once every seven years, some say once every Jubilee, some say once in eternity.

"Also, Israel mentions Gd's Name after only two words, as in, Shema Yisrael HaShem, and the ministering malachim after three words, Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh HaShem Tzevakot. Also, ministering malachim cannot sing in heaven until Israel sings below, as it is written, 'When the morning stars [ie the Jews] sing together… And the bnei Elokim trumpet.'"

(Talmud, Chullin 91b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why do frogs exist?

Hi,

"I consider therefore the following opinion as most correct according to the teaching of the Bible, and best in accordance with the results of philosophy; namely, that the Universe does not exist for man's sake, but that each being exists for its own sake, and not because of some other thing."

(Maimonides, Guide of the Perplexed 3:13, Friedlander translation)

[The frogs are just one example...]

Chanukah sameach,
Mordechai

Mashiach and Justice

Hi,

"This king, Mashiach, will be a mishor, meaning he will straighten all of the nations and guide them in paths of righteousness, as Isaiah (2:4) said, 'He will judge between nations.'"

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah 4:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Chanukah's Light unto the Nations

Hi,

"Apparently, one who lives among the nations must light outside the entrance to his home, or in a window close by, so that the miracle will be publicized among the nations, for they will ask what it is and so the story and the essential miracle will become known to them. This is a biblical text: “And I will be elevated and sanctified and known before the eyes of many nations.” Many passages show that Gd cares about the desecration of His Name among the nations and the sanctification of His Name among them."

(R' Shimon Sofer, Hitorirut Teshuvah 1:153)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Multiple worlds

Hi,

"It is written (Ecclesiastes), ‘He made all in its proper time.’… R’ Avahu said: We see from here that Gd created worlds and destroyed them, created worlds and destroyed them, until he created these and said, ‘This is good for me, those were not good for me.’

"R’ Pinchas said: R’ Avahu based himself on the verse, ‘And Gd saw all that He had created, and it was very good’ - This good for me, those were not good for me."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 9:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The breadth of Torah

Hi,

"One of the unique aspects of Judaism is its far reaching universality. Not only does Judaism provide a lesson for every human being, its teachings extended to the very boundaries of the universe."

(R' Aryeh Kaplan, The Aryeh Kaplan Reader)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Judith's Rebuke to the Jews of besieged Bethulia

Hi,

"Now therefore, brethren, let us set an example to our brethren, for their lives depend upon us, and the sanctuary and the temple and the altar rest upon us. In spite of everything let us give thanks to the Lord our G-d, who is putting us to the test as he did our forefathers. Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia in Syria, while he was keeping the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother. For he has not tried us with fire, as he did them, to search their hearts, nor has he taken revenge upon us; but the Lord scourges those who draw near to him, in order to admonish them."

(Book of Judith, Chapter 8, Revised Standard Version)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mashiach's spiritual level

Hi,

"Mashiach is called a great mountain because he is greater than the patriarchs, as it is written [Isaiah 52], 'Behold, My servant will have insight, will be highly elevated and raised aloft and great,' elevated from Avraham, raised aloft from Yitzchak, great from Yaakov… And raised aloft from Moses… And great like the ministering malachim..."

(Midrash Tanchuma (Warsaw edition), Toldot 14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Quarrels within a synagogue

Hi,

"One may not pray in a place which will distract him, or at a time when he will be distracted. Therefore, an individual or group experiencing open or concealed enmity, or anger, or a quarrel with the community will not be able to pray in an acceptable way, and they are not permitted to pray there, for their thoughts are distracted and they cannot focus in their prayers. This is certainly true if people overtly antagonize him, constantly. This is all the more true if the anger is with the leaders of the community. Were I not afraid to say it, I would say that it would be better to pray privately than to pray with a group of people with whom his mind was not at peace."

(Responsa of Radvaz 3:472)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Using the Torah as Medicine

Hi,

"One who chants over a wound, reading a passage of Torah… is not only among the sorcerers and charmers, but is among the deniers of Torah who turn it into medicine for the body when it is really medicine for the soul, as it is written (Mishlei 3:22), 'They will be life for your soul.' But one who is healthy may read the verses and chapters of Psalms for protection in the merit of reading them, to be saved from trouble and harm."

(Maimonides, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 11:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Maimonides on non-scientific therapies

Hi,

"Anything which they say is effective, which is not dictated by natural analysis but in their view is effective, like the practices of segulot and special forces… is among what the Sages termed "Emorite practices", because they are part of the deeds of sorcerers, deeds which are not dictated by natural reasoning. They draw people to magic, which must lead to the stars, elevating the stars and causing people to serve them."

(Maimonides, Guide of the Perplexed 3:37)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

No one is forcing you to live in exile

Hi,

"Know, my brothers, that we do not view the Jewish nation, who are scattered throughout the Diaspora, as people of improper conduct. Rather, they are fulfilling an ancient decree recorded in the Torah's rebuke, 'Gd will scatter you among all of the nations, from one end of the land to the other.'

"However, the fact that a rebuke is stated in the Torah does not command each individual to personally fulfill the punishment!"

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Shem Olam, Kuntrus Nefutzot Yisrael 7))

[Note: R' Kagan expressed this in the context of a rebuke for those who left Poland for America. Interesting.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Reliability of the Apocrypha

Hi,

"Do not trust that which is recorded in the Book of Chronicles of Moses. I'll provide a principle: Any book not recorded by the prophets, or by the sages via received tradition, is not reliable, and may contain items which contradict accurate information. This is true for Sefer Zerubavel, Sefer Eldad haDani and the like."

(R' Avraham ibn Ezra, extended commentary to Shemot 2:22)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shocking others

Hi,

"Street merchants, those who raise weak breeds of animals [which consume more than they produce], those who cut down good trees and those who seek to receive the greater portion will never see a sign of blessing. Why? Because people are shocked [in a negative way] by them."

(Talmud, Pesachim 50b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Greed and the Evil Eye

Hi,

"An eye that does not desire to benefit from others' property cannot be affected by an evil eye."

(Talmud, Berachot 20a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Turning a mezuzah into an amulet

Hi,

"A popular practice is to write upon the outside of the mezuzah, opposite the space between portions, the Name Sha-dai. There is no loss; this is external. However, one who writes the names of angels, or Holy Names, or a sentence or seals, inside the parchment, is included among those who have no share in the next world. Not only do these fools nullify the mitzvah, but they treat a great mitzvah, the unification of Gd's Name and love of Him and service of Him as though it was an amulet for personal benefit, as has arisen in their foolishness."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Tefillin, Mezuzah v'Sefer Torah 5:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

More on the red bendle

Hi,

"Regarding the practice of tying a red string: Rabban Gamliel says this is not an Emorite practice; R' Elazar son of R' Tzaddok says it is an Emorite practice."

(Tosefta Shabbat 7:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The red bendle

Hi,

"Question: Is there a source for tying a red string on a child, carriage and so on because of the evil eye?

"Answer: That was the universal practice; they were careful to tie a red string on a carriage and crib of a child because of the evil eye. All of these are the practices of elderly women, regarding which the Rashba wrote that we should not mock their words and practices, for they are certainly founded in the sacred mountains, even if we do not know the reasons."

(Rav Moshe Stern, Beer Moshe 8:36)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Evil Eye today

Hi,

"Regarding two brothers who wish to wed two sisters: The Noda b'Yehudah challenged [the prohibition] because the gemara includes such cases; he contended that R' Yehudah haChasid only meant to instruct his descendants. However, the Chida answered that there is a difference between then and now, because (1) The forces of the evil eye are stronger today, and (2) People don't normally marry thus today, and so there is concern for the evil eye…

"One could argue his first point, for it is known that many issues of the evil eye are not found today… Perhaps our generation is better in this regard; the 'other side' is nourished by forces of sanctity, so that in the days of our ancestors' sanctity this force was stronger… It appears that one should be concerned where people are customarily cautious…"

(Rav Ovadia Yosef, Yabia Omer 2: Even haEzer 7:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Asking for justice

Hi,

"One who passes judgment to Gd regarding another person will, himself, be punished [for his own sins] first."

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Satan's positive motivation

Hi,

[This source addresses the question of why the 'Satan' tried to incite Gd to attack Job, at the start of the book of Job.]

"The Satan saw that Gd became inclined toward Job and he said, 'Might Gd forget His love for Avraham, Gd-forbid?'"

(Talmud, Bava Batra 16a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Three Daily Sins

Hi,

"One is not saved from three sins daily: Thoughts of immorality, examination of prayer, and harmful speech.

"Do you really believe people commit harmful speech daily?! Rather: Speech which is close to being harmful."

(Talmud, Bava Batra 164a-b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Prepare before you pray

Hi,

"One must arrange his prayer for special occasions, such as musaf for Rosh Chodesh and prayers of holidays, and then stand and pray, so that he will not stumble."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Prayer 4:19)

Good chodesh!
Mordechai

Belief in multiple gods

Hi,

"A Jew who joins the Name of Heaven with anything else is uprooted from the world, as per (Exodus 22:19), 'One who sacrifices to a god will be destroyed, other than to Gd alone.'"

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 63a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Seek Zion!

Hi,

"How do we know that we are to make a memorial for the Temple? Jeremiah 30:17 says, 'For I will bring you health and heal you from your wounds, this is the word of Gd. They have called you an outcast; Zion, she has none who seek her.' This indicates that she requires seeking."

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 30b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The character of the future Redemption

Hi,

"Do not think that the future redemption will be like the redemption of the second Temple. It will not be so, for it will not be dependent upon the spirit of Man, like Cyrus or Darius, King of Persia. 'I will come,' I will come to you, not a man.

"Also, in the second Temple the Shechinah and prophecy did not descend (per Yoma 21b), but in the future redemption I will come and dwell among you, as in days of old."

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah 2:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Who builds the Third Temple? Part III

Hi,

"Logically, the Temple will be built by human beings. Certainly, if the construction will precede the appearance of Davidic kings then it will be built by human beings. But even should we merit, speedily in our days, the appearance of a reigning king before construction of the Temple, it would still be logical for the Temple to be built by human hands, for the mitzvah of 'And build a house for Me' is fulfilled only if the Jews build it.

"Granted that Rashi and Tosafot wrote that in the future it will be built by Heaven… still, the initial action and construction will be via human beings, as Moshe initiated the erection of the mishkan when he stepped forward to put it up, and then it was erected as though on its own. The Tiferet Yisrael said further that Rashi and Tosafot meant that Gd would help, in a miraculous manner…"

(R' Yechiel Michel Tukaczinsky, Ir haKodesh v'haMikdash 5:1:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Who builds the Third Temple? Part II

Hi,

"R' Acha said: This teaches that the Beit haMikdash will be built before the throne of the house of David."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Maaser Sheni 5:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Who builds the Third Temple? Part I

Hi,

"The future Temple, for which we long, will be revealed constructed and fully formed, and it will come from Heaven, as it is written, 'Gd, Your hands have formed the Temple.'"

(Rashi to Succah 41a אי נמי)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Divine commitment to rebuild Zion

Hi,

"Gd declared, "It is My responsibility to pay for the fire I kindled. I ignited Zion, as it is written, 'And He set fire to Zion, and it consumed her foundations,' and I will build her in fire, as it is written, 'And I will be a wall of fire around her, and a source of honour in her midst.'"

(Talmud, Bava Kama 60b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Angels learn as people do?

Hi,

"These disembodied intellects receive their knowledge and understanding from each other in a chain of true wisdom extending back to the First who is the cause of all."

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah 2:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shabbos Studies

Hi,

"One may read nothing on Shabbat or Yom Tov, beyond the books of the Prophets and their explanations. This even applies to works of wisdom and knowledge."

(Rambam, Commentary to Mishnah, Shabbat 23:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The importance of studying medicine

Hi,

"Rav Huna said to his son Rabbah: Why are you not [learning] before Rav Chisda, whose lessons are sharp?

"Rabbah replied: Why should I go to him? He questions me about mundane matters! He tells me, "One who goes to the washroom should not sit immediately or press too hard…"

"Rav Huna replied: He is involved in the lives of people, and you say, "mundane matters"? You certainly should go to him!"

(Talmud, Shabbat 82a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The importance of Joy

Hi,

"Gd is manifest not in laziness or sadness or laughter or frivolity or empty words, but only through mitzvah joy, as is written [in Melachim II 3 regarding Elisha], "'Now, take a musician for me!' And when the musician played, the hand of Gd was upon him.""

(Talmud, Pesachim 117a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When in Chevron

Hi,

"R' Tanchum bar Chanilai said: One should never alter from local practice. Moshe ascended to Heaven and did not eat bread; the ministering malachim descended below [to visit Avraham] and ate bread.

"Do you truly think they ate bread?! Rather: They appeared to eat and drink."

(Talmud, Bava Metzia 86b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Four types of angels, and their missions

Hi,


"Sometimes Gd sends His malach to impact prophets and put His word in their mouths, and to put knowledge and understanding in scholars. Parallel to this mission he [Yechezkel] saw a human face, for this is the living being who has insight and prophecy.

"And sometimes He sends His malach to perform mighty deeds and justice against His enemies… Parallel to this mission he saw a lion's face, for this is the great destroyer among the flocks of sheep, and who can instruct it?

"And sometimes He sends His malach to benefit and aid and bless His servants in His missions… Parallel to this mission he saw the face of an ox, for the ox blesses the house and aids the success of the grains, as I have mentioned.

"And sometimes He sends His malach to rescue His servants from harm and guide them on a path where they will not stumble… Parallel to this mission he saw the face of an eagle, for the malach carrying out its Master's mission is like an eagle arousing its nest, fluttering over its young…"

(Abarbanel to Yechezkel 1:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What is a navi?

Hi,

"The expression navi [generally rendered: prophet] means one who continually amplifies and speaks to the masses, as in Shemot 7:1, 'And Aharon, your brother, will be your navi'."

(Rabbeinu Nisim, Derashot haRan 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sin causes distance from Gd

Hi,

"See the power of sin! Before the Jews extended their hands into sin [with the Golden Calf], Exodus 24:17 said, 'The vision of the glory of G-d was like a consuming fire atop the mountain before the eyes of Israel,' and they were not afraid and did not tremble. Once they made the calf, even Moses's radiance caused them to shudder and tremble!"

(Rashi to Shemot 34:30)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Justice is the end of war

Hi,

"If there will be war or complaints between nations, they will come before Mashiach for justice, for he will be master of all nations, and he will teach them, telling the one who is crooked, “Straighten out that which has been made perverse for your plaintiff.” Therefore there will be no war between nations, for he will make peace between them and they will not need weapons."

(Radak to Michah 4:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Blessing and Cursing

Hi,

"Rabbi Yitzchak said: One who mentions a righteous person and does not bless him transgresses a commandment, as it is written (Mishlei 10:7), 'The memory of the righteous is for a blessing.' One who mentions a wicked person and does not curse him violates a prohibition, as it is written (ibid), 'The name of the wicked will rot.'"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 49:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Grabbing a mitzvah

Hi,

"Rava said: Rav Yosef tested us with the following question: If a kohen grabs from the gifts which are designed forkohanim, is he displaying love for the mitzvah or is he degrading the mitzvah? And we answered him that the Torah says, "And he shall give [the gift]" – indicating that the kohen should not take it on his own."

(Talmud, Chullin 133a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't be repellent

Hi,

"One may not consume food or beverages which disgust a person… and one may not eat with dirty hands or dirty utensils. All of these are included in the biblical imperative, 'Do not make yourselves disgusting.'"

(Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 116:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Who is Mashiach?

Hi,

"If a king arises from the house of David, and he studies Torah and is involved in mitzvot as was David his ancestor, following the written and spoken Torah, and he compels all of Israel to walk in its ways and strengthen it, and he fights the wars of G-d, then it may be assumed that he is Mashiach."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Concern for appearances

Hi,

"When the sages mention a need to avoid the appearance of impropriety, the need exists even when in one’s innermost room."

(Talmud, Shabbat 64b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Interpreting prophetic visions

Hi,

"Do not be seduced by Rambam's statement that prophetic parables are general messages, parts of the parable having no meaning and only beautifying the parable. It is not so; no element of Divine prophecy is meaningless."

(Abarbanel to Zecharyah 1:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why chesed [kindness] matters so much

Hi,

"The Talmud says that one who only studies Torah, and does not engage in kindness, is as though he has no Gd to protect him, as though he had no true Gd, Gd-forbid. This is because Gd's traits are acts of kindness, and one is supposed to follow Gd's traits."

(R' Shmuel Eideles, Maharsha to Avodah Zarah 17b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What we say and what we do

Hi,

"At first, one comes to shul and stands and declares before Gd that he will sanctify His Name in the world as do the celestial hosts of Heaven. In the course of this he departs the Beit Midrash and someone offends his honor, and fire comes from his mouth and he removes his mind entirely from serving Gd, and he dirties his soul with various prohibitions, harmful speech, gossip, strife, mockery, sometimes also theft and taking by force.

"Within some hours he returns to the Beit Midrash to daven minchah with the community before Gd, and he returns and cloaks himself in the sanctity of an angel, saying, 'We will sanctify Your Name in the world, as they sanctify it in the Heavens!'"

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Shem Olam II Chapter 11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Jewish Unity

Hi,

"Regarding Esav there were six people and they were listed as many "lives", as it is written, "And Esav took his wives, his sons and his daughters, and all of the lives of his house."

"Yaakov had seventy lives and they were listed as one "life", as it is written, "And they were, the whole life, those who emerged from Yaakov."

"Esav worships many gods, and so his people are described as many lives. Yaakov worships the One Gd, and so he is described as one life."

(Midrash, Vayyikra Rabbah 4:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Prayer and Peace

Hi,

"Intense prayer is a form of creating peace, for prayer brings peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven."

(Rav Shemuel Eideles, Maharsha to Shabbat 127b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Types of Biblical Prophecy

Hi,

"The power of refined souls which receive Divine inspiration as prophecy is not uniform.

"When there was honour in Israel, before they were exiled, there was no need to interpret prophecy. For example: 'Behold, a son is born to the house of David, and his name is Yoshiyahu.' It was clear on its own.

"After the exile, prophecies are visions and they require interpretation, like the visions of Daniel, which Daniel could not have understood without an angel to interpret them."

(Ibn Ezra to Zecharyah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Collective Punishment

Hi,

"The Torah says, 'That which is hidden is for HaShem our Gd; that which is revealed is for us and our descendants forever [עד עולם].' Why does the Torah include dots on 'for us and our descendants' and on the ע in עד?

"It teaches that Gd did not punish [communally] for hidden sin until the Jews crossed the Jordan, per R' Yehudah.

"R' Nechemiah asked: Does Gd ever punish [communally] for hidden sin? It says, 'That which is hidden is for HaShem our Gd… forever!' Rather: Just as Gd did not punish for hidden sin, so He did not punish for public sin until the Jews crossed the Jordan."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 43b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

On surrogate motherhood

Hi,

"To use another person as an 'incubator' and then take from her the child she carried and delivered for a fee is a revolting degradation of maternity and an affront to human dignity."

(Lord R’ Immanuel Jakobovitz, public statement, cited by R' J. David Bleich in Contemporary Halakhic Problems Vol. 1 pg. 106)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Which Succot did the Jews use?

Hi,

"Initially the Torah wrote בסכת ("in huts"), and later it wrote בסוכת (also "in huts", but spelled differently) to show that they lived in two types of Succot - (1) The Succot of the clouds of glory, and (2) the actual Succot when they lay siege to the cities in the war of Sichon and Og."

(Rabbi Avraham Danzig, Chayyei Adam 146)

Good moed,
Mordechai

Bring the children to learn

Hi,

"It was taught: Once R’ Yochanan ben Berokah and R’ Elazar Chisma went to great R’ Yehoshua in Peki’in. He said to them: What novelty was stated in the study hall today?

"They responded: We are your students, and we drink your water.

"He replied: Still, it is not possible to have a study hall without a novelty. Whose Shabbat was it?

"They replied: It was the Shabbat of R’ Elazar ben Azaryah.

"He asked: What was the lesson topic?

"They answered: The section of Hakhel [the mitzvah of gathering the nation to hear sections of the Torah read aloud by the king at the site of the Beit haMikdash, every seven years].

"He asked: What did he say?

"They answered: He taught: “Why do the children come? In order to give reward to those who bring them.”

"He said: You had a great gem in your hands, and you tried to make me lose it!"

(Talmud, Chagigah 3a)

Good moed,
Mordechai

The Joy of Succot

Hi,

"Although there is a mitzvah of rejoicing on all holidays, there was an extra joy in the Temple on the holiday of Succot, as it is written, ‘And you shall rejoice before HaShem your Gd for seven days.’

"How did they do this? On the eve of the first Yom Tov they would establish a place for women above and men below in the Temple, to prevent the groups from mixing, and then they began to rejoice from the night following the first Yom Tov. On each day of Chol haMoed they would begin to celebrate after they brought the daily afternoon afternoon, for the duration of the day and the entire night."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yom Tov 8:12)

Good moed,
Mordechai

Hillel's Song

Hi,

"They said that Hillel, when rejoicing at the Simchat Beit haShoevah, used to say, ‘If I am here then all is here, if I am not here then who is here?’ He also said: ‘My feet bring me to the place I love to go. If you’ll come to my house, I’ll come to your house. If you will not come to my house, I will not come to your house.’"

(Talmud, Succah 53a)

Good moed,
Mordechai

Be happy!

Hi,

"Eulogies and fasts are prohibited on the seven days of Pesach and the eight days of Succot, along with other holidays. One is obligated to be joyous and of good heart on these days - him, his children, his wife and the members of his household, and all who are joined on to him, as it is written, ‘You shall rejoice on your holiday, etc.’

"Although this joy refers to the Korban Shelamim, as we explained in the Laws of Chagigah, it also includes the joy of a person and his children and household, each with whatever is appropriate for him."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah Hilchot Yom Tov 6:17)

Chag sameach,
Mordechai

Joy and Terror

Hi,

"There is an Orthodox Jew who dwells in timidity, tethered to what he knows; there is an Orthodox Jew whose life is punctuated by the joy and terror of the gooseflesh."

(Rabbi Shalom Carmy, The House I Lived in: A Taste of Gooseflesh, Tradition 44:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Religious tension regarding fasting

Hi,

"One who fasts voluntarily [as opposed to observing halachically required fasts] certainly is called a sinner… but the mitzvah he performs by fasting is greater than the sin of fasting."

(Tosafot, Taanit 11a אמר שמואל)

Pitka tava,
Mordechai

How to avoid arrogance regarding one's Torah knowledge

Hi,

"Sometimes the yetzer hara adds to a person's sins; not only does it seduce him to desist from learning Torah, but it inspires him with a spirit of arrogance, to think himself an honored person because of his breadth of intellect and his ability to question and answer and gauge the authenticity of words of Torah.

"In truth, this is fundamentally flawed. To what may this situation be compared? To a servant of a great Count, appointed over inspection of forgeries. He becomes a great expert in recognizing documents to identify them as valid – but can he therefore think himself wealthy?!...

"There is counsel to help him conquer his yetzer: Let him stand before a shelf holding a complete Shas [Talmud], and contemplate the fact that he does not have so much as a single volume inscribed on his heart, so that he is truly impoverished. As the sages said, 'One who lacks this, what has he acquired?' And then he will be humbled, and he will repent and be healed."

(Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim), Shem Olam II, Chapter 6, footnote)

Pitka tava,
Mordechai

The value of bekius [broad but superficial study]

Hi,

"I heard regarding the Gaon, Light of the Diaspora, our Master Rav Chaim, that a certain man in his city was expert in Shas [the Talmud], and the Gaon would honor him, standing before him. His students were surprised at this.

"He told them, with his customary clarity: Is a Sudilkov edition of Shas not a Shas? True, the Amsterdam edition is checked and without errors, and so it is finer, but this is also a Shas."

(Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Shem Olam II, Chapter 5, final footnote)

[I am not sure who "Rav Chaim" is - perhaps it is Rav Chaim Ozer?]

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

No tzedakah in the next world

Hi,

"It is known that in this world even the poorest Jew, who has no home and must beg at doors, is still not cast out in the streets - every Jew is instructed to give him a place to stay, at least.

"However, in the next world it will not be relevant for one to bring another into his place in the Garden of Eden, for a rotating sword's blade guards the path to the tree of life, and one who lacks merit will not be permitted to enter there at all."

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chofetz Chaim), Shem Olam II, Perek 4)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

The purpose of our existence

Hi,

Worth repeating, in the run-up to Yom Kippur:

"My father always used to rebuke me, as he saw that I would not take part in the pain of others.

"This is what he always told me: 'This is a person's entire purpose. A person is not created for himself. A person is created only to benefit others, with whatever power is in his possession.'"

(R' Yitzchak of Volozhin, citing his father Rav Chaim of Volozhin, Introduction to Nefesh haChaim)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Even a villain is created "in Gd's image"

Hi,

"Leaving the body of an executed criminal exposed is degrading to the King, for Man is made in His image, and Israel are his children.

"This may be compared to twins who resemble each other, and one becomes king while the other is caught for banditry and hanged. All who see him say, "The king is hanged.""

(Rashi to Devarim 21:23)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

The source of all wealth

Hi,

"R' Meir said: One should teach his child a clean, easy craft, and pray to the One who owns all wealth and assets, for poverty and wealth are not a result of a particular trade but are sent by the One who owns all wealth."

(Talmud, Kiddushin 82b)

גמר חתימה טובה,
Mordechai

The Fast of Gedaliah

Hi,

We fast on the day after Rosh haShanah; this is called "Tzom Gedalyah," "The Fast of Gedalyah."

The Meaning of the Fast: After the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, they appointed Gedalyah as governor of Israel's Jews. A group of Jews, supported by another nation, wanted the Jews to rebel against the Babylonians, and they accused Gedalyah of sympathizing with the Babylonians. They ambushed him and killed him, and in the aftermath, the remaining Jewish community in Israel went into exile.

This day is commemorated as a public fast from first light to the emergence of the stars.

This year, the day after Rosh HaShanah is Shabbat. Therefore, the fast is pushed off (nidcheh) to Sunday.

Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai

The purpose-driven mitzvah

Hi,

"Know that all deeds of [Divine] service, like learning Torah, praying and performing other mitzvot, are intended only for one to study and to be involved in the commands of Gd, and to turn from the affairs of the world, as though you had involved yourself in Gd and ceased from everything else.

"However, if you pray with the movement of your lips, and your face is to the wall, and you think of your commerce, and you read Torah with your tongue but your heart is in the construction of your home without comprehending what you are reading, or you perform any mitzvah with your limbs like one who digs a hole in the ground or chops wood from the forest without thinking about that deed, the One who commanded it or the goal of the deed, then don't think you have achieved the purpose. You will be one who is 'close', as in Yirmiyah 12:2: 'You [Gd] are close in their mouths, but far from their innards.'"

(Rambam, Moreh haNevuchim 3:51)

כתיבה וחתימה טובה,
Mordechai

The definition of "crooked"

Hi,

[Kohelet 1:15 bemoans "the crooked thing that cannot be straightened."]

"Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: 'Crooked' only refers to something which was once straight, and then became crooked. What is this? A Torah scholar who leaves Torah."

(Mishnah Chagigah 1:7)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Apology

Hi,

I would like to take a moment to ask everyone receiving this email feed for mechilah (forgiveness) for anything hurtful or offensive I wrote, or should have written and did not, in the past year. I know that people's sensitivities are varied, but I am not always as careful as I could be.

If there was anything at all, please do let me know. I can grow by learning from my mistakes.

May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai

Kohanim serve Gd, not people

Hi,

"Abba bar bar Chana and Rav Huna were sitting and eating, and R' Zeira was standing and serving them. R' Zeira ascended and brought both wine and oil in one hand. Abba bar bar Chana asked him, 'What is your other hand holding [that you use one hand for both]?'

"Abba bar bar Chana's father grew angry at his son, and said, 'It isn't enough for you that you are reclining while he stands and serves? Further, he is a kohen, and Shemuel taught, 'One who uses a kohen is guilty of trespass!' And yet, you mock him?! I decree that he should recline and you should stand and serve in his place.'"

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 8:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The merit of our ancestors

Hi,

"When the Jews sinned in the wilderness, Moshe stood before Gd and said many prayers before Him and was not answered, until he said, “Remember Avraham, Yitzchak and Yisrael, Your servants,” and he was answered immediately."

(Talmud, Shabbat 30a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A lesson in forgiveness

Hi,

A lesson in forgiveness:

"And Yosef said: I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold to Egypt. Now, do not be upset or angry for selling me here; Gd sent me here before you, for survival… Gd sent me before you to give you a portion in the land, and to keep you alive with a great rescue. Now: You did not send me here; Gd did it. Gd made me an authority for Pharaoh and master of his house, and ruler over all of Egypt."

(Bereishit 45:4-8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yonah's conclusion

Hi,

The conclusion of Yonah, that appears in midrash rather than the text of the book:

"Yonah immediately fell on his face and said, “Master of the Universe! I know that I have sinned before You. Forgive my sin of fleeing to the sea, for I did not know the strength of Your power. Now I know.”"

(Midrash, Yalkut Shimoni 551)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Gd vs Truth

Hi,

"R' Simon said: When Gd came to create Adam, the ministering angels formed groups, some saying he should not be created and some saying he should be created… Chesed said he should be created for he performs kindnesses, Truth said he should not be created because he is entirely of lies, Justice said he should be created for he performs acts of justice, Shalom said he should not be created beause he is entirely of quarrels.

"What did Gd do? He took Truth and cast it to the ground, as it is written, 'And You cast truth to earth.'"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 8:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What happens when we sin

Hi,

"R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: Were the nations to know that they are struck due to Israel's sins, they would appoint two officers for each Jew to make certain he kept the Torah and did not sin!"

(Midrash Tanchuma Bechukotai 2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Justify the actions of others

Hi,

"One must always judge others favorably; the Smag ruled that this is a commandment. One must also argue for the merit of the Jewish people before Gd, and to find reasons to justify any [apparently incorrect] practice which the masses perform, which cannot be corrected. However, if one can correct it then one should do so, rather than 'enter a strained gap.'"

(Marganita Tava of R' Yehonatan Voliner, reprinted in Kol Kitvei Chafetz Chaim, #9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When do we say, 'Gd will provide'?

Hi,

"In truth, when we inquire of a person about his conduct in his household spending, in which he acts as though he was wealthy and great beyond his means, his answer is ready to hand. He says that he cannot reduce his household needs one iota, and he trusts Gd to help him with this.

"However, when a matter of tzedakah and chesed comes before him, he toughens his heart and closes his hand and makes himself out to be needy and indigent, and he does not even give according to his means.

"Regarding this Mishlei 13:7 says, 'There is one who acts as though he is wealthy and he has nothing, and one who acts as though he is poor and he has great wealth.'"

(Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Ahavat Chesed, Afterword)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Praying for others' welfare

Hi,

"Among the elements of kindness is to pray for people who are ill, for Gd to heal them... And the same applies to praying for someone who is in some other trouble, even without his knowledge, as we find that Avraham prayed for the people of Sdom, that their city should not be overturned."

(Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Ahavat Chesed, Chapter 8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Waiting for miracles

Hi,

"The Jewish nation [at the time of construction of the Second Beit haMikdash] had a prophetic tradition that before the true redemption there would be miracles in the heavens and earth, and the war of Gog and Magog…

"[They asked:] How may we say the time has come to build, if the time which must come before building, the time of signs and miracles, has not yet happened?

"Also, a condition of building was that they have rest from their enemies first, as they had experienced at the time when Shlomo built the Beit haMikdash, and that time of rest had not arrived; they were bound to the kings of Madai and Paras."

(Malbim to Chaggai 1:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The origin of clothing

Hi,

"They [Adam and Chavah, pre-sin] did not need to wear clothes for the sake of privacy, for all of the parts of the body were sacred. It was only after the sin that they descended from their level, and then bashfulness about one's limbs became relevant as the draw toward sin became more powerful."

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:60)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Fasting due to a dream: Listen to your heart

Hi,

"Regarding observing a fast due to a dream: It is generally appropriate to give appropriate space in one's life for his spirit's feelings as they are, without over-analysis, for this is the wisdom of life. Therefore, it is appropriate to make space for one's spiritual state, which seeks that he fulfill its demands via some pain or infliction, of which the most natural form is a fast."

(Rav Avraham Yitzchak haKohen Kook, Igrot haRa'ayah I 79)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

My derashah from the Shabbos after September 11th

This is the derashah I delivered on Shabbos Parshas Netzavim, September 17, 2001. There are elements I would present differently were I writing it today, but in the interest of authenticity I'm leaving it as is:

I said something on Tuesday night [the night of September 11, at a Tehillim session] , which was not quite true. Of course the Morning Call would quote one line out of a speech and it would be the one line about which I had mixed feelings. I said, “This is not a funeral; America yet lives.”

America yet lives, but thousands of people are dead. America yet lives, but thousands of families have been shattered. America yet lives, but a nation is suddenly terrified at the thought of entering a tall building or entering an airplane. So isn’t it a funeral for the dead? Isn’t it a funeral for a nation which is no longer whole?

On further reflection, though, the answer must be that this is not a funeral, and the answer comes from this week’s Torah portion - Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem, You are standing here today, all of you.

What is the context for this verse? It comes on the heels of a description of horrible punishments which Gd promises he will bring against the Jews if they stray from His covenant. It comes right before a description which is eerily similar to Tuesday’s pictures – Gafris vaMelach Sereifah Kol Artzah, Ash and salt will burn the entire land. Moshe says: Don’t panic, “Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem,” “You’re still standing.”

But how can Moshe say this? Moshe was addressing a group which was a She’eiris, which was a remainder from massive destruction. Thousands died after the Golden Calf, thousands died after the incident with Midian, a generation had been wiped out after the Spies – so how could Moshe say to them, “Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem,” “You’re all still standing?” It’s manifestly false! Most of them were not still standing, at all! Most of them died in the desert!

The answer, I think, lies in the meaning of the word “Nitzavim,” which we translated loosely as “standing.” Onkelos, the ancient Aramaic commentary to the Torah, renders “Nitzavim” as “Kayyamim.” “Kayyam” doesn’t refer to ‘standing,’ in the physical sense; “Kayyam” refers to survival, to endurance. When Moshe says “Atem Nitzavim,” he is saying, “You have Kiyyum,” a lasting existence.

Rav Dovid Kviat points out a similar use of the verb root, “Nitzav.” Yosef had a dream in which he saw himself and his siblings as sheaves of wheat. All of the other sheaves were bowing to his sheaf, and his sheaf is described as “Kamah Alumasi veGam Nitzavah,” “My stalk stood, and was also Nitzavah.” If “Nitzavah” refers to standing, the word is redundant! “It stood and it also stood?!” No – Yosef is saying, my sheaf stood, and endured, and will endure forever. That is the meaning of “Nitzav.”

The Baal haTurim throws in another, similar use of the root of “Nitzav.” The Jews assembled at Sinai, and we are told, “Vayisyatzvu beSachtis haHar.” “They stood at the bottom of the mountain.” They stood at Sinai, yes, but more than that, they committed themselves to an eternal stand, to a covenant with Gd. Their acceptance of Torah rendered them eternal.

In fact, the word “Nitzav” shows up as a base for another word which is, unfortunately, familiar to most of us. How do you say “gravestone” in Hebrew? A Matzeivah. A Matzeivah is a monument, an eternal mark.

Moshe says to the Jewish people, “Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem.” Not “All of you are standing here,” because not all of them were standing there. But “All of you are eternal,” are part of an enduring whole.

What makes the Jew eternal? The answer is also in this morning’s Torah reading – it’s the Torah they accepted at Sinai, but it’s also something extra.

Moshe says to the Jewish people (29:28), “HaNistaros LaShem Elokeinu,” “the hidden deeds are for Gd to deal with,” “veHaNiglos Lanu Ulevaneinu Ad Olam,” but public acts are for us and our children to take care of, forever – Moshe and the Jewish people committed themselves here, as a nation, to the concept of Arevus, and that Arevus is what makes us eternal.

What is “Arevus?” “Arevus” means a mixture, it means joint responsibility. A co-signer on a loan is called an “Arev.” A mixture containing various inseparable elements is an “Irbuvya.” We are Arevim, we have joint responsibility for each other, every Jew has a responsibility for every other Jew. This isn’t meant to be chauvinist against the rest of the world; it’s a family covenant that we accept an extra level of responsibility for each other.

This extra layer of responsibility has important practical ramifications. Rav Soloveitchik held that this joint responsibility is what makes one Jew able to perform a Mitzvah on behalf of another Jew. For example, I can make Kiddush and fulfill the Mitzvah for everyone who says, “Amen.” Why does that work? Because my responsibility isn’t over and done when I complete my Mitzvah; my responsibility includes making sure that everyone else gets done with their Mitzvos. That’s the concept of Arevus.

This is also the source for the concept of Ahavas Chinam, the idea of baseless love. I have a responsibility to love each and every other Jew. Why? What if they haven’t done anything for me? What if I don’t know them? Doesn’t matter – we are part of this contract.

That's the agreement the Jews signed in this morning’s Torah reading, and that’s what made them “Nitzavim,” enduring. When the Jews created a nation – and that’s what they were doing here – they also united themselves with all of their descendants. That verse I just read, about the hidden and public acts, concludes, “veHaNiglos Lanu Ulevaneinu Ad Olam,” the public acts are for us and for our descendants forever – we are all one, across the generations.

And that’s how Moshe could stand before the Jewish people, a tattered remnant which had survived fire, famine, drought, war and plagues, and say, “Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem,” “You are all Nitzavim today.” They weren’t all still alive and breathing – but they were all enduring, all eternal, with the Torah they had accepted and their joint responsibility for each other.

We are still standing, too – as part of America, and as Jews, we are still here. It’s been an awful year, a lifesize nightmare, from stones, firebombs, car bombs, and mortar attacks, to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We have lost friends and relatives; we hold out hope that more will make it out of the rubble, or turn up in hospitals. Our confidence is shaken, our certainty that “It can’t happen here” is gone for now – but Atem Nitzavim, but we stand as part of an enduring nation, with a commitment to Torah and a commitment to Joint Responsibility, and a commitment to build a better year.

How to comfort mourners

Hi,

"The fundamental issue in comforting mourners is to comfort them in their pain. The practice of reciting [the formula of] 'May Gd comfort etc', may fulfill the mitzvah of comforting mourners, but it would be better to speak to the mourner's heart and so alleviate his pain through one's words. This is the essential element of providing comfort."

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Ahavat Chesed Perek 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't leave it for your children to do

Hi,

"Every person should seek to improve, personally, through his own energies, in any way he can find, whether in his Torah study or in his good deeds.

"He should not depend upon his children to complete the task after him through their deeds, or for them to elevate his status [through their good deeds]. Certainly, his children will also be busy with their affairs, and they, too, will not have time to improve their deeds, and they will depend upon their own children, who in turn will depend upon their descendants, and his hope will be for naught!"

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Ahavat Chesed, Perek 4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The unique shofar of Rosh HaShanah

Hi,

"This holiday [Rosh haShanah] is different from all of the other appointed times, in that we blow the shofar on this day.

"The shofar is always a sign of fright; we normally blow the shofar on fasts for rain or for any other trouble, times when we do not play musical instruments. On Rosh HaShanah, though, the Levites play music in the Beit haMikdash and we also blow the shofar, such that the shofar blast does not frighten the nation."

(Malbim to Tehillim 81:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Adoption

Hi,

"One who raises an orphan in his house is viewed by the Torah as though he had birthed him."

(Talmud, Megilah 13a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The body in which one will be resurrected

Hi,

"The second principle [regarding the ultimate resurrection of the dead] is that it will not only be spiritual, such that the soul would return to a body other than the first one that was destroyed, as thought by Christian scholars. That would be a case of souls returning in different bodies, or a brand new creation and not the resurrection of those who had died.

"The Torah's belief is that the original body will be re-formed from the elements it had originally contained, with their qualities and quantities and blends, and with the soul that originally inhabited it."

(Don Isaac Abarbanel, Introduction to Yeshayah)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Be like a banker

Hi,

"Each individual is obligated to make every effort in pursuit of the honor of Gd, at all times, leaving himself only a little time to earn his household's needs, just as a banker makes do with small amounts of food when he goes off to the army."

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Chomat haDat, Perek 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't imitate Pharaoh!

Hi,

"We have found regarding Pharaoh that he repented, saying, 'Gd is just, and I and my nation are wicked (Shemot 9:27).' However, his repentance did not endure beyond the time when he was struck by a plague, and when his situation eased then he became the old Pharaoh and a new plague was required, and so on.

"So it is with us, if our repentance is only on that day, when the trouble remains with us, and then when the truble passes a person returns to his old traits. This is not full repentance – and, just the opposite, it can increase Divine wrath, Gd-forbid."

(R' Yissachar Teichtel, Em haBanim Smeichah, Perek 3, citing R' Yosef Tzarfati)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzedakah oversight

Hi,

"Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov said: One may not contribute to a tzedakah fund unless it has an overseer who is like Rabbi Chanina ben Tradyon [in his honesty]."

(Talmud, Avodah Zarah 17b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

My light and my salvation

Hi,

Tehillim 27:1 says, "For David - Gd is my light and my salvation, from whom will I fear?"

"The sages explained this sentence to refer to Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur - Gd is my light on Rosh HaShanah and my salvation on Yom Kippur."

(Midrash, Vayyikra Rabbah 21:4)

Good chodesh,
Mordechai

A Divine promise

Hi,

"If only My nation would listen to me, if Israel would walk in My ways. In a moment I would humble their enemies, and put My hand upon their foes."

(Tehillim 81:14-15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

אתה זוכר מעשה עולם - You remember the deeds of al

Hi,

The following parable is meant to explain the praise expressed in the sentence, "You [Gd] remember the deeds of all," from the Rosh haShanah davening:

"This may be compared to a man whose young son says something wise, so that the father turns to him and enjoys his wisdom. Granted that the father's grasp and wisdom is incomparably greater than the child's, still, he lovingly reduces himself to the intellectual level of the child, to appreciate and enjoy the child's accomplishment.

"'You remember the deeds of all - You lower Yourself, as it were, to enjoy and be satisfied with our small deeds and service."

(Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, Kedushat Levi for Rosh HaShanah, as cited in Shaarei Armon pg. 242)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The seriousness of the Ten Days of Repentance

Hi,

"Once, during the Ten Days of Repentance, they inquired in the synagogue regarding an object that had been lost. They invoked a cherem [decree excommunicating anyone who knew the object's whereabouts and did not tell]. Mahari Segal was outraged at the person who did this, saying that it is not appropriate to investigate with a cherem during that time period, when people's lives are in jeopardy."

(Maharil, Hilchot Aseret Yemei Teshuvah 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Martyrdom, and punishment through one's descendants

Hi,

I'm really not sure what to say about this source, but it provides considerable food for thought:

"Some people sin in their lifetimes, and are punished for all of their sins only posthumously.

"For example: There was a learned person in a certain place where it was decreed that the community either adopt another religion or be killed. He told the population to adopt the other religion and then repent later. He adopted the other religion, as did they, and then the community returned to Judaism.

"Because they adopted that other religion upon his ruling, his descendants abandoned Torah, and he was punished as though he had caused all of them to sin."

(R' Yehudah haChasid, Sefer Chasidim 197)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Disciplining children

Hi,

"To nibble at sweets, to take pins, a pen, pieces of paper or ribbons, to read a book without the owner's permission, these things - which are properly theft - are often done by children unwittingly. You to whom a childish soul is entrusted must therefore watch over it, accustom it in its small world to justice, and it will surely practice it in the larger world."

(Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 343)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

On promiscuity

Hi,

"The results of lechery are unspeakable. The powers of the body become exhausted. Everything better and nobler in the man dies out. Man becomes a brute and knows only pleasure - and animal pleasure. Children, who should be the offspring for the future, from whom the future of the human race is built, enter the world - and have no father and mother to educate them to become true human beings! They have no home in which their noblest and most Divine part, their spirit and heart, may be cultivated and may develop, through the living parental example, into a useful and godly life.

"Woe to the time when the sexes do not keep themselves holy! Countries and States in vain seek for the cause of their decline - and do not see that they cease to be States as soon as their homes are ruined."

(Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 437)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Taking vows

Hi,

[This passage follows a discussion of the evils of taking vows, arguing that a Jew is not supposed to take vows.]

"Does the Torah not say, 'And Yaakov vowed,' and 'That which I have vowed, I will pay' [in apparent approval]?

"One could answer that in times of trouble this is permitted, as is taught in Bereishit Rabbah, "The Torah says: 'And Yaakov made a vow, to say' – 'To say' means to say to his descendants that they should also vow in times of need."

(Tosafot, Chullin 2b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How to love Gd

Hi,

"For Maimonides, the true love of Gd is the intellectual love of Gd, that is, one begins with the intellectual knowledge of Gd, but then imbues that knowledge with drive, passion, and desire that are themselves cognitive in nature, thereby transforming intellectual knowledge of Gd into intellectual love of Gd."

(Professor Lawrence J. Kaplan, Rav Kook: The Jewish Philosophical Tradition, in Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and Jewish Spirituality, pg. 53)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rising for those who perform chesed

Hi,

"Rabbi Yosi bar Bun said: Those who stand before the dead are not standing before the dead, but before those who are performing chesed for it."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Bikkurim 3:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honoring performance of a mitzvah

Hi,

"See how great is the power of people performing mitzvot: Workers are not supposed to rise before elders while working, but they are supposed to rise before people who are performing mitzvot."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Bikkurim 3:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Jewish Environmentalism

Hi,

"The root of this mitzvah [of not destroying fruit trees] is this: To teach us to love good and benefit, and to cling to it, and so goodness will cling to us and we will distance ourselves from evil and destruction.

"This is the path of the pious and people of great deeds; they love peace and are happy in the benefit of others, and they draw others close to Torah. They will not destroy anything, even a mustard seed, and they will be pained by any loss or destruction they see. If they can rescue anything from destruction, they will turn all of their strength to that goal. The wicked, brothers of vandals, are not like this; they rejoice at the destruction of the world, and they themselves destroy it."

(Sefer haChinuch, Mitzvah 529)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Love of Torah

Hi,

Devarim 27:9 – "Pay attention and listen, Israel! Today you became a nation."

"Was this the day when the Torah was given to Israel? That day was at the end of the forty years [of their travels]! Rather, this is meant to teach you that Torah is beloved to its students each day, just as it was on the day it was given at Mount Sinai."

(Talmud, Berachot 63b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When suffering

Hi,

[Note: The following uses a non-literal read of Iyyov 22:25, a passage with which the classic commentators struggled.]

"One who brings the Name of Heaven into his suffering will receive double the support, as it is written (Iyyov 22:25), 'If Gd is with you in your troubles, then you will receive stronger silver.'"

[Rashi explains "bringing Gd's Name into one's suffering" as thanking Gd for our troubles as we do for our benefits, or as praying to Gd for aid in a time of trouble.]

(Talmud, Berachot 63a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

It all depends on this

Hi,

"Bar Kappara taught: What is a small section [of Torah] on which all of the major principles of Torah depend?

"It is Mishlei 3:6 - Know Gd in all of your ways, and He will straighten your paths."

(Talmud, Berachot 63a; Rashi explains that "knowing Gd" here refers to setting the service of Gd as your overriding goal)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Religious coercion, or assistance in developing your better self?

Hi,

"We confiscate assets from those who have vowed to bring burnt offerings or celebration offerings [if they delay fulfilling their vows].

"Even though the offering will not be acceptable [lit. 'atone'] without his agreement, per Vayyikra 1:3 which says 'according to his desire,' nonetheless, we compel him until he says, 'I desire.'"

(Mishnah, Arachin 5:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The power of harmful speech

Hi,

"[Evil] Speech can be worse than [evil] deeds, for we find that the verdict upon the wilderness generation was sealed only for their harmful speech, as it is written, 'They tested Me ten times, and did not heed My voice [and yet they were punished specifically for the sin with the Spies].'"

(Mishnah Arachin 3:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Night: A Perspective

Hi,

"In keeping with the sequence of time as given in the Creation-story... we begin the day as from the preceding night. Night is thus for us not a time for resting from the occupations of the previous day, but rather for rallying our strength and preparing for the following day."

(Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 253)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A judge's responsibility

Hi,

"Moshe said, 'HaShem, your Gd, has made you great.' This means: Gd elevated and raised you above your judges. He took the punishment [for injustice] from you, and placed the onus [entirely] upon the judges."

(Midrash, Sifri 9)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Jerusalem without a Temple

Hi,

"Yerushalayim is in the category of ‘degraded’ and ‘desolate’ as long as the Beit haMikdash is not built; the essence of Yerushalayim is the Beit haMikdash."

(Rav Tzvi Yehudah Kook, cited by Rav Shlomo Aviner, שלהבתיה pg. 5)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Failure to mourn for Jerusalem

Hello,

[This follows up on Saturday night's email, here.]

"When the body is separate from the heart which [normally] supports it, the body cannot survive. Therefore, when they did not mourn Jerusalem which was like a heart for a body… they were destroyed."

(Maharal to Gittin 56a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Failure to mourn

Hi,

"If just this sin of failing to mourn Jerusalem properly was on our hands, that would suffice to extend our exile. In my eyes it is the closest, most obvious, greatest and most powerful cause for all of the great, terrible, frightening destructions which have found us in exile. Wherever we have scattered, they have been at our throats, never letting us rest among the nations, in lowliness and suffering and poverty, because this mourning left our heart when we were settled in lands not our own. We forgot Jerusalem; she never entered our heart."

(Rabbi Yaakov Emden, Commentary to Siddur, Laws of Tisha b'Av)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Punishment for failure to mourn

Hi,

"Three sages sitting together said: If anyone knows anything about Kfar Sakhnia in Egypt, let him speak.

[One told of a betrothed couple, taken captive, who refused to touch each other without a halachic marriage. The two others told of their commitment to justice.]

"Abbaye asked Rav Yosef: If they were so righteous, why were they punished?

"Rav Yosef explained: They did not mourn for Jerusalem, as it is written, 'Be glad with Jerusalem and rejoice in her, all who love her; rejoice with her, all who mourn for her.'"

(Talmud, Gittin 57a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Part III

Hi,

"Bar Kamtza told the governor (the Aramaic is "Caesar"; it is unclear what level of authority this was, though): The Jews are rebelling against you!

"The governor said: Who says?

"Bar Kamtza said: Send them a korban, and see whether they offer it up.

"The governor sent a 1/3-grown calf [or third-born, according to some commentators; this was supposed to be especially fine] with Bar Kamtza. En route, he blemished its lips, or some say its ears, in a spot which would be a blemish under our rules but not under Roman rules. [Commentators explain that this hinted to the stingy eye or harmful speech of the Jews of the time. Presumably it could also refer to the Sages who had angered Bar Kamtza by watching with their eyes and failing to speak up.]

"The sages thought to bring it [despite its blemish] to keep peace with the government, but Rabbi Zecharyah ben Avkulus said: People will say that blemished animals may be brought as offerings!

"The sages thought to kill Bar Kamtza to prevent him from informing the governor that they had not brought the offering, but Rabbi Zecharyah ben Avkulus said: People will say that one who blemishes an offering is killed!

"Rabbi Yochanan said: The patience [or, according to some, humility] of Rabbi Zecharyah ben Avkulus destroyed our house, burned our sanctum and exiled us from our land! [In the version of this story in Eichah Rabbah, Rabbi Zecharyah ben Avkulus was the head of the Sages at the party, and he did not prevent Bar Kamtza's ejection. He was humble/patient at the party, but when it came to this legal decision he spoke up.]

"The governor sent Neron Caesar against Jerusalem."

(Talmud, Gittin 56a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Part II

Hi,

Continuing the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza from yesterday:

"Bar Kamtza said: I will pay for half of your feast!

"The host said: No.

"Bar Kamtza said: I will pay for your entire feast!

"The host said: No. He grabbed Bar Kamtza by the hand, picked him up and removed him. [Worth noting - He delegated invitations of friends to a servant, but handled the eviction of his enemy himself.]

"Bar Kamtza said: Since the Sages were sitting there and they did not protest, I see that this treatment is appropriate in their eyes! I will spread a harmful rumor about them to the palace."

(to be continued)

(Talmud, Gittin 56a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Part I

Hi,

"Because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Jerusalem was destroyed.

"There was a man whose friend was Kamtza, and whose enemy was Bar Kamtza. [Some suggest these were father and son.] The man made a feast, and told his servant, 'Go bring me Kamtza.' The servant went and brought Bar Kamtza.

"The man came and saw Bar Kamtza sitting at the feast, and said to him, 'You are my enemy – what do you want here? Get up and leave!'

"Bar Kamtza said: Since I have come, leave me, and I will pay you for whatever I eat and drink.

"The man said: No."

To be continued…

(Talmud, Gittin 55b-56a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

A danger of corporal punishment

Hi,

"Only the better student will respond to praise or criticism, and the nature of his response will depend very much on the training and treatment he has received at home. We would certainly be the last to support corporal punishment [in school]; indeed, we would be very much inclined to believe that a teacher who cannot cope with the everyday problems of school life without resorting to physical chastisement is in the wrong profession.

"But [regardless of what is done in school,] if thrashings are the order of the day at home, if the child has become accustomed to take criticism seriously only if he feels it upon his body, if he will listen to verbal admonition only if he sees the rod looming in the background, then the home has deadened the child's sense of morality. Such a child will hardly give his teacher's words of criticism at school the attention they deserve."

(Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Collected Writings 7:107)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Parental love

Hi,

Mishlei 13:24 says, "One who spares his rod hates his child, and one who loves his child rebukes him when he is young."

The Malbim comments: "This [declining to punish] shows that his mercy for his son, which makes him unable to observe his son's pain, is more important to him than the benefit for his son. If so, he loves himself more than his son, and he hates his son."

(Malbim to Mishlei 13:24)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

The consequences of inappropriate disciplinary methods

Hi,

"Rebbe's maid saw a man striking his mature son. She said, 'Let him be banned, for violating 'Do not put a stumbling block before the blind.''"

(Talmud, Moed Katan 17a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Establishing spiritual chevra through material enjoyment

Hi,

"It would be good if they would drink together from time to time, not for the purpose of intoxication or empty celebration, Gd forbid, but only in the manner of the pious, to join closer together and to awaken the animal spirit from its laziness. Even one who does not drink such beverages because of poor health, Gd forbid, should dilute his beverage with water and drink together with them.

"After they drink, they should sing some song of awakening, like Yedid Nefesh, Adon Olam, Psalm 23 and so on. If their souls are inflamed and they want to dance together, they should dance. They should only avoid wasting their time with drinking, singing and dancing exclusively."

(R' Klonymus Kalman Schapira, Bnei Machshavah Tovah, Seder Hadrachah uKlalim 6-7)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Fear and Parenting

Hi,

"This is an important rule for pedagogy: One should avoid causing a child to have great fear of punishment; such fear can cause deep spiritual harm. The Sages tell of a child who was so intimidated that he cast him himself into a pit! (Semachot 2:4-6)

"Therefore, one who will punish should do so immediately, and not say, 'You'll see what Abba will do when he arrives.' This could cause great fear, shaking the child's world."

(R' Shlomo Aviner, Pirkei Chinuch 16:12)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Prayer as weapon

Hi,

"The main weapon used by Mashiach [to accomplish his goals] is prayer."

(Rav Nachman biBreslov, Likutei Moharan 2:1)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Is it the thought that counts?

Hi,

"The Khazar king asked: Since you believe in all you have mentioned, Gd knows what is hidden in your heart and Gd desires the heart, He knows the hidden things and reveals that which is secret [and you need not act on these desires]!

"The Jew replied: This is true when action is impossible, but a person is situated between his desires and his deeds, and he is guilty if he does not convert his visible desire into visible proper action."

(R' Yehudah haLevi, Kuzari 5:26-27)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Burial in Israel - on the other hand

Hi,

"Ulla regularly travelled to Israel, but he died outside Israel. When they told R' Elazar, he said, 'You, Ulla, will die on tamei soil?!'

"They then told R' Elazar, 'The casket has arrived.' He said to them, 'There is no comparison between being absorbed while alive and being absorbed posthumously.'"

(Talmud, Ketuvot 111a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

A growing distance from Gd

Hi,

"The early ones were tested by Gd, as it is written, 'And Gd tested Avraham,' and it is written regarding the generation of the wilderness, 'That I might test him, to see whether he will follow My Torah or not,' and, 'To oppress you and to test you.'

"But the later ones were tested by the nations, as in, 'These are the nations Gd left to test Israel.'"

(Midrash Tanchuma Bereishit 43)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Rav Asi and his mother

Hi,

This story is complex, and admits of multiple explanations:

"Rav Asi's elder mother said, 'I want jewelry,' and he made it for her. She said, 'I want a man," and he said he would seek one. She said, 'I want one as good as you,' and he left her and went to Israel. He heard that she was coming after him, and he asked R' Yochanan, 'May one leave Israel?' R' Yochanan replied, 'No." He asked, 'What about to greet my mother?' He said, 'I don't know.' He delayed a bit, then came back to R' Yochanan, who said, 'Asi, if you want to go back, may Gd return you there in peace.'

"Rav Asi went to R' Elazar and asked, 'Gd-forbid, is he [R' Yochanan] angry?' He replied, 'What did he say to you?' He said, 'May Gd return you there in peace.' R' Elazar said, 'If he was angry at you, he would not have blessed you.'

"By then he heard that his mother's casket had arrived. He said, 'Had I known, I would not have left.'"

(Talmud, Kiddushin 31b)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Dama ben Netina and his mother

Hi,


A talmudic illustration of proper honour for one's parents:

"Rav Dimi reported that once Dama ben Netina was wearing a golden garment and sitting among the Roman aristocrats, and his mother came and tore off his garment, slapped him on the head and spat in his face. He did not embarrass her."

(Talmud, Kiddushin 31a)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

The breaching of the walls of Jerusalem

Hi,

"In the fourth month, on the ninth of the month, the famine strengthened in the city and there was no bread for the population. And the city was breached and the soldiers fled, and they departed the city via the gate between the walls by the king's garden, with the Chaldeans surrounding the city, and they traveled via the aravah."

(Yirmiyahu 52:6-7)


"Yirmiyahu spoke regarding the first Beit haMikdash, whereas in the time of the second Beit haMikdash the city was breached on the 17th of Tammuz. A braita corroborates this, saying, 'In the first Beit haMikdash the city was breached on the 9th of Tammuz. In the second, on the 17th of Tammuz.'"

(Talmud, Taanit 28b)

צום קל ומועיל,
Mordechai

This Tuesday: The 17th of Tammuz

Hello,

The fast day of the 17th of Tammuz, observed Tuesday July 19th this year, commemorates five tragedies:

1. Moses descended from meeting Gd and receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, saw the Jews celebrating with the Golden Calf, and broke the two tablets Gd had given him.

2. The daily Tamid offering, which had been brought regularly in the Jerusalem Beit haMikdash [Temple] from the time the Jews built the Mishkan for over one thousand years, was halted during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem before the Beit haMikdash was destroyed.

3. The Romans invaded Jerusalem, prior to destroying the second Beit haMikdash. (According to the Talmud Bavli, the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem to destroy the first Temple on the 9th of Tammuz. According to the Talmud Yerushalmi, both invasions occurred on the 17th of Tammuz.)

4. A Greek or Roman official named Apostimos held a public burning of the Torah.

5. Idols were set up in the Temple itself; it is not clear what year this happened.

(Mishneh Berurah 549:2)

Be well,
Mordechai

The soul is hidden

Hi,

"Every Jewish soul experiences awe of, and loves, Gd. It is only that she is buried in a reed mat (reference to Berachot 18b), hidden in the body, and so her love and awe are also buried."

(R' Klonymus Kalman Schapira, Bnei Machshavah Tovah, Seder Hadrachah uKlalim 14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Money isn't everything

Hi,

"Avimi, son of Rabbi Avahu, taught: There are those who feed their parents pheasant and yet push them from the world, and there are those who make their parents work at the mill and yet bring them into the next world."

(Talmud, Kiddushin 31a-b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't be so sure of yourself...

Hi,

"If a slaughterer does not have a sage inspect his knife [for flaws] before he uses it, we check the knife. If it's fine, we excommunicate him in order to keep him from depending on himself and using it in the future, when it is flawed."

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Shechitah 1:26)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Learn chassidut and kabbalah

Hi,

"Learn works of chassidut, such as Sh"lah, Maharal, the works of the early chassidim like the great Maggid, Noam Elimelech...

"Even if they include things you do not understand, do not rest your hand from them. At the least, you understand their path, their path of holiness and piety, on your level. Aside from this, their words themselves and their spirit of holiness will stick to you and you will be purified.

"You should also learn a little from the works of kabbalah, so that, at the least, you won't be entirely ignorant in them. The book will be a flow of dew, good for you."

(R' Klonymus Kalman Schapira, Bnei Machshavah Tovah, Seder Hadrachah uKlalim 11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The essence of Judaism eludes us

Hi,

"In our "enlightened" times, Jewish souls are deceived by the delusion of "double concealment." Too frequently, we offer lifeless prayers in the midst of animated personal conversation and drag ourselves through the details of Orthodox Judaism. We have forgotten the purpose of life, while observing its regulations. We have lost our sense of divine yearning and subsequently have stopped yearning ourselves. We proceed cheerfully with the business of establishing institutions and supporting more Jewish causes, not realizing that the essence of Judaism eludes us.

"Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev once gathered all the Jews of Berditchev in the main synagogue, rose to the bimah and called out: "Jews, do not forget there is a Gd in Heaven!" To this end our beis medrash was established -- to stop the inertia of apathy, to tear away at least one mask of concealment and call out "There is a Gd in Heaven!""

(Rav Moshe Weinberger, Jewish Action, Fall 5760)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair did not want to eat out - Part III

Hi,

"Rebbe continued to push Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair [to come eat with him], until a mountain [miraculously] arose between them.

"Rebbe cried and said: In their lives they are so powerful [that Gd would perform miracles to satisfy their desire], how much more so in their death! For R' Chama bar Chanina taught, 'The righteous are greater in their death than in their lives, as it is written...'

"They said regarding Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair that he never broke bread belonging to another."

(Talmud, Chullin 7b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair did not want to eat out - Part II

Hi,

"When Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair came to Rebbe's home, he sought to enter through a passage where [he found that] a white mule stood. He exclaimed, 'The angel of death [for white mules were particularly vicious] is in this house; how could I eat with him?'

"Rebbe heard this and exited to greet him. He said, 'Should I sell it?!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'You shall not put a stumbling block before the blind!'

"He said, 'I will abandon it!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'You will increase the harm! '

"He said, 'I will remove its hooves!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'This will pain a living creature!'

" He said, 'I will kill it!' To which Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied, 'That would violate the prohibition against waste!'

(Talmud, Chullin 7b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair did not want to eat out - Part I

Hi,

"Rebbe heard [that Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair had arrived]. He went out to greet him, and asked, 'Would you like eat with me?' Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair replied: Yes.

"Rebbe's face shone [with joy]. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair said to him, 'Did you think I had vowed not to benefit from Israel? Israel is a holy people! I only refuse because some people want to host but lack the means, and others have the means but don't sincerely want to host, and it is written (Mishlei 23:6-7), 'Do not eat the bread of a stingy person, and do not desire his tasty food, for it is bitter in his soul; he will instruct you, 'Eat and drink,' but his heart is not with you.' You, on the other hand, sincerely want to host and have the means.'"

(Talmud, Chullin 7b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why is Shehechiyanu in the plural?

Hi,

"The reason why Shechiyanu [the blessing thanking Gd for keeping us alive and giving us strength to reach a special occasion] was created using plural language ["for keeping –us- alive", etc] is because it would not be possible for people of bitter spirit to thank Gd for bringing "me" to this occasion. It is recited in the plural, not only for the person reciting it but also for others."

(R' Yehudah haChasid, Sefer Chasidim 839)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Anger management

Hi,

"A person [who suffers from attacks of anger] might not have any flaw in his trait of anger, but in his trait of arrogance, such that all others appear as monkeys to him and so he yells at and degrades them.

"Such a person might spend his entire life working on improving his anger management unsuccessfully; might a person who has no anger issues not shout at, and even strike, a monkey or donkey on occasion?

"Were he to examine and come to the kernel of his anger and see that the cause is actually his arrogance, and so repair his arrogance, then he would be healed."

(R' Klonymus Kalman Schapira, Bnei Machshavah Tovah, Seder Hadrachah uKlalim 8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What to ask for

Hi,

"When one asks [Gd] for spiritual elevation, Gd certainly hears [and responds positively to] his prayer. But when one asks for material aid, it is unclear whether he is worthy of the aid, and whether it would be good for him.

"Therefore, one should ask Gd for spiritual elevation, and then it is possible that he will also be given material aid [as he will now be worthy]."

(R' Moshe Midner, Torat Avot pg. 167)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Food for thought on July Fourth

Hi,

"Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon were sitting together, with Yehudah ben Gerim. Rabbi Yehudah began to speak: 'How fine are the deeds of this [Roman] nation! They established markets, they built bridges, they built bathhouses!'

"Rabbi Yosi was silent.

"Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai replied: 'All that they built, they built only for their own needs. They established markets to make a place for women of ill repute; they built bathhouses to pamper themselves; they built bridges from which to collect taxes.'

"Yehudah ben Gerim reported their words, and the report was heard by the government. They said: [Rabbi] Yehudah who praised should be elevated; [Rabbi] Yosi who was silent should be exiled; [Rabbi] Shimon who insulted should be executed."

(Talmud, Shabbat 33b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Don't embarrass your rebbe

Hi,

Mishlei 23:1-3 says, "When you sit down to eat with a ruler, contemplate that which is before you. Place a knife to your throat if you are a person of great hunger. Do not desire his delicacies; they are the bread of deceit."

"If a student knows that his mentor will be able to answer his question with insight, then 'Contemplate'.

"If not, 'Contemplate that which is before you [independently, rather than embarrass him], and place a knife to your throat [rather than ask and embarrass him].

"'If you are a person of great hunger' [to ask your question], leave that mentor."

(Talmud, Chullin 6a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Follow the leader

Hi,

"If a ruler listens to falsehood, then all of his servants [who follow his lead] will be wicked."

(Mishlei 29:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Yitro and Moshe

Hi,

One to ponder:

"Yitro said to him: Accept my condition and I will give her to you as a wife: Your first son should be for idolatry, and the rest for Heaven. Moshe accepted this. He said, 'Swear to me,' and Moshe swore to him."

(Midrash, Mechilta d'R' Yishmael to Yitro, Masechta d'Amalek 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rabbi Akiva and Ben Kalba Savua

Hi,

"R’ Akiva was a shepherd for Ben Kalba Savua. His daughter saw that R’ Akiva was tzanua and good, and she asked him, 'If would accept kiddushin from you, would you go to yeshiva?' He replied, 'Yes.'

"They eloped secretly, and she sent him to yeshiva. Her father heard, evicted her from his home and vowed that she could not benefit from his property.

"R’ Akiva went and sat in yeshiva for twelve years. When he returned, he brought with him twelve thousand students. He heard an elderly man say to her, 'How long will you remain in living widowhood?' To which she replied, 'If he would listen to me, he would stay another twelve years!'

"R’ Akiva said, 'I am doing this with permission!' He returned and sat in yeshiva for another twelve years.

"When he returned, he brought 24,000 students with him. His wife heard and went out to greet him... When she reached him, she fell on her face and kissed his foot. His attendants pushed her away, but he said, 'Leave her be; mine and yours are hers.'

"Her father heard that a great man had come to the city, and he said, 'I will go to him, and perhaps he will nullify my vow.' He came to R' Akiva. R' Akiva asked him, 'Did you intend this vow even if he would become a great man?' To which he replied, 'Even if he would learn one chapter, or one halachah!'

"R' Akiva said, 'I am he.' Ben Kalba Savua fell on his face and kissed his foot and gave him half of his assets."

(Talmud, Ketuvot 62b-63a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The impact of thoughts

Hi,

"Every thought and desire, whether good or, Gd-forbid, bad, that passes through a person, does not pass without impact. One by one they gather and are established in the soul, and an edifice is built from them.

"Sometimes a bad trait, far worse than one's normal traits, arises in a person, Gd spare us, and he is shocked at himself. How did I enter such a lowly state?! But as we have said, thoughts and desires as thin as a hair took root in him. He did not know them or sense them, due to their intangibility, but inside him they thickened and gew, and then became visible and were revealed in the form of a repellent trait and ugly block, Gd forbid.

"The opposite is also true - every good thought and desire which rises within you, even if you do not achieve it, will thicken and grow and manifest itself in a holy trait or thought."

(R' Klonymus Kalman Schapiro, Bnei Machshavah Tovah, Seder Hadrachah uKlalim 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The addiction of authority

Hi,

"Rabbi Yehoshua ben Perachyah said: At first, had anyone told me, 'Ascend to authority,' I would have bound him up in front of a lion. Now [that I hold authority], if anyone would tell me to descend from authority, I would pour a pot of boiling water over him!"

(Talmud, Menachot 109b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Moshe and the Mirrors

Hi,

"When Gd told Moshe to create the Mishkan… the women asked, 'What can we donate for the Mishkan collection?' They stood and brought their mirrors to Moshe.

"When Moshe saw the mirrors, he raged at them, telling the Jews, 'Take sticks and break their legs! For what purpose would we need these mirrors?'

"Gd said to Moshe, 'Moshe! You degrade these things? These mirrors are what created the multitudes of Jews in Egypt! Take the mirrors from them, and make from them the copper sink and its base for the kohanim, with which the kohanim will sanctify themselves.'"

(Midrash Tanchuma Pekudei 9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When a judge must explain himself

Hi,


Background: Normally, judges on a Jewish court are not required to present the logic behind their decisions. However, in a particular case (Bava Metzia 69a-b), Rav Pappa explained his decision. Tosafot explains:

"Rav Pappa was required to explain his verdict in this case, specifically, under the principle of 'You shall be innocent from Gd and Israel,' because the litigant had reason to suspect him."

(Tosafot to Bava Metzia 69b כי האי גוונא)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How to besiege a city

Hi,

"We are instructed to leave a direction open, unsieged, when we besiege a city, so that they should have the means of flight. This way we will learn to act with mercy even upon our enemies in war. Also, this is advantageous in opening a path through which they will flee, rather than strengthen themselves against us."

(Ramban to Sefer haMitzvot, Omitted Aseh #5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Where is the Garden of Eden?

Hi,

"Gan Eden is a rich place on the globe, with abundant water and trees, and Gd will reveal it to humanity in the future, showing them its path, and they will enjoy it. Perhaps they will find amazing plants there, with great benefit and pleasure, aside from those of which we know. None of this is impossible or distant; it is highly possible, even had the Torah not mentioned it, and certainly since it is explained and publicized in the Torah."

(Rambam, Commentary to Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Techiyat haMeitim [the ultimate resurrection of the dead]

Hi,

"R' Tavi said, citing R' Yoshiyah: What is the meaning of the verse, '[Three things are never sated, four never say, 'Enough':] The grave, the barren womb, the earth is never full of water [and fire]'? What is the grave next to the womb? To teach that just as the womb takes in and produces, so the grave takes in and produces."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 92a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What happens in Olam haBa (the world of the future)?

Hi,

"Rav regularly said: The next world is not like this one; the next world will not have eating, drinking, procreation, commerce, jealousy, hatred or competition. Rather, the righteous will sit, with crowns on their heads, benefiting from the radiance of the Shechinah, as it is written, 'And they envisioned Gd, and they ate and drank.'"

(Talmud, Berachot 17a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Which body comes back in Techiyat haMeitim?

Hi,

"The last body in which the soul was planted, and in which it grew successfully and developed good roots, will rise up at that time."

(Zohar, Bereishit pg. 131a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Secrets of Gd

Hi,

"Gd caused King Chizkiyahu to suffer, and told Yeshayah, "Go visit the sick," as it is written, "In those days, Chizkiyahu became deathly ill, and the prophet Yeshayah son of Amotz came to him and said, 'So says Gd: Instruct your household, for you will die and not live.'"

"What did that message mean? You will die in this world, and you will not live in the next world.

"Chizkiyahu asked: Why should all this befall me?

"Yeshayah replied: Because you have not been involved in procreation.

"Chizkiyahu explained: I saw in a Divinely inspired vision that I would have bad children!

"Yeshayah replied: What business do you have in the secrets of the Merciful One? You should do as you are instructed, and Gd will do whatever pleases Gd."

(Talmud, Berachot 10a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why Ramban could not accept Christianity

Hi,

"I cannot believe in his messiahship because the prophet says (Psalms 72:8) "He will have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth" and he did not have dominion...

"The prophet also says (Jeremiah 31:33) "No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know Me..." And it says (Isaiah 11:9) "The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." It says (Isaiah 2:4) "they shall beat their swords [into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;] nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." But from his time until now the world is full of murder and theft..."

(Kitvei Ramban, 1:311)

Have a great day,
Mordechai