Parshas Shemini Messages 5779

בּ“ה

Parshas Shemini

This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated l’ilui nishmas my

beloved Rebbe, HaRav Elyakim Getzel ben Yechiel Michel Rosenblatt zt”l.

‘And it was on the eighth day [of the Inauguration], Moshe called. . . -- ויהי ביום השמיני קרא משה. . .’ (Vayikra 9:1)

השמיני קרא משה, says the Baal HaTurim zt”l, equals in Gematria (numerical value) the words היה ביום ראש חדש ניסן -- ‘it was on the day of Rosh Chodesh Nissan’.

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‘And he [Moshe] said to Aharon; “Take for yourself a calf, son of the cattle, for a sin-offering. . .’ (Vayikra 9:2)

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Says the Kli Yakar {HaRav Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz zt”l}:  Some ask; why was the calf for Aharon ‘for a sin-offering’, and the calf for the Jews ‘for an Olah-offering’ (see verse 3)?  

And he quotes:  They said on this:  Because with the Cheit HaEgel (sin of the Golden Calf), Aharon did not sin in thought, for certainly he did not intend for the sake of avodah zarah at all, and his main sin was in deed, that he actually made the calf.  Therefore his offering was a calf for a sin-offering, which atones for sin in deed.  

But the Jews who sinned also in thought, therefore their offering was a calf for an Olah-offering, which comes to atone for the sin of bad thoughts (Vayikra Rabbah 7:3).  

However, they also sinned in deed, as we see that they bowed down to the golden calf, ‘and they sacrificed to it’; and for the sin of the sacrificing, explains the Kli Yakar, they brought the he-goat for atonement. . . (see the rest of his commentary).

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‘And the entire Assembly came close and they stood before Hashem.  And Moshe said, “This is the thing that Hashem has commanded, you shall do;. . .’ (Vayikra 9:5-6)

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Says my Rebbe, HaRav Binyomin Goldstein shlit”a:  At the Inauguration of the Mishkan, the entire Congregation of Israel gathered together, full of excitement and anticipation.  At that moment, Moshe seems to begin to tell the nation to perform some type of Mitzvah, but then never goes on specify which Mitzvah should be performed.  B”H, I found a beautiful explanation for this in the Chiddushei HaRim from the first Gerrer Rebbe, zt”l, that really hit home. . .

The goal of energizing and motivating each other in Avodas Hashem is not merely to attain a brief feeling of hiskashrus (spiritual connection).  Rather, the true purpose is to take the energy that is gained and infuse it into every aspect of one’s life.  The goal is for such gatherings [of Chizuk and inspiration] to truly motivate people to change in a practical sense -- not merely in theory or for a brief moment.

The Rebbe explains that this is actually the message that Moshe was conveying to the Jewish People at the Inauguration of the Mishkan:  Moshe was telling the Yidden (Jews) that ‘This is thing that Hashem has commanded’, which was the gathering together of the entire Nation; was entirely in order that ‘you shall do’ -- in order to take this inspirational high and then go and do with it.  Take that moment and use it to illuminate every aspect of your life to practically change for the better.

The reason why this lesson hits home for me is because this touches upon what I perceive to be one of the biggest struggles of our generation.  If you’re looking for a “spiritual gathering”, they’re actually easy to find. There are plenty of congregations and groups that have embraced the concept of coming together with various speakers and events intended to strengthen each other. . . However, the message of ‘you should do’ seems to have been largely lost.  Very often, people come together looking for something briefly inspirational or for some type of “quick-fix” or “high”, but then leave that inspiration at the door as soon as they leave.  Connecting those moments of inspiration with the rest of one’s life has become increasingly hard; people are having a difficult time pushing themselves afterwards to implement that inspiration to really change.

However, it didn't always used to be this way.  In previous generations, the desire to push oneself to change seems to have come almost naturally (obviously generally speaking).  I once heard a story (I believe it’s from the biography of Rav Shlomo Freifeld zt”l) that many years ago there was an older Jew who came to America who was actually from the town of Sochochov, and was a student of the Avnei Neizer, the holy Sochochover Rebbe, zt”l.  He recalled how the Avnei Neizer used to speak at Shalosh Seudos (third Shabbos meal) and share his Torah insights and practical wisdom.  As soon as Shabbos would end, the Chassidim that were there would run out to the Jewish cemetery that was alongside the Shul, prostrate themselves on the ground, and pray for three hours, crying and pleading before their Creator to [i.e. that they should] internalize the teachings of their holy Rebbe and to never forget what he said.  Today, if a Yid goes to hear a Tzaddik speak, he’s fortunate if he remembers what he heard the next morning!  And not only that: If he instead goes and cries out to Hashem to help him internalize what he heard from the Tzaddik for a few hours, he’ll be considered a total meshugeneh (crazy person)!

There are undoubtedly many reasons for our generation's spiritual decline in this regard:  Firstly, we do not take the words of the righteous as seriously today as Yidden used to in previous generations.  We are more cynical and calloused by all of the corruption that surrounds us, and this makes it much more difficult for a truly righteous person’s words to penetrate our hearts.  Second, we generally do not like to work hard today for anything -- and especially spiritual pursuits. Earlier generations were brought up in conditions where they needed to work hard for everything literally just in order to survive, and therefore the concept of “hard work” in a spiritual sense came much more naturally to them.  The final reason I’ll suggest -- which is also the saddest -- is that we do not believe in our own inner greatness anymore. People used to believe that they could change themselves, and had hopes of transforming themselves into spiritual giants. However, today, we have a hard time believing that we’re capable of attaining spiritual heights.  We doubt our own inner-holiness and potential, and sadly develop an attitude of “What’s the point? Why even try?” Therefore, when we go to any type of inspirational gathering, we don’t expect what we hear to impact our hearts anymore; the lessons we hear remain merely theoretical and informational and never really seep into our souls. . .

My Rebbe, Rav Goldstein shlit”a, provides one answer and solution to this in the rest of his Dvar Torah, but I will leave it up to each of us to find a personal fix to this problem in our lives.

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‘And these you shall abominate from [among] the birds, they shall not be eaten. . .’ (Vayikra 11:13)

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‘And the Chasidah [is one of these]. . .’ (Vayikra 11:19)

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Brings Rashi zt”l from Gemara Chullin 63a; why was this bird called Chasidah -- חסידה?  Because it does kindness, חסידות, with its friends with food [by dividing it with them ~~ Rashi to that Gemara].

Beautifully, many Chassidishe Rebbes say:  If it does kindness with its friends then why is it impure -- not Kosher?  Because it only does kindness with its friends.

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|~Maaseh~|  One time, a man came to the Chofetz Chaim zt”l’s house, and, seeing how simply furnished it was, he asked Rav Yisroel Meir where his furniture was.  

Rav Yisroel Meir replied that where was his -- the visitor’s -- furniture?  And of course the man answered that he was merely passing through [town]!

“I too,” said the Chofetz Chaim, in his wonderful way, “Am just passing through [i.e. through This World].”

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

UPDATE ON RAV ROSENBLATT'S CONDITION

B"H

Shalom aleichem everyone.  Good evening.  Thank you so much for your continued tefillos and everything that you have been doing for the Rav.  

Unfortunately, I don't have good news about him.  Baruch Dayan HaEmes.  He had contracted pneumonia and his kidneys had been acting up, and he was niftar earlier today.  The levaya will, b'Ezras Hashem, be tomorrow morning.  

I remember, although, unfortunately it isn't the reality about me, one of the very last things he said to me in our last conversation together was, in his sweet, beautiful way, "You're terrific." And when I was zocheh to be in his home, although it was difficult for him to walk up and down stairs, he walked up at least two flights of them to get me some things from the third floor.  

Yehi zichro baruch.  Klal Yisroel has, R"L, lost a big Oveid Hashem, Gadol, and Baal Mussar.

Good night/morning (in Eretz Yisroel), and kol tuv everyone.  Again, thank you.  May you all be blessed with everything good.

Parshas Tzav Messages 5779

בּ“ה

Parshas Tzav

This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated l’zechus refuah shleimah mi’heira

to my Rebbe, HaRav Elyakim Getzel ben Sarah.

From where do we know that one who does Teshuva, it is considered for them as if they went up to Yerushalayim, built the Beis HaMikdash and the Altar, and brought all the offerings that are listed in the Torah?  From the verse (Tehillim 51:19), ‘The offerings of G-d are a broken spirit’ [i.e. referring to regret over transgressions, it would seem].  

(Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 7:2)

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‘העלה על  מוֹקדה על המזבּח’ -- ‘The Olah that burns upon the Altar’  (Vayikra 6:2)

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In a Torah Scroll, the letter ‘מ’ of the word ‘מוֹקדה’ (‘burns’) is written small.  This comes to teach us that sometimes at first you might only “burn” a little while Davening -- i.e. you might only have a little passion.  But keep trying! Good changes sometimes start small.  For if you do, with the Help of Hashem, your fervor will grow and grow until you have very warmth-and-passion-filled Davenings!

(Tal U’Matar, based in part on a piece from Nesivos Shalom)

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‘And the fire upon the Altar shall burn on [lit. in] it, it shall not be extinguished (לא תכבה)’ (Vayikra 6:5)

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Famously, the Baal HaTanya {first Lubavitcher Rebbe -- Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi zt”l} interprets:  לא (which means no) -- the negative within us, תכבה -- you should extinguish.

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‘Remember the Torah of Moshe My Servant, that I commanded him in Choreiv for all of Israel, Decrees and Ordinances.  Behold I am sending to you Eliyah(u) HaNavi. . . etc.’ (Malachi 3:22-23, Haftarah of Shabbos HaGadol)

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Says the Chofetz Chaim zt”l:  The last Navi (Prophet) ends his book with the warning from Hashem to remember the Torah of Moshe, the Servant of Hashem.  And because of this, the Jews will merit the Redemption, like the saying of our Sages z”l, Sanhedrin 99b. . .

And the Navi concludes, from what Hashem said; ‘that I commanded him in Choreiv for all of Israel’ -- meaning, that there is not a Jewish person who is able to exempt themselves from the keeping the Mitzvos of the Torah.  

And further in it is an exalted matter; that we were commanded regarding the Decrees and the Ordinances together, for only then the Torah is called complete -- if we uphold it with all its details and fine points.  

And because we will do what what is incumbent upon us, surely Hashem will uphold His Word to send to us Eliyahu HaNavi to tide us of our Redemption.  

The last Mitzvah of the Taryag (613) Mitzvos of the Torah is also regarding the matter of learning Torah, like it is written, (Devarim 31:19) ‘And now, write for yourselves this Song and teach it to the Bnei Yisroel, etc.’, which comes to teach us that the main thing of all main things is the learning of the Holy Torah and the upholding of its Mitzvos.  And this is all of man [i.e. our whole life].  

(Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah)

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There are 96 pessukim (verses) in this Parsha, which, it has been noted, is interestingly enough, the Gematria (numerical value) of the name of the Parsha itself:  צו.

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|~Maaseh~|  The following is a first-person account from the great Tzaddik (righteous person) and Holocaust survivor, Reb Yisroel Cohen shlit”a (or called Srulik in the following piece), related in his book, Destined to Survive:  

“All the strain and nervous excitement had their effect on me.  I had just suffered through a bad bout of typhus and several days of high fever.  Falling back on my segment of board, I fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt dizzy, and my head felt very heavy.  My bones, protruding as they did from my emaciated body, scraped against the wooden plank, stinging painfully as the skin peeled off.  But who could pay attention to such trivialities?  After six years in the ghetto and in three concentration camps, one’s body adjusts, and suffering becomes the norm.

Nevertheless, the hunger pangs were constantly renewing themselves, and since a hungry person can hardly think of anything else but eating, I began to calculate how much time remained until noon, when the “hot soup” would arrive. (This was a lukewarm liquid in which a couple of pieces of potato occasionally would float.)

With my head down on the wooden board, near despair, I began to conjure up images from my past, of my life with my parents and my two sisters, Gittel and Mirel -- how I used to learn in the Gerer shtiebel and belonged to the circle of young boys.  Mostly, I remembered my grandfather, Reb Herschel, who loved me dearly and to whom I was strongly attached, who used to take me, his only grandson, along whenever he went to the Gerer Rebbe.  I relived the memory of my entering the room where the Rebbe was, and the deep impression left in my heart by the Rebbe’s eyes, eyes that overflowed with wisdom and love, eyes that penetrated the very depths of my soul.  While still remembering this brilliant, imposing figure, I thought to myself, “Will I ever have the zechus (merit) to press myself into the crowd of chassidim gathering around the Rebbe, to frequent his beis medrash and learn from him how to be a chassid and a G-d-fearing person?”

“It’s time to daven, Srulik.”

My friend’s voice shook me from my reverie.  Immediately, my pleasant memories vanished and once again I found myself in the pit of hell.

Half-dazed, I picked myself up and said, “Yes, of course.  Let’s wash our hands and daven.”

A sudden thought struck me.

“But it’s Purim today!  We have to organize a minyan -- maybe we’ll even remember a few pesukim of the Megillah!”

And, wonder of wonders!  In that instant, I forgot my pain, my suffering, my hunger pangs. Summoning up all my remaining strength, I went to wash my hands and face and then to find some men to complete our minyan, and inform any of my acquaintances who would want to daven betzibbur (with a quorum).  Perhaps I could even find someone else who could still recall a few more verses from the Megillah, so that we could fulfill as much as we could of the obligations that are remembered and kept from generation to generation.

And then, as if to show that G-d desires those mitzvos that Jews perform with true mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice), by some miracle a small Chumash Shemos was discovered with the complete Megillas Esther at the back. (Our friend, Itche Perelman, who was in the burial commando, had discovered it in one of the blocks.)  Our elation was immeasurable!  Such a find was awesome!  It could only be a sign that our prayers had been received in Heaven and the redemption was about to begin.  Excitement grew to a feverish pitch.  Who remembered the hunger, who remembered the cold, the filth, the degradation?  No one gave a thought to the dangers involved in organizing a minyan and reading the Megillah, if suddenly the Germans or a kapo would decide to drop into our hut.  Even the irreligious ones… were filled with excitement at this great event.

“Who will read the Megillah?” the question was thrown.

The lot fell on me, for I had learned to become skilled as a baal korei (reader of the Torah) from the time I had been locked into the ghetto… And so, I found myself sitting on the edge of my piece of wooden plank, dressed in a camp uniform, a towel wrapped around my head in place of a yarmulke, reciting with my remaining strength, “and Haman sought to destroy all the Jews…” When I read aloud about Haman’s downfall, and that “The Jews had light and happiness, joy and honor,” the spark of hope deep inside every Jew’s heart ignited into a flaming torch. “Oy, Ribbono Shel Olam!” thought each person, “Make a wondrous miracle for us, too, as You did for our forefathers in those days, and we will also see the end of our enemies!”

When I finished, everyone cheered in relief.  For a brief instant, the dreadful reality of the SS death camp was forgotten, the hunger and suffering were overlooked.  Everyone realized that he was a Jew and a human being, and the savage atmosphere was transformed into a Purim atmosphere.  And I, having exerted all my remaining energy in my reading of the Megillah, remained sitting almost without breathing, but with my spirit soaring.

When people’s actions are pleasing to Hashem, even their enemies are reconciled to them.  Even the block elder, who usually strutted in with a cruel, arrogant demeanor and scowling face, allowed a smile to play on his lips as he entered that day, and handed out the soup without shouting or cursing at anyone who did not thrust out his can quickly enough.  The ever-present jealousy turned into generosity, since instead of complaining as usual that someone else had received more potatoes, everyone cried out, “Let Srulik get a bigger portion of soup today!”

Instead of dwelling on the past, we began to dream about the future, with the hope that soon the German demon would inherit his own downfall, and that the end of Jewish suffering would arrive.  And like a river overflowing its banks, its waters pouring out unchecked, so the festive atmosphere and the vision of redemption burst out of the broken hearts of the camp inmates, and, one mitzvah leading to another, more acts of heroism followed.  Someone decided to forgo a small piece of yesterday’s bread, and offered it to his comrade instead.  Another person donated a piece of potato, and these two “portions,” which only yesterday could have caused envy and hatred among friends, now became the means by which the inmates could return to what was written, “to fulfill the mitzvah of mishloach manos, one man to another.”

These precious mishloach manos were passed around from one to the other, until they finally landed on my lap.  Everyone decided that I should be the one to keep them as payment for reading the Megillah.  I thought to myself, “Ribbono Shel Olam!  Behold Your great nation, that in one second can transform itself from the level of wild animals tearing at one another, to the level of courageous men, faithful Jews.  And who is like you, Yisrael, a single nation of the earth?” With great emotion I turned to all present: “Yidden!  Brothers in suffering!  I don’t deserve this honor you have given me.  We all have but one request from our Heavenly Father: L’shanah habaah biYerushalayim!  Next year in Jerusalem!”

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!