Either way, we work

Hi,

[The Torah describes the pre-Adam state of the world (Bereishit 2:5): 'And there was no man, to work the land.']

"Man was created only to work. If he merits, he works in Torah. If he does not merit, he works the land. Fortunate is the man who works in Torah."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 13:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Joy of Torah

Hi,

Preface: Yosef haBavli asked Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua a technical question regarding the acceptability of a korban [Temple offering] which had been processed with improper intent.

"Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said: It is kosher.

"In the evening he said, 'Kosher.'

"The next morning he said, 'Kosher.'

"At midday he said, 'Kosher.'

"That evening he said, 'Kosher - but Rabbi Eliezer rules it is disqualified.'

"Yosef haBavli's face shone at that point, and so Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said to him, 'Yosef! It appears to me [from the look on your face] that we did not learn this correctly until now!'

"Yosef haBavli explained: Rebbe, it is true; Rabbi Yehudah taught me that this offering was disqualified, and I circulated among all of his students and found no one who could corroborate my recollection. Now you have taught me 'Disqualified' and so you have returned my lost object to me!

"Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua began to cry. He said, 'Fortunate are you, Torah scholars, that words of Torah are so beloved to you!' And he cited Tehillim 119, 'How much I love Your Torah; it is my speech all day!'"

(Talmud, Menachot 18a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The importance of being earnest

Hi,

“Answer questions earnestly, as is in your heart, in sincerity and simplicity, and use your intellect only to determine that an answer is not incorrect. Even your intellect should be simple and earnest, a tool to serve the earnestness and simplicity of your heart, to help her and to bring her intent into action.

“And if you find that this answer will harm you, or there is some other reason you cannot give this answer, then say, ‘I don’t know,’ as the sages instructed, rather than bend and corrupt with a twisted answer, without earnestness and without simplicity.”

[I believe his “as the sages instructed” refers to Kallah Rabti, “‘Teach your tongue to say, ‘I don’t know,’ lest you lie and be trapped.”]

(R’ Klonymus Kalman Schapira, Bnei Machshavah Tovah, Seder Emtza’ei v’Yesod haChevra 15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Choose your companions wisely

Hi,

"One should increase his meals with Torah scholars, and decrease his meals with ignorant people, for later on the ignorant person will speak evilly of him [regarding anything that happened at the meal]."

(Tana Dvei Eliyahu Rabbah 12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The limits of good intentions

Hi,

"Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz (Sichot Mussar 5732 #2) observes that the Talmud (Bava Batra 16a) is offering no mitigation of Peninah's guilt. Rather, it is expressing that when dealing with the genuine pain of other individuals, good intentions are no defense; the end result is just as anguishing. As he puts it, if one places a person's arm in an oven, even if one means well, it is no less burnt."

(Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, The Right and the Good, pg. xxi)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Eat nicely!

Hi,

To preserve the honor of Torah, its representatives should not behave crudely. Therefore:

"A Torah scholar should not eat standing up, should not lick his fingers (from his food) and should not chew his cud before others."

(Derech Eretz Zuta 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Chosenness? Or the love that comes with acceptance of a covenant?

Hi,

"R’ Akiva used to say: Man is beloved for he was created in the image [designed by Gd]; he was informed of extra love in being told he was created in the image, as it is written…

"Israel is beloved in that they are called children of Gd; they are informed of extra love in that they are called children of Gd, as it is written…"

(Pirkei Avot 3:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai